Tag: bsfgroups

05.5 Moses 5, Day 5

Repent and submit vs. Recognize and negotiate

 Now we get to the really interesting part.  Pharaoh, even with his thousands of gods and magicians and hardened heart is finally beginning to see the power of God’s mighty hand.  The gnats were only God’s finger, but now, God’s might is right in Pharaoh’s face.  What is Pharaoh’s response?

Pharaoh responds in a very similar way that we see men respond each time they come in the presence of God.  One of the things they recognize, in the light of God’s glory, is the sin in their own lives.

But that is not God’s point.  He knows we have the sin.  His interest is not in us recognizing the sin and then continuing to do it.  His interest is in us recognizing the sin and turning to Him to bring change in our lives.

Let me use an illustration.  Pharaoh recognized that God is God and that he and his people have sinned by not obeying God and then tried to negotiate who can and cannot go worship God.  This is the same as an adulterous spouse being caught in the act and then trying to negotiate that they will only cheat on even days of the month or only when it is raining.  It is absurd.  Pharaoh’s appropriate response to Moses should have been, can I am my people come and worship God with you!  The appropriate response is to turn from the sin and back into the one and only true relationship.

But we have all done it.  Any time our thoughts and prayers to God start with “If you will”, we are falling into the same trap.  The question is not “If God will”, the question is “If I truly repent” and the answer is, “then I will turn my heart to God.”

God has already made his covenant – He gave His only son to die for our sins.  If that is not sufficient for you or me to turn to Him, then I can’t imagine Him being interested in making some other deal to redeem us from our sins.

 

My Answers:

10.
Pharaoh and the Egyptians began to recognize their sin
7. God gave opportunity for Egyptians to not be affected, Pharaoh admitted he had sinned
8. Egyptians begin to turn from Pharaoh (we are ruined), Pharaoh attempts to “cut a deal”, Pharaoh admitted he had sinned
9. 3 days darkness in Egypt, light in Goshen – Pharaoh summons Moses, go but leave flocks – do not return again

11.
a.
Letting some people go but not others.  Letting people go but leaving flocks.  He was slowly giving in.

b.
If you will…. then I will or I won’t….

c.
Sure.  When I was immature in my faith and didn’t trust in God fully I tried to use Him as a vending machine.  Send prayers and promises and hope for blessings.

12.
He did not falter – he did not negotiate or give in to Pharaoh.  He stood toe-to-toe with the mightiest earthly king and did not give up any of the LORD’s ground.

 

04.5 Moses 4, Day 5

Part I: Pass the Burden and Part II: Outlaw to Obedience

In life we have burdens.  Some burdens are physical.  Some are injuries from situations or other people.  Some are products of our own fears, inadequacies and insecurities.  We know they are there.  They interfere with our health, our sleep and our relationships with others.  And, like those in our reading today, we often try to pass them to others.

When Moses told Pharaoh God’s command to “Let my people go”, Pharaoh became burdened.  Who is the Lord that Pharaoh should obey?  Is Pharaoh’s authority being questioned?  Is he at risk of losing power or prestige?  Do people think him weak?  Is he making the right decision?

Pharaoh attempts to shift his burden to the Hebrews.  He feels burdened so he increases their burden.  He tells the slave masters and overseers.  They tell the slaves.  When results wain, the burden on the slave masters increases and they increase the burden on the overseers by beating them.  When the overseers are beaten they go to Pharaoh and attempt to shift the burden to “your people”.

When that is not successful, the foremen pile the burden onto Moses and Aaron as a curse.  Moses feels burdened and passes it to God.  Why? Why?

But there it stops.  God doesn’t pass the burden, He simply says “I am the Lord.”

The interesting thing about this progression is that up until the last step burden wasn’t off-loaded, it simply multiplied.  When Pharaoh increased the burden on the Hebrews it in no way decreased the burden he felt – there was just more burden.  When the overseers blamed Moses, their burden didn’t decrease, but Moses’ increased.  But when Moses passed it to God everything changed.  Not only did God take on the burden, but he actually removed it from Moses.  How things would have been different if Pharaoh had stopped and taken his burden to The Lord instead of denying Him.  How things would have been different if the overseers turned directly to God instead of blaming Pharaoh or cursing Moses.

