All The Counsel of God

SAUL – A MAN WHOM JEALOUSY AND PRIDE DESTROYED

SCRIPTURE: I Samuel 9-31

INTRODUCTION: Saul, Israel’s first king, is one of the most pathetic men in the Word of God. Few, if any, men of the Bible had such opportunity to make a success of life, and none ever messed it up so. Saul not only missed great opportunities to be used of God, he deliberately abused them. His sun rose in bright and splendid anticipation, but set in a tragic night of failure and despair. The downward slide of his life is the old familiar story of pride, self-will, and self-sufficiency that lead to moral and spiritual destruction. Let us consider and learn from Saul’s steps down the ladder,

HE WAS A MAN ANOINTED WITH THE SPIRIT- I Sam 11:6-12

Samuel was directed of God to anoint Saul as the new (and first) king of Israel. Note that he prophesied that the Spirit would come upon Saul, and that he would be turned into another man – v 6. This came to pass just as Samuel promised, and with the Spirit upon him, Saul prophesied among a company of the prophets. What a wonderful experience! This reminds us that we must have the power of the Holy Spirit upon us to energize and direct our service for God.

AT FIRST, SAUL WAS HUMBLE AND PRACTICED SELF-CONTROL – I Sam 10:22,27; 11:3Even though a man of great physical stature, Saul was naturally shy and unassuming.

His humility was sincere and refreshing in a ruler. God is pleased with the humble but will bring down the proud. (Teachers: find and share some Scriptures with your students about humility and pride–James and Proverbs would be good places to look. Jesus also addressed this in His teaching, e.g., Luke 14:7-11.)

BUT SELF-WILL SOON SURFACED-I Sam 13:7-13

Saul had only reigned for two years when self-will began to surface in his life. It seems that his promotion from donkey-finder to king sort of “went to his head.” How true it is that success and honor are more difficult for most men to handle than opposition, hardship, and even failure! We have here a bashful, “good ole country boy” who is now the king of a great nation. Under stress, he soon steps over his bounds and presumes to offer a burnt offering to the Lord. (He was intruding into the office of the priest!) After this incident, Samuel announces the divine rejection of Saul.

SAUL THEN BECAME DISOBEDIENT TO THE DIRECT COMMAND OF GOD-   Sam 15

Notice the downward progression: self-will led to out-and-out disobedience. (But it did not have to be this way–consider the mercy of God upon one of the most wicked  men who ever lived: I Kings 21 :25-29!) But the underlying weakness of Saul’s character begins to show as he attempts to shift the blame for his disobedience to others.

JEALOUSY PROMPTED SAUL TO HUNT & HARM DAVID – I Sam. 18:8, 19:1

We marvel at the progressive hardening of Saul and his steadily worsening spiritual condition. How could someone who started so well descend to such a malicious state?! But remember the words of 15:22-23 — once a rebellious attitude begins to grip a person, he will be open to all manner of gross sin. None is more destructive than the green-eyed monster of jealousy.

HE EVEN CONSORTED WITH A WITCH – I Sam. 28:7

There has been an alarming increase in occult activity of all kinds in recent years, and many are taken up with board games, horoscopes, palm. readers, and other forms of prognostication. NOTE: any desire to know about the future, other than what God has revealed in His Word, is both unholy and unwholesome.

WOUNDED IN BATTLE, SAUL ENDED HIS LIFE AS A SUICIDE! – I Sam 31:4

Having already come to moral and spiritual ruin, Saul finally destroyed his physical life. Two verses come to mind: Num 32:23; Gal 6:7. Unless the cancer of sin is excised from one’s life, it will, sooner or later, result in destruction. The sad truth is that Saul’s tragic story of defeat by sin is being repeated in countless lives today!

LESSONS FROM SAUL’S LIFE

• Partial obedience is, in fact, DISobedience

• Each person must take responsibility for his own actions. We have a society overrun today with people like Saul–no matter what the situation, they always find someone else to blame. Paul reminds us (Rom 14:12) “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Unless the “root of bitterness” is properly dealt with, it will lead to trouble and defilement — See Heb 12:14-16.

The destructive and certain effects of sin. Someone has aptly observed:

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” (A classic example of this little axiom is found in the life of Lot.)

SAMSON – THE MAN OF CONTRASTS

SCRIPTURE: Judges 13, 14, 15, 16

INTRODUCTION: SAMSON was one of the most renowned, and no doubt the most amazing, of the Hebrew judges. He was a Danite, son of Manoah, and judged Israel for twenty years.

Endowed with supernatural strength, he killed a lion with his bare hands, thirty Philistines, and then 1,000 men with the jawbone of an ass! He broke the strongest bands, carried off the gates of Gaza, and pulled down the temple of Dagon! The latter was his greatest feat (at least three thousand were slain in the crumbling ruins) but it resulted in his own death – see16:30.

Samson was unconquerable (in spite of his carnal appetite) as long as he remained a Nazarite. He was the only one of the judges who worked single-handedly. Samson never called the armies of Israel together; he asked no assistance. His total ministry was done alone in his God-given, unconquerable strength.

His life was one of striking contrasts. Let us consider these:

1. He was separated as a Nazarite (Judges 13:5) …

YET he dabbled with evil associations (14:1-3, 10-11, 16:1).

2. He was occasionally Spirit-endued (13:25, 14:6, 15:14) …

YET he yielded to carnal appetites (16:1-4).

3. He was mighty in physical strength (15:15, 16:3, 9, 12, 14) …

YET he was weak in resisting temptation (16:15-17).

4. He had a noble beginning (13:24-25) …

BUT he came to a sad end (16:30).

