After the kingdom of Israel was torn apart and began to decline, God raised up prophets who confronted the wicked kings of Judah and Israel with His righteous expectations. God promised to judge the wicked leaders and to deliver His sheep through a coming Messiah who would end the exile. As we study the prophecies about the Messiah, we learn how to live in holy anticipation for God to fulfill His promises and accomplish His mission. STEPS TO PREPARE 1. Read the main passages for this week s lesson, recording your insights and questions: Jeremiah 22:1-5; 23:1-8 2. Review the Teaching Plan (pgs.90-93). Refine the lesson plan based on your group s particular needs. Adjust the plan if necessary. 3. Study the Expanded Lesson Content (pgs.94-100). Determine what elements of this lesson are most applicable to your particular group. Consider ways to personalize the lesson content for you and your class. 4. Pray for the Lord s guidance as you lead your group through this material. LESSON OUTLINE GOD PROMISES 1. A righteous king (Jer. 22:1-5). 2. To judge wicked leaders (Jer. 23:1-4). 3. To deliver His people (Jer. 23:5-8). The Gospel Project for Students 89
TEACHING PLAN NOTES: CONNECT OPTION 1 Use the writer s experience of fried chicken to get students thinking about longing intently for something great (p.94). What is your favorite type of food, place, or experience that leaves you longing for more, or if possible, for better? OPTION 2 For this option, begin a conversation with your students about the characteristics of a good leader. Perhaps break the students into groups and have them develop their lists on what qualities every good leader should have. Once they have had time to complete their lists, come back together and share their insights collectively. Point out where student answers overlap with the points of today s session, followed by a quick discussion of the questions below. Move to the transition section after the discussion. Why is it important for us to remember that no earthly leader s authority is ultimate? What happens when leaders see their authority as ultimate? TRANSITION In this session, we learn that after the kingdom of Israel was torn apart and began to decline, God raised up prophets who confronted the wicked kings of Judah and Israel with His righteous expectations. God promised to judge the wicked leaders and to deliver His sheep through a coming Messiah who would end the exile. As we study the prophecies about the Messiah, we learn how to live in holy anticipation for God to fulfill His promises and accomplish His mission. 90 Leader Guide
CONVEY GOD PROMISES 1. A RIGHTEOUS KING. Recap the history of the kingdom of Israel to this point by drawing on the previous three lessons. Note the high point of David s reign followed by the division of the kingdom and the coming exile (p.95). What are some cultural examples of prominence and success giving way to a downward spiral of destruction (think politics, entertainment, etc.)? Why do you think this is a recurring pattern? Explain that as the divided nations of Israel and Judah continued in their disobedience, God sent prophets to warn them of the coming judgment. Read Jeremiah 22:1-5 and guide students to listen for the actions of a faithful king who would obey God (pgs.95-96). At this point, consider using the story The Shepherd King in the Personal Study Guide (p.71) as a way to illustrate this point. A brief synopsis has been provided for you in the sidebar. What are some practical ways a king or leader can obey God s expectations for leadership as described in Jeremiah 22:1-5? Contrast God s kind of king with the kings of the people. Form three small groups to discuss and report about the kings addressed in Jeremiah 22 and the possible emotions of the people (vv. 13-17,18-23,24-30). Highlight their only hope, and ours (p.96): In your own words, how should a Christian respond to governing authorities in light of God s mercy and sovereignty? 2. TO JUDGE WICKED LEADERS. Read Jeremiah 23:1-4 and explain the passage. Note that God first considers Himself to be the Shepherd for His people (p.97). With God as the Shepherd in mind (Jer. 23:3-4), what actions do you expect from shepherds and leaders of God s people (pastors, elders, teachers, etc.)? What are the differences between bad leadership and good leadership? How can we be good stewards of the influence and authority God has given us? THE SHEPHERD KING Our hope does not fully rest in the governing powers of this earth. We have been promised an eternal King who will reign in perfect love, justice, mercy, and sovereignty. Though we may witness awful leaders ruling in certain parts of the globe today, we can find rest that God promises a day when all will bow to King Jesus. He will sit at the throne forever and all will be made right. How can your hope in an eternal King be a witness to others? NOTES: The Gospel Project for Students 91
