1 Samuel 7:5–17

Original Meaning

Repentance at Mizpah (7:5–6)

MIZPAH WAS LOCATED in the tribe of Benjamin, just eight miles north of Jerusalem. It afforded views to the west across the valleys toward Philistia and hosted other national convocations during the period of the judges and early monarchy (1 Sam. 10:17; cf. Judg. 20:1; 21:8).1 As an important city in early Israel, it was an appropriate location for national confession. It is possible that the water ceremony (7:6) symbolized the washing away of corporate guilt.

Israel’s confession in verse 6 makes a significant contribution to the overall message of 1-2 Samuel: “We have sinned against the LORD.” The historian responsible for the books of Samuel seems especially interested in defining and illustrating the nature of genuine confession and repentance. The immediately preceding paragraph defined repentance (7:2–4); this one formalizes the national repentance publicly and illustrates confession. Moreover, the extended narrative beautifully makes the point by presenting three poignant scenes in which individuals make the statement: “I/We have sinned (against the LORD).” The books of Samuel use these scenes as “portraits of repentance.”

(1) In this passage the venerable prophet Samuel leads a unified and repentant nation of Israel in effective and persuasive corporate repentance. The narrative uses this example to establish and illustrate the nature of true repentance so that the reader knows full well what should and can happen when anyone genuinely repents of sin.

(2) The second scene is King Saul’s self-serving and equivocating repentance in 15:24, 30. Though the same phrase is used (“I have sinned”), we will see below that Saul’s repentance is disingenuous. He is defensive and argumentative, and even though he uses the right words, they are completely insincere. Saul stands in stark contrast to this first scene. His portrait is a negative example of confession, and thus the reader learns from the long and sad narrative of Saul’s fall what happens when an individual fails to repent.

(3) The final confessing scene is that of King David when confronted by the prophet Nathan in 2 Samuel 12:13. Again the same words are used (“I have sinned against the LORD”). But unlike Saul, David is portrayed as genuinely remorseful and makes no attempt at self-vindication or justification.2 These “portraits of repentance” in 1-2 Samuel create a point-counterpoint balance and teach the importance of true repentance.

Decisive Victory (7:7–11)

Bridging Contexts

MONUMENTS OF GOD’S saving work. The Israelites frequently erected monuments. The patriarchs in Genesis built local altars for worship, which they did at nearly every important stop along their pilgrimage (Gen. 8:20; 12:7–8; 13:18; 22:9; 26:25; 33:20; 35:1). But the use of a commemorative stone was more than an act of worship. It also acknowledged God’s mighty saving acts and drove a benchmark as a turning point for the worshiper. It symbolized a new act on God’s part, which meant the worshiper would never be the same again. It was a permanent reminder that in this place at this point in time, God acted in such a way that the future has new prospects.

Jacob set up such a stone at Bethel to acknowledge that God had met him there in a special way and that he understood his life would now be different (Gen. 28:16–22; see also 35:14). In an important covenant ceremony, Moses erected twelve stone pillars to represent the twelve tribes of Israel (Ex. 24:4). Joshua used twelve stones to mark the place where God led the people of Israel across the Jordan River on dry ground (Josh. 4:1–9). The stones were meant to prompt the question among their children, “What do these stones mean?” Thus a permanent reminder could be established that Yahweh “did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea” (4:23).9 Joshua used a stone monument later when he reestablished the covenant between Yahweh and Israel at Shechem (24:25–26). Thus, such commemorative markers were used for holy sites where God had appeared in a dream, provided miraculously for the nation, or renewed his covenant relationship with them.

Thus, Samuel is here continuing an old and sacred tradition of marking the time and place where God had touched his people in a significant way. Unlike other commemorative stones, however, Samuel gives this memorial a name, “Ebenezer” (“Stone of Help”), because the Lord had helped Israel here. This victory was more than a well-fought and justly deserved triumph. This victory, this “help,” had its origin in the Lord and was a gift of his grace.

Christianity is a historical religion. Its origins in Old Testament faith and its beginnings in Jesus of Nazareth teach us to commemorate what God has done. The Old Testament Passover and Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples are means of marking the momentous events that stand as central saving acts of God. They are monuments of God’s saving work.

