An Everlasting King

                                                                   Sunday School Lesson
                                            

Lesson Scriptures: Psalms 110:1-4; Acts 2:22-24, 29-32
                                                                                             
Golden Text: “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalms 110:1).

INTRODUCTION.  The word king implies the existence of a kingdom.  In this week’s lesson our study concerns the everlasting King.  No earthly king has an everlasting kingdom, so this lesson is obviously not talking about the kings we normally think of.  The focus of our lesson is on the royal nature of Jesus the Messiah, the King.  He was promised to us a very long time ago as part of the covenant that God made with His people.  As we shall see, King David talked about the reality of this everlasting King many years before Jesus was born.
A PROPHETIC VIEW OF THE KING (Psalms 110:1-4). Psalms 110 is a messianic prophecy given by King David (see Luke 20:42).  It’s one of the most quoted psalms in the New Testament because of its clear references to the Messiah.  In Matthew 22:41-45, Jesus repeated the words of this verse and applied them to Himself.  Verse 1 looks forward to Christ’s final and total destruction of the wicked; verse 2 prophesies Christ’s reign on the earth; verses 3 and 4 tell of Christ’s priestly work for his people.      
A. The God-King’s exaltation (Psalms 110:1-2). 
1. (vs. 1).  This psalms begins with David saying “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”  David was in the Spirit, or inspired by the Holy Spirit when he recorded this conversation between two persons, “The Lord” and a person David called “my Lord.”  David said “The Lord said unto my Lord.”  The first use of the word “Lord” is all capitalized in the Bible which is a common way to translate “Yahweh” or Jehovah, the covenant name of God in the Old Testament.  Therefore the speaker here is God the Father---Yahweh.  The person God is talking to is identified by David as “my Lord.”  We know this to be the case because as king, David wouldn’t refer to any other person on earth as his lord.  God was speaking to the Messiah, the future King who would sit on David’s throne.  David said that “The Lord” (God the Father), instructed “my Lord” (the Lord, Jesus Christ, the Messiah) to “Sit thou at my right hand.”  God welcomed Jesus to take the seat at His “right hand” or right side which is the place of honor and authority.  No mere human being is qualified to sit at the right side of God in heaven.  However, the Son of God is qualified.  This scene takes place after Christ ascended into heaven (see John 20:17; Acts 1:9-11; 7:56; Revelation 3:21).  God further instructed Christ to sit at His right side “until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”  The symbol of a “footstool” came from the practice of ancient conquerors placing their feet on the necks of those they conquered (see Joshua 10:24; I Kings 5:3). The New testament church believed that Jesus not David, fulfilled this prophecy, both in ascending to the Father’s right hand and in ultimately subduing all His enemies (see Acts 2:34-35; Hebrews 1:3, 13).
2. (vs. 2).  God continues to say to Christ “The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.”  Whereas verse 1 describes where Christ is seated now and how He will defeat His enemies after the millennial reign, this verse refers to Christ’s rule during the millennial reign. The “rod” refers to a rod of judgment against one’s enemies (see Isaiah 11:4; Revelation 2:27: 19:15).  The phrase “The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength” pictures the Messiah subduing all enemies and ruling over them.  The rod or judgment of His strength is sent or extended “out of Zion.”  The name “Zion” has over time become another name for Jerusalem, the city of David (see II Samuel 5:7; I Kings 8:1; I Chronicles 11:5; II Chronicles 5:2).  When Messiah rules on earth it will be from Jerusalem or “Zion” which will be elevated in glory (see Psalms 2:6; Isaiah 2: 1-3; Zechariah 2:10-12; Zechariah 9:9).  From Jerusalem, Messiah’s rule will extend to the ends of the earth (see Psalms 2:7-9; Isaiah 2:4; Zechariah 8:22; 9:10).  The phrase, “rule thou in the midst of thine enemies” simply means that all of Messiah’s enemies will be forced to submit to Him as He rules in the midst of them.
B. The Priest-King’s dominion (Psalms 110:3-4).            
1. (vs. 3).  In this verse, God continues to say “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.”  This verse has military overtones.  The phrase “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power” can be translated as “Your troops will be willing on Your day of battle.”   It’s a picture of those who follow Messiah willingly giving themselves.  “The day of thy power” again can mean “the day of Your battle” and refers to the day the Messiah will gather His army for the battle of Armageddon.  Messiah’s army is different from any other army in that they will fight “in the beauties of holiness.”  This pictures Christ’s army purified and dressed in holy garments.  It signifies holiness or purity (see Revelation 3:4-5; 19:8, 14).  Being dressed in holy garments is essential for those who do battle for a Holy God.  The phrase “from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth” probably has the idea of “Your young warriors will come to you like the dew comes in the morning.”  In essence, these willing and holy warriors of Christ will be as dewdrops, fresh, vigorous, and of great numbers.
2. (vs. 4).  This verse says “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”  As David prophesied, this coming King, the Messiah would have an eternal priesthood.   He would be “a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” and not after Aaron.  The priests all came from the family of Aaron in the tribe of Levi (see Numbers 3:10) long after the Bible introduces “Melchizedek.”  The Davidic kings came from the tribe of Judah, so the offices of king and priest were separate.  As a matter of fact, kings who took on priestly duties were severely punished (see I Samuel 13:8-13; II Chronicles 26:16-21).   Just as Melchizedek was a priest and king over Salem (the name for early Jerusalem), so Christ would serve in a dual role, King and Priest.  Here God swears that the coming Messiah would fulfill the pattern of priesthood set forth in Melchizedek, uniting the functions of both priest and king.  Note:  Melchizedek, which means king of righteousness, was a king of Salem during the days of Abraham and also “the priest of the most high God” (see Genesis 14:18).  All we know about him is that Abraham gave him tithes (see Genesis 14:19-20).  Melchizedek is a type of Christ the King-Priest.  The phrase “a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” refers to the royal authority and unending duration of Christ’s high priesthood (see Hebrews 7:23-24).  The Aaronic priesthood was often interrupted by death.  God sealed this commitment to make Christ a Priest-King forever by making a solemn oath.  He said “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent.”  In other words, God swore that His word would stand and He “will not repent” or change His mind which is the meaning of “repent.”  God swore that Messiah would be a Priest-King forever.  This could not have referred to David or any of his earthly descendents because they all eventually died.  But the Messiah, who is God, is eternal and can rule forever.
