Bible Expositor and Illuminator December 2016, January, February 2017 WINTER QUARTER
Vol. LXXXIX No. 1 Bible Expositor and Illuminator WINTER QUARTER December 2016, January, February 2017 Looking Ahead... 2 Editorials... 3 Creation and Salvation UNIT I: The Saviour Is Born Dec. 4 The Promise of a Saviour Luke 1:26-38... 4 Dec. 11 The Promise Affirmed Luke 1:39-56... 18 Dec. 18 The Forerunner of the Saviour Luke 1:8-20... 32 Dec. 25 The Saviour s Birth (Christmas) Luke 2:8-20... 46 UNIT II: All Creation Praises God Jan. 1 Praising God the Creator Ps. 33:1-9... 60 Jan. 8 All Creation Joins in Praise Ps. 96:1-6, 10-13... 74 Jan. 15 Praise God the Provider Ps. 65:1-2, 9-13... 88 Jan. 22 Praise for the Creator s Wisdom Ps. 104:1-4, 24-30... 102 Jan. 29 All Creation Praises the Lord Ps. 148:1-14... 116 UNIT III: The Church Is Born Feb. 5 Heirs of the Promise Gal. 3:26 4:7... 130 Feb. 12 Delivered from Bondage Gal. 4:8-20... 144 Feb. 19 Freedom in Christ Gal. 5:1-17... 158 Feb. 26 Holy Living in the Spirit Gal. 5:18 6:10... 172 Topics for Next Quarter... 188 Paragraphs on Places and People... 189 Daily Bible Readings... 190 Review... 191 Edited and published quarterly by THE INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF THE GOSPEL WORKER SOCIETY UNION GOSPEL PRESS DIVISION Rev. W. B. Musselman, Founder Price: $4.65 per quarter* $18.60 per year* *shipping and handling extra ISBN 978-1-59843-433-0 Lessons based on International Sunday School Lessons; the International Bible Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright 2013 by the Committee on the Uniform Series and used with permission. Edited and published quarterly by The Incorporated Trustees of the Gospel Worker Society, Union Gospel Press Division, 2000 Brookpark Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44109-5812. Mailing address: P.O. Box 6059, Cleveland, Ohio 44101-1059. www.uniongospelpress.com
LOOKING AHEAD Our lessons this quarter touch on the broad and crucial themes of creation and salvation. Salvation, as Scripture tells us, is found in Christ alone (cf. Acts 4:12). The historical account of His arrival in this world is most fully presented in Luke s Gospel. Lesson 1 tells us of the angelic announcement to Mary that she would bear the Messiah. The Lord chose a humble young woman from an insignificant village to fulfill His plan for Christ s birth. The second lesson relates Mary s visit with her older relative Elisabeth and the divine testimony both women gave to the promised Saviour carried in Mary s womb. Lesson 3 backtracks a bit to give us some background on how Elisabeth s husband received a message from the Angel Gabriel that they would be the parents of John, the forerunner of Christ. The fourth lesson takes us to the familiar passage in Luke 2, which describes the birth of Jesus and the witnesses God provided to that event. The second unit of lessons takes us to the Psalms and focuses on the Creator and the creation. Psalm 33 invites us to praise the Creator for His glorious attributes and His mighty work of Creation. Psalm 96 calls us to praise God for His greatness and glory and even looks forward to Christ s second coming. Our lesson in Psalm 65 stresses God s provision for all His creation, including us. Psalm 104 reveals God s greatness and wisdom through His creation. Psalm 148 is a beautiful poem that calls on heaven and earth and all that is in them to praise God. Our studies in this unit should enrich our worship as we contemplate the many reasons we have for praising God. Four lessons in Galatians complete our quarter and give us valuable truths regarding our salvation in Christ. Lesson 10 reminds us that we are children of God by faith alone. Lesson 11 describes the spiritual bondage from which Christ has delivered us and warns against enslaving ourselves again to works rather than resting in God s grace. In lesson 12 Paul described the freedom we have in Christ, the need to stand strong in that freedom, and the proper use of it. The final lesson speaks of the fruit the Holy Spirit works in us and offers practical instruction on how those character qualities are to be upheld in our lives. Jarl K. Waggoner. PLEASE NOTE: The Incorporated Trustees of the Gospel Worker Society, Union Gospel Press Division, most earnestly endeavors to proclaim fundamentally sound doctrine. The writers are prayerfully selected for their Bible knowledge and yieldedness to the Spirit of Truth, each writing in his own style as enlightened by the Holy Spirit. At best we know in part only. They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so (Acts 17:11). 2
