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Showing posts from December, 2024

03: The Lord’s judgement on Eli’s family ( 1Samuel 2:12 – 36)

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The Lord humbles Eli’s family and raises Samuel. He declares His plan to establish a faithful house that will replace and surpass Eli’s house. πŸ‘‰ Read 1Samuel 2:12 - 36 Q1. What were the sins of Eli’s two sons? (three, v12-14, v15-17, v22) Answers πŸ‘‰ They didn’t acknowledge the Lord’s authority They ridiculed the Lord’s offering They slept with the women who were serving the Tabernacle. Q2. While Eli’s two sons were rejected by God, Samuel was lifted by God. Find verses that support Eli’s family’s decline and Samuel’s elevation. (from v11-26) Answer πŸ‘‰ Decline of Eli’s family: V12, v14, v17, v22, v25 Elevation of Samuel: V11, v18, v21, v26. The Lord blessed Hannah with five children. His purpose in allowing her temporary barrenness was not to afflict her but to prepare His prophet Samuel, through her faithful dedication—one who would bring the era of Judges to an end and usher in the monarchy, a period in which people would ultimately anticipate the fulfillment of the...

02: Samuel’s dedication & Hannah’s Song ( 1Samuel 1:20 – 2:11)

Through her barrenness and the birth of Samuel, Hannah proclaimed the sovereignty of the Lord who raises and lowers, kills and gives life.  πŸ‘‰ Read 1Samuel 1:20 – 2:11 Q1. Why did Hannah not accompany the family trip for the yearly sacrifice to the Lord? Answers πŸ‘‰ She wanted to stay until Samuel was weaned. Verses 22-24 repeatedly say this.  Q2. What do you think Hannah has meant by naming the boy Samuel? (20, 27-28, 11) Answer πŸ‘‰ “I asked (borrowed) the Lord for him.”  The Hebrew word for ‘to ask’ Χ©ָׁאַל also means ‘to borrow.’ As she planned to dedicate her son to the Lord, she had intended to borrow him for a moment to prove she was not cursed (11). After weaning Samuel, Hannah returned him to the Lord (27-28). The literal meaning of the name Samuel(Χ©ְׁΧžΧ•ּאֵל) is ‘his name is El (God).’ In his name, Hannah implied that Samuel came from the Lord and belonged to Him. Q3. Hannah’s song helps us to understand how Christians should interpret our life’s ...

01: The Prayer of Childless Hannah ( 1Samuel 1:1 – 20)

In the days of the Judges, a time of spiritual darkness over His people, God started to intervene through a desperate prayer of a barren woman πŸ‘‰ Read 1Samuel 1:1 - 20 Q1. Elkanah had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. What were their problems? (v4 – 7) Answers πŸ‘‰ Hannah: no son. God didn’t give her a son. Irritation of Peninnah Peninnah: no love from her husband. Samuel is described as being from the tribe of Levi and specifically of the Kohathite clan (1 Chronicles 6:33–38). But not from Aaron’s lineage, not a born priest. Mentioning Hophni and Phinehas is to describe the spiritual darkness of those days. Q2. What are the three points in Hannah’s prayer? (v11) Answer πŸ‘‰ Look on my suffering, do not neglect your servant. Give your servant a son I will dedicate him to the Lord Hannah understood that the Lord had withheld a son from her (v. 5). Her plea was driven by a deeper desire to confirm that she had not been abandoned by the Lord. This is why she vowed to dedicate ...

29: Human Solution: One Tragedy to Fix Another (Judges 21:1 – 25)

They felt deep regret for the Benjaminites but could not find a proper solution. Acting without seeking the Lord's guidance, their human solution led to another tragedy, justified by a poor excuse before the Lord. Read Judges 21:1 - 25 Q1. Why was the tribe of Benjamin in danger of disappearing from Israel? Answers πŸ‘‰ Their oath not to give their daughters in marriage to the Benjaminites left them with no hope of restoring their place as a tribe in Israel. Q2. What was the other oath they had made, which they used to justify destroying Jabesh Gilead and providing wives for the Benjaminites? Answer πŸ‘‰ “whoever do not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah must be certainly be executed.” It was ironic that they imposed the death penalty on those who didn’t attend the peace offering to the Lord. Furthermore, the primary purpose of annihilating Jabesh Gilead was to obtain women for the Benjaminites, not to punish the people, as they spared the women. They offered sacrific...

28: The Lord annihilated Benjamin before Israel (Judges 20:29 – 48)

The Lord punished the Benjaminites, and His judgment was severe. The Israelites were His instrument. Read Judges 20:29 - 48 Q1. The initial (         ) casualties and the retreat of the Israelites, following their two prior defeats, caused the Benjaminites to believe they were victorious, unaware that disaster was at their (        ). On that day, (        ) enabled Israel to annihilate Benjamin. Answers πŸ‘‰ The initial ( thirty ) casualties and the retreat of the Israelites, following their two prior defeats, caused the Benjaminites to believe they were victorious, unaware that disaster was at their ( doorstep ). On that day, ( the LORD ) enabled Israel to annihilate Benjamin. The Benjaminites, filled with pride from their previous victories, failed to perceive the impending disaster (34, 41). It lingered at their doorstep, just outside the door—not yet inside. The Lord’s judgment often comes like a thief—unexpected...

27: Should we fight our brothers, or should we quit? (Judges 20:1 – 28)

Although all the Israelites gathered, condemned the evildoers in Gibeah, and demanded their punishment, the tribe of Benjamin refused to listen. Instead, they waged war against all Israel. Read Judges 20:1 - 28 Q1. (         ) Israel gathered at Mizpah (1 - 2). When he was asked (3), the Levite (               ) the leaders of Gibeah and narrated their deeds before all Israel (4 - 7). And all Israel announced it as a divine duty that (       ) should participate (8  - 11)  Answers πŸ‘‰ ( All ) Israel gathered at Mizpah (1 - 2). When he was asked (3), the Levite ( prosecuted ) the leaders of Gibeah and narrated their deeds before all Israel (4 - 7). And all Israel announced it as a divine duty that ( all ) should participate (8  - 11)  “All” “From Dan to Beer Sheba” “from the land of Gilead” “all the people” “all the tribes” and “400,000 soldiers” All these expressions are to e...

26: Breaking the second Love command: Obsessive hospitality, extreme hostility, and selfishness (Judges 19:1 – 30)

The book concludes the stories of Israel's repeated sin—primarily idolatry—with the two episodes in which the Levite was involved. This observation alludes that the failure of the spiritual leadership played an important role in Israel's repeated idolatry. The nationwide spiritual failure deprived them of God’s reign, and thus, they said there was no king in Israel. In reality, they were refusing the divine kingship of the Lord. Read Judges 19:1 - 30 Q1. A Levite’s concubine returned to her father’s house in (        ). After four months, her husband came, and his father-in-law welcomed him. But, his father-in-law persuaded and compelled him to stay more. On the (        ) day afternoon, he finally resolved and departed for home with his concubine. As they approached (             ), the Levite refused to stay there, as it was a city of foreigners. Instead, he continued and decided to stay in (   ...