God Promises His Presence

January 29, 2023 Background Scripture: Joel 1:1 - 4; 2:18 - 31 Lesson Passage: Joel 2:21 - 27 The prophet Joel is best known for his prophetic description of the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit baptized the believers in the first century church: "I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days." Peter referenced the prophet to explain the phenomenon that occurred on that day as recorded in The Acts of the Apostles. What is not so well known is all that surrounds that passage of scripture in Joel's prophecy, Joel, as with the other prophets of God, was speaking to the people on God's behalf. God sent a dire warning to His wayward people to return to Him with all their heart. To not do so would invite severe consequences. Throughout recorded biblical history God has used nature to punish people. God described the severe damage that would occur as a result of Him sending swarms of locusts to devour the vegetation that was being used to sustain and bring joy in life. Nothing could be done by people to stop the swarms from destroying the land. God uses nature in a way that defies technology and human ingenuity. Recently, God used a microscopic virus to simultaneously shut down every economy in the world. It happened in small countries and large nations. It didn't matter which nation had a military and weapons and which did not. No number of nuclear bombs could act as a deterrent or force a swift resolution to the economic disaster. Nuclear weapons were totally useless against the invisible but potent force of nature. Those of us who know something about God knew what needed to be done. The solution has been the same throughout human history. With the warning, God always provides the option to avoid disaster. God always require that His people repent of sin and return to Him. God offers to do more after the repentance than the bountiful blessings He provided before the falling away, It was no different in the time of Joel. God promised an even closer relationship with His people after they repent. First, God promised that repentance would bring restoration. He would even restore what was lost during the plague of locusts. They deserved the punishment, yet God promised to remove the penalty. They would not continue to suffer as a result of their past sin. God's work in their lives would bring forth praises to the name of the Lord. Not only would God remove the penalty for their sin, He would also take away the guilt and shame of it. Hearts of joy and praises for the Lord's name would be evidence of God's presence in their midst. In that environment of praise and worship, God would pour out His Spirit on His people. They would experience God's presence in an amazing way: His Spirit will take up residence inside of them. That's the promise of His presence that God made to His people through Joel. And Peter declared on the Day of Pentecost that the fulfillment of God's promise had taken place in Jerusalem. On that day, there were devout Jews living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven. What a great cloud of witnesses. Every language in the world at that time was used by the Spirit-filled believers to praise the wonderful works of God. God's presence was available as He promised. Robert C. Hudson January 19, 2023

God Promises Light

January 22, 2023 Background Scripture: Isaiah 58: 1 - 14 Lesson Passage: Isaiah 58:6 - 10 As I meditated on the Background Scripture, I thought about the many occasions of seeing inappropriate "theme scriptures" used for annual days at some local churches. It appeared someone searched for a biblical verse that used words that seemed to match the occasion of the annual day. Yet, there was no apparent attempt to match the context of that verse with that annual day. In other words, the specific scripture chosen communicated something biblically that had absolutely nothing to do with the occasion for which the scripture was being used. Sometimes we are tempted to take God's words and use them for our own purposes—despite what God communicated with those words. God said what He said, and God meant what He said. God has not given us the privilege to reinterpret what He has communicated! That is why it is important to carefully consider whatever God said, who He said it to, the context in which He said it, and to whom He directs its application. To not do this is to open ourselves up to disappointment. God taught Israel to fast and pray as a means of afflicting their souls, humbling themselves before Him, and living righteously. Under those conditions, God responded to whatever they prayed about to Him, Fasting was much more involved than not eating for a span of time. Over time, people of God, including today, have tended to abuse fasting. Fasting is a method whereby a person afflicts their soul to earnestly seek God's face. Fasting is not to be used to get God to seek us. God promises to allow His presence to be sensed more by a person who sincerely fasts. God promises to be attentive to the prayers of those who fast according to His guidelines. Proper fasting affects the internal holiness of the person, and it is not an outward display of piety. In the Background Scripture, God spoke through the prophet words of chastisement to His people, They were fasting as an outward show of religion and not with an internal change of heart. In essence, they were not eating and continued to behave in a very unholy manner. Then, they wondered why God was not responding to them. They were not eating, wearing sackcloth, and sitting in ashes and waiting on God to answer their prayers. And God's question to them was, "Would you call this a fast?" God leveled some heavy accusations against them. While they were pretending to fast, they were enjoying themselves, mistreating people, arguing, and fighting. There were hungry people around them not being fed. There were naked, or poorly dressed, people around them not being attended to. There were homeless people not being provided shelter. God was saying to His People: If you're not going to do My business while you afflict your souls and fast, then you might as well eat! God would not respond to any requests they made of Him while not eating and purposely living unholy lives. On the other hand, God gave them an option. If they would fast according to His directions: not eating, afflicting their souls, and doing His business by relieving the poor of their burdens, then their light would shine brightly. God would respond to their prayers quickly. Their righteousness before Him would be obvious to others. His glow would be their protection. As they humbled themselves through fasting and prayer before God, He would elevate them in the world. Then they would receive all the blessings God promised their forefathers. Proper fasting would cause their light to shine, Robert C. Hudson January 12, 2023

