Tag: bsf lesson 22

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 4: Zechariah 14:1-9

January 21, 2026December 25, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 14:1-9

God will gather all the nations of the world to fight against Jerusalem. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations. On this day, God will make a path for His people to escape. It will be a day like no other, with no day or night. Living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, and the Lord shall reign forever as the One, True Lord on earth.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 4: Zechariah 14:1-9

10) All the nations will be gathered against Jerusalem. The city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations. On that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. The people will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. Then the Lord will come, and all the holy ones with him.

11) The Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. There will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. Living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea.

12a) The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day, there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.

b) The Lord can live and rule and reign in my heart each and every day. We don’t have to wait for His physical presence, for we have His spiritual presence. Put Him first today.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 4: Zechariah 14:1-9

I love how God always wins and how He is always in control. He brings enemies against us, but then empowers us to win. So, so good, and a truth many of us need right now in our lives.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 4: Zechariah 14:1-9

This is an End Times prophecy.

Jesus will come with all the saints, the armies of heaven, Revelation 19:14.

Prophecies like this one is part of the reason Israel was looking for a different kind of king than Jesus when he came to earth.

God Himself will be the light.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

The Siege and the Savior (Verses 1–5)

The Crisis: The prophecy opens with a grim scene. God gathers all nations to battle against Jerusalem. The city is captured, plundered, and half the population goes into exile. It appears all hope is lost.

The Intervention: Just when defeat seems total, the Lord Himself goes forth to fight against those nations.

The Touchdown: His feet stand on the Mount of Olives (east of Jerusalem).
The Earthquake: The mountain splits in two from east to west, creating a massive valley.
The Escape: This new valley provides a supernatural escape route for the Jewish people to flee the destruction, just as they fled the earthquake in the days of Uzziah.

The Cosmic Shift (Verses 6–7)

Unique Day: The natural order of the universe changes. There is no longer a distinct “day” or “night,” nor cold or frost. It becomes a time of continuous, supernatural light—”at evening time it shall be light.” This signals the end of the old age and the beginning of a new creation order.

The Living Waters and The King (Verses 8–9)

Life Flows: “Living waters” (a symbol of spiritual life and abundance) flow out from Jerusalem, half to the Dead Sea (East) and half to the Mediterranean (West). Unlike seasonal streams, these flow continuously, in summer and winter.

Universal Rule: The climax of the passage is the establishment of the Kingdom.

“The Lord will be king over all the earth.”
Monotheism becomes the global reality: “On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.” All rival gods and idols are eliminated.

Conclusion

Zechariah 14:1–9 depicts the ultimate reversal.

It begins with Jerusalem completely vulnerable and defeated by the nations, but ends with Jerusalem as the source of life for the world and God reigning supreme over those same nations. The passage teaches that God’s final victory often comes at the moment of seemingly greatest defeat. He intervenes personally to rescue His people, alter the physical world, and establish His eternal Kingdom.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 3: Zechariah 12:10-13:9

January 20, 2026December 25, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 12:10-13:9

God will pour out a spirit of grace and supplication on His people. They will mourn when they realize they pierced Jesus and grieve. But, the people will be cleansed on that day. Idols will be banished and not remembered. The sheep will scatter when the shepherd is struck. Some of the people. will be struck down, but there will be a remnant who will be God’s people.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 3: Zechariah 12:10-13:9

7a) A spirit of grace and supplication and a fountain that will cleanse the people from their sins and impurity.

b) One has to have a truly repentant heart in order to receive the grace and blood of Jesus and be cleansed of one’s sins. Sorrow over sins is just part of forgiveness and then a renewed desire to do better.

c) Jesus had to die to save all of us because all of us sin.

8 ) Both predict the future national salvation of Israel. Romans promises that “all Israel will be saved” after the Gentile fullness. Zechariah describes the event that fulfills this: God pouring out a spirit of grace, causing the nation to recognize their Messiah (the “pierced one”), mourn in repentance, and receive cleansing. No.

9a) It was in God’s will for Jesus to sacrifice himself for all of humanity. This passage reveals the crucifixion as God’s sovereign plan, not a tragedy. God commands the sword against His “Associate” (Jesus) to strike Him, intentionally scattering the flock to refine a faithful remnant. This mirrors Isaiah 53:10, confirming it “pleased the Lord to crush Him” to secure salvation for His people.

b) God has forgiven all of my sins, each and every day. He has mercifully blessed me and given me a desire to do His will. I have passed this on to my kids so that they, too, can work for God’s kingdom.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 3: Zechariah 12:10-13:9

Great passage of God’s grace through His son, Jesus Christ.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 3: Zechariah 12:10-13:9

God’s grace will allow His people to turn to Jesus.

