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Bible Study For Bible Students by Esamagidi: 6:23am On Nov 11, 2008
This section of the forum is dedicated to in-depth study of scriptures, the Holy Bible. Let those who have the grace teach with love, inspiration and understanding; be humble enough to step out when the water gets too deep for their insight, and let those endowed with sufficient grace steer the course to edification.

Holy Spirit, guide and guard this thread, and sustain only those you have in mind. May you feed the hungry, satisfy the thirsty, and open the blind eyes through the teaching of your word. Above all, may all glory be given to your Son, Jesus Christ. Release your presence now, O Lord, and take charge of the hearts and mind of men and women as they stop-by for a drink or to offer a drink to others. Personally sanctify the water that is offered in this thread, and prevail against strange fire. In this thread, which is now officially under your auspices, feed your people with meat that is kosher, kosher, and kosher only. In Jesus name, AMEN!
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by Esamagidi: 6:29am On Nov 11, 2008
[center][size=14pt]Obtaining the Promise: Is God in the Turn? Pt. One
By Esamagidi[/size][/center]

There is a pattern in the bible that reveals how God relates with his people when it comes to promises he has made to them. It is a pattern of talking about the end product but not the materials that would go into it or the process or routes that the product would go through, and it is the process that make many of God’s people fall out with him and lose out on a great destiny. When the compass points south of the promises you have received of God what exactly is going on?

As a little boy, Joseph saw the Sun and the moon and the eleven stars bow down before him:

9And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
(Genesis 37)

What Joseph saw as a little boy was an unmistakable promise of greatness; greatness that exceeded his father’s household; greatness to which even the patriarch Jacob, who would kowtow. That kind of blessing was unheard of in his family— if anything, blasphemous! To say that he, little Joseph was going to receive a blessing that was greater than what Jacob had to deceive Esau and Isaac to obtain; a blessing Jacob had to  win after an all-night mortal combat with an angel; a blessing greater than the blessing that has been in the family for three centuries running, having been carefully passed down from father to son—to even remotely insinuate that level of greatness just didn’t sound right, “and his father rebuked him” . That was how big Joseph’s promised blessing was in the eyes and ears of those who heard him narrate his dreams.

However, nobody—not even Joseph knew the process it would take to make the man to whom even Jacob would bow in the moment of need.

Joseph dreamt of the greatness, but he did not see the pit… well God never mentioned it in the dream. Twice Joseph was thrown into a pit on his journey to greatness: (thrown into a dry well by his brothers, thrown into a dungeon by potiphar).

Apparently Joseph did not see the chains too…oops! God left that part out. Twice he was in chain: (To Egypt, and in Jail).

Similarly, Joseph saw the honour, but did not see the betrayals that were ahead…hmm, another detail omitted. Twice he was betrayed by family members (by brothers, and by the Potiphars whom he served with all his might, and had come to take him as a member of the family).

Also, Joseph did not see the ingratitude ahead…ahhshhhh that must had hurt! God left that part out of the blueprint to greatness. Twice Joseph’s services for people were forgotten (Potiphar did not remember in anger, and the baker forgot like most humans).

Surprisingly, Joseph was not told of the curves ahead of his life though he was in full knowledge of the final outcome of his life’s journey. Teasingly two of those major curves in Joseph’s life superficially pointed south of what God promised him. The first curve led him into slavery, the second dragged him into a maximum security prison—now one of those curves should have been mentioned in the dream, shouldn’t it? Well, God didn’t. Poor Joseph! It wasn’t what he expected.

Above all, God did not tell Joseph the time of the fulfillment of his childhood dream. I can relate to that. Twice Joseph told the exact timing of others dreams: the precise time of the famine and surplus; the precise time of the dreams of his fellow prisoners would be fulfilled, yet the fulfillment of his own was kept from him.

End of Part One:
Question: Why did God talk about the fulfillment of Joseph’s destiny and not the process?

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Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by Esamagidi: 12:29pm On Nov 11, 2008
[size=16pt][center]Joseph: A Leader in times of Economic Crisis
By Esamagidi[/center][/size]

Joseph was a leader sent for a period of financial and economic crisis. Though his master Pharaoh became richer than all the kings of the region, the general populace became impoverished. First, the people of the land ran out of money:

[i]14And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.[/i]  (Genesis 47:14)

Second, they gave their cattle, horses and means of livelihood in exchange for bread:

15And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.
16And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.
17And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
(Genesis 47:15-17)

Third they sold their lands and persons in exchange for bread.

18When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:
19Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.
20And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.
(Genesis 47:18-20)

Fourth, the people of the land lost their homes and cities:

21And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. (Genesis 47:21)


Fifth, he gave an economic stimulus package upon which imposed a twenty percent gross income tax.

23Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
24And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones
. (Genesis 47:23-24)


Sixth, Joseph amended the constitution of the land giving more earning power to the already wealthy Pharaoh at the expense of the people.

