Sermon 26: 1 Samuel 7:12-8:6

12. Then Samuel took one stone and placed it between Mizpah and Sen, and he called the name of that place the Stone of Help, and said: ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’ 13. And the Philistines were humbled, nor did they continue any further to come into the territory of Israel; and the hand of the Lord was upon the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14. And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel freed its territories from the hand of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. 15. Samuel also judged Israel all the days of his life. 16. And he went every year, making a circuit through Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in the aforesaid places. 17. And he returned to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel; he also built an altar there to the Lord.

In yesterday's sermon we saw how, when Samuel offered a sacrifice as a burnt offering, the Philistines were slain and put to flight, and victory was won over them. By this circumstance of timing God made it clear that the victory proceeded from him alone, and that the Philistines had been conquered and overcome by his power and might alone. For God's grace would not become known to us unless we could feel it with our very hands, as the blind are accustomed to find their way by feeling. And so, in order that we may become more certain of God's grace, it is necessary that we hold it to be, as it were, present and set before our eyes. Moreover, God does not always reveal his grace to us on the same terms; only certain signs and marks of it sometimes appear, but they are sufficient to make us more certain of God's benevolence toward his people — that he never forgets his own, but always brings them help at the opportune time. And yet our prayers often seem fruitless, because God long delays the testimony of his grace, so that we seem to have accomplished nothing. But in truth it is certain that our faith and patience are then being tested by God. For he has not become deaf to our prayers, but he knows what is useful for us; therefore it is our part to wait patiently for his help and to depend on him alone, even if the term of our deliverance is prolonged further. But since the present history teaches that the Philistines were slain and put to flight in a moment when Samuel was offering sacrifice to the Lord, let us have from this a most certain testimony of God's kindness toward his own, whose prayers he always hears.

Next it follows that the victorious Israelites pursued the Philistines from that place Mizpah, where they had assembled, to the place lying below Beth-car. Then Samuel placed a certain stone between Mizpah and that rock, whose name he called Ebenezer — that is, ‘stone of help’ — which would be a monument of that remarkable victory by which God had freed his people from the tyranny of the Philistines. Now these things are recounted so that we may know that the plans and efforts of the Philistines — by which they tried to destroy the Israelites with fire and sword — were not only frustrated, but on the contrary the Israelites were victorious and triumphed over their enemies. For sometimes we think things are going well for us if our enemies have merely withdrawn, so that we would rather build them a bridge than pursue them; and if they have retreated far from us, we consider ourselves blessed — which is made more certain by the old proverb that teaches one should build a golden bridge for a retreating enemy. But here, when the Israelites are said to have pursued their enemies, ...the remarkable power of God is noted in helping his people, in that he willed not only that the enemies turn their backs, but also that the fleeing enemy be slain and scattered by the Israelites, all the way to that place Beth-car, so that the helping hand of God revealed itself. And so we see the Philistines here were not only terrified and struck with panic, but the Israelites took courage and conducted themselves bravely — both of which are certain to have flowed from God's grace and special kindness. For God is the one who gives his people courage even in the greatest difficulties, and on the other hand strips it even from the most confident, so that they turn pale and tremble with terror at the sound of any breeze. In this, therefore, God's power is most remarkably displayed: that the Philistines were put to flight and slain in an instant — they who previously had great spirits and tyrannically and cruelly dominated the Israelite people. Who then would not have expected them to be bolder still, whom so many years of such proud and cruel domination had made more insolent? Nevertheless they collapse in an instant. There is therefore no room for doubt that God stripped their courage from those who previously were carried away with arrogance, and on the contrary gave courage to the Israelites, who were of present and strong spirit, even though they had been like helpless sheep in the jaws of those wolves, and had previously been so struck with terror that they not only dared not undertake anything against them, but dared not even look at those whom the mere sight of the Philistines terrified. From where then such a sudden change, except from God — who instills fear and terror in some, and gives courage to others? From this let us learn, when the most hostile enemies rise against us — thirsting for nothing but blood, swelling with arrogance, breathing slaughter and fire — to rest upon God, who can in an instant cast down the great spirits of our enemies, and extinguish the fires they vomit from their mouths, so that instead of glory and triumph they carry away confusion and disgrace. For God can help his people in both ways. For he can so cast down the spirits of the enemies in an instant that ten may pursue a hundred, and a hundred may pursue a thousand. Then, even if we lose heart and despair of our own strength — which compared to the enemy's is nothing — he can supply strength before the enemies have even drawn near, so that we seem entirely new people. We hear David proclaiming this double benefit of God in the Psalms. For sometimes he says God thundered from heaven, so that the enemies, struck with fear, sought safety in flight with the utmost disgrace. At other times he says God teaches his hands for battle and his fingers for war; at other times also that under God's leadership he leaps over a wall, and is so renewed with new strength by the Lord that he won victory over his enemies — all of which he attributes entirely to God. And enough about these things.