Contemporary Significance

EBENEZER STONES. We have many stone monuments in America. On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., with my family, we reveled in the magnificent monuments of that impressive city. Most commemorate the contributions of giants in our national history, such as the granite monuments to Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln (my personal favorite). Others provide permanent reminders of the sacrifices Americans have made through the decades to defend and protect our freedom, such as the Vietnam War Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Currently, former U.S. Senator Robert Dole is raising funds for a World War II memorial, which he hopes to build on the mall in Washington. Most smaller communities have monuments honoring war dead from the Civil War or one of the World Wars; usually these list the names of local citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice rather than naming God as our Helper (like the Ebenezer stone).

Perhaps the most meaningful of all our national monuments stands in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty. No other national monument holds the significance of the grand lady of liberty, who has welcomed millions to our shores over the past century. My father shares his memory of returning from the battlefields of Europe after World War II. His ship was entering New York Harbor with the Statue of Liberty well in sight when a small tugboat came out to meet them. On the deck of the little boat was a band and a group of choristers singing, “Welcome Home, Boys, Welcome Home.” My father says that everyone of those hardened combat veterans was standing on deck looking at Lady Liberty with tears in their eyes as they realized they had survived the war and it was over.

As important and meaningful as these national monuments are, none of them speaks to the needs addressed by Israel’s Ebenezer monument. The Ebenezer stood in Samuel’s day as a reminder of what God had done for the nation of Israel. As a matter of fact, the name itself emphasized that their victory was solely of God. On that day when he thundered from heaven, they were the undeserving beneficiaries of his saving work. It was not a monument to an abstract concept such as “liberty” or “justice,” nor was it a memorial to individuals who had contributed much or sacrificed most. This was a reminder that repentance and faith had been effective and that God had been faithful to his word; God had acted on their behalf. America could use such a monument. In many ways, our annual Thanksgiving Day serves—or at least should serve—as such a commemorative event.

In 1999, I had the honor of returning to Europe with my father, who had been a sergeant in the European Theater of Operations in 1944–1945. We visited many places he remembered from those horrible months when so many of his buddies were killed or wounded. To our surprise, we discovered that hundreds of cities and villages across France, Luxembourg, and Belgium have monuments, often in their town squares, commemorating the sacrifices of soldiers in the U.S. Army. For example, in Sainteny in northern France, we found a monument with the inscription, “Hommage aux 83º et 4º D.I. U.S.” (“Dedicated to the US 83rd and 4th Infantry Divisions”). It is only a small monument in a tiny town square in a village in Normandy. There are no large crowds walking by the monument. But for those who do, it stands as a perpetual reminder of my father’s work and the sacrifices of his friends to save Sainteny so many years ago.

It was fascinating to see how many of these monuments mention the specific date and outfit or infantry regiment that first entered their city to liberate it from the Nazis. We were visiting primarily those monuments dedicated to the fighting men of the 329th Infantry Regiment (83rd Division), but we discovered many monuments to soldiers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Over half a century after the war ended, the citizens of these towns remember and acknowledge their gratitude. After years of Nazi oppression, the specific moment and place of liberation was worth marking, and the liberators will not be forgotten.

It struck me that we Christians need similar Ebenezer stones to commemorate our liberation from oppression. We should likewise commemorate the specific ways God has led us to freedom from our own failures and sin, and we should, like Samuel of old, always acknowledge: “Thus far has the LORD helped us.”

On a more individual level, it is also helpful to realize that most of us should have specific and personal ways of commemorating and acknowledging God’s grace in our lives. Perhaps it is even helpful to picture mentally certain Ebenezer stones at critical turning points in our lives, when God has acted and we have responded to his grace. We frequently, and quite naturally, associate those singular moments when he touched us by his grace with certain times and places. These become our metaphorical Ebenezer stones. Over time they can take on powerful symbolic significance for us as we journey our Christian pathway, and we grow to cherish the memories of that touch of grace. Such reminders can also inspire us to raise new Ebenezers and to join with the body of believers everywhere in celebrating the saving work of Jesus, as is stated in this classic Christian hymn:

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by thy help I’m come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wand’ring from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed his precious blood.10

Original Meaning

Decisive Victory (7:7–11)

IN 1 SAMUEL 4, the Israelites lost to the Philistines because they attempted to manipulate God by bringing the ark of the covenant into the battle. They had no leadership to warn them against such action, and the military defeat was at the same time a spiritual failure. Now, however, Samuel has replaced the unfortunate Eli and his ignoble sons. The military threat has not changed, but this time the people implore Samuel to continue interceding on their behalf (7:8). Nothing has really changed—and yet everything has changed. The Philistines are still there and still menacing. But the people have now repented from worshiping Canaanite gods and from trying to manipulate Yahweh. Now they seek Yahweh’s help, demonstrated in their reliance on Samuel to offer acceptable sacrifices to Yahweh and to pray effectual prayers (7:9).

