Bible Study Guides

Bible Study – Repentance and Conversion

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August 7 – 13, 2022

Key Text

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19

Study Help: Steps to Christ, 12–26, 49–55

Introduction

“Genuine, saving faith is inseparable from repentance and conversion, and will manifest the fruits of the Spirit. It is a continual, conscious trust in Jesus. The sinner’s only hope is in the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour.” The Review and Herald, November 27, 1883

Sunday

1 THE REAL HUMAN CONDITION

1.a. How does the word of God describe the spiritual state of an unconverted person? Ephesians 2:1–3; Colossians 2:13

Note: “By nature we are alienated from God.” The Faith I Live By, 87

1.b. What is the condition of all humanity? Romans 3:10–18

Note: “To be without the graces of the Spirit of God is sad indeed; but it is a more terrible condition to be thus destitute of spirituality and of Christ, and yet try to justify ourselves by telling those who are alarmed for us that we need not their fears and pity. Fearful is the power of self-deception on the human mind! What blindness! setting light for darkness and darkness for light!” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 88

“We must have a knowledge of ourselves, a knowledge that results in contrition, before we can find pardon and peace. It is only he who knows himself to be a sinner that Christ can save. We must know our true condition, or we shall not feel our need of Christ’s help. We must understand our danger, or we shall not flee to the refuge. We must feel the pain of our wounds, or we shall not desire healing.” The Signs of the Times, April 9, 1902

Monday

2 THE SINNER’S NEED

2.a. What important truth is to be kept in mind, as recorded in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican? Luke 18:10–14; Psalm 51:17

Note: “The publican had gone to the temple with other worshipers, but he soon drew apart from them as unworthy to unite in their devotions. Standing afar off, he ‘would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast,’ in bitter anguish and self-abhorrence. He felt that he had transgressed against God, that he was sinful and polluted. He could not expect even pity from those around him, for they looked upon him with contempt. He knew that he had no merit to commend him to God, and in utter self-despair he cried, ‘God be merciful to me, a sinner.’ He did not compare himself with others.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 151

“When the sinner is conscious of his helpless condition, and feels his need of a Saviour, he may come with faith and hope to ‘the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ Christ will accept the soul who comes to Him in true repentance.” This Day With God, 370

2.b. Why do we need a power outside of ourselves to make us righteous before God? Isaiah 64:6; Job 14:4

Note: “It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. ‘Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.’ ‘The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ Job 14:4; Romans 8:7. Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.” Steps to Christ, 18

“Salvation is by Jesus Christ, for He alone is our righteousness. Would that everyone would cease to look to himself for merit. We are to find in Jesus Christ all we need, and by cooperating with Him, we shall be complete in Him.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 10, 11

Tuesday

3 SORROW FOR SIN

3.a. What does a person exclaim when he or she realizes their undone condition? Romans 7:24; Psalm 51:1–3. What does true repentance involve? 2 Corinthians 7:10

Note: “Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.” Steps to Christ, 23

“Repentance is one of the firstfruits of saving grace. … Repentance is the only process by which infinite purity reflects the image of Christ in His redeemed subjects.” The Signs of the Times, June 28, 1905

3.b. Once we confess our sin and turn away from it, what should we confidently expect? 1 John 1:9; Romans 10:9

Note: “The conditions of obtaining mercy of God are simple and just and reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some grievous thing in order that we may have the forgiveness of sin. We need not make long and wearisome pilgrimages or perform painful penances, to commend our souls to the God of heaven or to expiate our transgression; but he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy. This is a precious promise, given to fallen man to encourage him to trust in the God of love and to seek for eternal life in His kingdom.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 635

“Christ has made every provision for us to be strong. He has given us His Holy Spirit, whose office is to bring to our remembrance all the promises that Christ has made, that we may have peace and a sweet sense of forgiveness. If we will but keep our eyes fixed on the Saviour and trust in His power, we shall be filled with a sense of security; for the righteousness of Christ will become our righteousness.” My Life Today, 45

“If you believe the promise—believe that you are forgiven and cleansed—God supplies the fact; you are made whole, just as Christ gave the paralytic power to walk when the man believed that he was healed. It is so if you believe it.” Steps to Christ, 51 [Emphasis author’s.]

Wednesday

4 CONVERSION

4.a. What gracious invitation is extended to every human being who feels his or her need of salvation? Isaiah 1:18; 55:6, 7

Note: “In the heavenly courts our Saviour stands and extends to the world the gracious invitation, Come, ye weary, ye poor, ye hungry; come, ye burdened, ye heavy laden, sin-sick souls, come.” The Signs of the Times, August 5, 1875

“As the sinner is convicted of sin, he is also attracted by the love and holiness of Christ; for Jesus is drawing him unto Himself. … Repentance is born in the heart by beholding the love of Christ, who gave His life to save the sinner. It is the love of God that softens the hardest hearts.” The Review and Herald, September 3, 1901

“Christ is ready to set us free from sin, but He does not force the will; and if by persistent transgression the will itself is wholly bent on evil, and we do not desire to be set free, if we will not accept His grace, what more can He do?” Steps to Christ, 34 [Emphasis author’s.]

4.b. What danger exists in procrastinating our return to the Lord? Hebrews 3:15; Amos 8:11, 12; Luke 13:25–27

Note: “I will not here dwell upon the shortness and uncertainty of life; but there is a terrible danger—a danger not sufficiently understood—in delaying to yield to the pleading voice of God’s Holy Spirit, in choosing to live in sin; for such this delay really is. Sin, however small it may be esteemed, can be indulged in only at the peril of infinite loss. What we do not overcome, will overcome us and work out our destruction.” Steps to Christ, 32, 33

“A man sees his danger. He sees that he needs a change of character, a change of heart. He is stirred; his fears are aroused. The Spirit of God is working in him, and with fear and trembling he works for himself, seeking to find out his defects of character, and to see what he can do to bring about the needed change in his life. His heart is humbled. By confession and repentance he shows the sincerity of his desire to reform. He confesses his sins to God, and if he has injured anyone, he confesses the wrong to the one he has injured. While God is working, the sinner, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, works out that which God is working in mind and heart. He acts in harmony with the Spirit’s working, and his conversion is genuine.” The Review and Herald, July 7, 1904

Thursday

5 BORN AGAIN

5.a. Relate the conversation of Jesus with Nicodemus. John 3:1–8. What was the result of that interview?

Note: “Nicodemus received the lesson [that he was to look and live], and carried it with him. He searched the Scriptures in a new way, not for the discussion of a theory, but in order to receive life for the soul. He began to see the kingdom of heaven as he submitted himself to the leading of the Holy Spirit.” The Desire of Ages, 175

5.b. What is the real meaning of being “born again” of water and of the Spirit? John 1:12, 13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Peter 1:3, 4

Note: “Those who become new creatures in Christ Jesus will bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, ‘love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.’ Galatians 5:22, 23. They will no longer fashion themselves according to the former lusts, but by the faith of the Son of God they will follow in His steps, reflect His character, and purify themselves even as He is pure. The things they once hated they now love, and the things they once loved they hate. The proud and self-assertive become meek and lowly in heart.” Steps to Christ, 58

“Those who experience the work of true conversion in their hearts will reveal the fruits of the Spirit in their lives. Oh, that those who have so little spiritual life would realize that eternal life can be granted only to those who become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust!” Testimonies, Vol. 9, 155

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    Why is the philosophy of just fostering the “good” in ourselves flawed?

2    In the parable, why was the publican justified and not the Pharisee?

3    What characterizes genuine repentance?

4    What is true conversion?

5    What changes can be seen in those who are born again?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – Righteousness by Faith

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This We Believe (2)

July 31 – August 6, 2022

Key Text

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10

Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 1, 359–369

Introduction

“Apart from Christ we have no merit, no righteousness. Our sinfulness, our weakness, our human imperfection make it impossible that we should appear before God unless we are clothed in Christ’s spotless righteousness. We are to be found in Him not having our own righteousness, but the righteousness which is in Christ.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 333

Sunday

1 OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS: FILTHY RAGS

1.a.        How did our first parents try to justify themselves after they disobeyed God? Genesis 3:12, 13. How do people excuse their disobedience today?

Note: “Since the fall of Adam, men in every age have excused themselves for sinning, charging God with their sin, saying that they could not keep His commandments. This is the insinuation Satan cast at God in heaven. But the plea, ‘I cannot keep the commandments,’ need never be presented to God; for before Him stands the Saviour, the marks of the crucifixion upon His body, a living witness that the law can be kept. It is not that men cannot keep the law, but that they will not.” The Review and Herald, May 28, 1901

1.b.        What does the Bible declare about self-justification or self-righteousness? Job 9:20; Isaiah 64:6; Luke 16:15

Note: “Whoever trusts in himself that he is righteous, will despise others. As the Pharisee judges himself by other men, so he judges other men by himself.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 151

Monday

2 CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS: HIS CHARACTER

2.a.        In the experience of Joshua the high priest, what should be done before the change of garment takes place? Zechariah 3:3, 4

Note: “Joshua, who represents God’s people, is clothed in filthy garments, and stands before the angel; but as the people repent before God for the transgression of His law, and reach up by the hand of faith to lay hold on the righteousness of Christ, Jesus says, ‘Take away the filthy garments from them, and clothe them with change of raiment.’ It is through Christ’s righteousness alone that we are enabled to keep the law.” The Signs of the Times, June 2, 1890

“The filthy garments are removed; for Christ says, ‘I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee’ (Zechariah 3:4). The iniquity is transferred to the innocent, the pure, holy, Son of God; and man, all undeserving, stands before the Lord cleansed from all unrighteousness, and clothed with the imputed righteousness of Christ. Oh, what a change of garment is this!” That I May Know Him, 108

“The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin; it is a principle of life that transforms the character and controls the conduct. Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the indwelling of the principles of heaven.” The Desire of Ages, 555, 556

2.b.        What does the white raiment offered by Jesus represent? Matthew 22:11, 12; Revelation 3:18; 19:8

