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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 5: 2 Kings 5:1-6:7

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

SUMMARY OF 2 KINGS 5:1-6:7

Naaman was a well regarded commander of the army of the king of Aram. However, he had leprosy. A captive girl from Israel told Naaman’s wife about Elisha who could heal him. Naaman asked the king for permission to go and see Elisha, which the king granted and he gave him a letter, too. The king of Israel couldn’t help him, but Elisha could.

Elisha told Naaman to go wash himself 7 times in the Jordan River and he would be cured. But Naaman was mad. He thought Elisha would cure him in a big hoopla and display of God’s power. Naaman’s servants told him to follow Elisha’s orders, which he did. Naaman was cured. Naaman converts to worshipping God. He offers Elisha gifts, but he refuses.

Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, got greedy. He followed Naaman to ask for some money and he kept it for himself. Elisha cursed him with leprosy for this.

Elisha then retrieves an axhead from the Jordan River using God’s power.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 5: 2 Kings 5:1-6:7

11) Naaman was a well regarded commander of the army of the king of Aram. However, he had leprosy.

12a) A captive girl from Israel told Naaman’s wife about Elisha who could heal him. Naaman asked the king for permission to go and see Elisha and he went.

b) He thought Elisha would cure him in a big hoopla and display of God’s power. Naaman’s servants told him to follow Elisha’s orders, which he did. Washing in the River was the same as being told to do great things, they reasoned.

c) I’m super bad at admitting when I’m wrong and apologizing.

13) He converted him and, odds are, his family, too.

14) God ultimately wants everyone to come to him. He reveals himself as a testimony to others to follow Him, too.

15) First, he was greedy. Second, he lied about it instead of confessing and asking for forgiveness.

16) Elisha knew that the man would have to pay for the axhead that he lost since it wasn’t his, so he took compassion on the man and retrieve it for him.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 5: 2 Kings 5:1-6:7

My favorite part was the captive girl. I’m unsure if I would have done the same due to my anger at being a slave. Here, God uses a girl’s tragedy to convert her enemy. Powerful stuff!

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 5: 2 Kings 5:1-6:7

Aram or Syria was a bitter enemy of Israel and Judah. (1 Kings 22:35-36).

Note that the title “man of valor” is used with Gideon (Judges 6:12), Jephthah (Judges 11:1), David (1 Samuel 16:18), Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:28), and Eliada (2 Chronicles 17:17). In fact, Naaman is the only Gentile in the Bible referred to with this title.

Leprosy in the ancient world was a death sentence. It also was a cause for ostracism, as people didn’t understand and didn’t want to catch it.

The servant girl cared and had faith. That is all God requires of us, too. God used her to accomplish a greater good.

Many Bible scholars believe this story is out of order since the letter sent by the king of Syria to the king of Israel would likely not have happened during intense hostilities.

Ten talents of gold would be equivalent to $1.2 million today.

Elisha rebukes the king of Israel for having no faith in God or him.

Note Elisha did not see Naaman, only sent him a message. He had the wrong expectations of God, like many of us do.

When Naaman’s servants pointed out that his reasoning was inconsistent about washing in the river and that he was only refusing because it was humbling, Naaman agreed. Only God could heal, especially since Elisha was not there. God gets all the credit here unequivocally.

Naaman was like the leper who came back to thank Jesus after he was healed (Luke 17:12-19).

The taking of the soil with him was common in the ancient world. He also asked to be pardoned when he pretended to worship the gods of Syria, as he would be expected to do as an official.

Gehazi hid the talents because he knew Elisha would not approve. The judgement is more severe for believers who know better. It was his selfish desire to gain from God’s blessings.

2 Kings 6

Elisha’s following had grown so much that he needed a new building.

