The Fall 2024 Helping Hand is available. This quarter’s publication, entitled, “Worship in the Covenant Community,” covers the months of September, October, and November. Digital versions of the English language version are once again available as a PDF here or for Amazon Kindle here. Potential subscribers for the Spanish language editions should contact Director Nick Kersten for information or to subscribe.
Print subscribers to the English version should’ve received their copies already. Spanish language print subscribers should expect their quarterlies before the start of September. If there are questions or issues, please reach out to us at the SDB Center.
Editor Steve Osborn introduces this quarter’s publication in this way:
The lessons of this quarter are a study of worship practices offered as a grateful response to the covenantal relationship God initiates, first with Abraham, and later with the people of Israel. The patterns of worship reflect the gamut of community life, from praising God’s goodness and mercy to calling on God for help in times of crisis.
Unit I, Leaders Set Worship Example, begins with the example of (Abram) Abraham, who built altars to mark those occasions on which God called him to greater faithfulness. Lesson 2 reveals Solomon’s worshipful awareness of people’s tendency to sin. Lesson 3 shows us Hezekiah’s prayerful realization of what’s most important: the Lord alone is God. Lesson 4 demonstrates the importance of spiritual leadership, as evidenced through Josiah’s call to bring back the people to the right worship as prescribed in the “book of the covenant.”
Unit II, Songs of the Old Testament, looks at various songs Israel used in worship and prayer. While we may not know the melody of their songs, we can get a sense of the mood embedded in the lyrics and what they felt in the presence of God’s power and goodness. Lesson 5 notes the deliverance of Israel from Pharaoh at the Red Sea, and the song Miriam led in response. Lesson 6 considers Psalm 51, David’s prayer of confession following his adultery with Bathsheba and the slaying of her husband Uriah in battle. In Lesson 7, a plea for deliverance is considered through Psalm 22. At the same time, children study the rescue of Daniel’s friends at a time when they might have prayed this psalm. Lesson 8 takes us to the first part of Isaiah 25, a song of praise for deliverance from oppression; children hear about Daniel’s miraculous rescue from a den of lions. The final session of the unit (Lesson 9) looks at Psalm 62, a song of trust in God.
In Unit III, Psalms of Thanksgiving and Praise, the lessons look at four songs from the Hebrew psalter. In Lesson 10, we look at Psalm 23, supplemented with John’s affirmation about Jesus as the good shepherd. Background for Lesson 11 is Psalms 146–150 with 146 and 150 the songs for emphasis. Lesson 12 examines Psalm 100, a summons to all people to praise God. The final session, Lesson 13, marks the beginning of Advent with a look at Psalm 139, a reminder of the intimate relationship God shares with humanity.
May God bless your faithful study of His Word this quarter!
Steve
We pray that you will be blessed and encouraged by this quarter’s studies.
As a reminder, subscription and purchase prices for this year’s Helping Hand have increased. You can read more about that change, which came into effect three issues ago, here. Increased payment and invoicing options will be announced soon. Please watch this blog for more updates!