Let us now consider what is said next: that Samuel set up a monument that would stand as a sign of God's grace, not only for some time, but for an everlasting memorial. Mizpah was a high place, from which it is also used for ‘watchtower,’ which the Hebrew word means. On the other side there was also a rock belonging to the place called Beth-car, to which place the Israelites pursued the Philistines, and Samuel gave this rock the name Ebenezer — as if you were to say ‘stone of help.’ And so we see that Samuel's purpose was not only to proclaim God's glory in his own time, but also to transmit the memory to posterity of so glorious a liberation from the hand of the Philistines, by whom they had been oppressed in harsh servitude for so many years. This is a doctrine truly worthy of special attention, especially since this ought to be the exercise and pursuit of our entire life: to acknowledge and proclaim God's benefits toward us. And indeed it is a singular and extraordinary privilege to be able to proclaim God's praises and benefits. Who indeed would not eagerly strive to proclaim God's praises, since God requires no other satisfaction from us than that we celebrate with thanksgiving the benefits bestowed on us by the Lord? And David's example is fitting for us to imitate in this matter, when he says: ‘What shall I render to the Lord for all that he has rendered to me? I will take up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.’ Thus, by testifying our gratitude in words, we satisfy God and acknowledge his generosity when we compose ourselves for his service and strive to fulfill our duty in proclaiming his praises. Nor indeed is it sufficient to devote ourselves to this as long as we are alive, but every effort must be made so that the glory of God's works and benefits toward us may be transmitted also to posterity, and they may know his goodness of which we have been made partakers, so that they may be more easily stirred to thanksgiving and more and more composed to obey his will, and by our example may learn that God always appears as a defender and helper of his people in uncertain times — so that whenever they fall into the most difficult times or into the greatest danger, they may flee to him and expect his help. We shall therefore imitate Samuel's example well if we teach our posterity to place all their confidence in God, and while invoking him, also to exalt and proclaim him with fitting praises. This indeed cannot happen unless they have come to know his grace and power, which experience has testified to in the most difficult circumstances. For this reason David once said that in his afflictions he was mindful of the days of old, and meditated on all the works of God, and on the deeds of his hands. And God for this reason willed his history to be committed to written records, so that as in a mirror we might contemplate God's power and mercy in relieving his people, and be taught that God's help has never failed those who fled to his mercy and expected salvation from him.

Next the Philistines are said to have been so broken and weakened ...that they did not return to harass the Israelites in war any further during the whole time of Samuel. By these words how remarkable the victory was is set before our eyes, so that we may understand it was not some light skirmish or defeat, but such a great slaughter that the strength of the Philistines was utterly weakened and broken, to such a degree that they could not conscript new soldiers and restore their strength — as those who have been broken in one or two battles often do, yet restore their forces by conscripting new soldiers and attack their enemies with greater strength. From this, therefore, it is evident that God brought such great help to his people that, with the strength of the enemy broken, the church of God was tranquil and at peace. God thus bestowed the greatest benefit on his people — not only by slaying and breaking the enemy so that they would no longer be troubled by them, but also by completing their salvation so as not to leave the work unfinished. For God does not allow the salvation of his people and the preservation of his church to remain incomplete. Therefore from this passage we learn that God takes such care of his people that he willed the testimonies of his kindness to endure for a long time — namely, as long as Samuel was alive. And these things serve for our benefit, so that we may hope that God, once he has begun to help us, will never rest until the matter is completed. Therefore, once God's grace has been tasted, we ought to be more and more confirmed, and hope should arise in us that God, who never grows weary of doing good to his people, will always show himself toward us such as we have experienced him. Moreover, when Scripture here mentions the days of Samuel, it warns the hearers about events soon to come — namely, that after Samuel's death the people relapsed into sins and were also chastised by the Lord. For although God always brings his begun work to completion, he is nonetheless bound to no one if the benefits offered by him are rejected with an ungrateful spirit and trampled underfoot, to continue his favor perpetually. And so, although God embraced his people with the highest favor and freed them from the tyranny of the Philistines for many years — namely as long as Samuel was alive — yet when the people returned to their old nature, they were again handed over to the Philistines, who grievously afflicted them. The reason is plain: since the people could not endure Samuel's governance — which was nevertheless from the Lord — and therefore tried to throw off the imposed yoke from their necks and make a secession from the Lord, it was necessary for them also to experience that they had departed from God's protection and guardianship.

From this let us learn to walk in the fear of the Lord throughout the whole course of our life, and to hope that God's kindness, once experienced and tasted, will continue hereafter in an unbroken course — provided we do not throw up obstacles. On the other hand, we must know to guard ourselves most carefully, lest, imitating unbridled horses, we kick against him and give loose reins to our lust, and provoke God's wrath and vengeance against us.

Next, peace is said to have existed between the Israelites and the Amorites, which some understand as referring to the Philistines; but rather, for the sake of amplifying the divine benefit, the Philistines are compared with the rest of the neighboring peoples, so that God is shown to have provided for the peace and tranquility of his people by restraining the neighboring peoples by whom the Israelites had previously been heavily oppressed, and establishing peace on all sides. Therefore by the Amorites here are also understood all the other neighboring peoples who had been accustomed to attack the Israelites in war — so that not only the Philistines were pacified, but all the remaining peoples of Canaan as well. Here indeed let us contemplate the wonderful providence of God, by which he weighs and governs each thing by its own measure and weight — far indeed unlike mortals, who, although they may be strong in counsel and prudence, are nevertheless lacking in the strength to carry their plans to completion. But it is far otherwise with God, to whom all created things are subject and on whose will alone they depend. Therefore, when he is about to punish some people by war, he is not compelled to conscript auxiliary soldiers from elsewhere, but at his nod many thousands and armies of enemies will be raised up — like swarms of flies flying through the very air — by which the rebellious may be overwhelmed. And on the contrary, when God is about to aid against the violence of enemies, he so disposes all things by his power that he most easily overcomes and averts even the greatest danger. Therefore, when any enemies whatever rise against us, he will most easily fight for us, shattering all their plans and machinations, or in turn will so bind the hands of the enemies that they cannot carry their plans to completion — so that they seem very much like a madman who, with his arms tied to a column, rages with futile effort. The plan of God's counsels in helping his people is therefore wonderful, since all things obey him as Creator and depend on his will, so that no thing ever fails him.

And this is the teaching of this passage: when the Israelites are specifically said to have maintained peace with enemies from whom they would not have dared to defect, because of the alliance the Philistines had with the neighboring peoples — so that the Israelites were pressed by the greatest difficulties on every side, to such a degree that having escaped from one side they were pressed on the other, and fell as it were from Charybdis into Scylla. But God himself met these great difficulties head on and restrained the savage tyranny of the enemies of his people. And let us observe that this history was written for us, not for those who had already died, so that we may apply it for our own benefit. And today let us be fully persuaded that, when great disturbances and seditions arise everywhere throughout the whole world, the eye of divine providence does not rest on only one or another region, but measures all things by the same standard, so that nothing can delay his help when it has pleased him to help us.

