1 Kings

by

1 Kings: Lesson 22 — Conflicting Messages

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 22 (Conflicting Messages)
1 Kings 22
     December 4, 2013

The Text:

  1. How long was there peace between Aram and  Israel?  Who is the king of Israel?  What concern did he have?  Who came to visit him?  What request did the king of Israel have for this visitor?
    –
  2. How willing was Jehoshaphat to help the king of Israel?  What one request did he have before he would join forces with Israel?  How did the king of Israel respond?  What was he told?  Did this satisfy Jehoshaphat?
    –
  3. What did Jehoshaphat want?  Why did the king of Israel not want to do this?  What were all the prophets saying?  What recommendation did the messenger who was sent to get Micaiah have for him?  How does Micaiah respond?
    –
  4. What message does Micaiah initially give the king of Israel?  How did the king respond?  What did Micaiah then say?  What response did the king have?  What did Micaiah say was God’s purpose in the king attacking Ramoth Gilead?
    –
  5. What order had the king of Aram given his men?  How were they deceived?  How did the king of Israel happen to be wounded?  How did his death fulfill what God had said?  How did Jehoshaphat live?  What were his relations with the king of Israel like?  Who succeeded Ahab?  How did he live?

The Application:

  1. Are you at peace with people who have been your enemies?  What things would you risk that peace for?  Why?
    –
  2. When asked to help someone confront an enemy, do you first want to get God’s advice — even when you are already inclined to help?
    –
  3. Do you tend to surround yourself with people who are likely to give you the advice that you want to hear?  How do you respond when someone wants you to just go along with what everyone else is saying?
    –
  4. Are there times when someone tells you what you want to hear but you know it is not the truth?  How do you know?  Why would they do that?
    –
  5. How do we try to deceive God?  Does it work? How hard is it to maintain peaceful relationships with people whose lives are set against God?  Should we?

 

Next Week:  Learning a Fear of God
2 Kings 1

 

by

1 Kings: Lesson 21 — Sour Grapes

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 21 (Sour Grapes)
1 Kings 21
    November 20, 2013

The Text:

  1. What did Ahab want from Naboth?  Why?  What did he offer?  How did Naboth respond?
    –
  2. How did Naboth’s response make Ahab feel?  What did he do when he went home?  What does he tell Jezebel?  What is her response to him?
    –
  3. What message does Jezebel send to the leaders in Jezreel?  What did they do?  What happened to Naboth?
    –
  4. How does Jezebel respond when she hears what has happened to Naboth?  What does she tell Ahab?  What does he do?
    –
  5. Where does God send Elijah?  How does Ahab greet Elijah?  What message does God give Ahab concerning he, his wife, and his family?  Why?  How does Ahab respond?  How does God respond?

The Application:

  1. Are there things that others have that you wish you had and they didn’t?  What would God call that?  How much value do you put on what God has given you and your family?
    –
  2. How do you feel when you don’t get what you want?  Why?  Do you think you deserve everything you want because of who you are?
    –
  3. How much effort do you put into getting what you think you deserve?  How hard is it to do right when you are told to do something that isn’t’ right?
    –
  4. Do you tend to live life with a “win at any cost” attitude?  If you knew something that you wanted was obtained in an illegal/immoral way, would you accept it?
    –
  5. How do you respond when God wants you to speak truth in the midst of wickedness?  When God uses someone to correct you, do you tend to think poorly of the messenger?  What wickedness does God want you to recognize in your life?  What response will you have when you recognize it?  What does God look for in order for Him to respond with patience and mercy?

