QT 9 Sep 13, Repentance is the first step toward healing

1 Sam 7:3-10 (ESV) And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.

5 Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you." 6 So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, "We have sinned against the Lord." And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah. 7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, "Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines." 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were routed before Israel.

NOTE: Finally, after 20 years, for some reason, Samuel calls the people to meet at Mizpah. Why so long? We don't know. We do know that the real issue was their heart and maybe they needed some more time to realize that problem. I can't help but wonder today if our nation will ever realize that our problems are deep in our heart and not in political solutions. The people gather and after fasting, they repent "we have sinned against the Lord." The Philistines, who ruled the land, hear of the gathering, and probably out of fear decide to attack Israel, before Israel attacks them. Israel, also in fear, cries out to God. The result is a miraculous intervention by God that begins the decline of the Philistines. Samuel accomplishes as Judge what Samson never accomplished, relief from the oppression of the Philistines.

The key change is something Samson never pushed, repentance. Samson pushed acceptance and tolerance. He even lived among the Philistines and married, at one time, one of the women. Samson liked the lifestyle of the Philistines and their beliefs. Samuel instead, calls for people to repent and to throw away the idols of the world, and turned to serve God alone. That is the same message for us today. We need to repent of our sin, throw away the idols of our time, and serve God alone.