Bible Study Guides

Bible Study Guide – Abraham’s Patience

by

June 3 – 9

Key Text

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14).

Study Help: Steps to Christ, 93–104; Our High Calling, 315–319.

Introduction

“When we are in perplexity, even before we open to Him our distress, He [God] is making arrangements for our deliverance.” Our High Calling, 316.

Sunday

 1 THE DESIRES OF THE HEART

  •  What was Abraham’s heart’s desire? Genesis 15:1–3. What does God promise to those who believe in Him? Psalm 37:4, 5; Matthew 21:21, 22.

Note: “Every promise in the word of God is for us. In your prayers, present the pledged word of Jehovah and by faith claim His promises. His word is the assurance that if you ask in faith, you will receive all spiritual blessings. Continue to ask, and you will receive exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think. Educate yourself to have unlimited confidence in God. Cast all your care upon Him. Wait patiently for Him, and He will bring it to pass.” In Heavenly Places, 71.

  • When we pray for God to fulfill a desire of our heart, what else should we always include with our request? James 4:13–15; Matthew 26:39.

Note: “The consistent course is to commit our desires to our all-wise heavenly Father, and then, in perfect confidence, trust all to Him. We know that God hears us if we ask according to His will. But to press our petitions without a submissive spirit is not right; our prayers must take the form, not of command, but of intercession.” The Ministry of Healing, 230.

Monday

 2 WAITING LONGER THAN EXPECTED

  •  Explain how God answered Abraham’s prayer as soon as he finished his request? Genesis 15:3, 4.

Note: “As Abram had no son, he at first thought that his trusty servant, Eliezer, should become his son by adoption, and his heir. But God informs Abram that his servant shall not be his son and heir, but that he should really have a son.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 100, 101.

  • Even though God immediately promised Abraham a son, why didn’t He reveal at first the date when Abraham’s son would be born? Acts 1:6, 7; Proverbs 16:9; Psalm 34:8.

Note: “The Lord intended to prove the firm faith and reliance of Abram upon the promises He had made him.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 101.

“We need not expect all sunshine in this world. Clouds and storms will cluster about us, and we must be prepared to keep our eyes directed where we saw the light last. Its rays may be hidden but they … still shine beyond the cloud. It is our work to wait, to watch, to pray, and to believe. We shall prize the light of the sun more highly after the clouds disappear. We shall see the salvation of God if we trust in God in the darkness as well as in the light.” Our High Calling, 318.

  • When prayer is not answered when we expect it, what are we in danger of? 1 Corinthians 10:9, 10; Hebrews 3:12–14. Where will it lead? Genesis 16:1–6.

Note: “When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most. But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Then do not fear to trust Him, even though you do not see the immediate answer to your prayers. Rely upon His sure promise, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you’ (Matthew 7:7).” Steps to Christ, 96.

Tuesday

 3 A REWARDER OF FAITH

  •  In what two things does God want us to believe? Hebrews 11:6. What was Abraham’s initial demonstration? Genesis 15:4–6.

Note: “We should not present our petitions to God to prove whether He will fulfill His word, but because He will fulfill it; not to prove that He loves us, but because He loves us.” The Desire of Ages, 126. [Emphasis author’s.]

  • As God rejected Ishmael as the promised seed, describe how time affected Abraham and Sarah’s faith in God’s fulfilling His promise. Genesis 17:15–18; 18:9–12.

Note: “When Abraham was nearly one hundred years old, the promise of a son was repeated to him, with the assurance that the future heir should be the child of Sarah. But Abraham did not yet understand the promise. His mind at once turned to Ishmael, clinging to the belief that through him God’s gracious purposes were to be accomplished.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 146.

  • What does every answered prayer have attached to it? Genesis 18:14, 21:1, 2. What should we always remember about God’s timing compared to our timing? Habakkuk 2:3.

Note: “To every sincere prayer an answer will come. It may not come just as you desire, or at the time you look for it; but it will come in the way and at the time that will best meet your need. The prayers you offer in loneliness, in weariness, in trial, God answers, not always according to your expectations, but always for your good.” Gospel Workers, 258.

“God does not always answer our prayers the first time we call upon Him; for should He do this, we might take it for granted that we had a right to all the blessings and favors He bestowed upon us. Instead of searching our hearts to see if any evil was entertained by us, any sin indulged, we should become careless, and fail to realize our dependence upon Him and our need of His help.” The Review and Herald, March 27, 1913.

Wednesday

 4 THE NEED OF PATIENCE

  •  Why doesn’t God always let the fulfillment of a prayer happen immediately? James 1:2–4; Romans 8:24, 25.

Note: “We all desire immediate and direct answers to our prayers, and are tempted to become discouraged when the answer is delayed or comes in an unlooked-for form. But God is too wise and good to answer our prayers always at just the time and in just the manner we desire. He will do more and better for us than to accomplish all our wishes. And because we can trust His wisdom and love, we should not ask Him to concede to our will, but should seek to enter into and accomplish His purpose. Our desires and interests should be lost in His will. These experiences that test faith are for our benefit. By them it is made manifest whether our faith is true and sincere, resting on the word of God alone, or whether depending on circumstances, it is uncertain and changeable. Faith is strengthened by exercise.” The Ministry of Healing, 230, 231.

  • What assurance can we have in God’s promises even though they are not always fulfilled when we think they should be? Hebrews 6:13–18; Isaiah 55:8–11; Psalm 27:14.

Note: “Work in faith, and leave results with God. Pray in faith, and the mystery of His providence will bring its answer. At times it may seem that you cannot succeed. But work and believe, putting into your efforts faith, hope, and courage. After doing what you can, wait for the Lord, declaring His faithfulness, and He will bring His word to pass. Wait, not in fretful anxiety, but in undaunted faith and unshaken trust.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 245.

“Wait on the Lord, and again I say, Wait on the Lord. We may ask of the human agents and not receive. We may ask of God and He says, Ye shall receive. Therefore you know to whom to look; you know in whom to trust. You must not trust in man or make flesh your arm. Lean as heavily as you please upon the Mighty One who hath said, ‘Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me’ (Isaiah 27:5). Then wait and watch and pray and work, keeping your face constantly turned to the Sun of Righteousness.” Reflecting Christ, 119.

Thursday

 5 THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS

  •  What characteristic describes God’s remnant people? Revelation 14:12. Why is love, the highest round of the Christian ladder, unmentioned? 2 Peter 1:5–7; James 5:7, 8.

Note: “It is the steady purpose, the untiring effort, that will gain the victory at last. It is he who endureth to the end that shall be saved. It is they who patiently continue in well-doing that shall have eternal life and the immortal reward. … All who are engaged in this warfare with Satan and his host have a close work before them. They must not be as impressible as wax, that the fire can melt into any form. They must endure hardness as faithful soldiers, stand at their post, and be true every time.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 101, 102.

  • Explain how God is using our present trials to prepare us for the return of our Lord. Hebrews 10:35–39; Matthew 25:5; 24:13, 42–44.

Note: “In the religious life of every soul who is finally victorious there will be scenes of terrible perplexity and trial; but his knowledge of the Scriptures will enable him to bring to mind the encouraging promises of God, which will comfort his heart and strengthen his faith in the power of the Mighty One. … The trial of faith is more precious than gold. All should learn that this is a part of the discipline in the school of Christ, which is essential to purify and refine them from the dross of earthliness.” God’s Amazing Grace, 81.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     Will God give us every desire of our heart?

2     How should we react when every prayer is not answered the way we think?

3     Why can “time” be the greatest challenge to our faith?

4     In a world of instant technology, what trait do we need to cultivate?

5     Why will those who fail to develop a patient trust in God’s Word fall away?

Bible Study Guide – Abraham’s Saviour

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May 27, 2018 – June 2, 2018

Key Text

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56).

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 752–760, 785–787.

Introduction

“Through type and promise God ‘preached before the gospel unto Abraham’ (Galatians 3:8). And the patriarch’s faith was fixed upon the Redeemer to come.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 154.

Sunday

 1  A FIGURE OF CHRIST

  •  Who was Isaac a figure of? Genesis 22:7–9; Hebrews 11:17–19.

Note: “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.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 369.

  • How did God reveal to Abraham the day of Christ? Genesis 22:13; John 1:29; Isaiah 53:7.

Note: “He [Abraham] … was shown that in giving His only-begotten Son to save sinners from eternal ruin, God was making a greater and more wonderful sacrifice than ever man could make.” The Desire of Ages, 469.

Monday

 2 THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

  •  Describe how God tried to reveal to Abraham the depths of the great sacrifice He was making in giving His only begotten Son. Genesis 22:11, 12, 16; 1 John 4:9, 10.

Note: “Our heavenly Father surrendered His beloved Son to the agonies of the crucifixion. Legions of angels witnessed the humiliation and soul anguish of the Son of God, but were not permitted to interpose as in the case of Isaac. No voice was heard to stay the sacrifice. God’s dear Son, the world’s Redeemer, was insulted, mocked at, derided, and tortured, until He bowed His head in death. What greater proof can the Infinite One give us of His divine love and pity?” That I May Know Him, 20.

“The agony which he [Abraham] endured during the dark days of that fearful trial was permitted that he might understand from his own experience something of the greatness of the sacrifice made by the infinite God for man’s redemption.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 154.

  • Explain how Jesus knew, just like Isaac knew, that it was His Father that was offering Him up as the sacrifice for the whole world. Genesis 22:10; Matthew 26:38, 39; Philippians 2:8.

Note: “Jesus left His home in heaven, and came to this dark world to reach to the very depths of human woe, that He might save those who are ready to perish.” The Bible Echo, January 1, 1893.

  • What was the greatest pain Jesus suffered during His ultimate sacrifice? Psalm 69:18–21; Isaiah 53:4, 10, 12.

Note: “It was the anguish of separation from His Father’s favor that made Christ’s sufferings so acute. … His terrible anguish, caused by the thought that in this hour of need God had forsaken Him, portrays the anguish that the sinner will feel when, too late, he realizes that God’s Spirit is withdrawn from him.” Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, 464, 465.