The result is a rousing military victory in which Yahweh thunders “with loud thunder,” apparently referring to a storm that breaks up the Philistine battle lines and allows the Israelites to pursue them down the hill.3 The location of Beth Car is unknown, though from this text we assume it is near Mizpah in the territory of Benjamin.4

“Ebenezer”: The Lord Has Helped Us (7:12–14)

Bridging Contexts

MONUMENTS OF GOD’S saving work. The Israelites frequently erected monuments. The patriarchs in Genesis built local altars for worship, which they did at nearly every important stop along their pilgrimage (Gen. 8:20; 12:7–8; 13:18; 22:9; 26:25; 33:20; 35:1). But the use of a commemorative stone was more than an act of worship. It also acknowledged God’s mighty saving acts and drove a benchmark as a turning point for the worshiper. It symbolized a new act on God’s part, which meant the worshiper would never be the same again. It was a permanent reminder that in this place at this point in time, God acted in such a way that the future has new prospects.

Jacob set up such a stone at Bethel to acknowledge that God had met him there in a special way and that he understood his life would now be different (Gen. 28:16–22; see also 35:14). In an important covenant ceremony, Moses erected twelve stone pillars to represent the twelve tribes of Israel (Ex. 24:4). Joshua used twelve stones to mark the place where God led the people of Israel across the Jordan River on dry ground (Josh. 4:1–9). The stones were meant to prompt the question among their children, “What do these stones mean?” Thus a permanent reminder could be established that Yahweh “did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea” (4:23).9 Joshua used a stone monument later when he reestablished the covenant between Yahweh and Israel at Shechem (24:25–26). Thus, such commemorative markers were used for holy sites where God had appeared in a dream, provided miraculously for the nation, or renewed his covenant relationship with them.

Thus, Samuel is here continuing an old and sacred tradition of marking the time and place where God had touched his people in a significant way. Unlike other commemorative stones, however, Samuel gives this memorial a name, “Ebenezer” (“Stone of Help”), because the Lord had helped Israel here. This victory was more than a well-fought and justly deserved triumph. This victory, this “help,” had its origin in the Lord and was a gift of his grace.

Christianity is a historical religion. Its origins in Old Testament faith and its beginnings in Jesus of Nazareth teach us to commemorate what God has done. The Old Testament Passover and Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples are means of marking the momentous events that stand as central saving acts of God. They are monuments of God’s saving work.

Contemporary Significance

EBENEZER STONES. We have many stone monuments in America. On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., with my family, we reveled in the magnificent monuments of that impressive city. Most commemorate the contributions of giants in our national history, such as the granite monuments to Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln (my personal favorite). Others provide permanent reminders of the sacrifices Americans have made through the decades to defend and protect our freedom, such as the Vietnam War Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Currently, former U.S. Senator Robert Dole is raising funds for a World War II memorial, which he hopes to build on the mall in Washington. Most smaller communities have monuments honoring war dead from the Civil War or one of the World Wars; usually these list the names of local citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice rather than naming God as our Helper (like the Ebenezer stone).

Perhaps the most meaningful of all our national monuments stands in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty. No other national monument holds the significance of the grand lady of liberty, who has welcomed millions to our shores over the past century. My father shares his memory of returning from the battlefields of Europe after World War II. His ship was entering New York Harbor with the Statue of Liberty well in sight when a small tugboat came out to meet them. On the deck of the little boat was a band and a group of choristers singing, “Welcome Home, Boys, Welcome Home.” My father says that everyone of those hardened combat veterans was standing on deck looking at Lady Liberty with tears in their eyes as they realized they had survived the war and it was over.

