Samuel’s Circuit

Greg Quail

1 Samuel 7:15–17

At the end of 1 Samuel 3, Samuel was established as a prophet. In chapter 7, he is established as a judge — that is, a saviour or deliverer. The judges in Israel were used by God to save His people from their enemies, but more importantly from themselves. While each of the judges lived, the people were restrained from sliding back into their idolatrous ways.

In order to judge Israel, Samuel travelled an annual circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah to Ramah. The Lord Jesus also went in a circuit, teaching (Mark 6:6), and the Apostle Paul preached in a circuit (Rom. 15:18–19). From these examples we may learn that it is not only necessary for brothers with pastoral care to continually revisit the same locations, but that it is especially necessary to have regular structured teaching on certain biblical topics.

From Genesis 1, it is evident that God created things to be regulated by a cycle — weeks, seasons, days, years. The idea of a complete cycle is suggested by the seven days which form a complete week. In the Scriptures, several topics are presented in sets of seven to provide a complete cycle of teaching. These include the seven days of creation in Genesis 1, the seven feasts of Jehovah in Leviticus 23, the seven parables in Matthew 13, and the letters to the seven assemblies in Revelation 2–3. Each represents teachings that should be regularly revisited.

The locations in Samuel’s circuit suggest lines of truth that should also be taught repeatedly.

1. Bethel

Bethel means house of God. The place was named by Jacob because it was there he learned truth concerning the house of God (Gen. 28:19). In a broad sense this represents assembly truth.

This was Samuel’s starting point and it is really the foundation and the key to everything else:

the house of God, the assembly, is the pillar and base of the truth (1 Tim. 3:14–15);
the ministry of the assembly, the mystery, completes the Word of God (Col. 1:24–25);
in this mystery, the now revealed truth concerning Christ and the assembly, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge (Col. 2:2–3).

In order for the remaining lines of teaching to be properly developed, the base or foundation must first be laid. Assembly truth is the key which will unlock the wonderful storehouse of truths that follow.

2. Gilgal

Gilgal is the place where Israel was circumcised after they eventually entered the promised land (Josh. 4:19–5:12). It represents the practical application of every typical lesson previously given concerning Christ’s death. The value of all the acts of God to bring them out of Egypt was made good here. At Gilgal, all those acts are rolled together, and the reproach of Egypt is finally rolled off Israel. For this latter reason it was named (Josh. 5:9).

Those acts of God and their lessons may be summarised as follows:

Passover: Christ’s sacrifice as a work done for me
Red Sea: my death and resurrection with Him
Marah: the experience and application of this
Smitten rock: practical wilderness provision — refreshment
Red heifer: practical wilderness provision — cleansing
Brazen serpent: Christ’s sacrifice as producing an effect in me
Jordan: my apprehension of death and resurrection with Him
Gilgal: the experience and application of this

Notice how the first three and last three are grouped together. This is a rich field of study. As with assembly truth, it should be frequently revisited.

3. Mizpah

This place was so named because Laban had said there to Jacob, ‘Jehovah watch between me and thee’ (Gen. 31:49). It means watchtower. It represents the government of God.

At Mizpah, Jephthah uttered all his words before Jehovah (Jdg. 11:10–11), including his fateful vow that cost him his daughter (vs. 29–34).

At Mizpah, the principle is established that God is watching, God is listening, and man reaps what he has sown. These are the broad principles involved in the theme of the government of God.

Many scriptures that mention the eyes of Jehovah address this theme. Examples include:

‘For the eyes of Jehovah run to and fro through the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him’ (2 Chr. 16:9).
‘The eyes of Jehovah are in every place, beholding the evil and the good’ (Prov. 15:3).
‘For behold, the stone that I have laid before Joshua — upon one stone are seven eyes’ (Zech. 3:9).
‘These are the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro in the whole earth’ (Zech. 4:10).

For other references to eyes see Ezekiel 1:18, Revelation 1:13–14, 4:6 and 5:6 and Hebrews 4:13.

For sowing and reaping see Job 4:8, Psalm 126:5, Proverbs 22:8, Hosea 8:7 and Galatians 6:7.

God governs the world in general, men individually, and believers specifically. His government is a universal principle but it is also mysterious and we cannot pin it down. His ways are untraceable (Rom. 11:33).

His government involves His ways with men in time. This broad theme includes all the prophetic scriptures that concern His earthly dealings with Israel and the nations — past, present and future.

4. Ramah

Ramah means heights. It was evidently an elevated place and suggests the theme of heavenly truth. It is important not to avoid this as if it were ‘advanced’ truth. It involves a knowledge of and a contemplation of Christ where He now is. And this is the privilege of every believer.

In Acts 19:1 a detail is given that people might think to be irrelevant. Apollos was at Corinth but Paul passed through the upper districts. It was thus that he came to Ephesus. To the Ephesians he ultimately announced all the counsel of God. To the Ephesians he wrote of every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. This is a line of truth that we might say is last but not least. For while it was the last stop in Samuel’s circuit, it was there that he made his home. This line of truth should be the home for our hearts.

It includes scriptures like these:

‘seek the things … above’ (Col. 3:1);
‘looking on the glory of the Lord’ (2 Cor. 3:17–18);
‘consider … Jesus’ (Heb. 3:1);
‘looking unto Jesus’ (Heb. 12:2).

Not only was Samuel’s home there, the scripture concludes with, ‘there he built an altar to Jehovah’ (1 Sam. 7:17). Paul’s ‘altar’ was in the same place — see Ephesians 1:3: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’. For him, occupation with this heavenly line of truth produced worship. It should for us too.

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From: Truth & Testimony, 2020