God’s Continuing Encounter with the Social Order

MEMORY VERSE: “Let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.” —Amos 5:24

LUKE 4:16-18, 21

THESE weekly Sunday School Lessons are prepared under the auspices of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. In this week’s lesson we find that the caption does not harmonize with the assigned Scripture passages. These passages contain subject matter which does not pertain to the social order in general, but rather to those whom God has selected, or will select, to be his representatives in the world. The Bible is not addressed to man’s selfish and sinful social order.

True, God loves the whole world of mankind and is developing a plan for the ultimate blessing of all. That plan involves a special selection of those whom the Lord will later use for the blessing of the people; but while this work of selection and preparation continues the world is allowed to go its own way, the Lord interfering only when his plan would otherwise be disrupted.

Jesus’ ministry in the synagogue at Nazareth was not directed to the world in general, but to the one little nation of Israel. However, he affirmed that he had been anointed, or authorized to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, the recovering of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised. Important elements of this proclamation of good news give assurance of God’s intention, during the messianic kingdom, to restore mankind to health and life. The followers of Jesus are also authorized to proclaim this Gospel, not with the thought of converting the world at the present time, but as a witness to those who will give heed to the message.

ISAIAH 5:16, 18, 20-23

Isaiah wrote that “the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.” (Isa. 5:16) The little nation of Israel to whom this message was addressed should have recognized the glory of the Lord, and a minority of the Israelites did. But the history of the vast majority of the nation from its beginning to its end is largely one of idolatry, unholiness, and rebellion against the God of all truth and righteousness.

The teachings of the Law and the prophets had almost no effect upon mankind in general. True, the Ten Commandments have influenced the making of just laws in most civilized countries, and in this and other ways the Bible as a whole has benefited the world. But while this has been a wholesome by-product of its message, the Bible was designed by God to be a guide for the footstep followers of the Lord. The Apostle Paul wrote, “The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.” (Gal. 3:24) And again, “Wherefore then serveth the Law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made.”—Gal. 3:19

The “Seed” mentioned in this text refers to the promised Seed of Abraham through which all the families of the earth are to be blessed. (Gal. 3:8,16,27-29) Jesus according to the flesh was a descendant of Abraham, and the Law given to Israel served to help preserve the nation until he came. His own people rejected Jesus, and in A.D. 70 Israel was destroyed as a nation. So the Law and the prophets did not prevent even that one little nation from falling into decay and ruin, much less the world.

However, the time will come when, through the messianic kingdom agencies, God will address himself to mankind in general, and then, as our memory verse suggests, judgment will roll down as waters, “and righteousness as a mighty stream.” Isaiah wrote of the future reign of righteousness, saying, “Judgment also will I [the Lord] lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.”—Isa. 28:17

It will be then that the glory of the Lord’s righteousness will fill the earth as the waters cover the sea. That will be God’s social order, described symbolically as “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (II Pet. 3:13) Those who will not obey the laws of that social order will “be destroyed from among the people.”—Acts 3:23

QUESTIONS

Why is the title of this lesson not in harmony with the scriptures used?

When will the knowledge of the Lord fill the earth?

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