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Showing 226 to 250 of 4963 results

226. Job's Second Reply to Bildad

Job 19:1-29

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... (19:28–29). 19:1–2 The friends, in their haste to justify God and thus to firm up their shaky worldview, torment . . . and crush Job in hopes of forcing an admission of sin from his lips. Their hopes are in vain, however, since Job remains committed to his innocence. Job begins his reply ironically by using the same frustrated cry (How long?!) with which Bildad began his second speech to Job (18:2). The mutual escalation of frustration is evident. Job seems to be saying, “I am just as irritated with ...

227. Nebuchadnezzer’s Dream of a Tree

Daniel 4:1-18

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... 52 (1993), pp. 161–208; B. N. Porter, Trees, Kings, and Politics: Studies in Assyrian Iconography (Fribourg: Academic Press, 2003). 4:15 According to the MT (v. 12), the phrase in the grass of the field goes with what precedes: the roots of the former tree will “remain . . . in the grass of the field.” However, it is possible that “the grass of the field” is missing a verb. When we compare this to 4:25, 32–33 and 5:21, we notice that grass is used differently. In those verses, it says the king ...

228. David at Gath

1 Samuel 21:10-15

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... also fallen afoul of Saul’s intemperate nature, but they formed into a disciplined force. David, perhaps winning the support of the king of Moab by presenting himself as an opponent of the Israelite king, was able to leave his parents in safe custody. He remained for a while at a fortified base until a prophetic instruction sent him into Judean territory. 22:6–10 Saul reacted predictably when he learned that David had surfaced and that a group had gathered around him. He took for granted that David’s ...

229. David at Adullam and Mizpah

1 Samuel 22:1-5

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

230. Joab Murders Abner

2 Samuel 3:22-39

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... –11 Although Ish-Bosheth was titular head of the northern tribes and Abner seemingly made no attempt to change that, real power centered around Abner. The fate of the country lay in his hands, and verse 6 implies that he took action to ensure that this remained the case. It is not surprising that Ish-Bosheth, who seems to have left all the decision making to his general (3:8–17), felt threatened by Abner (v. 11). Whether or not Abner had a relationship with Saul’s concubine Rizpah, the phrasing of Ish ...

231. Ish-Bosheth Murdered

2 Samuel 4:1-12

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

232. The End Times

Daniel 12:1-13

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... of Daniel was trying to foretell, such as the resurrection and the complete manifestation of the kingdom of God, have also not been fulfilled yet. So, if the book was really written by Daniel in the exile and meant to presage those events, it should have remained hidden and sealed until just before the end, whenever that will be. Why was it opened and circulated so long before the actual apocalypse? Why does so much of the book seem to focus on the Hellenistic era and particularly the time of Antiochus IV ...

233. “I Am from Him and He Sent Me”

John 7:25-44

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty”; cf. 8:12; 10:9; 11:25–26; 14:6; 15:5, etc.). Verses 37–38 have the appearance of one of these statements in which the “I am” saying proper has been omitted, and only its corollary remains—as if Jesus had said, “I am the fountain of life”; if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink (cf. Rev. 21:6). Whether this is the case or not, the passage invites comparison with 8:12, in which Jesus’ self-disclosure and confrontation with ...

234. Jesus Prays for His Disciples

John 17:6-19

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

... his disciples is already familiar to the reader of this Gospel from 10:15–16 (“I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep.… I must bring them also”), 12:24 (“unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed”), and 12:32 (“I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself”). Second, the description of the disciples as truly sanctified (v. 19b) also follows closely in the wake of Jesus’ pronouncement, I sanctify myself, in verse ...

235. Hearts / Repentance

2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... the church had a longing for Paul and earnestly desired his visit. Evidently, the Corinthians had already begun to open their hearts to the apostle, just as he now exhorts them to do more fully and finally by completely cutting themselves off from the remaining opponents in the congregation (cf. 6:11–7:4). The church expresses its deep sorrow for temporarily defecting from its founding apostle (or at least not adequately supporting him), and is now ready to obey Paul with a renewed sense of commitment and ...

236. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:1-6, James 4:13-17, James 5:7-12, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... that is not the end: In heaven the wronged continue to raise their cry, “How long?” (Rev. 6:9–11), for they have an audience in the very presence of God. This is indeed effective resistance, for God will hear. James has finished his argument. All that remains for him is to summarize (5:7–11) and to add a proper epistolary conclusion (5:12–20: oaths, health wish, purpose). Here his pastoral heart comes out as he advises the community how to live during these “last days.” 5:7 Be patient is his ...

237. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:7-12, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:13-20

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

238. Praying for Endurance and Healing

James 5:13-20, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

239. Ministers of Baal Killed

2 Kings 10:18-36

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... 12:17–18; 13:3–7, 22–23). Will Israel survive the assault? There has been a pronounced emphasis throughout the chapter, after all, on the thoroughness of Jehu’s campaign. “No one was left” after the sword of Jehu had done its work (cf. the Hb. root šʾr, “to remain,” in vv. 11, 14, 17, 21), no one of the house of Ahab, of the relatives of Ahaziah, of the servants of Baal. No one escaped (Hb. mlṭ, v. 24) to meet Elisha. If Hazael is to be as thorough, what hope can there be for Israel? Yet ...

240. The Sons of David

1 Chronicles 3:1-9

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... On the basis of Jeremiah 22:11 Shallum is identified with Jehoahaz. The reason for the inclusion of Johanan in this list remains unclear. We know from both Kings and Chronicles that the order of the kings in the final years of Judah was Shallum ... he was the last king not to have been taken into exile. Shallum was taken to Egypt, where he died, while the other three remaining rulers were all exiled to Babylon. An accurate count of the generations from Adam to Josiah brings the number to forty-nine. The fiftieth ...

241. David's Officials

1 Chronicles 18:14-17

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... Samuel 11–12, only to link up with the text again in 2 Samuel 12:29. First Chronicles 20:1 is therefore a merged version of 2 Samuel 11:1 and 12:29. This creates a logical contradiction in the text, however, because David is indicated to have remained in Jerusalem (according to 1 Chron. 20:1) but is then involved in the battle in the next verse. These verses report the final battle against the Ammonites, in which David not only won political control over them (with David putting the king’s crown on his ...

242. The Battle Against the Ammonites

1 Chronicles 19:1-19

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

243. The Capture of Rabbah

1 Chronicles 20:1-3

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

244. War with the Philistines

1 Chronicles 20:4-8

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

245. Faces of Failure: Peter

Matthew 26 (selections)

Sermon

Don Tuttle

... before the crowd on Pentecost and, empowered by the Holy Spirit, proclaim the crucified Jesus as the Risen Lord. Yes, he has been stripped of confidence in his own strength, but he now can place his confidence in Christ’s. In your baptism and mine, we promised to remain faithful to our Lord. I’m sure there have been occasions in which you have thought, “Yes, I did it. I did what Jesus asked.” But I know for sure there have been times in which you didn’t do what the Lord requires. I’m sure there ...

246. Out of Control (Good Friday sermon)

John 18:1-19:42

Sermon

John Jamison

... ended too soon. Part way through the game, Pilate came to the fortress to see if the crowd was satisfied with the beating, and whether they would now go home and end the hassle. They were not ready for that. After more time and conversation, Pilate used the one remaining legal option he had available and told the servants to bring him a bowl of water and a towel. It was a simple ritual, and it may not have been legal. But as he washed his hands in the water, the message was that he was officially washing ...

247. Be Ready for the Possibility of the Resurrection

John 20:1-18

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... life had caved in. She was on the verge of being crushed by despair. Yet Mary did not give up. She kept alive a little spark of hope; a tiny flicker of faith’s possibility. In spite of all that weekend’s evidence to the contrary, Mary Magdalene remained open to believing that the Creator and sustainer of this world is a God who intends things for good and not for harm; a God who promotes life rather than settling for death. Deep within her heart, Mary never gave up believing that God had not abandoned ...

248. The Power of the Wilderness

Luke 4:1-13

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... and fashioned by the touch of the Master Potter. The power of the wilderness is not just the power of friction but the power of The Story. As many of you know who love to read, if you have no friction, you have no story. But if a story remains in friction, it can’t move forward. Scripture allows Jesus and will allow YOU to get back on the right track. God’s voice keeps you moving in the right directions. God’s voice in the wilderness calls you continually back into faith even in the midst of conflict ...

249. By the Sea

Matthew 4:18-22, John 1:35-42, John 1:43-51

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi,” “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which ...

250. Even in Our Hiding

Matthew 2:19-23, Matthew 2:13-18

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... on to write a book about her story called The Hiding Place.” Corrie felt a mission to share the grace of God’s love. But as she tells it, it would still be years until her own heart found the courage to forgive. Though her body was freed, her heart remained in hiding for a much longer time. I’m going to read you a story that Corrie told Guidepost Magazine in 1972. It’s called “I’m Still Learning to Forgive.”* In her story, Corrie found that time in her life when she had to face up to her fears ...

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