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                    ||                       How beautiful on the mountains
                    ||                       are the feet of those ... who
                    ||                       proclaim salvation, who say to
                                             Zion, "Your God reigns!"
          Pastor RALPH & GENE ANN WOOD                  --Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)
          E-mail:  randg.wood@encode.com
          BIBLE STUDY QUESTIONS, 11/12/1997 ............... MATTHEW 1:18-25
          Background:--  The background for this passage is ISAIAH 7:1-17,
          and MATTHEW 1:1-17.  You might want to read those passages over
          before you read this one, as you prepare for this week's study.
          1)  Among the first-century Jews we meet in the four gospels, are
          a number who are very strong believers in God.  Among them, Mary
          and Joseph are especially remarkable for their faithfulness to
          the purpose of God in their lives, even though others would not
          have known or understood what this was.  Are there situations
          where -our- faithfulness to God's purpose is tested like this?
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          2)  We also see Joseph's ability to discern that the angel who
          speaks to him in a dream, is indeed an angel of God; and to act
          immediately, and correctly, based on that discernment.  How can
          we develop our ability to hear the voice of God in -our- lives,
          and to distinguish His voice from other voices which speak to us?
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          3)  A third thing we find here, is that the first-century Jews'
          knew their Bible.  For Matthew, as others in the New Testament,
          assumes that when he quotes just one verse- here, ISAIAH 7:14-
          his readers will know immediately which book he is quoting from,
          and remember the specific context of the whole passage.  Do you
          think the widespread yet detailed knowledge of Scripture we see
          assumed here, was helpful to Mary and Joseph?
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