BAD SHEPHERDS God promises to judge the wicked leaders. And He also promises to gather all those who are lost or scattered. Through Jesus, the Lord has provided the true Shepherd and King. He knows His sheep by name and cares for them. Though we may seek judgment now for evil done by leaders, we can find comfort in knowing that we are being led into green pastures, still waters, and joy everlasting through our relationship with Jesus. How does it make you feel to know that God, as your loving Shepherd, knows your name and cares for you? RESIDENTS OF A FUTURE CITY In Jeremiah 23:5-8 we see that God s people were banished but that the Lord promises He would not leave them in exile. He would gather them once more and establish His kingdom. This promise was not just for Israel. We too have the future promise of being folded into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we are not left as exiles, separated from God because of our sin. Rather, we have the promise to find our true and everlasting home because of the grace and forgiveness found in Christ. Have you responded to God s grace in extending salvation to you? Why or why not? Explain the need for a true King and a true Shepherd, for both the Israelites facing exile and for us needing salvation (pgs.98-99): A True King. Administers justice and righteousness by pointing to God s holiness. Banishment and exile are the just deserts of those who have failed to listen to God. A True Shepherd. Points guilty people deserving of banishment to the grace, forgiveness, and love of God. The Good Shepherd Jesus lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11-15). And not one sheep will be missing (Luke 15:6-7). At this point, consider using the story Bad Shepherds in the Personal Study Guide (p.72) as a way to illustrate this point. A brief synopsis has been provided for you in the sidebar. What is the result of a shepherd with a self-centered mindset regarding the sheep? 3. TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE. Note the Israelites return from exile and the question of this fulfilling God s promise to gather His people. Read Jeremiah 23:5-8 and explain who the Righteous Branch of David is Jesus. This good news of a promised and coming King, a Messiah, was not only for the Israelites but for all peoples (Rom. 9:6-8) (pgs.99-100). How can you point all people to the true King and Shepherd, Jesus? How should the promise of Jesus second coming encourage you to live on mission for King Jesus? At this point, consider using the story Residents of a Future City in the Personal Study Guide (p.75) as a way to illustrate this point. A brief synopsis has been provided for you in the sidebar. 92 Leader Guide
COLLIDE As the second unit comes to a close, we are convinced more than ever from the biblical witness that God is working in human history for both His glory and our good. As our section in Jeremiah describes, God will provide His King who will eventually judge wickedness and deliver His people. How should knowing that God is at work in this world influence the way you live this week? This biblical truth is important for a number of reasons, not least of which is because we all, regardless of age, long for the things in this world to be made right. We have a innate longing for justice to be administered and to be delivered from the bondage of sin and corruption. Even our students have this inner longing. They witness injustice everyday, from the international news on the television to the bullying that takes place within the halls of their school. They intuitively know that things aren t the way they are supposed to be, even though they may not be able to articulate why this is the case. Give an example of an injustice or wicked act you have witnessed lately. How does witnessing injustice effect your longing for Jesus return? By focusing on these intuitions and inner longings, we are able to show our students the parallel between the Israelites waiting for the coming Messiah and our waiting for Jesus promised second coming. By doing so, we point our students to the life-changing truth that God has always kept His promises and He always will. NOTES: Additional suggestions for specific groups are available at GospelProject.com/AdditionalResources And for free online training on how to lead a group visit MinistryGrid.com/web/TheGospelProject _ The Gospel Project for Students 93
by Halim Suh EXPANDED LESSON CONTENT GOD PROMISES A RIGHTEOUS KING, TO JUDGE WICKED LEADERS, AND TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE. OPENING ILLUSTRATION AND DISCUSSION STARTER VOICES FROM THE CHURCH The prophets proclaim that a righteous and just King from the line of David is coming to restore Israel, gather the Gentiles to himself, and make all things right. The New Testament clearly identifies this Savior and King as Jesus Christ. 1 J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays I don t know about you but I love food. I mean, I really love food. And because I love food so much, it s always hard for me to pick my favorite dish, but definitely in the top five is fried chicken. I call it the gospel bird because every time I eat it, it tells me the good news that there is a God somewhere and He loves me. So what s the best fried chicken I ve ever had? I m glad you asked. When people asked about my favorite places to eat fried chicken, I d mention places like The Barbecue Inn (don t let the name fool you) in Houston, Texas, and Babe s Fried Chicken in Roanoke, Texas. But the more fried chicken aficionados I met, the more I kept hearing about Gus Fried Chicken in Memphis, Tennessee. Their secret recipe seasoning gives their chicken a little spicy kick, and who doesn t want that? I heard they fried their chicken in peanut oil, which kept their chicken, even their white pieces, nice and moist. I kept hearing about their unique fried chicken that would even taste a bit different each time because an actual family cooks in the kitchen instead of just throwing frozen chicken in the grease. It soon became my life s goal to try this chicken. My opportunity came when a team from our church went to Memphis to meet with another church to discuss urban ministry. All of a sudden I became really interested in urban ministry. With my trip to Memphis set on the calendar, something happened to my fried chicken taste buds. Each time I would eat good fried chicken, I would think to myself, You know, this fried chicken is really good, but I can t wait to find out how good Gus fried chicken is. And if I encountered some bad fried chicken, I would put it down in disgust, thinking, I can t wait for some Gus! I am longing for Gus fried chicken. Ever experienced anything similar? It may not be fried chicken for you, but maybe you re a beach lover and someone has told you about some truly 94 Leader Guide
