Bible Study Guides

Bible Study Guides – Huss and Jerome

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November 13, 2010 – November 19, 2010

Key Text

“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” Jeremiah 17:5.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 97–119; The Acts of the Apostles, 598–600.

Introduction

“ ‘I call God to witness that all that I have written and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls from sin and perdition; and, therefore, most joyfully will I confirm with my blood that truth which I have written and preached.’ ” The Great Controversy, 109.

1 In what century was the gospel established in Bohemia and in what language was their Bible and their worship?

Note: “The gospel had been planted in Bohemia as early as the ninth century. The Bible was translated, and public worship was conducted, in the language of the people.” The Great Controversy, 97.

2 Contrary to the example in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, what directive did Pope Gregory VII make and what reason did he give? Nehemiah 8:5–8.

Note: “Gregory VII, who had taken it upon himself to humble the pride of kings, was no less intent upon enslaving the people, and accordingly a bull was issued forbidding public worship to be conducted in the Bohemian tongue. The pope declared that ‘it was pleasing to the Omnipotent that His worship should be celebrated in an unknown language, and that many evils and heresies had arisen from not observing this rule.’—Wylie, b. 3, ch. 1. Thus Rome decreed that the light of God’s word should be extinguished and the people should be shut up in darkness.” The Great Controversy, 97.

3 What similarities may be observed between the childhood and youth of John Huss and Samuel, the Old Testament prophet? 1 Samuel 1:28; 2:1, 8.

Note: “John Huss was of humble birth, and was early left an orphan by the death of his father. His pious mother, regarding education and the fear of God as the most valuable of possessions, sought to secure this heritage for her son. Huss studied at the provincial school, and then repaired to the university at Prague, receiving admission as a charity scholar. He was accompanied on the journey to Prague by his mother; widowed and poor, she had no gifts of worldly wealth to bestow upon her son, but as they drew near to the great city, she kneeled down beside the fatherless youth and invoked for him the blessing of their Father in heaven. Little did that mother realize how her prayer was to be answered.

“At the university, Huss soon distinguished himself by his untiring application and rapid progress, while his blameless life and gentle, winning deportment gained him universal esteem. … After completing his college course, he entered the priesthood, and rapidly attaining to eminence, he soon became attached to the court of the king. He was also made professor and afterward rector of the university where he had received his education. In a few years the humble charity scholar had become the pride of his country, and his name was renowned throughout Europe.” The Great Controversy, 98, 99.

4 Huss was eventually appointed preacher of the “chapel of Bethlehem.” What significance did this chapel have, and what characterized the preaching of Huss? Isaiah 50:4; Ephesians 5:11; II Timothy 4:2.

Note: “Several years after taking priest’s orders he [Huss] was appointed preacher of the chapel of Bethlehem. The founder of this chapel had advocated, as a matter of great importance, the preaching of the Scriptures in the language of the people. Notwithstanding Rome’s opposition to this practice, it had not been wholly discontinued in Bohemia. But there was great ignorance of the Bible, and the worst vices prevailed among the people of all ranks. These evils Huss unsparingly denounced, appealing to the word of God to enforce the principles of truth and purity which he inculcated.” The Great Controversy, 99.

5 Who returned to Bohemia with the writings of Wycliffe? Revealing Divine providence, what royal connection also helped the cause of the Reformation?

Note: “A citizen of Prague, Jerome, who afterward became so closely associated with Huss, had, on returning from England, brought with him the writings of Wycliffe. The queen of England, who had been a convert to Wycliffe’s teachings, was a Bohemian princess, and through her influence also the Reformer’s works were widely circulated in her native country. These works Huss read with interest; he believed their author to be a sincere Christian and was inclined to regard with favor the reforms which he advocated. Already, though he knew it not, Huss had entered upon a path which was to lead him far away from Rome.” The Great Controversy, 99.

6 How was Huss, among others, influenced by the sermon without words given by two English teachers? Habbakuk 2:2.

Note: “About this time there arrived in Prague two strangers from England, men of learning, who had received the light and had come to spread it in this distant land. Beginning with an open attack on the pope’s supremacy, they were soon silenced by the authorities; but being unwilling to relinquish their purpose, they had recourse to other measures. Being artists as well as preachers, they proceeded to exercise their skill. In a place open to the public they drew two pictures. One represented the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, ‘meek, and sitting upon an ass’ (Matthew 21:5), and followed by His disciples in travel-worn garments and with naked feet. The other picture portrayed a pontifical procession—the pope arrayed in his rich robes and triple crown, mounted upon a horse magnificently adorned, preceded by trumpeters and followed by cardinals and prelates in dazzling array.

“Here was a sermon which arrested the attention of all classes. Crowds came to gaze upon the drawings. None could fail to read the moral, and many were deeply impressed by the contrast between the meekness and humility of Christ the Master and the pride and arrogance of the pope, His professed servant. There was great commotion in Prague, and the strangers after a time found it necessary, for their own safety, to depart. But the lesson they had taught was not forgotten. The pictures made a deep impression on the mind of Huss and led him to a closer study of the Bible and of Wycliffe’s writings.” The Great Controversy, 99, 100.

7 What purpose of God was being fulfilled in Bohemia by the work of Huss and Jerome in their day? Proverbs 4:18.

Note: “God permitted great light to shine upon the minds of these chosen men, revealing to them [Huss and Jerome] many of the errors of Rome; but they did not receive all the light that was to be given to the world. Through these, His servants, God was leading the people out of the darkness of Romanism; but there were many and great obstacles for them to meet, and He led them on, step by step, as they could bear it. They were not prepared to receive all the light at once. Like the full glory of the noontide sun to those who have long dwelt in darkness, it would, if presented, have caused them to turn away. Therefore He revealed it to the leaders little by little, as it could be received by the people. From century to century, other faithful workers were to follow, to lead the people on still further in the path of reform.” The Great Controversy, 103.

8 After a long battle against entrenched evils and superstitions, what prophecy of Jesus was literally fulfilled in the experience of Huss? Matthew 10:16–22.

Note: “The Reformer was in a short time arrested, by order of the pope and cardinals, and thrust into a loathsome dungeon. Later he was transferred to a strong castle across the Rhine and there kept a prisoner. …

“Enfeebled by illness and imprisonment—for the damp, foul air of his dungeon had brought on a fever which nearly ended his life—Huss was at last brought before the council. Loaded with chains he stood in the presence of the emperor, whose honor and good faith had been pledged to protect him. During his long trial he firmly maintained the truth, and in the presence of the assembled dignitaries of church and state he uttered a solemn and faithful protest against the corruptions of the hierarchy. When required to choose whether he would recant his doctrines or suffer death, he accepted the martyr’s fate.

“The grace of God sustained him. During the weeks of suffering that passed before his final sentence, heaven’s peace filled his soul. ‘I write this letter,’ he said to a friend, ‘in my prison, and with my fettered hand, expecting my sentence of death tomorrow. … When, with the assistance of Jesus Christ, we shall again meet in the delicious peace of the future life, you will learn how merciful God has shown Himself toward me, how effectually He has supported me in the midst of my temptations and trials.’—Bonnechose, vol. 2, p. 67.” The Great Controversy, 106, 107.

9 When taken to the tribunal, what pledge was betrayed and whom did Huss reproach? What prophecy was thus fulfilled? Jeremiah 17:5–7.

Note: “For the last time, Huss was brought before the council. …

“Being called upon for his final decision, Huss declared his refusal to abjure, and, fixing his penetrating glance upon the monarch whose plighted word had been so shamelessly violated, he declared: ‘I determined, of my own free will, to appear before this council, under the public protection and faith of the emperor here present.’—Bonnechose, vol. 2, p. 84. A deep flush crimsoned the face of Sigismund as the eyes of all in the assembly turned upon him.” The Great Controversy, 108.

10 When tied to the stake, what invitation was Huss given to save himself and what was his response? Matthew 16:24–26.

Note: “He [Huss] was now delivered up to the secular authorities and led away to the place of execution. An immense procession followed, hundreds of men at arms, priests and bishops in their costly robes, and the inhabitants of Constance. When he had been fastened to the stake, and all was ready for the fire to be lighted, the martyr was once more exhorted to save himself by renouncing his errors. ‘What errors,’ said Huss, ‘shall I renounce? I know myself guilty of none. I call God to witness that all that I have written and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls from sin and perdition; and, therefore, most joyfully will I confirm with my blood that truth which I have written and preached.’ ” The Great Controversy, 109.

Personal Review Questions

1 What were the circumstances of the birth and training of Huss?

2 What enlightened Huss and his country until the papal suppression?

3 What was the influence of Wycliffe on Bohemia?

4 How did the papacy try to quench the light?

5 What was the final testimony of Huss?

Additional Reading

“The enemy of righteousness left nothing undone in his effort to stop the work committed to the Lord’s builders. But God ‘left not Himself without witness.’ Acts 14:17. Workers were raised up who ably defended the faith once delivered to the saints. History bears record to the fortitude and heroism of these men. Like the apostles, many of them fell at their post, but the building of the temple went steadily forward. The workmen were slain, but the work advanced. The Waldenses, John Wycliffe, Huss and Jerome, Martin Luther and Zwingli, Cranmer, Latimer, and Knox, the Huguenots, John and Charles Wesley, and a host of others brought to the foundation material that will endure throughout eternity. And in later years those who have so nobly endeavored to promote the circulation of God’s word, and those who by their service in heathen lands have prepared the way for the proclamation of the last great message—these also have helped to rear the structure.

“Through the ages that have passed since the days of the apostles, the building of God’s temple has never ceased. We may look back through the centuries and see the living stones of which it is composed gleaming like jets of light through the darkness of error and superstition. Throughout eternity these precious jewels will shine with increasing luster, testifying to the power of the truth of God. The flashing light of these polished stones reveals the strong contrast between light and darkness, between the gold of truth and the dross of error.” The Acts of the Apostles, 598, 599.

©2003 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission

Bible Study Guides – The Morning Star

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November 7, 2010 – November 13, 2010

Key Text

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.” Psalm 111:10.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 79–96; Education, 123–127.

Introduction

“The great movement that Wycliffe inaugurated, which was to liberate the conscience and the intellect, and set free the nations so long bound to the triumphal car of Rome, had its spring in the Bible.” The Great Controversy, 93.

