Category Archives: Bible Study

Test, Attacks and Storms – O My! Part 2

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Storms, attacks, and tests.  We have all been through them and the great news is we are still here.  In continuing the series this week we will look at storms (See part 1). In the New Testament, the word storm can mean anything from winds to rain or the violent storms that would sweep down from the mountains and plague the Sea of Galilee that could be compared to earthquakes.  By the way, I hope that you never get in an argument about what you are in – a storm, a test, or an attack!

Hurricanes by the coast, a tornado in the central part of the country, and threats of floods with every passing front have raised our consciousness of storms.  The Weather Channel, weather apps, local TV, radio programs, and websites now can give some advance warning of approaching storms.  Even in Jesus’ day, they could read the signs of approaching weather (Matthew 16:2).  Many natural storms may give us a warning that they are coming; sometimes they may not because they form right on top of you.

I think spiritual storms also can give us advance warning that they are coming.  Not always, but sometimes, we can see what is coming and prepare for it, or we can always be at some level of preparedness.  Storms can be very violent and many times you cannot see that in the advance forecast but storms are only going to last for a given period of time.  After a storm, there may be a lot of things that may need to be repaired and fixed but like tests, they are not going to continue “forever.”  Maybe you are going through a windstorm where things are knocked down all around you.  Maybe it is a rainstorm where things are being covered with water and washed away from your life.  Or it could be a very violent storm equal to a tornado or hurricane where you make it through but everything in your life is changed or gone.

I find it important to realize that wind and rain are symbols of the Holy Spirit but the devil will come against us with violent forms of the symbols to cause grief and destruction.

No matter what it is you are going through storms, attacks, or tests, Jesus is and wants to be your shelter in the storm.

Test, Attacks and Storms – O My! Part 1

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Test, attacks, and storms have you ever heard a sermon on any of these things?  Well, I have found myself going through them in the last couple of weeks so I thought it would be a good time to look at them.   I seldom do this but for this study, I am not looking in the Old Testament for word meanings.  And for the number of sermons that are generated on these topics you would think that there must be a lot of references in Scriptures on them, no, well not in the New Testament.  Now I will use Old Testament examples to some of these but not necessarily the “words.”  In looking up the New Testament words none of them had any real difference than what we think of them today except one word for a storm that also referred to earthquakes.  Then there was a comment in the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance about test and trials.

Test, as a teacher I give these all the time and whether I like it or not I am always preparing my students for a standardized test and right now I am studying about research and part of that is “test.”  Tests are things that are planned; they cover something that we have learned and they are to show what you know or how far we have come in that subject.  The Concordance added this comment about test and trails that I thought was excellent.  The difference between the two is the intent of the tester’s motives.  God tests us to determine our character and not to make us fail whereas the devil’s intent is to make us fail in that area.

Spiritual tests are not something we should fear because we have the knowledge or ability to pass them; since we know that God as the Master Teacher is trying to promote us to a higher level.  Trials I will put under attacks and cover them later.

The one test that I want to highlight was for the Prophet Samuel when he went to anoint David as king.  Everyone always focuses on David in this story.  Samuel, the Man of God, for that moment is sent on a mission by God.  Now he is told where to go and what to do why not just tell him the name “David” and be done with it.  Samuel had to go through the test of looking at the other sons and to know that they were not the “one.”

January Bible Study Follow-up

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Well now that January is over how did you do on your Bible study?

I did start studying “blessed” but I realize that is going to be on going.  I got the definitions copied on to a word doc and as I read through Proverbs I looked up the word blessed as I found it in my daily reading. My big take away so far has been Proverbs 11:11 which says that we are to speak a blessing to our city.

