by Rick Marin | Nov 18, 2019 | Ezra & Nehemiah
What did the people promise in the Post-exilic Covenant?
(Nehemiah 10:1-39; Gen. 15:18; 31:43-55; Ex. 19:5-8; Joshua
24:1-27; Heb. 8:1-7) Blog Nov.
17-23, 2019
Prepared by
Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO
Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The story of the
return of the Babylonian exiles to Judea is given in the books of Ezra and
Nehemiah. They speak of the three Persian decrees freeing the captives to
return to Judea. The temple had been completed in 516 BC with the encouragement
of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah so in 444 BC, when Nehemiah joined Ezra in
Jerusalem they directed their efforts towards rebuilding
Jerusalem’s wall and gates. Within less than two months after Nehemiah’s arrival the
wall was finished. Being men of strong faith and diligent effort at an
important time in prophetic history they led out in the teaching of God’s Word
and in obeying its precepts. In their efforts to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall they
faced opposition from without and from within while also dealing with internal
disputes. The returned exiles were intent on obeying God’s Word for they had been
well instructed in it by Ezra.
What is a covenant? (Gen. 21:31- 32; 26:28; 31:43-55; Joshua
24:1-27; Ruth 3:1)
1. What is a covenant? A covenant is
an agreement between two parties which binds them together.
2. What binds the parties of a covenant together?
The mutual promises made under oath bind the covenant partners
together.
3. What does the word Abind@ imply? A
bond implies that there are requirements which each party must fulfil.
4. What do the words of a covenant
agreement include? A covenant usually includes 1) a prologue stating: a) the
contracting parties, b) their previous history, and c) the relationship that is
being entered; 2) the requirements which each party is to fulfil; 3) the seal
of the governing authority; 4) the sign of the covenant; 5) the penalty for
breaking the covenant; 6) the witnesses; and 7) the time duration of the
agreement.
5. What is the purpose of a covenant? Covenants are made in order to form
lasting relationships.
6. What does a covenant-based relationship provide that other
relationships lack? A covenant provides security, peace, and a knowledge of ones rights and responsibilities.
7. How is a covenant made? A covenant is entered by making solemn promises under oath to one another.
8. Besides making promises what other factors are involved in making a
covenant? Making a covenant also involves witnesses; a sign or
monument of the covenant is accepted; there are curses demonstrated by offering sacrifices; and generally the
parties and witnesses spend time together while eating a meal.
God’s covenants with humanity (Genesis 2:15-17; 9:16-17; 15:18; Ex. 19:5-8; 20:1-17;
34:28; Deut. 4:13; 2 Sam. 7:12-17; Jer. 31:31-34; Rom. 4:13; Heb. 10:5-10;
13:20-21)
9. What was God’s first covenant made with
humanity? The covenant he made with Adam before sin entered the world.
10. What was the sign of the covenant God made with
every living creature after the flood? The rainbow.
11. What did God promise Abraham in the covenant
made with him? That he & his offspring would inherit the earth.
12. What did God’s people promise in the covenant
made at Sinai? That they would do everything God outlined in the Ten
Commandments.
13. With whom did God make a covenant promise of an
eternal throne? With David.
14. What are the words of the New Covenant that God
promised in Jeremiah? The words of the New Covenant are the same as those of
the Old Covenant: the Ten Commandments.
15. In the Everlasting Covenant who promised to
fulfill all the obligations of the Ten Commandments in humanity’s behalf?
Jesus.
The post-exilic covenant (Nehemiah 9:36-38; 10:1-39)
16. What portion of a covenant did God’s people
record in their prayer in Nehemiah 9? They gave a prologue to their covenant
outlining who were the parties involved giving their previous history & the
relationship they wished to renew.
17. At the end of their prayer what relationship
did the returned exiles say that they desired to reestablish? That God be their
Ruler & they be his people rather than be under their conquering nations.