As important and meaningful as these national monuments are, none of them speaks to the needs addressed by Israel’s Ebenezer monument. The Ebenezer stood in Samuel’s day as a reminder of what God had done for the nation of Israel. As a matter of fact, the name itself emphasized that their victory was solely of God. On that day when he thundered from heaven, they were the undeserving beneficiaries of his saving work. It was not a monument to an abstract concept such as “liberty” or “justice,” nor was it a memorial to individuals who had contributed much or sacrificed most. This was a reminder that repentance and faith had been effective and that God had been faithful to his word; God had acted on their behalf. America could use such a monument. In many ways, our annual Thanksgiving Day serves—or at least should serve—as such a commemorative event.

In 1999, I had the honor of returning to Europe with my father, who had been a sergeant in the European Theater of Operations in 1944–1945. We visited many places he remembered from those horrible months when so many of his buddies were killed or wounded. To our surprise, we discovered that hundreds of cities and villages across France, Luxembourg, and Belgium have monuments, often in their town squares, commemorating the sacrifices of soldiers in the U.S. Army. For example, in Sainteny in northern France, we found a monument with the inscription, “Hommage aux 83º et 4º D.I. U.S.” (“Dedicated to the US 83rd and 4th Infantry Divisions”). It is only a small monument in a tiny town square in a village in Normandy. There are no large crowds walking by the monument. But for those who do, it stands as a perpetual reminder of my father’s work and the sacrifices of his friends to save Sainteny so many years ago.

It was fascinating to see how many of these monuments mention the specific date and outfit or infantry regiment that first entered their city to liberate it from the Nazis. We were visiting primarily those monuments dedicated to the fighting men of the 329th Infantry Regiment (83rd Division), but we discovered many monuments to soldiers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Over half a century after the war ended, the citizens of these towns remember and acknowledge their gratitude. After years of Nazi oppression, the specific moment and place of liberation was worth marking, and the liberators will not be forgotten.

It struck me that we Christians need similar Ebenezer stones to commemorate our liberation from oppression. We should likewise commemorate the specific ways God has led us to freedom from our own failures and sin, and we should, like Samuel of old, always acknowledge: “Thus far has the LORD helped us.”

On a more individual level, it is also helpful to realize that most of us should have specific and personal ways of commemorating and acknowledging God’s grace in our lives. Perhaps it is even helpful to picture mentally certain Ebenezer stones at critical turning points in our lives, when God has acted and we have responded to his grace. We frequently, and quite naturally, associate those singular moments when he touched us by his grace with certain times and places. These become our metaphorical Ebenezer stones. Over time they can take on powerful symbolic significance for us as we journey our Christian pathway, and we grow to cherish the memories of that touch of grace. Such reminders can also inspire us to raise new Ebenezers and to join with the body of believers everywhere in celebrating the saving work of Jesus, as is stated in this classic Christian hymn:

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by thy help I’m come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wand’ring from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed his precious blood.10

Original Meaning

“Ebenezer”: The Lord Has Helped Us (7:12–14)

THE HEBREW “EBENEZER” is a compound word meaning literally “stone of help”;5 it commemorates the place where Yahweh helped Israel. Early Israelites used stones in a variety of ways. They could mark territorial boundaries or tombs; they could represent the twelve tribes or a male heir (Gen. 31:44–49; 35:19–20; Ex. 24:4; 2 Sam. 18:18, respectively).6 Frequently, such stones were simply commemorative, and Samuel’s Ebenezer may have been like hundreds of royal victory stelae used throughout the ancient world.7 In this case, it may have been inscribed with an account of Israel’s victory over the Philistines.

As we noted on 4:1, this is probably not the same locale as the Ebenezer mentioned there (see comments). But the two Ebenezers (4:1 and 7:12) tie these chapters together thematically and contrast the humiliating defeat in chapter 4 with the victory in chapter 7.8 This is a new Ebenezer! Israel lost to the Philistines at the old Ebenezer because they trusted in their external symbols of Yahweh’s power. But on this occasion near Mizpah, repentant Israel experiences afresh Yahweh’s help in their time of need.

This stone monument is more than a reminder for future generations that Yahweh helped in this battle against the Philistines. It is that, but it is more. It also serves the present generation by driving a benchmark in the ground and acknowledging that this victory is not a result of their own strength or brilliant military strategy. Yahweh had spoken with a loud thunder (lit., “with a great voice,” 7:10), and this stone acknowledges his help.

