Friday, October 31, 2014

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday November 2, 2014

Over 67,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

GOD’S DIVINE GLORY RETURNS
(We can see GOD’s glory when we follow HIM)
(Ezekiel 43)

In Ezekiel chapters 8-11 Ezekiel described how GOD’s glory left the Temple that King Solomon had constructed. HIS withdrawal symbolized HIS temporary removal of protection from the city of Jerusalem, and, from the Israelite people in general. Here in Ezekiel 43, the “angelic being” in Ezekiel’s vision brings him back around to the East Gateway of the Temple area. It is there that the glory of the LORD suddenly appears before Ezekiel just at it had before, at the Kebar River, and again, when GOD came to destroy Jerusalem. The sounds of HIS coming were like the roar of rushing water, and the whole landscape shone brightly when HE arrived, and came in through the East Gateway of the temple (Vs.1-4). Then the HOLY SPIRIT took Ezekiel into the inner courtyard as the glory of the LORD then filled the Temple itself. As the angelic being, who was assigned by GOD to measure the temple area, stood beside Ezekiel, a voice spoke to Ezekiel from inside the Temple saying;

“Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died.  They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger.  Now let them stop worshiping other gods and honoring the relics of their kings, and I will live among them forever” (Vs.7-9) (NLT).

And so GOD would “conditionally” bring HIS divine glory back into the Temple in Jerusalem after the exiles returned, and HE would reside there once again among HIS people. However, in verses 10-12, GOD tells Ezekiel to describe the Temple plans, that, HE had shown him, to the people of Israel, and, to do it in such a way that, it would bring to remembrance, the shame of all of their past sins. GOD wanted the people to feel the shame for all of the “profane things” that they had done in HIS Holy Place, the old Temple, and let it serve as a deterrent from re-visiting those same old trespasses again, after they begin to assemble in the new Temple. And only if the people repent of their past behavior, was Ezekiel to describe the specifications of the construction of the new Temple.
GOD wanted HIS people to be able to see HIS grace through HIS promise of restoration, and be led to repent. Here HE stressed one basic primary law of the new Temple that must be adhered to at all times, and that is; ABSOLUTE HOLINESS! In fact, GOD says that the entire top of the hill where the Temple is built will be holy! And the Temple itself must be adorned with holiness, not human ideals and ingenuity.
Ezekiel was allowed by GOD to see the same glory that had once adorned the Temple of old in Jerusalem. Now GOD would be coming back to Jerusalem, and resting in a rebuilt glorified physical edifice, where HE would also restore the Israelites relationship of friendship with HIM, and fulfill the covenant that HE had made with Abraham.
As Ezekiel’s prophecies continue to waver back and forward between pre-exilic, post exilic, and eschatological times, here in the passage of Ezekiel 43, verses 13-27, we find perhaps one of the more stronger arguments that the prophet’s foretelling of the coming post-exilic Temple, may not be descriptions of a “yet to come” future, eschatological restoration of Israel.
Beginning in verse 13 of this chapter, we see the detailed description of plans for a “sacrificial alter” to be built in the new Temple. Here we can see that there is a theologically based problem with this being an eschatological reference, instead of a post-exilic one, since CHRIST JESUS is the once-and-for-all-time sacrifice that won us our salvation. Therefore, this passage begs the question, “Why will we need a sacrificial altar in the “Millennial Kingdom Temple?” And the answer is that, we won’t. Here in this passage Ezekiel is clearly prophesying of the Temple that was built by the exiles (led by Ezra, Zerrubabel, & Nehemiah) who would return to Israel from Babylon.
In the Millennial Kingdom Temple there will be no need for a sacrifice altar or Levitical priests of the family of Zadok to minister before the LORD on behalf of the people for their sin, simply because there will be no sinning in the Millennial Kingdom here on earth, under the direct rule of CHRIST JESUS. GOD will have already cleansed us of our “sin nature and filth” by then, and we will only have the desire to live like CHRIST, going forward (Ezekiel 36:26-29). There will be no sinful desires in the Millennial Kingdom, as satan, sin, and death, will all be locked away for a thousand years (Revelations 20:1-6), and we’ll be able to see GOD’s Glory, because we will earnestly be following HIM in everything we do, and, in every thought that we have. 

