TBU Intermediate Study B

The Bible
Part B. God and the World: Basics
Unpacked
Intermediate Study Series

The Bible’s teaching summarized
for growing believers
Paul Mallison
The Bible
™
Unpacked
Intermediate Study Series
The Bible’s teaching summarized

for growing believers
Part B. God and the World: Basics
Paul Mallison
The Bible Unpacked™ Copyright © 1994–2017 by Paul Ian Mallison. All rights reserved.
This book may be freely reproduced for use for non-profit Christian purposes. Free
electronic copies may be downloaded at: www.thebibleunpacked.net. In return, users are
asked to increase their support of persecuted Christians – in prayer and if possible
financially. (See www.thebibleunpacked.net/persecuted-Christians for a list of
organizations that help persecuted Christians.)
Scripture quotations marked “CEV” are from the Contemporary English Version
Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
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Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked “GNT” are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English
Version- Second Edition Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
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Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
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This copy made: 18-Nov-17.

Part B. God and the World: Basics iii
Contents
A Quick Word .......................................................................... iv
Suggestions for Study Groups ........................................... v
6. God’s Creation ..................................................................1
7. God’s Sovereignty ........................................................ 11
8. God’s Word ..................................................................... 21
9. The Problem of Sin ...................................................... 31
10. God’s Judgment ............................................................ 41
Topics in This Series ............................................................ 51
The Seven Editions ............................................................... 53
Supporting Persecuted Christians .................................. 54

iv The Bible Unpacked – Intermediate Study Series
A Quick Word
This series of studies aims to present a compilation of the Bible’s
teachings in a clear and readable order. There are eight booklets in the
series, based on the eight parts of the book The Bible Unpacked -
Intermediate Edition. Each booklet has five chapters, with two sections each.
These ten sections can be used for ten or more studies.
See Topics in This Series towards the end of this booklet for a full listing of
all the topics. Note that studying booklets alternatively from the two
major sections (What to Know and What to Do) would add variety.
The material contains Bible verses. Before the verses are headings, which
reflect what the verses say – in particular the parts of the verses in italics.
The verses are sometimes followed by a comment.
The verses often have a brief introduction. Usually these state who is
speaking and often who they are speaking to. Apart from God and Jesus
Christ, the main speakers are:
 Moses – who lead the Israelites and taught them God’s laws;
 David – Israel’s greatest king who wrote many of the psalms, most of
which are essentially prayers;
 Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and other prophets – who spoke to the
people of Israel on God’s behalf; and
 Paul, Peter, John and other leaders of the early church – who spoke to
various groups and wrote letters to believers.
Much care has been taken in order to correctly interpret the verses.
Nevertheless, if you encounter a verse that is used to teach something
that is contrary to or goes beyond your understanding, assess its use by
doing such things as: reading the passage it is from; and considering how
its teaching fits in with Scripture as a whole (e.g. interpret OT teaching in
the light of NT teaching).
For more information on The Bible Unpacked and free downloads, go to

the website: www.thebibleunpacked.net.
Paul Mallison
Part B. God and the World: Basics v
Suggestions for Study Groups
Preliminary matters:
 Beforehand the leader should: check the context of any verses they are
not familiar with; and review the questions. If need be, they should
compose questions more applicable to the group.
 Each person should have a Bible, for things such as checking a verse’s
context. It would also be helpful to have Bible commentaries on hand.
 Pray before beginning the study. Ask God for help in understanding the
meaning of the verses and to affect your lives through them. Also pray
together at the end.
Doing the study:

 Ideally, read the material and answer the questions prior to the
meeting. Then share answers and discuss any issues arising from the
material in the meeting.
 Alternatively, read the material and answer the questions in the
meeting – reading either aloud as a group or individually (prior to
sharing answers). If reading as a group, try having one person read the
headings, another read the verses and another read the comments.
Additionally, a fourth person could read the Bible references.
General or concluding questions:

If time permits, conclude with one or more of the following questions:
 What is something that you either: did not know before; gained
greater insight into; or needed reminding of?
 What verse would be helpful to memorize and bear in mind during the
next week?
 In taking the verses seriously, is there anything you should change in:
(a) how you relate to God and/or to other people; or
(b) any other area of your life (e.g. attitudes, values or behavior)?
If so, are there any specific steps you could take to do this?
6. God’s Creation
I. General
God Made All Things ........................................................... 2
God Maintains Creation ...................................................... 2
How God Made and Maintains Creation ...................... 3

Implications of God Being Creator ................................. 4
II. God’s Creation of People

Life and Death ........................................................................ 6
The Human Spirit................................................................... 6

The Uniqueness of People ................................................. 7
Epilogue: God’s Self-Revelation to People ................. 8
1
2 The Bible Unpacked – Intermediate Study Series
I. General
The formation of the universe is the most astonishing thing that
has ever occurred. The Bible claims that God not only created the
universe, but that he also created everything in it. Moreover, it
claims that God continues to maintain the universe. If we believe
that God is capable of doing this, then we should have little trouble
in accepting the other claims that the Bible makes about God.
God Made All Things
God made the heavens and earth – and everything in them

You are the only LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens,
with all the stars. You made the earth and everything on it, the seas and
everything in them; you give life to everything. NEHEMIAH 9:6A NCV™
All that God made is very good

God saw all that he had made – and it was very good! GENESIS 1:31A NET
God Maintains Creation
Every creature’s life is dependent on God

The life of every creature and the breath of all people are in God’s
hand. JOB 12:10 NCV™
God provides food for all creatures

[D AV ID , TO G O D :] Everything looks to you in anticipation, and you
provide them with food on a regular basis. PSALMS 145:15 NET
God regulates all aspects of the weather

For to the snow he says, ‘Fall to earth,’ and to the torrential rains,
‘Pour down.’ JOB 37:6 NET
He makes the clouds rise from the far–off horizons. He makes the
lightning flash out in the midst of the rain. He unleashes the wind
from the places where he stores it. JEREMIAH 10:13B NET
6. God’s Creation 3
God maintains nature

[G O D :] “While the earth continues to exist, planting time and harvest,
cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”
GENESIS 8:22 NET
God’s promise that these things will continue is indicative of his
control over them, regulating and maintaining them.
How God Made and Maintains Creation
God made all things with his wisdom

How numerous are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you have made
them all; the earth is filled with your creations. PSALMS 104:24 ISV
The LORD created the earth by his wisdom; by his knowledge he set
the sky in place. 20His wisdom caused the rivers to flow and the clouds
to give rain to the earth. PROVERBS 3:19–20 GNT
God made all things with his power

[G O D :] I made the earth, its people, and all its animals with my great
power and strength. JEREMIAH 27:5A NCV™
God made all things by his word

By the word of God heaven was made, and the earth was made from
water and with water. 2 PETER 3:5B NCV™
God made and sustains all things through Jesus Christ . . .

