Bible Study Guides

Bible Study Guides – No Excuse for Spiritual Weakness

by

March 16, 2014 – March 22, 2014

Key Text

“And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it. If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:13–15.

Study Help: Faith and Works, 91–94; The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

Introduction

“If there were greater humility, greater simplicity, and unfaltering confidence in the name that is above every name, if we imitated the divine Pattern that has been given us, would we not receive the blessings promised?” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

1 UNFALTERING CONFIDENCE

  • In John 14:13–15 it makes a statement. Is it true or false?

Note: “Is this promise true, or is it false? If it is false, then our lack of spiritual strength is excusable. But is it not true? Is it not the word of God? And is not our present condition wholly without reason? If there were greater humility, greater simplicity, and unfaltering confidence in the name that is above every name, if we imitated the divine Pattern that has been given us, would we not receive the blessings promised? It is our privilege to tell the Lord, with the simplicity of a little child, exactly what we want. We may state to Him our temporal matters, asking Him for bread and raiment, as well as for the bread of life and the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things; and you are invited to ask Him concerning them.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

  • Explain what our conduct is to be, Christ’s promise to us and what are we to boldly say? Hebrews 13:5, 6.
  • Is the Lord willing that any of us should perish? Of what are we to become knowledgeable? II Peter 3:9; I Timothy 2:4.

2 SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED

  • What does the Bible say regarding Christ’s righteousness being imputed to us? Romans 4:11, 22; James 2:23.

Note: “The Lord is our helper. It is not His good pleasure that any should perish, but rather that all should come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved. God will not withhold from man the fulfillment of the only real hope he can have in the world. Jesus says, ‘Without Me, ye can do nothing’ (John 15:5, last part); but in Him, and through His righteousness imputed unto us, we may do all things. The work of the Spirit of God will stand forever, but the works of men will perish.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

  • What is it that the natural man cannot receive? Why? I Corinthians 2:12–14.

Note: “Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. To the worldly-wise the workings of the Spirit of God that leads to confession and acknowledgement of sin and to the acceptance of the truth as it is in Jesus, appear as foolishness. They cannot reason out the “whys” and “wherefores” of its operation any better than did Nicodemus, and they ridicule and denounce the work of God; their human wisdom cannot interpret it.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

  • To whom are we to be looking and why? Hebrews 12:2; Ephesians 2:8, 9.

Note: “Those who trust wholly in the righteousness of Christ, looking to Him in living faith, know the Spirit of Christ, and are known of Christ. Simple faith enables the believer to reckon himself dead indeed unto sin, and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We are saved by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. Should we try to unfold these precious promises to the worldly wise, they would but ridicule us; for ‘the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned’ (I Corinthians 2:14).” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

  • When Jesus was about to ascend, what did He say to His disciples? John 14:16, 17, 21.

Note: “Our Saviour declares that the world cannot receive the spirit of truth. They cannot discern the truth, for they discern not Christ, the author of truth. Lukewarm disciples, cold-hearted professors, who are not imbued with the Spirit of Christ, are not able to discern the preciousness of His righteousness; but they go about to establish their own righteousness. The world seeks the things of the world—business, worldly honor, display, selfish gratification. Christ seeks to break this spell which holds men away from Him. He seeks to call men’s attention to the world to come, that Satan has managed to eclipse by his own shadow. Christ brings the eternal world within the range of men’s vision, He presents its attractions before them, tells them that He will prepare mansions for them, and will come again and receive them unto Himself. It is the design of Satan so to fill the mind with inordinate love of sensual things, that the love of God and the desire for heaven shall be expelled from the heart.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

3 DISTRACTIONS

  • What warning is given to us that we may not be distracted from heaven’s treasure? Matthew 6:19.

Note: “He [God] points out their peril in lavishing affection upon useless and dangerous objects. He seeks to draw the mind away from the earthly to the heavenly, that we may not waste time, talent, and opportunity, upon things that are altogether vanity. …

“Our Saviour is constantly working to save men from the devices of Satan, that they may not cheat themselves out of eternal happiness by setting their hearts upon earthly gain.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

  • What are we to be doing in order to lay hold on eternal life? I Timothy 6:19.

Note: “He whose heart is centered upon the treasures of eternal interest, will have a right hold from above, and will appreciate every earthly good as a gift from God, and will enjoy earthly blessings with a superior relish. The only safe place to deposit our treasures is in the bank of heaven. Every deposit made in this bank will accumulate abundant interest; you will be laying up in store for yourselves against the time to come.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

4 PRIORITY IN OUR LIVES

  • Explain what happened in the following two verses: Luke 19:13, 14.

Note: “God calls upon those to whom He has intrusted His goods to acquit themselves as faithful stewards. The Lord would have all things of temporal interest occupy a secondary place in the heart and thoughts; but Satan would have the matters of the earth take the first place in our lives. The Lord would have us approve the things that are excellent. He shows us the conflict in which we must engage, reveals the character and plan of redemption. He lays open before you the perils you will meet, the self-denial that will be required, and He bids you count the cost, assuring you that if you zealously engage in the conflict, divine power will combine with human effort. … The Christian must contend with supernatural forces, but he is not to be left alone to engage in the conflict. The Saviour is the captain of his salvation, and with Him man may be more than conqueror.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

  • To where are we to look and trust? II Corinthians 4:18; 5:1; Proverbs 3:5, 6.

Note: “The vast confederacy of evil is arrayed against those who would overcome; but Christ would have us look to the things that are not seen, to the armies of heaven that encamp round about those who love God, to deliver them. The angels of heaven are interested in behalf of men. The power of Omnipotence is at the service of those who trust in God. The Father accepts the righteousness of Christ in behalf of His followers, and they are surrounded with light and holiness which Satan cannot penetrate. The voice of the Captain of our salvation speaks to His followers, saying, ‘Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33). I am your defense; advance to victory.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

  • What is provided through Jesus? Hebrews 2:17.

Note: “Through Christ, restoration as well as reconciliation is provided for man. The gulf that was made by sin has been spanned by the cross of Calvary. A full, complete ransom has been paid by Jesus, by virtue of which the sinner is pardoned, and the justice of the law is maintained. All who believe that Christ is the atoning sacrifice may come and receive pardon for their sins; for through the merit of Christ, communication has been opened between God and man. God can accept me as His child, and I can claim Him and rejoice in Him as my loving Father. We must center our hopes of heaven upon Christ alone, because He is our substitute and surety.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

5 FAITH NEEDED

  • What do the Scriptures say about Abraham and righteousness? Romans 4:3–5.

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. This is how faith is accounted righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to a greater light. He can say with rejoicing, ‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life’ (Titus 3:5–7).” The Review and Herald, November 4, 1890.

  • Why do we need faith? Hebrews 11:6.

Note: “Genuine faith appropriates the righteousness of Christ, and the sinner is made an overcomer with Christ; for he is made a partaker of the divine nature, and thus divinity and humanity are combined. …

“He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. Man cannot be saved without obedience, but his works should not be of himself; Christ should work in him to will and to do of His good pleasure. …

“Without faith it is impossible to please God. Living faith enables its possessor to lay hold on the merits of Christ, enables him to derive great comfort and satisfaction from the plan of salvation.” The Review and Herald, July 1, 1890.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Bible Study Guides – Declared Guiltless and Growing with the Lord

by

March 9, 2014 – March 15, 2014

Key Text

“Since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:23, 24 RSV.

Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 1, 394–398.

Introduction

“The Lord would have His people sound in the faith—not ignorant of the great salvation so abundantly provided for them. They are not to look forward, thinking that at some future time a great work is to be done for them; for the work is now complete. The believer is not called upon to make his peace with God; he never has nor ever can do this. He is to accept Christ as his peace, for with Christ is God and peace.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 394.

1 VIOLATIONS

  • The whole world is guilty of violating the law of God, including you and me. What does the word of God say? Romans 3:23, 12.

Note: “Many are deceived concerning the condition of their hearts. They do not realize that the natural heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. They wrap themselves about with their own righteousness, and are satisfied in reaching their own human standard of character; but how fatally they fail when they do not reach the divine standard, and of themselves they cannot meet the requirements of God.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 320.

  • Jesus died for our sins, those violations of God’s law; why did God raise Him from the dead? Romans 4:25.
  • What is the result of our belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Romans 3:24–26.

Note: “Here the truth is laid out in plain lines. This mercy and goodness is wholly undeserved. The grace of Christ is freely to justify the sinner without merit or claim on his part. Justification is a full, complete pardon of sin. The moment a sinner accepts Christ by faith, that moment he is pardoned. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to him, and he is no more to doubt God’s forgiving grace.

“There is nothing in faith that makes it our saviour. Faith cannot remove our guilt. Christ is the power of God unto salvation to all them that believe. The justification comes through the merits of Jesus Christ. He has paid the price for the sinner’s redemption. Yet it is only through faith in His blood that Jesus can justify the believer.” Reflecting Christ, 78.

2 GUILTLESS—VINDICATED

  • Explain the content of Romans 5:18, 19 and its effect upon us.

Note: “Money cannot buy it, intellect cannot grasp it, power cannot command it; but to all who will accept it, God’s glorious grace is freely given. But men may feel their need, and, renouncing all self-dependence, accept salvation as a gift. Those who enter heaven will not scale its walls by their own righteousness, nor will its gates be opened to them for costly offerings of gold or silver, but they will gain an entrance to the many mansions of the Father’s house through the merits of the cross of Christ.

