Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2501 to 2525 of 3099 results

Judges 3:7-11

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of the Lord by worshiping idols. This results in the Lord giving the nation into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim, a king who likely comes from northern Mesopotamia (Aram Naharaim is literally “Aram of two rivers,” referring probably to the Euphrates and the Habur). Israel is subjected to him for eight years. But as the people cry out to the Lord, the Lord raises up Othniel by sending his Spirit on him. He defeats Cushan-Rishathaim in battle and brings rest to the land for forty years, until his death.

2502. Ehud

Judges 3:12-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to Israel. Rallying his people with the declaration, “The Lord has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands” (3:28), Ehud and his army then block off the fords of the Jordan, thus cutting off possible Moabite reinforcement from across the river. Having struck down ten thousand Moabites, Israel then subjects Moab to them for the next eighty years (3:27–30).

2503. Widows and Their Worries: Back to Bethlehem

Ruth 1:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... widow always a widow as long as they remain with her. As widows they can hope for nothing more than poverty and destitution, an empty and bleak future. While she can bear the precarious nature of her own situation, Naomi does not want to subject Ruth and Orpah to such circumstances. Naomi also appeals to a religious drawback. As is typical of the ancient Near Eastern mindset, Naomi attributes divine disfavor as the source of her inexplicable suffering (1:13). For this reason, Naomi cautions her daughters-in ...

2504. David Defeats the Ammonites

2 Samuel 10:1-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... city while the Arameans head north. Hadadezer, king of Zobah, hires reinforcements from across the Euphrates, while David himself takes the men back across the Jordan to meet this new threat. In spite of the additional troops the Arameans fall before David, and a number of kings are forced to subject themselves to him. Initially, David intends to punish the Ammonites, but when the dust settles he finds himself in control of much of the land between Israel and the Euphrates.

2505. Nathan Rebukes David

2 Samuel 12:1-31

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... He is also called Jedidiah, “beloved of the Lord.” Both names perhaps reflect what David hopes for and expects of this son; both names also aptly preview the historian’s assessment of Solomon’s reign. After a long delay, the historian returns to the subject of the siege of Rabbah (12:26–31), where David probably should have been in the first place. More than a year has gone by since Joab began the siege. At Joab’s insistence, David participates in the final assault on the Ammonite capital and ...

2506. David Flees

2 Samuel 15:13-37

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Up to this point in his career David has never suffered a defeat in battle, but he is forced to flee his beloved Jerusalem in the face of Absalom’s revolt (15:13–23). David does not want to subject the city to the horrors of war, so he takes his men and heads east toward the Jordan River, unsure how much support he would have if he stayed. Accompanying David in his flight are the men who have been with him since the time he was a fugitive from ...

2507. Security Clearance

1 Kings 2:1-46

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to David. At the same time, Solomon’s order intersects with a prophetic word spoken against the house of Eli (1 Sam. 2:27–36), reminding the reader that such utterances invariably find fulfillment in the narrative. Ironically, Solomon himself will be the subject of such a prophetic word later in the story. Meanwhile, Joab hears about Abiathar’s treatment and flees to the horns of the altar (2:28–35). One recalls that David gave Solomon orders about Joab, but why is Joab worthy of death? After ...

2508. Solomon's Splendor

1 Kings 10:14-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... could afford lavish numbers because of his gigantic income. In the book of Job the horse is symbolic of war and power. Here in 1 Kings 10 the horse has a similar symbolic dimension entailing military arrogance. Finally, Deuteronomy 17 also warns against the king’s multiplying of wives, a subject reserved for the final chapter on Solomon’s reign.

2509. An Axhead Floats

2 Kings 6:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Elisha has enjoyed a fair bit of interaction with the band of prophets (literally “sons of the prophets”) to this point; further activity is the subject of the first episode of this chapter (6:1–7), recovering the borrowed (literally “asked for”) ax head. In this account, a miracle occurs when the man complies with the prophet’s directive, even if seemingly arbitrary (“When he showed him the place . . .”), just as with Naaman the Aramean. Even ...

