Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 3301 to 3325 of 3852 results

Numbers 28:1-8

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... of chaos, sin, and impurity. Such a concern is important for this new generation as it prepares to enter the land. Modern readers of Numbers do well to remember the community function of these festivals rather than inconclusive debates about their origin. Additional Notes 28:1–29:40 This material certainly bears all the marks of being brought together by the Priestly tradents. Most commentators suggest that these chapters provide some of the most mature instructions on worship in the promised land. Lev ...

3302. Eli’s Wicked Sons

1 Samuel 2:12-26

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... unacceptable in Yahwism, the religion of those who followed the God of Israel, YHWH. Hophni’s and Phinehas’s treatment of the female servers showed again their contempt for people and for God’s will. Shiloh was a more substantial structure than the original Tent of Meeting (1:9; 3:3, 15), and for some scholars the description here therefore becomes a problem: if the sanctuary was not a tent, this reference must indicate an editorial mistake. However, it is not unusual for traditional terms to remain ...

3303. Saul Made King

1 Samuel 10:9-27

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... melek (“king”) has not so far been used in the discussions between Saul and Samuel (cf. comments on prophets under additional note for 10:5–6). Perhaps Saul’s encounter with the prophets had given him new insight into what lay ahead. 10:17–25 The original request for a king had come from the tribal leaders, but it was appropriate that the whole of Israel be involved now that the decision was to be carried out. A national assembly was called at Mizpah. It is not clear how much of what Samuel says ...

3304. Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

1 Sam 13:23–14:14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

Jonathan’s Success: The way in which chapter 14 is structured indicates that it is a written record of what was originally an oral story, perhaps one that was told around the campfire to young soldiers. 13:23–14:1 These two verses set up the theme of the story, and then we have background information provided before the drama is revealed. As chapter 13 indicated, the Philistines had sent out detachments ...

3305. David at Nob

1 Samuel 21:1-9

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... Hereth, his next port of call, is also unidentifiable. The prophet Gad appears without any introduction. He apparently remained with David throughout his long career as a significant adviser (2 Sam. 24; 2 Chron. 29:25), but we are told nothing of his background or origin. 22:6 Virtually every reference to Saul in these chapters has him with spear in hand. His spear was a symbol of his kingship and possibly had some function in the court scene that was taking place. However, it is also possible that the ...

3306. David Hears of Saul's Death

2 Samuel 1:1-16

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... Saul’s problems had been his failure to effectively carry out God’s judgment on the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15). 1:13 The question asked here is not the same as in v. 3 and does not use the same Hebrew wording. In v. 3 the question was about the origin of his journey; here it is about his background.

3307. The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 6:1-23

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... based narrative. Bringing the ark of God into Jerusalem took place after Jerusalem had been captured, but there is no way of determining how long after David began to reign in Jerusalem this occurred. 6:1 It has been suggested that v. 1 has been detached from its original context, perhaps as an introduction to ch. 8. But it is, as Gordon (1 and 2 Samuel: A Commentary, p. 231) argues, unnecessary to see it in that way. 6:2 Baalah of Judah is the alternative name for Kiriath Jearim (1 Sam. 7:1), a small town ...

3308. David Flees

2 Samuel 15:13-37

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... panoramic views of surrounding countryside, in this case of the city of Jerusalem. Although such worship centers later became identified with pagan worship and were strongly discouraged, there is no suggestion of that at this point. The people of Hushai the Arkite were originally Canaanites, but their territory became part of Ephraim (1 Chron. 1:15; Josh. 16:2). As an Ephraimite, Hushai might have been expected to follow Absalom and was less likely to create suspicion than if he had been a Judean. That he ...

3309. Absalom’s Death

2 Samuel 18:1-18

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... likely that the young man exhibits diplomatic skills, imitating Joab’s wiliness. 18:33 David’s desire to have died instead of his son may be an expression of parental grief but seems likely to portray his own sense of responsibility. However, it is not clear whether he saw his original actions with Bathsheba and Uriah, or his handling of Absalom before and after Amnon’s death, as the key factor. Perhaps the two cannot be separated.

