C.A.C Sunday School Manual For March 1, 2020 For God in the Administration of Man Unit One: THROUGH THE PRIESTS / LESSON FOUR :- PRIESTS CONTINUE REPRESENTING GOD
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH WORLDWIDE
God in the Administration of Man
Unit One: THROUGH THE PRIESTS / LESSON FOUR
March 1st, 2020.
PRIESTS CONTINUE REPRESENTING GOD
The high priests, priests and Levites continued to represent God in the administration of His people. May His leadership not be lacking among us.
Memory Scripture
Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the Lord’s people (2 Chronicles 23:16).
BRIEF COMMENT
This is about the role of the Levites and priests in restoring the right monarch to the throne and then, leading the people in the worship of Yahweh. The southern kingdom of Judah had just gone through a terrible moral and spiritual decline. The wicked influence of the northern kingdom of Israel had drifted south Jehoram, the king, had married the daughter of Jezebel whose name was synonmous with evil. He killed all of his brothers to secure his position on the throne. Fortunately, he reigned for only eight years before he was also killed. His wicked wife, Athaliah, the daughter the daughter of Jezebel (cf. 1 Kgs. 16:28,29-31; 2 Chr. 22:2), began to reign and the first thing she did, was to try to kill all of the descendants of David, so there could be none of the house of David that would claim the throne. There was a year old infant, a descendant of David who was hidden, and thus, survived her slaughter. When this little child had reached the age of seven, a godly priest, named Jehoiada, felt it was time to depose Athaliah and place Joash the seven-year old descendant of David on the throne. Athaliah was slain, and with the new king, under the influence of the godly priest, the initiated immediate spiritual reforms. Thus, as High Priest, during his time, Jehoiada represented God excellently and led the people back to God.
Devotional Bible Readings For Week One
Mon. Feb. 24: God’s Kingdom of Priests, Holy Nation (Exod. 19:6)
Tue. Feb. 25: God Specially Chooses Them as Priests (Deut. 7:6)
Wed. Feb. 26: God’s Priests Addressed as God’s Ministers (Isa. 61:6)
Thur. Feb. 27: God’s Kingdom of Serving Priests (Rev. 1:6)
Fri. Feb. 28: God’s Spiritual House and Holy Priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5)
Sat. Feb. 29: God’s Priesthood Proclaims His Excellences (1 Pet. 2:9)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
1. The only hope for our nation is that we acknowledge and accord God His place as the Ruler in the Kingdom of man.
2. Indeed, He is the Ruler in the whole affairs of mankind (Psa. 22:28; Dan. 4:32). Everyone who fails or refuses to admit this always ends up licking their wounds (Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Goliath, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Hitler, Voltaire etc., Dan. 4:37).
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: 1 Peter 2:9
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
AIM: To highlight the administration of God in the affairs of men during the first temple period and after the exile through the priests.
OBJECTIVES: At the end of this two-week lesson, readers should be able to:
i. demonstrate a deeper understanding on how God administered men, through the priests, and should be able to explain such;
ii. mention the priests by name and what God did through them;
iii. discuss the peculiarities in the operations of the priests in the first temple period and those after the exile; and
iv. show signs of having discovered their purpose of existence and resolve to pursue in God’s way.
INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: 2 KINGS 11:4-17; 22:1-23:25; EZRA 1:1FF; 5:1-2; 7:1-28; ZECHARIAH 3:1-10
Last week, God had helped us to conclude the lesson on, “Priests Represent God over His People.” We saw how God ruled His people via the instrumentality of priests, after Aaron and before Solomon’s temple. We pray the Holy Spirit to help us retain the lessons for our profitability, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
For the next two weeks, we want to keep looking at the Administration of God in the affairs of men through the priests. This time around, during the first temple period and after the exile. The Bible is replete with examples of persons through whom God led and directed the affairs of people from one generation to another. Such persons are given the opportunity to lead from the middle of the pack by exerting godly influence. Priests are part of such persons.
Priests and High Priests, such as Jehoiada, Azariah, Hilkiah and Seraiah, would be looked at in the first division of this lesson. God’s exploits in man’s day-to-day physical, religious and spiritual living would also be looked at from the angle of Ezra the priest/scribe and Joshua the High Priest, in the concluding part.
