Bible Study Notes

from July/August 2004 Good News Magazine, by Ken Graham

Has the Bible been preserved accurately?

There are language differences; the Bible has not been translated into English until the 14th century…but did it change until then?

Does it still constitute the same inspired words written by the prophets and the apostles?

What does the historical records show?

Has the Old Testament been accurately preserved?

Old Testament = Hebrew, written approximately between 1446 to 400BC…some 25-35 centuries ago. Continue reading →

Deut. 32:35

Vengeance and retribution belong to Me. Their foot shall slide in time, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come on them make haste.

Ps. 94:1

O God of vengence, Jehovah, the God of vengeance, shine forth! Continue reading →

2 Chron. 7:14

“If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; thenwill I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Continue reading →

Isa. 54:10

“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.” Continue reading →

Isa. 12:1-11

“And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise Thee: though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortedst me.

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. Continue reading →

Originally, I intended to blog my study chronologically from Genesis to Revelation. While that is ok I thought it would be better to go from one category to another instead.

As what had actually happened, I’ve skipped to other subjects but did not blog about it because it was not a continuity to the previous post. This time I’ll be adding categories that don’t necessarily continue from the previous post but are all biblical so they are still linked. Continue reading →

Pentateuch by Ralph Levy

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Intro was a question about Terah’s belief (who he served), henotheism.

Gen. 28:10 Jacob went eastward from Beer-sheba to Haran.

:11 he went to a certain place and stayed all night because the sun was set; and he took stones to make as pillows and slept.

:12 he dreamed of a ladder set up on the earth and the top reached to heaven and the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

:13 and the LORD stood above it and said: “I am the LORD God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed;

:14 “And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Continue reading →

Pentateuch by Ralph Levy

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Birthright: the right of the first born gets the largest portion of the inheritance and the family heritage will pass through whoever has the birthright.

Gen. 25:29 Jacob cooked the stew; Esau was famished and tired

:30 Esau asked Jacob for stew

:31 Jacob asked for the birthright in exchange

:32 Esau did not care for the birthright so he sold it to Jacob

Heb. 12:16 Esau did not value what he has been given

Gen. 25:33 birthright sold

:34 Jacob gave the stew and bread; Esau despised his birthright

There are two sides of the story: Jacob the trickster; Esau the weak-willed.

Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup.

Esau and Edom: they became very bitter.

Lesson #1: don’t despise your birthright

Lesson #2: do not be bitter; don’t allow bitterness to cause you trouble. If somebody does you wrong, that’s part of life. Getting bitter will just end you up being the big loser.

Gen. 26:1 There was famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar. Continue reading →

Pentateuch by Ralph Levy

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Gen. 23:1 Sarah lived 127 years

:2 she died in Kirjath-arbe (Hebron)

:3 Abraham spoke with the sons of Heth

:4 being a stranger he asked for a burial place to bury Sarah

Heb. 11:9-13 sojourners we are like Abraham

Under Hitite law there are restrictions on foreigners owning Hitite land. Abraham could not simply buy that is why he was asking the sons of Heth to give him a piece of land for a burial place and he was very respectful. Continue reading →

Pentateuch by Ralph Levy

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review of Gen. 19:30-38

Gen. 20:1 Abraham journeyed and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar

:2 second ’she is my sister’ episode (first one in chapter 12)

:3 Abimelech (seems to be a dynastic name) took Sarah but God came to him in a dream.

(God does deal with other nations)

Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death

God reveals this problem to Abimelech who is a man of principle. Continue reading →