There follows: that Samuel judged the Israelites all the days of his life, ...and went every year and made a circuit through Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, then returned to Ramah — because there was his house — and there judged Israel, and there built an altar to the Lord. Above we saw that Samuel governed the people at Mizpah, by which words it was indicated that he then took up the reins of government and was chosen by the people and then received authority to administer public affairs — whereas previously he was only acknowledged and honored by the people as an eminent prophet, and therefore did not yet have full authority to administer the commonwealth until, with the people assembled at Mizpah, he entered upon the magistracy.

Next he is said to have governed the people in Bethel and Gilgal, and finally to have returned to Ramah, where his house was, where he judged the people — so that his diligence in performing his office is demonstrated. First, therefore, Samuel's diligence in performing his duty is praised here, so that we may know he administered so great a charge under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And indeed this entire history testifies that God, having mercy on his people, raised up this man — just as it is well known to everyone that all wisdom and excellence flows from this one source, namely God. Therefore, if we see any distinguished men — some for wisdom, some for justice, some for courage, some for prudence — let us know that they are set before us by God so that we may acknowledge and revere him as the author of all good things and virtues. Therefore, if men outstanding in prudence and counsel sit at the helms of commonwealths, let us know that this happens by God's benefit and special favor. For men cannot create and form themselves, and yet it would be far easier for a man to create himself than to give himself powers of mind. For since the soul far surpasses the body and all earthly things, it is so much more difficult for our nature to penetrate the heavens and comprehend divine mysteries with the mind. Moreover, if we cannot make a single hair of our head white or black — as our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us — much less can we acquire any virtue or excellence of mind for ourselves. Rather, God himself distributes to each according to the measure he knows to be expedient. For this reason, therefore, Samuel's industry and diligence are commended, so that we may know he was formed and refined by God and abundantly heaped with his gifts, when God willed to have mercy on his people.

Furthermore, all who sit at the helms of commonwealths ought to set Samuel before themselves as a model to imitate. For it is specifically said that every year he went around the entire region, and spared no labor in order to govern the people with the highest integrity and sincerity. Indeed, if he had stayed at home, who would have blamed him for it or accused him of negligence? But since he is said to have traversed the entire region and not stayed at home, from this it appears what the care and solicitude of those who sit at the helms of commonwealths and have a large domain ought to be. But the customs of men today are far different. For in ancient times indeed there existed certain traces of what is said here about Samuel, when princes whose domain was larger would travel through individual towns and judge the controversies that had arisen among their subjects, and settle everything — or if they themselves were not present, they would do this through deputies, so that the people would be relieved and each person would receive what was due. Indeed, no village or estate remained in which justice was not dispensed, since judges were sent to the very places themselves. But the way justice is administered today is far different: the courts are often as much as fifty miles away, and even when they are in the same place, such corruption has invaded this order that if someone of moderate condition pursues his interests in a lawsuit against a wealthier person, the judges barely pronounce a verdict in a whole year — and often one loses his case even though he is in the right, because favor inclines to the other side. So great is the corruption of courts today, and especially in the courts of princes, that even when judges are sent to the very places to dispense justice, they come like hail, bringing calamity to the whole region, because they administer justice so sordidly and greedily that there is no end to litigation. But matters have reached the point where those who have influence with kings or princes wretchedly abuse it. And what is the cause of such great confusion other than the negligence of princes and the carelessness of those to whom the care of commonwealths has been entrusted? Moreover, there is no doubt that God punishes the sins of peoples in this way, for we can truly say that the sins of men are the cause and origin of all these evils. Therefore those accomplish little who only inveigh against the injustices and injuries, against the violence committed by men of rank — since on the contrary seditions and revolts often result from this, whose end must be most wretched and sorrowful. What then must be done? Namely, it is fitting for us to humble and abase ourselves before God, to examine ourselves, and to attribute the cause of all these confusions to ourselves — that God is punishing our sins in this way — and this alone is the best remedy against so many evils.

Nevertheless, it should be known that what is written here about Samuel's diligence will one day redound to the judgment and condemnation of all who by their negligence or other fault have provided the occasion for so many evils and confusions. And they will one day render an account of their administration — not indeed to those by whom they were appointed, not to mortals, but to that supreme Judge who will never leave so great a crime unpunished if they have cast off the care of their subjects and have not dispensed justice with the equity that was fitting. Moreover, if those who have been allotted a large domain ought by no means to remain at home, but to survey and traverse their region town by town in order to render to each his own, what is fitting for those to whom ...a smaller province has been entrusted? Indeed, the more easily they can perform their duty — since they do not have to traverse their domain, but can dispense justice at home — the less excusable they will be if they fail to do their duty. And yet today one may see many so attentive to their own domestic affairs that they are utterly blind in public matters, from where it is no wonder if they judge affairs rashly — men whom injustice and injury lead astray. Therefore this passage deserves special attention, and each person ought to think about himself; and those to whom a greater province has been entrusted ought with ardent prayers to beseech God to instill in them that mind by which they may put the commonwealth before their private affairs and consult the welfare of their subjects. But those who hold a lesser province should be all the more diligent in performing their duty, since if they are negligent they can offer no excuse.

Next Samuel is said to have returned home and judged Israel in Ramah, by which words it is indicated that Samuel not only dispensed justice on certain occasions, but was accustomed to traverse the entire region more often each year. Then at home he did not remain idle, but responded to legal inquiries and satisfied all persons according to the requirements of his office. Therefore he did not spare himself or attend to his own advantage and comfort, performing his office halfheartedly — as we see most people who hold public offices do today. Rather, we observe that he was always ready, even at home, to respond on legal matters and to dispense justice to anyone, so that those who suffered injustice from others might flee to him as to a refuge, and receive justice from him as from the supreme judge and magistrate.

