1.   Evil Counsel Divides the Kingdom (1 Kings 12:1-20)

2.   Divided Loyalties (2 Kings 21:1-17; 22-1-20; 23:3-5, 25)

3.   Downfall of Israel and Judah (2 Kings 17:1-25; 2 Chronicles 36:11-21)

Central Truth: Godly people seek the Lord rather than evil counsel.

Focus: Consider the destructive results of heeding evil counsel and seek the Lord in our decision-making.

Evangelism Emphasis: Sinners who seek salvation through Jesus Christ receive eternal life.

Golden Text: “ Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1).

INTRODUCTION

      When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam ascended to the throne. As with any transition of power, the coronation of Rehoboam provoked great anxiety among the people of Israel.

      Solomon had succeeded in expanding the power of David’s throne, but it came at great expense to the people. Generations before, the prophet Samuel had warned the people that a monarchy would result in the oppression of the people. Solomon’s reign was described as “grievous service” and a “heavy yoke” (1 Kings 12:4). With the transition to the reign of Rehoboam, the people hoped for relief. But the temptation of power would prove too great for Rehoboam to resist. He would prove to be a toxic leader, and his reign would be a disaster for the united kingdom he inherited from his father and grandfather.

1.   EVIL COUNSEL DIVIDES THE KINGDOM

      Solomon failed to maintain faithfulness to Yahweh. Because Solomon had divided loyalties, God would judge his unfaithfulness by raising up adversaries and dividing his kingdom (11:4, 14ff.). The greatest threat to the united kingdom of the twelve tribes would come from toxic leaders within.

A.   Jeroboam Negotiates for Unity (1 Kings 12:1-5)

      3 That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying, 4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

      Jeroboam was one of the adversaries God raised up against Solomon (1 Kings 11:26). Jeroboam was one of Solomon’s choice leaders—a valiant warrior and an industrious young man. Solomon recognized his leadership gifts and appointed him as supervisor of various construction projects in the lands of Ephraim and Manasseh (v. 28). During Jeroboam’s service, the prophet Ahijah declared him to be the future king over the ten northern tribes of Israel, leaving the two southern tribes to the descendants of Solomon (vv. 29-39). When Solomon heard of this, he sought to have Jeroboam executed. So, Jeroboam fled to Egypt until the death of Solomon (v. 40).

      After the death of Solomon, Jeroboam returned to Jerusalem, with the popular support of the people, to negotiate peace with Rehoboam, the new king (12:3). The people were seeking relief from the “heavy yoke” of Solomon’s rule (v. 4). Rehoboam was given the opportunity to maintain the peace and unity of the twelve tribes.

·        Describe the Israelites’ request.

B.   Rehoboam Rejects Wise Counsel (1 Kings 12:6-11)

      7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. 8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him. 9 And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? 10 And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

      Rehoboam sought the advice of his father’s elders. The elders advised, “If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants forever” (v. 7). The elders understood that proper authority and power is exercised in service to the people and elicits loyalty from the people (D. J. Wiseman, 1 and 2 Kings ). Since the days of Samuel, the purpose of the king was to shepherd the people of God. The king was responsible to protect their well-being.

      Jeroboam’s petition in behalf of the people was a reasonable request. One of the first symptoms of a toxic leader is the failure to listen. Proverbs 1:5 declares, “A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel” (NASB). Even so, Rehoboam failed to hear the sensible request of the people and the wise counsel of the elders. Instead he “consulted with the young men that were grown up with him” (1 Kings 12:8).

·        Why do you suppose Rehoboam chose the young men’s advice?

C.   The Tribes of Israel Divide (1 Kings 12:12-20)

      13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; 14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

      19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day. 20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.   

      Another symptom of toxic leadership is to surround oneself with advisers who encourage the exploitation of power. Rehoboam’s friends appealed to his temptation to appear stronger than his father. Proverbs 12:5 declares, “The thoughts of the righteous are just, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful” (Prov. 12:5 NASB; cf. v. 15; 13:10; 19:20). The goal of godly leadership is justice for the people. The goal of toxic leadership is the consolidation of power and wealth at the expense of the people. The end of toxic leadership is the self-destruction of the toxic regime. Rehoboam rejected God’s call to be the shepherd of Israel and, instead, became the wolf of Israel. Instead of peace and unity for the people, Rehoboam’s toxic leadership resulted in strife and national schism (1 Kings 12:16-19).