18. How was the Post-exilic Covenant sealed? It was
sealed by the signing of the princes, priests, & Levites as representatives
of the entire nation.
19. What did the people promise in the Post-exilic
Covenant? That they would keep all the laws of Moses & observe & do all
the commandments of the LORD, his judgments, & his statutes.
20. Besides making an oath of obedience what did
the people place themselves under should they not fulfill their promise? They
placed themselves under a curse.
21. What two Edenic institutions did God’s post-exilic
people vow to observe? Marriage & the seventh-day Sabbath.
22. What Mosaic festival and laws did God’s
post-exilic people vow to observe? The Sabbatical Year, the temple tax, the
wood offering, firstfruits, tithes, & offerings.
by Rick Marin | Nov 12, 2019 | Ezra & Nehemiah
What was the only hope of the exiles and what was their only defense?
(Nehemiah 9:1-31
Rom. 5:6-8) Blog Nov. 10-16, 2019
Prepared by
Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO
Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The books of Ezra
and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the Babylonian exiles to Judea.
Three Persian kings made decrees for their return: Cyrus in 538 BC; Darius in
520 BC; and Artaxerxes in 457 BC. The temple had been completed in 516 BC with
the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah so in 444 BC, when Nehemiah
joined Ezra in Jerusalem they directed their efforts towards
rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall and gates. They were men of strong faith and diligent
effort whom God chose at an important time of prophetic history. They led out
in the teaching of God’s Word and in obeying its precepts. In their efforts to
rebuild Jerusalem’s wall they faced opposition from without and from within
while also dealing with internal disputes.
Preparation (Dan. 9:1-19; Nehemiah
8:2. 13, 18; 9:1-6; )
1. What benefits come from fasting? The
digestive system is allowed to rest allowing the mind to focus more clearly.
2. Of what is sackcloth a symbol? Of humility.
3. Of what is placing dust or ashes upon one’s
head a symbol? Of mourning.
4. Why would the returned exiles gather again to
read God’s law only one day after spending more than a week hearing it read
during the Feast of Tabernacles and having spent two days at the beginning of
that same month hearing it read and explained? Because they wanted to do
everything in harmony with God’s law that they might have God’s blessing &
not be like their ancestors who stepped out of God’s care.
5. When the law was read to the gathered people
of God what was their response? They confessed their sins & worshipped the
Lord.
6. As the gathered people of God confessed their
sins what did the Levites encourage them to do? To stand up & bless the
Lord.
The
Prayer (Nehemiah 9:6-31; Romans. 2:4)
7. How did the gathered people of God begin
blessing the Lord? They began by chanting that God was the only true God —
that he was the Creator & Sustainer of heaven, earth, & sea &
everything therein.
8. After declaring that the heavenly host
worshipped God also, what did the people next recount? That it was God who
chose Abraham & made a covenant with him to give the land of Canaan to his offspring.
9. After recounting the call of Abraham of what
story of deliverance did the people next remind God? The deliverance from Egypt.
10. After remembering the giving of the Ten
Commandments on Mount Sinai where did the people’s prayer turn? To the sin of
Kadesh Barnea & to the sin of the golden calf.
11. What reason did the people acknowledge for
why God didn’t forsake his people when they so grievously rebelled in the
wilderness? Because he is a God ready to pardon, gracious & merciful, slow
to anger, and of great kindness.
12. What happened not long after God’s people
began enjoying all the blessing of inheriting the promised land? They were
disobedient, rebelled against God, placed his law behind their backs, &
slew his prophets.
13. When overcome by their enemies in the time
of the judges whom did God in his mercy send to deliver his people? The judges.
14. Whom did God send to bring his people back
to his life-giving law during the time of the kings? His prophets.
15. What was the result of not hearing God’s
prophets. Disaster, doom, & captivity to foreign powers.
16. How does this prayer demonstrate the
accuracy of Romans 2:4? By recounting the goodness of God towards his sinful
people they show what brings them to repentance.
