Assembly Summary: The Suppression of Males in Israelite Society

Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte 2021/22


Estimated reading time: 3 min.

Mr. Stuart Wachowicz started his lecture by referring us to his Tomorrow’s World Viewpoint video “Do Schools Discriminate Against Boys?

He then went on to mention the prophecy given in Isaiah 3:12: “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.” This serious warning is one of many prophetic scriptures about the fall of Israel at the end of the age. 

This prophecy is descriptive of social conditions, and one of the issues it highlights is children being our oppressors. Mr. Wachowicz stated that children being our oppressors can be seen one of two ways—childlike or unwise leadership in society, or literal children oppressing society, such as children bringing their parents to court. 

“Women Rule Over Them”

The other element of this prophecy addresses women ruling the nation. One of the things we see happening around us is the suppression of males in society. “Do Schools Discriminate Against Boys?” shows that Dr. Jim Dueck, former deputy minister of education for the province of Alberta, Canada, examined the marks of twelfth-grade students in a classroom setting versus the marks of the same students when they were graded “blind”.  Dr. Dueck found that the marks given to the male students when thon those tests were generally higher than those given by teachers to the same students when they knew who they were. He also found that for female students, the opposite was true. 

These results led him to the conclusion that female students’ academic marks are being deliberately inflated. Scholarship eligibility is based on teacher-given exams, and this leads to a disproportionate number of scholarships going to female students; women make up a sizable majority in universities, especially in professional facilities in North America. 

The Bible prophesied these events over 2000 years in advance. Mr. Wachowicz drove his point home by showing a snippet of an interview by Mrs. Diane Watts titled “The History of Feminism and its Impact on Men,” where she explained the origin of the feminist movement. Interestingly enough, the feminist movement started as an effort to get women out of factories and back to their families—until Betty Friedan insisted that women in the home were living in “comfortable concentration camps” and that men were their oppressors.

How This Affects the Church

“Why is this significant to us in the Church of God?” Mr. Wachowicz asked. It is significant in terms of the people to whom we must preach the Gospel and give a warning. Many in modern Western nations have values and mindsets very different from those that were commonly held twenty years ago. 

Mr. Wachowicz closed his lecture by stating that “perhaps prophetically, we are over the tipping point where it is very difficult for our society to recover, and only God can do that for us.” He left us with some questions to consider: How do we preach the Gospel to a population that is so influenced in this manner?  Eighty percent of youth in Canada are unaware of any characters in the Bible and are even less aware of the Bible’s instructions. This is the environment that activists are striving to establish; they are seeking to eliminate knowledge of the past, so people will have no reference with which to analyze the present. This is the world in which God’s Church must preach the Gospel.

Assembly Summary: Read Books!

Author: Yolanda Watt | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22


Estimated Reading Time: 5 min.

Mr. John Strain used his lecture to give us some books that would help us understand “what’s behind the pastoral information and things that we believe.”

He commented that the Living Church of God’s Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs represents what we believe, what we teach, and what we should be practicing. It also defines why we are in the Living Church of God and not somewhere else. Mr. Strain reminded us that though there are different Church of God groups and some think they are all alike, we do not believe all the same things. He challenged us to think about the question “Why are you here?”

Books Recommendations

1. Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstong, vol. 1

The first book Mr. Strain recommended for us to read was the first volume of the Autobiography of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. We are continuing the work that was started by Mr. Armstrong, and this book tells us how he was called and how he began the work as we know it today.

2. The Mystery of the Ages, by Mr. Herbert Armstrong

Mr. Strain commented that Mr. Armstrong wrote the book when he was about 93 years old. This book can serve to augment our beliefs in the Living Church of God, as it addresses seven mysteries that the world does not understand.

3. The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy by Herbert Armstrong

Even though we have a booklet on the subject written by Mr. John Ogywn, because Mr. Armstrong wrote extensively on the subject and it is a part of our fundamental beliefs.

4. Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World by Niall Ferguson

We’ve heard the statement that the sun never set on the British Empire, and this book goes into details that reveal how this small nation became as dominant as it did. This book can help us understand the physical realities of the The United States and British Commonwealth in Prophecy 

5. The Coming Fury by Bruce Catton

This book deals with the American Civil War and its causes. American society has been torn apart by social constructs, and The Coming Fury illustrates the reasons behind this and gives a history of modern-day Manasseh. Mr. Strain believes that God allowed the American Civil War to happen so that the United States would not be permanently divided.

6. Lincoln by David Herbert Donald

President Lincoln was criticized for being undereducated but ended up with one of the most famous speeches ever written. We were advised to go back and read Mr. Lincoln’s speeches if we wanted to know how to communicate and stir people. Mr. Lincoln was well educated because of all the reading he did.

7. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

After Mr. Lincoln was nominated as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate, he unexpectedly won the presidency. William Seward was secretary of state under President Lincoln, who was convinced that America should buy Alaska. Alaska is a strategic location for protecting the United States, which makes it an important part of God’s plan. Salmon Chase, Edwin Bates, and William Seward were vying for the presidency at that time and were rivals. Once Lincoln won, he put all three men in his office because of their skills and knowledge that he did not have himself.

8. The Proud Tower by Barbara Tuchman

This book describes the events led to World War I, highlighting that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand triggered the war. Describing the years leading up to Ferdinand’s assassination, this book details the social, industrial, and political structure that led to the war. The Balfour Declaration, stating that the Jews should have a homeland to return to, in turn led to them making enemies with the Arab nations. Britain prolonged the fulfilment of the declaration, which then led to World War II. 

9. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer

A history of Hitler and the Nazi party, this book describes Hilter’s chancellorship, dominance during World War II, and the fall of the Third Reich. What struck Mr. Strain most about this book was that people who are passionate, even if they are passionate about the wrong things, can be very influential in a society. 

10. O Jerusalem! by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre

This book details what the Jews did to prepare themselves when the last Jewish ship left Britain to depart to the Middle East. They knew that the surrounding nations did not want a Jewish nation, and would try to drive them into the sea. The Jews were ultimately successful in expanding their territory. Britain was able to declare the Jews deserving of a homeland due to General Allenby freeing Jerusalem in 1917. Britain was then the caretaker for Palestine and had command over what happened there. 

Why Read?

“Reading gives you a chance to study things, draw your own opinions, put perspective behind what you know to be the truth of God,” said Mr. Strain. He recommended one final book that had been recommended to him by Mr. Weston, This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends by Nicole Perlroth, which is about cyber warfare affecting our world today. While the students are unable to read these books now, we are encouraged to do our own reading when we have time. We will have to manage our time in order to read. Mr. Strain said in closing, “Don’t let social media… dominate your life.”

Course Spotlight: Profile of Herod Agrippa I

Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great, born about 10 B.C. and raised in Rome. Imprisioned for six months by Emperor Tiberius on charge of treason because of his exploition of relationships for wealth and power, in particular seeking the favor of Caligula. He persecuted the church in Jerusalem but may have been interested in Jewish roots.

COURSE SPOTLIGHT FROM ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: (UNIT 2) APOSTOLIC TOUR

Digging Deeper: Death of the Righteous

Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education


Estimated Reading Time: 6 min. 29 sec.

Did you know that an Old Testament soothsayer aspired to die the death of the righteous?

Even though God had prophesied through this man in the past, at the time he pronounced this wish he had been hired by a Moabite king to curse Israel as they journeyed to the Holy Land to conquer it from the resident pagans. This anomalous story focuses on a bizarre character of the Old Testament. Nonetheless, what he proclaimed about the death of the righteous has inspired Bible readers ever since. Today’s Digging Deeper examines this intriguing account.

Our focus verse for this study is: “Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!” (Numbers 23:10 KJV throughout). These words are part of the first oracle of a false prophet named Balaam. He had been hired by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse Israel as they passed through his territory on their way to the Promised Land (Numbers 22:1-41; 23:1-30; 24:1-25). Balaam recognized that the righteous have hope in their death (Proverbs 14:32). This glorious future is their “last end.” However, he seemed to realize he was not part of their destiny.

Who are the righteous?

