Download ##VERIFIED## Bible Helper
Eleanore Bansmer
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.
These [are] the generations of Jacob. Joseph, [being] seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers. Now he [was] a helper with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, the wives of his father. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father.
And the people say, 'Thou dost not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set their heart upon us; and if half of us die, they do not set their heart unto us -- for now like us are ten thousand; and now, better that thou be to us from the city for an helper.'
And the Spirit hath clothed Amasai, head of the captains: 'To thee, O David, and with thee, O son of Jesse -- peace! peace to thee, and peace to thy helper, for thy God hath helped thee;' and David receiveth them, and putteth them among the heads of the troop.
Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: my Savior, my helper, and my God. For the Chief Musician. By the sons of Korah. A contemplative psalm.
This is the word of the Lord: I have given ear to you at a good time, and I have been your helper in a day of salvation: and I will keep you safe, and will make you a glory for the people, putting the land in order, and giving them the heritages which now are waste;
Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of Caphtor.
Remembered hath Jerusalem In the days of her affliction and her mournings, all her desirable things that were from the days of old, In the falling of her people into the hand of an adversary, And she hath no helper; Seen her have adversaries, They have laughed at her cessation.
And I make request to you, true helper in my work, to see to the needs of those women who took part with me in the good news, with Clement and the rest of my brother-workers whose names are in the book of life.
As Samuel grew bigger every day, Hannah knew that the time would come when she would have to keep her promise to the Lord. She knew that soon she must take Samuel to the Tabernacle to be a helper for the Lord.
It was difficult to say goodbye, but Samuel was happy to be a helper. He wanted to do a good job and make his parents very proud of him. Every year, when Elkanah and Hannah came to visit Samuel, they brought him a very special gift. They would always bring a special coat that Hannah had made for her son. Samuel would have been proud to wear this coat.
Helper. Many women in our day have chafed at this word, at this characterization of our calling from God. A helper is clearly not in charge. A helper is not usually center stage. A helper may feel (and rightly!) that she has gifts and talents that enable her to do the work better. A helper rarely gets as much recognition for her work. A helper may feel like a second-class citizen. And we could go on.
So, it is true that the same term that Genesis 2:18, 20 uses to refer to the "woman" (אִשָּׁה, ʾiššâ, Gen 2:22) made to go with the "man" (אָדָם, ʾādām), also refers to the LORD being a "helper" for Israel. Obviously it is not an exclusive relationship (i.e., not an exclusively "theological" term). Thus it would not be true to claim that it is, itself, a term of honour -- that comes with context.
I think you're focus in this verse is misplaced. Genesis 2:18 quotes G-d as saying that he will make make man a "helper corresponding to him" (Art Scroll translation) but the Hebrew says "ezer k'negdo" which literally means a "helper against him.". The Babylonian Talmud's commentary on this verse (Yevamot 63a), and Rashi's commentary, explain that the Torah is saying that she will be a helper when he is worthy, and that she will be an adversary when he. Is not worthy. It is the wife's obliation to support her husband when he seeks to do what is right and oppose him when his evil inclination leads him instead. At those times she helps him most by opposing him. That G-d does the same is obvious, but Judaism understands that women are inherrently more spiritual than men and therefore are first line of defense before our mistakes equire Divine. Intervention.
In other words, the Lord is our helper and our keeper throughout the entire journey of life. God was with the pilgrims night and day as they went to Jerusalem and as they made their way home. God will be with us, His children, until we safely arrive to our heavenly home.
Notice, in the story, that after the woman spoke with Yeshua she left her water jar behind and returned to her Samaritan people with the good news of the Messiah. She dropped her domestic job for a greater calling. She was a helper to her people, not as a bringer of water but as a messenger for Yeshua, the living water. She was an ally to more people on that day than she would ever know. We should aim to do the same.
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