Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Random Quiz: 20

20 Quizzes

Water is a major source of life. Match the following water bodies with the proper statement about it. 11 Questions.

1. A blind man washed in this pool and received sight,(Jn 9:6-7).

2. Naaman "dipped" in this river and was healed of leprosy (2 Kings 5:14)

3. Daniel saw a vision of a ram in this river,(Dan 8:2-3).

4. Ezekiel saw visions of God here, (Eze 1:3).

5. Elijah slaughtered the prophets of Baal at this valley,(1 Kgs 18:40).

6. Moses led the Israelites through the dry land of this sea floor,(Ex 14:16).

7. Another name for the sea of Galilee,(Jn 6:1).

8. A river which flows out of Eden,(Gen 2:10-11).

9. The water at this place was bitter,(Ex 15:23).

10. Seraiah was commanded to read a book and cast it into this river,
(Jer 51:60-63).

11. Jesus taught in a ship in this body of water, (Lk 5:1-3).


List for matching: (11 Names)

a)Marah, b)Gennesaret, c)Kishon, d)Tiberias, e)Euphrates, f)Pison, g)Red, h)Siloam,

i)Kebar, j)Jordan, k)Ulai.


Answers: 1-11 Questions

1-h, 2-j, 3-k, 4-i, 5-c, 6-g,

7-d, 8-f, 9-a, 10-e, 11-b.
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12. Matthew 1:1 calls Jesus Christ was the son of two fathers. Who were they?

13. In that day the "Root of Jesse" will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.(Isa 11:10)
Who is the Root, Isaiah talks about and who is Jesse?

14. Who is David's great-grandmother?

15. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Who delivered this message to Jesus' earthly mother Mary?


Answers:
12. David, and Abraham

13. Jesus, Jesse is the father of David.

14. Ruth (Mat 1:5)

15. The angel Gabriel (Lk 1:32)
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16. 17Do not repay anyone evil for __________. 21Do not be overcome by ________, but overcome _________ with good. (Romans 12:17, 21)

17. What did Martha, the sister of Lazarus, do when she heard that Jesus was coming to their house?

18. What was the question Nicodemus, a Pharisee who held an important role in Sanhedrin(the Jewish ruling council) and Israel's teacher asked of Jesus when he came for secret instruction?

19. Who in the Bible was called, "A man after mine own heart"

20. 104th Psalm(2-30) is a paean to the Lord's
a) propensity to forgive, b) creative power, c)love, d)patience.

(paean = a song of joyful praise or exultation)


Answers:
16. evil, evil, evil

17. She went outside to meet Him.(John 11:20)

18. "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" (John 3:4)

19. David (Acts 13:22)
'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'

20. b
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Monday, June 1, 2009

Rachel

18 Questions & Answers

Scripture Reference:Gen 29-35; Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:18 _________________________________________________________________________

#1. Who was Rachel?

Answer:
Rachel was the younger daughter of Laban, the Aramean, the brother of Jacob's mother(Rebekah) , wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin. So Rachel and Jacob were full cousins. Rachel was a shepherdess. For some time, Rachel remained barren.
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#2. What did Jacob do when he saw Rachel as soon as he arrived in Haran(Paddan Aram)?

Answer:
They met for the first time upon the arrival of Jacob at Haran. When attracted by her beauty he immediately fell in love with her, winning her love by his chivalrous act. She immediately became the object of his attention.
Later he signed a contract with Laban for seven years of labor (the usual period of indentured servants);

Gene 29:10-12
10 When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and Laban's sheep, he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep. 11 Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. 12 He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.
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#3. What did Laban do when he heard about his nephew, Jacob?

Answer:
13 As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. 14 Then Laban said to him, "You are my own flesh and blood." (Gene 29:13-14)
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#4. What did Jacob do to possess Rachel?

Answer:
After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, according to the custom of the times Jacob contracted with Laban for her possession, agreeing to serve him 7 years as the bridal price (29:17-20). But when the time had passed, Laban deceived Jacob by giving him Leah instead of Rachel. When Jacob protested, Laban gave him Rachel also after the bridal week, on condition that Jacob will serve 7 years more.(Gene 29:21-29)

A wife Jacob did not want was forced on him by deceit, just as he had gotten his father's blessing by deceit. He had begun to reap what he had sown.
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#5. How much time Jacob had to wait for him to lie with Rachel?

a) Fourteen years, b)Seven years, c)Seven years and one week, d)20 years

Answer: c
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#6. Crafty Laban sensed Jacob's deep affection for Rachel. As the wedding day approached, Laban hatched a scheme to trick Jacob. What was it?

Answer: (Gene 29:21-30)
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her."
22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. 24 And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.

25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?"
26 Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. 27 Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work."

28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his servant girl Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her maidservant. 30 Jacob lay with Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.

The marriage could not be undone. Though Jacob thought 7 years was a good bargain, Laban's convoluted plan of substituting Rachel's unattractive sister Leah, made Jacob serve Laban fourteen years to secure Rachel as wife.

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#7. The marked manner Rachel's character shows the traits of her family. What are they?

Answer:
Cunning and covetousness, so evident in Laban, Rebekah and Jacob. Though a believer in the true God (Gen 30:6,8,22), she was yet given to the superstitions of her country, the worshipping of the teraphim, etc. (Gen 31:19).

Manipulated by her father, she had little say over her own life circumstances and relationships. But rather than dealing creatively with a difficult situation, she behaved like a perpetual victim, responding to sin with more sin, making things worse by competing with her sister, Leah and deceiving her father in return.
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#8. How did Rachel die prematurely and what did Jacob do at that time?

Answer:
Afterwards, on Jacob's departure from Mesopotamia, as they journeyed on from Bethel, Rachel died in giving birth to Benjamin (Gene 35:18, 19), and was buried "in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem. And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave". Her sepulchre is still regarded with great veneration by the Jews. Its traditional site is about half a mile from Jerusalem.
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#9. Name the children of Rachel and her maid servant, Bilhah?

Answer:
Of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin
Of Bilhah: Dan and Naphtali

These are the 4 out of 12 sons of Jacob.
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#10. True or False.
a)Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.
b)Leah was more fertile than Rachel


Answer: a)True, b)True. Both statements are True.
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#11. Jacob, even in his sorrow loved Rachel's second son, and with a father's tenderness, he renamed his little one, Benjamin meaning "son of my right hand" (Gen 35:16-20). What was the child's first name?

Answer:
Perhaps one of the Bible's most poignant scenes is played out when Rachel, in great pain and knowing she was dying during the child birth, named her second son Ben-oni, "son of my trouble".
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#12. After becoming prosperous, why did Jacob gather his flocks, his servants, his children, and prepare to return to the land of Isaac, leaving his uncle's service after 20 years of refuge in Haran?

Answer:
One day God spoke to Jacob, telling him to return to the land of Isaac, his father.
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#13. After 10 days on the road, Laban overtook Jacob and his possessions in the hill country of Gilead, accusing his son-in-law of theft. What was the reason and the end result of Jacob's promise to Laban?

Answer:
Before they leave Haran, Rachel stole her father's household gods, Rachel concealed these household gods in the baggage as she and Jacob fled (31:30-31). These household deities, about the size of miniature dolls, were regarded as indisputable evidence of the rights and privileges of family ownership and inheritance (31:30).
These small idols thought to ensure prosperity.

Unaware of Rachel's deceit, Jacob invited Laban to search the camp, promising to put to death anyone discovered with the idols. Having learned to trick from her crafty father, Rachel tucked the idols into a saddle and then sat on it.. When Laban entered her tent, she greeted him with a woman's ruse, saying, "Don't be angry my Lord, I cannot stand up in your presence. I am having my period". Her trick worked, much as Jacob's had when he deceived his own father. Laban finally gave up the search.
(Later, Jacob made sure that all the old idols were purged out from his household.)
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#14. Two Old Testament and one NT passages, outside Genesis name Rachel. What are they?

