On The Path Of
Salvation-5-People Who Awaited The Redeemer
Lesson 1- Bible: The History of Salvation
Lesson 3: The Choice of Israel
There is another question in that place
2. What did God say to Jacob during his sleep when he set out (begin a journey) for Haraan?
In Jacob’s sleep he had a vision, God stood near him and said
b. After that there will arise 7 years of great famine
c. And all plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt;
d. The famine will consume the Land.
Lesson 6: Towards Freedom
b. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw down the staff before the Pharaoh and his servants. It turned into a snake,
c. Then Pharaoh called for his wise men and magicians. They too threw their staffs and by their magic and sorcery turned them into snakes. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs
b. This shall be without blemish (defect) and a one-year-old male. You shall keep it till the fourteenth day of this month.
c. Then the whole congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
d. They shall eat the lamb that same night, roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
e. This is how you shall eat it; your loins girded, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hands; and you must eat it hurriedly. For, it is the Passover of the Lord
Lesson 7: Through the Desert
b. The Lord was guiding and protecting them every step of the way.
c. “The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.
d. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
Lesson 8: The Covenant of Sinai
Lesson 11: The Feasts of Israel
Lesson 14: Prophets of Israel
Lesson 15: Promises and Prophesies about Christ
- Why do we say the holy Bible is the
guide for life?
- The word of God is the guide to our
life.
- David the Psalmist says: “Your word
is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”.
- The Bible gives us lessons on such
varied subjects as the beginning of the universe, the origin of the humans, the
goal of human life as well as the means to attain that goal.
- Thus the Holy Scripture serves as a
guide for a life leading to heaven or union with God as the final goal.
- How do the words of the Bible become
life-giving?
- The word of God is life-giving. Jesus
said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but every word that proceeds from the
mouth of God”.
- Jesus taught that, for human life to
reach its fullness what is needed is not just food for the body but also the
Word of God, which is food for the soul.
- For, the Word of God is life and
spirit.
- One who listens to the Word of God
receives eternal life. Jesus once said:” Most assuredly, I say to you, he who
my word and believes in Him who sent me has everlasting life.
- What is the content of the
Pentateuch?
- What are the books in the New
Testament other than the Gospels?
- How does the God-experience of the
Old Testament people help us?
- The God who constantly intervened in
the lives of Israel does intervene in our lives as well.
- He who guided Israel in the crises
shall come to our aid also in times of need.
- He has a salvific plan for us. The
God-experience of the people of the Old Testament will help us to realize this
truth and to live in the constant protection of God.
- What is the meaning of the name
Abraham?
- What are the promises God gave to
Abraham through His covenant with him?
- Abraham shall be the father of many nations.
- Abraham and his descendants shall a
special relationship with God.
- Abraham and his descendants shall
inherit the whole land of Canaan.
- What did God ask Abraham to do in
order to test his faith?
- How did Abraham become the father of
all believers?
- It was due to his faith in God that
Abraham became ‘the father of believers’. His whole life testifies his
unwavering faith in God.
- It was through this faith that he
dared to leave his homeland and people proceed to the land shown by the God.
- Even when Abraham was asked to sacrifice his
only son, the most difficult thing to do, he was prepared to obey God and act
accordingly.
- God was pleased with his obedience and blessed
him and his descendants abundantly.
- Even though there was enough reasons
for his faith to be shaken, he stood firm in his faith and proved it through
his actions. That is how he became the father of believers.
- What is the lesson we earn from the
life of Abraham?
- We may also
come across with occasions when our
faith will be tested.
- Even then we must be able to prove our deep-rooted faith in God through
our words and deeds.
- This is the lesson that we learn
from the life of Abraham.
Lesson 3: The Choice of Israel
- How did Esau lose his birth right?
- Jacob demanded Esau’s birth right in
exchange for food.
- Esau, feeling that, in his famished
(very hungry) condition, food was more important than birth right
- Esau sold his birth right to Jacob in exchange
for bread and stew.
- What did Isaac say when he blessed
Jacob?
