Bible Study Guides

Bible Study Guides – The United States in Bible Prophecy

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Bible Study Guides – Christ and the Sabbath

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May 11, 2014 – May 17, 2014

Key Text

“He [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.” Luke 4:16.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 47–49, 296, 297.

Introduction

“When at Jesus’ birth the angels sang—‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men’ (Luke 2:14), they were declaring the principles of the law which He had come to magnify and make honorable.” The Desire of Ages, 308.

1 ORIGIN OF SABBATH OBSERVANCE

  • When did God institute the Sabbath? Genesis 2:1–3.

Note: “In Eden, God set up the memorial of His work of creation, in placing His blessing upon the seventh day. The Sabbath was committed to Adam, the father and representative of the whole human family. … The institution was wholly commemorative, and given to all mankind. There was nothing in it shadowy or of restricted application to any people.

“God saw that a Sabbath was essential for man, even in Paradise. He needed to lay aside his own interests and pursuits for one day of the seven, that he might more fully contemplate the works of God and meditate upon His power and goodness.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 48.

  • How was the Sabbath confirmed prior to the giving of the law at Sinai? Exodus 16:22–30. What is the Sabbath to bring to mind? Exodus 20:8–11.

Note: “In the circumstances connected with the giving of the manna, we have conclusive evidence that the Sabbath was not instituted, as many claim, when the law was given at Sinai. Before the Israelites came to Sinai they understood the Sabbath to be obligatory upon them.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 296.

2 THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS

  • What was the purpose of Jesus in relation to the law of God? Psalm 40:8; Isaiah 42:21; Matthew 5:17–19.
  • How did Jesus rebuke the Jews for not keeping God’s moral law of Ten Commandments? Matthew 15:3–6; Luke 10:26; John 7:19.

Note: “In the precepts of His holy law, God has given a perfect rule of life; and He has declared that until the close of time this law, unchanged in a single jot or tittle, is to maintain its claim upon human beings. Christ came to magnify the law and make it honorable. He showed that it is based upon the broad foundation of love to God and love to man, and that obedience to its precepts comprises the whole duty of man. In His own life He gave an example of obedience to the law of God. In the Sermon on the Mount He showed how its requirements extend beyond the outward acts and take cognizance of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Acts of the Apostles, 505.

  • Give examples showing how Christ’s teachings restored the true meaning of God’s law. Matthew 5:21, 22, 27, 28, 31, 32; 19:17–19; Luke 16:17, 18. He also restored the Sabbath to its original position in the plan of God for humanity. Give examples. Matthew 12:10–12; 24:20; Mark 2:27.

Note: “The Jewish leaders accomplished the will of Satan by surrounding God’s rest day with burdensome requirements. In the days of Christ the Sabbath had become so perverted that its observance reflected the character of selfish and arbitrary men rather than the character of the loving heavenly Father. The rabbis virtually represented God as giving laws which it was impossible for men to obey. They led the people to look upon God as a tyrant, and to think that the observance of the Sabbath, as He required it, made men hard-hearted and cruel. It was the work of Christ to clear away these misconceptions. Although the rabbis followed Him with merciless hostility, He did not even appear to conform to their requirements, but went straight forward, keeping the Sabbath according to the law of God.” The Desire of Ages, 284.

“By sweeping away the senseless restrictions of the Jews, Christ honored the Sabbath, while those who complained of Him were dishonoring God’s holy day.” Ibid., 287.

3 FOLLOWING CHRIST’S EXAMPLE

  • How were the scribes and Pharisees watching Jesus in an attempt to find something with which to accuse Him? Luke 6:7. What were they actually able to do? John 8:46. When Jesus was brought to court, of what Sabbath violation did the Jews accuse Him? Matthew 26:59–61.

Note: “For thirty years He [Christ] lived the life of a perfect man, meeting the highest standard of perfection.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 136.

