Synonyms: replica, copy, representation, mock-up, dummy, imitation, double, duplicate, lookalike, reproduction, prototype, stereotype, archetype, type, version, style, ideal, paragon, perfect example, specimen, perfect specimen, fashion model, supermodel, mannequin, sitter, poser, subject, artist's model, photographic model, design, mark, configuration, variety, kind, sort, original, original design, exclusive, toy, miniature, facsimile, prototypical, prototypal, archetypal, illustrative, perfect, exemplary, classic, flawless, faultless, consummate, impeccable
Antonyms: deficient, imperfect
Showing 251 to 275 of 5000 results
Teach the Text
Joe M. Sprinkle
... still, And with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. God’s mercy is greater than our sin. Object Lesson: Using a tape measure or a one-minute sand timer, illustrate the concept of finite distance or time. As humans, we think in terms of “this far and no farther” or “this long and time runs out.” Those limitations often influence our understanding of God. We can come to believe that God can extend mercy only to someone ...
Teach the Text
Joe M. Sprinkle
... (Isa. 6), Ezekiel (Ezek. 1–3), and the apostle Paul (Acts 9:1–16; 26:13–19). But no one is to enter ministry by self-appointment. The ministry of anyone who does so will not be blessed by God. Second, the ministry of the Levites illustrates that ministry is confirmed by God. Aaron may well have been discouraged by the events that he had faced. Trying to lead this grumbling and complaining people is in many ways a thankless task. When things are going badly, Aaron may well question whether he has ...
253. Cities of Refuge
Numbers 35:6-34, Numbers 35:1-5
Teach the Text
Joe M. Sprinkle
... decide that this was deliberate murder, and then seek blood vengeance. Only at the trial could the ax wielder’s story be collaborated by the lack of any history of hostility between the two men and the ax wielder be exonerated of deliberate murder. This illustrates the kind of case where a trial at a city of refuge could come into play. Bloodshed requires penalty. Popular Culture: At the heart of countless blockbuster movies is a simple premise: the good guy needs to get justice by getting the bad guy. In ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... in a just and righteous manner is the Lord’s ultimate goal for his covenant community (Gen. 18:19). The qualities of justice and righteousness are the essence of genuine religion (Prov. 21:3) and are the foundation of Israelite law (Deut. 16:18–20). Illustrating the Text God blesses those who forsake the world’s strength and rely on his power instead. Missions: Share an example from the life of a missionary the congregation supports or a group from the church that went on a short-term mission trip ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... presents himself as a champion of justice (15:3–6). In the ancient Near Eastern world, one of a king’s primary responsibilities is to promote and execute justice in his realm.1If a king fails to do so, he is considered unfit to rule. A good illustration of this can be seen in the Ugaritic Kirta Epic, which tells how King Kirta’s son Yatsubu accuses his ill father of neglecting justice and declares his intention to take the throne: “You let your hands fall slack; you do not judge the widow’s case ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... 6). This is not empty rhetoric or hyperbole. Joab uses the terms “love” and “hate” in their covenantal sense of loyalty/disloyalty. David’s response suggests that he is more loyal to the disloyal Absalom than he is to his faithful soldiers. A good illustration of the use of love/hate terminology in this sense can be seen in Amarna letter 286, where Abdi-Heba of Jerusalem asks the pharaoh’s commissioner, “Why do you love the Apiru but hate the mayors?” (COS, 3:237). Interpretive Insights 18:2 ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... to David. Despite his sins and failures, at the end of his life David still holds on to God’s irrevocable covenantal promises, for he knows that ultimately God’s purpose in choosing him will be realized. As a study of David’s life illustrates, time after time God demonstrates his faithfulness to David, even though he needs to discipline him severely. God’s faithfulness to David gives all of his chosen servants reason to hope. In the end Jesus Christ fulfills the Davidic ideal, brings its promises to ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... OT text is not directly addressing the theme of the NT passage.) But if 1 Samuel 2:12–36 is one’s base text for a sermon or lesson, then the themes outlined above, not parenting, should be the focus of the exposition. Illustrating the Text The importance of respecting