CG Discussion Questions

“Christians and Gambling”

MrLiewHeng San

13Oct 2013

Summary:

Jeremiah 2, akin to other chapters in the same book, depicts God’s pursuit of His people and the latter’s indifference to Him. God‘s love message delivered through prophet Jeremiah fell unto deaf ears. Israel rejected God, took no heed of Jeremiah’s warning and continued to embrace her waywardness. Obviously, the people knew the right way yet they chose their own ways.

Bondage in the form of idolatry or gambling is a process and it has its devastating consequences.

Scripture Reading and Discovery:

Read Jeremiah 2: 1-37.

Discussion:

  1. When Israel succumbed to the ‘attraction’ of idolatry and faced the disciplines that came thereafter, whose responsibility did God say it belonged to (v.17)?
  1. A parallel was drawn from 2 Samuel 11:1-5. David stayed behind in Jerusalem while Joab was sent to battle the Ammonites. As David roamed around his roof garden, his eyes caught beautiful Bathsheba taking a bath. Did David entertain that ‘attraction’? Did that happen despite God was present in David’s life?
  1. (a) Despite having tasted the goodness of God’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt, how did Israel now respond to God (v.20)?

(b) In that process of entertaining her idolatry, was Israel honest with herself to admit that she had a problem (v.23)?

(c)What was Israel’s response when her bondage to pagan worship (involving sacred prostitution acts etc.) grew over time (v.25)?

(d) In the midst of all these, did Israel still recognize God as a mighty Deliverer for her problems (v.27)?

Applications:

  1. The allurement of gambling, as the statistics had shown, can be bait to anybody, regardless of age, religion, financial status and educational background. Sure, some groups may be more prone than others, but the bottom line is, its negativity can ‘hook’ just anyone, if not careful. In Jeremiah 2:32, God revealed the root cause to Israel’s problem; it says, “My people have forgotten Me”. How do we, as ‘young brides’, then go back to our first love as described in v.2?

As you discuss, consider:

  1. 1 Peter 5:8
  2. Quote from Thomas Chalmers:

“A new affection is more successful in replacing an old affection than simply trying to end it without supplanting it with something better… Even the strongest resolve is not enough to dislodge an affection by leaving a void… It is not enough to understand the worthlessness of the world: one must value the worth of the things of God.”

  1. Take the leap. Self-exclude yourself from the casinos. Your CG leaders have the details.
  1. The Bible is about God’s redemptive purpose. Thankfully, the story does not end with the defiant Israelites being wiped off from the face of the earth. Yes, the discipline did come, but God’s love for His people continued. When Judah (Jerusalem) fell to Babylon, God was the One who raised Daniel and his friends, and subsequently, Nehemiah to start the rebuilding of walls at Jerusalem, just to name a few. No matter which stage your journey is right now – be it in the thick of gambling bondage or other addictions, God’s love remains unchanging, unconditional. Spend some time to talk things through with Him. He is waiting to embrace, as always.

* Scripture verses quoted are from New Living Translation (NLT)