The deadly results of Samson’s self-indulgence and the final breaking of his Nazarite vow are seen in order in the narrative:

1. Self-confidence – “I will go out” – 16:20

2. Self-ignorance – “He wist not” – 16:20

3. Self-weakness – “The Philistines laid hold on him” – 16:21

4. Self-darkness – “They put out his eyes” – 16:21

5. Self-degradation – “They brought him down to Gaza – 16:21

6. Self-bondage – “They bound him with fetters” – 16:21

7. Self-drudgery – “He did grind in the prison house” – 16:21

8. Self-humiliation – “Call for Samson, that he may make us sport” – 16:25, 27

LESSONS FROM SAMSON’S LIFE:

1. The evils of mixed (SAVED/LOST, SPIRITUAL/CARNAL) marriages – chap 14, 15:1-6. [In the Teen and Singles classes, here is a good opportunity to discuss the importance of finding the right mate of God’s choosing from the right religious background and family life. Compatibility in spiritual matters should have top priority.

2. The tragic effects of playing with sexual temptations.

3. The tragedy of unfulfilled potential. In spite of his unlimited physical strength and his ability to slaughter the Philistines at will, Samson is the only judge who did not set Israel free from the oppressing enemy. And the reason Samson never fully conquered the Philistines was because he never conquered himselt1

4. Sin always brings judgment – James 1 :13-15; Num 32:23.

5. One of the most significant lessons: When Christians sin openly, it brings reproach on the name of God – 16:23-24. The celebrating Philistines praised their gods saying, “Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy … ” Oh NO! NO! It was not the lifeless, impotent image of Dagon that delivered Samson into the hands of the Philistines–it was his own sins!!! Cf. 1 Sam 31 :8-10. Nathan told David that because of his deeds (in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah) he had “given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme … “

RUTH – DEVOTION TO DUTY IS CROWNED WITH BLESSING AND HONOR

SCRIPTURE: Book of Ruth; Matt 1:5

INTRODUCTION: The events recorded in this book took place during the time of the Judges and present a marked contrast to the enemy oppression, intertribal jealousy, and other turbulent events characteristic of that period of Israel’s history. Instead of violence and lawlessness, we see love, tenderness, and sacrifice. The book contains just four brief chapters, but it has a mighty message–in fact, several of them.

HER NAME

“Ruth” is one of the most popular girl’s names. Several years ago a statistician ranked Ruth seventh in the list of the 100 most popular female names in America, with almost 1.5 million bearing the name. It may mean either “something worth seeing,” or “friendship.” No doubt both meanings were true of this beautiful girl of Moab. She was certainly a sight worth seeing, and she was capable of loyal friendship seldom equaled in the annals of human history.

It took a real measure of grace to befriend a bitter woman such as Naomi became, but Ruth was bound to her mother-in-law by the cords of love! One

HER ADULT LIFE

l . As A Young Widow — When we first meet Ruth, she is a young wife married to one of Elimelech’s sons. In the very next verse we find Ruth (and Orpah as well) prematurely and unexpectedly losing her husband through death. The root cause is the chastening hand of God upon Naomi (Ruth’s mother-in-law). First, her husband died. Then both her sons, Mahlon and Chilion, who had sinned by marrying women of Moab, also died. (See Deut 7:3, 23:3 for prohibition of such marriages.) We have no information about the spiritual life of this Hebrew family while out of the will of God in Moab. However, it is safe to conclude from the context ( 1:16-17) that at least Ruth had been significantly influenced by her exposure to the one true God, Jehovah. She seems to have weathered the family’s shock of losing all the men much better than Naomi.

2. As A Faithful Daughter-in-law — The three widows–Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah—were no doubt bound together by their grief. But since Naomi’s sons died childless, when the famine in Bethlehem passed, she decided to pull up stakes and go back home. Ruth and Orpah were deeply attached to their mother-in-law and decided to go with her.

But on the way back to Bethlehem, Naomi urged them to go back to their own country and people. (What a sad testimony for one of God’s people to be urging others to stay in their idolatry!) For Orpah, ties of kindred and her own idolatry won out, and she went back to her people and to her gods ( and to an eternity without Christ!)

But with Ruth it was different. In the words of Alexander Whyte, “Ruth’s love for her dead husband’s aged mother is as pure gold and as strong as death. Many waters cannot quench Ruth’s love. And her confession of love . .is the most beautiful confession of love in all the world.” What pure and unselfish devotion! What beauty of character when Ruth cried, “Entreat me not to leave thee.” What a contradiction to modem flippancy and fickleness, especially in view of traditional attitudes toward “;mother-in-law.”

3. As A Determined Convert — In spite of her heathen background in the degenerate tribe of Moab, Ruth became a true worshiper of the true God! The last words of Ruth 1 :16 are the song of a new life! (See Psa 40:1-3) Now with God in her heart, Ruth longed _to live with those people “whose God is the Lord. “What a miracle in the heathen heart of Ruth, especially in light of Naomi’s poor testimony (urging her to stay in Moab) But wanting to be with God’s people is the “norm” for those who become new creatures in Christ–“old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

4. As A Humble Gleaner — Ruth realized that Naomi could not work, so she volunteered to do the only profitable thing, and that was to go glean. It was the time of barley harvest, and she was directed by the providence of God to the field of Boaz.

Ruth was not ashamed of her menial task as she took her place with the poor and outcast gleaning in the barley fields. Because of her character, she was more concerned about providing for Naomi than about the impression she might make with the public. She was determined not to eat the bread of idleness, and God rewarded her with the immediate favor and kindness of Boaz. Little did she dream that she would soon become the much-loved wife of this great, good and wealthy man! How wonderful the workings of God! Boaz was one of Naomi’s near relatives, one of the few remaining kinsmen of her husband’s family.

The nearest relative was unable ( or unwilling) to function as kinsman redeemer (“goel”) but Boaz, next of kin, willingly took the responsibility. This not only provided a home and husband for Ruth, but brought ample provision and security for Naomi.

Ruth was lifted out of obscurity into a happy union with Boaz, the mighty man of wealth, and permitted to join the ancestry of our Savior! God smiled on the marriage of honorable Boaz and virtuous Ruth, and blessed them with a son, “Obed,” (meaning “a servant who worships”) who became the grandfather of David. This experience is one of the first in world history of a rise from rags to riches, from poverty to plenty!

