LESSON 1   
   *September 25 - October 1   
   Story and History   
      
   SABBATH AFTERNOON   
      
   Read for This Week's Study:   
      
   Gen. 39:6-12, Josh. 3:9-17, 1 Sam. 24:1-6, 1 Kings 12:1-16, Job 1:1-12.   
      
   Memory Text:   
      
   "Every Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for   
   correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to   
   God may be capable and equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16, 17, NET).   
    Though most folk harbor no great love for the study of history itself, most   
   people do love a good story. Every civilization has a rich repertoire of   
   stories that explain (or claim to explain) the origins, values, relationships,   
   and structures of its culture. These stories, told over generations, are often   
   teaching tools.   
      
   In the modern age, storytelling was downplayed: people looked for facts and   
   scientific answers to explain life. However, facts alone could not answer   
   life's most important questions. Today, a new generation, often dubbed   
   "postmodern," has rediscovered the power of stories.   
      
   In that sense, the Bible is so contemporary because it is full of stories. Not   
   legends, not "cleverly devised myths" (2 Pet. 1:16, ESV), but historical and   
   personal stories that reveal truth about God and His interaction with fallen   
   humanity. These stories describe real people, battling with real-life problems   
   and interacting with the living God, who offers answers to these problems.   
      
   Every story needs a setting. This week we will explore different settings and   
   their historical contexts in order to understand better the characters we'll   
   be studying all quarter.   
      
   *Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 2.   
   SUNDAY   
   September 26   
      
   People and Plots   
      
   Plot is defined as the succession of events that lead to a conclusion.   
   Everyone is born, lives, and one day will die. These are the broad parameters   
   of the plot of life. In between, life consists of many smaller plots that are   
   often motivated by conflict or tension. Looking for a plot means trying to   
   connect all the relevant parts of the story in order to see the big picture.   
   In the book of Job, for example, there are two plots.   
      
   Identify the two plots in the story of Job. See Job 1:1-12.   
      
   If we want to understand the story of Job, we need to understand its   
   two-dimensional plot. As a matter of fact, the Bible has no one-dimensional   
   plots, because God is always active in history and human lives, even if   
   working behind the scenes. In the first two chapters of Job, we can imagine   
   changing channels, as on a TV set, as we jump between the earthly and the   
   heavenly plots.   
      
   Stories, however, are more than plots. People make stories.   
      
   Describe in as much detail as you can the prophet Huldah as described in 2   
   Kings 22:14.    
   Characters are closely connected to the plot of the story. How we understand   
   the character(s) depends to a large degree on the information given by the   
   narrator, who may even be one of the characters. Let's take Huldah as an   
   example: Is she one of the main characters in the story? No. This story is   
   actually about the discovery of the book of the Law during the reign of King   
   Josiah. Though Huldah may not be a main character, every character in a story   
   is vital to the development of the story. Does Huldah have children? How old   
   is she? We don't know the answers to these questions. Biblical narrative tends   
   to be very concise and often abbreviated. This means that we need to pay close   
   attention to every piece of information we are given. Huldah was regarded as a   
   reliable prophetess of the Lord. The biblical author gives us information   
   about her husband's family, because women during Old Testament times were   
   identified with their husband's  families. Her address is also given. As in   
   modern times, official documents always require a name and an address to prove   
   that a person is who he or she claims to be.   
   What is your plot? What kind of character are you? If your story was written   
   as a Bible narrative, how might it read in contrast to how it ought to read?    
   MONDAY   
   September 27   
      
   Where and How?   
      
   Setting conveys reality to the story and gives it atmosphere and mood. For   
   example, why, in Ruth 4:1, 2, does Boaz locate his legal case in the gate and   
   not in his home or in the house of the mayor of the city of Bethlehem?   
   Obviously, the gate--being the most public place in ancient times--adds an   
   important legal element to the story. Setting also can give us a clue about   
   the time period in which the narrative unfolds. If we hear a story that is   
   located inside a car or in an airport terminal, we know without much   
   reflection that the story does not come from the time of David or Martin   
   Luther.   
      
   Compare the settings of the following two stories: 1 Samuel 24:1-6 and Genesis   
   39:6-12. How do the settings contribute to the plots of the stories?    
   Settings help us to better understand the action of the story. David and his   
   men are alone with Saul, who is unprotected and extremely vulnerable. The   
   setting highlights the stellar character of David. He does not take advantage   
   of this ideal opportunity to rid himself of Saul before Saul seeks to rid   
   himself of David, a fact that reveals David's respect for God's anointed   
   leader.   
      
   The setting in the story of Joseph also paints an opportunity. Joseph is   
   handsome and in a position of power. His master's wife is infatuated with him,   
   and they are alone in the house. Joseph, like David, shows his sterling   
   character in resisting this opportunity.   
      
   But setting is not the only important element of a story. We need to look at   
   the point of view of the narrator, as well. We see the story unfold through   
   the narrator's eyes, which usually provide us with important information but   
   may sometimes withhold information from us. This is particularly true in   
   secular stories. Though we do have points of view in biblical accounts, we   
   must read them on the assumption that they are inspired by the Holy Spirit and   
   that the truth revealed is God's truth.   
   Think of David and Joseph in those particular settings. How easily they could   
   have rationalized doing something other than what they did. The fact that they   
   didn't tells us so much about their character. How often do you rationalize   
   your wrong actions?    
   TUESDAY   
   September 28   
      
   From Victory to the "Dark Ages"   
      
   For the rest of this week we will take a closer look at a few crucial periods   
   of Israel's history that will function as the backdrop for all the individuals   
   we will be studying. We begin with Israel's entry into the Promised Land.   
      
   After God's mighty acts during the Exodus and the wilderness journey, the   
   people of Israel have for a second time reached the border of the Promised   
   Land. Under their new leader, Joshua, they are about to cross over the Jordan   
   on dry land (Josh. 3:16, 17), a miracle that echoes the crossing of the Red   
   Sea during the time of the Exodus (Exodus 14).   
      
   Read Joshua 3:9-17. What is the purpose this miracle?    
   Canaan was not taken by Israel because of Joshua's military genius or Israel's   
   valiant efforts. Victory over the inhabitants of the Canaanite city-states was   
   achieved only by God's powerful intervention. When Israel was obedient, God   
   gave victory; however, when the Israelites relied on their own strength, they   
   failed hopelessly.   
      
   After the death of Joshua and the elders, some sections of the Promised Land   
   were still dominated by the Canaanites (Judg. 1:27, 28). It seems that the   
   Israelites' faith grew smaller as their vision shrunk. Instead of seeing the   
   whole Promised Land in their possession, they became preoccupied with their   
   own livelihoods and lost the larger vision and ideal that God had for Israel   
   as a people. Many scholars call the following centuries the "dark ages" of   
   Israel.   
      
   Read Judges 17:6. What kind of moral climate does it reveal?    
   When we lose the big picture of what God has in mind for us, minors become   
   majors. Israel lost its perspective as a nation; tribalism took over.   
   Throughout the book of Judges, the various tribes and clans were ready and   
   willing to fight one another. Religious practices were fused according to   
   personal convenience, and compromise with the surrounding cultures was   
   widespread. According to the author of the book of Judges, this was caused by   
   intermarriage with the Canaanites who were still living in the land (Judg.   
   3:3-7). As a result of this spiritual decline, Israel slipped into a cycle of   
   domination by foreign powers, liberation, idolatry, and, again, domination.   
   What's so dangerous about compromise is that it comes quietly, slowly, and   
   almost imperceptibly. How differently do you live now than a few years ago?   
   Might some of these changes be a result of compromise?    
   WEDNESDAY   
   September 29   
      
   Of Kings and Princes   
      
   Though given so much by God, and promised so much more were they to obey, the   
   Israelites were influenced negatively by the surrounding culture. For   
   instance, they saw in the surrounding kingdoms a very different political   
   structure. All of these nations had a king. Combined with the fact that   
   Samuel's sons did not emulate their father's behavior and leadership but "took   
   bribes, and perverted justice" (1 Sam. 8:3, NKJV), the tribal leadership of   
   Israel felt that it was time to appoint a king over Israel (1 Sam. 8:4, 5).   
   Samuel is not at all happy with this decision but is told by the Lord to   
   comply (1 Sam. 8:7).   
      
   The Benjamite Saul is anointed as king by Samuel (1 Sam. 10:1) and begins his   
   reign in Gibea. However, as already foreseen by God, things are not easy for   
   the new king. Tribal tensions continue. Israel's very existence is in jeopardy   
   due to pressure from the powers surrounding her. The new king is not committed   
   to following God's requirements (1 Sam. 15:3, 8, 9) and, as a result, God   
   finally rejects Saul.   
      
   Afterward, David is anointed as the future king of Israel. As expected, Saul   
   does not want simply to hand over the power to the new military champion,   
   David, and the next decade is marked by internal strife, with David always   
   being on the run.   
      
   The next major turn in Israel's history comes when Saul and his sons are   
   killed in battle against the Philistines (1 Sam. 31:1-6). David is first made   
   king over Judah and then, seven years later, over all of Israel. David   
   establishes Jerusalem as the new capital of the united monarchy. His military   
   exploits are successful; he extends the borders of the kingdom. After a   
   forty-year reign, David dies in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5:4; 1 Kings 2:10, 11).   
   Similar to our own lives, David's reign is marked by great victories, some bad   
   choices, and a lot of God's grace. He is succeeded by his son Solomon, who   
   also reigns for forty years (1 Kings 11:42).   
      