There is another question in that place
2. What did God say to Jacob during his sleep when he set out (begin a journey) for Haraan?
In Jacob’s sleep he had a vision, God stood near him and said
- I am the Lord, God of your father
Abraham and the God of Issac.
- I will give the land on which you lie
to you and your offspring.
- All the families of the earth shall
be blessed in you and in your offspring.
- Know that I am with you and will
protect you wherever you go.
- What is the meaning of the word
Bethel?
- What is the name Jacob received after
wrestling with God?
- What does the life of Jacob teach us?
- Jacob’s life is full of unusual
experiences.
- We learn from this that the ways of
the Lord are so incomprehensible (not able to understand)
- In all situations of life we should
submit ourselves to God’s plan
- Then we, who are the new Israel,
would receive the blessing of God just as the old Israel did
- The life of Jacob teaches us that in
the God’s plan what look evil to our human eye may can turn out to our good.
- What is the interpretation that
Joseph gave to Pharaoh’s dream?
b. After that there will arise 7 years of great famine
c. And all plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt;
d. The famine will consume the Land.
- Why did Jacob’s sons go to Egypt?
- When Jacob’s sons heard that there is
grain in Egypt, Jacob told his sons;
- “Go down to Egypt and buy grains
there that we may live and not die”.
- Thus Jacob’s sons proceeded (make
going) to Egypt.
- What did God say to Jacob on his journey to
Egypt?
- On the journey God spoke to Jacob in
a vision saying:
- “Do not be afraid to go down Egypt,
for I will make of you a great nation there.
- I myself will go down with you to Egypt.
- As per the divine plan what does the
life story of Joseph communicate to us?
- The
story of Joseph in the Old Testament is something that attracts anybody.
- He came to Egypt as a slave. He
had many problems there even a long prison term.
- But in the end he became the chief administrator of Egypt and was able to
afford safety and protection for his father and brothers.
- The life of Joseph makes it clear
to us that the ways of the Lord are indeed miraculous.
- It was through Joseph that God
prepared the way for Israel to reach Egypt. That was Joseph’s share in God’s
plan of salvation.
- Who are the persons who guide the
church, the New Testament people of God, in the place of Old Testament fathers?
- It was the descendants of the twelve
sons of Jacob that became the twelve tribes of Israel.
- These 12 tribes have great importance
in the history of salvation.
- The people of God in the Old Testament were
led by the heads of the twelve tribes and their descendants.
- In the same way the people of God in the New
Testament are led by twelve apostles and their successors.
- What is the meaning of the name,
Moses?
- Where did Moses have the vision of
God?
- What were the things God entrusted to
Moses while sending him to Pharaoh?
- Moses was given two messages from
God; one to be carried to the people of Israel and the other for the pharaoh of
Egypt
- The message to the Israel was ‘God
will save them from slavery in Egypt and lead them to a land flowing with milk
and honey’.
- The message for the pharaoh was
‘Release the people of Israel so that they can go to a wilderness on a
three-days journey where they can offer sacrifice to the Lord God’
- Whom did God give as a helper Moses?
- What is the message that the life
history of Moses give us?
- The ways of God are different from
human ways.
- Even in the midst of hardships God
leads us to salvation.
- When we face dangers God shall protect us, for
He is faithful.
- The history of Moses gives us the message that
the Lord, who called, strengthened and guided Moses, shall strengthen and guide
us also.
- What are the three signs God gave to
Moses to make him feel powerful when he go to see Israelites to release them to
worship God?
- God asked Moses to throw his staff on
the ground and when he did so the staff turned into a snake. When Moses stepped
back in fear God asked him to catch that snake by its tail. When he did so it
turned back into the staff.
- In the second sign Moses put his hand on his
chest as God asked him to do. When he stretched it out it turned white as snow
as if affected by leprosy. God asked him to put the hand back on the chest and
when he did that, it was well again.
