The Peaceful Kingdom

September 4, 2016 Background Scripture: Isaiah 11:1 – 9 Lesson Passage: Isaiah 11:1 – 9 The focus of the next series of lessons shifts to the most prolific of the writing prophets, Isaiah. Isaiah’s writing spans all times from the pre-existence of time to the post-time events recorded in the book of Revelation. Today’s lesson focuses on the future Kingdom of God on earth. Of course, the kingdom is established by the long awaited Messiah of God. The details given by Isaiah begin with the origin and nature of the Messiah. The Messiah will be from the tribe of Judah and a descendant of Jesse (David’s father). This is significant because Judah is spoken of here as a remnant and not the full tribe. This is part of the hope that God provides for His covenant people. The northern kingdom of Israel, which consisted of ten tribes, was decimated by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. The southern kingdom of Judah, the two remaining tribes that inherited land, fell to the Babylonians in 586 B.C. The northern kingdom was never restored but God provided a remnant from the southern kingdom which included the family line the Messiah would come through. Isaiah’s language, which describes a rod from the stem and a branch from the roots of Jesse, refers to a remnant that is analogous to a branch growing out of the stump of a tree that was cut down. This is the hope the Jewish exiles could hold on to even in Babylonian exile. God made promises that were firmly rooted in the covenant He made with Abraham. Israel could not be annihilated without God going back on His promises. God would punish the sins of the nation but He would also preserve a remnant to fulfill His promises. The Messiah would come forth from this remnant. The kingdom established by the Messiah would restore the pre-flood conditions of nature without the presence of sin. In the post-flood covenant God made with Noah, God declared that the fear and dread of man would be in every beast of the earth. Furthermore, animals were added to man’s diet in this covenant. But here, in the Noahic covenant, God also spoke of beasts taking man’s life as well. Nature was literally turned against itself after the flood. The kingdom established on earth by the Messiah would restore the balance of nature and peace would prevail. Animals that we classify today as carnivores because they are meat eaters will return to being herbivores and consume plants for their food. Today’s carnivores and herbivores will share the same diet of plants in the Messiah’s kingdom. They will no longer be predators and prey. Wild beasts will no longer pose a threat to mankind and little children will be able to play with snakes that are classified today as poisonous. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the Messiah’s kingdom will be in the area of human relations. The Messiah’s righteousness will be the standard for justice. The meek of the earth will be vindicated because the Messiah will argue their case for them. The words of the Messiah will be words of justice. The Messiah’s knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and counsel will be given to him by the Spirit of God. The Messiah’s kingdom on earth will be the peaceful kingdom. Robert C. Hudson August 24, 2016

Love Fulfills the Law

August 28, 2016 Background Scripture: Romans 12:1, 2; 13:8 – 14 Lesson Passage: Romans 12:1, 2; 13:8 – 10 God revealed His perfect Law through Moses. Moses, who is known as the great Law giver, made known this Law to Israel and they, in turn, have made it available for the world. The Law describes holiness and righteousness—or characteristics of a right relationship with God. Since the Law is already perfect, it will never be amended or repealed. Everything of God works in concert with the Law and grace is no exception. In this letter, Paul made it clear that we don’t have the capacity, in our own strength, to keep or fulfill the righteous requirements of the Law because of sin in our flesh. Even when we desire with all of our heart to do as the Law demands, sin, in us, is present to hinder us. In this part of the letter to the Romans, Paul turned his attention to what is required for us to fulfill the Law. Paul stated that love, one for another, fulfills the Law. He reiterated the four commandments that govern peer to peer righteousness to show that they are summed up by simply acknowledging that we should love others as we love ourselves. When we demonstrate our love for others, we do not steal from each other; we do not tell a lie as a witness against another; we do not violate the intimate trust of marriage; and we do not desire to have anything that is the property of someone else. Because love avoids harming another person, it then is the fulfillment of the righteous Law of God in this regard. The actions Paul defined are a demonstration of benevolent love that is the meaning of the Greek word agape. Agape is the love that fulfills the Law. Agape love is benevolent action because it is motivated by the need or needs of another. Agape love does not have good feelings as its source neither is it sustained by emotions. Meeting the needs of another person is the source and sustainer of this type of love. The act of agape love may bring joy to the benevolent one but that is not the motivation for it. Agape is not done out of a sense of obligation as in the case of a parent meeting the needs of a minor child. Agape does not have an expectation of reciprocity as is often the case of two admirers caught up in a romantic affair. The English word love is too often restricted to feelings, reciprocity, or obligation and therefore could never describe actions that fulfill the righteousness of the Law. Only when we understand the Greek word agape that was used by Paul do we begin to comprehend how actions can fulfill the Law. We have to adjust our thinking when we see the English word love in the scriptures so that we can have a clear understanding of the Greek word it was translated from. This can be further complicated by the fact that three different Greek words are used in New Testament writing that are translated into the one English word love or some variation of it. The meaning of the Greek words range from: befriending, to being fond of or preferring, to being benevolent. The fulfillment of the Law could never be based on individual preferences or friendships. Only in the Greek word agape can the Law be fulfilled. A benevolent love motivated by the needs of others fulfills the Law. Robert C. Hudson August 22, 2016