Introduction: When I was growing up, some of my elders would tell me that if I did not obey God, He would not listen to me when I needed help. Others would say that God would listen to me regardless of what I might do. Our study of Zechariah 7 helps unravel that issue. Another issue when I was younger was whether Christianity was the correct religion. There were so many religions. I grew up a Christian, how could I be sure I was born into the right religion? Zechariah 9 & 11 help with that issue. Let's dive into the lesson and see what lessons God has for us!

1. Stopped Ears



1. Read Zechariah 7:2-3. It seems odd today to fast on the "fifth month," but this tradition arose because the Jerusalem temple was destroyed on the fifth month. What do you think motivated the people to ask God about continuing this practice? (They were rebuilding the temple! Perhaps the time had come to stop fasting in memory of its destruction.)



2. Read Zechariah 7:4-6. Is this a "yes," or a "no?" (It seems like a "yes, stop fasting on the fifth month.")



1. Why does God say, "Yes?" Why is His "yes" so ambiguous? (He says they were never serious about it anyway! They were not mourning the loss of His residence, they were merely thinking about themselves.)



2. Recall that when we studied Haggai, a dispute arose over whether the 70 years had passed and the people could begin work to rebuild the temple? When God spoke to the people, He did not discuss the technical issue of when the prophecy ended. Instead, He spoke to them about being devoted to His work. Why? (God seems more concerned about our relationship with Him than about prophetic interpretation.)



3. Read Zechariah 7:8-10. What has this to do with fasting? (It is a "fast" from sin. God wants us to deny self and reflect His kindness and fair treatment.)



4. Read Zechariah 7:11-12. How are the people reacting to God's instructions?



5. Read Zechariah 7:13-14. Is this "payback?" Is this "if you don't listen to me I won't listen to you?" (Consider the context. God says "You were never really concerned about Me or listening to Me. Why should I listen and respond when you won't listen?" I don't think this is payback, I think God is saying that it would do no good to listen to them.)



6. What is the lesson for us if we think that God is not listening to us? (The problem is all within our control. If we are not going to listen to God, He is not going to waste effort responding to us.)



2. New Day



1. Read Zechariah 8:3-5. What is the future for Jerusalem? (Those who can least defend themselves will feel safe being in the streets.)



2. Read Zechariah 8:6. How would you answer God? (The people have not had a right relationship with God. They are amazed when God blesses them.)



3. Read Zechariah 8:14-17. How can God say, "Do not be afraid?" Isn't God saying that He has changed His mind and He will now do good things instead of bad things to His people?



1. Read Jeremiah 29:11-13. How do you square "God's plans" with what we just read about how God changes His attitude toward us? (God's goal is always the same - to give us hope and a future. We may stop listening to God and bad things may naturally result, but God's plan is to turn this into something good. God wants us to be His partners in doing good.)



4. Read Zechariah 8:20-23. What is the message the "one Jew" should have to those ten who want to learn about the Lord Almighty? (Seek God. Pay attention to God. Be just to others. God will bless you!)



3. The King's Message



1. Read Matthew 21:1-3. What does Jesus prophetically see in the village? (A donkey with a colt.)



2. Read Matthew 21:4-9 and Zechariah 9:9. What did Zechariah prophesy about Jesus?



3. Read Matthew 21:10-13. What theme is repeated here that we saw earlier in Zechariah? (The people were focused on their own needs and wealth, they were not focused on God's needs and God's house.)



4. Read Zechariah 9:10. If you believed this prophecy, would you think that Jesus would come as a military hero? (This says that God's people will be disarmed, but that they will enjoy peace.)



1. What does this teach us about Jesus? (He not only was predicted by the prophets, but He reflected God's historic message.)



2. Is this "pay attention to God's needs" a message for us today? (Yes. We keep seeing this theme: if we focus on God's needs He will watch over us and give us peace.)



3. Let's have a reality check. Was Daniel a follower of God? (Yes. See, e.g., Daniel 1:8-9.)



1. Was Daniel also a captive? (Yes. The evil of others can create problems in our life. However, God's intent for us is to bless us if we make Him a priority.)



5. Read Zechariah 11:4-7 and John 10:14-15. We have two different kinds of shepherds here. Who is the Good Shepherd? (Jesus)



1. What makes the difference between the shepherds? (The bad shepherds use the sheep for their own advantage.)



6. Read Zechariah 11:8-11. When Jesus came, how did His people react to Him? (The officials, in general, detested Him.)



1. Is this now a prophecy about Jesus?



2. What is the result of the flock detesting Jesus? (God broke His staff of "Favor," He revoked his covenant.)



7. Read Zechariah 11:12-13, Matthew 26:14-16, and Matthew 27:3-8. What does this tell us about Jesus? (This is a very specific prophecy about Jesus that was fulfilled. This was not something that Jesus and His disciples could manipulate.)



8. Read Zechariah 11:15-16. We have discussed the Babylonian captivity, we have discussed how afterwards God blessed His people. What does this suggest about the long-term welfare of God's people? (Having rejected the Shepherd who cared for them, they are given a shepherd who "tears off their hoofs.")



9. Read Zechariah 13:7-8. What is the specific result of striking the Shepherd? (Terrible ruin to God's people.)



4. Restoration



1. Read Zechariah 13:9. What is the future for God's people? (A group who survive the terrible time will come out with a stronger faith. God will claim them as His people, and they will proclaim "The Lord is our God.")



2. Read Zechariah 14:1-3. Recently, I read a book about the history of Jerusalem. It has been the scene of many battles. When does this battle take place? ("A day of the Lord" points to the Second Coming of Jesus.)



3. Read Zechariah 14:4. Has this happened? (No. Clearly, this is a future event.)



1. What is Jesus doing on behalf of Jerusalem and His people? (He is coming in power to defend the city.)



2. Read Zechariah 14:5. Who are with Jesus? ("All the holy ones.")



3. How does this sequence of events unfold? Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. This has Jesus at the Second Coming meeting us in the air, not heading to Jerusalem for mountain-splitting. How do you explain this?



4. Read Revelation 20:4-9 and Revelation 21:1-3. How does this clarify the time sequence? (At Jesus' Second Coming we are taken directly to heaven to live with Him for one thousand years. This is the "first resurrection," the resurrection of the righteous. After a thousand years have passed, Jesus, the New Jerusalem and the saved return to earth. The wicked, who are raised in the second resurrection, attack the New Jerusalem and Jesus defeats them.)



4. Read Zechariah 14:6-9 and Revelation 22:1-5. Are Zechariah and John the Revelator describing the same scene? (I think so.)



5. If Zechariah so clearly described how Jesus would fulfill prophecy, can we doubt the fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy about the end of the world?



6. Friend, Jesus is looking for those who want to listen to Him, those who desire to advance God's kingdom on earth. If you are not among those, why not determine today to make that change? Why not decide to listen to God, to make giving glory to God your highest goal? You may face trouble, but God has promised to win the battle for His people and His city!



5. Next week: Lest We Forget! (Malachi)

Introduction: Zechariah is a fabulously interesting book! It is filled with symbols, complexity and great news about the gospel! We will spend this week and the next unraveling the stories that give us confidence in our Messiah and the message of salvation by grace alone. Let's plunge into our study to discover the lessons God has for us in the first half of the book of Zechariah!

1. History



1. Read Zechariah 1:1-4. What is God's historic call to His people? (To repent from evil and turn to God.)



2. Read Zechariah 1:5. What happens to those who do not repent? Do we have forever to decide? (God says the opportunity to turn to Him is a limited time offer - limited by your life!)



3. Read Zechariah 1:6. How did it turn out for God's people? (Ultimately, at least some of them got the message, accepted God's rebuke, acknowledged God's justice, and repented of their sins.)



2. The Horse Vision



1. Read Zechariah 1:7-8. How many colors of horses do we have? (Three: red, brown and white.)



2. Read Zechariah 1:9-11. Who are these multi-colored horses (or humans riding multi-colored horses)? (They are God's agents.)



