Lesson 1
Introduction to the Old Testament
TIME PERIODS
I. Introduction to the Old Testament (Time Periods)
Our first lesson covers the events from the Creation to the first
judgment. This lesson introduces us to Old Testament time periods.
where God dealt with mankind in a particular way. The Old
Testament covers many events over a span of thousands of years.
The use of time periods is simply a way to better understand some
of the major events.
Four of these time periods are: (1) Innocence, (2) Conscience, (3)
The Patriarchs, and (4) Law and Prophets. Let us look at each of
these first four.
1. Innocence
Innocence extends from the creation of mankind to his sin in the
Garden of Eden. The length of this time is unknown.
2. Conscience
Conscience spans the time from the Fall of Man (the original sin) to
Abraham.
3. The Time of the Patriarchs
The time of the Patriarchs reaches from Abraham to Moses.
4. The Law and the Prophets
The Law and Prophets time period extends from Moses to Jesus
Christ.
Lesson 1
Books of the Old Testament
1. The Bible is Inspired of God
II Peter 1:21 says, "For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Clearly, the Old
Testament was inspired of God. According to II Timothy
3:16, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.
In the Greek language, the language in which the New
Testament was written, the word inspired means "God-
breathed." Notice that Scripture was not written by the
will of mankind. In other words, mankind did not decide
to write about God. Thus, the Bible is not mankind's
book about God, but God's book to mankind. Another
key word in II Peter 1:21 is moved. In the original
language, it means "to be carried along," much like a
ship is carried over the surface of the sea as the wind
blows its sails.
2. The Bible is Revered as The Word of
God
We should approach our study of the Bible with great
reverence, because it is the Word of God and not the
word of mankind. Therefore, each word is of absolute
necessity.
God warned Moses, "Ye shall not add unto the word
which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought
from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the
LORD your God which I command you" (Deuteronomy
4:2). A similar command is found in Proverbs 30:6: "Add
thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou
be found a liar." Just before the close of the Bible, God
inspired John to add these words to the Book of
Revelation: "And if any man shall take away from the
words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away
his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city,
and from the things which are written in this book"
(Revelation 22:19).
3. God's Word is to be Preserved
God did not just give His Word to mankind, but He
promised to preserve it forever so that all we would
have access to His revelation. "The words of the LORD
are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth,
purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD,
thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever"
(Psalm 12:6-7). On the same subject of the divine
preservation of God's Word, Jesus said, "And it is easier
for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law
to fail" (Luke 16:17). A tittle is a very small mark in the
Hebrew language, the language in which the Old
Testament was written.
The Bible is such a powerful book ,and a study of it can
change the whole perspective of a person's life. In the
story of Mutiny on the Bounty, one incident is worth
telling again. The mutineers sank their ship and landed
with their native woman on the lonely island of Pitcairn.
There were nine white sailors, six natives, ten women,
and a girl of fifteen. One of the sailors knew how to
distill alcohol, and the island became filled with
drunkenness and vice.
After a time, only one of the sailors was left living,
surrounded by native women and their children. The
sailor found a Bible in one of the chests taken from the
Bounty and began teaching it to the survivors. The
result was that his own life was changed, and finally the
lives of those on the whole island.
In 1808, the United States ship Topaz visited the island
and found a thriving, prosperous community, without
whiskey, without crime, and without an insane asylum.
The Bible had totally changed the lives of those in the
colony! So it has been from age to age! "The entrance
of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto
the simple" (Psalm 119:130).
There is an easy method to remember the number of
books in the Old Testament. The word "Old" has three
letters; the word "Testament" has nine letters. Put three
and nine together and you have 39—the number of
books in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament was penned by thirty-two men, as
the Holy Ghost moved upon them. It spans a period of
some 3,600 years of mankind's history, and required
about 1,500-1,600 years to complete. Its thirty-nine
books can be divided into four sections: Law (five-
books); History (twelve books); Poetry (five books); and
Prophecy (seventeen books, the first five of which are
called major prophets, and the last twelve are usually
called minor prophets).
Lesson 1
Creation Week
III. CREATION WEEK
The first verse of the Bible says, "In the beginning God
created the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). The
Creation account reveals that God made all things in six
days. On the seventh day. He rested. Let us examine
each day.
A. The First Day
On the first day, God said, "Let there be light" (Genesis
1:3). Then, God divided the light from the darkness. He
called the light Day, and the darkness Night (Genesis
1:3-5).
At this point, the earth was still "without form, and void."
(Genesis 1:2.) There existed a mass of waters.
B. The Second Day
On the second day, God said, "Let there be a firmament
in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters
from the waters" (Genesis 1:6). God called the
firmament Heaven; today we call it the sky. This
firmament divided the waters into those which were
under it, and those which were above it (Genesis 1:6-8).
C. The Third Day
On the third day. God said, "Let the waters under the
heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the
dry land appear" (Genesis 1:9). He called the dry land
Earth, and the gathered waters, the Seas.
On the same day, God also said, "Let the earth bring
forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree
yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon
the earth" (Genesis 1:11). So the third day saw the
appearance of dry land, the gathering of the waters into
specific areas, and the creation of grass, herbs and
trees on the land (Genesis 1:9-13).
D. The Fourth Day
On the fourth day God said, "Let there be lights in the
firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the
night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and
for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the
firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth"
(Genesis 1:14, 15). On this, the fourth day, God made
the sun, moon, and stars. These were to divide the light
from darkness, and to mark days, seasons, and years
with their signs (Genesis 1:14-19).
E. The Fifth Day
On the fifth day, God said, "Let the waters bring forth
abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl
that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of
heaven" (Genesis 1:20). By His spoken Word, God
created the great whales, and every living creature that
moves in the water, as well as every winged fowl. God
also said, "Be fruitful, and multiply in the earth" (Genesis
1:22). On the fifth day, then, God created the fish and
the birds (Genesis 1:20-23).
F. The Sixth Day
The sixth day saw the creation of animals and mankind.
God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature
after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing
that creepeth upon the earth after his kind" (Genesis
1:24). Then, God said, "Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the
cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping
thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Genesis 1:26).
Thus, God created man in His own image, and He
made both male and female. God said to them, "Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and
subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea,
and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing
that moveth upon the earth. Behold, I have given you
every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all
the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree
yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every
beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to
every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there
is life, I have given every green herb for meat" (Genesis
1:28-30). Man, then, is the only creation of God
commanded to have dominion over all creatures, and to
subdue the earth. Man is also the creation to be made
in the image of God (Genesis 1:24-31).
G. The Seventh Day
On the last day of creation week. God rested (Genesis
2:1-3). Creation was complete, and God's relationship
with mankind was just beginning.
Lesson 1
Power of Choice
IV. Adam and Eve—Innocence
The second chapter of Genesis restates the creation of
man and woman, and gives more specific details. Also,
this chapter reveals that God planted a garden eastward
in Eden; this is where He placed the man, Adam. The
garden was a beautiful place, growing every tree that
was pleasant to the sight and good for food. A river
went out of Eden to water the garden. Into this paradise
God put Adam, with instructions for him to dress and
keep the garden.
A. The Forbidden Tree
However, the Lord had other commandments for Adam,
as well. He was not left to his own will; one thing was
forbidden him. God said, "Of every tree of the garden
thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day
that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis
2:16, 17). Another unusual tree found in the garden was
the Tree of Life (Genesis 2:9). It was permissible for
man to eat of that tree, but he was not to eat of the tree
which would give him the knowledge of the difference
between good and evil. He was in a state of innocence;
eating of the tree would awaken his conscience.
B. Eve Given to Adam
The Lord had created Adam before Eve, and He noted
that it was not good for man to be alone. God said, "I
will make him an help meet for him" (Genesis 2:18). The
words "help meet" are translated from
one Hebrew word which means aid. The Lord caused a
deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and He took one of
Adam's ribs, from which He made a woman. God
brought the woman to Adam, and he said, "This is now
bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be
called Woman, because she was taken out of Man"
(Genesis 2:23). In their innocence, both Adam and Eve
were unashamed, though naked.
C. Man Given Free Will
Some have wondered why God placed the forbidden
tree in the garden. Would not it have been better if God
had never given Adam and Eve the opportunity to do
wrong?
This question overlooks God's purpose in creating man.
God did not create a puppet, or a robot. He created a
being with the power of choice, or with a free will. God's
promises are to be whosoever will (Revelation 22:17).
Would it be possible for God to have joyful fellowship
with a being who had no choice in the matter, who—in
essence—was forced into that relationship?
One of the major differences between mankind and the
animal kingdom is this power of choice; the opportunity
consciously to choose to do good or evil. From the first.
God has set before man the ability to choose to do right,
and live or choose to do wrong, and die.
Two brothers were born into a family long ago. John
Calvin was studious, thoughtful and respectful. At the
early age of twenty-seven, he wrote one of the world's
greatest books. The Institutes of the Christian Religion.
When he died in Geneva in 1564, he left the world great
principles of democracy and religious freedom. The
other brother, Charles, led a life in the gutters of
immorality. How do you explain the difference between
the two? Not in heredity or in environment. Not in
education for they grew up in the same home with the
same influences and opportunities. The difference is to
be explained in choice.
D. The Fall of Man
Chapter three of Genesis outlines the terrible mistake
that Adam and Eve made, and its tragic consequences.
1. Eve Visits the Forbidden Tree
Evidently, one of the first mistakes that Eve made
was to visit the site of the Tree of the Knowledge of
Good and Evil. Since she knew that it was a
forbidden tree, she should have avoided it
altogether, she should have stayed away from it.
Romans 13:14 commands, "Make not provision for
the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." A similar
admonition is found in Ephesians 4:27: "Neither give
place to the devil." Many hurtful temptations could be
avoided if people stayed away from sinful
environments and compromising situations.
Nevertheless, Eve—as have multitudes since then—
made the fatal error of knowingly and willingly
making provision for temptation.
2. Satan Paid a Visit Also
Satan, who is very subtle, was waiting for the right
opportunity to inject his deceitful influence into the
tranquil setting of the Garden of Eden. He knew that
he had only one possible course of action, and that
involved the forbidden tree. So he made use of the
most subtle of any beast God had made, the
serpent. It is very essential that you notice the first
words that Satan said to Eve: "Yea, hath God said,
Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"
(Genesis 3:1). Satan's first method of attack is
always to question God's Word. In a very sly and
crafty way, without actually denying God's Word, he
tempts mankind to question the Word of God.
3. Satan's Wrong Interpretation
Next, observe the difference in God's perspective
and the devil's viewpoint. This can be seen by
comparing word for word what each said.
God said: "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good
and evil, thou shalt not eat of it. . ." (Genesis 2:16,
17).
Satan said God said: "Ye shall not eat of every tree
of the garden" (Genesis 3:1).
This may seem to be just a matter of semantics, or a
play on words. But when talking about the Word of
God, every single word is crucial, the phrasing is
critical, and the perspective is important. This cannot
be overemphasized!
Now compare these statements again, notice that
God was speaking from a positive viewpoint; He told
Adam that he could freely eat of every tree in the
garden, except one. The serpent's viewpoint was
negative; he focused on the fact that they could not
eat of every tree. By so doing, Satan was attempting
to cause Eve to feel deprived, rather than blessed!
He wanted her to think about that little bit she could
not have, rather than all that she could have! Time
and time again Satan uses this technique.
Notice that this time God did not say what Satan
claimed that He said. You must always watch for
this. Satan will quote something that sounds so
much like the Word of God, and is so close to what
God actually said, that he will fool those who do not
know the Word themselves.
4. Eve's Lack of Knowledge of God's Word
The next tragic step in this scenario is that Eve did
not really know what God had said! This may come
as a surprise because, again, Eve's statement
sounds very close to what God said. But remember:
God forbids us to add one word, or take away one
word, from what He has said. Adding so much as
one word, or taking away as much, pollutes it and
causes it to no longer be God's Word!
Notice how Eve added to what God had said: "And
the woman said unto the serpent. We may eat of the
fruit of the trees of the garden; But of the fruit of the
tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath
said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it,
lest ye die" (Genesis 3:2, 3).
Once again, compare this with what God actually
said: "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely
eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil, thou shalt not eat of it;for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:16,
17).
What did Eve add? God did not say, "Neither shall ye
touch it." Again, with the quickest of glances, this
may not seem important. But we are not dealing with
the word of men, we are handling the Word of God!
And, while it may seem that Eve strengthened God's
commandment by adding a condition that He did not
mention, you must keep in mind that you cannot
strengthen God's Word. When man adds his own
conditions, it ceases to be the Word of God.
By thus misquoting what the Lord had said. Eve
revealed to the serpent a major flaw in her ability to
resist temptation.
A careful study of the temptation of Jesus in Matthew
4 will further clarify this point. The only way to resist
the temptations of Satan effectively is to respond to
his efforts with the Word of God, the pure Word of
God. As he did with Jesus, Satan will attempt to
enhance his temptation with his version of God's
Word. He misquoted a verse from Psalms 91. Being
the Word made flesh, Jesus caught him in his error,
and was not trapped. Satan is still in the business
today of tripping up the unwary, those who do not
know for themselves what God actually said.
If Jesus were not too great to be tempted of Satan,
neither are you and I. Do not vote the devil out of
existence. If he is not around, someone is certainly
doing his work. A man was asked by a younger man,
"I suppose you no longer believe in a devil?"
"I certainly do believe in the devil," the older man
responded, "If I didn't, I would have to believe that I
was my own devil."
5. Satan Attacks God's Motives
The next step in the temptation of Eve was an attack
on God's motives. Having discovered that she did
not really know what God said, Satan now directly
contradicted God's Word: "Ye shall not surely die;
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof,
then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as
gods, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:4, 5).
In short, Satan caused Eve to think that God
prohibited them from eating the tree because he
wanted to keep something good from them! This is
another standard tool in the devil's kit. He tries to
convince people that it would be to their advantage
to do those things forbidden by God, and that God
actually does not want the best for them, but wants
to keep them in ignorance and bondage.
6. Adam's Disobedience
Eve took the next unhappy step down the road to
spiritual death; She began to operate by her sense
knowledge, rather than by faith in the Word of God.
She saw that the tree was good for food (sight and
taste), and that it was a tree to be desired to make
one wise (an appeal to her pride). She ate the fruit,
gave it also to Adam, and he ate. What makes all
this even more tragic is that, while Eve was
deceived, Adam was not. He knew exactly what he
was doing (I Timothy 2:14).
In exploring God's Word, we discover the following
facts about the fall of man:
* Romans 5:12: "By one man (Adam) sin entered
into the world."
* Romans 5:12: ". . .and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men. . ."
* Romans 5:14: ". . .death reigned from Adam to
Moses. . ."
* Romans 5:17: "By one man's (Adam's) offence
death reigned. . ."
* Romans 5:18: "Therefore as by the offence of
one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to
condemnation."
* Romans 5:19: "For as by one man's (Adams)
disobedience many were made sinners. . ."
LESSON 1
The First Judgment
V. The First judgement
The immediate result of man's choice to disobey rather
than obey God was the first judgment on sin, in the form
of four curses and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from
the Garden of Eden.
A. Serpent Is Cursed
The first curse was on the serpent, the devil. God said
to him, "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed
above all cattle, and above every beast of the field;
upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shall thou eat all
the days of thy life" (Genesis 3:14). There has been
speculation that the serpent may have previously had
some other way of travel, since the curse involved going
upon his belly. We don't know this for sure. But if the
serpent had a more noble and lofty appearance and
image before, he lost it because he was an accomplice
in the temptation of Eve.
B. The Curse Upon the Woman
The second curse was on the woman. To her, God said,
"I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in
sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire
shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee"
(Genesis 3:16). As a result of Eve's sin, she brought
upon the female population of the human race
increased sorrow and conception. Even the very
blessed and joyous event of childbirth is colored by the
pain and travail. In addition, God said the man would
rule over the woman. As unpleasant as these things
may be to some, they are the consequences of sin.
C. The Curse Upon the Land
The third curse was upon the land. God said to Adam,
"Because thou has hearkened unto the voice of thy
wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded
thee, saying, Thou shall not eat of it; cursed is the
ground for thy sake; in sorrow shall thou eat of it all the
days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring
forth to thee; and thou shall eat of the herb of the field"
(Genesis 3:17, 18). Have you ever noticed that you
don't have to plant weeds? You must carefully plant and
cultivate the food you wish to grow, but thorns and
thistles and all manner of weeds grow naturally! This is
a result of the curse that God made. Every time you
struggle to grow a beautiful flower, each time you weed
your garden, or work to free your lawn from dandelions,
the Lord is trying to remind man of the sinfulness of
man, and of his need of God.
D. The Curse Upon the Man
The fourth curse was on the man, Adam. God said, "In
the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return
unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Genesis
3:19). From this point forward, man would find life to be
a struggle. He would only live by exertion, by effort, and
would finally go back to the dust from which he was
made.
E.The First Promise of the Redeemer
In the midst of these curses, however, there was a
promise. God said, "And I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it
shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel"
(Genesis 3:15). This was a prediction of the ultimate
triumph of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, over Satan.
Notice, from the very beginning, the devil's fate has
been sealed. He has never been within striking range of
achieving victory in his evil struggle. From the
beginning, he was a defeated enemy.
This state of innocence of Adam and Eve was ended
with God giving them a promise. Also God provided a
covering of skin for their nakedness (Genesis 3:21).
F. Man Driven From the Garden
Finally, as a direct result of their sin, Adam and Eve
were put out of the Garden of Eden. In order to prevent
man from eating of the Tree of Life, and living forever in
his depraved state, the Lord God sent him from the
garden, to till the ground. At the east of the Garden of
Eden, God placed Cherubims, or angelic creatures, with
a flaming sword which turned in all directions, to protect
the access to the Tree of Life. This happening to Adam
and Eve is a story of influence and what it can do to
someone else. The old gas lamps that used to light our
streets tell a story. Harry Lauder said when he was a
child, he used to watch one old lamp lighter as he
moved along in the gathering shadows leaving a stream
of light behind him. Harry said that even when his little
legs would not move fast enough to keep up with the
lamplighter, he could tell exactly where the lamplighter
was by the trail of light that he left behind. That is true
through all of life. People can tell where we are, how far
we have gone and how much we have done by the light
or darkness that we leave behind.
Lesson 2
From the Fall to the Flood
The Time of Conscience
I. From the Fall to the Flood
A. Adam and Eve Outside the Garden
In their new state of consciousness of good and evil,
Adam and Eve began their life outside of the Garden of
Eden. Existence was quite different from before.
Previously, in the peace of the garden, the first man and
woman had been charged with dressing and keeping a
true paradise. Now Adam was hewing out a living by the
sweat of his brow, battling unendingly against weeds
and briars.
Eve discovered the truth of God's Word. He had said, "I
will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in
sorrow thou shalt bring forth children" (Genesis 3:16).
The first child that Eve brought into the world was a son
named Cain. She said, "I have gotten a man from the
Lord" (Genesis 4:1). But then, Eve gave birth to another
son, Abel.
B. The Differences Between Two Brothers
As often happens with brothers in the same family,
these two were quite different. Abel was a keeper of
sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. Notice that
Genesis 4:3-7 points out that these were not the only
differences between these two men.
C. Worship Taught
Adam and Eve had obviously taught their sons about
God's existence, and about the need to worship Him,
and to offer sacrifices to Him. As time passed by, Cain
brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the
Lord. Abel also brought an offering of the firstlings of his
flock.
D. Sacrifice Accepted and Rejected
The Lord accepted Abel's offering, but not that of Cain.
This disturbed Cain, and he became angry. The Lord
said to him, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy
countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shall thou not be
accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the
door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt
rule over him." In His mercy and willingness to forgive
Cain's error, the Lord appealed to him. He told Cain that
his offering could be accepted as well as that of Abel if
he, too, would do the right thing. The only thing that
would prevent Cain from doing right would be sin.
Once a man was asked this question in a kind way,
"What is your trouble?" He answered right away, "No
trouble, sir, but myself." The deepest and most
dangerous troubles do not come from without, but from
within. The enemy had entered through a gate that had
been opened from within. Cain's problem was not Abel
but himself.
E. Blood Sacrifice, a Requirement
What was wrong with Cain's offering? One difference is
that while Abel had brought a blood sacrifice, Cain had
brought an offering of fruit of the ground. From the very
first. God's plan called for a blood sacrifice. In the
Garden of Eden, God had slain animals in order to
provide skins to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve.
(See Genesis 3:21.) In other words, for man's sins to be
covered, blood had to be shed. Jesus Christ is the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (See
Revelation 13:8.) The reason God chose a blood
sacrifice is that the wages of sin is death. (See Romans
6:23.) Without the shedding of blood, sins cannot be
remitted. (See Hebrews 9:22.) Adam must have related
this knowledge to his sons, or Abel would not have
known what to bring. We do know that Cain brought an
improper sacrifice.
Early in scripture notice that sincerity alone will not put a
person in right standing with God. The only thing God
will honor is obedience. It is not enough to do what you
think is right, or the best you know how. You must do as
God commands.
Abel obeyed God out of faith. Hebrews 11:4 says, "By
faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice
than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was
righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being
dead yet speaketh."
F. The Punishment of Disobedience
Sadly, Cain did not accept God's offer to try again, but
instead murdered his brother, Abel. The Lord, who sees
and knows all things, asked, "Where is Abel thy
brother?" Cain lied, "I know not; am I my brother's
keeper?"
Then God pronounced the penalty on Cain's sin: "What
hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth
unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from
the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy
brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the
ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her
strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the
earth."
Cain replied, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face
of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall
be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall
come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay
me." (See Genesis 4:13-14).
The Lord answered, "Therefore whosoever slayeth
Cain, vengeance shall be taken on sevenfold." (See
Genesis 4:15.) Then, the Lord set a mark on Cain, to
prevent anyone who found him from killing him.
As a result of his sins of murder and refusal to obey
God, Cain left the Lord's presence, and went to live in
the lonely land of Nod on the east of Eden.
G. Men Walked With God.
1. Seth
Adam and Eve had more children, but it was not until
she gave birth to a son whom they named Seth that
Eve said, "For God hath appointed me another seed
instead of Abel, whom Cain slew" (Genesis 4:25). It
was in the days of Seth, who was evidently a godly
man, with a desire to serve God as Abel had, that
men began to call upon the name of the Lord. (See
Genesis 4:26.)
2. Enoch
One of the most interesting men to live in the Book of
Genesis was the great, great, great grandson of
Adam. His name was Enoch, and he loved God and
was obedient to Him. The Bible says, "And Enoch
walked with God; and he was not; for God took him"
(Genesis 5:24). Hebrews 11:5 offers further
information on this unusual event: "By faith Enoch
was translated that he should not see death; and
was not found because God had translated him: for
before his translation he had this testimony, that he
pleased God." Early in the dawn of history, there
were men who pleased God by their obedience to
Him and their faith in Him. However, all men did not
share that faith and obedience.
3. Noah
In the days of Enoch's great grandson, Noah, God
saw that the wickedness of man was great on the
earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of
his heart was only evil continually. Mankind, was so
wicked and lawless, that God grieved that He had
ever made man. He said, "I will destroy man whom I
have created from the face of the earth; both man,
and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of
the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them"
(Genesis 6:7).
There was one man, however, who found grace in
the eyes of the Lord: Noah. While others thought
continually about evil things, and practiced all kinds
of wickedness, Noah believed in God and obeyed
Him. Hebrews 11:7 puts it this way: "By faith Noah,
being warned of God of things not seen as yet,
moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his
house; by the which he condemned the world, and
became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
What did Abel, Seth, Enoch, and Noah have in
common? Faith. They believed God, and obeyed
Him. From the beginning of mankind faith has been
God's requirement. As Hebrews 11:6 points out,
"Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he
that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that
he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Lesson 2
The Righteous Family
Preserved
II. The Righteous Family Preserved
A. Faith and Action Required
Notice that while God made a way of escape, He
required faith and action on Noah's part. God gave
Noah specific instructions on how the ark was to be
built. The type of wood, (gopher) the size, (300 cubits
long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high) the number of
doors and windows (one) and floors (three) were all
decided by God. The Lord even told Noah how many
animals to take into the ark. He was to take the clean
beasts by sevens, and the unclean by twos. (See
Genesis 7:2).
B. One Plan of Escape
What if Noah, like Cain, had decided to do things his
own way? What if he had added another window or
door, or used a different type of wood, or changed any
other detail of God's plan? Without any doubt at all, his
family would have perished in the flood along with the
rest of sinful, disobedient humanity. God has never
spared those who were disobedient to His Word.
Because of Eve's sin, the first human couple had to
leave the beautiful Garden in Eden. Because of Cain's
sin, the Lord set a mark upon him and banished him
from His presence. Because of the sinfulness of the
human race, the whole world— except Noah and his
family—were destroyed. As God said, "My spirit shall
not always strive with man. . ." (Genesis 6:3).
However, God saved Noah, who was a preacher of
righteousness. (See II Peter 2:5.) Evidently, Noah not
only prepared for his family, but warned others as well
of the impending judgment and their need to repent and
obey God. His message, however, went unheeded.
God, in His long-suffering, was waiting for mankind to
repent. (See I Peter 3:20.) The end result was, "By faith
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,
moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his
house." (See Hebrews 11:7.)
The home is still the place to start the devotional life
before God, and is the preserver of the godly life within
the family.
C. The Place of Safety
One week before the flood, Noah and his family were
led of God into the ark. The Lord also directed the
animals in, after which God shut the door. (See Genesis
7:15, 16.) Noah was 600 years old. (See Genesis 6:11.)
The rain began to fall, and the fountains of the deep
were broken up. Steadily, the depth of the water
increased for the 40 days. The water continued to cover
the mountains for 110 more days. At the end of 150
days, the waters began to subside. The waters
decreased continually for another 150 days. The ark
rested upon the mountains of Ararat in the seventh
month, on the seventeenth day of the month. On the
first day of the tenth month, the tops of the mountains
became visible. The ark came to a rest upon the
mountains of Ararat.
Forty days later, Noah opened the window and sent out
a raven and a dove. The dove found no place to land,
and returned to the ark. After seven days, Noah sent the
dove out again, and when it returned, the bird had an
olive leaf in its mouth. Finally, after an additional seven
days, Noah sent forth the dove again, and it never
returned.