Just who are these righteous that Balaam described? Some may think the righteous are perfect people. However, Israel was anything but, as explained by the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary: “This designation of ‘upright,’ or ‘righteous’ people, given by Balaam to Israel, was applied to them, not on account of the superior excellence of their national character-for they were frequently perverse, disobedient, and rebellious-but in reference to their being an elect nation, in the midst of which God, ‘the just and righteous’ (Deuteronomy 32:4), dwelt” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers defines the original word: “The Hebrew word yesharim (upright, or righteous) is applied to Israel because God, who is just and right (Deuteronomy 32:4) had chosen His people to be a Jeshurun (Deuteronomy 32:15; 33:5,26)—a holy and peculiar people, following after righteousness and judgment” (e-Sword 13.0.0). To bring this concept into our time, Adam Clarke’s Commentary declares: “A righteous man is one who is saved from his sins, who is justified and sanctified through the blood of the covenant, and who lives, not only an innocent, but also a holy and useful life. He who would die well should live well; for a bad death must be the issue of a bad life” (Ibid.). Based on this, God’s people are the righteous.

The soothsayer’s dilemma

Balaam was from Mesopotamia (Deuteronomy 23:4) and is described as a soothsayer (Joshua 13:22). James Gray’s Concise Bible Commentary declares: “Balaam is a mystery. He comes from Mesopotamia where the knowledge of the true God lingered after it had been lost in the other parts of the known world. He is one of the group containing Melchisedec and Job, who testified that although Jehovah was now revealing Himself peculiarly to the Hebrews, yet He had not left Himself without witnesses in the other nations” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

Balak brought Balaam from Aram (Mesopotamia) to curse and defy Israel (Numbers 23:7). The Bridgeway Bible Dictionary clarifies what is meant: “Cursing in the ancient Hebrew world was not a burst of bad language as it usually is in the world of today. It was a pronouncement of judgment believed to bring the release of powerful forces against the person cursed (Numbers 22:6; Judges 5:23; Job 31:30; Proverbs 30:10)” (e-Sword 13.0.0). This was an ancient custom, as Fausset’s Bible Dictionary declares: “It was a practice of ancient nations to devote their enemies to destruction at the beginning of their wars; the form of execration is preserved in Macrobius, Saturnalia, 3:9” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

However, God, Israel’s Protector, would not permit Balaam to curse the Israelites (Numbers 22:12). Balaam tried more than once to curse Israel; instead, God’s words coming from his mouth were only blessings on Israel (Numbers 13:2). Even though Balaam was self-serving in his plot with Balak, God still spoke through him (Numbers 23:5). Balak demanded that Balaam curse Israel instead. Balaam retorted, “How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?” (Numbers 23:8 KJV). Our focus verse for this article comes from this exchange of intense and desperate words.

Balaam admitted he could only proclaim what God put in his mouth (Numbers 23:12). F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Day by Day notes: “On the contrary, he could forge no weapon against Israel that could prosper, and when he tried to raise his tongue in judgment against the people of God he was condemned. It was as if God said, ‘Touch not mine anointed.’ Psalm 105:15; Isaiah 54:17; Romans 8:31” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

Balak later declared why he did not go to war with Israel. He tried to curse them through Balaam (Joshua 24:9-10; Judges 11:25) instead. John Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature explains that “From Judges 11:25, it is clear that Balak was so certain of the fulfillment of Balaam’s blessing, ‘blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee’ (Numbers 24:9), that he never afterwards made the least military attempt to oppose the Israelites (comp. Micah 6:5; Revelation 2:14)” (e-Sword 13.0.0).

What the death of the righteous requires

Even though Balaam wanted to die the death of the righteous, he did not get his wish. When the Israelites were victorious over their enemies in taking the Promised Land, among the people they executed was Balaam (Numbers 31:8; Joshua 13:22). Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers explains: “The end of Balaam (Numbers 31:8) presented a strange contrast to his prayer, and showed that even the prayer of the wicked is abomination in the sight of the Lord (See Proverbs 28:9)” (e-Sword 13.0.0). William Robertson Nicholl’s Sermon Bible presents this alarming picture: “His own death was perhaps the most miserable of all that are recorded in the Old Testament” (Ibid.). David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary declares why: “Balaam was one of the many who long to die the death of the righteous, yet have no desire to live the life of the righteous. The two go together” (Ibid.). Few today are willing to live the life of the righteous so that they will experience the death of the righteous.

