May 8, 2016 – Teachings from the Rock – Snakes or the Pole

  

Snakes or the Pole

Numbers 21:4-9 – New International Version (NIV)

⁴ “They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; ⁵ they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

⁶ Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. ⁷ The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.”

Why did they leave Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea (verse 4)?

What did the people do when they grew impatient (verses 4and 5)?

In your opinion, why would the people have complained about the manna, “miserable food” (verse 5)?

Why did many Israelites die (verse 6)?

What sin did the people confess to Moses (verse 7)?

In your opinion, why did the people ask Moses to pray that the Lord would take the snakes away instead of praying themselves (verse 7)?

Who told Moses to make a snake and put it on a pole so that “anyone who is bitten can look at it and live” (verse 8)?

What happened when people who had been bitten by snakes looked at the bronze snake (verse 9)?

In your opinion, why did God have Moses put the bronze snake on the pole instead of removing the snakes?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Mark 9:2-10 - New International Version (NIV)

² “After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. ³ His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

⁷ Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

⁸ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ¹⁰ They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what “rising from the dead” meant.”

Who did Jesus take up a high mountain (verse 2)?

What happened to Jesus there (verse 2)?

What happened to Jesus’s clothes (verse 3)?

Who appeared before them (verse 4)?

What did Peter want to do (verse 5)?

In your opinion, why were they frightened (verse 6)?

Where did the voice come from that said “This is my Son, whom I love.  Listen to him!” (verse 7)?

What did Jesus order them not to tell (verse 9)?

What did they discuss among themselves (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what might have Moses, who put the bronze snake up for people to look at and be saved in Numbers 21:4-9, told Jesus when He was transfigured in Mark 9:2-10?

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 - New International Version (NIV)

¹ “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. ² They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. ⁷ Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” ⁸ We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. ⁹ We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. ¹⁰ And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

¹¹ These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. ¹² So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

What did the ancestors pass through (verse 1)?

How were they baptized into Moses (verse 2)?

What did they eat (verse 3)?

In your opinion, what did Paul mean that they drank from the “spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ” (verse 4)?

Where were the bodies of most of them scattered (verse 5)?

Why did these things occur (verse 6)?

What did the people do that caused Paul to call them idolaters (verse 7)?

How many died in one day because of sexual immorality (verse 8)?

In your opinion, how did the Israelites who were killed by snakes “test Christ” (verse 9)?

What happened to “some of them” who grumbled (verse 10)?

What has come upon us (verse 11)?

When should we be careful that we don’t fall (verse 12)?

What kind of temptation has overtaken us (verse 13)?

How far will God let us be tempted (verse 13)?

What will God provide so that we can endure temptation (verse 13)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does it mean that Moses, who joined Jesus when He was transfigured in Mark 9:2-10, was one of the people whose body was “scattered in the wilderness” as stated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13?

In your opinion, do you think that the people of Numbers 21:4-9 who grew impatient and who “spoke against God and against Moses” thought that they were “standing firm” as Paul warned about in 1 Corinthians 10:13?

1 Peter 1:10-16 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹¹ trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

¹³ Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

What did the prophets search for “intently and with the greatest care” (verse 10)?

Who pointed out the “sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow” (verse 11)?

What was revealed to the prophets (verse 12)?

In your opinion, why would the angels “long to look into these things” (verse 12)?

How should our minds be when we set our “hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming” (verse 13)?

What should we “as obedient children” not do (verse 14)?

What should we be in all we do (verse 15)?

Why should we “be holy” (verse 16)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how do the examples and warnings Paul gives in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 help us to understand about how to follow Peter’s instruction in 1 Peter 1:10-16 to “be holy” and to “be holy in all you do”?

In your opinion, how do you think the appearance of Jesus when He was transfigured in Mark 9:2-10 will compare to the appearance of Jesus when He “is revealed at His coming” in 1 Peter 1:10-16?

In your opinion, how was Moses putting up the bronze snake on the pole so that the sinners who were bitten by a snake could look at it and live in Numbers 21:4-9 anticipate the “sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow” that Peter talks about in 1 Peter 1:10-16?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from Numbers, Mark, 1 Corinthians and 1 Peter show us about ourselves today?

Next, back to Peter 1:17 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

May 1, 2016 – Teachings from the Rock – Suffering and Salvation

 Suffering and Salvation

Genesis 45:1-11 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.

³ Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! ⁵ And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. ⁶ For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. ⁷ But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

⁸ “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. ⁹ Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. ¹⁰ You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. ¹¹ I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’”

What could Joseph “no longer” do (verse 1)?

Who did Joseph make himself known to (verse 1)?

How loudly did Joseph weep (verse 2)?

What question did Joseph ask his brothers (verse 3)?

