Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 2326 to 2350 of 2962 results

Revelation 5:1-14

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J. Scott Duvall

... . Both the architecture of the building and a mural inside compellingly depict the powerful truth that Christ’s cross has won ultimate victory over evil.4 Worship is the proper response to all that God has done for us. Human Experience: As creatures, we are designed to be dazzled! Every one of us can share an experience of being touched deeply when witnessing the beauty of a sunset. Even people who do not regularly watch sports can be wowed when watching a LeBron James slamdunk. And almost everyone can ...

2327. The Celebration of the Great Multitude in Heaven

Revelation 7:9-17

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J. Scott Duvall

... to corporate worship. We should, rather, take advantage of these rehearsal opportunities to celebrate our God-given diversity, all to his glory. Last, the great multitude that “no one could count” reminds us that we are not alone in the journey. God designed the Christian life to happen in community. 2. As we seek victory, we should remember to fight as Christ fought during his earthly ministry: we overcome through suffering. Those of us who have grown up in the United States have become accustomed ...

2328. John Called to Prophesy Again

Revelation 10:1-11

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J. Scott Duvall

... scene vs. earthly scene), the similarities suggest that a single scroll is in view: both are held by a mighty angel, both draw on Ezekiel’s prophetic calling (see Ezek. 2:9–3:3), and both concern God’s redemptive plan.3Wilson suggests that perhaps the designation “little scroll” says more about the large size of the mighty angel than the small size of the book.4In chapter 5 the scroll was sealed with seven seals, which were then opened by the Lamb in Revelation 6. Now in chapter 10 the scroll lies ...

2329. Faithful Witnesses Who Proclaim God’s Word

Revelation 11:1-14

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J. Scott Duvall

... a time, times, and half a time” (12:14), and symbolizes a limited period of time in which evil is allowed to triumph over God’s people (cf. Dan. 7:25; 9:27; 12:7, 11–12). Revelation never mentions the three-and-a-half-years designation, and Daniel never uses the figure of forty-two months, but the time period is equivalent. The Daniel prophecy is fulfilled multiple times, including the persecution of the Syrian ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167–164 BC, the siege and destruction of the temple by ...

2330. The Seventh Trumpet (Third Woe)

Revelation 11:15-19

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J. Scott Duvall

... priest once a year. God will keep his promises, destroy his enemies, and bring his people into his presence, thus fulfilling the original purposes of creation (Gen. 1–2). The storm theophany occurs at the end of the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments and designates the final judgment of God (8:5; 11:19; 16:18; cf. 4:5). Theological Insights This text highlights what it will mean for God to establish his eternal kingdom. The consummated kingdom fulfills what had been foreshadowed in the Old Testament. For ...

2331. The Beast from the Sea (Antichrist)

Revelation 13:1b-10

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J. Scott Duvall

... Cancer is a terrible disease, claiming an estimated 580,000 lives in the United States in 2013. Unlike many other illnesses, which can arise when some outside virus or bacteria invades the body, cancer arises from within our very cells. Normal cells, designed to multiply when needed and die off when old or damaged, function in harmony with one another. Cancer occurs when this healthy process is interrupted. Damaged DNA produces mutated cells. Though meant to die, these broken cells live on and multiply. If ...

2332. The New Heaven and New Earth

Revelation 21:1-27

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J. Scott Duvall

... the presence of God in all his holiness and glory, with terms such as “shine,” “glory,” “brilliance,” “pure,” and “clear” (cf. “glory of God” in 15:8; 21:11, 23). Mounce rightly notes that “in apocalyptic literature the glory of God is a designation for his presence (Ezek. 43:5).”4The Shekinah presence of God has now descended among his people permanently (cf. Exod. 24:15–16; 1 Kings 8:1–13; Ezek. 43:2–5; Isa. 6:1–4). The jasper stone is especially significant since the ...

2333. Diagnosing “Leprosy”

Lev 13:1-59

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... of skin diseases. There has even been some question about whether Hansen’s disease existed in Old Testament times.3 According to some texts, tsara‘at is “like snow” (Exod. 4:6; Num. 12:10; 2 Kings 5:27), traditionally understood to designate its color as “white.” The comparison with snow may instead involve its texture: flakiness. Also tsara‘at makes one look like a stillborn baby (Num. 12:12), and such babies often have skin that flakes off easily. Jacob Milgrom suggests “scale disease ...

