Weekly Guide：Week 91
October 20, 2019
Foreword
We continue to read the books of the minor prophets this week, including Hosea, Joel, and Amos. These three prophets warned the Israel of the north and Judah of the south their judgments, for they committed sins repeatedly, rebelled against the Covenant with God. The warnings are also applicable to us, to alert us to keep the covenant, to be responsible for our own actions.
May you all be renewed in God’s word every day!
Question
How did God lead Israel with the cord of human kindness and ties of love?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
- When Israel was a child, God loved him, and called him out of Egypt.
- But the more they were called, the more they went away from God. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.
- A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans.
- They will follow the Lord; He will roar like a lion. When he roars, His children will come trembling from the west.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - God taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms, led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them He was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek and bent down to feed them. How does this help me to see and understand God’s love?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What sins did Ephraim commit?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
- Ephraim pursues multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.
- The Lord has a charge to bring against Judah; he will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds.
- Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger; his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed.
- Ephraim became guilty of Baal worship. Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver.
- When God fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot God.
- The guilt of Ephraim is stored up, his sins are kept on record. His storehouse will be plundered of all its treasures.
- Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - The Israelites were satisfied when God fed them; when they were satisfied, the became proud; then they forgot God. By whom are we fed? Do I give thanks to God or am I proud of my own success?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What did Israel pray for in their return to God?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
- The prophet advises Israel to return to their God. Ask Him to forgive all their sins and receive them graciously.
- God will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for His anger has turned away from them.
- Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - In their prayer returning to God, the Israelites asked God to Forgive all their sins and receive them graciously, that they may offer the fruit of their lips. Do I often offer my repentance through my prayer?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What did Joel warn the Israelites about?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
- A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; behind them, a desert waste-nothing escapes them.
- The people of Judah Mourn. The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the olive oil fails.
- Put on sackcloth, you priests, and mourn. Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly, and cry out to the Lord.
- The day of the Lord is coming, the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
- Return to the Lord with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.
- Then the Lord was jealous for His land and took pity on His people.
- The Lord will pour out His Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
- Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, so when the Israelites return to Him with all their heart, he would be merciful to them. How am I experiencing His mercy?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How would the Lord put the nations on trial?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
- God will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There He will put them on trial.
- In that day, all the ravines of Judah will run with water. A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house and will water the valley of acacias.
- Egypt will be desolate, Edom a desert waste.
- Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. How am I experiencing God as my refuge and my stronghold?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What nations does the Lord sand His judgment from Zion?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
- The vision Amos saw concerning Israel came when Jeroboam was king of Israel.
- The Lord roars from Zion; the pastures of the shepherds dry up, and the top of Carmel withers.
- For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not relent.
- For three sins of Gaza, even for four, I will not relent. I will turn my hand against Ekron, till the last of the Philistines are dead.
- For three sins of Tyre, even for four, I will not relent.
- For three sins of Edom, even for four, I will not relent.
- For three sins of Ammon, even for four, I will not relent.
- For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not relent.
- For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not relent.
- For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not relent.
- Judgment on Israel for they rebelled against the Lord and turned their back to His mercy.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - On the day of judgment, the swift will not escape, the strong will not muster their strength, and the warrior will not save his life. The archer will not stand his ground, the fleet-footed soldier will not get away, and the horseman will not save his life. Even the bravest warriors will flee naked on that day. Do I depend on my own ability or the grace of righteousness God has given me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Scripture Reading
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What did the Lord say about the Mountains of Israel?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The prophet set his face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it, because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax.
+ The prophet prophesy against the Mountains of Israel, because the enemies ravaged and crushed you from every side so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and the object of people's malicious talk and slander.
+ Mountains of Israel will produce branches and fruit for people of Israel. The Lord concerned for Israel and will look on with favor, it will be plowed and sown.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - The Mount Seir was punished because of their ancient hostility they delivered Israel over to the sword when they faced their punishment. How does God look at those who hold grudges against others? What warning does the punishment for Seir remind me of?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What became of Israel?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Lord said, because Israel had shed blood in the land and because they had defiled it with their idols, I dispersed them among the nations and poured out my wrath on them.
+ The Lord said, it is not for your sake, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name.
+ The Lord said, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you and I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
+ The Lord said, I will make their people as numerous as sheep.