Answer:
Ruth 4:11 calls her one who built up the house of Israel. Here, the names of Rachel and Leah occur in the nuptial benediction as the foundresses of the house of Israel.

Ruth 4:11 Then the elders and all those at the gate said, "We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem. 12 Through the offspring the LORD gives you by this young woman, may your family be like that of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah."

This name is used poetically by Jeremiah (31:15-17) to denote God's people mourning under their calamities. Jeremiah refers to her weeping over children being taken in Exile. Rachel’s fierce love for her children became an emblem for Israel.
15 This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more." 16 This is what the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD. "They will return from the land of the enemy. 17 So there is hope for your future," declares the LORD. "Your children will return to their own land.

This passage is also quoted by Matthew as (Matthew 2:18) Jeremiah's reference of weeping at Bethlehem in connection with Herod's order to kill male children under two.
Matt 2:16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18"A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
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#15. What could be the reason, Rachel's own son, Joseph, suffered grievously, as a result being sold into slavery by his half brothers, Leah's sons?

Answer:
Like her husband, the beautiful Rachel had been both a schemer and the victim of schemes. Tricked by her own father, she viewed her children as weapons in the struggle with her sister. As so often happens, the lessons of treachery and competition were passed on from generation to generation.

Yet through a remarkable set of twists and turns, Rachel's Joseph one day ruled Egypt, providing a refuge for his father and brothers in the midst of a severe famine. Step by step, in ways impossible to foresee, God's plan was unfolding, a plan to heal divisions, put an end to striving, and restore hope.

Using people with mixed motives and confused desires, he was revealing his grace and mercy, never forsaking his promise.
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#16. What could be Rachel's Joy and tragedy?

Answer:
Her Joy: Her husband cherished her and would do whatever was in his power to make her happy. Jacob favored the sons of his beloved Rachel above the sons of Leah.

Her Tragedy: Her longing for children ultimately led her to death in childbirth.
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#17. When we study Rachel, name 4 relevant promises from scripture?

Answer:
1. Gene 30:22 Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb.

2. Psalm 25:6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.

3. Jerem 15:15 You understand, O LORD; remember me and care for me.

4. Luke 1:49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
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#18. What is teraphim(KJV)? (Refer question #7)

Answer:
Figures or images associated with pagan worship and the occult practice of divination. It is reported in all periods of OT history, showing the persistence of pagan practices in Israel.
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Points to ponder:

1. When we have been in a situation that caused us to lie or cheat to protect ourselves or someone else, what could/should we have done differently?

2. Discontentment is an insidious thing, trapping us into thinking that which was enough once, is no longer enough, and that which was satisfying once, is no longer satisfying. What we can do to resist such sentiments that we ever feel discontent because we don't "have it all".

3. Add your own and meditate on what you can learn from Rachel's life.
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Glossary:

1. chiv·al·rous = relating to knighthood code: relating to or reflecting the values of the medieval code of knighthood, especially courtesy, self-sacrifice, and a sense of fair play.

2. in·den·ture = contract with apprentice: a contract committing an apprentice or servant to serve a master or employer for a specific period of time ( often plural )

3. ruse = something done to deceive others: a clever trick or plot used to deceive others

4. Foundress = A female founder; a woman who founds or establishes.

5. pa·gan = 1. an offensive term that deliberately insults somebody who does not acknowledge the God of the Bible, Torah, or Koran.
2. an offensive term that deliberately insults somebody's nonbelief in religion, way of life, or degree of knowledge.

6. occult = supernatural or magic: relating to, involving, or characteristic of magic, witchcraft, or supernatural phenomena

7. div·i·na·tion = seeking knowledge by supernatural means: the methods or practice of attempting to foretell the future or discovering the unknown through omens, oracles, or supernatural powers

8. in·sid·i·ous = gradual and harmful: slowly and subtly harmful or destructive.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

The Woman of Samaria

For the List of the "Women of the Bible", click Blog Archive, 2008 December

16 Questions & Answers
Scripture Reference: John 4:1-42

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#1. True or False. The 'Woman of Samaria' given as her name in this story may be appropriate rather than her real name.

#1. True. Everybody knows Woman means an adult female human being. The teaching method of Jesus lay not in her name, but the political and religious relation of Samaritans with Jews serve a better understanding and implication of this particular story.
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#2. How Jesus happened to be at the well to meet with this ordinary woman?

#2. John 4:3-6. When the Lord learned of this(=hostility of Pharisees), he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4Now he had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour(=noon).
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#3. Describe a brief religious history of Samaria to understand this context?

#3. When one church brands another a cult, it usually creates long-standing bitterness. The Samaritans and the Jews felt that way about each other. Samaritan religion closely resembled Judaism, but on key issues its followers had gone their own way.

Forty-two miles north of Jerusalem lie the ruins of ancient Samaria near a small village called Sebastiya. Samaria was the capital, residence, and burial place of the kings of Israel (1 Kings 16:23-28; 1 Kings 22:37; 2 Kings 6:24-30). Following the Northern Kingdom's fall to Assyria (721 B.C.), exiles from many nations settled Samaria (Ezra 4:9-10). Later, the Greeks conquered the region (331 B.C.) and hellenized the area with Greek inhabitants and culture. After a long period without inhabitants, Samaria lived again under the Romans (63 B.C.). Finally, Herod the Great obtained control of Samaria in 30 BC. and made it one of the chief cities of his territory. Again, the city was resettled with people from distant places, this time mercenaries from Europe. Herod renamed the city Sebaste, using the Greek word for Augustus, the emperor. When the Jews revolted in 66 A.D., the Romans reconquered the city and destroyed it. The Romans later rebuilt Samaria, but the city never regained the prestige it once had. Samaria is the only major city founded in Israel (the Northern Kingdom) by Omri, the sixth king of Israel (885-874 B.C.).
When Ahab, Omri's son, became king of Israel, he built an ivory palace at Samaria. Amos denounced him for doing this (Amos 6:1,Amos 6:4; 1 Kings 22:39). Jezebel influenced Ahab, her husband, to make the city the center for Baal worship (1 Kings 16:29-33). Jezebel also had many prophets of Yahweh killed in Samaria (1 Kings 18:2-4).

After the Assyrian conquest, Samaria began to shrink in size. By New Testament times, it became identified with the central region of Palestine, with Galilee to the north and Judea to the south. When Assyrian captives from distant places settled there (2 Kings 17:24) this led to the intermarriage of some, though not all, Jews with Gentiles and to widespread worship of foreign gods. By the time the Jews returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem, Ezra and Nehemiah refused to let the Samaritans share in the experience (Ezra 4:1-3; Nehemiah 4:7). The old antagonism between Israel to the north and Judah to the south intensified the quarrel.

The Jewish inhabitants of Samaria identified Mount Gerizim as the chosen place of God and the only center of worship. Their scriptures were limited to the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. The Samaritans expected a Messiah, but their rejection of all the inspired writings after the Pentateuch meant that they knew little about him. They thought of him mainly as a teacher. Moses was regarded as the only prophet and intercessor in the final judgment. They also believed that 6,000 years after creation, a Restorer would arise and would live on earth for 110 years. On the Judgment Day, the righteous would be resurrected in paradise and the wicked roasted in eternal fire.
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#4. The woman said the well was deep. How much was it deep?

#4. Christian pilgrim sources as early as the fourth century mention a well in this area that was about 100 feet deep. When the present well was cleaned out in 1935, it was found to be 138 feet deep. Jacob's well is mentioned only in the Scripture in
Jn 4:6.
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#5. What was the belief of Jews if they drink out of a vessel handled by a Samaritan?

