OT Survey Lesson 11 Study Questions - 3
Week 11 | The Gift of the Return From Exile | Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah How do you live as the people of God in a culture that is hostile toward God? How do you live as a believer in an unbelieving world? This question is certainly relevant for us today. Can I be confident that God is in control, even when I see wickedness seeming to prevail in my world? Living Faithfully in a Faithless Land 1. Read Jeremiah 29:4-7 a. What were God’s instructions to His people who were living in exile in a land where God was not honored? (vs. 5-7) b. How might this instruction apply to us today as we pray for our country? (also see 1 Timothy 2:1-2)
2. Daniel serves as an example of living faithfully in a culture of idolatry. The book of Daniel teaches us about God’s control over the course of history, even when God’s people are living in oppressive circumstances. Daniel was a young man from Jerusalem who was taken captive to Babylon in 605 B.C. Daniel and three of his friends were selected to be educated in the literature and the culture of Babylonia so that they might serve the king of Babylon. Daniel’s education in Babylon continued for three years, and at the end of that time, Daniel and his three friends entered the service of King Nebuchadnezzar. Read Daniel 1:1-4, 17-21. a. What reason is given for Daniel’s impressive success during his studies in Babylon? (vs. 17)
b. What spiritual ability was given to Daniel? (vs. 17)
3. Read Daniel chapter 2. When Daniel was told that the wise men of Babylon were to be executed because none had been able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel and his friends pleaded with God for mercy, and God revealed that dream to Daniel in a vision. (Daniel 2:17-19) a. In vs. 20-23, Daniel praised God for God’s response to his prayer. What characteristics of God do you see in Daniel’s prayer of praise?
b. Reflect on vs. 21-22. How should this reality give you comfort as you consider the ongoing turmoil of current events in our world? c. Describe the statue that was seen in the king’s dream. (vs. 31-33)
d. What ultimately happened to the statue in the dream? (vs. 34-35)
e. What does Daniel say that the statue represents? (vs. 36-40)
f.
Reflect and Connect to the New Testament Consider the Rock that appears in the dream (Daniel 2:34-35, 44): Comment on how this term used in other places in the Bible. i. Isaiah 26:4
ii. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4
g. How does Daniel explain the vision of the Rock? (vs. 44-45)
h. Six hundred years before the birth of Christ, God revealed the rise and fall of four future world empires. God revealed the coming of a God-designed Kingdom, a worldwide Kingdom that will never end. God revealed the coming of the Rock—the Rock of salvation for God’s people. This Rock—this King—will shatter all opposing kingdoms, and He will establish a Kingdom that will fill the earth, and it will endure forever. Take a moment for personal reflection: Our God is the Lord of history. He has shaped the past and He controls the future. How does this revelation give you confidence as you consider your life and your future?
Living Faithfully in Light of the Promise of God’s Kingdom The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi teach us about the return to Jerusalem of a remnant of faithful exiles. In 539 B.C., Babylon was conquered by King Cyrus of Persia. Cyrus issued a decree that the exiles from Judah were free to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple of God. 4. Read Ezra chapter 1. a. Why did Cyrus decide to issue this decree? (vs. 2)
b. Which of the Israelites decided to return to Jerusalem? (vs. 5) c. How was the rebuilding of the temple and the city to be financed? (vs. 4, 6-11) 5. Read Ezra 3:10-12. The people got to work on the task of rebuilding the temple with a resolute heart, and soon the foundations of the new temple were laid. It was an occasion for great joy and praise, but some of the older Levites who had seen the former temple wept aloud. Why do you think they responded in this way?
The decree of Cyrus enabled God’s people to return to their land, but the larger challenge for them was to begin the work of becoming a faithful nation—worshipping God according to His Word. In order to enjoy this privilege, they had to do three things: • • •
Rebuild the temple of God so that they could worship Him according to His covenant. Rebuild the walls around the city of Jerusalem so that it would be the city of God. Rebuild the community as the people of God—a people of faith who live to serve God.
God made provision for His people to return from Babylon to Jerusalem and to rebuild both the temple and the city walls. During the course of this work, God’s people encountered opposition and hostility. Nevertheless, eventually the temple was completed and later the walls were rebuilt. God’s people were restored to God’s place for them, but would they live according to God’s rule? Could God’s people become a people united in faith and obedience? They had a temple; they had a city; what else did they need? 6. Read Nehemiah 9:6-38. a. What works of God are mentioned in this account of Israel’s history?
b. What attributes of God have been evident in His dealings with His people?
c. What summary is given in Nehemiah 9:33 of Israel’s relationship with God?
d. What have God’s people lost as a result of their sad history of disobedience? (vs. 36-37)
7. As you look over your life, do you see times when God has been spectacularly merciful in your life? Do you see times when you neglected Him, and yet His love was steadfast and His faithfulness was a source of great blessing? Consider how you might compose a similar personal prayer of repentance, worship, and commitment.
