C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON For October 27th, 2019. That the Scriptures Must be Fulfilled. UNIT II: THE SCRIPTURES ARE FULFILLED.
LESSON EIGHT
THE FULFILLED END-TIME EVENTS.
Israel gained independence in 1948. This is just one of the instances of the fulfillment of the Scripture regarding Israel. This is a proof that other Scriptures concerning Israel and other nations would be fulfilled in God’s time.
MEMORY SCRIPTURE
Assuredly, I say to you, this Generation will by no means pass away till all these things take Place.
(Matthew 24:34)
BRIEF COMMENT
God is faithful and ever-sure. Whatever He says or does is truth. All that proceeded out of His mouth will surely come to manifestation. He has never failed and will never fail. He is unlike man that is neither reliable nor consistent. A vivid examination of our present world and happenings around shows the manifestation of the end-time. Most of its syndromes are with us undeniably. These are the foretold prophecies about those things that will happen in the future, bearing signal for every child of God to get set and be prepared for the final event (The rapture).
None of those things Jesus predicted and those that are predicted in the scriptures through the prophets and Jesus’ disciples shall go unfulfilled. The most important thing is that you get ready for the end time.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS FOR WEEK ONE
Mon. 21: The Temple: Anticipated Universal Worship Centre (Mic. 4:1)
Tue. 22: The Nations would Learn God’s Word (Mic. 4:2)
Wed. 23: The Exiles would be Strengthened (Mic. 4:6-7)
Thur. 24: The Israelites would be Restored (Mic. 4:8,10b
Fri. 25: The Enemies of Israel would be Destroyed (Mic. 4:11-13)
Sat. 26: Their Cities would be Rebuilt (Mic. 7:11)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
1. In God’s Omniscient fulfillment of prophecies things don’t just happen; they happen in His own perfect timing.
2. The fulfillment of some of the prophecies concerning the end time is calling the sinners to repentance, while the believers must continue to be steadfast, because God’s word abides forever.
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Matthew 2:1-6; Ezra 1:1
AIM AND OBJECTIVE
AIM: To educate the learners that whatever proceeded out of the mouth of God can neither be changed nor obstructed, pointing to the fulfillment of some of the end time events.
OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, the learners would have:
i. realised that we are witnessing the fulfillment of some end-time events in the world;
ii. begun to prepare towards the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ as the end time events signal His coming; and
iii. begun to develop trust for God in their hearts, since God’s faithfulness alone can give us hope for the future.
INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: ISAIAH 2:2-4; 44:24,27,28; 45:1; DANIEL 2:28-40; 7:4-8; 23-26; 8:19-27; LUKE 21:24
We thank God for the previous lesson which serves as an eye-opener to the scriptural fulfillment of Christ’s resurrection and ascension. It reveals that Jesus’ resurrection was an act of God that was orchestrated by Him in fulfillment of what He had earlier said in the Scripture about them, whether people believed or not. No wonder, human efforts to suppress is failed woefully. The Word of God is Yea and Amen, as the fulfillment of His resurrection lends eternal credence to our faith, as well as guarantees the manifestation of the Holy Spirit and the hope of His Second Coming, as earlier predicted in the Scriptures.
Lesson 8 is here, being the last in unit II, to give us more assurance that every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth MUST surely come to fulfillment.
The lesson will refocus our attention on the fulfilled end-time prophecies concerning Israel and other nations. God’s Word is loaded with events He has anticipated to happen to, and in the Israelite nation, and other nations. He obviously does marvelous things, and His faithfulness brings about what He predicted to happen.
We have earlier in this series, looked at some of those end-time prophecies in the Scriptures. Now is the time to look at the fulfillment. God’s faithfulness demands that whatever He says, must come to pass, including issues relating to our areas of interest in the lesson for discussion, these two weeks ahead of us. May we be blessed as we learn at the Lord’s feet, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
INTRODUCTION TO EACH DIVISION
This lesson is divided into two sections, I and II, and each is further sub divided into A and B respectively.
DIVISION 1: CONCERNING ISRAEL
This section shows the fulfillment of God’s covenant on how He rẹ-gathered His people, Israel. God in His mighty power, brought back all the faithful remnants from all over the places where they were scattered, that is, four corners of the earth. The Jewish people are now returning to their land according to God’s covenant. Jerusalem has been declared by God to be an eternal city for both Jews and non-Jews. This being fulfilled now, as Jerusalem is recognised as capital of Israel.
DIVISION II: CONCERNING OTHER NATIONS
This section showcases how some of the end-time prophecies were being fulfilled on other nations. The fulfillment of the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, which interpretation was revealed to Daniel concerning Babylonia Empire and other empires and the antichrist is a reality and we witness today.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. CONCERNING ISRAEL
A. GOD’S COVENANT RE-GATHERS ISRAEL
B. GOD’S ASSEMBLY FOR ALL NATIONS
II. CONCERNING OTHER NATIONS
A. THE GENTILES IN O.T PROPHECY
B. THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES.
LESSON EXPOSITION
Oct 27th, 2019.
