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ScriptureStream episodes
- Honoring Older PeopleIntroduction
- Philemon 1:8-9
- Psalms 71:9, 15, 5
Older people are vital and useful.- Psalms 92:12-15
- Luke 1:36; 2:36-38
- Leviticus 19:32
- Titus 2:2-3
- God has work for older people to do!
- I Timothy 3:6
- What would Benchley be like without older people?
Older people are still fighting the devil.- I Timothy 5:1-2
- II Chronicles 26:3, 16
- Different temptations can arise in old age.
- Philippians 3:17
We should honor older people.- Proverbs 20:29
- I Timothy 5:3, 9-10
- Ecclesiastes 12:1-5 – The effects of old age.
- II Corinthians 4:16
29 min - Exodus: Alphabets and ArchaeologyOne objection to the Exodus
- Could not have happened
- Describes Moses as having written Exodus accounts (Exodus 34:27; et al)
- Describes the Law written by God’s own finger (Exodus 31:18)
- Archaeologists and historians denied existence of written Hebrew language that early
Written communication- Three main types of written communications:
- Syllabary – language dependent, symbols expressing sounds
- Pictograms – symbols independent of language, depict things, ideas
- Alphabets – language dependent, make sounds of the language
- Dr. Miles R. Jones, former professor of education at Texas A&M University) – The Writing of God
- Purports that written ancient Hebrew is the first alphabet in history
Syllabary- Sound from combinations of consonant and vowel
- Ca, Ce, Ci, Co, Cu
- Da, De, Di, Do, Du, etc.
- Cuneiform was a type of syllabary
- Syllabary requires about 200 symbols
- Communication is language dependent
- Neither writing nor pictures, but symbols
- Made with stylus
- Makes wedged imprints on clay
- Not carved in stone
- Cumbersome in writing and preserving
Pictograms- Symbols express things, ideas, or states of being
- Not language dependent
- Requires huge number of symbols
- Dynamic lexicon
Hieroglyphics- Type of pictogram
- Symbols of things and ideas
- Borrowed by Hebrews
- Hebrews borrowed symbols to depict sounds in Hebrew language
- Took symbols for items beginning with a sound
- Used that symbol to express that sound
- When did they do this?
- Some time in the 2nd millennium B.C.
- When did Joseph’s family come to Egypt?
- Early in the 2nd millennium B.C. – approximately 1850 B.C.
“A” is for cow- In Hebrew, Aleph means Cattle or Oxen
- Hieroglyph is a cow’s head
- Symbol of cow’s head used for the “A” sound
- Symbol evolved into a sideways “A”
- The Hebrews took 22 symbols from Egyptian hieroglyphs
- One for each of the sounds in the Hebrew language
- The symbols were for the sounds, not the things or ideas
- Established a 22-letter alphabet
- By the Exodus, the symbol for cow had morphed into a sideways “A”
Hebrew experience with writing- Abraham – cuneiform
- Joseph – cuneiform, hieroglyphics
- Moses – cuneiform, hieroglyphics, alphabet
The term “alphabet”- Taken from the first two letters
- Greek?
- Hebrew?
- You decide
Archaeological evidence- El Arish inscription
- Dates from 325 B.C.
- Problem?
- Ipuwer papyrus
- Mernepta Stele
- Presence of Israelites
- When?
- Four-room houses
- Typical of Hebrew houses
- Found in both Egypt (pre-1440 B.C.)
- And in Canaan (post-1500 B.C.)
Effect of archaeology- Can’t probe the Exodus
- Much of it puzzle pieces
- Wide range of interpretations
- Will always be a matter of faith
Where was Mount Horeb?- Also called Mount Sinai
- Traditional – Sinai Peninsula
- Bible – Midian – Exodus 3:1, 12
45 min - How to Become and Remain God's FriendIntroduction
- James 2:21-23 – Abraham was called a friend of God.
- Abraham was justified by an active faith – his works. Works here are works of obedience – not works that earn one salvation.
Sacrifice- Hebrews 11
- Nouns (faith, belief)
- Verbs (prepared, offered, etc.)
- I John
- Walking, confessing, keeping, loving, abiding, practicing, guarding, purifying
- If we say we have faith in God, we prove it by what we do!
- James 2
- “Faith was completed by his works.”
- Chronology of God’s promises to Abraham
- Genesis 12:1-3 – 75 years old when promised a seed/offering
- Genesis 16:15-16 – 86 years old when Ishmael (not the promised offspring) is born
- Genesis 17:1-19 – 99 years old when he and Sarah would have a son named Isaac
- Genesis 18:9-14 – 99 years old – in one year Sarah to give birth to Isaac
- Genesis 21:1-5 – 100 years old when the promised son Isaac is born
- Genesis 22:1-2 – Age unknown – God tells Abraham to offer Isaac.