God’s authority cannot be overestimated. History: During World War I, British soldiers understood that their leaders (military, political, and sovereign) expected them to fight even if it meant the loss of their lives, yet they entered ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... be manipulated into bestowing favor upon those who disrespect him. Teaching the Text 1. The Lord’s word is reliable. This story shows how God’s decree of judgment begins to fall inexorably upon the house of Eli. Like so many passages in the Bible, it illustrates the truth that God’s word is reliable and must be taken seriously. In the case of decrees of judgment, this principle is terrifying: it means that those who are the recipients of such decrees are doomed, with no hope of escape (Matt. 13:49 ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... Savior of his people, he often uses human instruments to accomplish his purposes and protect his people. Like ancient Israel, we are prone to focus on the human instrument and choose leaders according to our superficial, human standards. As Saul’s example illustrates, the key to effective leadership is not one’s outward appearance or some other quality that impresses or attracts us. Rather, it is God’s supernatural enablement. Saul has been acclaimed king (10:24), but he hardly seems up to the task ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... the sand on the seashore, causing the Israelites to tremble in fear. But working in conjunction with Jonathan’s courageous act of faith, the Lord throws the Philistine army into a panic. This story, like many others in the Former Prophets before and after this, illustrates the point that the Lord does not need a powerful army to win battles and deliver his people. As Jonathan declares, he can save “by many or by few.” What is important is the presence of faith, which can serve as a catalyst for divine ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... Though the friendship of David and Jonathan is inspiring, this is not fundamentally a story about friendship. In the larger literary context of 1 Samuel, this account is not designed to teach the reader lessons about friendship. Certainly one can use their friendship for illustrative purposes, if one’s primary text for a lesson or sermon is dealing with that theme (see, e.g., Prov. 17:17; 18:24). But if one is teaching or preaching through 1 Samuel, the real point of the story lies elsewhere. Throughout ...
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... sin in the present that is cherished, very likely is not even looked upon as sin; but there the sin is, hidden away somewhere in the heart or in the life, and God “will not hear.”8 God’s unconditional decrees are reliable. See also the “Illustrating the Text” sections of 1 Samuel 4 and 15. Literature: The Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan. More than once in this work and in particular in one of the scenes in the Interpreter’s House, Bunyan stresses that “judgment” is not a bad word; it ...
264. Escaping a Tangled Web
1 Samuel 30:1-31, 1 Samuel 29:1-11
Teach the Text
Robert B. Chisholm Jr.
... Though he finally came to a place of peace through prayer, he never forgot the darkness of those hours.13 Renewed faith experiences the protection of God. Christian Biography: The Shorter Life of D. L. Moody, by A. P. Fitt. This theme could be illustrated by continuing the story above. After continuous prayer, Moody experienced renewed faith, and he slept more soundly than he could remember ever having slept before. He declared, “I can no more doubt that God gave answer to my prayer for relief than I can ...
265. Eliphaz
Job 4:1-5:27
Teach the Text
Daniel J. Estes
... his analysis of Job, but Eliphaz himself is blind to what he does not know. He preaches a theological principle that is valid in many cases, but then he extrapolates it to an ironclad rule that does not account for the specific nature of Job’s adversity. Illustrating the Text God’s wisdom matches the right truth to the right situation at the right time and in the right Spirit; humans often fail to do so. Humor: Pick a common saying of popular wisdom or common sense like “Don’t put off until tomorrow ...
Teach the Text
Daniel J. Estes
... renewed. Even though he feels hopeless at this time, he will learn that his hope in God will not be in vain. In that he serves as an example for Christians who are weighed down with adversity and questioning whether God still cares for them. Illustrating the Text We may question God’s goodness, even while we understand that he fashioned us. Greek Mythology: The Greek myths often depict gods and goddesses as shifting between supporting humans and working against them, just as Job feels in 10:8. For example ...
