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CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE  
.::.   TEACHING STUDIES   .::.

 

Lesson #6     In the Wilderness

ISRAEL: 
ENTRANCE INTO THE PROMISED LAND

REVIEW

SELECT VERSES

Numbers 27:15-23; Deuteronomy 34:4-9; Joshua 1:1,2; 11:23; Judges 2:1-19

TOPIC OVERVIEW

All those who had failed to believe that God would give them the land of Canaan were now dead.  The time had come for God’s people to enter the Promised Land. God was fulfilling His promise to Abraham that his offspring would possess this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.  God is true to His word.  This lesson describes Israel’s response to God’s promise.

LESSON

JOSHUA SUCCEEDS MOSES

A.   Joshua commissioned. Numbers 27:15-23

1.   Earlier, Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who reported back to Moses and said, “We should take possession of the land.”  Now Joshua was to take over the leadership of the nation of Israel.

2.   He was gradually given authority over the Israelites.  This would help ease the transition of leadership from Moses to himself.

 

B.   Moses Dies. Deuteronomy 34:4-9

1.   Because Moses disobeyed God at the waters of Meribah he would not enter the promised land.

2.   Moses dies in Moab.

3.   The Israelites now looked to Joshua as their leader and listened to his instruction.

C.   Israel led into Canaan  Joshua 1:1,2; 11:23

1.   Joshua prepared the people to cross over the Jordan River into the land God had promised to give to Abraham and his descendants.

2.   Although the Israelites had doubted God many times along the way, God still protected them from the Egyptian army, led them safely through the Red Sea, provided them food and water for forty years while they wandered in the wilderness and spared many lives from the deadly bites of poisonous snakes.  God is faithful to keep His promises.

3.   The entire land was occupied by Israel and divided up among the twelve tribes.

ISRAEL UNDER THE JUDGES.

Israel’s Idolatry.  Judges 2:1-15

1.   God had clearly warned the Israelites to not allow the Canaanites to live in the land   (Exodus 23:31b-33).

2.   The Israelites disobeyed God and allowed some of the idolatrous Canaanites to live in the land.

3.   God told them they would adopt some of their neighbors’ evil practices and worship other gods.

4.   The Israelites, however, followed God while Joshua was alive.

5.   After Joshua’s death, the new generation of Israelites quickly forgot about God and turned to idol worship.

6.   God punished them for worshiping other gods.  He “handed them over” to the surrounding nations and they were continually defeated in battle.

            (Numbers 33:51-53, 55-56; Deuteronomy 30:17,18)

7.   God had warned them on several occasions that this would happen and now He was keeping His promise.

God Appoints Judges.  Judges 2:16-19

1.   God raised up judges to save the people from the hands of their enemies.

2.   Though the people didn’t deserve God’s kindness, He showed compassion on them as they groaned under their enemies’ affliction.

3.   The people would not listen to the judges and they continued to worship other gods.

4.   God would save the people from their enemies as long as the judges lived, but when the judge died, the people would return to even more corrupt practices and forms of idolatry.

 

TOPIC WRAP UP

1.   Who was the leader of Israel after Moses died?

2.   Did God give Abraham’s descendants the land which He had promised them?

3.   Who deceives people so they worship idols and other created things?

4.   What was the warning God clearly gave the Israelites concerning the people of Canaan and entering that land?

5.   How did God punish the Israelites for worshiping idols?

6.   What were the people chosen by God to lead Israel and save them from their enemies called?

7.   What do the judges tell us about God?

 

 ISRAEL: 
THE KINGS - DAVID AND SOLOMON

REVIEW

SELECT VERSES

IISamuel  5:1-4; 7:1-17;  IChronicles  22:1-6; 29:26-28;  IIChronicles  2:1,2; 5:1

TOPIC OVERVIEW

Of all the nations of the world, Israel was most fortunate for its ruler and king was God Himself.  But Israel rejected God and asked for a king like the nations around them.  God granted their request.  David was a shepherd chosen by God to lead Israel.  Through his experiences as a shepherd he wrote many songs of praise which are recorded in the Psalms.  God uses the imagery in this poetry to show us that our position as sinners is like straying sheep.  We need someone to shepherd us back onto the right path.  God is the only one who can do this.  The Lord is our shepherd.  David was annointed King of Israel and because of his faith he lead Israel to many military victories.  He proposed to build a temple for the Lord but his request was denied.  God made a covenant with David which includes the reign of Solomon his son.  It is Solomon whom God will use to build His temple.

