When the wise men arrived in Jerusalem and asked about the birth of the Jews’ messiah, King Herod asked the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah was proph- esied to be born. They answered correctly: Bethlehem. When Jesus asked them, “What think ye of Christ? whose Son is He?’ they again answered correctly:  “The son of David.” However, when Jesus asked them about “the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men,” “they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.” Luke 20:4, 7. On another occasion, when the Sadducees asked Jesus about the resurrection, thus assert- ing that it could not take place, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” Matthew 22:29.

These and other verses, especially those presenting the many messianic proph- ecies and their meaning, raise a serious question: Up to what point did the priests, scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees have a correct understanding of the Bible and the prophecies? Although they studied the Scriptures every Sabbath in the synagogues (Acts 15:21), including the prophecies regarding the coming Messiah, the result was that “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” John 1:11. As spiritual builders, they had the “stone,” the “head of the corner,” at hand; but, tragically, they “rejected” it. Matthew 21:42.

The reasons for such tragic mistakes were surely numerous; but the primary prob- lem was the leaders’ lack of the correct knowledge and interpretation of the Scriptures, especially the messianic promises. There were many fables and speculations about this blessed hope. In the multitude who listened to Jesus, “There were scribes and Phari- sees who looked forward to the day when they should have dominion over the hated Romans and possess the riches and splendor of the world’s great empire.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 5.

But it was not just the priests, scribes, and people in general who had a wrong conception of the Messiah and His mission; the disciples were also confused on this point. The idea that He was the Lamb of God and had to pass through Gethsemane and Golgotha  to give the greatest sacrifice was not part of their frame of reference. They “trusted that it had been He,” the two disciples on the way to Emmaus said, “which should have redeemed Israel.” Luke 24:21. No wonder they were devastated when Jesus was arrested, condemned, and killed.

They also needed to understand the messianic prophecies completely differently than they did in order to have a clear picture and avoid other misunderstandings. He told them several times before His death what awaited Him at the end of His earthly walk, but He could not wait a long time to clarify the matter for them. “And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” Luke 24:44, 45.

“The great themes of the Old Testament were misapprehended and misinter- preted, and Christ’s work was to expound the truth which had not been understood by those to whom they had been given. The prophets had made the statements, but the spiritual import of what they had written, was undiscovered by them. They did not see the meaning of the truth. Jesus reproved His disciples for their slowness of comprehen- sion. Many of His precious lessons were lost to them, because they did not understand the spiritual grandeur of His words. But He promised that the Comforter should come, that the Spirit of truth should recall these lost utterances to their minds. He gave them to understand that He had left with them precious jewels of truth whose value they did not know.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 404.

The Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, the three great sections that constitute the first part of the Holy Scriptures, the Old Testament, are full of prophecies about the coming Messiah. Based on the Old Testament prophecies, His origin, earthly ministry, suffering, and sacrifice, as well as His resurrection and heavenly ministry, will be studied in these Sabbath School Lessons for the next half year.

There are 456 verses in the Old Testament that refer to the Messiah. Of these, 75 are found in the law (the first five books), 243 in the books of the prophets, and 138 in other Biblical writings. Do we know this immense source of light? Although we may be familiar with many of the verses, there are many more that contain special light for us.

It is with good reason that the Spirit of prophecy states: “Were Jesus with us today, He would say to us as He did to His disciples, ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.’ John 16:12. Jesus longed to open before the minds of His disciples  deep and  living truths, but their earthliness,  their clouded, deficient comprehension made it impossible. They could not be benefited with great, glorious, solemn truths. The want of spiritual growth closes the door to the rich rays of light that shine from Christ. We shall never reach a period when there is no increased light for us. The sayings of Christ were always far-reaching in their import. Those who heard His teachings with their preconceived opinions, could not take in the meaning attached to His utterances. Jesus was the source, the originator of truth.” –Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 403, 404.

It is our prayer and deep desire that we will all study these lessons with renewed zeal and earnestness, in a spirit of humility and faith, ready to discover the great truths and receive the rays of light that the Lord has for us who live in this perilous time of the end. May they be a rich blessing and great spiritual enlightenment for us all.

–The brothers and sisters of the General Conference

Sabbath, January 1, 2022

Lesson 1 – The Messiah Announced in Genesis

“By the inspired testimony of Moses and the prophets he [Paul] clearly proved the identity of Jesus of Nazareth with the Messiah and showed that from the days of Adam it was the voice of Christ which had been speaking through patriarchs and prophets.

“Plain and specific prophecies had been given regarding the appearance of the Promised One. To Adam was given an assurance of the coming of the Redeemer. The sentence pronounced on Satan, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel’ (Genesis 3:15), was to our first parents a promise of the redemption to be wrought out through Christ.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 222.

1. Who was God’s Coworker in the creation of the heavens and the earth? What is written about man’s creation?

Proverbs 8:27-30 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon  the  face of the depth:  28When he established the   clouds    above:    when    he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed  the  foundations  of  the earth: 30Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. John 1:1-3 In the  beginning  was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Genesis 1:26 And  God  said, Let us  make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing  that  creepeth  upon  the earth.

“The One appointed in the counsels of heaven came to the earth as an instructor. He was no less a being than the Creator of the world, the Son of the Infinite God. The rich benevolence of God gave Him to our world; and to meet the necessities of humanity, He took on Him human nature. To the astonishment of the heavenly host, He walked this earth as the Eternal Word.” –Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 399.

“The  physical creation testifies of God and Jesus Christ as the great Creator of all things. ‘All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men’ John 1:3, 4.” –The Upward Look, p. 278.

“There are but two powers that control the minds of men–the power of God and the power of Satan. Christ is man’s Creator and Redeemer.” –Temperance, p. 276.

“The ownership of the world belongs to Christ by creation and redemption.” –Review and Herald, March 6, 1894.

FIRST PROMISE OF THE COMING REDEEMER

2. What wonderful, comforting promise did the Lord make to man right after he fell into sin? Who was represented by the woman’s seed?

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds,  as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

“To man the first intimation  of redemption was communicated in the sentence pronounced upon Satan in the garden. The Lord declared, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.’ This sentence, uttered in the hearing of our first parents, was to them a promise…. Adam and his companion were assured that notwithstanding their great sin, they were not to be abandoned to the control of Satan. The Son of God had offered to atone, with His own life, for their transgression.” –The Faith I Live By, p. 75.

“Plain and specific prophecies had been given regarding the appearance of the Promised One. To Adam was given an assurance of the coming of the Redeemer. The sentence pronounced on Satan, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head,  and thou shalt bruise His heel’ (Genesis 3:15), was to our first parents a promise of the redemption to be wrought out through Christ. –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 222.

3. What frightening command did the Lord give to Abraham?

Genesis 22:1,  2  And  it  came to pass after  these things, that  God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

“Yet  God had spoken, and His word must be obeyed. Abraham was stricken in years, but this did not excuse him from duty. He grasped the staff of faith and in dumb agony took by the hand his child, beautiful in the rosy health of youth, and went out to obey the word of God. The grand old patriarch was human; his passions and attachments were like ours, and he loved his boy, who was the solace of his old age, and to whom the promise of the Lord had been given.

“But Abraham did not stop to question how God’s promises could be fulfilled if Isaac were slain. He did not stay to reason with his aching heart, but carried out the divine command to the very letter, till, just as the knife was about to be plunged into the quivering flesh of the child, the word came: ‘Lay not thine hand upon the lad;’ ‘for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me.’” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, pp. 144, 145.

4. What was revealed to the patriarch through the test of sacrificing his son? What did the offering of Isaac prefigure?

John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

“Isaac was a figure of the Son of God, who was offered a sacrifice for the sins of the world. God would impress upon Abraham the gospel of salvation to man. In order to do this, and make the truth a reality to him as well as to test his faith, He required him to slay his darling Isaac. All the sorrow and agony that Abraham endured through that dark and fearful trial were for the purpose of deeply impressing upon his understanding the plan of redemption for fallen man. He was made to understand in his own experience how unutterable was the self-denial of the infinite God in giving His own Son to die to rescue man from utter ruin. To Abraham no mental torture could be equal to that which he endured in obeying the divine command to sacrifice his son.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 369.

“The offering of Isaac was designed by God to prefigure the sacrifice of His Son. Isaac was a figure of the Son of God, who was offered a sacrifice for the sins of the world. God desired to impress upon Abraham the gospel of salvation to men; and in order to make the truth a reality, and to test his faith, He required Abraham to slay his darling Isaac.”–(The Youth’s Instructor, March 1, 1900) Seventh-day Adventist  Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1094.

5. In what great promise did the Lord tell Abraham about the coming Redeemer?

Genesis 22:18  And  in  thy  seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

“To Abraham was given the promise that of his line the Saviour of the world should come: ‘In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.’ ‘He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.’ Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 222.

“This same covenant was renewed to Abraham in the promise, ‘In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.’ Genesis 22:18. This promise pointed to Christ. So Abraham understood it, and he trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It was this faith that was accounted unto him for righteousness. The covenant with Abraham also maintained the authority of God’s law. The Lord appeared unto Abraham, and said, ‘I am the Almighty God; walk before Me, and be thou perfect.’ The testimony of God concerning His faithful servant was, ‘Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.’ Genesis 17:1; 26:5.” –The Faith I Live By, p. 77.

THE LADDER CONNECTING HEAVEN AND EARTH

6. What was shown to Jacob in a dream when he was traveling alone from Canaan to Mesopotamia? Whom did the ladder represent that connected earth with heaven?

Genesis 28:12, 13 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.

“The ladder is the medium of communication between God and the human race. Through the mystic ladder the gospel was preached to Jacob. As the ladder stretched from earth, reaching to the highest heavens, and the glory of God was seen above the ladder, so Christ in His divine nature reached immensity and was one with the Father. As the ladder, though  its top penetrated into heaven, had its base upon the earth, so Christ, though God, clothed His divinity with humanity and was in the world ‘found in fashion as a man.’ The ladder would be useless if it rested not on the earth or if it reached not to the heavens.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 22.

7. Who was the “man” with whom Jacob wrestled all night and who then blessed him?

Genesis 32:24-30 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it  that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.

“Jacob’s  persevering faith prevailed. He held fast the angel until he obtained the blessing he desired, and the assurance of the pardon of his sins. His name was then changed from Jacob, the supplanter, to Israel, which signifies a prince of God. ‘And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray Thee, Thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after My name? And He blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.’ It was Christ that was with Jacob through that night, with whom he wrestled, and whom he perseveringly held until He blessed him.” –The Story of Redemption, p. 95.

A LAWGIVER HOLDING THE SCEPTER

8. What great prophecy did Jacob give in his last hour concerning the coming Messiah? To whom did the name Shiloh refer?

Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

“The scepter is a rod carried in the hands of chiefs and rulers as a badge of authority…. ‘The sceptre shall not depart from Judah.’ The ensign of his tribeship shall remain. Judah shall not cease to be a distinct tribe until Shiloh come…. And the tribe of Judah did maintain its supremacy through all its adversities till Christ’s first advent. It remained a distinct tribe till Shiloh came.

“Nearly seventeen hundred years before the death of Christ the dying Jacob uttered this prophecy. Christ Himself threw back the veil, that with prophetic eye Jacob could trace the history of his descendants…. He saw a wonderful Counsellor arise in the midst of this tribe. It was the promised Seed, Shiloh, the Sent of God, who was to set up a spiritual kingdom. Jacob saw the time when the scepter would no longer be in the hands of Judah. The nations would be gathered under the banner of Christ.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 93.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“The Son of God came down to this earth that in Him men and women might have a representation of the perfect characters which alone God could accept. Through the grace of Christ every provision has been made for  the salvation of the human family. It is possible for  every transaction entered into by those who claim to be Christians to be as pure as the deeds of Christ. And the soul who accepts the virtues of Christ’s character and appropriates the merits of His life is as precious in the sight of God as is His own beloved Son. Sincere and uncorrupted faith is to Him as gold and frankincense and myrrh–the gifts of the Wise Men to the Child of Bethlehem, and the evidence of their faith in Him as the promised Messiah.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 60.

Sabbath, January 8, 2022

Lesson 2 – The Saviour in the Book of Exodus

“There  were  types  and  shadows that  prefigured  Christ  in  the  Old Testament.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 209.

“… The Hebrews were led in a miraculous manner from Egypt, under the protection of the shadowy cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night….

‘They did  all eat the same spiritual meat, and did  all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and that Rock was Christ.’ The Hebrews, in all their travels, had Christ as a leader. The smitten rock typified Christ, who was to be wounded for men’s transgressions, that the stream of salvation might flow to them.” –Sketches from the Life of Paul, p. 168.

THE BURNING BUSH

1. What amazing phenomenon was presented to Moses one day on Mount Horeb?

Exodus 3:1-6 Now Moses kept the flock of  Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.  6Moreover  he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

“This great purpose had been shadowed forth in types and symbols. The burning bush, in which Christ appeared to Moses, revealed God. The symbol chosen for the representation of the Deity was a lowly shrub, that seemingly had no attractions. This enshrined the Infinite. The all-merciful God shrouded His glory in a most humble type, that Moses could look upon it and live.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 23.

“When we approach this subject [Christ’s incarnation],  we would do well to heed the words spoken by Christ to Moses at the burning bush, ‘Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place  hereon thou standest is holy ground.’

Exodus 3:5. We should come to this study with the humility of a learner, with a contrite heart.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 244.

2. What did the Lord require concerning all of the firstborn? According to the Spirit of prophecy, whom did the firstborn represent?

Exodus 13:1, 2; 4:22, 23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it  is mine…. 4:22And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

“The Lord called Israel his firstborn, because he had singled them out from all people to be the depositaries of his law, the obedience of which would  preserve them  pure  amidst  idolatrous  nations. He conferred upon them special privileges, such as were generally conferred upon the firstborn son.” –Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 195.

“The dedication of the firstborn had its origin in the earliest times. God had promised to give the Firstborn of heaven to save the sinner. This gift was to be acknowledged in every household by the consecration of the firstborn son. He was to be devoted to the priesthood, as a representative of Christ among men.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 51.

3. Whom did the Passover lamb represent that the Israelites were to sacrifice and whose blood was applied to the side and upper posts of their houses?

Exodus 12:5-7 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of  the  same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. 7And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

“The great salvation that he brought  was typified  by the deliverance of the children of Israel, which event was commemorated by the feast of the passover. The innocent lamb slain in Egypt, the blood of which sprinkled upon  the door-posts  caused the destroying  angel to  pass over the homes of Israel, prefigured the sinless Lamb of God, whose merits can alone avert the judgment and condemnation of fallen man. The Saviour had been obedient to the Jewish law, and observed all its divinely appointed  ordinances. He had just identified  himself with the paschal lamb as its great antitype, by connecting the Lord’s supper with the passover.” –The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, p. 128.

“He Himself was the true Paschal Lamb, and on the day the Passover was eaten He was to be sacrificed. He knew that the circumstances connected with this occasion would never be forgotten by His disciples.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 126.

THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

4. Who went before Israel to protect, guide, and sustain them through the wilderness and to the promised place?

Exodus 23:20, 21 Behold, I send an Angel  before  thee,  to  keep  thee in the way, and to bring thee into the  place which I have prepared. 21Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

“The Lord here gave His people unmistakable proof that He who had wrought such a wonderful deliverance for them in bringing them from Egyptian bondage,  was the mighty Angel, and not Moses, who was going before them in all their travels, and of whom He had said, ‘Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him, and obey His voice, provoke Him not; for He will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in Him.’ Exodus 23:20, 21.” –The Story of Redemption, p. 166.

“Moses was their visible leader, while Christ stood at the head of the armies of Israel, their invisible Leader. If they could have always realized this they would not have rebelled and provoked God in the wilderness by their unreasonable murmurings.” –Confrontation, p. 25.

5. Whom did the pillar of cloud symbolize, that led the people in the wilderness day by day?

Exodus  13:21,  22  And  the  Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night  in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

“So in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, God communicated with Israel, revealing to men His will, and imparting to them His grace. God’s glory was subdued, and His majesty veiled, that the weak vision of finite men might behold it. So Christ was to come in ‘the body of our humiliation’ (Philippians 3:21, R.V.), ‘in the likeness of men.’ In the eyes of the world He possessed no beauty that they should desire Him; yet He was the incarnate God, the light of heaven and earth. His glory was veiled, His greatness and majesty were hidden, that He might draw near to sorrowful, tempted men.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 23. “From the pillar of cloud Jesus gave directions through Moses to the Hebrews that they should educate their children to work, that they should teach them trades, and that none should be idle.” –Child Guidance, p. 355.

6. What heavenly food did the Lord give His people to nourish them while they were in the desert? Whom did that food represent?

Exodus 16:4, 8, first part, 35 Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will  rain bread  from  heaven for you; and the people  shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that  I  may prove  them,  whether they will walk in my law, or no…. 8And Moses said, This shall be, when  the  Lord  shall give  you  in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full…. 35And the children of Israel did eat manna forty  years, until  they  came to  a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

“For forty years they [the children of Israel] were daily reminded by this miraculous provision, of God’s unfailing care and tender love. In the words of the psalmist, God gave them ‘of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food’ (Psalm 78:24, 25)–that is, food provided for them by the angels. Sustained by ‘the corn of heaven,’ they were daily taught that, having God’s promise, they were as secure from want as if surrounded by fields of waving grain on the fertile plains of Canaan.

“The manna, falling from heaven for the sustenance of Israel, was a type of Him who came from God to give life to the world. Said Jesus, ‘I am that Bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven…. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’ John 6:48-51.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 297.

THE ROCK THAT QUENCHED ISRAEL’S THIRST

7. Who was represented by the rock that Moses smote and that gave abundant water to Israel to quench their thirst?

Exodus 17:4-6   And Moses cried unto  the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost  ready  to  stone  me.  5And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine  hand, and go. 6Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come  water  out  of  it,  that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the  same spiritual  drink:  for  they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

“‘He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.’ Psalm 78:15, 16. Moses smote the rock, but it was the Son of God who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, stood beside Moses, and caused the life-giving water to flow….

“The smitten rock was a figure of Christ, and through this symbol the most precious spiritual truths are taught. As the life-giving waters flowed from the smitten rock, so from Christ, ‘smitten of God,’ ‘wounded for our trans- gressions,’ ‘bruised for our iniquities’ (Isaiah 53:4, 5), the stream of salvation flows for a lost race. As the rock had been once smitten, so Christ was to be ‘once offered to bear the sins of many.’ Hebrews 9:28.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 298, 411.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“…  The Hebrews were led from  Egypt under the protection of the cloud by day and the pillar  of fire by night.  Thus they were safely conducted through the Red Sea, while the Egyptians, essaying to cross in like manner, were all drowned. By these acts God had acknowledged Israel as His church. They ‘did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that  followed  them: and that  Rock was Christ.’  The Hebrews, in all their travels, had Christ as a leader. The smitten rock typified  Christ, who was to be wounded for men’s transgressions, that the stream of salvation might flow to all.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 315.

Sabbath, January 15, 2022

Lesson 3 – Representations of Christ

“The  law of God, enshrined within the ark, was the great rule of righteousness and judgment. That law pronounced death upon the transgressor; but  above the law was the mercy seat, upon which the presence of God was revealed, and from which, by virtue of the atonement, pardon was granted to the repentant sinner. Thus in the work of Christ for our redemption, symbolized by the sanctuary service, ‘mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.’ Psalm 85:10.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 349.

SYMBOL OF GOD’S PRESENCE

1. What symbolized God’s presence in the tabernacle?

Exodus 25:8; 29:45, 46 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them…. 29:45And I  will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. 46And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God.

“God commanded Moses for Israel, ‘Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them’ (Exodus 25:8), and He abode  in the sanctuary, in the midst of His people. Through all their weary wandering in the desert, the symbol of His presence was with them. So Christ set up His tabernacle in the midst of our human encampment. He pitched His tent by the side of the tents of men, that He might dwell among us, and make us familiar with His divine character and life.” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 23, 24.

“… When the Reality came, in the person of Christ, they did not recognize in Him the fulfillment of all their types, the substance of all their shadows.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 35.

2. What ministry was included in the daily sacrifices that were offered in the earthly sanctuary?

Exodus 29:38-43 Now  this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. 39The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: 40And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering. 41And  the  other  lamb  thou  shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the Lord. 42This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. 43And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

“The ministration of the priest throughout the year in the first apartment of the sanctuary, ‘within the veil’ which formed the door and separated the holy place from the outer court, represents the work of ministration upon  which Christ entered  at His ascension. It was the work of the priest in the daily ministration to present before God the blood of the sin offering, also the incense which ascended with the prayers of Israel. So did Christ plead His blood  before the Father in behalf of sinners, and present before Him also, with the precious fragrance of His own righteousness, the prayers of penitent believers. Such was the work of ministration in the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven.” –The Great Controversy, pp. 420, 421.

3. What special sanctuary service was carried out once every year on the tenth day of the seventh month? Who is now performing the actual service of purification in heaven?

Leviticus 16:16,  33  And  he  shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness…. 33And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

Hebrews 8:1, 2 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

“For eighteen centuries this work of ministration continued in the first apartment of the sanctuary. The blood  of Christ, pleaded in behalf of penitent believers, secured their pardon and acceptance with the Father, yet their sins still remained upon the books of record. As in the typical service there was a work of atonement at the close of the year, so before Christ’s work for the redemption of men is completed there is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary. This is the service which began when the 2300 days ended. At that time, as foretold  by Daniel the prophet, our High Priest entered the most holy, to perform the last division of His solemn work–to cleanse the sanctuary.”  –The Great Controversy, p. 421.

THE HIGH PRIESTLY MINISTRY

4. Whom did the high priest represent when he carried out the special service of cleansing the sanctuary?

Leviticus 16:15, 16  Then shall he kill  the  goat  of  the  sin offering, that  is for  the  people,  and bring his blood  within  the  veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood  of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 16And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of  Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Hebrews  9:7;  7:25  But  into  the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered  for himself, and for  the  errors  of  the  people:… 7:25Wherefore  he  is  able  also  to save them  to  the  uttermost  that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

“It was seen, also, that while the sin offering pointed to Christ as a sacrifice, and the high priest represented Christ as a mediator, the scapegoat typified Satan, the author of sin, upon whom the sins of the truly penitent will finally be placed. When the high priest, by virtue of the blood of the sin offering, removed the sins from the sanctuary, he placed them upon the scapegoat. When Christ, by virtue of His own blood, removes the sins of His people from the heavenly sanctuary at the close of His ministration, He will place them upon Satan, who, in the execution of the judgment, must bear the final penalty. The scapegoat was sent away into a land not inhabited, never to come again into the congregation of Israel. So will Satan be forever banished from the presence of God and His people, and he will be blotted from existence in the final destruction of sin and sinners.” –The Great Controversy, p. 422.

5. What ascended to heaven from the golden altar every morning and evening? Whose merits and intercession did this sweet incense represent?

Exodus 35:15, 28; 30:7, 8 And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the  hanging for  the door at the entering in of the tabernacle…. 28And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for  the  sweet  incense…. 30:7And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before  the Lord through- out your generations.

Revelation 8:3, 4 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4And the  smoke of  the  incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.

“The incense, ascending with the prayers of Israel, represents the merits and intercession of Christ, His perfect righteousness, which through faith is imputed to His people, and which can alone make the worship of sinful beings acceptable to God. Before the veil of the most holy place was an altar of perpetual intercession, before the holy, an altar of continual atonement. By blood and by incense God was to be approached– symbols pointing to the great Mediator, through whom sinners may approach Jehovah, and through whom alone mercy and salvation can be granted to the repentant, believing soul….

“The cloud of incense ascending with the prayers of Israel represents His righteousness that alone can make the sinner’s prayer acceptable to God; the bleeding victim on the altar of sacrifice testified of a Redeemer to come;… Thus through age after age … faith was kept alive in the hearts of men until the time came for the advent of the promised Messiah. Jesus was the light of His people–the light of the world–before He came to earth in the form of humanity.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 353, 367.

IMPORTANT TYPES AND SYMBOLS

6. Whom did the shadows and symbols of the sanctuary represent?

Hebrews 10:1, first part For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not  the very image of the things….

Colossians 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Hebrews 9:24; 10:10, 12, 14 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:… 10:10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…. 12this man, after he had offered  one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God…. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

“As a golden treasure, truth had been intrusted to the Hebrew people. The Jewish economy, bearing the signature of Heaven, had been instituted by Christ Himself. In types and symbols the great truths of redemption were veiled. Yet when Christ came, the Jews did not recognize Him to whom all these symbols pointed. They had the word of God in their hands; but the traditions which had been handed down from generation to generation, and the human interpretation of the Scriptures, hid from them the truth as it is in Jesus.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 104.

“The ceremonies connected with the services of the temple, prefiguring Christ in types and shadows, were taken away at the time of the crucifix- ion, because on the cross type met antitype in the death of the true and perfect offering, the Lamb of God.” –(Manuscript 72, 1901) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, pp. 1115, 1116.

7. What information is provided in the Scriptures about the foundation of the sacrificial system and the sanctuary with all of its services?

Isaiah 28:16; 8:13, 14, first part Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried  stone, a precious corner  stone,  a  sure  foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste…. 8:13Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself…. 14And he shall be for a sanctuary….

Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.

“In all these revelations of the divine presence, the glory of God was manifested through Christ. Not alone at the Saviour’s advent, but through all the ages after the fall and the promise of redemption, ‘God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.’ Christ was the foundation and center of the sacrificial system in both the patriarchal and the Jewish age. Since the sin of our first parents, there has been no direct communication between God and man…. All the communion between heaven and the fallen race has been through Christ. It was the Son of God that gave to our first parents the promise of redemption. It was He who revealed Himself to the patriarchs. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses understood the gospel. They looked for salvation through man’s Substitute and Surety….” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 366. “Christ was the foundation of the whole Jewish economy. The death of Abel was in consequence of Cain’s refusing to accept God’s plan in the school of obedience to be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ typified by the sacrificial offerings pointing to Christ…. Christ became the foundation of the whole system.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 233.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“The  law of the ten commandments lives and will live through  the eternal ages. The need for the service of sacrifices and offerings ceased when type  met  antitype  in the death  of Christ. In Him the shadow reached the substance. The Lamb of God was the complete and perfect offering….