      We too often attribute strife and division to the work of the devil. But the Biblical text clearly says Rehoboam’s disastrous leadership was the judgment of Yahweh: “for it was a turn of events from the Lord” (v. 15 NASB). God allows humans to choose between good and evil. But when humans choose evil, God will allow the toxins of evil to intoxicate the people, destroy the land, and judge the nation. The toxic seeds planted by Solomon bore their full fruit in the reign of his son. Rehoboam’s obstinance almost led to civil war among the people of God (v. 21). Only the intervention of God saved the people (vv. 22-24).

      God had promised David that his descendants would rule on the throne at Jerusalem. But God’s promise would not ignore the acts of evil kings. God allowed the kingdom of David to be divided. The ten northern kingdoms rebelled against the throne of David and were ruled by Jeroboam and his successors. The two tribes of Judah and Benjamin were to be governed by Rehoboam and his descendants.

·        How do leaders cause division today?

Toxic Leaders

      Toxic leadership is defined as “individuals with destructive behaviors and dysfunctional personal qualities that generate enduring poisonous effects on those whom they lead.” Intentional toxic leaders deliberately harm others or enhance themselves at others’ expense. Unintentional toxic leaders cause serious harm by careless or reckless behavior, as well as by their incompetence (Jean Lipman-Blumen, The Allure of Toxic Leaders ).

      Ultimately, toxic leaders destroy the very movement they seek to lead. The kings of Judah and Israel, due to their intentional disobedience to God or their utter lack of competence, would lead the people of God down a path of destruction .

2.    DIVIDED LOYALTIES

      After the death of Solomon, the divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel were ruled by a succession of kings. From Jeroboam to Hoshea (922-721 BC), the northern kingdom of Israel was ruled by nineteen kings who did evil in the sight of the Lord. The Davidic dynasty continued to rule the southern kingdom of Judah, with a succession of nineteen kings and one queen from Rehoboam to Zedekiah (922-596 BC). With just a few notable exceptions, those who ruled over the children of Abraham utterly failed to demonstrate faithfulness to Yahweh. Here we will consider two kings, both descendants of David, who are juxtaposed in the Biblical story as the worst and best kings of Judah.

A.   The Apostasy of Manasseh (2 Kings 21:1-17)

      1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzibah. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.

      16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.  

      Manasseh was the son of King Hezekiah, a king who ruled in faithfulness to Yahweh (18:3). Sadly, Manasseh did not follow his father’s godly example. Manasseh is presented as the epitome of an apostate and toxic ruler. Throughout the history of the throne of David, there were many kings who did “evil in the sight of the Lord” (21:2), but Manasseh’s long reign and idolatrous practices eclipsed them all. This story is an ominous warning—Manasseh led the people of Judah in committing “the same horrible sins practiced by the nations whom the Lord drove out from before the Israelites” (v. 2 NET). This refers to all the idolatrous practices of the Canaanites which Yahweh detested and forbade in the covenant law. This warning anticipates the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile of the children of Abraham. If the people of God chose to live like the Canaanites, then God would treat them like the Canaanites. God’s promises to Abraham and David would ultimately be fulfilled, but that does not mean God’s covenant grace ignored the willful sin and apostasy of the people.

      The indictments against Manasseh are many. Manasseh was an idolater extraordinaire—he “worshipped all the host of heaven” (v. 3); that is, all the gods of Canaan. He promoted the worship of the stars and constellations as mediators between the gods and humans (cf. Deut. 4:19). He erected altars to the Canaanite storm-god, Baal, throughout the land. He “made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel,” which refers to the goddess Asherah, the female consort to Baal (2 Kings 21:3). Manasseh’s abominations included a likely reference to child sacrifice—“he made his son pass through the fire” (v. 6). He also “practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists” (v. 6 NASB). All of these activities were expressly forbidden in the covenant law (cf. Deut. 18:9-14).

