Wednesday, March 30, 2016

BIBLE STUDY: "The School of Obedient" Week # 1

Weekly Prayer..................


 


Father, thank You for working within us and giving us an obedient heart.  We are grateful for the way You took pain away and restored wholeness to our life. We have found love within the community of faith. Thank You for helping us do what You want us to do towards one another. In everything we do, we purpose to stay away from complaining and arguing. We will live a clean life as a child of God in this dark world. May our life shine out among the inhabitants of this world like a beacon light as we hold out to them the same Word of life You used to heal our broken hearts.  In the name of Jesus, AMEN.

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Bible Study: The School of Obedient: WEEK #1 PART II


 








What is Obedience?

Key Passage:  Leviticus 19:2: Supporting Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Exodus 20:1-17; John 17:6-19; I John 2:3; II Corinthians 10:5-6

Obeying or willing to obey; complying with or submissive to authority:
What is Obedience? A willful submission to authority;

What does willful mean?  The desire to perform an act;

What kind of attitude does God want from us in regards to obedience?  When we’re obeying God’s Word, we do it out of desire to please God. Therefore our attitude is to be positive!

I   Biblical Obedience: Examples of Obedience:  Read
Genesis 6:22-Noah
Genesis 12:4-Abraham
Exodus 36:1-Bezaleel
Number 9:23-Moses
Joshua 11:15-Joshua
2 Kings 18:6 Hezekiah
Luke 2:39-Joseph and Mary
Acts 26:19-Apostle Paul
Hebrews 5:8-Christ

II   Christ’ Words concerning Obedient:
A).       The Base Rock of Character: Matthew 7:24

B).       Essential to membership in God’s family: Matthew 12:50

C).       The Key to Spiritual Knowledge: John 7:17

D).       Sources the Blessing of divine fellowship: John 14:23

"Why is obedience important to God?"

Obedience to God proves our love for Him (1 John 5:2-3), demonstrates our faithfulness to Him (1 John 2:3-6), glorifies Him in the world (1 Peter 2:12), and opens avenues of blessing for us (John 13:17).

Faith is necessary to please God (
Hebrews 11:6), and if our faith is genuine and true, we will live a lifestyle characterized by righteousness, modeling the example set for us by Jesus Christ. We obey His commands, not because we have to, but because we want to, because we love Him. We are enabled to obey because, once we believe in Christ and are saved, we are remade. We are not the same people we once were. As Paul wrote in (2 Corinthians 5:17), “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

When we obey the Lord, we can live a life of joy, without shame, rooted deeply in the Lord and confident in our eternal hope. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (
2 Corinthians 3:17). Our obedience is actually part of our assurance that we truly know God (1 John 2:3).

When God’s children obey their Heavenly Father, He is glorified. Jesus told us that the plan is for others to “see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (
Matthew 5:16). Of course, performing “good deeds” requires obedience to the One who calls us to good deeds. A Christian’s testimony of holiness is a strong witness that God is at work in the world.

“Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to him” (
Psalm 128:1). The Bible often tells us that God blesses and rewards obedience. James 1:22-25 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. . . . Whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” See also Psalm 119:1-2.

God is gracious. If we haven’t been living for Him, if we haven’t been following His commandments, if we’ve been living in and for the world, we can be transformed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We can ask God for forgiveness, and He will give it. And He will choose to forget the sin, just as if we had never committed it in the first place. God is glorified when He extends forgiveness, because it is written, “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds. . . . Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more” (
Hebrews 10:16-17).

"What does the Bible say about obedience?"
The Bible has much to say about obedience. In fact, obedience is an essential part of the Christian faith. Jesus Himself was “obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). For Christians, the act of taking up our cross and following Christ (Matthew 16:24) means obedience. The Bible says that we show our love for Jesus by obeying Him in all things: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). A Christian who is not obeying Christ’s commands can rightly be asked, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Obedience is defined as “dutiful or submissive compliance to the commands of one in authority.” Using this definition, we see the elements of 
biblical obedience. “Dutiful” means it is our obligation to obey God, just as Jesus fulfilled His duty to the Father by dying on the cross for our sin. “Submissive” indicates that we yield our wills to God’s. “Commands” speaks of the Scriptures in which God has clearly delineated His instructions. The “one in authority” is God Himself, whose authority is total and unequivocal. For the Christian, obedience means complying with everything God has commanded. It is our duty to do so.

Having said that, it is important to remember that our obedience to God is not solely a matter of duty. We obey Him because we love Him (
John 14:23). Also, we understand that the spirit of obedience is as important as the act of obedience. We serve the Lord in humility, singleness of heart, and love.

Also, we must beware of using a veneer of obedience to mask a sinful heart. Living the Christian life is not all about rules. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time relentlessly pursued acts of obedience to the Law, but they became self-righteous, believing they deserved heaven because of what they had done. They considered themselves worthy before God, who owed them a reward; however, the Bible tells us that, without Christ, even our best, most righteous works are as “filthy rags” (
Isaiah 64:6). The Pharisees’ external obedience still lacked something, and Jesus exposed their heart attitude. Their hypocrisy in obeying the “letter of the law” while violating its spirit characterized their lives, and Jesus rebuked them sharply: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outside, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also appear righteous to men outwardly, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27–28). The Pharisees were obedient in some respects, but they “neglected the weightier matters of the law” (Matthew 23:23).

Today, we are not called to obey the Law of Moses. That has been fulfilled in Christ (
Matthew 5:17). We are to obey the “law of Christ,” which is a law of love (Galatians 6:2; John 13:34). Jesus stated the greatest commands of all: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:36–40).

If we love God, we will obey Him. We won’t be perfect in our obedience, but our desire is to submit to the Lord and display good works. When we love God and obey Him, we naturally have love for one another. Obedience to God’s commands will make us 
light and salt in a dark and tasteless world (Matthew 5:13–16).

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible has a lot to say about obedience. In the story of the Ten Commandments, we see how important the concept of obedience is to God. Deuteronomy 11:26–28 sums it up like this: "Obey and you will be blessed. Disobey and you will be cursed."
In the New Testament, we learn through the example of Jesus Christ that believers are called to a life of obedience.

What is the Biblical Definition of Obedience?
The general concept of obedience both in the Old and New Testament relates to hearing or hearkening to a higher authority. One of the Greek terms for obedience conveys the idea of positioning oneself under someone by submitting to their authority and command. Another Greek word for obey in the New Testament means "to trust."
According to Holman's Illustrated Bible Dictionary a succinct definition of biblical obedience is "to hear God's Word and act accordingly."

Eerdman's Bible Dictionary says, "True 'hearing,' or obedience, involves the physical hearing that inspires the hearer, and a belief or trust that in turn motivates the hearer to act in accordance with the speaker's desires." So, biblical obedience means, simply, to hear, trust, submit and surrender to God and obey his Word.

PART II 

What is Obedience?

Key Passage:  Leviticus 19:2: Supporting Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Exodus 20:1-17; John 17:6-19; I John 2:3; II Corinthians 10:5-6

Jesus Calls us to Obedience:
In Jesus Christ we find the perfect model of obedience. As his disciples, we follow Christ's example as well as his commands. Our motivation for obedience is love:

John 14:15:      “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” 

Obedience is an Act of Worship
While the Bible places strong emphasis on obedience, it's important to remember that believers are not justified (made righteous) by our obedience. Salvation is a free gift of God, and we can do nothing to merit it.
True Christian obedience flows from a heart of gratitude for the grace we have received from the Lord:
Romans 12:1
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

God Rewards Obedience:
Over and over again we read in the Bible that God blesses and rewards obedience:
Genesis 22:18
"And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me." (NLT)
Exodus 19:5
Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.(NLT)
Luke 11:28
Jesus replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice." (NLT)
James 1:22–25
But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. (NLT)

Obedience to God Proves Our Love:
1 John 5:2–3
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.: 
2 John 6
“And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.” (ESV)

Obedience to God Demonstrates Our Faith
1 John 2:3–6
“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” (NLT)
Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice:
1 Samuel 15:22–23
“But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."(NLT)

Reflect on the following two examples:

Naaman the Syrian and His Leprosy:
Naaman's story in the Old Testament suggests that obeying in little things can be a stumbling block, even if someone is obedient in big things. Naaman was a great man in Syria, but he was also a leper. A servant to Naaman's wife told him of a prophet in Samaria that could heal him of his leprosy. Naaman appealed to the king of Syria, who appealed to the king of Israel, to have Naaman healed. When the prophet Elisha heard of it, he proposed that Naaman should come to him and he would heal him. When Naaman and his entourage reached Elisha's home. Elisha sent a servant out to Naaman with instructions to wash seven times in the Jordan River. Insulted that Elisha did not meet with Naaman, himself, Naaman went off in a rage. However, his servants reasoned with him: ... My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? Naaman had gone to a great deal of trouble already. It is likely that he had spent much of his life doing great things. He was not happy about Elisha's cure being so simple. Luckily, his servants prevailed and Naaman obeyed Elisha's instructions and was healed. He even went back to express his gratitude to Elisha.

Moses and the Brazen Serpent Solution to Snake Bite:
The story of the brazen serpent that Moses constructed in order to heal people from poisonous snake bites also illustrates that little things can be overlooked or dismissed too easily.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
The Old Testament ends the story here.  ... and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

Obedience to our Heavenly Father and all His commandments is important for anyone that professes to believe in Him.

Ask Yourself Why You Obey:

Why do you obey the Heavenly Father's commandments? Usually, it is one of these reasons:

You fear punishment.
You know you should.
You want a reward or blessing.
You want to demonstrate your faith in Father.
You want to demonstrate your love for Father.

Where do your answers fit? Obeying because you fear punishment is better than nothing, but is not the best reason to obey. Knowing you should obey is proof you are convinced of the principle, but it suggests you are not obeying for the right reasons.

Only the last two are good reasons to obey, because you exercise your faith and love in Father.
Jesus Christ told us that the first and great commandment is to love Heavenly Father. People that truly love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ obey all the commandments. We demonstrate our love through obedience.

Ask Yourself Why You Do Not Obey:
So, what keeps you from obeying Heavenly Father's commandments? Your answer likely fits into one or more of the following. You do not want to. It is too hard. It takes too much time and trouble. You are not convinced you should. You did not know it is a commandment.
The first three answers condemn you as a hypocrite, because you know what you should do, but you simply do not do it. The last two suggest you are slothful. It is your responsibility to be convinced of the commandment by practicing it. Knowledge comes after your faith has been tried, not before. Not knowing something is a commandment is simply a commentary on your negligence in learning the gospel, unless you are a recent convert. If you are a convert, it is still your responsibility to sleuth out all the commandments and attempt to live them as soon as you find them.

Informed Obedience is Different than Blind Obedience:
Father knows everything. In comparison, we know almost nothing about anything. We can trust Him to guide us properly. He has promised we will not stray, if we choose to follow Him. We exercise faith by accepting and trusting in His superior knowledge. We will eventually discover the reasons for all the commandments and be convinced of their truthfulness. However, it will happen little bit by little bit. We simply do not know when, so again we must trust in God’s superior knowledge and skills. Informed obedience will foster confidence; because we know we are doing the rights things, we just do not fully appreciate why yet. Obedience shows that we love and trust in God the Father. Disobedience suggests otherwise. Following something other than an omniscient being results in the blind leading the blind!

When We Are Told to Obey There is a Way!
When our Father commands us to do something, He always provides a way for us to do it.
... I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. If our Father has commanded us to do something, there is a way to obey Him. He will help us find it. We have to actively search. It may not be easy, but it will be possible. Adam and Eve were commanded to offer sacrifices to God the Creator. When an angel asked Adam why he sacrificed, Adam responded by saying he did not know. He was commanded to, so he did it. Adam's obedience to a commandment he did not initially understand, but was faithful in keeping, resulted in blessings and finally the reason for the commandment.

How Should Knowing All of this Change My Life?
You should be able to articulate why you obey, or why you do not. You should change, if you need to. You should understand why you should obey, regardless of whether you know the reason for the commandment. You should feel confident that the Heavenly Father will assist you in obeying commandments.
Week # 1
Weekly Obedient Question:              Does the verse that Jesus “learned obedience” sound strange to you? Why?
Weekly Application Question:         How is obedience to God real freedom to you?
Obedience Bible Quiz:           True or False  Week # 1
1. If we love the Lord we will obey His Word.
2. Christians are to obey the Word of God.
3. People were amazed that unclean spirits had to obey Jesus.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for working within us and giving us an obedient heart.  We are grateful for the way You took pain away and restored wholeness to our life. We have found love within the community of faith. Thank You for helping us do what You want us to do towards one another. In everything we do, we purpose to stay away from complaining and arguing. We will live a clean life as a child of God in this dark world. May our life shine out among the inhabitants of this world like a beacon light as we hold out to them the same Word of life You used to heal our broken hearts.  In the name of Jesus, AMEN.

Memory Verse: Matthew 26:39
Going a little farther, He threw Himself down with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Weekly Reading Assignments:           Week # 1         Romans 1-7

Saturday, March 19, 2016

NEW BIBLE STUDY

This Bible study is concerning Jesus' obedient on the cross. This is for our Easter Celebration. Last year we did the "Seven Last Saying of Jesus" on the cross, which should have encouraged us to be obedient just as our Savior was when He died for our sins, amen.  Let's look closely at obedient this season, and always.


