Lesson 5 (July 27-August 2), The Cry of the Prophets

The Recurring Call to Justice

1. If the priests and kings had done their work properly would God have needed prophets still?
2. Why did God not wish to have kings in the first place?
3. Why were prophets more faithful than priests and kings?

Amos

1. Why did Amos deny being a prophet when he was a prophet? Why did Ellen White say she did not call herself a prophet but that she did the work of a prophet?
2. How successful were the prophets in trying to reform Israel?
3. What kind of language is necessary to combat condemning evil successfully?

Micah

1. Can one do justly and love mercy at the same time? Which one is superior?
2. Who are normally more generous and charitable towards the disadvantaged of society, the rich or the poor? What is the reason for this?
3. Why did Micah include "walk humbly" with justice and mercy?

Ezekiel

1. How did Ezekiel know that the citizens of Sodom neglected to help the poor and needy when it is not mentioned in the Genesis account? 
2. Which are more serious, sexual sins or sins against the poor and needy? Why?
3. Why is Ezekiel concerned about the sins of being arrogant and overfed? What is wrong about these, and what is the connection, if any?

Isaiah

1. What does it mean to defend the cause of the fatherless and the plead the case of the widow? How can we fulfil this practically?
2. How might one be figuratively guilty of "grinding the faces of the poor" as described by Isaiah?
3. Why would Isaiah condemn those who accumulate houses and fields? What, if anything, is wrong with leaving no space?

Lesson 4 (July 20-26), Mercy and Justice in Psalms and Proverbs

Psalms: Songs of Hope for the Oppressed

1. What enabled psalmists in distress to compose songs of hope? On what was their assurance based?
2. Why does God allow trouble to fall upon his faithful people? Why are the wicked allowed to prosper?
3. What does it take for the psalmist to compose something like "Judge me O God according to my righteousness?"How confidently can a human say that?

Do Something God

1. Why doesn't God give just rewards in this life itself, before one dies? Why must we wait for the next life to be rewarded?
2. What is the implications if a person abandons faith in God because he or she feels unjustly compensated in this life?
3. If there were no final judgment how would it affect one's behavior in this life?

A King's Promises

1. Does experience improve or corrupt a leader? What makes a difference?
2. What did David learn from Saul about how to be a good king, or how not to be a bad king?
3. In a contest between justice and mercy, which one should win?

Walking with the Lord

1. Is the composer of Ps 37:25 correct in saying that he has never seen the righteous forsaken, or their children begging for bread?
2. If we see children begging can we infer that their parents are not righteous?
3. What are the benefits that one receives by helping others?

Proverbs: Mercy on the Needy

1. Is poverty a sign of laziness?
2. Are poor people closer to God than rich people?
3. Did the social laws of Israel eliminate poverty in their society?

Lesson 3 (July 12-19), Sabbath, A Day of Freedom

Manna Enough

1. Why were Israelites restricted to an omer each of manna a day? Don't some people need more food than others?
2. Was collecting manna such a chore that it could not be done on Sabbath morning?

Two Reasons for Sabbath

1. Does the Sabbath commandment need a reason?
2. Does the week make the Sabbath or the Sabbath makes the week?
3. Does the new reason (deliverance from slavery) release non-Israelites from Sabbath observance?

A Day of Equality

1. Why is the fourth commandment so long? Why does this one have clarifications and qualifications that the other commands don't have?
2. Why does the fourth commandment mandate rest for servants but not for the wife?
3. What are some things that visitors to our homes are not to engage in on Sabbaths nowadays? 

A Day of Healing

1. Is it okay to perform acts of benevolence which can be done on other days of the week be on the Sabbath?
2. Are nurses and doctors to work on Sabbath? What about other workers in hospitals without whom the hospital could not function, or not function as efficiently?
3. Why did Jesus heal on the Sabbath when he could have done it on any other day of the week?

Sabbath Rest for the Land

1. Why would there be no record of a jubilee or sabbatical year in Israelite history?
2. Is the Sabbatical year to be followed today also?
3. How should the principle of the jubilee year apply to caring for employees in the workplace or at home?

Lesson 2 (July 6-12) Blueprint for a Better World.

The God Who Hears

1. Why would God keep His people in slavery for four hundred years? Wouldn't a few years have been enough for a lesson?
2. Does God pick a leader who fits his needs best, or does he prepare one over the years?
3. What difference to the Israelites did the experience of slavery make?

The Ten Commandments 

1. Why did God wait till the Exodus to deliver to humans the Ten Commandments?
2. What did God wish the Ten Commandments to accomplish?
3. Why did God wait till the time of Jesus to explain the extent of the commandments to cover thoughts and intentions?
4. What does the experience of the Rich Young Ruler tell us about the Ten Commandments?

Slaves, Widows, Foreigners, Fatherless.

1. What about the risks in housing strangers and foreigners?
2. Do obligations to widows include divorcees and single old spinsters?
3. Should servants today  be treated as Israelites treated Hebrew servants or foreign servants?

Second Tithing

1. How is a second tithe different from the first tithe?
2. What is the "storehouse" that we are supposed to bring all the tithes into according to Malachi?
3. Are Adventists the only denomination to practice tithing? What do clergy of other denominations live on?
4. Why does misuse of tithe by the church not release one from the obligation to return tithe to God?

The Year of Jubilee

1. What can we infer, if anything, from the fact that there is no record of observing a Year of Jubilee in the Bible?
2. How did inequity come about in Israelite society? Didn't Joshua distribute land equally? And didn't the Year of Jubilee restore equality?
3. What is the message of the Year of Jubilee for us today?

Lesson 1 (June 29-July 5), God Created

God, A Glimpse of Creation

1. Why do you think God made humans from mud? 
2. Did God give humans a different breath than He gave animals?
3. If the Bible did not exist what could we know about God from nature?
4. How much would we know about the devil if there was no Bible?

A Complete World

1. If Eden was such a wonderful place why aren't people creating spaces like that to live in?
2. Who is the greatest beneficiary of creation?
3. Why does our church want to reflect doctrines in our name? 

Stewards of the Earth

1. Why did Adam name all the animals?
2. Is the earth filled to the point where we should stop reproduction?
3. Why is human life more valuable than animal life? Is animal life more valuable than plant life?

A Broken World

1. Are animals morally free? Do they have the power of choice?
2. What does it say about God that He created human beings who could sin, would sin?
3. Will God allow humans to fly themselves to the moon or to another planet?

The Family Web of Humanity

1. To what extent are we our "brother's keeper?"
2. Why do we have to share our wealth with the poor and needy? What will happen to us if we don't?