Note: “By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spotless character which Christ’s true followers will possess. To the church it is given ‘that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white,’ ‘not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.’ Revelation 19:8, first part; Ephesians 5:27. The fine linen, says the Scripture, ‘is the righteousness of saints’ Revelation 19:8, last part. It is the righteousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Saviour.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 310

“The white raiment is purity of character, the righteousness of Christ imparted to the sinner. This is indeed a garment of heavenly texture, that can be bought only of Christ for a life of willing obedience.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 88

Tuesday

3 JUSTIFICATION: FORGIVENESS

3.a.        What is the definition of justification? Romans 3:25; Colossians 3:13. What is the only way that sinners can be justified before God? Romans 3:24, 26; 5:1; 1 John 1:8, 9

Note: “Justification means the saving of a soul from perdition, that he may obtain sanctification, and through sanctification, the life of heaven. Justification means that the conscience, purged from dead works, is placed where it can receive the blessings of sanctification.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, 908

“Pardon and justification are one and the same thing. Through faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a child of sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ Jesus, not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ receives him as His child by adoption. The sinner receives the forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his substitute and surety.” Faith and Works, 103

“Justification is the opposite of condemnation. God’s boundless mercy is exercised toward those who are wholly undeserving.” Ibid., 104

3.b.        Once a man is justified by faith in Christ, what is he to do? John 5:14; 8:11; 15:4. How does God consider a person who annuls His justification by returning to sin? Hebrews 10:26–29

Note: “It is by grace that the sinner is saved, being justified freely by the blood of Christ. But Christ did not die to save the sinner in his sins. The whole world is condemned as guilty before God, for they are transgressors of His holy law; and they will certainly perish unless they repent, turn from their disobedience, and through faith in Christ claim the merits of His precious blood.” The Signs of the Times, July 29, 1886.

“As we look into the divine mirror, the law of God, we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and our own lost condition as transgressors. But by repentance and faith we are justified before God, and through divine grace enabled to render obedience to His commandments.” Reflecting Christ, 96

“If the soul whose sins have been forgiven abides in Christ, he remains justified, and he is sanctified by the Holy Spirit; but if he continues in sin, he cuts himself off from communion with God, and, unless he repent, his sins are reckoned unto him in full, and the wrath of God abideth on him. The forgiven of God must abide in Christ, in faith and obedience.” The Review and Herald, December 9, 1890

Wednesday

4 SANCTIFICATION: FITNESS FOR HEAVEN

4.a.        What does the Bible say about perfection of character (sanctification)? Matthew 5:46–48; 1 Thessalonians 5:23

Note: “He who is being sanctified by the truth will be self-controlled, and will follow in the footsteps of Christ until grace is lost in glory. The righteousness by which we are justified is imputed; the righteousness by which we are sanctified is imparted. The first is our title to heaven, the second is our fitness for heaven.” Messages to Young People, 35

“True sanctification comes through the working out of the principle of love. ‘God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.’ 1 John 4:16. The life of him in whose heart Christ abides, will reveal practical godliness. The character will be purified, elevated, ennobled, and glorified. Pure doctrine will blend with works of righteousness; heavenly precepts will mingle with holy practices.” The Acts of the Apostles, 560

“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

4.b. What is the divine counsel regarding our characters, and how can we achieve His requirements? 1 Peter 1:15, 16; Romans 13:14

Note: “We need constantly a fresh revelation of Christ, a daily experience that harmonizes with His teachings. High and holy attainments are within our reach. Continual progress in knowledge and virtue is God’s purpose for us. His law is the echo of His own voice, giving to all the invitation, ‘Come up higher. Be holy, holier still.’ Every day we may advance in perfection of Christian character.” The Ministry of Healing, 503

“We can keep the law only through making the righteousness of Christ our own. Christ says, ‘Without Me ye can do nothing.’ When we receive the heavenly gift, the righteousness of Christ, we shall find that divine grace has been provided for us, and that human resources are powerless. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit in large measure for great emergencies, to help our infirmities, to give us strong consolation, to illuminate our minds, and purify and ennoble our hearts.” Reflecting Christ, 103

Thursday

5 RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SAINTS

5.a. In order to achieve true sanctification, what is expected from our part? Philippians 2:12, 13; 2 Peter 1:5–11

Note: “If men are willing to be molded, there will be brought about a sanctification of the whole being. The Spirit will take the things of God and stamp them on the soul. By His power the way of life will be made so plain that none need err therein.” The Acts of the Apostles, 53

“What is holiness?—Doing everything with an eye single to the glory of God. Holiness is so living that men shall see your good works, and by seeing them shall glorify God.” The Medical Missionary, October 1, 1893

“We are not to live like the world. We must show that the grace of Christ has a sanctifying influence upon our lives.” The Signs of the Times, March 9, 1888

5.b. What will be the result of constantly looking to Jesus? 2 Corinthians 3:18; Hebrews 12:2; Revelation 3:5; 19:7–9

Note: “A true believer shows that his character has been transformed by living a spiritual life, by living on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. His consecration is shown by the words that fall from his lips and by his zeal in good works.” The Review and Herald, January 25, 1898

“Those who have rendered obedience to God in all ages, have been transformed in character, and in these last days, when iniquity abounds on every hand, our wisdom and understanding before all people will consist in our obedience to the standard of righteousness.” The Signs of the Times, January 6, 1888

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    Why is the habit of self-justification so destructive to our spirituality?

2    How can we obtain the righteousness of Christ?

3    What does “justification” mean?

4    What does “sanctification” mean?

5    How does the righteousness of Christ change our lives, and why must we allow it to do so?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – The Spirit of Prophecy

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July 24 – 30, 2022

Key Text

“Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7

Study Help: Selected Messages, Book 1, 24–39

Introduction

“God is either teaching His church, reproving their wrongs and strengthening their faith, or He is not. This work is of God, or it is not. God does nothing in partnership with Satan.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 230

Sunday

1 IN THE BEGINNING

1.a. In the beginning, after God ended the work of creation, how did He communicate with Adam and Eve? Genesis 3:8, 9. How did He communicate with the patriarchs?

Note: “The holy pair [Adam and Eve] were not only children under the fatherly care of God, but students receiving instruction from the all-wise Creator. They were visited by angels, and were granted communion with their Maker, with no obscuring veil between.” Christian Education, 207

“Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses understood the gospel. They looked for salvation through man’s Substitute and Surety. These holy men of old held communion with the Saviour who was to come to our world in human flesh; and some of them talked with Christ and heavenly angels face to face.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 366

1.b. How did God communicate His will to Moses, the great leader of Israel? Exodus 33:11; Numbers 12:7, 8

Note: “Moses was the greatest man who ever stood as leader of the people of God. He was greatly honored by God, not for the experience which he had gained in the Egyptian court, but because he was the meekest of men. God talked with him face to face, as a man talks with a friend.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1113

Monday

2 HOLY MEN OF GOD—THE PROPHETS

2.a. After sin raised a barrier between God and humanity (Isaiah 59:1, 2), whom did the Lord use to reveal His will to them? 1 Samuel 9:9; 2 Peter 1:21

Note: “It was Christ that spoke to His people through the prophets. … It is the voice of Christ that speaks to us through the Old Testament. ‘The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’ Revelation 19:10.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 366, 367

“[T]he sayings of Christ are not a new revelation. The principles which He expounded were announced to Moses from the pillar of cloud, and to the prophets, who spoke and wrote as they were moved upon by the Holy Spirit.” The Review and Herald, July 7, 1896

“The more fully we accept the light presented by the Holy Spirit through the consecrated servants of God, the deeper and surer, even as the eternal throne, will appear the truths of ancient prophecy; we shall be assured that men of God spake as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. Men must themselves be under the influence of the Holy Spirit in order to understand the Spirit’s utterances through the prophets.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 114

2.b. What was promised to God’s people regarding His will and plans? Numbers 12:6; Amos 3:7

Note: “God has called His church in this day, as He called ancient Israel, to stand as a light in the earth. By the mighty cleaver of truth, the messages of the first, second, and third angels, He has separated them from the churches and from the world to bring them into a sacred nearness to Himself. He has made them the depositaries of His law and has committed to them the great truths of prophecy for this time.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 455

“We must follow the directions given through the spirit of prophecy. We must love and obey the truth for this time. This will save us from accepting strong delusions. God has spoken to us through His word. He has spoken to us through the testimonies to the church and through the books that have helped to make plain our present duty and the position that we should now occupy.” Ibid., Vol. 8, 298

Tuesday

3 THE ROLE OF A PROPHET

3.a. What is the physical condition of true prophets when they receive divine revelations? Numbers 24:2–4; Job 33:14–16. What should be done with the visions received? Habakkuk 2:2

Note: “At a meeting held in Dorchester, Mass., November, 1848, I had been given a view of the proclamation of the sealing message, and of the duty of the brethren to publish the light that was shining upon our pathway.

“After coming out of vision, I said to my husband: ‘I have a message for you. You must begin to print a little paper and send it out to the people. Let it be small at first; but as the people read, they will send you means with which to print, and it will be a success from the first. From this small beginning it was shown to me to be like streams of light that went clear round the world.’ ” Life Sketches of Ellen G. White, 125

3.b. Besides foretelling future events, what else were the duties of the prophets? Hosea 6:5; 12:10, 13; Nehemiah 6:7

Note: “His [God’s] prophets were sent to them [the Israelites in captivity] with reproofs and warnings. The people were awakened to see their guilt, they humbled themselves before God, and returned to Him with true repentance. Then the Lord sent them messages of encouragement, declaring that He would deliver them from their captivity, and restore them to His favor.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 468

“The work of Elisha as a prophet was in some respects very different from that of Elijah. To Elijah had been committed messages of condemnation and judgment; his was the voice of fearless reproof, calling king and people to turn from their evil ways. Elisha’s was a more peaceful mission; his it was to build up and strengthen the work that Elijah had begun; to teach the people the way of the Lord. Inspiration pictures him as coming into personal touch with the people, surrounded by the sons of the prophets, bringing by his miracles and his ministry healing and rejoicing.” Prophets and Kings, 235

“John, as a prophet, stood forth as God’s representative, to show the connection between the law and prophets, and the Christian dispensation. His work and ministry pointed back to the law and the prophets, while he, at the same time, pointed the people forward to Christ, as the Saviour of the world.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 2, 57

Wednesday

4 WOMEN PROPHETS

4.a. Name some of the women whom God called to the prophetic ministry. Exodus 15:20; Judges 4:4; 2 Kings 22:14; Luke 2:36; Acts 21:8, 9

Note: “There was dwelling in Israel a woman illustrious for her piety, and through her the Lord chose to deliver His people. Her name was Deborah. She was known as a prophetess, and in the absence of the usual magistrates, the people had sought to her for counsel and justice.” Daughters of God, 37

“[T]he prophetess Huldah was living in Jerusalem, near the temple. The mind of the king, filled with anxious foreboding, reverted to her, and he determined to inquire of the Lord through this chosen messenger to learn, if possible, whether by any means within his power he might save erring Judah, now on the verge of ruin.” Ibid., 44

4.b. After two men (William Foy and Hazen Foss) refused to unveil God’s revelation to the people, what was shown to Ellen Gould Harmon? What title did she attribute to herself, and why?

