Christ-Light Connections: The Jews Return to Judah & Job

Suffering afflicts the believer in many different ways throughout life. Sometimes it leaves us to wonder is God good, is God in control, does God truly love me? Our minds and abilities are too small to comprehend God and his ways. Knowing this, God has given his Word, which contains the assurances that the Ruler and Savior of the universe always has and always will work for the good of his people.

The Christ-Light theme this week is patiently wait for God’s time and purpose.

OT3 13 A

The Jews Return to Judah — Ezra 1-3, Nehemiah 1, 2, 4, 6, 8

Context

Because Judah had failed to keep their covenant with God, because of their sin and unbelief, God exiled his people into a foreign land. Everything they left behind had been destroyed, including the temple. In most cases, it would have been unrealistic to hope that a country taken into captivity could ever be restored. Yet, God had promised that his people would one day return to the promised land and reestablish their nation.

The Persians took over the Babylonian Empire in Daniel 5. To gain the favor of the people, King Cyrus supported many cultures and religions. Most likely, he was not a believer. Nevertheless, God used him, as he had used other rulers, for his purposes. God’s children had been in exile for 70 years. Now it was time to go home.

Big Ideas

Ezra Rebuilds the Temple (Ezra 1-3)

Upon Judah’s return home, their priority was to rebuild the temple. The exile was not just estrangement from the land. God’s people were also cut off from the temple and the means of grace. Just as their sin separated them from the temple, so too our sin separates us from dwelling with God.

Some rejoiced when the foundation was laid; some wept. Those who had seen Solomon’s temple before the exile knew that it could never be restored to its former glory. This temple would be lacking but would cause the people to look forward to a better and permanent restoration of the temple, God’s heavenly kingdom.

Conversation Starters:

• What exile does all of humanity experience?
• When will this exile end?
• Ezra’s most important job was to rebuild the temple. How do we build up God’s temple?

Nehemiah’s Prayer (Nehemiah 1:4-11)

Again, God uses the secular world to fulfill his promises in the book of Nehemiah. Another Persian King pledged resources to help restore Israel. One unique aspect of the book is its unique peek into Nehemiah’s prayer life. The inclusion of his prayers shows the basic attitude of his heart. He is dependent on God, believing that God hears him, cares for him, and has the power to act.

Conversation Starters:

• Study Nehemiah’s prayer. What else can you learn about prayer?
• Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and Nehemiah 2:4. What does it mean to “pray continually?”

Opposition (Nehemiah 4:1-3, 6:1-14)

Whenever believers act in faith, Satan always opposes God’s work. Here Satan used taunting, ridicule, public scorn, intimidation, and slander to undercut Nehemiah’s leadership and cause the people to despair. Nehemiah responds with more prayer and by setting up a military defense.

Conversation Starters:

• Read Nehemiah 4:14-15. Of what did Nehemiah remind the people? Who got the credit for frustrating their enemies?
• In what ways does Satan use the same tactics against Christians today?

Responding to the Word (Nehemiah 8:1-18)

It was time for the Word of the LORD to return to the people. As Ezra read scripture, their hearts were cut by the law. Filled with guilt, they were moved to respond with repentant weeping. But, the time for mourning over their sins had come to an end. Ezra commanded the people to rejoice in the strength of the LORD. The grace of the LORD prompted a response of great celebration.

Conversation Starter:

• How does the law influence our response to the gospel?

Digging Deeper

The Seeds of Faith resource provides Law and Gospel points as well as discussion questions.

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OT3 13B

Job — Job 1-5, 13, 19, 38-40, 42

Context

The setting for Job is rather ambiguous. We do not know much about when and where his story took place, nor does Job appear to be an Israelite. The lack of information focuses the reader upon the philosophical puzzles presented in the book.

Job, along with Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, is part of the wisdom series in the Old Testament. A Study of Proverbs leads the reader to conclude that God is wise and just. The righteous are rewarded, and the wicked are punished. Ecclesiastes observes that life is complex, unpredictable, and hard to understand, prompting the question is God wise and just? The book of Job answer this question through the interactions between God and Job.

Big Ideas

A Peek Behind the Curtain (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-8)

The book opens by pulling back the curtain that covers the spiritual realm. God is considering his servant Job, who was righteous because of his faith, not because he was sinless. Satan, whose name means “one who is opposed,” challenges God. He accuses Job of loving God only because God is good to him. God permits Satan to inflict Job with great suffering, prompting us and Job to ask the question “why?”

Conversation Starters:

• Are we tempted to love God only when life is trouble-free?
• What events have prompted you to ask the question “why?” Did you find a satisfying answer?

Job’s Friends (Job 3-36)

Job’s three friends might have had good intentions, but their short-sightedness heaped confusion and doubt in God’s character upon Job’s suffering. Each of their long dialogues is an attempt to answer the “why” question. They assume that God only and always operates under the laws of justice. Good gets good and bad gets bad. Therefore, Job must have done something terribly evil to deserve his suffering. But we know from the beginning of the book that Job was blameless before God and his suffering was not a punishment.  

Conversation Starters:

• How do the beliefs of Job’s friends compare to the basic beliefs of all false religions? Consider how paradise or good things are gained.
• Find the definition of karma.

Job’s Response (Job 1:20-22, 13:3, 19:23-27, 40:8)

Unsurprisingly, Job is full of a variety of emotional responses. Initially, the man of faith praises God. He also proclaims belief in God’s goodness and the resurrection to come (Job 19:23-27). But Job, knowing he is not to blame for his suffering, also accuses God of being unjust, and he boldly demands an explanation from God for his suffering.

Conversation Starters:

• How do we see Job as both a sinner and a saint at the same time?
• Did Job have a right to an explanation?

God’s Response (Job 38-41)

God arrives in a storm and responds in both a terrifying and loving way. Verse by verse, God shows Job the vastness of the cosmos that he daily preserves, humbling Job for wondering why God acts as he does. Who was Job to question the creator, controller, and preserver of all things? How could such a small mind have a wide enough perspective to understand God’s infinite wisdom?

In the end, God did not answer Job’s question. Instead, he taught him to trust in his vast wisdom and loving character.

Conversation Starters:

• How would you comfort a suffering believer? Can you think of any Bible passages to share?
• Considering what we have witnessed Job learn from God, how would you answer the question, “Why did God allow COVID-19 to affect our world?”

The Suffering of Christ

Meditate on the sufferings of Christ. Jesus, the creator of the universe, in his infinite wisdom choose to suffer greatly on the earth. In this instance, we should ask the question “why?”

Conversation Starters:

• Why did Jesus suffer?
• What does Jesus’ suffering mean for us and Job?
• Other than salvation, how else does the suffering of Jesus comfort us? (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Digging Deeper

The Seeds of Faith resource provides Law and Gospel points as well as discussion questions.