We face these same challenges daily.  We are tempted to try to pass our burden to others: to be mad a co-worker, short with our spouse, harsh with our children.  But none of those “pass the burden” tactics make anything better – taking it to the Lord is the only source of relief.  Matt 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

———————

Bonus:  Moses’ Outlaw Roots

When we think of Levites we think of priests.  But, as we read these verses starting at Exodus 6:13 we need to keep in mind that was not yet the case.  Jacob’s first three sons were the outlaws of the family.  In Genesis 49, Jacob brings his sons together for a final blessing before he dies and, in essence if not in direct words, curses the linage of his first three sons: Reuben, Simeon and Levi.

How interesting that these three sons are the ones Moses includes in this strangely placed lineage.  But all of us have lineage.  We are a product of our parents and our grandparents and great grandparents and the choices they made.  Like Moses, we can continue down the same path or we can face the road in front of us and go a different direction.

God was shifting into a higher gear and Moses was choosing a new direction.  His heritage was anger and fury.  His ancestry was killing others in anger.  His curse was to be scattered.

But his choice now was to change from outlaw to obedient servant of God.  From fury to faith.  From being scattered to being used by God to gather His people to Him.

We have the same choice.  Are we defined by the actions of others or are we defined by our obedience to God?

 

My Answers:

8.
a.
He talked about His mighty hand and that He is The LORD.

b.
I am The LORD

c.
His commitment to them.  His singular might (not relying on anyone else and no doubt present)

9.
a.
I will bring you out. I will free you. I will redeem you. I will take you as my own people. I will be your God. I will bring you to the land. I will give it to you. I am the LORD

b.
Ezek 36:26 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.

10.
Discouragement over our circumstances can prevent us from receiving the comfort we desire.  It can also stand in the way of us accepting God and His will for us.

11.
a.
Amram – Kohath – Levi

b.
Elisheba.  Ndab, Abihu, Eleazar, ithamar.  Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, had Phinehas

03.3 Moses 3, Day 3

Who am I? Who are you?

Moses first 2 objections speak volumes to where he was at this stage of his life.  He is about 80 years old.  He has lived 2 very different lives, in Egypt and in Midian.  He has been adopted into a new family twice.  But, truly he has no idea who he is and he also doesn’t know God.

But neither of those matter for God to call Moses to this assignment to go and bring out.  Even though Moses doesn’t know who Moses is, God does.  God knows not only the man he is today, but the prophet he will become.  God knows his strengths and weaknesses and that none of those matter.  We particularly see this in the way God answers Moses’ first question about himself.  He answers it by not answering it.  Who Moses is makes absolutely no difference.  It is irrelevant.  All that matters is that God is with him.

God knows that over time Moses will grow to rely on God’s strength which has no weakness.  And even though Moses does not yet know God, God knows that he will.  As Moses stands and teaches others about God and tells them the word of God and as he walks with God every day, that knowledge will come.

The name that God gives Moses in this introduction is deep and profound.  Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh in Hebrew.  Translators struggle to write this in English.  English is a language with 3 primary tenses, past, present and future.  Everything we say and write falls into one of those tenses.  I did.  I am doing.  I will do.  But Hebrew isn’t constrained by the same tenses.  In Hebrew the 2 primary tenses are perfect and imperfect.  Basically these translate into finished or completed and in progress or ongoing.  I use the analogy of the book is open and the story continues or it is closed and the story is ended to explain imperfect and perfect.  This statement, this name of God, is in the imperfect.  In this case it simultaneously says I was, I am, I will be, I have been and I continue to be.  In other words, God, in this name, introduces himself as I have existed, I do exist and I will exist all at the same time.

Isn’t this what all people who first are introduced to God question and want answered?  Is God real?  Does God really exist?  We inherently recognize that most of the gods people spend their times worshiping by their actions and hearts are not real, they don’t exist.  But when we encounter God, we recognize something is different.

