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Weekly Bible Study Review
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Missed an Issue? No problem. View our Archives.
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Class Schedule
Go to www.theocentrix.org click on the "Events" tab
for maps and more information.
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Covenant Class
Lake Avenue Church
Family Life 201-202
309 N Lake Ave
Pasadena CA 91101
Sundays 9:00 am |
Cafe Class
Culture Cafe
1359 N Altadena Drive
Pasadena CA 91107
Tuesdays 11:00 am
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Villa Class
Pasadena CA
Call for location
(626) 531-6641
Wednesdays 7:00 pm |
Read-to-Believe Class
Lake Avenue Church
Family Life Room 201
309 N Lake Avenue
Pasadena CA 91101
Thursdays 7:00 pm
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Arbo Class
LA County Arboretum
301 N Baldwin Ave
Arcadia CA 91007
Saturday 12:00 noon
Once per month
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 |
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 Greetings!
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.
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Tuesday Cafe Class
Exodus | |
Exodus 29:1-30:38
29:1-9 The passage we're reading this week is part of a much larger section that began in chapter 25 and will conclude in 31:18. The Lord is giving Moses a very lengthy set of instructions concerning the Tabernacle, the priesthood and the sacrificial system. Now we will read His instructions for the consecration of the priests. Two words are used: consecration and ordination. Almost anything can be consecrated or set apart as holy-- an altar, a garment, etc. But ordination refers to Aaron and his sons when they are anointed and placed in their assignment as priests. A bull and two rams are offered along with a basket of three different kinds of unleavened bread (a loaf, a cake and wafers) made with wheat flour and olive oil. There's a basin of water near the Tent of Meeting where Aaron and his sons must wash before being dressed in their priestly garments. They must be anointed with the sacred oil. "The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance."
v. 10-14 The bull is a sin offering. Aaron and his sons lay their hands on its head and then slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Some of its blood is put on the horns of the altar and the rest is poured out at the base of the altar. Its kidneys and the fat on its organs are burned on the altar but the bull's meat, hide and inner parts are taken outside the camp and burned there. In class we talked briefly about Hebrews 13:11-13 in which Jesus is the sin offering who is taken "outside the camp" just like this bull was taken outside the camp.
v. 15-21 One ram is slaughtered, its blood is sprinkled on the sides of the altar and the entire ram is burned on the altar. The other ram is slaughtered and some of its blood placed on Aaron and his sons' right ear lobes, right thumbs and right big toes. The priests and their garments are sprinkled with blood from this ram and with olive oil. In class we talked about how we often don't judge things the same way God does. God sees this blood and oil as making the garments holy and we see it as something that makes them dirty and should quickly be washed out. It's unlikely that these garments were washed after this ceremony. The blood stains would have remained on them.
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Thursday Read-to-Believe Class
Galatians | |
Galatians 3:18-4:31
3:18 The inheritance must depend on either the law or the promise, it cannot depend on both. Paul states that God gave this inheritance to Abraham through a promise (not through a law).
v. 19-20 If the inheritance could not come through the law then why did God bother giving them the law? "It was added because of transgressions" (sins), but only temporarily. The law was added only "until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come." The mediator of the law was Moses. He could represent the people to God but he could not adequately represent both parties because he was not God. When Jesus came He could serve as a better mediator because He was both human and divine, therefore, He could represent both parties. God is one.
v. 21-24 Paul asks an important question and then answers it. "Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!" The Law of Moses does not stand against the promises God made to Abraham. If the law could have made people righteous then Jesus would not have needed to come and die to take away sin. "The whole world is a prisoner of sin." But that which was promised to Abraham can now be given through faith in Christ to all who believe. Before faith came they had been "held prisoner by the law." But this was only to last until faith was revealed. The Law of Moses was meant to lead them to faith in Christ. They would then be justified by that faith in Christ.
v. 25 Since faith had already come to these believers Paul says they "are no longer under the supervision of the law." This is a pretty shocking statement coming from a former Pharisee! It's no wonder that many Jews of his day wanted to kill him.
v. 26-29 Paul calls the believers "sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ." It is significant that they have become sons through faith and not through observing the law. By being baptized into Christ they have "clothed themselves with Christ." This has a profoundly unifying effect on them all. So much so, that there is no longer any real distinction between them anymore. It no longer matters if they are Jew/Greek, slave/free, male/female, because now they are all one in Christ. Furthermore, if they are in Christ then they are also counted as Abraham's seed and will share in the inheritance God promised to Abraham.
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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
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 | Tuesday Cafe Class (continued) | |
Exodus 29:1-30:38
29:22-30 The bull was a sin offering, the first ram was an offering to the Lord, the second ram was the ordination offering. The second ram's fat, kidneys and right thigh, along with one loaf, one cake and one wafer are to be waved before the Lord and then offered on the altar. The ram's breast is to be waved before the Lord and then it is the priests' share along with the thigh. This is to provide meat for the priesthood. Aaron's sacred garments will be passed down to his descendants. Future priests will be anointed and ordained in them and wear them for seven days.
v. 31-37 The meat from the second ram must be cooked in a sacred place and then Aaron and his sons must eat the meat and bread at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. These are atonement offerings to atone for their sins therefore no one else may eat them. Anything that is left over till morning must be burned up. This ordination ceremony takes seven days. A bull is sacrificed each day as a sin offering. The altar must be purified and anointed each of the seven days. Then the altar will be holy and anything that touches the altar will be holy.
v. 38-46 Two lambs along with a grain offering and a drink offering must be offered each day, morning and evening, for the generations to come. It must be done at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. That is where the Lord will meet them and speak with them. That place will be consecrated by the glory of the Lord. It is His presence that makes it holy. He will live with them and be their God.
30:1-10 The Lord told Moses to make a small altar for burning incense, overlay it with pure gold, and place it in the Tent of Meeting near the curtain of the Most Holy Place. Aaron must burn a special incense on it every morning and evening when he enters to tend the lamps. This is to continue for generations to come. This altar must not be used for anything else. Once a year, Aaron must anoint this altar with blood from the atoning sin offering.
v. 11-16 Moses must take a census of the people. Each person who is 20 and older must pay a half shekel offering that will be used to provide bread, oil and incense for the Tent of Meeting. The rich must not pay more and the poor must not pay less than half a shekel each. The Tent of Meeting serves as a memorial before the Lord and makes atonement for their lives.
v. 17-38 The Lord gave Moses instructions for the bronze water basin that stands near the altar. He also gave a precise formula for the fragrance of the anointing oil to be used to anoint the Tabernacle and all the articles within it, as well as the priests. Anyone who duplicates this fragrance must be cut off from his people. The ingredients were myrrh, cinnamon, cane and cassia. The Lord also gave instructions for the sacred incense. It was made of gum resin, onycha, galbanum and pure frankincense. As with the anointing oil, no one was to duplicate its fragrance for other uses under penalty of being cut off from the people of Israel. This incense was to be burned only in the Tent of Meeting. Notice the familiar ingredients, myrrh and frankincense. The three wise men brought the baby Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. All three of these were important parts of the original Tabernacle and the Levitical priesthood.
Much more next time.
--Sandy Blank
Back...
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Thursday Read-to-Believe Class (continued) | |
Galatians 3:18-4:31
4:1-7 Paul goes on to explain that when an heir is a child he is no different from a slave because he must submit to guardians and trustees "until the time set by his father." Prior to the coming of Christ the believers were "in slavery under the basic principles of this world." But when Christ came He was born of woman and born under the Law "to redeem those under law" so they could receive full rights as sons. Now they are no longer slaves. They are sons and heirs. Since they are sons God has given them the Spirit of His Son "who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'"
v. 8-20 At one time the readers did not know God but now they not only know Him but "are known by God." Paul can't believe that they want to go back and be enslaved again by "those weak and miserable principles" of the Law. He's shocked that they are observing "special days and months and seasons and years" like they used to. He fears he may have wasted his efforts on them. In a last ditch effort Paul appeals to them by reminding them of the close trusting relationship they had with him in the beginning. They cared for him when he was ill and he preached the gospel to them. They were filled with joy then but now that joy is gone. The false teachers have come in and turned them against Paul. He says, "Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?" He is "perplexed" by them because he can't understand why they are abandoning the gospel.
4:21-31 The false teachers are telling the Gentiles that they must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses in order to be Christians. Paul reminds those "who want to be under the Law" that Abraham had two sons and only one of them would inherit the promise.
The two women: the slave woman & the free woman
Their names: Hagar & Sarah
Their sons: Ishmael & Isaac
The difference: born the ordinary way & born from God's promise
These things may be taken figuratively...
The two covenants: Mount Sinai & Mount Zion
Condition of children: slaves & free
Represents two cities: the physical city of Jerusalem & the Jerusalem that is above
Paul's conclusions:
1. The Galatian believers are like Isaac, that is, they are free in Christ.
2. The Jews are like Ishmael, that is, they are slaves to the Law.
3. Ishmael (son of the slave woman) used to persecute Isaac (son of the free woman). Now in the same way the Jews were persecuting the Galatian Christians.
4. Abraham was told to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael (send them away) because Ishmael would never share in Isaac's inheritance.
5. In the same way, the readers are to identify themselves with the Son of the promise (Jesus) because that's where the inheritance is. If they want to be under the law of Moses then they will forfeit the inheritance.
Much more next time.
--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. |
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