C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR June 14th, 2020 God in the Administration of Man. Unit Three: THROUGH THE KINGS. LESSON ELEVEN/PART II
C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
God In the Administration of Man.
Unit Three: THROUGH THE KINGS.
LESSON ELEVEN / PART II
June 14th, 2020.
II. GOD IN THE SOUTHERN ADMINISTRATION (1 Kgs. 14:21-31; 15:1-24; 22:41-50; 2 Kgs. 11:1-20; 14:1-3; 15:1-7,32-36; 16:1ff; 18-23)
Simultaneously, God who cannot be limited by space and time, operated in the South as well as the North. He raised kings while demoting those wicked leaders who cooperated with God’s enemies to shift God’s purpose. Can God’s purpose be shifted or truncated? No, of course! Anyone who tries it, does so to his own detriment.
A. THE RIGHTEOUS KINGS (1 Kgs. 15:8-24; 22:41-50; 2 Kgs. 14:1-3; 15:1-7, 32-36; 18-23)
And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand, or to the left (2 Kgs. 22:2).
i. I Kgs. 15:8-24: We see God in action, allowing Asa’s enthronement (vv. 8-10), and moving him to do the right things (vv. 11-15) as much as Asa cooperated with Him (v. 14b). When he aligned, with Ben-Hadad, God didn’t spare him in the end (vv. 15-24). Don’t stop cooperating with God (1 Sam. 2:30).
ii. 22:41-50: God helped Jehosaphat to succeed his father (15:24b). God granted him success as much as he followed and pleased Him (cf. 2 Chr. 17-20). Following God is the surest way to fulfillment.
iii. 2 Kgs. 11:21, 12:1ff: Yahweh preserved Joash’s life and made him the youngest king in Judah. Thank God, Joash didn’t disappoint Him (cf. 2 Chr. 24:1-2). Hope you aren’t abusing His privileges in your life?
iv. Chaps. 18-20: We see God so clearly in action, in life and operation of King Hezekiah of Judah. God so honoured him that, as much as he followed David’s legacy, he had a great testimony (18:5), and was divinely given victories. Dare to be different for God.
v. Chaps. 22,23: God brought Josiah in fulfillment of the Scripture (1 Kgs. 13:1-2, 30,31). He also helped him with reforms that brought back the lost glory of His people. God is indeed in charge of all administration, including yours, whether secular or spiritual.
vi. Righteousness is never achieved by one’s own making. God makes one righteous like He did to Abraham. What you need do, is to ask for His help to be distinct for Him as you faithfully serve Him and His purpose in the capacity He placed you (Rom. 4:3).
B. THE WICKED KINGS (1 Kgs. 14:21-31; 15:1-7; 22:50; 2 Kgs. 11:1-20; 16:1ff; 21:1-26; 23:31-34
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the heirs (2 Kgs. 11:1).
i. 1 Kgs. 14:21-31; 15:1-7: God worked it out to fulfill His promise to Jeroboam, because of Solomon’s foolishness. Rehoboam’s childishness only helped matters. The just God can’t condole waywardness anywhere. He sees and repays, even if it seems otherwise.
ii. 2 Kgs. 11:1-20: Ahaziah, just like his father, Jehoram (1 Kgs. 22:50), didn’t recognise God has sovereign power over them. This is also true of his wicked mother, Athaliah, she couldn’t get away with wickedness over God’s people. God repaid them them accordingly (2 Chr. 22:1-7). Leaders should be careful the way they treat their followers. Evil cannot prevail over God righteouss, even where it seems otherwise.
iii. 16:1ff: The way God dealt with the terrible King Ahaz, and his wife who thought they could get away with their wickedness of idolatry (2 Chr. 28:1,2) and the case of Naboth, among others, show that no leader is above God’s punishment, if they mess up.
iv. 21:1-26: Manasseh was notorious for murder (24:4)and idolatry, unlike his father, Hezekiah. God teaches us in the way He furnished him and his equally wicked son, Amon, that no wicked leader will escape His rod of judgment.
v. 23:31-2-34: It wasn’t Pharaoh Neco imprisoning Jehoahaz
It was God’s sovereignty being demonstrated against the warward, complacent king (cf. Deut. 28:24ff).
vi. Whatever you ask for (choice) is received in full. As much as no one can please God by his/her own power, but through God’s grace, anyone who wilfully abandon God for wickedness is in for great trouble with God, his Maker.
LESSONS DERIVED
1. God will always favour, support and prosper leaders who choose His path of holiness and righteousness.
2. God has a way of dealing with leaders who think they can keep doing what they like with God’s people, whether in the secular or spiritual, to prove His incontrovertible supremacy over all.
QUESTIONS
1. Whatever a man does in any position of leadership, is duly rewarded by God, the Administrator of all nations. Do you believe?
