{"id":238,"date":"2013-06-26T21:35:21","date_gmt":"2013-06-26T20:35:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=238"},"modified":"2013-06-26T21:35:21","modified_gmt":"2013-06-26T20:35:21","slug":"waiting-for-the-messiah-three-advent-bible-studies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=238","title":{"rendered":"Waiting for the Messiah – three Advent Bible Studies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here are three studies for Advent from the Old Testament to help us understand the expectations the Jews had of the coming Messiah, and consequently how surprised they inevitably were when Jesus actually came. Warning \u2013 these are not necessarily comfortable passages!<\/p>\n

The Refiner\u2019s Fire\t\t\tMalachi 3:1-12\t<\/p>\n

1.\tAs we come towards Christmas and anticipate celebrating the blessings which Christ\u2019s incarnation brings to us, try to list the blessings which the Jews were expecting their Messiah to bring to them. (Familiar Christmas passages like Isaiah 9:2-7 and Isaiah 11:1-10 might jog your memories.)<\/p>\n

2.\tHowever there is a strand of promises relating to the Messiah which make less comfortable reading. Read Malachi 3:1-12. What does this tell us about the work of God\u2019s Messiah? <\/p>\n

3.\tIn case you don\u2019t think Malachi fits with the coming of Christ, read John the Baptist\u2019s description of the One who would come after him in Luke 3:-9, 15-17. What does John understand the ministry of Jesus will include? <\/p>\n

4.\tRead again Malachi 3:2-5. In what ways were those prophecies actually fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus? Are some of the promises yet to be fulfilled when Christ returns?<\/p>\n

5.\tRead Ezekiel 22:18-22. How should we expect to experience God\u2019s refining in our own lives? What is the connection between this refining and our human actions of confession and repentance, and on the other hand the purifying work of the Holy Spirit? <\/p>\n

6.\tInvite the group to share ways in which they have experienced God\u2019s refining fire in their own lives, events or experiences which have taken them further on the road to holiness. (You may like to do this in your usual pairs, or around the group altogether.) <\/p>\n

7.\tRead again Malachi 3:8-10. Even to the Israelites, the \u201ctithes and offerings\u201d God demanded were metaphorical as well as literal. In what ways could it be said that we \u201crob God\u201d? What might it mean for us to \u201cbring the whole tithe\u201d to God, as individuals, as a Home Group and as a church?
\n8.\tGod makes an amazing challenge and promise in verse 10!
\n\u2018Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.\u2019
\nSilently meditate on this promise, responding individually in your hearts. Then pray aloud and respond together to this wonderful invitation to blessing!<\/p>\n

Psalm 72 \u2013 God\u2019s chosen King<\/p>\n

1.\tWe all (think we) know that the nation of Israel had been waiting for centuries for their Messiah to come. But ask the Group again, \u201cWhat kind of Messiah were the Jews waiting for? What were the Jews expecting their Messiah to be like? What would he do?\u201d <\/p>\n

2.\tRead Psalm 72:1-19. This Psalm talks about the earthly King of Israel, but it also looks forward to an even greater King, who the Jews in time would identify as their Messiah. What are the responsibilities God gives to his chosen King? (See vv 2,4,12-14) Why do you think it was that no King of Israel ever lived up to these standards? <\/p>\n

3.\tWhat will be the extent of the King\u2019s power? (See vv 8-11 15). How long will His reign last? (See vv 5, 17) Are there other clues in the language here that this Psalm is looking beyond any earthly kings to a far greater king, \u201cGreat David\u2019s greater Son\u201d? (See e.g. v 6)<\/p>\n

4.\tPsalm 72 and others led the Israelites to expect God to send a Messiah who would be \u201ca king like David\u201d. Read Isaiah 11:1-10. What similarities do you see there to Psalm 72? <\/p>\n

5.\tRead Luke 1:30-35, and Luke 1:46-55. When Jesus the Messiah came, in what ways did He fulfil the prophecies in Psalm 72? On the other hand, in what ways would the Incarnation and Ministry of Christ have been a surprise or a disappointment to the Jews?<\/p>\n

6.\tThe Messiah in Psalm 72 comes to bring justice and deliverance for the poor and needy. What are the practical implications of this for us, especially at Christmas time?<\/p>\n

Psalm 8 \u2013 The Son of Man: Made a little lower, then crowned!<\/p>\n

1.\tRead Psalm 8:1-9. Ask the Group what connection this Psalm might have with Christmas? As we will see, Psalm 8 talks about \u201cman\u201d i.e. \u201chuman beings in general\u201d. But at different places the New Testament applies verses specifically to one man, the Messiah, Jesus Christ. <\/p>\n

2.\tRead Matthew 21:14-16. Psalm 8:2 talks about children praising God. Jesus quotes it to talk about children praising HIM! What does that tell us about Jesus\u2019s understanding of His own identity? Jesus Himself makes a direct link between worship of God and praise of Him!<\/p>\n

3.\tRead Hebrews 2:5-10. Verses 6-7 and 9 apply Psalm 8 to Christ\u2019s Incarnation: \u201cmade a little lower than the angels. Read Philippians 2:5-11 and 2 Corinthians 8:9. What do these passages teach us about the miracle of Christ\u2019s Incarnation: \u201cthe Word became flesh\u201d? How do we see these mystical truths unfolding in the historical events of the Nativity?<\/p>\n

4.\tHebrews 2:7-9 then applies Psalm 8 to Christ\u2019s exaltation: \u201ccrowned with glory and honour\u201d. Read Philippians 2:9-11 again. See also Psalm 110:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:24-27, Ephesians 1:20-22. How were these Scriptures fulfilled in the Christmas story? (Answer: they weren\u2019t!) When were they, or will they be, fulfilled then?<\/p>\n

5.\tSpend some time responding to these glorious truths in worship, maybe using carols? \uf04a <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here are three studies for Advent from the Old Testament to help us understand the expectations the Jews had of the coming Messiah, and…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}