1. Why do you think they are multi-colored? (This shows diversity among God's people.)



2. To whom do they report? (The angel of God.)



1. What is the report? (The world is at rest and at peace.)



2. Good news, right! We have what every beauty pageant contestant wants: world peace.



3. Read Zechariah 1:12-13. Is the angel challenging God? Is the angel questioning God's judgment?



1. If so, how does God react? (It sounds like the angel is challenging God. God's response is "kind and comforting.")



2. What is the lesson for us when we are challenging or questioning what God done?



4. Read Zechariah 1:14-17. Was it good to question God? (It looks like it moved God to action! God explains that He was "jealous" that His people were not relying on Him.)



1. Why would reports of world peace make God "very angry?" (These are people who do not rely on God at all. Why should they feel secure when they rely only on themselves?)



1. Why would a loving God be unhappy about world peace and rest? (It tends to deprive the people of a motive to find real peace - the kind that only God can give.)



2. What do we learn from this? (That peace in your life is not the highest goal. Reliance on God is the true goal.)



3. Horse Vision Sequel



1. Read Zechariah 6:1-3. What do we see that is the same as the first horse vision? (Multi-colored horses.)



1. What is different in the sequel? (We have more colors. Plus, these are not just horses, they are horses hitched to chariots.)



2. Read Zechariah 6:4. Does Zechariah think this is different from the first horse vision? (Yes, he does not understand it.)



3. Read Zechariah 6:5-7. Last week we noted the Hebrew word "ruwach," which means spirit. What is God's Spirit doing? (The Spirit of God is going throughout the earth in power.)



1. Is this easy? (Verse seven says they are "straining.")



2. Let's take stock. God is unhappy with world peace and He sends into the world powerful horses with chariots (a state of the art weapon of war). Why? What do you think is God's goal? (If we are correct in thinking that God's goal is to get pagans to rely on Him, then the mission is the conversion of the world. God wants the entire world to rely on Him.)



4. Flying Scroll



1. Let's go back a chapter. I wanted to discuss the two horse visions together. Read Zechariah 5:1-2. Do we need an air traffic controller? We have flying horses with chariots and now a flying scroll! We might have to sound a collision alert!



2. Read Zechariah 5:3-4. The scroll is a curse, according to the text. Would it destroy peace and rest? If so, why? (The text says the writing will destroy the houses of thieves and liars. Do you see a picture forming in your mind? God is unhappy with the world because it is at peace with its sins. God wants the world to turn to Him, therefore He puts His law in the sky and flies it into the homes of sinners!)



1. What does this say to those who believe in righteousness by faith? (We need to draw some very precise lines on what God desires of us. Believing that we are saved by grace alone is not the same as tolerating sin. It is our consciousness of our sin that drives us to grace. We should not think it is loving to hide the "scroll" that drives us (and others) to repentance and grace! We should not hide the scroll that changes us from relying on self to relying on God.)



5. Grace



1. Read Zechariah 3:1-2. We have a trial scene. Joshua is "standing before," God. Who does Joshua represent; just himself? (No. On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest represented the people. Symbolically, God's people are on trial before God.)



1. Who brings the charges against Joshua? Have you ever thought that God is the One accusing you of sin? Who is the accuser here? (Satan. Revelation 12:10 tells us that Satan accuses us before God.)



1. We discussed the role of the Holy Spirit living in us and leading us daily. We've discussed how the Holy Spirit can speak to us through our conscience. How can we distinguish between the Holy Spirit leading us and Satan accusing us?



2. Who is our defender? (God. He rebukes Satan.)



2. Read Zechariah 3:3-4. Are God's people sinful? (Yes. The filthy clothes represent their sins.)



1. How are Joshua and the people made righteous? (God takes away their sins. God gives them "rich garments"(symbolizing righteousness).)



3. Read Zechariah 3:5. What do you think this symbolizes? (The turban covers the head. God is covering the mind with righteousness, renewing a right spirit in His people. See Psalms 51:10.)



4. Read Zechariah 3:6-7. What command does God give His people? (To obey and enjoy the blessings that follow.)



1. Notice the order of things. Do the people obey to become righteous? Or does God make them righteous by His grace and then tell them to obey?



5. Read Zechariah 3:8-9. What does all of this symbolize? Who is the "Branch?" (Read Jeremiah 23:5-6. The Branch is Jesus. Jesus modifies this symbolism slightly in John 15:5. The consistent picture is that Jesus is our connection to God.)



6. Put these last few verses together. What is the message here? (The salvation of Joshua is a promise of the salvation through Jesus! Satan rightly accuses us of sin. Jesus takes away our sin and gives us the robe of His righteousness.)



1. Let's get back to a question I asked earlier. How do we tell the difference between the nudging of the Holy Spirit and the accusations of Satan and his fallen angels? (If Jesus has forgiven your sins, then the accuser is Satan. The Holy Spirit guides us to right choices, Satan beats us up over past sins. We should be able to tell the difference and ignore Satan.)



6. Holy Spirit Power



1. Read Zechariah 4:1-4. Do you have an answer for Zechariah? What role do you think the two olive trees play? (They are the source of the oil which gives light.)



2. Read Zechariah 4:5-6. What is God teaching us by this illustration of the trees, the oil and the lamp stand? (In other places in the Bible oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. See, e.g., 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Matthew 25:1-13. God will deliver us, He will bring light into our lives by His Spirit. Might and power are not the answer. Holy Spirit power is the answer.)



3. Read Zechariah 4:7. What is a mountain? (An obstacle.)



1. What "mountains" do you have in your life? What is the answer to dealing with them? Might or power? (No! "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord Almighty.")



4. Friend, will you be God's horse? Will you challenge the peace of pagans with your radical message of forgiveness, grace, obedience and mountain moving power through the Holy Spirit! Why not make that commitment today? It is a limited time offer!



7. Next week: Heaven's Best Gift (Zechariah).

Introduction: Does it seem like you have a hole in your pocket? You can never get ahead, never save? Whenever it seems like you are going to have additional money, it turns out that some new need arises that sets you back to where you were before! If you answered, "Yes, that describes my life," then carefully consider the book of Haggai. Our study this week is about a people who have been released from Babylonian captivity, but things are not going right in their lives. Let's dive into the Bible and find out why!

1. A Message About Priorities



1. Read Haggai 1:1. When God's people returned from Babylonian captivity they worked on rebuilding Jerusalem. They worked on the wall, on the temple, and on their homes. Their Samaritan neighbors didn't like this, so they persuaded Artaxerxes to stop the rebuilding of the temple. However, when King Darius came to power in Persia, he allowed the Jews to continue rebuilding the temple. How would you react if you lived in that time and King Darius had just given you permission to work on the temple?



2. Read Haggai 1:2. What did the people of that time actually say? (The time has not yet come to rebuild the temple.)



1. How can that be? (Read Jeremiah 25:11 and Daniel 9:2. Daniel prophesied that Jerusalem would be destroyed for seventy years. The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary says that the seventy years had not yet expired, and so the people said, "We should wait." Barnes Notes says that the seventy years had long passed, and the people were playing with the dates to put off further rebuilding.)



3. Read Haggai 1:3-4. What seems to be the real reason for putting off rebuilding the temple of God? (The people were working on their own homes.)



1. Does God get into a discussion of when the seventy-year prophecy actually expired? (No.)



2. What is God's point? (The people lacked concern about what matters to God.)



1. What is the answer to God's question? (No! The people thought the time had come to rebuild their homes, why was the time not right for the temple.)



3. How is that question applicable to our lives today?



4. Read Haggai 1:5-6. Will God cause us to have financial problems if we are not generous towards His work?



1. Read 2 Corinthians 9:7. How does this fit into our discussion? What if these people considered the temple, and decided the time was not right. Would that fit the "each man should decide language?"



