Tag: bsf lesson 3

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 4, Day 3: Genesis 3:1-6

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  The crafty serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say not to eat from any tree in the garden?”  Eve tells him they can eat from any tree except from the tree in the middle of the garden or they will die.  The serpent plants doubt, saying surely you won’t die; you will just be like God, knowing good and evil.

So, Eve took some and ate it and gave some to Adam (who was with her the whole time) and ate it as well.

Questions:

7)  Matthew 13:19:  He snatches away the message (Word) that was sown in man’s heart

Matthew 13:25, 39:  He sows weeds amongst the crop while you are sleeping (unaware)

John 8:44:  He is a liar, murderer, and father of lies.  He has nor speaks no truth

John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11:  He is called the prince of this world

2 Corinthians 4:4:  He is called the god of this age

Ephesians 2:2:  He is called the ruler of the kingdom of air

8a)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Ephesians tells us he’s a schemer, so much so we need the full armor of God to resist him.  2 Corinthians tells us he masquerades as an angel of light.  Luke shows us that Satan knows scripture and he will use it to tempt us to sin and he will twist it’s meaning like he did to Eve when she ate the fruit.

Satan’s life purpose is to make us fall.  He spends his entire time scheming and using our weaknesses against us.  He will use all the tricks in the book and then some.  He has no morals or values as we know them.  He is pure evil.

b)  With Job the devil could not touch the man himself but only those people and things around him.  The devil had 40 days to tempt Jesus but when he was done tempting he left Jesus alone.  In Revelation we see the devil is limited in time.  He has only a certain amount of time before God says enough and defeats him.

1 Corinthians 10:13:  “He (God) will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear…he will also provide a way out so tht you can stand up under it.”

God sets limits to what the devil can do to us.  God is there, protecting us.  God allows the devil to exist and to tempt us (to test our faith).  He is in control.  We are choosing either the devil or God.  Always.

9)  1 Thessalonians 5:17, James 5:16:  pray continually, confess your sins and pray for each other

Matthew 4:1-2; Luke 4:1-2:  Be full of the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12:  The Word of God–the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit

James 4:7:  Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you

Conclusions:  This was a study on the devil.  To be honest, I didn’t even read the passage (since we read it yesterday).  Every question had us looking elsewhere so leave some time for today’s lesson.  Even though a lot of the books are small that’s what makes them tricky to find.

If you did Acts last year, a lot of this will be familiar.  We discussed in detail our weapons against the devil (the Word, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and obeying God’s commands).  I hold to 1 Corinthians 10:13:  there is nothing God gives us we can’t bear, including the devil’s temptations.  If we believe we can overcome and God is on our side and He’s in control, then we will!

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 3, Day 5: Genesis 1 & 2 and skim Genesis 3:1-10

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passages:  Genesis 1:  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and void but the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

1st Day:  God made light and He saw it was good.  He separated light from dark.  He called light “day” and dark “night.”

2nd Day:  God separated the waters to create sky.

3rd Day:  He let the dry ground appear, which He named “land” and the gathered waters he called “seas”.  Then the land produced vegetation–all of which God saw was good.

4th Day:  God made the sun, moon, and stars to be used as signs to mark the seasons, days, and years; to give light on the earth; to govern the day and the night; and to separate light from darkness.  God saw that it was good.

5th Day:  God created the great creatures of the sea as well as every winged bird.  He blessed them to multiply and fill the earth.  He saw it was good.

6th Day:  God created living creatures on the land and all the wild animals and He saw it was good.  He made man in His own image to rule over all the earth and its creatures.  God blessed them and told them to be fruitful and rule.  He gave man every green plant for food and everything that has the breath of life in it.  God saw that it was very good.

Genesis 2:  By the seventh day, God had finished his work so he rested and blessed the day as holy.

After God made the heavens and the earth but before plants had sprung and only streams had watered the earth, God made man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into his nostrils and man became living.  He put the man in the garden of Eden.  He made all kinds of trees for food and in the middle were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  A river watered this garden.

God put man in charge of the garden to work it and take care of it.  He warned the man not to eat from the tree of knowledge or he would die.  He brought the animals to Adam to name.  When God did so, He noticed no helper was found for man; so He created woman from Adam’s rib while he was sleeping so man would not be alone.

This is why man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and become one flesh.  They were naked and felt no shame.

Genesis 3:1-10:  The crafty serpent said to Eve, “Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?”  Eve said, “We cannot eat from the tree in the middle or we shall die.”

The serpent says they will not die but they will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Desiring wisdom, Eve ate and gave some to Adam so he would eat.  Their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked.  They covered themselves with fig leaves.

Adam and Eve hid from God when they heard him in the garden.  God called to them and Adam said he was afraid because he was naked.

