Guitar Jim

Q2. (Genesis 28:12-15) What did Jacob

Q1. (Genesis 28:3-4) Why does Isaac bless Jacob, especially after Jacob

Q6. Extra Credit. Whose character flaws most remind you of your own? Isaac's, Rebekah's, Esau's, or Jacob's? Why? How is God working to improve your character? I'd have to say Esau. The reason being that in this day and age we can get things instantly and don't have to wait long for fast food, entertainment, and many other things we think make us happy. I need to learn Jacob's patience, if not his way of going about achieving his ends. God is showing me that He's in charge and that planning and scheming on my part is largely useless.

Q5. (Genesis 25:28) What happens when your children sense that you love one child more than another? We only had one child. Did such discrimination happen to you when you were growing up? If so, how are you finding healing? No. My mother seemed to love us all the same and my old man didn't seem to give a crap. He did seem to hate and resent me the most though. I was the oldest. When I got strong enough I threw him bodily across the room and slammed him into the wall. That sorted him out. He did end up bonding with my young brother but as far as my sister and I went there was no paternal interaction of any kind. How can we as parents love our children equally but differently? I can't speak from experience but I think parents need to take an interest in what their kids do and who their friends are. Make the home a place where their friends are welcome. Never say, "Why can't you be more like your brother/sister?"

Q4. (Genesis 27:33) Why couldn't Isaac reverse his blessing once he discovers Jacob's trickery? Because he knew he was delivering God's blessing. Even in his aged dementia Isaac knew that. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. The three patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all kind of prophets of God in a time before there was any written law or rules for worship. What is Isaac's role in this blessing? Isaac is speaking in part a prophecy from God concerning the future circumstances surrounding his sons. What is God's role in it? What we've got happening here is the foundation being laid for God's Kingdom on Earth. God put the prophetic words into Isaac's mouth and set things in motion for Jacob to be blessed. Isaac favored Esau in spite of God's prophetic word to Rebekah before the twins were born. Was Isaac favoring Esau because he knew the poor kid was gonna come off well and truly second best and wanted to show him he was loved? I believe God DID prompt Rebekah to do as she did in deceiving Isaac. I've given this study a lot of thought over the last few days. Something more needs to be said here. God has habitually used the youngest, the weakest, the one least likely to succeed, to bring about His will on Earth. This is reflected in what David wrote about Jesus Himself: The stone that the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most valuable of all. This was done by the Lord and what a wonderful thing it is. (TEV) God does that to show that "not by might not by power but by my Spirit" is the way to get things done in God's economy.

Q3. (Genesis 27:6-29) God had told Rebekah that Jacob is supposed to rule over Esau (Genesis 25:23). To what extent does this excuse her plan to deceive her husband Isaac? Rebekah isn't anywhere near as old as Isaac and she was probably acutely aware that his days were nearing an end. Isaac most likely realized he was circling the drain as well so he decided it's time to bless his sons before he slips beyond the point where he's able to do that. He wants a tasty meal to put him in a good mood to bless the son that brings him that meal. Note that nothing more is written about Isaac apart from his blessing and warning to Jacob not to marry Canaanite women. He probably passed away not long after that. Rebekah was probably afraid that Isaac had forgotten the prophecy God had given her about Jacob and Esau so she took matters into her own hands. I don't think it's a case of Isaac just deciding: Today I'll bless Esau. He'd been talking about it with Rebekah previously . . . He had to have been. They were husband and wife and a close couple. Rebekah might even have reminded Isaac that Jacob was the one God wanted to bless, but to no avail due to Isaac's age-impaired memory. She probably thought: It's now or never! There are other accounts in the Old Testament where people take it upon themselves to help God's prophecies to fulfillment. The very fact that Isaac trembled with rage at the deception shows that he had indeed forgotten all about God's prophecy concerning Jacob. I'm gonna side with Rebekah on this one. How much responsibility does Jacob bear in the deception? 50/50. Notice that he doesn't say: Come on Mom that's a bit underhanded isn't it? Rebekah would have coached Jacob on his future as he grew up. Isaac really favored Esau and I reckon Rebekah would have consoled Jacob by reminding him that one day he'd be top dog. Jacob was ready and rarin' to go when the opportunity presented. And yes, Esau was probably really that hairy. There is a condition colloquially called werewolf syndrome where the person literally looks like the wolfman. I know it was the subject of an episode of the X Files, but it really does happen.