LESSONS

1. Naomi had told Ruth, while still in Moab (1 :9), that she would find rest among her own people, but she finally learned that there is rest only with the people of God and in the will of God. (See Matt 11 :28-30)

2. The virtues of unselfishness and loyalty are the only foundation upon which true happiness can be built. Unfortunately, multitudes today–including many professing Christians–are actively seeking happiness for themselves. The simple truth is that one will never experience true happiness until he forgets about himself and learns to live for others!

3. “Opportunity is met on the road to duty.”

4. The ways of God are past finding out! Only an omniscient and merciful God could orchestrate the events recorded in the book of Ruth, such that a heathen Moabite girl would be brought into the human lineage of the Lord Jesus Christ. Surely, as said the Psalmist,” .. His mercy endureth for ever.” (See Psa 136; Lamentations 3:22-23)

NOAH – THE MAN WHO BUILT AN ARK

Scriptures: Gen 6, 7, 8; Heb 11 :7

INTRODUCTION: One of the best known men in all the Bible is Noah. (His name means “rest.”) He was the son of Lamech, a descendant of Seth. He was tenth from Adam, and lived to the amazing age of 950 years! Nothing is known of Noah’s early life, for he appears on the Bible stage when he was already 500 years old. Apparently his father was a godly man and not only gave Noah a fitting name, but from Gen 6:9 it is also safe to conclude that he brought up his son “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” One thing we can be certain about: Noah lived in a time when men were universally corrupt, so much so that God was moved to destroy the human race! But, praise God! in the midst of that age of moral and spiritual darkness, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. He lived a righteous life and was in such close contact with God that God revealed to him His plan to destroy mankind. God gave him the strange and almost impossible task of building a seaworthy vessel large enough to shelter not just his family, but also a pair of all the birds and beasts living on the land at that time! Noah believed God and set about the tremendous task of constructing the ark. No doubt every day Noah had to endure the ridicule and scorn of his godless neighbors, but he was steadfast and faithful to the great task God had given him.

NOAH WALKED WITH GOD – Gen 6:8-12 Noah was a just and perfect (upright, sincere, mature, balanced) man in his generation. This is commendable in any age and culture, but Noah’s life is even more amazing in view of the abounding iniquity of his day. (See Gen 6:5-7. Teacher, you may want to review briefly from the lesson on Enoch what is required in walking with God.) Note the command given in Phil 2:15–this is certainly appropriate for Christians today in the USA! We have an opportunity much like Noah had.

NOAH WAS OBEDIENT – Gen 6:14-22 Noah’s task was extremely difficult, first, because of the huge dimensions of the ship (v 15). But, no doubt, an even greater problem was that Noah was a pioneer in the ship-building business! Remember, that before the flood the earth’s land mass had not yet been broken into continents and there was LITTLE, if any, NEED for shipping. Where would Noah go for the expertise required to build such a great maritime vessel?! But Noah obeyed without question and set out at once to carry out God’s command-see Gen. 6:22. It is safe to assume that God inspired Noah and his sons with the requisite building skills in much the same way as He gave the wisdom and understanding to Bezaleel and others to build the tabernacle and its furnishings (Ex 36:1-2). One thing is sure: when we obey God and make a sincere effort to carry out His work, He will provide the means of accomplishing it!

GOD REMEMBERED NOAH – Gen 8:1 Noah believed God and obeyed Him completely. Consequently, God was faithful and delivered Noah and all those in the Ark from death! God is always faithful (Lam 3:22-23) and will remember us when we obey Him fully. Examples: children of Israel at Passover in Egypt; three Hebrew children in Babylon; Naaman the leper.

NOAH “WORKED OUT” HIS SALVATION – Heb 11 :7 “Faith without works is dead.” (See also Phil 2:12.) Saving faith always produces works! The very fact that Noah believed God’s Word caused him to get to work. The Bible says that Noah was “moved with fear.” On the other hand, the fact that the multitudes to whom Noah preached God’s message of coming judgment did not get on the Ark proved that they did not believe his message. Noah believed that God was holy and infallible and, therefore, He would keep His Word. (If we believed God like we say we do, we would get to work, too!)

NOAH PREACHED JUDGMENT – 2 Peter 2:5 Noah not only built an ark, but he was faithful to warn the mass of humanity of the coming wrath and judgment of Almighty God! Compare Noah’s faithful witness with Ezekiel 33: 1-20, which teaches us of our responsibility to warn the unsaved all about us today.

NOAH BUILT THE FIRST ALTAR – Gen 8:20 Although Abel brought a blood sacrifice to God, we are not told that he built an altar. So Noah is the first person on record as having built an altar. The altar he built speaks of Noah’s gratefulness to and worship of God

NOAH WAS HONORED BY GOD WITH AN EVERLASTING COVENANT– Gen 9:12-17 Compare this with the wonderful truth that we are now partakers of a new Covenant – Heb 9:15-20.

LESSONS From NOAH’S LIFE:

God honors faith.

Obedience is often it’s own reward! (Think what would have happened to Noah had he not obeyed!)

From conditions in the world today, we must be near the Coming of the Lord!

Our great task is to warn the lost of coming judgment and point them to Christ!

JOSHUA – THE SOLDIER-SAINT

INTRODUCTION: The star of today’s lesson is the son of Nun, successor to Moses, and author of the book bearing his name. There are several forms of Joshua, e.g., Jehoshua, Jeshua, Jesus. He is even called Hoshea (Deut. 32:44). “Joshua” is the Hebrew name that is the same as the Greek name Jesus, and means “Jehovah is salvation.” Joshua has been appropriately called, “The first soldier consecrated by sacred history.”

