Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: touch, feel, sense of touch, tactile sense, tactility, contact, using one's hands, sensation, sense, suspicion, sneaking suspicion, notion, inkling, hunch, fancy, apprehension, presentiment, premonition, foreboding, love, care, affection, fondness, tenderness, warmth, warmness, emotion, sentiment, emotional state, compassion, sympathy, empathy, fellow feeling, understanding, concern, solicitude, solicitousness, tender-heartedness, brotherly love, sensibilities, sensitivities, self-esteem, ego, pride, opinion, belief, view, impression, intuition, instinct, estimation, guess, theory, hypothesis, thought, way of thinking, point of view, atmosphere, ambience, aura, air, mood, climate, character, overtone, undertone, tenor, spirit, quality, flavour, colour, aptitude, knack, flair, bent, talent, gift, skill, art, trick, faculty, ability, propensity, inclination, sensitive, warm, warm-hearted, tender, tender-hearted, caring, soft-hearted, sympathetic, compassionate, empathetic, responsive, receptive, intuitive, thoughtful

Antonyms: bad feeling, acrimony, animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, aversion, bitterness, detestation, disgust, dislike, disrelish, enmity, friction, grievances, grudges, hatred, hostility, loathing, malevolence, malice

Showing 3701 to 3725 of 4963 results

3701. Organization of Sanctuary Personnel

Num 3:1–4:49

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... for taking care of the Lord’s sanctuary (Num. 1:47–53; 2:33). Nonpriestly Levites are to serve as assistants to the priests. In addition to the regular care and guarding of the sanctuary and its contents, the Levites are responsible for packing up, transporting, and reassembling the tabernacle when the Israelites journey from one place to another. The Levites belonging to the three subdivisions of their tribe are counted in two censuses. The first reports 22,000 Levite males at least a month old ...

3702. Hebron Given to Caleb

Joshua 14:6-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Moses be honored. To make his case, Caleb first summarizes events that took place some forty-five years ago, when he was sent out as one of the spies (14:6–9; cf. Num. 13:1–14:38). He especially highlights the contrast between his response and the response of the other spies, and he recounts the Lord’s subsequent promise to give him the portion of land that he personally walked through as he spied out the land (Num. 14:24; Deut. 1:34–36). Then, testifying to the Lord’s faithfulness in keeping ...

3703. Deborah and Barak

Judges 4:1-24

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to betray a lack of faith. This is especially so since, in the Ehud narrative, the similar prospect of the Lord giving the enemy into Israel’s hands (3:28) is sufficient to prompt immediate participation from the people. No wonder, then, that Barak’s response is met with the Lord’s disapproval, such that the honor of capturing and killing Sisera will now go to a woman. After recounting the gathering of troops on both sides and Deborah’s rallying cry (4:10–14), the author briefly reports the battle ...

3704. Gideon

Judges 6:1-40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... contend with him” (i.e., Gideon). As enemies from the east cross the Jordan and camp at the Valley of Jezreel, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon Gideon, prompting him to summon the necessary troops in preparation for battle (6:33–35). Positive responses come from three northern tribes—Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali—as well as Gideon’s tribe, Manasseh. But at this point, instead of moving forward boldly, Gideon again manifests a lack of faith. Even though he is aware that the Lord has promised to ...

3705. A Levite and His Concubine

Judges 19:1-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... abused all night until morning. When the Levite gets up the next morning to go on his way, he finds her lying at the doorway. In a show of unbelievable callousness, he simply tells her to get up so that they can be on their way. Receiving no response from her and probably discovering then that she is dead, he loads her up on his donkey, takes her corpse home, and cuts her into twelve pieces, sending them to the twelve tribes of Israel presumably to demand retribution. The receipt of cut-up human body parts ...

3706. Israelites Fight the Benjamites

Judges 20:1-48

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and his subsequent sending of the Israelites out twice to be defeated are expressions of his displeasure over their presumption and maliciousness toward a brother within the covenant community. And this is not entirely lost on Israel either, judging by their response. For after the first defeat, when Israel makes a second inquiry of the Lord, instead of referring to their opponents simply as “the Benjamites” (cf. 20:18), they now add “our fellow Israelites” (20:23). The question also changes to one ...

3707. Wise Options

1 Kings 3:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... offers a vast amount. The dream at Gibeon, where God appears and invites Solomon to ask for anything he wants, has often been viewed positively by past interpreters. Indeed, Solomon’s response is effusive and correct: he asks for, literally, a “listening heart,” which could also be translated “obedient heart.” God’s response (3:10–15) is equally long, and on the surface, it looks like a commendation for Solomon’s choosing wisdom over riches, long life, or the death of his enemies (although ...

