Rich Nelson Uncategorized

27: Psalms — Introduction

Get Ready

The Hebrew term for this book is “Sefer Tehillim,” which means “book of hymns” or “songs of praise.” The Greek word, Psalms, referred to “music on stringed instruments” or “songs adapted to this type of music.” Many psalms were used in Jewish worship, and several are now English Christian worship songs.

Author

Almost half of the psalms (73) are associated with David, either as the author or as the person the psalm was written for. The Hebrew word translated “of” can also mean “to” or “for – which is reasonable given his role as worship organizer in the kingdom.

Solomon (72, 127) and Moses (90) are specified as authors of psalms, as well as several priests or Levites, who organized and led worship services in the temple: Asaph and his family (50, 73-83), the sons of Korah (42, 44-49, 84, 85, 87, 88), Heman (88), and Ethan the Ezrahite (89). Fifty of the psalms do not have an identified author.

Context

Many of the psalms were written during the time Israel was a united kingdom (1010-931 BCE); however, the compositions extend from Moses (1400 BCE) through the exile and return (538 BCE). This provides a variety of cultural as well as linguistic differences among the psalms. The variety of authors also gives us several different approaches to understanding, praising and petitioning God.

Structure

The book of Psalms is actually a compilation of five different collections of psalms (many translations identify each of the “books”). They appear in historical order: Psalms 1-41 are from the time when David was king, Psalms 42-72 are from Solomon’s time, Psalms 73-89 and 90-106 are generally from the time of exile, and Psalms 107-150 are from the period of the return from Babylon. There is no particular order to the psalms within each collection.

Major Themes

Psalms is a collection of individual “songs” that reflect humans’ response to God. Some psalms are intimate and personal statements about a single individual’s response to God in a specific situation; other psalms are intended to be group expressions about God in a worship setting. Many psalms are hymns of praise or thanksgiving for God’s blessings, while others are emotional calls for vengeance against an enemy.

Some scholars have identified the different types of psalms according to the subjects or themes they present:

  • Praise psalms – focus on God’s qualities and characteristics [33, 103 and 139 are examples].
  • History psalms – present God’s interactions with his called people [as in 68, 78 and 106].
  • Relationship psalms – deal with the relationship God has with an individual [check 8, 20, 23 and 55].
  • Petition (or protection) psalms – ask God to do something on the writer’s behalf – usually harmful to the person’s enemies [for example 35, 69, 137].
  • Confession psalms – acknowledge the author’s (or the people’s) failures and sins [such as 6, 32, and 51].
  • Messianic psalms – focus on Christ as the anointed descendent of King David [the New Testament mentions 2, 4, 22, 72, 132, among others].
  • Liturgical psalms – are intended for group use in worship [check 30, 92 and 120].

Psalm 119 is a hymn to God’s law. It is the longest psalm and also the most literary and complex. Each stanza begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet and each line within that stanza begins with the same letter.

A note on Hebrew poetry

Parallelism is the predominant feature of Hebrew poetry. Unlike English poetry which often focuses on the sounds of words and the rhythm of those sounds, Hebrew poetry puts pairs of ideas or images together. There are three types of parallelism in Hebrew literature:

  • Synonymous parallelism – repeats the same idea or thought in a slightly different way: I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your ordinances before me, [119:30].
  • Antithetical parallelism – the second statement is the opposite of the first: For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land, [37:9].
  • Building parallelism – the second statement builds on or amplifies the first: The Lord is high above the nations, and his glory above the heavens, [113:4].

Middle eastern literature is also more likely to use hyperbole and exaggerated images than we usually find in western modern literature. For example: O Lord, why do you cast me off? Why do you hide your face from me? Wretched and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am desperate. Your wrath has swept over me; your dread assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long; from all sides they close in on me, [88:14-17].

Get into the Word:

1. What do we know about the writers(s) of the psalms? Who are the primary authors? Why do you think so many of the psalms are attributed to or connected with David?

2. When were the psalms written? What is probably the oldest psalm in the book? When were the newest ones written? How does this affect the current book?

3. How is the book organized? How are the psalms organized within each group? Does your Bible identify the various collections? 

4. What is the overarching theme of Psalms? What are some of the primary types or groups of songs within the larger book? How do you respond the various types of psalms?

Bible Trivia:
Praise the Lord appears in some form 104 times in the Psalms.
Salvation is used 46 times.
Steadfast love of the Lord is mentioned 120 times.

5. What is the main feature of Hebrew poetry? How does it differ from English poetry? What are the three types of parallelism? What other differences are there between Hebrew poetry and more contemporary literature?

Notes: Joy . . .

Joy is mentioned 43 times in the Psalms, and joyful noise appears 6 times.

We often view “church” on Sunday as something less than joyful. Instead we treat it as something God says we have to do.

We forget what David knew when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem: being in God’s presence is the most joyful place we can be, being aware of God’s love is the most joy-filled experience possible!

God calls us to worship not as a duty, not as payment for his blessings, not as credit for our sins. He calls us to worship so we can know the joy he has in our faith, so we can experience his “steadfast love,” so we can share that love with others.

The psalms remind us that God intends worship to be joyful, to be a celebration that He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand, [95:7].

27: Two ways, God’s anointed, Trust – Psalms 1, 2, 3

Get Ready

When you were in high school who did you spend time with? How were these people like you? How were they different? What kinds of things did you do together? What kind of people are they now? Are you still friends with any of them? How has the relationship changed over time?

The Word

1The Two Ways
Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.
4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish. 

2God’s Promise to His Anointed
Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? 
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and his anointed, saying, 
3 “Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.” 
4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision. 
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying, 
6 “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.” 
7 I will tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have begotten you. 
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession. 
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron,
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” 
10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 
11 Serve the Lord with fear, with trembling 
12 kiss his feet, or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way;
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Happy are all who take refuge in him. 

3Trust in God under Adversity
A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom. 
O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 
2 many are saying to me, “There is no help for you in God.”   Selah 
3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. 
4 I cry aloud to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy hill.   Selah 
5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me. 
6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around. 
7 Rise up, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; 
you break the teeth of the wicked. 
8 Deliverance belongs to the Lord; 
may your blessing be on your people!   Selah   NRSV 

Get into the Word:

1. What is the psalm about? What kind of people are involved? How does the writer describe the two types of people?

2. How are the peoples’ actions different? What is the outcome from each set of actions? What are the consequences of the two choices? Who does God watch over?

3. What is the second psalm about? What kind of people are involved? What are the people doing? What do they want to accomplish?

4. How does God respond to these people and their plans? How will he deal with this situation? Who else will become involved? 

5. How is the “king” related to God? What will God do for the king? How will the king respond to the nations? What do the nations need to do to avoid this outcome?

6. What is the third psalm about? Who is speaking here? What is the situation? How does the writer describe God? What example does he cite as evidence? What does he ask of God?

Get Personal:

How does God help you with the choices you face? How does he help you understand his nature and character? How does he protect you?

Notes . . .

1:1. Those who do not — a “good” person does not follow wicked advice, take a sinful path, or associate with those who mock God and his law.
1:2. Delight — studying God’s law is not a chore for a person who really wants to follow it [see “Joy” above].
1:3. Prosper — following God is often linked with prosperity: God promised the Israelites a land “flowing with milk and honey,” [Exodus 3:8].
1:5. Will not stand — in ancient cultures, as now, the speaker in a meeting would stand; here “the wicked” would have nothing to say. The second line makes this clear: “sinners” will not participate in any meeting of “the righteous.”
2:1. Nations conspire — the writer is referring to the nations that attempted to conquer Israel when David was uniting it.
2:2. Anointed — “Messiah” is the Hebrew word for an anointed person; “Christos” is the Greek word – which leads many to see this psalm as a prophecy of Jesus.
2:4. Derision — scorn or contempt – the first line says God laughed at them.
2:6. Set my king — God appointed Saul and David as kings of Israel and promised David that one of his descendants would be king “forever,” [2 Sam 7:13]. Most ancient cultures believed kings were divinely appointed.

