Tag: Alden Thompson

Josiah’s Reforms

• Lesson 8 for the week of November 14 to November 21

Key Texts: 2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chron. 34-35 In lesson #3 we documented the gradual nature of Josiah’s awakening. Those steps can be listed briefly again here: Josiah’s reign began in 639 when he was...

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Crisis Continues

• Lesson 7 for the week of November 7 to November 14

Key Texts: Jeremiah 10, 26 The official “theme” for this week’s lesson is not very revealing, but the primary passages point to two very diverse but significant issues: Israel’s attraction for other gods (Jeremiah 10)...

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Symbolic Acts

• Lesson 6 for the week of October 31 to November 7

Key Texts: Numbers 19, Jeremiah 13, 18, 19 Symbolic acts can be very helpful, but also deadly. Differences in personalities and cultures can lead to significant distortions. In this lesson we will consider one of...

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More Woes for the Prophet

• Lesson 5 for the week of October 24 to October 31

Key Texts: Jeremiah 18:18-23; 20:7-13, 14-18 The theme for this lesson in the standard Sabbath School lesson guide is similar to the one for the last lesson (“Rebuke and Retribution”) in that both focus on...

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Rebuke and Retribution

• Lesson 4 for the week of October 17 to October 24

Key Texts: Jeremiah 11:18-23; 12:1-6; 15:10-12, 15-21; 17:14-18 Jeremiah’s “Confessions” For lessons 4 and 5 we will be focusing on a cluster of unique passages in Jeremiah called by scholars as Jeremiah’s “Confessions.” The title...

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The Last Five Kings of Judah

• Lesson 3 for the week of October 10 to October 17

Key Texts: 1 Chron. 34; Jeremiah 21-22 A Touch of Good, an Avalanche of Evil Josiah and his four sons were listed in connection with the first lesson of this quarter. That list is repeated...

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The Crisis Within and Without

• Lesson 2 for the week of October 3 to October 10

Key Texts: Jeremiah 2 Jeremiah Against the Backdrop of History The standard Sabbath School study guide takes this second lesson to survey the history of Israel up to the fall of Jerusalem during the time...

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The Prophetic Calling of Jeremiah

• Lesson 1 for the week of September 26 to October 3

Key Texts: Jeremiah 1:1-19; 7:5-7 The Book of Jeremiah The book of Jeremiah is remarkable for several reasons. Canonical status. The man for whom the book is named was thoroughly vilified by the believers in...

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Women and Wine

• Lesson 13 for the week of March 21 to March 28

Biblical References: Proverbs 31 Leading Question: To what extent does the picture of the ideal wife in Proverbs 31 reinforce or undermine male chauvinism? An ambivalent answer to the leading question is suggested at the...

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The Humility of the Wise

• Lesson 12 for the week of March 14 to March 21

Biblical References: Proverbs 30 Leading Question: ”On what basis can one claim an exalted status for oneself?” As noted earlier (lesson #9), those who want to see the whole book of Proverbs as coming from...

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Living by Faith

• Lesson 11 for the week of March 7 to March 14

Biblical References: Proverbs 28-29 Leading Question: If one wants to be a law-abiding citizen, does Proverbs make it perfectly clear how to do that? The quick answer to that leading question is no – yet...

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Behind the Mask

• Lesson 10 for the week of February 28 to March 7

Biblical References: Proverbs 25-27 Leading Question: “What is the danger of thinking too highly of oneself?” The first verse of this section of Proverbs (25:1) indicates that this is a another collection of Solomonic proverbs...

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Words of Truth

• Lesson 9 for the week of February 21 to February 28

Biblical References: Proverbs 22-24 Leading Question: “How can we determine when other faith communities or even secular communities, maintain truths that we should support?” At the heart of this week’s discussion is a piece of...

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Words of Wisdom

• Lesson 8 for the week of February 14 to February 21

Biblical References: Proverbs 20-22 Leading Question: What can be done to cure laziness? Proverbs has lots to say about the lazy person – the NIV prefers the more colorful term “sluggard.” The following proverbs all...

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