“Those who hold that Christ abolished the law teach that He broke the Sabbath and justified His disciples in doing the same. Thus they are really taking the same ground as did the caviling Jews. In this they contradict the testimony of Christ Himself, who declared, ‘I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love’ (John 15:10). Neither the Saviour nor His followers broke the law of the Sabbath. Christ was a living representative of the law. No violation of its holy precepts was found in His life. Looking upon a nation of witnesses who were seeking occasion to condemn Him, He could say unchallenged, ‘Which of you convicteth Me of sin?’ (John 8:46 RV).” The Desire of Ages, 287.

  • What lesson did Jesus leave for His disciples concerning proper Sabbath-keeping? Luke 23:52–56. What is every follower of Christ called upon to do? John 15:10; I John 2:6.

Note: “By His [Christ’s] suffering and resistance He made plain to man that perfection of character can be obtained and maintained by humanity.” The Youth’s Instructor, December 28, 1899.

“The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. As the Son of man was perfect in His life, so His followers are to be perfect in their life. Jesus was in all things made like unto His brethren. He became flesh, even as we are. He was hungry and thirsty and weary. He was sustained by food and refreshed by sleep. He shared the lot of man; yet He was the blameless Son of God. He was God in the flesh. His character is to be ours.” The Desire of Ages, 311.

“All righteous attributes of character dwell in God as a perfect, harmonious whole. Everyone who receives Christ as his personal Saviour is privileged to possess these attributes. This is the science of holiness.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 276.

4 THE SABBATH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

  • What was the custom of Paul and the early Christians with regard to the Sabbath? Acts 13:42, 44; 16:13; 17:2; 18:4.
  • Where and on which day of the week did the early Christians receive religious instruction? Matthew 23:1–3; Acts 15:21. Ananias was an early church leader, and a strict Sabbath-keeper. What did the Jews say of him? Acts 22:12.
  • What additional evidence in a prophecy given by Jesus shows that Christians would still be observing the seventh day Sabbath forty years after the crucifixion? Matthew 24:15–20.

Note: “Christ not only honored the Sabbath throughout His life upon the earth, but He provided that its sacred claims should be remembered and honored after His death and resurrection. When warning His disciples of the destruction of Jerusalem, which did not take place until forty years after His ascension, He said, ‘But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day; for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time’ (Matthew 24:20, 21). In accordance with His instruction, the followers of Christ were enabled to depart from the besieged city, and escape to the mountains, not taking their flight either in the winter, nor upon the Sabbath day.” The Signs of the Times, November 12, 1894.

  • How serious a matter has God designed the Sabbath to be for His followers in every generation? Exodus 31:13, 16, 17.

Note: “No deeper wound could be inflicted on God than to ignore His holy day, and place in its stead a spurious sabbath that bears no mark of sanctity. God gave the Sabbath to the world to be set apart for His name’s glory. …

“And who are Israel? The Holy Spirit by the apostle Paul declares, ‘If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed’ (Galatians 3:29). Upon all who through Christ become a part of the true Israel, the observance of the Sabbath is enjoined.” The Signs of the Times, November 22, 1899.

5 A WORK OF SABBATH REFORM

  • What instructions should we bear in mind to ensure correct Sabbath-keeping? Isaiah 58:12, 13.

Note: “God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now as in the time of Israel. The command given to the Hebrews should be regarded by all Christians as an injunction from Jehovah to them. The day before the Sabbath should be made a day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to encroach upon holy time.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 296.

“When the Sabbath commences, we should place a guard upon ourselves, upon our acts and our words, lest we rob God by appropriating to our own use that time which is strictly the Lord’s. We should not do ourselves, nor suffer our children to do, any manner of our own work for a livelihood, or anything which could have been done on the six working days. Friday is the day of preparation. Time can then be devoted to making the necessary preparation for the Sabbath and to thinking and conversing about it. Nothing which will in the sight of Heaven be regarded as a violation of the holy Sabbath should be left unsaid or undone, to be said or done upon the Sabbath. God requires not only that we refrain from physical labor upon the Sabbath, but that the mind be disciplined to dwell upon sacred themes. The fourth commandment is virtually transgressed by conversing upon worldly things or by engaging in light and trifling conversation. Talking upon anything or everything which may come into the mind is speaking our own words.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 702, 703.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What evidence shows that the Sabbath existed before Sinai?