- God gave Moses a third sign to be used
if the people of Israel did not believe the first two signs. God said: Take
some water from the river and pour it on the land.it will turn into blood
Lesson 6: Towards Freedom
- What was the sign that God worked
through Aaron before Pharaoh?
b. Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw down the staff before the Pharaoh and his servants. It turned into a snake,
c. Then Pharaoh called for his wise men and magicians. They too threw their staffs and by their magic and sorcery turned them into snakes. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs
- Why did God send 10 plagues over
Egypt?
- The hard hearted Pharaoh refused to listen to the pleas of Moses and
Aaron.
- Pharaoh did not let the Israelites go to worship their God.
- Then God sent 10 plagues in Egypt, one after the other.
- What was the direction given by God
for the celebration of Paschal meal?
b. This shall be without blemish (defect) and a one-year-old male. You shall keep it till the fourteenth day of this month.
c. Then the whole congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
d. They shall eat the lamb that same night, roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
e. This is how you shall eat it; your loins girded, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hands; and you must eat it hurriedly. For, it is the Passover of the Lord
- What was the tenth plague which
afflicted Egyptians?
- What is the meaning of the word
Pass-over?
- Why did the Israelites celebrate the
feast of Pass-over?
- As preparation for the liberation from Egypt the Lord had asked the
Israelites to ‘eat the Paschal or Passover meal’.
- On the feast of the Passover the people of
Israel were celebrating the memory of their transition from slavery in Egypt to
freedom.
- Why did the people of the New
Testament (we) celebrate the Paschal feast?
- In the new Paschal festival we
celebrate the memory of humanity being redeemed from the slavery of sin
- The humans achieved this liberation
from the slavery of sin through the death of Jesus on the cross
- We must strive (make every effort) to
love and obey God more and more. Why?
- The people of Israel were liberated
from Egypt by the direct intervention of God through Moses
- Likewise, God saved us all from the
clutches of sin by giving His own Son Jesus for the world.
- The God who redeemed the Israelites
from the power of the Pharaoh did redeem us from the power of sin
- Hence, we must strive to love and
obey God more and more
- What is the difference between the
paschal celebration of Israelites and the people of the New Testament?
- On the feast of the Passover the people of
Israel were celebrating the memory of their transition from slavery in Egypt to
freedom.
- In the new Paschal festival the
people of the New Testament celebrate the memory of humanity being redeemed
from the slavery of sin
- The humans achieved this liberation
from the slavery of sin through the death of Jesus on the cross
Lesson 7: Through the Desert
- How did God guide the Israelites day
and night after they left the land of Egypt?
b. The Lord was guiding and protecting them every step of the way.
c. “The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.
d. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
- What was the food God gave the
Israelites in the desert?
- What is the meaning of the word
manna?
- What is the speciality of the Ark of
the Covenant?
- God's presence was there
in the Ark of covenant,
- God used to speak to
Moses face to face as one speaks to a friend in the tent.
- What is the message that the journey
of the Israelites through the desert gives us?
- Moses the leader of the people of
Israel was guided by God all along the
way. As a people it was Israel that had the privilege of being directly guided
by God.
- God set a goal to His own people who He had
brought out of Egypt. The goal was the distant land of Canaan, often mentioned
as the Promised Land.
- The journey to this land was not an
easy one. It was tiresome and full of
hurdles. But as long as it was the Lord who gives guidance there was nothing to
fear.
- As long as the journey was in the
company of the Lord people had nothing to worry about. This is the lesson that
we learn from the long and torturous journey of the Israelites through the
wilderness.
- The people of the New Testament, the
Chuch, is also a pilgrim community like the people of Israel. Explain?
- God has called the members of the Church for a
journey through this world, having first liberated them from the bonds of sin
- Even as Moses led the Israelites
those days, the church lead the believers today
- The goal of the church is to lead the
faithful, the pilgrim people to the kingdom of heaven
- The journey through this world, with
heaven as goal, is not so simple or easy to make
- There would arise several problems
and hurdles. On all such occasions God will be there to help for, God is
faithful in His promises and merciful in His deeds
Lesson 8: The Covenant of Sinai
- What is the promise that God gave to
those who kept the covenant?