“Types  and  shadows, offerings  and  sacrifices had  no  virtue  after Christ’s death on the cross; but God’s law was not crucified with Christ. Had it been, Satan would have gained all that he attempted to gain in heaven. For this attempt  he was expelled from the heavenly courts. He fell, taking with him the angels he had deceived. And today he is deceiving human beings in regard to the law of God.” –(Manuscript 67, 1898) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1116.

Sabbath, January 22, 2022

Lesson 4 – Cities of Refuge

“The cities of refuge appointed for God’s ancient people are a symbol of the Refuge provided and revealed in Jesus Christ. The offering made by our Saviour was of sufficient value to make a full expiation for the sins of the whole world, and all who by repentance and faith flee to this Refuge, will find security; here they will find peace from the heaviest pressure of guilt, and relief from the deepest condemnation. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and His work of mediation in our behalf, we may become reconciled to God. The blood of Christ will prove efficacious to wash away the crimson stain of sin.” –Signs of the Times, January 20, 1881.

CITIES FOR THE LEVITES

1. What did the Israelites give to the Levites in the territories of the various tribes? How many of them served as places of refuge?

Numbers 35:6, 7 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint  for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. 7So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.

“To  Joshua, with Eleazar the high priest, and the heads of the tribes, the distribution of the land was committed, the location of each tribe being determined by lot. Moses himself had fixed the bounds of the country as it was to be divided among the tribes when they should come in possession of Canaan, and had appointed a prince from each tribe to attend to the distribution. The tribe of Levi, being devoted to the sanctuary service, was not counted in this allotment; but forty-eight cities in different parts of the country were assigned the Levites as their inheritance.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 511.

2. For whom did the Lord provide these refuges? Why did He make this special provision for preserving human life?

Numbers 35:10-12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 11Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. 12And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.

“Six of the cities assigned to the Levites–three on each side the Jordan– were appointed as cities of refuge, to which the manslayer might flee for safety…. This merciful provision was rendered necessary by the ancient custom of private vengeance, by which the punishment of the murderer devolved on the nearest relative or the next heir of the deceased. In cases where guilt was clearly evident it was not necessary to wait for a trial by the magistrates. The avenger might pursue the criminal anywhere and put him to death wherever he should be found. The Lord did not see fit to abolish this custom at that time, but He made provision to ensure the safety of those who should take life unintentionally.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 515.

PROVISION FOR MANSLAUGHTER

3. What example do the Scriptures give of an unintentional killing? What did the fugitive need to do to escape vengeance?

Deuteronomy 19:4-6, 10 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; 5As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: 6Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past…. 10That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.

“He  who fled to the city of refuge could make no delay. Family and employment were left behind. There was no time to say farewell to loved ones. His life was at stake, and every other interest must be sacrificed to the one purpose–to reach the place of safety. Weariness was forgotten, difficulties were unheeded. The fugitive dared not for one moment slacken his pace until he was within the wall of the city.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 517.

4. Because the country was divided by the Jordan River, where were the special cities located?

Numbers  35:13-15 And  of  these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. 14Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. 15These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

“The  cities of refuge were so distributed  as to be within a half day’s journey of every part of the land. The roads leading to them were always to be kept in good repair; all along the way signposts were to be erected bearing the word ‘Refuge’ in plain, bold characters, that the fleeing one might not be delayed for a moment….

“The sinner is exposed to eternal death, until he finds a hiding place in Christ; and as loitering and carelessness might rob the fugitive of his only chance for life, so delays and indifference may prove the ruin of the soul. Satan, the great adversary, is on the track of every transgressor of God’s holy law, and he who is not sensible of his danger, and does not earnestly seek shelter in the eternal refuge, will fall a prey to the destroyer.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 515, 517.

JUDGMENT BY AUTHORITIES

5. To what examination was the slayer subjected before he would be permitted to stay in such a city and be protected?

Numbers  35:23-25  Or  with   any stone, wherewith  a man may die, seeing him not,  and cast it  upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy,  neither  sought  his harm:

24Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 25And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out  of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation  shall restore him to  the city  of  his refuge,  whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.

Joshua 20:4, 5 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering  of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. 5And if the avenger of blood pursue after  him, then  they  shall not  deliver  the slayer up into  his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.

“Any   person–Hebrew,   stranger,  or  sojourner–might   avail  himself of this provision. But while the guiltless were not to be rashly slain, neither were the guilty to escape punishment. The case of the fugitive was to be fairly tried by the proper authorities, and only when found innocent of intentional  murder was he to be protected in the city of refuge. The guilty were given up to the avenger. And those who were entitled  to protection could receive it only on condition  of remaining within the appointed refuge.  Should one wander away beyond  the prescribed limits, and be found by the avenger of blood, his life would pay the penalty of his disregard of the Lord’s provision. At the death of the high priest, however, all who had sought shelter in the cities of refuge were at liberty to return to their possessions.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 515, 516.

6. What strict requirements did the slayer have to meet so as not to expose himself to danger?

Numbers 35:26, 27 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 27And the revenger of blood find him without the  borders   of   the  city  of   his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood.

“The prisoner who at any time went outside the city of refuge was aban- doned to the avenger of blood. Thus the people were taught to adhere to the methods which infinite wisdom appointed for their security. Even so, it is not enough that the sinner believe in Christ for the pardon of sin; he must, by faith and obedience, abide in Him. ‘For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation,  which shall devour the adversaries.’ Hebrews 10:26, 27.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 517.

SYMBOL OF REFUGE PROVIDED IN CHRIST

7. Only when would the perpetrator be free to return home? Who was represented by the cities of refuge?

Numbers 35:28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest  the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

Joshua 20:6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation   for  judgment,   and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the  slayer return,  and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.

“The cities of refuge appointed for God’s ancient people were a symbol of the refuge provided in Christ. The same merciful Saviour who appointed those temporal cities of refuge has by the shedding of His own blood pro- vided for the transgressors of God’s law a sure retreat, into which they may flee for safety from the second death. No power can take out of His hands the souls that go to Him for pardon. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.’ ‘Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us;’ that ‘we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.’ Romans 8:1, 34; Hebrews 6:18.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 516, 517.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“In a trial for murder the accused was not to be condemned on the testimony of one witness, even though circumstantial evidence might be strong  against him. The Lord’s direction  was, ‘Whoso killeth  any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify  against any person to cause him to die.’ Numbers 35:30. It was Christ who gave to Moses these directions for  Israel; and when personally  with  His disciples on earth,  as He taught them how to treat the erring, the Great Teacher repeated the lesson that  one man’s testimony  is not  to  acquit or condemn. One man’s views and opinions are not to settle disputed  questions. In all these matters two or more are to be associated, and together they are to bear the responsibility, ‘that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word  may be  established.’  Matthew  18:16.”  –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 516

Sabbath, January 29, 2022

Lesson 5 – Symbols and Prophecies of the Messiah

“Moses, near the close of his work as a leader and teacher of Israel, plainly prophesied of the Messiah to come. ‘The Lord thy God,’ he declared to the assembled hosts of Israel, ‘will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken.’ And Moses assured the Israelites that God Himself had revealed this to him while in Mount Horeb, saying, ‘I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him.’ Deuteronomy 18:15, 18.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 222.

THE BRASS SERPENT

1. What attitude sometimes spread among the Israelites in the wilderness? What were the bitter consequences of an ungrateful spirit?

Numbers 21:4-6 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

“As the people journeyed from Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom, they were much discouraged, and complained of the hardships of the way…. The murmurings of the children of Israel were unreasonable, and the unreasonable always go to extremes. They uttered falsehoods in saying that they had no bread nor water. They had both given them by a miracle of God’s mercy. To punish them for their ingratitude, and complaining against God, the Lord permitted fiery serpents to bite them. They were called fiery, because their bite produced painful inflammation, and speedy death. The Israelites, up to this time, had been preserved from these serpents in the wilderness, by a continual miracle; for the wilderness through which they traveled was infested with poisonous serpents.” –Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, pp. 40, 41.

2. What did the Israelites realize when they saw many people die from the snake bites? How did the Lord save them after they recognized and confessed their sin?

Numbers 21:7, 8 Therefore the people  came to  Moses, and said, We have sinned, for  we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

“Moses told the people that God had hitherto preserved them, that they had not been harmed by the serpents, which was a token of His care for them. He told them it was because of their needless murmurings, complaining of the hardships in their journey, that God had permitted them to be bitten  of serpents. This was to show them that God had preserved them from many and great evils, which if He had permitted to come upon them, they would have suffered that which they could call hardships. But God had prepared the way before them. There was no sickness among them. Their feet had not swollen in all their journeys, neither had their clothes waxed old. God had given them angels’ food, and purest water out of the flinty rock. And with all these tokens of His love, if they complained, He would send His judgments upon them for their ingratitude….

“The Israelites were terrified, and humbled because of the serpents, and confessed their sin in murmuring.” –Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, pp. 41, 42.

3. What happened to those who had been bitten by the poisonous snakes when they believed in the simple, divine solution and carried it out? Whom did the serpent on the pole represent, through which those who repented were healed not just from the venomous snake bite but also from sin?

Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten  any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

John 3:14, 15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

“The lifting up of the brazen serpent was to teach Israel an important lesson. They could not  save themselves from the fatal effect of the poison in their wounds. God alone was able to heal them. Yet they were required to show their faith in the provision which He had made. They must look in order to live. It was their faith that was acceptable with God, and by looking upon the serpent their faith was shown. They knew that there was no virtue in the serpent itself, but it was a symbol of Christ; and the necessity of faith in His merits was thus presented to their minds. Heretofore many had brought their offerings to God, and had felt that in so doing they made ample atonement for their sins. They did not rely upon the Redeemer to come, of whom these offerings were only a type. The Lord would now teach them that their sacrifices, in themselves, had no more power or virtue than the serpent of brass, but were, like that, to lead their minds to Christ, the great sin offering.”  –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 430.

A STAR FROM JACOB

4. What clear prophecy did the Lord proclaim to the Moabites concerning the light and power that would be given by the future Messiah?

Numbers 24:17, 19 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth…. 19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

“Before returning to his people, Balaam uttered a most beautiful and sublime prophecy of the world’s Redeemer, and the final destruction of the enemies of God: ‘I shall see him, but not now. I shall behold him, but not nigh. There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and shall destroy the children of Sheth.’ He was permitted to look down through the ages to the first advent of Christ, and then forward to His second appearing, in power and glory. He would see the King above all kings, but not at present. He would behold His majesty and glory, but at a great distance. He would be among the number of the wicked dead, who should come forth in the second resurrection, to hear the awful doom, ‘Depart from Me, ye cursed.’ He would behold the redeemed ones in the city of God, while he himself would be shut out with the wicked.” –Signs of the Times, December 16, 1880.

5. If God’s people want prosperity and to be spiritually well, what scepter must they recognize and honor? Who is the bright and morning star who gives faith and hope to every sinner?

Psalm 110:2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word  of prophecy;  whereun- to ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine  angel  to  testify   unto  you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

“The Shekinah had departed from the sanctuary, but in the Child of Bethle- hem was veiled the glory before which angels bow. This unconscious babe was the promised seed, to whom the first altar at the gate of Eden pointed. This was Shiloh, the peace giver. It was He who declared Himself to Moses as the I AM. It was He who in the pillar of cloud and of fire had been the guide of Israel. This was He whom seers had long foretold. He was the De- sire of all nations, the Root and the Offspring of David, and the Bright and Morning Star. The name of that helpless little babe, inscribed in the roll of Israel, declaring Him our brother, was the hope of fallen humanity. The child for whom the redemption money had been paid was He who was to pay the ransom for the sins of the whole world. He was the true ‘high priest over the house of God,’ the head of ‘an unchangeable priesthood,’ the intercessor at ‘the right hand of the Majesty on high.’ Hebrews 10:21; 7:24; 1:3.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 52.

A PROPHET TO FOLLOW

6. What other prophecy presented the wonderful coming of the Messiah in the role of a prophet like Moses? When this privilege was presented, what were the people to do?

Deuteronomy  18:15, 16 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet  from  the  midst  of  thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16According to  all that  thou  desiredst  of  the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

“Moses was a type of Christ. He himself had declared to Israel, ‘The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken.’ Deuteronomy  18:15. God saw fit to discipline Moses in the school of affliction and poverty before he could be prepared to lead the hosts of Israel to the earthly Canaan. The Israel of God, journeying to the heavenly Canaan, have a Captain who needed no human teaching to prepare Him for His mission as a divine leader; yet He was made perfect through sufferings; and ‘in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted.’ Hebrews 2:10, 18 Our Redeemer manifested no human weakness or imperfection; yet He died to obtain for us an entrance into the Promised Land.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 480.

7. What is the great role of this Prophet of the Lord? What would be the consequences for those who would not listen to Him as God’s mouthpiece?

Deuteronomy 18:18, 19 I will raise them  up  a Prophet  from  among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

Acts 3:22, 23; 7:37 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people…. 7:37This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

“Through Moses, God’s purpose to send His Son as the Redeemer of the fallen race, was kept before Israel. On one occasion, shortly before his death, Moses declared, ‘The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken.’ Plainly had Moses been instructed for Israel concerning the work of the Messiah to come. ‘I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee,’ was the word of Jehovah to His servant; ‘and will put My words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him.’ Deuteronomy  18:15, 18.” –Prophets and Kings, p. 684.

Sabbath, February 5, 2022

Lesson 6 – Captain and Spiritual King

“Before leaving His disciples, Christ plainly stated the nature of His kingdom. He called to their minds what He had previously told  them concerning it. He declared that it was not His purpose to establish in this world a temporal, but a spiritual kingdom. He was not to reign as an earthly king on David’s throne. Again He opened to them the Scriptures, showing that all He had passed through had been ordained in heaven, in the councils between the Father and Himself. All had been foretold by men inspired by the Holy Spirit. He said, You see that all I have revealed to you concerning My rejection as the Messiah has come to pass. All I have said in regard to the humiliation I should endure and the death I should die, has been verified.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 820.

CAPTAIN OF THE LORD’S HOST

1. After the Israelites crossed the Jordan, who appeared to Joshua near Jericho? What did Joshua ask?

Joshua 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood  a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

“When Joshua went forth in the morning before the taking of Jericho, there appeared before him a warrior fully equipped for battle. And Joshua asked, ‘Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?’ and He answered, ‘As Captain of the host of the Lord am I now come.’ If the eyes of Joshua had been opened … and he could have endured the sight, he would have seen the angels of the Lord encamped about the children of Israel; for the trained army of heaven had come to fight for the people of God, and the Captain of the Lord’s host was there to command…. It was not Israel, but the Captain of the Lord’s host that took Jericho. But Israel had their part to act to show their faith in the Captain of their salvation.” –Sons and Daughters of God, p. 160.

2. What did Joshua do immediately when he knew who this was? According to the Spirit of prophecy, who was this “Captain”?

Joshua 5:14, 15 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? 15And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

“… First of all he [Joshua] sought an assurance of divine guidance, and it was granted him. Withdrawing  from the encampment to meditate and to pray that the God of Israel would go before His people,  he beheld an armed warrior, of lofty stature and commanding presence, ‘with his sword drawn in his hand.’ To Joshua’s challenge, ‘Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?’ the answer was given, ‘As Captain of the host of the Lord am I now come.’ The same command given to Moses in Horeb, ‘Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy,’ revealed the true character of the mysterious stranger. It was Christ, the Exalted One, who stood before the leader of Israel. Awe-stricken, Joshua fell upon his face and worshiped, and heard the assurance, ‘I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor,’ and he received instruction for the capture of the city.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 487, 488

DAVID’S PLAN

3. What desire began to grow in David’s heart and mind when the nation became free of enemy threats and harassment? Knowing his intention, what message did the Lord give to him?

2 Samuel 7:1, 2, 4-7 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2That the  king  said unto  Nathan the  prophet,  See now,  I dwell  in an house of cedar, but the ark of God  dwelleth   within   curtains…. 4And  it  came to  pass that  night, that  the  word  of  the  Lord  came unto Nathan, saying, 5Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6Whereas I have not  dwelt  in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

“The tabernacle built by Moses, with all that appertained to the sanctuary service, except the ark, was still at Gibeah. It was David’s purpose to make Jerusalem the religious center of the nation. He had erected a palace for himself, and he felt that it was not fitting for the ark of God to rest within a tent. He determined to build for it a temple of such magnificence as should express Israel’s appreciation  of the honor granted the nation in the abiding presence of Jehovah their King. Communicating his purpose to the prophet Nathan, he received the encouraging response, ‘Do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee.’” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 711.

4. Of what wonderful experiences did the Lord remind David through Nathan the prophet?

2 Samuel 7:8, 9 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant Da- vid, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following  the  sheep, to  be  ruler over my people, over Israel: 9And I was with  thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

“But  that same night  the word of the Lord came to  Nathan, giving him a message for the king. David was to be deprived of the privilege of building  a house for God, but he was granted an assurance of the divine favor to him, to his posterity, and to the kingdom of Israel: ‘Thus saith Jehovah of hosts; I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel; and I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime.’” –Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 711, 712.

5. At this point, what promises did the Lord give to bless His people? Who will truly build “a house”?

2 Samuel 7:10, 11 Moreover I will appoint  a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,  11And as since the time that  I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

David “for years had sought to do his duty as a faithful servant of God; he had labored for the upbuilding of his kingdom, and under his rule it had attained to strength and prosperity never reached before. He had gathered rich stores of material for the building of the house of God,…

“And the Lord did not forsake David.” –Conflict and Courage, p. 182.

“The blessing comes because of pardon; pardon comes through faith that the sin, confessed and repented of, is borne by the great Sin Bearer. Thus from Christ cometh all our blessings. His death is an atoning sacrifice for our sins. He is the great Medium through whom we receive the mercy and favor of God.” –Our High Calling, p. 83.

6. Who was to build a house for the Lord after David died? While the prophecy referred primarily to Solomon, who was David’s descendant whose kingdom would endure forever?

2 Samuel 7:12, 13 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed  out  of  thy  bowels,  and I will  establish his kingdom.  13He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

1 Kings 8:20 And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the  Lord promised, and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.

Luke 1:32, 33 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne  of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

“From the day when Solomon was entrusted with the work of building the temple, to the time of its completion, his avowed purpose was to build ‘a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.’ This purpose  was fully recognized before assembled Israel during the dedication of the temple. In his prayer he acknowledged that Jehovah had said, ‘My name shall be there.’” –Review and Herald, January 11, 1906.

“As David had desired to build a house for God, the promise was given, ‘The Lord telleth thee that He will make thee a house…. I will set up thy seed after thee…. He shall build a house for My name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom forever.’” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 712.

A THRONE ESTABLISHED FOREVER

7. How long would the reign of David’s true descendant last? To whom does this great prophecy actually refer?

2 Samuel 7:14-16 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall exe- cute judgment and justice in the earth.

Acts 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.

Daniel 7:13, 14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages,  should serve him: his dominion is an ever- lasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that  which shall not be destroyed.

“The Messiah was to be of the royal line, for in the prophecy uttered by Ja- cob the Lord said, ‘The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.’ Genesis 49:10.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 223.

“The uplifted Saviour is to appear in His efficacious work as the Lamb slain, sitting upon the throne, to dispense the priceless covenant blessings, the benefits He died to purchase for every soul who should believe on Him. John could not express that love in words; it was too deep, too broad; he calls upon the human family to behold it. Christ is pleading for the church in the heavenly courts above, pleading for those for whom He paid the redemption price of His own lifeblood. Centuries, ages, can never diminish the efficacy of this atoning sacrifice.” –Evangelism, p. 191.

Sabbath, February 12, 2022

Lesson 7 – Human and Divine Natures

“Christ  took humanity that He might  reach humanity. A divine-human Saviour was needed to bring salvation to the world. And to men and women has been committed the sacred trust of making known ‘the unsearchable riches of Christ.’ Ephesians 3:8.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 134.

“Christ could not have come to this earth with the glory that He had in the heavenly courts. Sinful human beings could not have borne the sight. He veiled His divinity with the garb of humanity, but He did not part with His divinity. A divine-human Saviour, He came to stand at the head of the fallen race, to share in their experience from childhood to manhood.” “Christ had not exchanged His divinity for humanity; but He had clothed His divinity in humanity.” –(Review and Herald, October 29, 1895) Seventh- day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1128.

CONCEIVED BY A VIRGIN

1. What did the prophecy declare about the conception and birth of God’s Son? How was it possible for a virgin to conceive and give birth to a son?

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on  these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to  take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

“The more we think about Christ’s becoming a babe here on earth, the more wonderful it appears. How can it be that the helpless babe in Bethlehem’s manger is still the divine Son of God? Though we cannot understand it, we can believe that He who made the worlds, for our sakes became a helpless babe. Though higher than any of the angels, though as great as the Father on the throne of heaven, He became one with us. In Him God and man became one, and it is in this fact that we find the hope of our fallen race. Looking upon Christ in the flesh, we look upon God in humanity, and see in Him the brightness of divine glory, the express image of God the Father.” –Selected Messages, book 3, p. 128.

“‘Emmanuel, God with us,’ this means everything to us. What a broad foundation does it lay for our faith. What a hope big with immortality does it place before the believing soul. God with us in Christ Jesus to accompany us every step of the journey to heaven.” –My Life Today, p. 290.

2. Amid the territories of the twelve tribes and hundreds of villages, where would David’s expected Descendant be born? How is the Ruler described whose “goings forth have been from” everlasting?

Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among  the  thousands  of  Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth  have been from of old, from everlasting.

“The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate–a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.’ John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father– one in nature, in character, in purpose–the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. ‘His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ Isaiah 9:6. His ‘goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.’ Micah 5:2. And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: ‘The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting…. When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.’ Proverbs 8:22-30.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34.

DESCENDANT OF DAVID

3. What would be the heritage of the Messiah–an obscure, unknown family or a highly respected one? Being a royal descendant, what honor did Jesus receive?

Psalm 132:11 The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

Romans 1:3, 4 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our  Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to  the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

“In marked contrast with this humble man was the expected Messiah of the Jews. They believed that He would come with honor and glory, and set up, by power of arms, the throne of David. And they murmured: This cannot be the One who is to redeem Israel. Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? And they refused to believe Him unless He gave them some marked sign. They opened their hearts to unbelief, and prejudice took possession of them, and blinded their judgment, so that they made no account of the evidence already given when their hearts had thrilled with the knowledge that it was their Redeemer who addressed them.” –The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 2, p. 112

4. What was the beautiful promise concerning the Messiah’s being a royal descendant? What unique claim did He have?

Psalm 89:3, 4, 35, 36 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, 4Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations…. 35Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. 36His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

Luke 1:31-33 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy  womb,  and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

“… Jesus showed for the first time that He understood His relation to God. Before His birth the angel had said to Mary, ‘He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever.’ Luke 1:32, 33. These words Mary had pondered in her heart; yet while she believed that her child was to be Israel’s Messiah, she did not comprehend His mission. Now she did not understand His words; but she knew that He had disclaimed kinship to Joseph, and had declared His Sonship to God.” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 81, 82.

5. Furthermore, what other distinctive genealogical characteristic would the true Messiah have? How early in history was this identifying characteristic presented?

Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Psalm 108:8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver.

“The dying words of Jacob filled them with hope: ‘The scepter shall not de- part from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come.’ Genesis 49:10. The waning power of Israel testified that the Messiah’s coming was at hand. The prophecy of Daniel pictured the glory of His reign over an empire which should succeed all earthly kingdoms; and, said the prophet, ‘It shall stand forever.’ Daniel 2:44. While few understood the nature of Christ’s mission, there was a widespread expectation of a mighty prince who should establish his kingdom in Israel, and who should come as a deliverer to the nations.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 34.

A SON CALLED “MIGHTY GOD”

6. In addition to perfectly fitting into the exact genealogy, according to prophecy, what special nature would the future Messiah possess?

Isaiah 9:6, 7 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of  Peace. 7Of  the  increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to or- der it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from hence- forth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

“The  humiliation  of the man Christ Jesus is incomprehensible to the human mind; but His divinity and His existence before the world was formed can never be doubted  by those who believe the Word of God. The apostle Paul speaks of our Mediator,  the only-begotten  Son of God, who in a state of glory was in the form of God, the Commander of all the heavenly hosts, and who, when He clothed His divinity with humanity, took upon Him the form of a servant. Isaiah declares: ‘Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.’ Isaiah 9:6, 7.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 243.

7. Therefore, what did David call His divine Descendant?

Psalm 110:1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

“Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore. The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by Him as His right. This was no robbery of God. ‘The Lord possessed me in the beginning of His way,’ He declares, ‘before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: while as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When He prepared the heavens, I was there: when He set a compass upon the face of the depth.’ Proverbs 8:22-27.” –Review and Herald, April 5, 1906; Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 247, 248.

Sabbath, February 12, 2022

Lesson 8 – His Life and Work

“Every act of Christ’s ministry was far-reaching in its purpose. It comprehended more than appeared in the act itself…. While Jesus ministered to all who came unto Him, He yearned to bless those who came not. While He drew the publicans, the heathen, and the Samaritans, He longed to reach the priests and teachers who were shut in by prejudice and tradition. He left untried no means by which they might be reached. In sending the healed leper to the priests, He gave them a testimony calculated to disarm their prejudices.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 265.

REFUGE IN EGYPT

1. Where did Joseph and Mary take the Child Jesus to escape from the impending peril? Then, what call did they receive to return to their home once the danger had passed?

Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

Matthew  2:13-15 And  when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15And was there  until  the  death  of  Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

“From the moment that Christ entered the world, the whole confederacy of Satanic agencies was set at work to deceive and overthrow Him as Adam had been deceived and overthrown….