Tuesday

 3 FORSAKEN FOR SIN

  •  Why was Christ forsaken and Isaac was not? Genesis 22:12; Matthew 27:42, 43, 46; John 3:17; 12:27; 2 Corinthians 5:21.

 Note: “The angels of heaven sympathized with their loved Commander. Gladly would they have broken their ranks and gone to His assistance. But this was not God’s plan.” The Upward Look, 223.

“Voluntarily our divine Substitute bared His soul to the sword of justice, that we might not perish but have everlasting life.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 322.

  • What is significant about Abraham’s servants staying behind and only the father and son going to the altar together? Genesis 22:3–5, 8; John 16:32.

Note: “With amazement angels witnessed the Saviour’s despairing agony. The hosts of heaven veiled their faces from the fearful sight. Inanimate nature expressed sympathy with its insulted and dying Author. The sun refused to look upon the awful scene. Its full, bright rays were illuminating the earth at midday, when suddenly it seemed to be blotted out. Complete darkness, like a funeral pall, enveloped the cross. …

“In that thick darkness God’s presence was hidden. … The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed. Had His glory flashed forth from the cloud, every human beholder would have been destroyed. And in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father’s presence.” The Desire of Ages, 753, 754.

  • How do we know that Christ was forsaken but not lost? Isaiah 54:7, 8; Acts 2:22–24, 27; 1 Corinthians 15:55–57.

Note: “Jesus was laid in the tomb. He went into the darkness of the grave, and tasted death for every man. But He did not long remain under the power of the enemy. A mighty angel came from heaven and rolled back the stone from the sepulcher. … Christ came forth from the tomb a triumphant conqueror, and led forth from their graves a multitude of captives.” The Signs of the Times, November 25, 1889.

Wednesday

 4 A RISEN SAVIOUR

  •  Describe how Abraham believed in the power of the resurrection. Genesis 22:5; Hebrews 11:19.

Note: “This son [Isaac] had been unexpectedly given; and had not He who bestowed the precious gift a right to recall His own? Then faith repeated the promise, ‘In Isaac shall thy seed be called’—a seed numberless as the grains of sand upon the shore (Genesis 21:12, last part). Isaac was the child of a miracle, and could not the power that gave him life restore it? Looking beyond that which was seen, Abraham grasped the divine word, ‘accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead’ (Hebrews 11:19).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 151, 152.

  • Explain what Christ’s death and resurrection mean to humanity. Hebrews 2:14, 15; 2Timothy 1:10; Romans 6:5.

Note: “Satan cannot hold the dead in his grasp when the Son of God bids them live. He cannot hold in spiritual death one soul who in faith receives Christ’s word of power. God is saying to all who are dead in sin, ‘Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead’ (Ephesians 5:14). That word is eternal life.” The Desire of Ages, 320.

  • How important is Christ’s victory over death to the believer? 1 Corinthians 15:12–19; 1 Peter 1:3; John 11:25, 26.

 Note: “The captives brought up from the graves at the time of the resurrection of Jesus were His trophies as a conquering Prince. Thus He attested His victory over death and the grave; thus He gave a pledge and an earnest of the resurrection of all the righteous dead.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1109.

“He alone … who is able … to raise His saints from the grave and clothe them with immortality, giving them everlasting victory over death and the grave, is able now to keep the souls of all committed to His trust against that day, and to deliver them in their perplexities.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 273.

Thursday

 5 THE JOY OF SALVATION

  •  How did Abraham feel when God revealed Christ as the Saviour over sin and death? John 8:56. Why should Christians be the world’s most joyful people? Philippians 4:4; Acts 2:25–27; 1 Thessalonians 5:16.

Note: “When in most discouraging circumstances, which would have had a depressing influence upon halfway Christians, he [Paul] is firm of heart, full of courage and hope and cheer, exclaiming, ‘Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, Rejoice’ (Philippians 4:4). The same hope and cheerfulness is seen when he is upon the deck of the ship, the tempest beating about him, the ship going to pieces. He gives orders to the commander of the ship and preserves the lives of all on board. Although a prisoner, he is really the master of the ship, the freest and happiest man on board.” My Life Today, 334.

  • Why is singing and praising the Lord an essential part of our faith? Psalms 98:1–6; 95:1–8; Revelation 15:2–4.

Note: “As the people [of Israel] journeyed through the wilderness, many precious lessons were fixed in their minds by means of song. …

“Thus their thoughts were uplifted from the trials and difficulties of the way, the restless, turbulent spirit was soothed and calmed, the principles of truth were implanted in the memory, and faith was strengthened.” Education, 39.

“If more praising of God were engaged in now, hope and courage and faith would steadily increase.” Prophets and Kings, 202.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     In what ways was Isaac a type of Christ?

2     How does Abraham’s experience reveal the depths of God’s sacrifice?

3     Explain why Christ had to experience the feeling of being forsaken.

4     What does the resurrection mean to the Christian?

5     What is the best cure for depression?

Bible Study Guide – Important Prophecies for the Last Days

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December 20, 2009 – December 26, 2009

Key Text

“Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12:10.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 635–652; Early Writings, 236, 237.

Introduction

“Daniel is standing in his lot and in his place. The prophecies of Daniel and of John are to be understood. They interpret each other.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 949.

1 What will happen when Michael (Jesus) stands up to leave the heavenly sanctuary? Daniel 12:1.

Note: “An angel returning from the earth announces that his work is done; the final test has been brought upon the world, and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts have received ‘the seal of the living God.’ [Revelation 7:2.] Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. …

“When He leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. God’s long-suffering has ended.” The Great Controversy, 613, 614.

“The ‘time of trouble, such as never was’ [Daniel 12:1], is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess and which many are too indolent to obtain. It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God.” Ibid., 622.

2 What criteria determines whether our names shall be found in the book of life? Revelation 3:5. How do we know that there will be no second chance? Luke 13:23–25; Revelation 20:15.

Note: “I want to be among that number who shall have their names written in the book, who shall be delivered. I want the overcomer’s reward. The masterly temptations of Satan will overpower many who now profess to believe the truth. Their unworthy course of action, their denial of Christ, will make it necessary for God to blot their names from the book of life. But O, may it not be so with us!” The Review and Herald, March 26, 1889.

“When we become children of God, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, and they remain there until the time of the investigative judgment. Then the name of every individual will be called, and his record examined, by Him who declares, ‘I know thy works.’ [Revelation 3:15.] If in that day it shall appear that all our wicked deeds have not been fully repented of, our names will be blotted from the book of life, and our sins will stand against us.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 987.

3 What promise is given to the “wise” and why? Daniel 12:3, 10; Matthew 13:43. What was Daniel instructed to do? Daniel 12:4, first part.

Note: “Honored by men with the responsibilities of state and with the secrets of kingdoms bearing universal sway, Daniel was honored by God as His ambassador, and was given many revelations of the mysteries of ages to come. His wonderful prophecies, as recorded by him in chapters 7 to 12 of the book bearing his name, were not fully understood even by the prophet himself; but before his life labors closed, he was given the blessed assurance that ‘at the end of the days’ [Daniel 12:13]—in the closing period of this world’s history—he would again be permitted to stand in his lot and place. It was not given him to understand all that God had revealed of the divine purpose. …

“As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special attention, as they relate to the very time in which we are living. With them should be linked the teachings of the last book of the New Testament Scriptures. Satan has led many to believe that the prophetic portions of the writings of Daniel and of John the revelator cannot be understood.” Prophets and Kings, 547.

4 What knowledge has increased since 1798? Daniel 12:4, last part.

Note: “But since 1798 the book of Daniel has been unsealed, knowledge of the prophecies has increased, and many have proclaimed the solemn message of the judgment near.” The Great Controversy, 356.

“The book of Daniel is now unsealed, and the revelation made by Christ to John is to come to all the inhabitants of the earth. By the increase of knowledge a people is to be prepared to stand in the latter days.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 105.

“The time has come for the light given him [Daniel] to go to the world as never before. If those for whom the Lord has done so much will walk in the light, their knowledge of Christ and the prophecies relating to Him will be greatly increased as they near the close of this earth’s history.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1174.

5 At the end of which prophetic period did the time of the end begin? Daniel 12:5–7. What events transpire in this time?

Note: “Already the Lord’s restraining power is being withdrawn from the earth, and Satan is seeking to stir up the various elements in the religious world, leading men to place themselves under the training of the great deceiver, who works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in the children of disobedience. Already the inhabitants of the earth are marshaling under the leading of the prince of darkness, and this is but the beginning of the end.

“The law of God is made void. We see and hear of confusion and perplexity, want and famine, earthquakes and floods; terrible outrages will be committed by men; passion, not reason, bears sway. The wrath of God is upon the inhabitants of the world, who are fast becoming as corrupt as were the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Already fire and flood are destroying thousands of lives and the property that has been selfishly accumulated by the oppression of the poor. The Lord is soon to cut short His work and put an end to sin.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 49.

6 What did Christ predict would follow the long period of papal persecution? Mark 13:24, 25. What warning did He add? Matthew 24:37–39; Luke 21:34–36.

Note: “In the Saviour’s conversation with His disciples upon Olivet, after describing the long period of trial for the church,—the 1260 years of papal persecution, concerning which He had promised that the tribulation should be shortened,—He thus mentioned certain events to precede His coming, and fixed the time when the first of these should be witnessed: ‘In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light.’ Mark 13:24. The 1260 days, or years, terminated in 1798. A quarter of a century earlier, persecution had almost wholly ceased.” The Great Controversy, 306.

“Who reads the warnings given by the fast-fulfilling signs of the times? What impression is made upon worldlings? What change is seen in their attitude? No more than was seen in the attitude of the inhabitants of the Noachian world. Absorbed in worldly business and pleasure, the antediluvians ‘knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away.’ Matthew 24:39. They had heaven-sent warnings, but they refused to listen. And today the world, utterly regardless of the warning voice of God, is hurrying on to eternal ruin.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 14.

7 What assurance was given to Daniel concerning his visions? Daniel 12:8–10.

Note: “As the message of Christ’s first advent announced the kingdom of His grace, so the message of His second advent announces the kingdom of His glory. And the second message, like the first, is based on the prophecies. The words of the angel to Daniel relating to the last days were to be understood in the time of the end.” The Desire of Ages, 234.

8 What blessing belongs to the true believers under the threefold message? Daniel 12:12; Revelation 14:13.

Note: “There are living upon our earth men who have passed the age of fourscore and ten. The natural results of old age are seen in their feebleness. But they believe God, and God loves them. The seal of God is upon them, and they will be among the number of whom the Lord has said, ‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.’ [Revelation 14:13.]” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 982.

9 What event takes place at the commencement of the seventh plague? Daniel 12:2.

Note: “In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: ‘It is done.’ Revelation 16:17.

“That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake, ‘such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.’ Verses 17,18. The firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from the throne of God seems flashing through. The mountains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side. …

“Graves are opened, and ‘many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth … awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.’ Daniel 12:2. All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. ‘They also which pierced Him’ (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.” The Great Controversy, 636, 637.

10 After this special or partial resurrection, how many living saints will there be on earth? Revelation 7:4.

Note: “The sky opened and shut and was in commotion. The mountains shook like a reed in the wind and cast out ragged rocks all around. The sea boiled like a pot and cast out stones upon the land. And as God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming and delivered the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence, and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth. The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah and rolled through the earth like peals of loudest thunder.” Early Writings, 285, 286.

“The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 59.

Additional Reading

“The Scriptures describe the condition of the world just before Christ’s second coming. James the apostle pictures the greed and oppression that will prevail. He says: ‘Go to now, ye rich men. … Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.’ James 5:1–6.

“This is a picture of what exists today. ‘Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.’ Isaiah 59:14, 15.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 91.

“The duty of old and young must be set forth in simple, positive language because our lot is cast in perilous times when it seems that truth must be overborne by falsehood and satanic delusions. In the time of testing and trial the shield of Omnipotence will be spread over those whom God has made the depositaries of His law. When legislators shall abjure the principles of Protestantism, so as to give countenance and the right hand of fellowship to Romanism, then God will interpose in a special manner in behalf of His own honor and the salvation of His people.

“The principles necessary for our youth to cultivate must be kept before them in their daily education, that when the decree shall go forth requiring all to worship the beast and his image, they may make the right decisions, and have strength to declare, without wavering, their confidence in the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, even at the very time when the law of God is made void by the religious world. Those who waver now and are tempted to follow in the wake of apostates who have departed from the faith, ‘giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,’ [I Timothy 4:1] will surely be found on the side of those who make void the law of God, unless they repent and plant their feet firmly upon the faith once delivered to the saints.

“If we are living amid those fearful perils described in the word of God, should we not be awake to the realities of the situation? Why keep so silent? Why make of the least importance the things that are of the greatest interest to every one of us? The Bible should be our dearest treasure and should be earnestly studied and zealously taught to others. How can this marvelous indifference continue upon those who have had light and knowledge?” Testimonies, vol. 5, 525.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – The World Astir

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December 13, 2009 – December 19, 2009

Key Text

“The people that do know their God shall be strong.” Daniel 11:32.

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 5, 449–454; Maranatha, 180–186.

Introduction

“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, 46.

1 How does Scripture depict worldly kingdoms being overturned? Daniel 11:1–4. Contrast this to the followers of Christ.

Note: “Many falter and fall because of the indulgence of a perverse temper. …

“God calls upon you to yield pride and stubbornness, and to let His peace rule in your hearts. A meek and quiet spirit must be cherished. Carry Christ’s meekness with you in all your labors. An excited temper and cutting censure will not impress the people or gain their sympathy. If we have the truth, we can afford to be calm and unexcited. Our language should be modest and elevated. The spirit you have cherished within has left its impression upon the countenance. Christ, enthroned in the soul-temple, will efface that fretful, peevish, unhappy look; and as the cloud of witnesses look upon a man reflecting the image of Christ, they will realize that he is surrounded by a pleasant atmosphere.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 348.

2 After years of struggle between the southern and the northern kingdoms (Daniel 11:5–19), our attention is drawn to Rome. What is written about Caesar Augustus? Daniel 11:20; Luke 2:1–3.

Note: “As in old time Cyrus was called to the throne of the world’s empire that he might set free the captives of the Lord, so Caesar Augustus is made the agent for the fulfillment of God’s purpose in bringing the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem. She is of the lineage of David, and the Son of David must be born in David’s city. Out of Bethlehem, said the prophet, ‘shall He come forth … that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.’ Micah 5:2, margin. … In a rude building where the beasts are sheltered, they [Joseph and Mary] at last find refuge, and here the Redeemer of the world is born.” The Desire of Ages, 44.

3 How did the heavenly messenger describe the actions of papal Rome? Daniel 11:31; 12:1 (cf. Daniel 8:11, 12).

Note: “The accession of the Roman Church to power marked the beginning of the Dark Ages. As her power increased, the darkness deepened. Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to the pope of Rome. Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were taught that the pope was their earthly mediator and that none could approach God except through him; and, further, that he stood in the place of God to them and was therefore to be implicitly obeyed. A deviation from his requirements was sufficient cause for the severest punishment to be visited upon the bodies and souls of the offenders. Thus the minds of the people were turned away from God to fallible, erring, and cruel men, nay, more, to the prince of darkness himself, who exercised his power through them. Sin was disguised in a garb of sanctity.” The Great Controversy, 55.

4 What is said about the faithfulness of God’s people in the time of persecution under papal Rome? Daniel 11:32.

Note: “In lands beyond the jurisdiction of Rome there existed for many centuries bodies of Christians who remained almost wholly free from papal corruption. They were surrounded by heathenism and in the lapse of ages were affected by its errors; but they continued to regard the Bible as the only rule of faith and adhered to many of its truths. These Christians believed in the perpetuity of the law of God and observed the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Churches that held to this faith and practice existed in Central Africa and among the Armenians of Asia.

“But of those who resisted the encroachments of the papal power, the Waldenses stood foremost. In the very land where popery had fixed its seat, there its falsehood and corruption were most steadfastly resisted.” The Great Controversy, 63, 64.

5 Describe the sufferings of God’s people under papal Rome. Daniel 11:33–35; Matthew 10:17–22; 24:21.

Note: “In the thirteenth century was established that most terrible of all the engines of the papacy—the Inquisition. The prince of darkness wrought with the leaders of the papal hierarchy.” The Great Controversy, 59.

“Persecution will spread the light. The servants of Christ will be brought before the great men of the world, who, but for this, might never hear the gospel. The truth has been misrepresented to these men. They have listened to false charges concerning the faith of Christ’s disciples. Often their only means of learning its real character is the testimony of those who are brought to trial for their faith. Under examination these are required to answer, and their judges to listen to the testimony borne. God’s grace will be dispensed to His servants to meet the emergency.” The Desire of Ages, 354.

6 How will history be repeated? Matthew 24:9; Revelation 12:17; Matthew 10:23.

Note: “The time is not far distant, when, like the early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of our nation in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath will be a warning to us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains. And now, instead of seeking expensive dwellings here, we should be preparing to move to a better country, even a heavenly. Instead of spending our means in self-gratification, we should be studying to economize. Every talent lent of God should be used to His glory in giving the warning to the world.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 464, 465.

7 What benefits should we draw from trials permitted by God? I Peter 1:7; Psalm 139:23, 24.

Note: “Trial is part of the education given in the school of Christ, to purify God’s children from the dross of earthliness. It is because God is leading His children that trying experiences come to them. Trials and obstacles are His chosen methods of discipline, and His appointed conditions of success. He who reads the hearts of men knows their weaknesses better than they themselves can know them. He sees that some have qualifications which, if rightly directed, could be used in the advancement of His work. In His providence He brings these souls into different positions and varied circumstances, that they may discover the defects that are concealed from their own knowledge. He gives them opportunity to overcome these defects and to fit themselves for service. Often He permits the fires of affliction to burn, that they may be purified.” The Acts of the Apostles, 524.

8 How will God interpose in behalf of His people during the last great crisis? Isaiah 26:20, 21.

Note: “In this time of prevailing iniquity we may know that the last great crisis is at hand. When the defiance of God’s law is almost universal, when His people are oppressed and afflicted by their fellow men, the Lord will interpose.

“The time is near when He will say, ‘Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.’ Isaiah 26:20, 21. Men who claim to be Christians may now defraud and oppress the poor; they may rob the widow and fatherless; they may indulge their Satanic hatred because they cannot control the consciences of God’s people; but for all this God will bring them into judgment. They ‘shall have judgment without mercy’ that have ‘showed no mercy.’ (James 2:13.) Not long hence they will stand before the Judge of all the earth, to render an account for the pain they have caused to the bodies and souls of His heritage. They may now indulge in false accusations, they may deride those whom God has appointed to do His work, they may consign His believing ones to prison, to the chain gang, to banishment, to death; but for every pang of anguish, every tear shed, they must answer. God will reward them double for their sins.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 178, 179.

9 What parallel exists between Daniel 11:36, 8:25, II Thessalonians 2:3, 4 and Revelation 13:6?

Note: “Every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists today. The doctrines devised in the darkest ages are still held. Let none deceive themselves. The papacy that Protestants are now so ready to honor is the same that ruled the world in the days of the Reformation, when men of God stood up, at the peril of their lives, to expose her iniquity. She possesses the same pride and arrogant assumption that lorded it over kings and princes, and claimed the prerogatives of God. Her spirit is no less cruel and despotic now than when she crushed out human liberty and slew the saints of the Most High.” The Great Controversy, 571.

10 What should we know concerning the final verses of Daniel 11? Habakkuk 2:3.

Note: “The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 14.

Additional Reading

“The signs of the times tell us that the end of all things is at hand. Prophecies fulfilled have become facts of history, clearly defining our position. We are standing upon the verge of the eternal world. … Our Lord forewarned His people that iniquity would abound in the last days and would have a paralyzing influence upon true godliness. Wickedness is seen and heard and felt all around us. It seems to permeate the very atmosphere, and affects the faith and love of God’s professed people. It is difficult to hold fast Christian integrity. The fact is, much which is current in our day as Christianity is indebted for its very existence to the absence of persecution. When the test of fiery trial comes, a great proportion of these who profess the faith will show that their religion was hollow formalism. …

“The days in which we live are days of peril. Carelessness, levity, love of pleasure and selfish gratification, are seen in the lives of very many professed Christians. Is this the time for Seventh-day Adventists to lose their faith and grow cold and formal? God forbid! Shall we turn traitor at the very moment when God would be most glorified by our steadfast adherence to principle? Shall we turn from the heavenly attractions now, when we can almost see the glories on the other shore? We are living in the most important period of earth’s history. By maintaining our allegiance to God, we may bear the noblest testimony for Christ and the truth.

“The true Christian will cling to the promises of God more firmly now than ever before. His heart is where he has laid up his treasure—in heaven. When right principles are despised and forsaken, then the true and loyal will show their warmest zeal and deepest love; then they will stand most firmly for truth, unpopular though it be. …

“The Lord is coming. … Let us be consistent; let our works correspond with our profession of faith.” That I May Know Him, 352.

“The judgments of God are in the land. The wars and rumors of wars, the destruction by fire and flood, say clearly that the time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. We have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final fulfillment.

“Soon strife among the nations will break out with an intensity that we do not now anticipate. The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the strained, restless relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they realize that something great and decisive is about to take place, that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis.” Maranatha, 174.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – God’s Precise Timetable

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December 6, 2009 – December 12, 2009

Key Text

“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 everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24.

Study Help: Prophets and Kings, 698–702; The Sanctified Life, 46–52.

Introduction

“The gospel message, as given by the Saviour Himself, was based on the prophecies. The ‘time’ which He declared to be fulfilled was the period made known by the angel Gabriel to Daniel.” The Desire of Ages, 233.

1 How was the prayer in Daniel 9:3–19 answered? Daniel 9:20, 21. In what ways is this experience to boost our faith today?

Note: “The angel had to reveal himself as a man before he could speak with the prophet.” The Youth’s Instructor, February 22, 1900.

“It was Gabriel, the angel next in rank to the Son of God, who came with the divine message to Daniel. …

“God has given these things to us, and His blessing will attend the reverent, prayerful study of the prophetic scriptures.” The Desire of Ages, 234.

“Like Daniel, you may make confession of your sin, and present daily supplication unto God; but however poor and unworthy and erring you may feel yourselves to be, it is your privilege to appropriate the promises of God.” The Signs of the Times, March 24, 1890.

2 For what reason was Gabriel sent to Daniel? Daniel 9:22, 23.

Note:“God had bidden His messenger: ‘Make this man to understand the vision.’ That commission must be fulfilled. In obedience to it, the angel, some time afterward, returned to Daniel, saying: ‘I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding;’ ‘therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.’ Daniel 8:27, 16; 9:22, 23, 25–27. There was one important point in the vision of chapter 8 which had been left unexplained, namely, that relating to time—the period of the 2300 days; therefore the angel, in resuming his explanation, dwells chiefly upon the subject of time.” The Great Controversy, 325.

3 What do the seventy weeks represent? Daniel 9:24.

Note: “As the 2300 days was the only period of time mentioned in chapter 8, it must be the period from which the seventy weeks were cut off; the seventy weeks must therefore be a part of the 2300 days, and the two periods must begin together. The seventy weeks were declared by the angel to date from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. If the date of this commandment could be found, then the starting point for the great period of the 2300 days would be ascertained.

“In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found. Verses 12–26. In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, 457 B.C. But in Ezra 6:14 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem is said to have been built ‘according to the commandment [‘decree,’ margin] of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.’ These three kings, in originating, reaffirming, and completing the decree, brought it to the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the 2300 years. Taking 457 B.C., the time when the decree was completed, as the date of the commandment, every specification of the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks was seen to have been fulfilled.” The Great Controversy, 326, 327.

4 What would happen at the end of sixty-nine weeks? Daniel 9:25; Acts 10:38; Luke 3:21, 22; 4:18; Mark 1:14, 15.

Note: “ ‘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’ [Daniel 9:25]—namely, sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years. The decree of Artaxerxes went into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C. From this date, 483 years extend to the autumn of A.D. 27. At that time this prophecy was fulfilled. The word ‘Messiah’ signifies ‘the Anointed One.’ In the autumn of A.D. 27 Christ was baptized by John and received the anointing of the Spirit.” The Great Controversy, 327.

5 Name two more events shown to Daniel and later fulfilled in history. Daniel 9:26. What is the warning for us today?

Note: “[In A.D. 70] both the city [of Jerusalem] and the temple were razed to their foundations, and the ground upon which the holy house had stood was ‘plowed like a field.’ Jeremiah 26:18. In the siege and the slaughter that followed, more than a million of the people perished; the survivors were carried away as captives, sold as slaves, dragged to Rome to grace the conqueror’s triumph, thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheaters, or scattered as homeless wanderers throughout the earth.” The Great Controversy, 35.

“The Saviour’s prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfillment, of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow. In the fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a world that has rejected God’s mercy and trampled upon His law.” Ibid., 36.

6 What took place in the midst of the seventieth week? Daniel 9:27. What did Jesus say about the “abomination of desolation” mentioned in Daniel 9:26, 27? Matthew 24:15–18.

Note: “ ‘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. Then the veil of the temple was rent in twain, showing that the sacredness and significance of the sacrificial service had departed. The time had come for the earthly sacrifice and oblation to cease.” The Desire of Ages, 233.

“This warning was given to be heeded … at the destruction of Jerusalem. The Christians obeyed the warning, and not a Christian perished in the fall of the city.” Ibid., 630.

7 In the third year of Cyrus’ reign, when Daniel prayed and fasted for more light, how did Heaven respond? Daniel 10:1–7.

Note: “No less a personage than the Son of God appeared to Daniel. This description is similar to that given by John when Christ was revealed to him upon the Isle of Patmos. Our Lord now comes with another heavenly messenger to teach Daniel what would take place in the latter days. This knowledge was given to Daniel and recorded by Inspiration for us upon whom the ends of the world are come.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1173.

8 What can we learn from the evidence Daniel was given of the great controversy between Christ and Satan? Daniel 10:8–14.

Note: “For three weeks Gabriel had been wrestling with the powers of darkness, and seeking to counteract the influences at work on the mind of King Cyrus. Before the contest closed, Christ Himself came to Gabriel’s help. All that heaven could do in behalf of the people of God, was done. The victory was finally gained, and the forces of the enemy were held in check all the days of Cyrus, who reigned for seven years, and all the days of his son Cambyses, who reigned about seven years and a half.” The Review and Herald, December 5, 1907.

9 Describe Daniel’s experience. Daniel 10:15–21.

Note: “In answer to his petition, Daniel received not only the light and truth which he and his people most needed, but a view of the great events of the future, even to the advent of the world’s Redeemer. Those who claim to be sanctified, while they have no desire to search the Scriptures or to wrestle with God in prayer for a clearer understanding of Bible truth, know not what true sanctification is.

“Daniel talked with God. Heaven was opened before him. But the high honors granted him were the result of humiliation and earnest seeking. All who believe with the heart the word of God will hunger and thirst for a knowledge of His will. God is the author of truth. He enlightens the darkened understanding and gives to the human mind power to grasp and comprehend the truths which He has revealed.” The Sanctified Life, 48, 49.

10 What do heavenly angels do on our behalf? Hebrews 1:13, 14.

Note: “As a people we do not understand as we should the great conflict going on between invisible agencies, the controversy between loyal and disloyal angels. Evil angels are constantly at work, planning their line of attack, controlling as commanders, kings, and rulers, the disloyal human forces. … Do not indulge in fanciful speculations. The written Word is our only safety. We must pray as did Daniel, that we may be guarded by heavenly intelligences. As ministering spirits angels are sent forth to minister to those who shall be heirs of salvation. Pray, my brethren, pray as you have never prayed before. We are not prepared for the Lord’s coming. We need to make thorough work for eternity.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1173.

“The armies of heaven are in continual warfare with satanic agencies, to obtain victories in behalf of those who do not sense their danger, and who are passing on in unconscious indifference.” Ibid., vol. 6, 1120.

Additional Reading

“The prophecies in the eighteenth of Revelation will soon be fulfilled. During the proclamation of the third angel’s message, ‘another angel’ is to ‘come down from heaven, having great power,’ and the earth is to be ‘lightened with his glory.’ [Revelation 18:1.] The Spirit of the Lord will so graciously bless consecrated human instrumentalities that men, women, and children will open their lips in praise and thanksgiving, filling the earth with the knowledge of God, and with His unsurpassed glory, as the waters cover the sea.

“Those who have held the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end will be wide-awake during the time that the third angel’s message is proclaimed with great power. During the loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation. So abundantly will the renewing Spirit of God have crowned with success the intensely active agencies, that the light of present truth will be seen flashing everywhere.

“There is to be, at this period, a series of events which will reveal that God is Master of the situation. The truth will be proclaimed in clear, unmistakable language. As a people, we must prepare the way of the Lord, under the overruling guidance of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is to be given in its purity. The stream of living water is to deepen and widen in its course. In all fields, nigh and afar off, men will be called from the plow and from the more common commercial business vocations that largely occupy the mind, and will be educated in connection with men of experience. As they learn to labor effectively, they will proclaim the truth with power. Through most wonderful workings of divine providence, mountains of difficulties will be removed, and cast into the sea. The message that means so much to the dwellers upon the earth will be heard and understood. Men will know what is truth. Onward, and still onward the work will advance, until the whole earth shall have been warned. And then shall the end come.” Maranatha, 218.

“It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who will be alive on the earth when past woes and celestial glory will be blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By the means of the angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth.