Zion — initially referred to the area of Jerusalem where the temple was, but later included the whole city. “Holy hill” referred to the elevated area of the temple.
2:7. My son — God’s promise to David included this concept: I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me, [2 Sam 7:14].
2:9. Rod of iron — other translations use “scepter” or “sword.” Iron was one of the strongest metals known at the time.
Dash them in pieces — “smash” or “shatter” are more contemporary terms.
2:12. Kiss his feet — rather than rebel and lose, the “kings” should submit to God’s chosen king.
3:1. Foes — the tradition is that David wrote this prayer when he fled from his son, Absalom [details at 2 Sam 15-18].
3:2. Selah — this Hebrew word means “lift up;” many believe it is a sign to “think about this.”
3:3. Shield — a common image for God’s protections [as in Psalm 7, 18, 28, 33, 59, 115, 144].
3:8. Deliverance — David generalizes: God will protect and bless him, but also everyone who calls on him.

Memory Verse:
The Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish, [1:6].

Next Lesson:
Psalm 58, 69: Petitions

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

26: Job — Introduction

Get Ready

Integrity is often defined as “how a person acts when no one is looking.” Job is a person of integrity in the midst of extreme hardship and suffering when both God and Satan are looking – and waiting to see if Job will renounce his faith and “curse God.”

Author

Most scholars agree that Job is one of the finest works of literature in the entire Bible; but there is no consensus on who wrote it or when. There are no clues in the work itself about possible authors. The Hebrew in Job is very old, leading some to belief it is the earliest written work in the Bible. Others suggest it was written around the time of King Solomon (950 BCE), based on the other “wisdom” writings of the time (primarily Proverbs). It must have been written sometime before 600 BCE., since the prophet Ezekiel mentions Job [14:14].

Context

The first verse places Job “in the land of Uz,” and describes him as “the greatest of all the people of the east,” [1:3]. There is some agreement that the setting is east of Palestine in Edom.

There is no information in the book about when the events take place. Most authorities believe it is based on a historical incident, but that it has been altered over time by repeated telling and re-telling. Job was probably a family leader similar to Abraham and the story may be from the same era (2000-1800 BCE). This possibility is based on the similarity of Job’s situation with that of Abraham: wealth is based on livestock, not land, crops or other possessions, and Job is the head of his extended family, including children, spouses and their children. In addition, Job’s God is personal – not the Yahweh of Moses and the Law.

Structure

Even though it may be based on a historical event, Job is a work of poetic fiction. The major components of the book include:

  • A prologue that introduces Job and his setting and the primary questions regarding Job’s faith [chapters 1-2].
  • An extended discussion of suffering between Job and three of his friends: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar [chapters 3-31].
  • Elihu’s rebuke of Job and his friends and defense of God’s justice [chapters 32-37].
  • God’s response to Job [chapters 38-41].
  • Job’s confession and restoration [chapter 42].

Except for the narrative prologue and epilogue the book is a series of extended poetic speeches – first between Job and his three friends, then by Elihu, and finally by God. These are not conversations as we know them, but fairly lengthy speeches.

Major Themes

Job is an exploration of the nature of faith – especially the nature of faith in the midst of suffering and doubt. 

As the book opens Job is a prosperous and righteous man who worships God. But at a gathering in Heaven, Satan suggests that Job’s faith is the result of all the blessings God has given him, and says Job will curse God if his possessions are removed. God accepts this challenge and allows Satan to take away all his possessions, including his children. Job responds that he had nothing when he was born and will have nothing when he dies, “blessed be the name of the Lord,” [1:21]. So Satan tells God that Job will curse God if his life is threatened. God agrees to this challenge as long as Satan spares Job’s life. Job suffers greatly but tells his wife “shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” [2:10].

At this point Job’s friends show up, but instead of comforting him they tell him his suffering is punishment for his sins. This is consistent with the general cultural view, as well as the Old Testament concept, that God (or the gods) inflicts suffering in response to a person’s sin. But Job responds to these arguments that he is a righteous person who has done nothing wrong – he does not deserve this misfortune.

After several rounds of this debate with no agreement or solution, Elihu speaks up. He rebukes Job and his friends for missing the “correct” answer: that God is greater than human logic and reasoning and that suffering is primarily for discipline and testing our character.

Finally God himself speaks to Job. He does not explain himself or justify Job’s suffering but asks him, “Where we you when I laid the foundation of the earth?” [38:4]. God created all things – including Job and the rest of us. We are subject to him. We are not his equals to question him; we are his creatures to worship him.

At this Job acknowledges his position and repents “in dust and ashes,” [42:6]. After God rebukes Job‘s friends he restores Job’s fortunes greater than he had before.

The conclusion is Job’s affirmation of God’s power and righteousness: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted,” [42:2.

Get into the Word:

1. What do we know about the author of this book? What about the time the book was written? 

2. Where does Job’s story take place? When did these events happen? Whose situation is similar to Job’s? In what respects?

3. What kind of literature is the book? What are the major parts of the work? Why do you think the author chose this format for the book? Does it make it easier or more difficult to understand?

4. What are the major themes of the book? What does it teach us about God? About ourselves? About our relationship with God? About our situation in life? 

Bible Trivia
Job is a character in the Jewish and Christian faith traditions, but he is also an important figure in Islam’s tradition. 

5. What is Job’s status in the beginning of the book? How does this change? Who is responsible for these changes? How does Job respond to these changes in his life?

6. Who comes to visit Job? What do these people tell Job about his situation? How does Job respond to their arguments? How might you have responded?

7. Who finally ends the discussion? What does this person say? Why do you suppose he did not answer Job’s primary question? How does Job deal with this response?

Bible Trivia:
Satan — the Hebrew word means “accuser” so it is more like a title than a name; it is also used for a prosecutor or a person who brings charges in court as well as a political adversary [as in 2 Sam 19:22-23]. Satan became personalized in the Christian era.

Doctrine Note . . .
Peter provides one answer for Job’s question: For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God,
[1 Peter 3:17-18].

26: The Lord answers Job –
Job 38:1-34, 42:1-6

Get Ready

When you were growing up did your parent ever answer one of your questions with “that’s just the way it is,” or “because I said so”? How did you respond? Did you push for more information or did you let the matter drop? Have you ever answered your child in that manner? 

The Word

38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:
2 “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? 3 Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. 

4 “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements — surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone 7 when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy? 

8 “Or who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb? — 9 when I made the clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band, 10 and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, 11 and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stopped’? 

12 “Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place, 13 so that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it? 14 It is changed like clay under the seal, and it is dyed like a garment. 15 Light is withheld from the wicked, and their uplifted arm is broken. 

16 “Have you entered into the springs of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep? 17 Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? 18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this. 

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,  and where is the place of darkness, 20 that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home? 21 Surely you know, for you were born then, and the number of your days is great! 

22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, 23 which I have reserved for the time of trouble,  for the day of battle and war? 24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?
 
25 “Who has cut a channel for the torrents of rain, and a way for the thunderbolt, 26 to bring rain on a land where no one lives, on the desert, which is empty of human life, 27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground put forth grass? 

Job Is Humbled and Satisfied

42 Then Job answered the Lord: 
2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.’ 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. Who enters the conversation now? How does he do so? How does he begin his comments? Why do you think he starts like he does? 

2. What questions does God ask Job at first? Why do you suppose he chose to open in this manner? What do the questions imply about the difference between God and Job? How do you think Job is feeling about now?

3. What aspects of creation does God ask Job about? How does he describe his role in each one? How do these images “fit” with other ancient cultures [see Notes]?

4. What does God say about light and darkness? About death? About the earth? What does he say about Job’s age and knowledge? 

5. What does God say about nature? Why do you think he brings up snow, hail, rain and thunder? What does this say about God’s power?

6. How does Job respond to God? What does he acknowledge about his previous speeches? How does he describe what God is talking about? How does he describe himself after God has finished speaking? How might you describe yourself if you were there?



Get Personal:

How do you feel about suffering? How does God help you deal with pain or misfortune? How does he help you trust when things are not going as you had hoped?


Notes . . .

38:1. Whirlwind — also translated “storm” – God has presented himself to others “out of a storm,” [check 2 Kings 2:11 and Ezek 1:4].
38:2. Darkens counsel by words without knowledge — today we would probably say “who is confusing things and doesn’t know what they’re talking about?”
38:4. Foundation of the earth — many ancient cultures viewed the universe as a temple; as a result they took very special care when building a temple to their deity to make sure the deity “approved” the location and orientation of the building. [Check the detailed instructions for the tabernacle in Exodus 26.]
38:7. Morning stars — Actually Mars and Venus. Israelites considered them representatives of heavenly beings (Peter and John refer to Christ as the “Morning Star,” [2 Peter 1:19, Rev 22:16]).

38:17. Gates of death — Israelites believed (as did many other ancient cultures) that the “place of the dead” (Hebrew: Sheol) had gates.
38:21. Surely you know — God is mocking Job for his claim that God should answer him, which implies some level of equality.
38:22. Storehouses — many cultures, including Israel, believed snow, rain and hail were kept in some cosmic warehouse until God (or gods) needed them.
42:2. I know — Job acknowledges God’s power and authority; he repeats and agrees with two of God’s charges against him; and he repents.
Note: Following Job’s repentance God rebukes the three “friends” for not speaking “what is right” about him. God then restores Job’s family and fortunes with double what he had before.

Memory Verse
For I know that my redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth,
[19:25].

Next Lesson
Psalms 1, 2, 3.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

Summary: God calls his chosen people

Get Ready

From the creation of the first man and woman God has sought a relationship with humans. The first two sections of the Old Testament tell the story of God’s actions to establish an ongoing relationship with people. The first part of the story covers an indefinite period of time from creation to the call of Abram. The second part covers 1,500 years (approximately) to the re-establishment of Israel.

The highlights . . .

  • Adam and Eve, the first humans lived with God in a “garden in Eden;” but they disobeyed God’s commandment to not eat of the “tree of knowledge.” As a result God expelled them from the garden into a harsh world. Their firstborn child, Cain, killed the second, Abel, and was banished.
  • After several generations, in which humans became increasingly evil, God decided to start over with a single family: Noah. God cleansed the earth with a massive flood. Only Noah and his family (including three sons and their wives) and the animals that Noah took aboard the ark, survived. God gave the rainbow as a sign to Noah that he would never flood the earth again.
  • After another ten generations (according to the genealogy in Luke) God called Abram, a man living in what is now Iraq, to bring his family to Canaan, an area along the Mediterranean Sea. Abram and his extended family follow God to Canaan. God named him Abraham and promised to make him a blessing “to all the families of the earth.”
  • Abraham’s family story reads like a modern “soap opera.” Along with God’s blessings there were lies, cheating, sexual misconduct, killings, stealing – even attempted murder. Abraham’s first son, Ishmael (by his wife’s servant), became the originator of the Arab people. His second son, Isaac, received God’s promise; but Isaac’s second son, Jacob, conned the birthright and promise from the firstborn, Esau.
  • Jacob had twelve sons who became the head of the twelve tribes of Israel. The jealous older sons tried to murder the youngest, but he ended up in Egypt as Pharaoh’s chief of staff. When a severe famine gripped the region Jacob and his sons traveled to Egypt for food and the family was reconciled.
  • Eventually a new pharaoh enslaved the Israelites and they lived in misery for 400 years.
  • God responded to the Israelites’ pleas and called Moses to lead his people to freedom. After a series of plagues, God killed all the firstborn Egyptian boys, including Pharaoh’s son (after telling the Israelites to put lamb’s blood on their doorways so the angel of death will “pass over” their homes). Pharaoh released the Israelites, but then decided to try to get them back with his army. God parted the  waters of the “Reed” sea to allow the Israelites to pass safely, then released the water and destroyed the Egyptians.
  • The Israelites moved toward Canaan, but they failed to trust God for his protection and leadership in capturing the people who lived there. As a result they wandered in the Sinai  “Wilderness” for forty more years.
  • During this time, God led them to Mount Sinai and gave Moses the Ten Commandments as part of the covenant he wanted to have with the Israelites. He also gave Moses detailed directions for organizing civil society as well as worship and sacrifice.
  • Joshua led the Israelites in their conquest of Canaan, in which they were mostly successful, although they did not conquer all the people living there. Joshua then divided the country among the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Levi did not receive any land because  their responsibility was worship and sacrifice; they lived on the offerings of the other tribes.
  • Following Joshua the Israelites lived more as individual tribes rather than a nation with a central government. This made them vulnerable to attack and subjugation by other nations, especially when their worship life deteriorated. When the people repented God raised up a “judge” who led them to victory over their oppressors – until the next time the people failed to follow God’s laws.
  • After roughly 400 years the people demanded a king, like the other nations had. After warning the people about the dangers of a king, God appointed Saul to be king. However, Saul failed to follow God’s directions, so God anointed David to be king. Saul tried for several years to eliminate David as a rival but failed. Eventually Saul and his son, Jonathan (David’s best friend), died in battle with the Philistines.
  • David became king of a united Israel (1010 BCE). He established Jerusalem as his capital and brought the Ark of the Covenant (containing the tablets of the Mosaic Law) there. He intended to build a temple for the Ark, but God told him his son, Solomon, will build the temple.
  • Even though David was “a man after God’s own heart,” he sinned. His most notorious sin was adultery with Bathsheba and then arranging her husband’s death in battle to try to cover up the sin. Even though the son conceived in adultery died, Bathsheba’s second – legitimate – son was Solomon.
  • Solomon became king on David’s death. When God asked him what he wanted as king, Solomon asked for wisdom to lead God’s people. God granted that as well as wealth and power. Solomon was very successful and built the temple according to God’s directions to Moses. However, Solomon allowed his many wives to bring their false gods and idols into Israel’s spiritual life. God removed his blessing and told Solomon his kingdom would not outlive him.
  • God was right! Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, succeeded him, but ten of the tribes refused to accept him and split off from Judah, choosing Jeroboam as their king. Interestingly the northern tribes took the name, “Israel.” 
  • For the next 200 years Israel and Judah existed together – sometimes peacefully, but often at war with each other. Israel had a total of 19 rulers and none of them are recorded as “doing right” in the eyes of the Lord.
  • Judah lasted an additional 130 years. Of the 20 rulers. Five were considered “good:” Asa, Jehoshaphat, Amaziah, Hezekiah, and Josiah.
  • In 586 BCE, the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the temple and took the leaders to Babylon. God’s chosen people had been a nation for 464 years.
  • The Persians defeated the Babylonians and allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem and restore the temple and the nation in 541 BCE. At this point the Biblical history of Israel goes silent.

But the Jewish people continued to live in Palestine. Other sources, including the Apocrypha [check page 6] provide some details.

  • Under Persian rule, pairs of leaders – one political and one “teacher of the law” – led the province of Israel. This led, over time, to formation of the Sadducees and Pharisees who “led” Israel in Jesus’ time.
  • Alexander the Great defeated the Persians in 332 BCE. 
  • The Jews revolted in 165 BCE, led by the Hasmonean (also called “Maccabeean”) family and established a (relatively) independent nation for the next 100 years.
  • In 63 BCE, the Roman general Pompeii conquered Palestine. The Roman Senate appointed Herod (“the Great”) as “king.” The Jews chaffed under Roman rule and revolted in 66 CE. The Romans crushed the revolt in 70 CE and destroyed the temple – ending Israel’s existence as a nation until 1947.
Rich Nelson Uncategorized

25: Esther: Introduction & Esther agrees to help the Jews

Get Ready

Esther may be the most unusual book in the entire Bible: it is the only book that does not mention God. No one uses his name. No one refers to him. But it is still a book that definitely is about God and how he protects his chosen people.

Author

We are back to “author unknown.” The text gives no indication of who may have written this book. Some authorities do lean toward Mordecai or perhaps one of his staff as the author, because of his role in the story and the obvious (and accurate) knowledge of the Persian palace and protocols.

Context

The story is set in the reign of King Xerxes (485-465 BCE) and was probably written shortly after this time. The Jews had begun to return to Jerusalem in 525 BCE, but most still lived in exile in Babylon and other cities of the Persian Empire.

The Persians had replaced the harsh captivity of the Babylonians with more liberal practices that allowed at least some the Jews to prosper and become relatively high government officials. This assimilation even allowed a young Jewish woman to become one of the king’s most important wives.

