As we read these stories of God and God’s interaction with humanity, try to answer these three questions:

1) What does this say about God and God’s nature?

2) What does this say about humanity and humanity’s nature?

3) And what does this story mean to me?

Chapter 16 compares the different reactions of Judah and Israel to the threat of the Assyrians. This difference in reactions accounts for the fall of Israel and the saving of Judah for another day.

Hoshea the king of Israel tried to save his kingdom by making political deals with Egypt and Assyria. As I said before Judah and Israel were part of the land that acted like a buffer between Egypt and the kingdom of the Assyrians, Babylonians or Persians, depending on who was on top at any given moment. The two great powers would fight each other by using the buffer nations just as modern day Iran and Syria are using the Palestinians to fight Israel without really fighting Israel directly. Hoshea thought he could keep Egypt and Assyria both in balance but the Assyrians caught him at it and destroyed Israel for it.

Judah’s King Hezekiah faced the Assyrians next, but he chose to trust in God following the advice of the prophet Isaiah. True to God’s nature, God destroyed the Assyrians in a way that showed all that it was the hand of God and no other force that leads to victory.

So what have you been thinking as you have been doing today’s reading? Have you ever felt that you had to choose between trusting in God or not? How many times does God what to deliver us but we choose to do it our way?

Pastor Duane

As we read these stories of God and God’s interaction with humanity, try to answer these three questions:

1) What does this say about God and God’s nature?

2) What does this say about humanity and humanity’s nature?

3) And what does this story mean to me?

Sin is everywhere; what is God to do? In today’s chapter God sends messenger after messenger to call the people in both kingdoms back to God, back to a faithful relationship with the one true God.

The prophets were a mouthpiece or spokesman for God, and their primary duty was to speak God’s message to God’s people within their historical context. The prophets are broken down into two types Major and Minor Prophets. The Major Prophets are: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, with Daniel added for most. The Minor Prophets are: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. In the Hebrew Bible, the writings of the twelve Minor Prophets are counted as a single book, and they appeared in one scroll. In our Christian Bibles they appear as twelve individual books in the Old Testament.

The minor prophet, Hosea, gives us a taste of what it is like for God when the chosen people are unfaithful. Hosea is a holy man who is always obedient to God’s will. Hosea is told by God he is to marry a prostitute. Hosea does marry the prostitute, Gomer, and he has three children with her. Gomer runs off to live the fast life and Hosea buys her back. Even when Gomer has worn herself out in fast living Hosea takes her back and treats her with honor.

Our God treats us with honor, so why do we keep sinning?

So what have you been thinking as you have been doing today’s reading?

Pastor Duane

As we read these stories of God and God’s interaction with humanity, try to answer these three questions:
1) What does this say about God and God’s nature?

2) What does this say about humanity and humanity’s nature?

3) And what does this story mean to me?

Today’s chapter opens with the cost of everyone’s sins. Solomon allowed the worshipping of false gods and therefore caused the downfall of his kingdom after his death. Jeroboam was called by God to be the next king, but he sinned by trying to take over too soon, so he had to flee to Egypt. Rehoboam did not listen to the people or his elders so he decided to be hardcore which split his kingdom. And the people thought that they were overtaxed and worked too hard, so all but Judah rebelled and the kingdom was split.

I wish that things got better but they did not. Jeroboam was afraid to have his people worship at the temple in Jerusalem, so he set up his own temple with false gods. Even after the death of Jeroboam, the kings and people of Israel continued to worship false gods. Rehoboam and his people also worshiped false gods, building sites with sacred stones and household shrines.

God ended the life of Jeroboam and let Egypt attack and carry off the treasures of the Temple, but this did not stop the sins of the people or their kings.

So what have you been thinking as you have been doing today’s reading?

Pastor Duane

As we read these stories of God and God’s interaction with humanity, try to answer these three questions:

1) What does this say about God and God’s nature?

2) What does this say about humanity and humanity’s nature?

3) And what does this story mean to me?

In this chapter the Israelites achieve the high water mark of their wealth and power.

The hope of every American generation has been that their children would do better than they did. David had this same hope for his son Solomon and his reign as King. David had been the warrior king of Israel who had defeated all of their enemies, which meant that David had blood on his hands and that he was always dealing with the next crisis.

Solomon was raised as a religious man who had his father’s faith. When Solomon met with God he asked for the gift of wisdom and God granted his one request. In a time of peace Solomon was able to use his wisdom to peacefully expand the kingdom from the border of Egypt to the border of modern day Iraq. This area between has always been a buffer between the two great powers and has usually been under conflict from forces external or within. Imagine how great Solomon’s political powers were to keep all of these forces in balance.

Solomon’s other great achievement was the building of the Temple at Jerusalem. Finally God had a permanent home among the chosen people.

As with Saul and David, Solomon also did not have a sinless life. Solomon’s downfall was worshiping false Gods. He had many wives from many different nations and these other nations had their own Gods. How could Solomon keep his wonderful wives from worshiping their own Gods? And then what would it hurt to build temples to these false Gods and throw them a bone or two? Our God’s laws are clear and easy to understand until we humans just don’t want to obey.

So what have you been thinking as you have been doing today’s reading?

