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What Is An Ebenezer In The Bible

Viewpoint: Are There Ebenezers In Our Lives

What Is Your Ebenezer?

Contributed By Church News

  • 16 November 2014

A choir was rehearsing Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing when a member questioned the meaning of a phrase.

  • Ebenezer is a biblical name that means stone of help.
  • Covenants we make with God could be Ebenezers in our lives.
  • What other Ebenezers could there be in our days?

The stone Samuel raised and called Ebenezer, more than just a monument of gratitude, was a visual symbol of the goodness of God to the Israelites, their total reliance on Him, their repentance and their determination to serve Jehovah, thus forsaking the false gods they had worshipped.

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A ward choir had been rehearsing for a pre-Thanksgiving Day performance of the Robert Robinson hymn Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

In reference to the opening line in the second verse, Here I raise my Ebenezer here by thy great help Ive come, a thoughtful member of the bass section posed the question, What is the meaning of Ebenezer?

Using an electronic device, a soprano hastily searched the Internet and then provided a quick answer: Ebenezer is a biblical name that means stone of help. Thus, the line in the hymn text is saying, in effect, Here I raise my stone of help.

The context of that passage, as found in chapters 47, is this:

Attributing the misfortune to the presence of the ark, the superstitious Philistines sent the ark back.

Is Ebenezer A Name Of God

It comes from a Hebrew phrase that means stone of help. The name appears in the Biblical story told in the Book of 1 Samuel, in which the Hebrew prophet Samuel sets up a stone to commemorate the help that God had given the Israelites. … Like many names found in the Bible, Ebenezer came to be used as a proper name.

What Does The Stone Mean In The Bible

In some places in scripture, a stone is used to describe strength and resiliency in a persons character. In the case of Peter before Christs death, Jesus announces his new name will have the same meaning as a stone after Christs death.

Why did the Israelites want a king quizlet?

The Israelites needed a king because they wanted one and they kept falling away from God. The king would be chosen by God-someone who recognized his plan of salvation.

Why did God chose Saul to be king of Israel?

In 1 Samuel Chapter 9 Saul is chosen to be the first king over the Israelite people. According to this website Saul could have been the chosen king due to his stockiness and strong, eye pleasing body.

Why does the Dutch say Ebenezer instead of Eben HaEzer?

It is, however, not clear why modern translations insist on consistently omitting the Eben-part of these names, except that of Eben-haezer, which most translations insist on transliterating as Ebenezer .

Which is the best definition of the word Ebenezer?

Definition of ebenezer 1 usually capitalized : a commemoration of divine assistance here I raise mine Ebenezer hither by Thy help Im come Robert Robinson 2 dialectal : anger, temper he must have had a tempestical time of it for she had got her ebenezer up T. C. Haliburton

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Who Defeated The Israelites

Biblical account The Book of Samuel records that the Philistines were camped at Aphek and the Israelites at Eben-Ezer. The Philistines defeated the Israelites during the first battle, killing 4,000 Israelites.

What does the stone mean in the Bible?

In some places in scripture, a stone is used to describe strength and resiliency in a persons character. In the case of Peter before Christs death, Jesus announces his new name will have the same meaning as a stone after Christs death.

Why are churches named Ebenezer?

Ridgeway, Parker organized the church in a small building located on Airline Avenue in Atlanta. The name Ebenezer, meaning stone of help, comes from the Hebrew Bible. In the First Book of Samuel, the Israelites are said to have gathered in the town of Mizpah to offer burnt offerings to God.

Why is Jesus called the Rock of Ages?

An inexhaustible source of strength or support. The phrase comes from certain translations of the Bible, and it was originally used in reference to God, Jesus, or faith itself.

A Place Of Lamentation

Biblical Inspiration 1 ~ Message ~ Psalm 1 ESV ~ The Way of the ...

Israel was under the mistaken assumption that Gods protection would be present so long as she continued in idol worship. In this sinful state, Israel felt the possession of the arc of the covenant was symbolic of the divine presence. They were led to summon the Ark based upon the former successes when it was in her possession. However, this foolish reliance led to defeat since no confidence was rightly placed in God.

Since the defeat at the hands of the Philistines, 20 years had passed. In 1 Samuel 7:3, Samuel addressed all of Israel and advised them, if ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away 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.