2334. Lamps, Cakes, and the Blasphemer

Lev 24:1-23

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... of a human being, and taking something under the “ban.” J. J. Finkelstein notes, Death by stoning, in biblical tradition and elsewhere in the ancient Near East, is reserved for crimes of a special character. In those cases there is no designated “executioner,” for the community assembled is the common executioner of the sentence. Offenses which entail this mode of execution must therefore be of a character that, either in theory or in fact, “offend” the corporate community or are believed to ...

2335. Racism and Envy

Numbers 12:1-16

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... on the basis of the Bible’s language that Israel was to be separate from the nations, and that God had given each nation its own lands and boundaries (e.g., Acts 17:26). But this ignores the fact that nations (a political designation) were often ethnically diverse. For example, the Assyrian Empire consisted of a plethora of races. More importantly, this view ignores or tries to explain away those places where the Bible approves of interracial marriages under the Mosaic covenant (Moses’s Cushite wife ...

2336. Failure to Enter the Land

Num 13:1–14:9

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... . 8, 16), meaning “He [God?] saves.” Joshua (Yehoshua) means “Yahweh is salvation.” Both are similar in meaning, but only “Joshua” refers explicitly to Yahweh. Joshua probably had not been renamed yet when he was a spy.1 Perhaps Joshua was renamed when he was designated as Moses’s heir apparent (Num. 27:12–23), akin to the throne names of kings. 13:17 Negev. The Negev is an arid desert and semidesert region from Beersheba south that is not quite as desolate as the Desert of Paran. Negev in ...

2337. Korah’s Rebellion

Numbers 16:1-50

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... who have claimed too much power and prestige. 16:9 Isn’t it enough for you . . . ? Rather than envying the Aaronites, Korah and the other Levites should consider their high privilege of caring for the holy things of the tabernacle. God had specifically designated Aaron and his sons alone to be the priests (Exod. 28:1; Lev. 8:1–3). Thus, rejecting the Aaronic priesthood constitutes defying the revealed will of God, and not Aaron. 16:12 Dathan and Abiram. These are Reubenites mentioned in verse 1 ...

2338. The Red Heifer

Numbers 19:1-22

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... narratives involving death. Most immediately, there is the death of the 250 followers of Korah and the death of 14,700 others in the plague that follows (Num. 16:35, 49). The same Eleazar responsible for the first red heifer ritual had been designated to go among the corpses to retrieve the censers of the 250 (Num. 16:39). Many would have been ceremonially contaminated by the corpses of that plague. This regulation fits into the larger complex of laws of clean and unclean that required anyone contracting ...

2339. A Failure of Leadership

Num 20:14-29

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... . The high priest Aaron dies at the end of this chapter (Num. 20:28–29), just as his sister has died at its beginning (Num. 20:1). A new leadership begins to appear as Eleazar replaces his father as high priest. Later, Joshua will be designated to replace Moses (see Num. 27:22–23). Before the death of Aaron, Moses confronts another problem: Israel’s brother nation Edom is unwilling to permit Israel to pass through its territory on the way to Canaan (Num. 20:14–21). But despite death, rebellion ...

2340. Victory and Serpents

Num 21:1-9

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... of idolatry when people began offering incense to it, for which reason Hezekiah had it destroyed (2 Kings 18:4). Austen Henry Layard’s excavations at Nimrud around 1850 discovered eighth-century BC bronze bowls with West Semitic Hebrew–sounding names designating their owners. One of these depicts a winged serpent on a pole. This bowl may have belonged to a Hebrew and might portray the Nehushtan scene, though alternatively it may portray Eshmun, the Phoenician god of healing.3 Interpretive Insights 21 ...

2341. Balaam’s Final Prophecies: The Star and the Scepter

Num 24:15-25

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... [“Almighty”] in 24:4). This title emphasizes God’s exaltedness. Melchizedek refers to his and Abram’s creator-God as “God Most High” (’el ‘elyon [Gen. 14:18–22]). “Most High” and “Almighty” are shortened forms of ancient patriarchal designations for God. 24:17 I see him, but not now . . . not near. This introduction teases readers to draw them in. The “him” whom Balaam sees by revelation does not “now” exist, and indeed his appearance is “not near,” but awaits ...

