2016-1st Qt Meeting God in The Old Testament -ipad

Chapter Eight:Meeting God in the Old Testament2 Samuel 22:1-23:5Main Scripture1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Psalm 51; Psalm 139More ScripturesAfter following the general course of the nation of Israel for hundreds of years, the Bible’s lens zooms in on one remarkable figure: David. As the Scriptural record reveals him, David is many things that seem opposed to us: poet and bloody-handed hero, philosopher and conqueror. However, David is most defined by his relationship with God, for it is God who raises Him from obscurity to immortal fame. Let’s see what it meant for David that God was his Shepherd.Questions: 2 Samuel 22:1-23:5 Shepherd The song of David as recorded in 2 Samuel 22 is perhaps David’s fullest explanation of what God is to him. Summarize each context below, and then explain what the passage in parentheses next to it has to do with it.1. 2 Samuel 22:2-3 (1 Samuel 19:18-24).2. 2 Samuel 22:4-20 (2 Samuel 15:30-31; 2Samuel 17:1-14).3. 2 Samuel 22:21-28 (1 Chronicles 15:11-15).4. 2 Samuel 22:29-37 (1 Samuel 17:41-47).Chapter Eight:Meeting God in the Old Testament2 Samuel 22:1-23:5Main Scripture1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Psalm 51; Psalm 139More ScripturesAfter following the general course of the nation of Israel for hundreds of years, the Bible’s lens zooms in on one remarkable figure: David. As the Scriptural record reveals him, David is many things that seem opposed to us: poet and bloody-handed hero, philosopher and conqueror. However, David is most defined by his relationship with God, for it is God who raises Him from obscurity to immortal fame. Let’s see what it meant for David that God was his Shepherd.Questions: 2 Samuel 22:1-23:5Shepherd17Meeting God in the Old Testament: Chapter Eight5. 2 Samuel 22:38-43 (2 Samuel 5:17-25).6. 2 Samuel 22:44-46 (2 Samuel 8).7. What does David’s life summary in 2 Samuel 23:1-5 say both about him and about God?1. In 1 Samuel 16:7, what does God say that gives insight into why He chooses David as king? What does this tell us about God?2. According to Psalm 23, how does David perceive God? How does he perceive himself? How does this help us understand God better?3. In Psalm 51, why would David’s sin cause him to be so heartbroken?4. Also in Psalm 51, upon what aspect of God’s character does David rely? Why is this important?5. What picture of God does David paint in Psalm 139? What does David’s understanding prompt him to do? What does this say to us about God’s nature?1. What are the differences between understanding God as a Protector and understanding Him as a Shepherd?2. How should our understanding of God as a Shepherd cause us to live differently?Questions: Other Scriptures

Why is it useful for us to understand how and why God is our Protector?The Big QuestionChapter Seven: Protector1.In Judges 6:1-5, how well are God’s people doing? Why is this? What does this tell us about God?2. Consider Judges 6:6-10, especially in light of the entire book. If you were God, how interested would you be in helping your people out? Why? What does this say to us about God?3. In Judges 6:13, does Gideon seem to understand why God has deserted Israel? In light of Judges 6:28-30, does Gideon’s confusion make sense? What does this say to us about our view of ourselves, as opposed to God’s view?4. How heroic does Gideon seem through Judges 6? Why? What does this tell us about the kind of people God needs to do His work?Chapter Seven: Meeting God in the Old TestamentJudges 6-7 Main ScriptureJudges 4; 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25; 1Samuel 4:1-11; 1 Samuel 8 More Scriptures After God basically gave Canaan to the children of Israel on a silver platter, one would think that the Israelites would ste into a cycle of faithlessness and despair. They turn to other gods, become enslaved by other nations, cry out to God in their misery, and await His rescue. Amazingly, each time they seek His help, He listens. Let’s consider these times and learn how God protects Israel —from their enemies and from themselves.Questions: Judges 6-715Meeting God in the Old Testament: Chapter Seven5. How many times I Judges 6-7 does Gideon seek reassurance? How many times does God give it to him? What aspects of God’s character does this highlight?6. Why does God dismiss 99 percent of Gideon’s army in Judges 7:1-8? How does this help us understand etter?7. Time to put on your general’ s hat again. Using your own reasoning skills, what do you think of God’s plan as described in Judges 7:15-18? Why is this important?1.Why does God’s choice for Israel’s leader in Judges 4:4 seem unusual? What does His choice tell us about Him?2. Look at 1 Samuel 2:12-17. Does being someone who claims to be a servant of God entitle one to God’s protection? 1 Samuel 2:22-25 explains. Why is this significant?3.In 1 Samuel 4:1-11, are the people trying to getGod’s power on their side? Do they succeed? Why or why not? What does this say to us about God?4.According to 1 Samuel 8:4-7, whose wisdom are the people relying on? How does God take this? What does God reveal about Himself in this encounter?5. A ccording to 1 Samuel 8:19-21 do the people listen to God? How does God react? 1. How important is God’s protection to us today? Why?2. Based on today’s lesson, how should our lives reflect our desire for God’s

