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Q15. (1 KINGS 9:4-5) What kind of "walk" does God call Solomon to? What does this kind of lifestyle look like? What obstacles does a believer face in seeking to walk before God in this way? What is the opposite of integrity of heart? God demands a walk that shows attitudes and actions that express obedience and faithfulness to the Word of God. He is to walk in integrity of heart, that is to be honest and fair in his treatment of others. To govern the nation according to God’s laws. This all is an outward conformity shown by his actions, and an inward conformity of the heart - to the LORD. It is a lifestyle lived in God’s presence, where He does not leave us or forsake us; a lifestyle lived in obedience to His laws and teachings; a lifestyle lived with the desire and ability to obey His commands; a lifestyle lived in prayer in which He helps us in our daily needs; and a lifestyle which will help spread the knowledge that the LORD is the only true God. The obstacles we face are our own sinful ways and our hypocrisy. The flesh – our own sinful desires. Our worshipping other gods like power, wealth, and sex. The way we try to conform to society instead of obeying our Lord. The world’s hostility towards us. The opposite of integrity of heart is dishonesty and hypocrisy. A person “walks in integrity” when he walks with God and not before the eyes of men. “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out” (Proverbs 10:9).

Q14. (1 KINGS 8:10-11; 2 CHRONICLES 7:1-3; 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18) What does the cloud that filled the temple represent? What do God's glory filling the temple and fire falling on the sacrifice represent? In what sense can we "behold the glory of the Lord" today? How? Why should we take time for that? The cloud signifies the divine Presence a visible representation of the Lord’s glory. Both represented the radiant outshining of His character and presence. The presence of the glory of God exposes our sinfulness against the holiness of God. God is not only goodness and love, but He is also holy, and it is this holiness that makes us uncomfortable in His presence. We see this in Peter’s reaction to seeing Jesus, “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" (Luke 5:8). The more we have to do with our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word, the more we see and read about His glory and as we are exposed more and more, we see Jesus in His splendour and moral beauty that it starts rubbing off on us and slowly but surely, we become more and more like Him.

Q13. (1 KINGS 8:15-16, 27-30) Why is it so important that the Israelites understand that God doesn't live solely in Solomon's Temple. Where else is God's dwelling place? (verses 27, 30). If the temple isn't God's sole dwelling place, what then is the importance of the temple? Is it wrong to go to a sacred building such as a church to do your praying? Why or why not? The Israelites had to understand that God does not solely live in the temple, but that He is omnipresent. They had to learn that He is not like all the false gods the pagan nations worshipped. For instance, believing that god is a god of the hills and not of the valleys (1 Kings 20:28), and that these gods were but gods of particular countries; as the gods of Henah, Ivah, and Sepharvaim (2 Kings 18:34). Being omnipresent it follows that His power and knowledge is unlimited, and our LORD is to be worshipped and revered everywhere, in private as well as in public. At home as well as in the temple, which was merely a place for man to come and bow before Him and offer his sacrifices before Him. It served as an approach to God. I read somewhere in answer to a question “Is God a great God or a little God.” Answer, “He is so great that the heavens cannot contain Him, and so little that He dwells in my heart.” No, I don’t think so. Sometimes a sacred building can act as a blessing in that the structure reminds us of His majesty and glory. Often great prayers are born out of the great awareness of how great our God is.

Q12. Should worship be a "sacrifice" for us in the sense that it costs us something in time, effort, or focus? Which of the New Testament forms of "sacrifice" and "offerings" are most meaningful for you? Which are most difficult for you? Out of gratitude we should be serving our Lord. There is no talk of a sacrifice, an inconvenience, a burden, or an expense involved. Everything should be done out of love and respect for our heavenly Father. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30). To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice (Prov 21:3). After all we are His creatures, and He owns us and as such we should be there to serve Him. We are not our own, we were bought at a price (1 Cor 6:19-20). We surrender all to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and live a life of obedience to Him. To bring glory to His name. Just the fact that He elected us before creation is enough for us to be eternally grateful.

Q11. How does an understanding of Old Testament sacrifice help us understand Jesus' death on the cross? In the temple the priests stood before the altar making time after time new daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sacrifices. This was a cycle that was repeated over again and again. On top of this the Israelites had to bring their own personal sacrifices every time they sinned. These many imperfect sacrifices could never take away sins (Heb 10:11), only the perfect sacrifice of Christ could accomplish this. We were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Pet 1:18-19). The power of the offering is eternal, that is once and everlasting/forever. Our past, present, and future sins are forgiven – we have been made fit to be in God’s presence. We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Heb 10:10).

Q10. How do church buildings relate to the central mission of the Church? What is the place of building worship buildings (such as Solomon's Temple) that express the beauty and glory of God? What is the place of building functional houses of worship that conserve resources for other tasks? I remember the first time I went into a Cathedral I was over overcome by its beauty, size, and the intricate finishes inside, that I hardly heard a word preached. So, as in my case, it can be a distraction. I do feel that such magnificent buildings remind me of how majestic our Lord is. Also, His excellence, His greatness, and His worthiness - they stand as a testimony to the glory of God. Today we are His living temples that make up His church, every individual believer is also a temple of God indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; 1 Pet 2:5). I also feel that instead of building these huge/enormous churches we should be concentrating on living a life of obedience, and on the teachings of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and not be sidetracked by religious activity that such a huge church would involve.

Q9. (1 KINGS 2:12; MATTHEW 25:14-30) What "natural" talent(s) do you have? What are you good at in the natural world? How are you using these talents for God and His Kingdom? Have you identified any "spiritual" gifts? How are you using those? Have you found that your "natural" talents are related to your "spiritual" gifts? If so, describe how they relate to each other. I would like to think I’m good at organising, at listening and giving advice, at numbers and mathematics, and at persevering. I hope to think that I have served our Lord well over all the years, having been on church councils, treasurer, and various other church duties. I only now realised that our talents have to be discovered, and developed so that they can be used to the glory of our Lord. But by now I have reached my sell-by date. However, if asked I’m more than willing to help. I spend most of my time now reading His Word and the many Christian books available. To me all good things come from heaven, and our natural and spiritual gifts come from our Heavenly Father. There is no distinction.

Q8. How have the writings attributed to Solomon affected your understanding, perspective, and way of life? In what ways? Which proverbs have you committed to memory? Which of these is most dear to you? As we read and study his writings, the Holy Spirit works actively in us giving us the proper understanding/discernment needed to make the right decisions using the knowledge we have built up in life. How to handle whatever situation we might find ourselves in. Also keeping us on the straight and narrow as we go through life serving our Lord. The Proverbs I have committed to memory are: Prov 1:7: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Prov 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Prov 15:1: A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. They all are most dear to me but 3:5-6 has always been one of my favourite verses in the Bible. It has been an anchor in my life. It’s all about our total dedication to our Heavenly Father. We trust Him with our whole heart and acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He promises to make our paths straight. God willing, I will be 86 next month, and He has always been there for both my wife and me, (in March we celebrated our 62nd wedding anniversary) without His loving care and grace and more grace, we would never have made it. All glory and praise to Him!

Q7. (1 KINGS 3:16-28) Why does the Scripture emphasize justice for the poor and disadvantaged, the alien and the orphan? Why are courts often inclined to favour the wealthy? Why do societies throughout the ages tend to perpetuate discrimination against outsiders? In what ways should social justice be a value for followers of Yahweh and of Jesus in our day? This is because these people are the most vulnerable in our society. They do not have the means to protect themselves as do the rich and powerful. Outsiders are discriminated against mostly because of their threat to local employment, and perhaps because of cultural differences. Today, as it was in Solomon’s time, failure to appoint honest, righteous, and impartial leaders will lead to many problems as Israel discovered to their own detriment. As believers we are to imitate our Lord’s love and seek justice for all.

Q6. (1 KINGS 3:5-15) What does Solomon's answer to God's question tell us about Solomon's heart at this time? Do you serve Jesus for what He can do for you or for what you can do for Him? Why is singleness of heart so important to true discipleship? A very caring heart, one that loves the Lord admitting his own inexperience, and his concern that he might not be able to rule justly in obedience to the Lord’s commandments. Also, acknowledging his dependence on God by referring to himself as God’s servant (3:7-8). He truly loved the Lord. I love to think that I serve the Lord Jesus Christ my Saviour, out of my love for Him, and not for any selfish motive. The heart of a true disciple must display an intense love for our Lord. A love that desires to obey and serve Him; to glorify His name, and a deep grief when one fails to obey.

Q5. (1 KINGS 3:1-4) In what way does Solomon's marriage to Pharaoh's daughter enhance his status in the Ancient Near East? How does this marriage compromise him as a follower of Yahweh? How does his worship on the high places - and failure to destroy them - damage the purity of Yahweh worship for centuries to follow? In what areas do our compromises as parents and pastors impact our own discipleship and the faith of our families and congregations? This marriage formed an alliance with Egypt, securing peace in the area, and thereby enhancing Solomon’s status as well. However, this marriage does not please the Lord. He had forbidden Jews to marry wives of surrounding nations, as it opened the door to pagan customs, leading them to accepting their so called gods, and turning their hearts away from the Lord (11:1). Also, God had specifically stated that the kings were not to take many wives (Deu 17:17), but we know that before he ascended to the throne, Solomon had married Naamah, an Ammonitess, the mother of his successor Rehoboam (14:21). God had wanted Israel to have a central place of worship and not to imitate the pagan nations by building high places of worship. This was to safeguard the purity of their worship. They used hilltops believing that the closer they got to heaven the more likely their prayers and offerings would reach their gods. God had instructed them to destroy these high places and the idols that were worshipped there (Num 33:52). Nevertheless, this practice was commonly observed in Israel at this time, even by Solomon. Also, Solomon had also failed to destroy them. This failure had severe consequences. Their disobedience angered God (Ps 78:58) and provoked a just and holy response. A pattern that lasted for many years. As a parents of three sons, today we see the consequences of bringing them up in a Christian household. Our only regret or concern was that perhaps we had not done enough. Perhaps we could have exposed them more to the Word. By the grace of our Lord all three are believers. Thank You Lord.

Jesus commanded His disciples, "Love your enemies" as a rule by which to conduct their lives. Can it (should it) be extended to affairs of the courts or of government? I know Jesus expects us to love our enemies, it is actually a command spoken by Jesus Himself in for example Mat 5:44; Luke 6:37; 6:35. This means that we are to do good to those who hate us, who disgrace us, and who want to destroy us. It involves not only loving them but doing good to those who hate us; to speak well of them; to pray for them. This includes those in government or judicial positions. All of this is of course impossible for us to do without the help of the Holy Spirit. It is also only possible for those who give themselves fully to God. It shows that Jesus is Lord of our life.

Q4. (1 KINGS 2:13-46) Why doesn't Solomon act more quickly against David's enemies and his own? What does this indicate about Solomon? Do you think God is pleased with Solomon's dealing with enemies in these ways? In an absolute monarchy, what are the balance points between protection of the throne (the state), justice, and mercy? The way Solomon acts against both his father’s and his own enemies show the young king’s mercy and wisdom. Nothing done in haste or without due consideration. All kings have to initially establish their throne by getting rid of all threats and enemies. And it is because of his wise handling of these threats to the throne that the kingdom was firmly established in Solomon’s hands. Yes, God is pleased with the way he dealt with the enemies as it shows that Solomon would build his kingdom on justice. In the same way any evil threat to an absolute monarchy has to be eliminated. Only these acts of justice can assure the domestic peace of a kingdom.