The Petition (Nehemiah 9:32-38;
Rom. 5:6-8)
17. As the post-exilic Jews end their prayer
what characteristics of their God do they mention? That he is great, mighty,
terrible, a covenant keeping God, & that he is a merciful God.
18. As the returned exiles end their prayer of
what do they remind God? They remind God that while he has blessed them with a
return to their promised land yet they are still under the control of their
conquerors.
19. In verse 32 of Nehemiah 9 what do God’s
people want him to consider? The enormity of what his people have undergone since
the fall of the northern kingdom as a result of their sin.
20. What was the only hope of the exiles and
what was their only defense? Their only hope (like ours today) was in the mercy
of God & their only defense (like ours today) was in prayer.
21. What request did the returned exiles make at
the end of their prayer? They requested that God be their Ruler rather than
their conquering nations.
22. What has God done for us when we deserved it
not? In the person of Jesus Christ he has lived a perfect substitutionary life
& died a ransom for our sins while we were yet rebels.
by Rick Marin | Nov 4, 2019 | Ezra & Nehemiah
Of what was the Day of Atonement a type?
(Nehemiah 8:1-18; Lev. 23:23-43;
Psa. 119:105; Acts 8:26-38) Blog 03-9 Nov, 2019
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present
Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The books of Ezra
and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the exiles to Judea. Three Persian
kings made decrees for their return: Cyrus in 538 BC; Darius in 520 BC; and
Artaxerxes in 457 BC. In 444 BC, Nehemiah joined Ezra in Jerusalem. The temple
had been completed in 516 BC with the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and
Zechariah, so they directed their efforts towards rebuilding
Jerusalem’s wall and gates. They were men of strong faith and diligent effort whom God
chose at an important time of prophetic history. In their efforts to rebuild
Jerusalem’s wall they faced opposition from without and from within while also
dealing with internal disputes.
The Feasts of the Seventh
Month (Lev. 23:23-39)
1. What Jewish festival is celebrated on the first
day of the seventh month? The Feast of Trumpets.
2. For what is the Feast of Trumpets a
preparation? For the Day of Atonement, before which all sins should be
confessed & an attitude of humility be entered into.
3. What Jewish festival is celebrated on the
tenth day of the seventh month? The Day of Atonement.
4. What Jewish festival began on the fifteenth
day of the seventh month? The Feast of Tabernacles.
5. To what did the Feast of Tabernacles look
back? To God’s deliverance of his people from Egyptian slavery & their
wilderness wanderings.
6. How long did the Feast of Tabernacles last
and how was it celebrated? It lasted seven days & was celebrated by living
in booths made from tree branches.
The
Seventh Month with Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh. 8:1-12;
Psa. 1:1-2; Acts 8:26-38; 1 Pet. 1:19-21)
7. After Jerusalem’s wall and gates were rebuilt
what did God’s people do on the first day of the seventh month? They gathered
in an open area of Jerusalem & asked Ezra to read from Holy Scripture to
them.
8. What factors must have created such an
interest in the Word of God among the people in Judea? The continual
instruction in the Word by Ezra over a period of 13 years together with the
manifold evidence of God’s leading in the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall &
gates during 52 days of Nehemiah’s leadership.
9. Who gathered for the Feast of Trumpets in
Jerusalem when the wall was rebuilt? Every thinking person among God’s people.
10. According to Psalm 1, what kind of people
love God’s Law and continually meditate in it? Those that don’t walk in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of
the scornful.
11. Besides reading from God’s law, what else
did the Levites and Ezra do all morning long? They not only read the Word of
God, they also explained its meaning & applied its instruction to the lives
of those present.
12. Does
the Bible say that we are to interpret it? No, it says that we are to
understand & obey it but not to interpret it. Notice how many times the
word “understand” is mentioned in the first 14 verses of Nehemiah 8.
