Bible study
Bible study is held in-person on Sunday mornings from 9:30 - 10:15 am. We will continue to offer an option to join virtually via Zoom if you desire. If you would like to receive a Zoom link, please email us. Handouts are posted below for each session.
bad, bad kings: a study of 2 kings until the exile
It's always easy to sugar-coat things or whitewash history. It's much harder to soberly contemplate the worst parts of history—filled with the atrocities that societies can do, the darkness that can infect hearts, and the hopelessness that can fill the air. In the Bible, the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles are the worst part of Old Testament history. It was the time when foreign empires invaded their land, destroyed their homes, and shipped them off to exile. How did this happen? How could God allow this to happen? This study will look at the good, the bad, and the ugly—and especially the ugly. We owe it to our secular society to see the worst that God's people are capable of. We also owe it to ourselves to examine this decisive historical event of the Bible and find applications to our lives today.
january 15: the reigns of kings jeroboam II & Azariah
Today we begin the study by looking at the Silver Age of Israelite history, the renaissance under Jeroboam II in Israel and Azariah in Judah. Though it looked good on the outside, problems festered on the inside that would eventually cause their downfall. Our goal is to analyze the good and the bad of being Christians in a time of material and economic prosperity—much like America today.
Download the study guide here: L1_Jeroboam_II_Azariah.pdf
JANUARY 22: ISrael's decline & Assyria's invasions
Today we look at how quickly Israel fell from the Silver Age under Jeroboam II. The kings that followed were filled with assassinations and chaos, as the Assyrian emperor Tiglath-Pileser III invaded the land multiple times. We will orient ourselves to the historical factors of the time, and our goal is to apply this time period to our day as we discuss how we as Christians are to approach politics and America's role in the world.
Download the study guide here: L2_Israel_s_Swift_Decline.pdf
january 29: judah under jotham & ahaz
Today we look at life in Judah during the time Assyria was invading the northern country of Israel. In particular, we look at the details of the Syro-Ephraimite War, in which King Ahaz was tempted to form an alliance with the world power of Assyria. Today's goal is to examine the dangers of forming alliances with the world in our day and age.
Download the study guide here: L3_Judah_under_Jotham_Ahaz.pdf
february 5: israel under hoshea
Today we will look at Israel's last king, Hoshea, and the events that lead to the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C. and the Assyrian exile. Our goal is to think about what we might say to people who are disengaging in the church for a secular life in light of this chapter.
Download the study guide here: L4_Israel_under_Hoshea.pdf
february 12: resettlement of israel
Today we look at Assyria's policy of repopulating various lands with people groups from elsewhere in the empire. This, then, gave rise to the Samaritans in New Testament times. The Jews and Samaritans were filled with racial, cultural, and religious conflict with each other. Our goal for today is to see how we ought to respond as Christians to the racial, cultural, and religious conflict in our world today.
Download the study guide here: L5_Resettlement_of_Israel.pdf
march 4: reigns of manasseh & amon
This week we look at how it went from bad to worse with arguably the two worst kings in Judah's history. Yet we will also surprisingly see how Manasseh repented and turned to the Lord at the end of his life. Our goal is to apply this event to the people in our lives, and envision how the Lord can accomplish surprising turn-arounds with people you would never expect.
Download the study guide here: L8_Judah_under_Manasseh_and_Amon.pdf
march 12: judah under josiah
This week we look at how, after the dramatic spiritual decline under Manasseh and Amon, Judah undertook a comprehensive reformation under King Josiah. The temple was renovated, the book of the law found, and the Passover celebrated. Our goal is to apply this event to the church today to see why it is always important for the church to be constantly reformed according to God's Word.
Download the study guide here:L9_Judah_under_Josiah.pdf
march 19: Judah's swift decline
Today we will see how Judah quickly falls from Josiah's reforms under his children and grandson Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin. We will overview the rise of the Babylonian empire and their invasions of the land of Judah. Once we see how quickly Judah fell, our goal is to develop lessons for the importance of teaching and training subsequent generations in God's Word today.
Download the study guide here: L10_Judah_s_Swift_Decline.pdf
march 26: babylonian exile
Today we will see Judah's last days under King Zedekiah. We will look in detail at the exile to Babylon and the heartbreaking destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. Our goal is to apply the importance of the teachings of sin, destruction, and judgment today. We'll respond to the typical attitude of only wanting a religion that focuses on love, acceptance, and convenience.
Download the study guide here: L11_Babylonian_Exile.pdf