Q2. Was Rebekah a spiritual woman, that is, interested in spiritual things? I think to a degree she was. She knew that God had chosen her to become Isaac's wife. She sought the Lord in regard to her unborn babies. I'm inclined to believe that Rebekah was more concerned with promoting her favorite son Jacob than fulfilling the will of God. Was Isaac a spiritual man? I also think Isaac was only nominally spiritual, especially compared to his father Abraham. The Genesis account kind of glosses over Isaac. It goes into great detail about Abraham, only mentions the greatest hits in Isaac's life, then goes on to chronicle the life of Jacob in detail. So Isaac may have been more spiritual than the account indicates but we don't know for sure. We do know that Isaac was fully aware that his blessing given to Jacob was a conduit for God's own blessing. That's why he didn't recount it when he realized he'd been deceived. Which do you think was the more spiritually sensitive? Isaac, but only by a short half head. What evidence of spirituality do you see in Jacob? Up to this point in his life I don't see much evidence of spirituality in Jacob. He's worldly and deceitful. I found the account in the Bible so interesting that I read on beyond this lesson's scope, and later on in Genesis we find Jacob becoming mature and actually honest . . . well, honest compared to his even more deceitful uncle! In Esau? I think Esau was pretty much godless his whole life. He nominally worshiped God but didn't trust in Him or seek Him.

Q1. Why does the New Testament condemn Esau for selling his birthright? (Hebrews 12:16-17) Because of what his birthright represented. He was the grandson of Abraham, to whom God promised the land on which Esau lived in a tent. Esau thought more of a meal than his right to inherit the land and be the progenitor of a great nation. I'll never believe they didn't discus that issue around the dinner table. What did selling the birthright represent? It meant forfeiting his place as one of the ancestors of the nation of Israel. Instead, Esau's descendants eventually became Israel's enemies! What does this transaction say about Esau's character and values? Selling his birthright for a plate of stew shows that Esau lived for the moment and not for the future. He held no value in his heart for his family and only realized his error when Jacob received Isaac's blessing instead of him. I think Esau was a simple man who lived for the here and now and as long as he had his outdoor lifestyle and a chance to live wild he was OK. Not for him the responsibilities of being head of a rich family and being the role model for his family. What does it reveal about Jacob's character and values? Jacob was a man who wanted to be successful and powerful. He most likely lacked the physical stature to accomplish that goal but what he lacked in body he more than made up for in his sharp mind and deceitful ways. Jacob also was vitally concerned with being head of the family once his father passed on. He tricked and lied his way into that position. Jacob in the beginning was completely lacking in honor. Of course once he got out and experienced life outside his immediate family he grew into a man of character. At this stage in his life though, he was a real sneaky Pete. Let's not forget this though: God predestined Jacob to be the one through whom the blessing of Abraham would be passed down. God told Rebekah that the older would serve the younger. In another passage in the Bible we're told God said: Jacob I have loved and Esau have I hated. That's a pretty strong statement. God was against Esau before the boy was even born! Let's see you "God is Love" proponents explain that one. This reinforces something that's been niggling at me for years. God is not above using one person . . or even one or more nations . . to advance the cause of a person or nation that God Himself holds dear. I played lead guitar in a Christian band in the early 1990s. The leader of the band was a space cadet. Totally unfocused. But God had gifted him with the ability to write an unlimited number of songs with little or no effort at all. He could write a song on the train between stations on his way to work! They just popped into his head, one after the other. He succeeded in spite of his best efforts though and not because of them. God used the rest of us in the band to make him look good. With a band of lesser ability than we had this guy would have fallen flat. He blundered through life making one silly decision after another and God was seemingly always tidying up after him. He's just been sacked from his position as youth pastor at my sister's church. I'm waiting to see what cushy job he'll get next.