3708. Naboth's

1 Kings 21:1-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the law?—but when he is met by Jezebel (21:5–7) we immediately realize that she is not beholden to Israelite law in the same way. Her reaction to the situation again shows her malevolence, but it is unclear whether Ahab expected this kind of response and that his Sidonian wife would concoct a scheme. Regardless, Jezebel’s plan of writing deadly letters (21:8–16) evokes poignant memories of David’s dispatching of Uriah back in 2 Samuel 11. This time, however, it is the queen who writes in the king ...

3709. The Book of Law Found

2 Kings 22:1-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... energy has been expended on identifying the contents of this book, but most agree that Deuteronomy must form a significant portion of this scroll that is read aloud before the king. Josiah’s response (22:11–13) confirms as much: his actions (garment tearing) and his words (calling for a prophet) parallel the response of Hezekiah to the fearful oratory of the Assyrian field commander. Josiah understands these words to have a similar kind of present-tense reality, and a similar threat. By calling for a ...

3710. The Census

1 Chronicles 21:1-22:1

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 21:15–27 that this event takes on even greater significance. As the death angel is about to strike Jerusalem, David cries out for God’s mercy, admitting his culpability again and asking God to strike him and his family rather than the people. In response Yahweh demands that David build an altar and sacrifice offerings to avert judgment. The site for this altar belongs to a man named Araunah, a Jebusite, one of the pre-Davidic inhabitants of Jerusalem. The final section of chapter 21, 21:28–22:1, makes ...

3711. The Gatekeepers

1 Chronicles 26:1-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... selection process and vocational function in verses 12–19. The selection process here echoes that of earlier Levitical and priestly appointments in chapters 24–25 (sacred lot), and the gatekeepers’ responsibility was to protect the gateways into the temple precincts. According to 1 Chronicles 9:23, 27, this responsibility entailed guarding the entrance, patrolling at night, and opening the gates in the morning. Not surprisingly, the total number of gatekeepers adds up to twenty-four, but this time the ...

3712. The Treasures and Other Officials

1 Chronicles 26:20-32

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... according to 26:29–32. These administrators, drawn from the Levitical clan of Kohath, were not directly related to worship activities on the temple mount, functioning instead as “officers and judges” throughout the land (see Deut. 16:18–20) with responsibility for both “secular” and “sacred” matters (see 26:30, 32; cf. 2 Chron. 19:5–11). The list of these Levitical administrators functions as a segue to lists of other Davidic personnel not directly associated with the sacred duties at ...

3713. Commissioning Solomon

1 Chronicles 28:1-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... in 22:7–16. The majority of the speech (28:2–7a) focuses on the privileges enjoyed by Solomon, with greater emphasis placed in this speech on Yahweh’s choice of Solomon (28:5–6; cf. 28:10; 29:1). Verse 7b introduces the incredible responsibility laid on Solomon to carry out and follow God’s commands. Before turning to Solomon in verses 9–10, however, in verse 8 David first charges the leaders of Israel to fulfill the same demands imposed on Solomon, fulfillment of which will ensure the enduring ...

3714. The Reign of Asa

2 Chron 14:2-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... after the death of his father Abijah in 14:1–2. Asa’s reign is divided into three basic phases, with an early phase of preliminary religious fidelity rewarded by military success (chap. 14), a middle phase of heightened religious renewal in response to the prophetic word (chap. 15), and a later phase of infidelity through foreign alliance and plundering of the Jerusalem temple that leads to prophetic attack and decline (chap. 16). Second Chronicles 14:3–8 depicts Asa’s early religious reforms (see ...

3715. Micaiah Prophecies Against Ahab

2 Chron 18:1–19:3

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ; see 1 Kings 18:19), Jehoshaphat demands a prophet of Yahweh. Ahab reluctantly produces Micaiah son of Imlah, who has consistently spoken negatively of Ahab. Ahab knows something is amiss when Micaiah encourages him to enter battle, promising victory. In response to Ahab’s demand for the truth, Micaiah explains his experience in the divine council of Yahweh, a scene strikingly reminiscent of the prophetic commissioning scene in Isaiah 6. Prophets are the only human participants who are allowed into the ...

3716. The Agreement of the People

Nehemiah 9:38--10:39

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... God’s will for his people in all times. The Sabbath teaches us the importance of setting apart one day out of seven for worship and service to God. The sabbatical year indicates social principles for a healthy society: equality, justice, responsibility to the needy, and responsibility to the environment. The chapter teaches us to submit to the authority of God’s Word, to recognize the holiness of the Christian community, and to take seriously our commitment to Christ (cf. Rom. 12:1–2). It teaches us ...

