2/29 Deuteronomy 29 - A Covenant for All

God calls all of us to trust Him and step out in faith. Today we read the account of when Saul was chosen to be king. We’ll build upon the principles yesterday (regarding Saul’s reluctance) and see that his reluctance was really about a lack of faith and trust in the Lord. Join us! 

DISCUSSION AND STUDY QUESTIONS:

1.    What were the circumstances from 1st Samuel 9 that led to the events of 1st Samuel 10? 
2.    What did Samuel do to Saul in verse 1? What did this signify? 
3.    In verses 2-7, what were the signs that Saul would see? What were these signs intended to confirm? Did they happen?
4.    After these signs occurred, what did the Lord do to Saul’s heart in verse 9? 
5.    How does Saul answer his uncle in verse 14? What does this indicate about Saul’s spiritual condition? How do we understand verses 14 & 9 in light of each other? 
6.    What did the people do at Mizpah in 1st Samuel 7? How does that help us understand this gathering here in verse 17?
7.    After Saul was selected in verse 21, where was Saul in verse 22? What does this show us about his character? 
8.    How would you characterize Saul’s response to his malcontents in verse 27? Was that the right response? Why? 
9.    When you read this account about Saul, would you say that he was surrendered to the God and God’s will for his life? Why or why not? 
10.    How was Saul’s fear a sin? How should Saul have responded towards the Lord’s plan for him? 

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

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Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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 the details for Saul to meet Samuel?
4.    According to verses 15 and 16, what would Samuel be expecting from this encounter?
5.    What can we learn about Saul’s perspective on this whole situation from verse 21? How was Saul getting in the way of hearing what the Lord had to say through Samuel?
6.    In terms of application, how did the Lord use Saul’s difficulties to bring him to this divine appointment?

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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? 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? 

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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 disrespect God and seek to use Him as a means for good luck? 
3.    How did the Philistines react in verses 6 & 7? What happened in verse 10? 
4.    What was taken in verse 11 and who was killed? What did this indicate regarding the Lord? 
5.    How did Eli react to this news in verse 18? 
6.    When Phinehas’ wife was dying, she named her newborn son “Ichabod”. In verse 22, what does that name mean? Why do you think she gave her son this name?
7.    As you reflect on this chapter, what principles can you see about making sure we’re not getting ahead of God? 
8.    Likewise, what principles can you see about the dangers of trying to manipulate God through some kind of religious act that He is not a part of? 
9.    What are some principles about the danger of trying to manufacture the sense that God is “with us” blessing what we’re doing, when that may not be true?
10.    How should the people’s covenant with God changed how they related to Him? How does your covenant with God impact how you relate to Him today?

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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 it?
4.    What does Samuel say to the Lord in verse 9? What does this indicate about his attitude towards God?
5.    In verses 11-14, what does the Lord tell Samuel He is going to do? Who was this judgment upon? Why? 
6.    How did Eli respond to this message when Samuel told him in verse 18? How would you have responded if this was God’s message to you?
7.    In verses 19 to 20, how did Samuel continue to serve the Lord? What did this confirm?
8.    As we reflect upon Samuel’s faith, how does his example show us the heart and actions we are to have before the Lord? Where does this come from? How can we grow in these? 

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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 prayers from a woman in the entire Bible. It’s a beautiful prayer. As you read over this prayer, how does Hannah’s prayer life and the content of her prayers compare to yours?
3.    In verse 1, what is Hannah’s view of the Lord? Why does she exalt Him?
4.    In verses 2 - 4, what does Hannah exult about the Lord?
5.    What are the doctrines of God that Hannah praises God for in verses 6 to 10? Are there places where you can you follow her example and bring rich doctrine into your prayers? Which ones? Are any of these doctrines difficult for you to even pray? If so, why? 
6.    In a bit of spiritual whiplash, now we look at the example of Eli’s sons Hophni and Phinehas. How are they described in verse 12? How do their actions in this chapter confirm this description of them?
7.    What would they do in verses 13 to 16? How is this a violation of the sacredness that was necessary for the sacrifices in the book of Leviticus?
8.    What is the Lord’s view of their actions in verse 17?
9.    How did they respond to Eli’s admonishments in verses 22 - 25? How should they have responded to him? 
10.    In verse 29, what did the Lord say to Eli about his own values when it comes to things of the Lord? How is it possible to put our children before the Lord today? How can we guard against this possibility?
11.    How would you describe this hypocrisy of Eli and his sons? What were its roots? How should it have been rooted out?
12.    What was the Lord’s judgment upon them in verses 31 to 34? 
13.    In verse 35, who will God raise up instead? In verses 18 and 26, how was Samuel different from these men?
14.    This chapter gives us a powerful example of contrasts. What were the contrasts between Hannah and Eli’s sons and Samuel? As you think about your own life, is there any area of hypocrisy that needs to be rooted out? Are there any steps you can take to be more like Hannah and Samuel?

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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 marriages tended to produce? Why?
3.    What is the significance of Shiloh in verse 3? What later happened to Shiloh in Jeremiah 7:12-14? What does this tell us about the spiritual drift that is commonplace among people? 
4.    In verses 4: & 5, what kind of offering did Elkanah present to the Lord? From our studies in Leviticus 3, what were these offerings for? Why were they eating of this offering? 
5.    In verses 5 & 6, what was Hannah’s condition? What caused this? 
6.    Who did Hannah call upon in verse 11? What name did she use? What did this name mean? 
7.    How did Eli treat Hannah in verse 12? What did this reflect about Eli’s (and the nation’s) spiritual alertness? Are there times or ways that we can be oblivious to the work of God’s Spirit that is going on around us?
8.    What happened in verse 20? Why do you think the Lord waited until now to bless Hannah in this way?
9.    What does Hannah do in verse 24? How is this a fulfillment of Votive Offerings from Numbers 15:8-10?
10.    In what ways did Hannah dedicate Samuel to the Lord in verse 24? How is this a picture of what it looks like to dedicate everything to Him? 