“The people of God will not be free from suffering; but … they will not be left to perish. … While the wicked are dying from hunger and pestilence, angels will shield the righteous, and supply their wants. To him that ‘walketh righteously’ is the promise, ‘Bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.’ Isaiah 33:16.” The Faith I Live By, 340.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Contrition and Confession

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November 29, 2009 – December 5, 2009

Key Text

“O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.” Daniel 9:18.

Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 1, 164–168; The Great Controversy, 409–432; Testimonies, vol. 5, 635–650; Steps to Christ, 37–41.

Introduction

“What a prayer was that which came forth from the lips of Daniel! What humbling of soul it reveals! The warmth of heavenly fire was recognized in the words that were going upward to God.” That I May Know Him, 271.

1 What had Jeremiah prophesied of the Babylonian captivity? Jeremiah 25:8–13.

Note: “Jeremiah declared that they [the Israelites] were to wear the yoke of servitude for seventy years; and the captives that were already in the hands of the king of Babylon, and the vessels of the Lord’s house which had been taken, were also to remain in Babylon till that time had elapsed. But at the end of the seventy years God would deliver them from their captivity and would punish their oppressors and bring into subjection the proud king of Babylon.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 169.

2 What did Daniel understand through study of the prophetic Scriptures? Daniel 9:1, 2; Isaiah 44:24–28; 45:1–3.

Note: “The year that Cyrus succeeded Darius the Mede to the throne of Medo-Persia marked the completion of seventy years since the first company of Hebrews had been carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, who was familiar with the prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah regarding the duration of the captivity, and with the prophecies of Isaiah regarding the restoration by decree of Cyrus, was still living, and was occupying a position of leading responsibility in the Medo-Persian court.” The Review and Herald, March 28, 1907.

3 As the prophesied time neared its fulfillment, what did Daniel see as the most urgent need? Daniel 9:3.

Note: “For nearly seventy years, Israel had been in captivity. The land which God had chosen for His own possession was given into the hands of the heathen. The beloved city, the recipient of heaven’s light, once the joy of the whole earth, was now despised and degraded. The temple that had contained the ark of God’s covenant and the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat, was in ruins. Its very site was desecrated by unholy feet. Faithful men who knew of the former glory were filled with anguish at the desolation of the holy house that had distinguished Israel as God’s chosen people. … Daniel knew that the appointed time for Israel’s captivity was nearly ended; but he did not feel that because God had promised to deliver them, they themselves had no part to act. With fasting and contrition he sought the Lord, confessing his own sins and the sins of the people.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1172.

4 What factors must we realize about genuine prayer? Proverbs 28:13.

Note: “Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is! how few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.” The Great Controversy, 621.

“Daniel did not seek to excuse himself or his people before God; but in humility and contrition of soul he confessed the full extent and demerit of their transgressions, and vindicated God’s dealings as just toward a nation that had set at nought His requirements and would not profit by His entreaties. …

“Confession of sin, whether public or private, should be heartfelt and freely expressed. It is not to be urged from the sinner. It is not to be made in a flippant and careless way or forced from those who have no realizing sense of the abhorrent character of sin. The confession that is mingled with tears and sorrow, that is the outpouring of the inmost soul, finds its way to the God of infinite pity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 636, 637.

5 What did Daniel declare in his prayer? Daniel 9:4–6.

Note: “Daniel does not proclaim his own fidelity before the Lord. Instead of claiming to be pure and holy, this honored prophet humbly identifies himself with the really sinful of Israel. The wisdom which God had imparted to him was as far superior to the wisdom of the great men of the world as the light of the sun shining in the heavens at noonday is brighter than the feeblest star. Yet ponder the prayer from the lips of this man so highly favored of Heaven. With deep humiliation, with tears and rending of heart, he pleads for himself and for his people. He lays his soul open before God, confessing his own unworthiness and acknowledging the Lord’s greatness and majesty.” The Sanctified Life, 46, 47.

6 What qualities of Daniel do we need to adopt? Isaiah 57:15.

Note: “That God who heard Daniel’s prayer will hear ours when we come to Him in contrition. Our necessities are as urgent, our difficulties are as great, and we need to have the same intensity of purpose, and in faith roll our burden upon the great Burden Bearer. There is need for hearts to be as deeply moved in our time as in the time when Daniel prayed.” That I May Know Him, 271.

“What earnestness and fervor characterize his [Daniel’s] supplications! The hand of faith is reached upward to grasp the never-failing promises of the Most High. His soul is wrestling in agony. … If we as a people would pray as Daniel prayed, and wrestle as he wrestled, humbling our souls before God, we should realize as marked answers to our petitions as were granted to Daniel.” The Sanctified Life, 47.

7 What did Daniel declare of his nation and why? Daniel 9:7–12. How did Christ later summarize the situation? Matthew 23:34, 35.

Note: “For ages Judah had been the repository of sacred truth. Here the knowledge of Jehovah had been cherished and preserved, when God had not been acknowledged among the nations, and His worship was lost in the earth. The streets of Jerusalem had been trodden by angel feet, and its very soil had been sacred to God. From its temple prayer and praise had ascended to God. From its altar the bleeding sacrifice had testified to human guilt, pointing to the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. The Lord had sent them messages of warning and reproof, of consolation and promise, by His prophets, rising up early and sending them, but they had beaten one and stoned another.” The Review and Herald, April 18, 1893.

8 Why had woes come upon Judah? What was Daniel’s main concern? Daniel 9:13–19. What should this make us consider today?

Note: “When sin has deadened the moral perceptions, the wrong-doer does not discern the defects of his character nor realize the enormity of the evil he has committed; and unless he yields to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit he remains in partial blindness to his sin. His confessions are not sincere and in earnest. To every acknowledgment of his guilt he adds an apology in excuse of his course, declaring that if it had not been for certain circumstances, he would not have done this or that for which he is reproved. But the examples in God’s word of genuine repentance and humiliation reveal a spirit of confession in which there is no excuse for sin or attempt at self-justification.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 641.

9 Name some important points of contrast between true and false confession. II Corinthians 7:10; James 5:16.

Note: “This scripture has been interpreted to sustain the practice of going to the priest for absolution; but it has no such application. Confess your sins to God, who only can forgive them, and your faults to one another. If you have given offense to your friend or neighbor you are to acknowledge your wrong, and it is his duty freely to forgive you. Then you are to seek the forgiveness of God because the brother whom you wounded is the property of God, and in injuring him you sinned against his Creator and Redeemer. The case is not brought before the priest at all, but before the only true mediator, our great High Priest, who ‘was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin,’ and who is ‘touched with the feeling of our infirmities’ [Hebrews 4:15] and is able to cleanse from every stain of iniquity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 639.

10 Why is true confession so important for us today? Psalm 34:18.

Note: “If ever a people needed to offer a prayer such as Daniel offered, it is our people. There is among them such self-confidence, such presumption! The Lord has been sending light to them, but the testimonies of His Spirit have not been heeded.” Selections from the Testimonies for the Church, 70, 71.

“Confession will not be acceptable to God without sincere repentance and reformation. There must be decided changes in the life; everything offensive to God must be put away. This will be the result of genuine sorrow for sin.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 640.

Additional Reading

“When a crisis finally comes, as it surely will, and God speaks in behalf of His people, those who have sinned, those who have been a cloud of darkness and who have stood directly in the way of God’s working for His people, may become alarmed at the length they have gone in murmuring and in bringing discouragement upon the cause; and, like Achan, becoming terrified, they may acknowledge that they have sinned. But their confessions are too late and are not of the right kind to benefit themselves, although they may relieve the cause of God. Such do not make their confessions because of a conviction of their true state and a sense of how displeasing their course has been to God. God may give this class another test, another proving, and let them show that they are no better prepared to stand free from all rebellion and sin than before their confessions were made. They are inclined to be ever on the side of wrong. And when the call is made for those who will be on the Lord’s side to make a decided move to vindicate the right, they will manifest their true position. Those who have been nearly all their lives controlled by a spirit as foreign to the Spirit of God as was Achan’s will be very passive when the time comes for decided action on the part of all. They will not claim to be on either side. The power of Satan has so long held them that they seem blinded and have no inclination to stand in defense of right. If they do not take a determined course on the wrong side, it is not because they have a clear sense of the right, but because they dare not.

“God will not be trifled with. It is in the time of conflict that the true colors should be flung to the breeze. It is then that the standard-bearers need to be firm and let their true position be known. It is then that the skill of every true soldier for the right is tested. Shirkers can never wear the laurels of victory. Those who are true and loyal will not conceal the fact, but will put heart and might into the work, and venture their all in the struggle, let the battle turn as it will. God is a sin-hating God. And those who encourage the sinner, saying, It is well with thee, God will curse.

“Confessions of sin made at the right time to relieve the people of God will be accepted of Him. But there are those among us who will make confessions, as did Achan, too late to save themselves. God may prove them and give them another trial, for the sake of evidencing to His people that they will not endure one test, one proving of God. They are not in harmony with right. They despise the straight testimony that reaches the heart, and would rejoice to see everyone silenced who gives reproof.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 272, 273.

©2005 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Everlasting Grace

by

May 13 – 19

Key Text

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 363–373; Faith and Works, 15–28.

Introduction

“Grace means favor to one who is undeserving, to one who is lost. The fact that we are sinners, instead of shutting us away from the mercy and love of God, makes the exercise of His love to us a positive necessity in order that we may be saved.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 347.

Sunday

 1   THE NEW COVENANT OF PROMISE

  •  In what way did God make the new covenant with Abraham—and what did God later do to confirm this covenant and why? Galatians 3:14–18; Hebrews 6:13–18.
  • What had Abraham done of himself to deserve these covenant blessings—and what does that teach us about God’s attitude toward sinners? Genesis 12:1–3; 1 Corinthians 1:26–31; Romans 3:10–12.

Note: “Grace is an attribute of God exercised toward undeserving human beings. We did not seek for it, but it was sent in search of us. God rejoices to bestow His grace upon us, not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy. …

“It is His [God’s] glory to pardon the chief of sinners.” The Ministry of Healing, 161.