1 During the Dark Ages, what hope did the people of God have? Romans 13:12.

Note: “In the fourteenth century arose in England the ‘morning star of the Reformation.’ John Wycliffe was the herald of reform, not for England alone, but for all Christendom. The great protest against Rome which it was permitted him to utter was never to be silenced. That protest opened the struggle which was to result in the emancipation of individuals, of churches, and of nations.” The Great Controversy, 80.

2 Although Wycliffe received a liberal education as did others, what made the difference in his case? Psalms 111:10; 119:99.

Note: “Wycliffe received a liberal education, and with him the fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. He was noted at college for his fervent piety as well as for his remarkable talents and sound scholarship. In his thirst for knowledge he sought to become acquainted with every branch of learning. … While he could wield the weapons drawn from the word of God, he had acquired the intellectual discipline of the schools, and he understood the tactics of the schoolmen.” The Great Controversy, 80.

3 In the time of Wycliffe, what were the languages in which the Scriptures were available?

Note: “While Wycliffe was still at college, he entered upon the study of the Scriptures. In those early times, when the Bible existed only in the ancient languages, scholars were enabled to find their way to the fountain of truth, which was closed to the uneducated classes. Thus already the way had been prepared for Wycliffe’s future work as a Reformer.” The Great Controversy, 80.

4 How did Wycliffe repeat the experience of Jeremiah and the psalmist when he investigated the Word of God? Jeremiah 15:16; Psalm 119:130.

Note: “When Wycliffe’s attention was directed to the Scriptures, he entered upon their investigation with the same thoroughness which had enabled him to master the learning of the schools. Heretofore he had felt a great want, which neither his scholastic studies nor the teaching of the church could satisfy. In the word of God he found that which he had before sought in vain. Here he saw the plan of salvation revealed and Christ set forth as the only advocate for man. He gave himself to the service of Christ and determined to proclaim the truths he had discovered.” The Great Controversy, 81.

5 After a period overseas to defend the English crown against the encroachments of Rome, what gave Wycliffe confidence to continue his plain speaking? John 5:39; Genesis 15:1.

Note: “Wycliffe was called to defend the rights of the English crown against the encroachments of Rome; and being appointed a royal ambassador, he spent two years in the Netherlands, in conference with the commissioners of the pope. Here he was brought into communication with ecclesiastics from France, Italy, and Spain, and he had an opportunity to look behind the scenes and gain a knowledge of many things which would have remained hidden from him in England. He learned much that was to give point to his after labors. In these representatives from the papal court he read the true character and aims of the hierarchy. He returned to England to repeat his former teachings more openly and with greater zeal, declaring that covetousness, pride, and deception were the gods of Rome. …

“Soon after his return to England, Wycliffe received from the king the appointment to the rectory of Lutterworth. This was an assurance that the monarch at least had not been displeased by his plain speaking. Wycliffe’s influence was felt in shaping the action of the court, as well as in molding the belief of the nation.

“The papal thunders were soon hurled against him. Three bulls were dispatched to England—to the university, to the king, and to the prelates—all commanding immediate and decisive measures to silence the teacher of heresy.” The Great Controversy, 84, 85.

6 In what way did the Lord fulfill His promise to protect His servant and open the way for the development of the Reformation? Isaiah 54:17.

Note: “The arrival of the papal bulls laid upon all England a peremptory command for the arrest and imprisonment of the heretic. These measures pointed directly to the stake. It appeared certain that Wycliffe must soon fall a prey to the vengeance of Rome. But He who declared to one of old, ‘Fear not: … I am thy shield’ (Genesis 15:1), again stretched out His hand to protect His servant. Death came, not to the Reformer, but to the pontiff who had decreed his destruction. Gregory XI died, and the ecclesiastics who had assembled for Wycliffe’s trial, dispersed.” The Great Controversy, 86.

7 How did the death of Pope Gregory XI aid the work of the Reformation, and what was revealed to the people about the papacy in the events that followed? Isaiah 57:19–21.

Note: “God’s providence still further overruled events to give opportunity for the growth of the Reformation. The death of Gregory was followed by the election of two rival popes. Two conflicting powers, each professedly infallible, now claimed obedience. …

“The schism, with all the strife and corruption which it caused, prepared the way for the Reformation by enabling the people to see what the papacy really was. In a tract which he published, On the Schism of the Popes, Wycliffe called upon the people to consider whether these two priests were not speaking the truth in condemning each other as the anti-christ.” The Great Controversy, 86, 87.

8 What precious heritage was Wycliff able to bequeath to the English-speaking people? II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Peter 1:19–21.

Note: “He [Wycliffe] lived to place in the hands of his countrymen the most powerful of all weapons against Rome—to give them the Bible, the Heaven-appointed agent to liberate, enlighten, and evangelize the people. There were many and great obstacles to surmount in the accomplishment of this work. Wycliffe was weighed down with infirmities; he knew that only a few years for labor remained for him. …

“At last the work was completed—the first English translation of the Bible ever made. The word of God was opened to England. The Reformer feared not now the prison or the stake. He had placed in the hands of the English people a light which should never be extinguished. In giving the Bible to his countrymen, he had done more to break the fetters of ignorance and vice, more to liberate and elevate his country, than was ever achieved by the most brilliant victories on fields of battle.” The Great Controversy, 88.

9 Why is Wycliffe called the “morning star?” In what way did he herald the light of the Reformation? Psalm 119:105.

Note: “Wycliffe came from the obscurity of the Dark Ages. There were none who went before him from whose work he could shape his system of reform. Raised up like John the Baptist to accomplish a special mission, he was the herald of a new era. Yet in the system of truth which he presented there was a unity and completeness which Reformers who followed him did not exceed, and which some did not reach, even a hundred years later. So broad and deep was laid the foundation, so firm and true was the framework, that it needed not to be reconstructed by those who came after him.” The Great Controversy, 93.

10 How was Divine providence working to break the shackles of papal darkness in the minds of the common people? Isaiah 55:10, 11.

Note: “The great movement that Wycliffe inaugurated, which was to liberate the conscience and the intellect, and set free the nations so long bound to the triumphal car of Rome, had its spring in the Bible. Here was the source of that stream of blessing, which, like the water of life, has flowed down the ages since the fourteenth century. Wycliffe accepted the Holy Scriptures with implicit faith as the inspired revelation of God’s will, a sufficient rule of faith and practice.” The Great Controversy, 93.

“It was through the writings of Wycliffe that John Huss, of Bohemia, was led to renounce many of the errors of Romanism and to enter upon the work of reform. … A divine hand was preparing the way for the Great Reformation.” Ibid., 96.

Personal Review Questions

1 What was the first point that turned Wycliffe in the way of God?

2 What was Wycliffe’s desire as he realized the truth in the Scriptures?

3 What particularly did he attack in the light of the Word of God?

4 What was his great bequest to the English people?

5 How far did the work of his influence extend?

Additional Reading

“A third time he was brought to trial, and now before the highest ecclesiastical tribunal in the kingdom. Here no favor would be shown to heresy. Here at last Rome would triumph, and the Reformer’s work would be stopped. So thought the papists. If they could but accomplish their purpose, Wycliffe would be forced to abjure his doctrines, or would leave the court only for the flames.

“But Wycliffe did not retract; he would not dissemble. He fearlessly maintained his teachings and repelled the accusations of his persecutors. Losing sight of himself, of his position, of the occasion, he summoned his hearers before the divine tribunal, and weighed their sophistries and deceptions in the balances of eternal truth. The power of the Holy Spirit was felt in the council room. A spell from God was upon the hearers. They seemed to have no power to leave the place. As arrows from the Lord’s quiver, the Reformer’s words pierced their hearts. The charge of heresy, which they had brought against him, he with convincing power threw back upon themselves. Why, he demanded, did they dare to spread their errors? For the sake of gain, to make merchandise of the grace of God?

“ ‘With whom, think you,’ he finally said, ‘are ye contending? with an old man on the brink of the grave? No! with Truth—Truth which is stronger than you, and will overcome you.’—Wylie, b. 2, ch. 13. So saying, he withdrew from the assembly, and not one of his adversaries attempted to prevent him.

“Wycliffe’s work was almost done; the banner of truth which he had so long borne was soon to fall from his hand; but once more he was to bear witness for the gospel. The truth was to be proclaimed from the very stronghold of the kingdom of error. Wycliffe was summoned for trial before the papal tribunal at Rome, which had so often shed the blood of the saints. He was not blind to the danger that threatened him, yet he would have obeyed the summons had not a shock of palsy made it impossible for him to perform the journey. But though his voice was not to be heard at Rome, he could speak by letter, and this he determined to do. From his rectory the Reformer wrote to the pope a letter, which, while respectful in tone and Christian in spirit, was a keen rebuke to the pomp and pride of the papal see.

“ ‘Verily I do rejoice,’ he said, ‘to open and declare unto every man the faith which I do hold, and especially unto the bishop of Rome: which, forasmuch as I do suppose to be sound and true, he will most willingly confirm my said faith, or if it be erroneous, amend the same.’ ” The Great Controversy, 90, 91.

©2003 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission

Bible Study Guides – The Waldenses

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October 31, 2010 – November 6, 2010

The Dark Ages and the Reformation

Key Text

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 3.

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 455, 456; The Great Controversy, 64–78.

Introduction

“The Waldenses had sacrificed their worldly prosperity for the truth’s sake.” The Great Controversy, 67.

1 Why did the twelfth century Waldenses have clearer views of “the faith once delivered to the saints” than had the papacy? John 7:16, 17.

Note: “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. For centuries the churches of Piedmont maintained their independence; but the time came at last when Rome insisted upon their submission. After ineffectual struggles against her tyranny, the leaders of these churches reluctantly acknowledged the supremacy of the power to which the whole world seemed to pay homage. There were some, however, who refused to yield to the authority of pope or prelate. They were determined to maintain their allegiance to God and to preserve the purity and simplicity of their faith. A separation took place. Those who adhered to the ancient faith now withdrew; some, forsaking their native Alps, raised the banner of truth in foreign lands.” The Great Controversy, 64.

2 Upon what did these simple people base their faith, and why did it appear to be new? Jude 3.

Note: “Theirs was not a faith newly received. Their [the Waldensians*] religious belief was their inheritance from their fathers. They contended for the faith of the apostolic church.” The Great Controversy, 64. *The Waldenses are also called the Vaudois.

3 As the Waldenses were among the first people to receive the Scriptures in their own language, what did they teach concerning Rome? Revelation 17:1–6.