Q7. (Luke 23:46) What does Jesus mean when he says,

Q6. (John 19:30) What had Jesus “finished”? Jesus had finished everything! From the time of the fall of mankind and the rebellion of Satan, creation has been flawed. God had to institute a plan to make things good again. For whatever reason He decided to take His time doing that. From all we read of Scripture we see that God works things out in His own good time. The old 1000 years are like unto a single day to God applies here. Jesus had a mission, the full scope of which we can scarcely comprehend. Satan knew this too. He tried his best to tempt Jesus away from even starting His three year mission. Jesus's task was to reconcile creation with the Creator, nothing less. By His first coming Jesus took upon Himself the sin of the world and defeated Satan, God's implacable enemy. His second coming, and His victories in all the battles and wars that will occur before and after that, depending on what you believe will be the order of things prophesied in Revelation and elsewhere, are made possible by Jesus's death and resurrection. By dying on the cross and rising again from death Jesus defeated all God's enemies, all the powers and principalities arrayed against God. All that's left now is for things to unfold in God's timetable. Everything was made possible by Jesus's death and resurrection. Everything. Death and hell are defeated. Mankind, and indeed all creation have been redeemed. The New Heaven and New Earth are all going to happen because Jesus defeated God's enemies on the cross. What can we learn for our own lives from this Sixth Word: “It is finished”? We need to make our lives count. We need to live according to God's will and plan for us. To accomplish this we need to live prayerful lives in order to learn God's will and purpose for each and every one of us.

Q5. (John 19:28) What do you learn from Jesus

Q4. (Mark 15:34) What does Jesus

Q3. (John 19:26-27) Why does Jesus make St. John responsible for his mother Mary? As Mary's firstborn son Jesus had the responsibility for her welfare. With all that was going on it's likely Jesus didn't get the opportunity to formally appoint His successor to look after His mother. John was there at the cross and His brothers weren't. I'm not saying that His decision was a spur of the moment thing though. John was one of Jesus's most trusted disciples. At that point in time Jesus's brothers and sisters didn't quite believe in Him as the Messiah, although we know that Jesus's brother James eventually became the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. John refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. They were first cousins and close friends. It's likely John reciprocated Jesus's love. We read that John didn't desert Jesus to the extent that the others did. Jesus decided that His mother would be better cared for by John than by his immediate family. Surprisingly we don't know all that much about John, despite his often being mentioned in the Gospels and in Acts. I reckon he was a quiet, unassuming, yet very dependable man. Many authors have written much about Peter, even psychoanalyzing him, and documented his maturity from being a man who acted before he thought to the wise first leader of the newly established Christian Church. John however, apart from accompanying Peter in working miracles early in the Book of Acts, gradually fades into the background. What does this tell us about Jesus? Despite being in total agony from His ordeal, Jesus still had a heart for His family and friends. Even in His hour of dying Jesus was making sure His loved ones were OK. We notice that He saved the thief and made provision for His mother before mentioning His thirst. Always considering others before Himself. How should we apply this in our own lives? Jesus sets an example for us to care for our family, in particular our parents.

Q2. (Luke 23:39-43) Why is the thief

Q1. (Luke 23:34) Who was most responsible for killing Jesus? The Jewish authorities. They knew Pilate had no backbone and that he'd cave in to pressure. Sure Pilate passed sentence, but if I were to judge who should accept the lion's share of the blame I'd blame the Sanhedrin. What responsibility do you and I bear in this? At the risk of offering an opposing viewpoint, I don't see how we could bear that much responsibility since we were born almost 2000 years later. We do share the guilt of Mankind though. It used to be a common theme at evangelic events to spice up the alter call by saying that if I (the listener) were the only one who needed saving, then Jesus would have still died for me alone. That's complete rubbish. If that were true Jesus would have come immediately after the fall of Mankind to save us all right from the word go. The vast majority of Mankind will never accept Christ as Savior and God knows that. They're quite happy in their own religions, or with no religion. God was and is not above using people, sacrificing them if you will, in order to achieve His plans. He hardened Pharaoh's heart to bring glory to His own Name. There are other examples throughout the Old Testament of God letting people die, and of His punishing the nation of Israel for King David's sin. Don't forget David found favor in God's eyes and still God killed his subjects arbitrarily when David ordered the census and did other things to displease God. I've got a real problem with the whole God is Love viewpoint when I read passages like that in Samuel. He is also a destroying fire. Having said all that, you and I were guilty of rejecting Christ and deserved to be condemned . . . until it was made possible for us to be saved by means of the conviction of the Holy Spirit in out hearts and our decision to act upon it by accepting Jesus as Savior. Jesus died for me and I realize that I didn't deserve it because of the life I led and because I am part of sinful Mankind. I view this as a sins of the parents visited upon the children scenario. In what sense was Jesus praying for us? Pastor Ralph says, and I agree, that Jesus was praying not only for those who were actually crucifying Him, but for all Mankind who rejected Him and who would reject Him in years to come.

