Bible Study Guides

Bible Study Guides – Eli and His Sons

by

July 19, 2015 – July 25, 2015

Key Text

“The sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord.” I Samuel 2:12.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 575–580.

Introduction

“Eli did not manage his household according to God’s rules for family government.” The Signs of the Times, April 6, 1888.

1 THE CHILD SAMUEL

  • Which were the future and important offices held by the child born to Elkanah and Hannah? I Samuel 1:20; 3:20; 7:15–17.
  • In order to fulfill her solemn oath to God, what did Hannah do when the boy was weaned? I Samuel 1:24. What did she say to Eli the high priest? I Samuel 1:26–28.

Note: “Hannah’s prayer was granted; she received the gift for which she had so earnestly entreated. As she looked upon the child, she called him Samuel—‘asked of God.’ As soon as the little one was old enough to be separated from his mother, she fulfilled her vow. She loved her child with all the devotion of a mother’s heart; day by day, as she watched his expanding powers and listened to his childish prattle, her affections entwined about him more closely. He was her only son, the special gift of Heaven; but she had received him as a treasure consecrated to God, and she would not withhold from the Giver His own. …

“Eli was deeply impressed by the faith and devotion of this woman of Israel. Himself an overindulgent father, he was awed and humbled as he beheld this mother’s great sacrifice in parting with her only child, that she might devote him to the service of God. He felt reproved for his own selfish love, and in humiliation and reverence he bowed before the Lord and worshiped.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 570, 571.

2 WARNING SENT TO THE HIGH PRIEST

  • What does the Bible say about the child Samuel? I Samuel 2:26.

Note: “God gives all an opportunity in this life to develop character. All may fill their appointed place in His great plan. The Lord accepted Samuel from his very childhood, because his heart was pure, and he had reverence for God. He was given to God, a consecrated offering, and the Lord made him, even in his childhood, a channel of light. A life consecrated as was Samuel’s is of great value in God’s sight. If the youth of today will consecrate themselves as did Samuel, the Lord will accept them and use them in His work.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, 1010.

  • How did Eli’s educational influence benefit Samuel? What lesson should the youth of our time learn from the example of Samuel?

Note: “Samuel had been placed under the care of Eli, and the loveliness of his character drew forth the warm affection of the aged priest. He was kind, generous, obedient, and respectful. Eli, pained by the waywardness of his own sons, found rest and comfort and blessing in the presence of his charge. Samuel was helpful and affectionate, and no father ever loved his child more tenderly than did Eli this youth. It was a singular thing that between the chief magistrate of the nation and the simple child so warm an affection should exist. As the infirmities of age came upon Eli, and he was filled with anxiety and remorse by the profligate course of his own sons, he turned to Samuel for comfort.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 573.

  • While Eli the high priest was grieving over the behavior of his sons, what warning did the Lord send to him through a prophet, and by what sign would it be confirmed? I Samuel 2:27–30, 34.

Note: “He [Eli] incurred the Lord’s displeasure by not reproving sin and executing justice upon the sinner. He could not be depended upon to keep Israel pure.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 578.

3 CORRUPT PRIESTS’ PERFIDY AND ITS RESULTS

  • Describe the failure of Eli, the high priest and supreme judge of the nation, in the education of his sons. I Samuel 2:12, 17, 22.

Note: “The priest and judge of Israel had not been left in darkness as to the duty of restraining and governing the children that God had given to his care. …

“But Eli allowed his children to control him. The father became subject to the children. The curse of transgression was apparent in the corruption and evil that marked the course of his sons.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 575.

  • What effect did the mild admonitions of the high priest have upon his wicked sons? I Samuel 2:23–25.

Note: “Though wholly unfit for the office, they [Eli’s sons] were placed as priests in the sanctuary to minister before God. …

“These unfaithful priests also transgressed God’s law and dishonored their sacred office by their vile and degrading practices; yet they continued to pollute by their presence the tabernacle of God. Many of the people, filled with indignation at the corrupt course of Hophni and Phinehas, ceased to come up to the appointed place of worship. Thus the service which God had ordained was despised and neglected because associated with the sins of wicked men, while those whose hearts were inclined to evil were emboldened in sin. Ungodliness, profligacy, and even idolatry prevailed to a fearful extent.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 576, 577.

  • What effect would the apostasy in Israel have had on the surrounding nations? How will our inconsistent profession affect neighbors?

Note: “The people of surrounding nations also, who were not ignorant of the iniquities openly practiced in Israel, became still bolder in their idolatry and crime. They felt no sense of guilt for their sins, as they would have felt had the Israelites preserved their integrity.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 582, 583.

4 SAMUEL: A MOUTHPIECE OF GOD

  • As God could not communicate with Eli or with his sons, whom did He call to convey a last message of reproof to the house of the high priest? I Samuel 3:2–4.
  • Supposing that the high priest was calling him, what did Samuel do? I Samuel 3:5, 6. When the Lord called Samuel the third time, what did Eli tell the boy to do? I Samuel 3:8, 9.

Note: “Eli was convinced that the mysterious call was the voice of God. The Lord had passed by His chosen servant, the man of hoary hairs, to commune with a child. This in itself was a bitter yet deserved rebuke to Eli and his house.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 581.

  • What did the Lord commission Samuel to say to the old high priest? I Samuel 3:11–14. What did Eli say to Samuel to coax him out of his silence, and what was Eli’s answer? I Samuel 3:18.

Note: “In Eli’s reproof to his sons are words of solemn and fearful import—words that all who minister in sacred things would do well to ponder: ‘If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him’ (I Samuel 2:25)?” Patriarchs and Prophets, 580.

“Yet Eli did not manifest the fruits of true repentance. He confessed his guilt, but failed to renounce the sin. Year after year the Lord delayed His threatened judgments. Much might have been done in those years to redeem the failures of the past, but the aged priest took no effective measures to correct the evils that were polluting the sanctuary of the Lord and leading thousands in Israel to ruin. The forbearance of God caused Hophni and Phinehas to harden their hearts and to become still bolder in transgression. The messages of warning and reproof to his house were made known by Eli to the whole nation. By this means he hoped to counteract, in some measure, the evil influence of his past neglect. But the warnings were disregarded by the people, as they had been by the priests.” Ibid., 582.

5 A LESSON FOR THE CHURCH TODAY

  • How were the wicked priests, Hophni and Phinehas, punished? By what disastrous event did God call the whole nation to repentance? I Samuel 4:2, 14–18.

Note: “The [Israelite] nation was ripe for the judgments of God, yet they [the elders] did not see that their own sins had been the cause of this terrible disaster.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 583.

  • How careful should the church be in approving men for the ministry? I Timothy 3:5–7.

Note: “The church must show their zeal for God in dealing with those who have, while professing great faith, been putting Christ to open shame. They have imperiled the truth. They have been unfaithful sentinels. They have brought reproach and dishonor upon the cause of God. The time has come for earnest and powerful efforts to rid the church of the slime and filth which is tarnishing her purity.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 450.

“The standard of morality is not exalted high enough among God’s people. … Those who stand as ministers in the sacred desk should be men of blameless reputation. …

“There is a strange abandonment of principle, a lowering of the standard of morality. …

“If those who profess to be the depositaries of God’s law become transgressors of that law, His protecting care will be withdrawn.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 597–601.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What lesson should the youth of our time learn from the example of Samuel?

2 What was the failure of Eli in the education of his sons?

3 How will our inconsistent profession affect neighbors?

4 What disastrous event did God use to call the whole nation to repentance?

5 How careful should the church be in approving men for the ministry?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Samson

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July 12, 2015 – July 18, 2015

Key Text

“The Spirit of the Lord began to move him [Samson] at times.” Judges 13:25.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 560–568.

Introduction

“God’s promise that through Samson He would ‘begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines’ (Judges 13:5) was fulfilled; but how dark and terrible the record of that life which might have been a praise to God and a glory to the nation!” Conflict and Courage, 132.

1 ISRAEL ONCE AGAIN UNDER OPPRESSION

  • What did the Israelites do during the times of prosperity and peace after the victories of Gideon and Jephthah? Judges 10:6, 7; 13:1.
  • How did the Lord answer their halfhearted cry for deliverance on one of those occasions? Judges 10:13, 14. Would God say the same thing to His people today?
  • How were the people of God in those times, and how are His people today, to support the work of reform to gain deliverance from sin and oppression? II Chronicles 7:14.

Note: “When His [God’s] people put away the sins that had shut out His presence, He heard their prayers and at once began to work for them.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 558.

“Our first work is to put away sin; but in order to do this, we must come so close to God that we can understand His character and requirements, and thus measure our sinfulness and our need of a Saviour.” The Review and Herald, March 4, 1884.

2 THE CAPTIVITY OF A CHOSEN DELIVERER

  • How did God answer the prayers of Israel for deliverance from the Philistine oppression? Judges 13:24, 25.

Note: “Though there was apparently no response [to deliver Israel], though year after year the power of the oppressor continued to rest more heavily upon the land, God’s providence was preparing help for them. Even in the early years of the Philistine oppression a child was born through whom God designed to humble the power of these mighty foes.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 560.