Thursday, March 10, 2016

NEW BIBLE STUDY: INTRODUCTION

The School of Obedient:                    "OBEDIENT 101"

Date:   March 10, 2016


 
 

INTRODUCTION:

The most important issue in life is whether we're obeying God. It won't happen automatically; it must be learned and put into practice in our attitudes and actions.  Obeying God is always the right thing to do, but it isn't always the easiest. Let me say that again!  Obeying God isn't always easy, but it is always the wisest thing to do. Meditating on God's Word, following His instruction, and trusting Him to provide for your needs are the cornerstone of obedience. You will be rewarded with immeasurable blessings when you trust and obey God.

 

Obedience can be defined as doing what God says, how He says, and when He says to do it. It's not always easy, but it's essential if we want to live in accordance with God's will.  Obedience can be a challenge, especially when feel tempted to believe that we stand to lose more through our obedience than we might gain. However, obeying God is essential to pleasing Him—not just in times of temptation, but at all times.  This character study of obedient is designed to illustrate character trait using verses, stories, consequences of sin and blessings of obedience found through- out the Bible. This study was created using references from the Bible.  We are a light in this world; people will judge God by observing our actions. This is why I knew in my heart it was time to do a study on obedience, so that my life could bring glory to God, especially in my job situation now. We will dig deep on the subject of "Obedience."  Charles F. Stanley did a very good study on "Obedient 101," and I have always wanted to take time and study it; I will use some of his material I have read. I love his teaching! This study will be a little different from the others. We will have only a weekly study question, a weekly application question on obedience, and a weekly prayer. Study will start two weeks from today's date.


Table of Contents:

Week # 1        What Is Obedient?

Week # 2        Obeying God

Week # 3        Obedience in the Life of the Believer

Week # 4        What does Obedient Require?

Week # 5        The Danger of Disobedient

Week # 6        The Courage to Obey

Week # 7        Obedient Always Bring Blessings

Week # 8        Submitted to His Will

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

BIBLE STUDY: "The Prophecy of the Messiah" Week # 8

Answers to Questions:

1).        What is fulfillment in the Bible?

"To finish or reach the end of something." God's promises come to pass. It is proof that God has spoken it.

2).        Explain the situation with the fulfillment of Christ and the Jews.

Neither the Jews nor the disciples of Jesus understood at the time that Jesus was fulfilling the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament—even though at times He told them this was the case (Luke 18:31; Matthew 26:56).

3).        What took place after Jesus' resurrection concerning the fulfillment?

He began to help His disciples understand the Scriptures, and the disciples were inspired to declare that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. The proof they offered was the very Scriptures they had not previously understood.

 

4).        What scripture gives proof of the fulfillment of the prophecy?

Acts 3:18 "But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled."

 

5).        Explain how God doesn't do things by chance.

God doesn't do things by chance. He knew even from the foundation of the world that His Son would have to come to earth (1 Peter 1:20), and He foretold the events of His birth, life, and death, so we would have firm evidence on which to base our belief. "Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them" (Isaiah 42:9).

 

6).        Explain how God's promises is an amazing record in the Bible.

God's Word is amazing, and we can expect to be fulfilled because it's in His Word.

 

7).        Give another example of God fulfilling His promise in Bible.

11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

 

 

8).        Give some of God's promises that comes with clear guidance.

(Psalm 32:8) "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye." (Proverbs 3:5) "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Joshua 1:5-7) "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

 

9).        We should seek the Lord's ___ in times of ___ worship and ___on His Word.      

We should seek the Lord's guidance in times of personal worship and meditation on His Word.

 

10).      Changing our course from God's path indicates we ___ His promises.

Changing our course from God's path indicates we doubt His promises.

 

11).      The Lord renews His promises because He want us to do what?

The Lord renews His promises because He want us to follow Him (Genesis 15:1-7).

 

12).      Listening to ungodly or unwise counsel can cause us to do what?

Listening to ungodly or unwise counsel can cause us to ignore God's promises and veer from His will (Genesis 16:4)

 

13).      The____ of the Lord's promises may seem ___ from our perspective.

The fulfillment of the Lord's promises may seem impossible from our perspective.

 

14).      The fulfillment of God's promises may require us to do something that___.

The fulfillment of God's promises may require us to do something that appears contradictory.