In your opinion, why were Joseph’s brothers “terrified at his presence” (verse 3)?

How did Joseph describe himself to his brothers (verse 4)?

Why did Joseph tell his brothers “do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here” (verse 5)?

What has been in the land for two years and will be there for five more years (verse 6)?

Who sent Joseph ahead “to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance” (verse 7)?

In your opinion, why does Joseph say “it was not you who sent me here, but God” (verse 8)?

Who does Joseph want to come quickly to Egypt (verse 9)?

Where will Joseph’s father and his family live (verse 10)?

Who will provide for Joseph’s father and his family (verse 11)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Matthew 14:22-33 - New International Version (NIV)

²² “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

What did Jesus make his disciples do (verse 22)?

Where did Jesus go to be by himself and pray (verse 23)?

Why was the boat “buffeted by the waves” (verse 24)?

How did Jesus go out to them (verse 25)?

In your opinion, why were the disciples terrified when they saw Jesus “walking on the lake” (verse 26)?

How did Jesus respond to their fear (verse 27)?

In your opinion, why would Peter, who was just terrified, ask Jesus to tell him to “come to you on the water” (verse 28)?

What did Peter do when Jesus said “come” (verse 29)?

Why did Peter begin to sink (verse 30)?

How did Jesus respond to Peter’s cry for help when he began to sink (verse 31)?

When did the wind die down (verse 32)?

How did those in the boat respond (verse 33)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how is Jesus pulling Peter from the water after he was afraid of the wind in Matthew 14:22-33 similar to God saving the brothers of Joseph who sold him into slavery through Joseph in Genesis 45:1-11?

Romans 8:18-28 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁸ “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. ²³ Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴ For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

²⁶ In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

What is not worth comparing “with the glory that will be revealed in us” (verse 18)?

Who does the creation wait “in eager expectation” for (verse 19)?

What was the creation subjected to (verse 20)?

What is creation to be brought into if it is liberated from it bondage to decay (verse 21)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that the “whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth” (verse 22)?

Who groans inwardly while waiting eagerly for “our adoption to sonship, the redemption of bodies” (verse 23)?

What is “no hope at all” (verse 24)?

How do we wait if we “hope for what we do not yet have” (verse 25)?

Who helps us “in our weakness” (verse 26)?

How does the Spirit intercede for us when we don’t know what to pray for (verse 26)?

How does the Spirit intercede for “God’s people” (verse 27)?

In what things does God work “for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (verse 28)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how is Peter asking Jesus to call him out onto the water in Matthew 14:22-33 an example of how the Spirit intercedes as Paul talks about in Romans 8:18-28?

In your opinion, how does the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 45:1-11 anticipate Paul’s statement that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” in Romans 8:18-28?

1 Peter 1:1-9 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, ² who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Who is Peter writing to (verse 1)?

What does God the Father have about the elect that were chosen (verse 2)?

How does the Spirit work in the chosen (verse 2)?

Whose blood are the chosen to be sprinkled with (verse 2)?

Through what has God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ “given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (verse 3)?

Where is the “inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” kept (verse 4)?

How are the chosen “shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (verse 5)?

In your opinion, how can the chosen “greatly rejoice” even though “for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (verse 6)?

Why have the trials come (verse 7)?

How do the chosen respond to Jesus, even though they have not seen Him (verse 8)?

What is the end result of the faith of the chosen (verse 9)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how are Paul, in Romans 8:18-28, and Peter, in 1 Peter 1:1-9, (who were very different in personality and background) similar in their teachings about sufferings and joy?

In your opinion, how does Jesus reaching down to pull Peter from the water in Matthew 14:22-33 even though he had “little faith” add richness and strength to what Peter says about being shielded by God’s power through faith in 1 Peter 1:1-9?

In your opinion, how does God’s preparation to save the brothers of Joseph in Genesis 45:1-11 help us to understand the foreknowledge and saving work of God that Peter talks about in 1 Peter 1:1-9?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from Genesis, Matthew, Romans and 1 Peter show us about ourselves today?

Next, back to Peter 1:10 – (sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

April 24, 2016 – Letters From Home – Opening or Cursing

Opening or Cursing

Revelation 3:14-22 – New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

How does Jesus identify himself to the “angel of the church in Laodicea” (verse 14)?

What do the deeds of the church of Laodicea show Jesus about them (verse 15)?

What does Jesus wish about the people of the church of Laodicea (verse 15)?

Why is Jesus going to spit them out of His mouth (verse 16)?

In your opinion, why do the people of the church of Laodicea say “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing” (verse 17)?

What do the people of Laodicea not realize about themselves (verse 17)?

Why did Jesus want the people of Laodicea to buy from Him “gold refined in the fire” (verse 18)?

