To Israel, With Love...

Week 20: Discovering the Character of God through Hosea

20.1 Invite the group to reflect on recent weeks and see if they can put together an overview of what a prophet is from all they've learned (someone who speaks to God's people on God's behalf; messages of both hope and judgment, etc). Handout To Israel With Love for the group to read in their own time but highlight the mention of 'parables' halfway down and invite them to define /give an example of a 'parable'. The handout mentions that Hosea was to be a 'living parable' to Israel and we'll see just what this meant for him - and for the nation - as we work through this week's study.

20.2 Read Hosea 1:1 to see the period in which this is set. Hosea is preaching to the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the rot is really beginning to set in as they turn further and further away from the Lord to follow other gods. at the same time, Isaiah is preaching to the Southern Kingdom, Judah, warning them not to follow Israel's example. Read 2 Kings 15:26 to see just how bad the situation was in Israel. It is also worth noticing the wording of the verse: although Israel was deliberately disobeying God, He saw their underlying hurt and confusion at being ostracized from God - as result of their own actions. This was where Hosea entered the picture. God chose and called him to show the people His heart - that it was broken because of their unfaithfulness, yet He loved them still and wanted them to return to Him. Read Hosea 1:2-3 to see what God asks Hosea to do.

• As a group, discuss Hosea's obedience. Could we respond in the same way?

20.3 Read Hosea 2:1-13 and discuss what's going on (God determining to stop Israel from running away, back to her other gods - note, in particular, verse 7). Go on to Read 2:14 and invite the group to share their thoughts on why God took/led the Israelites into the desert/wilderness (again!) to deal with them. Compare with Luke 4:1 where we see the Jesus led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit; look at the differing attitudes and invite the group to see what we can learn about 'wilderness experiences' from these two events.

20.4 The Israelites weren't keen to give up their ways, as chapter 5, particularly verse 4, reveals. Read the chapter as a group to see just how determined the Israelites were to remain unfaithful to God.... and see what God has to say about it.

20.5 Finally, as a group, read Hosea 11:1-11. Here, we see God love for Israel overflowing in spite of their sin and his previous words. Discuss God's message to Israel in this chapter and invite the group to see for themselves the wealth of God's characteristics evident in this chapter.

Week 20: Summary
We began this session recognising Hosea as the 'Prophet of Love' yet, through him we discover something bigger - and better: a God of Love. And there is there is even more that we have found - and continue to find - out about this God through Hosea:

• He is a Father to us
• He leads us into the wilderness
• He wants us to know Him
• He brings hope

No Hiding Place

Week 19: Discovering the Character of God through Jonah

19.1 As a group, watch i, Robot (from 17:10 to 24:25) and discuss how Det. Spooner relentlessly pursues Sonny until he finds him. As we read through Jonah, we will discover a God who relentlessly pursues us in a similar fashion; One who loves us, wants us and calls us and, while never forcing himself on us, never gives up on us.

19.2 Read Jonah 1:1-4:11 (all of the book, in other words!) and invite the group to point out particular points of the book where these very traits of God's character are clearly evident; particularly, his pursuit of us.

19.3 Handout maps and background info on Nineveh and discuss just how horrific the situation was in Nineveh.

In Jonah 1:1-8 we see that Nineveh was in a bad way and God prompted Jonah to go there. However, Jonah went in the opposite direction on a ship to Tarshish. While he was on the ship, he made himself cosy in the cabin and fell asleep - during which time a huge storm started up. The captain woke Jonah up and asked him to pray to ask God to stop the storm. The sailors knew someone on board was responsible for the disaster and found out that Jonah was the culprit.

• Sometimes when we do wrong things, our sins can drag others down too. Invite the group to share times when they've been disobedient and others have suffered the consequences.

In verses 9-13, we go on to read of how the sailors tried rowing to shore to get away from the storm but made no progress. They were trying in vain to fix gthe situation themselves as the only other solution would be to thrown Jonah overboard and they didn't want to throw him overboard. The sailors thought that if they threw him overboard, God may punish them for it. However, they were so scared that they ended up throwing him into the sea anyway. as the sailors could see the immediate calmness of the sea they believed straight away.

• It's difficult doing as God says, especially if you think that it may offend others around you ie: not going somewhere your friends want you to go or refusing doing something they want you to do. Again, invite the group to share experiences like this they may have been in. What was the outcome? How did God reward them?

As we already read in Chapter 2, Jonah didn't think he'd ever see God again. He felt bad and very far from God. However God was gracious to him and heard his prayer to save his life.

Jonah really feared God. He felt really bad for not doing as he'd been told to do. We can be like this too; we can feel very distant from God if we have made a choice to disobey God. When we have known the closeness of God and then we do what we want this is not God's will for our lives and we can grieve the Holy Spirit and feel very distant from God. This can be God's way of making it really clear to us that He does not want us to go down a certain path.

• Invite the group to share if they have known a time when God has been disappointed with a decision they've made? (eg: dating non-believers, etc)

19.4 Read Nahum 1:1 and, as a group, discuss how Jonah's refusal to obey God meant that God used someone else until Jonah returned. His message was of such a great importance that He couldn't wait for Jonah to get his act together; someone else had to step in and do the work in the meantime. Who else have we studied who experience this? (Moses, Deborah (Barak)) If time permits, discuss whether this is relevant in today's society/church?

19.5 As a group, read Jonah 3:1-10 and discuss Jonah's change of attitude, the Ninevites' response and God's actions. What can the group see of God's character here? Note in particular verse 10. It is interesting to read of the sincerity of the Ninevites' repentance; they 'turned from their evil ways' (NIV) and that, 'When God saw [this] he had compassion... on them...' We talk often of God's love being unconditional - and it is - yet fail to mention his forgiveness is conditional: our repentance must not be just from our lips but must be sincere. It must first come from our hearts and then transform our actions. Empty 'sorrys' are worthless and an abuse of grace. Verse 10 is a challenge to us to be truly repentant in light of what we have learned here about God's nature.