Iron was precious and uncommon in ancient times. The way Elisha retrieved it left no doubt that God retrieved it.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 4: 2 Kings 4:38-44

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

SUMMARY OF 2 KINGS 2:4:38-44

Elisha instructs his servant to feed the company of prophets. The servant collects a wild vine’s gourds and cooked it in the stew. The men could not eat it because it tasted of death. Elisha put some flour in the stew to neutralize the bad ingredients.

Elisha feeds 100 men with 20 loaves of barley bread and some heads of new grain. The Lord had said the men would eat and have some left over.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 4: 2 Kings 4:38-44

8 ) The needs are the basic need to eat.

9a) God is showing how he cares to meet our basic needs.

b) None.

10) It’s encouraging because sometimes it is the little things or the basic things that can be the most meaningful to others.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 4: 2 Kings 4:38-44

More great miracles I had forgotten. Immediately upon reading Elisha feeding the 100, you think of Jesus feeding the 5,000. How great the Lord is to show his people precursors to Jesus.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 4: 2 Kings 4:38-44

The famine mentioned in verse 38 may be the seven-year famine alluded to in 2 Kings 8:1-3

Elisha feels he has to fix the food since it was his servant that mistakenly prepared a bad food to eat. Some Bible scholars think it was a gourd known as colocynth that grows near the Dead Sea. It can be fatal, and it tastes extremely bitter. God purified the pot; not the flour.

Normally, firstfruits were reserved for God (Leviticus 23:20) and the Levitical priests (Numbers 18:13; Deuteronomy 18:4-5). Because the religion in the Northern Kingdom was apostate, the loaves of bread were brought to the most religious person.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 3: 2 Kings 4:8-37

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

SUMMARY OF 2 KINGS 4:8-37

A well-to-do woman made a place for Elisha to stay with her whenever he came to Shunem. One day, he asked his servant to find out if the woman wanted anything because she has been so kind to him. The woman had no son, so Elisha told her about this time next year, she would have one.

Indeed, she did have a son who grew, but one day he got a headache. The boy died in her arms. She sent for Elisha who sent his servant ahead to heal the boy. The servant could not. When Elisha arrived, he lay upon the boy, and the boy’s body grew warm. He once again lived.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 3: 2 Kings 4:8-37

5) She prepared a permanent place for Elisha to stay whenever he visited Shunem. She fed him a meal every time he came, too. She knew he was a holy man of God. When Elisha asks her what does she want as a reward for this hospitality, she asks for nothing, saying she is content.

6a) The unexpected joy was God rewarding her with a son when she was old. But the boy got sick and died.

b) When he saw the woman coming, he knew immediately something was wrong. He sent his servant out to find out and then he worked to make it right.

7) He doesn’t answer our prayers when the answer is not in our best interest or not in His will. We do not know the future, but God does. He orchastrates events, and we are to trust Him.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 3: 2 Kings 4:8-37

I love reading about miracles. There is something inherently comforting in knowing God is omnipotent.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 3: 2 Kings 4:8-37

The woman went out of her way for Elisha who then did the same for her.

Being barren in the ancient world was a stigma, and people were looked down upon because of it.

Many Bible Scholars suggest the boy got heat stroke since he was out working in the fields.

The woman believed Elisha could raise her son from the dead since she laid him on Elisha’s bed and left immediately to get him.

Note Elisha thought God would reveal the woman’s problems to him.

The child may have been healed by the staff if the woman had full faith to leave Elisha.

The boy was raised due to Elisha’s faith and God’s willingness to have the boy live.

Note how Jesus commanded Lazarus to come from the tomb. Here, Elisha and Elijah asked God to raise the dead.

