Background (this is the eleventh of 39 lessons)
Two important things to remember from the book of Joshua are (1) how the people all said, "AMEN" and (2) agreed not to be afraid of sacrificing unintentional sin even when people around them were sacrificing intentional sin. This is evidence that people in the Old Testament were living by different standards. The next 30 lessons after Joshua teach The Pattern of Sound Teaching by teaching 30 lessons to explain the difference between intentional and unintentional sin, so we can line our witness testimony up with the Chief Cornerstone by sacrificing unintentional sin.
In the book of Judges, students learned that they would be mixing with people who were seeking prosperity and denying God's grace. People are Awakened in 1 Chronicles to build a temple with God's grace and not prosperity. In the book of Psalms, a psalmist teaches us how to put on the armor of God and be a witness to God's grace. When we put on the armor of God, we will not fight back against the people who are denying God's grace and seeking prosperity.
We need to remember the promised return of Christ because Christ will judge all men in righteousness. We cannot let our fears hinder us from being a light. The book of Lamentations describes an example of what it looks like to suit up with the armor of God. Mourning and lamenting sin are examples of how to react.
The book of Obadiah describes an example of the promise of the wrath of God for people who deny God's grace and chase prosperity.
Learning Objective:
I can turn from prosperity and accept God's grace.
Essential Questions:
What does it look like to turn away from God?
Why is Obidiah God's ambassador?
Definition:
Ambassador -
high self-efficacy -
The Issue:
Students will read pages 27-30 in The Pattern of Sound Teaching.
After students read the information ask them, "What do you want to talk about?"
After students read pages 27-30 in The Pattern of Sound Teaching to learn what will happen to the people who do not sacrifice unintentional sin by suiting up with the armor of God and mourning sin. We are to mourn sin with the sword of the spirit. The book of Lamentations gives an example of how people who are committing intentional sin, will try and lure us into committing intentional sin with them. By suiting up with the armor of God and mourning and lamenting sin, the sword of the spirit will fight for God's children. Everyone is not a child of God. The people who continue to commit intentional sin are not children of God. The book of Obadiah is an example of what it looks like to turn away from God and commit intentional sin.
The book of Obadiah explains how the people from the nation of Edom turned their backs on God and refused to accept God's grace. Obadiah was God's ambassador who delivered a message from God to Edom. In the olden days, it was an ambassador who delivered a war message from one government to another. Obadiah was God's ambassador who declared war between God and Edon because Edon would not turn from intentional sin.
Who was Edon? Edon was a nation. The nation of Edon was built by Abraham's grandson: Esau. Edom and Israel are two nations. The nations began in the belly of Rebecca, the wife of Isaac, who was pregnant with twin boys. Because the unborn babies were kicking and moving so rapidly, she asked the Lord what was wrong. The Lord told Rebecca who was Abrahams, daughter-in-law, that she had two nations in her belly. The boys were struggling against each other in her belly.
Esau was the son who inherited God's blessing, but he sold the blessing of the Lord to his brother Jacob (Israel) for a bowl of beans.
When we deny God's grace, tears will not help us. When it was time for the boys' father to give the birthright (blessing) to Esau, Jacob (Israel) received the blessing. Esau tried to regain the blessing with dramatic tears but the attempt at manipulation didn't work.
God says that He loved Jacob. What does God say about Esau? As it is written in Romans 9: 13, "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated" (Romans 9:13, King James Version, 1986). Obadiah reminded Edom that they treated their brother, Israel unkindly.
Edom was seeking prosperity. Edom robbed Israel. When a robber comes, he only takes what he can get. However, Edom robbed Israel until there were no material items left. Edom joined forces with the nations that were at war against Israel.
When we are influenced by the wrong crowd we will make friends with people who: (1) have feet running with wicked intentions, (2) that lie, or (3) are interested in being prosperous even if it hurts someone else, we need to turn back to God with a true heart with mourning and lamentation. The offense includes turning back to God with mourning and lamentation. Having faith that God will judge the wicked includes the sword of the spirit, to call on the Lord for help.
The book of Lamentations is an example of how the Hebrews in Judah began interacting with the people of Edom. The people in Edom were: (1) running to do wicked deeds, (2) making a name for themselves, (3) seeking prosperity, (4) lying to the people of Judah by saying there is no God to protect the Hebrews, and (5) Sacrificing the feelings of the Hebrew people to gain prosperity for Edon. After mixing with Edom, the Hebrew people were forced into slavery. Then, the Hebrew people lamented and mourned sin and turned to God and waited for God to protect them. The Hebrews turned back to their first love: God.
As it is written in Hebrews 10: 26 - 27, "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" (King James Bible, 1986). The book of Obidiah discusses what it looks like for Edom who did not mourn or lament unintentional sin.
Activity
Students will watch the video and then I will explain how they are going to build two different foundations that will represent how the choices we make in life will build our foundation which is our Rock of Faith. Remember faith includes a sacrifice. What you have faith in, determines if you sacrifice intentional sin or unintentional sin. The choice is decided by each individual. Watch the following video to see how a foundation is built that can wash away or can be rock solid. We should build our structure with Grace and not prosperity.
After watching the video, students will be given one large clear plastic cup, two Dixie bathroom cups, sand, a tablespoon spoon, a permanent marker, and glue. Then they will be told they are going to build two different foundations. Students will use materials to complete the steps displayed in the video.
Step 1: Students will mix two tablespoons of glue with two tablespoons of water in a large clear plastic cup.
Step 2: Next students will add one full Dixie bathroom cup of sand to the glue and water mixture.
Step 3: Then they will stir the mixture up, so it is blended together.
Step 4: Lastly, they will put the mixture into a Dixie bathroom cup that they sprayed with cooking spray and write foundation A on the side of the Dixie cup with a permanent marker.
Step 5: The cup should dry for at least six days.
Step 6: Mix 1/2 tablespoons of glue and three tablespoons of water together.
Step 7: Next students will add one full Dixie bathroom cup of sand to the glue and water mixture.
Step 8: Then they will stir the mixture up, so it is blended together.
Step 9: Lastly, they will put the mixture into a Dixie bathroom cup that they sprayed with cooking spray and write foundation B on the side of the Dixie cup with a permanent marker.
Step 10: The mixture should dry for at least six days.
I will then pull out two Dixie cups that I created a week ago. Then I will explain to the class that I created the two different sand structures last week. I will take them out of the cup and then put them in a pie pan. After putting them on a pie pan, I will take a water sprinkler and a blow drier and talk about erosion. The structures will be labeled A and B.
Glue is to sand as faith is to grace. Erosion is to sand as people who commit intentional sin are to people who sacrifice unintentional sin.
Blog
Explain how someone sacrifices intentional sin.
Next Lesson
We all have to make a choice about how we will build our foundation. Will we build a Rock of Faith or a foundation that erodes away? Students who are building prosperity on their structure will now be struggling with pride. Obadiah said Edom was like an eagle because they had so much pride. In moving from the theme of grace to the theme of mercy. When someone denies God's grace and accepts prosperity, they will not share mercy because they will be struggling with the behavior of pride. Just as Edom did not accept God's grace because they were chasing prosperity they became proud like eagles.
The next church discusses the theme of sharing mercy or sharing pride.
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