LESSON

DAVID, THE GREAT KING OF ISRAEL

A.   David is Enthroned.     II Samuel 5:1-4

1.   Because of David’s faith and trust in God, he was able to lead Israel victoriously through many wars.  I Sam 18:5

2.   The people remind David that he was called by the Lord to shepherd His people.  (Gen 49:24).

3.   In obedience to God, David offered blood sacrifices for his sins.  He was accepted by God just like Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and many others.

4.   At the age of thirty, David was annointed King of Israel.

 

B.   David’s Proposal.         II Samuel 7:1-3

1.   As King, David acquired great wealth and built himself a palace of timber, stone, gold, and silver.

2.   While thinking about his dwelling place, David remembered the Lord, and His dwelling place, the tabernacle.

3.   David decided to build the Lord a permanent dwelling place made of stone, timber, gold and silver.

C.   God’s Response.          II Samuel 7:4-17

1.   God was pleased with David’s intent but because of the great bloodshed surrounding his enthronement (I Chron. 22:8) God chose not to use him to build His temple.

2.   God gave David the same promise He had given to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

a.) a great savior of men would be from his family

b.) a great descendant would rule the Kingdom forever

3.   God has not forgotten His promise.

D.   David’s Preparations for the Temple.  I Chronicles 22:1-6

1.   David gathered craftsmen from within Israel to begin cutting and molding the materials needed to build the temple.

2.   David transfers to Solomon the responsibility for building the temple.

THE REIGN OF SOLOMON.

A.   The Death of David.     I Chronicles 29:26-28

1.   After forty years of being the King of Israel, David dies and Solomon reigns in his place.

B.   The Temple.    II Chronicles 2:1,2; 5:1

1.   Solomon begins building the temple.  This was no small task.  Over one hundred and eighty thousand men were assigned to build the temple.

2.   When the temple was completed, there was no longer a need for the tabernacle.

3.   The temple was built in the same manner as the tabernacle.  It had two inner rooms, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, which were divided by a thick curtain.

4.   This curtain acted as a “Do Not Enter” sign for everyone except the High Priest.

5.   When the temple was dedicated and sacrifices offered to the Lord, the Lord came down and entered the most holy place of the temple.

6.   The people again saw the brilliant light.  When the people saw this they worshipped God.

CONCLUSION

Man is still helpless to save himself.  The Israelites were never to forget they were sinners, that God is perfect and that the punishment for sin is death.  The blood of animals could never totally pay for their sins.  Each year, on the day of atonement, the High Priest had to bring the blood of the sacrifice to God in the Holy of Holies.  Each year, God forgave them and held His judgement until a perfect and complete payment for sin could be made.

 

TOPIC WRAP UP

1.   Why did God choose David to be King of Israel?

2.   How did David become so wealthy?

3.   What was David’s proposal to God?

4.   Why was David’s proposal refused?

5.   What is God’s promise to David?

6.   How was the inner temple to be built?

7.   Has God forgotten His promise?

 

GOD’S MESSENGERS: THE PROPHETS

REVIEW

SELECT VERSES

Isaiah  10:5-6;  Jeremiah 6:13-14; 20:4-5

TOPIC OVERVIEW

God continues to teach the Israelites His ways through various people and circumstances.  He also clearly demonstrates His love for the Nation of Israel by the numerous warnings He gives them concerning His judgment upon sin.  God desires man’s response to Himself to be characterized by repentant hearts that are willing to turn from their sinful ways and look to Him in obedience.  The Nation of Israel finds itself once again in a situation similar to that of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after they too had disobeyed God by eating from the forbidden fruit.  How will man respond this time?

