Bible study 19th January 2022 “The way of exile” courtesy of the BibleProject™ on Zoom
Topic: Bible study 19th January 2022 "Way of Exile"
Time: Jan 19, 2022 07:30 PM London
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Bible study 19th January 2022 “The way of exile”
In 2020, all of us experienced loss──loss of hopes or expectations, jobs or stability, and some even lost loved ones. This is a traumatic time that has left our once familiar world feeling foreign and strange. And in times like these, we may begin to question where God is in all of this. We see God’s people ask similar questions throughout the story of the Bible when they found themselves in times of fear and instability.
In this week's Bible Study, we will ponder the story of Israel’s exile in Babylon, when God’s people lost everything they knew and loved and were forced into an unfamiliar world. This loss was devastating, but it also made them imagine new ways to be faithful to God and his promises to restore the world. In a similar way, we are all experiencing loss during the COVID-19 crisis, but perhaps there is wisdom and hope for us in these biblical stories of exile and restoration.
Listen
Listen to a short message from Tim on the Way of the Exile. You can listen to this on your own or with a group. If you are leading a small group or family, feel free to listen to the message and contextualize it for your needs. You can listen to the podcast here Podcast
You can watch this week’s video here Way of exile
Read and Discuss
1 Read: Daniel 1: 1 - 21
Reflection 1:
In what ways do you resonate with the Israelite’s experience of losing what they knew and loved? It’s okay to be sad and grieve this loss. Take a moment to reflect on how you might honour the loss you’ve experienced during this time.
Reflection 2:
Consider the combination of loyalty and subversion displayed by Daniel. Do you see any ways this can be a model for your own life in this time of change?
2 Read: Jeremiah 29: 1 - 14
Jeremiah writes a letter to a community of Israelites who were recently exiled to Babylon. He encourages them to settle in and build communities that seek the well-being of their captors. They are to seek peace and harmony not because they’ve given up, but because of their bold hope that God will rescue them and restore them to the promised land one day.
Reflection 1:
What resonated most with you in this passage?
Reflection 2:
Take a moment to reflect on what it means to “settle in” to this time, while still maintaining hope in the future.
Reflection 3:
What could it look like to extend love to our leaders and the broader culture in this time?
3 Read: 1 Peter 1: 1 - 2 & 1 Peter 2: 4 - 17
Peter addresses followers of Jesus in the Roman empire, yet he calls them priests of God who are living in exile. He calls them to distance themselves from the value system of their surrounding culture, while at the same time being faithful to God and those around them.
Reflection 1:
For many of us, our previous way of life has come to a halt. In what ways has your practice of worship and faithfulness to God changed?
Reflection 2:
Think creatively about what faithfulness to God could look like in this strange new world. How can you connect with God and others and live faithfully in this time?