Daily Bible Study Questions

Transcription

1 Daily Bible Study Questions Study Procedure: Read the Scripture references before answering questions. Unless otherwise instructed, use the Bible only in answering questions. Some questions may be more difficult than others but try to answer as many as you can. Pray for God s wisdom and understanding as you study and don t be discouraged if some answers are not obvious at first. FIRST DAY: Review of Lesson 3 1. Which things were not part of the Biblical descriptions of the appearances of angels on earth? (a) powerful strength (b) wings (c) halos (d) babies (e) females (f) fearsome appearance (g) clear communication 2. Which angels were not named in the Bible? (a) Apollyon (b) Uriel (c) Monica (d) Clarence (e) Michael (f) Gabriel (g) Lucifer (h) Tess 3. Which of the following received personal visits from angels? (a) Esau (b) Abraham (c) Lot (d) Daniel (e) Balaam (f) Herod (g) Mary (h) Peter 4. How has this study of angels impacted your awareness of the spiritual world? SECOND DAY: 5. Not everything in the spiritual world works in ministry to benefit the heirs of salvation. Read the following Scriptures and answer the questions that follow. (Ephesians 6:10-13) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (a) Who is opposing God s people with devious schemes? (b) What kind of enemy do we face? (c) What does this passage reveal about the organization of the evil opposition? Page 33

2 6. If principalities are headed by princes, what do these Scriptures reveal? (a) (Daniel 10:12-14) Then he [an angel] said to me, Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come. (b) (Daniel 12:1) At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. (c) (Ephesians 2:1-3) And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 7. There are two passages in prophetic Scripture that have been traditionally seen as presenting the biography of Satan. Each was part of a longer prophetic word about a particular person in history, but each had some lines which could not reasonably be taken to describe a mere human. Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow. (a) (Ezekiel 28:11-19) Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you. You defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of Page 34

3 your trading; therefore I brought fire from your midst; it devoured you, and I turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who knew you among the peoples are astonished at you; you have become a horror, and shall be no more forever. Matching: (1) What title was given to this personality that indicates he is an angel? (2) At what location was he first described as walking? (3) How would you describe his initial appearance? (4) What happened to change his situation? (5) What was God s response? (6) What is he now and what will he become in the future? a. He was created wise, beautiful, and perfect; he was associated with musical instruments, probably involved or in charge of worship; and he was covered in precious stones. b. He became proud because of his great beauty and wisdom and corrupted himself. He became violent and defiled the sanctuaries. c. He was called the anointed cherub who covers. d. God devoured him with fire and cast him to the ground, out of the holy mountain of God. e. He has become a horror and shall be no more forever. f. He was in the Garden of Eden. (b) (Isaiah 14:12-17) How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit. Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners? (1) What name is given this personality? What does it mean? (2) What was the cause of his fall? (3) What is his future? Page 35

4 THIRD DAY: 8. According to Job 1 and Luke 22:31, Satan has access to God in heaven to accuse believers. However, according to a prophecy in Revelation 12:7-12, there will be a time during the Great Tribulation when he is permanently denied such access. Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow about that time: (Revelation 12:7-12) And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time. (a) List the names given here for the devil. (b) Who will fight whom? (c) What will be the outcome in heaven? (d) What will be the outcome on earth? (e) How will the saints overcome Satan s opposition? 9. Read the passage below and underline God s final dealings with Satan. (Revelation 20:7-10) Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Page 36

5 FOURTH DAY: 10. Read each verse, and then describe what Satan can do. (a) (Luke 8:11,12) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. (b) (Luke 9:42) And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. (c) (John 8:44) You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. (d) (John 13:2) And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon s son, to betray Him... (e) (Acts 5:1-4) But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God. (f) (Acts 10:37,38) that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (g) (2 Corinthians 4:3,4) But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. Page 37

6 (h) (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10) And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. FIFTH DAY: 11. According to 1 John 3:8, Jesus came that He might destroy the works of the devil, and, according to Hebrews 2:14, He died on the Cross that He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. Jesus has already promised us ultimate victory over Satan, but we need to learn to fight him in the meantime. (a) Read Luke 4:1-13. How did Jesus overcome Satan s temptations? (b) Read Acts 16: How did Paul and Silas respond to severe persecution? (c) Read Acts 19: What can you learn from the failure of these seven men in their confrontation with demons? 12. Using your own words, explain how a person can stay clear of Satan s snares, according to these verses: (a) (1 Timothy 3:7) Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (b) (Ephesians 4:26,27) Be angry, and do not sin : do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. (c) (1 Peter 5:8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Page 38

7 13. Our Spiritual Armor: Matching (Read Ephesians 6:13-20.) (a) belt (b) breastplate (c) shoes (d) shield (e) helmet (f) sword (g) communication 1. salvation 2. gospel of peace 3. truth 4. faith 5. word of God 6. prayer 7. righteousness 14. What can our spiritual weapons do? (Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.) Page 39

