Key Thought: Ahaz refused to allow God to show him a reason to believe: instead he chose to ally with the king of Assyria.
January 16, 2021

A. Have a volunteer read Isaiah 7:3-9.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why did God tell Isaiah to take his son, hear-jashub, with him?
3. Personal Application: Why are faith and belief so important to be established? What are we established in? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “God assured Ahaz that his enemies wouldn’t win and would be broken in sixty-five years. But then he says, “If will notr believe, surely you shall not be established.” Is this a conditional prophecy, or is God saying Ephraim will be destroyed, but if you don’t believe, you will be destroyed also?“ How would you respond to your relative?

B. Have a volunteer read Isaiah 7:10-13.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What was the purpose of God counseling Ahaz to ask for a sign?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever seen people receive a sign from God for repentance, conversion, or hope and they ignore or reject it? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why didn’t Ahaz ask for a sign? Was it because he didn’t want to be presumptuous? Was he not trusting God and didn’t want one? Why did he respond that way?” How would you respond to your friend?

C. Have a volunteer read Isaiah 7:14..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. How can we accept human help, but also recognize its limits? When is asking for help not trusting God?
3. Personal Application: When making a decision, do you ever ask for a sing from God? Are there dangers in doing that? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “If God is with us, what difference does it make if we still face terrible trials and suffering? What good does the knowledge of His presence do for us?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

D. Have a volunteer read 2 Chronicles 28:16.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. When we may face trouble, what are some steps we can take to prepare for it or avoid it?
3. Personal Application: If a man of God came to you and said that people were coming to kill you, but they won’t succeed, just have faith. Would you trust God to protect you, or call friends for backup or call the police? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.
   
   (Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).
   
   
   
   

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