All things were created by him [Christ], and apart from him not one
thing was created that has been created. JOHN 1:3 NET
He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one
whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end. 3He
reflects the brightness of God’s glory and is the exact likeness of
God’s own being, sustaining the universe with his powerful word.
HEBREWS 1:2B–3A GNT
. . . The Holy Spirit also has a role

[A PS ALM IS T , TO G O D :] When you send forth your Spirit, they [creatures]
are created, and you renew the face of the ground. PSALMS 104:30 ESV
Implications of God Being Creator
Because he made everything, all things belong to God

The heavens and the earth belong to you. And so does the world with
all its people because you created them 12and everything else. PSALMS
89:11–12A CEV
Because he made everything, God is sovereign over all things

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of
heaven and earth. ACTS 17:24A ISV
Because he has made all things, God has the right of sovereignty
over all things. God’s almighty power and incomparable wisdom
enable him to enforce his sovereignty.
Creation shows God’s power and wisdom to be incomparable

[J O B , S PEAK ING O F G O D :] He is wise in heart and mighty in strength –
who has resisted him and remained safe? 5He who removes mountains
suddenly, who overturns them in his anger; 6he who shakes the earth
out of its place so that its pillars tremble; 7he who commands the sun
and it does not shine and seals up the stars; 8he alone spreads out the
heavens, and treads on the waves of the sea; 9he makes the Bear,
Orion, and the Pleiades, and the constellations of the southern sky;
10
he does great and unsearchable things, and wonderful things
without number. JOB 9:4–10 NET
Pray for the persecuted

Do you believe that God created the world? Why or why not?
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How should we respond to the teaching that everyone’s life is

dependent on God?
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How or in what sense does God provide food for all creatures?
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Jesus Christ has a major role in God’s making and maintaining of

creation. What does this illustrate about how God interacts with his
world?
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What does God being the creator of us and our environment mean
for our relationship with him?
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II. God’s Creation of People

Arguably the most significant part of God’s creation is his creation
of people. God not only gives people life and a spirit, he has made
people quite unique amongst all creatures. Also, of all his creatures, it
is primarily to people that God reveals himself and relates.
Life and Death
God creates people . . .

The rich and the poor are alike in that the LORD made them all.
PROVERBS 22:2 NCV™
. . . God gives people life and breath

He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. ACTS 17:25B CEV
People’s lives are very brief

[D AV ID ,
TO G O D :] You made my life short, so brief that the time means
nothing to you. “Human life is but a breath, 6and it disappears like a
shadow. PSALMS 39:5–6A CEV
As many old people would affirm, in a relative sense life is very brief.
Each person is destined to die

For death is the destiny of every person, and the living should take
this to heart. ECCLESIASTES 7:2B NET
The Human Spirit
God has made people with a spirit

The LORD – who spread out the heavens, laid the foundation of the
earth, and forms the spirit in a person – says, … ZECHARIAH 12:1B GW
The spirit is at the core of one’s being

A person’s spirit is the lamp of the LORD; it searches through all of
one’s innermost being. PROVERBS 20:27 ISV
People are dead without their spirit

For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without
works is dead. JAMES 2:26 NET
People’s spirits exist after death

They [Jews] continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit!” ACTS 7:59 NET
Here also are the spirits of those good people who have been made
perfect. HEBREWS 12:23B CEV
The reference is to the spirits of righteous people who had died.
The Uniqueness of People
God has made people in his own image

Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our
likeness, so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of
the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over all the
creatures that move on the earth.” 27God created humankind in his
own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he
created them. GENESIS 1:26–27 NET
That God has made people in his own image is evident in that they
reflect such things as his personal traits – e.g. aspects of his
character and intellect – and that they have a spirit. Additionally, it
is noteworthy that although God essentially is spirit, some
descriptions of visions or manifestations of God speak of him in
terms of a human-like form (cf. Ezekiel 1:26–28; Daniel 7:9).
God has given people an able mind – with which they can think
and reason intelligently
Who has put wisdom in the heart, or has imparted understanding to
the mind? JOB 38:36 NET
And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he
reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that
it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead,
and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” ACTS
17:2–3 ESV
People have the moral capacity to know good from evil

And the LORD God said, “Now that the man has become like one of
us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his
hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
GENESIS 3:22 NET
People are to care for and act responsibly towards creation

A righteous person cares for the life of his animal … PROVERBS 12:10A NET
[G O D , TO THE B A BY LO N IA NS :] For you will pay in full for your violent acts
against Lebanon; terrifying judgment will come upon you because of
the way you destroyed the wild animals living there. HABAKKUK 2:17A NET
The Babylonians’ desolation of the forests of Lebanon (cf. CEV, GNT,
NLT) and their destruction of animals contravened humankind’s
responsibility towards nature – and they would be punished for it.
Epilogue: God’s Self-Revelation to People
God reveals himself to people

Then the LORD again appeared in Shiloh, for it was in Shiloh that
the LORD had revealed himself to Samuel through the word of the
LORD. 1 SAMUEL 3:21 NET
God reveals himself by what he does

[G O D :] I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be
profaned before the nations among whom they lived, before whom I
revealed myself by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. EZEKIEL 20:9 NET
By delivering the Israelites out of Egypt, God revealed himself to
the surrounding peoples.
Creation perpetually evidences and reveals God to all people

[P AU L , S PEAK ING O F WIC K ED P EO PLE :] For what can be known about God
is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible
attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been
clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things
that have been made. So they are without excuse. ROMANS 1:19–20 ESV
What is one way that the brevity of our lives should affect our thinking
and/or our actions?
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What is our “spirit”?

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How should the fact that people are made in God’s image influence
us?
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What motivation does Scripture give you to care for the environment?
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How could you present (to a non-Christian) the world and how it
continues to exist, as evidence for God’s existence?
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7. God’s Sovereignty
I. God’s Supreme Authority

The LORD Is God – the Only God ................................... 12
God Reigns Supreme ........................................................ 13
God Defeats His Enemies ................................................ 14

God Fulfills His Plans ......................................................... 14
II. God’s Control over the World

God Has Control over Evil ............................................... 16
God Has Control over Nature ........................................ 16

God Has Control over the Nations .............................. 17
God Has Control over Each Person.............................. 18
11
I. God’s Supreme Authority

As the one and only God, God reigns supreme in the world. He has
supreme power over all things. As such, God defeats his enemies
and he fulfills his plans. A realization of this produces submission to
and worship of the one and only God.
The LORD Is God – the Only God
Note that God stated that the “LORD” was the name by which he
was to be known (cf. Exodus 3:12–15).
The LORD is God

Know that the LORD is God. PSALMS 100:3A NCV™
Now, O sovereign LORD, you are the true God! 2 SAMUEL 7:28A NET
He is God of all people

I am the LORD, the God of all humankind. JEREMIAH 32:27A NET
Hezekiah prayed before the LORD: “LORD God of Israel, who is
enthroned on the cherubs! You alone are God over all the kingdoms
of the earth. 2 KINGS 19:15A NET
He is the one and only God

[ G O D : ] And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a
Savior; there is none besides me. 22“Turn to me and be saved, all the
ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. ISAIAH 45:21B–22 ESV
His deeds show that he is the only God

[D AV ID , TO G O D :] For you are great and do amazing things. You alone
are God. PSALMS 86:10 NET
[G O D :] See, I am the only God. There are no others. I kill, and I make
alive. I wound, and I heal, and no one can rescue you from my power.
DEUTERONOMY 32:39 GW
7. God’s Sovereignty 13
God Reigns Supreme
God rules over all

O LORD, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and
sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt
yourself as the ruler of all. 12You are the source of wealth and honor;
you rule over all. You possess strength and might to magnify and
give strength to all. 1 CHRONICLES 29:11–12 NET
As such, God rules over all authorities

The glorious God is the only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of
lords. 1 TIMOTHY 6:15A CEV
God rules over the earth in righteousness

He rules the world with righteousness; he judges the nations with
justice. PSALMS 9:8 GNT
God will reign forever

But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation
to generation. LAMENTATIONS 5:19 NET
God will impose his absolute rule on all

[J O HN ,
D ES C R IBING A V IS IO N :] Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet,
and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the
world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he
will reign for ever and ever.” 16Then the twenty–four elders who are
seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with
their faces to the ground and worshiped God 17with these words:
“We give you thanks, Lord God, the All–Powerful, the one who is
and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun to
reign. REVELATION 11:15–17 NET
The proclamation in v. 15 and the final phrase “have begun to
reign” (v. 17) may mean that at this point God has begun to impose
his rule on all – the actualization of the kingdom (v. 15)
implemented with the imposition of God’s great power (v. 17).
Alternatively the past tense may be used here to indicate the
certainty of God doing so in the future.
God Defeats His Enemies
No one can effectively oppose God

