Genesis 35/36
- In Bethel the Lord renames Jacob, Israel and told Israel to get rid of all idols in his household which he did.
- Jacob made a pillar to the Lord.
- His servant, Deborah, died and was buried there.
- Rachel went into hard labor and gave birth to Benjamin, and she died.
- Why would Jacob change Rachel's son's name after she died?
- Reuben went and lay with Bilhah, Israel's servant. That is Reuben lay with his two brother's mother.
- Did she bear any children by Reuben?
- Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. 23 The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob's firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. 24 The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. 25 The sons of Bilhah, Rachel's servant: Dan and Naphtali. 26 The sons of Zilpah, Leah's servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
- Isaac died and was buried at age 180.
- Ch. 36
- Esau had many descendants but here's a few notes on them.
- Esau is also called Edom.
- Esaua settled in Seir
- It mentioned Timnah, Loran's sister (Will something bad happen to her or why is she mentioned?)
- One of the sons of Disan was Uz, which sounds familiar.
- Why does it tell Anah found the hot springs and no added details about the other people listed?
- It listed kings from that time period as well.
Job 2
- Satan again goes before the Lord, presenting himself.
- God again points to Job's example.
- Satan says that if God takes away his health Job would curse God.
- Who is actually "doing" these things to Job, God or Satan?
- God allows Satan to take Job's health but not his life.
- Job was covered in sores and his wife told him to curse God and die.
- Why had Satan not sought to take away Job's wife?
- Why was Job's wife not full of faith too?
- Job's 3 Friends came to comfort him; Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.
- They sat with him weeping and not speaking for 7 days. (They didn't have to speak to show their sympathy and care for Job in his time of sorrow)
Mark 6
- People in His hometown did not have faith in Him.
- Didn't he begin His ministry in His hometown, Nazareth, with success before?
- Jesus sent out the disciples in pairs to cast out demons and heal the sick telling them if people reject them to shake the dust off their shoes and move on.
- King Herod thought Jesus was John the baptist come back from the dead.
- Why was Herod sorry to kill John when that's what he wanted to do all along?
- Disciples return from healing and preaching and Jesus tells him to join them to rest.
- The people gather near the shore and Jesus has compassion on them.
- Jesus tells the to feed the people but they say that that would cost 200 denari (200 days' wages)
- Jesus feeds 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.
- There was 12 baskets of leftovers, making the whole event even more of a miracle.
Romans 6
- Paul asks, Should we sin, so that grace may grow? NO!
- We are called to walk in "newness of life" since Christ was raised from the dead.
- We, as believers, are no longer enslaved to sin.
- Jesus will never die again, it was a once for all, so that He might live to God. Death has no dominion over Him, so it has no dominion over believers either.
- We should seek to no longer walk in sin because we are no longer under the Law but under grace.
- We are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness.
- We are able to walk in righteousness, the ways of the law, because we have obedience of the heart.
- We were slaves to impurity and lawlessness now we are slaves to righteousness which leads to sanctification.
- In sin we were free from righteousness, but that led us to death.
- We are slaves to God which leads to sanctification which leads to eternal life.
- Wages of sin is death, free gift of eternal life through Jesus
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Genesis 34 - Job 1 - Mark 5 - Romans 5
Genesis 34
- Now I understand why Dinah had been listed as a child of Leah. It was becuase she would be the reason for future events for Jacob's family.
- Shechem, the Hivite, lay with Dinah and "humiliated" (raped?) her.
- Shechem then falls in love with Dinah and asks his father, Haran, to talk with Jacob to get him Jacob's daughter.
- Did Haran know what his son had done to Dinah?
- How did Jacob find out about Dinah when she was still being kept with Shechem?
- Jacob's sons were very angry when they found out.
- Hamor says to Jacob and his sons that they should intermarry and share the land. (Sounds reasonable)
- Jacob didn't ask Haran for a bride price, but he did say that Dinah could not marry someone who had not been circumcised.
- Jacob also said they could all dwell together as one people, if and only if all their men were circumcised.
- Didn't any Hivite males object to do this? It just doesn't seem like the kind of thing everyone would/should get excited about doing to oneself.
- On the third day after everyone had been circumcised, Simeon and Levi went and killed all the males of that place, took the women and children, and plundered the people's things.
- Jacob apparently was NOT part of this plan because he was upset at his sons for causing future tension between them and the Canaanites.
- How had Jacob planned on enacting revenge and why had he said every man should be circumcised if not to wipe them out?
Job 1
- Job had great wealth, seven sons and 3 daughters. He was an upright man and blameless.
- Job would offer sacrifices for his children in case they had sinned within their hearts. He did this continually.
- Is this fact an exaggeration since in Romans it says, "all have sinned"?
- Who are the "sons of God" referred to in v. 6? Are these the angels?
- Why would God talk with Satan?
- Satan tells God that Job is only so righteous because God protects him and his household placing a "hedge" around them.
- Satan continues to say that if God takes away all Job's blessings, Job will curse God.
- God tells Satan do do as he wishes, but not to harm Job himself.
- Job lost his sheep and oxen, his servants and camels were destroyed by fire, and then finally ALL of his children were killed in a windstorm (tornado?)
- The amazing thing is that this all happened at the same time because the next servant came to tell Job these things "while he was yet speaking"
- Job falls and worships God who "gives and takes away" (a moving and godly response).
- What powers are Satan capable of since he called forth a firs storm and wind storm with God's permission?
Mark 5
- Jesus meets a man across the sea immediately who possessed by many demons.
- Again "Legion" the spirits know who Jesus is and state it to him. Legion begs Jesus to send them into the pigs, so Jesus does and they run down the hill and drown.
- Why wouldn't Jesus simply kill the spirits instead of sending them away to deal with again later?
- Why did the spirits drown the pigs and what happened to the evil spirits?
- The townspeople saw the possessed man well and asked Jesus to leave them.
- The depossessed man wanted to go with Jesus but Jesus told him to go tell others what God had done for him.
- Why would Jesus want this man to tell others, when He always orders people NOT to tell about Him?
- Jairus came to Jesus to have him heal his daughter.
- While Jesus was going to Jairus' house a woman pressed through the crowd and touched Jesus' clothes.
- It said Jesus knew that power went out from him.
- The disciples could not understand why Jesus was upset about who touched him when they were in a great crowd.
- The woman, who had already been healed, fell before Jesus who commended her for her faith which had healed her, sent her away in peace.
- Jairus's servants came and told him that his daughter had already died and that Jairus should not bother Jesus any longer.
- Did Jairus' faith waver in this moment or did he believe that Jesus could still heal her?
- Jesus told Jairus not to fear but only to believe.
- Jesus took Peter, James, and John in with him.
- The people laughed at Jesus when he said that the girl was not dead, but He still went in and healed the girl.
- Jesus charged them to tell no one what had happened.
- Why did He say this to them, when it would be obvious to others that Jesus had raised the girl from the dead, since she had in fact been dead?
Romans 5
- We have recieved grace and hope through our faith in Christ.
- We should rejoice in suffering because it leads to endurance which leads to character which leads to hope (similar to what James 1 says)
- Jesus died for us while we were still sinners (His enemies).
- Jesus has justified us and saved us from God's just wrath.