3717. Bildad

Job 8:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... –10) affirms the principle of retribution. The death of Job’s children illustrates the point (Job 3–4), as do plants that wither without water (8:11–15) or are torn out by the roots (8:16–19). 8:1–7 · Job’s words in response to Eliphaz counter a long-standing “rule”: suffering is punishment. To Bildad, Job is a “blustering wind.” Bildad likely is not being sarcastic but is acknowledging the destructive force of Job’s howling words. There is order, a God-ordained order, by which life ...

3718. The Lord Speaks

Job 38:1--41:34

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of whether God’s speeches engage Job’s arguments, and if so, how. Has God really answered? If he has answered, has he answered in full or suitably? Job is certainly, in a sense, left speechless. Is that because he has heard a satisfying response or because he has been crushed into silence? 38:1–38: God · God appears out of the storm to confront Job. God will be doing the talking now, the accumulative effect of which is overwhelming. The rhetorical “Who?” “Where?” “Have you?” “If you ...

3719. Epilogue

Job 42:7-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... NIV’s “what is right,” a term that denotes “correct.” How does one mesh God’s praise that Job has spoken “what is right” with his earlier rebuke that Job has spoken “words without knowledge” (38:2), which Job acknowledges later in his response to God (42:3)? One scholar, in fact, is compelled to say that in “Job’s speeches can be found examples of some of the most anti-Yahwist sentiments of which we have any record in literature (9:15ff.) . . . [filled with] . . . audacity, defiance ...

3720. Psalm 28

Psalm 28:1-9

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... God not to treat him as he treats the wicked (27:12; 28:3), and an appeal to God not to desert him (27:9; 28:1). David fears God’s silence. He needs God’s positive response for help; otherwise he would be like those who have died (28:1–2). Likewise, he fears experiencing God’s negative response of judgment—like that deserved by God’s enemies. They need God’s judgment; he needs God’s mercy (28:2–5). David, however, realizes that God does deal with him in mercy, as his protector, deliverer ...

3721. Further Benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs 3:1-35

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... The fifth negative imperative, in 3:31, warns against envying a violent person, presumably because no punishment for such actions is apparent, leading one to copy those ways. Verses 32–34 give the rationale for this prohibition by noting God’s response. Above all, such people are detestable to the Lord (3:32). This is the first of twenty-one occurrences of the word toebah in Proverbs (here, what the Lord “detests”; translated as “abomination” in the KJV), which designates morally or cultically ...

3722. The King and the Maiden Banter

Song of Songs 1:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... countryside against her will). Those who espouse a three-character Song recognize 1:9–2:2 as a dialogue between the king and the maiden but understand her speeches as projections directed to the shepherd lover she has left behind and not as direct responses to Solomon’s flattery. 1:2–4 · In the anxiety and confusion of her separation from her home in the northern hill country and her shepherd lover, the maiden recalls the tenderness of his affection and the pleasure she experienced when kissing him ...

3723. How Beautiful are You

Song of Songs 4:1-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , alluring him to deliver her from the confines of the royal harem. Interestingly enough, this very sequence of events constitutes the maiden’s second night-search fantasy (5:2–8). She can only invent the absent shepherd lover’s ideal response to her invitation.The harem women may be speaking in 5:1c, applauding the lovers’ faithfulness and encouraging their continued enjoyment of the pleasures of lovemaking. The “friends” may also be guests and companions of the lovers (perhaps at a wedding ...

3724. Where has Your Lover Gone

Song of Songs 6:1-13

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and worthy of such loyal devotion, the harem women accept the maiden’s charge (6:1). They too will join the quest for the absent lover, if she can only provide some clue as to his whereabouts so they might commence searching.The maiden’s enigmatic response (6:2–3) almost defies explanation. Is she speaking literally of his vineyard or of a secluded garden haunt the lover frequented? If she is, she should go there and seek him out instead of combing the city streets and enlisting the help of the harem ...

3725. If Only You Were To Me A Brother

Song of Songs 8:1-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to the wedding feast. If the latter, he beckons the maiden for a song confirming her desire for him and commitment to a life of love even rivers cannot wash away (8:7). The maiden’s response (perhaps part of a nuptial song) is immediate and complete (8:14). Her invitation to love, oft repeated, will finally, joyously be realized. The maiden will pour out her love long stored, and the lovers will eat, drink, feast, and linger over love’s delicacies. Love will not be aroused ...

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