But he alone is God, and who can oppose him? God does as he
pleases, … JOB 23:13 CEV
[G O D :] For there is no one like me, and there is no one who can call me
to account. There is no ruler who can stand up against me. JEREMIAH
49:19B NET
God destroys his enemies

But he will pay back those people who hate him. He will destroy them,
and he will not be slow to pay back those who hate him. DEUTERONOMY
7:10 NCV™
God Fulfills His Plans
God carries out his plans

[G O D :] “Be sure of this: Just as I have intended, so it will be; just as I
have planned, it will happen. ISAIAH 14:24B NET
God does not change his plans

God is not a human being, and he will not lie. He is not a human,
and he does not change his mind. What he says he will do, he does.
What he promises, he makes come true. NUMBERS 23:19 NCV™
No one can thwart God’s plans

Indeed, the LORD who commands armies has a plan, and who can
possibly frustrate it? His hand is ready to strike, and who can possibly
stop it? ISAIAH 14:27 NET
God works everything for his plans

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined
according to the purpose of him who works all things according to
the counsel of his will, … EPHESIANS 1:11 ESV
God works all things that occur for the fulfillment of his plans.
How should God being the only God affect our attitudes and
thoughts?
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What reasons are there to believe that God reigns supreme in the
world?
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Choose a verse that impresses on you the supremacy of God’s power.

Say why you choose it.
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Who are God’s enemies and how do they oppose him? What do we
know of their defeat?
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What plans has God carried out - in the world and/or in the lives of
people you know?
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II. God’s Control over the World

God has power over everything. This includes control over evil
powers, nature, the nations of the world and each person’s life.
Comprehending this is vital to having a sound understanding of
God and of his relationship to the world – including his relationship
with ourselves.
God Has Control over Evil
God exerts control over evil

[J AC O B ,
R EFER R ING TO HIS GR E ED Y U NC LE :] Yet he has cheated me and
changed my wages ten times. But God did not let him harm me.
GENESIS 31:7 GNT
[P AU L ,
TO BEL IEV ER S :] No temptation has overtaken you that is unusual
for human beings. But God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be
tempted beyond your strength. Instead, along with the temptation he
will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 ISV
God has control over any temptation, whether it originates from
Satan or our own sinful nature. This is indicative of his control
over evil.
God even uses evil to fulfill his purposes

For God has put into their minds to carry out his purpose by making a
decision to give their royal power to the beast until the words of God
are fulfilled. REVELATION 17:17 NET
This speaks of kings or powers of the end times cooperating with
the beast or anti-Christ, to unwittingly accomplish God’s purpose.
God Has Control over Nature
God directs nature

He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through
the clouds. 12The clouds go round in circles, wheeling about according
to his plans, to carry out all that he commands them over the face of
the whole inhabited world. JOB 37:11–12 NET
He sends his command through the earth; swiftly his order reaches its
destination. 16He sends the snow that is white like wool; he spreads the
frost that is white like ashes. 17He throws his hailstones like crumbs.
Who can withstand the cold wind he sends? 18He then orders it all to
melt; he breathes on it, and the water flows. PSALMS 147:15–18 NET
God can perform miracles of nature

The LORD’s angelic messenger appeared to the woman and said to her,
“You are infertile and childless, but you will conceive and have a son.
… 24Manoah’s wife gave birth to a son and named him Samson.
JUDGES 13:3, 24A NET
[E LIJ AH :] For this is what the LORD God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour
[that was about to run out] will not be empty and the jug of oil will not
run out until the day the LORD makes it rain on the surface of the
ground.’” 15She [a widow] went and did as Elijah told her; there was
always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. 16The jar of
flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the
LORD had promised through Elijah. 1 KINGS 17:14–16 NET
God Has Control over the Nations
God is in control of the nations

[A PS ALM IS T , TO G O D :] For you execute justice among the nations, and
govern the people living on earth. (Selah) PSALMS 67:4B NET
[G O D :] This is the plan I have devised for the whole earth; my hand is
ready to strike all the nations.” [Isaiah:] 27Indeed, the LORD who
commands armies has a plan, and who can possibly frustrate it? His
hand is ready to strike, and who can possibly stop it? ISAIAH 14:26–
27 NET
What God determines for the whole world does take place, for his
power to impose his will extends over all nations. For God “controls
every nation” (CEV) – none can prevent him from implementing his
purposes concerning them.
God has been in control of the nations throughout history

From one human being he created all races on earth and made them
live throughout the whole earth. He himself fixed beforehand the exact
times and the limits of the places where they would live. ACTS 17:26 GNT
God establishes all ruling authorities

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is
no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that
exist have been instituted by God. ROMANS 13:1 NET
God Has Control over Each Person
God has control over people’s hearts and minds

When Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart.
1 SAMUEL 10:9A NCV™
The LORD caused the Egyptians to think well of them, and the
Egyptians gave the people everything they asked for. So the
Israelites took rich gifts from them. EXODUS 12:36 NCV™
God has control over people’s actions . . .

[D ANIEL , TO K ING B ELS HAZ Z A R :] But you have not glorified the God who
has in his control your very breath and all your ways! DANIEL 5:23B NET
. . . Despite people’s plans, their steps are directed by God

A person plans his course, but the LORD directs his steps. PROVERBS
16:9 NET
God controls all that happens to people

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that everything comes –
both calamity and blessing? LAMENTATIONS 3:38 NET
[A WIS E T EAC H ER :] In times of prosperity be joyful, but in times of
adversity consider this: God has made one as well as the other, so that
no one can discover what the future holds. ECCLESIASTES 7:14 NET
How should the teaching that God has control over evil influence us?
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Is there anything that makes you conscious of God’s control over

nature? If so, what and why?
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To what degree does God impose his control over the nations? What
does he do?
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How can we reconcile the existence of oppressive regimes with the

teaching that God establishes all ruling authorities?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
How is God in control of individual lives? To what extent are people’s

plans subject to God’s will?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
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8. God’s Word
I. General
What God’s Word Comprises ........................................ 22
Characteristics of God’s Word ....................................... 23
Functions of God’s Word ................................................. 24
II. Key Old Testament Covenants

God’s Covenant with Abraham ..................................... 26
God’s Covenant with Israel and the Law .................... 27
God’s Dealings and Covenant with David ................. 29
21
I. General
God’s word is our window to God. For through it we learn about
God and his relationship with us. Moreover, its unique
characteristics and functions have the imprint of God.
What God’s Word Comprises
God’s word primarily is Scripture

If he [God] called them gods to whom the word of God came—and
Scripture cannot be broken— … JOHN 10:35 ESV
This speaks of Scripture as “the word of God”.
Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. 2 TIMOTHY 3:16A GW
Scripture comes from God, i.e. Scripture “is God’s Word” (CEV).
God’s word includes his covenants

The LORD said to Moses, “Write these words down, because it is on
the basis of these words that I am making a covenant with you and
with Israel.” 28… He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—
the Ten Commandments. EXODUS 34:27, 28B GNT
This speaks of words of God forming God’s covenant with Israel.
God’s word includes his laws

[APS ALM IS T , R E FER R ING TO G O D :] He speaks his word to Jacob, his laws
and judicial decisions to Israel. PSALMS 147:19 GW
God’s word includes his prophecies

[G O D , TO J ER EM IAH :] Get a scroll. Write on it everything I have told you
to say about Israel, Judah, and all the other nations since I began to
speak to you in the reign of Josiah until now. JEREMIAH 36:2 NET
This refers to prophecies (of God’s word) regarding nations.
God’s word also includes the gospel, proclaimed by his people

When they [Barnabas and Saul] arrived in Salamis, they began to
proclaim the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. ACTS 13:5A NET
8. God’s Word 23
Jesus Christ is “the Word of God”

[J O HN ,
D ES C R IBING A V IS IO N O F C HR IS T :] He is dressed in clothing dipped
in blood, and he is called the Word of God. REVELATION 19:13 NET
Jesus Christ is called the “Word of God” in part because much of
what God says and does, he says and does through Jesus Christ.
Note: God has given his word by the Holy Spirit

Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture
ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination, 21for no prophecy
was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the
Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 PETER 1:20–21 NET
Characteristics of God’s Word
God’s word is holy, righteous and good

So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous,
and good. ROMANS 7:12 NET
God’s word is true . . .

