Refreshing

Unfortunately I have been out of a Bible study for FAR too long.  (Please tell me you've been there too.)

I led Bible study in college my junior and senior years.  I LOVED doing Inductive Bible studies (manuscript style, where I get to whip out some colored pencils and go to town).  When I got out of college though I didn't have the same community around me to do those Bible studies.  I started going to a young adult Bible study but it just wasn't the right fit for me after a while.  

Last year, when we were leading youth group, we did inductive Bible study with the kids and oh my goodness, I was so freaking excited!  I'm telling you I learn so much more this way it's not even funny.  Perhaps I really am a visual person and need to see it all laid out for me to understand it better.  But when summer time came, and I lost my job and Aaron hasn't found one yet, and our youths lives were being torn into pieces (please pray for them if you think of it, they have very rough home lives), our youth group disbanded for a while, because unfortunately Aaron's schedule varies and there's just not the funds there for us right now. :/

This was not manuscript study but still good.  Can I just say I miss them!

But then, 

in church recently, they announced that the former men's Bible study was going to be CO-ED!!! Happy Happy Joy Joy.  (Can you see me dancing for joy right now???) My husband had been going to this study and learning and growing and it kinda made me jealous last year that he was getting fed so much when I had nothing.  

Can I just say, that I'm so thankful for this study! Last week was mostly review but we did worship before the study, which to me is always so helpful to get my heart in the right place.  The study was ok last week but as there were a few new people it was mostly review and not interactive enough for me. 

This week, WAY different.

Oh My GOODNESS.  

Such a great study!

Do you mind if I share a little of what I learned with you??? 

I hope you don't because well if you do, please stop reading.  Ok, please don't, I think you will learn a bit and it's always great to grow in our knowledge and understanding of God's Word right? (I think I hear an Amen out there).

Ok so, we talked for 2 weeks about the relationship between  Christ and the Bible.  Now, I'm going to assume most people reading this agree, that Christ and the Word of God are one (John 1:1-2 ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning.)

So we know that already but what are some of the specific things that we can learn about Christ and Old Testament (since that is what we studied last night)? 

1. Christ often refers to the OT when he's talking.  He makes reference to at least 24 of the books of the OT in the 4 gospels.  (Too be fair, I know there are 39 books in the OT but, in the Hebrew Scriptures a lot of them were combined.)  Sometimes I hear Christians say, "Why should we study the Old Testament when we just need to know Jesus and study what He taught." Ok, well if we are to study what He taught then we have to study the Old Testament, He quoted from it or referred to it numerous times.  He also said in Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

He is the fulfillment of the Law (the first 5 books of the OT) and the Prophets (everything from Judges to John the Baptist).  Well, technically not the poetic writings, but Jesus in Luke 24:44 addresses this issue "He said to them, 'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.'"

My husband had a wonderful insight that I did not have, but that the Law is given so that we realize there is moral code to be kept.  The Psalms are written to show us that we can't keep that moral code.  And the Prophets point us to God's answer for fixing the problem.  

(Ok, he says it more eloquently than I can, but it's basically like that.)

2.  Another great thing we did last night was talk about the "types" of Christ in the OT.  I didn't really understand what the word types meant until I asked my husband when we got home, and wouldn't you know I can't remember now what he said, grrrrrrrr.  Hurry back husband so I can fix this. 

Anyway, the gist is that there are many things in the old testament that are supposed to be a picture to us of who/what Christ has done. 

These were some great insights that I don't think I would have necessarily seen on my own.

A. In Genesis,  Christ is the arc, when the flood comes.  Apparently the "sea" means the world when used in the OT.  He is our protection from the world around us.  He is our safety when destruction comes. 

B. In Genesis, Christ is Isaac (the sacrificial son).  What a perfect picture of Christ's trust of the father, Isaac portrays when he willingly goes to the top of Mt. Moriah.  What did Isaac carry up to that Mt?  What did Christ carry up the mountain?  Not only wood (his cross, but also our sins: which weighed much more than that cross).

Christ is also the sacrificial lamb.  Do remember what the lamb was in?  He was in thorns.  Just think about it. (Thanks for that one Brandon).

C. In Exodus, He was the Rock Moses struck to bring the people water. (Exodus 17)

D. In Numbers 21, He was the bronze snake.  I know, how can He be the snake right?  He had to be lifted up, and whoever looked at Him had life, so in that way, He was like the snake.  Also it was the snakes that were destroying the people, so they had to look at the thing that was destroying them.  Christ had to become the sin, that destroys us. 

There are so many examples I wish I would have remembered to take a notebook.  That's something we'll have to remedah. (Think Braveheart)

3. Last one for now, I promise.  We also discussed the pre-incarnate Christ. Whenever God appeared to someone in the Old Testament it would have to be through Christ because as John 1:18 says, "No one has ever seen God." Continuing on.  If you have questions at any point feel free to ask here or shoot me an email.

A. In Genesis 17, the Lord appears to Abram and tells him he is going to have a son. 

B. In Genesis 18, three visitors come to Abraham, they stay, have dinner and then go to leave.  Then the men head toward Sodom and Gomorrah, but Abraham still stands before the Lord.  It is thought that perhaps one of those men was the pre-incarnate Christ.

C. We all know the story of the three men being thrown into the fire.  But if we threw in three, how'd the 4th one get there??? Daniel 3

There were so many good things discussed last night and I can't remember them all unfortunately.  That's it, never leaving home without a notebook again. . .until the next time I do it, but I NEED to remember to take a notebook to this Bible study.  It's just too important.

I'm hoping some day that we will do a lesson/series on putting Biblical events in order.  I have such a hard time with this.  I can't seem to get anything in order on my own.  So this would be so helpful to me.  I hope so I hope so I hope so!

What are your thoughts?  What have you been reading lately in the Scriptures?  I would love to hear more about what you're reading!