On 12-7-14, Hebrews 1:1-9 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Worship Christ’s Majesty

Worship Christ’s Majesty             

Hebrews 1:1-9

International Sunday School Lesson

December 7, 2014

                                                                                 

Commentary

By

Jed Greenough

It is hard to believe at first when you see how much time Paul had to spend in defending the superiority of Christ not just in today’s scripture but in a great deal of the book of Hebrews.  But is it really?

How much does Christ need defending in the church today?  It might not be overt but if what you are hearing more of in the church is a social gospel that might just be the case.

If, as we know that Christ is superior to the angels, how much more is He superior to preaching about financial advice or addiction?

Elsewhere in Hebrews 3 Paul talks of Jesus’ superiority to Moses.  Of course we should know this but if we hear more about how to be a real man or how to be a family we may not come to know Jesus.

My firm belief is that we do indeed have to be concerned about defending Christ, teaching Christ, concentrating on the true gospel message.  Don’t you think if Paul concentrated most of his efforts here than we should as well?

Paul had many different places to be in the building process that was the growing early church with fires to put out here and there thus the book of Hebrews was written.  We however have but one church and I am confident that if we put our emphasis where it belongs then those worthy issues such as addiction, life roles, finances or all parts of a Christian’s life will mature as sanctification takes place.

I fear for many we assume have found Jesus but who have instead found a helpful space.

For Discussion:

1.      After reading the first two verses of Hebrews read the first two verses of John.  I can’t tell you how stirring and beautiful I think these words are.  Discuss if you agree.

2.      More incredible words to discuss, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.”

3.      In reference to verse 1, discuss what the Old Testament was “missing”.

4.      Discuss what is said about angels in the first chapter of Hebrews.

5.      What do people do that they should not with regard to angels?  Discuss.

6.      Discuss in what ways Jews exalted angels.

Upcoming Lessons            

12-14-14   Make a Joyful Noise, Psalm 95:1-7a

12-21-14   Give Glory to God or Glory to God in the Highest, Luke 2:8-20

12-28-14   Worship God’s Son or In Awe of Christ’s Power, Matthew 14:22-36

1-4-15        Jesus’ Model for Prayer, Luke 11:1-13

                                                                                                              

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

On 11-30-14, Isaiah 52:1-2, 7-12 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Let Zion Rejoice or Good News Brings Rejoicing

                            Let Zion Rejoice                              

Or

Good News Brings Rejoicing

Isaiah 52:1-2, 7-12

International Sunday School Lesson

November 30, 2014

                                                                                 

Commentary

By

Jed Greenough

Jumping through time as we do week after week it can be really difficult to switch gears or at least it is for me.  Context is everything when we do this having been in Ezekiel for a month and now making our jump over to the latter fourth part of Isaiah.

So if you have the same feeling of a scriptural jetlag maybe it will help you to read from the beginning of Isaiah.  I did this and it helped me a lot to better understand the joy and confidence that was being expressed reading today’s scripture.

In Isaiah 1 I read about rebellious children (Israel), a sinful nation (Israel), guilty, evildoers, corrupt (yes, all Israel).  A desolate, burning, beaten country that only had survivors because the Lord allowed and wanted a remnant.

Destroyed and crushed by Assyrians and Babylonians alike eventually taken off to exile in Babylon, Isaiah would foresee it all.  As if the defeat of war wasn’t enough the people would have to endure being taken away.  70 years was necessary so that the land and Jerusalem and the people Israel could in a sense be purified.

So Isaiah got to see so much pain and sadness so to see that God would raise up Cyrus the Persian who would defeat the Babylonians and then let Israel freely return home this was a gloriously joyous thing to see.

Anyone knows the feeling of relief and sometimes joy at coming home after being away for a time.  Imagine a 70 year trip.

But you have to wonder about that.  Isaiah got to foresee pain and he got to foresee the joy in today’s scripture.  I think it would have been much more real for him then those returning from exile after all the percentage that would have still been alive from 70 years before and could remember things well must have been fairly small.  But I can see how this would have been a good way to begin again considering what we read of the people in the beginning of Isaiah.