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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 2: 2 Kings 4:1-7

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

SUMMARY OF 2 KINGS 4:1-7

The widow spoke to Elisha, saying her husband, a believer, is dead and now her boys are about to be enslaved to pay his debts. Elisha asked her what she had in her house. She said oil. He told her to gather empty jars from her neighbors and then to pour oil into all of them. The oil did not stop flowing until all the jars were filled. Elisha told her to sell the oil to pay her debts and live off the rest.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 2: 2 Kings 4:1-7

3a) The widow’s boys are about to be enslaved to pay the debts of her dead husband. Then, there would be no one to care for her, too.

b) Why did her husband, a believer, have to die? Why did her sons have to pay the price of her husband’s debt? How were they all to live now? What would happen to them? Why must she and her sons suffer?

c) Through Elisha, He told the widow what to do and gave her a way to pay her debts and still have money to live. God provided everything she could need.

4a) God always cares for His people. He cares for those who ask Him for things and who are willing to obey Him and take action on their own behalf. God always has a way if only we’ll listen.

b) Many times. Financially many times. Friendships. Granting me the longings of my heart.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 2: 2 Kings 4:1-7

I don’t remember this story, and it’s such a cool one! Great stuff about God’s provision for His people!

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 9, Day 2: 2 Kings 4:1-7

There was no bankruptcy in ancient times. The debt had to be paid, and that usually meant with slave labor, even children.

She poured her one jar of oil out in faith, and the other jars were filled with oil. Note the woman had to take action and follow God’s directions in faith — as well all should.

Note the number of jars determined the blessing. The oil would not stop flowing till all the jars she had gathered were filled.

The world is full of suffering, and God allows it often to grow our faith in Him. Suffering tests our faith.

Elisha asked the simple question of “How can I help?” This is a question we all should ask others around us who are suffering.

God provided faithfully and abundantly in the widow’s life. He wants to do the same in ours.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 5: Matthew 8:28-34

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 8:28-34

Jesus encounters two demon-possessed men in the region of Gadarenes or Gergesenes. They would not let anyone pass. The demons recognized Jesus and asked him why he has come.

They then asked Jesus if he would drive them out into the herd of pigs. Jesus granted their request. The herd of pigs then rushed off a bank into a lake and drowned. This scene scared the shepherds. They ran off to tell everyone what they had seen. The whole town became scared. They told Jesus to leave their region.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 5: Matthew 8:28-34

13a) They two demonized men recognized Jesus and asked him why he has come and if he would torture them before the appointed time. They then asked Jesus if he would drive them out into the herd of pigs, which Jesus did.

b) They recognized that Jesus was the Son of God. James 2:19 tells us that even demons know that there is only One God — and they are afraid. They know they are doomed.

14) He took pity on the men.

15) Jesus’s actions scared the townspeople. Perhaps they thought he’d do the same to them. Jesus left because he knew they would not listen to him (Matthew 10:14).

16) It’s truly awe-inspiring and hard to put into words. It gives me hope to trudge along each and every day as I continually seek His purpose for my life.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 5: Matthew 8:28-34

I love how Matthew throws in so many varied stories. We go from Jesus healing many people to him rebuking a storm and helping those who are demon-possessed. Great stuff.

I love Tomie de Paola!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 5: Matthew 8:28-34

map of region of Gergesenes or Gadarenes bsf matthew matthew 8 www.atozmomm.com
By By Nichalp – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=460339

The exact location of the region of Gergesenes (or Gadarenes) is unknown. Bible scholars believe it is located on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galiee and was a small town where the larger city of Gadara was lcoated. Here, many Gentiles lived.

Do note the other Gospels tell this story, but only mention one of the demon-possessed men.

Any contact with dead bodies made Jews unclean. So these men who were coming out of tombs (presumably they were living there) were terrifying to the Jewish people.

Seeing Jesus, the demons knew their time was up. They knew they would be cast out and would suffer in hell forever.

Pigs are unclean to the Jewish people. Why they were there, no one knows. But it is the perfect place to cast out demons at that time. The demons wanted to possess the pigs rather than be left without something to terrorize. Note they had to get permission from Jesus in order to take over the bodies of swines.

Note that this is the only example of casting out demons into the bodies of animals. This may be where stories have come from of humans possessing animal bodies.