“The more unworthy the receiver, the more glorious the mercy of God.” General Conference Daily Bulletin, January 28, 1893.

Monday

 2   THE OLD COVENANT OF WORKS

  •  Why did God make another covenant through Moses 430 years later—and why can’t it disannul the new covenant of promise? Deuteronomy 4:12, 13; Exodus 19:5–7; Galatians 3:17; 1Peter 1:18–20.

Note: “In their bondage the people [of Israel] had to a great extent lost the knowledge of God and of the principles of the Abrahamic covenant. … God sought to reveal to them His power and His mercy, that they might be led to love and trust Him … that they might realize their utter helplessness, their need of divine aid; and then He wrought deliverance for them. …

“Living in the midst of idolatry and corruption, they had no true conception of the holiness of God, of the exceeding sinfulness of their own hearts, their utter inability, in themselves, to render obedience to God’s law, and their need of a Saviour. All this they must be taught.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 371.

“The ‘old’ covenant—was formed between God and Israel at Sinai, and was then ratified by the blood of a sacrifice. The Abrahamic covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ, and it is called the ‘second,’ or ‘new,’ covenant, because the blood by which it was sealed was shed after the blood of the first covenant.” Ibid., 371, 372.

  • How did the people react to God’s requirement under the old covenant? Exodus 19:8. How might we fall into the same danger?

Note: “The people did not realize the sinfulness of their own hearts, and that without Christ it was impossible for them to keep God’s law.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 371.

“Those who feel no need of the blood of Christ, who feel that without divine grace they can by their own works secure the approval of God, are making the same mistake as did Cain. If they do not accept the cleansing blood, they are under condemnation.” Ibid., 73.

“Self-righteousness is the danger of this age; it separates the soul from Christ. Those who trust to their own righteousness cannot understand how salvation comes through Christ. They call sin righteousness and righteousness sin. They have no appreciation of the evil of transgression, no understanding of the terror of the law; for they do not respect God’s moral standard.” Faith and Works, 96.

Tuesday

 3   FROM OLD TO NEW

  •  What was the moral law’s purpose in the old covenant and what purpose does it still serve today? Romans 7:7, 9–13, 20; 3:19–20.

Note: “The law was given to convict them [men] of sin, and reveal their need of a Saviour.” The Desire of Ages, 308.

  • In the new covenant, how does God change our attitude towards His law and what transformation will be seen in our life? Hebrews 8:10; Psalm 40:8; Ezekiel 36:26, 27; Colossians 3:9, 10.

Note: “The same law that was engraved upon the tables of stone is written by the Holy Spirit upon the tables of the heart. Instead of going about to establish our own righteousness we accept the righteousness of Christ. His blood atones for our sins. His obedience is accepted for us. Then the heart renewed by the Holy Spirit will bring forth ‘the fruits of the Spirit.’ Through the grace of Christ we shall live in obedience to the law of God written upon our hearts.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 372.

“The change in human hearts, the transformation of human characters, is a miracle that reveals an ever-living Saviour, working to rescue souls.” The Desire of Ages, 407.

  • How does the new covenant experience perfectly fulfill the spirit and intent of the law—and what was said of Abraham in this regard? Matthew 5:20–22, 27, 28, 31–48; Romans 13:8–10; Genesis 26:5.

Note: “Obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. If our hearts are renewed in the likeness of God, if the divine love is implanted in the soul, will not the law of God be carried out in the life? When the principle of love is implanted in the heart, when man is renewed after the image of Him that created him, the new-covenant promise is fulfilled, ‘I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them’ (Hebrews 10:16). And if the law is written in the heart, will it not shape the life?” Steps to Christ, 60.

Wednesday

 4   BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

  •  What free gift did God bestow on Abraham because he chose to believe? Romans 4:22; Galatians 3:6.

Note: “The thought that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, not because of any merit on our part, but as a free gift from God, is a precious thought. The enemy of God and man is not willing that this truth should be clearly presented; for he knows that if the people receive it fully, his power will be broken.” Gospel Workers, 161.

“The grace of Christ is freely to justify the sinner without merit or claim on his part. Justification is a full, complete pardon of sin. The moment a sinner accepts Christ by faith, that moment he is pardoned. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to him, and he is no more to doubt God’s forgiving grace.” The Faith I Live By, 107.

  • What did Abraham do to be declared righteous—and how alone are believers in like manner saved? Romans 4:1–5; Ephesians 2:8, 9.

Note: “Our acceptance with God is sure only through His beloved Son, and good works are but the result of the working of His sin-pardoning love. They are no credit to us, and we have nothing accorded to us for our good works by which we may claim a part in the salvation of our souls. Salvation is God’s free gift to the believer, given to him for Christ’s sake alone.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1122.

  • Even though faith itself is a gift (see Romans 12:3, last part), what are we to do with it? John 3:16; Luke 7:1–9; Romans 10:17.

Note: “Faith that enables us to receive God’s gifts is itself a gift, of which some measure is imparted to every human being. It grows as exercised in appropriating the word of God. In order to strengthen faith, we must often bring it in contact with the word.” Education, 253, 254.

“Men and women will not be saved unless they themselves exercise faith, and build on the true foundation, unless they allow God to re-create them by His Holy Spirit.” The Signs of the Times, February 14, 1900.

Thursday

 5   UNMERITED FAVOR

  •  What unmerited favor, promised under the new covenant, has God shown in order to save humankind? Genesis 12:3; 1John 4:14; Ephesians 2:4–8; Romans 5:15–18.

Note: “Although by our disobedience we have merited God’s displeasure and condemnation, He has not forsaken us.” God’s Amazing Grace, 10.

“Those who enter heaven will not scale its walls by their own righteousness, nor will its gates be opened to them for costly offerings of gold or silver, but they will gain an entrance to the many mansions of the Father’s house through the merits of the cross of Christ.” Ibid., 179.

  • How does a sinner access such a free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ? John 1:12; Romans 5:17; Hebrews 11:8.

Note: “All who believe that Christ is the atoning sacrifice may come and receive pardon for their sins; for through the merit of Christ, communication has been opened between God and man. God can accept me as His child, and I can claim Him and rejoice in Him as my loving Father. We must center our hopes of heaven upon Christ alone, because He is our substitute and surety.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 363.

  • What two things did God destroy by his marvellous grace? Romans 8:2; 1John 3:5, 8; 2 Timothy 1:10.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     Explain the word “promise” in light of God’s inability to lie.

2     Why was the old covenant given—and why was it devoid of faith?

3     How does God write His law of love within our hearts and minds?

4     Why can’t we claim credit for our good works in salvation?

5     Why will we never be able to boast of our faith?

Bible Study Guides – The Everlasting Covenant

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May 6 – 12

Key Text

“I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee” (Genesis 17:7).

Study Help: The Faith I Live By, 76–78, 360–364.

Introduction

“The covenant of grace is not a new truth, for it existed in the mind of God from all eternity. This is why it is called the everlasting covenant.” The Signs of the Times, August 24, 1891.

Sunday

 1   THE EVERLASTING COVENANT

  •  What shows that the covenant made to Abraham is the same as the one ratified by Christ at Calvary? Genesis 22:16; Hebrews 6:13–18; 9:16.

Note: “The Abrahamic covenant was ratified by the blood of Christ, and it is called the ‘second,’ or ‘new,’ covenant, because the blood by which it was sealed was shed after the blood of the first covenant. That the new covenant was valid in the days of Abraham is evident from the fact that it was then confirmed both by the promise and by the oath of God—the ‘two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie’ (Hebrews 6:18).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 371.

  • What was promised under this covenant and how did Abraham respond? Genesis 17:1–8; 15:6; 26:5; compare Galatians 3:8, 16; Romans 4:20–22.

Note: “To all men this covenant offered pardon and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in Christ. It also promised them eternal life on condition of fidelity to God’s law.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 370.

“The law of God was the basis of this covenant, which was simply an arrangement for bringing men again into harmony with the divine will, placing them where they could obey God’s law.” Ibid., 371.

Monday

 2   AN EVERLASTING RELATIONSHIP

  •  In what way did God express the covenant relationship He established with Abraham and his seed? Leviticus 26:12. Compare with Genesis 17:7, 8; Deuteronomy 14:2; 29:13.
  • What did God give to Abraham as a seal of the covenant relationship, and why? Genesis 17:11; Romans 4:11.

Note: “At this time the rite of circumcision was given to Abraham as ‘a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised’ (Romans 4:11). It was to be observed by the patriarch and his descendants as a token that they were devoted to the service of God and thus separated from idolaters, and that God accepted them as His peculiar treasure.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 138.

“It [circumcision] was a sign that those who received it were devoted to the service of God—a pledge that they would remain separate from idolatry and would obey the law of God.” Ibid., 363.

  • What essential experience must we have today in order to enter into the same “new” covenant relationship with God? Deuteronomy 10:16; Colossians 2:11; Hebrews 8:10; 2Corinthians 6:16, 17.

Note: “We are to believe that we are chosen of God, to be saved by the exercise of faith, through the grace of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit; and we are to praise and glorify God for such a marvelous manifestation of His unmerited favor. It is the love of God that draws the soul to Christ, to be graciously received, and presented to the Father. Through the work of the Spirit the divine relationship between God and the sinner is renewed. The Father says: ‘I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people. I will exercise forgiving love toward them and bestow upon them My joy. They shall be to Me a peculiar treasure; for this people whom I have formed for Myself shall show forth My praise’ (Hebrews 8:10; Exodus 19:5; Isaiah 43:21).” The Signs of the Times, January 2, 1893.

“The condition of being received into the Lord’s family is coming out from the world, separating from all its contaminating influences.” God’s Amazing Grace, 57.

Tuesday

 3   AN EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD

  •  Why is Christ called a priest after Melchizedec and not after Aaron? Hebrews 5:5, 6; 7:11–16; Matthew 1:1, 2.

