Tag: bsf lesson 14

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 4: Esther 5

November 26, 2025November 7, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Esther 5

The king accepted Esther’s appearance and held out the gold scepter. He asks Esther what she wants, even up to half the kingdom. Esther invites Haman and the king to a banquet, where the king still asks what she wants. She invites him to another banquet the following night.

Haman was happy but still upset at Mordecai who showed no fear when Haman was in his presence. He was angry. His wife tells him to ask the king to impale Mordecai on a pole the next day.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 4: Esther 5

9a) The queen approached the king, who accepted her. She gave him a banquet before asking him what she wanted. She also invited Haman whom she intended to expose.

b) She knew the culture and knew that feasting was important before making a request. She showed restraint rather than blurt out what she wanted. Esther showed wisdom by using private banquets to isolate Haman. She demonstrated great restraint by not rushing her plea, even when offered half the kingdom. This patient delay, following her fast, allowed time for God’s providence to work, perfectly setting the stage for Haman’s downfall.

10) Haman is still making decisions based on his hurt pride. Not a good idea at all. Haman’s foolishness is his fragile, all-consuming pride. Despite his wealth and exclusive invitation, he is sent into a rage by Mordecai’s disrespect. This one offense robs him of all joy, leading him to boast arrogantly and then impulsively build a 75-foot gallows, blinded by his own obsession.

11) The Holy Spirit is our guide when we are faced with challenges by human sin (pride, anger, etc). We can always pray when we need God and His ways and not ours. To discern God’s guidance, test your thoughts against Scripture; His leading never contradicts it. God’s ways align with His character (love, holiness), while our thoughts often stem from fear or selfishness. Finally, seek confirmation from a wise, spiritual community, as God rarely leads in total isolation.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 4: Esther 5

How often do we allow one offense to ruin our day or cause us to make poor decisions? Pride is so harmful in so many ways.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 4: Esther 5

Esther wanted to win the king’s confidence before asking.

Haman is a great example of the lives of those without Christ. He is never happy. He is honored by the king and queen of his country, but he lets one man disrupt his happiness. How many of us do this in ways, too?

Haman was empty, and so was his heart. Only God can fill our hearts.

This kind of hatred for one man is what leads to murders and other sins; it’s also what led to Jesus’s death. It should never be underestimated.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Esther 5 details the beginning of Esther’s courageous plan and the peak of Haman’s arrogance.

Interpretation

After her fast, Esther approaches King Ahasuerus, who extends the golden scepter, sparing her life and offering her anything she wants.

Instead of making her plea for her people, she strategically invites the king and Haman to a banquet. At that feast, she delays her true request again, inviting them both to a second banquet the next day.

A euphoric Haman leaves the banquet, overjoyed at this exclusive honor. However, his joy instantly turns to blind rage when he sees Mordecai at the king’s gate, who still refuses to bow. He goes home and, on the advice of his wife and friends, builds a 75-foot-tall gallows, eagerly planning to ask the king to hang Mordecai on it the very next morning.

Conclusion

This chapter masterfully builds suspense. It contrasts Esther’s calculated, patient strategy with Haman’s explosive, pride-driven rage. The building of the gallows is a crucial act of dramatic irony, as Haman, at the height of his power, unknowingly prepares the instrument of his own execution, setting the stage for the story’s dramatic reversal.

Best Christmas Gifts for Him!

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 3: Esther 4

November 25, 2025November 7, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Esther 4

Many Jews were in mourning because of the edict, and Mordecai put on sackcloth and wept bitterly. Esther found out Mordecai was in distress. Through an attendant, Mordecai asked Esther to beg the king for mercy for their people.

Esther cannot approach the king without being summoned. Mordecai told Esther that she was put in this place for such a time as this.

Esther asked Mordecai to gather the Jews in Susa to fast for her (and she would too) for three days. Then she will go to the king, and if she dies, she dies.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 3: Esther 4

6) Mordecai’s public mourning prompts a secluded Esther to send an attendant. Mordecai reveals Haman’s genocidal decree, sends Esther a copy, and charges her to go to the king to plead for her people. Esther responds in terror, explaining that approaching the king uninvited is a capital offense.