The demons were bent on killing, which is why they killed the pigs immediately. This proved, too, that the demons were now inside the pigs and not the men. Jesus wanted to ensure everyone knew this miracle had occurred.

One could say that the people could easily have been pleased that Jesus had driven the demons out of the men. Truthfully, it could have gone either way here. However, fear ruled, so the townspeople asked Jesus to leave. Plus, the destruction of the pigs cast doubt into the minds of those who saw. Would Jesus destroy them, too? This is exactly what Satan wants you to think. This is a message to us to be wary always.

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Friday Digest BSF Matthew Lesson 9

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN MATTHEW 8 BSF LESSON 9

  • We need spiritual healing from sin
  • Healing of others can come from our faith
  • God commends humble faith
  • Live your life with biblical faith i.e. living God’s principles
  • Gods wants all of us, not just some of us
  • God’s authority reigns over all

TAKE AWAY: Put God first, and everything else falls into place.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 4: Matthew 8:23-27

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 8:23-27

Jesus gets in a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee when a storm arises. Jesus is sleeping, so his disciples go to wake him. The waves are crashing. The disciples think they will drown. Jesus tells them they have little faith. Jesus calmed the sea, amazing his disciples.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 4: Matthew 8:23-27

10) He calms the storm so his disciples won’t be afraid. As noted by the disciples, the fact that he can command the waves and the wind shows his deity. We also see Jesus needs sleep, too, just like humans.

11a) That they had no faith in him because they were afraid.

b) That he cared for them enough to allay their fears.

12a) Unsure about storm. I’m trying to find a new day job. I’m also looking to maybe move again in the future.

b) I need to have faith in Jesus to calm the storms and sort them all out, sheltering me the entire way.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 4: Matthew 8:23-27

This is one of the best stories about Jesus. Jesus calms the storm for his disciples’ sake, and he shows his power. Plus, I love the whole idea of Jesus calming my storms. Fabulous!

Cool little video that mimics what it would have looked like: https://youtu.be/yyzwCpofQSA

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 4: Matthew 8:23-27

The Sea of Galilee frequently has heavy storms. Capernaum lies on its coast.

Jesus slept through the storm. This shows what rest we can have when we have complete faith in the Father to provide us with what we need and to protect us from the world’s evils.

When you have complete trust in the Father, there is no room for fear. This is why Jesus rebukes his disciples, not for having woken him. If you have the Savior of the World in your boat, you should feel secure. Plus, they had just seen Jesus heal people miraculously. Where was their faith?

Rebuke is stronger than calm. Rebuke means, “to express sharp disapproval or criticism of someone or someone’s behaviors.” Thus, some Bible scholars think Satan may have sent the storm to drown Jesus and his disciples.

Here, the disciples see Jesus as fully man and fully God for the first time. This is why they marveled. Powerful stuff!

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 3: Matthew 8:18-22

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 8:18-22

Jesus crossed over the lake (Sea of Galilee) in order to escape the crowds. A teacher of the law told Jesus he would follow him wherever he went. Another said he would follow him after he buried his father. Jesus said to follow him and bury your dead later.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 3: Matthew 8:18-22

7) The first follower may be in a honeymoon stage, so Jesus tells him it’s not all fun and games. The second follower loves Jesus, but puts his human father first. He is a reluctant follower.

8a) The cost for the first man is giving up everything and living a very simple life with no real home.

b) The cost for the second man is putting him first above his human family and giving his whole heart to Jesus.

9a) People only follow Jesus when it’s convenient for them. The second it gets hard or they have to sacrifice, they bail.

b) You have to do what God wants you to do, not what others want you to do. You have to put God first always, and sometimes that can cause friction between family members. I’ve had to end some relationships with friends over following Jesus’s path for my life.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 3: Matthew 8:18-22

I love how simple Jesus is so that we simple humans can grasp his meaning. It’s simple: follow him completely and totally above all others.

