5-11 October (Exodus, Luke & Psalms)
Bible Reading Plan
Monday: Exodus 15:22-16:36
Tuesday: Exodus 17:1-18:27
Wednesday: Exodus 19:1-20:21
Thursday: Luke 8:1-56
Friday: Luke 9:1-50
Fluid (fit in any time): Psalm 15:1-5
Note: Italicised question are introduced at medium level
Reflection and Discussion Questions
Monday (Day 1): Exodus 15:22-16:36
In Exodus 16:3 do you think the Israelites are accurately remembering what they left in Egypt? Why?
How many times do you see a word equivalent to grumble/grumbled/grumblings used in the first 12 verses of Exodus 16?
What was Yahweh’s response?
Were people obedient? What does it tell us about people?
Did they gather manna on the Sabbath?
Did Gid provide quail for the Israelites in the same way as manna? How often was quail provided? How often was manna provided?
Do you see any correlations in Jesus’ ministry of the New Testament between the manna spoken about during the exodus in the Old Testament?
Do you think that manna is mentioned or remembered anywhere outside of Exodus?
Tuesday (Day 2): Exodus 17:1-18:27
Did the Israelites continue to grumble?
Where did Moses find water in Exodus 17:6?
Why do you think God made Israel more successful against the Amalekites in Exodus 17 when Moses' hands were raised?
Do you think Exodus 17:12 meant that Moses’ hands were literally very heavy? What is meant here?
Who initiated the fight between Israel and the Amalekites? Do you think Deuteronomy 25:17-19 is relevant to the battle in Exodus 17:8-16?
What insights have you gained from considering the story of the Amalekites battle with the Israelites?
Did the Amalekites pick a fight with Israel, Yahweh or both? Do you think Moses in Exodus 17:15-16 elevates the identity of the people by the nation of Israel or their affiliation with Yahweh? Do you think this relevant to us today and the battles and challenges we face?
Bailey (2007) comments:
The text pictures Jethro as “another Melchizedek, the paradigm of the righteous Gentile,”2 who instructs the lawgiver Moses relative to the administration of Yahweh’s law to Israel. To a lesser degree comparisons may be made with the “wandering/sojourner” motif: Cain (Gen 4:16), Ishmael (Gen 16:1; 21:21), Isaac and Ishmael (Gen 25:11–18), Keturah’s sons vs. Isaac (Gen 25:6; 28:1–5), and Jacob and Esau (Gen 33:12–18; 35:5–15). (p.198)
What parallels or similarities do you see between the correspondence of Abraham and Melchizedek (Gen. 14-15) and Moses and Jethro (Exod. 18-19)?
What interests you about Exodus 18?
What role do you see Moses playing in Exodus 18:13-17?
What attributes do you see from Moses in listening to his father-in-law? How important is humility in life, and in growing wisdom and understanding? Is humility still important for us today? How so?
As we read through Exodus, do you see trying circumstances for Moses, and an exhaustion with life and the duties he has been given? Give an example. Do our duties stop, or does life necessarily get easier, when we get exhausted or reach what we see as ‘our limit’?
Wednesday (Day 3): Exodus 19:1-20:21
Would this have been an awesome and/or surreal experience for the people of Israel in Exodus 19? How do you think you would feel if you were one of them?
Describe the meaning of the symbolism and theophany we see used in Exodus 19:16-20.
We see that Yahweh comes down to the top of the mountain and speaks to Moses in Exodus 19:20. We later see that Elijah in 1 Kings 19 also comes to Mt Horeb/Mt Sinai. What comparisons can you make between the two accounts, and do you think this is of any relevance to why they both appear in the Transfiguration (Mt. 17:1–13; Mk. 9:2–13; Lk. 9:28–36)?
What do you find interesting about Exodus 19-20?
Can you remember the Ten Commandments?
How important were the Ten Commandments to the Jewish people? Do we see an awareness of them in the New Testament?
Thursday (Day 4): Luke 8:1-56
What three women does Jesus single out? Who had seven demons gone out of? Were there any other women?
How do we know if we are ‘good soil’ (cf. Lk 8:8)? Sometimes we do not feel fruitful, and it is not obvious, and yet, sometimes it is. How do you think we should see the Parable of the Sower (Lk 8:4-8)? What is the meaning of Luke 8:15?
Jesus encourages a closeness between Christians as brothers and sisters in Christ. Do you think Christians in your own country typically show the closeness, love and care Jesus intended for his church? If so, great! If not, what do you think is different? Give some examples of things to blame, and what might be some options for overcoming some of the stumbling blocks?
Do you think it was likely surprising to Jesus that his disciples did not expect that Jesus could control the wind and the waves? In asking them “where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25) do you think Jesus was offended, angry, teaching, enlightening and/or enquiring of his disciples?
Why would the people surrounding the region of the Gerasenes ask Jesus to depart from them? Why would they be afraid? (cf. Luke 8:37)
Why were there pigs in Decapolis if Jews considered pigs unclean, and they should not be eaten (cf. Lev. 11:7-8; Deut. 14:8)
If the man was formerly demon-possessed, and was now made perfectly well after Jesus’ exorcism of Legion.
What do you find interesting about the passage of the demon-possessed Gerasene (Lk 8:26-39)?
Luke 8:41 states that Jairus was “ruler of the synagogue.” What does this mean? What role is this?
How would the health conditions of the woman in Luke 8:42b-38 affect the life she lived?
How are other people affected by health conditions? Does our understanding of – or coming to terms with – a problem fix it, or are there still difficulties to contend with? What people do you know with health difficulties that may need more love, care, resources, or other assistance?
Have you ever seen God do the unbelievable in your life?
Friday (Day 5): Luke 9:1-50
Who did Jesus give power and authority over all the demons and to cure diseases? (cf. Lk 9:1)
What did Jesus send the Twelve to do? What were they to bring with them, and what were they to do if people did not welcome them? (cf. Lk 9:2-5)
Is Herod the Tetrarch the same as Herod the Great or Herod Antipas? How many different Herods were there?
Does Luke state that Jesus give the Twelve the capability to create food as he did when feeding the 5000?
What importance do you see in Peter’s recognising that Jesus was “the Christ of God”? (cf. Lk 9:18-20)
Why did Jesus warn and command the Twelve to not tell anyone that Jesus was the Christ? (Lk. 9:21-22; cf. Lk. 9:36)
How do you understand and/or apply Jesus’ words in Luke 9:23-27?
Do the passages in 9:37-62 show the disciples more at their worst or best? How do you think their example is relevant to the reader?
What principle(s) do you think Jesus teaches in Luke 9:46-48?
What point do you think Jesus is trying to make in Luke 9:50?
Psalm 15
What are your thoughts, revelations and inspirations when reading, dwelling and meditating on Psalm 15?
Reference
Bailey, R. C. (2007). Exodus. College Press Publishing Company.
2 Sailhamer, Pentateuch as Narrative, p. 281.
