Again, the advantage of going through these Old Testament books at only one chapter per day is that I see stuff I’ve missed before. After the return of the Ark to Israel, there’s an important battle following a time of confession and repentance:

From the time that the Chest came to rest in Kiriath Jearim, a long time passed—twenty years it was—and throughout Israel there was a widespread, fearful movement toward GOD. Then Samuel addressed the house of Israel: “If you are truly serious about coming back to GOD, clean house. Get rid of the foreign gods and fertility goddesses, ground yourselves firmly in GOD, worship him and him alone, and he’ll save you from Philistine oppression.”

They did it. They got rid of the gods and goddesses, the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and gave their exclusive attention and service to GOD.

Next Samuel said, “Get everybody together at Mizpah and I’ll pray for you.” So everyone assembled at Mizpah. They drew water from the wells and poured it out before GOD in a ritual of cleansing. They fasted all day and prayed, “We have sinned against GOD.” (1 Samuel 7.2 – 6, MSG)

And in the middle of the revival, the Philistines attacked:

When the Philistines heard that Israel was meeting at Mizpah, the Philistine leaders went on the offensive. Israel got the report and became frightened—Philistines on the move again! They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray with all your might! And don’t let up! Pray to GOD, our God, that he’ll save us from the boot of the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7.7, 8, MSG)

And God did:

While Samuel was offering the sacrifice, the Philistines came within range to fight Israel. Just then GOD thundered, a huge thunderclap exploding among the Philistines. They panicked—mass confusion!—and ran helter-skelter from Israel. Israel poured out of Mizpah and gave chase, killing Philistines right and left, to a point just beyond Beth Car. (1 Samuel 7.10, 11, MSG)

That was some thunderclap! Worth a memorial:

Samuel took a single rock and set it upright between Mizpah and Shen. He named it “Ebenezer” (Rock of Help), saying, “This marks the place where GOD helped us.” (1 Samuel 7.12, MSG)

Growing up, I attended a church that sang “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” nearly every Sunday. I don’t know why. But the song has this stanza:

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,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.

The meaning of the Ebenezer is right in the text of the hymn and the scripture: “Hither by thy help I’m come.” “This marks the place where GOD helped us.”

The Philistines don’t go away forever – “David and Goliath” is coming up in a few weeks. Goliath was a Philistine. It goes on today. Have you heard of the Gaza Strip? You can even see on this current map the towns we just read about: Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beth Shemesh where the Ark was taken by the cows. It’s all there and the battle goes on.

But for now, in Samuel’s day…

So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites. (1 Samuel 7.13, 14, ESV)

And fittingly, this description of God’s ultimate victory even includes the ark of the covenant and thunder!

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. (Revelation 11.15 – 19, ESV)