III. AN APOSTOLIC WITNESS OF THE KING (Acts 2:22-24, 29-32).  This portion of our lesson comes from Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to the early disciples in a special way (see Acts 2: 1-13).  Peter came forward to explain to the crowd what had happened and that the Holy Spirit’s coming was the fulfillment of prophecy (see Acts 2:14-21).  He quickly focused on Jesus and further addressed the crowd.
A. Jesus’ mighty deeds (Acts 2:22).  At this point, Peter said to the crowd “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know.”   The phrase “Ye men of Israel” includes both Jews who lived in Palestine or Israel as well as those who had come to the feast from abroad.  He called on them to listen to him closely as he pointed out that “Jesus of Nazareth” was “approved of God among you.”  In other words, God showed His approval of Jesus among those in and around Jerusalem.  God demonstrated His approval by “miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you.”  The word “miracles” places emphasis on God, the One who had the power behind Jesus’ miracles.  “Wonders” indicates that the people were amazed by His deeds.  “Signs” refers to the divine significance to which Messiah’s deeds pointed.  Peter went on to say that these deeds were all done right in the very “midst” of the people so they had firsthand knowledge.  This is the meaning of “as ye yourselves also know.”  Since many Jews in the crowd had firsthand knowledge of God’s approval of Jesus by His miraculous deeds, they were responsible for making the correct judgment about Jesus.
B. Jesus’ death and resurrection (Acts 2:23-24).
1. (vs. 23).  Peter continued to say, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”  The phrase “Him, being delivered” means that Jesus was handed over to the Jews by God.  This was done “by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.”  In other words, it was in God’s plan and purpose to hand Jesus over to the Jewish leaders long before any of it took place which is the meaning of “foreknowledge of God.”  Everything that happened to Jesus was under God’s control.  However, those standing before Peter were guilty because as he said “ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.”  Many of the Jews listening to Peter took Jesus and delivered Him into “wicked hands” which is a reference to the Romans and by them Jesus was “crucified and slain.”  In other words the Romans hung Jesus on a cross and killed Him.  For sure, God supervises everything that happens, but just as sure, He holds those who do evil and have evil motives responsible for what they do.
2. (vs. 24).  Peter made it clear in this verse that evil wasn’t victorious over Christ.  He went on to say that this Jesus was the One “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”  God raised Him from the dead “having loosed the pains of death” meaning that God freed Jesus from the agony of death.  God did this because “it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”  In other words, it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Jesus.  It was impossible for death to hold onto Him because of His deity---He was God in the flesh (see John 1:1, 14).
C. David’s prophetic words (Acts 2:29-30).  Verses 25-28 are not part of our printed text, but they lead into our remaining verses.  In those verses, Peter quoted David’s words from Psalms 16:8-11 to show that the resurrection was foreseen even by David.  Peter quoted Psalms 16:8-11 in verses 25-28 where David was speaking of joy at the Lord’s right hand, because He would not allow His Holy One, Christ, to see corruption (the decay of His body).   
1. (vs. 29).  In this verse Peter says “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.”  Peter wanted his listeners to know that when David wrote Psalms 16:8-11 he wasn’t talking about himself, because David was “both dead and buried” and remained that way. As Peter said “his sepulcher is with us unto this day.”  The word “sepulcher” refers to David’s tomb.  Everyone was aware that David’s tomb was right there in Jerusalem (see I Kings 2:10).  Since David was dead and buried, Peter’s point was that in Psalms 16:8-11, David must’ve been speaking prophetically about One who would die, but whose body would not remain in the grave long enough to decay.  David was well aware that at times the Holy Spirit spoke through him (see II Samuel 23:1-2).
2. (vs. 30).  Peter goes on to say “Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.”  As a prophet, David knew that God had sworn with an oath to him “that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.”  The phrase “the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh,” refers to One of David’s descendents who would be the “Christ” whom God would “raise up…to sit on his (David’s) throne.”  This would be a reference to the Davidic covenant that promised that David’s throne would be established forever (see II Samuel 7:12-16).  David was actually prophesying the resurrection of Christ.
D. Jesus’ fulfillment of the prophecy (Acts 2:31-32). 
1. (vs. 31).  Peter continued to say of David that “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.”   The phrase “He seeing this before” means that as a prophet David had looked into the future and “spake of the resurrection of Christ.”  David specifically prophesied that Christ’s “soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.”  The New Testament was written in Greek and the Greek word for “hell” in this verse is “hades” which is the same as the Hebrew word “sheol” in the original psalm.  All three words simply mean the place of the dead or the grave.  “Hell” does not refer to a place of torment in this verse.  If it did, then it would imply that after Jesus died He went to a place of torment, and of course He didn’t.  The phrase “neither his flesh did see corruption” means that Jesus’ body didn’t decay for He was raised bodily from the grave.  Note:  Even though Jesus’ resurrection body was glorified and not subject to the usual physical limitations (see Luke 24:31; John 20:19, 26), it was still a real body that could be touched (see Luke 24:37-43) but not flesh and blood as we are (see I Corinthians 15:35, 42-44, 49-50).  In His resurrection body, Jesus ascended into heaven, and in the same body He will return (see Acts 1:9-11).
2. (vs. 32).  Our final verse says “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.”  Peter, having made his point concluded that “This Jesus,” the One he had just spoken of “hath God raised up.”  Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter’s son, the son of Mary and Joseph, the One whom the Romans crucified at the request of the Jewish leadership is the Messiah of whom David spoke, and God raised Him up as David’s prophecy said.  Peter concluded by saying “whereof we all are witnesses.”  In other words, all of Jesus’ disciples present that day with Peter could personally testify that they were witnesses of His resurrection (see Matthew 28:8-9; Mark 16:9-14; Luke 24:13-32; John 20:13-21, 26-29; 21:1 Acts 1:1-9; I Corinthians 15:3-8).
   
