Reflection & Study Questions (Student Copy)
These questions are designed for personal reflection, group discussion, or classroom study.
Write thoughtfully. Support your answers from Scripture where possible.
1.
In the accounts studied in this Topic, what makes God’s instructions appear small, unnecessary, or unusual from a human perspective?
2.
How does Scripture demonstrate that the specificity of God’s commands is intentional rather than incidental?
3.
What do the reactions of those tested (hesitation, frustration, reasoning, delay) reveal about the human tendency to evaluate God’s commands before obeying them?
4.
In what ways do these accounts challenge the idea that obedience is only required when we fully understand God’s reasoning?
5.
Why does God often attach outcomes such as deliverance, cleansing, or victory to precise obedience rather than general faithfulness?
6.
How does partial obedience attempt to preserve human control while still appearing faithful on the surface?
7.
What similarities do you see between these biblical tests of obedience and modern attempts to redefine or soften God’s instructions?
8.
In the accounts studied, when did blessing, victory, or cleansing occur—before obedience or after it? Why does that timing matter?
9.
How do these stories demonstrate that obedience is not about earning God’s favor, but about trusting His authority?
10.
What dangers arise when sincerity, effort, or emotion are treated as substitutes for obedience?
11.
Which of these tests of obedience do you find most uncomfortable, and what might that discomfort reveal?
12.
How does this Topic reinforce the idea that obedience is purposeful—even when the purpose is not immediately revealed?
Scripture for Further Reading
- Exodus 12:1–13 (The Passover)
- Joshua 6:1–20 (Jericho)
- Judges 7:1–8 (Gideon’s Army)
- 2 Kings 5:1–14 (Naaman)
- Deuteronomy 8:2
- John 2:5
- Hebrews 11:8–30