2 What was Jesus’ attitude toward the law of God and the Sabbath?

3 In the trial of Jesus, why wasn’t He accused of Sabbath-breaking?

4 When the new covenant had already been confirmed by the death of Christ (Galatians 3:15; Hebrews 9:16, 17), what was the understanding of the disciples regarding Sabbath-keeping?

5 What evidence proves that Isaiah 58:12, 13 refers to the Christian era? (Compare Isaiah 58:12, 13 with 61:1–4.)

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

Bible Study Guides – The Mark of the Beast

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May 4, 2014 – May 10, 2014

Key Text

“He [the other beast coming out of the earth] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” Revelation 13:16.

Study Help: Early Writings, 64–67, 254–258.

Introduction

“The keeping of God’s law, on the one hand, and its violation, on the other, will make the distinction between the worshipers of God and the worshipers of the beast.” The Great Controversy, 445, 446.

1 THE FOCAL POINT OF THE CONFLICT

  • Revelation 13 and 14 are closely related, shedding light upon the end-time conflict between truth and error. How does the third angel’s message announce the outcome of this conflict? Revelation 14:9–12; 15:2.
  • What commandment of the law of God is under fierce attack in the last conflict? Exodus 20:8; Mark 2:27, 28. Upon what authority does Sunday-keeping rest? Matthew 15:9, 13, 14.

Note: “The United States shall enforce Sunday observance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgment of her supremacy. But in this homage to the papacy the United States will not be alone. The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion is still far from being destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration of her power. … In both the Old and the New World, the papacy will receive homage in the honor paid to the Sunday institution, that rests solely upon the authority of the Roman Church.” The Great Controversy, 579.

2 THE INTENDED CHANGE

  • How does our way of thinking determine our attitude and our actions? Matthew 6:21; 12:34; Proverbs 23:7.

Note: “We shall reveal what is in our hearts by the words we speak. The connection between the heart and the words of our mouth is very intimate, and by our words we shall be individually judged in the last day.” The Voice in Speech and Song, 52.

“If the thoughts are wrong the feelings will be wrong, and the thoughts and feelings combined make up the moral character.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 310.

  • What intent of Rome, as revealed in Daniel 7:25, is the key issue in the final conflict? How will the lamblike nation’s enforcing of Sunday observance be a mark of association with, or submission to, Rome? Revelation 13:12.

Note: “Not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience, and has been rejected. There are many who have never had an opportunity to hear the special truths for this time. The obligation of the fourth commandment has never been set before them in its true light. He who reads every heart and tries every motive will leave none who desire a knowledge of the truth, to be deceived as to the issues of the controversy. The decree is not to be urged upon the people blindly. Everyone is to have sufficient light to make his decision intelligently.” The Great Controversy, 605.

“The special characteristic of the beast, and therefore of his image, is the breaking of God’s commandments. Says Daniel, of the little horn, the papacy: ‘He shall think to change times and the law’ (Daniel 7:25 RV). And Paul styled the same power the ‘man of sin’ (II Thessalonians 2:3), who was to exalt himself above God. One prophecy is a complement of the other. Only by changing God’s law could the papacy exalt itself above God; whoever should understandingly keep the law as thus changed would be giving supreme honor to that power by which the change was made. Such an act of obedience to papal laws would be a mark of allegiance to the pope in the place of God.

“The papacy has attempted to change the law of God. … The change in the fourth commandment exactly fulfills the prophecy. For this the only authority claimed is that of the church. Here the papal power openly sets itself above God.” Ibid., 446.

3 THE LORD’S DAY

  • What Bible verse has modern Protestantism wrongfully used in defense of Sunday-keeping? Revelation 1:10.