                         
IV. Conclusion.  It’s very sad that there are still people in our day of instantaneous communication who have not yet heard of our Messiah-King.  He has promised to return to the earth and set up His reign on earth in peace and prosperity.  When this King appears to receive us, it will be to an everlasting kingdom.  This means that it has no end.  It’s a simple truth, but one that is easy to overlook.  The world needs to know that there is a permanent and everlasting solution to every need.  The answer is found in Jesus, the everlasting King alone.

 







 

Son of David

                                                                      Sunday School Lesson                                            

Lesson: Psalms 89:35-37; Isaiah 9:6-7; Matthew 1:18-22                                                                                                  
Golden Text: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying…” (Matthew 1:21-22).

INTRODUCTION.  In this week’s lesson we will see how God confirmed His promises made in the Davidic covenant, and revealed more fully through Isaiah how the Messiah would be God incarnate, or in the flesh.  We will also examine how the prophecies of the coming Messiah and King were fulfilled with the birth of Jesus Christ.

CONFIRMING THE COVENANT (Psalms 89:35-37).  The 89^th Psalms was written by Ethan the Ezrahite.  He was a descendent of Levi and the son of Merari (see I Chronicles 6:1).  As a Levite leader, he was probably one of the head musicians in the temple (see I Chronicles 15:17, 19).  Ethan was known for his wisdom in Solomon’s time (see I Kings 4:31).  This Psalm was written to describe God’s greatness (see verses 1-18) and the glorious reign of David and how God would deal with his descendents (see verses 19-34).  Ethan probably wrote this psalm sometime after Solomon’s death when the kingdom was divided into the northern and southern kingdoms as a result of Rehoboam’s pride (see I Kings chapter 12).  With verses 38-52, the psalmist could have been expressing grief over this split of David’s house, or maybe Rehoboam’s humiliation by Shishak (see I Kings 14:25-26).  However, in verses 35-38 which is the first part of our printed text, Ethan speaks of God’s reliability regarding the Davidic covenant.
A. The firmness of God’s oath (Psalms 89:35).  In this verse,   Ethan writes that God said “Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.”  In other words, God’s word is so reliable that He only had to swear “Once” that He “will not lie unto David.”  This was affirmation that God would keep his oath to fulfill all He had promised to David’s house or his descendents (see Psalms 89:19-34).  God’s promise which was covered by the Davidic covenant was so solid that God said “I sworn by my holiness.”  Very little, if anything is more important to God than His holiness or His righteous nature (see Amos 4:2).  What God is actually saying in this verse is that His very holiness was at stake in the fulfillment of His promise to David and his descendents.
B. The nature of God’s oath (Psalms 89:36-37). 
1. (vs. 36).  Part of the oath that God had sworn to David was that “His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.”  Not only would David’s “seed” or descendents endure or continue forever, his “throne” or rule would continue forever as well.   God compared the lasting throne to “the sun before me (God).”  Just as sure as the sun rises every day, in the same way God’s covenant with David’s seed will be reliable and permanent (see Jeremiah 33:20-26).
2. (vs. 37).   God also said that David’s throne “shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.”  Like the sun, the “moon” is permanent and so will be David’s throne.  No matter how things may look now, David’s throne will continue permanently under the future reign of Christ.  The phrase “and as a faithful witness in heaven” could mean that as long as the sun and the moon remain where they are, they are a witness or confirmation of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant with David.  However, there are some who see this phrase to mean the witness is God Himself.  Regardless of how we interpret it, God’s promise is sure.  The term “Selah” occurs 71 times in the Book of Psalms and 3 times in Habakuk.  Most scholars agree that the term is a musical direction of some sort, but they can’t agree on what the direction is.  However, most agree that it is an interlude or pause in the singing while the orchestra continues to play
III. FORESEEING THE KINGDOM (Isaiah 9:6-7).  Like Psalms 89, Isaiah wrote this passage while Israel was undergoing trying circumstances.  The Southern Kingdom of Judah was threatened by an alliance between Israel and Syria (see II Kings 16:5-9; Isaiah 7:1-2).  Even though Isaiah assured King Ahaz that this alliance against Judah would not succeed, Ahaz still appealed to the Assyrians for help (see II Kings 16:7-9) exposing him to an even greater threat---the fast growing Assyrian Empire (see Isaiah 8:5-8).  But even in those times of darkness, the Lord gave Isaiah a message of light and hope for His people (see Isaiah 9:1-5).  This is where the next section of our lesson begins.
A. The character of the King (Isaiah 9:6).  In this verse Isaiah says “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”  The word “For” gives the reason why Israel will enjoy victory, joy, and peace according to Isaiah 9:1-5 (which are not part of our printed text).  The reason is that “unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”  The words “unto us” clearly reveals that Messiah would come specifically to Israel, but the New Testament includes the entire human race as the recipients of the gift of the Messiah (see John 3:16).  He is said to be both a “child” who will be “born” and a “son” who will be “given.”  As a “child” the Messiah was “born” just like all other children.  He would enter the world the normal way except that He had no earthly father and was miraculously born to a virgin (see Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).  He was nourished in the womb of Mary, who experienced a normal pregnancy and the usual pains of childbirth.  As a baby, Jesus was as helpless as any other and required the same kind of care.  Therefore, the word “born” reminds us that the Messiah was fully human and could identify with our needs.  Jesus was also a “son” who is “given” by a gracious God (see Romans 8:32).  “Son” here could simply mean that this was a male child.  Or it could be identifying Him as the son of David.  However, it’s more likely that He is being identified as the Son of God (see Psalms 2:7).  As God’s Son He is “given” not born, because His divine sonship is eternal.   Isaiah went on to say that “the government shall be upon his shoulder.”   Some scholars understand this to mean that the weight of governing will rest on His shoulders.  However, since the word “shoulder” is singular, it may indicate a different meaning, referring to His authority to rule the entire universe. But in the context of our lesson, the emphasis is on the Israelite kingdom of David.  The Messiah will be well qualified for His position as evident in His titles.  The phrase “and his name shall be called” does not refer to proper names, but describes the reputation and attributes of the coming King.  In Scripture, the name of a person indicates his character or nature, and that is the significance of the titles given here.  In the King James Version five attributes are listed, but many Bible scholars believe there are only four as listed in the NIV.  These scholars see “Wonderful” and “Counselor” as one characteristic.  Of course either interpretation is acceptable.  “Wonderful” is actually the Hebrew noun for “wonder.”  It implies that distinct aspects of His character are wonderful as well as the fact that Jesus Christ is a wonder.  “Wonderful” also points to the Messiah’s deity and sets Him apart from anything humans could do or understand.  Elsewhere in Scripture, this term always refers to the works of God, not men (see Psalms 88:12; 119:129).   If “Wonderful” is taken with “Counsellor” as one characteristic, it means that Messiah is a wonder of a Counselor.  In His role as “Counsellor,” Jesus devises plans and advises others to carry them out.  Every king ought to be a counselor (see Micah 4:9) and the Messiah is the greatest counselor of all.  Isaiah prophesied that He would possess the “spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord” (see Isaiah 11:2; Colossians 2:3).  Other rulers need counselors to guide them, but He wouldn’t, for all of His decisions will be made with wisdom.  The Messiah is also called “The mighty God.”  This is a striking title and some have suggested that Isaiah merely meant that Messiah would be a godlike hero.  But since the exact same title is used of Yahweh, or Jehovah in Isaiah 10:21, it clearly describes deity.  The title of “The everlasting Father” expresses the Messiah’s relationship with His own.  He is eternally a Father to them.  As God, the Messiah is eternal by nature and His rule will also be eternal.  He demonstrates a fatherly love and care in every aspect of His rule and this does not change with circumstances, because He is eternal.  Finally, the Messiah is described as “The Prince of Peace.”  Messiah’s rule will demonstrate peace not only in the ending of wars (see Isaiah 2:4), but even in the peacefulness of creation (see Isaiah 11:6-9).  This peace will be based on a deeper peace between God and man that He gained through His death on the cross (see Romans 5:1, 11).