This is good news, as we learn that all of God’s people will turn to Christ Romans 11:26.

The mourning at Hadad Rimmon refers to the people’s mourning when King Josiah died (2 Kings 23:29 and 2 Chronicles 35:20-25).

Because God’s people will turn to Him through Jesus, they will be cleansed and forgiven of their sins.

The analogy of God as a fountain for His people is common in the Bible.

God will also cleanse His people of idolatry and false prophets, 2 common ways Israel sinned against God and were led astray.

False prophets would be ashamed, and even their family would condemn them.

The Shepherd in verse 7 is Jesus, and God is the one who commands the Shepherd to be struck.

Jesus’ sacrifice was God’s plan, and they worked together to do so.

The sheep will be scattered refers to the disciples. Jesus quoted this phrase from Zechariah 13:7 in Matthew 26:31.

This seems to say that only 1/3 of the Jewish people will survive the Tribulation. Interestingly, this group includes the 144,000 of Revelation 7 and Revelation 14 as Jesus establishes his millennial rule on earth.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

The Spiritual Awakening (12:10)

Following the physical victory, God pours out a “spirit of grace and supplication” upon Jerusalem. This triggers a profound revelation: they will “look on me, the one they have pierced,” recognizing their historical rejection of the Messiah (God Himself).

The National Repentance (12:11–14)

This realization leads to deep, bitter mourning, comparable to the grief over an only child. It is a solemn, segregated sorrow where families mourn privately and separately (men and women apart), indicating that this is a genuine, individual conviction of heart, not just a public ceremony.

The Cleansing from Sin (13:1–6)

In response to this repentance, a “fountain” is opened to cleanse the people from sin and impurity. God ruthlessly purges idolatry and false prophecy from the land. The rejection of deception becomes so intense that false prophets are ashamed of their visions, and even parents would condemn a son who speaks lies in God’s name.

The Shepherd Struck and the Remnant Refined (13:7–9)

God commands the sword to strike “My Shepherd” (the Man who is My Associate), causing the sheep to scatter. This initiates a severe refining process: two-thirds of the land is cut off, while the remaining third is brought through the fire. This refined remnant calls on the Lord, finally restoring the covenant bond: God says, “They are my people,” and they respond, “The Lord is our God.”

Conclusion

While the previous section dealt with physical deliverance, this section details Israel’s spiritual restoration. It demonstrates that true salvation requires recognizing the wounded Messiah, deep repentance, and a painful refining process that ultimately restores the intimate, reciprocal relationship between God and His people.

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 2: Zechariah 12:1-9

January 19, 2026December 25, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Exile & Return: A Time to Build 2025/2026

Summary of Zechariah 12:1-9

God promises to defend Jerusalem against its enemies “on that day” when all the nations are against them. Judah will defeat all of its surrounding enemies. All the nations that attack Jerusalem will be destroyed.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 2: Zechariah 12:1-9

3) He says that this is a prophecy (so it will come true). He describes the ultimate power of God, who created all of the earth, heavens, and mankind. He is in control.

4) This refers to Jesus’ Second Coming

The key places: The key places are Judah and Jerusalem, the two places where the Final Battle will be and where Jesus will establish his kingdom on earth. Jerusalem is the epicenter, described as an immovable “heavy stone” and a “cup of reeling.” Judah (the countryside) acts as the “firepot,” saved first, so the capital cannot boast superiority.

The circumstances of the battle: Judah’s enemies are coming against them. A massive coalition of “all the nations of the earth” surrounds Jerusalem to lay siege. The city faces imminent destruction from a united, global military force intent on removing it.

The Lord’s response and the outcome of the battle: God will punish His people’s enemies all those who attack His people. God strikes the enemy armies with panic and blindness while supernaturally empowering His people. Judah consumes the nations like fire, ensuring Jerusalem remains intact while the attackers are destroyed.

God’s relationship to His people and personal interest in the world: God will save His people as a testimony to His promises to them. God reveals Himself as the sovereign Creator who forms the human spirit. He is intimately vigilant (“I will keep a watchful eye”), defending the weak and fiercely validating His covenant bond.

6) Always, I find the strength deep within that can only come from God when I face opposition or challenges in my life.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 2: Zechariah 12:1-9

I love Biblical prophecy! So powerful!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 2: Zechariah 12:1-9

The book of Zechariah offers the best description of the End Times in the Old Testament.

