Matthew Poole on 1 Samuel (cont.)

Status
Not open for further replies.
Robert Hawker's "Poor Man's Portion": '"Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, hitherto hath the Lord helped us."—1 Samuel 7:12

Did Samuel do this? Was that servant of the Lord, who lived not to see Christ in the flesh, so full of faith in the coming Saviour, and in the experience of Jehovah's faithfulness in what was past, that he set up his Ebenezer? Surely, my soul, thou wilt blush to be outdone by the prophet, when thou hast not only seen the day of the Son of man completed, but felt his power. Oh my soul, let thine Ebenezer be Jesus! Let the stone thou settest up, be indeed the Rock of Ages. Yes, my soul, set up Jesus indeed, in all places, at all times, upon all occasions. And Oh Lord, do thou by thy blessed Spirit set up thyself in my heart, and enthrone thyself there, and reign and rule there for ever. Surely, my soul, Jesus is thine everyday Ebenezer; for he not only hath hitherto helped, but he doth help, and will help, and be himself thine help, thy God, thy Portion, thy Jesus, for evermore.'

Poole on 1 Samuel 7:12.
 
A timely lesson...

"Samuel was a protector and deliverer to Israel, not by dint of sword, as Gideon, nor by strength of arm, as Samson, but by the power of prayer to God and carrying on a work of reformation among the people. Religion and piety are the best securities of a nation" (Matthew Henry).

Poole on 1 Samuel 7:13-14.
 
"Those that are in the prime of their time ought to be busy in doing the work of life: for, as they go into years, they will find themselves less disposed to it and less able for it." --Matthew Henry

Poole on 1 Samuel 8:1.
 
There is a great outcry for "change"!

But not all change is for the better.

So it was in the days of Samuel...

 
"When any thing disturbs us, it is our interest, as well as our duty, to show before God our trouble, and he gives us leave to be humbly free with him." --Matthew Henry

 
Why do we continue to refuse the rule of King Jesus, perfect in righteousness and abounding in mercy, in favor of the beastly governments of the earth?

It is now, as it was in ancient Israel...

 
A lesson for us from Israel's history: Israel could not endure God in government. They preferred government like the governments of the other nations.

They traded the humane government of Messiah for Beastly government! So also we...

 
When a nation rejects the government of God, with the moral limitations and restraints that He provides, what can be expected but that the nation's government will turn beastly. Rather than the serving the people, it serves itself of the people. Oh, unhappy nation!

Samuel warns Israel beforehand...

 
Like Israel of old, we, the American people, have insisted on godless civil government...and we have what we sought!

" I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath" (Hos. 13:11).

 
Another translation milestone! For the first time in English, Matthew Poole's "Synopsis" on 1 Samuel is available! free and online!

Israel makes a bad choice of civil government, and is warned of the consequences. A seasonable lesson...

 
Poole previews the upcoming study in 1 Samuel 9.

A king given, but in anger...

 
Saul's genealogy is involved in some difficulty.

Thankfully, we have Poole as a guide.

 
"Children should take care that they do nothing to grieve or frighten their parents, but be tender of their tenderness" (Matthew Henry on 1 Sam. 9:5).

 
When unsure of the way that we should go, let us consult God's Word.

 
Samuel sacrificing in a High Place? What?!!

Matthew Poole investigates...

 
Oh, to get closer to Jesus!

Samuel's enviable intimacy with the Lord...

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top