Note: “It was not long after the passing of the time in 1844 that my first vision was given me. I was visiting a dear sister in Christ, whose heart was knit with mine; five of us, all women, were kneeling quietly at the family altar. While we were praying, the power of God came upon me as I had never felt it before. I seemed to be surrounded with light, and to be rising higher and higher from the earth. I turned to look for the advent people in the world, but could not find them, when a voice said to me: ‘Look again, and look a little higher.’ At this I raised my eyes and saw a straight and narrow path, cast up high above the world. On this path the advent people were traveling toward the city.” Testimonies, Vol. 1, 58, 59

“To claim to be a prophetess is something that I have never done. If others call me by that name, I have no controversy with them. But my work has covered so many lines that I cannot call myself other than a messenger, sent to bear a message from the Lord to His people, and to take up work in any line that He points out.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 34

Thursday

5 TRUE AND FALSE PROPHETS

5.a. What is one of the identifying marks of God’s remnant church in these last days? Ephesians 4:11; Revelation 12:17; 19:10, last part

Note: “The law of God and the spirit of prophecy go hand in hand to guide and counsel the church, and whenever the church has recognized this by obeying His law, the spirit of prophecy has been sent to guide her in the way of truth. …

“[T]he remnant church will acknowledge God in His law and will have the prophetic gift. Obedience to the law of God, and the spirit of prophecy has always distinguished the true people of God, and the test is usually given on present manifestations.” Loma Linda Messages, 33

“It is Satan’s plan to weaken the faith of God’s people in the Testimonies. Next follows skepticism in regard to the vital points of our faith, the pillars of our position, then doubt as to the Holy Scriptures, and then the downward march to perdition. When the Testimonies, which were once believed, are doubted and given up, Satan knows the deceived ones will not stop at this; and he redoubles his efforts till he launches them into open rebellion, which becomes incurable and ends in destruction.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 211

“If you lose confidence in the Testimonies you will drift away from Bible truth.” Ibid., Vol. 5, 674

“The very last deception of Satan will be to make of none effect the testimony of the Spirit of God.” The Faith I Live By, 296

5.b. While, on the one hand, it is dangerous to reject the words of true prophets, on the other, what warning is also given to us regarding false prophets? Matthew 7:15; 24:24, 25; 2 Peter 2:1, 2; 1 John 4:1

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How did God communicate with Adam and Eve in Eden?

2    How has God spoken to His people in these last days?

3    Name the general duties of a prophet.

4    How was Ellen G. White’s work similar to that of the prophets of old?

5    What should we do if the testimonies cross our will, ways, or practices?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – The Day of Atonement

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July 17 – 23, 2022

Key Text

“Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; and you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.” Leviticus 23:27

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 479–491

Introduction

“Once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, the priest entered the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary. The work there performed completed the yearly round of ministration.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 355

Sunday

1 ATONEMENT FOR SIN

1.a. What gracious provision was made to atone for Adam’s sin? Genesis 3:15, 21

Note: “The instant Adam yielded to Satan’s temptation, and did the very thing which God had said he should not do, Christ, the Son of God, stood between the living and the dead, saying: ‘Let the punishment fall on Me. I will stand in man’s place. Give him another trial.’ Transgression placed the whole world under the death sentence. But in heaven there was heard a voice saying, ‘I have found a ransom.’ He who knew no sin was made sin for fallen man.” The Signs of the Times, June 27, 1900

1.b. What system was ordained by God after man sinned? Galatians 3:19. How did Adam feel when he had to offer the first sacrifice for sin?

Note: “As he [Adam] slew the innocent victim, he trembled at the thought that his sin must shed the blood of the spotless Lamb of God. This scene gave him a deeper and more vivid sense of the greatness of his transgression, which nothing but the death of God’s dear Son could expiate.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 68

Monday

2 THE DAILY MINISTRATION

2.a. What was the daily duty of the common priests in the sanctuary? Numbers 28:4; Hebrews 10:11

Note: “The ministration of the earthly sanctuary consisted of two divisions; the priests ministered daily in the holy place, while once a year the high priest performed a special work of atonement in the most holy, for the cleansing of the sanctuary. Day by day the repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle and, placing his hand upon the victim’s head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice. The animal was then slain.” The Great Controversy, 418

“Every morning and evening a lamb of a year old was burned upon the altar, with its appropriate meat offering, thus symbolizing the daily consecration of the nation to Jehovah, and their constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ. God expressly directed that every offering presented for the service of the sanctuary should be ‘without blemish.’ Exodus 12:5. The priests were to examine all animals brought as a sacrifice and were to reject every one in which a defect was discovered.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 352

2.b. Before the priests would enter the sanctuary, what were they ordained to do? Exodus 30:18–21; 40:30–32

Note: “Between the altar and the door of the tabernacle was the laver, which was also of brass, made from the mirrors that had been the freewill offering of the women of Israel. At the laver the priests were to wash their hands and their feet whenever they went into the sacred apartments, or approached the altar to offer a burnt offering unto the Lord.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 347, 348

“So the priests were not to enter the sanctuary with shoes upon their feet. Particles of dust cleaving to them would desecrate the holy place. They were to leave their shoes in the court before entering the sanctuary, and also to wash both their hands and their feet before ministering in the tabernacle or at the altar of burnt offering. Thus was constantly taught the lesson that all defilement must be put away from those who would approach into the presence of God.” Ibid., 350

Tuesday

3 THE MOST HOLY PLACE

3.a. What separated the two apartments, and what object was placed in the most holy place? Exodus 26:31–34; Hebrews 9:3–5

Note: “The gorgeous curtain which formed the ceiling, inwrought with figures of angels in blue and purple and scarlet, added to the beauty of the scene. And beyond the second veil was the holy Shekinah, the visible manifestation of God’s glory, before which none but the high priest could enter and live.” The Great Controversy, 414

“All the furniture of this [first] apartment looked like purest gold, and reflected the image of the one who entered that place. The curtain which separated these two apartments looked glorious. It was of different colors and material, with a beautiful border, with figures of gold wrought upon it, representing angels.” Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 1, 159

3.b. How did God manifest His presence among the children of Israel, especially in the sanctuary? Exodus 40:34, 35; Leviticus 16:2

Note: “Within the second veil was placed the ark of the testimony, and the beautiful and rich curtain was drawn before the sacred ark. This curtain did not reach to the top of the building. The glory of God, which was above the mercy seat, could be seen from both apartments, but in a much less degree from the first apartment. Directly before the ark, but separated by the curtain, was the golden altar of incense. The fire upon this altar was kindled by the Lord Himself, and was sacredly cherished by feeding it with holy incense, which filled the sanctuary with its fragrant cloud day and night. Its fragrance extended for miles around the tabernacle. When the priest offered the incense before the Lord, he looked to the mercy seat. Although he could not see it, he knew it was there; and as the incense arose like a cloud, the glory of the Lord descended upon the mercy seat, and filled the most holy place, and was visible in the holy place; and the glory often so filled both apartments that the priest was unable to officiate, and was obliged to stand at the door of the tabernacle.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1, 273, 274

“Above the ark, and forming the cover to the sacred chest, was the mercy seat, a magnificent piece of workmanship, surmounted by two cherubim, one at each end, and all wrought of solid gold. In this apartment the divine presence was manifested in the cloud of glory between the cherubim.” The Great Controversy, 412

Wednesday

4 THE ROLE OF THE HIGH PRIEST

4.a. What special event took place on the tenth day of the seventh month? Leviticus 16:29–31; Numbers 29:7

Note: “Once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, the priest entered the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary. The work there performed completed the yearly round of ministration.” The Great Controversy, 419

“On the tenth day of the seventh month the high priest entered the inner apartment, or most holy place, which he was forbidden, on pain of death, to enter at any other time. The cleansing of the sanctuary then performed completed the yearly round of service.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 4, 263

“Under the Mosaic system the cleansing of the sanctuary, or the great Day of Atonement, occurred on the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month (Leviticus 16:29–34), when the high priest, having made an atonement for all Israel, and thus removed their sins from the sanctuary, came forth and blessed the people.” The Great Controversy, 400

4.b. Before entering the most holy place, what was the high priest commanded to do? Leviticus 16:2–6, 16

Note: “Before the mercy seat God conversed with the high priest. If he remained an unusual time in the most holy, the people were often terrified, fearing that because of their sins or some sin of the priest, the glory of the Lord had slain him. But when the sound of the tinkling of the bells upon his garments was heard, they were greatly relieved. He then came forth and blessed the people.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1, 275

“In the holy of holies the great I AM took up His abode, and no human being was permitted to enter there except by divine appointment. There, above the mercy seat, overshadowed by the wings of the cherubim, dwelt the Shekinah of His glory, the perpetual token of His presence; while the breastplate of the high priest, set with precious stones, made known from the sacred precincts of the sanctuary the solemn message of Jehovah to the people. Wonderful dispensation, when the Holy One, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, thus manifested His glory, and revealed His will to the children of men!” The Review and Herald, March 2, 1886

Thursday

5 THE TWO GOATS

5.a. What was the meaning of the two goats taken on the Day of Atonement, and what was done to the goat chosen to be a sin offering? Leviticus 16:7, 8, 16

Note: “On the Day of Atonement two kids of the goats were brought to the door of the tabernacle, and lots were cast upon them, ‘one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat’ (Leviticus 16:8). The goat upon which fell the lot for the Lord was to be slain as a sin offering for the people.” The Great Controversy, 419

5.b. What happened to the scapegoat—Azazel—that was left alive? Leviticus 16:20–22. What did each of the two goats symbolize?

