1 Sa. 7: Philistines Ebenezered

1 Samuel 7:12 "Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the LORD helped us.'"

So even with the ark in the possession of the Israelites, twenty years went by before Samuel went all Joshua 24 on them and told them to throw away their ancillary gods. Why did it take that long? And thanks to some recent conversations, it's becoming easier to believe that these Israelites were polytheistic. Sure, they may have had their main God, whom they call "LORD," but more consistently, Israel was found with Baal or Ashtoreth. And I always wondered if everyone got rid of their phony gods, or if enough did, and there were a few deceived people still, and God was like, "Eh, 97% have thrown away their gods...that works for me." Probably not.

Verse six talks about how Israel drew water and then poured it out before the LORD. Not commanded of them, as far as I know, but I can only figure that drawing water was a giant pain in the hiney back then compared to today. So perhaps its kind of like that kid in Africa who hikes to the ocean and brings a shell back to his teacher and says that the journey is the gift, or whatever. The effort is the gift.

With Israel assembled at Mizpah, the Philistines assumed it was for war, so they came to take on Israel...apparently forgetting the whole tumor and rat episode. They march on Israel while Samuel is sacrificing, and God scares the bejeebers out of the Philistines with some thunder. And I wonder. About this thunder. Something tells me its not the wussy thunder we hear in our "thunderstorms." I bet this was that angry God thunder. Thunder that sounds like the earth is crumbling beneath your feet and flinging a million tiny hand grenades through your timpanic membranes.

This thunder cause massive panic, and this allowed the Israelites to slaughter their hapless foes. They routed them all the way to Beth Car.

Because of this, Samuel set up a stone called "Ebenezer," because the LORD had helped them "thus far." Which is kind of sad. Thus far. Is that questioning the mettle of the Israelites? Or his own ability to lead? Or is it a testament to what is done when Israel rids themselves of their false gods and allows one God to take control?

The good thing is, the Israelites lived in peace and were not bothered by the Philistines while Samuel was at the helm. He apparently knew what he was doing as judge.