God answers this question by Moses with simple but profound clarity – I exist, I am real.

 

Additional Note:

In Hebrew the names of God do not contain vowels, e.g., YHWH.  So this name of God is Ehyeh, or HYH, which is also pronounced Hi-Yah.  It made me chuckle to think of what a major Hiyah kick Moses received on this day in this encounter with God!

 

My Answers:

5.
a.
1. Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?
2. Suppose I go to the Israelites and… they ask me, “what is his name?”  Then what shall I thell them?

b.
v12. I will be with you, this will be a sign – return and worship God on this mountain
v. 14-22 I am who I am, I am has sent me to you, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob sent me, then assemble the elders and lay out the entire plan

c.
The second is powerful because it demonstrate God’s omniscience, but the more encouraging to me is the fact that God is with me and that the best and greatest sign is that through any mission or trial I will return to a place to worship Him.

6.
a.
One in Hebrew the other in Greek.  One is voice of God in spirit in a burning bush saying Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh, the other is Jesus saying of himself, ego eimi.  Both translate into the same name of God: I Am.

b.
Jesus is and always has been God.  John 1:3 – Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.

02.2 Moses 2, Day 2

Tourist

Acts 7:23 says, “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites.”

I think one of the key words in that verse is the word “visit”.  He didn’t go to live.  He didn’t go to support or to serve.  He went to visit.  This may be one of the first recorded instances of what we often call “mission tourism”.

How often do we, as modern day Christians, fall into the same traps Moses did?  We go on a visit, either to the inner city or another country.  We go to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We go because we have been blessed with so much. We go to feel better about ourselves and what we possess.

Just like Moses.

And when we see the persecution and oppression, we, in our superior wisdom, take it upon ourselves to do something, to take action.  We decide we must fix things.  And, like Moses, we simply make things worse.

God does call us to reach out to our brothers and sisters wherever they are.  The examples set by the early church to go and make disciples are still relevant. The fellowship of support between churches in different areas and situations is documented throughout the epistles. But we must do it with respect and understanding.  If we swoop in, with an attitude of superiority and an expectation of gratitude, we too will be asked, “who are you?”

But if we come along side our “own people”, fellow believers in Christ, and we share in their burdens and support them and give them aid and encouragement and build long term lasting relationships and teach others and build influence for them, then, we won’t be asked “who are you?” because they will see Christ in us.

 

My Answers:

3.
a.
“He looked this way and that and seeing no one”

b.
40 years old.  Decided to visit his own people the Israelites.  Killed to avenge.  Thought his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not

c.
Prophecy, teaching by his parents – clearly Moses had education outside of what was taught in the Egyptian schools about God, His promises and covenants

4.
a.
Choice to identify with them.  He decided to visit his own people

b.
He grew to know that he was not Egyptian, that he was adopted, that his birth parents were Hebrew

c.
Choice to visit did not cost him, choice to act on his own and murder cost him his home, eduction, adopted family, power

d.
Would you rather have 1 marshmallow now or 2 marshmallows in 3 minutes?  how about 1 now and 20 in 3 minutes?  what if the one now was plain, but the ones to come were coated in chocolate and everything yummy?  That was moses choice.

5.
a.
Wanted to help, wanted to rescue, He was strong, brave, bold, not afraid to act, identified with an oppressed people

b.
lack of patience, eagerness to rely on his own strength, can’t go around killing people

27.3 BSF Matthew Week 27, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

There is an old saying about not being able to see the forest because all of these trees are in the way.  That was the challenge for the high priests.  Their day-to-day reality was that of a nation living in the presence of a more powerful occupying army.  They were the religious leaders, but also the leaders of real, flesh and blood people and families all of a shared ancestry and nationality.  They lead, but they did not have power or authority.  That, in their view, belonged to Rome.

To set the stage for our study today, we really need to step back in time to John 11.  This is the story about Jesus coming at the call or Mary and Martha and then calling Lazarus out from the tomb.  He raised him from the dead in the presence of lots and lots of witnesses right outside of Jerusalem.  Picking this up in John 11 starting in verse 45: ”

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.”