“For sinful men, the highest consolation, the greatest cause of rejoicing, is that Heaven has given Jesus to be the sinner’s Saviour. … He offered to go over the ground where Adam stumbled and fell; to meet the tempter on the field of battle, and conquer him in man’s behalf. Behold Him in the wilderness of temptation. Forty days and forty nights He fasted, enduring the fiercest assaults of the powers of darkness. He trod the ‘winepress alone; and of the people there was none with’ Him (Isaiah 63:3). It was not for Himself, but that He might break the chain that held the human race in slavery to Satan.” God’s Amazing Grace, 179.

  • Being justified, declared guiltless and blameless, what is it that we receive through this relationship with God? Romans 5:1.

Note: “When God pardons the sinner, remits the punishment he deserves, and treats him as though he had not sinned, He receives him into divine favor, and justifies him through the merits of Christ’s righteousness.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 389.

“As the penitent sinner, contrite before God, discerns Christ’s atonement in his behalf, and accepts this atonement as his only hope in this life and the future life, his sins are pardoned. This is justification by faith. Every believing soul is to conform his will entirely to God’s will, and keep in a state of repentance and contrition, exercising faith in the atoning merits of the Redeemer and advancing from strength to strength, from glory to glory.

“Pardon and justification are one and the same thing. Through faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ Jesus, not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ receives him as His child by adoption. The sinner receives the forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his Substitute and Surety. The Lord speaks to His heavenly Father, saying: ‘This is My child. I reprieve him from the condemnation of death, giving him My life insurance policy—eternal life—because I have taken his place and have suffered for his sins. He is even My beloved son.’ Thus man, pardoned, and clothed with the beautiful garments of Christ’s righteousness, stands faultless before God.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1070.

3 ATONEMENT—RECONCILIATION

  • Atonement or reconciliation brings spiritual joy to our lives. Read Romans 5:8–11. Name at least five blessings we receive because Christ died for us.

Note: “Herein His love commends itself in the most marvelous manner to the rebellious race. What a sight for angels to behold! What a hope for man, ‘that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8)! The just suffered for the unjust; He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. ‘He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things’ (Romans 8:32)?” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 246.

  • Through Whom have we received reconciliation or atonement? Romans 5:11.

Note: “The sinner can be justified only through faith in the atonement made through God’s dear Son, who became a sacrifice for the sins of the guilty world. No one can be justified by any works of his own. He can be delivered from the guilt of sin, from the condemnation of the law, from the penalty of transgression, only by virtue of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. Faith is the only condition upon which justification can be obtained, and faith includes not only belief but trust.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 389.

  • What will God also do for those who are justified? Romans 8:28, 29.

Note: “God Himself is ‘the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus’ (Romans 3:26). And ‘whom He justified, them He also glorified’ (Romans 8:30).” In Heavenly Places, 148.

“Great as is the shame and degradation through sin, even greater will be the honor and exaltation through redeeming love. To human beings striving for conformity to the divine image there is imparted an outlay of heaven’s treasure, an excellency of power, that will place them higher than even the angels who have never fallen.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 163.

4 RECONCILIATION—MADE ONE WITH THE FATHER

  • What is the condition for reconciliation to God? I John 3:1; 1:9; Daniel 9:24.

Note: “Reconciliation means that every barrier between the soul and God is removed, and that the sinner realizes what the pardoning love of God means. By reason of the sacrifice made by Christ for fallen men, God can justly pardon the transgressor who accepts the merits of Christ. Christ was the channel through which the mercy, love, and righteousness might flow from the heart of God to the heart of the sinner.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 396.

  • Jesus, in a covenant agreement with His Father, agreed to give His life for fallen man. What was the result of this agreement? John 3:16.
  • What were the last words of Jesus before He died on the cross? What happened in the temple at the same time? John 19:30; Matthew 27:51.

Note: “Then the veil of the temple, that which hid God’s glory from the view of the congregation of Israel, was rent in twain from top to bottom. …

“The mercy seat, upon which the glory of God rested in the holiest of all, is opened to all who accept Christ as the propitiation for sin, and through its medium, they are brought into fellowship with God.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1109.

  • Because of God’s love toward us it was His hand which “rent the veil of the temple from top to bottom, opening a new and living way for all, high and low, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile. From henceforth people might come to God without priest or ruler.” What was opened to all who accept Christ? (See Note.)

Note: “It was not the hand of the priest that rent from top to bottom the gorgeous veil that divided the holy from the most holy place. It was the hand of God. When Christ cried out, ‘It is finished’ (John 19:30), the Holy Watcher that was an unseen guest at Belshazzar’s feast pronounced the Jewish nation to be a nation unchurched. The same hand that traced on the wall the characters that recorded Belshazzar’s doom and the end of the Babylonian kingdom, rent the veil of the temple from top to bottom, opening a new and living way for all, high and low, rich and poor, Jew and Gentile. From henceforth people might come to God without priest or ruler.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, 1109.

5 HARMONY

  • Understanding the reason God sent His son into the world, read John 3:14–17 and put it into your own words.

Note: “Without the cross, man could have no connection with the Father. On it hangs our every hope. In view of it the Christian may advance with the steps of a conqueror; for from it streams the light of the Saviour’s love. When the sinner reaches the cross, and looks up to the One who died to save him, he may rejoice with fullness of joy; for his sins are pardoned. Kneeling at the cross, he has reached the highest place to which man can attain. The light of the knowledge of the glory of God is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ; and the words of pardon are spoken: Live, O ye guilty sinners live. Your repentance is accepted; for I have found a ransom.” The Review and Herald, April 29, 1902.

“Through the cross we learn that our Heavenly Father loves us with an infinite and everlasting love, and draws us to Him with more than a mother’s yearning sympathy for a wayward child. Can we wonder that Paul exclaimed, ‘God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Galatians 6:14)?” Ibid.

  • What is it that every soul may say?

Note: “Every soul may say: ‘By His perfect obedience He has satisfied the claims of the law, and my only hope is found in looking to Him as my substitute and surety, who obeyed the law perfectly for me. By faith in His merits I am free from the condemnation of the law. He clothes me with His righteousness, which answers all the demands of the law. I am complete in Him who brings in everlasting righteousness. He presents me to God in the spotless garment of which no thread was woven by any human agent. All is of Christ, and all the glory, honor, and majesty are to be given to the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.’ ” Selected Messages, Book 1, 396.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Bible Study Guides – Seek Him While He May Be Found

by

March 2, 2014 – March 8, 2014

The Gospel Potential

Key Text

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.” John 16:12, 13.

Study Help: The Review and Herald, April 11, 1899; Selected Messages, Book 1, 110, 111.

Introduction

“Their limited comprehension put a restraint on Him. He could not open to them the truths He longed to unfold; for while their hearts were closed to them, His unfolding of these truths would be labor lost. They must receive the Spirit before they could fully understand Christ’s lessons.” The Review and Herald, April 11, 1899.

1 HEARTS CLOSED

  • Jesus had much to say to the disciples but many times He held back. Why? John 16:12.

Note: “As the disciples searched the prophecies that testified of Christ, they were brought into fellowship with the Deity, and learned of Him who had ascended to heaven to complete the work He had begun on earth. They recognized the fact that in Him dwelt knowledge which no human being, unaided by divine agency, could comprehend. They needed the help of Him whom kings, prophets, and righteous men had foretold. With amazement they read and reread the prophetic delineations of His character and work. How dimly had they comprehended the prophetic Scriptures! how slow they had been in taking in the great truths which testified of Christ! Looking upon Him in His humiliation, as He walked a man among men, they had not understood the mystery of His incarnation, the dual character of His nature. Their eyes were holden, so that they did not fully recognize divinity in humanity. But after they were illuminated by the Holy Spirit, how they longed to see Him again, and to place themselves at His feet! How they wished that they might come to Him, and have Him explain the Scriptures which they could not comprehend! How attentively would they listen to His words! What had Christ meant when He said, ‘I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now’ (John 16:12)? How eager they were to know it all! They grieved that their faith had been so feeble, that their ideas had been so wide of the mark, that they had so failed of comprehending the reality.” The Desire of Ages, 507.

  • Who is to teach us all things? John 14:26.

Note: “Ask God to reveal light and truth to you by His Holy Spirit, that you may understand what you read in His Word. When, after the resurrection, Christ walked with the disciples to Emmaus, He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures. The same divine Teacher will enlighten our understanding if we keep the windows of the heart opened heavenward and closed earthward. The office of the Holy Spirit is to bring all things to our remembrance and to guide us into all truth.

“The Lord loves us, and we are to love Him with the whole heart. Ask Him to guide you into all truth. He will do this. He longs to do it. He is waiting for you to ask Him with true humility and a firm belief that He will hear and answer you.” That I May Know Him, 202.

2 THE DREAM AND THE MEASUREMENTS

The following is a dream Ellen White had in which she seemed to be in a meeting, presenting the necessity and importance of our receiving the Spirit. Selected Messages, Book 1, 109–111.

  • What was being measured and by Whom? If the standard is reached, what will be received?

Note: “In my dream a sentinel stood at the door of an important building, and asked every one who came for entrance, ‘Have ye received the Holy Ghost?’ A measuring-line was in His hand, and only very, very few were admitted into the building. ‘Your size as a human being is nothing,’ he said. ‘But if you have reached the full stature of a man in Christ Jesus, according to the knowledge you have had, you will receive an appointment to sit with Christ at the marriage supper of the Lamb; and through the eternal ages, you will never cease to learn of the blessings granted in the banquet prepared for you.’ ” Selected Messages, Book 1, 109.

  • Who are refused entrance and why?