Q4. What about Moses

Q3. (Numbers 25; Revelation 2:14) Though Balaam wouldn’t prophesy evil against Israel, he was willing to counsel the Moabites how to hurt Israel. How did Balaam’s counsel lead Israel into sin? He must have advised the Moabites to send in hookers to tempt the Israelite men firstly with the sins of the flesh then, when they had them ensnared, the sin of participating in pagan worship. Why was Aaron’s grandson Phinheas so honored for his action? That sort of adultery was punishable by death. No one seemed keen to carry that sentence out when they saw it happen right in front of them except Phinheas who wasted no time at all but speared them in the very act. What was his reward? Phinheas' descendants would be guaranteed the priesthood for all time. Why are we so often zealous to defend the rights of God’s enemies and so slow to defend God’s honor? Defending the rights of others has become a popular cause these days. We find citizens of one country actually defending the rights of the enemies of their own country! In these days of Jihad our enemies are also God's enemies! The sort of religious zeal that Phinheas displayed would be frowned upon today. Religious zealots are regarded as lunatics, thanks to the Muslims who are most deserving of that description. They use religious zeal to give them an excuse to kill innocent people who in many cases are simply walking down the street or riding in a bus, justifying the killing by saying they're all Allah's enemies. It's not fashionable to be zealous for God. Those that are come under intense criticism and ridicule. I think also that there is a prevailing belief that God is above noticing people who besmirch His honor. These days people figure God can look after Himself without any help from us. The idea of speaking out against people who dishonor God has been tempered by the freedom of speech . . . "It's that person's right to say that because we have freedom of speech." If a Christian denounces a person for dishonoring God, the Christian is actually in the wrong legally in some cases.

Q2. (Numbers 21:4-9; John 3:14-15) What precipitated the plague of snakes? Open criticism and rebellion against God. This time they not only criticized Moses but God Himself. Is being impatient with God

Q1. (Numbers 20:1-13) What did God tell Moses to do to bring water out of the rock? He told Moses to command water to flow from the rock. What did Moses actually do? In what way did he sin? Frustrated by the people's constant complaining Moses struck the rock with his staff as he'd done years earlier at God's command. His sin was not acting according to God's command but taking his own initiative contrary to God's command. He took credit for the water coming from the rock rather than say that God provides the water. What emotions and attitudes were behind his sin, do you think? Frustration and anger at the constant complaining from the people he'd led for forty years wore Moses down. What must leaders do when they sin in these ways? Repent before God as soon as you realize you've acted incorrectly. I had an experience years ago when I was a competitive lifter. Back in 1985 I became the first Australian to squat 600 pounds never having taken steroids and I had a ministry of sorts like Paul Anderson. Going to churches, men's groups, youth groups, etc, performing strength feats then preaching or speaking on whatever subject they asked me to, or giving my testimony. I ordered a new lifting suit from the American company that supplied them and in the manner of some high profile lifters I wrote, "Thanks for the 600 pound squat" by way of kissing up to them. I'd given the credit to the equipment supply company for the lift that God and I had worked on for years that was the cornerstone of my ministry. Barely two weeks after I'd finally made that lift in competition I was struck down with a virus that ripped 20 pounds of hard won muscular bodyweight off me in a week! I eventually recovered, somewhat, and my other lifts climbed back up to what I'd been doing before I got sick but my squat never again went above 550, despite my training in the same productive way I'd been doing it for years with previously great results. That was my personal promised land to which I was denied entry. I didn't have a clue that I'd even sinned by writing that careless comment until many years later when I read this passage and the words literally jumped off the page at me! I repented of course, but by then I was too old to get that strength back and I don't believe God wanted to give it back to me anyway. Moses was of course forgiven by God for his indiscretion, but God still didn't let him into the promised land. In the same way I know God forgave me but I still never got the big squat back again. I've had ministers tell me I'm wrong and that God forgives completely and restores but I know that didn't happen to me. God is Love, but He's also a destroying fire. My advice to anyone who has been struggling in any area where you can't understand why things aren't happening the way they're supposed to is to seek God. Ask Him if there is anything you've done to dishonor Him or if you've perhaps unwittingly not honored Him and get Him to reveal it to you.

