Bible Commentaries

Daniel 12:8-9 — these words. Why? (1) The holy people whose power was to be broken in pieces in the mind of Daniel was doubtless a reference to the OLD ISRAEL; but we have known since Jesus Christ that HE, and HE ALONE is the true Israel of God (John 15:1; John 15:5). (2) The expression, "time, and times, and a half a time" could have had no practical meaning whatever for Daniel. (3) The prophecies of knowledge being increased and men going "to and fro" could never have been fully understood by any person living prior

Daniel 8:3-4 — stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself." Many have pointed out that the ram here is the same world power represented by the arms and breast of silver in Daniel 2:32 and the beast "like unto a bear" (Daniel 7:5). The symbolism is exactly the same in all three instances. The ram represents Medo-Persia. This is one kingdom with two elements (Median and Persian), not two successive powers, for they are here represented

Hosea 11:10 — Mauchline, op. cit., p. 691. This verse, as Keil noted, not only indicates obedience to the gathering voice of the Lord on Israel's part, but also denotes their, "Walking in true obedience to the Lord which follows from conversion."C. F. Keil, op. cit., p. 142. This verse is therefore a reference to the times of the dispensation of Christ and his holy apostles; and the Israel in view is not the old secular kingdom at all, but the new Israel of the Church of Jesus Christ. "This word is a ray of hope to be

Hosea 13:10 — the University Press, 1971), p. 148. "Where now is thy king…? "This does not imply that Israel had no king at all at that time, but simply that it had no king who could save it."C. F. Keil op. cit., p. 157. Although this verse points back to 2 Samuel 8, in which is recorded the account of Israel's rejection of the Theocracy and their demand for a king, it also has in view the rejection of the house of David by Ephraim and the rebellion of the Ten Tribes, as well as numerous other times in

Hosea 13:12 — kept, and eternal justice will at last be meted out to every man. "For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10). In the case of Northern Israel, addressed here by Hosea in God's name, their conduct had finally exhausted the patience and forbearance of God Himself; the cup of his wrath was full and about to overflow. The New English Bible translates

Hosea 2:23 — this has been remarkably fulfilled throughout two millenniums! "That had not obtained mercy" This verse also is a bold and definite prophecy of the receiving of the Gentiles into the New Covenant. Paul quoted both this verse and Hosea 1:10 in Romans 9:25-26, applying both passages to the current dispensation of Christ. For the same purpose, Peter also used the terminology of both these passages in 1 Peter 2:10. Thus, there can be no valid question of the Messianic import of this remarkable prophecy. Despite

Joel 2:28 — afterward" The specific fulfillment of this passage occurred on the day of Pentecost, upon which occasion the apostle Peter referred to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the twelve apostles as "this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel" (Acts 2:17 f). To be sure, as Harley said, "Only the apostles received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on that occasion";Homer Hailey, op. cit., p. 53. but the infusion of the Holy Spirit that became available to mankind on that day was a much more extensive

Amos 3:9 — known to their traditional enemies. Following the death of Saul, the lament took this form: Tell it not in Gath,Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice- 2 Samuel 1:20 There is definitely an echo of this in the verse before us. "Ashdod" also carries a more pointed meaning for Israel than would "Assyria" in this verse. "It is a more stinging implication that the Philistines (Ashdod) and the Egyptians, the

Micah 1:7 — alliance with Phoenicia engineered by Jezebel's marriage to Ahab) will be wiped out, or carried off as spoil by the enemy."Gleason L. Archer, op. cit., p. 753. "The accent is firmly on Yahweh as the prime mover behind history."Leslie C. Allen, op. cit., p. 268. In Micah 1:6, the prophet had declared that Samaria would become as "a heap in a field"; and oddly enough, in one of the monuments to the conquest of Samaria excavated at Nineveh, are descriptions of Israel's cities, of which the inscriptions read,

Micah 6:16 — cit., p. 501. "No special statutes of his are anywhere mentioned; but he was the founder of that evil dynasty that gave Ahab to Israel and Athaliah (the murderess) to Judah."W. J. Deane, op. cit., p. 90. She, Athaliah, was called "the daughter of Omri" (2 Kings 8:26). Of course, it was through those persons that the cult of Baal had been introduced in Israel, resulting, at last, in the total apostasy of the whole nation. This was dealt with extensively in the prophecy of Hosea, above. "The chapter closes

