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

Here Comes A King:
A Study of the Book of 1 Samuel

Lesson 6 (Follow The Cows)
1 Samuel 6:1 – 7:1

The Text:

1. How long did the Philistines have the ark?  Who did they go to for advice on what to do with it?  What was their concern?
     
2. Why was a guilt offering recommended?  What was it to consist of?  What comparison is made?
     
3. By what means is it proposed that the ark be sent back to Israel? What do they surmise would be proof that God was behind the disaster the Philistines were in?  Would it have been unusual to expect these events to happen as they proposed without God being involved?  Why or why not?
     
4. What happened when the ark was sent on its way?  What did the Philistine rulers do?  Where did it end up?  What did the people there do with the ark and the cows? 
     
5. What happened to some of the men of Beth Shemesh?  Why?  How did the rest of the people respond?  What did they end up doing with the ark?

The Application:

1. How easy/hard is it to admit something is not good for you or bringing you harm?  Who would you go to for advice on how to remove it from your life?
     
2. What do you think the purpose of a guilt offering was/is?  What might be some benefits of that today?  Can  our refusal to admit guilt at times be a sign we may have hardened our hearts?   
     
3. Do you ever test God?  At times people say we “should try something so big that if God isn’t in it, it will fail”.  Is that Biblical?  What do you think of it?  What does God think about us testing Him? 
     
4. What is your response to God’s presence in your life?
     
5. Are there times our disobedience to God might cause us to question our standing with God?  How fearful of God are you . . . Should you be?

Next week: 1 Samuel 7:2 -7:17
For Crying Out Loud