Note: “Christ’s work for the redemption of men and the purification of the universe from sin will be closed by the removal of sin from the heavenly sanctuary and the placing of these sins upon Satan, who will bear the final penalty.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 358

“When the ministration in the holy of holies had been completed, and the sins of Israel had been removed from the sanctuary by virtue of the blood of the sin offering, then the scapegoat was presented alive before the Lord… . In like manner, when the work of atonement in the heavenly sanctuary has been completed, then in the presence of God and heavenly angels and the hosts of the redeemed the sins of God’s people will be placed upon Satan; he will be declared guilty of all the evil which he has caused them to commit. And as the scapegoat was sent away into a land not inhabited, so Satan will be banished to the desolate earth, an uninhabited and dreary wilderness.” The Great Controversy, 658

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    Explain the atonement in type and antitype.

2    Name some facts showing the sacredness of the sanctuary service.

3    What was in the second apartment of the sanctuary, the holiest of all?

4    What reveals the great mercy of God in the sanctuary service?

5    What did the two goats represent?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – The Sanctuary

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July 10 – 16, 2022

Key Text

“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.” Hebrews 8:1, 2

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 343–358

Introduction

“The sanctuary in heaven, in which Jesus ministers in our behalf, is the great original, of which the sanctuary built by Moses was a copy.” The Great Controversy, 414

Sunday

1 THE PURPOSE OF THE SANCTUARY

1.a. Where, on earth, did God promise to dwell among His people? Exodus 25:8; 2 Chronicles 6:1, 2; Isaiah 66:1

Note: “When Moses was about to build the sanctuary as a dwelling place for God, he was directed to make all things according to the pattern shown him in the mount. … So to Israel, whom He desired to make His dwelling place, He had revealed His glorious ideal of character. The pattern was shown them in the mount when the law was given from Sinai.” The Desire of Ages, 208, 209

“All who love the worship of God and prize the blessing of His sacred presence will manifest the same spirit of sacrifice in preparing a house where He may meet with them.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 344

“The house where Jesus is to meet with His people should be neat and attractive. If there are but few believers in a place, put up a neat but humble house, and by dedicating it to God invite Jesus to come as your guest.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 269

1.b. What has always been God’s purpose in relation to His people? Exodus 29:45; Isaiah 57:15

Note: “From eternal ages it was God’s purpose that every created being, from the bright and holy seraph to man, should be a temple for the indwelling of the Creator.” The Desire of Ages, 161

Monday

2 THE EARTHLY SANCTUARY

2.a. When Moses received the charge to build the sanctuary, what plan was shown him? Exodus 25:9, 40; Hebrews 8:5. Of what was it all a pattern? Hebrews 8:1, 2

Note: “The question, What is the sanctuary? is clearly answered in the Scriptures. The term ‘sanctuary,’ as used in the Bible, refers, first, to the tabernacle built by Moses, as a pattern of heavenly things; and, secondly, to the ‘true tabernacle’ in heaven, to which the earthly sanctuary pointed. At the death of Christ the typical service ended. The ‘true tabernacle’ in heaven is the sanctuary of the new covenant.” The Faith I Live By, 202

2.b. How was the tabernacle divided, and what service was carried on in it daily? Ezekiel 45:4; Hebrews 9:2–5

Note: “The building was divided into two apartments by a rich and beautiful curtain, or veil, suspended from gold-plated pillars; and a similar veil closed the entrance of the first apartment. …

“Beyond the inner veil was the holy of holies, where centered the symbolic service of atonement and intercession, and which formed the connecting link between heaven and earth. In this apartment was the ark, a chest of acacia wood, overlaid within and without with gold, and having a crown of gold about the top. It was made as a depository for the tables of stone, upon which God Himself had inscribed the ten commandments. Hence it was called the ark of God’s testament, or the ark of the covenant, since the ten commandments were the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel.

“The cover of the sacred chest was called the mercy seat. …

“Above the mercy seat was the Shekinah, the manifestation of the divine Presence; and from between the cherubim, God made known His will.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 347–349

Tuesday

3 THE SIN OFFERING

3.a. What provision was made for sinners who had transgressed the law ignorantly? The priest: Leviticus 4:2–6; the congregation: Leviticus 4:13–15; a ruler: Leviticus 4:22–24; the common people: Leviticus 4:27–29

Note: “Day by day the repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle and, placing his hand upon the victim’s head, confessed his sins, thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice. The animal was then slain. ‘Without shedding of blood,’ says the apostle, there is no remission of sin. ‘The life of the flesh is in the blood.’ Leviticus 17:11. The broken law of God demanded the life of the transgressor. The blood, representing the forfeited life of the sinner, whose guilt the victim bore, was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil, behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed. By this ceremony the sin was, through the blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary. In some cases the blood was not taken into the holy place; but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest, as Moses directed the sons of Aaron, saying: ‘God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation.’ Leviticus 10:17. Both ceremonies alike symbolized the transfer of the sin from the penitent to the sanctuary.

“Such was the work that went on, day by day, throughout the year. The sins of Israel were thus transferred to the sanctuary, and a special work became necessary for their removal. God commanded that an atonement be made for each of the sacred apartments.” The Great Controversy, 418, 419

3.b. When was the sacrificial system established, and why? Genesis 4:3–5; Galatians 3:19

Note: “When man fell by transgression the law was not changed, but a remedial system was established to bring him back to obedience. The promise of a Saviour was given, and sacrificial offerings pointing forward to the death of Christ as the great sin offering were established. But had the law of God never been transgressed, there would have been no death, and no need of a Saviour; consequently there would have been no need of sacrifices.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 363

Wednesday

4 THE COMMON PRIEST

4.a. Who were called by God to serve as priests of the sanctuary? Exodus 28:1; 29:4. What clear command was given to them? Leviticus 10:9–11

Note: “The priests who burned incense before the Lord were required to use the fire of God’s kindling, which burned day and night, and was never extinguished. God gave explicit directions how every part of His service should be conducted, that all connected with His sacred worship might be in accordance with His holy character. And any deviation from the express directions of God in connection with his holy service was punishable with death.” Temperance, 43

“Assisted by his sons, Aaron offered the sacrifices that God required, and he lifted up his hands and blessed the people. All had been done as God commanded, and He accepted the sacrifice, and revealed His glory in a remarkable manner; fire came from the Lord and consumed the offering upon the altar.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 359

4.b. How often was the priest to offer the sacrifice? Exodus 29:39. What would this represent in our days? Psalm 55:17

Note: “As the priests morning and evening entered the holy place at the time of incense, the daily sacrifice was ready to be offered upon the altar in the court without. This was a time of intense interest to the worshipers who assembled at the tabernacle. Before entering into the presence of God through the ministration of the priest, they were to engage in earnest searching of heart and confession of sin. They united in silent prayer, with their faces toward the holy place. Thus their petitions ascended with the cloud of incense, while faith laid hold upon the merits of the promised Saviour prefigured by the atoning sacrifice. The hours appointed for the morning and the evening sacrifice were regarded as sacred, and they came to be observed as the set time for worship throughout the Jewish nation. And when in later times the Jews were scattered as captives in distant lands, they still at the appointed hour turned their faces toward Jerusalem and offered up their petitions to the God of Israel. In this custom Christians have an example for morning and evening prayer. While God condemns a mere round of ceremonies, without the spirit of worship, He looks with great pleasure upon those who love Him, bowing morning and evening to seek pardon for sins committed and to present their requests for needed blessings.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 353, 354

Thursday

5 THE HIGH PRIEST

5.a. Who was chosen by God to be the high priest in the wilderness sanctuary? Exodus 29:5–7. What was the high priest’s duty? Hebrews 9:25

Note: “Only once a year could the high priest enter into the most holy place, after the most careful and solemn preparation. No mortal eye but that of the high priest could look upon the sacred grandeur of that apartment, because it was the especial dwelling place of God’s visible glory. The high priest always entered it with trembling, while the people waited his return with solemn silence.” The Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1, 274, 275

5.b. While the high priest was ministering in the most holy place on the Day of Atonement, what were the people to do? Leviticus 23:27–32. When did the Day of Atonement begin in heaven? Daniel 8:14; Isaiah 22:12–14, 20–22 (cf. Revelation 3:7, 8)

Note: “In 1844 our great High Priest entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to begin the work of the investigative judgment. … [W]hen the work of atonement was performed by the high priest in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary, the people were required to afflict their souls before God, and confess their sins, that they might be atoned for and blotted out. Will any less be required of us in this antitypical Day of Atonement, when Christ in the sanctuary above is pleading in behalf of His people, and the final, irrevocable decision is to be pronounced upon every case?” Selected Messages, Book 1, 125

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    Moses saw a pattern of God’s character (the ten commandments) and pattern of His dwelling. How are the two connected?

