The first kings of Israel"
- Questions
Ideal for private meditations or for group studies.
You will get the most benefit out of these studies if you spend time in personal study before or after you watch the videos.
Questions you could use in every study:
1. What do I learn in this passage about God? About the world? About myself?
2. What do I think God is saying to me in this passage?
It’s very important to write down your findings. A ball-point pen is a wonderful meditation stick!
#1 – “The Levite and the Concubine” - Judges 19:1-14
The strange convoluted story that nearly tore Israel apart and paved the way for the monarchy in Israel.
Can you think of any merits of polygamy in the culture of Judges? What do you think of the Levite’s attitude a) to his concubine, and b) to his father-in-law?
#2 – “Atrocity” - Judges 19:15-30.
The atrocity that nearly tore Israel apart and paved the way for the monarchy in Israel.
Andy says that in the light of the mores (value system of the culture) of the time, the old man took the correct decision. Do you agree? What mores of our culture do you think are wrong?
The other tribes saw the evil and did something about it. Do you think that we as Christians should do something when we see evil? What?
#3 – Let's talk about the War - Judges 20.
The civil war that nearly tore Israel apart and paved the way for the monarchy in Israel. What are your secrets for preventing the escalation of conflict? Do you think God gets involved in human wars? How do you explain the problem of God commanding the killing of children? (See Judges 20:39; 21:10; 1 Sam 15:3).
#3b - Big Question - Did God command the killing of women and children?
Which of Andy’s answers to the question do you find the most helpful? Can you think of ather answers that satisfy you?
#4 – “Towards a monarchy” - Judges 21.
How did chaos led to the monarchy? Is there a principle here? Do you agree with the six guidelines for handling conflict? Put yourself in the place of one of the 200 men or 200 maidens. What do you feel about the situation?
#5 - “What happened in Bethlehem ‘ – Book of Ruth.
This story shows how people prepared the way for the coming of David and the Son of David and shows how ordinary people can have a big impact on the world. What characteristics of Jesus do you see in Boaz? Some places(and people) come to represent something in the world. For example, Andy says Normandy represents turning point/the beginning of victory. What do you think your country/ you might represent?
#6 - "Childless" - I Samuel 1-3.
Why do “barren” women play such an important part in the Bible.
Do you think parents should decide for their children what they should become? What do you think of the fact that Hannah decided for Samuel? When is silent prayer a good idea? Spoken prayer?
#7 - The strange journey of the Ark of the Covenant - I Sam 4:1 - 7:2
Why was it sinful and foolish to take the ark of the Covenant to the battlefield? Can you think of anything today which approximates the Ark of the Covenant? Can you find any spiritual lesson from the two cows? (If you don’t want to read the whole passage, look at Chapter 4:1-11 and Chapter 6:4-14.)
#8 - Leadership - Part 1 - 1 Sam 7
Andy ‘s first principle of leadership is that a leader should be called and gifted by God. Does this only apply to church work? Do you know of anyone who was truly called and gifted? Second principle: When God calls and gifts someone, it is our calling to recognise and follow them. Can you remember a time when you joined in with something because you recognised a leader who was called, or because you saw God at work?
#9 - Leadership Part 2 - I Samuel 8
Neither Eli's nor Samuel's sons followed in their fathers' footsteps. Is there a principle involved here?
Samuel gives serious warnings against appointing a king. How can these warnings apply to us today?
Why do you think people are attracted to dictatorial leaders? What can we do about it?
#10 - Called and Equipped - I Samuel 9-10
If this were a movie, who would you cast in the role of Saul? Do you agree that good looks can be a handicap? What can we do to prevent ourselves from judging people by appearances instead of by character?
Was Saul humble, or did he have a low self-esteem? What is the difference? Why is humility important in a leader? God gave a lot of “signs” to confirm that Saul was chosen. Do we get signs like that today?
#11 - Farewell Addresses - I Samuel 12
How do you resolve the problem that in Ch 9-11 God gives many indications that the monarchy had his approval, yet in Ch12, Samuel says three times that they have sinned in asking for a king? The people are afraid when Samuel calls down a storm in the dry season. Can you name an experience when you have been overcome with a fear of the Lord because of His creation? How did you respond? How are those times comforting as well as frightening?
#12 - Decline and fall of Saul - I Sam 13-16
We have already seen that Saul had a number of wonderful character traits: Patience, obedience, submissiveness, servanthood, restraint, forbearance, empathy, humility, gratitude, and a sense of occasion. And he was filled with the Spirit. Perhaps before looking at Andy’s video, outline how all of these characteristics fell away in chapters 13 to 16, and find other ugly characteristics that took their place. (If you don’t want to look at the whole passage, look at Chapter 13:7-14; Chapter14:18, 24-28, 43-45; and Chapter 16:14.)
#13 Testimonial for David 1 Samuel 16-31.
Choose one or two of the following chapters and see what characteristics of David you could put into his testimonial:
1 Sam 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24, 25. Why do you think this is important?
#14 - Why God loved David so much - 2 Sam 5-7
Why do you think God loved David so much?
Do you think there are things God values more than how good we are?
Do you think it's important to lift hands in worship? Why?
The number forty in the Bible
Forty represents a complete period of time in Scripture. Often indicates the importance of an event.
1. In the flood, it rained for forty days and forty nights, and then Noah waited a further forty days and forty nights.
2. Moses, life fell into three periods of forty years: forty in Pharoah's palace; forty in Midian; forty leading Israel.
3. Moses twice went up Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights.
4. The spies went into Canaan for forty days and forty nights.
5. Elijah took forty days and forty nights on his journey to Horeb (Sinai).
6. Jonah predicted the destruction of Nineveh in forty days and forty nights.
7. Jesus was forty days and forty nights in the wilderness.
8.It was forty years from the crucifixion of Jesus to the prophesied destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD.
#15 – “Warts and all” – 2 Samuel 11-19
Sex was not David’s besetting sin. What do you think was his underlying problem? See 2 Sam 11:1-4 and 2 Samuel 13:12-23, 36-39.
David was forgiven (see 12:13, and see his prayer of repentance in Psalm 51), but forever afterwards his life was plagued by difficulty. Is there a principle here? Is this always the case?
#17 Was Solomon a Great Man? I Ki 2-10
If God offered to give you whatever you asked for – what would you ask for? Honestly. Solomon asked for wisdom. Is there something in your life that you need wisdom for? Was Romeo and Juliet a tragedy? What has Jan Smuts in common with Solomon?
#18 – Why did Solomon fall? – 1 Kings11
How does watching the fall of someone else help us?
How was Solomon's sin worse than David's?
#16 – A Messy Transition - I Kings 1
What do you like and what don’t you like in this chapter?
Adonijah really wanted to be king. Is there something in your life right now that you really want and are working hard to get?
Solomon's kingdom
Rehoboam's kingdom
#19 Rehoboam – The impulse to cruelty
I Kings 12:1-24
It’s a salutary thought that Hitler was elected by the popular vote of the people. What does it tell you about Rehoboam’s character that he chose his peers’ harsh advice?
Can you name some wise old people whose advice you would value? What do you see in them that inspires you?
The divided kingdom
#20 - The Lion and the Donkey - 1 Kings 12-13
The bizarre story of the lion and the donkey: what do they symbolise? Andy has made one suggestion. Can you think of any others? Andy says that taking control of our thoughts and fears may be the most difficult thing in the world, but also the most importand. Do you agre? Do you have any secrets to help us do it?
