Anticipating the Coming King
Special Session
Anticipating the Coming King THEOLOGICAL THEME: The Old Testament foretells the birth of King Jesus.
All over the world, people greeted the news with celebration. A baby was to be born, a baby who would grow up to be a king! Rich and poor, old and young—people from all over the country sent gifts and offerings. Month after month, the people’s sense of anticipation increased until the beautiful moment when the baby arrived and the future king was born. This is not the story of an ancient king but the birth of Prince George of Cambridge, son of William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The year was 2013, and the sense of anticipation was so strong that it was labeled “royal baby fever.”
Voices from Church History “In the Christian story God descends to reascend. He comes down;…down to the very roots and sea-bed of the Nature he has created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him.” 1 –C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)
What are some common practices during the Christmas season that build up anticipation for Christmas morning?
Why is a sense of anticipation important for the Christian faith?
Date of My Bible Study:
______________________________
© 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.
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In this session, we will look at one of the prophecies from Isaiah, written around seven hundred years before the time of Christ. Isaiah wrote to the Jewish people in Judah to inform them of a future King—an unlikely King from the line of David who would be filled with the Spirit and who would bring God’s justice and redemption to the world. In seeing Isaiah’s vision of the coming King, we understand our need for God’s salvation and the reason we are incorporated into God’s people, who exist for His mission.
1. Anticipate an unlikely King from the line of David (Isa. 11:1). Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 1
99 Essential Christian Doctrines 52. Christ as King God has always been King over His creation, whether in heaven or on earth. Yet some of His creatures in both realms have rebelled against Him, leaving destruction in their wake. To restore His broken world, God promised a King who would deliver His people and restore all of creation. The promise of a coming King finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ and looks forward to its perfection when Jesus returns for His bride, the church.
God’s message to Isaiah was one of hope. Though the nation would one day be cut down like a tree (note the reference to a stump), God would bring about a shoot from the line of David and his father, Jesse. Let’s look back in time to see why this reference to David. Back to David When David finally succeeded Saul as king, he expanded the borders of Israel through conquest and established the nation as an economic and military power in their region. In gratitude to God for His provision, David wanted to build a temple for the Lord. But God said no. Instead, God promised to build a house for David—an eternal kingdom through one of David’s descendants that would never end. This is the backstory to the prophecy from Isaiah we read above. It is from this stump of Jesse that the shoot would spring—someone from the line of David. God was promising to bring about new life (a shoot) from something dead (a stump) in order to remain faithful to His promise to the son of Jesse, King David. No matter how hopeless the situation seemed, God promised to be faithful.
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Personal Study Guide
In what ways does God’s promise to bring life out of death give you hope for the seemingly hopeless circumstances in which you might find yourself?
Forward to Christ God’s greatest gift to David would be given hundreds of years after Isaiah prophesied. God would send His own Son to be born into the line of David. This King would be a true shepherd who would guide, protect, and care for the people who followed Him. He would be the ultimate King by choosing to place the needs of His people above His own and through sacrificing Himself for the sins of the world. David himself was an unlikely king. His path to the throne inspires us because of how improbable his rise was. In this, the coming King Jesus resembled the unlikely rise of King David. Jesus is the shoot from the stump of Jesse who came in the most unlikely of circumstances. No one anticipated that He would be born into a small, relatively unknown family. This unlikely King was born to a poor carpenter and a virgin mother (Matt. 1). This King was not born in a palace but in a stable, flanked by animals (Luke 2). Only God could have crafted this marvelous plan for His glory. David was an unlikely king, but Jesus tore down all expectations by being our unlikely Savior-King. How do the circumstances of Jesus’ birth help us understand how His rule is different from the reigns of other kings?
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2. Anticipate a Spirit-filled King who will bring God’s justice (Isa. 11:2-5). The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him— a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight will be in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, He will not execute justice by what He hears with His ears, 4 but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with discipline from His mouth, and He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips. 5 Righteousness will be a belt around His loins; faithfulness will be a belt around His waist. 2
Back to Solomon In the previous section, we saw how the Messiah was promised through the line of David. But now, as the passage continues, we see that God promised this Messiah would be full of wisdom and understanding and knowledge. He would judge the world with wisdom. In this description, we are reminded of King Solomon, the son of David who was known for his God-given wisdom. Forward to Jesus As admirable as Solomon’s sense of justice and wisdom was, nothing compares with the King in Isaiah’s prophecy. The shoot from the stump of Jesse would have Spiritfilled wisdom beyond comprehension. Isaiah said that the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon this King. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding belong to Him. The Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord belong to Him. These are the qualities that Solomon wrote about in Proverbs. They are necessary for the king who would possess true discernment to rule.