13. If we are not to interpret the Bible who is
ordained to do that work? No human being or group of humans is given the work
of interpreting the Bible – that work belongs to the Holy Spirit alone who uses
the Bible itself to interpret itself.
14. Why did Israel’s leaders tell the people not
to morn but rather to rejoice? Because the wept considering their sins but were
to rejoice that God loved them & had forgiven their sins since this was a
holy day.
The Seventh Month in Antitype (1 Cor. 5:7-8; Col. 2:13-14; Rev. 8:1)
15. Are
God’s people today to celebrate the feasts that were prescribed to the children
of Israel? No, all those ceremonial laws were nailed to the cross & are not
binding on Christians today.
16. Do
the feasts prescribed to Israel have application to the Christian era? Yes, for
they were all types of the ministry of Jesus in our salvation.
17. Of what was the Feast of Passover a type? Of
the death of Christ after which his people should continually live removing the
leaven of sin from their lives.
18. Of what was the Feast of Pentecost a type?
Of the day of Pentecost when Christ’s disciples received the gift of the Holy
Spirit.
19. Of what was the Feast of Trumpets a type? Of
the announcement of the arrival of the hour of God’s judgment given in the
1830s.
20. Of what was the Day of Atonement a type? Of
Christ’s investigative judgement as announced in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Acts
17:31; 2 Corinthians 5:9-10; & Revelation 14:6-7.
21. Of what was the Feast of Tabernacles a type?
Of the seven prophetic days mentioned in the seventh seal of Revelation when
Christ seals the covenant with his sealed people just prior to his coming in
glory.
22. How can God’s people today carry out the
principle of the Feast of Tabernacles? By gathering to a Bible campmeeting
every year.
by Rick Marin | Oct 29, 2019 | Ezra & Nehemiah
What is the benefit of making a covenant?
(Exodus
21:2-6; Nehemiah 5:1-19) Blog Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2019
Prepared by
Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO
Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The books of Ezra
and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the exiles to Judea. Three Persian
kings made decrees for their return: Cyrus in 538 BC; Darius in 520 BC; and
Artaxerxes in 457 BC. In 444 BC, Nehemiah joined Ezra in Jerusalem. The temple
had been completed in 516 BC with the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and
Zechariah, so they directed their efforts towards rebuilding
Jerusalem’s wall and gates. They were men of strong faith and diligent effort whom God
chose at an important time of prophetic history. In their efforts to rebuild
Jerusalem’s wall they faced opposition from without and from within.
The Poor Speak Out (Nehemiah
5:1-8; Ex. 21:2; 22:25; Lev. 25:10, 36-37; Deut. 14:28-29; Deut. 23:19-20)
1. What two expenses caused the poorer exiles to
mortgage their land and sell their children into slavery? Hunger & taxes.
2. Who were the lender/oppressors of the poorer
exiles? Their own brethren – nobles & officials.
3. What provisions had God made for Israel’s
poor to keep them from going deeper and deeper into debt? He forbad charging
usury (high interest rates) to fellow Israelites, he ordered freedom to all
bondservants ever seven years, & he provided for the return of all
properties every fifty years.
4. Which of these divine provisions were the
nobles and rulers in Nehemiah’s day not obeying? Apparently they were obeying
all of them except for that of charging high interest rates.
5. Why did Nehemiah get so upset when he heard
the report of the poor? Because this was a time of united effort on the part of
all Israel to rebuild the wall and some were taking advantage of their poorer
brethren in order to enrich themselves.
6. What class would most be benefitted by the
rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall? The nobles & rulers, not the poorer people
who were working just as hard on the wall.
7. What did Nehemiah do when he heard the
complaint of the poor? He first gave serious thought to the situation, next he
rebuked the nobles & rulers, then he called a general assembly to deal with
the problem.
8. What was the response of the nobles and
rulers when Nehemiah reminded them that they had helped buy enslaved Jews from
foreigners but that they were now enslaving their own brethren? They were
silent.