From this we should observe that those who preside over public affairs have not discharged their duty if they have performed some notable deed once, nor should they expect a respite, nor cast the burden upon others. Rather, they must continue in their calling and maintain an equitable course of justice as long as God wills them to be alive. And Samuel's example teaches us this: we see that after surveying the region and returning home, he by no means rested from his labor, but devoted himself to dispensing justice and made himself accessible to all, and never failed in his duty. And since he had his house in Ramah, it appears that he by no means plundered the people — as we shall hear him testifying more fully below — and that this governance was neither costly nor profitable for him; rather, he conducted himself as a private citizen, yet in such a way that he administered justice to each person in accordance with his office. And so Samuel performed his office in such a way that he did not spare himself, and yet he lived like any private citizen, and kept himself within the bounds of his charge.

There it is specifically said that he built an altar to the Lord, so that he was not only zealous for the civil order — for living peacefully and tranquilly and rendering to each his own — but had the highest care for piety and religion. These two are so connected that they cannot in any way be separated. For never will kings or any other magistrates do their duty unless they hold the care of God's worship and religion as the higher priority. I acknowledge indeed that it is part of their duty to punish sins and crimes, restrain all violence, and meet all offenses head-on. But that is the least part of their duty — to keep men within the bounds of humanity so that no violence or injury has place among them. For God's glory and honor must hold the first place. For this reason the sacred Scriptures, when they speak of a well-administered commonwealth, mention the divine worship well established in it. Therefore we may truly say that those are governed by a satanic and diabolical spirit who deny that God's word is to be defended and protected by magistrates, since they remove the foundations that sacred Scripture lays down, and without which the church cannot stand without the greatest confusions. For it is well known that God is superior to all those who sit at the helms of government and have the power of the sword to protect each person's rights — whom God himself also dignifies with such honor that, in respect of their office and charge, he communicates his own name to them. How then would his name be held in low esteem by them, and the least concern for his honor touch them? But these things are too ridiculous, so that we would not want even children to serve as judges over these men.

Therefore let this be a firm pronouncement and axiom: that all of them have the right of the sword not only against criminals and unjust men, but they ought to be guardians and nursing fathers of the church — by which title the prophet Isaiah dignifies them — and accordingly their duty requires them to remove all idolatry and every superstition from among their subjects. Therefore, since Samuel dispensed justice to the people and built an altar to God, we see that he joined together two things at once that are bound by an inseparable bond. For just as the tables of the divine law are so interconnected with each other that they cannot be separated, so men of primary authority who are zealous in performing their duty ought first to have care for God's worship, and then for fostering mutual equity among men.

Here, however, a question of no small importance arises. For if it was not permitted to build two altars, and it was abominable if anyone built a second altar, and if anyone offered sacrifice elsewhere than at the appointed altar he was departing from the law of the Lord and was considered an idolater — how did Samuel allow himself so much as to establish an altar in Ramah? Some think the sanctuary and the altar were the same thing, but the contrary is sufficiently clear from the sacred writings. And so it is more likely that the ark of God and the sanctuary had been brought to that place. For we know that there was no certain and fixed place assigned for God's worship until the ark of God was placed on Mount Zion, and for this reason it is said in the Psalms that God chose Zion and desired it for his dwelling place — and these are the Prophet's words: 'For he has chosen ...the Lord Zion; he desired it for his dwelling place, saying: This is my rest forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired this.' God therefore chose no certain and fixed place for the ark to rest until it was placed on Mount Zion. And indeed Moses, when giving precepts about God's worship and about the ark and the rite and order of sacrifices, specifically says that God is to be sought in the place which he shall choose from among all the tribes of Israel, to place his name there. By these words he indicates that there would be many changes and alterations until God established a fixed place for the ark and the sanctuary, so that he might be worshipped there. For this reason we saw that the ark stood for a long time in Shiloh; from there it was brought to Kiriath-jearim, and was elsewhere for some time, and often changed its location. And therefore that it could also have been in Ramah at that time is not inconsistent with the truth.

But if someone objects that this is mere conjecture and guesswork, we easily respond that judgment about all created things, and especially about spiritual matters, must be rendered from God's word alone. Now if we consider what sacred Scripture records here about Samuel, we shall find that it is a commendation of him by which his action is approved without exception. For it is not said that God pardoned him for some fault in this deed; rather, he is praised on account of the altar built to God. The question therefore still remains whether Samuel's action is supported by God's word — for unless it is supported by it, it was mere trifles and a futile effort, and Samuel will accordingly be guilty of violating the divine law. Nevertheless, since he is not marked as having transgressed God's precepts, nor is he condemned, it is necessary to conclude that the ark of God with the sanctuary was at that time in Ramah, so that sacrifices could be offered there.

Indeed, as long as the Israelite people wandered in the wilderness, God forbade them to build any other altar than the one he himself had commanded. And that very altar which had been constructed by divine command was demolished and destroyed upon their departure, so that not even traces remained. And why? Precisely so that posterity would not seize the occasion to establish divine worship there, because an altar had once been dedicated to the Lord in that place. For this reason God commanded them to demolish that altar in such a way that no traces would remain by which it could be known that sacrifices had been offered to God there. From this we see that when those tribes which dwelt across the Jordan built an altar near the Jordan — not for offering sacrifices there, nor for burnt offerings, but as a memorial of the union which they were eager to foster with the rest of the tribes in all sacred matters — the other Israelites were greatly upset and conscripted soldiers to exact punishment, because they considered a most grievous and abominable crime to have been perpetrated. Therefore, if the Israelite tribes pursued that deed with such zeal, lest it go unpunished, how would they have tolerated it in Samuel? For this reason it is easy to conclude from what has been said above that Samuel erected an altar to the Lord in Ramah — not as an institution of his own devising, but by God's command.

