Oh I Get It!

"Walk in love" doesn't mean stroll along holding hands with some boy, does it?

Start by reading 2 John 6

"Walk" used this way means how you act in your journey of life. Do you want to go along leaving people out, telling lies, spreading gossip? Or do you want to make your way encouraging people and including them? If you imagine walking beside Jesus, the answer's pretty clear.

 

More To Get You Thinking

Talk about a long camping trip!

Start by reading Numbers 33

It's a good thing Moses kept a log of every time the people moved because nobody would believe it if it weren't written down. The Israelites lived in 40 different locations before God finally said they could cross the Jordan River into the land of Canaan . . . their own country. But first they had to drive out of that country everything that might separate them from God, including the people living there and their idols. God wanted their new life to be all about him.

Why did the Israelites want a human king when they had God?

Start by reading 1 Samuel 8, 10

God raised up a leader whenever Israel was about to be attacked by some nation. In peaceful times, though, all they needed were Moses' laws, prophet guides and wise judges. But other nations were growing more powerful because they had kings and central governments, so the Israelites whined to Samuel that they wanted that, too. God let them have it, but not before he warned them that they weren't going to like it.

Methuselah lived to be 969 years old? There is no way!

Start by reading Genesis 5

There are different ways to think about those impossibly old ages: 1. They might be different ways to say “he lived a very long life.” 2. The world was cleaner and fresher back then, so people could have stayed healthy longer. 3. Only the really godly guys are listed—maybe the ones God wanted to keep around longer. The important thing is that these men lived long enough to pass down all that they knew first-hand about God. There was no writing then, so what they told their kids and their kids’ kids was the start of this Bible.

So, what exactly is a tribe?

Start by reading Numbers 2

There were extended families, like you, your brothers and sisters, parents, grandparents on one side; aunts, uncles and cousins on the other side. All the extended families that were related to each other made up a clan, like your grandfather's brother and his extended family. Different clans that lived in the same area and had similar responsibilities made up a tribe. For example, the Levites always assisted the priests. All the tribes belonged to Israel.

Who came up with those plagues? It’s like a horror movie!

Start by reading Exodus 7–11

When God struck Egypt with the ten plagues, he was showing the pharaoh that he alone was God. Each plague was a direct hit at one of their gods. • When the Nile turned to blood, down went their god Hopi, who supposedly gave them life through the waters of the river. • The plague of frogs represented the false goddess Heqt, who they believed helped women have babies. • The livestock were symbols of the bull-gods Apis and Mnevis, the cow-god Hathor. You get the idea. By the time all ten plagues had hit, it was obvious who the real God was!