- Which is the place where God gave the
commandments to Moses?
- What is the main content of the Ten Commandments?
- What is the New Commandment that
Jesus gave us?
- “Just as I have loved you, you also
should love one another.
- By this everyone will know you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another.”
- Write down ten commandments
- I am the Lord your God, You shall
have no other gods before me.
- You shall not make wrong use of the name of
the Lord your God.
- Remember the Sabbath and keep it
holy,
- Honour your father and mother
- You shall not murder.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbour.
- You shall not covet your neighbour’s
wife.
- You shall not covet your neighbour’s belongings
- What was the gravest sin committed by
Israel?
Idolatry was the gravest sin committed by Israel.
- Why did Moses destroy the tablets of
commandments?
- Moses came down from the mountain
with the two tablets of the covenant in his hands.
- When he came near the camp he saw the golden
calf and he saw them dancing.
- His anger flared up and he threw down
the tablets at the foot of the mountain.
- What are the specialities of the
people of covenant?
- God’s own people.
- The people chosen by God.
- The people being led by God.
- The priestly people who offer
sacrifices to God.
- Why are the Ten Commandments known as
the Law of Moses?
- How many types of Commandments are
there in the church, the New Israel?
- Commandments of God
- Commandments of the Church.
- How do the commandments (commandments
of God and commandments of the church) help us in our life?
- The Commandments will help us to live
in a way pleasing to God and to other people.
- It is these commandments that point
to us continuously the right path.
- Obeying those commandments shall
lead us to life and disobeying them shall lead us to destruction.
- What kind of Prophet was Moses?
- Moses
was the leader of Israel since the days when they were liberated from slavery
in Egypt. He was the prophet of God.
- Though Moses had many drawbacks, God engaged him for this mission giving
him courage and strength.
- Moses suffered many hardships for the people under his leadership. On
several occasions the people of Israel
turned against him
- Moses performed penance for the sins
of the people
- Once he fasted and prayed for forty
days as penance for the idolatry of the Israelites
- Whom did God appoint as the successor
of Moses?
- Why did Joshua establish a monument
at Gilgal?
- Once they had crossed the Jordan, the
people erected a monument to God using 12 stones they collected from the
riverbed, as God directed Joshua to do.
- Joshua asked the people to tell the
following generations that this monument was in grateful memory of the
miraculous crossing of the river Jordan.
- The place where they erected the
monument was called Gilgal.
- What is the final goal of every human
being?
The final goal of every human being is union with God
Lesson 11: The Feasts of Israel
- What did the Israelites commemorate
through the feast of Passover? The Feast
of the Passover commemorated the miraculous liberation of the people of Israel
from the slavery in Egypt
- What is the meaning of the word
‘Pentecost’?
- What for the feast of the reparation
of sins was celebrated?
- Why is Easter known as the feast of
feasts?
- Easter or the feast of Resurrection
is the commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus 3 days after he was buried
following his passion (torture) and crucifixion. This is referred to as the
feast of feasts.
- Fifty days of fasting is observed in
preparation for Easter.
- Easter is very important as the feast
signifies the consummation (completion) of God’s plan of salvation.
- What is the basis of the celebration
of the feast of Pentecost in the New Testament period?
- Ten days after the ascension of
Jesus, the Holy Spirit came down upon the disciples in the form of tongues of
fire.
- This is the day when the Church
started functioning as an institution. This event is commemorated by the Church
as Pentecost. This comes 50 days after Easter, hence the name Pentecost.
- Pentecost reminds us of the Holy Spirit being
sent to live in and to lead the church.
- This feast helps the Church and her children
to be filled with the divine grace of the Holy Spirit.
- How do the celebrations of feast help
us in our spiritual nourishment?
- The church celebrates many other
feasts connected with Jesus. She celebrates several feasts of our lady and
saints.
- Church considered these feasts as
holy days.
- By celebrating these with pomp (magnificence),
we offer our thanks to God.
- Such feasts do help our spiritual
growth only when we celebrate them reflecting on the meaning and message of
each of them.