D. Noah Receives a Promise
After a year and 17 days. God told Noah, together with
his family and the animals, to leave the ark. (See
Genesis 8:13-18). One of the first things that Noah did
upon leaving the ark was to build an altar upon which he
offered burnt offerings to the Lord.
How many homes have a family altar? Today many
excuse themselves on the ground that the pace of life
has been so speeded up that there is no time for family
devotion and prayer.
The Lord said, "I will not again curse the ground any
more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart
is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more
everything living, as I have done. While the earth
remaineth, seed time and winter, and day and night
shall not cease" (Genesis 8:21-22).
This was not the end of God's communication with
Noah, however. As He had commanded the first man
and woman. God told Noah and his family to multiply
and fill the earth. (See Genesis 9:1.) He said that from
that time forward, animals would fear men and be used
by men for food, except for the blood. (See Genesis 9:2-
4.) Also, God instituted human government by providing
that murderers suffer capital punishment. (See Genesis
9:5, 6.)
To Noah and his sons. God said, "And I, behold, I
establish my covenant with you, and with your seed
after you; And with every living creature that is with you,
of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth
with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of
the earth. And I will establish my covenant with you;
neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters
of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to
destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token of the
covenant which I make between me and you and every
living creature that is with you, for perpetual
generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be
for a token of a covenant between me and the earth"
(Genesis 9:9-13).
Lesson 2
Mankind Judged
III. Mankind Judged
Today, when we look into the sky and see the rainbow,
we remember that it is God's token of His covenant
promise that He will never destroy the earth by water
again.
However, the earth will one day face the judgment of
God in a frightfully different manner. It is revealed in II
Peter 3:4-7, where Peter says scoffers will say, "Where
is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as they were from the
beginning of creation. For this they willingly are ignorant
of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and
the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with
water, perished; but the heavens and the earth, which
are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved
unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of
ungodly men."
Judgment is coming upon the wicked and ungodly. And
though the agent God uses will not be water, it will be
just as devastating on those who have refused to obey
God.
Daniel Webster, when Secretary of State under
President Fillmore, was dining once with twenty
distinguished men at the Astor House in New York. He
was unusually quiet and his thoughts seemed to be
elsewhere. To draw him out someone asked him an
unusual question, "Mr. Webster, will you tell me what
was the most important thought that ever occupied your
mind?" Webster thought for a moment, then said for all
to hear, "The most important thought that ever occupied
my mind was that of my individual responsibility to God."
It is said that he talked for twenty minutes upon the
subject.
Noah also felt the same responsibility to God.
A. The Days Before the Flood
The worldwide flood in Noah's day was of such
tremendous significance that Jesus used its lessons to
teach about His second coming. (Read Matthew 24:37-
44). Notice the clear comparisons between the world in
Noah's day and today.
1. Eating and Drinking
There is nothing wrong with eating and drinking.
These are normal pursuits of life, even though many
carry them to the extreme and make a god of their
belly! (See Philippians 3:17-19.)
The carnal man is concerned only with feeding the
physical man. With the exception of Seth, there is
little mention that these people before the flood
talked (prayed) with God in the cool of the day as did
their forefather Adam, nor sacrificed to God as did
Abel nor walked with God as did Enoch.
2. Marrying and Giving in Marriage
Again, marriage is not sinful, neither is it wrong for a
man to give his daughter in marriage. Marriage was
ordained by God, and is blessed of Him. It is His plan
whereby mankind establishes the close relationships
of a godly family and home, and multiplies and
replenishes the earth.
In Genesis 6:1-2 it appears that the godly line of
Seth was intermarrying with the carnal line of Cain.
According to II Peter 3:3-7 their behavior had
degenerated to the point that they had become
scoffers and doubters. Had they forgotten God's
judgment on Adam, Eve, and Cain? Apparently so
because Lamech boasted of slaying a man with no
regard for judgment. (See Genesis 4:19-23.)
3. Buying, Selling, Planting, and Building
In Luke 17:26-30, Jesus expands the comparison
with the days immediately preceding His coming by
including the days of Lot. As we have already noted
about those days just before judgment fell, there was
nothing inherently sinful about buying, selling,
planting or building.
Mankind was developing skills and talents in many
areas. Lamech's three sons excelled in making tents,
cattle raising, music, and industry. They now had
music for entertainment. Thus mankind, particularly
the descendants of Cain, increased in power, wealth
and luxury. They built but where was the altar? Their
simple nomadic lines were becoming sophisticated
and materialistic and corrupt. Violence filled the
earth. Every imagination of the thoughts of his
(mankind's) heart were only evil continually. (See
Genesis 6:5-13.) God said, "I will destroy them with
the earth."
B. They Knew Not
Life was going on as usual. . .the human race was
engaged in its normal pursuits. . .the day before the
judgment looked like any other day to them. There was
no advance warning of exactly when judgment would
come! Jesus put it this way. "And knew not until the
flood came, and took them ail away" (Matthew 24:39).
1. So Shall Also the Coming of the Son of Man Be
Noah had preached and warned of impending
judgment, but what was the reaction of a sinful
world? The same reaction that such a message
receives today: "Oh, I've heard about that all my life!
I don't think there ever will be a judgment day, things
will always go on as they have been."
William M. Thackery tells how the modern pilgrims
came to Vanity Fair, where, in contrast with Christian
and his companion, they were quite popular. In the
fair almost anything could be purchased for a bit of
scrip called Conscience. The dreamer thought that
he saw some foolish bargains: a young man giving
his fortune for a disease, a pretty girl who bartered a
heart clear as crystal for an utterly worthless jewel.
Still today Vanity Fair sees some strange bargains.
The wise man obeys the word of God and makes
preparation now for the coming of the Lord!
2. The Same Extreme Wickedness
The parallel between the day of Noah and our
generation is further marked by the extreme
wickedness common to both times. II Timothy 3:1-4
clearly describes our generation, and declares these
are the signs of the last days!
Just as surely as the flood came on the unsuspecting
populace in the days of Noah, and destroyed all
those who had not taken advantage of God's way of
escape, so is the judgment of God coming upon the
generation of the last days. There will be no advance
warning of the exact time of His coming. As Jesus
said, But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no,
not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as
the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the
Son of man be" (Matthew 24:36, 37).
C. Noah Prepared!
Noah was perhaps a strange looking figure, laboring for
many years over an unusual vessel and talking about
an impending flood. No doubt, he was the brunt of many
jokes and the subject of much light hearted laughter.
But when the flood came, Noah—who had obeyed
God—was on the inside of the ark looking out, while the
scoffers and unbelievers suffered the penalty of their
sin.
So it will be at the return of the Lord. Those who have
spurned God's claims on their life, and who have
rejected opportunities to serve Him, will receive
condemnation and sorrow and pain. Those who were
willing to obey the voice of God and make preparations
will be ushered into everlasting joy.
As Jesus said, "Whosoever will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For
whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever
shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the
same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he
shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of my words in
this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall
the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the
glory of his Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:34-38).
Lesson 3
The Origin of
Languages/Beginning of
Nations
I. After the Flood
After the flood, God had commanded Noah and his
sons to replenish the earth. Inherent in this command
was the fact that the human race should spread out
gradually over the face of the entire earth to repopulate
it. Once again, however, the overwhelming majority of
humanity disobeyed the voice of God. Instead of
spreading out over the earth, mankind located in one
specific area and decided to stay there and build a city.
A. The Tower of Babel
"And the whole earth was of one language, and of one
speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from
the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar;
and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go
to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they
had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And
they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower,
whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us
a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of
the whole earth" (Genesis 11:1-4).
1. The Self-centeredness of the People
Notice the self-centeredness of these people, and
their disregard for God's commandment. He wanted
them to scatter over the whole earth to replenish it,
but they wanted to build a city and a tower as a
center of humanity, to prevent mankind from
scattering! In other words, their desire was just
exactly the opposite of God's Word.
2. Different Languages Introduced
Up until this time, everyone on the earth spoke the
same language. Essentially, there was only one
nation upon the face of the earth. This made their
goal of constructing a great city all that much more
possible. But the Lord observed their disobedience,
and said, "Behold, the people is one, and they have
all one language; and this they begin to do: and now
nothing will be restrained from them, which they
have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and
there confound their language, that they may not
understand one another's speech" (Genesis 11:6-7).
By introducing different languages among the
people, the Lord stopped their sinful effort. They
could no longer communicate sufficiently to complete
such an ambitious project, and they began to spread
over the face of the earth, each person finding his
place with those with whom he could talk.
B. The Judgment of God in Dispersing the People
The judgment of God on the effort of men was the origin
of languages and the beginning of nations. The earth
was repopulated by the sons of Noah in the following
fashion:
1. Shem's Sons
Shem's sons were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud,
and Aram. The major nations which sprang from
these sons were the Persians, Assyrians,
Chaldeans, Hebrews, Lydians, Armenians, and
Syrians. They settled in Assyria, Syria, Persia,
Northern Arabia, and Mesopotamia.
2. Ham's Sons
Ham's sons were Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan.
The principal nations to spring from these men were
the Ethiopians, Egyptians, Libyans, and Canaanites.
Ham's sons settled the continent of Africa and
Arabia.
3. Japheth's Sons
Japheth's sons were Comer, Magog, Madai, Javan,
Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. These men gave birth to
the Russians, Germans, Britons, Scythians, Medes,
lonians, Athenians, Iberians, Muscovites, and
Thracians. The settlement of Japheth's sons was in
Asia Minor, Armenia, Caucasus, and Europe.
Lesson 3
The Chosen Nation
The Time of the Patriarchs
II. Abraham
As in the days of Noah, God looked upon the earth and
found a man with whom He could make a covenant.
This man had come from Ur of the Chaldees, with his
father, Terah. The man's name was Abram. The Lord
told Abram to leave his country, his kindred, and his
father's house, to journey to a land that God would
show him. The Lord promised, "I will make of thee a
great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name
great; and thou shall be a blessing: And I will bless them
that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in
thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis
12:2-3).
Abram obeyed the Lord and left his home, (Haran)
when he was seventy-five years old. He took his wife,
Sarai, his nephew Lot, and they traveled to the land of
Canaan.
When the Lord called Abram, he had no children. Part
of the promise included making of Abram a great nation.
That this was subsequently fulfilled is seen in
Deuteronomy 4:6; I Kings 3:8-9; and Joshua 21:43-45.
A. The Arab Nations
The days passed, however, without there being any
physical sign of God keeping His promise. Finally, as
human beings often do, Abram and Sarai decided to
take matters into their own hands. Sarai, who had an
Egyptian handmaid named Hagar, said unto Abram,
"Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing:
I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may
obtain children by her" (Genesis 16:2). Abram acted on
his wife's counsel, and Ishmael was born of this union.
By trying to "help God out" because they could see no
visible sign of His promise coming to pass, Abram and
Sarai brought many sorrows to their family and the
world. The Arab nations sprang from Ishmael.
B. God's Covenant with Abraham
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord
appeared to him, and said, "I am the Almighty God;
walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my
covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee
exceedingly" (Genesis 17:1-2). As Abram fell on his
face before God, the Lord continued to talk with him.
God renewed His promise to make him the father of
many nations, and changed his name to Abraham.
Abram means, High Father. Abraham means, Father of
the Faithful.) He also changed Sarai's name to Sarah.
(Sarai means princess. Sarah means my princess.)
Then, God gave a token of His covenant. He said, "This
is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and
you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among
you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the
flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token betwixt me
and you" (Genesis 17:10-11). Abraham took his son
Ishmael, with all the male members of his his
household, and they were all circumcised the same day
in obedience to God's Word.
C. Separation
Strife developed between the herdmen of Abraham's
cattle and those of Lot. The problem was that both
Abraham and Lot were very rich, with many flocks,
herds, and tents, and the land simply was not able to
bear them. Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife, I
pray thee, between me and thee, and between my
herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. Is not
the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray
thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will
go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I
will go to the left" (Genesis 13:8-9).
1. Lot's Choice
Abraham was very gracious in allowing his nephew
to make the first choice. Lot observed the well
watered plain of Jordan, and chose that for himself.
He then journeyed east, separating himself from
Abraham, and pitching his tent in the direction of
Sodom. This proved to be a mistake for Lot, for the
men of Sodom were wicked and terrible sinners in
the Lord's eyes (Genesis 13:13). It is always
dangerous to go in the direction of sin.
2. Judgment Against Sin
God had observed the mounting wickedness in
Sodom and Gomorrah, where Abraham's nephew,
Lot, lived with his family. The Lord appeared to
Abraham and informed him that the cities would be
destroyed. Abraham, knowing that his relatives lived
in the doomed city of Sodom, sought the Lord to
spare the city. He agreed to do that, if only ten
righteous people could be found. But, sadly, Sodom
and Gomorrah were so wicked that not even ten
righteous people could be located (Genesis 18).
3. Angels of Mercy
The angels visited Lot and forcibly removed rrim, his
wife and two unmarried daughters from the city. God
sent angels of mercy to Sodom that day. The prayers
of Abraham did not save the cities, but they did save
Lot. Lot was blessed to have an uncle who stayed
close to the Lord. The Lord sent the angels of mercy.
Lot'sgrievouserror in moving into this wicked city took
its toll. He had to leave behind daughters who had
married men of Sodom. His wife (in disobedience to
the angel's commands) looked back as they were
fleeing, and turned into a pillar of salt. However, Lot
and his two unmarried daughters fled for their lives.
Because of the great wickedness of these cities, God
destroyed them with fire and brimstone. Today, they
have been wiped off the face of the earth. Some
Bible students believe the destruction of these cities
may have been the event that brought about the
formation of the Dead Sea. The judgment of God
upon Sodom and Gomorrah stands forever as a
solemn warning to any who would violate God's
Word.
"And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into
ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making
them an ensample unto those that after should live
ungodly" (II Peter 2:6). "The teachings of Christ are
not unlike a river that flows for a long time smoothly
and noiselessly between its banks, and then
suddenly takes the tremendous plunge of the
cataract. In the utterance of Jesus about the coming
of His Kingdom we have the cataract note of His
preaching. The same lips which pronounced the
Beautitudes and spake the quiet parables of growth
and development, tell of the coming of His Kingdom
and the great and terrible day of the Lord." Judgment
is coming! It is time to prepare!
D. Isaac the Promised Son
At last, in God's time, Sarah conceived and gave birth to
a son. Abraham named the child Isaac, and circumcised
him when he was eight days old. Abraham was one
hundred years old when Isaac was born. God had kept
His promise, but He was not yet finished trying
Abraham's faith.
1. Abraham's Faith Tested
God said to Abraham, "Take now thy son, thine only
son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the
land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt
offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell
thee of" (Genesis 22:2).What thoughts must have
gone through Abraham's mind! God had promised
him a son. The promise had taken many years to be
fulfilled, and now God commanded him to sacrifice
that son! However, Abraham was a man of great
faith in God. He knew that Isaac was the promised
son that God had given him. He believed that
through Isaac, God would raise up countless
offspring as He had promised. He knew that, even if
he offered Isaac to God, God was able to raise him
up from the dead in order to keep His Word.
As Hebrews 11:17-19 says, "By faith Abraham, when
he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had
received the promises offered up his only begotten
son. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy
seed be called: Accounting that God was able to
raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also
he received him in a figure."
2. Abraham's Obedience
"And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and
saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with
him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the
burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place
of which God had told him" (Genesis 22:3). On the
third day of their journey, Abraham saw in the
distance the mountain upon which God had
commanded that he offer Isaac. He told the servants
to stay behind while he and Isaac went to worship.
Abraham's faith is clear in the statement that he
made to his servants: "I and the lad will go yonder
and worship, and come again to you" (Genesis 22:5).
He believed that God had a divine purpose in the
task that he had been asked to perform.
3. Abraham's Continuing Faith
As Abraham and Isaac traveled toward their
destination, Isaac noticed that they had everything
but the sacrifice. He asked, "Behold the fire and the
wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
Abraham responded with statement of eternal
significance: "My son, God will provide himself a
lamb for a burnt offering" (Genesis 22:7-8). Notice
that Abraham said, "God will provide Himself a
lamb." After they had prepared the altar, Abraham
bound his son and placed him on the altar. Then,
Abraham stretched forth his hand with the knife to
slay his son. At that moment, the angel of the Lord
called, "Abraham, Abraham!"
"Here am I," he answered.
"Lay not thine hand upon the lad," said the angel,
"neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know
that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld
thy son, thine only son from me" (Genesis 22:12).
Abraham's faith had been tested by that which was
dear to him, and he came through the trial
victoriously. After Abraham heard the voice of the
angel, he turned and saw a ram caught by its horns
in the thicket nearby. God had provided a sacrifice.
Abraham's statement was prophetic in that many
years later Jesus Christ (God manifest in the flesh) (I
Timothy 3:16) came as the lamb of God, to take
away the sin of the world (John 1:29). What a
marvelous thing is faith! In the history of our country
men traveled by horseback and had to cross rivers
swollen by the rains. They say that if they looked at
the swirling waters around them, they would become
dizzy and possibly fall from the saddle and be swept
away. But if they fixed their eye upon the other bank,
a tree, a large rock or a hillside, they would rise
safely through. Remember that in the storms of life,
faith is the balance which gives calm and victory. It is
important to fix our eyes, not upon the shifting scene
around us, but upon the solid Rock, Jesus Christ.
Lesson 3
The Chosen Nation
III. Jacob and Esau
It was through Isaac that God had promised to raise up
seed to Abraham. Isaac's wife, Rebekah, had two sons,
Esau and Jacob. Like Cain and Abel, these two sons
were quite different. The Lord had said to Rebekah,
"Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of
people shall be separated from thy bowels;and the one
people shall be stronger than the other people; and the
elder shall serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). Esau,
the elder son, was a cunning hunter, a man of the field,
and Jacob was a plain man dwelling in tents.
A. Esau sells his birthright
Jacob, the younger of the two, was making pottage
(food), one day when Esau came in from the field. Esau
was hungry, and he said, "Feed me, I pray thee with
that same red pottage; for I am faint" (Genesis 25:30).
Esau appears to have been a man who was concerned
with fleshly, physical things. He was guided by his
senses. When he was hungry, satisfying his appetite
was the most important thing in the world to him. Jacob,
on the other hand, had an appreciation for spiritual
things, although he was by no means perfect. In
response to Esau's request, Jacob demanded, "Sell me
this day thy birthright" (Genesis 25:31). The birthright
was the privilege given to the oldest son. This gave him
preferred treatment in the family, including first claim on
the inheritance. Esau was so oriented to the now, rather
than preparation for the future, that he answered,
"Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall
this birthright do to me?" (Genesis 25:32).
"Swear to me this day," Jacob insisted, and Esau sold
his birthright to Jacob for bread and pottage of lentiles.
Then Esau arose and went his way, having sold out a
most valuable blessing for a temporary, fleshly
satisfaction (Genesis 25:33-34). How sad it is that when
confronted with a choice of preparing for the future
eternity, or receiving a small measure of satisfaction
right now, many will choose for the present. Such
people are looking at things that are seen, and not at
things which are eternal (II Corinthians 4:18).
B. Jacob Steals the Blessing
The dramatic scene of Jacob gaining Esau's birthright
was not their last encounter of family blessings. When
Isaac was old and his vision dim so that he could not
see, he called Esau, (his favorite of the two boys) and
asked Esau to go into the field with his bow and arrows
for some venison. Isaac enjoyed the meat, and wanted
to eat some prior to blessing Esau. Rebekah heard
Isaac's instructions to Esau, and she instructed Jacob,
who was her favorite son, to bring her two kids of the
goats. She prepared the meat that Isaac liked,
disguised Jacob by putting the goat skins on Jacob's
hands and neck and giving him Esau's clothing to wear.
Then, pretending to be Esau, Jacob went into his blind
father, and presented Isaac with the meat. Isaac was
surprised that Esau had returned so soon with the meat,
and he was a bit skeptical. He called Jacob near in
order to feel of him, and said, "The voice is Jacob's
voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau" (Genesis
27:22). But Isaac was unable to distinguish that it was
Jacob, and he gave Jacob Esau's blessing. Shortly
thereafter, just as Jacob had left his father, Esau came
in. Isaac was very disturbed that he had been deceived.
Esau cried with a bitter cry, but the blessing could not
be removed from Jacob. Esau hated Jacob and planned
to kill him in revenge. Rebekah heard of his plans, and
urged Jacob to flee to Haran, where her brother, Laban,
lived.
C. Jacob's Encounter With God (Genesis 28:10-22)
As Jacob traveled, he came to a place called Luz where
he prepared to stay the night. While he slept, he
dreamed of a ladder set up on the earth, with its top
reaching heaven. The angels of God were going up and
down on the ladder. Above the ladder stood the Lord,
who said, "I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father,
and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to
thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be
as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to
the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the
south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families
of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 28:13-14).
Jacob awoke and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place;
and I knew it not." Being afraid, he continued, "How
deadful is this place! this is none other but the house of
God, and this is the gate of heaven."
D. Jacob Remembers the House of the Lord
Early in the morning, Jacob rose and set up a pillar from
the stones he had used for pillows. He poured oil on the
pillar, and called the name of the place Bethel, which
means House of God. Jacob vowed, "If God will be with
me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give
me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come
again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord
be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar,
shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I
will surely give the tenth unto thee" (Genesis 28:20-22).
Thus, God had renewed with Jacob the covenant that
He had made with his father Isaac and his grandfather,
Abraham.
E. Jacob Wrestles with the Angel of the Lord
Twenty years later, after Jacob had spent time with his
Uncle Laban, and had begun his family, he was on his
way back to see his aged father. He heard that Esau
was coming to meet him, fear rose up in his heart as he
remembered his brother's pledge to kill him. Sending his
family on, Jacob stayed behind. An angel of the Lord
wrestled with him until daybreak. When the angel saw
that Jacob was not going to release him, he touched the
hollow of Jacob's thigh, permanently shrinking the sinew
and causing him to limp. The angel said, "Let me go, for
the day breaketh." Jacob answered, "I will not let thee
go, except thou bless me." The angel asked, "What is
thy name?" "Jacob." "Thy name shall be called no more
Jacob," said the angel, "but Israel: for as a prince hast
thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed"
(Genesis 32:24-28).
Because of his persistence, Jacob received the blessing
that he desired, and left that place a different man. His
former name, Jacob, meant supplanter, and had the
connotation of trickery and deceit. His new name, Israel,
means that he strives with God and prevails. There was
also a physical difference: Every time he took a step,
the limp reminded him of his encounter with the angel of
the Lord. Certainly, when a person comes into the
presence of God, and determines to receive God's best,
a miraculous change takes place. . .he is never the
same!
Lesson 3
The Chosen Nation
III. Jacob and Esau
It was through Isaac that God had promised to raise up
seed to Abraham. Isaac's wife, Rebekah, had two sons,
Esau and Jacob. Like Cain and Abel, these two sons
were quite different. The Lord had said to Rebekah,
"Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of
people shall be separated from thy bowels;and the one
people shall be stronger than the other people; and the
elder shall serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). Esau,
the elder son, was a cunning hunter, a man of the field,
and Jacob was a plain man dwelling in tents.
A. Esau sells his birthright
Jacob, the younger of the two, was making pottage
(food), one day when Esau came in from the field. Esau
was hungry, and he said, "Feed me, I pray thee with
that same red pottage; for I am faint" (Genesis 25:30).
Esau appears to have been a man who was concerned
with fleshly, physical things. He was guided by his
senses. When he was hungry, satisfying his appetite
was the most important thing in the world to him. Jacob,
on the other hand, had an appreciation for spiritual
things, although he was by no means perfect. In
response to Esau's request, Jacob demanded, "Sell me
this day thy birthright" (Genesis 25:31). The birthright
was the privilege given to the oldest son. This gave him
preferred treatment in the family, including first claim on
the inheritance. Esau was so oriented to the now, rather
than preparation for the future, that he answered,
"Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall
this birthright do to me?" (Genesis 25:32).
"Swear to me this day," Jacob insisted, and Esau sold
his birthright to Jacob for bread and pottage of lentiles.
Then Esau arose and went his way, having sold out a
most valuable blessing for a temporary, fleshly
satisfaction (Genesis 25:33-34). How sad it is that when
confronted with a choice of preparing for the future
eternity, or receiving a small measure of satisfaction
right now, many will choose for the present. Such
people are looking at things that are seen, and not at
things which are eternal (II Corinthians 4:18).
B. Jacob Steals the Blessing
The dramatic scene of Jacob gaining Esau's birthright
was not their last encounter of family blessings. When
Isaac was old and his vision dim so that he could not
see, he called Esau, (his favorite of the two boys) and
asked Esau to go into the field with his bow and arrows
for some venison. Isaac enjoyed the meat, and wanted
to eat some prior to blessing Esau. Rebekah heard
Isaac's instructions to Esau, and she instructed Jacob,
who was her favorite son, to bring her two kids of the
goats. She prepared the meat that Isaac liked,
disguised Jacob by putting the goat skins on Jacob's
hands and neck and giving him Esau's clothing to wear.
Then, pretending to be Esau, Jacob went into his blind
father, and presented Isaac with the meat. Isaac was
surprised that Esau had returned so soon with the meat,
and he was a bit skeptical. He called Jacob near in
order to feel of him, and said, "The voice is Jacob's
voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau" (Genesis
27:22). But Isaac was unable to distinguish that it was
Jacob, and he gave Jacob Esau's blessing. Shortly
thereafter, just as Jacob had left his father, Esau came
in. Isaac was very disturbed that he had been deceived.
Esau cried with a bitter cry, but the blessing could not
be removed from Jacob. Esau hated Jacob and planned
to kill him in revenge. Rebekah heard of his plans, and
urged Jacob to flee to Haran, where her brother, Laban,
lived.
C. Jacob's Encounter With God (Genesis 28:10-22)
As Jacob traveled, he came to a place called Luz where
he prepared to stay the night. While he slept, he
dreamed of a ladder set up on the earth, with its top
reaching heaven. The angels of God were going up and
down on the ladder. Above the ladder stood the Lord,
who said, "I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father,
and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to
thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be
as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to
the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the
south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families
of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 28:13-14).
Jacob awoke and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place;
and I knew it not." Being afraid, he continued, "How
deadful is this place! this is none other but the house of
God, and this is the gate of heaven."
D. Jacob Remembers the House of the Lord
Early in the morning, Jacob rose and set up a pillar from
the stones he had used for pillows. He poured oil on the
pillar, and called the name of the place Bethel, which
means House of God. Jacob vowed, "If God will be with
me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give
me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come
again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord
be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar,
shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I
will surely give the tenth unto thee" (Genesis 28:20-22).