#5. A Jew would become ceremonially unclean if he used a drinking vessel handled by a Samaritan, since the Jews held that all Samaritans were "unclean."
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#6. In the days of Christ, the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans was greatly strained. Can you name the things Jesus did to improve this situation by reaching across the barriers?

#6. In the days of Christ, the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans was greatly strained (Luke 9:52-54; Luke 10:25-37; Luke 17:11-19; John 8:48). The animosity was so great that the Jews bypassed Samaria as they traveled between Galilee and Judea. They went an extra distance through the barren land of Perea on the eastern side of the Jordan to avoid going through Samaria.

Yet Jesus:
a)rebuked His disciples for their hostility to the Samaritans(Luke 9:55-56),
b)healed a Samaritan leper (Luke 17:16),
c)honored a Samaritan for his neighborliness (Luke 10:30-37),
d)praised a Samaritan for his gratitude (Luke 17:11-18),
e)preached to the Samaritans (John 4:40-42).
f)In Acts 1:8, Jesus challenged His disciples to witness in Samaria.
(Philip, a deacon, opened a mission in Samaria - Acts 8:5),
g)and even Jesus asked a drink of a promiscuous Samaritan woman beside a well(John 4:7).
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#7. How many times Jesus told before his trial that he is the Messiah?

#7. Jn 4:26 "I who speak to you am he". This is the only occasion before his trial on which Jesus specifically declared that he was the Messiah. (See also Mk 9:41).
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#8. "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty". Who said this and what was the occasion?

#8. Samaritan woman requested Jesus at the well.
Jn 4:10-15 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." 11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" 13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
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#9. One of the constantly recurring contrasts in the Gospels is the repudiation of Jesus by the religious leaders of his nation. But what does the story of the Samaritan woman reemphasize about Jesus to us?

#9. The acceptance of Jesus by the outcasts, sinners, and common people.
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#10. Why the disciples were surprised when they came back to Jesus after the shopping trip in Sychar?

#10. Jn 4:27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"

Jewish religious teachers rarely spoke with women in public. Jesus seemed refreshed and restored by his encounter with the woman, though he had arrived at the well thirsty, hungry, and tired from the journey towards Galilee in north.
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#11. Jesus clearly commanded, "how to worship God". What was it?

#11. Jn4:24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
This fact has great importance for the proper understanding of Christian worship.
(Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity. Don't get confused with the context).

The place of worship is irrelevant, because true worship must be in keeping with God's nature, which is spirit. In John's Gospel truth is associated with Christ
Jn 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jn 17:17 your word is truth.

Jn 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

1 Cor 14:15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

Phipp 3:3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
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#12. What was the end result of Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman?

#12. Dodge, counter dodge- nothing the woman said would keep Jesus satisfied. He kept pressing beneath the surface, inviting her to a deeper understanding, by revealing his knowledge of the most intimate details of her life. When she finally admitted the truth, Jesus startled her with a revelation about himself: for the first time he admitted that he was the Messiah.

She immediately left and began telling people, “He told me everything I have ever done” (John 4:39). Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony. At the Samaritan's urging, Jesus stayed on for 2 days with them and many more came to believe. Thus the woman helped to proclaim the gospel. Also the visit of Jesus laid the groundwork for the hearty reception of the Gospel by the Samaritans a few years later (Acts 8:4-8).
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#13. What would have been the Samaritan woman's sorrow?

#13. She have lived in a way with many romantic liaisons that relegated her to the margins of her society. Though she helped to spread the Word after the encounter with the Lord, she would not have been most people's first choice to advance the gospel in a region where it had not yet been heard.
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#14. True or False. Jesus told the woman of Samaria, "You must be born again".

#14. False. (Jn 3:7) If Jesus had said this to the Samaritan woman, Nicodemus would have agreed with Jesus. But the wonderful teachings about "eternal life, His love and the new birth", Jesus taught the Israel's prominent religious teacher, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, and a respected interpretter of God's Law, Nicodemus.
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#15. What is the meaning of the term Messiah?

#15. 1.In Christianity, Jesus Christ regarded as the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew Bible.
2. In the Hebrew Bible, an anointed king who will lead the Jews back to the land of Israel and establish justice in the world.

The term became the official title of the central figure of a deliverer and redeemer which the writers of the New Testament considered to be fulfilled in Jesus.
(Jewish messianic hope in the first century was considerably diverse, and different concepts of the Messiah were in circulation at the time of Jesus).
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#16. Give 2 promises in Scripture about hunger?

#16. 1. Matt 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
2. Luke 6:21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
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Lot's Wife

For the List of the "Women of the Bible", click Blog Archive, 2008 December

11 Questions & Answers
Scripture Reference: Gen 18:16-19; 29; Lk 17:28-33
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#1. Who was Lot?

#1. Lot was the son of Abraham's brother Haran, both of whom were sons of Terah. Therefore, Lot is the nephew of Abraham or Abraham is the uncle of Lot. On the death of Lot's father, he was left in charge of his grandfather Terah. After the death of Terah Lot accompanied his uncle Abraham and finally he separated from Abraham and settled in Sodom(Gen 13:5-13).
Lot made many mistakes in life, yet the divine record still calls him a "righteous" man(2 Peter 2:4-8). While living in Sodom, the wicked men of the city said, "He keeps acting as a judge"(Gen 19:9)
When the judgment of God descended on the guilty cities of the plain(Gen 19:1-20), Lot was miraculously delivered.Lot's deliverance was the main concern of Abraham's prayer

The angels found Lot in the gateway to Sodom—a fact loaded with significance. Traditionally, city fathers gathered in the gateway to make important decisions. Lot’s presence suggests that he had become “one of them” during his time in Sodom, which may explain why he struggled against leaving.
Lot apparently had lost his power of moral persuasion even among his family members-
his sons-in-law thought he was joking when asked to leave.
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#2. Who was Lot's wife and what was her name?

#2. The Old Testament only refers to "Lot's wife" in Genesis 19. In the new Testament
Jesus' words of warning is in Luke 17:32. In the Scripture these two are all that is said of this person. The Bible does not give us the name of "Lot's wife". She was married to Lot, a righteous man.
Genesis simply tells us that Lot and the women of the home did not want to leave the city of Sodom. As a result,the angelic visitors in their effort to hasten the slow departure, "seized" them by the hand and took them out of the city. The angels had commanded them to flee and warned them to not look back at the destruction, but Lot's wife did and she became a pillar of salt(a stiffened corpse). This was an act of God's judgment.
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#3. "Remember Lot's wife", who warned this, and what for? Lk. 17:32

#3. In the New Testament Jesus tells us why she looked back. We discover that she did not become a pillar of salt because she simply looked back. What was her sin? She was longing for the pleasures of Sodom - the pleasures of this world - more than she was longing to be faithful to God.

She was willing to live with the great wickedness that God hated in order to enjoy its pleasures. She did not really love God. She loved the things of this world more. She was not really willing to obey. So God punished her by turning her into a pillar of salt. (Did she really become a pillar of salt? Flavius Josephus, the Roman historian of 1st century A.D., recorded that he had seen her pillar of salt).

The end of Lot's wife is probably one of the difficulties of the Bible. But the value and the significance of the story to us are contained in the allusion of Christ given in LK 17:32.

Luke 17:28-29, 32-33
28"It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
32Remember Lot's wife! 33Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
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#4. What did Abraham do for Sodom?

#4. Abraham interceded with the Lord for Sodom(Gen 19:27-28)
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#5. While running for life, did Lot's family go to the mountains as instructed?

#5. Disobediently protests against going to the mountains, and choose Zoar caves (Gen 19:17-22)
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#6. From the incestuous intercourse between Lot and his two daughters what two nations were produced?

#6. Moab and Ammon.
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#7. Gen. 19:26 says Don’t Look Back. Who disobeyed this warning of God?