Week 19: Summary
Flying through the book of Jonah hasn't stopped us from learning a lot about God's character this week. The lesson has reinforced much of what we have already learned, yet more attributes of God's character have revealed themselves, too, including:

• God pursues us
• His salvation is for all
• His forgiveness is conditional

Accept No Imitations

Week 18: Discovering the Character of God through Daniel
18.1 Invite the group to share and discuss who they most admire/influential people and why, ie: looks, acting ability, singing voice, intelligence, etc.

18.2 Read 2 Chronicles 36:5-7,15-21 and refer to last week; notice again how Jeremiah's prophecy came true. We see in this several aspects of God's character (as touched on last session): He shows who He is (the true God) by fulfilling prophecy, He carries out His threats and we can only push Him so far.

This is the scene we've been anticipating for a few weeks, now, as we've watched Judah go steadily downhill and witnessed God warn them over and over that there will be painful consequences for their actions. It's against this bleak backdrop that we encounter Daniel, one of the captured Jews.

18.3 Read Daniel 1:1-6 and notice how Nebuchadnezzar chooses a specific group of people to learn his language and history and to become his servants.

• What could his intentions have been?
• Why not choose the less well-educated, the poor and the underdog?

Maybe Nebuchadnezzar recognised that to exert his influence over the captive Jews, this would be best achieved by using their own men; particularly those who were already influential in their own right because of their looks, families, knowledge, etc. However, what he didn't count on was that they took their faith far more seriously than his rules; they were fast recalling God's instruction not to compromise their faith.

18.4 Read Daniel 1:8 and, as a group, think what food it could have been that Nebuchadnezzar was trying to force Daniel and his friends to eat (non-Kosher) and put ourselves in Daniel et al's shoes:

• Could we resist?
• Given the choice between going hungry and honouring God, which would we honestly choose?

Daniel, as we discover in verses 9-20, refuses to eat the King's food; asking instead for a diet of vegetables and water. God makes one of the guards compassionate toward Daniel and co., and he agrees. At the end of the period, Daniel and his friends are stronger and fitter than the other men Nebuchadnezzar had had in mind as servants so the King employs Daniel, Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach) and Azariah (Abednego) instead. God has cared for his people because of their obedience. Not only has he cared for them; He also rewards them. In verse 17, we see God gives them knowledge, understanding and learning and well as Daniel's gift of understanding dreams and visions.

It's important to notice that these Jews were not trying to earn God's favour; they simply knew that, in light of God's mercy they could not - and would not - compromise their faith and salvation for food. In Ephesians 2:10, Paul tells the church that we are saved by '...grace alone; not by works so that no-one can boast...' Just like Daniel, we need to remember we cannot earn God's grace; it is a gift. However once we recognise this, we should find our hearts changed; we ought not to want to sin or compromise our faith and salvation. When God sees this attitude of refusing to compromise out of sheer love for Him, we may find He rewards us with gifts, just like Daniel.

18.5 That's not to say that God necessarily makes everything easy (Jesus said that the road would be tough; long, narrow and steep!). Read Daniel 3:1,13-23 and share our reactions to Nebuchadnezzar's behaviour. Again, would we have that same uncompromising heart that Daniel's friends have? Without reading ahead, invite the group to guess/discuss what they think/know happens next.

Read verses 24-29 to see what actually does happen and again invite the group to share their thoughts on these events:

• Are they fair?
• Are they realistic?
• Where was God when all this was going on?
• Why did God allow this to happen?

As a result of Shadrach's, Meshach's and Abednego's suffering, one key event occurs: Nebuchadnezzar recognises God and the true God and calls his people to acknowledge this, too. God is glorified in this and therefore the persecution and suffering of these Jews has a positive outcome.

Over and over, scriptures show us that God glorifies Himself through our sufferings, and as a result, others get saved. We can learn a valuable lesson from this: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says to be '...joyful at all times... thankful in all circumstances...' and, no matter what we are enduring, one thing we can be sure to give thanks for is that God will be glorified through our suffering.

18.6 We are all familiar - to some extent - of the 'story' of Daniel in the lions' den; lets take a closer look as we finish our study and see how God glorifies himself there, too.

Read Daniel 6:29-31. Daniel has had a privileged position in the royal household for many years and is now established as third highest ruler in Babylon. He has served two kings: Nebuchadnezzar and his son, Belshazzar and now, Darius takes the throne. By this time, the people have turned away for any interest in God that Nebuchadnezzar had previously recommended and now Daniel is again at odds with the Law and the question of 'should he compromise?' comes into play again. Read Daniel 6:1-18, where we see an almost-identical situation to that of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; Daniel also refusing to compromise/break God's law in order to please a man (compare Galatians 1:10) and consequently being punished/persecuted for it. Just like his friend's earlier situation, it seems that God is nowhere to be seen; yet, again, He actually has everything under control and is, in fact, again glorified through Daniel's suffering. He protects Daniel who survives his ordeal unscathed and King Darius is converted due to God's protection and Daniel's witness. Read it all in Daniel 6:19-23, 25-27 and share any final thoughts.

Week 18: Summary
So much of the first 6 chapters of Daniel leave us thinking that God's out of the picture but, in fact, He is constantly at work and there is much we can learn about His character through these captured Jews:

• He shows He is the True God by fulfilling prophecy
• He provides, cares for and protects His people
• He rewards obedience
• Everything He does is for His glory