We will study this great man by considering him in the following roles:

AS A SON—

Joshua was the son of Nun (which means “prosperity, durable”) and of the tribe of Ephraim. We are not told anything of his mother, but one usually finds a good, gracious, charactered woman behind any man who reaches a position of influence and honor as a servant of God. There is every reason to believe that Joshua’s parents feared the God of Israel and that Joshua was a good son who followed their teaching. (See Pro. 22:6)

AS A SLAVE—

Joshua was already an adult when Israel came out of Egypt and thus had personally experienced the sufferings of slavery under Pharaoh. No doubt he could remember the sting of the whip and the wellnigh impossible tasks in the brick-fields. Little did he realize then as a slave that he would rise to become Israel’s supreme leader and military commander-in-chief.

Even worse than the slavery, Joshua had also witnessed the moral degradation of his country-men brought about by the terrible idolatries of Egypt in which they indulged. No doubt that experience had something to do with the solemn commands he gave the people many years later. (Josh 24: 15-25)

AS A SERVANT—

Joshua is referred to as “the servant of Moses”–Num 11 :28; Josh 1 :1. No doubt the second most important segment of his life (after his upbringing by godly parents) was his long and faithful service to Moses. Joshua’s unswerving loyalty and devotion to Moses was a significant part of his preparation for leadership. Before one can be effective as a leader, he must learn to be a good and loyal follower, submissive to authority. In his service to Moses, Joshua was a good example of some very important principles for adults as well as young people:

Be loyal to leaders. The late Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., used to say, “If you ain’t loyal, you ain’t nothing!” These leaders include parents, teachers, supervisors, Pastor, and mostof all, Christ!

Be faithful to the task at hand.

Do well the small tasks and the behind-the-scenes jobs. Do not expect to be given greater responsibility until you have proven dependable and effective at doing the small things!

AS A SPY—

Joshua was one of the twelve chosen to search out the land of Canaan (Num 13: 1-16). It was at this time that Moses changed his name from Oshea or Hoshea, which means “help,” to Joshua, meaning “God’s help,” or “salvation.” This is significant for it suggests that Moses was trying to lift the thoughts of the people Godward and to lead them to rely upon God’s help.

Along with Caleb, Joshua brought back a faithful report of the land and encouraged the people to go up and take it. Their stand pleased the Lord, and because of this, they were the only ones of the first generation allowed to go into the Promised Land. Sadly, the children of Israel rejected the true report and turned back from Kadesh-bamea in unbelief. [No doubt Joshua learned a lesson about committees from this experience, for, years later when he is in command, he only sent two men over to reconnoiter Jericho!] We learn from Joshua’s actions at Kadesh that we must 1) have faith in God, and, 2) be willing to stand for right regardless or what others may do or say.

AS A SOLDIER—

Joshua was one of the greatest military leaders of all time! He knew how to plan campaigns, discipline his troops, use spies, and, above all, pray and trust God. His strategies have been used in many modem military engagements and are still being studied in the war colleges. Read how he dis-comfited Amalek (Ex 17 :9-16) and note his devastating tactics against Ai (Josh 8).

It could be said of Joshua, “He was every inch a soldier and every inch a Christian.” Joshua was, above all, a good soldier of the Lord Whom he encountered and obeyed as Captain of the Lord’s host (Josh 5:13-15).

AS A SAVIOR—

Moses, representing the Law, brought the people to the border of the land, but it took a Joshua (God’s salvation) to take them into the land. He was probably about 85 years old when he assumed command at Shittim, and what a savior he was as he helped to roll away Israel’s reproach and to lead them to possess their possessions! His conquests and victories picture for us all that Christ has made available for believers today.

AS A SAINT—

Joshua’s saintliness marked him as the obvious successor to Moses (Deut 34:9). What a soldier-saint he was!

He was filled with the Spirit of God- Deut 34:9.

He enjoyed the presence of God – Josh 1 :5, 6:27.

He was indwelt by the Word of God – Josh 1 : 8.

He was obedient to the will of God – Num 32:12, Josh 5:14.

His example challenged others to serve God – Josh 24: 15.

No wonder his death at 110 years of age was deeply mourned and his outstanding service universally praised! His great spiritual influence outlived him, for Israel continued to serve the Lord all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua – Josh 24:3.

JOSEPH – THE MAN WHOSE DREAMS CAME TRUE

Scripture: Genesis 37-50

INTRODUCTION: Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, but the first of his mother, Rachel. He is one of the most outstanding men of the Bible, and it would take a book itself to fully detail all the virtues and victories over vicissitudes of Joseph. The story of this young man is so appealing to young and old alike, for it is the story of a man who went from a pit to a palace, from rags to riches, from being a slave to being a sovereign! But most importantly, it is the true story of a young man who stayed morally pure in the face of great temptation.

JOSEPH WAS A YOUTHFUL DREAMER – Gen 37:5-9, 41:42-44

It is not uncommon for a young fellow to be a “dreamer,” that is, to have his head in the clouds, daydreaming and wishing about one thing or another. If the adjective “lazy” can properly be placed before the noun (dreamer) then there’s not much hope for that person to amount to anything. But Joseph was different, his dream came true! [See Pro 23:7a. Discuss with your class the importance of dreams (goals for the future) and right thinking–Phil 4:8.] When we consider the nature of Joseph’s dreams and that the fulfillment of them resulted in the sparing, not only of his immediate family, but of the future nation of Israel as well, we are reminded of Solomon’s wise words in Prov29: 18a, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: … !”

JOSEPH LABORED AS A SLAVE – Gen 39:1-6, 20-23

Even though he was a slave, Joseph was faithful under hard circumstances and in unnoticed places. Here is a very important principle for living: There must be faithfulness in little responsibility in the obscure position before greater responsibility and a more prominent position will be given. When we learn to be faithful in the “little” things, God will give us greater things to do. You can be sure that if Joseph had complained and been a slacker in his work as a slave, he would never have been promoted to second ruler over the land of Egypt.