Note: “The Lord’s day mentioned by John was the Sabbath, the day on which Jehovah rested after the great work of creation, and which He blessed and sanctified because He had rested upon it. The Sabbath was as sacredly observed by John upon the Isle of Patmos as when he was among the people, preaching upon that day. By the barren rocks surrounding him, John was reminded of rocky Horeb, and how, when God spoke His law to the people there, He said, ‘Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy’ (Exodus 20:8).” The Sanctified Life, 74.

“Notwithstanding all the efforts to establish Sunday sacredness, papists themselves publicly confessed the divine authority of the Sabbath and the human origin of the institution by which it had been supplanted. In the sixteenth century a papal council plainly declared: ‘Let all Christians remember that the seventh day was consecrated by God, and hath been received and observed, not only by the Jews, but by all others who pretend to worship God; though we Christians have changed their Sabbath into the Lord’s Day.’ (Thomas Morer, Discourse in Six Dialogues on the Name, Notion, and Observation of the Lord’s Day, pp. 281, 282.) Those who were tampering with the divine law were not ignorant of the character of their work. They were deliberately setting themselves above God.” The Great Controversy, 577.

“While the worshipers of God will be especially distinguished by their regard for the fourth commandment—since this is the sign of His creative power and the witness to His claim upon man’s reverence and homage—the worshipers of the beast will be distinguished by their efforts to tear down the Creator’s memorial, to exalt the institution of Rome. It was in behalf of the Sunday that popery first asserted its arrogant claims; and its first resort to the power of the state was to compel the observance of Sunday as ‘the Lord’s day.’ ” Ibid., 446, 447.

  • Which day is in reality the Lord’s day? Mark 2:28; Isaiah 58:13; Ezekiel 20:12.

Note: “Because the Sabbath was made for man, it is the Lord’s day. It belongs to Christ. … The Sabbath is a sign of Christ’s power to make us holy. And it is given to all whom Christ makes holy. As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God.” The Desire of Ages, 288.

4 SERVING A CHANGELESS GOD

  • How did God consider Sabbath-keeping in ancient Israel? What were the blessings, and what were the curses? Jeremiah 17:19–27.

Note: “[Jeremiah 17:24, 25 quoted.]

“This promise of prosperity as the reward of allegiance was accompanied by a prophecy of the terrible judgments that would befall the city should its inhabitants prove disloyal to God and His law. If the admonitions to obey the Lord God of their fathers and to hallow His Sabbath day were not heeded, the city and its palaces would be utterly destroyed by fire.” Prophets and Kings, 411, 412.

  • How did Jesus clearly explain that He did not come—as the man of sin did—to change the law of God? Matthew 5:17–19; Luke 16:17.

Note: “It was because the law was changeless, because man could be saved only through obedience to its precepts, that Jesus was lifted up on the cross. Yet the very means by which Christ established the law Satan represented as destroying it. Here will come the last conflict of the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

“That the law which was spoken by God’s own voice is faulty, that some specification has been set aside, is the claim which Satan now puts forward. It is the last great deception that he will bring upon the world. He needs not to assail the whole law; if he can lead men to disregard one precept, his purpose is gained. For ‘whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all’ (James 2:10). By consenting to break one precept, men are brought under Satan’s power. By substituting human law for God’s law, Satan will seek to control the world.” The Desire of Ages, 763.

“It is not by abolishing one jot or tittle of the law of God that salvation is brought to the fallen race. If God were a changeable being, no confidence could be placed in His government. If He retracted what He said, we could not then take His Word as the foundation of our faith. Had He changed His law to meet fallen men, Satan’s claim that man could not keep the law would have been proved true. But God did not alter His law. The death of Christ testifies to the heavenly universe, to the worlds unfallen, and to all the sons and daughters of Adam, that the law of God is immutable, and that in the judgment it will condemn every one who has persisted in transgression.” The Signs of the Times, April 7, 1898.

5 “COME OUT OF HER”

  • Why do we say today that there are multitudes of honest Sunday-keepers who have not received the mark of the beast? Acts 17:30; James 4:17; John 15:22. When will Sunday observance be enforced?

Note: “There are many who have never had the light. They are deceived by their teachers, and they have not received the mark of the beast. The Lord is working with them; He has not left them to their own ways. Until they shall be convicted of the truth, and trample upon the evidence given to enlighten them, the Lord will not withdraw His grace from them.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, 103.

“God has given men the Sabbath as a sign between Him and them, as a test of their loyalty. Those who, after the light regarding God’s law comes to them, continue to disobey and exalt human laws above the law of God in the great crisis before us will receive the mark of the beast.” Evangelism, 235.

“At present Sunday-keeping is not the test. The time will come when men will not only forbid Sunday work, but they will try to force men to labor on the Sabbath, and to subscribe to Sunday observance or forfeit their freedom and their lives. But the time for this has not yet come, for the truth must be presented more fully before the people as a witness. What I have said about this should not be understood as referring to the action of old Sabbath-keepers who understand the truth.” [Emphasis author’s.] The Review and Herald, April 6, 1911.

  • What must happen before Sunday observance is enforced by a death sentence? What call must be heard by the world just prior to the end of time? Revelation 14:9, 10; 18:1, 4.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What characterizes the work of the third angel of Revelation 14?

2 Explain the “intent” of the Roman hierarchy as revealed in Daniel 7:25.

3 How can you prove that, not the first day of the week, but the seventh-day (Sabbath) is the Lord’s day?

4 Explain Matthew 5:17–19; Luke 16:17; Matthew 22:36–40, and James 2:10 in connection with the outcome of the conflict (Revelation 14:12).

5 Why does the final conflict between truth and error require a separation from the nominal churches?

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

Bible Study Guides – A Miracle – Working Power

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April 27, 2014 – May 3, 2014

The Lord Has Spoken

Key Text

“He [the other beast coming up out of the earth] deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the [ten-horned] beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” Revelation 13:14.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 48, 582–592, 624.

Introduction

“God never forces the will or the conscience; but Satan’s constant resort—to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce—is compulsion by cruelty. … He works through both religious and secular authorities, moving them to the enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of God.” The Great Controversy, 591.

1 GREAT DECEPTION THROUGH MIRACLES

  • What prophecy shows that miracles will be used to deceive people in the last days? Matthew 24:24; II Corinthians 11:14.

Note: “Through spiritualism, Satan appears as a benefactor of the race, healing the diseases of the people, and professing to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith.” The Great Controversy, 589.

“As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. … Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness.” Ibid., 624.

  • How can we discern between true and false miracles? Deuteronomy 13:1–3; Isaiah 8:19, 20.

Note: “Those who claim to have the great power of God can only be discerned by the great detector, the law of Jehovah.” Faith and Works, 45.

2 MIRACLES NOT A TEST

  • What prophecy was partially fulfilled in the days of Christ and is to be fulfilled again in these last days? Malachi 4:5, 6; Luke 1:17; Matthew 11:11–14.

Note: “John separated himself from friends and from the luxuries of life. The simplicity of his dress, a garment woven of camel’s hair, was a standing rebuke to the extravagance and display of the Jewish priests, and of the people generally. His diet, purely vegetable, of locusts and wild honey, was a rebuke to the indulgence of appetite and the gluttony that everywhere prevailed. … [Malachi 4:5, 6 quoted.] Here the prophet describes the character of the work. Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent. The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 62.

  • What lesson from John the Baptist (who worked in the spirit and power of Elijah) is of great value for us today? John 10:41.

Note: “Satan is a diligent Bible student. He knows that his time is short, and he seeks at every point to counterwork the work of the Lord upon this earth. It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive upon the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By means of the angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth. And Satan, surrounded by evil angels, and claiming to be God, will work miracles of all kinds, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. God’s people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan will counterfeit the miracles that will be wrought. God’s tried and tested people will find their power in the sign spoken of in Exodus 31:12–18. They are to take their stand on the living word: ‘It is written.’ This is the only foundation upon which they can stand securely. Those who have broken their covenant with God will in that day be without God and without hope.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 16.

3 A CHANGE IS COMING

  • What do the two horns on the lamblike beast represent? Revelation 13:11.

