Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2676 to 2700 of 2962 results

1 Kings 19:19-21

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... :2–13; Luke 1:11–17; cf. the OT development of the Elijah theme in Mal. 4:5 and the NT uncertainty about identity in Matt. 16:13–16; 27:45–49; Mark 6:14–16; 8:27–30; 15:33–36; Luke 9:7–9, 18–20). John himself designates Jesus as his “successor” in such passages as Matt. 3:1–17; John 1:19–34 (where he denies being Elijah, v. 21); and the name Jesus means, of course, “the LORD saves,” as Elisha means “God saves.” 19:20 Let me kiss my father and mother: Hb. nšq ...

2677. Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

2 Kings 8:7-15

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... facing, and failing to subdue, rebellion by Edom (vv. 20–22)—a country hitherto ruled by a Judean appointee (1 Kgs. 22:47; 2 Kgs. 3:8ff.) but now seeking self-determination. Not even righteous Judean kings can in these days emulate Solomon in his grand imperial designs (1 Kgs. 15:16–22; 22:48–49); how much less can this wicked monarch expect to do so? His fate is exactly that of his northern namesake, who was ultimately unable to subdue Moab (2 Kgs. 3). It is worse, in fact; his only “victory ...

2678. Jehoram King of Judah

2 Kings 8:16-24

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

2679. Ahaziah King of Judah

2 Kings 8:25-29

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

2680. Jerusalem's Deliverance Foretold

2 Kings 19:1-13

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... then, what of the fact that it is his high places and altars that have been removed (v. 22)? Is he likely to help under such circumstances? Is it not much more likely that he has sent the Assyrians to destroy Jerusalem (v. 25)? It is an argument designed to sow seeds of doubt. It is undoubtedly true that the high places were, throughout much of the preceding period, places where worship of the LORD took place. It is equally the case that the LORD has just used the Assyrians to bring judgment upon his people ...

2681. Hezekiah's Prayer

2 Kings 19:14-19

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

2682. Isaiah Prophesies Sennacherib’s Fall

2 Kings 19:20-37

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

2683. Descendants of Hagar

1 Chronicles 1:29-31

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... a new lineage, namely, that of Seir, is taken up. This segmented genealogy, which continues through 1:42, is not related in any way to Esau in the Chronicler’s version. From Genesis 36:8–9, however, it becomes clear that Seir is a geographical designation of the area where Esau settled. The lineage of Seir presented here is therefore implicitly connected to Esau. For each of the seven descendants of Seir the Chronicler describes a branch, again quoting from Genesis 36:20–28. The next verses (1:43–54 ...

2684. Descendants of Keturah

1 Chronicles 1:32-33

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

2685. The People of Seir in Edom

1 Chronicles 1:38-42

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... –42 From 1:38, however, a new lineage, namely, that of Seir, is taken up. This segmented genealogy, which continues through 1:42, is not related in any way to Esau in the Chronicler’s version. From Genesis 36:8–9, however, it becomes clear that Seir is a geographical designation of the area where Esau settled. The lineage of Seir presented here is therefore implicitly connected to Esau. For each of the seven descendants of Seir the Chronicler describes a branch, again quoting from Genesis 36:20–28.

2686. Joash Repairs the Temple

2 Chronicles 24:1-16

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... source text (24:14), which indicates that there was still some money left after the restoration of the temple, so they could replace the temple objects. In the end the restoration was successful, and they rebuilt the temple of God according to its original design and reinforced it (24:13). In the following two verses (24:15–16) the Chronicler supplements the source text by adding a comment on the death and burial of Jehoiada. The high esteem the Chronicler bestows on this priest finds expression in his ...

2687. The Wickedness of Joash

2 Chronicles 24:17-27

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

2688. Rebuilding the Temple

Ezra 3:7-13

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... with members of this Levitical group in Neh. 3:18; 10:9 (see BHS, REB, NJB). 3:10 The foundation of the temple was a platform or podium, if this feature of Ezekiel’s visionary temple in Ezek. 41:8 belonged also to Solomon’s temple, whose design was followed for the second temple. See the text and illustrations in IDBSup, pp. 543–45. Took their places: the NIV, along with the REB and NJB, has rightly followed a different textual tradition of vocalizing the Heb. verb (see BHS), which in the MT has ...

2689. The Completion of the Wall

Nehemiah 6:15-7:3

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... the sanctuary (Num. 18:7). But as Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah, p. 205, observed, according to v. 13 the plot was intended to discredit Nehemiah rather than kill him. Verse 10 mentions the aim of killing him, but the plot may have been designed to drive a wedge between Nehemiah and the priesthood (K. D. Tollefson and H. G. M. Williamson, “Nehemiah as Cultural Revitalization: An Anthropological Perspective,” JSOT 56 [1992], pp. 41–68, esp. p. 54). 6:12 “[A] true prophetic word cannot override what is ...

2690. The Day of the Lord

Isaiah 2:6-22

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... :12; 26:5; 33:5, 16). Human impressiveness compromises the one, human strength the other. The cutting down will be a feature of Yahweh’s day (v. 11, 12, 17, 20), the day when Yahweh’s ultimate purpose will be fulfilled. It is designed to be a time of glory, light, blessing, deliverance, safety, and renewal, and believers looked forward to it like Christians anticipating the second coming of Christ. But resistance to Yahweh means it becomes a time of humbling, darkness, calamity, defeat, insecurity, and ...

