week of 12/14

Unit 16  Session 2

COURAGE

DANIEL 3:14-18, 24-29

 

Key Concept:

God is worthy of our trust and obedience even if the result is death.

After three years of Babylonian training, Daniel and his friends served the king as advisers. One night, the king had a disturbing dream, and only Daniel, blessed with God's gift to interpret dreams, was able to answer the king about its meaning. That dream included a multi-layered statue and foretold the rise and fall of nations, beginning with Babylon, whose king was represented by the statue's golden head. Nebuchadnezzar later decided to build an enormous statue made entirely of gold and to have all of his subjects bow in worship to it. Daniel's friends, however, chose to remain faithful and to worship the Lord alone.

As you examine Daniel 3:14-18, 24-29:

 

✞   Recognize that the three friends' courage stemmed from

    their belief that God could be trusted in life or death.

     

✞   Notice how Nebuchadnezzar recognized God's power and

    gave Him the praise He deserved because of the three

    friends' faithful testimony.

week of 12/7

Unit 16  Session 1

OBEDIENCE

DANIEL 1:8-21

 

Key Concept:

Obedience to God leads to greater wisdom from God.

In 605 BC, a few short years into King Jehoiakim's reign over Judah, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar took control of Jerusalem, made Judah's king his vassal, and carried off some high-profile young men as exiles to Babylon. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They were brought to the palace to be educated in Babylonian ways so they could serve their new king. For three years they were trained in all things Babylonian - language, customs, and religion - and faced the temptation of losing their identity as God's people.

As you examine Daniel 1:8-21:

 

✞   Recognize that Daniel determined to remain faithful to God

    and His law with its dietary restrictions.

     

✞   Consider how our obedience to the Lord helps us grow in

    wisdom and knowledge of the Lord.

week of 11/30

 Unit 15  Session 5

GOD'S REVIVAL PROMISED

EZEKIEL 37:1-14

 

Key Concept:

God revives His people when hope seems lost.

Ezekiel was brought up to be a priest in Jerusalem, but he was carried away to Babylon during the first wave of the Babylonian exile. Yet even there, the Lord's hand was on him, and he was called by the Lord as a prophet. Ezekiel prophesied to the people who remained in Judah that their hardheartedness and sin would result in the Lord's abandonment of the temple and the total destruction of Jerusalem. When God's judgment came to pass, the people understandably lost all hope. They had earned their punishment. But God still had a plan for His people, and Ezekiel prophesied their revival and spiritual new birth.

As you examine Ezekiel 37:1-14:

 

✞   Visualize Ezekiel's experience of God commanding him to 

    tell dry bones to come to life and them obeying.

     

✞   Reflect upon the role of the Holy Spirit in transforming us 

    and drawing us out of hopelessness.

week of 11/23

Unit 15  Session 4

GOD'S NATION FELL

2 CHRONICLES 36:11-21

 

Key Concept:

God warns people with compassion but will also judge evil.

Josiah was a good king over Judah who followed in the ways of his ancestor David, and he obeyed the Lord in almost all that he did. Josiah's faithfulness brought restoration to God's people. But after Josiah's death, his successors - three sons and a grandson - did not follow in his faithful footsteps. Each one did what was evil in the Lord's eyes. They did not obey God but pursued wickedness and rebelled against His ways and His punishments. Their continual disobedience brought about God's judgment that resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple and exile from the promised land for God's people.

As you examine 2 Chronicles 36:11-21:

 

✞   Recognize the compassion of God in sending messengers 

    to warn and call His people to repentance.

     

✞   Understand that apart from Christ, everyone will reach a

    point of no remedy from the just wrath of God against sin.

week of 11/16

Unit 15  Session 3

GOD'S COVENANT RENEWED

JEREMIAH 17:5-8 ; 31:31-37

 

Key Concept:

A new covenant will establish followers of Jesus.

Jeremiah was called to speak for the Lord in the waning days of the kingdom of Judah. Most of his messages warned of the coming judgment, which he witnessed with his own eyes, but a few promised hope for a ruined people. For a time, Judah was looking to put their trust in Egypt to fight the Babylonians, but Jeremiah's warning was to put their trust in God alone. In Jeremiah 17:5-8, which sounds like a psalm or proverb, the prophet addressed Judah's misplaced trust. And in Jeremiah 31:31-37, the prophet foretold the new covenant that God would make with His people to deal with their sin and ours once and for all.

As you examine Jeremiah 17:5-8 ; 31:31-37:

 

✞   Understand that trusting in humankind leads to desert places without life.