And indeed, when we hear that the Lord willed a single altar to be constructed by the Israelites for sacrifices, it is certain that this was done to foster mutual peace and concord among them — which they testified to when they had a single altar and a single form of worship — so that no one would invent for himself some rite of worshipping God, but would depend on God's command and conform himself to his will. Therefore there is no doubt that Samuel followed the order prescribed by God. And since God wished to use this man's service for the restoration of his worship, let us not doubt that the sanctuary was erected there and the ark was brought there, so that the people might assemble in that place to offer sacrifices to God, to worship the one God, and to retain the one form of his worship.

Let us therefore learn by Samuel's example so to order our life that we walk simply and sincerely according to God's command, and detract nothing from his word, but promote his glory with all our strength. And in turn let us fulfill our duties toward our neighbors, lest we forget God. And let us not conceal our faith only in our heart, but profess it openly and before the eyes of all, so that by our example others may be incited to promote God's glory, and finally there may be such a harmony and agreement of all for God's glory that we may be kept under his banner and standard.

Therefore come, brothers, etc.

1. Now it came to pass when Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2. And the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3. And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after greed, and accepted bribes, and perverted judgment. 4. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5. And they said to him: Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king to judge us, as all the nations have. 6. And the matter displeased Samuel, in that they had said: Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

How great is the inconstancy and mutability of human affairs — this chapter teaches us by the example of Samuel and his sons. This indeed does not proceed from God as its author, but from the wickedness of men. For when God has begun to pour out his goodness and mercy upon men, he not only continues in an unbroken course, but increases it day by day — unless he is prevented by human ingratitude.

12. Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying: 'Thus far the Lord has helped us.' 13. So the Philistines were subdued and did not come again into the territory of Israel. The hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14. The cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered its territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was also peace between Israel and the Amorites. 15. Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16. He went every year on a circuit through Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all these places. 17. Then he would return to Ramah, for his house was there, and there he also judged Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord.

In yesterday's sermon we saw how, when Samuel offered a sacrifice as a burnt offering, the Philistines were struck down and put to flight — and victory was won over them. By this timing God made clear that the victory came from Him alone, and that the Philistines had been conquered by His power and might alone. God's grace would not become real to us unless we could feel it, as it were, with our own hands — the way the blind find their path by touch. So, in order that we may become more certain of God's grace, it is necessary that we hold it as something present and set before our eyes. God does not always reveal His grace to us in the same way. Only certain signs and evidences of it sometimes appear — but they are enough to make us more certain of God's goodwill toward His people: that He never forgets His own, but always brings help at the right time. Yet our prayers often seem fruitless because God delays the testimony of His grace for so long that we feel we have accomplished nothing. In truth, however, God is testing our faith and patience. He has not become deaf to our prayers — He knows what is good for us. It is our part to wait patiently for His help and to depend on Him alone, even when deliverance is long in coming. Since this account shows that the Philistines were struck down and put to flight in the very moment Samuel was offering sacrifice to the Lord, let us take from this the surest testimony of God's kindness toward His own — that He always hears their prayers.

Next, the victorious Israelites pursued the Philistines from Mizpah, where they had assembled, to the place below Beth-car. Samuel then set up a stone between Mizpah and that rock, calling it Ebenezer — that is, 'stone of help' — as a monument to the remarkable victory by which God had freed His people from Philistine tyranny. These things are recorded so we may know that the plans of the Philistines to destroy the Israelites with fire and sword were not only frustrated — they were reversed, and the Israelites were victorious. Sometimes we think we are doing well if the enemy has merely retreated, and we are content to let them go. If they have pulled back far enough, we consider ourselves blessed — which is in line with the old proverb that one should build a golden bridge for a retreating enemy. But here, when the Israelites pursued their enemies, the remarkable power of God is seen in His helping His people. He willed not only that the enemies turn and run, but that the fleeing Philistines be cut down by the Israelites all the way to Beth-car, so that the helping hand of God was made unmistakable. So we see that the Philistines were not only terrified and seized with panic — the Israelites themselves took courage and fought bravely. Both of these outcomes flowed surely from God's grace and special kindness. God is the One who gives His people courage even in the greatest difficulties, and who on the other hand strips courage even from the most confident, making them pale and trembling with terror at the sound of any breeze. God's power is most remarkably displayed in this: that the Philistines were put to flight and cut down in an instant — they who had previously been bold and had tyrannized the Israelite people cruelly for years. Who would not have expected them to be bolder still, made all the more arrogant by so many years of proud dominion? Yet they collapse in a moment. There is no room for doubt that God stripped the courage from those who were previously full of arrogance, and on the contrary gave courage to the Israelites, who stood firm with a ready and strong spirit. They had previously been like helpless sheep in the jaws of wolves — so terrified before that they dared not lift a hand against the Philistines, barely able to look at them without being struck with dread. Where did such a sudden change come from, except from God — who instills fear and terror in some, and gives courage to others? From this let us learn that when the most hostile enemies rise against us — thirsting for blood, swelling with pride, breathing threats and violence — we should rest upon God. He can in an instant bring down the great confidence of our enemies and put out the fire they breathe, so that instead of glory and triumph they carry away shame and confusion. God can help His people in two ways. He can so crush the confidence of enemies in an instant that ten may chase a hundred, and a hundred chase a thousand. Or even if we have lost heart and despaired of our own strength — which compared to the enemy's is nothing — He can supply strength before the enemies have even drawn near, so that we seem like entirely different people. David proclaims this double blessing of God in the Psalms. Sometimes he says God thundered from heaven so that enemies, seized with fear, fled in the greatest disgrace. At other times he says God trained his hands for battle and his fingers for war; at still other times that under God's leadership he could leap over a wall, and was so renewed with fresh strength by the Lord that he won victory over his enemies — all of which he attributes entirely to God. And enough about these things.

