Context No. 2779 of 4322 · 1 Samuel
Context · Reflection
1 Samuel 7:1-6: in context
1The men of Kiriath Jearim came and took the LORD’s ark, and brought it into Abinadab’s house on the hill, and consecrated Eleazar his son to keep the LORD’s ark. 2From the day that the ark stayed in Kiriath Jearim, the time was long—for it was twenty years; and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. 3Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “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 hearts to the LORD, and serve him only; and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4Then the children of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. 5Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.” 6They gathered together to 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.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
The ark has come to rest at Kiriath-jearim, and there it stays for twenty long years while all Israel laments after the LORD. Then Samuel steps in with the terms of a real return. If you are coming back to the LORD with all your heart, he says, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, set your hearts on the LORD, and serve him alone. And they do it, removing the Baals and the Ashtaroth to serve the LORD only.
Notice that longing was not enough. For twenty years Israel had ached after God, but Samuel tells them the ache has to become action: get rid of the idols. Repentance is not merely feeling the distance from God as grief. It is the concrete removal of the rivals we have quietly kept on the shelf. At Mizpah they pour out water, fast, and confess plainly, we have sinned. The grief finally moved their hands.
Have I let a long ache for God stand in for the actual step of putting away what competes with him?
Sources
- 1 Samuel 7:3: "Put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, and direct your hearts to the LORD, and serve him only."
- Joel 2:13: "Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to the LORD, your God."
- James 4:8: "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded."