2 Kings

by

2 Kings: Lesson 3 — A Revolting Situation

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

The Unraveling of a Nation

A Study of the Book of 2 Kings

Lesson 3 (A Revolting Situation)
 2 Kings 3
      January 15, 2014

The Text:

  1. Who was Joram?  How is he compared to his mom and dad?  What did he cling to?
    –     
  2. Who was Mesha?  What was he being required to do?  What did he do after Ahab died?  How did Joram respond?  Who did Joram go to for help?  
    –        
  3. What route do the armies take toward Moab?  How long did they march?  What happened?  What did Joram conclude?  What did Jehoshaphat ask?  What response was he given?  How was that response received?  
    –
  4. How did Elisha address Joram?  What was Joram’s response?  What made Elisha willing to talk to Joram?  What message did God give?  What was the problem that forced them to seek God’s help?  How difficult would God’s help be?
    –
  5. What unusual thing happened the next morning?  What news had the Moabites heard?  What did they see when the got up early in the morning?  What did they think they saw?    What did the Moabites set out to do?  How were they met?  How did the battle finish?

 The Application:

  1. Who are you?  In terms of being good or evil, how would people compare you to your parents, to others?  How do you compare yourself?  How do comparisons tend to lead us to cling to things we shouldn’t? 
    –
  2. Do you ever feel you are required by others, or by God, to do things that seem excessive?  How likely are we to rebel when we think there is a window of opportunity?  What does it take for God’s people to put aside differences and fight the real enemy?
    –
  3. How do you determine your path in life?  Have you ever reached a point on that path when you realized that you don’t have everything that you need?  When that happens, is it easier for you to blame God or seek God?  Are you one who people would turn to when looking for godly advice?       
    –  
  4. How do you feel about people who live in rebellion of God seeking His advice?  How can your relationship with God help others to hear what He has to say?  Do you believe that it “is an easy thing” for the Lord  to take care of that which you think impossible?      
    –     
  5. Is your perception of things always accurate?  In what ways are people trapped by an illusion they believe to be true?  What illusions do you need to see through in order to follow God more faithfully?

Next Week:  Multiplication and Addition
2 Kings 4

 

by

2 Kings: Lesson 2 — Passing The Mantle

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

The Unraveling of a Nation

A Study of the Book of 2 Kings

Lesson 2 (Passing The Mantle)
 2 Kings 2
     December 18, 2013

The Text:

  1. What was the Lord about to do with Elijah?  What does Elijah ask Elisha to do?  How does Elisha respond?  What do the prophets at Bethel tell Elisha?  What is his response?  What happens at Jericho?
    –
  2. Who is watching when Elijah and Elisha arrive at the Jordan river?  How do they get across?  What does Elisha ask for from Elijah?  How does Elijah respond?
    –
  3. What happens as Elijah and Elisha are walking?  How does Elisha respond to this?  What does Elisha pick up that had fallen from Elijah?  What does he do with it?  Why?
    –
  4. What do the company of prophets conclude about Elisha?  What do they want to do? Does Elisha think this is a good idea?  How does the request of the prophets turn out?  How does Elisha respond to them?
  5. What problem exist in the town where Elisha is staying?  What does Elisha do?  What happens?  What does a group of young people do as Elisha returns to Bethel from Jericho?  How does Elisha respond?  What happens?

 

The Application:

  1. How often do you think about the Lord coming to take you to heaven?  When that time comes, do we tend to attempt to shield people from its inevitability?  Why do we try to avoid news that we already know?
    –
  2. How often do you think about people who are watching your life?  What are you doing that shows the power of God at work in you?  If someone were to give you the opportunity to make a final request of them, what would you want most?
    –
  3. How do you feel when people close to you go to be with the Lord?  Are there things that they leave behind that you ought to be picking up?  What kind of things?  What should you do with what they leave?  Why?
    –
  4. How can  you build on the reputation of people who have gone before you?  Are there times when you need to let people discover something for themselves?  How hard is it to let them?  How do you respond when they discover what you’ve already told them?
    –
  5. What problems exist in our city that are in need of healing?  Are there things God would have you do to help bring that healing?  Will you?  Are you ever guilty of mocking a servant of God?  How do you think God feels about that?

 

Next Week:  A Revolting Situation
2 Kings 3

 

by

2 Kings: Lesson 1 — Learning a Fear of God

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

The Unraveling of a Nation

A Study of the Book of 2 Kings

Lesson 1 (Learning a Fear of God)
 2 Kings 1
     December 11, 2013

The Text:

  1. What had Ahaziah done to himself?  Who did he send messengers to?  What did he want to know?  What was Elijah told to do?  What message did God have for the king?
    –
  2. How did the king respond when the messengers returned?  How did they explain their sudden return?  How did they describe the man who gave them the message?  What did the king conclude about this man’s identity?
    –
  3. Who did the king send to Elijah?  What did they say to Elijah?  How did Elijah respond?  How did God respond?  How did the king respond?
    –
  4. What happened to the second group of people the king sent to Elijah?  How did the king respond to this?  How did the third captain sent to Elijah approach him?  What request did he have of Elijah that was different from his predecessors?
    –
  5. How did Elijah respond to the third group sent by the king?  What message did Elijah give the king when they met?  Why?  What happened?

The Application:

  1. Who do you turn to for information?  Are there times when you find yourself seeking advice or input about something that you’ve not listened to God about?  Why?
    –
  2. Has God ever given you an answer that you were looking for, but you weren’t looking for it from Him?  How likely are you to accept or recognize that the answer came from God?
    –
  3. When God’s word says something you don’t like, what do you do about it?  Are there times when you tend to demand a personal response from God?  How hard is it to have balance when it come to a fear of the Lord and an understanding of God’s love?
    –
  4. Do you ever find yourself in trouble because you are trying something a second time that God was clearly displeased with the first time?  What can you learn from the third captain sent to Elijah about your approach to God?
    –
  5. How does God respond to you when you approach Him in humility seeking mercy?  How does God feel today when we continue our attempt to find answers to problems and difficulties through any and every means we can think of except Him?

Next Week:  Passing the Mantle
2 Kings 2