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Showing 1826 to 1850 of 2404 results

1826. Korah’s Rebellion

Numbers 16:1-50

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... 44–45a). 16:45 they fell facedown. See verse 4. 16:46 make atonement for them. Here atonement involves appeasing God’s wrath, which has already appeared in the form of a plague. This is a case where incense rather than blood sacrifice achieves this end. On atonement, see “Additional Insights” following the unit on Leviticus 4:1–35. 16:49 14,700 people died. Aaron’s and Moses’s intercessions stop the plague (v. 48), though nonetheless a large number have died. Theological Insights God ...

1827. A Failure of Leadership

Num 20:14-29

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... tide of public opinion was turning in his direction. The trajectory of history seemed to guarantee that blacks would win the kinds of rights that King had been fighting for, though he had an ominous premonition that he would not live to see this fully achieved. This presentiment is reflected in his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, delivered April 3, 1968.5In that speech he said, And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would ...

1828. Through Moab into the Transjordan

Num 21:10-35

Teach the Text

Joe M. Sprinkle

... is the “God of the armies of Israel” (1 Sam. 17:45). In the New Testament Christ is portrayed as a warrior on a white warhorse, his garments sprinkled with blood as he leads the heavenly armies in slaughtering enemies. He does all this to achieve justice, vindicate his people, and establish his kingdom by punishing the beast and its wicked followers (Rev. 19:17–21; cf. Isa. 63:1–3). The concept of God as a warrior makes some Christians uncomfortable, but God’s holy judgments are as attributable to ...

1829. The Lord Decides to Build David a House

2 Samuel 7:18-29, 2 Samuel 7:1-17

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... him rest from all his enemies around him. The following chapters describe David’s wars against the surrounding nations. In the Lord’s response to David (2 Sam. 7:11), he promises to give David rest from all his enemies, as if this has not yet been achieved. Thus 2 Samuel 7:1 (cf. v. 9 as well) probably refers to a time during David’s reign when there is peace—a brief interlude between the Jebusite/Philistine wars (2 Sam. 5) and the campaigns described in 2 Samuel 8–12. The language reflects Moses ...

1830. David Runs for His Life—Again

2 Samuel 15:13-37

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... . In February 1652, the English poet Milton (1608–74) completely lost his eyesight. Unbelievably, this occurred before he wrote his best works, including the immortal epic poem Paradise Lost. Milton had written a few of his great poems before 1652, but he had not yet achieved fame. What makes this sonnet (1652–55) so pertinent to the principle above is that as he writes it, he is concerned about how he can serve God in such a condition. As he works through his dilemma, he compares the situation to the ...

1831. “O Absalom, My Son, My Son!”

2 Sam 18:1–19:8

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... time he defeated the pro-Saul Benjamite forces led by Abner, but on this second occasion the opposition has been led by David’s very own son. What was strictly intertribal conflict has now become intrafamily strife that threatens to shred the national unity David has achieved. 18:17 a large heap of rocks. Undoubtedly Joab considers this form of burial fitting because Absalom is an accursed enemy (see Josh. 7:26; 8:29; 10:27) whose burial place will be a reminder of the destiny of all rebels.5 There is ...

1832. David’s Mighty Men

2 Samuel 21:15-22

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... (21:21) and threatens to destroy its leader (21:16), brave and loyal supporters rally to his aid (21:17a). By divine providence these men become defenders of the Lord’s covenant community and his chosen king. Two times the narrator attributes the extraordinary achievements of David’s men to the Lord (23:10, 12), placing their deeds in line with earlier victories that he has accomplished through Saul and David (1 Sam. 11:13; 19:5). Teaching the Text A primary theme emerges from the accounts of David ...

1833. Bildad’s Final Attempt to Answer Job

Job 25:1-6

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... which He can impart to His creatures and in some measure share with His redeemed children. Intellect, self-consciousness, love, goodness, holiness, pity, faithfulness—these and certain other attributes are the points where likeness between God and man may be achieved. It is here that the divine-human friendship is experienced. . . . Unquestionably the greatest privilege granted to man on earth is to be admitted into the circle of the friends of God.2 Bildad inaccurately concludes that God views humans as ...