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website







Friday, October 24, 2014

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 26, 2014

Over 67,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

WHO’S IN CONTROL?
(Admitting wrongdoing and submitting to GOD’s wisdom)
(Job 42:1-10)

The strength to face difficult times is not found in our “knowing why” we must face them, but rather, it lies in “the confidence that we have” that our great GOD loves us completely, and that HE is still in charge of everything that goes on in this world. Ultimately, Job came to realize that fact, and he also came to realize how we as human beings don’t need answers to life’s problems, as much as we need GOD HIMSELF.
In Job 42:1-6, we see Job’s repentant heart being manifested in his final recorded response to GOD. There he declares;

I know that YOU can do anything, and no one can stop YOU. YOU ask, “Who is this that questions MY wisdom with such ignorance?” It is I, and I was talking about things I did not understand, things far too wonderful for me. YOU said, “Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them”. I had heard about YOU before, but now I have seen YOU with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance” (NLT).

In Job 42:10, after Job had shown “a forgiving spirit” toward his friends who had questioned his integrity, GOD restores Job completely by releasing him from his suffering, and restoring him back his fortune, twofold. GOD, through HIS perfectly scrutinizing vision, saw Job’s need for minor improvements in his relationship with HIM, and Job showed that need to us by way of his statement of doubt and hidden fear in Job 3:25, where he says;

What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come to be” (NLT).

It was a statement that displayed a deeply embedded “iota of mistrust” in GOD, despite all of the blessings that GOD had previously bestowed upon him. GOD allowed satan to squeeze Job until it was brought to his attention, and when Job realized his fault, he quickly repented, and he also took back all that he had said in his ignorance about the power and sovereignty of the Almighty GOD (42:1-6).
Back in Job 14:14, Job asked the question, “If mortals die, can they live again?” He also goes on to say, that, “this thought would give me hope, and through my struggle, I would eagerly await for my release”. In the Gospel of Saint Mark, in chapter 16, John Mark gives us a vivid description of the events that occurred on that early Sunday morning, surrounding the resurrection of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. This particular morning went down in history as the greatest morning to ever dawn on the souls of mankind, and it brought with it, a realization of that “hope of release” that Job had so prophetically spoke about, all those years earlier. It was, quite literally, “the dawn of the Christian Hope”.
When JESUS came, bringing healing to men’s bodies, and salvation to men’s souls, HE, in effect, had begun “the work of creation” all over again. Remember, in the beginning, all things had been made good (Genesis 1:31), however, since that time, the sins of man had ruined it all. But on that glorious resurrection morning, and in fact, throughout JESUS’ three-year earthly ministry, we see HIM bringing back “the beauty of GOD” to a world, that had long ago, been rendered “ugly” by the sins of man.
The story of Job is the supreme example of suffering in the Old Testament times, however, “the passion of CHRIST”, is the supreme example of suffering, for all time. GOD released Job from his suffering, because of his faith, and because of his righteous obedience to HIM. And likewise, JESUS can and will, release us from our suffering, for precisely the same reason. 

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
                                           LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website







Friday, October 17, 2014

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 19, 2014

Over 66,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

DEFIANT FAITHFULNESS
(GOD brings justice how and when HE chooses)
(Job 24)

