Tag: bsf lesson 22 day 5

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BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 5: Zechariah 14:10-21

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

Summary of Zechariah 14:10-21

Jerusalem will be raised up high and inhabited. The Lord will send a plague on Jerusalem’s enemies. Their flesh will rot, and they will fight against each other. Their animals will face a similar fate.

All nations’ inhabitants who have survived will go up year after year to worship the Lord and celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If they do not, they will receive no rain, and they will face a plague. Everything will become holy to God.

BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 5: Zechariah 14:10-21

13) The Lord will send a plague on Jerusalem’s enemies. Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, their tongues will rot in their mouth, and they will fight against each other. Their animals will face a similar fate. He will gather the wealth of the surrounding nations for His people. All nations’ inhabitants who have survived will go up year after year to worship the Lord and celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If they do not, they will receive no rain, and they will face a plague.

14a) All nations’ inhabitants who have survived will go up year after year to worship the Lord and celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. If they do not, they will receive no rain, and they will face a plague. Life in God’s kingdom is centered on universal worship. Former enemies must journey annually to Jerusalem to honor the King at the Feast of Tabernacles. It is a reality of absolute lordship: obedience brings refreshing rain, while refusal brings drought and plague, ensuring every nation acknowledges God’s supreme reign.

b) The inscription “Holy to the Lord” will mark even common horse bells, erasing the sacred-secular divide and rendering every ordinary activity as holy as temple worship.

c) We withhold His influence by compartmentalizing life—labeling career, entertainment, or finances as “secular” zones off-limits to God. By refusing to consecrate the “mundane”—unlike Zechariah’s vision where even common pots become holy—we deny His lordship over daily choices, keeping parts of our hearts locked against His transforming presence.

15) For those who do not turn to God, their days will be rough. But this is the reality of judgment. God will finally reign supreme everywhere. Everything will be holy. This is wonderful, not exactly challenging!

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 5: Zechariah 14:10-21

I love getting glimpses of what my life will be like in the future. Gives me hope.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 22, Day 5: Zechariah 14:10-21

Jerusalem will finally be a safe place. All the mountains will be flattened since Jerusalem will have no enemies. Jerusalem will become wealthy again.

Egypt was not dependent on water, but it will face the same punishment as others.

“Holiness to the Lord” was what was inscribed on the metal band on the high priest’s headpiece (Exodus 28:36).

The pots were the cooking utensils used for sacrificial meat. Sacrifices may still be a thing in the millennium, but not for sins.

Everything will be made holy in Jesus’ reign and reflect His purposes.

Zechariah’s entire book points to Christ.

END NOTES SUMMARIZED

The Restoration of the City (Verses 10–11)

The Scene: The geography surrounding Jerusalem is flattened into a plain (from Geba to Rimmon), causing Jerusalem to stand high and prominent above the surrounding landscape. The Meaning: This symbolizes the city’s spiritual and political elevation. The curse is permanently lifted (“there shall be no more ban of destruction”), and the city will be inhabited in absolute safety.

The Judgment on the Enemies (Verses 12–15)

The Plague: God strikes the armies that attacked Jerusalem with a terrifying supernatural decay—their flesh, eyes, and tongues rot while they stand on their feet. The Panic: A “great panic from the Lord” seizes them, causing them to turn on one another. The Plunder: The wealth of the surrounding nations (gold, silver, and garments) is gathered in abundance, reversing the earlier plundering of Jerusalem.

The Feast of the King (Verses 16–19)

The Requirement: The survivors from the attacking nations undergo a conversion. They are required to make an annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) and worship the King, the Lord of hosts. The Consequence: If a nation (e.g., Egypt) refuses to come, they receive “no rain” and suffers the plague. This establishes God’s rule as absolute and enforceable over all global powers.