Cool art decor here.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 3: Matthew 8:18-22

Jesus needed a break from the crowds. He did not seek notarity. Many were attracted to following Jesus because they were mesmerized by his miracles. But these two did not have the heart Jesus was seeking.

Jesus is blunt by saying that he truly did not have a home. He lived a very simple life, and by telling the man this, he hoped to not lead him astray about what his ministry was really all about. This is a great lesson for pastors of today.

Fun Fact: “The Son of Man” is used 81 times in the gospels. Jesus referred to himself as this many times, or you’ll see it when someone in the Bible quotes him. It evokes power and glory as seen here (Daniel 7:13-14) and the humility (Psalm 8:4).

What modern readers miss here is that the father of the second man is not dead; if he was, the man would have said something along the lines of digging a grave. Thus, the man wanted to care for his ailing father, which could have been years for all we know. This man was a disciple, but not with the heart of the 12 disciples who were all in. Jesus wants those who are all in for him.

Jesus clearly states that although family is important, he is more so. He is very forthright and honest in his ministry as we should be.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 2: Matthew 8:1-17

by atozmom, posted in BSF Matthew 2021/2022

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 8:1-17

After the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus came down from the mountain. His teaching amazed everyone. A man with leprosy approached Jesus and asked him to make him clean. Jesus healed the man and told him to not tell others but instead to go to the priests and offer a gift that Moses commanded as a testimony instead.

map of capernaum where jesus lived www.atozmomm.com bsf matthew lesson 9In Capernaum, a Roman centurion (an elite soldier) came to Jesus to ask him to heal one of his servants who is paralyzed. Jesus agreed to come. However, the centurion did not think he was worthy to have Jesus under his roof, so he asked Jesus to heal the man from afar. Jesus admired his faith and did so.

Jesus arrived at Peter’s house. His mother-in-law was sick. When he touched her, he healed her.

Jesus healed many more and cast out many demons.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 2: Matthew 8:1-17

3) He asked Jesus in a humble way (kneeling and worshipping him) to heal him and Jesus did. He had faith Jesus could heal him; it was only a matter of if Jesus was willing. Leviticus 13:2-3 tells us that priests declared those with an infectious skin disease unceremoniously. Verses 44-46 tell us that those who continue to have an infectious skin disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, and cry out, “Unclean!” They must live alone and outside of camp. Here, Jesus touches the man without hesitation despite his unclean status.

4a) The centurion asked Jesus to heal one of his servants who is paralyzed. Jesus agreed to come.

b) However, the centurion did not think he was worthy to have Jesus under his roof, so he asked Jesus to heal the man from afar. Jesus admired his faith and did so.

5) Healing people showed Jesus’s compassion, his authority, and his power. It also showed he fulfilled prophecy, as we read in Isaiah about how their savior will heal the deaf, the blind, the lame, to free captives from prison, and to release those in the dark. It revealed he was God’s chosen one.

6) It’s encouraging that Jesus has the power to change lives.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 2: Matthew 8:1-17

I love these stories of Jesus’s healing ministry. It gives me hope that Jesus will heal others, and I love to imagine what it would have been like to see Jesus do so.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 9, Day 2: Matthew 8:1-17

We will not see 10 miracles that Jesus performs after the Sermon on the Mount. This served to further establish his authority. Matthew puts these in no particular order, and they differ considerably from the order in Mark and Luke. These chapters will focus on Jesus’s power and authority over all things. Here, we’ll see three people who normally would have been ignored in the Jewish culture.

The Healing of the Leper

Leprosy was akin to COVID-19 except you had no hope of a cure. You had to stay in isolation, away from friends and family. You had to stay 6 feet away from lepers (sound familiar?), so you wouldn’t be unclean. Those with leprosy were essentially dead. This man wanted cleansing — cleansing of his life, of the treatment he had to endure, of the mental anguish he suffered.