When GOD began testing Job with various forms of suffering, it prompted him to think a lot about the seemingly unfair sufferings of others who were less fortunate than himself. Perhaps he had not considered these things for quite some time because he had been blessed with such an opulent lifestyle for so long.
Maybe one of the reasons GOD allowed these things to happen to Job, that are highlighted here in his book, is to allow him to get back in touch with his compassion for those who were less fortunate, and were not closely related to him. After all, JESUS does remind us (Matthew 25:31-46) that when HE returns to judge us, HE will do so, by basing those judgments in accordance to “how we reacted to human need”.
Here in Job 24, even though Job does recoil a bit from actually confronting GOD, he does seem to question what he believes is GOD’s indifference in judgment of good and evil. In this passage the pressure weighing down on Job, is causing a frustration in him, that has led him to thoughts that GOD is unfair, or at least, lackadaisical in HIS attitude toward sin in this world. It is an accusation that I myself have heard from people many times over the years, “why does GOD allow bad things to happen to (so-called) “good people”, which is an arrogant thought in itself, because the Scripture teaches us that none is good, except GOD HIMSELF. Everyone is deserving of punishment, based on our rebellious lifestyle against GOD, at one time or the other, and are deserving of whatever form of discipline GOD chooses to correct us with, whenever HE chooses to correct us.
Here in this passage, Job seems to arrogantly think that he can dictate to GOD who, when, and how HE should judge mankind. And even though he raises some very good questions, he raises those questions without an ounce of the wisdom that it takes to make such divine decisions about GOD’s universe and mankind’s effect on it, and, on each other.
Man cannot think from the standpoint of GOD, no matter how good his intentions may be, because he can never have the infinite wisdom that only GOD can safely possess, or the purity that GOD embodies. Man (the created) can’t “(krino) judge” other men, simply because we are all, ourselves, “men under judgment” and scrutiny from the CREATOR, GOD.
Only GOD can make the decision as to when, how, and even why, HE judges, or blesses anyone. It is not for man to tell GOD what is “fair” or “unfair”, seeing how HE is the CREATOR of the aspects of both terms, and gives both terms their definitions. What is fair, is what GOD says is fair, not man, and what is unfair, is what GOD defines as unfair. It is beyond man’s ability to re-define any term that GOD has already defined (i.e. marriage), and even if we do, it doesn’t count for anything in GOD’s mind, because HE remains sovereign in all things, no matter what we think.
In verse 1 of this chapter Job asks, “Why doesn’t the almighty open the court and bring judgment? Why must the GODly wait for HIM in vain? Job then goes on a poetic tirade listing several injustices, and bad choices that people make in this world that affect, themselves, and the lives of others, even in this day and age (Vs.2-17):

2 Evil people steal land by moving the boundary markers.
    They steal livestock and put them in their own pastures.
They take the orphan’s donkey
    and demand the widow’s ox as security for a loan.
The poor are pushed off the path;
    the needy must hide together for safety.
Like wild donkeys in the wilderness,
    the poor must spend all their time looking for food,
    searching even in the desert for food for their children.
They harvest a field they do not own,
    and they glean in the vineyards of the wicked.
All night they lie naked in the cold,
    without clothing or covering.
They are soaked by mountain showers,
    and they huddle against the rocks for want of a home.
“The wicked snatch a widow’s child from her breast,
    taking the baby as security for a loan.
10 The poor must go about naked, without any clothing.
    They harvest food for others while they themselves are starving.
11 They press out olive oil without being allowed to taste it,
    and they tread in the winepress as they suffer from thirst.
12 The groans of the dying rise from the city,
    and the wounded cry for help,
    yet GOD ignores their moaning.
13 “Wicked people rebel against the LIGHT.
    They refuse to acknowledge its ways
    or stay in its paths.
14 The murderer rises in the early dawn
    to kill the poor and needy;
    at night he is a thief.
15 The adulterer waits for the twilight,
    saying, ‘No one will see me then.’
    He hides his face so no one will know him.
16 Thieves break into houses at night
    and sleep in the daytime.
    They are not acquainted with the LIGHT.
17 The black night is their morning.
    They ally themselves with the terrors of the darkness.
(NLT)

In HIS infinite wisdom, GOD ultimately decided to create mankind, and HE endowed him with “wills that are free”. HE doesn’t force us to choose neither good, nor evil, in fact, all HE does is present us with both scenarios to choose from. In other words, we have the GOD-given right to choose between “good” and “evil”, which are two more terms that are defined only by GOD. HE tells us in HIS Word, those things that are good, and HE tells us about those things that are evil, but then, HE leaves it to us to choose which route we wish to take. If we choose what HE says is right, we can enjoy special favor and blessing from HIM, and if we choose what HE says is wrong, or evil, then, we invite curses upon ourselves and others, which is the opposite of blessings (Deuteronomy 28).
In the end (Vs.18-25) Job shows us that he is certain that the wicked will be punished, in fact, this section of this passage even seems to contradict the first 17 verses entirely. Still, in the end we see Job confirming to his friend, Eliphaz, his confidence that GOD will eventually hand the obedient, and the wicked their just rewards, or punishment.
Job shows here that he understands that both the righteous, and the wicked, suffer and prosper, in the same world, at the same time, and that, GOD brings justice how and when HE chooses, to both sides, regardless to what we think HE ought to do, and when we think HE ought to do it.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
                                           LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website