Hey, guess what, we are jumping all the way to Hebrews next week but at that time we will start with the very first verse!

For Discussion:

1.      Discuss how these people who returned to their country were rather like the chance given to new Christians to start anew.

2.      Discuss the different ways that Isaiah uses to describe Jerusalem.

3.      Discuss that part of verse 3 that reads, “You were sold for nothing and without money you will be redeemed.”

4.      See where else verse 7 has been used and discuss.

5.      Discuss the manner in which this all occurred including Cyrus.

Upcoming Lessons

12-7-14     Worship Christ’s Majesty, Hebrews 1:1-9                             

12-14-14   Make a Joyful Noise, Psalm 95:1-7a

12-21-14   Give Glory to God or Glory to God in the Highest, Luke 2:8-20

12-28-14   Worship God’s Son or In Awe of Christ’s Power, Matthew 14:22-36

                                                                                                              

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

On 11-23-14, Ezekiel 47:13-23 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as A Transformation Continued or Inheritance Marks a New Beginning

A Transformation Continued     

Or

Inheritance Marks a New Beginning

Ezekiel 47:13-23

International Sunday School Lesson

November 23, 2014

                                                                                 

Commentary

By

Jed Greenough

Hey, let’s cut to the chase!  I freely admit that no other book of the Bible challenges me as much as the book of Ezekiel. 

My best belief is that as I have been saying, I believe these latter chapters deal with Israel having to hold up their end of the bargain after they came out of exile and they did not.  They never built the temple described in the book of Ezekiel.

In order for the temple to be rebuilt and sacrifices to resume God would have to think about people in two different ways and that would have to include His son, don’t you think?

Yes, God does think of Israel “differently” than the rest of us in a way.  Yes, God does keep His promises we cannot forget this but this is keeping with His character is it not?  Paul affirms this for us in Romans and so we must never forget any of that.  But you have to assess the totality of Ezekiel and the totality of Ezekiel and watch speaking in absolutes.  And the latter is something I am not prepared to do.

Have you ever gone through scripture that deals with prophecy and visions and jumped around in both “space and time”?  You know you have and as student of these letters it has been just recently as we have been in Jeremiah and Ezekiel.  Please, keep that in mind but know that despite literal or figurative scripture God is always the same, He does not change like the wind. 

Interpret scripture with that in mind.  God will not forget Israel, He promised He would not.  At some point the division of land must occur in this location.

For Discussion:

1.      Discuss how difficult this type of scripture can be?

2.      Discuss how we need to agree to pleasantly disagree.

3.      Discuss the tribes in brief histories.

4.      Discuss the problem between Judah and Israel.

5.      Discuss verses 22-23.

6.      Find and show an illustration showing where each tribes’ land would be located.

7.      Discuss when you think this might occur in the future.

Upcoming Lessons

11-30-14   Let Zion Rejoice or Good News Brings Rejoicing, Isaiah 52:1-2, 7-12

12-7-14     Worship Christ’s Majesty, Hebrews 1:1-9                             

12-14-14   Make a Joyful Noise, Psalm 95:1-7a

12-21-14   Give Glory to God or Glory to God in the Highest, Luke 2:8-20

12-28-14   Worship God’s Son or In Awe of Christ’s Power, Matthew 14:22-36

                                                                                                              

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

On 11-16-14, Ezekiel 47:1-12 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as A Transforming Stream or Water from the Sanctuary Gives Life

                                          A Transforming Stream                

Or

Water from the Sanctuary Gives Life

Ezekiel 47:1-12

International Sunday School Lesson

November 16, 2014

                                                                                 

Commentary

By

Jed Greenough

You may have had some spirited sessions while studying this book of Ezekiel lately.  You may have differed with me and what I have had to say.  Hopefully this week can bring some clarity at least as to why we have to be careful with this type of scripture and hopefully my example for today will help with that.

