Return to Me Bookclub Discussion Questions
HUGE Thank you to Joanne Wallace from the Sister Circle Book Club, S. Attleboro Assembly of God, S. Attleboro, Massachusett for submitting these fantastic questions
Characters: Zechariah (Zaki)
Iddo and Dinah (Saba and Safta)
Yael and Mattaniah
Joel and Shoshanna
Book One : Babylon
In the first section, we meet the main characters. What is the decree that finally comes to the people of Israel?
Why did only a remnant choose to make the journey? What were their excuses? How did this effect Iddo and Dinah, in the short term and in the long term?
Would you allow your child to make such a trip? Why was Zechariah allowed to go? What are some early signals that God has set Zechariah apart?
Book Two: The Promised Land
What did the people discover when they reached the Promised Land? What sort of problems did they initially face?
What happens with the local Samaritans? Think about things from their point of view – were some of their reactions normal under the circumstances? What were some of the things that the Samaritans did to show their dislike of the return of these exiles? How do things escalate? What is the end result? I.e. the offer of help from the Samaritans, the desecration of the Temple, what happens to Shoshanna, the delays in the messages sent back to Babylon, etc.
Yael and her father make many trips to the Samaritan village. Talk about what draws Yael to the village.
Dinah and Yael help in the birth of Hodaya. Talk about this situation.
Book Three: Jerusalem
This book begins ten years later. What changes have there been?
What happens to Leyla? Talk about the romance between Yael and Rafi. What happens?
How does Zechariah prove his love for Yael despite his knowledge of her sorcery practices?
Book Four: The Temple
It is now six years later. The work of the temple has still not begun and the area is under a drought. What changes have happened in Zechariah’s life in the past six years?
Haggai brings a prophecy to the people. What does this initiate? How does Haggai encourage and help Zechariah at this time? What is different about Zechariah’s prophecy compared to Haggai?
How does the author use the story of Hodaya to show the openness of God to the Gentiles?
Chapter 45 jumps another three years. The temple is finished – how will the story continue?