- We have been reconciled to God. (The effects of sin from the fall have been reversed for believers)
- The comparison between Adam's one sin and Jesus' one act of righteousness and how these two events affected mankind.
- Are there different types of sin? (v. 14)
- People were sinning from the times of Adam to Moses before the law was given.
- What does Paul mean when he says that sin was not counted before the law?
- Didn't Paul just say all people can see God in all creation even if they've never heard the gospel a few verses earlier?
- What's the difference between the grace of God and the "free gift"?
- Sin came into the world through one man, Adam, and righteousness and justification has come through one man, Jesus.
- Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more! (Wow!)
- Sin reigns in death, but grace and righteousness reigns in eternal life.
- Now I understand why Dinah had been listed as a child of Leah. It was becuase she would be the reason for future events for Jacob's family.
- Shechem, the Hivite, lay with Dinah and "humiliated" (raped?) her.
- Shechem then falls in love with Dinah and asks his father, Haran, to talk with Jacob to get him Jacob's daughter.
- Did Haran know what his son had done to Dinah?
- How did Jacob find out about Dinah when she was still being kept with Shechem?
- Jacob's sons were very angry when they found out.
- Hamor says to Jacob and his sons that they should intermarry and share the land. (Sounds reasonable)
- Jacob didn't ask Haran for a bride price, but he did say that Dinah could not marry someone who had not been circumcised.
- Jacob also said they could all dwell together as one people, if and only if all their men were circumcised.
- Didn't any Hivite males object to do this? It just doesn't seem like the kind of thing everyone would/should get excited about doing to oneself.
- On the third day after everyone had been circumcised, Simeon and Levi went and killed all the males of that place, took the women and children, and plundered the people's things.
- Jacob apparently was NOT part of this plan because he was upset at his sons for causing future tension between them and the Canaanites.
- How had Jacob planned on enacting revenge and why had he said every man should be circumcised if not to wipe them out?
Job 1
- Job had great wealth, seven sons and 3 daughters. He was an upright man and blameless.
- Job would offer sacrifices for his children in case they had sinned within their hearts. He did this continually.
- Is this fact an exaggeration since in Romans it says, "all have sinned"?
- Who are the "sons of God" referred to in v. 6? Are these the angels?
- Why would God talk with Satan?
- Satan tells God that Job is only so righteous because God protects him and his household placing a "hedge" around them.
- Satan continues to say that if God takes away all Job's blessings, Job will curse God.
- God tells Satan do do as he wishes, but not to harm Job himself.
- Job lost his sheep and oxen, his servants and camels were destroyed by fire, and then finally ALL of his children were killed in a windstorm (tornado?)
- The amazing thing is that this all happened at the same time because the next servant came to tell Job these things "while he was yet speaking"
- Job falls and worships God who "gives and takes away" (a moving and godly response).
- What powers are Satan capable of since he called forth a firs storm and wind storm with God's permission?
Mark 5
- Jesus meets a man across the sea immediately who possessed by many demons.
- Again "Legion" the spirits know who Jesus is and state it to him. Legion begs Jesus to send them into the pigs, so Jesus does and they run down the hill and drown.
- Why wouldn't Jesus simply kill the spirits instead of sending them away to deal with again later?
- Why did the spirits drown the pigs and what happened to the evil spirits?
- The townspeople saw the possessed man well and asked Jesus to leave them.
- The depossessed man wanted to go with Jesus but Jesus told him to go tell others what God had done for him.
- Why would Jesus want this man to tell others, when He always orders people NOT to tell about Him?
- Jairus came to Jesus to have him heal his daughter.
- While Jesus was going to Jairus' house a woman pressed through the crowd and touched Jesus' clothes.
- It said Jesus knew that power went out from him.
- The disciples could not understand why Jesus was upset about who touched him when they were in a great crowd.
- The woman, who had already been healed, fell before Jesus who commended her for her faith which had healed her, sent her away in peace.
- Jairus's servants came and told him that his daughter had already died and that Jairus should not bother Jesus any longer.
- Did Jairus' faith waver in this moment or did he believe that Jesus could still heal her?
- Jesus told Jairus not to fear but only to believe.
- Jesus took Peter, James, and John in with him.
- The people laughed at Jesus when he said that the girl was not dead, but He still went in and healed the girl.
- Jesus charged them to tell no one what had happened.
- Why did He say this to them, when it would be obvious to others that Jesus had raised the girl from the dead, since she had in fact been dead?
Romans 5
- We have recieved grace and hope through our faith in Christ.
- We should rejoice in suffering because it leads to endurance which leads to character which leads to hope (similar to what James 1 says)
- Jesus died for us while we were still sinners (His enemies).
- Jesus has justified us and saved us from God's just wrath.
- We have been reconciled to God. (The effects of sin from the fall have been reversed for believers)
- The comparison between Adam's one sin and Jesus' one act of righteousness and how these two events affected mankind.
- Are there different types of sin? (v. 14)
- People were sinning from the times of Adam to Moses before the law was given.
- What does Paul mean when he says that sin was not counted before the law?
- Didn't Paul just say all people can see God in all creation even if they've never heard the gospel a few verses earlier?
- What's the difference between the grace of God and the "free gift"?
- Sin came into the world through one man, Adam, and righteousness and justification has come through one man, Jesus.
- Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more! (Wow!)
- Sin reigns in death, but grace and righteousness reigns in eternal life.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Genesis 33 - Esther 9-10 - Mark 4 - Romans 4
Genesis 33
- Jacob was still afraid of Esau (maybe guilt from the last time they were together?)
- Jacob put his servants and their children first, Leah and her children second, and Rachel and Joseph last. Jacob went first to his brother.
- Jacob bowed 7 times before Esau, but Esau embraced Jacob and they wept.
- Jacob introduced his family to Esau.
- Esau asked about the 3 droves of animals Jacob had sent ahead of him as a gift to Esau, but Esau said he had enough livestock.
- Esau kept the 3 droves because Jacob told him to.
- Did Jacob give away part of his blessing to Esau?
- Esau sought to travel with Jacob ahead of the flocks and children to get caught up, but Jacob asked to be allowed to stay with his family and flocks.
- Jacob said he'd meet Esau in Seir, but he went to another city instead and set up camp there.
- Why would Jacob seek to lie to his brother again and not meet Esau in Seir?
- How will Esau respond to this apparent rudeness?
Esther 9 - 10
- On the 13th day of the 12th month when enemies of Jews sought to do them harm, the Jews defended themselves killing a total of 75,000 people throughout the king's kingdom.
- In Susa, the capital, the Jews killed 500 men on the 13th, and King Ahasuares asked Esther what else she desired and she said that Haman's sons be hanged and that he allow a second day of defending for the Jews in which they killed 300 more people.
- The Jews killed in defense but nowhere did they take plunder from those they killed in defense.
- The fear of the Jews was on all of the people.
- Why did Esther want Haman's sons hanged when they were murdered the previous day?
- Were the sins of Haman on his sons too?
- The Feast of Purim were established and recorded for the Jews by Esther and Mordecai. This was to be celebrated by the Jews on the 14th and 15th of the 12th month. (because all Jews in the king's provinces rested and celebrated on the 14th, but in Susa the king had allowed a second day of fighting, so the Jews in Susa rested and celebrated on the 15th, so both days were celebrated by all Jews)
- King Ahasueres and Mordecai's further doings are recorded in the book of Chronicles.
