Reference no: EM133693323

Assignment:

1. Read Exodus 3:1-11. In that Biblical account of Moses' exchange with God in Exodus 3 - God asks Moses to do two significantly different things: To remove his sandals (in verse 5) and to be God's leader and to rescue His people from their captivity in Egypt (in verse 10). While God and Moses continue their conversation, and God continues to ask Moses to accomplish His work, we're only looking at their exchange in verses 1-11. Consider this God/Moses exchange in the following questions:

Q1: Why do you think God asked Moses to remove his sandals. What is the significance of this request? Why do you think Moses followed the request without questioning God? How might that response from Moses apply to our current day?

Q2: When Moses challenged/questioned God's request for Moses to rescue His people, does that exchange appear to have aggravated God? While you might feel that the text might not pick it up fully, was Moses' challenge/question to God's request insubordinate? If so, what makes you think that? If no, what makes you think that?

Q3: In this exchange, what can we learn about the practice of challenging authority and being curious?

2. The history of Israel is captured in the Old Testament, specifically in a series of books known as the historical books. Joshua and Judges follow the transition of the Hebrew people as they recover from the loss of Moses, the prophet who brought them out of the land of Egypt, as they try to settle and subdue the land that they were promised. Following this period of transition, the people begin to desire a king and a kingdom like that of the nations around them. This period of time searching for a suitable king is found in 1-2 Samuel.

2 Samuel 7 marks a dramatic shift in the course of the history of Israel. Israel finally has a king, and it is to David and his household that God would ensure the right of kingship through an eternal covenant. 1-2 Kings describes how the golden age of David, and his son Solomon, came to an end with bitter civil war under the reign of Rehoboam. The southern tribes, known as Judah, would continue to follow the Davidic kings and generally remain faithful to worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac, and David. The northern tribes would from that point forward be known as Israel and follow after foreign gods, setting up their idols to worship in opposition to Yahweh.

The story of these two kingdoms end in 2 Kings as they both go into exile under two succeeding empires. The Northern tribes fall to Assyria in 722 B.C. While the Southern tribes fall to Babylon a few years later in 586 B.C. The historical books continue with the story of the southern tribes in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah as the Judahites return to the land they were promised after spending 70 years in exile in Babylon. Rebuilding the kingdom of Judah was fraught with many difficulties and challenges. The historical books end with the hope that as the Judahites return both physically and spiritually to the Lord and the Land that he promised them, that the Lord would return to them and provide the long-awaited Messiah to redeem them from the hand of their enemies.

Focus Question: Read 2 Samuel 7 and reflect on the uncertainty the Judahites might have had in God's promise to David while they lived in Exile in Babylon. How do the Historical Books demonstrate the covenant faithfulness of God towards his people?

3. A change of leadership is always a challenge. Change can bring anxiety and fear. Joshua takes the helm of leadership and communicates an important principle in the Bible. As you carefully read through these verses, the word "rest" is noticed. God is providing you a place of rest AND is giving you this land. When one thinks about a conquest, one often thinks of effort. Yet, the important concept here is rest. Connected to the concept of rest is that God is giving you this land.

• Joshua 1:13-15,22:4
• Hebrews 4:1-1
• Intro of Joshua, Ruth

Discuss the following points related to this topic:

• How do you understand this concept of "rest" in light of the promises of God?
• What are the similarities of physical rest and spiritual rest?
• Even though we all encounter challenges that can bring uneasiness, please share how a relationship with Jesus brings rest to our hearts.