Reflections for continuing in the guided groups of readings during the Tuesday morning Bible Study to reveal something of the nature and character of the OT God and NT Father - Son - Holy Spirit:
1. The Christ refers to himself as "fulfilled Jew," still within the Chosen People, but carrying out the intent or spirit of the Laws (OT covenant between God and the people) to underline to key message: love your God, love your neighbor as yourself. So the OT lessons about serving and loving God still apply under the New Covenant, but the focus is not maintaining or manipulating Laws, but instead in deed and in heart acting in good faith and from love/charitas.
2. Mere mortals seek to define, delineate, delimit things analytically; but also to establish an emotional response to God. So the distinction of God's various forms and functions is an exercise we are preoccupied with. Yet perhaps for God, there is little sense in making distinctions between the three and one.
3. Looking at the logistical details of the Chosen People multiplying to fill the define boundaries of the Promised Land, there is a kind of organizational logic or efficiency in shifting over the course of the Bible from the portable Tabernacle (God's presence signaled by a pilar of cloud during the day and fire by night), to the permanent installation of the First Temple (Solomon's genius), then fragmentation after the Temple was destroyed by the Romans after the 70 A.D. uprising which led to local "cells" (the synogogue scale of worship), and then the promise of Jesus to reside individually in each person's heart, authorizing each follower to act on behalf of God to do His work.
Jan 19, 2010
Jan 18, 2010
reading Bible in 90 Days (program/materials)
12 weeks from the series "Bible in 90 Days," www.biblein90days.org/support or email, zreview@zondervan.com
Reading cover to cover the New International Version, NIV, about 12 pages per day for 88 days; including lectures on DVD that accompany the materials.
Abbreviations: OT, NT (old testment, new testament)
Week 1: Genesis tells of God making a place where he will dwell (Adam/Eve aren't the main point). Ten Commandments in Exodus reveals something about the lawgiver: "I am Holy; you are meant to be holy, too."
[read: Genesis, Exodus]
Week 2: As transliterated LORD instead of lord, the translation sets this usage apart as a name; not just a title or formality. But modern US citizens are not used to thinking of another person or deity as hierarchical sincethe social pattern is flatter: no one is supposed to be more valuable than another. Exceptions or examples of hierarchy might include words like "boss" or the formal pyramid of military life.
[read: Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy]
Week 3: dvd points out- narrative parts of the OT reveal something about the kind of God we have, just as exchanging personal stories help others to define you. So we need to look beyond the instruction or entertainment value of these stories and use these to get to know our God.
[read Joshua, Judges, Ruth, begin 1 Samuel]
Week 4: Prophets appear and call kings to account of the Lord. Prophets are not so much future tellers as accountability experts: some kings help establish God's relationships/wisdom, while others hinder or obstruct that process.
[read 2 Samuel, Kings 1 & 2]
Week 5: In contrast to the master theme of doom and exile in Kings, the replay in Chronicles is the theme of hope.
[read Chronicles 1 & 2, Ezra, Nehemiah]
Week 6: Job's trials show us not to ask "WHY me, why this" (about cause/effect and fairness), but instead to ask "WHAT FOR this" (future purpose; wisdom unfolding or revealed). Psalms are either LAMENTING, or PRAISING.
[read Esther, Job, Psalms to #89]
Week 7: "Wisdom Books" say the foundation for wisdom is Fear of the Lord (putting you in your small place in the universe and filled with awe). There are some important differences when describing Understanding (wide-angle, big-picture view of all the parts working together), Wisdom (applying knowledge to a specific situation), and Discernment (recognize value or dangers)
[read Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs]
Week 8:
Week 9:
Week 10:
Week 11:
Week 12:
Reading cover to cover the New International Version, NIV, about 12 pages per day for 88 days; including lectures on DVD that accompany the materials.
Abbreviations: OT, NT (old testment, new testament)
Week 1: Genesis tells of God making a place where he will dwell (Adam/Eve aren't the main point). Ten Commandments in Exodus reveals something about the lawgiver: "I am Holy; you are meant to be holy, too."
[read: Genesis, Exodus]
Week 2: As transliterated LORD instead of lord, the translation sets this usage apart as a name; not just a title or formality. But modern US citizens are not used to thinking of another person or deity as hierarchical sincethe social pattern is flatter: no one is supposed to be more valuable than another. Exceptions or examples of hierarchy might include words like "boss" or the formal pyramid of military life.
[read: Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy]
Week 3: dvd points out- narrative parts of the OT reveal something about the kind of God we have, just as exchanging personal stories help others to define you. So we need to look beyond the instruction or entertainment value of these stories and use these to get to know our God.
[read Joshua, Judges, Ruth, begin 1 Samuel]
Week 4: Prophets appear and call kings to account of the Lord. Prophets are not so much future tellers as accountability experts: some kings help establish God's relationships/wisdom, while others hinder or obstruct that process.
[read 2 Samuel, Kings 1 & 2]
Week 5: In contrast to the master theme of doom and exile in Kings, the replay in Chronicles is the theme of hope.
[read Chronicles 1 & 2, Ezra, Nehemiah]
Week 6: Job's trials show us not to ask "WHY me, why this" (about cause/effect and fairness), but instead to ask "WHAT FOR this" (future purpose; wisdom unfolding or revealed). Psalms are either LAMENTING, or PRAISING.
[read Esther, Job, Psalms to #89]
Week 7: "Wisdom Books" say the foundation for wisdom is Fear of the Lord (putting you in your small place in the universe and filled with awe). There are some important differences when describing Understanding (wide-angle, big-picture view of all the parts working together), Wisdom (applying knowledge to a specific situation), and Discernment (recognize value or dangers)
[read Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs]
Week 8:
Week 9:
Week 10:
Week 11:
Week 12:
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