LESSON

THE PROPHETS AND THEIR MESSAGE

A.   Who Are the Prophets?

1.   They were those through whom God spoke to proclaim His message and communicate His will.  Many times this involved foretelling the purposes of God.

2.   Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel were some of the well-known prophets.

3.   They told the people to repent, destroy their idols and worship the One and only True God.  Remember God’s first commandment spoken back at Mount Sinai: “...you shall have no other gods before Me.”  The people had to choose who they were going to serve.

4.   The prophets also warned of punishment and inevitable judgment to those who failed to change their ways and submit to God.

 

B.   Warnings to the Nation of Israel    Isaiah 10:5-6; Jeremiah 20:4b-5

1.   Isaiah warned Israel (the northern ten tribes) that God would send the Assyrians to fight against them and capture them unless they repented.

2.   The people had turned their backs on God.  Isaiah 1:2-4

3.   Likewise, Jeremiah warned Judah (the southern two tribes) that God would send the Babylonians to destroy them.

4.   God sends Israel’s enemies to fight against them, conquer them and enslave them.  Just as He had done with them before when they had failed to completely drive out the Canaanites from the promised land.

God’s Promise of a Deliverer

1.   God had not forgotten His promise to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden that a Saviour from the woman’s seed would come to destroy Satan and restore man’s relationship to God.  Genesis 3:15

2.   He had repeated this same promise to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob and had told them that the Deliverer would be one of their descendants.  Genesis 12:3; 22:17,18.

3.   David the shepherd and eventual King of Israel, had also been promised the coming Deliverer would be from his family line.  II Samuel 7.

4.   Hundreds of years before the Deliverer came, God used His chosen messengers (prophets) to foretell many things that would happen to the Deliverer.

5.   God did not abandon His plan to send a Saviour to the world even though most of the people failed to serve and worship Him and instead lived for themselves and their sinful pleasures.  God loves the world and desires that none should perish.  Ezekiel 18:32

Prophesies of the Promised Deliverer

1.   He will be born of a virgin and called Immanuel which means “God is with us.”  Isaiah 7:14

2.   He will be born in Bethlehem.  Micah 5:2.

3.   He will be despised and rejected by men.  Isaiah 53.

4.   He will be betrayed by one of His close friends.  Psalm 41:9.

5.   He will be mocked by men and insults will be hurled at Him.  Psalm 22:6-8.

6.   His hands and feet will be pierced.  Psalm 22:16.

E.   Israel’s Response to God’s Prophets    Jeremiah 6:13,14

1.   Many of God’s prophets were persecuted and even killed for their message of impending judgment and the call to Godly living.

2.   The people continued to worship and follow the evil practices of the surrounding nations.  Some of these same people probably regularly worshipped God at the Temple.  Many were simply giving God lip service, nothing more.  Isaiah 29:13.

3.   Besides the prophets sent by God, there were also many false prophets who lied to and deceived the Israelites.  Ezekiel 13.

4.   These servants of Satan claimed to be from God and told the people that everything would be alright and God would not punish them.  Satan used the same logic with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Genesis 3:4,5.

TOPIC WRAP UP

1.   What purpose did the prophets serve?

2.   Name a few of the prophets.

3.   What message did the prophets have for the Israelites?

4.   What is repentance and why is it important to God?

5.   Who did God send to punish the Nation of Israel?

6.   Although thousands of years had passed, had God forgotten His promise to send a Deliverer?

7.   Did the prophets know much about the coming Deliverer?

8.   Who is responsible for the multitude of false prophets?

9.   Why should we be concerned about the messages of the false prophets?

THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY

REVIEW

SELECT VERSES

II Kings  17:1-8;  II Kings 25:1-12

TOPIC OVERVIEW

God sent prophets to repeatedly warn Israel and Judah to turn from their sin and worship Him alone, otherwise they would be carried off into captivity by their neighbors.  God has shown us in His Word how His promises, whether of blessing or judgement, are fulfilled exactly as He has spoken.  The people rejected God’s messengers and instead chose to face the consequences of refusing to listen to God.  Sometimes suffering is needed to bring us to the point of repentance.

