Bible Study Guides

Bible Study Guides – Signs of the Nearness of Christ’s Coming

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August 19, 2007 – August 25, 2007

Key Text

“So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” Luke 21:31.

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 1, 268-270.

Introduction

“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.” Review and Herald, November 22, 1906.

1 What sign was to appear in the stars? Matthew 24:29.

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.’ ‘Its sublimity and awful beauty still linger in many minds. . . . Never did rain fall much thicker than the meteors fell toward the earth; east, west, north, and south, it was the same. In a word, the whole heavens seemed in motion. . . . The display, as described in Professor Silliman’s Journal, was seen all over North America. . . . From two o’clock until broad daylight, the sky being perfectly serene and cloudless, an incessant play of dazzlingly brilliant luminosities was kept up in the whole heavens.’ R. M. Devens, American Progress; or, The Great Events of the Greatest Century, ch. 28, pars. 1-5.

“ ‘No language, indeed, can come up to the splendor of that magnificent display; . . . no one who did not witness it can form an adequate conception of its glory. It seemed as if the whole starry heavens had congregated at one point near the zenith, and were simultaneously shooting forth, with the velocity of lightning, to every part of the horizon; and yet they were not exhausted thousands swiftly followed in the tracks of thousands, as if created for the occasion.’ F. Reed, in the Christian Advocate and Journal, Dec. 13, 1833. ‘A more correct picture of a fig tree casting its figs when blown by a mighty wind, it was not possible to behold.’ _The Old Countryman,’ in Portland Evening Advertiser, November 26, 1833.” The Great Controversy, 333, 334.

2 What is said of the manner of their fall? Revelation 6:13. Was it the real planetary stars that fell?

note: “In 1833, two years after [William] Miller began to present in public the evidences of Christ’s soon coming, the last of the signs appeared which were promised by the Saviour as tokens of His second advent. Said Jesus: ‘The stars shall fall from heaven.’ Matthew 24:29. And John in the Revelation declared, as he beheld in vision the scenes that should herald the day of God: ‘The stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.’ Revelation 6:13.” The Great Controversy, 333.

“This language of the prophet (Revelation 6:13) has always been received as metaphorical. Yesterday it was literally fulfilled. The ancients understood by aster in Greek and stella in Latin the smaller lights of heaven. The refinement of modern astronomy has made the distinction between stars of heaven and meteors of heaven. Therefore, the idea of the prophet as it is expressed in the original Greek, was literally fulfilled in the phenomena of yesterday.” Henry Dana Ward, in Journal of Commerce, November 15, 1833.

3 In what marked way was this prophecy fulfilled?

note: There is a record of not less than 16 star showers between a.d. 902 and 1868. None of those previous to 1780 could be the one referred to by the Saviour. . . . The skeptic may ask, “How can you know which of these [star showers] is the fulfillment of the prophecy?” This is easily determined by reading Revelation 6:13. It is the one in which the stars fall as untimely figs. This was true only of the one in 1833. The astronomers speak of the shower of 1833 as the most important one that has yet been seen.

“November 13, 1833, there was the most wonderful display of falling stars ever beheld by men. Again thousands believed that the day of judgment had come.” The Story of Jesus, 176.

4 What signs were to follow the falling of the stars? Luke 21:25, 26.

note: “Since that time earthquakes, tempests, tidal waves, pestilence, famine, and destructions by fire and flood, have multiplied. All these, and ‘distress of nations, with perplexity,’ [Luke 21:25] declare that the Lord’s coming is near.” The Story of Jesus, 176.

“The Saviour declared that before his second coming, there would be wars and rumors of wars, and earthquakes in divers places. The reports that reached us of the terrible earthquakes in Italy and Sicily tell of another fulfilment of the signs of the end. These calamities are becoming more and more frequent, and each report of calamity by land or sea is a testimony to the fact that the end of all things is near. The world is filled with iniquity, and the Lord is punishing it for its wickedness. As crimes and iniquities increase, these judgments will become more frequent, until the time shall come when the earth shall no more cover her slain.” Review and Herald, November 17, 1910.

“In accidents and calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in fierce tornadoes and terrific hailstorms, in tempests, floods, cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will be upon both man and beast. ‘The earth mourneth and fadeth away’; ‘The haughty people . . . do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.’ Isaiah 24:4, 5.” Counsels on Health, 461.

“Strange and eventful history is being recorded in the books of heaven events which it was declared should shortly precede the great day of God. Everything in the world is in an unsettled state.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 3, 313.

5 Have the nations of the earth been particularly distressed since 1833?

note: “We are living in the very last days of this earth’s history. The terrible calamities that have recently visited our country show that the judgments of the Lord are falling on the world. The destruction of these cities is a warning to us to prepare for what is coming upon the earth. In the future there will be broken thrones and great distress of nations, with perplexity. Satan will work with intense activity. The earth will be filled with the shrieks of suffering, expiring nations. There will be war, war. The places of the earth will be in confusion, as from its bowels pours forth its burning contents, to destroy the inhabitants of the world who, in their wickedness, resemble the inhabitants of the antediluvian world.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 18, 92.

6 What effect do all these things have upon the people? Luke 21:26.

note: “The present is a time of overwhelming interest to all living. Rulers and statesmen, men who occupy positions of trust and authority, thinking men and women of all classes, have their attention fixed upon the events taking place about us. They are watching the relations that exist among the nations. They observe the intensity that is taking possession of every earthly element, and they recognize that something great and decisive is about to take place that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis.

“The Bible, and the Bible only, gives a correct view of these things. Here are revealed the great final scenes in the history of our world, events that already are casting their shadows before, the sound of their approach causing the earth to tremble and men’s hearts to fail them for fear.” Prophets and Kings, 537.

