Too Afraid to Communicate: 1 Samuel 7:7-11
How many bad decisions are made because we act out of fear rather than purpose? How many bad decisions are fearful responses to the what ifs instead of taking time to discern? God does not want us acting out of fear. We cannot know everything, and sometimes we must make a choice not knowing all the details. That is still no excuse to act out of fear.
As the Hebrew people gather under Samuel’s direction, the Philistines grow concerned. There are only so many reasons why an ancient nation would gather its people – especially its men – in a single place. Chief among the limited reasons is to muster the army, train, and attack.
Most ancient cultures didn’t have a standing army. They didn’t have people who trained for battle as their occupation. The same men responsible for the harvest and herding the flocks would be the ones taking their farming tools and marching into battle. Some might have a sword or shield, but very few people would be trained to use it tactically. Therefore, when one nation saw a neighbor gathering people together, the natural assumption is they are marching to war.
What nation would want to be caught off-guard? What nation, knowing it needed to equip and train its own farmers and herdsmen, wouldn’t muster its own people in response? The Philistine response against the worship at Mizpah is reasonable.
What an incredible misunderstanding! The Hebrew gathered to worship; the Philistines thought they were gathering for war. The Philistines mustered their men; the Hebrew people assume they were gathering for war. Fear takes over.
The Hebrew people knew they were gathering for worship. The Philistines didn’t! The Philistines were gathering in response. The Hebrew people saw the response and felt the need to respond in kind.
This battle is not fought because either side chose to go to war. This battle is fought because both sides were afraid of the other side. This battle is fought out of fear.
It’s hard to say what would have happened if the Hebrew people had taken the time to communicate their intentions to their Philistine neighbors. It’s also hard to say how much of this battle is fought because of the rivalry between the Hebrew people and the Philistines. They didn’t need much of an excuse to fight, the lack of communication enabled the response to happen.
The Hebrew people recognize their fear and turn to Samuel. Samuel turns to God, and God responds with a loud peal of thunder. God’s thunder is a direct attack against Ba’al, the Canaanite god of war. Ba’al is also the storm god; the Philistines considered thunder part of Ba’al’s domain. When thunder pealed through the sky and not at the request of the Philistine priests and leaders, the people would have grown further confused and afraid. How many bad decisions are made in life because we act out of fear rather than purpose?
