Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2926 to 2950 of 3852 results

Genesis 14:1-24

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... , connections between the names, places, and events related here and the information found in ancient documents from the Near East remain elusive. Nevertheless, the abundance of proper names, along with a distinctive vocabulary and style, indicate that this account had an origin different from that of the other stories about Abram. The double names for various places—an archaic name and a current name—indicate that the story has been adapted for a later audience in its retelling. 14:1 The identity of ...

2927. The Covenant of Circumcision

Genesis 17:1-27

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... by the use of “establish (heqim) a covenant” in verses 7, 19, and 21. These two verbs indicate that God is strengthening an earlier covenant by defining its terms more precisely. At the outset God reaffirmed the promise of numerous offspring, the focus of the original covenant (12:2; 15:5). 17:3–8 Awed by God’s appearance and moved by his words, Abram fell facedown, prostrating himself before God. God continued to speak, stating that the covenant with Abram meant that he was to become the father of ...

2928. The Three Visitors

Genesis 18:1-15

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... exchange because the child’s name was to be Isaac, “laughter” (17:19). Even though Abraham had already been told what was to take place (ch. 17), God honored Sarah by informing her that she was to become the matriarch in the fulfillment of God’s original promise to Abraham. God valued Sarah’s person as much as Abraham’s, working through both in order to achieve the promises. This was evident earlier in God’s giving each of them a new name. In God’s eyes they were equally essential in order ...

2929. Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed

Genesis 19:30-38, Genesis 19:1-29

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... does not make a moral judgment against Lot’s daughters; rather it pictures the tragic way Lot lived out the rest of his life. This sad scene shows the consequences of Lot’s longing to settle in such a wicked city, and it accounts for the origin of two peoples who lived in proximity to Israel. It also explains why the patriarchs never arranged marriages with Lot’s descendants. This scene completes the story of Lot, who had left from Haran with Abraham (12:4). In the Abraham cycle Lot serves as a ...

2930. The Treaty of Beersheba

Genesis 21:22-34

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... coast of Canaan but whose specific name had become lost. Or it may be a case of using a familiar name for a people who were indirectly related to the later, famous inhabitants of this region. If the name Phicol has its origin in Anatolia, this fact supports a connection between these Philistines and the Aegean. These Philistines, however, had a very different politicocultural orientation from the later Philistines. They were governed by a king, not a council of lords from the five lead cities. Since ...

2931. Abraham Tested

Genesis 22:1-19

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... . 22:15–18 The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham from heaven a second time. Since there was neither a command to be given (v. 1) nor an urgent situation (v. 11), the angel did not call Abraham by name. The angel affirmed the promises God had originally made to Abraham, strengthening them in four ways. First, Yahweh swore to them by himself (see Exod. 32:13, “your own self”). This is the highest oath. Because of the oath Yahweh, in being true to himself, could do nothing other than fulfill what he had ...

2932. Isaac and Abimelech

Genesis 26:1-35

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... Isaac’s descendants (seed) as numerous as the stars in the sky (15:5). God was going to give them all these lands. And all nations on earth would find blessing through his offspring (seed). This last promise ties directly to Yahweh’s original promise to Abraham as the seal that Isaac was the true heir of the Abrahamic promises (12:2–3). Yahweh concluded by asserting that he was giving these promises to Isaac because Abraham had obeyed him and kept his requirements. Four terms, requirements, commands ...

2933. Jacob’s Children

Genesis 29:31--30:24

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... the plant’s name, duda’im, is similar to Hb. dod (“love”). 30:18 There is a variety of explanations for the name Issachar. Possibly it comes from the phrase yesh sakar (“there is a reward”). Sarna (Genesis, p. 210) traces the original back to yashaskir (“may he grant favor/reward”). Another proposal takes it from ’ish sakar (“a man of hire”). 30:24 Joseph’s name comes from either ’asap (“take away”) or yosep (“add”). With the former meaning Rachel’s shame was taken ...

