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 3951 to 3975 of 4770 results

3951. Samuel Anoints Saul

1 Sam 9:1–10:8

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Saul shows up: “For I have seen the suffering of my people, because their outcry has come to me” (9:16 NRSV). Similar language is used in connection with God’s call to Moses in Exodus 2:23. The intertextual allusion suggests that the historian viewed the establishment of the monarchy on par with the choice of Israel’s greatest leader. When Saul meets Samuel, the prophet surprises him by announcing that the lost donkeys have been found and that “all the desire of Israel” is directed to Saul as ...

3952. David, Nabal, Abigail

1 Samuel 25:1-44

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... s implicit assessment of David contrasts sharply with her explicit assessment of her husband. Thus Nabal serves as a foil for David, whose wisdom is touted throughout the passage. David’s wisdom and mercy on Nabal in this episode epitomize, in the historian’s view, the differences between Saul, the first king, and David, the eventual second king. In the end Abigail admits her husband’s guilt but appeals to David’s mercy and good sense: taking revenge on members of his own tribe of Judah will tarnish ...

3953. Absalom's Death

2 Sam 18:1–19:8

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

As the battle draws near, David’s men are commanded as usual by his nephews Joab and Abishai (10:9–10), but this time a mercenary contingent is led by Ittai from Gath (18:1–8). David volunteers to go with them but is dissuaded in view of the fact that the enemy wants above all to see him dead. As the troops march out to battle, David urges them to be gentle with Absalom. Since David and his men are outnumbered they choose the rugged terrain of “the forest of Ephraim” as the battle site (18: ...

3954. Wise Options

1 Kings 3:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of sacrifices, and at the great high place of Gibeon—a spatial setting first introduced in Joshua 9—he 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 ...

3955. Solomon Builds the Temple

1 Kings 6:1-38

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... and Phoenician designs. Since Hiram’s workers are involved, this would not be overly surprising. The pivot point of this section comes in the form of an unmediated divine word, an interruption of sorts directly from God to Solomon (6:11–13). In my view, the chapter is built around this theological utterance, where God furnishes the king with a careful warning by means of an “if . . . then” equation. If the king does not walk with God, it is possible that God will abandon his people, and therefore ...

3956. Solomon's Activities

1 Kings 9:10-28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... was built with freewill offerings of God’s people; by contrast, the permanent temple in Jerusalem was procured through international trade and forced labor. Hiram’s “payoff” in the end is a number of villages in northern Israel; from the exilic point of view, land for gold is not a good investment. Real estate deals are beyond the king’s purview. In addition to partnership with Hiram, Solomon has also made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh, who proves to be a meddlesome father-in-law. The plethora ...

3957. Kings of Israel

1 Kings 15:33–16:28

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... of idolatry. Second, his dismissal begins with rumor, and when Omri (the commander of the military) is crowned, it appears for a moment that there are two kings in the north. Third, Zimri’s incendiary end is recorded from his own point of view (“when Zimri saw that the city was taken”), yielding a suicidal finish to the shortest reign in Israelite history. For more information on the conspiracy he wrought, we are referred to the northern annals, and primary attention turns to Omri. Although his reign ...

3958. Elijah and Obadiah

1 Kings 18:1-15

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... suspends royal chronology and replaces it with prophetic time. Noticeably, the next installment of the story begins in the “third year” of prophetic time (18:1), as God announces that he will send rain. The next segment of the chapter (18:2–15) is best viewed through the lens of Obadiah, a figure whose actions and words glance back to the previous chapter and set the stage for the conflict on Mount Carmel. Obadiah is a high-standing member of Ahab’s court, but the meaning of his name (“servant of ...

3959. Athaliah and Joash

2 Kings 11:1-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ,” this is a group who make no other appearance in the story. One theory links them with the Kerethites of 2 Samuel 8:18, a foreign militia group hired for royal security. Regardless, the Carites facilitate the end of Athaliah, and the view of many citizens seems to be that Athaliah is not a legitimate monarch (hence their “rejoicing” in 11:14). She is given no regnal formula, and her own words (“Treachery! Treachery!”; NIV “Treason! Treason!”) ironically rebound on her. Like Jezebel, Athaliah ...