The Pervasive Holiness (Verses 20–21)

The Bells: The inscription “Holy to the Lord”—which was previously reserved strictly for the golden plate on the High Priest’s turban (Exodus 28:36)—is now engraved on the bells of horses (common animals of war/labor).

The Pots: The ordinary cooking pots in Jerusalem become as sacred as the holy bowls used at the Altar. The Removal of the “Canaanite”: There will no longer be a “Canaanite” (often interpreted here as a merchant/trader or an unclean person) in the house of the Lord. The transactional nature of religion is gone; everything is pure worship.

Conclusion

Zechariah 14:10–21 describes the sanctification of the secular.

The book concludes not just with Israel’s safety, but with the total erasure of the line between the “sacred” and the “common.” In God’s final Kingdom, holiness is not confined to the Temple or the priesthood; it saturates the geography, the economy, and the daily tools of life (horses and pots). The end of history is the presence of God filling all things.

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

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 John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 22, Day 5: John 17:20-26

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

Summary of John 17:20-26

Jesus prays for us to be in God and Jesus, to have glory, to have unity, to be with Jesus, and to see Jesus’ glory. Jesus has made the Father known to all so that the love of God may be in people and Christ be in us, too.

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 22, Day 5: John 17:20-26

11a) Jesus prays for us to be in God and Jesus, to have glory, to have unity, to be with Jesus, and to see Jesus’ glory.

b) To be in God and Jesus, meaning, for me, to be closer to them.

c) Every day I feel I am closer to God and doing his will in my life.

12a) So that the world knows there is only One God and one way to God who is in control of the world. There is only One hope.

b) At church mainly. When I’m with other believers, I see the work God does in their lives and it gives me faith for Him to work in mine.

13) I can pray to have more of God and Jesus in others and to see their glory more. I can pray for more faith, hope, and joy, too.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 22, Day 5: John 17:20-26

I need to hear Jesus’ prayer for my life right now, don’t you? Great words!

End Notes BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 22, Day 5: John 17:20-26

Unity among the body of Christ is important to Jesus. This helps others come to Christ when they see all believers together and acting as one.

Jesus wants to be with us and for us to see God’s glory.

Fun Fact: 17:24 is the only time Jesus says “I want” to God recorded in the Bible.

Jesus prays for our glory. It helps with unity, too.

The idea that the unity of God’s people would show the world that Jesus was sent from God the Father is repeated here. Unity also demonstrates Jesus’ love.

Jesus prays to be with us. Love has existed since the beginning.

Jesus’ work declares God’s name and reveals him.

Jesus prays that the love he receives from the Father would be in us, too, and that he would be in us.

Jesus’ mission was to reveal God’s glory so that we can share eternal life with Him.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 22, Day 5: Psalm 46, Lamentations 3:22-23 & Others

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

SUMMARY OF PSALM 46 & LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23

Psalm 46: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. We will not fear. God is with us, our fortress. He can do all things.

Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 22, Day 5: Psalm 46, Lamentations 3:22-23 & Others

12) We are healed by Jesus’s wounds. We have peace because he died for us. Jesus takes away all of our sins when he suffered. He is our intercessor. Jesus will be at the right hand of God because of it.

13) Verse 1: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. It really doesn’t get any more comforting than this.

14a) We[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. James says the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance helps us to be more mature and complete in God, lacking nothing. Suffering gives us the courage to keep at it. We pray more when we suffer; we grow closer to God, too.

b) Because God comforts us in our suffering, we can comfort others in theirs. Suffering produces endurance and hope. We are tested by sufferings. Suffering can make us overjoyed when God’s glory is revealed. We are blessed because we have the Spirit of glory.

15) I am unsure. It might be to achieve my goals. To experience more. To grow my faith and perseverance.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 22, Day 5: Psalm 46, Lamentations 3:22-23 & Others

I love the theme of perseverance here. Persevering is hard to do, but often yields the best things in our lives. Trials help us to persevere and overcome, bringing us closer to God and giving us a sense of self-worth.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 22, Day 5: Psalm 46, Lamentations 3:22-23 & Others

God provides even in our suffering. He can provide comfort.