Note: “You may be tall and well-proportioned in self, but you cannot enter here. None can enter who are grown-up children, carrying with them the disposition, the habits, and the characteristics which pertain to children. If you have nurtured suspicions, criticism, temper, self-dignity, you cannot be admitted; for you would spoil the feast.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 110.

3 REQUIRED CLOTHING

  • What is the required clothing and where does it come from? What else closes the door of admittance and why? Whose character are we to represent?

Note: “All who go in through this door have on the wedding garment, woven in the loom of heaven. Those who educate themselves to pick flaws in the characters of others, reveal a deformity that makes families unhappy, that turns souls from the truth to choose fables. Your leaven of distrust, your want of confidence, your power of accusing, closes against you the door of admittance. Within this door nothing can enter that could possibly mar the happiness of the dwellers by marring their perfect trust in one another. You cannot join the happy family in the heavenly courts; for I have wiped all tears from their eyes. You can never see the King in His beauty if you are not yourself a representative of His character.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 110.

  • What needs to be given up and what needs to be taken? Is there something to which we need to submit?

Note: “When you give up your own will, your own wisdom, and learn of Christ, you will find admittance into the kingdom of God. He requires entire, unreserved surrender. Give up your life for Him to order, mold, and fashion. Take upon your neck His yoke. Submit to be led and taught by Him. Learn that unless you become as a little child, you can never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 110.

  • What are the conditions of discipleship and what is it that you will forfeit by non-compliance?

Note: “Abiding in Christ is choosing only the disposition of Christ, so that His interests are identified with yours. Abide in Him, to be and to do only what He wills. These are the conditions of discipleship, and unless they are complied with, you can never find rest. Rest is in Christ; it cannot be as something apart from Him.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 110.

4 ADJUSTMENTS

  • What needs to be adjusted on our neck? When adjusted, what will happen? Who is it that desires our conception of spiritual things be purified?

Note: “The moment His yoke is adjusted to your neck, that moment it is found easy; then the heaviest spiritual labor can be performed, the heaviest burdens borne, because the Lord gives the strength and the power, and He gives gladness in doing the work. Mark the points: ‘Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart’ (Matthew 11:29). Who is it that speaks thus?—The Majesty of heaven, the King of glory. He desires that your conception of spiritual things shall be purified from the dross of selfishness, the defilement of a crooked, coarse, unsympathetic nature. You must have an inward, higher experience. You must obtain a growth in grace by abiding in Christ. When you are converted, you will not be a hindrance, but will strengthen your brethren.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 110, 111.

  • There were two different responses to the angel’s words? Can you explain these responses? What is God’s reaction when the wicked forsake his way?

Note: “As these words were spoken, I saw that some turned sadly away and mingled with the scoffers. Others, with tears, all broken in heart, made confession to those whom they had bruised and wounded. They did not think of maintaining their own dignity, but asked at every step, ‘What must I do to be saved’ (Acts 16:30)? The answer was, ‘Repent, and be converted, that your sins may go beforehand to judgment, and be blotted out’ (Acts 3:19). Words were spoken which rebuked spiritual pride. This God will not tolerate. It is inconsistent with His word and with our profession of faith. Seek the Lord, all ye who are ministers of His. Seek Him while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. ‘Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon’ (Isaiah 55:7).” Selected Messages, Book 1, 111.

5 GROWING

  • What are we to grow in right now? II Peter 3:18.

Note: “The time has come when we must expect the Lord to do great things for us. Our efforts must not flag or weaken. We are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. Before the work is closed up and the sealing of God’s people is finished, we shall receive the outpouring of the Spirit of God. Angels from heaven will be in our midst. The present is a fitting-up time for heaven when we must walk in full obedience to all the commands of God.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 111.

  • What was lifted up by Moses and what does that have to do with Jesus? Why? John 3:14, 15.

Note: “We look to self, as though we had power to save ourselves; but Jesus died for us because we are helpless to do this. In Him is our hope, our justification, our righteousness. We should not despond, and fear that we have no Saviour, or that He has no thoughts of mercy toward us. At this very time He is carrying on His work in our behalf, inviting us to come to Him in our helplessness and be saved. We dishonor Him by our unbelief. It is astonishing how we treat our very best Friend, how little confidence we repose in Him who is able to save to the uttermost, and who has given us every evidence of His great love. …

“If you are conscious of your sins, do not devote all your powers to mourning over them, but look and live. Jesus is our only Saviour; and although millions who need to be healed will reject His offered mercy, not one who trusts in His merits will be left to perish. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we must not be discouraged; we must rely upon a crucified and risen Saviour. Poor, sin-sick, discouraged soul, look and live. Jesus has pledged His word; He will save all who come unto Him.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 351, 352.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Bible Study Guides – Apart from God

by

February 23, 2014 – March 1, 2014

Key Text

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 7:24, 25.

Study Help: Christ’s Object Lessons, 200–202.

Introduction

“He saw the world in its wretchedness and sin, apart from God. All this misery was the result of man’s turning away from God to worship Satan.” The Story of Jesus, 47.

1 SEPARATION FROM GOD

  • What is it that the sinner does not want to retain in his mind and why? Romans 1:28. How does this compare with Luke 15:11–13?

Note: “Although surrounded with the blessings of His love, there is nothing that the sinner, bent on self-indulgence and sinful pleasure, desires so much as separation from God. Like the ungrateful son, he claims the good things of God as his by right. He takes them as a matter of course, and makes no return of gratitude, renders no service of love. As Cain went out from the presence of the Lord to seek his home; as the prodigal wandered into the ‘far country’ (Luke 15:13), so do sinners seek happiness in forgetfulness of God (Romans 1:28).” Christ’s Object Lessons, 200.

  • How do the professors of wisdom become fools? Romans 1:21, 22. What is the end result? Proverbs 5:22.

Note: “The Bible tells of men who ‘professing themselves to be wise’ ‘became fools’ (Romans 1:22); and this is the history of the young man of the parable. The wealth which he has selfishly claimed from his father he squanders upon harlots. The treasure of his young manhood is wasted. The precious years of life, the strength of intellect, the bright visions of youth, the spiritual aspirations—all are consumed in the fires of lust.

“A great famine arises, he begins to be in want, and he joins himself to a citizen of the country, who sends him into the field to feed swine. To a Jew this was the most menial and degrading of employments. The youth who has boasted of his liberty, now finds himself a slave. He is in the worst of bondage. … The glitter and tinsel that enticed him have disappeared, and he feels the burden of his chain. Sitting upon the ground in that desolate and famine-stricken land, with no companions but the swine, he is fain to fill himself with the husks on which the beasts are fed. Of the gay companions who flocked about him in his prosperous days and ate and drank at his expense, there is not one left to befriend him. Where now is his riotous joy? Stilling his conscience, benumbing his sensibilities, he thought himself happy; but now, with money spent, with hunger unsatisfied, with pride humbled, with his moral nature dwarfed, with his will weak and untrustworthy, with his finer feelings seemingly dead, he is the most wretched of mortals.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 199, 200.

2 SQUANDERED YEARS

  • What will eventually be the response of one who has lived without God and is alone in a far country? Romans 7:24. What happened to the son who wasted his substance? Luke 15:13–16.

Note: “Whatever the appearance may be, every life centered in self is squandered. Whoever attempts to live apart from God is wasting his substance. He is squandering the precious years, squandering the powers of mind and heart and soul, and working to make himself bankrupt for eternity. The man who separates from God that he may serve himself, is the slave of mammon. The mind that God created for the companionship of angels has become degraded to the service of that which is earthly and bestial. This is the end to which self-serving tends.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 200, 201.

  • What advice is given in Isaiah 55:2?

Note: “If you have chosen such a life, you know that you are spending money for that which is not bread, and labor for that which satisfieth not. There come to you hours when you realize your degradation. Alone in the far country you feel your misery, and in despair you cry, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death’ (Romans 7:24)?” Christ’s Object Lessons, 201.

“Multitudes are vainly seeking happiness in worldly amusements. They crave something which they do not have. They are spending their money for that which is not bread, and their labor for that which satisfieth not. The hungering, thirsting soul will continue to hunger and thirst as long as it partakes of these unsatisfying pleasures. O that every such one would listen to the voice of Jesus, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink’ (John 7:37). Those who drink of the living water will thirst no more for frivolous, exciting amusements. Christ, the wellspring of life, is the fountain of peace and happiness.” Evangelism, 266.

  • In what do sinners trust when not in God and what is the ultimate result? Jeremiah 17:5, 6.

Note: “It is the statement of a universal truth which is contained in the prophet’s words, ‘Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited’ (Jeremiah 17:5, 6).” Christ’s Object Lessons, 201.

3 GOD SHINES

  • Upon whom does the sun and rain fall? Matthew 5:45.

Note: “God ‘maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust’ (Matthew 5:45); but men have the power to shut themselves away from sunshine and shower. So while the Sun of Righteousness shines, and the showers of grace fall freely for all, we may by separating ourselves from God still ‘inhabit the parched places in the wilderness’ (Jeremiah 17:6).” Christ’s Object Lessons, 201, 202.

  • When realizing danger what is the cry of the soul? Romans 7:24.

Note: “If you have chosen such a life, you know that you are spending money for that which is not bread, and labor for that which satisfieth not. There come to you hours when you realize your degradation. Alone in the far country you feel your misery, and in despair you cry, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death’ (Romans 7:24)?” Christ’s Object Lessons, 201.

3 THE PRODIGAL SON

  • What is it that draws the sinner toward repentance? Romans 2:4; Jeremiah 31:3.