#7. Lot's wife. For this she became a symbol of indecision. Lot and his family found it hard to leave their adopted home of Sodom, despite its immorality. Angel messengers warned them to hurry, not even stopping to look back. When Lot’s wife disobeyed, she turned into a pillar of salt—perhaps caught in volcanic explosions that engulfed Sodom. Jesus warned his followers to remember her example when their time of trouble came (Luke 17:32).
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#8. Why did God send his angels to Sodom?

#8. To rescue Lot and his family(Gen 18) from the upcoming destruction. Earlier, God had promised Abraham he would spare the city if he could find at least 10 righteous people in it, but not even 10 could be found.
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#9. Was God's mercy extended to Lot for love of Lot or for love of Abraham?

#9. Bible don't say any answer on this. But we do know God's mercy was available for Lot and his family and in the hardest of circumstances God stretched his hand to lead them to safety.
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#10. Did Lot consult his wife to invite the unexpected visitors of the city to spend the night under his roof?

#10. Certainly not. Lot's wife must have welcomed the strangers warmly too, for hospitality was a sacred trust in the ancient world. To avoid surrendering guests for the people's pleasure, Lot even attempted an appalling bargain with the offer of his 2 daughters for their will and pleasure. Lot did his own decisions on both of these situations.
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#11. What are the lessons we can learn from Lot's wife?

#11. A) She was married to a righteous man.

The power of good association. Paul warned us on this.
1 Cor 15:33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

None of us is righteous enough.
Isa 59:1-2 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

1 Peter 4:17-18 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"

B) She was warned of the danger- a message from God himself to Lot and his wife.
Gen 19:17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!"

Christ also warns us of the danger before us--
(1)Matt 7:21-23 He spoke more about hell than all the apostles.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
(2)Matt 25:46 Jesus tells us of the judgement day--"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

(3)2Thes 1:7-8 Paul foretold-- This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

(4)Acts 24:25 When Paul preached before Felix, the thought of a judgement day made him fearful-- As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you."

(5)Acts 2:40 On the day of Pentecost, when the Lord's church was established and the terms of Divine pardon made known unto men, Peter preached the very first sermon ever given in the name of our risen Lord. He told those who believed that they need to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins--
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."

C) She made an effort to be saved. She was convinced but not converted and looked unto God(Jesus). She was seeking safety with divided desires and interests. The immediate cause of her fear has faded away and she became lukewarm.

D) In a society like ours, it is rare to find someone who is not attached to creature comforts. It may be worth to test our own level of attachments or rigidity that may have developed so that we can become free and flexible enough to respond quickly to God's direction.

E) We can look into some promises in the Scripture.

(1)Gen 19:16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them.

(2)Deut 13:17 he will show you mercy, have compassion on you,

(3)Psalm 25:6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.

(4)Jerem 3:12 'I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful,' declares the LORD,
'I will not be angry forever.
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Glossary:

Dead Sea: Salt lake on the border between Israel and Jordan, in southwestern Asia. Its surface, at 400 m (1,312 ft) below sea level, marks the lowest point on Earth. Area: 1,020 sq km (394 sq mi).
The utter absence of the slightest trace of animal and vegetable life in its waters are a striking testimony to the catastrophe.

Sod·om:
a) city of depravity: In the Bible, a city full of moral corruption and evil that was destroyed along with Gomorrah by God

b) The historical records of the Canaanites tell us that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah now lie under the southwest end of the Dead Sea.

c) corrupt place: a place that is regarded as corrupt.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Money

20 Questions & Answers

#1. What is money?

Answer:
A portable medium of exchange generally accepted in a society as a measure of value.
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#2. Name the coins of the following peoples?
a)Roman, b)Greek, c)Jewish, d)American


Answers:
All these coins are mentioned in the NT except American. Sometimes its meaning or value is confusing.

a)Roman:
a.1)denarius
1. an ancient Roman silver coin originally worth ten asses,
first issued in the latter part of the 3rd century b.c., that fluctuated in value and sometimes appeared as a bronze coin.
2. an ancient Roman gold coin worth 25 silver denarii
3. the coin most often mentioned in the NT is Roman denarius.(the Romans took possession of Palestine in 63 BC).

a.2)farthing
1.used in the King James Version of the Bible to translate a Roman coin.
2. a former bronze coin of Great Britain, equal to one-fourth of a British penny: withdrawn in 1961.
3. something of very small value: I don't care a farthing for your opinion.

a.3)Pound

1)Roman currency, from which the pound is derived

The Roman currency during most of the Roman Republic and the western half of the Roman Empire consisted of coins including the aureus (gold), the denarius (silver), the sestertius (bronze), the dupondius (bronze), and the as (copper). These were used from the middle of the third century BC until the middle of the third century A.D.

They were still accepted as payment in Greek influenced territories, even though these regions issued their own base coinage and some silver in other denominations, either called Greek Imperial or Roman provincial coins.

During the third century, the denarius was replaced by the double denarius, now usually known as the antoninianus or radiate, which was then itself replaced during the monetary reform of Diocletian which created denominations such as the argenteus (silver) and the follis (silvered bronze). After the reforms Roman coinage consisted mainly of the gold solidus and small bronze denominations. This trend continued to the end of the Empire in the West.

2)A talent equaled about seventy-five pounds (Ex 25:39), a mina about 1.25 pounds (1Ki 10:17), forty shekels about one pound (Ge 3:15).

3)Also called pound sterling- a paper money, nickel-brass coin, and monetary unit of the United Kingdom formerly equal to 20 shillings or 240 pence: equal to 100 new pence after decimalization in Feb. 1971. Symbol: £.
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b)Greek:
b.1)drachma (4 definitions are given).
a. the principal silver coin of ancient Greece.
(the main unit of the former Greek currency, before the euro).
b. a cupronickel coin and monetary unit of modern Greece, equal to 100 lepta.
c. a small unit of weight in ancient Greece, approximately equivalent to the U.S. and British apothecaries' dram.
d. A Greek silver coin worth about a day's wages (Lk 15:8; Ac 19:19). The temple tax was two drachmas (Mt 17:24). In Ezr 2:69 and Ne 7:70-72 the term may refer to the Persian daric.
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c)Jewish:
The Israelites typically used the coinage of the nation that ruled over them. But they also developed their own local system of coinage.

c.1)mite
1. a contribution that is small but is all that a person can afford.
2. a very small sum of money.
3. a coin of very small value.
4. a very small creature.

c.2)shekel
1. the main unit of Israeli currency
2. ancient Jewish unit of weight: an ancient Jewish unit of weight equivalent to approximately 16 g (0.5 oz), or a weight, equal to twenty gerahs.
3. an ancient Jewish coin that was a unit of currency between 66 AD and 130 AD
4. Fines, Fees and Sanctuary revenues paid in shekels.

c.3) Gerah:
A weight equal about 1/20 of a shekel or 1/2 gram (Ex 30:13; Lev 27:25; Nu 3:47).

c.4)talent
a. an ancient unit of weight and money. A weight equal to sixty minas or about seventy-five pounds (1Ki 9:14, 28; 10:10, 14; Ex 25:39; 38:27). Parables of the talent(Mt 18:23-34; 25:15-30).
b. any of various ancient units of weight, as a unit of Palestine and Syria equal to 3000 shekels, or a unit of Greece equal to 6000 drachmas.
c. any of various ancient Hebrew or Attic monetary units equal in value to that of a talent weight of gold, silver, or other metal.
d. a power of mind or body considered as given to a person for use and improvement: so called from the parable in Matt. 25:14–30.
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d) American:
d.1)penny
a. The smallest Roman copper coin (Mt 5:26; Mk 12:42; Lk 12:6, 59).
b. coin in United States and Canada: a U.S. and Canadian coin worth one cent
c. former British coin: a bronze coin or a unit of money used in Britain before
1971, worth one twelfth of a shilling, or one two-hundred-and-fortieth of a pound.
Symbol: d
d. a coin or monetary unit with a low value in some countries
e. a very small amount of money
(eg:It won't cost you a penny).

d.2)cent
a common subunit of currency in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the European Union, and several other countries

d.3)dollar
The common unit of currency used in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and several other countries
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#3. When did the Israel start to use the coin?

