November Kings Discussion Guide

Transcription

1 November Dates to Note: MEETING WILL BE HELD: November Kings Discussion Guide Date: Time: Place: Person to Contact with Questions: INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS WITH DR. MARK THRONTVEIT: Monday, November 7, 7:00 p.m., Gronseth Fellowship Hall, West Campus BEFORE YOUR SMALL GROUP MEETING 1. Read 2 Kings. a) We suggest you read through 2 Kings: Theme and Purpose on page 4 and Who or What Is...? on page 5 before you begin your reading. b) Use the To Guide Your Reading section on pages 6-8 to help you think through what you read, paying particular attention to the questions in boldface. 2. If possible, attend, listen online to Dr. Throntveit s Introduction to 2 Kings. 3. Read and recite this month s memory verse often! It is: You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not worship other gods, but you shall worship the Lord your God; he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. 2 Kings 17:38-39a Our goal and prayer is that you will walk away from each study having had at least one important insight that informs your faith and your knowledge of God s Word. In other words, we hope you will discover a message just for you! 1

2 AT YOUR SMALL GROUP MEETING Welcome Welcome to the November meeting of your Living the Message Bible discovery group. In order to keep to your agreed-upon time frame, place a clock where it is clearly visible or ask someone to be timekeeper and let the group know when 15 minutes remain for discussion and closing. Opening Prayer Pause to quiet your hearts and minds with a few moments of silent prayer. Then have someone open with his or her own prayer or pray the following together: Dear Lord, As we search your Word together, guide our conversation and open our hearts and minds to hear the message you would have us hear. Help us to discover a fuller sense of the grace in which we live, and fill us with purpose aligned with your will so that we may better know and serve you. In your name we pray, Amen. This Month s Memory Verse Recite this month s memory verse (including the book, Chapter, and verse) together as a group. You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not worship other gods, but you shall worship the Lord your God; he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. 2 Kings 17:38-39a Getting Under Way Baptism is a powerful means of grace by which God grants faith and the forgiveness of sins, bringing the baptized into the fulfillment of God s covenant, the grace of God that is ours in Christ. What do you know about your own Baptism? Do you ever celebrate your baptismal birthday? Setting the Scene Before beginning discussion, invite your small group facilitator and anyone else who attended or listened to Dr. Throntveit s introduction to 2 Kings to share what they learned. Discuss Together Go to To Guide Your Reading on pages Discuss together the questions in boldface and/or others of the questions that particularly struck members of your group. Remember, a good discussion on fewer questions is better than rushing through all the questions. If you wish, ask if any of the questions (boldface or not) were of particular interest to someone and begin there. Following your discussion, go to For Next Month on the next page for reminders about your next meeting and closing prayer. 2

3 Our next meeting will be in December: FOR NEXT MONTH Date: Time: Place: Person to Contact with Questions: December s Reading Assignment: Matthew 1:1 2:23; Luke 1 2:39 December s Memory Verse: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. Luke 1:68. Save the date! The Christmas Gospel through Luther s Eyes with Dr. Martin Luther (aka Rev. Mike Zacher) Monday, December 5, 7:00 p.m., Room , Minneapolis Campus CLOSING PRAYER Gather requests for prayers, encouraging both things for which God s help and guidance is needed and things for which people are grateful. If someone is comfortable doing so, ask that person to pray aloud a prayer bringing these concerns to God, or take time for silent prayer during which these concerns can be brought to God. End with a prayer of your own, by reciting the Lord s Prayer, or by praying the following together: Precious Lord, In our human weakness, it is easy to be swayed by forces that encourage us to ignore your teachings and pull away from you. At such times, enter our hearts and turn us back with all our heart, soul and strength to you. Guide our actions to reflect to others the grace in which we live because of your sacrifice and blood. We pray now for our country as we enter a new era of leadership. Be with those who lead, encouraging decisions that will bring greater good and justice to this country and the world. We pray, too, for our congregation as we also embark upon a new era of leadership. Be with Dr. Lose, our pastors, the staff and our members as we seek to grow in witness and service to your Holy name. And now, as we leave this place, we pray that your care and love will descend up each of us, providing for our needs and expanding the awareness and joy of our blessings. We ask this all in your blessed name, Amen. Ponder FOLLOWING YOUR SMALL GROUP MEETING As we enter new eras of leadership in the lives of our country and our congregation, what part can I play in helping to discern and carry out God s will for each? 3

