According to the Smithsonian Magazine, in 2018 something called the hunger stones was unearthed because of a severe drought in Europe. These “hunger stones” did more than simply document drought. They lamented the difficult conditions accompanying a drought. When something like this is discovered, how do people respond? The Explore the Bible Study: God Moves, will reveal how people responded when the Word of God was "unearthed" while cleaning out the temple of God during King Josiah's reign.

When you examine what happened during the reign of Josiah in 2 Kings 22:1-20, perhaps it will cause you to long for God’s Word to be revealed once again in such a way that it brings about a revival in our land. Perhaps it will remind you that we should never ignore God’s Word, but we should obey His Word. When we do, God’s Spirit will move with power!

God’s Word is to be read not hidden – 2 Kings 22:8-10

When Josiah became king of Judah, he initiated significant spiritual reform. An account of this is found in 2 Kings 22:1-7 and 2 Chronicles 34:1-7. His reforms included commissioning work to repair the temple. During the temple repairs, Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the temple. Josiah was in his eighteenth year as king and was twenty-six years old when this took place. Interpreters disagree on exactly what the book of the law describes. But 2 Chronicles 34:14 states that Hilkiah found “the book of the law of the Lord written by the hand of Moses,” which seems to point to Genesis through Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 31:24-26 records that Moses had committed the words of the law to the priests before he died and encouraged them to keep a copy of it in God’s holy dwelling place.

Apparently, God’s written Word had fallen out of use by the time Josiah became king. Even after eighteen years as king, the Words of God were still hidden away. When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he realized the significance of the book and knew Josiah needed to learn of the scroll’s existence as quickly as possible.

When Shaphan reported to Josiah on the temple repair project, he shared two very important facts. First, the silver was used to take care of those who were overseeing the repairs of the temple. 

Second, the Word of God was taken directly to Josiah. Josiah naturally would have been eager to learn of this discovery, and at his request, Shaphan read it in the presence of the king. He shared the words of God that apparently had remained hidden from the people for some time.

Why would you say it is important to read God’s Word? 

Why motivates someone to ignore God’s Word?

God’s Word is greater than silver—a monetary value can’t be placed on it. Nor is it to be put on display as a historical relic of the past. It is to be read and to be used to remind the people of God about the work of God.

If one truly hears God’s Word, it will be evident in the response – 2 Kings 22:11-13

King Josiah was broken and convicted by what he heard in God’s Word. Tearing his clothes indicates that he mourned, was humbled, and was in deep distress by what he heard. When Josiah heard the actual words of God from the scroll, he realized how far he and the people had strayed and the consequences of continued disobedience.

Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. God’s Word penetrated Josiah’s heart and revealed the sinfulness of the people. He couldn’t just ignore God’s Word; he had to act on it.

When was the last time God spoke to you through His Word? How did you respond? Who will share how God spoke to you through His word?

When one truly hears God’s Word he will be compelled to respond.  Simply affirming we believe God’s Word is not sufficient; we should demonstrate our faith through obeying His commands. If a man said, “I believe in my doctor,” but never took his doctor’s advice, people would know he didn’t really believe his doctor. Likewise, God has given us His Word for our good, and our obedience testifies that we believe it. As we are reminded in James 1:22, we are to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. We have been deceived if we think just hearing God’s Word is enough.

Not only did the Word of God pierce his heart, but he knew he needed to know more so he could help others. He realized his own responsibility toward sin, but God revealed to Him the sinfulness of the people. He asked others to help him inquire of the Lord, denoting a careful seeking out of God’s specific direction on a matter. Because Josiah feared for his nation’s future, he asked Hilkiah to inquire of the Lord on behalf of God’s people by going to a prophetess in Jerusalem named Huldah.

The Explore the Bible Daily Discipleship Guide asks this question: Who do you approach when you need to understand a warning or other directive from the Bible (DDG, p. 114)? 

Have you ever considered that seeking to know and understand God's Word more is so that you can help others?

So, Josiah’s response to God’s word prompted these actions: (1) Brokenness and repentance because of sin; (2) Further inquiry so he could help others. Let’s see how the prophetess Huldah helped Josiah in verses 14-20. 

