Good evening! So how was your day? Mine was pretty good. This Bible Study made it even better. I have to tell you that what you read tonight is just of what we discussed regarding the chapters. There were many times that we were off topic but to try and type and explain it would be quite confusing. Many times we talked about this past Sunday’s Morning service. Discussing a certain praise song that continues over and over with “nananana’s”. The song being called “Every Move I make”. We also discussed the song “I have a Friend in God”. Both of these songs, if you would like to listen to them, can be found on YouTube, in fact, here are some links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dgf1YzscBlE every move I make
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcxKRsn-hGc friend of God
Psalm 48
This chapter centers around Mount Zion in which glory derives from. Mount Zion is God’s place and is available for those to dwell in with God. Verses 2/3 talk about the sides of the North. Some people say this is where the gods (little “g”) ruled the earth from – like the Greek gods. In all actuality it is where the real God is ruling. The Psalmist is therefore showing that the gods are inferior to God. The Psalmist also describes fear that the world leaders are experiencing. This is like a sinking ship. What happens to a sinking ship?
So we praise God. We praise his character, which is his love and patience as well as he is omnipresent and immutable, he is of judgment, wrath and is jealous. This all is good stuff! He is the only God that is to be worshipped!
Daughter of Judea. This refers to the young women who led worship but also, the towns that surround Jerusalem, the center of the Jewish Nation. The joy and gladness that flows is meant for everyone not just the Jewish Nation though.
Walking around Zion refers to a ceremonial precession and that people boast Zion in leading the next generation.
The Old Testament was in hope of the eternal life and is different because now we have hope in/from Jesus. The o.t. followed the laws and sacrificed where we have grace and salvation. They saw heaven as an escape from the wrath that was put upon them; we see heaven as a place to be with God. The leaders followed the laws to the a “t” but they were not humble. To this Jesus told a story well a parable about the sinner and the religious leader at the temple. Luke 18: 9-14
Luke 18-The Religious
Leader and the Tax Collector Luke 18:9-14
Based on NLT
Luke 18:9-12
Then Jesus told this story to some who
had great confidence in their own
Righteousness*/blamelessness before
God and scorned everyone else: “Two
men went to the place of worship* to
pray. One was a religious leader*, and
the other was a despised tax collector.
The religious leader stood by himself
and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you,
God, that I am not a sinner* like
everyone else…I don’t cheat, I don’t sin,
and I don’t commit adultery. I’m
certainly not like that tax collector!
I
fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth
of my income.’
Luke 18:13-14
“But the tax collector stood at a distance
and dared not even lift his eyes to
heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his
chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be
merciful to me, because I am a sinner.’ I
tell you, this sinner, not the religious
leader, returned home
justified/blameless before God—because
those who exalt themselves will be
humbled, and those who humble
themselves will be exalted.”
We are saved by Faith.
Romans 3 What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? 2 Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God. 3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written:
“That You may be justified in Your words,
And may overcome when You are judged.”[a]
5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath? (I speak as a man.) 6 Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world?
7 For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? 8 And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?—as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
All Have Sinned
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”[b]
13 “Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; [c]
“The poison of asps is under their lips”; [d]
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”[e]
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”[f]
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”[g]
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
God’s Righteousness Through Faith
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law andthe Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all[h] who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Boasting Excluded
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is Hethe God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 sincethere is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Footnotes:
Romans 3:12 Psalms 14:1–3; 53:1–3; Ecclesiastes 7:20
Romans 3:22 NU-Text omits and on all.
Chapter 49
This psalm is of wisdom that deals with the problem of hot to regard earthly wealth. See what salvation is about. Here on earth compare to what we have here on the inside. You cannot earn or buy salvation it is a gift that God gives. The psalm is set to be of poetry and could be a song to sing. This kind of psalm, song, should and would have been memorized. Almost all poetry was turned into different songs and were very important. If you think about it you remember more songs than you do speeches.
Verses ¾ these 2 verses are almost the same but a little different at the same time. This is again emphasizing the importance of what is being said.
Verse 7 no one can save someone else. We can’t pray people to heaven they have to accept Jesus as their personal savior.
Verse 11 – wise and foolish, dead but the house is forever. They think things will last forever but we know that this is an affirmation that death is certain. Everyone will die, unless Jesus comes back to take us first. Compare eternal life against eternal damnation. What are you afraid think it will be times a million. If you choose to reject Jesus as your Lord Christ Savior you will see heaven but you will not be able to go. No one can spend enough money to buy heaven; there is no ransom big enough to buy eternal life. The difference between humans and animals is that humans have a choice and have an eternal soul. Once your body dies you will either stay in heaven or stay in hell – there’s no line jumping and you cannot pray someone in one place or the other. Some people believe in purgatory but it is NOT real or true.
So there is a paradise which is under the throne of God then they, we, go to heaven. Jesus is everywhere and people are crying out from the throne of God.
Some people refer to near death experience as a depersonalize experience which is out of the body looking in or down at one’s self. So there’s that.
Verse 15 is talking about God redeeming which gives us a strong affirmation of faith, that we will be blessed to be with God/Jesus.
Without Jesus how can we have hope? We don’t/we can’t. With Jesus we will be snatched and saved.
If people are influential because of their standing or money but they don’t have Jesus if doesn’t mean a thing.
Verses 16-19 people try to influence their way to heaven will not make it. Don’t be envious of those people but instead love them more. Riches here do not mean anything.
In the Old Testament they looked to Jesus and what he would do. Now we (and the New Testament) look at what Jesus did. When Jesus returns all will be revealed to the Old Testament peoples, the New Testament peoples, and us!
The light here refers to “a part of God”. Jesus was and is called the light of the world. Darkness cannot be here in the light and sin cannot hide. That is also saying that if you have riches don’t fear but stay humble and love.
Do not bless yourself but bless others.