Note: “The love of God still yearns over the one who has chosen to separate from Him, and He sets in operation influences to bring him back to the Father’s house. The prodigal son in his wretchedness ‘came to himself.’ The deceptive power that Satan had exercised over him was broken. He saw that his suffering was the result of his own folly, and he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father’ (Luke 15:17, 18). Miserable as he was, the prodigal found hope in the conviction of his father’s love. It was that love which was drawing him toward home. So it is the assurance of God’s love that constrains the sinner to return to God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 202.

  • In John 5:6–8, what question did Jesus ask? What was his response and how should that affect all who live by faith in God’s word? Compare Romans 7:24?

Note: “By sin we have been severed from the life of God. Our souls are palsied. Of ourselves we are no more capable of living a holy life than was the impotent man capable of walking. Many realize their helplessness; they are longing for that spiritual life which will bring them into harmony with God, and are striving to obtain it. But in vain. In despair they cry, ‘O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death’ (Romans 7:24, margin)? Let these desponding, struggling ones look up. The Saviour is bending over the purchase of His blood, saying with inexpressible tenderness and pity, ‘Wilt thou be made whole’ (John 5:6)? He bids you arise in health and peace. Do not wait to feel that you are made whole. Believe the Saviour’s word. Put your will on the side of Christ. Will to serve Him, and in acting upon His word you will receive strength. Whatever may be the evil practice, the master passion which through long indulgence binds both soul and body, Christ is able and longs to deliver. He will impart life to the soul that is ‘dead in trespasses’ (Ephesians 2:1). He will set free the captive that is held by weakness and misfortune and the chains of sin.” The Ministry of Healing, 84.

4 THE CHRISTIAN’S PRIVILEGE

  • Paul prays for the believers. How do you understand the depth of meaning in his prayer requesting that they might be filled with the fullness of God? Ephesians 3:14–19.

Note: “Again he writes of his desire that the brethren at Ephesus might come to understand the height of the Christian’s privilege. He opens before them, in the most comprehensive language, the marvelous power and knowledge that they might possess as sons and daughters of the Most High. It was theirs ‘to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man,’ to be ‘rooted and grounded in love,’ to ‘comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.’ But the prayer of the apostle reaches the climax of privilege when he prays that ‘ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.’ Ephesians 3:16–19.

“Here are revealed the heights of attainment that we may reach through faith in the promises of our heavenly Father, when we fulfill His requirements. Through the merits of Christ we have access to the throne of Infinite Power.” The Great Controversy, 476, 477.

  • Why is there no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus? Romans 8:1, 2, 34.

5 CITIES OF REFUGE

  • Explain how Numbers 35:10–12 would parallel with Romans 8:1, 34.

Note: “The cities of refuge appointed for God’s ancient people were a symbol of the refuge provided in Christ. The same merciful Saviour who appointed those temporal cities of refuge has by the shedding of His own blood provided for the transgressors of God’s law a sure retreat, into which they may flee for safety from the second death. No power can take out of His hands the souls that go to Him for pardon.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 516.

  • Who is it that we should seek and why? Acts 17:27, 28, first part.

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

“The prisoner who at any time went outside the city of refuge was abandoned to the avenger of blood. Thus the people were taught to adhere to the methods which infinite wisdom appointed for their security. Even so, it is not enough that the sinner believe in Christ for the pardon of sin; he must, by faith and obedience, abide in Him.” [Author’s italics.] Patriarchs and Prophets, 517.

Studies compiled by Judy Hallingstad. Judy is part of the LandMarks team and can be contacted by email at: judyhallingstad@stepstolife.org.

Bible Study Guides – The United States in Bible Prophecy

by

April 20, 2014 – April 26, 2014

Key Text

“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.” Revelation 13:11.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 440–450, 606, 607.

Introduction

“The lamblike horns and dragon voice of the symbol point to a striking contradiction between the professions and the practice of the nation thus represented [in Revelation 13:11]. The ‘speaking’ of the nation is the action of its legislative and judicial authorities.” The Great Controversy, 442.

1 “COMING UP OUT OF THE EARTH”

  • As the leopardlike beast received a deadly wound in 1798, what arose around that time, and how do we know it is a nation? Revelation 13:11, first part.

Note: “The beast with lamblike horns was seen ‘coming up out of the earth’ (Revelation 13:11). Instead of overthrowing other powers to establish itself, the nation thus represented must arise in territory previously unoccupied and grow up gradually and peacefully. It could not, then, arise among the crowded and struggling nationalities of the Old World—that turbulent sea of ‘peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues’ (Revelation 17:15). It must be sought in the Western Continent.” The Great Controversy, 440.

  • What does “coming up out of the earth” signify? Compare Revelation 13:1 with 13:11.

Note: “What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America.” The Great Controversy, 440.

2 CHARACTERISTICS OF A LAMB

  • What characteristics of a lamblike nation are found in the early history of the United States? How do the founding principles of this nation embody these traits? Isaiah 53:7; Jeremiah 11:19; Acts 8:32.

Note: “The lamblike horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States when presented to the prophet as ‘coming up’ in 1798. Among the Christian exiles who first fled to America and sought an asylum from royal oppression and priestly intolerance were many who determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty. Their views found place in the Declaration of Independence, which sets forth the great truth that ‘all men are created equal’ and endowed with the inalienable right to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ And the Constitution guarantees to the people the right of self-government, providing that representatives elected by the popular vote shall enact and administer the laws. Freedom of religious faith was also granted, every man being permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation. These principles are the secret of its power and prosperity. The oppressed and downtrodden throughout Christendom have turned to this land with interest and hope.” The Great Controversy, 441.

“The founders of the nation wisely sought to guard against the employment of secular power on the part of the church, with its inevitable result—intolerance and persecution. The Constitution provides that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ and that ‘no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office of public trust under the United States.’ ” Ibid., 442.

  • Even before the end of religious persecution under state churches, how was the United States already helping the persecuted Christians? Matthew 24:21, 22; Revelation 12:14–16.

Note: “As the tidings spread through the countries of Europe, of a land where every man might enjoy the fruit of his own labor and obey the convictions of his own conscience, thousands flocked to the shores of the New World. …

“The Bible was held as the foundation of faith, the source of wisdom, and the charter of liberty.” The Great Controversy, 296.

3 SPEAKS LIKE A DRAGON

  • What change takes place in the prophetic lamblike beast? Revelation 13:11, last part.

Note: “[The lamblike nation] will give the lie to those liberal and peaceful principles which it has put forth as the foundation of its policy. The prediction that it will speak ‘as a dragon’ and exercise ‘all the power of the first beast’ plainly foretells a development of the spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the nations represented by the dragon and the leopardlike beast. And the statement that the beast with two horns ‘causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast’ (Revelation 13:12) indicates that the authority of this nation is to be exercised in enforcing some observance which shall be an act of homage to the papacy.

“Such action would be directly contrary to the principles of this government, to the genius of its free institutions, to the direct and solemn avowals of the Declaration of Independence, and to the Constitution. … Only in flagrant violation of these safeguards to the nation’s liberty, can any religious observance be enforced by civil authority. But the inconsistency of such action is no greater than is represented in the symbol. It is the beast with lamblike horns—in profession pure, gentle, and harmless—that speaks as a dragon.

“ ‘Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast’ (Revelation 13:14). Here is clearly presented a form of government in which the legislative power rests with the people, a most striking evidence that the United States is the nation denoted in the prophecy.” [Emphasis author’s] The Great Controversy, 442, 443.

  • In what sense would the lamblike beast (United States) finally speak as a dragon, forming an image (following the example) of the leopard-like beast (Rome)?

Note: “To learn what the image is like and how it is to be formed we must study the characteristics of the beast itself—the papacy.

“When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends” The Great Controversy, 443.

4 ACTS LIKE A DRAGON

  • If the lamblike beast speaks like the dragon, what actions must be expected? Revelation 13:12.

Note: “A refusal to obey the commandments of God, and a determination to cherish hatred against those who proclaim these commandments, leads to the most determined war on the part of the dragon, whose whole energies are brought to bear against the commandment-keeping people of God.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 117.

“Courts of justice are corrupt. Rulers are actuated by desire for gain and love of sensual pleasure. Intemperance has beclouded the faculties of many so that Satan has almost complete control of them. Jurists are perverted, bribed, deluded. Drunkenness and revelry, passion, envy, dishonesty of every sort, are represented among those who administer the laws. ‘Justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter’ (Isaiah 59:14).” The Great Controversy, 586.

  • Under whose influence will the civil government of the United States form an image (imitation) of Rome? Revelation 13:15–17.

Note: “In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends.

“Whenever the church has obtained secular power, she has employed it to punish dissent from her doctrines. Protestant churches that have followed in the steps of Rome by forming alliance with worldly powers have manifested a similar desire to restrict liberty of conscience. An example of this is given in the long-continued persecution of dissenters by the Church of England. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, thousands of nonconformist ministers were forced to flee from their churches, and many, both of pastors and people, were subjected to fine, imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom.” The Great Controversy, 443.

“The ‘image to the beast’ (Revelation 13:14) represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas.” Ibid., 445.

5 CAUSING PEOPLE TO WORSHIP THE PAPACY

  • In what sense, and against whom, will the lamblike beast use force? Revelation 13:12, last part.

Note: “The clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light lest it should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions. The church appeals to the strong arm of civil power, and, in this work, papists and Protestants unite. As the movement for Sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided, the law will be invoked against commandment keepers. They will be threatened with fines and imprisonment, and some will be offered positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages, as inducements to renounce their faith. But their steadfast answer is: ‘Show us from the word of God our error’—the same plea that was made by Luther under similar circumstances.” The Great Controversy, 607.

