Monthly Archives: December 2019

Solomon Summons the Ark

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International Sunday School January 5, 2020 Winter #6

1 Kings 8:1-13 (NIV)

[8:1] Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD’s covenant from Zion, the City of David. [2] All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month. [3] When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark, [4] and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites carried them up, [5] and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted. [6] The priests then brought the ark of the LORD’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim. [7] The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its carrying poles. [8] These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today. [9] There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt. [10] When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. [11] And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple. [12] Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; [13] I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.”

David’s Prayer

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International Sunday School December 29, 2019 Winter #5

1 Chronicles 17:16-27 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? [17] And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, LORD God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men. [18] “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, [19] LORD. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises. [20] “There is no one like you, LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. [21] And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? [22] You made your people Israel your very own forever, and you, LORD, have become their God. [23] “And now, LORD, let the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, [24] so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The LORD Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you. [25] “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. [26] You, LORD, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. [27] Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

Mary’s Praise

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International Sunday School December 22, 2019 Winter Quarter #4

Luke 1:39-56 (NIV)

Mary Visits Elizabeth

[39] At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, [40] where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. [41] When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. [42] In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! [43] But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. [45] Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

[46] And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

[47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,[48] for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.From now on all generations will call me blessed,

[49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.[50] His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.[51] He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.[52] He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.[53] He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.[54] He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful[55] to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”[56] Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

 

David’s House

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International Sunday School December 15, 2019 Winter Quarter #3

1 Chronicles 17:1 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.”

1 Chronicles 17:3-4 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: [4] “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.

1 Chronicles 17:11-14 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. [12] He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. [13] I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. [14] I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’ ”

1 Chronicles 21:18 Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

1 Chronicles 21:21-27 Then David approached, and when Araunah looked and saw him, he left the threshing floor and bowed down before David with his face to the ground. [22] David said to him, “Let me have the site of your threshing floor so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped. Sell it to me at the full price.” [23] Araunah said to David, “Take it! Let my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Look, I will give the oxen for the burnt offerings, the threshing sledges for the wood, and the wheat for the grain offering. I will give all this.” [24] But King David replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” [25] So David paid Araunah six hundred shekels of gold for the site. [26] David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. He called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering. [27] Then the LORD spoke to the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.