My notes for teaching the Old Testament, by Mama Brenda.
Leader’s notes: Lesson 22 - Who is the God who has done all these things?
The object of this lesson is to look at all of the Old Testament and see what we have learned about God, and what God has done in the history of those 39 books. There are no easy answers for both columns (page 81) for all the books, but it will be good to revise what we have looked at and think about it again. Some words and phrases may come up again and again. No problem. You may have no answers for some of the books.
Try doing this exercise yourself before presenting it to the ladies.
I also suggest you have three sections for the time and divide it up carefully:
1. Explain the aim of the lesson to the class altogether. I have included a page of
theological terms (page 83) - words representing an aspect of God.
Don’t be scared off by long words. They are good fun.
This page is in the Lesson section so the ladies will have it to take with them for
further thought, together with pages listing the books of the Bible, (pages 81-82),
with space for their answers. 1 Samuel to 2 Chronicles and Proverbs to Song of Songs need only one answer to each question for each group of books. Teach
through the attributes so the ladies are a little familiar with these words.
Leave time for 2 and 3!
2. Group time. I suggest you have groups of 4/5 ladies, and set them to work through
the Old Testament books finding answers. You can go around the groups and listen
in, make suggestions and encourage good answers.
3. The last section involves enough time at the end for ladies to share their group
answers with the whole class, and say why they have decided on that answer, if
appropriate. Sometimes more than one answer is right.
This exercise also opens the door to thinking about God rather than just knowing the stories.
Theology is ‘theos’ meaning God, ‘logos’ meaning words. So, it means 'words about God'.
You may want to talk about Genesis 1-11 and Genesis 12-50 as a class for them to get the idea. The answers I would give to those sections would be -
The attribute of God that leaps out to me from Genesis 1-11 is God the creator. Omnipotent (all powerful) would also be good.
God/history? He made our world and brought us into time and space, because He wanted to.
The attribute of God I would choose for Genesis 12-50 is a covenant (promise) making and keeping God.
God/history? God caring about humans He made, establishing a relationship with them.
The book most of these attributes come from (page 83) is on Colin’s website -
www.colinsalter.net click on ‘Christian Theology in a Sudanese Context’, if you want more help.
Have fun! Nudge, encourage and suggest as needed.
Student's worksheet: Lesson 22 - Who is the God Who has done all these things?
You have made your way through 21 lessons and today we are looking at what you have found. So, what do we learn from the Old Testament about the nature of God, and about His dealings in history?
What will you put in these two columns?
The nature of God What was God doing in history?
Genesis 1-11_____________________________________________________
Genesis 12-50____________________________________________________
Exodus__________________________________________________________
Leviticus_________________________________________________________
Numbers_________________________________________________________
Deuteronomy______________________________________________________
Joshua___________________________________________________________
Judges___________________________________________________________
Ruth_____________________________________________________________
1 and 2 Samuel
1 and 2 Kings
1 and 2 Chronicles__________________________________________________
Ezra_____________________________________________________________
Nehemiah_________________________________________________________
Esther___________________________________________________________
Job_____________________________________________________________
Psalms___________________________________________________________
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Leader's notes: Lesson 22Who is the God who has done all these things?
Here are the answers I would have written on page 81: hope they help you.
The nature of God What was God doing in history?
Genesis 1-11 creator made us and our world because
He wanted to
Genesis 12-50 covenant keeping establishing a relationship
just with man
Exodus promise keeping taking His people back to the
just land He promised them
Leviticus just, holy giving instructions for the place where His holy presence would be seen
Numbers faithful, just getting His stubborn people to the right place involved God exercising discipline
Deuteronomy just giving laws to make His people to be just
Joshua faithful Israel occupied Promised Land
Judges patience godly judges were lights in a
dark time
Ruth love, omnipotent love to Ruth, to Naomi,
bringing a Moabitess into the
lineage of Jesus
1 and 2 Samuel faithful, just good kings honoured by God, bad
1 and 2 Kings kings rebuked, God’s wrath is
1 and 2 Chronicles felt in the exiles
Ezra patience Temple foundations rebuilt
Nehemiah omniscient God knew who to send to
Jerusalem and how it would work out
Esther omnipotent the right people in the right places at the right times
Job omnipotent God’s complete power versus Satan’s incomplete power, God’s
creation and power acknowledged
Psalms faithful God’s people talk to Him in praise, fear and thankfulness
Student's worksheet: Lesson 22 - Who is the God who has done all these things?
The nature of God What was God doing in history?
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon________________________________________________
Isaiah________________________________________________________
Jeremiah
Lamentations___________________________________________________
Ezekiel________________________________________________________
Daniel_________________________________________________________
Hosea_________________________________________________________
Joel__________________________________________________________
Amos_________________________________________________________
Obadiah_______________________________________________________
Jonah_________________________________________________________
Micah_________________________________________________________
Nahum________________________________________________________
Habakkuk______________________________________________________
Zephaniah______________________________________________________
Haggai_________________________________________________________
Zechariah_______________________________________________________
Malachi_________________________________________________________
Page 82
Leader's notes: Lesson 22 - Who is the God who has done all these things?
More of my suggestions, this time for page 82:
The nature of God What was God doing in history?
Proverbs He wanted people to walk His way
Ecclesiastes Without Him life was meaningless
Song of Solomon ?
Isaiah Holy One of Israel, showing a vision of the far
judge, restorer distant future
Jeremiah omnipotent vision of judgement and
Lamentations distant restoration
Ezekiel holy restoration of Israel to show the world that God is God;
Daniel omnipotent showing He knew the future.
He is sovereign
Hosea love ?
Joel judgement ?
Amos judgement eventual restoration
Obadiah eternal God’s kingdom will be seen
Jonah omnipresent, love God cares about the world He made
Micah judge, restorer God knows the future
Nahum omniscient foretelling fall of Assyria
Habakkuk omnipotent sovereignly outworking His purpose
Zephaniah judgement, restorer One day God will be seen to be victorious
Haggai holy Messiah will come from the line of David
Zechariah omnipotent, restorer peace when the “desire of nations” comes
Malachi God does not change ever!
Student's worksheet: Lesson 22 - Who is the God who has done all these things?
Attributes of God - what God is like.
God is Spirit - He exists in a different life form from us.
God is eternal - He is apart from and outside of time.
God is omnipresent - He is everywhere present at the same time.
God is a person - He is a Living Being who can think, feel and decide.
God is omnipotent - He is able to do anything His character allows Him to do.
God is omniscient - He knows everything.
God is holy - He is purely God; He is ‘other’.
God is love - He actively cares for our well-being.
God is just - He treats everyone fairly while being true to His character.
God is merciful - He does not give us what we deserve.
God is faithful - He can always be trusted.
(From 'Christian Theology in a Sudanese Context': Colin Salter, chapters 7-20, Khartoum, 2004).
God does not change - He is always the same in His being and promises.
God is patient - He is slow to anger.
God is creator - He made our world out of nothing.
There is no definitive list of attributes or description of God - He is beyond our understanding. You will find many lists in different books - but this page is a good starting place for thinking about God!
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