Death is not pleasant; often it is exceedingly difficult. Nonetheless, this assurance is offered by William Robertson Nicoll’s Sermon Bible: “By the death of the righteous is not meant merely a happy end, but any circumstances of death whatever after a holy and obedient life. The worst death of those who are accounted righteous before God is better than the best and easiest death of an unrighteous person” (e-Sword 13.0.0). Dying in the faith of Jesus Christ reassures Christians that, though they sleep in Jesus through death for a time (1 Thessalonians 4:14), they shall rise in glorious bodies like their Lord’s (Philippians 3:21). The resurrection of the righteous is the sequel to “the death of the righteous.”

Kenneth Frank headshot

Kenneth Frank was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and attended Ambassador College, graduating in 1973. He served in the Canadian ministry from 1973-1999, after which he returned to the USA to pastor churches in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina for 15 years. Having earned a BA degree from Ambassador College he later earned a MA degree from Grand Canyon University before being assigned to the Charlotte office to teach at Living University, now Living Education. Currently, he teaches the Survey of the Bible course to the on-campus students and writes the Digging Deeper column for our online Bible study program. He is married, has four children, and seven grandchildren.

Programme biblique pour enfants : niveau 2 – NT leçon 12 “Un petit-déjeuner avec Jésus”

Passage étudié : Jean 21


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Jésus est mort, mais maintenant Il est vivant ! Il a été ressuscité des morts, c’est un miracle merveilleux. Les disciples sont très excités, mais que doivent-ils faire maintenant ? Jésus a enseigné Ses disciples pendant trois ans et demi, mais ils n’ont pas encore compris la raison pour laquelle Il les a appelés. Alors, ils décident de retourner à ce qu’ils faisaient avant : la pêche ! Un matin, après avoir passé toute la nuit à essayer d’attraper le moindre poisson, ils aperçoivent un homme sur le rivage. Ils ne Le reconnaissent pas tout de suite, mais quand ils L’ont identifié, ils se précipitent vers la plage pour Le retrouver. Ils ne le savent pas encore, mais Jésus, le Fils de Dieu, est sur le point de leur confier un but et une mission qui va changer le monde.

Discussion :

  1. Pourquoi, à ton avis, Pierre a-t-il décidé d’aller à la pêche ? Quels étaient les disciples qui pêchaient avec Pierre ?
  2. Qu’a dit l’homme sur le rivage aux disciples de faire ? Que s’est-il passé quand ils L’ont écouté ?
  3. Qui a reconnu que cet homme qui leur parlait était en réalité Jésus ? À ton avis, comment a-t-il su que c’était Jésus ?
  4. Qui a préparé le petit-déjeuner ? Essaie d’imaginer ce que doit être de prendre un petit-déjeuner avec Dieu !
  5. Quelle question Jésus a-t-Il posée à Pierre après qu’ils aient mangé ? Jésus a demandé à Pierre de paître Son troupeau. Qui sont les agneaux et les brebis ? Qu’est-ce que Jésus a vraiment dit à Pierre de faire ?
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Mémorisation

Jean 21:25

“Jésus a fait encore beaucoup d’autres choses ; si on les écrivait en détail, je ne pense pas que le monde même pourrait contenir les livres qu’on écrirait.”


Programme biblique pour enfants : niveau 2 – NT leçon 11 “Le tombeau vide”

Passage étudié : Jean 20


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Après avoir été trahi, Jésus est arrêté et tué, alors qu’Il n’a rien fait de mal. Il est mort pour les péchés de chaque personne dans le monde (Jean 1:29 ; 1 Corinthiens 5:7). Son corps est déposé dans un tombeau, et Ses disciples sont très tristes, mais le plan de Dieu n’est pas terminé. Trois jours après Sa mort, quelques femmes viennent voir le tombeau, tôt le matin. Elles sont surprises parce que la pierre qui fermait l’entrée du tombeau a été déplacée. Elles courent prévenir les autres disciples pour qu’ils viennent voir. L’une des femmes, Marie de Magdala, pleure car elle pense quelqu’un a volé le corps de Jésus. Mais un homme, qu’elle prend pour le jardinier, lui parle.