26And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's. (Genesis 47:26)

Joseph came into power at a very important time in the history of Egypt and Canaan. To fully carry out his assignment, he was given full executive mandate by Pharaoh and by God to exercise discretion in handling the affairs of the time. In response, Joseph worked exclusively for the interest of his family and the interest the King who put him in power. His laws and economic policies solely favored the king and the king’s priests, while the citizens of the land plunged deeper and deeper into penury until they became slaves in their own land with nothing to call their own, and their earning power greatly reduced to the barest minimum. In the midst of this hardship, even the choice of where to live as free citizens was taken from the Egyptians by Joseph. He herded the Egyptians like cattle from their homes “to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end ….” It must have been a very challenging time for the average Egyptian: to have lost money, property, status, and be forced on exile in your own country; to be stripped of everything you have always known in terms history and geography; to be forced to live for less than half of what you were worth, while the rich priests of the land remain rich and untouched must have been close to unbearable, and all these suffering from the hands of a man who was privy to the counsel of God for his generation; of remarkable wisdom, proven economic insight, and rare leadership skills.

If the success of a leader is measured by how well the common people fared in his time, little can be said for Joseph; if the success of a leader is measured by his interest in the progress or betterment of the common people, little can be said of Joseph in Egypt.

At end what did Joseph achieve: He lived several years; he built cities and wealth for pharaoh, and made Pharaoh several times more powerful than the Egyptians intended. What legacy did he live behind? What do the annals of Egypt say of him? NOTHING! Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. (Exodus 1:eight). Even the kings, whom Joseph helped to unprecedented power, did not keep record of him; his contributions to their enormous wealth got washed away in the hot desert sands of Egypt, where he reduced the people to bond slaves. Nevertheless, Joseph laid a formidable foundation for the suffering of his own people. Having single handedly lifted Pharaoh to the status of a god in Egypt: owner of all land, property and souls of Egypt, the Egyptians took Pharaoh’s orders as law. Even when Pharaoh asked the Egyptians to murder innocent Hebrew babies, there was no one to oppose him except two midwives who were beginning to out grow the slave mentality to which Joseph introduced the Egyptians some centuries prior. Other than those two women, and Pharaoh’s daughter in the palace, killing Hebrew babies was a welcome idea as long as the king said it. Joseph also, set the machinery in motion for the enslavement of his own people. Having reduced the Egyptians to slaves in their own land, it was a welcome idea when a new king finally told the Egyptians, “it was time to slaughter the sacred cows, why should strangers be  mightier than we citizens, hey guys trade places with them, be masters from now on and make them the slaves.’’
And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. (Exodus 1:9-11)

This was the king the Egyptians have been yearning for; here at last was the true Pharaoh, god sent, the one who knew how to take care of his people and restore their honor and dignity. It was pay back time for the people of the man who watched them slide into slavery. And they made sure they carried out the king’s instruction to the letter:

And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour
. (Exodus 1: 13-14).
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by Bastage: 12:55pm On Nov 11, 2008
One cannot separate Joseph from the Egyptian authorities.
He was most probably a Hyksos as was the Pharoah mentioned in connection with him. Joseph was a member of the ruling government and a member of it's people.
The Exodus Hebrews were also Hyskos and were kicked out when the native Egyptians took power. It's therefore no wonder that Joseph gets good press in the Bible.
Incidentally, the Hyksos were followers of the Egyptian god Set or Seth. He was god of the desert and of war and just the sort of thing needed by a nomadic people wandering through the barren Promised Land. It's quite astonishing to find that he later served as the template for the Christian Satan. But then Bible literalists have more problems with the scriptures and logic, rather than focussing on the fact that if they worship Moses' god of the Old Testament, they're actually very likely worshipping the fore-runner of Satan. Hypocritical or what? cheesy

One thing of interest to note - the word "pharoah" is mentioned over 50 times in the Bible, yet never is the name of the specific pharoah mentioned, although it could be referring to any one of 20 or so Egyptian rulers of the era and most certainly refers to a few of them.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 9:45pm On Sep 11, 2011
looking through thread.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 9:49pm On Sep 11, 2011
anyone not actually believing in the bible, would you mind not participating in the thread?

no offence.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 9:14pm On Sep 26, 2011
Mocking the gospel

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

   Yes, and I will continue to rejoice

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+1%3A15-18&version=NIV


the emphasis here, i notice, is not on false preachers, but on the fact that the gospel is being preached even though the preachers have questionable motives.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 5:42am On Jun 13, 2012
Question: Why did God talk about the fulfillment of Joseph’s destiny and not the process?

interesting question which requires some thought.



