Friday, July 31, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday August 2, 2015

Over 83,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

OUR REDEEMER COMES
(GOD is the only one WHO is able to redeem us)
(Isaiah 59)

Unless a person receives “new life” through CHRIST JESUS, their sin will carry them over into eternal death (permanent separation from GOD). In Isaiah chapter 59, the prophet stresses the fact that our sins are what continue to interrupt our relationship with GOD. GOD’s general blessings (those that are bestowed upon all human beings, believers and unbelievers, i.e. the right to life, air, rain, sunshine, etc.), and, special favors (those that are bestowed upon us whenever we live in obedient to HIS Word) are ever-flowing. However, when we sin, we disconnect ourselves from that flow of special favor, and sometimes, even from general blessings.
Here in this passage, taking up at verses 1-3, Isaiah reminds us that GOD is not too weak to save us from ourselves. HE still has ears to hear us when we call (GOD is not deaf), but our lifestyles have placed us in a “spiritual disconnect” situation, where we are no longer able to communicate and speak with HIM successfully. In other words, we have allowed our “spiritual phone line service” to be cut off, because of sin, and we need to “reconnect” into a personal relationship of friendship with GOD, through earnest repent, and a return to obedience.
Sin corrupts human nature and turns our thoughts to evil acts against each other, and more importantly, against GOD, WHO created us in HIS OWN “spiritual image” (tselem) to be HIS “figurative representatives” here on earth. Sin arouses wrong desires, and so weakens us, that we choose wrong over right, even when we are sober and cognizant of the perverseness of our choices. It is not until a person falls in love with goodness, that “wrong things” will no longer fascinate, and have power over us.
In verses 4-8 Isaiah paints a grim, but accurate picture of an immoral society that has almost totally turned itself away from GOD. It is the depiction of a society where few care about being fair or honest. Even their lawsuits against each other were based on lies. People were beginning to spend a great deal of their time plotting evil deeds, and then, vigorously carrying out those schemes with the greatest of skill. They cheated and shortchanged people, and nothing they did was morally or spiritually productive during the course of any given day. Violence became a societal trademark, as many feet ran to do evil, and rushed to commit murder. Their every thought was sinful, and everywhere they went, misery and destruction followed closely behind them, and no one was able to experience even a moment of peace. Um! Sounds almost like today’s society!
Through all of our evil ways, we actually show how far GOD’s deliverance is from us. We walk around in spiritual darkness, groping and stumbling like blind people, and we don’t even realize that we have a light in this world, JESUS, WHO came to save us from ourselves. Yes, we look for justice, but there is none to be found, because we don’t require it of the people we choose and elect to rule over us. As a result, we now find ourselves looking to be redeemed by unjust men and women, who badly need GOD’s salvation themselves. Instead of praising and obeying GOD, we turn our backs on GOD, and rebel against HIM every chance we get. And now we’ve reached a point where our courts oppose GOD, and, the righteous people of GOD.
We live in a time where truth falls dead in our streets, and professed Christians are more concerned with defending their own race than they are about defending the truth of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST. Even here in the United States we now verbally, and sometimes, physically attack and punish, those who choose to believe GOD, and not man. Yes, our sins are piled up high in this generation, and they testify boldly against us with their presence before GOD.
In verses 16-21 Isaiah delivers some good news to those who lived in the eighth century that were seeking GOD’s righteousness through their behavior. And that same message comes to like-minded individuals, from across the spans of time, who, in this, the twenty-first century, choose to follow CHRIST JESUS, our LORD. There he tells us that GOD will step in to save HIS oppressed people with a mighty power, and justice. And HE HIMSELF, will don “righteousness” as HIS body armor, and will have on HIS head, “a helmet of salvation”. HE will also clothe HIMSELF with the robe of vengeance and GODly fury (Vs.16-17).
It is a prophecy of the coming of CHRIST, and here Isaiah is saying that, GOD, through JESUS, HIS SON, will render righteousness and salvation to HIS people, while, at one and the same time, vigorously executing vengeance on those who oppressed and harmed HIS people, physically, morally, and spiritually. Then, at last, the whole world will respect and glorify the name of JESUS, as our REDEEMER and LORD (v.19).  
In verses 20-21 Isaiah foretells that the MESSIAH will go to Jerusalem to redeem those in Israel who have turned from their sins. HE will then enter into a “New Covenant” with them, and neither HIS HOLY SPIRIT, nor HIS words, will ever leave them, or their children in the generations to come. And Israel, through the light of CHRIST, will shine on many in all the other nations, and they too, will be attracted to the glory of our LORD, JESUS CHRIST, forever.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website






