Bible Study Discussion

Bible Journey 18: Song of Songs

2011-01-11T18:58:00.001-08:00

Pre-understandings

· Wisdom Literature-Poetry

· Work of Solomon-the wisest man ever to live (1 Kings 3:12)

· Unified work with several speakers representing different points of view:

o The Lover, His Beloved, Friends, etc.

Directly speaking, The Song focuses on the vertical relationship between the Beloved and the Lover-between you and God

Conceptions and Misconceptions

· Almost always given some sort of allegorical interpretation-every detail has some hidden (deeper) meaning

Jewish Allegorical view: God’s dealing with His Beloved (Israel) through stages of history from the Exodus to the coming of the Messiah

Early Christian Allegorical view: God’s dealing with His Beloved (The Church), think Ephesians 5:22-33

Roman Catholic Allegorical view: has supposed Mary to be the Beloved of the Song

· Interpretation by Type and Kind (think Parables) is another way to read the book-not every detail is necessarily significant, but it all paints a unified picture

o Advice for a Christian marriage

o Christ and His Church (The Bride of Christ)

(Rusty read the song) as very personal and intimate

o Individual-not corporate

o Referring to the heart’s drive of individuals seeking the deep places of a love relationship with God-I am the Beloved and Jesus is the Lover of my Soul

How He sees Me…How I see Him

o Dark am I, yet lovely (1:5)

o Rose of Sharon vs. Lily among thorns (2:1-2)

o Apple Tree found in the forest (2:3)

Song of Songs 2:10

My lover spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.

Week 17: Ecclesiastes

2011-01-05T07:47:00.000-08:00

Bible Journey 17: Ecclesiastes

Pre-understandings

Wisdom Literature—the best and brightest of Israel’s thinkers
Work of Solomon—the wisest man ever to live (1 Kings 3:12)
One work consisting of several free-standing pieces—it all holds together with unity gathered around the question of the meaning of life
Directionally speaking, Ecclesiastes focuses on the horizontal, but only makes sense in light of the vertical

Vanity of Vanities

Ecclesiastes is a book that demands to be read in its entirety—it doesn’t come together until the end
Though an ancient work, Ecclesiastes shows that people haven’t changed

The more I have—the more I want
Nostalgia is a cruel task-master (the good old days weren’t as good as all that)

Turn, Turn, Turn . . .

Chapter 3’s seven-stanza poem offering a statement on futility

Celebrated as one of the greatest literary works within the Bible

It stands as the backdrop against which God gives meaning to life

Two are Better Than One

4:9-12 poem extolling the value of a true friend
The closing line of verse 12 is God’s offer to sustain us even when the two are spent

The trouble with dying . . .

The trouble with dying is . . . your dead

You can’t take it with you so you have to leave it all to a bunch of ingrates
You won’t be remembered no matter how much good you do. You don’t remember anyone who has passed, do you?

Ecclesiastes 12:13
Here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man.

The whole work of Ecclesiastes only makes sense when you come to the end of the matter. Paul put it this way “If it is in this life only that we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” (1 Cor. 15:19)

The good news is that our hope in Christ is both in this life and the life to come!

The message of Proverbs is “Live life on God’s terms and you’ll know the smile of God.”

Week 16: Proverbs

2010-12-29T17:38:00.001-08:00

Bible Journey 16: Proverbs

Pre-understandings

A collection of wise sayings, truisms
Poetic forms (couplets, etc) and imagery
Generally understood to be from Solomon (though not all)
Directionally speaking, Proverbs are mostly horizontal—speaking of relationships within the world—but having an eye to the Lord
Think “Book of Sayings”

Main Characters

Wisdom personified as a woman, a mother
The Adulterous Woman as lust personified
Wise Father (and mother)
Sons in need of instruction
Kings (good and bad)
Fools
The Wife of Noble Character

Truisms versus Truths

Statements of the way life works generally, not necessarily promises that declare the outcome of all behaviors

Not everyone who works hard gets rich
Not everyone who dies young has lived an evil life

Trust God to work it all out in the end

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

The message of Proverbs is “Live life on God’s terms and you’ll know the smile of God.”

