Lord's Day - The International Sunday school Lesson

May 17

Lesson 12 (KJV)

Practice Justice

Devotional Reading: Psalm 86:1–13

Background Scripture: Jeremiah 21

Jeremiah 21:8–14

8 And unto this people, thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.

9 He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.

10 For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

11 And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the Lord;

12 O house of David, thus saith the Lord; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury [goes] out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

13 Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the Lord; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?

14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

Key Verse

O house of David, thus saith the Lord; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor.—Jeremiah 21:12a

Justice and the Prophets

Unit 3: Called to God’s Work of Justice

Lessons 10–14

Lesson Aims

After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:

1. Summarize Jeremiah’s message to the people and the royal court.

2. Explain why God’s covenant people sometimes suffered (or seemed to suffer) more severely under His judgmental wrath than did their pagan enemies.

3. Write a testimony of a time when negative consequences resulted in repentance and a long-term benefit.

Lesson Outline

Introduction

A. “Unexpected” Misfortune

B. Lesson Context: Historical

C. Lesson Context: Jeremiah 21

I. To the People (Jeremiah 21:8–10)

A. [The] choice to Make (v. 8)

B. [The] Consequence to Consider (vv. 9, 10)

Groupthink

II. To the King’s House (Jeremiah 21:11–14)

A. Judgment (vv. 11, 12)

B. Punishment (vv. 13, 14)

Conclusion

A. The End of the Line

B. Prayer

C. Thought to Remember

HOW TO SAY IT

Ashurbanipal	As-shure-bah-nee-pahl.
Carchemish	Kar-key-mish.
Jeremiah	Jair-uh-my-uh.
Josiah	Jo-sigh-uh.
Nabopolassar	Nab-uh-puh-las-uhr or Nab-oh-poh-las-er.
Nebuchadrezzar	Neb-uh-kad-rez-er.
Nebuchadnezzar	Neb-yuh-kad-nez-er.
Nineveh	Nin-uh-vuh.
Pashur	Pash-uhr.
Zedekiah	Zed-uh-kye-uh.
Zephaniah	Zef-uh-nye-uh.