Nehemiah’s Solution (Neh. 5:9-13)
9. What response does Nehemiah propose in order
to relieve the poor at that time of national crisis? That the lenders stop
charging any interest, that they return the interest already charged, &
that they return the property taken as security.
10. How did the nobles and rulers respond to
Nehemiah’s proposal? They said they would do everything he had proposed.
11. With a positive response from the nobles and
rulers what Nehemiah do to ensure the fulfillment of their promise? He enjoined
a covenant to ensure their fulfillment.
12. Besides enjoining a covenant of what does
Nehemiah make note towards the end of chapter 5? That during his 12 years as
governor neither he nor his associates took the appointed salary & taxes
assigned to their office but rather all contributed to the building effort as
well as feeding over 150 people at his table at his own expense.
The Nobles’ Covenant (Eze.
34:1-17)
13. What do covenants usually include? Covenants
include two parties that make vows one to another in the presence of witnesses
& usually include curses for not doing ones part, signs of the covenant,
& a covenant meal where all parties & witnesses fellowship together.
14. When the Jewish nobles and rulers were asked
to restore servants, lands, and interest what covenant promise did they make? They
said: “We will restore them, and will require nothing of them.”
15. Whom did Nehemiah call to be witnesses of
the covenant promise made by the nobles and rulers? The priests.
16. When making an oath what is naturally
included? The consequences of breaking one’s oath – a curse.
17. What curse for breaking their covenant
promise did the Jewish nobles and rulers accept if they should not fulfill
their oath? That God would shake out every man from his house, and from his
labour, that would not perform his promise.
18. What was the reaction of all the people to
this confirmed covenant? They all said: “Amen, and praised the LORD.”
19. What was the result of Nehemiah’s
forethought, anger, and action regarding the oppression of his poorer brethren?
The people did according to what they had promised.
20. What is the benefit of making a covenant? When
a covenant is made all parties clearly understand their responsibilities &
privileges, the time (length) of the covenant is stated, there are witnesses
& curses that inspire fulfillment of one’s promises, & there are signs
given that continually remind the parties of their covenant promises. Some
covenants make provision for failures in the relationship.
by Rick Marin | Oct 22, 2019 | Ezra & Nehemiah
How did God try to awaken his lethargic people?
(Ezra 4:1-24; 5:1-5; Neh. 4:1-23; 6:1-16; Haggai 1:1-14; Zech.
1:1-4, 14-17) Blog Oct. 20-26, 2019
Prepared by
Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO
Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The books of Ezra
and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the exiles to Judea. Three Persian
kings made decrees for their return: Cyrus in 538 BC, when Zerubbabel led
50,000 Jews back; Darius in 520 BC; and Artaxerxes in 457 BC when Ezra led a
smaller number back to Judea. Thirteen years later in 444 BC, Nehemiah joined
Ezra in Jerusalem. The temple had been completed in 516 BC, so they directed
their efforts towards rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall and gates. They were men of strong
faith and diligent effort whom God chose at an important time of prophetic
history.
Opposition (Ezra
4:1-5; 5:1-5; Nehemiah 4:1-23; 6:1-16; 2 Chron. 36:13; 2 Cor. 6:14)
1. When does opposition arise against God’s work?
When God’s people put for effort to advance God’s work.
2. According to Ezra 4:1-3 why did God’s people
not accept the offer of help from their neighbors? Because their neighbors were
really opposed to the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
3. What demonstrates that Israel’s neighbors
were not sincere in their offer to help? The fact that immediately after making
their offer they turned face & opposed the rebuilding.
4. What should we learn from Zerubbabel’s
refusal of help from Israel’s neighbors? That when working to advance God’s
kingdom we should only include true believers in our team.
5. Where is this principle of having only
believers on our team given and illustrated in the New Testament? In Second
Corinthians 6:14 it is stated & it is illustrated in Acts 16:16-18.
