3/12 1st Samuel 9 - The Reluctant King
Key Chapters of the Bible
Life has a way of not going exactly has we planned. Today we'll look at 1st Samuel 9 and see that a simple search for some farm animals brought Saul to a divine appointment, and it ended up completely changing his life. Join us! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. In verse 1, what tribe was Saul from? What tribe did the Lord say would produce the kings back in Genesis 49:10? 2. What was Saul’s father like, according to verses 1 & 2? How might this have influenced the people to want Saul to be their king? 3. In verses 3 to 17, how did the Lord prepare...
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3/11 1st Samuel 8 - Trying to Copy the World
Key Chapters of the Bible
There are times when the world seems to have all the glitz & glamor and we can be tempted to follow their ways. Today we’ll see that this attitude motivated the Israelites to seek a king. Although the Lord gave them their request, it was not without stern warning. DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. The podcast opens with the social context of this chapter. How might the Philistine’s success have tempted the Israelites to copy the ways of the nations? 2. How old was Samuel at this point? What was his plan for the succession of authority after him?...
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3/10 1st Samuel 4 - Rabbit's Foot Theology
Key Chapters of the Bible
Sometimes people try to manufacture good luck through some kind of “rabbit’s foot” thinking. It might be through an actual item or perhaps some ritual or deed. Today we’ll see that when the Israelites treated God like a “rabbit’s foot”, it didn’t go so well. Join us! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. Who were the Israelites battling in verse 1? How did their battle go in verse 2? How is that different from their previous battles that we’ve looked at over the past several months? 2. What did the people decide to do in verse 3? What did this...
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3/9 1st Samuel 3 - The Call of God
Key Chapters of the Bible
What kind of heart is God’s servant supposed to have? Today as we study 1st Samuel 3, we’ll read about God’s call of Samuel and we’ll look at how Samuel responds. Join us! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. What did we learn yesterday in our study of 1st Samuel 2, about Eli and his sons? How do you think that contributed to the spiritual condition of Israel during this time? 2. What was Samuel doing in verses 2 & 3? Why was he doing that? 3. Who spoke to Samuel in verse 4? Was this an audible voice? Why didn’t Samuel recognize...
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3/8 1st Samuel 2 - Praying or Playing
Key Chapters of the Bible
One of the most common accusations against Christians is that they’re “hypocrites”. While this accusation is often not justified, sometimes it is. Today we will look at 1st Samuel 2, which is a study in contrasts. We’ll see the contrasts between a godly woman, hypocritical leaders, and a godly young man. Join us for another practical study in God’s Word. DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. In our study, yesterday, of 1st Samuel 1, what did Hannah pray? What did she do with Samuel when the Lord answered her prayer? 2. Verses 1 to 11 contains one of the longest...
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3/7 1st Samuel 1 - Broken-Hearted Faith
Key Chapters of the Bible
There are times in life when God answers our prayers in ways that are slower than we’d like. Today, we’ll look at 1st Samuel 1, and see how Hannah trusted the Lord as she waited for Him to answer her prayers. Join us! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. What did the podcast say about the religious stability of the people of 1st Samuel during these opening chapters? What led to this condition? 2. In verse 2, Elkanah has two wives. Although this was technically permissible in the Old Testament, what kinds of problems did the podcast explain that these...
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3/6 Judges 2 - Struggling to be Faithful
Key Chapters of the Bible
Sometimes we struggle in our faith, and today in our study of Judges 2, we will see that the people wavered in their faith and struggled in fellowship with God, and suffered the consequences for it. We’ll also see that their struggles lay out key principles for living a life of faith today. Join us for another key study in God’s Word! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. Who is addressing the people in verse 1? What in verse 1 helps us decode who this is? Why is this important to understand? 2. What did the people fail to do in verse 3? What was the Lord’s...
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3/5 Joshua 6 - Walking in God's Promises
Key Chapters of the Bible
As we continue to walk with the Children of Israel, today we turn to Joshua 6 and the Fall of Jericho. While the events of this chapter are straightforward, the spiritual and practical gems of this chapter are rich and numerous. Join us as we mine out key principles of God’s Word! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. Jericho was a well-fortified city on a hill. In normal conditions, it was safe and secure. However, what does verse 1 tell us about the state of the city? What does this show us about their perspective of the threat of the Jews? 2. What did the Lord...
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3/4 Joshua 3 - Taking a Step of Faith
Key Chapters of the Bible
Today in our study of Joshua 3, we’ll look at how the Children of Israel literally stepped out in faith and watched God do a wonderful miracle of necessity and confirmation. We’ll glean several principles for faith and obedience. Join us in another faith-strengthening study in God’s Word! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. Where are the Children of Israel in verse 1? Practically speaking, what kinds of things do you think were necessary to move two million people across the Jordan River into the Promised Land? What does verse 15 tell us about the banks of the river? Was this...
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3/3 Joshua 2 - Redeeming Our Lives
Key Chapters of the Bible
Why does God use sinful people? Or more specifically, why does God use really sinful people? Well, in today's study of Joshua 2, we'll look at the faith of Rahab and how God uses her, despite her sin. Join us for another thought-provoking study in the key chapters of God's Word! DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS: 1. Joshua 2 opens with the Children of Israel on the Plains of Moab on the Eastern Side of the Jordan River. Why did the podcast suggest that they were there? How might have Joshua’s prior experience as a spy influenced where they were considering entering the Promised...
info_outlineThere are times when the world seems to have all the glitz & glamor and we can be tempted to follow their ways. Today we’ll see that this attitude motivated the Israelites to seek a king. Although the Lord gave them their request, it was not without stern warning.
DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. The podcast opens with the social context of this chapter. How might the Philistine’s success have tempted the Israelites to copy the ways of the nations?
2. How old was Samuel at this point? What was his plan for the succession of authority after him? How was that working out?
3. In verse 5, what did the people want? How did Samuel initially view this demand in verse 6?
4. What did the Lord say about the people’s demand in verses 7 & 8? How might the people’s low view of their covenant with God help us understand why the Lord says these things?
5. In verses 10 to 17, what dangers did Samuel warn the people about? Why would a king have this impact on the nation?
6. What would the Lord’s response be to them in verse 18? How does their low view of their covenant with God help us understand why He would not listen to them?
7. In verse 20, why did the people want a king? What does this reflect about their view of God?
8. The podcast points out that Samuel is most well-known for the things he did in his old age. How does this give us hope that we’re never too old to be part of God’s work in this world?
9. The podcast speculated that Samuel’s circuit ministry in 1st Samuel 7 may have kept Samuel away from his family for long stretches. Why would this be a problem? How would this violate God’s instructions about the role of parents in Deuteronomy 6?
10. Why is it tempting to look at the world’s goods and to think that their success comes from their wisdom and their ways?
11. What dangers can you see in this passage about people forcing something to get what they want, but it not be God’s highest ideal for their life?
12. Finally, who should be our true king and how should we relate to Him?
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