Bible Study Guides

Bible Study Guides – “Not Everyone That Saith unto Me, Lord, Lord”

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April 16-22, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 66:23.

STUDY HELP: Desire of Ages, 281–289.

INTRODUCTION: “So long as the heavens and the earth endure, the Sabbath will continue as a sign of the Creator’s power. And when Eden shall bloom on earth again, God’s holy rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun. ‘From one Sabbath to another’ the inhabitants of the glorified new earth shall go up ‘to worship before Me, saith the Lord.’” Sons and Daughters of God, 59.

“The Lord Blessed the Seventh Day and Sanctified It”

When was the Sabbath instituted? Genesis 2:1–3.

NOTE: “The Sabbath was hallowed at the creation. As ordained for man, it had its origin when ‘the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.’” Job 38:7. Desire of Ages, 281.

For whose benefit was the Sabbath made? Mark 2:27.

NOTE: See Desire of Ages, 288.

“It Shall be a Sign Between Me and Thee”

What further significance did the Lord give to the Sabbath? Deuteronomy 5:15.

NOTE: “The Hebrews were held in bondage by the Egyptians, but the Lord delivered them from their bondage with a strong arm. Enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, Christ, their invisible Leader, guided them through the wilderness. Through Moses, their visible leader, He educated and instructed them, that they might love and serve the only true and living God. For their food the Lord gave them manna from heaven. Day by day this food was given, and on the sixth day enough fell for the Sabbath. This miracle testified constantly to the Sabbath commandment, which was given in Eden.” Signs of the Times, March 31, 1898.

Of what did the Lord ordain that the Sabbath should be a sign? Ezekiel 20:20.

NOTE: “The Sabbath is ever the sign that distinguishes the obedient from the disobedient. With masterly power Satan has worked to make null and void the fourth commandment, that the sign of God may be lost sight of. The Christian world have trodden underfoot the Sabbath of the Lord and observe a sabbath instituted by the enemy. But God has a people who are loyal to Him. His work is to be carried forward in right lines.” Counsels on Health, 235.

“Men could not place themselves more decidedly in opposition to God’s work and to His law than by upholding a day that is without one evidence of sanctity, and professing to worship Him on that day. Those who have corrupted the law by substituting a false sabbath for the holy Sabbath of God, and who compel the observance of this false sabbath, exalt themselves above God, and honor the spurious above the genuine.” Signs of the Times, March 31, 1898.

Of what divine work in the life did God intend the Sabbath to be a sign? Ezekiel 20:12; Exodus 31:13.

NOTE: “The Sabbath is a sign of Christ’s power to make us holy. And it is given to all whom Christ makes holy. As a sign of His sanctifying power, the Sabbath is given to all who through Christ become a part of the Israel of God.” Desire of Ages, 288.

“To all who receive the Sabbath as a sign of Christ’s creative and redeeming power, it will be a delight. Seeing Christ in it, they delight themselves in Him. The Sabbath points them to the works of creation as an evidence of His mighty power in redemption..” The Faith I Live By, 33.

“There Remaineth Therefore a Rest to the Children of God”

What will prevent us from experiencing fully the Sabbath blessings? Hebrews 4:4–6.

NOTE: “The Sunday-sabbath is hoary with age, but this does not give it one tittle of sanctity, for God has not made it sacred. Sunday is not the Lord’s day; although it is called so by ministers throughout Christendom. This assertion of men has not removed the sanctity from the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, nor made the Sunday a day to be reverenced. God has not placed one particle of sanctity upon the first day of the week.” Review and Herald, September 13, 1898.

How does Paul show that the Sabbath rest was not finished in the earthly ministry of Christ? Hebrews 4:8–9.

NOTE: In verse 9, the word translated ‘rest’ literally means ‘a keeping of a Sabbath’, as will be found in the margin of the King James Bible.

“Here are the conditions upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life. 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 every one who, through the grace of Christ, shall reach the standard of His requirement, will have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of glory.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 118.

“Not Everyone that Saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord’”

To whom will be given the right to eternal life in the City of God? Revelation 22:14.

NOTE: “God has elected a character in harmony with His law, and anyone who shall reach the standard of His requirement will have an entrance into the kingdom of glory.” God’s Amazing Grace, 350.

How are the saints of God identified? Revelation 14:12.

NOTE: “What preparation have you made for the judgment? Have you made your peace with God? Are you seeking to help those around you, those in your home, those in your neighborhood, those with whom you come in contact that are not keeping the commandments of God? Remember that profession is worthless without a practice that enters into the daily life. God knows whether we are keeping His law in truth. He knows just what we are doing, just what we are thinking and saying. Are we getting ready to meet the King? When He comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, will you be able to say, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us’ (Isaiah 25:9)? To those who can say this Christ will say, ‘Come up higher. Upon this earth you have loved Me. You have loved to do My will. You can now enter the Holy City and receive the crown of everlasting life.’” In Heavenly Places, 356.

What will Christ’s response be to those who profess to call Him Lord, but refuse to obey the commandments? Matthew 7:21–27.

NOTE: See Christ’s Object Lessons, 272.

“Delight Thyself in the Lord”

What promise is made to those who honor the Sabbath? Isaiah 58:13–14.

NOTE: See Desire of Ages, 288.

In these days, when evolution has become the religion of science and the world, what message is to be given by God’s people to the whole world before Christ returns? Revelation 14:6–7.

NOTE: “In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the Creator; and the prophecy brings to view a class that, as the result of the threefold message, are keeping the commandments of God. One of these commandments points directly to God as the Creator. The fourth precept declares: ‘The Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.’ Exodus 20:10,11. Concerning the Sabbath, the Lord says, further, that it is ‘a sign, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.’ Ezekiel 20:20. And the reason given is: ‘For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.’ Exodus 31:17. ‘The importance of the Sabbath as the memorial of creation is that it keeps ever present the true reason why worship is due to God’ because He is the Creator, and we are His creatures. ‘The Sabbath therefore lies at the very foundation of divine worship, for it teaches this great truth in the most impressive manner, and no other institution does this. The true ground of divine worship, not of that on the seventh day merely, but of all worship, is found in the distinction between the Creator and His creatures. This great fact can never become obsolete, and must never be forgotten.’ J. N. Andrews, History of the Sabbath, Chapter 27. It was to keep this truth ever before the minds of men, that God instituted the Sabbath in Eden; and so long as the fact that He is our Creator continues to be a reason why we should worship Him, so long the Sabbath will continue as its sign and memorial. Had the Sabbath been universally kept, man’s thoughts and affections would have been led to the Creator as the object of reverence and worship, and there would never have been an idolater, an atheist, or an infidel. The keeping of the Sabbath is a sign of loyalty to the true God. ‘Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.’ It follows that the message which commands men to worship God and keep His commandments will especially call upon them to keep the fourth commandment.” The Great Controversy, 437.

Bible Study Guides – “I Make New Heavens and a New Earth”

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April 9-15, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Isaiah 65:17.

STUDY HELP: Patriarchs and Prophets, 111–116.

INTRODUCTION: “I love to see everything that is beautiful in nature in this world. I think I would be perfectly satisfied with this earth, surrounded with the good things of God, if it were not blighted with the curse of sin. But we shall have new heavens and a new earth. John saw this in holy vision and said, ‘I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God’ Revelation 21:3. Oh, blessed hope, glorious prospect!” Last Day Events, 285.

“It Was Very Good”

What does the Bible tells us about the creation of the world? Exodus 20:11.

NOTE: “’By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.’ ‘For He spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.’ Psalm 33:6, 9. The Bible recognizes no long ages in which the earth was evolved from chaos. Of each successive day of creation, the sacred record declares that it consisted of the evening and the morning, like all other days that have followed.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 191. (See also Patriarchs and Prophets, 111.)

How did the Lord describe His creation? Genesis 1:31.

NOTE: “‘And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.’ Eden bloomed on earth. Adam and Eve had free access to the tree of life. No taint of sin or shadow of death marred the fair creation. ‘The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.’ Job 38:7.” Sons and Daughters of God, 23.

“Sin Entered into the World, and Death by Sin”

What went wrong with God’s perfect creation? Romans 5:12.

NOTE: “Human beings have degenerated. One after another they fall under the curse, because sin has entered the world, and death by sin. The truth is not made precious by practice. It does not sanctify the soul. It fades from the mind because the heart does not appreciate its value. In consequence the mind becomes more and more darkened by the atmosphere which is malarious because of the perpetuating of Adam’s sin. The conscience has lost its sensitiveness. Through a repetition of sin, the impression made on the conscience by sin has no longer force enough to arrest the transgressor, diseased, depraved, and dying. The voice no longer echoes the voice of God, or gives expression to the music of a soul sanctified through the truth. The heart, in which God should be enthroned, is a place from which come forth all kinds of abominations. How has the fine gold become dim? Man has lost the reflection of God’s character. This calamity is well nigh universal. There is no place upon earth where the track of the serpent is not seen and his venomous sting felt. The whole earth is defiled. The curse is increasing as transgression increases. The earth is preparing for purification by fire.” Bible Echo, May 21, 1900.

Who introduced evil and death into this world? John 8:44; 1 John 3:8; Revelation 12: 9–12.

NOTE: “Man through sin has been severed from the life of God. His soul is palsied through the machinations of Satan, the author of sin. Of himself he is incapable of sensing sin, incapable of appreciating and appropriating the Divine nature. Were it brought within his reach there is nothing in it that his natural heart would desire it. The bewitching power of Satan is upon him. All the ingenious subterfuges the devil can suggest are presented to his mind to prevent every good impulse. Every faculty and power given him of God has been used as a weapon against the Divine Benefactor. So, although He loves him, God cannot safely impart to him the gifts and blessings He desires to bestow. But God will not be defeated by Satan. He sent His Son into the world, that through His taking the human form and nature, humanity and divinity combined in Him would elevate man in the scale of moral value with God. There is no other way for man’s salvation. ‘Without Me,’ says Christ, ‘ye can do nothing.’ (See John 15:5).” Selected Messages, Book 1, 340.

Apart from the moral damage caused by Satan, how was the earth itself affected as a consequence of sin? Genesis 3:17–19.

NOTE: “Although the earth was blighted with the curse, nature was still to be man’s lesson book. It could not now represent goodness only; for evil was everywhere present, marring earth and sea and air with its defiling touch. Where once was written only the character of God, the knowledge of good, was now written also the character of Satan, the knowledge of evil. From nature, which now revealed the knowledge of good and evil, man was continually to receive warning as to the results of sin.” Child Guidance, 46. (See also Conflict and Courage, 19.)

“Death is Swallowed Up in Victory”

How many have sinned and thus incurred the penalty of death? Romans 5:12.

NOTE: “The wickedness that fills our world is the result of Adam’s refusal to take God’s word as supreme. He disobeyed, and fell under the temptation of the enemy…And, apart from the plan of redemption, human beings are doomed to death. ‘All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’ But Christ gave His life to save the sinner from the death sentence. He died that we might live. To those who receive him He gives power that enables them to separate from that which, unless they return to their loyalty, will place them where they must be condemned and punished.” Review and Herald, March 15, 1906.

How does Paul describe the triumph of Christ over death? Romans 6:9–10; 2 Timothy 1:10.

NOTE: See Desire of Ages, 785.

How should Christ’s victory over death affect our own lives? Romans 6:3–4.

NOTE: “Everyone is to discern his weak points of character and guard against them with vigor. Those who have been buried with Christ in baptism, and been raised in the likeness of His resurrection, have pledged themselves to live in newness of life.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students, 258.

How does Paul describe the time when mortals will become immortal? 1 Corinthians 15:51–55.

NOTE: See Desire of Ages, 421.

“That He Might Destroy Him”

What action did God take after Satan introduced sin and warfare into heaven? Revelation 12:9.

NOTE: “The only way to show the disposition of Satan was to give him a chance to develop himself as one who would be worthy of condemnation and death. So the God of heaven, while He did not destroy Satan, gave His Son to counteract the influence of Satan; and when He gave His Son He gave Himself, and here was the image of God that was brought to our world. What for? That we might become mighty with God.” 1888 Materials, 122. (See also Desire of Ages, 759.)

What was an important reason for Christ to take human nature? Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8.

NOTE: “Satan not only bore the weight and punishment of his sins, but the sins of all the redeemed host had been placed upon him; and he must also suffer for the ruin of the souls which he had caused. Then I saw that Satan, and all the wicked host, were consumed, and the justice of God was satisfied; and all the angelic host, and all the redeemed saints, with a loud voice said, ‘Amen!’” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 1, 218. (See also The Great Controversy, 673.)

“Behold I Make All Things New”

Once Satan and all who have been corrupted by him are destroyed, what promise will God make? Revelation 21:5.

NOTE: “The work of redemption will be complete. In the place where sin abounded, God’s grace much more abounds. The earth itself, the very field that Satan claims as his, is to be not only ransomed but exalted. Our little world, under the curse of sin, the one dark blot in His glorious creation, will be honored above all other worlds in the universe of God. Here, where the Son of God tabernacled in humanity; where the King of glory lived and suffered and died, here, when He shall make all things new, the tabernacle of God shall be with men, ‘and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself, shall be with them, and be their God.’” Review and Herald, February 25, 1915.

How does the apostle Peter link belief in the creation with the promise of the Second Coming? 2 Peter 3:4–5.

NOTE: “Looking down through the ages to the close of time, Peter was inspired to outline conditions that would exist in the world just prior to the second coming of Christ. ‘There shall come in the last days scoffers,’ he wrote, ‘walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.’ But ‘when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them.’ Not all, however, would be ensnared by the enemy’s devices. As the end of all things earthly approached, there would be faithful ones able to discern the signs of the times. While a larger number of professing believers would deny their faith by their works, there would be a remnant who would endure to the end.” Review and Herald, September 26, 1912.

Bible Study Guides – “A More Sure Word of Prophecy”

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April 2-8, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:19.

STUDY HELP: The Great Controversy, 299–316.

INTRODUCTION: “The prophecies which the great I AM has given in His Word, uniting link after link in the chain of events, from eternity in the past to eternity in the future, tell us where we are today in the procession of the ages, and what may be expected in the time to come. All that prophecy has foretold as coming to pass, until the present time, has been traced on the pages of history, and we may be assured that all which is yet to come will be fulfilled in its order. Today the signs of the times declare that we are standing on the threshold of great and solemn events. Everything in our world is in agitation. Before our eyes is fulfilling the Saviour’s prophecy of the events to precede His coming.” Prophets and Kings, 536.

“Enoch Also, The Seventh From Adam, Prophesied”

Who was the first prophet to speak of the Second Coming of Christ? Jude 14.

NOTE: “Enoch was the first prophet among mankind. He foretold by prophecy the Second Coming of Christ to our world, and his work at that time. His life was a specimen of Christian consistency. Holy lips alone should speak forth the words of God in denunciation and judgments. His prophecy is not found in the writings of the Old Testament. We may never find any books which relate to the works of Enoch, but Jude, a prophet of God, mentions the work of Enoch.” Manuscript 43, 1900.

How did Job show his understanding of the closing events of this earth’s history? Job 19:25–27.

NOTE: “The doctrine of the Second Advent is the very keynote of the Sacred Scriptures. The coming of the Lord has been in all ages the hope of His true followers. The patriarch Job in the night of his affliction exclaimed with unshaken trust: ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: . . . in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another.’” The Faith I Live By, 348.

“Our God Shall Come”

How does the Psalmist describe the Second Coming of Christ? Psalm 50:3–6.

NOTE: See The Great Controversy, 300.

What insights does Isaiah give to the Second Coming of Christ? Isaiah 25:8–10, 66:15–16.

NOTE: See Prophets and Kings, 727–728.

How does Zephaniah describe the Day of the Lord, so far as the wicked are concerned? Zephaniah 1:14–15.

NOTE: See Prophets and Kings, 389.

What contrasting picture does the prophet give of the Day of the Lord for God’s people? Zephaniah 3:17.

NOTE: “All heaven appreciates the struggles of those who are fighting for the crown of everlasting life, that they may be partakers with Christ in the city of God, the very streets of which are pure gold, ‘as it were transparent glass.’ God wants you there, Christ wants you there, the heavenly host wants you there. The angels are willing to stand in the outer circle, and let those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus stand in the inner circle. Do you realize your value in the sight of God?” Sermons and Talks, vol. 2, 114. (See also Testimonies, vol. 6, 63.)

“The Lord Himself Shall Descend”

How does Paul describe the Second Coming of Christ? Titus 2:13.

NOTE: “We are pilgrims and strangers who are waiting, hoping, and praying for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. If we believe this and bring it into our practical life, what vigorous action would this faith and hope inspire; what fervent love one for another; what careful holy living for the glory of God; and in our respect for the recompense of the reward, what distinct lines of demarcation would be evidenced between us and the world.” Manuscript 39, 1893.