Structure

Esther is the story of two Jews living in Susa, one of the capital cities of Persia. It is a story of intrigue but also a love story. The major elements of the story are:

  • Esther, a young Jewish orphan raised by her uncle, Mordecai, becomes “queen of Persia” [see Notes], after the current queen refused to obey the king.
  • Shortly after Esther becomes queen, Mordecai, a court official, overhears a plot to assassinate the king. He tells Esther, who tells the king. The plotters are convicted and executed.
  • At roughly the same time the king promotes Haman to be his chief official. When Mordecai refuses to bow to him, Haman convinces the king the Jews are disloyal and should be executed.
  • Mordecai asks Esther to intercede with the king. Initially she refuses but when Mordecai says she will perish as well, she agrees to help, and “if I perish, I perish.”
  • Esther holds two banquets for the king and Haman and at the second she reveals Haman’s plot to exterminate the Jews. When Haman approaches Esther to beg for his life the king thinks he is attacking his queen.
  • The king executes Haman (on the gallows Haman intended for Mordecai) and sends new orders allowing the Jews to kill those plotting against them throughout the empire.
  • The Jews celebrate their freedom and victories with a feast now called Purim (because Haman used “pur” or lots to determine the best day to move against the Jews). Jews still celebrate Purim in February or March.

Major Themes

Esther is a story of God’s protection of his people. There are three major aspects of this protection.

  • God will keep his promise to protect his chosen people. God told Abraham “I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse,” [Genesis 12:2-3].
  • God can and does work through other people to achieve his purposes. In this story Xerxes is the king and has what looks like absolute power, but the decisions he makes actually serve God’s plan.
  • God often works in small ways to achieve his purposes. Esther is a string of relatively small events that lead to deliverance for the Jews. Often we call such events “coincidences.” Some call them miracles where God wants to remain anonymous. Others call them “God winks.”

Get into the Word

1. What do we know about the author of this book? Are there any possible authors?

2. Where does this story take place? When did it happen? What is significant about this time and place? What does it say about the Jews? About the Persians?

3. What is this book about? Who are the primary people involved in the story? What is their relationship to each other? Who do you think is the most important person in this story? Why do you believe this is so? Do you think the other characters would agree?

4. What are the major events that take place in this story? What do you consider the key event – the turning point? Why do you choose this event? What is the primary consequence of this event? How does it affect other things that happen?

5. How does Esther create a favorable setting in which to tell the king about the plot? How does the king respond? How does Haman react? What is the outcome?

6. How does the king deal with Haman? With Mordecai? With the other Jews? How do the Jews respond to the king’s decision? 

7. What is the primary theme of this book? How does the book present the theme? Can you think of other examples of God’s protection in the Bible? How about in your own experience?

Notes . . .

Queen: Xerxes probably had several wives (which would be consistent with the culture) and Esther was the primary or favored wife, not a “queen” as we think of the term today.

When God Winks: is a series of books on divine coincidences by SQuire Rushnell.

Doctrine Notes . . . 

Providence: Just as we believe God created all things, Christians believe that God continues to be active and involved in his creation. We believe God is active in three complimentary ways:

  • God preserves creation: God has been involved in creation from the beginning – he charged humans to care for the physical world and all creatures in it; he called Abraham to be a blessing to all nations; he protects and safeguards his people. Mary’s “Magnificat” is one of the best summaries of God’s providence [Luke 1:46-55].
  • God acts consistently with creation: God’s actions in creation follow the “natural laws” that he built into the universe – which sometimes
  • leads to events that harm parts of creation; God also respects human moral choice that is part of creation, which allows (but does not cause or sanction) “evil” actions to take place: All deeds are right in the sight of the doer, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice, [Phil 2:13].
  • God manages or guides creation toward his purposes: he governs all aspects of creation to work together; he steers human decisions and actions to achieve his goals: For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life, [Eph 2:10].

25: Ester agrees to help the Jews — Esther 4:1-5:8

Get Ready

How do you usually address God when you pray? Father . . . Lord . . . God . . . Good . . . Savior . . . Gracious . . . Daddy (Jesus’ recommendation)? How does the name you use affect your approach to God? How does it affect your attitude toward prayer?

The Word

4When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry; 2 he went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 3 In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. 

4 When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why. 6 Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate,
7 and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. 8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people. 

9 Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying, 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law — all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.” 12 When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, 13 Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.” 15 Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. 

5On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, opposite the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne inside the palace opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won his favor and he held out to her the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the top of the scepter. 3 The king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” 4 Then Esther said, “If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet that I have prepared for the king.”
5 Then the king said, “Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther desires.” So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 6 While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” 7 Then Esther said, “This is my petition and request: 8 If I have won the king’s favor, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and then I will do as the king has said.”  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. What is happening as this chapter begins [see Introduction for the backstory]? Who is involved? What is he doing? Why is he so upset?

2. Who gets involved in the situation? What does she do? How does Mordecai respond? 3. What does the queen do next? Who does she send? What is his task? What does he learn? What does he bring back to the queen? What does Mordecai ask Esther to do?

4. How does Esther respond to Mordecai’s request? Why does she act as she does? How does a person gain an audience with the king? What happens to those who don’t follow the protocol?

5. What does Mordecai say to Esther about her fate? What about her position as queen? What does Esther tell Mordecai to do? Why do you think she asks for this? What does she say she will do? What does she say about her fate?

6. What happens when Esther goes to the palace? What does the king offer? What is Esther’s request? How does the king respond? Who else is involved at this point?





Get Personal:

How confident are you in God’s protection? How often do you think about God’s actions on your behalf? How often do you ask for his help or protection? How often do you thank him for protection and security?

Notes . . .

4:1. All that had been done — Mordecai had refused to bow to Haman, so Haman convinced the king the Jews were enemies and all should be destroyed.
Tore his clothes . . . sackcloth and ashes — three signs of mourning or extreme distress common throughout the ancient Middle East. Sackcloth was made of camel or goat skin and was very uncomfortable.
4:2. King’s gate — at the palace entrance, people could stand just outside and try to get someone’s attention to address their alleged injustice.
4:4. Eunuchs — male palace servants, often impotent. In the Persian Empire eunuchs often served as prime minister or in other powerful positions (as Hathach in v. 5).
4:11. Being called — kings usually had procedures and rules to limit access, even by members of the royal family (although death is a very strong deterrent). 

Thirty days — not an unusual interval with a busy king who had other wives and concubines.
4:14. Perhaps you have come — Mordecai warns Esther and then suggests that her position as queen might be more than coincidence [see Introduction Notes, above].
4:15. Fast — a means of humbling oneself prior to making a request of God [check Psalm 69:10].
5:3. Half of my kingdom — an exaggeration, but also a sign of the king’s willingness to accommodate his wife. Esther asks him to bring Haman to a banquet (which were very popular in the Persian empire). At the banquet the king repeats his offer and Esther asks him to attend a second banquet with Haman. At the second banquet Esther reveals Haman’s plot against the Jews and tells the king she would be killed as well. The king instead orders Haman executed and issues a decree reversing the earlier order to exterminate the Jews.

Memory Verse:
Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this, [Esther 4:14].

Next Lesson:
Job 38-40: God speaks to Job.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

24: Nehemiah: Introduction & Summoning the people to obey the Law — Nehemiah 8:1-8

Get Ready

Nehemiah continues the story of the Israelites’ return to Jerusalem that began in Ezra. Nehemiah actually led the third wave of returning exiles, eighty years after Zerubbabel led the first group. Under his leadership the Jews finally completed the restoration of their temple and city. Now about their hearts . . . 

Author

The book of Nehemiah probably had two authors. As we noted in the introduction to Ezra, most scholars believe he compiled both books (as well as Chronicles which is part of the single Hebrew version). But much of Nehemiah is written in the first person, which leads many authorities to suggest that Ezra is the final compiler of this book, but he included some sections from Nehemiah’s personal journal or court record.

The writer probably finished the book during Nehemiah’s second visit to Jerusalem (431-430 BCE.), although it is likely that he had been working on the history since his arrival in Palestine in 458 or 457 BCE.

Context

The exiles had been living and working in Jerusalem for eighty years and Ezra, the priest, had been there thirteen years, when Nehemiah made his first visit. He came, at the direction of Artaxerxes, the Persian king, in response to reports that the rebuilding of the temple and city walls had stalled. He served as the Persian governor until 432 BCE. His leadership and encouragement led to finishing the city wall in two months, in spite of the continuing opposition of the local people (who had been transplanted by the Assyrians when they defeated the Israelites).

Nehemiah also supported Ezra’s ongoing efforts to re-institute proper sacrifice and worship among the Israelites. As in the past this work was successful only some of the time. In fact, when Nehemiah returned to Babylon to report to the king, the Israelites disobeyed many commandments, including the direction to avoid marrying foreigners. One of the priests even built a room for a pagan god in Yahweh’s temple.