The words of the LORD are true and all his works are dependable.
PSALMS 33:4 GNT
[J ES U S , TO G O D :] Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth.
JOHN 17:17 NET
. . . and so what God’s word foretells comes true

[J EREMIAH TO J ERUSALEM ’ S PEOPLE :] The LORD has done what he purposed;
he has carried out his word, which he commanded long ago; he has
thrown down without pity; he has made the enemy rejoice over you
and exalted the might of your foes. LAMENTATIONS 2:17 GW
God’s word is living and active

For the word of God is living and active … HEBREWS 4:12A NET
Two reasons for describing God’s word as “living” are that it never
ceases to be pertinent and it keeps on influencing and affecting
people. The latter reason also shows it to be active.
God’s word is powerful

What God has said isn’t only alive and active! It is sharper than any
double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls
and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and
thoughts of our hearts. HEBREWS 4:12 CEV
God’s word can penetrate to the very depths of our inner-selves,
exposing our thoughts and attitudes for what they really are.
God’s word is everlasting

For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass;
the grass withers and the flower falls off, 25but the word of the Lord
endures forever. 1 PETER 1:24–25A NET
Functions of God’s Word
God’s word brings spiritual and eternal life

[J ES U S :] The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no
help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. …
68
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You
have the words of eternal life. JOHN 6:63, 68 NET
In v. 63b Jesus appears to be saying that his words are spiritual,
producing spiritual or eternal life. Jesus seems to be implying that it
is by the Holy Spirit (v. 63a) that his words produce this life.
God’s word gives light

[A PS ALM IS T , TO G O D :] Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to
illumine my path. PSALMS 119:105 NET
God’s word gives “light” – guidance and spiritual insight.
God’s word gives hope

[A PS ALM IS T , TO G O D :] Remember your word to your servant, for you
have given me hope. PSALMS 119:49 NET
God had given the psalmist hope by his word, or promise.
God’s word gives joy

The LORD’s precepts are fair and make one joyful. PSALMS 19:8A NET
8. God’s Word 25
Should we accept every verse of Scripture as God’s word? What

dangers are there in not doing so?
____________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________
In what ways do you think God speaks today?

____________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________
What is one characteristic of God’s word that you find particularly

striking or encouraging? Why?
____________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________
How can we use God’s word to keep from sinning?

____________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________
How can you draw hope and/or joy from God’s word?
____________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________

II. Key Old Testament Covenants

A covenant is a solemn agreement between two parties. God’s
covenants with people are a key aspect of his word.
God’s covenants with people were all initiated by God. They
generally confirmed his relationship with the persons concerned –
who were or who became his people. The covenants included
binding promises by God of blessings for his people, reflecting his
purposes for them. In some cases God’s covenants also outlined
what God required of his people and how they were to relate to
him.
God’s covenants with Abraham, Israel and David are prime
instances of the role of God’s word. They expound pivotal promises
and (in the covenant with Israel) laws of God. They also form the
background of God’s relationship with his people today. Learning
about them enables us to better understand the significance of
much of the NT’s teachings.
God’s Covenant with Abraham
God made a covenant with Abraham, promising him:

countless descendants; the land of Canaan; . . .
Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, and God said to him,
4
“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a
multitude of nations. 5No longer will your name be Abram. Instead,
your name will be Abraham because I will make you the father of a
multitude of nations. 6I will make you extremely fruitful. I will make
nations of you, and kings will descend from you. 7I will confirm my
covenant as a perpetual covenant between me and you. It will extend
to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be
your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8I will give the
whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing – to you
and your descendants after you as a permanent possession. I will be
their God.” GENESIS 17:3–8 NET
God made an everlasting covenant with the Israelite’s ancestor
Abraham, aspects of which were included in God’s later covenant
8. God’s Word 27
with Israel. In the covenant God promised Abraham that if he

obeyed, God would: give him numerous descendants (vv. 5–7); give
his descendants the land of Canaan (v. 8); and bless all nations
through him (as per the following subsection). In conjunction with
this, God would be Abraham’s and his descendants’ God (v. 7).
. . . and that all peoples would be blessed through Abraham

[G O D , TO A BR AHAM :] I will bless those who bless you, and him who
dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth
shall be blessed. GENESIS 12:3 ESV
Abraham believed God, and was accredited with righteousness

[G O D , TO A BR AHAM :] “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if
you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your
offspring be.” 6And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as
righteousness. GENESIS 15:5B–6 ESV
God’s Covenant with Israel and the Law
See also: I. Jesus Christ and the Law’s Diminished Role, ch. 14
God made a covenant with Israel, based on his law

The LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance
with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”
28
So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did
not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote on the tablets
the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. EXODUS 34:27–28 NET
If the Israelites obeyed God, then they would be his people

and he would be their God
[G O D , TO THE I S R AELITES :] Obey me and carry out the terms of the
agreement exactly as I commanded you. If you do, you will be my
people and I will be your God. JEREMIAH 11:4B NET
According to the terms of the covenant, Israel was to obey God. If
Israel kept the covenant by obeying God’s commands, then under
the covenant they would be God’s people and he would be their
God.
Laws for the people’s relationship with God

[G O D ,
TO THE I S R AEL ITES :] “You shall have no other gods besides me.
4
“You shall not make for yourselves an idol, or any likeness of what is
in heaven above, or on earth below, or in the water under the earth.
5
You shall not bow down to them in worship or serve them; because I,
the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for
the iniquity of the parents, to the third and fourth generations of
those who hate me, 6but showing gracious love to thousands who
love me and keep my commandments. 7“You shall not misuse the
name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will not leave the one
who misuses his name unpunished. 8“Remember the Sabbath day to
keep it holy. 9Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the
seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. And you shall not do
any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your
male or female servants, nor your livestock, nor the alien who is
within your gates. 11For in six days the LORD made the heavens and
the earth and the sea, and all that is in them, and he rested on the
seventh day. Therefore, the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made
it holy. EXODUS 20:2–11 ISV
The commands in this and the following section are the Ten
Commandments. These form the fundamentals of the whole law
that God gave through Moses (referred to as the Mosaic Law).
Laws for relationships with other people

“Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in
the land the LORD your God is giving to you. 13“You shall not murder.
14
“You shall not commit adultery. 15“You shall not steal. 16“You shall
not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17“You shall not covet
your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor
his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey,
nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.” EXODUS 20:12–17 NET
By obeying all the law, the Israelites would have righteousness

[M O S ES , TO THE I S R AEL ITES :] It will be righteousness for us, if we’re
careful to obey all the law before the LORD our God, as he
commanded. DEUTERONOMY 6:25 ISV
8. God’s Word 29
God’s Dealings and Covenant with David
David was chosen by God, as ruler over Israel

[G O D :] I’ve chosen David to rule my people Israel. 1 KINGS 8:16B GW
David reigned over Israel, as a powerful and righteous king –

undergirded by God
David became a great and strong ruler, because the LORD All-
Powerful was on his side. … 12David knew that the LORD had made him
king of Israel and that he had made him a powerful ruler for the good
of his people. 2 SAMUEL 5:10, 12 CEV
David was king over all Israel, and he did what was fair and right for
all his people. 2 SAMUEL 8:15 NCV™
God’s covenant with David, promising that David’s royal

dynasty would last forever
[T HE PR O PH ET N ATH AN , TO D AV ID :] The LORD declares to you that he
himself will build a dynastic house for you. 12When the time comes for
you to die, I [God] will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons,
to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He will build a
house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 14I will
become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will
correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by
human beings. 15But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I
removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house
and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty
will be permanent. 2 SAMUEL 7:11B–16 NET
In vv. 11b, 16 “house” refers to a royal dynasty that God would
build for David, in response to David’s desire to build a “house”
(v. 13) or temple for God. The “descendant” spoken of in vv. 12–15
refers initially to David’s son Solomon, but is generally understood
to ultimately speak of the Messiah. As such this covenant provided
the people of Israel with the hope of a permanently secure
kingdom (cf. vv. 10–11a) under a godly and powerful king.