I. CONCERNING ISRAEL (Isaiah 2:2-4; 44:24,27,28; 45:1)
Just as the prophecy foretold, it came to pass that Cyrus added Babylon to his conquest on October 12, 539 BC. It was quickly followed by two decrees authorising the Jewish exiles to return and rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. God has Israel in His focus and that is why He has scripture that must be fulfilled concerning them.
A. GOD’S COVENANT RE-GATHERS ISRAEL (44:24,27,28; 45:1)
Who says Cyrus, ‘ He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid” ‘ (44:28).
i. The very YAHWEH who declares the end from the beginning, being Omniscient (Isa. 46:10), had promised to bring back the true remnant, the few who remained faithful (cf. 10:20), to become the’ seed’ for new purified kingdom ahead (Isa. 6:11-13; 11:11,12).
ii. As God promised to gather them from the four corners of the earth, the Jewish people from all over the world are returning to their land (Jer. 16:14-16).
iii. 44:24,27,28: About 200 years before the birth of Cyrus, God had specifically mentioned him by name as the one to conquer and released God’s people from captivity.
iv. In fulfillment, Herodotus, the Greek historian, said that Cyrus’ army diverted the waters of the Euphrates’ River, which flowed through the city of Babylon, enabling his troops to take the city, and free the Jewish exiles in Babylon, allowing them to return and rebuild Jerusalem (cf. Isa. 45:1).
v. God effected this around 539 BC. When Babylon was permanently overthrown (cf. Isa. 13:19) and reduced to swampland (cf. Isa. 14:23), and the Jews who survived the Babylonia rule to return home (cf. Jer. 32:36-37).
iv. The increasing population of the Jews from about 500,000 in 1948, during their independence, to over 8 million today, is a fulfillment of God’s promises for His people (cf. Matt. 24:31). The Scripture predicted that there would be mass return of Jews to their homeland (Deut. 30:3; Isa. 43:6; Ezk. 34:11-13; 36:24; 37:1-14; 39:28). It is also gradually fulfilling God’s desire to make them light unto the world (Isa. 42:6).
vii. Where will you be when the faithful believers shall be gathered to Christ in the sky?
B. GOD’S ASSEMBLY FOR ALL NATIONS (2:2-4)
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it (Isa. 2:2).
i. v. 2: … it shall come to pass… means “It will happen.” Jerusalem was His presence known to His people, and thus, the most important place in the world (cf. Mic. 4:1-4; Zech. 8:3).
ii. vv. 3,4: The people of all nations would come there to accept God’s perfect rule, and seek for guidance. They ‘flow’ to Jerusalem like a great river, so that God may teach them His ways.
iii. Jerusalem as eternal capital for the Jewish people and non-Jewish alike. House of prayer for all, place of assembly, and as capital of Israel (Zech. 12:2; 14:6). Many have seen the advent of Donald Trump, the incumbent US President as fulfillment of the prophecy. This is seen in his policies favouring Jerusalem, explicitly. For instance, he has relocated the capital of Israel to Jerusalem, and he recently visited the Western Wall. This is pointing toward the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
iv. Also, the regular pilgrimages to Jerusalem from all across the globe, is a fulfillment of this prophecy (Zech. 14:16). Millions go there to worship God —- praying at the wailing wall and other historic sites of Jesus’ operation here on earth.
v. The recent UN Jerusalem vote is a fulfillment of the prophecy (Zech. 12:2), signalling the end times.
vi. All the nations of the world will one day assemble in one place (Jerusalem) before the Lord, how prepared are you?
LESSONS DERIVED
1. Despite the fact that Israelites erred and were punished, the promises of God for His people are being fulfilled, most especially, as they relate to the end-times.
2. God’s covenants with His people never breaks. His faithfulness gives us hope for the future. Trusting Him is the only key.
WORK TO DO
Most of the things happening in the world today, both to the Jews and other nations of the world, have been expressly predicted in the Scriptures. Discuss.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO WORK TO DO
A brief list of some of the happenings around the world, which are predicted already:
Famine, war and rumours of war, false Christ, fake prophets and teachers, nations rising against nations, deceit, diseases and epidemics: HIV, cancer, etc. Persecution of Christians, rising of world powers and increase in knowledge, love waxing cold, etc. All these are provided for, in the scriptures.
Yes, most of these things are predicted already in the scripture. However, this indicates the following:
The world belongs to God; He created the world and all that is in it.
God is the Ruler (Governor) over all nations (Ps. 22:28).
Nothing can happen outside God and without His pre-knowledge.
The Scripture is the word of God, which is ever relevant and true.
All that scripture has said shall come to pass as some had already been fulfilled and those awaiting fulfillment shall come to an end (2 Pet. 3:1-10).
God is not man that He should lie; He knows the end from the beginning.
God is the impartial judge of the universe (2 Pet. 3:9, 10)