6. During the reigns of Darius the Persian, Xerxes
(Ahasuerus), and Artaxerxes how did Israel’s enemies try to stop the building? By
writing letters of accusation to the king.
7. Were Israel’s enemies correct in saying that
Jerusalem had been a rebellious city? Yes, Zedekiah & other Jewish leaders
had rebelled against their conquerors.
8. What resulted from the letter of accusation
sent to Darius? Search was made in the royal archives & the king responded
with a new decree in favor of the rebuilding & the temple was completed
within four years of this decree.
9. What resulted from the letter of accusation
sent to Artaxerxes? The king replied in favor of Israel’ s enemies who then
forcefully stopped the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall.
10. When
Nehemiah had closed the breaches in Jerusalem’s wall what approach did his
enemies make to hinder further construction? They invited him to come down
& discuss things with them.
11. How many times did Nehemiah’s enemies call
him to come counsel with them? Five times.
12. What tactic did Nehemiah’s enemies try after
he refused five times to come counsel with them? They told him to hide in the
temple because there was a death threat on his life.
13. Who else joined the effort to make Nehemiah
afraid? The prophetess Noadiah, together with other Jewish prophets.
Encouragement (2
Chron. 20:20; Ezra 5:1-5; Haggai 1:1-14; Zech. 1:1-4, 14-17; 8:1-6)
14. In addition to the king’s decree how did God
encourage the rebuilding of the temple during the reign of Darius? He sent the
prophets Haggai & Zechariah to help & encourage God’s people thus
increasing their faith.
15. What does God promise in 2 Chronicles 20:20 to
those who believe his prophets? Prosperity.
16. When Haggai first spoke to God’s people in
Jerusalem what was their condition? They were content to live in their sealed
houses while neglecting the rebuilding of God’s temple.
17. According to Haggai how did God try to
awaken his lethargic people? By diminishing their income & by sending
drought.
18. When God’s people in Judea responded to
God’s message through Haggai what was the result? God told them that he would
be with them & they returned to the rebuilding of God’s temple.
19. How did the prophet Zechariah encourage the
rebuilding of Jerusalem? By telling God’s people that if they returned to God
he would return to them & Jerusalem would be rebuilt eventually becoming
God’s eternal dwelling place.
Action (Nehemiah
4:1-23)
20. According to Nehemiah 4 what did Nehemiah do
when Sanballat and company made fun of their rebuilding project? He asked God
to hear & return their reproach upon their own heads.
21. When attacked by Sanballat and company what did
Nehemiah and God’s people do? They prayed & armed themselves.
22. What should we learn from these stories
about rebuilding God’s temple today? That when faced with ridicule &
opposition (from within & from without) in building up God’s church we
should heed God’s prophets, pray, arm ourselves with the sword of the Spirit,
& work diligently, not idly expecting God to do everything.
by admin | Oct 16, 2019 | Ezra & Nehemiah
Who primarily is God’s elect?
(Ezra 7:10; 20:8-11; Nehemiah 1:1-11; Daniel 9:21-27; Romans 9) Blog Oct 13-19, 2019
Prepared by
Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO
Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: The books of Ezra
and Nehemiah tell the story of the return of the exiles from Babylon to Judea.
This return was enacted by three Persian kings. Cyrus made the first decree in
538 BC, under which Zerubbabel led 50,000 Jews back to Judea. Darius made the
second decree in 520 BC and four years later in 516 BC the construction of the
temple in Jerusalem was completed. Artaxerxes made the third decree in 457 BC under
which Ezra led a smaller number back to Judea. Thirteen years later, after
humbling himself, fasting, and fervently praying, Nehemiah, Artaxerxes
cupbearer, returned to Jerusalem commissioned and inspired to rebuild its
walls. Together with God’s provision, Nehemiah combined personal
thought, planning, & human effort as he met opposition from those inspired
by Satan.
God’s call (Ezra 7:10; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 3:20)
1. How does Jeremiah describe the human heart? As
very deceitful & desperately wicked.
2. According to Romans 3 what does the Law of
God point out? Sin
3. How must Ezra, the scribe, have prepared his
heart in order to seek the Law of the Lord and to do it? He must have condemned
the sinfulness of his heart, confessed the sinfulness of his heart, & asked
God to forgive the perverseness of his sinful nature..
4. Why was the good hand of God upon Ezra? Because
he had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, to do it, & to teach
it.
5. What characteristics of Nehemiah made him a
person that God would call to serve him? He sighed & cried for all the
abominations done among God’s people (see Eze. 9:4), he confessed his sins
& those of God’s people, he was a careful student of God’s Word, & he
was a diligent, trusted worker in his occupation.
6. What can we learn from God’s call to Ezra and
Nehemiah if we desire to be called to serve God in a special way? That God
calls those who are sorry for their sins, & are committed to him, to his
Word, & to prayer.
7. What other persons in the Bible were
similarly prepared for God’s call? Moses, Isaiah, Daniel, Amos, Peter, John,
Matthew, Paul, & a host of others.
God’s
time (Daniel 9:21-27; Acts 10:37-38)
8. How were Daniel, Joshua, the high priest, and
Zerubbabel related to prophetic timing? They were each present & devoted to
God at the time that God had promised (through Jeremiah) the end of the Babylonian
captivity.
9. How are we to determine which of the three
Persian decrees ordering the rebuilding of Jerusalem is the one mentioned in
Daniel 9:25? The predicted coming of the Messiah & his death in the middle
of the seventieth week is the only way to determine which decree is referred to
in Daniel 9:25.
10. If the cross of Christ is the key to
understanding Bible prophecy which Persian decree determines the beginning of
the seventy weeks of Daniel 9? The third decree (that made by Artaxerxes in 457
BC) marks the beginning of the 70 weeks for it was made exactly 483 years
before the baptism of Jesus which was his anointing as Messiah that took place
3 ½ years prior to the cross in AD 31.
11. What Bible references demonstrate that in
Bible prophesy a day symbolizes a year? Numbers 14:34 & Ezequiel 4:5-6.
12. How do we know that Daniel 9 gives an
explanation of the time period mentioned in Daniel 8:14? Because Daniel was
praying for the restoration of God’s sanctuary, because Daniel had not
understood the part of the vision dealing with the 2300 days, because Gabriel
states that he has come to give explanation of the “mareh” (the part of the vision dealing with 2300 days),
because Daniel 9 speaks of sin, sanctuary sacrifices, & the work of the
little horn, & because Daniel 9 specifically mentions the Most Holy Place.
13. If 483 years passed from the decree of
Artaxerxes to the baptism of Jesus how many of the 2300 years remained to
complete the prophecy of Daniel 8:14? 1817 years remained until the cleansing
of the sanctuary should begin.
14. What man of God was prepared to leave
Babylon and serve God when Artaxerxes made his decree? Ezra, the scribe.
God’s election (Isa. 42:1-5;
45:4; 65:9, 22; Mark 13:20, 27; Rom. 8:28-29, 33; 9:11; 11:5-7, 28; Col. 3:12; 1
Thes. 1:4-6; 2 Tim. 2:10; Tit. 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:2; 2:6; 5:13; 2 Pet. 1:4-11)
15. According to Isaiah 42, Luke 23, and 1 Peter
2:6 who primarily is God’s elect? Jesus, himself.
16. To whom does the Bible refer in most of its
references to the “elect”? To those who have entered salvation in Jesus, God’s
Elect One.
17. Why do many expositors attempt to relate the
word “election” to God’s call to service rather than to God’s choosing for
salvation in Jesus? Because they don’t understand the principle of election in
Christ who is the Elect One.
18. What often happens when God calls someone to
serve him? They make excuses like Moses, or tarry like Abraham, or go the
opposite direction like Jonah, or go like Isaiah only after seeing no one else
willing.