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The shoot from the stump of Jesse is wise, brave, and capable of guiding people through life. He is the king who can make the most difficult of decisions for the greater good of His people. The Spirit of the Lord rests on Him. He is different from all kings prior to Him, and no king will ever succeed Him. Do you think of yourself as “Spirit-filled”? Why or why not?
In what ways does it help you as a Christian to know that the Spirit who was upon Jesus is also the Spirit who empowers you to obey in faith?
Take another look at verse 3: “His delight will be in the fear of the Lord.” The fear of the Lord is something that is pleasant to this King, like a sweet, savory aroma. His sole desire is to see the will of God done. He does not judge simply by what He sees with His eyes or hears with His ears. This is not someone who makes rash decisions but instead has the discernment to execute judgment well and true. Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy in every way. When Christ died for us on the cross, it was the completion of the justice of God. He interceded on our behalf and experienced the full wrath of God on the cross. It was there that the justice of God was completely satisfied. Our sin needed to be punished, and it was. The death of Jesus on the cross was the ultimate demonstration of justice and mercy. By taking on our full penalty on the cross, those who put their trust in Christ are justified and therefore freed from sin.
Voices from the Church “When we look at the gospel from the air, through the grand narrative of the Scriptures, we see that the gospel is not just about God’s forgiving us of sins and giving us eternal life, but also about what we are being forgiven for and what eternal life is like.” 2 –Matt Chandler
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Why is it important that the King brings the justice of God?
3. Anticipate a King who will bring redemption and establish a people (Isa. 11:6-10). The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf, the young lion, and the fatling will be together, and a child will lead them. 7 The cow and the bear will graze, their young ones will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 An infant will play beside the cobra’s pit, and a toddler will put his hand into a snake’s den. 9 None will harm or destroy another on My entire holy mountain, for the land will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the sea is filled with water. 10 On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious. 6
If you have ever watched Animal Planet, odds are you have witnessed a predatory animal seeking after its prey. In the wild, animals are often at war. Survival is the top prize. They battle each other for food and shelter in order to care for their young and to sustain themselves. The relationship of predator and prey is pervasive throughout our observance of the natural world.
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But here in this passage, the most unlikely of animals find themselves bonding together. Wolves, lambs, leopards, goats, cows, lions, and children all live together in harmony. Rather than competing with one another for resources and food, these animals are sharing their lives and resources. Nature can be brutal, but humans can act in savage ways also, just one of the unfortunate consequences of our world of sin. Thankfully, as noted in Isaiah’s prophecy, humans will live in peace. Isaiah 11:9 says that no one will harm or destroy one another on God’s holy mountain. What a beautiful picture of peace that is promised for the people of God! How should our good deeds be connected to our belief that Jesus will heal this world?
In what ways can our church be a stronger “foretaste” of the future restoration Jesus will bring?
God is establishing a people for Himself through Christ. Titus 2:14 tells us, “[Jesus] gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.” This means we have been purchased and set aside by Christ and for Him alone. We who are in Christ are His possession; we are His people.
Voices from Church History “Come, and make all things new; Build up this ruined earth, Restore our faded Paradise, Creation’s second birth. Come, and begin Thy reign Of everlasting peace; Come, take the kingdom to Thyself, Great King of righteousness!” 3
Not only has He claimed us for His own, but He –Horatius Bonar (1808-1889) is coming back to establish a visible kingdom. The peaceful kingdom described in Isaiah 11 is a prophecy about Christ’s future reign. Verse 10 reminds us that all nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious.
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What aspects of Christ’s future reign are you most looking forward to?
Why does the view of peace described in Isaiah 11 seem out of place for us?
Conclusion Christmas is a time when we look at the coming of Christ. First, we look at Jesus’ coming in the past, when the Son of God became man and offered Himself for our redemption. Second, we look forward to the future coming of Jesus, when He will return to our world as the King who brings God’s redemptive justice. In the meantime, we ought to tell the world the news of a Savior who, through the Spirit, comes into the hearts and lives of those who repent and believe in the gospel. In this time between Jesus’ two comings, let’s take the gospel to the people around us that Christ might come into their lives and bring salvation.