     

✞   Dwell upon the promise that God will write His law on His people's hearts,

    call us His people, and forgive our sins.

week of 11/8

Unit 15  Session 2

GOD'S PROPHETS WARNED

mICAH 5:1-5 ; 6:6-8 ; 7:8-9, 18-20

 

Key Concept:

Though there is a future judgment, there is also a future hope.

During the reigns of Judah's kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, God sent the prophet Micah with a message for both Israel and Judah. Micah spoke the word of the Lord and foretold the judgment, destruction, and exile that was coming for both Israel and Judah. Both kingdoms had failed to keep the Lord's covenant and would continue to do so, with a few exceptions from Judah's kings, such as Hezekiah and Josiah. But Micah also had a message for the future, a message of hope and restoration. Micah prophesied that the Messiah-King would come to shepherd God's people in righteousness forever.

As you examine Micah 5:1-5 ; 6:6-8 ; 7:8-9, 18-20:

 

✞   Emphasize God's desire for His people to act justly, to love 

    faithfulness, and to walk humbly with Him.

     

✞   Recognize that disobedience results in judgment, but God's

    grace and mercy abound as well.

week of 11/2

Unit 15  Session 1

GOD'S PEOPLE WORSHIPED

2 KINGS 18:1-6 ;  22:1-2 ; 23:1-3

 

Key Concept:

Worship of God includes following Him and His Word.

Throughout most of the history of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, God's people did not follow His ways. Often they chose to worship the idols of the nations around them. In His mercy, the Lord sent prophets to call His people to repentance, but God's message often fell on deaf ears. As a result, God sent the Assyrians to attack, conquer, and exile the Israelites in the Northern Kingdom. The Assyrians also threatened the Southern Kingdom of Judah, but the Lord rescued them through a much-needed God-fearing leader. In the declining years of Judah, the Lord gave them two faithful kings who worshiped the Lord alone.

As you examine 2 Kings 18:1-6 ; 22:1-2 ; 23:1-3

 

✞   Recognize that both Hezekiah and Josiah relied on God's Word 

    to lead the people of Judah.

     

✞   Consider how the Word of God convicts us of our sin and leads 

    us to humble ourselves before the Lord.

 

week of 10/26

Unit 14  Session 4

RETRIBUTION

2 KINGS 17:6-15 ; 18-20

 

Key Concept:

Though  God is merciful, sin has dreadful consequences.

The books of 1 and 2 Kings record the history of the kings of Israel over approximately four hundred years. Beginning with the death of King David and the start of Solomon's reign, through the split of the kingdom into Israel and Judah, and ending with  the destruction of Jerusalem, the author documented each king in both the north and the south in light of their faithfulness to the Lord. While Judah enjoyed a few faithful kings, Israel's kings consistently followed a path away from the Lord, in spite of the warnings from the Lord's prophets. This led to their destruction and exile at the hands of the Assyrians.

As you examine 2 Kings 17:6-15 ; 18-20:

 

✞   Recognize that Israel sinned against God, and God allowed 

    them to be conquered by Assyria.

     

✞   Recall how God used prophets to warn the people, but they

    still disobeyed.

week of 10/18

Unit 14  Session 3

RECONCILIATION

HOSEA 1:2-3 ; 2:19-20, 23 ; 3:1-5 ; 14:1-4

 

Key Concept:

God in His grace reconciles with His sinful people.

Though he is often listed as a minor prophet in the Bible based on the length of his book, Hosea was a prophet to the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah for many decades. Through Hosea's life and message, God presented His case against Israel, stating, "There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land! Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another" (Hos. 4:1-2). God used Hosea's family as a picture of Israel's unfaithfulness to Himself, comparing their relationship with that of a husband and an unfaithful wife.

As you read Hosea 1:1-2 ; 2:19-20, 23 ; 3:1-5 ; 14:1-4:

 

✞   Contemplate the difficult call of God upon Hosea to marry a 

    promiscuous woman and his willingness to obey.

     

✞   Rejoice in the example of Hosea and the greater reality of the

    faithful love and reconciliation found in Christ.

week of 10/12

Unit 14  Session 2

REPENTANCE

jonah 3:4-10 ; 4:1-2, 6-11

 

Key Concept:

God is merciful to forgive when people repent, and He desires His people to be merciful as well.