Structure

This book is the story of Nehemiah’s work in Jerusalem as the regional governor for the king of Persia. The book has four primary sections:

  • The report on rebuilding the city wall, which includes a census of the Israelites who had returned from captivity [chapters 1-7]. 
  • A report on the religious life of the community [chapters 8-10].
  • A report on the current population and its secular and religious leaders [chapters 11-12].
  • The account of the dedication of the city wall and the religious reforms Nehemiah instituted [chapters 12-13].

This book is also a compilation of what appear to be excerpts from Nehemiah’s personal journal [chapters 1-7 and 11-13] along with (presumably) Ezra’s narrative of the religious renewal led by the two men [chapters 8-10].

Major Themes

Like the previous book, Nehemiah is about return and restoration. The Jews have returned to their “Promised Land” and Jerusalem and have begun to restore the city and the temple. On the spiritual level they must return to following God’s commandments and restore him as the spiritual center and ruler of their lives. 

Nehemiah’s opening prayer asks God to remember his promise that if the Jews “return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name,” [1:9].

Nehemiah is an example of three characteristics of a faithful follower of God:

  • He is a secular, not a religious leader who seeks and follows God’s direction for his life. He asked Artaxerxes to send him to Jerusalem.
  • He follows God’s direction in spite of his circumstances. He led the Jews to complete rebuilding the city wall in two months, even though the local people did their best to delay and stop the work.
  • He prays – regularly and often. The book recounts four of his prayers for guidance and support.

The book concludes with Nehemiah’s religious reforms, which stress that the Jews are called by God to be a separate people, obedient to God’s commandments.

Get into the Word

1. What do we know about the writer of this book? Why do scholars think two people were involved? When was the book probably written? What does it have in common with the two (or three) previous books?

2. Why did Nehemiah come to Jerusalem? Who sent him? What is the situation when he arrives? How does he respond to the Jewish people? To the other people living there? What was the result of his efforts?

3. Who else is involved with the people? What project is he leading? How is this work going? What problems have developed? Why do you think this is the case?

4. What are the major sections of this book? Why do you suppose the writer included these activities and not others? What do the activities have in common? How are they different? What sources did the compiler use in the final work?

5. What are the major themes of this book? What are the different aspects of each theme? Which aspect seems more important to Nehemiah? How does his work complement the work of Ezra?

6. What shows Nehemiah to be a true follower of God? How do his practices affect his work with the people? How would these habits work in our lives today? How might they affect our walk with Christ?

Bible Trivia:
In addition to his leadership, Nehemiah was also a good bureaucrat: he kept track of all aspects of the project and the people. Chapter seven records the census of the people: 42,360. It also records the number of slaves, singers, horses, mules, camels and donkeys. Then it lists the gifts that various leaders gave to support the work.

Notes . . .

Preparation and Organization:
Nehemiah shows us that good planning leads to positive results. First, he gets himself appointed by the king so he will have the authority necessary to direct the work. But he doesn’t stop there. He also asks the king for letters: to the governors for safe passage, to an official for wood

for the city gates and his house. Nehemiah also organized the work: each family or group was assigned a specific part of the city’s wall and gates to complete. He also organized the people into security or protection teams when necessary.

24: Ezra summons the people to obey the Law — Nehemiah 8:1-8

Get Ready

Have you ever had another person hinder or frustrate your work on a major project? How did you deal with the situation? How did you deal with the person? Did you try to remove the other person or did you work around the obstacles and try to complete the project?

The Word

8 When the seventh month came — the people of Israel being settled in their towns — all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose. . . . 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, [11 other men], the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places.
8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. 

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

The Festival of Booths Celebrated

13 On the second day the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to the scribe Ezra in order to study the words of the law. 14 And they found it written in the law, which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the people of Israel should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, 15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns and in Jerusalem as follows, “Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them, and made booths for themselves, each on the roofs of their houses, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them; for from the days of Jeshua son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival seven days; and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. What is happening as this chapter begins? When is this happening? Where is it taking place? Who all is involved in this event?

2. What does Ezra do at the gathering? How long does he do this activity? Where does he do this? Why? What do the people do when he starts? How does Ezra respond to the people? What do they do next?

3. Who else is involved in this activity? What do they do with the people? Why was this necessary [see Notes]?

4. What did the leaders do at the end of the reading? Why do you think the people were weeping? What does he tell them to do? Why is this an appropriate response to the reading?

5. What happened on the next day? Who was involved? What did they discover? How did they react to this discovery? What did the people do? When was the previous celebration? What did they do during that week? How did the celebration end?




Get Personal

How do you deal with setbacks or “speed bumps” in your work? How does God help you to trust him in dealing with difficulties or hindrances?


Notes . . .

8:1 Seventh month — Tishri (mid-September to mid-October) is the beginning of the civil year and the month the law specifies for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and Feast of the Tabernacles.
Water Gate — on the east side of Jerusalem near a spring. Interestingly, this reading of the Mosaic Law is quite a ways from the Temple.
Scribe — an important position in the culture because scribes knew how to read (usually several languages) and write (maintaining court and other records) when most people did not. In ancient Israel they would have been the primary interpreters of the Law [as in v. 7]. They also developed the synagogue service as an opportunity to teach people the requirements of the Law.
Book of the Law of Moses — we do not know the contents of this “book” (actually still a set of scrolls at this time) but scholars believe it contained at least Deuteronomy and probably other parts of the Torah.
8:3. Read from it — the context seems to indicate Ezra probably read significant portions of the law (“from early morning until midday”), but not the entire “book.” The ability to read and availability 

of written materials was very limited at the time – so official documents were often read aloud in public.
8:5. Stood up — a sign of respect (many modern churches invite people to stand when the Gospel is read).
8:6. Worshipped — the appropriate response to God’s word. Lifting hands and bowing heads are signs of acknowledging God and our relationship with him.
8:7. Understand . . . with interpretation — there are probably two things involved here:
First, most people spoke Aramaic rather than classic Hebrew because of their time in Babylon, so the Levites would actually translate what Ezra was reading into the common language.
Second, the Levites were the experts on the Law so they would give the people the meaning of each point [check 2 Chronicles 17:7-9 for another example of this practice].
8:14. Festival of booths — specified in Leviticus and Deuteronomy to commemorate the Israelites’ time in the wilderness when they lived in tents (also “tabernacles”). The law actually required the men to live in “booths” the entire week.

Memory Verse:
I am doing a great work and cannot come down, [Nehemiah 6:3].

Next Lesson:
Esther 4-5: Esther agrees to help the Jews.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

23: Ezra: Introduction & Worship Restored at Jerusalem — Ezra 3:1-4:5

Get Ready

The book of Ezra begins at the end of the Israelites’ captivity in Babylon and tells the story of the exiles’ return to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the city and the temple. It is a story of some urgency because the leaders have finally figured out why they had been captives for so long. 

Author

Unlike Kings and Chronicles, the book of Ezra has an author, according to most Biblical scholars: Ezra. He was a priest and one of the leaders of the returning Jewish exiles. He is also considered to be the author of Nehemiah, the book which follows Ezra. And, as we noted earlier, some authorities also believe he is the compiler of the book of Chronicles.

Context

Fifty years after the Babylonians defeated Judah and forced the Jewish leaders into captivity, Persia defeated the Babylonian army and moved into Babylon. Persia’s approach to its subject peoples differed from the Babylonians in two significant aspects: first they allowed subjects to live in their own region; second, they allowed people to worship their own god (a practice later adopted by the Roman Empire).

Cyrus, the Persian ruler, issued a proclamation allowing the Jews to return to Palestine and rebuild the temple so they could re-establish their worship and sacrifices [1:2-4]. Cyrus even gave the people the “vessels of the house of the Lord” that the Babylonians had seized [the inventory is at 1:9-11]. Zerubbabel, the governor, and Jeshua, the high priest, led this first return in 525 BCE. They rebuilt Jerusalem’s walls and the temple over the next ten years.

Ezra and Nehemiah, the governor, led a second return in 458-457 BCE. They strengthened the group of exiles (roughly 50,000 people) and reinstituted the national commitment to following the law of Moses.

Structure

Like the other history books, Ezra and Nehemiah were written as a single book and divided into the two works we know as part of the Septuagint.