2510. Amaziah King of Judah and Jeroboam II King of Israel

2 Kings 14:1-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... group that was upset with the recent debacle with the north. Amaziah is replaced, as in previous cases, by his son. The southern kingdom, because of God’s guarantee, always has a descendant of David on the throne. The north, by contrast, is subject to constant upheaval and dynastic instability, and hence the immediate consequence of Jeroboam II’s reign (14:23–29) is that Jehu’s dynasty is nearing its end. For the moment, however, Jeroboam II is not unsuccessful: despite an evil disposition, he does ...

2511. Hezekiah's Prayer

2 Kings 20:1-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Although the Assyrian threat has spectacularly subsided, Hezekiah’s struggles are the subject of a pair of episodes in 2 Kings 20 that pertain to the king’s person and his progeny. In the first (20:1–11), by means of a flashback the reader discovers that in the midst of the Assyrian attack, Hezekiah was gravely ill. A precise diagnosis of Hezekiah’ ...

2512. Kings of Judah

2 Kings 23:31–24:17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , since there will be no political autonomy for Judah from now until the end. Instead, Judah’s affairs are seemingly determined by foreign superpowers. The reader is reminded, however, that these nations are not operating of their own volition, but are subject to “the Lord’s command.” This includes the first Babylonian invasion of the land during the reign of Jehoiakim (23:36–24:7), who is, like his predecessor, subservient to a more powerful king. Historians inform us that Jehoiakim made several ...

2513. Victory over the Nations and Administration in Israel

1 Chronicles 18:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... resources to sustain a royal court. Zobah and Damascus were centers of (at times) powerful Aramean kingdoms to the north of Israel. Damascus was key since both the international highways intersected at this geographical location. References to these nations becoming “subject” to David and offering him “tribute” (18:2, 6, 13) is suggestive of vassal relationships in the ancient world in which a royal overlord would allow a conquered people a measure of political autonomy as long as they sent tribute ...

2514. Opposition from Within: The Crisis of Intermarriage

Ezra 9:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... a direct consequence of their nation’s disobedience and apostasy. This destruction and humiliation “at the hand of foreign kings” (9:7) must refer to their suffering under three empires: Assyria, Babylon, and Persia. Ezra recognizes God’s goodness even in the midst of subjection to foreign rule (9:8–9). He recognizes that it is due to God’s mercy that the Jews can return to their land, build the temple, and count on God’s protection. The “remnant” (9:8) refers to those who have returned ...

2515. The Israelites Confess their Sins

Nehemiah 9:1-37

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... they have again turned to him (9:17–25, 27–28, 30). The last part of the prayer asks God to notice their present suffering. They again recognize that it is their just punishment for their failures (9:33–35). They emphasize their condition as subjects of foreigners. True, the Persians were not as cruel as the Assyrians and Babylonians, but their heavy taxation kept the people in poverty. Interestingly, the prayer does not end with a plea for God to show mercy. The people know God will be merciful if ...

2516. The First Two Feasts – Vashti Is Deposed

Esther 1:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ), Nabal (1 Sam. 25:36), and Amnon (2 Sam. 13:28) suffer great personal losses shortly after becoming inebriated. Though Vashti holds a position of authority, her status is noticeably subordinate to that of the king’s aristocrats. Not only is she subjected to her husband’s narcissistic caprices, but she is also at the mercy of his court officials, whose masculinity seems to have been threatened by her refusal to parade herself before them. Drawing on their alleged legal expertise, the king’s officials ...

2517. Psalm 97

Psalm 97:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... reasons why God is to be praised. Psalm 97 depicts the raw power of God by which he destroys his enemies (97:3), shakes the earth’s foundations (97:4–5), and amazes the heavens (97:8). The forces of evil are no match for him and are in fact subject to him (97:7). Thus, God’s people delight in him because he is greater than any other power this world knows or serves (97:8–9). The psalmist then commands God’s people to reject the world’s ways and to joyfully embrace God, who protects them against ...

