“God is Your Protector” Numbers 22 Ryan Laughlin

                                                     Sermon Discussion Questions

Context: Numbers 22 takes place near the end of the Israelites journey to Canaan. This group would have been the 2nd generation of Israelites post exodus from Egypt. In chapter 22, the Israelites are in the plains of Moab.

Recap:
       1) After reading the Numbers 22, who are the characters throughout the chapter? Who is Balak and what is his role? Who is Balaam and what part does he play? Israel: How are they responding in this chapter? Other characters in this chapter?

      2) In the sermon, we heard that God protects His people physically and spiritually. How do see that being done in Numbers 22?

      3) God being their protector was not a “new” concept to Israel. Can you reflect on other times in Numbers God had protected them?

      4) God uses Balaam’s donkey and an angel to get his attention. What message was God reinforcing by speaking to him this way?

(From sermon outline)
     5)   A) There are times in our lives that God has protected us by speaking to us. How does He speak to us primarily?
            B) God protects us by blocking or standing in the way of adversaries (sometimes even when we are not aware of it)
             C) God protects us by frustrating our plans. (Ex: When our desires aren’t satisfied outside of God, that is a protection in a way.)
     Can you reflect on a specific time God has protected you in one of these ways? Do we see ourselves as in need of protection, a lot of times protection from ourselves even?

6) Christ stood in for us as our Protector on the cross bearing our sins and taking the blame and dying for us. How does that truth of Christ being our Protector change the way we see God? See others? See His world? See ourselves?