great, remote beach spot with pristine sand and waters. Or maybe you re really into technology and you ve heard rumors of a revolutionizing piece of technology. What does that do to your heart? It makes you think about it, long for it, and view everything else in light of it. That s just the way God has hard-wired our hearts to think about and long for the truly great. We long for great experiences in our lives. Sometimes we find them, but many times our hopes go unfulfilled. The Israelites got a glimpse of the greatness possible through King David, yet their hopes were short-lived as their sinful kings kept coming up way short. After the kingdom of Israel was torn apart and began to decline, God raised up prophets who confronted the wicked kings of Judah and Israel with His righteous expectations. God promised to judge the wicked leaders and to deliver His sheep through a coming Messiah who would end the exile. As we study the prophecies about the Messiah, we learn how to live in holy anticipation for God to fulfill His promises and accomplish His mission that which is really, truly great. GOD PROMISES... 1. A RIGHTEOUS KING (JER. 22:1-5). The people of Judah and Israel experienced king after king, a few of them good but most of them bad. Sadly, their hopeful expectations always came up short, even with the good kings. But in Jeremiah 22 23, God promised a truly great King who would come one day. He promised judgment against wicked kings and pointed to a day when He would provide for them a King who was the fulfillment of all they had ever needed. As you recall, despite Israel s evil desire for a king, God granted their request, and in David, Israel had a king whose heart was after God s own heart. Through David, God gave Israel the land He promised to them in its fullness. The kingdom was united under David s rule, and Israel had rest on every side. The people were finally at peace. But just three kings in and we enter into another tragic time in the story of God s people. The kingdom divided into north and south. The promised land the land God s people had longed for as slaves and wanderers was slipping from their grasp, and ultimately they would once again be forced into the service of another nation. The tragic irony of their story is that the people Joshua led into Canaan to be a witness to the surrounding nations became, instead, a nation worse than the very ones God drove out before them. The nation of Israel was set apart in order to show that there is no other god but God alone, but instead, they embraced as their own the gods of other nations. So the wrath of God was looming. The Northern Kingdom of Israel fell in 722 B.C. (2 Kings 17), followed over a century later by the Southern Kingdom of Judah in 586 B.C. (2 Kings 24 25). Nearly forty different kings between Israel and Judah would reign as the kingdom of Israel was divided, conquered, and the people taken into exile. But it s not as though God s people did not have their chances. God FURTHER COMMENTARY The king and those with him are not to use their power for personal advantage, but are to rule in justice and righteousness. Justice means making right decisions according to God s commands and case laws. Righteousness means what is correct according to God s norms and moral standards. 2 Paul R. House The Gospel Project for Students 95
FURTHER COMMENTARY If the kings kept the laws and enforced them in the land, the continuation of their dynasty was assured. If they did not, even the palace would be destroyed. In order to impress the rulers with the gravity of his threat, the Lord said, I swear by myself to carry out his warning. There was none higher by whom the Lord could swear. No oath could be uttered that was more solemn than that one. 3 F. B. Huey Jr. VOICES FROM THE CHURCH Truly, the world is in need of moral leadership that teaches the difference between right and wrong and teaches us to forgive one another even as we are forgiven by our Father in heaven. 4 Billy Graham sent them prophets to warn them about the consequences to come if they kept disobeying the law of God: Elijah was sent by God to prophesy to God s people through powerful words and miracles, reminding God s people of the one true God worthy of worship. Isaiah warned about breaking faith with God and making alliances with foreign nations. Amos called out the rich for trampling on the poor. Jeremiah, quite possibly the most hated and unpopular prophet, was called by God in childhood to be a prophet to Judah in its last years. He called out God s people for worshiping false gods and predicted their impending doom. He pronounced judgment against the kings of Judah who acted wickedly in leading God s people away from Him and prophesied of a coming true King. In Jeremiah 22, he was called to paint a picture of a king worth longing for: Thus says the Lord: Go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates. Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. For if you will indeed obey this word, then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their servants and their people. But if you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation. (Jer. 22:1-5) Jeremiah described the clear expectations that God required from the kings who governed His people and then followed with God s promise of reward for obedience and a warning for disobedience. We see from these verses that a king s authority was not ultimate. Even the king himself was called to listen to and obey the word of the Lord. This was a description of the kind of king God s people were to long for but one who stood in direct contrast to the kings they d had. The rest of Jeremiah 22 gives examples: Shallum (Jehoahaz) Jehoiakim Coniah (Jehoiachin) Jeremiah 22:10-12; 2 Kings 23:31-34 The king s actions: A king who died in exile on account of his evil deeds The people s emotions: Unsettled; fearful; depressed Jeremiah 22:13-23 Jeremiah 22:24-30; 2 Kings 24:8-16 The king s actions: A king who built his house with forced labor without giving wages and who would not listen to or obey God s voice The people s emotions: Oppressed; discouraged; bitter The king s actions: A king whose children would not inherit the throne because he would not obey the word of the Lord The people s emotions: Abandoned; rejected; despair 96 Leader Guide
What hope did the Israelites have in this environment? The Mercy of God Seeing God s heart for these lesser Israelites kings that He did not immediately judge them but constantly spoke to them, offering promises of reward for obedience and warnings for disobedience how much more should we pray and long for change in the hearts of our leaders instead of writing them off or making them our enemies? And in the midst of any sort of government, no matter how fallen and corrupt, we know that here we have no lasting city but we wait for a promised holy city that is to come (Rev. 21:1-4). The Sovereignty of God The Bible teaches us that all civil authorities, whether good or bad, are ordained by God, and there is no authority except from God (Rom. 13:1). Whenever we experience God s grace in having a good leader who governs properly and works to care for the poor and the oppressed, we ought to wonder how much better God s kind of king will rule. And whenever we experience God s grace in having a bad leader placed over us, we can hope that God has a purpose and that He is even using bad rulers in our lives to make us long for something greater. 2. TO JUDGE WICKED LEADERS (JER. 23:1-4). Next, Jeremiah focused his attention on the shepherds of the day, not just the kings but all the leaders, including the religious leaders. Jeremiah 23:1-4 says: Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. (Jer. 23:1-4) VOICES FROM THE CHURCH God is at work through all our circumstances to shape us into the image of Jesus. 5 Jeff Iorg FURTHER COMMENTARY The shepherds were not only Zedekiah and the three godless Judean kings mentioned in chapter 22, but all leaders of Judah, including spiritual and civil leaders There is a play on words for not attended to [ My flock ] and I will attend to [ shepherds ]. The Hebrew word is paqad, meaning to care for or to chastise. God will discipline the shepherds for not taking care of His flock. 6 Walter C. Kaiser Verse 2 tells us that the shepherds of God s people were not attending to God s people. Instead of caring for them and gathering them in, they banished and scattered them, and this in spite of a shepherd s main role to administer care and watchfulness as they pointed to the love of God. Just as the failed and lesser kings made God s people long for God s kind of king, the failed and lesser shepherds would make God s people long for the better Shepherd God Himself. The Shepherd promised judgment for the The Gospel Project for Students 97
VOICES FROM CHURCH HISTORY When you turn away from the knowledge of God, that is a matter of faith. When you turn away from the authority of God, that is a matter of love. 7 Adrian Rogers wicked shepherds of His people ( I will attend to you for your evil deeds ), and He would gather the remnant of His flock from all the lands and return them to their grazing land. He would gather, instead of scatter, even the very last sheep so that they would no longer be afraid nor any be missing. And what s more, He would raise up shepherds who would attend to His people and care for them (vv. 2-4). At first glance, we might think Jeremiah is being repetitive here. After all, a king and a shepherd are basically the same thing, right (ex. King David)? But if God s people were going to be saved from exile, it was absolutely critical that God provide a true king and a true shepherd; one without the other would make deliverance impossible. And we must understand that apart from the true King and the true Shepherd, our salvation would be impossible. A True King The main role of the king was to administer justice and righteousness by pointing to God s holiness. If God s people were to receive a true king only, God s kind of king, what would be their fate? What would be the just and righteous judgment for those who have countless times not listened to the voice of our holy God and instead have turned to other gods? Would it be good news? We get a glimpse into this in Jeremiah 23:3: Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them. Who ultimately banished God s people? Not the shepherds who were acting wickedly but God Himself. Though all the kings failed in administering justice and righteousness, God did not fail. The only just and right thing to do to a people who failed to listen to God is banish them. A True Shepherd God s people needed a true king who would also be a true shepherd. A true king points a rebellious people to the justice, righteousness, and holiness of God, but a true shepherd points a guilty people deserving of banishment to the grace, forgiveness, and love of God. God s kind of king rightly shows us God s holiness and the wrath of God set against us, but God s shepherd lays down his life instead to receive that wrath so that God s people might be saved. And who is this true king who s also God s shepherd? It s Jesus: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep (John 10:11-15). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. Furthermore, Jeremiah s neither shall any be missing (Jer. 23:4) is a pointer to this Good Shepherd who would leave the 99 to go get the 1. 98 Leader Guide