B. The duration of His kingdom (Isaiah 9:7).  Regarding Messiah’s kingdom, this verse says “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”  The government of the Messiah and the peace it brings will increase, expand, and endure for “there shall be no end” to it.  David’s throne and kingdom will last forever.  While Scripture speaks of a thousand year reign of Christ on earth (see Revelation 20:1-4), it also speaks of the eternal duration of His reign (see I Corinthians 15:24, 28; Revelation 11:15; Daniel 7:14).  The phrase “to order it, and to establish it” means that Messiah’s rule will be eternally upheld.  It will be upheld “with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.”  Simply put, Messiah’s rule will last forever and will be upheld with justice and righteousness.  The last phrase of this verse tells us how this can be done: “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”  As noted earlier, when Isaiah gave this prophecy, Judah was in a pitiful condition not knowing how the prophecy would come about.  Only Yahweh’s zeal could do it!  “Zeal” refers to God’s intense passion or affection for His people.  God’s “zeal” combined with His jealousy for His own honor will lead Him to overrule human weakness and vindicate His purposes through the Anointed One, His Son, the Messiah.
IV. FULFILLING THE PROMISE (Matthew 1:18-22).   In his gospel Matthew presented the royal credentials of Jesus Christ to the Jewish people.  He first gave Jesus’ genealogy which traced Him to David and Abraham.  Then Matthew turned to the circumstances of Jesus’ birth which is where our remaining text begins.  
A. Joseph’s dilemma (Matthew 1:18-19).   
1. (vs. 18).  This verse says “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”  Matthew tells us that Jesus’ birth was like this: “When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph.”  The word “espoused” means “betrothed” or engaged to someone.  In this case Mary was engaged to Joseph.  Note:  Jewish engagements were as legally binding as marriage, and the couple were considered husband and wife (see verse 19).  The engagement lasted for a year during which time they would not live together and their faithfulness would be tested.  The betrothal or engagement could only be ended by marriage or divorce.  The phrase “before they came together” refers to the year-long betrothal period when the couple lived separately and had no sexual relations.  During this time, Mary “was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”  Note:  The angel Gabriel had earlier informed Mary that she would miraculously conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 1:35).  Mary then went to visit Elisabeth (see Luke 1:39-40) and returned to Nazareth after three months (see Luke 1:56).  It was only then that her pregnancy became known to Joseph, either by her own words or by the words of others.      
2. (vs. 19).  Here Matthew writes “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.”  Joseph is identified as Mary’s “husband” even though they were not yet married.  However, as noted above, the betrothal or engagement was as legal as marriage.  Joseph is presented with a dilemma.  He now knew that the Child Mary was carrying was not his, and even if she tried to tell him the truth about this Child, who would believe such a fantastic tale?  Adding to his dilemma was the fact that Joseph was “a just man.”  This means that he was a moral, or righteous man.  As such, his morals wouldn’t allow him to marry Mary who Joseph had concluded was unfaithful.  But because of his morals he was “not willing to make her a public example.”  This means that Joseph could divorce her publicly shaming her by stating his reasons for the divorce (see Deuteronomy 24:1).  In addition, the law prescribed the death penalty for unfaithfulness (see Deuteronomy 22:23-24) though this was not carried out in New Testament times.  No doubt it was Joseph’s love for Mary that prevented him from making a public example of her.  Therefore, he thought about another alternative.  He “was minded to put her away privily” or privately.  This involved handing her a letter of divorce in private (see Deuteronomy 24:1) without stating his reasons for the action.  He would then have been keeping the law and at the same time showing compassion to Mary.
B. The angel’s reassurance (Matthew 1:20-21).
1. (vs. 20).  This verse says “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.”  The phrase “while he thought on these things” reveals that Joseph was not a man of hasty or quick actions.  He took time to meditate and perhaps pray.  Note:  If some of us faced a crisis of this magnitude, would we have taken action quickly, without much thought?  What a mistake that would have been in this case.  Joseph’s example reminds us that meditation is just as necessary as action.  It gives God the opportunity to speak to us before we act (see Proverbs 16:3; 21:5).  At this point, Matthew says “behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream.”  The word “behold” calls on one to take notice or pay attention.  Joseph was to take notice of the angel that God had sent to him in a dream with a crucial message.  The angel addressed him as “Joseph, thou son of David.”  This royal title reminded Joseph that in spite of his humble circumstances, he was of royal blood and heir to the vacant Davidic throne (see Matthew 1:16).  Although he wouldn’t be Jesus’ biological father, he would provide the legal basis for Jesus to claim Davidic kingship.  The angel then said “fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife.”  Joseph was to remove all fears he had about marrying Mary.  Since their engagement had bound them legally, she was already considered his wife according to verse 19 where Joseph is called her husband.   Note:  While Joseph considered what to do about Mary, he thought he only had two options: divorce Mary quietly or have her stoned.  But God had a third option---marry her.  In view of the circumstances this had not occurred to Joseph.  However, God often shows us that there are more options available in situations than we may think.  Although Joseph seemed to be doing the right thing by breaking the engagement, only God’s guidance helped him make the best and wisest decision.  When our decisions affect the lives of others, we must always seek God’s wisdom.  Remember, the right thing may not always be the wise thing; but the wise thing will always be the right thing.  Now Joseph could feel free to marry Mary because the angel said to him “for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”  Therefore, the same message that Mary received was now confirmed to him (see Luke 1:35).
2. (vs. 21).  The angel went on to say to Joseph “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”  As a result of the conception by the Holy Spirit, Mary would “bring forth a son.”  Note:   It’s important to note that when the angel appeared to Zacharias to announce that his elderly wife Elisabeth was pregnant, the angel told him that Elisabeth would “bear thee a son” (see Luke 1:13).  However, in Joseph’s case the angel said that Mary would “bring forth a son.”  The difference is that Zacharias would be John the Baptist’s biological father, but Joseph would only be Jesus’ legal or adopted father.  Jesus’ true Father is God Himself (see John 1:29-34).  The name of the Child had been previously given to Mary (see Luke 1:31), but was now given to Joseph.  The angel said “thou shalt call his name Jesus.”   Not only did the angel tell Joseph what to name Jesus, but he also told him the significance of the name.  He said “for he shall save his people from their sins.”  The name “Jesus” means “Jehovah is salvation.”  This name signified the saving work Jesus would accomplish through His death and resurrection.  Whatever else Jesus Christ accomplished on earth, His primary mission or purpose was to save men from sin (see John 1:29; 3:17; I Timothy 1:15).  Jesus was the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua, Yehoshua, or Yeshua.  Joseph may have thought that the words “his people” meant Israel, but the Scriptures tell us that this refers to everyone who trusts in the Messiah as Lord and Savior.  Note:  During the time of Jesus, the expectation of the Messiah was at a high point among the Jews.  However, most of them expected a Messiah who would be a military figure who would save them from the Romans.  But not many of the Jews expected the Messiah to give Himself as a ransom for their sins (see Matthew 20:28; John 11:51).
C. The fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 1:22).  Our final verse says “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying.”  Matthew now reminded his Jewish readers that all that “was done,” or all that happened in connection with Jesus’ birth was a fulfillment of prophecy.  The phrase “all this was done” may refer not only to the virgin birth, but also to the angel’s message preceding it.  The Lord had spoken all these things surrounding the birth of Jesus “by the prophet, saying.”  The prophet referred to here is Isaiah.  The prophecy that God spoke through Isaiah is not part of our printed text, but is given in verse 23 which says “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”  Matthew quoted from the Greek translation of Isaiah 7:14.   This prophecy was given to king Ahaz by Isaiah assuring him that Israel’s deliverance would come through the house of David.  Now this virgin conceived son of David was about to appear, and He would be in the true sense “Emmanuel,” God with us. 

                         
V. Conclusion.  Christians should be thoughtful and discerning people, especially when the Lord sovereignly allows difficult and demanding times to impact our lives.  Instead of making rash decisions, or even thoughtful decisions that are not sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus Christ should include the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Bible reading in their decision making process.  This will enable us to know God’s good and perfect will.  Let’s never forget why this Son of David came into the world.  He came to save us.  This is a need that will never go away while the Lord tarries.  There will always be someone here who needs a Saviour.  Evangelism needs to go on until everyone in the world has had an opportunity to hear the good news about our Davidic covenant Messiah.

 

An Eternal Kingdom

                                                        Sunday School Lesson                                    

Lesson: II Samuel 7:4-16                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever” (II Samuel 7:16).

 INTRODUCTION.  After David became king of all Israel, he moved to build the kingdom.  He captured Jerusalem, defeated the Philistines, and moved the ark to Jerusalem.  It was his desire to build a temple, but God had a better idea.  God’s plan for David is the subject of this week’s lesson.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  The events of this study occurred when king David “sat in his house and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies” (see II Samuel 7:1).  The beginning of David’s reign had been occupied with wars against Israel’s most immediate threats.  The stronghold of Jerusalem was taken from the Jebusites and David made it his capital (see II Samuel 5:6-9).  He also defeated the Philistines twice (see II Samuel 5:17-25).  Another early endeavor of David was to return the Ark of the Covenant to the heart of his kingdom.  One attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem was aborted because it resulted in the death of Uzzah (see II Samuel 6:1-8).  Once they moved the ark properly (carried by the Levites: Deuteronomy 31:25), amid great joy, David established a permanent place for it (see II Samuel 6:12-19).However, David was still not satisfied.  He thought the ark of God deserved a better dwelling place.He said to Nathan the prophet “I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains” (see II Samuel 7:2).  In David’s mind, curtains, or a tent had been suitable for the wilderness wanderings after the Exodus, but surely a more durable structure would be better now.Besides, God’s house, the tabernacle was embarrassingly simple compared with the luxury in which David lived.The prophet Nathan, no doubt was touched by the sincerity of David’s intentions.Therefore, without consulting God, he hastily gave David the go ahead to build a temple (see II Samuel 7:3).  This is where our lesson begins.  Note:  As we will see later, it’s obvious that Nathan was speaking for himself and not from any divine revelation from God.  Like Samuel before him, Nathan was susceptible to error (see I Samuel 16:6).  This is where our lesson begins.  Like these prophets of old, our pastors and teachers can make mistakes.Unless they allow God’s Word to permeate their thoughts, they can give bad advice.  One of the greatest temptations is to give approval to what sounds logical, workable, or spiritual without investigating God’s thoughts (see Joshua 9:3-27).  Instead of relying on what a person teaches, we ought to imitate the Bereans who “searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so” (see Acts 17:11).  
III. ABOUT DAVID (II Samuel 7:4-9)    
A. Not appointed to build the temple (II Samuel 7:4-5).
1. (vs. 4).  This verse says “And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying.”  The very night after the prophet Nathan approved of David’s plan to build a temple, the Lord spoke to Nathan in a dream and corrected the hasty counsel he had given to David.
2. (vs. 5).  The Lord said to Nathan “Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?”  God addressed David as “my servant,” a title that may seem humbling, but prior to this the title had been given only to a select few such as Moses (see Numbers 12:7), Abraham (see Genesis 26:24) and Caleb (see Numbers 14:24).  Thus, the word “servant” is actually a term of honor.  The phrase “Thus saith the Lord” indicated that this message was not from any human source (see Galatians 1:12).   The first question for David was “Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?”  This question implies that the initiative for building a temple was to come from God Himself and no one else.  It also implies that if a temple was to be built, David was not the person to do it.  However, as we will see in verse 13, God was not opposed to a temple being built, just who would build it.  In His sovereignty, God demanded the right to choose the proper person and time for a temple.  Note:  There were a number of reasons why David couldn’t build the Lord a temple.  One reason was that God didn’t have the need for a temple.  He was satisfied with the tabernacle.  Second, God already had determined who would build Him a temple and it wasn’t David.  Third, it wasn’t time to build the temple for Jerusalem might still be attacked (see I Kings 5:3-4).  The proper time would be during Solomon’s peaceful reign.  The fifth reason why David couldn’t build the temple was because David was a man of war who had shed much blood (I Chronicles 22:8-10). 
B. Precedent of the tabernacle (II Samuel 7:6).  God went on to say “Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.”  The Lord pointed out that until this time He had been satisfied with the place of worship, a tent that He had designated for Himself.  The phrase “since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day” is a reference to the almost 435 years between the Exodus and David’s reign.  During that time, God said He “walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.”  The word “walked” carries the idea of moving about as the Israelites did.  It was also a reminder that He was with Israel during her wanderings.  God’s desire to walk in fellowship with man is revealed all through the Bible, beginning at Genesis 3:8 (see also Leviticus 26:12).  This desire is seen in the incarnation of the Son and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (see I Corinthians 6:19).  The mention of both a “tent” and a “tabernacle” does not mean that God lived in two separate places.  The tabernacle was a tent that could be raised and lowered when travelling or camping.  Note:  God had told Moses at Mount Sinai how the tabernacle should be built (see Exodus chapters 25-27).  Skilled craftsmen followed God’s orders, and before Israel moved on the tabernacle had been finished and dedicated (see Exodus 40:17-33).  The glory of God filled it and accompanied its movements throughout the desert wanderings.
C. God’s silence concerning a temple (II Samuel 7:7).  In this verse, God posed another question for David.  He said “In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?”  God was simply asking David if He had ever asked or commanded any of the tribes of Israel to build Him a “house of cedar?”  The term “cedar” refers to an expensive temple.  God was inviting David to think back to every location in which God had fellowshipped or walked with Israel to determine if God had ever directed anyone to build Him a house.  After thinking this through, David would realize the answer was no.  There is some question about the expression “the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel.”  The parallel passage in I Chronicles 17:6 uses the word “judges” instead of tribes.  However, there is no contradiction here.  The difference is due to the viewpoints of the sacred writers.  The tribes had supplied the nation with judges (see Judges 2:16) and leaders before the time of David.  The words “feed my people Israel” refers to the governing of the nation which was done at one time by judges and then transferred to the tribes to which the judges belonged.  Perhaps the tribes of Israel acted as shepherds through their judges.  In essence, the Lord made it very clear that He had never demanded Israel’s former leaders to build Him a temple.  He had been and still was content with the present arrangement.  Indeed, there would be a time for such a building, but that time had not yet arrived.
D.  A great reputation for David (II Samuel 7:8-9).  At this point, the Lord’s instructions to Nathan for David took a different turn. Nathan was to inform David of something wonderful God had planned for him and his descendants.Verses 8-16 present the Davidic Covenant, an unconditional agreement between God and David, the fulfillment of which depended totally on God’s faithfulness, not David’s obedience.
1. (vs. 8).  God said to Nathan “Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel.”  Again, God addressed David as “my servant” (see verse 5).  As God gave David this special title, He also referred to Himself in a special way as “the Lord of hosts” or Lord of armies. This title emphasized God’s sovereignty and omnipotence.  Here, it’s a reminder that God had the power to fulfill all He was about to promise to David.  God then reviewed all that He had already done for David.  He said “I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep.”  Note:  The sheepcote or sheepfold was usually made of rough stones forming an enclosure to protect the sheep at night, and keep out human and animal intruders.  Normally it had no roof.  Several flocks could be kept in this pen, and one of the shepherds would guard the door or entrance.  In the morning each shepherd would call out his own sheep, for they would know his voice and go to him (see John 10:1-5).  During the day a shepherd would take his sheep to various pastures.  Sheep were always led by the shepherd, but here God said that He took David “from following the sheep.”  This phrase reminds us that shepherds often followed individual sheep in order to give special care while the flock grazed.  David was also promoted from following the sheep “to be ruler over my (God’s) people, over Israel.”  Notice the powerful contrast stressing David’s transition from the lowly position of shepherd to a position of great prominence.  To show the importance of this new position God emphasized it by calling Israel “my people.”  David was now privileged to shepherd God’s flock.
2. (vs. 9).  Still speaking of what He had already done for David, God said “And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.”  A couple of things are mentioned here.  First, God said “I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest.”  God never abandons His own (see Psalms 139:7-10; Matthew 28:20).  God cared for David as a Shepherd (see Psalms 23:1).  Second, God said I “have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight.”  Whether the enemy was the Philistines, the Jebusites, the Amalekites, or Saul, God protected and preserved David while disposing of his enemies.  Third, God said that I “have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.”  David’s reputation had already grown enormously (see II Samuel 5:11-12), but this would continue so that his name would live on as one of the giants of human history.  After almost three thousand years the name David still appears prominently in Israel’s cultural and patriotic emblems.  The name David has its place among the names “of the great men that are in the earth.”
IV. ABOUT ISRAEL (II Samuel 7:10-11)      
A. A place for the nation of Israel (II Samuel 7:10).  God’s covenant with David included more than personal blessings on David.  God said “Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime.”  As with His earlier covenant with Abraham, this covenant proclaimed benefits for the entire nation.  God said that He would “appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them.”  The word “plant” involves more than the initial sowing.  Included in the meaning of the Hebrew verb is the work of establishing what has been planted.  The work of planting and cultivating the nation is not yet complete.  Much work remains for a future day (see Amos 9:13-15; Ezekiel 36:33-36).   When God plants Israel, they will “dwell in a place of their own.”  This is a reference to all the land promised to Abram (see Genesis 15:18-21).  Even in Solomon’s day Israel didn’t dwell in all this land; so God’s promises to Abram have yet to be fulfilled completely to this day.  God also said that Israel would “move no more.”  The Hebrew word for “move” means to be “disquieted” or disturbed (see I Samuel 28:15; Jeremiah 50:34).  God promised that Israel’s enemies will not again disturb their land.  Such events as Hitler’s holocaust will not be repeated.  In addition, the Gentile nations, here called “the children of wickedness” will not “afflict them any more, as beforetime.”  This refers to the time before the judges when the Israelite tribes were in a state of disunity and periodic oppression from surrounding nations.  This was as a result of Israel not completely driving out the pagan inhabitants from the Promised Land.  Note:  Israel did enjoy security in Solomon’s day (see I Kings 4:21-25), but later history has shown that wicked men have mercilessly persecuted David’s people.  So, the promise here that God’s people will be planted in their own place and will be free from affliction, no doubt refers to a time still in the future.  At that time, the Jews will be regathered to their land from all over the world, they will accept Christ as their Messiah, and they will finally be able to live in peace (see Ezekiel 39:25-29; Zechariah 10:6-12; Romans 11:26).  The final fulfillment of this verse is yet to come.
B. Peace for the nation of Israel (II Samuel 7:11).  This verse is a continuation of verse 10, connecting the fact that one day Israel won’t be afflicted as she had been before the days of the judges.  God went on to say “And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.”  In other words, God was saying that one day Israel’s enemies will not oppress the nation again as they had done before there were judges and even after God had “commanded (appointed) judges (leaders) to be over my people Israel.”   In addition to this promise, Nathan was to tell David that God said that He had “caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.”  If this phrase is taken separate from the immediate text concerning what God would do for both David and Israel in the future, the words “caused thee to rest from all thine enemies” might appear to refer to the rest from war that David was already experiencing (see II Samuel 7:1).  However, in the Hebrew, the verb “rest” can also refer to a future rest which fits better in the context of this verse.  Therefore, this last phrase can also read “I will also give you to rest from all your enemies.”  Nathan concluded this verse saying to David that “Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.”  Notice the play on words here.  God would not allow David to build Him a house (or temple), but God said He would “make” or build David a “house,” referring to a dynasty.  David had already built himself a house of cedar (see II Samuel 7:1-2).  The “house” or dynasty that God had in mind for David was a royal line stretching out to eternity.
V. ABOUT SOLOMON (II Samuel 7:12-15)
A. The heir (II Samuel 7:12).  Nathan continued to say to David “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.”  God told David that when he died and was buried with “thy fathers” or his ancestors, He would “set up thy seed after thee.”  In other words when David died, God would securely install his heir, who was yet to be born as king.  This child would “proceed out of thy (David’s) bowels” meaning that the child will come from David’s body.  This also indicated to David that the child that would succeed him as king was not one of his present sons.  At this time, David had at least six sons and maybe even nine (see I Chronicles 3:1-9).  Of course this heir would be Solomon (see Kings 2:10-12).  It’s possible that David may have thought that God was speaking about Absalom, his oldest son, for Solomon had not been born yet.  However, the use of the words “shall proceed” refers to a future time and therefore another son.  God said that He would “establish his (Solomon’s) kingdom.”  This has a twofold fulfillment.  This prophecy was fulfilled in a marvelous way during Solomon’s reign for Israel was never as large, wealthy, and renowned as it was under Solomon.  The complete and eternal fulfillment is still to come as we will see in the next verse.   
B. The house (II Samuel 7:13).  Still speaking of David’s heir, God said “He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”  The “he” here refers to Solomon, David’s son who God said “shall build an house for my name” or a place where God’s name would be honored and glorified.  The “house” refers to the first temple that Solomon was to build.  The temple was, in fact, filled with the glory of God when it was completed (see II Chronicles 7:2-3).  The building of the temple is described in I Kings chapter 6.  It took Solomon seven years to complete it.  In the last part of this verse, God also said “I will stablish the throne of his (Solomon’s) kingdom for ever.”   This appears to indicate that there would always be a descendent of David ruling over all Israel.  However, history teaches us that after Solomon died, the nation of Israel was divided into the Northern Kingdom called Israel, and the Southern kingdom called Judah.  Each nation had their own kings.  David’s descendents continued to rule the Southern kingdom until Jeconiah was taken into captivity by the Babylonians.  He was the last in David’s line to sit on the throne but only over Judah.  There have been no kings of Israel from the Davidic line since the Babylonian Captivity in 586 B.C. Taking all of this in to account, it would seem that this prophecy has gone unfulfilled.  However, the term “throne” here, does not refer to a physical throne, but to the authority to rule.  The Hebrew word translated “throne” simply means “a seat of honor.”  Therefore, the expression “stablish the throne of his (Solomon’s) kingdom for ever” means that the Davidic authority and kingdom rule over Israel shall never be taken from David’s descendents.  Note:  Regardless of how many kings rule over Israel, the right to rule will never be transferred to another family, and it is designated for eternity.  Although there is no Davidic king in Israel now, the throne will return to David’s Seed when Jesus returns to set up His millennial reign on earth.  At that time the throne will be restored to the Davidic line never to end (Isaiah 11:1-10; Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 19:11-16).
C. The help for, and chastisement of Solomon (II Samuel 7:14-15).
1. (vs. 14).  Still talking about Solomon, God said “I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.”  The Lord declared that He would have a father-son relationship with David’s heir, Solomon.  As a result of this father-son relationship, the new king could always call on God for help, but he was never to think that his position was so grand that Yahweh (Jehovah) would not bring judgment against him.  Therefore the Lord said “If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.”  In other words, God told David that He would chasten his heir if he committed “iniquity” or sin.  God said He would chastise David’s heir “with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.”  This means that God would use other nations to discipline Solomon when the need arose.    
2. (vs. 15).  Although God said that He would discipline David’s heir when he committed sin, here God also says “But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.”  When divine chastisement or discipline occurs, it doesn’t mean that God withdraws His mercy.  Under the law, David deserved to die for his many sins, among which were adultery and murder (see Leviticus 20:10; Numbers 35:30-31) yet God extended mercy to him (see Psalms 51:1).  Likewise, God said that He would have mercy on Solomon when he sinned.  As things turned out, divine discipline for Solomon was apparently minimal, at least during his reign, for his kingdom flourished with little intimidation or damage done by foreign nations.   God compared how He would deal with Solomon’s sin with how He dealt with Saul’s sins.  He said that He wouldn’t take His mercy away from Solomon “as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.”  Saul’s death as recorded in I Samuel chapter 31 was ghastly and tragic.  In contrast Solomon, who began his reign well but declined spiritually toward the end of his life under the influence of his many wives, had a peaceful end.  However, Solomon didn’t avoid discipline, for God punished him in an emotional way by letting him know that his kingdom would be split following his death (see I Kings 11:1-13).
VI. ABOUT THE DYNASTY (II Samuel 7:16).    God, through Nathan now gave David a promise.  He said “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”  The “house” or dynasty and “kingdom” established by God for David, as well as the “throne” serving as a symbol of that kingdom will endure forever.  Solomon had not been born yet, but God promised that his dynasty would not be cut off.  In ancient times such a promise was very comforting because assassinations occurred frequently.  Without the protection of God, no ruler could be sure his line would survive long.  God said that David’s line, his kingdom and his throne would not merely last for a long time, but “forever.”   The only way such a promise could be fulfilled literally was for the eternal Son, Israel’s Messiah to sit on the throne of David.  Someday Jesus will do just that (see Luke 1:32-33)!  Note:  Jehoiachin, according to God’s words (see Jeremiah 22:30), would be the last of Solomon’s descendents to sit upon the Davidic throne, yet Solomon’s royal authority, or the “throne” of his kingdom would endure.  One might ask then, how could one of David’s descendents reign over the future kingdom if he could not be descended from Solomon but still needed the royal authority of Solomon’s lineage?  Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic covenant (see Luke 1:32-33) solved this dilemma in a unique way.  Through Mary, Jesus was a physical descendent of David through Nathan another son of David (see Luke 3:31).  If Solomon had not been selected king, Nathan had the right to be king.  Through His legal guardian Joseph, a descendent of Solomon (see Matthew 1:6, 16), Jesus received the authority to rule.  
                          