      Manasseh even erected altars of Baal and images of Asherah in the temple of God (2 Kings 21:4, 7). Under Manasseh’s leadership, the Holy Land became the defiled land; the holy city of Jerusalem became a great harlot; and the temple of Yahweh became the place of consorting Canaanite gods and goddesses. Furthermore, Manasseh’s reign was violent—he “shed innocent blood very much” (v. 16). He executed political opponents, including the prophets of God. According to ancient tradition, Manasseh ordered the execution of the prophet Isaiah by being sawn in half.

      The sins of the king became the sins of the people. Verse 9 says, “Manasseh seduced them.” Ever since Israel’s exodus from Egypt, they were often tempted to idolatry. What began with the golden calf in the wilderness continued generation after generation (Ex. 32:4). During the days of Manasseh, God’s covenant people did “more evil than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel” (2 Kings 21:9 NKJV). The results of the people’s unfaithfulness would prove disastrous. Because the people had forsaken Yahweh, Yahweh would abandon the people (vv. 14-15). The destruction of Jerusalem and the people’s exile to Babylon was close at hand. But God would grant a season of grace.

·        In what countries are tyrants like Manasseh reigning today?

B.   The Faithfulness of Josiah (2 Kings 22:1-20; 23:4-5)

      22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. 2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

      13 Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

      With the death of Manasseh, Amon ascended to the throne. Like his father, Amon “did . . . evil in the sight of the Lord” (21:20). After only two years as king, Amon was assassinated by members of his own government. So, his son, Josiah, ascended to the throne at eight years old. Josiah reigned for thirty-one years, and would be the last righteous king to reign over Judah.

      At the age of sixteen, Josiah “began to seek after the God of David his father” (2 Chron. 34:3). He rejected the idolatry of his father and grandfather. During the twelfth year of his reign, at twenty years old, Josiah began to exercise power in his own right and established a religious reformation throughout the land. The reformation is described as a “purge” (v. 3), in which “vessels that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven” were removed from the Temple, burned, and their ashes carried away (2 Kings 23:4 NASB). Then, the idolatrous priests were executed (v. 20).

      During the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah turned his attention to restoring the Temple at Jerusalem, which was in ruins because of decades of abuse (22:3-7). The covenant had been forgotten, the worship rituals abandoned, and the Book of the Law lost. During the renovations, the workers discovered “the book of the law in the house of the Lord” (v. 8). In our day, when there are often many copies of the Holy Bible in a person’s home, it may be difficult to understand the significance of this discovery. In the ancient world, only the educated elite were literate, and books were expensive and rare. The Book of the Law discovered in the Temple was probably the only existing copy, and no one alive had ever heard the Law until Josiah ordered it to be read to all the people (23:2). When Josiah heard the words of the Law being read, he “tore his clothes”—a sign of deep lament and repentance (22:11 NASB). He discerned that the nation suffered under the wrath of God because the Book of the Law had been abandoned and lost. In fact, none of the priests or scribes understood, or could properly interpret, the book.

      Josiah ordered that someone be found who could explain the meaning of the Law. During Josiah’s reign, the most significant canonical prophet was Jeremiah. Zephaniah also prophesied during this time. But, it fell to Huldah the prophetess to proclaim the word of the Lord: “Behold, I bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants. . . . Because they have forsaken Me . . .   therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it shall not be quenched” (2 Kings 22:16-17 NASB).

      Consider three significant points in this story. First, Holy Scripture must be properly understood and interpreted by the Holy Spirit. Huldah understood the meaning of the Law through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (cf. Zech. 7:12; 2 Peter 1:20-21). Second, Huldah the prophetess demonstrates that women can speak a message from God with authority (cf. Judg. 4:4; Joel 2:28; Acts 21:9). Third, Jerusalem and Judah would not escape the judgment of God. It appears that God allowed the Book of the Law to be rediscovered only to explain why the nation would be judged. They had failed to keep covenant with God, but God would not fail to judge their disobedience (Deut. 11:26-28; 28:15-68). Josiah’s reformation would not save the nation.

·        How does the Word of God need to be “rediscovered” in the contemporary church?

