Sabbath School Lesson for July 27-August 2, 2019
Overview
One of the main purposes for God sending prophets to His people was for them to return to ways of life that were both just and merciful for ALL those involved. (Sunday) Each day different prophets were examined…
- On Monday, it was Amos, a minor prophet who was a shepherd and keeper of fig trees.
- On Tuesday, it was Micah, another minor prophet, who lived during the reign of King Ahaz (a particularly low time spiritually for Judah).
- On Wednesday, it was Ezekiel, considered a major prophet (his book is longer), who gave the Jews hope after their Babylonian exile.
- On Thursday, it was Isaiah, a major prophet of doom, predicting the impending Babylonian invasion, but giving hope of restoration that centered on the future Messiah.
Introduction
The task of the Old Testament prophets was not an enviable one. Their messages almost always carried predictions of doom and gloom for the people, as they drifted further and further from the plans God had for them.
The impassioned pleas often came from men who considered themselves watchmen on the walls of Zion:
- They would first remind their listeners of the mercy and love of God, which had been demonstrated forcefully in their past, impressing on them the fact that God had always been faithful to them.
- Then, their unfaithful actions and attitudes were exposed in an attempt to educate them about their failure to keep God’s covenant.
- And lastly, they would be warned of the consequences of their behavior, if they didn’t repent and return to God who loved them.
Key Text: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 NKJV
Last week, justice and mercy were emphasized as they appear in the books of Psalms and Proverbs. But, as we now hear from the prophets, we notice another aspect of Christianity that may get overlooked.
In order to fulfill our obligation of exercising mercy and justice, we also need a heavy dose of humility. Walking humbly with God will reflect the humility we exhibit to our fellowman. In fact, it may be the only way others will see the humble Master we serve.
The ancient Israelites were sadly missing humility. Their pride, probably more than anything, was holding them back from a full restoration with God. We see in the Bible that straying from God’s purposes and commandments did nothing but increase that pride, making it harder to return to Him.
Sunday: The Recurring Call to Justice
Samuel, the first prophet and judge, gave the initial warning cry when people asked for a king. It was obvious that their request was an attempt to be like the other nations around them (1 Samuel 8:5).
They would not listen to Samuel’s voice of reason, so God granted their request for a king. We know what a disappointment King Saul was, but David and Solomon also strayed vastly from the paths of righteousness many times, which had quite a negative impact on God’s holy nation.
They, along with many kings who followed, succumbed to temptation, corrupted the morals of the people they led, and greatly exceeded their powers of authority. It even led to the eventual division of God’s holy nation, with the kingdoms of Judah and Israel warring with each other.
The prophets did not see any small act of injustice as worthy of less attention than the larger misdeeds. All failure to relieve oppression of those with no voice in society was considered a great departure from God’s blueprint for humanity, which they were given to share with the world.
Discussion Questions:
Read 1 Samuel 8:4, 5, 19, 20 and 1 Timothy 6:15, 16. What were the various reasons the people wanted a king? Who were they really rejecting with this request?
Read 1 Samuel 8:10-12 and Isaiah 1:15. What’s the difference in fighting the Lord’s battles and our own?
Read 1 Samuel 8:14, 15, 17. In what way were these requirements an unlawful claim to power? What does paying a tenth of our increase indicate about our relationship with God, and likewise with the king?
Monday: Amos
Amos was an unpretentious prophet, called by God from the humble life of a shepherd to share God’s invitation of repentance to a country that had fallen away from the Lord. He willingly made himself a servant with the difficult task of reaching some hard, proud hearts with God’s message of love and forgiveness.
Wisely, he first pointed out the horrific sins of the nations around them, their enemies. This was a popular topic and got their attention. He then described the failures of Judah, the now-separated kingdom to the south. (This had to be a little more uncomfortable–getting closer to home.)
But then, Amos zeroes in on the failings of Israel itself. They were shown all their evil, idolatrous, unjust practices and encouraged to turn away from them, because inevitable, painful destruction was sure to follow such behaviors. God’s desire was to spare them from the consequences of their wrong course of action by returning to God who still loved them.
Discussion Questions:
Read Amos 1:11. How does this verse sum up the failings of the enemy tribes that surrounded Israel? What were they all guilty of?
Read Amos 2:4. What sins had Judah committed? Why was not keeping the commandments mentioned, but not spoken of with the pagan tribes?
Read Amos 2:6-8. Why was more detail given in this description of Israel’s sins–where Amos lived? Why would it be particularly hard for Amos to deliver this message?
Tuesday: Micah
Micah exposes the injustice and inhumane practices of his countrymen. He was appalled by the treatment of the poor in the land by the rich and powerful, and warns of the eventual punishment this will bring upon Israel.