7a) Mordecai said that her family will die and that she was put in this position for such a time as this. Mordecai boldly challenged Esther by completely dismantling her justifications for inaction and reframing her royal position as a divine responsibility.

b) Esther asked Mordecai to gather the Jews in Susa to fast for her (and she would too) for three days. Then she will go to the king, and if she dies, she dies.

c) They discussed it and came up with a plan and a compromise in order to offer the Jews the best chance of survival. Esther and Mordecai teach that courage isn’t an absence of fear, but acting despite it. We must use our influence “for such a time as this,” as silence doesn’t guarantee safety. Their story shows the power of bold truth-telling and spiritual preparation (fasting) before taking a necessary, costly risk.

8 ) Unsure. Fear. Probably uncertainty if this is indeed what God wants me to do. I can move forward in prayer, however.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 3: Esther 4

This is a great look at how ancient kings ran their courts. What a time to have been ruled by absolute power.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 3: Esther 4

Remember that Mordecai’s integrity was the cause of this fiasco.

Esther had not heard the news, living in the palace.

Haman wanted the Jews’ money, too.

Esther had not seen her husband for a month. There apparently was not a lot of intimacy.

Mordecai asked Esther twice to intercede. His faith was in God to send someone to help them if Esther would not do it. Mordecai saw now why Esther was the queen from God’s hand to save His people. Now, he had to convince Esther of this.

God puts all of us in a place for a reason. We need to follow God’s plan for us, too.

Serve God where you are.

Esther needed to prepare to see the king. Sometimes, we need to pray before we step out in faith or face a battle.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

Esther 4 is the crucial turning point of the book, marking the moment Queen Esther is forced to move from passive concealment to courageous, life-threatening action.

Interpretation

The Crisis Revealed: The chapter opens with Mordecai’s intense public mourning in sackcloth and ashes. This alerts a secluded and unaware Queen Esther that something is terribly wrong.
The Life-or-Death Dilemma: After learning of Haman’s genocidal decree, Mordecai charges Esther to go to the king and plead for her people. Esther is terrified, sending back a message that approaching the king uninvited is a capital offense, punishable by death unless he extends the golden scepter.
“For Such a Time as This”: Mordecai sends back a powerful, challenging response. He warns her not to think she will be safe in the palace and then delivers the famous line: “who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther’s Resolve: This challenge transforms Esther. She makes a decisive choice, ordering Mordecai to gather all the Jews in Susa for a three-day fast. She and her attendants will do the same, and then she will go to the king, “which is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.“

Conclusion

This chapter is the story’s pivot. It is the moment Esther accepts her identity and her dangerous, providential role. Her decision to risk her life and act on behalf of her people, supported by the fasting of her community, sets in motion the entire plan that will lead to their salvation.

Best Christmas Gifts for Him!

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 2: Esther 3

November 24, 2025November 7, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Esther 3

Haman was promoted by King Xerxes. Mordecai would not kneel before Haman. Haman then wanted to destroy all the Jews, not just Mordecai. He convinced the king to issue a decree to kill all the Jews, while Haman and the king drink.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 2: Esther 3

3a) Mordecai would not kneel before Haman when the king had commanded all to kneel before him.

b) Mordecai would not kneel to anyone but God. Haman was probably jealous and angry. Haman was driven by arrogant pride. Mordecai’s refusal to bow wounded his ego, sparking a genocidal rage. Mordecai was motivated by religious faithfulness (refusing to give a man worship reserved for God) and likely his people’s ancestral enmity with Haman, an Agagite.

4a) Haman had an evil heart. The King simply did not care. Haman’s edict reveals his genocidal pride, manipulating the king to soothe his ego. The king’s casual approval shows he is a reckless, gullible, and morally indifferent ruler. He enables Haman’s cruelty, treating mass murder as a simple administrative task before casually sitting down to drink.

b) Peoples of the earth and the devil will be out to annihilate the Jews. Haman’s edict manifests the cosmic “enmity” of Genesis 3:15, as the serpent’s seed (Haman) attempts to destroy the woman’s seed (the Jewish people). His plot, rooted in deception and a desire for genocide, reflects Satan’s nature as a “liar” and “murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44; Rev. 12:9).