 

See, this is the story within the story – the trees within the forest.  Never does the high priest, whether the puppet master (Annas) or the current high priest (Caiaphas), ever contradict Jesus.  Their words and actions do not once deny that He is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.  They do not say that this man, Jesus, is not the messiah.  Jesus points out that their words and actions actually do the opposite.  Matt 26:63-64, “Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”  “You have said so,” Jesus replied.

Maybe they had doubts.  Maybe they didn’t want to believe.  Maybe their hearts were hardened.  Maybe they could not picture this man standing in front of them being the same one who would come on a cloud.  But I think as much as anything, in their little world, it simply didn’t matter if Jesus was the Messiah.  He wasn’t going to set them free from Rome.  If He kept going, Rome was simply going to come in and take away their temple and their nation and where would they be then?  In their world, it was better that one innocent man die than risk that happening.

It just so happened that their solution (Jesus’ death) and God’s solution (Jesus’ death) coincided.  But their plans ended in death and Jesus’ plans did not.  He had already shown, with Lazarus, his power over death.  His viewpoint of the forest was one from the vantage point of heaven and eternity.

My Answers:

5.
a.
Annas

b.
the father in law of Caiaphas

6.
a.
(1) false witnesses, “I am able to destroy temple and rebuild”, no answer? (2) oath, are you God? you say so (3) spit, strike

b.
made plans how to have Jesus executed, bound Him, led Him to Pilate

7.
a.
The son of man coming with the clouds of heaven – the one with authority, glory, power, worshiped, dominion

b.
It is a transition from Jesus work on earth to His glory in heaven. Their words and actions have led to prophecy fulfilled.

c.
He was the one, the Messiah, the Son of Man spoken of in prophecy – not blasphemy if true

26 BSF Matthew Week 26, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

From the beginning of time God had designed the feast of passover to be a forebearing of the gift of salvation and life through His son.  The chief priests and elders were plotting to murder Jesus, “but not during the festival.”  However, there plans were no mystery to Christ and their timing was not how things were to be.

For them passover had become a meal and a time of reflection of looking back.  We do this today with our own feasts and celebrations.  We prepare for weeks for a big party or to host a big dinner and then we just want to crash, to take a nap.

But that wasn’t what passover was supposed to be about.  Yes, it was a time of remembrance, but they were to remember the entire thing.  Look at Exodus 12:11 – This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.  The passover meal wasn’t the ending.  The day of passover wasn’t the goal.  It was the doorway that was to be passed through to enter freedom and salvation, to live as a people set apart for God.  It is a time of looking forward to the promise.

That is also the message of the cross.  Jesus’ death at passover wasn’t an ending, it was an opening of a doorway.  We can get so busy and focuses on the event and the meal that we, too, can forget, when the sun rises we are to be ready to go out into the world and proclaim the good news of freedom.

My Answers:

6.
a.
Passover

b.
Final Egypt plague, death of first born, the angel of death passed over the household’s marked with lamb’s blood

c.
perfect lamb, without blemish, family/community, killed at twilight (not sunset), hyssop branches used to paint blood over door (same branches used to give vinegar to Jesus), that night judgment brought upon all false gods, households saved by the blood of the lamb

7.
a.
Luke: He took, gave thanks, broke it, gave it, “body given for you, remember, cup new cov. blood, for U.
John: I am living bread, eat and live forever, unless you remember you have no life, but do and live
1Pete1: precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect
1Pete2: He himself bore our sins, might die to sin, live in righteousness, by his wounds have been healed
1John: walk in light, fellowship with one another, purified of sin by blood of Jesus

b.
It is a new covenant and when you eat and drink, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again

c.
Focus is not just on my sin and forgiveness, but a joy of salvation, His return and eternity through this promise

26 BSF Matthew Week 26, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

In the first verses of Matthew 26 we see the parables of Matthew 25 lived out.  The wise virgins and the foolish virgins.  The servants with the talents.  The wicked and lazy servant and the good and faithful servant.  Nowhere is this contrast as evident as in the lives and love of Mary and Judas.