Mark 4
- Mark again condenses a story, the parable of the sower.
- Does Jesus use this OT reference to say that He is trying to teach so that some may not understand?
- Jesus' explanation to His disciples is almost identical to that in Matthew.
- Jesus tell the disciples that they are able to hear and understand where as others are not.
- This is the scripture reference that goes with the song, "This Little Light of Mine"
- The truth is not to be hidden from the world but shared with it.
- The Kingdom of God is mysterious, like a man who grows seeds. He doesn't know how the seed actually grows, but the man does know that when it is ripe to harvest it.
- If Jesus told the disciples that they were able to hear AND understand, then why did He explain all of the parables to the disciples and not those who listened to His teaching?
- They went into a boat and while Jesus was sleeping there was a big storm and the men thought the boat would sink so they woke Jesus up.
- Jesus stood and rebuked the storm and it was calm.
- Why did the disciples question who Jesus was at this point since they had seen Him do so many things?
Romans 4
- Paul turns the Romans' attention to Abraham who was counted righteous BEFORE he was circumcised because he believed in faith, not because he was circumcised.
- If people could work for salvation it would not be a gift but due payment.
- As it said yesterday, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
- Circumcision without faith is not counted as righteous.
- The Law brings only wrath on mankind.
- What does the phrase "where there is no law there is no transgression" mean?
- How could Paul, and other Jews, see only Abraham's faith, when he had seemed to weaken in faith in God when he slept with his slave woman to try and have children and "help" God fulfill His promises to Abraham?
- Paul says the Abraham was "fully convinced" that God was able to fulfil His promise but why then did he sleep with his servant girl?
- Abraham's faith was counted to him as righteousness, just as our faith in Jesus Christ will be counted to us as righteousness.
- Because of this faith we will be justified before God.
- Jacob was still afraid of Esau (maybe guilt from the last time they were together?)
- Jacob put his servants and their children first, Leah and her children second, and Rachel and Joseph last. Jacob went first to his brother.
- Jacob bowed 7 times before Esau, but Esau embraced Jacob and they wept.
- Jacob introduced his family to Esau.
- Esau asked about the 3 droves of animals Jacob had sent ahead of him as a gift to Esau, but Esau said he had enough livestock.
- Esau kept the 3 droves because Jacob told him to.
- Did Jacob give away part of his blessing to Esau?
- Esau sought to travel with Jacob ahead of the flocks and children to get caught up, but Jacob asked to be allowed to stay with his family and flocks.
- Jacob said he'd meet Esau in Seir, but he went to another city instead and set up camp there.
- Why would Jacob seek to lie to his brother again and not meet Esau in Seir?
- How will Esau respond to this apparent rudeness?
Esther 9 - 10
- On the 13th day of the 12th month when enemies of Jews sought to do them harm, the Jews defended themselves killing a total of 75,000 people throughout the king's kingdom.
- In Susa, the capital, the Jews killed 500 men on the 13th, and King Ahasuares asked Esther what else she desired and she said that Haman's sons be hanged and that he allow a second day of defending for the Jews in which they killed 300 more people.
- The Jews killed in defense but nowhere did they take plunder from those they killed in defense.
- The fear of the Jews was on all of the people.
- Why did Esther want Haman's sons hanged when they were murdered the previous day?
- Were the sins of Haman on his sons too?
- The Feast of Purim were established and recorded for the Jews by Esther and Mordecai. This was to be celebrated by the Jews on the 14th and 15th of the 12th month. (because all Jews in the king's provinces rested and celebrated on the 14th, but in Susa the king had allowed a second day of fighting, so the Jews in Susa rested and celebrated on the 15th, so both days were celebrated by all Jews)
- King Ahasueres and Mordecai's further doings are recorded in the book of Chronicles.
Mark 4
- Mark again condenses a story, the parable of the sower.
- Does Jesus use this OT reference to say that He is trying to teach so that some may not understand?
- Jesus' explanation to His disciples is almost identical to that in Matthew.
- Jesus tell the disciples that they are able to hear and understand where as others are not.
- This is the scripture reference that goes with the song, "This Little Light of Mine"
- The truth is not to be hidden from the world but shared with it.
- The Kingdom of God is mysterious, like a man who grows seeds. He doesn't know how the seed actually grows, but the man does know that when it is ripe to harvest it.
- If Jesus told the disciples that they were able to hear AND understand, then why did He explain all of the parables to the disciples and not those who listened to His teaching?
- They went into a boat and while Jesus was sleeping there was a big storm and the men thought the boat would sink so they woke Jesus up.
- Jesus stood and rebuked the storm and it was calm.
- Why did the disciples question who Jesus was at this point since they had seen Him do so many things?
Romans 4
- Paul turns the Romans' attention to Abraham who was counted righteous BEFORE he was circumcised because he believed in faith, not because he was circumcised.
- If people could work for salvation it would not be a gift but due payment.
- As it said yesterday, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
- Circumcision without faith is not counted as righteous.
- The Law brings only wrath on mankind.
- What does the phrase "where there is no law there is no transgression" mean?
- How could Paul, and other Jews, see only Abraham's faith, when he had seemed to weaken in faith in God when he slept with his slave woman to try and have children and "help" God fulfill His promises to Abraham?
- Paul says the Abraham was "fully convinced" that God was able to fulfil His promise but why then did he sleep with his servant girl?
- Abraham's faith was counted to him as righteousness, just as our faith in Jesus Christ will be counted to us as righteousness.
- Because of this faith we will be justified before God.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Genesis 32 - Esther 8 - Mark 3 - Romans 3
Genesis 32
- Angels (plural) met Jacob and said to him that "This was God's camp!"
- Jacob sent servants ahead of him to tell Esau how the Lord had blessed him to see how Esau would respond.
- Jacob also divided his people and belongs in two groups, so that IF his brother attacked him half might flee to safety.
- Esau is coming to meet Jacob with 400 men (When they last saw one another Esau had vowed to kill Jacob for stealing his blessing from his father.
- Jacob's response is fear and appeals to God in prayer, pointing to God's promise to bless him and multiply his family and to God's undeserved faithfulness and steadfast love. Jacob was well aware that everything he now had was an undeserved blessing.
- He created 3 "droves" to give to his brother http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/drove
- Jacob offered these 3 droves to his brother hoping to make peace with him.
- Did Jacob perhaps feel guilty about what he had done to Esau?
- Everyone crosses the stream except Jacob who finds a man and wrestles with him.
- Jacob demands that the "man" bless him before he stops wrestling with him.
- The man touches Jacob's hip and it dislocates at the sinew (which now Jacob's people no longer eat) and the man renames Jacob, Israel (he who has striven with God and man) This happened at Peniel.
- How and why did Jacob wrestle with this man for a blessing when he already had God's blessing?
- What was this new extra blessing that he received?
- Who was this man who wrestled with Jacob? If it was God how could Jacob see God face-to-face without dying (which is referenced in late passages like Moses on Mount Sinai.
- Was this an angel who wrestled with Jacob?
Esther 8
- Esther again risked her life going before the king and pleading, with tears, for the lives of her people.