2    How did the sacrificial system operate in ancient Israel, and how does it operate today?

3    What happens when we neglect to have morning and evening worship?

4    Why is it important to understand the Day of Atonement?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – The Ceremonial Law

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July 3 – 9, 2022

Key Text

“[Christ Jesus] having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.” Ephesians 2:15

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 363–373

Introduction

“We have the types and the shadows in the ceremonial laws, and these were to last until they should meet the reality.” The Review and Herald, July 15, 1890

Sunday

1 THE CEREMONIAL LAW ABOLISHED

1.a. Of what was the ceremonial law a shadow or type? Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 9:9, 10; 10:1; Hebrews 8:5

Note: “Men who claim to be teachers of the people blind the eyes of the ignorant by blending the moral law with the ceremonial, and using the texts which speak of the ceremonial law to prove that the moral law has been abolished. This is a perversion of the Scriptures. There are two distinct laws brought to view. One is the law of types and shadows, which reached to the time of Christ, and ceased when type met antitype in His death. The other is the law of Jehovah, and is as abiding and changeless as His eternal throne. After the crucifixion, it was a denial of Christ for the Jews to continue to offer the burnt offerings and sacrifices which were typical of His death.” The Signs of the Times, July 29, 1886

1.b. How long was the ceremonial law to be in force? Galatians 3:19

Note: “But there is a law which was abolished, which Christ ‘took out of the way, nailing it to His cross.’ Paul calls it ‘the law of commandments contained in ordinances.’ This ceremonial law, given by God through Moses, with its sacrifices and ordinances, was to be binding upon the Hebrews until type met antitype in the death of Christ as the Lamb of God … .” The Signs of the Times, September 4, 1884

Monday

2 SEVEN CEREMONIAL SABBATHS

2.a. Name the seven days of feasts called “sabbaths.”

1    The first day of the Passover week. Exodus 12:15; Leviticus 23:5–7; Numbers 28:17, 18

2    The seventh day of the Passover week. Exodus 12:16; Numbers 28:24, 25

3    The first day of the seventh month. Leviticus 23:24, 25; Numbers 29:1

4    The tenth day of the seventh month. Leviticus 16:29–31; 23:27–32; Numbers 29:7

5    The fifteenth day of the seventh month. Leviticus 23:34, 35; Numbers 29:12

6    The twenty-second day of the seventh month. Leviticus 23:39

7    The fiftieth day (Pentecost), known also as the “feast of weeks.” Leviticus 23:15, 16, 21; Deuteronomy 16:9, 10

 Note: “Anciently the children of Israel were commanded to keep three annual feasts each year: the Passover, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Feast of Weeks.” The Review and Herald, December 11, 1879

2.b. What does the apostle Paul say about keeping the ceremonial sabbaths which were “a shadow of good things to come”? Colossians 2:14–17

Note: “We have the types and the shadows in the ceremonial laws, and these were to last until they should meet the reality. The sacrificial offerings were continually revealing the fact that Christ was coming to our world, and when type met antitype in the death of Christ, then the sacrificial offerings, typifying Christ, were no more of any value, but the royal law of God could not be changed. … There is no shadow in the precepts of the decalogue. The ten commandments are not a type.” The Review and Herald, July 15, 1890

“The Lamb of God was a complete and perfect offering. Types and shadows, offerings and sacrifices had no virtue after Christ’s death on the cross; but God’s law was not crucified with the Saviour.” Ibid., October 10, 1899

“In the death of Christ, the sacrificial offering ceased. The ceremonial law was done away. But by the crucifixion the law of ten commandments was established. The gospel has not abrogated the law, nor detracted one tittle from its claims.” Ibid., June 26, 1900

Tuesday

3 A SHADOW OF THE REALITY

3.a. Who was the Saviour of patriarchs, prophets, and holy men in the Old Testament? Isaiah 43:11; Hosea 13:4; John 5:39

Note: “There is no such contrast as is often claimed to exist between the Old and the New Testament, the law of God and the gospel of Christ, the requirements of the Jewish and those of the Christian dispensation. Every soul saved in the former dispensation was saved by Christ as verily as we are saved by Him today. Patriarchs and prophets were Christians. The gospel promise was given to the first pair in Eden, when they had by transgression separated themselves from God. The gospel was preached to Abraham. The Hebrews all drank of that spiritual Rock, which was Christ.” The Signs of the Times, September 14, 1882

“The Jewish services all testify of Him [Christ], pointing out the attributes of His divine character. Important truth concerning Him was veiled in types and shadows and symbols, and was to be fulfilled in Christ’s mission and ministry.” Ibid., December 10, 1894

3.b. If we were to keep the ceremonial law, offer sacrifices, and keep the feast days, (which were a shadow), what would it mean? Galatians 2:21

Note: “The ceremonial law, given by God through Moses, with its sacrifices and ordinances, was to be binding upon the Hebrews until type met antitype in the death of Christ as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. Then all the sacrificial offerings and services were to be abolished.” The Review and Herald, September 27, 1881

“The ceremonial law was glorious; it was the provision made by Jesus Christ in counsel with His Father, to aid in the salvation of the race. The whole arrangement of the typical system was founded on Christ. Adam saw Christ prefigured in the innocent beast suffering the penalty of his transgression of Jehovah’s law.” Ibid., May 6, 1875

“It was Christ’s desire to leave to His disciples an ordinance [the foot washing and Communion service] that would do for them the very thing they needed—that would serve to disentangle them from the rites and ceremonies which they had hitherto engaged in as essential, and which the reception of the gospel made no longer of any force. To continue these rites would be an insult to Jehovah.” Ibid., June 14, 1898

Wednesday

4 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO LAWS

4.a. Where were the ten commandments written, by whom, and where were they placed? Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 10:1, 2. In contrast, who wrote the law of ceremonial commandments, and where was the book placed? Deuteronomy 31:24–26; Galatians 3:10

Note: “In the ark were placed the tables of stone upon which God had engraved with His own finger the ten commandments. It was made expressly for this purpose, and hence was called the ark of the covenant, and the ark of the testament, since the ten commandments were God’s covenant, and the basis of the covenant made between God and Israel.” The Signs of the Times, June 24, 1880

“Nothing written on those tables [of testimony] could be blotted out. The precious record of the law was placed in the ark of the testament.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1109

“The ceremonial law was … given to Moses, and by him written in a book. But the law of ten commandments spoken from Sinai had been written by God Himself on the tables of stone, and was sacredly preserved in the ark.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 365

4.b. Name some of the ordinances contained in the book of the law. Hebrews 9:9, 10; 10:1; 2 Kings 23:21; Ezra 3:2; Nehemiah 8:14

Note: “After the completion of the tabernacle He [God] communicated with Moses from the cloud of glory above the mercy seat, and gave him full directions concerning the system of offerings and the forms of worship to be maintained in the sanctuary.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 364, 365

“Moses completed the work of writing all the laws, the statutes, and the judgments which God had given him, and all the regulations concerning the sacrificial system. The book containing these was placed in charge of the proper officers, and was for safekeeping deposited in the side of the ark.” Ibid., 466

“[D]uring the first Passover celebrated by Hezekiah, provision had been made for the daily public reading of the book of the law to the people by teaching priests. It was the observance of the statutes recorded by Moses, especially those given in the book of the covenant, which forms a part of Deuteronomy, that had made the reign of Hezekiah so prosperous.” Prophets and Kings, 392

Thursday

5 THE ONLY TRUE SACRIFICE

5.a. What was the significance of the Passover feast and the slain lamb? Exodus 12:26, 27; John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7

Note: “All the ceremonies of the feast [Passover] were types of the work of Christ. The deliverance of Israel from Egypt was an object lesson of redemption, which the Passover was intended to keep in memory. The slain lamb, the unleavened bread, the sheaf of first fruits, represented the Saviour.” The Desire of Ages, 77

5.b. What was the meaning of the Day of Atonement, and what is its significance today? Leviticus 23:27–32; Isaiah 22:12–14

Note: “As you come with humble heart, you find pardon, for Christ Jesus is represented as continually standing at the altar, momentarily offering up the sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is a minister of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man. The typical shadows of the Jewish tabernacle no longer possess any virtue. A daily and yearly typical atonement is no longer to be made, but the atoning sacrifice through a mediator is essential because of the constant commission of sin. Jesus is officiating in the presence of God, offering up His shed blood, as it had been a lamb slain.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 343, 344

“We are living in the great antitypical Day of Atonement. We must individually seek God. This is a personal work. Let us draw near to God, allowing nothing to come into our efforts that would misrepresent the truth for this time. Let everyone confess, not his brother’s sin, but his own sin. Let him humble his heart before God and become so filled with the Holy Spirit that his life will show that he has been born again.” Testimonies, Vol. 9, 218

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    Why was the ceremonial law added?

2    Why is it no longer appropriate to keep the ceremonial sabbaths?

3    How does God view the keeping of these rituals today?

4    What were the main differences between the two laws?

5    Explain the Day of Atonement today.

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – The Divine Law—the Ten Commandments

by

This We Believe

June 26 – July 2, 2022

Key Text

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” Psalm 19:7

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 433–450

Introduction

“Without the law, men have no just conception of the purity and holiness of God or of their own guilt and uncleanness.” The Great Controversy, 468

Sunday

1 A TRANSCRIPT OF GOD’S CHARACTER

1.a. What is declared about the law of God, the ten commandments, and why is it so important for us? Psalm 119:142, 151, 172

Note: “Christ came to our world to represent the character of God as it is represented in His holy law; for His law is a transcript of His character. Christ was both the law and the gospel. The angel that proclaims the everlasting gospel proclaims the law of God; for the gospel of salvation brings men to obedience of the law, whereby their characters are formed after the divine similitude.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 106

“The word of the only true God is infallible. Infinite wisdom, holiness, power, and love are blended in pointing us to the standard by which God measures character. … His law is the transcript of His character. It is the standard that all must reach if they would enter the kingdom of God. No one need walk in uncertainty.” In Heavenly Places, 137

1.b. Since God is immutable, and His law is a transcript of His character, for how long will His law exist? Matthew 5:17, 18

Note: “[T]his law [of God] will maintain its exalted character as long as the throne of Jehovah endures.” The Review and Herald, October 10, 1899

Monday

2 SATAN’S ENMITY AGAINST THE LAW

2.a. What is the object of Satan’s hatred which he began in heaven and pursues on earth? Revelation 12:17

Note: “Satan, with all his masterly power, has interposed himself between man and the law of God, that through falsehood and sophistry he may inspire men with the same rebellion against God and His law as actuates himself. Those whom he cannot deceive, he hates.” The Signs of the Times, November 14, 1895

2.b. Whom does Satan successfully use to war against the holy law of God? Revelation 3:9; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 3:13

Note: “Satan has a large confederacy, his church. Christ calls them the synagogue of Satan because the members are the children of sin. The members of Satan’s church have been constantly working to cast off the divine law, and confuse the distinction between good and evil. Satan is working with great power in and through the children of disobedience to exalt treason and apostasy as truth and loyalty.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 16

“There is enmity against the commandments of God in the hearts of those who claim sanctification and refuse to acknowledge the binding obligation of the law. Hatred arises in their hearts as soon as the law is mentioned. They profess to believe that the law is abolished. But if the law is abolished, what is the standard by which we shall be judged before the judgment seat of Christ? This work of belittling the law is the work of the great deceiver. If Satan can persuade men that the God of the universe has no law by which He governs them, then he can set up a standard of his own, and turn men into the path of transgression and destruction.” The Signs of the Times, February 10, 1888

“Satan’s work in our world today is to destroy the moral image of God in man, by making void the divine law; and our enemies are inspired by his spirit. By casting aside God’s great standard of character, he can deprave human nature and win men and women to his standard; for, ‘Where no law is, there is no transgression.’ With what triumph, then, he watches the professedly Christian world, as they earnestly do the very work he is doing.” The Review and Herald, January 26, 1897

Tuesday

3 THE STANDARD OF JUDGMENT

3.a. After many years of experience in transgression, what was the final conclusion of King Solomon? Ecclesiastes 12:13; Proverbs 28:9. What must we realize about the law of God?

