1Sa 7:6 | KingComments | STEP | Now the next step comes. The people are called to “Mizpa”, not to Shiloh. Here something new begins. Mizpa means ‘watchtower’. The people will be focused on the new, what lies in the future, but of which they do not yet know what it means. The new begins with prayer. So it is always with a revival. The origin always lies in fervent prayer. Moses and Samuel are the great intercessors for God’s people in the Old Testament ( ; ). The man who speaks to the people on behalf of God is also the man who goes to God on behalf of the people. The man in whom the Word of God dwells and who uses it faithfully also knows how to use the privilege of priestly intercession. What he did first personally and in secret, he now wants to do in public with the whole. General need, general danger and above all a general turning to God brings the people together. All other meetings in this case are useless. The drawing and pouring out of water are also something that has not happened before. This does not mean that it is wrong. It is not a sin offering, but the spirit of the sin offering is present in this act. We must be able to judge that, not whether something fits our idea of what is right. God’s Spirit is free in His work (cf. ), and we should not want to impose our insights upon Him in doing so. In 2 Samuel 14 the meaning appears: “For we will surely die and are like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again” ( ; cf. ; ; ). The poured-out water represents what man is naturally in his weakness. Once water is poured out, it cannot be gathered. This is applied to the Lord Jesus as He pours out Himself, His life, in death ( ; ). It then seems to be over with Him. But God has, as it were, gathered this water and raised Him up from the dead. By this we can now “joyously draw water from the springs of salvation” ( ). The confession “we have sinned against the LORD” is a general confession and therefore vague. Under this general confession, forms of specific evil may be hidden that have not yet been uncovered and have yet to be judged according to God’s holy Word. This is what Samuel then does when he leads them. He leads by declaring the Word of God to them. The praying Samuel is also the teacher. His teaching is supported by his prayer. The Philistines misjudge totally what is happening in Israel. They think that the people gather to fight against them. But Israel is afraid of the Philistines. Although the enemy judges it wrong and cannot do anything else, they are also right. Humbling before God is also a declaration of war to the enemy. Humility impresses the enemy; he has no control over it. Humility cannot be overcome, for in it the Lord is on the side of His people. The enemy becomes active when the people of God connect with God. The enemy does not tolerate any action that puts the people of God in a position that acknowledges God. In their need, the Israelites call upon the prophet of God and the intercessor with God to pray for them. They have a strong faith in Samuel’s intercession because they know that he is a holy man of God. They appeal to an intercessor because they understand that intercession will be more useful to them than the largest army. Samuel has already prayed, but the people want him to continue. They know and recognize the power of the “prayer of a righteous man”, for it “can accomplish much” ( ). They know that their salvation must come from the LORD, that He alone can save them and that He must be sought for it. They recognize the connection of Samuel with the LORD. This is a much better attitude than when in their pride they thought they could fight and use the ark for that ( ). Now they see their own powerlessness and resort to prayer. Similarly, a praying Josaphat, surrounded by women and children ( ) and a praying Hezekiah, dressed in a sackcloth ( ) are more dangerous to the enemy than when they are surrounded by soldiers dressed in war costume. Samuel brings a burnt offering. It is a suckling lamb, a newborn lamb that still drinks from its mother, a picture of extreme weakness. The only other place where it is still found is in a scene describing the realm of peace ( ). Because of this suckling lamb Samuel approaches God to intercede for the people. The lamb is also offered to restore the people and bring them back into the favor of God. The Lord Jesus is “crucified in weakness” ( ). We needed Someone so insignificant because we were so insignificant. God does not despise the weakness of faith but descends in grace to our level of weakness. The Lord Jesus lived in complete dependence on God, completely dedicated to Him, and as a Baby He was dependent on His mother’s care. This is the way by which God has prepared salvation for man.