Note: “The Waldenses were among the first of the peoples of Europe to obtain a translation of the Holy Scriptures. Hundreds of years before the Reformation they possessed the Bible in manuscript in their native tongue. They had the truth unadulterated, and this rendered them the special objects of hatred and persecution. They declared the Church of Rome to be the apostate Babylon of the Apocalypse, and at the peril of their lives they stood up to resist her corruptions. While, under the pressure of long-continued persecution, some compromised their faith, little by little yielding its distinctive principles, others held fast the truth. Through ages of darkness and apostasy there were Waldenses who denied the supremacy of Rome, who rejected image worship as idolatry, and who kept the true Sabbath. Under the fiercest tempests of opposition they maintained their faith. Though gashed by the Savoyard spear, and scorched by the Romish fagot, they stood unflinchingly for God’s word and His honor.” The Great Controversy, 65.

4 As it was their lot to fulfill the prophecy of Hebrews 11, where did the Waldenses meet to worship, in contrast to the papal cathedrals? Hebrews 11:38–40; John 4:23, 24.

Note: “Behind the lofty bulwarks of the mountains—in all ages the refuge of the persecuted and oppressed—the Waldenses found a hiding place. Here the light of truth was kept burning amid the darkness of the Middle Ages. Here, for a thousand years, witnesses for the truth maintained the ancient faith.” The Great Controversy, 65, 66.

5 What was the basis of the Waldenses’ life, faith and education? How was this transmitted to their children? Deuteronomy 6:6, 7.

Note: “The Waldenses had sacrificed their worldly prosperity for the truth’s sake, and with persevering patience they toiled for their bread. Every spot of tillable land among the mountains was carefully improved; the valleys and the less fertile hillsides were made to yield their increase. Economy and severe self-denial formed a part of the education which the children received as their only legacy. They were taught that God designs life to be a discipline, and that their wants could be supplied only by personal labor, by forethought, care, and faith. The process was laborious and wearisome, but it was wholesome, just what man needs in his fallen state, the school which God has provided for his training and development. While the youth were inured to toil and hardship, the culture of the intellect was not neglected. They were taught that all their powers belonged to God, and that all were to be improved and developed for His service.” The Great Controversy, 67, 68.

6 What marked contrast was seen between the Waldensian pastors and the haughty priests of Rome? Matthew 20:28.

Note: “Their [The Vaudois] pastors, unlike the lordly priests of Rome, followed the example of their Master, who ‘came not to be ministered unto, but to minister’ [Matthew 20:28]. They fed the flock of God, leading them to the green pastures and living fountains of His holy word. …

“From their pastors the youth received instruction. While attention was given to branches of general learning, the Bible was made the chief study. The Gospels of Matthew and John were committed to memory, with many of the Epistles. They were employed also in copying the Scriptures. Some manuscripts contained the whole Bible, others only brief selections, to which some simple explanations of the text were added by those who were able to expound the Scriptures. Thus were brought forth the treasures of truth so long concealed by those who sought to exalt themselves above God.” The Great Controversy, 68, 69.

7 For what did the Waldenses’ education prepare them, and what was considered an essential part of their training? II Timothy 2:3–5.

Note: “The spirit of Christ is a missionary spirit. The very first impulse of the renewed heart is to bring others also to the Saviour. Such was the spirit of the Vaudois Christians. They felt that God required more of them than merely to preserve the truth in its purity in their own churches; that a solemn responsibility rested upon them to let their light shine forth to those who were in darkness; by the mighty power of God’s word they sought to break the bondage which Rome had imposed. The Vaudois ministers were trained as missionaries, everyone who expected to enter the ministry being required first to gain an experience as an evangelist. Each was to serve three years in some mission field before taking charge of a church at home. This service, requiring at the outset self-denial and sacrifice, was a fitting introduction to the pastor’s life in those times that tried men’s souls. The youth who received ordination to the sacred office saw before them, not the prospect of earthly wealth and glory, but a life of toil and danger, and possibly a martyr’s fate.” The Great Controversy, 70, 71.

8 How did they bring the truth to the people as far as possible without causing the opposition of the priests? Matthew 10:16.

Note: “To have made known the object of their mission would have ensured its defeat; therefore they [the Vaudois missionaries] carefully concealed their real character. Every minister possessed a knowledge of some trade or profession, and the missionaries prosecuted their work under cover of a secular calling. Usually they chose that of merchant or peddler. ‘They carried silks, jewelry, and other articles, at that time not easily purchasable save at distant marts; and they were welcomed as merchants where they would have been spurned as missionaries.’—Wylie, b. 1, ch. 7. All the while their hearts were uplifted to God for wisdom to present a treasure more precious than gold or gems. They secretly carried about with them copies of the Bible, in whole or in part; and whenever an opportunity was presented, they called the attention of their customers to these manuscripts. Often an interest to read God’s word was thus awakened, and some portion was gladly left with those who desired to receive it.” The Great Controversy, 71.

9 What example did the Waldenses and their ministers follow? John 4:31–34.

Note: “The Waldenses longed to break to these starving souls the bread of life, to open to them the messages of peace in the promises of God, and to point them to Christ as their only hope of salvation. …

“Eagerly did the Vaudois missionary unfold to the inquiring mind the precious truths of the gospel. Cautiously he produced the carefully written portions of the Holy Scriptures. … With quivering lip and tearful eye did he, often on bended knees, open to his brethren the precious promises that reveal the sinner’s only hope.” The Great Controversy, 73, 74.

10 What desire enables this church to survive repeated efforts to exterminate it? Acts 11:23.

Note: “The persecutions visited for many centuries upon this God-fearing people were endured by them with a patience and constancy that honored their Redeemer. Notwithstanding the crusades against them, and the inhuman butchery to which they were subjected, they continued to send out their missionaries to scatter the precious truth. They were hunted to death; yet their blood watered the seed sown, and it failed not of yielding fruit. Thus the Waldenses witnessed for God centuries before the birth of Luther. Scattered over many lands, they planted the seeds of the Reformation that began in the time of Wycliffe, grew broad and deep in the days of Luther, and is to be carried forward to the close of time by those who also are willing to suffer all things for ‘the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.’ Revelation 1:9.” The Great Controversy, 78.

Personal Review Questions

1 What characteristics were seen in the Waldenses?

2 What enabled them to identify the true character of Rome?

3 Why did the Vaudois understand the Scriptures clearly?

4 What special work did they do at the risk of their lives?

5 What blessings did these people bring and themselves enjoy?

Additional Reading

“The perception and appreciation of truth, He said, depends less upon the mind than upon the heart. Truth must be received into the soul; it claims the homage of the will. If truth could be submitted to the reason alone, pride would be no hindrance in the way of its reception. But it is to be received through the work of grace in the heart; and its reception depends upon the renunciation of every sin that the Spirit of God reveals. Man’s advantages for obtaining a knowledge of the truth, however great these may be, will prove of no benefit to him unless the heart is open to receive the truth, and there is a conscientious surrender of every habit and practice that is opposed to its principles. To those who thus yield themselves to God, having an honest desire to know and to do His will, the truth is revealed as the power of God for their salvation. These will be able to distinguish between him who speaks for God, and him who speaks merely from himself. The Pharisees had not put their will on the side of God’s will. They were not seeking to know the truth, but to find some excuse for evading it; Christ showed that this was why they did not understand His teaching.

“He now gave a test by which the true teacher might be distinguished from the deceiver: ‘He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of Him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.’ John 7:18, R. V. He that seeketh his own glory is speaking only from himself. The spirit of self-seeking betrays its origin. But Christ was seeking the glory of God. He spoke the words of God. This was the evidence of His authority as a teacher of the truth.” The Desire of Ages, 456.

©2003 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission

Bible Study Guides – Abraham’s Two Sons

by

April 22 – 28

Key Text

“For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman” (Galatians 4:22).

Study Help:  Our High Calling, 119–122, Patriarchs and Prophets, 370–373.

Introduction

“Faith is not a happy flight of feeling; it is simply taking God at His word—believing that He will fulfill His promises because He said He would.” Our High Calling, 119.

Sunday

 1   THE SON OF PROMISE

  •  Why is Isaac called the son of promise? Genesis 15:2, 3; 17:15, 16; 18:9–14 (compare with Galatians 4:22, 23, 27, 28).
  • How did Abraham and Sarah try to help the Lord fulfill His promise of a son? Genesis 16:1–4.

Note: “Abraham had accepted without question the promise of a son, but he did not wait for God to fulfill His word in His own time and way. A delay was permitted, to test his faith in the power of God; but he failed to endure the trial. Thinking it impossible that a child should be given her in her old age, Sarah suggested, as a plan by which the divine purpose might be fulfilled, that one of her handmaidens should be taken by Abraham as a secondary wife. Polygamy had become so widespread that it had ceased to be regarded as a sin, but it was no less a violation of the law of God, and was fatal to the sacredness and peace of the family relation. Abraham’s marriage with Hagar resulted in evil, not only to his own household, but to future generations.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 145.

Monday

 2   A SON OF BONDAGE

  •  How did God react as Abraham presented Ishmael as the son of promise? Genesis 17:15–21.

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. In his affection for his son he exclaimed, ‘O that Ishmael might live before Thee!’ Again the promise was given, in words that could not be mistaken: ‘Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish My covenant with him’ (Genesis 17:18, 19).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 146.

  • Why did God refuse to accept Ishmael as the promised seed? Galatians 4:22, 23, 30; Romans 14:23, last part.

Note: “The lack of faith on the part of Abraham and Sarah had resulted in the birth of Ishmael, the mingling of the righteous seed with the ungodly. The father’s influence upon his son was counteracted by that of the mother’s idolatrous kindred and by Ishmael’s connection with heathen wives.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 174.

  • What essential truth would Abraham have missed if God had accepted Ishmael as the promised seed? Romans 4:1–5, 21, 22.

Note: “The reward is not of works, lest any man should boast; but it is all of grace.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 401.

“When we individually rest upon Christ, with full assurance of faith, trusting alone to the efficacy of His blood to cleanse from all sin, we shall have peace in believing that what God has promised He is able to perform.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 181.

“[Philippians 4:4–7 quoted.] … The promise itself is of no value unless I fully believe that He that has made the promise is abundantly able to fulfill, and infinite in power to do all that He has said.” This Day With God, 156.