- Mordecai replaced Haman as the king;s right hand man.
- Did King Ahasuares ever write his own laws?
- Esther had a law passed that on the 13th day of the 12th month (on the same day as the last Jew annihilating law) that the Jews could now defend themselves and destroy anyone who wanted to harm them.
- This took place on the 23rd day of the 3rd month, so the Jews still had 9 months until the old law proposed to destroy them.
- The Jew everywhere were filled with joy and celebrated this new law.
- Many people became Jews because they saw God's favor on the Jews.
Mark 3
- Jesus became angry with the Pharisees who questioned Him healing a man on the Sabbath.
- After this they plotted to destroy Him.
- The unclean spirits continued to call Him the Son of God, but He continued to tell them to stop speaking.
- Jesus calls the disciples and refers to James and John as "the sons of thunder". Mark also refers to Matthew here as Matthew and NOT Levi as referenced in Mark 2.
- Why did His family think Jesus was out of His mind?
- What part of His family thought this since His mother and brothers come to Him a few verses later?
- The scribes again accused Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebub, but Jesus says that Satan against Satan would end Satan's kingdom so would not make sense.
- Jesus said blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven (because they were saying Jesus had an "unclean spirit" not the Holy Spirit)
- Aren't all sins eternal sins?
- Why does Jesus again deny seeing His family?
- Jesus says that all believers are His brothers and sisters, which refers to our "adoption" as son and daughters of God because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
- Why does the footnote say that in earlier manuscripts the "brothers" word may have been "sisters"?
Romans 3
- Paul shows that Jews were trusted with God's oracles.
- He asks if the Jews' faithlessness means God is unfaithful, by no means!
- Our unrighteousness simply shows God's righteousness and why He must inflict wrath on us the sinners.
- Jews are therefore no better off than the Gentiles...all have sinned
- Paul seeks to rightly humble us by pointing out that "all have fallen short of the glory of God".
- "No one does good no not one"
- What OT reference is this from?
- Not one person will be justified by the Law, but by faith alone.
- The Law is to show people how far short they fall from the glory of God, so that they will turn to Jesus and place their faith in Him so that they may be justified.
- Jesus was a propitiation for us sent by God http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=propitiate
- God is just and our justifier
- This faith does not overthrow the law, it causes us to uphold it!
- Why would a just God choose to save sinners like me?
- Angels (plural) met Jacob and said to him that "This was God's camp!"
- Jacob sent servants ahead of him to tell Esau how the Lord had blessed him to see how Esau would respond.
- Jacob also divided his people and belongs in two groups, so that IF his brother attacked him half might flee to safety.
- Esau is coming to meet Jacob with 400 men (When they last saw one another Esau had vowed to kill Jacob for stealing his blessing from his father.
- Jacob's response is fear and appeals to God in prayer, pointing to God's promise to bless him and multiply his family and to God's undeserved faithfulness and steadfast love. Jacob was well aware that everything he now had was an undeserved blessing.
- He created 3 "droves" to give to his brother http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/drove
- Jacob offered these 3 droves to his brother hoping to make peace with him.
- Did Jacob perhaps feel guilty about what he had done to Esau?
- Everyone crosses the stream except Jacob who finds a man and wrestles with him.
- Jacob demands that the "man" bless him before he stops wrestling with him.
- The man touches Jacob's hip and it dislocates at the sinew (which now Jacob's people no longer eat) and the man renames Jacob, Israel (he who has striven with God and man) This happened at Peniel.
- How and why did Jacob wrestle with this man for a blessing when he already had God's blessing?
- What was this new extra blessing that he received?
- Who was this man who wrestled with Jacob? If it was God how could Jacob see God face-to-face without dying (which is referenced in late passages like Moses on Mount Sinai.
- Was this an angel who wrestled with Jacob?
Esther 8
- Esther again risked her life going before the king and pleading, with tears, for the lives of her people.
- Mordecai replaced Haman as the king;s right hand man.
- Did King Ahasuares ever write his own laws?
- Esther had a law passed that on the 13th day of the 12th month (on the same day as the last Jew annihilating law) that the Jews could now defend themselves and destroy anyone who wanted to harm them.
- This took place on the 23rd day of the 3rd month, so the Jews still had 9 months until the old law proposed to destroy them.
- The Jew everywhere were filled with joy and celebrated this new law.
- Many people became Jews because they saw God's favor on the Jews.
Mark 3
- Jesus became angry with the Pharisees who questioned Him healing a man on the Sabbath.
- After this they plotted to destroy Him.
- The unclean spirits continued to call Him the Son of God, but He continued to tell them to stop speaking.
- Jesus calls the disciples and refers to James and John as "the sons of thunder". Mark also refers to Matthew here as Matthew and NOT Levi as referenced in Mark 2.
- Why did His family think Jesus was out of His mind?
- What part of His family thought this since His mother and brothers come to Him a few verses later?
- The scribes again accused Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebub, but Jesus says that Satan against Satan would end Satan's kingdom so would not make sense.
- Jesus said blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven (because they were saying Jesus had an "unclean spirit" not the Holy Spirit)
- Aren't all sins eternal sins?
- Why does Jesus again deny seeing His family?
- Jesus says that all believers are His brothers and sisters, which refers to our "adoption" as son and daughters of God because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
- Why does the footnote say that in earlier manuscripts the "brothers" word may have been "sisters"?
Romans 3
- Paul shows that Jews were trusted with God's oracles.
- He asks if the Jews' faithlessness means God is unfaithful, by no means!
- Our unrighteousness simply shows God's righteousness and why He must inflict wrath on us the sinners.
- Jews are therefore no better off than the Gentiles...all have sinned
- Paul seeks to rightly humble us by pointing out that "all have fallen short of the glory of God".
- "No one does good no not one"
- What OT reference is this from?
- Not one person will be justified by the Law, but by faith alone.
- The Law is to show people how far short they fall from the glory of God, so that they will turn to Jesus and place their faith in Him so that they may be justified.
- Jesus was a propitiation for us sent by God http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=propitiate
- God is just and our justifier
- This faith does not overthrow the law, it causes us to uphold it!
- Why would a just God choose to save sinners like me?
Monday, July 14, 2008
Genesis 31 - Esther 7 - Mark 2 - Romans 2
Genesis 31
- Labon's servants got mad because Jacob had acquired great wealth and the Lord told Jacob to return to the land of his fathers.
- Jacob tells Rachel and Leah the vision he had from God which said he should leave their father's land. They saw that their father had cheated them out of money so they both (actually agreed) and told Jacob to do what the Lord had commanded him to do.
- The Lord remembered the pillar Jacob had made in bethel and referred to it when he addressed Jacob.
- Jacob fled without talking to Labon.
- Rachel ("the good wife") had stolen a household idol from her father.
- Labon overtook Jacob and confronted him, but did not harm Jacob because the Lord had told him not to.
- Labon said Jacob had acted foolishly in fleeing without telling Labon, but nothing Labon had done previously seemed to indicate that he'd willingly let Jacob go.
- Labon said someone with Jacob had stolen his household gods, and Jacob said that if anyone had anything that belonged to Labon they should be put to death.
- Rachel sat on her camel which contained the gods, but said she could not move because "the way of a woman was upon her"
- Would Rachel still have been "cycling" at her age?