Jonah, a contemporary of Amos and Hosea, was a prophet of Israel during the reign of King Jeroboam II, who did evil in the Lord's eyes. Yet the Lord spoke graciously to Israel through Jonah in order to help them (2 Kings 14:25-27). God also commanded Jonah to go and proclaim judgment against Ninevah, the capital city of Assyria. But Jonah fled in the opposite direction. Through a series of circumstances orchestrated by God, Jonah found himself in the belly of a large fish and then back on dry land. God gave Jonah a second chance, and this time Jonah obeyed, going to Ninevah to preach the message the Lord gave him.

As you read Jonah 34-10 ; 4:1-2, 6-11:

 

✞   Recognize that because the Ninevites fasted and repented, God relented 

    in His judgment and spared the city.

     

✞   Contemplate Jonah's reason for fleeing from the Lord's mission - he knew

    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.

week of 10/5

Unit 14  Session 1

RESURRECTION

2 KINGS 4:18-22 ; 24-25 ; 28-37

 

Key Concept:

God has the power to overcome death.

The prophet Elijah's ministry ended when he was taken up into heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha, his successor, wen to Shunem, where he met " a prominent woman" who fed him and provided him a place to stay whenever he came that way. In response, Elisha desired to help her in some way. He learned she had no offspring and her husband was aging. Aside from the general desire to bear children, if she were to become a widow with no offspring, the Shunammite woman would be vulnerable and likely oppressed. Therefore, Elisha prophesied that in one year she would have a son, and it came to pass, just as Elisha had promised.

As you read 2 Kings 4:18-22; 24-25; 28-37:

✞   Recognize that when her son died, the Shunammite woman 

    knew to seek God through His prophet.

     

✞   Consider that both the woman and Elisha needed to persist 

    in their hope in the resurrection.

week of 9/28

Unit 13  Session 4

A DIVIDED RESPONSE

1 KINGS 21:17-29

 

Key Concept:

God will not ignore injustice among His people, but He is merciful.

After Elijah's victorious showdown on Mount Carmel with the 450 prophets of Baal, whom Elijah executed, the Lord sent torrential rain on Israel for the first time in three years. The drought was over. Ahab told his wife, Jezebel, what Elijah had done, and she swore an oath that she would kill Elijah. Some time later, Jezebel found Ahab pouting because his neighbor Naboth would not let Ahab buy his family's vineyard. So she hatched a plot to bring false accusations against Naboth that led to his execution. Then she told Ahab to take what he had wanted. All this incurred the wrath of the Lord against Ahab and Jezebel.

As you read 1 Kings 21:17-29:

✞   Recognize that Ahab and Jezebel thought they could get away with 

    false witness, murder, and theft.

     

✞   Marvel at the mercy God showed to Ahab because of his humble 

    response to Elijah's proclamation of judgment.

week of 9/21

Unit 13  Session 3

A DIVIDED PEOPLE

1 KINGS 18:20-2630-39

 

Key Concept:

The Lord alone is the true God and worthy of worship.

Following the pattern of Jeroboam, every king in the Northern Kingdom of Israel did what was evil in the Lord's eyes. The worst was Ahab, who set up a temple for the false god Baal in the capital city of Samaria and made an Asherah pole, leading Israel further into idolatry. The Lord sent Elijah to Ahab to prophesy about a three-year drought throughout Israel as a punishment against the wicked rule of Ahab and his father, Omri (1 Kings 17:1; 18:18). With no rain in the land and the famine affecting their food, the time had come for Elijah to present the question to the people of Israel: Who is the true God, Baal or the Lord?

As you read 1 Kings 18:20-26, 30-39:

✞   Recognize that Elijah demanded that the people stop trying to worship 

    both God and Baal.

     

✞   Dwell on the fact that a true, living God will act and respond to His people.

week of 9/14

Unit 13  Session 2

DIVIDED KINGS

1 KINGS 12:25-32 ; 14:21-26

 

Key Concept:

Our sin and false worship anger God.

After King Rehoboam's disastrous start, the northern tribes united under Jeroboam and made him their king. Rehoboam mustered 180,000 troops from his tribes of Judah and Benjamin to fight against the rebel Israelite tribes. The prophet Shemaiah brought Rehoboam a message from the Lord: "You are not to march up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you return home, for this situation is from me" (1 Kings 12:24). Judah listened to the Lord and went home, but both kingdoms were at odds with each other for several decades.

As you read 1 Kings 12:25-32 ; 14:21-26:

✞   Reflect on how Jeroboam's worry caused him to lead Israel into idolatry.

     

✞   Consider how Rehoboam allowed Judah's idolatry to run rampant, and that 

    God subsequently allowed enemies to seize treasure from the temple and palace.

week of 9/7

Unit 13  Session 1

A KINGDOM DIVIDED

1 KINGS 12:1-8 ; 10-17

 

Key Concept:

Division occurs when wisdom is ignored.

