Lesson Date: September 12, 2010

Focal Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 9-13, 23-40

AIM: To lead adults to discover and list the five things God warned the Israelites not to forget, and to decide how those warnings relate to their lives.

 

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Before class: Have enough copies of the study guide titled “Take Heed … Lest Thou Forget” for everyone in your class.  Also, be sure to have some pencils or pens available.  Ask a volunteer to look up and read Number 25:1-9.  Ask that volunteer to be prepared to tell the class what Israel did and how God punished them.

When class begins: Tell of a time when you received a long list of reminders and warnings not to forget certain things.  This may have been when you were a young person and went off on an overnight retreat or camp.  It may have been when you first went out to drive “solo” after receiving your driver’s license.  It might have been when you moved away to college or to a new job.  Often the warnings and reminders you received were things you had heard many times before.  Ask if other class members can remember receiving such warnings.

Ask: “Why did your parents (or whoever) review and repeat all of those instructions?” (because they cared about your safety and well being – they wanted what was best for you, so they repeated many instructions and warnings).  Moses had invested much of his life in the nation of Israel, and he cared very much about them.  Before he sent them on their own (without him) into the Promised Land, he repeated some very important instructions.

 

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1.     Review.

a.     Briefly remind the class that Israel was camped on the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho (locate on the map).

b.     After leading Israel for forty years through their time in the wilderness, Moses was about to pass off the scene and send Israel into the Promised Land.

c.     In last week’s lesson, Moses urged Israel to learn from the past.

2.     Remember God’s Commands.

a.     Give everyone a copy of the study guide (and a pen or pencil if necessary).

b.     Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 4:1-2, and then ask: “What did Moses tell them to remember?” (God’s Commands).

c.     Ask everyone to write this on his or her study guide.

d.     Point out the fact that Israel was forbidden from adding to or taking away from God’s Word.  The same warning has been given to us (Rev. 22:18-19).  The Bible is true, accurate, authoritative, and complete.

e.     Ask: “How does this warning to remember God’s commands relate to us?  What are some commands God has given us that we must remember to obey?”/

3.     Remember God’s Awesome Power.

a.     Ask the class to listen for what God warned Israel not to forget, as you read Deuteronomy 4:9-13 (God’s Awesome Power).

b.     Ask everyone to write this on his or her study guide.

c.     Israel had seen some amazing demonstrations of God’s power, which should have (a) made them afraid to disobey God, and (b) encouraged them to obey God since He has power to keep His promises.

d.     Ask: “How does this reminder relate to us?  In what ways have we seen God’s awesome power?  What does the reminder of His power encourage you to do?”

4.     Remember God’s Promise of Punishment.

a.     Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 4:23-28.

b.     Ask: “What did God promise to do if Israel turned from Him?” (these verses contain God’s Promise of Punishment).

c.     Ask everyone to write this on his or her study guide.

d.     As another example of this, read Deuteronomy 4:3 and ask the previously enlisted volunteer to tell what happened in Numbers 25:1-9.

e.     Ask: “How does this reminder relate to us?  Has God promised to punish us if we let other things become more important to us than our relationship with Him?  In what ways?”

5.     Remember God’s Offer of Repentance.

a.     God wanted Israel to remember that He promised to punish them if they sinned, but He also wanted them to remember an important offer.

b.     Read Deuteronomy 4:29-31, and ask what God wanted Israel to remember (God’s Offer of Repentance).

c.     Ask everyone to write that on his or her study guide.

d.     Even after being scattered from their land, the Israelites could still repent and turn back to God.

e.     Ask: “In what ways does this reminder relate to us?  Has God offered to let us repent and return to Him after we stray?  How do you know this?”

6.     Remember Our Position in Jesus Christ.

a.     Ask the class to listen for the last reminder, as you read Deuteronomy 4:32-38.

b.     Israel was unique because of their special relation to the Lord.

·       God said He had never chosen any other nation with whom to establish a special, personal relationship.

·       He said He had never let another nation hear His voice.

·       God said He had never brought another nation out of cruel bondage in a foreign land to give them a new inheritance in a land of abundance.

·       The Israelites enjoyed a special, privileged position.

c.     The thing God wants us to remember from this is Our Position in Jesus Christ.

d.     Ask everyone to write this on his or her study guide.

e.     Ask: “What are some things God has told us about our position in Christ?  What is special about our position in Jesus Christ?  How should realizing who we are in Christ affect the way we live?”

f.      Ask a volunteer to read Deuteronomy 4:39-40.

g.     Ask: “What are the last things God said to Israel in these verses?” (know that there is no God like Him; obey His commands so things will go well with you).

h.     Ask: “Should we heed those same warnings?” (definitely).

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the class of the urgency and importance of the parental warnings mentioned in the introductory step of this lesson.  Our parents were insistent and urgent in their warnings and reminders because they were concerned for our safety and well being.  God is much more concerned for us than our parents were.

Read the reminders written on the completed study guide sheet.  As you read each one, ask the class to tell how that reminder relates to us.  The Israelites rebelled and disobeyed because that is human nature.  Unless we are yielded to the Holy Spirit, we can easily do the same.  It is urgent and it is important and it is necessary that we remember the same things God told the Israelites.

Ask: “Have you forgotten some of these things?  Do you need to confess disobedience and recommit yourself to God?  Do you need to thank God for reminding you of these things and commit to remembering them and living by them?” Encourage everyone to make whatever commitments they need to make as you lead a closing prayer.

 

CONCLUSION: If we love others, we will warn them when they go astray.  If class members have friends or loved ones who have forgotten some of these warnings, they should go to those persons and lovingly urge them to remember.  Ask everyone to read Deuteronomy 5 this week and do the learning activities in their Sunday School Member Quarterly.