Fun Fact: Jerusalem is the most named location in the Bible, mentioned over 800 times. Here, Jerusalem is mentioned more than 20 times in Zechariah 12-14. Jerusalem is special, indeed.

“On that day” refers to the End Times. You’ll also see it as “the day of the Lord” elsewhere.

God will protect Jerusalem against all of her enemies.

God will supernaturally empower His people in those days to overcome their enemies.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

The Siege and the Defense (Verses 1–4)

God declares Himself the Creator of the heavens and the human spirit, establishing His absolute authority. He prophesies that Jerusalem will become a “cup of drunkenness” and a “heavy stone” to all surrounding nations. When the nations of the earth gather to lay siege against Jerusalem, they will only hurt themselves (intoxicated/staggering and physically crushed), while God strikes their armies with panic and blindness.

The Victory of Judah (Verses 5–8)

The leaders of Judah will recognize that their strength comes solely from the Lord. God will make these clans like a “firepot in a woodpile,” consuming their enemies on all sides. Crucially, the Lord will save the “tents of Judah” (the countryside/common people) first, before the house of David (the royalty/city), to ensure no class or group can boast over another.

The Empowerment (Verse 8)

On that day, God will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem so supernaturally that even the weakest among them will be as strong as King David, and the house of David will be like God Himself (like the Angel of the Lord) in leadership and power.

Conclusion

Zechariah 12:1–9 establishes that the physical deliverance of Israel in the end times will be an exclusively divine act. It serves to humble human pride and demonstrate God’s zeal for His covenant people. The victory is designed so that the glory belongs to God alone, not to military prowess or political strategy.

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BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 5: Revelation 17:15-18

January 23, 2025January 18, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Revelation: The Hope 2024/2025

Summary of Revelation 17:15-18

The waters are nations, peoples, and armies. The beast will turn on the prostitute and kill her. The beast will be handed over to God until His purpose is fulfilled. The woman represents the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 5: Revelation 17:15-18

12) They are not united if they are turning on their own. God will pit enemy against enemy to serve His purposes.

13) God is in control. He will use whomever to accomplish His purposes. The Second Coming will come to pass in God’s time, not ours.

14) The Holy Spirit guides me through deception and allows me to give credit where it is due: Jesus Christ.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 5: Revelation 17:15-18

This is a good reminder that God will use anything and anyone to accomplish His will, even unbelievers. This is helpful when thinking about the wrongs others do.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 5: Revelation 17:15-18

The prostitute influences everyone.

The Antichrist works to destroy the prostitute when she no longer serves his purpose. Satan cannot tolerate others being worshiped, so he kills her. However, this is at God’s will.

The great city is Rome as they were the ruler of the world when John wrote this. However, Babylon represents the world system as a whole and Rome personifies Babylon.

Ultimately, in this day and age, the great city is in your heart, which is all you can control. Who do you worship?

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BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 4: Revelation 17:7-14

January 22, 2025January 18, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Revelation: The Hope 2024/2025

Summary of Revelation 17:7-14

The angel explains to John what he saw: The beast will be destroyed. Unbelievers will be astonished. There are 7 kings, 5 have fallen, 1 is ruling now, and the other will rule for a little while in the future. The beast is the 8th king who will be destroyed.

There will be 10 kings who have not yet received a kingdom. They will come to power for 1 hour and will give their power to the beast. They will fight the Lamb but will lose.

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 4: Revelation 17:7-14

9a) The angel will explain to John the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides.

b) They came from the Abyss to destroy the Lamb and God’s people.

c) The Lamb/Jesus/God will win!

d) Immense. I know that God will win in the end despite all human evil and sin. I’m encouraged that Jesus will be the ultimate judge and will vindicate all believers.

10) In Revelation 17:8, the beast is described as, “The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction.” In Revelation 1:4, God is described as “who is, and who was, and who is to come.” Revelation 1:8 say, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 4:8 says, “…who was, and is, and is to come.”

The Lord is, was, and is to come. The beast was, is not, and yet will come up.” The Lord is omnipresent, always existing. He is present. The beast is spoken of in the past tense. He was and now is not existing and yet will come up only to be destroyed. God will live; the beast will die.

11a) The angel is about to give John clues to the future, so one must be wise to understand them. The wisdom comes from God.

b) I gain wisdom by praying, reading the Bible, meditating on God’s Word, and listening for God’s voice in my head. When I do this, the results are always positive. I walk in God’s ways and do His will. I make fewer mistakes. I learn from my mistakes.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 4: Revelation 17:7-14

Great lesson on understanding that God is the Almighty who will be the last one standing at the End Times. Also, good to remember that wisdom is what we gain when we do seek God and His purpose for our lives.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 4: Revelation 17:7-14

The beast here is connected with the beast of Revelation 13.