Note: “The law of God is a transcript of His character; it is the standard of righteousness. … Man is required to render obedience to the revealed will of God in the smallest requirement of the law. …

“The law of God is the foundation of His government, and is exactly what is needed to preserve life and righteousness. Every principle of the law emanates from the Infinite God, and man will fail in his duty to God and his neighbor unless he believes and weaves the principles of the law into his life. Without faith it is impossible to please God, for it is through faith that we may render obedience to the law.” The Signs of the Times, February 26, 1894

“The law of God is the great standard of righteousness, and it will measure every man’s profession and progress. It is a mirror which discovers the defects of our characters, and shows us the requirements of God. It is holy and just and good.” Ibid., March 30, 1888

“The ten commandments, Thou shalt, and Thou shalt not, are ten promises, assured to us if we render obedience to the law governing the universe. ‘If ye love Me, keep My commandments’ (John 14:15). Here is the sum and substance of the law of God. The terms of salvation for every son and daughter of Adam are here outlined.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 1, 1105

3.b. By what standard will every person be judged in the heavenly court? Ecclesiastes 12:14; James 2:11, 12

Note: “God has a law, and it is the great standard of righteousness. Everyone who has presumed upon the mercy of God, and practiced iniquity, will be judged according to his works. God has warned you to depart from all iniquity. He has commanded you individually to resist the devil, not to entertain him as an honored guest.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 448

“Men may close their eyes to the plainest truths in the word of God, they may trample His law under their feet; but the law, instituted in the beginning, proclaimed from Sinai, and engraven on tables of stone, will judge them in the last day.” The Signs of the Times, August 5, 1886

“The law of God is the standard by which the characters and the lives of men will be tested in the judgment.” The Great Controversy, 482

Wednesday

4 WILLING OBEDIENCE

4.a. When the rich young ruler asked Jesus what to do to inherit eternal life, what condition did the Lord present? Matthew 19:16, 17; Luke 18:18–20

Note: “The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been—just what it was in paradise before the fall of our first parents—perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this, then the happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled.” Steps to Christ, 62

“We are to seek for the pearl of great price, but not in worldly marts or in worldly ways. The price we are required to pay is not gold or silver, for this belongs to God. Abandon the idea that temporal or spiritual advantages will win for you salvation. God calls for your willing obedience. He asks you to give up your sins.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 117

4.b. What kind of obedience should be manifested by a true child of God? Isaiah 1:19. How can we demonstrate that we really love God? 1 John 2:3, 4; 5:2, 3

Note: “The religion that comes from God is the only religion that will lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship.” The Desire of Ages, 189

“Willing obedience to God’s requirements gives vital energy and power to the soul. A work enduring as the sun is done for the worker as well as for those for whom he labors. However limited the capacity of the one who engages in this work, the labor which he performs in his humble sphere will be acceptable to God.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 613

“Those who dishonor God by transgressing His law may talk sanctification; but it is of the same value, and just as acceptable, as was the offering of Cain. Obedience to the commandments of God is the only true sign of sanctification. … Our Saviour speaks so plainly that no one need fail to understand that true love will always produce obedience. Obedience is the sign of true love. Christ and the Father are one, and those who in truth receive Christ will love God as the great center of their adoration and will also love one another; and in so doing they will keep the law.” The Review and Herald, October 26, 1897

Thursday

5 THE UNCHANGEABLE LAW OF GOD

5.a. What is the greatest proof that God does not change His law? Malachi 3:6, first part; James 1:17; Luke 16:17

Note: “Satan declared that mercy destroyed justice, that the death of Christ abrogated [overturned] the Father’s law. Had it been possible for the law to be changed or abrogated, then Christ need not have died. But to abrogate the law would be to immortalize transgression, and place the world under Satan’s control. 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.” The Desire of Ages, 762, 763

“If God could have changed one iota of His law, Jesus need not have come to our world and died. But our Saviour, who was equal with God Himself, came into our world and suffered the death upon the cross, to give man another probation.” The Review and Herald, June 10, 1890

“It was to atone for man’s transgression of the law that Christ laid down His life. Could the law have been changed or set aside, then Christ need not have died. By His life on earth He honored the law of God. By His death He established it. He gave His life as a sacrifice, not to destroy God’s law, not to create a lower standard, but that justice might be maintained, that the law might be shown to be immutable, that it might stand fast forever.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 314

5.b. Where was the law written, and by whom? What is its meaning? Exodus 31:18; Romans 3:20. How long are its principles to endure? Psalm 89:34

Note: “God’s law is unchangeable; and though by human beings it has been slighted, scorned, and rejected, it will ever stand as firm as the throne of Jehovah.” The Review and Herald, September 24, 1901

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How does the law of God provide security and stability to our life?

2    What is Satan’s strategy in his rebellion against God and His law?

3    Why is there need of a standard in the day of judgment?

4    Since we are saved by faith, not works, why is obedience important?

5    How does the cross of Christ relate to the law of God?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – God’s Amazing Grace

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June 19 – 25, 2022

Key Text

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8, 9

Study Help: The Acts of the Apostles, 557–567

Introduction

“Grace is unmerited favor, and the believer is justified without any merit of his own, without any claim to offer to God. He is justified through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, who stands in the courts of heaven as the sinner’s substitute and surety.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 398

Sunday

1 UNDESERVING SINNERS

1.a. What did sin cause between humanity and God? Isaiah 59:1, 2

Note: “It was Satan’s purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and man.” The Desire of Ages, 25

“His [man’s] nature became so weakened through transgression that it was impossible for him, in his own strength, to resist the power of evil. He was made captive by Satan, and would have remained so forever had not God specially interposed.” Steps to Christ, 17

1.b. Without the grace of God, what would be our fate, and how only can we be delivered from it? Romans 5:12, 15; 6:23

Note: “By sin man was shut out from God. Except for the plan of redemption, eternal separation from God, the darkness of unending night, would have been his. Through the Saviour’s sacrifice, communion with God is again made possible.” Education, 28

“God’s love and justice have provided one way, and one only, whereby man can be saved from eternal separation from heaven and alienation from God, and that is by faith in Christ and obedience to His law.” The Signs of the Times, December 15, 1887

Monday

2 SHORT OF GOD’S GLORY

2.a. What happened to the beautiful light that enshrouded Adam and Eve when they sinned? Genesis 3:7

Note: “The white robe of innocence was worn by our first parents when they were placed by God in holy Eden. They lived in perfect conformity to the will of God. All the strength of their affections was given to their heavenly Father. A beautiful soft light, the light of God, enshrouded the holy pair. This robe of light was a symbol of their spiritual garments of heavenly innocence. Had they remained true to God, it would ever have continued to enshroud them. But when sin entered, they severed their connection with God, and the light that had encircled them departed.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 310, 311

2.b. To cover up their nakedness, what did Adam and Eve do? Genesis 3:7. What did God provide to clothe the guilty pair? Genesis 3:21

Note: “Naked and ashamed, they [our first parents] tried to supply the place of the heavenly garments by sewing together fig leaves for a covering.

“This is what the transgressors of God’s law have done ever since the day of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. They have sewed together fig leaves to cover the nakedness caused by transgression. They have worn the garments of their own devising, by works of their own they have tried to cover their sins, and make themselves acceptable with God.

“But this they can never do. Nothing can man devise to supply the place of his lost robe of innocence. No fig-leaf garment, no worldly citizen dress, can be worn by those who sit down with Christ and angels at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

“Only the covering which Christ Himself has provided can make us meet to appear in God’s presence. This covering, the robe of His own righteousness, Christ will put upon every repenting, believing soul. … This robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has in it not one thread of human devising. Christ in His humanity wrought out a perfect character, and this character He offers to impart to us.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 311

Tuesday

3 GOD LOVES AND PITIES US

3.a. What was, and still is, the Lord’s attitude towards fallen human beings? Psalm 103:13; 1 John 4:10

Note: “He [Christ] pitied and loved not only those who sought to be obedient and loving, but those also who were wayward and perverse. Jesus has not changed; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He still loves and pities the erring, seeking to draw them to Himself, that He may give them divine aid. He knows that a demon power is struggling in every soul, striving for the mastery; but Jesus came to break the power of Satan and to set the captives free.” My Life Today, 300

“While upon the earth, He [the Lord] was ever touched with human woe. Although He is now ascended to His Father, and is adored by angels who quickly obey His commands, His heart, which loved, pitied, and sympathized, knows no change. It remains a heart of unchangeable tenderness still. That same Jesus was acquainted with all your trials, and did not leave you alone to struggle with temptations, battle with evil, and be finally crushed with burdens and sorrow.” Testimonies, Vol. 2, 271

3.b. How did God show His infinite love to men and women who have not loved Him? 1 John 4:9, 10, 16, 19; John 3:16, 17

Note: “Jesus looked upon the world in its fallen state with infinite pity. He took humanity upon Himself that He might touch and elevate humanity. He came to seek and to save that which was lost.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 199

“In the gracious blessings which our heavenly Father has bestowed upon us we may discern innumerable evidences of a love that is infinite, and a tender pity surpassing a mother’s yearning sympathy for her wayward child. When we study the divine character in the light of the cross we see mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended with equity and justice.” Testimonies, Vol. 4, 461

“He [the world’s Redeemer] came to this world all seared and marred by the curse, that He might come close to man in his woe and affliction. With His long human arm He encircled the race, while with His divine arm He grasped the throne of the Infinite, bringing to fallen man divine power to cooperate with His human effort.” The Review and Herald, November 21, 1899

Wednesday

4 ABUNDANT GRACE

4.a. To how many does God wish to extend His tender mercy and grace? John 1:12; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; Hebrews 7:25

Note: “Christ is the atoning sacrifice. He left the glory of heaven, He parted with His riches, He laid aside His honor, not in order to create love and interest for man in the heart of God, but to be an exponent of the love that existed in the heart of the Father. He came into the world to make man accept the fact that although man had sinned against God, ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ Jesus paid the price of all His riches, He assumed humanity, He condescended to a life of poverty and humiliation, in order that He might seek and save that which was lost.