- What is the importance of the temple
of Jerusalem?
- For the Israelites the temple of Jerusalem was the centre
of worship and expression of faith.
- The temple was the place that God had chosen to reveal His
presence to the people of Israel.
- The temple of
Jerusalem has a very important, central place in the life of the Israelites.
- How did the name synagogue come into
being?
- For centuries, the temple of Jerusalem was the place of
worship for the Israelites.
- In later years the Jews (Israelites) were
exiled (expelled) and they were not able to have the temple as the centre of
worship. They had to find other means to conduct their worship.
- It was at this stage that they built
synagogues. The word synagogue is derived from the Greek word ‘sunago’ meaning
‘get together’.
- Synagogues were built
facing the holy city of Jerusalem.
- On the basis of the content, how are
the psalms divided?
On the basis of their content, the psalms may be classified into praise psalms, lament psalms and thanksgiving psalms. - What were the intentions for which
the Israelites offered sacrifices? Israelites
offered sacrifices:
- To praise and worship God.
- To express thanks for the
blessings from God.
- To do penance for the
sins committed.
- To receive blessings from God.
- How should we keep Sunday Holy?
- In the church, Sabbath is celebrated on Sunday, the first day of the
week.
- The Christians observe Sunday as Sabbath
because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday.
- Sunday is observed by
attending Holy Mass in the parish church and involving in activities of
charity.
- This is also the day to
learn more about Jesus.
- Who were known as the judges in
Israel?
- It was essential for the
Israelites to defend themselves against enemy attacks.
- Many able and strong
leaders volunteered to lead them. These leaders, who had special talents and
divine blessings to lead the people, were known as judges.
- As is implied by the name
these leaders also acted as judges listening to the complaints of people,
arbitrating and handing down judgments.
- What do you mean by anointing?
- What were the responsibilities of the
priests in Israel?
- Serving at the altar,
- Offering sacrifices to
the Lord
- Teaching the laws.
- Who is known as the successor of
Peter?
- What for were the kings of Israel
appointed?
Lesson 14: Prophets of Israel
- With what purpose were the prophets
of Israel appointed?
- Israelites lives became
steeped in immorality.
- Forgetting the true God
they started worshipping other gods
- Prophets were people ordained to bring back to
God the Israelites who went on with their lives as if God did not exist.
- How did each prophet guide the people
of Israel along the path of God?
- The common meaning of the
word ‘prophet’ is ‘the one who speaks for God’.
- The prophets of Israel
pointed out to the people their faults, accused them harshly and warned them
that unless they repented, they would be punished.
- They exhorted (strongly
encourage) people to leave the path of evil and come back to the path of
goodness.
- What are the messages of hope that
prophet Ezekiel gave to Israel?
- Israel will grow as a new nation,
- A true shepherd shall come to lead them;
- The spirit of God shall give new life to Israel;
- A new temple shall be constructed;
- Glory of God shall be
manifested again.
- Who are known as the teachers of the
Church?
- Write down the names of five fathers
of the Church?
Lesson 15: Promises and Prophesies about Christ
- What is the meaning of the word
messiah?
- What is important of all the
prophecies of Isaiah?
- When did the Emmanuel prophecy
fulfil?
- In his
Immanuel prophecy, Isaiah mentions some rare qualities of the child. The
prophecy is fulfilled with the birth of Jesus.
- The word ‘Immanuel’ means ‘God with us’. When Jesus was born
on earth, God was living with us.
- In the prophecies of Isaiah we can see many things about
Jesus. And all these are fulfilled in Jesus.
- What for the last prophet, John the
Baptist was sent?
- For centuries prophets had been preparing the way for Jesus, Son of God
to be born as a man on earth.
- It was John the Baptist who completed that
mission just before the start of the public life of Jesus.
- John ended his mission
after revealing that Jesus is the lamb who is to sacrifice his own life in
propitiation for all the sins of the world.
- Thus, through Jesus the Christ, the people of
the world saw the salvation of God that the prophets had foretold.
- What did John the Baptist sat seeing
Jesus coming to him?