19/04/2026
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NIGERIA
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS
|JANUARY-JUNE, 2026.
UNIT 3: Major Themes From Minor Prophets
LESSON 16: April 19, 2026.
TOPIC: GOD HATES INJUSTICE
Memory Verse: Zechariah 7:9 - Execute true judgement, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother (KJV).
Lesson Central Truth:
Justice should characterise God's people.
INTRODUCING THE LESSON
The prophets covered in this lesson lived through very different circumstances. Hosea prophesied to the northern kingdom of Israel before its destruction by the Assyrians, while Zechariah lived more than a century after the Babylonian exile of the southern kingdom of Judah. But despite all their differences, one common truth resounds throughout all their writings: God hates injustice and oppression. He demands that His people walk in truth, justice, and compassion. This message bears repeating in our day. God's hatred of injustice is rooted in His love for what is good and just. Christians are called to learn to do good, seek justice, and defend the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17).
LESSON OUTLINE
1. VIOLENCE BREEDS DISASTER - Hosea 4:1-4; Micah 3:8-12.
A. An Unexpected Harvest
B. A Rebuke For Workers Of Injustice
2. CORRUPTION DISPLEASES GOD - Zephaniah 3:1-7.
A. A Corrupt People
B. A Righteous God
3. OPPRESSION LEADS TO DESOLATION - Zechariah 7:8-14
A. A Familiar Message
B. A Righteous God
LESSON NUGGETS
1. VIOLENCE BREEDS DISASTER - Hosea 4:1-4; Micah 3:8-12.
✅️ Hosea 4:1-4 describes an "unexpected harvest" in a negative sense--a harvest of judgment, decay, and destruction resulting from the spiritual and moral depravity of Israel. God's case against His people was because of their rampant sins--swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery--the land itself is depicted as suffering, bringing a kind of de-creation. The land dries up and mourns, the animals, birds, and fish languish and are swept away.
The language in verse 3 suggests that, due to the sins, the normal productive capacity of the land is reversed, leading to a barrenness that constitutes an unnatural or unexpected harvest. Instead of bounty, the land yields only desolation. It is important to note that times change, but God's character and righteousness do not. When a nation or people group embraces what God has rejected and rejects what He has embraced, they will reap catastrophic consequences. We should return to God and seek Him in truth. While sin leads to an unexpected harvest of ruin, repentance leads to a harvest of God'unfailing love and mercy.
✅ In Micah 3:8-12,️ Prophet Micah confronts the corruption of Israel's leadership--this serves as a stark rebuke for workers of injustice and a call to integrity. Micah speaks in a time of deep moral decay in Judah.
Leaders are taking bribes, prophets are selling prophecies, and the poor are oppressed. While others are motivated by money, Micah is filled with the Spirit of the Lord, justice, and strength. The role of a true messenger of God is to confront transgression, not to offer comfortable falsehoods. True believers must stand against systemic injustice, fueled by the Holy Spirit rather than human popularity. Micah directly rebukes the leaders for three major sins:
• Perverting Justice - They "hate justice and twist all that is right." They have lost all sense of equity, making decisions based on self-interest rather than righteousness.
• Bloody Foundations - They are "building Zion with blood." This means they are creating wealth and security at the expense of the poor and vulnerable.
• Mercenary Leadership- "Rulers govern for bribes, priests teach for a price, and prophets prophet for money." They have turned holy vocations into profit-making enterprises.
God holds leaders responsible for how they treat the vulnerable and unrepented injustice can not exist forever without facing consequences.
As believers, it is important to note that our religious activities can not excuse out sinful behaviours. We are called like Micah to "do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God" (Micah 6:8). May the Lord fill us with the Spirit of justice and might. Give us the courage to speak truth to power and to act with integrity in a world of corruption. Amen!
2. CORRUPTION DISPLEASES GOD - Zephaniah 3:1-7.
✅️ Zephaniah 3:1-4 highlights the deep moral and spiritual decay of Jerusalem, which had turned from being a holy city into an oppressive, rebellious, and polluted place. The people obeyed not the voice of God and received no correction. Believers today are urged not to harden their hearts to the Word of God or the prompting of the Holy Spirit and must learn to accept godly rebuke and discipline. Jerusalem failed because they did not trust in the Lord, instead placing confidence in themselves or in earthly alliances. The ultimate failure was a lack of intimate fellowship with God.
Modern believers are encouraged to proactively draw near to God through prayer and scripture, rather than drifting away to trust in earthly security, wealth, or status. The leaders--princes, judges, prophets, and priests--were depicted as "roaring lions" and "evening wolves," abusing power rather than serving the people. This serves as a warning that leaders who exploit their positions for personal gain instead of protecting the vulnerable are under severe divine judgement. The ultimate aim of the warning is to bring about repentance and a return to God. It encourages a devoted pursuit of God rather than a casual relationship. This should serve as a warning beacon to check if our lives are marked by disobedience, disregard for warning, disbelief, or distance from God.
✅️ Zephaniah 3:5-7 highlights a righteous God who remains faithful and just in the midst of a rebellious society. While Jerusalem's leaders are corrupt, God brings justice to light daily, offering mercy to those who seek Him while preparing to judge the unrepentant.
These verses invite believers to trust in God's integrity, repent from corrupt ways, and wait on His deliverance. God is in the midst of His people, not distant. He is righteous, doing no injustice.
His justice is consistent, shining brightly every morning. When life seems unfair, trust in God’s character rather than the fairness of human systems. God uses the judgement of surrounding nations as a warning for His own people, yet they fail to learn. Are we ignoring God's warnings (through His word or life circumstances) and persisting in sinful habits? God desires repentance, urging us to fear Him and receive instruction. Even in judgement, God seeks to turn hearts back to Him.
True righteousness is not just avoiding wrong, but seeking the Lord and turning from our own corrupted ways. As believers, we have this assurance that God is actively working in history to bring justice. Though the world--and often the church--may fall into corruption - God remains a reliable refuge for the humble. We are called to live uprightly, trusting that our righteous Lord is present and will fulfil His promises.
3. OPPRESSION LEADS TO DESOLATION - Zechariah 7:8-14
✅️ The prophet Zechariah speaks to exiles returning from Babylon, who were focused on fasting for past misfortunes. God redirects their focus from mourning to living out righteousness in their present life. Zechariah 7:8-10 is a call for a heart-level change that leads to a just society. God issued four commands through prophet Zechariah to the people:
• Judge With True Justice - Fair and honest legal dealings. God is pleased when His people show justice and act according to the truth.
• Show Lovingkindness And lMercy - Compassion to neighbors. God is pleased when His people show love and mercy rather than hate or indifference.
• Protect The Vulnerable - Do not oppress widows, orphans, strangers, or the poor. It is a common tendency for people in every society to overlook the needs of the marginalised. But God is pleased when the people refuse to follow the crowd and choose instead to protect and champion the weak.
• Purity Of Heart - Do not devise evil in your heart against one another. People's actions result from what is going on in their hearts (Jeremiah 17:9;Matthew 15:18). God is pleased when His people's righteous actions are motivated by their pure hearts.
True worship of God must show in how we treat neighbours. God looks past the mask of religion to the heart, demanding a repentant heart that responds to His grace, not just lip service.
✅️ Zechariah 7:11-14
reveals a righteous God who rejects empty religious rituals when accompanied by hardened hearts and social injustice. God rejects the people's fasting because their hearts were stubborn, refusing to hear His law or the words of the former prophets. Because they refused to listen and hardened their hearts, God justly brought judgement, scattering them among the nations.
Stubbornness and refusing to heed God’s calls lead to spiritual deafness and eventual brokenness. When people refuse to listen to God, He may not answer their cries for help in times of trouble. This encourages us as believers to learn from the errors of past generations--who neglected God's word and faced exile--to avoid similar judgment. Worship should focus on God, not on personal recognition or routine.
🎤Lesson Action Word
God is the ultimate defender of the vulnerable, and He calls His people to be active agents of His justice.
🙏Lesson Prayer Point
Father, we ask for your justice to be done in our nation. According to Isaiah 1:15-17, Lord, expose and remove from power those who buy and sell justice in Jesus Matchless Name. Amen!
Remain blessed as you join us in our Sunday school both online and at any Assemblies Of God Church close to you as we study together under the Feet of the Master.
Share your contribution and as well ask your question from the lesson.