- When Labon found nothing, Jacob asked why Labon had treated him so badly. He worked for Labon 14 years, 7 years for each daughter, and then he worked 6 more years tending the sheep under the deal he had made with Labon.
- Jacob told Labon that this was why God rebuked Labon in a dream the previous day.
- Labon spoke Aramaic apparently and Jacob spoke Hebrew at least they names the pillar they set up as a covenant this way.
- The vowed not to cross this pillar to do each other harm.
- Why is God referred to as the Fear of Isaac? Why is "Fear" capitalized twice in this passage?
- Labon blessed his daughters and grandchildren and went home. It's interesting that Labon did not bless Jacob himself.
Esther 7
- Esther's feast lasted 2 days.
- The king asked Esther what she wants and she said simply, her life and life for her people. She also said that if her people were merely to be enslaved she would have been quiet but since her people were to be wiped out she had to speak up.
- The king asked who would do this wicked act and Esther said it was Haman himself. Haman of course was scared,
- The king left the room very angry and while he was out, Haman fell on the couch to beg for his life from Esther. The king returned and thought Haman was attacking his wife, so the king had Haman hung on the gallows which were waiting for Mordecai.
- Didn't the king know that Esther was Jewish and piece together that the anti Jewish law was against her too?
Mark 2
- Jesus went to Capernaum and many came to hear Jesus speak and to be healed.
- 4 men brought their paralytic friend and lowered him through the roof to Jesus.
- Jesus told the man that his sins had been forgiven.
- Some of the scribes thought Jesus was blaspheming, so he healed the man and EVERYONE glorified God.
- Jesus could hear their question by the spirit
- Was this story the same incident recorded in Matthew or a different one?
- Why does Mark add so much detail to THIS story when he abbreviates the others?
- Jesus told Levi to follow Him and he did.
- v.15 - Why does it say "at table" and not "at the table"?
- Jesus was hanging out with tax collectors and sinners and the scribes asked why. Jesus replied that He came to save sinners not the righteous.
- Was anyone counted as righteous at this time since Jesus is constantly rebuking the Pharisees?
- Interesting to note that Mark refers to the Pharisees as "scribes" where as Matthew never did this.
- The Pharisees asked why Jesus' disciples didn't fast, and He told them they do not fast because the bridegroom "Jesus" is still with them. They will fast when He is taken from them.
- Jesus' disciples were picking grain to eat on the Sabbath and again the Pharisees asked why they were doing this.
- Jesus refers them to a time when David ate food from the house of God.
- What were the circumstances and/or reasons which caused David to break this commandment?
- Wouldn't that act by David be viewed as sin by God?
- Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man and that He was Lord even of the Sabbath which must have been seen as blasphemy.
- Who is Mark?
- Why is the tax collector's name Levi in Mark and Matthew in Matthew 9:9-13?
Roman 2
- Paul rebukes them for being hypocrites, judging people for doing something wrong and then doing the same thing themselves. Paul reminds them that God WILL judge them for these things and that they are stockpiling wrath against themselves.
- Paul says that God demonstrates patience and kindness in order to lead people to repentance.
- Why does Paul say that God shows no partiality and then say the Jew shall be first and the Greek will be second?
- Wrath awaits those who are selfish and not living by the truth.
- v.12 - 16 - Is Paul saying that those who do not know the law will not be judged by it?
- Paul is saying that even people who have never heard the law parts of it written on their heart...kinda like a conscience I guess...knowing right from wrong.
- Paul is telling the Romans that their hypocritical ways are ruining their witness to unbelievers, basically blaspheming God to others because they have the Law but cannot keep it.
- Paul states that circumcision is an outward sign, but Gentiles who are not circumcised yet keep the law are viewed as righteous.
- Circumcision is a matter of the heart not a physical thing.
- Man's praise is from God not man ultimately.
- Labon's servants got mad because Jacob had acquired great wealth and the Lord told Jacob to return to the land of his fathers.
- Jacob tells Rachel and Leah the vision he had from God which said he should leave their father's land. They saw that their father had cheated them out of money so they both (actually agreed) and told Jacob to do what the Lord had commanded him to do.
- The Lord remembered the pillar Jacob had made in bethel and referred to it when he addressed Jacob.
- Jacob fled without talking to Labon.
- Rachel ("the good wife") had stolen a household idol from her father.
- Labon overtook Jacob and confronted him, but did not harm Jacob because the Lord had told him not to.
- Labon said Jacob had acted foolishly in fleeing without telling Labon, but nothing Labon had done previously seemed to indicate that he'd willingly let Jacob go.
- Labon said someone with Jacob had stolen his household gods, and Jacob said that if anyone had anything that belonged to Labon they should be put to death.
- Rachel sat on her camel which contained the gods, but said she could not move because "the way of a woman was upon her"
- Would Rachel still have been "cycling" at her age?
- When Labon found nothing, Jacob asked why Labon had treated him so badly. He worked for Labon 14 years, 7 years for each daughter, and then he worked 6 more years tending the sheep under the deal he had made with Labon.
- Jacob told Labon that this was why God rebuked Labon in a dream the previous day.
- Labon spoke Aramaic apparently and Jacob spoke Hebrew at least they names the pillar they set up as a covenant this way.
- The vowed not to cross this pillar to do each other harm.
- Why is God referred to as the Fear of Isaac? Why is "Fear" capitalized twice in this passage?
- Labon blessed his daughters and grandchildren and went home. It's interesting that Labon did not bless Jacob himself.
Esther 7
- Esther's feast lasted 2 days.
- The king asked Esther what she wants and she said simply, her life and life for her people. She also said that if her people were merely to be enslaved she would have been quiet but since her people were to be wiped out she had to speak up.
- The king asked who would do this wicked act and Esther said it was Haman himself. Haman of course was scared,
- The king left the room very angry and while he was out, Haman fell on the couch to beg for his life from Esther. The king returned and thought Haman was attacking his wife, so the king had Haman hung on the gallows which were waiting for Mordecai.
- Didn't the king know that Esther was Jewish and piece together that the anti Jewish law was against her too?
Mark 2
- Jesus went to Capernaum and many came to hear Jesus speak and to be healed.
- 4 men brought their paralytic friend and lowered him through the roof to Jesus.
- Jesus told the man that his sins had been forgiven.
- Some of the scribes thought Jesus was blaspheming, so he healed the man and EVERYONE glorified God.
- Jesus could hear their question by the spirit
- Was this story the same incident recorded in Matthew or a different one?
- Why does Mark add so much detail to THIS story when he abbreviates the others?
- Jesus told Levi to follow Him and he did.
- v.15 - Why does it say "at table" and not "at the table"?
- Jesus was hanging out with tax collectors and sinners and the scribes asked why. Jesus replied that He came to save sinners not the righteous.
- Was anyone counted as righteous at this time since Jesus is constantly rebuking the Pharisees?
- Interesting to note that Mark refers to the Pharisees as "scribes" where as Matthew never did this.
- The Pharisees asked why Jesus' disciples didn't fast, and He told them they do not fast because the bridegroom "Jesus" is still with them. They will fast when He is taken from them.
- Jesus' disciples were picking grain to eat on the Sabbath and again the Pharisees asked why they were doing this.