Answer:
Coins didn't come into use in Israel until after the people returned from exile between 500 and 400 BC. Before that time people bartered, exchanging produce, animals, and precious metals for goods and services. The Israelites probably carried Persian and Babylonian coins back to Israel with them when they returned from exile there.
By Jesus' day, a large variety of coins had come from Rome and Greek as well as their own Jewish form of coinage.
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#4. What kind of images were found on coins?

Answer:
In olden days coins were crudely made. Each was individually punched from gold, silver or some other metal. Then a design was hammered onto each side.
The Greek coins most often had images of nature or animals or gods stamped onto them.
The Roman coins carried the image of the emperor of the time, as well as his name. Coins have been found with the images of all 12 Roman emperors.
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#5. How come Money-changers were found in the temple court?

Answer:
The coins of many lands were in circulation in Palestine during NT times.
The temple tax had to be paid in Jewish currency, shekels. Money-changers set up their businesses in the "outer court" in order to change other coinage into shekels(acceptable money per rabbis decree) for temple worshipers, (Deut 14:24-25). Money changers often cheated their customers, and certain priestly families shared in the proceeds. Sometimes money changers serve as bankers making loans with interest, which was contrary to Mosaic law.

Jesus was not opposed to the operation of such businesses, but to the operation within the temple itself. He furiously scattered them, declaring that his Father's house was a house of prayer, not a business site - (Matt 21:12-13).
"It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'
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#6. While money is necessary for life in most cultures, the Bible warns against placing more importance on it than it should rightfully have. Can you fill up the missing words in the following verses?

a) Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not __________ for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2-3)

b) Keep your lives free from the ________ of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5)

c) For the _______ of money is a ______ of all kinds of _______. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many ______.
11But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.(1 Timothy 6:10-12)

(This is a famous verse but often misquoted words about money. A lover of money when giving it away, would make sure the gift was noisily apparent).


Answers:
a)greedy, b)love, c)love, root, evil, griefs.
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#7. Money drives an effective and forceful wedge between our Savior and us.
Jesus knew that and reminded us with the following words. Fill the missing words.


"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both ______ and _________." (Luke 16:13)

Answer:
God, money.
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#8. With all the teachings available for Christians, are Christians susceptible to money's enticements?

Answer:
The pervasive lure of money and what it can provide-the need to have more and do more and get more- is probably more prevalent in our culture than in any other in history. Christians are just as susceptible to its enticements as anyone else.
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#9. Where the wealth is first mentioned in the Bible and what are the items of wealth?

Answer:
Wealth is first mentioned in the Bible in connection with Abraham (Gen 12:5; 12:16, 20). He possessed the three main items of wealth in the ancient world: livestock, silver and gold (Gen 13:2).
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#10. Since Jesus was a firstborn son not of the tribe of Levi, what his parents had to do to redeem him from the priesthood?

Answer:
Among the Jews the shekel was used for the temple tax, the poll tax, and redemption from the priesthood (Exod 30:11-16; 13:13; Num 3:44-51).
Since Jesus was a firstborn son not of the tribe of Levi, his parents redeemed him from the priesthood (Luke 2:21) by payment of a shekel, worth about a day's wages at the time.
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#11. Why the parable of 10,000 talents the unmerciful servant owed his master (Matt 18:23-25) was an overwhelming debt?

Answer:
It required 3,000 shekels to equal one talent of silver, which reveals that the 10,000 talents was an overwhelming debt,= 30,000000, ie 30 million shekels.
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#12. Who did Jesus send fishing to get money for taxes?
a) Matthew, b) Peter, c)John, d) Nicodemus


Answer:
b)Peter
The coin Peter found in the fish's mouth was the Greek stater (Matt 17:27). Since the temple tax was a half-shekel, the stater would pay for two, ie for Jesus and Peter.
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#13. How much was Judas Iscariot given to betray Jesus?
a)20 pieces of silver, b)A talent of gold, c)30 pieces of silver, d)30 pound


Answer:
c)30 pieces of silver
It is believed that the 30 pieces of silver (Matt 26:15; 27:3-5) that bought the greatest betrayal in history were tetra drachmas.
30 shekels was the price of a slave (Exod 21:32).
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#14. What prophet's sons were greedy, and took bribes?
a)Joshua, b)Elisha, c)Nathan, d)Samuel


Answer:
d)Samuel (1Samuel 8:1-3)
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#15. Who offered Delilah silver to find out the secret of Samson's strength?
a)The lords of the Philistines, b)The chief priests, c) The scribes, d) The Amorites


Answer:
a)the lords of the Philistines (Jud 16:17)
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#16. For how much was Joseph sold to the Ishmaelites?

Answer:
20 shekels (Gen 37:28)
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#17. Fill up. In early biblical times individuals paid tithes and taxes in _________, ________, or ____________ (Deut 14:22,23).

Answer:
grain, oil, or wine.
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#18. If it is too difficult to transport a tenth of one's crops to the place of worship, what does Deuteronomy advise?

Answer:
the crops may be exchanged for silver, (Deut 14:24,25).
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#19. Today we can estimate accurately the weight of silver in most units of ancient money. Compare Hebrew equivalent and weight in silver of the following units?
a) Talent, b)Mina, c)Shekel, d)pim, e)Beka, f)Gerah


Answer: (weights in approximations at best)
a)Talent = 3000 shekels = 75.6 pounds = 34.27 Kg
b)Mina . = 50 shekels . = 1.26 pounds = 571.2 grams
c)shekel .............. = 0.4 ounce.. = 11.42 grams
d)pim... = 2/3 shekel.. = 0.2 ounce.. = 7.62 grams
e)beka.. = 1/2 shekel.. = 0.13 ounce. = 5.71 grams
f)Gerah. = 1/20 shekel. = 8.71 grains = 0.57 gram
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#20. What are the 2 most familiar quotes on love of money?

Answer:
a)1 Tim 6:3-19
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. ...............(Read from Bible).

b)James 5:1-5
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.
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#21. Where in the bible we see God owns everything?

Answer:
Psalm 24:1. The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
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#22. Fill up. Deut 8:12-14. Dangers of success.
Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your ____________ and __________ increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will ____________ the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.


Answer:
silver, gold, forget.
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#23. As a rule about loans, OT says several examples to respect people, not money. Provide 2 or 3 of them?

Answer:
a) Exod 22:25. "If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest.

b)Deut 24:10-13. When you make a loan of any kind to your neighbor, do not go into his house to get what he is offering as a pledge. 11 Stay outside and let the man to whom you are making the loan bring the pledge out to you. 12 If the man is poor, do not go to sleep with his pledge in your possession. 13 Return his cloak to him by sunset so that he may sleep in it. Then he will thank you, and it will be regarded as a righteous act in the sight of the LORD your God.

c) Deut 24:6. Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a man's livelihood as security.

Note: The OT laws contained many provisions to protect people from exploitation. Here Israelites could not charge each other interest for loans. Deuteronomy sets limit on the "collateral", or pledge, that secured a loan. The lender could not accept a millstone, for that would threaten the debtor's livelihood. There are several safeguards. The debtor was allowed to keep everything necessary for living. The lender could not even enter the debtor's house to get his pledge.
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#24. Fill up. Matt 6:19-21.
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on __________, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in ____________, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your ___________ will be also.


Answer:
earth, heaven, heart
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#25. Luke being a doctor gives descriptive accounts of physical healings, what does Matthew highlights?

