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Showing 1476 to 1500 of 4943 results

1476. The Plague of Flies

Exodus 8:20-32

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... . He was not, however, ready to let them go to perform the fuller worship and service to Yahweh. He insisted you must not go very far. The pharaoh’s controlling expression “I will let you go” is, more emphatically, “I myself will allow you to go.” Moses continued to find his way within God’s direction and the resistant concessions of the king. If he could get the people out of Egypt, he trusted that Yahweh would see to the rest. He agreed to pray for the removal of the flies, careful to name the ...

1477. The Plague of Darkness

Exodus 10:1-20

Understanding Series

James K. Bruckner

... of bodies of water in that region. God drove the locusts into this sea so that “Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt.” 10:21–29 Thick darkness covered Egypt for three days. In presenting the ninth plague in abbreviated form, the text continues a pattern—shortening the accounts of the third plague in each of the cycles of three (gnats [third] and boils [sixth]). It begins without warning. Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt. As the Lord said, it was ...

1478. Ministers of Baal Killed

2 Kings 10:18-36

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... him taking decisive action against the worship of Baal (10:18–28), for it is towards final victory over Baal-worship that 1 Kings 19:15–18 points in naming Jehu (along with Hazael; cf. 2 Kgs. 10:32–33) as the LORD’s instrument of judgment. What continues to puzzle, however, is the way the Judean royal family keeps being drawn into these events: first Ahaziah, and now his relatives (10:12–14). This we were not forewarned about. Is the house of David to suffer the same fate as the house of Ahab? 10 ...

1479. Israel Exiled because of Sin

2 Kings 17:7-23

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... Are plunderers (Hb. šōsîm, v. 20) to be given free reign throughout the land, with no savior to bring rescue as of old (Judg. 2:11–16)? 17:24–41 We shall have to wait for an answer to this last question. For the moment the narrative continues with its main concern—the fate of the north. The Israelites have been exiled; however, the land of Israel was not left empty. The king of Assyria settled various other peoples there, from places both close at hand (e.g., Hamath; cf. 2 Kgs. 14:28) and further ...

1480. Samaria Resettled

2 Kings 17:24-41

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

1481. Descendants of Hagar

1 Chronicles 1:29-31

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... 1 Chron. 1:32), and that “he sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.” 1:34 After having established in the previous subsections that the descendants of neither Ishmael nor Keturah were the focal point, the genealogy can now continue from Abraham to Isaac and through him to his two sons Esau and Israel. The verb form (“he fathered”—in the NIV was the father of) emphasizes that the line runs from Abraham to Isaac, and not through Ishmael and Keturah. The Chronicler uses “Israel ...

1482. Descendants of Keturah

1 Chronicles 1:32-33

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

1483. The Sons of David

1 Chronicles 3:1-9

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... a practice still found in some traditional African cultures). In this case, a play of Hebrew consonants relates the name to a painful birth (the name is formed from the Hebrew root ʿabats, while the noun ʿatsab refers to pain). The little narrative immediately continues with a prayer of Jabez addressed to “the God of Israel.” He asks that God will indeed bless him (1) by enlarging his territory; (2) by letting his (God’s) hand be with him; and (3) by keeping him from harm. He specifically petitions ...

1484. Hezekiah Celebrates the Passover

2 Chronicles 30:1--31:1

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... ) God—even if they were not ritually clean according to the rules of the sanctuary. It is then stated that the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people (30:20). The feast initially lasted seven days (30:21), but it was then decided to continue for seven more days (30:23). This is in line with the later development in Judaism to celebrate the joint Passover and Unleavened Bread festival for a total of fourteen days. What characterized these celebrations was joy. The Chronicler uses every opportunity to ...