2. Daniel serves as an example of living faithfully in a culture of idolatry. The book of Daniel teaches us about God’s control over the course of history, even when God’s people are living in oppressive circumstances. Daniel was a young man from Jerusalem who was taken captive to Babylon in 605 B.C. Daniel and three of his friends were selected to be educated in the literature and the culture of Babylonia so that they might serve the king of Babylon. Daniel’s education in Babylon continued for three years, and at the end of that time, Daniel and his three friends entered the service of King Nebuchadnezzar. Read Daniel 1:1-4, 17-21. a. What reason is given for Daniel’s impressive success during his studies in Babylon? (vs. 17)
b. What spiritual ability was given to Daniel? (vs. 17)
3. Read Daniel chapter 2. When Daniel was told that the wise men of Babylon were to be executed because none had been able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel and his friends pleaded with God for mercy, and God revealed that dream to Daniel in a vision. (Daniel 2:17-19) a. In vs. 20-23, Daniel praised God for God’s response to his prayer. What characteristics of God do you see in Daniel’s prayer of praise?
b. Reflect on vs. 21-22. How should this reality give you comfort as you consider the ongoing turmoil of current events in our world? c. Describe the statue that was seen in the king’s dream. (vs. 31-33)
d. What ultimately happened to the statue in the dream? (vs. 34-35)
e. What does Daniel say that the statue represents? (vs. 36-40)
f.
Reflect and Connect to the New Testament Consider the Rock that appears in the dream (Daniel 2:34-35, 44): Comment on how this term used in other places in the Bible. i. Isaiah 26:4
ii. 1 Corinthians 10:1-4
g. How does Daniel explain the vision of the Rock? (vs. 44-45)
h. Six hundred years before the birth of Christ, God revealed the rise and fall of four future world empires. God revealed the coming of a God-designed Kingdom, a worldwide Kingdom that will never end. God revealed the coming of the Rock—the Rock of salvation for God’s people. This Rock—this King—will shatter all opposing kingdoms, and He will establish a Kingdom that will fill the earth, and it will endure forever. Take a moment for personal reflection: Our God is the Lord of history. He has shaped the past and He controls the future. How does this revelation give you confidence as you consider your life and your future?
Living Faithfully in Light of the Promise of God’s Kingdom The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi teach us about the return to Jerusalem of a remnant of faithful exiles. In 539 B.C., Babylon was conquered by King Cyrus of Persia. Cyrus issued a decree that the exiles from Judah were free to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple of God. 4. Read Ezra chapter 1. a. Why did Cyrus decide to issue this decree? (vs. 2)
b. Which of the Israelites decided to return to Jerusalem? (vs. 5) c. How was the rebuilding of the temple and the city to be financed? (vs. 4, 6-11) 5. Read Ezra 3:10-12. The people got to work on the task of rebuilding the temple with a resolute heart, and soon the foundations of the new temple were laid. It was an occasion for great joy and praise, but some of the older Levites who had seen the former temple wept aloud. Why do you think they responded in this way?
The decree of Cyrus enabled God’s people to return to their land, but the larger challenge for them was to begin the work of becoming a faithful nation—worshipping God according to His Word. In order to enjoy this privilege, they had to do three things: • • •
Rebuild the temple of God so that they could worship Him according to His covenant. Rebuild the walls around the city of Jerusalem so that it would be the city of God. Rebuild the community as the people of God—a people of faith who live to serve God.
God made provision for His people to return from Babylon to Jerusalem and to rebuild both the temple and the city walls. During the course of this work, God’s people encountered opposition and hostility. Nevertheless, eventually the temple was completed and later the walls were rebuilt. God’s people were restored to God’s place for them, but would they live according to God’s rule? Could God’s people become a people united in faith and obedience? They had a temple; they had a city; what else did they need? 6. Read Nehemiah 9:6-38. a. What works of God are mentioned in this account of Israel’s history?
b. What attributes of God have been evident in His dealings with His people?
c. What summary is given in Nehemiah 9:33 of Israel’s relationship with God?
d. What have God’s people lost as a result of their sad history of disobedience? (vs. 36-37)
7. As you look over your life, do you see times when God has been spectacularly merciful in your life? Do you see times when you neglected Him, and yet His love was steadfast and His faithfulness was a source of great blessing? Consider how you might compose a similar personal prayer of repentance, worship, and commitment.