   Solomon is not a warrior or conqueror. Instead, he seeks and receives divine   
   wisdom (1 Kings 3:3-13); he constructs the Lord's temple in Jerusalem; he   
   designs efficient administrative structures that control and organize Israel;   
   but, toward the end of his life, he turns away from the Lord, following the   
   religious practices of his many wives (1 Kings 11:1-8).   
      
   Read 1 Samuel 8:7-20. How does this passage show that God's ways are better   
   than man's? How often do we find ourselves doing the same thing, wanting to do   
   things our own way instead of God's?    
      
       
   THURSDAY   
   September 30   
      
   Rehoboam's Folly   
      
   Solomon's death marks another important turning point in Israel's history. The   
   strong-handed administrative approach, the labor-conscription laws, and the   
   experiments in religious pluralism all led to great tension at the beginning   
   of the reign of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon.   
      
   Read 1 Kings 12:1-16 and try to capture the drama of the situation. Looking at   
   Rehoboam's leadership, what can we learn from this story about our own   
   attitudes toward whatever power we possess in various life situations? What   
   can we learn from his mistake?    
   After the division of Judah and Israel, God's once-united people begin to go   
   different ways. Seeing that the center of worship, sacrifice, and adoration   
   was located in Judah, King Jeroboam I of Israel had two golden calves made (1   
   Kings 12:26-29) and set up two places of worship with altars--one in Bethel   
   and the other in Dan. Things did not look good for Israel, and over the next   
   two hundred years the Israelites had a roller-coaster experience. Some kings   
   followed (at least half-heartedly) God's call to repentance; others stubbornly   
   refused to listen to the prophets. Dynasties changed, and political   
   assassination abounded. Twenty kings reigned from Jeroboam I to the last king   
   of Israel in Samaria, Hoshea, signaling the unstable condition of the kingdom.   
   Finally, in 722 B.C., Samaria was captured by the Assyrians and Israel was   
   taken into  captivity.   
      
   On the other side of the border, things did not look much better. The Davidic   
   dynasty was maintained, but not all the descendants of David could emulate the   
   faith of their forefather. Some kings, such as Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and   
   Josiah, tried to return to the Lord and in the process also bring Judah as a   
   whole to repentance. Their efforts were aided by scores of prophets who spoke   
   to particular situations and specific spiritual and social needs in Judah.   
      
   In 586 B.C. Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians. The leadership and much of the   
   city's population are taken to Babylon. The temple is destroyed. The royal   
   "experiment" has come to an end.   
   One would think that, with the disaster of the Babylonian destruction and   
   captivity, that was the end of the Jewish people. What does their restoration   
   after this calamity tell us about God's patience and grace? In what ways have   
   you seen that same patience and grace in your own life? What should your   
   reaction to this grace be?    
   FRIDAY   
   October 1   
      
   Further Study:   
      
      
   "The Lord calls upon all to study the divine philosophy of sacred history,   
   written by Moses under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The first family   
   placed upon the earth is a sample of all families which will exist till the   
   close of time. There is much to study in this history in order that we may   
   understand the divine plan for the human race. This plan is plainly defined,   
   and the prayerful, consecrated soul will become a learner of the thought and   
   purpose of God from the beginning till the close of this earth's history. He   
   will realize that Jesus Christ, one with the Father, was the great mover in   
   all progress, the One who is the source of all the purification and elevation   
   of the human race."--Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, p. 184.   
      
   "In reviewing our past history, having traveled over every step of advance to   
   our present standing, I can say, Praise God! As I see what God has wrought, I   
   am filled with astonishment and with confidence in Christ as Leader. We have   
   nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has   
   led us, and His teaching in our past history. We are now a strong people, if   
   we will put our trust in the Lord; for we are handling the mighty truths of   
   the word of God. We have everything to be thankful for."--Ellen G. White,   
   Selected Messages, vol. 3, p. 162.    
   Discussion Questions:   
      
     God's active involvement in history is a very important concept in   
   Scripture. Read Daniel 2:21. What does this passage say about the interaction   
   between God and human history? Why is this reality so important for us to keep   
   in mind today, for us who are living near the true "end of history"?    
     Why do we like stories so much? What makes a good story? How can stories be   
   very effective tools in teaching truth? Who are some of your favorite   
   storytellers, and why do you like them?    
     The Ancient Israelites had been called to be witnesses to the whole world of   
   the true God and of His message regarding salvation by grace for everyone.   
   Yet, look at how internal fighting so weakened ancient Israel. What lessons   
   might we be able to draw from that sad historical truth for ourselves today?    
    Background is so important for understanding any situation. Yet, in most   
   cases there's so much background information that we just don't know about.   
   Because so much is hidden from us, why is it so important that we not judge   
   others? How often have you hastily judged someone before knowing important   
   facts about the person and his or her circumstances? How often have you been   
   judged by those who didn't know all the pertinent facts about you?    
      
   --- Thunderbird 2.0.0.24 (Macintosh/20100228)   
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