Encounter the Bible

As the story shifts from one king to the next, it becomes clear that even the "good" kings have tragic flaws.  As Judah learns its history and how it got sent into exile, what things do you think they're learning?  How can we learn from the lessons of Judah?  Even though these kings are flawed, how do they point us to Jesus? Enjoy your reading!  Please share your reflections and questions.   Be sure to use the guiding questions as you read. Our guiding questions are these:  What stood out to you in the reading? Was there anything confusing or troubling? Did anything make you think differently about God? How might what you read change the way you live?   

Now we have a transition from David to Solomon and then the divided kingdom.  Solomon is tasked with building the temple.  God continues to show his love and faithfulness to his people, despite their sin.  That's the message God's people coming out of exile needed to hear: that God is a gracious and compassionate God, worthy of honor and worship. Enjoy your reading!  Please share your reflections and questions.   Be sure to use the guiding questions as you read. Our guiding questions are these:  What stood out to you in the reading? Was there anything confusing or troubling? Did anything make you think differently about God? How might what you read change the way you live?   

The focus shifts now from Saul to David.  The book of Chronicles was written to give hope to the God's people returning from exile.  In what ways do these chapters give hope?   David is known for his military victories and bringing the nation of Israel to be a military force in that region.  Yet he was also concerned about worshiping God and ensuring that everything was in place for God's people to worship him in the land. What does that say about David?  What does that say about how God should be worshiped. Enjoy your reading!  Please share your reflections and questions.   Be sure to use the guiding questions as you read. Our guiding questions are these:  What stood out to you in the reading? Was there anything confusing or troubling? Did anything make you think differently about God? How might what you read change the way you live?   

This week, we cover the first 8 chapters of 1 Chronicles. Do you have a genealogy for your family?  What names are on it?  What stories does it tell?  In ancient times, genealogies functioned, not as an accurate historical account of names and dates; rather, it functioned to tell a story. What story do you think the genealogies in the early chapters of 1 Chronicles is trying to tell?  Given the context of being written for God's people in the post-exile period, what message did they need to hear?  What does it say about God and his relationship with his people? Enjoy your reading!  Please share your reflections and questions.   Be sure to use the guiding questions as you read. Our guiding questions are these:  What stood out to you in the reading? Was there anything confusing or troubling? Did anything make you think differently about God? How might what you read change the way you live?   

This week, we cover chapters 40-48 of Ezekiel.   Ezekiel certainly ends on a high note as he is given a vision of a restored temple and a restored Israel.  What a wonderful message to receive!  What a wonderful word of hope!  But we have to remember that this was given while they were still in exile.  If you were in exile and heard this prophecy, what would be your reaction?  Would you believe it?  Would you be hopeful, yet skeptical?  Would you think Ezekiel had lost his mind? Our God hates and must punish sin because he is just and righteous.  But he is also full of mercy and compassion.  The tension that we feel in Ezekiel between God's justice and mercy is resolved at the cross where those two things came together in Jesus Christ, where Jesus took our punishment and satisfied God's wrath against sin. The prophets remind us that the good news is good because, on our own, it's only bad news.  Israel wandered far from God, but...

This week, we cover chapters 30-39 of Ezekiel.  There is a significant shift that happens at chapter 36.  After multiple prophecies against Israel and the surrounding nations, there is finally a word of hope.  The shift begins in chapter 34, where God promises to be Israel's shepherd because its previous shepherds have failed. But then in chapter 36, God promises the return of his people and then illustrates that through the valley of dry bones coming to life. When we read prophecy, God's justice and anger are often front and center.  But there is always a word of hope.  God is also merciful and compassionate and wants his people to live in relationship with him.  Ultimately, that hope is realized through Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd, the one who would also lay down his life for his sheep and then take it back up again so that we, too, can share in his victory. Yes, there are consequences to sin.  Israel learned that.  We learn that, too. But ...