What is the importance of God’s covenant with Abraham to us?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Is God’s covenant with Israel relevant in any way to God’s relationship

with his people today? If so, how?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Which of the Ten Commandments do you need to be more mindful

of? How would doing so affect you and your life?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What difference/s was there between the righteousness granted to

Abraham and that made available to Israel through the law?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What has God done to fulfill his promise to David that David’s dynasty
would last forever?
____________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________
9. The Problem of Sin
I. General
Sin Is Breaking God’s Law ............................................... 32
Sin Is against God .............................................................. 32
Sin Is Universal .................................................................... 33

Sin Has Intrinsic Ill Effects................................................ 33
Sin Brings God’s Anger and Death .............................. 34
II. The Law’s Provision for Israel’s Sin

Offerings for Atonement for Sinners .......................... 36
The Blood of the Offerings ............................................. 37
The Role of the Priests...................................................... 38
31
I. General
Knowing what sin is and what its consequences are is vital to
understanding God’s relationship with humankind and to
appreciating the need for Jesus Christ’s mission. It also helps us not
to sin by: clarifying what sin is (which this chapter does in general
terms); and providing great motivation to avoid sin.
Sin Is Breaking God’s Law
Breaking God’s law is sin

Whoever sins is guilty of breaking God’s law, because sin is a breaking
of the law. 1 JOHN 3:4 GNT
As such, all wrongdoing is sin . . .

Doing wrong is always sin … 1 JOHN 5:17A NCV™
. . . and not doing what we should do is sin

So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of
sin. JAMES 4:17 NET
Sin Is against God
Sin is action against God

[M O S ES , TO THE I S R AELI TES :] If anyone sins unintentionally by breaking
any of the LORD’s commands, he is guilty and must pay the penalty.
… 19It is a repayment offering for the sin he committed against the
LORD. LEVITICUS 5:17, 19 GNT
Sin is rebellion against God

[D AV ID , TO G O D :] Drive them out of your presence because of their
many sins and their rebellion against you. PSALMS 5:10B GNT
Thus, sin is hated by God

For I, the LORD, love justice and hate robbery and sin. ISAIAH 61:8A NET
9. The Problem of Sin 33
Sin Is Universal
All people have sinned . . .

All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. ROMANS 3:23 CEV
All fail to measure up to a standard compatible with God’s glory.
. . . No one is righteous before God

[D AV ID ,
TO G O D :] Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for
no living person is righteous in your sight. PSALMS 143:2 ISV
People in fact have a sinful nature

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human
nature with all its passions and desires. GALATIANS 5:24 GNT
Sin Has Intrinsic Ill Effects
Sin brings spiritual defilement

They became filthy because of what they did. PSALMS 106:39 GW
Sin results in separation from God

[I S AIAH ,
TO THE P EO PLE O F J U D AH :] But your sinful acts have alienated
you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not
listen to your prayers. ISAIAH 59:2 NET
Sin brings spiritual death

[P AU L ,
TO BELIEV E R S :] When you were spiritually dead because of your
sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self,
God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all our sins.
COLOSSIANS 2:13 NCV™
Spiritual death involves being cut off from God – “dead to God” –
without his Holy Spirit, who brings spiritual life.
Sin also brings enslavement to sin

Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who
practices sin is a slave of sin. JOHN 8:34 NET
Sin Brings God’s Anger and Death
Sin makes one subject to God’s anger

Actually all of us were like them and lived according to our natural
desires, doing whatever suited the wishes of our own bodies and
minds. In our natural condition we, like everyone else, were destined
to suffer God’s anger. EPHESIANS 2:3 GNT
Here Paul refers to how all people have lived sinful lives, making
them subject to God’s anger.
Sin results in physical death

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man [Adam], and
death through sin, so death spread to everyone, because all have
sinned. ROMANS 5:12 ISV
People may experience God’s wrath and judgment for sin in various
forms during their lifetime, but common to all is the judgment of
physical death. Note that the verse makes reference to death
initially coming as a consequence of Adam’s original sin.
Furthermore, sin brings the prospect of eternal “death”

[P AU L , TO BELIEV ER S :] So what benefit did you then reap from those
things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is
death. … 23For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ROMANS 6:21, 23 NET
Particularly in view of the contrast with “eternal life” (v. 23), “death”
(vv. 21, 23) appears to primarily refer to or at least encompass what
is sometimes referred to as eternal “death”. Because of his justice
God demands that unforgiven sin be punished with eternal “death”
or destruction, involving eternal separation from God in hell. A
complementary reason for this “death” is that sin makes separation
from God necessary, because of his holiness.

Give a definition of sin.

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____________________________________________________________________
In what way/s is our nature a “sinful” nature?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What are some consequences that people experience because of their

own sin?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What does it mean to be “spiritually dead” (Col 2:13)?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Choose one aspect of the teaching on sin in this study which you think
people often overlook. If people took this to heart, how might it
change them?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
II. The Law’s Provision for Israel’s Sin

See also: I. Jesus Christ and the Law’s Diminished Role, ch. 14
In the law on which his covenant with Israel was based, God made
provision for atonement to be made for anyone who sinned, and so
for the sinner to be forgiven. This allowed the Israelites to remain in
their covenant relationship with him, providing that they did not
actually give up following God and his laws, as per the terms of the
covenant.
The NT contains numerous references to the Mosaic Law’s
provision for Israel’s sin. An understanding of what this provision
involved enables us to more fully comprehend why Jesus Christ
came and the significance of his work. For many of the concepts
involved in Jesus Christ’s work have their origin in the law’s
stipulations for making offerings for atonement for sin. These
aspects of the law actually foreshadowed – and would be
superseded by – what Jesus Christ would do and implement.
Offerings for Atonement for Sinners
An animal was offered to make atonement for one who sinned

If any person sins unintentionally, then he must bring a yearling
female goat for a purification offering. 28And the priest must make
atonement for the person who sins unintentionally — when he sins
unintentionally before the LORD — to make atonement for him, and
he will be forgiven. NUMBERS 15:27–28 NET
Atonement is where God accepts such an offering of a living being
as a substitute for the life of a person who has sinned – the
person’s life otherwise being required as punishment. As such, God
accepts the sacrifice as payment for the person’s sin. The result is
that sin is taken away – and so the sinner is forgiven, pronounced
righteous and reconciled to God.
Animals brought as offerings were to be without defect

If this person [who had sinned] brings a lamb as his offering for sin, he
must bring a female that has nothing wrong with it. LEVITICUS 4:32 NCV™
The sinner laid hands on the offering, signifying it as a substitute

