Bible Study Questions Scandalous Scripture: "When Anger Strikes Twice"
- Prayer Brief Summary
- In Part 7 of Scandalous Scripture, we move through the book of Numbers and follow a repeated pattern of jealousy, rivalry, selfish ambition, and anger. Alongside those failures, another theme keeps appearing: the Spirit of God. The study eventually turns to the New Testament to ask what Spirit-filled people should actually look like when pressure, conflict, jealousy, and anger arise.
- Questions
- 1. A Difficult Test
- Read Numbers 5:11–31. What situation brings the husband and wife before the priest, and what steps does the priest take once the matter is brought before God?
- • Hint: Follow the sequence of the ceremony carefully and notice who ultimately determines the outcome.
- 2. Unexpected Prophecy
- Read Numbers 11:16–17, 24–30. What happens when God places His Spirit upon the appointed elders, and how does Joshua respond when he hears what is happening elsewhere in the camp?
- • Hint: Pay attention to the people who were not standing with the main group when the Spirit came upon them.
- 3. A Family Challenge
- Read Numbers 12:1–15. What complaint do Miriam and Aaron raise against Moses, and what deeper question do they ask about his leadership and relationship with God?
- • Hint: Look beyond the first criticism and notice how the conversation shifts toward authority and spiritual status.
- 4. A Leadership Dispute
- Read Numbers 16:1–11. What argument do Korah and his supporters make against Moses and Aaron, and how does Moses respond to their challenge?
- • Hint: Notice both what Korah says about the congregation and what Moses asks him about the role he already has.
- 5. Two Wilderness Incidents
- Read Exodus 17:1–7 and Numbers 20:1–11. How are the two water-from-the-rock events similar, and what important difference is there in God’s instruction to Moses?
- • Hint: Compare exactly what God tells Moses to do in each passage before looking at Moses’ response.
- 6. The Cost of a Response
- Read Numbers 20:10–13 and Psalm 106:32–33. What does Moses say and do at the rock, and how does Psalm 106 later describe what was happening in him during that moment?
- • Hint: Read the two passages together and focus on Moses’ words, actions, and emotional condition.
- 7. The Spirit at Work
- Read Exodus 31:1–5 and Numbers 11:24–29. How is the Spirit of God described at work in Bezalel and later among the leaders in Numbers 11, and what does this show about the different kinds of work God empowers His people to do?
- • Hint: Compare the setting, the people involved, and the responsibilities connected with the Spirit in each passage.
- 8. A Promise Fulfilled
- Read Numbers 11:29, Joel 2:28–29, and Acts 2:14–18. How does Moses’ statement in Numbers connect with Joel’s promise and Peter’s explanation on the day of Pentecost?
- • Hint: Follow the repeated theme of God’s Spirit from Moses, to the prophet, to the New Testament.
- 9. Two Ways to Live
- Read Galatians 5:16–26. Which attitudes and behaviors in this passage resemble the conflicts we saw throughout Numbers, and what contrasting qualities does Paul describe as the fruit of the Spirit?
- • Hint: Compare the wilderness stories with both lists in Galatians rather than focusing on only one word.
- 10. Responding Like Christ
- Read James 3:13–18, 1 Peter 2:21–23, James 1:19–20, and Ephesians 4:26–32. What do these passages teach about jealousy, selfish ambition, anger, retaliation, and the way Christians are called to respond under pressure? How should we see Jesus’ temple cleansing in light of these passages?
- • Hint: Look for repeated contrasts between human reactions and the kind of conduct Scripture associates with godly wisdom and maturity.
- 11. Application: What Comes Out Under Pressure?
- Read Galatians 5:22–23 and James 1:19–20. Think about the places where you are most likely to become jealous, defensive, impatient, or angry. What is one specific situation this week in which you can respond differently?
- • Hint: Choose a real setting—home, work, church, online, family, or a difficult conversation—and identify one intentional change in your response.
- Discussion