I like Proverbs 30:7-9

"Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Bible Journey 15: Psalms

2010-12-19T10:47:00.001-08:00

Pre-understandings

A collection of free-standing Psalms, each with it’s own unity and completeness
Collection of poetry-calls for a different set of questions than prose
A number of different settings, ap0plications, and purposes
Directionally speaking, Psalms are mostly flowing from people of God
Think “Hymn Book”

Main Characters: God and Me

Questions such as date, author, and situation may be helpful-but are not the key interpretive issues
Key questions:

How was God using this text in the life of His people (Why was it included)?

How does God want to use this text in my life, how will it help shape my life in Christ?

“US and WE” or “ME and MINE”?

Some are very personal and private (23, 51)
Others are corporate (90,95)

“PRESCRIPTIVE” or “DESCRIPTIVE”?

Prescribes what I ought to think, feel, say or sing (105, 106, 107)
Describes what I am thinking and feeling, but I am afraid to say (3,4,5,109,138)

“HAPPY” or “SAD”?

Incredible joy and jubilation (121-126, 136, 144-150)
Incredible hurt, misunderstanding and need (3,5,6,17,39,42,137)

Psalms 145:8

The Lord is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love.

The good news: (Ps. 139) God knows us-all about us, and still loves us!

Search me, O God, and know my heart: test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139: 23-24

Week 14: Job

2010-12-11T19:43:00.001-08:00

Bible Journey 14: Job

Pre-understandings

· The story of Job describes relationship with and understanding of God

Apart form the religious institutions of Judaism

· Theology in its most basic form

· The book presents earthly “reality” and spiritual “reality” in parallel

Have you considered My servant Job?

God’s assessment of Job “Blameless and upright-fears God and shuns evil”

1:1, 8, 22, 2:3, 10b

God brought Job to Satan’s attention-why?

Satan’s assessment of Job: he doesn’t fear God for nothing (1:9, 2:4)

Job and his Comforters

Sat silent for seven days

Job’s honest expression of a hurting heart

Followed by a defense of God and his ways

Theology of Reciprocity

People love (serve, fear, honor) God for what we can get from Him

Good people are blessed, bad people are cursed

Therefore: if you are blessed you must be good. If you are cursed you must be bad

Job’s response “Can I just die and get this life over with?”

The Trilemma:

God is Omni benevolent (all good), God is Omnipotent (all-powerful), Evil exists-any two can be true, but not all three

The answer is beyond our earthly reality

Job 42:3

Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.

When “Bad Things” happen to “Good People” remember this-we don’t have enough information (or any business) to decide who is “good”-and we don’t have a long enough timeline to know how God might redeem the “bad things”

Bible Journey 13: Esther

2010-12-07T11:48:00.001-08:00

Pre-understandings

· Setting in Time and Place: The Diaspora (The Scattered)

Place: Susa, the Capitol city of Persia (Exile)

Time: Early in the reign of Xerxes (Ahasueras)

Between the early homecoming described in the first half of Ezra and the later homecomings described in the second half of Ezra and Nehemiah

Note the differences between Jews of the Diaspora and the Returnee Jews

o Diaspora Jews bled in and along

o Returnees separate and galvanize a national identity

o Intermarriage

Emphasis on God’s provision for the continuation and survival of His people

The tools God uses

o Xerxes-Easily Manipulated, Alcohol soaked Ruler of a World Super-Power

o Esther (Hadassah)-a beautiful orphaned girl with a secret

o Haman-a power hungry schemer nursing a blood-feud

o Mordecai-the wise and shrewd good uncle of Esther who always seems to be in the right place at the right time

Just when things were going so well… (Reversals and plot twists)

o Vashti flexes her royal muscles only to be deposed-making way for a “Cinderella-like” rinse for Esther (Hadassah)

o Haman is hung on the gallows he built for Mordecai as Mordecai takes over Haman’s home and job

o The “Holocaust” is averted, the slayers become the slain, and many convert to Judaism

Esther 4:14

“Relief and deliverance will arise…Who knew but that you have come for a time such as this?”