Note: “The ‘two horns like a lamb’ (Revelation 13:11) well represent the character of the United States Government, as expressed in its two fundamental principles, Republicanism and Protestantism. These principles are the secret of our power and prosperity as a nation. Those who first found an asylum on the shores of America rejoiced that they had reached a country free from the arrogant claims of popery and the tyranny of kingly rule. They determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty.” The Signs of the Times, November 1, 1899.

  • How will this lamblike nation offend God by enacting oppressive, anti-biblical laws? Revelation 13:14, last part.

Note: “A time is coming when the law of God is, in a special sense, to be made void in our land. The rulers of our nation will, by legislative enactments, enforce the Sunday law, and thus God’s people be brought into great peril. When our nation, in its legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of men in regard to their religious privileges, enforcing Sunday observance, and bringing oppressive power to bear against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, the law of God will, to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land; and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 977.

  • What threefold union will prepare the world to be deceived by Satan? Isaiah 8:9, 10, 12; Revelation 16:13, 14.

Note: “When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 451.

4 THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST

  • What is the image of the beast, and who has the power to give life to this image? Revelation 13:15, first part.

Note: “When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.” The Great Controversy, 445.

“The same masterful mind that plotted against the faithful in ages past is still seeking to rid the earth of those who fear God and obey His law. Satan will excite indignation against the humble minority who conscientiously refuse to accept popular customs and traditions. Men of position and reputation will join with the lawless and the vile to take counsel against the people of God. Wealth, genius, education, will combine to cover them with contempt. Persecuting rulers, ministers, and church members will conspire against them. With voice and pen, by boasts, threats, and ridicule, they will seek to overthrow their faith. By false representations and angry appeals they will stir up the passions of the people. Not having a ‘Thus saith the Scriptures’ to bring against the advocates of the Bible Sabbath, they will resort to oppressive enactments to supply the lack. To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for a Sunday law. Those who fear God cannot accept an institution that violates a precept of the Decalogue. On this battlefield comes the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error. And we are not left in doubt as to the issue. Now, as in the days of Mordecai, the Lord will vindicate His truth and His people.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 450, 451.

  • How did the early Christian church fall into the trap of Satan? II Timothy 3:5; II Thessalonians 2:10–12.

Note: “It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of the civil government, and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy—the beast. Said Paul: ‘There’ shall ‘come a falling away … and that man of sin be revealed’ (II Thessalonians 2:3). So apostasy in the church will prepare the way for the image to the beast.” The Great Controversy, 443, 444.

5 THE DEATH DECREE

  • Those who fear God and live a godly life, what must they expect? Matthew 14:3–10; II Timothy 3:12. Give a scriptural example. I Kings 22:8, 27.

Note: “It is natural for the wrongdoer to hold the messengers of God responsible for the calamities that come as the sure result of a departure from the way of righteousness. Those who place themselves in Satan’s power are unable to see things as God sees them. When the mirror of truth is held up before them, they become indignant at the thought of receiving reproof. Blinded by sin, they refuse to repent; they feel that God’s servants have turned against them and are worthy of severest censure.” Prophets and Kings, 139, 140.

“The true and faithful follower of Christ must suffer persecution. There is no way of avoiding it.” The Review and Herald, April 19, 1898.

  • What will happen to those that do not worship the image of the beast and refuse to receive the mark of the beast? Revelation 13:15, last part, 16, 17.

Note: “It will be declared that men are offending God by the violation of the Sunday sabbath; that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be strictly enforced. …

“The miracle-working power manifested through spiritualism will exert its influence against those who choose to obey God rather than men. Communications from the spirits will declare that God has sent them to convince the rejecters of Sunday of their error, affirming that the laws of the land should be obeyed as the law of God.” The Great Controversy, 590, 591.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How can we discern between true and false miracles?