Discussion :

  1. Quand les femmes sont-elles venues sur la tombe ?
  2. Quelles sont les premières personnes que les femmes ont prévenues que le tombeau avait été ouvert ? Qu’ont fait ces gens en apprenant la nouvelle ?
  3. Pourquoi le tombeau a-t-il été ouvert ? Où était Jésus ?
  4. Qui Marie a-t-elle vu en regardant une nouvelle fois dans le sépulcre ?
  5. À qui le Christ est-Il apparu pour la première fois ? Pourquoi Jésus a-t-Il demandé à Marie de ne pas Le toucher ?
  6. Quand les disciples ont-ils vu Jésus-Christ, après Sa résurrection ? Essaie d’imaginer la scène lorsque Jésus est apparu à Ses disciples.
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Mémorisation

Jean 20:31

“Mais ces choses ont été écrites afin que vous croyiez que Jésus est le Christ, le Fils de Dieu, et qu’en croyant vous ayez la vie en son nom.”


Forum Summary: The Forgotten Key to Individual Growth

Author: Ryan Price | Student, Living Education – Charlotte, 2021-22


Estimated reading time: 2 min.

For this week’s forum, Dr. Douglas Winnail shared with the LivingEd students what he called a forgotten key to individual growth—that key being reading.

He discussed the alarming trend of neglecting books and showcased the many benefits of reading to encourage the students to read more books. 

Spending Your Time Wisely

In 2 Peter 1:5–6, Peter says to add to your faith virtue and knowledge, a deepening awareness of facts and information. He also implores us to add to knowledge self-control—in other words, deciding how we will use our time. It’s incredibly easy to waste time, yet so very important to spend it well.

Reading Is on a Decline

There is a sharp decline in reading today. One study from 2014 entitled Decline of the American Book Lover has shown that 25 percent of adults don’t read a single book in a year. Children have also begun to read less and less. What are the consequences of this? 

A 1991 study entitled The Death of Reading addressed the consequences of not reading. One of its findings was that when we don’t read, we lose a form of thinking. Children who watch TV rather than read can even lose the ability to write and speak coherently. Electronic entertainment is replacing reading and home libraries are being replaced by entertainment centers.

When You Read, You Think

Reading provides time for reflection. When you read, you can visualize things in your mind in ways you can’t when watching TV. It helps you process and analyze information, enhances your imagination and cognitive ability, and broadens your perspective. When we read a book, we have the opportunity to “walk” with its author and learn from their experience. Of course, there are many useless books, but if we’re selective, we can get into the minds of people who have had an impact upon the whole world.

Dr. Winnail used the remaining time in his message to encourage the students to read other books in addition to their class textbooks and assigned reading materials and recommended a selection of books he found personally beneficial. In his conclusion, he shared a number of quotes on reading. One quote he shared by the English poet Joseph Addison summarized his point well: “Reading is to the mind, what exercise is to the body.”

Programme biblique pour enfants : niveau 2 – NT leçon 10 “La trahison d’un disciple”

Passage étudié : Jean 13


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Après la résurrection de Lazare, Jésus Se rend à Jérusalem avec Ses disciples. C’est peu de temps avant le début de la Fête des Pains sans Levain. Jésus passe beaucoup de temps avec les gens pour les enseigner, mais les dirigeants juifs sont très jaloux. Ils ne veulent pas que les gens suivent Jésus, au lieu de les suivre eux. Alors, ils commencent à comploter sur la façon dont ils pourraient tuer Jésus, et Lazare. Le seul problème, c’est qu’ils ne savent pas comment se saisir de Lui sans être mal vu par le peuple. Un jour, un homme vient les voir en cachette pour leur dire qu’il est prêt à les aider pour attraper Jésus, à condition qu’ils le payent. Les responsables juifs sont heureux, car ils ont maintenant les moyens de réaliser leur méchant complot, grâce car l’un des propres disciples de Jésus, qui accepte de saisir le bon moment pour Le trahir.

Discussion :

  1. Quelle Fête Jésus et Ses disciples ont-ils célébrée lorsqu’ils ont pris un repas ensemble ?
  2. Pourquoi Jésus a-t-Il lavé les pieds de Ses disciples ? Quelles leçons pouvons-nous apprendre par Son exemple ?
  3. Qui était le disciple qui a trahi Jésus ? À ton avis, comment Jésus savait-Il quel disciples allait Le trahir ?
  4. Judas a quitté le souper après que Jésus lui ait donné le morceau de pain. À ton avis, pourquoi Jésus lui a-t-Il dit : “Ce que tu fais, fais-le promptement” ? Comment les autres disciples ont-ils interprété cette phrase ?
  5. Après le départ de Judas, qu’a dit Jésus à Ses disciples ? Pourquoi Jésus les a-t-Il encouragés à se souvenir qu’ils devaient s’aimer les uns les autres ?
  6. À ton avis, comment Jésus S’est-Il senti d’être trahi par Son ami ? Que nous apprend cette histoire sur ce qu’est être un bon ami loyal ?
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Mémorisation

Jean 13:34-35

“Je vous donne un commandement nouveau : Aimez-vous les uns les autres ; comme je vous ai aimés, vous aussi, aimez-vous les uns les autres. À ceci tous connaîtront que vous êtes mes disciples, si vous avez de l’amour les uns pour les autres.”