Next Week:  Conflicting Messages
1 Kings 22

 

by

1 Kings: Lesson 20 — If At First You Don’t Succeed

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 20 (If At First You Don’t Succeed)
1 Kings 20
    November 13, 2013

The Text:

  1. Who was Ben-Hadad?  Who does he join forces with?  What do they do?  What message does Ben-Hadad send to Ahab?  How does Ahab respond?  Does this satisfy Ben-Hadad?  What is his response?
    –
  2. Who does Ahab gather for advice?  What does he tell them?  What is their advice?  How does Ahab now respond to Ben-Hadad?  Does Ben-Hadad find this acceptable?  What does he promise to do?  How does Ahab respond to that?
    –
  3. What message does God send to Ahab?  What questions does Ahab have?  How are they answered?  How many young officers does Ahab summon?  How many men make up the rest of his forces?  What do they do?  Who wins the battle?
    –
  4. What message does God give after the battle?  What explanation did his officials give Ben-Hadad for their losses?  What advice to they give?  How did the two armies appear when they met again?  What happened when the battle finally took place?  When he becomes trapped, what advice is Ben-Hadad given?  What was the result of that advice?
    –
  5. What did the prophet ask a man to do?  What happened?  What story does the prophet tell Ahab?  How does Ahab respond to the story?  Who was the story really about?  What was God’s verdict?

 

The Application:

  1. What would you give for peace?  What if agreeing meant they wanted more?  What are God’s terms of peace?  Are you always willing to give it?
    –
  2. How quick are you to seek advice?  Does the support of others embolden you to take a stand?  How do you respond to threats?  Do you tend to make statements that you may not be able to back up?         
    –
  3. Do you believe God’s instructions?  How closely do you follow them?       
    –
  4. Following victory, do you tend to think about preparing for the next battle?  Do you ever try to explain away the work of God?  How much do you trust God when you feel small compared to the enemy?         
    –
  5. Why is it hard to obey God when His instructions don’t make sense?  Do you tend to excuse sin that God has condemned?  . . . In others?  . . . In yourself?

Next Week:  Sour Grapes
1 Kings 21

 

by

1 Kings: Lesson 19 — Feeling Alone

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 19 (Feeling Alone)
1 Kings 19
   November 6, 2013

The Text:

  1. What news does Ahab bring back to Jezebel?  How does Jezebel respond?  Who does she tell?  What does Elijah think of her response?  What does he do?
    –
  2. What does Elijah do in Beersheba?  Where does he go from there?  When he reaches his destination, what does he tell God?
    –
  3. Who wakes Elijah up?  What instruction does he give Elijah?  What does Elijah do?  Who returns to Elijah?  Why?  What is the message given to Elijah?  How long does he travel?  Where does he go?
    –
  4. What question does God have for Elijah?  What is Elijah’s response?  What does God tell Elijah to do?  What events take place that the Lord was not in?  When did Elijah recognize God’s presence?  What does Elijah tell God is the reason for him being where he is?
    –
  5. Where does God tell Elijah to go?  What is he supposed to do when he gets there?  What will Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha do?  How many people does God say have not worshipped Baal?  What did Elijah do when he met Elisha?  How did Elisha respond?  How committed was Elisha to following Elijah?

The Application:

  1. When you don’t like something that happens, who are you most likely to tell?  Why?  Do you tend to respond with rash statements when you are upset or do you like to think things through?  How easily do you become afraid of people?  Where do you usually land on the “fight or flight” spectrum?
    –
  2. Where do you go when you’re afraid?  How often does fear drive you to isolate yourself as much as possible?  How honest are you with God when fear dominates your life?
    –
  3. What things strengthen you when you are mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually worn out?  What might that say about what you ought to be doing for others?
    –
  4. How would you explain your current situation to God if He were to ask you, “What are you doing here?”  Do you believe God’s desire is to reveal Himself to you?  Does where we expect to find God help or hinder our recognizing His presence?
    –
  5. Do you ever feel alone in your walk with God?  Are there people around you that God may have put there to let you know you are not alone?  Who has God put in your life for you to learn from?  Who has He put in your life to learn from you?