VII. Conclusion.  David had good intentions and a noble ambition.  He wanted to build God a house.  Sometimes, even when our motives are pure and sincere, God may overrule our plans.  God revealed that He didn’t need a house from David.  Instead He intended to establish the house or dynasty of David.  The covenant He made with David would not be nullified.  It was a covenant with eternal ramifications.  A portion of this covenant is yet to be fulfilled.  Humans make promises they cannot or will not keep.  It inspires worship when we realize that our God is totally capable of keeping every promise He ever made.  The promises made to David will be fulfilled completely. We can count on it!

 







 

 

 vv

Control Your Speech

                                                                          Sunday School Lesson
                                            

Lesson: James 3:1-12 
                                                                                             
Golden Text: “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (James 3:10).
INTRODUCTION.  Can you name the muscle in your body that receives more exercise and demonstrates less control than any other muscle?  It only weighs two ounces.  Just open your mouth and say “Ahh!”  There it is; your tongue.  There is no other member of our body that can be used for greater good and for more evil at the same time than the tongue.  One moment we use the tongue to encourage people, then turn right around and use it to cut them to pieces.  In James chapter 1 we are told that one of the key signs of a believer is a person who can bridle his tongue (see James 1:26).  In chapter 3 from which our lesson comes, James returns to the subject of the tongue providing several examples to teach about it, and the importance of controlling it. 
BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  The apostle James, who was the brother of our Lord Jesus, did not become a believer in Christ until after Jesus’ resurrection (see John 7:5; I Corinthians 15:7).  He later became the head of the church at Jerusalem (see Acts chapters 12 and 15 as well as Galatians chapters 1and 2).  As the leader of the church in Jerusalem, James addressed this letter to Jewish Christians who were scattered abroad as a result of persecution.  However, no doubt he received word that many of his readers were having problems which included angry conversation and a lack of clarity about the right way of living as a disciple of Jesus.  In the previous lesson, James dealt with the importance of faith and works or good deeds: how they must go together.  In this week’s lesson, James focuses on the gift of speech and how it can be used for both good and evil and how our speech needs to be controlled.  One way that our speech can be used for good is through teaching. It’s appropriate that James begins the text with an admonition to his readers who teach, for if anyone needs to control what he says, it would be one who instructs others. 