2 How does the life of John the Baptist show that miracles will not be the sign by which to identify God’s remnant?

3 What role will spiritualism increasingly play in the United States?

4 What is the image of the beast, and how is it formed?

5 What must we expect from those who knowingly reject the truth?

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

Bible Study Guides – The 144,000 and the Seventh Seal

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June 22, 2014 – June 28, 2014

Key Text

“And the Lord said unto him [the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side], Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” Ezekiel 9:4.

Study Help: Evangelism, 225–236.

Introduction

“The sign, or seal, of God is revealed in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, the Lord’s memorial of creation. … The Sabbath is clearly designated as a sign between God and His people.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 117.

1 THE SEALING WORK

  • Now, under the sixth seal, what preparations are being made in the political world? Revelation 11:18. Why are the winds of contention being held in check? Revelation 7:1, 3. What will happen when the winds of strife are released? I Thessalonians 5:3.
  • What work must be done on earth between the events foretold in Revelation 6:13 and 6:14? Ezekiel 9:4; Revelation 7:1–4.

Note: “The Israelites placed over their doors a signature of blood, to show that they were God’s property. So the children of God in this age will bear the signature God has appointed. They will place themselves in harmony with God’s holy law. A mark is placed upon every one of God’s people just as verily as a mark was placed over the doors of the Hebrew dwellings, to preserve the people from the general ruin.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 968, 969.

  • Describe the final gospel messages under which this work (the sealing of the 144,000) will be completed. Revelation 14:6–12; 18:1–4.

2 “SEAL THE LAW AMONG MY DISCIPLES”

  • What is the evidence that the two prophetic references about the restoration of the Lord’s Sabbath belong to the Christian era? Isaiah 8:14–16; 61:4; 58:12–14.

Note: “In the time of the end every divine institution is to be restored. The breach made in the law at the time the Sabbath was changed by man, is to be repaired. God’s remnant people, standing before the world as reformers, are to show that the law of God is the foundation of all enduring reform and that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is to stand as a memorial of creation, a constant reminder of the power of God. In clear, distinct lines they are to present the necessity of obedience to all the precepts of the Decalogue. Constrained by the love of Christ, they are to co-operate with Him in building up the waste places. They are to be repairers of the breach, restorers of paths to dwell in.” Prophets and Kings, 678.

  • With regard to His law, why does God demand much more of this last generation than of former generations? John 9:41; Luke 12:47, 48.

Note: “Let none plead as an excuse for not keeping the Sabbath, that their fathers died accepted of God when keeping the first day of the week. No doubt they were accepted; for they did not sin against the light that is shining upon you in your day. God would have us walk in the light which shines upon us. We are to appreciate the truth that is presented to our understanding; for if we do not walk in the light, it becomes darkness, and our darkness will be proportionate to the light that is given.

“We shall not be held accountable for the light that has not reached our perception, but for that which we have resisted and refused. A man could not apprehend the truth which had never been presented to him, and therefore could not be condemned for light he had never had. But if he had opportunity to hear the message, and to become acquainted with the truth, and yet refused to improve his opportunity, he will be among the number of whom Christ said, ‘Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life’ (John 5:40). Those who deliberately place themselves where they will not have an opportunity of hearing the truth, will be reckoned among those who have heard the truth, and persistently resisted its evidences.” The Review and Herald, April 25, 1893.

3 A CLEAR DISTINCTION

  • What will the 144,000 be able to say when they see Christ coming in glory? Isaiah 25:8, 9.

Note: “The living righteous are changed ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’ (I Corinthians 15:52). At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air. Angels ‘gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other’ (Matthew 24:31). Little children are borne by holy angels to their mothers’ arms. Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the City of God.” The Great Controversy, 645.

  • What will the unsaved multitudes say? Revelation 6:15–17.