Thus, God had renewed with Jacob the covenant that
He had made with his father Isaac and his grandfather,
Abraham.
E. Jacob Wrestles with the Angel of the Lord
Twenty years later, after Jacob had spent time with his
Uncle Laban, and had begun his family, he was on his
way back to see his aged father. He heard that Esau
was coming to meet him, fear rose up in his heart as he
remembered his brother's pledge to kill him. Sending his
family on, Jacob stayed behind. An angel of the Lord
wrestled with him until daybreak. When the angel saw
that Jacob was not going to release him, he touched the
hollow of Jacob's thigh, permanently shrinking the sinew
and causing him to limp. The angel said, "Let me go, for
the day breaketh." Jacob answered, "I will not let thee
go, except thou bless me." The angel asked, "What is
thy name?" "Jacob." "Thy name shall be called no more
Jacob," said the angel, "but Israel: for as a prince hast
thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed"
(Genesis 32:24-28).
Because of his persistence, Jacob received the blessing
that he desired, and left that place a different man. His
former name, Jacob, meant supplanter, and had the
connotation of trickery and deceit. His new name, Israel,
means that he strives with God and prevails. There was
also a physical difference: Every time he took a step,
the limp reminded him of his encounter with the angel of
the Lord. Certainly, when a person comes into the
presence of God, and determines to receive God's best,
a miraculous change takes place. . .he is never the
same!
Lesson 4
The Exodus—The Plan of
Redemption
I. The Exodus—The Plan of Redemption
Nearly four centuries had passed since the children of
Israel came to Egypt in the days of Joseph. "And the
children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly,
and multiplied and waxed exceeding mighty and the
land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new
king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph" (Exodus 1:7-
8). The new king, set harsh taskmasters over the
Israelites and set them at hard labor in the fields and in
constructing cities and walls. This lesson is rich in
typology, for through the deliverance of Israel from
bondage, there is a type of God's plan of redemption for
fallen man. See I Corinthians 10:1-11, for authority for
using the flight from Egypt for example or ensamples.
A. Forty Years in Egypt
1. The Birth of Moses
Pharoah became fearful that the Hebrews would rise up
and overthrow the Egyptians, so he commanded the
midwives to kill every newborn male Hebrew at the time
of birth. "But the midwives feared God, and did not as
the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men
children alive" (Exodus 1:17). Then Pharoah
commanded all his people to destroy the baby boys by
throwing them into a river (Exodus 1:22). After Moses
was born, he was hid three months by his parents,
Jochebed and Amram. When they could no longer hide
him in their home, his mother made an ark of bulrushes
and waterproofed it with slime and pitch. She hid him
each day in the reeds along the river. His sister, Miriam,
watched baby Moses from the shore.
One day while on her way to wash herself at the river,
Pharoah's daughter chanced to find the ark there
among the reeds. She had the ark brought to her and
when she opened it, Moses wept and Pharoah's
daughter had compassion on the small baby. She
determined to take the child and bring him up in the
palace. Miriam offered to contact a Hebrew woman to
nurse the child for the daughter of Pharoah. "And
Pharoah's daughter said unto her. Take this child away,
and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And
the woman took the child, and nursed it" (Exodus 2:9).
The woman (Jochebed) took the child and nursed it and
received wages for nursing her own baby. "And the
child grew, and she brought him (Moses) unto
Pharoah's daughter, and he became her son" (Exodus
2:10). (Jochebed nursed him in her own home.) The
same river that could have been the means of
destruction of Moses became his salvation, just as
Jesus can become a Saviour instead of a judge, by
following His plan of salvation.
At the crisis of the Civil War, a New York State farmer
was drafted for the army. His wife had died and left him
the sole support of a family of little children. He was
wondering what he could do, when a young man of the
neighborhood who had none depending upon him came
to his house and offered to go in his place. For the sake
of his children the farmer accepted the offer. The
generous friend marched off to war. In the first
engagement he was shot and killed. The news filtered
back to the New York farm. The man took his horses
from the field and drove to the scene of battle. There he
sought until he found the body of his friend. He carried
him back to his home and laid him tenderly in a grave in
the village churchyard. From the hills he hewed a stone
and cut upon it these words, "He died for me."
2. Moses' Choice
When Moses was grown, he went out one day among
his brethren and saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. He
killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next
day he saw two Hebrews fighting and attempted to
separate them. One of them said, "Who made thee a
prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as
thou killedst the Egyptian?" (Exodus 2:14). Because
Moses had gotten ahead of God's will, his efforts to lead
were rejected by the people. He was unprepared at this
stage for the task which he would later perform. (See
also Hebrews 11:23-29).
B. Forty Years in Midian—Moses
Moses realized that his deed was known and fearing
revenge by the Pharoah, he fled to the land of Midian.
There he met and married Zipporah, a daughter of the
Midianite priest Jethro.
1. Moses' Call
One day as Moses was tending sheep, he beheld a
bush burning. Upon closer examination, he was amazed
when he saw it was not consumed with the fire. God
called to him out of the midst of the bush giving him his
call for his life's work. God told Moses that He had
heard the cries of the people and that He would use him
to deliver them from bondage and lead them to the
promised land.
2. God Proves Himself to Moses
Moses expressed doubts that he could do the job, and
so God had him to cast down the rod he held in his
hand. When he did so, the rod changed into a serpent.
God had him pick it up by the tail and it turned back into
the rod. God told Moses to put his hand into his bosom.
Moses obeyed and when he took his hand out it was
white with leprosy. Then Moses was told to thrust his
hand back into his garment. When he removed his
hand, this time it was healed. Thus he was shown that
God could make him victorious over all things that
would confront him. Likewise God's people today can
totally trust in the Lord, knowing that He will triumph
over the devil, the world and the flesh.
C. Moses the Deliver
1. Moses Before Pharoah—Ten Plagues
Moses, obeyed the Lord, returned to Egypt, went to
Pharoah and told him that God had said, "Let my people
go." Pharoah desired to keep the Hebrews in bondage
and rebelled against God's will. Disaster came to Egypt
in the form of ten plagues. Notice that the things the
Egyptians worshipped: frogs, cattle, sun, the Nile river
and nature were used to demonstrate God's great
power. After each of the first nine plagues, Pharoah
would agree to let the children of Israel go, but in each
instance, he would later have a change of heart. This
set the stage for the most dreadul plague yet to come.
2. Passover—Deliverance by the Blood
The Lord told Moses to speak to the congregation, and
tell them to take a male lamb of the first year without
blemish for each household. They were instructed to kill
the lamb, and to strike its blood on the two side posts
and the upper door post of the houses. They were then
to roast the lamb and eat it that night, along with
unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They were to eat it
in haste with shoes on their feet, loins girded and staff in
their hand, because it was time to leave Egypt. At
midnight the Lord passed through the land of Egypt and
killed the firstborn of every household which did not
have the blood upon the doorpost of the Hebrew's
home, He passed by that house and the inhabitants
inside were safe. Salvation in this age is dependent
upon the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, "For even
Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (I Corinthians
5:7). The blood of Jesus must be applied through
obedience to the gospel. If the Lord did not find blood
applied to the doorpost, instant death resulted. The
blood of the innocent lamb is symbolic of the blood of
the "Lamb of God" that delivers from spiritual bondage.
3. Deliverance Through the Red Sea
Pharoah at last agreed to let the Hebrews go. The Lord
led them out of Egypt with a pillar of fire by night and a
pillar of cloud by day (Exodus 13:21). After the people
had left Egypt, Pharoah changed his mind again and
sent his army after the Israelites. God led the Israelites
to the Red Sea. When the people saw Pharoah's
chariots closing in on them, they cried out against
Moses. Moses told the people, "Fear ye not, stand still,
and see the salvation of the Lord which He will shew to
you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today,
ye shall see them again no more for ever" (Exodus
14:13). Moses lifted his rod and the Lord caused the
sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and
made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided
(Exodus 14:21). The people miraculously crossed over
upon dry ground with the waters as a great wall on
either side. In every situation the Lord will always make
a way of escape for His people. (See I Corinthians
10:13.) The Egyptians were in pursuit, but as soon as
the Israelites got across, the Lord had Moses to stretch
out his hand over the sea. The waters fell on the
Egyptians and they were all drowned. "And Israel saw
the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore" (Exodus
14:30). Salvation is the whole process by which Christ
rescues mankind from sin, brings him back home, and
makes him a child of God.
See it in a picture: A house is burning. There is a violin
in it, a Stradivarius. A music lover, knowing that the
valuable violin is in the burning house, rushes in at great
risk and saves it. That is salvation. The violin, however,
was damaged by the heat. The music lover then takes
the damaged violin to an expert craftsman. He repairs it,
for he knows its value. Now the violin is saved from the
fire, and its damages are repaired. A great violinist
takes it, tunes it, and it speaks to us. That is salvation!
The complete salvation of the violin is its rescue, its
repairs, and its ability to function as its creator designed
it to do. Jesus Christ rescues from sin and death; He
restores the soul, and He puts a new song into the
heart. In typology, Egypt represents bondage, or sin.
The Red Sea is a type of baptism for ". . .all our fathers.
. .were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea"
(I Corinthians 10:1-12). A future lesson shows how that
entering the promised land is a type of receiving God's
promise. There were battles to be fought, giants to face
and walls to bring down. Thus we see again God's plan
of salvation: repentance (leaving Egypt), baptism
(crossing the Red Sea) and then moving into the
promise of God.
Lesson 4
Israel at Sinai—The Time of
the Law
II. Israel at Sinai—The Time of the Law
Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea into the
wilderness of Sinai. When they came to Marah, they
found bitter water, unsuitable for drinking. The people
murmured against Moses. God showed Moses a tree
which Moses cut down and cast into the water, which
then became sweet. The life may be bitter, but Jesus is
the Tree that can sweeten every life. After three months
on their journey from Egypt, they arrived at Mt. Sinai.
The people remained here for a period of one year.
What was to take place at Sinai would mark the
beginning of Israel's National History. The covenant
concerning a nation that God made with Abraham, then
later confirmed to Isaac and Jacob was soon to become
a national covenant.
At Mt. Sinai, Moses was given the Law which included
the Ten Commandments (Moral Law) as well as the
ceremonial and civil laws. The Commandments made
up the basis of the Law that Israel was to live by until
Jesus should come in the fulness of time. Paul said that
"the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that
we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). The Law
was to point out sin and the shortcomings of man's own
efforts to live holy without God's indwelling Spirit. Moses
also was given the plan of the tabernacle which was to
be the physical dwelling place of God's Spirit in the
midst of the people of Israel.
Lesson 4
The Tabernacle—Mankind's
Approach to God
III. The Tabernacle—Mankind's Approach
to God (Ceremonial Law)
The plan of the tabernacle was given by the Lord to
Moses on Mt. Sinai. He was admonished to follow
God's specifications in its construction to the letter
(Exodus 25:1-9). The tabernacle was more than just a
place to worship while in the wilderness. Its design and
layout was to be a shadow of the redemptive work of
Jesus, as well as a pattern of salvation's plan for the
present church age.
A. The Court of the Tabernacle
The court of the tabernacle was approximately one
hundred fifty feet long, and seventy-five feet wide. It had
one gate on the east side. There were four door posts
supporting hangings of four colors of cloth: purple,
scarlet, blue and white. There was only one entrance
into the courtyard. There is also only one way to find
salvation (John 10:9).
Inside the courtyard was the brazen altar, the brazen
laver and the tabernacle itself. The tabernacle was
approximately 15' x 15' x 45' consisting of the Holy
Place and the Holy of Holies. These two rooms were
separated by a vail of blue, purple and scarlet. In the
Holy of Holies abode the Spirit of God between the
golden cherubims. They were located on the lid of the
ark which was called the mercy seat. This is not to say
that all of God was here, as He is omnipresent, or
present everywhere. However, from Adam's day, God
has always desired to dwell with His people but sin has
always separated man from God. From the day of
Pentecost, fifty days after the death of Christ, God has
dwelt in the hearts of His people in a real and wonderful
way.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (I Corinthians 3:16).
Lesson 4
The Altar of Sacrifice
IV. The Altar of Sacrifice
The priest approached the tabernacle first by way of the
brazen altar, and here he offered the sacrifice for sin.
The brazen altar was approximately 7 1/2 square and 4
1/2 feet high. It was made of shittim wood overlaid with
brass. It was a place of death and shedding of blood.
Approach to God is made by way of repentance. Jesus
said, "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish"
(Luke 13:3).
Notice the prominence which was assigned to the altar
in connection with the tabernacle and its worship. Look
where it stood, it was placed immediately in front of the
gate of the court of the tabernacle. It was the first object
that met the eye of the worshipper as he came into the
court to present his sacrifice unto the Lord. The altar
was not hidden in some remote place in the court,
removed from the gaze of t'he people, neither did it
stand inside of the tabernacle where it could only be
approached by a few. It was placed where it would be in
sight of all, and where all could approach it. Not all of
the people were permitted to see the golden
candlestick, the table of shewbread or the altar of
incense, which things were just inside the veil. All could
not pass the veil which hung in the tabernacle. None but
the high priest was permitted to enter the holiest of
holies on the day of atonement. The altar in the court,
the brazen altar, was not hidden, neither was a man
forbidden to approach it. It could be plainly seen from
without, and no one could enter into the holy place save
by passing this sacred emblem where the sacrificial
blood of the animals was offered. This teaches that not
one, no not one, that no man who has come to the
knowledge of Jesus will even enter heaven except he is
a partaker of the blood of Jesus, who stood as an altar
of sacrifice to all who would approach God. St. John
14:6.
Remember that it was not only the altar which gave the
worshipper access to the holy place, or the putting away
of his sins according to his station, but there had to be a
sacrifice made upon the altar, whether it be priest,
Levite or Israelite. Note the relationship of the brazen
altar to every other part of the tabernacle service and its
furniture, like the root to a tree, or the heart to the body,
or the foundation to a building, everything inside, and
even the brazen laver in front of the door of the
tabernacle, all depended upon the work done at the
altar.
Take away the perfect work required at the brazen altar
and all else, no matter how magnificent, every bit of it
was useless without the altar and its perfect work. All
had to come to God by the way of the altar Hebrews
13:10, "we have an altar," speaks of Jesus. The Lord
Jesus meant it when He said, "No man who comes
must take the "Way," that he may get the "Truth which
gives him "Life." So here as the "way," note the office of
Christ in the altar, not only the altar (Christ) but also the
blood upon the altar (the blood of Jesus) gave the altar
(Christ) the power which it required. In the 9th chapter
of Hebrews note the power of the blood of the
sacrifices, verses 19-21. All priests, their garments, the
sacred vessels, everything was unfit for services until
the blood which was shed at the brazen altar had
touched and sanctified them.
Here is the story of the Cross of Christ, Calvary. There
is no pardon, no righteousness, no peace, no grace, no
blessings and no salvation, only through the sacrifice of
the Cross. No washing at the laver without the work at
the brazen altar. The altar represented the shedding of
blood and the death of Jesus. No death, no burial, no
shedding of blood, no remission of sins. Hebrews 9:24.
Therefore Romans 6:3 shows that a sinner is buried
with Jesus in baptism into death, and that in His name,
he finds the blood or life which the sacrifice at the
brazen altar testified of.
The fire upon the altar was to, "never go out," Leviticus
6:13. There is no hour, day or night that a transgressor
cannot find the atonement of Calvary.
Lesson 4
The Brazen Laver
V. The Brazen Laver
Just before the door of the tabernacle stood the brazen
laver where the priest was required to wash his hands
and feet. God had said wash, "that they die not"
(Exodus 30:21). The New Testament application of the
brazen laver of water is water baptism. Jesus said, "He
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he
that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16).
"Baptism doth also now save us" (I Peter 3:21). "But ye
are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in
the name of the Lord Jesus. . ." (I Corinthians 6:11).
(See also Exodus 30:18-21.)
"Thou shaft also make a laver of brass and his foot also
of brass, to wash withal, and thou shall put it between
the tabernacle and the congregation and the altar, and
thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons
shall wash their hands and their feet thereat. When they
go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall
wash with water that they die not, or when they come
near to the altar to minister, to burn offering unto the
Lord" (Exodus 30:18-20).
Note where the laver was placed, Exodus 40:30,
between the brazen altar where a death was
demanded, and the tabernacle where the priest
officiated and where the Lord of Israel met them. It was
placed between the altar (repentance) and the
tabernacle (the kingdom) and that is as the Lord by the
spirit gave to the Apostle Peter the message, which was
according to the pattern shown Moses in the mount. He
said, "Repent (here is the altar, or death to sin) and be
baptized everyone of you, (here is the laver) in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, (or enter into the
kingdom or tabernacle)" Acts 2:38.
In the New Testament there is, first, a death at the
brazen altar (repentance) or dying with Christ to sins,
and Romans 6:1-5 is a beautiful lesson of what baptism
is for after one comes to a knowledge of the truth.
Baptism is not only buried with Him by baptism into His
death, Romans 6:3, it is also for the remission of sins,
Acts 2:38, which statement by the Apostle Peter is also
the fulfillment of John 20:23, Matthew 16:19 and I Peter
3:21. These scriptures can be compared with the
"pattern" under Moses, to show why the laver was
placed between altar (death) and the tabernacle (life).
Paul says, "if we have been planted (buried) together in
the likeness of his death (baptism), we shall also be in
the likeness of his resurrection" Romans 6:5.
Consider the relationship between the name of Jesus in
baptism in the New Testament and the blood that the
priest took to the water with him in the Old Testament?
All through the law one is continually remined that the
"life of all flesh is in the blood," under Moses, the
schoolmaster. Later Jesus tells Israel, "I am come that
ye might have life and have it more abundantly" (John
10:10). His important message to man was life. Study
His words carefully and the words of those who wrote of
Him after His death, to find that both He and His
disciples linked this life with His name.
John states that "In Him was life," John 1:14 and then
tells how to get that life, "but as many as received Him
gave He power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name, which were born, not of
blood, nor the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God" (John 1:12; 13). Here he states that one can get
that life or sonship by being born again, and by
believing on His name. "What has His name got to do
with being born again?" Jesus said, John 3:5, "Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God." Go back to the tabernacle
again, and here see the way the priest had to go as he
enters into the tabernacle into the presence of God. A
sacrifice, (death on the altar), blood taken to the laver,
and here note that the life is in the blood. In the New
Testament His name is used where it was "the blood" in
the Old. There is no remission of sins without the blood,
and in John 20:31, read these words, "But these are
written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye might have life
through His name."
Consider these three Scriptures: "We have power to
become the sons of God through His name" (John 1:12-
13), remission of sins through His name, Acts 2:38 and
life through His name, John 20:31. The apostles
preached these things in the name of Jesus. Read in
the 5th chapter of Acts and the 28th verse the words of
the high priest saying, "Did not we straightly command
you that ye should not teach in this name, and behold,
ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend
to bring this man's blood upon us." How? Through the
preaching of the name of Jesus. Mark 16:15-16, "Go ye
into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned," Luke
24:47, "And that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem." So there is room for every one
in the priesthood who will accept the high priest (Jesus)
as their father by being born of water and of the spirit;
be willing to come to the door of the tabernacle, (even to
Jesus) John 10:7 and there be washed before they
enter into the tabernacle (kingdom of God).
Lesson 4
The Holy Place
VI. The Holy Place
In the Holy Place was the golden candlestick, the altar
of incense, and the table of shew/bread.
A. The Golden Candlestick
The candlestick was of pure gold, with seven branches
coming forth from the stand. The candlestick provided
the only light in the tabernacle. Jesus is the Light, just
as the candlestick was of beaten gold, so Christ was
first beaten, before we could receive His light. The priest
had to have the light to guide him in his priestly duties,
just as we must be led by the Light of the Spirit in true
worship (Exodus 25:31-40).
B. The Table of Shewbread
The table of shewbread was approximately 3' x 15" and
was 27" high. It was made of shittim wood overlaid with
pure gold. On the table of shewbread were twelve
loaves of unleavened bread which were to be eaten by
the High Priest and his sons in the Holy Place. The
shewbread provided the source of sustenance for the
priest. Jesus is the Bread of Life. His Word is food for
the soul, just as the table was to exhibit the bread, the
Christian life shows forth Jesus to a dying world. (See
Exodus 25:23-30.)
C. The Altar of Incense
The altar of incense represents prayers to God
(Revelation 5:8). The incense was offered to God each
morning and evening. Each day should begin and end
with prayer. The aroma of the incense went forth when
the incense was put on the fire. God hears the "effectual
fervent prayer" (James 5:16) of the righteous man.
Before there can be true prayer and praise (worship)
there must first be death to sin and self. The fire for the
altar of incense came from the brazen altar of sacrifice.
The altar was located before the vail which separated
the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Prayer is the
beautiful experience that draws mankind into the very
presence of God. (Exodus 30:1-10).
Lesson 4
The Holy of Holies
VII. The Holy of Holies
Behind the vail at the west end of the Holy Place was
the Holy of Holies, which was the dwelling place of God.
In the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant, which
contained Aaron's rod that budded, the tables of stone
(Ten Commandments) and a golden pot of manna.
The budding rod was a type of Christ in that it showed
the miracle of life. Live buds and almonds sprang forth
from Aaron's dead rod (Numbers 17:8). The golden pot
of manna was a reminder of God's ability to provide
miraculously for the needs of His children during their
journey through the wilderness. The law written upon
tables of stone gave God's direction to the nation of
Israel. Resting on the top of the Ark was the Mercy Seat
made of pure gold. The Mercy Seat was stained with
the blood of an innocent sacrifice. This represented the
redemptive work of Christ's death ". . .by His mercy He
saved us. . ." (Titus 3:5). The Mercy was God's throne
to His people. The tabernacle was located in the center
of all the tribes of Israel. God, the church, and His will
must be in the center. When Israel was traveling, the
ark was to be carried before the people, just as we are
to follow the Lord in our walk with Him. At the death of
Jesus, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from top
to bottom, making it possible for all to approach the
throne of God. The rent vail represented two things. It
brought man into the presence of God and revealed
God's glory to man.
Lesson 4
From the Tabernacle to the
Cross
VIII. From the Tabernacle to the Cross
The Apostle Paul in all of his writings continually
reminds the church of the power of Christ and of the
cross of Christ, as we find written in Galatians 6:14, "But
God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto
me and I unto the world." Paul knew the power of the
cross, he has told us in the book of Hebrews 7:19, that
the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of the
better hope did, by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Again in Galatians 3:24 he says, "Wherefore the law
was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we
might be justified by faith." The Apostle Paul knew what
the mission and the object of the law was, he knew that
the things shown to Moses in the mount were to be his
example by the pattern given unto him by the Lord and
all that he built, all that he did was to point the people of
Israel to the one who was to come, even Jesus.
The prophets were able by the Holy Ghost to look into
the future and by the spirit of prophecy see the suffering
of Christ, the cross and the glory that was to follow. I
Peter 1:10-12. Isaiah gives us a minute description of
his birth, Isaiah 9:6, his rejection, etc. Isaiah 53, and the
preaching of Isaiah had to coincide with that which the
law portrayed in silent picture form, and one of the many
pictures that the tabernacle in the wilderness built by
Moses portrays is the cross.
In the court we find the brazen altar, the first object
approached by the priest as he started in the holy place.
We then see the brazen laver between the altar and the
door of the tabernacle. Upon entering into the holy
place note the golden candlestick with its seven
branches on one side of the tabernacle. Directly
opposite the golden candlesticks on the other side of
the tabernacle, is the table of shewbread and back of
these in the center of the tabernacle, in front of the veil,
is the golden altar of incense.
Look at the furniture in the outer court and in the holy
place. Every piece of furniture, is a witness of death.
Death at the altar, for at the brazen altar one dies to sin,
at the brazen laver one is baptized into his death and
buried with him by baptism. At the golden candlestick,
which was the light of the tabernacle, even this spells
death for it was light on God's Word that killed our
tradition and unbelief. The table with its shewbread
which represents the word of God, also pointed to
death. For Paul said, "the letter," (word) killeth," and the
altar of incense (a type of prayer. Psalm 141:2) also
points to death, for when man approaches God through
prayer, he has to die to self and the flesh.
Approach the tabernacle with its ordinances, furniture,
coverings, with the thought in mind, that it is a
schoolmaster to bring man to Christ, and that through
the law, which is a figure of things in heaven (not only
on earth through the church dispensation), but a figure
of things in heaven, Hebrews 9:23, 24. The tabernacle
and its plan was gven to teach heavenly things.
Lesson 5
The Land of Promise
I. The Land of Promise
A. Possessing the Land
1. The Death of Moses (Deuteronomy 34)
Because of unbelief Israel reaped the judgment of God.
This judgment caused them to wander in the wilderness
for forty years. Those who did not believe that God
would give the land of promise to Israel died in the
wilderness. Two men, Joshua and Caleb, were saved
from the judgment reaped by this unbelieving
generation. Their faith in God's Word delivered them
from an early grave, and put them in the land of promise
safely. They trusted in God and leaned not unto their
own understanding. Joshua and Caleb were the only
two persons remaining from the Egyptian exodus who
were above the age of twenty at the time of their
departure. God's Word is true and He has the resources
to see that His plan is carried out.
During the last years of Israel's wandering. God
instructed Moses to speak to the rock. God had
promised to provide Israel with water that they had cried
for. Moses in his anger struck the rock, disobeying God.
God in mercy, however, did cause water to come forth
out of that rock. Nevertheless, his disobedience kept
Moses from entering the promised land. (See Numbers
20:7-12.) Moses, was allowed to view the promised land
from Mt. Pisgah; he then died and was buried by the
Lord. The leadership then passed on Joshua to take
Israel into the promised land.
2. Crossing Jordan
When the priest's feet went into the Jordan river, the
waters divided. The priest went into the middle of
Jordan and stood there until all of Israel passed over to
the other side. Twelve men took a stone and placed the
stones in the Jordan River as a memorial to God. They
also took twelve stones from the Jordan River and built
another memorial to God at Gilgal. This was a sign and
a reminder to future generations of what God had done
(Joshua 3 and 4). It is good for children, families, and
friends to be reminded from time to time of the great
deliverance God has wrought.
Someone has aptly described memory as "the jewel box
of the mind." The term is true, however, only if
memories contain those things that are beautiful and
true and good. Ugly things are not for jewel boxes, and
the memory of wrong deeds or unkind words or evil
thoughts will bring no happiness in days to come. It is
important to live in such a way that today's actions will
become precious memories in future years. The words
of the great Apostle Paul are meaningful, "Whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of
good report. . .think on these things" (Philippians 4:8).
The Hebrews entered into the promised land which is a
type of possessing the proimse of God: The warfare,
trials, mountain top experiences, and valleys are a part
of living and maturing spiritually. Israel was delivered
from Egypt, a type of sinful bondage. Israel's forty years
of wandering is a type of the results of failing to believe
in and act upon the promise of God. Unbelief caused
1000's to perish in the wilderness. Millions today still
wander in the dark wilderness of unbelief. All the older
ones (except two believers) of Israel died in the
wilderness in their unbelief, while their offspring went
with Joshua into the promised land.
3. The Battle for the Land
The promised blessing would belong to Israel if they
would believe and obey the Lord and take the land.
Israel must fight for the land of Canaan but God would
fight for them as they believed and obeyed the Lord.
God worked miraculously giving Israel victory after
victory. Imagine the confusion of the inhabitants of
Jericho (Joshua 6) watching the great host of Israel
marching around the walls. They marched around the
city once each day for six consecutive days. On the
seventh day they compassed the city seven times. At
the end of the seventh march on the seventh day, Israel
gave a mighty shout and the walls came falling down
flat. God gave Israel a tremendous victory! The
marching around Jericho may have seemed foolish, but
God often uses foolish things of this world to confound
the wise. The major thing to remember always is to
obey the Lord and exercise your faith and then victory
will follow (Hebrews 11:30).
Israel fought against Ai (Joshua 7) but lost that battle
because there was sin in the camp. God had told the
Israelites not to take anything, no silver, gold, brass,
iron or garments for themselves out of Jericho. All spoils
from this city were the first fruits and belonged to God.
Elated by their victory over Jericho, they decided to
send only two or three thousand men to Ai. Israel fought
but lost the battle at Ai because there was sin in the
camp. Unknown to Joshua, Achan had taken and
hidden the forbidden spoils in the earth inside his tent.
This sin brought the judgment of God. The soldiers
came back from the defeat at Ai, wondering what was
wrong. Achan's sin was exposed and the judgment of
God caused him and his family to be destroyed (Joshua
7:24-26).
Sin defeats God's purpose of victorious living. Man is
powerless to fight against sin without God's Spirit
dwelling within him. Victory, power, joy and peace are
found only in the Holy Ghost.
4. The Land Subdued
From city to city and village to village the army of Israel
fought on to take their promised land. North to south
and east to west they won each victory. Joshua was a
great leader, constantly challenging them to the triumph
ahead.
Israel, by the power of God, subdued the land, and the
land was divided (Joshua 14) so the twelve tribes of
Israel could have their own areas to dwell in. It was
then, after a long life of service, that Joshua died
(Joshua 24). There was no successor to Joshua.
Israel fell into the deepest of sins after Joshua's death
because of the lack of good leadership. Sin led to
captivity. In their captivity they cried out to God and God
then raised up judges to lead Israel (Judges 2:16-23).
There were fifteen judges in all, one was a woman
(Deborah) two were priests-judges. Eli and Samuel
along with Gideon and Samson are known for the way
that the Lord used them mightily. God used judges until
the time that Israel had their first King. "And when he
had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he
divided their land to them by lot. And after that he gave
unto them judges about the space of four hundred and
fifty years, until Samuel the prophet" (Acts 13:19-20).
"The Judges were tribesmen in Israel upon whom the
Lord laid the burden of Israel's apostate and oppressed
state. They were the spiritual ancestors of the prophets.
They were men raised up of God to lead their people
from bondage to freedom. They were patriots and
religious reformers. National security and prosperity
were inseparably connected with loyalty and obedience
to Jehovah. Not one of the chosen deliverers had
anything whereof to glory in the flesh. Othniel was but
the son of the younger brother of Caleb; Ehud was a left
handed man and an assassin; Shamgar, a rustic with an
ox-goad; Deborah, a woman;
Gideon, of an obscure family in the smallest tribe, etc.
Each of the classes mentioned in I Corinthians 1:27-28
is illustrated among the Judges" (Scofield Bible, page
289).
Lesson 5
The United Kingdom
II. The United Kingdom
A. Israel Demands a King
The prophet Samuel under the direction of God ruled
over Israel, but Israel was not satisfied with the
leadership that God had put over them. They wanted to
have a king like the heathen nations around them. Israel
rejected the invisible King (their God) for a man that
they could display before the nations. This desire to be
like the surrounding nations revealed the condition of
their hearts. God wants His will to be accomplished. If a
people insist on their own will, God will, at their
insistence, let them have their own will. This is what
happened to Israel (Hosea 13:11; Psalm 106:15). "Thy
will be done, not my will be done," was the way Jesus
prayed and is a pattern for all mankind. The proper
attitude of the heart can only be maintained through
prayer and dedication to the Word and will of the Lord.
B. The Three Kings
The United Kingdom of Israel had three kings who
reigned over them. Each of these kings reigned for forty
years. Their names are Saul, David and Solomon.
1. Saul
God chose the first King for Israel out of the tribe of
Benjamin, a man named Saul. Saul was head and
shoulders over all Israel, a very courageous man and at
that time he was very humble (I Samuel 9). His
character changed drastically after he received the
power and authority of his new office. Saul had
forgotten his place with God, and power had corrupted
his thinking. Power and authority often change a man
from a humble servant into a proud, self-willed, jealous
and disobedient person. Power should be treated with
respect or its end will blind one to the truth and the will
of God.
Saul's later years were filled with many mistakes and
sins, which overshadowed the previous good which he
had done. Saul's great pride prevented him from
recognizing God's Word through Samuel. Samuel was
God's chosen spokesman. Saul stood in the priest's
stead and offered the sacrifice in the place of Samuel
when he thought Samuel had waited too long to appear
(I Samuel 13:8-14). He also rebelled against the words
of Samuel to destroy everything when he went to battle
against the Amalekites (I Samuel 15). Instead of
obeying God's command, Saul brought back King Agag
alive along with the rest of the cattle and sheep. Samuel
rebuked Saul strongly, saying, "Behold, to obey is better
than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (I
Samuel 15:22). This teaches that obedience is more
meaningful than many sacrifices. God appreciates
sacrificial offerings, but despises and judges
disobedience. God rejected Saul and his rebellious
nature, and the Spirit of the Lord departed from him.
God had chosen another king for Israel, David, a man
after God's own heart. Saul became so jealous of David
that he tried twice to kill David. He spent much of his
time in pursuit of David. Saul's life ended when he fell
upon his own sword on the battlefield. He was a man
wrecked by his own overpowering self-will (I Samuel
31).
The truth concerning human nature is that man is his
own worst enemy. The deepest and most dangerous
troubles which afflict man's life come from within, not
from without. Man's soul, that great fortress of Bunyan's
imagination, fell only when there was treason within.
The enemy entered through a gate that had been
opened from within. The outside dangers and
temptations of the world have no power until they
receive the co-operation and the help of the foe within.
It is important to come to God as little children, but
always keep that father-child relationship with God. A
child's duty is to be obedient to his father.
2. David
The second king of the United Kingdom is one of the
best loved characters in the scriptures, a man called
David. He was anointed king by Samuel when he was
just a young man taking care of the family's sheep (I
Samuel 16). Possibly the highest compliment that could
be said of David is that he was a man after God's own
heart (Acts 13:22). This is an attribute that is essential
for anyone to be a truly successful Christian. A Christian
takes up his cross and follows Jesus. Although David
sinned, his desire to please God and his tenderness of
heart brought him to a place of repentance and
remorse.
a. David Slays Goliath (I Samuel 17)
While David was a shepherd lad caring for sheep, he
fought a bear and a lion which had threatened his
flock. The Spirit of the Lord came upon David and he
quickly destroyed these dangerous animals. When
he was sent to see how his brothers were doing in
the war against the Philistines, David was enraged
by the boasting of the Philistine giant, Goliath, and
by the cowardice of Israel. Goliath was an awesome
sight, over nine feet tall in full battle array with a
helmet of brass and a coat of mail which weighed
five thousand shekels. The staff of his spear was like
a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six
hundred shekels of iron. This champion of the
Philistines taunted the Israelites, "Choose a man to
fight me!" Although David was but a youth, he did
have faith in God. Because of David's faith in God,
he fought Goliath without the help of Israel. He used
a sling, stone, and the Name of the Lord, knocking
the giant to the ground. He then beheaded Goliath
with his own sword (I Samuel 17). Here is a sure way
of victory against those things that war against the
soul. It is essential that enemies who tempt and
torment are to be utterly destroyed.
b. David's Problems and Victories
This great victory wrought at the hands of David
brought him much praise which further enraged King
Saul. A great jealousy, cruel as the grave, raged in
Saul's heart against David. Saul's greatest desire for
the remaining years of his life was to destroy David (I
Samuel 18).
Although David loved God and wanted to please
Him, his life was not without spot. While the armies
of Israel were fighting against Ammon, David, at
ease on the roof of the King's house saw a beautiful
young woman (Bathsheba) bathing. Immediately
David wanted this woman and he sent messengers
to bring her to him. Thus David sinned against God
and his fellow man. Had David been with the armies
of Israel he would not have been in a place to
commit this sin. This sin led to the death of a man,
the death of a child as well as other judgments from
the Lord (II Samuel 11 and 12). A man whose
attention is focused on God, will not give his mind
over to Satan's temptations. Although David was
called a man after God's own heart, God did not
overlook his gross sin. God sent a prophet (Nathan)
with a convicting message in the form of a story. His
story was as follows:
"There were two men in one city; one rich the other
poor. The rich man had many flocks and herds but
the poor man had only one little beloved ewe lamb
which he had hand fed and treated like a member of
the family. The rich man had a guest one day but
instead of killing one of his own lambs for dinner, the
rich man took the poor man's beloved lamb for his
guest." "That man will surely die," cried David in hot
anger. "Thou art the man, David," Nathan thundered.
David had a throne, houses and wives but he sent
Uriah to his death and took his wife." The prophet
then pronounced judgment on David (II Samuel
11:12).
God certainly is no respecter of persons. He rebuked
King David as He does all who sin. God cannot and
does not tolerate sin. No sin will enter the heavenly
Kingdom! Certainly with God it is not how much one
has in his bank account or whom one might know.
For all wealth belongs to God and He is the source
of all power. There is no such thing as political
pressure or pull in God's Kingdom. All men are equal
in His sight. David wanted to build a temple for God,
but David had been a man of war shedding blood
and God would not allow him to build that temple.
This privilege, however, was granted to one of
David's sons, which brings us to our next King (II
Samuel 7).
3. Solomon
Solomon, the son of David, loved the Lord. After he took
his office as king, Solomon went to Gibeon and offered
a thousand burnt offerings on the altar. It was in Gibeon
after this great offering that God appeared to Solomon
in a dream and spoke saying, "Ask what I shall give
thee" (I Kings 3:5). What a question! All of God's riches
were at his disposal. Notice his answer. His request of
God reflected his unselfish desire to be a good leader
as was his father, David. As a result of his unselfish
request, God made Solomon the wisest king who ever
lived (I Kings 3:13).
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you" (Matthew 6:33).
Solomon's request reveals the true desire of his heart in
his early years as King. He desired an understanding
heart so that he could discern between good and evil.
Those things which he did not ask for—long life, riches,
and power over his enemies—God then generously
gave to Solomon. The word of the Lord is true. Seek His
Kingdom first!
a. Solomon's Failures
Solomon is known for his wisdom. The Scriptures tell
us, "that there was none like thee before thee,
neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee" (I
Kings 3:12). He is known for his extreme wealth, and
for his wives who numbered about one thousand.
Sad to say, his wives turned his heart from the one
true God. Solomon went after other gods. Even the
most dedicated of people can fall from the grace of
God, if they do not die daily to the will of their flesh.
What a change! The beginning of Solomon's reign as
king, portrayed a man full of desire to please God.
He changed from this to backsliden royalty—a man
who had forgotten God who had spoken to him in
Gibeon. It is the one who finishes the race that will
obtain the crown (Ecclesiastes 2).
b. Solomon Builds the Temple
Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of Solomon's
reign was the Temple which he built at Jerusalem (I
Kings 5). He built the Temple after the pattern which
the Lord had given David. The construction took
seven years. The Temple included the Holy Place
and the Holy of Holies like the original Tabernacle.
During the first service in the Temple, the presence
of God was so strong that the Temple was filled with
a thick cloud. Solomon, who began praying standing
before the Lord, ended on his knees before the Holy
One of Israel (I Kings 8:54). What a beautiful lesson
for these last days. Humble submission and contrite
worship in the house of the Lord will bring His
blessed presence.
Because of Solomon's many sins and his deviation
from the plan of God, the united kingdom of Israel
was divided after his reign. The spiritually depraved
kingdom then separated and became two kingdoms
(Israel and judah) each having their own king (I
Kings 11).
Lesson 5
The Divided Kingdom
III. The Divided Kingdom
Solomon had built a great kingdom, but after his death it
was divided. Solomon's son, Rehoboam, threatened to
lay a heavier tax burden on the people than Solomon
had. The people demanded reforms but Rehoboam took
the counsel of his younger advisors, rather than that of
the older and more experienced men. The results were
a revolt and a kingdom divided into North and South,
Israel and Judah (I Kings 12).
A. The Northern Kingdom (I Kings 12-16)
The Northern Kingdom consisted of ten tribes, and was
known as the Kingdom of Israel. Their first King was
Jeroboam and their capitol was Samaria. Israel had a
total of nineteen Kings reign over them to say, all of
them were wicked and spiritually depraved. There was
not one strong, spiritual leader among them. Because of
this weak spiritual leadership, idolatry was rampant.
God in His mercy sent many prophets to warn Israel of
impending judgment. Two of the most notable prophets
to Israel were Elijah and Elisha, mighty men of God who
performed many miraculous works. All of their
prophecies were fulfilled in their lifetime. They are
referred to as contemporary prophets. The people
refused to repent of their evil and the judgment of God
came. Israel's kingdom fell and they were taken away
captive by Assyria in 721 B.C. (II Kings 17).
Judgment will soon come upon this world, and those
who have not served God will be "carried off captive for
eternity." It is important that the gospel message be
obeyed now!
B. The Southern Kingdom
The Southern Kingdom consisted of two tribes, Judah
and Benjamin, and was known as the Kingdom of
Judah. The first King of Judah was Rehoboam, and the
capitol city was Jerusalem. Judah had nineteen kings
and one queen who reigned over her. Unlike the
Kingdom of Israel, Judah did have some good kings,
although many were idolatrous and evil.
Judah received her prophets from God also. They
warned of the judgment of God, and His wrath that
would surely come, unless they repented. Such men of
God as Isaiah and Jeremiah were sent to Judah with a
message of impending judgment. However, Judah
refused to repent and in 606 B.C. this nation was
carried into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, King of
Babylon (II Kings 25). This captivity was to last for
seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12). While in Babylon,
the Spirit of God moved on such men as Daniel and
Ezekiel.
C. Last Day Prophecy
In anointed prophecies, we can learn much concerning
this present time, the last days. There has never been a
time that the Scriptures have a more significant
meaning than now. Surely, these days are the last days.
Although the exact hour or the day is unknown/ Jesus
did give a forecast of the the prevailing conditions of the
end time. The days of Israel and Judah were a period of
spiritual apostasy with an idolatrous people with their
own gods. Material things, entertainment and the love of
money are popular idols of our time. It is important to
obey the Word of the Lord. The time is at hand!
Lesson 5
The Return to Jerusalem
IV. The Return to Jerusalem
The first expedition to return to Jerusalem took place
after the prophetic time period of seventy years of
captivity had expired. This expedition took place about
536 B.C., and was led by Zerubbabel (Ezra 1-3). He
was accompanied by approximately 50,000 Jews. In the
second year after their return, they began to rebuild the
temple. This temple was the second Jewish temple and
is known as Zerubbabel's Temple. A third temple known
as Herod's Temple was in existence during the time of
Jesus. This was a magnificent and large addition to the
restored temple. Other expeditions took place in about
457 B.C. with Ezra and in about 444 B.C. with
Nehemiah.
A. Opposition
The Jews met with much opposition from their enemies
when trying to rebuild the Temple. This led to
discouragement and subsequently to a slow finish of the
Temple. Ezra, the priest, had an understanding of the
Word of God and taught the people. Nehemiah was the
king's cupbearer. He went to Jerusalem and led the
people in the rebuilding of the walls of the city.
Nehemiah also aided Ezra in teaching the people the
way of the Lord. The important thing to remember is that
the temple and the walls were completed through the
prayerfulness, watchfulness and perseverance of the
leaders and people (Nehemiah 4).
B. The Prophets and Message of Restoration
This restoration period is not without its prophets. Such
men as Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi were sent of
God to encourage and verbally to chasten the Jews.
Haggai, who was over eighty years old, made the long
journey back to Jerusalem and challenged the people to
rise up and build the temple of God (Haggai 1). He told
them that God would make the glory of this house great.
The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, governor of
Judah, and Joshua, the high priest, as well as the
people. They all began to work.
C. The Old Testament Ended
The Old Testament life of the Jews seems to be one of
continual backsliding, and such is the case in this
restoration period. Again the people forgot God, the
truth and the accuracy of His Word. They forgot the
manifestation of His great power and again fell into
apostasy. The Old Testament study ends with God's
chosen people living outside of His wonderful love. They
again become a people who had to live under the
authority of nations more wicked and more powerful
than they. They did not hear from their God for about
four hundred years.
Lesson 6
Introduction to the New
Testament
I. Introduction to the New Testament
The books from Matthew through Revelation are called
the New Testament, because they present the new
covenant that Jesus made. Old Testament prophets had
predicted the establishment of this new covenant.
There are twenty-seven books in the New Testament.
You can easily remember this number by counting the
letters in the words New Testament. There are three
letters in the word New, and nine letters in the word
Testament. Three times nine is twenty-seven. These
books were written by eight authors over a period of
approximately one hundred years. The men used by the
Holy Spirit for this work were Matthew, Mark, Luke,
John, Paul, James, Peter, and Jude.
The New Testament is divided into 5 sections: The four
Gospels; one book of History; The fourteen Pauline
Epistles; The seven General Epistles and one book of
Prophecy.
It is vitally important to recognize the purpose of each
book, and to whom it was written. This saves much
misinterpretation of scriptures.
The first four books of the New Testament, Matthew,
Mark, Luke.and John, are often called the four gospels.
These books present a biography of the Life of Christ.
They describe the details of His birth, His ministry,
death, burial, and resurrection.
A. Matthew
Matthew seemed to be addressing the Jewish readers,
and presented a strong emphasis on Jesus Christ as
the Messiah predicted by the Old Testament prophets.
B. Mark
Mark seemed to have had Gentile readers in mind, and
stressed the supernatural power of Jesus,
demonstrating His divinity by the miracles He
performed. This book emphasizes the things that Jesus
said by the things which He did.
C. Luke
Luke presented Jesus as the Son of God, but turned his
attention especially to the humanity of Jesus, featuring
His compassion for the weak, the suffering, and the
outcast.
D. The Synoptic Gospels
The first three gospels are sometimes called the
synoptic gospels, meaning that they take a common
view, of order of the events surrounding the Life of
Christ. While each book was ultimately intended for all
of mankind, Matthew seems to have had foremost in his
mind the Jew, Mark, the Roman (Gentile), and Luke the
Greek. Why was this?
1. Matthew and Scripture
The Jewish mind had been diligently indoctrinated with
the Scriptures. Jews were taught to view everything
from a scriptural perspective. Matthew, again and again,
quotes from the Old Testament in support of his claim
that Jesus was the Messiah.
2. Mark and Authority
The Roman mind focused on governmental authority
and power. Mark, therefore, stressed the miracles of
Christ, emphasizing His supernatural authority over all
things.
3. Luke and the Glorious Perfection of Jesus
The Greek mind was attracted to culture, philosophy,
wisdom, reason, beauty, and education. Luke,
presented a complete, orderly, and classical story, in
what has been called "the most beautiful book ever
written." The Book of Luke revealed the glorious beauty
and perfection of the ideal man, the Lord Jesus Christ.
E. John and the Deity of Jesus
John balanced the other three gospels by his special
emphasis on the deity of Jesus. His book began in
much the same way the Book of Genesis started. He
revealed that Jesus Christ was the Word made flesh,
and that He was from the very beginning, God the
creator of all things. John stressed the things Jesus
said, rather than what He did. Someone has said, "The
others were anxious to record, John was eager to
interpret."
F. Acts
The first four books of the New Testament present a
history, or biography, of the Life of Christ. The next
book, Acts, gives a history of the early church. The first
chapter continues the story of the last moments of
Christ while He remained on the earth, then records the
establishment of the church in Jerusalem. There the
Promise of the Father (the Holy Ghost) was poured out
upon the waiting believers (Acts 2). The establishment
of the church was prophesied in the gospels (Matthew
16), and accomplished in Acts. While the heading
supplied by the printers of the Bible reads "The Acts of
the Apostles," a more proper wording might be the Acts
or History of the Early Church. To understand how the
church was founded and what one must do to be in the
church, it is necessary to study the Book of Acts. This
book records the history of how the New Testament
church was born.
G. The Epistles
The next twenty-one books are epistles or letters,
written to the believers in the churches, telling them how
to live the victorious Christian life. The epistles are not
written to tell one how to be saved, they are written to
people who are already saved. They teach the church
how to stay saved, and how to grow in the grace and
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. The Pauline Epistles
Paul wrote the first 14 books of the epistles. They are
called the Pauline Epistles, because they were written
by the Apostle Paul. Paul wrote a letter to the church at
Rome, two letters to the church at Corinth, one to the
church at Galatia, one to the church at Ephesus, and so
forth. Within the Pauline Epistles are three books
commonly called the Pastoral Epistles, I Timothy, II
Timothy and Titus. They are called pastoral because
they offer instructions concerning leadership in the
churches.
2. The General Epistles
The next seven books, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John,
II John, III John, and Jude, are called the General
Epistles, because they are written to the church at large,
or in general. Each of these books bear the name of the
author.
H. Prophecy
Finally, the Book of Revelation stands in a class by
itself. It is largely prophetic in nature, although it begins
with an address to seven of the churches located in
Asia Minor. John was instructed to:
"Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things
which are, and the things which shall be hereafter"
(Revelation 1:19).
Lesson 6
John the Baptist
II. John the Baptist
The Old Testament prophets had predicted the coming
of one who would prepare the way for the Messiah.
"The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare
ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a
highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and
every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the
crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places
plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and
all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord
hath spoken it" (Isaiah 40:3-5).
"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall
prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye
seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the
messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold,
he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 3:1).
These predictions were fulfilled in the ministry of John
the Baptist.
". . .the word of God came unto John the son of
Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the
country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in
the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye
the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every
valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall
be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh
shall see the salvation of God" (Luke 3:2-6).
"For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my
messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way
before thee" (Matthew 11:10).
A. John Preached Repentance and Baptism
John the Baptist preached repentance and water
baptism for the remission of sins (Mark 1:2-4). Many
came to hear John and to be baptized.
B. John—Forerunner of Jesus Christ
John preached that he was not the Christ but that
another would come, and it would be he they should
follow.
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but
he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes
Iam not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the
Holy Ghost, and with fire" (Matthew 3:11, see also Mark
1:7-8).
The One whom John predicted was none other than
Jesus Christ. John introduced Him.
C. John Revealed Jesus as the "Lamb of God"
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and
saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the
sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me
cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was
before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be
made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing
with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the
Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode
upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to
baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom
thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on
him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy
Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of
God" (John 1:29-34).
John's statement not only identified Jesus as the
Messiah, but also described the foundation of His
ministry: "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of
the world." This had been revealed in advance to
Joseph, Mary's husband:
"But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel
of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying,
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee
Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the
Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou
shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people
from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21).
In Germany many years ago, a man was working high
upon the steeple of a church. Suddenly he lost his
footing and fell headlong to the ground beneath.
Grazing on the grass in the churchyard was a lamb. The
body of the man fell on the lamb, and thus his fall was
broken. The lamb perished, but the man was saved. As
a token of his gratitude, he carved in one of the stones
over the doorway of the church the figure of a lamb.
Every true church has that lamb, as it were carved in
the stone of its wall. "Behold the lamb of God."
Lesson 6
The Birth of Jesus Christ
III. The Birth of Jesus Christ
A. Events of Birth
The birth of Jesus is recorded in Luke 2:1-20. It
occurred during the reign of Caesar Augustus, who had
declared a taxation on all the people in his kingdom.
Because each person was required to go into his native
city to be taxed, Joseph and Mary traveled to
Bethlehem. While they were there, Mary gave birth to
the Christ child in a stable, and laid Him in a manger.
The city was so crowded that there was no room for the
family to stay in the inn.
An angel proclaimed the birth of the Savior, Christ the
Lord, in Bethlehem to shepherds who were watching
over their flocks outside the city. When the angels
departed, the shepherds followed their instructions
journeying into Bethlehem. They found Mary and
Joseph with the baby in the stable. The shepherds told
many people of their angelic visit, glorifying and praising
God.
Later, wise men came from the east to Jerusalem, in an
effort to find the One who was born King of the Jews.
This is recorded in Matthew 2. They came first to King
Herod in Jerusalem inquiring where the king was to be
born. Herod inquired of the chief priests and scribes
who told him that Christ was to be born in Bethlehem.
King Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem asking that
they return and inform him if they found the child. The
wise men departed into their own country another way
(Matthew 2:12). The Lord also warned Joseph to take
Jesus out of the country into Egypt. This was to protect
Him from the anger of Herod, who later killed all the
children in the Bethlehem area, who were two years old
and under. Herod became very alarmed upon hearing of
a King of the Jews being born. When Herod was dead,
the angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph in a
dream, and instructed him to return to the land of Israel.
Joseph moved his family to Nazareth, in Galilee.
B. Jesus' Early Life
Jesus lived at home with Mary, Joseph, His brothers
and sisters, until He was about thirty years of age,
submitting to parental authority. The only record we
have of His activities between the time of the family's
return from Egypt to Nazareth, is their visit to Jerusalem
when Jesus was twelve. At that time, "they found him in
the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both
hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that
heard him were astonished at his understanding and
answers" (Luke 2:41-52).