Let us now consider what comes next: Samuel set up a monument that would serve as a sign of God's grace — not just for a time, but as a lasting memorial. Mizpah was a high place; the word in Hebrew means 'watchtower.' On the other side there was also a rock belonging to the place called Beth-car, to which the Israelites had pursued the Philistines. Samuel named this rock Ebenezer — meaning 'stone of help.' Samuel's purpose was not only to proclaim God's glory in his own day, but to pass on to future generations the memory of this glorious deliverance from the hand of the Philistines — under whose harsh domination they had labored for so many years. This is a teaching truly deserving of special attention, especially since proclaiming and acknowledging God's blessings toward us ought to be the occupation and pursuit of our entire life. It is a singular and extraordinary privilege to be able to proclaim God's praises and benefits. Who would not eagerly strive to proclaim God's praises, since God asks of us nothing more than that we celebrate with thanksgiving the benefits He has bestowed on us? David's example fits well here, when he says: 'What shall I render to the Lord for all that He has given me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all His people.' By testifying our gratitude in words, we honor God and acknowledge His generosity when we devote ourselves to His service and strive to fulfill our duty in declaring His praises. It is not enough to do this only during our own lifetime. Every effort must be made so that the glory of God's works and His kindness toward us may be passed on to those who come after us — so they too may know the goodness of which we have been made partakers. They may then be more readily stirred to thanksgiving and more readily shaped to obey His will. From our example they may learn that God always appears as a defender and helper of His people in uncertain times — so that when they fall into the most difficult circumstances or the greatest danger, they may flee to Him and expect His help. We will follow Samuel's example well if we teach the next generation to place all their confidence in God, and while calling upon Him, to exalt and praise Him with fitting words. This cannot happen unless they have come to know His grace and power — which experience has testified to in the most difficult circumstances. For this reason David once said that in his afflictions he called to mind the days of old and meditated on all the works of God and on the deeds of His hands. And God committed His history to written records for this very reason: so that, as in a mirror, we might contemplate His power and mercy in relieving His people — and learn that His help has never failed those who fled to His mercy and expected salvation from Him.

Next, the Philistines are said to have been so broken and weakened that they did not return to trouble the Israelites in war throughout the entire time of Samuel. These words show us how remarkable the victory was. This was not a light skirmish or minor defeat, but such a great rout that the strength of the Philistines was utterly broken — to the point where they could not conscript new soldiers and rebuild their forces, as defeated nations often do before striking again with greater strength. This makes clear that God brought such great help to His people that, with the enemy's power shattered, the church of God lived in tranquility and peace. God bestowed on His people the greatest blessing: not only striking and breaking the enemy so they would no longer be troubled by them, but also completing their salvation — not leaving the work unfinished. God does not leave the salvation of His people and the preservation of His church incomplete. From this passage we learn that God takes such care of His people that He willed the testimony of His kindness to endure for a long time — as long as Samuel lived. This serves our benefit as well: once God has begun to help us, we may hope He will never rest until the matter is brought to completion. Therefore, once we have tasted God's grace, we ought to be more and more strengthened — and hope should arise in us that God, who never grows weary of doing good to His people, will always show Himself to us as we have already experienced Him. When Scripture mentions the days of Samuel, it is also quietly warning the reader about what is coming: after Samuel's death, the people relapsed into sin and were again chastised by the Lord. For although God always completes the work He has begun, He is not obligated to continue His favor to those who reject it with an ungrateful spirit and trample it underfoot. So although God embraced His people with the highest favor and freed them from Philistine tyranny for many years — as long as Samuel lived — yet when the people reverted to their old ways, they were handed back over to the Philistines, who oppressed them grievously. The reason is plain: since the people could not endure Samuel's governance — which was nonetheless from the Lord — and tried to throw off the yoke from their necks and break away from the Lord, it was only fitting that they also experience the consequences of departing from God's protection and care.

From this let us learn to walk in the fear of the Lord throughout the whole course of our lives, and to hope that God's kindness, once experienced and tasted, will continue in an unbroken course — provided we do not throw up obstacles ourselves. On the other hand, we must guard ourselves most carefully against imitating unbridled horses — kicking against God, giving free rein to our desires, and provoking His wrath and vengeance against us.

The text then says that peace existed between the Israelites and the Amorites. Some take this to refer to the Philistines, but more likely it amplifies the scope of God's blessing: the Philistines are first dealt with, and then the other neighboring peoples are also brought under control, so that God is seen to have secured peace and tranquility for His people on every side. By 'Amorites' here are meant all the other neighboring peoples who had been in the habit of attacking Israel in war — so that not only the Philistines were subdued, but all the remaining peoples of Canaan as well. Let us contemplate here the wonderful providence of God, by which He weighs and governs each thing by its proper measure and proportion — far unlike mortals, who, even when strong in counsel and wisdom, still lack the power to carry their plans through to completion. But with God it is altogether different. All created things are subject to Him, and they depend on His will alone. Therefore, when He is about to punish some people through war, He does not need to conscript auxiliary soldiers from elsewhere. At His word, many thousands and armies of enemies will arise — like swarms of flies filling the air — to overwhelm the rebellious. And conversely, when God is about to defend against the violence of enemies, He so arranges all things by His power that He most easily overcomes and turns aside even the greatest danger. When any enemies rise against us, He will most easily fight on our behalf — shattering all their plans and schemes — or will so tie the hands of enemies that they cannot carry out their intentions. They end up like a madman who, with his arms bound to a post, rages with futile effort. The plan of God's counsel in helping His people is therefore wonderful, since all things obey Him as Creator and depend on His will — nothing ever fails Him.

This is the teaching of this passage: the Israelites were not only at peace with the Philistines — the text specifically says they also maintained peace with other enemies who had been closely allied with the Philistines, from whom the Israelites previously would not have dared to break away. The Israelites had been pressed on every side, so that escaping danger on one front only meant falling into it on another — passing, as it were, from Charybdis into Scylla. But God Himself met these great difficulties head-on and restrained the cruel tyranny of His people's enemies. Let us observe that this history was written for us — not for those long dead — so that we may apply it for our own benefit. Today let us be fully persuaded that when great disturbances and upheavals arise throughout the whole world, the eye of divine providence does not rest on only one region or another. He measures all things by the same standard — so that nothing can delay His help when it pleases Him to act on our behalf.