1485. The Death of Josiah

2 Chronicles 35:20--36:1

Understanding Series

Louis C. Jonker

... of the postexilic cult, namely, the temple in Jerusalem and the proper celebration of the Passover. The postexilic phase saw the formation of a well-organized cultic community, something that is traced back to Josiah’s time in this narrative. The Chronicler’s account continues by reporting in 35:21 (without parallel in Kings) on a message that was sent by Neco to Josiah, who came against him. The message is quoted in Neco’s direct speech: What quarrel is there between you and me, O king of Judah ...

1486. Later Opposition Under Xerxes and Artaxerxes

Ezra 4:6-24

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... accords with the following eastern areas. 4:10 These deportations are not otherwise known, but Ashurbanipal’s conquest of Babylon and Elam and destruction of Susa make them feasible, while his deportation of a group to Egypt shows that he continued Assyrian imperial practice (J. M. Myers, Ezra, Nehemiah [AB 14; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1965], p. 33). City: The ancient versions rightly took the Aramaic qiraʾ as plural, “cities” (NRSV; Rosenthal, Biblical Aramaic, p. 35), so that Samaria refers ...

1487. King Artaxerxes' Letter to Ezra

Ezra 7:11-28

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... . The descending genealogy preserved in Chronicles is here turned into an ascending one so as to focus on ancestry rather than descent. In its present form it is even more selective than the prototype, skipping six names in the middle. Whereas 1 Chronicles 6:14 continues the listing to Jehozadak, the exiled son of the last high priest before the exile, this list begins with his father Seraiah. We recall from Ezra 3:2, 8; 5:2 that Jehozadak was the father of Jeshua, the first high priest after the exile ...

1488. Priests and Levites

Nehemiah 12:1-26

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... the days of Joiakim as high priest. It takes its cue from the major list that began in verse 13, rather than from the dating of verse 23. History had moved on since the time of Jeshua (v. 1), but still temple ministry faithfully continued. This statement expresses the purpose of this supplementary section: to try to give information about temple personnel in Nehemiah’s period and to categorize their ministry as ongoing. It loosely equates the period of Joiakim with that of Nehemiah and also of Ezra. The ...

1489. Woes and Judgments

Isaiah 5:8-30

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... and Demonstrated: In length and theme chapter 5 pairs with chapter 1 and closes a bracket around 2:2–4:6. Chapter 5 comprises a mock love song; a series of woes that will be completed in 10:1–4; and a warning about Yahweh’s outstretched hand that will continue in chapter 9. In contrast to 1:1–2:1 and 2:2–4:6, no positive note is struck at the beginning or the end. Chapters 1–5 come to a close as bleak as their opening. Rebellion and darkness ultimately bracket them.In length and theme chapter 5 ...

1490. The Branch from Jesse

Isaiah 11:1-16

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... a remnant (8:19; 9:13). They will be drawn to the branch as they will be drawn to Zion (2:2–4), and he will have glory for the nations to recognize (cf. 4:2). After this transition, the theme of the restoration of the remnant is pursued without continuing reference to the Davidic shoot. The passage presupposes a scattering of Israel to the north and east in Mesopotamia and to the south in Egypt and beyond, such as came to Ephraim in 721 B.C. and to Judah later. So widely spread is this remnant that it can ...

1491. A Prophecy Against Jerusalem

Isaiah 22:1-25

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... not only there that the shield will be needed (see 21:5). It is not only Philistia’s gates that will weep (see 14:31). What comes on other peoples will come on Judah too. It looks at first as if the description of that day in verses 8b–11 continues the description of a day in the future. But it becomes clear that the day has already come about, when Jerusalem was under threat and the community applied itself to repairing its defenses and water supply so as to enable it to withstand a siege (see 7:3; 2 ...

1492. A Cat In a Tree

Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon

King Duncan

... , whatever they may be, because of your commitment to Christ? Each of us can do something. Each of us has some kind of fish and loaves to offer the Master. What’s yours? Will you make a determination today to be involved in some way to meet the hungers that continue to vex our world, whatever those hungers may be? Think about that the next time you see a cat up a tree. When that cat gets hungry it will come down. But a hungry child has no recourse but to starve. Is there something you can do? 1. MONDAY ...

