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10,054 illustrations — Lessons from history, biography, and world events
The Lot Cast and God's Disposing Hand
All contingencies rest under the direction of God's providence.
Proverbs 16:33UniversalDivine sovereigntyhuman responsibility
Christ's Prayer Amid Approaching Calvary Secures His People
In Gethsemane He prayed for Himself with agitation and struggle: 'If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me.' Yet here in the High-priestly prayer, His voice carries 'calm serenity and confident assurance.' The difference is this: in Gethsemane,...
The Apostolic Ministry as Light and Living Reflection
First, the gospel illuminates what was previously hidden.
2 Corinthians 4:1Universaldivine revelation
Four Purposes for Seeking the Lord: The Duty Neglected
Exell's Victorian homiletic unpacks this indictment with surgical precision.
Ezekiel 6:10
Is the Lord's Hand Shortened? God's Challenge to Faith
God's purpose is explicit: "God hath sent His Son into the world, that the world through Him might be saved." Yet formidable obstacles obscure this gracious design.
Leviticus 10:23
The Inflexible Heart: Serving Kings Yet Loving Zion
Here stood a cup-bearer in the Persian court of Artaxerxes at Shushan, a man whose position required such intimate access to power that he could omit the king's name from his record—assuming every reader knew his magnitude.
Nehemiah 1:1-11
Faith's Two Stages: The Trial and the Triumph
For six days, Israel performed what appeared utterly useless—a silent, circular procession around an impregnable fortress.
Joshua 6:10-11
Binding Up the Testimony: Preserving Divine Revelation
This vivid metaphor describes how God's people must guard and maintain the truths contained in Scripture through deliberate action.
Isaiah 6:16Universalsacred trust
Holy Love: The Fire That Quickens Rather Than Consumes
Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?' The unworthy members of Zion—the *sinners in Zion*—cry out in terror, supposing the prophet speaks of annihilation.
Isaiah 33:14-15
Riches Fall; The Righteous Branch Flourishes
Trusting in riches is spiritually unsatisfactory and necessarily evanescent.
Proverbs 11:28Universaldependence on God versus worldly trust
God's Motherhood: Divine Comfort in Exile and Return
The exiles' return to Jerusalem embodies this metaphor.
Isaiah 63:13
When Enemies Surround, God Sustains
Basil observed that these saints possessed such extraordinary courage and confidence amid their sufferings that watching heathens witnessed their heroic zeal and constancy—and turned to Christ themselves.
Psalms 18:18
The Fugitive's Cave as Preparation for the King's Palace
Maclaren observes that 'the fugitive's cave was a good preparation for the king's palace,' a paradox that cuts to the heart of how God prepares His servants for dignity and duty.
2 Samuel 2:1-11
God's Judgment Upon Deceivers and Their Cunning
Yet we must consider the mangled victims left in their wake—those who trafficked in cunning and deception, proving specially obnoxious to the Almighty.
Psalms 119:118
God Selects the Godly for Intimate Companionship
Rather, He sets him apart for Himself—to converse with him, to communicate Himself to him as a friend and companion, making him His delight.
Psalms 4:3
Aaron's Sacred Vestments: Christ's Unified Priestly Work
The linen material—simple, natural—typifies the human nature Christ wears in His glorified state, in which He executes all services of His exalted Priesthood as our Representative.
Exodus 26:2
The Righteous Shall Shine Forth as the Sun
The parable of the wheat and tares reveals a profound truth: the beauty of the righteous man remains hidden in the present age.
Matthew 10:43Universalhidden righteousness revealed
The First Five Minutes After Death: Recognition Beyond the Grave
One seasoned traveler, having witnessed wonders across distant lands, told his friends: "There is something more wonderful than anything I have yet known, which I still have to experience." When pressed, he replied, "It is the first five minutes after...
Isaiah 13:9Universal
The River Winds: Walking by Faith Without Sight
Yet he 'obeyed at once,' unburdened by ignorance of his destination.
Acts 8:26-40
Churches in Christ: Foundation, Body, and Eternal Glory
This relationship unfolds across six essential dimensions: First, churches are **founded on Christ** (Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 1:2)—built upon the rock of His person.
Galatians 1:22Universalecclesiastical unity
Jacob's Tender Care: Considering the Weak Among Us
If they are driven hard one day, all the animals will die.' He did not demand that his reconciled brother match his slower journey, but instead stated his reason openly so he would not be thought unkind.
Genesis 33:9-11
The Single Eye: Singleness of Purpose in Eternal Perspective
This is not optical biology but moral vision.
Matthew 6:22Universalsingle-minded devotion
God's Pursuit of the Stout-Hearted Heart
The 'stout-hearted'—those untouched by conviction, ignorant of sin, self-reliant and nearly defiant before God—expect rebuke and condemnation from the Almighty's lips.
Isaiah 46:12-13
The Spirit's Presence: Foundation of the Eternal Church
This distinguishes His Church from every other society—without Christ present, there is no Church.
1 Corinthians 10:11Universalthe Holy Spirit's role in the Church
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Christ's intercession
spiritual protection amid hostility
Alexander Maclaren226 words
witness and testimony
Universal
spiritual separation and reconciliation
the nature of genuine religion
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God's power and purpose
human doubt versus divine sufficiency
Universal
covenant faithfulness
zeal tempered by distance
Alexander Maclaren242 words
Universal
trust without explanation
God's invisible presence
Alexander Maclaren253 words
doctrinal preservation
Universal
divine nature of God
transformation through love
Alexander Maclaren249 words
spiritual growth through connection to Christ
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God's tender care
maternal divine love
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God's protection amid persecution
confidence in divine support
Charles H. Spurgeon190 words
Universal
divine preparation through adversity
kingship as responsibility not privilege
Alexander Maclaren251 words
Universal
divine judgment
deception's consequences
Charles H. Spurgeon198 words
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God's intimate selection of believers
holiness as prerequisite for communion
Charles H. Spurgeon211 words
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Christ as High Priest
unity in God's work
trial as spiritual formation
recognition and accountability
continuity of personality beyond death
Universal
progressive revelation
divine guidance
Alexander Maclaren257 words
Christ's headship
Universal
tender care for the vulnerable
honest communication in relationships
Charles H. Spurgeon232 words
moral clarity
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divine initiative
God's pursuing love
Alexander Maclaren245 words
Christ's promised presence