Chapter Six: Conqueror Israel is also a Conqueror. After 40 years of wandering, the Main Scripture children of Israel finally get their act together and arrive on the east bank of the flooded Jordan. Across the river waits the promised land of Canaan. However, the land’s already occupied by a numerous and warlike people that can rely on the protection of strongly fortified cities—a tall order for the descendants of ex-slaves. However, the Israelites have one big advantage—God.Let’s see what it means that the God of Meeting God in the Old Testament Questions: Joshua 6:1-8:22 1. If you were the commanding general of an ancient army and had to take a walled city, how would you go about doing it? List at least three different possible approaches. Feel free to steal ideas from The Lord of the Rings. 2. Does God’s plan as described in Joshua 6:1-5 appear on your list of ideas? To our human logic, does it even seem like a GOOD plan? What does this tell us about God? 3. Why does God’s plan work? 4. How well do things work for the Israelites WITHOUT God’s help? Consider Joshua 7:2-5. What does this tell us? Meeting God in the Old Testament: Chapter Six According to Joshua 7:1, who sinned? In Joshua 7:11, to whom does God attribute this sin? Why does God do this? What can we learn from God’s reaction? Why does God prescribe such a harsh punishment for Achan in Joshua 7:15? What should we take from God’s judgment? 7. In Joshua 8:1, have the people actually taken Ai yet? Then why does God tell Joshua that He HAS given Ai into Joshua’s hand? What does this tell us about what God’s people must do to achieve victory? 1. Put yourself in Joshua’s shoes in Joshua 1:5. Why is God’s promise in that verse significant? 2. Why is the statement of Joshua 1:6 important to our understanding of God? Questions: Other Scriptures 2-5.6. 3. In the middle of the warlike exhortation of Joshua 1:1-9, why does God bring up obedience to the law? What does this tell us about the nature of God’s conquests? 4. What’s the purpose of God’s instructions in Joshua 4:19-24? What does this tell us about God? 5. In light of the rest of the Psalm, answer David’s question in Psalm 144:3. 1. Do we still need God as Conqueror in our lives today? Where? 2. How will we live differently if we understand this aspect of God’s nature?

Meeting God in the Old Testament Chapter Five: Lawgiver Once God rescues the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, His interest in them does not diminish. Instead, He elicits an agreement from them that they will be a people for His own possession. He then spends the next forty years revealing a system of law to them that will be their moral polestar for the next years. This giving of an ethical code is something that no god from any of Earth’s mythologies ever bothered doing. Why is it significant, then, that the REAL God is a Lawgiver? Deuteronomy 5-6 Exodus19; Leviticus 19: 1-4; Numbers 15:32-36; Psalm ; Psalm 19:7-14 Questions: Deuteronomy 5-6 1. What do we learn about God from Deuteronomy 5:6-10? Why is this important? 2. Do the commandments described in Deuteronomy 5:11-21 appear to have any purpose in mind? What is it? Why would God be interested in that purpose? 3. What appears to motivate the Israelite elders in Deuteronomy 5:22-29? Does God desire to create this motivation in them? Why? 4. In Deuteronomy 6:3, God tells the Israelites that it will be well with them if they obey Him. In what senses is this true? Meeting God in the Old Testament: Chapter Five It’s commonly said that the Old Law was designed to exact robot-like obedience from God’s people. What does Deuteronomy 6:4-6 tell us about this belief? What, in turn, does that tell us about God? Consider Deuteronomy 6:7-9, 20-25. What do these Scriptures tell us about God’s interest in seeing children taught the Law? Why would God have this interest? 7. What does Deuteronomy 6:17-19 say about God’s motivation in giving law to the children of Israel inthe first place? Questions: Other Scriptures 1. Describe the argument that God makes in Exodus 19:3-6. What connection does God see between redemption and possession? 2. What point does God want to impress on Israel in Exodus 19:21-23? Why is this significant? 3. What is God’s message in Leviticus 19:1-4? What does this tell us about God’s purpose in giving the Law? 4. Tell the story of Numbers 15:32-36. What do we learn about God from this Scripture? 5. Describe David’s attitude toward the Law as he presents it in Psalm 19:7-14. What causes this attitude? What are the results of this attitude? Why would God want to create this attitude? 3 Questions: Application 1. Why is it important today to understand God as a Lawgiver? 2. How should our insight into this aspect of God’s nature change our way of life

Meeting God in the Old Testament Chapter Four: Redeemer Throughout the book of Genesis, God Main Scripture deals largely with righteous men and their families. In Exodus, though, God Exodus 14 turns His attentions to an entire nation, the nation of Israel. In Exodus 1, the situation looks bleak—the Israelites are the slaves of the Egyptians, the most powerful nation on earth. However, More Scriptures God, through a spectacular display of power, frees the Israelites and proves to Exodus 3; Exodus 7:1-5; Exodus 15; the arrogant Egyptians that He is God. Psalm 107; Psalm 124 Let’s look at this story to see what it means that God is a Redeemer. Questions: Exodus 14 1. Explain the problem that the Israelites are facing in Exodus 14:5-9. 2. According to Exodus 14:1-4, why did this problem come up in the first place? What The Big Question does this tell us about God? What does it mean to us that God is a Redeemer? 3. In what way is the Israelites’ complaint in Exodus 14:10-12 reasonable? In what way is it unreasonable? What can we learn from this? 4. What does God tell Moses in Exodus 14:15-18? Does this seem like a spur-of-the-moment improvisation by God? Why is this significant?