182. The Lord will Deliver You
1 Samuel 7:3 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.
The prophet Samuel speaks a word of conditional promise from the Lord to the people of Israel. The Lord will deliver you from your enemies if you 1) return to the Lord, 2) put away your idols, 3) prepare your hearts unto the Lord, 4) and serve Him only. The four conditions listed combine to say one thing: repent and believe. Turn to God alone and keep the First Commandment. If you do that, then God will deliver. Samuel sacrifices and prays, “Deliver us from evil.”
This is the background: Israel had superstitiously taken the Ark of the Covenant into battle. When they lost the battle the Philistines took the Ark. The Philistines were struck with something like the bubonic plague, most likely, and their idol god, Dagon, fell down twice. They sent the Ark back to Israel, and the places where it was taken were blessed.
Samuel sacrificed and prayed. God answered the prayer and gave this prophecy. Then the Philistines were defeated and driven back by God’s miraculous deliverance. Then the land enjoyed peace under the leadership of Samuel.
The people had to learn the lesson that the invisible God is their God, and He wants their heart worship and trust. He does not want superstitious holy objects and outward ritual. He wants the heart fully devoted to Him. The object of faith and worship is to be the Lord alone, not idols or other gods. The ark is not a god or an idol. Superstition and ritual will not help. Only the one true God will deliver. Believe Him.
The lesson for us: God does not want your good works and outward show; He wants you; He wants your whole heart; He wants you to trust in Him alone. Then pray the Lord’s Prayer (Deliver us from evil). He hears your pray and delivers you from your spiritual enemies because He is good, not because you are good. Trust the Promise. God will deliver, because of Jesus.