Since God speaks, we should listen; we should take Him seriously.
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SERMON NOTES:
God speaks through His prophets. (Deut. 18:18-22; Exodus 19:3-6)
God speaks through history. (1 Cor. 10:11)
God speaks through the ultimate prophet, Jesus. (Hebrews 1:1-2; John 1:1, 14)
God speaks to you through the Bible guided by the Holy Spirit. (2 Tim. 3:16-17, John 14:26)
study questions:
As we look forward to studying several of the Minor Prophets, it can be helpful to consider God’s purpose for Israel and the purpose for the prophet as part of that plan.
Warm-up. Do you like studying the Old Testament? Why or why not? What excites you about studying the Minor Prophets? What concerns you?
1. Read Exodus 19:3-6. What does God, through Moses, promise for Israel? What do these promises teach us about God’s purpose or plan for Israel? What must Israel do to experience these promises? Are these promises for Israel conditional or unconditional? Explain your answer. How do you feel about this arrangement between God and Israel? This arrangement is called the Old Covenant in the New Testament. What covenant has replaced this Old Covenant (see Hebrews 8:8-13)? Why is this important for us to recognize?
2. Read Deuteronomy 18:18-19. What is the role of the prophet according to these verses? What does God expect people to do in response to a prophet?
3. Read Deuteronomy 18:20-22. What criterion is given here to discern if someone is a true prophet of God? What are the consequences for someone who falsely claims to be a prophet of God? What do these verses teach us about the significance of a prophet in God’s eyes?
So what. As you consider these passages and your discussion, what is God’s perspective of the significance of obeying Him? How seriously to you take obedience to God? What is God’s perspective for the importance of listening to Him? How would you describe how important it is for you to listen to God? What have you learned or been reminded about God? How have you been challenged in your relationship with Him?