Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 8:12-21 — any further than Solomon's lifetime. Was Solomon God's son? There is no evidence whatever that Solomon was even saved, for he became, in time, an unqualified son of the Devil. Was God Solomon's father? Indeed no! Solomon was an idolater (1 Kings 11:5-12). Was that Temple which Solomon built "the house for God's name"? Indeed Solomon and all the Jews claimed that distinction for it, and for a season God allowed it to be so recognized, but THAT HOUSE which God promised to David, which would be built

2 Kings 24:10-17 — Babylon. The Book of Daniel relates the fortunes of some of those princes. Significantly, God blessed Daniel with great preferment and power in Nebuchadnezzar's capital. "In the eighth year of his reign" "The eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign was 597 B.C. The siege extended from December (Chislev) 598 B.C. to March (Adar) of 597 B.C., according to Babylonian records."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 367. "And Jehoiakin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon" Evidently, Jehoiakin

Psalms 139:7-12 — for the last two words. Despite the fact that darkness cannot hide from God, wicked men still prefer the nighttime for their deeds of criminality. The New Testament takes note of this in such terms as "the works of darkness" (Romans 13:12; Ephesians 5:11).

Psalms 31:9-13 — him was backed up by the wealth and military power of the nation. Only God is on David's side; but that advantage was far more than enough. "My soul and body also" (Psalms 31:9). This indicates that David's commending his spirit to God in Psalms 31:5 was done in the hope of preserving both soul and body. "My strength faileth because of mine iniquity" (Psalms 31:10). "Some interpreters change the word `iniquity' here to `miseries'; but "There is no good reason for this alteration."H. C. Leupold,

Psalms 36:1-4 — takes up his position in the way that leads in the opposite direction from that which is good; his conscience is deadened against evil; there is not a trace of aversion to it to be found in him; he loves it with all of his soul."F. Delitzsch, V-B, p. 5.

Psalms 62:9-12 — truth, giving to every man "according to his works." Dummelow pointed out that, "Power and Mercy are the two sides of the full-orbed character of God; and both qualities are displayed in his unerring judgments of men."J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 353. "Lovingkindness" How frequently have we encountered this word in the Davidic psalms! It surely must have been one of David's favorite words regarding God. "To every man according to his work" In the last analysis, it is the "works" of men upon which

Song of Solomon 5:2-8 — 80. Bunn pointed out that the situation indicated in the dream, "Is tragic."Broadman Bible Commentary, op. cit., p. 142. THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE ALLEGORY The Church is indeed married to Christ; but the Bridegroom has been taken away (Matthew 9:15); this is beautifully symbolized here by the absence of the Shepherd. The mistreatment of the maiden stands for the persecutions, hatred, and bitterness of the world against the Bride of Christ (His Church). Her being wounded speaks of the martyrdoms

Isaiah 25:1-5 — shelter to his distressed people when the blast of the violent has beaten on them like a winter storm. He has assuaged the oppression of the enemy, as the sun's scorching heat in a parched land is ameliorated by clouds."Peake's Commentary Series, p. 453. Rawlinson believed that the exultation expressed was made by Isaiah in his own person, and "not in the person of the Church,"The Pulpit Commentary, p. 399. but we believe Peake's view is preferable. "Counsels of old" "The wonders for which God is

Isaiah 26:16-19 — what brought them back to God from the alienation which they confessed (Isaiah 26:13). It was the affliction which they so long endured. Their present bliss is the result of their former woe, and recalls the thought of it."The Pulpit Commentary, p. 415. "We have brought forth wind" This simply means that all human efforts toward salvation are futile, with no result whatever. We have not been able to defeat our enemies, nor has the entrenched wickedness of mankind diminished. Isaiah 26:19 speaks of

Isaiah 58:13-14 — thyself in Jehovah; and I will make thee to ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father, for the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken it." Again, notice that all-important IF standing at the head of Isaiah 58:13. The multiple requirement is (1) that Israel must stop doing "their own thing" on the sabbath day; (2) they must stop teaching and parroting the words of men (their own words) and begin honoring God's Word; (3) they are commanded to call the sabbath

Jeremiah 14:1-6 — there is no grass. And the wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air, like jackals; their eyes fail because there is no herbage." "The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah" This is the title of the whole chapter and through Jeremiah 15:4, all of which deals with the same subject. "They all sit in black upon the ground" The custom of wearing black as a token of grief or mourning was known then and might be even much older than those times. In addition to their dress and humble posture

