Judgment for the Disobedient

Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Ezra 7:21-28 NIV

21 Now I, King Artaxerxes, decree that all the treasurers of Trans-Euphrates are to provide with diligence whatever Ezra the priest, the teacher of the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of you-- 22 up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred cors of wheat, a hundred baths of wine, a hundred baths of olive oil, and salt without limit. 23 Whatever the God of heaven has prescribed, let it be done with diligence for the temple of the God of heaven. Why should his wrath fall on the realm of the king and of his sons? 24 You are also to know that you have no authority to impose taxes, tribute or duty on any of the priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers, temple servants or other workers at this house of God. 25 And you, Ezra, in accordance with the wisdom of your God, which you possess, appoint magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates--all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach any who do not know them. 26 Whoever does not obey the law of your God and the law of the king must surely be punished by death, banishment, confiscation of property, or imprisonment. 27 Praise be to the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king's heart to bring honor to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king's powerful officials. Because the hand of the LORD my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) As the captivity for the people of God was ending, and after Ezra the scribe returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, what did King Artaxerxes include in his letter to the scribe concerning the building of the temple? Why?  (v.21-23)
2) What did the king write concerning Ezra's authority to impose taxes on the workers of the house of God? (v.24)
3) What did the king give Ezra authority to do, according to the wisdom of God? (v.25)
4) What would be the punishment for those who did not obey the law of the Lord and the king? (v.26)
5) What was Ezra's response after reading the king's letter to him? (v.27-28)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Has the Lord ever been very gracious to you after you have sinned against Him and subsequently repented? If so, please describe one such instance and your response.
7) Have you ever refused to forsake your rebellion against the Lord? If so, what happened?

LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord God is always willing to restore grace and favor to those who have strayed from the truth, but have returned to His commands and ways.
9) The Lord will judge those who refuse to relent and continue to rebel against Him.

I Will Punish Your Transgressions

Thursday, June 4, 2015
Amos 3:9-15 KJV 

9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof. 10 For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. 11 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary [there shall be] even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled. 12 Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus [in] a couch. 13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts, 14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. 15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What is to be published (announced, proclaimed) among, and beheld by the enemies of the people of God? Why? (v.9-10)
2) What will befall the nation belonging to the people of God? (v.11)
3) What illustration did the Lord use to describe the impending captivity of His people? (v.12)
4) What else was to be heard and announced concerning the Lord's punishment of His people for their transgressions against Him? (v.13-15)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) In what ways have you transgressed against the Lord, recently and what will you do to restore right relationship with Him?
6) In what ways has this nation trangressed against the Lord and what must we do to avoid the Lord's judgment against us?

LIFE LESSONS
7) The Lord God always warns His people before allowing calamity to befall us for our sins against Him.
8) The Lord God expects His people to confess and repent of our sins, and/or the sins of our nation, before punishing us for our transgressions.

I Will Surely Gather Them

Thursday, September 18, 2014
Jeremiah 32:36-44 

36 And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; 
37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: 
38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 
39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 
40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. 
41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. 
42 For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. 
43 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, [It is] desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 
44 Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal [them], and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What were the Lord's promises to His people concerning their captivity in Babylon? (v.36-41)
2) Who brought all of the evil upon the people of God and how would that evil be turned around for their good? (v.42) 
3) What did the Lord promise the people concerning their native land? (v.43-44)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Has the Lord ever blessed you following a season of correction? If so, what was your response to Him?
5) Have you ever felt forsaken by the Lord? If so, briefly describe the situation and how your relationship with God was restored.
6) Have people around you ever abandoned you because they believed that the Lord had forsaken you? If so, please describe one such time.

PRINCIPLES
7) Though the Lord has allowed Israel to suffer affliction many times, He has never given up on them.
8) Though the  Lord may chasten us numerous times, He keeps His promise to never leave us or forsake us.
9) The Lord always intends His best for His people, even when He allows hardships in our lives.

10) The Lord is a covenant keeping God!

Set Up Road Markers

Saturday, September 13, 2014
Jeremiah 31:18-25 

18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself [thus]; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed [to the yoke]: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou [art] the LORD my God. 
19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon [my] thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. 
20 [Is] Ephraim my dear son? [is he] a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD. 
21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, [even] the way [which] thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities. 
22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. 
23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, [and] mountain of holiness. 
24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they [that] go forth with flocks. 
25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did Ephraim say that demonstrated remorse over their sin? (v.18-19)
2) What did the Lord say about Ephraim and how did He feel about him? (v.20)
3) What did the Lord instruct His people to do? (v.21)
4) What was the "new thing" that the Lord promised His people? (v.22)
5) How did the Lord say His people would respond after He ended their captivity and why? (v.23-25)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Have you ever had to punish a rebellious child? If so, how did you feel about that child while you were punishing him (her)?
7) Have you ever rebelled against the Lord? If so, how did you feel, and what did you do, after realizing that you were in error?
8) Do you record your journey of faith with the Lord? If not, why not. 

PRINCIPLES
9) Repentance is the only way back to God.
10) Godly sorrow leads to repentance.
11) The Lord restores and satisfies the penitent hearts of His backsliding children.
12) Markers on our journey of faith in God are reminders of God's goodness to us when we did not deserve it.

A Future with a Hope

Friday, September 5, 2014
Jeremiah 29:10-14

10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What nation(s) had been in captivity in Babylon for seventy years? What was the Lord's promise to them in this verse? (v.10)
2) What were the Lord's thoughts and plans toward/for His captive people ? (v.11)
3) What hope, and promises, did the Lord offer His people? (v.12-14)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Have you ever experienced the mercy of the Lord, despite your failures? If so, please describe one such time.
5) How did the Lord manifest His love toward you, despite your confessed sin(s)?
6) What was your response to the Lord after He showered favor and blessing on you despite your past failures?

PRINCIPLES
7) The Lord's mercy endures, whether we deserve it, or not.
8) The Lord's faithfulness does not depend upon us, but upon Him!
9) No matter how many times we fail Him, the Lord receives His penitent people.
10) God is absolutely  merciful, but He is also absolutely just!