  • How can a government make freedom-loving people accept a loss of its freedoms? II Thessalonians 2:9–12.

Note: “The Sunday movement is now making its way in darkness. The leaders are concealing the true issue, and many who unite in the movement do not themselves see whither the undercurrent is tending. Its professions are mild and apparently Christian, but when it shall speak it will reveal the spirit of the dragon. … We should endeavor to disarm prejudice by placing ourselves in a proper light before the people.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 452.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Around what year did the lamblike beast appear?

2 How did the United States, historically, help those Christians suffering under religious persecution in Europe?

3 What drastic change is to be seen in this peace-loving nation?

4 In what specific ways will the lamblike beast (United States) imitate the leopardlike beast (Rome)?

5 How will this freedom-loving nation give up her constitutional liberties and follow the example of Rome by establishing a form of inquisition?

© 2010 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – The Rise of the Papacy

by

April 13, 2014 – April 19, 2014

Key Text

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” II Thessalonians 2:3.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 49–57, 266, 438, 439.

Introduction

“We are to stand for true Protestant principles; for the policies of the papacy will edge their way into every possible place to proscribe liberty of conscience. Every eye should now be single to the glory of God.” The Review and Herald, September 9, 1909.

1 THE BEAST OF REVELATION 13

  • The third angel’s message of Revelation 14 uses certain terminology such as “beast,” “image of the beast,” and “mark of the beast.” In order to understand these terms correctly, what Scriptures must we study in comparison with one another—and why? Revelation chapter 13 and Daniel chapters 7 and 8.

Note: “The study of the Revelation directs the mind to the prophecies of Daniel, and both present most important instruction, given of God to men, concerning events to take place at the close of this world’s history.” The Great Controversy, 341.

“If the believers in the truth are not sustained by their faith in these comparatively peaceful days, what will uphold them when the grand test comes, and the decree goes forth against all those who will not worship the image of the beast, and receive his mark in their foreheads or in their hands?” The Review and Herald, September 21, 1876.

  • What characteristics are found in the beast mentioned in Revelation 13:1, 2, first part, 6, and also in Daniel 7:8?

2 THE BEAST AND THE LITTLE HORN

  • In prophecy, who is the dragon, and what kingdom most fully complied with his plans to destroy Jesus? Revelation 12:3–9; Matthew 2:16–18. To which kingdom did the dragon give its seat and great authority?

Note: “The line of prophecy in which these symbols [represented by the beast, the image, the mark] are found begins with Revelation 12, with the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at His birth. The dragon is said to be Satan (Revelation 12:9); he it was that moved upon Herod to put the Saviour to death. But the chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and His people during the first centuries of the Christian Era was the Roman Empire, in which paganism was the prevailing religion. Thus while the dragon, primarily, represents Satan, it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.” The Great Controversy, 438.

  • What characteristics did Rome, the symbolic beast, assume at its later stage? Revelation 13:5–8; Daniel 7:8, 20, 24, 25.

Note: “[The] compromise between paganism and Christianity resulted in the development of ‘the man of sin’ foretold in prophecy as opposing and exalting himself above God.” The Great Controversy, 50.

“This symbol [of the leopardlike beast described in Revelation 13:1–10], as most Protestants have believed, represents the papacy, which succeeded to the power and seat and authority once held by the ancient Roman empire. … This prophecy, which is nearly identical with the description of the little horn of Daniel 7, unquestionably points to the papacy.” Ibid., 439.

  • Since a day in prophecy represents a year (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6), how long would this power have persecuting authority? Daniel 7:25, last part; 12:7; Revelation 12:6, 14; 13:5.

Note: “The forty and two months are the same as the ‘time and times and the dividing of time,’ three years and a half, or 1260 days, of Daniel 7—the time during which the papal power was to oppress God’s people. This period … began with the supremacy of the papacy, A.D. 538, and terminated in 1798.” The Great Controversy, 439.

3 THOUGHT TO CHANGE GOD’S LAW

  • What essential truths must we realize about the law of God? Matthew 5:17–19; Luke 16:17; Psalm 111:7–9 (compare Deuteronomy 4:13; Isaiah 24:5, last part).

Note: “If God could have changed one iota of His law, Jesus need not have come to our world to suffer and die.” The Signs of the Times, November 24, 1887.

“[The law of Jehovah] always has been, and always will be, holy, just, and good, complete in itself. It cannot be repealed or changed.” Prophets and Kings, 625.

  • What did the little horn (the beast of Revelation 13) think to do with the law of God? Which commandments are involved? Daniel 7:25, third part; Exodus 20:4–6, 8–11.

Note: “To afford converts from heathenism a substitute for the worship of idols, and thus to promote their nominal acceptance of Christianity, the adoration of images and relics was gradually introduced into the Christian worship. The decree of a general council finally established this system of idolatry. To complete the sacrilegious work, Rome presumed to expunge from the law of God the second commandment, forbidding image worship, and to divide the tenth commandment, in order to preserve the number.

“The spirit of concession to paganism opened the way for a still further disregard of Heaven’s authority. Satan, working through unconsecrated leaders of the church, tampered with the fourth commandment also, and essayed to set aside the ancient Sabbath, the day which God had blessed and sanctified (Genesis 2:2, 3), and in its stead to exalt the festival observed by the heathen as ‘the venerable day of the sun.’ This change was not at first attempted openly. In the first centuries the true Sabbath had been kept by all Christians. They were jealous for the honor of God, and, believing that His law is immutable, they zealously guarded the sacredness of its precepts. But with great subtlety Satan worked through his agents to bring about his object. That the attention of the people might be called to the Sunday, it was made a festival in honor of the resurrection of Christ.” The Great Controversy, 52.

“Satan strives to turn men from their allegiance to God, and from rendering obedience to His law.” Ibid., 54.

4 A BLASPHEMOUS POWER

  • Give examples of blasphemy. Matthew 9:2, 3; Mark 2:7; John 10:33. By speaking “great words against the most High” in Daniel 7:25, how does this power blaspheme God? II Thessalonians 2:4.

Note: “It is one of the leading doctrines of Romanism that the pope is the visible head of the universal church of Christ, invested with supreme authority over bishops and pastors in all parts of the world. More than this, the pope has been given the very titles of Deity. He has been styled ‘Lord God the Pope,’ and has been declared infallible. He demands the homage of all men. The same claim urged by Satan in the wilderness of temptation is still urged by him through the Church of Rome, and vast numbers are ready to yield him homage.” The Great Controversy, 50.

“Popes and priests claimed the power to forgive sins, and to open and close the gates of Heaven to all mankind. Senseless superstitions and rigorous exactions had taken the place of the true worship of God. The lives of popes and clergy were so corrupt, their proud pretensions so blasphemous, that good men trembled for the morality of the rising generation.” The Signs of the Times, May 31, 1883.

  • What shows that the manifestation of the antichrist had already begun in the days of the apostles, and how do we know that “the man of sin” is not going to come out of an atheistic community but out of established Christianity? II Thessalonians 2:3, 4, 7; I John 2:18, 19; 4:1–3; Acts 20:28–30.

Note: “The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, foretold the great apostasy which would result in the establishment of the papal power. … Even at that early date he saw, creeping into the church, errors that would prepare the way for the development of the papacy.” The Great Controversy, 49.

“In the counsels of the synagogue of Satan it was determined to obliterate the sign of allegiance to God in the world. Antichrist, the man of sin, exalted himself as supreme in the earth, and through him Satan has worked in a masterly way to create rebellion against the law of God and against the memorial of His created works. … The false sabbath has been upheld through superhuman agency in order that God might be dishonored.” The Signs of the Times, March 12, 1894.

5 A BLOODTHIRSTY ORGANIZATION

  • What characterized the history of the religio-political power that held supremacy for 1260 years? Matthew 24:21, 22; Revelation 13:7; 17:6.

Note: “In the thirteenth century was established that most terrible of all the engines of the papacy—the Inquisition. The prince of darkness wrought with the leaders of the papal hierarchy. In their secret councils Satan and his angels controlled the minds of evil men, while unseen in the midst stood an angel of God, taking the fearful record of their iniquitous decrees and writing the history of deeds too horrible to appear to human eyes.” The Great Controversy, 59.

  • What happened to that power at the end of the 1260 years in 1798? Revelation 13:3, first part, 10.

Note: “[In 1798] 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).” The Great Controversy, 439.

  • What should we keep in mind when facing atrocities from other so-called believers? John 16:33; II Timothy 3:12.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How are the prominent characteristics of the fourth beast of Daniel 7 reflected in the leopardlike beast of Revelation 13?

2 For how long was the power symbolized by the little horn (and also by the leopardlike beast) permitted to control the affairs of this world?

3 Since God does not change His eternal law, which commandment did Antichrist only think he had the authority to change?

4 Define blasphemy, and explain how pope and priests blaspheme against God.

5 Why are the 1260 prophetic days fitly called the “Dark Ages”?

© 2010 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Empires of Prophecy

by

April 6, 2014 – April 12, 2014

Key Text

“Four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.” Daniel 7:3.

Study Help: Prophets and Kings, 531–536, 552–557.

Introduction

“We are to consider the dealings of God with the nations of the earth. We are to see in history the fulfillment of prophecy, to study the workings of Providence in the great reformatory movements, and to understand the progress of events in the marshalling of the nations for the final conflict of the great controversy.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 307.

1 COMMOTION-PRODUCING EMPIRES

  • How vital is the study of prophecy, especially those prophecies written by Daniel? Matthew 24:15.

Note: “Read the book of Daniel. Call up, point by point, the history of the kingdoms there represented. Behold statesmen, councils, powerful armies, and see how God wrought to abase the pride of men, and lay human glory in the dust. God alone is represented as great. In the vision of the prophet He is seen casting down one mighty ruler and setting up another. He is revealed as the monarch of the universe, about to set up His everlasting kingdom—the Ancient of days, the living God, the Source of all wisdom, the Ruler of the present, the Revealer of the future.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, 333.

  • What was Daniel shown in vision shortly before the fall of Babylon? Daniel 7:1–3.

Note: “Shortly before the fall of Babylon, when Daniel was meditating on these prophecies and seeking God for an understanding of the times, a series of visions was given him concerning the rise and fall of kingdoms.” Prophets and Kings, 553.

2 THE MIGHTY BABYLON

  • What kingdom was symbolized by the lion of Daniel 7:4, and how did it fulfill its role in history? Jeremiah 4:6, 7; 50:17.

Note: “God answered the cry of His loyal children. Through His chosen mouthpiece He revealed His determination to bring chastisement upon the nation that had turned from Him to serve the gods of the heathen. Within the lifetime of some who were even then making inquiry regarding the future, He would miraculously shape the affairs of the ruling nations of earth and bring the Babylonians into the ascendancy. These Chaldeans, ‘terrible and dreadful,’ were to fall suddenly upon the land of Judah as a divinely appointed scourge (Habakkuk 1:7).” Prophets and Kings, 385, 386.

  • What happened to Babylon when the leaders of that kingdom had filled up the measure of their guilt? Daniel 5:1–6, 17, 23–31.

Note: “In that last night of mad folly, Belshazzar and his lords had filled up the measure of their guilt and the guilt of the Chaldean kingdom. No longer could God’s restraining hand ward off the impending evil. Through manifold providences, God had sought to teach them reverence for His law. ‘We would have healed Babylon,’ He declared of those whose judgment was now reaching unto heaven, ‘but she is not healed’ (Jeremiah 51:9). Because of the strange perversity of the human heart, God had at last found it necessary to pass the irrevocable sentence. Belshazzar was to fall, and his kingdom was to pass into other hands. …

“Even while he and his nobles were drinking from the sacred vessels of Jehovah, and praising their gods of silver and of gold, the Medes and the Persians, having turned the Euphrates out of its channel, were marching into the heart of the unguarded city. The army of Cyrus now stood under the walls of the palace; the city was filled with the soldiers of the enemy, ‘as with caterpillars’ (Jeremiah 51:14); and their triumphant shouts could be heard above the despairing cries of the astonished revelers.” Prophets and Kings, 530, 531.

3 MEDO-PERSIA

  • Describe the overthrow of Babylon according to prophecy. Isaiah 44:27, 28; 45:1–3.

Note: “In the unexpected entry of the army of the Persian conqueror into the heart of the Babylonian capital by way of the channel of the river whose waters had been turned aside, and through the inner gates that in careless security had been left open and unprotected, the Jews had abundant evidence of the literal fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the sudden overthrow of their oppressors. And this should have been to them an unmistakable sign that God was shaping the affairs of nations in their behalf.” Prophets and Kings, 552.

  • What was the extent of the next world empire, Medo-Persia, symbolized by a bear and by a ram? Daniel 7:5; 8:3, 4, 20; Esther 1:1, 3.

Note: “Daniel’s prayer had been offered ‘in the first year of Darius,’ the Median monarch whose general, Cyrus, had wrested from Babylonia the scepter of universal rule. The reign of Darius was honored of God. To him was sent the angel Gabriel, ‘to confirm and to strengthen him’ (Daniel 11:1). Upon his death, within about two years of the fall of Babylon, Cyrus succeeded to the throne, and the beginning of his reign marked the completion of the seventy years since the first company of Hebrews had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar from their Judean home to Babylon.” Prophets and Kings, 556, 557.

“In the history of nations the student of God’s word may behold the literal fulfillment of divine prophecy. Babylon, shattered and broken at last, passed away because in prosperity its rulers had regarded themselves as independent of God, and had ascribed the glory of their kingdom to human achievement. The Medo-Persian realm was visited by the wrath of Heaven because in it God’s law had been trampled underfoot. The fear of the Lord had found no place in the hearts of the vast majority of the people. Wickedness, blasphemy, and corruption prevailed. The kingdoms that followed were even more base and corrupt; and these sank lower and still lower in the scale of moral worth.” Ibid., 501, 502.

“While the nations rejected God’s principles, and in this rejection wrought their own ruin, it was still manifest that the divine, overruling purpose was working through all their movements.” Education, 177.

4 GREECE AND ROME

  • By what symbols was Greece, the third universal empire, represented? Daniel 7:6; 8:5–8, 21.
  • What was the symbolic meaning of the four heads of the leopard and the four horns of the goat? Daniel 8:8, 22.
  • How have the proud philosophies of the Grecian Empire pervaded throughout history even to our day—and what should be our response to them? Ecclesiastes 12:12–14.

Note: “Is it safe to trust our youth to the guidance of those blind leaders who study the sacred oracles [of the Scriptures] with far less interest than they manifest in the classical authors of ancient Greece and Rome?” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 98.

“Paul declared that neither Jewish learning nor Grecian eloquence could reach the mark of the high calling that is in Christ Jesus.” Central Advance, April 8, 1903.

  • How was Rome, the fourth empire of prophecy, described? What instrument of cruelty did the Romans employ? How was the fall and division of the Roman Empire predicted? Daniel 7:19, 20, 23, 24.

Note: “As in old time Cyrus was called to the throne of the world’s empire that he might set free the captives of the Lord, so Caesar Augustus is made the agent for the fulfillment of God’s purpose in bringing the mother of Jesus to Bethlehem. She is of the lineage of David, and the Son of David must be born in David’s city. Out of Bethlehem, said the prophet, ‘shall He come forth … that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity’ (Micah 5:2, margin).” The Desire of Ages, 44.

“The cross was associated with the power of Rome. It was the instrument of the most cruel and humiliating form of death.” Ibid., 416.

5 THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM

  • Explain the vision given Ezekiel showing that, amidst the strife and tumult of nations, God guides the affairs of this world. Ezekiel 1:4, 26; 10:8.

Note: “Every nation that has come upon the stage of action has been permitted to occupy its place on the earth, that the fact might be determined whether it would fulfill the purposes of the Watcher and the Holy One. Prophecy has traced the rise and progress of the world’s great empires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. With each of these, as with the nations of less power, history has repeated itself. Each has had its period of test; each has failed, its glory faded, its power departed.

“While nations have rejected God’s principles, and in this rejection have wrought their own ruin, yet a divine, overruling purpose has manifestly been at work throughout the ages. It was this that the prophet Ezekiel saw in the wonderful representation given him during his exile.” Prophets and Kings, 535.

  • How will history be repeated until the world’s kingdoms are given to Christ and His faithful ones? Ezekiel 21:26, 27; Psalm 75:7; Daniel 2:21, 44; 7:27.

Note: “The final overthrow of all earthly dominions is plainly foretold in the word of truth. …

“That time is at hand. Today the signs of the times declare that we are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events.” Education, 179.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Why did the prophets read the writings of other prophets?

2 How does prophecy reveal that Babylon eventually trusted to its own abilities—and with what results?

3 How did God use Babylon’s overthrow to prepare for the exiles’ return?

4 Describe the legacy of the Grecian Empire.

5 What was the predominant characteristic of the fourth kingdom?

© 2010 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Bible Symbols

by

March 30, 2014 – April 5, 2014

The Lord Has Spoken

Key Text

“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7.

Study Help: Education, 173–184.

Introduction

“The solemn messages that have been given in their order in the Revelation are to occupy the first place in the minds of God’s people. Nothing else is to be allowed to engross our attention.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 302.

1 DREAMS AND VISIONS

  • Why is prophecy so important, and how does telling the future identify Jehovah as our Creator? Amos 3:7; Isaiah 46:9, 10; 41:21–23.

Note: “A revelation is something revealed. The Lord Himself revealed to His servant the mysteries contained in this book [of Revelation], and He designs that they shall be open to the study of all. Its truths are addressed to those living in the last days of this earth’s history, as well as to those living in the days of John. Some of the scenes depicted in this prophecy are in the past, some are now taking place; some bring to view the close of the great conflict between the powers of darkness and the Prince of heaven, and some reveal the triumphs and joys of the redeemed in the earth made new.” The Acts of the Apostles, 584.

  • How does the Lord reveal Himself to His prophets, and how can we distinguish the true prophets from the false ones? Hebrews 1:1; Numbers 12:6; Deuteronomy 13:1–5; Job 33:15, 16.

Note: “We shall encounter false claims; false prophets will arise; there will be false dreams and false visions; but preach the Word, be not drawn away from the voice of God in His Word.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 49.

2 INTEREST IN PROPHECY

  • What record do we have that men and women of God, even prophets themselves, took time to study the prophecies? Daniel 9:2. Besides the human race, who else is deeply involved in the study of prophecy? I Peter 1:9–12.

Note: “Even the prophets who were favored with the special illumination of the Spirit did not fully comprehend the import of the revelations committed to them. The meaning was to be unfolded from age to age, as the people of God should need the instruction therein contained. …

“While it was not given to the prophets to understand fully the things revealed to them, they earnestly sought to obtain all the light which God had been pleased to make manifest. They ‘inquired and searched diligently,’ ‘searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify.’ What a lesson to the people of God in the Christian age, for whose benefit these prophecies were given to His servants! ‘Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister’ (I Peter 1:10–12). Witness those holy men of God as they ‘inquired and searched diligently’ concerning revelations given them for generations that were yet unborn. Contrast their holy zeal with the listless unconcern with which the favored ones of later ages treat this gift of Heaven. What a rebuke to the ease-loving, world-loving indifference which is content to declare that the prophecies cannot be understood!” The Great Controversy, 344.

