Things we need to know about God:
1. The One who made us knows us. (Ps 139:13-16)
2. The One who knows us loves us. (Ps 103:13-14)
3. The One who loves us never changes. (Mal. 3:6-7; Jam. 2:27; Heb. 13:8)
Questions from the church:
a) Why does the God of the Old Testament (jealous, wrathful) seem so different from the God of the New Testament (loving, forgiving)?
b) Traditions emphasized in Messianic Jewish faith seem to uphold the Old Testament traditions in ways we seem to discard, such as the historical day of the Sabbath, etc. [Why is that?]
Gal. 3:23-28
c) Why did God sanction genocide in the Old Testament? Why did he allow the soldiers to kill/enslave the conquered? Deut. 32:29; Jer. 18:7-8
Compare Deut. 20:16-18;Josh. 10:40-42 to Josh. 23:12-13, Judg. 1:19-21, 27-31
4. The God who knows us, loves us, and never changes is waiting for us. (Ps 86:15)
Follow up questions from Sunday:
Icebreaker: Who is the person you’ve seen change the most in the time you’ve known them?
1. Who do you think knows you the best of anyone in the world? How would you feel if someone knew absolutely everything about you?
2. Read Ps 139:1-6. How does King David feel about God’s total knowledge of him? Why do you think that is?
3. Read Ps 139:13-16. How do you think these verses speak to your value in Gods eyes? In light of how He made you, what do you think he wants most from you?
4. Read Ps 103:13-14. If a good parent keeps in mind the limitations of their children when they are growing up; how do these verses help you understand and picture God’s loving patience with you? Can you think of a recent time when God was patient with you? Please share
5. Read Mal 3:6-7, Heb 13:8, James 1:17. What do these verses teach us about God? If God never changes in His nature, character, mind, thoughts, or will, then what does this mean to us? How is this a good thing?
6. Read Ex 3:13-14, Jn 8:53-59. God said that He was to be called “I Am” to Moses and Jesus later called himself “I AM” for which they wanted to kill Him for making Himself out to be God.
What do these verses say to us about the topic of “the God of the O.T and the N.T being the same”? Read Jn 14:8-11. Behold the mystery of the Trinity!
7. What are important things you have learned about God from stories in the Old Testament that have proven important to you? Why is it helpful to have God’s dealings with people like David, Abraham, and Joseph for us to read about? What do we learn about God when we see him work with flawed people?