Voices from Church History “The first coming of Christ the Lord, God’s Son and our God, was in obscurity. The second will be in sight of the whole world. When he came in obscurity, no one recognized him but his own servants. When he comes openly, he will be known by both the good and the bad. When he came in obscurity, it was to be judged. When he comes openly, it will be to judge.” 4 –Augustine (354-430)
CHRIST CONNECTION: Isaiah and many of the other prophets in the Old Testament prophesied about the coming King who will establish David’s throne forever. Jesus of Nazareth is the King who fulfills these ancient prophecies.
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HIS MISSION, YOUR MISSION MISSIONAL APPLICATION: God calls us to anticipate the second
coming of King Jesus by declaring His message of redemption and demonstrating His love.
1. How does God’s promise to bring life out of death give you confidence in proclaiming the gospel to those who seem hardened against it?
2. W hat are some ways our group/church can represent King Jesus and stand for justice on behalf of the oppressed in our community?
3. H ow might the Christmas season affect people in your life and open doors for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them?
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About the Writers
The Gospel Project® Adult Personal Study Guide HCSB Volume 5, Number 2 Winter 2016-17 Eric Geiger
Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ed Stetzer
General Editor Trevin Wax
Managing Editor Daniel Davis
Unit 1: Daniel Akin (sessions 1-4) is the President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and also a professor of preaching and theology. He and his wife, Charlotte, have four grown children. Walter R. Strickland II (sessions 5-6) serves as Special Advisor to the President for Diversity and Instructor of Theology at Southeastern Seminary. He and his wife, Stephanie, have three daughters, Hope, Kendra, and Kaiya.
Content Editor Josh Hayes
Content and Production Editor Ken Braddy
Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley
Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Managing Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102; or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com. Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project®: Adult Personal Study Guide HCSB (ISSN 2162-7207; Item 005461524) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, email [email protected], fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email [email protected], fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Unit 2: Jimmy Scroggins (session 7) is the Lead Pastor of Family Church in West Palm Beach, Florida. He and his wife, Kristin, have eight children, James, Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaac, Stephen, Anna Kate, Mary Claire, and Caleb. Matt Capps (sessions 8-10) is Senior Pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, North Carolina. Matt and his wife, Laura, have three children, Solomon, Ruby, and Abby. D. A. Horton (session 11) currently serves as a pastor at Reach Fellowship, a church plant in Los Angeles, California. He and his wife, Elicia, have three children, Izabelle, Lola, and D. A. Jr. Robby Gallaty (session 12) serves as the Senior Pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church and President of Replicate Ministries. He and his wife, Kandi, have two young sons, Rig and Ryder. Special Session—Christmas: Rey De Armas serves as one of the campus pastors at Christ Fellowship in Miami, leading the Coral Gables campus. He is married to Lauren, and they have two daughters, Zoe and Lexi.
WRITERS
Notes SESSION 1
SESSION 4
SESSION 7
1. Dale Ralph Davis, The Message of Daniel, in The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove: IVP, 2013), 36.
1. Joel Belz, “Dare to Be a Daniel,” WORLD [online], 30 March 1996 [cited 2 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.worldmag.com.
1. Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 55:3-6, quoted in 1–2 Kings, 1–2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, ed. Marco Conti, vol. V in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2014) [WORDsearch].
2. Charles R. Swindoll, Daniel: God’s Pattern for the Future (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1986), 17. 3. J. Hudson Taylor, quoted in Expect Great Things: Mission Quotes That Inform and Inspire, comp. Marvin J. Newell (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2013), 89. 4. David Helm, Daniel for You (Purcellville, VA: The Good Book Company, 2015), 28. 5. Heinrich Bullinger, Daniel the Most Wise Prophet of God, quoted in Ezekiel, Daniel, ed. Carl L. Beckwith, vol. XII in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2012), 247.
SESSION 2
3. Tony Evans, No More Excuses, 10th Anniversary Edition (Wheaton: Crossway, 1996), 112. 4. Menno Simons, “A Meditation on the Twenty-Fifth Psalm,” in Early Anabaptist Spirituality: Selected Writings, ed. Daniel Liechty (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist, 1994), 248-49.
SESSION 5 1. “What are thin places?” Thin Places [online], 2014 [cited 3 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.thinplace.net.
1. Nate Saint, quoted in Introducing World Missions, 2nd ed., by A. Scott Moreau, Gary R. Corwin, and Gary B. McGee (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2015) [eBook].