Note: “The high priest was designed in an especial manner to represent Christ, who was to become a high priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. This order of priesthood was not to pass to another, or be superseded by another.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 930.

  • In what way does Melchisedec’s priesthood relate to Christ’s everlasting priesthood, and why is it a superior priesthood to Aaron’s? Compare Hebrews 7:1–3 with Hebrews 7:20–25; 6:18–20.

Note: “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.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 409.

“The name of that helpless little babe … 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, 52, 55.

  • What parallel is there in the meal that God’s priest offered to Abraham? Compare Genesis 14:18–20 with 1Corinthians 10:16; 11:23–26.

Note: “The bread and the wine represent the body and the blood of Christ. As the bread was broken, and the wine poured out, so on the cross Christ’s body was broken, and His blood shed to save us.

“By eating the bread and drinking the wine, we show that we believe this. We show that we repent of our sins, and that we receive Christ as our Saviour.” The Story of Jesus, 98.

Wednesday

 4   AN EVERLASTING POSSESSION

  •  What everlasting land, which the earthly land was but a shadow, did God promise Abraham? Genesis 17:8; Hebrews 11:8–10; Revelation 21:2.

Note: “The varied experience of the Hebrews was a school of preparation for their promised home in Canaan. God would have His people in these days review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the trials through which ancient Israel passed, that they may be instructed in their preparation for the heavenly Canaan.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 293.

“Let all that is beautiful in our earthly home remind us of the crystal river and green fields, the waving trees and the living fountains, the shining city and the white-robed singers, of our heavenly home—that world of beauty which no artist can picture, no mortal tongue describe.” The Faith I Live By, 279.

  • When and how will Abraham and his seed receive their eternal inheritance? Matthew 25:31, 34; John 14:1–3, Daniel 7:27.

Note: “The broken, uneven surface of the earth now looked like a level, extensive plain. God’s entire universe was clean, and the great controversy was forever ended. Wherever we looked, everything upon which the eye rested was beautiful and holy. And all the redeemed host, old and young, great and small, cast their glittering crowns at the feet of their Redeemer, and prostrated themselves in adoration before Him, and worshiped Him that liveth forever and ever. The beautiful new earth, with all its glory, was the eternal inheritance of the saints. The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, was then given to the saints of the Most High, who were to possess it forever, even forever and ever.” Early Writings, 295.

“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, 108.

Thursday

 5   EVERLASTING LIFE

  •  What is the greatest of all the promises given through the everlasting covenant? Galatians 3:29; 1John 5:11; Revelation 21:3, 4.

Note: “The day is coming when the battle will have been fought, the victory won. The will of God is to be done on earth as it is done in heaven. The nations of the saved will know no other law than the law of heaven. All will be a happy, united family, clothed with the garments of praise and thanksgiving—the robe of Christ’s righteousness.” The Ministry of Healing, 506.

“There [in heaven], there is no disappointment, no sorrow, no sin, no one who shall say, ‘I am sick.’ There, there is no burial train, no mourning, no death, no parting, no broken hearts; and Jesus is there, peace is there. … In His presence is fullness of joy, at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore!” My Life Today, 349.

  • On what hope must we never give up? Titus 2:11–13; Hebrews 10:35–37.

Note: “Be patient, Christian soldier. Yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come. The night of weary waiting, and watching, and mourning is nearly over. The reward will soon be given; the eternal day will dawn. There is no time to sleep now—no time to indulge in useless regrets. He who ventures to slumber now will miss precious opportunities of doing good. … Every soul saved will be an additional star in the crown of Jesus, our adorable Redeemer.” Christian Service, 275.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     How can we have confidence in God’s Word?

2     How can we have the same covenant relationship with God that Abraham had?

3     Explain how we can have confidence in Christ’s everlasting priesthood.

4     What is the blessed hope of Abraham’s children?

5     Why is eternal life with God the Christian’s blessed hope

Bible Study Guides – Abraham’s True Children

by

April 29 – May 5

Key Text

“Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7).

Study Help: Our High Calling, 75–79; Prophets and Kings, 367–372.

Introduction

“Everyone who will humble himself as a little child, who will receive and obey the word of God with a child’s simplicity, will be among the elect of God.” Our High Calling, 77.

Sunday

 1   ABRAHAM’S TRUE CHILDREN

  •  Whom does the Bible regard the true children of Abraham as true Israelites? Romans 9:6–8; Galatians 3:7–9.

 Note: “To Isaiah it was given to make very plain to Judah the truth that among the Israel of God were to be numbered many who were not descendants of Abraham after the flesh. This teaching was not in harmony with the theology of his age, yet he fearlessly proclaimed the messages given him of God and brought hope to many a longing heart reaching out after the spiritual blessings promised to the seed of Abraham.” Prophets and Kings, 367.

  • How can the Gentiles, who are not children by literal descent, now be regarded as Abraham’s true seed? Romans 9:30; 4:11, 12, 16, 17.

Note: “All who through Christ should become the children of faith were to be counted as Abraham’s seed; they were inheritors of the covenant promises; like Abraham, they were called to guard and to make known to the world the law of God and the gospel of His Son.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 476.

Monday

 2   ABRAHAM’S ADOPTED CHILDREN

  •  Through faith in Christ as Abraham’s promised seed, into what family are we adopted? Romans 8:14–16; Galatians 4:4–7.

Note: “God wills that all men should be saved; for ample provision has been made, in giving His only begotten Son to pay man’s ransom. Those who perish will perish because they refuse to be adopted as children of God through Christ Jesus. The pride of man hinders him from accepting the provisions of salvation.” Our High Calling, 78.

  • How does the sacrifice of Jesus Christ make one a child of God, even a child of faith, and to whom does this apply? Galatians 3:27–29.

Note: “Men may perform great deeds in the eyes of the world; their achievements may be many and of a high order in the sight of men, but all the talent, all the skill, all the ability of the world will fail to transform the character and make a degraded child of sin a child of God, an heir of heaven. Men have no power to justify the soul, to sanctify the heart. … The highest gift of heaven, even the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, is alone able to redeem the lost. … The sacrifice of Christ on Calvary’s cross is a consideration that surpasses all the overwhelming power of sin; and when a sense of sin presses upon the heart of the sinner, and the burden seems intolerable, Jesus invites him to look to Him and live.” The Signs of the Times, May 2, 1892.

  • Explain why Abraham’s children are from every tribe and nation instead of just from Israel. Revelation 7:9, 10; Genesis 17:4–6; Acts 10:34, 35.

Note: “Christ recognized no distinction of nationality or rank or creed. The scribes and Pharisees desired to make a local and a national benefit of all the gifts of heaven and to exclude the rest of God’s family in the world. But Christ came to break down every wall of partition. He came to show that His gift of mercy and love is as unconfined as the air, the light, or the showers of rain that refresh the earth.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 190.

Tuesday

 3   ABRAHAM’S FALSE CHILDREN

  •  Why did most of Abraham’s literal descendants disqualify themselves from being true Israelites in the eyes of God? Romans 10:1–4.

 Note: “The Jews were, by their sins, separating themselves from God. They were unable to discern the deep spiritual significance of their symbolic service. In their self-righteousness they trusted to their own works, to the sacrifices and ordinances themselves, instead of relying upon the merits of Him to whom all these things pointed. Thus ‘going about to establish their own righteousness’ (Romans 10:3), they built themselves up in a self-sufficient formalism. Wanting the Spirit and grace of God, they tried to make up for the lack by a rigorous observance of religious ceremonies and rites. Not content with the ordinances which God Himself had appointed, they encumbered the divine commands with countless exactions of their own devising. The greater their distance from God, the more rigorous they were in the observance of these forms.” Prophets and Kings, 708, 709.

  • What is the only way we can be justified before God? Galatians 3:11,12; 2:16. What change will be evident in the life of those who have been justified by faith?

Note: “Justification is wholly of grace and not procured by any works that fallen man can do.” Faith and Works, 20.

“The proud heart strives to earn salvation; but both our title to heaven and our fitness for it are found in the righteousness of Christ. The Lord can do nothing toward the recovery of man until, convinced of his own weakness, and stripped of all self-sufficiency, he yields himself to the control of God. Then he can receive the gift that God is waiting to bestow.” The Desire of Ages, 300.

“He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law is attempting an impossibility. There is no safety for one who has merely a legal religion, a form of godliness. The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit.” Ibid., 172.

Wednesday

 4   ABRAHAM’S SERVANTS

  •  Those who do not embrace the faith of Abraham in Christ as the promised seed, are regarded as servants, instead of sons or daughters. What will happen to them? Genesis 16:3–6; Galatians 4:30, 31.

Note: “Noah and his household were within the ark, ‘and the Lord shut him in’ (Genesis 7:16). … The massive door, which it was impossible for those within to close, was slowly swung to its place by unseen hands. Noah was shut in, and the rejecters of God’s mercy were shut out. The seal of Heaven was on that door; God had shut it, and God alone could open it. So when Christ shall cease His intercession for guilty men, before His coming in the clouds of heaven, the door of mercy will be shut. Then divine grace will no longer restrain the wicked, and Satan will have full control of those who have rejected mercy.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 98.

  • To whom and to what are they really servants? John 8:31–35, 39–44.

Note: “ ‘To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey’ (Romans 6:16). If we indulge anger, lust, covetousness, hatred, selfishness, or any other sin, we become servants of sin. ‘No man can serve two masters’ (Matthew 6:24). If we serve sin, we cannot serve Christ.” The Review and Herald, November 15, 1887.

  • Why will the rejecters of Christ never be able to enter into the land of Canaan that was promised to Abraham and his seed? Hebrews 3:17–19; Acts 4:10–12; Galatians 3:9.

Note: “For forty years did unbelief, murmuring, and rebellion shut out ancient Israel from the land of Canaan. The same sins have delayed the entrance of modern Israel into the heavenly Canaan. In neither case were the promises of God at fault. It is the unbelief, the worldliness, unconsecration, and strife among the Lord’s professed people that have kept us in this world of sin and sorrow so many years.” Evangelism, 696.