What the Enemy intended as evil, God has turned it for good

Consider also the stories of Joseph, young David, and the early chapters of Daniel

Week 12: Ezra & Nehemiah

2010-11-29T11:18:00.000-08:00

Pre-understandings

These are the books of rebuilding

The Temple
The Wall and City of Jerusalem

Note the recurrence of “God’s favor” on Nehemiah and Ezra
Note the urgency about the process of building
Note the importance of Purity for God’s people

No strangers allowed to help with the rebuilding
Marriage to foreigners is to be repented of and rectified
Importance of establishing valid family records for the priests

Note the priority of Scripture (Gen.-Deut. The Book of Moses) and living according to what is found there

First occurrence of Teaching Scripture

Note the importance and recurrence of repentance

Nehemiah chapter 1 contains a classic example of a prayer of repentance

Key questions on the minds of those returning:

“Are we capable of accomplishing the tasks set before us?”
“Are the tasks worthy of our efforts?”

The tools God uses
Compare the end of 2 Chronicles with the beginning of Ezra: Cyrus is God’s chosen instrument—as well as Darius and Artexerxes
Lesson: The sovereignty of God is mightier than world powers and power brokers

Don’t Make the Same Mistakes Again
Muddled priorities because of adulterated worship accelerated by wrong-hearted relationships and “mixed marriages”

Leaders in Ezra-Nehemiah, as opposed to those in Kings-Chronicles are humble, prayerful and focused on the Word and the best interest of the people

Nehemiah 9:17

“But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate;
slow to anger and abounding in love.”

The return of God’s people to the Promised Land and the rebuilding of the Temple and the City of God (Jerusalem) prove that God doesn’t give up on His plan for His people.

Week 11: 1 & 2 Chronicles

2010-11-19T16:39:00.001-08:00

1 & 2 Chronicles:

· Pre-understandings

· Chronicles offers many of the stories from Samuel and Kings but retold at least 3 generations later.

· These stories are remembered for the returning exiles

· The timeframe of the hearers has more in common with Ezra and Nehemiah than with Samuel and David

· God’s message in Kings was “Here is how you got to this miserable exile.”

§ His message in Chronicles is “Here is how to recover from this miserable exile.”

· Key question on the minds of those returning: “Have we fallen too far to come back?”

· Key observation: look for what is missing as you compare the same events told in Kings versus Chronicles.

· Back to the Beginning

· The genealogy of chapters 1-9 goes all the way back to Adam

· Note God’s plan from the beginning

· The genealogy hits the high points, almost ignoring the hardest times

· God is able to make all things work together for good

· The genealogy links God’s plan from the Garden of Eden directly to the returning exiles.

· The message is “God’s plan is still in the process of being carried out and you still have a place in it.”

· Remember the Glory Days

· David and Solomon were part of God’s plan, now it’s time for the next steps.

· Never forget the Lessons of Failure or Success!

· Retelling of what worked and what didn’t-from Rehoboam to Zedekiah

· Be like David, not like Ahab

· God calls His people to Himself-even form Israel after the Northern Kingdom’s fall

· Listen to the warnings God offers-the role of prophets as told in Chronicles

Chronicles 28:20

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord my God, is with you.”

o Chronicles ends with a sense of pregnant anticipation-waiting to see what will happen next…

Week 10: 1 & 2 Kings

2010-11-14T08:09:00.000-08:00

· It’s place in the Whole

o The period of the Kings extends from the coronation of Saul to the exile of Judah, about 465 years.

o The “Pre-Exilic Prophets” ministered during this time period.

o One way to understand the history of Israel is the move from exile (in Egypt) to exile (in Assyria and Babylon).The SHALOM (spiritual success) of Israel is traced through its relative nearness to, or distance from God.

