Lesson 111&112
Which Jewish priest living in Babylon was given a vision of God’s glory?
Ezekiel.
Who was the king of Persia?
Cyrus
What was Ezra’s job?
He was a priest and a scribe.
How did the wealthy Jews respond when Nehemiah confronted them with their sin?
They repented and promised to return what they had taken.
How many years passed between Malachi’s prophecies and the coming of Jesus to start the New Testament?
400 years
Psalm 51:17 says The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
God desires a broken spirit and contrite heart. What does that mean?
A summary of the below could be included:
A broken and contrite heart is one that is truly sorry for sin. It describes a person who doesn’t tell God what to do but instead he humbles himself before God and says, “I’m a sinner. I’m not in charge. I want you to lead me, and I will obey.”
We praise him, pray to him, and do good works out of obedience to him. We need to check our attitudes as we offer these sacrifices to God. We need to come before the Lord with the attitude of humility, love, sorrow for our sins, and gratefulness to God for his blessings.
What did Isaiah say when he was overwhelmed by his sin in the presence of the holy God?
“Woe is me.”
What did the people do when the temple was completed?
They celebrated with joy
What bad news did Nehemiah hear about the Jews who were in Jerusalem?
They were in trouble and shame because the walls were broken down and the gates were destroyed.
What were some wealthy Jews doing to their own people?
Taking their food, land, houses, and money; forcing some to sell their children into slavery; charging interest on their debts.
Why are the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments sometimes called the “silent years”?
Because there was no new word from God during those years.
Why don’t we have to work to earn forgiveness?
Salvation through Jesus is a gift of God received by grace through faith.
What promise of God was fulfilled when King Cyrus said the Jews could return to Jerusalem?
That their captivity would be 70 years.
When the Jews saw Ezra weeping and praying because of their sin, what did they do?
They wept bitterly because of their sin.
Why was offering imperfect animals wrong?
God had clearly commanded the people to offer perfect (unblemished) animals, the best of their flock.
What two Jewish groups formed when some wanted to be like the Greeks and some did not?
Pharisees and Sadducees.
What was impossible for the people under the old covenant to keep?
The laws of God, the Ten Commandments.
How did Esther show courage and faith in God?
She went before the king without permission to plead for the lives of her people. She asked her people to fast for her.
What did Nehemiah use to rally the people to one place in case of attack?
Trumpet.
Who was responsible for keeping many of the Jews in debt and slavery?
Jewish nobles and officials.
How did God use the Greeks and Romans to prepare the world for Jesus and the spread of the gospel?
There was a common language, Greek, used for the Bible. There was improved travel for the followers of Jesus to spread the gospel after his death and resurrection.
What did John do when he heard and saw the vision of Jesus in his glory?
He fell at Jesus’ feet as though dead.
Whose name is not mentioned in the book of Esther even though we see him clearly controlling all the people and events?
God.
How did Nehemiah show faith and action when his enemies threatened to attack?
He prayed, and he armed the Jews with weapons. He set up a trumpet call to alert the people and bring them together if an attack came.
How do we know that John the Baptist was the one who fulfilled Malachi’s prophecy?
The angel told Zechariah that John would turn many to the Lord and come in the spirit and power of Elijah. The Gospels show that John did these things when he grew up. He prepared people’s hearts for Jesus.
What problems resulted from the Pharisees man-made laws?
They made their own laws as important as God’s. They focused on outward rules rather than proper heart attitudes. They made obedience to rules and good works more important than faith.