Solomon had been made the wisest man on earth by God, and his reign as king brought prosperity to Israel and glory to God as people came from all over to hear Solomon's godly wisdom. But Solomon married foreign wives who worshiped other gods that he eventually worshiped as well (1 Kings 11:4-8). Because of this evil, God told Solomon that He would tear the kingdom from him during his son Rehoboam's reign, leaving only one tribe for his son's rule. At his coronation, Rehoboam was presented with a choice of what kind of king he would be. His unwise decision fulfilled the Lord's judgment.

As you read 1 Kings 12:1-8 ; 10-17:

✞   Note the differences between Rehoboam's advisors and the advice they 

    gave to their king.

     

✞   Recognize that God's sovereign will as prophesied to Solomon was being 

    fulfilled through Rehoboam's actions.

week of 8/31

Unit 12  Session 5

LEARN GOD'S WISDOM

Proverbs 4:10-19

 

Key Concept:

Staying focused on God's path keeps us from stumbling.

Like Ecclesiastes, Proverbs is a Bible book in the genre of wisdom literature. Many of the proverbs were written by Solomon. A proverb is simply a short saying stating general truth or advice. The Biblical proverbs teach the fear of the Lord and give advice for covenant living in everyday situations and relationships. Proverbs covers many topics and can feel random or disjointed, but it has a few major themes: God's will is practical, and following His will leads to happiness and usefulness, but living this way takes work, study, and discipline. There's no middle way or compromise when it comes to living faithfully in covenant with God.

As you read Proverbs 4:10-19:

✞   Recognize that God's words are wisdom for the right path, leading

    to long life.

     

✞   Note that neglecting God's words leads us down a difficult and 

    foolish path.

       

week of 8/24

Unit 12  Session 4

SHARE GOD'S WISDOM

1 Kings 10:1-10

 

Key Concept:

Sharing God's wisdom points people to Him.

When the Lord gave Solomon the opportunity to ask for anything of Him, Solomon humbly requested wisdom. This pleased the Lord, Who also blessed Solomon with great wealth and honor. News of Solomon's wealth, renown, and especially his wisdom spread among the nations surrounding Israel, and emissaries were sent from those nations to listen to and learn from Solomon's great wisdom. The queen of Sheba - modern-day Ethiopia or Yemen - was one who came to Jerusalem to see for herself if what she had heard about King Solomon was true. 

As you read 1 Kings 10:1-10:

✞   Consider that as believers, we always have opportunities to share

    godly wisdom with others.

     

✞   Recognize that as we live out our faith, God's love should be seen 

    by others who don't yet know Him.

week of 8/17

Unit 12  Session 3

LIVE WITH WISDOM

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-15

 

Key Concept:

God's timing is perfect, and everything is a gift from God.

Wisdom literature in the Bible includes the books of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. This genre wasn't unique to ancient Israel but was popular throughout the ancient Near East. Nations such as Egypt and Babylon wrote down wise sayings before Israel did. In Scripture, however, the wisdom books only address one God and generally speak to human flourishing by living according to God's holy will.

As you read Ecclesiastes 3:1-15:

✞   Acknowledge that while we long to know the future, only God knows

    His purpose for everything.

     

✞   Celebrate that God is awe-inspiring and just in all His ways.

week of 8/10

Unit 12  Session 2

WORK WITH WISDOM

1 KINGS 6:8-413; 38:3-11

 

Key Concept:

God desires to dwell with His people.

King Solomon grew in the Lord's wisdom, gaining fame as the wisest person on earth (1 Kings 4:29-34). Israel flourished under his rule, and the Lord gave His people peace on all sides from conflict or war. Solomon then turned his attention to the construction of the temple for the Lord that God and David had appointed him to build. First Kings 6-7 details the building and furnishings of the temple with a brief interruption describing the building of Solomon's palace (7:1-12). After completing the temple, Solomon assembled the people of Israel to celebrate the ark of the covenant being brought within its sacred walls.

As you read 1 Kings 6:8-13 ; 8:3-11:

✞   Notice that God reminded Solomon that walking in His ways was the

    prerequisite for His dwelling with His people.

     

✞   Reflect upon God's glory, which is more magnificent than any building

    human beings could make to contain it.

week of 8/3

Unit 12  Session 1

ASK FOR WISDOM

1 KINGS 2:1-4 ; 3:3-15

 

Key Concept:

Wisdom from God is better than riches.