I started on my second task which was to put together 1 + 2 Samuel with 1 Chronicles.  The first place they really run together is 1 Samuel 31 and 1 Chronicles 10, which is the story of King Saul. (see Lord My/Your God and Why Hide a Grandson There) This of course started a side study on where is Mount Gilboa? I found this on-line http://www.bible-history.com/geography/ancient-israel/mount-gilboa.html and there were several good websites that talked about Mount Gilboa.  Finding some of my old notes I still look at Saul as someone who had the call of God but not His presence.  He also never brought the Ark of the Covenant to him, which is one of the first things David did. I also realize that even though he did it wrong Saul was still trying to find God, it is a shame that he did it his own way.

Well even though I really did not meet my goal I did study some of my plan.  Keep working your plan because at least you are studying.

Amalekites: An enemy from Moses to Mordecai to_______! Part 2

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Balaam mentions the Amalekites when he was supposed to be cursing the Israelites and says that they were “first among the nations.” (See Numbers 24:7,20)  See Lord my/your Lord. 

They are mentioned several times in the Book of Judges but the next big dealing is when King Saul is trying to wipe them out in order to fulfill the command of God against them. See Amalekites: Part 1   This really is the start of his downfall when he was caught up in the greed of the Amalek animals, we can only speculate why he kept Agag the king alive; possibly to ransom him for more money.  So it is fitting that after the Philistines wounded him that an Amalekite is the one to kill him (2 Samuel 1:1 – 16).

David did better when it came to the Amalekites, he killed the young Amalekite who killed Saul and also wiped out the raiding party that burned his town of Ziglag. He had other battles with them and caused a great deal of destruction on them and the Edomites in general.  All of this may have caused them to flee the area and find a home in Persia and Babylon. Which is where Esther and Mordecai find a man with a hatred of the Jews named Agag (See Numbers 24:7).

WHAT TYPE OF METAL ARE YOU? Part 6

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Using these concepts let us look at Achan (Joshua 7).  His sin was one of rebellion and greed but the symbolism behind what he stole is important; he took a Babylonian garment, a wedge of gold, and some silver.  He wrapped the gold in the garment and buried it on top of the silver in the floor of his tent.  The warning is not to wrap what is God’s in the false religion of the world and cover up the true religion that is acceptable to God.

Now that we have studied these metals let us, look at Jeremiah’s ministry again and see the people he observed.  In Jeremiah 28, we find Hananiah, a false prophet from Gideon (see Joshua 9). He is the perfect example of lead, he was dragging the Israelites down and hindering them from following God by saying, that the Babylonian’s power was broken and that the items from the Temple would be returned.

Baal worship and worshipers are “tin” in Jeremiah 7.  These hardened the people of God by giving them a “form of God” and caused the real worship of God to be changed into pagan practices.

Zedekiah was both “copper” and “iron”.  In chapter 38:14-28 he showed concern for Jeremiah and had a desire to know God’s will, this shows us his “copper” side.   Jeremiah knew he still had an “iron” heart when he told Zedekiah that even when he heard God’s plan he would not follow it.

In chapter 35 the Rechabites were “pure silver” when they followed the orders of not drinking wine set down by their ancestors, even in the face of pressure from a “man of God” to do so.

Eded-Melech is “pure gold” in chapters 38 and 39, his concern for Jeremiah and helping him is impressive considering that some officials wanted to kill Jeremiah and anyone who would show concern for him.  God was so pleased with Eded-Melech that He promised him deliverance from the Babylonians because he had trusted in God.

So, what kind of metal or metals are you?

Can we change our habits?

Is there anything more important than gold?

In Isaiah 60:17 God said He would do some exchanging of metals, gold for copper and silver for iron, in an effort to show His greatness toward us.

All the sharpening, heating, beating, and blast of wind come into clear view when you read 1 Peter 1:6+7 where we find that our faith is greater than even gold.

And in Psalm 19:7-10 where the law, testimony, statues, commandment, fear, and judgment OF THE LORD are to desired more than fine gold.

The start of this series can be seen at What Type of Metal Are You? Part 1

https://ificouldteachthebible.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/what-type-of-m…are-you-part-1/