How does Paul picture the fate of the unrighteous? 2 Thessalonians 1:7–8.

NOTE: See Patriarchs and Prophets, 339.

“The Dead in Christ Shall Rise”

What comfort does Paul give to those who mourn the death of loved ones? 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18.

NOTE: See Acts of the Apostles, 258.

How does Paul describe the transformation that will take place when Christ returns? Philippians 3:20–21; 1 Corinthians 15:51–54.

NOTE: “Those who believe the important truths that we profess, should act out their faith. There is too much seeking after amusements and things to take the attention in this world; the mind is left to run too much upon dress, and the tongue is engaged too often in light and trifling conversation, which gives the lie to our profession, for our conversation is not in heaven, whence we look for the Saviour.” Early Writings, 111.

“Be Patient Therefore”

What counsel does James give to those awaiting the Second Coming of Christ? James 5:7–8.

NOTE: “It will not be long till we shall see Him in whom our hopes of eternal life are centered. And in His presence, all the trials and sufferings of this life will be as nothingness….Look up, look up, and let your faith continually increase. Let this faith guide you along the narrow path that leads through the gates of the city of God into the great beyond, the wide, unbounded future of glory that is for the redeemed. ‘Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.’” Christian Experience and Teachings, 236.

What consolation does Peter reveal for those whose faith is being tested? 1 Peter 1:7.

NOTE: “The apostle’s words were written for the instruction of believers in every age, and they have a special significance for those who live at the time when ‘the end of all things is at hand.’” His exhortations and warnings, and his words of faith and courage, are needed by every soul who would maintain his faith ‘steadfast unto the end.’ Hebrews 3:14.” Acts of the Apostles, 518.

Bible Study Guides – “I Will Come Again”

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March 26- April 1, 2000

A Daily Bible Study Guide for April 2000

General Introduction

“When the time came for Christ to ascend to His Father, He led the disciples out as far as Bethany. Here He paused, and they gathered about Him. With hands outstretched in blessing, as if in assurance of His protecting care, He slowly ascended from among them. ‘It came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.’ Luke 24:51.

While the disciples were gazing upward to catch the last glimpse of their ascending Lord, He was received into the rejoicing ranks of heavenly angels. As these angels escorted Him to the courts above, they sang in triumph, ‘Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord, to Him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens. . . . Ascribe ye strength unto God: His excellency is over Israel, and His strength is in the heavens.’ Psalm 68:32–34, margin.

The disciples were still looking earnestly toward heaven when, ‘behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, ‘Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.’ Acts 1:10, 11.

The promise of Christ’s Second Coming was ever to be kept fresh in the minds of His disciples. The same Jesus, whom they had seen ascending into heaven, would come again, to take to Himself those who, here below, give themselves to His service. The same voice that had said to them, ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end,’ would bid them welcome to His presence in the heavenly kingdom.

As in the typical service, the high priest laid aside his pontifical robes and officiated in the white linen dress of an ordinary priest; so Christ laid aside His royal robes and garbed Himself with humanity and offered sacrifice, Himself the priest, Himself the victim. As the high priest, after performing his service in the Holy of Holies, came forth to the waiting congregation in his pontifical robes; so Christ will come the second time, clothed in garments of whitest white, ‘so as no fuller on earth can white them.’ Mark 9:3. He will come in His own glory, and in the glory of His Father, and all the angelic host will escort Him on His way.

Thus will be fulfilled Christ’s promise to His disciples, ‘I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.’ John 14:3. Those who have loved Him and waited for Him, He will crown with glory and honour and immortality. The righteous dead will come forth from their graves, and those who are alive will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air. They will hear the voice of Jesus, sweeter than any music that ever fell on mortal ear, saying to them, ‘Your warfare is accomplished. Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ Matthew 25:34. Well might the disciples rejoice in the hope of their Lord’s return.” Acts of the Apostles, 32–34.

“This Same Jesus Shall So Come in Like Manner”

MEMORY VERSE: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1–3.

STUDY HELP: Testimonies, vol. 8, 251–254.

INTRODUCTION: “When the Saviour was about to be separated from His disciples, He comforted them in their sorrow with the assurance that He would come again: ‘Let not your heart be troubled. . . . In My Father’s house are many mansions. . . . I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.’ John 14:1-3. ‘The Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him.’ ‘Then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations.’ Matthew 25:31, 32.” The Great Controversy, 301.

“I Will Come Again”

Upon what promise of Christ is the Christian’s hope of the Second Coming based? John 14:3.

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

How did Peter express his confidence in the Master’s promise? 2 Peter 3:9–10.

NOTE: See Acts of the Apostles, 535–536.

“Every Eye Shall See Him”

Who will see Christ come? Revelation 1:7.

NOTE: “Whether we be saved or lost, we shall sometime see the Saviour as He is, in all His glory, and shall understand His character. At His Second Coming, conviction will be brought to every heart. Those who have turned from Him to the trivial things of this earth, seeking selfish interests and worldly honor, will in the day of His coming acknowledge their mistake.” Signs of the Times, January 28, 1903.

Who especially were told that they would witness the Second Coming of Jesus? Mark 14:61–62. (Compare Revelation 1:7 and Zechariah 12:10.)

NOTE: “Not only does this apply to those who last saw Christ when He hung on the cross of Calvary, but to those who by wrong words and actions are piercing Him today. Daily He suffers the agonies of crucifixion. Daily men and women are piercing Him by dishonoring Him, by refusing to do His will.” Sermons and Talks, vol. 2, 214.

“As The Lightning”

How did Christ describe His return? Matthew 24:27; Luke 17:24. (Compare Zechariah 9:14 and Daniel 10:5–6.)

NOTE: “In the day of the Lord, just before the coming of Christ, God will send lightnings from Heaven in His wrath, which will unite with fire in the earth. The mountains will burn like a furnace, and will pour forth terrible streams of lava, destroying gardens and fields, villages and cities; and as they pour their melted ore, rocks and heated mud into the rivers, will cause them to boil like a pot, and send forth massive rocks and scatter their broken fragments upon the land with indescribable violence. Whole rivers will be dried up. The earth will be convulsed, and there will be dreadful eruptions and earthquakes everywhere. God will plague the wicked inhabitants of the earth until they are destroyed from off it. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and be removed as a cottage. The elements shall be in flames, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll. The earth’s crust will be rent by the outbursts of the elements concealed in the bowels of the earth. These elements, once broken loose, will sweep away the treasures of those who for years have been adding to their wealth by securing large possessions at starvation prices from those in their employ. The great general conflagration is but just ahead, when all this wasted labor of life will be swept away in a night and day.’ Maranatha, 283.

How does Peter describe the coming of Christ? 2 Peter 3:10–12.

NOTE: See Desire of Ages, 780.

“Our God Shall Come and Shall Not Keep Silence”

How does Paul describe some of the sounds of the Second Coming of Christ? 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:52. (Compare Exodus 19:16; Zechariah 9:14 and Matthew 24:31.)

NOTE: “The voice that cried, ‘It is finished,’ was heard among the dead. It pierced the walls of sepulchres, and summoned the sleepers to arise. Thus shall it be when God’s voice shall be heard shaking the heavens and earth. That voice will penetrate the graves and unbar the tombs. A mighty earthquake will then cause the world to reel to and fro like a drunkard. Then Christ, the King of Glory, shall appear, attended by all the heavenly angels. The trumpet shall sound, and the Life-giver shall call forth the righteous dead to immortal life.” Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, 223.

How does the Psalmist describe the Second Coming of Christ? Psalm 50:3–6.

NOTE: “The King of kings descends upon the cloud, wrapped in flaming fire. The heavens are rolled together as a scroll, the earth trembles before Him, and every mountain and island is moved out of its place. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror. Not now a ‘man of sorrows,’ to drink the bitter cup of shame and woe, He comes, victor in heaven and earth, to judge the living and the dead. ‘Faithful and True,’ ‘in righteousness He doth judge and make war.’ And ‘the armies which were in heaven followed Him.’ Revelation 19:11, 14. With anthems of celestial melody the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng, attend Him on His way. The firmament seems filled with radiant forms, ‘ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.’ No human pen can portray the scene; no mortal mind is adequate to conceive its splendor. ‘His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise. And His brightness was as the light.’ Habakkuk 3:3, 4. As the living cloud comes still nearer, every eye beholds the Prince of life. No crown of thorns now mars that sacred head, but a diadem of glory rests on His holy brow. His countenance outshines the dazzling brightness of the noonday sun. ‘And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.’ Rev. 19:16.” The Faith I Live By, 349.