· Defining Moments

o From David to Solomon: The King is Dead! Long live the King!

o Solomon asks for wisdom (1Kings 11:1-13)

o The Kingdom divided

o Jeroboam’s golden calves (1 Kings 13:28-31)

o Northern Kingdom (Israel) carried into exile (2 Kings 17:18)

o Southern Kingdom (Judah) carried into exile (2 Kings 25:21b)

· Defining Characters

o The Kings; especially

§ David and Solomon

§ Jeroboam and his golden calves

o The Queens and Queen Mothers; especially

§ Bathsheba

§ Jezebel

o The Prophets; especially

§ Elijah and Elisha

§ The Company of the Prophets

§ Isaiah

· Notable Stories and Events

o Elijah and the prophets of Baal

o Elisha and …everything

1Kings 3:12

“I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will have never been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.”

Do you want to know god ??

Or do you just want to know enough of god to get by ??

Week 9: Samuel

2010-11-08T08:33:00.001-08:00

1 and 2 Samuel

Let us remember, our God is "hesed", the covenant keeping God. He is faithful when we are not.

Samuel is the last of the Judges, transition from the time of Judges to the time of Kings.

First to have brought the nation of Israel together as a unified society since entering

the Promised Land

Sad condition fo the Priesthood within Israel

The people wated to me like the nations around them (1Sam. 8:19-20)

By asking for a king Israel was rejecting God as their King

Primary Characters:

Eli, the Priest and Judge

Samuel, the miraculous birth, prophet, Judge

David, a man after God's own heart

THE PRESENCE OF GOD as represented through the Ark of the Covenant

Basic Question: Where is God?

Eli and his sons thought God could be carted out with the Ark

Saul thought "wherever I am, God is"

David thought "wherever God is, I want to be"

The Presence fo God is REAL and the Ark of the Covenant manifests it

God won't be taken for granted; not by Eli, Samuel,Saul or David

God really desires " a man after His own heart"

1 Samuel 13:14

'The Lord has sought out a man after His own heart"

1 Samuel 16:7

"Man looks at the outrward appearance but the Lord

looks at the heart"

Obed-Edom in whose home the Ark came to rest

Mephibosheth to whom David showed kindness for Jonatha's sake

Week 8: Ruth

2010-11-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

RUTH

1. Invites us to look forward...one of 4 women in Jesus' genealogy. What do we know about Ruth?

a..She was a Moabite: hated by Isreal and shunned

b. Daughter-in-law of Naomi and a widow of Naomi's son

2. Naomi has a sense of resignation and yet she finds and acknowledges the majesty and power of God in her loss. (husband and sons and all she has materially)

3. Ruth says she will dwell with Naomi...see Ruth 1 verse 16.

4. Ruth the Moabites (racial slur) but also known as a woman of hard work

5. Star of the show in the book of Ruth is Boaz. He shows himself as a kinsman redeemer. Shows loyalty and faithfulness of God.

6. the heart of the story...like Boaz, God throws his arms out to us, the least worthy and calls us to his heart, accepting us.

7. Ruth is chosen to be the grandmother of King David.

8. Reveals God's heart to the least likely..Us!

9. God who throws His covering over the least likely..us.

10. the heart of Christ ..Kinsman - Redeemer, buys us back.

Week 7: Judges

2010-10-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

2:1-5 offers a preview of the whole book.

The Judges Cycle (2:10-19) is repeated a dozen times.

The primary picture shown by the book is what life is like for the People of God APART from God.

The choice is laid out so clearly. Remember Joshua's last words to the people; "Choose this day whom you will serve . . ." Judges offers the picture of choosing wrongly.

Judges also shows the heart of God toward His people in repentance. The amazing thing is not how often they fail, but how often God forgives!

The collection of stories are pretty graphic and there's rarely a clear picture of who is the "good guy". The moral of the stories is this: there is only one Good Guy-- the Lord.