1. If so, why are these people being punished?



2. Is God giving payback to the people who have neglected His temple? If not, what do you think that God is doing?



3. Look again at Haggai 1:5-7. Notice that twice God says, "Give careful thought to your ways." What does that suggest about God's motive? (God is trying to get the attention of the people. He sends Haggai with a message, and He frustrates the prosperity of the people. Notice that 2 Corinthians 9:7 also starts out with an instruction to consider your situation: "each man should give what he has decided in his heart...")



5. Read Haggai 1:8. When we build nice churches, when we advance God's work, how does God react? (He takes pleasure in us honoring Him.)



6. Read Haggai 1:9-11. God previously said, "Think about why you are not prospering." We discussed what we thought that God was doing. God now gives His answer about what He is doing. What is it? (God clearly states that He is actively frustrating their effort to be prosperous because they have not paid attention to God's needs.)



2. Message Received



1. Read Haggai 1:12-15. How do the people react to God's message? (They start working on God's house.)



1. When the verses say that God "stirred up the spirit" of the leaders, what does that mean? (The Holy Spirit brought conviction to their spirit.)



1. What does "their spirit" mean? Is this something other than the Holy Spirit? (Read John 14:15-17 and Romans 8:9. God's Holy Spirit will live in us and direct our ways. Having a better understanding of the Holy Spirit is a new area of interest for me. I don't completely understand, but I am sure that our brain is not just a bunch of meat. We intuitively know that we have an identity (Hebrew: "ruwach"), and these texts suggest that we can somehow "merge" our spirit with the Holy Spirit to live a Spirit-led life. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God.")



2. Read Haggai 2:1-3. What is the good news here? (That the people completed the work of rebuilding God's temple.)



1. What is the bad news? (It is "nothing" compared to the glory of the former temple.)



2. Stop a minute and consider this. Were the people challenged to rebuild the temple to its former glory? (No. They were challenged to rebuild it, and not leave it as a ruin.)



3. God's Reaction



1. Read Haggai 2:4-5. Is God unhappy that His house is not as nice as it used to be? (No! God just wanted them to consider their attitude towards God's temple. He now encourages them when they are discouraged because the rebuilt temple lacks the glory of the former temple.)



1. How is God with them? ("My Spirit remains among you.")



2. Read Haggai 2:6-9. When the people were discouraged about the looks of the new temple, what was it lacking? (It lacked silver and gold.)



1. What does God say about silver and gold? (He owns it all.)



1. What is God's point? (If we partner with God, He will bring the "silver and gold" for His work.)



2. Is silver and gold the focus of what God wants for His glory? (No! "The desired of all nations will come." The true glory of the rebuilt temple is that Jesus will stand in it!)



1. What lesson is there in this for us today? (If you want to use your church to bring glory to God, it is not how fancy it is, but whether the Holy Spirit fills it.)



4. A Prosperity Parable



1. Read Haggai 2:10-12. Do you agree with the priests? (Yes.)



2. Read Haggai 2:13. Do you agree with the priests' answer? (Yes.)



3. Read Haggai 2:14. What does this mean? (When a person or a people are "defiled" (meaning out of favor with God) they defile whatever they touch. Bumping into good people does not make them good.)



4. Exactly what that means is less than clear, so let's read on to get God's fuller insight. Read Haggai 2:15. Notice that God says we need to think about this a little bit, so that shows us that we do not completely understand this parable yet.)



5. Read Haggai 2:16-19. God says three times, "give careful thought." What is it that makes us good, that blesses us? (When the people left God's house in ruins, God interfered with their blessings. When the people laid the foundation to rebuild God's house, God blessed them.)



1. What is the source of blessings, being in contact with other good people? (That is good, but the true source is God.)



6. Read Haggai 2:20-23. What does it mean to be blessed by God? (He defeats your enemies!)



7. Haggai teaches us that if we obey we prosper. Deuteronomy 28 teaches us exactly the same thing. Even the story of Job teaches us that obedience brings prosperity. How do you explain Jesus' poverty? The poverty of His disciples? (Re-read Haggai 2:7-9. True riches, true glory is to have the Holy Spirit dwell in you. If you are faithful, will God bless you materially? I think the answer is "yes," but the real blessing is being filled with God's Spirit!)



8. Friend, have you "given careful thought" to the priorities of your life? Are you careful to promote God's Kingdom, and not just your kingdom? Why not determine right now to make advancing the Kingdom of God a priority in your life?



5. Next week: Visions of Hope (Zechariah).

Introduction: Do you feel nervous? Does life make you anxious? Do you try to calm yourself by saying, "I can handle this?" Our lesson this week is about people who got into a whole bunch of trouble. The trouble began because they depended upon their own power and authority. They relied on their gates, walls, wealth, and intellect to keep them safe. They sacrificed others to protect themselves. God has a better way for us. Let's plunge into our study of Zephaniah and find out more!

1. Sweeping



1. Read Zephaniah 1:1-3. This does not sound like good news! Now read Genesis 8:21-22. How do you reconcile these apparently conflicting statements?



1. Notice in Genesis 8:21 God says, "as I have done" and in Genesis 8:22 "as long as the earth endures." Could "as I have done" narrow the promise to mean only that God would not destroy the earth with another flood. It would not be a comment on other means of destruction? (Compare Isaiah 54:9)



1. Should we understand "as long as the earth endures" as a prediction that God will again destroy the earth in the end?



2. Notice in that Zephaniah 1:3 it talks about the wicked having "heaps of rubble." Does this mean the wicked will survive? Does it mean the wicked will be left behind?



3. What event do you think is being described in these verses? (I think it is the Second Coming of Jesus.)



2. Read Zephaniah 1:4-5. Does this sound like the end of days or a problem in Zephaniah's day? (This sounds current to Zephaniah: Baal in Jerusalem. Recall that in Matthew 24 Jesus simultaneously discussed the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Coming, so discussing the end of days and current catastrophes together is not unique to this passage.)



1. Is there a Baal warning here for us today? (Yes. I don't know anyone who bows down to an idol. None of my neighbors do that. But, I struggle with depending on the things "I have made" rather than on God. We can trust nothing but God.)



2. Notice that these people are in accord with (swear by) Molech. Read 2 Kings 23:10. Is that a current problem? (Yes. People abort their children to improve their own life. People no longer seem willing to sacrifice their own lifestyle to send their children to Christian schools. Swearing by Molech is preferring yourself over your children in a way that harms your children.)



3. Read Zephaniah 1:14-15. I remember when I first started teaching in law school. I was very excited to see my new office. A former judge had previously been in that office, and I was looking forward to meeting him. I thought he would embrace me as his successor, but it turned out that he did not like leaving his office, and he saw me as the reason he had to leave. Have you had a situation in which you and someone else have a completely different view of a situation?



1. Do you look at the Second Coming as a day of darkness and gloom? (No! Praise God! He is coming to take me (us) home with Him.)



4. Read Zephaniah 1:16-17. What kind of people are distressed by the Second Coming? (Sinners.)



5. Read Zephaniah 1:18 and consider it with the last two verses. We are all sinners. What stands out about these sinners? (These are sinners who depend on their wealth, their fortified walls, and their high towers. Those sinners are unforgiven sinners. Forgiven sinners depend upon the Lord.)



2. Shelter



1. Read Zephaniah 2:1-3. We just read about blood, guts, fire, battle, and distress. Is that inevitable? (No! Destruction in the end is inevitable, but being a part of it is not.)



1. What does God call upon us to do? (Seek God.)



2. What is God looking for in us? (Humility, righteousness, obedience.)



1. Does this sound like righteousness by works? (Look at the big picture here. Those targeted for destruction depend on what they have made: towers, walls of defense, and money. Those who are saved depend on God. That is why they are humble and obedient.)



2. Read Romans 3:22-26. Have we all sinned? (Yes.)



1. How do we acquire righteousness? (Through faith in Jesus. These are the dependant people, not the independent people.)



3. Read Zephaniah 2:15. Of what does the phrase, "I am, and there is none besides me" remind you?



4. Read Isaiah 45:5-6 and Isaiah 47:10. Who is speaking in Isaiah 45? (This is the Lord saying "I am" and "there is none besides Me.")



