Pastor Matt's Blogosphere

Here I Raise Mine Ebenezer

Since becoming Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, I have had many (and I mean many) people ask me the following type questions:
“What does Ebenezer mean?”
“Why would anyone name a church Ebenezer?”
“Why name a church after a word in a song?”
“What does Ebenezer Scrooge have to do with the Bible?”
So what does the word Ebenezer mean anyway?

It comes from Scripture, specifically 1 Samuel 7:12-14 where it is written: Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah, and named it Ebenezer; for he said, "Thus far the LORD has helped us." So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel; the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.

“The word ‘Ebenezer’ comes from Hebrew and is actually two words pronounced together: Even Haazer. Written in Hebrew it looks like this:
It is usually transliterated as a proper name by dropping the definite article (Ha) from the Hebrew word for ‘place’ (Ezer) and putting it together with the Hebrew word for ‘stone’ (Even) to create: ‘Ebenezer.’ The etymological roots of the word, thus defined, should demonstrate that an ‘Ebenezer’ is, literally, a ‘Stone of Help.’
“The place named ‘Ebenezer’ was not actually called ‘Ebenezer’ until after the Israelites finally defeated the Philistines, and took back the Ark of the Covenant. To commemorate the victorious battle, Samuel set up a marker-stone, named it ‘Stone of Help,’ and thereby the site became identified with the stone and with the place where God’s miraculous help aided them in their victory over the Philistines. The stone, standing up-right, was called "Ebenezer," and the site naturally took on that name as well. Literally speaking, an Ebenezer is a "stone of help," or a reminder of God’s Real, Holy Presence and Divine aid.” [copied]

Maybe now when you hear the following song at church, it will give new meaning to the words that are being repeated.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer
Hither by Thy help I’m come
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood
(taken from “Come, Thou Fount”)

May Ebenezer Baptist Church be a Stone of Help!

(Thank you Sis. Pamela for sending me the email that started this idea for the newsletter. Kudos to the original author whose name was not given, but to whom much credit is due.)