You can choose life your way, or His way. You choose.

The last verse of the book sums it up. "In those days Israel had mo king; everyone did as he saw fit".

Week 6: Joshua

2010-10-17T13:37:00.000-07:00

Week 5: Deuteronomy

2010-10-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

Pre-understandings

· Moses’ re-presenting of all that has gone before

o Deuteronomy is composed mostly of speeches Moses is giving to the people

o Recounting the journey so far

§ Deliverance from Egypt

§ Judgments in the wilderness

§ Faithfulness of God through it all

o Restating the Covenant from Sinai (Ex. 19:4-6)

· God’s got a plan (Jer. 29:11)

· The Word in a word: “hesed,” “agape’,” Covenant Making/Keeping

Deuteronomy is Moses’ parting words to God’s people

God’s people are at the borders of the Promised land
40 years of wilderness wanderings are coming to an end

The previous generation (including Miriam, Aaron and even Moses) is closing out
The new generation of Israelites (plus Joshua and Caleb) are called to Covenant Renewal with Jehovah God

Basic Question: What is God really looking for out of us?

3 Things: Blessings, Curses, Love

Deut. 28:1-14 lays out what life should look like under the Blessings of obedience
Deut. 28:15-68 lays out what life will look like out from under the Blessings—under the Curse (note: it takes 3 times as much ink to describe the curse as it does the blessing. Get it? Live in the BLESSING!)
Deuteronomy describes the heart of God as LOVING His people, and in response the thing He is most looking for is that we LOVE Him back!

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (NIV)
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength.

GRACE NOTE

· One way to read a verse like Deuteronomy 11:1 ^“Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.”

· Is to see it like this “Love the Lord your God BY KEEPING his requirements, decrees, laws and commands always.”

Week 4: Numbers

2010-10-01T11:14:00.001-07:00

Genesis, God’s presence lost. Exodus, God’s presence restored. Leviticus, God’s presence sustained. Numbers, God’s presence persevering.

The Word in a word: hesed, agape, covenant making/keeping God

Numbers: God’s people remain at Mt. Sinai. Begins and ends with a census of God’s people. God knows His people by name.

Basic questions:

How can people like us live with a God like this?? In Leviticus we asked “what does God expect of me? What if I can’t deliver?” In Numbers we ask “what can I expect of God? What if God can’t (won’t) deliver?”

Our God is the God of order.

Numbers 1-10, 26 the countings - reveals that God knows us. 11-12 the grumblings – reveal that we do not know Him! 14-25 the wanderings – become the classroom where we come to know Him.

GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US

Numbers 6: 24-26

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

God never intended for His people to wander for 40 years, the chose that. They got off His time line, but He never changed His perfect plan. What a comfort it is to know that even when we mess up and interfere with His timeline, the plan He has for us never changes. And He has a plan! (Jer. 29:11)

Grace Note:

Numbers 15:2, 17 Not “if” but “when” you enter the land I am giving you…

Numbers 22-24 Balaam’s cursing can only bless

Numbers 10:35 Let God arise! Let His enemies be scattered…

God loves us so very much! He desires to dwell with us and to fellowship with us. And He will never ever, ever give up on us!!!!

Week 3: Leviticus

2010-09-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

God's Got a Plan!

Hesed God, covenant making, covenant keeping God, agape

Genesis: God’s presence lost Exodus: God’s presence restored Leviticus: God’s presence sustained

How can people like us live with a God like this? What does God expect of me? What if I can’t deliver? Am I living grace based or guilt based?

Think of the word holy. What does being holy mean? God is holy. He instructs us to live holy. Does that mean live in sinless perfection because that’s what He is and Jesus came to earth to demonstrate?

Holy... devoted …Holy… set apart …Holy…for God’s purpose…Holy…devotion

Three of the things noted in Leviticus are offerings, priests and feasts. The offerings are how to come clean and get right. Priests are the guides or mediators. The feasts are how to keep right with God.

