Genesis 26/27 - Esther 1-3, Matthew 25/26 - Acts 25/26

Genesis 26/27
- There was a famine and God told Isaac NOT to go to Egypt, but he stayed near Abimelech, the same king who had dwelt with Abraham.
- Isaac told the people in that land that Rebekah was his sister (and this was an outright lie because she was his first cousin once removed)
- Why did God again send blessing on Isaac after he lied to the king?
- Isaac gained great wealth in the land of the Philistines, so much so that Abimelech sent him away because he had more wealth than Abimelech himself.
- Isaac began redigging the wells that his father had dug, and there were some quarrels with the men of Gerar as to who owned 2 of them.
- Abimelech came to Isaac because he could see that the Lord was with Isaac and he made an oath with him that there should be peace between both of them.
- Isaac prepared a feast and they made an oath.
- Isaac settled back in Beersheba, a town where Abraham his father had stayed.
- Esau married 2 Hittite women and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
- Did the two sons find their marriages bitter?
- What is the proper response in this situation in order to glorify God and NOT be bitter?
(Ch.27)
- Isaac is old and about to die, so he sends Esau out to prepare him a meal so that Isaac might bless Esau.
- Rebekah overhears this so she has Jacob kill 2 goats, and she puts fur on Jacobs hands and neck so that he might appear hairy like Esau because Isaac is blind.
- Jacob takes the meal into his father and blatantly lies to him about who he is, so Isaac blesses Jacob thinking he is Esau.
- Esau returns from obeying his father and Isaac tells him that he has already blessed Jacob, and both Isaac and Esau are upset.
- Why can't Isaac take back the blessing or call a curse upon Jacob and Rebekah for deceiving him?
- Why would God bless Jacob for lying and punish Esau for obeying his father?
- Esau plots to kill his brother, so Rebekah sends Jacob away to her brother Laban's house in Haran.
- If Esau said he wanted to kill Jacob to himself, how did Rebekah find out about it?
- Rebekah does not want Jacob to marry a Hittite woman.

Esther 1-3
- Ahasuerus was king over 127 provinces and threw a great celebration for 180 days.
- He told the people in Susa, the capitol, to do as they like and on the 7th day he sent for Queen Vashti, his wife, and she refused to come to him when he asked.
- The king asked his wise men and counsel what was to be done about Queen Vashti according to the law.
- Memucan said in reply that the queen had not only done what was wrong before the king but also before all the people of his kingdom. He told the king to tell Vashti that she may never come before the king again and that the king should replace her with another wife.
- They wanted women everywhere to see and know that they must obey their husbands and that not doing so was not acceptable. They used Queen Vashti as an example to all the people in the province.
- King Ahasuerus made a law and sent it to all 127 provinces in their own languages so everyone would understand this new law.
(Ch.2)
- King Ahasuerus had been without an acting queen for 5 years, when his advisers said he should seek a new queen, so they gathered all the beautiful virgins to go before the king.
- Mordecai, was bringing up Hadessah, Esther, because his uncle had been killed after being carried away by King Nebecanezer. He told Esther not to tell who her relatives were and she obeyed Mordecai.
- Esther spent 1 year beautifying herself before going in to the king and he loved her and made her queen, officially replacing Vashti.
- There was a great celebration and the king gave back tax money and threw a great feast (he appears to be a very generous king)
- Bigthan and Teresh plotted to kill the king and when Mordecai overheard this he told Esther who informed the king. The men were found guilty and Mordecai's name was written in the king's book of chronicles.
(Ch.3)
- The King promoted Haman as second in command and Mordecai refused to bow before him and pay homage. This infuriated Haman.
- Haman found out that Mordecai was a Jew and planned to destroy ALL of the Jews because of Mordecai's refusal to bow. (One man's faith in God threatened the existence of all God's people)
- In King Ahasuerus' 12th year Haman's men were casting lots (What for?) and they told the king that there was a people who were not like any other who the king should NOT tolerate.
- Haman only gave the king enough information to make them sound bad and the king gave Haman his ring to do what he saw as right to do.
- It took 13 days for Haman to get his plot against the Jews moving.
- Haman created an edict and sent it to all provinces saying that all Jews should be destroyed in one day, the 13th day of the 12th month. The cities were thrown into confusion and the king was oblivious to what was happening.
- Did King Ahasuerus have anything personally against the Jews?

Matthew 25/26
- The parable of the 10 virgins is another reference to how some will enter heaven and some will not. The 5 girls who took extra oil were ready when the bridegroom came, while the other 5 were not. The 5 who were not ready, were excluded from the wedding feast. (We must be ready for Christ's return)
- Parable of the talents - an owner left some money with 3 different servants when he went away. The one had 5 talents and he earned 5 more. The second servant received 2 talents and he also doubled them. The last servant received 1 talent and he buried it and simply gave it back to his master when he returned.
- A talent is worth 20 years wages.
- The 2 servants that doubled their money were praised as "good and faithful" and they received even more from the master.
- The other servant was rebuked for not at least collecting interest on the money. He was sent away weeping and gnashing his teeth (another reference to hell).
- Did the master in the story know in advance that the 3rd servant was unfaithful and give him less money to steward intentionally?
- Jesus refers to His second coming when the people will be separated believers and unbelievers; goats and sheep.
- Why do goats get a bad rep, when they are used in OT ceremonies and are a clean animal?
- Jesus stated that when we do any kindness toward the least of others, we do unto Him. (Our actions toward others are count as done toward Christ good or bad)
- Those who do not take care of the poor and needed do not care for Jesus either and it will be counted against them.
- believers will receive eternal life (heaven) and non believers will receive eternal punishment (hell)
(Ch. 26)
- Jesus told the disciples that he would be crucified.
- Caiaphas organized a plot to kill Jesus
- A woman came to Jesus and anointed his head with expensive oil to which the disciples rebuked her for wasting the oil. They wanted to sell the oil and give the money to the poor.
- Jesus said that this woman would be remembered for her thoughtful actions.
- Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus for 30 silver pieces.
- Jesus at the Passover feast with the disciples and He told them that one of the 12 would betray Him. They were sad.
- How can Judas be cursed when Jesus told the disciples that they would be blessed because of Him and Judas had been serving Jesus all this time?
- We are called to steward the gifts and resources we are given by God wisely.
- When Jesus replied that Judas had said so why didn't the other disciples react?
- Jesus had them break the bread which symbolized His body broken for them (their sins) and the He told them to drink the wine and said it is His blood poured out for them, and said that would be His last drink until He was with God.
- Jesus tells the 12 that they will ALL leave Him, to which Peter says he'd rather die than do, but Jesus tells him that Peter will deny Him 3 times that night. All of the other disciples said the same as Peter.
- Jesus took Peter and James and John (whose mom had asked Jesus to let them sit with Him in heaven) with Him to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.
- Jesus asked that if possible the cup (dying to appease God's wrath against our sins) be taken from Him, but all 3 times God did not say anything in response. (I have heard people say this was so terrible because it was the only time in history that God did not answer His Son.)
- His 3 disciples with Him fell asleep instead of praying for Him because they were physically weak.
- Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss and Jesus was arrested.
- One of the disciples drew his sword and cut of the one man's ear.
- Jesus rebuked the disciple and said He could call angels to His aid if He so chose. He had to do what He had come to accomplish.
- The disciples ALL fled as Jesus had predicted.
- Jesus asked why they arrested Him at night instead of in the temple, and pointed out that doing it this way, fulfilled even more OT prophecies.
- The Council sought to stir up the people and falsely accuse Jesus so He might be put to death. They accused Jesus of many things but He remained silent. The only statement He responded to was when they asked if He was the Christ, the Son of God. He responded by saying "You have said so"
- They struck Him and spit in His face for "blasphemy" and they told Him to prophecy who had struck Him.
- Three people asked Peter if he was with Jesus and he denied it (probably because he was fearful). They knew Peter by his accent.
- Peter even called a curse upon himself and swore he didn't know Jesus. The rooster crowed and Peter realized that what Jesus had prophesied happened. He wept bitterly.
(How many times have I denied or skirted around the fact that I'm Christan for fear of persecution?)

Acts 25/26
- Festus went to Jerusalem and the Jews tried to have him bring Paul there so they could kill him on the way.
- Jews came to Caesarea and charged Paul with many crimes but had no proof.
- Paul said he'd gladly be put to death if there was any wrong doing on his part. he appealed to Caesar.
- King Agrippa visited Festus at Caesarea. Festus said that Paul and the Jews were disputing whether a certain Jew, Jesus, was alive or dead.
- King Agrippa was interested and wanted to talk to Paul himself.
- Festus wanted King Agrippa and other counsel members to listen to Paul, so that he would have some charge to send in a letter to the Emperor.
(Ch. 26)
- Paul wanted to speak before King Agrippa because he knew of Jewish controversies.
- Paul asked why anyone would be surprised that God could raise someone from the dead (God is proclaimed to be "almighty in the OT)
- Paul states his past doings in persecuting the Christians
- Where was Paul when Jesus was crucified?
- A "goad" is a large stick for prodding animals.
- Paul was sent by Jesus to "open the eyes of the people" to save them from the devil.
- Paul appeals to Agrippa's understanding of what was said by Moses and the prophets.
- Why does it say that Jesus was the first to be raised from the dead, when several others had died and been brought back to life by Jesus, the disciples, and Paul?
- Festus thought Paul had gone mad.
- Paul appealed again to Agrippa and asked him if he believed in the prophets. Agrippa was surprised that Paul was trying to make him a Christian, and doing it so quickly.
- Paul said he didn't care whether it was in a short time or in a long time, but he wished that they might believe (even in chains Paul is trying to win others for Christ. Wow!)
- Paul could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar because he was blameless. (Paul knew that the Spirit wanted him to proclaim the gospel in Rome itself.