5) Human pride and selfish motives can make all of us do things we normally would not do and sin. I can pray about it and grow closer to God. I can resist the devil and put on my armor of God. I can ask God for help. I can rely on God. Pride and selfishness distort attitudes by creating an inflated self-worth and a victim mentality, causing us to see others as tools or obstacles. This leads to manipulative, defensive, and aggressive actions, justifying injustice and envy while destroying empathy.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 2: Esther 3

Interesting lesson on how the Jews have always been targeted due to religion and how ancient kings really were extremely cruel.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 14, Day 2: Esther 3

Haman was an Amalekite who was an enemy of the Jews (Exodus 17:14-16) and a descendant of Agag.

Jews could bow as a sign of respect, but Mordecai simply refused.

Haman hated the Jews and used this as an excuse to eradicate them.

The Pur was a lot. The Jews would have 11 months before execution.

Haman half lied to the King to get his decree. The Jews did keep the king’s laws even though they had their own. And, the king likely did not know the number of Jews in the kingdom that this would affect. He probably thought only a handful would be killed.

The king most likely had no idea what his decree meant.

Everyone was confused since the Jewish people had done no wrong. All because of one man’s pride would a nation suffer annihilation. Such dangerous times these were.

Mordecai chose to stand out and not bow to Haman, rather than blend in with the crowd. There is a time and place for this, and you must be prepared for the consequences of such an action.

The King was just as guilty of the plot to kill the Jews as Haman since he did not ask many questions and went along with the plan. This is sin, too.

Haman reflects Satan, as Satan’s sole desire is to eliminate God’s people and end God’s purposes.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

This chapter marks the story’s great crisis. It introduces the villain, Haman, who is promoted to the highest position under the king. When Mordecai the Jew refuses to bow to him—likely an act of both religious faithfulness (refusing to worship a man) and ancestral animosity (Haman was a descendant of Israel’s ancient enemy, Agag)—Haman’s wounded pride escalates into a genocidal rage.

Instead of targeting only Mordecai, he manipulates the king with half-truths and a bribe, obtaining a royal decree to annihilate the entire Jewish people. Haman uses a “Pur” (lot) to select a date, which providentially falls 11 months in the future. The chapter ends with the decree being sent out, leaving the city in confusion while Haman and the king drink, callously indifferent to the edict.

Conclusion

Esther 3 introduces the central threat of the book, transforming a personal conflict into a crisis of existence for God’s covenant people. It showcases the terrifying power of unchecked human pride, prejudice, and arbitrary rule. This chapter sets the “ticking clock” and creates the dire circumstances that will force Esther to risk everything, demonstrating the need for a savior.

Best Christmas Gifts for Him!

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

7 trumpets of revelation www.atozmomm.com bsf revelation

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 5: Reread Revelation 8-9

November 28, 2024November 17, 2024 by atozmom, posted in BSF Revelation: The Hope 2024/2025

Summary of Revelation 8-9

Revelation 8

Jesus opens the 7th seal. There was silence in heaven. 7 angels came with 7 trumpets. An angel carrying incense with the prayers of God’s people arrived. The angel hurled fire on Earth, along with thunder, rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake.

The first 4 trumpets were sounded:

Hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down on earth, destroying a third of the earth
Something like a huge mountain on fire was thrown into the sea, killing a third of all sea life and ships
A star on fire fell from the sky, turning a third of the river waters bitter
A third of the sun, moon, and stars turned dark

An eagle called out to beware of the next 3 trumpets about to be sounded.

Revelation 9

The 5th angel unleashes a star (this is a person with many believing it is Satan) that falls to the earth. Smoke rose from the Abyss. Locusts were released and harmed those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were tortured for 5 months.

The 6th angel released the 4 angels who were bound at the Euphrates. They killed a third of mankind.

Those who were not killed did not repent of their evil deeds.

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 5: Revelation 8-9

12a) The Plague of Blood is Exodus 7:14 is similar to the 2nd trumpet judgment in that water is turned to blood. The 3rd trumpet judgment is the reverse of the time Moses made the water sweet rather than bitter. The plague of Locusts is similar to the 5th trumpet judgment where locusts harmed unbelievers but did not kill them. The 1st trumpet judgment is similar to us 9:13-25 where hail and fire fell upon the Egyptians. The 4th trumpet judgment can be compared to the Plague of Darkness (Exodus 10:21).