Lesson 6
Prophecies Concerning Jesus Christ
Old Testament Prophecy New Testament Fulfillment
Genesis 3:15.......................Seed of Woman..........................Matthew 1:20
Isaiah 7:14...............................Virgin Born.............................Matthew 1:18
Genesis 49:10.......................Tribe of Judah…........................Luke 3:23,33
Micah 5:2............................Born at Bethlehem........................Matthew 2:1
Psalm 72:10......................Presented With Gifts..................Matthew 2:1,11
Jeremiah 31:15..................Herod Kills Children…….............Matthew 2:16
Isaiah 7:14...........................Shall Be Immanuel......................Matthew 1:23
Isaiah 40:3.......................Preceded by a Messenger ............Matthew 3:1-2
Isaiah 35:5-6..........................Ministry of Miracles..................Matthew 9:35
Zechariah 9:9................Enter Jerusalem on a Donkey.........Luke 19:35-37
Psalm16:10...............................Resurrection.................................Acts 2:31
Psalm 68:18................................Ascension.....................................Acts 1:9
Psalm 41:9..........................Betrayed by a Friend........................John 13:21
Zechariah 11:12.............Sold for 30 Pieces of Silver……….Matthew 26:15
Zechariah 11:13.....Money Thrown Down In God's House.....Matthew 27:5
Zechariah 13:7................Forsaken by His Disciples.............Matthew 26:56
Psalm 35:11....................Accused by False Witness........Matthew 26:59-60
Isaiah 53:7.........................Dumb Before Accusers ...............Matthew 27:12
Isaiah 53:5..........................Wounded and Bruised.................Matthew 27:26
Isaiah 50:6..........................Smitten and Spit Upon.................Matthew 27:30
Psalm 22:7-8..................................Mocked...............................Matthew 27:31
Psalm 22:16.......................Hand and Feet Pierced........................John 20:25
Isaiah 53:12.......................Crucified With Thieves...................Matthew 27:38
Psalm 22:18...............Garments Parted and Lots Cast.............John 19:23-24
Psalm 22:1.............................His Forsaken Cry.........................Matthew 27:46
Numbers 9:12.......................Bones Not Broken.........................John 19:33-36
Zechariah 12:10........................Side Pierced...................................John 19:34
Amos 8:9.........................Darkness Over the Land ...................Matthew 27:45
Isaiah 53:9.....................Buried in Rich Man's Tomb............Matthew 27:57-60
Psalm 22:16……………….Hand and Feet Pierced……………...…..John 20:25
Isaiah 53:16……………….Crucified with Thieves......................Matthew 27:38
Psalm 22:18…………Garments Parted and Lots Cast.………..John 19:23-24
Psalm 22:1…………………...His Forsaken Cry…………..……..Matthew 27:46
Numbers 9:12……………….Bones Not Broken…………..……..John 19:33-36
Zechariah 12:10………………..Side Pierced………..……..…………John 19:34
Amos…………………...…Darkness Over the Land………..……Matthew 27:45
Isaiah 53:9……………...Buried in Rich Man’s Tomb………..Matthew 27:57-60
IV. Prophecies Concerning Jesus Christ
* Genesis 3:15, the earliest specific prophecy
concerning the Messiah, had predicted that He would
be born of a woman. This was fulfilled by His birth of
Mary (Matthew 1:20).
* Isaiah 7:14 had foretold that the Messiah, Immanuel,
would be born of a virgin. This was specificially fulfilled
by His birth of the virgin Mary, as recorded in Matthew
1:18-23.
* The exact tribe of Israel through which the Messiah
would come was revealed in Genesis 49:10 as the tribe
of Judah. That this was precisely the case is seen in
Luke 3:23-33.
* Micah 5:2 had further predicted that the Messiah
would be born in the obscure town of Bethlehem. This
is, of course, where Jesus was born (Matthew 2:1).
* Even the visit of the wise men had been foretold in the
Old Testament (Psalm 72:10; Matthew 2:1-11).
* The cruel hatred of Herod was in the foreknowledge of
God (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18).
* It was no accident that His name was called
Emmanuel, meaning "God with us." This had been
predicted by the prophet Isaiah (7:14), and was fulfilled
as seen in Matthew 1:23.
* As we have already discovered, even the fact that
Messiah would be preceded by a forerunner, a
messenger, was known to the students of Old
Testament prophecy (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1-2).
* The wonderful ministry of miracles, the healing of the
blind, the deaf, the lame, the dumb, had been foretold
by Isaiah (35:5-6). This was brought to pass in Jesus'
ministry (Matthew 9:35).
* Zechariah 9:9 had foreseen the fact that the Messiah
would enter Jerusalem on a donkey. Shortly before His
crucifixion, Jesus did just that (Luke 19:35-37).
* David, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, had
prophesied the resurrection of the Christ (Psalm 16:10).
Peter, preaching the first sermon in the church, quoted
this verse, and applied it to the resurrection (Acts 2:31).
* David had also predicted the ascension of the Christ
(Psalm 68:18). This is recorded in Acts 1:9. The Apostle
Paul, years later, applied Psalm 68:18 to the ascension
of the Lord (Ephesians 4:8-10).
* The betrayal of the Messiah by one who had been His
friend was no surprise, for it was prophetically seen in
Psalm 41:9. Judas was this friend (Matthew 26:50; John
13:21).
* Even the amount of money for which Jesus was
betrayed had been specifically mentioned in the Old
Testament (Zechariah 11:12). It was thirty pieces of
silver (Matthew 26:15).
* Zechariah 11:13 had further predicted that this same
money would be thrown down in the temple at
Jerusalem, which was—at that time—God's house.
Judas did that very thing (Matthew 27:5).
* In prophetic language, Zechariah 13:7 had pictured
the forsaking of Jesus by His disciples. Mark 14:50
reveals the total, stark fulfillment of this tragic event.
* That the Messiah would be accused by false
witnesses is seen in Psalm 35:11. That this actually
occurred is recorded in Matthew 26:59-60.
* Isaiah 53, a touching and dramatic foretelling of the
crucifixion of the Messiah, stated that He would be
dumb, or silent, before His accusers. In keeping with
this, Jesus answered nothing to the accusations
(Matthew 27:12). Later, the Apostle Peter makes
reference to this, as well (I Peter 2:22-23).
* Isaiah 53 also foretold the bruising and wounding of
the Messiah, in verse 5. The fulfillment is recorded in
Matthew 27:26.
* Isaiah 50:6 had recorded a prediction of the smiting of
the Messiah, and even the plucking of the hair from his
cheeks, and spitting in His face. Luke 22:63 tells of the
smiting of Jesus.
* Psalm 22:7-8 describes the mocking that was done at
the Messiah; the actual event is seen in Matthew 27:31.
* The piercing of the Messiah's hands and feet was
foretold in both Psalm 22:16 and Zechariah 12:10. John
20:25 records the fulfillment.
* Isaiah 53:12, the great predictive passage, said the
Messiah would be "numbered with the transgressors."
This came to pass as He was crucified with thieves
(Matthew 27:38).
* Psalm 22, to which we have already referred, is
another chapter which deals specifically with the
crucifixion of the Messiah. Verse 18 foretold that His
garments would be parted and lots cast for His robe.
This was brought to pass by the actions of the Roman
soldiers as Jesus hung on the cross (John 19:23-24).
* The first verse of Psalm 22 had even recorded the
Messiah's forsaken cry, many hundreds of years in
advance. His actual words at this desperate moment
are found in Matthew 27:46.
* The Roman soldiers, though they broke the bones of
the thieves on either side of Jesus, did not break His.
This was no accident, but had been foreseen in Psalm
34:20. The New Testament account is given in John
19:31-36.
* Zechariah 12:10 did not limit the piercing of the
Messiah to that of His hands and feet. As noted in John
19:34, He was also pierced in the side.
* The unusual darkness which covered the land during
the crucifixion of Christ (Matthew 27:45), had been
foretold in Amos 8:9.
* Returning to Isaiah 53:9, the burial of the Messiah in a
rich man's tomb had even been revealed. The record of
the event is found in Matthew 27:57-60.
It is obvious to all sincere students of God's Word that
these amazing predictions and fulfillments can be
nothing short of miraculous. Jesus fulfilled many Old
Testament prophecies, when He came into the earth on
God's exact time schedule.
Lesson 6
The Miracles of Jesus
V. The Miracles of Jesus Christ
A. Jesus Baptized
The next recorded event in the Life of Christ is His
baptism by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:13-17). John
was reluctant to baptize Christ, but submitted when
Jesus told him that it was necessary to fulfil all
righteousness (Law). As Jesus came up out of the
water, John saw the heavens opened and the Spirit of
God descending like a dove and lighting upon Jesus.
He also heard a voice which said, "This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased." This was a sign from
God to John that Jesus was the Messiah (John 1:32-
34).
B. Jesus' Temptation
Following His baptism, Jesus was led up of the Spirit
into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. A
complete account of this is found in Matthew 4:1-11.
After forty days and nights of fasting, the tempter came
to Jesus. First, he appealed to the natural hunger that
Jesus suffered, and tempted Him to use His
supernatural powers, to turn stones into bread. It is
important to note that Satan's actual attack was directed
toward the divinity of Jesus. He said, "If thou be the Son
of God...." Evidently the devil's major focus at this point
was to attempt to cause Jesus to doubt His own divinity.
Jesus wisely would not debate this point with the devil.
It was not debatable. Satan always tries this first; he
endeavors to cause a person to doubt God's Word. That
was also his approach in the Garden of Eden. Jesus
responded to the enemy with the sword of the Spirit, the
Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). He began by saying, "It
is written."
The devil then took Jesus into the city of Jerusalem to
the pinnacle of the temple, and again tempted Him to
question His deity. This time Satan attempted to use the
Word of God to justify his temptation. He did not quote
the pure Word of God as found in Psalm 91:11-12, but
rather his own distorted version of it. Again, Jesus
responded only with the pure Word of God. Finally, the
devil took Jesus into a very high mountain and showed
Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them.
He claimed that he would give them to Jesus, if He
would fall down and worship him. Jesus quoted the
Word of God and commanded the devil to leave. The
devil left Jesus for a period of time (Luke 4:13). Angels
came and ministered to Jesus. Following the
temptation, Jesus entered into His ministry, calling
disciples unto Himself, and fulfilling the prophecy of
Isaiah 61.
"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought
up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue
on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there
was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias.
And when he had opened the book, he found the place
where it was written. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to
the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to
preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he
closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister,
and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the
synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say
unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your
ears" (Luke 4:16-21).
C. The Miraculous Ministry of Jesus
Jesus' miraculous ministry was in direct fulfillment of Old
Testament prophecy. He gave sight to the blind
(Matthew 9:27-31). He raised the dead (John 11:41-44).
At His touch lepers were cleansed. (Matthew 8:2-4).
The lame walked (John 5:1-9). The deaf heard, and the
dumb could speak (Mark 7:35-37). In the meantime,
John the Baptist had been placed in prison for his
condemnation of Herod's sin. John told Herod that it
was unlawful for him to have his brother's wife (Matthew
14:3-4). While in prison, John heard of Christ's ministry,
and sent two of his disciples to ask, "Art thou he that
should come, or do we look for another?" (Matthew
11:3). Jesus answered:
"Go and shew John again those things which ye do
hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the
lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear,
the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel
preached unto them. And blessed is he, whosoever
shall not be offended in me" (Matthew 11:4-6).
D. The Heart of Jesus' Ministry
Some of the Jewish people were confused, because
they had expected their Messiah to be born in a palace,
of a noble family, and to free them from Roman
oppression. They had misunderstood the prophecies of
the prophets.
Jesus came to minister to all men, not just the rich. He
came to establish a kingdom which was not of this world
(John 18:36). His message was not one of revolution,
but repentance (Mark 1:15). And when questioned by
John's followers concerning whether or not He really
was the Messiah, Jesus offered as proof His ministry to
the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, the dead and
the poor! Clearly, He did not come for the express
purpose of aligning Himself with the so-called dignitaries
of this world, but to teach and reach people at their point
of greatest need. This is recorded in Hebrews 4:15-16.
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all
points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).
Jesus never refused anyone. He never turned any
away. His invitation was universal:
"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood
and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto
me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture
hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe
on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet
given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" (John
7:37-39).
Once a little band of Christians were forced to meet in
secret to worship their Lord. A spy betrayed them to the
secret police. An officer and several men surprised
them one night at their time in prayer. Looking about
him in anger and contempt, the officer ordered one of
his men to count all who were present and to take down
their names. When he had done so he reported to the
officer that there were thirty men and women there. An
old man stepped forward and said, "Officer, there is one
whom you have missed. There is one more here." The
officer looked at him in scorn and said, "What do you
mean? We have counted them carefully. There are just
thirty here." "No," the old man insisted, "There is
another here whom you have missed." "Very well," said
the officer, "we will count them again." Again he
counted them and again the count was thirty. "There,"
he said, "it is just as I told you, there are only thirty.
Thirty of you miserable Christians. Thirty and no more!"
"Yes," said the old man "but there is one more here, one
whom you missed—and that one is our Lord Jesus
Christ!"
Lesson 7
Jesus Teaches the New Birth
I. Jesus Teaches the New Birth
Jesus received mixed reactions to His ministry. The
Bible tells us that the common people heard Him gladly
(Mark 12:37). He came preaching the gospel to the poor
(Luke 4:18) but the "learned" people did not always
receive Him (I Corinthians 1:26). The Bible mentions
many among the chief rulers also believed on Jesus,
but would not confess Him, for fear that they would be
put out of the synagogue. They loved the praise of men
more than the praise of God (John 12:42-43).
A. Jesus and Nicodemus
"There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus,
a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night,
and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a
teacher come from God: for no man can do these
miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus
answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God" (John 3:1-3).
Nicodemus did not come questioning; he came to Jesus
with what was essentially a compliment. He knew that
Jesus was from God because of the miracles which He
did. Jesus quickly brought the focus of the conversation
to the most important matter in life: How can a person
see God's Kingdom and enter into it?
1. Ye Must be Born Again
Jesus said that the only way a man can see and enter
this kingdom is to be born again. This was strange
terminology to Nicodemus. Although he was a ruler of
the Jews, he had never heard of "being born again!" He
could only associate being born again to his natural
birth. Nicodemus asked, "How can a man be born when
he is old?" In response to Nicodemus' question, Jesus
replied, "Except a man be born of water and of the
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John
3:5).
2. Water and Spirit
The new birth, which is also referred to as being born
again, consists of two elements: water and Spirit. Water
refers to baptism in water, and the Spirit to the baptism
of the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, which is promised to all
who obey the Word of God.
B. The Promise to All Believers
Jesus went to Jerusalem to observe the Jewish Feast of
Tabernacles. It was there that He made a dramatic and
most significant statement: "In the last day, that great
day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying. If any
man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he
of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because
that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" (John 7:37-39).
Observe the following facts taken from the statement
that Jesus made:
* The promise was to any man. The only qualifying
factor is that a man must thirst.
* The person who would obtain this promise must
come to Jesus. The person who would receive this
promise must believe on Jesus.
* The rivers of living water which will flow out of the
believer is the Spirit, the Holy Ghost.
* At that time, the Holy Ghost was not yet given,
because Jesus was not yet glorified. (Jesus had now
been glorified, and the Holy Ghost is given. From the
Day of Pentecost even to this day, the promise has
been for all who believe.)
Peter Cartwright, the famous circuit rider and Lincoln's
opponent for election to Congress, once stayed
overnight with a skeptical physician who claimed that
the only reality was what the senses discerned. The
physician said to him, "Did you ever see religion?" "No."
"Did you ever hear religion?" "No." "Did you ever smell
religion?" "No." "Did you ever taste religion?" "No." "Did
you ever feel religion?" "Yes."
"Now, then," said the doctor, with apparent triumph, "I
have proved, beyond a doubt, by four respectable
witnesses, that religion is not seen, heard, smelled, or
tasted; and but one lone, solitary witness, namely,
feeling, has testified that it is an experimental fact. The
weight of evidence is overpowering, sir, and you must
give it up." Cartwright then said to the doctor/'ln
pretending to relieve pain in the human system, you
have been playing the hypocrite, and practicing a most
wretched fraud on the gullibility of the people." To the
doctor's indignant protest Cartwright said, "Well, sir, did
you ever see a pain?" "No, sir." "Did you ever hear a
pain?" "No, sir." "Did you ever smell a pain?" "No, sir."
"Did you ever taste a pain?" "No, sir. "Did you ever feel
a pain?" "Certainly I did, sir." "Then," said Cartwright,
"four respectable witnesses have testified that there is
no such thing as pain in a human system."
Taking advantage of the doctor's discomfiture,
Cartwright fell on his knees and commenced to pray. In
a short time the great deeps of the man's heart were
broken up; and, after a brief period of anxiety and
spiritual agony, he found the Lord with a shout of
triumph. His slaves he sent at his own expense to
Liberia; and he himself became a preacher of the
gospel.
Lesson 7
Jesus Teaches in Parables
II. Jesus Teaches in Parables
Jesus often taught in parables. A definition of a parable
is, an earthly story with a spiritual application. A parable
is used to teach one great truth. Jesus used a "known"
to reveal an "unknown," to His disciples as well as to
present these parables containing spiritual meaning to
all who heard. Jesus spoke many parables, of which we
will study three.
A. The Parable of the Sower
The Parable of the Sower is found in Matthew 13:1-9,
with the interpretation in verses 18-23. The parallel
accounts of this parable are found in Mark 4:1-20 and
Luke 8:4-15. The basic lessons taught in the parable is:
"The seed that is sown is the Word of God.
* The wayside soil represents the heart of those who
hear the Word but fail to understand it. The devil
comes quickly to catch the Word away from them.
* The stoney soil represents those who hear the
Word and receive it joyfully, for the moment. But
when temptation comes, they fall away because they
are not grounded (rooted) in the Word.
* The thorny ground represents those who hear the
Word and begin to bear fruit. But the cares of life are
allowed to grow in their life. This eventually chokes
out their concern for the Word of God.
* The good ground represents those who hear the
Word, understand it, and obey it.
This parable stresses the importance of the Word of
God. God's Word is the only thing that can cause a man
to bear fruit, or be productive, in God's Kingdom. There
is no substitute. A person must develop a love for God's
Word, and put it first in his life (Psalm 1:2). His reception
and obedience to the Word of God determines the kind
of soil he wants to be. A man can will to be the kind of
soil he wants to be.
B. The Pearl of Great Price
The parable of the Pearl of Great Price is found in
Matthew 13:45-46. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is
like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who,
when he had found one pearl of great price, went and
sold all that he had, and bought it." Although Jesus did
not interpret this parable, many Bible students believe
that it represents the search of mankind for the gospel.
From that viewpoint, the following lessons may be
drawn.
* AII of life is a search for the very best.
* The most valuable thing in the world is the gospel
message—God's plan of salvation.
* When truth is found, it is worth giving up anything
and everything in order to obtain it.
Proverbs 23:23 says, "Buy the truth, and sell it not; also
wisdom, and instruction, and understanding." The
implication here is this: No matter what the cost, buy the
truth. Truth can't literally be bought with money, but
when it is found it will be far more valued than any
earthly possession. Often it is necessary to dispose of
preconceived ideas, personal desires and dreams, in
order to embrace truth. Jesus said, "If any man will
come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake
shall find it" (Matthew 16:24-25). This story was told by
General Bramwell Booth. "I was once traveling by train,"
he said, "with Cecil Rhodes. My father was in the next
carriage. Rhodes and I were alone. Struck by his
depression and gloom, and hopeful for him, because of
his interest in our work, I said to him, 'Mr. Rhodes, are
you a happy man?' He threw himself back in his seat,
looked at me with that extraordinary stare of his, and
exclaimed:
'Happy? I happy? Good God, no!' And then, when I
spoke to him of the only rest for the human spirit, he
said to me: 'I would give all I possess to believe what
that old man in the next carriage believes.' I shall never
forget the tragedy," said Bramwell Booth, "the utter
tragedy of his voice, as long as I live." Yes Cecil Rhodes
had gathered many goodly pearls—fame, wealth, honor,
power—but he had not found the Pearl of Great Price.
Only when men have found Christ are they at rest, for
"none but Christ can satisfy."—G. H. Clothier.
C. The Talents
The parable that Jesus told about the talents concerns
the use of what God gives us. The man traveling into
the far country represents the Lord. Before he leaves he
distributes his goods—five talents to one, two talents to
another and one talent to another. Note the different
ways these servants used their God-given talents. The
one who had the most used his talents most. He risked
investing but his investment paid good dividends.
Likewise the man with two talents. But the man who had
only one talent seemed too fearful. "There is no fear in
love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear
hath torment" (I John 4:18). It is difficult to work in fear
but when one is working for God we need never fear
anything except pleasing Him and earning His well
done. The man who did not use his God-given talent
was called wicked and slothful (Matthew 25:26).
Lesson 7
The Road to Calvary
III. The Road To Calvary
The last week of Christ's life before His crucifixion, saw
many prophecies fulfilled and demonstrated the
compassion of Jesus upon both His friends and
enemies.
A. The Triumphal Entry
Fulfilling Zechariah 9:9, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a
donkey. This is commonly called His "Triumphal Entry,"
and is found in Matthew 21:1-17, with parallel accounts
in Mark 11:1-11 and Luke 19:29-40. As Jesus and His
disciples came near Jerusalem, He sent two of them to
a nearby village, with instructions to return with a colt
they would find. Jesus instructed him that, if anyone
said anything to them, they were to respond, "The Lord
hath need of them," whereupon they would be allowed
to take the animal. The disciples did so placing their
clothing on the back of the colt and setting Jesus
thereon. A great crowd of people greeted them,
spreading their garments in the path of the colt. Others
placed the branches of trees on the ground for the colt
to walk on. Multitudes cried, "Hosanna to the son of
David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the
Lord; Hosanna in the highest!" As the procession came
into Jerusalem, the people were moved and the cry
went up, "Who is this?" "This is Jesus the prophet of
Nazareth of Galilee," responded the multitude. It would
be but a few days until the inhabitants of the same city
that cried, "Hosanna to the son of David," would be
screaming, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"
B.The Last Supper
The next event which occurred during the week before
the crucifixion is known as the Last Supper. The record
of this event is seen in Matthew 26:17-29, with parallel
passages in Mark 14:12-26 and Luke 22:7-23. Every
year, on a certain day, the lews kept the Feast of the
Passover, in remembrance of their deliverance from
Egyptian slavery. During the week before Jesus was
crucified, at the Passover meal, Jesus instituted
something new to the disciples:
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and
blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and
said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup,
and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye
all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which
is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew
26:26-28).
Jesus revealed to His disciples that this meal was to
take on a new meaning. It was to be called the Lord's
Supper in the New Testament church. Christ our
Passover is sacrificed for us (I Corinthians 5:7). Paul
explained the new meaning in I Corinthians 11:23-26.
"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye
do shew the Lord's death till he come" (I Corinthians
11:26).
* The bread represents Christ's body.
* The fruit of the vine symbolizes His blood.
This ordinance is to be observed "as oft as ye drink it,"
and should continue until the Lord's return.
Before Jesus introduced this new meaning of the
Passover, He said, "Verily I say unto you, that one of
you shall betray me." The disciples were very sorrowful,
and began to ask, "Lord, is it I?" Jesus responded, "He
that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall
betray me." Judas, then, asked, "Master, it is I?" Jesus
replied, "Thou hast said." Judas then left the room, and
went out to consummate his betrayal of Jesus (John
13:26-30).
C. Gethsemane
Following the supper, Jesus and His disciples came to
the Garden of Gethsemane. He told eight of His
disciples to remain behind while He went to pray. He
then took Peter, James and John with him and went a
little farther into the garden. He asked them to watch
with Him. He was becoming very sorrowful and heavy at
the prospect of His approaching betrayal and crucifixion.
Jesus went about a stone's throw from these three and
fell on His face. He began to pray, "0 my Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as
I will, but as thou wilt." When He returned to Peter,
James, and John, He found them asleep! "What!" Jesus
said to Peter, "Could ye not watch with me one hour?
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew
26:40-41).
D. Betrayed
Sometime later, after much prayer, He woke them with
these fateful words: "Rise, let us be going: behold, he is
at hand that doth betray me" (Matthew 26:46). While
Jesus was still speaking, Judas came with a great
multitude which was armed with swords and staves.
Judas came to Jesus, and said, "Hail, master." Judas
then kissed Him. This was the prearranged signal to
identify Christ to the mob. Jesus said to Judas, "Friend,
wherefore art thou come?" They then took Jesus away.
E. The Trial
Jesus' trial was a mockery (Matthew 26:57-69). He was
led to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and
elders were gathered. Arrangements had been made for
false witnesses to testify against Jesus, so that He
might be put to death. As far as the high priest was
concerned, Jesus had sealed His fate. He tore his
garment, and said, "He hath spoken blasphemy; what
further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye
have heard his blasphemy?" He asked the others,
"What think ye?" They agreed, "He is guilty of death."
They then spit in Jesus' face, hit Him, and smote Him
with the palms of their hands. They jeered, "Prophesy
unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?"
Following these tragic events, Jesus was led from the
house of Caiaphas to Pilate (John 18:28-40; 19:1-15).
Pilate queried, "What accusation bring ye against this
man?" Pilate was the Roman governor over judea, and
responsible to carry out the death penalty on criminals.
After questioning Jesus, Pilate went out of the judgment
hall and said to the Jews, "I find in him no fault at all.
But ye have acustom, that I should release unto you
one at the passover. Will ye therefore that I release unto
you the King of the Jews?" "Not this man," they cried,
"but Barabbas." Barabbas was a robber, insurrectionist
and murderer (Mark 15:7). The crowd in their frenzy
rejected the Son of God and chose a criminal.
F. Jesus Beaten
As a result of their request, Pilate took Jesus and had
Him scourged, or beaten. Little did these Jews know,
nor did Pilate know, that their very actions were fulfilling
prophecies given by holy men of God many years
previously. The prophet Isaiah, in that great predictive
chapter where, in so much vivid detail, described the
crucifixion of the Messiah. He said, "But he was
wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;
and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). The
stripes that Jesus took at the hand of Pilate's men paid
the price for our healing. Many years later. Peter said,
"Who his own self bare our sins, . . .by whose stripes ye
were healed" (I Peter 2:24). The total redemption, both
from all sin, and all sickness, is seen in Psalm 103:3:
"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth ail thy
diseases!" The price that Jesus paid was not a partial
price, for some diseases, but a complete price for all.