He must lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be
accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. LEVITICUS 1:4 NET
This practice appears to have signified that the animal was a
substitute for the sinner. Moreover, it may also have signified the
transfer of the person’s sins to the animal (cf. Leviticus 16:21–22).
The Blood of the Offerings
The blood of the offerings for sin featured in making atonement

Then the high priest must bring some of the blood of the bull to the
Meeting Tent, 17and that priest must dip his finger in the blood and
sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the LORD toward the
front of the veil–canopy. 18He must put some of the blood on the horns
of the altar which is before the LORD in the Meeting Tent, and all the
rest of the blood he must pour out at the base of the altar of burnt
offering that is at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 19“‘Then the
priest must take all its fat and offer the fat up in smoke on the altar.
20
He must do with the rest of the bull just as he did with the bull of
the sin offering; this is what he must do with it. So the priest will
make atonement on their behalf and they will be forgiven. LEVITICUS
4:16–20 NET
As this passage illustrates, the blood of animals sacrificed as
offerings to make atonement for sinners featured prominently in
the instructions given for presenting the offerings. The reason was
the correlation of blood with life (as discussed in the following
subsection). The blood signified the life of the animal, given as a
substitute for the life of the sinner (as reflected in the previous
subsection).
For the life of a creature is in its blood

[G O D :] … for the life of every living thing is in the blood. So I myself
have assigned it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives,
for the blood makes atonement by means of the life. LEVITICUS 17:11 NET
Blood sustains life and so is often correlated with life.
The Role of the Priests
God designated Aaron and his descendants as priests

[G O D ,
TO M O S ES :] And you, bring near to you your brother Aaron and
his sons with him from among the Israelites, so that they may
minister as my priests – Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and
Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. EXODUS 28:1 NET
[G O D ,
TO M O S ES :] And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute
forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. EXODUS 29:9B ESV
When God made his covenant with Israel, he instituted the Aaronic
or Levitical priesthood as an integral aspect of the covenant law, in
particular in regard to the regulations concerning the people’s
relationship with himself.
The priests made the offerings for people when they sinned, to
make atonement for them
And the priest shall make atonement for him [a person who had sinned]
with the ram of the guilt offering before the LORD for his sin that he
has committed, and he shall be forgiven for the sin that he has
committed. LEVITICUS 19:22 ESV
The high priest made atonement yearly for Israel as a whole

“The priest who is anointed and ordained to act as high priest in place
of his father is to make atonement. He is to put on the linen
garments, the holy garments, 33and he is to purify the Most Holy
Place, he is to purify the Meeting Tent and the altar, and he is to
make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly.
34
This is to be a perpetual statute for you to make atonement for the
Israelites for all their sins once a year.” LEVITICUS 16:32–34A NET
The Day of Atonement was to be observed once each year, for the
high priest to cleanse the nation as a whole of all sin. It was the
most important observance of the OT rituals, the only time the high
priest could enter the Most Holy Place.
Note that the Most Holy Place was where the ark of the covenant
was kept. The ark was a box-like structure which contained the
stone tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments, the
basis of God’s covenant with Israel. The ark signified God’s

presence amongst the Israelites.
However, Israel did not keep God’s law and broke his covenant
Samaria [the capital city of northern Israel] fell because the Israelites
did not obey the LORD their God, but broke the covenant he had
made with them and disobeyed all the laws given by Moses, the
servant of the LORD. They would not listen and they would not obey.
2 KINGS 18:12 GNT
Despite the law’s provision for Israel’s sin, the Israelites as a whole
persisted in sin – rebelling against God and breaking his covenant
with them. This showed that ultimately the law was not sufficient to
deal with sin.

Explain as simply as you can the concept of making atonement for a

person who has sinned.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What was the significance of blood being shed in offerings for sin?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Why was there a need for a priest to offer a sacrifice to God on behalf
of a person?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Why do you think that the Israelites persisted in sin and broke God’s
covenant with them?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
How are God’s people today better able than the Israelites to resist
sin?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
10. God’s Judgment
I. Basics
God Is the Judge of the World ...................................... 42
Reasons for God’s Judgment ......................................... 42
God’s Judgment Is Just .................................................... 43
II. The Manifestation of God’s Judgment

Means of God’s Judicial Retribution............................ 46
Characteristics of God’s Judicial Retribution ............ 47
The Wicked and God’s Pending Judgment............... 48

God’s Judgment of Israel – and His Mercy ............... 49
41
I. Basics
The fact that God does and will judge us is one of the Bible’s key
teachings, without which the significance of other key Bible
teachings is lost – notably that of salvation. An understanding of it
is also vital to understanding God himself. Additionally, bear in
mind that God’s judgment – being just and righteous – actually
gives his people much reason to be encouraged.
God Is the Judge of the World
God is judge – of the whole earth

The heavens declare his fairness, for God is judge. PSALMS 50:6 NET
[A BRAHAM , TO G OD :] You are the judge of all the earth … GENESIS 18:25B CEV
As such, God makes judgments in the world

He is the LORD our God; he carries out judgment throughout the
earth. 1 CHRONICLES 16:14 NET
God makes himself known by his judgment

[G O D , TO THE PEO PLE O F E D O M :] I will deal with you according to your
anger, and according to your envy, by which you acted spitefully
against them [the people of Israel]. I will reveal myself to them when I
judge you. EZEKIEL 35:11B NET
Reasons for God’s Judgment
God’s judgment is to punish sin and unfaithfulness . . .

[D ANIEL , TO G O D :] All Israel has broken your law and turned away by
not obeying you. Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment
solemnly threatened in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we
have sinned against you. DANIEL 9:11 NET
[G O D , PR O NO U NC ING J U D G M ENT O N K ING Z ED E K IA H :] I will bring him to
Babylon and judge him there because of the unfaithfulness he
committed against me. EZEKIEL 17:20B NET
10. God’s Judgment 43
. . . and God’s judgment is to discipline God’s people

[P AU L ,
TO BEL IEV ER S :] But when we are judged by the Lord, we are
disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:32 NET
God’s judgment is to punish the wicked

But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been
reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and
destruction of the ungodly. 2 PETER 3:7 NET
God’s judgment is also to reward God’s people

[E LD ER S IN HEAV EN , TO G O D :] The nations were enraged, but your
wrath has come, and the time has come for the dead to be judged, and
the time has come to give to your servants, the prophets, their reward,
as well as to the saints and to those who revere your name, both small
and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the
earth. REVELATION 11:18 NET
As well as punishment for wrongdoing, God’s judgment includes
reward for godliness.
God’s Judgment Is Just
God judges righteously and justly

This is evidence of God’s righteous judgment, to make you worthy of
the kingdom of God, for which in fact you are suffering.
2 THESSALONIANS 1:5 NET
For he has fixed a day in which he will judge the whole world with
justice by means of a man he has chosen. ACTS 17:31A GNT
God judges people with knowledge of all their deeds

[J ER EM IAH , TO G O D :] You see everything people do. You reward each of
them for the way they live and for the things they do. JEREMIAH
32:19B NET
One reason why God’s judgment is just is that he judges people
with knowledge of all their deeds – as well as of all their thoughts
and motives (as per the following subsection). As such he can make
judgments with knowledge of all the relevant information.
God takes into account thoughts and motives

[J ER EM IAH :] So I said to the LORD, “O LORD who rules over all, you are
a just judge! You examine people’s hearts and minds. JEREMIAH 11:20A NET
God judges and repays people according to what they do

[P AU L :] But because of your stubborn and unrepentant heart you are
storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God’s
righteous judgment will be revealed. 6For he will repay everyone
according to what that person has done: … ROMANS 2:5–6 ISV
God gives fair warning, allowing for judgment to be avoided

[G O D :] There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear
down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. 8But if that nation I
threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended
to do to it. JEREMIAH 18:7–8 NET
What is said here regarding nations is also applicable to individuals.

