Tag Archive for: Youth Bible Lessons – Level 3

Featured Passage: 2 Kings 22-23

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 When Josiah became king of Judah, God’s beautiful temple in Jerusalem had been neglected and the people were worshiping idols. They had forgotten God’s law. It was during this time that a woman named Huldah was serving as a prophetess in Judah. King Josiah had instructed the priests to repair the damages done to the temple, and while working on it the workers found the book of the Law which they quickly brought to the king. Josiah, deeply distressed upon learning God’s expectations for His people, told his men to seek out the word of the Lord to discover what God was planning to do to Judah because of their sins. And to whom did the men go? To Huldah the prophetess, of course!

Discuss:

• What is the purpose of prophecy? How does God usually present prophecy to His people? 
• Can you name any other prophetesses mentioned in the Bible? (There are several women called prophetesses in both the Old and New Testaments)
• How do you think the king knew where to find Huldah? 
• What did God reveal to Huldah to tell King Josiah?
• How did King Josiah react to Huldah’s prophecies? Why was Judah’s punishment delayed? What can we learn from Josiah’s example?
• Josiah and Huldah served God in different ways. What are some ways we can prepare to serve God?

Memory Challenge: 

2 Kings 22:19 

“…because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the Lord.

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Featured Passage: Amos 1 – 9

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Amos was a sheep breeder when God sent him to prophesy to Israel. He was a prophet during the reigns of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam II king of Israel (2 Kings 15). This Jeroboam is not to be confused with Jeroboam I, the first king of Israel who caused Israel to sin. Jeroboam II was an evil king who continued the false religion of his ancestors. Yet, God allowed Israel to prosper during this time. It is in this context that Amos was sent to prophesy against Israel and the surrounding nations.  

Discuss:

• Why does God warn people through prophecy? Remember that transgression of God’s law is sin (1 John 3:4 KJV) and sin causes suffering.
• How were things going in the land while Amos prophesied of bad things to come? Do you think this changed how the people heard his message?
• Did the people listen to Amos? 
• Was Amos thought of as a traitor? What should we do if we experience ill feelings from others because of our faith?
• What were Israel’s sins that Amos pointed out in chapter 2? Covetousness was a major source of their sins. Today, our society is filled with covetousness. How can we avoid being covetous? 
• Did the people change? 
• What nation took Israel captive not long after Amos’ warnings? 

Memory Challenge:

Amos 3:7 

Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

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Featured Passage: 2 Kings 2-7

Elijah the prophet was getting older and God decided it was time to appoint a new prophet in Israel to take his place. Under God’s instruction, Elijah went to find the man God chose and met a certain young man named Elisha plowing a field with twelve yoke of oxen! (1 Kings 19:15-21) Without delay, Elisha left his home, his family, his oxen and begin to serve and learn from Elijah in preparation for his new role as a spiritual leader in Israel. After learning what he could, the time came for Elisha to take over for Elijah. God was about to send Elijah away in a miraculous way, but the people would need to know that God was with Elisha. God had some exciting adventures planned for this courageous young leader, as well as number of miracles of his own.

Discuss: 

• Why do you think God wanted Elisha to spend time learning from Elijah before taking Elijah’s position?
• Elisha performed his first miracle after Elijah his master was taken away. What was this first miracle? Why did God allow Elisha to perform miracles so soon after Elijah had gone? 
• With God’s help, Elisha performed many miracles. Which is your favorite of the miracles he performed? Why? 
• What are some lessons we can learn from the story of Naaman and Elisha?
• The Syrians, enemies of Israel, wanted to capture Elisha because he had alerted the Israelites of their plans. How did Elisha’s servant respond when he woke up to see the city surrounded by the Syrian army? How did Elisha respond? What can we learn from Elisha’s example? 
• What are some examples of Elisha’s compassion? 

Memory Challenge: 

1 Kings 2:9

And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

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Featured Passage: 1 Kings 14

From the time that the ten tribes rebelled against Rehoboam, Israel was no longer one nation. The nation was split into the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel. Ten tribes kept the name Israel, and the tribes of Judah, Levi, and Benjamin became known as the Kingdom of Judah. Each nation wes given God’s laws, but neither followed His ways consistently. Though ruling over separate kingdoms, Jeroboam and Rehoboam both lead the nations on paths away from God into idolatry and disobedience. What would God do to His people who turned away from Him? 

Discuss:

• What are the names of the two kingdoms that were formed after Solomon died?
• The Bible compares each of the kings of Israel and Judah to King David. Their legacy is summarized as to whether they did or did not follow his footsteps. Why do you think God used David as an example? (Acts 13:22).
• What were the reasons God gave Jeroboam’s wife for the punishment that He was planning to bring upon the people of Israel? 
• What happened to Judah in the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign? Why did God allow this to happen? 

Memory Challenge: 

1 Kings 14:15 

For the Lord will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their wooden images, provoking the Lord to anger.

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Featured Passage: 1 Kings 11-12

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As Solomon grew older, he began to turn from God and His laws and statutes. Before Solomon’s death, God warned him that his actions would result in the loss of half of his kingdom to Jeroboam, an energetic leader who oversaw many of Solomon’s building projects. God promised that this break-up of the kingdom of Israel would not occur until after Solomon died, but that his son Rehoboam would inherit the consequences of his sins. Despite Solomon’s best efforts to kill Jeroboam, his plans failed. More importantly, Solomon failed his kingdom when he turned his back on God, creating the ingredients for strife between Israel and Judah. Would Solomon’s son, King Rehoboam, learn the lesson that Solomon did not? And would Jeroboam obey God and establish a dynasty that would rule Israel down through history? Read 1 Kings 11-12 and find out!

Discuss:

• Why did God take the majority of the tribes from Rehoboam, Solomon’s son?
• When Solomon learned that God was going to give part of the kingdom to Jeroboam, he tried to thwart God’s plan by having him killed. Can anyone stop God from carrying out His plans? How did Jeroboam escape? What made him return to Israel? 
• What special opportunity and blessing did God offer to Jeroboam and his descendants? 
• Jeroboam set up idols for the people to worship, made priests of anyone, and established different holy days than those that God had ordained. What was his excuse for doing this?
• How did God respond to Jeroboam’s actions taking Israel into idolatry?
• When we disobey God, what do expect will happen? What would we expect God to do?

Memory Challenge:

1 Kings 11:31

And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to you…’”

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