August 18 | Discovery Questions

August 18: Discovery Questions (based on Malachi 1:6-14; 3:8-18)  

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1. Recall a time when someone you were counting on gave you less than their best. How did that make you feel and what did it teach you? 

Ask two people to read aloud Malachi 1:6-14; 3:8-18, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize the passage. 

2. The Israelites and their religious leaders went through the motions of worship, but their worship was far from pleasing to God. What were they doing wrong (see Malachi 1:7-8)? 

• How might we engage in worship without honoring the Lord? 

3. God chastised Israel for their thoughtless worship and declared, “I am not pleased with you” (Malachi 1:10). How do you think that made the Israelites feel? 

• Have you ever felt as if your sin made you displeasing to God? 

• How can a passage like Romans 7:21-25 help in such circumstances? 

4. Not only did Israel worship God carelessly, they were stingy with their material resources (see Malachi 3:8). God commanded the nation to give tithes and offerings to support those in ministry and to provide for those in need. 

• How do you think the Israelites justified their neglect of this command? 

• How might people justify a lack of generosity toward God today? 

5. God promised to richly bless those who “bring the whole tithe into the storehouse” (Malachi 3:10-12). In his Application for this lesson, David Faust notes, “Grateful generosity should be a joyful rhythm in a believer’s life.” 

• How have you seen God bless your generosity? 

• How can you make generosity a joyful rhythm in your life? 

6. When things failed to go right for the Israelites, they “spoke arrogantly against [God]” (Malachi 3:13). Why do you think a common first response to trouble is to blame God? 

• What would be a more rational and worshipful response? 

7. Thankfully, a remnant existed in Israel that still feared God. They “talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard” (Malachi 3:16). The Lord referred to them as “my treasured possession” (Malachi 3:17). 

• Have you heard the phrase, “God always has a remnant”? What does that mean to you? 

• How can followers of Christ today remain a part of God’s remnant? 

8. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .” 

For Next Week: Read and reflect on Malachi 2:13-17; 3:1-5. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts and the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.