Stones That Speak
1 Samuel 7:3–12
Introduction
Good morning, everyone! It’s such a joy to be with you today.
In Scripture, the prophet Samuel used a strange word to describe an incredible moment. The word was Ebenezer, and he used it to describe the place where he built an altar (raised a stone of remembrance). It happened immediately after God delivered His people (the nation of Israel), from one of their fiercest enemies. The word itself means“stone of help.” But, it stood as a visible marker — declaring to every generation that would follow, that the God who helped in the past, can be trusted to help in the future!
There’s an old hymn (written in 1758), that references the word Ebenezer titled: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.And in the 2nd verse it says, “Here I raise my Ebenezer; hither by Thy help I’ve come.”That’s really an old way of saying:
God’s been faithful!
That’s really what I want to talk to you about this morning — living with confidence that the God who has brought us this far will carry us forward!
And one of the best ways to strengthen faith is through remembrance — by looking back and tracing God’s faithfulness. Because the same God who carried you then — will carry you now!
You know, every milestone, every answered prayer, every act of grace is a testimony that says, God has been faithful! Just like a monument or historical marker reminds you that something significant happened there — in 1 Samuel 7, we find a stone that speaks and tells a story of God’s help.
So, if you’ve got your Bible, turn their with me. As you do, I’ll give you the back story:
Before Samuel ever raised that stone, Israel had walked through 20 years of spiritual decline. That part of the story is told in chapter 4, it was one of the times Israel went to battle against the Philistines. After an early defeat, the elders tried to guarantee victory by bringing the Ark of the Covenant (symbolizing God’s presence),into the camp. But instead of victory, disaster struck. 30,000 soldiers died, the Ark was captured, and the priest’s sons were killed. When Eli (the priest) heard the news, he too fell over and died (at the age of 98).
Meanwhile, the Philistines carried the ark away as a trophy — but God didn’t need an army to defend His name. Wherever they placed it, judgment fell. Their idol Dagon toppled. Their cities were struck with plagues. After seven miserable months, the Philistines had had enough. They loaded the ark onto a cart pulled by two cows and sent it back across the border into Israelite territory.
The ark was eventually moved to a small town called Kiriath Jearim, where it stayed for the next 20 years, untouched, uncelebrated, and almost forgotten. That’s what verse 2 summarizes when it says:
“The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim for twenty years, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord.”
And there it sat — for two decades , as the nation suffered a spiritual drought. They possessed the ark, but lacked God’s presence! They had the right symbols but lacked surrendered hearts.
But then God raised up Samuel to call the nation back to Himself! So, he gathered the people together and called them to repentance and renewal. He reminded them that God’s greatest work wasn’t on a battlefield; it was in their hearts.
And on that day — their faith was strengthened and hope renewed. And if you want to strengthen your faith too, then like the people of Israel, you must do as they did. And the first thing they did was to:
1. Return Fully to the Lord.
That’s always the first step toward God’s best! In 1 Samuel 7:2, we read these words:
2 “Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. 3 So Samuel said to all the Israelites, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you…”
Samuel’s first words weren’t about strategy — they were about surrender. He didn’t say, “Sharpen your swords.” He said, “Search your hearts.” Before there could be victory in the field, there had to be repentance in the soul.
Israel had drifted far from God — still speaking His name, but not trusting His power. They had traded genuine faith for cultural idols: Baal (for rain) and Ashtoreth (for fertility and success). These false gods promised something that only the Lord could provide (provision and fruitfulness).
So Samuel called for change: “Rid yourselves of the foreign gods.” He was saying, “If you want God’s presence, His favor, His protection — remove what’s replaced Him.”
For Israel, those idols were carved in stone. For us, they often look more polished — things like: achievement, possessions, comfort, or success. There’s nothing wrong with good things — but if we’re not careful our possessions can begin to possess us. A good litmus test is to ask yourself: “Do I measure my value by what I have? Does my peace rise and fall with my possessions? Or, would I be upset, angry, and discontent if God asked me to give this up?” If the answer to any of those questions is YES, then you’re stuff has become an idol. What was meant to serve you has begun to rule you. And, it’s probably time to lay it down, and let it go.
That’s what happened to Israel. And in this story — they did just that. But, God does the same for you and me. He calls us to lay the idols of our lives down, and come back to faith in Him. He invites us to REPENT, to RETURN, to DRAW NEAR TO HIM.
James (the half-brother of Jesus), reminds us of this when he writes in James 4:8 (NIV),
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts.”
His point is that repentance is really about relationship — not punishment! God isn’t trying to hurt you; He’s trying to heal you. He’s not out to make you miserable; He’s trying to make you holy!
And when Israel responded to Samuel’s call, God met them with mercy and grace. Their story reminds us that repentance always paves the way for restoration. But without it, we struggle—because you can’t walk in victory while your heart is divided in devotion!
But when we turn to the Lord, and devote ourselves to God — He will respond with grace. And that’s what happened to Israel. Verse 4 tells us:
4 So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. 5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.”
So, they poured out water before the Lord — as a symbol of their surrender. Water was precious—especially in a dry land—so to pour it out before the Lord was to say, “Nothing is too valuable to withhold from You.”And in that moment, the God they had ignored came near — He forgave them, restored them, and defended them again.
In the New Testament, we’re told that Jesus will do the same for us.In 1 John 1:9, we’re told:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
That’s not just a verse to memorize — it’s a promise to live by. If you haven’t experienced that forgiveness, you can today — right here, right now.
And if you have, then remember this: repentance isn’t the finish line — it’s just the beginning! God’s forgiveness is the starting point of faith! And that’s what He wants for you.