God Promises to Guide

January 15, 2023 Background Scripture: Isaiah 48:1 - 22 Lesson Passage: Isaiah 48:3 - 8a, 17 Today's Background Scripture takes on the tone of a parent chastising a child. God draws a clear distinction between His knowledge and Israel's pretention. God purposely revealed information in a way to prevent Israel from claiming to be knowledgeable about it beforehand. He did not cause some situations to occur sooner to prevent Israel from insinuating they were already aware of it. God would not allow them the opportunity to claim that an idol had done it. God only made them aware of some things by way of revelation to remind them of the limitations of their knowledge. As God's chosen people, Israel had to be brought to the awareness of their need for repentance, submission to God, and the reception of God's work that He would do in them. God clearly addressed what we can describe as Israel's humanity. Israel missed the mark in terms of holiness. They attempted to compensate by using self-righteousness that only they could judge. They wanted to be independent and in control of their own destiny. Their disposition and actions contrasted with the promises God made to their ancestors. God would not allow Israel to continue to live contrary to His will for them. God informed them that His plan for redeeming them existed from the beginning. God's plan of redemption included sending His Servant to them. God's Servant would clearly acknowledge to Israel that He was sent to them by God. The Servant of God would teach them to live prosperous lives in this world. He would lead them along a safe route. Following His commandments would ensure peace m their midst. Their obedience would cause righteousness to flow from them with the power of the waves of the sea. Their population would continue to explode on the earth as numerous as grains of sand. They would continuously reflect the glory of God in this world. Therefore, God would be pleased to multiply them endlessly. Whenever they erred from the path of righteousness, God chastised them with other nations. It was temporary, and God called them from those places of chastisement that He might again delight in them. They rejoiced in their deliverance. They witnessed an abundance of miracles as God gave them endless amounts of water to quench their thirst in dry places. Rocks became fountains and deserts became oases. That was God's response to their repentance. Those responses reflected God's promise to guide them in the way they should go. Haughtiness and self-determination would cause them to lose the peace God was offering them. God's guidance would bring forth praise from them that would be pleasing to God. This is the true sacrifice God desires. God does not delight in the death of bulls and calves as a form of worship. True worship comes from a heart that is made right with God. People do not have the capacity to make themselves holy. Self-righteousness constantly leads to turmoil and confusion. This is all that wickedness will ever produce. Pleasing God will only come from following God. This is the example demonstrated by the Servant of God, God's Servant lived what He taught. He taught as He followed God's guidance. That is God's offer to His people: Allow Me to guide you into paths of righteousness for My name's sake. Now, back to the analogy of a parent chastising a child. Human parents demonstrate our love when we guide our children by the example we live before them. When they are disobedient, we chastise them to put them back on track. We remind them of who they are and what they mean to us. Israel could be sure of God's love for them because He promised to guide them by sending His Servant to them. Robert C. Hudson December 30, 2022

God Promises to Restore

January 8, 2023 Background Scripture: Isaiah 43: 1 - 21 Lesson Passage: Isaiah 43:1 - 4, 10 - 12 In the Background Scripture, Isaiah delivered a very important message to the people of Israel. The opening statement is a declaration of the source of the message. The eternal God of creation is the One Who sent the message. The message was very personal from the beginning. God declared ownership of Israel but not as a material possession, but as a personal relationship. It is reminiscent of the statement God made through the prophet Jeremiah when He said to His people, "I am married to you." God called them by name. He used their forefather's natural birth name, Jacob, and his spiritual birth name, Israel. The use of both names covers the full range of the relationship God has with them. God created Jacob to be His even before Jacob knew God. After Jacob came to know God in a very personal way, God changed his name to Israel to reflect the new relationship. The restoration God promised them in this lesson corresponds to the promises and covenant He had with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. There was nothing in this world that would prevent God from showing His love to them. He had chosen them as His own. God enabled them to overcome the harsh limitations of nature and the brutal treatment by people to demonstrate His love for them. They were precious in God's sight, and therefore He honored them among people. There was no need for them to be afraid of any situations they may encounter or misfortune that might overtake them. God would be their Protector and Deliverer. Even when they are scattered as a people, God would regather them to Himself from across the world. The "el" in the name "Isra - el" identifies them with God. He called them by His name because He created them for His glory to honor Him. God declared Himself to be without peer. Nothing and no one existed before God. Therefore, there is nothing and no one who can claim to be equal with or greater than God. Whatever God declares, it is truth. God's truth cannot be denied by any. It can only be witnessed to, or attested to, by true believers. True believers have witnessed God's work in their own lives. God does not look for His enemy to praise Him and His mighty works. God's people have the privilege of doing that because of personal experiences. God's relationship with Israel is a demonstration of the love He has for all who He claims as His own. All that we know about God or may come to learn about Him In this life, has been demonstrated through His love for Israel. Through the word of God, the bible, we can see His divine love for Israel even when they did not truly know Him as their God, Afterwards, we see God's loving discipline of them. No matter how far Israel strayed from God, He would always limit their punishment, or suffering, and regather them to Himself. God was always there to pick up the pieces and restore Israel to the place He preserved for them. As if knowing His track record wasn't enough for them, God went so far as to promise Israel that He would always restore them. One would think that would be enough to warrant immediate repentance and turning to God in prayer by His wayward people. God's redeeming love reminds me of the lyrics: "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!" A prayer of repentance will always be answered by God because He promised to restore His people. Robert C. Hudson December 23, 2022