Study Questions for Groups
1. What answers to prayer did you receive over the last week?
Ask three people—two readers and one reteller—to help. Ask the readers to read Joshua 2:1-16 one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask the same two readers to each read Joshua 6:15-25.
Ask the third person to retell the story in their own words as if telling it to a group of adolescents.
2. What, if anything, surprises you from these passages?
3. Let’s look more closely at some of the details:
• In what parts of this narrative do you see faith displayed?
• What did the people of Jericho know and how did they feel about the Israelites?
• How would you describe Rahab’s faith in God? (Would you say it was based on facts or feelings? How “mature” was it? How did she put it into action?)
• How would you describe the relationship between Rahab and the spies?
• What did Rahab surrender and accept in order to put her faith in Israel’s God?
• What commands does God give the Israelites in our passage from Joshua 6?
4. What do you learn about God and his power from this story?
5. What do you learn about human nature?
6. What do you learn about obeying God?
• How are faith, obedience, and devotion to the Lord connected?
7. How will you show kindness this week . . . and to whom?
8. Based on our study and discussion, complete this sentence: “This week, I will . . .”
9. What challenges will you face this week?
For next week: Sometime over the next week, read and reflect on Joshua 24:1, 14-28, and 31 as we finish studying Joshua and our theme, “Strong and Courageous.” You can also read next week’s supplemental texts as well as the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
Author: Michael C. Mack
Michael C. Mack is editor of Christian Standard. He has served in churches in Ohio, Indiana, Idaho, and Kentucky. He has written more than 25 books and discussion guides as well as hundreds of magazine, newspaper, and web-based articles.