Knowing God’s Word helps us face an uncertain future – 2 Kings 22:14-20 

Huldah told Josiah God’s judgment was coming on Judah for the people’s persistent sin. Huldah announced God’s wrath would not only be kindled but would become a consuming fire. Josiah had worked hard to turn the nation back to God. His grandfather Manasseh’s wickedness had sent Judah into a downward spiritual spiral (2 Kings 21:1-18; Jeremiah 15:4). The prophet Jeremiah, who was a contemporary of Josiah, also promised Jerusalem’s ruin, though he did prophesy that hope remained if the people fully turned back to God (Jeremiah 17:24-26).

Yet, Huldah also affirmed that God would not bring Jerusalem down in Josiah’s day. Josiah would be gathered to his ancestors in the grave before judgment came upon the people. He would be gathered to his grave in peace. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom, which denotes completeness. Josiah would finish his life and would be buried before Jerusalem’s destruction came. God mercifully would extend the kingdom beyond Josiah’s days so Josiah would not suffer by seeing his people defeated and exiled.

God's Word and You

The Explore the Bible leader commentary reminds us that God is true to His Word, extending grace and exacting judgment. God was gracious and compassionate toward His people, but He would not tolerate their sin forever. After Josiah, four more kings of Judah reigned, all of whom did evil in God’s sight (2 Kings 23:36-37; 24:8-9,18-19). Under Zedekiah, Judah’s last king, Jerusalem fell, and the people were taken into exile (2 Kings 25:3-21). Josiah did not witness the disaster that fell on God’s people, but his successors did.

God still moves today. The Bible assures us we can count on all God’s promises through Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). Jesus affirmed that He came that we might have life in abundance (John 10:10). The Bible also affirms the necessity of knowing Jesus, lest we die in our sins (John 8:24). The consistent testimony of Scripture is that genuine repentance and humility move God’s heart. God’s Spirit also moves with power when His people obey His Word, because their obedience demonstrates the depth of their faith. 

Consider how you can help someone read, study, and obey God’s Word?

Evaluate your interaction with God’s Word over the past few weeks. What adjustments might you need to make so that spending time in His Word produces true life change?

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. Be sure to use this as a supplement to your study of the Explore the Bible Study resources provided by LifeWay.

What does it mean when we say someone's back is against the wall? According to the Idioms Dictionary, the phrase, “back against the wall,” originated in the 1500’s and it was used by military units. To have one's back against the wall meant that a military unit was stranded or caught in a difficult situation where coming back alive was only a slim possibility. The Explore the Bible Study: God Hears, will help you determine how best to respond when your back is against the wall.

2 Kings 18 describes when Hezekiah became king of Judah (The Southern Kingdom) and acted to turn Judah back to God (2 Kings 18:1-6). The king challenged the priests and Levites to help him bring about spiritual renewal (2 Chronicles 29:3-19). Hezekiah then restored the sacrificial system, and the Levites and people praised God and celebrated (2 Chronicles 29:20-36). 

The king then invited all Judah AND people left in Israel to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:1-6). Many northern citizens (Israel) mocked Hezekiah’s invitation, but others came (2 Chronicles 30:7-12). The people celebrated the Passover at a level they had not done since Solomon’s days (2 Chronicles 30:13-27). This was all taking place while Sennacherib, king of Assyria, was trying to control Hezekiah and the Southern Kingdom (2 Kings 18:13-37).

Isaiah the prophet advised Hezekiah to remain strong and to keep trusting God (2 Kings 19:1-7).  This infuriated Sennacherib when he heard that Hezekiah was considering the prophet Isaiah’s advice. The king of Assyria sent a delegation to Jerusalem, whose mission was to taunt and intimidate Hezekiah and the people of God.  This is when Hezekiah realized that his and the kingdom's backs were against the wall.

But being against the wall is sometimes where we need to be before we talk with God about our situation. When you seek God during those situations with honesty and humility, God will listen and respond.

2 Kings 19:10-13 describes how they taunted the people of God for their faith in God.

You will be taunted when you trust and honor God – 2 Kings 19:10-13

The Assyrian spokesmen gave the message orally and then in writing. They likely delivered it loudly for all to hear. They knew how to work through intimidation. The focus was not on Hezekiah, but on Hezekiah’s God. thus putting God’s honor at stake.

The spokesmen reminded Judah of what had happened to other kingdoms that opposed Assyrian kings—they completely destroyed them. In light of the Assyrians’ perfect record of victories, the spokesmen responded arrogantly with a question—so will you be spared? In his taunt, the spokesman was calling Hezekiah to consider carefully the potential implications of his choices. Did he really want to challenge the mighty Assyria?

The taunting continued with questions that placed Holy God on the same level as the gods of other nations. He mocked Holy God by saying that Holy God could not rescue them because he was just like the other gods that didn’t protect the other kingdoms. The taunting continued with a list of victories given to Judah in an effort to intimidate them into giving up.

Pride often leads to greater acts of arrogance. The more victories the Assyrians won, the prouder they became, the more they thought themselves invincible, the less they felt there was any god who could defeat them.

In what ways might we be taunted for trusting God today? How do the taunts and intimidations for our faith make us feel? How do we respond?

What you should do when your back is against the wall – 2 Kings 19:14-19

Notice the steps Hezekiah took:

1. He went before the Lord (2 Kings 19:14)
2. He laid the problem before the Lord (2 Kings 19:14)
3. He prayed to the Lord (2 Kings 19:15)
4. He acknowledged the ultimate authority and sovereignty of the Lord (2 Kings 19:15)
5. He appealed to the Lord to listen, hear, open His eyes, and see how the Assyrians were mocking Him. Hezekiah’s use of these verbs called God’s attention to the urgency of the situation (2 Kings 19:16)
6. He acknowledged his fear of the powerful Assyrians because of their past victories over other kingdoms, while acknowledging that the gods of those kingdoms were only gods made by human hands (2 Kings 19:17-18)
7. He asked God to intervene for the right reason – “so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are God – you alone.” (2 Kings:19:19)

When most people ask God to deliver them from difficult situations, do they usually ask God to do it so that the kingdoms of the earth may know that the Lord is God and God alone? 

What do most people desire when they ask God to deliver them from a desperate situation?

Which of these steps have you taken when your back was against the wall? Which of these steps do you find most difficult to take?

While Hezekiah did ask for deliverance, it wasn’t so they could enjoy life again. It wasn’t so they could feel safe again. It wasn’t because he desired Judah to be great again. It was because he desired for all the kingdoms of the earth to know that the Lord was certainly God and God alone.

Believers can and should humbly approach. Hezekiah came to God asking Him to intervene so the nations would see His glory. Likewise, when we come to God in prayer, pleading for specific answers, our desire should be for His glory. 

How might God show His greatness through a serious challenge you, your family, or your church is facing right now? Perhaps He is waiting for you to ask Him to show His glory in that situation.

While we know that God answers prayer in different ways, we see in the next passages that God did hear Hezekiah’s humble prayer of desperation and He responded. But God didn’t speak directly to Hezekiah. Verse 20 tells us that God spoke through His prophet Isaiah – Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “The Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘I have heard your prayer to me about King Sennacherib of Assyria.’ 

God will speak when you pray – 2 Kings 19:32-34

The verses leading up to verses 32-34 describe how Sennacherib had arrogantly mocked the Lord, the Holy One of Israel (19:22). He had boasted of his many accomplishments but did not realize God had made him who he was (19:23-26). God knew everything about Sennacherib, and He would lead him home in disgrace (19:27-28). The Lord of Armies, whom Sennacherib had mocked, would accomplish this (19:31).

Finally, Isaiah summarized for Hezekiah the brutal reality for Sennacherib—He will go back the way he came, and he will not enter this city. Sennacherib would return to his land without claiming Judah. The words "this is the Lord’s declaration," put a final exclamation point on God’s verdict against Sennacherib.

Notice that the Lord promised, "I will defend this city and rescue it." 2 Kings 19:35-37 records God’s victory over Sennacherib. God heard the faithful king’s prayer, brought dramatic deliverance, and still brings glory to Himself through this account as we study it today.