Eden, the idea of it is so much in the forefront when I think about the scripture for today.  In Genesis 2:8-10a we read, “Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there He put the man He had formed.  And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.  In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  A river watering the garden flowed from Eden…”

Of course we must also think of Revelation 22:1-2, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.  On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.  And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”

This river mentioned in Revelation flows from the throne of God not from a temple as we read in Ezekiel.  We know there is no temple because it tells us in Revelation 21:22, “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord god Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.”

Let’s look at some more but unrelated scripture which I hope will prove my point.  One time King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream we can read about it in Daniel 4.  The king told Daniel, “before me stood a tree in the middle of the land.  Its height was enormous.  The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth.  Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all.  Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.”

Well the discussion of the king’s vision went on but the gist is this on that part where Daniel (Belteshazzar) said, “The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the beasts of the field, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds of the air—you, O king, are that tree!”

Remember that the next time you read Ezekiel and someone wants to share with you (or debate with you) the certainty of their understanding and then therefore their teaching on this and other prophecy!

For Discussion:

1.      Discuss how Daniel could interpret dreams but NOT those given him concerning the end times!

2.      Discuss verse 11.

3.      Discuss teaching on prophecies/visions.

4.      Discuss what if anything this scripture has to do with how we consider the previous two weeks scripture in Ezekiel.

Upcoming Lessons

11-23-14   A Transformation Continued or Inheritance Marks a New Beginning, Ezekiel 47:13-23

11-30-14   Let Zion Rejoice or Good News Brings Rejoicing, Isaiah 52:1-2, 7-12

12-7-14     Worship Christ’s Majesty, Hebrews 1:1-9

12-14-14   Make a Joyful Noise, Psalm 95:1-7a

                                                                                                              

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

On 11-9-14, Ezekiel 43:13-21 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as The Altar, A Sign of Hope or The Altar Offers Hope

The Altar, A Sign of Hope             

Or

The Altar Offers Hope

Ezekiel 43:13-21

International Sunday School Lesson

November 9, 2014

                                                                                 

                                                                                           Commentary                                                                      

By

Jed Greenough

I have done some thinking since I wrote my commentary for last week and I have decided that I can do no substantive harm by commenting that I believe this temple was definitely an ideal temple to be built and the sacrifices followed as described in today’s scripture as well.  But there is that word ideal. 

This all would happen if and only if the people of Israel were adequately ashamed as it said in 43:10-11.  I firmly believe this is why when they came out of exile this temple was not built as they were fully aware of Ezekiel’s vision.

Could it be that they discounted what he said?  It could be that the people’s very leaders in the priests made the decision for all.  Much was different about this temple and the described sacrifices and offerings therein.

Perhaps it was because things were like Hosea wrote in Hosea 9:7b, “Because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool.”  This hostility towards prophets would certainly be consistent behavior for them.

So what then is to be taken from these measurements of an altar, the regulations for offerings and sacrifices?  For me it is always the same whether it is here or Leviticus where we see all the details it is that things being done in an orderly fashion matters to God.

1 Corinthians 14:33a says that God is not a God of disorder.  Specifics matter to Him and when we read the details such as in today’s scripture we should remind ourselves of that fact.  Think about the order in our worship, praise and in our prayers.  Clearly He has standards, standards that the people of Israel demonstrated they didn’t measure up to and which ultimately pointed to the necessity for Christ.

For Discussion:

1. Discuss the differences between the altar described and the one that Solomon built.
2. Discuss why the line of Zadok.
3. If you believe this to be a temple and sacrifices to come discuss this.
4. If you believe the opposite discuss that.
5. Be prepared to moderate!
6. Discuss where you need to bring in more order.

Upcoming Lessons

11-16-14   A Transforming Stream or Water from the Sanctuary Gives Life, Ezekiel 47:1-12

11-23-14   A Transformation Continued or Inheritance Marks a New Beginning, Ezekiel 47:13-23

11-30-14   Let Zion Rejoice or Good News Brings Rejoicing, Isaiah 52:1-2, 7-12

12-7-14     Worship Christ’s Majesty, Hebrews 1:1-9

                                                                                                              

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved