Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2251 to 2275 of 2962 results

Genesis 9:1-17

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... the structure for this section: God blesses Noah and his children (vv. 1–7), and God makes a covenant with all humans (vv. 8–17).The first speech, framed by the command that humans are to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, emphasizes God’s design for humans (vv. 1, 7). 9:1–7 God defined the future relationship of humans to the earth and to himself in four definitive statements. First, God blessed them, commanding them to be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. Next, humans had ...

2252. The Tower of Babel

Genesis 11:1-9

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... there is a pun on the name Babel and “confuse” (balal). These sounds build toward the naming of the city Babel (v. 9; Wenham, Genesis 1–15, p. 234) and forcefully tie the story with every mention of that name. The alliteration heightens the tension between the design of these city dwellers and God’s judgment of their actions. Such precise use of terms allows a great event to be told in a few sentences as well as making the story memorable. 11:1–4 The events these verses record took place over a ...

2253. Abram in Egypt

Genesis 12:10-20

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... that Pharaoh viewed Abram as nobility. These gifts may also be viewed as an elaborate dowry for Sarai. P. Reis (“Take My Wife, Please: On the Utility of the Wife/Sister Motif,” Judaism 41 [1992], pp. 307–8) argues that Abram acted shrewdly in designing a plan whereby he might become rich by receiving a dowry for his own wife. This view is suggestive, but Abram never appears that cunning or that greedy. Further, it is significant that Pharaoh sent these gifts after he had taken Sarai. This fact, along ...

2254. Abram and Lot Separate

Genesis 13:1-18

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... him as the vessel of his promise. Though he stumbled from time to time, Abram continued to serve God faithfully and rise above each failure. God honored him with enhanced promises and blessed him richly. Additional Notes 13:7 “Canaanites” is a general designation for the inhabitants of Canaan, the name for the land between the Mediterranean and the great rift valley, from Lebanon to the northern Sinai. It included peoples of a variety of ethnic origins. The Perizzites appear in twenty-one out of twenty ...

2255. Jacob Gets Isaac's Blessing

Genesis 27:1-40

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... ritual existed to undo a blessing. The power of the blessing was greater than the giver of the blessing. If the recipient of a blessing was other than the one intended, that person still received the blessing. The alteration was attributed to God’s design. Isaac thus was powerless to reverse this course of events. 27:34–38 On learning what had just taken place, Esau burst into heavy, bitter crying, entreating his father to bless him too. Isaac reiterated lamely that his brother had come deceitfully and ...

2256. Jacob Apprehension in Meeting Esau

Genesis 32:1-32

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... Canaan he had only his staff, but on his return he possessed so much that they made up two camps. Humbly and devoutly Jacob identified himself as God’s servant. That God was directing such an insignificant person gives evidence that he is accomplishing his design away from the power structures of the great civilizations. Next Jacob simply and frankly asked God to save him from Esau’s power as he mentioned his fear of an attack from his brother. This is the basic pattern of prayer found in Scripture, the ...

2257. Dinah and the Shechemites

Genesis 34:1-31

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... take revenge on these city dwellers. The shift in the identification of Dinah from “his daughter “ to “sister “ signals that the brothers have taken the responsibility for her recovery. Cunningly they responded to Hamor’s offer by making a condition designed to provide them a tactical advantage against the inhabitants of Shechem. They stated firmly that they could not consent to Dinah’s engagement to Shechem or to giving their daughters in marriage to any who were uncircumcised, for such unions ...

2258. Joseph’s Dreams

Genesis 37:1-11

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... negatively toward his brothers. 37:3–4 The Joseph narrative begins with an illustration of Israel’s deep love for Rachel’s firstborn. He lavished on Joseph a richly ornamented robe or cloak. The upper class wore this type of garment; its design precluded manual labor (von Rad, Genesis, p. 351). Immediately becoming a symbol of Joseph’s favored position, this coat so aroused his brothers’ jealousy that they could no longer say anything kind to him. 37:5–11 God likewise favored Joseph, giving ...

2259. The Second Journey to Egypt

Genesis 43:1-34

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... determination to go and see him before he died. Additional Note 44:5 In Egypt, counselors used such cups for divination. They would pour a variety of liquids, such as oil or wine, into water standing in the cup and then read the future by the configuration of the resulting designs.

2260. Jacob Goes to Egypt

Gen 46:1–47:12

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... ). Jacob required confirmation of God’s approval in order to leave the promised land for what turned out to be a very long stay in Egypt. Critically, this word from God provided his descendants with the assurance that their living in Egypt was part of the divine design and that the Abrahamic promises were still operative (12:2). God supported this word of salvation with the promise that his presence was going down to Egypt with him (26:24; 28:15, 20; 31:3–5). God also assured him that he would bring him ...

2261. Manasseh and Ephraim

Genesis 48:1-22

Understanding Series

John E. Hartley

... great love for Joseph, Israel bequeathed to him a certain ridge of land that he had taken from the Amorites with his own sword and . . . bow. The report of this battle has not been preserved. Since the term “ridge” (shekem) literally means “shoulder,” it may designate a portion of land given as an inheritance rather than being the name of a place. Tradition identified this piece of land with Shechem (Josh. 24:32). Additional Notes 48:16 This is the only reference to God’s acting as next of kin in ...

2262. Wanderings in the Desert

Deuteronomy 3:21-29

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... described. His initiation and direction of Israel’s movements are repeatedly mentioned, and even the parenthetical footnotes of the chapter (2:10–12, 20–23) attribute previous national migrations and conquests to Yahweh’s sovereignty. Secondly, it seems designed to explain why some nations along Israel’s route remained unmolested while others were conquered and dispossessed. The claims of brotherhood (an important ethical motivation later in the book) protected Edom (2:4, 8; cf. 23:7a). Moab ...

2263. Obedience Commanded

Deuteronomy 4:1-14

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... Yahweh to his people. Second (v. 8), it is based on the righteousness of the Torah. In both respects, the effect of the rhetorical questions is to claim that Israel is incomparable—in the same way that the rhetorical questions of verses 32–34 are designed to claim that Yahweh is incomparable. Israel would have an intimacy with God and a quality of social justice that no other nation could match. These would be the factors that would lie behind the external reputation. As far as the nations could see, it ...

2264. Worshipping Other Gods

Deuteronomy 13:1-18

Understanding Series

Christopher J. H. Wright

... i.e., a serious criminal offense with potentially disastrous results for everybody. The prophet who led people in that direction would bring God’s curse on the nation (11:28). So who should die, him or the whole nation? Hence the purpose of the execution as designed to purge the evil from among you. It was a self-preserving act of removing a threat to the nation’s health and survival, like a body ejecting a poison. Two further aspects of the offense are specified here. First, the phony prophet preached ...

2265. Solomon Builds His Palace

1 Kings 7:1-12

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... had quite a bit of cedar of Lebanon in it (6:9–10, 15–16, 18, 20, 36); this building, however, is packed with so many cedars (7:2–3, 7, 11, 12) that it is called the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon—and this for a building apparently designed only as a treasury or armory (cf. 1 Kgs. 10:17, 21; Isa. 22:8)! The suggestion is that the king was much more concerned about his palace than about the LORD’s temple. It seems likely, however—since otherwise the second part of 7:1, with its repetition of ...

2266. Solomon's Prayer of Dedication

1 Kings 8:22-61

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... v. 27). Being utterly transcendent, God cannot be “placed” at all; all human language about dwelling must be qualified constantly, so that attempts to describe do not in fact minimize. One consequence of divine transcendence, of course, is that people do not have to be in one designated place in order to pray. As God’s eyes are open toward the temple rather than in it (v. 29), it is sufficient for people to pray toward the temple rather than be physically in it (vv. 29–30; cf. John 4:21–24). 8:31 ...

2267. Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan

1 Kings 12:25-33

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... the living God who controls history. The LORD is not simply a convenient symbol that human rulers may adopt to further their own control of history. God cannot be captured in an image any more than be confined in a temple. And all moves designed to produce human security that fail to take this into account are doomed to failure. Trusting obedience is, after all, the only fruitful path. 12:31–33 Having described the calves and their locations, the authors now turn their attention to Bethel in particular ...

