1 Samuel 7:3-17 | Food for Thought

 

1 Samuel 7:3-17

Food for Thought:

  • Breaking Down Repentance. It may have taken God’s people 20 years (!) to decide to return whole-heartedly to the Lord, but once they do, Samuel lets them know what that requires of them.

    • First, what do you think of the fact that it took them 20 years to turn back to God after the ark had returned? How can this be an encouraging word for us or others about our relationship with God?

    • What are all the things they’re supposed to do if they’re serious about becoming whole-hearted followers of the Lord? List:

      • Longing for the Lord. It might be easy to skip this one, but do you long for the Lord? If you say you do, what for? Why?

      • Destroy every false god. Don’t leave any on the shelf.

      • Set your hearts on the Lord exclusively.

      • Cultivating dependence. Through fasting, they reminded themselves that they’re dependent creatures, and God is the one who provides!

      • Confessing sin. Allow the word of God to judge our hearts and be honest about our sin.

    • Are any of those surprising to you? Which ones feel easier or harder than all the others for you personally? Why?

    • Make it personal: is the Holy Spirit asking you to turn away from something so you can turn towards him more personally?

  • Safety in Repentance. The Philistines come out to meet the Israelites after they see God’s people gathering together. As they see the Philistines marching closer, it makes them nervous. They had been fasting and weren’t battle ready!

    • What was Samuel’s command to them, though? What was the promise attached to it?

    • Think about it a little more deeply. Why might not crying out to the Lord lead to their defeat? Why was their dependence on God the most critical factor in the way the battle went?

    • So what’s God saying to us and the way we should deal with sin, evil, and the things in our own life that maybe are things we would understandably be afraid of?

    • In dealing with real threats / problems / sins, how do we sometimes respond by turning towards the source of our fear and away from the Lord? How can the enemy steal attention that we should give God - and what happens if we do that?

  • Continuing Repentance. Even after the Philistines were defeated and the people faithfully turned to the Lord, Samuel continued judging Israel for the rest of his life. He literally made his way from city to city, year after to year to bring the word of the Lord to bear on the people.

    • Why is this necessary? …and why is this good?

    • Why is continual repentance and belief not a thing to be afraid of, but a thing to be embraced? Why is an avoidance of repentance - fearing it, dodging it, never doing it / asking for it / seeking God’s word to facilitate it - a bad thing that we should be afraid of?

  • The Lord’s Forever Help. Samuel set up a memorial (Ebenezer) to remind the people that God had helped them so far.

    • Why would that reminder have been a helpful thing for God’s people?

    • How can we point to Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promises as a better memorial of a better help?

    • How can you set up memorials and reminders throughout your life?

 
1 SamuelScott O'Donohoe