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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 response for this failure in verse 3? 
3.    How did the people respond in verses 4 & 5? In light of the rest of this chapter, why do you think the people were weeping?
4.    Who died in verse 8? What impact you think this had on the people? Who rose up after him and his generation passed away? 
5.    Who did these people begin to serve in verses 11 & 13? What reasons did the podcast give for why people were tempted to worship these false gods? How is this kind of idolatry still reflected in our world today?
6.    Against the backdrop of everything we have studied so far, why is this so astounding? What judgment did their sin receive in verses 14 & 15?
7.    Who did the Lord begin to raise up in verse 16? How did the people respond to them in verse 17? 
8.    The podcast explained that the Book of Judges covers 300 years and 7 cycles of sin. What were the stages of their cycle from sin to salvation and back to sin?
9.    The podcast explained that this is also a picture of how we can deal with our sin. What are we supposed to do when we see that our relationship with God is struggling?
10.    What does verse 22 say was the reason for God leaving the unbelieving nations in the Promised Land? How would this have clarified the content of their faith?

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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 promise in verse 2? What did the Lord tell Joshua to have the people do in verses 3-5? How did the Lord’s promise in verse 2 make sense of the Lord’s instructions in verses 3-5?
3.    How does verse 8 describe the people’s obedience? What does this show us about the mindset and perspective of the people? How was their obedience different from the mindset and perspective of the previous generation that failed to enter the Promised Land?
4.    What happened when the people marched around the city for 6 days and then seven times on the 7th day? What did they do to the entire city in verse 24? How was this in obedience to the Lord’s instructions in verses 17-19? Why did everything belong to the Lord (in verse 17)?
5.    Who was saved out of Jericho in verses 17 & 22-23? How was her salvation from the fires of Jericho a picture of our salvation from God’s eternal fire of judgment? 
6.    What does Joshua do in verse 26? How was this fulfilled later in 1st Kings 16:34? What principle does this teach us about toying with something that God has cursed?
7.    What does this passage show us about the relationship between faith and obedience? What does it show us about the relationship between our faith in God and our lack of clamoring after this world’s goods? 
8.    Who was in charge throughout this chapter? How was this reality demonstrated throughout this chapter? 
9.    What does this chapter teach us about obeying God, even when obedience seems impossible? 
10.    What does this chapter show us about working together in unity? How did their unity show us how the people were on board with what the Lord was doing? In your own life, in your own church, are there places that you can get more on board with what the Lord is calling your church to be?

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music. 

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 a good time to cross?
2.    The podcast also explained a common challenge when studying the Bible timeline. What was the term used (in the podcast) to describe a perspective that focuses on event priority versus event sequence? How is that different from the linear perspective that we have today?
3.    In verse 5, Joshua tells the people to consecrate themselves to the Lord. From what we’ve talked about in our previous studies (such as Exodus 29 and Leviticus 1), what did consecration entail? Why was this important before the people entered the Promised Land? How might we apply this principle to our own life and consecrate ourselves to the Lord prior to important events in life?
4.    Why do you think the priests were to bring the ark before the people, in verse 6? What did this show the people? 
5.    What were the priests to do with the ark in verse 8? Was this a normal technique for fording a river ahead of millions of people? What would it indicate about the faith and obedience of the priests and the people? When the priests stepped out in faith, what happened to the water in verse 16?  
6.    This miracle demonstrated several key truths to the people. What did it demonstrate about the Lord’s inauguration of Joshua in verse 7? What did it demonstrate about God’s promises to go before them and cleanse the land in verse 10? What would it have communicated to the people who were living in the land?
7.    The podcast mentioned that crossing the Jordan River was not like crossing the Mighty Mississippi River. Roughly, how wide and deep was the Jordan River? What does this show us about the reason for miracles and God’s apparent lack of concern for giving increasingly impressive and dramatic miracles?
8.    In Joshua 4:5, why did the Lord have the people make a memorial? In Joshua 4:24, who was this memorial for? Why do we need these kinds of memorials? How might we apply this principle to our own lives in times where we’ve seen the clear hand of the Lord?
9.    When you reflect on Joshua 3, what are some lessons you’ve learned regarding what it means to trust God, believe His word and take steps in light of it? What relationship is there between taking steps of faith and seeing the Lord’s work in our lives? Is there some place in your life where you need to take a step of faith?

Check out our Bible Study Guide on the Key Chapters of Genesis! Available on Amazon!

To see our dedicated podcast website with access to all our episodes and other resources, visit us at: www.keychapters.org.

Find us on all major platforms, or use these direct links:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6OqbnDRrfuyHRmkpUSyoHv

Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/366-key-chapters-in-the-bible/id1493571819

YouTube: Key Chapters of the Bible on YouTube.

As always, we are grateful to be included in the "Top 100 Bible Podcasts to Follow" from Feedspot.com.

Also for regularly being awarded "Podcast of the Day" from PlayerFM.

Special thanks to Joseph McDade for providing our theme music.