+ The Spirit of the Lord brought Ezekiel out in the middle of a valley full of bones, led him back and forth among them, and commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to these bones. Breath entered the bones, they came to life, stood up, and became a vast army.
+ These bones are people of Israel. The Lord is going to open their graves and bring them up and back to the land of Israel.
+ The Lord said, I am going to take the stick of Joseph - which is in Ephraim's hand - and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah's stick.
+ The Lord will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.
+ David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - God gave promise to Israel to restore them. To the foreigners, this must have been a big joke. God gave Ezekiel the vision of the bones to up lift his faith. Am I losing faith? How does Ezekiel's vision encourage me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What happened to Gog?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Lord told Ezekiel, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him.
+ When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused in my zeal and fiery wrath, declares the Sovereign Lord.
+ Prophesy against Gog, the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal.
+ Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and use the weapons for fuel and burn them up for seven years.
+ I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, in the valley of those who travel east of the Sea.
+ Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: Assemble and on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood.
+ The Lord will display His glory among the nations that the people of Israel will know that the Lord is their God.
+ The Lord said, I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob and will compassion on all the people of Israel, they will be brought back from the nations.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - When prophesy against Gog, the Lord emphasized that His holy name was profaned and yet His glory would be made known. In the sinful and wretched world today, do I see the Lord's name being profaned? What should my reaction to such profanity be?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What did the prophet's vision mean?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ In the fourteenth year after the fall of the city, the Lord was on Ezekiel and in visions of God, He took Ezekiel to the land of Israel and set him on a very high mountain, on whose south side were some buildings that looked like a city.
+ A wall completely surrounding the temple area. A man with measuring rod went to the east gate. He climbed the steps and measured the threshold of the gate.
+ He measured the length and width of the north gate, leading into the outer court.
+ Then he led me to the south side and I saw the south gate. He measured its jambs and its portico, and they had the same measurements as the others.
+ Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gateway; it had the same measurements as the others.
+ Then he brought me to the north gate and measured it. It had the same measurements as the others, as did its alcoves, its projecting walls and its portico.
+ A room with a doorway was by the portico in each of the inner gateways, where the burnt offerings were washed.
+ Outside the inner gate, within the inner court, were two rooms, which were rooms for singers.
+ He brought me to the portico of the temple and measured the jambs of the portico.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - The Israel had waited for God's promise for more than ten years. They must have been deeply moved when the prophet saw the vision of surveying for the temple. Am I waiting for God's promise to be realized? Do I know His will?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What was the order in measuring the temple's dimensions?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Measuring the temple's dimensions.
+ Measuring the side rooms' dimensions around the temple.
+ Measuring the priests' rooms' dimensions.
+ Measuring the area's dimensions around the temple.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - What were the purposes to separate the holy area from the common? How should I separate myself from the common? How may I, from my heart, do everything for the will of the Lord and not for the will of others?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did the glory of God return to the temple?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ At the gate facing eat, the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with His glory.
+ Let the Israelites put away their prostitution, and the Lord will live among them forever.
+ Describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins and let them consider the temple's perfection.
+ Measure the altar in long cubits. Instruct the regulations after completion of the altar.
+ The outer gate of the sanctuary, the one facing east, is to remain shut because the Lord has entered through it. The prince is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.
+ By way of the north gate to the front of the temple, the glory of the Lord was seen filling the temple of the Lord.
+ The priests were denounced for their detestable practices.
+ No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter the sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.
+ The Levitical priests, who are descendants of Zadok are to come near to minister before the Lord; they are to stand before the Lord to offer sacrifices of fat and blood.
+ Establish decrees with the priests that the Lord will be their inheritance.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Integrity** - The Lord lives in the holy temple and it shall not be defiled by detestable practices. Today, it is our body the temple of the Lord and shall not be defiled by detestable practices. How may I stay alert and not defile my body?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
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Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
When did the promise of being righteous through faith come about?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Galatian believers received their salvation through faith, not law.
+ The promise of being credited righteous by faith was given before the law. We don't receive grace through law.
+ Law is to prepare us, as our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.
+ The spiritual growth of the Galatian church proved that they did so through faith not through law.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - As the Galatian believers, our salvation and our spiritual growth proved that righteousness is gained through faith, not through law. Reflect to the day I became a believer and throughout my life, how God's grace and blessings were given to me through my faith, not my conduct?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How do we gain freedom through God's promise?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ We became God's children through His promises, not through our works of being slaves of the law.