3960. Dedicating the Temple – Yahweh’s Response to Solomon

2 Chron 7:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... same words that prompted the first filling of the temple in 5:13–14. Not only the Levites but also the people are caught up in the praise of Yahweh. The dedication festivities conclude with the sacrificial celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in 7:4–10. In view here is the dedication of both the temple (7:5) and the altar (7:9). Again David’s name is mentioned by the Chronicler (7:6, 10), reminding the reader of his role together with Solomon in the creation of the temple. Hamath lay in the most ...

3961. Hezekiah Purifies the Temple

2 Chron 29:1–31:1

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... in line with the priorities of David and Solomon when first the ark and then the temple were dedicated. With the temple purified and rededicated, the Chronicler then depicts in 30:1–31:1 Hezekiah’s renewal of the festal rhythms of Israel. In view are the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The condition of the temple inherited by Hezekiah from his father precludes celebration of these festivals at their legislated times (the fourteenth to the twenty-first days of the first month; Exod. 12:1–13:22 ...

3962. Contributions for Worship

2 Chron 31:2–32:23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... s reformation of worship practices. Hezekiah reflects the priorities of David’s innovations in worship, providing both the sacrificial and verbal dimensions of worship at the temple, with the former facilitated by the priests and the latter by the Levites. In view is a festal calendar that demands daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly events (31:3). Prompted by the personal example of their king, the people give beyond Hezekiah’s expectations. These many gifts demand careful attention to a system for the ...

3963. Prologue

Job 1:1-5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the Adversary, God speaks of Job as “my servant Job” (1:8; 2:3). When speaking to the three friends, God uses precisely the same phrase four times (42:7–9). (2) “A foolish woman” is Job’s indictment of his wife’s response (2:10); folly is in view in Job 42:8. (3) The banquetlike gathering in the epilogue (42:10–11) has the thread of similar feasting in the prologue (1:4–5). (4) Sympathy and comfort recur (2:11; 42:11). (5) The number of livestock is precisely doubled in the epilogue (1:3 ...

3964. Job's First Test

Job 1:6-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ? Have you not put a hedge around him?” Removing the protection would expose Job as no paragon of piety. God accepts the challenge. His role may be exonerated by pointing out that the Adversary is the true agent of Job’s destruction. Though true, the view is likely overly optimistic and guilty of hand-washing. God and the Adversary, at the end of the day, have joined hands and together will see Job ruined (see further comments below under 2:1–7a). 1:13–22 · The scene: Earth. Four reports describe ...

3965. Job's Second Test

Job 2:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... troublingly for the reader, one likely encounters God’s implicit admission that the Adversary was successful first in that he incited God to ruin Job and second in that it was “without any reason”; that is, it was gratuitous or undeserved. If correct, we view an increasingly darker underbelly to this book. Not only has God agreed to allow Job to suffer once “without any reason,” but he is about to agree to yet another round. The Adversary is quick with his next challenge, this one against Job’s ...

3966. Eliphaz

Job 4:1–5:27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... two. Assessments of him as the oldest and most urbane are typical. Many see Bildad and Zophar together as less courteous and less tactful than Eliphaz, and some make Zophar much less restrained than Bildad. Does each represent a particular point of view? Here things get a bit more muddled. Even those who argue for distinct perspectives argue them primarily from the first cycle. Whatever may be true from the first round of speeches becomes increasingly cluttered in the second and third rounds. With this ...

3967. Bildad's Second Speech to Job

Job 18:1-21

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... the wicked. Sulfur, of course, renders land infertile (cf. Deut. 29:23), the case here with roots and branches withering. The wicked are obliterated from the earth, banished to darkness, with complete extinction. 18:20–21 · Bildad steps back and views the scene through the eyes of the global observer. The geographical merismus of “west” and “east” expresses the totality of human existence, much as “heaven and earth” express totality of everything known. The words of Bildad’s summary (18:21 ...