Answer:
Matthew being a former tax collector, highlights stories about money.
Refer Chapters 18, 20, 25. Significantly, the former tax collector records Jesus' strongest words on treatment of the poor and needy.
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#26. Fill up. Psalm 62:10.
Do not trust in extortion or take pride in ______________ goods; though your ___________ increase, do not set your ___________ on them.


Answer:
stolen, riches, heart.
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#27. Jesus' perspective on money.
Jesus has more to say about money than almost any other topic. He sees money primarily as a spiritual force. Luke 12 offers a good summary of Jesus' attitude toward money. Jesus does not condemn all possessions.
With this in mind, Fill up. Lk 12:34.
Where your ___________ is, there your ___________ will be also.


Answer:
treasure, heart
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#28. There are 3 important insights presented in NT on money. How do you see those points?

Answer:
1. Money has no ultimate value.

a) Lk 12:13-21. In Jesus' parable, the rich fool was confident about the future. But that very night he died and he was not ready to meet God. Thus, all his wealth was worthless for eternal purposes.
b) Lk 12:22-31. Jesus reminded his deciples that God knows our needs and will meet them. So, the believer need not set his heart on things that unbelievers desire, but should seek God's Kingdom instead.

2. The love of money distorts relationships with God and others.

a) 1 Tim 6:3-10. Here Paul warns that the love of money leads to evil behavior.
b) Mt 6:24. A person cannot serve God and money, but must choose to make one or the other the highest goal in his life.(Ref Acts 5:1-5).
c) Mt 19:16-21. Here Jesus revealed that the young man had substituted confidence in his wealth for confidence in God.
d) 1 Tim 3:3; 1 Pet 5:2; Heb 13:5. An important qualification for Christian leadership is that he must be free from a love of money.
e) James 2:1-13. Because money distorts human relationships, James warned the members of the Jerusalem Church not to show favoritism toward the rich.

3. Money is to be used, not valued for itself.

a) Sripture does not suggest that it is wrong to be wealthy. In OT times wealth was seen as a divine blessing. The NT makes it clear, that money is to be valued only for what one can do with it.
b)1 Tim 6:17-19. Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
This is the point of the parable of the troublesome unjust steward,(Lk 16:1-15).
Jesus did not commend him for his dishonesty but for realizing the money is to be used to prepare for the future.

It is difficult in any age to maintain a healthy and balanced attitude toward money. If we make God rather than wealth the focus of our desires, we will find contentment and inner peace for our lives rather than engaged with the rat race in the pursuit of wealth.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Points to ponder

According to a Pastor, money issues can be reduced to 3 Questions. Probably these are good money management tools.

1. How do you get it?(Did it involve injustice, cheating, or oppression of the poor).

2. What are you doing with it? (Are you hoarding it? Exploiting others? Wasting it on needless luxuries?)

3. What is it doing to you?
_________________________________________________________________________________

Glossary:

1. Vassal:
1) dependent landholder in feudal society: somebody who gave loyalty and homage to a feudal lord and received the right to occupy the lord's land and be protected by him.
2) slave: a bondman or slave
3) a person, nation, or group that is dependent on or subordinate to another
____________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Random Quiz - 19

1. (Psalm 102:3) When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD, a prayer of an afflicted man says, my bones
a. rattle like a gourd
b. crack like dried clay
c. burn like glowing embers.
d. melt like wax
(gourd=a hard-skinned fleshy fruit, ember= a small live piece of coal, wood, etc., as in a dying fire)

2. Psalm 103:10 says, he(Lord) does treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
a. true
b. not true
c. uncertain
d. unanswerable

3. In revealing himself to Moses and Israelites, God said his name was:
a)father; b)Yahweh; c)jealous; d)all-merciful

4. Adam's excuse for eating of the tree of knowledge was:
a) the serpent had tricked him into it
b)the woman gave him the fruit
c) he wanted wisdom to understand God's word
d)he didn't know he wasn't supposed to
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Answers:1-4

1. c

2. b he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

3. c (Exod 34:14) Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

4. b. Adam's reasoning seems to be that since God created woman, it's his fault(Gen 3:12). If not God's, then it's the woman's.
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5. Where was the Garden of Eden and where is it in the Bible?

Answer: Gen 2:8-17.
The first residence of man, called in the Septuagint "Paradise", which is a word of Persian origin, and describes an extensive tract of pleasure land; In the eastern portion of the region of Eden was the garden planted. The Hiddekel, one of its rivers, is the modern Tigris; the Euphrates is the same as the modern Euphrates. With regard to the Pison and Gihon a great variety of opinion exists, but the best authorities are divided between (1) Eden as in northeast Arabia, at the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris, and their separation again, making the four rivers of the different channels of these two, or (2), and most probably, Eden as situated in Armenia, near the origin of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, and in which same region rise the Araxes(=Pison of Genesis) and the Oxus (Gihon). All kinds of animals, including cattle, beasts of the field and birds, were found there
(2:19,20). Moreover, the climate was such that clothing was not needed for staying warm.

“Eden” appears twenty times in the Old Testament but never in the New Testament. Two usage's refer to men (2 Chronicles 29:12; 2 Chronicles 31:15). Twice the name is used to designate a city or region in the Assyrian province of Thelassar (Isaiah 37:12; 2 Kings 19:12). Ezekiel 27:23 mentions a region named Eden located on the Euphrates. Amos 1:5 refers to the ruler of Damascus as holding the scepter of the house of Eden.

The fourteen remaining appearances relate to the creation. In Genesis (Genesis 2:8,Genesis 2:10,Genesis 2:15; Genesis 3:23-24; Genesis 4:16) the reference is to the region in which a garden was placed. Though details seem precise, identification of the rivers which flow from Eden cannot be accomplished with certainty. The Euphrates and the Tigris can be identified, but there is no agreement on the location of the Pishon and the Gihon.

Joel 2:3 compares Judah's condition before its destruction with Eden. In Isaiah 51:3 and Ezekiel 36:35, Eden is used as an illustration of the great prosperity God would bestow on Judah. These exilic prophets promised that the nation God restored after the Exile would be like Eden's garden. Ezekiel also refers to the trees of Eden (Ezekiel 31:9,Ezekiel 31:16,Ezekiel 31:18) and calls Eden the garden of God (Ezekiel 28:13).
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6. Did Adam or Eve have a belly-button?

Answer: Scripture doesn't give any evidence on this issue. I believe, Adam didn't. Neither did Eve. Why? Because your belly-button (navel), or tummy-button as it's sometimes called, is a sign that you were once attached to your mother. You depended on that life-line (the umbilical cord) for your nourishment from her body as you developed inside her. When God created Adam and Eve in mature form straight from the dust without going through the natural birthing process, and the day they were created they might have appeared to be, say, 30 years old.
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7. Other than the creation story, where the Bible talks about Tree of Life?

Answer: First we see the tree of life in the midst of the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9; 3:22).
Wisdom is compared to the tree of life (Prov. 3:18).
"She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed".
The “tree of life” spoken of in the Book of Revelation, is an emblem of the joys of the celestial paradise.
(a)Rev 2:7 I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
(b)Rev 22:2 On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
(c)Rev 22:14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
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8. How thick will the walls of the Holy City be?

Answer: 144 cubits (Rev 21:17)

17He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using. 18The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.

cubit = an ancient unit of length, equal to the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, approximately 43-56 cm (17-22 in)

This unit of linear measure used by many ancient and medieval peoples. It may have originated in Egypt about 3000 BC; it thereafter became ubiquitous(=existing everywhere) in the ancient world. The cubit, generally taken as equal to 18 inches (457 mm), was based on the length of the arm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger and was considered the equivalent of 6 palms or 2 spans. In some ancient cultures it was as long as 22 inches (56cm).
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9. Without a sun or moon, what will provide light in the Holy City?

