(a) How does the story of Joshua relate to the great promise that Abraham had been given in Genesis 12:1-3?
(b) The story of Rahab in Joshua 2 is the story of how a Gentile woman of dubious morals found that she mattered to God. The Old Testament focuses on the Lord’s dealings with his chosen people, the Jews; but can you think of other instances where Gentile people find God’s favour? And what do you make of Matthew 1:5?…
(a) Daniel found himself, as a young man, in a very alien environment. To what extent do find yourself, as a young Christian, to be in an environment where you are made to feel that you don’t belong?
(b) One of the most striking things about Daniel is his discipline. Quickly scan these chapters to see how much evidence you can find for this. What do you thing we can learn from Daniel’s example in this regard?…
(a) Israel wanted a king (why?). The Lord didn’t want them to have a king (why?). And yet the Lord allowed them to have their king (again, why?).
(b) Some people assume that God has a single, fixed, plan for everyone. If we depart from that plan, then we can never experience God’s full blessing again. In what ways does this passage tell us that things are not as simple as that?…
A hundred thousand casualties…the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them.
These numbers seem incredibly high. Various explanations have been suggested.
1. Supernatural event
Older commentators tend to understand the numbers literally, and find a supernatural explanation. With regard to the figure of 27,000, Barnes, for example, thinks that a ‘terrific earthquake’ took place. But this is conjecture, and, in any case, still does not explain the large number of victims.
Poole says that such
…‘might possibly happen through natural causes; but most probably was effected by the mighty power of God, then sending some sudden earthquake, or violent storm of wind, which threw down the wall, or walls, upon them; or doing this by the ministry of angels; which cannot be incredible to any man, except to him that denies the truth of all the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament.’
One statement of marriage vows, permissible in the Church of England, runs as follows:-
I, N , take you, N ,
to be my wife/husband,
to have and to hold
from this day forward;
for better, for worse,
for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish,
till death us do part,
according to God’s holy law.
In the presence of God I make this vow.
These are worth pondering carefully.…
It would be easy to bemoan the prevalence, at the present time, the decline of marriage and the negative attitudes that many people hold towards it. But, it seems, marriage is surprisingly good for you.
Here in the UK, Marriage rates are often quoted as being ‘at the lowest rate ever’. The 2011 census showed that married couple households were in the minority for the first time.
Between 2001 and 2011, the number of single people rose by 25%. …
(What follows is based on the teaching of John Stott, Issues Facing Christians Today, 4th ed., 359ff)
Marriage is a divine institution, founded on the natural distinction between male and female, Gen 2:24.
Marriage serves a number of purposes: control of procreation, Gen 1:28 Ps 127:3,5, creation of a stable environment for child-rearing, Pr 5:16-17; mutual support, Gen 2:20-22.
In marriage, two people become one, Mt 19:5-6.
Marriage is honourable, Heb 13:4, but so is the unmarried state, Mt 19:11-12 1 Cor 7.…
There is no denying the universality of the family unit (defined as at least a mother, father, and their children). Attempts to do without the family as a basic socialising agency have been abandoned.
As for marriage, a number of important functions may be identified:-
Marriage has not only sexual, but economic, aspects. …
‘Do not quench the Spirit’, writes Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. What are some of the ways we do this?
Sam Storms:
1. We quench the Holy Spirit when we rely decisively on any resource other than the Holy Spirit for anything we do in life and ministry.
