Friday, December 31, 2010

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday January 2, 2011

GOD IS OUR REDEEMER
(GOD redeems, ransoms, and releases us to fulfill HIS purpose)
(Isaiah 44)

It is for the purpose of GOD that the Christian is called. It is by the work of the HOLY SPIRIT that a person’s life is hallowed towards GOD. And, it is by the sprinkling of the blood of CHRIST JESUS that past sins are forgiven, and we can look forward to a future of obedience to GOD.
When we choose the Christian Walk, we automatically become strangers to worldly behavior. We are no longer permanent residents of this earth, but rather, we become citizens of Heaven, and therefore, the Laws of GOD become paramount to us. We have been resurrected into a new life with CHRIST and our relationship with GOD becomes our greatest asset, not the people and things of this world that we previously tended to over-cherish.
In the biblical Greek, the word used for “resurrection” is “anastasis”, and it is “a moral recovery of a spiritual truth”, and, it also means “to stand up again”. It is not until a person falls in love with goodness, that wrong things will no longer fascinate and have power over them. A right relationship with GOD allows us to recover a spiritual truth that may have been lost by previous generations of our families, because they failed to pass on the legacy of faith that had been previously passed on to them. GOD, through HIS unfailing love, mercy, and faithfulness to mankind, continues to allow each generation a new chance to recover the baton that has been dropped by those who came before us.
In Isaiah 44, after Isaiah had shown in the two previous chapters how Israel had failed as GOD’s servant, the LORD promises through HIS prophet, to restore those who are called by HIS name, those who choose to follow HIM, back into a right relationship of friendship with HIM during the millennial kingdom of CHRIST.
GOD promises to give us even a better chance this time, as HE vows to pour out HIS HOLY SPIRIT, and HIS blessings upon all those who believe in HIM, even those of future generations to come. The LORD would revive those believers, both physically and spiritually, even the Gentiles who choose to honor the name of Israel as their own (Vs. 1-5).
In verses 6-23 the uniqueness of GOD is illustrated as Isaiah shows us how illogical and ludicrously absurd idol worship really is, by contrasting it against the Almighty GOD, the CREATOR of the Heavens and the Earth. Here several titles are used by Isaiah, in addition to the title “Almighty GOD”, to emphasize GOD’s sovereignty. Those titles include “Israel’s King”, “Redeemer”, and, “The First and the Last”.
The practice of idolatry dominated the ancient world that is depicted in the Holy Scriptures, both, in the Old Testament, and, in the New Testament. Some idol worshippers were very superstitious, and they viewed their carved images as deities, even though they had made them with their own hands, from whatever scrap leftover wood, metal, or stone that may have been lying around.
Some were of a more sophisticated nature, seeing the figures that they bowed down to, only as physical representations, of spiritual beings from on high. However, idol worship, in any form, involves an explicit, blatant denial of the GOD WHO is the CREATOR of even the materials which idol worshippers use to make their worthless idol gods. In truth, GOD makes HIMSELF plain for all to see, especially through HIS Creation, and any swift or gradual slide into idolatry, amounts to little more than just another blasphemous way of saying to GOD, “We are not what YOU made us”. It is no better than the sin of “self worship” that is comprised in sexual sins such as homosexually, adultery, fornication, etc.
In Isaiah 44:21-22, we see that through it all, GOD continues to refer to us as HIS servants. HE continues to claim us as HIS OWN and says HE will continue to help us get it right. Through JESUS CHRIST, HE has swept away past sins like the morning mist, and HE has scattered our offenses against HIM, like the clouds. HE beckons us to return to HIM because, through JESUS’ vicarious sacrifice, HE has paid for our trespasses and has set us free from the dominion of death and sin. And as a bonus, in verses 25-28, GOD promises to expose all those false prophets who would mislead HIS children by way of their lies and deceitful advice, and HE will make them look like fools in front of the whole world.
However, GOD will continue to uphold the words of those whom HE has truly sent to represent HIM here on earth, and HIS commitment to do right will continue to be revealed in the salvation of sinners, as well as, in HIS judgment of sin. GOD will continue to be true to us despite of our failures, and we can see clearly in this passage from the book of Isaiah, how salvation has been moved beyond the deliverance from any present danger, and into a realm of “resurrection” at the “end of days”, or in the much anticipated, “Day of the LORD”.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander


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Thursday, December 23, 2010

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 26, 2010

GOD WILL BE WITH YOU
(GOD is our only SAVIOR and HE promises us victory)
(Isaiah 43)