We are then told that Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. He went every year on a circuit through Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, then returned home to Ramah — where his house was — and there also judged Israel and built an altar to the Lord. We saw earlier that Samuel governed the people at Mizpah. This marks the point where he took up the reins of government: he was chosen by the people and received authority to administer public affairs. Before that, he had been acknowledged and honored as a distinguished prophet, but had not yet held full authority to govern until the assembly at Mizpah formally invested him with that office.

We are then told that he governed the people in Bethel and Gilgal, and finally returned to Ramah, where his house was, and judged the people there as well — all of which demonstrates his diligence in performing his office. Samuel's faithfulness in carrying out his duty is praised here so that we may know he administered this great responsibility under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This entire history testifies that God, having mercy on His people, raised up this man — just as it is well known that all wisdom and excellence flows from one source: God Himself. Therefore, when we see men who are distinguished — some for wisdom, some for justice, some for courage, some for prudence — let us know they have been placed before us by God, so that we may acknowledge and honor Him as the author of all good gifts and virtues. When men of outstanding wisdom and counsel sit at the helm of nations, let us know this happens by God's gift and special favor. No man can create or form himself, and yet it would be far easier for a man to create himself than to give himself the powers of his mind. Since the soul far surpasses the body and all earthly things, it is all the more impossible for our nature to ascend to heaven and comprehend divine mysteries on its own. Moreover, if we cannot make a single hair of our head white or black — as our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us — much less can we acquire any virtue or excellence of mind for ourselves. Rather, God Himself distributes to each according to the measure He knows to be fitting. For this reason Samuel's industry and diligence are commended here: so that we may know he was shaped and prepared by God and richly supplied with His gifts, when God chose to show mercy to His people.

All who hold positions of public authority ought to set Samuel before themselves as a model to imitate. It is specifically said that every year he traveled throughout the entire region, sparing no effort in governing the people with the highest integrity and sincerity. If he had stayed at home, who would have blamed him for it or called him negligent? But because he traversed the entire region and did not remain at home, we see what the care and diligence of those who govern large domains ought to look like. The customs of men today are far different. In ancient times there were traces of what is described here about Samuel: princes with large domains would travel through individual towns and adjudicate disputes among their subjects, settling everything on the spot — or if they could not be present themselves, they sent deputies, so that people were served and each received what was owed. No village or estate was left where justice was not dispensed, since judges were sent to the very locations. But the way justice is administered today is far different. Courts are often fifty miles away, and even when nearby, such corruption has crept into the system that someone of modest means pursuing a case against a wealthier party may wait a full year before the judges even pronounce a verdict — and often loses even when clearly in the right, because favor tilts toward the other side. So great is the corruption of courts today — especially those of princes — that even when judges are sent out to dispense justice in the very places, they arrive like hail, bringing disaster to the whole region. They administer justice so greedily and corruptly that litigation never ends. Matters have reached the point where those with connections to kings or princes wretchedly abuse that influence. And what is the cause of this great confusion, if not the negligence of princes and the carelessness of those entrusted with the care of the commonwealth? There is no doubt that God is punishing the sins of peoples through this very disorder — we can rightly say that the sins of men are the cause and root of all these evils. Therefore those who simply rage against injustice and the violence of the powerful accomplish little — such denunciations often produce sedition and revolt, whose end is most wretched. What then must be done? We must humble and abase ourselves before God, examine ourselves, and acknowledge that the cause of all these confusions lies within us — that God is punishing our sins in this way. This alone is the best remedy against so many evils.

Even so, it must be known that what is written here about Samuel's diligence will one day serve as judgment and condemnation for all who, through negligence or some other fault, have provided the occasion for so many evils and disorders. They will one day give an account of their administration — not to those who appointed them, not to mortals, but to that supreme Judge who will never leave so great a crime unpunished. Those who have neglected the welfare of their subjects and have not dispensed justice with fitting fairness will answer for it. Moreover, if those who hold large domains are by no means excused from staying at home — but must survey their region town by town to render to each what is due — what should be expected of those who have been given a smaller province? The smaller the domain, the easier it is to fulfill the duty — since they do not have to travel far, but can administer justice at home. This means they will be all the less excusable if they fail to do it. Yet today one may see many who are so absorbed in their own domestic affairs that they are entirely blind to public matters. It is no wonder that they judge cases rashly, led astray by partiality and self-interest. This passage therefore deserves careful attention. Each person should examine himself. Those entrusted with a larger province ought to earnestly pray that God instill in them the disposition to put the common good above their private affairs and to genuinely care for the welfare of those under their charge. And those who hold a lesser province should be all the more diligent in their duty — since they will have no excuse if they are negligent.

Samuel is then said to have returned home and judged Israel in Ramah — which means he not only dispensed justice on a few special occasions, but made regular circuits through the whole region each year. At home he did not sit idle either, but answered legal questions and gave every person what his office required. He did not spare himself or look to his own comfort and advantage, performing his office halfheartedly — as most people in public office do today. We see that he was always ready, even at home, to respond to legal matters and to dispense justice to anyone — so that those who had suffered injustice could flee to him as to a refuge and receive justice from him as the supreme judge and magistrate.

From this we should take note: those who preside over public affairs have not done their duty merely by performing one notable act, and should not expect to take a rest or shift the burden to others. They must continue faithfully in their calling and maintain an equitable administration of justice as long as God wills them to remain alive. Samuel's example teaches us this: after completing his circuit of the region and returning home, he by no means rested from his labors but devoted himself to dispensing justice, made himself accessible to all, and never failed in his duty. Since he kept his house in Ramah, it is clear that he did not enrich himself at the people's expense — as we will hear him testify more fully later — and that his governance was neither costly nor profitable for him personally. He lived as an ordinary citizen, yet in such a way that he fulfilled his duty to administer justice to each person according to his office. Samuel performed his duties without sparing himself, yet he lived like any private citizen — keeping himself within the bounds of his charge.