“Through the grace of Christ we may be strengthened and matured, so that though now imperfect we may become complete in Him. We have mortgaged ourselves to Satan, but Christ came to ransom and redeem us. We cannot purchase anything from God. It is only by grace, the free gift of God in Christ, that we are saved.” The Youth Instructor, September 5, 1895

4.b. What is the sure result of justification? Matthew 1:21; Titus 2:11–14

Note: “When the Spirit of God controls mind and heart, the converted soul breaks forth into a new song; for he realizes that in his experience the promise of God has been fulfilled, that his transgression has been forgiven, his sin covered. He has exercised repentance toward God for the violation of the divine law, and faith toward Christ, who died for man’s justification. ‘Being justified by faith,’ he has ‘peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Romans 5:1.

“But because this experience is his, the Christian is not therefore to fold his hands, content with that which has been accomplished for him. He who has determined to enter the spiritual kingdom will find that all the powers and passions of unregenerate nature, backed by the forces of the kingdom of darkness, are arrayed against him. Each day he must renew his consecration, each day do battle with evil. Old habits, hereditary tendencies to wrong, will strive for the mastery, and against these he is to be ever on guard, striving in Christ’s strength for victory.” The Acts of the Apostles, 476, 477

Thursday

5 SAVED BY GRACE

5.a. By what means will the redeemed enter the kingdom of God? Ephesians 2:8–10; Hebrews 4:16; 12:28

Note: “Man cannot transform himself by the exercise of his will. He possesses no power by which this change can be effected. The leaven—something wholly from without—must be put into the meal before the desired change can be wrought in it. So the grace of God must be received by the sinner before he can be fitted for the kingdom of glory. All the culture and education which the world can give will fail of making a degraded child of sin a child of heaven. The renewing energy must come from God. The change can be made only by the Holy Spirit. All who would be saved, high or low, rich or poor, must submit to the working of this power.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 96, 97

“Your obedience to God’s commandments will prove your right to an inheritance with the saints in light. God has elected a certain excellence of character; and everyone who, through the grace of Christ, shall reach the standard of His requirement, will have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of glory.” Christian Education, 118

5.b. What encouraging words are given us to proceed in our pilgrimage to the very end? Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 12:12–14

Note: “He [the Father] desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance.” Steps to Christ, 64

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    What is our natural condition without Christ in our life?

2    What changes occurred in Adam and Eve once they experienced sin?

3    Why do we have reason for deep gratitude for the gift of Christ?

4    What shows the great personal interest God has for each individual?

5    How does the grace of Christ work to restore us to His image?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – The Flood

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June 12 – 18, 2022

Key Text

“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Hebrews 11:7

Study Help: Patriarchs and Prophets, 90–110

Introduction

“Before the Flood God sent Noah to warn the world, that the people might be led to repentance, and thus escape the threatened destruction.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 102

Sunday

1 INIQUITY ABOUNDED

1.a. What was the condition of the world in the days of Noah, and what message did God give this patriarch as wickedness increased on the earth? Genesis 6:5, 12–14, 17

Note: “After the Fall, men chose to follow their own sinful desires; and as the result, crime and wretchedness rapidly increased. Neither the marriage relation nor the rights of property were respected. Whoever coveted the wives or the possessions of his neighbor, took them by force, and men exulted in their deeds of violence. They delighted in destroying the life of animals; and the use of flesh for food rendered them still more cruel and bloodthirsty.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 92

1.b. Besides immorality and violence, what was the sin of the antediluvians? Matthew 24:38; Luke 17:27

Note: “The sin of the antediluvians was in perverting that which in itself was lawful. They corrupted God’s gifts by using them to minister to their selfish desires. The indulgence of appetite and base passion made their imaginations altogether corrupt. The antediluvians were slaves of Satan, led and controlled by him.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, 246, 247

Monday

2 A MAN OF FAITH

2.a. What did the Lord say of Noah’s character? Genesis 6:8; 7:1

Note: “What constituted the difference between Enoch and Noah, and those who were destroyed by the flood? Enoch and Noah were obedient to the law of God; the others walked in the imagination of their own hearts, and corrupted their ways before the Lord, disregarding all His requirements.” The Signs of the Times, February 11, 1897

“Noah stood like a rock amid the tempest. He was surrounded by every species of wickedness and moral corruption; but amid popular contempt and ridicule, amid universal wickedness and disobedience, he distinguished himself by his holy integrity and unwavering faithfulness.” Reflecting Christ, 322

2.b. What does the Bible say about the unflinching faith and work of Noah? Hebrews 11:7; 2 Peter 2:5

Note: “Noah was to preach to the people, and also to prepare an ark as God should direct him for the saving of himself and family. Not only was he to preach, but his example in building the ark was to be a continual testimony of warning to the world, showing that he believed what he preached. His simple, childlike faith, and his implicit obedience, notwithstanding the opposition he received, was an evidence to the world of his sincerity. He was firm as a rock to duty, directing the work of that singular building, under the guidance of the divine Architect. Every blow struck upon the ark was a witness to the people.” The Signs of the Times, February 27, 1879

“The ark was built upon dry land. Noah walked by faith, and when the time came and they [the people] saw the beasts two by two going into the ark, and the heavens darkened by the fowls that were going two by two into the ark, these were they that were obedient to God; but man was not obedient, but the beasts and fowls were finding a place of refuge. Yet notwithstanding this wonderful sight, still the people were unbelieving.

“At last God bade Noah and his family to go into the ark; and He shut them in. There they remained one week enclosed in the ark before it began to rain. How then did these wicked men mock and deride those in the ark! Was it not a trial of their faith to be shut in there for one week and yet have no rain? But after seven days it began to rain.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 19, 133

Tuesday

3 THE ARK OF NOAH

3.a. What were the dimensions of the ark, and what material was used for building it? Genesis 6:14–16

Note: “Human wisdom could not have devised a structure of so great strength and durability. God was the designer, and Noah the master builder. It was constructed like the hull of a ship, that it might float upon the water, but in some respects it more nearly resembled a house. It was three stories high, with but one door, which was in the side. The light was admitted at the top, and the different apartments were so arranged that all were lighted. The material employed in the construction of the ark was the cypress, or gopher wood, which would be untouched by decay for hundreds of years. The building of this immense structure was a slow and laborious process. On account of the great size of the trees and the nature of the wood, much more labor was required then than now to prepare timber, even with the greater strength which men then possessed. All that man could do was done to render the work perfect, yet the ark could not of itself have withstood the storm which was to come upon the earth. God alone could preserve His servants upon the tempestuous waters.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 92–95

3.b. How much time was given to finish the ark and for the wicked to repent? Genesis 6:3. Did anyone heed Noah’s warning?

Note: “A power attended his [Noah’s] words, for it was the voice of God to man through His servant. Connection with God made him strong in the strength of infinite power, while for one hundred and twenty years his solemn voice fell upon the ears of that generation.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 96

“Noah’s faith was mingled with fear; for it is written that Noah, being warned of God, moved with fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house. His faith intensified his fear; for it was no cowardly fear that moved him. He dared not suppress the words of God for fear of men, or withhold his message in dread of the consequences that might result because of the opposition and hate of the wicked and unbelieving about him. He knew the power of God, and realized that God would fulfill His word.” The Signs of the Times, April 18, 1895

“Some of the carpenters he [Noah] employed in building the ark believed the message, but died before the flood; others of Noah’s converts backslid.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 504

Wednesday

4 THE FLOOD COVERED THE EARTH

4.a. Describe the phenomenon that took place among the living creatures that entered the ark with Noah. Genesis 7:7–9

Note: “The ark was finished in every part as the Lord had directed, and was stored with food for man and beast. And now the servant of God made his last solemn appeal to the people. With an agony of desire that words cannot express, he entreated them to seek a refuge while it might be found. Again they rejected his words, and raised their voices in jest and scoffing. Suddenly a silence fell upon the mocking throng. Beasts of every description, the fiercest as well as the most gentle, were seen coming from mountain and forest and quietly making their way toward the ark. … Animals obeyed the command of God, while men were disobedient.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 97, 98

“There were a class of very large animals which perished at the flood. God knew that the strength of man would decrease, and these mammoth animals could not be controlled by feeble man.” Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 4a, 121

4.b. After seven days in which the faith of Noah was tested once more, what took place? Genesis 7:17–24

Note: “For seven days after Noah and his family entered the ark, there appeared no sign of the coming storm. During this period their faith was tested. It was a time of triumph to the world without. The apparent delay confirmed them in the belief that Noah’s message was a delusion, and that the Flood would never come. Notwithstanding the solemn scenes which they had witnessed—the beasts and birds entering the ark, and the angel of God closing the door—they still continued their sport and revelry, even making a jest of these signal manifestations of God’s power. They gathered in crowds about the ark, deriding its inmates with a daring violence which they had never ventured upon before.