1. Who is speaking in Isaiah 47? (The wicked who think they are like gods.)



5. Are you seeing a theme here? The righteous depend upon God. The wicked depend upon themselves. When sin arises in your life, on whom do you depend? When troubles arise in your life, to whom or what do you turn?



3. The End of Fear



1. Read Zephaniah 3:11-12. What attitude does God despise? What attitude characterizes His people? (This is the flip side of what we just discussed. God is against the proud and haughty. He will remove them and leave the meek and humble.)



1. In so many ways I know I am proud. Is it mere pride that is the problem? Look again at Zephaniah 3:12. (The problem seem to be pride that arises from self-dependance. The central question is whether we depend upon God or depend upon self. Those who remain are those who depend upon God.)



2. Read Zephaniah 3:13. Are you nervous? Are you afraid?



1. Read Revelation 21:8. What is the first sin that is mentioned? (The "cowardly." It seems very odd that being a coward seems worse than being a murder!)



2. What does Zephaniah 3:13 suggest is God's goal for us? (There is a very strong link between humbly depending upon God and having no fear. God's goal for our life is to live without fear. Being a coward shows a lack of trust in God.)



3. Read Zephaniah 3:14-15. Remember that the sins of the people got them in trouble. God sent very wicked people to punish the mildly wicked. Must we continue to suffer for our sins? (No. God wants to take away our punishment. He will take away our fear.)



4. Read Zephaniah 3:16. How frightened are you if you cannot raise your hands in defense? (You are not only fearful, you have given up.)



5. Read Zephaniah 3:17. Is God greater than our problems? (He is "mighty" to save!)



1. When you forgive someone, are you grudging about it? Are you reluctant to forgive?



2. What is God's attitude about forgiveness? (He delights in our dependance. He wants to put His arms around us and "quiet [our fears] with His love." He breaks out in singing when you rely upon Him because He is celebrating!)



1. Can you imagine what it is like to have God break into singing because of you?



6. Read Zephaniah 3:19-20. Recall the problem with pride? What does God say He will give us? (Praise and honor.)



1. How do you explain this? Doesn't praise and honor create pride? (Our "honor" comes not from what we do, but from what God does. When we get this confused, and start crediting ourselves, we get into trouble.)



7. Friend, why not make your life easier? If you give up pride and vanity about your own works, and humbly depend upon God, He will take away your fear. He will give you peace. He will start singing about you!



4. Next week: First Things First! (Haggai).

Introduction: Would you like to keep private past decisions that were questionable? How many times do you wish that others would not criticize you? Do you like it when others want to discuss with you some error that you made in the past? Except when you are sinfully bragging, do you like to talk about past sins? Unless you are an uncommon saint, the answer to all of these questions is that we do not like to be questioned, criticized or reminded of our sins. Our amazing God is open to a discussion about His decisions. The God who created us is willing to discuss how He treats us. The book of Habakkuk reveals a God who is open and transparent. Let's jump into our study of the Bible and see what we can learn about God's decision-making!

1. The Complaint



1. Read Habakkuk 1:1-2. The NIV translates as "oracle" a word that means "burden" or figuratively a "dark message." Is this message from God? (The dark message seems to be from people who are complaining to God.)



1. Have you ever had your children or your spouse say, "You don't listen!" "You never help me"? How do you like those kinds of complaints?



2. Why do you think God publishes in the Bible these complaints against Him? (He wants us to learn something.)



2. Read Habakkuk 1:3. What is the complaint here? (God tolerates injustice. God tolerates violence and destruction.)



3. Read Habakkuk 1:4. Why is a discussion of the law relevant? (Normally, the legal system of justice is the way in which violence, destruction and injustice are handled. These are the human mechanisms to address these problems. The complaint is that neither humans nor God are doing anything about injustice.)



2. God's Response



1. Read Habakkuk 1:5. This is God's response. How does God think His response will be received? (God says, "I know it will be unbelievable.")



2. Read Habakkuk 1:6-7. What unbelievable thing does God have in mind? (He is going to use evil, unjust and arrogant people (the Babylonians) to carry out a mission for God.)

1. Read Habakkuk 1:8-11. In addition to being wicked, what else can we say about the Babylonians? (They are a military powerhouse.)



1. The Reply



1. Read Habakkuk 1:12-13. What are the obvious problems with God's plan? (God is pure. Why would He use the wicked? God believes in righteousness, why would He use the treacherous? Especially, why would God use the really wicked to punish the mildly wicked?)



2. Let's discuss this for just a minute. Does God care about the really wicked? (When we studied the book of Jonah we learned that God loves and pursues the really wicked.)



1. Why not use the mildly wicked to punish the really wicked? (This is an important lesson for Christians. God gives no credit for being mildly wicked. We cannot think that we are owed something by God for being mildly evil.)



2. Have you ever said, "Why did you punish me? This other person is a lot worse?" "Officer, why did you pull me over, this other car just passed me - you should pull him over instead!"



3. Let's talk about this in terms of today. Would God allow Satan or fallen angels to punish us?



1. Does Satan want to harm us? (Yes!)



2. Is God's punishment simply stepping aside and not stopping evil?



3. Have you noticed that it seems to be a law of the universe that evil works bring evil responses? You punch someone and they are likely to punch you back. Would it be fair to conclude that evil has its own natural punishment in most cases, and God decides whether or not to intervene and prevent the punishment?



3. Read Habakkuk 1:14-16. What is the other problem with God using the really wicked to punish the mildly wicked? (The really wicked give praise to their false gods.)



4. Read Habakkuk 2:1. After stating the additional complaints, what does Habakkuk do? (He waits on God for an answer.)



1. Does God have to answer? Does God have to explain himself to His creation?



2. God's Reply



1. Read Habakkuk 2:2. How important is God's answer? (God says "I want everyone to know what I have to say about these complaints." That suggests the answer is important.)



2. Read Habakkuk 2:3. What kind of response is this? (God says, "Wait for it." "Timing is very important here. I will do what I promise in My time.")



3. Read Habakkuk 2:4. What two kinds of people does God say exist? (The righteous who live by faith, and the proud with their evil desires.)



4. Read Habakkuk 2:5. What is wrong with those who are evil? (They are greedy and never satisfied.)



5. Read Habakkuk 2:6-7. What is God's answer about the future of the evil? (God says "payback" is coming. The evil will be ridiculed and scorned. They will change places and become the victim.)



6. Read Habakkuk 2:13-14. I keep time records of my work. The day before I wrote this I put in 11.4 hours of work. What does God say about laboring to exhaustion? (It is all going to burn!)



1. What is important in life? (Advancing the knowledge of the glory of God. Bringing glory to God. I like to think that my work every day is to advance the Kingdom of God rather than just build something that will burn.)



7. Read Habakkuk 2:15-16. Does this sound like advice on current issues? (Consider the number of Internet videos of drunk young people who fit this picture.)



1. What is God telling us? (That if we take advantage of others, we can expect others to take advantage of us. God will pour out a cup of disgrace on us.)



8. Read Habakkuk 2:18-20. We started this chapter by saying that God is going to give His answer about why the truly evil are used to punish the mildly evil. God is going to tell us why He allows violence and tolerates injustice. What answers do you find among the verses that we just read? (God's answer seems to have several parts. First, He knows who are the righteous who live by faith and He knows who are the proud and greedy. God knows who trusts in Him and He knows who trust in their own creation. God says the timing may vary, but the wicked will be punished. Evil and violence will end. God says, "I am on My throne - trust Me!")



3. Habakkuk's Prayer



1. Read Habakkuk 3:1-2. In light of what God just told Habakkuk, what does Habakkuk pray? (Do it now! Bring justice now! Bring mercy now!)



2. Habakkuk 3:3-16 recite God's great power and glory. God can do anything!



3. Read Habakkuk 3:17-18. Consider the contrast. God is all powerful and can do anything. However, as a practical matter, right now in my life things are going very poorly. What attitude should you have in such a situation? (We should rejoice in God and be joyful. God asks us to look beyond our situation and trust that He will make things right.)