Summary of Samuel’s Ministry (7:15–17)

Bridging Contexts

MONUMENTS OF GOD’S saving work. The Israelites frequently erected monuments. The patriarchs in Genesis built local altars for worship, which they did at nearly every important stop along their pilgrimage (Gen. 8:20; 12:7–8; 13:18; 22:9; 26:25; 33:20; 35:1). But the use of a commemorative stone was more than an act of worship. It also acknowledged God’s mighty saving acts and drove a benchmark as a turning point for the worshiper. It symbolized a new act on God’s part, which meant the worshiper would never be the same again. It was a permanent reminder that in this place at this point in time, God acted in such a way that the future has new prospects.

Jacob set up such a stone at Bethel to acknowledge that God had met him there in a special way and that he understood his life would now be different (Gen. 28:16–22; see also 35:14). In an important covenant ceremony, Moses erected twelve stone pillars to represent the twelve tribes of Israel (Ex. 24:4). Joshua used twelve stones to mark the place where God led the people of Israel across the Jordan River on dry ground (Josh. 4:1–9). The stones were meant to prompt the question among their children, “What do these stones mean?” Thus a permanent reminder could be established that Yahweh “did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea” (4:23).9 Joshua used a stone monument later when he reestablished the covenant between Yahweh and Israel at Shechem (24:25–26). Thus, such commemorative markers were used for holy sites where God had appeared in a dream, provided miraculously for the nation, or renewed his covenant relationship with them.

Thus, Samuel is here continuing an old and sacred tradition of marking the time and place where God had touched his people in a significant way. Unlike other commemorative stones, however, Samuel gives this memorial a name, “Ebenezer” (“Stone of Help”), because the Lord had helped Israel here. This victory was more than a well-fought and justly deserved triumph. This victory, this “help,” had its origin in the Lord and was a gift of his grace.

Christianity is a historical religion. Its origins in Old Testament faith and its beginnings in Jesus of Nazareth teach us to commemorate what God has done. The Old Testament Passover and Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples are means of marking the momentous events that stand as central saving acts of God. They are monuments of God’s saving work.

Contemporary Significance

EBENEZER STONES. We have many stone monuments in America. On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., with my family, we reveled in the magnificent monuments of that impressive city. Most commemorate the contributions of giants in our national history, such as the granite monuments to Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln (my personal favorite). Others provide permanent reminders of the sacrifices Americans have made through the decades to defend and protect our freedom, such as the Vietnam War Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Currently, former U.S. Senator Robert Dole is raising funds for a World War II memorial, which he hopes to build on the mall in Washington. Most smaller communities have monuments honoring war dead from the Civil War or one of the World Wars; usually these list the names of local citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice rather than naming God as our Helper (like the Ebenezer stone).

Perhaps the most meaningful of all our national monuments stands in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty. No other national monument holds the significance of the grand lady of liberty, who has welcomed millions to our shores over the past century. My father shares his memory of returning from the battlefields of Europe after World War II. His ship was entering New York Harbor with the Statue of Liberty well in sight when a small tugboat came out to meet them. On the deck of the little boat was a band and a group of choristers singing, “Welcome Home, Boys, Welcome Home.” My father says that everyone of those hardened combat veterans was standing on deck looking at Lady Liberty with tears in their eyes as they realized they had survived the war and it was over.

As important and meaningful as these national monuments are, none of them speaks to the needs addressed by Israel’s Ebenezer monument. The Ebenezer stood in Samuel’s day as a reminder of what God had done for the nation of Israel. As a matter of fact, the name itself emphasized that their victory was solely of God. On that day when he thundered from heaven, they were the undeserving beneficiaries of his saving work. It was not a monument to an abstract concept such as “liberty” or “justice,” nor was it a memorial to individuals who had contributed much or sacrificed most. This was a reminder that repentance and faith had been effective and that God had been faithful to his word; God had acted on their behalf. America could use such a monument. In many ways, our annual Thanksgiving Day serves—or at least should serve—as such a commemorative event.

In 1999, I had the honor of returning to Europe with my father, who had been a sergeant in the European Theater of Operations in 1944–1945. We visited many places he remembered from those horrible months when so many of his buddies were killed or wounded. To our surprise, we discovered that hundreds of cities and villages across France, Luxembourg, and Belgium have monuments, often in their town squares, commemorating the sacrifices of soldiers in the U.S. Army. For example, in Sainteny in northern France, we found a monument with the inscription, “Hommage aux 83º et 4º D.I. U.S.” (“Dedicated to the US 83rd and 4th Infantry Divisions”). It is only a small monument in a tiny town square in a village in Normandy. There are no large crowds walking by the monument. But for those who do, it stands as a perpetual reminder of my father’s work and the sacrifices of his friends to save Sainteny so many years ago.