“But upon the eighth day dark clouds overspread the heavens. There followed the muttering of thunder and the flash of lightning. Soon large drops of rain began to fall. The world had never witnessed anything like this, and the hearts of men were struck with fear. …

“The [idol] worshipers were made to tremble at the power of the living God and to know that it was their corruption and idolatry which had called down their destruction.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 98, 99

Thursday

5 THE EARTH DURING AND AFTER THE FLOOD

5.a. What was the reaction of the wicked to Noah’s message? 1 Peter 3:20

Note: “Satan himself, who was compelled to remain in the midst of the warring elements, feared for his own existence. … Many of the people, like Satan, blasphemed God, and had they been able, they would have torn Him from the throne of power. Others were frantic with fear, stretching their hands toward the ark and pleading for admittance. But their entreaties were in vain. Conscience was at last aroused to know that there is a God who ruleth in the heavens. They called upon Him earnestly, but His ear was not open to their cry. In that terrible hour they saw that the transgression of God’s law had caused their ruin.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 99, 100

 5.b. What sign and promise were given to Noah and his family? Genesis 8:15–19; 9:8–16. What was the earth like after the Flood?

Note: “In the time of the Flood, the people, and the beasts also, gathered to the highest points of land, and as the waters disappeared, dead bodies were left upon the mountains and hills, as well as on the plains. The surface of the earth was strewn with the bodies of men and beasts. But God would not have these remain to decompose and pollute the atmosphere, therefore He made of the earth a vast burying ground. He caused a powerful wind to pass over it for the purpose of drying up the waters, which moved them with great force, in some instances carrying away the tops of the mountains like mighty avalanches, forming hills and mountains where there were none to be seen before, and burying the dead bodies with trees, stones, and earth.” The Signs of the Times, March 13, 1879

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    How are we in danger of repeating today the sin of the antediluvians?

2    Why can we be inspired by the example of Noah?

3    Describe the conditions under which Noah labored.

4    Why were some animals not preserved in the ark?

5    What evidences of the Flood remain on earth even today?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study – The Plan of Redemption

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June 5 – 11, 2022

Key Text

“He [the Father] has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13, 14

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 19–26

Introduction

“The Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gave Themselves to the working out of the plan of redemption.” The Review and Herald, May 2, 1912

Sunday

1 A LOVING DEVICE

  1. When was the plan for the redemption of fallen man formulated, and by whom? Romans 16:25, 26; Colossians 1:26

Note: “Christ, our Substitute and Surety, did not stand alone in the wondrous undertaking of the ransom of man. In the plan to save a lost world, the counsel was between Them both; the covenant of peace was between the Father and the Son.” The Signs of the Times, December 23, 1897

“The purpose and plan of grace existed from all eternity. Before the foundation of the world it was according to the determinate counsel of God that man should be created and endowed with power to do the divine will. The fall of man, with all its consequences, was not hidden from the Omnipotent. Redemption was not an afterthought, a plan formulated after the fall of Adam, but an eternal purpose, suffered to be wrought out for the blessing, not only of this atom of a world, but for the good of all the worlds that God had created.” Ibid., February 13, 1893

“The Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gave Themselves to the working out of the plan of redemption. In order fully to carry out this plan, it was decided that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, should give Himself an offering for sin.” The Review and Herald, May 2, 1912

Monday

2 THE WORD WAS GOD

2.a. What words are used by John to describe Jesus Christ? John 1:1–4

Note: “In speaking of His preexistence, Christ carries the mind back through dateless ages. He assures us that there never was a time when He was not in close fellowship with the eternal God.” The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1900

“The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, existed from eternity, a distinct person, yet one with the Father. He was the surpassing glory of heaven. He was the commander of the heavenly intelligences, and the adoring homage of the angels was received by Him as His right.” The Review and Herald, April 5, 1906

“ ‘In Him was life; and the life was the light of men’ (John 1:4). It is not physical life that is here specified, but immortality, the life which is exclusively the property of God. The Word, who was with God, and who was God, had this life. Physical life is something which each individual receives. It is not eternal or immortal; for God, the Lifegiver, takes it again. Man has no control over his life. But the life of Christ was unborrowed. No one can take this life from Him. … In Him was life, original, unborrowed, underived.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 296

2.b. What titles are given to Christ in the Old Testament? Isaiah 9:6. What part does Jesus have in the eternal Godhead? Colossians 2:9

Note: “Jehovah is the name given to Christ.” The Signs of the Times, May 3, 1899

“[The] doctrine that denies the absolute Godhead of Jesus Christ, denies also the Godhead of the Father.” Ibid., June 27, 1895

“While God’s word speaks of the humanity of Christ when upon this earth, it also speaks decidedly regarding His preexistence. The Word existed as a divine being, even as the eternal Son of God, in union and oneness with His Father. From everlasting He was the Mediator of the covenant, the One in whom all nations of the earth, both Jews and Gentiles, if they accepted Him, were to be blessed. ‘The Word was with God, and the Word was God’ (John 1:1). Before men or angels were created, the Word was with God, and was God.” Lift Him Up, 74

Tuesday

3 THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH

3.a. How is the incarnation of Christ described by the apostles? John 1:14; Philippians 2:5–8; Hebrews 2:14

Note: “In contemplating the incarnation of Christ in humanity, we stand baffled before an unfathomable mystery, that the human mind cannot comprehend. The more we reflect upon it, the more amazing does it appear. How wide is the contrast between the divinity of Christ and the helpless infant in Bethlehem’s manger! How can we span the distance between the mighty God and a helpless child? And yet the Creator of worlds, He in whom was the fullness of the Godhead bodily, was manifest in the helpless babe in the manger. Far higher than any of the angels, equal with the Father in dignity and glory, and yet wearing the garb of humanity! Divinity and humanity were mysteriously combined, and man and God became one. It is in this union that we find the hope of our fallen race. Looking upon Christ in humanity, we look upon God, and see in Him the brightness of His glory, the express image of His person.” The Signs of the Times, July 30, 1896

“The Pattern Man, who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, took upon Himself our nature, and lived nearly thirty years in an obscure Galilean town, hidden away among the hills. All the angel host was at His command, yet He did not claim to be anything great or exalted. He did not attach ‘Professor’ to His name to please Himself. He was a carpenter, working for wages, a servant to those for whom He labored, showing that heaven may be very near us in the common walks of life.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 164

“Christ did not make believe take human nature; He did verily take it. He did in reality possess human nature.” Ibid., Book 1, 247

3.b. What is Christ’s incarnation called? 1 Timothy 3:16

Note: “Although Christ’s divine glory was for a time veiled and eclipsed by His assuming humanity, yet He did not cease to be God when He became man. The human did not take the place of the divine, nor the divine of the human. This is the mystery of godliness. The two expressions ‘human’ and ‘divine’ were, in Christ, closely and inseparably one, and yet they had a distinct individuality. Though Christ humbled Himself to become man, the Godhead was still His own.” The Signs of the Times, May 10, 1899

Wednesday

4 REDEEMING LOVE

4.a. Why did the Father and Jesus agree to make a supreme sacrifice for the fallen race? John 3:16, 17; 1 John 4:10; Luke 19:10

Note: “The love of God was to be revealed to the world in the death of His beloved Son, crucified on Calvary for the sins of the world. He was to present to the world the gospel, which was to be the power of God unto salvation. This was not a new truth, but through the traditions of men it had become obscured, and the original truths, by separation from their Author, had lost their meaning to the world.” The Signs of the Times, May 8, 1893

“It was the marvel of all the universe that Christ should humble Himself to save fallen man. That He who had passed from star to star, from world to world, superintending all, by His providence supplying the needs of every order of being in His vast creation—that He should consent to leave His glory and take upon Himself human nature, was a mystery which the sinless intelligences of other worlds desired to understand.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 69

“Christ came to redeem humanity. He is interested in all our actions. He desires to mold and fashion us after the divine similitude. Not until every case is decided will Christ be at rest. I have been permitted to behold His solicitude, and the great love wherewith He has loved us.” This Day With God, 91

4.b. Besides the redemption of humankind, what else is included in the plan of salvation? Revelation 12:12; Ephesians 3:9–11

Note: “Not only had man come under the power of the deceiver, but the earth itself, the dominion of man, was usurped by the enemy. Through the plan of salvation, through the sacrifice of Christ, not only man, but his dominion, was to be redeemed. Because of the merits of Christ, all that man lost through sin was to be restored. The time would come when there should be no more curse, but the throne of God should be in the earth renewed, and His servants should serve Him.” The Bible Echo, July 15, 1893

“The great plan of redemption results in fully bringing back the world into God’s favor. All that was lost by sin is restored. Not only man but the earth is redeemed, to be the eternal abode of the obedient.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 342

Thursday

5 REDEMPTION ACCOMPLISHED

5.a. What words of the prophet are to be fulfilled when sin and sinners will be no more? Isaiah 53:11, first part; John 17:24

Note: “The despised remnant are clothed in glorious apparel, nevermore to be defiled by the corruptions of the world. Their names are retained in the Lamb’s book of life, enrolled among the faithful of all ages. They have resisted the wiles of the deceiver; they have not been turned from their loyalty by the dragon’s roar. Now they are eternally secure from the tempter’s devices. Their sins are transferred to the originator of sin. And the remnant are not only pardoned and accepted, but honored. ‘A fair miter’ is set upon their heads. They are to be as kings and priests unto God.” Testimonies, Vol. 5, 475

5.b. Besides meeting and recognizing each other, what will bring great joy to the redeemed? 1 Corinthians 13:12; Matthew 5:8; 1 John 3:1, 2

Note: “The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb … help to constitute the happiness of the redeemed.” The Great Controversy, 677

“As Jesus arose from the dead, so those who sleep in Him are to rise again. We shall know our friends, even as the disciples knew Jesus. They may have been deformed, diseased, or disfigured, in this mortal life, and they rise in perfect health and symmetry; yet in the glorified body their identity will be perfectly preserved. Then shall we know even as also we are known.” The Desire of Ages, 804

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1    What reveals the amazing forethought of our loving Creator?

2    Why is the incarnation of Christ such a mystery?

3    How far-reaching is the plan of salvation?

4    To what glorious reunion can the redeemed look forward?

Copyright 2000, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.