Tuesday

 3   CHILDREN OF BONDAGE

  •  Explain which class of people Ishmael and his mother Hagar spiritually represent, and why. Genesis 16:4–6; Galatians 4:22, 23.
  • Why does the apostle Paul describe the Jews living in Jerusalem in his day as bond servants, like Hagar and Ishmael? John 8:31–36; Romans 9:6–8.

Note: “Every soul that refuses to give himself to God is under the control of another power. He is not his own. He may talk of freedom, but he is in the most abject slavery. He is not allowed to see the beauty of truth, for his mind is under the control of Satan. While he flatters himself that he is following the dictates of his own judgment, he obeys the will of the prince of darkness. Christ came to break the shackles of sin-slavery from the soul.” The Desire of Ages, 466.

“God has done so much to make it possible for us to be free in Christ, free from the slavery of wrong habits and evil inclinations. Dear young friends, will you not strive to be free in Christ?” Our High Calling, 29.

  • In whom and in what did the Jews of the flesh (the literal descendants of Abraham) place their confidence in receiving the blessing of God? John 8:37–40; Philippians 3:3–9; Galatians 6:12, 13.

Note: “The Jews claimed to have descended from Abraham; but by failing to do the works of Abraham, they proved that they were not his true children. Only those who prove themselves to be spiritually in harmony with Abraham by obeying the voice of God, are reckoned as of true descent.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 268.

“Paul says that as ‘touching the righteousness which is in the law’—as far as outward acts were concerned—he was ‘blameless’ (Philippians 3:6); but when the spiritual character of the law was discerned, he saw himself a sinner. Judged by the letter of the law as men apply it to the outward life, he had abstained from sin; but when he looked into the depths of its holy precepts, and saw himself as God saw him, he bowed in humiliation and confessed his guilt.” Steps to Christ, 29, 30.

Wednesday

 4   AN ALLEGORY

  •  When we trust in our own works for acceptance with God, rather than in Christ, what covenant are we falling under? Galatians 4:21–25; 3:10; 2 Corinthians 3:14, 15.

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; and they readily entered into covenant with God. Feeling that they were able to establish their own righteousness, they declared, ‘All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient’ (Exodus 24:7); … yet only a few weeks passed before they broke their covenant with God, and bowed down to worship a graven image. They could not hope for the favor of God through a covenant which they had broken; and now, seeing their sinfulness and their need of pardon, they were brought to feel their need of the Saviour revealed in the Abrahamic covenant and shadowed forth in the sacrificial offerings. Now by faith and love they were bound to God as their deliverer from the bondage of sin. Now they were prepared to appreciate the blessings of the new covenant. …

“The ‘new covenant’ was established upon ‘better promises’—the promise of forgiveness of sins and of the grace of God to renew the heart and bring it into harmony with the principles of God’s law. …

“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’ (Galatians 5:22). Through the grace of Christ we shall live in obedience to the law of God written upon our hearts. Having the Spirit of Christ, we shall walk even as He walked.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 371, 372.

  • Why is it evident that a person cannot make himself or herself righteous before God by keeping the law? Galatians 2:21; 3:11, 12.

Note: “Were it not for Christ’s atoning sacrifice, there would be nothing in us in which God could delight. All the natural goodness of man is worthless in God’s sight. He does not take pleasure in any man who retains his old nature, and is not so renewed in knowledge and grace that he is a new man in Christ.” God’s Amazing Grace, 66.

Thursday

 5   BROTHERLY PERSECUTION

  •  What event does the apostle Paul use to illustrate the Jewish persecution of the Christian church? Galatians 4:28, 29; Genesis 21:6–10.
  • Why will the children of the spirit always be persecuted by the children of the flesh? John 15:17–22; John 3:19, 20; Galatians 5:17, first part.

Note: “Cain hated and killed his brother, not for any wrong that Abel had done, but ‘because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous’ (1 John 3:12). … Abel’s life of obedience and unswerving faith was to Cain a perpetual reproof. … The brighter the heavenly light that is reflected from the character of God’s faithful servants, the more clearly the sins of the ungodly are revealed, and the more determined will be their efforts to destroy those who disturb their peace.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 74.

“The early Christians were indeed a peculiar people. Their blameless deportment and unswerving faith were a continual reproof that disturbed the sinner’s peace. Though few in numbers, without wealth, position, or honorary titles, they were a terror to evildoers wherever their character and doctrines were known. … It was for the same reason that the Jews rejected and crucified the Saviour—because the purity and holiness of His character was a constant rebuke to their selfishness and corruption. From the days of Christ until now His faithful disciples have excited the hatred and opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin.” The Great Controversy, 46.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     How only can God’s promises be fulfilled?

2     Why will God never accept the works of the flesh as righteousness?

3     Why can we never place trust in our heritage, our flesh, or our works?

4     Why is it impossible to be justified by the works of the law?

5     Describe the type of warfare Christians must expect because of their faith.

 Copyright © 2017, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – The Promised Seed

by

April 15 – 21

 

Key Text

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

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 145–155.

Introduction

“The gift to Abraham and his seed included not merely the land of Canaan, but the whole earth.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 170.

Sunday

 1   THE SEED OF PROMISE

  •  Even though Abraham asked God for one seed to be his heir, how many children did God promise to bless him with? Genesis 13:15, 16; 15:2–5.
  • How does the apostle Paul reveal that God’s promises made to Abraham were to be realized through one very special seed, Jesus Christ? Genesis 17:1–8; Galatians 3:16; Hebrews 2:14–16.

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

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

Monday

 2   THE BIRTH OF THE PROMISED SEED

  •  How do we know that Abraham was aware that the promises were to come through a very special seed, Jesus Christ? John 8:56.

Note: “He [Abraham] was given a view of the divine sacrifice for sin. Of this sacrifice he had an illustration in his own experience. … Upon the altar of sacrifice he laid the son of promise, the son in whom his hopes were centered. …

“Abraham learned of God the greatest lesson ever given to mortal. His prayer that he might see Christ before he should die was answered. He saw Christ; he saw all that mortal can see, and live. By making an entire surrender, he was able to understand the vision of Christ, which had been given him. He 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, 468, 469.

  • Seeing that Sarah was past the age of child-bearing, what did Abraham and Sarah need before they could have a child? Genesis 17:15–19; 18:9–14; Mark 10:27.

Note: “I would that all could realize what possibilities and probabilities there are for all who make Christ their sufficiency and their trust. The life hid with Christ in God ever has a refuge; he can say, ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me’ (Philippians 4:13).” Country Living, 28.

  • In what ways did the miracle birth of Isaac symbolize the miracle birth of the promised seed, Jesus Christ? Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18–23.

Note: “The birth of a son to Zacharias, like the birth of the child of Abraham, and that of Mary, was to teach a great spiritual truth, a truth that we are slow to learn and ready to forget. In ourselves we are incapable of doing any good thing; but that which we cannot do will be wrought by the power of God in every submissive and believing soul. It was through faith that the child of promise was given. It is through faith that spiritual life is begotten, and we are enabled to do the works of righteousness.” The Desire of Ages, 98.

Tuesday

3   DEATH OF THE PROMISED SEED

  •  Describe how God predicted the death of the promised seed, Jesus Christ, through the sacrifice of Isaac. Genesis 22:1–3, 9–13; Romans 8:31, 32; Isaiah 53:4–7.

Note: “The ram offered in the place of Isaac represented the Son of God, who was to be sacrificed in our stead. When man was doomed to death by transgression of the law of God, the Father, looking upon His Son, said to the sinner, ‘Live: I have found a ransom.’

“It was to impress Abraham’s mind with the reality of the gospel, as well as to test his faith, that God commanded him to slay his son. The agony which he 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. No other test could have caused Abraham such torture of soul as did the offering of his son. God gave His Son to a death of agony and shame. The angels who witnessed the humiliation and soul anguish of the Son of God were not permitted to interpose, as in the case of Isaac. There was no voice to cry, ‘It is enough.’ To save the fallen race, the King of glory yielded up His life. What stronger proof can be given of the infinite compassion and love of God?” Patriarchs and Prophets, 154.

  • What was significant about the expression “thine only son” as God spoke to Abraham? Genesis 22:2; Mark 1:11; 1John 4:9.

Note: “Our heavenly Father surrendered His beloved Son to the agonies of the crucifixion … 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? [Romans 8:32 quoted].” That I May Know Him, 20.

“Let us, then, cheerfully suffer something for Jesus’ sake, crucify self daily, and be partakers of Christ’s sufferings here, that we may be made partakers with Him of His glory, and be crowned with glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life.” Early Writings, 114.

Wednesday

 4   RESURRECTION OF THE PROMISED SEED

  •  How did God show to Abraham that the promised seed, Jesus Christ, was to be the Saviour of the world? Genesis 22:7, 8, 11–13; Hebrews 11:17–19.

Note: “When the command was given to Abraham to offer up his son, the interest of all heavenly beings was enlisted. With intense earnestness they watched each step in the fulfillment of this command. When to Isaac’s question, ‘Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ Abraham made answer, ‘God will provide Himself a lamb’ (Genesis 22:7, 8); and when the father’s hand was stayed as he was about to slay his son, and the ram which God had provided was offered in the place of Isaac—then light was shed upon the mystery of redemption, and even the angels understood more clearly the wonderful provision that God had made for man’s salvation.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 155.

  • What wonderful truth was Abraham assured of as he laid hold of the promise, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Genesis 21:12)? Genesis 22:5; Hebrews 11:18, 19.

Note: “He [Abraham] strengthened his soul by dwelling upon the evidences of the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness. This son 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’ (Genesis 21:12)—a seed numberless as the grains of sand upon the shore. 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.

  • How did this truth typify the true promised seed, Jesus Christ? Acts 3:25, 26; 1Peter 1:18–21.

Note: “He [the Son of God] rose from the grave and proclaimed over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life’ (John 11:25). One equal with God passed through death in our behalf. He tasted death for every man, that through Him every man might be a partaker of eternal life.” In Heavenly Places, 13.

Thursday

 5   INHERITANCE OF THE PROMISED SEED

  •  What inheritance did God promise to Abraham and his seed? Genesis 17:7, 8; Psalm 105:6–11. How does this symbolize the inheritance of Christ? Daniel 7:13, 14, 18; Matthew 25:31–34.

Note: “Language fails to express the value of the immortal inheritance. The glory, riches, and honor offered by the Son of God are of such infinite value that it is beyond the power of men or even angels to give any just idea of their worth, their excellence, their magnificence.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 40.

