Old Testament: Job 22 - 42
Job's friends went from visiting him in silence to telling him he needed to pray more to telling him his troubles were caused by his sin. In 22:5 Eliphaz says, "Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?" He goes on in chapter 22 to accuse Job of specific sins. He then says, "If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored." (22:23) What caused Job's friends to go from comforters to accusers?
In chapter 23 Job complains of his inability to take his case to God and says in verse 3, "If only I knew where to find him." Why did Job speak this way when God says in Jeremiah, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13)?
In 25:4 Bildad asks, "How then can a mortal be righteous before God?" How would you answer this question?
Job's friends had concluded that Job's problems were a result of his sin. In 27:5 Job says, "I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity." Was Job claiming to be a perfect man with no sin?
In chapter 28 Job says that only God knows true wisdom. He concludes the chapter saying in verse 28, "And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”" Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." How do respect for God and obedience to Him bring wisdom to your life?
In chapter 29 Job is longing for former days when times were good. In verse 4 he says, "Oh, for the days when I was in my prime." What should your attitude be toward the past if it seems like things used to be better than they are now?
In 30:20 Job says, "I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer." What should you do if you pray but don't see the answer?
Job says in 31:1, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman." Why does he call this a covenant?
Why did Elihu wait until everyone else was done speaking before he spoke?
Elihu said that Job "keeps company with evildoers." (34:8) and that God "repays everyone for what they have done." (34:11) His reasoning was that very bad things could only happen to Job if he had done very bad things. What did Elihu not understand?
Elihu also believed that good things happen to good people. He said, "If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity." (36:11) Why wasn't Job enjoying prosperity?
What did Elihu say in chapter 37 that was true?
God begins speaking to Job in chapter 38. He shows that Job couldn't possibly understand all that God has done. What benefit is there to you in knowing that God's knowledge and wisdom are infinite and yours are not?
In 40:4-5 Job has nothing to say in response to God. Why was this a good answer?
Job says in 42:3, "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand." Are you able to recognize that there are things you don't understand and that you need to trust God even when you don't know why things are the way they are?
Why did the Lord say he was angry with Eliphaz and his two friends?
Psalms 89 - 90
Psalm 89 reminds God of His promise to David, "I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure." (verse 29) But verse 38 says, "you have been very angry with your anointed one." Verse 46 then asks, "How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?" How will God's promise to David be fulfilled?
90:2 says, "from everlasting to everlasting you are God." What does this mean?
New Testament: Acts 25 - 28
Why did Paul appeal to Caesar in chapter 25?
In 26:9 Paul says, "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth." How is it possible to be sincere and be wrong?
What did Agrippa think of Paul and the charges made against him?
In chapter 27, why do you think the centurion ignored Paul's advice and followed the advice of the pilot and ship owner? What were the consequences of his decision?
How long did Paul spend on the island of Malta?
How did the Jews in Rome respond to Paul?
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