“Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”
1 Sam 7:1-13

Introduction
Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, “Hitherto hath the LORD helped us”. 1 Sam 7:12
The Nation of Israel had such a decisive victory over their long time enemy the Philistines that the Prophet Samuel took a stone to mark the Place, so that the people would never forget what the Lord had done for them on that great day
God had helped them, He delivered them, he saved them and He gave them a tremendous victory.
But, not only would the people remember this great victory, which God had given to them in an effectual Salvation, they would also remember forever their past Failures and how they had turned away from their God.
The word “Ebenezer”, which Samuel uses, means,
“The Stone of Help Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”
Those of us who are the Lord’s and Saved by His Sovereign Grace, through His Redeeming Blood, we can lift our “Ebenezer” to God in Worship and in Praise, and say,
Oh God our Help, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us”
Here, I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I come
And, I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.
The Believer can say, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped me”.
Jesus, sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God,
He to Save my soul from danger interposed His precious Blood.
A Decisive Victory has been won on Mount Calvary. Jesus has defeated the greatest Philistine of all, old Satan the great enemy of man’s Soul.
It is finished the battle is over, it is finished and Jesus is Lord.
Consider this place, which is called Ebenezer

It Was the Place of Former Defeat
1 Sam 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-je’arim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
This Period of time refers to an event that took place twenty-one years before, when at this very place Israel pitched their tents to do battle with the Philistines. They were confident of victory, yet they lost four thousand men. Then they asked the question,
“Why is God not with us, send for the Ark”
This is a question that men should ever ask in times of defeat. Why is God not with us? Hophni &Phinehas, the Priest who were the sons of Eli. brought the Ark of the Covenant to the battle field. When the people saw it, they gave a great shout; so loud it was that the Philistines were afraid. But Israel lost the battle; thirty thousand were killed, including Hophni &Phinehas the sons of Eli.
When old Eli heard the news of Israel’s defeat and the death of his sons, he died of a heart attack, and his daughter in law, the wife of Phineous, gave birth to a son. She died in childbirth, but not before she had named her son “Ichabod” which means
“The Glory of the Lord has departed”
The Glory of the Lord had departed for a long time, and for twenty-one years “Ichabod” could be written over the Nation and its people, for the enemy the Philistines sorely oppressed them.
Friends, Ichabod, could be written over many Nations of the world today, the glory of the Lord has departed. Ichabod can be written over the lives of many, who are continually oppressed and defeated by man’s great enemy-- the Devil.
Why was Israel defeated and oppressed by the enemy? It was because the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of the presence of God in the midst of His people, was not in its rightful place.
Shiloh was the place to be honoured with the presence of the Ark of God. Yet for twenty years, because of a corrupt priesthood, the Ark was no longer the central focus in the life of the Nation.
The people had turned away from God, to worship the idols of Balim and Ashtaroth, the gods of man’s making. The Lord was not in His rightful place, and sin controlled the lives of the people

Where is the Lord in your life? Is he in his rightful place?
Christian, is the Lord sitting and reigning on the Throne of your heart? Or, perhaps there are now rivals to the Throne where Jesus once ruled supreme.
Do you spend time with Him in the quiet place of prayerful meditation? Do you fellowship as often as you should with His people? Do you absent yourselves from the gatherings of the Saints, as they come to the house of God to worship and to learn more of Jesus and His Teaching?
Is Christ in control of your Time, your Talents, and your Tithe? Or, are the False Idols of men, the gods of self, the gods of this world drawing you away room your first love?
Is your love for the Saviour stronger now than it was when first you knew Him? Or has your love for Him grown somewhat cold? Is He in control of your life, or has your Christianity become a matter of convenience, -- a piece meal, where you adhere to what suits you, instead of obeying the “Thus Saith the Lord”