3310. David Returns to Jerusalem

2 Samuel 19:9-43

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... did with Ziba in 16:3, that Mephibosheth had been in mourning from the time David left to the day he returned. As mourning customs in those days were so visible, this information would have been easily checked to confirm or refute Ziba’s original accusation. Mephibosheth’s claim that he has been slandered and that Ziba used his lameness to prevent him from following David is backed up by evidence as well as argument. His ongoing loyalty is emphasized by the way he addresses David, five times calling ...

3311. Sheba Rebels Against David

2 Samuel 20:1-26

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... was a political move, an attack on David but not meant as a personal offense against the women. For David their later confinement was a political necessity—sad, perhaps, but inevitable—and the women were well cared for. For the women the original offense was rape, and the follow up a dehumanizing tragedy. The interest in their fate indicates that the writers, and God, do not see such nameless and victimized people as insignificant. 20:4–13 Whether the threat was extensive or minor, David planned ...

3312. The Gibeonites Avenged

2 Samuel 21:1-14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... 6 The Gibeonites’ request for the death of only a limited number of Saul’s descendants was an astute move. The choice of Saul’s family as representatives of the nation would be seen as fair because Saul had been in charge when the original offense was committed. It was enough to make the Israelites feel satisfied that their own guilt was dealt with and thus that the famine was likely to end. However, it was not enough to rouse further animosity against the Gibeonites by Saulide dissidents. Furthermore ...

3313. Wars Against Philistines

2 Samuel 21:15-22

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... in chapter 23, deserved their reputation as great warriors. Questions have been raised about the description of Elhanan killing Goliath the Gittite. First Chronicles 20:5 speaks of Elhanan killing Lahmi the brother of Goliath. It is possible that 1 Chronicles was the original and that the text of 2 Samuel has lost a couple of words. It is also possible that Goliath had become a common name for this group of massive Gittites. Those who brought the different texts together were aware of the tradition that ...

3314. Introducing Job

Job 1:1-5

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... across national boundaries in the ancient Near East. Israel is aware of foreign wisdom (Gen. 41; Jer. 49:7; Dan. 1–2) and appreciates it (1 Kgs. 4:30; Ezek. 28:12). Although Job’s story and words are non-Israelite in origin, his experience and concerns are universal and so have appealed to those of many nationalities and faiths throughout the centuries. In the Wisdom literature of ancient Israel, this material speaks to Israel’s particular concerns—especially during the period of the exilic ...

3315. Job’s Reply to Zophar

Job 12:1--14:22

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... hen as “if,” and leave Job’s death as a potential, but as yet undecided, possibility. With yet will I hope in him we come to the most debated part of the verse. The various known Hebrew manuscripts offer competing versions of the original text. These alternatives are found in the consonantal text (called the ketiv, “what is written”) and in the marginal Masoretic notes (called the qere, “what is read”). The consonantal text presents the particle loʾ to negate the following verb (Heb. ykhl ...

3316. Eliphaz's Second Speech to Job

Job 15:1-35

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... weak” with the consequence that Job’s “eyes” have failed to perceive the truth about God, and he has thus been led into faulty thinking and anger. Human Corruption 15:14–16 Returning to the revelation of the essentially sinful nature of humans he originally described in 4:12–16, Eliphaz again seeks to persuade Job to put aside his angry quest and to accede to the consolations this view offers. The gist of Eliphaz’s argument is that humans are incapable of being completely pure (Heb. zkk, see ...

3317. Bildad's Second Speech to Job

Job 18:1-21

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... can also be signs of divine destruction and judgment. See, e.g., Gen. 19:24; Deut. 29:23; Ps. 11:6; Isa. 34:9; Luke 17:29; Rev. 9:17–18. The Heb. is more difficult than the translation indicates. Fire is supplied from an emendation of the original mibbeli lo, “from nothing of his.” This may mean nothing more than that nothing that belongs to the wicked is left in his completely destroyed tent. 18:20 The balance reference to men of the west and men of the east is intended as a merismus, indicating ...

