1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying… DOCTRINE. — It is the duty of the Lord's people to keep the memorial of the experience which they have of the Lord's helping them. I shall discuss this point under two general heads. I. THE LORD'S HELPING HIS PEOPLE. 1. How doth the Lord help His people? (1) Sometimes the Lord helps His people, by working all for them, they themselves contributing nothing to their deliverance. Moses said unto the people, "Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."(2) Sometimes the Lord assists His people in working. They endeavour their own deliverance in God's way, and He fits them to act, and blesseth their exertions, crowning them with success. (3) Sometimes God helps His people by appointing means. Thus in the case of Hezekiah, Isaiah said, "Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it for a plaster upon the boil, and he shall recover." If He intends having His people brought out of Babylon, He raiseth up Cyrus for that purpose. If Elijah must be fed in his hiding place, the ravens shall be employed rather than he suffer want. (4) Sometimes without means. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts."(5) Sometimes by contrary means, as our Lord cured the blind man by laying clay upon his eyes. 2. Let us inquire why the Lord helpeth His people. (1) Because they are in covenant with Him. (2) Because of their special relation to Him. Christ is the believer's head. Hence if the foot be hurt, the Head in heaven cries out (Acts 9:4). (3) Because they look to Him and trust in Him for their help. The 91st psalm has in it a great many blessed promises, but see to whom they belong. (4) Because the Lord brings His people into straits for this very end, that He may have the glory of helping them; and that they may get the greater experience of His kindness. II. To speak of THE KEEPING UP OF THE MEMORIAL OF THE EXPERIENCES WHICH THEY HAVE HAD OF THE LORD'S HELPING THEM. 1. What it is to keep up the memorial of the Lord's helping us. (1) It implies an observing of the dispensations we meet with, for our help in the course of our life. If the thing itself be not observed, we cannot keep up the memorial of it. (2) A discerning of the Lord's hand in the help we receive. (3) Laying up these experiences add recording them, if not in a book yet in a faithful memory. "And all they that heard them (the things said of John the Baptist at his birth) laid them up in their hearts, saying, what manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him." Many instead of laying such things up, lay them down in the grave of forgetfulness, and instead of setting up a stone, lay a stone upon them, burying them out of sight. 2. Inquire what of these experiences of the Lord's helping should be recorded and kept in memory. (1) We should record the timing or seasonableness of them. There is often a weight lies on this very circumstance, that the help came at such a time and not another is worthy to be remembered. (2) The effects of them on our spirits How we are affected with them when they come. "Then," says the Church, "was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing." Many times the Lord helps His people in such a manner that the experience of His goodness fills them with shame, looks their doubts and fears ova of countenance, proves their unbelief to be a false prophet, and makes them resolve never to distrust God again and fills them with thankfulness. (Isaiah 38:10, 12, Psalm 73:22, 23; and 116:11, 12.) O how useful would this he afterwards to the Christian. (3) Their harmony and agreement with the promise(4) Their agreement with their prayers. (Genesis 24:45.) What are the Christian's experiences but returns of prayers. Such was that in the text. This seems to be the ground of that conclusion; "By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me." Even the very place of our experiences should be recorded. "I will remember thee," says David, "from the land of Jordan and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar." (Genesis 28:11-19.) And the Lord loves to have His people remember these blessed places, (Genesis 31:13; and 35:1). Let us now, 3. Inquire why we should keep up the memorial of these things(1) We owe this to God: In point, of obedience, when we meet with experiences of His goodness He calls us to set up our Ebenezer. O monstrous ingratitude to forget experiences. We owe it to Him also, in point of compliance with His design in giving experience of His help to His people God intends His people more comfort by a mercy, than the mercy itself singly considered He intends it as a ground to hope for more He gives the valley of Achor for a door of hope. (2) We owe this to ourselves in point of interest. If we would consult our own advantage, we would not let them slip For former experiences of the Lord's help are very supporting to the soul in a dark night These experiences are pledges of further mercies. Some promises have their day of payment here, others after this life. The performing of the former, is an earnest given to faith to look for the other. (T. Boston, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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