Characters and
Character of God / Esther and Job
The stories of Esther and Job that we read in week six span
the timeframe we have covered in our previous readings to date. One tells the
story of a woman, Esther, who prevents the killing of her people during the
time of exile, near the end of the history we have just traveled through. The
other tells the story of a man, Job, who tries to understand the character of
God when all that he holds dear in life is destroyed. Job is thought to be set
in the same time as that of Abraham, the earliest part of the history of our
ancestors in faith.
Experiences of
God/ Psalms
The psalms, also, span much of the history of the readings
we have covered.
Many are identified as psalms of David and retell his
experiences in song/psalm.
A few are identified as psalms of Moses, retelling the
Exodus story.
Other psalms, retell stories and events we have now
experienced in our reading.
In each case, the author is attempting to explain his personal relationship with God and to understand God’s role in the events of life.
Some are psalms of praise; others are psalms of lament.
Here are some things to notice along the way.
1. When you complete Psalm 134, you are halfway through The Bible in 90 Days. As the psalm itself says: Praise the Lord!
2. In Samuel, we read in detail about the events of David’s
life and rule. Many of the psalms recount these details as his personal
experience of God. In Psalm 51, we hear David seek forgiveness and mercy from
God after his acts against Bathsheba’s husband. It contains the familiar
request: Create in me a clean heart…
Bonus: Which psalm teaches the Hebrew alphabet?
Words of Wisdom
for Daily Life / Proverbs
Tradition holds that these sayings are proverbs of Solomon,
and they are written in that tradition. Scholars differ over the actual
authorship, but the text reflects the wisdom of Solomon and other wise leaders.
You may recall that 1 Kings noted that Solomon was responsible for more than
3,000 proverbs. These are part of the wisdom literature within the Bible and offer
lessons for ways to achieve wisdom.
Here are some things to notice along the way.
1. What does the opening of the Book of Proverbs assert as
its purpose?
2. Chapter 31 is an ode to wisdom, personified as a wife of
noble character.
Bonus: What do these proverbs contrast with wisdom?
Words of Wisdom
for All Life/ Ecclesiastes
Another book of wisdom literature, Ecclesiastes attempts to discover the meaning of life from one person’s perspective over the course of life. Again, wisdom is seen as something to be gained for a well-lived life, yet the author has a realistic perspective of the ambiguities and challenges of life.
Here are some things to notice along the way.
1.The most commonly quoted scripture from Ecclesiastes is
Chapter 3, which begins: There is a time for everything…
2.The narrator of Ecclesiastes has a somewhat pessimistic
viewpoint, yet he offers wisdom. What wisdom do you see about times in life
that are difficult?
Bonus: Where do we find the instruction to eat, drink and be
merry?
Words of Wisdom
for Love / Song of Songs
Song of Songs is more wisdom literature attributed to
Solomon and, at its core, it is beautiful poetry about loving relationship,
some of it so detailed it is rarely read in church. It was more likely recorded
in the time after the exile, when the people who returned to Jerusalem would be
celebrating God’s love for them.
Here are some things to notice along the way.
1. Many of the images in this poem are similes. The lovers
are described as be like a mare, like a gazelle, like a sachet of myrrh.
2. While this is clearly love poetry, it is also viewed as an
allegory of God’s love for God’s people. Which verses describe the way you
experience God’s love?
Bonus: What romantic act is described in the very first
verses?