Healing of the sick is one of the signs that follow
believers. Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them
that believe; In my name. . .they shall lay hands on the
sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:17-18). Jesus
gave instructions for the healing of believers: "Is any
sick among you? let him call for the elders of the
church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with
oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall
save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up" (James
5:14-15). It is God's will to heal the sick. All that is
required is faith in the price Jesus paid, and obedience
to the Word of God.
Lesson 7-4
Christ Died For Us
IV. Christ Died For Us
The crucifixion of Jesus is the central event in the entire
history of the human race. On the cross Jesus took
upon Him all the sins of the world. "He, Who knew no
sin, was made sin for us" (II Corinthians 5:21; I Peter
2:22; Romans 5:8-10).
A. Jesus Mocked by the Soldiers
After Jesus had been scourged, the soldiers took Him
into the common hall. A whole band of soldiers were
gathered together. They stripped Jesus and placed a
scarlet robe on His wounded, bleeding back. They then
platted a crown of thorns and placed it upon His head,
placed a reed in His right hand and bowed before our
Lord and mocked Him. They cried, "Hail, King of the
Jews!" The soldiers then spit upon Him, took the reed
from His hand, and beat Jesus upon the head. They
replaced the scarlet robe with His own clothing, and led
Christ away to be crucified.
B. Simon and the Cross
As they made their way to Calvary, they found Simon, a
man of Cyrene, and forced him to bear the cross. The
procession arrived at Golgatha. There they offered
Jesus vinegar mixed with gall to drink. After tasting it,
Jesus would not drink it. The soldiers then crucified
Jesus, placing His cross between those of two thieves.
Over the cross of Jesus was the accusation: THIS IS
JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Soldiers divided
garment of Jesus casting lots for them.
C. Jesus—Mocked on the Cross
As Jesus hung in agony on the cross, people passing
by mocked him, wagging their heads, saying, "Thou that
destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down
from the cross." The chief priests, scribes and elders
joined the jeering, saying, "He saved others; himself he
cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now
come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He
trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have
him: for he said, I am the son of God."
D. The Thief on the Cross
One of the criminals which was crucified by Jesus railed
against Him, saying, "If thou be Christ, save thyself and
us." The other thief, however, rebuked his fellow-
sufferer saying, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art
in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for
we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man
hath done nothing amiss." This same man then said to
Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom." Jesus answered, "Verily 1 say unto thee,
Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
E. Forgiveness on the Cross
A statement of Jesus on the cross reveals His
compassion for even those who crucified Him. He said,
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
F. The Happenings after His Death
After Jesus died, the vail in the temple was torn in two,
from top to bottom. There was a great earthquake, and
the rocks ripped apart. In a graveyard outside the city,
many graves opened. The Roman centurion, and his
soldier, took note of these unusual occurrences, and
were smitten with fear. They said, "Truly this was the
Son of God!" Many women, stood a great distance
away, carefully observing all these things.
G. Jesus is Buried
Joseph of Arimathaea, a rich man who was a secret
disciple of Jesus, asked Pilate for permission to take
away the body of Jesus. Pilate granted his request.
Nicodemus, the same man who came to Jesus by night,
and who had been told of his need to be born again,
helped Joseph and they wrapped Jesus in a clean linen
cloth, and placed Him in Joseph's personal tomb, where
no one had ever been buried. What looked like defeat,
was actually a great victory for the Kingdom of God.
Jesus had accomplished His purpose in coming into the
world. He had taken the place of sinful men, and had
made it possible for them to escape the wages of sin,
which is death (Romans 6:23).
Lesson 7
Christ Lives
V. Christ Lives
God's plan called for the Messiah to come forth out of
the grave; death could not hold Him! God would not
suffer Him to see corruption. Jesus had predicted the
precise amount of time He would be in the tomb.
"Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees
answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from
thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and
adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there
shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet
lonas: For as ]onas was three days and three nights in
the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days
and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew
12:38-40).
A. A Watch Put over His Grave
On the second day after Jesus' burial, the chief priests
and Pharisees came together to Pilate and said, "Sir,
we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet
alive, After three days I will rise again. Command
therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third
day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him
away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the
dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first."
Pilate responded, "Ye have a watch: go your way, make
it as sure as ye can" (Matthew 27:63-65). The Jews left
Pilate, went to the sepulchre, sealed it, and set a watch,
or guard, over it.
B. Jesus Came Forth
Their efforts to keep Christ in the tomb were to no avail.
The Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled
back the stone from the door of the tomb, and sat upon
it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing
white as snow. The keepers of the tomb shook, and
became like dead men. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the
wife of Cleophas, the mother of James, and Salome,
along with others, made their way to the tomb. They
wanted to anoint the body of Jesus with the spices they
had prepared. As they came, they wondered, "Who will
roll the stone away for us?" But when they arrived, they
saw that the stone was rolled away from the door. Christ
was risen! The tomb was empty!
C. Many Saw Him
Later, in recording the facts of the resurrection, Paul
states:
"He was buried, and that he rose again, the third day
according to the scriptures; And that he was seen of
Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of
above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the
greater part remain unto this present, but some are
fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of lames; then of
all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also,
as of one born out of due time" (I Corinthians 15:4-8).
Jesus appeared several times to His disciples during
the forty days after His resurrection. He ate with them
and gave them His last, important commands (John
20:19-31; Luke 24:13-53; Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:9-
20; Acts 1:3).
Lesson 7
The Great Commission
VI. The Great Commission
The Great Commission is recorded in each of the three
synoptic gospels. Luke 24:45-47; Matthew 28:19-20 and
Mark 16:15-18. The disciples were to preach
repentance and remission of sins in his name to all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47). The
gospel was to be preached to everyone regardless of
his nationality or race. (Mark 16:15).
A. The elements of the Great Commission are as
follows:
* Belief
* Repentance
* Water Baptism.
* Supernatural signs, including speaking with new
tongues. (Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.)
* Teaching
* Healing
B. Jesus' Ascension
Jesus led the disciples to a place on the Mount of Olives
near Bethany. Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem for
the promise of the Father and they would be baptized
with the Holy Ghost in not many days. He then lifted up
his hands and blessed them and was carried up into
heaven in a cloud. As the disciples looked skyward two
men stood by them in white apparel and asked them
why they stood there gazing up into heaven. The two
men told the disciples that the same Jesus which was
taken from them up into heaven would return in like
manner. The disciples left the Mount of Olives and
returned to Jerusalem, their hearts filled with joy and
eager expectation.
Lesson 7
The Mighty God in Christ
VII. The Mighty God in Christ
Who was this Jesus? This is one of the most important
questions we could ever answer. Jesus had asked His
disciples, "Whom say ye that I am?" (Matthew 16:15).
Was He a prophet? Yes, much more than that. A
diligent comparison of Old Testament Scriptures with
the New, will reveal that He was God manifest in the
flesh (I Timothy 3:16). The pivotal text of the Old
Testament, to the Hebrew scholar, is Deuteronomy 6:4-
9. This lesson is very basic: There is but One God. This
truth is born out in a multitude of Scriptures (refer to
chart). According to John 4:23-24, this One God is a
Spirit. Who is Jesus? He is God! He is God with us
(Isaiah 7:14). He is the Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father (Isaiah 9:6). He is the One Who created us
(Genesis 1:1; Malachi 2:10; John 1:3). (Rather than
continuing to list all the various verses here, refer to
them as listed on the chart.) While Jesus Christ was
God, He was also man. This is the mystery of
Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh (I Timothy
3:16). As a man, He hungered, slept, was weary, and
wept. As God He fed the 5,000, healed the sick and
raised the dead. Great confusion is wrought by those
who forget that Jesus was both God and man. He was
fully God and fully man!
All Scripture points to the grand truth that there is but
One God:
* God is the Creator; Jesus is the Creator.
* God is the Savior and Redeemer; Jesus is the
Savior and Redeemer.
* God is the Shepherd; Jesus is the Shepherd.
* God is the King; Jesus is the King.
* God is the I AM, and the I AM HE; Jesus is the I
AM, and the I AM HE.
* God is the First and the Last; Jesus is the First and
the Last.
* God is the Rock; Jesus is the Rock.
* God is Coming; Jesus is Coming.
The importance of the identity of Jesus Christ cannot be
stressed too much. The Pharisees had asked Him,
"Where is thy Father?" Jesus answered, "Ye neither
know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me ye should
have known my Father also. . .for if ye believe not that I
am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:19-24). Philip,
one of the disciples, said to Him, "Lord, shew us the
Father, and it sufficeth us." Jesus responded, "Have I
been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known
me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;
and how sayest thou then. Shew us the Father?
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak
not of myself but the Father that dwelleth in me, he
doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and
the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works'
sake" (John 14:8-11).
The Father (John 4:23, 24), was in the Son (Galatians
4:4). Thus, it was not two separate persons, but GOD
(Spirit) MANIFEST IN THE FLESH (body) (I Timothy
3:16). "God (Spirit) was in Christ (body) reconciling the
world unto himself" (II Corinthians 5:19).
Who was Jesus? He was the Mighty God, the
Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). He willingly left heaven's
splendor and came to this earth in the form of a servant
and was made in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-
8).
Paul clearly revealed the essential oneness of God in
Ephesians 4:5-6:
"One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father
of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
A story is told about Andrew Bahr, who drove a great
herd of reindeer across the Alaskan wilderness. During
the long trek, a frenzied helper came to him one winter
day crying that they were lost. Andy glared witheringly
at the speaker, then at the others around him. At length,
smiting his chest, he roared, "You men can see me,
can't you?" They nodded, not understanding what he
was driving at. "Well," he went on, "as long as you can
see me, you ain't lost."
In the catastrophic confusion about us we are not lost
so long as we can see the Christ. He ever says, "Follow
me."
Lesson 8
The Birth of the Church
I. The Birth of the Church
A. The Promise of the Holy Ghost
Just prior to His ascension, Jesus told His disciples not
to begin their ministry yet but to wait in the city of
Jerusalem, until they were indued with power from on
high. Without the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the Great
Commission would have been a hopeless task to fulfill.
The preaching of the gospel was to be done, in the
power and the inspiration of the Spirit. In Acts 1:8 Jesus
promised the disciples power. The Holy Ghost was the
power that would extend the influence of the disciples'
ministry to the uttermost parts of the earth. It was to
begin at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
B. The Upper Room
There were about one hundred and twenty of Jesus'
disciples who gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem.
Among them were Mary the mother of Jesus (Acts
1:14), His brothers, and the twelve apostles. For
approximately seven to ten days they remained there in
constant prayer and supplication. Then the Jewish feast
day of Pentecost arrived. The disciples were all with
one accord in their worship and prayer. Acts 2:1-4
records the details of this first glorious outpouring of the
Holy Ghost. The place where they were sitting was
overwhelmed by the sound of a rushing mighty wind
that came from heaven.
Acts 2:3 records another supernatural event
immediately following the wind. Cloven tongues like
flames of fire appeared and sat upon each of them. Of
the many wonderful things that were taking place in the
upper room, the greatest miracle was the one recorded
in verse four. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost
and began to speak with other tongues (languages) as
the Spirit gave them utterance. When they were all filled
with the Spirit, the initial sign of the Baptism of the Holy
Ghost was given. The disciples began to speak with
other tongues, and glorify God in languages they had
never learned.
Lesson 8
Peter Preaches Christ/God's
Plan For Us
II. Peter Preaches Christ/God's Plan For
Us
A. The Day of Pentecost
The feast of Pentecost was a holy day in Israel, fifty
days after the Passover. Jews from all over the world
were gathered at Jerusalem. The news spread through
the city of the events that had taken place in the upper
room. A great multitude gathered to see what was
happening. The disciples were still rejoicing and
speaking in tongues under the intoxicating influence of
the Spirit. Jesus had promised the disciples in John
16:22-24, that the day would soon come when their
hearts would be filled with a joy that no man could take
from them. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost was the
fulfilling of that promise. The Apostle Peter later
described it as "joy unspeakable and full of Glory" (I
Peter 1:8). As the disciples continued to rejoice,
suddenly amazement rippled through the crowd like a
wave. The multitude of Jews began to hear the disciples
praising God in their own native languages. They knew
the disciples had no way of knowing these languages
on their own. Some reacted by asking the question,
"What meaneth this?" Others dismissed the whole event
by accusing the disciples of being drunk.
B. Peter Preaches
Peter heard their false accusations of drunkenness and
immediately stood up in the disciples defense. It was
not the same fearful Peter who had cowardly denied his
Lord as Jesus was being led to His crucifixion. It was a
strong Simon Peter who stood and addressed the crowd
that was gathered to see this marvelous event. It was a
Peter who had been given "power from on high" through
the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. It was the Peter that
Jesus foresaw when He declared unto him, that He
would give Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
Peter was now ready to use those keys. First he was to
preach to them about the same precious Lord whom he
had denied. This time his words were not words of
defeat and cowardly denial, but words that rang forth
with victory.
C. Peter Preaches with Power
He preached with power that only the anointing of the
Holy Spirit can give. The other eleven apostles stood
with Peter in full agreement as he preached the very
first sermon of the newborn church of Jesus Christ. His
message was: "Ye men of ludea, and all ye that dwell at
Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my
words: for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing
it is but the third hour of the day" (Acts 2:14-15).
1. Fulfillment of Joel's Prophecy
Peter declared that the outpouring of the Holy Ghost
was the fulfillment of Joel's wonderful prophecy, that in
the last days God would pour out of His Spirit upon all
flesh (Joel 2:28). A worldwide outpouring of the Holy
Ghost, with the accompanying initial sign of speaking in
other tongues, would be God's blessing upon humanity
throughout the church age. He preached to them the
death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and told them
that their own wicked hands were guilty of His death on
Calvary.
2. The Exalted Christ
Peter climaxed his sermon by declaring that God had
made that same Jesus, whom they had crucified, both
Lord and Christ. Conviction gripped the hearts of the
people as Peter preached his inspired sermon. In
desperation and heartfelt sincerity, they cried out to
Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, "Men and
brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).
D. God's Plan of Salvation
An honest question deserves an honest answer. This is
especially true when man's destiny in eternity is at
stake. They asked, "What shall we do?" This was an all
important question. They wanted to know how they
could be saved. The responsibility rested squarely on
Peter's shoulders to deliver to the multitude the proper
New Testament plan for salvation. Peter had been given
the keys to the kingdom. For the first time he was about
to use those keys to unlock the door of salvation to
those present. Without hesitation and with the full
support of the other apostles, Peter's voice boomed
forth the answer to the thousands of hungry listeners
before him.
"Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of lesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
How beautiful! By simply obeying God's command to
repent of their sins, and be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ, they were promised the same glorious
baptism of the Holy Ghost that the one hundred and
twenty had received that same day. In the next verse
Peter extended the promise of the Holy Ghost to all
believers throughout the church age, until Jesus comes
again.
"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and
to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our
God shall call" (Acts 2:39).
Peter spoke many other words, exhorting the crowd to
save themselves without delay. By the time Peter was
finished, the Word of God had done its work. Three
thousand souls presented themselves for baptism in
Jesus Name. We know that God fulfilled His promise
and baptized them all with the Holy Ghost. The mighty
blessings of God were falling in Jerusalem.
Lesson 8
Repentance
III. Repentance
Repentance was the first of the three steps in God's
plan for salvation, delivered on the day of Pentecost. It
is defined: Repentance—to experience godly sorrow
and conviction for past sins, and resolutely to turn from
them. Repentance is the act of turning away from a life
of sin. The Scriptures stress in the strongest terms, that
repentance is essential to salvation.
A. Sodom and Gomorrah
(Genesis 19)—Failed to repent. Because of this, these
cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone.
B. Jonah
(Matthew 12:41)—The men of Ninevah repented at the
preaching of Jonah. Jesus said this fact would condemn
those who refused to repent in our generation.
C. John the Baptist
Commanded in his ministry to all of Judea that they
must repent, and prepare their hearts for the kingdom of
heaven.
D. Jesus Christ
(Luke 13:3)—Spoke often in these terms, "I tell you,
nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."
E. The Great Commission
(Luke 24:47)—The last words of Jesus before His
ascension commanded repentance.
F. The Day of Pentecost
Acts 2:38)—Repentance is the initial part of the plan of
salvation as spoken by the Apostle Peter.
Lesson 8
Buried With Him In Baptism
IV. Buried With Him In Baptism
The next thing Peter commanded them to do was to be
baptized.
A. How
There is only one Scriptural method of baptism
prescribed by the Word of God. This is by immersion.
The word baptism is derived from the Greek word,
baptizo, which means to dip, to plunge, to immerse. The
reason that it is so important to immerse the candidate
for water baptism is simple. Repentance in the Bible is
symbolic of death—death to the sins and ungodliness of
life before meeting Jesus Christ. Spiritually speaking,
when a man comes to an altar of repentance, he is
actually coming to the cross of Calvary. Old carnal
natures are crucified with Christ. After death (to sins) it
is a "must" to be buried. This is why Romans 6:4 says,
"we are buried with him by baptism into death." In
repentance Jesus is followed to Calvary. In baptism He
is followed to the grave and "we are buried with Him."
But how is a person buried? Is he sprinkled with a few
handfuls of dirt at burial? Of course not! This would not
constitute proper burial. "Neither is there salvation in
any other: for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts
4:12).
Jesus commanded the apostles in Matthew 28:19 to
baptize in the "Name (singular) of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost are not proper names, but are titles of God.
* He is the Father in creation.
* He is the Son in redemption.
* He is the Holy Ghost dwelling within the believer.
But these are only titles. The apostles understood when
they were given the Great Commission, (Matthew
28:19) that they were to baptize in the one singular
name, that is of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost, and that name is Jesus!
* The Name of the Father is Jesus—John 5:43.
* The Name of the Son is Jesus—Matthew 1:21.
* The Name of the Holy Ghost is Jesus—John 14:26.
Jesus had opened the disciples understanding to this
great truth of the Name of Jesus in Luke 24:45-47. This
is precisely the reason why the apostles always, in
every place in the Scripture, obeyed Matthew 28:19 by
baptizing in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5).
Lesson 8
Have You Received the Holy
Ghost?
V. Have You Received the Holy Ghost?
The third step in the plan of salvation, given to us in
Acts 2:38 is to "receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
A. Jesus Spoke of It
Jesus foretold this glorious experience in John 3:5 when
he said, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God." This verse alone establishes the
absolute necessity of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
B. Paul Preached It
The fact that it is essential to receive the wonderful gift
of the Holy Ghost is further emphasized by the words of
the Apostle Paul: "Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:9). It is a beautiful
privilege, purchased for man by the blood of Jesus
Christ. It is the greatest experience ever given to
mankind by the Lord. Christ actually comes and takes
up His abode in a human body (temple). That body
becomes the very temple of the Almighty God.
C. Peter Told of It
The Apostle Peter spoke in Acts 2:38 about the Holy
Ghost experience. He describes his feeling when the
creator dwells within his creation through the baptism of
the Holy Ghost. He says it is "joy unspeakable and full
of glory." Paul describes it as "righteousness, peace,
and joy" (Romans 14:17). But greatest of all is the
knowledge that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is
promised to all who obey His command to repent, and
are baptized in the glorious name of Jesus Christ.
Lesson 8
The Evidence of the Holy
Ghost
VI. The Evidence of the Holy Ghost
Acts 2:1-4 records the initial outpouring of the Holy
Ghost, when in the upper room they spoke with other
tongues. Do all speak with tongues when they receive
the Holy Ghost? This is a legitimate question and one
that deserves sincere and honest consideration. In
considering the necessity of speaking with other
tongues the Bible is our sole source of information. Who
spoke with tongues in the Scriptures?
A. Everyone in Upper Room Filled
Acts 2:4 records that they were "all" filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance on the day of Pentecost.
None were excluded! All one hundred and twenty spoke
with tongues as God gloriously filled them with His
Spirit. Among the one hundred and twenty were Mary,
the mother of Jesus, Jesus' brothers, and all of the
remaining apostles.
B. Samaritans Receive Holy Ghost
Acts 8:13-17—The Samaritans were given the same
experience and something happened so they could
outwardly tell when people received the Holy Ghost.
Even Simon the Sorcerer knew they had received a
heavenly gift.
C. Gentiles
Acts 10:44-48—The Holy Ghost falls on Cornelius and
other Gentiles and they spoke with other tongues.
D. Disciples of John the Baptist
In Acts 19:1-6, a group of John the Baptist's disciples
are rebaptized in Jesus name by the Apostle Paul, and
are filled with the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking
with tongues. The accompanying sign of speaking with
tongues is either stated or strongly implied everytime
the Holy Ghost is outpoured in the book of Acts.
Lesson 8
The Power of the Holy Ghost
VII. The Power of the Holy Ghost
A. The Spirit Gives Immortality at Christ's Return
The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the very power that
resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead. This fact alone
demonstrates that it is essential that we be baptized
with His spirit. Without the Spirit of Christ dwelling
within, there would be nothing to raise us up to meet the
Lord when He returns the second time. This is why Paul
said in Romans 8:11, "But if the Spirit of him that raised
up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up
Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal
bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." See also
Romans 8:9 and I Corinthians 15:51-53.
B. The Spirit Gives Power
The baptism of the Holy Ghost gives the believer
tremendous power to witness for the Lord. Without the
Holy Ghost, the early disciples would have been
powerless to save the hostile world of their day. But
through the power of God within them they were able to
conquer even the mighty Roman Empire with the good
news of Calvary. This same power is available if men
will only have faith to reach out and claim it. Jesus said
in Acts 1:8, "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy
Ghost shall come upon you. . ."
C. The Spirit Teaches
The Bible is not merely a product of man's mind and
ability, "but holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost" (II Peter 1:21). Since it required the
inspiration of the Spirit for the writing of the Scriptures, it
also requires the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to
understand God's Word. Jesus promised the Spirit
would "teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John
14:26).
D. The Spirit Shows Things to Come (John 16:13)
The Lord gives an understanding of His prophetic Word
to those who walk with Him. He also gives
understanding of the direction His church, and the world
are taking in the end time. See I Thessalonians 5:4.
E. The Spirit Gives Righteousness, Peace and Joy
(Romans 14:17)
The Apostle Paul's adjectives are self-explanatory. The
Holy Ghost gives power not only to live a holy, clean
life, but also the accompanying joy and peace that only
the infilling of the Spirit of Christ can give. It is, "Joy
unspeakable and full of glory" (I Peter 1:8).
F. The Spirit Imparts the Love of God
Romans 5:5 says, "The love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
The gift of the Holy Ghost is a baptism of the love of
God. A boundless love that proceeds from God himself,
fills our souls, and then overflows from our lives like a
mighty rushing river. It is a love that cries earnestly to
every thirsty heart, "Let him that is athirst come. And
whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely"
(Revelation 22:17).
Floating one summer night down one of America's
rivers, a man and his companion sought vainly for the
sign of a human habitation where they could spend the
night, or a place along the steep bank where they could
pitch their camp. At last, wet and cold and exhausted,
they drew up their boat on a sand bar. There groping in
the darkness, they gathered together a few pieces of
driftwood, and after several ineffectual attempts,
succeeded in lighting a fire. How carefully they tended
that fire, brooding over it until they were certain that it
was going to burn; and when, at length, it began to burn
briskly and brightly, illuminating their dismal
surroundings and warming their cold and weary bodies,
they realized as never before what a friend fire is to
man. The metaphor used by the apostle when he says,
"quench not the Spirit" (I Thessalonians 5:19), is that of
putting out a fire.
Lesson 9
The Gifts of the Spirit
I. The Gifts of the Spirit
The outpouring of God's Spirit molded together a
spiritual body (group of believers) scripturally defined as
the "church," (Ephesians 1:22-23). Supernatural
manifestations of the Spirit occurred, commonly referred
to as the "gifts of the Spirit." By "supernatural," it is
meant that which cannot be explained or understood by
human reasoning and is not restricted to "natural laws."
No one should ever limit the power of God to work only
through those things that the natural man understands,
for He hath declared: "My thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so
are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts
than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9). The Apostle Paul,
before teaching the Corinthians about the use of
spiritual gifts, reminded them in I Corinthians 2:11 that:
"The things (ways and thoughts) of God knoweth no
man, but the Spirit of God." This is not to say that man
cannot learn the things of God, but rather that they are
not perceived by worldly wisdom. Human reasoning is
unable to digest spiritual truth.
A. The Gifts Are to Profit the Church
The spiritual gifts are given by God to His church to
profit the church and its members. "But the
manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
withal" (I Corinthians 12:7). There are those today who
contend that the gifts are no longer property of the
church to be experienced. But there appears nothing in
the Scriptures nor in the course of history to show when
any of the gifts were withdrawn. The body of man has
many members (hands, fingers, eyes, ears, etc.) So
also is the body of Christ. There are many members of
one body and all are important. Some may be more
evident than others, but all are needed.
1. The Difference Between the Gifts and Fruit of the
Spirit
The gifts of the Spirit are not to be confused with the
fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is spiritual grace
in the character of the believer. All aspects of the fruit
are to be possessed by every believer for use all the
time. On the other hand, the gifts of the Spirit are divine
enablements used in directing and blessing the church.
2. Great Care in Their Operation
There must be great care taken in the operation of the
spiritual gifts. The Corinthian church had 'gone to seed"
on some of the more "spectacular" gifts. Paul was
writing the Corinthians to give them instructions on the
regulations of the spiritual gifts in the church. (See I
Corinthians 14.)
B. The Nine Gifts of the Spirit
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not
have you ignorant" (I Corinthians 12:1). The gifts are
placed in three distinct categories as follows:
1. The Gifts that Give Power to "Know"
Supernaturally
a. Word of Wisdom
Natural wisdom according to the dictionary is the
ability to apply possessed knowledge and
experience. The "Word of Wisdom" and the "Word of
Knowledge" are supernatural manifestations of the
Spirit and exist on a plane infinitely above their
natural and human counterparts. The "Word of
Wisdom" has no more relationship to natural wisdom
than the "Word of Knowledge" has to natural
knowledge. The "Word of Wisdom" is supernatural
and is not associated with the wisdom of this world.
There could be times that the answer we need will
not come by man's wisdom, but we will need a
specific "Word of Wisdom" given by the Spirit a
particular time for a particular situation.