Answer: The glory of God and/or the lamb (Rev 21:23).
23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
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10. Hannah presented Samuel to Eli soon after he was:
a)circumcised; b)bar mitzvahed; c)weaned; d)betrothed

11. After Samuel's birth, how many children Hannah had?

12. How did Philip approach the chariot of the Ethiopian eunuch?
a)while running, b)while riding a camel, c)being carried there in a whirlwind,
d)while waiting at an oasis

13. What was the first question that Philip asked the Ethiopian eunuch riding in the chariot?

14. Why did God not let David build the temple(house of God)?

15. Which NT male has his lineage traced through Ruth?

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Answers: 10-15

10. c (1 Sam 1:22).
(bar mitzvah = 1. A 13-year-old Jewish boy, considered an adult and responsible for his moral and religious duties. 2. The ceremony that initiates and recognizes a boy as a bar mitzvah.

11. 3 sons and 2 daughters (1 Sam 2:21).

12. While running, Acts 8:30.
Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet.

13. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. (Acts 8:30)

14. David had shed much blood. (1 Chron 22:8)

15. Joseph, the husband of Mary (Matt 1:5-16).

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16. In what town did Jesse live?

17. How many sons did Jesse have?

18. Of these sons of Jesse, who was the oldest and who was the youngest?

19. What prophet delivered this message from God to David:
"Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established for ever"?

20. From what Old Testament book was Peter quoting when he said in the Book of Acts, "10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence."? (Acts 2:27-28)
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Answers:16-20

16. Bethlehem (1 Sam 16:1)
The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king."

17. 8 sons (1 Sam 16)

18. Eliab was the oldest(1 Sam 17:13); David was the youngest (1 Sam 16:11).

19. Nathan (2 Sam 7:16)

20. The Book of Psalms (16:10-11)
10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Friday, February 13, 2009

The Woman with the issue of Blood

For the List of "Women of the Bible", click Blog Archive, 2008 December.
Glossary is given at the end of the Chapter for * marked words.

Read Scripture Reference: Luke 8:43-48; Mark 5:25-34; Matt 9:20-22.
25 Questions & Answers
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#1. Fill up the blanks. Mark 5:25-26.
And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for _____ years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many _________ and had _______all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew _______.

#1. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.
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#2. True or False. The woman subject to bleeding in the story is healed spiritually and physically.

#2. A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years could not be healed by physicians. We know nothing else about this woman's whereabouts. The precise nature of her problem is not known. For long 12 years she endured a slow hemorrhage. She suffered a great deal and could not be healed even with the care of many doctors and had spent all she had. Probably her existence would have been wretched because she was shunned by the people since anyone having contact with her was made ceremonially unclean. But Jesus healed her both spiritually(Go in peace) and physically(be freed from your suffering) as a result of her simple act of faith.
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#3.True or False. Jesus wanted the Woman and the crowd to know that his garments had not caused her healing, but the strength of her faith.

#3. True. Mark 5:34 He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
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#4. What is faith?

#4. The terms "faith" and "believe" occur almost 500 times in the NT.It is in Paul's letters that the meaning of faith is most clearly and fully explained. Faith is trust in the person of Jesus, the truth of his teaching, and the redemptive work he accomplished at Calvary. Unbelief, or lack of faith in Christian Gospel, appears everywhere in the NT as the supreme evil. Only faith can save a person who remain in sin and eternally lost.

See what the NT talks about faith.
(1) Rom 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
(2) Heb 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
(3) Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,
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#5. Over and over again we read that faith was the key that led to healing. Give 3 examples about faith and healing in the Scripture.

#5. (1) He healed 2 blind men. Matt 9:29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you".
(2) Acts 3:1616By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
(3) Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven.
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#6. True or False. Jesus said, in the absence of faith, healing may not take place.

#6. True. (1)Mark 6:5-6 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
(2) Luke 9:40-41 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not."
41"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here."
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#7. Scripture also reports healing did not take place even with faith. Infirmities may teach us valuable lessons about our faith. Provide 3 examples.

#7. (1)Paul, a tremendous man of faith and a mighty minister in the early church said about his own infirmity in 2 Cor 12:7-9. To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
(2) Psalm 119:71 It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees.
(3) Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.

So, not all are healed because it is God's ultimate decision to heal or not to heal. He has authority over all disease and sickness. He can choose to heal whomever he chooses, whenever he chooses. We don't always know all of the answers as to why.
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#8. Did Jesus confine his miracles to believers only?

#8. Jesus did not confine his miracles to believers only. At times he healed people who did not know who he was(John 9:35-36). Obviously, the dead bodies Jesus raised did not have faith. It was a manifestation of Jesus' power over death.
Jesus did not bless the faithless. It is essential to trust Jesus.
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#9. How did she hear about Jesus' healing power (Mk 5:27)?

#9. (1) She was there when Jesus returned from healing the demoniacs of the Gerasenes(vs 21-25).
(2)She must have heard that Jairus, an official at the Synagogue, had beseeched Jesus to heal his daughter (vs 23).
(3) She had heard "about Jesus" from the crowd(vs 27).
(4) The Galilee area had previously seen Jesus heal a paralytic (Mk 2), a man with a shriveled hand (Mk 3), diseases and evil spirits of a large crowd(Mk 3), raise a centurion's servant from the dead (Lk 7), raise a widow's son from the dead (Lk 7:14-15).
(5) Others had been healed by Jesus in Galilee through touching him (Lk 6:19).
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#10. When she heard about Jesus (Mark 5:27), What did she plan to do?

#10.She believed in Jesus. Her faith destroyed her unbelief and gave her courage to touch him. Faith demanded action to be released. So she must have forced the crowd to give her way to reach behind Jesus. Her determination to establish a point of contact to release her faith helped her to receive the healing from Jesus. Thus she got her miraculous healing.
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#11. This time she believed that this Faith Healer Jesus could heal her "No Charge" unlike the other Doctors. She said over and over, "If I just touch His clothes, I'll be healed" (Mk 5:28). What were the taboos(= socially or culturally prohibited) and trends(=prevailing tendencies) she must be willing to break to achieve the healing?

#11. (1) As an unclean woman she was unwelcome in society,ie socially isolated because everything and everyone she touched became ceremonially unclean
(Lev 15:19-30).
(2) Sexual relations would have been unclean (Deu 24:1).
(3) Worship in the synagogue would have been barred to her since she could not make atonement for her blood flow (Lev 15:28-30).
(4) As an unclean woman if she touched Jesus, under normal circumstances, she would make him ceremonially unclean.
(5) As a woman she was restricted from touching a man in public.
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#12. If this Woman was in USA and was sick and tired of being sick and tired of bleeding for 12 years, What would have had happened?

#12. She would have been dropped by her insurance company and would have been fired from the job for taking too many sick days, by the time she met up with Jesus. After her miraculous healing, if she had applied for health insurance, she probably would have been turned down flat for risky pre-existing medical conditions. But it's possible that she might have qualified for partial coverage, meaning everything covered except the uterus.
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#13. True or False. The Bible directs that the loss of blood leads to loss of vitality and that a draining away of the blood leads to death.

#13. The word Blood occurs over 400 times in the Bible and is especially frequent in Leviticus, Ezekiel, and Hebrews. For the most part Bible references are directed toward the practical observation that loss of blood leads to loss of vitality and that a draining away of the blood leads to death. Genesis 9:5 says (literally), "Your blood, belonging to your lives, I will seek . . . from the hand of man . . . I will seek the life of man." In this verse "seeking your blood" is parallel with "seeking the life," and both mean exacting the death penalty. When blood is shed, life is terminated, and the Lord seeks requital for the shedding of blood by demanding the life of the murderer (Gen 9:5; cf. 37:26; 2 Sam 1:16; Pss 30:9; 58:10). Blood is the life of the flesh (Gen 9:4; Lev 17:11); The flesh and blood in their proper union constitute a living creature, (beast or man), but when they are separated death takes place.
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#14. Does Bible record menstruation any where?

