Esther 3:9

All my dear friends and brethren, who are of the royal seed of God!—Patience obtains the victory that runs the race and obtains the crown [1 Cor 9:24f/Heb 12:1]; be married and joined to the seed Christ the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world [Heb 13:8]; from its foundation, I say. For as y... Read More

"Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod" or, "The Silent Soul with Sovereign Antidotes" by Thomas Brooks, 1659, London. "I was silent; I would not open my mouth, for You are the one who has done this!" Psalm 39:9 Objection 8. Oh! But God has deserted me! He has forsaken me! He who should comfort my s... Read More

A. FACT OF DIVINE GUIDANCE 1. What is meant by “divine guidance?” The leading of God in the personal life and experience of man 2. Concerning the possibility of knowing the will of God, what may be seen from: (1) Col. 1:9? That we should know the will of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding... Read More

by Joseph Philpot, 1841 "A peculiar people." 1 Peter 2:9 What an involuntary testimony do ungodly people often bear to the truth of the Scriptures! What, for instance, is more common in the world, and among those who are lying dead in a profession, than language of this kind--"What an odd kind of pe... Read More

There is a great need in the body of Christ for consistent reading of the Holy Scriptures in their entirety, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. In this case we are encouraging a chronological reading of the Scriptures. Most of the confusion is created when certain teachers, groups, or... Read More

Malice (2550) (kakoetheia from kakós = bad, evil + ethos = disposition) is used only here in the NT and refers to the person who has an ill-nature, taking everything with an evil connotation and giving a malicious interpretation to the actions of others, a nature which is evil and makes one suspect ... Read More

Submit...to decrees (1379) (dogmatizo from dogma = rule, decree, regulation, ordinance - a formalized rule or set of rules prescribing what one must do) means to put others under obligation by imposition of rules. In the passive sense as used in this passage the idea is to submit to rules and regula... Read More

The Second Branch of the Text, the Lesson itself, with the Proposition. I come to the second, which is the main thing, the lesson itself, "in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Here was a rare piece of learning indeed, and is certainly more to be wondered at in St Paul, that he knew ho... Read More

Thou shalt not kill.' Exod 20: 13. In this commandment is a sin forbidden, which is murder, Thou shalt not kill,' and a duty implied, which is, to preserve our own life, and the life of others. The sin forbidden is murder: Thou shalt not kill.' Here two things are to be understood, the not injuring ... Read More

Blessed are the peacemakers. Matthew 5:9 This is the seventh step of the golden ladder which leads to blessedness. The name of peace is sweet, and the work of peace is a blessed work. Blessed are the peacemakers'. Observe the connection. The Scripture links these two together, pureness of heart and ... Read More