How should the assertion that God is the judge of the world
encourage us?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
In what ways does God discipline and cleanse his people today?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What aspects of the above teaching show God’s judgment to be just

and fair?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
How does knowing that we will be judged and repayed according to

what we have done, influence what you do?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
If God did not judge us, would there have been any need for Jesus
Christ to die?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
II. The Manifestation of God’s Judgment

See also: I. Christ’s Return and the Final Judgment, ch. 15
The topic of God’s judgment – particularly its manifestation – is
often avoided, as it contains much that is anything but “nice”.
However it contains some of the most awe-inspiring teaching, and
even reason for hope for God’s people.
Means of God’s Judicial Retribution
The following list is by no means exhaustive.
Angels
[A PS ALM IS T , R E FER R ING TO G O D :] He inflicted his burning anger, wrath,
indignation, and distress, sending destroying angels among them.
PSALMS 78:49 ISV
Nature
The LORD sent darkness and made the land dark, but the Egyptians
turned against what he said. 29So he changed their water into blood
and made their fish die. 30Then their country was filled with frogs,
even in the bedrooms of their rulers. 31The LORD spoke and flies came,
and gnats were everywhere in the country. 32He made hail fall like rain
and sent lightning through their land. 33He struck down their
grapevines and fig trees, and he destroyed every tree in the country.
34
He spoke and grasshoppers came; the locusts were too many to
count. 35They ate all the plants in the land and everything the earth
produced. PSALMS 105:28–35 NCV™
Nations
[G O D :] Look, I am about to empower the Babylonians, that ruthless
and greedy nation. They sweep across the surface of the earth, seizing
dwelling places that do not belong to them. … 12… [Habakkuk:] LORD,
you have made them your instrument of judgment. Protector, you
have appointed them as your instrument of punishment. HABAKKUK
1:6, 12B NET
Characteristics of God’s Judicial Retribution
Note that not all instances of God’s judicial retribution display all of
the following characteristics – certainly not to the extent of which
they are spoken of here. Much of the judgment spoken of in this
section is conclusive in its purpose, bringing the finality of death –
as opposed to God’s disciplinary judgment.
Awesome power
The sounds of battle will resound to the ends of the earth. For the
LORD will bring charges against the nations. He will pass judgment on
all humankind and will hand the wicked over to be killed in war.’ The
LORD so affirms it! 32The LORD who rules over all says, ‘Disaster will
soon come on one nation after another. A mighty storm of military
destruction is rising up from the distant parts of the earth.’ JEREMIAH
25:31–32 NET
Inescapable
[P AU L :] And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who
practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape
God’s judgment? ROMANS 2:3 NET
Terrifying
Destruction, devastation, and desolation! Their hearts faint, their
knees tremble, each stomach churns, each face turns pale! NAHUM
2:10 NET
For if we choose to go on sinning after we have received the full
knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27
but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will
consume the enemies of God. HEBREWS 10:26–27 ISV
Horrific consequences
[G O D ,
C O NC ER NING P H AR AO H :] I will throw you into an open field,
where birds and animals will come to feed on your body. 5I will
spread your rotting flesh over the mountains and in the valleys, 6and
your blood will flow throughout the land and fill up the streams.
EZEKIEL 32:4–6 CEV
The Wicked and God’s Pending Judgment
Questioning of God’s apparent lack of judgment on the wicked

[J ER EM IAH :] LORD, you have always been fair whenever I have
complained to you. However, I would like to speak with you about
the disposition of justice. Why are wicked people successful? Why do
all dishonest people have such easy lives? JEREMIAH 12:1 NET
However, the situation of the wicked is precarious . . .

These people [the wicked] may prosper, but they will never feel secure
about life. 23God may let them feel confident and self-reliant, but his
eyes are on their ways. JOB 24:22B–23 GW
. . . In due time God does take action against the wicked

[G O D :] To me belong vengeance and recompense. In due time their feet
will slip, because their time of calamity is near and the things
prepared for them draw near. DEUTERONOMY 32:35 ISV
Moreover, the wicked reap what they sow, brought down by

their own evil
[E LIPHAZ :] Even as I have seen, those who plow iniquity and those who
sow trouble reap the same. JOB 4:8 NET
The violence done by the wicked will drag them away because they
refuse to do what is right. PROVERBS 21:7 NET
The future of the wicked contrasts with that of the righteous

[A PS ALM IS T , S PE AK ING O F A R IG HTE O U S PER S O N :] For he will never be
upended; others will always remember one who is just. 7He does not
fear bad news. He is confident; he trusts in the LORD. 8His resolve is
firm; he will not succumb to fear before he looks in triumph on his
enemies. 9He generously gives to the needy; his integrity endures. He
will be vindicated and honored. 10When the wicked see this, they will
worry; they will grind their teeth in frustration and melt away; the
desire of the wicked will perish. PSALMS 112:6–10 NET
Although a righteous person may fall seven times, he gets up again,
but the wicked will be brought down by calamity. PROVERBS 24:16 NET
God’s Judgment of Israel – and His Mercy
Israel failed to keep God’s laws and broke his covenant . . .

[G O D :] They have gone back to the evil ways of their ancestors of old
who refused to obey what I told them. They, too, have paid allegiance
to other gods and worshiped them. Both the nation of Israel and the
nation of Judah have violated the covenant I made with their
ancestors. JEREMIAH 11:10 NET
Despite the Mosaic Law’s provision for Israel’s sin, the Israelites as a
whole persisted in sin – rebelling against God and breaking his
covenant with them. This showed that ultimately the law was not
sufficient to deal with sin.
. . . Eventually God decided to destroy unfaithful Israel

[G O D :] My people, you abandoned me and walked away. I am tired of
showing mercy; that’s why I’ll destroy you 7by scattering you like
straw blown by the wind. I will punish you with sorrow and death,
because you refuse to change your ways. JEREMIAH 15:6–7 CEV
But God promised to spare a remnant of Israel

[I S AIAH ,
S PE AK ING A M ES S AG E F R O M G O D :] Those who remain in Judah will
take root in the ground and bear fruit. 31For a remnant will leave
Jerusalem; survivors will come out of Mount Zion. The intense
devotion of the sovereign LORD to his people will accomplish this.
2 KINGS 19:30–31 NET
Note that “Judah” was the name of the southern Israelite kingdom
and that “Mount Zion” alludes to Jerusalem, with Zion originally
being the name of one of the hills on which Jerusalem was built.

How do you think God may carry out his judicial retribution in the
present time? Are there any happenings that you think may be a
manifestation of God’s judgment?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What do you think about God’s judgment at times involving

horrendous consequences? Do you think it is fair?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Why do you think that God’s judgment of the wicked is not more
immediate?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Explain the concept of “reaping” what one “sows”.

