Sunday morning at our Williamsburg campus, we were singing an old hymn (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing) that had the line, "raise my Ebenezer" which stirred something in me. I can't even count the number of times that I have sung that hymn in my life...and I have never noticed that line. During the announcements I rushed upstairs where I could get a signal on my phone and found its reference in 1 Samuel 7. This is why we give a nod to hymns, there are so rich!
The story is the Israelites had lost the Ark of the Covenant and now it has been returned (start reading in 1 Samuel 4 for the back story). The Philistines attack again but this time the Israelites' hearts are right with God and they have a great victory. To commemorate that victory, Samuel erects a great stone as a memorial and names it, you guessed it, Ebenezer, which means roughly "stone of my help"...love that story!
We must not confuse the Ark of the Covenant with a talisman,
which is an object that possesses magic powers with the assumption being that
those powers are conveyed to whomever possesses the object. The classic
film Raiders of the Lost Ark was based on this very premise and although
Hollywood does not always accurately portray Biblical concepts, they were right
on this one.
The Ark of the Covenant conveys no power to a person or a nation but rather the covenant in ones heart with God, of which the Ark was a symbol is where the power presides. The Israelites found courage in facing insurmountable odds when the Ark was in the camp, not because of magical powers but because they were reminded of the covenant they had made with God and that covenantal relationship was the motivation behind God interceding supernaturally on their behalf.
In 1 Samuel 4, we see they lost the battle in spite of the presence of the Ark. Why? Because they had broken covenant with God. No covenant, no favor, no power.
Nor was Samuel's prophetic abilities hindered by the Ark's absence during all its years at Abinadab's house. Why, because it was Samuel's covenant with God that mattered. Did David want the Ark back from Abinadab's house when he became king? Absolutely. Did it matter? Absolutely. Why? Not because it was a talisman but because it was a reminder to the people that they were in a covenantal relationship with God. It was their wedding ring. My ring has no power a part from my promise but my ring reminds me of my promise and it is in our promises that we are well postured for the favor of those with whom we covenant.
Are you keeping your promises? To your wife, your children, your calling, your God? Rediscover your dependence on God, He is your Ebenezer stone, He will give you the courage of conviction to stay true to your promises!
Pastor Fred
The Ark of the Covenant conveys no power to a person or a nation but rather the covenant in ones heart with God, of which the Ark was a symbol is where the power presides. The Israelites found courage in facing insurmountable odds when the Ark was in the camp, not because of magical powers but because they were reminded of the covenant they had made with God and that covenantal relationship was the motivation behind God interceding supernaturally on their behalf.
In 1 Samuel 4, we see they lost the battle in spite of the presence of the Ark. Why? Because they had broken covenant with God. No covenant, no favor, no power.
Nor was Samuel's prophetic abilities hindered by the Ark's absence during all its years at Abinadab's house. Why, because it was Samuel's covenant with God that mattered. Did David want the Ark back from Abinadab's house when he became king? Absolutely. Did it matter? Absolutely. Why? Not because it was a talisman but because it was a reminder to the people that they were in a covenantal relationship with God. It was their wedding ring. My ring has no power a part from my promise but my ring reminds me of my promise and it is in our promises that we are well postured for the favor of those with whom we covenant.
Are you keeping your promises? To your wife, your children, your calling, your God? Rediscover your dependence on God, He is your Ebenezer stone, He will give you the courage of conviction to stay true to your promises!
Pastor Fred
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