LESSON

THE NATION OF ISRAEL IN CAPTIVITY

A.   The Assyrians Conquer Israel. II Kings  17:1-8

1.   As Isaiah prophesied, the Assyrians fought against and captured Israel.

2.   The people had failed to listen to the words of God and His messengers concerning their idolatry.  (II Kings 17:12-15,23).

3.   Over time, the Assyrians and Israelites intermarried.  The descendants produced by these mixed marriages were called Samaritans.

4.   The Samaritans worshipped God, but in their own way.  They were selective in following God’s instructions.

 

B.   Babylonians Conquer Judah and Jerusalem.  II Kings 25:1-12

1.   As Jeremiah prophesied, the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and led the inhabitants of Judah into exile.

2.   The walls surrounding the city of Jerusalem were torn down.

3.   The Temple of God, built by King Solomon, was burned to the ground, along with all the other important buildings within the walls of the city.

4.   Everything happened just as God said it would happen.

 

RETURN FROM EXILE.

A.   God’s People Return to Jerusalem

1.   After many years, those held captive in Babylon repented and asked God to return them to their own land.

2.   God brought many of the people back to Jerusalem.  The people rebuilt the stone walls around the city and also rebuilt God’s Temple.

3.   The Israelites who returned to Judah were called Jews.  The name is probably derived from the word Judah.

B.   The Jews Under Greek and Roman Rule

1.   Many of the Jews worshiped God according to the way God specified but not sincerely with their hearts.

2.   God allowed the Greeks to conquer the Jews and their influence induced the people to speak the Greek language.  Greek would eventually become the written language of the New Testament.

3.   After several hundred years of Greek dominated rule, the Romans conquered the Greeks and took control of Jerusalem and all of Palestine.

4.   The Romans killed many Jews and forced them to pay taxes.

5.   The Romans worshipped many false gods as well as their emperor, Caesar, but did allow the Jews to continue worshipping God in the Temple.

6.   The Romans built many roads throughout their vast empire.  God was preparing a way for His Word to be spread throughout distant lands.

C.   The Building of Jewish Synagogues

1.   Due to the persecution and captivity of the Jews, they became scattered throughout the world.

2.   The Jews who lived far from Jerusalem built meeting houses called synagogues.  These were places where the Old Testament was read and taught.

3.   The Jews met in these meeting houses on the last day of the week.

4.   Synagogues were not only built in Israel, but also in places like Asia Minor, Greece and Persia.

5.   Though some Jews followed God’s commands and believed His prophets’ message, the majority of the Jews didn’t truly worship God from their hearts.  They thought going to the Temple and synagogue was all they needed to do to please God.

CONCLUSION

The demonstration of Israel’s unbelief and rejection of God’s promises is a sad story indeed.  Even through all of this disappointment, however, God was slowly preparing a way for all to hear about the long-promised deliverer.  In this lesson we saw how God used different circumstances and other nations to help establish a common language, an excellent system of roads, and synagogues of worship throughout the world.  God has a purpose and plan for His people.

 

TOPIC WRAP UP

1.   What happened to Israel, Judah and Jerusalem because of their sin and idolatry?

2.   Who were the Samaritans?

3.   What did the Israelites who returned from exile do in Jerusalem?

4.   Who were the Jews?

5.   What language were the Jews taught?

6.   Who did the Romans worship?

7.   What were the synagogues?

8.   Did most Jews truly worship God?

9.   How was God preparing the way for the promised deliverer?