Q3. (1 KINGS 2:2-3) David charges Solomon to observe God's commandments. Why are we tempted to break God's commandments as a means to an end, such as lying to win political points or job advancement? What does obedience have to do with prosperity? We are sinners by nature and easily fall prey to greed, wealth, and power. We might also be easily tempted since this seems to be the normal behaviour in the world today. This reminds me of Deu 5:33a, “Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper.” If we forget God’s glory and His love for us, we will have trouble obeying His commandments. He has told us that His commandments are to be upon our hearts (Deu 6:6). This reminds me of God’s instructions to Joshua before entering the land of milk and honey: “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8). Today we think that prosperity and success come by having power and contacts. But true prosperity comes not from these world standards but from living in obedience to God’s will and His Word. God requires us to walk in His ways, to keep His commands and laws – to be strong and obey the Word of God.

Q2. (1 KINGS 1; 2 CHRONICLES 22:7) What indications do we have that Solomon has been chosen by God to build the temple? How does God protect His choice in spite of political intrigues? Why do you think Nathan the prophet is the first to move to protect Solomon? (Hint: see 2 Samuel 7:11-16) We read about the task God gave Solomon to build a permanent temple in Jerusalem in 1 Chr 22:9, and here God specifically names David’s son Solomon as the one chosen to build the temple. To protect His choice God made sure that Solomon would be made king of Israel, protecting him against the plot by Adonijah to seize the throne; giving him the necessary wisdom to rule and to accomplish his given tasks. Also, at that time there was peace in Israel. God is sovereign, He is in control, His purposes will prevail. God had instructed Nathan that Solomon would follow David as king, and to protect Solomon he gets Bathsheba to warn David about Adonijah’s plan to have himself declared king, and reminding David of the promise he had made to her that Solomon would be the one to reign. This resulted in David although very ill instructing Zadok to anoint Solomon king.

What are the main provisions of the Davidic Covenant? What does it say about the temple? About David's descendants? About discipline? About mercy? About the throne? The main provisions are that David will have a son (Solomon) who will succeed him and establish his kingdom; the throne of this kingdom will be established forever; and will not be taken away because of Solomon’s sin. Solomon and not David will be the one to build the temple. Further David’s dynasty, his throne, and his kingdom would be established forever, and his own descendants would sit on the throne. About the temple - God had told David that he was not to build the temple since he was a warrior and his job was to unify and lead Israel and destroy the enemy. He would use Solomon instead who was a man of peace and rest (1 Chr 22:8-9). About David’s descendants - we know that it is through this covenant that God promises that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, will ultimately establish His throne and His eternal kingdom. About discipline - it is an unconditional covenant. There is no mention of discipline or any conditions of obedience. About mercy - it is solely dependent on God’s mercy, faithfulness, love, and grace. About the throne - the throne of Solomon will not be taken away even though his sins demand punishment. The throne of his kingdom will be established forever.

Q4. (2 TIMOTHY 4:21A) Why is it important to Paul for Timothy to come before winter? What happens if Timothy delays? Do you think Timothy dropped everything and came to Paul's side? Would you, if you were Timothy? The winter weather made travel very difficult or impossible. The seas were closed to shipping from about mid-November to mid-March (Acts 27:9-12). Even taking the overland route north of Greece, as Paul seems to suggest (2 Tim 4:13); Timothy would still need to sail across the Adriatic, which was also closed. Timothy may have received this letter in summer, leaving himself very little time to organize the trip. If delayed, he would only be able to come in the spring, so, Timothy could not delay and had to depart urgently as Paul might not be alive for long. I feel Timothy is obliged to respond immediately and help his fellow believer. His other companions had left Paul, he is lonely, the great apostle deserves to be obeyed. Timothy surely must have travelled immediately and joined Luke and John Mark, to be with Paul when he was taken outside the city and beheaded at the Ostian Gate. Yes, if I was Timothy, I’m sure I would have done the same. Perhaps, talk is cheap, who knows if I knew all the exact conditions if I would have obeyed Paul?

