Moses went to the top of the mountain where God gave him detailed instructions on God’s law and constructing the tabernacle. God also wrote the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone and gave them to him. While Moses was away for 40 days, the people began to wonder when he would return. Not knowing what had happened to Moses, the people took matters into their own hands.
Discuss:
Richard Gunther (www.lambsongs.co.nz) | FreeBibleImages.org
The people had made a covenant with God saying they would do everything that God told them to do. Did they really keep their word?
What was Aaron’s role in creating the idol? Why did Aaron participate in the worship of an idol? Did God hold Aaron accountable for his actions (Exodus 32:21–25; Deuteronomy 9:20)?
What was Moses’ reaction to Israel’s sin? Was it wrong for Moses to be angry? What are the limitations God puts on human anger (Ephesians 4:26)?
There are always consequences for sin. What are some of the consequences for Israel’s worship of the golden calf?
Memory Challenge:
Exodus 19:5–6
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/005-ls-golden-calf.jpg360480Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2020-06-11 16:38:102026-02-24 16:55:13Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 44 “The Golden Calf”
Samuel served in the temple from childhood. Under the guidance of Eli, Samuel began to learn about all the things of God. God was preparing Samuel for big responsibilities. One night, when he was still a young boy, Samuel heard someone call his name. Thinking it was Eli, he jumped out of bed and said to Eli “Here I am!” Eli hadn’t called him, but Samuel was about to find out Who wanted his attention. And that was only the beginning of the story of how Samuel came to be a prophet and a judge over Israel.
Discuss:
Richard Gunther (www.lambsongs.co.nz) | FreeBibleImages.org
Samuel had a special calling to be a prophet to Israel at a very young age. What was Samuel’s reaction when God spoke to him the first time?
Samuel’s first prophetic message was about Eli and his family. Why were Eli and his sons punished?
What are the duties of a prophet? Why does God have prophets?
What are the duties of a judge?
Memory Challenge:
1 Samuel 3:10
Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”
Samuel had been judging Israel for many years. He traveled between the cities of Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah to judge the people, though he lived in Ramah with his family. Samuel’s sons became judges, but they did not follow his example. They were evil in how they judged Israel, and the people were upset with how things were going. They decided they wanted to have a king to rule over them instead of a judge. Samuel tried to warn them of what would happen if they had a king, but the people would not listen, and God was preparing to let them have their way.
Discuss:
Richard Gunther (www.lambsongs.co.nz) | FreeBibleImages.org
Before Israel had a king, God gave Israel His laws and His judges made sure they were kept. What would change with a king?
Israel was to be an example to the other nations (Deuteronomy 4:6–8). What does it mean to be an example? What is the difference between a good example and a bad example?
What did God say would happen if Israel had a human king?
Israel rejected God as their king because they wanted a human king. They did not appreciate what God had done for them. How can we appreciate what God does for us?
Memory Challenge:
1 Samuel 8:7
And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not rule over them.”
Amos was a sheep breeder when God sent him to prophesy to Israel. He was a prophet during the reigns of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam II king of Israel (2 Kings 15). This Jeroboam is not to be confused with Jeroboam I, the first king of Israel who caused Israel to sin. Jeroboam II was an evil king who continued the false religion of his ancestors. Yet, God allowed Israel to prosper during this time. It is in this context that Amos was sent to prophesy against Israel and the surrounding nations.
Discuss:
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Why does God warn people through prophecy? Remember that transgression of God’s law is sin (1 John 3:4 KJV) and sin causes suffering.
How were things going in the land while Amos prophesied of bad things to come? Do you think this changed how the people heard his message?
Did the people listen to Amos?
Was Amos thought of as a traitor? What should we do if we experience ill feelings from others because of our faith?
What were Israel’s sins that Amos pointed out in chapter 2? Covetousness was a major source of their sins. Today, our society is filled with covetousness. How can we avoid being covetous?
Did the people change?