One main difference is that the plagues of Exodus solely target the Egyptians; whereas, the trumpet judgments target the entire planet.

b) The people who were spared from the trumpet judgments in Revelation continued their sinful ways and did not repent. Similarly, Pharaoh continued to disobey God by not releasing the Israelites until he did, but then he changed his mind anyway, letting the Egyptian people continue to face God’s wrath. God’s purpose is to bring all to Him. In the Exodus plagues, he specifically targeted the Pharaoh. In Revelation, God is targeting the entire world.

13) The study of Revelation has made me more in awe of God and His ways, more compassionate and urgent toward unbelievers, and more grateful for the saved life I lead in Him.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 5: Revelation 8-9

I love spending multiple days on the same passage. I get so much more from these lessons when we do so.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 5: Revelation 8-9

Revelation 8

The 7 trumpets are God’s announcement of the judgments.

The prayers of God’s people are pleasing to God, like the smell of incense. They come before Him.

It’s important to remember that the 7 judgments may not be chronological. It’s hard to pin down though with certainty.

The blood could be the color of the hail and fire or what emerges afterward.

Many believe that the “mountain-like object” will be a meteor.

The sea reference is to the Mediterranean Sea. Remember, this was before the discovery of America, and man’s knowledge of the vastness of the earth was limited.

The star could be a meteor as well.

Wormwood is an herb that is bitter.

The 4th trumpet will result in darkness.

The eagle’s announcement should be heeded because 1/3 of humanity is about to die.

Note that each judgment only destroys 1/3 of the earth.

Here, God is showing His power and His mercy. God is destroying man’s subsistence (food, water, shelter, light).

God is warning all to repent before it is too late.

Are you heeding His warning?

Revelation 9

Who is the star in the 5th judgment? We are not told, but some argue it’s Satan, a different fallen angel, God’s Word, or even Jesus. We just don’t know.

The bottomless pit/Abyss here is hell or Hades. This lends doubt to the fact of the star being Satan since Satan is not in charge of anything.

What we do know is that all of this is God’s plan.

The Abyss might not be an actual location.

locusts of revelation 9 www.atozmomm.com bsf revelation — Courtesy of https://www.biblicaltoolbelt.com/l/locust-revelation-9/

The locusts should be considered demon creatures, as you could probably tell by the description of these beings. They are tortured in the hopes they will repent. The locusts are instruments of God’s judgment (Exodus 10:4-14, Deuteronomy 28:38, 1 Kings 8:37, 2 Chronicles 7:13, Joel 1:4, and Amos 4:9.)

Notice that John describes the creatures using “like.” This shows that the creatures are not what is being described.

The King of the locusts is Satan. The given name means “destruction” or “torment” in Hebrew.

It is very interesting how the prayers of God’s people play into the End Times.

The 4 angels in the 6th trumpet judgment are standing at the 4 corners of the altar.

Do note we do not know if these are the same angels in Revelation 7:1.

The Euphrates River, remember, is the Cradle of Civilization. It’s where mankind first settled down to farm. It is where many events happen in the Bible, from the first sin (Genesis 2:10-14) to revolt (Genesis 11:1-9) and war (Genesis 14:1). Abram came from here (Ur) and it is where God’s people abide. (Genesis 15:17-21).

The horsemen number may or may not be literal. The army may be demons, based on their description.

Despite the army against them, those remaining did not repent. He continued in his worship of idols and demons. Man’s memory is short. People move on very quickly.

Useful Christmas Gift Ideas & More!

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 4: Revelation 9

November 27, 2024November 17, 2024 by atozmom, posted in BSF Revelation: The Hope 2024/2025

Summary of Revelation 9

The 6th angel released the 4 angels who were bound at the Euphrates. They killed a third of mankind.

Those who were not killed did not repent of their evil deeds.

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 4: Revelation 9

9) The first four judgments targeted the earth and animals. These judgments targeted man himself.

10a) Believers. They would be tortured for 5 months but not die.

b) It makes me want to tell them more about our Lord and Savior. This sounds horrible to endure.

11) They were worshipping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood. They worshipped idols they could not see or hear. People do this still today. They worship ideas, objects, people — anything they can put above God.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 4: Revelation 9

These judgments against mankind are very harsh. They should propel you to try harder to bring those you know to Christ. God is merciful in giving us these details, so we can warn others.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 4: Revelation 9

Note the first four judgments target nature; the 5th & 6th judgment target mankind.

