The Shadow of Death
A Godly Response to a Pandemic – Part 2
Series Overview
Proverbs 27:1 says, “Do notboast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” TheCOVID-19 outbreak certainly shows that this is true. When 2020 began, we had noidea we would face this new kind of challenge. Though it caught us by surprise,we know God was not surprised. He knew this would happen and will guide usthrough this challenging time.
This study guide is the second in a new Faith Baptist Bible study series called “A Godly Response to a Pandemic.” Each lesson will provide biblical teaching that enables us to think, feel, and live in a Christlike way throughout this pandemic experience.
Together, we’ll tackle topicslike fear, anxiety, and loneliness. We’ll also examine our behavior as achurch. Most importantly, we’ll learn about our loving, sovereign God who isall-knowing, almighty, always present, and trustworthy in every way.
Series Guidelines
This series will continuethroughout our period of “social isolation” in New York City. To participate,please take the following approach.
- A new study guide will be provided each Saturday at Shepherd Thoughts. You can follow the guide online or download and print it as a PDF.
- Use each guide for an in-home Bible study from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Sunday.
- If you live with a Christian family, you can study together. If not, try studying together with another believer from Faith by phone or internet using a service like Facebook Video Chat, Google Hangouts, Skype, or Zoom.
- For each study: (1) begin with prayer, (2) read the Scripture passage, (3) work through the study guide, then (4) end with prayer.
- Then tune in early to the Faith Baptist Livestream on Facebook at 10:45 a.m. to post questions, feedback, and comments about the lesson. Pastor Overmiller will respond to your feedback before the 11:00 a.m. service begins.
- You can also leave comments on the blogsite at the end of the study guide page and Pastor Overmiller will respond by sometime Sunday.
- As a bonus, memorize a verse or more from the passage and think about it throughout the week ahead.
Lesson Introduction
Like a large fishing net encirclinga school of tuna in the ocean, the COVID19 pandemic has cast death’s long, darkshadow on all of us. For those who’ve lived a while or who bear the dailychallenge of preexisting conditions, this shadow is especially scary. Yet everyone of us, from nurses to teachers, police officers to pizza deliverymen, parentsto children worry what “might be” if we or those we love contracts this perniciousvirus.
In times like these, the wordsof Psalm 23:4 provide our hearts with the comfort and assurance we need, remindingus that the Lord himself is our shepherd. No matter how frightening the pathwayahead might be, he is lovingly guiding us each step of the way.
Psalm 23:4
Yea,though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
Iwill fear no evil;
For you are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Study Guide
Consider the Background
Before winter, an Old Testamentshepherd would lead his sheep down from the sunny fields and pasturelands onthe mountain above to the safety of his home ranch below. This descent wasoften a treacherous, uncomfortable journey, crossing rushing rivers, rockyterrain, dense forests, and dark valleys that harbored predators and bandits.
Examine the Scripture
- word though (כִּי) doesn’tmean “if” but “when.” Though “walking through the shadow of death” isn’t adaily experience for most of us, it’s an experience we all will experience inthe cycles of our lives.
- The “shadow of death” is a metaphor. We knowthat death is not an actual shadow, but it’s like a shadow. A shadowreduces the light from our eyes and darkens what we’re able to see. Though weknow that a shadow can’t hurt us, we’re often scared about what stands behindthe shadow – like a sheep would is scared of a wolf’s shadow in the forest.
- The word fear means to be “afraid,frightened” and to feel “greatly distressed and concerned about potentiallypainful or unfavorable circumstances.” It can also mean to be “intimidated.”
- The word evil here means more than justimmorality and wickedness. It is a general term that can also refer to somethingthat is “undesirable or potentially harmful.”
Ask Yourself Some Questions
- Why is it important to anticipate and embrace thedifficult and scary experiences of life as normal rather than hoping they won’toccur and being surprised when they happen?
- How is the prospect of death like a shadow and whyis it so frightening?
- What are some attitudes and behaviors thatreveal our fear of death?
- What are some other kinds of “undesirable orpotentially harmful” experiences, besides the prospect of death itself, thatcan cause us to be afraid in times like these?
Examine the Scripture
Read Psalm23 from the beginning. Can you notice the writer’s emphasis on the Lord byusing the word he and his at the beginning of every line? Then noticea quick, subtle shift to I at the beginning of verse 4.
Ask Yourself Some Questions
- does the writer of this Psalm puthimself at the beginning of the opening sentences of verse 4 when he hadn’tdone so in the previous verses?
- Why do frightening experiences in life turn ourattention and confidence away from the Lord on onto ourselves (which is what isgoing on here in this verse)?
- What fact or truth encourages the writer to sethis fear(s) aside?
Search the Scripture
Compare the encouragingphrase, “for you are with me,” to Isaiah 43:2, Matthew 28:20, and Hebrews 13:5.
Ask Yourself Some Questions
- How do brushes with death and other scary, uncomfortableexperiences make us more aware of God’s presence in our lives?
- How would a sheep respond to its shepherd in adark valley and how should you respond to the Lord in scary times like thisCOVID19 pandemic?
- Are you drawing closer to the Lord during thistime or wandering farther away from him?
Search the Scripture
When sheep get scared, they getspooked. When they get spooked, they run in any random direction and get intomore trouble than before. That’s why the word “walk” is important here. Wecannot “run” through life’s frightening experiences or push “fast forward” toget out of them quickly. We have to be willing to walk through them patientlywith the Lord, making one wise and trusting decision after another until thelong ordeal is over, even if it won’t be very soon.
- “The journey of a thousand miles begins withone step.” (Lao Tzu)
- “To get through the hardest journey we needtake only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping.” (Chinese Proverb)
- “One may walk over the highest mountain onestep at a time.” (John Wanamaker)
Ask Yourself Some Questions
- Why do we find it difficult to “walk” through difficultexperiences, wanting to “run” through them instead?
- How does knowing that Lord is with you help youto “walk” through difficult experiences one decision at a time?
- What are some small decisions that you need tomake next to navigate your current trial in a godly, un-frightened way?
Search the Scripture
The writer mentions two toolsthat an Old Testament shepherd would use when they were guiding their sheep ona journey through the valley.
- The rod was something like a wooden clubthat would hang on shepherd’s belt, ready for use at any moment. The shepherdused his rod to examine the sheep for harmful bugs and diseases and wouldoccasionally strike a sheep firmly to keep it in line, preventing the sheepfrom going into harm’s way. He would also use the rod as a weapon to fight awaypredators and bandits.
- The staff was a longer stick, up to sixfeet long. A shepherd would use this rod to pull sheep back to safety who hadfallen over a cliff or into the water. He would also use it as they walked togently bump or nudge a sheep who was beginning to stray from the path.
Ask Yourself Some Questions
How is God shepherding youthrough the COVID19 pandemic?
- How is he caring for your physical health?
- How is he examining and caring for yoursmallest needs?
- How is he correcting you from wayward,disobedient behavior?
- How is he pulling you back to a more biblical, spiritualmindset?
- How is he keeping you on the path?
- How is he protecting you from danger?
Share Your Feedback
Now that you’ve finished this study, don’t forget to tune in early to the Faith Baptist Livestream on Facebook at 10:45 a.m. to post questions, feedback, and comments about the lesson! Pastor Overmiller will respond to your feedback before the 11:00 a.m. service begins.