Ezra has two major parts:

  • The first section [chapters 1-6] covers the initial return under Jeshua and Zerubbabel and the work rebuilding the city and the temple in spite of resistance and political opposition from the people surrounding them.
  • The second section [chapters 7-10] is the account of Ezra’s and Nehemiah’s work restoring the proper practices of worship and sacrifice and adherence to the Mosaic Law.

Major Themes

Ezra is a book about God restoring his people. There are three major aspects to this restoration:

  • God restores the Jewish people to their homeland – the land he promised Abraham would be a permanent home for his chosen people.
  • God leads the people to restore and rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the temple – to restore the proper worship through sacrifice.
  • God wants the people to restore obedience to his law to its proper place in their personal life and the life of the Jewish nation.

Even though the Jewish captives had considerable freedom as individuals in Babylon (in fact only a small number of the Jews living in Babylon during this period actually returned to Palestine – perhaps 50,000 out of 2 million), they still could not sacrifice as required by the Mosaic Law. It was important that the remnant who returned rebuild God’s house and rebuild his role in their lives.

Get into the Word:

1. Who wrote this book? What was his position in the Jewish community? How is this situation different than the previous history books?

2. What is the political and military situation at this time? Who is the dominant nation? How is this empire different than the previous one? What freedoms do they allow captive people?

3. Who is the ruler at the beginning of this book? What does he do for the Jews in Babylon? What does he give them for their work? Who are the leaders of the Jews?

4. Who are the leaders of the second group of returning exiles? When do they return to Jerusalem? What is their primary task in Jerusalem? Who do you think had the tougher challenge?

5. How is this book similar to the other history books? What are the major sections of this book? When do the events of each section take place? Why do you suppose the author had such a gap between the two sections?

6. What is the central topic of this book? What are the primary themes that develop this topic? Why are these concepts important to the writer? To the Jews?

Bible Trivia:
The first three verses of Ezra are identical to the last two verses of Chronicles (which supports the idea that Ezra was involved in writing, or at least editing both books).

Notes . . .

God’s Promise:
Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel warned the Israelites about the coming exile; but they also told the people that God would be faithful and that they would return and rebuild the temple. Isaiah even named Cyrus as the ruler who would authorize this, [check Jer 31, Ezek 40, and Isaiah 44].
Who returned: 
The second chapter is basically a census of the Jews who returned to Palestine with Zerubbabel and Jeshua. The total is approximately 50,000 out of the roughly 2 million Jews then living in Babylon. Evidently the majority had sufficiently adapted to life in the pagan city they chose their current situation over the hardships of travel and dangers of a land they no longer knew.

Political Resistance:
Chapter 4 recounts the resistance of non-Jews (moved into the area by the Babylonians) to rebuilding the temple, including a series of letters to the Persian rulers and their response allowing the rebuilding to go forward.
The “foreign” wives:
Evidently many of the men in the first group of returning exiles married women from the local tribes, in violation of the Mosaic law [Deut 7:3] in one of the harshest incidents in the Old Testament, Ezra decides that all the men who had foreign wives and their children must be sent away [the roster is at 10:18-44]. This zealotry for the letter of the law grew over time to the point that the Pharisees of Jesus’ time had basically made the law into an idol – worshipped for its own sake rather than as the expression of obedience to God.

23: Worship Restored at Jerusalem —
Ezra 3:1-4:5

Get Ready

Have you ever gone back to a place you had not been for a long time? How did you feel as you made the journey? How did you feel once you arrived? What was different about the place than what you remembered? What was the same? How did you feel about the changes? 

The Word

3 When the seventh month came, and the Israelites were in the towns, the people gathered together in Jerusalem. 2 Then Jeshua son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his kin set out to build the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God. 3 They set up the altar on its foundation, because they were in dread of the neighboring peoples, and they offered burnt offerings upon it to the Lord, morning and evening. 4 And they kept the festival of booths, as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the ordinance, as required for each day, 5 and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the Lord, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the Lord. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. But the foun-dation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid. 7 So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia.

8 In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work on the house of the Lord.
9 And Jeshua with his sons and his kin, and Kadmiel and his sons, Binnui and Hodaviahd along with the sons of Henadad, the Levites, their sons and kin, together took charge of the workers in the house of God.

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; 11 and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord,

“For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”

And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 
12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.

Resistance to Rebuilding the Temple

4 When the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of families and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of King Esar-haddon of Assyria who brought us here.”
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of families in Israel said to them, “You shall have no part with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia has commanded us.”

4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and made them afraid to build, 5 and they bribed officials to frustrate their plan throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. Where do these events take place? Who are the leaders of the Israelites? What are their roles with the people?

2. What is the first task the people undertake? Why is this an important task? What do they do when they finish the work? What direction do they follow? Why are these rituals important to the Israelites?

3. What project do the people start next? Who is doing this work? What all is involved in this effort? Who authorized this project?

4. Who are some of the people involved in this project? Who are the leaders? Who are the supervisors? Why do you suppose the writer names all these workers?

5. What happens when the first part of the work is finished? Who is involved here? What pattern do the people follow for the celebration?

6. How do some of the people respond to the project? What do they compare the current work to? Why is it different than the original?

7. Who else tries to get involved in the project? How do the Jewish leaders respond? Why did they respond as they did? What do the other people do in turn?






Get Personal:

What practices or rituals do you have in your faith life? How did you choose them? How do they help you in your relationship with God? 


Notes . . .

3:2. Zerubbabel — was the grandson of the last king of Judah and heir to David’s throne, but served as a governor under the Persian ruler.
Build the altar — during their captivity the Jews realized their situation was due to their disobedience to God’s commandments, so they made sure they could sacrifice according to the Mosaic Law to atone for their sins [Deut 27:6-7]. In addition, Cyrus’ decree specifically said they were to return to “rebuild the house of the Lord,” [1:3].
3:3. In dread — the Jews’ fear of the people the Assyrians had moved to the area after the fall of Jerusalem was another reason to get right with God as soon as possible.
3:4. Festival of booths — also translated “tabernacles” or “tents” – it follows the Day of Atonement when the high priest sacrifices for the sins of all the people [Lev 23:26].

3:6. Foundation of the temple — once the ritual of sacrifices was established the leaders turned their effort to rebuilding the temple.
Food, drink, oil — Solomon provided similar provisions to the workers on the original temple [2 Chron 2:10].
3:10. Directions of King David — the priests followed the same ritual as when David brought the ark to Jerusalem.
3:12. Seen the first house — some of the people could remember the splendor of Solomon’s temple and they wept when they saw the basic, less ornate appearance of the new one.
4:1. Adversaries — people the Assyrians had brought in to work the land, they became the Samaritans of Jesus’ time. The Jewish leaders rejected their involvement in favor keeping the temple worship “pure.” The adversaries then tried to stop the work through intimidation and political pressure [vv. 4-5], but Darius, the king, directed that the work on the temple should be completed [6:6-12]. 

Memory Verse:
God is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel, [Ezra 3:11].

Next Lesson:
Nehemiah 8: Summoning the people to obey the law.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

22: Josiah discovers the book of the Law – 2 Chronicles 34:8-28

Get Ready

Does your family have any heirlooms – something passed down the generations? Perhaps a book or a set of photographs or something that symbolizes your family? How old is it? Who is responsible for keeping it and passing it on? How important is it to your family?

The Word

34 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.
2 He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his ancestor David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left. 3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a boy, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the sacred poles, and the carved and the cast images. 4 In his presence they pulled down the altars of the Baals; he demolished the incense altars that stood above them. He broke down the sacred poles and the carved and the cast images; he made dust of them and scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 5 He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem. . . .

8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God. 9 They came to the high priest Hilkiah and delivered the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all Judah and Benjamin and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They delivered it to the workers who had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and the workers who were working in the house of the Lord gave it for repairing and restoring the house.  . . . 

14 While they were bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of the Lord, the priest Hilkiah found the book of the law of the Lord given through Moses. 15 Hilkiah said to the secretary Shaphan, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord”; and Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. 16 Shaphan brought the book to the king, and further reported to the king, “All that was committed to your servants they are doing. 17 They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of the Lord and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workers.” 18 The secretary Shaphan informed the king, “The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.” Shaphan then read it aloud to the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the law he tore his clothes. 20 Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the secretary Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah: 21 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found; for the wrath of the Lord that is poured out on us is great, because our ancestors did not keep the word of the Lord, to act in accordance with all that is written in this book.”

