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Showing 4476 to 4500 of 4914 results

4476. Peter’s Miraculous Escape from Prison

Acts 12:1-19a

Understanding Series

David J. Williams

This chapter illustrates both the suffering entailed in the service of Christ (12:1–19) and God’s judgment on those who inflict it (12:20–25). It also exemplifies the power of prayer. However, not for these reasons chiefly has Luke told the story of Peter’s rescue from prison, but for its own intrinsic interest and for the explanation it gives of Peter’s disappearance from the narrative after dominating the first half of the book. This has probably determined the placing of this material here and not ...

4477. Rahab and the Spies

Joshua 2:1-24

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Spies and Rahab the Prostitute: Military history illustrates the importance of spies for gathering intelligence prior to battles, and army doctrine states that victory requires thorough reconnaissance. In the United States, General George Armstrong Custer shunned reconnaissance and lost his life and the lives of many troops at the battle of Little Big Horn. The Bible gives a mixed picture of the importance of spies for warfare. In the wilderness of Sinai, Moses sent spies to gather intelligence on Canaan, ...

4478. Northern Kings Defeated

Joshua 11:1-23

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Report on Northern Victories: 11:1–5 Joshua 11 begins as Joshua 10 did (10:1). When Jabin king of Hazor hears of the destruction of Jericho, Ai, and the coalition of the five kings, he sends word to other kings (cf. 10:3–4) in the region to make war on Joshua and Israel. As the king of Jerusalem rallied the kings of the south, so Jabin calls out the northern coalition forces. They respond with their might: They come out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as ...

4479. Samson and Delilah

Judges 16:1-22

Understanding Series

Cheryl A. Brown

Samson’s Downfall and Death: Few stories in the Hebrew Bible have more recognition factor than the story of Samson and Delilah. It is a gripping, poignant drama brought to life by a gifted artist who has skillfully combined plot and characterization to present a classic story whose elements, if not the whole, have been told and retold in many cultures through all varieties of media, whether story, song, art, or film. But as we turn to this famous story, we must remember that it is part of a whole and thus ...

4480. Ruth Meets Boaz

Ruth 2:1-23

Understanding Series

Michael S. Moore

Naomi’s Reality: 2:1 Now Naomi had a relative on her husband’s side, from the clan of Elimelech, a man of standing, whose name was Boaz. Jewish tradition is full of fables about Boaz. The Talmud identifies him as the minor judge Ibzan (Judg. 12:8) and reveres him as a patriarchal figure on the level of a Kirta or a Danil in Canaanite myth (b. B. Bat. 91a). According to the Talmud, he becomes a widower on the very day Ruth arrives in Israel and is rich enough to throw lavish wedding parties for every one of ...

4481. Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem

Nehemiah 2:1-10

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

The Assignment of the Mission: 2:1–3 For some reason, Nehemiah had to wait four months after receiving the bad news about Jerusalem, before his chance came to present his case to the king. Verse 1 describes the procedure for serving the wine: servants brought it into the royal presence and Nehemiah poured it, probably after sampling it to check for poison. Evidently he had hidden his grief while on duty, but this time it showed—perhaps on purpose—and attracted the king’s attention. His concerned question ...

4482. Rend Your Heart

Joel 2:12-17

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

“But Even Now” (2:12-14): 2:12–14 This is one passage in Joel where it is absolutely necessary that we understand what the original Hebrew says, because the NIV translation has missed the force of the opening words. Verse 12 begins with “But even now,” the “but” being translated from what is known as a waw adversative, and it is that “but” that is all important. If God had not said “but” in human history, the human race would be lost. That lostness is pictured for us in the primeval hamartiology (doctrine ...

4483. Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

John 13:1-17, John 13:18-30

Understanding Series

J. Ramsey Michaels

The new division in John’s Gospel is marked by a long, loosely connected, almost breathless comment by the narrator (vv. 1–3) in which he tries to gather up the themes of chapters 1–12 and 13–17 alike and use them as his stage setting. The first element in this setting has to do with time and circumstances: The notice that it was just before the Passover Feast (v. 1a) brings the temporal notices of 11:55 (“it was almost time”), 12:1 (“six days before”), and 12:12 (“the next day”) up to date. The further ...

