Judges 19-21, Ruth 1-4

1. What does the incident amongst the Benjamites bring to mind from earlier readings? What is different about the circumstances and results?

2. How does this incident bring the story of Judges and the situation of the Israelites to a head?

3. How does the story of Ruth, set during the same time period, offer a ray of hope for Israel?

Judges 13-18

1. Compare the mother of Samson and the mother of Micah. What trend do you see in Judges that is characterized by these women?

2. How would you characterize Samson's life as a child of God? What makes him any different from the cultures around him?

3. Are you surprised by the way God uses Samson? Explain.

4. Are you surprised by the role the priest plays in Jud. 17-18? What is happening in Israel?

Judges 7-12

1. How does God come alongside the northern tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali despite their failure to route out the other nations living among them?

2. How do you see God's compassion extended to Gideon?

3. How does God remind the Israelites that the power to defeat their enemies comes from God, not their own power?

4. How do you see human nature continue to contend with God's purposes for his people?

Judges 1-6

1. What complications do the Israelites face when they reach their destination?

2. What are the implications of obedience vs. disobedience?

3. How does training of the next generation influence the actions of the Israelites?

4. How does God work around or through the Israelites' disobedience?

December 26-27

Merry Christmas! Enjoy this time to catch up.

Joshua 13-15, 22-24

1. If we are a Kingdom of Priests (1 Pet. 2:9), what does that say about our inheritance (Josh. 13:14, 33)?

2. What do you learn of God's ability to keep his promises in Joshua?

3. What responsibility do God's people have to keep their promises to God?

4. What do you learn about conflict resolution in this section?

Joshua 7-12

1. What are the results of doing things man's way vs. God's way?

2. What is God's part in preparing for the Israelites' destination? What is the Israelites' part?

3. How does the death of the kings point ahead to Christ's death?

4. What is the extent of the Israelites' victory of the land?

Joshua 1-6

1. How is the destination of the Israelites affected by new leadership? What makes the transition work?

2. What is the extent of God's reputation?

3. How does God help the Israelites' destination become a reality? What different "players" does he use?

Deuteronomy 31-34

1. What do you make of the juxtaposition of God's promise, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you" (Deut. 31:6, 8) with his prediction and Moses' song in Deut. 31-32?

2. What evidence do you see for consequences of bad choices even amongst those who are blessed and favored?

Numbers 31-36

1. Where do you see flexibility or grace in God's plan as it is worked out?

2. What parts of his plan must not be compromised?

December 19-20

Enjoy catching up this weekend!

Any overarching thoughts? I was thinking about the age-old dilemma about freedom to choose vs. being chosen by God. What we've read so far certainly doesn't say much about the choices people make on their own...

Numbers 20-25, 27

1. What recurrent theme is heard from the Israelites about their destination?

2. How do the surrounding nations regard the Israelites?

3. How is God's destination plan for the Israelites influenced by the Israelites' actions?

4. What sorts of things trip up the Israelites on their journey?

Numbers 10-14, 16-17

The beginning of the Book of Numbers gives a census of the Israelite community, followed by additional laws they should follow. The continuing story picks up in chapter 10.

1. Consider the hearts of various characters in this section. Whose agenda are they concerned with?

2. What have the Israelites learned so far from God's miraculous provisions for them?

3. What are the driving forces behind the various characters' actions? Which ones can you relate to today?

4. How would you characterize the people's destination for themselves? How would you characterize God's destination for the people?

Exodus 24, 32-34, 40

The chapters we are skipping in Exodus (and the Book of Leviticus) describe further details of the law God gives Moses, as well as specific instructions for constructing and managing the tabernacle. Of course you're welcome to read the details, but for the sake of brevity, we are focusing on the more narrative portions of Scripture.

1. As you reflect on the changes of heart of the Israelites, how prepared do they seem to determine their own destination?

2. Who takes responsibility for the decisions of the people?

3. Reflecting on all you have read so far, what is the cost of taking things into your own hands instead of trusting God's plans?

Exodus 15-20

1. Technically, it shouldn't take the Israelites 40 years to travel from Egypt to Canaan. What plans does God have for his people in the meantime?

