How would you characterize the past year? What does 2009 hold for you? Will it be a year of continuing personal downturns or a year of victory and blessing?

That is the difference between "Ichabod" and "Ebenezeer" as described in the book of Samuel.

Samuel is a masterpiece of literature, using a variety of narrative techniques.

The book begins in the days of the judges and portrays Israel's transition from a theocracy (led by God) to a monarchy (led by a king).

Samuel, as a kingmaker, anoints both Saul (10:1) and David (16:13). The main issue is how a human king can be accommodated into the structure of the covenant relationship that exists between God and Israel. The key lesson of the book deals with the consequences of sin ("Ichabod") and holiness ("Ebenezer") in relation to the people and their leaders.

From a historical and theological standpoint, Israel was at its lowest spiritually as 1 Samuel begins. The priesthood was corrupt and Judges turned aside after dishonest gain (1 Sam. 2:12-17, 22-26; 8:2-3). The Ark of the Covenant was not at the tabernacle (1 Sam. 4:3; 7:2). People committed idolatry by serving foreign gods (1 Sam. 7:3-4). Key figures such as Eli and his wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas, all die. As a father who failed to discipline his sons, Eli met the same fate as they did. At the news of their deaths, Phinehas' wife is about to give birth, "…and when she heard the tidings…she bowed herself and travailed" (4:19b). Before she died in childbirth she named the child Ichabod, meaning the glory departed from Israel (vv. 20-21). What a horrific time it was. Later these conditions were reversed through the influence of godly Samuel (1 Sam. 12:23), but the path to "Ebenezer" didn't just happen overnight. First…Samuel calls on the people to prove their desire to return to God.

Samuel urged the Israelites to get rid of their foreign gods. As in the book of Judges, God's way of dealing with sinful Israel had been by means of foreign invasion and attack. Later He rescued truly repentant Israelites through the leadership of their judges. Likewise, 1 Sam. 7 demonstrates the same sequence of sinfulness, repentance, and deliverance. In this context, Samuel calls all the house of Israel to genuine repentance, "If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods…and direct your heart to the Lord and serve Him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines" (v. 3). So the people of Israel put away the foreign gods and "they served the Lord only" (v. 4). They were unarmed and unprepared for war. But they gathered to fast and pray, not to fight, as Samuel called on the people to prove their desire to return to God. Second…Samuel intercedes with God for His people by sacrifice.

As a priest, Samuel makes intercession and atonement for the Israelites before God in v. 9, "Then Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it up for a whole burnt-offering to the Lord, He cried out to the Lord on Israel's behalf, and the Lord answered him". Likewise for Christians, Jesus, as a faithful High Priest, intercedes with God for us by virtue of the cross. Even though a loving God pardons sinners and makes gracious provision for expressing His mercy, He will never negotiate His justice. For this reason, the cross is an essential truth of orthodox Christianity. It is here we see the glorious grace of God—the very heartbeat of the Christian faith. It teaches us to expect great things from God in answer to those prayers which are made with faith in Christ's atoning sacrifice on our behalf.

Finally…"Ebenezer" is a tribute to God, the real author of victory.

Samuel took a stone and set it up as the memorial to celebrate the Israelite victory. He called its name Ebenezer, the Stone of Divine Help, for he said, "Thus far has the Lord helped us" (v. 12). All the days of Samuel, God was the real author of victory behind the scene. The towns from Ekron even unto Gath, which the Philistines had previously captured from Israel, were restored. The loss of the ark meant the absence of God's glory in Israel— "Ichabod." On the other hand, God was preparing for a dedicated man of God, Samuel for "Ebenezer"—a reminder of thanksgiving for God's help. By raising the stone of Ebenezer they paid tribute to God, the real author of victory. How would you characterize your life, your home, our nation, and the church today? Would Ichabod or Ebenezer best describe our present times? If you say, "Ichabod"—the glory has departed, then I urge you to "Repent…and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19).