BIBLE KNOWLEDGE

FOR

STANDARD 7

BY ZIKOMO MASESE BANDA 0999246769

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 Written by Zikomo Masese Banda

TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNIT PAGE
UNIT 1 JUDGES 3

UNIT 2 TEACHING IN PARABLES 5

UNIT 3 USE OF PARABLES 7

UNIT 4 DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE 8

UNIT 5 CHRISTIAN GROWTH 10

UNIT 6 RESPONSIBILITIES FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS 11

UNIT 7 KINGS OF ISRAEL 12

UNIT 8 COMMUNICATING WITH GOD 14

UNIT 9 CHURCH AND POLITICS 15

REFERENCES 16

FIRST EDITION 2018

WHATSAPP #s 0991295167/0993559114

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UNIT 1 JUDGES Written by Zikomo Masese Banda
A judge is a public official who has the power to decide.

JUDGES OF ISRAEL
 Gideon
 Samson
 Deborah
 Jephthah

PEOPLE WHO CAN ACT AS JUDGES

 teachers
 chiefs
 umpires
 referees

RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES OF A JUDGE

 settling disputes and minor disagreements
 protecting the rights of the people
 interpreting the law
 assessing the evidence presented
 controlling how hearings and trials unfold in their courtrooms

THE STORY OF GIDEON (Judges Chapters 6, 7 and 8)

The Israelites had sinned against God and were serving punishment.
Everything they had was taken away by the Midianites.
It was because of these reasons that the Lord appointed Gideon, the son of Joash from the clan of
Mannasseh, to save Israel from the hands of the Midianites.

THE MISSION OF GIDEON

The mission of Gideon was to save Israel from the Midianites.
Gideon was with the Lord and he conquered Midian using only 300 men.
This was a small number of soldiers compared to those of the Midianites.

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God told Gideon to use a small number of soldiers to show God’s power.

THE STORY OF SAMSON (Judges Chapters 15 and 16)

God appointed Samson, the son of Manoah, to deliver the Israelites from the hands of the Philistines.
During his life, Samson killed many Philistines.
As a Nazarite, Samson was not supposed to cut his hair because his strength was in the hair.
Later, after several attempts, Samson revealed his secret to his wife Delilah.
The wife then told her people who sent her to cut his hair and Samson became weak.
Afterwards, the Philistines gouged Samson's eyes out.
One day they took him to a building to entertain them.
During entertainment, Samson prayed to God
He held two pillars of the building and pushed them.
The building fell down and killed everyone in the building including Samson.

THE MISSION OF SAMSON

The mission of Samson was to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

THE STORY OF DEBORAH (Judges Chapter 4)

The Israelites had sinned again.
This time the Lord handed them over for twenty years to the Canaanites whose King was Jabin.
At this point the Lord appointed Deborah, the Prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth to be a judge among
them.

THE MISSION OF DEBORAH

The mission of Deborah was to deliver the Israelites from the hands of the Canaanites.
Deborah together with Barak, the army commander, managed to defeat the Canaanites with the help
of God.

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THE STORY OF JEPHTHAH (Judges Chapter 11)
Jephthah was born from a harlot (prostitute).
He was not liked by his half-brothers.
He was thrown away because they did not want him to inherit their father's house.
Later on, he was called by the elders and his brothers to assist them in fighting against the Ammonites.

THE MISSION OF JEPHTHAH

Jephthah's mission was to deliver Israel from the Ammonites.
Jephthah vowed to God that he would offer as a burnt offering anything that would be the first to
welcome him from war.
His only daughter welcomed him and he offered her as a burnt offering.

UNIT 2 TEACHING IN PARABLES

A parable is a story using everyday events to illustrate a religious or moral point.

WHY JESUS USED PARABLES IN HIS TEACHINGS

 for easy understanding
 to illustrate and convey meanings beyond the story

EXAMPLES OF PARABLES THAT JESUS USED

 the Good Samaritan
 the prodigal son
 the two sons
 the lost coin
 the vine yard

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THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN (Luke 10:25-37)
A lawyer tempted Jesus by asking him the following questions: What shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Who is my neighbour?
Jesus answered him by telling him about the parable of a Good Samaritan.
Where a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers.
They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
A priest passed by without helping him.
So too a Levite passed by on the other side without helping him.
But a Samaritan, when he saw a man he took pity on him, went to him and bandaged his wounds,
pouring on oil and wine.
The Samaritan cared for the wounded man until he was fine.

THE LESSON LEARNT IN THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN

 The real neighbour is he who assists those in need.

THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS (Matthew 21:28-31)

In this parable, a father had two sons who asked them to do a work.
The first son refused to do what his father had asked him to do but later, he repented and did the
work.
The second son accepted to do what the father had asked him but did not do it.

LESSON IN THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS

 God expects his children to say the truth and obey him.

THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL (LOST) SON (Luke 15:11-32)

The lost son realised his sinfulness and suffering.
He decided to go back to his father for forgiveness.
On return his father welcomed him and celebrated by killing a fattened calf.
The elder brother was angry with the father's decision
But the father persuaded him to forgive and accept his young brother.

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THE LESSON IN THE PARABLE OF THE LOST SON
 It is important to forgive those who repent.

THE PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN (Luke 15:8-10)

In this parable a woman lost a coin and laboured to find it.
After she had found it, she rejoiced together with her friends and neighbours.

THE LESSON IN THE PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN

 God expects his people to be concerned with those that are lost and bring them back.

UNIT 3 USE OF PARABLES

THE USE OF PARABLES IN MALAWIAN CULTURE
Parables are used in Malawian culture to tell stories about everyday life while giving a lesson beyond
the story.

EXAMPLES OF PARABLES USED IN MALAWIAN CULTURE

 chikomekome cha nkhuyu m'kati muli nyerere
 kanthu kali makonda buluzi anakonda khonde
 kuteteza n'kwabwino kuposa kuchiza
 zokoma sizikuti leke
 safunsa anadya phula
 mbuzi ikakondwa amalonda ali pafupi

"All that glitters is not gold" (chikomekome cha nkhuyu m'kati muli nyerere) means that it is not good
to be attracted by the outward appearance of anything.

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder" (kanthu kali makonda buluzi anakonda khonde)

"Prevention is better than cure" (kuteteza n'kwabwino kuposa kuchiza)

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"Good things do not fill a spoon" (zokoma sizikuti leke)

THE USE OF PARABLES IN TEACHINGS OF JESUS (Luke 10:25-37; Matthew 21:28-31; Luke 15:11-32;
Luke 8:4-21)
Jesus used parables to illustrate and convey meanings beyond the stories.
These include the parables of the vineyard and people losing their coins.
Jesus used such stories for easy understanding.

UNIT 4 DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Drug and substance abuse means using drugs and substances for wrong purposes.
Drug and substance abuse has adverse effects on the health and development of a person.
They may cause damage to the skin, heart, liver, brain, eyes, kidneys and other parts of the body.

Drugs
Drugs are medicines that are used for preventing and treating diseases.

EXAMPLES OF DRUGS
 panado
 aspirin
 quinine
 fansider
 Bactrim
 penicillin

Substances
Substances are any kind of matter used for either domestic or industrial purposes.

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EXAMPLES OF SUBSTANCES
 alcohol
 spirit
 petrol
 soap
 paraffin
 tobacco
 kachasu
 vim
 glue
 Indian hemp
 salt
 soil
 mandrax
 cocaine
 cooking oil

USES OF COMMON DRUGS AND SUBSTANCES

 they are used as medicines
 they are used as fuel
 they are used as cooking additives
 they are used as cleaning materials
 they are used as stimulants

THE CAUSES OF DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

 peer pressure
 frustration
 curiosity
 loss of loved ones
 loss of goods and finances
 failure in examinations
 wanting to commit suicide
 ignorance of harmfulness of the drugs and substances

THE PREVENTION OF DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

 being assertive
 engaging in physical exercises
 being involved in recreational activities
 choosing friends with good habits and hobbies

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  reporting incidents of drug and substance abuse to teachers, head teachers or police
 seeking guidance and counselling

CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS ON DRUG AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE (Genesis 9:20-22; Proverbs 20:1; Proverbs
23: 29-30; Proverbs 31:4-7; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, 19-20)
The Bible does not allow people to abuse drugs and substances.
This is because when drugs are abused they reduce the reasoning ability of a person.

This can make a person:

 commit suicide
 kill others
 become mad

God commands Christians to avoid drug and substance abuse.

And drug and substance abuse does not please God.

UNIT 5 CHRISTIAN GROWTH

SACRAMENTS
A sacrament is an outward and visible sign instituted by Christ for an inward and spiritual blessing.

It is a Christian rite of faith that elaborates some doctrines, a ritual observance that acts as a sign of
loyalty by the believer.

EXAMPLES OF SACRAMENTS
 baptism
 Lord’s Supper

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HOW SACRAMENTS ARE ADMINISTERED (Matthew 3:13-16; 26:26-30)
 By sprinkling
 By immersion
 By eating
 By drinking

IMPORTANCE OF SACRAMENTS (1 Corinthians 11:23-30; John 13:1-12; Acts 8:36-38)

 Receiving blessings from God
 Living a righteous Christian life
 Living in peace with other people
 Having a sense of belonging
 Renewing one’s spiritual life

UNIT 6 RESPONSIBILITIES FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS

VULNERABLE GROUPS IN SOCIETY
Vulnerable groups are those people that lack protection, care and essentials.

SOME VULNERABLE GROUPS

 Women
 Children
 People with special needs
 People living with HIV and AIDS

STREET CHILDREN
Street children are children that seek food and shelter in the streets.

CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LEAD CHILDREN TO BE IN THE STREETS

 Orphanhood
 Physical challenges
 Ill-treatment
 Loneliness

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  Homelessness

SOME CHILDREN’S RIGHTS BEING VIOLATED WHEN CHILDREN LIVE IN STREETS

 Right to descent life
 Right to education
 Right to good health
 Right to good food
 Right to parental care and guidance

CHRISTIAN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR STREET CHILDREN (Isaiah 58:7; Acts 3:1-10)
 Providing them with education
 Providing them with food
 Providing them with shelter
 Providing them with clothes
 Providing them with spiritual care
 Providing them with protection

UNIT 7 KINGS OF ISRAEL

A KING
A king is a sovereign ruler of a country or state who inherits the position by right of birth.

ROLES OF A KING
 Defending his country from enemies
 Settling disputes
 Bringing peace where there are misunderstandings
 Maintaining order
 Living as a role model of the society

In the Bible, kings had divine charisma.

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Their roles included:
 Acting as judges
 Deciding cases
 Defending their territories from enemies
 Enforcing rules and commandments of God in their states

Charisma means power given to a person by the favour of God.

SOME KINGS OF ISRAEL

 David
 Saul
 Solomon
 Ahab

The first king of Israel was Saul.

The second king of Israel was David.

THE KINGSHIP OF SAUL (1 Samuel 9:1-27; 1 Samuel 10:17-25; 1 Samuel 15:24-26; 1 Samuel
17:1-11)
Saul was a son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin.
God told Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king of Israel.
Saul’s main task was to free Israel from her enemies.
However, Saul sinned and was later rejected by God as a king of Israel.
Saul’s sin was that he did not obey God’s instructions (1 Samuel 15)

THE KINGSHIP OF DAVID (1 Samuel 16:1-13; 1 Samuel 17:1-11; 41-54)

Samuel anointed David as king in place of Saul at Bethlehem.
David was a son of Jesse.
During David’s reign, God was with him.
For example, he defeated the giant Goliath, the ruler of the Philistines.
David used a sling and a stone to kill Goliath.
After the death of Goliath, all the Philistines ran away because they knew they had lost the war.

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UNIT 8 COMMUNICATING WITH GOD
COMMUNICATION
Communication is the passing of information from one person to another.

WAYS OF HOW PEOPLE COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER

 Letters
 Bells
 Videos
 Films
 Televisions
 Phones
 Internet
 Face to face

Communication can also be between God and people.

Communication between God and people is called sacred message.

WAYS OF COMMUNICATING WITH GOD (1 Kings 18:36-38; 1 Samuel 1:10-20; Acts 10:19-23; Acts
16:25-27)
 Reading the Bible
 Singing spiritual songs
 Praying
 Praising
 Burnt offerings

In the Bible, Elijah communicated with God through burnt offering.

Hannah, Paul and Silas communicated with God through praising and praying.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN (1 Kings 18:36-38; 1 Samuel 1:10-20; Acts
16: 25-27; Acts 9:36-41; Acts 10:3-23)
 Receiving Blessings
 Protection from evil
 Living a stress-free life
 Having good relationships

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UNIT 9 CHURCH AND POLITICS
CHURCH
Church may refer to a building used for public worship by Christians or a particular group of believers.

POLITICS
Politics refers to the art and science of government.

The church promotes good judgement in their congregations.

Politicians are also expected to judge issues well.

The church teaches its members the importance of respect for each other by following what Jesus did
while he was on earth.

There is democracy in the church through respect of the views of other members.

Good politicians are also supposed to promote democratic values.

The church teaches about unity among members while politicians also talk about unity in their
gatherings.

HOW LEADERS ARE CHOSEN IN CHURCH AND IN POLITICS

 Through election
 Through appointment

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHURCH AND POLITICS

 Some of those who are practising politicians are also members of the church
 Both church and politics deal with the same people
 God is the one who appoints rulers
 Oftentimes rulers pray to God whenever they want to do important things

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BIBLE TEACHING ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHURCH AND POLITICS (Psalm 47:2-3; 1 Samuel 16:
12-13; 2 Samuel 12:5; Matthew 17:24-27; Luke 20:20-26; John 17:14-16; Romans 13:1-7)
The Bible has many examples that show the relationship between church and politics.

God commands members of the church to submit themselves to political authorities because they
were appointed by God.

God says rebelling against the authorities is rebelling against God who instituted them and anyone
doing that brings judgement on themselves.

Jesus said people should pay tax because the authorities are God’s servants.

REFERENCES
MIE (2008) Bible Knowledge Teacher’s Guide for Standard 7, Domasi; MIE.
MIE (2008) Bible Knowledge Learner’s Book for Standard 7, Domasi; MIE.
The Holy Bible (NIV)
www.cscja-acjcs.ca/role_of_judge-en.asp

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