1493. Where Did He Get Such Authority?

Mark 1:21-28

Sermon

King Duncan

... who has ever lived had the authority Jesus had. It came from his relationship with his Father, it came from his genuine commitment to serving people, it came from his willingness to do whatever it took including giving his own life, and it comes from his continuing influence to this day. And that is why I have the authority to say to you this day, Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord. Won’t you accept him as your Savior and Lord today? 1. Rodney L. Cooper, Holman New Testament Commentary - Mark: 2 (Holman ...

1494. A Law Written On Our Hearts

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Sermon

King Duncan

... to be a Christian country! The same thing happens all the time in this land. It was a rude awakening for many Americans when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. confronted us with the legacy of racial injustice so rampant in our land, some of which still continues today. How could it be so? We are a Christian people! Ironically, some of the most blatant injustices were occurring in the so-called Bible Belt section of our country, and they were being perpetrated by some of our citizens who would dub themselves as ...

1495. The Bethsaida Boys

Mark 8:31-38

Sermon

John Jamison

... the day the group of priests showed up at the door trying to start an argument with Jesus and nearly started a riot in town? Let’s continue with the story, but just keep in mind that we really need to keep an eye on Simon Peter and be prepared for whatever he might ... to see me, who do the people say that I am?” They all spoke up with a variety of responses, but he quickly continued, “And, who do you say that I am?” (v. 29). Seeing it as a perfect opportunity to highlight the potential for the ministry ...

1496. The Mighty Wind of God

Acts 2:1-11

Sermon

King Duncan

... we seem helpless to do anything about it. What would happen if the Holy Spirit overcame us in the church today? Would it give us a sense of excitement? Maybe the Holy Spirit would increase our sense of love for one another. Listen as Luke continues his description of the church on the Day of Pentecost. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the ...

1497. Treasure Hidden In a Clay Jar

2 Corinthians 4:5-12

Sermon

King Duncan

... is, put up the windows]. I felt my way to the garage, found the windows, located the necessary tools, found the ladder, all the while muttering under my breath, ‘I’ll show them. I’ll fall, then they’ll have a blind and paralyzed son!’” John continued, “I got the windows up.” Then he finishes his testimony with these powerful and helpful words, “I found out later that never at any moment was my father more than four or five feet away from my side.” (6) How do we find this treasure that ...

1498. Six Days to Make a Decision for Christ

Mark 8:27-38

Sermon

Rick McCracken-Bennett

... that the students recommended, he said to the older student regarding the other medicine, "You can prescribe that in somebody else's practice but not in mine. Why? It doesn't work." The student doctors were taken aback, embarrassed but held up remarkably well as he continue to "school" them. I'll bet that Peter felt pretty much the same way in the face of Jesus taking him to school. "Who do you say that I am?" Jesus asked and Peter answered correctly. Well, sort of correctly. He held the common belief that ...

1499. Playing Golf at Midnight

Mark 10:46-52

Sermon

King Duncan

... of a serious problem with his eyes James could not distinguish objects clearly. He compared his vision to a blurry image of a boat seen from under water. Just as discouraging, his nearsightedness was so acute and so distressing that he also suffered continuously from furious headaches. But, in the providence of God there was an eye doctor vacationing in the vicinity of James’ home. Young James began taking care of the eye doctor’s horse and buggy. Noting James’ extreme nearsightedness, the eye doctor ...

1500. Trusting Authority

Luke 7:1-10

Sermon

Susan R. Andrews

... I met him he was a curious agnostic — eager to argue and debate the fine points of theology. The congregation I was serving has shared space with a Jewish synagogue for over fifty years. Sam joined the Bethesda Jewish Congregation while he continued to worship with us every Sunday morning. When Lucy was born, Cheryl and Sam were faced with the decision every interfaith couple has to make — which community of faith would become their daughter’s spiritual home? Meanwhile, Sam started attending all our ...

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