22 So Hilkiah and those whom the king had sent went to the prophet Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (who lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter) and spoke to her to that effect. 23 She declared to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me,
24 Thus says the Lord: I will indeed bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, so that they have provoked me to anger with all the works of their hands, my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched. 26 But as to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 27 because your heart was penitent and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says the Lord. 28 I will gather you to your ancestors and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.” They took the message back to the king.  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. What is unusual about the king of Judah? How was he different than most other kings? What did he start doing as a teenager? Why did he take these actions? How do you suppose the people reacted to these programs?

2. What did he do after the land and house were clean? Who all was involved in this program? What did they do first? Where did they get the money for this project? Why was it necessary [see Notes]? 

3. What happened while the project was getting started? Who made the discovery? Who did he tell about it? Who brought it to the king? What happened next? How did the king respond when he heard the reading? Why do you think he reacted this way?

4. What did the king do about the discovery? Who did he involve? What task did he give the group? What was the king most concerned about?

5. Who did the group go to for answers to the king’s questions? Why did they go to this person? Where was she? How did she answer the group’s questions?

6. What did she say about the Lord? What did she say about the curses? What did she say about the people of Judah? What did she say about the king?
































Get Personal:

How does God remind you of his expectations for your life and work? How do you usually respond to these nudges? How does God help you follow his direction?

Notes . . .

34:1. Josiah — reigned over Judah from 640 to 609 BCE, a time when there was no strong power in the region.
34:3. Purge — stamp seals (recording official transactions) of this time period show a shift from fertility symbols to simple identification of the person making the seal.
Sacred poles — symbols of the fertility goddess Asherah worship.
34:8. Repair the house of the Lord — in ancient time the ruler was responsible for maintaining the “house” of the deity, to ensure continued support from the god and blessings for the people.
34:9. Money — often there was a temple tax and/or use of conscript labor.

34:14. Found the book — in many cases the builders would include a “cornerstone” box with copies of official documents (or building plans).
The law — Deuteronomy for sure, and perhaps other parts of the Torah.
34:19. Words of the law — included the king’s responsibility to maintain and study the law [Deut 17:18-20].
34:22. Huldah — there are not many female prophets, but there are some – such as Deborah [Judges 4-5] and Anna [Luke 2:36-38].
34:24. Curses — the consequences of ignoring the law are spelled out in Deuteronomy 28:15-24 [there is another list at Leviticus 26:14-20].

Memory Verse
O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant in steadfast love with your servants, [2 Chronicles 6:14].

Next Lesson
Ezra 3:1-13: Rebuilding the altar and the temple.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

21: Chronicles — Introduction and David & the Ark

Get Ready

Yes, Chronicles definitely repeats much of the content of Samuel and Kings; but this writer had a definite and different purpose than merely recounting Israel’s history. The author wanted to rebuild the people’s understanding of the role and responsibility God had for them on their return to Jerusalem.

Author

As with the books of Samuel and Kings, we do not know who wrote Chronicles. Also like Samuel and Kings, the book of Chronicles was a single work in the original Hebrew, and it was first divided in the Septuagint translation into Greek.

Many scholars see Ezra as the author. He was the leader, with Nehemiah, of the Jewish refugees who returned to Jerusalem in 460-457 BCE to rebuild the city. He is also the probable author of Ezra and Nehemiah, the books which follow Chronicles in subject as well as Biblical order.

Whoever the writer was, he or she used several other works as sources – writings of Samuel, Nathan the prophet, Gad the seer (of David), the prophet Ahijah, and the “Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah” (which is no longer in existence).

Context

Chronicles appears to have been written – or edited into its final form after the return of the exiled Israelites to Jerusalem. After two generations in Babylonian captivity, the refugees needed to be re-educated about their history and their role in God’s plan for his creation and his chosen people.

Structure

Chronicles was written as a single book and divided into two books in the Septuagint. Each book has two sections.

  • 1 Chronicles begins at the beginning – with Adam and basically lists his descendants to King David. The writer focuses especially on the priestly families in this genealogy. 
  • The second part of this book covers King David’s unification and reign over Israel. Although much of this material is a repeat of information in 2 Samuel, the writer does not mention David’s sin with Bathsheba.
  • 2 Chronicles begins with Solomon’s reign, especially the construction of the temple and its dedication.
  • The second section covers the history of Judah from Solomon’s death to the end of the kingdom and captivity. This record is selective (see the following section on Major Themes) and ignores the kings of Israel, the northern kingdom. The book ends with Cyrus’ proclamation allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem.

Interestingly, the last two verses of 2 Chronicles are repeated as the opening of Ezra, the book which follows – strengthening the view that he is the author of both books.

Major Themes

The overarching message of Chronicles is the identity of the returning Jews and their role as God’s chosen people. The writer focuses on three primary themes.

  • The Jews are the direct descendants of God’s creation of Adam, and especially the descendants of Abraham, the first person of God’s promise, and David, to whom God gave the promise of continued reign.
  • David was God’s chosen ruler for Israel because he followed God’s commandments, and his descendants are the legitimate leaders of the nation and keepers of God’s covenant.
  • Maintaining the covenant is the Jews’ central purpose – following the law and maintaining worship and sacrifice in the temple are the two key practices.

The writer underscores these themes by concentrating on the rulers who do follow God’s commandments and excluding the many kings of Judah who either permitted or actively encouraged idol worship. And even though the author does focus on David and Solomon, he does not mention David’s sins with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, or Solomon’s support of his many wives’ idol worship.

Evidently the writer and the new Jewish leaders are convinced that idol worship was the primary cause of the kingdom’s downfall and the resulting harsh captivity. They want to make sure the people do not make that mistake again. (It is a bitter irony that by Jesus’ time the Jewish leaders insisted on a strict and unthinking adherence to the law as they interpreted it with practically no acknowledgment of the God who gave the law – in effect they had turned the law into their idol.)

Get into the Word

1. How is this book similar to the four books that precede it? What is different than the previous four? What do we know about the author? Where did the writer get the information in Chronicles?

2. When was the book written? What seems to be one of the drivers for writing this book? Why would this be important to the author? To the Jewish people?

3. What are the major sections of this work? Why was it divided into two books? Why do you suppose the author decided to include these major subjects?

Bible Trivia 
Chronicles probably has the most unusual beginning of any book in the Bible. It is a list of names with no introduction or explanation. It turns out the list is the genealogy of the Israelites, but the writer doesn’t tell us that.

4. What parts of Israel’s story does the author omit? How does the book end? What is significant about the ending?

5. What is the writers primary message in Chronicles? What themes does the author rely on to convey this important message? What key practices does the writer emphasis? Why do you suppose he focuses on these?

6. Even though the book focuses on David and Solomon, they made some major mistakes – how does the author deal with these sins?

7. What is the sin the writer wants the people to absolutely avoid? Why does the author feel this way? What is the ironic outcome of insisting on absolute and unthinking obedience to the law for over 400 years?

Bible Trivia
Psalms is not the only book to showcase King David’s poetry. Check his hymn of thanksgiving when the ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem in 1 Chronicles 16.

Notes . . .

After the Persians defeated the Babylonian army and took over the empire Cyrus instituted the policy (later followed by Rome in its empire) of religious toleration. He (more likely his descendant, Artaxerxes) allowed the Israelites to return to Palestine. Ezra led the refugees and, with Nehemiah the priest, organized rebuilding the city and the temple.

Because of the extent of the Persian empire (basically from the Mediter-ranean Sea to central India) the Middle East was relatively peaceful. And because of the emperor’s protection the Israelites were able to complete their task and reinstitute temple worship and sacrifice.

21: David brings the Ark to Jerusalem —
1 Chronicles 15:1-16:6

Get Ready

Have you ever been involved in a project in which you did not follow directions and really messed things up? What did you do right after the fiasco? How long did you wait before starting the project again? What did you do differently the second time around?

The Word

15 David built houses for himself in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. 2 Then David commanded that no one but the Levites were to carry the ark of God, for the Lord had chosen them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister to him forever. 3 David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it. 4 Then David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: 5 of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with one hundred twenty of his kindred;
6 of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with two hundred twenty of his kindred; 7 of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with one hundred thirty of his kindred; 8 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with two hundred of his kindred; 9 of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with eighty of his kindred; 10 of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with one hundred twelve of his kindred.

