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BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 25, Day 4: Select Passages From Jeremiah

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 25, Day 4: Select Passages From Jeremiah

9)

Jeremiah 16:1-4: God told Jeremiah not to marry or have kids because they would die of deadly diseases.

Jeremiah 20:1-2: Jeremiah was beaten and put in the stocks for prophesying.

Jeremiah 26:7-11: The priests, the prophets and all the people seized Jeremiah and said he should be sentenced to death.

Jeremiah 37:1-2, 16: Jeremiah was ignored by Zedekiah and all the people. Jeremiah was put into a vaulted cell in a dungeon, where he remained a long time.

Jeremiah 38:6: Jeremiah was put into a cistern, which was full of mud.

10) We all go through trials in life, and God’s calling on our lives is not easy. But God protected Jeremiah and provided for him, and no doubt he did make some impact on those who he preached to in his 40 years of doing God’s bidding.

11) First, that Ebed-Melek (his name means ‘servant of the king’) was a Cushite, a foreigner, and may not have been a believer. Thirty men came and rescued Jeremiah and did so compassionately. But, God used him to save Jeremiah. God watches over the faithful and does save them.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 25, Day 4: Select Passages From Jeremiah

What a great example of the trials of God’s calling, but the great rewards of it. God does save and care for us, and He sends people to rescue us every day, whether we realize it or not.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 25, Day 4: Select Passages From Jeremiah

Almost everyone in ancient Israel was expected to get married and have children. In fact, it was a shame and dishonor not to do so. This is a very unique command of God’s in the Bible. He did this for Jeremiah’s sake so that he would not feel the pain of losing his wife and kids.

The people treated Jeremiah as a false prophet when they ignored him and put him in the stocks.

Jeremiah was speaking from the temple court (Jeremiah 26:2) in Jeremiah 26:7-11 when he was seized. At the end of the day, the people did not like his message. Shiloh was a town close to Jerusalem that had been destroyed previously by the Philistines. Jeremiah was condemned and brought to judgment.

King Zedekiah only reigned in Jersualem around 598 B.C. He was supposed to obey Nebachadnezzar, the King of Babylon, but he did not. This is when Nebachadnezzar took over Israel for good. Jeremiah told the king to surrender to King Nebachadnezzar. King Zedekiah did not like that. They ignored him, and threw him in jail.

Then, the princes of Judah (most likely King Zedekiah’s sons) lowered Jeremiah into a cistern with the intent to leave him there to die. They could have pushed him in and he likely would have died from the fall, but they did not want blood on their hands. Cisterns were wells that stored water that most people either had or used. Read the verses ahead of Jeremiah 38:6 for the full story.

Jeremiah was rescued from the cistern, but still remained in prison.

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BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 25, Day 4: Matthew 25:31-46

SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 25:31-46

Still on the Mount of Olives, Jesus tell about when he returns. He will have all of the angels with him, and he will sit on his throne in glory. He will separate everyone like a shepherd separates his sheep and goats. The sheep will go to his right; the goats on his left. Jesus blesses the sheep on his right, and they will have their inheritance, the kingdom prepared for them since the creation of the world. For they cared for Jesus, giving him food, drink, and clothes.

Confused, the righteous wondered when they did these things. Jesus responded that they did it for him every time they did it for one of their brothers.

Those on the left will be cursed to the eternal fire for they did nothing for him or his people. They will have eternal punishment, while the righteous has eternal life.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 25, Day 4: Matthew 25:31-46

9) He will have all of the angels with him, and he will sit on his throne in glory. He will separate everyone like a shepherd separates his sheep and goats.

10a) The sheep on his right are blessed and will have their inheritance, the kingdom prepared for them since the creation of the world. For they cared for Jesus, giving him food, drink, and clothes and they cared for Jesus every time they cared for one of their brothers. They are believers.

b) Those on the left will be cursed to the eternal fire for they did nothing for him or his people. They will have eternal punishment. They are unbelievers.

c) We are here to help others, which is what Jesus would do. Since he is not here, we are to take his place.

d) Luke 6:45 says good men brings good things stored up in his heart. Faith has action associated with it, according to James 3:14-17. Faith and deeds go hand-in-hand. 1 John 3:16-18 says we are to love with action and truth. Because Jesus laid down his life for us, we are to do the same for our brothers. This is how we will know we belong to truth (verse 19)

11) I would say more in the little things I do. Smiling to others. Lending a helping hand. Volunteering. And helping those close to you, such as family and friends, when they need help. Donating time and money to worthy causes and those who need the help.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 25, Day 4: Matthew 25:31-46

I love the emphasis on doing things for others because that’s what Jesus would do. This needs to be more on our minds.

