Tag: Background Characters of the Old Testament

Baruch: Building a Legacy in a Crumbling World

• Lesson 13 for the week of December 18 to December 25

Leading Question: If God knows that our world is falling apart, how can he encourage us? Key Passages: Jeremiah 7, Judah on the edge of disaster Jeremiah 36, Jeremiah’s secretary Jeremiah 43, Taken with Jeremiah...

Continue reading →

Gehazi: Missing the Mark

• Lesson 12 for the week of December 11 to December 18

Leading Question: Can the punishment for sin last forever? Key Passages: 2 Kings 4, Elisha’s insightful helper and the wealthy Shunammite woman 2 Kings 5, Coveting Naaman’s wealth 2 Kings 8:1-6, Remembering the miracle of...

Continue reading →

The Widow of Zarephath: The Leap of Faith

• Lesson 11 for the week of December 4 to December 11

Leading Question: Does God like foreigners? Key Passages: 1 Kings 17, God’s intervention on behalf of a foreign widow Luke 4:24-26, Jesus reminds God’s people of the foreign widow Thoughts: 1. Does God like foreigners?...

Continue reading →

The Man of God: Obedience Is Not Optional

• Lesson 10 for the week of November 27 to December 4

Leading Question: Is it possible that a true prophet can contradict the Word of the Lord? Key Passage: 1 Kings 13, A prophet learns obedience the hard way The full chapter (1 Kings 13) should...

Continue reading →

Rizpah: The Influence of Faithfulness

• Lesson 9 for the week of November 20 to November 27

Leading Question: Is it possible for a woman to rouse a king’s conscience? Key Passages: 2 Samuel 3:6-12, A concubine of Saul, David’s enemy 2 Samuel 21:1-14, Rizpah reminds David of his duty to deceased...

Continue reading →

Joab: David’s Weak Strong Man

• Lesson 8 for the week of November 13 to November 20

Leading Question: When you have a relative working for you and the relative gets you into trouble by his bad behavior, what do you do with the relative? Key Passages: 2 Samuel 2-3, Blood feud,...

Continue reading →

Abiathar: The Priest

• Lesson 7 for the week of November 6 to November 13

Leading Question: Does one last mistake, overshadow forever a life that otherwise was marked by faithfulness? Key Passages: 1 Samuel 21:1-9, Ahimelech, Abiathar’s father, gives holy bread to David 1 Samuel 22, Abiathar escapes the...

Continue reading →

Uriah: Faith of a Foreigner

• Lesson 6 for the week of October 30 to November 6

Leading Question: When a leader commits a great mistake, can we still trust him or her? Key Passage: 2 Samuel 11 Questions: A Man After God’s Own Heart? When God rejected Saul, Samuel said that...

Continue reading →

Abigail: No Victim of Circumstances

• Lesson 5 for the week of October 23 to October 30

Leading Question: If your spouse does something really foolish, what is your obligation to protect him or her? Key Passage: 1 Samuel 25 Thoughts: Protecting your spouse. From a modern perspective, we might wonder how...

Continue reading →

Jonathan: Born for Greatness

• Lesson 4 for the week of October 16 to October 23

Leading Question: Does the Lord always choose the best man to be his leader? Key Passages: 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan takes risks for Israel, the people rescue him from Saul 1 Samuel 18-20 Jonathan in...

Continue reading →

Hannah: Learning to Be Someone

• Lesson 3 for the week of October 9 to October 16

Leading Question: Does it work to bargain with the Lord when we want something very badly? Key Passage: 1 Samuel 1-2, Baby Samuel brings joy to childless Hannah Questions: Bargaining with the Lord. Hannah made...

Continue reading →

Caleb: Living With the Wait

• Lesson 2 for the week of October 2 to October 9

Leading Question: How does one stand for the Lord when everyone else falls away? Key Passages: Numbers 13-14, From twelve spies down to two, Caleb and Joshua Joshua 14, Caleb asks for the toughest part...

Continue reading →

Appendix B: The Worst Story in the Old Testament: Judges 19-21

• Introduction

Appendix B: “Who Can Change the Mind of God?” Commentary on conditional prophecy (Jeremiah 26): By Alden Thompson, “Who Can Change the Mind of God?” Signs of the Times, Feb. 1992, 25-27. God is in...

Continue reading →

Appendix A: Commentary on the ninth command

• Introduction

Appendix A, on truth-telling: Commentary on the ninth command, Alden Thompson, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,” Signs of the Times, November 1988, 20-22. Published as “When the Truth Is a Lie,”...

Continue reading →