Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.
Whenever God’s people stopped reading his words to them, they fell into sinfulness and immorality.
Key Points:
- The public reading of scripture is a tradition dating back to Moses.
- The public reading of scripture helped God’s people understand their identity: who they were, where they came from, and where they were going.
- When the tradition ended, God’s people turned to idolatry, sin, and immorality.
- King Josiah (2 Kings 22) rediscovered God’s law and restarted the tradition of public scripture reading. Later, the people abandoned it.
- After the Babylonian Exile, Ezra and Nehemiah restarted the scripture reading tradition, which once again renewed the people of Israel.
- Whenever God’s people stopped reading his words to them, they fell into sinfulness and immorality.
Quote This:
1 Timothy 4:13 Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
Talk About It
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Do you often hear scripture publicly read? Explain.
- Read 1 Timothy 4:13. Why do you think these are the instructions Paul left for Timothy?
- Why do you think the public reading of scripture is an important tradition?
- What happened to God’s people when they were not in his word? What can happen to us when we are not in it?
- What are some ways you can practice the public reading of scripture in your family, small group, or church?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