8 Notes KNOWING THE ENEMY Satan s Beginning If God created everything, did He create evil? Right after the account of Creation, evil is introduced in the Garden of Eden in the personality of the serpent. He effectively tempted Eve by questioning God s word and planting doubts about God s good character. Yet, in the Creation account of Genesis 1 and 2, God had pronounced everything good. How then did Satan get into the picture? Angels are created beings. Since the firmament, or what God called Heaven, was created on the second day (Genesis 1:8), angels were probably created then too. There is a line from Job 38:4-7 that indicates that angels were present when God continued with the making of the sea and earth on day three. God asks Job: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (emphasis added). The term sons of God means angels in Job. (See Job 1:6.) They are not sons in the sense that Jesus is Son or sons as redeemed humans are, but sons in the sense that they too are the direct creations of God. Also stars (see verse 7 above) are symbolic of angels in Revelation 1:20 and 12:4. We can assume that angels were created to worship and serve God, but from the passages taken as biographical about Satan, we can also assume that angels were created with free will. Satan, originally called Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12), meaning light-bearer, was an anointed cherub in Ezekiel 28:14. The passage explained that he was perfect in his ways from the first day of his creation until sin was found in him. The sin was pride; he wanted to be like the Most High. He was originally given a high position, if his bejeweled appearance, access to the holy mountain of God, use of musical instruments probably for worship, and freedom to walk in Eden are an indication. He was not satisfied; God was not amused; and he was cast out as a profane thing. God did not create evil. Satan rebelled against God which was an evil action. As darkness is only the absence of light, evil is the absence of good. His choice pushed away good, resulting in the revelation of evil. He would always use his full energies to influence God s special human creatures to choose evil also. Satan s Identity There are many names for Satan in Scripture. In Genesis, he was called the serpent. In the New Testament he was called the devil, from the Greek word diabolos which meant slanderer or accuser. The name Satan means adversary or opponent. He is also called a prince and a dragon. None of these titles is flattering. His character is evil, and his names are indications of the seriousness of that evil. Satan s Capabilities and Limitations Satan does not act alone. There are many references to his demonic angels in the Old and New Testament. A telling passage in Revelation seems to indicate that one-third of the angels fell with him when he was cast out of his original high place (Revelation 12:3-9). Satan has many abilities. In the question section were Scriptures describing many of his activities: lying, stealing, murdering, causing mental and physical sickness, snatching away the word of God, blinding people from God s truth, giving lying signs and wonders, laying traps for the unsuspecting, using human sin as an entry for more evil, and making variations in all of these things to tempt or trap people into sin. However, it is important to realize what Satan cannot do. He is a created being; therefore, he is not Page 40

9 in any way equal to God. When we see him at his end, we will echo Isaiah s prophetic assessment: Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners? (Isaiah 14:16,17). He is not omnipresent or omnipotent or omniscient. He cannot make anyone choose sin. He cannot read minds; although, he and his demons are careful students of human behavior and can certainly take advantage of our sins and weaknesses. As a spiritual being, he can speak to our spirits. He specializes in guilt, condemnation, and fear. God has already determined Satan s end. According to Revelation 20, at the end of the Tribulation when Christ returns, Satan will be bound for a thousand years. After that, he will be loosed once more and, surprisingly, will be able to gather large numbers to oppose Jesus again. This will prove that man, even under the authority of an absolutely righteous ruler who Jesus will be during that thousand years, will still need redemption and salvation. A perfect environment will not change a person on the inside. Though forced to be outwardly obedient, some born during that period will refuse salvation and grow inwardly rebellious. Satan will find eager supporters who will join him to oppose Jesus, but they will be quickly defeated. His final end will be to be sent to the lake of fire and brimstone, where he will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10). Spiritual Warfare But what about now? Satan is still alive and active in our world. The good news is that Jesus has already defeated Satan. He has also guaranteed us victory, but we must show up to do battle. What is our strategy? What are our weapons? First, to claim the protection and power of Jesus, we must be rightly related to Him by faith. As the story of the seven sons of Sceva revealed (Acts 19), trying to use someone else s relationship with Jesus will not work. When we are born again, God puts us into His family as joint heirs with Jesus; His resources are our resources. Next, the Bible teaches that we must live as if we are in God s family, avoiding evil and seeking peace with one another. Sin in our lives gives Satan a foothold. He can use guilt and condemnation to make us feel helpless and hopeless, tempting us to give up and give in. Further, there are definite spiritual disciplines we can follow. Prayer is essential. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He told them to ask the Father to deliver them from evil and to keep them from temptation (Luke 11:4). Prayer connects us to God so that we can receive guidance, protection, and relief, but it also does something in us. The very act of praying brings to the forefront of our minds the reality of temptation. Once we are awake and aware, we can be sober and vigilant about the works of Satan, more effectively avoiding his traps and tricks (1 Peter 5:8). However, at those times when we realize we are in the middle of Satan s attacks or are being targeted by his demons, we can use our other weapons. The first is the word of God. Jesus responded to each of Satan s temptations with Scripture (Luke 4:1-13). Satan may seem to whisper, You re hopeless, but you can respond, I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Paul and Silas responded to severe persecution with other spiritual weapons. They used prayer and praise, praying and singing while their backs were still stinging and their feet were stuck in the stocks! The result? God delivered them and others by sending an earthquake to open their prison doors (Acts 16:20-26). The weaponry described in Ephesians 6 summarizes what these other verses have explained: shield of faith, helmet of salvation security of a right relationship to Jesus Christ; sword of the Spirit clear knowledge and appropriate use of the word of God; belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of peace living obediently before God and living righteously with one another. Summing Up Are we guaranteed that Satan will leave us alone if we do all these things? No. Paul warned his young protégé Timothy that all who desire to Page 41

10 live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Trouble from Satan always follows those who follow Jesus, but with God s help we will be able to say with Paul: We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). The Bible assures us that we are on the winning side in every spiritual battle. We must be determined to know our enemy, be aware of his tactics, and show up for the fight! Jesus is superior to any angel, good or evil. VOCABULARY 1. adversary: an opponent; enemy 2. cherub: a winged celestial being; plural is cherubim (See Genesis 3:24.) 3. omnipotent: all-powerful 4. omnipresent: present everywhere 5. omniscient: having total knowledge; knowing everything 6. profane: showing disrespect for God 7. protégé: a young person who receives help, guidance, training, and support from somebody who is older and has more experience or influence Page 42

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