NOTE: This is the first place in the Bible where Jesus is called Lord. And note it’s by a leper, an outcast in society. It’s also Jesus’s first recorded healing in the Gospels.

You could not touch a leper, but Jesus did. He didn’t have to, but the leper needed to be touched.  Mark 1:41  Jesus has compassion. He shows this to us each and every day.

We see Jesus carefully controlling his reputation when he tells the leper not to shout to the world what happened. Instead, he tells the leper to go quietly to the priest so he could be declared clean and enter society again. He did not want the crowds to get excited. Instead, he meets us where we are at. However, we see in Mark that the leper proclaimed his healing anyway. (Mark 1:44-45).

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The Centurion

Jesus lived in Capernaum Matthew 4:13 , so he was going home here.

The Centurion was a man of substance, stature, and wealth. He must have cared a great deal about his servant to come to a Jewish leader on his behalf. Under Roman law, if a slave became ill, the owner could kill him. This would have been the normal reaction, not going to a rabbi.

FUN FACT: There are at least 7 centurions mentioned in the New Testament, and they are all good-hearted.

Jews were not allowed to enter Gentiles’ homes because they would become unclean. The centurion knew this so was looking out for Jesus.

The centurion understood that Jesus did not need to be present to heal. He had faith in Jesus’s powers.

You could say that this centurion understood who Jesus was much more than 99% of the Jewish people at this time, and more than most of the spiritual leaders/Pharisees, too.

Jesus praised this faith, going further by saying that Gentiles will share in God’s kingdom, too. He says that Jews are not guaranteed entry just because of their identity, either.

Heaven will have people sitting and people from everywhere.

FUN FACT: Jesus spoke of hell more so than any other in the Bible.

Jesus Heals Peter’s Mother-in-Law

This makes it clear that Peter was married, making it clear you did not have to be celibate to be a priest. Again, Jesus uses a touch to heal; he cares for the big hurts and the small hurts alike. She rises and serves.

Jesus Heals Many

Matthew shows Jesus as the true Messiah and the one Isaiah speaks of. Jesus takes our sicknesses and carries them himself. This is how we can be with God.

There were many possessed of demons at this time, and the reasoning for it is unclear. Bible scholars say it was just a dark time and magic was prevalent.

God heals physically in many ways as we see here — with a touch, words, and other ways. Jesus heals those who ask, those who others ask for, and those who don’t ask. God is sovereign in His healing powers.

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Who Was Melchizedek?

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2020/2021

Melchizedek was king of Salem (Jerusalem) and priest of the God Most High.  He met and blessed Abraham and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything (Genesis 14:18-20).  His name means “king of righteousness” and king of Salem means “king of peace”.  He remains a priest forever without the proper lineage.

Just think how great he must have been for Abraham to give him a tenth of the plunder!  The law requires the descendants of Levi to collect a tenth from the people.  Melchizedek was not a Levite.  One could deduce that Levi collects the tenth through Abraham because Levi (who is Abraham’s descendant) hadn’t been born yet when Melchizedek collected.  Hence we have Levites paying tithes to Melchizedek, making Melchizedek greater than the Levites (or Abraham in this instance since the Levites are through Abraham).  Since the lesser is blessed by the greater, Melchizedek is greater than Abraham.

Perfection could not be attained through the Levites so there was need for a priest in the order of Melchizedek (the mere fact that a priest in the order of Melchizedek shows up should be a clue that there is a need for something better than the Levites).  If the priests change, then so must the law.  The old law was weak and useless for it made nothing perfect and a better hope was introduced by God (Jesus!).

Through an oath Jesus became a priest and the author of a better covenant.  Jesus lives forever so his priesthood is forever; therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him.

Jesus meets our needs as holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens with one sacrifice of himself who has been made perfect forever.

Melchizedek comes and vanishes as quickly. Yet, he leaves an impression that can make all the difference. What impression do you leave with others?