In the Hebrew, the word used for “redeemed” is “ga’al”, and it means “to buy out of slavery”. In Isaiah 43, the prophet writes of a “new exodus” in which GOD would once again bring HIS people back home from their captivity and oppression, this time, from out of Babylon. Here in this passage we see yet another “salvation oracle” being introduced with the powerful words “Thus says the LORD”. “Fear not” is the first element in this prophetic passage, and it gives reference to, and is based upon, what GOD had done for the Israelites in the past, namely, Israel’s miracle-filled exodus from Egypt.
Many legal terms are applied here, as it is in much of Old Testament literature, where it references the many “distinctive acts of GOD” that would soon occur. First GOD says HE will “redeem” HIS people, as would a “kindred redeemer” redeem a family member (Ruth, chapters 2-4) according to Hebrew Law. Then, GOD “named HIS people”, as would a parent, or legal guardian name their children. And finally, GOD says that HE will “ransom” them with Babylon, as HE had done earlier with Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba, when HE gave those nations up as a ransom for Israel’s freedom (Isaiah 43:1-4). And so here we see, GOD saves us through HIS laws, as well as, through HIS distinctive acts.
In Isaiah 43:25-27 GOD invites us to appear in HIS court of law, a place we wouldn’t want to be without JESUS. GOD’s greatest distinctive act was to send us HIS only begotten SON, JESUS, and HE, by doing so, offered HIM up as a ransom for our sins against HIM. As our personal SAVIOR, one of the ways JESUS saves us is by speaking on our behalf in front of GOD the FATHER, WHO is the injured party, prosecutor, and judge in HIS court. When we choose JESUS, HE becomes our advocate in GOD’s court of law, and HE is the only ONE WHO is qualified to stand before GOD on our behalf. In biblical times, people involved in legal disputes had to appeal before an earthly king for justice, however, in the day of the LORD, our cases will be appealed before our Heavenly FATHER, WHO will only take appeals from one advocate, CHRIST JESUS.
And finally, GOD saves us by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, WHO is the only ONE WHO can lead, counsel, and guide us into all righteousness, that is the righteousness of CHRIST. Apart from the HOLY SPIRIT we can’t even fully understand the word and laws of GOD enough to respect or obey them. It is the SPIRIT that opens up our minds to understanding and following our LORD (1 Corinthians 2:10-16). No man can come to CHRIST unless the HOLY SPIRIT draws them, and the HOLY SPIRIT doesn’t draw those who lack the desire to be in the family of GOD (John 6:44-47). GOD created all men, but all men are not children of GOD. Only those who earnestly believe and accept CHRIST as their personal SAVIOR, can ever be a child of GOD (John 1:12).
And so we can clearly see through this ancient passage of Isaiah that GOD, that is, the whole of GOD, GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON, and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT has long ago, committed to remain with us once we commit to remain with HIM. The “whole of GOD” is committed to the “whole of man” in the three spheres of time that a man has to travel through, the past, the present, and, the future. Man, has always been, is now, and, will forever be, in total need of GOD. We need GOD the FATHER for our daily protection and provisions (Isaiah 43:5), that’s the present. We need JESUS for the forgiveness of sins (Isaiah 43:25), that’s the past. And we need the HOLY SPIRIT for guidance, for counseling, and to lead us into an uncertain future on faith (Isaiah 43:18-19). And so the whole of GOD is made available to the whole needs of man, and apart from GOD, there is no SAVIOR.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander


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Friday, December 17, 2010

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 19, 2010

TRUE PEACE ON EARTH
(GOD brings true peace and justice)
(Isaiah 9:6-7 & 11:1-8)

