A NEW YEAR THOUGHT

From My Perspective - - - 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens was first published on December 19, 1843. The story of Ebenezer Scrooge is well-known. One of the phrases uttered by Ebenezer Scrooge that is sometimes used in human discourse is “Bah, Humbug.” Scrooge would use it in a dismissive and pejorative (disparaging, derogatory, or belittling) way. That’s the way he was and he cared little about how it impacted anyone else. A descriptive summary of his life and manner states that he was: “A mean-spirited, miserly old man named Ebenezer Scrooge who sits in his counting-house on a frigid Christmas Eve. His clerk, Bob Cratchit, shivers in the anteroom because Scrooge refuses to spend money on heating coals for a fire. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, pays his uncle a visit and invites him to his annual Christmas party. Two portly gentlemen also drop by and ask Scrooge for a contribution to their charity. Scrooge reacts to the holiday visitors with bitterness and venom, spitting out an angry ‘Bah! Humbug!’ in response to his nephew's ‘Merry Christmas!’”

Rather than rehearse the transforming process that occurs in the life and behavior of Ebenezer Scrooge as he encounters the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley, and the vivid dreams that ensue regarding Christmas past, present and yet to come, the focus will be upon Scrooge’s name. It is fascinating to reflect upon his name Ebenezer. The name or term means: “A Stone of Help!” Rather than being a person of warmth and benevolence, Scrooge is calloused, cold, niggardly and miserly. He is totally lacking when it comes to empathy or sympathy regarding the plight of his loyal employee or his needy child, Tiny Tim. Scrooge growls at those who try to reach out to him. His growling characteristic is even more pronounced when he is asked for a charitable contribution to relieve the need of someone else. The British Dictionary defines the word “Scrooge” as one who is “a mean or miserly person.”

The use of “Ebenezer” occurs in the Bible in I Samuel 7 where it is demonstrated to be more of a monument of stone inscribed to convey a basic message: “a stone of help.” The Encyclopedia of the Bible states the following regarding Ebenezer: “The scene of two defeats of the Israelites by the Philistines. In the first battle, the Israelites lost 4,000 men and in the second, 30,000. In the second battle, the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines; also Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed (I Samuel 4:1-11). The precise location of Ebenezer is uncertain.” The Philistines taking of the Ark resulted in negative consequences such as an infestation of mice/rats; people breaking out with tumors; and their temple idols falling down before the presence of the Ark. Ultimately, the Philistines decide they should return the Ark to the Israelites. Someone observed: “Although roughly 1,000 years before the first Christmas, this is one of the first Biblical accounts of a tasteless gift exchange. But they put the Ark, five gold mice and five gold tumors on a cart, hitched it to a couple of cows, and sent it on its way.” Samuel uses this occasion to convince the people of Israel to turn away from their other gods, and to focus their hearts on the Lord. It is at this point that Samuel erects Ebenezer, the name given by him to the stone set up by him between Mizpah and Jeshanah, to commemorate an Israelite victory over the Philistines. The text is: “Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said: Till now the Lord has helped us” (I Samuel 7:12).

Ebenezer is a word that also occurs in a Hymn of the Church, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” The second stanza of the Hymn contains these words: “Here I raise my Ebenezer; Here by Thy great help I’ve come; And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.” As you come to the conclusion of the year 2014, ask yourself: How seriously have I taken a serious God and His Word this past year? As you stand on the threshold of the year 2015, ask yourself a similar question: How seriously will I take a serious God and His Word in this coming year? Forget about resolutions! Instead, make a new commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ that you’ll be more serious in your application of His Word and purpose to be holy as He is holy. Consider these things with me!