3968. Job's Reply to Zophar

Job 12:1--14:22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... God (13:20–14:22). Job is sharply sarcastic toward his friends as he opens his mouth (12:2–13:19). Oh, yes, they understand everything! But Job is no dolt. He knows no less than others. He seems to recognize that, from others’ point of view, his situation has turned him into a laughingstock. Contempt quickly replaces respect among those who witness the fall of a respected person (12:5). Job further digs at his friends’ notion that they know more than he (12:7–10). In parody Job parrots their style ...

3969. Job's Second Reply to Eliphaz

Job 16:1-17:16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... has little life yet to live, and once dead he will never again have an opportunity to face God (16:22–17:16). In these verses Job expresses the one thing about which he is certain—his death. His words convey hopelessness mixed with criticism for his friends and the view they express.

3970. Job's Second Reply to Bildad

Job 19:1-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... has led to notions of Christ as Redeemer. The NIV’s capitalized spelling of “Redeemer” reflects that line of thinking and plays no small role in perpetuating it. Christian interpretation, further, has found here “proof” for bodily resurrection. But there is another way to view these verses. Job has become increasingly frustrated that he has no access to defend his case before God, a theme heard in his last speech (16:18–17:16). There as well, Job has teased out the notion of a witness in heaven ...

3971. Job's Third Reply to Bildad

Job 26:1--31:40

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... covers the “full moon” or his “throne.” The Masoretic Text reads “throne” (Hebrew kisseh), but many suggest, including the NIV, reading “full moon” (Hebrew keseh). Given the underlying concept of Zaphon, Bildad is here saying that God shuts off from view his throne, spreading his clouds over it (so NJPS). God’s base of operation, as it were, is hidden from humanity. The cosmological understanding behind Job 26:10–11 is opaque. The clearest concept is the “pillars of heaven” (26:11 ...

3972. The Lord Speaks

Job 38:1--41:34

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

38:1–41:34; 40:3–5; 42:1–6 Review · God’s Speeches with Job’s Responses:The polyphony in the words and ideas that have cut across the respective characters’ monologic points of view grinds nearly to a halt with God’s thunderous voice. Job finally gets to stand before God. The wish is granted. But, teasingly, this will be no dialogic interchange. This is monologue. God has a different set of values, other premises than those held by Job. God’s barrage of ...

3973. Psalm 62

Psalm 62:1-12

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The near repetition of 62:1–2 in 62:5–6 conveys David’s ability to remain confident despite experiencing danger (62:3–4) and provides the foundation for his charge to God’s people to rely on him as their powerful protector (62:7–8). David concludes (62:9–12) by reinforcing his already-stated views: the world system, being transitory, cannot be relied on; it is God alone, being powerful and loving, who can and must be relied on.

3974. Wisdom is Supreme

Proverbs 4:1-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... motif within the wisdom tradition and is found throughout the Old Testament and New Testament (e.g., Prov. 12:26, 28; Ps. 1:6; 119:29–30; Jer. 6:16; 21:8; Matt. 7:13–14; 2 Pet. 2:15). In a culture in which this-worldly prosperity was often viewed as a sign of divine blessing and an early death as a divine curse, no greater motivation could be given to a youthful audience than the promise of a long, good life marked by steady progress rather than stumbling (4:10–12; cf. 3:6). Verses 16–17 explain why ...

3975. Warnings Against Folly

Proverbs 6:1-19

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , indicating the totality of one’s involvement in mischief (6:17–18). The final two vices (6:19) diverge stylistically, perhaps involving actions that depend on the preceding five. Since the order here is climactic, attacking the integrity of the family or clan unit (through instigating disputes, 6:19b) is viewed as more heinous than perverting the legal system (through false witness, 6:19a; cf. 12:17; 14:5, 25; 19:5, 9; 21:28; 25:18).

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