Interlocked

We conclude Lesson 26 by looking at a different type of writing that Yahweh was giving the Jews during the period of the exile: apocalyptic writings. Through these special writings, God revealed a summary of the future, describing world affairs that will happen. We’ll examine the features of real, biblical apocalyptic writings and how these writings are different from what the prophets usually wrote about. These apocalyptic writings were to give the people long-range hope and the understanding that God was still at work in the world even though He was lifting His hand of restrain on the Gentile nations of the world. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/26-Sent-into-Exile.pdf

We conclude Lesson 25 at 36:26. Then we continue with Lesson 26: Sent into Exile. Despite God’s faithful love and care for His people, both Israel and Judah rebelled and became paganised. So Yahweh started the fifth and final stage of discipline that He promised under the Sinaitic Covenant: exile. Also at this time, God handed political power of the world over to the Gentiles. He first exiled the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria and then the southern kingdom of Judah to Babylon. Yahweh also gave the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, a vision of a statue of a man that represented five pagan kingdoms because God wanted to make it clear that He was still directing history, now through Gentile kingdoms. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/26-Sent-into-Exile.pdf

Because King Solomon, the last king of the unified kingdom, rebelled against Yahweh, God tore the kingdom into two: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Both kingdoms were supposed to worship Yahweh as God. But instead, they had more bad than good kings in their history, leading both Israel and Judah to become paganised. Whether it was the common man or kings and leaders, the Bible records that most were rebellious towards God. So both kingdoms went into decline. During this period, God did not leave the people alone. God used prophets to speak to them to encourage change. But what was the job that God gave them? The prophets had three main roles: they were God’s historians; they were God’s prosecuting attorneys; and they were God’s Scripture writers. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/25-Decline-of-the-Kingdom.pdf

We conclude Lesson 24, looking at how King Ahab changed the god of Israel from Yahweh to Baal. This was when God sent the prophets Elijah and Elisha to demonstrate to the people who the true Creator-God really is. We then take a look at a summary of the kings of Israel and Judah and draw several important sanctification lessons for ourselves. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/24-The-Kingdom-Divided.pdf

We conclude Lesson 23 at 50:15 and go onto Lesson 24: The Kingdom Divided. During the time of the judges, as Israel settled into the Promised Land, the Bible records that as a nation, the people rebelled against God. Then during the period of the kings, the Bible shows that Israel’s leaders too, were overall rebellious towards Him. Because King Solomon, the last king of the unified kingdom, rebelled against Yahweh, God tore the kingdom into two: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Both kingdoms were supposed to worship Yahweh as God. But instead, they had more bad than good kings in their history, leading both Israel and Judah to become paganised. Whether it was the common man or kings and leaders, the Bible records that most were rebellious towards God. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/24-The-Kingdom-Divided.pdf

Saul, the first human king of Israel, rejected God’s rules and lived selfishly based on his own ambitions. David, the second king, was upheld by God as a model king because he followed God with his whole heart, and was teachable and repentant when he sinned. God made Solomon, the third king, the wisest man on earth. His reign was the golden era for Israel. However, Solomon did not obey God fully. Against God’s law for kings, Solomon had 1,000 women and many of them were pagans. It was through trying to please his pagan wives that Solomon led Israel into spiritual rot. He introduced Israel to the worship of idols side by side with the worship of Yahweh! Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/23-King-Solomon.pdf

After the period of the conquest, the Israelites settled in the Promised Land, but they stopped following God. The book of Judges ended by saying that everyone “did whatever seemed right in their own eyes”. God’s own people, the Israelites, were living in sin, just like the surrounding nations. They rejected God as their King, asking instead for a human king. God allowed them to have one, but not before the prophet Samuel warned them that human kings would make their lives miserable. But they didn’t listen. The first king, Saul, was not a good king. His own ambition was more important than obeying God. So God rejected him and chose David as the second king. God made an unconditional covenant with David that he would always have descendants on the throne. However, God warned that He would discipline them if they sinned. Discipline’s goal was to turn their hearts back to Him. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/22-King-David.pdf

After Israel’s conquest period, the final judge to lead Israel was the prophet Samuel. At that time, the people demanded to have a human king, just like the nations around them. They no longer wanted God as their divine King. Yahweh agreed to this evil request, but under His terms. The human king must be chosen by Him and come under His authority. The king was not to be the ultimate authority. God chose Saul as the first king but his heart was disobedient. He treated himself as the ultimate authority, the very thing God warned kings against. His reign ended in disaster. God rejected him as king and he died a tragic death. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/21-Kings-for-Israel.pdf

Faith in Action II — Using Scripture to get Perspective on My Questions. This lesson is the second Faith in Action exercise where the class does a review of the truths learnt so far. The review helps to build out the biblical framework that will help them understand and analyse life. When the troubles of life overwhelm us, or when a complex issue confuses us, our first response should be to ask: “Where in God’s Word can I look to for the biblical perspective on this question?” As the class tackles a series of tough questions using the biblical framework of truth, they find good answers that settle their hearts, thus giving themselves the stability and confidence to live as faithful disciples. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/20-Faith-in-Action-II.pdf

We conclude the lesson on why believers and unbelievers suffer. We explore more of the Bible’s reasons for suffering: to push our spiritual growth, to help unbelievers come to faith, to encourage spiritual growth in other believers, and as a consequence of things happening in the angelic realm. For unbelievers, suffering could also be God’s wake-up call for them. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/19-Understanding-Suffering.pdf

At our present time, before God gets rid of all evil in the world and in believers, He knows that even those who love Him would have to live with tragedy, pain and sorrow. But because He loves us and cares for every detail of our lives, God taught us how we are supposed to cope with suffering today. This lesson explores eleven reasons that the Bible gives as to why believers and unbelievers suffer. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/19-Understanding-Suffering.pdf

We conclude the lesson on sanctification by discussing these questions: how does God sanctify us or grow us spiritually? What does the sanctification journey look like in our lives? Isn’t the aim of sanctification to live a moral life, have wonderful spiritual experiences, a good reputation or achieve great self-improvement? And also, are there secrets and “surefire methods” to spiritual growth? Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/18-Holy-War-Within-Ourselves.pdf

Through the period of the conquest and settlement, Yahweh showed that because He is all-holy, He detests the sin and evil in the world and will eliminate it forever. However, He also detests the sin and evil within believers and wants to eliminate those things. He intends for believers to become holy and reflect His righteous character. So God calls all believers to wage “holy war” within ourselves. What does this mean? Just as Yahweh commanded the Israelites to get rid of evil in the Promised Land, He commands us as believers to get rid of sin within ourselves. And just as God commanded the Israelites to trust and obey Him during the time of the conquest and settlement, He commands us as believers to trust and obey Him in our lives. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/18-Holy-War-Within-Ourselves.pdf

We continue with Lesson 17, examining two final incidents during the conquest period: the supernatural longest day at Aijalon (Joshua 9–10), and God’s sentence of the postponed Kingdom at Bochim (Judges 2:1–5). We will reflect on the sanctification lessons God was teaching Israel and also us. The lesson concludes by summarising the result of the conquest and settlement period and what happened after Joshua’s death. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/17-Building-Spiritual-Life-in-the-Israelites.pdf

We conclude Lesson 16 at 30:00 and go on to Lesson 17: Building Spiritual Life in the Israelites. During the time of the desert wandering and the period of the conquest, God focused on teaching Israel how to trust in Him and how to have a spiritual life. How did God do this? Most people do not learn just by being told what is right and wrong. Most people learn through experience when they are faced with real-life choices. God taught His son, Israel, lessons on spiritual life through the many different situations that Israel encountered. We will examine seven events of the conquest period to observe the spiritual lessons that God was teaching Israel. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/17-Building-Spiritual-Life-in-the-Israelites.pdf

The period of Israel’s conquest and settlement of the Promised Land of Canaan is one of the most challenging events in Israel’s history to understand. Many believers stumble over God’s commands to Israel to completely wipe out the people from the land. They misunderstand God and think it cruel or even evil of Him. Why did God call for this? This lesson delves into God’s character—how His all-righteous character demands that justice be satisfied; that rebellious, evil people who have sinned beyond the limits of His grace need to be dealt with. God judges because He wants to remove evil and restore good. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/16-The-Period-of-the-Conquest.pdf

We continue to camp at Sinai to observe how God communicates with Israel. He revealed Himself in a visible and audible way, and He spoke to the nation of Israel as a whole first, and then to Moses personally. Moses recorded God’s words for the people. Through this event, we learn about revelation, inspiration and the canon of God's Word. We also learn what a prophet is and God has two tests to prove the authenticity of prophets. We will also study the rebellion at Sinai, when the people grew impatient with God and decided to make their own god to worship. We see God’s response and how Moses acted as a mediator. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/15-Revelation-and-Rebellion-at-Sinai.pdf

We conclude Lesson 14 with the questions: “Do believers today have to obey the Old Testament laws?” and “Are Christians supposed to keep the Sabbath (Commandment #4)?” Then there is a Q&A time about the Mosaic covenant that God made with the nation of Israel. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/14-Gods-Perfect-Law.pdf

God made a conditional covenant with Israel. There were laws for Israel’s obedience. What were God’s laws like? The 613 laws were comprehensive and addressed many areas of daily life that would have been of concern to the Israelites. Areas like their relationship with God, relationship with each other, how to run the economy and do business, agriculture, the justice system, hygiene and sanitation, temple and priests, sacrifices, festivals, dietary laws and more. His laws were instructions to them on how to live well as individuals and as a community, and how to relate to Him and each other. This episode is part 1 of the lesson. Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/14-Gods-Perfect-Law.pdf

At Mount Sinai, Yahweh made a covenant with Israel. He gave them His law. Unlike impersonal human law codes, God’s law came from His heart as a Father and was given to Israel, His son. He wanted them to obey out of gratitude for all He had done for them. The covenant at Sinai was a conditional one, meaning there were blessings for Israel’s obedience, but also curses, or discipline, if the nation broke the terms of the covenant. God was fully committed to His relationship with Israel and He viewed it so seriously that He put in place witnesses (the Law, Israel’s song [the national anthem] and “heaven and earth”), as well as prosecuting attorneys (the prophets). Access the notes at: https://interlocked.online/s/13-Mt-SinaiThe-Law.pdf