May 28, 2023 – John’s Writings – Overcoming the World

Overcoming the World

Jeremiah 51:54-64 - New International Version (NIV)

⁵⁴ “The sound of a cry comes from Babylon,
    the sound of great destruction
    from the land of the Babylonians.
⁵⁵ The Lord will destroy Babylon;
    he will silence her noisy din.
Waves of enemies will rage like great waters;
    the roar of their voices will resound.
⁵⁶ A destroyer will come against Babylon;
    her warriors will be captured,
    and their bows will be broken.
For the Lord is a God of retribution;
    he will repay in full.
⁵⁷ I will make her officials and wise men drunk,
    her governors, officers and warriors as well;
they will sleep forever and not awake,”
    declares the King, whose name is the Lord Almighty.

⁵⁸ This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Babylon’s thick wall will be leveled
    and her high gates set on fire;
the peoples exhaust themselves for nothing,
    the nations’ labor is only fuel for the flames.”

⁵⁹ This is the message Jeremiah the prophet gave to the staff officer Seraiah son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with Zedekiah king of Judah in the fourth year of his reign. ⁶⁰ Jeremiah had written on a scroll about all the disasters that would come upon Babylon—all that had been recorded concerning Babylon. ⁶¹ He said to Seraiah, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. ⁶² Then say, ‘Lord, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither people nor animals will live in it; it will be desolate forever.’ ⁶³ When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. ⁶⁴ Then say, ‘So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.’”

The words of Jeremiah end here.

What comes from Babylon (verse 54)?

Who will destroy Babylon (verse 55)?

What is the Lord a God of (verse 56)?

How will the Lord change the officials, wise men, governors, officials and warriors (verse 57)?

In your opinion, what does the Lord mean by “the peoples exhaust themselves for nothing” (verse 58)?

Where did “Zedekiah king of Judah” go in the fourth year of his reign (verse 59)?

What had Jeremiah “written on a scroll” (verse 60)?

When was Seraiah to “read all these words aloud” (verse 61)?

What was Seraiah to say when he was done reading (verse 62)?

How was Seraiah tying a stone to the scroll and throwing it into the Euphrates related to Babylon (verses 63 and 64)?

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

In your opinion, where do we see a person who was of the world overcoming the world in this passage?

John 12:1-7 - New International Version (NIV)

¹ Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.

When did Jesus come to Bethany (verse 1)?

How was Lazarus described (verse 1)?

Why was the dinner given (verse 2)?

Who served the dinner (verse 2)?

What did Mary do (verse 3)?

How did Mary’s actions change the house (verse 3)?

What was pointed out about Judas Iscariot (verse 4)?

What did Judas say (verse 5)?

Why did Judas say this (verse 6)?

How did Jesus respond to Judas (verse 7)?

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

In your opinion, where do we see a person who was of the world overcoming the world in this passage?

In your opinion, how is the sinking of the scroll tied to the stone in Jeremiah 51:54-64 and the fragrance of the perfume filling the house in John 12:1-7 both appropriate foreshadowing’s of the destruction and death to follow?

1 John 5:5-13 – New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three that testify: ⁸ the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 

“Who is it that overcomes the world?” (verse 5)?

How did Jesus Christ come (verse 6)?

Who testifies (verse 6)?

How many testify (verse 7)?

Who are the ones who testify and “are in agreement” (verse 8)?

What is greater than human testimony (verse 9)?

Who accepts “this testimony” (verse 10)?

What is the testimony (verse 11)?

Who has life (verse 12)?

Who does not have life (verse 12)?

Why did John write these things (verse 13)?

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

In your opinion, where do we see a person who was of the world overcoming the world in this passage?

In your opinion, what is the difference between those who “exhaust themselves for nothing” in Jeremiah 51:54-64 and those who overcome the world according to 1 John 5:5-13?

In your opinion, how does the discussion in 1 John 5:5-13 about the difference between accepting and rejecting God’s testimony about Jesus help us understand the difference between Mary and Judas in John 12:1-7?

Revelation 18:21-24 – New International Version (NIV)

²¹ Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said:

“With such violence
    the great city of Babylon will be thrown down,
    never to be found again.
²² The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again.
No worker of any trade
    will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
    will never be heard in you again.
²³ The light of a lamp
    will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
    will never be heard in you again.
Your merchants were the world’s important people.
    By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
²⁴ In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
    of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”

What did the “mighty angel” do with the millstone sized boulder (verse 21)?

How will Babylon be like the boulder (verse 21)?

What will never be heard in Babylon again (verse 22)?

Who will never be found in Babylon again (verse 22)?

What will never shine in Babylon again (verse 23)?

Whose voices will never be heard in Babylon again (verse 23)?

Who were the “world’s important people” (verse 23)?

How were nations “led astray” (verse 23)?

What was found in Babylon (verse 24)?

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

In your opinion, where do we see a person who was of the world overcoming the world in this passage?

In your opinion, how is the Babylon of Jeremiah 51:54-64 like the Babylon of Revelation 18:21-24 in:

Might and Power?

And Destruction?

In your opinion, how is Lazarus in John 12:1-7 a perfect contrast to Babylon in Revelation 18:21-24?  How might Judas be compared to Babylon?

In your opinion, how does 1 John 5:5-13 show us that those whose blood was found in the city of Babylon in Revelation 18:21-24 will have overcome the mighty city that took their lives? 

In your opinion, what do these passages from Jeremiah, John, 1 John and Revelation show us about the difference between the obvious might of Babylon (the world) and the subtle power of love?

In your opinion, how do we overcome the world with the power of God’s love today?

 

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)