SEARCHING OUR MEMORY:

1. Pretend you are a newspaper reporter. Write three headlines you might have used when writing stories about Samson.
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2. Discuss what you did from Searching our Lives last week.

SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURE: Read Judges 17-21

Read this week's text. Israel gets further away from the law and further away from God.

Family Practice of Idolatry (17:1-13)

3. What did Micah confess to his mother?

4. What did she do with the silver?

5. What request did Micah make of the Levite?

6. How did the Levite respond?

Tribal Practice of Idolatry (18:1-31)

7. How many spies were sent out from Dan in search of land?

8. Where did they stop?

9. What request did they make of the priest?

10. What was his answer?

11. Why did the Danites think Laish was a good place and an easy target?

12. On the way to Laish, what did the spies take from Micah's house?

13. What "selling point" was used to get the Levite priest of Micah to go with the people of Dan? (v. 19)

14. Micah's idols eventually were set up in what new city?

Immorality in Benjamin (19:1-10)

15. Where did the Levite from Ephraim get a concubine?

16. What did the concubine do?

17. After four months, what did the husband do?

The Levite and the Old Man (19:11-21)

18. On the way home, with whom did they finally stay?

19. Were they well cared for?

Problems in the Night (19:22-29)

20. What request was made by wicked men?

21. What did the old man offer?

22. What happened to the concubine during the night?

23. What drastic measure did the Levite take to make Israel aware of what had happened?

Israel's Reaction (19:30-20:17)

24. Where did the ten tribes gather to discuss the situation?

25. What did they resolve to do?

26. How did the tribe of Benjamin react?

27. Describe the army of Benjamin.

28. How many swordsmen were in Israel's army?

The War (20:18-48)

29. What tribe went first?
    Why?

30. How many Israelites were killed in the first battle?
    In the second battle?

31. What four things did Israel do before the Lord between the second and third battles?
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32. When God gave Israel the victory in the 3rd battle, how many men of Benjamin fled to Rimmon? (v. 47)

33. What happened to all the cities of Benjamin?

After the War (21:1-25)

34. What oath did the men of Israel take at Mizpah?

35. Why did Israel grieve for Benjamin?

36. What two ways did the men of Benjamin get wives?

SEARCHING OUR HEARTS:

37. What can our nation learn from the people of Laish? (18:7)
    Are we in danger?
    What about in our personal life?
    Is isolation and ease of life a danger for you?

38. What statement is made in Judges 17:6 and 21:25 that tells the real problem in Israel?
    1. Was it true that they had no king?

    2. What problems arose with each one doing as he saw fit?

39. In thinking about 17:1-5 and 17:13, how would you describe the belief in God that Micah and his mother seemed to have?
    1. How was it perverted?

    2. Was God forgotten altogether?

    3. How do we give our children "idols" instead of the real God?

40. What are some examples in our nation today of:
    1. Everyone doing what is right in his own eyes?

    2. A scant and perverted belief in God?

41. Israel knew Benjamin had sinned and fought for evil but still mourned the absence of this tribe. Have you felt this same way toward fellow Christians who have left the faith? Do you mourn that void? Do you pray for God to restore them?

SEARCHING OUR LIVES: (choose one to discuss next week)

1. Look at the ten commandments in Exodus 20 and then re-read Judges 17-21. Share with the class next week the number of commandments that you counted broken from these five chapters.

2. Emphasis in past lessons has been to reach out to our neighbors and friends and tell them about God. This week reach out to someone who has known God and now seems to be "doing what is right in their own eyes" instead of God's eyes. You don't need to share the name of the person, but share what you did to encourage them to restore their rightful place with God.

3. Make an effort this week to keep God's Word in constant sight of you and your family. Share some ways you have done this.