- Jesus refers them to a time when David ate food from the house of God.
- What were the circumstances and/or reasons which caused David to break this commandment?
- Wouldn't that act by David be viewed as sin by God?
- Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man and that He was Lord even of the Sabbath which must have been seen as blasphemy.
- Who is Mark?
- Why is the tax collector's name Levi in Mark and Matthew in Matthew 9:9-13?
Roman 2
- Paul rebukes them for being hypocrites, judging people for doing something wrong and then doing the same thing themselves. Paul reminds them that God WILL judge them for these things and that they are stockpiling wrath against themselves.
- Paul says that God demonstrates patience and kindness in order to lead people to repentance.
- Why does Paul say that God shows no partiality and then say the Jew shall be first and the Greek will be second?
- Wrath awaits those who are selfish and not living by the truth.
- v.12 - 16 - Is Paul saying that those who do not know the law will not be judged by it?
- Paul is saying that even people who have never heard the law parts of it written on their heart...kinda like a conscience I guess...knowing right from wrong.
- Paul is telling the Romans that their hypocritical ways are ruining their witness to unbelievers, basically blaspheming God to others because they have the Law but cannot keep it.
- Paul states that circumcision is an outward sign, but Gentiles who are not circumcised yet keep the law are viewed as righteous.
- Circumcision is a matter of the heart not a physical thing.
- Man's praise is from God not man ultimately.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Genesis 30 - Esther 6 - Mark 1 - Romans 1
Genesis 30
- This chapter is all about sibling rivalry between Rachel and Leah.
- Rachel was mad at Jacob that she could not have children and she blamed him. He responded to her in anger.
- Rachel gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob and she bore him 2 sons; Dan and Naphtali.
- Why didn't Rachel hate Bilhah for bearing children? How was this any easier for Rachel than seeing her sister bear children?
- Leah saw that Bilhah was having children so she sent in her servant Zilpah who bore Jacob 2 sons' Gad and Asher.
- Rachel wanted some of Rueben (Leah's son's) mandrakes http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mandrakes.
- Leah said no because Rachel had taken Jacob away from her, so Rachel said Leah could have Jacob for one night in exchange for some mandrakes.
- Leah conceived and bore Issachar (a 5th son by her)
- Why did Leah have to "buy time" with her husband Jacob?
- How did she bear Jacob an additional son? Did she again have to buy time with him or did he sleep with his wife because she bore him a son?
- Leah bore a 6th son, Zebulun, and a daughter Dinah
- Why did it mention this daughter since in previous genealogies it only addresses boys who were born?
- Rachel finally conceived and bore Joseph. God finally answered her prayers.
- Jacob wanted to leave Labon and start his own land because he wanted to care for his large family. He had served the allotted time as promised to Labon.
- Labon knew that he had been blessed during the time Jacob was with him and agreed to give Jacob every spotted goat and black lamb as payment as Jacob had requested.
- Labon tried to deceive Jacob by intentionally going into his own flock and sending any spotted or black lamb to his own sons flocks, so Jacob would get nothing.
- Why would Labon intentionally try to sabotage the blessings that he had had from Jacob's presence?
- Jacob did not respond in anger but simply put spotted sticks in front of the lambs when they were drinking (and breeding) and they bore spotted babies. He only did this in front of the stronger sheep and goats. The weaker ones he did not put spotted sticks in front of and those babies went into Labon's flock.
- Why did Jacob request the "blemished sheep and goats" when in later scriptural references these sheep are looked down upon and the "spotless lamb" is seen as good. Even in Jesus' one parable in Matthew he said goats would be separated out from the sheep. Was this just a metaphor?
Esther 6
- The king could not sleep, so he had the king's chronicles brought in and read to him. Upon doing so it was recorded that Mordecai had once saved the king's life.
- The king asked what had been done for Mordecai and his servants said nothing.
- In an ironic twist Haman was on his way to the king to talk about hanging Mordecai the next morning.
- The king asked Haman what should be done to honor someone in who the king delighted.
- Haman thought the king was referring to him so he told that king that such a person should be dressed up and paraded around town on the kings horse.
- The king told Haman to do this for Mordecai, which he did.
- Afterwards Haman ran home with his head down and his wife and friends said that if Mordecai was indeed a Jew nothing could be done to him and Haman would surely be defeated by Mordecai.
- What was the time frame of this chapter? Was Mordecai paraded around town late at night, or during the next day since the king's servants got him for Esther's feast while Haman was talking to his wife and friends?
Mark 1
- Mark jumps straight into Jesus' ministry, no birth story, just picking up right at John the Baptist in the wilderness. Mark does start his gospel with a prophecy from Isaiah.
- John the Baptist said there would be a man after him who he was not worthy to even tie his shoe.
- John lived in the wilderness and people came to be forgiven of their sins.
- How could John forgive sins? Did he have the power to do this?
- Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee came and was baptized by John and He heard a voice say to Him here is my Son in who I am well pleased.
- Did only Jesus hear and see these things?
- Did Jesus have the power of the Holy Spirit before this happened?
- Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan for 40 days.
- Didn't Matthew say that Jesus was tempted AFTER being in the wilderness 40 days?
- It's interesting to not how brief Mark's accounts of these things is.
- John was arrested and Jesus began His ministry.
- Jesus calls the first 4 disciples who leave fishing and become "fisher's of men".
- Interesting to note - James and John are sons of Zebedee (I thought that was a place)
- In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit who knew who Jesus was, and he commanded it to be silent and leave the man, which the spirit did.
- How does the evil spirit know who Jesus is?
- Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law (so Simon aka Peter was married)
- What happened to Peter's wife while he was preaching with Jesus and after His death and resurrection?
- The disciples found Him and said people were looking for Him, but He said they must go on to the next town.
- Jesus healed a leper who he told to tell no one except the priests that He had healed the man, but of course the man told everyone, and Jesus could no longer enter into a town but had to stay outside the town and let the people come to Him.
Romans 1
- Paul shares the gospel message in his greeting to the Romans, again pointing out that God had sent His Son, whom had been talked about in the OT, to give grace to those who would believe.
- Paul longed to go to them but had so far been prevented in doing so.
- This letter must have been written before he visited Rome in his appeal to Caesar which was talked about in Acts 27 & 28.
- How has Paul heard about the faith of the Romans when they had NOT heard about Paul's doings (as talked about in Acts when he entered Rome?)
- Did those receiving this letter even know who Paul was at the time?
- "The righteous shall live by faith" shows how believers should live (This can also be translated as, "The one who by faith is righteous shall live" This seems to change the verse's meaning slightly.
- Paul says that the "unrighteous" have denied God and have been able to see Him in nature and the things around them.
- Does this mean that ALL people should know God regardless of whether they have been told about Him or not? How can they know the completed truth about God's Son if no one ever tells them?
- Paul says that mankind turned away from god and began worshipping idols. The people worshipped the creature (created things) instead of the Creator! (misguided by sinfulness)
- Paul appears to be addressing sin that came from turning away from God focusedness, one thing being same sex relations, which were shameful.
- "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless." - These things are ALL sinful acts that God allowed due to sin and these are ALL reasons why people need a savior.
- (How often have I taken part in these things, even though I know the truth of the gospel)
- Paul says that even worse than DOING these things is the fact that other people are approving of and encouraging those people in their sins.
- Have I ever encouraged others to sin instead of gently rebuking them?
- This chapter is all about sibling rivalry between Rachel and Leah.
- Rachel was mad at Jacob that she could not have children and she blamed him. He responded to her in anger.
- Rachel gave her servant Bilhah to Jacob and she bore him 2 sons; Dan and Naphtali.
- Why didn't Rachel hate Bilhah for bearing children? How was this any easier for Rachel than seeing her sister bear children?
- Leah saw that Bilhah was having children so she sent in her servant Zilpah who bore Jacob 2 sons' Gad and Asher.
- Rachel wanted some of Rueben (Leah's son's) mandrakes http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mandrakes.
- Leah said no because Rachel had taken Jacob away from her, so Rachel said Leah could have Jacob for one night in exchange for some mandrakes.
- Leah conceived and bore Issachar (a 5th son by her)
- Why did Leah have to "buy time" with her husband Jacob?
- How did she bear Jacob an additional son? Did she again have to buy time with him or did he sleep with his wife because she bore him a son?
- Leah bore a 6th son, Zebulun, and a daughter Dinah
- Why did it mention this daughter since in previous genealogies it only addresses boys who were born?
- Rachel finally conceived and bore Joseph. God finally answered her prayers.
- Jacob wanted to leave Labon and start his own land because he wanted to care for his large family. He had served the allotted time as promised to Labon.
- Labon knew that he had been blessed during the time Jacob was with him and agreed to give Jacob every spotted goat and black lamb as payment as Jacob had requested.
- Labon tried to deceive Jacob by intentionally going into his own flock and sending any spotted or black lamb to his own sons flocks, so Jacob would get nothing.
- Why would Labon intentionally try to sabotage the blessings that he had had from Jacob's presence?
- Jacob did not respond in anger but simply put spotted sticks in front of the lambs when they were drinking (and breeding) and they bore spotted babies. He only did this in front of the stronger sheep and goats. The weaker ones he did not put spotted sticks in front of and those babies went into Labon's flock.
- Why did Jacob request the "blemished sheep and goats" when in later scriptural references these sheep are looked down upon and the "spotless lamb" is seen as good. Even in Jesus' one parable in Matthew he said goats would be separated out from the sheep. Was this just a metaphor?
Esther 6
- The king could not sleep, so he had the king's chronicles brought in and read to him. Upon doing so it was recorded that Mordecai had once saved the king's life.
- The king asked what had been done for Mordecai and his servants said nothing.
- In an ironic twist Haman was on his way to the king to talk about hanging Mordecai the next morning.
- The king asked Haman what should be done to honor someone in who the king delighted.
- Haman thought the king was referring to him so he told that king that such a person should be dressed up and paraded around town on the kings horse.
- The king told Haman to do this for Mordecai, which he did.
- Afterwards Haman ran home with his head down and his wife and friends said that if Mordecai was indeed a Jew nothing could be done to him and Haman would surely be defeated by Mordecai.
- What was the time frame of this chapter? Was Mordecai paraded around town late at night, or during the next day since the king's servants got him for Esther's feast while Haman was talking to his wife and friends?
Mark 1
- Mark jumps straight into Jesus' ministry, no birth story, just picking up right at John the Baptist in the wilderness. Mark does start his gospel with a prophecy from Isaiah.
- John the Baptist said there would be a man after him who he was not worthy to even tie his shoe.
- John lived in the wilderness and people came to be forgiven of their sins.
- How could John forgive sins? Did he have the power to do this?
- Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee came and was baptized by John and He heard a voice say to Him here is my Son in who I am well pleased.
- Did only Jesus hear and see these things?
- Did Jesus have the power of the Holy Spirit before this happened?
- Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan for 40 days.
- Didn't Matthew say that Jesus was tempted AFTER being in the wilderness 40 days?
- It's interesting to not how brief Mark's accounts of these things is.
- John was arrested and Jesus began His ministry.
- Jesus calls the first 4 disciples who leave fishing and become "fisher's of men".
- Interesting to note - James and John are sons of Zebedee (I thought that was a place)
- In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit who knew who Jesus was, and he commanded it to be silent and leave the man, which the spirit did.
- How does the evil spirit know who Jesus is?
- Jesus healed Simon's mother-in-law (so Simon aka Peter was married)
- What happened to Peter's wife while he was preaching with Jesus and after His death and resurrection?
- The disciples found Him and said people were looking for Him, but He said they must go on to the next town.
- Jesus healed a leper who he told to tell no one except the priests that He had healed the man, but of course the man told everyone, and Jesus could no longer enter into a town but had to stay outside the town and let the people come to Him.
Romans 1
- Paul shares the gospel message in his greeting to the Romans, again pointing out that God had sent His Son, whom had been talked about in the OT, to give grace to those who would believe.
- Paul longed to go to them but had so far been prevented in doing so.
- This letter must have been written before he visited Rome in his appeal to Caesar which was talked about in Acts 27 & 28.
- How has Paul heard about the faith of the Romans when they had NOT heard about Paul's doings (as talked about in Acts when he entered Rome?)
- Did those receiving this letter even know who Paul was at the time?
- "The righteous shall live by faith" shows how believers should live (This can also be translated as, "The one who by faith is righteous shall live" This seems to change the verse's meaning slightly.
- Paul says that the "unrighteous" have denied God and have been able to see Him in nature and the things around them.
- Does this mean that ALL people should know God regardless of whether they have been told about Him or not? How can they know the completed truth about God's Son if no one ever tells them?
- Paul says that mankind turned away from god and began worshipping idols. The people worshipped the creature (created things) instead of the Creator! (misguided by sinfulness)
- Paul appears to be addressing sin that came from turning away from God focusedness, one thing being same sex relations, which were shameful.
- "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless." - These things are ALL sinful acts that God allowed due to sin and these are ALL reasons why people need a savior.
- (How often have I taken part in these things, even though I know the truth of the gospel)
- Paul says that even worse than DOING these things is the fact that other people are approving of and encouraging those people in their sins.
- Have I ever encouraged others to sin instead of gently rebuking them?
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Genesis 29 - Esther 5 - Matthew 28 - Acts 28
Genesis 29
- Jacob goes into Haran to find a daughter of Labon to marry.
- Jacob meets some shepherds him Rachel, Labon's daughter. Jacob kisses her and weeps.
- Labon ran to meet Jacob and kissed him (Kissing must be a way of greeting in this culture).
- Jacob stayed there a month. Labon asked what he should pay Jacob for working for him.
- Jacob said he'd work for Labon for 7 years in order to marry Rachel.
- Jacob chose Rachel over Leah because Rachel was more beautiful.
- Because of his love for Rachel, the 7 years flew by.
- Labon held a great feast and sent Leah into Jacob instead of Rachel. (Jacob must have drank too much because he didn't knew who "came in to him that night")
- How did he not know the difference between Rachel and Leah?
Was it the custom at that time to have a week "honeymoon?"
- Labon gave Rachel to be Jacob's wife a week later in exchange for Jacob working 7 additional years.
- Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. (This must have caused tension and jealousy.)
- The LORD gave Leah 4 children to Jacob; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah whose names mean "See", "Heard", "Attached", and "Praised".
