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THE HELPER I God our Helper When we think of a “helper”
what comes to our mind? Some one in a more or less inferior position, is it not? We simply
cannot help that for we have been trained to think along these lines. In our Western
mindsets a helper, though important, is a lesser person to the one being helped. I would like for us to
begin to look at this subject from a scriptural point of view. In The Old Testament the
word for “helper” is the Hebrew word “azar/(ezer)”.This word “azar” appears about eighty times
in the biblical text. It always refers to a significant person like God, a king, a prince, or a
warrior”. The word “azar” underscores how critical the helper is. It is someone, who is of
great importance, who normally will deliver another from an immense problem, and who is a loyal
companion. It is not the Hebrew word for a slave, a hireling, or an assistant. We would
not say to God’ “God, You are our Assistant, but instead, God is our “Azar”, our Helper.
Let’s look at some of the scripture
references, which deal with God as Our Helper. “But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the might God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel). Even by the God of thy father, Who shall help thee”. Genesis 49:24-25 (Jacob’s blessing of Joseph) “Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse; peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee”. 1 Chrionicles 12:18 “Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thine hand; the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the Helper of the fatherless”. Psalm 10:14 “Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; Lord be Thou my Helper”. Psalm 30:10 “The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, And deliver them”. Psalm 37:39-40 “Behold God is mine Helper; the Lord is with them that uphold my soul”. Psalm 54:4 “ Unless the Lord had been my Help my soul had almost dwelt in silence”. Psalm 94:17 “ The Lord taketh my part with them that help me”. Psalm 118:7 “ Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall;but the Lord helped me”. Psalm 118:13 “ Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; Yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness”. Isaiah 41:10 “ Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, And the Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel”. Isaiah 41:14 “ Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; fear not, O Jacob, my servant”. Isaiah 44:2 “ Thus saith the Lord, in an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee”. Isaiah 49:8 “ For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; Who will contend with me? Let us stand together: Who is mine adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? ”. Isaiah 50:7-9
Having looked at these passages what can we learn? I believe, that
perhaps contrary to what we understand the word “helper” to mean,
scripture indicates that the term “helper” is used for the stronger
or superior party to help the weaker or inferior party. Now we may not
have too many problems with such an understanding of the word
“helper” in the case of God for He is after all the stronger
or superior party compared to us. But Scripture does not
only talk about God as a Helper.
The Old Testament in various places talks about armies coming to the
help of other armies as in “ And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his hosts together; and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it”. I Kings 20:1 “ At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him”. II Chronicles 28:16
or even of one city coming to the help of another city as in “ The Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish”. Joshua 10:33
In these cases too the “helpers” are once again the stronger or
superior party, and the ones being helped are the weaker or inferior
party.
That leads me to my next point...
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