1834. Job Hears the Whispers of God’s Works

Job 26:1--31:40

Teach the Text

Daniel J. Estes

... diligent search, they will inevitably return disappointed. 28:12 But where can wisdom be found? Although humans have been successful in finding the source of mineral treasure, that success cannot be transferred to their search for wisdom. In fact, the success that humans have achieved in so many other areas of life only makes their inability to find wisdom all the more vexing for them. Humans may understand how to find wealth, but no one seems to know where and how to find wisdom. The question in verse ...

1835. “I Will Not Fear Though Tens of Thousands Assail Me”

Psalm 3:1-8

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... is not a bad idea, by which we can keep each other accountable and “weigh in” at each meeting on Christ’s Sermon-on-the-Mount scale, using the Beatitudes as our guide. There we can discuss our frustrations and failures, and the joy of our achievements through the power of Christ. In the third address (3:7–8a), David borrows his language, in part, from Numbers 10:35, an old liturgical phrase that Moses used when the ark was taken into battle: “Arise, Lord!” (3:7a). While we will postpone this ...

1836. “You Will Fill Me with Joy in Your Presence”

Psalm 16:1-11

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

... :11) that the Lord has made known to David is so real that he cannot imagine being abandoned to death. This phrase occurs in wisdom literature (Prov. 5:6; 6:23; 10:17; 15:24) and has the sense of a full life of joy that only those who have achieved wisdom can experience.[19] We should note that it is the “path of life” that leads to joy in the Lord’s presence and “eternal pleasures” at his right hand (16:11). While we look toward the “eternal pleasures,” we cannot afford to miss the joy of the ...

1837. “Some Trust in Chariots . . . , but We Trust in the Name of the Lord Our God”

Psalm 20:1-9

Teach the Text

C. Hassell Bullock

Big Idea: While reliance on our own resources is a mark of achievement, it can also become an obstacle to trusting in the Lord. Understanding the Text Psalm 20 is a royal psalm because it concerns the king (“anointed,” 20:6; “the king,” 20:9)[1] and his success in battle. Indeed, the psalm is concerned with the king’s obedience to the ...

1838. God Subjugates Judah under Babylon

Daniel 1:1-21

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... is in control of world events has never been more relevant or needed. Help your listeners to see the practical, as well as the theological, ramifications of God’s sovereignty. What not to teach. Be careful not to imply that natural potential, human achievements, or even faithfulness to God guarantee a believer’s success today, any more than these virtues did for Daniel’s contemporary Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 20:18). In fact, Jesus’s disciples are told to anticipate rejection and suffering because of their ...

1839. Daniel Interprets the Dream and Confronts Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 4:19-27

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... enterprise to a tree diminishes the accomplishments of the ruler by emphasizing what he has received from the God of heaven. Encourage your congregation or study group to think of their successes in terms of God’s gifting and blessing rather than their own achievements, and more in terms of what they receive than what they do. This includes notions of our own greatness, as well as what we are able to do for others 2. God can reverse human accomplishments. Well-established rulers or leaders whose influence ...

1840. The Writing on the Wall

Daniel 5:1-31

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... our accountability is in the present. 2. Sacrilege, humility, and the fragile nature of this life. Because the Most High God is the giver of high positions, we should honor him if and when we receive such privileges. When acknowledging a person’s efforts, achievements, and influence, always set these in the context of God as the giver. In contrast, it is sheer folly to set oneself up against the Lord of heaven. In Belshazzar’s context this takes the form of desecrating sacred vessels from God’s temple ...

1841. Daniel's Prayer

Daniel 9:1-19

Teach the Text

Ronald W. Pierce

... life-shaping virtues as trust, discipline, integrity, dependability, honesty, and respect. Sometimes promises are freestanding, such as responding to a child’s wish for a special gift on her or his birthday. But sometimes promises are more complex and connected with achievements or behavior. For example, college students might be promised a special trip upon graduation if they maintain their GPA. Here, the promise is twofold: (1) if the grade is made, parents are bound by oath to deliver the goods; but (2 ...