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
What lessons can we learn from Israel and its experience of God’s
judgment and mercy?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Part B. God and the World: Basics 51
Topics in This Series

Section I. What to Know
Part A. God and Spiritual Powers Part C. God and the World: Jesus Christ
1. God’s Being 11. God’s Promised Messiah

I. Basics I. The Messiah’s Identity
II. God’s Pre-Eminence II. The Messiah’s Purpose and Person
2. God’s Character 12. Jesus Christ’s Mission
I. Holy Characteristics I. God’s Enablement of Jesus Christ
II. Loving Characteristics II. Christ’s Ministry, Death and Resurrection
3. Jesus Christ 13. Salvation through Jesus Christ
I. General I. Salvation from Sin
II. Jesus Christ and God II. Salvation for the World
4. The Holy Spirit 14. The New Order
I. General I. Christ and the Law’s Diminished Role
II. God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit II. Key Elements of the New Order
5. Angels, Satan and Demons 15. ‘The Last Things’
I. Angels I. Jesus Christ’s Return and the Final Judgment
II. Satan and Demons II. The Afterlife
Part B. God and the World: Basics Part D. God and His Own People
6. God’s Creation 16. The Standing of God’s People

I. General I. Basics
II. God’s Creation of People II. Being ‘in’ Jesus Christ
7. God’s Sovereignty 17. Keys to God’s Interaction with His People
I. God’s Supreme Authority I. Basics
II. God’s Control over the World II. God’s Holy Spirit in His People
8. God’s Word 18. God’s Transformation of His People
I. General I. General
II. Key Old Testament Covenants II. Spiritual Attributes
9. The Problem of Sin 19. God’s Care of His People
I. General I. God’s Saving of His People
II. The Law’s Provision for Israel’s Sin II. God’s Preservation of His People
10. God’s Judgment 20. God’s Plans for His People
I. Basics I. General
II. The Manifestation of God’s Judgment II. God’s Plans for Israel
Section II. What to Do
Part E. Relating to God Part G. Relating to People
21. Being Right with God 31. Love

I. Getting Right with God I. Loving Qualities
II. Staying Right with God II. Antitheses of Love
22. Having Faith in God 32. Justice
I. Faith and Hope I. Justice in Action
II. What Not to Do II. Being True
23. Loving, Fearing and Obeying God 33. Wisdom
I. Loving and Fearing God I. Being Wise
II. Obeying God II. Antitheses of Wisdom and Knowledge
24. Connecting with God 34. Common Relationships
I. Being Close to God I. Family Relationships
II. Praying to God II. Civil Relationships
25. Exalting God 35. Spreading the Gospel
I. Instructions I. Instructions
II. Reasons to Exalt God II. Insights
Part F. Church Life Part H. Persevering
26. Being One Body 36. Standing Firm

I. General I. General
II. Caring for the Body II. Spiritual Warfare
27. Worshiping God 37. Rejecting Sin
I. General I. Encountering Sin
II. Offerings II. Avoiding Sin and Being Holy
28. Serving God 38. Major Pitfalls
I. Preliminary Instructions and Insights I. Pride
II. Doing God’s Work II. Riches and Sex
29. Significant Practices 39. Hard Times
I. Symbolic Rites I. General
II. Other Significant Practices II. Praying in Hard Times
30. Church Leadership 40. Persecution
I. General I. The Persecution of God’s People
II. Teaching in the Church II. What to Do in Persecution
Part B. God and the World: Basics 53
The Seven Editions

There are seven editions of The Bible Unpacked, as shown below. Each
edition is an abbreviated version of the next one. Four of the editions have
studies based on them, with the same text and questions added. For more
details and free downloads, go to www.thebibleunpacked.net.
Two-Minute Edition – Key Bible teachings for

everyone. For giving to non-Christians.
Pocket Edition – Key Bible teachings for seekers

of truth. Largely for giving to inquiring non-
Christians or young new Christians.
Concise Edition – Key Bible teachings for new

believers. For either new or young Christians. Studies
Suitable to give to non-Christian friends.
Has study series based on it.
Foundations Edition – The Bible’s teaching

condensed for young believers. For newer
Christians. Study series is ideal for studies with Studies
newer believers.
Intermediate Edition – The Bible’s teaching

summarized for growing believers.
For developing a sound understanding of the Studies
faith. Studies are excellent for Bible study groups.
Comprehensive Edition – The Bible’s

teaching presented for Bible students.
For a more comprehensive knowledge of
the faith. Studies are ideal for studying Studies
topics in detail.
In-Depth Edition – The Bible’s teaching

expounded for Bible scholars.
For pastors, church leaders, Bible students and all who
want a deep understanding of the faith. Available in a
single pdf file with some 100,000 hyperlinks.
Supporting Persecuted Christians

Over 200 million Christians in at least 60 countries are denied basic human
rights solely because of their faith. (Source: World Evangelical Alliance)
Every year many Christians are killed because of their faith.
Through prayer, encouragement and practical assistance we can assist and
fellowship with persecuted Christians in their suffering. You can play a vital
part in this through contacting one of the organizations listed below.
Most produce regular news/prayer letters.
Barnabas Fund – www.barnabasfund.org

It provides material and spiritual support based on locally identified needs.
Christian Faith and Freedom – www.cffreedom.org
It advocates on behalf of and aids persecuted Christians.
Christian Solidarity International – www.csi-int.org
CSI works to defend religious liberty and help persecuted Christians.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide – www.csw.org.uk
It advocates for freedom of religion and justice for persecuted believers.
Open Doors – sb.od.org; www.opendoors.org.au
It equips believers for persecution and maintaining a witness to the Gospel.
Religious Liberty Commission – www.worldevangelicals.org/commissions/rlc
RLC defends and aids persecuted Christians. See also www.idop.org.
Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin – rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com.au
It provides weekly bulletins. Send a blank email to join-rlpb@hub.xc.org.
The Bible League – www.bibleleague.org/persecuted; www.bibleleague.com
It supplies Bibles to persecuted Christians and also provides training.
Voice of the Martyrs – www.persecution.com; www.persecution.com.au
VOM helps persecuted Christians spread the gospel. It also gives material aid.
World Watch Monitor – www.worldwatchmonitor.org
It reports the story of Christians under pressure for their faith.
Then the King will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the
least of my people here, you also did for me.’ Matthew 25:40 NCV
This series of studies is based on the
Intermediate Edition of The Bible Unpacked.
There are seven editions of The Bible Unpacked.

These aim to address the needs of
NON-CHRISTIANS through to MATURE CHRISTIANS,
from TEENAGERS to ADULTS.
For more information and free downloads go to:

www.thebibleunpacked.net.

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The Bible

Part B. God and the World: Basics

Intermediate Study Series

Intermediate Study Series

The Bible’s teaching summarized

Part B. God and the World: Basics

This copy made: 18-Nov-17.

A Quick Word .......................................................................... iv

Suggestions for Study Groups ........................................... v

6. God’s Creation ..................................................................1

7. God’s Sovereignty ........................................................ 11

8. God’s Word ..................................................................... 21

9. The Problem of Sin ...................................................... 31

10. God’s Judgment ............................................................ 41

Topics in This Series ............................................................ 51

The Seven Editions ............................................................... 53

Supporting Persecuted Christians .................................. 54

For more information on The Bible Unpacked and free downloads, go to

Suggestions for Study Groups

Doing the study:

General or concluding questions:

God Maintains Creation ...................................................... 2

How God Made and Maintains Creation ...................... 3

II. God’s Creation of People

The Human Spirit................................................................... 6

Epilogue: God’s Self-Revelation to People ................. 8

God Made All Things

God made the heavens and earth – and everything in them

All that God made is very good

God Maintains Creation

Every creature’s life is dependent on God

God provides food for all creatures

God regulates all aspects of the weather

God maintains nature

How God Made and Maintains Creation

God made all things with his wisdom

God made all things with his power

God made all things by his word

God made and sustains all things through Jesus Christ . . .

. . . The Holy Spirit also has a role

Implications of God Being Creator

Because he made everything, all things belong to God

Because he made everything, God is sovereign over all things

Creation shows God’s power and wisdom to be incomparable

Pray for the persecuted

How should we respond to the teaching that everyone’s life is

Jesus Christ has a major role in God’s making and maintaining of

II. God’s Creation of People

Life and Death

God creates people . . .

. . . God gives people life and breath

People’s lives are very brief

Each person is destined to die

The Human Spirit

God has made people with a spirit

The spirit is at the core of one’s being

People are dead without their spirit

People’s spirits exist after death

The Uniqueness of People