2691. The Remnant of Israel

Isaiah 10:20-34

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... ). Only a remnant is involved, but that remnant will now recognize the folly of relying on human supports who eventually turn against them (v. 20). Israel will then live up to another interpretation of the name Shear-Jashub as it turns to Yahweh, holder of the designation Mighty God (v. 21) which also appeared in that other name in 9:6. If the notion of a remnant surviving had become some sort of comfort instead of being a threat, verses 20–21 take the idea of a remnant returning and do something new with ...

2692. The Branch from Jesse

Isaiah 11:1-16

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... and unpredictable, as was the case with Saul. The notion that Yahweh’s spirit might rest on someone is therefore almost an oxymoron. This idea of resting features in the story of the prophets in Numbers 11:25–26 and suggests a mixing of metaphors designed to make a large theological claim. The supernatural presence of God’s gifting might not have to be tumultuous and spasmodic. It could be steady and continuous. It is such a gifting that the community needs from its Davidic branch, as it does of any ...

2693. Deliverance of Israel

Isaiah 27:1-13

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... but you have no compassion for us, you show no favor to us.” Yahweh has three responses. Whatever happened to them, the fate of their attackers has been worse: look at fallen Assyria or fallen Babylon or fallen Persia . . . (v. 7). The bludgeoning was designed to achieve something (v. 9; cf. 1:24–31), as the pruning of the vine can mean fruitfulness. The destruction of the means of worship is actually the removal of sin. And the abandonment of the city and the withholding of compassion are deserved. Its ...

2694. God's Mercy and Israel's Unfaithfulness

Isaiah 43:14-28

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... Yahweh had made that round of sacrifices impossible (vv. 23–24a). As well as taking further the motif of weariness (v. 23b), Yahweh here reintroduces the motif of servanthood, for burdened you is literally “made you serve.” Although Yahweh has designated Jacob-Israel “servant,” the costly demands of this form of service have actually been suspended for half a century. Perhaps lying behind these statements are further elements in the community’s accusations of Yahweh before the court: “you have ...

2695. The Fall of Babylon

Isaiah 47:1-15

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... pointers. The dethroning is an act of Israel’s Redeemer (v. 4): it is a necessary precursor of restoring the Judean community and restoring Zion. We recall that the prophecy is formally addressed to Ms Babylon, but the actual audience for which it is designed is that Judean community itself. But Babylon’s humiliation is not merely a matter of arbitrarily removing an obstacle in the way of fulfilling Jacob-Israel’s destiny. The humiliation is an act of punishment (vengeance, see on 1:24–25a). It is ...

2696. Comfort for the Contrite

Isaiah 57:14-21

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... flares of temper is that Yahweh thereby gets the negative feelings out and finished with, and thus opens up the possibility of the relationship’s moving forward again (v. 16a). Yahweh’s wrath is like rain in Southern California, not rain in Manchester, England. It is not designed to overwhelm (v. 16b): grow faint is a word mainly used of people’s reaction to calamity (Ps. 61:2; 77:3; 107:5; 142:3; 143:4), not least Jerusalem’s fall (Lam. 2:11, 12, 19). Here greed (v. 17) is the particular feature of ...

2697. Judgment and Hope

Isaiah 66:1-24

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... close with this picture. In synagogue worship verse 23 is repeated after verse 24, while in Christian worship the problem is “solved” by not reading the passage at all. Verse 24 closes the book called Isaiah as it began in 1:2, with a chilling challenge designed to make people turn from the way of rebellion. While the book comes to a close with this distasteful picture, the aim is that the lives of readers may not close there but be driven back to the restoration of verses 19–23. Whereas most ...

2698. Jonah Goes to Nineveh

Jonah 3:1-10

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... are mentioned throughout the OT and could be acts of individuals (2 Sam. 12:16) or of the community as a whole (Jer. 36:9; Joel 1:14; 2:15–17; see the comment there). They were proclaimed when any sort of danger threatened the community. They were designed to turn aside God’s wrath, manifested in the danger, to beg divine forgiveness, and to enlist divine aid. That animals are also to join in the fast by being covered with sackcloth and kept from food and water is a profound note in this story. First ...

2699. July 4 Weekend

Mark 5:21-43

Children's Sermon

King Duncan

... own free country, not under the control of any other country. This is the flag that symbolizes our country, the American flag. The American flag was created over 200 years ago. The person who created the American flag didn't just choose any old colors or designs for the flag. For instance, the colors of the flag are very important. The red stands for courage, for being brave and standing up for what's right. The white stands for purity or innocence. The blue area stands for justice, which means fairness and ...

2700. Thank God We're Free at Last

Romans 6:12-23

Sermon

King Duncan

... in this world and the world to come. Amen 1. Jim Davis, http://focusongod.com/Romans07.html. 2. Uncle John’s Funniest Ever Bathroom Reader (Bathroom Readers’ Institute). 3. Kurier (Austria). Cited in Wendy Northcutt, The Darwin Awards 4: Intelligent Design (New York: Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2006), p. 75. 4. Daily Mail, 2008. Uncle John’s Funniest Ever Bathroom Reader (Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader). Portable Press. Kindle Edition. 5. http://www.breakpoint.org/component/content/article/71-features ...

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