1842. Closing

2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Understanding Series

James M. Scott

... with a holy kiss reinforces and underscores his prior admonitions to be of one mind and to live in peace (13:11). Like the rejoicing that Paul advocates in verse 11, this kiss may have been encouraged to demonstrate and strengthen the concord already achieved. Perhaps, too, the apostle hoped that the kiss would play a role in actually effecting the restoration still needed in the congregation. Second, Paul conveys greetings from the believers (all the saints) in whose company he is writing the letter (v. 13 ...

1843. Good for Nothing

Luke 13:1-9

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... to Israel, and chosen Israel and given her that ultimate privilege, He might have bestowed that privilege upon some other nation—He might have chosen another nation to fulfill his purpose.) Israel had nullified the soil of earth. Year after year she had impeded high achievement.” [4] What lessons are here for us? Is there a nation on the face of the earth more blessed than we? The natural blessings that God has bestowed upon us are beyond number. Yet we have 20 million people in this nation living in ...

1844. Serendipity

Matthew 13:44-46

Sermon

Maxie Dunnam

... of the church, our call to be servants of the world, that little girl looms on my consciousness. And all because I “turned aside to see.” Jesus said the kingdom is in the midst of you—the kingdom has come upon you. That means we don’t work to achieve it. We look for it and receive it when we, like Moses at the site of the burning bush, “turn aside to see”; when we give life our attention; when we, like children, hold on to the belief that there is joy waiting to be discovered. Jesus called that ...

1845. Beyond Judgment

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon

James L. Killen

... , a business failure, or a major disillusionment makes life seem to fall apart, we may be pushed to take another look at the way in which we have put things together. That can be a judgment day. Ironically, a success may do the same thing. When you finally achieve all of the goals you set for yourself and have gotten all of the things you thought would make life good and discover that those goals didn't deliver what they promised, that too can be a judgment day. That can send us looking for something more ...

1846. Unnoticed at Your Own Party

Isaiah 35:1-10, Matthew 11:2-11, James 5:7-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... every bit of strength I have just to hold on. Someone has compared our situation to the tenacity of a bulldog. He said, “The reason God made a bulldog like he did was so he could hold on and still breathe.” The people in this world who have achieved greatness have been those who have held on with the tenacity of a bulldog. Even though this is that season of the year when society is telling us to be merry, we recognize that for some people--even devoted saints of God--this is the most difficult time of ...

1847. Loving God with All Our Might

Deuteronomy 6:1-25

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , must be avoided, for God is a jealous God (see commentary on 5:9). Rejected are all forms of worthless service, which include hedonism (the god of enjoyment), social approval (the god of how I am regarded), overweaning ambition (the god of what I must achieve), and materialism (the god of all that I can get). Since the Israelites have received all these demonstrations of the Lord’s favor and power, they must not force the Lord for still more miracles (6:16). They did that at Massah (Exod. 17:7 ...

1848. Resisting Pride and Self-righteousness

Deut 9:1-29

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The victory Israel is about to achieve will be the Lord’s doing, not Israel’s. It will be an expression of God’s grace and not of this nation’s prowess. Once again Israel is summoned to listen (9:1), as in Deuteronomy 6:4–9. They will face the giants (Anakim), of whom they were ...

1849. A Levite and His Concubine

Judges 19:1-30

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 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 apparently achieves its intended result (19:30–20:48). The tribes react with disgust and anger, and except for Benjamin, gather together at Mizpah to discuss the appropriate response (19:30–20:13). The Levite is asked to explain what happened, and he gives a story ...

1850. David’s Fame

1 Sam 16:1-23

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... Testament contains many stories about the young and the obscure and how they become successful, but perhaps none is loved more than the story of David. Born the youngest of eight sons in the town of Bethlehem, David becomes a hero overnight and achieves a level of fame and fortune unmatched in Israelite tradition. As musician, poet, prophet, warrior, diplomat, and statesman, in his versatility and ability David sets the standard for all the monarchs that follow him, from his son and successor Solomon to the ...

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