Week 16

Week 16, Day 1: Monday, 20 April 2009 Joshua 23, 24 Compare Joshua’s words to the people with those of Moses in Deuteronomy 31. (23:6) What must we be careful to do? (23:11) Why did God want the Jews to annihilate their enemies, and why was Joshua worried about the survivors? (23:12, 13) Do God’s promises fail? (23:14, 15) Does God want His people to continually celebrate His blessings in worship? (24:17) What did God want the Jews to remember about their victories? (24:12) Is there anything in life that hinders your ability to serve the Lord with all faithfulness? (24:14) Can man serve two masters? (24:15) Do we have the strength within ourselves to serve the Lord? (24:19, 20) Proverbs 20 What do wise people do? (20:3) Are there always consequences for behavior? (20:4) Is there anyone who is good? (20:9) How rare are men and women of strong character? (20:6, 15) What are God’s desires for the family? (20:7, 11, 20) Should Christians avenge themselves? (20:22) What is one reason why God allows adversity in your life? (20:30) Romans 4

What made the sinner Abraham righteous? (4:3) Abraham is the father of whom? (4:16) Week 16, Day 2: Tuesday, 21 April 2009 Judges 1, 2 Why did the Jews cut off the thumbs and big toes of Adoni-Bezek? (1:7) Compare 1:19 with Deuteronomy 20:1, Joshua 11, Joshua 17:18. Why do you suppose the Jews could not defeat the charioted armies this time? Why couldn’t they drive out the Jebusites, Canaanites, and Amorites despite God’s command? See 2:1-3 for the answer. What sin did the Jewish leaders and parents commit, and what was the consequence? (2:10) What instrument did God use to punish the Jews? (2:14, 15) Those who turn from the Lord are described as _______ (2:17) Compare this verse with Deuteronomy 31:16. Does God know the sin you are going to commit? How important is good leadership within the body? (2:18, 19) While might God allow trials in your life? (2:22) Proverbs 21 Who controls the thoughts of rulers? (21:1) Do we understand our own motives and our own sin? (21:2) What is more important to God than religious service and activity? (21:3) Does the wise man need to be punished to learn? (21:11) What happens to those who gradually stray away from God’s instruction? (21:16) When the Bible talks about the “mocker” what sort of person is it talking about? (21:24) Compare 21:27 with 21:2, 3.

What do the Jews learn in Judges? (21:31) Romans 5 We are justified through _________? Now forgiven, we should have __________ with God. How should we respond to suffering? (5:3-5) How did God demonstrate His love for us? (5:8) Week 16, Day 3: Wednesday, 22 April 2009 Judges 3, 4 In addition to testing the faith of the Jews, what is another reason why God allowed them to go through trials? (3:1, 2) Compare 3:6 with Joshua 23:12, 13. How did God equip the Judges for leadership? (3:10) How easy is it for God’s people to be influenced by the world around them? (2:12, 2:19, 3:6, 3:12, 4:1) What had become of the leaders of the Jews? (4:8, 9) Who routed Sisera? (4:15) Who was the woman that received the credit for the death of Sisera as Deborah had prophesized? (4:18) Proverbs 22 How is life for he wicked? (22:5) Where is the foundation for character formed? (22:6) Why should Christians avoid debt? (22:7, 26, 27) How important is discipline in child development? (22:15) How should we handle God’s Word? (22:17, 18)

What will committed study of God’s Word help you do? (22:19) How do Christians show that their faith is in the Lord rather than in riches? (22:22, 16, 8) What is the danger of hanging around with ungodly people? (22:25) Romans 6 Surrendered to God, how should we feel about sin? (6:2, 11-14) What does obedience lead to? (6:16) Christians are slaves to __________. (6:18) What does righteousness lead to? (6:19) What is God’s free gift to the Christian? (6:23) Week 16, Day 4: Thursday, 23 April 2009 Judges 5, 6 Does God hold everyone accountable for what they do and don’t do? (5:15-18) What natural phenomenon did God use to render Sisera’s chariots unusable? (5:4, 21) What is life like for God’s people when they turn away from the Lord? (6:2) What hope do foot-mobile farmers have against well armed camel riding marauders who were too many to count? (6) When God appears distant, what might be the cause? (6:10-13) Compare 6:15 with 1:27 to further understand the irony of God calling Gideon. What sort of person requires a sign from God? (6:17; see Matthew 12:39) Who was Gideon talking to that he did not recognize? (6:22, 23) Is this Jesus? What did Joash understand about false Gods? (6:31, 32) Compare 6:34 with 3:10.

Why do you think God uses imperfect people of limited faith to accomplish His ends? (6:36-40) Proverbs 23 Restraint is a sign of _______. (23:4) What does the Bible say about the extremes of gluttony and stinginess? (23:1-8) Who defends the weak? (23:11) What is one of the responsibilities of a parent? (23:13, 14) What can we learn from these verses as a child of God concerning the way our Heavenly Father deals with us? If you heart is wise, what will your conversations be like? (23:16) Proverbs 23:22 and 23:25, along with Proverbs 1:8, 4:3, 6:20, 10:1, 15:20, 19:26, 20:20, 28:24, 30:11, and 30:17 all reiterate that God intended life-giving wisdom is imparted upon children by both the ______ and the ______. God wants you to surrender your _______. (23:26) What can stand in the way? (21:4) What does the Bible say about drinking too much alcohol? (23:29-35) Romans 7 What is God’s view of the marriage covenant? (7:2, 3; see also Genesis 2:24, Matthew 5:32, and Matthew 19:9. What does God’s Law reveal to us? (7:7, 13) What predicament are sinners in? (7:14-20) What do we struggle with as Christians? (7:25) Week 16, Day 5: Friday, 24 April 2009 Judges 7, 8 Why did God use fearful Gideon and reduce the number of his army in order to rescue Israel? (7:2)