Next Week:  If At First You Don’t Succeed . . .
1 Kings 20

 

by

1 Kings: Lesson 18 — I Am Not Alone

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 18 (I Am Not Alone)
1 Kings 18
   October 30, 2013

The Text:

  1. Chapter 18 opens, “After a long time, in the third year” . . . The third year of what?  What did God want Elijah to do?  How did Elijah respond?
    –
  2. Who was Obadiah?  Who did he work for?  What did he secretly do?  What did Ahab ask him to do?  Why?  Who does he meet while he is following Ahab’s orders?
    –
  3. What does Elijah want Obadiah to do?  Does Obadiah want to?  Why/why not?  How does Elijah respond to Obadiah’s concerns?  How does Obadiah respond?
    –
  4. How does Ahab greet Elijah when they meet?  How does Elijah respond?  What request does he have for Ahab?  What does he ask the people?  What is their response?  What does Elijah propose be done to prove who is really God?  How do the people respond?
    –
  5. What did Elijah have the prophets of Baal do?  How long did they try to get their god to answer them?  What did they do during this time?  What did Elijah do during this time?  When Elijah’s turn came, what did he have done?  What would be strange about this?  What happened?  How did the people respond?  What did Elijah have them do?  What message did Elijah give Ahab?  What finally happened?

The Application:

  1. How long is a “long time” for you?  What things make a period of time seem long or short?  Do you like to deliver good news?  What if it is to someone who doesn’t care for you?  Do these answers impact who you share the gospel with?
    –
  2. How can you use a secular position to serve God’s people?  As you go about your daily tasks, do you expect to meet people who God wants you to interact with?
    –
  3. Are you more concerned about your safety, or that of others?  Are you a person that people trust that you will do what you say?
    –
  4. How do you feel when you are blamed for something that is the fault of the person blaming you?  How confident are you of your relationship with God?  Do you need/want proof of who God really is?  Does He provide it?
    –
  5. Are there things that people do today to try to get God’s attention?  As you serve God, do you do things that others might consider wasteful?  Do you typically want God to act in ways to make you look good or for God to look good?

 

Next Week:  Feeling Alone
1 Kings 19

 

by

1 Kings: Lesson 17 — A God That Cares

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 17 (A God That Cares)
1 Kings 17
   October 23, 2013

The Text:

  1. What message did Elijah bring to Ahab?  What message did God have for Elijah?  What did Elijah do?  How did he survive?   
    –
  2. What did Elijah do when the brook dried up from lack of rain?  Why?  When he arrived in town, what did he ask the widow?  What was her reply?  
    –  
  3. How did Elijah respond to the widow’s concern?  What did he want her to do before she did as she had planned?  What was God’s promise to her?  What did she do?
    –
  4. What happened “some time later”?  How did the widow speak to Elijah because of this?  What did Elijah do?  How does he address God?   
    –
  5. Did the Lord hear Elijah?  What happened?  What did Elijah do with the boy?  How did the widow respond?

The Application:

  1. Do you like to deliver bad news?  Why/why not?  When the consequences of the sin of others spills over into your life, do you believe God’s promise to take care of you?  How do you expect God’s care for you to look?  Does He not care if it doesn’t look like that?
    –
  2. How does God use people to meet the needs of His children today?  Does God ever present you with the opportunity to help someone at a time when you don’t believe you have the means to do so?  Why would He do that?   
    –    
  3. Which requires more faith, or trust in God, to give help to someone out of your abundance or out of your own scarcity?  Would you be more likely to give if you knew what little you had would never run out?   
    –
  4. Does doing the right thing always keep bad things from happening to you?  Who/what do you blame when bad things happen?  When you can’t explain bad things are  you more concerned about your reputation or God’s?   
    –      
  5. Does God hear the cries of His people today?  How does He respond?  Why are there times when it seems like He doesn’t hear or respond?  What would it take for people to believe that “you are a man/woman of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth”?

