Chapter 11
Disciplined by God

1.	Recall a time in your childhood when your parents disciplined you. Looking back on it today, how did you benefit from that discipline?
I can remember a time when I bit my sister in the arm.  I was disciplined very seriously for it, as I must have been 4 or 5 years old.  I benefited from it because I understood…
1)	This was not acceptable behavior and there will be consequences for that type of behavior
2)	What loving discipline was all about.  My father did not “fly off the handle” at me, but sternly dealt with me in a very loving way.

2.	Why does God find it necessary to discipline his children?
To protect us from things that can harm them
Because he loves us
To help us grow spiritually

3.	Which two messages does every child need to hear from his or her parents?
a.	I love you more than you can possibly understand.  You are precious to me
b.	Because I love you, I must teach you to obey me.  This is the only way I can protect you from things that hurt you

4.	How can we learn to appreciate God’s “tough love” instead of rebelling against it?
We need to recognize it is for our good – and that happens by staying connected to him by means of his Word

God’s discipline over Israel
1.	What was God’s primary goal for his Old Testament children?
God’s goal was to have them grow spiritually; to have them live close to him in order to get them ready to live with him
*When we apply this to ourselves, let us understand – God’s goal for us is not stagnation, but growth in faith and sanctification
2.	When he in judgment cut down thousands who had worshiped the golden calf, what message did God send his people?
Your behavior is an insult to me.  By it you degrade yourself.  You imperil the promise of the Savior.  Such behavior will destroy you and I will not tolerate it.

3.	Why did God discipline the Israelite tribes who failed to drive out the Canaanite occupants of the Promised Land? 
Because they disobeyed the Lord by intermarrying and joining in false worship

4.	In what way was God’s discipline appropriate for their sin? 
That which they failed to do would be the very source of their problems

5.	Why did his chosen nation need such harsh discipline?
-	By withdrawing his helping hand, God was teaching them “You can’t do it on your own.  You need me.  Look, turn, listen to me!”
-	So they would remember that God had chosen them to belong to him

6.	In the history of Israel, what two different results of God’s discipline are seen?
a.	Some rejected God’s discipline and fell under judgment
b.	Some repented and returned in faith to the family of God

Moses
1.	At the burning bush, God called Moses to lead Israel out of slavery. Why did Moses object?
Moses gave multiple reasons:
-	He said the Israelites wouldn’t trust him
-	He said that they wouldn’t believe God has come to help them
-	He said that they aren’t used to hearing messages from God
-	He said that he couldn’t think or talk well enough
-	He told God that he had picked the wrong man

2.	If you had been God, would you have given the job to Moses?
No
3.	In what way have you duplicated Moses’ attitude?
-	Perhaps we have duplicated it when we comment about a person that we have witnessed to, saying “they won’t ever believe that or turn from their sin.”  (thus doubting the Spirit’s power)
-	Maybe it is in an unwillingness to serve on council saying – I couldn’t do that
-	Maybe it is service within the church in general or witnessing in general (where you don’t do it because you say it will never work)

4.	List some of the steps God took to discipline Moses.
-	We hear that God’s anger burned against him
o	He rebuked his littleness of faith
o	He said he would equip
o	Gave the “glory” of speaking to Pharaoh to Aaron

5.	What evidence can you see in your own life that God isn’t through with you yet?
He is still constantly putting opportunities before us

6.	What does Hebrews 11:24-28 tell you about how Moses accomplished what he did?
By faith

7.	What assurance for your life do you find in Philippians 1:6?
God will/can finish what he started

Elijah
1.	What had the Lord done to equip Elijah for his difficult ministry?
He came to him frequently with his word
Supported his preaching with miracles

2.	What response of Elijah prompted God to discipline him?
He ran away – doubting God’s promises and angry at God for the way he was doing things
3.	List some of the steps God took to discipline Elijah.
-	Found him as he ran away and rebuked him
-	He reminded Elijah that, as God, he was in control
-	He vividly showed to Elijah how he does his work and then told Elijah that there was work for him to do

4.	What spectacular lesson did God teach him at Mount Sinai?
That he is in control, but that he doesn’t work things the way we do or the way we think he should

5.	What does God want to teach us through this?
Trust the word

6.	What evidence does the New Testament supply that God’s discipline of Moses and Elijah accomplished its purpose?
Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration

7.	Describe the “devil’s disease” with which we were born.
The desire to be our own god, with a right to disagree with God

8.	When God disciplines us, is it always because of our bad behavior? Illustrate your answer from Scripture.
No.  Consider Job.  He was disciplined, yet was a righteous man.
	Even Paul, with his thorn in his flesh. 
	The purpose of this discipline is to build us up, bring us closer to him, to purify our faith.

9.	What did Luther mean when he called God a hidden God?
He seems like he isn’t there

10.	What three truths, which God taught Job, do we need to learn about how he runs his world?
a.	God is a holy God, who hates sin
b.	God is a compassionate God, who can be trusted (if he chooses not to remove evil from our lives, he will make it serve our good)
c.	God is an incomprehensible God, who doesn’t explain all his actions to us

11.	Where do you see God’s discipline in your life today?
Answers will vary from person to person
-	Could be in our finances
-	Rough job/loss of job
-	Illness

If we don’t see discipline in our lives we don’t need to worry about when the other shoe will drop.  But always pray that our gracious God help us remain connected to Christ and his Word.

12.	How has God’s discipline shaped your faith life?
It often times makes us more acutely aware of the fact that this life is temporary.  It focuses our attention more on the spiritual and eternal.  And it makes us more diligent in our prayer life.