  • Instead of consecrating himself to his mission, how did Samson allow Satan to lead him astray and make him a captive of the powers of darkness? Judges 14:1–3.

Note: “Had Samson obeyed the divine commands as faithfully as his parents had done, his would have been a nobler and happier destiny. But association with idolaters corrupted him. The town of Zorah being near the country of the Philistines, Samson came to mingle with them on friendly terms. Thus in his youth intimacies sprang up, the influence of which darkened his whole life. A young woman dwelling in the Philistine town of Timnath engaged Samson’s affections, and he determined to make her his wife.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 562.

“He did not ask whether he could better glorify God when united with the object of his choice, or whether he was placing himself in a position where he could not fulfill the purpose to be accomplished by his life. To all who seek first to honor Him, God has promised wisdom; but there is no promise to those who are bent upon self-pleasing.

“How many are pursuing the same course as did Samson! How often marriages are formed between the godly and the ungodly, because inclination governs in the selection of husband or wife!” Ibid., 563.

  • What did Samson do after he found out that his own bride had betrayed him? What happened after he left the wedding? What happened when Samson’s anger cooled? Judges 14:15–20; 15:1, 2.

3 SAMSON’S LIGHT BECOMES DARKNESS

  • Upon hearing that his wife was given to another man, how did Samson exact revenge against the Philistines? Judges 15:4, 5.
  • How did Samson avenge the murderous retaliation of the Philistines against his wife and her father? Judges 15:6–8.

Note: “His [Samson’s] revenge, in the wasting of all the fields and vineyards of the Philistines, provoked them to murder her, although their threats had driven her to the deceit with which the trouble began. Samson had already given evidence of his marvelous strength by slaying, singlehanded, a young lion, and by killing thirty of the men of Ashkelon. Now, moved to anger by the barbarous murder of his wife, he attacked the Philistines and smote them ‘with a great slaughter’ (Judges 15:8).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 563, 564.

  • Describe the process by which Samson developed a character unfit for his mission of reformatory work. How is his story often repeated by some of those who have been called to be the light of the world? Compare Matthew 6:23 with Galatians 5:9; I John 2:11.

Note: “If we do not choose to give ourselves fully to God then we are in darkness. When we make any reserve we are leaving open a door through which Satan can enter to lead us astray by his temptations. He knows that if he can obscure our vision, so that the eye of faith cannot see God, there will be no barrier against sin.

“The prevalence of a sinful desire shows the delusion of the soul. Every indulgence of that desire strengthens the soul’s aversion to God. In following the path of Satan’s choosing, we are encompassed by the shadows of evil, and every step leads into deeper darkness and increases the blindness of the heart. …

“Through persistently cherishing evil, willfully disregarding the pleadings of divine love, the sinner loses the love for good, the desire for God, the very capacity to receive the light of heaven. The invitation of mercy is still full of love, the light is shining as brightly as when it first dawned upon his soul; but the voice falls on deaf ears, the light on blinded eyes.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 92.

4 “THE PHILISTINES TOOK HIM”

  • Despite God’s purpose to deliver Israel through Samson, what action demonstrated the Israelites spiritual degradation? Judges 15:10–13. Who, in many cases and in the first place, are to be blamed when such an estate of affairs exists among God’s people? Isaiah 3:12; Matthew 15:14.

Note: “There are men standing in responsible positions who teach one thing and practice another. While they have been forward to condemn their brethren, their own character is more faulty in the sight of God than the ones they would criticise [sic] and condemn. These men are blind leaders of the blind, and both leaders and those led by them will be ruined unless there is true repentance and heart-felt confession before God.” Special Testimony to the Battle Creek Church, 13.

  • After judging Israel for twenty years (Judges 15:20), how did Satan make Samson a slave of the enemies of Israel? Judges 16:1, 4–6, 16–20.

Note: “What a change to him who had been the judge and champion of Israel!—now weak, blind, imprisoned, degraded to the most menial service! Little by little he had violated the conditions of his sacred calling. God had borne long with him; but when he had so yielded himself to the power of sin as to betray his secret, the Lord departed from him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 566.

  • Since Samson did not know how to control his eyes (in a spiritual sense, Matthew 5:28, 29), what did God allow the Philistines to do (in a literal sense)? Judges 16:21.

Note: “In suffering and humiliation, a sport for the Philistines, Samson learned more of his own weakness than he had ever known before; and his afflictions led him to repentance. As his hair grew, his power gradually returned; but his enemies, regarding him as a fettered and helpless prisoner, felt no apprehensions.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 566.

5 AMONG THE HEROES OF FAITH

  • Why do you think Samson’s name is mentioned among the heroes of faith? Hebrews 11:32; Judges 16:28–30.
  • What warning should every Christian heed, especially by those who are directly engaged in the service of the Lord? I Corinthians 10:12.

Note: “God’s providential care had been over Samson, that he might be prepared to accomplish the work which he was called to do. At the very outset of life he was surrounded with favorable conditions for physical strength, intellectual vigor, and moral purity. But under the influence of wicked associates he let go that hold upon God which is man’s only safeguard, and he was swept away by the tide of evil. Those who in the way of duty are brought into trial may be sure that God will preserve them; but if men willfully place themselves under the power of temptation, they will fall, sooner or later.

“The very ones whom God purposes to use as His instruments for a special work, Satan employs his utmost power to lead astray. He attacks us at our weak points, working through defects in the character to gain control of the whole man; and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed. But none need be overcome. Man is not left alone to conquer the power of evil by his own feeble efforts. Help is at hand and will be given to every soul who really desires it.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 568.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 When the few faithful worshippers in Israel were pleading for deliverance, whom did God raise from the family of Manoah?

2 What was the first recorded misstep of Samson?

3 How soon did Samson realize that marriage between a believer and an unbeliever, which brings great suffering, is a great mistake?

4 Describe step by step how Samson allowed his light to become darkness.

5 Under what miserable conditions did Samson still find repentance?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Gideon

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July 5, 2015 – July 11, 2015

Key Text

“This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.” Judges 7:14.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 548-556.

Introduction

“All who would be soldiers of the cross of Christ, must gird on the armor and prepare for conflict. They should not be intimidated by threats; or terrified by dangers. They must be cautious in peril, yet firm and brave in facing the foe and doing battle for God.” The Signs of the Times, June 30, 1881.

1 A MAN WILLING TO OBEY GOD

  • When the Midianites and the Amalekites found out that Gideon had destroyed the altar of Baal and that he was about to form an army, what did they do? Judges 6:33.
  • What did Gideon do, with the help of the Lord, to give battle to the invaders? Judges 6:34, 35.
  • What instruction from the Lord reduced Gideon’s army to three hundred men? Judges 7:2–7.

Note: “He [Gideon] was filled with astonishment at the declaration that his army was too large. But the Lord saw the pride and unbelief existing in the hearts of His people. … Many were filled with fear when they saw the multitudes of the Midianites. Yet, had Israel triumphed, those very ones would have taken the glory for themselves instead of ascribing the victory to God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 549.

2 NO PLACE FOR THE INDOLENT AND SELF-INDULGENT

  • What lesson can we learn from the way the 32,000 men were tested? Mark 8:34. What are some important qualities we should look for in selecting men and women for the gospel work today? Romans 12:11.

Note: “The Lord has no place in His work for the indolent and self-indulgent. The men of His choice were the few who would not permit their own wants to delay them in the discharge of duty. The three hundred chosen men not only possessed courage and self-control, but they were men of faith. They had not defiled themselves with idolatry. God could direct them, and through them He could work deliverance for Israel. Success does not depend upon numbers. God can deliver by few as well as by many. He is honored not so much by the great numbers as by the character of those who serve Him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 549, 550.

“We want missionaries who are missionaries in the fullest sense of the word, who will put aside selfish considerations, and let the cause of God come first; and who, working with an eye single to His glory, will keep themselves as minutemen, ready to go where He bids, and to work in any capacity to spread the knowledge of the truth.” Gospel Workers, 459.

  • In view of the responsibility given to parents to train their children in habits of usefulness (Proverbs 22:6), what question, echoed in the words uttered to the kind of Judah, will parents have to answer? Jeremiah 13:20, last part.

Note: “Parents cannot commit a greater sin than to neglect their God-given responsibilities in leaving their children with nothing to do; for these children will soon learn to love idleness and grow up to be shiftless, useless men and women.” Child Guidance, 122.

“God … is displeased with those who are too careless or too indolent to become efficient, well-informed workers. The Lord bids us love Him with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and with all the mind. This lays upon us the obligation of developing the intellect to its fullest capacity, that with all the mind we may know and love our Creator.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 333.

3 THE SWORD OF GIDEON

  • After Gideon had spent the night in fear of the imminent encounter with the Midianites and Amalekites, what did the Lord say to him in order to encourage him? Judges 7:9–11.
  • What did Gideon overhear from two enemy soldiers, and what was his response? Judges 7:13–15.

Note: “Gideon recognized the voice of God speaking to him through those Midianitish strangers. Returning to the few men under his command, he said, ‘Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian’ (Judges 7:15).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 550.

