Month: July 2015

Women of the Bible – Bible Study – Ruth– (The Reschedule)- August 29, 2015

Ruth is our next study from the series Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Goups by Jean E Syswerda. The study of Ruth is found on page 79. The Bible Study will meet 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. For complete information call Glenda at 727-542-4683.

Announcement: The Tenth Anniversary Celebration & Pot Luck will be held with our Saturday Bible Study, September 26, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. Please contact Glenda for information at 727-542-4683.

Naomi -10 Points for Bible Study 7/25/2015

For our lesson of Naomi, found in Ruth 1; 4:13-17 and our workbook, Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups, by Jean E. Syswerda. The lesson is found on pages 75-78.

  1. Naomi’s name means “My Joy” or Pleasant. (2, page 75)
  2. Naomi’s husband dies while in Moab, Naomi’s sons marry Moabites, Orpah and Ruth. (Ruth 1:3, 4)
  3.  Naomi suffers a threefold tragedy – the death of not only her husband but her 2 sons as well leaving her with 2 young daughter-in-laws who are childless and can not support her. This tragedy creates a childless widow (Naomi) too old to remarry, worthless and empty. (2, page 75; 3, page 22)
  4. After learning that the Lord had come to the aid of his people, Naomi and her daughters in-law prepared to return to Bethlehem. (Ruth 1:6)
  5. Naomi in asking both daughters-in-law to return to their own homes believed she had nothing to offer them. (Ruth1:11 & footnote)
  6. Naomi express her sorrow and seems resigned to what she attributes as the will of God. (Ruth 1:13)
  7.  Upon her return to Bethlehem, Naomi urged she be called “Mara” which means bitter. She has been brought home empty, bitter and filled with misfortune. (Ruth 1:20, 21 & footnote)
  8. Naomi’s transformation was about to begin as her arrival in Bethlehem was also the beginning of the barley harvest. (Ruth 1:22 & NIV Introduction to Ruth)
  9. At the conclusion of the book, Naomi was blessed by God bringing her from emptiness to fullness through the love of Ruth and Boaz.  She adopts their son Obed as her own. (Ruth 4:16 & footnote)
  10. The Baby Obed is Naomi’s go’el (kinsman-redeemer) and through him she will have descendants. (Ruth 4:14, 3, page 50)
**Resources
  1. The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan, 1995. (All scriptures, Footnotes & Introduction to Ruth)
  2. Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Group, Jean E. Syswerda, Zondervan 1999
  3. Life Change Series, Ruth & Esther, The Navigators, Navpress 1987
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Because You are God

Because you are God, I praise You. In my attempt to praise you, my offerings and terminology may not be correct. But, you are God! Therefore, I attempt to give you my best. Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise? (Psalm 106:1-2, NIV)

Jael, 10 Points for Bible Study -7/11/15

For our lesson of Jael, found in Judges 4-5, and in our workbook, Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups, by Jean E. Syswerda. The lesson is on pages 67-70.

1.  Jael – the name means: “a wild or mountain goat.” (3, pg. 67)

2.  Her character: Decisive and courageous, she seized the opportunity to kill an enemy of God’s people. (3, pg. 67)

3. Her joy: To be lauded by Deborah and Barak for her part in a decisive victory.  (4,pg 116)

4.  Her husband: Heber, a Kenite: The husband of Jael, the woman who killed Sisera. (Judges 4:11, 17, 21; 5:24)  Considerations of meter make it probable that “the wife of Heber, the Kenite” was inserted into Judges 5:24 under the influence of Judges 4.  (1, pg. 552)

5.  Now Heber, the Kenite had left the other Kenites, the descendants of Hobab, Moses’ brother-in-law and pitched his tent by the great tree in Zaanannim near Kedesh. (2, Judges 4:11, pg. 453)

6.  Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. (2, Judges 4:4, pg.452)

7.  Sisera was the commander of Jabin’s, a King of Canaan, army.  All of Siseras’ nine-hundred chariots and men were killed by Barak’s army.  Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because there were friendly relations between Jabin king of Hazor, and the clan of Heber, the Kenite. (2, Judges 4:1, pg. 452 and Judges 4:15-17, pg. 454).

8.  Sisera was met outside the tent by Jael. “Come, my lord, come right in.  Don’t be afraid.”  So he entered her tent, and she put a covering over him. (2, Judges 4:18).

9.  But Jael, Heber’s wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted.  She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died. (2, Judges 4: 21 and footnote)

10.  Barak came by in pursuit of Sisera, and Jael went out to meet him.  “Come,” she said, “I will show you the man you’re looking for.”  So he went in with her, and there lay Sisera with the tent peg through his temple—dead.  (2, Judges 4:22 Bible, Pg. 454, and footnote)

Resources:

  1. The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Volume Two E-J, In Four Volumes, Abingdon Press, New York 1962.
  2. The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan 2008 Edition (All scriptures)
  3. Women of the Bible, 52 Bible Studies for Individuals and Groups,Jean E Syswerda, Zondervan, 1999.
  4. Women of the Bible,  One Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture,Ann Spangler and Jean E. Syswerda, Zondervan, 2007.