III. SINS OF SPEAKING (Luke 6:1-5)    

A. The danger for teachers (James 3:1).  James began here with a warning to aspiring teachers.  He wrote “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”  The word translated “masters” in this verse is translated “teachers” in other passages (see Acts 13:1; I Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11).  In former times, teachers were sometimes called “masters” or schoolmasters.  The phrase “My brethren, be not many masters” can also be rendered “Let not many of you become teachers.”  Some may take this to mean that teachers should be few in number, but James was trying to stress the seriousness of teaching.  Due to pride, many of James’ readers sought recognition as teachers of spiritual truth not realizing the responsibility that went with it.  Teaching was a highly valued and respected profession in Jewish culture, and many Jewish Christians wanted to become teachers.  Whether serving as a church leader, youth worker, or Sunday school teacher, everyone should take the teaching of the Word very seriously.  This is because as James said, teachers “shall receive the greater condemnation.”  Simply put, this means that teachers will be judged more strictly that those who don’t teach.  Sadly, many teachers fail to realize how important they are to the work of the Lord.  Note:  Although by interpretation, James was addressing those who wanted to teach spiritual truths, we can also apply his words to any teachers.  Through words teachers have great influence over others, shaping lives toward good or evil.  Therefore, they are accountable for measuring their words and controlling their tongues.  All teachers should approach the task of teaching with the highest and holiest motives and efforts.  Devoting oneself to adequate preparation for teaching is essential for quality instruction that is worthy of our Lord.  And whether we are teachers in schools or churches, as Christians we must make sure we prepare properly because we represent Christ no matter who we are teaching.  One may ask why will the judgment on teachers be greater?  Well, Jesus taught the principle of the final judgment that “unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (see Luke 12:48).   So, no one should be overly eager to teach because the mistakes of a teacher will affect many. 
B. The struggle for all of us (James 3:2).  In this verse James continued to say “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”  Like James, we must admit that “in many things we offend all.”  In other words, we all “offend” or stumble in many ways.  We all often fall short of God’s expectations (see Romans 3:23) for we are frail creatures indeed.  Thankfully, God takes this into account (see Psalms 103:12-14).  James said that “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.”  The word “perfect” here means to be complete or mature, not sinless.  James was saying that anyone who never stumbles or says the wrong things is mature and is “able also to bridle the whole body.”  If we could somehow learn to bridle, or control the tongue, we could actually control the whole body and its actions.  The point James is making is that the tongue is the most difficult member of the body to control.  Gaining victory over the tongue is the mark of a person who is “a perfect man,” or spiritually mature in all areas of life.  People who are blameless in every other aspect of life, but whose testimonies are ruined because of their tongues are not yet complete or mature.  Of course, none of us have reached that level of maturity yet.  We all have trouble controlling our speech.
IV. ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE TONGUE’S POWER (James 3:3-6)      
A. Bridling speech (James 3:3).  James goes on to say “Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.”  Though small, the tongue is powerful.  To illustrate this, James used two examples.  First, he spoke of the “bits” we put in a horse’s mouth to control its movements.  Like the tongue, the bit is small, the horse is large yet the horse’s “whole body” is controlled by the bit.
B. Overcoming momentum (James 3:4).  James’ second example involves a ship’s rudder (an oar-like movable device at the rear of a ship to direct its course).  He said “Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.”   The point here is that ships, though very large, can be driven by “fierce (strong) winds” that threaten to drive them off course and wreck them.  But the ships can be controlled and turned around by a “very small helm (or rudder).”  Through this, the “governor” or pilot of the ship is able to steer it wherever he “listeth” or wants to go. 
C. Careless speech (James 3:5-6). 
1. (vs. 5).  In this verse James gives the point of the two illustrations.  He wrote “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”  When we consider the whole human body, the tongue is only a “little member” or organ.   Just as the bit and the rudder have influence out of proportion to their size, so also does the tongue.  It has great power, and often “boasteth great things.”  In this verse, the phrase “boasteth great things” means that the tongue has much power and influence.  It has great power, sometimes boasting of great things and sometimes causing great damage.  To illustrate this, James called to mind a forest fire.  As we know, a forest fire can be ignited from just a tiny spark.  Hundreds of square miles can burn up before the fire is finally brought under control.  So, the tongue can start fires out of proportion to its size.  Note:  Too many people allow their tongues to be the spark that inflames great passion and anger.  Just a word can begin a fistfight or cause relatives to be at odds with each other for years.  Churches have been split because of unruly tongues.  Young Rehoboam lost half his kingdom because of his tongue (see I Kings 12:10-16).  The uncontrollable tongue can do terrible damage.  Satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another.  Idle and hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once the words are spoken.  We should not be careless in what we say, thinking that we can apologize later, because even if we do, the scars remain.  A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build (see Proverbs 15:1).  Before we speak, we should remember that words are like fire---you can neither control nor reverse the damage they can do.     
2. (vs. 6).  James continued to say “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”  As fire destroys, so does the tongue.  It is a “world of iniquity.”  In other words, the tongue is a world of evil when considered among the other parts of the body.  Since all that the evil world consists of (see I John 2:16), greed, idolatry, filth, lust, blasphemy, bitterness, pride, and deceit is embodied in the uncontrolled tongue, it “defileth the whole body.”  As one small member, the tongue can defile the entire person.  James also said that the tongue “setteth on fire the course of nature” meaning that the tongue is destructive to the whole cycle of a person’s life, both personal and social.  The last phrase “and it is set on fire of hell” reveals the ultimate source of this destructiveness---“hell.”   Note:  The term “hell” in the Greek is “Gehenna” a place in the Valley of Hinnom where in ancient times it was used for human sacrifice (II Chronicles 33:6; Jeremiah 7:31), and later the garbage dump of Jerusalem where the fires burned continuously illustrating to the Jews unending judgment upon the wicked.  Jesus used it to picture the place of eternal torment, where Satan and his minions will be punished (see Mark 9:48; Revelation 20:10).  James saw the sins of the tongue as satanically incited.
D. The untamable tongue (James 3:7-8). 
1. (vs. 7).  In this verse James says “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind.”  In the beginning, God gave mankind authority over creation (see Genesis 1:28).  Human beings are the only creatures intellectually capable of subduing nature.   As a result, James says that “every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed” and has been tamed by man.  The term “tamed” does not mean domesticated.  It means to be brought under control. 
2. (vs. 8).  James goes on to say “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  Man has shown that he can tame wild animals, but he can’t tame or control his own tongue.  James said “the tongue can no man tame.”  This is because the tongue is “an unruly (or restless) evil” like a wild animal constantly pacing and never satisfied.  The tongue is also described as “full of deadly poison” like the poisonous fangs of a snake.  The words that we carelessly speak can do immense and irreparable damage to people and relationships.  Note:  James is correct in his assessment that no man can tame the tongue.  However, if this is true, why should we even bother trying to control our tongues?  Well, even if we may not achieve perfect control of or tongues, we can still learn enough control to reduce the damage our words can do.  It is better to fight a fire than to go around setting new ones!  Remember that we are not fighting the tongue’s fire in our own strength.  The Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say, so that when we are offended or harmed, the Spirit will remind us of God’s love and we won’t react in a hateful manner.  When we are criticized, the Holy Spirit will heal the hurt, and we won’t lash out.
V. PURITY OF SPEECH (James 3:9-12)    
A. Positive power (James 3:9-10).          
1. (vs. 9).  Still talking about the tongue that no man can tame, James here says “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.”  James is saying that it is completely inconsistent for us to “bless” or praise God the Father with the same tongue that we sometimes “curse” or speak evil of men, especially since we are “made after the similitude (likeness) of God.”  In other words, we are made after the image of God.  This is the highest degree of hypocrisy---being “double-tongued.”   To exalt God the Father is commendable, but this outward show of devotion means nothing when with the same tongue we curse people.  We can do this not only by using profanity or invoking curses, but we can also curse people by speaking abusively, or slandering their reputation.  This sin is worsened by the fact that those we curse are created in the “similitude” or likeness of God.  This is what distinguishes us from all other creatures.  How then, can we speak evil of someone who bears God’s image without slandering God also?  Using the tongue for both blessing and cursing is the worse hypocrisy and stands condemned.
2. (vs. 10).  In this verse, James sums up the inconsistency of blessings and cursing coming from the same tongue.  He said “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”  For “blessing and cursing” to come from the same tongue is so contradictory that James added in a gentler tone: “My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”  James’ readers are challenged to strive for maturity, for words reveal what resides within us.  Jesus Himself said that it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that defiles him, but what comes out (see Matthew 15:10-20).  When curses and other vile language come forth, they reveal the true condition of the heart.
B. Blessing and cursing (James 3:11-12).  In the final two verses, James asks two rhetorical questions to prove that blessing and cursing coming from the same tongue is a monstrous contradiction that is not even found in nature, where the product is always consistent with its source.
1. (vs. 11).  First James asked “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”  Of course the answer is no.  We don’t expect to get “sweet water” or fresh water from the same fountain as we would get “bitter” or salt water.  That’s illogical and inconsistent with a fountain.
2. (vs. 12).  The second question James asked is “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”  Just as we wouldn’t expect to get salt and fresh water from the same fountain, neither would we expect different kinds of fruit to grow on the same tree.  A lot more could be said about taming the tongue, but more words won’t solve the problem unless the words are a prayer for God’s help in controlling our tongues.

 

VI. Conclusion.  Man has been able to do some amazing things, but he cannot control his tongue on his own.  Most Christians are not usually guilty of outright lying.  A more pervasive problem among believers is gossip.  Whenever a choice piece of gossip comes our way, there are several questions we need to ask ourselves before we pass on such information.  First, ask yourself, was I an eyewitness to the deed?  If I was not, I might be spreading a falsehood if I pass on what I’ve heard (see Exodus 20:16).  Second, am I willing to take responsibility for the information I pass on, willing to sign my name under it?  While most people are willing to spread gossip, they are not willing to take responsibility for what they spread (see Matthew 12:36-37).  Third, can I support what I say with the divine requirement of two or three witnesses (see Deuteronomy 19:15; I Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28)?  Without such support, what is said amounts to mere hearsay.  Fourth, am I willing to make this statement in the presence of the person I accuse, giving him an opportunity to defend himself (see Matthew 18:15-17; Acts 24:18-20; Romans 14:10-13; James 4:11-12)?  Fifth, am I motivated by love to spread the information I have (see I Corinthians 13:4-7)?  Most talebearers or gossipers simply want someone else to look bad.  Even if something is completely true, there are many things that are better left unsaid.  Certainly there are true things about all of us that we would not want broadcasted publicly.  There is a truth that was written almost three thousand years ago that still applies today: “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter” (see Proverbs 11:13).  In other words, a gossiper betrays a person’s confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.