The Jews of the first century eagerly anticipated a time when the much talked about MESSIAH would show up and physically free Israel from Roman domination, and set up a physical kingdom that would eventually reach the ends of the earth, as they knew it at that time. They expected HIM to come and restore their nation to even greater heights than those of the United Kingdoms of David and Solomon of years gone by. In fact, they took the words of Isaiah 9:7 quite literally.
Strangely, however, when the MESSIAH did finally come, even the Jewish leaders were so far detached from GOD spiritually, that they couldn’t even recognize the exact character of GOD in the flesh. And so, they rejected JESUS, never being able to accept the repeated spiritual emphasis that HE presented to them, as a requirement, to become a part of the kingdom that GOD promised them. Sure! They wanted the kingdom, but they wanted it the way that they perceived it their mortal minds, and to them, that did not include having JESUS as the king of their lives.
Mankind has never seen itself as a spiritual prisoner of sin, but rather, we always see ourselves as being oppressed by some type of physical enemy, usually another person, race, or nation. And despite scripture telling us over and over again that our enemy is not flesh and blood, but rather, evil spirits from on high, we continue to fight each other while satan runs roughshod over our lives, and our families lives, stealing from us, killing us, and destroying us in ways that wreck eternal havoc. We never seem to stop searching for physical answers, to problems, that have always been, spiritual. We find ourselves running from relationship to relationship, over-indulging in food, trying to spend our way to happiness etc., never realizing that, only a relationship with GOD, can bring peace and justice to us here on earth.
The prophet Isaiah referred to the HOLY SPIRIT more than did any other prophet (four times) in the annals of Old Testament history. Here in chapter 11 he writes of how the HOLY SPIRIT would act upon, and characterize a future MESSIAH, that would come through the line of King David, the son of Jesse. He tells us that, after GOD the FATHER has cut down all of the foreign kings and nations that HE HIMSELF would allow to conquer Israel and Judah, HIS beloved chosen people would rise again, out of the loins of David’s family, to lay claim to a throne and a kingdom, that would rule forever. JESUS, the true branch of GOD, would bear an everlasting fruit (Salvation) that would benefit all people who choose to abide in HIM, for all time.
Throughout JESUS’ life on earth, the HOLY SPIRIT rested on HIM and empowered HIM day by day. The work of the HOLY SPIRIT, which is characterized by the GODly attributes of wisdom, understanding, council, power, knowledge, and the fear of the LORD, abided with JESUS for the duration of HIS first advent.
Like JESUS, we humans, here on earth, can benefit from the work of the HOLY SPIRIT in our lives. For, we cannot argue the fact that we all, if we are in our right mind, long to have peace and justice as a mainstay to our existence. However, the help of the HOLY SPIRIT is a benefit that is available to us, only by first accepting JESUS CHRIST as our LORD and SAVIOR. There is no other way available to man that can provide us with the peace and justice that we need in this life, and the only ticket that can deliver us into GOD’s OWN glorious presence in the eternal life to come.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander


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Friday, December 10, 2010

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 12, 2010

NOT FORSAKEN
(GOD forever dwells with HIS people)
(Isaiah 41)

One of the more frequent images in Old Testament literature is that of a courtroom scene, or trial, whereby the LORD, is not only the injured party, but HE is also the prosecutor and the judge. In Isaiah chapter 40, we found the prophet Isaiah speaking for the LORD, in regards to HIS holy intentions toward the Israelites, however, here in chapter 41, we find GOD speaking for HIMSELF. This divine depiction of a courtroom trial is brilliantly used by GOD to present HIS case against HIS beloved Israelites, who had by now, reduced their behavior before HIM, down to the level of the pagans. It is a setting staged for the announcement of a divine sentence of judgment against the evildoers of Judah.
Here in chapter 41, verses 2-3, GOD pre-announces the emergence of the great Persian king, Cyrus, whom HE would later use to overthrow King Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian Empire, after HE has used them, to destroy Jerusalem and take Judah into a 70-year captivity in Babylon. However, these coming events are not to spell the end of the people that GOD calls HIS OWN. Tomorrow’s wars can hold no terror for those who choose GOD. Eventually, all of Israel’s enemies will be put down, and her needs met, for that is the eternal promise from GOD, that is backed by all the honor of HIS name (Psalm 138:2b).
We can see that promise of hope quite vividly here in 41:8, as GOD continues to refer to Israel as “MY servant”. Here, the term “servant” underscores two things; “divine choice”, and “fulfillment of a divinely ordained task”. Even though Israel has always been GOD’s servant, she has also, always fallen miserably short of completing her assigned mission. And as Isaiah will reveal in the following chapter (Isaiah 42:1-7), GOD would eventually send another servant, HIS only begotten SON, JESUS CHRIST, and as we all know now, JESUS would successfully complete the mission that GOD gave HIM to do. HE would redeem all mankind, not just Israel, back into a personal relationship of friendship with GOD, if they choose to accept and be a part of HIS Kingdom, through JESUS the REDEEMER.
This passage serves to show us that GOD will not discard us when we fail, but rather, HE will remain committed to us in love, despite our failures. HE will help us to dig our way out of the seemingly hopeless situations that we find ourselves in, because of the poor choices that we make, trying to find physical answers to spiritual problems. GOD is committed to strengthening HIS people, and, as a result, we can take solace in the fact that the awesome power of GOD will always be available to us, through CHRIST JESUS.
Throughout this passage, GOD speaks comforting words that go a long ways toward allaying the fears of HIS people, and thereby, building up their faith so that they can earnestly rely on HIM for all of their needs.
In verse 26, the term “in the beginning”, in the King James Version of scripture, stresses the purposeful aspects of Creation, as they unfold through the process of time. However, GOD did not set the world as if HE was setting time on a “windup watch”, and then, sit back and wait on it to wind down. From the beginning, HE had a plan and a purpose that must be carried out by every person, down through the annals of time, and, it all must work out, according to HIS divine and eternal design.
GOD is the writer, producer, and director of the story of our lives, and HE knows exactly, how, and when the drama will end. And, inherently, the enigmas of life will become less baffling, when we come to rest in the thought, that this life is not the final act of the human drama. GOD will never forsake us, nor will HE abandon us to the grave (Psalm 16:10-11), and not one of our modern-day idols (people, money, houses, cars, etc) can make us that promise.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander


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Friday, December 3, 2010

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday December 5, 2010

RECEIVING COMFORT AND STRENGTH
(GOD’s inexhaustible strength renews HIS people)
(Isaiah 40)

Isaiah chapter 40 marks the beginning of the second of two major segments that comprise the makeup of this divinely prophetic book. While chapters 1-39 dealt mostly with GOD’s measurements and judgments upon the nation of Israel, chapters 40-66 speak of the promise of restoration and deliverance of Israel, back into GOD’s grace, comfort, and strength.
When Isaiah wrote these prophesies of restoration, Judah still had more than 100 years of struggle ahead of them, because of their rebellious lifestyle against GOD, before they were to begin their 70 year sentence of punishment, that was to be handed down by GOD, in the form of kidnap and captivity at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and his powerful Babylonian army in 586 B.C. GOD called on Isaiah to speak these words of comfort to those who had been paying attention to the warnings of the eighth century prophets, and, who were trusting in GOD for leniency and forgiveness.
Chapters 40-55, in particular, exhibit a remarkable unity of style and theology, and here in the opening lines of this chapter, we see an announcement of their main theme of “restoration for Judah”. As it always is with GOD, in the midst of our sins, HE is faithful to forgive us. However, HE is also faithful to discipline us by allowing us to suffer with the consequences of our iniquities. The sufferings of Israel in Babylon, that were foretold in the previous chapters of this book are over, and now, GOD is letting the people know that it can all be summed up as divine punishment for their sins (vs. 1-2).
Following the Israelites 70-year punishment in captivity in Babylon, GOD had already orchestrated a plan by which HE would bring HIS people home, restore the nation, and rebuild it back to its splendor. In verses 3-5, we find that a voice, other than Isaiah’s, is calling out to the people to begin preparing the way for the LORD and HIS glory. In the New Testament, each of the four Gospel writers apply these verses to John the Baptist, the desert prophet who prepared the way for JESUS CHRIST at the beginning of the first century A.D. However, here in the pages of Isaiah, the entire nation of Judah had been lingering on a spiritual desert for hundreds of years, and they desperately needed to ready themselves for the “distinctive act of GOD” that would be forthcoming, and, that would restore them back to their homeland circa 538 B.C under the leadership of Zerubbabel and others (Ezra 2).
In verses 6-8, a second voice, that is likely the voice of GOD, commands Isaiah to cry out. The voice instructs him to contrast the difference between GOD and man. In a nutshell, the voice tells Isaiah to remind the people that they are temporal, and are always changing, like grass that soon dies away. GOD, on the other hand, is eternal, and always the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, HIS word will endure forever.
Just like back in Isaiah’s day, we today, who call ourselves by HIS name (Christian) need only to turn to GOD and forsake our own modern-day idols (people, houses, cars, money etc.), those things that put us in captivity to sin in the first place. GOD, will then renew us and revive us, after the consequences of our iniquities has run their course.
GOD is the only ONE WHO can give us new strength, the kind of strength that will allow us to soar like eagles, to run and not grow weary, and to continue on in our Christian walk, and not faint. We have no power in ourselves, except what GOD can grant us through HIS HOLY SPIRIT when we accept CHRIST JESUS. Only in HIM can we find the strength that we need to carry out the “Great Commission” that CHRIST has charged us with, and, at one and the same time, be able to resist, the gravitational pull of this world.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander


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