  • Describe the plan of attack that was suggested to him by divine revelation. Judges 7:16–20. What did the panic-stricken host do as they were put in confusion by this plan? Judges 7:21, 22.

Note: “By divine direction a plan of attack was suggested to him [Gideon], which he immediately set out to execute. The three hundred men were divided into three companies. To every man were given a trumpet, and a torch concealed in an earthen pitcher. The men were stationed in such a manner as to approach the Midianite camp from different directions. In the dead of night, at a signal from Gideon’s war horn, the three companies sounded their trumpets; then, breaking their pitchers and displaying the blazing torches, they rushed upon the enemy with the terrible war cry, ‘The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon’ (Judges 7:20).

“The sleeping army was suddenly aroused. Upon every side was seen the light of the flaming torches. In every direction was heard the sound of trumpets, with the cry of the assailants. Believing themselves at the mercy of an overwhelming force, the Midianites were panic-stricken. With wild cries of alarm they fled for life, and, mistaking their own companions for enemies, they slew one another.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 550–553.

4 GIDEON BEFORE AN INTERNAL CONFLICT

  • What did thousands of men from the tribes of Israel do as soon as the call of Gideon reached them? Judges 7:23. What did the men of Ephraim do when Gideon called them? Judges 7:24, 25.
  • Why did the Ephraimites become angry? How did Gideon’s modest and wise answer soothe the unjustified anger of the men of Ephraim? Judges 8:1–3.

Note: “The spirit of jealousy might easily have been fanned into a quarrel that would have caused strife and bloodshed; but Gideon’s modest answer soothed the anger of the men of Ephraim, and they returned in peace to their homes. Firm and uncompromising where principle was concerned, and in war a ‘mighty man of valor’ (Judges 6:12), Gideon displayed also a spirit of courtesy that is rarely witnessed.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 555.

  • What must a person learn before he or she can become a successful soul winner? Proverbs 15:1, 33; 25:15; Colossians 4:6; I Peter 3:15.

Note: “The leader whom God chose to overthrow the Midianites occupied no prominent position in Israel. He was not a ruler, a priest, or a Levite. He thought himself the least in his father’s house. But God saw in him a man of courage and integrity. He was distrustful of himself and willing to follow the guidance of the Lord. God does not always choose for His work men of the greatest talents, but He selects those whom He can best use. … The Lord can work most effectually through those who are most sensible of their own insufficiency, and who will rely upon Him as their leader and source of strength. He will make them strong by uniting their weakness to His might, and wise by connecting their ignorance with His wisdom.

“If they would cherish true humility, the Lord could do much more for His people; but there are few who can be trusted with any large measure of responsibility or success without becoming self-confident and forgetful of their dependence upon God. This is why, in choosing the instruments for His work, the Lord passes by those whom the world honors as great, talented, and brilliant. They are too often proud and self-sufficient. They feel competent to act without counsel from God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 553, 554.

5 THE MIND OF GIDEON FINALLY CONFUSED

  • After the armies of Israel had gained a signal victory over the Midianites and Amalekites, how did Satan work through the mind of Gideon to lead the people of Israel astray? Judges 8:24, 27.

Note: “Because he [Gideon] had been commanded to offer sacrifice upon the rock where the Angel appeared to him, Gideon concluded that he had been appointed to officiate as a priest. Without waiting for the divine sanction, he determined to provide a suitable place, and to institute a system of worship similar to that carried on at the tabernacle. … His course proved a snare to himself and his family, as well as to Israel. The unauthorized worship led many of the people finally to forsake the Lord altogether, to serve idols. After Gideon’s death great numbers, among whom were his own family, joined in this apostasy. The people were led away from God by the very man who had once overthrown their idolatry.

“There are few who realize how far-reaching is the influence of their words and acts. How often the errors of parents produce the most disastrous effects upon their children and children’s children, long after the actors themselves have been laid in the grave. Everyone is exerting an influence upon others, and will be held accountable for the result of that influence. Words and actions have a telling power, and the long hereafter will show the effect of our life here. The impression made by our words and deeds will surely react upon ourselves in blessing or in cursing.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 555, 556.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Why was Gideon surprised when the Lord told him to reduce his army?

2 Under the existing circumstances, why was such a step necessary?

3 What did the Lord say to Gideon in the early hours before dawn?

4 What enabled Gideon to give such a wise answer to soothe the unjustified anger of the Ephraimites?

5 What must a person learn before he or she can become a successful soul winner?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Israel in Canaan

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June 28, 2015 – July 4, 2015

Key Text

“Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.” Joshua 24:31.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 543-548

Introduction

“The Israelites yielded only a partial obedience to the command of God [to drive out all the inhabitants of Canaan], and for many generations they were afflicted by a remnant of the idolatrous nation.” The Signs of the Times, January 13, 1881.

1 THE COVENANT RENEWED AND THEN FORGOTTEN

  • At the end of his days, how did Joshua exhort the people to remain faithful to the Lord? And how did they respond to his exhortation? Joshua 24:15, 16, 20–26.

Note: “God had placed His people in Canaan as a mighty breastwork to stay the tide of moral evil, that it might not flood the world. If faithful to Him, God intended that Israel should go on conquering and to conquer. He would give into their hands nations greater and more powerful than the Canaanites.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 544.

  • However, what did they do after the death of Joshua? Judges 2:7, 8, 11, 12; 3:5–7.

Note: “The disregard of the Lord’s restrictions on the part of those who came in possession of Canaan sowed seeds of evil that continued to bring forth bitter fruit for many generations. … By their sins the Israelites were separated from God; His strength was removed from them, and they could no longer prevail against their enemies.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 545.

2 “THERE WAS EVER A REMNANT”

  • What term does the Bible use for the reformers of this period of church history? What word is used to describe the reformatory work of these servants of God? Judges 2:16, 18.
  • Describe the depth of backsliding that the people of God experienced? Psalm 78:58–62. Due to His remembrance of the covenant promises to Abraham, how did God work to deliver His people from their enemies? Psalm 78:65, 66.
  • No matter how many may turn away from God, what assurance do we have that the truth will never be left without faithful standard bearers? Isaiah 1:9; Romans 11:1–5. What suggests that God will also use a faithful remnant to reform His people in the time of the end? Ecclesiastes 3:15.

Note: “He [God] did not utterly forsake His people. There was ever a remnant who were true to Jehovah; and from time to time the Lord raised up faithful and valiant men to put down idolatry and to deliver the Israelites from their enemies.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 545.

“The great Head Who moves in the midst of His candlesticks will never be without a church. …

“If we refuse to let our light shine for the Master … others will do that very work which we might have done and could have done, but refused to do.” The Review and Herald, June 7, 1887.

“Many who have had great light have not appreciated and improved it. … They will deny the principles of truth in practice and bring reproach upon the cause of God.

“Christ declares that He will spue these out of His mouth. …

“The Lord will give His message to those who have walked in accordance with the light they have had, and will recognize them as true and faithful. … These men will take the place of those who, having light and knowledge, have walked not in the way of the Lord, but in the imagination of their own unsanctified hearts.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 421, 422.

“In the hour of the church’s greatest danger most fervent prayer will be offered in her behalf by the faithful remnant.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 524.

3 ISRAEL’S CRY TO GOD OUT OF DESPERATION

  • Mention some of the deliverers from among the faithful remnant that God raised in the early times of the judges. Judges 3:9, 15, 31; 4:4, 6. After these heroes, who was called to break the yoke of the oppressors? Judges 6:11–14.

Note: “To Gideon came the divine call to deliver his people. … He sadly pondered upon the condition of Israel and considered how the oppressor’s yoke might be broken from off his people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 546.

  • Why did Gideon request a sign from the One who was speaking to him? Judges 6:17–21.

Note: “Gideon desired some token that the one now addressing him was the Covenant Angel, who in time past had wrought for Israel. Angels of God, who communed with Abraham, had once tarried to share his hospitality; and Gideon now entreated the divine Messenger to remain as his guest. Hastening to his tent, he prepared from his scanty store a kid and unleavened cakes, which he brought forth and set before Him. But the Angel bade him, ‘Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth’ (Judges 6:20). Gideon did so, and then the sign which he had desired was given: with the staff in His hand, the Angel touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and a flame bursting from the rock consumed the sacrifice. Then the Angel vanished from his sight.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 547.

  • What assurance calmed Gideon after he had set his eyes on Christ as the Angel of the Covenant and became afraid for his very life? Judges 6:22, 23.

Note: “These gracious words were spoken by the same compassionate Saviour Who said to the tempted disciples upon the stormy sea, ‘It is I; be not afraid’ (Mark 6:50),—He who appeared to those sorrowing ones in the upper chamber, and spoke the selfsame words addressed to Gideon, ‘Peace be unto you’ (Luke 24:36).” The Signs of the Times, June 23, 1881.

4 THE FIRST WORK—A REFORMATION IN THE HOME

  • Where did Gideon start the work of reformation in Israel? Judges 6:25, 27, 28.

