Weekly Bible Study Review
November 11, 2012

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Cafe Class
Culture Cafe
1359 N Altadena Drive
Pasadena CA 91107
Tuesdays 11:00 am

classroom
Read-to-Believe Class
Lake Avenue Church
Family Life Room 201
309 N Lake Avenue
Pasadena CA 91101
Thursdays 7:00 pm

peacock 1
Arbo Class
LA County Arboretum
301 N Baldwin Ave
Arcadia CA 91007
Saturday 12:00 noon
Once per month

  

December 8, 2012
 January 12, 2013
February 9, 2013
March 9, 2013
April 6, 2013
May 4, 2013
June 1, 2013
June 29, 2013
July 27, 2013
August 24, 2013
September 21, 2013
October 19, 2013
November 16, 2013
December 14, 2013 
topofpageGreetings! 

This newsletter is sent to people who attend one of Sandy's weekly Bible studies. The left column has the current class schedule. Be sure to watch for the links in each article. Clicking on them will lead you to charts, diagrams and additional articles related to your class. 

Anyone can subscribe to this free newsletter by using the link in the upper left corner. If you would like to forward this issue to a friend all you have to do is click on the link below.



 

 TuesdayTuesday Cafe Class
Exodus

 

Exodus 10:28-12:51

10:28-11:10 Pharaoh sent Moses away saying that if they ever saw each other again Moses would die. Moses agreed that he would never appear before Pharaoh again but that Pharaoh's officials would come to Moses and beg him to take the Israelites and leave.

 

Verses 1-3 are an aside reminding the readers what the Lord had said to Moses earlier about there being one final plague. After the death of the firstborn males the Egyptians would willingly give the Israelites gold and silver. Verse 4 continues Moses' conversation with Pharaoh in which he warns that the Lord will go throughout the land at midnight and every firstborn among the Egyptians will die, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle. There will be loud wailing among all the Egyptians but not so much as a dog barking among the Israelites. In this way the Lord will distinguish between the two nations and spare the Israelites. Then Pharaoh's officials would come to Moses and beg him to leave. "After that," said Moses, "I will leave." "Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh."

 

Moses had been told by the Lord that Pharaoh would not listen to him in order that the Lord's "wonders may be multiplied in Egypt." The Egyptians worshiped many pagan gods and goddesses such as a frog god, a river god, a sky god, etc. Through the 10 plagues the Lord was systematically undermining the authority of their false gods. He showed that He was stronger than all their gods put together.

Click to read more...

 

rtbclassThursday Read-to-Believe Class  
Hebrews

Hebrews 11:1-32

11:1-2 What is faith? It's "being sure" and being "certain." Sure of what we hope for (eternal life) and certain of what we don't see (also eternal life). The "ancients" were people of faith who lived long before the readers of this letter. It was God who commended the ancients for their faith in Him.

 

v. 3 In regard to faith the author starts out with something the readers were already "sure and certain" about-- God created the universe. In those days it was common knowledge among the Jews that God created everything. They did not teach evolution or a big bang theory. It required faith for them to believe it because none of them were eye-witnesses who actually saw God create everything. So, "by faith" they believe He created the visible from the invisible.

 

v. 4 The readers were familiar with the story of Cain and Abel. They knew that Abel's sacrifice was acceptable to God while Cain's was not. God commended Abel as a righteous man because of his faith (in God). Abel "still speaks" to them even though he's dead because his story was still being told.

 

v. 5 The readers were also familiar with the story of a man named Enoch who was "taken away" without experiencing death because his faith pleased God. Genesis 5:21-24 says Enoch walked with God for 300 years before he was taken. Faith is pleasing to God.

 

v. 6 A person who does not have faith cannot please God. What is this faith? It has two components: 1) believing that God exists and 2) that He rewards those who seek Him. In class we talked about trust as an essential element of true faith in God. We explored the difference between "believing in" God and "believing" God. It's not enough to simply believe that God exists, we must also trust Him.