What nation took Israel captive not long after Amos’ warnings?
Memory Challenge:
Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
A man named Hosea, who Moses called Joshua, was from the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua was already used by God in the wilderness as an assistant to Moses at Mount Sinai and as a leader of troops in a victorious battle against the Amalekites! Now the Israelites were coming close to the entrance to the land God promised them and it was time for Joshua to help out again – this time as a spy! Joshua and eleven other spies were sent into the land to see what the land was like and what kind of people lived there. When they returned, the group brought with them delicious fruit, exciting news of the land, and a disagreement that would impact the lives of every person in Israel.
Discuss:
Richard Gunther (www.lambsongs.co.nz) | FreeBibleImages.org
The Amalekites attacked Israel near the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land (Exodus 17:8-16). What job did Moses give Joshua in Israel’s first battle?
How did Joshua assist Moses at Mount Sinai? (Exodus 24; 32)
Why was Joshua chosen as one of the spies?
When the spies came back what did they say about the land and the people they saw? What did the spies recommend? What did Joshua and Caleb recommend? How difficult do you think it was for them to stand up against the crowd?
What was Israel’s punishment for refusing to go into the promised land?
Memory Challenge:
Numbers 14:8-9
“If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.”
https://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/41m1NX4KEsL._SX354_BO1204203200_.jpg499356Jonathan McNairhttps://www.lcgeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/logo_basic-website-300x94.pngJonathan McNair2020-06-10 08:00:002020-11-06 13:08:37Recommended Reads: The Myth of Multitasking
Author: Mr. Kenneth Frank | Faculty in Theology, Living Education
Estimated Reading Time:6 min.
Did you know that the first time the Hebrew word for Messiah appears in the Old Testament is in a woman’s prayer thanking God for giving her a son after she had been barren (could not bear children) for many years?
This heart-warming story appears in 1 Samuel 1 and 2. For millennia, Christians have noted hundreds of Old Testament prophecies that they see fulfilled in the coming of Jesus the Christ (Messiah), as described in the New Testament. Most Jews do not accept that Jesus fulfills these many prophecies since they have a different understanding of the word messiah. However, for Christians, Jesus uniquely fulfilled hundreds of prophecies in His short earthly lifetime – including the prayer prophecy of this faithful woman. They may not realize that the first time the Hebrew word for messiah appears in the Bible comes from the intervention of God for a couple who raised a boy who became Israel’s last judge and the first of the order of prophets: Samuel (Acts 3:24; Acts 13:20).
1 Samuel 1 describes Hannah as one of two wives of a man named Elkanah. She was barren, which was considered a misfortune, shame, and reproach (Genesis 30:23) in the ancient world because it was often viewed as divine punishment. Children were (and are) a blessing from God. Sometimes barren women were mistreated for what was beyond their control. Hannah received ridicule from Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:6). At the tabernacle of God for a festival, Hannah prayed for a son and vowed to give him to the LORD as a Nazarite – i.e., one who fully dedicated his life to God’s service. 1 Samuel 2 is Hannah’s hymn of thanks and prophetic prayer for God’s gift of a son. In several ways, it parallel’s Mary’s prayer after the angel came to tell her that she would give birth to the Messiah (Luke 1:46-55), commonly called The Magnificat.
The verse containing the Hebrew word for messiah is 1 Samuel 2:10 KJV: “The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.” What makes this prophecy even more remarkable is that it was given during the time of the judges before the Israelite monarchy. On the surface, the word messiah does not appear in this text. However, looking into the Hebrew word behind our English text reveals the first use of this term. Our English text renders the word anointed. It is the Hebrew word mashiyach and literally means “anointed one” – i.e., a consecrated person. David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary explains: “This is the first place in the Bible where Jesus is referred to as the Messiah. ‘She first applied to him the remarkable epithet MESSIAH in Hebrew, CHRIST in Greek, and ANOINTED in English, which was adopted by David, Nathan, Ethan, Isaiah, Daniel, and the succeeding prophets of the Old Testament; and by the apostles and inspired writers of the New’ (Hales, cited in Clarke).”