  • How can we have the assurance that God will honor His promises and give His children the Promised Land? Hebrews 6:13–18; John 14:1–3.

Note: “Long have we waited for our Saviour’s return. But nonetheless sure is the promise. Soon we shall be in our promised home. There Jesus will lead us beside the living stream flowing from the throne of God and will explain to us the dark providences through which on this earth He brought us in order to perfect our characters. There we shall behold with undimmed vision the beauties of Eden restored. Casting at the feet of the Redeemer the crowns that He has placed on our heads, and touching our golden harps, we shall fill all heaven with praise to Him that sitteth on the throne.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 254.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1     How did God reveal to Abraham the Gospel?

2     What miracle declares Christ to be of divine origin?

3     How does the experience of Abraham and Isaac reveal the depths of the sacrifice God made for humankind?

4     Why is the resurrection so important to the believer?

5     What should we never forget as we await the land of inheritance?

Bible Study Guides – The Faith of Abraham

by

April 8 – 14

Key Text

“He [Abraham] believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6).

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 6, 91–99.

Introduction

“Our souls may be trained to believe, taught to rely upon the word of God.” Our High Calling, 119.

Sunday

 1   ABRAHAM’S GREATEST CONCERN

  •  What was Abraham’s greatest concern regarding the promises of God? Genesis 12:7; 15:1–3.

Note: “As Abraham had no son, he at first thought that his trusty servant, Eliezer, should become his son by adoption, and his heir. But God informed Abraham that his servant should not be his son and heir, but that he should really have a son.” The Story of Redemption, 77.

  • How did God reassure Abraham that He had not forgotten His promise? Genesis 15:4, 5; Isaiah 55:10, 11.

Note: “God desires us to receive great blessings. His promises are so clearly stated that there is no cause for uncertainty. He desires us to take Him at His word. At times we shall be in great perplexity, and not know just what to do. But at such times it is our privilege to take our Bibles and read the messages He has given us; and then get down on our knees and ask Him to help us. Over and over again He has given evidence that He is a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God. He fulfills His promises in far greater measure than we expect to receive help. …

“Wherever we are, we are under obligation as disciples of our Lord and Master, to anchor our faith in the promises of God.” The Watchman, May 1, 1914.

Monday

 2   FULLY PERSUADED

  •  Why did Abraham decide to believe in God’s promise of a child? Genesis 15:6, first part; Romans 4:20, 21.

Note: “That faith which works by love and purifies the soul is not a matter of impulse. It ventures out upon the promises of God, firmly believing that what He has said, He is able also to perform.” Our High Calling, 119.

“[Philippians 4:4–7 quoted.] The promise itself is of no value unless I fully believe that He that has made the promise is abundantly able to fulfill, and infinite in power to do all that He has said.” This Day With God, 156.

  • What was his reward for believing in God’s promise? Genesis 15:6, last part; Romans 4:22.

Note: “The moment the sinner believes in Christ, he stands in the sight of God uncondemned; for the righteousness of Christ is his: Christ’s perfect obedience is imputed to him. But he must cooperate with divine power, and put forth his human effort to subdue sin, and stand complete in Christ.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 429, 430.

“We may rest upon God, not because of our own merit, but because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us. We must look away from self to the spotless Lamb of God, who did no sin; and by looking to Him in faith we shall become like Him.” Gospel Workers (1892), 427.

  • When is faith truly exercised? Hebrews 11:1; Habakkuk 2:3.

Note: “To abide in faith is to put aside feeling and selfish desires, to walk humbly with the Lord, to appropriate His promises, and apply them to all occasions, believing that God will work out His own plans and purposes in your heart and life by the sanctification of your character; it is to rely entirely, to trust implicitly, upon the faithfulness of God. If this course is followed, others will see the special fruits of the Spirit manifested in the life and character.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 341, 342.

Tuesday

 3   GOD JUSTIFIES THE UNGODLY

  •  What shows us that Abraham was a sinner in need of justification? Romans 3:9–12, 23; Genesis 12:11–20.

Note: “During his stay in Egypt, Abraham gave evidence that he was not free from human weakness and imperfection. In concealing the fact that Sarah was his wife, he betrayed a distrust of the divine care, a lack of that lofty faith and courage so often and nobly exemplified in his life.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 130.

  • What does the Bible say about the justification of Abraham before God? Romans 4:1–8; 3:28.

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. The troubled soul may find peace through faith in Christ, and his peace will be in proportion to his faith and trust. He cannot present his good works as a plea for the salvation of his soul.” “Ellen G. Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1122.

“Remember that Christ came into the world to save sinners. We have nothing to recommend us to God; the plea that we may urge now and ever is our utterly helpless condition, which makes His redeeming power a necessity. Renouncing all self-dependence, we may look to the cross of Calvary.” The Ministry of Healing, 65.

  • What happens to an ungodly human when he or she chooses to believe whole heartedly in God? Romans 6:17, 18; 10:9, 10; 1:17.

Note: “The moment we surrender ourselves to God, believing in Jesus we have the righteousness of Christ. We realize that we have been redeemed from sin and appreciate His sacrifice to purchase our freedom.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 5, 346.

Wednesday

 4   A SIGN OF CONVERSION

  •  What outward act did Abraham perform to demonstrate his internal change? Genesis 17:10, 11; Romans 4:11.

Note: “The rite of circumcision … was to be observed by the patriarch [Abraham] 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. By this rite they were pledged to fulfill, on their part, the conditions of the covenant made with Abraham. They were not to contract marriages with the heathen; for by so doing they would lose their reverence for God and His holy law; they would be tempted to engage in the sinful practices of other nations and would be seduced into idolatry.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 138.

  • Why is it essential to understand that Abraham was accounted righteous before he became circumcised? Romans 4:8–12; 2:28, 29.

Note: “Righteousness is obedience to the law. The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. …

“Many are losing the right way, in consequence of thinking that they must climb to heaven, that they must do something to merit the favor of God. They seek to make themselves better by their own unaided efforts. This they can never accomplish. Christ has made the way by dying our Sacrifice, by living our Example, by becoming our great High Priest. He declares, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’ (John 14:6). If by any effort of our own we could advance one step toward the ladder, the words of Christ would not be true. But when we accept Christ, good works will appear as fruitful evidence that we are in the way of life, that Christ is our way, and that we are treading the true path that leads to heaven.” Faith and Works, 101, 102.

Thursday

 5   CIRCUMCISED WITHIN

  •  Before we are baptized with water (the New Covenant act that replaces circumcision), what must first take place within? John 3:5–8; Colossians 2:10–13.

Note: “All who enter upon the new life should understand, prior to their baptism, that the Lord requires the undivided affections. … The bearing of fruit testifies to the character of the tree. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. … There is need of a thorough conversion to the truth.” Evangelism, 308.

“Every soul united to Christ will be a living missionary to all around him.” Ibid., 319.

  • What happens to Christians who rely solely on the outward act of baptism in order to be saved, as the Jews relied on circumcision? Romans 10:1–3; Matthew 23:25–28.

Note: “Your connection with the church, the manner in which your brethren regard you, will be of no avail unless you believe in Christ. It is not enough to believe about Him; you must believe in Him. You must rely wholly upon His saving grace.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 49.

“The Lord has a work for us all to do. And if the truth is not rooted in the heart, if the natural traits of character are not transformed by the Holy Spirit, we can never be co-laborers with Jesus Christ. Self will constantly appear, and the character of Christ will not be manifested in our lives.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 969.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

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

2     What does it mean to be persuaded in God’s word?

3     What gracious blessing is ours when we surrender to God?

4     What does circumcision symbolize?

5     What is more important, baptism within or without?

Bible Study Guides – Abraham’s Calling

by

April 1 – 7

 

Key Text

“I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2).

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 125–131.

Introduction

“Abraham had grown up in the midst of superstition and heathenism. … But the true faith was not to become extinct. God has ever preserved a remnant to serve Him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 125.

Sunday

 1   GOD CALLS ABRAHAM

  •  What did God call Abraham to do, and who went with him? Genesis 12:1–4; Acts 7:4.

Note: “After the dispersion from Babel idolatry again became well-nigh universal, and the Lord finally left the hardened transgressors to follow their evil ways, while He chose Abraham, of the line of Shem, and made him the keeper of His law for future generations.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 125.

  • Why didn’t God immediately tell Abraham the place where He was calling him to go? Hebrews 11:8. What decision did Abraham have to make in obeying God’s call? Genesis 12:1; Matthew 10:34–38.

Note: “Abraham’s unquestioning obedience is one of the most striking evidences of faith to be found in all the Bible. …

“It was no light test that was thus brought upon Abraham, no small sacrifice that was required of him. There were strong ties to bind him to his country, his kindred, and his home. But he did not hesitate to obey the call. He had no question to ask concerning the land of promise. … God has spoken, and His servant must obey; the happiest place on earth for him was the place where God would have him to be.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 126.

Monday

 2   THE PROMISES

  •  What initial promises did God make to Abraham? Genesis 12:2, 3.

Note: “It was for the purpose of bringing the best gifts of Heaven to all the peoples of earth that God called Abraham out from his idolatrous kindred and bade him dwell in the land of Canaan. ‘I will make of thee a great nation,’ He said, ‘and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing’ (Genesis 12:2). It was a high honor to which Abraham was called—that of being the father of the people who for centuries were to be the guardians and preservers of the truth of God to the world, the people through whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed in the advent of the promised Messiah.

“Men had well-nigh lost the knowledge of the true God. Their minds were darkened by idolatry. For the divine statutes, which are ‘holy, and just, and good’ (Romans 7:12), men were endeavoring to substitute laws in harmony with the purposes of their own cruel, selfish hearts. Yet God in His mercy did not blot them out of existence. He purposed to give them opportunity for becoming acquainted with Him through His church. He designed that the principles revealed through His people should be the means of restoring the moral image of God in man.” Prophets and Kings, 15, 16.

  • Which land did God promise to Abraham and his seed? Genesis 12:5–7; 13:14–18.
  • What is significant about Abraham and his children living in tents? Hebrews 11:9, 10, 13–16. What similar attitude are we called to adopt? 2 Peter 3:11–14.

