Thursday Bible Study

 In many patriarchal societies, parents favour sons over daughters. This favouritism also runs deep in Jewish culture. Sons are the way the family line is continued, whereas daughters were 'married out' to carry on the lines of their husbands families. Patriarchal societies are also patrilineal - family property and titles are inherited only by the male line. The Torah did allow daughters to inherit family property, but only if there were no male heirs. There was also something called Levirate marriage - which was an arrangement that meant that if a married man died without leaving a male heir to inherit his property and continue his line... his brother is required to marry the widow and continue that family line for him. How do we see both of these fitting into the story of Naomi? How does Naomi respond to Ruth and Orpah's decision to stay with her? In verse 13, how do we see Naomi blaming God for what has happened? You would expect Naomi to want to bring her two pagan da...

 Although Naomi's spiritual health is at it's lowest at this point in the story (Ruth 1:13, 20-21) her relationship with her daughters-in-law is at it's highest . Naomi, it turns out, is a good mother-in-law who enjoys a close relationship with Orpah and Ruth. How do we see their 'painful shared experience' drawing them closer together? Why do Ruth and Orpah chose to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem? On the way back to Bethlehem, Naomi has a change of heart. Why? The Moabites were descended from Lot (and therefor distantly related to the Israelites) but had been long-time enemies of the Israelites (see Numbers 22-25). When the Israelites were making their way into the Promised Land, Moabite women seduced the Israelite men and led them into idolatry, causing them to sin against God, eventually resulting in 24'000 Israelites dying (see Numbers 25:1-9)... [Activity] Read Deuteronomy 23:3, Nehemiah 13:1-3, Deuteronomy 23:6, and Judges 3:14. What can we gather from al...

  "Every cloud has a silver lining" ... that's a saying that maybe Naomi heard during those difficult years in Moab. And a 'silver lining' does appear for Naomi! Naomi hears that there is food back in Bethlehem. The 10 year famine, in Judah, is over! [Read Ruth 1:6-7] In verse 6 we are told that the reason for the rainfall and the availability of food isn't agrarian, but is theological. How? What can we read into the fact that it, apparently, takes the Israelites more than 10 years to return to God? Why do you think it took the Israelites so long to repent? They would rather suffer than repent. And what is true of Israel is true of us... often we are quick to sin, but extremely slow to repent. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? How can we become more sensitive to sin in our lives? How do we see Naomi 'reversing the direction' of this story? What is it that motivates this change of direction? In verse 6 we are told "the LORD had come...

 There's a kind of modern parable that talks about how, if you want to boil a frog (and who doesn't?!) then you can't simply throw a live frog into a boiling pan... it would just jump straight back out. The trick is to place the frog into cold water and then heat it slowly, the frog doesn't notice the rise in temperature until it's too late... [Read Ruth 1:3-5] Not long after the move to Moab, Naomi becomes a widow. Things have definitely not turned out the way they planned. Can anyone relate? Widowed, alone in a foreign country, she now has the difficult task of raising her two sons by herself. The obvious and logical solution would have been to go straight back to Bethlehem... but she doesn't. What could be the reason(s) for her to stay in Moab? Instead of heading back to the 'bread' of home, she remains in the 'dirty washbasin' of Moab. Back in verse 1, we see that the intention was to only ever be there "for a while" but how long i...

 The story of Ruth is about how God works in and through the ordinary circumstances of life. There aren't any spectacular signs and wonders to showcase in this book. The characters and story plotlines are common... about ordinary people in everyday settings, struggling with regular life issues...  But God's resolute (although uncredited or 'invisible') hand is directing each scene and every character. And wherever and whenever God works, it is ALWAYS extraordinary, miraculous, and divine! [Read Ruth 1:1-2] Who are we introduced to in the opening verses? What are we told about them? What difficult decision does Elimelek have to make? What are the pros and cons for staying and for going? If you had to put food on the table, would you decide differently from Elimelek? What are some important considerations that would affect your decision? [Activity] Read Deuteronomy 11:16-17, Leviticus 26:18-20, and Amos 4:6-9. What are we told in all three examples? Read ahead, to Ruth 1:...

 Matthew 2 opens shortly after Jesus' birth. Although Joseph's home and business are in Nazareth, the family are currently in Bethlehem. While they're there wise men (magi) visit the baby. Although we sing about three kings, Matthew doesn't tell us how many Magi came to visit, or even where they're from... [Read Matthew 2:1-12] These "magi" are important and influential members of royal court. Experts in science, mathematics, history and astronomy. Maybe they were already aware of the prophecy made in Numbers 24:17 that talks of  a star rising out of Jacob? As they arrive with news about the birth of this new king, how does the current king react? You would expect the people of Israel would rejoice at this news, but how (in verse 3) do they respond? Why do you think they might respond in that way? Does anything in the history of Israel prepare us for this reaction? Gentiles travel thousands of miles, at great cost, to come and worship a foreign king... yet...

 Appropriately, Luke begins his story about Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple, God's symbolic dwelling place. The first 2 chapters of this story, told by Luke, tells us about the birth of 2 boys. It's clear that Luke wants us to contrast these 2 boys, as he deliberately sets their births side by side... [Read Luke 1:5-38] How do we see the origins stories of these 2 boys compared / contrasted in these key events? The announcements? The miraculous circumstances? The parents responses? First, Luke introduces us to Elizabeth and Zechariah... then he shifts 100 kilometres north, to Nazareth, where a young girl named Mary is engaged to be married... In both these scenes, what do both women have? Compare verses 18 & 34. Both Zechariah and Mary question the words of the angel. Why is Zechariah rebuked and Mary not? What comforts can we take from the promise in verse 37, that "no word from God will ever fail"? [Read Luke 1:39-56] These 2 boys are described... 1 is a prophet o...