  • Why is the study of prophecy so important? Who gave these revelations to the godly men and women of old? II Peter 1:16–21.

Note: “The prophecies which the great I AM has given in His word, uniting link after link in the chain of events, from eternity in the past to eternity in the future, tell us where we are today in the procession of the ages and what may be expected in the time to come. All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass, until the present time, has been traced on the pages of history, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be fulfilled in its order.” Prophets and Kings, 536.

“I AM means an eternal presence; the past, present, and future are alike to God. He sees the most remote events of past history, and the far distant future with as clear a vision as we do those things that are transpiring daily.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1099.

3 SYMBOLS

  • Why does God speak in symbols and parables? Matthew 13:10–14, 16.

Note: “Christ had truths to present which the people were unprepared to accept or even to understand. For this reason also He taught them in parables. By connecting His teaching with the scenes of life, experience, or nature, He secured their attention and impressed their hearts. Afterward, as they looked upon the objects that illustrated His lessons, they recalled the words of the divine Teacher. To minds that were open to the Holy Spirit, the significance of the Saviour’s teaching unfolded more and more. Mysteries grew clear, and that which had been hard to grasp became evident.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 21.

  • How can we correctly understand the illustrations and symbols used in Bible prophecy? I Corinthians 2:13; Isaiah 28:9–13.

Note: “The Pharisees of Christ’s day closed their eyes lest they should see, and their ears lest they should hear; therefore the truth could not reach their hearts. They were to suffer retribution for their willful ignorance and self-imposed blindness. But Christ taught His disciples that they were to open their minds to instruction, and be ready to believe. He pronounced a blessing upon them because they saw and heard with eyes and ears that believed. …

“Only he who receives the Scriptures as the voice of God speaking to himself is a true learner. He trembles at the word; for to him it is a living reality. He opens his understanding and his heart to receive it. …

“A knowledge of the truth depends not so much upon strength of intellect as upon pureness of purpose, the simplicity of an earnest, dependent faith. To those who in humility of heart seek for divine guidance, angels of God draw near. The Holy Spirit is given to open to them the rich treasures of the truth. …

“Merely to hear or to read the word is not enough. He who desires to be profited by the Scriptures must meditate upon the truth that has been presented to him. By earnest attention and prayerful thought he must learn the meaning of the words of truth, and drink deep of the spirit of the holy oracles.

“God bids us fill the mind with great thoughts, pure thoughts. He desires us to meditate upon His love and mercy, to study His wonderful work in the great plan of redemption.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 59, 60.

4 WIND AND SEA

  • What does wind often represent in prophecy? Jeremiah 25:32, 33; 4:13.

Note: “We hear now of earthquakes in divers places, of fires, of tempests, of disasters by sea and land, of pestilence, of famine. What weight do these signs have upon you? This is only the beginning of what shall be. The description of the day of God is given through John by the Revelator. The cry of the terror-stricken myriads has fallen upon the ear of John. ‘The great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand’ (Revelation 6:17)? The apostle himself was awed and overwhelmed.

“If such scenes as this are to come, such tremendous judgments on a guilty world, where will be the refuge for God’s people? How will they be sheltered until the indignation be overpast? John sees the elements of nature—earthquake, tempest, and political strife—represented as being held by four angels. These winds are under control until God gives the word to let them go. There is the safety of God’s church. The angels of God do His bidding, holding back the winds of the earth, that the winds should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree, until the servants of God should be sealed in their foreheads. The mighty angel is seen ascending from the east (or sun rising). This mightiest of angels has in his hand the seal of the living God, or of Him who alone can give life, who can inscribe upon the foreheads the mark or inscription, to whom shall be granted immortality, eternal life. It is the voice of this highest angel that had authority to command the four angels to keep in check the four winds until this work was performed, and until he should give the summons to let them loose.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 444, 445.

  • We often find different prophetic illustrations around some sort of water or sea. What do these represent? Revelation 17:1, 15.

Note: “The great kingdoms that have ruled the world were presented to the prophet Daniel as beasts of prey, rising when ‘the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea’ (Daniel 7:2). In Revelation 17 an angel explained that waters represent ‘peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues’ (verse 15). Winds are a symbol of strife. The four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea represent the terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power.” The Great Controversy, 439, 440.

5 BEASTS AND WINGS

  • When God wants to enlighten His people, He uses angels or something glorious to represent them. What does God use to represent earthly kingdoms or empires? Daniel 7:17, 23.

Note: “Earthly governments prevail by physical force; they maintain their dominion by war; but the founder of the new kingdom is the Prince of Peace. The Holy Spirit represents worldly kingdoms under the symbol of fierce beasts of prey; but Christ is ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29). … Christ implants a principle. By implanting truth and righteousness, He counterworks error and sin.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 77.

  • Often a prophet would see beasts flying with wings—totally contrary to the natural likeness of the animal. What do these wings symbolize? Habakkuk 1:6–10.

Note: “The world needs men of thought, men of principle, men who are constantly growing in understanding and discernment. There is great need of men who can use the press to the best advantage, that the truth may be given wings to speed it to every nation, and tongue, and people.” Gospel Workers, 25.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How does a holy God communicate His will with lost, sinful, human beings?

2 Holy men of God in the past received divine illumination. Why were they also interested in what God revealed through others before them?

3 Why does God use parables and symbols, and how is it possible to have a correct understanding of their intent?

4 What is the meaning of the winds and the sea in Bible prophecy?

5 How do beasts and wings depict the actions of nations?

© 2010 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – A Glimpse Into Heaven

by

May 25, 2014 – May 31, 2014

Key Text

“Who [the priests] serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” Hebrews 8:5.

Study Help: Early Writings, 14–16, 32–38.

Introduction

“The sanctuary of the first covenant was pitched by man, built by Moses; this [the sanctuary of the new covenant] is pitched by the Lord, not by man. In that sanctuary the earthly priests performed their service; in this, Christ, our great High Priest, ministers at God’s right hand. One sanctuary was on earth, the other is in heaven.” The Great Controversy, 413.

1 THE HOLY PLACE OF THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY

  • When Stephen looked up into heaven while being stoned, what did he see? Acts 7:54–56.
  • What did the apostle John see when the door to the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary was opened to him in vision? Revelation 4:1, 5.

Note: “The holy places of the sanctuary in heaven are represented by the two apartments in the sanctuary on earth. As in vision the apostle John was granted a view of the temple of God in heaven, he beheld there ‘seven lamps of fire burning before the throne.’ He saw an angel ‘having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne’ (Revelation 4:5; 8:3). Here the prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven; and he saw there the ‘seven lamps of fire’ and ‘the golden altar,’ represented by the golden candlestick and the altar of incense in the sanctuary on earth.” The Great Controversy, 414, 415.

2 THE RAINBOW OF MERCY AND JUSTICE

  • What else did John see in the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary? Revelation 4:2, 3.

Note: “How great the condescension of God and His compassion for His erring creatures in thus placing the beautiful rainbow in the clouds as a token of His covenant with men! The Lord declares that when He looks upon the bow, He will remember His covenant. This does not imply that He would ever forget; but He speaks to us in our own language, that we may better understand Him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 106.

  • What does the rainbow represent? What lesson can we learn from the original rainbow given in Noah’s time? Ezekiel 1:26–28; Genesis 9:8–17.

Note: “The rainbow spanning the heavens with its arch of light is a token of ‘the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature’ (Genesis 9:16). And the rainbow encircling the throne on high is also a token to God’s children of His covenant of peace.” Education, 115.

  • What evidence proves that, in the plan of salvation, justice and mercy go hand-in-hand? Psalm 85:10; John 8:10, 11; I John 1:9.

Note: “As the bow in the cloud is formed by the union of the sunlight and the shower, so the rainbow encircling the throne represents the combined power of mercy and justice. It is not justice alone that is to be maintained; for this would eclipse the glory of the rainbow of promise above the throne; man could see only the penalty of the law. Were there no justice, no penalty, there would be no stability to the government of God.

“It is the mingling of judgment and mercy that makes salvation full and complete.” God’s Amazing Grace, 70.

“By faith let us look upon the rainbow round about the throne, the cloud of sins confessed behind it. The rainbow of promise is an assurance to every humble, contrite, believing soul, that his life is one with Christ, and that Christ is one with God. The wrath of God will not fall upon one soul that seeks refuge in Him.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 157.

3 TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS

  • From where did the 24 elders seated around the throne come? What were they offering to God? Revelation 4:4; 5:8, 9.

4 THE 144,000 AND THE WORK OF GOD ON EARTH

  • Who else were seen before the throne? Revelation 7:4, 13–15; 15:2, 3 (compare Revelation 4:6). What song were they singing, and what does that song represent? Exodus 15:1, 13.

Note: “The 144,000 were all sealed and perfectly united. On their foreheads was written, God, New Jerusalem, and a glorious star containing Jesus’ new name. …

“Here [in the New Jerusalem] we saw the tree of life and the throne of God. Out of the throne came a pure river of water, and on either side of the river was the tree of life. On one side of the river was a trunk of a tree, and a trunk on the other side of the river, both of pure, transparent gold.” Early Writings, 15–17.

