Era Four: Entering

The last Era we are covering for this first discussion time is Era 4: Entering.  Where are the Hebrew people entering?  The promised land.  Why do we call it the “promised land”?  Because WAY back when God was cutting covenant with Abraham, in Genesis, He promised Abraham a piece of land.  (See Genesis 15:18-20).  It was the land of Canaan or by today’s names…parts of Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel.

Finally, after 40 years of wandering in the desert (oh…can we relate with this stifling heat we have had lately?), they are ready to enter this land.  For those of us who took the Bible studies last spring, this will act as a good review for you and me.  Those that have not studied Joshua, Judges and Ruth as in-depth may have more questions about this Era so please feel free to ask or clarify what you have learned here.

A couple new insights for me as I studied through this Era. 

§  So interesting to note that the book of Joshua (or what we could call Israel’s obedient years – kind of) spanned 25 years whereas the book of Judges and the cycle of sin and disobedience spanned over 300 years. Why did they choose to disobey for so much longer when obedience brought such blessing and peace?  What about me?

§  “God allowed Israel to go into captivity for their disobedience not to pay them back but to win them back.”  He wanted His people to call on Him for help…to see their need for Him.  Is it any different today?

§  The Israelites were poised to enter the Promised Land in the country of Moab.  Moab is where we see part of the book of Ruth take place in.  So you can see how Elimelech and Naomi were really going in the wrong direction…back to where God had delivered them from.

§  We discussed this some in the spring, but the freshness the book of Ruth took on for me…realizing that it was set in the middle of the dark time of the Judges…was so encouraging as I strive to raise three little guys to be Godly men.

§  God’s charge to Joshua to MEDITATE on His Word…daily.  As the author puts it, “To meditate on Scripture means to dwell on its meaning until you see how it personally applies to your life.”  This is the difference in head and heart knowledge.

§  This Era gives the Hebrew people a platform to announce the coming Messiah to all the other nations.

A few questions to ponder:

1.       The author states, “Moving Scripture from our head to our heart only comes with effort.”  Later he writes, “A huge difference exists between us mastering the Word of God and letting the Word of God master us.”  Think about these statements for a minute.  Where are you on the head/heart knowledge continuum?  What are some TANGIBLE ways that you can have God’s Word master you?

2.       How is Christ foreshadowed in this fourth era?  Do we see the similarities and differences between physical and spiritual death and what we are being saved from?

Era Three: Exiting

The third era covers the last four books of the Torah (“the Law”)…Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy…and is characterized by EXITING.  For some context, God had brought the Hebrew people (about 200 of them) into Egypt where they could flourish, multiply, and not be “polluted” by intermarriage (Egyptians thought it despicable to marry another race).  In this way, God allowed His chosen people (the ones who were given the responsibility to share the blessing (that is Christ…Messiah) with all other nations) to live in a place where they were truly set apart for 400+ years.

What started out as a wonderful place for the Hebrew nation to live soon turned into bondage at the hands of a cruel Pharaoh.  This is where our third era picks up…God delivering (exiting) His people out of Egypt and out of Pharaoh’s hand.  I like how our book took us through the meanings behind the names of the four books of the Bible (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) which gave clarity to what was happening to the Hebrews during this time of transition.

Did anyone look at the map on page 56 and think… “Wow!  That looks a lot like my Christian walk.”?

 Some questions to think about regarding Era 3: Exiting –

1.  What does it mean to fear the Lord?  Do you fear God?  (see Exodus 20:18-21)

2.  God repeated His commandment to His people to shun idolatry.  Often in Scripture, God is described as jealous.  How do you reconcile this? 

3. What are you taking away from this Era in regards to God’s faithfulness and His justice?  What about obedience?  Consequences? 

4. Remember we have said many times that Old Testament stories reveal New Testament truths.  This era portrayed the Passover Lamb as a foreshadowing of Christ.  Do you see and understand the comparison? 

5. I really like the information about the types of laws in the Old Testament.  I have been asked similar questions about some of the ceremonial and civil laws by friends and skeptics.  Isn’t it so good to be equipped to give solid answers to God’s Word?!?

Enjoy your day and get ready for some great discussion on Thursday.

Era Two: Something

We are still in Genesis, the “book of beginnings”, as Era 2: Something unfolds.  In fact, the first two eras of the eight eras of the Bible are contained in the first book of the Bible.  (Genesis is a pretty important book!)  I really like how this book helps jog my memory on the previous era(s) we have studied up to this point.  My brain feels like it is on summer break right now so I can use all the memory jogging help I can get!

What stuck out to me as I read through this era and the Scripture that corresponded with it was that God CHOSE the Hebrew race to be SOMETHING and blessed them SO THAT they would be a blessing to others.  With all the time I have spent studying covenant, I have never really stopped and looked at the “SO THAT” in that covenantal promise that God gave to Abram (later Abraham).  This then begs the question in my own mind…do I live to be a blessing to others?  Do I share the blessing (Christ in me…the hope of glory…Colossians 1:27) with others so that they are blessed too?  It reminds me of our Matthew study we did a few semesters ago where we looked at the Beatitudes and the blessings that were discussed by Christ.  Because we are part of the Kingdom we are already blessed with all the things the Beatitudes describe…it’s already ours!  Am I living that way?  Blessed?  And am I blessing others because of the blessings given to me in Christ?