11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He said to them, “You are the heads of families of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your kindred, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it.

13 Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care.” 14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.

16 David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their kindred as the singers to play on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise loud sounds of joy. [Verses 17-24 is a list of singers and musicians to accompany the Ark]

25 So David and the elders of Israel, and the commanders of the thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. 26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 27 David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers; and David wore a linen ephod. 28 So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord  with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.

29 As the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing; and she despised him in her heart.

16 They brought in the ark of God, and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before God. 2 When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord; 3 and he distributed to every person in Israel man — and woman alike — to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

4 He appointed certain of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly, before the ark of the covenant of God. NRSV


Get into the Word:

1. What is David doing now that Jerusalem is his capitol? What does he want to bring to the city? Who does he use for this project. Who else is involved in this work?

2. What families does David recruit for the project? How many people are involved? Why do you think he wanted so many?

3. What preparation must the priests and Levites complete? What causes David to be so careful about following the directions regarding the ark? How did the Levites carry the ark?

4. What else did David provide for the project? Why do you suppose he added these people to the procession?

5. Where did the ark move from? How did the Levites acknowledge God’s help? What did David do during the procession? How was he dressed? Who else was dressed this way? How did one person react to David’s actions?

6. What happened when the ark got to Jerusalem? What did David do as part of the ceremony?




Get Personal:

What is your mental image of being involved in God’s plan? How do you balance respect for God with the joy of being one of his partners in building his kingdom?

Notes . . .

15.1. Houses — as king, David would have provided housing for his extended family [14.3]. He lived in a house of “cedar” [17.1] which signified luxury.
Tent — the ark of the Covenant had been housed in a tent (“tabernacle”) since its original construction during the exodus. David actually planned to build a permanent temple for the ark, but God had a different plan [17:3-15].
15.2. No one but the Levites — the first time David tried to move the ark he did not pay attention to God’s instructions [check Numbers 8:5-24] and a person died as a result of touching the ark to steady it [13:9-11]. This time he is careful to do things properly [check 15:11-15].
15:16. Loud sounds of joy — David correctly saw this project as a celebration of God’s power and gifts in unifying the kingdom under him.
15:27. Fine linen . . . ephod — David evidently dressed similarly to the priests.

Ephod — part of the priest’s ceremonial dress – evidently a linen “apron” of sorts worn over the linen robe [details at Exodus 28:6-14].
15:29. Michal. . . despised — Saul’s daughter probably misinterpreted David’s dancing as exhibitionist (she undoubtedly disliked the man who defeated her father).
16:1-3. Blessed — David treats moving the ark as the religious event that it was.
16:5. Asaph — a leader of the musicians and author of several of the Psalms (note that the writer thought the musicians were important enough that their names are included).
16:7-36. Hymn of Thanksgiving — [you are right: it is not included here, but you should read it on your own]. This is actually a compilation of three Psalms: 105 [vv. 8-22], 96 [vv. 23-33], and 106 [vv. 34-36]. Like contemporary authors, David used his creative efforts in different ways for different purposes.

Memory Verse:
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever,
[1 Chronicles 16:34].

Next Lesson:
2 Chronicles 34:8-33: Josiah discovers the book of the Law



Rich Nelson Uncategorized

20: Elijah and Elisha — 2 Kings 2:1-22

Get Ready

Did you have a teacher who had a significant effect on your school career? Was this a teacher in elementary school or secondary school? Or perhaps after you graduated? What do you remember about how this person affected your life? 

The Word

2Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.”

4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” 10 He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

13 He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

15 When the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “See now, we have fifty strong men among your servants; please let them go and seek your master; it may be that the spirit of the Lord has caught him up and thrown him down on some mountain or into some valley.” He responded, “No, do not send them.” 17 But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they came back to him (he had remained at Jericho), he said to them, “Did I not say to you, Do not go?”

19 Now the people of the city said to Elisha, “The location of this city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw the salt into it, and said, “Thus says the Lord, I have made this water wholesome; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” 22 So the water has been wholesome to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.  NRSV


Get into the Word

1. Who is involved in this incident? What is happening to them? Who is the leader here? What does he suggest the other person do? How does that person respond?

2. Where are these two going? Who else is involved? What do these people contribute to the situation? How do the two respond?

3. What “test” is involved between the two men? Why do you suppose the one is testing the other? How does the younger man respond?

4. How do the two men get across the river? What is significant about this method? Who else used a similar approach [see Notes]?

5. What does the younger man ask of the older? How does he respond to this request? What happens next? How did the younger man react to these events? How might you have reacted?

6. What does the younger man do next? How does he get back across the river? How do the other men respond? What do they want to do? How does that turn out?

7. What do the people of Jericho ask the prophet to do for them? How does he solve their problem?

Get Personal

Do you have someone you consider a spiritual mentor or teacher? How has God used this person to enrich your faith?

Notes . . .

2:1. Gilgal — there were several towns with this name, probably one seven miles from Bethel.
I will not leave you — Elijah has been Elisha’s spiritual father and mentor; he tests Elisha’s loyalty 3 times [check vv. 4 and 6].
2:2. Bethel — a longstanding spiritual site since the time of Jacob [Gen 28:10-22].
2:3. Company of prophets — there actually was a training guild for those who wanted to become a prophet.
Do you know — evidently the prophets-in-training had been informed about Elijah’s departure; Elisha responds, “don’t remind me,” [the same exchange as v. 5].
2:4. Jericho — about 12 miles from Bethel.
2:6. Jordan — the river was 5 miles east.
2:8. Mantle — an outer collar or cloak, the symbol of the prophet’s ability to speak for God.
Water parted — God also parted the Jordan so Joshua and the Israelites could

cross into the Promised Land (Elisha will cross back the same way in v. 14).
2:9. Double portion — the amount for the first-born heir – Elisha is asking for the leadership status as Elijah’s spiritual heir [check Deut 21:17].
2:11. Chariot of fire — an unusual image for the Old Testament, though fairly common in other religions of the region.
Whirlwind — usually associated with God’s activity.
2:17. Send them — Elisha relents and allows the prophets to look for Elijah (but he does say “I told you so” when they return).
2:19. Water is bad — Jericho is in a very fertile area, but something happened to a major water source – so one of Elisha’s first miracles is to restore the water’s purity (Jesus’ first miracle also dealt with water – into wine). Salt is a preservative but normally makes water bad, but here it miraculously purifies the water.

Memory Verse
A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength, [Psalm 33:16].

Next Lesson
1 Chronicles 15-16: Bringing the Ark to Jerusalem

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

Timeline: Kings and Prophets of Israel

The unified kingdom of Israel lasted 120 years. The northern kingdom (Israel) lasted 209 years; and the kingdom of Judah survived 345 years before being defeated and being “carried off” to Babylon for 60 years. All years are BCE.

Saul: 1050-1010
David: 1010-970
Solomon: 971-931

Kingdom of Judah

Kingdom of Israel

King
Rehoboam:
931-915
Abijah: 915-912
Asa: 912-871
Jehosaphat:
871-849


Jehoram: 849-842
Ahaziah: 842-841
Athaliah: 841-835
Joash: 835-796


Amaziah: 796-776
Azariah: 776-736

Jothan: 750-735

Ahaz: 735-715



Hezekiah:
715-687
Manasseh:
687-642
Amon: 642-640
Josiah: 640-609
Jehoahaz: 609
Jehoiachim:
609-598
Jehoiachin:
598-597
Zedekiah:
597-586

Babylonian captivity

Prophet










Joel




Isaiah
Micah






Nahum




Zephaniah
Jeremiah
Habakkuk
Obadiah

Ezekiel

King
Jeroboam:
931-911
Nadab: 911-910
Baasha: 910-887
Elah: 887-886
Zimri: 886 (7 days)
Omri: 886-875
Ahab: 875-853
Ahaziah: 853-852
Joram: 852-841
Jehu: 841-814
Jehoahaz:
814-806
Jehoash: 806-791
Jeroboam II:
791-750
Zachariah: 750
Menahem:
749-739
Pekahiah:
739-737
Pekah: 737-732
Hoshea: 732-722

End of kingdom

Prophet







Elijah

Elisha




Jonah

Amos
Hosea

The Israelites returned from Babylon to Jerusalem in 541. Prophets during this period include Daniel, Haggai, Malachi, and Zechariah.