If any of these things are true of those who profess to be Christians, then they are in a backslidden condition and are living in the place of defeat, knowing little of the Blessing and the Victory that God wants to bestow upon us.
The Lord does not want His people to live in the place of defeat, because in His grace He has lifted us up from the place, of defeat where once we were the Slaves of Satan and sin. Through Redemption, He has lifted us up to higher ground of Faith unto Salvation.
”Hitherto has the Lord helped us” In a Spirit of worship? we say to Him
Come Thou fount of every Blessing
Tune my Heart to sing Thy Praise
Streams of Mercy never ceasing
Calls for songs of Loudest Praise.
The Lord would challenge our hearts saying, …
My Life was given for thee, what hast thou given for me.
Dear Unsaved soul, you are living in the place of defeat, and Satan is in control of your life. Make no mistake about it, he has a real grip on you, and he feeds you with the pleasures of sin to enjoy for a season. Soon you find that you are hooked your old habits control you.
The Powers of Darkness do battle with you every day and they are wining. Look at the man who smokes. He knows that the cancer stick will ruin his health and be the major factor in his death, but he still continues to smoke. Why, Satan controls the very taste buds.
The man, who drinks on a regular basis, knows there is always the possibility of him becoming an alcoholic, and in the process he will destroy his liver, but he still goes on drinking his booze. Why? Satan is in total control.
The Person, who tries a minor drug at a party, soon finds that he or she has a major problem, for they have become hopeless drug addict. Satan is in total control
Man in his sin is living in the place of defeat, he worships the false gods of this world, he is under the control of Satan, and he is one who is in need of a great deliverance.
Jesus Christ is able to deliver you, as He did of old for Legion the man who was possessed by many demons. He has delivered countless Millions and He can deliver you from the stranglehold of Satan and sin.
‘This the grandest theme through the ages rung
‘Tis the grandest theme for a mortal tongue
‘Tis the grandest theme that the world e’re sung
Our God is able to deliver you.

Whether you are aware of it or not, the Lord has been very good to you down through the years. His hand has been upon you for good, and all that you have has come from the giving hand of a gracious God.
He has helped you in many situations. He has under taken for you in difficult days.
Yes you too can say, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped me”
For Israel, Ebenezer was
The Place of Past Defeat
The Place of True Repentance
1 Sam 7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjath-je’arim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD
At long last, the Israelites came to their senses, and realised what a mess they were in, they came to realise what was wrong with their lives, and they wanted to put things right.
The people mourned and lamented. They now realised the folly of their sinful ways, and they lamented their weakness, helplessness, and their emptiness. They were miserable without God in their lives and in the life of the Nation.
How miserable is the child of God who has lost the joy of the presence of the Lord, because they are out of fellowship with Him and He is not reigning in His rightful place in their hearts.
Oh, how miserable the backsliders can be, when they are not at home in the world, and out of touch with God.
But, there is a way back to God for the backslider; there is a way back to God for the Sinner, who finds himself or herself like the prodigal in the far country, feeding at the swine troughs of the world. It is the road of Repentance. Failure must be recognised, sin must be acknowledged, and there must be a returning to the Lord.
Samuel gives Israel Instructions, and the steps that they must take if they are to return to the path of blessing and to know again the joy of the Lord’s presence with them.

There must be a Change of Direction
V 3 Return unto the Lord with all your hearts”
This was not a new message that Samuel was preaching. He had been preaching this message for twenty years, but the trouble was, the people were not listening, and if they were they certainly did not respond.
Sometimes the backslider is inclined to think, I could change my ways, if I could find another Church, or to listen to some new preacher with a different approach, and a better ministry. Then I could change my direction in life.
Not so. The Backslider will change direction, when he listens to the old message, which is preached in the Old-fashioned way, which calls all men unto repentance.
Neither can the Sinful man change his direction in life, or by seeking to turn over a new leaf, seeking to change his habits. There must be an earnest seeking after God, a sorrowful repentance, and a deep longing to return to fellowship with God. Returning to the Lord with all you heart, and seeking a close walk with God.
True repentance has a double aspect; it looks upon things past with a weeping eye, and upon the future with a watchful eye.

There must be a Clear Separation
V 3 then put away the strange God’s form among you”
Samuel says to the people, get rid of the False and serve the true. Get rid of all that would hinder, all that would seek to destroy you, and cling to the true God, the one, who will help you, and serve Him only.
The life that is blessed of God is a separated life, for no man can serve two Masters. Israel was defeated, because they tried to serve two masters; the false gods and the True.
God is a Jealous God and He will not share His Glory with another. Now it was not that Israel had stopped worshipping Jehovah altogether, they had not denied the articles or their faith and the doctrines of the covenant.
They just did not live by them, in fact, they added to them, the ways and the worship of the Canaanites. Theirs was a mix and match religion that they had tailored made to suit them.
This is often the Problem today. Man ever seeks to mix the world with his Christianity, and he seeks to get the best of both worlds. But you cannot serve the gods of the Canaanites, and be a servant of the living God.
You cannot serve god had Mammon. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
Those, who come to saving faith in Christ, have a change of Direction. They are clearly separated from the world.
Separated by the Grace of God, unto Holiness, Sanctified and consecrated unto the Lord who has saved them. Like Caleb of old, they wholly follow the Lord.
Samuel make a third Stipulation…

