Character Studies

Part Two: Praying to God; The Fish That Went Manning—Jonah 2

Jonah

In Moby Dick, we read of the flight of Jonah from the commission God had given him: "With this sin of disobedience in him, Jonah still further flouts at God, by seeking to flee from Him. He thinks that a ship made by men will carry him into countries where God does not reign, but only the Captains of this earth. He skulks about the wharves of Joppa, seeks a ship that’s bound for Tarshish…Miserable man! Oh! most contemptible and worthy of all scorn; with slouched hat and guilty eye, skulking from his God; prowling among the shipping like a vile burglar hastening to cross the seas.

Part One: Introduction—Genesis 4

Cain, Abel, Eve and God

In this study we look at the world's first two children, their mom, and God. The children are an interesting and significant pair, representing the mold from which we all have come. They are the originals, and in many ways still affect and reflect all of mankind, aptly presenting the twofold division of humanity. Their names are Cain and Abel, and the choices they represent are presented to every person, even today

Part Two: Lessons in the Desert; Defeating Discouragement—1 Kings 19

Elijah

In our first lesson we studied the contest between Elijah and the worshippers of Baal, and witnessed one of the crowning moments of his life. After he has embarrassed and defeated the prophets of Baal in spectacular fashion, he orders them all slaughtered. He then tells Ahab he hears approaching rain, and tells him to go get something to eat. Miraculously, God produces a heavy rainstorm out of a previously clear sky, and Elijah outran Ahab's chariot to Jezreel.

Part One: Lessons on the Mountain; Defeating Doublemindedness—1 Kings 18

Elijah

Imagine with me a group of people in a small town, who desperately want to succeed in their vocations and the way they provide for their families. These people have grown up in church, but it's unclear whether they have had a genuine relationship with God. Christianity seemed to work for them when they were children (when families were poor), but they haven't translated their Christian background into their everyday working world as young adults.

 

Grass-Eating 101

Nebuchadnezzar

Try to guess this verse. It's widely quoted by Christians and non-Christians alike, and seen as a universal truth by anyone who has observed the rise and fall of people. It describes a condition that always leads to destruction—to a fall. The last word of the verse, in fact, is "fall." It's often quoted in a five-word abbreviated version of the actual verse—"Pride comes before a fall."

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