Note: “[When God’s holy law is revealed as the rule of judgment to all the inhabitants of the earth] the enemies of God’s law, from the ministers down to the least among them, have a new conception of truth and duty. Too late they see that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the seal of the living God. Too late they see the true nature of their spurious sabbath and the sandy foundation upon which they have been building. They find that they have been fighting against God. Religious teachers have led souls to perdition while professing to guide them to the gates of Paradise. Not until the day of final accounts will it be known how great is the responsibility of men in holy office and how terrible are the results of their unfaithfulness. Only in eternity can we rightly estimate the loss of a single soul. Fearful will be the doom of him to whom God shall say: Depart, thou wicked servant. …

“No human pen can portray the scene [of Jesus’ return as a mighty conqueror with a vast, unnumbered throng of holy angels]; no mortal mind is adequate to conceive its splendor. ‘His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. And His brightness was as the light’ (Habakkuk 3:3, 4). As the living cloud comes still nearer, every eye beholds the Prince of life. No crown of thorns now mars that sacred head; but a diadem of glory rests on His holy brow. His countenance outshines the dazzling brightness of the noonday sun. ‘And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords’ (Revelation 19:16).

“Before His presence ‘all faces are turned into paleness’ (Jeremiah 30:6); upon the rejecters of God’s mercy falls the terror of eternal despair.” The Great Controversy, 640, 641.

4 SILENCE IN HEAVEN

  • Why is there silence in heaven? John 14:1–3; Matthew 16;27; Revelation 8:1. What condition will prevail in heaven for “half an hour”?

Note: “Amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints.” The Great Controversy, 644.

  • In describing the 144,000 seen on Mount Zion, what characteristics does John emphasize? Revelation 14:1–5. What understanding can aid us in our desire to be among that number?

Note: “John saw a Lamb on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads. They bore the signet of heaven. They reflected the image of God. They were full of the light and the glory of the Holy One. If we would have the image and superscription of God upon us, we must separate ourselves from all iniquity. We must forsake every evil way, and then we must trust our cases in the hands of Christ. While we are working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, God will work in us to will and to do of His own good pleasure. While you must do your part, yet it is God that must give you aid, and sanctify you. Christ makes us penitent that He may forgive us. We have an idea that we must do some part of the work alone. We have thought that there are two or three steps that we must take without any help or support. But this is not so. The Spirit of God is continually wooing and drawing the soul to right purposes, and into harmony with the law of God.” The Review and Herald, March 19, 1889.

“[Revelation 14:1 quoted.] In this world their minds were consecrated to God; they served Him with the intellect and with the heart; and now He can place His name ‘in their foreheads’ (Revelation 14:1, last part).” The Acts of the Apostles, 590, 591.

“Are we striving with all our God-given powers to reach the measure of the stature of men and women in Christ? Are we seeking for His fullness, ever reaching higher and higher, trying to attain to the perfection of His character?

“When God’s servants reach this point, they will be sealed in their foreheads.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 1, 370.

5 PARADISE RESTORED

  • What promise have the faithful people of God embraced by faith from the beginning of the world? Hebrews 11:13–16; II Peter 3:13; Matthew 5:5, 10.

Note: “Through humility and self-surrender we may become heirs with Him [Christ] when ‘the meek shall inherit the earth’ (Psalm 37:11).

“The earth promised to the meek will not be like this, darkened with the shadow of death and the curse. …

“Jesus is there, peace is there.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessings, 17.

  • Since the coming of Christ is at the door, what is the most important question that every individual should put to himself or herself? Acts 2:37, last part; 16:30, 31.

Note: “Notwithstanding our unworthiness, we are to remember that there is One who can take away sin, and who is willing and anxious to save the sinner.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 970.

“We are to copy no human being. There is no human being wise enough to be our criterion. We are to look to the man Christ Jesus, who is complete in the perfection of righteousness and holiness. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the pattern man. His experience is the measure of the experience that we are to gain. His character is our model. Let us, then, take our minds off the perplexities and the difficulties of this life, and fix them on Him, that by beholding we may be changed into His likeness.” Ibid.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Although another world war has been threatening to break out, why are the winds of contention being held back by the providence of God?

2 What are the three final gospel messages to be given to the world?

3 What is prophesied in Isaiah 8:14–16 and 58:12–14, and how do we know that this prophecy belongs to the Christian dispensation?

4 Describe the 144,000, victorious saints.

5 Describe the conditions of the new earth.

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