Jeremiah 15:1-4 — occasions of Israel's rebellion against the Lord, had interceded for them, praying for their forgiveness; and there were several examples of this in the Old Testament. (Exodus 32:11-14; Exodus 32:30-34; Numbers 24:13-23; Deuteronomy 9:18-20; Deuteronomy 9:15-29; 1 Samuel 7:5-9; 1 Samuel 12:19-25; and Psalms 99:6-8). However, the sad message here is that even the intercession of such intercessors as Moses and Samuel would be of no avail whatever in the present extremity of Judah's total apostasy and rebellion. We

Ezekiel 11:3-4 — their weakness rests in the fact that the Hebrew text simply does not fit such interpretations; and therefore we favor the view of Keil. Keil took the view that the `house-building' referred to here is a reference to Jeremiah's instructions (Jeremiah 29:5), making the words here a brazen attempt to contradict Jeremiah's instructions to the exiles. This would give a meaning like this: "House-building in exile is a long way off. It will not come to this; Jerusalem will not fall into the hands of the king

Daniel 7:7-8 — itself, with eyes and a mouth. By its eyes it was a Seer;, and by its mouth speaking great things and changing times and laws, it was a Prophet as well as a King. And such a Seer, Prophet, and King, is the Church of Rome."Sir Isaac Newton, op. cit., p. 75. There is not a Protestant church of any name on earth today that was not founded upon the premise that this interpretation of "the little horn" is true and correct. Furthermore, Sir Isaac Newton went on to identify in detail the "ten kingdoms" (the

Amos 3:14 — and the other he put in Dan'" (1 Kings 12:28-29). "It has commonly been assumed that the golden calves were direct representations of Yahweh as bull-god,"Merrill F. Unger, Archeology and the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1954), p. 236. and some commentators claim that the true God was thus worshipped in Israel; but the very making of those golden calves was a flagrant violation of the law of God as known for centuries prior to Jeroboam. Aaron, it will be remembered, had

Zechariah 14:1 — considered somewhat of an enigma by commentators for centuries. Even Luther said, "In this chapter, I surrender, for I am not certain of what the prophet treats."H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Zechariah (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1971), p. 258. Of Zechariah 14:3, Adam Clarke stated that, "This is an obscure place."Adam Clarke, Commentary, Vol. IV (New York City: T. Mason, and G. Lane, 1837), p. 797. After pointing out conflicting interpretations, Pusey could not decide between them, "Leaving

Malachi 1:4 — God, "Jehovah of hosts," is found almost 300 times in the Old Testament, some 247 of these being in the prophetic books, including 91 in the last three of the minor prophets.Joyce G. Baldwin, op. cit., p. 44. Haggai used it 14 times; Zechariah used it 53 times; and Malachi used it 24 times. What does the title mean? Who are the "hosts"? There appear to be three basic applications of the word "hosts," a word that primarily means "armies." Although no prophet of God ever limited that thought to the armies

Matthew 24:1-2 — with such evident admiration were fully entitled to praise. Josephus' description of Herod's temple states that the front of it was covered with heavy golden plates, that it was constructed of green and white marble blocks of immense dimensions, 67' x 5' x 6' in size, and that it appeared like a mountain covered with snow, the ungilded parts being exceedingly white. The golden facade reflected the rising sun with fiery splendor; and, in the words of the rabbis, "He who has not seen the temple

1 Samuel 26:6-12 — applies it to the destruction of the army of Sennacherib. The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil;They sank into sleep;All the men of war were unable to use their hands.At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob,Both rider and horse lay stunned.- Psalms 76:5-6 (RSV). "How easily can God weaken the strongest, befool the wisest, and battle the most watchful! Let all of God's friends therefore trust him and all his enemies fear him."Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 422.

2 Samuel 1:17-27 — reference to his faults and sins. As Matthew Henry said, "This was proper, because, although there was no preventing such things from appearing in Saul's history, yet they were very properly left out of his eulogy."Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 450. "The Book of Jasher" This book has not come down to us, but it once existed; and, "It was evidently one of the sources used by the author of the Books of Samuel"The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 302. "How are the mighty fallen!" This expression