Tag: bsf lesson 14 day 2

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 14, Day 2: Joel 1:1-2:17

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

SUMMARY OF JOEL 1:1-2:17

Joel reports the word of the Lord, which is a prophecy of the locusts coming. A nation has invaded and destroyed the land. Everyone should mourn, fast, and cry out to the Lord.

The day of the Lord is coming, so all should tremble. Nothing will escape and everything will be destroyed. An army comes with the Lord at the head. God calls his people to return to him for He may relent. Fast, gather, and pray for the Lord to spare His people.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 14, Day 2: Joel 1:1-2:17

3a) “What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten.” Basically, everything will be eaten and laid to waste, and the people’s joy will wither.

b) The day of the Lord is coming where everything besides the fields will be devoured. Everything will be a desert waste. The earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. All is dreadful.

c) It’s not too late for God’s people to turn to him, repent, and be saved. Declare a holy fast, offer grain and drink offerings, and come together to pray. Have the priests ask for forgiveness. Cry out to God.

4a) He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

b) 2 Chronicles 7:14 says that if people humble themselves, pray, and seek God, as well as turn from their wicked ways, God will forgive their sins and heal their land. True repentance is with the heart. Turn to God and away from sin. False repentance is saying the words but you don’t mean it. Your actions don’t change as you seek to be like Him.

5) Wow. Lots. Many financial struggles, health concerns, injuries, and moves. Yet, He is still with me throughout it all.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 14, Day 2: Joel 1:1-2:17

I liked this passage because it’s not just gloom and doom. It’s gloom and doom with the message of hope of forgiveness.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 14, Day 2: Joel 1:1-2:17

Joel prophesied to Judah. He does not date his book with the names of kings, so Bible scholars believe the book was written around 835 B.C. He also never refers to the two kingdoms of Israel.

Joel is therefore believed to be one of the earliest prophets and was prophesizing while both Judah and Israel were still free. Only Obadiah is believed to have been before Joel. Jonah, Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, and Micah were of this time period, too.

Remember, this was the time of Queen Athaliah at the beginning of the reign of King Joash.  (2 Kings 8:26, 2 Chronicles 22:2) She was the one who killed all her heirs except Joash who escaped.

Fun Fact: Joel means “Jehovah is God.”

Judah will experience famine and crisis. Judah should mourn. The priests should repent for the nation.

Drought is coming. The day of the Lord means on God’s timing. It means God’s judgment and His restoration of those who turn to Him.

In Joel 2, Joel predicts an invasion of the land. The invasion never happened because the people repented. We see Joash take the throne. (2 Kings 11:4-21)

God has sent the army, but the people can still repent.

Tearing of the clothes is a symbol of mourning.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 14, Day 2: Matthew 13:31-35

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 13:31-35

Jesus tells the parable of the mustard seed and yeast. He says that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. Although it’s the smallest of seeds, it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds perch in its. The kingdom of heaven is also like yeast a woman mixes in with dough.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 14, Day 2: Matthew 13:31-35

3a) The kingdom of heaven

b) The smallest thing blossoms into the something grand that others enjoy and use. Most Bible scholars agree that these parables are prophetic in terms of the growth of Christianity and how God’s Word and the Good News will spread.

4) It doesn’t matter where you come from; you can follow Jesus and make a difference in this world. In Matthew 16:6-12, Jesus is comparing yeast in bread to the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Ezekiel 17:23-24 talks about how God plants trees on mountaintops that will bear fruit and have birds’ nest in it and find shelter. Everyone will know that God did so. Ezekiel 2:11 says that every grain offering is to be made without yeast. Ezekiel 23:15-18 talks about bread offerings. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 states that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough. Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast. Therefore, God works though the smallest things to create big things.

5a) He knew that those with a heart for God would understand the message, and those that didn’t know God weren’t privileged to do so.

b) It’s cool to see different interpretations and how things are used in the Bible. It prompts me to study God’s word deeper and continue to research meanings of Scripture.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 14, Day 2: Matthew 13:31-35

Two of Jesus’s less famous parables, but everything Jesus said should be considered of equal import. Here, it’s important to grasp the message of how small things can yield big results. Practically speaking, when you are struggling to understand your place and purpose in life, know that you have an impact on others by what you are doing.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 14, Day 2: Matthew 13:31-35

Most mustard seeds grow no more than the size of a bush. If the mustard seed is growing into the size of a tree, it’s a miracle. Most Bible scholars picture this as the church growing and offering shelter for the world. Some Bible scholars see the tree as an image of a great empire  Ezekiel 17:23; 31:3-9; Daniel 4:10-12

Thus, the parable describes how God’s kingdom grew but then became a nest for corruption as in the Middle Ages. Birds can symbolize demons or even Satan Revelation 18:2

The birds that nest in the tree’s branches can be interpreted as Gentiles finding refuge in Christ. God’s work is big.

The parable of the yeast can be interpreted as a picture of the kingdom of God growing, or of sin and corruption growing.  Exodus 12:8, 12:15-20

The large amount is more than usual. “Hidden” is used in other translations over “worked all through.” The idea is that Jesus’s kingdom would be threatened by corruption.

The church is part of the things hidden from the world and would not be revealed fully until later. Paul talks about this in Ephesians 3:4-11.

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BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 14, Day 2: Genesis 15:1-7

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Abram received the word of the Lord in a vision:  Do not be afraid for I am your shield and your very great reward.

Abram questions God as to where is this promised heir.  God assures Abram he will have a son from his own body and his offspring will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. God also reiterates to Abram that He brought him from Ur to give him this land.

Questions:

3a)  A shield is a broad piece of defensive armor carried on the arm; one that protects or defends.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  the devil.  The world.  Things of the world.

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  That God shields me.  He bestows glory on my head and lifts me up.  He surrounds me with His favor and blesses me.  I am joyful because of Him and His shield.  He helps me and gives me hope.  He is faithful and under Him I find refuge.  I find hope in His word.

4a)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Money or prizes.  Rich, fertile land.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Nothing monetary that I know of but definitely turning down personal praise and pride and giving Him the glory, not me.

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Not sure.  I just don’t see this as an invitation from God for me to ask Him for something.  God is giving us Him as His great reward and there is nothing higher.  This is a declarative sentence, not an imperative.  God is not saying, “Hey, you!  What do you want as a reward?”

Not sure what the point of this question is and where the extrapolation is coming from.

Conclusions:  Well, you probably know what I’m going to say by now:  Didn’t like this lesson.  All of this save 3a should be marked personal.  When asked, “What do you ____” that’s personal, don’t you think?

I liked 3c where we looked up how many times God says He is our shield or He is described as our shield.  That was interesting.  The rest I could have done without, especially 4c where I don’t see how God telling me He is my reward can be turned around and interpreted as Him inviting me to ask Him for something.  Just because Abram was confused about what this meant doesn’t mean I am.

It just is amazing to me how much man doubts and even when God himself talks to someone he or she STILL doubts the words.  We have such an amazing, patient God who gently repeats himself over and over again until finally we get it.

It’s here at this point that I can’t wait to ask God why He created us with such doubts, apprehensions, and questioning minds.  God could have created us however He wanted and sometimes all I see in the Bible is fickleness, selfishness, and overpowering pridefulness.

It all comes down to faith and that is the greatest test of all.

He is truly a Father, correcting us, guiding us, punishing us, and kissing our owies as He picks us up. Amazing!

Fun Fact:  This is the first time believe and righteousness appear in the Bible and hopefully we will explore this tomorrow and what it means for us!