3318. Eliphaz's Third Speech to Job

Job 22:1-30

Understanding Series

Gerald H. Wilson

... completely selfless allegiance to God is possible for humans. Eliphaz restates the question in its crassest, most materialistic terms: is Job willing to give up material wealth in order to gain the treasure of God’s very self? But this return to the original question—that Job effectively answered by faithfully enduring the tests in chapters 1 and 2—seems to miss the point of the continuing dialogue. Job has long since moved beyond the question of material wealth and is now seeking something at once ...

3319. Entering the Lord’s House

Psalm 5:1-12

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... over them. “Your protection” is supplied by the translators because the Hebrew text has no direct object for “spread.” It is odd for this verb to lack an object. It may be that the reference to the symbolism of temple worship was readily apparent to the original worshipers. The Hebrew verb skk is frequently used in connection with the cherubim, whose wings “cover” the ark of the covenant (Exod. 25:20; 37:9; 1 Kgs. 8:7; 1 Chron. 28:18; cf. Ezek. 28:14, 16). Psalm 91:4 illustrates how the symbol ...

3320. Delivering the Helpless from Social Oppression: Part I

Psalm 9:1-20

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

Originally Psalms 9 and 10 were one psalm. Psalm 10 has no superscription, which is unusual in Book I of the Psalter. Together these psalms form an acrostic, that is, an alphabetical psalm, and Psalm 10 picks up right where Psalm 9 leaves off (Ps. 9 closes with Hb. k, and ...

3321. The Lord on His Heavenly Throne

Psalm 11:1-7

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... heavenly throne.” The word order of verse 5 is somewhat uncertain. The Greek LXX and the Syriac Peshitta read, “The LORD examines the righteous and the wicked. . . .” The NIV follows the Hebrew Masoretic Text. If this reading was the original, it contains a surprise. In contrast to “the wicked,” whom his soul hates, we might expect to read, “the LORD loves the righteous.” Instead, the opposite of God’s “hating” someone is his “examining” someone. We usually consider examination as ...

3322. Jesus Begins to Preach

Matthew 4:12-17

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... and lived in Capernaum (probably Tell Hum on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee). Capernaum becomes the base for Jesus’ Galilean ministry. In chapter 9 Matthew refers to Capernaum as Jesus’ “own town” (v. 1). It was located in the district originally assigned to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this move to Capernaum Matthew sees the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy of Isaiah. In its Old Testament setting the promise of restoration under a new and messianic king (Isa. 9:1–7) follows ...

3323. The Calling of the First Disciples

Matthew 4:18-22

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... nine cities lined its shores and its waters were crowded with fishermen. Walking along the lake Jesus sees two brothers, Simon and Andrew, at work casting their net for fish. Simon (who was given the name “Peter” at Caesarea Philippi, 16:18) and Andrew were originally from the town of Bethsaida on the north side of the lake where the Jordan River enters (John 1:44). At this time, however, it appears that they were living in Capernaum (cf. Mark 1:29). Peter became a leader among the disciples and, along ...

3324. Jesus Heals the Sick

Matthew 4:23-25

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... synagogues, his fame spread rapidly throughout the gentile areas. His healing activity was by no means limited to the Jewish population. Matthew refers repeatedly (forty-nine times) to the crowds that attended the ministry of Jesus. Additional Notes 4:23 Synagogues: The origin of the synagogue as an institution in Judaism is somewhat obscure. It probably began some time after the dispersion of the Jewish people in 586 B.C. The synagogue served as a meeting place for community affairs, as a “house of ...

3325. Instruction for Temple Entry

Psalm 15:1-5

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... ) on your holy hill?” makes plain that the liturgist is inquiring not about taking up permanent residence as a priest or Levite but about making a pilgrimage (see on Ps. 61, esp. v. 4). The reference to Yahweh’s “tent” need not imply pre-temple origins for the psalm. This term continued to be used well after Solomon (see on 27:4–6). Its use here suits the notion of sojourning and echoes the ancient custom of the traveler who comes under the protection of the (divine) host, whose “tent” he has ...

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