Note: “Let us strive to be Christians (Christ-like) in every sense of the word, and let our dress, conversation and actions preach that Christ is formed within, the hope of glory, and that we are looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of Jesus. Let us show to those around us, that this world is not our home, that we are pilgrims and strangers here.” The Review and Herald, June 10, 1852.

Tuesday

 3   LOT’S GREAT MISTAKE

  •  What temptation did Lot fall into as he journeyed to the Promised Land with Abraham? Genesis 13:5–11; 1John 2:16, 17.

Note: “The most fertile region in all Palestine was the Jordan Valley, reminding the beholders of the lost Paradise and equaling the beauty and productiveness of the Nile-enriched plains they had so lately left. … Dazzled with visions of worldly gain, Lot overlooked the moral and spiritual evils that would be encountered [in the crowded marts of the wealthy and beautiful cities]. The inhabitants of the plain were ‘sinners before the Lord exceedingly’ (Genesis 13:13); but of this he was ignorant, or, knowing, gave it but little weight. He ‘chose him all the plain of Jordan,’ and ‘pitched his tent toward Sodom’ (verses 11, 12). How little did he foresee the terrible results of that selfish choice!” Patriarchs and Prophets, 133.

  • What is the devil seeking to achieve through the lust of the eyes? Mark 4:18, 19; Matthew 4:8–10.

Note: “If the claims and cares of the world are allowed to engross all our time and attention, our spiritual powers weaken and die because they are not exercised.” This Day With God, 87.

  • How can the place where we choose to pitch our tent potentially destroy our spiritual life and that of our families? Genesis 13:12, 13; 19:1, 12–16.

Note: “Many … in selecting a home … look more to the temporal advantages they may gain than to the moral and social influences that will surround themselves and their families. They choose a beautiful and fertile country, or remove to some flourishing city, in the hope of securing greater prosperity; but their children are surrounded by temptation, and too often they form associations that are unfavorable to the development of piety and the formation of a right character. The atmosphere of lax morality, of unbelief, of indifference to religious things, has a tendency to counteract the influence of the parents. … Many form attachments for infidels and unbelievers, and cast in their lot with the enemies of God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 168, 169.

Wednesday

 4   SINFUL SURROUNDINGS

  •  What should we learn from the experience of Lot’s wife? Genesis 19:26; Luke 17:28–33.

Note: “She [Lot’s wife] rebelled against God because His judgments involved her possessions and her children in the ruin. …

“The invitations of mercy are addressed to all; and because our friends reject the Saviour’s pleading love, shall we also turn away? The redemption of the soul is precious. Christ has paid an infinite price for our salvation, and no one who appreciates the value of this great sacrifice or the worth of the soul will despise God’s offered mercy because others choose to do so.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 161, 162.

  • Even though the daughters of Lot escaped Sodom, how had their morals become corrupted? Genesis 19:30–38; Leviticus 18:6, 7.

Note: “Lot made his way to the mountains and abode in a cave, stripped of all for which he had dared to subject his family to the influences of a wicked city. But the curse of Sodom followed him even here. The sinful conduct of his daughters was the result of the evil associations of that vile place. Its moral corruption had become so interwoven with their character that they could not distinguish between good and evil. Lot’s only posterity, the Moabites and Ammonites, were vile, idolatrous tribes, rebels against God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 167, 168.

  • In these last days, where is the safest place to pitch our tents as we journey to the Promised Land, and why? Genesis 2:7, 8; Jude 5–7.

Note: “So long as God gives me power to speak to our people, I shall continue to call upon parents to leave the cities and get homes in the country, where they can cultivate the soil and learn from the book of nature the lessons of purity and simplicity. The things of nature are the Lord’s silent ministers, given to us to teach us spiritual truths. They speak to us of the love of God and declare the wisdom of the great Master Artist.” The Adventist Home, 146, 147.

Thursday

 5   MAKING OUR CALLING SURE

  •  As we have been called to the Promised Land as Abraham was called, of what should we be mindful? 2Peter 1:10, 11; Matthew 22:14.

Note: “None need lose eternal life. Everyone who chooses daily to learn of the heavenly Teacher will make his calling and election sure. Let us humble our hearts before God and follow on to know Him whom to know aright is life eternal. …

“We cannot afford to allow anything to separate us from God and heaven. In this life we must be partakers of the divine nature. Brethren and sisters, you have only one life to live. O let it be a life of virtue, a life hid with Christ in God!” In Heavenly Places, 29.

  • Who only will make it to the Promised Land? Revelation 17:14; Hebrews 3:12–14.

Note: “The work of conquering evil is to be done through faith. Those who go into the battlefield will find that they must put on the whole armor of God. The shield of faith will be their defense and will enable them to be more than conquerors. Nothing else will avail but this—faith in the Lord of hosts, and obedience to His orders. Vast armies furnished with every other facility will avail nothing in the last great conflict. Without faith, an angel host could not help. Living faith alone will make them invincible and enable them to stand in the evil day, steadfast, unmovable, holding the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 182, 183.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1      What does it mean to love our families more than we love Christ?

2      How can we tell if we are pilgrims and strangers today?

3      Explain how the place where we choose to live can affect our destiny.

4      What are the dangers of living in close quarters to sinful cities?

5      Why is not everyone called also chosen?

Bible Study Guides – The Power of Oppression Broken

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December 19, 2010 – December 25, 2010

Key Text

“I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.” Isaiah 57:19.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 289–298; Prophets and Kings, 675–678.

Introduction

“It was the work of the Reformation to restore to men the word of God.” The Great Controversy, 388.

1 With the spread of the Word of God and the Reformation, what new era was ushered in? II Corinthians 3:17.

2 While the accession of the Roman Church to power marked the beginning of the Dark Ages, what marked the end of this period? Revelation 13:3, first part; 12:14.

Note: “The accession of the Roman Church to power marked the beginning of the Dark Ages.” The Great Controversy, 55.

“This period, as stated in preceding chapters, began with the supremacy of the papacy, A.D. 538, and terminated in 1798. At that time the pope was made captive by the French army, the papal power received its deadly wound, and the prediction was fulfilled, ‘He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity’ [Revelation 13:10].” Ibid., 439.

“In the beginning of the year 1798, on the 15th of February, a French general, Berthier, entered Rome with a French army without resistance, deposed the pope, abolished the papal government, and erected the republic of Italy.” William Miller, Miller’s Works, vol. 2, 99.

3 How was the prophecy of Daniel concerning the increase of knowledge fulfilled? What was particularly instrumental in this? Daniel 12:4.

Note: “The improvements in printing have given an impetus to the work of circulating the Bible. The increased facilities for communication between different countries, the breaking down of ancient barriers of prejudice and national exclusiveness, and the loss of secular power by the pontiff of Rome have opened the way for the entrance of the word of God. For some years the Bible has been sold without restraint in the streets of Rome, and it has now been carried to every part of the habitable globe.” The Great Controversy, 288.

“In 1804, according to Mr. William Canton of the British and Foreign Bible Society, ‘all the Bibles extant in the world, in manuscript or in print, counting every version in every land, were computed at not many more than four millions. … The various languages in which those four millions were written, including such bygone speech as the Moeso-Gothic of Ulfilas and the Anglo-Saxon of Bede, are set down as numbering about fifty.’ …

“The American Bible Society reported a distribution from 1816 through 1955 of 481,149,365 Bibles, Testaments, and portions of Testaments. To this may be added over 600,000,000 Bibles or Scripture portions distributed by the British and Foreign Bible Society.” Appendix to The Great Controversy, 689.

4 What prophecy leads us to look for an expanding growth of gospel and missionary activity? Revelation 11:12.

Note: “For the fifty years preceding 1792, little attention was given to the work of foreign missions. No new societies were formed, and there were but few churches that made any effort for the spread of Christianity in heathen lands. But toward the close of the eighteenth century a great change took place. Men became dissatisfied with the results of rationalism and realized the necessity of divine revelation and experimental religion. From this time the work of foreign missions attained an unprecedented growth.” The Great Controversy, 287, 288.

5 How did Daniel amplify the prophecy given in Daniel 12:4 and what is the significance of this? Daniel 12:6, 7.

Note: “[Joseph] Wolff believed the coming of the Lord to be at hand, his interpretation of the prophetic periods placing the great consummation within a very few years of the time pointed out by Miller. To those who urged from the scripture, ‘Of that day and hour knoweth no man’ [Matthew 24:36], that men are to know nothing concerning the nearness of the advent, Wolff replied: ‘Did our Lord say that that day and hour should never be known? Did He not give us signs of the times, in order that we may know at least the approach of His coming, as one knows the approach of the summer by the fig tree putting forth its leaves? Matthew 24:32. Are we never to know that period, whilst He Himself exhorteth us not only to read Daniel the prophet, but to understand it? and in that very Daniel, where it is said that the words were shut up to the time of the end (which was the case in his time), and that ‘many shall run to and fro’ (a Hebrew expression for observing and thinking upon the time), ‘and knowledge’ (regarding that time) ‘shall be increased’ (Daniel 12:4). Besides this, our Lord does not intend to say by this, that the approach of the time shall not be known, but that the exact ‘day and hour knoweth no man.’ Enough, He does say, shall be known by the signs of the times, to induce us to prepare for His coming, as Noah prepared the ark.’—Wolff, Researches and Missionary Labors, pages 404, 405.” The Great Controversy, 359, 360.

6 When opening the future to His disciples, what did Jesus say would occur at the end of the tribulation of the Dark Ages? Mark 13:24, 25; Matthew 24:21, 22.

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.

7 What doctrine began to take on a new significance as the signs given by Jesus came to pass? Matthew 24:29–33.

8 What did Reformers say concerning this event which should bring hope and encouragement to every Christian?

Note: “They [saints and martyrs] were willing to go down to the grave, that they might ‘rise free.’—Daniel T. Taylor, The Reign of Christ on Earth: or, The Voice of the Church in All Ages, p. 54. They looked for the ‘Lord to come from heaven in the clouds with the glory of His Father,’ ‘bringing to the just the times of the kingdom.’ The Waldenses cherished the same faith.—Ibid., pages 129–132. Wycliffe looked forward to the Redeemer’s appearing as the hope of the church.—Ibid., pages 132–134.

“Luther declared: ‘I persuade myself verily, that the day of judgment will not be absent full three hundred years. God will not, cannot, suffer this wicked world much longer.’ ‘The great day is drawing near in which the kingdom of abominations shall be overthrown.’—Ibid., pages 158, 134.