Friday, July 24, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday July 26, 2015

Over 82,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

GOD SHOWS CLEMENCY
(Misery turned to hope)
(Micah 7)

While Israel was busy growing in sin, and living out her own worldly fantasies, GOD was busy shaping her enemy, Assyria, into a world power that HE would use to crush those sinful fantasies into the dust, once and for all. But first, GOD would send into their midst, several prophets with messages that would, hopefully, turn HIS beloved nation around, and propel them back to serving HIM.
Each of those prophets condemned the sinful choices of northern Israel and Judah, and each offered a much more grander vision from GOD, that was composed of, both, discipline, and, a “spiritual road map” of the best route to preserving the future welfare of HIS “chosen people”. Through their messages, each prophet showed us a GOD WHO is committed to both judgment of sin, and, to keeping HIS covenant promises.
In Micah chapter 7, the prophet Micah can sense the misery of Israel’s spiritual defeat, and here he expresses his disappointment due to the moral and spiritual decline of this eighth century Hebrew society, in which he himself lived. And while most of that generation sat in the darkness of their own hedonistic lifestyles, Micah, along with a small remnant, all shared hope in GOD that HE would redeem those who were committed to obedience to HIS laws.
In verses 1 and 2, Micah imagines himself, analogically, being in an orchard, or a vineyard, and feeling the misery of one who looks around and sees no harvest to satisfy his hunger, after working the crops all year long. Here he is saying that he can now look around GOD’s chosen community and see, or at least, readily find no one with whom he could fellowship. He feels almost totally isolated and alone, much in the way that Elijah felt (1 kings 19:14). In verse 2 he says that the GODly people have all disappeared, and not one fair-minded person remained, throughout all of Israel.
Then, in verses 3-4 he describes a scene of total evil gone amok in the community of GOD, as people had began to sin with all their might. Here he says people were sinning with both hands, and what’s worse, they had become very adept at their evil practices. The people with money were paying others to sin with, and for them, and together they twisted justice as far as they possibly could.     
The depiction of this sinful atmosphere is escalated in verses 5-6 where Micah sends a warning not to trust anyone, not a best friend, or even a spouse. Here he even says that the son despises the father, the daughter strongly defies her mother, and so certainly, the daughter-in-law openly defies her mother-in-law.
In verse 7 Micah gives us his solution, and we can see that it is one that is actually quite practical. Here he states, “As for me, I look to the LORD for HIS help. I wait confidently for GOD to save me, and my GOD will certainly hear me”. And so Micah is urging the few people left who have a heart for GOD (the remnant) to put their hope in HIM, and not in changing their own situations by trusting in their own “human ingenuity”. They should look to what GOD will do for those who trust in HIM, and don’t focus on what people were doing around them. The word “hope” implies a willingness to wait, and, a confidence that GOD has a future stored with great blessings, for those who believe on HIM when times are tough.
In verses 14-20 Micah begins to pray for the LORD’s compassion on Israel, which will certainly come after judgment, and, after giving the sins of HIS people a chance to run its course in Assyria. HE pleads that the LORD will, once again, come and rule over HIS people, leading them as “a great shepherd” leads his sheep into greener pastures, and then, protects them from the enemies of the wilds around them.
Then hopefully, GOD’s powerful intervention will humble, not only the Israelites, but also, all the other nations of the world who aspire to attack and conquer GOD’s chosen people. Micah says the enemy nations will one day be embarrassed that their power is so insignificant, and they will stand in awe, and realize how lowly they are compared to GOD. And then ultimately, they too will come out to meet the LORD in fear and trembling (Vs.16-17).
In verses 18-20 the prophet ends his book praising the Almighty GOD. What sets the FATHER of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST apart from all the “false gods” is HIS willingness, despite HIS sovereign power, to pardon the sins of HIS greatest creation, mankind. Even when we fail HIM, HE remains faithful to us. And in HIS faithfulness, HE cleanses us through HIS discipline, and uses that same discipline to transform us into individuals who are more pleasing to HIM. And all the while, at one and the same time, HE keeps every promise HE ever made to “the faithful people” (Noah, Abraham, David, etc.) who came before us.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website






Friday, July 17, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday July 19, 2015

Over 82,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

JUSTICE, LOVE, AND HUMILITY
(What GOD requires)
(Micah 6)

In Micah 6 we find the prophet’s third message to Israel. Here he reminds GOD’s people, then and now, just what the LORD requires from those who profess to be HIS children. First the LORD asks the people to state their case against HIM, and, to let all creation testify on their behalf. Knowing that they had no case against HIM, the LORD then begins to present HIS case against Israel, and in verse 2, the LORD says that HE will prosecute Israel to the full extent of the law.
In verse 3, the LORD begins HIS case by asking Israel “What have I done to make you turn from ME? Tell ME why your patience is exhausted! Answer ME!” Then, without actually waiting for an answer (for HE knew they had no excuse for their abandonment of HIS laws) the LORD reminds Israel of how HE redeemed them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus), using Moses, Aaron, and even Miriam (because of her role as a prophetess - Exodus 15:20-21), to deliver them into a state of freedom (v.4). Moses represented GOD to man, while Aaron represented man to GOD.  
In verse 5, the Israelites are reminded by GOD of how King Balak of Moab tried to have them cursed through the prophet Balaam, and how HE caused Balaam to bless them instead (Numbers 22-24). GOD also reminded them of how, on their journey from Acacia to Gilgal (Joshua 3:1 & 4:18-24), HE tried desperately to teach them about HIS OWN faithfulness to them as HIS chosen people, by drying up the Jordan River, just as HE had done with the Red Sea, so that they could cross over into the “promised land” without getting their feet wet.
And so, in this third message from the prophet Micah (Vs.6-8), he reminds GOD’s people, then and now, just what the LORD requires from those who profess to be HIS children. Here in this passage, the people ask what they can bring to the LORD that would serve as an acceptable sacrifice of atonement for their evil deeds. They then suggest everything from yearling calves, to their own children.
Child sacrifice is one of the things that their, newly found, idol god Mollech requires. GOD would never require a child sacrifice. They had become so spiritually confused, that they were actually suggesting to GOD, the same kind of worship that they provided for their idols, instead of worshiping GOD “HIS way”, which is how we are all supposed to worship HIM. Micah reminds the people at this point, that, the LORD has already told them what is good, and, what HE requires from each of us. HE requires us to “do what is right”, “to love mercy”, and to “walk humbly with HIM”.
GOD does not wish for us to only be related to HIM in a ritualistic way, but rather, HE wants us to possess an inward desire to obey HIM, and relate to HIM in a “personal” way. HE does not want us to look at obedience as a burden, or a mental task, because, when we take on that attitude, over time, we will begin to loathe HIS standards, instead of seeking to learn and incorporate them into our lives.
Micah 6:8 is a powerful statement. It is one of the many great “pure statements” that can be found in the annals of Old Testament literature. It sums up the very heart and make-up of the Christian Walk with GOD. It is an ethical injunction that is not intended to be a way of salvation, but rather, it is simply meant to express the way “the saved person” should walk, not in the world, but rather, the way he or she should walk with GOD.
The word “good”, in this passage, is defined as “practical” and “moral”, not “speculative” or “philosophical”. GOD’s definition of “good” contains three elements, and they are;

·         To act justly
·         To love mercy
·         To walk humbly with HIM

And when we desire and act upon obtaining those qualities, and then, begin to live by them, we are doing that which GOD requires of us. We show through our behavior that we have gained a desire in our heart to please GOD, and we no longer embody, or exhibit, the desire to please the world.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website






  

Friday, July 10, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday July 12, 2015

Over 81,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

NO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPT LEADERSHIP
(GOD’s justice cleans out corruption)
(Micah 3)

In Micah chapter three the prophet delivers three oracles, or prophesies, to the rebellious leaders of Israel. Like Isaiah and Amos, who prophesied alongside him in that same era, Micah knew, saw, and experienced the underlying moral and spiritual decay that had corroded, and eroded, the very foundation of a once-faithful GOD fearing society.
Little is known about Micah, other than the fact that he lived and prophesied in the eighth century B.C. during the reigns of kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, however his resounding book contains a total of three messages, or warnings for the wayward children of Israel, and, for the Christian community today. They come to us from across the spans of time, regarding theirs, and our corrupt leadership in the church, and, in the Christian community at large (Micah 1:2-2:13, Micah 3-5, and Micah 6-7).
The name “Micah” is short for “Micaiah” and it means, in the Hebrew, “Who is like Yahweh?” The name stood as an eerie reminder to Israel, and, to us, who seemed to have forgotten where their blessings came from. Just like in all other prophetic messages, here GOD is reminding the people of their abandonment of the Mosaic Laws that were intended to hold man to the lofty standards of “moral and spiritual behavior” that is commanded by GOD.
GOD made us in HIS OWN “image” (“tselem”) (Genesis 1:26-27), which means we are HIS “figurative representatives” here on earth”, and so we are to act accordingly. The word “image” (tselem) does not mean that we look like GOD, GOD is Spirit (John 4:24), and therefore, does not have a physical image for us to look like. If we are to resemble GOD, then, the only way to do that is to act like HIM, or reflect the same human examples that CHRIST JESUS exhibited to us through HIS behavior while HE lived here on earth.   
As northern Israel and Judah continued to pursue and live out their worldly fantasies (acting like their earthly fathers), the ALMIGHTY GOD was hard at work building their enemy, Assyria, into a formidable world power. In time, HE would allow the great Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser III to gain control of the northern kingdom of Israel, and then use his son Shalmaneser to complete the conquest by laying siege on Samaria in 722 B.C.
Through Micah, the LORD had already denounced Israel’s oppression of its own people. HE had also denounced their pride, arrogance, greed, corruption, and religious hypocrisy (Micah chapters 1 and 2), and now here in chapter three, verses 1-4, we see GOD’s faithful prophet pointing out to the leadership, their special responsibility, because they, of all people, were supposed to know and recognize good from evil. However, through their actions, they had only shown a desire to disobey the edicts of GOD by embracing evil, and rejecting that which is good, the total opposite of a people who were to represent GOD, here on earth.
In this passage, Micah likens them to a pack of wild carnivores, who, thrive on the very flesh of their own kind, and then, in their time of need, they brazenly turn to GOD for HIS righteous support. He warns them that, not only will HE, not listen to them, HE, in fact, couldn’t even stand to look at them. They would now have to live with the consequences of their actions against GOD, and endure the judgment for the evil deeds perpetrated against their own brothers and sisters in the LORD.
In the Hebrew the word used most often for “peace” is “shalom” (shaw-lome) and it means more than just “the absence of war”. It is also expanded to include “the presence of health, wholeness, and security. In verse 5 the LORD says that false prophets promised a peace that they themselves could not possibly deliver. Only GOD, WHO controls all things, can deliver true peace. And while the false prophets lied to Israel about its “spiritual condition”, Micah spoke out boldly for justice, and continued to hold up the sins of the people to accountability under GOD.  
Even in today’s Church, false religious leaders who turn a blind eye to corruption in the Church, declaring the foolish demonic statement that “they can’t judge”, will be held accountable to GOD in the end, as being partially responsible for all sin in the Church, not just their own sin. GOD expects HIS Church leaders to use “diakrino judgment” toward HIS people, rebuking them for their bad behavior, using HIS Word as their standard for judgment, not their own opinions.
When Church leaders allow, and participate in, sinful behavior, especially in the Church, they show GOD plainly that they hate justice and twist all that is right (v.9). They build their churches on lies and deceit, and murder and corruption. They accept bribes from wealthy members who want to get their demonic agenda across, and they teach only because they’re getting paid to do so. And then finally, despite their incorrect teachings, which they are paid to do, they boldly proclaim that they are working for the LORD, and that no harm will come to them. They have actually learned to deceive so well, that they have actually deceived themselves into thinking that GOD is actually with them in their satanic actions (Vs.10-11).
If the Church doesn’t get things right with GOD, and begin to “seal up the spiritual cracks” that dominate the ceilings of our so-called Christian Churches, HE says, that HE will plow them under and reduce them to rubble. And if you don’t believe it, we can take a trip down memory lane to, first, Shiloh (1 Samuel 4), then the temple that Solomon built (586 B.C.), then the temple that Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel built, then to the temple that Herod the Great built, without instructions, or permission from GOD (A.D. 70).
If the history of the bible tells us anything, it tells us that GOD will not hesitate to tear down a religious system gone bad, and start all over again using fresh new people who have a proven heart for HIM, and desire very badly to do things HIS way, not theirs. GOD’s justice will always clean out corruption in the Church, and HE has absolutely no tolerance, for corrupt leadership in any church that calls itself by HIS name, and in today’s society, that name is of course, “Christian”.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website





Friday, July 3, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday July 5, 2015

Over 81,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

NO REST FOR THE WICKED
(GOD’s truth may hurt, but it leads us to goodness)
(Micah 2:1-11)

The prophet Micah was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah. Like Isaiah, he prophesied and preached to both northern Israel and Judah in the eight century B.C. He lived in the small town of Moresheth, just south of Jerusalem, and his messages soundly denounced the oppressive ways of the wealthy in Jerusalem and Samaria. He called for the leaders in these capital cities of Israel to set aside their pride, arrogance, greed, corruption, and religious hypocrisy, and begin setting a better example of holy and right living among the people that they were called to shepherd.
In the years leading up to the Assyrian invasion of Israel in 722 B.C., the social injustices of the wealthy, who defrauded the poor, and robbed widows and children of their homes, spread like a disease in a community that sorely lacked medical assistance. As families were driven from the lands of their inheritance, a “poverty class” was created, and as it took shape, an economic blight began to characterize large sections of the nation.
Peter C. Craigie once wrote, “When people cease to care, then, religion, morally, social customs, and values, all cease to function as mortar that holds together a society, and maintains ancient faith”. Here in Micah 2, we see being described by the prophet, a wealthy class of people who are, quite literally, driven by materialism, and, who gained their wealth by oppressing the poor, orphans, and widows, and robbing them of their inherited possessions. In verse 1 Micah warns of how terrible it will be for those who lay awake late at night devising ungodly, evil schemes, and then, rise up early in the morning to carry out their evil ideas.
These wealthy individuals, who were sorely destitute of morality, and bankrupt of any GODly character, were not satisfied with their financial overflow, but rather, they still greatly coveted the possessions of those who were far less prosperous than them. Their sin, apart from that of materialistic greed and theft, was their blatant disregard for the rights of their fellowman.
When GOD freed the ancestors of these same Israelites from Egypt, HE had strongly admonished them not to turn around and enslave one another, nor to violate the boundary markers that HE had set for each tribe in their new, promised land of Canaan. To take control of each other’s financial holdings would be to directly disregard the Law of GOD. Micah was sent by GOD to announce his disappointment with HIS chosen people, and to forecast the punishment that they would receive for their blatant disobedience. GOD would now replace their “pride and arrogance” with a “debased condition” that they would have to suffer through, and, that they would be unable to use their wealth to extricate themselves from.
In verses 6-11 Micah addresses the false prophets who were livid at him for prophesying coming disasters on Israel, even though his oracles were true. Throughout biblical history, we see depicted, both, true and false prophets. True prophets spoke for GOD to HIS people, and warned them to return to the moral and ethical values that were put in place by the delivery of HIS laws through HIS servant Moses. False prophets, on the other hand, often delivered a message from satan that GOD would not harm HIS people so long as they were involved in the ceremonial aspects of the law (basically “playing church”).
The true prophet’s messages have always been more “ethical” than they were “eschatological”, and they often relay GOD’s promises as being “conditional”. Man has always needed to perform at a high level in order to realize the maximum returns that can be gained through obedience. Deuteronomy 27-28 spells out the conditions by which man, through his “choices” can receive either “blessings”, or “curses”. How we fare in life is left strictly up to us. GOD gives us “wills that are free”, and HE also makes available to us, through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, great spiritual discernment that we can use in the decision-making process.
There is no rest for the wicked, as they desire greatly to control us, abuse us, and indeed, ultimately destroy us. We must strive hard as individuals to stay away from their gravitational pull and influence, desiring not their ways, but rather, by learning, and then keeping our minds focused on the Word and ways of GOD. These ways were clearly demonstrated to us by JESUS CHRIST, in person, here on earth, and while GOD’s truth may sometimes be painful to accept, it always, without fail, leads us to goodness.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website