Seekers for Jesus: July- September 2023

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corp.

Seekers for Jesus is a quarterly written especially for young people ages 12-14. In addition to introductory material and biblical exposition, each lesson contains a section to help students apply the lesson to life. Questions are interjected to gauge the student’s understanding of the presentation. It follows the International Uniform Sunday School Lesson Outline from the National Council of Churches.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Jul 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886350845

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Lesson 1

07/02/23

God Restores Peace

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Today’s Scripture

Zechariah 9:9–13, 16–17

Background Scripture: Zechariah 9:9–17

NRSV

REJOICE greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

10 He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war-horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

11 As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

12 Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double.

13 For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have made Ephraim its arrow. I will arouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and wield you like a warrior’s sword.

• • • • • •

16 On that day the LORD their God will save them for they are the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land.

17 For what goodness and beauty are his! Grain shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the young women.

Key Verse:

On that day the Lord their God will save them for they are the flock of his people; for like the jewels of a crown they shall shine on his land. (Zechariah 9:16, NRSV)

Today’s Word

In 2008, when former president Barack Obama ran in the political race for president of the United States, he used the platform message of Change. Ultimately, he won the election and became the first African-American president of the United States of America because people resonated with his message that it was a time for a change. The country had been struggling economically, socially, and also on the global front as a war overseas raged on. The message and idea of change was very important to the people, and it still is today.

All around the world, people are frustrated and discouraged by their leadership and ruling governmental leadership. Corruption and greed have taken over and filled public offices and left the people to fend for themselves under oppressive rule and leadership. We can all understand how easy it becomes to feel hopeless about the direction the world is going, and if we stop and look at the politics of our country and the world at large, we see a similar feeling of despair. But there is hope.

In today’s Scripture, Zechariah 9 describes a day when God will bring down all earthly powers and will initiate or usher in an eternal reign of peace. Despite whatever difficulties we face in life, we can have faith and trust that God is still good. He has and will continue to provide us with everything we need in life. Therefore, we can appreciate that God is the source of all provision. We should recognize that only God has the power to bring about a lasting peace on earth and it is our responsibility to respond to God’s provisions with obedience and worship.

I. The Coming of Zion’s King

In today’s lesson, we look at Zechariah’s warning to those who didn’t recognize God’s provision. We will also look at promises that were made by the prophet on God’s behalf that were being answered. There were many prophecies throughout the Old Testament of the Bible, and today’s Scripture is included as one of them.

The prophecies of the Old Testament often highlighted two types of promises that were to be fulfilled by God. The first was a biblically fulfilled promise that could be referenced later in the Bible. The second was a symbolic promise that would be fulfilled in the future. Zechariah 9:9 was biblically fulfilled by Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into the city. This can be found in Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15. Jesus rode into the city on the back of a colt which is the foal (or young) of a donkey, just as the prophecy foretold. The symbolic promise of verses 14 through 17 is echoed in Revelation 19:11-16. While it hasn’t happened yet, we can trust that the Lord will fulfill this promise at some point in the future.

Today’s lesson Scripture begins with a call for Jerusalem to shout and to rejoice because a promised king approaches, He will be riding on a lowly animal despite being righteous and virtuous. The Hebrew words used in verse 9 shows that the king is a valid, legitimate king, or one that was descended from David.

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The words used also show that this promised king would bring deliverance and salvation to all people. During this time, many people believed that the promised king would arrive carrying a sword and a shield, He would lead them out of their present situation in battle. They believed that the king would sit on a throne, just as David had, and He would lead them from above. Instead, Jesus fulfilled these promises in a very different way. One that was beyond their understanding. He demonstrated His humility by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt and instead of marching into battle and taking control of all the lands as a man, Jesus fulfilled the promise of deliverance by dying on the cross for the sins of all people.

Zechariah 9:11 tells of this new covenant that was forged in Jesus’ blood and His death on the cross. Verse 11 reads, As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. When compared to Hebrews 9:11-14, it is easy to recognize how Jesus had fulfilled the prophecy of this verse. Jesus entered into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12, NSRV). Jesus offered salvation to the world through His sacrifice. Through His blood, He ushered in the forgiveness of all sin. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:22,