1Sam009 Ebenezer

Finally, here in chapter 7, the silence breaks, and Samuel speaks. The record of Samuel's speaking indicates that he was a prophet of the covenant, expounding the conditions of covenant commitment to Israel, calling them to repentance and obedience, in order to experience the favor of the Lord. Israel responded by renewing the covenant at Mizpah under Samuel's leadership, and the Lord thundered against their enemies, the Philistines, crushing the iron fist they used to subjugate Israel for over 20 years. To memorialize this great intervention of the Lord, Samuel placed a stone at the very spot where the battle with Philistia commenced, naming it Ebenezer, the Stone of Help. For subsequent generations, Israelites returned to that stone and reflected on its meaning, the Lord of the covenant has been faithful to his promises and will continue to be faithful unto the end.