Week 30: April 5-10
1 Kings 9-18
GodSpeak readings for each day are listed below. Click the link to read the section and/or listen online. A discussion question is listed below for you to use in your GodSpeak group session or for discussion with others who are reading along.
Monday, April 5 1 Kings 9-10 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
1. Comment on the queen of Sheba’s words regarding God’s blessing of Israel in the person of Solomon (1 Kings 10:9). What similar benefits does God bring contemporary believers through leaders and authorities in our day?
Tuesday, April 6 1 Kings 11 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
2. Consider 1 Kings 11:1-13. What evidence do these verses provide of God’s judgment against sin? Of His grace and faithfulness?
Wednesday, April 7 1 Kings 12 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
3. “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, O Israel! Look after your own house, O David! (1 Kings 12:16). With these words the people of the northern kingdom rejected the house of David. Although God had given Jeroboam the majority of the kingdom and promised to remain with him and bless his rule, Jeroboam began to feel insecure in his reign. With what action did he attempt to secure his reign (1 Kings 12:26-30)? What lesson can we learn from Jeroboam’s negative example?
Thursday, April 8 1 Kings 13-14 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
5. King Solomon disobeyed God by marrying women from surrounding nations where the people practiced idolatry. Soon Solomon’s heart was turned away from the true God (1 Kings 11:1-9). During the reign of King Rehoboam, son of Solomon by Naamah an Ammonite woman, idolatry and practices associated with a culture of idolatry became common in Judah (1 Kings 14:21-24). What influences from an ungodly culture lead the people of God astray today?
Friday, April 9 1 Kings 15-16 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
5. God is faithful in all of His promises of blessings as well as of judgment. Compare Joshua 6:26 and 1 Kings 16:34 and explain.
Saturday, April 10 1 Kings 17-18 Read & Listen Online (Click “Audio” link to listen)
6. “Don’t be afraid.” (1 Kings 17:13) Elijah said to the widow of Zarephath after she told him about her destitute condition. Then he told her about the miraculous provision she was about to receive from God. How do Elijah words to the widow apply also to you? What gracious—even miraculous—provision have you also received from the hand of your loving God?
7. Contrast the prayers of the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:26-29) with Elijah’s prayer, recorded in 1 Kings 18:30-37.
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