It is hoped that God would help us all to discover His counsel for us in these lessons and help us to fully appropriate the blessings therein, in Jesus’ name. Amen. God bless you as you study.
INTRODUCTION TO EACH DIVISION
As usual, this lesson is a two-week lesson and is divided into two major parts, I and II. Each division is further subdivided into parts A and B, respectively.
DIVISION I: FIRST TEMPLE PERIOD
This division explains the administration of through the priests during the first temple period. Here, Jehoiada, through whom victory was gotten; and Hilkiah through whom God restored the book of the law of His people were discussed.
DIVISION II: AFTER THE EXILE
This is the division that highlights God’s exploits in man’s day-to-day, all-round existence through the leadership of Ezra, the Priest and Joshua, the High Priest. May we be more patient to receive all that God wants for us in the division, and others. Amen.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. FIRST TEMPLE PERIOD
A. THE VICTORY THROUGH JEHOIADA
B. THE RESTORATION THROUGH HILKIAH
II. AFTER THE EXILE
A. EZRA THE PRIEST
B. JOSHUA THE HIGH PRIEST
LESSON EXPOSITION
I. FIRST TEMPLE PERIOD (2 Kings 11:4-17; 22:1-23:25)
The temple here refers to the temple of Solomon (1 Kgs. 6:3-33). The first temple period was the time God ruled His people, through the priests before the exile. No matter how bad a period or situation is, God will always have His remnants through whom He reaches His people.
A. THE VICTORY THROUGH JEHOIADA (11:1-20)
“And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him a king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said,” Long live the King! (v. 12).
i. vv. 1-4: Jehoiada was the high priest during Athaliah’s rebellion. God had used Jehosheba to hide the young prince, Joash.
ii. vv. 4-12: God endowed Jehoiada wisdom and boldness to lead the counter-revolution that dethroned Joash (cf. 2 Chr. 22:11), and he continued to give him good advice (cf. Deut. 17:18-20). If God be for us, who can be against us (Rom. 8:31)?
iii. vv. 17-20: Moved by the Spirit of God, Jehoiada led the people and the king to renew their covenant with the Lord (2 Chro. 23:16), and to restore true worship of Yahweh by destroying idolatry.
iv. God still has a remnant through whom His people can be guided in the path of godliness (cf. Josh. 24:15; Acts 10:27-33).
v. If we will commit our totality to Christ and look away from the world, we would be God’s available remnants to, and in our world.
B. THE RESTORATION THROUGH HILKIAH (22:1-23:25)
Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it (22:8).
i. vv. 1-4: Obviously, High Priest Hilkiah was one of those God used to mentor the young King Josiah to maturity, and that brought great benefits to the Southern Kingdom.
ii. vv. 3:10: God in action. Hilkiah was instructed to count the money in the temple, but God had something better in store through him. He is the high priest through whom God restored the Book of the Law to His people.
iii. vv. 11-20: God used him to assist the king in discovering the mind of God concerning the Book they had just found. May such leaders not be lacking in our midst, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
iv. 23:1-25: God’s hand upon Hilkiah made him lead in the purging of the temple and the temple worship. God was through these ones effecting His administration.
v. God is still looking for more Hilkiah through whom He will purge and sanitise our political, religious and spiritual existence in this generation.
LESSONS DERIVED
1. The leadership of Jehoiada in the early kingdom of Judah is an extended example of what it means to be an influential person for God. Release yourself for God.
2. When we release ourselves to God, He reaches countless number of people through us with His blessings.
WORK TO DO
Reflecting on the lives and activities of Jehoiada and Hilkiah, enumerate ways the believers can be influential and outstanding priests for God.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO WORK TO DO
i. Jehoiada and Hilkiah knew Jehovah, His law, and both gave themselves to God and His law.
ii. They determined not to mingle with the world and support evil.
iii. They resolved to fight/withstand evil to a standstill, and they succeeded!
iv. They were loyal and submissive to the government/leadership that revered God.
v. They also made themselves available to God when needed.
vi. That was in the Old Testament.
vii. Believers today can be influential and outstanding priests for God by yielding themselves fully to God, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead them without restriction/interruption (Rom. 8:14-16).
viii. By not communing with the world (James 4:4; I Jn. 2:15-17).
ix. By standing up for the truth and godliness (Matt. 14:4; Lk. 3:19-29; cf. Lev. 18:6,16; 20:21).