It was fascinating to see how many of these monuments mention the specific date and outfit or infantry regiment that first entered their city to liberate it from the Nazis. We were visiting primarily those monuments dedicated to the fighting men of the 329th Infantry Regiment (83rd Division), but we discovered many monuments to soldiers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Over half a century after the war ended, the citizens of these towns remember and acknowledge their gratitude. After years of Nazi oppression, the specific moment and place of liberation was worth marking, and the liberators will not be forgotten.

It struck me that we Christians need similar Ebenezer stones to commemorate our liberation from oppression. We should likewise commemorate the specific ways God has led us to freedom from our own failures and sin, and we should, like Samuel of old, always acknowledge: “Thus far has the LORD helped us.”

On a more individual level, it is also helpful to realize that most of us should have specific and personal ways of commemorating and acknowledging God’s grace in our lives. Perhaps it is even helpful to picture mentally certain Ebenezer stones at critical turning points in our lives, when God has acted and we have responded to his grace. We frequently, and quite naturally, associate those singular moments when he touched us by his grace with certain times and places. These become our metaphorical Ebenezer stones. Over time they can take on powerful symbolic significance for us as we journey our Christian pathway, and we grow to cherish the memories of that touch of grace. Such reminders can also inspire us to raise new Ebenezers and to join with the body of believers everywhere in celebrating the saving work of Jesus, as is stated in this classic Christian hymn:

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by thy help I’m come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wand’ring from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed his precious blood.10

Original Meaning

Summary of Samuel’s Ministry (7:15–17)

THIS BRIEF CONCLUSION states simply that Samuel uses his hometown, Ramah, as a base. He travels on a yearly circuit to serve as judge for all Israel. The spectacular victory over the Philistines and the concluding reference to “peace” in 7:14 draw deliberate comparisons between Samuel and the charismatic leaders in the book of Judges. But there are differences as well. Samuel is established on a more permanent basis, partly because of the loss of the priesthood and the cult shrine at Shiloh. His jurisdiction is broader than previous judges. He is truly a pivotal figure in the transition from tribal confederation under the temporary leadership of various judges to a centralized monarchic government, as we will see in the next major unit of 1 Samuel.

Bridging Contexts

MONUMENTS OF GOD’S saving work. The Israelites frequently erected monuments. The patriarchs in Genesis built local altars for worship, which they did at nearly every important stop along their pilgrimage (Gen. 8:20; 12:7–8; 13:18; 22:9; 26:25; 33:20; 35:1). But the use of a commemorative stone was more than an act of worship. It also acknowledged God’s mighty saving acts and drove a benchmark as a turning point for the worshiper. It symbolized a new act on God’s part, which meant the worshiper would never be the same again. It was a permanent reminder that in this place at this point in time, God acted in such a way that the future has new prospects.

Jacob set up such a stone at Bethel to acknowledge that God had met him there in a special way and that he understood his life would now be different (Gen. 28:16–22; see also 35:14). In an important covenant ceremony, Moses erected twelve stone pillars to represent the twelve tribes of Israel (Ex. 24:4). Joshua used twelve stones to mark the place where God led the people of Israel across the Jordan River on dry ground (Josh. 4:1–9). The stones were meant to prompt the question among their children, “What do these stones mean?” Thus a permanent reminder could be established that Yahweh “did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea” (4:23).9 Joshua used a stone monument later when he reestablished the covenant between Yahweh and Israel at Shechem (24:25–26). Thus, such commemorative markers were used for holy sites where God had appeared in a dream, provided miraculously for the nation, or renewed his covenant relationship with them.

Thus, Samuel is here continuing an old and sacred tradition of marking the time and place where God had touched his people in a significant way. Unlike other commemorative stones, however, Samuel gives this memorial a name, “Ebenezer” (“Stone of Help”), because the Lord had helped Israel here. This victory was more than a well-fought and justly deserved triumph. This victory, this “help,” had its origin in the Lord and was a gift of his grace.

Christianity is a historical religion. Its origins in Old Testament faith and its beginnings in Jesus of Nazareth teach us to commemorate what God has done. The Old Testament Passover and Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples are means of marking the momentous events that stand as central saving acts of God. They are monuments of God’s saving work.