When we suffer, we expereince God’s nearness.

God knows exactly what we need to grow with Him.

If we never suffered, we might never truly depend on God.

Suffering allows us to long for heaven.

Be still is the idea for humanity to stop opposing God, for he is the Great I Am. Instead, surrender.

God is compassionate even in His judgment. Every day we have new hope, mercy, and compassion from God.

God is faithful, indeed.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 22, Day 5: Matthew 22:1-14

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 22:1-14

Jesus tells the chief priests the Parable of the Wedding Banquet where Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king preparing the wedding banquet for his son. Those who have been invited refused to come, even after the food was prepared. Instead, those invited killed the messengers. Thus, the king sent his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city.

Next, the king invites anyone on the streets to the wedding banquet. Many came, good and bad. However, one came who was not wearing wedding clothes. He was tossed out. The message is that many are invited, but few are chosen.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 22, Day 5: Matthew 22:1-14

13) Jesus tells the chief priests the Parable of the Wedding Banquet where Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a king preparing the wedding banquet for his son. Those who have been invited refused to come, even after the food was prepared. Instead, those invited killed the messengers. Thus, the king sent his army to destroy the murderers and burn their city.

Next, the king invites anyone on the streets to the wedding banquet. Many came, good and bad. However, one came who was not wearing wedding clothes. He was tossed out. The message is that many are invited, but few are chosen.

14a) Isaiah 61:10 tells us that the clothes are the garments of salvation and of righteousness. Here, they are symbolizing the acceptance of Jesus.

b) He is telling them they will be destroyed and miss out on the kingdom of heaven if they don’t turn to him.

15) It’s hard to quantify. I am truly blessed to be a Christian and everything I have and am I owe to Jesus’s sacrifice and God’s grace.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 22, Day 5: Matthew 22:1-14

This parable shows us that God never gives up on anyone. Jesus keeps pleaing with the religious leaders, telling them the consequences of their actions. Similarly, God never gives up on us, either.

Great reminder about God’s plans!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 22, Day 5: Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus explains again in another parable (The Parable of the Wedding Banquet) the danger of rejecting him.

This is probably THE event of the year and decade here. A king’s son’s wedding! Think about modern royal weddings. An invitation normally would have been prized, indeed. There is no logical reason to reject such an invitation.

The king is God here. His Son is Jesus. The invitation is to accept Jesus and enter into eternal life with God.

The king tries again. Many historical scholars say that in ancient times, the Jews would send out an invite like a “save the date” card today. Then they would tell everyone when the day had arrived and everything was ready.

Note how everything is ready — it really is that simple when accepting Jesus.

They rejected the invite again; this time, the king brings judgment. We see Jerusalem’s future here.

Next, the king invites everyone (as the Gospel was extended to the Gentiles) out of grace.

Some commentators believe the king would offer his guests garments to wear. However, in this parable, we see no evidence of that tradition.

The point of the man in inappropriate clothing is that he came for the wrong reasons — for the food. He was not there to celebrate the wedding.

You can only be with God if you are clothed in righteousness (accept Jesus). Again, the man had a chance to accept Jesus when asked about his clothes. He was mute.

Those who don’t accept Christ, who are indifferent, antagonistic, and even unmoved can expect the same fate — to be bound and thrown out.

Take away: All are invited to accept the message of the Gospel. Few do.

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BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 22, Day 5: Genesis 36

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2020/2021

Summary of Genesis 36:

Esau moved to a land some distance from Jacob because the land could not support both of their livestocks.  Esau settled in Seir.

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 22, Day 5: Genesis 36

13) Esau intermarried with Canaanite women. God still blessed him as he had to move away from Jacob because their livestock were too great in number. Esau was the father of the Edomites.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 22, Day 5: Genesis 36

Esau was important enough in God’s eyes to have all of his descendants listed in the Bible.  He was loved despite his sins and blessed beyond what was deserved.  God is faithful even when we aren’t!  Can you imagine the blessings He has in store for those who are faithful?