- Did Abraham actually sacrifice Isaac?
- James 2:21
- God got the sacrifice He wanted: He wanted Abraham.
Abraham the friend of God sacrificed his logic- II Kings 5:9-12 – Naaman didn’t think Elisha’s instructions made any sense!
- Baptism may not make sense to us from a human standpoint.
Abraham the friend of God sacrificed his emotions- Matthew 10:34-38
Abraham the friend of God sacrificed his will- Matthew 16:24 – We must deny ourselves.
29 min - 1 Corinthians 15:29-58I Corinthians 15, continued:
- I Corinthians 15:29-32 – If the dead are not raised, continued
- I Corinthians 15:29
- “For the dead” might mean “for the purpose of refilling the ranks of our fallen brethren.”
- Paul might be illustrating his point by referring to an erroneous practice.
- Whatever explanation is correct, Paul’s point in this section of scripture is easy to understand: the coming resurrection is a fact. We also know what it doesn’t mean – that we can be baptized for the benefit of people who are dead.
- I Corinthians 15:35-58 – Details of the resurrection
- I Corinthians 15:42-44
- See I John 3:2. We don’t know what our spiritual bodies will be like, but in some way we will be like God.
SownRaisedPerishableImperishableDishonorGloryWeaknessPowerNaturalSpiritual- I Corinthians 15:45-49
The first AdamThe last AdamBecame a living personSpiritualNaturalFrom heavenFrom the earthWe will also bear the image of the heavenly- I Corinthians 15:50 – We put a lot of effort into maintaining our physical bodies, but they can’t take us where we really want to go – heaven! We need a spiritual body for that.
39 min - Local Churches Teaching the GospelWhat is the good news (the gospel)?God authorizes local churches to teach the gospel.Let’s make sure Benchley continues to teach the gospel!29 min
- Exodus 34:1-40:38Renewals
- Exodus 34
- Moses cut, God rewrote tablets at the top of the mountain
- Same rules as before
- God reveals Himself – Exodus 34:6-7
- Moses worships and pleads His presence with Israel
- God renews His covenant – all the same terms as before
- Moses’ shining face and the veil
- Command to obey all that God had spoken
The Tabernacle- Exodus 35
- Moses restates the Sabbath edicts
- Contributions for the tabernacle
- Workers for the tabernacle and contents
- All offered as free will offerings
- All who were so moved, contributed
- Exodus 36-37
- Materials and workers pour in
- Moses had to issue a command to stop
- All the work was finally performed
- Exodus 37 – Ark, table, lampstand, altar of incense made
- Exodus 38
- Altar for the burnt offering made
- Bronze basin
- The court
- Listing of materials for the tabernacle
The priestly garments- Exodus 39:1-31
- All made to specifications as God commanded
- Every stone in order to total twelve stones
- Crowns engraved with “Holy to the Lord”
Tabernacle delivered- Exodus 39:32-43
- The workers brought it all to Moses
- Everything that had been commanded
- Moses inspected it all
- All was in accordance with God’s commands
- Moses blessed them
Tabernacle erected- Exodus 40:1-33
- This was one year after leaving Egypt (minus 14 days)
- The tabernacle was erected
- All of its elements were exactly placed
- All utensils and articles were arranged
- Everything consecrated as instructed
- Priests purified and dressed in priestly garments
- Court was erected, veil hung
- Lamps lit, incense burned, offerings offered, laver filled
- All as the Lord had commanded
God’s glorious presence- Exodus 40:34-38
- The cloud covers the tabernacle
- God’s glory fills the tabernacle
- The cloud signaled Israel’s movements
- Cloud by day, fire by night
- God present with the people as Moses had prayed
Capstone- What was Exodus about?
- In general terms
- In thematic content
- What was God’s desire?
- Israel’s love – OR –
- Israel’s obedience?
- I Chronicles 29:18-19
- Circumcision of the heart
- Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6
- Does God hear the cries of the oppressed?
- Of the obedient?
- Of the disobedient?
- Exodus 2:23-25
45 min - JezebelShe tried to stop the spread of God’s word.
- I Kings 18-19
She had a terrible influence on her spouse.- I Kings 16, 21
She met the God of vengeance.- II Kings 9
36 min - 1 Corinthians 15:1-29I Corinthians 15
- I Corinthians 15:1-11 – Preaching Christ’s resurrection
- See Luke 24:44.
- I Corinthians 15:5 – See Luke 24:34. We do not have a direct record of Peter seeing the risen Jesus, but the two on the road also referenced this. “The twelve” here is a figure of speech (“adjournment”). There were not precisely twelve apostles at this time.