Who is the star in the 5th judgment? We are not told, but some argue it’s Satan, a different fallen angel, God’s Word, or even Jesus. We just don’t know.

The bottomless pit/Abyss here is hell or Hades. This lends doubt to the fact of the star being Satan since Satan is not in charge of anything.

What we do know is that all of this is God’s plan.

The Abyss might not be an actual location.

Notice that John describes the creatures using “like.” This shows that the creatures are not what is being described.

The King of the locusts is Satan. The given name means “destruction” or “torment” in Hebrew.

It is very interesting how the prayers of God’s people play into the End Times.

The 4 angels in the 6th trumpet judgment are standing at the 4 corners of the altar.

Do note we do not know if these are the same angels in Revelation 7:1.

Those who torture God’s people now face retribution.

The horsemen number may or may not be literal. The army may be demons, based on their description.

Despite the army against them, those remaining did not repent. He continued in his worship of idols and demons. Man’s memory is short. People move on very quickly.

Useful Christmas Gift Ideas & More!

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 3: Revelation 8:6-13

November 26, 2024November 17, 2024 by atozmom, posted in BSF Revelation: The Hope 2024/2025

Summary of Revelation 8:6-13

The first 4 trumpets were sounded:

Hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down on earth, destroying a third of the earth
Something like a huge mountain on fire was thrown into the sea, killing a third of all sea life and ships
A star on fire fell from the sky, turning a third of the river waters bitter
A third of the sun, moon, and stars turned dark

An eagle called out to beware of the next 3 trumpets about to be sounded

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 3: Revelation 8:6-13

6) Angels are sounding their trumpets, releasing destruction upon the earth and its inhabitants.

7a) God is giving mankind more chances to come to Him, using this as a warning. He is showing mercy to those who survive.

b) God is merciful, powerful, wonderful, loving, and caring.

c) It gives me awe that God cares so much about us that he delays his judgment, giving all a chance to come to Him. Such a wonderful God we worship!

8a) “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”

b) I am comforted because I know God is in control and I am saved by the blood of Christ, so I will not face his judgment.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 3: Revelation 8:6-13

I love how merciful our Lord is. He warns us what will happen, and even in the midst of judgment, He gives us second chances. He is like this in life, too, how in the midst of our trials, He is there, offering us a helping hand up.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 3: Revelation 8:6-13

“There came” is the divine passive.

The blood could be the color of the hail and fire or what emerges afterward.

Many believe that the “mountain-like object” will be a meteor.

The sea reference is to the Mediterranean Sea. Remember, this was before the discovery of America, and man’s knowledge of the vastness of the earth was limited.

The star could be a meteor as well.

Wormwood is an herb that is bitter.

The 4th trumpet will result in darkness.

The eagle’s announcement should be heeded because 1/3 of humanity is about to die.

Note that each judgment only destroys 1/3 of the earth.

Here, God is showing His power and His mercy. God is destroying man’s subsistence (food, water, shelter, light).

God is warning all to repent before it is too late.

When “woe” is spoken, doom usually follows.

Are you heeding His warning?

Useful Christmas Gift Ideas & More!

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 2: Revelation 8:1-5

November 25, 2024November 17, 2024 by atozmom, posted in BSF Revelation: The Hope 2024/2025

Summary of Revelation 8:1-5

Jesus opens the 7th seal. There was silence in heaven. 7 angels came with 7 trumpets. An angel carrying incense with the prayers of God’s people arrived. The angel hurled fire on earth, along with thunder, rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake.

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 2: Revelation 8:1-5

3a) Silence

b) It could either be silence to hear the prayers of the martyrs or silence because of the impending judgment to come. The half hour is significant because heaven is a place of constant worship and praise (hence, noise). So, this would most likely be striking.

c) An angel came and hurled the censer with fire towards earth. This could be in response to the prayers of the martyrs for judgment to be handed down.

