Cy-Fair Bible Study

Learning from Leviticus - The Sin Offering

Leviticus 5:5-6 - ”When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned and, as a penalty for the sin he has committed, he must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for his sin”

Animal sacrifice was the only way to atone for sins in the Old Testament.  Without the shedding of blood, there was no forgiveness (see the description in Hebrews 9:22).  The book of Leviticus is entirely about priestly sacrifices, ceremonial cleanness, and other priestly duties – all of which foreshadow the work of Jesus, our Great High Priest.  The various sacrifices described in Leviticus all foreshadow different aspects of Jesus’ atoning work on the cross.  His atonement was multi-faceted, and we see all the facets in different Old Testament passages.  This passage describes the “sin offering,” the most basic sacrifice of atonement.

Read the rest of this entry »

Learning from 1 Chronicles - God’s Promises to David

1 Chronicles 17:1-4 - After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”

Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”

That night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in…”

This chapter teaches us important lessons about God’s nature, about our relationship with the Lord, and about how we should pray.

Read the rest of this entry »

Learning from Esther 10 - Mordecai as a Symbol of the Holy Spirit

Esther 10:3 – “Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews…”

This is the concluding verse of the book of Esther, and it highlights one of the main points of the book: the character and actions of Mordecai. Mordecai, Ester’s legal guardian, is a prophetic symbol of the Holy Spirit. Just as Mordecai raised Esther, the Holy Spirit rears the faithful church, giving instruction, and forming her character.  The meaning of “Mordecai” in Hebrew is “pure myrrh,” used in the holy anointing oil (see Exodus 30:22-31, symbolizing anointing by the Holy Spirit).

Read the rest of this entry »

Learning from Luke - Practicing True Faith

[This is based on the brief message that Pr. Rehman from Pakistan shared with our group]

Luke 17:14 - When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

As the lepers obeyed the instruction in faith, God healed them.  All ten had faith enough to received a healing; but only one had enough faith to return to Jesus and give him thanks.  Today, many people reject faith completely - they disbelieve the Gospel.  Unfortunately, there are also many who call themselves “believers” who nevertheless lack the faith needed to turn themselves around and come directly to Jesus. Read the rest of this entry »

Visit from Pr. Rehman Masih (Pakistan)

We were blessed this past weekend to have Pr. Rehman Masih, from Pakistan, with us to share from the Word (messages and testimonies about faith) and to help us understand the situation facing the Lord’s Work in Pakistan.  Let’s continue to pray for all the ministries there!

Learning from Esther 9 - WHAT IS PURIM?

Esther 9:24-25 – “For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. But when the plot came to the king’s attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur .)”

Esther explains the origin of the Jewish holiday “Purim,” which occurs every year in February or March.  The modern holiday celebrates the victory that God gave His people against the genocide plotted by Haman.  The name “Purim” refers to casting lots, as the passage mentions above.  This practice was an important feature of Israel’s relationship with God in the Bible.  It has an important application for believers today in the form of asking God to speak through His Word.

Read the rest of this entry »

Learning from Esther 8 - Right To Assemble and Protect Themselves

Esther 8:11 - “The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies.”

An interesting feature of the story of Esther is that even when the King discovers the plot to exterminate the Jews (Haman was planning to commit genocide), there was no measure taken to prevent this from occurring.  Instead, Mordecai and Esther convinced the King to authorize resistance by God’s people against their enemies.  This was partly due to an unusual feature of ancient Persian law, which made the previous edict irrevocable; the best they could do was try to offset it or cancel it out with an equal counter-measure.  Instead of prohibiting anyone from attacking the Jews, the new edict simply authorized the Jews to assemble and to protect themselves, and to destroy any who attacked them.

Read the rest of this entry »

Learning from Esther 8 - No Document in the King’s Name Can Be Revoked

Esther 8:8 - “Now write another decree in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.“

The ancient Persians had an unusual custom in their legal system – the king’s official decrees were irrevocable or permanent.  This created problems when the king wanted to undo something he had already decreed – he could not retract his edict (see Daniel 6:11-15 for another story where this problem arose).  This strict Persian custom brought stability in their legal system, but sometimes produced unjust results.  In the book of Esther, the only way the king can counteract his first edict is to give a second one authorizing resistance against the first edict.

Read the rest of this entry »

Learning from Esther 7 - Then The King’s Fury Subsided

Esther 7:9-10  - “Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, ‘A gallows seventy-five feet [50 cubits] high stands by Haman’s house.  He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.’  The king said, ‘Hang him on it!’ So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.  Then the king’s fury subsided…”

Haman, the enemy of God’s people, had planned to have Mordecai killed (impaled or crucified) on a tall execution stake.  The word “gallows” in the original was actually a pole or cross to which they would impale the victim.  In an unexpected turn of events, Haman himself dies on the very execution stake that he planned to use to kill God’s servant.

Read the rest of this entry »

Learning from Esther 7 - Grant Me My Life

Esther 7:3-4 – “Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition.  And spare my people—this is my request.  For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation.  If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.’ ”

This passage records Esther’s third request of the King.  Here, Esther finally explains to the King what she really needs.  She asks the king to save her life.  We see in her request a prayer for salvation.

Read the rest of this entry »