Programme biblique pour enfants : niveau 2 – NT leçon 9 “Lazare”

Passage étudié : Jean 11


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Les pharisiens ont voulu lapider Jésus, ils ont essayé de L’attraper, mais Il leur a échappé. Jésus Se rend ensuite dans une région au-delà du Jourdain, là où Jean-Baptiste avait l’habitude de baptiser les gens. Et beaucoup de personnes viennent écouter les enseignements de Jésus. Pendant ce temps, Lazare, un ami très proche du Christ, tombe gravement malade. Jésus a déjà guéri beaucoup de gens, Il peut donc certainement guérir aussi Son ami ! Les disciples Lui rappellent qu’il est dangereux de retourner en Judée, car les Juifs veulent toujours Le tuer. Jésus ne S’inquiète pas de ce danger, mais Il va retarder Son voyage pour rejoindre Lazare pour une tout autre raison.

Discussion :

  1. Qui étaient les sœurs de Lazare ? Peux-tu trouver dans la Bible d’autres histoires qui parlent de ces femmes ?
  2. À ton avis, pourquoi Jésus a-t-Il attendu que Lazare soit déjà mort avant d’aller le voir ?
  3. Depuis combien de temps Lazare était-il mort quand Jésus est arrivé ? À ton avis, pourquoi cela est-il important ?
  4. Qu’a dit Jésus à Marthe à propos de la résurrection ? Que sais-tu au sujet de la résurrection ?
  5. Comment Jésus a-t-Il réagi lorsque Marie est venue vers Lui en pleurant ? Que pouvons-nous apprendre sur la personnalité de Jésus par rapport à Sa réaction ?
  6. Comment les pharisiens ont-ils réagi à la résurrection de Lazare ? Pourquoi ont-ils considéré Jésus comme une menace, pour leur poste dans la communauté juive ?
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Mémorisation

Jean 11:25

“Jésus lui dit : Je suis la résurrection et la vie. Celui qui croit en moi vivra, même s’il meurt.”


Programme biblique pour enfants : niveau 2 – NT leçon 8 “Le bon Berger”

Passage étudié : Jean 10


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Après la guérison d’un aveugle de naissance, les pharisiens veulent savoir qui est Jésus. Certains Juifs pensent qu’Il a un démon et qu’Il est fou, tandis que d’autres réalisent que Ses bonnes œuvres ne peuvent être accomplies par une personne démoniaque. Jésus compare ceux qui ne comprennent pas Son message à des aveugles, Il dit qu’ils sont spirituellement aveugles. Il leur donne ensuite une parabole sur des choses que la plupart des gens de Son époque pouvaient comprendre – il est question de brebis et de bergers. Les pharisiens, insatisfaits de la réponse de Jésus, L’entourent en espérant que, cette fois-ci, Il ne leur échappera pas !

Discussion :

  1. Pourquoi Jésus utilisait-Il souvent des paraboles pour parler aux gens ? (Indice : la réponse se trouve dans Jean 10 et Matthieu 13.)
  2. Qui sont les brebis dans la parabole ? À ton avis, que pouvons-nous apprendre, en tant que chrétiens, du comportement des brebis ?
  3. Que veut dire Jésus quand Il dit qu’Il est “la porte des brebis” ? Comment Jésus décrit-Il ceux qui n’entrent pas par la porte ?
  4. Comment Jésus décrit-Il un bon berger ? En quoi Jésus est-Il le bon Berger ?
  5. Quelle récompense Jésus réserve-t-Il à Ses brebis ?
  6. Pourquoi les pharisiens voulaient-ils lapider Jésus ?
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Mémorisation

Jean 10:11

“Je suis le bon berger. Le bon berger donne sa vie pour ses brebis.”