4484. Let Us Love One Another

2 John 1:1-13

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

Salutation Second John begins with a greeting or salutation similar in form to other NT letters. The writer and recipients are identified, followed by a wish for God’s blessing. But this introduction also contains material that fits the writer’s and readers’ specific situation and recalls the controversy in which all three letters of John are set. The Elder quickly reveals the two main concerns which are on his mind, and they correspond to the two principal themes of the letters of John as a whole: truth ...

4485. Joy at Believers’ Walking in the Truth

3 John 1:1-14

Understanding Series

Thomas F. Johnson

Salutation and Good Wishes Third John is the shortest letter in the NT. The opening passage of 3 John identifies the writer and the reader, and includes, as was common in ancient personal letters, a health wish. Unlike 2 John, in which “the chosen lady and her children,” a local congregation, are addressed, 3 John was written to an individual. Third John 1, with its mention of love and truth, closely parallels 2 John 1, but the health wish (3 John 2) appears in place of the more traditional Christian ...

4486. Abram in Egypt

Genesis 12:10-20

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abram’s Perilous Encounter in Egypt: On reaching the southern region of the land of promise, Abram faces two dangers that cast a heavy shadow over the promises God has made. A severe famine strikes Canaan, causing Abram to leave the land of promise for Egypt. Then, in Egypt Sarai is taken to Pharaoh’s harem. Only God’s intervention delivers Abram and Sarai from Pharaoh’s power so that they may return to Canaan together. 12:10–13 Up to this point Abram had journeyed from Haran through Canaan apparently ...

4487. Abram Rescues Lot

Genesis 14:1-24

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Abram Rescues Lot from Captivity: This episode reveals Abram as a strong military commander. Employing shrewd battle tactics, Abram defeats a coalition of four kings from the East who have taken his nephew Lot captive. On his triumphant return Melchizedek, priest-king of Salem, comes out to meet him and blesses him. Abram in turn gives him a tithe of the spoil. This episode describes Kedorlaomer’s campaign against the cities around the Dead Sea (vv. 1–12), Abram’s defeat of these marauding troops (vv. 13– ...

4488. Isaac and Abimelech

Genesis 26:1-35

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

Isaac Settles in the Negev: Genesis preserves only a few of the traditions about Isaac. The episodes in which Isaac is the main actor cluster primarily in this chapter, which opens by identifying him as the true heir of the promises to Abraham (vv. 3–5). These accounts picture Isaac as following in the footsteps of Abraham. Both face famine in the land (26:1–6 // 12:10); during the famine both go to live in a foreign setting and identify their wives as sisters for self-protection (26:7–11 // 12:10–20); ...

4489. The Appointment of Leaders

Deuteronomy 1:9-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

Structures for Growth: The recollection of this particular event out of all the memories of the wilderness period is a key to one of the book’s main purposes, which was to provide Israel with a social, political, moral, and spiritual charter (cf. McBride, “Polity”). Here, and in greater detail in 16:18–18:22, the people are provided with different levels and structures of leadership. Those leaders are then given their primary responsibilities. Deuteronomy thus outlines a theology and an ethos of leadership ...

4490. Transition to Jesus’ Public Ministry

Matthew 4:12-17

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

Big Idea: Anticipating Jesus’ public Galilean ministry, Matthew affirms Jesus as the bringer of restoration to Israel in line with Isaiah’s hopes and intimates the inclusion of Gentiles. Understanding the Text This passage (4:12–16) transitions between Matthew’s introduction of Jesus’ identity (1:1–4:11) and Jesus’ Galilean ministry to Israel (4:17–16:20). In it, Matthew connects an Isaiah prophecy to Jesus’ relocation from Nazareth to Capernaum. Jesus’ mission to bring restoration to Israel is implicit in ...

4491. The Gentiles Are Included in God’s Provision

Mark 8:1-13

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: Jesus’s ministry in Gentile lands continues with a second feeding miracle that shows the inclusion of the Gentiles in Jesus’s messianic ministry of provision. In contrast, the confrontation and rejection by the Jewish leaders intensifies, leading to Jesus’s christological destiny in Jerusalem. Understanding the Text This is part of the longer section 6:31–8:21 described earlier (see “The Text in Context” on 6:31–44), dealing with “failure-faith-failure.” Here, as in 6:31–7:23, a feeding miracle ( ...