As David neared death, he reminded his son Solomon of the covenant the Lord had established with him and his descendants (2 Samuel 7:1-17). David's reign had been far from peaceful, and his walk with the Lord had been far from perfect, yet he held fast to the Lord's promises and faithfulness as he passed the crown to Solomon to follow the ways of the Lord. After Solomon fulfilled his father's final requests, reined in potential threats to his throne, and solidified his rightful position as king (1 Kings 1-2), the Lord appeared to the new king in a dream with an unexpected question.

As you read 1 Kings 2:1-4 ; 3:3-15:

✞   Note that David's parting words to Solomon were for the new king to walk

    in God's ways.

     

✞   Reflect upon the fact that Solomon could have asked for anything from the

    Lord, but he asked for wisdom and discernment for the role the Lord had

    appointed him to.

week of 7/27

Unit 11  Session 4

THE LORD'S FORGIVENESS

2 SAMUEL 11:1-5 ; 14-17; 12:7-14

 

Key Concept:

God desires our repentance.

After declaring His covenant with David, God helped David continue to subdue his surrounding enemies. David also sought out a way to show kindness to the family of his friend Jonathan, who had died with his father, Saul. David even attempted to show kindness to the new king of the Ammonites after his father died, but the new king humiliated David's ambassadors and ignited another war. For one part of this war, David led his troops to victory. But at a later time, when kings normally went out to war, David chose to send out his army while he stayed behind in Jerusalem. Sadly, this decision set the stage for a downfall into grievous sin.

As you read 2 Samuel 11:1-5; 14-17; 12:7-14:

✞   Reflect upon the truth that little steps of carelessness often will lead to

    bigger steps of sin.

     

✞   Recognize that the Lord forgave David after his repentance, but he would

    still experience dire consequences for his sin.

        

week of 7/20

Unit 11  Session 3

THE LORD'S PEOPLE

2 SAMUEL 7:18-29

 

Key Concept:

As God's people, we can be assured of God's promises.

After Saul's death, David became king over the tribe of Judah and eventually over all of Israel. David moved the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem with great rejoicing. And in 2 Samuel 7, David finally enjoyed rest from his enemies. As David relaxed in his house, he noted the grandeur of his palace compared to the tent where the ark of God dwelled. So David wanted to build a house for the Lord, and initially, the prophet Nathan encouraged David to do so. Though David had good intentions, the Lord intervened and corrected David. It would not be David who built a house for the Lord but the Lord would build a house for David.

As you read 2 Samuel 27:18-29:

✞   Recognize that God's goodness to David was so that God could redeem

    a people for Himself.

     

✞   Meditate with joy that God keeps His promise for our good to be a 

    blessing to His people.

        

week of 7/13

Unit 11  Session 2

THE LORD'S KING

1 SAMUEL 24:3-12; 16-20

 

Key Concept:

God is merciful, so we must be too.

Not long after Saul brought David into his royal court, Saul noticed that not only was the Lord with David, but the people admired David as well. When David, who had been put in charge of the army, returned from battle and the women sang of his victories as greater than Saul's, the king seethed and thought, "What more can he have but the kingdom?" (1 Samuel 18:8). Saul then despised David and tried to kill him multiple times. Eventually, David - the anointed king - fled and hid in caves. In one of the caves, David had an opportunity to destroy Saul, who had attacked him without cause, but instead, he chose mercy.

As you examine 1 Samuel 24:3-12; 16-20:

✞   Consider that while the culture around us may become more antagonistic

    toward God's people, we still must show mercy.

     

✞   Recognize that it is in the kindness of God that leads us to repentance

    and that kindness can change a hardened heart.

week of 7/6

Unit 11  Session 1

THE LORD'S BATTLE

1 SAMUEL 17:32-40; 45-50 

 

Key Concept:

We can trust God to be sovereign over all our battles.

Since the time of Joshua and the judges, notably Samson, the Philistines were a thorn in Israel's side. In 1 Samuel, the Philistines defeated Israel and captured the ark of God, which was returned through the work of God Himself. Later, with the Lord's help, Saul and his army put the Philistines to flight. But in 1 Samuel 17, the Philistines again gathered for battle against God's people, and this time Saul and the entire Israelite army were afraid on account of the Philistine giant Goliath. David, on the other hand, had begun to rise to prominence, and his battle with Goliath solidified that he was God's choice for Israel's king.

As you examine 1 Samuel 17:32-40; 45-50:

✞   Recognize that when Saul and the army lost faith, David trusted in God's

    faithfulness in the past to help him.

     

✞   Understand that God may use us in mighty ways, but He is the One Who

    can claim the victory.