Bible Commentaries

Genesis 12:4 — promises as well (cf. Ruth). Abram’s call had been to separate from his pagan relatives, so he was not disobedient by allowing Lot to accompany him. [Note: See ibid., p. 207.] Probably Abram viewed Lot as his heir (cf. Genesis 11:27-32; Genesis 12:4-5; Genesis 13:1-2). "Since Mesopotamian law-codes allowed for the adoption of an heir in the case of childlessness, this becomes an attractive hypothesis with respect to Lot." [Note: Helyer, p. 82.] Abram lived 75 years with his father, then

Exodus 21:12-14 — sanctuary in a sacred place was safe from punishment even if he or she had deliberately murdered someone. The Torah removed that protection in the case of murder. God regarded the sanctity of human life greater than the sanctity of a place (Exodus 21:4).

1 Kings 9:20-23 — Solomon’s forced labor 9:20-23 Solomon put the defeated native Canaanites to work on government projects (cf. Genesis 9:25-26). Nevertheless this plan proved to be a source of major dissatisfaction in Israel (cf. 1 Kings 12:4). There was a distinction in Solomon’s day between Israelites whom the king conscripted for temporary service and non-Israelites who were permanent slave laborers. The former served as military supervisors over civil forced labor gangs, for example.

Ezra 6:1-2 — Ecbatana (modern Hamadan). According to the Greek historian Xenophon, Cyrus lived in Babylon during the winter, in Susa during the spring, and in Ecbatana in the summer. [Note: Xenophon, 8:6:22.] This memorandum was not the same as the edict (cf. Ezra 1:2-4). Nonetheless, it confirmed the edict and provided instructions for the royal treasurer, making a way for him to implement the edict.

Nehemiah 13:1-3 — 1. The exclusion of foreigners 13:1-3 Discovery of the law that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of the Lord (Deuteronomy 23:3-4) led the leaders to exclude all foreigners from the restoration community. There are three explanations for Ruth’s inclusion. The best one, I believe, is that unbelieving immigrants from these nations were those denied full rights. This would

Esther 1:1-20 — A    Opening and background (ch. 1)     B    The king’s first decree (chs. 2-3)         C    The clash between Haman and Mordecai (chs. 4-5)             D    "On the night the king could not sleep" (Esther 6:1)         C’    Mordecai’s

Psalms 107:4-32 — 2. Specific instances of deliverance 107:4-32 The writer cited four times when the Israelites cried out to God for deliverance and He saved them (Psalms 107:6; Psalms 107:13; Psalms 107:19; Psalms 107:28; cf. Judges 2:18; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13). These situations were answers to

Psalms 145:17-21 — 4. God’s responsiveness to prayer 145:17-21 Everything the Lord does is right. Kindness also marks all His deeds. He is attentive to those who pray to Him sincerely. He will grant the petitions of believers and will deliver them in times of need.

Psalms 18:20-24 — works. He was showing God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises to Israel. These verses would have encouraged the Israelites to follow David’s example of righteous behavior so they, too, would experience God’s favor (cf. 2 Timothy 4:6-8). ". . . David could quite properly use this language within a limited frame of reference, [but] the Messiah could use it absolutely; and the psalm is ultimately Messianic . . ." [Note: Kidner, p. 93.]

Psalms 61:3-4 — refuge and tower of strength. Now the psalmist longed to dwell in the Lord’s tent or tabernacle and to enjoy the protection of His wings, as though he were a baby chick or bird (cf. Psalms 17:8; Psalms 36:7; Psalms 57:1; Psalms 63:7; Psalms 91:4). "The psalmist’s longing for God (Psalms 61:1-5) is a familiar motif in the Psalms as an expression of deep love for God arising out of great adversity (cf. Psalms 20; Psalms 21; Psalms 27; Psalms 42; Psalms 43; Psalms 63)." [Note:

Psalms 70:1-5 — superscription of this psalm, a "memorial" or "petition," literally means, "to bring to remembrance" (cf. Psalms 38). "Perhaps this was a note that the psalm was to be used in connection with the offerings (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:4), which would help ’remind’ the Lord of the petitioner’s request." [Note: Ross, p. 845.] The subject matter of this psalm is very similar to that of Psalms 69, though the treatment is much shorter. It is almost identical to Psalms

Psalms 74:1-2 — 1. A call for God to remember His people 74:1-2 Evidently Israel was suffering under the oppression of a foreign foe. The writer prayed that God would stop disciplining His chosen people and remember (act) to bless the nation He had redeemed. The figure of sheep (Psalms 74:2) stresses the helpless,

Psalms 79:1-4 — 1. A lament over Jerusalem’s destruction 79:1-4 Enemies had invaded Israel, defiled the temple, destroyed Jerusalem, and left the bodies of Israel’s soldiers unburied. To lie unburied, like an animal for which no one cared, was the final humiliation. Consequently, God’s inheritance had

Leviticus 7:1-10 — than we read formerly (ch. 5). The procedures for slaughtering the trespass offering and sprinkling its blood were the same as for the burnt offering (Leviticus 1:5). The priests burned only the fatty parts on the altar (cf. Leviticus 3:9; Leviticus 4:8). They were to eat the flesh of this offering (cf. Leviticus 6:22). "Ministers must assure repentant worshipers of their restitution when they seek forgiveness based on the atoning blood and show repentance by their desire to make things right."

Ezekiel 25 overview — III. ORACLES AGAINST FOREIGN NATIONS CHS. 25-32 It is appropriate that this section appears at this point in Ezekiel, between the messages announcing judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for sin (chs. 4-24) and the messages announcing future blessings for Israel (chs. 33-48). It heightens dramatic tension as the reader wonders what will be the fate of Israel now in view of God’s promises. Ezekiel had anticipated and announced the judgment of

Deuteronomy 12:29-31 — worship of idols (ch. 13). Chapter 12 opens and closes with warnings against pagan religion. How does God want His people to worship Him? His people should worship Him exclusively and only as He has instructed us (cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 22:19; John 4:20-23).

Ephesians 1:4 — The first blessing is election. God has sovereignly chosen some people for salvation (cf. Ephesians 1:11; Romans 8:30; 1 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 1:1). Salvation is ultimately God’s doing, not man’s (Ephesians 2:8-9). Belief in divine election is probably the most fundamental tenet of Calvinistic theology. Someone who denies it is not a Calvinist. Salvation

Philippians 3:11 — expectation. Superficially this verse seems to suggest that Paul had some doubt about the certainty of his resurrection. However elsewhere in his writings he was very confident that God would resurrect him and all believers (e.g., Romans 8:11; Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 15:12-57; 2 Corinthians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 5:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Timothy 2:18). The Bible teaches that God will resurrect all people, believers and unbelievers, if they have died (e.g., Daniel 12:2; Matthew 22:29-32; Luke

1 Peter 3:18 — emphasis is on the finality of His sacrifice ("once for all," Gr. hapax) rather than on the extent of the atonement ("for all"). His was also a vicarious sacrifice: the just One died for the unjust ones (1 Peter 1:19; 1 Peter 2:21-24; 1 Peter 4:1; cf. Isaiah 53:11; Matthew 27:19; Luke 23:47; Romans 5:6-10; 1 John 2:1; 1 John 2:29; 1 John 3:7). The purpose of Jesus Christ’s death was to bring us into fellowship with God. ". . . no other NT writer has this active picture

Judges 6:11-32 — Gideon’s commissioning by Yahweh 6:11-32 ". . . the heroic women of the song [of Deborah, ch. 5] give way to an unheroic ’man of Israel’ (Judges 7:14) who not only does all he can to evade the call of Yahweh but in the end abandons God. . . . In the person of Gideon the narrator recognizes the schizophrenic nature of Israel’s spiritual personality. On the one hand she treasures