Category: BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

Welcome to AtoZMom’s BSF Blog! Learn about BSF (Bible Study Fellowship)’s BSF study People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided as we study the Old Testament and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah in 2022/2023.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 29, Day 2: Isaiah 40:21-31 and Micah 7:18-19

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

SUMMARY OF ISAIAH 40:21-31

Have you not known since the beginning that God is God? He sits enthroned above earth. He brings down princes. Who can compare to God or is his equal? Those who hope in God will not grow weary. They will soar on wings like eagles. He gives them strength.

Micah 7:18-19

God forgives sins. He shows mercy and compassion on us. His anger does not linger.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 29, Day 2: Isaiah 40:21-31 and Micah 7:18-19

3) Merciful. Bountiful. Beautiful. Omniscient. Heavenly. Incomparable. Holy.

4)

God’s Power: Isaiah 40:28-31, 2 Chronicles 20:6, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Jeremiah 32:27, Jeremiah 10:12, 1 Kings 17:1; 18-45, 1 Kings 17:2-6, 1 Kings 17:7-16, 1 Kings 17:17-24

God’s Supremacy: Isaiah 45:7–9, Lamentations 3:37–39, Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 45:9-10, 1 Chronicles 16:31, Jeremiah 10:7, 1 Kings 18:16-38, Isaiah 6:1-4

God’s Compassion: Lamentations 3:22-23, Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah 49:13, Isaiah 63:15-16, Jeremiah 31:20, Isaiah 49:13, 2 Kings 13:22-23, Lamentations 3:22, 2 Kins 4:28-41, 1 Kings 21:27-29

5a) It’s God Himself telling us about Him and revealing himself. We can trust what God says about Himself, as it helps us to grow closer to Him. He completely revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Crhist, and it helps us remember Him and what He has done for us.

b) That He is faithful. That he is merciful and compassionate. That He wants to bless me.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 29, Day 2: Isaiah 40:21-31 and Micah 7:18-19

Great verses and a great recap!

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 29, Day 2: Isaiah 40:21-31 and Micah 7:18-19

Isaiah 40:21-31

God’s greatness is evident in all of Creation. God sits above us all. He is master since He knows the stars by name. Knowing God is in our lives should make a difference in how we live.

God gives us His strength. He gives it to us as we rely on Him, seek Him. We can soar above all things like eagles. Strength to go forward.

Micah 7:18-19

Who is like God in His mercy and compassion?

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Friday Digest BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN BSF PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE: KINGDOM DIVIDED LESSON 28

  • God is in control even when we don’t understand His ways
  • Wait on God always
  • God’s ways are not our own
  • Watch, wait, and pray while we wait for answered prayers
  • God has His ways to answer us
  • God answers when it’s time to accomplish the greatest good
  • Live by faith while we wait
  • God’s good purposes prevail
  • Everything in our life happens because of God’s eternal plan
  • God is faithful now and forever
  • God can be trusted
  • God’s ways are not our ways
  • Be who God wants you to be and reflect His presence

TAKE AWAY: Bring your questions to God.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 4: Habakkuk 3:1-15

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

SUMMARY OF HABAKKUK 3:1-15

After questioning God, Habakkuk now prays to God and praises Him for who He is and His goodness.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 4: Habakkuk 3:1-15

11a) Habakkuk asks God to repeate his awesome deeds in his day and make them known. He asks him to remember mercy in his anger.

b) It’s a wonderful prayer, asking God to show up and do good deeds in our day like He did in the past. Habakkuk is humble, declaring God’s goodness. We all can be humble to God, declare His goodness, and ask Him to show up in our lives.

12a)

His glory covered the heavens
    and his praise filled the earth.
6 He stood, and shook the earth;
    he looked, and made the nations tremble.
The ancient mountains crumbled
    and the age-old hills collapsed—
    but he marches on forever.
9 You uncovered your bow,
    you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;

11 Sun and moon stood still in the heavens

    at the glint of your flying arrows,

    at the lightning of your flashing spear.
13 You came out to deliver your people,
    to save your anointed one.
You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness,
    you stripped him from head to foot.
14 With his own spear you pierced his head
    when his warriors stormed out to scatter us,
gloating as though about to devour
    the wretched who were in hiding.
15 You trampled the sea with your horses,
    churning the great waters.

b) God has always been there in the past and worked things out. He will continue to do so for me today.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 4: Habakkuk 3:1-15

Love the prayer. Absolutely breathtaking.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 4: Habakkuk 3:1-15

Habakkuk prays for revival of the people like in yesteryear. We should pray for personal revival. He prays for God to remember them and have mercy.

