Samuel & the Four other Godly Judges in Israel

The witness of Samuel's Faith - Part 5:

In our last study the Lord unilaterally destroyed a great number of the idolatrous Philistines in the land of Canaan and rendered the rest helpless because they had captured and demeaned Israel's Ark of the Covenant. He subsequently destroyed a number of Israelites who violated His holiness by looking into the ark after it was returned to them by the Philistines - 1 Samuel 5:1 - 7:1.

Now we find the Philistines, after recovering from the plague of hemorrhoids, a continuing threat to Israel's safety and freedom in Canaan. However the actions of the Lord had awakened Israel to their calling and prepared them to seek after or turn back to Him - 1 Samuel 7:22 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.

. "And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines." - 1 Samuel 7:33 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

. Israel did as Samuel said and gathered at Mizpah where they poured water out before the Lord, fasted for a day, publicly admitted their sins and submitted themselves to Samuel's judgment - 1 Samuel 7:5 & 65 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.

6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

. The water pouring with confession signified washing away their sins; the fasting their sincerity; and their deference to Samuel's Judgment was proof they had put aside their own selfish egos/ agendas and submitted to His authority for the good of all.

When the Philistines learned Israel had gathered together at Mizpah they came together prepared for battle in order to exercise authority over them. The Israelites feared but they did the right thing by turning to Samuel requesting he petition the Lord to save them. Samuel offered a young lamb as a sacrifice to the Lord requesting deliverance. While Samuel was doing this the Philistines moved to attack but the Lord's response was immediate and decisive. He produced a deafening thunder that completely disoriented and confused the Philistines. They became easy targets for the Israelites who chased and slaughtered them as they ran away to Bethcar. Samuel then erected a stone and called it Ebenezer, for the place the Lord had helped Israel - 1 Samuel 7:7 - 127 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.

8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines.

9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.

10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.

. The Philistines withdrew allowing Israel to regain their land and Samuel traveled from town to town judging Israel "all the days of his life" while the Lord blessed Israel and kept the Philistines from bothering them - 1 Samuel 7:13 - 1713 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.

15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

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During the brief intervals of time when Israel was true to God during the period of the judges He provided them with at least the five (5) judges named in Hebrews 11:3232 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

under whom they lived in peace and freedom: Gideon for 40 years, Judges 8:2828 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.

; Barak (and Deborah) for 40 years, Judges 5:3131 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.

; Samson for 20 years, Judges 16:3131 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.

; Jephthae for six (6) years, Judges 12:77 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

; and Samuel, for "all the days of his life," 1 Samuel 7:13 - 17. The number five (5) in Scripture signifies grace and the witness of faith of these five (5) judges reflect God's grace to Israel. It is significant that Samuel, the last person named in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, differed from the others because he was prophet, Acts 3:2424 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

, judge and priest of Israel and acting in these three offices his witness of faith pointed in particular to Jesus Christ, who came as: prophet (Matthew 13:5757 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

& John 7:5252 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.

); judge (Luke 19:2222 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

& John 8:1616 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

); and priest (Hebrews 2:1717 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

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But when Samuel got old he appointed two of his sons as judges over Israel and they became corrupt, taking bribes and perverting justice. As a result Israel came to Samuel demanding a king to reign over them like other nations. Their request displeased Samuel and he prayed to God for guidance. God told Samuel to go ahead and do what the people wanted but to remind them about all He (God) had done for them and warn them about the consequences of having a king, i.e., he would press their sons to serve him in the army and with other duties; their daughters would be put to work for him; he would take the best of their land for himself and he would tax them. God warned that when Israel subsequently complained to Him about their burdensome king He would not listen to them because they had gotten what they asked for. - 1 Samuel 8:1 - 181 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.

11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

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Israel had experienced the best that could be had when, as a nation and in total, they were obedient to God's law. During those intervals of obedience they had enjoyed God's protection and lived in peace among one another with plenty for all. In spite of this and the warning of the consequences, they wanted a king to rule over them. And here is the point of this study: "And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." - 1 Samuel 8:77 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

. They rejected God the Father as their ruler and this was only the first in a series of three rejections of the Trinity of God by the Nation of Israel.

The second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, was sent by His father and He willingly came to Israel as that nation's promised Messiah but they rejected Him and had Him crucified. But God in Christ knew they would do this because His plan was for Jesus Christ to willingly offer Himself for the sins of His people, and for those of all mankind: "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." - John 10:17 & 1817 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:1616 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

. Thus He was the perfect sacrifice whose blood was shed for His people and thus the fulfillment or embodiment of the sacrificial lamb Samuel had offered.

Israel also rejected the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost, as recorded in the first part of the book of Acts: "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:1 - 41 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

. But even though this group of Jews under the direction of the 12 Apostles witnessed miraculously and powerfully by the power of the Holy Spirit the Nation of Israel as a whole nevertheless rejected His witness, culminating with the stoning to death of Stephen - Acts 7:5959 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

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After Israel had rejected the witness of God the Father (as their ruler in Samuel's time), God the Son (Jesus Christ as their Messiah) and God the Holy Spirit (God's witnesses in His people) they were temporarily set aside as God's favored nation as explained by the Apostle Paul in the 9th, 10th and 11th chapters of Romans. However, God is not lax in the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. At some future day the Lord Jesus Christ will reveal Himself to a remnant of the Nation of Israel and they will repent and have their sins washed away by the washing of His Word. At that time the Lord will cleanse the Land of Canaan of Israel's enemies and instead of individual Jews fighting for what each can get they will act as one, subordinating their will to that of the Lord Jesus Christ and take their place as God's channel of blessing to the entire earth. Zechariah 12 - 14 and other passages.

Between the setting aside of Israel some 2000 years ago and the future day of their return to God He has been and is gracious to all mankind so that anyone who believes in Him is saved by grace though faith, Ephesians 2:8 - 3:6, and this will be more fully addressed in a future study.