Lesson Note on Christian Religious Studies (CRS) SS2 Third Term
SCHEME OF WORK
WEEK 1 ELIJAH AT MOUNT SINAI
WEEK 2 THE SUPREMACY OF GOD
WEEK 3 KING JOSIAH’S RELIGIOUS REFORMS
WEEK 4 SIMILARITY BETWEEN TODAY’S RELIGIOUS SITUATION AND
WEEK 5 CONCERN FOR ONE NATION
WEEK 6 THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WALL OF JERUSALEM BY NEHEMIAH
WEEK 7 FAITH IN GOD
WEEK 8 FAITH IN GOD [DANIEL 6:17-28]
WEEK 9 SOCIAL JUSTICE (AMOS 2: 6-8)
WEEK 11 TRUE RELIGION (AMOS 5:21-31)
Lesson Note on Christian Religious Studies (CRS) SS2 Third term
Below are the 2022 complete SS2 Third Term Christian Religious StudiesLesson Note
WEEK 1
TOPIC: ELIJAH AT MOUNT SINAI ( I Kings 18:17-46)
King Ahab and his wife nearly succeeded in confusing the Israelites and turning away their hearts from God with the introduction of the worship of Baal. The contest on Mount Camel can be said to have been inspired by God and this gave the people spiritual rebirth.
Ahab, through the instruction of Elijah gathered the people of Israel on Mount Camel. Elijah came out and said: “How long will you go limping between two opinions? If the Lord is God follow Him, if Baal follow him.” He further made a request that “let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one and cut in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire in it, and I will prepare the other bull, lay on it on the wood with no fire.” The contest was that any one that answers with fire to consume the meat is through God. To learn more, click here
WEEK 2
TOPIC: THE SUPREMACY OF GOD
Religious Tension in Israel (1 Kings 16:29-39)
When the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt He established a new covenant with them in form of Ten Commandments. The first of those commandments forbids the Israelites from worshiping any other god beside the Almighty God. Through Moses God gave them ordinances and structures which they must follow at all times.
During the time of Ahab he married a foreigner, Jezebel, from Sidon. Jezebel then introduced the worship of the Sidonian god, Baal to Israelites. Together with her husband they erected an altar for Baal. This led to religious tension in Israel. Jezebel persecuted the prophets of God by killing them, while the ones that were alive went into hiding. Apparently Ahab was considered as one of the worst kings of Israel. He did not only sin he as well led the Israelites to sin. This annoyed God greatly, therefore sent Elijah to go and proclaim to the king that there would be drought (no rain) for three and half years as punishment for worshipping idol. For proclaiming this Ahab and Jezebel hunted Elijah in Israel and beyond, but the Lord was with him: God provided security, food and water for him. To learn more, click here
WEEK 3
TOPIC: KING JOSIAH’S RELIGIOUS REFORMS ( II Kings 2:1-30)
Josiah was eight years when he began to reign as king. He reigned for twenty-one years in Jerusalem. He did what was good in the sight of God. He walked in the way of his grandfather, David. He showed much interest in the things of God. One of his first assignments was the repair and renovation of the temple. Later when the book of the law was found in the temple by Hilkiah the high priest, Josiah engaged in other reforms. The book was read to the king and when he heard the contents he tore his cloth as sign of repentance because he knew they had been transgressing.
Josiah sent Hilkiah, the high priest; Shaphem, the secretary and others to enquire ofthe Lord through prophetess Hildah, the wife of Shallim. The prophetess said: “Thus said the Lord, behold I will bring evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read.” (I Kings 22:16-17). The Lord said that because Josiah was patient and humbled himself before the Lord when he heard the words read to him, his eyes would not see evil and he would rule his people in peace. King Josiah summoned all the elders in Israel and read the book of the covenant which was found in the temple to them. King Josiah stood by the temple’s pillar and made a covenant to walk with the Lord and keep His commandments and His testimonies and His structures with all his heart and soul.
WEEK 4
TOPIC: SIMILARITIES BETWEEN TODAY’S RELIGIOUS SITUATION AND THAT OF JOSIAH
Josiah is well known for his thorough cleansing of the land of Israel, destroying every idolatrous legacies in totality. Israel was transgressing since all those while before Josiah came, the land needed cleansing, Josiah did that.