Classic book! I wish more modern children’s authors would write on Jesus.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 25, Day 4: Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus gives more details about his Second Coming here. His throne will be on earth.

Fun Fact: Jesus usually called himself “Son of Man” when speaking of himself.

Most Bible scholars agree that this judgment is different than the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20:11-15.

  • The Great White Throne Judgment happens after the 1,000 year reign of Jesus. This judgment happens right after Jesus returns.
  • This Judgment of Nations only includes the nations, or Gentiles, who are judged on their care of others. The Great White Throne Judgment is everyone.

Goats and sheep usually naturally separate themselves when it gets cold at night because the goats huddle for warmth, but sheep don’t need to.

Some Bible scholars believe this Judgment of Nations will happen after the Great Tribulation Matthew 24:21 The rapture will have already happened  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

Jesus separates those who will receive the kingdom of heaven and those who will not. Jesus judges them by their works here.

This is a lesson to us all to help others whenever we can for Jesus may come at any time.

God prepared Hell for the devil, his angels, and now those who are condemned.

The purpose of the Judgment of Nations is to separate people before the beginning of Jesus’s millennial kingdom.

Jesus came first to free us from sin.

Jesus will come again to judge and rule.

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BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 25, Day 4: Genesis 35:1-5

Summary of passage:  God told Jacob to settle in Bethel and build Him an altar there. So Jacob and his household prepared to move, ridding themselves of their idols, purifying themselves, and changing their clothes.  Jacob buried the foreign gods and their rings under an oak at Shechem.  God protected them as they went so they would not suffer repercussions from the slaughter of Shechem.

Questions:

9a)  Go to Bethel and build Him an altar

b)  Jacob vowed that the Lord would be his God and he would give a tenth if he returned safely to his father’s house.

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  To go where God wants me and follow His lead in my life and worship him by following his commands, which include tithing, praying, obeying, reading His word, praying, and much more.

10a)  “To get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.”

b)  2 Corinthians says to purify yourself from everything that contaminates body and spirit in order to perfect holiness.  Ephesians tells us to put on our new self in the attitude of the mind in order to be righteous and holy.  1 John tells us to confess our sins and walk in the light and the blood of Jesus shall purify us from the unrighteousness. And to keep ourselves from idols.

c)  Acts recounts how people renounced sorcery by burning their scrolls.  An idol is anything we value and/or worship more than God.  This can be our kids, our spouse, any material items such as our house, car, or job.  And an image of an idol like in ancient times such as a Buddha statue or what-have-you.  (Anyone reminded of the study of Isaiah here?)

Conclusions:  Anyone else see a problem with the fact Jacob’s family had idols lurking around and it was only when God told them to leave did they see the need to dispose of them?  I’m sure as soon as they reach Bethel more idols will appear.

The WORST part:  Jacob, as supposedly the head of God’s chosen people, seemingly knew about these idols and condoned them!  It seems he only got rid of them because God spoke to him again.  Maybe he felt guilty.  Or maybe they were too heavy to carry across country!

Jacob is chastizing his family mildly.  It’s almost an after-thought.  “Oh, yeah, by the way, you need to get rid of those idols you’ve had for 10 years now.”  Seriously???

There is definitely some failed leadership going on here.  This explains a lot about today’s society where the man does not take the primary role in the family and our children are failing because of it.

It’s safe to assume Rachel still had her idols here so she is setting the example that it’s okay to possess these idols.  God doesn’t care.  Wrong!

The changing of their clothes was symbolic here.  Just like circumcision was an outward sign of being God’s chosen people the changing of the clothes here in OT times is an outward sign that they are changing their minds, their attitude, their character, and their ways and turning to God.  It’s like the Ephesians passage we read.  They are taking off (literally) their old selves and putting on their new and turning to God for their salvation.

The earrings also must have had some kind of pagan association since they got rid of those as well.  We must also get rid of anything ungodly and separate ourselves from the world like Jacob did when he moved to Bethel away from the corruption of Shechem.

Good opportunity to learn from Jacob’s failing miserably as the head of his household and God’s and re-examine our own lives and see where we are failing in God’s call, where we are worshipping idols, where we are failing to set the example for others around us, how we can place ourselves away from worldly influences as much as possible, and how we can put God and His will back at the center of our lives.  That’s my prayer anyways.

Map of Bethel:  Quick reference point.  Bethel is in red and Shechem is right above it.

http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/bethel.htm