If you had been Hezekiah, how would you have felt when God responded in this manner? The prophet Isaiah is the one through whom God spoke to Hezekiah. What can you learn from this regarding how God might deliver answers to our prayers?

When YOUR back is against the wall

God will defend His name and rescue His people. Sometimes we wonder why we see so many people mocking God and His ways in today’s world. We may wonder why God hasn’t acted. We may be afraid for our own lives because of what we observe taking place in our world.

God’s Word assures us the day of judgment is coming for the wicked (Psalm 37:13). The Lord also will choose to defend His own honor in the manner He chooses, whether through life’s ordinary events or once and for all at Jesus’ second coming (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). Either way, God will hear His people’s prayers and act on their behalf.

Do you really believe that God will defend and rescue you or His people when they are facing threats because of their faith? 

What might cause a believer to question if God will defend and rescue him/her?

What can you learn from Hezekiah and/or Isaiah that can help you when your back is against the wall?

Why do people (myself included) ignore warnings, disregard warning signs and act in a way that could be life-threatening to themselves or to others? When people ignore a warning and they get into trouble or something bad happens, will they take responsibility for their actions? The Explore the Bible Study: God Judges, will examine these questions.

God Warns Repeatedly – 2 Kings 17:7-13

The writer of 2 Kings placed the blame exactly where it belonged: this disaster happened because the people of Israel sinned against the Lord their God. The Northern Kingdom abandoned God and consequently received judgment.

Here is how their sin is described in 2 Kings 17:8-12. V.8 – They lived according to the customs of the nations that the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites. What customs in our culture today might we be tempted to accommodate or embrace? V.8 – God’s people of the Northern Kingdom lived according to what the kings of Israel did. We have leaders today that we might admire. They might be church leaders or governmental leaders. How might we sin by living according to what they do? V.9 – The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. Do you think believers view sins done in secret as being less damaging? Why or why not? Vv9-12 – The Israelites worshipped all kinds of idols in all kinds of way. When you examine their actions toward these idols, can you see similarities in how something today can become an idol? Can you give examples?

Today’s world is in some ways little different from ancient Israel. Believers face numerous temptations to compromise and to adopt the world’s practices—practices the Bible says we should avoid. Verses 11-13 tell us that this angered the Lord, yet He continued to warn and extend grace. God called His people to turn back to Him by sending countless warnings through every prophet and every seer. 

God still calls people today to repent and turn to Him. When we repent of our sins and place our faith in the Lord Jesus, we become new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17) and God adopts us into His family (Galatians 4:4-7). Each of us bears a personal responsibility to choose Christ. As believers, God continually warns us to avoid embracing sin. He knows what sin does to us and to our relationship with Him. Because He is holy, He can’t leave sin unpunished. We must listen to His warnings, yet we will see next that we all have a tendency to ignore God’s warnings.

Why do we ignore God’s warnings? – 2 Kings 17:14-17

Verse 14 sums up the human condition regarding sin that so often prevails when God warns us: 

They would not listen.

Why don’t people listen to God’s warnings regarding sin? Why don’t you listen to God’s warnings regarding sin?

Not only would God’s people not listen, but they also became obstinate (literally “stiffened their necks”). They stood defiantly against God and refused to bow their heads in submission. The warnings only emboldened them to sin further. Their desire to sin led them to ultimately sacrifice their sons and daughters to their idols. Finally, verse 17 states that they devoted themselves to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight.

Notice God’s response: 

It angered Him.

Do you think that people today expect God to be angry at them when they sin?

When people today read that God is angry over sin, they immediately begin talking about how “God is love.” It’s His love that delays judgment for our continued sins. It’s his love that delays total destruction of this sin-broken world. It’s His love that sent His Son to pay for our sin. Yet, we seem to always drift toward desiring the things that would destroy us despite God’s love.

Why do people find it easy to reject God’s will and commandments and opt instead for hollow satisfactions that do not last?