“This Same Jesus”

How were the disciples assured that the One who returns in power and great glory will be the same One with whom they had walked and talked on earth? Acts 1:10–11.

NOTE: “Precious, indeed, was this promise to those sorrowing disciples, that they should again see Jesus, who was greatly beloved by them all. Precious also is this promise to every true follower of Christ. None who truly love Jesus will be sorry that He is coming again. Jesus is coming…Jesus is coming as He ascended into heaven, only with additional splendor. He is coming with the glory of His Father, and all the holy angels with Him, to escort Him on His way. Instead of the cruel crown of thorns to pierce His holy temples, a crown of dazzling glory will deck His sacred brow. He will not wear a plain seamless coat, but a garment whiter than snow, of dazzling brightness. Jesus is coming!” The Faith I Live By, 351. (See also

Southern Watchman, October 3, 1905 and Sons and Daughters of God, 366.)

How did Paul express his conviction that it would be “this same Jesus” who would return”? 1 Thessalonians 4:16, first part.

NOTE: See The Great Controversy, 301.

“What Manner of Persons?”

What should be the effect on our lives of studying these things? 2 Peter 3:11, 14; 1 John 3:2–3.

NOTE: See Acts of the Apostles, 431.

How does Paul describe the preparation needed by the Christian for the Coming of Christ? 1 Thessalonians 5:2–8.

NOTE: “Only those who are living up to the light they have will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain. It may be falling on hearts all around us, but we shall not discern or receive it.” Last Day Events, 196. (See also Acts of the Apostles, 55.)

Bible Study Guides – “To Every Nation”

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May 21-27, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4.

STUDY HELP: Testimonies Vol. 8, 24–29.

INTRODUCTION: “Before the coming of the Son of man, the everlasting gospel is to be preached ‘to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.’ Revelation 14:6, 14. God ‘hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world.’ Acts 17:31. Christ tells us when that day shall be ushered in. He does not say that all the world will be converted, but that ‘this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’ By giving the gospel to the world it is in our power to hasten our Lord’s return. We are not only to look for but to hasten the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:12, margin. Had the church of Christ done her appointed work as the Lord ordained, the whole world would before this have been warned, and the Lord Jesus would have come to our earth in power and great glory.” The Desire of Ages, 633, 634.

“The Power of God unto Salvation”

1 What is the work that Christ has committed to the church? Mark 16:15.

NOTE: “The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people.…This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the Third Angel’s Message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure. The message of Christ’s righteousness is to sound from one end of the earth to the other to prepare the way of the Lord. This is the glory of God, which closes the work of the third angel. The last message of mercy to be given to the world is a revelation of His character of love. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them.” Last Day Events, 200, 201.

2 How does Paul define the Gospel? Romans 1:16.

NOTE: See Sons and Daughters of God, 349.

“For the Hour of His Judgment is Come”

3 As the final generation of God’s people proclaims the Gospel, what warning must they also give? Revelation 14:6, 7.

NOTE: See The Faith I Live By, 211.

4 In view of the fact that the time has now come for God’s judgment, what three things are all men called to do? Revelation 14:7.

5 What does it mean to fear God? Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14. See also Psalm 34:11–14; Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 8:13.

NOTE: See The Great Controversy, 436.

6 What does it mean to give glory to God? What is God’s glory? Exodus 33:18, 19; 34:6,7. Compare John 17:4 and Matthew 5:16.

NOTE: “To give glory to God is to reveal His character in our own, and thus make Him known. And in whatever way we make known the Father or the Son, we glorify God.” The Signs of the Times, October 17, 1892.

7 How does God ask us to worship ‘Him that made heaven and earth’? Exodus 20:8–11.

NOTE: See The Great Controversy, 437.

“Babylon is Fallen, is Fallen”

8 What further message is the final generation of God’s people called to give? Revelation 14:8.

NOTE: “The term ‘Babylon’ is derived from ‘Babel,’ and signifies confusion. It is employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate religion. In Revelation 17, Babylon is represented as a woman—a figure which is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church, a virtuous woman representing a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church.” The Great Controversy, 381. (See also Ibid., 389.)

9 What reason is given for Babylon’s fall? Revelation 14:8, last part. (To understand ‘fornication’, read Ezekiel 16.)

NOTE: “The great sin charged against Babylon is that she ‘made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’ This cup of intoxication which she presents to the world represents the false doctrines that she has accepted as the result of her unlawful connection with the great ones of the earth.” The Great Controversy, 388.

10 What call must be given to those of God’s people who are still in Babylon? Revelation 18:1–5.

NOTE: “Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of rejecting the threefold warning of Revelation 14:6–12, the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel, and the people of God still in Babylon will be called upon to separate from her communion. This message is the last that will ever be given to the world; and it will accomplish its work.” The Great Controversy, 390.

11 What will be the danger for those who choose to stay in Babylon? Revelation 18:4.

NOTE: “After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every conceivable power of evil will be set in operation, and minds will be confused by many voices crying, ‘Lo, here is Christ, Lo, He is there. This is the truth, I have the message from God, He has sent me with great light.’ Then there will be a removing of the landmarks, and an attempt to tear down the pillars of our faith. A more decided effort will be made to exalt the false sabbath, and to cast contempt upon God Himself by supplanting the day He has blessed and sanctified. This false sabbath is to be enforced by an oppressive law.” Maranatha, 189. (See also Prophets and Kings, 188; The Great Controversy, 464.)

“The Beast and His Image”

12 What warning is given to those who choose false worship? Revelation 14:9–11.

NOTE: “This symbol (the beast), as most Protestants have believed, represents the Papacy. The ‘image to the beast’ represents that form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas.” The Faith I Live By, 286.

N.B. “Christians will naturally strive to ensure that civil legislation respects their duty to keep Sunday holy.… Sunday must be sanctified.” Pope John Paul II, Dies Domini, point 67, July 7, 1998.

13 What is the wine of the wrath of God? Revelation 16:1–21.

14 By contrast with those who persist in false worship, how are the people of God described? Revelation 14:12.

NOTE: “Not one who is abiding in Christ will fail or fall. His followers will bow in obedience to a higher authority than that of any earthly potentate. While the contempt placed upon God’s commandments leads many to suppress the truth and show less reverence for it, the faithful ones will with greater earnestness hold aloft its distinguishing truths. We are not left to our own direction. We should consult His Word with humble hearts, ask His counsel, and give up our will to His. We can do nothing without God.” Maranatha, 28.

Bible Study Guides – “What Shall Be the Sign?”

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May 14-20, 2000 

MEMORY VERSE: “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.” John 14:29.

STUDY HELP: The Desire of Ages, 627–636.

INTRODUCTION: “After He had given the signs of His coming, Christ said, ‘When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.’ ‘Take ye heed, watch and pray.’ God has always given men warning of coming judgments. Those who had faith in His message for their time, and who acted out their faith, in obedience to His commandments, escaped the judgments that fell upon the disobedient and unbelieving. The word came to Noah, ‘Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before Me.’ Noah obeyed and was saved. The message came to Lot, ‘Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city.’ Genesis 7:1; 19:14. Lot placed himself under the guardianship of the heavenly messengers, and was saved. So Christ’s disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ’s Second Coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved.’ The Desire of Ages, 634.

“Signs in the sun, moon and stars”

1 What sign of Christ’s coming was John first shown? Revelation 6:12, first part.

NOTE: “In fulfillment of this prophecy there occurred, in the year 1755, the most terrible earthquake that has ever been recorded. Though commonly known as the earthquake of Lisbon, it extended to the greater part of Europe, Africa, and America. It was felt in Greenland, in the West Indies, in the island of Madeira, in Norway and Sweden, Great Britain and Ireland. It pervaded an extent of not less than four million square miles. In Africa the shock was almost as severe as in Europe. A great part of Algiers was destroyed; and a short distance from Morocco, a village containing eight or ten thousand inhabitants was swallowed up. A vast wave swept over the coast of Spain and Africa engulfing cities and causing great destruction.” The Great Controversy, 304. (See also pages 304–306.)

2 What celestial signs did Jesus warn of? Mark 13:24. (Compare Revelation 6:12, 13.)

NOTE:: “Twenty-five years later appeared the next sign mentioned in the prophecy—the darkening of the sun and moon.” The Great Controversy, 306, 308.

