LESSON #43 (Week ending 10/31/10)

Exodus 30:1 – 40:38

30:1-38: More Instruction on Worship

Ø "This altar speaks of prayer, and we know this because the Bible uses incense as a symbol of prayer and praise in many places. (See Psalm 141:2; Rev. 8:3; Luke 1:9).^[1]

Ø Atonement money is representative of what NT truth?

Ø "This laver (basin) of brass pictures our sanctification. We must wash if we are going to serve God. We must wash if we are going to be used by God. We must be clean. Not only should our garments smell like sweet incense, but our bodies should be washed with pure water. The pure water is the Word of God." ^[2]

Ø To whom does the "anointing oil" refer in the NT?

31:1-11: God Given Talents

Ø Does God give unique gifts and talents to His people?

Ø Were the gifts of "all kinds of crafts" of lesser importance than the gifts given to Aaron and the priests?

Ø Why do we categorize gifts and covet the gifts of others?

31:12-18: The Sabbath

Ø Why did God require the Hebrews to keep the Sabbath?

Ø Why do most Christians worship on Sunday rather than the Sabbath?

Ø How does Romans 14:5ff apply to the Sabbath and NT believers?

32:1-33:6: The Golden Calf

Ø What caused the people to approach Aaron and ask for him to make a "god"?

Ø What caused Aaron to concede to their wishes?

Ø What can the Church learn from this passage?

Ø Notice the exchange between God and Moses, what happened when Moses "stood in the gap" between God and His people? Application?

Ø Are there consequences to sin? Why don't we live like there are consequences to our sin?

33:7-34:35: Face-To-Face

Ø Moses and God had a "unique" OT relationship as noted in vs. 11. How did God recon-cile the "gulf" between He and all of mankind so that others could have that same face-to-face relationship that Moses had?

Ø Did Moses "see" the face of the Lord? Why or why not?

Ø Was there any difference on how the first set of stone tablets containing the 10 Commandments was made and how the second set was made?

Ø Why did Moses cover his face after being in the presence of the Lord?

35:1-38:31: The Tabernacle

Ø Notice the detailed instructions that God gave for the construction of the Tabernacle. Is God concerned about the details of our life?

Ø The Tabernacle was not only the "residence" of God when He was leading the Hebrews but it was also a picture of His majesty for the unbelievers. Does God reside in a Tabernacle made by hands today? What does that tell us about how we should live our lives before unbelievers?

Ø God demanded the best of everything for His earthly dwelling among the Hebrews. Is it unreasonable for Him to require our best in everything as His earthly dwellings today?

39:1-40:38: The Priests

Ø The priestly garments represented purity and holiness before God. How are God's priests today (See 1 Peter 2:9)?

Ø What is an ephod?

Ø What was the purpose of a breastplate?

Ø Note the precision with which the Tabernacle and the priests were prepared for the Lord.

Ø The Shekinah Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. How does that apply to believers today?

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^[1]McGee, J. V. (1991). Vol. 05: Thru the Bible commentary: The Law (Exodus 19-40). Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.). Thru the Bible commentary (93). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[2]McGee, J. V. (1991). Vol. 05: Thru the Bible commentary: The Law (Exodus 19-40). Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.). Thru the Bible commentary (98). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

LESSON #42 (Week Ending 10/24/10)

Exodus 21:1 – 29:46

21:1-11: Hebrew Servants

Ø God allowed Hebrews to be slaves to other Hebrews. Under what circumstances?

Ø Were Hebrew slaves for life?

Ø Paul describes himself as a “bond slave” to Christ. How does that apply to this passage?

Ø How could a Hebrew slave be “redeemed”? Compare this to N.T. “redemption”?

21:12-36: God’s Instruction for Dealing with Personal Injuries in the Hebrew Culture

Ø Does God differentiate between types of “killing”? Explain.

Ø What does the severity of God’s Law tell us about how God views human life? Has God changed His view since this was written? Any NT passages that may shed light on this?

Ø Personal responsibility was a key element in God’s law and judgment. Application today?

22:1-15: Protection of Property

Ø How did God view stealing?

Ø Did God allow property owners the right to protect their property?

Ø Is an animal owner responsible for the actions of his animal in God’s eyes?

Ø Why were these provisions so important for the Hebrew society? Applicable for today?

