Day 978: With all your heart - 1 Samuel 6 vs 20 - 7 vs 6

20-21 The men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? And to whom shall He go up away from us?” So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the Lord. Come down and take it up to you.” 7 vs 1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the Lord. 2 From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only. 5-6 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” So they gathered at Mizpah 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 people of Israel at Mizpah. 1 Samuel 6:20 -7:6 English Standard Version

How long can it take to restore a nation that has steadily drifted away from God? In Chapter 7 vs 2 we read that: “From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.” To lament means to cry out in grief, perhaps with regret as well. In the case of Israel the reason for lamenting was because the Philistines were still ruling over them, and even though the ark had been returned, they felt that God had forsaken them. But how did Samuel sum up their situation, and what was his counsel? (vs 3)

His words show that it was they who had drifted from God, not God who had drifted from them. It was they who needed to return to God. It's very possible that over the twenty years of their backsliding, Samuel had patiently continued to teach God's word among them. Later in this chapter we're told that Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life, and would go on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judge Israel in all these places. Then he'd return to Ramah, for his home was there. Judging would include teaching. What two key ingredients did Samuel say needed to be a big part in returning to God? (vs 3)

It seems that while under the rule of the Philistines many of the people had either chosen, or had been forced, to follow the gods of the Philistines and have their idols in their homes. A true turning to God meant throwing those idols away. That would've been a big step to take. It was something that would require their whole heart! Samuel said they would need to direct their affections and loyalty to the Lord, and serve Him only! A millennium later, Jesus Christ gave the same counsel when He said: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24) 'Idols' come in many forms. Money, stardom, sex, popularity, power, family, and many other things which we may love more than God.

When those things are dominant in a nation, it can take many years to return to the Lord. Sadly, the same can be true of individuals. Many people drift for a big part of their life serving idols. A backslider from Christ may also waste many years before they begin to lament after Him, and seek Him afresh.

The people of the town called Kiriath-jearim got off to the right start when they treated the ark with reverence, and consecrated someone who was probably from the tribe of Levi to care for it. Returning to God needs to begin somewhere. Perhaps it's to start reading the Bible again, and finding a place where true Christians gather. But true repentance will always involve putting away whatever has been an idol in our life, and turning to God with our whole heart, and seeking that Christ be first in our life in everything. Happily, we see in vs 5-6 that that's what the people of Israel did. They confessed their sins, and Samuel mediated for them. And in Jesus Christ, we have an even greater mediator than Samuel.