Faith = Belief + Trust.

Click to read more...

 
Since ancient times the Bible has been read aloud to groups of people who were eager to hear the words of Life. We're really no different today. Believers still look to the Bible for wisdom and instruction. We belong in the Word together. Thank you for your participation in these classes. I hope you will pass this email on to others and invite them to attend a Bible study.

Grace and peace,
Sandy Blank


  Tuesday2Tuesday Cafe Class (continued)
Exodus 10:28-12:51

12:1-11 The Israelites were no longer going to follow the Egyptian calendar that was filled with festivals to their gods and godesses. The Lord established the month of the exodus as the first month of their new calendar-- the Hebrew calendar. On the tenth day of the first month each household was to select a male, year-old lamb without defect. They could select sheep or goats. Small households could share a lamb. Then on the 14th day of the month (Passover) they must slaughter the lambs at twilight and put some of the lamb's blood on the sides and tops of the doorframes of their houses. They must roast the lamb along with bitter herbs and unleavened bread and eat it hastily with their cloaks tucked in their belts, sandals on their feet, and their staff in their hand. Any meat that is left must be burned in the fire.

  

v. 12-16 On the night of that first Passover the Lord told Moses He would pass through Egypt and kill every firstborn of men and animals. He said, "I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am your Lord." It would soon become clear that the false gods of the Egyptians could not protect them. But the blood on the Israelites' doorposts was "a sign" that the Lord was their God and that is why this deadly plague would not harm them. The generations to come would celebrate this in an annual festival known as Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. They would eat unleavened bread for seven days, holding a sacred assembly on the first and seventh days. No work was to be done except preparing food. Anyone who eats anything with yeast in it during those seven days must be cut off from Israel.

 

v. 17-20 This was to be a lasting ordinance for the Israelites to commemorate the day the Lord brought them out of Egypt. From the evening of the 14th to the evening of the 21st in the first month of the Hebrew calendar they must eat unleavened bread. No yeast could be in their houses for those seven days and anyone who eats yeast must be cut off from Israel. This must be observed wherever they live.

 

v. 21-30 Moses told all the elders to go select their lambs and slaughter them. Then they put some of the blood on their doorposts. None of them were allowed to leave their houses until morning. The Lord would see the blood and pass over their homes, not allowing the destroying angel to strike them down. Much later, when they enter the Promised Land they must continue to observe this ceremony and explain to their children what it means. The Israelites bowed down and worshiped the Lord. They did just what He had commanded. Then at midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, including Pharaoh's firstborn. There was loud wailing in Egypt that night because "there was not a house without someone dead."

 

v. 31-36 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and told them to leave and take their flocks and herds with them. He said to Moses, "And also bless me." The Egyptians urged the Israelites to leave quickly because they were afraid they would all die if they stayed. So the Israelites "took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing." They asked for and received silver, gold, and articles of clothing because the Lord had made the Egyptians "favorably disposed" toward them. They plundered the Egyptians without ever making war with them.

 

v. 37-39 The Israelites traveled from Rameses to Succoth. There were about 600,000 men besides women and children. Many other people went with them and large droves of livestock. They baked cakes of unleavened bread with the dough they brought out of Egypt. They had left Egypt so quickly that they didn't have time to prepare bread with yeast.

 

v. 40-42 "Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord's divisions left Egypt." Scholars disagree about whether the 430 years refers to their time in Egypt or perhaps includes Abraham's time in Canaan. In any case, Moses states that the exodus was at the end of the 430 years-- "to the very day." For generations to come the Israelites are to "keep vigil" on this night to honor the Lord because He kept vigil over them. 

 

v. 43-51 The Lord gave Moses regulations for the Passover meal. No foreigner, temporary resident or hired worker may eat it but the slaves of the Israelites may eat it after they are circumcised. (Interestingly, the Israelites who were slaves also were slave owners.) The Passover lamb must be eaten in one house and none of its bones may be broken. The whole community must celebrate Passover. An alien who lives among them may eat it after all the males in his household are circumcised. No uncircumcised men may eat it. "All the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron."

Much more next time. 

--Sandy Blank

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readtobelieveThursday Read-to-Believe Class (continued)  

Hebrews 11:1-32

11:7 Noah demonstrated his faith when he believed that God really would destroy all the people in a flood. He built the ark and followed all God's instructions. Noah had faith at a time when everyone else did not. His faith was credited to him as righteousness.

 

v. 8-12 Next is father Abraham who demonstrated faith in God when he left his father's country and went to Canaan, the land the Israelites would later inherit. Abraham lived in tents even though at that time it was common for wealthy men like him to build great cities. His son Isaac and grandson Jacob (Israel) also lived in tents. Abraham was looking forward to a better city than he could build himself. He was looking forward to a heavenly city that would be built by God. Abraham and Sarah believed God when He said He would give them a son in their old age and that they would have many descendants. The readers knew that God kept His promise to Abraham because they themselves were some of Abraham's descendants.

 

v. 13 "All these people" refers to Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob. They were living by faith when they died even though they had not yet received the full promise God made to them. But wait, if they didn't receive the promise does that mean God broke His promise to them? No, God did not break His promise. Rather, God promises such huge blessings that they cannot be received in one man's lifetime. In this case, even three generations was not enough to receive it all. It would take thousands of years for the descendants of one man (Abraham) to become as countless as the stars.

 

v. 14-16 Abraham and his family lived in tents as aliens and strangers (foreigners) in the land God had given them. They were looking "for a country of their own." They could have returned to the place where Abraham's father used to live in Haran. But they were "longing for a better country-- a heavenly one." That's why God is pleased to be called their God. Because they have faith in Him. And He will surely prepare a heavenly city for them.

 

Click to view the Hebrews Diagram...

Let's pause and think about this message from the perspective of the original readers. They were Jews who had become Christians who were now being pressured to go back to Judaism. They could probably relate to Abraham who left his father's land and went out not knowing where he was going. Like Abraham, they could go back-- but if they do they will be forfeiting a greater inheritance. Also, like Abraham, they must live among Gentiles as strangers and aliens while they wait for God to prepare a place for them in heaven. Furthermore, like Abraham, they will probably die before God's promise to them is fulfilled.

 

v. 17 Abraham's faith in God was tested when God told him to offer his son Isaac. Abraham was prepared to kill his son but God stopped him. What was Abraham thinking that he was willing to do such a thing? After all, the promise of many descendants was supposed to come through Isaac. If Abraham killed Isaac before he had any children of his own then how could God's promise be fulfilled? The author tells us Abraham reasoned that God could raise Isaac from the dead. How did Abraham know this? There is no record of anyone being raised from the dead before this time. This shows us the depth of Abraham's faith that God would fulfill His promise. In class we talked about Abraham's experience with God prior to him offering up Isaac. Abraham had already been given a son in his old age, defeated the four kings, tithed to Melchizedek, and witnessed the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The incident with Isaac was not his first encounter with his incredibly powerful God. In the eyes of Abraham God could do anything. Even raise his son from the dead. The readers of this letter (then and now) need to have faith like Abraham. 

 

v. 20-22 Isaac, son of Abraham, was a man of faith. He blessed his own sons, Jacob (Gen. 27:27-29) and Esau (Gen. 27:38-40). Jacob, grandson of Abraham, was also a man of faith. He had 12 sons and claimed the first two sons of Joseph as his own. Before he died Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:15-20). Joseph, a great-grandson of Abraham, was a man of faith. He was sold into slavery by his brothers but later rose to become second in command of Egypt. He reconciled with his brothers and later died in Egypt. Joseph believed the promise God made to Abraham so before he died he made his descendents promise to take his bones with them when they left Egypt to go to Canaan (Gen. 50:22-26). This happened later under Moses (Exodus 13:19).

 

v. 23-28 Moses' parents had faith in God and hid their baby so he would not be killed. The king was threatened by the sheer number of Israelites and tried to control them by killing all the male infants (Exodus 1:8-2:10). Moses also had faith. He grew up in Pharoah's household but was willing to suffer with his own people, the Hebrews. Interestingly, the author says Moses "regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ" although Moses would not have known the name of Jesus Christ. Moses was looking ahead to his reward and was willing to suffer. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. He kept the Passover and put blood on the doorposts so the firstborn of the Israelites would be saved the night the Egyptian firstborn all died (Exodus 12:1-12, 29-30).

 

v. 29-31 The Israelites demonstrated faith when they passed through the Red Sea. The Egyptians did not have faith and they drowned (Exodus 14:19-31). The Israelites also showed their faith when they marched around the city of Jericho seven times and then God made the walls fall down. A prostitute in Jericho (not an Israelite) named Rahab demonstrated faith in God by hiding the Israelite spies (Josh 2:1-21, 6:17, 22-25). She believed God was going to destroy the city. She and her family were saved when Jericho fell.

 

Israel's history was a long series of crises. They rebelled against the Lord and worshiped other gods. Then the Lord would always allow some nation to take them captive and oppress them terribly until they would finally cry out to the Lord to save them. The Lord always came through and saved them from their enemies but within a few years they would forget what He had done for them and return to idolatry.
 

Who was Gideon?

Judges 6:1-7:24, 8:22-35

6:1 The Israelites were being oppressed by the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern people so fiercely that they were forced to live in mountain clefts and caves. Their land was ruined by their enemies and "Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help" (v. 6). A prophet told them their idolatry is what brought them to this condition.
 

An angel came to Gideon calling him a "mighty warrior" while he was hiding in a winepress threshing grain so the Midianites wouldn't see him. The angel said Gideon was the one the Lord would send to save Israel from the Midianites. Gideon asked for a sign. The angel burned up his offering with fire and then disappeared (sign #1). Gideon built an altar to the Lord.
 

The Lord told him to tear down his father's altar to Baal. Gideon took a few men and tore it down at night because he was afraid the community would kill him for tearing down the altar to their idol. His father and the other men decided that if Baal was angry with Gideon for tearing down his altar then Baal could kill Gideon himself. Of course Baal did not kill him. Gideon was then called Jerub-Baal meaning "let Baal contend."

 

Before going into battle against the Midianites Gideon asked the Lord for another sign. He put a fleece on the ground and asked the Lord to let the fleece be wet with dew in the morning but the ground be dry. The next morning only the fleece was wet (sign #2). Gideon was still afraid so he asked that the next morning the fleece would be dry and the ground wet with dew. This also happened (sign #3).
 

Gideon was planning to fight the Midianites with 32,000 men but the Lord reduced his army to only 300 men and no weapons. They only took trumpets and jars that had torches in them. These 300 men surrounded the enemy's camp at night and woke them with trumpets, shouts, and the torch light. The Midionites killed each other in their panic and confusion. Israel was saved.
 

Unfortunately, Gideon accepted golden earrings from the people and made them into an ephod that the people bowed down to and worshiped. They soon forgot that it was the Lord who saved them. Gideon is listed in Hebrews 11 (the faith chapter) because he had faith in the Lord at a time when most of the people around him were serving other gods. He was not a perfect man but he trusted in God. 
 

Next time we'll continue with more examples of imperfect men and women of faith.

 --Sandy Blank

 

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This newsletter is maintained by Sandy Blank (Ph.D. Educational Studies, Biola; MA Biblical Studies, Grace University). If you would like further information about any of her classes or would like to know how to start a Bible study in your area please contact her at sandyblank@theocentrix.org. This newsletter is sponsored by Theocentrix, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting God-centered Bible literacy. Visit www.theocentrix.org for more information.