Questions:

12)  It addresses before man was made that God had not yet sent rain so streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground (Genesis 2:5-6).  Genesis 2:10 does mention a river that waters the garden flowed from Eden after man’s creation.

So we know there was water and the plants grew.  I’m imaging at some point the water cycle kicked in but in the beginning the earth was so new the water cycle probably didn’t have time to evaporate and form clouds so God watered where He needed to.

13a)  God did it all.  He created everything.  He created.  He said.  He blessed.  He made.  He controls.  In Genesis 2, I see God caring for his creation.  In Genesis 1, the focus was on making everything.  In Genesis 2, God cared for and perfected his creations.  He gave man a companion because man needed one.  He watered the land so it would grow.

Genesis 1:  Created & controlled

Genesis 2:  Cared for

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  I threw in control because I think a lot of us suffer when we try to take control instead of allowing God to be in control.  I know I do this often.  Praying “God, you take this” is one of my frequent prayers.

Knowing in my heart God cares for me is something also I need to rejuvenate.  I know God is in control and he cares about me but having that in the forefront of my mind is hard.

Something I need to pray, “God you created me, you are in control, and you care for me.  So please help me sow this into my heart and remember this in my daily walk so you will be in control.”

14a)  The definition of ashamed according to Webster’s Dictionary is, “feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace; feeling inferior or unworthy”.

Man did not feel inferior or unworthy before the Fall.  Man and God seemed to me to be best friends.  God made man in His image and they walked in the Garden together.  As equals?  Probably not.  But as a proper Father/son/daughter relationship should be–full of respect and admiration.

God made man worthy of him.  Man then sinned and brought unworthiness into the world.  So Jesus had to make it right.

They didn’t know they weren’t supposed to be naked.  They didn’t have the knowledge of being naked until they ate from the tree.  The first thing God asks them in Genesis 3:11 is “Who told you that you were naked?”

[Makes me wonder if this is why we wear clothes today.  Because we are ashamed of our bodies when we shouldn’t be.  Especially since originally man wasn’t ashamed. Interesting.]

b)  I like this idea of light as clothes (never heard this before).  Could I get some of this light?  It would probably be much prettier than what I wear!

Seriously, answer is sin.  When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and partook of the fruit, the knowledge and sin removed the light.

c) Romans 3:23 “for we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God”.  Not sure what “this” is in this question.  Naked?  Ashamed?  The light being removed?  The light being the clothing?

Because of sin we fall short of the glory of God.  Since the Fall we all sin so we all fall short. Thus, we are inferior and unworthy of God unless we have Jesus who makes us worthy.

Conclusions:  Not sure of 14c.  Not sure what the point is that we haven’t already concluded from the Fall.

Great reminder that God is in control and He cares.  Even when we don’t want Him to.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 3, Day 3: Genesis 2:8-17

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  The Lord planted the garden of Eden where he placed the man He has formed.  God made all kinds of plants for this garden that were pleasing to the eye and good to eat.  In the middle were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge.  A river watered the garden, two of which we know still exist today:  the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

God took the man and put him in the garden to work it and take care of it.  He commanded the man to not eat of the tree of knowledge or man would die.

Questions:

6)  It has been known by many names:  Mesopotamia (which is Greek for land between the two rivers), Assyria, Sumer, Babylonia, Persia.  Both run through modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq.  The region was known as the “Fertile Crescent” because so many civilizations thrived there.  It was also called the “Cradle of Civilization” since the civilization that developed there was the first on earth (namely, Adam and Eve).

7)  A garden with all kinds of trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.  In the middle were the tree of life and knowledge.  A river watering the garden flowed from Eden that was separated into four headwaters.  Animals and birds lived there.

8 )  He told them they could eat from any tree in the Garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  If they did, they would die.

9a)  Personal Question.  My answer:  As an American, everything is pleasant to be honest.  I have all the basic needs and then some.  I have a house, cars, a dog, my family, extra money to buy things I want, money for the kids’ activities, etc.  I drink coffee in the morning.  I have flowers on my kitchen table.  I have a kitchen table.

Currently, there is nothing really “hard” in terms of living conditions in my life.  Now, it hasn’t always been that way (those of you who’ve been here long enough remember the time I lived in a camper when my husband lost his job(s).)  I enjoy where I live and my life.  I am blessed.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Resisting my human nature.  I fight against selfishness, loving others, caring for others, potty mouth, being ungrateful for my blessings, letting bitterness and anger consume me and influence my actions, submitting to authority, and being kind and compassionate to others.  I got a ways to go to be more like Jesus.