Contemporary Significance

EBENEZER STONES. We have many stone monuments in America. On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., with my family, we reveled in the magnificent monuments of that impressive city. Most commemorate the contributions of giants in our national history, such as the granite monuments to Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln (my personal favorite). Others provide permanent reminders of the sacrifices Americans have made through the decades to defend and protect our freedom, such as the Vietnam War Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. Currently, former U.S. Senator Robert Dole is raising funds for a World War II memorial, which he hopes to build on the mall in Washington. Most smaller communities have monuments honoring war dead from the Civil War or one of the World Wars; usually these list the names of local citizens who made the ultimate sacrifice rather than naming God as our Helper (like the Ebenezer stone).

Perhaps the most meaningful of all our national monuments stands in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty. No other national monument holds the significance of the grand lady of liberty, who has welcomed millions to our shores over the past century. My father shares his memory of returning from the battlefields of Europe after World War II. His ship was entering New York Harbor with the Statue of Liberty well in sight when a small tugboat came out to meet them. On the deck of the little boat was a band and a group of choristers singing, “Welcome Home, Boys, Welcome Home.” My father says that everyone of those hardened combat veterans was standing on deck looking at Lady Liberty with tears in their eyes as they realized they had survived the war and it was over.

As important and meaningful as these national monuments are, none of them speaks to the needs addressed by Israel’s Ebenezer monument. The Ebenezer stood in Samuel’s day as a reminder of what God had done for the nation of Israel. As a matter of fact, the name itself emphasized that their victory was solely of God. On that day when he thundered from heaven, they were the undeserving beneficiaries of his saving work. It was not a monument to an abstract concept such as “liberty” or “justice,” nor was it a memorial to individuals who had contributed much or sacrificed most. This was a reminder that repentance and faith had been effective and that God had been faithful to his word; God had acted on their behalf. America could use such a monument. In many ways, our annual Thanksgiving Day serves—or at least should serve—as such a commemorative event.

In 1999, I had the honor of returning to Europe with my father, who had been a sergeant in the European Theater of Operations in 1944–1945. We visited many places he remembered from those horrible months when so many of his buddies were killed or wounded. To our surprise, we discovered that hundreds of cities and villages across France, Luxembourg, and Belgium have monuments, often in their town squares, commemorating the sacrifices of soldiers in the U.S. Army. For example, in Sainteny in northern France, we found a monument with the inscription, “Hommage aux 83º et 4º D.I. U.S.” (“Dedicated to the US 83rd and 4th Infantry Divisions”). It is only a small monument in a tiny town square in a village in Normandy. There are no large crowds walking by the monument. But for those who do, it stands as a perpetual reminder of my father’s work and the sacrifices of his friends to save Sainteny so many years ago.

It was fascinating to see how many of these monuments mention the specific date and outfit or infantry regiment that first entered their city to liberate it from the Nazis. We were visiting primarily those monuments dedicated to the fighting men of the 329th Infantry Regiment (83rd Division), but we discovered many monuments to soldiers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Over half a century after the war ended, the citizens of these towns remember and acknowledge their gratitude. After years of Nazi oppression, the specific moment and place of liberation was worth marking, and the liberators will not be forgotten.

It struck me that we Christians need similar Ebenezer stones to commemorate our liberation from oppression. We should likewise commemorate the specific ways God has led us to freedom from our own failures and sin, and we should, like Samuel of old, always acknowledge: “Thus far has the LORD helped us.”

On a more individual level, it is also helpful to realize that most of us should have specific and personal ways of commemorating and acknowledging God’s grace in our lives. Perhaps it is even helpful to picture mentally certain Ebenezer stones at critical turning points in our lives, when God has acted and we have responded to his grace. We frequently, and quite naturally, associate those singular moments when he touched us by his grace with certain times and places. These become our metaphorical Ebenezer stones. Over time they can take on powerful symbolic significance for us as we journey our Christian pathway, and we grow to cherish the memories of that touch of grace. Such reminders can also inspire us to raise new Ebenezers and to join with the body of believers everywhere in celebrating the saving work of Jesus, as is stated in this classic Christian hymn:

Here I raise my Ebenezer;

Hither by thy help I’m come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,

Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wand’ring from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed his precious blood.10