God will only allow us to ignore His warnings for a season – 2 Kings 17:18-20

God had extended grace and given warnings time and time again. But now God had to act. Sin had become so blatant, and His people had become so perverted by sin that He had to judge them for their unrepentant hearts. Verse 18 should give all who profess Christ pause to consider what sin does. First, God wasn’t just angry, but the Lord was very angry. This anger resulted in a judgment that no one should desire to experience—the separation from God’s presence.

Ephesians 4:18 tells us that sin separates everyone from God: “They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.” Those who continue in sin develop hard hearts. The separation caused by sin dooms us to an eternity away from Him—except for one thing: Jesus Christ.

Someone who is lost and unrepentant might not be concerned with living in the presence of Holy God, but it should be concerning for Christians.  As Christians we can’t lose our salvation, but our sin can separate us from God’s fellowship.

Do you know what it is like to feel as if God isn’t present in your life because of unconfessed sin?

Gotquestions.org describes the separation from the presence of God a believer experiences this way:“Sin is like a dark curtain pulled over a sunny window. The sun is still there, but the curtain creates a separation from its warmth and light. Repentance lifts the curtain and restores the relationship we once enjoyed (1 John 1:9). Any unconfessed sin in the life of a follower of Jesus can create a sense of separation from God. God does not leave us, but the light and warmth of fellowship was cut off when we chose sin. We do not lose our salvation, because Jesus paid our debt in full. But we can lose the love, joy, and peace of the Holy Spirit when we persist in living apart from God.”

Notice also in this passage that, not only did the Israelites quit experiencing the presence of God, but everything they had lived for while not honoring God was taken away.

Heed God's Warnings

God warns us throughout Scripture that judgment awaits all who reject God. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John assured his readers that the most blessed part of eternal life is that God is with us directly (Revelation 21:3-4; 22:5). On the other hand, the most awful aspect of God’s judgment is that people who reject Him spend eternity without Him (Matthew 25:41). Second Kings 17 provides a strong warning to those who persist in unbelief and rebellion. Judgment day is coming, and all those who do not know Christ as their Lord and Savior will experience God’s everlasting judgment (Matthew 25:46).

For many today, rebellion is due to a lack of respect or knowledge of God; these are people who don’t have a personal relationship with God. But, for those of us who do know God, now is not the time to turn away from Him and embrace the sins that influence our culture today. It’s a time to draw near to God.

Maybe God is trying to get your attention today.  Consider whether you are listening to or ignoring God. If you are a believer, He won’t let you ignore Him forever. He will get your attention through His discipline. If you aren’t a believer, a warning has been given. Won’t you listen and turn to the one who desires for you to experience a loving relationship instead of His impending judgment?

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. Be sure to use this as a supplement to your study of the Explore the Bible Study resources provided by LifeWay.

Finishing what we start is challenging for many of us. 

We start projects only to find we have trouble completing them. Or perhaps we make commitments to the Lord that we struggle completing. Perhaps we commit to reading through the New Testament in one year, yet struggle to complete the commitment. Or maybe we commit to repairing a relationship, removing some habitual sin, or adding a new spiritual habit to our lives. No matter the commitment, we will face the constant challenge of completing what we started. The Explore the Bible Study: Honor God, will examine a king who started out honoring God, yet struggled in the end.

This new king was Joash, the young, seven-year-old King of Judah (2 Kings 11:21). Joash's reign had a great beginning. 2 Kings 12:4-16 focuses on the way Joash began to lead the people of God to reaffirm their commitment to Him and to honor Him. What we will discover is some great spiritual reforms that took place, but we will also discover the struggle we all have in completely removing anything in our lives that would dishonor God.

Honoring God Requires Finishing What Was Started - 2 Kings 12:4-8

The first recorded action Joash took to demonstrate his faithfulness to God was to speak to the priests about repairing God’s house. The king prioritized repairs for the temple so everyone could worship at a place that truly honored God. He also directed the priests to use silver that had been given to pay for the repairs.  Repairs were due to ordinary wear that had occurred in the over one hundred twenty-five years since Solomon had completed the work, and other incidents that may have caused more significant damage. 

Joash became king at age seven and reigned for forty years. The text does not tell us in what year Joash instructed the priests to begin the temple repair, but we do know that in the twenty-third year of his reign (813 BC), he grew impatient because the priests had not done the repairs.

