Old Testament Characters E-Book

Peter Scazzero

• Herausgeber: IVP Bible Studies
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: LifeGuide Bible Studies
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Seitenzahl: 67

Beschreibung

Abraham is an unforgettable figure of faith. Daniel is a classic example of holiness. And through her willingness to risk her own life, Esther shows us what commitment means. This twelve-session LifeGuide® Bible Study introduces you to twelve remarkable lives described in the Old Testament. The stories of these people from the ancient past can help you learn to live well even today. This LifeGuide Bible Study in IVP Connect's revised format features questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, as well as a "Now or Later" section following each session to help you act on what you learn. PDF download with a single-user license; available from InterVarsity Press and other resellers. For over three decades LifeGuide Bible Studies have provided solid biblical content and raised thought-provoking questions—making for a one-of-a-kind Bible study experience for individuals and groups. This series has more than 130 titles on Old and New Testament books, character studies, and topical studies.

Leseprobe

OLD TESTAMENT CHARACTERS

12 STUDIES FOR INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS

Peter Scazzero

Contents

GETTING THE MOST OUT OFOLD TESTAMENT CHARACTERS

1

Jonah: Running from God

Jonah 1:1—3:3

2

Hannah: Praying in Pain

1 Samuel 1

3

Samuel: Hearing God’s Voice

1 Samuel 3

4

Abraham: Following God’s Call

Genesis 12

5

Caleb & Joshua: Overcoming the Impossible

Numbers 13:26—14:10

6

Elijah: Knowing God’s Power

1 Kings 18:16-40

7

Achan: Sin in the Community

Joshua 7

8

King Saul: Doing Almost All of God’s Will

1 Samuel 15:1-23

9

Daniel: Tempted to Compromise

Daniel 1

10

Esther: Saying Yes to God

Esther 4

11

David: Loving Your Enemy

1 Samuel 24

12

Moses: Seeking Justice

Exodus 2:11-25

Leader's Notes

Notes

About the Author

More Titles from InterVarsity Press

Old Testament History at a Glance1

2000 B.C.

_____

The Period of the Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

Abraham

1700 B.C.

_____

Slavery in Egypt

Moses

1280 B.C.

_____

The Exodus from Egypt

Caleb and Joshua

1240 B.C.

_____

The Conquest of the Promised Land

Achan

1220 B.C.

_____

Period of the Judges

Deborah

Hannah

Samuel

1050 B.C.

_____

Beginning of the Monarchy (United Kingdom)

Saul

David

931 B.C.

_____

Division of the Monarchy (Divided Kingdom)

Elijah

Jonah (?)

722 B.C.

_____

Fall of Samaria

586 B.C.

_____

Fall of Jerusalem

Exile in Babylon

Daniel

538 B.C.

_____

The Return from Exile

Esther

Getting the Most Out ofOld Testament Characters

We live in a world that is desperate for heroes. Supermacho film and TV stars, professional athletes, rock stars and “the rich and famous” are held up to us as role models. Yet deep within the pages of the Old Testament, we meet real, flesh-and-blood people like us, with both weaknesses and strengths, who provide us with genuine models we can imitate.

The problem, however, is that large portions of the Old Testament remain literally a closed book to many. The reason is not hard to find. The Old Testament is not a continuous, easy-to-read account of the history of Israel. In a collection of thirty-nine different books, written over a period of a thousand years, one encounters poetry, law, history, moral advice, prophecy and visions. Add to this the very different customs and cultures of these times and it becomes easy to see why many have become discouraged.

This guide has been written to help you open the Old Testament portion of God’s revelation and to discover the buried treasures that lie within, deep and undiscovered. It is my hope that your understanding of the ways of our God will be significantly expanded as you work through these character studies.

The most surprising discovery made, however, by studying the lives of people such as Esther, Jonah, Elijah and Joshua is their humanness and relevance for today. As Jerry Sittser has written:

We observe that God uses common people. . . to make history. The powerful of society often form a background in which the little people, the faithful people, honor God and transform the world. God loves to use the unassuming, unimportant people in the world. He only requires us to say with Mary, “Let it be to me according to your word.” (The Adventure [Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1985], p. 78.)

Toward this end, twelve inductive Bible studies have been prepared. Each study deals with a different biblical character, such as Hannah, Daniel or Moses, and a different theme relevant to our following Jesus today (prayer, temptation, lordship and so on). Although the studies are not arranged chronologically, a simple chart is provided on page 4 to help you understand where a particular character fits within the history of Israel. The leader’s notes also answer many of the background questions that will inevitably arise. Feel free, of course, to change the order of the studies to meet your own particular needs.

It is my prayer that we might be better participants in the shaping of God’s drama today by our careful reflection on the successes and failures of the men and women who have gone before us.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)

Suggestions for Individual Study

1. As you begin each study, pray that God will speak to you through his Word.

2. Read the introduction to the study and respond to the personal reflection question or exercise. This is designed to help you focus on God and on the theme of the study.

3. Each study deals with a particular passage—so that you can delve into the author’s meaning in that context. Read and reread the passage to be studied. If you are studying a book, it will be helpful to read through the entire book prior to the first study. The questions are written using the language of the New International Version, so you may wish to use that version of the Bible. The New Revised Standard Version is also recommended.

4. This is an inductive Bible study, designed to help you discover for yourself what Scripture is saying. The study includes three types of questions. Observation questions ask about the basic facts: who, what, when, where and how. Interpretation questions delve into the meaning of the passage. Application questions help you discover the implications of the text for growing in Christ. These three keys unlock the treasures of Scripture.

Write your answers to the questions in the spaces provided or in a personal journal. Writing can bring clarity and deeper understanding of yourself and of God’s Word.

5. It might be good to have a Bible dictionary handy. Use it to look up any unfamiliar words, names or places.

6. Use the prayer suggestion to guide you in thanking God for what you have learned and to pray about the applications that have come to mind.

7. You may want to go on to the suggestion under “Now or Later,” or you may want to use that idea for your next study.

Suggestions for Members of a Group Study

1. Come to the study prepared. Follow the suggestions for individual study mentioned above. You will find that careful preparation will greatly enrich your time spent in group discussion.

2. Be willing to participate in the discussion. The leader of your group will not be lecturing. Instead, he or she will be encouraging the members of the group to discuss what they have learned. The leader will be asking the questions that are found in this guide.

3. Stick to the topic being discussed. Your answers should be based on the verses which are the focus of the discussion and not on outside authorities such as commentaries or speakers. These studies focus on a particular passage of Scripture. Only rarely should you refer to other portions of the Bible. This allows for everyone to participate in indepth study on equal ground.

4. Be sensitive to the other members of the group. Listen attentively when they describe what they have learned. You may be surprised by their insights! Each question assumes a variety of answers. Many questions do not have “right” answers, particularly questions that aim at meaning or application. Instead the questions push us to explore the passage more thoroughly.

When possible, link what you say to the comments of others. Also, be affirming whenever you can. This will encourage some of the more hesitant members of the group to participate.

5. Be careful not to dominate the discussion. We are sometimes so eager to express our thoughts that we leave too little opportunity for others to respond. By all means participate! But allow others to also.

6.