C.   Josiah’s Faithfulness Remembered (2 Kings 23:3, 25)

      3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

      25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

      Even as Huldah prophesied of the impending destruction of the nation, she declared that because of Josiah’s faithfulness, the destruction of Jerusalem would not occur during his lifetime (2 Kings 22:20). After the Book of the Law was discovered and read publicly, Josiah “made a covenant . . . to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant” (23:3 NKJV).

        Josiah was preeminent among all the kings, from Saul to Zedekiah, in that only he “turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might” (v. 25). These words describe the full devotion required in the service of Yahweh (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37). Josiah was killed in battle against the Egyptian army in 609 BC (2 Kings 23:29). The ultimate demise of the kingdom of Judah came within twenty-five years after his death.

That Good Name

      From history’s pages we learn of a cowardly young soldier in the army of Alexander the Great. Whenever the battle grew fierce, the young soldier would yield. The general’s pride was cut because the timid soldier also bore the name Alexander. One day Alexander the Great told the young man, “Stop being a coward or drop that good name.”

      The call to Christians is the same today. May we faithfully live up to all the name Christian implies.—George Sweeting

3.    DOWNFALL OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH

      When the children of Israel entered the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua, God offered a blessing and a curse (Deut. 11:26-28). God would bless them as long as they followed the Law. Should they fail to live in obedience to God, He would expel them from the land. The great story of the people of Israel demonstrates that generation after generation failed to keep covenant with God. The people that were meant to be Yahweh’s “own possession” and “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” instead embraced the gods and customs of the Canaanites (Ex. 19:5-6 NASB). God’s judgment would bring an end to the apostasy of Israel and Judah.

A.   Israel Under Siege (2 Kings 17:1-17)

      4 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

      During the reign of King Hoshea, the dreaded army of the great Assyrian Empire made war against the kingdom of Israel. Hoshea had been making an annual payment (tribute) to the Assyrian king to keep the peace. In an effort to free his kingdom from Assyrian domination, Hoshea sought a mutual defense treaty with the king of Egypt. When King Shalmaneser of Assyria discovered the conspiracy against him, he invaded Israel and arrested Hoshea. After three years of warfare, the armies of Israel were defeated and the Israelites were exiled to Assyria (2 Kings 17:1-6).

      The narrative offers a long indictment against the Israelites that begins with these words: “This came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God” (v. 7 NASB). The people of Israel embraced all the idolatrous practices (abominations) of the Canaanites. The people walked in the statutes of the heathen, served idols, rejected the covenant, and practiced child sacrifice (vv. 15-17). Even so, God proved long-suffering and gracious. For generations the Lord warned Israel through all the prophets, but the people refused to believe in the Lord their God. Scripture teaches us the righteous live by faith (Hab. 2:4; Rom. 1:17); and unbelief is the way of death (Isa. 1:20; Mark 16:16). The psalmist declared, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good” (14:1). Unbelief is the way of fools and the seed of abominations. Israel chose the path of fools.

·        How do verses 7 and 8 summarize the failure of God’s people?

B.   Led Astray and Carried Away (2 Kings 17:18-25)

      22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; 23 Until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

      The kings of Israel failed to keep covenant with Yahweh, and the people followed the sins of their kings. Generations earlier, the people had rebelled against God. God sought to destroy them, but Moses interceded in their behalf (Ex. 32:30-32). Throughout the life of the northern kingdom of Israel, there was no righteous king to intercede for the people. Instead of acting to maintain faithfulness with Yahweh, the kings led the people down the path of destruction.

      The language of judgment should terrify the reader: “The Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight” (2 Kings 17:18). God reached the limit of divine long-suffering and grace. The time for judgment had arrived: “The Lord rejected all the seed of Israel” (v. 20). In other words, there was no future (no possibility of redemption) for the ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel. God “had torn Israel from the house of David” (v. 21 NASB). The judgment that began with Jeroboam was being fulfilled in the reign of Hoshea—the people of Israel were “carried away” (v. 23).

      Certainly, the writer of Hebrews had the fate of Israel in mind when he wrote, “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment. . . . It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:26-31 NASB).

·        Do you suppose God is “very angry” (v. 18) with our nation? Why or why not?