2. The Bible is God’s yardsticks for both the leaders and the led, today. Explain.
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
ANSWER TO QUESTION 1:
i. It is absolutely true that whatever anyone does in any leadership position is duly rewarded by God.
ii. Cause and effect is a natural law/principle that governs the universe.
iii. There is reward or consequence for every human action, reaction and/or inaction.
iv. Another inevitable fact about leadership is accountability. We are all accountable in one way or the other. Followers are accountable to their leaders. Leaders are accountable to superior leaders and they are all accountable to God the absolute Leader of heaven and earth.
v. The implication is that everyone who is privileged to occupy any position should not see it as ultimate. It is a means to an end.
vi. Position or any office is an opportunity/avenue to serve God and humanity. It must be properly utilised to the glory of God and benefit of mankind.
vii. It is foolishness on the path of any leader, who arbitrarily uses a given position or office. Probably, such are oblivious of the fact that God watches and requires account of their deeds from them sooner than later.
viii. Are you a tyrant, usurper, selfish leader, etc.? Better repent now or be ready to face God in judgment.
ix. Take time to ask yourself this salient question: Where are those leaders of yesterday, some of whom are brutes, ritualists, opposers of anything God’s? Definitely, they are long gone and forever to face the going of whatever consequences their actions deserve.
ANSWER TO QUESTION 2:
i. Yes, Of course, the Bible is the yardstick of God for both the leaders and the led.
ii. The Bible is the Word of God, with the central theme, Redemption: Man’s salvation made possible through Jesus Christ the Son of God.
iii. The Bible carries all the mind and injunction of God. It has admonition, exhortation, instruction, messages, rules and guidelines for kings, presidents, leaders of societies, nations, clans, institutions, etc. Priests, prophets, judges and every profession and vocations on the planet are guided by His instructions and principles (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
iv. The Bible contains the wisdom of God. His rules, laws, plans, statutes, precept judgment, etc. are all comprised and compounded in the Bible.
v. The Bible speaks of what had been, what is, and what is coming. It is not inadequate in any way because, it is a compendium of God’s act, character and deeds. No other books compare with the Scripture.
vi. You need no other guide to know what God is saying than the Bible. It is wrong to have any other standard apart from the Bible because, God has not given us any either. Many people make humans, man-made laws, doctrines, rules, etc. their own standards. This is an aberration.
vii. Making a prophet or any minister of God your yardsticks, or measuring rod in dealing with God does not make you right with God.
viii. Only the Bible speaks extensively of Jesus Christ as the ransom and propitiation for man’s sin. Bible order us to look unto Jesus (Hebrew 12:2,3). He points Him to us, as the role model, the way leading to God (John 14:6).
ix. Leaders and the led alike, must be guided and ruled by the principles of God contained in the Bible. Leaders who go contrary to the Bible always make shipwreck of their lives, administration and ministry, or calling. Followers who refuse the Bible don’t get anywhere. Are you a leader or a follower? Allow the Bible to moderate your life. Only then, good and God’s success will not elude you (Joshua 1:7,8).
LIFE APPLICATION
God created every human being, but not all humans are of God, or children of God (1 Jn. 3:1-10). It is obvious that so many people have sold their souls to the devil. They have given their allegiance to the devil who reigns over them as lord (Jn. 8:31-46). However, God remains the Supreme Lord and righteous judge of all, the wicked and righteous alike.
The story is told of a wicked man who lived in a remote village. Every attempt to make him give up his wicked ways was futile. He never believed that God exists. He believed he could do and undo. He was notorious for casting spell on people to make them suffer. He made his money from setting his victims free. One of the medium he uses to inflict evil on people is through their excreta (faeces). He was powerfully feared as the almighty, by everyone. The day God arrested him, he went far into jungle to defecate and he never knew that someone was watching. Unfortunately, he met the same defecation at the entrance of his house. Guess what! He quickly cast spell on it because he did not know that it was his. That resulted in his death.
God is more powerful than anyone else. He would see the end of all flesh, irrespective of the lifestyle they choose. However, it is preferable you choose God for a good ending.
CONCLUSION
This is the end of lesson eleven. The lesson afforded us the opportunity to understand the acts and attitude of God simultaneously, in both the administration of southern kingdom and northern kingdom. From the two kingdoms, we have been able to see that God has expectations or standard that must be met, whether, we like it or not. We are equally challenged to deal rightly in God’s eyes, banking on His grace and support. Finally, we are made to know that God will not pardon anyone who misappropriates His grace, privileges and opportunities.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING FOR WEEK TWO
Mon. 8: Jothan Appreciates and Attracts God’s Favour (2 Kgs. 15:32-34)
Tue. 9: Jotham’s Half-Rightness Invokes Divine Judgement (2 Kgs. 15:35-38)
Wed. 10: Ahaz Forgets God’s Faithfulness (2 Chro. 28:1-8)
Thur. 11: Ahaz is Privileged to be Warned (2 Chro. 28:9-15)
Fri. 12: Ahaz’s Apostasy Incurs God’s Judgement (2 Chro. 28:16-27).
Sat. 13: God’s Overruns the Wicked Kings (2 Kgs. 24:1-16)