‏ 1 Samuel 7:6

Samuel Prays for the People

Now the next step comes. The people are called to “Mizpa”, not to Shiloh. Here something new begins. Mizpa means ‘watchtower’. The people will be focused on the new, what lies in the future, but of which they do not yet know what it means. The new begins with prayer. So it is always with a revival. The origin always lies in fervent prayer. Moses and Samuel are the great intercessors for God’s people in the Old Testament (Psa 99:6; Jer 15:1a).

The man who speaks to the people on behalf of God is also the man who goes to God on behalf of the people. The man in whom the Word of God dwells and who uses it faithfully also knows how to use the privilege of priestly intercession. What he did first personally and in secret, he now wants to do in public with the whole. General need, general danger and above all a general turning to God brings the people together. All other meetings in this case are useless.

The drawing and pouring out of water are also something that has not happened before. This does not mean that it is wrong. It is not a sin offering, but the spirit of the sin offering is present in this act. We must be able to judge that, not whether something fits our idea of what is right. God’s Spirit is free in His work (cf. Jn 3:8), and we should not want to impose our insights upon Him in doing so.

In 2 Samuel 14 the meaning appears: “For we will surely die and are like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again” (2Sam 14:14a; cf. 1Sam 1:15; Psa 62:8; Lam 2:19). The poured-out water represents what man is naturally in his weakness. Once water is poured out, it cannot be gathered. This is applied to the Lord Jesus as He pours out Himself, His life, in death (Psa 22:14; Isa 53:12). It then seems to be over with Him. But God has, as it were, gathered this water and raised Him up from the dead. By this we can now “joyously draw water from the springs of salvation” (Isa 12:3).

The confession “we have sinned against the LORD” is a general confession and therefore vague. Under this general confession, forms of specific evil may be hidden that have not yet been uncovered and have yet to be judged according to God’s holy Word. This is what Samuel then does when he leads them. He leads by declaring the Word of God to them. The praying Samuel is also the teacher. His teaching is supported by his prayer.

The Philistines misjudge totally what is happening in Israel. They think that the people gather to fight against them. But Israel is afraid of the Philistines. Although the enemy judges it wrong and cannot do anything else, they are also right. Humbling before God is also a declaration of war to the enemy. Humility impresses the enemy; he has no control over it. Humility cannot be overcome, for in it the Lord is on the side of His people.

The enemy becomes active when the people of God connect with God. The enemy does not tolerate any action that puts the people of God in a position that acknowledges God. In their need, the Israelites call upon the prophet of God and the intercessor with God to pray for them. They have a strong faith in Samuel’s intercession because they know that he is a holy man of God. They appeal to an intercessor because they understand that intercession will be more useful to them than the largest army.

Samuel has already prayed, but the people want him to continue. They know and recognize the power of the “prayer of a righteous man”, for it “can accomplish much” (Jam 5:16b). They know that their salvation must come from the LORD, that He alone can save them and that He must be sought for it. They recognize the connection of Samuel with the LORD.

This is a much better attitude than when in their pride they thought they could fight and use the ark for that (1Sam 4:1-3). Now they see their own powerlessness and resort to prayer. Similarly, a praying Josaphat, surrounded by women and children (2Chr 20:3-5 ; 13) and a praying Hezekiah, dressed in a sackcloth (Isa 37:1) are more dangerous to the enemy than when they are surrounded by soldiers dressed in war costume.

Samuel brings a burnt offering. It is a suckling lamb, a newborn lamb that still drinks from its mother, a picture of extreme weakness. The only other place where it is still found is in a scene describing the realm of peace (Isa 65:25a). Because of this suckling lamb Samuel approaches God to intercede for the people. The lamb is also offered to restore the people and bring them back into the favor of God.

The Lord Jesus is “crucified in weakness” (2Cor 13:4). We needed Someone so insignificant because we were so insignificant. God does not despise the weakness of faith but descends in grace to our level of weakness. The Lord Jesus lived in complete dependence on God, completely dedicated to Him, and as a Baby He was dependent on His mother’s care. This is the way by which God has prepared salvation for man.