Q4. (Numbers 17) What was the root cause of Korah’s rebellion? I reckon it was envy. Korah envied Moses' close relationship with God and his position of authority. Also, after their failed attempt to enter the Promised Land Korah probably decided it was time for a leadership challenge. Which of their accusations were true or partially true? Israel had been chosen as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. That didn't mean that everyone in Israel could actually serve God as a priest. Why is challenging the authority of a spiritual leader so dangerous to the challengers? Challenging the authority of a spiritual leader is dangerous only when the challenge is not based solidly on God's Word. You could find yourself fighting against God, as Gamaliel said many years later. I've been in enough churches in my lifetime to know what I'm talking about here when I say that in some cases the minister does get it wrong. My sister belonged to a church that ended up becoming a cult when the elders assumed complete control over the interpretation of the Word of God. They'd had a deliverance ministry, casting out demons and such, and one time the woman decided to talk to the demon to find out the weaknesses in Satan's camp. Of course the demon lied through its teeth but the elder couldn't see that. Next thing we knew they had set up all sorts of rules on how to pray and worship that were obviously based on a doctrine of demons! In that situation it was essential that those elders be cast down. They weren't, at least not soon enough and the city where my sister still lives has many people whose spiritual lives have been permanently scarred by that erroneous teaching. I challenged one of our pastors 20 years ago over his not conducting the worship service according to the truth in Scripture. I did it in private though and even so he didn't take it too well. We left that church when is became obvious he was determined not to listen to anyone. The pastoral team had an agenda that was at odds with what we knew to be God's direction. However, if a challenge is based merely on human ambition then that can be dangerous to our spiritual well-being. How is intercession for a sinful people such an important part of a leader’s job? God has chosen to work through the prayers of the saints (that's us) and the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective for the forgiveness of sins.

Q3. (Numbers 14) Why is this failure to enter the Promised Land so serious? There they were, on the border of the land God had promised them and they baulked. They abandoned their belief that God would give them the land and planned to stone Moses and to return voluntarily to bondage in Egypt. It was a total about face and a supreme insult to God Himself. What did it represent on the people

Q2. (Numbers 12) What was Miriam’s and Aaron’s motivation for speaking against Moses? Perhaps they thought they could do a better job of leading the people of Israel than Moses was doing. The issue with Moses's wife was just an excuse to launch the rebellion. They were clearly jealous of Moses and his close relationship with God. In their immaturity they didn't realize that rebellion was not the way to get ahead of Moses in the eyes of the people and of God. For my two cents worth I reckon Zipporah was the woman in question. I reckon that if Moses had remarried it would have made the papers and been included in the Biblical account. Besides, he was far too busy to even think about a second wife. Why do people seeking power feel a need to discredit the existing leader? The ambitious person is frequently impatient. Such a person can't wait his/her turn for the limelight. There are two ways to get ahead, be it in business, Church matters, or whatever. The first way . . . and indeed the correct way . . . is to lift your game. This is also the hardest way. The other way to "elevate" yourself in people's eyes is to drag down and discredit the person above you. That's the easiest way, and the most dishonorable way. Unfortunately it's the path most often taken. In my experience, people who set out to discredit others eventually find that they have to expend as much energy and take as much time as it would have taken to lift their own game in the first place. Sometimes in the short term they may gain an advantage but in the long run the karma police will have their way. How did Moses handle this provocation? According to the passage in Numbers, Moses didn't do anything at all. He let God handle it. It was God who called the meeting to dress down the dissenters. Now THERE'S a lesson for all of us right there. If we're in the Will of God, get out of the way and let God handle it. How might he have handled it if he were a proud man? Moses could quite conceivably have called down fire or any other punishment and I reckon God would have backed his play. Moses's remarkable humility really shone through in this situation. How did the Lord handle it? Well firstly, with remarkable restraint! A week's solitary confinement with leprosy for Miriam and nothing is recorded against Aaron, which leads me to think Miriam was the instigator. Aaron was probably a bit weak and indecisive and therefore easily led down the rebellion path. It had happened before. God did dress them down thoroughly though. He put them in their place. Eventually Aaron matured (at a hundred years old too, mind you) into a great high priest but at this time his maturity was still a ways off.

