Monday, March 23, 2009

Mar21-28: Confidence in the Prophetic Gift

Biblical Authority

1. What was the reason for the great disappointment among the disciples after the Crucifixion according Luke 24:13-32?

  • Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Luke 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

ANSWER:

  • Their disappointment came from their misunderstanding of the scripture.

OBSERVATION:

  • Jesus came unto His believers and expounded unto them the prophecies in the correct light.

  • Jesus revealed Himself to them after the scripture has been explained first. In like manner, our faith must be based upon the scripture more than a revelation of Jesus Himself.

2. Read 2 Pet. 1:16-19. What is “more sure” than seeing Jesus being glorified?

  • 2Pet. 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts

ANSWER:

  • The word of prophecy

OBSERVATION:

  • Apostle Peter said that the scripture is “more sure” than seeing Jesus in person.

  • This concept is very important especially when Satan personates Jesus and speaks opposite to the scripture in the last days.


Into the Word

1. Read Acts 17:11. What did the Bereans do when they heard the preaching of Paul?

  • Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

ANSWER:

  • They received the word with all readiness of mind

  • Searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

APPLICATION:

  • Open mind is very important when it comes to study God’s word.

  • However we should be a diligent student so that whatever we accept as the truth should be supported by the Bible and the Bible alone.

2. What do the following texts tell us about the importance of the study of Scripture? Prov. 2:1–6, Matt. 22:29, John 5:39, Rom. 15:4, Rev. 1:3.

ANSWER:

  • Prov. 2:1-6 The study of scripture helps us to understand “the fear of the Lord”

  • Matt. 22:29 The study of scripture helps us to understand the power of God

  • John 5:39 The study of scripture helps us to understand Jesus

  • Rom. 15:4 The study of scripture helps us to understand how we can have hope

  • Rev. 1:3 The study of scripture helps us to be blessed for the last days.


Pointing to Jesus

1. What do the following Old Testament texts tell us about Jesus? Ps. 16:9, 10; 41:9; Isa. 53:4–6; Mic. 5:2

ANSWER:

  • Ps. 16:9, 10 Jesus will be resurrected

  • Ps. 41:9 Jesus will be betrayed by His own friend

  • Isa. 53:4-6 Jesus will be sacrificed for our sins

  • Mic. 5:2 Jesus will be born in Bethlehem


Prophet and the Laodicean Church

1. What was the older title for the prophets?

  • 1Sam. 9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

ANSWER:

  • Seer

2. What is the meaning of the word, seer?

ANSWER:

  • To see, to look, to view, to have visions.

  • 7200. raw-aw´; a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):—advise self, appear, approve, behold, x certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, x indeed, x joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, x be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), x sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, x surely, x think, view, visions.

OBSERVATION:

  • Seers or prophets were like the eyes for the church.

  • Num. 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

3. What is the condition of the Laodicean church?

  • Rev. 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked

ANSWER:

  • Wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked

4. What was the counsel that Jesus gave for their blindness?

  • Rev. 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

ANSWER:

  • Anoint thine eyes with eyesalve”

5. Where do we have a story of a blind man being healed by an eyesalve?

  • John 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay

ANSWER:

  • John chapter 9

6. What did the blind man say regarding who opened his eyes?

  • John 9:17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

ANSWER:

  • Prophet

APPLICATION QUESTION:

  • What can help the Laodicean church to see?

1 comment:

David Ng said...

Hi all readers, please forgive me. I posted the wrong week's commentary last week. We skipped last week's commentary. I accidently posted 13th Sabbath's study. However, for those interested, I have amended the post for last week - The Blessings of the Prophetic Gift.