He praises God for His glory, His works, and for who God is.

When we remember what God did in the past, it helps us to remember what God can do in the present.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 3: Habakkuk 1:12-2:20

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

SUMMARY OF HABAKKUK 1:12-2:20

Habakkuk complains again to God, asking Him why He tolerates treachery and those who do evil to others.

The Lord gives Habakkuk a message to give to the people: woe to those who do not live by faithfulness. Woe to all those who do evil to others.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 3: Habakkuk 1:12-2:20

6a) The Lord is everlasting. He will never die. He has appointed the Babylonians to execute judgment and to punish. Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.

b) Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

c) I really don’t. We all deserve judgment. God is in charge. Evil happens for a reason. It is for us to accept, not to understand.

7) Habakkuk waits on God’s reply and expects to be corrected. This is what we all should do. Wait on the Lord and let Him work.

8 ) People who are righteous live by faith. Others desire evil and are proud. In essence, those who rely on themselves (proud) and those who rely on God (the faithful).

9) He warns people who do evil against others, who are proud, greedy, drunk, and practice idolatry.

10) God is above all else and truly no one has any right to be in His presence. We should be humble before the Lord in all ways and in all things for God is Holy.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 3: Habakkuk 1:12-2:20

This is so typically human. We still question God because we can’t understand Him and His ways. And God answers in typical style: because I am God.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 3: Habakkuk 1:12-2:20

Habakkuk wonders why God chose the Babylonians to judge Judah. First he wonders why God doesn’t judge Judah. Then he wonders why choose the Babylonians. Why judge evil with more evil? Why not?

Then he wonders how long the Babylonians will rule.

Habakkuk expected God to answer him, so he waited. He expected to be corrected, too.

God says there are the proud and there are the faithful.

Fun Fact: “Just live by faith” is one of the most quoted Old Testamant verses in the New Testament.

Romans 1:17  the justified man – “The just shall live by faith.”

Hebrews 10:38  faith – “The just shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:11 the Christian life – “The just shall live by faith.”

Christians are to live by faith. That is it. By nothing else: works, feelings, etc.

God would deal with the Babylonians who were prideful.

God calls out to the greedy, the violent, the drunk, and the idolater.

The Lord is alive in His Holy temple, and He would deal with them all.

We watch and pray as we wait on God to answer our prayers.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 2: Habakkuk 1:1-11

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

SUMMARY OF HABAKKUK 1:1-11

Habakkuk cries out to the Lord, but says He is not listening as the wicked people pervert justice and there’s wrongdoing all around him.

The Lord answers by saying He will raise up the Babylonians who are ruthless people to seize dwellings across the world.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 2: Habakkuk 1:1-11

3a) Habakkuk cries out to the Lord, but says He is not listening as the wicked people pervert justice all around him.

b) The questions we have today are exactly the same as the ones we had back then. Why does God allow bad to happen to people?

4a) Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.

b) He is going to raise up the Babylonians who are ruthless people to seize dwellings across the world.

5) God is working silently in the background. He is always with us, even when we can’t see, feel, or understand Him.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 2: Habakkuk 1:1-11

Many of the prophets we’ve studied this year have wondered how God could allow such atrocities against mankind and they have asked him about it. So must we.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 28, Day 2: Habakkuk 1:1-11

We know very little about the prophet Habakkuk, as he is not mentioned in other books of the Bible. Bible scholars believe he preached during the reign of King Jehoiakim around 600 B.C. and the book was written before the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. His name means “embrace” in Hebrew and him being called a prophet is rare in the Bible. He lived in the last days before Judah’s exile and is the last of the preexilic prophets. His book encourages the righteous to remain faithful despite the horrors and evil around them.

This is the 8th book of the Minor Prophets.

Paul quotes Habakkuk 1:5 in Acts 13:41 urging the people not to let complacency keep them from accepting Jesus.

Habakkuk wanted judgment on those who were doing evil in the world.

Seeing evil makes us realize that we ourselves are evil, too.

God answers by saying He will use the Babylonians for judgment.

