Lesson 1 (Dec 28-Jan 3), From Reading To

Why do portions of the Bible need explanation? What about those who have no one to help them understand? What might they lose for not understanding these portions correctly?

Christ: The Center of Daniel

1. What was God's purpose in giving humans His word through scripture?
2. Is there any book of the Bible that does not teach something about Jesus?
3. Why was Daniel used by God more than his three Hebrew companions in Babylon?
4. How can meditating about Christ daily help us through the day?

The Structure of Daniel

1. Why would portions of any literary work be in two languages?
2. What do we lose by not understanding the structure of a literary work? In today's world where do writers place their most important points?
3. Does God still install and remove leaders of countries?

Apocalyptic Prophecies in Daniel

1. Why would God want to reveal the future through apocalyptic prophecies with strange symbolism rather than straightforward foretelling? 
2. Which books of the Bible if any contain  both classical and apocalyptic prophecy?
3. While apocalyptic prophecy is not conditional on human response, can fulfillments or interpretation change?

God's Timescale

1. When using a map if no scale for distance is provided how can one determine the scale?
2. Is the use of symbolic time in the Bible restricted to apocalyptic prophecies? 
3. How do we know when a prophecy is using the year-day principle and when it is not?

Contemporary Relevance of Daniel

1. How has each generation interpreted the Bible to understand that their generation was the last? Was it possible?
2. Were Daniel and his three companions special or can we today have the same results in similar situations?
3. Why do governments interfere with the way people want to believe in God and practice their religion? Is there any country that will be a safe place to practice one's personal beliefs?

Lesson 13( Dec 21-27), Leaders in Israel

The Influence of Our Leaders

1. How can some leaders (or anybody), be both good and bad?
2. Why do the children of good leaders turn out corrupt?
3. How does a person who is a good leader in the beginning become bad later?

Evil in the Sight of the Lord

1. Why is it worse for a leader to be bad than for an ordinary person? 
2. In a judgement can a person blame a leader for leading him/her astray?
3. Can earlier harm be undone by a leader who repents?

Courage and Empowerment

1. Can a person who does not have courage be a leader?
2. What strategies can a timid leader employ when courage is required? 
3. When will God fight for us and when does He expect us ourselves to fight?

Purpose and Passion

1. Does God help one who comes only when help is needed? How sincere are such people?
2. Is a leader born with purpose and passion or are those developed?
3. Why did God need both Ezra and Nehemiah? Isn't one good leader enough?

Humility and Perseverance

1. Why does a leader need humility?
2. Is one born with humility or is it developed?
3. What dangers are there if any of taking help from human powers?
4. What negative aspects are there if any, to perseverance?
5. How practical is it for a leader to be the servant-type?

Lesson 12 (Dec 14-20), Dealing with Bad Decisions

Nehemiah's Reaction

1. Why are only Jewish men condemned for marrying non-Jews and not Jewish women for marrying foreigners? Does it make a difference to the family?
2. Why is the language we speak at home called one's "mother tongue?" How does it affect one's upbringing? 
3. How effective is public shaming as a deterrent for undesirable behaviour?

Nehemiah's Reproof

1. Why was Solomon a bad example only for marrying heathen wives, and not for polygamy?
2. How was it acceptable to have for foreigner wives such as Zipporah, Ruth and Rahab?
3. How likely was it that some of the foreign wives in Ezra's day had become genuine worshippers of Yahweh, and were acceptable to Ezra and Nehemiah?
4. How might the term "unequally yoked with unbelievers" apply even to members in the church?

Ezra Reacts

1. How can we mingle with the people we are to evangelize and still avoid ending up marrying one of them?
2. How can we implement the concept of "in the world but not of the world?"
3. How can one who is a believer rectify a decision made earlier to marry a non-believer?

Ezra Acts

1. How correct was it to send away foreign wives and their children? Should the husbands have gone with them and settled perhaps in a third country?
2. How likely was it that some "converted wives were also sent away? Was it possible that such drastic action caused some women to be converted and baptized?
3. Under what circumstances may a marriage be considered "null and void?"

Marriage Today

1. What advice can we give a person contemplating marriage with a non-Adventist who claims that this person is better than many Adventists? Are there non-believers who are in our church, even baptized? 
2. Who is a non believer?
3. What steps can a believer take to try to win over an unbelieving spouse?

Lesson 11 (Dec 7-13), Backslidden People

Tainted Temple Leadership

1. Was the law (Deut 23:3) to prevent Ammonites and Moabites up to the tenth generation, from entering the congregation of Israelites unfair? Did this mean that the eleventh generation could? How did Ruth the Moabitess manage?
2. What evidence is there that Tobiah was a threat to Israel's religion?
3. Why do people forget their initial spiritual fervor?

The Levites in the Fields

1. What is the advantage of having a paid clergy over having volunteers care for the spiritual needs of the family?
2. How much can one person do to reform the church today?
3. What could Israel do about a corrupt priest/high priest who held office because of birthright?

Tithes and Offerings

1. What makes us think that the system of support for the priests in the OT times applies to our churches today?
2. Could the church be supported as well as it is through offerings alone as it is through tithe? 
3. How does Tithing aid in spirituality and relationship with God?

Treading the Winepress on Sabbath

1. Is physical restraint such as locking doors the best way to enforce Sabbath keeping? Why did Nehemiah resort to closing the gates of the city?
2.  Would extracting juice from fruit be wrong if it was for consumption for that day only?
3. Under what circumstances if any might it be okay to buy on Sabbath?

Did Not Your Fathers Do This

1. How would closing the gates help in keeping the Sabbath?
2. What was the response of  Jesus to the strict observance of the Sabbath in His day?
3. Did Jesus mean to say that justice, mercy and faith supercede the law, or are only equal to it?

Lesson 10 (Nov 30-Dec 6), Worshipping the Lord

Singing the Songs of the Lord

1. What are ways in which a song service enhances worship? What are ways in which it can spoil worship? 
2. What has a song leader done in your experience that has made singing more effective?
3. Should singers who have less talent be encouraged or discouraged from singing special songs?
4. Which is more effective for worship moods, performed music or congregational singing?

Purification

1. Why did the Israelites purify the gates and the walls? How had it become defiled?
2. What happens to humans when they undergo purification rites?
3. If one does not feel spiritually cleansed, what should one do?

The Large Thanksgiving Choirs

1. Which is to be preferred, a large choir with whoever wishes to join, or a small choir of only those who have obvious talent?
2. What should be done about the words of songs that are performed which cannot be understood clearly?
3. What is the function of music in worship? What are ways in which it is misused?

Sacrifice as Part of Worship

1. How did animal sacrifices lend itself to teaching the plan of salvation? How much was it a waste of animals?
2. How much did it matter whether people fully understood the ritual of the various kinds of sacrifices?
3. What was so joyful about sacrifices that the people rejoiced and sacrificed?

Priests and Levites as Part of Worship

1. Is there enough rejoicing and celebration in our worship today?
2. How much of the function of priests is replaced by the pastors?
3. How Biblical is it to have pastors paid through tithes like the priests and Levites were in the Old Testament?
4. Should other participants of worship such as visiting preachers and musicians be paid from the tithe?