 

Next Week:  I Am Not Alone
1 Kings 18

 

by

1 Kings: Lesson 16 — From Bad to Worse

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 16 (From Bad to Worse)
1 Kings 16
  October 16, 2013

The Text:

  1. Who sent Jehu to speak to Baasha?  What had God done for Baasha?  What had Baasha done in return?  What were the consequences?  Why should have this sounded familiar to Baasha?
    –
  2. Who succeeded Baasha as king of Israel?  How long did that last?  How did his reign end?  What did Zimri do with the entire family of Baasha?  Why?
    –
  3. How long was Zimri’s reign as king over Israel?  What turned the Israelites against him?  How did his reign end?  What was the real reason?
    –
  4. What dilemma did Israel have after Zimri’s death?  How was it resolved?  Where did Omri reign as king?  How did Omri’s life compare to the kings before him?  How did God feel about it?
    –
  5. Who succeeded Omri as king of Israel?  How did he view the sins of Jeraboam?  Who did he marry?  What did this marriage bring into Israel?  How did God feel about the actions of Ahab?

The Application:

  1. Who has God sent to speak to you?  Do you listen?  What has God done for you?  Do your actions reflect or reject that?  When do you like the principle of reaping what you sow?  When don’t you?
    –
  2. What things make it difficult to break patterns of bad behavior?  How do you feel about God using wicked people to fulfill His word?
    –
  3. How many right deeds does it take to outweigh bad ones?  Why is that mindset so dangerous?  Who is responsible for the way you live?
    –
  4. How do groups that you are involved with typically make decisions?  Are some ways better than others?  If left alone, do things typically improve?  What should this tell us about the effort we put into our walk with God?
    –
  5. Are there things that God calls sin that you feel are no big deal?  How do you know?  What is the purpose of God’s law if none of us can live up to it?  What things do you allow others to lead you into worshipping?  How does God feel when there are things other than Him that we worship?  What will you do about it?

 

Next Week:  A God That Cares
1 Kings 17

 

by

1 Kings: Lesson 15 — A Tale of Three Kings

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 1 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Starting Strong Isn’t The Same As Finishing Strong

A Study of the Book of 1 Kings

Lesson 15 (A Tale of Three Kings)
1 Kings 15
  October 9, 2013

The Text:

  1. How long did Rehaboam reign in Jerusalem?  How long did his son, Abijah, reign?  How is Abijah compared to his father? . . . To David?  What did God do at this time for David’s sake?  Why?  What was the relationship between Israel and Judah during this time?
    –
  2. Who succeeded Abijah as king in Jerusalem?  How does his actions compare with that of his father? . . . Of David?  What were some of his actions that were different from his predecessor?  What remained?
    –
  3. Who was Baasha?  How did he get along with Asa?  What did Baasha do to those living under Asa’s rule?
    –
  4. What did Asa collect from the temple and from his palace?  What did he have done with it?  Did it serve its purpose?  What did Asa require everyone in Judah to do?  Who was excused?   
    –
  5. Who succeeded Jeraboam as king in Israel?  How long did he reign?  How did he live?  How did his reign end?  What did his successor do to Jeraboam’s family?  Why?

The Application:

  1. How patient does God have to be with you?  How would your life be compared to that of your ancestors?  Do you think God treats groups of people with patience because of the faithfulness of one? . . . Of you?
    –
  2. How difficult is it to do the right thing when it seems like all of the examples around you are wrong?  Why do people often seem to excuse bad behavior in their family?  What might you still be holding on to that God has asked you to remove?     
    –
  3. Who is your adversary?  Do you often recognize that you are living in a war zone?  What situations make you feel trapped by the enemy?   
    –
  4. What would you give to be completely free from the entrapment of the enemy?  Why is it important to destroy the means by which the enemy has confined you?  What happens if not everyone is involved in this?         
    –
  5. What legacy will you leave those behind you?  What do we often seem to forget about God and His timing?  What promises are  you glad God will keep?  Are there some that concern you?

 

Next Week:  From Bad To Worse
1 Kings 16