Raising Our Ebenezer
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: 1 Samuel 7:7-12
7
When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the
Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were
afraid because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to
the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the
Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt
offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on Israel’s behalf, and
the LORD answered him.
10
While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to
engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against
the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the
Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines,
slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth Kar.
12
Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it
Ebenezer,[a] saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.”
2. About the Text:
1) It is near the end of the period of the judges.
2) The children of Israel had gone back to serving idols,
again.
3) So, they had been under Philistine control for the past
twenty years.
4) Samuel the prophet was now of age and preaching for the
people to repent.
5) They heard his voice and put away the idols.
6) The Philistines heard about this and brought their
entire army against Israel.
7) Samuel offered a lamb as sacrifice for the people and
implored God to deliver them.
8) The text says that Yahweh thundered a great thunder
against the Philistines.
9) Israel pursued them to a place that was between Mizpeh
and Shen.
10) There, Samuel erected a stone and called it Ebenezer:
the stone of help.
3. Today’s application.
1) We don’t hear the word “Ebenezer” too much today.
3) But we also sing a song, “Oh, Thou Fount of Every
Blessing.”
4) In it is a line, “Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by
thy help I’ve come.”
5) “Ebenezer” means “stone of help.”
4. What does “help” mean?
1) To give assistance to; aid: I helped her find the book.
He helped me into my coat.
3) To give relief to: help the needy.
4) To ease; relieve: medication to help your cold.
5) To change for the better; improve: A fresh coat of paint
will help a scarred old table.
6) To refrain from; avoid or resist. Used with can or
cannot: couldn’t help laughing.
7) To wait on, as in a store or restaurant.
5. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.
SUBJECT: Salvation
TITLE: Raising Our Ebenezer
PROPOSITION: We raise our Ebenezer when 1) we depend upon God in
difficult times, 2) acknowledge God’s help in prayer, 3)
remember God’s help in our salvation.
Objectives: That each understand God’s role of help in our lives
both physically and spiritually.
DISCUSSION: We raise our Ebenezer when…
I. WE HAVE FAITH IN GOD IN THE FACE OF SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE
TASKS.
1. Israel faced a seemingly impossible task in the face of
the Philistine army.
1) Samuel offered a sacrifice and prayed.
2) Israel prevailed.
3) They raised an Ebenezer.
3. What kind of seemingly impossible tasks do we face
today?
1) Difficult boss in a job.
2) Difficulties in marriage.
3) Government decisions not made according to
righteousness.
4) Taking the gospel to the world.
5) What do we say when we encounter these things?
a. Do we give up?
b. Or do we raise an Ebenezer?
4. There is nothing that we can’t do if we set our mind to
it and have faith in God.
1) The heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11.
2) Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things….”
II. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE LORD’S HELP IN PRAYER.
1. David is such a great example of acknowledging the help
of God in prayer.
1) Psalm 12:1 Help, Jehovah; For the godly man
ceaseth; For the faithful fail from among the children of
men.
2) Psalm 20:2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, And
strengthen thee out of Zion;
3) Psalm 27:9 Hide not thy face from me; Put not thy
servant away in anger: Thou hast been my help; Cast me not
off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
14) David raised his Ebenezer when he prayed to God.
2. Do we acknowledge God’s help in prayer?
1) He provides for our daily sustenance (Acts 14:17).
2) He provides for our protection
3) He provides for our spiritual welfare through His
word
4) All good things come from God (James 1:17).
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh
17
down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither
shadow of turning.
5) Do we say thank you for our daily help?
6) As said David, “He is our help.”
3. Let us raise our Ebenezer when we pray to God.
III. WE REMEMBER GOD’S HELP IN OUR SALVATION.
1. This is not made any clearer than in the observance of
the Lord’s Supper.
1) Luke 22:19-20 we read, “And he took bread, and when
he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying,
This is my body which is given for you: this do in
remembrance of me. And the cup in like manner after supper,
saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that
which is poured out for you.”
2) Paul taught the Corinthians the same in 1
Corinthians 11:24-25.
2. What do we remember when we remember God’s help to us?
1) We remember that we were lost in our sins without
God’s help (Isaiah 59:2).
2) We remember that without God’s help we would have
faced eternal death (Romans 6:23).
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
23
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
3) We remember that while we were yet enemies Christ
died for us (Romans 5:8).
8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
4) We remember that it is through Christ’s death and
blood sacrifice that our sins were atoned (1 Peter 1:18-
19).
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with
18
corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
19
blemish and without spot:
5) We remember that it is through the God’s power of
the gospel that we are saved (Romans 1:16-17).
6) We remember that in that gospel is the
righteousness of Christ, not our own righteousness (2
Corinthians 5:21).
3. When we observe the Lord’s Supper, we raise our Ebenezer.