2342. Cities of Refuge

Numbers 35:6-34, Numbers 35:1-5

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Joe M. Sprinkle

... verses describe the cities given to manslayers as refuges. 35:12 avenger. Literally, “kinsman redeemer” (go’el). This is short for the “avenger of blood” (cf. vv. 19, 21, 24, 25, 27 below). The avenger is a relative of the person killed designated to execute the deceased’s murderer. A manslayer must flee to a city of refuge quickly or else face the possibility of being killed by the avenger (Deut. 19:6). This represents a simple form of law enforcement within family clans. Middle Assyrian ...

2343. The Road to the Throne Is Covered with Blood

2 Sam 1:1–5:5

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... . 4:8 Saul, your enemy. The Benjamite assassins cast Saul in the role of David’s “enemy.” Others have done the same, including the narrator (1 Sam. 18:29), David’s men (24:4), Saul (24:19), and Abishai (26:8), but David did not use this designation for Saul, and his response here shows that he does not view Saul in this manner. the Lord has avenged my lord the king. Earlier David appealed to the Lord for justice and prayed that the Lord would avenge Saul’s offenses against him, but he refused ...

2344. David the Conqueror

2 Sam 5:6-25

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... the Jebusites, who use the imagery in their taunt. In either case, the final statement in the verse apparently refers to any surviving Jebusites being banned from the royal palace (Hebrew, “the house”). 5:9 David then took up residence in the fortress. Designating Jerusalem as his capital makes good sense politically since the city is situated near the border of the north and south (Judah).4 The city also symbolizes David’s military prowess and intention to carry out the Lord’s ancient command to ...

2345. The Lord Thwarts a Curse

2 Sam 16:1-14

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... , as it were, as a reminder that David has never taken or endorsed any hostile actions against Saul or his royal house. 16:10 Curse David. From his past experience with Saul, David realizes that opposition and the suffering it entails are part of God’s sovereign design (see the comment above on 1 Sam. 26:19). 16:11 for the Lord has told him to. David’s words to Abishai express his reliance on the Lord. David undoubtedly realizes that he is being punished for his earlier crimes. His very own son is ...

2346. The Lord Thwarts a Shrewd Counselor

2 Sam 16:15–17:29

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... divine deception (see the comment above on 16:18). 17:19 His wife took a covering. This episode is similar to an incident that occurred at Jericho when the Israelites were invading the land under Joshua.7 If the many intertextual links are by design, then they contribute to the characterization of the main figures in the story. The respective spies correspond to one another, as do Rahab and the anonymous woman of Bahurim (vv. 17–20). Since the spies eventually report to David (v. 21), as the Israelite ...

2347. The Return of the King Brings Turmoil in the Kingdom

2 Sam 19:9–20:26

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... make sure Shimei dies violently (1 Kings 2:8–9). This makes one wonder about David’s motives in sparing Shimei now. He may be afraid of the Benjamites, who have turned out in large numbers. However, it is more likely that this pardon is designed to communicate to Benjamin and the northern tribes his willingness to let bygones be bygones. If David can pardon Shimei, then certainly he will welcome them back as his supporters. 19:43 the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men ...

2348. David Brings a Plague upon Israel

2 Samuel 24:1-25

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... observations are in order: (1) David’s suggestion that the Israelites are merely innocent “sheep” may be shortsighted, because verse 1 indicates that the Lord is angry with Israel, implying they have sinned. Each of the three options for judgment is designed to impact Israel negatively, suggesting that the Lord’s primary purpose all along is to punish Israel.5(2) One sees the corporate dimension of David’s relationship with Israel. Israel’s sin prompts the Lord to incite Israel’s king ...

2349. Meet Israel’s New King

1 Sam 9:1–10:8

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... a story, a closer look reveals that this introductory formula occurs only in these three passages and here in 1 Samuel 9:1, where Saul’s family is introduced. The parallels between these texts indicate that the formula links the stories together by design. For further discussion, see the commentary on 1 Samuel 10:9–27, “The Text in Context.” 9:2 named Saul. The name Saul means “asked for, requested.” This is ironic in that the narrator has already described the people as “asking” the Lord ...

2350. Saul’s Finest Hour

1 Sam 11:1-15

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Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... 2 Josephus was also aware of this tradition (Antiquities 6.68–71). The verse may have been omitted from the original text by accidental scribal error.3 If it is a reliable historical tradition, then Nahash is engaging in an aggressive imperialistic campaign in Transjordan, designed to bring the entire region under his rule. Indeed, Samuel’s speech in chapter 12 declares that it is specifically the military threat posed by Nahash that has prompted Israel to ask for a king in the first place (1 Sam. 12:12 ...

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