4. Read Habakkuk 3:19. How does trust, faith and joy in God change our life? (An attitude of trust gives us wings! It gives us strength and it gives us speed and it gives us the ability to see things clearly.)



5. Friend, would you like wings? Would you like joy, strength, speed and clarity? Trust in God. Despite the current problems of life, God is on His throne. Trust that God sees those who live by faith and those who oppose God. In His time, God will make it right!



4. Next week: The Day of the Lord (Zephaniah).

Introduction: Does everyone need hope? The obvious answer is, "yes." But, hope is a funny thing. You don't need hope if you are satisfied with how things are now. In Revelation 3:16 God says He wants to spit out lukewarm people. God prefers us to be hot or cold. Does that mean that God wants to spit out people who don't need hope? Recall that last week God sent the worm that killed the plant that gave Jonah shade? Would God send "worms" into our life to put us in a posture where we needed hope? If so, what kind of hope does God offer? Let's dive into our study of the book of Micah and find out!

1. The Punishment Prophecy



1. Read Micah 1:1. Who is the prophet? (Micah.)



1. What is the subject of his prophecy? (God gave him a vision about the future of Jerusalem and Samaria.)



2. Read Micah 1:2-5. Wait a minute! We learned in previous lessons that Judah consisted of the two southern tribes and Israel the northern ten tribes. Jerusalem was in Judah. Why is Judah being punished for the sins of Israel? (Israel has already been conquered by Assyria. Micah now lumps Judah and Israel together. Consider that he refers to "Jacob's transgression," and Jacob is the father of the sons who became the twelve tribes which made up both Judah and Israel.)



3. Read Micah 2:3-4. What seems to be the worst of the punishment? (The taunting, the ridicule. We have all had unfortunate things happen in life. Our misfortune is eased by friends putting their arms around us to comfort us. It is easier if people are sympathetic. Here, those suffering are being taunted by others.)



1. Why would God allow that? God is a God of love! (We have some clues. God says "you cannot save yourselves." In the next section we are going to study the nature of their sins. We will see that they put their trust in themselves, either through the idols that they had made or through a rigged justice system. It is false pride and God strips it away.)



4. Read Micah 2:5. Remember in verse 4 the problem was that the people lost their land, and undeserving people (traitors) got it. What does it mean to "divide the land by lot?" (Read Proverbs 16:33. Casting lots was a way to determine God's will. It was a way for God to lead. Instead of God dividing the land among His people, now the enemies of God's people will make that decision.)



2. The Sin Problem



1. Read Micah 2:6-7. What do other prophets predict? (They say bad things will not happen to the people. God does not get angry and He does not do such things.)



1. Have you heard people say that judgment is inconsistent with a loving God? God's loving nature does not allow for punishment? (Part of the sin problem for these people is their attitude: they did not believe that God would execute judgment on them.)



2. Re-read Micah 2:7. What answer about judgment does God give in the last part of verse 7? (God distinguishes between those who are good and those who are evil. We know from the book of Job and from our experiences in life that bad things sometimes happen to good people. But, we also know that bad things happen more often to bad people.)



3. Read Micah 2:8. Often God warns about the rich abusing the poor. What is happening to the rich here? (God's people are stealing from the rich.)



1. How does God view abusing the rich? (Those who do this are enemies of God.)



4. Read Micah 2:9. What other evil are these people doing? (They drive women and children from their homes. They deprive these people of the blessings God has given to them.)



1. This touches on a current public policy issue in a number of countries. People who are not rich argue that the rich should be taxed at a very high rate simply because they can afford it. What do these verses teach us about that? (God is against injustice. If the rich steal from the poor, God is against it. If the poor steal from the rich, God is against it. God says "do not take My blessings" from other people.)



5. Read Micah 2:10. What is God's word about the future? (God's people have to leave. They have defiled and ruined the land. They have to go.)



6. God says to His people, if you trust in other gods, if you mistreat others, judgment is coming whether you believe in it or not. Will these people need hope? (Yes, when our sins result in judgment, we become very aware of our need for hope. Let's look at hope next.)



3. Greatest Hope



1. Read Micah 5:1. Has judgment started? (Yes!)



2. Read Micah 5:2. What hope do we have here? (This is a prophecy about Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem!)



1. Do you doubt that Jesus existed? Do you doubt that He is God? Consider Micah's prophecy which pinpointed the place of His birth!



2. Can you understand why Jesus' disciples thought that He would overthrow the Romans and rule Israel?



1. How do you understand the "will be Ruler over Israel" statement? (This must be a reference to the Second Coming, since Jesus did not "rule" in a traditional sense during His life here.)



3. Read Micah 5:3. Who is the "she who is in labor gives birth?" (Mary, mother of Jesus. This predicts the way in which God becomes human and lives among us.)



1. Why is Israel abandoned until then? (As we saw before, God's people failed Him. Despite their unfaithfulness, God launched His heroic rescue plan. This gives hope!)



4. Read Micah 5:4. Jesus is predicted to be like a shepherd. How does that encourage hope? (A shepherd protects. This protection comes in a God-level of strength, and gives us the ultimate security.)



5. Read Micah 5:5-6. I'm sure that the scholars of Jesus' time considered these texts and wondered how they related to Jesus' incarnation. Perhaps Jesus' disciples thought that they were the seven to fifteen under-shepherds/leaders. How do you think these verses relate? (This seems to support the "warrior savior" view. But, since this did not happen in connection with Jesus, this either refers to a literal victory for Israel at the end of time or it means a spiritual victory for God's people over the forces of evil. If "the Assyrian" refers to the evil forces opposed to God's people, Jesus won the victory over sin and the forces of evil at the cross.)



6. Read Micah 5:7-8. Are God's people scattered today throughout the world? (Yes. To the extent that this refers to the Jews, that is absolutely true. To the extent that his refers to "spiritual Jews" (Christians), this is still true.)



7. Read Micah 5:9. On what is our hope based? (That God will deliver us! That we will be lifted up!)



8. Read Micah 5:10-11. How is it helpful for our Deliver to destroy our chariots and our strongholds? That sounds like what the "bad guy" would do! (Chariots were state of the art military weapons. Strongholds were military defenses. God says I will destroy everything on which you rely - other than Me.)



9. Read Micah 5:12-14. Why are these things being destroyed? (Again, these are things we rely upon instead of God.)



10. Read Micah 5:15. Why, in the midst of a declaration of hope, do we find destruction? (Read Micah 6:8. God is looking for those who are faithful! He desires a people who will walk with Him.)



11. Read Micah 7:18-19. What is the hope for sinners? (God will bury our sins "underfoot" and hurl them "into the depths of the sea.")



1. Why is that important? (Read Revelation 12:10-11. Satan accuses us. Jesus promises to bury our sins.)



12. Friend, our God is both our Judge and our Redeemer. We need to keep both roles in mind. When we rely on other gods and disobey, we can expect judgment. But, with judgment comes hope. Hope in a God who will forgive us and rescue us and blot out our sins. Will you determine today to trust God and live a life in accord with His word?



4. Next week: Trusting God's Goodness (Habakkuk).

Introduction: Are you a loyal citizen of your country? Does your citizenship prejudice your thinking about other countries? Since I live in the United States, and many of our readers do not, insert the right answer for you in the following questions. Which country is the most dangerous enemy of your country? Have that country in mind? Now imagine that you are a prophet. For most of your life God sent you messages that were helpful to your country. Now God sends you a message that will threaten, but may help, the country which is your most dangerous enemy. You are supposed to personally deliver it. If you are a patriot, how would you like that assignment? You might like the threat part! But it might get you killed! What if it helps your enemy? Let's dive into our study of the book of Jonah to see what we can learn about God and His dealings with us!

1. Patriot Prophet



1. Read 2 Kings 14:23-25. What does Jonah predict? (Military success for Israel.)



1. How do you think the people of Israel reacted to that prophecy? (They loved it. Especially, the text says that the King lead them into sin, so I imagine getting positive news from God's prophet is well-received.)



