Study 3: Leader's Guide

God Chooses Israel

Intro question:

This question is a way for you to discuss the homework. If there are members who haven’t read the passages, this would be a good time to get the ones who have to recap for them the gist of the stories. There are some comments about the homework for Study 2 in the Leader’s Guide for study 2.

Question 1:

Simple question to help your members familiarise themselves with some of the characters. Please remember to point out where Abram and his family have journeyed and where they are when God begins to speak to him.

Question 2:

a)     God promises to make Abram and his descendants a great nation with a great name

b)    God promises to give Abram and his descendants the land (Canaan)

c)     God promises to bless them, bless those who bless them, curse those who curse them and through them the world to be blessed

Please emphasise the importance of this covenant as this is a theme and condition in many ways that carries through the rest of the Bible.

Question 3 & 4:

Straight-forward questions that your members should be able to answer easily from reading the verses as helpfully hinted in the questions.

Question 5:

The dots should be connected relatively easily. God takes them out of Egypt, out of a seemingly hopeless situation through seemingly impossible means. Take note of language used by God: “my treasured possession”, “kingdom of priests”, “holy nation”. Recall how the world was created and the mandate God gave the man and woman. Even though the world belongs to God, God’s nation was to be what people were created to be: his priests/stewards to live in righteousness, set apart (holy) from others. Again, the covenant comes to play as Israel would live God’s people, under God’s standards and this would result in the world being blessed through them. We see the beginnings of God undoing the effects of sin.

Question 6:

Whilst the answer to this question is simple, the significance of this event is huge. God reminds the people of who He is and what He has done for them, and gives them the choice to be His people who will live under His standards. Them agreeing to do so make the nation of Israel God’s treasured possession, His holy nation and His kingdom of priests, bound by this covenant.

Question 7:

In light of question 6, the 613 commandments make a bit more sense. These commandments are centred on how these sinful people could live in relationship with a holy God.

a)     The first 4 commandments essentially show how people should live in relationship with God. They help us see God in right perspective

b)    The next 6 commandments essentially help us to live with each other and to treat each other well. They govern our relationships and help us care for our community of faith.

Question 8:

This is an open-ended question. Are these commandments relevant to all people, or only people who live in covenant with God (i.e. people who have made commitments to live under God’s standards/Christians)? Are these commandments relevant at all since they were given 4000 years ago? Would life be better if everyone obeyed them? These are some things to discuss with your members. This idea of living in loving relationship with God and with others is still something all Christians are grappling with and making efforts to as they see it as they way God has called us to live.

Homework:

a)     Deuteronomy 17:14-20

This passage shows us God’s provision for a king to lead Israel. Whilst God is king (Israel runs as a theocracy), God has made provisions so that a king chosen by God might one day lead Israel. Take note of what these provisions are and consider this in light of the covenant with Israel.

b)    Joshua 24:1-28

This recount of God’s faithfulness is quite important as it should help to trace out the timeline of the Israel’s history and God’s faithfulness. Again, we see that God is faithful and grants them the land He had promised despite them being unfaithful and Israel renews their covenant with God.