+ Jesus Christ released us to grant us freedom. If we burden ourselves again by the yoke of slavery of the law, then Jesus' redemption becomes meaningless.
+ In Christ, the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love, not by bondage of the law.
+ In Christ, we wait eagerly through the Spirit by faith the righteousness for which we hope.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - What are the differences of being free children of God and being slaves under the law? Although I have not been through the law as the Israelites, are there other laws burdening me in my life that cause me to forget my status as a child of God and live like a slave?
+ **Walking with God** - A life freed from slavery expresses itself through love. What does a faith like this bring forth in my life? Reflect in my life, when have I seen the outcome of such faith?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How should we view the freedom God gave us?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ To be devoid of fleshly indulgence, we must follow the Spirit, live by the Spirit, and bear the fruit of the Spirit.
+ Follow the Spirit to do good to all people, carry each other's burdens, love others, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.
+ Boast only in the cross of Christ and become a new creation.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - What is the relationship with others like when one lives by the Spirit? I shall always go back to my relationship with God first to find an answer when I have problems in my relationships.
+ **Integrity** - How do the Spirit and flesh contradict each other? What real life example can I find on myself? What does this passage remind me of if the Spirit and my flesh are battling in me? Of the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, which do I lack? Am I willing to rely on God to bear the fruit in me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What is the spiritual inheritance of a Christian?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ As our inheritance, our election by the riches of His grace in Jesus Christ, redemption by Christ's blood, and adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the proof of our inheritance from God.
+ The inheritance from God allows us to connect with His power. And such is the same power that raised Christ Jesus from death. Only when God enlightens the eyes of my heart I would know truly and rely on His incomparably great power.
+ God blessed us in heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ for us to be holy and blameless so that He would be praised for His glory.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Do I truly know Him? Do I truly know He gave us the inheritance? Do I truly rely on Him? Even though I claim to know Him but do I often prioritize worldly inheritance over the heavenly one and relying on human power more than His? Let me pray to God to open the eyes of my heart to truly know Him.
+ **Integrity** - The purpose of the blessings we receive from God is not to glorify us but by His calling that we may live out the life of Christ so that His glorious grace may be praised.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What is the life of Christ's ambassador?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ By His work on the cross, Jesus Christ unified the Jews and the Gentiles into one to create a new people. This work of Jesus' alone brought the Gentiles who had no part in God into His kingdom to receive His inheritance.
+ By His work on the cross, Jesus destroyed the wall between the Jews and the Gentiles so that we are not defined and separated by our races, accomplishments, or background. Instead, we are unified as one in the Lord.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Jesus through His works on the cross gave us a new identity: People of God. What do I see as important identities in my daily life, occupation, politics, country, race, heritage, or family? We can only cause isolation if too much emphasis is placed on any of these identities. Only when we place the utmost importance our identity as People of God, we would then be able to connect with God and unite with others through Him.
+ **Community** - Jesus through His works on the cross put to death the hostility between us and God. He brought together the ever-contentious Jews and Gentiles to unite them into one people. What hostility do I have still toward others?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What is our responsibility in God's Kingdom?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ God's calling to Paul was to make the Gentiles disciples and through Jesus Christ made known to him the mystery to unit Jews and Gentiles with God. For this reason, Paul was not afraid of facing life threatening dangers that encouraged the troubled Ephesians believers. Because he knew for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
+ According to God's design, His power is displayed through and in all believers. In one way, it is through the spiritual gifts to each held together by every supporting ligament, at the same time, of the same body, same spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God being the foundation of all disciples' unity.
+ It is The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of unity but it is up to us to make every effort to keep the unity.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - God does not want a growth just for us as individuals but one with Christ being the head, church being the body, and all disciples connect to Christ together growing as one. Am I willing to accept help and assistance from others or just mind my own business? How should I grow with others to understand the vastness and the depth of God's love?
+ **Fidelity** - The gifts God gives to individuals are to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. Therefore, we would see ourselves without bias and put ourselves to proper use as God intended only if we view our gifts through the viewpoint of building up Christ's body. How am I seeing my gifts?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
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Prayer
Notes and Responses