2. Is Jonah a national hero?



2. Read Jonah 1:1-2. What is the good and bad news here? (Nineveh is the capital of Assyria. Genesis 10:8-11 tells us that it was built by Nimrod. Nimrod is a "mighty warrior" who is thought to be opposed to God. The Assyrians are terrible people. Jonah brings bad news to bad people. The other bad news is that this is a dangerous mission.)



2. Mission Gone Awry



1. Read Jonah 1:3. Why would Jonah run?



2. Read Jonah 1:4-10. Why would the sailors be terrified of Jonah's relationship to God? (Jonah tells them that his God created the sea, and the sea looks like it is about to kill them. Jonah has apparently offended the wrong God.)



3. Read Jonah 1:11-13. What kind of attitude does Jonah have towards God? What kind of attitude does he have towards the sailors?



1. How do you explain the sailors' reaction to Jonah's solution? (They seem to be good guys.)



4. Read Jonah 1:14. How would you translate this? (God, you made us kill this guy.)



1. Would you do what the sailors did? Would you consider it murder?



2. Is Jonah truly an "innocent" man?



3. God's Pursuit



1. Read Jonah 1:15-17. The storm and the fish are a lot of work for one guy! Why didn't God just find another prophet?



1. What about Jonah's free-will? (I love this picture of God. He is relentless in His pursuit of Jonah. Just as God pursued Jonah so He pursues you. Praise Him for His love and care!)



2. Read Jonah 2:5-9. What different emotions do you find here? (Jonah goes from desperation, to prayer, to faith, to thankfulness, to renewed purpose in life.)



3. Read Matthew 12:39-41. How are Jonah and Jesus similar?



1. How is their three-day experience similar?



2. Put yourself in the place of an evil Assyrian. To what lengths has God gone to bring Jonah to rescue you?



1. Do both Jesus and Jonah involve a miracle? (Yes! Jonah and Jesus are alike - God has gone to great and miraculous lengths to rescue us evil people!)



4. Mission on Track



1. Read Jonah 3:1-5. Do you think Jonah expected this reaction?



1. What does this teach us about witnessing to terrible people?



2. Read Jonah 3:6-9. Is the King repenting because of fear? (The King does not know that God will relent - he is hoping God will. He repents even though he thinks he might still be destroyed.)



3. Read Jonah 3:10. Review our God's actions so far. What kind of God is He? (He pursues Jonah. He pursues the Assyrians. He could have let Jonah drown and the people of Nineveh be destroyed. He intervened for both - and He intervenes for you!)



5. God and Man



1. Read Jonah 4:1-3 and re-read Jonah 2:1-2. What inconsistencies do you find in Jonah's life? (He wants mercy, but he does not want to show mercy.)



1. Do you really think Jonah wants to die? If not, why does he say that? (We might say that Jonah is a "drama queen," but I fear that his real intent is to convince God to kill the people of Nineveh.)



1. How does this compare to what Jesus did for us? (Perhaps I'm being too hard on Jonah, but he seems to say "God, please kill the people of Nineveh so I won't have to die." Jesus says, "God, let Me die so the people won't have to die.")



2. Review again Jonah's message to God in Jonah 4:1-3. What did Jonah fear? (That evil people would turn to God and God would show mercy.)



1. Have you ever thought that God could not do great things through you? What, exactly, are the job qualifications for doing great things for God? (Review for a moment Jonah's job qualifications and his attitude.)



2. Read Jonah 4:4. Put yourself in God's place. Would this be your reaction? (How gracious God is to Jonah! God continues to show grace and compassion to a guy who shows no grace or compassion.)



3. Read Jonah 4:5. Hope springs eternal! What would you think, if you were God, about the current activities of your prophet?



6. Jonah and the Vine



1. Read Jonah 4:6. I think we concluded that God should have been unhappy with Jonah who was hoping for fire to fall from heaven on Nineveh. What does God do instead? (Provides Jonah with protection from the heat while Jonah waits for fire to fall.)



2. Read Jonah 4:7-8. Let's consider what God "provided": a mature vine, a hungry worm, and a scorching wind. What is God doing?



1. What is Jonah's reaction? (He wants to die.)



3. Read Jonah 4:9. What is the correct answer to God's question? Do you agree with Jonah?(The vine did not belong to Jonah. He invested nothing in it. However, it was a blessing to him. I don't think Jonah had a right to be angry. Perhaps God's point is that Jonah does have a right to be upset because God had given it to him.)



4. Read Jonah 4:10-11. Consider Jonah's relationship to the vine: how does it compare to God's relationship to Nineveh? (Nineveh and its inhabitants are obviously more important than a day-old vine.)



1. What about the fact that the vine gave Jonah comfort and shelter? (The people of Nineveh repented! Imagine the joy that gave God.)



2. Consider the time and effort Jonah had in that vine, compared to the time and effort that God had invested in Jonah and Nineveh?



1. Could Jonah argue that his reputation, which he had spent a lot of time on, was now ruined? (The text says he was angry about the vine.)



3. What does God mean when He says the people of Nineveh "cannot tell their right hand from their left?" (Every commentary I consulted said this was a reference to children. There were 120,000 children in Nineveh who were not old enough to choose between good and evil. Notice also the interesting inclusion of animals. God also cares about the animals.)



5. Let's focus for a moment on God's question in Jonah 4:11. What is the obvious answer? (Yes! Of course God should be concerned.)



1. If you had to summarize the book of Jonah in one sentence, what would it be? ("God cares about me!" God cared about Jonah, the wayward prophet. Look at the tremendous effort to get Jonah on the right path and to help him have the right mental attitude. Look at the trouble God went to for the evil people of Nineveh - and their innocent children.)



6. Friend, God loves you and is concerned about you! Will you determine, right now, to live your life in the confidence of God's love and care?



7. God's Special People (Micah).

Introduction: Last week we studied the "roars" that God sent out to the pagan nations that surrounded His people. Next, we read that God's roars were also directed towards His own people. What should we learn from that? God is an "equal opportunity" roarer? How about reaching the conclusion that God encourages us to live holy lives? If that is God's message, and I believe it is, let's explore that message in more depth and learn how do we do that by jumping into our study of Amos!

1. Laments



1. Read Amos 5:1-2. Last week we had roars, this week we have laments. What is a lament? (An expression of grief or sorrow.)



1. Who is lamenting? (Amos, speaking for God, is making statements of grief for Israel.)



2. What is wrong? (Israel has fallen to her enemies. God calls her "virgin" because He remembers her back in the days when she was faithful to Him.)



3. Why does Israel have no one to pick her up? (Normally God would be her defender, but she has abandoned God.)



2. Read Amos 5:3. When we read about "marching out" what does that bring to mind? (Battles. Military contests.)



1. How are these battles going for Israel?(Ninety percent losses! That is why Israel has been defeated.)



3. Read Amos 5:4. What is the formula for life? (To seek God. "Seek Me and live.")



1. What does this have to do with the laments? (Our lives enter an age of sorrow and defeat when we leave God behind.)



2. Those of you who regularly read these lessons know that I place a strong emphasis on grace. What does this say about grace? (The phrase "seek Me and live," points out a simple truth about grace - it comes from God. We cannot find it elsewhere.)



3. What about the lost battles and failures in life? (This is an important part of living a holy life, a relationship with God makes your life better. When you fall down, you can turn to God. He will help you in life's battles.)



2. Reflections



1. Let's skip down to Amos 5:14. Why do you think Amos writes, "Just as you say He is?" (The people falsely claim that God is with them.)



1. How do you understand this: if we do not seek good, will God leave us? (The real issue is whether the people are followers of God. Amos says that if we have a relationship with God, it will be reflected in our lives.)



2. Read Amos 5:15. Notice the shift here. We go from being told to "seek good" to "love good." We go from being told not to seek evil to being told to "hate evil." What problem do you find in this? (God is raising the stakes, He is requiring more. Seeking good is a decision. Loving good or hating evil is an emotion. Decisions are easier than emotions.)



