Category Archives: Study Helps

TEST,TEST,TEST

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Since school has just finished and I end the year giving all kinds of “test” when I read Psalm 66 I had to reopen the idea of being tested. This verse follows a section that refers to when Israel was in Egypt and came out of there.

Psalm 66

10 For You, God, tested us; You refined us like silver. 
11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of abundance.

Testing here is bahan (# 1043 Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance, 2 Edition – all my definitions for this study will be taken from here), which means to try, probe or examine to learn the genuineness of an object like testing for the purity of the metal. And we think we get tested – prison, burdens, rode over (a sign of derision), fire and water. Some of you have endured these things but most of us are clueless about this level of testing. But look where it will bring you “a place of abundance.”

This passage led me to Deuteronomy and several passages where Moses is describing/reminding the children and grandchildren of the people who came out of Egypt what had happened for them.

Deuteronomy

4:34 Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

Testings here is nasa (# 5814) (don’t you love Hebrew into English) and refers to proving character or faithfulness; if it is done toward God it implies lack of confidence in Him (a sin).

Signs– ot #253 sign, mark or symbol that communicates a supernatural. NIV translators changed it from signs to miraculous signs over the years.

Wonders– mopet #4603 wonder, sign, miracle, portent, symbol

War–milhama #4878 fighting, battle, war and many other words like soldiers, warrior, etc.

Mighty hand–mighty- hazaq #2617 powerful, strong, hard, physical and internal strength, (negative) hardness of heart; hand –yad #3338 hand, arm, finger, figuratively control, power, strength, direction, care. It is added to other words for many meanings. If you exchange words it takes on many great meanings. It is the same phrase for the rest of the verses.

Outstretched arm– outstretched –nata #5742 to spread out, be extended; arm – zeroa #2432 arm, forearm, shoulder, power, strength, force

Great and awesome deeds– awesome deeds- mora #4616 fear, terror, respect, reverence, awesome deeds; great- gadol #1524 large, much, more, this can refer to physical size, quantity, degree, and social status

I think the testings were for Israel (the first three plagues) then the others were for Egypt and showed how serious God was about letting them go. The Lord was educating His people and showing them His concern and intent toward them. 

7:17 You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out? ” 18 But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. 19 You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear. 

Remember this is to the children of the original group who actually saw these things. God is willing to repeat these test and signs to get them into the land. Look at the teaching – recall a lesson learned and project to a new situation.

11:1 Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws, and his commands always. 2 Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; 3 the signs he performed and the things he did in the heart of Egypt, both to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his whole country… 5 It was not your children who saw what he did for you in the wilderness until you arrived at this place, 6 and what he did to Dathan and Abiram… 7 But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done.

The reason for the testing is verse 1 so that they can take strength in what they saw and the previous lessons learned. But now it was their turn to teach this to their children.

27:7 Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey… 11 Then you and the Levites and the foreigners residing among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household.

With the test came the promise in Psalm 66 and then a new lesson in vs.11. It is also a reteach time as all of these verses have been.

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The images were found in Google Images.

Where/When I Think Psalms Were Written

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I think David and the other writers of Psalms wrote as a reaction to what was going on in their life. Even though my list is very subjective (and not complete) it has helped me to locate psalms with other scriptures. I had to save this as a picture because of how I typed it many years ago, so please click here to view my list, I hope it will be a blessing and a help in your Bible studies.  psalm position  This is also in David the Writer.

2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles Joined

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In my Bible study for 2012 (see Bible Study) I said I was going to join 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles.  Well here is part of that work.  The letters and numbers in italics are from Chronicles. In my document they are in blue and italics. I am not really finished, as I want to place the psalms that David wrote in this document (well where I think they go).  I used the New International Version, the reference is at the end of the page.  This entire document is about 70 pages long, I have also done Kings and Chronicles but in another translation.  In that one I included some work from the prophets.

The best explanation I have for the books being so similar is that they were both taken from another document, like the book of Jasher.  Some scholars credit these books as having been written by Ezra and Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe.

 2 Samuel 24 1 Chronicles 21

David Enrolls the Fighting Men David Counts the Fighting Men

1 Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, 1 Satan rose up and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

2 2 So David the king said to Joab and the army commanders of the troops with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”

3  3 But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over are they not all my lord’s subjects, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?” Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they (Joab) left  the presence of the king and went throughout Israel to enroll the fighting men of Israel and then came back to Jerusalem.

5 4After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer. 6 They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon. 7 Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.

8 After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

9 5Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David the king: In all Israel there were eight hundred thousand(one million one hundred thousand) able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand(including four hundred and seventy thousand).

 6 But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him. 7 This command was also evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel.

10 8David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”

11 9Before David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David’s seer:12 10 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’

13 11 So Gad went to David and said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Take your choice: 12Shall there come on you three years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from (being swept away) before your enemies while they pursue you with their swords overtaking you? Or three days of plague (the sword of the LORD) in your land with the angel of the LORD ravaging every part of Israel? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

14 13David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us(me) fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

15 14So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand men of the people of Israel fell dead from Dan to Beersheba died.

16 15 And When the angel God sent stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, but as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting (destroying) the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the LORD was then standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 16When David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD who was standing between heaven and earth, striking down the people with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown, 17said to the LORD God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I have sinned; I, the shepherd, have done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? LORD my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people.”

If you would like a copy you will have to ask because it is about a 70 pages word document, it will have to be emailed.

New International Version (NIV)  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica

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.

Your Bible Study for 2012

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Plan vs. resolution

Clicking on these two sites took me out of the blog so please be aware of that.

http://www.1828-dictionary.com/d/search/word,resolution 6. Fixed purpose or determination of mind; as a resolution to reform our lives; a resolution to undertake an expedition.

http://www.1828-dictionary.com/d/search/word,plan  2. A scheme devised; a project; the form of something to be done existing in the mind, with the several parts adjusted in idea, expressed in words or committed to writing; as the plan of a constitution of government; the plan of a treaty; the plan of an expedition. (noun)

PLAN, v.t. To form a draught or representation of any intended work.  1. To scheme; to devise; to form in design; as, to plan the conquest of a country; to plan a reduction of taxes or of the national debt.

I don’t know about you but I like the “plan” better, it will allow me to make changes if needed but will still give me a stable base of where I want to go. The website above is for the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary – it is interesting to check our current word usage against the usage when we thought of our self as a “Christian Nation” and did not worry about being politically correct.

Have you “planned” what and how you are going to study through out the New Year?  Here are some possibilities.

1. Read the Bible through in a year, there are a lot of great plans that you can follow.

2. Get another translation and read it through in a year.

3. Pick a topic (actually pick twelve of them) and study it out.  Try people, places, things or events.

4. Focus on either the New or the Old Testament.

This year I am going to alternate reading Proverbs and Psalms every month.

After much thought on the subject I think I am going to do #3 which will be new for me, usually I do #1, 2 or 4.

1. A topic that will run for most of the year will be “The Gospel According to the Old Testament.”

2. Blessed

3. Acts 4: 29 a) speaking the word    b)with great boldness

4. Acts 4: 30 healing, miraculous signs and wonders

5. Waiting on God and times of refreshing

6. Putting 1& 2 Samuel together with 1 Chronicles.

7. Finish some work that I started in Psalms.

8. Body parts and how they are discussed/shadowed in Scripture

9. Fruit and nuts especially the fig and the almond

10. Write four sermons from the ideas above

Yeah, I know I said pick 12 but I have a feeling that these 10 will keep me busy for the whole year, if not then I can add to my plan as I go.