- Leah thought having children would make Jacob love her more.
- Why would God bless Leah with children and not allow Rachel to have children if Jacob was to be blessed and Jacob loved Rachel more?
Esther 5
- Esther went into the king and he held out his scepter (which was the only way fro her to talk to him unannounced without being killed)
- He said she could request anything even up to half the kingdom.
- Esther requested that the king and Haman come to a feast she had prepared and then she would share her request.
- Haman went to his wife and friend boasting about how great he was; in his riches, his high standing with the king, and in the fact that only he was invited with the king to Esther's feast tomorrow.
- Mordecai was still not bowing to Haman, so with advice of his wife, he made the gallows 50 feet (75 feet) high to hang Mordecai in the morning.
Matthew 28
- The day after the Sabbath there was a great earthquake and an angel appeared at Jesus' tomb.
- Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" went to Jesus' tomb and the angel told them that Jesus would meet them in Galilee.
- Was "the other Mary" Jesus' mother?
- Why did Jesus choose to go to Galilee first after he rose from the dead and not to somewhere greater like Jerusalem or Rome?
- The effect of seeing the angel was fear and great joy (strange combo)
- Jesus first met the 2 Marys.
- The Jewish priests gave a large sum of money to say the disciples had taken Jesus' body, thus trying to null and void Jesus prophecies about Himself.
- It says "some doubted" but I thought only Thomas doubted it was really Jesus.
- Jesus gave the great commission to the disciples, for them to go and make disciples of Christ among the nations.
- Jesus said He would be with them always even to the end of "the age"
- Is this the age until Christ's return?
- This is the heart of the Gospel. Christ had conquered death and saved those who would believe in Him from their sins. He is our hope and confidence for eternal life. (Yay!!!)
Acts 28
- The natives welcomed Paul, Luke and the crew who were stranded in Malta.
- The people were very kind to them.
- They made a fire and Paul was bit by a viper. The natives thought Paul must have been a murderer because "Justice" was going to kill him.
- Why is Justice capitalized?
- Paul threw the snake into the fire (was this a reference to Satan being thrown into the lake of fire or just a coincidence) Paul had no ill effects and the people thought he must be a god.
- Publius, the local ruler, had a father who was very sick. Paul prayed for him and healed him and many others in Malta.
- They supplied Paul with everything else he would need for his journey.
- Paul stayed in Malta for 3 months in total.
- How did believers learn of the gospel before Paul got there?
- Paul was guarded by a soldier but other believers came and visited with him.
- Paul asked to speak with the local Jews in Rome and they had heard nothing good or bad about him. They wanted to hear his views about this "sect" (Christianity) that was being talked about everywhere.
- He tried to convince them about Jesus by using the Law of Moses and the Prophets.
- Some believed and some did not to which Paul referenced Isaiah where it said your will hear but not understand, etc...
- It's interesting that v.29 was omitted from the main passage, but it said the Jews departed from Paul after he stated that the Gentiles would hear and believe.
- Paul lived there 2 years talking with others and living in a dwelling that he was apparently renting at his own expense.
- Wasn't he guarded in jail or was he renting a place and just being watched by the guard?
- Jacob goes into Haran to find a daughter of Labon to marry.
- Jacob meets some shepherds him Rachel, Labon's daughter. Jacob kisses her and weeps.
- Labon ran to meet Jacob and kissed him (Kissing must be a way of greeting in this culture).
- Jacob stayed there a month. Labon asked what he should pay Jacob for working for him.
- Jacob said he'd work for Labon for 7 years in order to marry Rachel.
- Jacob chose Rachel over Leah because Rachel was more beautiful.
- Because of his love for Rachel, the 7 years flew by.
- Labon held a great feast and sent Leah into Jacob instead of Rachel. (Jacob must have drank too much because he didn't knew who "came in to him that night")
- How did he not know the difference between Rachel and Leah?
Was it the custom at that time to have a week "honeymoon?"
- Labon gave Rachel to be Jacob's wife a week later in exchange for Jacob working 7 additional years.
- Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. (This must have caused tension and jealousy.)
- The LORD gave Leah 4 children to Jacob; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah whose names mean "See", "Heard", "Attached", and "Praised".
- Leah thought having children would make Jacob love her more.
- Why would God bless Leah with children and not allow Rachel to have children if Jacob was to be blessed and Jacob loved Rachel more?
Esther 5
- Esther went into the king and he held out his scepter (which was the only way fro her to talk to him unannounced without being killed)
- He said she could request anything even up to half the kingdom.
- Esther requested that the king and Haman come to a feast she had prepared and then she would share her request.
- Haman went to his wife and friend boasting about how great he was; in his riches, his high standing with the king, and in the fact that only he was invited with the king to Esther's feast tomorrow.
- Mordecai was still not bowing to Haman, so with advice of his wife, he made the gallows 50 feet (75 feet) high to hang Mordecai in the morning.
Matthew 28
- The day after the Sabbath there was a great earthquake and an angel appeared at Jesus' tomb.
- Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" went to Jesus' tomb and the angel told them that Jesus would meet them in Galilee.
- Was "the other Mary" Jesus' mother?
- Why did Jesus choose to go to Galilee first after he rose from the dead and not to somewhere greater like Jerusalem or Rome?
- The effect of seeing the angel was fear and great joy (strange combo)
- Jesus first met the 2 Marys.
- The Jewish priests gave a large sum of money to say the disciples had taken Jesus' body, thus trying to null and void Jesus prophecies about Himself.
- It says "some doubted" but I thought only Thomas doubted it was really Jesus.
- Jesus gave the great commission to the disciples, for them to go and make disciples of Christ among the nations.
- Jesus said He would be with them always even to the end of "the age"
- Is this the age until Christ's return?
- This is the heart of the Gospel. Christ had conquered death and saved those who would believe in Him from their sins. He is our hope and confidence for eternal life. (Yay!!!)
Acts 28
- The natives welcomed Paul, Luke and the crew who were stranded in Malta.
- The people were very kind to them.
- They made a fire and Paul was bit by a viper. The natives thought Paul must have been a murderer because "Justice" was going to kill him.
- Why is Justice capitalized?
- Paul threw the snake into the fire (was this a reference to Satan being thrown into the lake of fire or just a coincidence) Paul had no ill effects and the people thought he must be a god.
- Publius, the local ruler, had a father who was very sick. Paul prayed for him and healed him and many others in Malta.
- They supplied Paul with everything else he would need for his journey.
- Paul stayed in Malta for 3 months in total.
- How did believers learn of the gospel before Paul got there?
- Paul was guarded by a soldier but other believers came and visited with him.
- Paul asked to speak with the local Jews in Rome and they had heard nothing good or bad about him. They wanted to hear his views about this "sect" (Christianity) that was being talked about everywhere.
- He tried to convince them about Jesus by using the Law of Moses and the Prophets.
- Some believed and some did not to which Paul referenced Isaiah where it said your will hear but not understand, etc...
- It's interesting that v.29 was omitted from the main passage, but it said the Jews departed from Paul after he stated that the Gentiles would hear and believe.
- Paul lived there 2 years talking with others and living in a dwelling that he was apparently renting at his own expense.
- Wasn't he guarded in jail or was he renting a place and just being watched by the guard?
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