“The Commander of heaven was assailed by the tempter…. From the time that He was a helpless babe in Bethlehem, when the agencies of hell sought to destroy Him in His infancy through the jealousy of Herod, until He came to Calvary’s cross, He was continually  assailed by the evil one. In the councils of Satan it was determined  that He must be overcome. No human being had come into the world and escaped the power of the deceiver…. Satan knew that he must either conquer or himself be conquered.  Success or failure involved too much for him to leave the work with any one of his agents of evil.” –God’s Amazing Grace, p. 162.

2. How do the Scriptures prophesy and describe the murderous plot carried out by Herod to try to destroy the holy Child? According to certain things that Jesus said, what did He think of the innocent children who were so cruelly massacred?

Jeremiah 31:15 Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for  her children refused to  be comforted for her children, because they were not.

Matthew 2:16-18; 5:10 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the  wise men. 17Then was fulfilled that  which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18In Rama  was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not…. 5:10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’  sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he  was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

“God  sent a word of comfort to the bereaved mothers of Bethlehem that the weeping Rachels should see their children coming from the land of the enemy. Christ took little children in His arms and blessed them and rebuked the disciples who would send away the mothers, saying, ‘Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 19:14.” –Selected Messages, vol. 3, p. 314.

3. What did the prophecies relate concerning Jesus’ long fast in the wilderness? What was His physical condition after passing through such a severe ordeal?

Psalm 109:24; 102:4, 5 My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness…. 102:4My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget  to eat my bread. 5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.

Luke 4:1, 2 And  Jesus being  full of  the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. 2And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

Matthew  4:2  And  when  he  had fasted forty  days and forty  nights, he was afterward an hungered.

“Christ was our example in all things. As we see His humiliation in the long trial and fast in the wilderness to overcome the temptations of appetite in our behalf, we are to take this lesson home to ourselves when we are tempted. If the power of appetite is so strong upon the human family, and its indulgence so fearful that the Son of God subjected Himself to such a test, how important that we feel the necessity of having appetite under the control of reason. Our Saviour fasted nearly six weeks, that He might gain for man the victory upon the point of appetite. How can professed Christians with an enlightened conscience, and Christ before them as their pattern, yield to the indulgence of those appetites which have an enervating influence upon  the mind  and heart?”  –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 284.

WILLING TO LISTEN AND OBEY

4. What was one of Jesus’ finest attributes that is rarely found among men? How do our lives compare to His?

Isaiah 50:5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

Philippians  2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto  death, even the death of the cross.

Hebrews 10:7  Then said I,  Lo,  I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

“The  fall  of  our  first  parents  broke  the  golden  chain  of  implicit obedience of the human will to the divine. Obedience has no longer been deemed an absolute necessity. The human agents follow their own imaginations which the Lord said of the inhabitants of the old world was evil and that continually. The Lord Jesus declares, I have kept my Father’s commandments. How? As a man! ‘Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God.’ To the accusations of the Jews He stood forth in His pure, virtuous, holy character and challenged them, ‘Which of you convinceth Me of sin?’ The world’s Redeemer came not only to be a sacrifice for sin, but to be an example to man in all things. He was a teacher, such an educator as the world never saw or heard before. He spoke as one having authority, and yet He invites the confidence of all….” –Lift Him Up, p. 169.

5. What did the psalmist prophesy concerning the Redeemer’s power over the natural elements? What effect did Jesus’ miracles have on those who witnessed them?

Psalm  107:28-30  Then  they  cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth  them out of their dis- tresses. 29He maketh the storm  a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. 30Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

Luke 8:23, 24 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

“Every man’s experience testifies to the truth of the words of Scripture:

‘The wicked are like the troubled  sea, when it cannot rest.’… Sin has destroyed our peace…. The masterful passions of the heart no human power can control. We are as helpless here as were the disciples to quiet the raging storm. But He who spoke peace to the billows of Galilee, has spoken the word of peace for every soul. However fierce the tempest, those who turn to Jesus with the cry, ‘Lord, save us,’ will find deliverance. His grace, which reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and in His love the heart is at rest. ‘He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still…. So He bringeth them unto their de- sired haven.’…” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 336, 337.

DISPELLING HUMAN  SORROW

6. What was another most blessed, wonderful attribute of the Saviour? Every day, before speaking, what did He seek from God?

Isaiah 50:4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

Mark 6:2 And when the  sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

John 7:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.

“Yet He was earnest, rather than vehement. He spoke as one who had a definite purpose to fulfill. He was bringing to view the realities of the eternal world. In every theme God was revealed. Jesus sought to break the spell of infatuation which keeps men absorbed in earthly things. He placed the things of this life in their true relation,  as subordinate to those of eternal interest; but He did not ignore their importance. He taught that heaven and earth are linked together, and that a knowledge of divine truth prepares men better to perform the duties of everyday life. He spoke as one familiar with heaven, conscious of His relationship to God, yet recognizing His unity with every member of the human family.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 254.

7. Among the miracles that the prophets wrote that the Son of God would perform, what was especially prominent? After being blessed by very special experiences, how do you think the beneficiaries felt?

Isaiah 29:18, 19; 35:5-7 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. 19The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel…. 35:5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be un- stopped. 6Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. 7And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

John 9:6, 7 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and  made  clay  of  the  spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind  man  with  the  clay,  7And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

“In word and in deed the Messiah, during His earthly ministry, was to reveal to mankind the glory of God the Father. Every act of His life, every word spoken, every miracle wrought, was to make known to fallen humanity the infinite love of God….

“Thus, through patriarchs and prophets, as well as through types and symbols, God spoke to the world concerning the coming of a Deliverer from sin. A long line of inspired prophecy pointed to the advent of ‘the Desire of all nations.’ Haggai 2:7. Even the very place of His birth and the time of His appearance were minutely specified.” –Prophets and Kings, pp. 696, 697.

Sabbath, February 26, 2022

Lesson 9 – He Came to Serve

“Our  great Exemplar was exalted to be equal with God. He was high commander in heaven. All the holy angels delighted to bow before Him. ‘And again, when He bringeth in the First-begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him.’ Jesus took upon Himself our nature, laid aside His glory, majesty, and riches to perform His mission, to save that which was lost. He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister unto others. Jesus, when reviled, abused, and insulted, did not retaliate. ‘Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again.’” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 426.

PREPARING THE WAY

1. Who, like an angel, was to go before the Lord? Who preached the message of repentance that prepared the way for Him?

Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and  he  shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

Matthew 11:7, 9, 10 And as they de- parted, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness  to see? A reed shaken with the wind?… 9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. 10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

“Through  nature, through  types and symbols, through  patriarchs and prophets,  God  had spoken to  the world.  Lessons must be given to humanity in the language of humanity. The Messenger of the covenant must speak. His voice must be heard in His own temple. Christ must come to utter words which should be clearly and definitely understood. He, the author of truth, must separate truth from the chaff of man’s utterance, which had made it of no effect. The principles of God’s government and the plan of redemption must be clearly defined. The lessons of the Old Testament must be fully set before men.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 34. “Pray, yes, pray with unshaken faith and trust. The Angel of the covenant, even our Lord Jesus Christ, is the Mediator who secures the acceptance of the prayers of His believing ones.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 179.

2. What other prophecy did the Lord give to prepare the people to receive the Messiah with all their hearts? How did Jesus confirm the fulfillment of this prophecy?

Malachi 4:5, 6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 6And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Matthew  11:12-14 And  from  the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

Luke 1:16, 17 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the dis- obedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

“The  work of John was foretold  by the prophet  Malachi:… Malachi

4:5, 6. John the Baptist went forth in the spirit and power of Elijah, to prepare the way of the Lord, and to turn the people to the wisdom of the just. He was a representative of those living in the last days, to whom God has intrusted sacred truths to present before the people, to prepare the way for the second appearing of Christ. And the same principles of temperance which John practiced should be observed by those who in our day are to warn the world of the coming of the Son of man.” –Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, p. 39.

PREACHING THE LORD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

3. What was going to be the essence of His preaching? How was this prophecy fulfilled in the Saviour’s amazing ministry?

Psalm 40:9, 10 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest. 10I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

Matthew   9:35  And   Jesus  went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Luke 8:1 And it  came to  pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him.

“With the sweet melody of song, in His childhood, youth, and manhood, Jesus corrected passionate, unadvised words and unbelieving, accusing utterances. When he was assailed by criticizers, His voice was raised in song: ‘… I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation:  lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, Thou knowest. I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation: I have not concealed Thy loving-kindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.  Withhold  not Thou Thy tender mercies from me, O Lord; let Thy loving-kindness and thy truth continually preserve me.’” –The Youth’s Instructor, April 4, 1901.

“Real godliness is diffusive and communicative. The psalmist says: ‘I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation: I have not concealed Thy loving-kindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.’ Wherever the love of God is, there is always a desire to express it.”  –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, pp. 543, 544.

4. What was His message? To whom did He pay special attention in His ministry?

Psalm 72:2, 4, 12, 13 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment…. 4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the op- pressor…. 12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

Isaiah 61:1, 2, first The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken- hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the  opening of  the prison to them that are bound; 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord….

Luke 4:18, 19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

“For  centuries preceding  Christ’s first advent, darkness covered the earth, and gross darkness the people…. Multitudes were sitting in the shadow of death. Their only hope was for this gloom to be lifted, that God might be revealed.

“With  prophetic vision David, the anointed of God, had foreseen that the coming of Christ should be ‘as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds.’ 2 Samuel 23:4. And Hosea testified, ‘His going forth is prepared as the morning.’ Hosea 6:3. Quietly and gently the daylight breaks upon the earth, dispelling the shadow of darkness and waking the earth to life. So was the Sun of Righteousness to arise, ‘with healing in His wings.’ Malachi 4:2. The multitudes dwelling ‘in the land of the shadow of death’ were to see ‘a great light.’ Isaiah 9:2.” –Prophets and Kings, pp. 687, 688.

THE GENTILES’ INTEREST AND TRUST

5. What was prophesied concerning the Messiah’s desire for the Gentiles in distant lands? What noble mission did He entrust to His disciples of all ages?

Isaiah 42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment  in  the  earth:  and  the  isles shall wait for his law.

Matthew  12:21;  28:18-20 And  in his name shall the Gentiles trust…. 28:18And   Jesus  came  and  spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing  them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to  observe  all things  whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen

“We  read of One who walked this earth in meekness and lowliness, who went about ‘doing good’ (Acts 10:38), who spent His life in loving service, comforting  the sorrowing, ministering to the needy, lifting up the bowed down. He had no home in this world, only as the kindness of His friends provided it for Him as a wayfarer. Yet it was heaven to be in His presence…. He was always patient and cheerful, and the afflicted hailed Him as a messenger of life and peace and health. He saw the needs of men and women, and to all He gives the invitation, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light’ Matthew 11:28-30.” –Selected Messages, book 2, p. 154.

6. Even who would recognize and bestow glory and honor on the Messiah? When was this prophecy fulfilled?

Psalm 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou  ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

Matthew 21:9, 15, 16 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.… 15And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful  things that  he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore dis- pleased, 16And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out  of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

“Prophecy had foretold that Christ should be proclaimed as king, and that word must be fulfilled. The priests and rulers of Israel refused to herald His glory, and God moved upon the children to be His witnesses. Had the voices of the children been silent, the very pillars of the temple would have sounded the Saviour’s praise.” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 592, 593. “‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength,’ the psalmist says. The Lord will work through the words of even little children who have been instructed from their babyhood to love and fear Him. Through their instrumentality the Lord will teach men to be kind and tender-hearted, and to seek Him in simplicity of heart.” –Lake Union Herald, November 3, 1909.

“‘According  to the light which has been given to me, when the heavenly intelligences see that men will no longer present the truth in simplicity as did Jesus, the very children will be moved upon by the Spirit of God, and will go forth proclaiming the truth for this time.’”  –The Southern Work, p. 66.

HIGH PRIESTLY MINISTRY

7. Although He did not belong to the tribe of Levi, what office would the Messiah hold? For how long would He minister in that office?

Psalm 110:4 The Lord hath sworn, and  will  not  repent,  Thou  art  a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:16, 17 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 17For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

“Christ glorified not Himself in being made High Priest. God gave Him His appointment to the priesthood. He was to be an example to all the human family. He qualified Himself to be, not only the representative of the race, but their Advocate, so that every soul if he will may say, I have a Friend at court. He is a High Priest that can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.” –(Manuscript 101, 1897) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 930.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“It was the work of Christ to present the truth in the framework of the gospel, and to reveal the precepts and principles that He had given to fallen man. Every idea He presented was His own. He needed not to borrow thoughts from any, for He was the originator of all truth. He could present the ideas of prophets and philosophers, and preserve His originality; for all wisdom was His; He was the source, the fountain, of all truth. He was in advance of all, and by His teaching He became the spiritual leader for all ages.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 409.

“To all Christ has given the work of ministry. He is the King of glory, yet He declared, ‘The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.’ He is the Majesty of heaven, yet He willingly consented to come to this earth to do the work laid upon Him by His Father. He has ennobled labor. That He might set us an example of industry, He worked with His hands at the carpenter’s trade. From a very early age, He acted His part in sustaining the family. He realized that He was a part of the family firm, and willingly bore His share of the burdens.” –Messages to Young People, p. 211.

MISSIONARY REPORT FROM THE GENERAL CONFERENCE FAMILY DEPARTMENT

To be read on Sabbath, February 26, 2022

The Special Sabbath School Offering will be gathered on Sabbath, March 5, 2022

“But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13:16.

Cordial greetings to the beloved people of God. May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ dwell in every heart that yearns for His precious word and promises to be fulfilled to all.

The Family Department was created in 2012 during the delegates’ sessions in South Africa, for the purpose of strengthening the families among God’s people. As such, we have organized plans, goals, and objectives to enhance the well being and spiritual growth of the church’s families on every level, including health, finances, social harmony, mental health, and especially spiritual development, which is the key for families to be blessed and to be a blessing to others.

During the year, the Department  sponsors conferences and events. The month of May is dedicated  to the family worldwide in cooperation with the Evangelism Department and the Divisions, Unions, Fields, and local churches. Solutions are sought for difficult  issues that the church families face.

For this purpose special articles and videos have been prepared and translated into English and Spanish. However, there have been increasing requests for these materials in other languages, so, with the help of God and believers who have voluntarily helped us with translation, video editing, proofreading, dubbing, etc., we have been able to produce these aids in eleven languages. The homes of the believers have been greatly blessed, many families have benefitted,  and we have also reached homes that did not know about God’s word.

“The restoration and uplifting of humanity begins in the home. The work of parents underlies every other. Society is composed  of families, and is what the heads of families make it. Out of the heart are ‘the issues of life’ (Proverbs 4:23); and the heart of the community, of the church, and of the nation is the household. The well-being of society, the success of the church, the prosperity of the nation, depend upon home influences.” –The Ministry of Healing, p. 349.

Families around the world today have experienced some of the worst days on the face of the earth, including disasters related to the pandemic, economic upheavals, depression, and fear. While families have been great affected by all of these things, God’s people, as ambassadors of Jesus, have the sacred mission of taking the peace of Jesus into homes suffering under spiritual darkness; this can be successful only by being closely connected  to Christ and one another.

To share the materials with families in more languages, we have had to operate with a lack of means to pay for equipment, translators, designers, editors, and printing,  such as magazines, brochures, and articles, as well as video editing.

In addition, we want to reach more families in needy countries, so we need you to help us with this through your generous offerings. Financial resources can make it possible for many families to be blessed by the messages from the Lord for families, so that when Jesus comes He will greet those whose homes are strengthened by His grace.

“The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.” Proverbs 11:25.

Thank you for your support of this important work and for your prayers and generous offerings. Let us continue to pray for all of the families in God’s church and for the spiritual edification of all who belong to the family of Christ.

“One well-ordered, well-disciplined family tells more in behalf of Christanity than all the sermons that can be preached.” –The Adventist Home, p. 32.

The Lord bless our families!

–Pastor Adalicio Fontes Souza

Leader of the General Conference Family Department

Sabbath, March 5, 2022

Lesson 10 – A Unique Ministry

“From Christ’s methods of labor we may learn many valuable lessons. He did not follow merely one method; in various ways He sought to gain the attention of the multitude and, having succeeded in this, He proclaimed to them the truths of the gospel. His chief work lay in ministering to the poor, the needy, and the ignorant. In simplicity He opened before them the blessings they might receive, and thus He aroused their soul’s hunger for the truth, the bread of life. Christ’s life is an example to all His followers, showing the duty of those who have learned the way of life to teach others what it means to believe in the word of God. There are many now in the shadow of death who need to be instructed in the truths of the gospel. Nearly the whole world is lying in wickedness. To every believer in Christ, words of hope have been given for those who sit in darkness:…” –Counsels on Health, p. 387.

1. While others before and after Him carried out human programs, in what name did the true Messiah come?

Psalm 118:26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

Matthew  21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

“Quietly returning to the temple, they [priests and rulers] heard the voices of men, women, and children praising God. Upon entering, they stood transfixed before the wonderful  scene. They saw the sick healed, the blind restored to sight, and deaf receive their hearing, and the crippled leap for joy. The children were foremost in the rejoicing. Jesus had healed their maladies; He had clasped them in His arms, received their kisses of grateful affection, and some of them had fallen asleep upon  His breast as He was teaching the people. Now with glad voices the children sounded His praise. They repeated the hosannas of the day before, and waved palm branches triumphantly  before the Saviour. The temple echoed and re-echoed with their acclamations, ‘Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Behold, thy King cometh unto thee; He is just, and having salvation!’ Psalm 118:26; Zechariah 9:9. ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’… “… Prophecy had foretold that Christ should be proclaimed  as king, and that word must be fulfilled. The priests and rulers of Israel refused to herald His glory, and God moved upon the children to be His witnesses. Had the voices of the children been silent, the very pillars of the temple would have sounded the Saviour’s praise.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 592.

HIS FATHER IS GOD

2. In the most desperate situations, on whom would He rely? To whom did the prophecy say He would cry?

Psalm 89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

1 Chronicles 22:10 He shall build an  house  for  my  name;  and  he shall be my son, and I will be his father;   and  I  will  establish  the throne  of his kingdom  over Israel for ever.

Luke 1:32 He shall be great,  and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David

“In  this age we can see the necessity of drawing men to Christ. This draws them to one another in that confidence, that love, that unity, for which Christ prayed in His last prayer with and for His disciples. This unity was essential for their spiritual growth. This world is a battlefield, upon which the powers of good and evil are in ceaseless warfare.

“At the time when Christ’s work bore only the appearance of cruel defeat, when to the disciples the case seemed hopeless, certain Greeks came to the disciples, saying, ‘We would see Jesus.’ John 12:21. This inquiry showed Christ, who was then standing in the shadow of the cross, that the sacrificial offering of Himself would bring all who believe into perfect harmony with God. By making this propitiation  of man’s sins, Christ’s kingdom would be perfected and extended throughout  the world. He would work as the Restorer. His Spirit would prevail everywhere.” –The Upward Look, p. 110.

3. According to prophecy, what would be the delight of God’s Son? What was engraved in His heart?

Psalm 40:7, 8 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

John 4:34; 6:38 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work…. 6:38For I came down from heaven, not  to  do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Hebrews 10:9, first part Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God….

“Consider the life of Christ. Standing at the head of humanity, serving His Father, He is an example of what every son should and may be. The obedience that Christ rendered God requires from human beings today. He served His Father with love, in willingness and freedom. ‘I delight to do Thy will, O My God,’ He declared; ‘yea, Thy law is within My heart.’ Psalm 40:8. Christ counted no sacrifice too great, no toil too hard, in order to accomplish the work which He came to do. At the age of twelve He said, ‘Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?’ Luke 2:49. He had heard the call, and had taken up the work. ‘My meat,’ He said, ‘is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work.’ John 4:34.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 282, 283.

THE SON REVEALS THE FATHER

4. Whom did God’s Son declare and reveal? How did He bless His brethren? What was produced by the special knowledge that He imparted?

Psalm 22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

John 17:26, 6 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them…. 6I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

“If we brought the truth into the daily life as we should we would advance higher and still higher, gaining a clearer and still clearer understanding of the revelation of God. We would lift Him up in songs of praise. Through the psalmist Christ declared, ‘In the midst of the congregation  will I praise Thee.’ Psalm 22:22. His voice was the keynote of the universe. His unconfined power, His unsearchable understanding, His wonderful sacrifice for the human race, help us to comprehend the love of God. We need individually to have Christ abiding in the soul. We need to open our minds and hearts to the indwelling of the Spirit of truth. We need to appreciate our privileges as the possessors of sacred, elevating truth. Think of what this means to us–heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ!” –In Heavenly Places, p. 248.

5. In contrast to earthly monarchs, who put great efforts into building up their armaments, what was the Prince of Peace going to do?

Zechariah 9:10 And  I will  cut  off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

Matthew  26:52  Then  said  Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

“So it is with the kingdom of Christ. It is a new creation. Its principles of development are the opposite of those that rule the kingdoms of this world. Earthly governments prevail by physical force; they maintain their dominion  by war; but the founder of the new kingdom  is the Prince of Peace. The Holy Spirit represents worldly kingdoms under the symbol of fierce beasts of prey; but Christ is ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ John 1:29. In His plan of government there is no employment of brute force to compel the conscience. The Jews looked for the kingdom of God to be established in the same way as the kingdoms of the world. To promote  righteousness they resorted to external measures. They devised methods and plans. But Christ implants a principle. By implanting truth and righteousness, He counterworks error and sin.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 77.

“…They [the disciples] go forth as witnesses for the truth, with no weapons but the Word and the Spirit of God, to triumph over all opposition…. They were transformed in character and united in the bonds of Christian love…. From their lips came words of divine eloquence and power that shook the world.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 302.

HIS MINISTRY IN GALILEE

6. What would the people see who sat in darkness, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali?

Isaiah 9:1, 2 Nevertheless the dim- ness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict  her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Matthew  4:14-16  That  it  might be  fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the  prophet,  saying, 15The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim,  by  the  way  of  the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;  16The  people  which  sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

“The prophet was permitted  to look down the centuries to the time of the advent of the promised Messiah. At first he beheld only ‘trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish.’ Isaiah 8:22…. He saw the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and, lost in admiration, he exclaimed: ‘The dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first He lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’ Isaiah 9:1, 2.” –Prophets and Kings, p. 373.

7. What did He use in a special way in His teaching? What does this mean? Give an example of a special lesson that Jesus presented as a metaphor.

Psalm 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old.

Matthew  13:3, 10, 11, 13 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold,  a sower went forth  to sow…. 10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given…. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not;  and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

“Christ was the greatest teacher the world has ever known. He, the Son of God, came to earth in the form of a man, clothed in the habiliments of humanity, in order that he might  reach the comprehension of the young as well as of the middle-aged and the aged. Through His servant David He had declared, ‘I will open My mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old.’ In parables drawn from nature and from human life, Christ showed the harmony of the natural with the spiritual. He revealed the unknown by lessons derived from the known. The heavenly was symbolized by the earthly. Natural things were presented as a reflection of the law of His kingdom.”  –The Youth’s Instructor, May 6, 1897.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“Christ’s ministry lasted only three years, and a great work was done in that short period. In these last days, there is a great work to be done in a short time. While many are getting ready to do something, souls will perish for the light and knowledge.” –Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 56.

“In consenting to become man, Christ manifested a humility that is the marvel of the heavenly intelligences.  The act of consenting to be a man would be no humiliation were it not for the fact of Christ’s exalted pre-existence. We must open our understanding to realize that Christ laid aside His royal robe, His kingly crown, His high command, and clothed His divinity with humanity, that He might meet man where he was, and bring to the human family moral power to become the sons and daughters of God. To redeem man, Christ became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” –Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 243, 244.

Sabbath, March 12, 2022

Lesson 11 – The True Servant

“‘When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.’ Man’s terrible necessity demanded help without delay. Who met this necessity? An illustrious Teacher, the Son of God. The eternal Word came to our world to win the confidence of humanity. The Prophet that had been revealed to Moses, like unto His brethren, whom they should hear in all things, came as man’s Redeemer. Hear, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth; for the appointed Instructor of man was no less a personage than the Son of God!” –Signs of the Times, April 15, 1897.

MY SERVANT IN WHOM I DELIGHT

1. Although verses of Scripture call Him Prince and King, what especially characterizes God’s Son? How is someone generally regarded who occupies such a position and is treated as such?

Isaiah 42:1-3 Behold  my  servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

“Jesus is our example. There are many who dwell with interest upon the period of His public ministry, while they pass unnoticed  the teaching of His early years. But it is in His home life that He is the pattern for all children and youth. The Saviour condescended  to poverty, that He might teach how closely we in a humble lot may walk with God. He lived to please, honor, and glorify His Father in the common things of life. His work began in consecrating the lowly trade of the craftsmen who toil for their daily bread. He was doing God’s service just as much when laboring at the carpenter’s bench as when working miracles for the multitude. And every youth who follows Christ’s example of faithfulness and obedience in His lowly home may claim those words spoken of Him by the Father through the Holy Spirit, ‘Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth.’ Isaiah 42:1.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 74.

2. Would He fail or be discouraged in carrying out His divine service? What is He to the Gentiles?

Isaiah 42:4-6 He shall not  fail nor be  discouraged,  till  he  have set judgment   in  the  earth:  and  the isles shall wait for his law. 5Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched  them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that  which cometh  out  of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 6I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.

“Jesus looked upon the world in its fallen state with infinite pity. He took humanity upon Himself that He might touch and elevate humanity. He came to seek and to save that which was lost…. It was written of Him that ‘He shall not fail nor be discouraged,’ and He went forth in the path of self-denial and self-sacrifice, giving us an example that we should follow in His steps. We should work as did Jesus, departing from our own pleasure, turning  away from Satan’s bribes, despising ease, and abhorring selfishness, that we may seek and save that which is lost, bringing souls from darkness into light, into the sunshine of God’s love. We have been commissioned to go forth and preach the gospel to every creature. We are to bring to the lost the tidings that Christ can forgive sin, can renew the nature, can clothe the soul in the garments of His righteousness, bring the sinner to His right mind, and teach him and fit him up to be a laborer together with God.” –Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 199.

GOD’S SERVANT WILL SPRINKLE MANY NATIONS

3. Who should be the Christian’s center of attention? How was His visage and form changed? But even then, what will He give to many nations?