4a)

Joel 2:1: The day of the Lord

Exodus 19:14-17: A meeting with God

Numbers 10:2: For calling the community together and for having the camps set out

Joshua 6:2-5: It was the signal for the army to shout and for the walls of Jericho to fall down

1 Thessalonians 4:16: Announcing God coming down from heaven and believers rising again

b) The coming of judgments

5) A trumpet blast could occur at any time, so we must be ready, prepared, and eager for the Lord’s return.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 2: Revelation 8:1-5

I love how solemn heaven is with the opening of the 7th seal. It’s such a profound moment when God decides it’s time for judgment.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 14, Day 2: Revelation 8:1-5

The 7 trumpets are God’s announcement of the judgments.

The prayers of God’s people are pleasing to God, like the smell of incense. They come before Him.

It’s important to remember that the 7 judgments may not be chronological. It’s hard to pin down though with certainty.

Useful Christmas Gift Ideas & More!

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

jesus is the good shepherd www.atozmomm.com bsf john

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 14, Day 5: John 10:34-42

December 7, 2023December 2, 2023 by atozmom, posted in BSF John's Gospel: The Truth 2023/2024

Summary of John 10:34-42

The religious officials tried to seize Jesus again when he explained that he is God’s Son and asked them why they don’t believe in the works since they don’t believe in him. Jesus crossed the Jordan where many came to him and believed.

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 14, Day 5: John 10:34-42

12) Jesus uses Psalm 82, saying that the judges were called “gods,” as they administered God’s will, so in light of Jesus’ works, why can he not be called the Son of God.

13a) That Jesus is too powerful and it was not yet his time.

b) That God is in control no matter what happens to and around us.

14) Many people came to Jesus and believed in him.

15) It gives me hope that these people will one day believe, as those that came to him across the Jordan did.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 14, Day 5: John 10:34-42

Great lesson on how God is in control of everything.

End Notes BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 14, Day 5: John 10:34-42

Jesus uses the power of Scripture to stop his accusers. He is the one the Father sanctified and sent into the world.

God’s work never stops; people still believe.

Jesus knows our every thought, worry, fear, and hope. He knows what we want. He knows our ups and our downs. He is there through it all.

Christmas Gifts

*As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 14, Day 4: John 10:22-33

December 6, 2023December 2, 2023 by atozmom, posted in BSF John's Gospel: The Truth 2023/2024

Summary of John 10:22-33

Jesus was at the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem. Jesus explains that those who do not believe are not his sheep. His sheep know him and listen to his voice. No one will take them from him or from God. He is one with God.

Those who did not believe Jesus went to stone him, but he challenged them, asking why stone him over his good works.

They said they are stoning him for his claim to be God.

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 14, Day 4: John 10:22-33

9a) The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

b) By saying he has spoken to them, but they don’t understand because they don’t believe in him.

10a) “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

b) It encourages me by the fact no one take me from Jesus. This gives me hope when the devil attacks and speaks his lies that Jesus is more powerful. That I am in God’s hands. He holds me close when I need it the most.

c) That Jesus will never abandon those who follow and believe in him.

11a) “I and the Father are one.” By going to stone him for blasphemy. Basically, they responded with unbelief.

b) Jesus is part of the Trinity. He is God. He can do anything.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 14, Day 4: John 10:22-33

It’s hard for us to understand the skepticism of those in the first century. Yet, there would be much today, too. I often wonder would I have believed in Jesus back then.

End Notes BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 14, Day 4: John 10:22-33

This feast celebrated the cleansing and re-dedication of the temple after it was desecration in 160 B.C.

Solomon’s colonnade was the portico on the eastern side of the outer court of Herod’s temple. Luke, the presumed writer of Acts, mentions it twice: 1) Peter talks to a crowd 3) as a gathering place (Acts 3:11; 5:12).

These are the religious leaders once again confronting Jesus. Jesus had told them so many times who he is that he’s probably tired of repeating it. They aren’t there to believe; they are there to kill him.

Jesus repeats the benefits of belief: eternal life and God’s hands on them.

Jesus and God are equal in nature.

Jesus and God are not the same person.

What is blasphemy?

Blasphemy is “the act of insulting of showing contempt or lack of reverence for God. The act of claiming the attributes of a deity; irreverence toward something considered sacred or inviolable” according to Webster’s Dictionary.

Thus, Jesus was claiming to be equal with God; hence, the blasphemy charge.

Great map of Solomon’s Colonnade HERE

Watch a great short explanation HERE