Rooting Path · Old Testament Survey · Lesson 7: Return and Waiting
This lesson in one sentence: God brought the people back as he promised; the Old Testament closes in waiting—and the one awaited is Jesus.
Timing (about 60 minutes)
- Opening5 min
- Read Together10 min
- Practice Together15 min
- Discussion20 min
- This Week5 min
- Pray for One Another5 min
Opening
What is the longest you have ever waited for something? How did you live while you waited?
Read Together
1Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the LORD’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Ezra 1:1 · WEB
1“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me! The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. Behold, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming!” says the LORD of Armies.
Mal 3:1 · WEB
5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. 6He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Mal 4:5–6 · WEB
Behold, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming!
Mal 3:1 · WEB
Practice Together
Split into two small groups, one taking ‘Return and Rebuilding’ and the other ‘Between the Testaments’; write the events on slips of paper, put them in order, then check against the timeline. Coming back together, answer as a group: after the return, what was rebuilt? And what never came back, so that the people were still waiting?
Discussion
- “that the LORD’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished” (Ezra 1:1)—God remembers what he has said. In what area do you need to remember this?
- The temple, the walls and the law all came back, but David’s throne stood empty. Why do you think the Old Testament closes in ‘waiting’?
- Now that all seven lessons are done, ask each person to say in one sentence: what kind of story is the Old Testament?
This Week
This week read Malachi (four chapters), then open Matthew 1 and read the genealogy. Afterward write one sentence: which Old Testament names did you see again in the genealogy?
Each person names when they will read Malachi and Matthew 1 this week.
Closing
Read Mal 3:1 together, and the leader prays for the group’s Bible reading ahead.
Tips for the leader
- For Between the Testaments, just help everyone understand the scene at the start of the New Testament; there is no need for historical details or dates.
- What someone is ‘still waiting for’ may be very personal; don’t probe.
- This is the last session of the course. You might agree to read one of the Gospels, or one Bible figure, together next.
General principles for leaders
- The leader is not a teacher but someone who walks alongside everyone.
- Give everyone a chance to speak; with someone who talks a lot, you can gently say, ‘Let’s also hear from friends who haven’t spoken yet.’
- Don’t rush to give answers. If someone is silent, wait a few more seconds.
- For a question you can’t answer, you can say, ‘I don’t know either; let’s look it up together,’ and note it down for next time.
- What is said in the group stays in the group.
- At the opening, the leader can give their own answer first, showing that it can be simple and honest.