2518. Warnings Against Folly

Proverbs 6:1-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 5), laziness (6:6–11), evildoers (6:12–15), a catalog of detestable actions (6:16–19), and the prostitute (6:20–35). In the first section (6:1–5), the parent/speaker begins exceptionally by immediately sketching a dangerous scenario the youth should escape. The subject of guaranteeing loans is addressed elsewhere in Proverbs (11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26; 27:13) and is illustrated by Judah’s actions in Genesis 43:8–9; 44:30–34. Whether one formally seals the deal with a neighbor or a stranger ...

2519. Wisdom’s Final Appeals

Proverbs 8:1-36

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 31 · A new section commences by associating wisdom not with earthly rulers (as in 8:15–16) but with Yahweh, the Creator of the universe (8:22). This section then proceeds to describe wisdom’s ancient origin and earliest activities. Although God is the subject of all verbs in verses 22–29, wisdom’s close association with him is emphasized repeatedly. A number of interpretive difficulties are found in this section. God’s first action is to create/bring forth or to acquire/possess wisdom. In the Old ...

2520. Proverbs of Solomon

Proberbs 10:1--22:16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... natural to read each succeeding proverb in light of those that immediately precede it. (7) The center of the book is marked by the highest concentration of references to Yahweh and the king, the same verbs being used with reference to both subjects. On the basis of these seven features, we will seek to point out, where possible, striking indications and implications of compositional design in the following chapters. 10:1–15:33 Review · Proverbs 10–15 is characterized by the predominance of contrasting ...

2521. More Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 26:1-28, Proverbs 25:1-28, Proverbs 27:1-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... verses) to do so. Verses 2–5 lay the foundation for verses 6–15, which address court officials, although one could apply them more broadly. Verses 2–3, which have the ideal ruler in view, affirm a hierarchy in authority of God–king–subjects. The purposes of both God as Creator and monarch as shrewd and insightful statesman may remain inscrutable, but the latter should be honored for his skills. Accordingly, the wise king strengthens the realm by removing the wicked from positions of influence (25 ...

2522. The Message of Lemuel’s Mother: A Call for Royal Justice

Proverbs 31:1-9

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... –7). Finally, and more importantly, she calls on him to be a vocal advocate for the rights of the voiceless and vanquished, judging rightly on their behalf (31:8–9). Rather than focusing on royal prerogatives, pomp, and power, Lemuel’s mother emphasizes his responsibilities toward the weakest of his subjects. (Compare the Solomonic description of the king’s ultimately unsatisfying pursuit of personal pleasure in Eccles. 2:1–11.)

2523. Recognize that One Must Submit to the Government Despite Injustice

Ecclesiastes 8:2-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... or persist in) a bad cause (literally “a bad matter”; NJPS “a dangerous situation,” also in 8:5a), such as an insurrection. These instructions are reinforced in 8:5a, while the remaining verses offer a threefold rationale: (1) due to the loyalty oath taken by the subject before God (8:1b), (2) due to the monarch’s superior position and power (8:3b–4), and (3) in order to stay out of harm’s way (8:5). The phrase “time and procedure” in verses 5b–6a should be taken as a hendiadys (two ...

2524. Recognize that, in the Light of Death, One Must Redeem the Time

Ecclesiastes 9:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Chapters 9–10 of Ecclesiastes address the subjects of how one should live in light of the certainty of death and in light of the theoretical and practical limits of wisdom. The exact demarcation of these respective sections is less clear. Ecclesiastes 8:16–17 could serve as the introduction to 9:1–10, and 9:11–12 ...

2525. I Have Come Into My Garden

Song of Songs 5:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... The descriptive song is characterized by romantic exaggeration, and several of these similes and metaphors have their antecedents in the earlier descriptive songs praising the maiden’s beauty. The only thing remarkable about the passage is its subject matter, as descriptive songs about male characters in ancient love poetry are exceptional. The comeliness, strength, and splendor of his physical appearance no doubt reflect the incomparable inner qualities of character and personality the lover possesses ...

Showing results