The other thing that was a good reminder to me was the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac and the demonstration of Abraham’s faith throughout the entire scene.  As I read this chapter, I tried to view it afresh and imagine how each person must have felt during the entire drama.  But what struck me anew was that decisions were NOT made based on feelings but based on fact.  Did Abraham want to sacrifice his one and only long-awaited, beloved son?  Did he FEEL like that was the right thing to do? NO!  Did Isaac want to be bound upon an altar and sacrificed?  Did he FEEL like that was the right thing to do? NO!  (Just for some perspective, most scholars put Isaac in his late teens or early twenties at this point…completely capable of escaping his very aged father of 110+ if he had wanted to.)  But did they act on their feelings or on the fact that God had promised Abraham that Isaac would be the son of blessing…in whom a great nation would come from?  They acted on faith…on the fact that God was faithful!  It is Who He is.

What an example for us today!  But, how do we exercise our faith muscles?  How can we have faith in what God tells us even when the circumstances FEEL so wrong?  I believe it is by KNOWING HIM.  And we can only know Him by learning about Him through studying His Word, seeking Him through prayer and tapping into the power of the Holy Spirit which resides in each of us once we are His.

Lastly, the story of Abraham and Isaac carries so much more emotion because we sense the overwhelming relief of Abraham when a substitute was given to die in place of his only son, Isaac.  More than a thousand years later, there would be another substitute that died…this time for us.  God would send his one and only beloved Son to be our substitute.  Does that make your heart race…to know God’s love for you?  Wow!

So, here are some questions to ponder in regards to Era 2: Something –

               

1.       Why is this era named the Something Era in regards to the Hebrew people?

2.        How does the blessing that God promises to Abram (later Abraham) and Christ fit together?

3.       What did you discover about Abraham’s faith?  How did using the New Testament verses (Romans 4:19-21, Hebrews 11:17-19, and Galatians 3:8, 16) expound and help interpret this for you?

4.       So, this is where the rubber meets the road.  Where is your faith?  Are you on the puny side of spiritual muscle building?  Are we walking by feelings or fear or by faith?  Do we know the God Who is faithful to the end?  Do you want to know Him more?

Era 3: Exiting coming soon!  Peace out!

Era One: Nothing

I hope that everyone has been able to get their books and that you have had a chance to begin reading through the first few chapters.  For our first meeting, on June 28th, we will cover the first four eras of the Old Testament.  This will take us through the book of Judges.

As you work through your book, note questions in the margin as they arise.  Also, feel free to post questions here so we can all be thinking about them, or so we can dialogue back and forth as we reason our way through Scripture.

As I worked through Era 1: The Nothing Era...I realized how often I "skim" over these well-known, often-heard parts of scripture and don't really stop to contemplate the awesomeness of creation from NOTHING.  I was struck by God's amazing love for us, His creation.  As the author points out, not the Hebrew race...but the HUMAN race.  All of us.  All who were.  All who are.  All who will be.  Everywhere.  His greatest creation...from NOTHING....was us...humanity.  And He desired and had perfect fellowship with us in the beginning.

Some of you know my love of maps.  I think the reason I use them so much when I study the Bible is because it helps me get perspective about a land that I have never set foot on.  I am so glad this book shows us Old Testament countries as well as those of our modern day.  With all the conflict in the Middle East, is it a surprise to think that God's first place to fellowship with His creation was in that same location?  That in those lands walked man and God in perfect communion?  That the perfection of a sinless creation was suddenly marred by the scar of evil that would appear and never vanish from our world and or let go of humanity until the End comes?

Here are some questions or ideas as you think over creation, the fall, and the Bible.

1.     Why does God give commands to humanity?  Do you believe this?

2.     How does the devil entice us?  Has his game plan and tactics really changed since the beginning?  How can you be on the offensive?

3.     What is the main topic of the Bible?  It’s true…but do you know it in your head but not as much in your heart?  Knowing this, do you desire more time in God’s Word seeing this truth throughout scripture? 

4.     Where is Jesus first mentioned (or referred to) in scripture?  Does that surprise you?  Does that change how you view God and/or the importance of studying the Old Testament?

What do you think?  Can’t wait to hear!  

The books are in!!!

Summer Bible Study

Oh, I am so excited to begin this study with you guys!  The books arrived and I am eager to get them in your hands so you can begin this study.

A little preface about this book.  The author's purpose is to frame the Old Testament in a concise and contextually sound way and he does this by breaking the OT down into EIGHT eras.  In each era, there will be the five W's and an H...who, what, when, where, why and how (sounds similar to our training in inductive Bible study doesn't it...wow...this method must work!).  Then there is a section titled "A Little Extra" that provides just a little more detail about that particular era.  Lastly, the chapter (era) is finished by "For Next Time" which provides different options (three of them) of some extra study material if you have time to work through it.  Option 3 also provides scripture memory work that coincides with the era that we just studied.

I know summer can be crazy or it can be calm...or both...so just do what you can and enjoy the process and the time spent with the Lord learning about Him through His Word.  This will be a great resource for you to refer back throughout your life as you continue to study Scripture.

Remember, our first meeting is at Kathy's house on Thursday, June 28th at 7:00 p.m.  Kathy's address is #1 Breezewood Court (off McNeil behind McDonald's).  More information to follow!

YEAH....my first real post....I feel so cyber-cool!