Midweek Lesson Outline: 1 Samuel 2

“Rejoicing in the Lord”
1 Samuel 2:1-10

Introduction: 1 Samuel 1



I. The Goodness of God v. 1

“My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD, my mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation.”

Psalm 34; Romans 8:28


II. The Greatness of God vs. 2-3

“There is no one holy like the LORD, indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God. [3] Boast no more so very proudly, do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and with Him actions are weighed.”
1 Samuel 2:12; 3:13; Jeremiah 11:20; Hebrews 4:12-13; Psalm 95:1-3


III. The Government of God vs. 4-8

“The bows of the mighty are shattered, but the feeble gird on strength. [5] Those who were full hire themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry cease to hunger. Even the barren gives birth to seven, but she who has many children languishes. [6] The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. [7] The LORD makes poor and rich; He brings low, He also exalts. [8] He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, and inherit a seat of honor; for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and He set the world on them.”

Psalm 47:7-8; Revelation 19:6


IV. The Glory of God vs. 9-10

“He keeps the feet of His godly ones, but the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; for not by might shall a man prevail. [10] Those who contend with the LORD will be shattered; against them He will thunder in the heavens, the LORD will judge the ends of the earth; and He will give strength to His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

Acts 17:31; Isaiah 9:6-7; Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 95:6-7; 5:4-8; 2:12; 128:1


Conclusion: 1 Samuel 2:21; Mark 10:29-31; Ephesians 1:3; Revelation 18:2, 4-5, 20;
Luke 14:11; 1 Peter 5:5-6; Revelation 19:16; Ephesians 1:10; Revelation 1:5-6

Midweek Lesson Outline: Judges 6-8

“The Real Strength of a Nation”
Judges 6-8

Introduction: Judges 2:6-12; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Judges 6:1


I. Gideon was strong enough to trust God. Judges 6:11-24

“Then the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak that was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press in order to save it from the Midianites. [12] The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.” [13] Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” [14] The LORD looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” [15] He said to Him, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house.” [16] But the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.” [17] So Gideon said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who speak with me. [18] “Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You.” And He said, “I will remain until you return.”

[19] Then Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.[20] The angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. [21] Then the angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. [22] When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” [23] The LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.” [24] Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and named it The LORD is Peace.”

1 Corinthians 1:27; Psalm 33:12-22


II. Gideon was strong enough to stand up for God. Judges 6:25-32

“Now on the same night the LORD said to him, “Take your father's bull and a second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the *Asherah that is beside it; [26] and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly manner, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” [27] Then Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the LORD had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his father's household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night. [28] When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was torn down, and the Asherah which was beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar which had been built. [29] They said to one another, “Who did this thing?” And when they searched about and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash did this thing.” [30] Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has torn down the altar of Baal, and indeed, he has cut down the Asherah which was beside it.” [31] But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal, or will you deliver him? Whoever will plead for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has torn down his altar.” [32] Therefore on that day he named him Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he had torn down his altar.”

Matthew 10:36-37


III. Gideon was strong enough to seek the truth of God. Judges 6:34-40

“So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon; and he blew a trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called together to follow him. [35] He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, and they also were called together to follow him; and he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet them. [36] Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken, [37] behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel through me, as You have spoken.” [38] And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. [39] Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.” [40] God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.”

Hebrews 11:32-34


IV. Gideon was strong enough to obey God. Judges 7-8

Judges 7:1-9, “Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. [2] The LORD said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ [3] “Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.’” So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained. [4] Then the LORD said to Gideon, “The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” [5] So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, “You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.” [6] Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. [7] The LORD said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.” [8] So the 300 men took the people's provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley. [9] Now the same night it came about that the LORD said to him, “Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hands.”

Judges 3:4


Conclusion: 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 2:4-5; 2 Corinthians 2:9

Midweek Lesson Outline: Joshua 24

“As For Me and My House”
Joshua 24:1-29

Introduction: Genesis 6:5-6, 8-9; 1 Peter 3:20; Acts 2:40


I. God must be our champion vs. 1-13

“Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before God. [2] Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. [3] Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him through all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac. [4] To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau, and to Esau I gave Mount Seir to possess it; but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. [5] Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt by what I did in its midst; and afterward I brought you out. [6] I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea; and Egypt pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. [7] But when they cried out to the LORD, He put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them and covered them; and your own eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness for a long time. [8] Then I brought you into the land of the Amorites who lived beyond the Jordan, and they fought with you; and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land when I destroyed them before you. [9] Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel, and he sent and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. [10] But I was not willing to listen to Balaam. So he had to bless you, and I delivered you from his hand. [11] You crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho; and the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Girgashite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. Thus I gave them into your hand. [12] Then I sent the hornet before you and it drove out the two kings of the Amorites from before you, but not by your sword or your bow. [13] I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and cities which you had not built, and you have lived in them; you are eating of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’”

Numbers 14:8-9; Joshua 23:14; Hebrews 8:6; 1 John 2:25; John 20:29


II. God must be our choice vs. 14-29
 .
A. The Choice of Masters, vs. 14-18.

““Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. [15] If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” [16] The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; [17] for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed. [18] The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.””