2268. Elijah Flees to Horeb

1 Kings 19:1-8

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... :2–13; Luke 1:11–17; cf. the OT development of the Elijah theme in Mal. 4:5 and the NT uncertainty about identity in Matt. 16:13–16; 27:45–49; Mark 6:14–16; 8:27–30; 15:33–36; Luke 9:7–9, 18–20). John himself designates Jesus as his “successor” in such passages as Matt. 3:1–17; John 1:19–34 (where he denies being Elijah, v. 21); and the name Jesus means, of course, “the LORD saves,” as Elisha means “God saves.” 19:20 Let me kiss my father and mother: Hb. nšq ...

2269. Naboth’s Vineyard

1 Kings 21:1-29

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... driving out the previous inhabitants (cf. 1 Kgs. 21:26); and he had, through Joshua, allocated it to the tribes as their inheritance (Josh. 13:1ff., esp. v. 7). It was therefore not open to individuals to sell land in perpetuity, and complicated laws existed that were designed to keep land in the family and to prevent its accumulation in the hands of a few (e.g., Lev. 25:8ff.; Deut. 25:5–10). Naboth is obligated to refuse Ahab’s offer, then, and in making it Ahab has disregarded Israelite law. The fact ...

2270. The Shunammite's Land Restored

2 Kings 8:1-6

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... facing, and failing to subdue, rebellion by Edom (vv. 20–22)—a country hitherto ruled by a Judean appointee (1 Kgs. 22:47; 2 Kgs. 3:8ff.) but now seeking self-determination. Not even righteous Judean kings can in these days emulate Solomon in his grand imperial designs (1 Kgs. 15:16–22; 22:48–49); how much less can this wicked monarch expect to do so? His fate is exactly that of his northern namesake, who was ultimately unable to subdue Moab (2 Kgs. 3). It is worse, in fact; his only “victory ...

2271. Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

2 Kings 18:17-37

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... then, what of the fact that it is his high places and altars that have been removed (v. 22)? Is he likely to help under such circumstances? Is it not much more likely that he has sent the Assyrians to destroy Jerusalem (v. 25)? It is an argument designed to sow seeds of doubt. It is undoubtedly true that the high places were, throughout much of the preceding period, places where worship of the LORD took place. It is equally the case that the LORD has just used the Assyrians to bring judgment upon his people ...

2272. Isaiah’s Commission

Isaiah 6:1-13

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... ironic. They constitute a warning of where the people will find themselves unless they respond and turn. Isaiah says Be ever hearing, but never understanding (v. 9), but he does not mean it. His preaching of judgment resembles Jonah’s in Nineveh. It is designed to bring people to their senses, to repentance, and to forgiveness, even though it does not explicitly urge them to repentance and indicate that there is any way out. Isaiah will urge them to turn and will not merely repeat what 6:9–10 literally ...

2273. Fear God

Isaiah 8:11-22

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... and symbols from the LORD. Isaiah does what he calls Judah to do, living by commitment to what he says will happen, by trust in Yahweh. He speaks as if he is convinced that he will never meet with a response from Judah—of course this may be designed to provoke a response (see on 6:9–10). He adds to his self-commitment by arranging secure sealing of his testimony or teaching (NIV law) against the time when Yahweh acts and it is proved true. This may denote entrusting the contents of his message to his ...

2274. The Lord's Anger Against Israel

Isaiah 9:8--10:4

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... tree. Impressive houses were built of hewn stone and cedar. See e.g., Gen. 11:3; 1 Kgs. 10:27; Jer. 22:14; Song 1:17. 9:15 The prophets: interestingly, Isaiah gives no indication that he sees himself as a prophet or approves of prophets, though he is designated by this word in chs. 37–39. Like Micah, he uses the word pejoratively in 28:7; 29:10; more neutrally in 3:2. He does refer to his wife as prophetess (8:3), which might indicate that for him prophets and prophetesses were temple ministers, with the ...

2275. The Lord's Devastation of the Earth

Isaiah 24:1-23

Understanding Series

John Goldingay

... have some understanding about how life is supposed to work and have consequential obligations regarding how they should live their corporate life. Israel’s covenant relationship is then an application of the general covenant relationship to Israel in particular. It is designed to benefit the world as Israel becomes a covenant for the people (42:6), while God’s prior covenant with the world also undergirds God’s special commitment to Israel (cf. Jer. 33:20). This is the first explicit reference to ...

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