2. What different means does God use to teach his people?

3. What can God's interaction with his people during this time teach us about day to day living on our journey?

Exodus 9-14

1. To what extent is Pharaoh willing to sacrifice Egypt in order to divert the Israelites from their destination?

2. How strongly do the Israelites feel about their own destination?

3. What do the Egyptians and the Israelites learn about God?

December 12-13

Enjoy your weekend! Any further comments on Genesis overall?

Exodus 1-8

1. What purpose does God accomplish while his people are in Egypt?

2. What destination does Moses see for himself, given his position?

3. What is God's "destination" or purpose for Moses? How does that compare with Question 2?

4. How does God make himself known to the various characters? What are their responses?

Genesis 43-50

1. How do you see God's purposes working out as Genesis draws to a close?

2. What clues are there that Egypt is not the final destination for God's people?

3. What does Israel's family learn about God?

Genesis 37-42

1. As you consider each of the characters in God's story, whose destination are they concerned about?

2. As you think about the actions of the characters, what seems to motivate them (e.g. their upbringing, themselves, love of others, God's touch on their lives, etc.)?

3. How does God make use of circumstances to further his destination plans for his people?

Genesis 30-36

1. What obstacles do God's purposes face from within Abraham/Isaac/Jacob's family?

2. What obstacles do God's purposes face from outside Abraham/Isaac/Jacob's family?

3. What characteristics and movements of Abraham/Isaac/Jacob's family seem particularly important for God's plan to be accomplished?

Genesis 24-29

1. As Abraham's family continues from one generation to the next, does the "destination" or overall purpose change?

2. How do personality differences figure into the mix?

3. Does God's overall purpose change?

4. How do you see God's purposes working out in the details of people's stories?

December 5-6

It is my intent to use the weekends as "catch-up" times for Destination Bible readings. By now (if you didn't know it already) you'll realize that even if it's only 15 minutes of reading, we have to be intentional about setting that sort of time aside. Hopefully you've found it to be well worth the time so far! I find trying to use the same time of day helpful for establishing good habits. But we all need a little catch-up time when the unexpected comes our way. Hope you have a great weekend!

P.S. I've updated the settings to make it easier to post comments. Anyone should be able to comment--you can add your own name under "select profile."

Genesis 18-23

1. As you begin to see God's purposes unfolding, what do you learn about his sense of justice?

2. What do you learn about his grace?

3. How does the ultimate destination differ between those who want to know God and those who don't?

December 3, 2009

Genesis 12-17

1. What specific verses do you see that speak of destination (doesn't have to be the actual word, but a place to go, a goal to pursue, a direction to head)

2. How do you see the theme of destination at the chapter (not verse) level?

3. How does God reveal himself/his purposes more clearly to mankind?

4. Does it make a difference?

December 2, 2009

Genesis 6-11

1. What specific verses do you see that speak of destination (doesn't have to be the actual word, but a place to go, a goal to pursue, a direction to head)

2. How do you see the theme of destination at the chapter (not verse) level?

3. Do you see any changes in God's purpose for mankind?

4. Do you see any changes in mankind's purpose for itself?

5. How can a good purpose go bad?

6. How can God make good of bad goals?

Getting Started

This might be a new way for many of you to read the Bible, but I invite you to give it a try! Each day I will post the suggested reading and a couple of questions to get you started. The reading is intended to be 15 minutes. Not a detailed study of the Scriptures, but a big-picture view, looking at how God addresses the theme of "destination" throughout the Bible. After you read through it yourself, click on "comments" to see what other people have discovered, what it's made them think about. There are no "right" answers here. I hope we will have an interactive discussion and all learn together from God's word and from each other. I'll be a little more detailed in my own comments on this first blog post to give you an idea of what I mean.

Genesis 1-5

1. What specific verses do you see that speak of destination (doesn't have to be the actual word, but a place to go, a goal to pursue, a direction to head)

2. How do you see the theme of destination at the chapter (not verse) level?

3. What do you see as God's purpose for mankind?

4. What do you see as mankind's purpose for itself?

Welcome to Destination Bible

Beginning Dec. 1st, visit this blog to look for and comment on the theme of destination. Add your own finds to the list. Join the Princeton Presbyterian community as we look at the theme of destination in the Bible.