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by the form of the Hebrew verb, that that return had indeed commenced and was
going on - "put away the strange gods (Baalim, ver. 4), and the Ashtaroth, and make
firm your hearts towards Jehovah" - in opposition to the former vacillation and
indecision - "and serve Him alone."^65 To Israel so returning with their whole heart,
and repenting alike by the removal of their sin, and by exercising lively faith,
Jehovah would, as of old, prove a Savior - in the present instance, from the
Philistines.
The words of Samuel produced the marks of at least full outward repentance. The
next step was to call the people to one of those solemn national gatherings, in which,
as on former occasions (Joshua 23:2, etc.; 24:1, etc.), they would confess national
sins and renew national obligations towards Jehovah. On its mountain height,^66
Mizpeh, the "look out" of Benjamin, was among those ancient sanctuaries in the
land, where, as in Shechem (Joshua 24:26), in Gilgal (Joshua 5:2-12, 15), and in
Bethel (Judges 20:18, 23, 26; 21:2), the people were wont to assemble for solemn
deliberation (Judges 11:11; 20:1). But never before, since the days of Moses, had
Israel so humbled itself before the Lord in confession of sin.^67 It was thus that
Samuel would prepare for his grand act of intercession on their behalf, and it was
under such circumstances that he publicly exercised, or more probably that he began
his office of "judge" (1 Samuel 8:6), in its real meaning, by setting right what was
wrong within Israel, and by becoming the means of their deliverance from the
enemy.
The assembly had met in Mizpeh, not with any thought of war, far less in
preparation for it. In fact, when Israel in Mizpeh heard of the hostile approach of the
Philistines, "they were afraid" (ver. 7). But as rebellion had caused their desertion, so
would return bring them help from the Lord. As so generally in this history, all
would happen naturally in the ordinary succession of cause and effect; and yet all
would be really and directly of God in the ordering and arrangement of events. Israel
must not go to war, nor must victory be clue to their own prowess. It must be all of
God, and the Philistines must rush on their own fate. Yet it was quite natural that
when the Philistines heard of this grand national gathering at Mizpeh, after twenty
years of unattempted resistance to their rule, they should wish to anticipate their
movements; and that, whether they regarded the assembly as a revival of
distinctively national religion or as preparatory for war. Similarly, it was natural that
they would go on this expedition not without serious misgivings as to the power of
the God of Israel which they had experienced during the stay of the ark in their land;
and that in this state of mind they would be prepared to regard any terrible
phenomenon in nature as His interposition, and be affected accordingly.
All this actually took place, but its real causes lay deeper than appeared on the
surface. While Israel trembled at the approach of the Philistines, Samuel prayed,^68
(^)