EDITORIALS Israel and the Church FRANK PASS The first eleven chapters of Genesis describe four key events: 1. God s creation of a perfect universe in six days, crowned by His creation of man to rule over that universe (chaps. 1 2); 2. man s act of rebellion against God, which plunged the entire creation under the curse of sin (chap. 3); 3. God s judgment on man s continual and increasing wickedness through a worldwide flood that destroyed every living creature except Noah, his family, and the animals on the ark (chaps. 6 9); 4. a second judgment through the confusion of tongues at the Tower of Babel, scattering man over the face of the earth and foiling his plan to make his own name great (chap. 11). It must be noted that events 2, 3, and 4 all include God s judgments on man s rebellion against Him. The enmity between God and man requires redemption. These four events set the stage for the outworking of God s plan of redemption contained in the rest of Scripture. In Genesis 12 God initiated that plan by choosing Abraham and making a threefold promise: 1. God would multiply Abraham s descendants and make of him a great nation (vs. 2); 2. God would give to Abraham a particular piece of real estate in which that nation would dwell (vs.1); 3. God would bless Abraham and through him bless all the other nations of the earth (vs. 3). God would later confirm this promise to Abraham through a covenant (chap. 15), the first of several covenants that would govern the relationship between God and Abraham s descendants. God s covenant with Abraham begins to unfold throughout the rest of Scripture. God multiplied Abraham s descendants, and they became the nation of Israel. God redeemed His people from Egyptian bondage and entered into another covenant with them at Mount Sinai (Exod. 20 23). The purpose of this covenant was to set Israel apart from the other nations of the world so that she might be to God a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation (19:6). The covenant s overarching requirement was that Israel love the Lord her God and Him only with all her heart, soul, and might (Deut. 6:5). Israel s obedience to the covenant stipulations would bring blessings, while disobedience would bring curses (Deut. 28). The ultimate curse would be loss of residence in the Promised Land (chap. 30). Israel s history confirms God s faithfulness to His word. Her idolatry and disobedience first divided the covenanted Davidic kingdom (cf. I Kings 11:31-35), then took both Judah and Israel into exile (II Kings 17 18; 24 25). While she was out of her land, God sent prophets to call Israel to repentance and assure her of His love. The prophets declared a future day when Israel would be restored to her land and become the witness nation to the world that God originally intended her to be. They also spoke of a future Davidic king who would rule Israel according to God s righteous requirements. Jesus Christ came as that King in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Upon proclaiming the nearness of the (Continued on page 186) Bible Expositor and Illuminator 3
LESSON 1 DECEMBER 4, 2016 Scripture Lesson Text LUKE 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Ga bri-el was sent from God unto a city of Gal i-lee, named Naz a-reth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Jo seph, of the house of Da vid; and the virgin s name was Ma ry. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Ma ry: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JE SUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father Da vid: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Ja cob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Ma ry unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Ho ly Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin E-lis a-beth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Ma ry said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. NOTES 4
The Promise of a Saviour Lesson: Luke 1:26-38 Read: Luke 1:26-38 TIME: 7 or 6 B.C. PLACE: Nazareth GOLDEN TEXT Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS (Luke 1:31). Introduction Even before God created heaven and the earth, His plan of salvation was in place. In eternity past, that plan was established and sure so much so that in Revelation the Apostle John described Jesus as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (13:8), and the Apostle Paul could speak of believers being chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). God s plan to redeem His fallen creatures, however, was worked out in human history, beginning immediately after the sin of Adam and Eve with the promise that One would come to crush the serpent s head (Gen. 3:15). From God s covenant promises to Abraham (12:2-3) to the detailed offerings and sacrifices of the law to the prophecies of God s servants, the Israelite nation looked forward to the Deliverer who would bring to fruition God s plan. Sadly, when the Promised One arrived, the nation rejected and despised Him. Their hopes of a glorious deliverance from political oppression by a conquering king blinded them to the One who had to first save them from their sins. Perhaps part of that blindness was due also to the humble circumstances of the Saviour s birth. LESSON OUTLINE I. AN ANGELIC APPEARANCE Luke 1:26-30 II. A DIVINE MESSAGE Luke 1:31-37 III. A HUMBLE RESPONSE Luke 1:38 Exposition: Verse by Verse AN ANGELIC APPEARANCE LUKE 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art high- Bible Expositor and Illuminator 5 December 4, 2016