2934. The Deaths of Rachel and Isaac

Genesis 35:16-29

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... observes (Genesis, p. 408), Jacob traveled on to Migdal Eder, a site in the vicinity of Jerusalem. If he had gone as far south as Bethlehem, he would have had to turn back north, which seems unlikely since he was moving to the south. Thus the original location of Rachel’s tomb was most likely in the territory of Benjamin, north and/or west of Jerusalem. 35:18 Various proposals have been made for Benjamin’s two names. Ben-Oni could be “son of my wickedness” and Benjamin “son of the oath.” Another ...

2935. The Death of Jacob

Gen 49:29–50:14

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... belief in the afterlife, the Egyptians sought to preserve the body close to its living form so that when, as they believed, the spirit and/or the soul (the Egyptian ka and ba) of the deceased returned to the tomb, it would recognize its original habitation. According to Herodotus, the process of preparing a mummy took seventy days. But Egyptologists studying the process of embalming have discovered that seventy days would be too long, for too much damage would be done to the body. They discovered that the ...

2936. The Appointment of Leaders

Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... , cf. Weinfeld, Deuteronomy, pp. 140f. 1:16 An alien: The gēr/gērîm denotes a class of people who were landless but resided in Israel’s land under the protection of Israelite families. They may have been remnants of the original population or people who immigrated for various reasons. Being without the natural double protection of land and family, they were vulnerable to exploitation and oppression. Israel’s memory of its “resident alien” status in Egypt was a powerful moral spur to humane ...

2937. Obedience Commanded

Deuteronomy 4:1-14

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... ’s taste, nor as a mere foundation for personal inventiveness. God’s word must be taken whole in its overall meaning and thrust. It is not to be trifled or tampered with. Such a concern certainly underlies the canonical principle, which some scholars see in its origins in this text and in its finality in Revelation 22:18f. 4:3–4 In 1:26–46 Moses described the most signal failure of the exodus generation, namely, their rebellion at the very edge of the promised land. Here he refers to the most recent ...

2938. Fear the Lord

Deuteronomy 10:12-22

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... 3:2, where the uniqueness of Israel’s relationship with Yahweh is stunningly followed by the words, “therefore I will punish you.” The specific words, do not be stiff-necked any longer, 9:6 and the whole narrative of 9:7–29, go back to the original story of Exodus 32–34, where, as Moberly has shown, they are a key to the literary and theological structuring of the whole text (Mountain of God, pp. 89–93). Moses had appealed to God to forgive the people, not because they had stopped being stiff ...

2939. Worshipping Other Gods

Deuteronomy 13:1-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... , on which many a profession of loyalty to the kingdom of God has foundered. 13:12–18 Apostasy could grip a whole town under the influence of wicked men. These men could be a small but influential group who seek to reintroduce the Canaanite ways of the original place; or a new element, such as the prophets of Baal imported by Jezebel; or the kind of men who supported Jezebel in the civil community (cf. 1 Kgs. 21:8–14, where “scoundrels” is the same term as wicked men in v. 13 here). Any report ...

2940. Passover

Deuteronomy 16:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... , it certainly did provide the reason why everyone, and espedaily the poor, those without family, and the landless, should benefit from it. Verse 12 is thus a typical Deuteronomic motivation for verse 11, which is itself a typical Deuteronomic expansion of the original liturgical calendar (vv. 9f.). The Feast of Tabernacles 16:13–15 Otherwise known as the Feast of Booths, this feast came as the climax of Israel’s agricultural year after all the grain and grape harvest was completed (v. 13; cf. also ...

2941. Judges

Deuteronomy 17:8-13

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... . Verse 16:18 speaks of local tribal judges in the settlements. But here we find the establishment of a court of referral for those cases that prove beyond the competence of the local judiciary. This law thus puts on a permanent footing the arrangements originally suggested by Jethro for Moses himself (cf. Exod. 18:22 and Deut. 1:17b). The kinds of cases that might prove too difficult for local judges are listed carefully: bloodshed, lawsuits or assaults (lit. “one kind of blood and another, one kind of ...

2942. Offerings for Priests and Levites

Deuteronomy 18:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... sanctuary. Deuteronomy, on this view, held no distinction between priests and common Levites; this distinction was only clearly articulated by Ρ (cf. Driver, Deuteronomy, pp. 213–21). This view is clearly at variance with the Pentateuchal presentation of the origins of the Levitical priesthood and the special role of Aaron and his descendants. For surveys of the reconstruction, see Rehm, “Levites and Priests,” and Hubbard, “Priests and Levites.” Much of the debate has centered on the precise ...

2943. Cities of Refuge (II)

Deuteronomy 19:1-14

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... literal and vengeful sense, has entered popular imagination as the summation of all OT ethics. (This can be the only reason why my own book on OT ethics was unilaterally given the title An Eye for An Eye by its American publishers, instead of its original British title, Living as the People of God!). Yet it is abundantly clear to any reader of Deut. alone that such a view is a misunderstanding that totally ignores the ethos of compassion, generosity, concern for the weak, and restraint of the powerful that ...

2944. Firstfruits and Tithes

Deuteronomy 26:1-15

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... two verbal responses (cf. Craigie, Deuteronomy, p. 320). 26:5–10 These words were first described as an ancient Israelite “credo” by von Rad, who also proposed that the whole Sinai tradition (which is not explicitly mentioned here) was originally separate from this historical land-gift tradition (cf. “Problem”). His views have received considerable criticism and must be regarded as broadly rejected with regard to the separation of Sinai from the historical tradition. But, it is still plausible to ...

2945. Renewal of the Covenant

Deuteronomy 29:1-29

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... is reciprocal, the initiative is God’s. It is God who is making and sealing the covenant, in order to confirm (or establish) Israel as the people of God. And in doing so, God keeps not only the promise to them but also the original promise to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To God’s grace is added God’s faithfulness through the centuries and generations. On either side of this central covenantal fulcrum two other key truths are balanced, (a) The social inclusiveness of the covenant is ...

2946. Joshua to Succeed Moses

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... ahead of you.” The people can be free from anxiety. God will neither desert them after the death of Moses nor leave them without a human leader. Joshua, no doubt awed by the prospect of taking over from Moses, need have no anxiety, for the same original promises made to Moses himself—the presence of God with him to empower him to carry out his task—will rest on Joshua. This commissioning and encouragement of Joshua is given great emphasis by sheer repetition (cf. Num. 27:18–23; Deut. 1:38; 3:21, 28 ...

2947. Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King

1 Kings 1:1-27

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... these troops appear (cf. prior to this 2 Sam. 8:18; 15:18; 20:7, 23) that they were David’s own personal guard, probably mercenary troops drawn from among the non-Israelite population of Canaan, most likely (as the names imply) of Cretan and Philistine origin. David had spent some time among the Philistines (1 Sam. 27; 29–30, cf. 30:14, “the Negev of the Kerethites”), and had known their loyalty as soldiers before (2 Sam. 15:19–22). King David’s mule: The mule is significant because it belongs ...

2948. Solomon's Officials and Governors

1 Kings 4:1-19

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... s table as the symbol of their unity (cf. also 4:27). Additional Notes 4:4 It is astonishing how much difficulty this mention of Zadok and Abiathar has occasioned commentators. The phrase is often simply regarded as an addition to the “original” text. No one seems interested in the question of why it should have been added, in what is (to the commentators concerned) such an evidently inappropriate position. 4:7 Twelve district governors: The complexities of Solomon’s twelve-district system have been ...

2949. Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria

1 Kings 20:1-12

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... the city (cf. Josh. 6, esp. 6:15 for seventh day upon which battle was joined). Ben-Hadad’s officials produce a second plan (v. 31): surrender! Doubtless more because he has no alternatives rather than because he still trusts their judgment (cf. the origin of “plan A” in vv. 23ff.), Ben-Hadad allows them to proceed (vv. 32–33), clothed to signify penitence (sackcloth, cf. 21:27) and submissiveness (ropes round their heads—by which they may be led?). A deal is struck that involves the reversal of ...

2950. The Widow's Oil

2 Kings 4:1-7

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... is really deadly in a literal sense—that is only what the men who have tasted it say. What is indisputable is that Elisha knows, in his wisdom, what to add to the pot to make everything all right—even though no one else knows what the cook originally put in (v. 39). He has remarkable insight, even into the various properties of plants. It is this that makes him a better cook than his servant—as he was a greater healer in 4:8–37. 4:42–44 The final miracle also concerns provision for the “sons ...

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