Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

15:24 the people murmured. Note God’s responses to the murmurings (complainings) of Israel, acting for a while in grace and patience, but eventually acting in judgment. He first provided pure water (Exodus 15:25), next He provided food (Exodus 16:2,7,8,9,12), and then a continuous water supply (Exodus 17:3). But eventually God sent them into exile in the wilderness (Numbers 14:2,27,29,36) and even put many to death (Numbers 16:11,41). Finally, their murmurings ceased after the miracle of the budding of Aaron’s rod, which was a symbol of the resurrection (Numbers 17:5,10). God’s attitude toward murmuring on the part of believers today is indicated in I Corinthians 10:10 and Philippians 2:14.

11:1 people complained. The Lord is long-suffering, but there is a limit to His patience when we repeatedly complain about our lot. Our blessings–if we would only stop to evaluate them–are always greater than our difficulties. The people had complained often before, and God had supplied their requests, once even with quail meat (Exodus 16:11-13), as well as the daily manna, but this proved one complaint too many. Likewise, Christian believers today need to heed the apostle’s exhortation to “do all things without murmurings” (Philippians 2:14). Speaking of these very complainers in the wilderness, Paul warns us: “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer” (I Corinthians 10:10).

23:15 servant which is escaped. This instruction evidently had to do with men or women taken captive from one of the cities outside the land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 20:11,14). God had given a different set of instructions relative to indentured Hebrew servants (e.g., Exodus 21:2-6; Deuteronomy 15:12-18). 23:18 price of a dog. It is evident from the parallel structure of these ordinances that the term “dog” is here used as an equivalent to “sodomite,” presumably because of similar behaviors of the two. Since homosexuality is an “abomination” in God’s sight (e.g., Leviticus 18:22), it is understandable that Paul should warn Christians to “beware of dogs” (Philippians 3:2) and that, in describing the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem, the Lord Himself says that “without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Revelation 22:15). 24:2 another man’s wife. Although divorce and remarriage were permitted in the Mosaic laws, Christ has reminded us that this is contrary to God’s creative will for believers, except under very special circumstances (Matthew 19:3-9).

2:11 Elijah went up. This was a unique event in history, and was altogether miraculous. Enoch, who had also served as God’s prophet in a time of deep apostasy, had likewise been taken into heaven (that is, the “third heaven,” where God’s throne is located) without dying, but evidently no one had actually observed his translation (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5), as did Elisha at the translation of Elijah. Enoch’s ministry had been to the whole world, essentially at the mid-point of the period from Adam to Abraham. Elijah’s ministry had been to Israel, essentially at the midpoint of the period from Abraham to Christ. Elijah was taken up in a fiery tornado that seemed to surround a fiery horse-drawn chariot as he went up until he was out of Elisha’s sight. It has been assumed that Elijah and Enoch have both been supernaturally preserved alive in heaven ever since that time in their natural bodies. When the Lord Jesus returns, both dead and living believers will be translated into His presence, their bodies being supernaturally changed into immortal bodies (I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Corinthians 15:51-54; Philippians 3:20-21). If Elijah and Enoch are presently in natural bodies, it is possible that they will also return at this time to serve as His “two witnesses” on the earth during the 1260 days of great plagues on the earth that will quickly follow Jesus’ return (see notes on Revelation 11:2-12). They will continue to be preserved alive to finish their unfinished testimony to both Israel and the Gentile world during that period. Finally, they will be slain and then they also will be raptured into heaven with immortalized bodies.

29:15 sojourners. All of God’s true people, whether ancient Israelites, or latter-day Christians, need to recognize that they are “strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13; I Peter 2:11), since our “conversation [or ‘citizenship’] is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).

44:17 not forgotten thee. The prophecy of Psalm 44:14 was fulfilled because Israel had forgotten God. The martyrs mentioned here, however, were suffering in spite of being faithful, indicating that they were Christian martyrs suffering for Christ’s sake (Philippians 1:29). It may also apply to small remnants of faithful Israelites during times of national judgment, such as Daniel.

55:22 Cast thy burden. The Hebrew word for “burden,” used only here, actually means “gift” (compare Philippians 1:29; also note I Peter 5:7).

69:28 book of the living. This “book of the living” is undoubtedly equivalent to “the book of life,” as it is called in the New Testament (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 20:15; 22:19).

146:8 raiseth them. At the great resurrection/rapture day, we shall receive glorified bodies, as immortal as that of the resurrected Christ (Philippians 3:20,21).

5:14 his belly. His “body” (better than “belly”) was so wounded and beaten that “His form” was disfigured “more than the sons of men” (Isaiah 52:14). But “He bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (I Peter 2:24), and He now has a “glorious body” (Philippians 3:21).