Q3. (2 TIMOTHY 4:9-12) Why is it so difficult when trusted friends desert us? Why is it so difficult when they move away or die? Is it better to trust no one? Who remains with Paul besides Luke? (Hint: see verse 17a). Since our trusted friends will mostly be believers, we will dearly miss them because we have so much in common, so much to look forward to, and so much to discuss. Today it will not be so severe when our friends move away since through technology, we can still be in contact with them. It’s not that they are completely gone, but of course it’s the same as in Paul’s days when they die – we grieve them. I’ve lost many close and dear friends who have gone to be with the Lord and I truly miss them. Good close friends are very precious and not easily replaced. When it comes to trust I feel trust must be earned; we don’t trust everyone. Paul was never left completely alone. We might think that it feels like all have deserted him, but we know that the Lord stood at his side and gave him the needed strength to face anything (Php 4:13; 1 Tim 1:12).

Q2. (2 TIMOTHY 4:8) What does the "crown of righteousness" represent? To whom is it given? On what basis is it awarded? It is a reward, a symbol of victory and honour, stored in heaven for each believer (2:5), who has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. Safely stored and carefully guarded with all our other heavenly treasure (Mat 6:20). It is given to all true believers who have shown righteousness in their service and faithfulness to God and His Word. It is a righteous crown which our Saviour Jesus Christ earned for us on the cross; a free gift of eternal life based on His righteousness, not ours. A righteousness obtained through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom 3:22); reserved for all who love Jesus Christ. It is also an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, with our name on it, kept in heaven for us (1 Pet 1:4). An inheritance we will receive on the day of the Lord’s return – the day of His appearance.

Q1. (2 TIMOTHY 4:6-7) What does it mean to have "fought the good fight" or "run the good race"? What does it take to "finish the race(course)" God has designed for you? What does it mean to "keep the faith"? We sees the Christian life as a race. By having fought the good fight means we ran a good race and had tried our best. It had been a fight against Satan, against the law of sin operating within our own heart. To be able to say I finished the race means to have ran on course, and are now insight of the finishing line. A planned, designed race ruled by a personal faith in my Lord and which by God’s grace, I had managed to stay on course till the very end. To keep the faith means to continue to believe and obey all the doctrines of the Christian faith; to have kept it; to have guarded it; and to have passed it on to others.

Q4. (2 TIMOTHY 4:5) Why does Paul command Timothy to "discharge all the duties of your ministry"? What is the work of an evangelist that Timothy is to do? What does the command in verse 5 mean to you personally? Meaning that Timothy should fulfil his ministry, God’s plan for him, by devoting all of his talents and efforts to finishing the work at hand. Nothing must get in the way or try to stop Timothy from fulfilling his ministry to the full. He was to do the work of preaching the gospel to the best of his abilities, and not be distracted; knowing that God will provide the strength and the means. As an evangelist his work is to focus on preaching the gospel and not to get sidetracked or involved in meaningless myths, lies, false teachings, and arguments. He must spread the good news to as many people as possible for them to hear the truth, which is the same duty I have to the Lord, only not being a preacher, in a more minor way. I am to stand up for our Lord, not to get tired or discouraged, but always to be there for Him.

Q3. (2 TIMOTHY 4:1-2) Why do you think Paul has to resort to the command in verses 1-2? Why does he have to talk about being ready when it's inconvenient and when it is convenient? What problem is Paul trying to overcome here? How do these verses speak to you in particular? The whole world needs to hear Jesus Christ’s gospel invitation of salvation and their personal response in repentance and faith. For all have sinned (Rom 3:23); the wages of sin is death … the gift of God is eternal life (Rom 6:23); while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). Amazing Words – God sent Jesus Christ to die for us, not because we were good enough, but just because of His grace and love for us. If these words are not preached how could unbelievers ever come to faith in Jesus? We should be sensitive to any opportunity our Lord may give us, irrespective of whether it is convenient or not. In other words, we should always be ready to serve God in any situation. I think Paul is trying to emphasize the urgency of the situation and overcome complacency. Time is running out and there are many who have not heard the good news and need to be saved. It was because of a good Christian team that came to our church one Sunday in 1982 that both my wife and I truly heard the gospel for the first time. We put our trust and faith in our Lord Jesus as our Saviour. I shudder to think if this had not happened, and we had both carried on in our ignorance. We will be ever grateful for them. Praise the Lord.