There must be Careful Preparation
“Prepare your hearts unto the Lord”
Give thought to your Past, the mistakes you have made, your failures, your condition without God and His Fellowship.
Prepare your hearts unto the Lord; give thought to the Present, the defeats in your life, the mess in which you find yourself because of sin.
Sit down consider your ways, be like the Prodigal, come to yourself to your senses and return to the Father the God who loves you.
Samuel tells Israel, as the Holy Spirit would tell us today, there must be A Careful Preparation of Heart” if there is going to be a lasting return unto the Lord.

There must be Consecration to the Lord.
V3 Samuel says to Israel “Serve Him only. And He will deliver you out of the hands of the Philistines”.
Serve Him only This is still the key for a happy fulfilling life. Serve him only, put away everything that is contrary to the mind and will of God.
Is there something in our lives that is not pleasing to God? It would need to be put right.
A Spirit of Bitterness, an old habit that should have been long since buried, a lack of appetite for the word of God. A certain sin that so easily besets us and breaks fellowship.
Prepare your heart, seek the Lord, and serve Him only.
All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give
I will ever trust and serve Him in His presence daily live
All to Jesus I consecrate a new, for He is my Portion forever..
Only His Glory will I Pursue
For He is my portion forever.

Dear Unsaved Soul--
There must be a Change of Direction. The way you are travelling is the broad road, which leads to eternal damnation.
There must be a Clear Separation. You must leave the old way of life, those things which have become gods in your life. You must turn to Christ for Salvation, and by His enabling Grace, live a life that is separated unto Him and His service.
There must be Careful Preparation
“Seek the Lord while He may be found and call upon Him while he is near”, that you might be gloriously saved.
Falling into sin doesn’t condemn anybody, but staying in it does.
Illustration-- A visitor at a fishing dock asked an old fisherman who was sitting there, “If I were to fall into this water, would I drown?”
It was a way of asking how deep the water was, but the fisherman had a good answer. “No” he said. Falling’ into the water doesn’t drown anybody. It’s staying under it that does.”
A man is first startled by sin; then it becomes pleasing, then easy, then delightful, then frequent, then habitual, then confirmed. The man is impenitent, then obstinate, and then. He is damned.

Ebenezer.
The Place of Past Defeat.
The Place of True Repentance.
The Place of Deep Contrition
1 Sam 7:5-6
And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.
And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
Samuel’s Intercession is followed by the people’s confession of their sin; there was the outward sign of real repentance, in the pouring out of water and fasting.
Rom 10:9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The Place of Effectual Sacrifice .
1 Sam 7:9-10 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
This is the only way that sinful man can approach a Holy God, and that is on the grounds of a Sacrifice, through the shedding of blood. Samuel sacrificed a Lamb.
On Mount Calvary God sacrificed His Lamb, His Son, whose blood was shed for your sin. You must be under the blood of the lamb before you can be acceptable with God. God says, “when I see the blood I will pass over you”.
The Sinner, must Pray.
Wash me, O Lamb of God, Wash me from my sin
For I Long to be like Thee, all pure within
Now let the crimson Tide, shed from thy wounded side
Be to my heart applied, and make me clean.
What happened when Samuel offered the Sacrifice on behalf of the people? God accepted it and Victory was obtained.
10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.
God gave Israel the Victory. God came to fight for His people. He destroyed their enemies and the Presence of God was with them again in battle.
Christian, God will give you the victory if you are walking in fellowship with Him.
Sinner, Jesus will give you the Victory over the old habits, He can break the chains which hold you bound and fettered, He can set you free, He can make you clean, if you will put your trust in Him.
There is Victory for you to enjoy in Christ, and blessings for you to have, life abundant and eternal. The Place of defeat became for Israel the Place of Decisive Victory.
This can happen for you.
The triumphant Christian does not fight for victory; he celebrates a victory already won.