Daily Lesson for Monday 5th of February 2024

God exhibits special care and concern for justice regarding the various vulnerable groups of people, including the poor, needy, oppressed, fatherless, widows, widowers, and strangers. The Psalms, like the Law and the prophets, are clear on that point (Exodus 22:21-27, Isaiah 3:13-15).

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Many psalms use the expression “poor and needy” and avoid representing the oppressed in exclusively national and religious terms. This is done in order to highlight God’s universal care for all humanity.

The expression “poor and needy” is not limited to material poverty but also signifies vulnerability and helplessness. The expression appeals to God’s compassion, and it conveys the idea that the sufferer is alone and has no other help but God. The depiction “poor and needy” also pertains to one’s sincerity, truthfulness, and love for God in confessing one’s total dependence on God and renouncing any trace of self-reliance and self-assertion.

Meanwhile, caring for the deprived (Psalms 41:1-3) demonstrates the people’s faithfulness to God. Evil done against the vulnerable were particularly heinous sins in biblical culture (Deuteronomy 15:7-11). The Psalms inspire faithful people to raise their voices against every oppression.

The Psalms also underline the futility of grounding one’s confidence on perishable human means as the ultimate source of wisdom and security. God’s people must resist the temptation to put ultimate faith for salvation in human leaders and institutions, especially when they differ from God’s ways.

In His grace, our Lord identified Himself with the poor by becoming poor Himself that through His poverty many might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). Christ’s riches include deliverance from every oppression brought by sin, and He promises us eternal life in God’s kingdom (Revelation 21:4). Jesus Christ fulfills the Psalms’ promises as the divine Judge, who will judge every mistreatment of the deprived, as well as neglect of duty toward them (Matthew 25:31-46).

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24a-06-justice-for-the-oppressed/

Key Thought : Only the Creator can provide stability and prosperity to the world. Divine judgment includes deliverance of the oppressed and destruction of the wicked in His time, not ours.
February 10, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Psalm 9:18, 12:5, 40:17, 146:6.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What is the message here to us, even today?
3. Personal Application: How much do we think of the poor and needy among us, and how much do we do for them?” Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of you relatives states, “I think most poor people today in the US are poor, not because of circumstances, but because they are lazy, uneducated due to skipping school, drug use, or lack of motivation. The kids may suffer because of parental neglect or one parent families, because adults are not taking responsibility. The government has also been guilty of giving money to lazy and undeserving people as if they deserved it by doing nothing but getting high, drunk, and having babies outside of marriage.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Psalm 82.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What happens when the leaders pervert justice and oppresses the people they are tasked to protect?
3. Personal Application: Do you have any authority over others? How justly and fairly are you exercising that authority? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why is it important not to rely on leaders, institutions, and social movements for justice in the world but rely on God’s word and God’s judgment?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Psalm 58:6-8, 69:22-28, 94:1,2.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is the agent of judgment in these psalms? What sentiments do these psalms convey?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever dreamed or thought about vengeance on those who have done you wrong? How might these Psalms help you put such feelings in proper perspective? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “How can we understand the harsh language of some of the psalms? How does that language help us relate to the humanity of those who wrote them?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Psalm 96:6-10; 99:1-4; 132:7-9; 13-18.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. When does God’s judgment take place?
3. Personal Application: How does the sanctuary help us understand how God will deal with evil? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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