How many men did Gideon start with? (7:3) Foot-mobile troops travelling long distances in the desert can get very thirsty. When Gideon’s army approached water, what did the troops reveal about themselves? (7:6) What sort of man was chosen by God to join Him in His victorious action? (7:3, 7) Trumpets were used by leaders to command large forces in battle (in this case around 100 troops per trumpeter), and torches were also used at night. Why might Gideon have the remaining 300 troops collect all the trumpets and torches? (7:8) What did God know about Gideon? (7:10) How many enemy troops did Gideon’s 300 face? (7:12) What did the eastern peoples know about Gideon’s army? Did this cause them to turn to the Lord for mercy? (7:14) Large pots conceal the flame of torches. In the middle of the dark desert night when out of nowhere 300 torches appeared with the blaring of 300 trumpets from every direction, what did the Midianites and Amalekites think? (7:19-22) When God gives you success, how might others feel about you? (8:1) How many of the eastern people had fallen during Gideon’s attack? (8:10) In ancient battles, the fight was not over until the ______ were captured and/or killed. (8:15) Was Gideon now acting out of revenge rather than out of obedience to God? (8:1921) Who did the Israelites want to give the credit for the victory? (8:22) Gideon said he didn’t want to be king but then collected over $350,000 dollars worth of gold from the troops, and made for himself an ephod (the sacred vest to be worn by priests). His son’s name Abimelech means “my father a king.” What is the Bible showing us about the dangers of success combined with human pride? (8:239:1). What was the impact of Gideon’s sin and the sin of the Israelites? (8:27) Did the Israelites continue to enjoy peace for a time despite the sins they were

committing against God? (8:28) What does this tell you about the consequences of sin? Was Gideon following God’s Laws for marriage? How are his actions going to affect his children? (8:29-31) Proverbs 24 God can use trials to reveal to you what? (24:10) Is it our responsibility to pull others out of a sinful lifestyle? (24:11, 12) How does trouble affect the righteous and unrighteous differently? (24:16) What did Romans 5:3-5 reveal to us on this matter? Compare 24:19 with 24:1 and 23:17. What point does God want to ensure you understand? Why does God disapprove when we rejoice over the failures of our enemies? (24:17, 18) Are Christians ever allowed to seek revenge? (24:29) How do God’s commands concerning personal conflict relate to God’s commands concerning judicial matters? (See Exodus 21:12-26 for example and compare with Matthew 5:39). Romans 8 Is there any condemnation for Christians? (8:1) Why do Christians see the world completely differently from others? (8:5) If you are controlled by the Spirit, you have _______. (8:6) How do unbelievers relate to God? (8:7, 8) Those who truly belong to Christ have the ________ of Christ. (8:10) You will live if you do what? (8:12, 13) Does the Spirit of God take away fear? (8:15-17) The Christian walk requires what? (8:25) Does God help us through our human weaknesses? (8:26)

Does your perfect, loving, Heavenly Father cause good to ultimately come from everything that happens to you? (8:28) What is God’s intent for your life? (8:29, 30) Do you have anything to fear? (8:31-34) Can anything separate you from God’s love? (8:35-39) Week 16, Day 6: Saturday, 25 April 2009 Judges 9, 10 Abimelech was the son of a ________ (8:31, 9:1). Where did his loyalties lie? What sort of army did Abimelech raise? (9:4) Of all the sons Gideon had with his many wives (against God’s Law), how many survived? (9:5) What lesson can we learn from the Bible’s first parable concerning how we choose our leaders? (9:8-15). Do thornbushes provide shade? Who provoked enmity between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem? (9:23) Why? (9:24) Did Jotham have to seek his own vengeance? Shechem was originally a city of refuge and worship; what had it become after the people had turned from God? (Joshua 21:21, Joshua 24:1, Judges 9) Did Jotham’s prophetic parable come true? (9:56, 57; 9:20) What is the pattern of behavior observed in the Israelites? (10:6-16) What does this reveal about human nature? Proverbs 25 How important is it for nations to purge evil from within? (25:5) For a wise man’s counsel to be effective it must be ______ (25:12) Is a gentle tongue powerful? (25:15) Can too much of a good thing be bad? (25:16)

How important is it for leaders to surround themselves with people of fidelity and wisdom? (25:19, 20) What use is a polluted well? (25:26) What is vital for your security in life? (25:28) Psalm 46 Compare Psalm 46 with Romans 8:28-39. How should this knowledge drastically change your life? Week 16, Day 7: Sunday, 26 April 2009 Judges 11, 12 What kind of people does God use to accomplish His purposes? (11:1-3) Do wise leaders exhaust all efforts to negotiate disputes reasonably? (11:14-28) Was Jephthah’s vow honorable or godly? (9:31) Review Proverbs 20:25, Leviticus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:31). Was Jephthah confusing the common pagan rituals of the world with God’s requirements? Compare 12:1 with 8:1. How destructive is envy and jealousy? How far had God’s people drifted away from God’s commands? (12:8-13) Proverbs 26 The Bible compares fools with ______. Does it take great wisdom to deal with foolish people? (26: 4, 5) Compare 26:6-11 with 25:19, 20. What is the worst type of foolishness? (26:12) Can deceivers deceive forever? (25:26) Can you behave inappropriately without being affected yourself? (25:27) Psalms 47, 48

How has God ascended? (47:5) Who do kings belong to? (47:9) What does God expect His people to do during worship? (48:9)