22:16-31: Social Responsibilities

Ø From God’s perspective in what relationship is sexual intimacy permitted?

Ø What is sorcery? Why does God proscribe death for anyone dealing in sorcery?

Ø Does God allow the worship of any god other than He?

Ø Why is God so strict with the Hebrews? (See vs. 31)

Ø Do these same provisions of the law apply today? If so, how?

23:1-9: Justice and Mercy

Ø List what God said in these verse that was not acceptable behavior.

Ø Why do you think He specified these areas?

Ø Is there any application for us today?

23:10-19: Sabbath Laws

Ø Does the term Sabbath only apply to a certain day of the week?

Ø Why does God call for a day of rest for His people?

Ø Why don’t we worship on the Sabbath today? Can we still celebrate the Sabbath? Explain.

23:20-33: God’s Angels

Ø Describe the “angel” that God deployed to lead the Hebrews. What characteristics of the angel stand out to you?

Ø Who is this Angel? (See 1 Cor. 10:4)

Ø God tells His people to “wipe out” all the inhabitants of the land to which He is sending the Hebrews? Why? Isn’t that harsh? Could not they be “saved” for God?

Ø Is there any application for the Church or the believer today?

24:1-18: The Covenant Confirmed

Ø “The covenant law had two principal parts. First, the Ten Commandments expressed God’s requirements of Israel in a concise form (Ex 20:2–17). . . Although the tendency in the present day is to view the Ten Commandments as a system of ethics or morality, they had a different role in ancient Israel. The covenant law was the foundation or constitution of a new nation, a special “nation of priests.” The head of the nation-state was God. Hence, in ancient Israel the status of the Ten Commandments was approximately that of the code of criminal law in a modern nation-state. To break one of those laws was to commit a crime against God, the head of the state. Yet the laws had a positive purpose. They set down a way of life that would result in a full and rich communion with God and community with others.

The second part of the covenant law was a detailed law code covering the activities of everyday life. . . Although many laws were contained in this book, it was impossible to codify every aspect of human behavior. The diversity of the examples given indicates that for the covenant member no area of human life was beyond the influence of the covenant. Persons who entered into a relationship with God entered into a relationship that impinged on every possible aspect of their lives.”^[1]

25:1-29:46: God Chooses to Tabernacle Among His People

Ø In these chapters God instructs His people on the construction of His tabernacle and on how to properly worship Him? Applications for us today?

Ø “The ark was not an empty box. It contained three items which are enumerated in Hebrews 9:4. . . The contents of the ark were also symbolic. Aaron’s rod that budded speaks of the Lord’s resurrection. The manna speaks of the fact that Christ is the Bread of Life. The Ten Commandments speak of the life He lived on earth fulfilling the Law in all points and fulfilling the prophecies spoken of Him.”^[2]

Ø “The table is a type of Christ. It pictures Him. The table of showbread suggests many things: it speaks of sustenance, provision, and supply. It is the table of salvation. This table also speaks of the Lord’s Supper, as instituted by the Lord Himself just prior to His death upon the Cross. It is a table for believers. The table of showbread is a prefiguration of Christ as the sustainer of spiritual life for the believer.”^[3]

Ø “Christ is the light, as symbolized by the lamp stand in the Holy Place. If you wanted natural light, you had to go outside the tabernacle. If you wanted to walk in the light of the lamp stand, you had to go inside the tabernacle. John 1:9 tells us that Jesus Christ is the “… true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” ^[4]

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^[1]Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (325). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2]McGee, J. V. (1991). Vol. 05: Thru the Bible commentary: The Law (Exodus 19-40). Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.). Thru the Bible commentary (60). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[3]McGee, J. V. (1991). Vol. 05: Thru the Bible commentary: The Law (Exodus 19-40). Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.). Thru the Bible commentary (64). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[4]McGee, J. V. (1991). Vol. 05: Thru the Bible commentary: The Law (Exodus 19-40). Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.). Thru the Bible commentary (67). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

LESSON #41 (Week ending 10/17/10)

Romans 12-16

Romans 12:1-8: Living Sacrifices

Ø Why should we present our bodies to God as living sacrifices?

Ø What does it mean to be a living sacrifice?

Ø What does it mean to “not be conformed . . . but be transformed . . . ”?

Ø Why is it important to be a humble member of the body of Christ?