Anointing with oil set apart individuals for God to serve in three sacred offices. Easton’s Bible Dictionary explains: “Thus priests (Exodus 28:41; Exodus 40:15; Numbers 3:3), prophets (1 Kings 19:16), and kings (1 Samuel 9:16; 1 Samuel 16:3; 2 Samuel 12:7) were anointed with oil, and so consecrated to their respective offices.” From that time on, such a person was considered God’s choice to serve him in a divinely-appointed role. The Hebrew word mashiyach appears 39 times in the Old Testament and is translated either as “anointed” or “messiah” in the King James Version. One time it was even used of a Gentile Persian king, Cyrus, in Isaiah 45:1. Confirming this, Webster’s 1828 Dictionary gives this noun definition: “ANOINTED, n. The Messiah, or Son of God, consecrated to the great office of Redeemer; called the Lord’s anointed. Cyrus is also called the Lord’s anointed. Isaiah 45.”
The Dake Annotated Reference Bible note on 1 Samuel 2:10 explains how the word is used in the Old Testament: “anointed Hebrew: mashiyach (H4899), anointed, referring usually to a consecrated person, as a king, priest, or saint–especially the Messiah. This is the first reference to the Messiah where this term is used. From this point on others take up the theme of God’s Anointed One–the Messiah (2:35; Psalm 2:2; 45:7; Isaiah 61:1; Daniel 9:25-26; John 1:41; 4:25). It is used of men and Messiah:
Messiah (1 Samuel 2:10; 2:35; Psalm 2:2; Isaiah 61:1)
Saul (1 Samuel 10:1; 12:3; 12:5; 24:6; 24:10; 26:9; 26:11; 26:16; 26:23; 2 Samuel 1:14; 1:16; 1:21)
David (2 Samuel 19:21; 22:51; 23:1; Psalm 18:50; 20:6; 28:8; 132:10; 132:17)
Solomon (2 Chronicles 6:42)
Cyrus of Persia (Isaiah 45:1)
Joshua (Habakkuk 3:13)
Several unidentified men (Psalm 84:9; 89:38; 89:51; 105:15; Lamentations 4:20)”
The New Testament twice refers to Jesus as the Messiah by employing the word Messias in the King James Bible. Smith’s Bible Dictionary illustrates, “The word is twice used in the New Testament of Jesus. John 1:41; John 4:25. Authorized Version, ‘Messias.'” The New Testament was written in Greek. It’s most frequent equivalent word for mashiyach is christos, from which we derive the English word, Christ. Thus, when Christians refer to Jesus Christ they are calling him Messiah. Christ is not His surname but His office as the anointed Savior of the world.
It is important for Christians when they read the word Christ in their New Testament that they immediately connect it to Messiah. Jesus knew He was the one anointed to this office: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19 KJV). Each time we refer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, we should remember that Christ refers to His office as God’s anointed Son who will someday sit upon the throne of David (Luke 1:32-33). We should also remember that the first person who was inspired by God to use this term was a godly woman, Hannah, whose prayer of gratitude was also a prophecy of the coming Messiah.
Kenneth Frank was born and raised in New Jersey, USA, and attended Ambassador College, graduating in 1973. He served in the Canadian ministry from 1973-1999, after which he returned to the USA to pastor churches in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina for 15 years. Having earned a BA degree from Ambassador College he later earned a MA degree from Grand Canyon University before being assigned to the Charlotte office to teach at Living University, now Living Education. Currently, he teaches the Survey of the Bible course to the on-campus students and writes the Digging Deeper column for our online Bible study program. He is married, has four children, and seven grandchildren.
The people wanted a king, so God had a particular man in mind for the job. This young man’s name was Saul, and he was from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was the tallest and most handsome man in all the land! God told Samuel that he wanted Saul to be king. Little did Saul know about what was in store for him!