Mary performs the ultimate Gatorade moment for Jesus.  When she breaks open the bottle of perfume and pours it over our savior’s head, it reminded me of joyful football players dousing their coach in the fourth quarter of a championship football game.  What joy and dedication.

I thought it was also interesting that Judas did not have an issue with Mary giving away the perfume.  He was fine with it being a donation to the poor.  He and the disciples evidently felt the poor were more deserving than Jesus.

My Answers:

3.
She had a heart filled with love for Jesus and followed her heart. She didn’t follow the direction of His apostles or the teachers. She didn’t hold back because of cost. She simply poured herself out to Him.

4.
a.
1. resentment can be masked in “good works”, 2. what we value reflects our values

b.
It was the price of restitution for a life of a slave, the amount Zechariah threw to the potter

5.
a.
It was an anointing of Jesus. What is its value outside of this world? It was a demonstration of unrestrained love.

b.
A balance of time with family, work pressures, other volunteer. When you commit to BSF, then every obstacle is thrown in your way – but turning those over to God resolves them

25 BSF Matthew Week 25, Day 3

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

What do your actions say about what you truly believe?  I found it interesting the steward who had been given one talent very interesting.  He said he believed one thing, but the returning master looked not only at his statement but at his actions.

This steward had a very negative view of the master.  He paid no attention to the master’s investment, his work, his land, his seed, his housing room and board, his servants, his provision.  He couldn’t see beyond the reach of his own hands.  ‘You are not out in the fields sowing or scattering the seed, yet you expect part of the harvest.’  To this steward, his self dialogue was that the master was a “hard man”, someone to fear.  But the master called him on that.  If that is what he truly believed, then he would have at least taken steps to put the money in the bank.  This steward’s statement of belief was a lie.  It had nothing to do with the master and everything to do with his self justification.  The man was simply wicked and lazy.  But it is easier and more satisfying to blame the master than to take ownership of his own character.

How many do the same today?  I can’t believe in a God who…  If that is what God is then…  But this truly has nothing to do with God, no more than the third steward’s statement had to do with the master.  It is simply a way of shifting responsibility, avoiding accountability.  It didn’t work then and I have a feeling it isn’t going to work any better when we face Jesus.

Turning to the other stewards (5 and 2), I found their lack of negotiation and commission very telling of their view of the master.  Both had earned a 100% ROI.  Although the master was away for a long time, that is still a huge profit margin.  But when the master returned, every penny was turned over to the master.  No negotiation, no reimbursement of fees and expenses.

This tells me of their complete faith and trust in the provision of the master.  The best thing they could do was hand it all back to the master.  They didn’t try for “what is fair”, they trusted that the joy and blessing of the master would far outweigh “fair”.  And, at the end of each tale, that is exactly what we see.  Both receive promotions.  Both are invited to share fully in the master’s happiness.  This happiness was far greater than the sums of money, it was in the value of finding a faithful servant.  Anyone who has worked in management knows the value of a faithful employee is far greater than the return on any one investment they may have managed.  I think the trust of these servants speaks volumes to the true nature and character of the master!

My Answers:

6.
a.
Prov 3: wisdom to gain understanding, nothing physical is more preciousMatt 13: teacher of law who is a disciple brings out treasure both new and old
Matt 28: go make disciples, baptizing, teaching
John 1: Himself, His son, His light, to receive Him and become children of God
John 13: an example – do as He has done for me
John 21: Love Him and work to do; care for and feed His sheep
2 Tim Scripture: teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

b.
Gift of BSF, bible, church, story telling, children to lead and teach and a blog with a readership that compares to some of the largest churches

7.
5 Talent: According to his ability – went at once and put money to work, gained 5 more, brought all 10 to master, received praise and shared in joy

2 Talent: Same as 5 – faithful with few, put in charge of many, come and share in master’s happiness

1 Talent: Resentment of master, reap where don’t sow, “afraid”, the 1 take from him, sent out, gnashing of teeth

8.
a.
wicked heart – resentful

b.
repaid for times of hardship with plenty

c.
My past few years in BSF and church – the joy of seeing the bounty in our children

9.
Whoever has will be given more – whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken.  If you value you, you must invest it.