Israel responded in kind and discontinued the worship of the false gods Baalim and Ashtaroth. A revival of sorts took place, and Israel returned to serve the Lord only . Samuel then gathered all Israel to Mizeph for prayer, which included both fasting and repentance.

The Philistines received word that the children of Israel journeyed to Mizpeh and went there against them. The children of Israel pled for Samuel to continue to pray to the Lord for them that they may be spared from the Philistines. Samuel offered a lamb as a burnt offering and then cried out unto the Lord for Israel. The Lord heard his prayers.

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How Should Christians Apply The Concept Of Ebenezer Or An Ebenezer Stone To Their Lives

The Ebenezer stone was a reminder of Gods hand on his people in times when they needed it. Just as Samuel erected this monument to remind the Israelites, we can use these reminders for our own Christian walk today.

An Ebenezer moment is a time when you are certain God has intervened in your life. You realize that only God could have allowed the outcomes you have experienced. His help has brought you through.

A stone is a hard, unforgiving material. It can be used to build things and start fires in the coldest of places. The Lord is like this as well Hes not easily broken by our troubles or anything we do wrong but keeps us close so that His Holy Spirit may fan an unquenchable fire within our hearts all throughout eternity. God is our rock and our salvation and when we reflect on our lives, we can see that He has been the only thing that is unmovable, unshakeable and our stone of help.

Remembering the times that God has shown us wisdom, guidance, and mercy in our lives is an important way to stay connected with Him. One example I like to use are journals or war binders. They act as a place for me write down prayers or thoughts from Scripture passages that have spoken to my heart during difficult periods of life.

What Does Ebenezer Mean In The Bible Whats An Ebenezer Stone Used For

The stone of Ebenezer should signify to us that trusting in anything or anyone short of Christ is a precursor to failure.

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.

Ebenezer is only mentioned three times in the Bible. By definition, Ebenezer means stone of help.

The background of its meaning and significance begins in 1 Samuel 4 with Israel and the Philistines.

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Our Own Ebenezer Stone

We often find ourselves guilty of the reliance on superstition, formality, or the worship of external symbols in times of spiritual stagnancy, turmoil, or discontent. We may justify and reason our actions under the pretext of this is just the way weve always done things.

But an Ebenezer stone should signify to us that trusting in anything or anyone short of Christ is a precursor to failure. In defeat or failure, we must repent from misplaced trust and from leaving Christ out of the equation. If we recognize our misplaced trust and reverse course, He is there faithful to forgive, grant us mercy, and provide his guidance and protection.

What Does Ebenezer Mean

BIBLE MESSAGE: Ebenezer

Ebenezer is a proper name that is perhaps best known as the name of Ebenezer Scrooge, the greedy old guy from Charles Dickens short novel A Christmas Carol.

In this sense, Ebenezer is sometimes used as a term for someone who is especially greedy, or someone who grumpily refuses to participate in Christmastime festivities, as in Only an Ebenezer like you would cancel the toy drive. However, its his last name, Scrooge, thats much more commonly used as a term for such people .

Ebenezer also has two other uses. It can refer to a kind of memorial or commemoration of Gods help, especially a stone memorial or a kind of altar. It is also used as a slang word referring to anger or ones temper, especially in phrases like get your ebenezer up or raise your ebenezer, though its now very rarely used in this way.

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What Is An Ebenezer

Ebenezer is a Hebrew word that means stone of help. The Hebrew transliteration shows the pronunciation as ebhen ha azer. This word originates as a boys name in the Hebrew culture, but is used biblically in the book of 1 Samuel. In Hebrew and English, Ebenezer has the same meaning.

We find in the book of 1 Samuel that Ebenezer is a place. Theologians and archaeologists are unsure of its exact location but believe it to have been located near the city of Aphek. In 1 Samuel 4:1, the evidence of Ebenezers location is given to us. It states, Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer while the Philistines camped at Aphek.

This area was located between the central mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. A Canaanite royal city that served as an urban hot spot of the day. The land there was full of springs and fertile land as far as the eye could see.

Philistines Defeat The Israelites At

  • 1 Samuel 4 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek. 2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men. 3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies. 4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

See also McClintock and Strong Cyclopedia for Ebenezer.