C.   God’s Judgment of Judah (2 Chronicles 36:11-21)

      19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. 20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21 To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

      Even as the inspired author extolled the faithfulness of King Josiah of Judah, he warned, “Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah. . . . And the Lord said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem” (2 Kings 23:26-27). After the death of Josiah came the succession of four evil kings—Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Jehoahaz ruled only three months and was overthrown and imprisoned by the Egyptian king, who then placed Jehoiakim on the throne. Jehoiakim ruled for eleven years as a puppet to the Egyptian king. Jehoiakim is remembered as the king who burned the scrolls of Jeremiah (Jer. 36:21-26).

      In 598 BC, Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar fought against Jerusalem. He looted the Temple of its treasures, captured Jehoiakim, and took him as a prisoner to Babylon. Jehoiachin assumed the throne as a child of eight, and he ruled little more than three months before Nebuchadnezzar removed him and placed Zedekiah on the throne. Zedekiah was the last son of David to rule in Jerusalem.

      Like his fathers before him, Zedekiah did evil in the sight of the Lord. The priests and the people “polluted the house of the Lord” (2 Chron. 36:14). Even so, God extended mercy and compassion by sending the prophets with a call to repentance. But the people despised God’s word and abused the prophets. The people were so corrupt that “there was no remedy” (v. 16). Therefore, God sent the king of Babylon to enact judgment upon the nation. The destruction of Jerusalem was violent and utterly with “no compassion” (v. 17).

      The destruction of the Temple (v. 19) was the ultimate sign that God had abandoned Jerusalem. The God who had delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery now gave them over to Babylonian captivity. This provoked a crisis of faith. With the destruction of the Temple, God’s covenant with Abraham, Moses, and David appeared to have failed. The Promised Land was abandoned to the Babylonians, the children of Israel disobeyed the covenant law, and there was no one to rule on the throne of David. Even so, God remained faithful. In fact, the destruction of Jerusalem demonstrated God’s faithfulness. God promised that disobedience would be met with judgment. With Jerusalem in ruins, God’s word prevailed.

      Jeremiah had prophesied of the impending destruction of Judah and Jerusalem (v. 21), but he was consistently ignored by the kings, priests, and people of Judah. Jeremiah also proclaimed words of mercy and hope. Whereas the destruction of Israel was total and permanent, the destruction of Judah would be temporary. God promised that after seventy years of Babylonian captivity, the people would return and Jerusalem would be restored. God’s promises to Abraham, Moses, and David would indeed be fulfilled. The great story of God’s redemption of the world continues.

·        Why was the destruction of the Temple so devastating to Israel?

The Mills of God

Though the mills of God grind slowly,

Yet they grind exceedingly small;

Though with patience He stands waiting,

With exactness He grinds all.

—Friedrich Von Logau

LISTENING TO THE LORD

      Jesus Christ is the rightful heir of the throne of David. When He appeared, many of the descendants of Abraham refused to believe. As Jesus stood before Pilate, the people of Jerusalem cried out, “Crucify Him!” Even after Jesus was raised from the dead, many Jews continued to disbelieve. This greatly grieved the apostle Paul, who wrote, “I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart . . . for the sake of my . . . kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:2-3 NASB).

      Paul knew God’s word had not failed and that He would be faithful to the covenant with Abraham (9:6; 11:1, 29). In fact, the disbelief of the Jews meant the Gospel would be offered to the Gentiles (11:11-12). The inclusion of the Gentiles is the fulfillment that in the seed of Abraham all the families of the earth will be blessed. Paul hoped for the day all families of the earth would confess the lordship of Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:9-11).

      Accepting Christ as Savior and Lord is the wisest decision we can make. It is also the first step in a life of wise decision-making as we continue to yield to His authority and counsel.

Daily Devotions:

M. A Bad Decision (Genesis 37:13, 18-28)

T.    Poor Decisions Result in Judgment (Numbers 14:26-34)

W . Avoid Seduction of Sexual Immorality (Proverbs 7:18-27)

T.   The Lure of Possessions (Matthew 19:16-22)

F.   Consequence of Deception (Acts 5:1-10)

S.   Life in Christ (Colossians 3:1-4)

*Adopted from the Evangelical Sunday School Lesson Commentary 2020-2021