- I Corinthians 15:7 – See Acts 1:2-3.
- I Corinthians 15:12-19 – Everything depends upon Christ’s resurrection (and resurrection in general).
- I Corinthians 15:12-14 – Apparently some in Corinth erroneously believed there was no resurrection.
- I Corinthians 15:19 – If Christ is not raised, we are in a terrible spot!
- I Corinthians 15:20-28 – Christ leads the way.
- I Corinthians 15:24 – Compare John 1:1-5.
- I Corinthians 15:29-32 – If the dead are not raised.
- I Corinthians 15:29 – Facts:
- Baptism is an individual’s response to the gospel. (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38)
- Each person will be judged according to what he or she has done, not based on what someone else has done. (Romans 14:12; II Corinthians 5:10; Ezekiel 18:20)
- In Luke 16:19-31, the dead man was not able to switch places in the afterlife.
- Baptism doesn’t always refer to water baptism. It can refer to immersion in persecution/suffering (Luke 12:50; Mark 10:39). Suffering is in the context of I Corinthians 15:30, 32.
- Therefore, I Corinthians 15:29 CAN’T be teaching us to be baptized for the salvation of those who are already daed.
40 min - Changing in ChristIntroduction
- Summary of Romans:
- Condemnation (Romans 1-3)
- Christ (Romans 4-5)
- Choice (Romans 6-8)
- Children (Romans 9-11)
- Conduct (Romans 12-16)
- Romans 6
- Romans 6:12-23
Dead to sin; do not let sin reign- We must put sinful habits to death.
- We must consider our old selves as dead.
- Psalms 97:10
- What keeps drawing you back to sin? What do you like about it?
- We’ll never be deaed to sin as long as we crave its passing pleasure.
- Romans 6:12-14, 16-18 – We must choose who we want to obey.
- Romans 6:21, 13 – Think about your sin and how it causes you spiritual death. You are not the person you would be if you were not enslaved to this sin.
Alive to God; slaves of righteousness- Ephesians 4:24-32
- Psalms 15:4
- Romans 6:11, 18
- Acts 22:4
- Is there something I still need to change so the old me stays dead?
In Christ Jesus!- Romans 6:11, 23
- The only way to do this is with Jesus’ grace.
- Colossians 3:15
27 min - Exodus 31:12-33:23More on the Sabbath
- Exodus 31:12-18
- God is adamant about the Sabbath
- Severity of punishment for profaning
- Exodus 31:14
- Punishment: death and cutting off
- The same punishments or different?
- Tablets of stone
The first commandments violated- Exodus 32:1-6
- The demands of the people
- Aaron’s acquiescence and demand
- Makes a calf of gold – Psalms 106:19; Romans 1:22-25
- Their declaration, Aaron’s proclamation
- Day of sacrifice and play
Why make a god?- What motivated them?
- Loss of leadership?
- Loss of faith?
- Loss of direction?
- How could it have been avoided?
- What lessons does this give us today?
Fallout- Exodus 32:7-24
- God’s conversation with Moses
- God’s anger
- Moses’ pleading
- Moses goes down from the mountain
- Encounters Joshua
- Tablets destroyed
- Calf elixir
- Aaron’s lie
Cleansing and blotting out- Exodus 32:25-35
- Whoever is for the Lord
- Levi steps forward
- Punishment begins
- Moses calls for dedication
- Returns to the mountain
- Pleads to God for their forgiveness
- Blotting out from His Book
- The people smitten
Time to leave- Exodus 33:1-6
- God repeats His promise
- Sending an angel before them
- Drive out the occupants
- He will no longer be in their midst
- Moses told the Israelites, they mourned
- The ornaments
Moving the tent of meeting- Exodus 33:7-11
- Tent of meeting
- Now pitched well outside the camp
- God would not be among the people
- People would watch
- Moses went, entered, and pillar descended upon it
- People would then worship, but at own tent
- God would talk with Moses “as a man speaks to his friend”
- Joshua – loyal and watchful servant
What Moses wants- Exodus 33:12-23
- Favor in God’s sight
- Already had it (Exodus 33:12)
- Now he wants it (Exodus 33:13)
- God’s presence
- It shows they’ve found favor in His sight (Exodus 33:16)
- God shows Moses graciousness and compassion
- To see God’s glory
39 min
About ScriptureStream
From the publisher's feed
Just the gospel, plainly spoken. ScriptureStream compiles lessons presented at the Benchley church of Christ, located just north of Bryan, TX. Visit ScriptureStream.com for full notes on each lesson…
and additional resources for Bible study.