On 8-23-15, Zechariah 7:8-14 will be our Adult Sunday School/ Uniform Series/ International Sunday School Lesson, herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as God Demands Justice or A Demand for Justice

God Demands Justice

 or 

A Demand for Justice

Zechariah 7:8-14

August 23, 2015

Commentary 

by

Jed Greenough

Stubbornness.  Some people tend to admire the trait in people, I can’t remember God doing so.

Remember from Exodus what God thought of Pharaoh’s stubbornness?  God talked of breaking down stubborn pride in Leviticus.  

Remember Moses laying prostrate for 40 days and nights praying for his stubborn people?  Isaiah used these words, “For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead bronze.”

Jeremiah in particular was given a message about his people’s stubbornness using the word stubborn in his message 9 times.

    

Zechariah our prophet for today said, “But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears.  they made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by His Spirit…”

What do you think when you read those words from today’s scripture?  I think of a stubborn child, a brat, maybe a spoiled one.

Next I think about myself when I think about when I might shut down and not give an inch.  

Today we read about these people not administering true justice, or showing mercy, compassion for each other, caring for widows and orphans, aliens and the poor and harboring evil thoughts against each other.

Go back and read the scripture from week after week and you will see this basic consistent theme.  This is what God asks of us, again if you will recall, to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

We should probably consider our stubbornness and go through that list above to see where we are refusing to walk in the way He would have us.  He has not changed His opinion about stubbornness or how important He holds the way we treat others but we need to.

For Discussion:

1. Find and discuss scriptures that cover the subjects addressed in verses 9 and 10 to show the consistency of God’s word.
2. Discuss how we are stubborn.
3. Discuss how are prejudices affect us in these matters.
4. Discuss how your group might address those mentioned in verses 9 and 10.
5. Discuss other areas were we may turn our back stubbornly to God’s word.
6. Discuss God not listening if we don’t.

Upcoming Lessons

August 30     Return to a Just God or A Plea to Return to God     Malachi 3:1-10

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved