Why is it useful for us to understand how and why God is our Protector?The Big QuestionChapter Seven: Protector1.In Judges 

-5, how well are God’s people doing? Why is this? What does this tell us about God?2. Consider Judges 6:6-10, especially in light of the entire book. If you were God, how interested would you be in helping your people out? Why? What does this say to us about God?3. In Judges 6:13, does Gideon seem to understand why God has deserted Israel? In light of Judges 6:28-30, does Gideon’s confusion make sense? What does this say to us about our view of ourselves, as opposed to God’s view?4. How heroic does Gideon seem through Judges 6? Why? What does this tell us about the kind of people God needs to do His work?Chapter Seven: Meeting God in the Old TestamentJudges 6-7 Main ScriptureJudges 4; 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25; 1Samuel 4:1-11; 1 Samuel 8 More Scriptures After God basically gave Canaan to the children of Israel on a silver platter, one would think that the Israelites would ste into a cycle of faithlessness and despair. They turn to other gods, become enslaved by other nations, cry out to God in their misery, and await His rescue. Amazingly, each time they seek His help, He listens. Let’s consider these times and learn how God protects Israel —from their enemies and from themselves.Questions: Judges 6-715Meeting God in the Old Testament: Chapter Seven5. How many times I Judges 6-7 does Gideon seek reassurance? How many times does God give it to him? What aspects of God’s character does this highlight?6. Why does God dismiss 99 percent of Gideon’s army in Judges 7:1-8? How does this help us understand etter?7. Time to put on your general’ s hat again. Using your own reasoning skills, what do you think of God’s plan as described in Judges 7:15-18? Why is this important?1.Why does God’s choice for Israel’s leader in Judges 4:4 seem unusual? What does His choice tell us about Him?2. Look at 1 Samuel 2:12-17. Does being someone who claims to be a servant of God entitle one to God’s protection? 1 Samuel 2:22-25 explains. Why is this significant?3.In 1 Samuel 4:1-11, are the people trying to getGod’s power on their side? Do they succeed? Why or why not? What does this say to us about God?4.According to 1 Samuel 8:4-7, whose wisdom are the people relying on? How does God take this? What does God reveal about Himself in this encounter?5. A ccording to 1 Samuel 8:19-21 do the people listen to God? How does God react? 1. How important is God’s protection to us today? Why?2. Based on today’s lesson, how should our lives reflect our desire for God’s

160224 Lesson 8 - Meeting God in the Old Testament as Shepard IPad

Genesis 33:18, 20 reads:  “Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. . .  Then he erected an altar there and called it El-Elohe-Israel.”Translated, the name of Jacob’s altar is “God, the God of Israel.”  When Jacob chooses this name for his new altar, he probably doesn’t intend to make a statement of huge Scriptural significance.  His new name is Israel, God is his God, and he’s quite happy about that.  However, the name that Jacob applies to his altar can  be  applied  equally  well  to  the  entire  Old  Testament.    Those  thirty-nine  books  of  the  Bible  are  about God and how He is defined by His relationship with His chosen people.  God is the hero of the story.Often,  when  we  study  the  Old  Law,  we  do  so  on  a  small  scale  as  we  become  entranced  by  the  stories  of godly  men  ranging  from Abraham  to  Nehemiah.    Although  these  stories  are  instructive  and  important, sometimes they distract us from understanding God.  This textbook aims to correct that mistaken focus.  It divides  the  history  of  God’s  ancient  dealings  with  mankind  into  twelve  segments and  describes  each segment in terms of the aspect of God’s cha