3 What further celestial sign did Jesus warn of? Mark 13:25.

NOTE: “This prophecy received a striking and impressive fulfillment in the great meteoric shower of November 13, 1833. That was the most extensive and wonderful display of falling stars which has ever been recorded; ‘the whole firmament, over all the United States, being then, for hours, in fiery commotion! No celestial phenomenon has ever occurred in this country, since its first settlement, which was viewed with such intense admiration by one class in the community, or with so much dread and alarm by another.” The Great Controversy, 333.

“On the Earth Distress of Nations With Perplexity”

4 Besides the celestial signs, what did Jesus tell us of the state of mankind in the last days? Luke 21:25, last part.

NOTE: “The signs in the sun, moon, and stars have been fulfilled. Since that time earthquakes, tempests, tidal waves, pestilence, and famine have multiplied. The most awful destructions, by fire and flood, are following one another in quick succession. The terrible disasters that are taking place from week to week speak to us in earnest tones of warning, declaring that the end is near, that something great and decisive will soon of necessity take place.” The Review and Herald, November 22, 1906.

5 How is the reaction to the increasing disasters described? Luke 21:26.

NOTE: “Not long ago a very impressive scene passed before me. I saw an immense ball of fire falling among some beautiful mansions, causing their instant destruction. I heard someone say, ‘We knew that the judgments of God were coming upon the earth, but we did not know that they would come so soon.’ Others said, ‘You knew? Why then did you not tell us? We did not know.’ On every side I heard such words spoken. Soon grievous troubles will arise among the nations—trouble that will not cease until Jesus comes. As never before we need to press together, serving Him who has prepared His throne in the heavens and Whose kingdom ruleth over all. God has not forsaken His people, and our strength lies in not forsaking Him. The judgments of God are in the land. The wars and rumors of wars, the destruction by fire and flood, say clearly that the time of trouble, which is to increase until the end, is very near at hand. We have no time to lose. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecies of the eleventh of Daniel have almost reached their final fulfillment.” Maranatha, 25.

“Famines and Earthquakes and Pestilences”

6 What further calamities are signs of Christ’s coming? Matthew 24:7, last part.

NOTE: “Christ is coming soon. He declared that when there would be wars and rumors of wars, when there would be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places, we might know that the time of His second appearing is near. ‘When these things begin to come to pass,’ He declared, ‘then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.’ Christ represented this time by the parable of the fig tree. ‘Behold the fig tree,’ He said, ‘and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.’ The wickedness, the turmoil, the disturbances on every side, should be regarded by us as signs that the day of God is at hand. We are standing on the verge of the eternal world. We have no time to lose. It is high time to tell the people that Christ is coming. Let us warn them, visiting them at their homes, and talking and praying with them personally. By such efforts we shall win souls to Christ. If we come to God in faith, He will give us power and grace for every duty.” Peter’s Counsel to Parents, 33.

“Already the restraining Spirit of God is being withdrawn from the earth. Hurricanes, storms, tempests, fire and flood, disasters by sea and land, follow each other in quick succession. Science seeks to explain all these. The signs thickening around us, telling of the near approach of the Son of God, are attributed to any other than the true cause. Men cannot discern the sentinel angels restraining the four winds that they may not blow until the servants of God are sealed; but when God shall bid his angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of His avenging wrath as no pen can picture.” The Review and Herald, January 11, 1887.

7 What restraining work was seen by John and what was its purpose? Revelation 7:1–3.

NOTE: “John sees the elements of nature—earthquake, tempest, and political strife—represented as being held by four angels. These winds are under control until God gives the word to let them go. There is the safety of God’s church. The angels of God do His bid-ding, holding back the winds of the earth, that the winds should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree, until the servants of God should be sealed in their foreheads.…Angels are now restraining the winds of strife, until the world shall be warned of its coming doom; but a storm is gathering, ready to burst upon the earth, and when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will
be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture.” Maranatha, 266. (See also Early Writings, 58.)

“Wars and Rumors of Wars”

8 How did Jesus tell His followers to react to political developments? Matthew 24:6, 7, first part.

NOTE: “The coming of the Lord is nearer than when we first believed. The Great Controversy is nearing its end. Every report of calamity by sea or land is a testimony to the fact that the end of all things is at hand. Wars and rumors of wars declare it. Is there a Christian whose pulse does not beat with quickened action as he anticipates the great events opening before us? The Lord is coming. We hear the footsteps of an approaching God, as He comes to punish the world for its iniquity. We are to prepare the way for Him by acting our part in getting a people ready for that great day.” Review and Herald, November 12, 1914. (See also Evangelism, 240, 241.)

9 What final alliance will take place among the nations and whom will they combine against? Revelation 16:13–16.

NOTE: “The battle of Armageddon is soon to be fought. He on Whose vesture is written the name, King of kings and Lord of lords, leads forth the armies of heaven on white horses, clothed in fine linen, clean and white. Every form of evil is to spring into intense activity. Evil angels unite their powers with evil men, and as they have been in constant conflict and attained an experience in the best modes of deception and battle, and have been strengthening for centuries, they will not yield the last great final contest without a desperate struggle. All the world will be on one side or the other of the question.…On one side stands the Creator of heaven and earth. All on His side bear His signet. They are obedient to His commands. On the other side stands the prince of darkness, with those who have chosen apostasy and rebellion.” SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 982, 983.

“And Then Shall the End Come”

10 What work is to be accomplished before the end comes? Matthew 24:14.

NOTE: “Long has God waited for the spirit of service to take possession of the whole church so that everyone shall be working for Him according to his ability. When the members of the church of God do their appointed work in the needy fields at home and abroad, in fulfillment of the gospel commission, the whole world will soon be warned and the Lord Jesus will return to this earth
with power and great glory.” Acts of the Apostles, 111. (See also The Desire of Ages, 633, 634.)

11 What preparation is necessary before God’s people can complete their work? Ephesians 5:25–27. Compare Hebrews 10:22–25, 1 Corinthians 1:7, 8.

NOTE: “He [Paul] reminded them of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which they had received, and showed that it was their privilege to make continual advancement in the Christian life until they should attain to the purity and holiness of Christ.” Acts of the Apostles, 301. (See also Ibid., 600.)

“Take Heed That No Man Deceive You”

12. What repeated warning did Christ give to His people? Matthew 24:4, 11, 23–26. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

NOTE: “Said Paul: ‘There’ shall ‘come a falling away…and that man of sin be revealed.’ 2 Thessalonians 2:3. So apostasy in the church will prepare the way for the image to the beast. Satan will work with all power and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.’ (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10.) His working is plainly revealed by the rapidly increasing darkness, the multitudinous errors, heresies, and delusions of these last days. Not only is Satan leading the world captive, but his deceptions are leavening the professed churches of our Lord Jesus Christ. The great apostasy will develop into darkness deep as midnight. To God’s people it will be a night of trial, a night of weeping, a night of persecution for the truth’s sake. But out of that night of darkness God’s light will shine.” Maranatha, 165.

13 What defenses do God’s people have against the prevailing deceptions? Matthew 24:26. Compare Ephesians 4:13, 14.

NOTE: “Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures, and who have received the love of the truth, will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive. The Saviour has warned His people…and has clearly foretold the manner of His Second Coming. ‘There shall arise false Christs.…Wherefore if they shall say unto you, ‘Behold, He is in the desert;’ go not forth: ‘behold, He is in the secret chambers;’ believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.’ Matthew 24:24–27. This coming, there is no possibility of counterfeiting. It will be universally known—witnessed by the whole world. Are the people of God now so firmly established upon His Word that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling to the Bible, and the Bible only?” The Faith I Live By, 346.

Bible Study Guides – “The Hour of His Judgment”

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May 7-13, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12.

STUDY HELP: The Great Controversy, 423–425.

INTRODUCTION: “Says the prophet: ‘Who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.’ Malachi 3:2, 3. Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented in the messages of Revelation 14. When this work shall have been accomplished, the followers of Christ will be ready for His appearing.” The Great Controversy, 425.

“The Judgment Was Set and the Books Were Opened”

1 What vision was Daniel given of the judgment? Daniel 7:9, 10.

NOTE: “Thus was presented to the prophet’s vision the great and solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should pass in review before the Judge of all the earth, and to every man should be rendered ‘according to his works.’ The Ancient of days is God the Father.…It is He, the Source of all being, and the Fountain of all law, that is to preside in the judgment. And holy angels, as ministers and witnesses, in number ‘ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands’ (Revelation 5:11,) attend this great tribunal.” The Faith I Live By, 209.

2 What are the books by which we are to be judged? James 2:10–12; Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14; Revelation 20:12; Malachi 3:16.