Pastor Duane

As we read these stories of God and God’s interaction with humanity, try to answer these three questions:

1) What does this say about God and God’s nature?

2) What does this say about humanity and humanity’s nature?

3) And what does this story mean to me?

In the twelfth chapter we see the effects of sin on the Bible’s greatest king. Both Saul and David started out as humble servants of the Lord. Yet, Saul’s character flaws would keep him from continuing as king.

David was also fully human with his own weaknesses, but he was a man of faith who had no problem admitting his sins and seeking repentance when these sins were pointed out. It was David’s faith in God which would keep him from following in Saul’s footsteps.

God had told the Israelites that having any human king would subject them to human sinfulness and an imperfect government, but God’s chosen wanted their human king just like everyone else.

I love using David as a teaching tool for those who believe in cheap Grace. David and Bathsheba had an immoral relationship that lead to the death of her husband and the changing of their lives forever. David realizes his sin and repents so all is forgiven right? God does forgive David and he continues as king, but the child of this union dies and David’s relationship with his other children never fully recovered. This is one of the reasons why David’s son tried to take his kingdom. Forgiveness and the ability to do better is possible but the damage of sins is rarely fully removed.

So what have you been thinking as you have been doing today’s reading?

Pastor Duane

As we read these stories of God and God’s interaction with humanity, try to answer these three questions:

1) What does this say about God and God’s nature?

2) What does this say about humanity and humanity’s nature?

3) And what does this story mean to me?

In the eleventh chapter God once again picks the least likely to be God’s chosen tool for victory. David was the eighth and youngest son of a minor family that was part of a minor tribe. David’s brothers said it all when they asked David what he was doing there at the battle field. Imagine what the Philistines thought when young David walked out on the battle field. How could Goliath lose? It would take an act of God!

Saul had started out as a modest servant of the Lord but his character flaws led to his down fall. David was a faithful servant of his king. but as his popularity rose Saul saw him as a political threat which Saul wanted to eliminate.

Have you ever had your success hurt by your character flaws? How have you reacted when your popularity or power was overtaken by someone else? Where is God in moments like this?

So what have you been thinking as you have been doing today’s reading?

Pastor Duane

As we read these stories of God and God’s interaction with humanity, try to answer these three questions:

1) What does this say about God and God’s nature?

2) What does this say about humanity and humanity’s nature?

3) And what does this story mean to me?

In the tenth chapter we study the story of one of my favorite women in the Bible. Hannah is a good first wife and a faithful Jew. In her culture if a couple did not have children it was a sign that God was punishing them for the sins of them or their families. Hannah’s husband took a second wife and was able to have children so the shame was all on Hannah.

Year after year the family would go to worship at Shiloh and Hannah would beg God for a son. Hannah was even willing to give her son back to God for a life of service. Finally God granted Hannah her request and Samuel was born. As promised, Hannah brought Samuel back to Shiloh to begin his life of service to God. Eli, the chief priest, took Samuel on has his assistant.

Eli’s sons were to follow in their father’s footsteps but they led sinful lives, so God called Samuel to be the next chief priest. God also called Samuel to anoint Saul as Israel’s first king.

Major themes that we have seen before are again seen in this chapter. It is amazing the way God uses people who seem to be the least likely candidates, and it is also amazing the way God puts up with our human frailties. God does God’s part but we humans continue to fail at doing our part. This sinfulness on our part always leads to a result which is less than God had offered.

So what have you been thinking as you have been doing today’s reading?

Pastor Duane

As we read these stories of God and God’s interaction with humanity, try to answer these three questions:
1) What does this say about God and God’s nature?

2) What does this say about humanity and humanity’s nature?

3) And what does this story mean to me?

In the ninth chapter we enter new territory as our story moves away from God and God’s relationship with Israel to the relationship of a mother-in-law and her foreign born daughter-in-law.

In the culture of the day a woman was dependent on the male members of her family for protection and support. If a husband died then the brothers or the sons were duty bound to step up and support the woman even to the point of marrying her and producing heirs if necessary.

When Naomi’s husband and sons all died her prospects for support and survival were not good. Loving her daughter-in-laws, she told them to return to their father’s house so that they would be taken care of. Ruth would not leave Naomi and was even willing to give up her God for Naomi’s God. Ruth and Naomi return to Israel and find protection and support from Boaz, Ruth’s husband’s relative.

Ruth and Boaz are the great grandparents of King David, the greatest King of Israel. For a people who claim the importance of religious purity and genealogy, this is a major deal. The really funny fact is in Jewish tradition the child is raised in the mother’s faith.
So what have you been thinking as you have been doing today’s reading?

Pastor Duane

A great overview of the Bible, taught to you in 31 days.  A religious learning that highlights and summarizes a journey through the Bible brought to you by Pastor Combs. 

Make sure you have picked up your copy of The Story, published by Zonderan. I am using the revised edition copyrighted in 2008. This is also the edition we have available in the office for your purchase or rental.

Each day we will read one chapter with each chapter being about 10 pages. After you’ve done your reading you can post any questions or comments you have on our blog. If you need help or want to contact me you can always email me at pastor@myccumc.com

Thanks for being part of this study and I can’t wait to see where God leads us.

Pastor Duane