Well, there’s a second lesson in this story. If you want to strengthen your faith in God, then:
2. Recognize What God Has Done.
Look with me at verse 7. It says,
7 When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. When the Israelites heard of it, they were afraid because of the Philistines. 8 They said to Samuel, “Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him.
When God’s people returned to Him, the enemy rose up against them. It’s often the same for us. When you realign your heart with God, you can expect resistance! The enemy loves to attack in moments like that.
But the good news is: You’ll never fight alone. When you stand for God, God stands with you!
Look now at verse 10. The story continues:
“That day the Lord thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into confusion.”
So, while Israel prayed, God fought. They didn’t prevail because they had superior weapons — they prevailed because they had a superior God. And when they prayed, God thundered! And their enemies scattered.
But according to verse 9 — their victory came with a sacrifice. As we just read:
“…Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it…and the Lord answered him.”
Things changed with the sacrifice of a lamb! Don’t miss the foreshadowing here. What took place on that day was a victory, a momentary victory (as it covered the sin of the people). But centuries later, Jesus would come — and at that time, He would give His life (as the Lamb of God) — the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE! And on that day, sin was totally defeated! Not just covered — but wiped out!
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus became our true Ebenezer — the Living Stone, the Rock of our salvation, the Chief Cornerstone on which our faith stands.
When Samuel built an altar (and raised a stone of remembrance), that day — he said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” It was his way of saying, “The God who brought us this far won’t fail us now.”
And the same is true for you. So, look back and remember what God has done. Mark those moments of His mercy, because the help God gave you yesterday will be what strengthens your faith tomorrow.
So I encourage you today — take a moment to remember how many times the Lord has “thundered” in your life… when the odds were impossible, yet His mercy broke through.
— The cancer that didn’t return.
— The bill that was paid just in time.
— The broken relationship that was restored.
— The prodigal son or daughter that returned.
Each of those moments is your own Ebenezer — a reminder that the same God who helped you then is still helping you now!
Well, if you want to strengthen your faith, then: RETURN TO THE LORD. And, RECOGNIZE WHAT GOD HAS DONE. And lastly…
3. Raise Up Your Story. (Your Testimony)
It wasn’t until after God thundered from heaven and defeated the enemy that Samuel raised the stone. And once the dust of battle settled, Samuel marked the moment. Verse 12 says,
“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’”
That stone wasn’t just decoration — it was declaration. A visible testimony to an invisible truth: the Lord helped His people!
Samuel placed that large memorial stone right in the middle of two towns — Mizpah and Shen. Their names literally translate as watchtower and sharp rock. You might think of it like this, THAT STONE OF TESTIMONY TO GOD’S POWER was placed between the place of prayer and the place of pain.
And that’s where God meets us: right in the middle of the tension — between our struggles and His deliverance. So, when you stand in that in-between place — still waiting, still believing — remember His faithfulness. Mark the moment. Write it down. Because that’s where God meets us.
As David says in Psalm 103:2 (NIV),
“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
Like Samuel in his day, you and I need to establish a marker and RAISE UP OUR STORY of God’s faithfulness today!
It was Charles Spurgeon who once said, “Memory is the handmaid of faith. When we remember what God has done, we are confident He will do it again.”
Here’s where the story takes a remarkable turn.
In the Old Testament, God’s people raised stones to remember His faithfulness. In the New Testament, God transforms that image. We no longer pile up rocks — we become the stones ourselves.
As the apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2:4–5 (NIV),
“As you come to him, the living Stone … you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house.”
God doesn’t just write His story on monuments — He writes it on people. Every act of trust, every word of worship, every testimony is a stone that speaks: God helped me here. And our greatest stone isn’t at Mizpah — it’s at Calvary. The cross is the ultimate Ebenezer. As Paul writes in Romans 8:
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” — Romans 8:31 (NIV)
And that’s the message of the Cross — our God is faithful!
Conclusion
In 1 Samuel 7:12, Samuel declared,
“Thus far the Lord has helped us.”
That wasn’t the end of a story — it was the beginning of another. It wasn’t a period; it was a comma. He was saying, “The God who brought us this far will carry us the rest of the way.” And that same truth still holds for you.
Whatever season you’re in, whether you’re standing on the mountain or walking through the valley, God’s not finished writing your story. His faithfulness didn’t stop in the past; it’s active in the present and its waiting for you in the future. It’s true for you personally — and for you corporately, as a church! So lift your eyes, take courage, and keep walking. The same God who’s helped you thus far will help you from here.
Closing Prayer
If you sense the Holy Spirit drawing you today to surrender to Christ, then would pray with me?
Heavenly Father, I admit that I have sinned and chosen my way over yours too often. But all that changes today. Because, I confess my sin before you. Today I profess my faith in Jesus. I believe He’s the son of God who came from heaven to earth, lived a sinless life, and sacrificed Himself in my place. Died and rose again. So today, I put my faith in Jesus. Forgive me, save me, and allow Your Spirit to live in me. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
If you just prayed that prayer — I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! That’s the greatest decision you’ll ever make.
And now, for the rest of us…let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, You really are our Living Stone — the One the world rejected but God exalted. Through Your cross and resurrection, You became our true Ebenezer — our constant help, our steady hope, and our faithful friend. Thank You for every moment You’ve carried us, every prayer You’ve answered, and every battle You’ve already won on our behalf. You’ve helped us, healed us, and held us through it all. So today, we just want to say thank You. Thank You for being faithful yesterday, and thank You for the promise that You’ll be faithful tomorrow. Help us to keep trusting You with what’s ahead.
Let our lives tell the story of Your goodness — may we become living reminders of Your grace and faithfulness. We love You, Lord. And we give You all the praise, in Your precious name we pray — amen.