Note: “Gideon’s father, Joash, who shared in the apostasy of his countrymen, had erected at Ophrah, where he dwelt, a large altar to Baal, at which the people of the town worshiped. Gideon was commanded to destroy this altar and to erect an altar to Jehovah over the rock on which the offering had been consumed, and there to present a sacrifice to the Lord. The offering of sacrifice to God had been committed to the priests, and had been restricted to the altar at Shiloh; but He who had established the ritual service, and to Whom all its offerings pointed, had power to change its requirements. The deliverance of Israel was to be preceded by a solemn protest against the worship of Baal. Gideon must declare war upon idolatry before going out to battle with the enemies of his people.

“The divine direction was faithfully carried out. Knowing that he would be opposed if it were attempted openly, Gideon performed the work in secret; with the aid of his servants, accomplishing the whole in one night.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 547.

  • The next morning, what was the reaction of the men of the city when they saw that the altar of Baal had been destroyed? Judges 6:30.
  • How did Joash, as a prominent man in the city, stand in defense of his son, and what did he say to the multitude? Judges 6:31, 32.

Note: “Great was the rage of the men of Ophrah when they came next morning to pay their devotions to Baal. They would have taken Gideon’s life had not Joash—who had been told of the Angel’s visit—stood in defense of his son. [Judges 6:31 quoted.] If Baal could not defend his own altar, how could he be trusted to protect his worshipers?” Patriarchs and Prophets, 547, 548.

5 QUALITIES NEEDED IN CHRIST’S SOLDIERS

  • What lesson should the soldiers of the cross learn from Gideon? Romans 15:4; I Peter 3:15.

Note: “The Lord is willing to do great things for us. We shall not gain the victory through numbers, but through the full surrender of the soul to Jesus. We are to go forward in His strength, trusting in the mighty God of Israel. …

“The Lord is just as willing to work through human efforts now, and to accomplish great things through weak instrumentalities. It is essential to have an intelligent knowledge of the truth; for how else could we meet its wily opponents? The Bible must be studied, not alone for the doctrines it teaches, but for its practical lessons. You should never be surprised, you should never be without your armor on. Be prepared for any emergency, for any call of duty. Be waiting, watching for every opportunity to present the truth, familiar with the prophecies, familiar with the lessons of Christ. But do not trust in well-prepared arguments. Argument alone is not enough. God must be sought on your knees; you must go forth to meet the people through the power and influence of His Spirit.

“Act promptly. God would have you minute men, as were the men who composed Gideon’s army. Many times ministers are too precise, too calculating. While they are getting ready to do a great work, the opportunity for doing a good work passes unimproved. The minister moves as though the whole burden rested on himself, a poor finite man, when Jesus is carrying him and his burden too. Brethren, trust self less, and Jesus more.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, 1003, 1004.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 When the Jews were established in Canaan, what happened after the death of Joshua?

2 What assurance do we have that the truth will never be left without faithful standard bearers?

3 Where did Gideon start the work of reformation in Israel?

4 How did Joash try to calm down the anger of the people?

5 What lesson should we learn from the good work of Gideon?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Solomon

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August 23, 2015 – August 29, 2015

Key Text

“We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.” II Corinthians 2:15, 16.

Study Help: The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, 390–398.

Introduction

“That our influence should be a savor of death unto death is a fearful thought, yet it is possible. One soul misled, forfeiting eternal bliss—who can estimate the loss!” Prophets and Kings, 86.

1 “THE LORD GIVETH WISDOM”

  • When Solomon began to reign over Israel, what did God say to him in a dream, and what was Solomon’s request? I Kings 3:5–9.
  • What did the Lord promise Solomon after his wise petition? 1 Kings 3:11–14; Proverbs 2:6.
  • What should every worker in the Lord’s vineyard realize? James 1:5–7.

Note: “Those who today occupy positions of trust should seek to learn the lesson taught by Solomon’s prayer. The higher the position a man occupies, the greater the responsibility that he has to bear, the wider will be the influence that he exerts and the greater his need of dependence on God. Ever should he remember that with the call to work comes the call to walk circumspectly before his fellow men. He is to stand before God in the attitude of a learner.” Prophets and Kings, 30.

2 EVERY BURDEN BEARER NEEDS WISDOM

  • How does the Bible describe a true burden bearer? Matthew 24:45–47; John 21:15–17; Acts 20:28.

Note: “When a burden bearer desires wisdom more than he desires wealth, power, or fame, he will not be disappointed. Such a one will learn from the Great Teacher not only what to do, but how to do it in a way that will meet with the divine approval.

“So long as he remains consecrated, the man whom God has endowed with discernment and ability will not manifest an eagerness for high position, neither will he seek to rule or control. Of necessity men must bear responsibilities; but instead of striving for the supremacy, he who is a true leader will pray for an understanding heart, to discern between good and evil.

“The path of men who are placed as leaders is not an easy one. But they are to see in every difficulty a call to prayer. Never are they to fail of consulting the great Source of all wisdom. Strengthened and enlightened by the Master Worker, they will be enabled to stand firm against unholy influences and to discern right from wrong, good from evil. They will approve that which God approves and will strive earnestly against the introduction of wrong principles into His cause.” Prophets and Kings, 31.

  • What is written about the early reign of Solomon? I Kings 3:28; 4:29, 34.

Note: “For many years Solomon’s life was marked with devotion to God, with uprightness and firm principle, and with strict obedience to God’s commands. He directed in every important enterprise and managed wisely the business matters connected with the kingdom. His wealth and wisdom, the magnificent buildings and public works that he constructed during the early years of his reign, the energy, piety, justice, and magnanimity that he revealed in word and deed, won the loyalty of his subjects and the admiration and homage of the rulers of many lands.” Prophets and Kings, 32.

“None understood better than [Solomon] that these gifts [of power, wisdom and glory] were bestowed in order that he might give to the world a knowledge of God.” The Review and Herald, December 7, 1905.

3 THE TEMPLE BUILT WITH HEAVENLY WISDOM

  • What was the monumental work of King Solomon? I Kings 6:1, 7, 38.

Note: “Of surpassing beauty and unrivaled splendor was the palatial building which Solomon and his associates erected for God and His worship. …

“The spot [Mount Moriah] on which the temple was built had long been regarded as a consecrated place. It was here that Abraham, the father of the faithful, had revealed his willingness to sacrifice his only son in obedience to the command of Jehovah. Here God had renewed with Abraham the covenant of blessing, which included the glorious Messianic promise to the human race of deliverance through the sacrifice of the Son of the Most High. (See Genesis 22:9, 16–18.) Here it was that when David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to stay the avenging sword of the destroying angel, God had answered him by fire from heaven. (See I Chronicles 21.) And now once more the worshipers of Jehovah were here to meet their God and renew their vows of allegiance to Him.” Prophets and Kings, 36, 37.

  • As soon as the magnificent building was completed, what was brought into the temple? II Chronicles 5:1–5.
  • Describe the solemn ceremony attending the bringing of the ark of the covenant to the temple. 1II Chronicles 5:12, 13. Summarize Solomon’s dedicatory prayer. I Kings 8:23–53.

Note: “Solomon … knelt upon the platform, and in the hearing of all the people offered the dedicatory prayer. Lifting his hands toward heaven, while the congregation were bowed with their faces to the ground, the king pleaded [in prayer to God].” Prophets and Kings, 40.

“As Solomon ended his prayer, ‘fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices.’ The priests could not enter the temple because ‘the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house’ (II Chronicles 7:1, 2).” Ibid., 45.

4 WISDOM MISUSED

  • How did Solomon lament the misuse of his wisdom in his later years? Ecclesiastes 2:1–3, 7, 10, 15.
  • In contrast to Solomon’s wrong course, what was the path pursued by Christ? Matthew 8:20; Acts 10:38. What can we learn from the study of Christ’s methods of labor?

Note: “Those who, in response to the call of the hour, have entered the service of the Master Worker, may well study His methods. He took advantage of the opportunities to be found along the great thoroughfares of travel.

“In the intervals of His journeys to and fro, Jesus dwelt at Capernaum, which came to be known as ‘His own city’ (Matthew 9:1). Situated on the highway from Damascus to Jerusalem and Egypt and to the Mediterranean Sea, it was well adapted to be the center of the Saviour’s work. People from many lands passed through the city or tarried for rest. There Jesus met with those of all nations and all ranks, and thus His lessons were carried to other countries and into many households. By this means interest was aroused in the prophecies pointing forward to the Messiah, attention was directed to the Saviour, and His mission was brought before the world.” Prophets and Kings, 73.

  • What did Solomon say when he came to his senses? Ecclesiastes 2:16–18. What lesson should we learn from the failure of Solomon?

Note: “The conflict before us calls for the exercise of a spirit of self-denial, for distrust of self and for dependence on God alone, for the wise use of every opportunity for the saving of souls. The Lord’s blessing will attend His church as they advance unitedly, revealing to a world lying in the darkness of error the beauty of holiness as manifested in a Christlike spirit of self-sacrifice, in an exaltation of the divine rather than the human, and in loving and untiring service for those so much in need of the blessings of the gospel.” Prophets and Kings, 74.

5 SOLOMON’S REPENTANCE

  • How did the Holy Spirit, finally, arouse the dormant conscience of Solomon? I Kings 11:11, 12. What effect did the Lord’s sentence have upon him? Ecclesiastes 2:11, 13.