4492. Realizing the True Nature of Jesus the Christ

Mark 8:27-30

Teach the Text

Grant R. Osborne

Big Idea: The central themes of this passage and the next are Christology (8:27–33) and discipleship (8:34–9:1). This passage picks up the Christology of 1:1 and the truth of Jesus as the Messiah and then defines his messianic work in terms of the Suffering Servant. Understanding the Text We are at the turning point (called the “watershed” by many) in Mark’s Gospel. The first part (8:27–30) sums up the first half of the Gospel and addresses the identity of Jesus. The second part (8:31–33) sets the scene ...

4493. The Commissioning of the Disciples

Luke 24:50-53, Luke 24:36-49

Teach the Text

R.T. France

Big Idea: The risen Jesus meets with his disciples and commissions them as witnesses of his life, death, and resurrection. Then he leaves them and ascends to heaven. Understanding the Text This passage not only brings Luke’s Gospel narrative, and especially its developing resurrection motif, to a triumphant conclusion, but also prepares for the taking up of the story in Luke’s second volume, Acts. The summary of the gospel message in 24:46–48, the cryptic promise of “power from on high” in 24:49, Jesus’s ...

4494. Message to Laodicea

Revelation 3:14-22

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: Jesus rebukes his church for its pathetic self-sufficiency and exhorts them to repent and open their hearts to him for restored fellowship and a share in his victory and authority. Understanding the Text The message to the church in Laodicea is the seventh (and final) in a series of messages to the seven churches in Revelation 2–3. Influenced by the local culture, the church considers itself wealthy and self-sufficient, but Jesus’s assessment differs markedly. He repeatedly utilizes images from ...

4495. The Final Judgment

Revelation 20:11-15

Teach the Text

J. Scott Duvall

Big Idea: The unrepentant will face God’s just judgment and will suffer eternal death as a result. Understanding the Text The wicked are judged at the return of Christ (19:21: “the rest were killed”) and are denied resurrection at the beginning of the millennium (20:4–6; a second “resurrection” is deliberately never mentioned). Following the millennium, the wicked are pulled back from the realm of the dead when Satan is also released from his prison (20:8–9). They are duped once again into following the ...

4496. “O Absalom, My Son, My Son!”

2 Sam 18:1–19:8

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

Big Idea: The Lord’s discipline, once decreed, is inescapable and just; it often brings great sorrow in its wake. Understanding the Text As the previous episode came to an end, David was in serious danger. But the preceding episode made it clear that David was not alone and that the Lord, while using Absalom as an instrument in his discipline of David, is going to bring about Absalom’s defeat (17:14). This episode tells how that happens. The Lord halts Absalom’s coup in its tracks, but in the process David ...

4497. Serendipity

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

My wife is a clown! Wait now—let me explain that. I mean that literally, not figuratively. I don’t mean she’s a clown in terms of being a cutup, an always-clowning-around type of person. I mean she is literally a clown, and she has been involved for about ten years in a clown ministry. Her name is “Serendipity,” given to her by a longtime preacher friend. One thing that name means is “unexpected” and “unsuspected.” The fellow suggested the name because God’s grace comes at unexpected times from unexpected ...

4498. Widows and Their Worries: Back to Bethlehem

Ruth 1:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Setting: Famine and Family Tragedy (1:1–5) · The grim opening of this story grips the reader on three counts. First, it is neither a prosperous nor a fruitful time in the nation’s life (1:1). Second, and not unrelated, the people of Israel face famine (1:1). The fact that a famine prevails in Bethlehem, in Judah’s “house of bread,” together with the religious crisis dominating the landscape indicates an unpleasant visitation by the Lord on the land. The Lord promised famine as one among many of his acts of ...

4499. Lamenting the Death of the Nation

Amos 5:1-17

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

Having made very limited progress in persuading the Israelites to transform their lives, Amos begins to wail as he laments the death of the nation. Although it seems to most Israelites that Israel has a strong army and economy, God realizes that the nation is as good as dead because he knows what the future holds. Amos laments that the virgin Israel, a young nation in the prime of her life, is soon to be a fallen, deserted virgin that no one will help. He laments that her armies will go out strong but come ...

4500. Fourth Vision - Joshua Cleansed

Zechariah 3:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The first three visions had to do with God’s program regarding the establishment of Jerusalem as the center of God’s glory on earth. It will be filled to overflowing with a people living in the peace and security of God’s presence. Gentile dominion and oppression will have been removed. This is God’s work on behalf of his people. In the next two visions (the c units) the focus is on God’s ministry within the people themselves. In this vision he cleanses them, making them fit to enter his presence; in the ...

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