End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 22, Day 5: Genesis 36

Genesis lists the families not in the line of Messiah first. After this, we’ll hear no more of Esau and his line; it will be all about Jacob’s line.

Seir is the land south of the Dead Sea.

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God blessed Esau because he was Abraham’s descendant and not for what he did. Again, God can do what He likes, even if we don’t agree with it. Kings came from Esau.

Fun Fact: Edom is mentioned more than 130 times in the Bible.

God loved Jacob and hated Esau (Malachi 1:2-3 and Romans 9:13).

Amalekites came from Amalek in this list. They were Israel’s enemies (Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; 1 Samuel 15:1-8).

It’s cool to see history played out.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 22, Day 5: Genesis 28:10-22

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

FINALLY!!!  SOMETHING NEW!!!!

Summary of passage:  So Jacob left Beersheba to Haran.  He stopped along the way, put a stone under his head, and had a dream.  In the dream he saw a stairway from heaven to earth on which the angels of God were going up and down.  The Lord was there and He repeated His promise to Jacob (the covenant He gave to both Abraham and Isaac), saying He’ll give Jacob the promised land and his descendants will spread out.  All people on earth will be blessed through him.  God said He is with him and will watch out for him wherever he goes.

When Jacob woke, he took the stone he had been lying on and poured oil over it and called the place Bethel. Then Jacob vows that God will be his God and the stone will be God’s house and he will give God a tenth.

Questions:

12a)  The stairway linking heaven and earth now reveals access to God.

b)  Jesus is the stairway, the way to heaven.  Jesus says the angels of God ascend and descend on the Son of Man.  John 14:6 says he is “the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Hebrews says we will enter the Most Holy Place (heaven) “by the blood of Jesus.”

13a)  “I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.  Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.”

b)  Same as a. “I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.  Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south.”

c)  “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.”

d)  “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.  I will not leave you until I have  done what I have promised you.”

14a)  He had the fear of God now and realized God was with him and in this place.  He took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil over it to make the place, which he named Bethel or house of God.  He made a vow, saying if God does what He promises, then God will be my God, the pillar will be God’s house, and he will give God a tenth of all that God has given him.

b)  Through the Holy Spirit, God is with us and watches over us wherever we go.  He will not leave us until His work is done. (See Philippians 1:6 for a similar message).  We return a tenth to God of what is His.  He is our God and our pillar.  Hopefully, we believe first and then receive without the same stipulations Jacob makes (see Conclusions below for elaboration).

Conclusions:  Well, we moved on but I literally typed up most of the passage for my answers.  It felt like a copy exercise I might give my kids for school.  I did like saying specifically He is with us wherever we go and He will not leave us.  Something I needed to hear today.

The significance of this passage is that Jacob has finally realized God is everywhere and not just in certain places.

However, what BSF missed and what I find fascinating (of course we could see this next lesson if we repeat this passage again as seems to be the custom), is how Jacob responds to God’s promises.  Jacob doesn’t quite believe God will do all of these things He promises.  We see this in his response in verses 20-22:  IF God will be with me and IF He will provide, THEN the Lord will be my God.”

Do you see it?  He’s not quite sure if God will be with him and if God will provide.  But only after Jacob sees all this, then will God be his God.  Jacob is trying to make his own deal with God instead of humbly accepting God’s promise.  However, in God’s grace, He punishes Jacob through Laban in order to gain Jacob’s whole heart.

End Note:  Now God has personally appeared to all three patriarchs:  Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob.

Fun Fact:  Bethel means “House of God” and is second only to Jerusalem to the number of times a town is mentioned in the Old Testament.  God even refers to Himself as the “God of Bethel” in Genesis 31:13.