One day, Saul’s father told him to take a servant with him to look for his two missing donkeys. Saul and his servant searched and searched but they could not find them. They were about to give up when they remembered Samuel and decided that the man of God would be able to help them. He was, of course, able to help them, but not in the way that Saul expected. How could Saul know that the two missing donkeys were part of God’s plan to anoint a king over Israel?
Discuss:
Richard Gunther (www.lambsongs.co.nz) | FreeBibleImages.org
Saul was tall and handsome. Do you think this was part of the reason God chose him to be the first king?
When Samuel first told Saul about God’s plan to make him king, how did Saul react? How do we react when someone tells us something surprising?
Why do you think Saul kept it a secret that he had been anointed by Samuel to be the king?
When Samuel went to proclaim to the people who would be king, where was Saul? Why do you think he was hiding?
Later, God said that Saul was “small in his own eyes” at this time. This is another way of saying that he was “humble”. What exactly does it mean to be “humble” or “small in your own eyes?”
Memory Challenge:
1 Samuel 10:24
And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”
Isaiah was a prophet during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in the Kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel had not listened to the warnings of the prophets to turn from their evil practices, so God allowed them to be conquered and taken into captivity by the mighty Assyrian empire. God told Isaiah to warn the people of Judah that if they did not give up their idolatry and fully turn to God He would allow them to suffer the same consequences that Israel had suffered. King Hezekiah was on the throne at the time when the Assyrians conquered the northern Kingdom. Though his father Ahaz had been an evil king, Hezekiah was determined to follow God. He understood that the Assyrians would soon be coming after Judah, but he also remembered God’s promises, of which Isaiah helped remind him at a most decisive moment in the history of the kingdom of Judah.
Discuss:
Sweet Publishing |FreeBibleImages.org
There is a parallel account of the story of King Hezekiah in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 36-39). Compare the account with the one in 2 Kings. Does Isaiah add any details to the story?
How was King Hezekiah different from the three previous kings of Judah? Why do you think God was with him (2 Kings 18:7)?
When the Assyrian King Sennacherib threatened to destroy Jerusalem how did Hezekiah express his dependence on God? How can we use this example to put our hearts into our prayers when we talk to God?
What was God’s response to Hezekiah’s prayer about the armies of Assyria?
What bad news did Isaiah bring to King Hezekiah? What did Hezekiah do after hearing this news?
What miracle did God perform to show Hezekiah that his prayer was heard?
Did Isaiah have good news for the people of Judah? What things did God charge against Judah?
Memory Challenge:
2 Kings 18:5-7
He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.
The Israelites rebelled against God when they were supposed to go into the land God promised them, so as a punishment God made them wander in the desert for forty years. They were now getting close to the end of that time, but it seemed the people had not changed very much – they still complained and complained. One day, the congregation was made to camp in a place where there was no water. Instead of asking God for help, they were angry and complained to Moses and Aaron. God told Moses to gather the people together to witness a special miracle that God was going to perform to bring water from a rock. God had done this miracle before, only this time He wanted Moses to speak to the rock instead of hitting it with his staff as he had before. Moses was so angry with the people for all their complaining that he made a hasty mistake – a mistake which would change the course of his life.
Discuss:
Richard Gunther (www.lambsongs.co.nz) | FreeBibleImages.org
Why do you think the people were the people complaining about not having water? What would it be like to be in the desert without water?
Why do you suppose the people didn’t ask God for help when they were in trouble? Why is it important that we ask God to help us when we are in trouble?
What were God’s instructions to Moses and Aaron? What did Moses and Aaron actually do?
Why was God so angry with Moses? Have a look at Numbers 20:10. Was Moses giving God the credit for causing the miracle? What should have Moses said?
What was Moses’ punishment for his mistake? What lessons can we learn from this story?
Memory Challenge:
Numbers 20:12
Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”