It is specifically noted that Samuel built an altar to the Lord — showing that he was not only devoted to the civil order, to peaceful and just governance, to rendering to each his due — but that he had the highest care for piety and religion. These two cannot be separated from each other in any way. Kings and magistrates will never truly fulfill their duty unless they regard the care of God's worship and religion as the higher priority. I grant that it is part of their duty to punish sins and crimes, to restrain violence, and to confront all injustice. But that is the lesser part of their duty — keeping men within the bounds of civil order so that violence and injury have no place among them. God's glory and honor must hold the first place. This is why Holy Scripture, when describing a well-governed commonwealth, always mentions the worship of God as rightly established within it. We may therefore truly say that those are governed by a satanic and diabolical spirit who deny that magistrates have any duty to defend and protect God's Word — since in doing so they remove the very foundations that Scripture lays down, without which the church cannot stand without falling into the greatest disorder. It is well known that God stands above all those who sit at the helm of government and wield the sword to protect each person's rights — and God Himself honors them so highly that, in view of their office, He shares His own name with them. How then could His name be held in contempt by them — how could the least concern for His honor fail to move them? These arguments are so plain that even children should be able to judge them.

Let this therefore be a firm and settled principle: those who hold the sword have authority not only against criminals and the unjust, but they ought also to be guardians and nursing fathers of the church — a title the prophet Isaiah gives them — and accordingly their duty requires them to remove all idolatry and superstition from among their subjects. Since Samuel dispensed justice to the people and also built an altar to God, we see him joining these two things together — things bound by an inseparable bond. Just as the two tables of God's law are so connected that they cannot be separated, so those in positions of primary authority, if they are to faithfully perform their duty, must first care for the worship of God and then for maintaining equity among men.

Here, however, a question of some importance arises. Building a second altar was forbidden, and anyone who sacrificed anywhere other than the appointed altar was departing from the law of the Lord and was regarded as an idolater. So how did Samuel permit himself to establish an altar in Ramah? Some think the sanctuary and the altar were one and the same thing, but the sacred writings make clear enough that they are distinct. It is more likely, therefore, that the ark of God and the sanctuary had been brought to Ramah at that time. We know that no fixed and permanent location was assigned for God's worship until the ark was placed on Mount Zion. This is why the Psalms say that God chose Zion and desired it as His dwelling place — in the Psalmist's words: 'For the Lord has chosen Zion; He desired it for His dwelling, saying: This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it.' God therefore chose no permanent resting place for the ark until it was brought to Mount Zion. Moses, when giving the commandments about God's worship and the rites and order of sacrifice, specifically said that God is to be sought in the place He will choose from among all the tribes of Israel, to place His name there. By these words Moses indicates that there would be many changes and moves until God established a fixed location for the ark and the sanctuary. This is why the ark stood for a long time at Shiloh, then was brought to Kiriath-jearim, and was elsewhere for a time, frequently changing location. That the ark could therefore also have been in Ramah at that time is entirely consistent with the facts.

But if someone objects that this is mere conjecture and guesswork, we can readily answer that judgment on all matters — and especially spiritual ones — must be based on God's Word alone. When we consider what Scripture records here about Samuel, we find that it commends him without reservation. His action is approved. It is not said that God pardoned him for some fault in this deed. He is praised on account of the altar he built to God. The question remains whether Samuel's action is supported by God's Word — for if it is not, it was a vain and futile act, and Samuel would be guilty of violating the divine law. Nevertheless, since he is not marked as having transgressed God's commandments and is not condemned, we must conclude that the ark of God and the sanctuary were in Ramah at that time, so that sacrifices could properly be offered there.

As long as the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, God forbade them to build any altar other than the one He Himself had commanded. And even that divinely commanded altar was demolished and destroyed when they moved on, so that not even a trace remained. Why? Precisely so that later generations would not seize on that spot as an occasion to establish worship there simply because an altar had once stood in that place. For this reason God commanded that the altar be demolished so thoroughly that no sign would remain showing that sacrifices had ever been offered to God there. We can see from this how seriously the other tribes took this matter: when the tribes living across the Jordan built an altar near the river — not for sacrifices or burnt offerings, but as a memorial of the unity they wished to maintain with the other tribes in all matters of worship — the rest of Israel was so upset that they conscripted soldiers to punish what they considered a most serious and abominable crime. If the Israelite tribes pursued that matter with such zeal, how would they have tolerated something similar in Samuel? It is therefore easy to conclude from what has been said that Samuel erected an altar to the Lord in Ramah not as his own invention, but by God's command.

When we hear that the Lord required the Israelites to have a single altar for sacrifices, it is certain this was done to foster mutual peace and unity among them — unity they demonstrated by having one altar and one form of worship — so that no one would invent his own form of worshiping God, but would depend on God's command and conform to His will. There is therefore no doubt that Samuel followed the order God had prescribed. And since God chose to use this man's service for the restoration of His worship, we need not doubt that the sanctuary was established there and the ark was brought there, so that the people could gather to offer sacrifices to God, to worship the one God, and to maintain the one form of His worship.

Let us learn from Samuel's example to order our lives simply and sincerely according to God's command — taking nothing away from His Word, but promoting His glory with all our strength. In turn, let us fulfill our duties toward our neighbors so that we do not neglect God. Let us not conceal our faith only within our hearts, but profess it openly and before all people, so that by our example others may be stirred to promote God's glory — and that there may finally be such harmony and agreement among all for His glory that we are kept under His banner and standard.

Therefore come, brothers, etc.

1. Now it came to pass, when Samuel had grown old, that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. 3. His sons, however, did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4. Then all the elders of Israel gathered and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5. They said to him: 'You have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.' 6. The matter displeased Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

How great is the inconstancy and changefulness of human affairs — this chapter demonstrates through the example of Samuel and his sons. This inconstancy does not come from God, but from the wickedness of men. When God has begun to pour out His goodness and mercy on people, He not only continues it without interruption — He increases it day by day. Unless, that is, human ingratitude gets in the way.