2. Matt Boswell, Doxology and Theology (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 15-16.
2. “How Firm a Foundation,” from John Rippon’s Selection of Hymns in Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: LifeWay Worship, 2008), 456.
4. Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, vol. 10 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2003) [WORDsearch].
3. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Statues, 4.8, New Advent [online; cited 21 April 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.newadvent.org. 4. C. H. Spurgeon, “Consolation in the Furnace,” Spurgeon’s Sermons Volume 11: 1865 [online; cited 21 April 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.ccel.org.
SESSION 3 1. Johann Wigand, Commentaries on Daniel, 12, quoted in Ezekiel, Daniel, ed. Carl L. Beckwith, vol. XII in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament, 305. 2. Sinclair B. Ferguson, Daniel, vol. 21 in The Preacher’s Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1988) [eBook].
SPECIAL SESSION—CHRISTMAS 1. C. S. Lewis, in The Quotable Lewis, eds. Wayne Martindale and Jerry Root (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1989), 330. 2. Matt Chandler with Jared Wilson, The Explicit Gospel (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 172. 3. Horatius Bonar, “Come, Lord, and Tarry Not,” in Christ in Song, by Philip Schaff (New York: Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, 1869), 397. 4. Augustine, Sermons, 18.1-2, quoted in Mark, eds. Thomas C. Oden and Christopher A. Hall, vol. II in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 1998), 186.
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2. Stephen R. Miller, Daniel, vol. 18 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2003) [WORDsearch].
Personal Study Guide
3. Skye Jethani, With (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011), 110.
5. Mark D. Roberts, “Thin Places: A Biblical Investigation,” Reflections on Christ, Church, and Culture [online], 2012 [cited 4 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.patheos.com.
SESSION 6 1. Saint Augustine, City of God, 1.8, quoted in The City of God: Books I-VII, trans. Demetrius B. Zema and Gerald G. Walsh, in The Fathers of the Church (Washington D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2008), 28-29. 2. William Wilberforce, quoted in The Life of William Wilberforce, by Robert I. Wilberforce and Samuel Wilberforce, vol. 5 (London: John Murray, 1838), 318. 3. Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, vol. 10 in The New American Commentary [WORDsearch]. 4. Ibid. 5. Ed Stetzer, “What You Celebrate, You Become,” Christianity Today [online], 2 June 2015 [cited 5 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.christianitytoday.com. 6. Charles Spurgeon, in 2,200 Quotations from the Writings of Charles H. Spurgeon, comp. Tom Carter (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996), 13.
2. Adrian Rogers, Adrianisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers, vol. 1 (Memphis: Love Worth Finding Ministries, 2006), 101. 3. John Wesley, Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, Christian Classics Ethereal Library [online; cited 13 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.ccel.org.
SESSION 8 1. Andrew Murray, Humility (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1982) [eBook]. 2. J. G. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, in The Daily Study Bible Series (Louisville: Westminster, 1985), 193.
SESSION 9 1. Jerry Bridges, I Will Follow You, O God (Colorado Springs: WaterBrook, 2010), 91. 2. D. L. Moody, “Prevailing Prayer,” in The D. L. Moody Collection, ed. and comp. James S. Bell Jr. (Chicago: Moody, 1997), 253.
SESSION 10 1. J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove: IVP, 1973) [eBook]. 2. Amy Carmichael, If (United States: Popular Classics Publishing, 2012), 9. 3. John Stott and Christopher J. H. Wright, Christian Mission in the Modern World (Downers Grove: IVP, 2015), 27.
SESSION 11 1. John R. W. Stott, Culture and the Bible (Downers Grove: IVP, 1979), 12. 2. Augustine Pagolu, South Asia Bible Commentary, ed. Brian Wintle (Cumbria, UK: Langham Partnership, 2015) [eBook]. 3. A. W. Pink, “Eternal Punishment,” Providence Baptist Ministries [online], 2012 [cited 23 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www. pbministries.org.
SESSION 12 1. A. W. Tozer, quoted in Tozer on Worship and Entertainment, comp. James L. Snyder (Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread Publishers, 1997) [eBook]. 2. Matt Papa, Look and Live (Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), 246. 3. Michael Catt, The Power of Surrender (Nashville: B&H, 2010), 150.
Anticipating the Coming King THEOLOGICAL THEME: The Old Testament foretells the birth of King Jesus.