“ ‘This aged world is not far from its end,’ said Melanchthon. Calvin bids Christians ‘not to hesitate, ardently desiring the day of Christ’s coming as of all events most auspicious;’ and declares that ‘the whole family of the faithful will keep in view that day.’ ‘We must hunger after Christ, we must seek, contemplate,’ he says, ‘till the dawning of that great day, when our Lord will fully manifest the glory of His kingdom.’—Ibid., pages 158, 134.

“ ‘Has not the Lord Jesus carried up our flesh into heaven?’ said Knox, the Scotch Reformer, ‘and shall He not return? We know that He shall return, and that with expedition.’ Ridley and Latimer, who laid down their lives for the truth, looked in faith for the Lord’s coming. Ridley wrote: ‘The world without doubt—this I do believe, and therefore I say it—draws to an end. Let us with John, the servant of God, cry in our hearts unto our Saviour Christ, Come, Lord Jesus, come.’—Ibid., pages 151, 145.

“ ‘The thoughts of the coming of the Lord,’ said Baxter, ‘are most sweet and joyful to me.’—Richard Baxter, Works, vol. 17, p. 555. ‘It is the work of faith and the character of His saints to love His appearing and to look for that blessed hope.’ ‘If death be the last enemy to be destroyed at the resurrection, we may learn how earnestly believers should long and pray for the second coming of Christ, when this full and final conquest shall be made.’ ” The Great Controversy, 303, 304.

9 What promise of Jesus should always be remembered and taught to all who will listen? John 14:1–3.

Note: “One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible is that of Christ’s second coming to complete the great work of redemption. To God’s pilgrim people, so long left to sojourn in ‘the region and shadow of death’ [Matthew 4:16], precious, joy-inspiring hope is given in the promise of His appearing, who is ‘the resurrection and the life’ [John 11:25], to ‘bring home again His banished’ [II Samuel 14:13].” The Great Controversy, 299.

10 How did the Reformers lighten the world and how are they to do it now? Matthew 5:14–16; Psalm 19:7.

Note: “Rome withheld the Bible from the people and required all men to accept her teachings in its place. It was the work of the Reformation to restore to men the word of God.” The Great Controversy, 388.

“This principle we in our day are firmly to maintain. The banner of truth and religious liberty held aloft by the founders of the gospel church and by God’s witnesses during the centuries that have passed since then, has, in this last conflict, been committed to our hands. The responsibility for this great gift rests with those whom God has blessed with a knowledge of His word.” The Acts of the Apostles, 68, 69.

Personal Review Questions

1 What was a noticeable result of the Reformation?

2 What factors influenced the increase in missionary activity around the world?

3 What prophecies find their specific fulfillment at the close of the Dark Ages?

4 What should be a focal point of the gospel message in our time?

5 What can we do to continue and finish the work begun by the Reformers?

Additional Reading

“The word of God abounds in sharp and striking contrasts. Sin and holiness are placed side by side, that, beholding, we may shun the one and accept the other. The pages that describe the hatred, falsehood, and treachery of Sanballat and Tobiah, describe also the nobility, devotion, and self-sacrifice of Ezra and Nehemiah. We are left free to copy either, as we choose. The fearful results of transgressing God’s commands are placed over against the blessings resulting from obedience. We ourselves must decide whether we will suffer the one or enjoy the other. …

“The spiritual restoration of which the work carried forward in Nehemiah’s day was a symbol, is outlined in the words of Isaiah: ‘They shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities.’ ‘They that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.’ Isaiah 61:4; 58:12.

“The prophet here describes a people who, in a time of general departure from truth and righteousness, are seeking to restore the principles that are the foundation of the kingdom of God. They are repairers of a breach that has been made in God’s law—the wall that He has placed around His chosen ones for their protection, and obedience to whose precepts of justice, truth, and purity is to be their perpetual safeguard.” Prophets and Kings, 676–678.

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

Bible Study Guides – The Failure of a Ghastly Experiment

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December 12, 2010 – December 18, 2010

Key Text

“And when they [the two witnesses] shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.” Revelation 11:7.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 275–288.

Introduction

“It had been Rome’s policy, under a profession of reverence for the Bible, to keep it locked up in an unknown tongue and hidden away from the people. Under her rule the witnesses prophesied ‘clothed in sackcloth’ [Revelation 11:3]. But another power—the beast from the bottomless pit—was to arise to make open, avowed war upon the word of God.” The Great Controversy, 269.

1 What had God declared of His two witnesses—the Old and New Testaments—during the 1260-year period of papal persecution? Revelation 11:2–6. What was to occur just as they were finishing their testimony? Revelation 11:7.

Note: “[Revelation 11:7 quoted.] The period when the two witnesses were to prophesy clothed in sackcloth, ended in 1798. As they were approaching the termination of their work in obscurity, war was to be made upon them by the power represented as ‘the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit’ [Revelation 11:7].” The Great Controversy, 268.

2 As a nation which had long been a stronghold of papal power and total suppression of God’s Word, why was France ripe for revolution? John 3:19.

Note: “The war against the Bible, carried forward for so many centuries in France, culminated in the scenes of the Revolution. That terrible outbreaking was but the legitimate result of Rome’s suppression of the Scriptures.” The Great Controversy, 265.

3 How did the prophecy of Revelation 11:7 meet its fulfillment?

Note: “The atheistical power that ruled in France during the Revolution and the Reign of Terror, did wage such a war against God and His holy word as the world had never witnessed. The worship of the Deity was abolished by the National Assembly. Bibles were collected and publicly burned with every possible manifestation of scorn. The law of God was trampled underfoot. The institutions of the Bible were abolished. The weekly rest day was set aside, and in its stead every tenth day was devoted to reveling and blasphemy. Baptism and the Communion were prohibited. And announcements posted conspicuously over the burial places declared death to be an eternal sleep.” The Great Controversy, 273, 274.

4 In a spiritual sense, what two characteristics—one of Egypt and one of Sodom—were found in France during the revolution? Revelation 11:8; Exodus 5:1, 2; Ezekiel 16:49.

Note: “ ‘The great city’ in whose streets the witnesses are slain, and where their dead bodies lie, is ‘spiritually’ Egypt. Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God and resisted His commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open and highhanded rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of Egypt. When the message was brought him by Moses, in the name of the Lord, Pharaoh proudly answered: ‘Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.’ Exodus 5:2, A.R.V. This is atheism, and the nation represented by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living God and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance. ‘The great city’ is also compared, ‘spiritually,’ to Sodom. The corruption of Sodom in breaking the law of God was especially manifested in licentiousness. And this sin was also to be a pre-eminent characteristic of the nation that should fulfill the specifications of this scripture.

“According to the words of the prophet, then, a little before the year 1798 some power of satanic origin and character would rise to make war upon the Bible. And in the land where the testimony of God’s two witnesses should thus be silenced, there would be manifest the atheism of the Pharaoh and the licentiousness of Sodom.” The Great Controversy, 269.

5 How had Rome inflamed the kings against Protestantism at the beginning of the sixteenth century? What scriptural law was now being fulfilled in France? Galatians 6:7.

Note: “It was popery that had begun the work which atheism was completing. The policy of Rome had wrought out those conditions, social, political, and religious, that were hurrying France on to ruin. Writers, in referring to the horrors of the Revolution, say that these excesses are to be charged upon the throne and the church. In strict justice they are to be charged upon the church. Popery had poisoned the minds of kings against the Reformation, as an enemy to the crown, an element of discord that would be fatal to the peace and harmony of the nation. It was the genius of Rome that by this means inspired the direst cruelty and the most galling oppression which proceeded from the throne.” The Great Controversy, 276, 277.

“Unhappy France reaped in blood the harvest she had sown. Terrible were the results of her submission to the controlling power of Rome. Where France, under the influence of Romanism, had set up the first stake at the opening of the Reformation, there the Revolution set up its first guillotine. On the very spot where the first martyrs to the Protestant faith were burned in the sixteenth century, the first victims were guillotined in the eighteenth. In repelling the gospel, which would have brought her healing, France had opened the door to infidelity and ruin.” Ibid., 282.

6 How did Scripture prophesy of the massacre of St. Bartholomew? Revelation 11:9, 10. Into what category will those who lost their lives in this darkest crime of the dark period be reckoned? Hebrews 11:36–38. How many were slain?

Note: “Blackest in the black catalogue of crime, most horrible among the fiendish deeds of all the dreadful centuries, was the St. Bartholomew Massacre. The world still recalls with shuddering horror the scenes of that most cowardly and cruel onslaught. The king of France, urged on by Romish priests and prelates, lent his sanction to the dreadful work. …

“Throughout France the butchery continued for two months. Seventy thousand of the very flower of the nation perished.” The Great Controversy, 272.

7 What are we all to learn from the real cause of the shame and reproach that came upon France? Proverbs 14:34.

Note: “The fatal error which wrought such woe for the inhabitants of France was the ignoring of this one great truth: that true freedom lies within the proscriptions of the law of God. …

“Atheists, infidels, and apostates oppose and denounce God’s law; but the results of their influence prove that the well-being of man is bound up with his obedience of the divine statutes. Those who will not read the lesson from the book of God are bidden to read it in the history of nations.” The Great Controversy, 285.

8 Upon what does the welfare of the family, the church, and the nation depend? Proverbs 1:33; Isaiah 48:18, 22.

9 What does God declare in the midst of crises such as happened in France? Jeremiah 16:20, 21. How did His two witnesses vindicate His name in that nation—and touch the lives of people all over the world? Revelation 11:11, 12.

Note: “God’s faithful witnesses, slain by the blasphemous power that ‘ascendeth out of the bottomless pit,’ were not long to remain silent. ‘After three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.’ Revelation 11:11. It was in 1793 that the decrees which abolished the Christian religion and set aside the Bible passed the French Assembly. Three years and a half later a resolution rescinding these decrees, thus granting toleration to the Scriptures, was adopted by the same body. The world stood aghast at the enormity of guilt which had resulted from a rejection of the Sacred Oracles, and men recognized the necessity of faith in God and His word as the foundation of virtue and morality. Saith the Lord: ‘Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.’ Isaiah 37:23. …

“Since France made war upon God’s two witnesses, they have been honored as never before.” The Great Controversy, 287.

10 When was the period of papal domination to end? Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:4–6.

Note: “The periods here mentioned—‘forty and two months,’ and ‘a thousand two hundred and threescore days’—are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in A.D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. At that time a French army entered Rome and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed.” The Great Controversy, 266.