It is the gift of the "Word of Wisdom," and implies a
spoken utterance through a direct operation of the
Holy Spirit at a given moment, rather than an abiding
deposit of supernatural wisdom. The normal life of
the church provides a constant need for wise
leadership. Problems will occur, and delicate
situations arise among the most spiritual believers.
EXAMPLES:
- The way the apostles dealt with the problem of
the daily ministration to widows in Acts 6:1-7.
- Jesus dealing with the question of the baptism
of John (Matthew 21:23-27).
- The question about paying tribute to Caesar
(Matthew 22:15-22).
The "Word of Wisdom" is therefore the supernatural
revelation, by the Spirit, of Divine purpose: the
supernatural declaration of the mind and will of God,
the supernatural unfolding of His plans and purposes
concerning things, places people, individuals,
communities and even nations.
b. Word of Knowledge
Every Christian must endeavor to grow in "grace,
and in the knowledge of our Lord." II Peter 3:18 The
Bible does not state "gift of knowledge," but rather it
states "Word of Knowledge." All knowledge is
ultimately with the Lord," in whom are hid all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians
2:3). It is therefore a reasonable thing to believe that
the Holy Spirit can impart a manifestation of any part
of the divine "all-knowledge" at any time, as He wilL
An unction of the Spirit can impart to someone the
"Word of Knowledge" which would be facts from God
about people, places, things and even events which
a person could not possibly know unless God
revealed them to him.
EXAMPLE:
Peter and Ananias and Sapphira. (Acts 5:1-10)
c. Discerning of Spirits
The Bible does not state that there is a "gift of
discernment," but rather it states "discerning of
Spirits." I John 4:1 admonishes us to ". . . believe not
every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of
God...." This gift is placed in the church so that there
will be means to detect what is true and what is
false. The gift of "discerning of spirits" is not only
defensive; it can also be offensive in the sense that
once an evil spirit is detected as operating through
some human channel, that channel can then be
delivered through the power of the name of Jesus
Christ.
EXAMPLES:
- Peters denunciation of Simon the sorcerer was
based upon discernment of the spirit of his heart
(Acts 8:23)
- Paul rebuked a spirit posssessing a girl at
Philippi (Acts 16:16-18).
2. The Gifts That Give Power to "Act" Supernaturally
a. Faith
The spiritual gift of Faith is to be distinguished from
that ordinary faith without which it is impossible to
please God. (Hebrews 11:6). Saving faith is a gift of
God (Ephesians 2:8) but this is not the spiritual gift of
Faith referred to in I Corinthians 12:9. There is a faith
that comes by the hearing of the Word of God
(Romans 10:17) but the gift of Faith comes by the
Spirit (I Corinthians 12:7,9, 11). The gift of "Faith" is
a measure of faith above that faith which all of us
have as children of God. It is a special Faith
quickened to us by the Spirit, as are the other Gifts
of the Spirit. The Gift of Faith surpasses all reason,
looks impossibilities in the face and turns them into
miracles. Acts 3:4, 16. There could be a time in life
that one could believe God for just about anything.
Act upon that faith and rejoice in what God does
through that faith.
b. Working of Miracles
The New Testament records that miracles took place
such as:
- Dorcas raised to life. Acts 9:40. B. Eutychus
raised to life (Acts 20:10).
- At Ephesus, God wrought special miracles (Acts
19:11-12).
The working of miracles is a Gift of the Spirit in which
supernatural power is released by God through a
person's life to effect an immediate supernatural
healing or happening.
c. Gifts of healing
These special "gifts of healing" though given only to
certain individuals, do not preclude all believers in
the Lord Jesus Christ from laying hands upon the
sick for their recovering (Mark 16:18), or all elders in
the church from anointing with oil for healing (James
5:14). Such ministries are not dependent upon
possessing any spiritual gift of healing. When the
"Gifts of Healing" are in operation and hands are laid
upon the sick, God can remove the cause of disease
or affliction and healing ensue.
3. The Gifts that Give Power to "Speak"
Supernaturally
a. Prophecy
Prophecy can be divided into two parts: Forthtelling
and Foretelling. We must remember that prophecy
will always be in harmony with God's Word.
Prophecy will never replace the Bible or diminish its
worth. The prophecy must always agree with the
Bible. A prophet can prophecy but because a person
uses the gift of prophecy does not make that person
a prophet (Ephesians 4:11-13). The Gift of Prophecy
is to bring edification, exhortation and comfort to the
church (I Corinthians 14:3, 5) "Prophesying serveth
not for them that believe not, but for them which
believe" (I Corinthians 14:22).
b. Tongues
There are different ways in which speaking with
tongues is used in the Scripture.
- Initial evidence when receiving the baptism of
the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-46, Acts
19:6.
- Speaking to God in prayer. I Corinthians 14:2,
14, 15; I Corinthians 14:4 "he that speaketh in an
unknown tongue edifieth himself." The believer
can speak in tongues in private devotion and
there is no need for an interpretation.
- Addressing the church, coupled with
interpretation I Corinthians 14:13-27.
- Interpretation of tongues—Notice that the Bible
says "interpretation" and not translation of
tongues.
When a person is used in bringing a message to the
church through the "gift of tongues" there should be
the gift of the "Interpretation of tongues" present in
order to edify. I Corinthians 14:13 "Wherefore let him
that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he
may interpret." A person must seek to excel to the
edifying of the church. I Corinthians 14:12. If there is
no interpreter present, the one speaking in the
unknown tongue should keep silence in the church. I
Corinthians 14:28. All the gifts of the Spirit should be
under the control of the pastor. What a blessing the
gifts, under proper direction, can be in the local
church. The pastor should always have the oversight
in the final judging of the operation of the gifts. (See I
Corinthians 14:29, 33.) It is important (Verse 29) that
there be some present who are capable of judging
the operation of the Spirit.
Lesson 9
From the Old Man to the New
Man
II. From the Old Man to the New Man
It is exciting to witness these miraculous manifestations
of God's power as is often done in the church. But the
greatest miracle that could ever happen would be to
experience the life-changing transformation brought
about by the "new birth" (John 3:5). Jesus had
performed powerful miracles during His ministry,
including the raising of the dead. He had given the
disciples power to perform many of these same
miracles but He cautioned them not to rejoice because
they had power over spirits but rather "rejoice" He said,
"because your names are written in heaven" (Luke
10:20). The Lord was obviously more concerned with
the miracle of salvation and eternal life than any other
miracle when could be performed. Salvation is always
God's highest priority for man.
A. The Greatest Work
Concerning the miraculous, Jesus said, "Greater works
than these shall he do because I go to the Father" (John
14:12). How could anyone perform greater works of
miracles than those which Jesus had done? These
works were to be in the future, after the Lord's journey
to Calvary. The greatest work that could ever be done
was to tell of the delivering power of the blood of Jesus
and the "new life" that would be given through His Spirit
(Acts 2:4, 38 and 39). Since Jesus gave His life on
Calvary, was resurrected and ascended into heaven, He
has been pouring this beautiful miracle of "new life" into
all who come to Him (John 10:10).
1. Jesus Brings Change
Everything Jesus taught and all the love and
compassion He demonstrated was designed to draw the
people's attention to the power of God. This power was
able to change troubled, empty lives into joyous,
abundant lives. His mission was to bring the joys of
heaven and the life of God into the heart and soul of
mankind.
2. Jesus Brings Victory
He offers victory over satanic forces, human
weaknesses and struggles of life (John 16:33; I John
5:4-5; I Corinthians 15:57). The victory in removing the
curse of sin from its victims was paid for by giving His
own life, thereby conquering sin and opening the door
for man to receive this "new life." He laid down His life
for mankind, that man could experience a superior way
of life—NEW LIFE. "Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new" (II Corinthians 5:17).
3. The Three Enemies of Man
The receiving of the baptism of the Holy Ghost is
actually receiving the very presence and life of God
dwelling within. Jesus had conquered the:
a. Devil (Hebrews 2:14)
b. World with its ungodly lusts (I John 2:16 and John
16:33)
c. Flesh (Hebrews 4:15)
He continues to defeat these three same enemies as
He lives in the heart of the believer. Two of these
enemies are outside the body, (the devil and the world).
But it seems that the greatest enemy is within man. ". .
.out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness,
wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye,
blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things
come from within, and defile the man" (Mark 7:21-23).
B. The Works of the Flesh—The Old Man
All of these things come from a carnal and sinful nature.
A picture of this nature is painted in Galatians 5:19,
"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are
these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." When
left to itself, the heart of a man is capable of
unbelievable evils. As long as a life is lived in response
to the dictates and the desires of this sinful nature, it
can never please God. The Scriptures declare that it is
impossible to please God with the carnal mind, and that
it is hostile towards Him. The carnal mind does not
submit to God's laws (Romans 8:6). This is why God
gives a new nature (Romans 7:6; I Corinthians 6:17), a
new mind (I Corinthians 2:16) and a new heart (Ezekiel
36:26-27; Romans 5:5) thus making a new man
(Ephesians 4:24) full of new life (Romans 6:4; II
Corinthians 5:17) for the old man, as he is called,
(Ephesians 4:22) cannot please God. He cannot
understand God (I Corinthians 2:14) neither can he live
holy before God (Romans 8:5-8). Can sweet water
come from a bitter spring (James 3:11)? Of course not!
Neither can he who lives in the lower nature of the old
man produce the fruits of this newly created man.
C. The Works of the Spirit—The New Man
To this new man God has given many promises. The
old man was associated with the curses. Since actions
flow directly from the heart (Luke 6:45; I Corinthians
13:11), it was necessary that God create in man a new
heart, with new characteristics. The feelings of the heart
cannot be trusted, for the heart of the natural man is ". .
.deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who
can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Would it be safe to
find the most wicked, deceitful man you know and
entrust everything to his care? A wise man knows he
cannot do this. The Bible says that a man cannot trust
his own heart. David, that great psalm-writer and king,
never dreamed that he had murder in his heart. He
found out too late. He learned to ask God to search his
heart and try him, know his thoughts and see if there
was any wicked way in him and lead him in the way
everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24). This honest and sincere
appeal to God is the only hope man has of influencing
his eternal destiny. Remember, all the reasoning of the
heart, and human logic of this world cannot know or
discover the things of God without the illumination of His
Spirit into hearts (I Corinthians 2:11; II Corinthians 4:6).
D. The Fruit of the Spirit
When the Spirit of God is resident in the heart, it will
produce a harvest of love, joy, peace, gentleness,
goodness, longsuffering, faith, meekness and
temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). His Spirit within will
conquer the things that were formerly destroying.
Unbelief is conquered by faith; hatred is conquered by
love; wrath and strife by longsuffering and temperance;
fear, by love and patience; bondage, by deliverance,
and on and on. What a tremendous experience to see
God completely change the old man into a brand new
man, who flowers into the true image of God (Ephesians
4:24).
1. Formula for Abundant Life
Paul gave the formula for abundant life—"Be not
overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good"
(Romans 12:21). Listen to what Jesus said in Luke
6:43-45. "For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit;
neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For
every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men
do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they
grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his
heart bringeth forth that which is good. An evil man out
of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which
is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth
speaketh." So, to bring forth good things, it is necessary
to have a new heart for it is the fountain of all the issues
of life (Proverbs 4:23). Is it any wonder that Christians
speak praises and adoration in other tongues, since
these praises flow from the heart where Jesus now
lives? (See Romans 8:26.) This language of the Spirit is
a truly undeniable sign that one has received a new
heart. "For a man's mouth speaks what his heart is full
of" (Today's English Version, Luke 6:45.)
2. The Aim of God for His People
It is the ultimate aim of God to bring forth the "fruit of His
Spirit" cultivated in the hearts of His people (John 15:8).
He knows that a life abounding with the fruit of His Spirit
is a meaningful and complete life. There will, however,
be opposition to His work in each heart by the old man
(sinful nature); (II Corinthians 10:3-5) for now there is a
dual nature—the nature of God and the sinful nature of
the flesh (Galatians 4:29). Paul said this sinful nature
must be overcome. Sometimes a struggle within man
ends in failure but if he keeps trusting in God, he will
have victory. Children fall many times before they are
finally able to walk. Even so, God is not angry when His
children make mistakes and fall, but He has promised
forgiveness and strength to rise and walk again
(Hebrews 12:3-4; I John 1:9; Hebrews 4:15-16).
3. Paul's Advice
Paul admonished the Roman Christians that during
these struggles they suddenly let the old man get the
upperhand. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal
body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither
yield ye your members as instruments of
unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto
God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your
members as instruments of righteousness unto God"
(Romans 6:12-13).
Lesson 9
The Beauty of Holiness
III. The Beauty of Holiness
If man could visualize his journey through life, he would
see two roads which seemed to fade away in the far
distance of time. These two roads represent the (1) road
(way) of life (Acts 2:28) and (2) the road (way) of death
(Proverbs 14:12). One is a road of blessing and the
other is a road of cursing. "I call heaven and earth to
record this day against you, that I have set before you
life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose
life, that both thou and thy seed may live"(Deuteronomy
30:19).
A. The Journey of Life
As on any journey, there are many places of enjoyment
along the way. It would be a monotonous trip if one
didn't enjoy any of the pleasure which dot the map of his
travel. As one goes, he usually plans to enjoy all that he
can and take advantage of that which his traveling time
will allow him to do. Even so. God has made
reservations for one's travel through life to be filled with
many adventures. As he travels down these highways,
each adventure becomes a part of him.
1. Which Way Will We Go?
The important thing to consider in choosing the course
of travel is: (1) What will be the results of these
adventures? And, (2) where will the choice of roads
lead? Moses was a man who chose the highway of
holiness rather than enjoy the adventures and pleasures
of sin for a season (Hebrews 11:25). This holy way of
life is a separated way and is set apart from the way of
the crowds.
2. Becoming More Like Him
As the new Christian journeys through life on the
highway of holiness. God changes him into His image
from glory (adventure) to glory (adventure). As He
continues to conquer the old man (who is always trying
to influence to travel down the old road of death), He
builds within the heart of the new man the character and
the beauty of Jesus Christ who is the image of the
invisible God (Colossians 1:15; II Corinthians 4:4). The
true image of God (I Peter 1:15; Ephesians 4:24) can
only be reflected by the Spirit of God working in His
people to cleanse this temple of those things that mar
the holy reflection of Jesus Christ. The further man goes
with Him on this journey, the more he becomes like
Him. The more he becomes like Him, the more others
are attracted to Him. The only way God will ever be
seen by this searching generation is through His people.
The scripture says that without following ". . .holiness. .
.no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). When
Judgment Day comes, God will search among the flocks
for those who have on the same garment of
righteousness as He wore. They will shine as bright
lights in a darkened day.
3. Holiness a Beautiful Way of Life
Holiness is such a beautiful way of life. When the
Scriptures tell us that Jesus came to save from sins, it
was actually saying that He came to protect, preserve,
and keep from those things which cause man to fall
short of abundant life. To sin is to miss the mark, or the
purpose, for which man has been designed. To perish is
to miss the true aim of life—literally to ruin your life. "For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish
(miss fulfilling the true aim in life), but have everlasting
life" (John 3:16). So then holiness is a beautiful way of
life which guarantees God's protection and blessings
from three major enemies which war against the soul.
Holiness is not a list of codes. It is a superior way of life
that will lead those that follow its course into the beauty
and treasure of God's Kingdom. "Give unto the LORD
the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the
beauty of holiness" (Psalm 29:2).
B. Perfecting Holiness
How tragic that many have misunderstood the beauty of
holiness. When God fills man with His Holy Spirit, man
becomes holy (I Corinthians 6:17). He doesn't have to
exert all kinds of strenuous physical and mental
exercises to be holy. For it is not from the will of man
that holiness is derived, but from the heart filled with
God's Holy Spirit (Romans 8:16 and John 1:13).
Remember, it is the fruit of the Spirit. The heart will have
a great yearning to be like Jesus and will, under the
influence of the Holy Spirit, be changed into the holy
image of Jesus. He must yield himself to this influence
and power of God (Romans 6:19). This flow of God's
Holy Spirit will reach into every aspect of his life (I Peter
1:15). It will cause him to abstain from the appearance
of evil (Psalms 101:3) and will cause him to walk in new
places (walk as He walked), dress different, act
different, talk different and even think different
(Philippians 4:8). He will be a new man and "behold, old
things are passed away and all things are become new"
(II Corinthians 5:17). "But as he which hath called you is
holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation
(conduct)" (I Peter 1:15).
1. Growing in the Lord
As the new man grows in the knowledge of the will of
God, he will also grow in his ability to recognize
activities and attitudes that would endanger his new life
in Christ. Sometimes, he may feel a check of the Spirit
but not see any danger in a particular activity. But, thank
God for pastors whom God works through to help
preserve him from the subtlety of sin. They will help
guide him away from the dangerous road of sin and
death. Life is not governed totally by the inferior
question of whether or not something is sin, but by
whether or not it will damage the image of Christ in a
Christian's life. This is why he senses these impulses
from the Spirit—to warn of potential danger. A pastor
will be a tremendous help in keeping from pitfalls which
could affect this image.
2. The Concerned Christ
Jesus is reaching to every family now. He knows the
needs and He sees the sincerity. He doesn't want any
family to perish. He will not force His love upon any, but
He wants the change to show what a great God He can
be. He has a new heart made especially for every
individual and the angels anxiously await to record the
names in heaven. A treasure chest of promises await
those who will seek Him. Anyone can receive Him in
their life at any moment. The greatest miracle that could
ever happen in any life is the new birth. It is the will of
God that all be saved but the decision rests with the
individual.
Lesson 10
The New Testament Church
I. The New Testament Church
Luke, in about 63 A.D. wrote the book of the Bible called
the Acts of the Apostles. This was an appropriate name
for a book in which is found the birth, inauguration and
phenomenal advancement of the New Testament
church. The church became an aggressive organism,
and the heart of the "feeble, but faithful" followers were
transformed into a vigorous spiritual force for
righteousness. This has been called the "Speaking
Period" of publishing the Great Gospel. They vocally
proclaimed with anointed lips the purpose of God,
manifested through the life, death, resurrection and
ascension of Jesus Christ. They drew out of their own
vibrant encounter and knowledge, for they had been
privileged to be eyewitnesses of His majesty (II Peter
1:16). The Speaking period was from 30-50 A.D. The
Writing period (years during which the New Testament
was penned) was from 50-100 A.D. The collecting of
these sacred writings involved the 50 years between
100 and 150 A.D.
A. Fellowship
1. Apostles Teaching (Matthew 28:20, Acts 2:42)
There was a desire on the part of the new believers
to be taught the Word of God by the apostles.
Everyone who has committed his life to Jesus Christ
must make every effort to hear the Word of God. The
Word of God will give a person the foundation he
needs to stand upon. A person who will not stand for
something, will fall for anything. Man needs the Word
of God to live by (Matthew 4:4). Every believer needs
faith which will come by "the Word of God" (Romans
10:17).
2. Fellowship with the Church (Acts 2:42)
A phrase taken out of the early moments of the life of
the early church was "all that believed were together"
(Acts 2:22). The Christian has a word for this
togetherness: It is called "fellowship." The first
commitment to fellowship is with Jesus Christ (I John
1:3). "And truly our fellowship is with the Father and
with his son Jesus Christ." John then tells us in
verse 7 ". . .we have fellowship one with another."
3. Breaking Bread-House to House (Acts 2:42)
Witnesses were telling everyone about what God
was doing in their day. They took the Gospel from
house to house with a lay ministry. Witnessing and
preparing the way of the Lord is still a very important
and a vital aspect in the believer's life today.
4. Prayers (Acts 2:42)
After the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, the Church
kept praying. Prayer is an essential weapon in the
life of a Christian. Because of their prayers and
praise, God gave the Church favor with all the
people and added to it daily.
B. The First Miracle in the Church (Acts 3:1-11)
The first miracle performed after the ascension of Jesus
and the inauguration of the Church was the healing of
the lame man at the Gate called Beautiful. This miracle
produced evidence that the power of Jesus Christ was
upon His followers. Jesus was present to heal through
the believing of His disciples. (See Matthew 10:1-8,
Mark 6:7-13). The Lord has not changed. He is still
healing today. When unbelief, lack of obedience, and
worldliness, are cast aside, the Lord will perform
miracles just as He did in the early church. As a result
of the lame man's healing, people gathered and Peter
preached his second sermon and many believed. The
number of men believing were about five thousand
(Acts 4:4).
When the Holy Ghost first fell there were about one
hundred twenty present. After that initial outpouring of
the Holy Ghost, there were three thousand more souls
added. When these converts came together to
fellowship in the apostles' doctrine, the Lord added to
the Church daily. After this miracle of healing, many
more believed. The number of men was about five
thousand. This made a total of about ten thousand souls
that had been converted since the Day of Pentecost.
C. The Giving Spirit of the Church
It is easy to see that fellowship and miracles were
important factors in the expansion of the young Church.
Along with this, there was a singleness of devotion and
dedication depicted by their selflessness and God-
centered attitudes toward each other's needs. In its
infancy the Church had a purity and innocence about it
that was disarming. As many converts come together,
there are various material needs among them. In any
group numbering into the thousands there will be
widows, the homeless, the poor, and the not-so-well-off
folks who struggle to eke out a bare existance. These
new believers were taken up with the expectation of a
better inheritance in another world, and so, "neither said
any of them that ought of the things which he
possessed was his own" (Acts 4:32). They had grasped
the fact that they were simply stewards, not owners, of
God's gifts and goodness.
1. The Lord's Stewards (Acts 4:34-35)
As stewards of the Lord's blessings, those who had
materially prospered were anxious to distribute their
blessings to their brothers and sisters in need.
Houses and real estate were sold, and the proceeds
were laid at the apostles feet. This symbolized their
lack of love for the wealth of this transient world.
Matthew Henry, in his commentary, gives a little
more insight into the setting of this poignant scene:
"Dr. Lightfoot computes that this (Pentecost) was the
year of jubilee in the Jewish nation; the fiftieth year,
(the twenty-eighth since they settled in Canaan
fourteen hundred years ago), so that what was sold
that year, being not to return till the next jubilee,
lands then took a good price, and so the sale of
those lands would raise the more money." (Vol. 2,
Pg. 747)
2. Barnabas Shows the Way (Acts 4:36-37)
Barnabas was a Levite. Perhaps, he remembered
that God, hundreds of years prior, promised to be his
portion and his inheritance, (Deuteronomy 10:9). He
disentangled himself with the things of this world (II
Timothy 2:4). He honored God and God honored
him. He is numbered among the apostles, especially
selected by the Spirit of the Lord. He exhibited great-
hearted giving. He had an apostle's reward. It was
Barnabas, whose name signifies the, "Son of
Consolation." His was a ministry of encouragement
and consolation. He uplifted and inspired many of
the churches in his later ministry (Acts 11:22-24). He
encouraged the apostolic circle to receive Paul as a
fellow preacher.
Lesson 10
Persecution of the Church
II. Persecution of the Church
A. Stephen Chosen
In chapter six, the church was increasing so rapidly that
the disciples recognized the value of sharing
responsibilities. They could not do the relief work (Acts
4:35-36) and still spend time in prayer and preaching
and teaching of the Word of God. Seven men were
chosen to lighten the load of the apostles. One of these
men was Stephen.
1. Stephen's Qualifications (Acts 6:8)
Stephen, "full of faith and power," was one of the
table servers. He was a man who not only did the
specific job that God had given him, but he looked
for other opportunities to serve as well. God can
always use someone who has this kind of attitude.
Stephen's work was so outstanding that he was
picked as a target by the enemies of the rapidly
growing church.
2. Stephen On Trial (Acts 6:10)
Stephen's opponents were no match for his wisdom
and spirit, so they tried by physical force to get rid of
him. They hired people to bear false witness against
him and placed him on trial before the Sanhedrin.
3. Stephen Preached and Died (Acts 6:12-13)
Although the synagogue had people to testify falsely
against Stephen's conduct, they could not change
his character. Great alarm was registered when they
beheld his face shining as an angel's as he preached
to them with a holy boldness. He delivered his
sermon to them about the way God had dealt with
mankind through the Old Testament. He preached
truths they could not contradict, and he concluded
with a dreadful accusation against his listeners for
having betrayed and slain the Son of God. In anger,
they cast him out of the city and stoned him to death.
With the martyrdom of Stephen, the persecutors of
the church shed the first blood of Christian martyrs.
One of the leading men of this persecution was Saul
of Tarsus, who was a witness to and gave consent to
Stephen's death. A wise man once appropriately
said, "They tried to stamp the fire of God out in
Jerusalem, but they spread the embers all over the
world." This is exactly what happened. The truth
spread into the regions of Judea and Samaria and
into all the world.
B. Saul's Conversion
Chapter nine of the Book of Acts introduced Saul, who
later became Paul the apostle. He is a key figure in
much of the New Testament, and he wrote at least 13 of
its books. Saul was a bigoted Pharisee, and a
passionate persecutor of the church. By the power of
God, he became Paul, the devoted apostle, the
preacher to the Gentiles. The conversion of Saul was so
unlikely that a British agnostic of the last century
thought it would not be difficult to disprove. By so doing,
he could show the rest of the New Testament to be
unworthy of any credibility. George Lyttleton wanted to
show how impossible it would have been for a man like
Saul to change so drastically. He included the results of
his studies in his book entitled Observations on the
Conversion and Apostleship of Saint Paul. His amazing
conclusion? "Paul's conversion and apostleship alone
duly considered, is a demonstration sufficient to prove
Christianity to be a divine relation."
1. Saul the Persecutor
When the Sanhedrin had Stephen stoned, Saul was
in agreement with their actions. He used that incident
to launch an all out persecution of the church (Acts
8:3). He obtained letters of extradition from the high
priest against the Christians in Damascus.
2. Saul on the Damascus Road
On the way to the city of Damascus, a bright light
from heaven shined round about him. Then he heard
a voice asking, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me?" All sorts of inadequate explanations have been
given to explain away what really happened.
However, the conversion of Paul cannot be
accounted for except by Paul's own interpretation of
the change it made in him. He saw Jesus and was
fully persuaded to surrender. He had a personal
encounter with God.
Paul answered Jesus by saying, "Who art thou
Lord?" When Jesus answered, "I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest," Paul was convicted. His reply
was, "What wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:5, 6). It
is important to ask God, what He would have us do.
It will save a person from many unproductive, failing
years. Saul asked this question immediately upon
contact with God. His life was never the same after
his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus Road.
3. Saul Received His Sight (Acts 9:18)
Saul was blinded by what he saw in the heavens.
Others led him to Damascus, where the Lord told
him that he would find help. After three days of
prayer and fasting and blindness, the Lord prepared
man with a message for him. A disciple by the name
of Ananias visited Saul and laid hands on him as he
prayed. Immediately, Saul received his sight and
was filled with the Holy Ghost. Then Ananias
baptized him.
Saul received physical and spiritual sight that day
(Acts 9:18). Beginning to witness immediately, Paul
wasted no time in getting busy with the Lord's work.
A conversion like that of Paul's makes for an exciting
and dramatic testimony. Those conversion stories
still occur today, although most people come to God
without a vision or any dramatic spectacular ordeal.
The experience of the new birth involves water and
Spirit, and is in itself a glorious, transforming miracle.
Lesson 10
The Gospels to the
Gentiles/Peter
III. The Gospels to the Gentiles/Peter
A. Cornelius and the Angel (Acts 10)
The gospel then spread from Jerusalem and judaea and
Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth. Chapter 10
gives a new and remarkable turn in the Book of Acts.
Before Chapter 10 the apostles only preached to the
Jews, now, the door of faith opened to the Gentiles as
well. Cornelius, a centurion in the Roman Army, was a
moral man, generous to the poor, who feared God and
was faithful in prayer. His prayer life brought Peter to
him. God will give guidance through prayer. Cornelius
saw a vision and an angel of God told him what to do.
He did it willingly and immediately. The angel told him to
send to Joppa and call for one called Peter and he
would tell him what to do. "Send men to Joppa, and call
for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth
with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea
side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do" (Acts
10:-6).
B. Peter on the Roof Top
While Cornelius' men were on the road, Peter was in
Joppa at Simon the tanner's house. While Peter was on
the roof top, he had a vision, in which he saw a sheet
descend out of heaven containing unclean animals. The
Lord told him to "rise, slay, and eat." Peter, with all of
his Jewish pride, would not eat lest he partake of that
which was unclean, but God was preparing Peter for a
ministry to the Gentiles who the Jewish apostles thought
were unclean. It was at this time that the messengers
sent from Cornelius arrived. Peter journeyed with them
to Caesarea. There he learned that God was no
respecter of persons and that the Holy Ghost was "for
whosoever will" (Acts 10:34-35).
C. Gentiles Receive the Holy Ghost
As Peter preached to Cornelius and his household, the
Holy Ghost fell upon them just as it had fallen upon the
Jews in Jerusalem. Peter then commanded them to be
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 10:48).
The power talked about in Acts 1:8 was starting to
propel the Church to witness into all the parts of the
earth.
Lesson 10
The Gospel to the
Gentiles/Paul
IV. The Gospel to the Gentiles/Paul
Paul was a chosen vessel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15).
His ministry was to bear the Name of the Lord before
the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.
A. Paul on Mar's Hill
Paul was not like the candle upon a table that gives light
to one room, but he was like the sun that goes in its
circuit to give light to many. In chapter seventeen of the
Book of Acts, Paul was on another of his missionary
journeys. He preached at Thessalonica and Berea and
then at Athens. He was appalled at the idolatry he found
in the latter city. Athens was full of temples, idols,
statues, and pagan altars. Discussions with the
philosophers of Athens led to Paul's being taken to the
Areopagus (Mar's Hill), a court that Dake's Annotated
Reference Bible says was the most sacred and
reputable in the Gentile world. Four centuries earlier,
this same court had condemned Socrates.
Paul preached to the Athenians about their altar with the
dedication to the unknown god. He proclaimed the
message of one God who is self-existing; the giver and
supporter of life (Isaiah 46:9-10; Mark 12:32). He stated
that all men could find the Lord (Acts 17:27; Jeremiah
29:13). Paul declared that God had tolerated the
foolishness of man for awhile but judgment would come.
Judgment would come in the form of Jesus Christ who
is deemed worthy by His resurrection from the dead. At
this saying, some mocked, but others believed. One of
those who believed was Dionysius, a member of the
Areopagus, the court of Mar's Hill. Later a fruitful church
was established at Athens.
B. Paul in Prison Writing Epistles
J. Sidlow Baxter stated, "Acts is not one of the epistles,
yet it introduces them. Acts is a liaison between the
Gospels and the Epistles." Paul wrote most of his
Epistles while he was in prison awaiting trial. The letters
were written to different churches established in the
world by Paul and other followers of Christ. While he
was imprisoned, Paul witnessed to and won many of his
guards and visitors. Onesimus (Philemon) was one of
the converts from his prison ministry. Some scholars
think that he was released for awhile but when a
renewed persecution began and he was taken captive
again. Finally, after many years of frustration in prison,
Paul was tried, condemned, and put to death. His last
words were, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished
my course, I have kept the faith…" (II Timothy 4:7).
What an accomplishment, to die full of faith, hope and
victory as Paul did.
Lesson 11
The Destruction of Jerusalem
I. The Destruction of Jerusalem
Prophecy is a very definite force in the scripture. Many
events for future historical events are graphically
foretold in the pages of the Bible. It is one of the Bible's
most interesting studies. The Old Testament prophets
continually foretold the gathering again of the Jews to
the Holy Land. Before this could happen, there must be
a dispersal of the Jews from the country he occupies to
the land that he populated in the days of the New
Testament writing (Israel). Jesus foretold this happening
to his disciples. He warned them of these coming
events in the not too distant future, so the church could
be prepared for trouble and tribulation which shall come
upon the earth. In Luke 19:41-44, Jesus told of the
coming destruction of the city of Jerusalem. In verses
43 and 44 he said, "For the days shall come upon thee,
that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and
compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy
children within thee, and they shall not leave in thee one
stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time
of thy visitation."
A. Jerusalem: Jewish Pivotal Point
Jerusalem was the center of activity for the Jew. It was
their great city, the center of religion because the temple
was there. Jerusalem represented the cultural aspect
because their lives revolved so drastically around the
Hebrew religion. It was also the center of commerce
and had been for many centuries. The trade routes from
the north, south, and east converged on this city.
Jerusalem was the crossroads of the trade routes of the
world.
B. Jesus Wept Over Jerusalem
Jesus was probably on the caravan road between
Bethany and Jerusalem and had reached a particular
point on the side of the Mount of Olives that he could
overlook Jerusalem. He saw the temple in its grandeur
sitting on top of Mt. Moriah. He could see the City of
David covering the mountain and stretching on down to
the Kidron and Hinnon valleys. It was then he stopped,
wept, and cried, "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that
killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent
unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children
together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left
unto you desolate." (Matthew 23:37-38).
C. Jerusalem Destroyed by the Armies of Titus
In the year 70 A.D., General Titus and the Roman army
laid seige to the city of Jerusalem. The smaller
influential towns and cities of the Hebrews had already
been subdued. The people of Jerusalem would now feel
the strong might of the Roman Empire. The city was
totally destroyed because:
1. This was God's judgment for their sin.
2. The Romans wanted to stamp out the Jewish
religion.
3. The Romans wanted to destroy the possibility of
the Jewish nation.
The destruction came and was quite a feat within itself.
The historian, Josephus, said that some stones were 94
feet long, 10 feet tall and 13 feet in thickness. Jesus told
the disciples, "There shall not be left here one stone
upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (Matthew
24:2). Destruction was total and complete.
Lesson 11
The Jewish Return to
Palestine
II. The Jewish Return to Palestine
The Bible states over and over again that the Jew will
return to the desolate land and rebuild that which was
destroyed. It is important to look at several of these
pictorially described Scriptures.
"Fear not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from
the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the
north, Give up; and to the south, keep not back; bring
my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of
the earth." Isaiah 43:5-6
"He that scattered Israel will gather him. . ." (Jeremiah
31:10).
"And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall
assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the
dispersed of ludah from the four corners of the earth"
(Isaiah 11:12).
"I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the
places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I
will bring you again into the place whence I caused you
to be carried away captive" (Jeremiah 29:14).
The new nation of Israel is a result of this coming back
to Palestine. The Jew returning to his homeland is one
of the modern miracles of the 20th century, even though
on a smaller scale it had begun in the late 1800's. Israel
became a nation on May 15, 1948, in the face of the
most drastic attacks of the Arab armies surrounding it. It
is a nation to stay. "And I will bring again the captivity of
my people of Israel and. . .I will plant them upon their
land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their
land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God"
(Amos 9:14-15).
In 1882, there were 24,000 Jews in Palestine. In 1914,
there were 85,000. In 1948, at the declaration as a
nation, there were 650,000. Today there are over
3,000,000 Jews in the land of Palestine: The Jew has
truly returned home.
Lesson 11
The Times of the Gentiles
III. The Times of the Gentiles
The continuing history of man records that nations rise
and fall. Great nations, influencing all the world in
culture and commerce have experienced their victories
and their defeats. Archeologists today probe the ruins of
many nations that used to exist.
There is probably not a story that tells this history so
well as the prophetic dream of Nebuchadnezzar.
A. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream (Daniel 2:31-45)
Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. He reigned
during the fall and captivity of the nation of Israel. One
night he had a dream that would foretell events over the
centuries. Mighty kingdoms would be represented in this
dream.
Israel was in Babylonian captivity as a result of her
backslidding. God revealed who would rule over her
land during the coming centuries. Daniel, who as a
prophet of God had gained great respect in the kingdom
of Babylon, was called on to interpret the dream. In the
dream there was a great metal man. The head was of
gold; the breast and arms were silver; his belly and
thighs were made of brass; the legs were iron; and his
feet were part iron and clay. A stone came striking the
feet and broke them into pieces. The image was
destroyed and became like the chaff of the summer
threshing floor that the wind carried away. The stone
then became a great mountain and filled the whole
earth. Daniel interpreted the dream.
1. The Head of Cold (Babylon)
The Head of Gold was Babylon which was ruling the
Jews and the world at the time of the dream. The
kingdom lasted from 606 B.C. to 538 B.C. The city of
Babylon was at the zenith of its influence during this
time. The hanging gardens of Babylon were one of the
seven wonders of the world. The cities 14 square miles
were guarded by walls 350 feet high and 87 feet thick.
Over 1,000,000 inhabitants of the city never thought it
would fall, but it did.
2. The Breast and Arms of Silver (Medo-Persian)
In 538 B.C., Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians.
Darius was the king of the Medes. This kingdom, a dual
kingdom, portrayed by the two arms, was to last until
330 B.C.
3. The Belly and Thighs of Brass (Greece)
Alexander the Great came out of the West with
conquest on his mind. He conquered the Medo-Persian
Empire in 330 B.C. After Alexander's death in 323 B.C.,
the empire was divided into four parts among his four
generals. The Grecian empire lasted until 160 B.C.
when the Romans came conquering.
4. The Legs of Iron (Roman)
The legs represented the Roman Empire which was to
last for many centuries as its Eastern and Western
divisions.
5. The Feet of Iron and Clay (Revived Roman
Empire)
The feet portray the revived Roman Empire and a ten
nation confederacy represented by the 10 toes (Daniel
7:7-8 and Revelation 17:12). These events will all
happen in the last days and during them the Antichrist
will begin his rule of the world. All this will lead to the
Great Tribulation and Armageddon.
6. The Stone (Jesus Christ)
The coming of Jesus Christ at the battle of Armageddon
will destroy all the kingdoms and this world system. God
will set up a new kingdom over all the earth for a
thousands years. He will rule over the earth as king at
this time. This period of time is called the millennium.
Lesson 11
Jesus Comes for His Church
V. Jesus Comes For His Church
The Apostle Paul in writing to the church at
Thessalonica told of the great hope that was ahead for
the Bride of Christ, the church. This is commonly called
the rapture of the church. Paul made several things
clear to the church concerning this monumental event in
I Thessalonians 4:13-18.
• Concerning the dead, we are not to sorrow as one
without hope (Verse 13).
• Because Jesus rose again he will raise the dead in
Christ also (Verse 14).
• The Lord himself will descend from heaven. There
will be a heavenly shout with the voice of the
archangel included, and the trumpet of God will
sound (Verse 16).
• Those having died after living their lives for Jesus
will be raised first (Verse 16).
• The living saints will be caught up together with the
dead saints in the clouds (Verse 17).
• All will meet the Lord Jesus in the air, never to be
parted again (Verse 17).
• We are to comfort one another with this truth
(Verse 18).
Jesus, in Matthew 24:40-42, spoke of this tremendous
time, and warned of the danger of not being ready.
There will be a separation between those who are ready
for the rapture and those who are unprepared.
•"Then shall two be in the field, the one taken, and
the other left" (Verse 40).
•"Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one
shall be taken, and the other left" (Verse 41).
•"Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your
Lord doth come" (Verse 42).
• There will be a resurrection of the righteous dead.
• Jesus Christ will return for His bride,
• There will be a glorious catching away of the saints
of God.
• There will be a wonderful reunion with the saints of
God that have gone on before.
In his letter to Titus, Paul said it so well.
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for
that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-
13).
Lesson 12
The Tribulation
I. The Tribulation
The endtime is portrayed in an awesome way in the
Scripture. Paul said, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). The
judgment of God is revealed in the closing lesson of our
Home Bible Study. Daniel, the great prophet during the
Babylonian Captivity of the Jews, records a period of
seven years at the endtime. This period of time will
bring terrible calamity on the earth. He describes 70
weeks (or 490 years) that would relate to Jewish history.
Daniel in his prophecy did not see the church age. Thus
his prophecy concerns the state of the Jews in God's
plan.
A. Daniel's Seventieth Week
To understand the seventieth week of Daniel's
prophecy, it is necessary to have an understanding of
how the Scripture describes the seventy weeks. Daniel
was told in Daniel 9:24, "Seventy weeks are determined
upon thy people and upon thy holy city" Sixty-nine of
these weeks were to take place between the decree to
restore Jerusalem, and the crucifixion of the Messiah
the Prince (Jesus Christ) (Daniel 9:25-26). Seven (7)
weeks or (49 years) were used to rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem. There were sixty-two (62) weeks (or 434
years) from the rebuilding of the walls until the
crucifixion of the Messiah. Using the scriptural year of
360 days each, there were exactly 69 weeks or 483
years between 445 B.C. and 32 A.D. This would leave
one week remaining of the 70. Verse 27 tells of this
week of years when the Antichrist system (the prince
that shall come in verse 26) shall break the covenant
with the Jewish nation and thus bring much havoc on
the earth. There is an interval of time between the 69th
week and the 70th week, during which time the church
age exists. The church age will continue until the time of
the rapture. The 70th week that follows is the Tribulation
Period.
B. The Tribulation judgments
During the seven years of tribulation God will pour out
severe and drastic judgment on the earth. These
judgments are introduced by the Seals, the Trumpets,
and the Vials (Revelation 6, 8, 9, 15, and 16). During
this time, the people of the earth will go through a time
of suffering and death such as the world has never
known.
1. The Seals (Revelation 6, 8:1)
The Seals judgment will bring a promise of peace:
- The Anti-Christ will be able to win the world to
himself.
- Terrible war shall follow death and famine.
- One fourth of the world's population will die.
- There shall be much persecution of believing Jews.
- Catastrophies will disturb the earth with
earthquakes.
- The moon will become as blood and people will
hide in the mountains for fear (Revelation 6).
2. The Trumpets (Revelation 8, 9)
- During these judgments hail will fall and fire will
burn over a third of the earth.
- A falling meteor will destroy one third of the
shipping.
- The fish of the sea will die.
- One third of the sea will become blood.
- Poisons will contaminate one third of the water
supply and many will die.
- Great darkness will come over the earth.
- Five (5) months of scorpions stinging men on the
earth.
- A 200,000 man army will kill one third of the
population (Revelation 8, 9).
3. The Vials (Revelation 16) - The Vials are the final
showdown of God's judgments for the tribulation:
a. Awful sores will afflict those with the mark of the
beast.
b. Everything in the ocean will die.
c. All the water will turn to blood.
d. The sun will burn hotter than usual and will scorch
men.
e. The earth will be thrown into darkness and great
pain will come upon men.
f. The river Euphrates will be dried up so the armies
of the east can come to Armageddon.
g. Hail, 100 Ibs. in weight will fall destroying whole
cities (Revelation 16).
4. The Terrible Death
In the fourth (4th) Seal, one fourth of the earth's
population will die. With over four (4) billion people living
today, that would be over one billion people dying in a
short time. In the sixth (6th) Trumpet, one third of the
remaining population will die in the short period of the
tribulation. The population of the U.S. is a little less than
one fourth of a billion, and from this you can see that
eight (8) times the U.S. population will die. Death brings
misery and heartaches. All the world will feel this
heartache over and over again.
Lesson 12
The Reign of the Anti-Christ
II. The Reign of the Antichrist
A forceful political leader will come forth to dominate
world leadership during the tribulation period. He will
have much help in the person of the False Prophet, who
will be the World Religious Leader. A world system of
government, under one head, will envelop the political,
religious and the economic areas of life.
A. The Antichrist
"The son of perdition, that man of sin will be revealed"
(II Thessalonians 2:3).
* He will oppose God (Verse 4).
* He will exhalt himself above God (verse 4).
* He will sit in the temple showing himself as God
(verse 4).
* He will be destroyed by the Lord Jesus at
Armageddon (verse 8).
* Satan will empower him with signs and lying
wonders (verse 9).
* He will deceive those that love not the truth (verse
10).
* God will allow those who love not the truth, and are
deceived by the Antichrist, to believe a lie and be
damned (verse 11,12).
* Revelation 13 describes the Anti-Christ as a beast
rising up out of the sea.
* The dragon (or Satan, Revelation 12:9) will give
him his power and authority (Revelation 13:2).
* The one world system of government is to be a
revival of the old Roman Empire which has been
dormant but will be restored (verse 3).
* The people will worship the beast (verse 4). "He will
have total power the last 3 1/2 years of Tribulation
(verse 5).
* He will blaspheme God; His name and the
heavenly dwellers (verse 6).
* He will make war against the believing Jews (verse
7).
* He will cause all to receive a mark in the right hand
or forehead, in order to buy or sell (verse 16,17).
* His number is 666 (verse 18).
B. The False Prophet (Religious Government)
Revelation 13 also describes the religious leader of this
time of tribulation who works closely with the Antichrist.
He will assist the Antichrist to attain world supremacy.
The False Prophet is mentioned three times (Revelation
16:13; 19:20; 20:10).
* He will exercise great power (Revelation 13:12).
* He will cause the people to worship the Antichrist
and the world system (verse 12).
* He will perform miracles by the power of Satan
(verse 14).
* He will be a deceiver (verse 14).
* He will have an image of the Antichrist made (verse
14).
* He will give life to the image and cause the image
to speak (verse 15).
* He will put to death all that will not worship the
image of the beast (verse 15).
C. The Anti-Christ System of Political Government
The ten toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar and the
ten horns of the beast of Revelation 13:1 and 17:12 and
of Daniel 7:7 and 24, are a confederation of ten nations
that will constitute a world power in the last days. These
nations will help the Antichrist come to power and
sustain that power for some years. Their authority will
be lessened by the Antichrist after he has used them to
gain world power. The strong Common Market Nations
of Europe could possibly be the means of this support.
The Common Market will probably develop into a very
powerful economic block for the western world of
nations. This economic block will give them great
influence in the making of a world leader. This block will
be highly dominated by the world religion. Revelation 17
introduces the great harlot, drunk with the saints and
martyrs. This harlot will ride the beast until the beast
kills her. This will be the end of the false world church,
which will give its power and wealth to the beast.
Lesson 12
The Battle of Armageddon
III. The Battle of Armageddon
The valley of Jezreel and the Plain of Esdraelon are
located west of the Jordan River and east of the
Mediterranean Sea. The battle of Armageddon will be
fought in this area. The name Armageddon is taken
from the strategic military city of Megiddo, which is the
rebuilt and fortified chariot city of Solomon.
Armageddon, it has been said, "will be the battle ground
for the greatest blood bath the world has ever seen."
A. 144,000 Sealed
The Anti-Christ, (with the False Prophet) will rule the
whole world with an iron hand for years. He will extend
total control over the political, religious and economic
life of all the world. One hundred forty four thousand
(144,000) Jews will be miraculously preserved by the
Lord Himself. The Lord will deliver this remnant which
has been hidden from the destructive powers of the
Anti-Christ. As in the days of sojourning (in the
wilderness) God will again protect His people from
being destroyed. These shall be the Jews which will
fight against the Anti-Christ at the battle of Armageddon.
B. Preparation for Armageddon
The righteousness of the protected Jews will be a thorn
in the flesh of this world leader. He will be able to break
the will of all others except them. He will be determined
to destroy them. He will gather his leaders and armies
together for this purpose. "And I saw the beast and the
kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together
to make war against him that sat on the horse, and
against his army" (Revelation 19:19). . .out of the mouth
of the beast and the mouth of the false prophet, For
they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go
forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world,
to gather them to the battle of that great day of God
Almighty. . .and he gathered them together into a place
called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon" (Revelation
16:13, 14, and 16).
C. Armageddon Closes Out the Tribulation
This battle will be the end of the tribulation period. It is
the final attack of the Anti-Christ against God and His
people. The cup of God's wrath will be full at this time,
and He will personally come to end the wild and savage
earthly reign of the beast and his system. After this
battle Jesus will set up the Millennial (1000 years of
peace) reign on earth.
D. The Rider on the White Horse (Revelation 19:11,
14, 16)
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse;
and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True,
and in righteousness he doth judge and make war"
(Revelation 19:11).
"And the armies which were in heaven followed him
upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and
clean" (Revelation 19:14).
"And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name
written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS"
(Revelation 19:16).
This is Jesus coming with His church (Revelation 19:8),
to end the reign of the beast and destroy his world
system.
E. The Judgment of the Beast and False Prophet
"And the beast was taken, and with him the false
prophet . . . These both were cast alive into a lake of fire
burning with brimstone" (Revelation 19:20).
Lesson 12
The Return of Christ and the
Millennium
IV. The Return of Christ and the
Millennium
A. Mount of Olives Change
When Jesus Christ comes with His armies to
Armageddon and destroys the Anti-Christ system. He
will then stand on the Mount of Olives; "And his feet
shall stand in that day upon the Mt. of Olives, which is
before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mt. of Olives
shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and
toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley. .
." (Zechariah 14:4). The landscape around Jerusalem
will never be the same again after He comes in glory to
set up His kingdom. The mount will be divided as a
monument to the deliverance of the Lord.
B. Characteristics of the Kingdom Age
1. Jesus Christ will be King of the Earth
"And the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day
shall there be one Lord, and his name one" (Zechariah
14:9).
2. He Will Rule on the Earth for 1,000 Years
For one thousand years Jesus will reign on the earth.
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection, on such the second death hath no power,
but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6).
3. Judgment of the Nations
The nations of the world that have blessed or
persecuted the Jews over the centuries, (and especially
during the tribulation) will then be judged at that time
(Matthew 25:31-46).
4. The Predominance of the Jews
The Jews will be the ruling people of the millennium
(Zechariah 9:11-17; 12:10-14; 13:1).
5. The Church will rule with Christ (Luke 19:19,
Revelation 20:1-6).
6. The world capital will be Jerusalem
The nations will come to Jerusalem annually to worship
the Lord (Zechariah 14:16, 17).
7. The Jews will do evangelistic work (Zechariah
8:14-23).
8. Satan will be bound during the 1,000 years
(Revelation 20:2-3).
Lesson 12
The Great White Throne
Judgment
V. The Great White Throne Judgment
After one thousand years reign of Jesus Christ upon the
earth, the Great White Throne Judgment will take place.
This will be a judgment of all the dead from the
beginning of man's existence on the earth. The only
people who will not be there to be judged will be the
redeemed church (both dead and the living) which
arose to meet the Lord at the rapture.
"And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it
from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away,
and there was found no place for them. And I saw the
dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books
were opened" (Revelation 20:11-12).
A. Elements in this judgment
1. The Throne
John saw an impressive large white throne.
2. The Judge
Jesus Christ will sit upon the throne.
3. The Judged
The Dead from all walks of life.
"And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and
death and hell delivered up the dead that were in them"
(Revelation 20:13).
4. The Evidence
"The books were opened, and another book was
opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the
books according to their works" (verse 12). Those books
are:
- The Bible God's plan for mankind.
- The recorded history of mankind.
- The Book of Life, the book with the names of the
righteous of all ages.
5. The Witnesses
The Saints of the church who will be there with Jesus
judging the world (I Corinthians 6:2).
6. The Judged
Those whose names were not in the book of life were
cast in the lake of fire (verse 15).
Lesson 12
Time Ends—Then Eternity
VI. Time Ends—Then Eternity
The times after the White Throne Judgment are not
described in detail but the Bible does give us some
insights that are very interesting.
A. Earth Aflame
II Peter 3:10 tells us, "But the day of the Lord will come
as a thief in the night, in which the heavens shall pass
away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are
therein, shall be burned up." The whole earth and space
around it will be aflame. Everything man has made on
the earth will be burned and destroyed. Everything man
has sent into space and outer space will be totally done
away with! The earth and the heavens around it will be
completely purged.
B. New Heaven and New Earth
"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there
was no more sea" (Revelation 21:1).
This is what John saw after the White Throne
Judgment. Peter said, "Nevertheless we, according to
his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, in
which dwelleth righteousness" (II Peter 3:13). Most
scholars believe there will be a renovated heavens and
earth because of what Peter said in verse 6 about
Noah's world, "being overflowed with water, perished."
The earth was totally changed by the water but was not
destroyed.
C. The New Jerusalem
John saw a beautiful city coming down from God.
"And I, John, saw the holy city. New Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
adorned for her husband" (Revelation 21:2).
There will be a new heaven, a new earth, and a new
city. Jesus said, "In my father's house are many
mansions. . .I go to prepare a place for you. . .that
where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:2-3).
Revelation 21:16, John saw the angel measure the new
city. It was 12,000 furlongs or 1,500 miles square. The
Holy City could reach from the east coast to West Texas
and from Canada to Florida. It would take in over half of
the United States. The city was also 1,500 miles high.
What a city! What a place to look forward to visiting. The
city was made of pure gold like clear glass, (verse 18)
with walls of jasper and gates of pearl (verse 21). It will
not need any power plant, or sun, neither moon to shine
for Jesus will be the light (verse 13). Here time and
eternity meet. The temporal will cease forever and the
dreams of the righteous from all ages shall be fulfilled.