The 7 mountains are associated with Rome’s famous 7 hills. But the Greek word means mountains, not hills. Mountains can stand for governments in the Bible (Daniel 2:35)

Here, many Bible scholars agree that the 7 heads represent the 7 kings and kingdoms we see in Revelation 17:10.

The 7 kings with the 5 who have past, 1 who is present, and 1 to come is historically one of the most difficult passages in Revelation to interpret. Some see this as 5 old world kingdoms (Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, and Greece) that no longer exist. The existing one would be Rome. The one to come would be Rome 2.0.

It is agreed that the 8th king is the Antichrist.

The 10 kings to come in verse 12 is hard to interpret, too. Remember Daniel saw a beast with 10 horns, too. Some see this number as literal or as symbolic. Some see it as a confederation like in Daniel 2:24-45 It is clear that these kings will join the Antichrist/Satan in the final battle.

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BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 3: Revelation 17:3-6

January 21, 2025January 18, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Revelation: The Hope 2024/2025

Summary of Revelation 17:3-6

John next sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that is covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes, and the abominations of the earth. The woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 3: Revelation 17:3-6

6) John next sees a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that is covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes, and the abominations of the earth. The woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

7a) She’s a prostitute whose mission is to destroy God’s people. She does this by luring them into sin and getting them to turn from God.

b) 2 Chronicles 36:15-21 tells us about the Fall of Jerusalem and how God’s people were exiled to Babylon. Jeremiah 39:1-10 tells of how Nebuchadnezzar marched against Jerusalem and laid siege to it. Daniel 5 describes how Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall for King Belshazzar of Babylon. All of these tell of the evil of Babylon and how God used the country and kings as punishment for His disobedient people. The woman is the same.

8 ) The attractions of the world are simply shallow with no meaning and purpose behind them. They are fleeting and temporary; whereas, God and His glory are eternal. I’m attracted to God because you feel empty once you obtain the attractions of the world, but you always fill whole and satisfied with God.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 3: Revelation 17:3-6

Great lesson on not being deceived by looks, appearances, and the flashiness of this world but by holding fast to God.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 3: Revelation 17:3-6

We saw this beast in Revelation 13:1.

She is blasphemous, but she fools the earth’s people into appearing religious.

Remember that purple was the color of royalty in ancient times and Rome. Scarlet was an expensive dye only used by the rich as well.

Notice she only has abominations and filth aka sin. Abominations can be anything that’s detestable. It can also be idolatrous beliefs.

Many Roman prostitutes wore headbands with their names on them.

The prostitute is drunk/revels in her persecution of God’s people.

Remember, Babylon represents sin and rebellion against God. They want to destroy God’s people.

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BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 2: Revelation 17:1-2

January 20, 2025January 18, 2025 by atozmom, posted in BSF Revelation: The Hope 2024/2025

Summary of Revelation 17:1-2

An angel tells John to come and see the punishment of the great prostitute who committed adultery with the kings of the earth.

BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 2: Revelation 17:1-2

3a) The angel will show John the punishment of the great prostitute.

b) The woman influenced the kings and inhabitants of the earth (usually unbelievers).

4) The adultery is putting the woman before God and bowing down and worshiping her. Adultery here is synonymous with adultery.

5) Good question. I’d say no public figure. I’m just not influenced by them. I can be distracted by social media and other activities and hobbies rather than devotion to God mainly because I’m just lazy and it’s easy.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 2: Revelation 17:1-2

We must always be wary of putting things above God.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Revelation: The Hope Lesson 22, Day 2: Revelation 17:1-2

We’ve already seen Babylon’s fall. Now, in Revelation 17 and 18, we’ll see the fall of Babylon in detail.

Fun Fact: Babylon is mentioned in the Bible 287 times. This is more than any other city except Jerusalem. So, you can see it’s importance.

Babylon was one of the first ancient civilizations. It had one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which was supposed to be very beautiful. Babylon was used by God to punish Judah’s sins. They carried off God’s people into captivity.

Babylon is often used in the Bible as a symbol of idolatry, a lifestyle of sin, blasphemy, and an entity that persecutes God’s people.

The prostitute rules over many nations. The waters are most likely the Euphrates River, where Babylon sat. Her power can make kings and others drunk.

Marriage metaphors are popular in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, where God’s relationship with mankind is described as such.

The prostitute represents sin and the allure of sin.

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