Romans 12:9-21: Sincere Love

Ø What is “sincere love”?

Ø Paul uses the word “hate” when he refers to evil. What does he mean by “hate”?

Ø What are the qualities Paul lists that relate to “clinging to what is good”?

Ø What is Paul’s bottom line in this passage? (vs. 21)

Romans 13:1-7: Submission to Authorities

Ø Why is submission to civil authority important?

Ø Who is the governing authority in the USA?

Ø Does Paul teach that everyone is authority is good?

Romans 13:8-14: The Day is Near

Ø What is the one debt that we should always seek to repay? How are you doing with that one?

Ø How does Paul sum up the Law? What does Jesus say in Matt. 22:37-40?

Ø Why are we to be “awake” and to “set aside the deeds of darkness”?

Ø To what “hour” is Paul referring?

Ø Are you ready?

Romans 14:1-15:13: The Weak and the Strong

Ø When Paul speaks of “disputable matters”, to what is he referring?

Ø During Paul’s day there was a great deal of “judging” of one another to see who was the most spiritual. Does that happen today? If so, examples.

Ø Is it ever our responsibility to judge another? If so, when?

Ø What is a “stumbling block”?

Ø Do you modify your actions so that you do not become a stumbling block for others?

Romans 15:14-33: Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles

Ø What was Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles?

Ø Was Paul ever satisfied that his ministry of proclaiming the gospel to the gentiles was completed?

Ø What did Paul desire most from the Roman believers on his behalf?

Romans 16:1-27: Final Greetings

Ø Paul recommended fellow believers to other believers. Do we encourage friendships between believers that we know?

Ø Paul warns his readers to be aware of people causing divisions among the believers. How can we know when there are problem makers in our midst?

Ø Prayerfully read verses 25-27. What a great God we serve!

LESSON #40 (Week ending 10/10/10)

Romans 8:18-11:36

 

Romans 8:18-27: The Best is Yet to Come

• How did Paul look at the sufferings he had to endure on earth? How do you look at your sufferings?
• Did the fall of man affect creation as well as all of mankind? If so, how?
• Paul says that he "waits eagerly" for his redemption. Do you? Are you eagerly looking forward to meeting your Lord, Jesus Christ?
• What happens when we want to pray but don't seem to be able to find the right words? Application?

   

Romans 8:28-39: More Than Conquerors

• Does Paul say that everything is good?
• What does it mean that God predestined His own to be conformed to the image of Jesus?
• Who does the predestining, calling, justifying, and glorifying?
• What does Paul say about the truth that God is for us? Do you believe and live like that?
• Is there anything or anyone (including yourself) that can separate you from the love of Christ? What does this tell us about our future?

 

Romans 9:1-29: God is Sovereign

• Paul loved his Jewish brothers enough to be willing to give up his salvation if they would respond to Christ by faith. Do you have that same burden for family and friends who are separated from Christ?
• Who are the "children of promise" to whom Paul refers?
• When God chose Jacob over Esau did that make Him unjust? Is it possible for man to understand how just God really is?
• Is it right for man to question God's judgment?

   

Romans 9:30-10:21: What About Israel?

• How would you describe the "stumbling stone" over which Israel fell?
• Were the Israelites zealous in their beliefs? Are there people today who are sincere in their beliefs even if those beliefs are anti-biblical? What should be our response to such people?
• What does it mean "to confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord"?
• According to verse 13, for whom did Jesus die?
• How can one increase their faith?

   

Romans 11:1-10: A Remnant

• Did God reject Israel and turn His attention to the gentiles?
• When God speaks of a remnant of Israel, of whom is He speaking? (Jews, gentiles, a lost tribe?)
• Why did God harden Israel?
• Why is it important to us today that Israel was hardened?

   

Romans 11:11-24: Branches Grafted In

• Did Israel fall beyond recovery? Why did they fall?
• When Paul speaks of the "root" into which grafts have been placed and grafts have been removed, to whom or what is he referring?
• What is the criterion for being grafted in?

   

Romans 11:25-36: Israel Will Be Saved

• Is there coming a time when God will again turn His attention to Israel? If so, when?
• Why is it not possible for God to turn His back on Israel?
• Is God's mercy limited to certain people?
• Read Paul's doxology slowing and prayerfully allowing it to minister to your heart.