Q1. (Numbers 11:11-15) Why do you think Moses is so frustrated in his prayer? Nothing that God and Moses have done for the people has been enough to stop the constant complaining. Moses is certainly over-reacting when he prays for death to relieve him of the unbearable burden. Any parent who can't get a whining baby to settle or who can't solve the problem of a bored teenager can understand Moses' frustration. I personally can't imagine how he could cope with a million people's complaint and whinging. What do you think is going on in him emotionally and physically at this point? He's totally burnt out in every way. God has also got His dander up at the complaining. He was exceedingly angry. Does he have any grounds for his complaints? Yes he does. Moses feels that God has let the situation get to this point when He should have nipped it in the bud. I can remember situations in my own life when I felt that God should have gone a bit easier on me. God let things happen to me that I'm still feeling the effects of. Moses has finally snapped and who can blame him? Even God realizes that. God's rebuke of Moses, while stern, is also tempered by knowledge that Moses is at the breaking point. Do you think this is designed to be a model prayer? Not really. Sometimes though you really need to let God know how you feel. In my own experience I can remember times when I've vented my spleen at God when it seemed He wasn't listening and didn't care. I can honestly say that I felt better for doing it and that God did seem to respond. I will hasten to add that I also apologized for my outbursts if I crossed the line when it came to respect for the Almighty. Why are we shown this prayer? The provision of the quail was a major event in the desert wanderings of the Israelites. The circumstances leading up to that bear investigation. Why did God so grossly oversupply the quail? If Moses's prayer hadn't been included in the narrative the story wouldn't be complete. How did God answer him? God firstly rebukes Moses then provides him with a solution to the problem. God also over-reacts here in a prime example of how even the Almighty God can be provoked to anger and emotional response.

Q4. (Leviticus 1:3-9) In the burnt offering for an individual's sin: What is the significance of the offerer laying his hand on the animal's head? The laying on of hands confers the offerer's sins to the animal. The animal is then sacrificed in place of the person making the sacrifice. "A life for a life". Why do you think the offerer is to slay the sacrifice rather than having the priest do it? It's the offerer who's done the sinning; it's the offerer who needs to make the sacrifice. It'd be too easy to just take an animal to the Tabernacle, give it to the priest and say, "See you later, pal". Offering a sacrifice was a grisly procedure and would very likely stick in the person's mind long after he'd done it. Such a remembrance would be a kind of deterrent against future bad behavior. How is the animal's blood significant in sacrifice? God told Moses that the life of anything is in its blood. That blood is collected and sprinkled on the altar and on various other things, including in some cases people, to purify them in God's sight. God declared that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission from sin. In what ways does Jesus' sacrifice on the cross fulfill all of this? In John's account of Jesus's crucifixion we're told that when the centurion speared Jesus, blood and water flowed out the wound. Jesus bled out every last drop of His blood! It is by Jesus' blood that we are forgiven for our sins and cleansed from ALL unrighteousness.

Q3. What does the arrangement of the furniture, the tabernacle, and the courtyard teach us about worship? It teaches that there should be an "order of service". When we begin to pray to God we need to confess our sins and ask His forgiveness, which has been purchased for us by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We don't take that for granted though. We receive forgiveness and cleansing when we ask for it then we move on to worshiping God. Symbolically, under the old Covenant, the priest would firstly sacrifice an animal or bird for his sins, then wash himself clean in the basin, then proceed inside the tent to worship God. Jesus has paid the price for our admission into the presence of God but we still should approach Him with respect and awe. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the Living God . . That's in the New Testament. Why do you come to the bronze altar and the laver or basin before you reach the tent itself? In order to approach the presence of God ceremonially clean. A sacrifice for the remission of sins then a washing of the hands and feet make it OK then to approach God.