Leviticus 26:11-12

I will put my dwelling among you and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be My people.

Never underestimate the lengths God is willing to go for you. He desires a relationship with you and He is willing to stop at nothing to get it. He desires us to be holy. He desires us to be wholey His.

Present yourself before the Word of God. Prepare to receive and to give back. God desires to tabernacle with us. Prepare and present yourself before the Word.

God’s grace:

Leviticus 26:3 “If you follow My decrees and obey My commands…Leviticus 26:14,21,23,27,36 “But if you do not…” Leviticus 26:40-42 “But if they will confess their sins…I will remember My covenant…”

This week, share the Word with one person that does not know His grace and His mercy. Pray for the people who risk their lives to share His blessings and hope for the plans He has for us. God is Good!! All the time!! Jeremiah 29:11…He has a plan!

Week 2: Exodus

2010-09-16T10:53:00.001-07:00

EXODUS

Because of sin, ALL fell. However, God just keeps making the best out of our “best-guesses”

Our God is hesed, agape; the covenant making, covenant keeping God…even when we can’t/don’t stay true to His teaching.

Look in Exodus 1-6 to find the answers to the basic questions:

Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here? What’s wrong? What’s the solution?

Exodus has been portrayed in famous movies. Who is the main character in Exodus??

Exodus has two movements:

Setting the captives free from their captors (7-15:21, 19:3-6)

Setting the captives free from themselves.

As you read, note the word bitter. You can find it in three distinctive passages.

Exodus 3:7-8 God says:

“I have indeed seen the misery of My people. I have heard them crying out, I am concerned with their suffering. So, I have come down to rescue them.”

And yet we ask…Can God be trusted. Can God be trusted?

God give the Law as a way to approach Him (19:50). The Law separated rather than bringing near (20:18-19). God gives the Tabernacle as the means of providing forgiveness. Every aspect of the Tabernacle points to redemption and forgiveness.

God never gives up on His kingdom dream. He stays to His original intent:

Restoration of Eden (3:8) Restoration of Relationship (19:5-6)

Read this love letter and see just how far God is willing to go to set you free from whatever sin, idols, obstacles, thoughts, even deeds that hold you captive.

He Loves Us!! He’s not mad at you, He loves you! He will never fail you!

Week 1: In the beginning...

2010-09-10T06:53:00.003-07:00

WELCOME TO THE BIBLE STUDY BLOG!

This will be a weekly guide for the Bible studies in your small groups. Each week Rusty is meeting with your small group leaders to prepare our hearts and minds for this journey through the love story God wrote for us in His holy word, the Bible.

Think of that for a minute. Think of the Bible as a love story. Think about it as one continuous message of His magnificent love. Read it as a love story and see what new things He will reveal to you.

We will look at the Shape of Scripture and reveal God’s plan (Jer. 29:11) We will see that our God is a covenant keeper; true and good even when we are not. In Hebrew the word for this is “hesed,” in Greek the word is “agape."

When you open your Bible to Genesis, note how it answers the questions:

Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here?

And we find answers to questions of conflict:

What’s wrong? What is the solution?

In addition we will find the answer to one of the biggest questions:

SAYS WHO????

Read about creation; the story of God forming the formless and filling the empty. You can see the original plan in Genesis 1:26-31. God’s plan brought order of chaos. Then humanity’s fall began the decent of order back to chaos. (the fall Genesis 3:12-17

Genesis 50:20

What you intended for evil, God has turned for good.

God’s plan through Adam (1:26-30) God’s plan through Noah (8:20-9:3)

God’s plan through Abraham 12:1-3, 22:15-18) God’s plan through Joseph (50:20)

There is no set way to read God’s love story so try not to box yourself in. If you come to a passage you don’t understand, it’s ok!! Just keep reading! Write down questions and “aha” moments to share with your small group. This is God’s love story that He wrote for us!

God is good! All the time!!