Nahum 1:5 — disturbances of the earth's environment. "The great physical changes and convulsions in the world are tokens of God's wrath on sinful nations."W. J. Deane, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 14, Nahum (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 2. Deane is undoubtedly correct in this, for so all the prophets of God understood them. (See more of this in my commentary on the minor prophets, vol. 1, pp. 10, 11.) Some have difficulty in appreciating this, because of the obvious fact that many physical

Nahum 2:13 — lion's dens. "How is it that with the strength and devastating power of a lion with a den unmolested and uncontested, with mate and offspring, and with unlimited prey to seize with impunity, the lair is utterly abandoned?"Edward R. Dalglish, op. cit., p. 242. The enigma is answered in the first clause, one of the most important in the prophecy and the one repeated in Nahum 3:5, "I am against thee, saith the Lord of hosts!" This verse identifies the Dasher in pieces of Nahum 2:1; it is God who overthrew

Habakkuk 2:15 — apostate Christianity. The use of the drink metaphor here is quite significant, for it is continued throughout the word of God, even to the very end of it. Thus the Mystic Babylon is said to make the nations drink of her cup (Revelation 14:8; Revelation 17:2; Revelation 18:3); but God will at last compel wicked Babylon itself to drink of the cup of his wrath. "Double unto her double!" is the way the sentence runs.

Habakkuk 2:5 — motivated by an insatiable desire like that of the drunkard for drink. "The drunkard can never drink enough wine… the Chaldeans can never conquer enough land."D. David Garland, Broadman's Bible Commentary, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1972), p. 258. The reason for the choice of such a metaphor probably derived from the fact of, "drunkenness being a besetting sin of Babylon. It was, in the case of Belshazzar, the immediate cause of the fall of Babylon (Daniel 5:2-5; Daniel 5:30)."Robert

Habakkuk 2:8 — nations left unplundered by the Babylonians, but the remnant of the people's remaining in the plundered nations after their conquest. Keil said that this explanation is the only one "in harmony with the usage of the language."C. F. Keil, op. cit., p. 82. "Violence done to the land" This is usually understood as a reference, by metonomy, to all the peoples of the world; but there would appear to be in it also a reference to the wanton destruction and misuse of the natural resources as well, a thought

Habakkuk 3:14 — overwhelming. The bruising of Satan's head was mentioned in the previous verse, and here the manner of Christ's slaying the devil is clearly indicated "He through death (Satan's weapon) slew him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Hebrews 2:14). To be sure, there were examples of that same phenomenon in the history of Israel. David, it will be recalled, slew Goliath with Goliath's own sword. We do not know if Habakkuk had any intimation of the ultimate fulfillment of his words or not;

Zechariah 10:1 — how necessary, important, and appropriate it is that this verse should introduce another section dealing with the times of the Messiah, toward which the Jewish remnant so eagerly turned their eyes. Dentan stated that these two verses (Zechariah 10:1-2) are, "unrelated to the context in which they are now found."Robert C. Dentan, The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VI (New York City: Abingdon Press, 1957), p. 1098. "Spiritually, Israel had had her former rains; but a long and terrible drought had set in,"H.

Zechariah 2:7 — is a perpetual principle in God's economy of salvation, and the grand imperative of all ages. It found utterance upon the first day of the gospel age when Peter admonished his Pentecostal audience, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation" (Acts 2:40). A way of escape had been provided for the captive people of God, and their homeland was available to them; but whether or not they ever reached it depended upon them. They would have to cut the ties that held them in Babylon and return to Jerusalem.

Matthew 21:45 — but the Master had too carefully laid the plan for that to happen. The popular support of Christ was so great that they simply dared not to touch him in front of the people. Two courses were open to them: (1) They could secretly assassinate him, or (2) they could contrive his legal condemnation and death. The Providence from on high had closed the first alternative, although they did not know it; and without doubt that would have been their favorite method of disposing of him. God's plan called for

Matthew 6:5 — of the truly spiritual life. In this passage with verses following, Christ exposes the entire area of hypocritical and ostentatious prayers. The proper exercise of the privilege of prayer is violated (1) by the choice of an improper place of prayer, (2) by the use of vain repetitions, and (3) by the employment of long and verbose monologue. Each of these violations receives our Lord's specific attention. (1) Improper place for prayer is indicated by "the street corners." How about crowded