Teach the Text
Daniel J. Estes
... the Text Christians are not spared from suffering; to argue otherwise is unbiblical. Film: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Bildad’s picture of the traps that threaten the wicked person can be illustrated by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), in which Indiana Jones (played by Harrison Ford) has to make perfect decisions about where to step as he approaches the Holy Grail. Even the slightest misstep will bring his immediate death. Such depictions are not comforting to a friend suffering ...
Teach the Text
C. Hassell Bullock
... that are burdensome (19:12–13), from which the divine word releases us. The catalogue of qualities in verses 7–9 reminds us that God, through the instrument of his word, remakes, reconstitutes, and re-creates us into the persons he intends us to be. Illustrating the Text All creation declares the glory of God. Props: In Psalm 19:1–2 we read, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge ...
Teach the Text
C. Hassell Bullock
... that divine power and love exude a joy that surpasses human understanding (Phil. 4:7). Our all-powerful God has not changed, nor has his unfailing love diminished, nor has the ultimate covenant sealed on the cross been canceled. That’s enough to keep us singing (21:13). Illustrating the Text Give thanks to the Lord. Bible: Luke 17:11–19. Luke 17 records the story of ten men with leprosy who were healed by Jesus. But only one, when he saw he was healed, came back to give thanks. How often are we like the ...
Teach the Text
C. Hassell Bullock
... God is concerned. Suffering, as it were, is capital invested with God, booked by him (cf. Mal. 3:16; Job 19:23) and collected by him.”13A Jewish saying captures well the sentiment of verse 8: “There is no door through which tears do not pass” (see “Illustrating the Text”).14In another place Isaiah says—and John repeats this twice in the book of Revelation—that God will wipe away the tears from all faces (Isa. 25:8; Rev. 7:17; 21:4), a metaphor to suggest the abolition of sorrow. The terms of ...
Teach the Text
C. Hassell Bullock
... . For example, the “gods” of 58:1 become the objects of God’s (the true God’s) judgment in 58:11. This literary feature is employed to reiterate, reinforce, enlarge, contrast, or shift the meaning of ideas in another direction. Table 1 illustrates how our psalmist uses this device for reiteration and contrast. Vengeance is God’s (“when they are avenged” = “when they [lit., “he”] see[s] vengeance”), and when it comes, the “righteous will be glad” (58:10a). Out of the knowledge of ...
Teach the Text
Ronald W. Pierce
... made eunuchs, the meaning of their pagan names). Third, do not rush over the prologue to come more quickly to stories of fire and lions or visions of the future. Instead, allow the text to move your teaching at its own pace and on its own terms. Illustrating the Text God is on his throne and in control of this world. Hymn: “O Father, You Are Sovereign,” by Edith Margaret Clarkson. Hymn writing was Clarkson’s first love, from her publication of Let’s Listen to Music in 1947 until her passing in 2008 ...
Teach the Text
Ronald W. Pierce
... does not indicate a permanent conversion of him or his people. Third, do not spend time in a sermon on the question of the Masoretic Text’s ending of this chapter. The outcome of that discussion does not affect the theology of either chapter 3 or 4. Illustrating the Text God is always able to rescue, yet he may only do so in the life to come. Human Experience: When baking cookies or preparing a sauce, a cook will often take a small taste before it is finished. When the finished product is served and ...
Teach the Text
Ronald W. Pierce
... lifetime but rather on God’s gifting of, and faithfulness to, Daniel. Third, this passage does not teach that any specific gift is available, or not available, to believers today. Rather, it describes God’s generous and relevant work through Daniel in a particular situation. Illustrating the Text The question is not how to use the Spirit but how the Spirit uses us. Quote: R. A. Torrey. The working of the Holy Spirit in our lives is always a reflection of his character in us and should always point to ...
Teach the Text
Ronald W. Pierce
... and cuddly friends that talk with him. Third, this passage does not teach that each believer has a personal guardian angel to protect and rescue him or her. Fourth, Darius’s decree does not prove a permanent conversion of him or his people.9 Illustrating the Text God is always able to rescue—and sometimes he does so because of one’s faith and obedience. Bible: Genesis 6–9. In the biblical narrative regarding Noah (Gen. 6–9), righteousness is a reason for rescue. There, a depraved humanity grieves ...
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