Sermon and Worship Resources

Antonyms: keep, claim, continue, stick by, self-control, power through, achieve, defend, bear, hope, acquire, quick visit, adopt, continue along, adhere, remain, pursue, support, take up, keep up, reuse, advocate, stay, persevere, cherish, keep going, carry on

Showing 2076 to 2100 of 2331 results

2076. From the Miry Depths

Psalm 69:1-36

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... in my food” (v. 21), may the table set before them become a snare (v. 22). Because “my eyes fail” (v. 3), may their eyes be darkened so they cannot see (v. 23). Because “I am a stranger to my brothers” (v. 8), may their place (or tents) . . . be deserted (v. 25). Because “I sink in the miry depths” (vv. 2–3, 14–15), may your salvation, O God, “set me on high” (Hb. teśaggebēnî, NIV protect me, v. 29). (On the book of life, see on 87:6.) 69:30–33 The vow of praise concluding this ...

2077. Today, If You Hear His Voice

Psalm 95:1-11

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... brief and comprises an “if” clause: if you hear his voice. The oracle implicitly forms the “then” clause. The today denotes the festival day on which this hymn was sung (cf. 81:3) and should provide a contrast with that day at Massah in the desert. “Massah” (lit. “testing”) refers to the first incident of Israel’s fearing that they would die in the wilderness for lack of water (Exod. 17:1–7). Meribah (lit. “strife”) refers both to this incident (Exod. 20:7) and to that of the second ...

2078. In Praise of the Lord of History: From Abraham to the Settlement in the Land

Psalm 105:1-45

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... plague of boils (the sixth) are omitted. Psalm 105 deviates somewhat from Exodus and Numbers in its telling of the wilderness tradition. Instead of the cloud being a “pillar” to guide them by day, it is a covering (v. 39), presumably to protect the people from the desert sun. The quail incident is related as an example of Yahweh’s providential response to the people’s request, not as a means of Yahweh’s angry judgment on the people’s murmuring (Num. 11:4–6, 10, 33; cf. Ps. 78:17–31; 106:14 ...

2079. The Faith of the Canaanite Woman

Matthew 15:21-28

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... two accounts of a single event but two separate but similar events. It is unlikely that the Gospel writers, because of the limits of a scroll, would copy two accounts of the same incident. Though the two accounts have some points in common (desert location, lack of food except for a few loaves and fish, a large crowd), they also diverge at many important places. The number of people fed, loaves available, and baskets of fragments remaining are all different. The lessons Jesus teaches are different (utter ...

2080. Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

Matthew 15:29-39

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

2081. A Blessing on the Family Who Fears the Lord

Psalm 128:1-6

Understanding Series

Craig C. Broyles

... claims are lofty (“blessings and prosperity will be yours”) and universal (for “all who fear the LORD”). But for many believers they may not ring true to life. How can the Bible make such claims, we wonder, when genuine believers endure cancer, desertion, and worse within their families? In this psalm, the claims are qualified immediately by the rest of the passage, which consists of a prayer or invocation that these ideals become reality: “May the LORD bless you” (v. 5), just as he “who fears ...

2082. A Mother's Request

Matthew 20:20-28

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... , which is directed to the two disciples (oidate is plural), is that they don’t know what they are asking. Can they drink the cup of suffering (cf. 26:39; Isa. 51:17) that he is about to drink? James and John are certain that they can, but their desertion of Jesus in the garden (26:56) shows how unprepared they were for what would follow. Note that the AV’s “and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with” is omitted. It is not in the best Greek manuscripts and can be explained as a ...

2083. Jesus Arrested

Matthew 26:47-56

Understanding Series

Robert H. Mounce

... ), and they did not arrest him there. But all this is happening in fulfillment of prophetic Scripture. The boldness of Jesus, in spite of his being in the hands of the mob, was more than his disciples could endure. In the moment of trial they deserted him and fled. Abandoned by his closest friends, he had to suffer the remaining hours of his earthly life without human support. Additional Notes 26:53 Angels: In the Qumran War Scroll angels are represented as joining with the righteous in the battle for ...