What kind of clothes did Jesus want them to buy to “cover your shameful nakedness” (verse 18)?

Who does Jesus “rebuke and discipline” (verse 19)?

In your opinion, why does Jesus command “be earnest” before he commands “repent” (verse 19)?

Where is Jesus standing and knocking (verse 20)?

When will Jesus “come in and eat with that person” (verse 20)?

Where will the victorious have be given a right to sit (verse 21)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

Hebrews 12:1-6 - New International Version (NIV)

¹ “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

What are Christians surrounded by (verse 1)?

In your opinion, what is the “everything that hinders” that we are to throw off (verse 1)?

How are we to run “the race marked out for us” (verse 1)?

Who is the “pioneer and perfecter of faith” (verse 2)?

Why did Jesus endure the cross (verse 2)?

In your opinion, how does considering Jesus “who endured such opposition from sinners” help us to “not grow weary and lose heart” (verse 3)?

In your opinion, who, in their “struggle against sin” did resist to the point of shedding blood (verse 4)?

What does the quotation say not to lose when we are rebuked by the Lord (verse 5)?

Who does the Lord discipline (verse 6)?

How many of the people God accepts does He chasten (verse 6)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does Paul in Hebrews 12:1-6 when he says to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” give a vivid illustration of how to obey the command of Jesus in Revelation 3:14-22 to “be earnest and repent”?

John 14:15-27 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

²² Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

²³ Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

What does Jesus tell us to do if we love Him (verse 15)?

Who will Jesus ask to give us “another advocate to help you and be with you forever” (verse 16)?

Why can the world not accept the Spirit of truth (verse 17)?

Where will the Spirit of truth be for those who love Jesus (verse 17)?

How will Jesus not leave us (verse 18)?

Who will live because Jesus lives (verses 15 and 19)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that Jesus is in the Father and in us and we in Him (verse 20)?

Who will be “loved by my Father” (verse 21)?

Who else will love the one who is “loved by my Father” (verse 21)?

Who ask “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world” (verse 22)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to “obey my teaching” (verse 23)?

Who will not obey the teaching of Jesus (verse 24)?

Who will “teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (verse 26)?

What does Jesus give to us (verse 27)?

In your opinion, how does someone “not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” as commanded by Jesus (verse 27)”

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how, in a world filled with things that hinder and sin that entangles and opposition from sinners and struggle against sin to the point of shedding His blood as Paul talks about in Hebrews 12:1-6, can Jesus have peace and give that peace to others in John 14:15-27?

In your opinion, how does Jesus in His statement that “I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” in Revelation 3:14-22 help us to understand what He meant in John 14:15-27 when He talked about keeping His commands and obeying His teaching?

Revelation 16:8-21 – New International Version (NIV)

⁸ “The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. ⁹ They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

¹⁰ The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony ¹¹ and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.

¹² The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. ¹³ Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. ¹⁴ They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

¹⁵ “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”

¹⁶ Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

¹⁷ The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” ¹⁸ Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. ¹⁹ The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. ²⁰ Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. ²¹ From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.”

What was the sun allowed to do when the fourth angel pour out his bowl (verse 8)?

How did the people who were “seared by the intense heat” respond to God (verse 9)?

In your opinion, why did they refuse “to repent and glorify him” (verse 9)?

Where did the fifth angel pour out his bowl that caused the beast’s kingdom to be plunged into darkness (verse 10)?

What did the people who “gnawed their tongues in agony” do (verses 10 and 11)?

What did the people who “gnawed their tongues in agony” refuse to do (verses 10 and 11)?

Why did the sixth angel pour “out his bowl on the great river Euphrates” (verse 12)?

What came “out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet” (verse 13)?

What are the kings of the whole world to be gathered together for (verse 14)?

Who is blessed (verse 15)?

Where will the kings gather together (verse 16)?

Where does the seventh angel pour out his bowl (verse 17)?

In your opinion, why does the loud voice from the throne in the temple say “it is done” (verse 17)?

What happened next (verse 18)?

Whose cup was filled with “the wine of the fury of his wrath” (verse 19)?

What could not be found (verse 20)?

Why did the people curse God (verse 21)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what is the difference between the people who love Jesus and keep His commandments in John 14:15-27 and the people who curse God in Revelation 16:8-21?

In your opinion, what does the quote the Paul gives in Hebrews 12:1-6 that “the Lord disciplines the one he loves” help us to understand about the angels pouring out the bowls in Revelation 16:8-21?

In your opinion, is the statement that Jesus made in Revelation 3:14-22 “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” a promise that any of the people who cursed God in Revelation 16:8-21 could have claimed?

In your opinion, what do these passages, from Revelation, Hebrews and John show us about ourselves today?

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