All over the world, people greeted the news with celebration. A baby was to be born, a baby who would grow up to be a king! Rich and poor, old and young—people from all over the country sent gifts and offerings. Month after month, the people’s sense of anticipation increased until the beautiful moment when the baby arrived and the future king was born. This is not the story of an ancient king but the birth of Prince George of Cambridge, son of William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The year was 2013, and the sense of anticipation was so strong that it was labeled “royal baby fever.”
Voices from Church History “In the Christian story God descends to reascend. He comes down;…down to the very roots and sea-bed of the Nature he has created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world up with Him.” 1 –C. S. Lewis (1898-1963)
What are some common practices during the Christmas season that build up anticipation for Christmas morning?
Why is a sense of anticipation important for the Christian faith?
Date of My Bible Study:
______________________________
© 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser.
37
In this session, we will look at one of the prophecies from Isaiah, written around seven hundred years before the time of Christ. Isaiah wrote to the Jewish people in Judah to inform them of a future King—an unlikely King from the line of David who would be filled with the Spirit and who would bring God’s justice and redemption to the world. In seeing Isaiah’s vision of the coming King, we understand our need for God’s salvation and the reason we are incorporated into God’s people, who exist for His mission.
1. Anticipate an unlikely King from the line of David (Isa. 11:1). Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 1
99 Essential Christian Doctrines 52. Christ as King God has always been King over His creation, whether in heaven or on earth. Yet some of His creatures in both realms have rebelled against Him, leaving destruction in their wake. To restore His broken world, God promised a King who would deliver His people and restore all of creation. The promise of a coming King finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ and looks forward to its perfection when Jesus returns for His bride, the church.
God’s message to Isaiah was one of hope. Though the nation would one day be cut down like a tree (note the reference to a stump), God would bring about a shoot from the line of David and his father, Jesse. Let’s look back in time to see why this reference to David. Back to David When David finally succeeded Saul as king, he expanded the borders of Israel through conquest and established the nation as an economic and military power in their region. In gratitude to God for His provision, David wanted to build a temple for the Lord. But God said no. Instead, God promised to build a house for David—an eternal kingdom through one of David’s descendants that would never end. This is the backstory to the prophecy from Isaiah we read above. It is from this stump of Jesse that the shoot would spring—someone from the line of David. God was promising to bring about new life (a shoot) from something dead (a stump) in order to remain faithful to His promise to the son of Jesse, King David. No matter how hopeless the situation seemed, God promised to be faithful.
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In what ways does God’s promise to bring life out of death give you hope for the seemingly hopeless circumstances in which you might find yourself?
Forward to Christ God’s greatest gift to David would be given hundreds of years after Isaiah prophesied. God would send His own Son to be born into the line of David. This King would be a true shepherd who would guide, protect, and care for the people who followed Him. He would be the ultimate King by choosing to place the needs of His people above His own and through sacrificing Himself for the sins of the world. David himself was an unlikely king. His path to the throne inspires us because of how improbable his rise was. In this, the coming King Jesus resembled the unlikely rise of King David. Jesus is the shoot from the stump of Jesse who came in the most unlikely of circumstances. No one anticipated that He would be born into a small, relatively unknown family. This unlikely King was born to a poor carpenter and a virgin mother (Matt. 1). This King was not born in a palace but in a stable, flanked by animals (Luke 2). Only God could have crafted this marvelous plan for His glory. David was an unlikely king, but Jesus tore down all expectations by being our unlikely Savior-King. How do the circumstances of Jesus’ birth help us understand how His rule is different from the reigns of other kings?
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2. Anticipate a Spirit-filled King who will bring God’s justice (Isa. 11:2-5). The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him— a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. 3 His delight will be in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, He will not execute justice by what He hears with His ears, 4 but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land. He will strike the land with discipline from His mouth, and He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips. 5 Righteousness will be a belt around His loins; faithfulness will be a belt around His waist. 2
Back to Solomon In the previous section, we saw how the Messiah was promised through the line of David. But now, as the passage continues, we see that God promised this Messiah would be full of wisdom and understanding and knowledge. He would judge the world with wisdom. In this description, we are reminded of King Solomon, the son of David who was known for his God-given wisdom. Forward to Jesus As admirable as Solomon’s sense of justice and wisdom was, nothing compares with the King in Isaiah’s prophecy. The shoot from the stump of Jesse would have Spiritfilled wisdom beyond comprehension. Isaiah said that the Spirit of the Lord would rest upon this King. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding belong to Him. The Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord belong to Him. These are the qualities that Solomon wrote about in Proverbs. They are necessary for the king who would possess true discernment to rule.
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The shoot from the stump of Jesse is wise, brave, and capable of guiding people through life. He is the king who can make the most difficult of decisions for the greater good of His people. The Spirit of the Lord rests on Him. He is different from all kings prior to Him, and no king will ever succeed Him. Do you think of yourself as “Spirit-filled”? Why or why not?
In what ways does it help you as a Christian to know that the Spirit who was upon Jesus is also the Spirit who empowers you to obey in faith?
Take another look at verse 3: “His delight will be in the fear of the Lord.” The fear of the Lord is something that is pleasant to this King, like a sweet, savory aroma. His sole desire is to see the will of God done. He does not judge simply by what He sees with His eyes or hears with His ears. This is not someone who makes rash decisions but instead has the discernment to execute judgment well and true. Jesus is the fulfillment of this prophecy in every way. When Christ died for us on the cross, it was the completion of the justice of God. He interceded on our behalf and experienced the full wrath of God on the cross. It was there that the justice of God was completely satisfied. Our sin needed to be punished, and it was. The death of Jesus on the cross was the ultimate demonstration of justice and mercy. By taking on our full penalty on the cross, those who put their trust in Christ are justified and therefore freed from sin.
Voices from the Church “When we look at the gospel from the air, through the grand narrative of the Scriptures, we see that the gospel is not just about God’s forgiving us of sins and giving us eternal life, but also about what we are being forgiven for and what eternal life is like.” 2 –Matt Chandler
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Why is it important that the King brings the justice of God?
3. Anticipate a King who will bring redemption and establish a people (Isa. 11:6-10). The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf, the young lion, and the fatling will be together, and a child will lead them. 7 The cow and the bear will graze, their young ones will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 An infant will play beside the cobra’s pit, and a toddler will put his hand into a snake’s den. 9 None will harm or destroy another on My entire holy mountain, for the land will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the sea is filled with water. 10 On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious. 6
If you have ever watched Animal Planet, odds are you have witnessed a predatory animal seeking after its prey. In the wild, animals are often at war. Survival is the top prize. They battle each other for food and shelter in order to care for their young and to sustain themselves. The relationship of predator and prey is pervasive throughout our observance of the natural world.
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But here in this passage, the most unlikely of animals find themselves bonding together. Wolves, lambs, leopards, goats, cows, lions, and children all live together in harmony. Rather than competing with one another for resources and food, these animals are sharing their lives and resources. Nature can be brutal, but humans can act in savage ways also, just one of the unfortunate consequences of our world of sin. Thankfully, as noted in Isaiah’s prophecy, humans will live in peace. Isaiah 11:9 says that no one will harm or destroy one another on God’s holy mountain. What a beautiful picture of peace that is promised for the people of God! How should our good deeds be connected to our belief that Jesus will heal this world?
In what ways can our church be a stronger “foretaste” of the future restoration Jesus will bring?
God is establishing a people for Himself through Christ. Titus 2:14 tells us, “[Jesus] gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.” This means we have been purchased and set aside by Christ and for Him alone. We who are in Christ are His possession; we are His people.
Voices from Church History “Come, and make all things new; Build up this ruined earth, Restore our faded Paradise, Creation’s second birth. Come, and begin Thy reign Of everlasting peace; Come, take the kingdom to Thyself, Great King of righteousness!” 3
Not only has He claimed us for His own, but He –Horatius Bonar (1808-1889) is coming back to establish a visible kingdom. The peaceful kingdom described in Isaiah 11 is a prophecy about Christ’s future reign. Verse 10 reminds us that all nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious.
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What aspects of Christ’s future reign are you most looking forward to?
Why does the view of peace described in Isaiah 11 seem out of place for us?
Conclusion Christmas is a time when we look at the coming of Christ. First, we look at Jesus’ coming in the past, when the Son of God became man and offered Himself for our redemption. Second, we look forward to the future coming of Jesus, when He will return to our world as the King who brings God’s redemptive justice. In the meantime, we ought to tell the world the news of a Savior who, through the Spirit, comes into the hearts and lives of those who repent and believe in the gospel. In this time between Jesus’ two comings, let’s take the gospel to the people around us that Christ might come into their lives and bring salvation.
Voices from Church History “The first coming of Christ the Lord, God’s Son and our God, was in obscurity. The second will be in sight of the whole world. When he came in obscurity, no one recognized him but his own servants. When he comes openly, he will be known by both the good and the bad. When he came in obscurity, it was to be judged. When he comes openly, it will be to judge.” 4 –Augustine (354-430)
CHRIST CONNECTION: Isaiah and many of the other prophets in the Old Testament prophesied about the coming King who will establish David’s throne forever. Jesus of Nazareth is the King who fulfills these ancient prophecies.
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HIS MISSION, YOUR MISSION MISSIONAL APPLICATION: God calls us to anticipate the second
coming of King Jesus by declaring His message of redemption and demonstrating His love.
1. How does God’s promise to bring life out of death give you confidence in proclaiming the gospel to those who seem hardened against it?
2. W hat are some ways our group/church can represent King Jesus and stand for justice on behalf of the oppressed in our community?
3. H ow might the Christmas season affect people in your life and open doors for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with them?
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About the Writers
The Gospel Project® Adult Personal Study Guide HCSB Volume 5, Number 2 Winter 2016-17 Eric Geiger
Vice President, LifeWay Resources Ed Stetzer
General Editor Trevin Wax
Managing Editor Daniel Davis
Unit 1: Daniel Akin (sessions 1-4) is the President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and also a professor of preaching and theology. He and his wife, Charlotte, have four grown children. Walter R. Strickland II (sessions 5-6) serves as Special Advisor to the President for Diversity and Instructor of Theology at Southeastern Seminary. He and his wife, Stephanie, have three daughters, Hope, Kendra, and Kaiya.
Content Editor Josh Hayes
Content and Production Editor Ken Braddy
Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies Michael Kelley
Director, Groups Ministry Send questions/comments to: Managing Editor, The Gospel Project: Adult Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0102; or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com. Printed in the United States of America The Gospel Project®: Adult Personal Study Guide HCSB (ISSN 2162-7207; Item 005461524) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. © 2016 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com, or write LifeWay Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, email [email protected], fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, email [email protected], fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWay’s doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Unit 2: Jimmy Scroggins (session 7) is the Lead Pastor of Family Church in West Palm Beach, Florida. He and his wife, Kristin, have eight children, James, Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaac, Stephen, Anna Kate, Mary Claire, and Caleb. Matt Capps (sessions 8-10) is Senior Pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, North Carolina. Matt and his wife, Laura, have three children, Solomon, Ruby, and Abby. D. A. Horton (session 11) currently serves as a pastor at Reach Fellowship, a church plant in Los Angeles, California. He and his wife, Elicia, have three children, Izabelle, Lola, and D. A. Jr. Robby Gallaty (session 12) serves as the Senior Pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church and President of Replicate Ministries. He and his wife, Kandi, have two young sons, Rig and Ryder. Special Session—Christmas: Rey De Armas serves as one of the campus pastors at Christ Fellowship in Miami, leading the Coral Gables campus. He is married to Lauren, and they have two daughters, Zoe and Lexi.
WRITERS
Notes SESSION 1
SESSION 4
SESSION 7
1. Dale Ralph Davis, The Message of Daniel, in The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove: IVP, 2013), 36.
1. Joel Belz, “Dare to Be a Daniel,” WORLD [online], 30 March 1996 [cited 2 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.worldmag.com.
1. Clement of Rome, 1 Clement 55:3-6, quoted in 1–2 Kings, 1–2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, ed. Marco Conti, vol. V in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2014) [WORDsearch].
2. Charles R. Swindoll, Daniel: God’s Pattern for the Future (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1986), 17. 3. J. Hudson Taylor, quoted in Expect Great Things: Mission Quotes That Inform and Inspire, comp. Marvin J. Newell (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2013), 89. 4. David Helm, Daniel for You (Purcellville, VA: The Good Book Company, 2015), 28. 5. Heinrich Bullinger, Daniel the Most Wise Prophet of God, quoted in Ezekiel, Daniel, ed. Carl L. Beckwith, vol. XII in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 2012), 247.
SESSION 2
3. Tony Evans, No More Excuses, 10th Anniversary Edition (Wheaton: Crossway, 1996), 112. 4. Menno Simons, “A Meditation on the Twenty-Fifth Psalm,” in Early Anabaptist Spirituality: Selected Writings, ed. Daniel Liechty (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist, 1994), 248-49.
SESSION 5 1. “What are thin places?” Thin Places [online], 2014 [cited 3 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.thinplace.net.
1. Nate Saint, quoted in Introducing World Missions, 2nd ed., by A. Scott Moreau, Gary R. Corwin, and Gary B. McGee (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2015) [eBook].
2. Matt Boswell, Doxology and Theology (Nashville: B&H, 2013), 15-16.
2. “How Firm a Foundation,” from John Rippon’s Selection of Hymns in Baptist Hymnal (Nashville: LifeWay Worship, 2008), 456.
4. Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, vol. 10 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2003) [WORDsearch].
3. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Statues, 4.8, New Advent [online; cited 21 April 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.newadvent.org. 4. C. H. Spurgeon, “Consolation in the Furnace,” Spurgeon’s Sermons Volume 11: 1865 [online; cited 21 April 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.ccel.org.
SESSION 3 1. Johann Wigand, Commentaries on Daniel, 12, quoted in Ezekiel, Daniel, ed. Carl L. Beckwith, vol. XII in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament, 305. 2. Sinclair B. Ferguson, Daniel, vol. 21 in The Preacher’s Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1988) [eBook].
SPECIAL SESSION—CHRISTMAS 1. C. S. Lewis, in The Quotable Lewis, eds. Wayne Martindale and Jerry Root (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1989), 330. 2. Matt Chandler with Jared Wilson, The Explicit Gospel (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 172. 3. Horatius Bonar, “Come, Lord, and Tarry Not,” in Christ in Song, by Philip Schaff (New York: Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, 1869), 397. 4. Augustine, Sermons, 18.1-2, quoted in Mark, eds. Thomas C. Oden and Christopher A. Hall, vol. II in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP, 1998), 186.
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2. Stephen R. Miller, Daniel, vol. 18 in The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H, 2003) [WORDsearch].
Personal Study Guide
3. Skye Jethani, With (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011), 110.
5. Mark D. Roberts, “Thin Places: A Biblical Investigation,” Reflections on Christ, Church, and Culture [online], 2012 [cited 4 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.patheos.com.
SESSION 6 1. Saint Augustine, City of God, 1.8, quoted in The City of God: Books I-VII, trans. Demetrius B. Zema and Gerald G. Walsh, in The Fathers of the Church (Washington D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2008), 28-29. 2. William Wilberforce, quoted in The Life of William Wilberforce, by Robert I. Wilberforce and Samuel Wilberforce, vol. 5 (London: John Murray, 1838), 318. 3. Mervin Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, vol. 10 in The New American Commentary [WORDsearch]. 4. Ibid. 5. Ed Stetzer, “What You Celebrate, You Become,” Christianity Today [online], 2 June 2015 [cited 5 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.christianitytoday.com. 6. Charles Spurgeon, in 2,200 Quotations from the Writings of Charles H. Spurgeon, comp. Tom Carter (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996), 13.
2. Adrian Rogers, Adrianisms: The Wit and Wisdom of Adrian Rogers, vol. 1 (Memphis: Love Worth Finding Ministries, 2006), 101. 3. John Wesley, Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, Christian Classics Ethereal Library [online; cited 13 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www.ccel.org.
SESSION 8 1. Andrew Murray, Humility (New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1982) [eBook]. 2. J. G. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, in The Daily Study Bible Series (Louisville: Westminster, 1985), 193.
SESSION 9 1. Jerry Bridges, I Will Follow You, O God (Colorado Springs: WaterBrook, 2010), 91. 2. D. L. Moody, “Prevailing Prayer,” in The D. L. Moody Collection, ed. and comp. James S. Bell Jr. (Chicago: Moody, 1997), 253.
SESSION 10 1. J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove: IVP, 1973) [eBook]. 2. Amy Carmichael, If (United States: Popular Classics Publishing, 2012), 9. 3. John Stott and Christopher J. H. Wright, Christian Mission in the Modern World (Downers Grove: IVP, 2015), 27.
SESSION 11 1. John R. W. Stott, Culture and the Bible (Downers Grove: IVP, 1979), 12. 2. Augustine Pagolu, South Asia Bible Commentary, ed. Brian Wintle (Cumbria, UK: Langham Partnership, 2015) [eBook]. 3. A. W. Pink, “Eternal Punishment,” Providence Baptist Ministries [online], 2012 [cited 23 May 2016]. Available from the Internet: www. pbministries.org.
SESSION 12 1. A. W. Tozer, quoted in Tozer on Worship and Entertainment, comp. James L. Snyder (Camp Hill, PA: WingSpread Publishers, 1997) [eBook]. 2. Matt Papa, Look and Live (Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2014), 246. 3. Michael Catt, The Power of Surrender (Nashville: B&H, 2010), 150.