Besides our memory text (Micah 6:8), which clearly outlines what God expects of His children, Micah also reminded them that…
“He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19 NKJV
Micah is also notable for his clear prophecy about the coming Messiah. He was the one who predicted that Bethlehem would be His birthplace (Micah 5:20). And thus, Jesus became a great champion of the poor and needy, devoting most of His earthly ministry to their aid.
Discussion Questions:
Read Micah 6:8 and Matthew 23:11, 12. How do we show humility to God and to man?
Read Micah 3:10-12 and 4:3. For what purposes were they going to war, and what was a better use of their time?
Read Micah 7:18, 19 and Psalm 103:10-12, 14. Why doesn’t God punish us according to our sins?
Wednesday: Ezekiel
Ezekiel lived after the other prophets we’ve studied this week–Amos, Micah, and Isaiah. His messages were for those refugees returning to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity. But he was just as dismayed by the evils that still plagued God’s people.
A striking discovery was included for us. The prevalent sins of Sodom, which most Christians easily recognize as consisting of sexual perversions, were actually seen by God as being haughty, arrogant, and neglecting to help the poor. Evidently, economic sins are just as abhorrent to God as sexual ones.
But Ezekiel’s focus contains great uplifting news about God’s plans to restore the Israelites, to rebuild the temple, and divide the land equally again. (See last two chapters of Ezekiel.)
Discussion Questions:
Read Ezekiel 16:49, 50 and Proverbs 16:18. What sin of Sodom especially grieved the Lord?
Read Ezekiel 34:2-4 and John 21:17. What is involved in Jesus’ command to “feed My sheep”?
Read Ezekiel 48:30-35 and Revelation 21:10, 12. Why are there no exits in the New Jerusalem, as described here?
Thursday: Isaiah
Isaiah, in mournful tones of grief, preaches to God’s people in the first five chapters of his book. He does not hesitate to expose the sins of Judah and the punishment that comes with such wickedness, but he later also describes the day of the Lord and the endless pleasures for God’s people in His New Jerusalem.
The description of the fast that pleases God (Isaiah 58:6, 7) includes efforts to bless the poor and needy, a necessary ingredient for their own healing and restoration. Remembering the way God has treated us should encourage all of us to be agents of healing and relief for others.
The book of Isaiah has some of the most-quoted prophecies of the Messiah. Our Redeemer is described well in many of its chapters. Ellen G. White recommends that we memorize the entire chapter of Isaiah 53. “Its influence will subdue and humble the soul defiled by sin and uplifted by self-exaltation.” Vol. 4 Bible Commentary, p. 1147
Being humble, as our Lord Jesus, certainly gives us an advantage when we participate in anything that uplifts humanity. Isaiah presents the humility of Christ to us in undeniable terms that we must imitate, if we would have any impact in ministry.
Discussion Questions:
Read Isaiah 1:16-18, Psalm 51:7, and Exodus 12:22. What part do good deeds (as mentioned in Isaiah) have in our cleansing from sin? In what way are good works like the hyssop (a plant that was used to sprinkle the blood of animal offerings)?
Read Isaiah 58:6, 7, 10, 11 and John 4:13, 14. Why is helping others required, if we are to grow closer to God? What did the woman at the well learn about living water? What then must be the source of our good deeds?
Read Isaiah 65:17 and 2 Peter 3:13. Why is it important to remember these promising words as we minister to the poor and needy?
Final Thoughts
There are several noteworthy points brought out in this week’s lesson…
- Old Testament prophets recognized that Israel’s enemies could easily be found within their own ranks (Amos 5:12).
- Sins of omission, not performing acts of kindness and love toward others, was just as serious as sins of commission, or committing wrongful acts (Ezekiel 3:18).
- In order for the love and justice of God to be in us, we must be humble and fully committed to God’s cause (Micah 6:8).
- It is definitely part of the mission of every church and individual to advocate for and aid those less fortunate (Isaiah 58:7 and 59:16).
Individual and church responsibility were prominently featured by the prophets of the Old Testament. We must constantly ask ourselves what we can do to make our world a better place. God knows we are on the fast track of destruction, and if we continue, we’ll soon be over the precipice and beyond His help.
Even though we hear scathing rebukes and gloomy predictions from the prophets, when we search their words, we also find the love and mercy of God, forever desiring our return to Him. With renewed commitment comes the glorious hope for a full restoration.
Next Week’s Lesson: Worship the Creator
To read the Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly or see more resources for its study, go to https://www.absg.adventist.org/
Other Outlook blogposts by Teresa Thompson, are at http://outlookmag.org/author/teresathompson/