4 2 Kings Theme & Purpose Like 1 Kings, 2 Kings seeks to answer the questions of God's people living in Babylonian exile by interpreting Israel and Judah s history through the lens of the theological tenets of the book of Deuteronomy. Their plight, it explains, was due not to the failure of God's promise to David, but to their own failure regarding such matters as worship outside the central sanctuary, idolatry, and other covenant violations. It was their own failing, not God s, that brought about their destruction at the hands of Assyria and Babylon. While these books tell the story of how monarchy failed and brought about judgment, however, it also is a story of God's unrelenting commitment to his people through divine words of hope, judgment, summons, and warning, as God seeks to maintain God's covenantal relationship with them. We, too, need to hear that a patient and merciful God awaits our response and listens to our prayers. Picking up where 1 Kings left off, Chapters 1-2 of 2 Kings deal with the end of Elijah's prophetic ministry. Chapters 3-9 depict the ministry of Elijah's successor, Elisha. Chapters 9-10 relate the defeat of Baal that occurred in Jehu's purge and the end of the Omride dynasty. Athaliah's seizure of the Judean throne and the restoration of Davidic rule under Joash are recounted in Chapters The rest of 2 Kings details the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria in Chapters 13-17, followed by the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah to Babylon in Chapters 18-25, which comes about despite the righteous reigns of Hezekiah (Chapters 18-20) and Josiah (Chapters 22-23). The final event recorded in 2 Kings occurred in 561 B.C.E. Since the return from Babylon (538 B.C.E.) is not recorded, one assumes that the book reached its final form sometime between these dates during the Babylonian exile. Both 1 & 2 Kings look like a history of Judah, the southern kingdom, and Israel, and the northern kingdom. But, while important historical information is presented in these books, some of it is at odds with the presentation found in 1 and 2 Chronicles. Quite simply, this is because Chronicles and Kings are theological, rather than historical, presentations of the years of the monarchy and this is how they must be read. As you read, do so remembering that first and foremost the books seek to demonstrate the reasons for the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722/721 B.C.E. and Judah's exile to Babylon in 587/586 B.C.E. Many readers are troubled by the violence in 1 & 2 Kings. Regarding this, Peter Enns from the Center for Biblical Studies offers this insight: One theme that continues through these books is the matter of violence and killing that was an everyday part of Israel s life, and apparently taken in stride by God since God either condones or orders much of it..... Israel portrays God in a manner that reflects the culture in which Israel lived and which it shared with other ancient peoples (who portrayed their gods in similar ways). Throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, we see this same principle at work God, who transcends history, allows himself to be described in ways that are bound to the point of view of the authors of the Bible. This is an important principle to keep in mind for modern readers as they attempt to understand Scripture and its relevance for today. ( ) Content on this page draws in part from s summary and overview of 1 Kings, written by Dr. Mark Throntveit, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Luther Seminary, and is used with permission. 4

5 Who or What Is...? Note: Please refer also to last month s listing for additional people and concepts you will encounter in this month s reading. Ahaz. King of Judah, c B.C. Ahaz was weak and indecisive in the face of political pressures to align with the anti-assyrian coalition. Though warned by Isaiah to have nothing to do with the coalition, Ahaz appealed to the Assyrians and paid them tribute from the Temple treasury. Still, the Assyrians destroyed Syria and Israel, and Judah became a vassal state. "King"Athaliah. The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel and the only female to sit on the throne of either Israel or Judah, attempts to bring the Davidic line to an end. Babylon. The capital city of the Babylonian Empire, it was built along the Euphrates River in southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). Its hanging gardens were regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Hezekiah. Hezekiah. One of the best kings of Judah, he reigned from B.C.E., during which time he reformed worship and removed the symbols of Canaanite religion. Unlike Ahaz, he followed Isaiah s advice and resisted Assyria and prayed to God. Mysteriously, disease broke out in the Assyrian camp and killed thousands of their men and Jerusalem was saved. He also is famous for the conduit his engineers built to bring water by tunnel into the Jerusalem. Hoshea. His reign brings an end to the northern kingdom. Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin. Jeremiah spoke against Jehoiakim's idolatrous practices, having his words of warning written in a scroll. When Jehoiakim heard Jeremiah's prophecies, he burned them. He tried to rebel against the Babylonians but died before they captured Jerusalem. His 18-year-old son, Jehoiachin, assumed the throne and ruled only 100 days. Jehoram and Ahaziah of Judah. Jehoram of Judah is strongly censured for his alliance with Ahab of Israel, cemented with his marriage to one of Ahab's daughters. The reign of Ahaziah, his son, is similarly condemned for these foreign alliances with the Omrides. Jeroboam II. King of Israel ( ) during a time when Israel increased in prosperity and power. While his policies benefited some, the suffering of the poor increased. The prophet Amos criticized Jeroboam for lack of justice and announced God's judgment on his house. Joash of Judah. A relatively good king of Judah, under whom there was extensive restoration of the temple. King Manasseh and Amon. Son of the good king Hezekiah, Manasseh was remembered as the most wicked king of Judah. His long reign ( B.C.) was peaceful and prosperous, but Manasseh made himself a servant of Assyria, building pagan shrines in Judah and encouraging Baal worship. His son Amon followed the practices of his father in his two-year reign. Sennacherib. Sennacherib was the Assyrian king who besieged Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah.To secure the vast empire of Assyria, Sennacherib campaigned on his western front against King Hezekiah of Judah. After success in the hill country, Sennacherib besieged Jerusalem, but was forced to withdraw when a plague suddenly afflicted the Assyrian army. Content on this page draws from Seminary Pastor Emeritus Dr. Robert Brusic s entries related to s overview of 1 Kings. Used with permission. 5

