Lesson 5 (Jan 23-29), The Controversy

David, Goliath, and Bathsheba

1. If humans had known the consequences of sin do you think they would have resisted temptation more easily?
2. What made David so brave in front of Goliath? What made him so weak in front of Bathsheba?
3. Which was the most critical moment in the encounter with Bathsheba?
4. How does know our weaknesses?

To Turn Their Hearts

1. How could Israelites be confused about who was sending them rain and prosperity?
2. Why do you think Elijah believed he was the only faithful one left in Israel?
3. What could make the false prophets of Baal believe they were worshipping the true God?
4. Why are people swayed by a show of fire and rain?

Words of Defiance

1. Should Hezekiah have turned to God right in the beginning instead of paying out all the silver in the treasury of the king and the temple? Why is God often only the final recourse?
2. What is more important to God, the attitude of the king or of the people?
3. How does a good king arise from a wicked father, and why do his sons sometimes turn out badly?

Death Decree

1. Was it okay for Esther to participate in the search for a pretty girl? Is it okay for Christian girls to take part in beauty pageants?
2. Why do you think the book of Esther is found in the Bible even though God is not mentioned in the book?
3. Does God listen to prayers better when it is accompanied by fasting?

Nehemiah

1. What do you think gave Nehemiah courage to make a request of the king?  What do you think made the king consider his request favourably?
2. Why is it harder to battle enemies within the church than enemies outside?
3. Is it okay to carry weapons to defend ourselves as we go about our daily lives?

Lesson 4 (Jan 16-22), Conflict and Crisis

Deborah

1. Why did the Israelites keep lapsing into sin when they could witness the suffering, the punishment, the pain of of defeat at the hand of the enemy each time they lapsed?
2. What made the Israelites better than their neighbours that God persisted with them?
3. Was it okay for Jael to kill Sisera in his sleep after showing him great hospitality?

Gideon

1. Will God answer prayers for signs today as he did for Gideon?
2. If the Lord does not grant us a sign are we to understand that God is not interested in communicating with us?
3. Why does God invite humans to participate in great victories (by doing small things with trumpets, jars and torches) when He can smash the enemy without their help?

Samson

1. Why did God select Samson when He knew how great was his moral weakness?
2. How can we account for Samson's stupid trust in Delilah when she revealed her treachery so many times?
3. Why is Samson included in the hall of fame in Hebrews 11?
4. Had Samson's parents failed to rear him properly?

Ruth

1. Why do you think that the Moabites allowed an Israelite family to settle in their land when the nations had fought so many wars?
2. Why is it that women find it difficult to get along with their mothers-in-law? Whose fault is it?
3. Why is it that today a dead man's brother or other relative is not responsible for the care of a widow?

Samuel

1. Was Eli to blame for his son's wicked behaviour? Was Samuel to blame for his sons' wickedness? Why are children of religious leaders often so naughty? 
2. Was the Israelite demand for a king any reflection on the success of Samuel as a judge?
3. Do children of leaders make good leaders? What makes children of kings eligible to be kings ?

Lesson 3 (Jan 9-15), Global Rebellion and the Patriarchs

How much does our position in the family (eldest, middle, youngest) influence the outcome of our choices and destiny?

Cain and Abel

1. What was Cain's wrong since there is no record that God had instructed them to bring animal sacrifices? If that was critical should not the author have emphasised it?
2. How was Cain's response to God's questions worse than Adam's when confronted by God?

The Flood

1. Does Peter (2 Peter 3:6) seem to suggest that the flood may not have been universal by using the phrase "the world of that time?"
2. What indications in the narrative indicate that the flood was universal?
3. How could Noah be drunk at one time and still be called perfect?

Abraham

1. What are the indications in the Abraham stories that suggest that his faith was not perfect?
2. What supreme tests of faith did Abraham pass? How easy was the test of moving out of Ur? What made it easy enough for Abraham to obey God?
3. Does faith obliterate all doubts?

Jacob and Easu

1. Why should the eldest son get more than the other siblings?
2. How should Isaac have handled sibling rivalry?
3. How could God use one who cheated left and right?

Joseph

1. Was Jacob unwise to give one son special favours?
2. Were Joseph's dreams from God or a result of his personal ambition?

Do God's backup plans bring the same result as the first plan?

Lesson 2 (Jan 2-8), Crisis in Eden

Three Blessings

1. How is being fruitful and multiplying a blessing to humans and animals?
2. Have humans surrendered dominion over the earth to Satan only or also to animals?
3. Is the Sabbath for humans alone or also for animals?

The Test at the Tree

1. Why was it important for God to test humans? Could he not have banished Satan to some uninhabited world and confined him there?
2. What was it that fascinated Eve so much-- the talking serpent, the attractive fruit, or the idea independence from God?
3. Is there any middle ground between obedience and disobedience?

The Fall

1. Is the snake in nature the most crafty of all animals? Why do you think Satan chose a snake as his medium? Wouldn't it have been better to select a cute irresistible animal?
2.  What could have made Eve include a ban on even touching the fruit in her response to the serpent when there is no record that God had placed a ban on touching the forbidden fruit?
3. Why does a mixture of truth and error add up to error and not truth?
4. Did Adam and Eve become more like God after sin?
5. What is the relationship of experiencing sin and the sense of nakedness?
6. Was God present during the temptation? Was the situation balanced evenly or was the temptation stronger than the urge to be faithful?

The Consequences

1. How much time could have elapsed between the creation of Adam and Eve and their sin?
2. Why do humans tend to justify their wrongdoing by blaming others? Was Eve truly deceived by the serpent? 
3. Was Adam partly correct in blaming Eve? Should God have given him a better wife? What could have done if Adam resisted Eve's temptation?
4. If Eve had resisted successfully would Satan have been banished or would they have to be on guard always?
5. Will sin be possible in the New Earth?

Lesson 1 (Dec 26-Jan 10, Crisis in Heaven)

The Fall in Heaven

1. Is it true that to explain the origin of evil would be to excuse it?
2. Why is pride associated with the worst of sins and sinners?
3. How can one help the proud to see their dangerous position?

The Prince of This World

1. Did Satan become the prince of this world as soon Adam lost it or was there a gap in time?
2. Does naming a thing or person indicate authority of the one or thing named? What about naming objects? What about a younger sibling giving a name to an older sibling either as a nickname or pet name?
3. How does roaming in a territory indicate dominion?

War in Heaven

1. How could Satan imagine that he could defeat God?
2. What does Satan have agains humans who were not even present in heaven?
3. How easy is it to overcome temptation?

Satan Evicted

1. How does using the name of Jesus enable humans to cast out demons?
2. Is it necessary for everyone present to confess their sins first before a demon can be cast out? Why or why not?
3. Could demons be cast out of humans before Jesus was born on this earth?

The Continuing Battle

1. When we consider the lives of the heroes of Heb 11 does it fill us with hope or despair? Why?  How easy is it for us to be like them?
2. How easy is it to resist the devil?
3. What are Elijah and Moses doing in heaven? Can they help us now?
4. Should we be afraid of the devil?