Isaiah 52:13-15 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled,  and be very high. 14As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 15So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

“Thus it was. The terrible scenes of the crucifixion revealed what humanity will do when under Satan’s control. They revealed what the outcome would be if Satan was to control the world. Those who witnessed these scenes never lost the impressions made upon their minds. Many were converted, and told others of the awful scene they beheld. Many who heard the report  of Christ’s death were convicted, and commenced searching the Scriptures. Thus were fulfilled  the words, ‘So shall He sprinkle many nations.’” –Bible Echo, May 29, 1899.

4. What is the Lord’s view of sacrifices, regardless of the presenter’s motive? What sacrifice does He appreciate?

Psalms 40:6; 51:16, 17 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required…. 51:16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest  not  in  burnt  offering. 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

“Four thousand years before a voice of strange and mysterious import was heard in heaven from the throne of God: ‘Sacrifice and offering Thou didst  not  desire; Mine ears hast Thou opened:  burnt  offering and sin offering hast Thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me, I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart.’ Christ in counsel with His Father laid out the plan for His life on earth. It was not a chance, but a design that the world’s Redeemer should lay off His crown, lay aside His kingly robe, and come to our world as a man. He clothed His divinity with the garb of humanity, that He might stand at the head of the human family, His humanity mingled with the humanity of the race fallen because of Adam’s disobedience.” –The Southern Work, p. 85.

5. What does the verse mean that the Son of man shall be “for a sanctuary” to the house of Israel and Jerusalem?

Isaiah 8:14 And he shall be for  a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

“But in Judah there dwelt some who maintained their allegiance to Jehovah, steadfastly refusing to be led into idolatry. It was to these that Isaiah and Micah and their associates looked in hope as they surveyed the ruin wrought  during  the last years of Ahaz. Their sanctuary was closed, but the faithful ones were assured: ‘God is with us.’ ‘Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary.’ Isaiah 8:10, 13, 14.” –Prophets and Kings, p. 330.

“In prophetic vision, Isaiah was shown that this stone was a symbol of Christ. He says: ‘Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.’” –The Desire of Ages, p. 598.

A BRANCH FROM THE ROOT

6. What had to rise from the roots of Jesse? What Spirit would rest upon Him?

Isaiah 11:1-3 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit  of  counsel and  might,  the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears.

“Through the promised Seed, the God of Israel was to bring deliverance to Zion. ‘There shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.’ ‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.’ Isaiah 11:1; 7:14, 15.” –Prophets and Kings, p. 695.

“The work that the Saviour was to do on the earth had been fully outlined: ‘The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord….’ Isaiah 11:2, 3.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 224.

7. What would characterize His actions toward the poor and the reprobate?

Isaiah 11:4, 5 But with  righteous- ness shall he judge the poor,  and reprove  with  equity  for  the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with  the  rod  of  his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5And righteous- ness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

“Heaven’s councils decided that Christ, the great Teacher, must Himself come to the world. God had spoken through nature, through types and symbols, patriarchs and prophets. Lessons must be given to humanity in the language of humanity. The messenger of the covenant, the Sun of Righteousness, must rise upon the world. His voice must be heard in His own temple. Christ must come to utter words which would be clearly and definitely understood. He, the Author of truth, must separate truth from the chaff of man’s utterance, which had made it of none effect. The principles of God’s moral government, and the plan of redemption, must be clearly defined. The lessons of the Old Testament must be fully set before men.” –Bible Echo, March 8, 1897.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“Before Christ’s first advent, the world seemed indeed to have become the grave for all piety. It was Satan’s seat; man was in the power of the great apostate, helplessly receiving his lies in regard to God and to Christ, as truth. The heavenly angels looked upon the world polluted by sin under the inhabitants thereof, and thought how much easier it would be to exterminate it than to reform it. But the Son of God Himself came to work a reformation.”  –Bible Echo, March 8, 1897.

Sabbath, March 19, 2022

Lesson 12 – Betrayal by a Friend

“Had Jesus remained silent, in apparent ignorance of that which was to come upon Him, an impression might have been left on the minds of His disciples that their Master had not divine foresight, and had been deceived, surprised and betrayed into the hands of a murderous mob. A year before, Jesus had told the disciples that He had chosen twelve, but that one was a devil; and now His words to Judas on the occasion of the passover, showing that this treachery was fully known to his Master, would strengthen the faith of His true followers during His humiliation. And when Judas should have come to his dreadful end, they would remember the woe which Jesus had pronounced upon the betrayer.” –The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, p. 87.

1. According to prophecy, by whom would God’s Anointed One be betrayed? In light of your own personal experience, meditate on what this betrayal meant and how terribly the Saviour suffered under it.

Psalms 41:9; 55:12-14 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me…. 55:12For it was not an enemy that reproached me;  then  I  could  have borne  it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 13But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. 14We took  sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.

John 13:18, 21, 26 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me…. 21When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me…. 26Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

“The purpose of the Saviour in pronouncing the woe upon Judas was twofold: First, to give the false disciple a last opportunity to save himself from the betrayer’s doom; and, secondly, to give the disciples a crowning evidence of His Messiahship, in revealing the hidden purpose of Judas.” –The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, p . 87.

“And the Saviour had still another purpose. He had not withheld His ministry from him whom He knew to be a traitor. The disciples did not understand His words when He said at the feet washing, ‘Ye are not all clean,’ nor yet when at the table He declared, ‘He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me.’ John 13:11, 18. But afterward, when His meaning was made plain, they had something to consider as to the patience and mercy of God toward the most grievously erring.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 655.

THE TRAITOR’S FALL

2. What are the consequences of committing such cowardly acts as did Judas? What did prophecy state about the Redeemer’s betrayer?

Psalm 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

John 18:3-6 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from  the  chief priests  and Pharisees, cometh thither  with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4Jesus therefore,  knowing  all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth.  Jesus saith unto  them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed  him,  stood  with  them. 6As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went back- ward, and fell to the ground.

Matthew  27:4, 5 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent  blood.   And  they  said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And he cast down  the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Acts 1:18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

“Little did the Jews realize the terrible responsibility involved in rejecting Christ…. From generation to generation there had been heaping up a terrible punishment for the rejecters of light and truth. This the enemies of Christ were now drawing down upon their own heads. The sin of the priests and rulers was greater than that of any preceding generation. By their rejection of the Saviour, they were making themselves responsible for the blood  of all the righteous men slain from Abel to Christ. They were about to fill to overflowing their cup of iniquity. And soon it was to be poured upon their heads in retributive justice. Of this, Jesus warned them:…

“Judas … rushed from the hall exclaiming, It is too late! It is too late! He felt that he could not live to see Jesus crucified, and in despair went out and hanged himself.” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 618, 619, 722.

3. After initiating the death of God’s Son, what would be the false disciple’s end? What is the result of sin if one does not repent?

Psalm 109:8, first part Let his days be few;…

Romans 6:23; 5:12 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord…. 5:12Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.

“God  has given in His word decisive evidence that He will punish the transgressors of His law…. The death of the spotless Son of God testifies that ‘the wages of sin is death,’ that every violation of God’s law must receive its just retribution. Christ the sinless became sin for man. He bore the guilt of transgression, and the hiding of His Father’s face, until His heart was broken and His life crushed out. All this sacrifice was made that sinners might be redeemed. In no other way could man be freed from the penalty of sin. And every soul that refuses to become a partaker of the atonement provided at such a cost must bear in his own person the guilt and punishment of transgression.” –The Great Controversy, p. 540. “The  gift  of eternal  life is promised  on condition of saving faith in Christ. The drawing  power  of the  Holy Spirit  is pointed out  as an agent  in the  work  of  man’s salvation.  The rewards of  the  faithful, the punishment  of the guilty, are all laid out in clear lines. The Bible contains the science of salvation for all those who will hear and do the words of Christ.” –Christian Education, p. 84.

TRANSFER OF THE SACRED OFFICE

4. According to prophecy, what would happen if a disciple betrayed his sacred office?

Psalm 109:8, second part … And let another take his office.

Matthew 25:28; 21:40, 41 Take there– fore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents….21:40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will  he do unto those husbandmen? 41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

“Selfishness is a deadly evil. Self-love and careless indifference to the specific terms of agreement between God and man, the refusal to act as His faithful stewards, have brought upon them His curse, just as He declared would be the case. These souls have separated themselves from God; by precept and example they have led others to disregard God’s plain commandments, and He could not bestow His blessing upon them.” –Messages to Young People, p. 308.

“Thought,  effort, talent, should be put into exercise, that you may be prepared to graduate into the school above and hear from the lips of One who has overcome all temptations in our behalf the words: ‘To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.’… Revelation 3:21…. If you do not cooperate with the Lord by giving yourself to Him and doing His service you will be judged  unfit to be a subject of His pure, heavenly kingdom.”  –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 298.

5. How severe would the curse be for such betrayal?

Psalm 69:25  Let  their  habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.

Acts  1:18-20 Now  this  man purchased a field with  the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that  field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that  is to  say, The field of blood. 20For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take.

“For a short time vexation and confusion kept the priests silent. They did not wish the people to know that they had hired one of the professed followers of Jesus to betray Him into their hands. Their hunting Jesus like a thief and taking Him secretly, they wished to hide. But the confession of Judas, and his haggard, guilty appearance, exposed the priests before the multitude, showing that it was hatred that had caused them to take Jesus. As Judas loudly declared Jesus to be innocent, the priests replied,

‘What is that to us? see thou to that.’ They had Jesus in their power, and were determined  to make sure of Him. Judas, overwhelmed with anguish, threw the money that he now despised at the feet of those who had hired him, and, in anguish and horror, went and hanged himself.” –Early Writings, p. 172.

6. How can one explain such horrifying actions in view of the fact that Jesus was totally innocent?

Psalm 35:19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over  me:  neither  let  them  wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

John 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written  in their law, They hated me without a cause.

“He [Pilate] had before him an example of the persistence with which they [the Jews] sought the life of One whom they hated without reason.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 737.

“The  early Christians were … a continual reproof  that disturbed  the sinner’s peace. Though few in numbers, without  wealth, position,  or honorary titles, they were a terror to evildoers wherever their character and doctrines were known. Therefore they were hated by the wicked, even as Abel was hated by the ungodly Cain. For the same reason that Cain slew Abel, did those who sought to throw off the restraint of the Holy Spirit, put to death God’s people. It was for the same reason that the Jews rejected  and crucified the Saviour–because the purity and holiness of His character was a constant rebuke to their selfishness and corruption. From the days of Christ until now His faithful disciples have excited the hatred and opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin.” –The Great Controversy, p. 46.

REJECTED AND THEN ACCEPTED

7. Even though many have rejected Jesus as the true Messiah, in what exalted position did the Father place Him?

Psalm 118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore  thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation:  he that believeth shall not make haste.

“‘To them which stumble at the word, being disobedient,’  Christ is a rock of offense. But ‘the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.’ Like the rejected stone, Christ in His earthly mission had borne neglect and abuse. He was ‘despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:… He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.’ Isaiah 53:3. But the time was near when He would be glorified. By the resurrection from the dead He would be declared ‘the Son of God with power.’ Romans 1:4. At His second coming He would be revealed as Lord of heaven and earth. Those who were now about to crucify Him would recognize His greatness. Before the universe the rejected stone would become the head of the corner.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 600

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“Let us arouse! The battle is waging. Truth and error are nearing their final conflict. Let us march under the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel, and fight the good fight of faith, and win eternal honors; for the truth will triumph, and we may be more than conquerors through  Him who has loved us. The precious hours of probation are closing. Let us make sure work for eternal life, that we may glorify our heavenly Father, and be the means of saving souls for whom Christ died.” –(Review and Herald, March 13, 1888) Christian Service, p. 77.

“Thus pleads the advocate of truth. Faithful among the faithless, loyal among the disloyal, he stands as God’s representative,  and his voice is as a voice from heaven. There is no fear, no sadness, no discouragement in word or look. Strong in a consciousness of innocence, clothed in the panoply of truth, he rejoices that he is a son of God. His words are as a shout of victory above the roar of battle. He declares the cause to which he has devoted his life, to be the only cause that can never fail. Though he may perish, the gospel will not perish. God lives, and His truth will triumph.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 495.

Sabbath, March 26, 2022

Lesson 13 – Dishonest Proceedings

“The  attacks of the enemy must be met with the truth  of His Word. Falsehood must be unmasked, its true character must be revealed, and the light of the law of Jehovah must shine forth into the moral darkness of the world. We are to present the claims of His Word. We shall not be held guiltless if we neglect this solemn duty. But while we stand in defense of the truth, let us not stand in defense of self, and make a great ado because we are called to bear reproach and misrepresentation. Let us not pity ourselves, but be very jealous for the law of the Most High.” –Evangelism, p. 625.

1. What manipulations and intrigues for the purpose of taking His life characterized the behavior of the Jewish rulers toward God’s Son?

Psalms 31:13; 2:2 For I have heard the  slander of  many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together  against me, they devised to take away my life…. 2:2The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed.

Matthew 27:1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

“As soon as it was day, the Sanhedrin again assembled, and again Jesus was brought into the council room. He had declared Himself the Son of God, and they had construed His words into a charge against Him….

“‘Art Thou the Christ?’ they said, ‘tell us.’ But Christ remained silent. They continued to ply Him with questions….

“‘Art Thou then the Son of God?’ they asked with one voice. He said unto them, ‘Ye say that I am.’ They cried out, ‘What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of His own mouth.’

“And so by the third condemnation of the Jewish authorities, Jesus was to die. All that was now necessary, they thought, was for the Romans to ratify this condemnation, and deliver Him into their hands.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 714.

OPPOSITION WITHOUT A CAUSE

2. What do the Scriptures relate about the deceptions and conspiracies used against the Innocent One?

Psalms 109:3; 35:7 They compassed me   about   also  with   words   of hatred; and fought against me without  a cause…. 35:7For without cause have they hid for  me their net in a pit, which without  cause they have digged for my soul.

“The Pharisees had asserted that Christ’s teaching was opposed to the law which God had given through Moses….

“The leaders at Jerusalem had sent out spies to find some pretext for putting  Christ to death. He responded by giving them an evidence of His love for humanity, His respect for the law, and His power to deliver from sin and death. Thus He bore witness of them: ‘They have rewarded Me evil for good, and hatred for My love.’ Psalm 109:5. He who on the mount gave the precept, ‘Love your enemies,’ Himself exemplified the principle, not rendering ‘evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing.’ Matthew 5:44; 1 Peter 3:9.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 265.

3. What was prophesied about the charges that the enemies of God would level against His Son?

Psalms 109:2; 31:18 For the mouth of  the  wicked  and the  mouth  of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with  a lying tongue….  31:18Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death.

“Our  enemies may triumph.  They may speak lying words, and their slandering tongue frame slander, deceit, guile; yet will we not be moved. We know in whom we believe. We have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Jesus knows us…. A reckoning day is coming and all will be judged according to the deeds that are done in the body….

“It is true the world is dark. Opposition may wax strong. The trifler and scorner may grow bolder and harder in their iniquity. Yet, for all this, we will not be moved. We have not run as uncertain. No, no. My heart is fixed, trusting in God. We have a whole Saviour. We can rejoice in His rich fullness.” –Reflecting Christ, p. 351.

FALSE TESTIMONY

4. Despite the ninth commandment and many Bible texts expressly forbidding false witness against one’s neighbor, what was presented against Jesus?

Psalms 27:12;  35:11  Deliver  me not  over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty…. 35:11False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

Matthew  26:59-61 Now  the  chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 60But found none: yea, though many false wit- nesses came, yet found they none. 61At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

“False witnesses had been bribed to accuse Jesus of inciting rebellion and seeking to establish a separate government. But their testimony proved to be vague and contradictory. Under examination they falsified their own statements.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 705.

“Joseph  was falsely accused and thrust  into  prison  because of  his virtue: so Christ was despised and rejected because His righteous, self- denying life was a rebuke to sin; and though guilty of no wrong, He was condemned upon the testimony of false witnesses.” –Conflict and Courage, p. 79.

5. What false testimony was spoken against Him? What must one conclude about the consciences of such people, who had seen so many blessings that Jesus poured upon the people and yet lied about Him?

Psalm 35:11  False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

Mark 14:55-58 And the chief priests and all the council sought for wit- ness against Jesus to  put  him to death; and found none. 56For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build an- other made without hands.

“Above  all others the priests and rulers should have seen in Jesus the anointed  of the Lord; for in their hands were the sacred scrolls that described His mission, and they knew that the cleansing of the temple was a manifestation of more than human power. Much as they hated Jesus, they could not free themselves from the thought that He might be a prophet sent by God to restore the sanctity of the temple.”  –The Desire of Ages, p. 164.

“It is a marvel to me that God will bear with the perversity of the children of men so long, bearing with their disobedience and yet suffering them to live, abusing His mercies, bearing false witness against Him in most wicked statements. But God’s ways are not as our ways, and we will not marvel at His loving forbearance and tender pity and infinite compassion, for He has given an unmistakable evidence that this is just like His character–slow to anger, showing mercy unto thousands of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” –This Day with God, p. 187.

NO REPLY TO FALSE ALLEGATIONS

6. What was Jesus’ response to the falsehoods spoken against Him? What principle did He establish for all who may be put in a similar situation–lied about and innocently condemned?

Psalm 38:13, 14 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. 14Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

Matthew  27:12-14 And  when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

“Even as misrepresented by the false witnesses, His words contained nothing which would be regarded by the Romans as a crime worthy of death. “Patiently Jesus listened to the conflicting testimonies. No word did He utter in self-defense. At last His accusers were entangled, confused, and maddened. The trial was making no headway; it seemed that their plottings were to fail…. The high priest started from the judgment seat, his face contorted with passion, his voice and demeanor plainly indicating that were it in his power he would strike down the prisoner before him. ‘Answerest Thou nothing?’ he exclaimed; ‘what is it which these witness against Thee?’” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 705, 706.

7. What type of answer did Jesus give in such a situation? How can His children learn to repay evil with good deeds, as He did?

Psalms 109:5; 38:20 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love…. 38:20They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.

“The leaders at Jerusalem had sent out spies to find some pretext for putting  Christ to death. He responded by giving them an evidence of His love for humanity, His respect for the law, and His power to deliver from sin and death. Thus He bore witness of them: ‘They have rewarded Me evil for good, and hatred for My love.’ Psalm 109:5. He who on the mount gave the precept, ‘Love your enemies,’ Himself exemplified the principle, not rendering ‘evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing.’ Matthew 5:44; 1 Peter 3:9.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 265

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable  to the assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one…. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not cooperate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.  Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 324.

Sabbath, April 2, 2022

Lesson 14 – The Messiah’s Mistreatment, Part 1

“…  He humbled Himself, and took mortality upon Him. As a member of the human family, He was mortal; but as a God, He was the fountain of life to the world. He could, in His divine person, ever have withstood the advances of death, and refused to come under its dominion; but He voluntarily laid down His life, that in so doing He might give life and bring immortality to light. He bore the sins of the world, and endured the penalty, which rolled like a mountain upon His divine soul. He yielded up His life a sacrifice, that man should not eternally die. He died, not through being compelled to die, but by His own free will. This was humility. The whole treasure of heaven was poured out in one gift to save fallen man. He brought into His human nature all the life-giving energies that human beings will need and must receive.” –(Review and Herald, September 4, 1900) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1127.

1. According to the prophetic psalm, what exclamation of severe anguish would come from the lips of the suffering, dying Messiah? Receiving no answer from His Father, did He stop praying? What made it possible for Him to endure that most terrible hour?

Psalm 22:1-3 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

“It was to redeem us that Jesus lived and suffered and died. He became ‘a Man of Sorrows,’ that we might be made partakers of everlasting joy. God permitted  His beloved Son, full of grace and truth, to come from a world of indescribable glory, to a world marred and blighted with sin, darkened with the shadow of death and the curse. He permitted Him to leave the bosom of His love, the adoration of the angels, to suffer shame, insult, humiliation, hatred, and death. ‘The chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.’ Isaiah 53:5. Behold Him in the wilderness, in Gethsemane, upon the cross! The spotless Son of God took upon Himself the burden of sin. He who had been one with God, felt in His soul the awful separation that sin makes between God and man…. It was the burden of sin, the sense of its terrible enormity, of its separation of the soul from God–it was this that broke the heart of the Son of God.” –Steps to Christ, p. 13

SELF-AWARENESS WHILE SURROUNDED BY CONTEMPT

2. Although the Saviour was the Son of God, how did He consider Himself? What did He endure? How does a person naturally feel when he is despised?

Psalm 22:4-7 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee,  and  were  not  confounded. 6But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.  7All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head.

Isaiah 53:3  He  is  despised  and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Mark 15:29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days.

“Yet this glorious Being loved the poor sinner and took upon Himself the form of a servant, that He might suffer and die in man’s behalf. Jesus might have remained at His Father’s right hand, wearing His kingly crown and royal robes. But He chose to exchange all the riches, honor, and glory of heaven for the poverty of humanity, and His station of high command for the horrors of Gethsemane and the humiliation and agony of Calvary. He became a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, that by His baptism of suffering and blood  He might purify and redeem a guilty world. ‘Lo, I come,’ was the joyful assent, ‘to do Thy will, O My God.’”  –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 121.

3. Did His critics believe that the Messiah would truly trust in God, not in men? With what disparaging expressions did they speak of Him, viewing Him as weak and in need of help?

Psalm 22:8-11 He trusted  on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. 10I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. 11Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

Matthew 27:43 He trusted in God; let  him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

“In  their mockery of the Saviour, the men who professed to be the expounders of prophecy were repeating the very words which Inspiration had foretold they would utter upon this occasion. Yet in their blindness they did not see that they were fulfilling the prophecy. Those who in derision uttered the words, ‘He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God,’ little thought that their testimony would sound down the ages. But although spoken in mockery, these words led men to search the Scriptures as they had never done before. Wise men heard, searched, pondered, and prayed. There were those who never rested until, by comparing scripture with scripture, they saw the meaning of Christ’s mission. Never before was there such a general knowledge of Jesus as when He hung upon the cross. Into the hearts of many who beheld the crucifixion scene, and who heard Christ’s words, the light of truth was shining.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 749.

AS PREY IN THE MOUTHS OF LIONS

4. What image did the psalmist use to describe those who sided against Jesus? How vividly did His words to His disciples depict His state of mind as He passed through one terrible event after another?

Psalm 22:12-14 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

Matthew 26:3, 4, 38 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him…. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

“There stood the Son of God, wearing the robe of mockery and the crown of thorns. Stripped to the waist, His back showed the long, cruel stripes, from which the blood  flowed freely. His face was stained with blood, and bore the marks of exhaustion and pain; but never had it appeared more beautiful than now. The Saviour’s visage was not marred before His enemies. Every feature expressed gentleness and resignation and the tenderest pity for His cruel foes. In His manner there was no cowardly weakness, but  the  strength  and dignity  of  longsuffering.  In striking contrast was the prisoner at His side. Every line of the countenance of Barabbas proclaimed him the hardened ruffian that he was. The contrast spoke to every beholder. Some of the spectators were weeping. As they looked upon Jesus, their hearts were full of sympathy. Even the priests and rulers were convicted that He was all that He claimed to be.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 735.

5. What did the prophetic psalm portray about the physical weakness and thirst that the Messiah would suffer?

Psalm 22:15 My strength  is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

“The mission of Christ’s earthly life was now nearly accomplished. His tongue was parched, and He said, ‘I thirst.’ They saturated a sponge with vinegar and gall, and offered it Him to drink; and when He had tasted it, he refused it. And now the Lord of life and glory was dying, a ransom for the race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” –The Story of Redemption, p. 224.

HIS WOUNDS

6. To what wounds inflicted by the Messiah’s executioners did prophecy draw attention?

Psalm 22:16, 17 For dogs have com- passed me: the assembly of the wick- ed have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

Zachariah 13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

Luke 24:39 Behold my hands and my  feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have

“In the sufferings of Christ upon the cross prophecy  was fulfilled. Centuries before the crucifixion, the Saviour had foretold the treatment He was to receive. He said, ‘Dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet. I may tell all My bones: they look and stare upon Me. They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture.’ Psalm 22:16-18.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 746. “The  enemies of Jesus awaited His death with impatient  hope. That event they imagined would forever hush the rumors of His divine power and the wonders of His miracles. They flattered themselves that they would then no longer tremble because of His influence.” –The Present Truth, January 21, 1886.

7. How accurate was the prophecy concerning what would happen to His clothing? What are we moved to exclaim in view of the great divine wisdom that told ahead of time in minute detail what would happen to the world’s Redeemer?

Psalm 22:18-21 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. 19But be not thou far from me, O Lord: O my strength, haste thee to help me. 20Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog. 21Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from  the horns of the unicorns.

Mark 15:24  And when they had crucified him, they parted  his garments,  casting  lots  upon  them, what every man should take.

John 19:23, 24  Then the soldiers, when  they  had  crucified   Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.  24They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

Revelation 15:3 Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Al- mighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

“The prophecy concerning His garments was carried out without counsel or interference from the friends or the enemies of the Crucified One. To the soldiers who had placed Him upon the cross, His clothing was given. Christ heard the men’s contention as they parted the garments among them. His tunic was woven throughout without seam, and they said, ‘Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.’” –Christ Triumphant, p. 278.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“Of  the suffering Saviour Jehovah Himself declared through  Zechariah, ‘Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My Fellow.’ Zechariah 13:7. As the substitute and surety for sinful man, Christ was to  suffer under divine justice. He was to  understand what justice meant. He was to know what it means for sinners to stand before God without an intercessor.” –Prophets and Kings, p. 691.

“If the sufferings of Christ consisted in physical pain alone, then His death was no more painful than that of some of the martyrs. But bodily pain was but a small part of the agony of God’s dear Son. The sins of the world were upon Him, also the sense of His Father’s wrath as He suffered the penalty of the law transgressed. It was these that crushed His divine soul…. The separation that sin makes between God and man was fully realized and keenly felt by the innocent, suffering Man of Calvary. He was oppressed by the powers of darkness. He had not one ray of light to brighten  the future…. It was in this terrible  hour of darkness, the face of His Father hidden, legions of evil angels enshrouding Him, the sins of the world upon Him, that the words were wrenched from His lips: ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’” –God’s Amazing Grace, p. 171.

