But I now have a completely different perspective on it.
Ebenezer was a name shared by my great-grandfather, my grandfather, my father
and myself, and also years ago by our family business, Ebenezer Prior Ltd.
(See my blog entry of January 31st 2020
https://mpriorblog.blogspot.com/2020/01/)
The name Ebenezer is an ancient Hebrew word, meaning 'Stone
of Help'. When the Hebrews were settling
in the Promised Land, after they had escaped from Egypt, they were in grave danger
from the pagan Philistines. We are told
in the bible, in 1 Samuel 7, this story:
While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew
near to engage Israel
in battle. But that day the Lord thundered with loud thunder
against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed
before the Israelites. 11 The men of Israel rushed out of Mizpah and
pursued the Philistines, slaughtering them along the way to a point below Beth
Kar.12 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.”13 So the Philistines were subdued and they
stopped invading Israel’s
territory. Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.
Because of the significant meaning of the word, it has often been used as a name of dedication for chapels. Here are some local examples:
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Corsham Baptist Church |
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Neston Baptist Church, Moor Green |
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Widcombe Baptist Chapel, Bath |
I come from a line of deeply committed Christians, and am profoundly grateful for that. Looking back on my lifetime, I'm proud of may name, and am happy to say 'Thus far has the Lord helped me'.
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