6 To Guide Your Reading Use the following questions to guide your reading and personal reflection, jotting down your thoughts in the space between each question. For those who wish, we have suggested a threeweek schedule to help you in your reading and reflection. Questions in boldface are the ones we suggest you consider at your small group meeting. Groups are free, however, to focus on whatever questions are of most interest and concern to the group. Let the Spirit lead! WEEK 1 2 KINGS 1:1 10: Kings picks up where 1 Kings left off. Quite literally, one scroll ran out and the story was continued on another scroll. After presenting the end of Elijah s prophetic ministry 2 Kings moves into Elisha s ministry. Reflecting not only on your reading in 2 Kings, but also on what you learned of Elijah in 1 Kings, what similarities and differences are there between the two prophets? While Elisha performed twice as many miracles as Elijah, Elijah is generally considered the greater of the two. Why do you think that is so? 2. Reread the story of Naaman and the servant girl in 2 Kings 5. What does it tell you about who God uses for good? About patience in our times of need? What do you think we are to learn from what happens to Gehazi (19-27)? 3. As we read of Elisha s many miracles, we cannot help but compare the power of God s prophets to the ineffectiveness of many of the kings we have met. What messages do you think this contrast is meant to convey to those for whom this book is written? What warning and/or hope do you find in it for us today? 4. Already in 2 Kings, you have read instances of great violence, and more will come. Read the last paragraph under Theme and Purpose on page 4. In what way is the insight Peter Enns offers helpful or not for you? How do you deal with violence in the Bible especially when God seems to order or condone it? 6

7 WEEK 2 2 KINGS 11:1 17:41 1. In Chapter 12, we meet Joash, a relatively good king of Judah who begins to rule at the age of 7. How does he become king (see Chapter 11)? What part did Jehoiada play? Who are the people in your faith life who have played important roles and how? 2. In Chapter 16, Ahaz is unfaithful in many ways: He turns to Assyria and other gods when faced with a military crisis. He steals precious metals from the temple. He makes changes in the temple that do not follow the specific instructions God gave Moses. What do you think drove him to do all this? Think of difficult times that you have experienced personally or in community (e.g. long-term unemployment, serious illness, death of a loved one, family or friends going through a divorce a difficult transition period in your church, violence in the community, natural disaster). How did you and others respond at the time? Which were helpful? Which were not? What part did prayer, worship, and Christian fellowship play? 3. Review the list of sins (there are about twenty) in 17:7-22. Obviously the worship of idols contributed heavily to the downfall of the people of Israel. Idols can be understood as anything that people trust or turn to instead of God. What are some idols you see people turn to today or that you yourself at times find tempting? How does this affect one s relationship with God? What can a person do to avoid the temptation of idolatry and keep God at the center of life? 4. Read again our memory verse (17:38-39). We, too, live under a covenant God made with us. What is that covenant? How do you understand the promise that God will deliver us from all our enemies? 7

8 WEEK 3 2 KINGS 18:1 25:30 1. In Chapter 18, King Sennacherib of Assyria sends his field commander to talk to Hezekiah and his assistants. What kinds of questions does Sennacherib s commander raise, and how does he try to destroy Judah s confidence (18:19-24)? What tactics does he use to undermine Hezekiah s leadership and how do the people respond (18:26-36)? What can we learn from Hezekiah s response to Sennacherib s lies (Chapter 19)? 2. What do we learn about the relationship between Hezekiah and God in 20:1-11? Do you think Hezekiah s response to Isaiah s prophecy is one of trust, confusion or both (20:16-19)? Have there been times in your life when it has been hard to understand God's purposes? How do we continue to trust at such times? 3. 2 Kings 22:1-23:25 introduces King Josiah and the reforms he brings as a ruler. Jesus echoes the words of 23:25 when asked to name the first and greatest commandment (Matthew 28:36-38). What are those words? Looking back at all the kings we have met in 1 & 2 Kings, some to varying degrees were good, but only one Josiah is said to have fully turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength. What difference did his being a good king make in the lives of the people? 4. Do you think being a person of God makes for a better ruler in today s world? To what degree? After reading this history of Israel in 1 & 2 Kings, do you think you will pray more often for our own nations and its leaders whether or not they are Christian? Why or why not? To end your discussion time, go to For Next Month on page 3. 8