Joseph was a leader sent for a period of financial and economic crisis

what I find very interesting about the story of Joseph is the fact that he had something in him which others tried their best to stamp out. True, he did rub people the wrong way no matter what he did [from his brothers to potiphar's wife- the only person he didnt offend was the pharaoh, strangely enough].


however, there was a strong factor in him [dont know if it can be called his destiny], which kept on propelling him towards where he would be of maximum use, although he had to get there through despair, imprisonment, etc.

and obviously, the folks around him couldnt see this [not an excuse for anyone to have grandiose delusions though], and simply wanted him to be mundane. This was something he just couldnt do since even as a slave he was still chased and sexually harassed by potiphar's wife.[Although in her defence, we dont know if she routinely slept with random fellows and slaves. That's quite possible perhaps. But then why would potiphar be so upset?]

And even as a slave, he still rose to be the most trusted one in potiphar's household.Likewise even in jail he still became prominent due to what he had within him, ie his character or destiny i suppose. Which could be interpreted as an avenue for God's plan to manifest in his life.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 8:16pm On Jun 13, 2012
another thing about joseph was he did have some character flaws.

most especially the problem of talking too much, or blurting out things without considering the impact or effect it would have on others.

his two dreams are examples of this. His openness and talkativeness were some of the things that made his brothers dislike him so badly, and the last straw was their father's favouritism.


now, by the time Joseph became the ruler of all egypt, second only to pharaoh, you'll notice he had become much wiser, so even when he saw his brothers, he didnt reveal himself to them immediately. Had he been the way he was before, he'd have immediately blurted out "See! I told you this was going to happen!"

His experiences had matured him and given him an innate sense of responsibility.

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Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by Image123(m): 9:17pm On Jun 13, 2012
cool cool
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 11:00pm On Jun 13, 2012
^^take it elsewhere.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 2:53am On Jul 02, 2012
Exodus 4


1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” he replied.

3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”



i find it very interesting that the snake, which is a typical symbol of paganism, was used by God as a sign for Moses.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 2:57am On Jul 02, 2012
Exodus 7

8 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle, ’ then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a snake.”

10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake.

11 Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts:

12 Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

13 Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.


what did the snake symbolize for pharaoh, and what was its status in egypt?

now i remember the pharaoh's crown typically has a snake symbol in the middle of it.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 4:24am On Jul 02, 2012
quick background on snakes:

the hebrew word for serpent, means whisperer.


the difference betwwen a serpent and a snake is what i'm trying to study further.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by Image123(m): 1:36pm On Jul 02, 2012
smooth tpia smooth.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 3:23am On Jul 03, 2012
snake seems to be a lower designation for a serpent.

when serpent spoke to eve we do not know his physical position or location in the garden [was he above her, in the tree, equal with her or on the ground at her feet], but after the fall, he was reduced to crawling on the ground as/like a snake.

genesis 3

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,


“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 1:00pm On Jul 14, 2012
A study of The Times of the Gentiles.

wbb.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 6:23pm On Jul 14, 2012
luke 21 :20b

Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

the times of the gentiles refers to a time when darkness will cover the land.

From a Christian perspective, this is a period when anti-christian powers will be in charge, together with all that comes therein.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 6:25pm On Jul 14, 2012
luke 21:29

He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.

30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.

31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

key word here is generation.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by Nobody: 6:32pm On Jul 14, 2012
cool
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 4:13pm On Aug 15, 2012
Those who have ears to hear, let them hear what the spirit is saying to the churches.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 4:54am On Aug 24, 2012
luke 10

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”



He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”


30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.

31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.

35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 5:08am On Aug 24, 2012
the little most of us know about the samaritans is they were one of the most despised people by the isrealites back then. And the feeling was mutual.

the lawyer no doubt would have been familiar with many victims of samaritans, and probably despised them as much as everybody else.

Jesus pointed out the humanity of the samaritan to him, as well as the inhumanity [or mistakes] of the other two who he probably identified with.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 5:09am On Aug 24, 2012
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”



“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

mercy is an attribute of God.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 10:51am On Aug 24, 2012
Ps 30:1

i will exalt you Lord,

for thou has lifted me

above my enemies

Your banner over me is love.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 10:52am On Aug 24, 2012
To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 1:39am On Aug 27, 2012
1 tim 4


Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron

Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 1:40am On Aug 27, 2012
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

11 These things command and teach.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 1:40am On Aug 27, 2012
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 4:06am On Sep 04, 2012
exercise thyself unto godliness

refuse profane and old wives fables

pretty much self explanatory.





godliness is profitable unto all things.


if you disagree, good for you.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 4:08am On Sep 04, 2012
rev 3


thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy unclothedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.



anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou mayest see.
Re: Bible Study For Bible Students by tpia5: 4:18am On Sep 04, 2012
now, if your clothing is making others sin, modify it.

true, whoever will sin will still sin regardless, but if you are a leader in your congregation and you notice strange things going on there, open your eyes as the scripture says, and act accordingly.

whatever is not expedient, you can do without.

if wearing a coat will make some salivate over you, change your mode of dressing and break that link.

you are there not to appeal to the outer senses, but to the inner man.

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