NOTE: “The books are opened—the book of life and the book of death. The book of life contains the good deeds of the saints; and the book of death contains the evil deeds of the wicked. These books are compared with the statute book, the Bible, and according to that men are judged.” Early Writings, 52. (See also, The Faith I Live By, 210.)

“And Behold I Come Quickly”

3 How are we shown that the decisions of the judgment are made before Christ returns? Revelation 22:11, 12.

NOTE: See Christ’s Object Lessons, 310.

4 What warning are God’s people called to give the world as they preach the everlasting Gospel? Revelation 14:6, 7.

NOTE: “The judgment is now passing in the sanctuary above. For many years this work has been in progress. Soon—none know how soon—it will pass to the cases of the living. In the awful presence of God our lives are to come up in review. At this time above all others it behooves every soul to heed the Saviour’s admonition, ‘Watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.’ Mark 13:33. ‘If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.’ Revelation 3:3.” The Faith I Live By, 211.

“One Like the Son of Man”

5 Who did Daniel see appearing before the throne of God in the judgment? Daniel 7:13.

NOTE: “Attended by a cloud of heavenly angels, our great High Priest enters the Holy of Holies, and there appears in the presence of God to engage in the last acts of His ministration in behalf of man—to perform the work of investigative judgment, and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 307, 308.

6 How does Paul express the confidence that we may have in the intercession of Jesus on our behalf? Hebrews 4:15, 16.

NOTE: “Jesus does not excuse their sins, but shows their penitence and faith, and, claiming for them forgiveness, He lifts His wounded hands before the Father and the holy angels, saying, ‘I know them by name. I have graven them on the palms of My hands.’ ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.’ [Psalm 51:17.] And to the accuser of His people He declares, ‘The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee. Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?’ [Zechariah 3:2.] Christ will place His own signet upon His faithful ones, that He may present them to His Father ‘a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.’ Their names stand enrolled in the book of life, and concerning them it is written, ‘They shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.’” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 310.

“I Will Not Blot Out His Name”

7 What work is required of us if our sins are to be blotted out of the books of record? Acts 3:19.

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.…but he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall have mercy. 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.” The Faith I Live By, 127. (See also The Great Controversy, 483.)

8 What must the grace of God achieve in our lives in order for our names to remain in the Book of Life? Revelation 3:5.

NOTE: “The expression, ‘He that overcometh,’ indicates that there is something for every one of us to overcome. The overcomer is to be clothed in the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness, and of him it is written: ‘I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.’ O, what a privilege it is to be an overcomer, and to have our names presented before the Father by the Saviour Himself!” Sons and Daughters of God, 369. (See also Historical Sketches, 181.)

“His Bride Hath Made Herself Ready”

9 What triumphant proclamation in heaven will announce the end of the judgment? Revelation 19:6–8.

NOTE: “If we knew that in just one year from now, the Lord would come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, what a feeling of solemnity would rest upon us! How earnestly we should strive to prepare for His coming, that, clothed in the wedding garment, we might go in unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Counsels to Writers and Editors, 109.

“And you that have not sanctified your souls by obeying the truth, do you expect that Christ at His appearing will make you ready? There will then be no atoning blood to wash away the stains of sins. It is while it is called today that you may, if you will, hear His voice, and harden not your heart, as in the day of provocation. It is today that the Spirit of God invites. It is today that the sweet voice of mercy is falling upon your ears. It is today that the heavenly invitation comes to you. It is today that in Heaven everything says, ‘Come.’ And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely.” The Review and Herald, August 17, 1869.

10 How does Paul describe that readiness? Ephesians 5:25–27.

NOTE: “Do you want to find Jesus? He is at the feast. You may find Him here. He has come up to the feast. There are men and women that have brought Him with them; and now we want you to press through, and touch the hem of His garment, that you may receive of the virtue that is found in Him, and triumph in the God of your salvation. The waters of the fountain are freely opened for you; and will you drink? Will you come? Will you obey the gracious invitation? Come, for all things are now ready. Whosoever will, let him come and partake of the waters of life freely.…We make appeals to you, in the name of our Master, to get ready. We make appeals to you to rid yourselves of the pride of the world, the pride, and vanity, and folly, of life. Jesus loves you. Jesus pities you. The angelic host He sends to minister unto you. And now, while all Heaven is interested for you, will you be interested for yourselves? Will you begin to seek God earnestly for your own salvation? Will you work it out with fear and trembling? Will you be careful how you step before God? Will you have the approbation of Him whose arm moves the universe?” The Review and Herald, August 17, 1869.

“Let Him be Holy Still”

11 What solemn pronouncement will mark the close of the judgment? Revelation 22:11.

NOTE: “Jesus is in His holy temple, and will now accept our sacrifices, our prayers, and our confessions of faults and sins, and will pardon all the transgressions of Israel, that they may be blotted out before He leaves the sanctuary. When Jesus leaves the sanctuary, then they who are holy and righteous, will be holy and righteous still; for all their sins will then be blotted out, and they will be sealed with the seal of the living God. But those that are unjust and filthy, will be unjust and filthy still; for then there will be no priest in the sanctuary to offer their sacrifices, their confessions, and their prayers before the Father’s throne. Therefore what is done to rescue souls from the coming storm of wrath, must be done before Jesus leaves the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary.” Early Writings, 48.

12 How does Paul emphasize the need for us to make our decision for Christ today? 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2.

NOTE: “We believe without a doubt that Christ is soon coming. This is not a fable to us; it is a reality. We have no doubt, neither have we had a doubt for years, that the doctrines we hold today are present truth, and that we are nearing the judgment. We are preparing to meet Him who, escorted by a retinue of holy angels, is to appear in the clouds of heaven to give the faithful and the just the finishing touch of immortality. When He comes, He is not to cleanse us of our sins, to remove from us the defects in our characters, or to cure us of the infirmities of our tempers and dispositions. If wrought for us at all, this work will all be accomplished before that time. When the Lord comes, those who are holy will be holy still. Those who have preserved their bodies and spirits in holiness, in sanctification and honor, will then receive the finishing touch of immortality. But those who are unjust, unsanctified, and filthy will remain so forever. No work will then be done for them to remove their defects and give them holy characters. The Refiner does not then sit to pursue His refining process and remove their sins and their corruption. This is all to be done in these hours of probation. It is now that this work is to be accomplished for us.” Maranatha, 221.

13 How does the Bible picture the distress of those who put off the decision too long? Jeremiah 8:20.

NOTE: “O, that we would remember that it is court week with us, and that our cases are pending! Now is the time to watch and pray, to put away all self–indulgence, all pride, all selfishness. The precious moments that are now by many worse than wasted should be spent in meditation and prayer. Many of those who profess to be keeping the commandments of God are following inclination instead of duty. As they are now, they are unworthy of eternal life. To these careless, indifferent ones, I would say, ‘Your vain thoughts, your unkind words, your selfish acts, are recorded in the book of heaven. The angels that were present at Belshazzar’s idolatrous revelry stand beside you as you dishonor your Redeemer. Sadly they turn away, grieved that you should thus crucify Him afresh, and put Him to open shame.’” Maranatha, 39. (See also See The Great Controversy, 490.)

Bible Study Guides – “He Shall Appear the Second Time without Sin unto Salvation”

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April 30 – May 6, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Hebrews 9:28.

STUDY HELP: Christ’s Object Lessons, pages 155–163.

INTRODUCTION: “We are looking for the Second Coming of Christ. Our hope of His soon appearing in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory fills our hearts with joy. When the Saviour comes, those who are prepared to meet Him will exclaim, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation’ (Isaiah 25:9.)” Sermons and Talks Vol. 2, 179.

“The End of Your Faith”

1 What is the aim or purpose of the Christian’s life of faith? 1 Peter 1:8, 9.

NOTE: “Only those who practice holiness in this life will see the King in His beauty. Put away all vain, trifling talk, and everything of a frivolous and sensational nature. Do not engross your mind with thoughts of worldly entertainments and pleasures. Engage in the work of saving your soul.…You may use every moment of this God–given life to His name’s glory. Strengthen yourself to resist the powers of darkness, that they shall not obtain a victory over you.” Sermons and Talks Vol. 2, 176. (See also Acts of the Apostles, 387.)