11 What prophecy of Jesus indicated that the Lord in His mercy would cut short the tribulation within that period? Mark 13:19, 20.

Note: “The persecution of the church did not continue throughout the entire period of the 1260 years. God in mercy to His people cut short the time of their fiery trial. In foretelling the ‘great tribulation’ to befall the church, the Saviour said: ‘Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.’ Matthew 24:22. Through the influence of the Reformation the persecution was brought to an end prior to 1798.” The Great Controversy, 266, 267.

Personal Review Questions

1 What were the seeds of the French Revolution?

2 What was the blackest blot in the Dark Ages and how many were directly affected?

3 What restrained the tyranny even before the time had fully elapsed?

4 How were the persecutors finally rewarded?

5 What is given men to keep them from falling into such traps?

Additional Reading

“Then came those days when the most barbarous of all codes was administered by the most barbarous of all tribunals; when no man could greet his neighbors or say his prayers … without danger of committing a capital crime; when spies lurked in every corner; when the guillotine was long and hard at work every morning; when the jails were filled as close as the holds of a slave ship; when the gutters ran foaming with blood into the Seine. … While the daily wagonloads of victims were carried to their doom through the streets of Paris, the proconsuls, whom the sovereign committee had sent forth to the departments, reveled in an extravagance of cruelty unknown even in the capital. …

“All this was as Satan would have it. This was what for ages he had been working to secure. His policy is deception from first to last, and his steadfast purpose is to bring woe and wretchedness upon men, to deface and defile the workmanship of God, to mar the divine purposes of benevolence and love, and thus cause grief in heaven. Then by his deceptive arts he blinds the minds of men, and leads them to throw back the blame of his work upon God, as if all this misery were the result of the Creator’s plan. In like manner, when those who have been degraded and brutalized through his cruel power achieve their freedom, he urges them on to excesses and atrocities. Then this picture of unbridled license is pointed out by tyrants and oppressors as an illustration of the results of liberty. …

“The fatal error which wrought such woe for the inhabitants of France was the ignoring of this one great truth: that true freedom lies within the proscriptions of the law of God. ‘O that thou hadst hearkened to My commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.’ ‘There is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.’ ‘But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.’ Isaiah 48:18, 22; Proverbs 1:33.” The Great Controversy, 284, 285.

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

Bible Study Guides – It is Written—Unveiling the Sacred Text

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December 5, 2010 – December 11, 2010

Key Text

“They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.” Isaiah 41:6.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 265–275; Early Writings, 214.

Introduction

“Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord’ in its support.” The Great Controversy, 595.

1 During the Dark Ages, who were the only ones who could read the Scriptures? What two major factors caused this? Isaiah 34:16; 29:11, 12.

Note: “In those early times, when the Bible existed only in the ancient languages, scholars were enabled to find their way to the fountain of truth, which was closed to the uneducated classes.” The Great Controversy, 80.

2 What more precious legacy did the Lord impress on some of the Reformers that was greater and longer lasting in its influence than their teaching, example or writings? Isaiah 28:9, 10.

Note: “Upon his return from the Wartburg, Luther completed his translation of the New Testament, and the gospel was soon after given to the people of Germany in their own language. This translation was received with great joy by all who loved the truth; but it was scornfully rejected by those who chose human traditions and the commandments of men.” The Great Controversy, 193, 194.

“When there were but few copies of the Bible, it was precious and comforting to the persecuted followers of Jesus. It was read in the most secret manner, and those who had this exalted privilege felt that they had had an interview with God, with His Son Jesus, and with His disciples.” Early Writings, 214.

3 Why did the papal leaders oppose the general publication of the Scriptures among the common people? John 3:19–21.

4 On what basis only can all true doctrine and enduring reform be established? What did Jesus say of those having another foundation? John 5:39; Matthew 15:13.

Note: “God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord’ in its support.” The Great Controversy, 595.

5 What is essential in order to know the will of God? For what did Christ rebuke religious leaders in His day? Mark 12:24.

Note: “The truths most plainly revealed in the Bible have been involved in doubt and darkness by learned men, who, with a pretense of great wisdom, teach that the Scriptures have a mystical, a secret, spiritual meaning not apparent in the language employed. These men are false teachers. It was to such a class that Jesus declared: ‘Ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God.’ Mark 12:24. The language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed. Christ has given the promise: ‘If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine.’ John 7:17. If men would but take the Bible as it reads, if there were no false teachers to mislead and confuse their minds, a work would be accomplished that would make angels glad and that would bring into the fold of Christ thousands upon thousands who are now wandering in error.” The Great Controversy, 598, 599.

6 Who followed the work of Wycliffe in translating the Scriptures into the English language? Why was his work completed in mainland Europe? Luke 4:24; Matthew 10:23.

Note: “The purpose which he [William Tyndale] had begun to cherish, of giving to the people the New Testament Scriptures in their own language, was now confirmed, and he immediately applied himself to the work. Driven from his home by persecution, he went to London, and there for a time pursued his labors undisturbed. But again the violence of the papists forced him to flee. All England seemed closed against him, and he resolved to seek shelter in Germany. Here he began the printing of the English New Testament. Twice the work was stopped; but when forbidden to print in one city, he went to another. At last he made his way to Worms, where, a few years before, Luther had defended the gospel before the Diet. In that ancient city were many friends of the Reformation, and Tyndale there prosecuted his work without further hindrance.” The Great Controversy, 246, 247.

7 What Reformer was instrumental in translating the New Testament into the French language? Which bishop helped him?

Note: “Lefevre undertook the translation of the New Testament; and at the very time when Luther’s German Bible was issuing from the press in Wittenberg, the French New Testament was published at Meaux. The bishop [of Meaux] spared no labor or expense to circulate it in his parishes, and soon the peasants of Meaux were in possession of the Holy Scriptures.” The Great Controversy, 214, 215.

8 With what actions did the leadership of Sweden warmly welcome the Scriptures in their native tongue?

Note: “The New Testament had been translated by Olaf Petri into the Swedish language, and at the desire of the king the two brothers [Olaf and Laurentius Petri] undertook the translation of the whole Bible. Thus for the first time the people of Sweden received the word of God in their native tongue. It was ordered by the Diet that throughout the kingdom, ministers should explain the Scriptures and that the children in the schools should be taught to read the Bible.” The Great Controversy, 244.

9 Biblical Perspective

  • Why was the Bible written? Romans 15:4
  • Why were the Bereans commended? Acts 17:11
  • What can the Bible do for one who believes in it? II Timothy 3:15
  • When opening the Bible, what should we pray? Psalm 119:18; Ephesians 1:17
  • What is the condition upon which we will receive understanding? Proverbs 2:3–5

10 What was the result of the Swedes having the complete Bible in their language, churches and schools? Proverbs 14:34, first part.

Note: “Freed from Romish oppression, the nation attained to a strength and greatness it had never before reached. Sweden became one of the bulwarks of Protestantism. A century later, at a time of sorest peril, this small and hitherto feeble nation—the only one in Europe that dared lend a helping hand—came to the deliverance of Germany in the terrible struggle of the Thirty Years’ War. All Northern Europe seemed about to be brought again under the tyranny of Rome. It was the armies of Sweden that enabled Germany to turn the tide of popish success, to win toleration for the Protestants—Calvinists as well as Lutherans—and to restore liberty of conscience to those countries that had accepted the Reformation.” The Great Controversy, 244.

11 What names and cities stand prominently in the pages of history as instruments in the hand of God? Psalm 112:6–8.

Note: “ ‘When we confine our attention to such brilliant centers as Wittenberg and Zurich, and to such illustrious names as those of Luther and Melanchthon, of Zwingli and Oecolampadius, we are apt to be told, these were the leaders of the movement, and we should naturally expect in them prodigious power and vast acquisitions; but the subordinates were not like these. Well, we turn to the obscure theater of Sweden, and the humble names of Olaf and Laurentius Petri—from the masters to the disciples—what do we find? … Scholars and theologians; men who have thoroughly mastered the whole system of gospel truth, and who win an easy victory over the sophists of the schools and the dignitaries of Rome.’ ” The Great Controversy, 243, 244.

Personal Review Questions

1 Why was it necessary to have the Holy Scriptures in the language of the people rather than only for the scholars?

2 Research the history of how the Bible came into your language.

3 Why could Sweden play a critical role in the Reformation?

Additional Reading

“The suppression of the Scriptures during the period of papal supremacy was foretold by the prophets; and the Revelator points also to the terrible results that were to accrue especially to France from the domination of the ‘man of sin’ [II Thessalonians 2:3].

“Said the angel of the Lord: ‘The holy city shall they tread underfoot forty and two months. And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. … And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. … And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.’ Revelation 11:2–11.

“The periods here mentioned—‘forty and two months,’ and ‘a thousand two hundred and threescore days’—are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in A.D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. … At that time a French army entered Rome and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed.

“The persecution of the church did not continue throughout the entire period of the 1260 years. God in mercy to His people cut short the time of their fiery trial. In foretelling the ‘great tribulation’ to befall the church, the Saviour said: ‘Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.’ Matthew 24:22. Through the influence of the Reformation the persecution was brought to an end prior to 1798.

“Concerning the two witnesses the prophet declares further: ‘These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.’ ‘Thy word,’ said the psalmist, ‘is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ Revelation 11:4; Psalm 119:105. The two witnesses represent the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. Both are important testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God. Both are witnesses also to the plan of salvation. The types, sacrifices, and prophecies of the Old Testament point forward to a Saviour to come. The Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has come in the exact manner foretold by type and prophecy.

“ ‘They shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth.’ During the greater part of this period, God’s witnesses remained in a state of obscurity. The papal power sought to hide from the people the word of truth, and set before them false witnesses to contradict its testimony. … When the Bible was proscribed by religious and secular authority; when its testimony was perverted, and every effort made that men and demons could invent to turn the minds of the people from it; when those who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted, betrayed, tortured, buried in dungeon cells, martyred for their faith, or compelled to flee to mountain fastnesses, and to dens and caves of the earth—then the faithful witnesses prophesied in sackcloth. Yet they continued their testimony throughout the entire period of 1260 years. In the darkest times there were faithful men who loved God’s word and were jealous for His honor. To these loyal servants were given wisdom, power, and authority to declare His truth during the whole of this time.” The Great Controversy, 266, 267.

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