Note: “[I Kings 11:11–28 quoted.]

“Awakened as from a dream by this sentence of judgment pronounced against him and his house, Solomon with quickened conscience began to see his folly in its true light. Chastened in spirit, with mind and body enfeebled, he turned wearied and thirsting from earth’s broken cisterns, to drink once more at the fountain of life. … Long had he been harassed by the fear of utter ruin because of inability to turn from folly; but now he discerned in the message given him a ray of hope.” Prophets and Kings, 77.

  • In his later writings, against what danger did Solomon take much interest to warn especially the youth? Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:13, 14.

Note: “Till the conflict is ended, there will be those who will depart from God. Satan will so shape circumstances that unless we are kept by divine power, they will almost imperceptibly weaken the fortifications of the soul. We need to inquire at every step, ‘Is this the way of the Lord?’ So long as life shall last, there will be need of guarding the affections and the passions with a firm purpose. Not one moment can we be secure except as we rely upon God, the life hidden with Christ. Watchfulness and prayer are the safeguards of purity.” Prophets and Kings, 83, 84.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What lesson should every worker in the Lord’s vineyard learn from Solomon’s request?

2 How does the Bible describe a true burden bearer?

3 How did Solomon lament the misuse of his wisdom in his later years?

4 What did Solomon say when he came to his senses?

5 Against what danger did Solomon take much interest to warn especially the youth?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – David’s Repentance and Retribution

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August 16, 2015 – August 22, 2015

Key Text

“Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” Isaiah 27:5.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 727–745.

Introduction

“Whoever under the reproof of God will humble the soul with confession and repentance, as did David, may be sure that there is hope for him or her.” To Be Like Jesus, 383.

1 “THOU ART THE MAN”

  • How did God suddenly disturb the false sense of peace that David had after committing great sins? II Samuel 12:1–4. In response, what sentence did David unwittingly pronounce upon himself? II Samuel 12:5, 6.
  • What straight testimony did Nathan the prophet give to David, and how did David respond? II Samuel 12:7–10, 13, first part; Psalm 51:4.

Note: “Conscience was uttering bitter and humiliating truths to David. While his faithful subjects wondered at his sudden reverse of fortune, it was no mystery to the king. He had often had forebodings of an hour like this. He had wondered that God had so long borne with his sins and had delayed the merited retribution. …

“Many a wrongdoer has excused his own sin by pointing to David’s fall, but how few there are who manifest David’s penitence and humility. How few would bear reproof and retribution with the patience and fortitude that he manifested.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 737.

2 BITTER CONSEQUENCES

  • How was the personality of David affected by his sins? Psalm 51:3, 17.

Note: “There was a great change in David himself. He was broken in spirit by the consciousness of his sin and its far-reaching results. He felt humbled in the eyes of his subjects. His influence was weakened.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 723.

  • How did David, through his sinful behavior, loose the respect of the people and, in particular, of his sons? Psalm 27:6, 7. What consequence followed immediately, and why? II Samuel 12:14.

Note: “Now his subjects, having a knowledge of his sin, would be led to sin more freely. His authority in his own household, his claim to respect and obedience from his sons, was weakened. A sense of his guilt kept him silent when he should have condemned sin; it made his arm feeble to execute justice in his house. His evil example exerted its influence upon his sons, and God would not interpose to prevent the result.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 723.

“God and His word have been blasphemed, souls have been hardened in unbelief, and many, under a cloak of piety, have become bold in sin.” Ibid.

  • Why did God permit the story of David’s fall to be included in the Bible? I Corinthians 10:12.

Note: “Those who, by pointing to the example of David, try to lessen the guilt of their own sins, should learn from the Bible record that the way of transgression is hard. Though like David they should turn from their evil course, the results of sin, even in this life, will be found bitter and hard to bear.

“God intended the history of David’s fall to serve as a warning that even those whom He has greatly blessed and favored are not to feel secure and neglect watchfulness and prayer.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 724.

3 RETRIBUTION THROUGH REBELLION

  • How did David’s son Absalom avenge the crime committed against his sister by Amnon? II Samuel 13:28, 29. What happened three years after Absalom had fled from David? II Samuel 13:37–39; 14:23, 24, 28.
  • After an apparent reconciliation with his father, how did Absalom then “steal the hearts” of the people of Israel? II Samuel 14:33; 15:1–6. What attitude on David’s part lay at the heart of Absalom’s rebellion? Ecclesiastes 8:11.

Note: “Through the influence of Joab, Absalom was again admitted to his father’s presence; but though there was an outward reconciliation, he continued his ambitious scheming. He now assumed an almost royal state, having chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And while the king was more and more inclined to desire retirement and solitude, Absalom sedulously courted the popular favor.

“The influence of David’s listlessness and irresolution extended to his subordinates; negligence and delay characterized the administration of justice. Absalom artfully turned every cause of dissatisfaction to his own advantage.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 729.

  • What instruction did Absalom’s spies carry to all the tribes of Israel? II Samuel 15:10. When David received news of Absalom’s rebellion, rather than bring bloodshed into Jerusalem, what did David decide to do? II Samuel 15:13, 14.

Note: “David was suddenly aroused, to see rebellion breaking out close beside his throne. His own son—the son whom he had loved and trusted—had been planning to seize his crown and doubtless to take his life. In his great peril David shook off the depression that had so long rested upon him, and with the spirit of his earlier years he prepared to meet this terrible emergency. …

“His decision was taken. The horrors of war should not fall upon the chosen city. He would leave Jerusalem, and then test the fidelity of his people, giving them an opportunity to rally to his support.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 731.

4 THE REBELLION QUELLED

  • As David and his company were fleeing, why did he send various friends back to Jerusalem?

The men who were carrying the ark. II Samuel 15:24, 25, 29.

Hushai. II Samuel 15:32–37. What was his advice, and why? II Samuel 17:7, 14–16, 23.

Note: “God, who dwelt between the cherubim, had said of Jerusalem, ‘This is My rest’ (Psalm 132:14); and without divine authority neither priest nor king had a right to remove therefrom the symbol of His presence.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 732.

“Again David was forced to recognize in his calamities the results of his own sin. The defection of Ahithophel, the ablest and most wily of political leaders, was prompted by revenge for the family disgrace involved in the wrong to Bathsheba, who was his granddaughter. …

“At David’s request Hushai returned to Jerusalem to offer his services to Absalom and defeat the crafty counsel of Ahithophel.” Ibid., 735.

  • What did David say to one of his soldiers who wanted to kill the man who was cursing David? II Samuel 16:9, 11, 12.

Note: “The spirit that leads man to triumph over, to revile or distress, one who is in affliction is the spirit of Satan.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 736.

  • With a chance to further escape, how did David divide his forces, and what instruction did he give them concerning Absalom his son? II Samuel 17:24; 18:1, 2, 5.

5 A NEW LESSON FOR MODERN ISRAEL

  • What was the outcome of the battle between the loyal forces and the rebel army? II Samuel 18:7, 8.
  • What was the end of Absalom, the instigator of the rebellion? II Samuel 18:9–11, 14, 16, 17.
  • What lesson may we learn from Absalom’s history in our work as evangelists today? Romans 15:4.

Note: “Again and again was ancient Israel afflicted with rebellious murmurers. … In many cases, men of renown, rulers in Israel, turned against the providential leading of God and fiercely set to work to tear down that which they had once zealously built up. We have seen something of this repeated many times in our experience. …

“The church will yet see troublous times. She will prophesy in sackcloth. But although she must meet heresies and persecutions, although she must battle with the infidel and the apostate, yet by the help of God she is bruising the head of Satan. The Lord will have a people as true as steel, and with faith as firm as the granite rock.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 594.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 When prophet Nathan said to King David, “Thou art the man,” what reproach did he bring against the king?

2 How did David, through his sinful behavior, lose the respect of the people and, in particular, of his sons?

3 How has the serious stain on King David’s reputation brought reproach upon the Judean-Christian religion?

4 For what purpose did God permit the story of David’s fall to be included in the Bible?

5 In what sense was the history of Absalom recorded as a warning for church leaders, evangelists, and for the believers in general?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – King David

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August 9, 2015 – August 15, 2015

Key Text

“The Lord said unto Samuel, … I have provided me a king among [Jesse’s] sons.” I Samuel 16:1.

Study Help: Conflict and Courage, 160.

Introduction

“No outward beauty can recommend the soul to God. The wisdom and excellence revealed in the character and deportment express the true beauty of the man; and it is the inner worth, the excellency of the heart, that determines our acceptance with the Lord of hosts.” Conflict and Courage, 160.

1 DAVID IN THE COURT OF KING SAUL

  • What lesson did God want to teach Samuel when a replacement was needed for the rejected King Saul? I Samuel 16:7, second half.
  • What providential event enabled David to gain experience in royal court life prior to his coronation? I Samuel 16:17–21. Why did God give him this experience?