Q2. (2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17) In what ways does Scripture equip a Christian for ministry? In what different ways can the Scriptures function, according to verse 16? Scripture thoroughly prepares and equips us, as believers, for any work that God has designed and ordained for us to do. As we grow spiritually, we will find that His Word becomes an integral part of our lives as we are guided step by step to do good works that bring glory to our Lord. We are created to do good works, and Scripture, being God’s inspired Word, will equip us to perform these deeds (Eph 2:10). We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up the church (Eph 4:12). In our fight against evil, we can learn from Jesus who used Scripture to defeat the tempter (Luke 4:1-13). Because the Bible is the word of God, it functions in many ways in our lives and every portion of it is profitable. As we grow in faith, we realize that there is spiritual nourishment in every word that has proceeded from the mouth of God. The Bible is profitable for teaching about the various doctrines such as the Trinity, angels, man, sin, salvation, sanctification, the church, and future events. It is profitable for rebuking us, making us aware of the things that are displeasing to God. It is profitable for correcting us. Pointing out no only what is wrong but also the way in which it can be made right. Finally, the Bible is profitable for instruction in righteousness. The grace of God teaches us to live godly lives, but the word of God traces out in detail the things which go to make up a godly life.

Q1. (2 TIMOTHY 3:16) What does inspiration of Scripture mean? What does the term "God-breathed" tell us about the source and authority of Scripture? Why is the doctrine of inspiration of Scripture important? Inspiration is the way God guided and got men to write down His Word. God-breathed means that they wrote the words of God, inspired and infallible. God did not simply give the thoughts to the individual writers and allow them to express these thoughts in their own words - they were His own words. At the same time the individual literary style of each writer was not destroyed. Each writer wrote what God wanted them to write using their minds, talents, language, and style; even though they came from vastly different historical and cultural backgrounds. The doctrine of inspiration is vital. The whole Bible is God’s inspired Word, if this is not so it would be worthless as a reliable guide to divine truth. Because it is inspired and trustworthy, we use it as our standard for testing all truths and is our safeguard against false teachings which are so rife today. At the same time, it shows us how we should live as well as being the only source about our salvation. God wants to show us what is true and equip us to live for Him. Knowing that the Bible is the word of God; we know that it is the absolute truth, written without error and is our guide to Christian living – our instruction manual. It equips us to do every good work. But we have to be careful – our knowledge of God’s Word is not useful unless it strengthens our faith and leads us to do good.

Q4. (2 TIMOTHY 3:10-12) How does a failure to accept the inevitability of persecution hinder our witness? Just what does it mean to "take up His cross daily" (Luke 9:23) and to "carry His cross" (Luke 14:27)? Is Jesus talking about persecution - or something else? Persecution is an integral part of a devout Christian life. When we are called upon to go through deep waters, we might be tempted to think that we have failed the Lord or that the Lord is displeased with us for some reason. However, we must remember that persecution is inevitable for all of us who desire to live in a godly manner. Our godly life exposes the wickedness of others, and instead of repenting of their ungodliness and turning to Christ, they seek to destroy the one who has shown them up for what they really are. For this reason, we are often persecuted. A basic condition of taking up His cross daily is to deny self. This involves a completely new way of life; no more living for our own selfish interests, but living a life for the sake of Jesus and the gospel. We recognise His Lordship in every area of our life – we live to serve His purposes. It means to identify with Christ in His rejection, shame, suffering, and death. It’s a sign of suffering, a sign of rejection by the world, and a sign of obedience to God. To “carry His cross” means that in following Jesus Christ we deliberately choose to live the life He lived. We do this by recognising His lordship in every area of our life, and we die spiritually to self and the things of this world. This involves us loving Jesus supremely, perhaps forsaking family, a complete dependence on God and obedience to the Holy Spirit, maybe even becoming unpopular and hated, suffering for righteousness' sake, and living an unselfish life for others. We live to glorify our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It also signifies a willingness to actually die for the name of Christ if need be. We are to seek His kingdom and His righteousness yielding ourselves unreservedly to Him. This involves laying hold of life that is life indeed! It also means finding at last the reason for our existence.