Conclusions:  Simple questions with a powerful reminder of how pleasant our life is and yet we sin anyways like Adam and Eve did.  Adam and Eve led the dream life:  talking and walking with God every day and having all their basic needs met without even thinking about it; yet they still thought they were missing something so they sinned.  They thought there was something better out there and they wanted to “know” about it.  Like most of us do.

Contentment with life is one of the hardest things to achieve.  Partly because we as humans are driven to do better and be better.  Which gets us into trouble.  But also brings about some of the greatest inventions.

Great reminder to be content with where we are at in our journey as we continually strive to know Him.

Map that shows possible location of Garden of Eden with the 4 rivers:  http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/old-testament-map.html

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 3, Day 2: Genesis 1:26-2:25 with Psalm 8 & Hebrews 2:6-9

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passages:  Genesis 1:26-2:25:  Finishing up the sixth day, God made man in our image (our being God the father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) and let man rule over the fish, birds, livestock, and all of earth and its creatures.  He created both male and female.  God blessed man and told him to be fruitful and multiply.

God gave man every seed-bearing plant and every fruit for food.  He gave all the other living creatures green plants for food.  God saw all He made and it was good.

By the seventh day, God had finished his work so he rested and blessed the day as holy.

After God made the heavens and the earth but before plants had sprung and only streams had watered the earth, God made man from the dust of the ground and breathed life into his nostrils and man became living.  He put the man in the garden of Eden.  He made all kinds of trees for food and in the middle were the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  A river watered this garden.

God put man in charge of the garden to work it and take care of it.  He warned the man not to eat from the tree of knowledge or he would die.  He brought the animals to Adam to name.  When God did so, He noticed no helper was found for man; so He created woman from Adam’s rib while he was sleeping so man would not be alone.

This is why man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and become one flesh.  They were naked and felt no shame.

Psalm 8:  David sings God praises, saying how majestic He is. God set His glory above the heavens.  The praises of children silence God’s enemies. David asks the question many of us ask:  when we consider all you have made (the heavens, moon, and stars), why do you care for insignificant man so and crown him with glory and honor by making him ruler over everything?

How majestic is your name!

Hebrews 2:6-9:  Psalm 8 is quoted, “what is man that you are mindful of him…a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet.”  Everything is subject to man, even things we do not see.  Jesus, who himself was made a little lower than angels, is crowned with glory and honor (the same as man’s) because he suffered death for everyone.

Questions:

3a)  Adam:  The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (2:7)

Eve:  The Lord God caused the man (Adam) to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh.  Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man (2:21-22)

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  We wouldn’t exist without Him.  And He made us companions for one another so we wouldn’t be alone.  I couldn’t make it in this Fallen world without help from God and humans.

4a)  God took Adam in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.  (2:15)

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Yes.  We are the top of the food chain, the pyramid, the most intelligent beings, and we are formed in God’s image.  It is our responsibility to take care of our planet Earth and everything in it and to work it as God intended.

c)  In putting everything under him (man), God left nothing that is not subject to him.  Yet we do not see everything that is subject to him.  But we do see Jesus who has come to defeat death.

Main truth from these passages:  God originally gave man dominion over this earth (and the one to come) NOT angels even though man is a little lower than angels.  Man was created to rule earth.

This brings up the question:  how can Jesus rule and reign if he is not human?  Thus, Jesus became human so he (and we while Jesus is gone) can rule and reign over this world.

Thus, God gave man dominion over the earth; however, when man sinned and brought death (Romans 5:12), he gave up that power (but not the right) to rule.  The sin and death took away that power.  Thus, Jesus was sent to conquer death and restore God’s promise that humans will have dominion over the earth (Romans 5:21).  Because through Jesus man reclaims the dominion that God had originally intended for Adam (Revelation 5:10; Matthew 25:21).

Credit given to Enduring Word for explaining this to me!

5a)  To work and take care of Eden.  Basically, to care for God’s creations.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  To care for my family and husband; raise my kids in God’s ways.  For the world, I hope it’s through my novel.  But that’s just a hope.  At times, a very discouraging hope.  Something in my heart I can’t shake.  But one I believe is from God.

Conclusions:  Question 4c needed more background information.  I wouldn’t have been able to answer it without reading commentaries.  Piecing together the fact that one reason Jesus came as a man is to fulfill God’s promise of man having dominion over the earth is one I’ve never considered or heard of before.

In church, it’s all about how Jesus came to save us from our sins; to take them upon himself.  But this implication goes far beyond that.  Jesus came for us to rule.  Because God deigned us to (for some unknown reason).  Again, as in Psalm 8, I feel like David:  “what is man that you are mindful of him?”.

We are so little and insignificant.  But only in our eyes.  To God, we must be 10 feet tall!