2 When will our salvation be revealed? 1 Peter 1:5.

NOTE: “We must begin in earnest to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. There are many who give no decided evidence that they are true to their baptismal vows. Their zeal is chilled by formality, worldly ambition, pride, and love of self. Occasionally their feelings are stirred, but they do not fall on the Rock, Christ Jesus. They do not come to God with hearts that are broken in repentance and confession. Those who experience the work of true conversion in their hearts, will reveal the fruits of the Spirit in their lives.” Educational Messenger, September 4, 1908.

“Blessed Are They”

3 How does the Lord Himself describe those who will have the right to enter the City of God? Revelation 22:14.

NOTE: “None who have had the light of truth will enter the city of God as commandment–breakers. His law lies at the foundation of His government in earth and in heaven. If they have knowingly trampled upon and despised His law on the earth, they will not be taken to heaven to do the same work there; there is no change of character when Christ comes. The character building is to go on during the hours of probation. Day by day their actions are registered in the books of heaven, and they will, in the great day of God, be rewarded as their works have been. It will then be seen who receives the blessing.” Faith and Works, 43.

4 What heavenly proclamation is made concerning God’s people prior to the Second Coming of Jesus? Revelation 14:12.

NOTE: See The Great Controversy, 435.

“The Hope of Salvation”

5 What preparation should the Christian make to prepare for the Second Coming of Christ? 1 Thessalonians 5:8–9.

NOTE: “…It is the duty of every servant of God to withstand firmly and decidedly these perverters of the faith and by the word of truth fearlessly to expose their errors.” Acts of the Apostles, 387.

6 What counsel did Christ give to one who sought to receive eternal life? Matthew 19:16, 17.

NOTE: See The Desire of Ages, 518, 520.

“The Faith of Jesus”

7 How may we be kept from sin until the time when our salvation shall be revealed? 1 Peter 1:5.

NOTE: See Acts of the Apostles, 530.

8 Does the faith of Jesus free us from obedience to God’s Law? Romans 3:31.

NOTE: “There are two errors against which the children of God—particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace—especially need to guard. The first.…is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility.…It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy. The opposite, and no less dangerous, error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption. But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth.…Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience. As Jesus was in human nature, so God means His followers to be. In His strength we are to live the life of purity and nobility which the Saviour lived.” The Faith I Live By, 93.

“We Deceive Ourselves”

9 What solemn warning does John give to those who claim to have been saved from their sins? 1 John 1:8.

NOTE: “Those who accept Christ, and in their first confidence say, ‘I am saved,’ are in danger of trusting to themselves. They lose sight of their own weakness and their constant need of divine strength. They are unprepared for Satan’s devices, and under temptation many, like Peter, fall into the very depths of sin. We are admonished, ‘Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.’ 1 Corinthians 10:12. Our only safety is in constant distrust of self, and dependence on Christ.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 155. (See also Faith and Works, 121.)

10 What counsel is given to those who think that they are in no danger of falling into sin? 1 Corinthians 10:12.

NOTE: “We are never to rest in a satisfied condition, and cease to make advancement, saying, ‘I am saved.’ When this idea is entertained, the motives for watchfulness, for prayer, for earnest endeavor to press onward to higher attainments, cease to exist. No sanctified tongue will be found uttering these words till Christ shall come, and we enter in through the gates into the city of God. Then, with the utmost propriety, we may give glory to God and to the Lamb for eternal deliverance.” Maranatha, 236.

“We Will be Glad and Rejoice”

11 When will the people of God know that their salvation has arrived? Isaiah 25:8, 9.

NOTE: “As we behold Christ we shall be changed into His image and made fit to meet Him at His coming. Now is the time to prepare for the coming of our Lord. Readiness to meet Him cannot be attained in a moment’s time. Preparatory to that solemn scene there must be vigilant waiting combined with earnest work. The union of these two makes us complete in Christ. The active and devotional must be combined as were the human and divine in Christ. So God’s children glorify Him. Amid the busy scenes of life their voices will be heard speaking words of encouragement, hope, and faith. The will and the affections will be consecrated to Christ. Thus they prepare to meet their Lord; and when He comes, they will say, with joy: ‘This is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.’” In Heavenly Places, 250.

12 As we see the signs of Christ’s soon coming, what should be the reaction of God’s people? Luke 21:28, Romans 13:11.

NOTE: “There is great need that our weakening faith should be quickened, and that we should ever keep before the mind the evidences that our Lord is soon coming, that we may ever be found not only waiting, but watching and working. We are not to be found in idle expectancy; for this leads to carelessness of life, and deficiency of character.” Review and Herald, November 22, 1892.

“This knowledge of the nearness of Christ’s coming should not be allowed to lose its force, and we become careless and inattentive, and fall into slumber—into an insensibility and indifference to realities. In slumber we are in an unreal world, and not sensible of the things which are taking place around us. Dangers very great may threaten, but there is no sign that they are appreciated. This spiritual sleep is to be avoided. The exhortation is given by the apostle, ‘The night is far spent, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore put off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.’” Youth’s Instructor, August 25, 1886.

Bible Study Guides – “What Manner of Persons Ought Ye to Be?”

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June 18-24, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, ‘Be ye holy; for I am holy.’ ” 1 Peter 1:15, 16.

STUDY HELP: Last Day Events, 63–93.

INTRODUCTION: “Enoch was a representative of those who will be upon the earth when Christ shall come, who will be translated to heaven without seeing death. Enoch had temptations as well as we. He was surrounded with society no more friendly to righteousness than is that which surrounds us. The atmosphere he breathed was tainted with sin and corruption the same as ours, yet he lived a life of holiness. He was unsullied with the prevailing sins of the age in which he lived. So may we remain pure and uncorrupted.” Last Day Events, 71, 72.

“Sheep and Goats”

1 What stories did Christ tell to show that mankind will be divided into two groups when He comes? Matthew 25:31, 32. (Read the whole chapter.)

NOTE: See Christ’s Object Lessons, 283.

2 What will be Christ’s words to many who claimed to be His followers? Matthew 7:21–23.

NOTE: “There are persons who believe that they are right, when they are wrong. While claiming Christ as their Lord, and professedly doing great works in His name, they are workers of iniquity. ‘With their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.’ He who declares God’s word is to them ‘as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear Thy words, but they do them not.’ Ezekiel 33:31, 32. A mere profession of discipleship is of no value. The faith in Christ which saves the soul is not what it is represented to be by many. ‘Believe, believe,’ they say, ‘and you need not keep the law.’ But a belief that does not lead to obedience is presumption. The apostle John says, ‘He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.’ 1 John 2:4. Let none cherish the idea that special providences or miraculous manifestations are to be the proof of the genuineness of their work or of the ideas they advocate.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 146.

“Cares of This Life”

3 Against what snares did Christ warn us? Luke 21:34.

NOTE: See Great Controversy, 625, 626.

4 How did Paul amplify Christ’s warning? 1 Thessalonians 5:1–6.

NOTE: See Desire of Ages, 635.

“For a Witness”

5 Before the end comes, what work must be witnessed by all nations? Matthew 24:14.

NOTE: “‘When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.’ Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 69.

6 How does Paul describe the way the faithful servant of Christ may reveal the truth of the Gospel? Titus 2:10, last part.

NOTE: “The Lord knows the thoughts and purposes of man, and how easily He can melt us! How His Spirit, like a fire, can subdue the flinty heart! How He can fill the soul with love and tenderness! How He can give us the graces of His Holy Spirit, and fit us to go in and out, in laboring for souls! The power of overcoming grace should be felt throughout the church today; and it may be felt, if we take heed to the counsels of Christ to His followers. As we learn to adorn the doctrine of Christ our Saviour we shall surely see of the salvation of God.” Counsels on Stewardship, 189.

“Blessed is That Servant”

7 How does Jesus describe the faithful servant? Matthew 24:45–47.

NOTE: “It is the faithfulness, the loyalty to God, the loving service, that wins the divine approval. Every impulse of the Holy Spirit leading men to goodness and to God, is noted in the books of heaven, and in the day of God the workers through whom He has wrought will be commended.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 361.

8 What principle will apply in the judgment? Luke 12:47, 48.

NOTE: “God gives to every one sufficient light and grace to do the work He has given him to do. If man fails to do that which a little light shows to be his duty, greater light would only reveal unfaith-fulness, neglect to improve the blessings given. ‘He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.’” Christ’s Object Lessons, 265, 266.

“Be Ye Also Ready”

9 What example may we learn from the people of Capernaum? Luke 8:40.

NOTE: See Great Controversy, 425.

