SESSION 16

The Beginning of the End

(of the Kingdom of Israel)
Even when things seem hopeless, prayer still makes a difference. Give it a try!
Introduction
With ten minutes left in a basketball game and one team down by thirty points, people begin leaving the gym
because they can see the handwriting on the wall. If a football team is behind by three touchdowns at the two-
minute warning, even committed fans will slide out of their seats and head to the parking lot to try to beat the
traffic.
When a game is close and the outcome is still up for grabs, people stay glued to their seats. No one knows how
it will end. But when one team is running away with a landslide victory, people lose interest very quickly.
What is true in the world of sports also is evident in the pages of The Story. At a certain point, the Northern
Kingdom of Israel was in such bad shape, so rebellious, that there was no way they were going to turn around.
Using a sports analogy, there was still time on the clock, but the end results were clear for everyone to see. Even
the Southern Kingdom of Judah hit a point where things looked hopeless. But sometimes a team can rally even
when it looks like there is no chance of a comeback!
Talk About It
Tell about a time you watched a sporting event that looked like it was over, but a team that seemed defeated made
an amazing comeback.
Video Teaching Notes
As you watch the video segment for session 16, use the following outline to record anything that stands out to
you.
No king but King Jesus
[Your Notes]
The beginning of the end for Israel, the Northern Kingdom
[Your Notes]
King Hezekiah: one of the Southern Kingdoms good kings
[Your Notes]
Isaiahs proclamation of Gods purpose
[Your Notes]
Video Discussion
1. Chapter 16 of The Story covers more than two hundred years. The Northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the
Assyrians in 722 BC and was never heard from again. The Southern Kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonians in
586 BC but had an amazing comeback seventy years later when they returned from captivity. How do you see
Gods patience and commitment to bring his people back to himself woven through these two centuries of
history?
[Your Response]
We see over and over again in the Bible, Old and New
Testaments, that when we put God on the throne of
our lives, we put ourselves in the best possible
position for success.
2. God allowed a foreign army to invade and defeat Israel (the Northern Kingdom). Why did God bring this
judgment on his own people and what do you learn from Gods response to the behavior of Israel (2 Kings 17:1
14; The Story, pp. 219 220)?
[Your Response]
3. Hezekiah of Judah was one of the few kings deemed good in the eyes of God (2 Kings 18 19; The Story, pp.
220 224). What did Hezekiah do that pleased God and how can we learn from his example? How can
Hezekiahs prayer shape the way you pray when times are tough?
[Your Response]
4. The Bible has a lot to say about pride. What do you learn about pride in the encounter between Assyria and
Israel in this chapter of The Story?
[Your Response]
What is one way we can avoid pride and grow in humility?
[Your Response]
5. Though the Southern Kingdom of Judah discovered they would one day end up prisoners of war under the fist
of a foreign nation, God spoke words of hope through his prophet (Isaiah 14:1 5; Isaiah 49; The Story, pp.
226 228). What did God promise and how do you see him continuing to accomplish his plan to bring his
people back to himself?
[Your Response]
6. The final and greatest hope for all of Gods people, including you and me, is the promise of the Messiah who
would come to deliver us (Isaiah 53; The Story, pp. 228 230). What do you learn about Jesus, the promised
Savior, from this prophecy?
[Your Response]
How has Jesus been the One who brings your life hope and meaning?
[Your Response]
No king but King Jesus!
7. Hezekiah pleased God when he spiritually cleaned house, got rid of idols, and smashed and cut down all the
signs of spiritual compromise in the land. When you look at your spiritual life, what could you clean out, cut
down, or smash so that you can walk more closely with God?
[Your Response]
8. When Jerusalem was surrounded by the Assyrian army and the situation looked hopeless, Hezekiah prayed and
things changed. What are you facing today that seems too big, overwhelming, or even hopeless, and how can
your group members join you in prayer?
[Your Response]
9. Read movements 1 5 of The Story in the Getting Started section. How does your personal journey of faith
parallel the movements of The Story?
[Your Response]
Closing Prayer
As you take time to pray, here are some ideas to get you started:
Praise Jesus for being the Messiah, the One who brings hope to a hopeless world.
Ask God to take you to deeper places as a person of prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit to teach you to pray with
greater passion.
Lift up members of your group who are facing difficult situations and pray for Gods presence, power, and plan
to be unleashed in their lives.