Bible Commentaries

Exodus 33 overview — overlooking the whole camp of Israel, where God communicated with him, and then he took up a substitute residence for himself within the camp. We may be sure that Moses acted upon direct instructions from God in making these arrangements (Exodus 33:7-11). Moses' continued, and fervent intercession for Israel resulted in the complete restoration and healing of the broken covenant. Seeking still further assurance of the continued blessing and presence of God, Moses requested the favor of seeing God

2 Kings 17:7-18 — removed them. The eternal justice of God demanded it. It was the licentious idolatry of the ancient Canaanites that led to God's replacing them with Israel; and at this juncture Israel itself had become just as evil as the old Canaanites. (See Hosea 12:7, margin). "From the tower of the watchman to the fortified city" This is an idiomatic expression with the meaning, "from shack to mansion," "from cottage to palace," or "from hamlet to city."The Interpreter's Bible, op. cit., p. 280. "They burnt incense

2 Kings 21:1-6 — 421. "He built altars for all the host of heaven" We cannot understand why some scholars attempt to identify this worship of the host of heaven as some kind of a late development in Israel. They did it in the times of the wilderness wanderings (Acts 7:42), and besides that Solomon built a temple to Moloch, which god, among other things was a sun-god, as evidenced by the great temple of Moloch in Carthage. This is also supported by the martyr Stephen who mentioned the worship of the heavenly bodies

Ezra 9 overview — with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14)."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 403. In this connection, we must reject the liberal view that, "The Israelites did not originally condemn intermarriage."Broadman Bible Commentary, Vol. 3, p. 465. Deuteronomy 7:3 specifically forbade intermarriage with non-Israelites; and it is a gross mistake to identify that restriction with some alleged "Deuteronomist." The prohibition against Israel's mingling with non-Israelites in marriage was an integral part of the

Psalms 140:9-11 — or (2) the retribution in kind executed upon Adonibezek whose thumbs were cut off and who was compelled to grovel for his food beneath the table of his captors, exactly as he had mutilated and humiliated many kings whom he had conquered (Judges 1:6-7). Brutal and terrible as such a system appears to us, it was a vast improvement over the customary cruelties that preceded. Prior to God's restraining law, the rule was: (1) If you should kill my child, I will kill you and your whole generation. (2)

Psalms 88:1-9 — never read a passage describing the approach of death any more impressive than this one. "Sheol" (Psalms 88:3); "the pit" (Psalms 88:4); "among the dead" (Psalms 88:5); "the grave" (Psalms 88:5); "the lowest pit" (Psalms 88:6); "dark places" (Psalms 88:7); and "the deeps" (Psalms 88:7) are seven synonyms for the realm of the dead, or Hades; and the mind of the psalmist seems utterly overcome with the gloom of approaching death. "O God of my salvation" Surely this is an exclamation of faith in God, and

Isaiah 53:7-9 — his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth." This stanza is a return to the theme of suffering on the part of the Servant, stressing in the first verse (Isaiah 53:7) his silence in the face of accusers, mockers, and the "judges" of the tribunals before which he was arraigned. "The Septuagint (LXX) renders part of this passage, as follows: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer

Isaiah 8:1-4 — children. The detail given here is the primary reason for our belief that Shear-Jashub had received his symbolical name in the same manner. Maher-shalal-hash-baz means "Speed the spoil; hasten the prey"E. J. Young, The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 773. or, as J. B. Phillips has it, "Quick pickings - Easy prey." The terrible meaning is evident enough; God will punish Israel at once, shaving the land with the hired razor, the king of Assyria. God called him a "hired razor" (Isaiah 7:20), because

Jeremiah 22 overview — THE EARTHLY HOUSE OF DAVID TERMINATED This is a landmark chapter in God's Word. The beginning of the Jewish state had been contrary to God's will (1 Samuel 8:7). It was based entirely upon the people's rejection of God's will and their desire to be like the nations around them. Not surprisingly, that "sinful kingdom" became the scandal of antiquity, fully deserving the word of the Lord to Amos when he declared,

Jeremiah 44:15-19 — of Baal. "The immoral rites of the worship of this deity entered Canaan from Babylon, long before God sent the children down into Canaan to extirpate it and replace it with the knowledge of the true God."International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, p. 271. The type of sexual orgies that went along with such worship is clearly visible in Numbers 25, in which event Israel demonstrated their preference for that kind of worship over that which God had commanded, a preference which they maintained down to