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Etymology Of The Name Ebenezer

The name Ebenezer consists of three elements. The first part of our name is the noun , meaning stone:

The noun is the regular word for stone. Stones were considered not only as the units of buildings and cities but also as units of permanent records. They were used as memorials, weapons, furniture, means to execute unwanted social elements, and even idols.

This word for stone seems akin to the verb , to build, and in turn to the noun , son. There are several stones with names mentioned in the Old Testament.

What Is An Ebenezer Stone Plus 3 Key Factors In Its Powerful Significance

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What Does Here I Raise My Ebenezer Mean In The Familiar Hymn

It is very important that we think about what we sing in our worship to God if we want to be pleasing to Him. God commanded singing as worship, and not entertainment. Paul taught, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord . Since the songs we sing should teach and admonish, we risk vain worship if we sing words that are in conflict with scripture.

The phrase, Here I raise my Ebenezer, is the beginning of the second verse of the familiar hymn, O Thou Fount of Every Blessing. This hymn, written by Robert Robinson in 1758, stresses the joy of Christianity and the Christians need to rely on the Lord. Robinson chose the phrase, Here I raise my Ebenezer, from 1 Samuel 7:12, because it reminds Gods people how He he delivered Israel from danger.

As a reminder of the great victory God gave to Israel, Samuel took a great stone and raised it as a memorial between Mizpeh and Shen. As he raised it he called the name of it Ebenezer , saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us . Whenever the Israelites looked at the stone, they would remember how God had helped them. Unfortunately, the exact site of the stone is unknown today.

Ebenezer Means Stone Of Help

Ebenezer is a Hebrew word that means stone of help . It comes from two words, bene and ezer. Bene means stone in Hebrew, and ezer means help.

Ebenezer appears twice in the Bible: once as a place name and once as a persons name . As a place name, Ebenezer refers to the site where the Israelites defeated their enemies and had their first victory over them during their journey out of Egypt. As a persons name, it refers to one of Sauls servants who helped him escape after he was knocked unconscious by an Amalekite soldier .

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What Is An Ebenezer In The Bible

Ebenezer means stone of help in Hebrew. It is referenced in the King James version of the Holy Bible, although it has been replaced in most modern translations by stone of help. In addition to being a stone monument, Ebenezer can also be used as a verb meaning to set up or establish something as a memorial. The first usages of the term were found in Samuel 7:12 and 1 Samuel 17:54-55 later on, there was another use of the word by David during his time in exile from King Saul .

During His Time In Exile From King Saul David Went To Samuel At Ramah And Brought An Ebenezer With Him

Ebenezer Bible Study

The word Ebenezer is a Hebrew word that means stone of help. David brought an Ebenezer with him to Samuel at Ramah. The Lord told David to return to his sheep and fathers sheep. He would always be victorious over his enemies as long as he obeyed the Lord.

David returned to Ziklag, where he had left his family and men. When David arrived at Ziklag, he found that it had been destroyed by invaders from Amalekites, who had taken all their wives, children and wealth back with them when they left town!

In closing, its important to note that the word ebenezer can be used as a verb meaning to remember. This can be done by reciting a verse aloud or by thinking about those who have helped you along your journey. Remembering those who have helped us along our journey is something we can all do on a daily basis and we should strive to do so because it reminds us of how much God has blessed each one of us in such different ways!

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Hoover says we can use this idea of an Ebenezer in our own lives. They are moments when God has helped us that we can look back on during times of difficulty or uncertainty. A kind of life buoy to hold onto when the waters of our life get stormy.

An Ebenezer can be anything a family heirloom, a keepsake, a memory anything that reminds you of a moment in your life when you felt Gods presence. Hoover recalls how her 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Carpenter, was there for her during a time when she needed hope and encouragement. For me, Ebenezers werent ever physical items, said Hoover. Oftentimes, theyre people.

Finding our Ebenezers in life doesnt have to be tricky. Hoover says that when we are looking for our own, what we are really looking for is places where God has met us. Sometimes, these are during particularly painful moments in our lives, but Hoover says this is exactly the point.

Oftentimes we think that the presence of pain means the absence of God. Its not true. Take a moment to look back on the ways God has met you in moments that seemed liked happenstance, she said. Noticing his hand, noticing his grace, is the greatest way that we can build these spiritual memorial stones to remember the work of Christ in us.

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