“God grant, dear reader, that when Jesus shall come the second time, you may be found ready and waiting; that you may be of that number who shall sing the song of redemption around the great white throne, casting their crowns at the feet of the Redeemer.” The Signs of the Times, November 10, 1887.

  • How was God’s work on earth represented in vision to Ezekiel and, later, to John the apostle? Ezekiel 1:4, 5, 10, 14–16; Revelation 4:6–8 (compare Isaiah 6:1–3). In the light of the four faces (Ezekiel 1:10), how are we to consider the different abilities and characters of those serving God? What do the wheels represent?

Note: “To the prophet [Ezekiel] the wheel within a wheel, the appearances of living creatures connected with them, all seemed intricate and unexplainable. But the hand of Infinite Wisdom is seen among the wheels, and perfect order is the result of its work. Every wheel works in perfect harmony with every other.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 213.

“Those who are called to responsible positions in the work of God often feel that they are carrying heavy burdens, when they may have the satisfaction of knowing that Jesus carries them all. We permit ourselves to feel altogether too much care, trouble, and perplexity in the Lord’s work. We need to trust Him, believe in Him, and go forward. The tireless vigilance of the heavenly messengers, their unceasing employment in their ministry in connection with the beings of earth, show us how God’s hand is guiding the wheel within a wheel.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, 1161.

5 A VISION OF THE MOST HOLY PLACE

  • What work was shown in vision to God’s prophets with reference to these last days? Daniel 7:9, 10; Revelation 11:18, 19.

Note: “[Daniel 7:9, 10, RV quoted.]

“Thus was presented to the prophet’s vision the great and solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should pass in review before the Judge of all the earth, and to every man should be rendered ‘according to his works’ (Proverbs 24:12).” The Great Controversy, 479.

“Effort and labor are required on the part of the receiver of God’s grace; for it is the fruit that makes manifest what is the character of the tree. Although the good works of man are of no more value without faith in Jesus than was the offering of Cain, yet covered with the merit of Christ, they testify to the worthiness of the doer to inherit eternal life.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 381, 382.

  • Why does God draw our attention to these revelations? Revelation 1:19, 3.

Note: “A revelation is something revealed. The Lord Himself revealed to His servant the mysteries contained in this book [of Revelation], and He designs that they shall be open to the study of all. Its truths are addressed to those living in the last days of this earth’s history, as well as to those living in the days of John. Some of the scenes depicted in this prophecy are in the past, some are now taking place; some bring to view the close of the great conflict between the powers of darkness and the Prince of heaven, and some reveal the triumphs and joys of the redeemed in the earth made new.” The Acts of the Apostles, 584.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Which of the two apartments of the heavenly sanctuary did the apostle John describe in the fourth chapter of Revelation?

2 How does the rainbow symbolize both justice and mercy?

3 How was it possible for the 24 elders from earth to be in heaven?

4 What does the vision of Ezekiel chapter 1 represent?

5 How is the character of God vindicated by the redeemed saints?

© 2010 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – A Work of Reform in Prophecy

by

May 18, 2014 – May 24, 2014

Key Text

“Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.” Isaiah 56:1.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 451–460.

Introduction

“In order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must themselves be holy. Through faith they must become partakers of the righteousness of Christ.” The Desire of Ages, 283.

1 SABBATH OBSERVANCE TO BE RESTORED

  • What evidence proves that the call of the Lord in Isaiah 56 applies especially in New Testament times? Compare Isaiah 56:1 with I Peter 1:4, 5, and Romans 3:21–24.
  • When, and upon what condition, would a blessing rest upon the Gentiles gathered in by the gospel? Isaiah 56:2–7; Ephesians 2:12–22.

Note: “Here [in Isaiah 56:8] is foreshadowed the gathering in of the Gentiles by the gospel. And upon those who then honor the Sabbath, a blessing is pronounced. Thus the obligation of the fourth commandment extends past the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, to the time when His servants should preach to all nations the message of glad tidings.” The Great Controversy, 451.

“The true sign is placed upon every one who accepts the Sabbath, to keep it holy unto the Lord. The claims of the Sabbath if obeyed, will sanctify us, soul, body and spirit. In coming out from the world and being separated, in accepting the Sabbath of creation which God has sanctified and blessed, we give evidence of genuine conversion. We wear God’s sign. We are stamped with the mark of His government.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, 425.

2 AN INWARD EXPERIENCE CONFIRMED BY OUTWARD ACTION

  • Define the necessary inward experience of those who take part in the Lord’s Sabbath rest. Matthew 11:28–30; Isaiah 48:16–18; Jeremiah 6:16, first part.

Note: “To all who receive the Sabbath as a sign of Christ’s creative and redeeming power, it will be a delight. Seeing Christ in it, they delight themselves in Him. The Sabbath points them to the works of creation as an evidence of His mighty power in redemption. While it calls to mind the lost peace of Eden, it tells of peace restored through the Saviour. And every object in nature repeats His invitation, ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28).” The Desire of Ages, 289.

  • What should we understand about the depth of spiritual rest that Christ wants us to experience? Hebrews 3:7–12; 4:12.
  • What evidence do we have that the Lord’s rest (“His rest”), into which we are to enter, is an inward experience confirmed by an outward sign? Ezekiel 20:12, 19, 20; Hebrews 3:12–14; 4:3, 4, 9–11.

Note: “Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the sanctification of the truth, the believer becomes fitted for the courts of heaven; for Christ works within us, and His righteousness is upon us. Without this no soul will be entitled to heaven. We would not enjoy heaven unless qualified for its holy atmosphere by the influence of the Spirit and the righteousness of Christ.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 395.

“True sanctification is harmony with God, oneness with Him in character. It is received through obedience to those principles that are the transcript of His character. And the Sabbath is the sign of obedience. He who from the heart obeys the fourth commandment will obey the whole law. He is sanctified through obedience.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 350.

3 THE SEAL OF GOD TO BE RESTORED

  • The disciples of Jesus are called upon to restore the seal of God. How are they to do this work? Isaiah 8:13–16; 58:12–14. (Compare Isaiah 8:14 with I Peter 2:7, 8.)

Note: “The seal of God’s law is found in the fourth commandment. This only, of all the ten, brings to view both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It declares Him to be the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and thus shows His claim to reverence and worship above all others. Aside from this precept, there is nothing in the Decalogue to show by whose authority the law is given. When the Sabbath was changed by the papal power, the seal was taken from the law. The disciples of Jesus are called upon to restore it by exalting the Sabbath of the fourth commandment to its rightful position as the Creator’s memorial and the sign of His authority.” The Great Controversy, 452.

  • What rule has God given us to test religious things? Isaiah 8:20. How do we know that this rule applies especially to the Christian era? Isaiah 8:14.

Note: “The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of spirits of darkness. Satan employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions.” The Great Controversy, 593.

“While conflicting doctrines and theories abound, the law of God is the one unerring rule by which all opinions, doctrines, and theories are to be tested.” Ibid., 452.

  • What work is to be done in the time of the end, shortly before the coming of Christ? Acts 3:19–21.

4 THE LAW OF GOD: THE FOCAL POINT OF THE CONFLICT

  • Upon which Old Testament prophet and his accomplishment is the last work of restoration to be modeled? Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17:11, 12.

Note: “In every generation God has sent His servants to rebuke sin, both in the world and in the church. But the people desire smooth things spoken to them, and the pure, unvarnished truth is not acceptable. Many reformers, in entering upon their work, determined to exercise great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation. They hoped, by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the people back to the doctrines of the Bible. But the Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins of a wicked king and an apostate people; they could not refrain from preaching the plain utterances of the Bible—doctrines which they had been reluctant to present. They were impelled to zealously declare the truth and the danger which threatened souls. The words which the Lord gave them they uttered, fearless of consequences, and the people were compelled to hear the warning.

“Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them.” The Great Controversy, 606.

  • What ultimately distinguishes the remnant people of God from the nominal churches? Matthew 7:21–23; Revelation 14:12.

Note: “Though the ‘man of sin’ succeeded in trampling underfoot God’s holy day, yet even in the period of his supremacy there were, hidden in secret places, faithful souls who paid it honor. Since the Reformation, there have been some in every generation to maintain its observance. Though often in the midst of reproach and persecution, a constant testimony has been borne to the perpetuity of the law of God and the sacred obligation of the creation Sabbath.” The Great Controversy, 453.

5 ENDURING AS ETERNITY

  • What prophecy shows that the Sabbath will be kept throughout eternity? Isaiah 66:23.

Note: “God teaches that we should assemble in His house to cultivate the attributes of perfect love. This will fit the dwellers of earth for the mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for all who love Him. There they will assemble in the sanctuary from Sabbath to Sabbath, from one new moon to another, to unite in loftiest strains of song, in praise and thanksgiving to Him who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 368.

“When Eden shall bloom on earth again, God’s holy rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun.” The Desire of Ages, 283.

“When there shall be a ‘restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began’ (Acts 3:21), the creation Sabbath, the day on which Jesus lay at rest in Joseph’s tomb, will still be a day of rest and rejoicing. Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as ‘from one Sabbath to another’ (Isaiah 66:23) the nations of the saved shall bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb.” Ibid., 769, 770.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How can we prove that God wants to bless the Sabbath-keeping Gentiles brought in by the gospel?

2 Explain the twofold aspect (inward experience and outward sign) of the Lord’s Sabbath rest into which He wants us to enter.

3 Through what work is the seal of God’s law to be restored?

4 Explain the meaning of the Greek word anomia, translated as “iniquity” in Matthew 7:23.

5 What Edenic institution, restored among the last generation of Christ’s true followers, will be observed in Paradise regained?

© 2010 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.