24 BSF Matthew Week 24, Day 2

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

From the old testament scriptures and prophecies, the faithful were expecting a Messiah who would rule as King.  As Jesus approaches His final days it has become important for clarification.

There are only 3 possibilities.

1. The scriptures and prophecies were wrong

2. The followers understanding and interpretation of the scriptures and prophecies was wrong

3. Jesus was not the Messiah

Jesus clarified that the prophecies are true and all will be fulfilled, through Him.  However, instead of this happening in a single event, as followers thought they understood, He explained to them about His second coming.  This was in no way a contradiction or a change to anything in the scriptures, it was, instead, an illumination on a perspective that they had not previously understood.

They had put their faith and trust in the physical church; the building (temple), the infrastructure of the pharisees and teachers of the law, the courts and offerings.  So Jesus started with that.  It would all be destroyed, but His word would live forever.

My Answers:

3.
a.
2. not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.

b.
when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?

c.
End of the age = That Christ’s reign as King and Lord would not be a continuation, but a new beginning

d.
70 AD

4.
a.
1. Persecution of the believers, trials and betrayal (12-19); 2. Desolation of the temple, flee (20-21); 3. Time of punishment(22-24) 4. Signs in the Heavens and the return of the Son of Man (25-28)

b.
Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled

5.
a.
(from Luke) seize, persecute, handed over to synagogues and prison, trials, betrayal, everyone will hate you, dread, distress, tramples, faint with terror, apprehension, (from Matt): False christs, wars, rumors of war, nation rise against nation, famines, earthquakes, persecution, death, hatred, false prophets, deceit, wickedness, love of most will grow cold.

b.
this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations

c.
Missionaries have reached almost every unreached group –  Local/International Missions

22 BSF Matthew Week 22, Day 5

Today’s Scriptures

My Daily Journal:

Luke 19:47 says “Every day he (Jesus) was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him.”

So, despite the fact that His life was threatened and the head people were not only plotting and discussing but were trying to kill him, here He is.  Jesus didn’t shy away.  Jesus didn’t hide.  Jesus didn’t adjust His schedule to not be as predictable.  He went to the temple and taught “Every Day.”

I struggle to do my bible study every day.  I used to struggle to pray every day.  But even though I have improved in that area, there are numerous days that the only time the words Jesus and God cross my lips is in my private prayer time.  Days can go by without another living person hearing those names in my vocabulary.

Our lesson today references us into Revelation.  The book of Revelation opens with a blessing and a warning to Hear and Heed.  But we don’t.  Even those of us who hear, fail to heed the call to spread the good news of the gospel daily.  We, like the invitees to the banquet, busy ourselves with daily life, work, and other matters.  None of which are as important or lasting.

What if we each made a point to mention Jesus to someone at least one time daily?  What if we not only prayed and did our study daily, but taught daily, both by our words and our actions?  In other words, what if we not only were fed, but fed others daily = we consisted not only of leaves but also of fruit every day!

I believe if that became more of a core of our daily life, the other distractions would fade away.  I believe we would move from being just invitees to being the members of the household, the servants who diligently prepared the feast and setn out the invitees.  Who did more to honor the master?!

My Answers:

11.
a.
The invitation to be saved through the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ, to put all trust in faith in him

b.
Apostles martyred, prophets were martyred, believers were persecuted

c.
Any of the times the Jews were exiled, particularly the destruction of the temple in 70AD

d.
The common people, gentiles, jewish sinners, greeks, romans, the ends of the earth

e.
garments of salvation, robe of righteousness (from God through faith in Christ)

f.
Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth

12.
a.
Busy in the everyday business of life, focus on the physical on self

b.
Do not be too busy to hear and heed God’s invitation – it doesn’t turn out well!

c.
Yes, I wear the robes of salvation of my Lord.  I am not worthy by anything of my own, but in Jesus

d.
God would welcome all, but we are given choice and few choose to trust only Him