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Friday Digest BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN BSF PEOPLE OF THE PROMISE: KINGDOM DIVIDED LESSON 27

  • God hears and responds to our pain and our cries
  • It is okay to express your sorrow, grief, and anguish to God
  • God understands our pain
  • God walks with us through our pain
  • There is hope in God’s refuge
  • When you experience pain, embrace hope
  • Face difficulties in His power
  • By acknowledging our pain, we are ready to turn to God
  • We are called to wait on Him and His understanding
  • God fulfills His promises
  • Pour out to God; He knows already, but we can learn from the telling

TAKE AWAY: Our laments draw us closer to God.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27, Day 4: Lamentations 4

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

SUMMARY OF LAMENTATIONS 4

Jeremiah is lamenting the punishment and loss of the people. He compares them to gold that has lost its luster. And they are now destitute. All because of their sins that caused the Lord’s wrath. The Lord has scattered His people. Their punishment will end after the punishment is over.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27, Day 4: Lamentations 4

9a) They and their. The people of Jerusalem. Us. The people of Jerusalem.  He. God.

b) The children of Zion are now pots of clay in a potter’s hand (they have gone from gold to clay). The people are heartless. The infant is thirsty. The children beg for food. The rich are destitute. Kings and royals are now dead. The princes are unrecognizable. Many will die of famine. Women cooked their own children for food.

c) We see the punishment of God’s people. But their punishment will end after this punishment.

10) The Lord has given full vent to his wrath; he has poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations. The enemies and foes entered the gates of Jerusalem. The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor. The Lord’s anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their (the enemies’) traps. God will punish their sin and expose their wickedness.

11) It’s good. It helps to keep me accountable and prevent me from sin. God’s judgment is just; everything He does is just. I think it’s helpful to know you are being watched, so you don’t sin.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27, Day 4: Lamentations 4

It can be hard to read the troubling consequences of sin and God’s punishment. Yet, it serves as a lesson to us to not do/be the same.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27, Day 4: Lamentations 4

Jeremiah uses comparison and contrast to point out how the people used to be versus what they are now.

Jeremiah laments the loss of the people who were as precious as gold. Everyone was punished by God; no one was exempt.

The nobility are unrecognizable. It is so bad that women cooked their own children for food.

God’s wrath was deep. The people wandered the streets, stepping on dead bodies and defiling themselves. The people were scattered and were shunned everywhere they went.

No one could escape as the Babylonians pursued them.

Edom was happy Jerusalem had fallen, but they would be punished soon for their sins.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27, Day 3: Lamentations 3

by atozmom, posted in BSF People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided 2022/2023

SUMMARY OF LAMENTATIONS 3

Jeremiah has seen affliction from God and others. Yet, he has hope because of God’s great love for us. His compassions never fail. He is faithful. He is good to those whose hope is in Him. He waits for the Lord’s salvation. His love is unfailing.

Return to the Lord. God hears pleas. God redeems His people. Jeremiah prays for Lord to avenge His people.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27, Day 3: Lamentations 3

6) I, me, and my. Jeremiah. He. God. Jeremiah laments what has happened to him, but he has faith that God will redeem him and avenge him.

7a) Verse 5: He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. Verse 13: He pierced my heart with arrows from his quiver.

b) It shifts from one of lamenting his lot in life to one of praising the Lord for His goodness, faithfulness, and coming redemption.

c) God is compassionate. His love is unfailing. He does not willingly grieve us. God is in control of all things. I am encouraged because I know everything happens for God and by God’s will. He watches me every second of every day. I take comfort in that.

d) Jeremiah admits the people have sinned and rebelled, but God has heard his cries. God redeemed him and asks Him to avenge him from his enemies.

8 ) His word. Prayer. His presence. Knowing He is in control, and I have to give it to Him.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27, Day 3: Lamentations 3

A long chapter that we can learn from. We learn that despite the consequences of our sins and what happens, God shows compassion, and when we cry out to Him, He answers. Powerful stuff!

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 27, Day 3: Lamentations 3

Here, this is the poem that is different from the others. Instead, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet is used for the first three lines, the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet is used for the next 3 lines, and so on.

In chapters 1 and 2, Jeremiah worte as Jerusalem. Here, he writes as him (and as the people of Jerusalem).

The Lord afflicted His people. God became the enemy and sunk Jeremiah.

Here, for the first time in the book of Lamentations, we see hope. We see God as merciful to Jeremiah and His people. God is there even in our punishments. He never leaves us.

Each morning there are new hopes and new mercies from the Lord.

God is faithful, even in His justice. God is in charge.

The people should humbly turn back to God and examine their ways.

Jeremiah cries again. He prays for help against his enemies. He knows God will help him. Jeremiah leaves vengeance up to the Lord.

God’s actions reflect the consistency of who He is. He divvies out punishment and then yearns for us to return to Him.

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