God’s Covenant Plan, Lesson 5.8

God’s Covenant Plan

Lesson Five: To Kingdom Come

Lesson Objectives

  1. 1. To finish reading the Old Testament (from Joshua to Malachi) and to read with understanding.
  2. To understand the broad outlines of the history of Israel in light of God’s covenant with Abraham.
  3. To appreciate the crucial importance of God’s everlasting covenant with David.

VIII. Study Questions

1. Why did God permit some Canaanites to remain in the Promised Land, according to the author the book of Judges?
2. What was wrong about the Israelites asking Samuel for a king?
3. Before David made Jerusalem his capital, at what other important moment in salvation history was Jerusalem mentioned?
4. What are the different perspectives of the Books of Kings and Chronicles?
5. What are the six points of the Davidic Covenant that we identified?
6. How does the covenant with David further the fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham?
7. Why is Mount Moriah significant in salvation history?
8. What is the todah?
9. What are some other names that the Bible uses to describe the Northern Kingdom? The Southern Kingdom?
10. What did Ezekiel prophesy about the "new David"?
11. Who is the only prophet who used the word "new covenant"?

Begin Lesson 6

Lesson Outline

  1. Review and Overview
  2. Entering the Promised Land
    1. Joshua at Jericho
    2. Barbs and Thorns Remain
    3. Judging By Their Weakness
    4. Born in Bethlehem
  3. The Rights and Wrongs of Kings
    1. Hannah the Handmaid
    2. Making a Monarchy
  4. Israel’s Shepherd - Priest and King
    1. The Lord’s Anointed
    2. Capitalizing Jerusalem
    3. An Everlasting Covenant
    4. Abraham’s Covenant Remembered
  5. Entering the Kingdom
    1. The Shape of Things Under Solomon
    2. Psalms and Wisdom
  6. Two Nations Under God
    1. North-South Divide
    2. Raising Prophets
    3. Good Kings, Bad Kings
    4. Punished by Babylon
    5. Writing in Exile
  7. After the Exile
    1. Restoration and Rebuilding
    2. Persecution and Revolt
    3. Hasmonean Times
    4. The Consolation of Israel
  8. Study Questions

Other Lessons

  • Lesson One: How a Catholic Starts to Read the Bible
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To learn how to read the Bible the way the Catholic Church has always read it.
    2. To understand the concepts of “salvation history” and “covenant” and their importance for reading the Bible.
    3. To learn the key points of the creation story in the Bible’s first book, Genesis.

    Begin Lesson One

  • Lesson Two: Creation, Fall and Promise
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To read Genesis 1-3 with understanding.
    2. To learn God’s “original intent” in creating man and woman.
    3. To understand the sin of Adam and Eve and understand God’s promise of a New Adam and a New Eve.

    Begin Lesson Two

  • Lesson Three: East of Eden, Headed to Egypt
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To read Genesis 3-50 with understanding.
    2. To understand God’s covenants with Noah and with Abraham and to see how these covenants look forward to, and are fulfilled in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.
    3. To appreciate the key figures in the story of Abraham - Melchizedek, circumcision, the sacrifice of Isaac - as they are interpreted in the Church’s tradition.

    Begin Lesson Three

  • Lesson Four: On the Way to the Promised Land
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To read the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy with understanding.
    2. To understand God’s covenant with Israel at Sinai and to see how this covenant looks forward to and is fulfilled in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.
    3. To appreciate the key figures and events - Moses, the Passover, and the vocation of Israel as “a kingdom of priests” - as they are interpreted in the Church’s tradition.

    Begin Lesson Four

  • Lesson Six: Into the Kingdom of the Son
    • Lesson Objectives
    1. To read the New Testament with understanding.
    2. To understand how the New Testament depicts Jesus as the fulfillment of the covenants of the Old Testament.
    3. To appreciate, especially, the importance of God’s everlasting covenant with David for understanding the mission of Jesus and the Church as it is presented in the New Testament.

    Begin Lesson Six