Note: “In the providence of God, David, as a skillful performer upon the harp, was brought before the king. …

“He [David] had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he now set his heart more fully to do the will of God than ever before. He had new themes for thought. He had been in the court of the king and had seen the responsibilities of royalty. He had discovered some of the temptations that beset the soul of Saul and had penetrated some of the mysteries in the character and dealings of Israel’s first king. …

“God was teaching David lessons of trust. As Moses was trained for his work, so the Lord was fitting the son of Jesse to become the guide of His chosen people.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 643, 644.

2 SAUL’S MURDEROUS DESIGN AGAINST DAVID

  • How did God inspire David to meet Goliath’s challenge against Israel? I Samuel 17:23, 24, 37, 45–49. What can we learn from this experience in our own efforts to evangelize the world today?

Note: “Our ministers should not defy and provoke discussion. … They [some ministers] have not, like humble David, trusted in the God of Israel, and made Him their strength. They have gone forth confident and boastful, like Goliath, magnifying themselves and not hiding behind Jesus. …

“Young preachers should study the practical teachings of Christ as well as the theoretical, and learn of Jesus, that they may have His grace, His meekness, His humility and lowliness of mind.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 219, 220.

  • When and how did Saul begin to reveal one of the weakest points in his character? I Samuel 18:6–9.

Note: “No man is safe who lives that he may please men, and does not seek first for the approbation of God. It was the ambition of Saul to be first in the estimation of men; and when this song of praise was sung, a settled conviction entered the mind of the king that David would obtain the hearts of the people and reign in his stead.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 650.

  • What incidents show that Saul was now controlled by an evil spirit? I Samuel 19:11, 17; 20:27–31.

Note: “Saul opened his heart to the spirit of jealousy by which his soul was poisoned. … The monarch of Israel was opposing his will to the will of the Infinite One. Saul had not learned, while ruling the kingdom of Israel, that he should rule his own spirit. He allowed his impulses to control his judgment, until he was plunged into a fury of passion. He had paroxysms of rage, when he was ready to take the life of any who dared oppose his will.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 650.

3 DAVID A FUGITIVE

  • What were some of the various places David looked to for refuge after he realized his life was in danger? I Samuel 21:1, 10; 22:1. Was his fear justified? I Samuel 22:16–18, 20, 21. Should he have feared Saul at all? I John 4:18.

Note: “Every failure on the part of the children of God is due to their lack of faith. When shadows encompass the soul, when we want light and guidance, we must look up; there is light beyond the darkness. David ought not to have distrusted God for one moment.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 657.

  • In fleeing from his father-in-law, King Saul, what acts of dishonesty demonstrated David’s lack of faith in God’s protection? I Samuel 21:2, 8, 13–15.

Note: “David told the priest that he had been sent by the king on a secret errand, one which required the utmost expedition. Here he manifested a want of faith in God, and his sin resulted in causing the death of the high priest. Had the facts been plainly stated, Ahimelech would have known what course to pursue to preserve his life. God requires that truthfulness shall mark His people, even in the greatest peril.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 656.

  • Though we should never unnecessarily bring persecution upon ourselves, how may David’s experience be repeated in our own day? Matthew 10:22, 23.

Note: “Between righteousness and sin, love and hatred, truth and falsehood, there is an irrepressible conflict. When one presents the love of Christ and the beauty of holiness, he is drawing away the subjects of Satan’s kingdom, and the prince of evil is aroused to resist it. Persecution and reproach await all who are imbued with the Spirit of Christ. The character of the persecution changes with the times, but the principle—the spirit that underlies it—is the same that has slain the chosen of the Lord ever since the days of Abel.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 29.

4 THE MAGNANIMITY OF DAVID

  • In what way did the local people of Ziph offer to betray David and his men? What happened to disrupt their plan? I Samuel 23:19, 20, 25–28.
  • When Saul, after driving out the Philistines, returned to pursue David, how did David demonstrate his magnanimity? I Samuel 24:1, 3, 4, 8, 10, 15. What was Saul’s response? I Samuel 24:16–20.

Note: “[I Samuel 24:9–11 quoted.]

“When Saul heard the words of David he was humbled, and could not but admit their truthfulness. His feelings were deeply moved as he realized how completely he had been in the power of the man whose life he sought. David stood before him in conscious innocence. …

“The enmity that is cherished toward the servants of God by those who have yielded to the power of Satan changes at times to a feeling of reconciliation and favor, but the change does not always prove to be lasting. After evil-minded men have engaged in doing and saying wicked things against the Lord’s servants, the conviction that they have been in the wrong sometimes takes deep hold upon their minds. The Spirit of the Lord strives with them, and they humble their hearts before God, and before those whose influence they have sought to destroy, and they may change their course toward them. But as they again open the door to the suggestions of the evil one, the old doubts are revived, the old enmity is awakened, and they return to engage in the same work which they repented of, and for a time abandoned.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 662, 663.

  • In preaching the gospel today, what lessons should the soldiers of the cross learn from the magnanimity of David? Romans 12:17–21.

Note: “God works out His plans, though to human eyes they are veiled in mystery. Men cannot understand the ways of God; and, looking at appearances, they interpret the trials and tests and provings that God permits to come upon them as things that are against them, and that will only work their ruin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 672.

5 A TIMELY LESSON

  • What continued fault did David manifest after he spared Saul’s life a second time? I Samuel 27:1.

Note: “God was dishonored by David’s unbelief. The Philistines had feared David more than they had feared Saul and his armies; and by placing himself under the protection of the Philistines, David discovered to them the weakness of his own people. … By this act he gave [his brethren] occasion for misconstruing his motives, and many were led to hold prejudice against him. The very thing that Satan desired to have him do he was led to do; for, in seeking refuge among the Philistines, David caused great exultation to the enemies of God and His people. David did not renounce his worship of God nor cease his devotion to His cause; but he sacrificed his trust in Him to his personal safety, and thus tarnished the upright and faithful character that God requires His servants to possess.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 672, 673.

  • How patiently do we have to struggle, with many hours spent on our knees, when we are working for the restoration of those who have become the enemies of the truth? Hebrews 12:3, 12–14.

Note: “Then let us take heed lest we deal with the erring in a way that would say to others that we have no need of redemption. Let us not denounce, condemn, and destroy as though we were faultless. It is the work of Christ to mend, to heal, to restore.” In Heavenly Places, 291.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 Why was David put providentially in the court of Saul?

2 What was one of the weakest points in the character of Saul, and when did he begin to reveal it?

3 What warning of Jesus should come to our mind when we think of the persecution suffered by David?

4 Why did not David believe Saul’s confession at Engedi?

5 What lessons should the soldiers of the cross learn from the magnanimity of David?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – The First King of Israel

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August 2, 2015 – August 8, 2015

Key Text

“All the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord.” I Samuel 11:15.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 607–636.

Introduction

“Through the prophet Samuel the Lord instructed Saul that as king of Israel his course of action must be one of strictest integrity.” Conflict and Courage, 174.

1 ISRAEL’S FIRST KING INAUGURATION

  • Despite his clear rebuke to the children of Israel for choosing a monarchy, what were the last words of Samuel’s speech? I Samuel 12:20, 25.

Note: “Samuel did not leave the people in a state of discouragement, for this would have prevented all effort for a better life.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 615.

  • Though God was not pleased that the children of Israel chose a monarchy (Hosea 13:11), why did He set a king over them? I Samuel 12:13; Ezekiel 14:4. In what sense were they blind by their own sins?

Note: “The days of Israel’s greatest prosperity had been those in which they acknowledged Jehovah as their King—when the laws and the government which He had established were regarded as superior to those of all other nations. … But by departing from God’s law the Hebrews had failed to become the people that God desired to make them, and then all the evils which were the result of their own sin and folly they charged upon the government of God. So completely had they become blinded by sin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 605.

2 ISRAEL FAILS AT EVANGELISM

  • What promised blessing was brought repeatedly to the attention of the chosen people since the days of Moses? Deuteronomy 7:6, 11, 14, 18.

Note: “The purpose which God seeks to accomplish through His people today is the same that He desired to accomplish through Israel when He brought them forth out of Egypt. By beholding the goodness, the mercy, the justice, and the love of God revealed in the church, the world is to have a representation of His character. And when the law of God is thus exemplified in the life, even the world will recognize the superiority of those who love and fear and serve God above every other people on the earth. The Lord has His eye upon every one of His people; He has His plans concerning each. It is His purpose that those who practice His holy precepts shall be a distinguished people.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 12.

  • How were the Israelites unqualified to evangelize the Gentiles during the time of the judges? I Chronicles 5:25.

Note: “Fathers and mothers in Israel became indifferent to their obligation to God, indifferent to their obligation to their children. Through unfaithfulness in the home, and idolatrous influences without, many of the Hebrew youth received an education differing widely from that which God had planned for them. They learned the ways of the heathen.” Education, 45, 46.

  • Though Israel’s form of government changed, how did Samuel warn his generation of God’s purpose for them to be a light to the Gentiles? I Samuel 12:15.

Note: “The discipline and training that God appointed for Israel would cause them, in all their ways of life, to differ from the people of other nations. This peculiarity, … was to them unwelcome.” Education, 49.

3 ISRAEL CEASES TO BE A PECULIAR NATION

  • What shows that the Israelites despised the privilege of being a peculiar nation? I Samuel 8:20.

Note: “God had separated the Israelites from every other people, to make them His own peculiar treasure. But they, disregarding this high honor, eagerly desired to imitate the example of the heathen! And still the longing to conform to worldly practices and customs exists among the professed people of God. As they depart from the Lord they become ambitious for the gains and honors of the world.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 607.

  • How are God’s people today warned against repeating the error of the Jews? I Peter 2:9; II Corinthians 6:17, 18.

Note: “Christians are constantly seeking to imitate the practices of those who worship the god of this world. Many urge that by uniting with worldlings and conforming to their customs they might exert a stronger influence over the ungodly. But all who pursue this course thereby separate from the Source of their strength. Becoming the friends of the world, they are the enemies of God. For the sake of earthly distinction they sacrifice the unspeakable honor to which God has called them, of showing forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light (I Peter 2:9).” Patriarchs and Prophets, 607.

  • Against what danger will faithful servants of God continually warn their congregation? James 4:4; I John 2:15, 16.

Note: “Jesus is coming; and will He find a people conformed to the world? and will He acknowledge these as His people that He has purified unto Himself? Oh, no. None but the pure and holy will He acknowledge as His. Those who have been purified and made white through suffering, and have kept themselves separate, unspotted from the world, He will own as His.” Testimonies, vol. 1, 133.

4 SAUL IS TESTED

  • What happened when the Israelites tried to secure peace with the invading Ammonites? I Samuel 11:1–4, 8, 11. Instead of trusting in the Lord when put to the test, what sin did Saul commit? I Samuel 13:5–13. Nevertheless, how did God still help the Israelites? I Samuel 14:31.

Note: “The time for the proving of Saul had come. He was now to show whether or not he would depend on God and patiently wait according to His command, thus revealing himself as one whom God could trust in trying places as the ruler of His people, or whether he would be vacillating and unworthy of the sacred responsibility that had devolved upon him.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 618.

  • How did Saul show presumption for the second time and also self-exaltation? I Samuel 14:24–29, 43–45.

Note: “Even at the sacrifice of his [Saul’s] son, he would impress upon his subjects the fact that the royal authority must be maintained. … When his own command was disobeyed—though the command was unreasonable and had been violated through ignorance—the king and father sentenced his son to death. The people refused to allow the sentence to be executed.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 625.

  • What lessons should we, and especially the ministers and workers, learn from the mistakes of King Saul? Matthew 7:2.

Note: “Those who are most ready to excuse or justify themselves in sin are often most severe in judging and condemning others. Many, like Saul, bring upon themselves the displeasure of God, but they reject counsel and despise reproof. Even when convinced that the Lord is not with them, they refuse to see in themselves the cause of their trouble. They cherish a proud, boastful spirit, while they indulge in cruel judgment or severe rebuke of others who are better than they.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 625.

5 SAUL’S FINAL REJECTION

  • When tested again, how did Saul show that kingly authority and honor were more important to him than obedience to the command of God? I Samuel 15:1–3, 7–9, 20, 21.
  • Why did God, finally, have to reject King Saul? I Samuel 15:22–24.

Note: “It is a perilous step to slight the reproofs and warnings of God’s word or of His Spirit. Many, like Saul, yield to temptation until they become blind to the true character of sin. They flatter themselves that they have had some good object in view, and have done no wrong in departing from the Lord’s requirements. Thus they do despite to the Spirit of grace, until its voice is no longer heard, and they are left to the delusions which they have chosen.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 635.

“When Saul chose to act independently of God, the Lord could no longer be his guide, and was forced to set him aside.” Ibid., 636.

  • After the Spirit of God departed from the king, where did Saul try to find help? I Samuel 16:14; 28:6, 7; Isaiah 8:19.

Note: “All through his course of rebellion Saul had been flattered and deceived by Satan.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 680.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What warning did Samuel give Israel at the coronation of Saul?

2 After the death of Samuel, how did the Israelites show they were disqualified for evangelizing the Gentiles?

3 How did the Israelites despise the privilege of being a peculiar nation?

4 How are we warned against a similar danger?

5 What lessons should all of us learn from the mistakes of King Saul?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – In the Days of Samuel

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July 26, 2015 – August 1, 2015

Key Text

“All Israel … knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.” I Samuel 3:20.

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 592–606.

Introduction

“Samuel was … invested by the God of Israel with the threefold office of judge, prophet and priest. …

“[He] gathered companies of young men who were pious, intelligent, and studious. These were called the sons of the prophets.” The Signs of the Times, June 22, 1882.

1 SAMUEL APPEALS FOR A REFORMATION

  • While the Israelites as a nation still continued in a state of secularity and idolatry, what appeal did Samuel make to them? I Samuel 7:3.
  • What was the result of his appeals? I Samuel 7:4–6.
  • What did the Philistines do when they heard of the Israelites gathering in Mizpeh? I Samuel 7:7–9. How did the Lord help His people in response to their genuine repentance? I Samuel 7:10–13.

Note: “The Mighty One Who had descended upon Sinai amid fire and smoke and thunder, Who had parted the Red Sea and made a way through Jordan for the children of Israel, again manifested His power. A terrible storm burst upon the advancing host, and the earth was strewn with the dead bodies of mighty warriors.

“The Israelites had stood in silent awe, trembling with hope and fear. When they beheld the slaughter of their enemies, they knew that God had accepted their repentance.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 590, 591.

2 THE SCHOOLS OF THE PROPHETS

  • How was the need of true education brought to the attention of the Israelites? Deuteronomy 6:6, 7; Psalm 119:130.

Note: “The true object of education is to restore the image of God in the soul. In the beginning God created man in His own likeness. … Sin has marred and well-nigh obliterated the image of God in man. It was to restore this that the plan of salvation was devised, and a life of probation was granted to man. To bring him back to the perfection in which he was first created is the great object of life—the object that underlies every other.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 595.

  • For what purpose did Samuel establish the schools of the prophets? Malachi 2:7.

Note: “The schools of the prophets were founded by Samuel to serve as a barrier against the widespread corruption, to provide for the moral and spiritual welfare of the youth, and to promote the future prosperity of the nation by furnishing it with men qualified to act in the fear of God as leaders and counselors. …

“In Samuel’s day there were two of these schools—one at Ramah, the home of the prophet, and the other at Kirjath-jearim, where the ark then was. Others were established in later times.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 593.

  • What were the main subjects of study in those schools? Deuteronomy 6:21–25; Psalms 19:7–11; 71:22.

Note: “The chief subjects of study in these schools were the law of God, with the instructions given to Moses, sacred history, sacred music, and poetry. … In those schools of the olden time it was the grand object of all study to learn the will of God and man’s duty toward Him. … The great truths set forth by the types were brought to view, and faith grasped the central object of all that system—the Lamb of God that was to take away the sin of the world.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 593, 594.

3 THE EDUCATIONAL EFFECT OF PARENTAL INFLUENCE

  • How does the Law of God explain that children are influenced by their parents for good or for evil? Exodus 20:5, 6.

Note: “Those who would impart truth must themselves practice its principles. Only by reflecting the character of God in the uprightness, nobility, and unselfishness of their own lives can they impress others.

“True education is not the forcing of instruction on an unready and unreceptive mind. The mental powers must be awakened, the interest aroused. For this, God’s method of teaching provided. He who created the mind and ordained its laws, provided for its development in accordance with them. … God gave to Israel lessons illustrating His principles and preserving the memory of His wonderful works. Then, as inquiry was made, the instruction given impressed mind and heart.” Education, 41.

  • What person stands out in both the Old and the New Testament as a mother who failed to exert a positive influence on her daughters? Luke 17:32.

Note: “The wife of Lot was a selfish, irreligious woman.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 174.

“While her body was upon the plain, her heart clung to Sodom, and she perished with it. She rebelled against God because His judgments involved her possessions and her children in the ruin.” Ibid., 161.

  • Why was “all that [Achan] hath,” including his children, destroyed with Achan? Joshua 7:15, 20, 21, 25.

Note: “[Achan’s household] had not been trained and educated according to the directions given them in the great standard of the law of God. Achan’s parents had educated their son in such a way that he felt free to disobey the word of the Lord. The principles inculcated in his life led him to deal with his children in such a way that they also were corrupted. Mind acts and reacts upon mind, and the punishment, which included the relations of Achan with himself, reveals the fact that all were involved in the transgression.” Child Guidance, 234.

4 HE ISRAELITES DEMAND A KING

  • What pretext did the Israelites use in support of their plan to have a king to rule over the nation? I Samuel 8:4, 5.

Note: “The cases of abuse among the people [Israel] had not been referred to Samuel. Had the evil course of his sons been known to him, he would have removed them without delay; but this was not what the petitioners desired. Samuel saw that their real motive was discontent and pride, and that their demand was the result of a deliberate and determined purpose.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 604.

  • As Samuel prayed to the Lord about the petition of the people, what did the Lord say to him? I Samuel 8:6, 7.
  • What did the people answer to Samuel when they would not accept the admonition of the Lord? How did their mistake affect their relationship with God? I Samuel 8:19, 22.

Note: “The Lord had, through His prophets, foretold that Israel would be governed by a king; but it does not follow that this form of government was best for them or according to His will. He permitted the people to follow their own choice, because they refused to be guided by His counsel. Hosea declares that God gave them a king in His anger (Hosea 13:11). When men choose to have their own way, without seeking counsel from God, or in opposition to His revealed will, He often grants their desires, in order that, through the bitter experience that follows, they may be led to realize their folly and to repent of their sin. …

“Feeling their dependence upon God, they would be constantly drawn nearer to Him. They would become elevated and ennobled, fitted for the high destiny to which He had called them as His chosen people. But when a man was placed upon the throne, it would tend to turn the minds of the people from God. They would trust more to human strength, and less to divine power, and the errors of their king would lead them into sin and separate the nation from God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 605, 606.

5 THE PEOPLE DEMAND A MONARCHY

  • Why did the children of Israel believe that, for them, a monarchy would be the best form of government? I Samuel 8:19, 20. What was the real problem? Deuteronomy 1:30–32; I Samuel 10:17–19.

Note: “Internal dissensions made them [the Israelites] weak; they were continually exposed to the invasion of their heathen foes, and the people were coming to believe that in order to maintain their standing among the nations, the tribes must be united under a strong central government. As they departed from obedience to God’s law, they desired to be freed from the rule of their divine Sovereign; and thus the demand for a monarchy became widespread throughout Israel.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 603.

  • How did the people acclaim Saul, a Benjamite, as king of Israel even before he was inaugurated? I Samuel 10:20–24.
  • Why were some of the people dissatisfied with the choice of Saul, particularly since Benjamin was one of the smallest tribes? I Samuel 10:27.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How was the need of true education brought to the attention of the Israelites?

2 Why did God encourage Samuel to establish schools?

3 How does the Law of God explain that children are influenced by their parents for good or for evil?

4 Why were Lot’s wife and others disqualified to exert a positive influence upon their children?

5 What does God often do when people choose to go their own way contrary to His revealed will?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Bible Study Guides – Lessons From a National Default

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September 20, 2015 – September 26, 2015

Key Text

“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured.” Isaiah 1:19, 20.

Study Help: Prophets and Kings, 306–321.

Introduction

“By their apostasy and rebellion those who should have been standing as light bearers among the nations, were inviting the judgments of God.” The Review and Herald, March 4, 1915.

1 A POWERFUL TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD

  • What song did the children of Israel sing during their sacred feasts in Canaan? Deuteronomy 31:30; 32:1–3. What influence should this song have had upon the neighboring nations? Psalm 67:2.

Note: “The people of Israel, as they journeyed through the wilderness, praised God in sacred song. … And in Canaan as they met at their sacred feasts God’s wonderful works were to be recounted, and grateful thanksgiving was to be offered to His name. God desired that the whole life of His people should be a life of praise.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 298, 299.

  • What is the most effective means to show to the world that we have received great blessings from God through the gospel of Jesus Christ? Psalm 145:5, 6.

Note: “Far more than we do, we need to speak of the precious chapters in our experience.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 299.

2 REPEATED EXHORTATIONS

  • In what terms did the Lord set before His people the consequences of their unfaithfulness? Deuteronomy 8:18–20.

Note: “[Deuteronomy 28 quoted.]

“The more deeply to impress these truths [of conditional blessings] upon all minds, the great leader embodied them in sacred verse. This song was not only historical, but prophetic. While it recounted the wonderful dealings of God with His people in the past, it also foreshadowed the great events of the future, the final victory of the faithful when Christ shall come the second time in power and glory. The people were directed to commit to memory this poetic history, and to teach it to their children and children’s children. It was to be chanted by the congregation when they assembled for worship, and to be repeated by the people as they went about their daily labors. It was the duty of parents to so impress these words upon the susceptible minds of their children that they might never be forgotten.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 467, 468.

  • What exhortation did Moses address to the people of Israel at the end of their pilgrimage through the desert? Deuteronomy 28:1, 2, 9–11, 58, 59, 64.

Note: “Moses called their attention to the ‘day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb.’ And he challenged the Hebrew host: ‘What nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?’(Deuteronomy 4:10, 7, 8). Today the challenge to Israel might be repeated. The laws which God gave His ancient people were wiser, better, and more humane than those of the most civilized nations of the earth. The laws of the nations bear marks of the infirmities and passions of the unrenewed heart; but God’s law bears the stamp of the divine. …

“Still the great leader [Moses] was filled with fear that the people would depart from God. In a most sublime and thrilling address he set before them the blessings that would be theirs on condition of obedience, and the curses that would follow upon transgression.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 465, 466.

3 A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT

  • How did Israel as a nation handle the sacred trust received from God? Jeremiah 2:21; Hosea 10:1.

Note: “The people of Israel lost sight of their high privileges as God’s representatives. They forgot God and failed to fulfill their holy mission. The blessings they received brought no blessing to the world. All their advantages they appropriated for their own glorification.” The Acts of the Apostles, 14.

  • How was the prophetic exhortation of God, given through Moses, fulfilled in the time of the kings of Judah? II Chronicles 36:14–17, 20; Jeremiah 39:8, 9.

Note: “The children of Israel were taken captive to Babylon because they separated from God, and no longer maintained the principles that had been given to keep them free from the methods and practices of the nations who dishonored God. The Lord could not give them prosperity, He could not fulfill His covenant with them, while they were untrue to the principles He had given them zealously to maintain. By their spirit and their actions they misrepresented His character, and He permitted them to be taken captive. Because of their separation from Him, He humbled them. He left them to their own ways, and the innocent suffered with the guilty.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, 1040.

  • How did God reveal His disappointment with Israel? Isaiah 5:1, 2, 25.

Note: “The warning was not heeded by the Jewish people. They forgot God, and lost sight of their high privilege as His representatives. The blessings they had received brought no blessing to the world. All their advantages were appropriated for their own glorification. They robbed God of the service He required of them, and they robbed their fellow men of religious guidance and a holy example.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 291, 292.

4 ISRAEL SCATTERED AMONG THE NATIONS

  • What is written about the conduct and the fate of the last king of Judah? II Chronicles 36:11–13; Jeremiah 39:4–7.

Note: “What a sad and awful warning is this [record of Zedekiah’s calamitous end] to those who harden themselves under reproof, and who will not humble themselves in repentance, that God may save them!” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, 1040.

  • What was to be accomplished by scattering the chosen people of God among the nations, even though they had already proved themselves untrustworthy?

Note: “The Lord scattered [His people], that the knowledge of His truth might be carried to the world. If they were loyal and true and submissive, God would bring them again into their own land. …

“Among the children of Israel there were Christian patriots, who were as true as steel to principle, and upon these loyal men the Lord looked with great pleasure. These were men who would not be corrupted by selfishness, who would not mar the work of God by following erroneous methods and practices, men who would honor God at the loss of all things. They had to suffer with the guilty, but in the providence of God their captivity at Babylon was the means of bringing them to the front, and their example of untarnished integrity shines with heaven’s luster.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 2, 1040.

  • What was the result of the persecution that came upon the believers in Jerusalem? Acts 8:1, 4, 5.

Note: “Instead of educating the new converts to carry the gospel to those who had not heard it, [the disciples] were in danger of taking a course that would lead all to be satisfied with what had been accomplished. To scatter His representatives abroad, where they could work for others, God permitted persecution to come upon them. Driven from Jerusalem, the believers ‘went everywhere preaching the word’ (Acts 8:40.)” The Acts of the Apostles, 105.

5 THE EXEEDING DANGER OF FALSE ASSURANCES

  • How did John the Baptist shake the false assurance of the Jewish people? Matthew 3:9.

Note: “The Jewish people cherished the idea that they were the favorites of heaven, and that they were always to be exalted as the church of God. They were the children of Abraham, they declared, and so firm did the foundation of their prosperity seem to them that they defied earth and heaven to dispossess them of their rights. But by lives of unfaithfulness they were preparing for the condemnation of heaven and for separation from God.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 294.

“The Jews had misinterpreted God’s promise of eternal favor to Israel: [Jeremiah 31:35–37 quoted.] The Jews regarded their natural descent from Abraham as giving them a claim to this promise. But they overlooked the conditions which God had specified. …

“To a people in whose hearts His law is written, the favor of God is assured. They are one with Him. But the Jews had separated themselves from God. … Because in times past the Lord had shown them so great favor, they excused their sins. They flattered themselves that they were better than other men and entitled to His blessings.

“These things ‘are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come’ (I Corinthians 10:11). How often we misinterpret God’s blessings, and flatter ourselves that we are favored on account of some goodness in us! God cannot do for us that which He longs to do. His gifts are used to increase our self-satisfaction, and to harden our hearts in unbelief and sin.” The Desire of Ages, 106.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What is the most effective means to show to the world that we have received great blessings from God through the gospel of Jesus Christ?

2 What exhortation did Moses address to the people of Israel at the end of their pilgrimage through the desert?

3 How did God reveal His disappointment with Israel?

4 How does the Bible teach that false assurance is very dangerous?

5 For what purpose did the Lord scatter the people of Israel among the nations?

© 2014 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.