Thursday

 5   A WARNING TO THE CHURCH

  •  What warning was given to the church at Galatia, and why? Galatians 3:1–6; 4:7–11.

Note: “The redemption that was wrought out for us by our Lord on the cross of Calvary was to bring us to obedience to the law of God, making it possible, through His righteousness imputed to us, to keep the law of God. …

“There is nothing so offensive to God as sin. Instead of making void the law of God by continuing in sin, every truly converted soul will be walking in the path of humble obedience to all of God’s commandments. They will search the Scriptures that they might know the truth. Who hath bewitched the impenitent, the transgressor, that sin is chosen rather than obedience? It is the power of Satan that came to Adam and Eve in Eden, the deceiving, bewitching power of the fallen angel.” The Upward Look, 209.

  • How do Abraham’s struggles with his own faith stand as a lesson to us? Genesis 15:3–6; 17:17, 18; Hebrews 4:1, 2. On the other hand, what does true faith give us? 1 John 5:4, 5.

 Note: “The Christian’s life should be one of faith, of victory, and joy in God. … God is able and willing to bestow upon His servants all the strength they need, and to give them the wisdom that their varied necessities demand. He will more than fulfill the highest expectations of those who put their trust in Him.” The Faith I Live By, 126.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     How important is faith to a Christian?

2     Why can a Christian call God his or her Father?

3     How can we avoid being cursed by God?

4     What is the difference between being Abraham’s servant and his son or daughter?

5     How can we be bewitched by the devil in corrupting our faith?

Bible Study Guides – That Preserving Influence

by

January 24, 2010 – January 30, 2010

Key Text:

“For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good; but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” Mark 9:49, 50.

Study Help: Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36–38.

Introduction

“A profession of godliness without the living principle is as utterly valueless as salt without its saving properties.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 443.

1 Knowing that “salt” means to protect, to shield and to maintain, what is Matthew 5:13 saying to us?

Note: “In many different ways his grace is also acting as the salt of the earth: whithersoever this salt finds its way, to homes or communities, it becomes a preserving power to save all that is good, and to destroy all that is evil.” The Review and Herald, August 22, 1899.

2 There are two kingdoms in this world, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan. What was Jesus’ prayer to His Father for us? John 17:15–18.

Note: “There are two kingdoms in this world, the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of Satan. To one of these kingdoms each one of us belongs. …

“It is not God’s will that we should seclude ourselves from the world. But while in the world we should sanctify ourselves to God. We should not pattern after the world. We are to be in the world as a corrective influence, as salt that retains its savor. Among an unholy, impure, idolatrous generation, we are to be pure and holy, showing that the grace of Christ has power to restore in man the divine likeness. We are to exert a saving influence upon the world.” Counsels on Health, 591, 592.

3 We are not to withdraw ourselves from the world in order to escape persecution. What is it that preserves the world from corruption? Luke 14:34, 35.

Note: “ ‘Ye are the salt of the earth’ [Matthew 5:13, first part], Jesus said. Do not withdraw yourselves from the world in order to escape persecution. You are to abide among men, that the savor of the divine love may be as salt to preserve the world from corruption.

“Hearts that respond to the influence of the Holy Spirit are the channels through which God’s blessing flows. Were those who serve God removed from the earth, and His Spirit withdrawn from among men, this world would be left to desolation and destruction, the fruit of Satan’s dominion. Though the wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the presence, in the world, of God’s people whom they despise and oppress. But if Christians are such in name only, they are like the salt that has lost its savor. They have no influence for good in the world. Through their misrepresentation of God they are worse than unbelievers.” The Desire of Ages, 306.

4 What may be an indication that the salt has lost its savor? What influence does that have on others? Luke 14:34, 35.

Note: “The savor of the salt represents the vital power of the Christian—the love of Jesus in the heart, the righteousness of Christ pervading the life. The love of Christ is diffusive and aggressive. If it is dwelling in us, it will flow out to others. We shall come close to them till their hearts are warmed by our unselfish interest and love. The sincere believers diffuse vital energy, which is penetrating and imparts new moral power to the souls for whom they labor. It is not the power of the man himself, but the power of the Holy Spirit that does the transforming work.

“Jesus added the solemn warning: ‘If the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden underfoot of men’ [Matthew 5:13].” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36.

5 Name some of the characteristics that come forth from a person whose salt has lost its savor? I Corinthians 13:4–8.

Note: “ ‘Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up’ [I Corinthians 13:4]. The purest joy springs from the deepest humiliation. The strongest and noblest characters are built on the foundation of patience, love, and submission to God’s will.

“Charity ‘doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil’ [Verse 5]. Christ-like love places the most favorable construction on the motives and acts of others. It does not needlessly expose their faults; it does not listen eagerly to unfavorable reports, but seeks rather to bring to mind the good qualities of others.

“Love ‘rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.’ This love ‘never faileth’ [Verses 6-8]. It can never lose its value; it is a heavenly attribute. As a precious treasure, it will be carried by its possessor through the portals of the city of God.” The Acts of the Apostles, 319.

6 To present ourselves a “living sacrifice,” what must be added? Romans 12:1; Mark 9:49.

Note: “In the ritual service, salt was added to every sacrifice. This, like the offering of incense, signified that only the righteousness of Christ could make the service acceptable to God. Referring to this practice, Jesus said, ‘Every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.’ ‘Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another’ [Mark 9:49, 50]. All who would present themselves ‘a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God’ (Romans 12:1), must receive the saving salt, the righteousness of our Saviour. Then they become ‘the salt of the earth,’ restraining evil among men, as salt preserves from corruption. Matthew 5:13. But if the salt has lost its savor; if there is only a profession of godliness, without the love of Christ, there is no power for good. The life can exert no saving influence upon the world. Your energy and efficiency in the upbuilding of My kingdom, Jesus says, depend upon your receiving of My Spirit. You must be partakers of My grace, in order to be a savor of life unto life.” The Desire of Ages, 439.

7 Read Titus 2:11–14. Explain how that grace becomes visible to all men and preserves.

Note: “Salt is valued for its preservative properties; and when God calls His children salt, He would teach them that His purpose in making them the subjects of His grace is that they may become agents in saving others. The object of God in choosing a people before all the world was not only that He might adopt them as His sons and daughters, but that through them the world might receive the grace that bringeth salvation. Titus 2:11. When the Lord chose Abraham, it was not simply to be the special friend of God, but to be a medium of the peculiar privileges the Lord desired to bestow upon the nations. Jesus, in that last prayer with His disciples before His crucifixion, said, ‘For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.’ John 17:19. In like manner Christians who are purified through the truth will possess saving qualities that preserve the world from utter moral corruption.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 35, 36.

8 What is the condition of a person whose salt has lost its savor? II Peter 2:20–21.

9 If a “garnished house” represents a “self-righteous soul,” what kind of righteousness comes and garnishes our hearts which causes the salt to lose its savor? Matthew 12:43–45.

Note: “The garnished house represents the self-righteous soul. Satan is driven out by Christ. But he returned, in the hope of finding entrance. He finds the house empty, swept, and garnished. Only self-righteousness is abiding there. ‘Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first’ [Luke 11:26].” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1093.

10 Whose character are we reflecting when in a self-righteous state and there is no savor in the salt?

Note: “Self-righteousness is a curse, a human embellishment, which Satan uses for his glory. Those who garnish the soul with self-praise and flattery prepare the way for the seven other spirits more wicked than the first. In their very reception of the truth these souls deceive themselves. They are building upon a foundation of self-righteousness.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1093.

“God calls His people to elevate the standard. The church must show their zeal for God in dealing with those who have, while professing great faith, been putting Christ to open shame. They have imperiled the truth. They have been unfaithful sentinels. They have brought reproach and dishonor upon the cause of God.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 450.

11 Knowing now the characteristics of a person whose salt has lost its savor, what correlation does this have with Revelation 3:15–18?

Note: “As they listened to the words of Christ, the people could see the white salt glistening in the pathways where it had been cast out because it had lost its savor and was therefore useless. It well represented the condition of the Pharisees and the effect of their religion upon society. It represents the life of every soul from whom the power of the grace of God has departed and who has become cold and Christless. Whatever may be his profession, such a one is looked upon by men and angels as insipid and disagreeable. It is to such that Christ says: ‘I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth.’ Revelation 3:15, 16.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36, 37.

Additional Reading

“A discouraged soul is a body of darkness, not only failing himself to receive the light of God, but shutting it away from others. Satan loves to see the effect of the pictures of his triumphs, making human beings faithless and disheartened.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 744, 745.

“Salt must be mingled with the substance to which it is added; it must penetrate and infuse in order to preserve. So it is through personal contact and association that men are reached by the saving power of the gospel. They are not saved in masses, but as individuals. Personal influence is a power. We must come close to those whom we desire to benefit.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 36.

“Without a living faith in Christ as a personal Saviour it is impossible to make our influence felt in a skeptical world. We cannot give to others that which we do not ourselves possess. It is in proportion to our own devotion and consecration to Christ that we exert an influence for the blessing and uplifting of mankind. If there is no actual service, no genuine love, no reality of experience, there is no power to help, no connection with heaven, no savor of Christ in the life. Unless the Holy Spirit can use us as agents through whom to communicate to the world the truth as it is in Jesus, we are as salt that has lost its savor and is entirely worthless. By our lack of the grace of Christ we testify to the world that the truth which we claim to believe has no sanctifying power; and thus, so far as our influence goes, we make of no effect the word of God. ‘If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And if I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing.’ I Corinthians 13:1–3, A.R.V.

“When love fills the heart, it will flow out to others, not because of favors received from them, but because love is the principle of action. Love modifies the character, governs the impulses, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections. This love is as broad as the universe, and is in harmony with that of the angel workers. Cherished in the heart, it sweetens the entire life and sheds its blessing upon all around. It is this, and this only, that can make us the salt of the earth.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 37, 38.

Lesson Studies were prepared by Judy Hallingstad of the LandMarks staff. She can be contacted at judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org .