 

 

15).      The fulfillment of the Lord's promises may require the___ of something very dear to us.

The fulfillment of the Lord's promises may require the surrender of something very dear to us.

 

16).      Give a few fulfilled prophecies of Jesus.

Prophesied……..Isaiah 7:14               Fulfilled…………Luke 2:7; Matthew 1:23

Prophesied……..Jeremiah 31:15        Fulfilled…………Matthew 2:16

Prophesied……..Zechariah 9:9           Fulfilled…………John 12:12-14

 

Application Question:   

From one of God's attributes explain a fulfillment that took place in your life.

I am in a situation now that God has always fulfilled His promise to me; I didn't know that my patient would go home to be with the Lord now, but she did. To give God all the glory! She didn't suffer in pain. I do not put my faith in man as to getting a job, but in God concerning my next assignment. God has promised me in His Word that He would provide for me, and He has always been there for me. It has been over fifteen years He has showed His love in fulfilling His promise to me, and,  that the just shall live by faith, amen (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38, Proverbs 28:20).

Who Prophesied This?           Week # 8        

"And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." (Mark 1:7-8)

John the Baptist saw Jesus and knew He was the One, and prophesied this concerning Jesus.

 

Please share a short Review:

Fulfillment of prophecy is proof that God's Word is true, and the He is able to control all events in life. The Bible is an amazing record of God's promises. We can study it to discern the Lord's will for every situation in our lives. However, it can sometimes feel like God isn't answering our petitions. There are two possible reasons why. First, our requests may not be according to His will, and second, they might not have a true foundation. In other words, we can only expect God to give us something if we're asking according to His promises in Scripture.

The story of Abraham is a wonderful example of how God fulfills His promises. By examining this, we can learn the value of waiting on God and observe the negative consequences that come with jumping ahead of Him. Though the details and circumstances of our lives differ from Abraham's, the principles and lessons still apply. Bible prophecy is God's revelation to us about future events. Throughout Scripture God reveals to us things that are to happen. These prophetic passages are found throughout the Bible, but those of most interest to many are those found in Ezekiel, Daniel, Matthew 24, Matthew 25, and Revelation.  In many cases we can see the fulfillment of prophecies in the historical portions of the Bible and in man-kinds historical record. In other cases, the prophecies are yet to be fulfilled. "Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. [Isaiah 42:9]"

As we have seen, messianic prophecy are portions of scripture written far in advance, about the events of the birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and second coming of Jesus Christ. This is yet another distinguishing characteristic of the Christian faith. For anyone who wishes to seek God, messianic prophecy provides a wealth of hard evidence to support the credibility of the claims of Christ. These prophecies are not opaque, but can be understood by anyone who reads them. Some seem so clearly written about Christ that one might wonder if the early Christians wrote them after the fact. Yet no critic of scripture places the origin of any the Old Testament book after the birth of Christ. Consider again a few Suffering Servant passages of Isaiah the Prophet:
"See, my servant will prosper; he will be highly exalted. Many were amazed when they saw him – beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know he was a person. And he will again startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence. For they will see what they had not previously been told about; they will understand what they had not heard about. Who has believed our message? To whom will the LORD reveal his saving power? My servant grew up in the LORD's presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins – that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave. But it was the LORD's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD's plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners." (Isaiah 52:13-53:12 NLT)
Knowing that Isaiah wrote this over 700 years before Christ causes one to pause and consider the gravity of God's plan of redemption. The entire Old Covenant can be boiled down into two powerful messages. 1) God is Holy and we are failing sinners in a bad relationship with Him. 2) God loves us and is sending a Messiah, who is His Son, to redeem us back into a right relationship with Him. It's no wonder that the early disciples, walking in the power of God, were able to reason from the scriptures to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the promised Messiah of Israel.

 

Reading Assignment:             Week # 8         Isaiah 59-66    Monday through Sunday


I have finished my reading assignment!

BIBLE STUDY: "The Prophecy of the Messiah" Week # 8

Scriptures References:

 These are scriptures on God fulfilling His promises

 
 


Genesis 12:1-3

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 12: 6-11

And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.

And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

Genesis 12: 17-19

And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.

18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.

Genesis 15:1-7

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

Genesis 16:4

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

Genesis 17:16-19

"And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Genesis 22:1-8

And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

Genesis 26:2

And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:

Joshua 1:6

Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

Joshua 1: 9

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Psalm 32:8

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

Acts 16:31

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

I John 5:14-15.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.