1. Crimes and various vices are rampant in the churches today
2. There are many corrupt preachers and churches today
3. As it was in the days of Josiah, when people were filled with immoral act. In the society today people we think are practicing the right religion are doing something else. To learn more, click here
WEEK 5
TOPIC: CONCERN FOR ONE NATION
The Condition of the Nation(II Kings 24:25:1-17)
A nation as a corporate entity undergoes some turbulent times. This may be political, economic or social problem. It is in the face of the problem that people show love for their nation by identifying themselves with its problem and proffering solution. In the series of the battle that led to the final destruction of Judah Pharaoh Necho of Egypt was the first to come up against the land. Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim king in place of his brother Jehoahaz and changed his name to Jehoiakim. He took Jehoahaz away to Egypt where he eventually died. Subsequently, Egypt was defeated by Babylon under king Nebuchadnezzar for three years before he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar sent a contingent of Chaldeans, Syrians, Moabites and Ammonites to destroy Judah. It is worthy to note that it had earlier been prophesied that the Lord would send enemies that would destroy Judah because of the atrocities of the king. To learn more, click here
WEEK 6
TOPIC: THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM BY NEHEMIAH
Nehemiah, a captive in Babylon was visited by Hanai. Nehemiah wanted to know the state of Jerusalem and her inhabitants. Nehemiah was told that the remnant of the land were in great trouble and shame. He was told that the gates and the walls were broken down and destroyed. This made Nehemiah sad and wept bitterly. He fasted and prayed for several days. He requested for his freedom from the king of Babylon. He was allowed to go. On his arrival in Jerusalem he delivered the King’s later to the governors of the provinces. In the letters, it was written that the materials needed by Nehemiah for the reconstruction of the city be supplied to him. The people started building the walls of Jerusalem Samballat and Tobaih opposed the reconstruction works. To learn more, click here
WEEK 7
TOPIC: FAITH IN GOD
Faith and Grace (Daniel 3:1-30)
According to Hebrews 11:1-2, faith is defined as the assurance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen. The Bible tells us in Luke 1:37 with God all things are possible. Such was the case of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego whose faith and confidence in God was second to none.
Due to the outstanding qualities in these men they were appointed officials in Babylonian kingdom. A situation came when Nebuchadnezzar made a golden image and commanded all the officials in the provinces of Babylon to come for the dedication of the image. He ordered that when they hear the sound of the horn pipe, lyre, harp and kind of music all the various officials should fall down and worship the golden image. The three Hebrew boys refused to bow down and this made the king mad at them, he ordered that furnace should be heated seven more times. He ordered great hefty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the fury furnace. (Daniel 3:16-18). The fire was so hot that the flame consumed those men who cast the Hebrew boys into the furnace. To learn more, click here
WEEK 8
FAITH IN GOD Daniel 6:17-28
The story of Daniel was another case of somebody who had absolute in God and based on this, God delivered him when he was cast into the lion’s den. While in Babylon, he attained new heights in the government of the land because he had excellent spirit. The king loved him and planned to set him over as king. This attracted jealousy against him. The rest of the government officials and satraps therefore conspired to destroy Daniel. Knowing fully well that Daniel loved God and served Him continually they planned their strategy along the line requested him to decree that nobody in the kingdom should make petition to their god for thirty days. They further requested that the king should establish the inter-diet and sign the document so that it could not be changed. To learn more, click here
WEEK 9
TOPIC: SOCIAL JUSTICE (Amos 2: 6-8)
There was a high level of social and moral decadence in Israel as in the time of prophet Amos. The focus of his prophecies was mainly the social injustice which had eaten deep into the social life of Israel. There was no true fear of God in the mind of the people. Amos was therefore called by God to go and warn the people. The theme of Amos prophecy is summed up in the book of Amos 2:6-8.
The following societal ills spurred Amos prophecies:
a. Te judges took bribe and perverted justice. The poor were denied justice
b. The poor were robbed of their properties. They pledged such properties to borrow money.
c. The rich exploited the poor by selling to them with false weights and measures, thereby becoming richer at the expense of the poor.
d. There were cases of forced slavery. Some poor farmers who borrowed money from lenders and couldn’t pay back were forced to become the servants of the rich. To learn more, click here
WEEK 10
TOPIC: TRUE RELIGION (Amos 5:21-31)
Apart from social justice that had been corrupted, the religion of the Israelites was no longer practiced as they had deviated from observing the covenant made with God. Their hearts were not truly with God, they only pretended by fulfilling the physical obligations of worship such as payment of tithes and offering sacrifices while the real fear of God was not in them. Their religion had been polluted with the worship of idols; a case in point was the golden calves made by Jeroboam which he put one at Bethel and the other at Dun. This Bethel was the place of worship for Israelites by then. Also, there were other idols brought by the foreign women that various kings of Israel had married. All these combined to pollute the true worship of God in Israel, they felt they could appease God by their sacrifices but God rejected their offerings and sacrifices because they were not from people with a pure heart (Amos 5:21-24). To learn more, click here
