LESSON 1: Story and History

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LESSON 1

*September 25 - October 1

Story and History

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week's Study:

Gen. 39:6–12, Josh. 3:9–17, 1 Sam. 24:1–6, 1 Kings 12:1–16, Job 1:1–12.

Memory Text:

“Every Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17, NET).

Though most folk harbor no great love for the study of history itself, most people do love a good story. Every civilization has a rich repertoire of stories that explain (or claim to explain) the origins, values, relationships, and structures of its culture. These stories, told over generations, are often teaching tools. In the modern age, storytelling was downplayed: people looked for facts and scientific answers to explain life. However, facts alone could not answer life’s most important questions. Today, a new generation, often dubbed “postmodern,” has rediscovered the power of stories. In that sense, the Bible is so contemporary because it is full of stories. Not legends, not “cleverly devised myths” (2 Pet. 1:16, ESV), but historical and personal stories that reveal truth about God and His interaction with fallen humanity. These stories describe real people, battling with real-life problems and interacting with the living God, who offers answers to these problems. Every story needs a setting. This week we will explore different settings and their historical contexts in order to understand better the characters we’ll be studying all quarter.

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 2.