2084. Nebuchadnezzer’s Dream of a Tree

Daniel 4:1-18

Understanding Series

William Nelson

... Dan. 4:17); in the Qumran text, it is the “decree” of God to afflict Nabonidus. Both texts place the king away from court: in the Bible Nebuchadnezzar is driven out into the wild; in the Qumran passage Nabonidus is in Teima, an oasis in the Arabian desert. Both use the term gzr, “diviner,” although in Daniel it is used of those who could not interpret the dream (Dan. 4:7); in the Prayer of Nabonidus it is used of the Jewish healer. In both stories an exiled Jewish person is a miracle worker: Daniel ...

2085. Jesus Heals Many

Mark 1:29-34

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... -law: In 1 Cor. 9:5, Paul refers to Peter as married. In 10:28 Peter speaks of having “left everything” to follow Jesus. This may mean that Peter (and others of the disciples?) left a wife and other responsibilities to answer Jesus’ call, though this probably did not involve desertion of the marriage but prolonged time away from home.

2086. A Man with Leprosy

Mark 1:40-45

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... 1:12 and 1:35, Mark sets Jesus in the uninhabited areas. And again Mark probably intends to show Jesus retreating from the shallow glory of publicity, avoiding its temptations that he might concentrate on God’s will for himself. As crowds come to hear John the Baptist in the “desert” (1:4–5), so here the people come to Jesus in the lonely places (same word in Greek, erēmos).

2087. Jesus Arrested

Mark 14:43-52

Understanding Series

Larry W. Hurtado

... the arrest, and he demands to know why they had not the courage to make a public arrest if there were charges against him. V. 49 refers to a prolonged teaching ministry in the temple area, described in summary fashion in 11:1–12:44. 14:50 Everyone deserted him and fled: This fulfils Jesus’ prediction in 14:27. Peter is described as following Jesus and the arresting party to the house of the high priest in vv. 54, 66–72. 14:51 A young man: As indicated in the discussion above, the young man’s naked ...

2088. Jesus Questioned About Fasting

Luke 5:33-39

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... destruction of Jerusalem (see Zech. 7:3, 5; 8:19). Fasting was done frequently by John’s disciples (see Luke 7:33) and the disciples of the Pharisees (Mondays and Thursdays; see Luke 18:12). Although Jesus had fasted during his time of testing in the desert (see Luke 4:2), he apparently did not himself fast frequently (or at least so that it could be noticed; see Matt. 6:16–18). Since fasting was viewed as a sign of serious religious commitment and was regarded as essential in preparing for Israel’s ...

2089. The Parable of the Sower

Luke 8:1-15

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... love the Lord” with all his “might” (i.e., wealth). Gerhardsson is suggesting that the fourth soil represents the person who does “love the Lord” with all his heart, soul, and might. Gerhardsson further suggests that the Matthean order of the three temptations in the desert (Matt. 4:1–11=Luke 4:1–12) corresponds as well. He believes that it is in the Gospel of Matthew that these parallels with Deuteronomy are the clearest. 8:8a a hundred times more than was sown: Luke has omitted two of Mark ...

2090. Interpreting the Times

Luke 12:54-59

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... ’ address now shifts from the disciples to the crowd. The theme of the end times continues, however. People are able to recognize changes in the weather (rain from west, that is, the Mediterranean Sea; heat from the south, that is, the Negev Desert), but as hypocrites they are oblivious to the meaning of this present time. Discerning the weather may pose no problem, but they are completely undiscerning when it comes to recognizing that God has made salvation possible through Jesus. To receive Jesus means ...

2091. The Last Supper

Luke 22:7-38

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... and exaltation will come for his faithful followers. Since they have remained loyal throughout all of Jesus’ trials, they may anticipate sharing in his kingdom rule as well (see note below). This statement may seem strange in light of the disciples’ desertion at the time of Jesus’ arrest. That detail, however, is omitted by Luke, and although he retains the tradition of Peter’s denials (22:54–62) in the prediction of his denials that follows, Peter’s repentance and restoration are also ...

