“God’s Help for a Fresh Start”
Feb.8, 2009 1Sam.7:2-17 Play
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● DARKEST JUST BEFORE THE DAWN
○ hope despite gloomy news in
economy, personal struggles
○ pastor began to change when
realized he was the architect of his family’s ‘house of pain’
○ Samuel instrumental in Israel’s
turn-around to Golden Age
● HEARING AND RELAYING GOD’S WORD
○ God revealed Himself to Samuel,
who brought God’s word to Israel (3:1,9, 19-4:1)
○ systematic circuit of 4 places
for judging / teaching (7:16f; 12:23)
○ importance of parents not
relying on institutions to teach children (Eph 6:4)
● MAKER OF KINGS SUBJECT TO GOD’S WORD
○ careful restrictions on role of
king: subject to God-ordained regulations (10:25, 12:14)
○ Saul rebuked for disobedience,
removed from kingship (13:13f; 15:23,26; 28:18)
○ Samuel Rutherford instrumental
in developing democratic constitutional theory
● POWERFUL DELIVERER THROUGH REPENTANCE, PRAYER, AND
OBEDIENT RITUAL
○ mourning preceded assembling to
repent, confess, cry out to the Lord (7:2, 5ff)
○ Philistine attack repelled when
God thundered, panicked troops (7:10,13)
○ stone to mark victory: Ebenezer
= ‘stone of help’ (1Sam 17:47)
● THE HOLY SPIRIT - OUR HELPER NOW
○ God’s help continued in New
Testament (Lk 7:16; Ac 26:22; Rom 8:26)
○ Holy Spirit also termed
Helper/Counselor (Jn 14:26, 15:26; Heb 4:16)
○ Paraclete = coming alongside to
help, like stewardess/passenger