10 How may we be victorious in the battle with temptation? James 4:7.

NOTE: ‘Prayer and faith are closely allied, and they need to be studied together.…Christ says, ‘What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.’ Mark 11:24. He makes it plain that our asking must be according to God’s will; we must ask for the things that He has promised, and whatever we receive must be used in doing His will. The conditions met, the promise is unequivocal. For the pardon of sin, for the Holy Spirit, for a Christlike temper, for wisdom and strength to do His work, for any gift He has promised, we may ask; then we are to believe that we receive, and return thanks to God that we have received. We need look for no outward evidence of the blessing. The gift is in the promise, and we may go about our work assured that what God has promised He is able to perform, and that the gift, which we already possess, will be realized when we need it most.” Education, 257, 258.

“Enter Thou into the Joy of Thy Lord”

11 What words will be spoken by those who have patiently waited for Jesus? Isaiah 25:9.

NOTE: “Remembering the tender mercies of the Lord, we should cast our care upon Him, and with patience wait for His salvation. Through conflict the spiritual life is strengthened. Trials well borne will develop steadfastness of character and precious spiritual graces. The perfect fruit of faith, meekness, and love often matures best amid storm clouds and darkness. ‘The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.’ James 5:7. So the Christian is to wait with patience for the fruition in his life of the word of God. Often when we pray for the graces of the Spirit, God works to answer our prayers by placing us in circumstances to develop these fruits.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 61.

12 With what words will Christ greet His faithful servants? Matthew 25:21.

NOTE: “With unutterable love, Jesus welcomes His faithful ones to the joy of their Lord. The Saviour’s joy is in seeing, in the kingdom of glory, the souls that have been saved by His agony and humiliation. And the redeemed will be sharers in His joy, as they behold, among the blessed, those who have been won to Christ through their prayers, their labors, and their loving sacrifice. As they gather about the great white throne, gladness unspeakable will fill their hearts, when they behold those whom they have won for Christ, and see that one has gained others, and these still others, all brought into the haven of rest, there to lay their crowns at Jesus’ feet and praise Him through the endless cycles of eternity.” Maranatha, 315.

Bible Study Guides – “They Lived and Reigned With Christ a Thousand Years”

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June 11-17, 2000

MEMORY VERSE: “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3.

STUDY HELP: Great Controversy, 653–661.

INTRODUCTION: “After the saints are changed to immortality and caught up together with Jesus, after they receive their harps, their robes, and their crowns, and enter the city, Jesus and the saints sit in judgment. The books are opened—the book of life and the book of death. The book of life contains the good deeds of the saints; and the book of death contains the evil deeds of the wicked. These books are compared with the statute book, the Bible, and according to that men are judged. The saints, in unison with Jesus, pass their judgment upon the wicked dead. ‘Behold ye,’ said the angel, ‘the saints, in unison with Jesus, sit in judgment, and mete out to the wicked according to the deeds done in the body, and that which they must receive at the execution of the judgment is set off against their names.’ This, I saw, was the work of the saints with Jesus through the one thousand years in the Holy City before it descends to the earth.” Early Writings, 52, 53.

“The Rest of the Dead”

1 What are we told about those who are not raised at Christ’s Second Coming? Revelation 20:5, first part.

2 What will happen to those wicked people who are alive when Christ comes? 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8. Compare Hebrews 10:27; Hebrews 12:29; 2 Peter 3:7.

NOTE: “At the Second Advent of Christ the wicked shall be consumed ‘with the Spirit of His mouth,’ and destroyed ‘with the brightness of His coming.’ 2 Thessalonians 2:8. The light of the glory of God, which imparts life to the righteous, will slay the wicked.” Desire of Ages, 107.

“They Lived and Reigned With Christ”

3 What are we told about the people of God during the thousand years following Christ’s Second Coming? Revelation 20:6.

4 What work will they engage in during that time? Revelation 20:4. Compare 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3.

NOTE: “During the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection the judgment of the wicked takes place.…At this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto God. John in the Revelation says: ‘I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.’ ‘They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.’ Revelation 20:4, 6. It is at this time that, as foretold by Paul, ‘the saints shall judge the world.’ 1 Corinthians 6:2. In union with Christ they judge the wicked, comparing their acts with the statute book, the Bible, and deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body. Then the portion which the wicked must suffer is meted out, according to their works; and it is recorded against their names in the book of death.” Maranatha, 335.

“Bound Him a Thousand Years”

5 What will happen to Satan during the thousand years? Revelation 20:1, 2.

NOTE: See Great Controversy, 658, 659.

6 How does this experience of Satan fulfill the symbolism of the sanctuary? Leviticus 16:20–22.

NOTE: The word translated ‘scapegoat’ (Leviticus 16:8) literally means ‘the goat for Azazel.’ Azazel is a name of the devil. (See also Great Controversy, 658.)

“For a thousand years, Satan will wander to and fro in the desolate earth to behold the results of his rebellion against the law of God. During this time his sufferings are intense. Since his fall his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection; but he is now deprived of his power and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since first he rebelled against the government of heaven, and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done and be punished for the sins that he has caused to be committed.” Great Controversy, 660.

“Coming Down From God Out of Heaven”

7 How is the return of Christ to the earth at the end of the thousand years described? Zechariah 14:3, 4.

NOTE: “At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed and attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific majesty He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom. They come forth, a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the sea. What a contrast to those who were raised at the first resurrection! The righteous were clothed with immortal youth and beauty. The wicked bear the traces of disease and death. Every eye in that vast multitude is turned to behold the glory of the Son of God. With one voice the wicked hosts exclaim: ‘Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!’ It is not love to Jesus that inspires this utterance. The force of truth urges the words from unwilling lips. As the wicked went into their graves, so they come forth with the same enmity to Christ and the same spirit of rebellion. They are to have no new probation in which to remedy the defects of their past lives.” Great Controversy, 662.

8 How is the return to the earth of God’s people described? Revelation 21:2, 10.

NOTE: See Great Controversy, 663.

“Satan Shall Be Loosed”

9 When will Satan be free to take up again his work of deception? Revelation 20:7. Compare Revelation 20:5.

NOTE: “At the close of the thousand years the second resurrection will take place. Then the wicked will be raised from the dead and appear before God for the execution of ‘the judgment written.’” Great Controversy, 661.

10 What will Satan then set out to do? Revelation 20:8, 9.

NOTE: “Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy. While deprived of his power and cut off from his work of deception, the prince of evil was miserable and dejected; but as the wicked dead are raised and he sees the vast multitudes upon his side, his hopes revive, and he determines not to yield the great controversy. He will marshal all the armies of the lost under his banner and through them endeavor to execute his plans. The wicked are Satan’s captives. In rejecting Christ they have accepted the rule of the rebel leader. They are ready to receive his suggestions and to do his bidding. Yet, true to his early cunning, he does not acknowledge himself to be Satan. He claims to be the prince who is the rightful owner of the world and whose inheritance has been unlawfully wrested from him. He represents himself to his deluded subjects as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has brought them forth from their graves and that he is about to rescue them from the most cruel tyranny. The presence of Christ having been removed, Satan works wonders to support his claims. He makes the weak strong and inspires all with his own spirit and energy. He proposes to lead them against the camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God. With fiendish exultation he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his throne and his kingdom.” Maranatha, 337.

“The Great White Throne”

11 How is the judgment of the wicked described? Revelation 20:11–13.

NOTE: “As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart—all appear as if written in letters of fire.” Great Controversy, 666.

12 What will be the fate of the wicked? Revelation 20:15; Revelation 21:8; Malachi 4:1.

NOTE: ‘Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein are burned up. Malachi 4:1; 2 Peter 3:10. The earth’s surface seems one molten mass—a vast, seething lake of fire. It is the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly men—‘the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.’ Isaiah 34:8. …Some are destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All are punished ‘according to their deeds.’ The sins of the righteous having been transferred to Satan, he is made to suffer not only for his own rebellion, but for all the sins which he has caused God’s people to commit. His punishment is to be far greater than that of those whom he has deceived. After all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to live and suffer on. In the cleansing flames the wicked are at last destroyed, root and branch—Satan the root, his followers the branches.” Great Controversy, 672, 673.

“A New Heaven and a New Earth”

13 After the destruction of the wicked, what will the Lord do next? Revelation 21:1–5.

NOTE: “The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin. One reminder alone remains: Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought.” Great Controversy, 674.

14 How is this new earth described? 1 Corinthians 2:9; Isaiah 65:17–25.

NOTE: “In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called “a country.” Hebrews 11:14-16. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord. There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On these peaceful plains, beside those living streams, God’s people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home.” Great Controversy, 675.