1. Can you control what you hate and what you love?



3. Read Romans 7:5-6 and Galatians 5:22-24. What is the secret to having the power to love good and hate evil? (Read Romans 8:1-4 and Romans 8:9. Jesus has now fulfilled the requirements of the law! Our focus is not obedience to the law, Jesus has done that, but rather our focus is on having the Holy Spirit live in us. We need a life controlled by the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that changes our heart and gives us true love.)



1. Amos shares a fundamental truth when he says first "seek good" and second, "love good." What truth do you find? (Holy living is a decision. We make the decision to seek a life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then the power of the Holy Spirit transforms us to "love" good.)



4. Read Amos 5:21-24. What is God's complaint? Is He against noisy songs?



1. Notice verse 22, God sounds like He is rejecting the Old Testament equivalent of grace. How can that be? (Attending church, singing praise songs, giving offerings, even superficial praying are no substitute for seeking a relationship with God through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. God wants worship, praise, offerings and prayer to arise from our relationship with Him.)



3. Judgment and Restoration



1. Read Amos 9:9-10. What does this suggest about our actions? (Not only do sinners get shaken up, but they die.)



1. What kind of attitude do these sinners have? (They do not believe in a judgment, or they do not believe judgment is for them.)



2. What does this say about living a life led by the Holy Spirit? (This is a serious matter. We cannot take lightly God's means for avoiding judgment - for judgment is very real.)



2. Read Amos 9:11-12. What is God promising when He says He will "restore David's fallen tent?" (A tent is a place of dwelling. God is promising to restore God's people to the glory they enjoyed when King David was alive.)



3. Read Amos 9:13. Is Amos prophesying disorder among farmers? (No. He seems to be saying that the harvests will come so rapidly that it will seem the harvesters are getting in the way of those preparing the soil and planting for a new crop.)



4. Read Amos 9:14-15. What does God say that He will do?



1. What does God say that the people must do? (Amos writes of what the people must do to reap the benefits God has given them. However, Amos says nothing here about what the people need to do to cause God to bless them.)



1. Why would God save them even though the people are not turning to Him? (I think the point (again) is that God judges sinners, but He provides free grace to those who turn to Him.)



5. Let's look at a familiar Old Testament story which helps to clarify our thinking. Read Genesis 12:1-4. What are the terms of the contract? (Abram needs to follow God by leaving, and God promises to bless him and curse his enemies.)



6. Read Genesis 12:10-13. What do you think about Abram's honesty?



1. What does this say about Abram's faith in the promise given to him earlier in this chapter? (If He had believed God, he would know he would be safe.)



7. Read Genesis 12:14-16. What happened to Abram and what happened to Sarai due to Abram's dishonesty? (He got rich. She was taken into the harem.)



8. Read Genesis 12:17-20. How does this turn out for Pharaoh? (Is this fair?)



1. How does this turn out for Abram? (He gets to keep all of his money and he gets his wife back.)



1. Is that fair?



2. Is this precisely what God promised Abram in the first verses of Genesis 12? (This is something that every Christian needs to contemplate. Abram made the decision to follow God. God blessed him even though he failed God.)



3. Fit this into our discussion about Amos. What did God want His people to do? (To turn back to Him and turn away from false worship.)



1. If they turned back, would they have to be perfect? (No. This is grace. Abram's story is a perfect illustration of grace. Our part is to follow God. To choose to life a life led by the Holy Spirit. God says, "choose Me," and we do. After that, the work is all God's. We can turn reject God and be lost, but that is a big decision about the direction of our life. It is not the slips on the road to holiness.)



9. Friend, right now, will you make that big decision to turn to God? Will you agree to be blessed by undeserved grace? We you invite the Holy Spirit to live in you and lead your life?



4. Next week: Eager to Forgive (Jonah).

Introduction: When my children were very young we played a game called "Roar." I would hide and then roar like a lion. (Well, a little bit like a lion.) The children would then try to figure out where I was hiding. Since their sense of sound direction was not very good, the result was often humorous. I would be very close to them, roar, and they would run the opposite direction. Our lesson this week is about God "roaring" His message to pagans and to His followers. Are we like children, misunderstanding God's direction? Do we fail to follow His instructions for living? Are we "tone deaf" to God's roar? Let's race into our study of the book of Amos and see what we can learn!

1. First Roar



1. Read Amos 1:1-2. Some background is important here. The great nation built by King David and King Solomon split. Of the twelve tribes, the ten northern tribes seceded from the nation because of over-taxation. The Northern Kingdom was called Israel and the remaining two tribes were Judah. Judah had Jerusalem within its territory, so it retained the center of worship. This was a problem for Israel, so it set up its own two centers for worship. Amos is a shepherd living in Judah.



1. To whom is Amos delivering God's message? (To Israel.)



1. What issues does that raise in your mind? (A "foreigner" is telling us what to do! We got tired of the southern kingdom telling us what to do with regard to taxes. Now they send a shepherd to tell us what to do!)



2. From where is God roaring and thundering? (From Jerusalem.)



1. What issue does that raise in your mind? (This suggests that our alternative worship sites are not acceptable. Another attack on our decision-making.)



3. What does that fact that God's messages are compared to roaring and thundering suggest? (God sounds unhappy. He wants this message to get through to the people.)



2. Read Amos 1:3-4. What is odd about this first message? Where is Damascus located?(Damascus is located in Syria. This is not a message directed at Israel.)



1. Gilead was the land of God's people. What do you think God means by "threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth?" (The words "sled" and "sleigh" are related to "sledge." It is something without wheels that you pull along the ground. The mental picture I get is long metal spikes sticking down from a wooden platform. Imagine dragging that over people.)



1. How would you describe that in today's terms? (He really ripped me up! It would means some serious abuse.)



2. What is the lesson here? (God cares about how His people are treated. God will repay.)



3. What do you think about that kind of "roar?" (Great news!)



2. Second Roar



1. Read Amos 1:6-7. What is Gaza? (The land of the Philistines.)



1. We didn't comment before on the phrase "for three sins...even for four." What does that mean? (God is not punishing for one or two sins. These people are repeatedly involved in the sin mentioned.)



2. What is the sin that is involved here? (Human trafficking. Slavery. The Philistines took God's people and sold them to Edom. The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary called the Edomites "Judah's bitterest foe.")



3. What lesson for today do we find? (Human trafficking is a serious issue today. Beyond human trafficking, this would condemn mis-using anyone, violating their free-will.)



4. What would God's people think of this roar? (They would cheer. It is a good roar!)



3. Inward Roar



1. We examined the first two roars. There are five other roars, seven in all, which are directed towards the sins of the pagan nations who lived near God's people. These roars often dealt with sins perpetrated against God's people. Read Amos 2:4-5. Against whom is this roar directed? (Judah! God's people. Amos's people.)



1. What are their sins? (Rejecting God's law and following false gods.)



2. For many years I wondered about "idol worship." No one I knew worshiped idols. How could such a historically successful campaign by Satan simply disappear?

1. People would say that a nice car or house was "idol worship," but I knew that was nonsense because no one thought their car or house was a god. What do you think?



1. What is at the heart of idol worship that makes God so unhappy?(Relying on something we have made rather than relying on Him.)



1. Consider your life. What do you (or could you) rely upon instead of God? (The favor of your boss, your intelligence, your education, your money, your position, your good-looks, your personality. The Bible teaches us to be good employees, not to criticize our boss, to be prudent and skillful. The problem lies in relying on these things.)



1. How would your life change if you truly simply trusted in God? (It is liberating!)



1. Israel Roar



1. Read Amos 2:6. Who is the target of this roar? (Israel! Let me give you some more background. The ten northern tribes that constituted Israel have done very well. They have expanded the nation to about the borders of the days of King David and Solomon. They are prosperous and satisfied with their alternate religious system.)