Friday, October 10, 2014

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 12, 2014

Over 66,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

CONFIDENT OF REDEMPTION
(Place your confidence in GOD’s redemption)
(Job 19)

We must be careful to remember that all people suffer, quite frankly, because all people sin in the eyes of GOD. Don’t look now, but, the greatest suffering in the world comes to those who insist on living without GOD. We often think or say that life is not fair, but we never stop to take into consideration that we look at life, through an unclean, bias mirror, that clearly and generally favors our own side, or position.
In the biblical Greek, the word used for “world” is “Kosmos”, and it is from that word that we derive our English word “cosmos”. In the spiritual sense, it is “that complex intertwining of sinful desires that shape our world of “lost” humanity”. When we live in this world, we are subject to its sinful fallout, sometimes due to our own sin, and sometimes due to the sins of others. However GOD uses our failures and imperfections to strengthen our character and move us closer to HIM, even while we are yet sinning in this world.
GOD chooses to allow it to rain on both, the “just”, and the “unjust” at the same time, and it is even possible for a person living without GOD to do “a right thing”. However, it is not possible for them to continue doing right things, neither on an ongoing, nor, regular basis. On the other hand, it is also possible for a person, who, for the most part, serves GOD seriously, to do “a wrong thing”. The good news, however, is that, it is not likely that they will continue to make bad decisions all the time. Still further, there are evil people in the world who experience “good fortune” (Job 21:7-18), and there are good people in the world who experience “bad fortunes” in life.
The average person, oftentimes, does not grasp how their sin, not only affects their personal spiritual, emotional and physical life, but also, the spiritual, emotional, and physical lives of others. Every sin that we commit affects, not only us, but also, always affects someone else, when all is said and done.
As human beings, because of our disobedience to GOD’s laws and instructions, we have long been destined to live in a world filled with death, sickness, and decay. However, thanks to the same merciful GOD that we perpetually disobey, man does not have to settle for “just living in the world”, we all have the option to choose to live, in and through, JESUS CHRIST, WHO is the “SAVIOR of the world”. However, when and if, we do choose to follow CHRIST, we are still not exempt from the trials and tests of everyday life.
In Job chapter 19 verses 1-6, Job cries out in the pain of his humiliation, and we can almost sense that he is beginning to see the light as to what is really happening to him. In verses 5-6 we see what can be viewed as a “spiritual awakening”, or “spiritual breakthrough” in Job. Here Job states that, “You are trying to overcome me, using my humiliation (emotional pain) as evidence of my sin” (a familiar trick of satan’s). But it is GOD WHO has wronged me (“tested me”). I cannot defend myself (I cannot defend myself before GOD – “For all are guilty and fall short of the glory of GOD”-Romans 3:23), for I am like a city under siege” (NLT).
In Job 19:25-27, Job gives us the earliest biblical mention of the “resurrection concept”, when he states,

“As for me, I know that my redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth in the last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see GOD! I will see HIM for myself. Yes, I will see HIM with my own eyes. And I am overwhelmed at the thought” (NLT).

By choosing and accepting GOD’s help, we don’t have to be overwhelmed by the effects of past sins (our emotions), nor by the chances and changes of this life, nor by a “fear” of what will happen to us in the future. Now we can, at anytime we choose, enter into a right relationship with GOD, and begin looking beyond this world to HIM, being powered by the HOLY SPIRIT, through JESUS CHRIST.
Each of us has experienced what we deem as “unfairness”, which we, at times, cannot explain. In these times, a study of the book of Job offers insight, and stimulates hope. The difficulty in setting the time and place of the events of the Book of Job is irrelevant because its timeless and universal message transcends the ages.
Job serves to remind us of that great truth, that, despite our lack of knowledge, and, of why certain misfortunes befall us, we can, and must, trust GOD in all that we aspire to do in life. The “life” that GOD created is always “just” and thereby “fair”, in the divine sense. What we think is fair or unfair, and what GOD knows is just, are sometimes, though incomprehensively to us, two entirely different things.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
                                           LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website






Friday, October 3, 2014

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 5, 2014

Over 66,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

THE REWARDS OF PATIENCE
(We can choose to rejoice in the LORD)
(Habakkuk 2:1-5 & 3:16-19)