Matthew 4:10; Matthew 6:24; James 4:4-10


B. The Choice of Holiness, vs. 19-21.

“Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. [20] If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.” [21] The people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.””

Romans 3:23; 1 Timothy 1:13; 1 Peter 1:14-16


C. The Choice of Faithfulness, vs. 22-29.

“Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” [23] Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” [24] The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey His voice.” [25] So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made for them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. [26] And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. [27] Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us; thus it shall be for a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God.” [28] Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to his inheritance. [29] It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old.”

Deuteronomy 30:15-20; James 2:14, 17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8


Conclusion: Life and death choices.

Judges 2:7, 10-12, 16-17; Hebrews 10:25; 11:25, 31; Exodus 24:7;
Romans 12:2; Hosea 4:6; Acts 10:24

Midweek Lesson Outline: Joshua 6

“Trust and Obey”
Joshua 6


I. Joshua's obedience won the battle 6:1-20

“Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. [2] The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. [3] You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. [4] Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. [5] It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead.””

“[6] So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.” [7] Then he said to the people, “Go forward, and march around the city, and let the armed men go on before the ark of the LORD.””

“[8] And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the LORD went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. [9] The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. [10] But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” [11] So he had the ark of the LORD taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp. [12] Now Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. [13] The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them and the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while they continued to blow the trumpets.”

“[14] Thus the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did so for six days. [15] Then on the seventh day they rose early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same manner seven times; only on that day they marched around the city seven times. [16] At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. [17] The city shall be under the ban, it and all that is in it belongs to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.””

“[18] “But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some of the things under the ban, and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. [19] But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” [20] So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.”

Hebrews 11:30; Luke 22:19; Mark 16:16; John 14:15; Matthew 12:30


II. Rahab's obedience saved her life 6:21-25

“They utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword. [22] Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the harlot's house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, as you have sworn to her.” [23] So the young men who were spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and her mother and her brothers and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives and placed them outside the camp of Israel. [24] They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. [25] However, Rahab the harlot and her father's household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”

Joshua 2:14-21; Hebrews 11:31


III. Achan's disobedience invoked the wrath of God 6:26 - 7:1

“Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates.” [27] So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land. [7:1] But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.”

Joshua 7:24-26


Conclusion: Hebrews 5:9

It’s not always easy to smile and be nice,
When we are called to sacrifice.
It’s not always easy to put others first,
Especially when tired and feeling our worst.
It’s not always easy to do the Father’s will.
It wasn’t so easy to climb Calvary’s hill.
But we as His children, should learn to obey;
Not seeking our own but seeking His way.
It’s not always easy to fight the good fight.
But it’s always good and it’s always right!

- Glenda Fulton Davis

Midweek Lesson Outline: Joshua 3-5

"Step Into the Water”
Joshua 3-5

Introduction: Joshua 1:6-9

First, if there is to be success, God's people must display a fixed …

I. Concentration 3:1-4

“Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they lodged there before they crossed. [2] At the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; [3] and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. [4] However, there shall be between you and it a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.””

Deuteronomy 1:30-33; Psalm 32:8-9; John 10:27; Hebrews 12:1-2

Next, for the people to cross the river and enter the land promised to them would require complete …

II. Consecration 3:5

“Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.””

Leviticus 11:44; 2 Timothy 2:19, 21

Third, to enter the Promised Land, God’s people would have to make full …

III. Commitment 3:6-17

“And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people. [7] Now the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. [8] You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” [9] Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.” [10] Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly dispossess from before you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. [11] Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan. [12] Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. [13] It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap.” [14] So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, [15] and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), [16] the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. [17] And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.”

2 Corinthians 5:7; Luke 23:46; Psalm 37:5

Once they are on the other side, we see yet another vital part of Israel's success, which is a time of …

IV. Commemoration 4:1-8

“Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, [2] “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, [3] and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight.’” [4] So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; [5] and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. [6] Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ [7] then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” [8] Thus the sons of Israel did as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the LORD spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place and put them down there.”

Colossians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Conclusion: Joshua 5:1, “Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.”


Philippians 3:14; 1 John 3:2-3; 1 Peter 4:19; 2 Timothy 2:8; Romans 8:31; 1 John 5:4

Mid-Week Lessons

Mid-week lessons are now available in MP3 format. They may be accessed on the right column under - appropriately enough - Mid-Week Lessons. Enjoy!