Nahum 3:19 — destruction of Nineveh appears repeatedly through the prophecy. Note the following: I will make thy grave, for thou art vile (Nahum 1:14). The wicked one shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off (Nahum 1:15). She is carried away (Nahum 2:7). She is empty, and void, and waste (Nahum 2:10). Where is the den of lions? (Nahum 2:11). The voice of thy messengers shall no more be heard (Nahum 2:13). I will set thee as a gazing-stock (Nahum 3:6). Nineveh is laid waste (Nahum 3:7). Thou shalt

Haggai 2:9 — Messianic passage (Haggai 2:6-9). As Wiseman noted, "There was a first fulfillment soon after Haggai wrote, but not completely until Christ's reign."D. J. Wiseman, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 784. Before leaving this wonderful Messianic prophecy, we must call attention to the rendition of the KJV in Haggai 2:7, which reads: "I will shake all nations; and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith

Zechariah 7:2-3 — the old pagan shrine where the golden calves had once been set up, are here represented as coming to Jerusalem to inquire of the prophets and priests regarding the keeping of one of the popular fast days which had been observed by the Jews for some 70 years. The situation had been brought about by the fact that great progress was being made in rebuilding the temple; property was increasing; and there appeared to be some doubt as to the keeping of a fast day on the anniversary of the destruction

Matthew 3:1-2 — the Roman yoke, it is not surprising that he was welcomed with enthusiasm; and that those who ventured to doubt his mission found it expedient to dissemble (Matthew 21:26)."J. R. Dummelow, One Volume Commentary (New York: Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 629. Jesus had the highest opinion of John (Luke 7:28). The Jewish priests said he was possessed by a demon (Matthew 11:18), but this poor opinion of John was a reflection upon themselves and sprang out of the evil in which they were engrossed. The

Deuteronomy 15:7-11 — "release" was not a mere moratorium, but a genuine and complete remission. The admonition not to be "grieved" because of giving to a poor brother is strongly suggestive of Paul's famous quotation from Jesus, "God loveth a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7). It is extremely significant that Deuteronomy 15:7-9 indicate that, "God will regard the cry of the poor as a witness against the hardhearted."Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Commentary on the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1981), p. 250. The Sabbatical

Romans 14:4 — conduct of other Christians is a subject of such universal concern within the church that the collateral scriptures applicable to this question should be remembered here. ON JUDGING OTHERS Jesus said, "Judge not that ye be not judged" (Matthew 7:1); and, while upon earth, not even the blessed Son of God himself judged people, saying, "I came not to judge the world but to save the world" (John 12:47). This is not a prohibition of discerning other people's actions, but of presuming

Joshua 24:29-33 — servant of Jehovah" (Joshua 24:29). The title, "Servant of Jehovah" is used of Moses frequently in the Book of Joshua, as in Joshua 1:1-2; Joshua 1:13; Joshua 8:31; Joshua 8:33; Joshua 9:24; Joshua 11:12; Joshua 11:15; Joshua 12:6; Joshua 13:8; Joshua 14:7; Joshua 18:7; Joshua 22:2; Joshua 22:4-5. But this is the very first time the title is given to Joshua. Boling believed this was due to the tremendous importance of the covenant-relationship in which Joshua here stood in the place once occupied by Moses.

Hebrews 7:27 — on the day of atonement. Some have even dared to ascribe ignorance to the author of Hebrews; but as Lenski says, These critics do not have much ground to stand on, for it can readily be observed that the writer says "once a year" (Hebrews 9:7), "year by year" (Hebrews 10:1); and that he knows Leviticus 16:2 ("not at all times"), and Leviticus 16:29, and also has "once a year" (Leviticus 16:34). R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 244. It should be noted that this

James 3:6 — the same as the state of "the steward of unrighteousness" (Luke 16:8), and "the judge of unrighteousness" (Luke 18:6). Ronald A. Ward, The New Bible Commentary, Revised (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 1230. Here is the key to understanding what was said a little later. An uncontrolled tongue is closely allied with the inherent wickedness of unregenerated human carnality. Every conceivable form of lust, greed, deception, hatred, malignity and

Revelation 6:15-17 — Revelation where are to be found other visions of the Great Day. These successive presentations of that ultimate day of wrath and glory actually provide the most logical and convenient divisions of this complicated prophecy. The events of Revelation 7, about to be prophesied, are actually prior in the time sequence to this judgment scene. "It is isolated in form and content from its context." James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 394. The whole of Revelation 7 may therefore be understood as a parenthetic