2092. The Beast out of the Earth

Revelation 13:11-18

Understanding Series

Robert W. Wall

13:11 John then saw another beast, coming out of the earth, completing the trinity which rules over the evil kingdom. While John perhaps recognizes this second beast as Behemoth, the evil monster who occupies the primeval desert regions according to Jewish myth (Job 40:15–24; 1 Enoch 60:7–10; 4 Ezra 6:49–53), it is not clear how or if he then intends to use particulars of that myth to interpret the evil role of this second beast. John could have utilized the Behemoth/ ...

2093. The Cloud Above the Tabernacle

Numbers 9:15-23

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... community as it prepares to embark from Sinai. 9:1–5 Both sections of the chapter (vv. 1–14 and vv. 15–23) relate to divine guidance. The occasion of the first section is the celebration of Passover. In verse 1 we are still in the Desert of Sinai during the month prior to the beginning of the book of Numbers. Chapter 7 demonstrated the obedience of the tribes with gifts to the tabernacle, and chapter 8 illustrated the obedience of the priests and Levites. This chapter returns to the people. The divine ...

2094. The Bronze Snake

Numbers 21:4-9

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... it is a severe one. In the delay caused by the necessity of going around Edom (20:14–21), the people become impatient on the way. They murmur against both God and Moses, and mouth the traditional complaint: Why have you brought us here to the desert to die? There is neither bread nor water. And they describe the manna as miserable. In response God sends venomous snakes among them. . . . and many Israelites died from the bites. The people then confess their sin and ask Moses to pray for them. In response ...

2095. The Journey to Moab

Numbers 21:10-20

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... could recall the supervision of the digging or the official opening of the well. The movement of the camp continues until the Israelites reach Pisgah. The people are now well into Moabite territory; Pisgah is a high point providing a view of Canaan and the desert area around the Dead Sea. Additional Notes 21:11–12 Oboth and Iye Abarim are of uncertain location. The Zered is a southern tributary of the Dead Sea. 21:19–20 The locations of the place names here are not certain. Nahaliel means “God’s ...

2096. Balaam's Third Oracle

Num 23:27--24:14

Understanding Series

W.H. Bellinger, Jr.

... account, and some of the repetitiveness breaks down. Balak has almost become a comical figure now. Here he searches for yet another location, hoping to coax from the prophet a curse on the enemy. Now the location is the top of Peor, overlooking the wasteland—the desert on the eastern side of the Jordan. Here, overlooking the plains of Moab, Balak again at Balaam’s command builds seven altars and sacrifices a bull and a ram on each altar. 24:1–9 The prophet has now surmised that God intends to bless ...

2097. Israel Without Weapons

1 Samuel 13:16-22

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... around Geba and Micmash is rugged and includes steep ravines, making it likely that forces could see but not easily reach one another (cf. vv. 16–18). There would be plenty of hiding places among the rocks, and seeking out these hiding places does not imply desertion. The call to let the Hebrews hear is unusual because Israelites did not generally refer to themselves as Hebrews. It may refer to a call made by the Philistines, or it may be that Saul encouraged non-Israelite troops to join in. If this is so ...

2098. Achish Sends David Back to Ziklag

1 Samuel 29:1-11

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... Israelites, as here, and sometimes by Israelites to identify themselves to foreigners. It is rarely, if ever, used of Israelites among themselves. The term was also used for non-Israelite groups (cf. additional note on 13:3). The Philistines had previously suffered from desertion by Hebrew mercenary soldiers who may or may not have been Israelites, and these commanders were not about to allow the same thing to happen again (14:21). 29:6 Achish uses the name of Yahweh, the LORD, probably out of respect for ...

2099. David and Ziba

2 Samuel 16:1-4

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

... dog is used by David of himself in 1 Sam. 24:14 and by Mephibosheth of himself in 2 Sam. 9:8—in both cases indicating that they posed no threat (see additional note on 2 Sam. 3:8). 16:13 Their destination was presumably “the fords in the desert” (15:28), the crossing point at the Jordan River a little north of the Dead Sea that would provide immediate refreshment and could be fairly easily defended. It was far enough away to be safe from a full-scale attack but near enough to be quickly reached by the ...

2100. Shimei Curses David

2 Samuel 16:5-14

Understanding Series

Mary J. Evans

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