JOSEPH ENJOYED THE PRESENCE OF GOD – Gen 39:2-4

Because of Joseph’s attitude and his unbroken trust in God, God was with him and blessed him. (The theme of Joseph’s life could well be “Securing God’s Presence.”) Notice in v 3 that his master took note of God’s blessings upon Joseph. Because of the obvious presence of God in Joseph’s life, Potiphar had confidence in him.

JOSEPH RESISTED TEMPTATION – Gen 39:6-13

No doubt the most prominent and admirable thing about Joseph is the way he withstood every test that came his way. There are six of them in the divine record:’

1. The test of Adversity

2. The test of Prosperity

3. The temptation of sexual immorality

4. The test of False Accusation

5. The test of Broken Promises

6. The temptation to Get Even!

No. 3 is the subject of this passage. Joseph was a handsome, comely man (v 6) and, thus, became the unwitting and innocent target of his mistress’ wicked desires. It is hardly expected that a slave whose occupational background (shepherd) made him an abomination to the Egyptians would become the object of affection to the “high class” wife of Potiphar. A maid, a cook, or some other female servant, yes, but not Potiphar’s wife! Here is an important lesson: temptation often comes from unexpected directions. Joseph is to be commended for his response to her advances. Note specifically his words in v 9: Joseph understood that sin is against God and in this case would be “great wickedness.” He not only reproved his ungodly mistress, but he steadfastly resisted her advances. When he was “cornered,” he left his garment in her hand and fled! It would not be written till many hundreds of years later, but Joseph understood the principle Paul conveyed to young Timothy, “Flee also youthful lusts … ” (2 Tim 2:22) What an important lesson this incident in Joseph’s life is for us–when we are submitted wholly to God, we will allow neither shortcomings nor favorable traits to cause us to stumble in serving God. We also need to be reminded of the truth of 1 Cor 10: 13 and put it into operation when we are faced with temptation.

JOSEPH “ANSWERED NOT AGAIN” – Gen 39:14-20

This is the outcome of the incident dealt with above and comprises Joseph’s fourth Test. After Joseph had done that which pleased God by refusing to sin with his master’s wife, she, in her anger over being rejected, accuses him of trying to rape her. Without any effort to learn the truth of the matter, Potiphar has him thrown in prison! Joseph is a marvelous type of Christ in so many particulars of his life. But here is one of the most amazing–he was silent amid foul and false accusations and the appearance of guilt, and even to unjust imprisonment. No doubt there was some wisdom in this ( after all, what man would believe a slave instead of his wife) but there was also a great deal of Christlike humility. This is certainly not a merely human response. Jesus answered not again when he was falsely accused and then delivered up to die in total innocence.

JOSEPH WAS UNSPOILED BY SUDDEN PROSPERITY -Gen 41:14-20

This was possibly the greatest test of character Joseph experienced. Many a man who stood faithful through great opposition and hard trials has fallen when he met success. Joseph passed the “success test” with flying colors! When days of great honor followed days of servitude and humiliation, Joseph did not yield to pride.

JOSEPH KNEW HOW TO RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL- Gen 50:16-21

You would agree that this was a pretty big test also–after all, he had his brothers just where most of us would have wanted them!! But Joseph again exhibits great Christlikeness in his refusal to seek revenge. Consider Jesus’ teaching in Matt 5:43-48 and see how Joseph’s life compared to that. (How does your life compare?!)

CONCLUSION: We cannot have all the gifts of Joseph, who was such a complete type of Christ, but we surely ought to covet and strive to imitate all his graces. We will not achieve his greatness from a worldly perspective, but we can have his goodness reproduced in our lives by the Spirit of God!

Final Lessons from Joseph’s Life- The attitudes which helped Joseph secure the PRESENCE of Godare revealed in three scenes:

Scene #1: In Potiphar’s house – his attitude toward sin was fear – Gen 39: 1-13

Scene #2: In Prison – his attitude toward circumstances was faith – Gen 39:20-40: 14

Scene #3: In the Palace – his attitude toward people was forgiveness – Gen 50: 1-26

JONATHAN – THE MAN WHO WAS CONTENT TO BE SECOND

SCRIPTURE: I Samuel 13:15 – II Samuel 1:27

INTRODUCTION: One of the most unusual men in the Bible is Jonathan. (His name means “the Lord gave.”) He was the eldest son of Saul, first king of Israel. The most unusual aspect of Jonathan’s life is his close friendship with David, who was chosen of God to succeed Saul. The normal human reaction to this turn of events would have been great jealousy and even hatred on Jonathan’s part. (After all, Saul was insanely jealous of David and tried for years to kill him!) Even though he knew he would never succeed his father as king, with true humility Jonathan could say to David, “I shall be next to thee.”

After his lamentable death, he is only mentioned as the father of Mephibosheth. Also, is it not strange that Jonathan does not appear among the heroes of Hebrews 11; especially since he personified all the Christian graces Peter wrote about (II Pet 1:5-7)? Now let us consider some of the things that made Jonathan great.

JONATHAN WAS PREPARED FOR BATTLE – I Sam 13:22

How important it is to be ready when opportunity and responsibility come! In this band of 600 men, no one had a sword or spear except Saul and Jonathan. Young people need to prepare themselves to the fullest to serve the Lord. On a day-to-day basis, every Christian should prepare for service to the Lord by 1) Bible study, 2) prayer, and 3) yielding himself to the Holy Spirit.

JONATHAN HAD GREAT FAITH – I Sam 14:1-6

For a Samson this single-handed attack on the Philistines would have been child’s play; but for a mere man like Jonathan, this was an act of great faith–an utter and total dependence on God, believing He can do anything! Compare this with the faith mentioned in Heb 11:7, 30, 33-34. Although Jonathan had never read it, he certainly believed Jer 32:27 with Jer 33:2-3 !

JONATHAN’S COURAGE MATCHED HIS FAITH – I Sam 14:7-14

There is quite a difference between believing God can do something and believing He will do it! When you are personally facing a vastly superior enemy, that difference is courage. By the way, courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the determination to move ahead in spite of fear. Jonathan believed in his cause (against the uncircumcised Philistines, the enemies of God) and he believed in Almighty God Jehovah. So he fully committed himself to the battle. There is a great need for Christians today who, like Jonathan, will say, “Here am I, Lord, send me – use me.” Too many today are quick to say, “Send somebody, Lord, but not me or mine.”

JONATHAN WAS A FRIEND TO DAVID – I Sam 18:1-4, 19:1-7

There was a rare spark of divine inspiration in the love-bond between David and Jonathan. You will notice that it began before Saul became jealous of David. Jonathan’s love for David was certainly self-sacrificing, but make no mistake about it, David had a great love for Jonathan as well. This relationship surely equaled that between Ruth and Naomi.

The friend relationship is perhaps the most underrated of all human relationships. Friendship is a high and noble relationship. Few ever know its depth. Most people never have a true friend, and certainly, most are never a friend to someone else. The weighty nature of this relationship is evident from these two verses: “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Pro 18:24) & “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) From this we can see that the word “friend” ought to be added to the words father, mother, son, daughter, and husband, wife.

Happy indeed is the man who has a friend. Happier still is the man who is a friend. And most blessed of all is the man who has a friend and is a friend! True friendship, as defined in the Bible, involves abiding love and endearment as typified by Jonathan and David. Our main concern should be being a friend rather than having a friend. (See Pro 18:24a) Thus, the place to start is by doing sacrificial things for others–learning to live for others. There is a great message for us in the song “Others” — first verse and chorus go like this:

“Lord, help me live from day to day In such a self-forgetful way,

That even when I kneel to pray My prayer shall be for others.

chorus: “Others, Lord, yes, others, Let this my motto be,

Help me to live for others That I might live like Thee.”

DAVID EULOGIZED HIS FRIEND UPON HIS DEATH – II Sam 1

There is nothing else in the Word of God comparable to David’s lament when he heard of the death of Saul and Jonathan in their last battle with the Philistines. Words like this come easy in describing a man who lived like Jonathan!

Of course God is not limited to means, but, humanly speaking, David owed his life to the intervention of Jonathan with Saul. In fact, on at least two occasions, Saul became so angry with Jonathan’s protection of David that he tried to kill him!!!

David never got over Jonathan’s sacrificial love for him, and after becoming king, he befriended Mephibosheth for Jonathan’s sake.

It is to be regretted that so few people ever experience such a relationship as that between Jonathan and David.

LESSONS:

o It is always right to do right, regardless of the consequences! Someone said, “It is better to be right than to be President.”

o No doubt, Jonathan will share in the rewards of David. Jonathan strengthened David’s hand and helped him escape the wrath of Saul.

o It is a great accomplishment in life to be a friend.

HANNAH, THE MOTHER OF SAMUEL

SCRIPTURE: I Samuel 1-2

INTRODUCTION: Hannah is one of the outstanding women of the Bible. She lived in a time when there was no king in Israel and the priesthood was corrupt, but God was about to raise up a man to lead His people. As always, when God prepares a leader, He starts in the home. For example, in the case of Moses, the book that records his beginnings (Exodus) starts with its focus on the home. Note also that the New Testament begins with a description of the family of Jesus! This underscores the importance of the home, and especially the vital part played by the mother.

HANNAH COULD LIVE WITH DISGRACE AND OPPOSITION – I Sam 1:2,6-7

During Old Testament times it was a very unnatural thing for a woman not to be a mother. No doubt Hannah was aware of God’s command to be fruitful and multiply, and the economic and cultural advantages of children in an agrarian society further heightened the desire for children. But her greatest source of anguish was the presence of another wife in the home who not only had children, but became Hannah’s “adversary,” provoking her continually because she was barren (see 1:5-8). [This is similar to the situation in Jacob’s household where the loved mate (Rachel) was barren, and Leah was hoping to win Jacob’s love by bearing him children.]

However, Hannah did not fold up under these trials and stop living for God. She is to be commended for her courage. It’s easy for a person to live as a Christian when everybody is on his side and there’s no opposition! But when things are going wrong and people look down upon us, ridicule us and question our faith, it takes real Christian character to stay on the right track and keep living for God. If we are going to be successful for Christ, we must learn, as Hannah did so well, to live with opposition.

HANNAH WANTED TO BE WHAT SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE – I Sam 1:8

Hannah had the God-given instincts of a woman–she wanted to be a mother. Even her husband’s love and special gifts could not satisfy her with anything less than what God had made her to be! Our culture is rapidly making an unholy mess out of gender. It’s sad that many today, and especially a great number of women, are unhappy with how God made them. It is mild insanity to insist that there are no basic differences between the sexes, and it is simply rebellion against God for anyone to want to be something different from what He made him to be.

HANNAH WENT TO THE RIGHT PERSON FOR ADVICE

When she went to Shiloh she went to the tabernacle and there made known to Eli, the man of God, her agony of soul. Regardless of age we all have the need for going to spiritual people for advice in making decisions. Young people need especially to counsel with their S.S. teachers, the Pastor, and spiritual leaders. And all of us need to be reminded never to accept advice from ungodly people – Psalms 1:1-3.)

ADVERSITY BROUGHT HANNAH CLOSER TO THE LORD – I Sam 1:10

How good it was that all the opposition, personal turmoil, and bitterness of soul brought Hannah to fervent prayer. Adversity happens for many reasons, but when we respond to it as God would have us to, it will bring us closer to Him.

HANNAH KNEW HOW TO PRAY

Little children should be able to hear their parents praying for them. Hannah. prayed until the answer came. She did not just go through a little routine, but she prayed until she knew that God would give her  request. See I John 5: 14,15.

SHE PROMISED TO USE THE GIFT FOR THE LORD – I Sam. 1:11

She promised God that when He gave her the son she wanted so badly, she would give him back to the Lord. We dare not use any special gift from God in a way that would fail to bring honor to the One Who bestowed it!

HANNAH REMEMBERED HER VOWS – I Sam 1:24-28

When the time came that Samuel was old enough to be out from under his mother’s care, Hannah fulfilled her promise to God and brought her young son to the house of the Lord.

HANNAH GAVE GOD CREDIT FOR THE VICTORY – I Sam 2:1-10

This is one of the greatest victory songs of the Old Testament. (Compare Hannah’s song with that of Mary in Luke 1:46-55.) What a wonderful thing for children to be able to remember Mother as one who sang the praises of God and knew victory in her daily life!

SHE GAVE HER BEST TO THE LORD

When Samuel was born, he was Hannah’s greatest and most precious possession, yet she still gave him to God! How we need to learn the joy of giving our best, and then teach this principle to our families.

GOD REWARDED HANNAH’S SACRIFICE – I Sam 2:20-21

What a “return on the investment” Hannah experienced! She gave her firstborn to God, and He gave her five more children– three sons and two daughters. Here is another illustration of the fact that you cannot out-give God. Consider the promises of Luke 6:38 and Malachi 3: 10-11. The promise of Phil 4: 19 is often claimed out of context, for it is actually given to those Philippians who had sacrificially supported Paul in his missionary labors.

LESSONS FROM HANNAH’S LIFE:

“Fair weather” Christians are a dime a dozen. How we perform in the face of adversity and opposition will reveal the “stuff” of which we are made. Knute Rockne said, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Paul put it this way: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

In this day of gender confusion and dissatisfaction, we ought to be thankful for how God made us. We need to remember that each of the 5.5-plus billion people in the world is unique, and that God made each of us for a specific purpose. Consider the joy of Mary expressed in the Magnificat – Luke 1 :46ff. Compare that with the feminists today who are angry over their God-given role.

Suffering will either make us bitter or better. Thank God for those Christians who have the wisdom to let their suffering bring them closer to God. It would help us all in this connection to remember that I Thess 5: 18 is a command, and, therefore, the only correct response to an apparently tragic event is to thank God for it and to allow Him to accomplish His purpose in our life.

Everything we have is on loan from God–even our family! Thus, everything ought to be dedicated to God, nothing held back from Him.

GIDEON OVERCOMES GREAT OBSTACLES TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS

SCRIPTURE: Judges 6, 7, 8

INTRODUCTION: Today, we study a man who becomes a man of might and valor, but only after rising from obscurity and overcoming severe handicaps. Gideon means “a cutting down,” which reminds us of his actions in destroying his father’s grove dedicated to the worship of Baal. No wonder they also called him Jerubbaal, meaning “Discomfiter of Baal.”

GIDEON’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

• His Family – Judges 6:25

This indicates that Gideon came from an ungodly family – one of the many thousands in Israel who worshiped Baal. The widespread practice of idolatry was the cause of God’s allowing Midian to oppress Israel. (Judges 6: 1 shows the direct correlation between Israel’s evil and God’s judgment.)

• His Finances – Judges 6: 15

Like virtually everyone else in the land, Gideon was in poverty (because of the oppression of the Midianites.)

• His Failure – Judges 6: 11

Gideon was just a poor farm worker, threshing wheat secretly, hoping the Midianites would not find it and take it away from him. At this point, Gideon was just a “nobody” – no prestigious family tree, and certainly no impressive past accomplishments.

• His Friends – Judges 7:3-6

We find here that when “the chips were down,” Gideon was surrounded by fearful and faithless people. There was no one else to inspire and motivate Gideon to be strong for God. This opens the subject of one of the most important human relationships–that of FRIEND! Think about the benefits of having a true friend and the great privilege of being a friend! The classic friend relationship in the Bible is that of David and Jonathan. You may wish to review this and consider what a blessing and help Jonathan’s friendship was to David. No doubt, about this time Gideon would have greatly valued a friend with the character of Jonathan!

• His Fear- Judges 6:11, 23, 27, 36-40

These verses indicate that Gideon was a fearful man. This makes the word of the angel of the Lord (v 12) all the more significant. Gideon, in his natural state, was anything but a mighty man of valor! (But God saw Gideon’s potential. Thank God, He can see what we cannot, even in our own selves!) Now–looking at these five facts about Gideon, his background, and the circumstances he faced, it would seem that he would never be a success at anything. BUT, when God comes on the scene with His power and enabling grace, the situation is drastically altered! Let us consider – – –

GIDEON”S EXPLOITS – Compare 6:1-7 with 7:24, 25

Notice first the pathetic condition of the Israelites – 6:7. They were in bondage to their Gentile oppressors. Vast hordes of the Midianites would come into the land, especially at harvest time, and spoil and destroy the increase of the land and leave nothing for Israel. The Israelites were helpless to defend themselves, hiding in caves, strongholds and mountain dens …. BUT THEN God called a man to lead in battle against a vastly superior host of the Midianites. The great victory God wrought through Gideon is recorded in Judges 7: 15-25. Gideon, then, became a man who freed a nation!

HE EXPLANATION OF GIDEON’S SUCCESS

How could such a miracle come about as we find accomplished through Gideon? There are at least three reasons:

• He Was Willing to Trust the Lord

The only logical explanation for Gideon’s success in the face of all the drawbacks and obstacles is that he had faith in God. (See Heb 11 :32 where we find Gideon listed among the heroes of the faith.) Please note that it is the object of our faith (God) rather than the amount of faith that is most important! Quite simply, Gideon succeeded because he was willing to do exactly what God told him to do. He was willing to put his fear in the background, forget about the failures of the past and the odds against him, and just follow God!

• He Was Willing to Go Against Conventional Wisdom

To say the least, Gideon’s approach was different! Who would have thought that surrounding the enemy with a mere 300 men, armed only with pitchers, lamps and trumpets, then breaking the pitchers and blowing the trumpets could defeat the mighty army of the Midianites!?! But this was the plan God gave Gideon, and he used it.

• He Was Willing to Stand Alone

We find in Judges 7:2-8 that many of the soldiers of Israel left Gideon! When God’s “down-sizing” program was completed, only 300 men were left to face the Midianite hordes, and Gideon was virtually alone.

In this day of apostasy and compromise, how we need men and women, and even young people, who will stand alone–stand for God and do what is right regardless of what the crowd is doing! The words of the Lord given through Moses in Ex 23:2 still need to be heeded today: “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil….“

In summary, Gideon had the indispensable requirement for being a successful Christian worker: he was willing to trust the Lord instead of trusting his own judgment.

ESTHER – THE SELF-SACRIFICING WOMAN

SCRIPTURE: Esther 1-10

INTRODUCTION: Esther was the Persian name of this lady of the tribe of Benjamin, and is from “aster” meaning “a star.” (Hadassah, signifying “myrtle” was Esther’s original name.) Esther’s people were carried into captivity with Jeremiah about 60 years earlier. Esther was brought up at Shushan, the Persian royal city. When her parents died she became the adopted daughter of Mordecai, her uncle, who was a palace official. No one seemed further away, by birth and circumstances, from being a queen than Esther was. (Quite similar to Joseph’s likelihood of becoming king of Egypt when he was a slave in Potiphar’s house.) But in the marvelous providence of God the most unlikely things do happen! Some of the notes in the song of Mary might well have been sung by Esther: “He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden … He that is mighty hath done to me great things” (Luke 1:48-49). How thrilling to know that neither poverty, nor ignorance, nor guilt are barriers to the infinite grace of God.

1. HER CALL – v 8 Esther knew that she had been called as a candidate for the crown. Not very many had this opportunity, and only one of that number would actually receive the prize. How wonderfully different it is today in the call of the Gospel. Although many are called but few chosen, it is still true that “whosoever will may come.” Praise God, Jesus said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions … ” Those who respond to the call to salvation will receive something far greater than the crown of an earthly kingdom — they will receive eternal life and all that goes with being in the presence of the KING of Kings forever!

2. HER CHARACTER – In 2:9 we learn that Esther highly pleased the keeper of the women, and thus she was clearly a very gracious lady. She was also trustworthy in that she obeyed Mordecai’s instructions not to reveal her nationality – see v 20. In this she displays an humble and submissive spirit. The character that had been instilled by Mordecai’s loving instruction and discipline now begins to show itself in the time of testing. PRINCIPLE: Crisis never changes a person’s character – it only reveals what is already there! The lesson for parents is obvious: “As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” And most of the work must be done before the child is ten!

3. HER CHOICE – 2:15 We note here that Esther was satisfied with thpse things appointed by the king for her preparation. She left herself entirely in the hands of Hegai, the keeper of the women, whose task it was to prepare the women to be presented to the king. There is a spiritual lesson for us here: we need to submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit, whose office work in the life of the Believer is to sanctify and prepare us for the presence of the King and for His service. Two verses are instructive in this connection:

o Rom 8:29 – which tells us that we are predestinated by God to be conformed to the image of His Son;

o and 2 Cor 3:18 – which reveals the process by which this is accomplished. The “glass” in which we behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ is the Word of God! Thus, if we are to become like Jesus, we must spend much time in the Word and allow it to transform us by making it a part of our lives. We will fare well if we, like Esther, require nothing but what He has appointed for us.

4. HER CROWN – 2: 17 A crown is a symbol of honor and power, so we see Esther’s humility and faith rewarded by this public manifestation of the king’s favor. His love of Esther opened the way to the throne for her. Even so the love of God opens for us the way into God’s heart and home! What a far greater privilege to be loved by the King of Heaven, than the king of a mere earthly kingdom!

(Another Lesson: although God’s hand was working behind the scene, there is a true sense in which the king’s love of Esther was merited, e.g., because of her beauty, character, and submissiveness. However, God’s wonderful love for us is totally unmerited!)

5. HER COURAGE – 4: 16 A terrible testing time is now at hand, and all of Esther’s power and influence will be needed to save her people. Haman had succeeded in getting the sentence of death passed upon all the Jews because of his hatred for Mordecai. Mordecai pleads with Esther and makes it plain that she is the only person in a position to do anything to help. (Note the wisdom and faith of Mordecai evidenced in his message to Esther in 4:13-14.) So, in spite of the risk of death, Esther sets out to help her people. Her commitment to this mission is expressed in her classic statement: ” … so will I go in unto the king, … and if l perish, I perish.” (Compare to Dan 3:16-18) It was a bold step, but notice that she put her trust in the Lord, calling her uncle and her maidens to fasting and prayer in her behalf.

6. HER CONQUEST – The story now moves with breathtaking excitement to deliverance and victory for the people of God. The king receives Esther; she eventually reveals her racial roots and pleads for herself and her people. The king perceived the wickedness of Haman and his scheme and abundantly answered her request. The enemy was overcome, and Esther’s people were delivered! The devil was foiled again in his scheme to cut off the seed, after the flesh, of the Messiah!

LESSONS:

1. For kids to turn out right (with character as adults) you have to put the right things in them when they are young.

2. Crisis events do not make character, they simply reveal what is already there.

3. Courage is born of commitment — it is the willingness to do what needs to be done regardless of the personal sacrifice involved.

4. We are reminded again in the life of Esther that “God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; … ” (See 1 Cor 1 :26-29) God delights in taking the insignificant and obscure and  accomplishing great things for which He gets the glory!

5. Although God’s name is not found in the book of Esther, His handprints are all over it. Even in the time of their dispersion as punishment for a long history of idolatry and disobedience to God, the Jews are still under His watchful eye and loving protection! How comforting to know that God has promised Believers today that He will “never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”