#14. Menstruation recorded in Scripture as given below.
Laws relating to menstruation: Lev. 15:19-30; 20:18; 2 Sam11:4; Ezek. 18:6.
Cessation of menstruation in old age: Gen. 18:11.
Immunities of women during menstruation: Gen. 31:35. Rachel's words here are the only mention in Scripture of a typical monthly menstrual cycle.
About Sanitary pads: Isa. 30:22.
Figurative use of menstruation: Isa. 30:22; Lam. 1:17; Ezek. 36:17.
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#15. What does Leviticus say about uncleanness for regular and irregular period?

#15. Levit 15:19 " 'When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening.

Levit 15:25-27 " 'When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. 26 Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. 27 Whoever touches them will be unclean; he must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he will be unclean till evening.
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#16. How come nobody from the crowd had prevented this unclean woman from joining in with the crowd?

#16. Apparently, she or her disease was not well known to the people of the crowd. In this society, even during a regular period, women were supposed to avoid all tactile contact with men, including husbands, even to the point of avoiding a chair on which the husband was likely to sit, fearing ritual uncleanness might be transferred.
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#17. Why did she touch the hem of Jesus' garment?

#17. May have several reasons, but 4 are given below.
(1) A show of her faith in Jesus and his power to heal.
(2) She knew that the hem contained the fringe(tassel) known as zizit*. This was the holiest of the garb* worn by a Jew.
(3) It would have been difficult to fight the throng(crowd) standing up and reaching to Jesus.
(4) She was risking all sorts of horrible censure if it was discovered she dared to touch Jesus as well as the men in the crowd, being in a chronic unclean condition.
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#18. What is the importance of tassels on Garments?

#18. See Numbers 15:37-40, Deu 22:12. It represented the 613 laws of God. The children of Israel were to wear blue cords upon the fringe of their garments- a reminder to "do all my commandments and be holy".
The LORD said to Moses, 38 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. 41 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.' "

Deut 28 outlines the consequences(blessings and curses) of obedience and disobedience to the commandments.

Exod 28:33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. Here the Lord is instructing Moses on the making
of the High Priest's garments.

She heard about Jesus, a new rabbi with miraculous power in town. So she figured out even the colors of the hem of his robe. So she believed Jesus is the true High Priest of Israel with healing power.
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#19. Jesus blocked her escape and silence the crowd with a curious question, "Who touched me? What happened then?

#19. She recognized that she was in the presence of God. Eventually the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed (Lk 8:47). When he made her publicly confess her healing, her private affliction became a matter of public record. She was afraid the rabbi would censure her because she had broken several laws. But instead of scolding and shaming her, Jesus praised her. He had not addressed her as woman or sinner, but called her daughter. He restored her social standing. She was no longer alone, but part of his family by virtue of her faith.
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#20.Is there any other confession of faith in the Bible like this woman's confession?

#20. (1) God made Adam and Eve confess the truth so that they could be saved (Gen3).
(2). The Philippian jailer and his household believed in Jesus and were saved (Act 16:31-32).
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#21. Many people touched him on that day. Jesus did not heal all who touched him in the crowd. How Jesus perceived her secret touch and he knew the power left him to the faith destination like a power cable?

#21. Jesus knew "in his spirit" (Mk 2:8) both her need and her touch.
Luke says Jesus noticed her, Mark says He saw her.
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#22. There are many healing promises in the Scripture. Provide 4 examples?

#22. (1) Exod 15:26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."
(2)Psalm 30:2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
(3)Psalm 103:1-4 1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
(4)Rev 21:3-4 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

(I am not sure whether all healing takes place here in earth or in heaven? If you have experienced and are sure of the answer, please email the publisher).
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#23. How many kinds of uncleanness mentioned in the Bible?

#23. Two kinds of uncleanness: Moral and ceremonial. Forms of ceremonial uncleanness: (1) Many foods regarded as unclean in the OT. (2) Other forms of ceremonial uncleanness: contact with the dead (Lev 11:24-40; 17:15; Nu 19:16-22), leprosy (Lev 13; 14; Nu 5:2), sexual discharge (Lev 15:16-33),
childbirth (Lev 12:6-8).
In Christianity uncleanness has become moral, not ceremonial.
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#24. Jesus condemned the cumbersome systems of defilement developed by the Scribes and Pharisees. So the Council's Letter to Gentile Believers placed only 'four' restrictions on the new believers, what are they(Acts 15:28-29)?

#24. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29You are to abstain
(1) from food sacrificed to idols,
(2) from blood,
(3) from the meat of strangled animals, and
(4) from sexual immorality.
Thus, in the New Testament era, uncleanness has become moral, not ceremonial.
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#25. When you evaluate this story, do you believe the doctors' and drug companies' charges must be tied up with healing, such as no cure no charge?

#25. The woman in this story became destitute* because doctors sucked up all her money with out healing her. Doctors were more interested in their financial gain than in her cure. Doctors' billing policy then was same as today- healed or not, charge any way, meaning work with out warranty. She went to see the Doctors for one thing, her physical bleeding. But she end up having two things, her bleeding grew worse and made her a destitute by systematically bleeding her wealth too.

A British news is given below. If you think it is the way to go, talk to your Legislative Reps and Senators and make sure they change the Law.

July 26, 2007
No Cure, No Charge: How to make a drug company bankrupt.

Now here’s an interesting idea that is being tested in the UK. A drug company has agreed to charge the country’s National Health Service for its multiple myeloma drug Velcade (bortezomib) only if it cures the patient.

It will refund the full cost of the drug to every patient who doesn’t respond to the drug, provided it is prescribed according to the company’s specifications. Doctors should use the drug only if other drugs have failed, and the patient is not suitable for bone marrow transplantation.

A correspondent for the British Medical Journal commented: “The announcement was a sobering reminder that most medicines do not work in all patients.”

We think it’s a great scheme. If it was adopted globally, drug companies would be bankrupt by Christmas.

(Source: British Medical Journal, 2007; 335: 122-3).

If you want to know about the problems of drugs, you need to research on few drugs. For example, study the "fact sheet" of a cholesterol lowering drug "Lipitor" and other 10 or 20 top selling drugs. Study the benefits and risks/side effects, total worldwide sales of Lipitor, how many litigations against the company, are the government, FDA, and the congress working for the interest of the people or the lobyists, is it acceptable to damage other organs and systems of the body when taking medication to lower the cholesterol. Share your expectations with proper authorities.
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Glossary:

1)beseech = beg somebody to do something

2)destitute = desperately poor due to lack of money, resources, or possessions;
(penniless).

3)garb = A distinctive style or form of dress (the garb of a Rabbi).

4)Issue = This is a KJV term referring to (a) offspring (Genesis 48:6; Isaiah 22:24; Matthew 22:25; compare 2 Kings 20:18; Isaiah 39:7)
(b)to a bodily discharge.
The KJV applied issue to male pathological discharges such as that associated with gonorrhea (Leviticus 15:2-15), to normal menstruation (Leviticus 15:19-24), and to female pathological discharges (Leviticus 15:25-30; Matthew 9:20).
Normal discharges resulted in ritual uncleanness for one day which was removed by simple washing.
Pathological discharges resulted in uncleanness until seven days after the return to full health and required an atoning sacrifice. In Ezekiel 23:20 the seminal emission of stallions is one element in a graphic depiction of Judah's idolatry.

5)zizit = the fringes or tassels worn by orthodox Jewish men, formerly on the corners of the outer garment, now on the four corners of the tallit, Deut. 22:12.
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Text:

Mat 9:20-22

20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
22Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.

Mk 5:25-34
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
31"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "
32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

Lk 8:43-48
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.
45"Who touched me?" Jesus asked.
When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you."
46But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me."
47Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace."