Isaiah 33:2 O Lord, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.
5 The Lord is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.
6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.
14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.
18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?
19 Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.
20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
21 But there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; he will save us.
MEMORY VERSE: Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. —Psalms 48:2-3
CENTRAL THOUGHT: The Church of God is a safe dwelling place, the home of the soul, where the solemn and sacred worship of God in spirit and truth is ever carried on, where the Lord himself reigns, supplies, blesses, and preserves His people in eternal joy.
WORD DEFINITIONS
Isaiah 33:14 “Sinners in Zion”: This refers to professors of religion who are void of the true grace of God, and yet seek to be among the saints. Hypocrites are those who profess to be saved without a real experience of salvation.
Isaiah 33:18 “Receiver”: a trader or weigher of money.
Isaiah 33:20 “Solemnities”: appointed times, places, signs or meetings (Strong’s). This word refers to the assemblies, the meetings, the sacred ceremonies and observances of the Church in her worship to God.
Isaiah 33:21 “Galley; gallant ship”: these terms refer to a large and flashy display and show of worship or religion that is so prominent in manruled organizations.
LESSON BACKGROUND
In the midst of the low state of hypocrisy and deceit of sinful man, God has placed His Church. For those who will humble themselves to walk with God, the Lord will be their shield and stay, but for the proud and deceitful and hypocritical there will be fear and consternation.
Isaiah is giving us a foretaste or a preview of the blessing and comfort that will be found in being born again and dwelling in the New Jerusalem, the Church of God. The judgment and righteousness of the grace of God fills the heart of the redeemed soul. It brings stability and strength to endure the pressures and tribulations to which the saints are exposed. Verse 18 in our lesson is referred to by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 1:20 when he said, “Where is the wise! where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” The spirits of strife and covetousness are not in the Church of God. It is a quiet habitation that will never be removed. We love one another and are not out for financial gain. The Lord is our all in all. What a blessing to be in the Church of God and enjoy the peace and harmony that prevails among the saved and sanctified!
—Bro. Leslie Busbee
QUESTIONS:
- Can you make a list of the many benefits that can be enjoyed in the Church of God?
- Zion is filled with______________and__________________.
- What is wisdom and the knowledge of the Lord to us in Zion?
- Why are the sinners in Zion and the hypocrites afraid?
- To what does the devouring fire and the everlasting burnings refer?
- Who is it that will dwell with the everlasting burnings?
- What do our eyes behold in the Church of God?
- What kind of people dwell in Zion?
- What do you see when you look upon Zion?
- What is the Lord to His people in Zion?
COMMENTS AND APPLICATION
Oh, what a beautiful picture of Zion, the Church of God, that we have before us in our lesson today. To be in Zion, one must be born again by the Spirit of God, and walking in the light of His precious Word every day. The Lord will lead us in the paths of righteousness if we are really His sheep and His own. The Lord Jesus, being at the right hand of God exalted, rules and reigns from heaven above. He fills the habitation of His people in the spiritual heavens with judgment and righteousness. He stabilizes us with His wisdom and spiritual knowledge of Himself because the fear of the Lord is our treasure. We will be lifted up into the heavenly places with Christ, and will be able to resist the devil and overcome all of his devices. Our souls will feast on that bread of life that comes down from heaven and we will drink freely of the water of life that flows out from the throne of God, clear as crystal.
This brings a division between those who serve God sincerely and those who serve Him not. Satan blinds the minds of the proud and unbelieving so that they cannot behold the things that God has provided in His Church.
The saints are not a fierce people, hard to entreat and get along with. They use great plainness of speech, declaring in a knowledgeable tongue the wonderful works of God. There is quietness and assurance forever in the habitation of the righteous. Her stakes, the promises of God, shall never be removed. The Lord is our judge, and His judgment is unto truth and victory. He is our lawgiver, writing His laws down in the tender tables of our hearts by the Spirit of God. He is our King and Savior. What a safe and happy place to be in: the Church of God upon the solid Rock, Jesus Christ!
—Bro. Leslie Busbee
REFLECTIONS
The following is a testimony by my grandmother, Vera Forbes, explaining how God led her to Zion, the Church of God (taken from Memoirs of George E. Harmon by Vera M. Forbes):
“On January 1, 1914 I was married to Erle E. Forbes in Texas, and immediately moved to Clovis, New Mexico, where Erle’s home had been for some time. I was a Methodist and gave my church letter to the pastor on the first Sunday I was there. I was soon taking part in the Epworth League (Young People’s Service). One evening after Epworth League, Erle suggested that we go and visit the little chapel where his mother and sisters worshipped. I consented to do that. There I found a little group of people in a very small building. It was a little chapel all right, with no sign to label it as a chapel or a place of worship. Across the front of the whole width of the building were the large words: ‘HAY BARN.’ But what I found inside made the difference. It was a very unusual, but touching service. The songs were all new to me, even though I knew many songs, for my parents, my sisters and brother were all choir singers, as well as myself. After the service the people were all so very friendly and gave me a hearty welcome. We continued to attend Sunday night services there after the Epworth League.
“My dear little mother-in-law had one of the song books they used (Select Hymns), so I began to play the songs on the piano, and to learn them. They were very soul-inspiring. I soon learned and loved them and could sing with them at the services, even though they had no piano. I was also learning more than songs. I was learning what salvation really meant; the experience one has after being saved from sin; also what faith is and how to exercise faith in God; also to have faith for the healing of the body. Brother Harmon illustrated the difference in faith and feelings. Feelings he showed as a wavy, up-and-down line, while faith was illustrated as a straight line that goes straight up to God and heaven.
“Brother Harmon preached about the need of one being baptized when he is saved. Oh, I had wanted to be baptized when I got saved at the age of ten years, and had taken off my hat to be baptized, but the preacher asked, ‘Were you baptized when a baby?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ The preacher then said, ‘Well, you don’t need to be baptized again.’ From that time on I had wondered about my baptism. From the light that was now coming from the preached Word, I saw that not only was I given privilege to be baptized, but that it was commanded of the Lord. Brother Harmon made the whole Christian life look so very wonderful.
“One day as I sat at the piano learning some of the songs, I came to one that said: ‘Brighter days are sweetly dawning, Oh! the glory looms in sight.’ Oh, my eyes filled with tears and I could see no more! I got up and fell on the floor and poured out my heart to God, saying, ‘Lord, if what Brother Harmon is preaching is the truth, and if this is really Your way, please help me to know!’ Immediately an audible Voice spoke to me and said, ‘This is the way, walk ye in it’ (Isaiah 30:21). I looked around, but there was no one there. I knew God had spoken to me right from Heaven. I said, ‘All right, Lord, I will accept the truths in these songs and what Brother Harmon is preaching from the Bible.’ I arose feeling so happy! I am still thankful God spoke to me, and from that day I have endeavored by the help of the Spirit to walk in the glorious light of God’s Word.”
—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck
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