Maybe you re feeling like that 1 today. You feel as though the justice and righteousness of God is against you; you see the 99 who seem like they have it all together, but they don t. Each of the 99 is the 1 whom Jesus went after, and He will come after you too. And when He comes to find you exactly where you are and you re gathered in from the exile, know that there will be a great party thrown in heaven for you: Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:6-7). 3. TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE (JER. 23:5-8). Seventy years after the Babylonian exile, many returned to Judah to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. Was this the fulfillment of God s promise to deliver His sheep? Was this what God had in mind when He promised that He would gather His people from banishment and that they will be fruitful and numerous once again? Look at the specific promises God made in Jeremiah 23:5-8: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The Lord is our righteousness. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt, but As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them. Then they shall dwell in their own land. (Jer. 23:5-8) We see from this passage that God promised not just a gathering of the people and shepherds to shepherd them but a King to rule them wisely. So the return from their exile was just a partial fulfillment of God s promise. They were still waiting, but for whom? The key is in understanding the Righteous Branch of David. As many of us read this text, we know this Righteous Branch to be Jesus. No one else can bear the title Yahweh Our Righteousness. But is this promise of God good news for those who aren t of the nationality of David? Yes. When we embrace Jesus as our King, we must understand that we ve been adopted and grafted into the faith and the promise of God. We may be tempted to look at the state of the Jewish people today, the vast majority of them not worshiping Jesus as their King, and think that God s promise has failed them. But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Neither are they all children because they are Abraham s descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. That is, it is not the children by FURTHER COMMENTARY Jeremiah shifts the focus from the definitive redemptive event in the exodus from Egypt to another redemption to come. The people will one day look back on this second exodus, the return from Babylon, as the basis for their blessing in the land. However this second exodus, like the first, will be but a foreshadowing of the one true exodus from the power of Satan, sin, and death that Jesus accomplishes. 8 Graeme Goldsworthy The Gospel Project for Students 99
physical descent who are God s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring (Rom. 9:6-8). What we see from Romans 9 is that God s promise was even bigger than we had ever imagined. His promise to gather in from banishment was not just meant for Jews but Gentiles also. It was not to the children by physical descent, but on the contrary, God s children are the children of the promise. And here s the amazing thing about God s promise when God made His promise in Jeremiah to gather in from exile and banishment, He had you and me in mind. CONCLUSION God made a promise that one day the true King and Shepherd would come. And the people of Jeremiah s day failed to believe in that Person they had never seen or known before. But what about us? We too are waiting for God s promise to be fulfilled, but it s a different kind of waiting, isn t it? God s people of Jeremiah s day had to wait for a Person they had never seen or known, but we wait for a Person who has been seen and whom we ve come to know intimately. Many of you spoke to Him this morning and sense His kingship over your life even now. God has promised that this King Jesus would return once again. When the people of Jeremiah s day heard God s promise, they would not listen, but what about you? Will you listen? After all, we have all the more reason to listen. King Jesus has come and He will come again. This promise should change everything. REFERENCES 1. J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Living God s Word (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), 109. 2. Paul R. House, ESV Study Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 1412, n. 22:3. 3. F. B. Huey Jr., Jeremiah, Lamentations, vol. 16 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 1993), 204. 4. Billy Graham, in Billy Graham in Quotes, ed. Franklin Graham (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011), 301. 5. Jeff Iorg, The Character of Leadership (Nashville: B&H, 2007), 4. 6. Walter C. Kaiser, HCSB Study Bible (Nashville: B&H, 2010), 1273, n. 23:1-2. 7. Adrian Rogers, in Adrianisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers, vol. 1 (Memphis: Love Worth Finding, 2006), 20. 8. [Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel Transformation Bible (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), 992, n. 23:7-8.] 100 Leader Guide