While we don’t know why they delayed the repairs, it’s apparent that the repairs were not a priority for them. The delay prompted King Joash to call the priests, particularly Jehoiada, into account for their lack of action. Because the priests couldn’t give a good explanation for the delay, the priests would receive no more collected money from the people and no longer be responsible for the repairs.

Because they didn’t complete what they started, they lost the opportunity to be a part of the solution.

Why do believers today delay repairing spiritual damage that has taken place? What is the danger in not repairing or delaying the repair of spiritual damage?  

What can this event communicate regarding the stewardship of physical buildings used for worship and Bible study? 

What does this event communicate regarding your responsibility in restoring people to Christ through Salvation? (We can’t quit because the work isn’t complete.)

Anything we do for the Lord deserves more than a great start. We must continue until the work is complete!

Honoring God is Everyone’s Responsibility – 2 Kings 12:9-12

Following the king’s directive, Jehoiada the priest instituted a new system to fund the temple repairs. He created a designated offering box that would collect the money people gave toward the work, and the money would go directly to the workers. All of God’s people joined together to complete the repairs.

Imagine watching all this unfold every week. How would you respond? How was this an act of worship and not just an effort to pay for repairs?

Worshipers in Joash’s day who brought their designated offerings to the temple no doubt shared the same sense of responsibility. Yet the giving wasn’t just a payment, but part of their regular worship as they gathered. This had to be an exciting time because everyone was involved in honoring God!

Honoring God Requires Integrity – 2 Kings 12:13-16

Joash established a special offering under the supervision of both palace and temple (v. 10), but the text makes it plain that Joash’s and Jehoiada’s work to oversee repair of the temple damage did not ignore the stipulations from the Law of Moses. The priests kept the portions of the offerings to which they were entitled, and the temple repair work was funded through designated offerings the people brought. This money that came in went directly to pay the people who bought materials for the work and to pay the workers who did the work (v. 11). At least two officials—one from the palace and one from the temple—knew how much money went into the project, but those who supervised the work worked with integrity, so no accounting was required from them.

How does integrity honor God? How can it be a witness to those who are watching us?

A local church's integrity in how it stewards all it has been given is a witness to a lost community, and a believer’s integrity in business can further the cause of God’s kingdom. When we display integrity in all walks of life, people recognize our trustworthiness. When believers exhibit integrity even in small matters, many in the world take notice. The character trait of integrity grows in a person over time but can be lost quickly by one foolish choice.

Ending Well

2 Kings 12:1-3 gives us a glimpse into Joash’s complete reign: Joash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. . .  Throughout the time the priest Jehoiada instructed him, Joash did what was right in the Lord’s sight. YET [emphasis added] the high places were not taken away; the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.

In describing Joash’s reign, the author offers a favorable assessment, but there is one important word in verse 3: YET.

His reign could have lasted longer, but 2 Kings 12:20 states that his own servants killed him and placed his son on the throne. Joash governed well during his tenure, mostly because of Jehoiada’s instruction. 

What then is the significance of the word YET? 

2 Chronicles 24:17–22, says that after Jehoiada’s death Joash allowed outright idolatry to flourish and eventually allowed Asherah worship. At the end of his reign, Joash murdered Jehoiada’s son when the son spoke against Joash (2 Chronicles 24:15-22). When Joash suffered defeat from Aram, his servants conspired against him and killed him (2 Kings 12:17-21; 2 Chronicles 24:23-27).

Think about your walk with the Lord. Is there a danger of having a “YET” describing an area of your life? Who could help you continue to honor God in that area of your life? Consider how you should become more involved in helping the church as it continues to honor God and as it strives to make disciples of all nations.

Joash and all Judah struggled to remain faithful because they abandoned God’s work. This should serve as a constant reminder of the need to keep our focus upon God because of the sin-broken world in which we live. The rebuilding of our lives into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18) is not complete.

The downloadable teaching helps provide more details for this study, along with some tools you can use in guiding a group Bible study. Be sure to use this as a supplement to your study of the Explore the Bible Study resources provided by LifeWay.