1. Who is being sold? (The righteous and the needy.)



2. This is an odd grouping. What do you think selling the righteous means? (This sounds like bribery. The unrighteous person pays the judge to buy a favorable verdict against a righteous person.)



3. What about selling the needy? What does that mean? (Read Leviticus 25:39-41. People would sell themselves for a pittance.)



1. What application would you make for today? (Don't take advantage of needy people.)



2. Read Amos 2:7. What is meant by "trample on the heads" of the poor? Do you think they are actually walking on their heads? (The reference to denying justice and "heads" suggests that the poor are discouraged by the lack of justice available to them. Instead of being encouraged that they can do better, the poor are lead to believe they must forever be poor.)



1. Why does God say that His holy name is profaned by sexual immorality? (God is holy. He takes His law seriously because it reflects His character. Thus, sin is an offense to Him.)



2. J.A. Motyer's commentary on the "father and son use the same girl," statement is that Amos is not discussing some family perversion, but rather describing the system of temple prostitutes. Israel, like some of it pagan neighbors, had incorporated sex as part of its worship service. "Worship" by having sex with these "holy women" violated God's clear commands to His people.



3. Read Amos 2:8. Where does this sin take place? (In the place of worship.)



1. Read Deuteronomy 24:12-13 and Exodus 22:25-27. Should these lenders be sleeping on garments taken in pledge? (No. God says return the garment to the borrower before evening.)



2. Is this just a matter of failing to follow God's rules on loans? Is this a technical failure to follow regulations? Or, is something more serious involved? (This is grace. People come to the temple to receive forgiveness of sin. The original idea of the ten tribes in setting up their own place of worship was to worship the true God. Sin was forgiven at the temple. Grace was given. These people now sleep in the temple on garments that show their lack of grace towards others.)



1. What is the application for us today?



4. Friend, we rejoice when we see others "get what they deserve." Have you seriously considered your life? Have you thought about how your sin offends God. Have you considered that judgment is not just for others? Jesus offers us salvation by grace alone. Will you determine today to honor God's law and show grace to others like God shows grace to you?



2. Next week: Seek the Lord and Live! (Amos)

Introduction: Assume disaster comes into your life. What is your most important goal? To survive, and if possible, turn it to your advantage. The Bible contains God's promises to help us. This week we look at the prophecies of Joel, a minor prophet, who predicted not simply disaster, but the end of the world. He also prophesied what God would do to help. Let's jump right into Joel to see what God has in mind for us in times of trouble!

1. Plague



1. Read Joel 1:1-3. What kind of event is coming? (An unprecedented event. Something worth remembering through succeeding generations.)



2. Read Joel 1:4 and Joel 1:6-7. What is being described? (A plague of locusts.)



1. How complete is the destruction of the crop? (All kinds of crops are destroyed.)



3. Read Joel 1:5. Why should the drunks be concerned? (They have nothing to drink.)



4. Read Joel 1:9. Why should the priests be concerned? (The temple offerings have been eaten.)



1. Why would the Bible focus on drunks and priests? (This shows us that calamity falls on all - the good and the bad. Those who waste the wine and those who use it in God's service - both suffer.)



5. Read Joel 1:12. What other calamity has come? (It appears that there is also a drought.)



1. What gives you joy? (Eating - it is even in the Bible. The destruction of food and drink is so complete that the people are without joy.)



2. Plague Relief



1. Read Joel 1:13-14 and Joel 1:19-20. What is the answer to this disaster? (Fasting and prayer. Coming to the house of God to cry out to God.)



2. Re-read Joel 1:6. To what does God compare this disaster? (It is like being invaded by a powerful enemy army.)



3. The Day of the Lord



1. Read Joel 2:1. What is coming? (The "day of the Lord.")



1. What does that mean? (It refers to the Second Coming of Jesus.)



2. Read Joel 2:2. Think about the pattern of Joel's book. What unique reference do we see twice? (The reference to an invasion by a foreign nation - a large and mighty army.)



1. Were God and Joel just on the topic of "Terrible Things that Can Happen?" Or, do you see some other reason to link a terrible plague and the Second Coming? (The ultimate promise of deliverance from evil that God gives to us is His Second Coming. At that time He will rescue His people and begin the final destruction of evil.)



3. Read Joel 2:3. How does God's army operate? (It burns what is in its path.)



1. Read Revelation 18:8-10 and 2 Peter 3:10. Is Joel's prophecy consistent with New Testament prophecies of the end? (Yes, both tell us that the earth will be destroyed by fire.)



4. Read Joel 2:4-6. We lose a great deal of the impact of this text because of our knowledge of modern warfare. Imagine that the only army you had ever seen consisted of foot soldiers with spears or bows. If you were one of those soldiers, how would you feel about going against an army mounted on horses? What about horses pulling chariots? What if you had never seen a horse before? (The amount of terror and surprise is summarized in "they leap over the mountaintops." God brings fearsome power against the wicked.)



5. Read Joel 2:10-11. How is the Second Coming both great and dreadful?



1. What does this text reveal about the power of God? (It extends to the stars!)



2. What is the answer to the final question: "Who can endure it?" (Read Joel 2:12-13. Those who turn to God can endure it.)



6. We are not going to study Joel 2:14-27. The confusing part is that these verses seem to describe both the Second Coming and God's rescue of His people in Joel's day. My only explanation for this is that Jesus did something similar in Matthew 24 when He described the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Coming in a way which intertwined both.



4. Holy Spirit Power



1. Read Joel 2:28. "And Afterward." After what? The Second Coming of Jesus? (That cannot be the meaning, because in Acts 2 Peter says what is happening at Pentecost is a fulfillment of these words in Joel 2.)



1. So, what do you think God means by "and afterward?" (Recall the pattern of the book so far. Calamity followed by God coming with salvation. Jesus came to earth and defeated the calamity of sin - and "afterward" the Holy Spirit came in power.)



2. Would it be fair to conclude that the gift of the Holy Spirit is an essential part of the victory over calamity? (Yes! It central to a victory over sin.)



2. How widespread is the gift of the Holy Spirit in Joel 2:28-29? (It is a gift given to all. Gender is irrelevant. Age is irrelevant. Social standing is irrelevant.)



1. Why do you think that God emphasizes this point of equality through Joel - a man who prophesied at a time when the priesthood consisted only of men? (The Holy Spirit is the power of God. The point is that in the end-time battle to finish God's victory, all of God's people have an equal part to play.)



3. Read Joel 2:30. What, exactly, should we all be expecting to do through the power of the Holy Spirit? (The earlier verses said prophesy, dreams and visions. This verse says "wonders" and it mentions them being done on earth.)



1. Let's explore this in Acts. Read Acts 2:1-3. What does this teach us that we should expect? (Wind, noise, fire and speaking in tongues.)



2. Let's explore this in Acts 5:12-16. What does this teach us that we should expect? (Miraculous signs and healings.)



4. Read Matthew 24:24. What warning are we given about similar events in the last times? (That Satan will have his agents performing great signs and miracles.)



1. Let's look more closely at this by examining the context. Read Matthew 24:23-26. In what context do we find these Satanic signs? (They are connected with someone claiming to be Jesus.)



1. Is this a reliable way to distinguish the work of the Holy Spirit from the work of Satan - that the person also claims to be Jesus?



5. In Matthew 12 the Pharisees attribute the miracles performed by Jesus to the power of Satan. Read Matthew 12:25-28. What is Jesus' response to those charges?



6. Read Matthew 12:31-32. What is the unpardonable sin? (Attributing the power of the Holy Spirit to Satan.)



1. Did our work in discerning end-time signs and wonders just become a lot more difficult?(I think this is a solemn warning for us to be very careful about condemning miracle-working (or any apparent manifestation of the Holy Spirit) by fellow Christians.)



7. Friend, in this world we face problems and sometimes disaster. God promises that He will make everything right. Part of this promise, is that He will send the Holy Spirit to be with us and empower us to do great things. Is the Holy Spirit in your life? Would you like to ask the Holy Spirit to come in power?



5. Next week: Lord of All Nations (Amos).