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AGAPE LESSON 33
THE REVEALING OF THE SONS
Put together by Bongie Kuzwayo
Isaiah58:
(v1) Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet and declare to My people their
transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins! When a prophet blows a trumpet, it is for
everybody’s attention. And everyone has to hear and respond accordingly.
[Leviticus23v26—32] And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (27) Also the tenth day of the seventh
month shall be the Day of Atonement, It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your
souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. (28) And you shall do no work on that same
day, for it is a Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. (29) For the
person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. (30) And any
person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. (31)
You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your
dwellings. (32) It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the
nineth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.
The Day of Atonement was a shadow pointing to the final day of Jesus dying on the cross, making
atonement for the whole of humanity.
Atonement = to cover, to purge, make reconciliation, to cover over, propitiate, atone for sin.
What were the sins of the people? (Violation of the Day of Atonement)
• They did business as usual – when they should be fasting (v3)
• They did not stop all work, as the Law required (v3).
• They demanded from their hired servants a full amount of labour (v3).
• They fasted only for strife and debate, to smite with a fist of wickedness (v4). [Amos5v24] But
let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.
• Their fasting was merely mechanical, (hypocritical), indicating a condition of heart that he
does not have (v5).
• They travelled unduly, doing their own pleasure (v13).
• They did not honour the Day, nor the Lord (v13)
• Seeking and finding their own pleasure, and speaking idle words (v13).
(v2) The Lord resented their hypocritical way of approaching Him; yet requiring the Lord’s righteous
judgements. [Ezekiel 14v9—10] (The prophet has not been granted permission to give an answer to
the hypocritical inquirer) but if the prophet does give the man the answer he desires – thus allowing
himself to be part of the inquirer’s sin, I the Lord will see to it that the prophet is deceived in his
answer, and I will stretch out My hand against him, and I will destroy him from the midst of My
people Israel. (10) And they both shall bear the punishment of their inequity; the inequity of the
(presumptuous) prophet shall be the same as the inequity of the (hypocritical) inquirer.
(v6—7) Is this not the fast I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that
you break every yoke? (7) Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your
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house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked that you cover him, and not hide yourself
from your own flesh?
The above is the whole mark of the sons of God. [Romans8v19—21] For the earnest expectation of
the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. (20) For the creation was subjected to
futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; (21) because the creation itself
also will be delivered from bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
(22) For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs together until now.
The time has come that we, the church, be doers of the word, and not hearers only (James1v22).
[Isaiah61v1—3] “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach
good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (2) to proclaim the acceptable year
of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, (3) to console those who
mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for
the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that
He may be glorified.”
This we can only achieve if mercy is part of our fabric. The Bible records that God is merciful and
gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth (Exodus34v6). There is no way we can
accurately represent Him without this attribute of mercy. [Matthew5v7] Blessed are the merciful, for
they shall obtain mercy. And the only place from where we can obtain mercy, is at the throne of
grace. [Hebrews4v16] Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(v6—7) Doing this type of fasting is tantamount to seeking the prosperity of our city. The early
church (the Way) had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them
among all, as anyone had need (Acts2v44—45). The Bible records that we are a holy nation
(1Peter2v9). The church is a nation within nations; and therefore, we must rise and operate as a
nation. [Isaiah60v1—2] Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon
you. (2) For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will
arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.
When the sons of God take their accurate position:
• Then you light shall break forth like the morning (v8).
• Your healing shall spring forth speedily (v8).
• Your righteousness shall go before you (v8).
• The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guar (v8).
• You shall call and the Lord will answer (v9).
• When you cry, He will say, “Here I Am.”
• You light will rise in darkness and your obscurity and gloom will be as the noonday (v10).
• The Lord shall guide you continually, and satisfy you in drought and in dry places, and make
strong your bones (v11).
• You shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
• Those among you shall build old waste places; raise up the foundations of many generations
(v12).
• You shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, the Restorer of Streets to Dwell in (v12).
• You shall delight yourself in the Lord; and He shall make you ride on high hills of the earth
(v14).
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• He will feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob (v14).
AGAPE LESSON 33