Sabbath, April 9, 2022

Lesson 15 – The Messiah’s Mistreatment, Part 2

“As we separate from the world and its customs, we shall meet with the displeasure of worldlings. The world hated the One who was the very embodiment of virtue, because He was better than they were. The servant is not greater than his Lord. If our ways please God, the world will hate us. If the Majesty of heaven came to this world, and endured a life of humiliation and a death of shame, why should we shrink back because obedience involves a cross? If He was persecuted, can we expect better treatment?… I point you to the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He will comfort and sustain all who come to Him for help….” –The Upward Look, p. 325.

1. According to the psalmist, how many enemies would the Messiah have? Why was this?

Psalm 69:4 They that hate me without a  cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

John 15:24, 25 If  I had not  done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

“When Christ was upon this earth, the people flocked to hear Him. So simple and plain were His words that the most unlearned among the people could understand Him, and His hearers listened as if spellbound. This enraged the scribes and Pharisees. They were filled  with  envy because the people  listened so attentively to the words of this new Teacher. They determined to break His hold upon the multitudes. They began by attacking His character, saying that He was born in sin, and that He cast out devils through the prince of the devils. Thus were fulfilled the words, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ John 15:25; see Psalm 69:4. The Jewish leaders maligned and persecuted the One who is chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely.” –The Upward Look, p. 325.

MISTREATED FOR GOD’S SAKE

2. Why did He accept the mission that included severe suffering, reproach, shame, and death?

Psalm 69:7 Because  for  thy sake I have borne  reproach; shame hath covered my face.

Jeremiah 15:15 O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy long- suffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

Psalm  44:22  Yea,  for   thy   sake are  we  killed  all  the  day  long; we are counted  as sheep for the slaughter.

“The cross was associated with the power of Rome. It was the instrument of the most cruel and humiliating form of death. The lowest criminals were required to bear the cross to the place of execution; and often as it was about to be laid upon their shoulders, they resisted with desperate violence, until they were overpowered, and the instrument of torture was bound upon them. But Jesus bade His followers take up the cross and bear it after Him. To the disciples His words, though dimly comprehended, pointed  to their submission to the most bitter humiliation–submission even unto death for the sake of Christ. No more complete self-surrender could the Saviour’s words have pictured. But all this He had accepted for them. Jesus did not count heaven a place to be desired while we were lost. He left the heavenly courts for a life of reproach and insult, and a death of shame. He who was rich in heaven’s priceless treasure, became poor, that through His poverty we might be rich. We are to follow in the path He trod.”  –The Desire of Ages, pp. 416, 417.

3. What did He become even to people whom –He lovingly fed or healed?

Psalms 69:8; 31:11 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children…. 31:11I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that  did  see me without fled from me.

John 1:11; 7:5 He came unto  his own,  and  his  own  received  him not. 7:5For neither did his brethren believe in him.

“The divinity of Christ was as a hidden treasure. At times when He was upon earth divinity flashed through humanity, and His true character was revealed. The God of heaven testified to His oneness with His Son. At His baptism the heavens were opened and the glory of God in the similitude of a dove like burnished gold hovered over the Saviour, and a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ Matthew 3:17. But the nation to whom Christ came, though professing to be the peculiar people of God, did not recognize the heavenly treasure in the person of Jesus Christ….” –That I May Know Him, p. 58.

ZEAL FOR THE LORD’S HOUSE

4. What ardent feelings would He have for the Lord and His house? On whom did the criticism of those who reproached God fall?

Psalm 69:9 For the  zeal of  thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

John 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

Romans 15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

“From eternal ages it was God’s purpose that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man, should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator. Because of sin, humanity ceased to be a temple for God. Darkened and defiled by evil, the heart of man no longer revealed the glory of the Divine One.… God designed that the temple at Jerusalem should be a continual witness to the high destiny open to every soul. But the Jews had not understood the significance of the building they regarded with so much pride. They did not yield themselves  as holy temples for the Divine Spirit. The courts of the temple at Jerusalem, filled with the tumult of unholy traffic, represented all too truly the temple of the heart, defiled by the presence of sensual passion and unholy thoughts. In cleansing the temple from the world’s buyers and sellers, Jesus announced  His mission to cleanse the heart from the defilement of sin–from the earthly desires, the selfish lusts, the evil habits, that corrupt the soul.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 161.

5. Instead of cherishing His ministry of grace and many miracles, how did many people disparage Him?

Psalms 69:12, 22; 55:3 They that sit  in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards…. 22Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap…. 55:3Because of the voice of the enemy, because of  the  oppression  of  the  wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told  you the truth,  which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

“The Pharisees had declared themselves the children of Abraham. Jesus told them that this claim could be established only by doing the works of Abraham. The true children of Abraham would live, as He did, a life of obedience to God. They would not try to kill One who was speaking the truth that was given Him from God. In plotting  against Christ, the rabbis were not doing the works of Abraham. A mere lineal descent from Abraham was of no value. Without a spiritual connection with him, which would be manifested in possessing the same spirit, and doing the same works, they were not his children.” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 466, 467.

SHAME AND DISHONOR

6. Instead of giving the Messiah honor and enormous gratitude for His innumerable blessings, what did men heap upon Him? How often did this happen?

Psalm 69:19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

“How little do many of us understand the true import of our prayers! Jesus knew the infinite sacrifice at which that glory must be purchased, when He, ‘for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.’ Hebrews 12:2. That joy was to see souls saved by His humiliation, His agony, and the shedding of His blood.” –The Sanctified Life, p. 56 (1883).

“When Christ’s followers give back to the Lord His own, they are accumulating treasure which will be given to them when they shall hear the words, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant;… enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’ ‘Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ Matthew 25:23; Hebrews 12:2. The joy of seeing souls redeemed, souls eternally saved, is the reward of all that put their feet in the footprints of Him who said, ‘Follow Me.’” –The Desire of Ages, p. 523.

7. To what extent would He be the object of contempt and reproach? Of the multitudes to whom He ministered, how many of them demonstrated care for Him?

Psalms 69:20; 142:4 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none…. 142:4I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

Matthew 26:37, 38, 40 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful,  even  unto  death:  tarry ye here, and watch with me…. 40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

“Near the entrance to the garden, Jesus left all but three of the disciples, bidding them pray for themselves and for Him. With Peter, James, and John, He entered  its secluded recesses. These three disciples were Christ’s closest companions. They had beheld His glory on the mount of transfiguration; they had seen Moses and Elijah talking with Him; they had heard the voice from heaven; now in His great struggle, Christ desired their presence near Him. Often they had passed the night with Him in this retreat. On these occasions, after a season of watching and prayer, they would sleep undisturbed at a little distance from their Master, until He awoke them in the morning to go forth anew to labor. But now He desired them to spend the night with Him in prayer. Yet He could not bear that even they should witness the agony He was to endure.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 686.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“We must not think that by walking in the path of obedience, we shall escape trials, for the enemy will do all in his power to hinder us from gaining heaven. But the Saviour has promised to help us. Have you trials? So had Jesus. Are you tempted?  So was He–in all points like as we are. ‘He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God.’ John 1:10-12….”  –The Upward Look, p. 325

Sabbath, April 16, 2022

Lesson 16 – The Suffering Servant, Part 1

“How unmistakably plain were Isaiah’s prophecies of Christ’s sufferings and death!… For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not…. Even the manner of His death had been shadowed forth.” –The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 225, 226.

1. According to the prophet Isaiah, how many would believe in the revelation and miraculous works of God’s Servant? Who would recognize God’s power to save man?

Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

John 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

“The  entire  system of  the  Jewish religion  was the  gospel  of  Christ presented in types and symbols. Then how inappropriate was it for those who were under the Jewish dispensation, to reject and crucify Him who was the originator and foundation of what they claimed to believe. Where did they make their mistake? They made their mistake in not believing what the prophets had said concerning Christ, ‘That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?…’

“It is not God that puts the blinder before the eyes of men or makes their hearts hard; it is the light which God sends to His people, to correct their errors, to lead them in safe paths, but which they refuse to accept–it is this that blinds their minds and hardens their hearts.” –Review and Herald, October 21, 1890.

AS A ROOT OUT OF DRY GROUND

2. How would the Lord’s faithful Servant grow before Him? Would He have special beauty to attract people’s attention?

Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow  up before him as a tender plant, and as a root  out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Revelation  5:5  And  one  of  the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

“These words [Isaiah 53:1-3] do not mean that Christ was unattractive in person. In the eyes of the Jews, Christ had no beauty that they should desire Him. They looked for a Messiah who would come with outward display and worldly glory, one who would do great things for the Jewish nation, exalting it above every other nation on the earth. But Christ came with His divinity hidden by the garb of humanity, unobtrusive, humble, poor. They compared this man with the proud boasts they had made, and they could see no beauty in Him. They did not discern the holiness and purity of His character. The grace and virtue revealed in His life did not appeal to them.

“… This chapter should be studied. It presents Christ as the Lamb of God. Those who are lifted  up with pride, whose souls are filled with vanity, should look upon this picture of their Redeemer, and humble themselves in the dust. The entire chapter should be committed  to memory. Its influence will subdue and humble the soul defiled by sin and uplifted by self-exaltation.” –(The Youth’s Instructor, December. 20, 1900) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1147.

3. How did men treat God’s Servant? How respectful were they of Him? In comparison to how human beings generally respond to provocation, how did He react to pain and suffering?

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and re- jected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Psalm 22:6, 7 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out  the lip, they shake the head.

“Think  of Christ’s humiliation. He took upon Himself fallen, suffering human nature, degraded and defiled by sin. He took our sorrows, bearing our grief and shame. He endured all the temptations wherewith man is beset. He united humanity with divinity: a divine spirit dwelt in a temple of flesh. He united Himself with the temple. ‘The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,’ because by so doing He could associate with the sinful, sorrowing sons and daughters of Adam.” –(The Youth’s Instructor, December 20, 1900) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1147.

TAKING MAN’S PAIN AND SUFFERING

4. What griefs and sorrows did the Scriptures prophesy that He would bear? What erroneous assessment did people make when they saw Him stricken and afflicted, even though they did not understand what was happening to Him?

Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Matthew  8:16, 17 When the even was come, they brought  unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: 17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

“It was generally believed by the Jews that sin is punished in this life. Every affliction was regarded as the penalty of some wrongdoing, either of the sufferer himself or of his parents…. Hence one upon whom some great affliction or calamity had fallen had the additional burden of being regarded as a great sinner.

“Thus the way was prepared for the Jews to reject Jesus. He who ‘hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows’ was looked upon by the Jews as ‘stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted;’ and they hid their faces from Him. Isaiah 53:4, 3.

“God  had given a lesson designed to prevent this. The history of Job had shown that suffering is inflicted by Satan, and is overruled by God for purposes of mercy. But Israel did not understand the lesson. The same error for which God had reproved the friends of Job was repeated by the Jews in their rejection of Christ.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 471.

5. For whom was He wounded and bruised? For what crimes did He pay a very high price? What punishment did He accept? Why was He beaten?

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.

“What a theme for meditation is the sacrifice that Jesus made for lost sinners!… How shall we estimate the blessings thus brought within our reach? Could  Jesus have suffered more? Could  He have purchased for us richer blessings? Should it not melt the hardest heart when we remember that for our sakes He left the happiness and glory of heaven and suffered poverty and shame, cruel affliction and a terrible death? Had He not by His death and resurrection opened for us the door of hope, we should have known nothing but the horrors of darkness and the miseries of despair. In our present state, favored and blessed as we are, we cannot realize from what depths we have been rescued. We cannot measure how much deeper our afflictions would have been, how much greater our woes, had not Jesus encircled us with His human arm of sympathy and love, and lifted us up.”  –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 316.

6. How far did man go from God’s path when he went astray? How aware are human beings of their real moral condition? What person would be willing to accept the consequences of other people’s faults?

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Psalm 119:176, first part I have gone astray like a lost sheep….

“He would give His life for the world, which is represented as the one lost sheep that had strayed from the fold, whose guilt as well as helplessness was charged against them and stood in the way, hindering their return.” –Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 283.

“The  human family are in trouble  because of  their  transgression of the Father’s law. But God does not leave the sinner until He shows the remedy for sin. The only-begotten Son of God has died that we might live. The Lord has accepted this sacrifice in our behalf, as our substitute and surety, on the condition that we receive Christ and believe on Him. The sinner must come in faith to Christ, take hold of His merits, lay his sins upon the Sin Bearer, and receive His pardon. It was for this cause that Christ came into the world. Thus the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the repenting, believing sinner.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 215.

NOBODY CONSIDERED FROM WHOM HE SUFFERED

7. Did Jesus react in a discontented, complaining manner, or did He remain silent before the ones who judged and condemned Him? In whose hands did He place the physical abuse when He was struck by His persecutors?

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to  the  slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Acts 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.

1 Peter 2:23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.

“Not  one word did Jesus answer to all this. While the nails were being driven through His hands, and the sweat drops of agony were forced from His pores, from the pale, quivering lips of the innocent Sufferer a prayer of pardoning  love was breathed  for His murderers: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ All heaven was gazing with profound interest upon the scene. The glorious Redeemer of a lost world was suffering the penalty of man’s transgression of the Father’s law. He was about to ransom His people with His own blood. He was paying the just claims of God’s holy law. This was the means through which an end was to be finally made of sin and Satan, and his host to be vanquished.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, pp. 208, 209.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“God has given us sufficient evidence of His love, and we are not to doubt His goodness because we cannot understand the workings of His providence. Said the Saviour to His disciples, foreseeing the doubts that would press upon their souls in days of trial and darkness: ‘Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.’ John 15:20. Jesus suffered for us more than any of His followers can be made to suffer through the cruelty of wicked men. Those who are called to endure torture and martyrdom are but following in the steps of God’s dear Son.” –The Great Controversy, p. 47.

“But He who was to suffer death at the hands of evil men was to rise again as a conqueror over sin and the grave. Under the inspiration of the Almighty the Sweet Singer of Israel had testified of the glories of the resurrection morn. ‘My flesh also,’ he joyously proclaimed, ‘shall rest in hope. For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell [the grave]; neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.’ Psalm 16:9, 10.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 227.

Sabbath, April 23, 2022

Lesson 17 – The Suffering Servant, Part 2

“God could not do more for man than He has done in giving His beloved Son, nor could He do less and yet secure the redemption of man and maintain the dignity of the divine law. He poured out in our behalf the whole treasure of heaven; for in giving His Son He threw open to us the golden gates of heaven, making one infinite gift to those who shall accept the sacrifice and return to their allegiance to God. Christ came to our world with love as broad as eternity in His heart, offering to make man heir of all His riches and glory. In this act He unveiled to man the character of His Father, showing to every human being that God can be just and yet the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 418.

NO DEFENSE FOR THE INNOCENT

1. What did Jesus’ trial and judgment show that is all too typical of human justice? Through His innocence, for whom did He suffer and pay the penalty of sin?

Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

Acts 8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

“It  is the glory of the gospel that it is founded  upon the principle of restoring in the fallen race the divine image by a constant manifestation of benevolence. This work began in the heavenly courts. There God decided to give human beings unmistakable evidence of the love with which He regarded them.

“…  In order fully to carry out this plan, it was decided that Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, should give Himself an offering for sin. What line can measure the depth of this love? God would make it impossible for man to say that He could have done more. With Christ He gave all the resources of heaven, that nothing might be wanting in the plan for man’s uplifting. Here is love–the contemplation of which should fill the soul with inexpressible gratitude! –Counsels on Health, pp. 222, 223.

2. Although the agony that Jesus suffered on the cross was in the company of criminals, what did prophecy say about His burial? Why did He have to pass through death when He had done no wrong and had spoken not one single evil word?

Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

1 Peter 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

“The Saviour of prophecy was to come, not as a temporal king, to deliver the Jewish nation from earthly oppressors, but as a man among men, to live a life of poverty and humility, and at last to be despised, rejected, and slain. The Saviour foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures was to offer Himself as a sacrifice in behalf of the fallen race, thus fulfilling every requirement of the broken law. In Him the sacrificial types were to meet their antitype, and His death on the cross was to lend significance to the entire Jewish economy.” –The Acts of the Apostles, pp.  227, 228. “Satan assailed Him [Christ] in every point, yet He sinned not in thought, word, or deed. He did no violence, neither was guile found in His mouth. Walking in the midst of sin, He was holy, harmless, undefiled. He was wrongfully accused, yet He opened not His mouth to justify Himself. How many now, when accused of that of which they are not guilty, feel that there is a time when forbearance ceases to be a virtue, and losing their temper, speak words which grieve the Holy Spirit?” –(Manuscript 42, 1901) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1148.

GOD PERMITTED JESUS’ SUFFERING AND DEATH

3. Why did God permit Jesus to go through such terrible suffering and death? What did prophecy explain about this?

Isaiah 53:10, first part Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,…

Ezekiel 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn your- selves, and live ye.

Acts 2:22, 23 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

“The  Majesty of heaven pleased not  Himself. Whatever He did  was in reference to the salvation of man. Selfishness in all its forms stood rebuked in His presence. He assumed our nature that He might suffer in our stead, making His soul an offering for sin. He was stricken of God and afflicted to save man from the blow which he deserved because of the transgression of God’s law. By the light shining from the cross, Christ proposed to draw all men unto Him. His human heart yearned over the race. His arms were opened to receive them, and He invited all to come to Him. His life on earth was one continued act of self-denial and condescension.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 418.

4. After carrying out His supreme sacrifice, what would God’s servant feel when the plan for man’s salvation is completed?

Isaiah 53:10, last part … He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

John 17:4, 26 I have glorified thee on  the  earth: I  have finished the work which thou gavest me to do…. 26And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

“All this humiliation and anguish were endured to bring back the wanderers, guilty and thankless, to the Father’s house…. All the redeemed saints will see and appreciate as never before the love of the Father and the Son, and songs of praise will burst forth from immortal tongues. He loved us, He gave His life for us. With glorified bodies, with enlarged capacities, with hearts made pure, with lips undefiled, we shall sing the riches of redeeming love…. Rest, thank God, there is a rest for the people of God, where Jesus will lead the redeemed into green pastures, by the streams of living waters which make glad the city of our God. Then the prayer of Jesus to His Father will be answered: ‘I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.’” –Maranatha, p. 318.

MANY WILL BE JUSTIFIED

5. Seeing the result brought about by His suffering, how will Jesus rejoice in eternity? Thanks to the sacrifice of the righteous Servant, how many will be justified?

Isaiah 53:5 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:  by  his knowledge  shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Psalms 22:30; 110:3 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation…. 110:3Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holi- ness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured  the  cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

“Christ looks upon His people in their purity and perfection as the reward of all His sufferings, His humiliation, and His love, and the supplement of His glory–Christ the great center, from whom radiates all glory.” –(Review and Herald, October 22, 1908) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1180.

“How  great will be the joy when the redeemed  of the Lord shall all meet–gathered into the mansions prepared for them! O, what rejoicing for all who have been impartial, unselfish laborers together  with God in carrying forward His work in the earth! What satisfaction will every reaper have, when the clear, musical voice of Jesus shall be heard, saying, ‘Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ ‘Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’” –Counsels on Stewardship, p. 348.

6. What honor would He receive from His Father for His great offering?

Isaiah 53:12, first part Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death:…

Philippians 2:8, 9 And being found in  fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.

“On whose side are we? The world cast Christ out; the heavens received Him. Man, finite man, rejected the Prince of life; God, our sovereign Ruler, received Him into the heavens. God has exalted Him. Man crowned Him with a crown of thorns, God has crowned Him with a crown of royal majesty. We must all think candidly… the death of Christ is hope and eternal life to all who receive Him and believe in Him.” –(Letter 31, 1898) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1107.

“Those who walk even as Christ walked, who are patient, gentle, kind, meek and lowly in heart, those who yoke up with Christ and lift His burdens, who yearn for souls as He yearned for them–these will enter into the joy of their Lord. They will see with Christ the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. Heaven will triumph, for the vacancies made in heaven by the fall of Satan and his angels will be filled by the redeemed of the Lord.” –(Review and Herald, May 29, 1900) Seventh-day  Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 949.

PLEADING FOR SINNERS

7. What sins and guilt did the Saviour carry on the cross? Following His great sacrifice, for whom did He continue to plead?

Isaiah 53:12, last part  … And he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our  sins in his own  body  on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

“Christ offered up His broken body to purchase back God’s heritage…. By His spotless life, His obedience, His death on the cross of Calvary, Christ interceded for the lost race. And now, not as a mere petitioner does the Captain of our salvation intercede for us, but as a Conqueror claiming His victory. His offering is complete, and as our Intercessor He executes His self-appointed work, holding before God the censer containing His own spotless merits and the prayers, confessions, and thanksgiving of His people. Perfumed with the fragrance of His righteousness, these ascend to God as a sweet savor. The offering is wholly acceptable, and pardon covers all transgression.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 156.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“At the very commencement of His public ministry, He presents Himself in the character He sustains to man throughout His mediatorial work. He identifies Himself with sinners as their substitute, taking upon Himself their sins, numbering Himself with the transgressors, and doing the work the sinner is required to do in repentance, faith, and willing obedience. What an example is here given in the life of Christ for sinners to imitate! If they will not follow the example given them, they will be without excuse.” –Lift Him Up, p. 79.

“O the mystery of godliness–God manifest in the flesh! This mystery increases as we try to comprehend it. It is incomprehensible, and yet human beings will allow worldly, earthly things to intercept the faint view it is possible for mortals to have of Jesus and His matchless love…. How can we be enthusiastic over earthly, common things and not be stirred with this picture–the cross of Calvary, the love that is revealed in the death of God’s dear Son…?” –Maranatha, p. 318.

Sabbath, April 30, 2022

Lesson 18 – Betrayed and Pierced

“Keep before the people the cross of Calvary. Show what caused the death of Christ–the transgression of the law. Let not sin be cloaked or treated as a matter of little consequence. It is to be presented as guilt against the Son of God. Then point the people to Christ, telling them that immortality comes only through receiving Him as their personal Saviour. Arouse the people to see how far they have departed from the Lord’s ordinances by adopting worldly policy and conforming to worldly principles. These have brought them into transgression of God’s law.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 54.

1. According to prophecy, what wonderful mission was the Saviour to perform for suffering humanity? What does the New Testament call the message that Isaiah describes as “good tidings”?

Isaiah  61:1-3 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to  preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent to  proclaim liberty to  the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the  planting of  the Lord, that he might be glorified.

Luke 4:17-19 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18The Spirit of the Lord is upon preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

Matthew   4:23  And   Jesus  went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all man- ner of disease among the people.

“The work and mission of Christ in this world was not to gratify the idle curiosity of princes, rulers, scribes, priests, or peasants. He came to heal the brokenhearted…. Could Christ have spoken any word to heal the bruises of sin-sick souls, He would not have kept silent. But the precious gems of truth,  He had instructed His disciples, were not to  be cast before swine. And Christ’s deportment and silence before Herod made His silence eloquent.”  –Christ Triumphant, p. 270.

“Before sin created the need, God had provided the remedy. Every soul that yields to temptation  is wounded, bruised, by the adversary; but whenever there is sin, there is the Saviour. It is Christ’s work ‘to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives,… to set at liberty them that are bruised.’ Luke 4:18.” –Education, p. 113.

THE CORNERSTONE IN ZION

2. On what solid foundation did the Lord place Zion, where the spiritual church and each individual’s building will stand immovable?

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore  thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for  a foundation  a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation:  he that believeth shall not make haste.

Psalm 118:22, 23 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. 23This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

Luke 20:17 And he beheld  them, and  said, What  is this  then  that is written,  The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

“Centuries before the Saviour’s advent Moses had pointed to the Rock of Israel’s salvation. The psalmist had sung of ‘the Rock of my strength.’ Isaiah had written, ‘Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.’ Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 62:7; Isaiah 28:16. Peter himself, writing  by inspiration, applies this prophecy to Jesus. He says, ‘If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious: unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.’ 1 Peter 2:3-5, R.V.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 413.

3. Were the Saviour’s enemies able to recognize His merits for the great benefit of humanity? What would they say about Him?

Psalms 89:51; 74:22 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith  they  have  reproached the footsteps  of thine anointed…. 74:22Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the  foolish man reproacheth thee daily.

Matthew 26:64, 65 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further  need have we of  witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

“Because He did not come with all the majesty of a king, they utterly refused Him. But it was not simply because He did not come in splendor that they refused Him. It was because He was the embodiment of purity, and they were impure. He walked the earth a man of spotless integrity. Such a character in the midst of degradation and evil, was out of harmony with their desires, and He was abused and despised. His spotless life flashed light upon the hearts of men, and discovered iniquity to them in its odious character.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 407.

“Had  the profession of the Jewish leaders been genuine, they would have received John’s testimony and accepted Jesus as the Messiah. But they did not show the fruits of repentance and righteousness. The very ones whom they despised were pressing into the kingdom of God before them.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 278.

THE PRICE OF BETRAYAL

4. Besides the terrible fact that someone would betray and sell the Messiah, what else did prophecy relate exactly?

Zechariah 11:12, 13 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 13And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them, and cast them to the potter  in the house of the Lord.

Matthew 26:14-16 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto  the  chief priests, 15And  said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. 16And from that time he  sought opportunity to  betray him.

“Judas knew how anxious they were to obtain Jesus and offered to betray Him to the chief priests and elders for a few pieces of silver. His love of money led him to agree to betray his Lord into the hands of His bitterest enemies. Satan was working directly through Judas, and in the midst of the impressive scene of the last supper, the traitor was devising plans to betray his Master. Jesus sorrowfully  told His disciples that all of them would be offended because of Him that night.” –Early Writings, p. 166.

“Eagerly grasping the robe of Caiaphas, he implored him to release Jesus, declaring that He had done nothing worthy of death. Caiaphas angrily shook him off, but was confused, and knew not what to say. The perfidy of the priests was revealed. It was evident that they had bribed the disciple to betray his Master.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 721.

5. What did the Lord endure in silence and with dignity? What made it possible for Him to do this?

Isaiah 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

Matthew  26:67, 68 Then did they spit  in his face, and buffeted  him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, 68Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

“It  was to bring the bread of life to His enemies that our Saviour left His home in heaven. Though calumny and persecution were heaped upon Him from the cradle to the grave, they called forth from Him only the expression of forgiving love. Through the prophet Isaiah He says, ‘I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting.’ ‘He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.’ Isaiah 50:6; 53:7. And from the cross of Calvary there come down through the ages His prayer for His murderers and the message of hope to the dying thief.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 71.

CONSEQUENCES OF CRUELTY AND INJUSTICE

6. One day what will be seen by those who whipped, slapped, and pierced the Saviour? What does prophecy say will then change in their attitude?

Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the  house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for  him, as one mourneth  for  his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

John 19:37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

“In prophetic vision Zechariah was shown that day of final triumph; and he beheld also the doom of those who at the first advent had rejected Christ: ‘They shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.’ Zechariah 12:10. This scene Christ foresaw when He beheld the city and wept over it. In the temporal ruin of Jerusalem He saw the final destruction of that people who were guilty of the blood of the Son of God.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 580.

“We must hide self in Jesus, and let Him appear in our character and conversation. While we look  constantly to  Him whom our sins have pierced and our sorrows have burdened, we shall acquire strength to be like Him. Our lives, our deportment, will testify how highly we prize our Redeemer, and the salvation He has wrought out for us at such a cost to Himself.” –(Signs of the Times, March 17, 1887) Lift Him Up, p. 233.

7. What will take the place of the enormous unjust actions against God’s Son?

Zechariah 12:11-14; 13:1 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. 12And the land shall mourn, every  family  apart;  the  family  of the house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 13The family of the house of Levi apart, and their  wives apart; the  family  of  Shimei  apart,  and their wives apart; 14All the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart…. 13:1In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the in- habitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

“As God by Joel commanded, when the great day of God should be at hand, it produced a rending of hearts and not of garments, and a turning unto the Lord with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. As God said by Zechariah, a spirit of grace and supplication was poured out upon His children; they looked to Him whom they had pierced, there was a great mourning in the land,… and those who were looking for the Lord afflicted their souls before Him.” –The Great Controversy, p. 401.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“The Jews looked for the Messiah to break the oppressor’s yoke, yet they cherished the sins that had bound it upon their necks. Had Christ cloaked their sins and applauded their piety, they would have accepted Him as their king; but they would not bear His fearless rebuke of their vices. The loveliness of a character in which benevolence, purity, and holiness reigned supreme, which entertained no hatred except for sin, they despised. Thus it has been in every age of the world. The light from heaven brings condemnation on all who refuse to walk in it. When rebuked by the example of those who hate sin, hypocrites will become agents of Satan to harass and persecute the faithful.  ‘All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.’  2 Timothy 3:12.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 607.

MISSIONARY REPORT FROM THE GENERAL CONFERENCE MULTIMEDIA DEPARTMENT

To be read on Sabbath, April 30, 2022

The Special Sabbath School Offering will be gathered on Sabbath, May 7, 2022

Dear brothers, sisters, and friends of the truth,

“… Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Habakkuk 2:2.

The pioneers in Adventism understood that this Bible verse refers to visual aids illustrating the message and making it easier to understand. At that time, charts fulfilled  this purpose. Today multimedia  provide information to the world.

The church has one mission–to spread the gospel. The warnings contained in the three angels’ messages must reach the ends of the world  before  Christ will come again. Today, as never before, this is possible through the multimedia outreach. The widespread use of cell phones, tablets, and other multimedia devices has made it possible for programs containing Bible truth to reach every person instantaneously, no matter how far he or she may be from a church.

During  the  time  when movement  was restricted  because of  the emergency COVID-19 measures, millions of people stayed home, using the  Internet  to  obtain  information  and  enjoy  spiritual  connections. The church adapted quickly to this new situation, and hundreds of programs were created by the fields and unions. Hundreds of thousands of people  were reached by these programs. Seminars and symposia were conducted  in and broadcast from the multimedia  studio at the General Conference. More than two million hits were recorded from these broadcasts throughout  2020. We have never been so efficient in spreading our message as occurred during the COVID-19 crisis. We thank all of the multimedia teams that have worked tirelessly to produce these programs.

The equipment  used in multimedia  studios in the past was very expensive, and we could not even dream of having a well-equipped broadcast studio at the General Conference headquarters. However, today the prices have become much more affordable, and we are able to create and send out not only weekly but even daily programs, spreading the precious message of salvation to a perishing world. In addition, multimedia materials such as video recordings are being used in our online schools. More educational seminars and symposia for workers and ministers are needed. Even now, the members may enjoy daily programs for worship and a library of sermons and seminars published on the General Conference website, www.sda1844.org.

You may have a part in this work–even if you do not have multimedia equipment  or broadcasting experience–by donating  your funds. Your support of the Multimedia Department is very important. May God bless every cheerful, generous giver.

–Pastor Tzvetan Petkov
General Conference President

Sabbath, May 7, 2021

Lesson 19 – Events During His Great Sacrifice

“Oh, was there ever suffering and sorrow like that endured by the dying Saviour! It was the sense of His Father’s displeasure which made His cup so bitter. It was not bodily suffering which so quickly ended the life of Christ upon the cross. It was the crushing weight of the sins of the world, and a sense of His Father’s wrath. The Father’s glory and sustaining presence had left Him, and despair pressed its crushing weight of darkness upon Him and forced from His pale and quivering lips the anguished cry: ‘My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?’” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 209.

MOCKERY AND ABUSE

1. What did those who were present at Jesus’ fearful crucifixion do to express their contempt for the world’s Redeemer and His suffering?

Psalm 109:25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.

Matthew 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads.

“The cross of Calvary appeals in power, affording a reason why we should love Christ now, and why we should consider Him first, and best, and last, in everything. We should take our fitting place in humble penitence at the foot of the cross. We may learn the lessons of meekness and lowliness of mind as we go up to Mount Calvary, and, looking upon the cross, see our Saviour in agony, the Son of God dying, the Just for the unjust. Behold Him who could summon legions of angels to His assistance with one word, a subject of jest and merriment, of reviling and hatred. He gives Himself a sacrifice for sin. When reviled, He threatened not; when falsely accused, He opened not His mouth. He prays on the cross for His murderers. He is dying for them. He is paying an infinite price for every one of them. He would not lose one whom He has purchased at so great cost. He gives Himself to be smitten and scourged without a murmur. And this uncomplaining victim is the Son of God.”  –That I May Know Him, p. 65.

2. Besides the suffering of body and mind, what was prophesied concerning His bones?

Exodus 12:46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought  of the flesh abroad out  of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.

Psalm 34:20  He  keepeth  all  his bones: not one of them is broken.

John 19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

“The sacrificial lamb represents ‘the Lamb of God,’ in whom is our only hope of salvation…. The merits of Christ’s blood must be applied to the soul…. We must appropriate to ourselves the virtue of the atoning sacrifice. “The hyssop used in sprinkling the blood was the symbol of purification, being thus employed in the cleansing of the leper and of those defiled by contact with the dead. In the psalmist’s prayer also its significance is seen:

‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.’ Psalm 51:7.

“The lamb was to be prepared whole, not a bone of it being broken: so not a bone was to be broken of the Lamb of God, who was to die for us. John 19:36. Thus was also represented the completeness of Christ’s sacrifice.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 277

3. After hours of suffering and anguish, what did Jesus say?

Psalm 69:21, last part  … And  in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

“Jesus thirsted in His agony, and they gave Him vinegar and gall to drink; but when He tasted it, He refused it. The angels had viewed the agony of their loved Commander until they could behold no longer, and they veiled their faces from the sight.” –Early Writings, p. 177.

“The mission of Christ’s earthly life was now nearly accomplished. His tongue was parched, and He said, ‘I thirst.’ They saturated a sponge with vinegar and gall and offered it Him to drink; and when He had tasted it, he refused it. And now the Lord of life and glory was dying, a ransom for the race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as man’s substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.” –The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, pp. 161, 162.

4. What was offered to Him to quench His thirst? What would it have cost someone to offer Him a cup of fresh water?

Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Matthew 27:34 They gave him vine- gar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

“In  another prophecy the Saviour declared, ‘Reproach hath broken My heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave Me also gall for My meat; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink.’ Psalm 69:20, 21. To those who suffered death by the cross, it was permitted to give a stupefying potion, to deaden the sense of pain. This was offered to Jesus; but when He had tasted it, He refused it. He would receive nothing that could becloud His mind. His faith must keep fast hold upon God. This was His only strength. To becloud His senses would give Satan an advantage.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 746.

DARKNESS AT NOON

5. What occurred suddenly as Jesus hung on the cross and the people mocked Him?

Amos 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day.

Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

“The sun refused to look upon the awful scene. Jesus cried with a loud voice, which struck terror to the hearts of His murderers, ‘It is finished.’ Then the veil of the temple was rent from the top to the bottom,  the earth shook, and the rocks rent. Great darkness was upon the face of the earth. The last hope of the disciples seemed swept away as Jesus died. Many of His followers witnessed the scene of His sufferings and death, and their cup of sorrow was full.” –Early Writings, pp. 177, 178.

6. In what state were the Saviour’s enemies, even though they believed that they were full of light and had won the victory? With dense darkness everywhere for three hours beginning at noon, what should the Jews have considered?

Isaiah 59:9, 10 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. 10We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.

Luke 23:44, 45 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

“Faith and hope trembled in the expiring agonies of Christ because God had removed the assurance He had heretofore given His beloved Son of His approbation  and acceptance. The Redeemer of the world then relied upon the evidences which had hitherto strengthened Him, that His Father accepted His labors and was pleased with His work. In His dying agony, as He yields up His precious life, He has by faith alone to trust in Him whom it has ever been His joy to obey. He is not cheered with clear, bright rays of hope on the right hand nor on the left. All is enshrouded in oppressive gloom.” –Lift Him Up, p. 42.

PRAYER FOR HIS ENEMIES

7. Despite everything that was happening and His own suffering, what did Jesus pray on behalf of His accusers and executioners?

Psalm 109:4 For my love they are my adversaries: but  I give myself unto prayer.

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion  with the great, and he shall divide  the spoil with  the strong;  because he  hath  poured numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

“While  the nails were being driven through His hands, and the sweat drops of agony were forced from His pores, from the pale, quivering lips of the innocent Sufferer a prayer of pardoning love was breathed for His murderers: ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ All heaven was gazing with profound interest upon the scene. The glorious Redeemer of a lost world was suffering the penalty of man’s transgression of the Father’s law. He was about to ransom His people with His own blood. He was paying the just claims of God’s holy law. This was the means through which an end was to be finally made of sin and Satan, and his host to be vanquished.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, pp, 208, 209.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“Jesus had united with the Father in making the world. Amid the agonizing sufferings of the Son of God, blind and deluded men alone remain unfeeling. The chief priests and elders revile God’s dear Son while in His expiring agonies. Yet inanimate nature groans in sympathy with her bleeding, dying Author. The earth trembles. The sun refuses to behold the scene. The heavens gather blackness. Angels have witnessed the scene of suffering until they can look no longer, and hide their faces from the horrid sight. Christ is dying! He is in despair! His Father’s approving smile is removed, and angels are not permitted to lighten the gloom of the terrible hour. They can only behold in amazement their loved Commander, the Majesty of heaven, suffering the penalty of man’s transgression of the Father’s law.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 209.

Sabbath, May 14, 2022

Lesson 20 – His Ministry Death, and Intercession

“Sin of a private character is to be confessed to Christ, the only mediator between God and man. For ‘if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.’ 1 John 2:1. Every sin is an offense against God and is to be confessed to Him through Christ. Every open sin should be as openly confessed. Wrong done to a fellow being should be made right with the one who has been offended. If any who are seeking health have been guilty of evilspeaking, if they have sowed discord in the home, the neighborhood, or the church, and have stirred up alienation and dissension, if by any wrong practice they have led others into sin, these things should be confessed before God and before those who have been offended. ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ 1 John 1:9.” –Gospel Workers, p. 216.

DRAWING PEOPLE TO GOD

1. What special name would the Messiah have, according to prophecy? What must man do to come to God?

Isaiah 7:14, last part, 15; 8:10 … And shall call his name Immanuel. 15Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good…. 8:10Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

“‘The light of the knowledge of the glory of God’ is seen ‘in the face of Jesus Christ.’ From the days of eternity the Lord Jesus Christ was one with the Father; He was ‘the image of God,’ the image of His greatness and majesty, ‘the outshining of His glory.’ It was to manifest this glory that He came to our world. To this sin-darkened earth He came to reveal the light of God’s love–to be ‘God with us.’ Therefore it was prophesied of Him, ‘His name shall be called Immanuel.’” –The Desire of Ages, p. 19. “Through the promised Seed, the God of Israel was to bring deliverance to Zion. ‘There shall come forth a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.’ ‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall He eat, that He may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.’ Isaiah 11:1; 7:14, 15.” –Prophets and Kings, p. 695.

2. What was special about the way Jesus spoke? How were the blessings that He imparted in speaking and teaching a gift from Heaven to mankind?

Psalms 45:2; 21:6 Thou art  fairer than  the  children  of  men:  grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever…. 21:6For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

Luke 4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered  at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.  And they said, Is not  this Joseph’s son?

“The  love for souls for whom Christ died will not do that which has been  done  through  misconceptions  of  that  which was due  to  the erring, exposing their errors and weakness before a whole school. How do you think Jesus has looked upon such transactions? Had He been present He would have said to those doing these things, ‘Ye know not the Scriptures nor the power of God.’ For in the Scriptures it is plainly shown how to deal with the erring. Forbearance, kindly consideration, ‘Consider thyself lest thou also be tempted,’ would meet the stubborn, obdurate heart. Love of Jesus will cover a multitude  of sins, that they shall not prey upon the offender neither be exposed to create feelings of every stripe and character in the human breast of those to whom these errors and mistakes are laid open, and in the one thus dealt with… Now the work is to have the grace of Christ in the soul which will never, never be guilty of exposing another’s wrongs, unless it is a positive necessity. Practice in the line of Christ.” –Fundamentals of Christian Education, pp. 279, 280.

TIME OF THE MESSIAH’S COMING

3. What most important prophecy did the Lord give to Daniel to pinpoint the solemn time of the Messiah’s first coming? In what prophetic week would He appear?

Daniel 9:24, 25 … Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in ever- lasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25Know there- fore and understand, that from the going  forth  of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto  the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built  again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

“The time of the first advent and of some of the chief events clustering about the Saviour’s lifework was made known by the angel Gabriel to Daniel.… The seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety days, represent four hundred and ninety years. A starting point for this period is given … (Daniel 9:25), sixty-nine weeks, or four hundred and eighty-three years. The commandment  to restore and build Jerusalem, as completed  by the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus, went into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C. See Ezra 6:14; 7:1, 9. From this time four hundred and eighty- three years extend to the autumn of A.D. 27. According to the prophecy, this period was to reach to the Messiah, the Anointed One. In A.D. 27, Jesus at His baptism received the anointing of the Holy Spirit and soon afterward began His ministry. Then the message was proclaimed, ‘The time is fulfilled.’ Mark 1:15.” –Prophets and Kings, pp. 698, 699.

4. When the people hailed the Saviour as King before His crucifixion, what special signs of love and humility did He give to them?

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly,  O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King com- eth unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Matthew 21:7-11 And brought  the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him there- on. 8And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9And the multitudes that went be- fore, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that  cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10And when he was come into  Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

“Five hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Zechariah thus foretold the coming of the King to Israel…. Christ was following the Jewish custom for a royal entry…. No sooner was He seated upon the colt than a loud shout of triumph rent the air. The multitude hailed Him as Messiah, their King…. They could lead the triumphal procession with no royal standards, but they cut down the spreading palm boughs, Nature’s emblem of victory, and waved them aloft with loud acclamations and hosannas….” –God’s Amazing Grace, p. 47.

THE MESSIAH CUT OFF

5. As to Isaiah, Zechariah, and the psalmist, what vision was given to Daniel concerning the Messiah? When was this event to take place?

Daniel 9:26, 27 And after three- score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are deter- mined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined  shall be poured upon the desolate.

“Then, said the angel, ‘He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [seven years].’ For seven years after the Saviour entered on His ministry, the gospel was to be preached especially to the Jews; for three and a half years by Christ Himself, and afterward by the apostles. ‘In the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.’ Daniel 9:27. In the spring of A.D. 31, Christ, the true Sacrifice, was offered on Calvary….

“The one week–seven years–ended  in A.D. 34. Then by the stoning of Stephen the Jews finally sealed their rejection of the gospel; the disciples who were scattered abroad by persecution ‘went everywhere preaching the word’ (Acts 8:4); and shortly after, Saul the persecutor  was converted and became Paul the apostle to the Gentiles.” –Prophets and Kings, p. 699.

6. What glorious vision of the Son of Man did the Lord give to Daniel?

Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to  the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

“The coming of Christ as our high priest to the most holy place, for the cleansing of the sanctuary, brought to view in Daniel 8:14; the coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of days, as presented  in Daniel 7:13; and the coming of the Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi, are descriptions of the same event; and this is also represented by the coming of the bridegroom to the marriage, described by Christ in the parable of the ten virgins, of Matthew 25….

“For eighteen centuries this work of ministration continued in the first apartment of the sanctuary…. As in the typical service there was a work of atonement at the close of the year, so before Christ’s work for the redemption of men is completed, there is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary. This is the service which began when the 2300 days ended. At that time … our High Priest entered the most holy, to perform the last division of His solemn work–to cleanse the sanctuary….” –Maranatha, p. 248.

7. According to the final messianic prophecy of the Old Testament, what would occur before Jesus’ second coming?

Malachi 4:5, 6 Behold, I will send you  Elijah the prophet  before  the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: 6And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

“The closing words of Malachi are a prophecy regarding the work that should be done preparatory to the first and the second advent of Christ.”–The Southern Watchman, March 21, 1905.

“Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 62. “Our message must be as direct as was that of John. He rebuked kings for their iniquity. Notwithstanding the peril his life was in, he never allowed truth to languish on his lips….” –The Faith I Live By, p. 290.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“The prophet Malachi declares, ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.’ Malachi 4:5, 6. Here the prophet describes the character of the work. Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ, are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent. The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things. The self-denial, humility, and temperance required of the righteous, whom God especially leads and blesses, is to be presented to the people in contrast to the extravagant, health-destroying habits of those who live in this degenerate age.” –Counsels on Health, pp. 72, 73.

Sabbath, May 21, 2022

Lesson 21 – Despised but Exalted

“There stood the young Galilean, bearing no earthly honor or royal badge. Surrounding Him were priests in their rich apparel, rulers with robes and badges significant of their exalted station, and scribes with scrolls in their hands, to which they made frequent reference. Jesus stood calmly before them, with the dignity of a king. As one invested with the authority of heaven, He looked unflinchingly upon His adversaries, who had rejected and despised His teachings, and who thirsted for His life. They had assailed Him in great numbers, but their schemes to ensnare and condemn Him had been in vain. Challenge after challenge He had met, presenting the pure, bright truth in contrast to the darkness and errors of the priests and Pharisees. He had set before these leaders their real condition, and the retribution sure to follow persistence in their evil deeds.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 610.

1. In following the path of life, what fullness of joy and constant pleasure was there for God’s Son?

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Acts 2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

Psalm 21:6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance.

“The religion of Jesus is joy, peace, and happiness…. In those who possess it, the religion of Christ will reveal itself as a vitalizing, pervading principle, a living, working, spiritual energy. There will be manifest the freshness and power and joyousness of perpetual youth. The heart that receives the Word of God is not as a pool that evaporates, not like a broken cistern that loses its treasure. It is like the mountain stream fed by unfailing springs, whose cool, sparkling waters leap from rock to rock, refreshing the weary, the thirsty, the heavy laden.” –The Faith I Live By, p. 226.

“Do not think that when you walk with Jesus you must walk in the shadow. The happiest people in the world are those who trust in Jesus and gladly do His bidding.  From the lives of those who follow  Him, unrest and discontent are banished…. They may meet with trial and difficulty, but their lives are full of joy; for Christ walks beside them, and His presence makes the pathway bright….”  –In Heavenly Places, p. 62.

HE WOULD COME FOR THE GENTILES

2. What is seen in the fact that the Messiah prophetically thanked and praised God among the heathen? What kind of people would be found among them?

Psalms 18:49; 117:1, 2 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto  thy name…. 117:1O  Praise the  Lord,  all  ye  nations:  praise him, all ye people. 2For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth  of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

Acts 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

Romans 15:9 And that the Gentiles might  glorify  God  for  his mercy; as it  is written,  For  this  cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

“Christ had commanded His disciples to go and teach all nations; but the previous teachings which they had received from the Jews made it difficult for them to fully comprehend the words of their Master, and therefore they were slow to act upon them…. It was not until several years after the Lord’s ascension that their minds were sufficiently expanded to clearly understand the intent of Christ’s words, that they were to labor for the conversion of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews. Their minds were particularly called out to this part of the work by the Gentiles themselves, many of whom embraced the doctrine of Christ. Soon after the death of Stephen, and the consequent scattering of the believers throughout  Palestine, Samaria was greatly stirred. The Samaritans received the believers kindly, and manifested a willingness to hear concerning Jesus, who, in His first public labors, had preached to them with great power.” – Sketches from the Life of Paul, pp. 38, 39.

3. Did this mean that all men everywhere would welcome and embrace Him? What attitude would some people have toward Him?

Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Mark  9:12 And  he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

“Had not Micah prophesied, ‘They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek’? Micah 5:1. And had not the Promised One, through Isaiah, prophesied of Himself, ‘I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting’? Isaiah 50:6. Through the psalmist Christ had foretold the treatment that He should receive from men: ‘I am … a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him.’ Psalm 22:6-8.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 225.

HE WOULD BE MOCKED

4. Especially when would He endure an extremely negative attitude?

Psalm 22:7 All  they  that  see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head,…

Matthew 27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads.

Mark 15:29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days.

“But He stepped still lower; the man must humble Himself as a man to bear insult, reproach, shameful accusations, and abuse. There seemed to be no safe place for Him in His own territory. He had to flee from place to place for His life. He was betrayed by one of His disciples; He was denied by one of His most zealous followers. He was mocked. He was crowned with a crown of thorns. He was scourged. He was forced to bear the burden of the cross. He was not insensible to this contempt and ignominy. He submitted, but, oh! He felt the bitterness as no other being could feel it. He was pure, holy, and undefiled, yet arraigned as a criminal! The adorable Redeemer stepped  down from the highest exaltation. Step by step He humbled Himself to die–but what a death! It was the most shameful, the most cruel the death upon the cross as a malefactor.” –(Review and Herald, September 4, 1900) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1127.

5. What made it possible for the Messiah to withstand the people’s hateful actions without taking revenge against them, being irritated, or entertaining discouragement? Although on the cross He called out to His Father, into whose hands did He fully submit His life? What does this mean for us?

Psalm 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Luke 23:46 And  when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

“Yet the priests and rulers were not at rest. They had carried out their purpose in putting Christ to death; but they did not feel the sense of victory they had expected. Even in the hour of their apparent triumph, they were harassed with doubts as to what would next take place. They had heard the cry, ‘It is finished.’ ‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.’ John 19:30; Luke 23:46. They had seen the rocks rent, and had felt the mighty earthquake, and they were restless and uneasy.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 771.

AUTHORITY OVER EVERYONE AND ALL THINGS

6. After passing through the crucifixion, suffering, and contempt, what would He receive? What does this tell us about the only way that it is possible  to reach high spiritual goals?

Psalm 8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: Hebrews 2:8, 9 Thou hast put  all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left  nothing  that  is not put under him. But now we see not  yet  all things put  under him. 9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering  of  death,  crowned  with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

“On whose side are we? The world cast Christ out, the heavens received Him. Man, finite man, rejected the Prince of life; God, our sovereign Ruler, received Him into the heavens. God has exalted Him. Man crowned Him with a crown of thorns, God has crowned Him with a crown of royal majesty. We must all think candidly…. The death of Christ brings to the rejecter of His mercy the wrath and judgments of God, unmixed with mercy. This is the wrath of the Lamb. But the death of Christ is hope and eternal life to all who receive Him and believe in Him.” –(Letter 31, 1898) Seventh-day  Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1107.

7. What promise is for all who believe and trust in Jesus for life and salvation? How can we learn to have such trust?

Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all they  that  put their trust in him.

John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

“If through faith man becomes one with Christ, he can win life everlasting. God loves those who are redeemed through Christ, even as He loves His Son. What a thought! Can God love the sinner as He loves His own Son? Yes; Christ has said it, and He means just what He says. He will honor all our drafts if we will grasp His promise by living faith, and put our trust in Him. Look to Him, and live. All who obey God are embraced in the prayer which Christ offered to His Father, ‘I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them’ John 17:26. Wonderful  truth, too difficult for humanity to comprehend!” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 300.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“God made every provision in man’s behalf, creating him only a little lower than the angels. Adam disobeyed, and entailed sin upon his posterity. But God gave His only begotten Son for the redemption of the race. Christ took on Him the nature of man, and passed over the ground where Adam fell, to be tested and tried as all human beings are tested and tried. Satan came to Him as an angel of light to induce Him, if possible, to commit sin, and thus place the human race entirely under the dominion of evil. But Christ was victorious.  Satan was defeated, and the race was placed on vantage ground with God.” –This Day with God, p. 318.

Sabbath, May 28, 2022

Lesson 22 – His Resurrection and Ascension

“Christ’s favorite theme was the paternal tenderness and abundant grace of God; He dwelt much upon the holiness of His character and His law; He presented Himself to the people as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let these be the themes of Christ’s ministers. Present the truth as it is in Jesus. Make plain the requirements of the law and the gospel. Tell the people of Christ’s life of self-denial and sacrifice; of His humiliation and death; of His resurrection and ascension; of His intercession for them in the courts of God; of His promise, ‘I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.’ John 14:3.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 40.

“We have a living, risen Saviour. He burst the fetters of the tomb after He had lain there three days, and in triumph He proclaimed over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life.’ And He is coming. Are we getting ready for Him? Are we ready so that if we shall fall asleep, we can do so with hope in Jesus Christ?…” –My Life Today, p. 349.

THE MOST POSITIVE VIEW

1. Although it is possible  that the psalmist wondered if everything would end in the grave, what beautiful hope did he express?

Psalm 16:8, 9 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

“… He who was to suffer death at the hands of evil men was to rise again as a conqueror over sin and the grave. Under the inspiration of the Almighty the Sweet Singer of Israel had testified of the glories of the resurrection morn. ‘My flesh also,’ he joyously proclaimed, ‘shall rest in hope. For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell [the grave]; neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.’ Psalm 16:9, 10.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 227.

2. How did David express his assurance? What did he mean when he wrote that the body of the Holy One would not see corruption?

Psalm  16:10  For  thou   wilt   not leave my soul in hell; neither  wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Acts 2:25-27 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue  was glad; moreover  also my flesh shall rest in hope:  27Because thou  wilt  not leave my soul in hell, neither  wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

“The early disciples prayed for the Holy Spirit, and they received It; and then what did they do? They preached the word. ‘Ye men of Israel, hear these words,’ Peter declared, ‘Jesus of Nazareth,… whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning Him, I foresaw the Lord always before My face, for He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved: therefore did My heart rejoice, and My tongue was glad; moreover also My flesh shall rest in hope: because Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to Me the ways of life; Thou shalt make Me full of joy with Thy countenance.’” –Review and Herald, April 1, 1909.

AFTER THE GRAVE, THE PATH OF LIFE

3. What did he see beyond death and the grave? What made him so certain?

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

“Do not think that when you walk with Jesus you must walk in the shadow. The happiest people in the world are those who trust in Jesus and gladly do His bidding.  From the lives of those who follow  Him, unrest and discontent are banished…. They may meet with trial and difficulty, but their lives are full of joy; for Christ walks beside them, and His presence makes the pathway bright….

“When you arise in the morning, rise with the praise of God on your lips, and when you go out to work, go with a prayer to God for help…. Wait for a leaf from the tree of life. This will soothe and refresh you, filling your heart with peace and joy. Fix your thoughts upon the Saviour… Having gained renewal of strength by communion with God, we may go on our way rejoicing, praising Him for the privilege of bringing the sunshine of Christ’s love into the lives of those we meet….” –In Heavenly Places, p. 62.

4. What explanation is given of the words that David wrote, “neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption”? To whom do these wonderful words refer?

Acts 2:27, 28, 31 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance…. 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

“Peter here shows that David could not have spoken in reference to himself, but definitely of Jesus Christ. David died a natural death like other men; his sepulcher, with the honored dust it contained, had been preserved with great care until that time. David, as king of Israel, and also as a prophet,  had been specially honored by God. In prophetic vision he was shown the future life and ministry of Christ. He saw His rejection, His trial, crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension.

“David  testified that the soul of Christ was not to be left in hell (the grave), nor was His flesh to see corruption. Peter shows the fulfillment of this prophecy in Jesus of Nazareth. God had actually raised Him up from the tomb before His body saw corruption. He was now the exalted One in the heaven of heavens.” –The Story of Redemption, pp. 244, 245.

TESTIMONIES OF THE RESURRECTION

5. What is written about Jesus’ resurrection? What great event followed it?

Acts 2:32-34 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are wit- nesses. 33Therefore  being  by  the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth  this, which ye now see and hear. 34For David is not ascended into  the heavens: but  he saith himself,  The  Lord  said  unto  my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.

“Peter on the Day of Pentecost declared that the patriarch David ‘is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day.’ ‘For David is not ascended into the heavens.’ Acts 2:29, 34. The fact that David remains in the grave until the resurrection proves that the righteous do not go to heaven at death. It is only through the resurrection, and by virtue of the fact that Christ has risen, that David can at last sit at the right hand of God.

“And said Paul: ‘If the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.’ 1 Corinthians 15:16-18. If for four thousand years the righteous had gone directly to heaven at death, how could Paul have said that if there is no resurrection, ‘they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished’?” –The Great Controversy, pp. 546, 547.

6. Where did the triumphant King of glory go after His resurrection and ascension?

Psalm 24:7-10 Lift up your heads, O  ye gates; and be ye lift  up, ye everlasting  doors;  and  the  King of glory shall come in. 8Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. 9Lift  up  your  heads, O  ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the  right  hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

“The disciples no longer had any distrust of the future. They knew that Jesus was in heaven, and that His sympathies were with them still. They knew that they had a friend at the throne of God, and they were eager to present their requests to the Father in the name of Jesus. In solemn awe they bowed in prayer, repeating the assurance, ‘Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.’ John 16:23, 24. They extended the hand of faith higher and higher, with the mighty argument, ‘It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.’ Romans 8:34. And Pentecost brought them fullness of joy in the presence of the Comforter, even as Christ had promised.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 833.

FIRST FRUITS OF HIS VICTORY

7. What did the prophecy relate about whom Jesus would take with Him to the heavenly courts? Who accompanied Him on His triumphal entry into the Holy City?

Psalm 68:18 Thou hast ascended on  high,  thou  hast  led  captivity captive:  thou  hast  received  gifts for  men;  yea,  for  the  rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.

Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

“All heaven was waiting the hour of triumph when Jesus should ascend to His Father. Angels came to receive the King of glory and to escort Him triumphantly to heaven. After Jesus had blessed His disciples, He was parted from them and taken up. And as He led the way upward, the multitude of captives who were raised at His resurrection followed. A multitude  of the heavenly host were in attendance, while in heaven an innumerable company of angels awaited His coming.…  Then all the heavenly host surrounded their majestic Commander, and with the deepest adoration bowed before Him and cast their glittering  crowns at His feet. And then they touched their golden harps, and in sweet, melodious strains filled all heaven with rich music and songs to the Lamb who was slain, yet lives again in majesty and glory.” –Early Writings, pp. 190, 191.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“The Life-giver is soon to come … to break the fetters of the tomb. He is to bring forth the captives…. The last thoughts they had were of the grave and the tomb, but now they proclaim, ‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ The pangs of death were the last things they felt…. When they awake the pain is all gone. ‘O grave, where is thy victory?’ Here they stand, and the finishing touch of immortality is put upon them, and they go up to meet their Lord in the air. The gates of the city of God swing back upon their hinges,… and the ransomed of God walk in through the cherubims and seraphims. Christ bids them welcome and puts upon them His benediction. ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant:… enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’ What is that joy? He sees of the travail of His soul, and is satisfied.” –My Life Today, p. 349.

Sabbath, June 4, 2022

Lesson 23 – Light of the Gentiles

“Many who were longing for the light of truth were being led astray by false teachers into the bewildering mazes of philosophy and spiritism; others were placing their trust in a form of godliness, but were not bringing true holiness into the life practice. The outlook seemed hopeless; but soon the scene changed, and before the eyes of the prophet was spread a wondrous vision. He saw the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and, lost in admiration, he exclaimed: ‘The dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first He lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light….” –Prophets and Kings, p. 373.

1. What forerunner proclaimed a message of repentance and preparation before God manifested His glory? What is the meaning of the valleys being exalted and the mountains made low?

Isaiah 40:3-5 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in  the  desert  a  highway for  our God. 4Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

“John was called to do a special work; he was to prepare the way of the Lord, to make straight His paths…. The Lord gave him his message. Did he go to the priests and rulers and ask if he might proclaim this message? No, God put him away from them that he might not be influenced by their spirit and teaching. He was the voice of one crying in the wilderness…. This [Isaiah 40:3-5] is the very message that must be given to our people; we are near the end of time, and the message is, Clear the King’s highway; gather out the stones; raise up a standard for the people. The people must be awakened. It is no time now to cry peace and safety. We are exhorted to ‘cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.’ Isaiah 5:1.” –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 410.

AFTER THE GRAVE, THE PATH OF LIFE

2. Because of the righteousness that He would purchase with His own blood, what would the Son of God become for the people He created? What would He be for the nations?

Isaiah 42:6-8 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 8I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Matthew  26:27, 28 And  he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28For this is my blood  of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

“Jesus Christ is our spiritual touchstone. He reveals the Father…. The mind must be prepared to appreciate the work and words of Christ, for He came from heaven to awaken a desire and to give the bread of life to all who hunger for spiritual knowledge. Inspiration declared that His mission was to preach the gospel to the poor, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. His Word declared that He should set judgment on the earth, and that the isles should wait for His law; that Gentiles should come to His light, and kings to the brightness of His rising. This was the Messenger of the Covenant yet to come, the Son of Righteousness yet to rise upon our world.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 221.

3. How did prophecy define the servant whom the Lord would raise up?

Zechariah 3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

Jeremiah 33:15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of  righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

“Now  is reached the complete fulfillment of those words of the Angel: ‘Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch.’ Zechariah 3:8. Christ is revealed as the Redeemer and Deliverer of His people. Now indeed are the remnant ‘men wondered at,’ as the tears and humiliation of their pilgrimage give place to joy and honor in the presence of God and the Lamb. ‘In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely…. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy.’ Isaiah 4:2, 3.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, pp. 475, 476.

4. What would characterize the Messenger referred to as “The Branch”? What did Jesus declare about the building of His spiritual temple?

Zechariah 6:12, 13 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of  hosts, saying, Behold the  man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: 13Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of  hell shall not  prevail against it.

“The work of Christ as man’s intercessor is presented in that beautiful prophecy of Zechariah concerning Him ‘whose name is the Branch.’ Says the prophet: ‘He shall build the temple of the Lord; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His [the Father’s] throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between Them both.’ Zechariah 6:12, 13.

“‘He shall build the temple of the Lord.’ By His sacrifice and mediation Christ is both the foundation and the builder of the church of God…. “‘He shall bear the glory.’ To Christ belongs the glory of redemption for the fallen race. Through the eternal ages, the song of the ransomed ones will be: ‘Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,… to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.’ Revelation 1:5, 6.” –The Great Controversy, pp, 415, 416.

5. What wonderful fruit will the work of the spiritual Branch produce?

Isaiah 4:2  In  that  day  shall  the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent  and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

Jeremiah  23:5  Behold,  the  days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

“Now  is reached the complete fulfillment of those words of the Angel: ‘Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth My servant the Branch.’ Christ is revealed as the Redeemer and Deliverer of His people. Now indeed are the remnant ‘men wondered at,’ as the tears and humiliation of their pilgrimage give place to joy and honor in the presence of God and the Lamb. ‘In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem.’” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 476.

LIGHT TO THE GENTILES

6. How far beyond Israel would the Messiah’s light reach? What did Simeon prophesy under the moving of the Holy Spirit?

Isaiah 49:6; 60:3 And he said, It is a  light  thing  that  thou  shouldest be   my  servant  to   raise  up  the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth…. 60:3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Luke 2:31, 32 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

“This glorious Light of the world was to bring salvation to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Of the work before Him, the prophet heard the eternal Father declare: ‘It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth.’ ‘In an acceptable time have I heard Thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped Thee: and I will preserve Thee, and give Thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that Thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.’ ‘Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.’ Isaiah 49:6, 8, 9, 12.” –Prophets and Kings, pp. 373, 374.

7. How would the Gentiles respond to the gospel message? Who would fill God’s house?

Haggai 2:6, 7 For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

Isaiah 2:2, 3 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted  above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

“Centuries before, the pen of inspiration had traced this ingathering of the Gentiles; but those prophetic utterances had been but dimly understood. Hosea had said: ‘Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.’ And again: ‘I will sow her unto Me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not My people, Thou art My people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.’ Hosea 1:10; 2:23.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 174.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“The Saviour Himself, during His earthly ministry, foretold the spread of the gospel among the Gentiles. In the parable of the vineyard He declared to the impenitent Jews, ‘The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’ Matthew 21:43. And after His resurrection He commissioned His disciples to go ‘into all the world’ and ‘teach all nations.’ They were to leave none unwarned, but were to ‘preach the gospel to every creature.’ Matthew  28:19; Mark 16:15.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 174.

“The work of Sabbath reform to be accomplished in the last days is foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.’ ‘The sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, everyone that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant; even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer.’ Isaiah 56:1, 2, 6, 7.”–The Great Controversy, p. 451.

Sabbath, June 11, 2022

Lesson 24 – Lord and Officiating Priest

“The sin of Adam and Eve caused a fearful separation between God and man. And Christ steps in between fallen man and God, and says to man:

‘You may yet come to the Father; there is a plan devised through which God can be reconciled to man, and man to God; through a mediator you can approach God.’ And now He stands to mediate for you. He is the great High Priest who is pleading in your behalf; and you are to come and present your case to the Father through Jesus Christ. Thus you can find access to God; and though you sin, your case is not hopeless. ‘If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.’” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 591.

1. What supreme title did David give to the coming Messiah? Of what did the Old Testament thus testify?

Psalm 110:1, 2 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Luke 20:41-44 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son? 42And  David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 43Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. 44David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?

“‘This is the victory that overcometh  the world, even our faith.’ 1 John 5:4. It is faith that enables us to look beyond the present, with its burdens and cares, to the great hereafter, where all that now perplexes us shall be made plain. Faith sees Jesus standing  as our Mediator at the right hand of God. Faith beholds the mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for those who love Him. Faith sees the robe and crown prepared for the overcomer, and hears the song of the redeemed.” –Gospel Workers, pp. 259, 260.

LORD AND CHRIST

2. What other great reality did David proclaim in his prophecy concerning the Messiah?

Acts 2:34-36 For David is not ascended  into  the  heavens: but he  saith  himself,  The  Lord  said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35Until I make thy foes thy footstool.  36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that  same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

“Peter here shows that David could not have spoken in reference to himself, but definitely of Jesus Christ. David died a natural death like other men; his sepulcher, with the honored dust it contained, had been preserved with great care until that time. David, as king of Israel, and also as a prophet, had been specially honored by God. In prophetic vision he was shown the future life and ministry of Christ. He saw His rejection, His trial, crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension.

“David testified that the soul of Christ was not to be left in hell the (grave), nor was His flesh to see corruption. Peter shows the fulfillment of this prophecy in Jesus of Nazareth. God had actually raised Him up from the tomb before His body saw corruption. He was now the exalted One in the heaven of heavens.” –The Story of Redemption, pp. 244, 245.

3. Considering the same prophecy of David, what work would the Messiah need to complete before His mission is finished?

1 Corinthians 15:24-27 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even    the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.

1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Hebrews 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

“The sure word of prophecy will meet its final fulfillment in the glorious advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as King of kings and Lord of lords.” –Conflict and Courage, p. 242.

“Our  kingdom is not of this world. We are waiting for our Lord from heaven to come to earth to put down all authority and power, and set up His everlasting kingdom.

“Earthly  powers  are  shaken. We  need  not,  and  cannot,  expect union among the nations of the earth. Our position in the image of Nebuchadnezzar is represented by the toes, in a divided state, and of a crumbling material, that will not hold together. Prophecy shows us that the great day of God is right upon us. It hasteth greatly.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, pp. 360, 361.

“To John were opened the great events of the future that were to shake the thrones of kings and cause all earthly powers to tremble. He beheld the close of all earthly scenes, the ushering in of His reign who is to be King of kings, and whose kingdom  shall endure forever.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 315.

TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM EARTHLY RULERS

4. How does the Saviour constantly manifest His power in the experiences and lives of men?

Psalm 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

“The Lord is working. The Saviour has been promised the salvation of His people. ‘Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power.’ He who is the source of all power gives energy to souls by His Holy Spirit. His power is the light of life, a soul-energizing light. By His Spirit He works in the children of disobedience, raising to newness of life the dead in trespasses and sins, leading the transgressor to put away his sins and live the life of Christ. Henceforth the surrendered soul lives in harmony with God. The Spirit takes of the things of Christ, and shows them to him with so transforming an effect that he becomes a new man in Christ.” –The Southern Watchman, February 27, 1902.

5. What did the psalmist say of the Messiah? In contrast to those of earthly rulers, what do the Scriptures say about His scepter and throne?

Psalm 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is for  ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne,  O  God,  is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

“Though now He has ascended to the presence of God, and shares the throne of the universe, Jesus has lost none of His compassionate nature. Today, the same tender, sympathizing heart is open to all the woes of humanity. Today the hand that was pierced is reached forth to bless more abundantly His people that are in the world….

“Those who put away iniquity from their hearts and stretch out their hands in earnest supplication unto God will have that help which God alone can give them. A ransom has been paid for the souls of men, that they may have an opportunity to escape from the thralldom of sin and obtain pardon, purity, and heaven…. Those who frequent the throne of grace, offering up sincere, earnest petitions for divine wisdom and power, will not fail to become active, useful servants of Christ. They may not possess great talents, but with humility of heart and firm reliance upon Jesus they may do a good work in bringing souls to Christ….” –God’s Amazing Grace, p. 77.

LOVE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

6. What especially distinguishes the Messiah from human beings? What confidence makes it possible for a person to love Christ and His righteousness?

Psalm45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Hebrews 1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; there- fore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

“The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified. Never will it be forgotten that He whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds through the vast realms of space, the Beloved of God, the Majesty of heaven, He whom cherub and shining seraph delighted to adore–humbled Himself to uplift fallen man; that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, and the hiding of His Father’s face, till the woes of a lost world broke His heart and crushed out His life on Calvary’s cross. That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should lay aside His glory and humiliate Himself from love to man will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe.” –The Great Controversy, pp. 651, 652.

7. While on one hand Jesus rules as Lord, what ministry is He carrying out on behalf of humanity? What thoughts do we have when we understand that amid all His glory and might He is intensely interested in and loves us deeply?

Psalm 110:4-7 The Lord hath sworn, and  will  not  repent,  Thou  art  a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 5The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through  kings in the day of his wrath. 6He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. 7He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

“Christ is spoken of as walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks. Thus is symbolized His relation  to  the  churches. He is in  constant communication with His people. He knows their true state. He observes their order, their piety, their devotion. Although He is high priest and mediator in the sanctuary above, yet He is represented as walking up and down in the midst of His churches on the earth. With untiring wakefulness and unremitting vigilance, He watches to see whether the light of any of His sentinels is burning dim or going out. If the candlesticks were left to mere human care, the flickering flame would languish and die; but He is the true watchman in the Lord’s house, the true warden of the temple courts. His continued care and sustaining grace are the source of life and light.“ –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 586.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“It was Christ that spoke through Melchizedek, the priest of the most high God. Melchizedek was not Christ, but he was the voice of God in the world, the representative of the Father. And all through the generations of the past, Christ has spoken; Christ has led His people, and has been the light of the world. –Selected Messages, book 1, p. 409.

Sabbath, June 18, 2022

Lesson 25 – The Messiah’s Kingdom

“Christ  … hungered for sympathy and cooperation, that His kingdom might extend and embrace the whole world. This earth is His purchased possession, and He would have men free and pure and holy. ‘For the joy that was set before Him,’ He ‘endured the cross, despising the shame.’ Hebrews 12:2. His earthly pilgrimage was cheered by the thought that He would not have all this travail for naught, but would win man back to loyalty to God. And there are triumphs yet to be accomplished through the blood shed for the world, that will bring everlasting glory to God and to the Lamb. The heathen will be given for His inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession. Christ will see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. See Isaiah 53:11.” –Gospel Workers, p. 28

1. How do the Psalms describe the convulsive conditions existing among the people and rulers of this world?

Psalms 2:1; 21:11; 46:6 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?… 21:11For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to  perform…. 46:6The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

“God  is good, and greatly to be praised. His mercies have been freely bestowed upon us. He has surrounded us with tokens of His love. The heathen may rage and imagine vain things, but the Lord is unchangeable. He has made the strength of the everlasting hills to be a safe retreat for His people.  He has prepared  the mountains and the caves for His oppressed and persecuted children. We may sing, ‘God is our refuge and strength in time of trial.’ He who made the towering mountains, the everlasting hills–to Him we may look.” –This Day with God, p. 24

OPPOSITION TO GOD AND HIS ANOINTED

2. Against whom does this world rebel and conspire? Who is “His Anointed”?

Psalm 2:2 The kings of  the  earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,  against the Lord, and against his anointed.

Acts 4:25-28 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26The kings of the earth stood  up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27For of a truth  against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

“So weak men counseled and planned. Little did these murderers realize the uselessness of their efforts. But by their action God was glorified. The very efforts made to prevent Christ’s resurrection are the most convincing arguments in its proof. The greater the number of soldiers placed around the tomb, the stronger would be the testimony that He had risen. Hundreds of years before the death of Christ, the Holy Spirit had declared through the psalmist, ‘Why do the heathen rage, and the people  imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed…. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.’ Psalm 2:1-4. Roman guards and Roman arms were powerless to confine the Lord of life within the tomb. The hour of His release was near.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 778.

3. What is the rulers’ deliberate intent toward God’s provisions and actions?

Psalm 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Jeremiah 5:5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but  these have altogether  broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

“Men of corrupt hearts plot wickedness, as if there were no overruling Providence to cross their designs; but ‘He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.’ Psalm 2:4. The Lord declares: ‘They would none of My counsel: they despised all My reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.’ Proverbs 1:30-32.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 739.

THE LORD WILL ESTABLISH HIS SOVEREIGN

4. In His due time, how will the Lord deal with those who continue to plot and pursue their subversive plans against Him? Despite the opposition of the pagans, whom has the Lord established  as King on the holy mountain of Zion?

Psalm  2:4-6  He  that   sitteth  in the   heavens   shall   laugh:   the Lord shall have them in derision. 5Then shall he speak unto  them in  his  wrath,   and  vex  them  in his sore displeasure.  6Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Isaiah 40:15-17  Behold,  the  nations  are as a drop  of a bucket, and  are  counted   as  the  small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh  up the isles as a very little thing.  16And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient  for  a burnt  offering.  17All  nations  before   him are as nothing; and they are counted  to  him  less than  nothing, and vanity.

“How must God and His holy angels have looked upon all those preparations to guard the body of the world’s Redeemer! How weak and foolish must those efforts have seemed! The words of the psalmist picture this scene: ‘Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.’ Roman guards and Roman arms were powerless to confine the Lord of life within the narrow inclosure of the sepulcher. Christ had declared that He had power to lay down His life and to take it up again. The hour of His victory was near.” –The Spirit of Prophecy, pp. 179, 180.

5. Is the true King invested with great power like an earthly ruler, or is He a divine Being?

Psalms 2:7; 110:1, 2; 20:2 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have  I  begotten   thee….  110:1The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies…. 20:2Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion.

“‘We declare unto you glad tidings’ … in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten  Thee. And as concerning that He raised Him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, He said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore He saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption….’” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 172.

“‘Christ was God essentially, and in the highest sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore. The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by Him as His right.’”  –(Review and Herald, April 5, 1906) The Faith I Live By, p. 46.

THE TIME OF RECKONING AT HAND

6. What will happen to the wicked and the rebellious who persist in doing evil? When will this occur?

Psalms 2:8, 9; 89:23 Ask of me, and I  shall give  thee  the  heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel…. 89:23And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.

Isaiah 60:12 For  the  nation  and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

Revelation 19:11, 15 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteous- ness he doth judge and make war…. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

“God  has said, ‘Touch not  Mine anointed,  and do  My prophets  no harm.’ Men have borne false witness against God’s chosen ones. They have bruised their limbs with fetters, and burned them at the stake. The Lord will avenge His children. In proportion  as men have carried out the spirit and purposes of Satan in causing pain to human beings, so will they suffer. Thus will they perish who have done all in their power to compel men to transgress the law that God has commanded all to obey. [Revelation 19:11-16 quoted.]”  –Review and Herald, June 19, 1900. “Soon there appears in the east a small black cloud, about half the size of a man’s hand. It is the cloud which surrounds the Saviour and which seems in the distance to be shrouded in darkness…. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror. Not now a ‘Man of Sorrows,’ to drink the bitter cup of shame and woe, He comes, victor in heaven and earth, to judge the living and the dead.” –The Great Controversy, p. 641.

7. What loving appeal does the Lord direct not only to regular people but also to rulers and kings? What wonderful experience will be made by all who hear and accept His invitation of love?

Psalms 2:10-12; 100:2-5 Be wise now therefore,  O ye kings: be in- structed,  ye judges of  the  earth. 11Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put  their  trust  in him…. 100:2Serve the Lord with gladness: come be- fore   his  presence  with   singing. 3Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

“Before man can belong to the kingdom of Christ, his character must be purified from sin and sanctified by the grace of Christ…. Christ longs to manifest His grace…. He came to establish a kingdom of righteousness, and He would not be bought; He would not abandon His purpose. This earth is His purchased inheritance, and He would have men free and pure and holy…. Though Satan works through  human instrumentalities to hinder the purpose of Christ, there are triumphs yet to be accomplished through the blood shed for the world, that will bring glory to God and to the Lamb. His kingdom will extend, and embrace the whole world…. Christ will not  be satisfied till  victory is complete.”  –God’s Amazing Grace, p. 27.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“The kingdom of God’s grace is now being established, as day by day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield to the sovereignty of His love. But the full establishment of the kingdom of His glory will not take place until the second coming of Christ to this world. ‘The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,’ is to be given to ‘the people of the saints of the Most High.’ Daniel 7:27. They shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them ‘from the foundation of the world.’ Matthew 25:34. And Christ will take to Himself His great power and will reign.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 1081.

Sabbath, June 25, 2022

Lesson 26 – His Return in Power and Glory

“The kingdom of Christ in its beginning seemed humble and insignificant…. Yet in the mighty  truths committed  to  His followers the kingdom  of the gospel possessed a divine life. And how rapid was its growth, how widespread its influence! When Christ spoke this parable, there were only a few Galilean peasants to represent the new kingdom…. But the mustard seed was to grow and spread forth its branches throughout the world. When the earthly kingdoms whose glory then filled the hearts of men should perish, the kingdom of Christ would remain, a mighty and far- reaching power.” –God’s Amazing Grace, p. 17.

“Soon the Lord God of heaven will set up His kingdom, which shall never be destroyed.” –This Day with God, p. 198.

1. Who was the Father’s Co- worker in the creation of heaven and earth?

Psalm  102:25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

Hebrews 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens  are the works of thine hands.

“In the beginning, God was revealed in all the works of creation. It was Christ that spread the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. It was His hand that hung the worlds in space, and fashioned the flowers of the field. ‘His strength setteth fast the mountains.’ ‘The sea is His, and He made it’ Psalm 65:6; 95:5. It was He that filled the earth with beauty, and the air with song. And upon all things in earth, and air, and sky, He wrote the messages of the Father’s love.” –Lift Him Up, p. 46.

AT GOD’S RIGHT HAND

2. How did the Son of Man carry out His mission on earth–with human or divine support?

Psalms 80:17; 89:21 Let thy hand be   upon  the  man  of  thy  right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong  for  thyself…. 89:21With  whom  my hand shall be established:  mine  arm  also  shall strengthen him.

Acts 2:33, 34; 7:55 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost, he hath shed forth  this, which ye now see and hear. 34For David is not  ascended  into  the  heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand…. 7:55But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God,  and Jesus standing  on  the right hand of God.

“Where many have erred, was in not being careful in following God’s ideas, but their own. Christ Himself declared, ‘The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do.’ John 5:19. So utterly was He emptied of Himself that He made no schemes and plans. He lived accepting God’s plans for Him, and the Father day by day unfolded His plans. If Jesus was so wholly dependent,  and declared, ‘Whatsoever I see the Father do, that I do,’ how much more should human agents depend upon God for constant instruction, so that their lives might be the simple working out of God’s plans!” –In Heavenly Places, p. 147. “Our Saviour Himself, when bearing the test for humanity, acknowledged that of Himself He could do nothing. We also must learn that there is no strength in humanity alone. Man becomes efficient only by becoming partaker of the divine nature.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 410.

3. What high position will the Father give Him?

Psalm 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn,  higher than the kings of the earth.

Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.

“God is revealed  to us in Christ. Our Saviour is the image  of the invisible  God.  Oh, how near to heaven we may be. ‘He that hath seen Me  hath  seen the  Father,’  Christ  declared.” –The Upward Look, p. 142.

“Many  concede  that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world,  but at the same time they hold themselves away from Him, and fail to repent of their sins, fail to accept of Jesus as their personal Saviour. Their faith  is simply the assent of the mind  and judgment to the truth;  but  the  truth  is not  brought into  the  heart,  that  it  might sanctify the soul and transform the character. ‘For whom He did foreknow,  He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might  be the firstborn  among  many brethren.’ Romans 8:29.” –Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 389, 390.

4. What final decisive battle will take place between the King of kings and the rulers of this world?

Psalm 110:5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

Revelation  17:13, 14 These have one mind, and shall give their power  and strength unto the beast.   14These  shall  make  war with  the  Lamb,  and  the  Lamb shall  overcome   them:  for  he  is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

“The battle of Armageddon is soon to be fought. He on whose vesture is written the name, King of kings, and Lord of lords, is soon to lead forth the armies of heaven.” –Testimonies for the Church, p. 406. “The kingdom of God’s grace is now being established, as day by day hearts that have been full of sin and rebellion yield to the sovereignty of His love. But the full establishment of the kingdom of His glory will not take place until the second coming  of Christ to this world. ‘The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven,’ is to be given to ‘the people of the saints of the Most High.’ Daniel 7:27. They shall inherit the kingdom prepared  for them ‘from  the foundation of the world.’  Matthew  25:34. And  Christ will take to Himself His great power and will reign.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 108.

THE ETERNALLY PERMANENT THRONE

5. How will the nature of His kingdom and throne be very different from those of this earth?

Psalm 89:29, 36 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne  as the  days of  heaven…. 36His seed shall endure  for  ever, and his throne  as the sun before me.

Isaiah 9:7 Of  the  increase of  his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of Da- vid, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

“When  man was lost, the Son of God said, I will redeem him, I will become his surety and substitute. He laid aside His royal robes, clothed His divinity with humanity, stepped  down from the royal throne, that He might reach the very depth of human woe and temptation,  lift up our fallen natures, and make it possible for us to be overcomers–the sons of God, the heirs of the eternal kingdom. Shall we then allow any consideration of earth to turn us away from the path of truth? Shall we not challenge every doctrine and theory, and put it to the test of God’s word?” –Review and Herald, July 17, 1888.

6. While everything that is on this earth grows old and disappears, what do the Scriptures say about the kingdom of the Son?

Psalm 102:26, 27 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27But thou  art  the  same, and thy  years shall have no end.

Hebrews 1:11, 12 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

“Those who follow in the footsteps of Christ will not be seeking for show and parade. Christ is not there. He that will come after Me let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Without Me, ye can do nothing to my Name’s glory. All this world’s lusts, pleasures, and human power will pass away. Not one jot or tittle  of all the world’s pleasures and its supposed valuable treasures will be taken into the eternal world with any soul. One kind of life is spent in doing the will of God, and that life and labor shall abide forever; for the labor spent in advancing the kingdom of God in this world will carry its results into the future eternal kingdom of God.” –Review and Herald, May 9, 1899.

HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD

7. What is written in the Psalms about His return and His dealing with the world?

Psalm 96:13 Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

Isaiah 11:3, 4 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteous- ness he doth judge and make war.

“The final judgment is a most solemn, awful event. This must take place before the universe. To the Lord Jesus the Father has committed  all judgment. He will declare the reward of loyalty to the law of Jehovah. God  will be honored  and His government  vindicated  and glorified, and that in the presence of the inhabitants of the unfallen worlds. On the largest possible scale will the government of God be vindicated and exalted. It is not the judgment of one individual or of one nation, but of the whole world. Oh, what a change will then be made in the understanding of all created beings. Then all will see the value of eternal life.” –This Day with God, p. 296.

FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY

“Through faith the children of God obtain a knowledge of Christ and cherish the hope of His appearing to judge the world in righteousness, until it becomes a glorious expectation; for they shall then see Him as He is, and be made like Him, and ever be with the Lord. The sleeping saints shall then be called forth from their graves to a glorious immortality. When the day of deliverance shall come, then shall ye return and discern between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not. When Christ shall come, it will be to be admired of all those that believe, and the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” –Faith and Works, p. 115.

MISSIONARY REPORT FROM THE GENERAL CONFERENCE WORLD ASSEMBLY

To be read on Sabbath, June 25, 2022

The Special Sabbath School Offering will be gathered on Sabbath, July 2, 2022

Dear brothers and sisters around the world, it is a joy for me to write to you, wishing you the greatest blessings from heaven wherever in the world the church exists. Greetings with 2 Corinthians 9:10, 11: “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;… Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.”

“Let us not cast away our confidence, but have firm assurance, firmer than ever before. ‘Hitherto hath the Lord helped us,’ and He will help us to the end.’ 1 Samuel 7:12. Let us look to the monumental pillars, reminders of what the Lord has done to comfort us and to save us from the hand of the destroyer. Let us keep fresh in our memory all the tender mercies that God has shown us–the tears He has wiped away, the pains He has soothed, the anxieties removed, the fears dispelled, the wants supplied, the blessings bestowed–thus strengthening ourselves for all that is before us through the remainder of our pilgrimage.” –Our Father Cares, p. 224.

We now have very little time to prepare for eternity. Events tell us that Jesus Christ is coming soon for His church. “The church of God below is one with the church of God above. Believers on the earth and the beings in heaven who have never fallen constitute one church. Every heavenly intelligence is interested in the assemblies of the saints who on earth meet to worship God. In the inner court of earth they listen to the testimony of the witnesses for Christ in the outer court on earth, and the praise and thanksgiving from the worshipers below is taken up in the heavenly anthem, and praise and rejoicing sound through the heavenly courts because Christ has not died in vain for the fallen sons of Adam. While angels drink from the fountainhead, the saints on earth drink of the pure streams flowing from the throne, the streams that make glad the city of our God.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 366.

Only a few days are left until the next World Assembly. As you know, the delegates from the different  countries come together  every five years to  elect new General Conference officers and make decisions concerning God’s cause worldwide. As is also our custom, we will invite the believers from all parts of the world to attend this great event and share the blessings. The location  this time is in the Americas, more specifically South America, in the beautiful country of Peru, home of the largest Union in the church. This will surely be a very special time, for after passing through the experience of the pandemic, we will remember God’s mercies on His church, as mentioned above–“the  tears He has wiped away, the pains He has soothed, the anxieties removed, the fears dispelled, the wants supplied, the blessings bestowed.”

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the General Conference is financially responsible for this event, but we want to give you the opportunity to share the blessings by giving generously to support this major activity. One of the main reasons for this offering is to cover the expenses of the delegates from countries that do not have the means to send their delegates because of their economic situations. Other expenses also need to  be covered, including  food,  travel, lodging, and additional  expenses during  the  delegates’  sessions and public meetings. Therefore, the General Conference is now asking the church and Sabbath school members, visitors, local churches, fields, and unions to make donations for the Special Sabbath School Offering that will be gathered next Sabbath. May the Lord move your heart to give generously for this work that is the most sacred on earth.

We petition  the Lord to pour His richest blessing on each field and invite you to join in prayer for this event. May it be a great blessing for all, particularly in view of the urgency of the time in which we live and the privileges that we still have. As we meet together freely, let us use every opportunity to help God’s work to grow.

May God bless His church on earth, and may we soon be with the heavenly church for all eternity. This is my wish and prayer in the Lord. Amen.

–Pastor Humberto Avellaneda B.
General Conference Vice President

Have you ever had to be far away from your family and loved ones? How did you feel? Were you able to endure separation from them for a long time? What great joy did you feel when you heard from them, when you heard their voices, and when you knew for sure that they were well? After a conversation with them, what was your longing? For sure it was that the long separation would be over and that you could return home to hug your loved ones and enjoy their affection and tenderness. In the same way, but infinitely more so, the Lord enjoys communion with us and being in
us and with us. It is because He wanted to be close to His people that He gave the instructions: “And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8. His desire was thrilling: “And I will set My tabernacle among you: and My soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be My people.” Leviticus 26:11, 12.

Some people think that for someone to get close to God he must take the first step–and perhaps more than one. There are people who make sacrifices, perform mortifications, and undergo suffering and pain to reach God with their prayers, offerings, and human strength. However, even though such efforts show that a person is interested in finding the Lord, the quoted texts show that the initiative comes from God; He seeks man’s company and communication. God always takes the first step to come near to His people and abide with them, considering them His highly esteemed sons and daughters.

Therefore it is written: “… Israel,… the seed of Abraham My friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof,…

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of
My righteousness.” Isaiah 41:8-10.

One way for the Israelites to be close to God and have fellowship with His people was through the sanctuary. On Mount Sinai, God showed Moses the perfect model of the tabernacle and presented its complete operation–services, offerings, and sacrifices for communicating with Him. He even provided the way for His people to consult Him and receive answers to difficult problems. He was personally present inside the sanctuary in the Shekinah and outside in the pillars of cloud and fire that  shaded them, illuminated the camp, and guided them on their journeys. It was a truly wonderful privilege for them to know that their hope and salvation were secure in Him and that He was always right there with them.

About the importance of the sanctuary the Spirit of prophecy writes: “The solemn service of the sanctuary typified the grand truths that were to be revealed through successive generations. The cloud of incense ascending with the prayers of Israel represents His righteousness that alone can make the sinner’s prayer acceptable to God; the bleeding victim on the altar of sacrifice testified of a Redeemer to come; and from the holy of holies the visible token of the divine Presence shone forth. Thus through age after age of darkness and apostasy faith was kept alive in the hearts of men until the time came for the advent of the promised Messiah.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 367.

The psalmist longed to be in the court of the Lord’s house more than in any other place, “For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” There he found continual power and glory: “To see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.” He received help and support: “Send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion.” “O God, Thou art terrible out of Thy holy places: the God of Israel is He that giveth strength and power unto His people. Blessed be God.” Psalm 84:10; 63:2; 20:2; 68:35. For centuries, this is how it was for all of the believers who traveled long distances to go to the house of God.

Initially the sanctuary consisted of a removable, transportable tent. Beginning at Mount Sinai, the Levites could disassemble and then reassemble the house of worship in the different locations to which God guided His people. After they were settled in Canaan, the tabernacle had a more stable location; however, even then it was moved. Not until the time of Solomon was the portable “tent” of the tabernacle transferred into the permanent “temple” built in Jerusalem.

However, Israel did not always appreciate the great privilege of having the temple, the place of the Creator’s presence, in their midst. There were times when it ceased to be the place of attraction and blessing for the people. In times of apostasy, it was even desecrated. Because of this and also because of the people’s degenerated spiritual condition, the Lord permitted the sacred building to be destroyed by the Babylonian armies. After decades of inactivity, in the time of Ezra, the temple was rebuilt and the services were reestablished, supported by great personal sacrifice amid severe opposition. Still, deep spirituality was lacking, and Jesus found the temple desecrated and its true meaning lost from the people’s sight. When He gave His life as the one true Sacrifice for the sin of the world, thus fulfilling the prophetic symbolism of the temple and its services, the veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn from the top to the bottom without hands, ending the temple services.

After ascending to heaven, Jesus began His ministry as the High Priest according to the order of Melchisedek, first, in the Holy Place and, second, in the Most Holy Place. He lives to make intercession for His people, forgiving their sins and cleansing them from all iniquity. May the Sabbath School Lessons on this fascinating, important subject be a great inspiration to all who study them. The desires of the writer, editor, and reviewers are that God’s people will thus be blessed and drawn closer to Him.

––The brothers and sisters of the General Conference

Sabbath, July 2, 2022

Lesson 1 – Announcement of the Lamb of God

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:15.
“Plain and specific prophecies had been given regarding the appearance of the Promised One. To Adam was given an assurance of the coming of the Redeemer. The sentence pronounced on Satan, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel’ (Genesis 3:15), was to our first parents a promise of the redemption to be wrought out through Christ.” –The Acts of the Apostles, p. 222.

Communication in the beginning 

SUNDAY
1. How did the Lord communicate with man at the beginning? How complete was it?

Genesis 1:28-30, first part And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing….

“Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker; but since man separated himself from God by transgression, the human race has been cut off from this high privilege. By the plan of redemption, however, a way has been opened whereby the inhabitants of the earth may still have connection with heaven.” –The Great Controversy, p. v, Introduction.

“The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. Though formed from the dust, Adam was ‘the son of God’….

“His nature was in harmony with the will of God. His mind was capable of comprehending divine things. His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason. He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God and in perfect obedience to His will.” –Conflict and Courage, p. 11.

MONDAY
2. What did God provide for man’s physical wellbeing, and what was the man forbidden to eat? What mean of communication did the Lord use after sin’s entrance?

Genesis 2:15-17 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Numbers 12:6-8, first part And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 8With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches;
and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold:…

“Adam, in his innocence, had enjoyed open communion with his Maker; but sin brought separation between God and man, and the atonement of Christ alone could span the abyss and make possible the communication of blessing or salvation from heaven to earth. Man was still cut off from direct approach to his Creator, but God would communicate with him through Christ and angels.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 67.

TUESDAY
Results of sin

3. Who took the initiative after man fell into sin? What strange thoughts altered the direct communication between him and God?

Genesis 3:8-11 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

“But the great Lawgiver was about to make known to Adam and Eve the consequences of their transgression. The divine presence was manifested in the garden. In their innocence and holiness they had joyfully welcomed the approach of their Creator; but now they fled in terror, and sought to hide in the deepest recesses of the garden.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 57.

“While he [Adam] was engaged in his appointed work, he never thought of hiding from God, but responded as soon he heard His footsteps in the garden, and hastened to shorten the distance between him and his Maker. What precious communings he had with God! But after he sinned, he feared that every sound was the footstep of God. He did not want to see God, and when he heard Him coming, he did not hasten to meet Him, but hid himself.” –Review and Herald, January 26, 1897.

WEDNESDAY

4. What were other inescapable results of man’s fall into sin? Why could Adam and Eve no longer remain in the special place that was their home before they sinned?

Genesis 3:17-19, 23, 24; 4:7 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return…. 23Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life…. 4:7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

“There was to be cooperation between man and God. But this plan was greatly interfered with by Adam’s transgression. Satan led him to sin, and the Lord would not communicate with him after he had sinned as he did when he was without sin….
“Without the atonement of the Son of God there could have been no communication of blessing or salvation from God to man. God was jealous for the honor of His law. The transgression of that law had caused a fearful separation between God and man. To Adam in his innocence was granted communion, direct, free, and happy, with his Maker. After his transgression, God would communicate to man only through Christ and angels.” –Conflict and Courage, p. 20.

“Through disobedience to God, Adam and Eve had lost Eden, and because of sin the whole earth was cursed.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 289.

THURSDAY

5. Over time, to what spiritual level did human beings fall? What effect does sin have on the relationship between God and man?

Genesis 6:3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Isaiah 59:1, 2 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Jeremiah 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

“It is not because He is unwilling to forgive that He turns from the transgressor; it is because the sinner refuses to make use of the abundant provisions of grace, that
God is unable to deliver from sin. ‘The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.’ Isaiah 59:1, 2.” –Prophets and Kings, p. 323.

FRIDAY

Promise of deliverance and victory

6. In His great grace, what did the Lord promise man, despite his dis- obedience and moral weakness? What divine plan provided deliverance from the power of evil?

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Hebrews 2:14, 15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Ephesians 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

“When Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, they were innocent and sinless, in perfect harmony with God. Enmity had no natural existence in their hearts. But when they transgressed, their nature was no longer sinless. They became evil, for they had placed themselves on the side of the fallen foe, doing the very things that God specified they should not do. Had there been no interference on the part of God, fallen humans would have formed a firm alliance with Satan against heaven. But when the words were spoken, ‘I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel,’ Satan knew that although he had succeeded in making human beings sin, although he had led them to believe his lie and to question God, although he had succeeded in depraving human nature, some arrangement had been made whereby the beings who had fallen would be placed on vantage ground, their nature renewed in godliness. He saw that his actions in tempting them would react upon himself, and that he would be placed where he could not become conqueror.” –Christ Triumphant, p. 28.

SABBATH

Shed blood of the Lamb of God

7. What is the meaning of “thou shalt bruise His heel”? Who would one day face the forces of evil and be wounded? Why was this enormous sacrifice central to God’s plan to save man?

1 Peter 1:19, 20 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.

Revelation 13:8, last part And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

“Jesus is our atoning sacrifice. We can make no atonement for ourselves; but by faith we can accept the atonement that has been made. ‘For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.’ 1 Peter 3:18. ‘Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,… but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.’ 1 Peter 1:18, 19. It was through infinite sacrifice and inexpressible suffering that our Redeemer placed redemption within our reach. He was in this world unhonored and unknown, that, through His wonderful condescension and humiliation, He might exalt man to receive eternal honors and immortal joys in the heavenly courts. During His thirty years of life on earth His heart was wrung with inconceivable anguish. The path from the manger to Calvary was shadowed by grief and sorrow. He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief, enduring such heartache as no human language can portray.” –Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 321, 322.

The Guiltless bore the punishment

“He could have said in truth, ‘Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto My sorrow.’ Lamentations 1:12. Hating sin with a perfect hatred, He yet gathered to His soul the sins of the whole world. Guiltless, He bore the punishment of the guilty. Innocent, yet offering Himself as a substitute for the transgressor. The guilt of every sin pressed its weight upon the divine soul of the world’s Redeemer. The evil thoughts, the evil words, the evil deeds of every son and daughter of Adam, called for retribution upon Himself; for He had become man’s substitute. Though the guilt
of sin was not His, His spirit was torn and bruised by the transgressions of men, and He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” –Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 321, 322.

Sabbath, July 9, 2022

Lesson 2 – Blood of the Lamb

“And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” Exodus 12:7.
“The Israelites were required to sprinkle the doorposts with the blood of a slain lamb, in order that when the angel of death passed through the land, they might escape destruction. But if instead of doing this simple act of faith and obedience, they had barricaded the door, and taken every precaution to keep the destroying angel out, their pains would have been in vain…. When the blood was seen upon the door-post, it was enough.” –Sons and Daughters of God, p. 227.

SUNDAY

Choosing a lamb

1. When the end of the Israelites’ slavery and the day of deliverance came, what instructions did the Lord give to Moses and by him to the people?

Exodus 12:3, 4 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

“… The Lord through Moses gave direction to the children of Israel concerning their departure from Egypt, and especially for their preservation from the coming judgment. Each family, alone or in connection with others, was to slay a lamb or a kid ‘without blemish,’ and with a bunch of hyssop sprinkle its blood on ‘the two side posts and on the upper doorpost’ of the house, that the destroying angel, coming at midnight, might not enter that dwelling. They were to eat the flesh roasted, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, at night, as Moses said, ‘with your loins girded,
your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s Passover.’” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 274.

MONDAY

2. What type of animal were they to select? What did they have to do with the innocent creature? Why did they have to kill the innocent lamb right at the moment of their deliverance?

Exodus 12:5, 6, 21 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening…. 21Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

1 Peter 1:18, 19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

“The observance of the Passover began with the birth of the Hebrew nation. On the last night of their bondage in Egypt, when there appeared no token of deliverance, God commanded them to prepare for an immediate release. He had warned Pharaoh of the final judgment on the Egyptians, and He directed the Hebrews to gather their families within their own dwellings. Having sprinkled the doorposts with the blood of the slain lamb, they were to eat the lamb, roasted, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.” –The Desire of Ages. pp. 76, 77.

The blood was a sign

3. Where were they to put blood from the slain lamb? For what purpose?

Exodus 12:7, 13, 22, first part And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it…. 13And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt…. 22And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason….

“The Passover was to be both commemorative and typical, not only pointing back to the deliverance from Egypt, but forward to the greater deliverance which Christ was to accomplish in freeing His people from the bondage of sin. The sacrificial lamb represents ‘the Lamb of God,’ in whom is our only hope of salvation. Says the apostle, ‘Christ our Passover issacrificed for us.’1 Corinthians 5:7. It was not enough that the paschal lamb be slain; its blood must be sprinkled upon the doorposts; so the merits of Christ’s blood must be applied to the soul. We must believe, not only that He died for the world, but that He died for us individually. We must appropriate to ourselves the virtue of the atoning sacrifice.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 277.

WEDNESDAY

The lamb was a symbol

4. Who was represented by the Passover lamb whose blood the Israelites sprinkled on the lintel of their doors?

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

“The Jews were about to celebrate the Passover at Jerusalem, in commemoration of the night of Israel’s deliverance, when the destroying angel smote the homes of Egypt. In the paschal lamb God desired them to behold the Lamb of God, and through the symbol receive Him who gave Himself for the life of the world. But the Jews had come to make the symbol all-important, while its significance was unnoticed. They discerned not the Lord’s body. The same truth that was symbolized in the paschal service was taught in the words of Christ. But it was still undiscerned.” –The Desire of Ages, pp. 388, 389.

THURSDAY

5. What preparations did they need to make before eating the Passover lamb? What do all of these things represent?

Exodus 12:8-11 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. 10And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. 11And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.

John 6:51, 54-56 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh,
which I will give for the life of the world…. 54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

“No human agent can supply that which will satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul. But Jesus says, ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.’ ‘I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.’ Revelation 3:20; John 6:35.

“As we need food to sustain our physical strength, so do we need Christ, the Bread from heaven, to sustain spiritual life and impart strength to work the works of God. As the body is continually receiving the nourishment that sustains life and vigor, so the soul must be constantly communing with Christ, submitting to Him and depending wholly upon Him.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, pp. 18, 19.

FRIDAY

A decisive moment

6. That night, what would happen to the Egyptians who did not believe God and were not under the Lord’s redeeming grace?

Exodus 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

“While the judgments of God were falling upon the land of Egypt, the Lord directed the Israelites not only to keep their children within their houses, but to bring in even their cattle from the fields….
“As the Israelites kept their children within their houses during the time when the judgments of God were in the land of Egypt, so in this time of peril we are to keep our children separate and distinct from the world. We are to teach them that the commandments of God mean much more than we realize. Those who keep them will not imitate the practices of the transgressors of God’s law.” –Child Guidance, p. 304.

SABBATH

7. What was the sign that was placed on all of the doorposts of the believing Israelites? What great meaning did this have for every one of them? What provides shelter and life to God’s faithful people?

Exodus 12:13, 22, last part, 23 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt…. 22None of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. 23For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Hebrews 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Revelation 9:4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

“We should take this lesson to ourselves. Again the destroying angel is to pass through the land. There is to be a mark placed upon God’s people, and that mark is the keeping of His holy Sabbath. We are not to follow our own will and judgment and flatter ourselves that God will come to our terms…. That which looks unimportant to you may be of the highest consequence in God’s special plans for the preservation of your life or the salvation of your soul. God tests our faith by giving us some part to act in connection with His interposition in our behalf. To those who comply with the conditions His promise will be fulfilled.” –In Heavenly Places, p. 150.

Merits of His blood

“Christ has made reconciliation for sin, and has borne all its ignominy, reproach, and punishment; and yet while bearing sin, He has brought in everlasting righteousness, so that the believer is spotless before God…. Through the merits of His blood, you may overcome every spiritual foe, and remedy every defect of character.” –Sons and Daughters of God, p. 227.

Sabbath, July 16, 2022

Sabbath, July 23, 2022

Lesson 4 – “Let Them Make Me a Sanctuary”

Lesson 6 – The Holy Place

Lesson 7 – The Most Holy Place

Lesson 8 – Construction and Dedication

Sacrifices for Sin

Lesson 10 Ministry of the Priests

Lesson 11 In the Center of the Camp

Lesson 12 The Daily Service

Lesson 13 The Yearly Cleansing of the Sanctuary

Lesson 14 From Gilgal to Jerusalem

Lesson 15 From a Tent to a Temple

Lesson 16 Help from the Sanctuary

Lesson 17  From the First Temple to the Second