The name “Habakkuk” (Huh-BAK-uhk) means “embraced by GOD”. The Scripture does not mention anything about the ancestry, or place of birth, of this pre-exilic prophet. He was both a poet and a prophet whose hatred of sin often compelled him to cry out to GOD for justice. Ironically, that same sense of justice also led him to challenge the LORD’s plan to judge the nation of Judah by using the evil forces of Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian fighting machine to annihilate them in 586 B.C.
Habakkuk’s three-chapter book mostly deals with the age-old problems of evil and human suffering because of that evil. Each chapter presents a very striking contrast, as in the first two chapters, the prophet’s complaining and questioning technique is used to drive home a powerful message concerning the coming judgment of the Almighty GOD. However, in the third chapter, the prophet pens one of the most beautiful psalms of praise to be found anywhere in the annals of Old Testament literature.
This terse book begins with a cry of woe as Habakkuk sees injustice running rampant in Judah, and the righteous ones being overtaken by the wicked. The law seems powerless to stop this madness, and it also seems that the LORD HIMSELF has abandoned HIS chosen people of Israel.
Many of the earlier prophets had also seen the societal injustices in Judah, and vehemently spoke out and objected to them. However, years ago, while still under the 55-year reign of King Manasseh, the father of Josiah, the nation of Judah had become committed to the idolatry and evil practices of the pagan nations around them. Those prophets were not able to convince the people to abandon those practices any more than Habakkuk would be able to, with his warnings in his day.
Like Isaiah, Hosea, Micah, and Zephaniah, Habakkuk ministered during the reign of King Josiah, Judah’s last GODly king. Josiah came to the throne at the incredibly young age of eight, and with the help of his queen mother, he was able to grow up with a moral compass to guide him. As a result, when he was older he initiated many religious reforms, and a spiritual revival, in an attempt to move the people of Judah back towards GOD.
Sadly, Josiah was not able to root out all of the deeply entrenched evil that had dug its way into Hebrew society, and Habakkuk pleaded with GOD for an explanation as to why HE had allowed this wickedness to persist, and the innocent to suffer, for all those years. He wanted to know why GOD would use a less righteous people (Babylon) to punish, what he considered to be, a more righteous nation (Judah). And even though there was already a precedent established with the downfall of northern Israel to Assyria in 722 B.C., Habakkuk was still troubled by what he felt was an overbearing moral issue.
In fact, even today, that is a concern about GOD that still troubles a lot of Christians, that age-old question of “why HE allows evil to exist and prevail in the world”. However, the answers we find in this message of Habakkuk clearly shows us that no one, good or evil, can escape the disciplining hand of GOD when HE decides to apply it.
In Habakkuk 2, verse 1-5, as Habakkuk awaits in a “watchtower” (“mismeret” in the Hebrew) for an answer from the LORD to his second complaint in chapter 1, the LORD tells Habakkuk to write HIS answer in large, clear letters on a tablet so that even a man running by can read it, and pass the message on to everyone he meets.
The LORD warns Habakkuk that the things HE planned will not happen right away, however, slowly but surely, the time nears when the vision HE shows him will be fulfilled. And if it seems slow, just be patient, because it will surely come to pass.
The LORD then tells Habakkuk to look around at all the confident, arrogant faces of those who trust in themselves, even though their lives are crooked. By contrast, those who are humble and righteous will simply “live by faith”, depending only on GOD for their survival. They will be faithful to GOD, and because of their faith and patience, they will live eternally with GOD at the end of this earth’s history. Those who trust in themselves, on the other hand will die by their own hand, and join satan in the pits of Hell following the “White Throne Judgment”.
Verse 5 describes wealth as being “treacherous”, and the arrogant as being “never at rest”, or, “never satisfied”. It is a comparison that pits these two together, with “greed and death”. Wealth and arrogance combined together, are like greed and death, neither one is ever satisfied.
In Habakkuk chapter 3, verses 16-19, Habakkuk concludes his message with a powerful poetic rendering that exudes all the confidence, patience, and faith that a person, who is under duress from a life-threatening siege can exhibit. Here he faithfully declares that;
  
I trembled inside when I heard this;
    my lips quivered with fear.
My legs gave way beneath me,
    and I shook in terror.
I will wait quietly for the coming day
    when disaster will strike the people who invade us.
 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
    and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
    and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
    and the cattle barns are empty,
 yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
    I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
    He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
    able to tread upon the heights.”
(NLT)

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website