7 At this same time, what can be said of the mental improvement of the people? Daniel 12:4.

note: “There are many inventions and improvements, and labor-saving machines now that the ancients did not have.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4A, 155.

“All right inventions and improvements have their source in him who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. The skilful touch of the physician’s hand, his power over nerve and muscle, his knowledge of the delicate mechanism of the body, is the wisdom of divine power to be used in behalf of the suffering. The skill with which the carpenter uses his tools, the strength with which the blacksmith makes the anvil ring, come from God. Whatever we do, wherever we are placed, he desires to control our minds, that we may do perfect work.” Review and Herald, October 3, 1912.

8 Name some of the principal inventions since 1833.

note: Reaper and mower, 1833; telegraph, electrotype, and phonography, 1837; photography, 1839; electric light and sewing machine, 1846; submarine cable, 1851; washing machine, 1858; bicycle, 1861; typewriter, 1867; telephone, 1876; phonograph, 1877; cash register, 1884; dishwasher, 1886; escalator, 1891; safety razor and vacuum cleaner, 1901; airplane, 1903; tractor, 1904; Model T automobile, 1908; talking motion picture, 1910; photocopier, 1937; color television, 1940; computer, 1942; handheld calculator, 1967; videocassette recorder, 1971; cellular phones, 1979; World Wide Web, 1990.

“Christ never flattered men; he never spoke that which would exalt their fancies and imaginations, or praised them for their clever inventions. But those who were deep, unprejudiced thinkers received his words, and found that it put their wisdom to the stretch to comprehend the spiritual truths which he revealed in the simplest language.” Sabbath School Worker, January 1, 1895.

9 What are we to know when we see all these things? Luke 21:31; Matthew 24:33.

note: “The Bible declares that in the last days men will be absorbed in worldly pursuits, in pleasure and money-getting. They will be blind to eternal realities. . . .

“So it is today. Men are rushing on in the chase for gain and selfish indulgence as if there were no God, no heaven, and no hereafter. In Noah’s day the warning of the flood was sent to startle men in their wickedness and call them to repentance. So the message of Christ’s soon coming is designed to arouse men from their absorption in worldly things. It is intended to awaken them to a sense of eternal realities, that they may give heed to the invitation to the Lord’s table.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 228.

10 What expression is used that shows the coming of the Lord very near? Luke 21:32.

note: “Christ has given signs of His coming. He declares that we may know when He is near, even at the doors. He says of those who see these signs, ‘This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.’ [Matthew 24:34.] These signs have appeared. Now we know of a surety that the Lord’s coming is at hand. ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away,’ He says, ‘but My words shall not pass away.’ [Verse 35.]” The Desire of Ages, 632.

11 Then what may we expect within the present generation? Revelation 6:14; Matthew 24:30.

note: “The end of all things is at hand. The Lord is soon coming. Already His judgments are abroad in our land. We are not only to talk of Christ’s coming, but in every action we are to reveal the fact that He is soon to be manifested in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Have we the wedding garment on? Have we personal piety? Have we cooperated with divine agencies in a wholehearted, unreserved manner, in weaving into our life’s practices the divine principles of God’s holy law? It is one thing to talk the law, and it is another thing entirely to practice it. It is the doers of the law that shall be justified before God; for those who do the law represent the character of God, and lie not against the truth.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 187.

12 What will Christ do when He appears? Matthew 24:31.

note: “The Lion of Judah, so terrible to the rejectors of His grace, will be the Lamb of God to the obedient and faithful. The pillar of fire that speaks terror and wrath to the transgressor of God’s law, is a token of light and mercy and deliverance to those who have kept His commandments. The arm strong to smite the rebellious will be strong to deliver the loyal. Everyone who is faithful will be saved. ‘He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’ [Matthew 24:31.]” Sons and Daughters of God, 358.

Bible Study Guides – Signs of Christ’s Coming Near

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August 12, 2007 – August 18, 2007

Key Text

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 299-316.

Introduction

“Let men beware lest they neglect the lesson conveyed to them in the words of Christ. As He [Jesus] warned His disciples of Jerusalem’s destruction, giving them a sign of the approaching ruin, that they might make their escape; so He has warned the world of the day of final destruction and has given them tokens of its approach, that all who will may flee from the wrath to come.” The Great Controversy, 37.

“In Matthew 24, in answer to the question of His disciples concerning the sign of His coming and of the end of the world, Christ had pointed out some of the most important events in the history of the world and of the church from His first to His second advent; namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, the great tribulation of the church under the pagan and papal persecutions, the darkening of the sun and moon, and the falling of the stars. After this He spoke of His coming in His kingdom, and related the parable describing the two classes of servants who look for His appearing.” Ibid., 393.

1 Where did Jesus say there would be signs? Luke 21:25.

note: “We see and hear of confusion and perplexity, want and famine, earthquakes and floods; terrible outrages will be committed by men; passion, not reason, bears sway. The wrath of God is upon the inhabitants of the world, who are fast becoming as corrupt as were the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Already fire and flood are destroying thousands of lives and the property that has been selfishly accumulated by the oppression of the poor. The Lord is soon to cut short His work and put an end to sin. Oh, that the scenes which have come before me [Ellen White] of the iniquities practiced in these last days, might make a deep impression on the minds of God’s professing people.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 49, 50.

2 What signs did Jesus say would be seen in the sun, moon, and stars? Matthew 24:29.

note: “December 16, 1848, the Lord gave me [Ellen White] a view of the shaking of the powers of the heavens. I saw that when the Lord said ‘heaven,’ in giving the signs recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, He meant heaven, and when He said ‘earth’ He meant earth. The powers of heaven are the sun, moon, and stars. They rule in the heavens. The powers of earth are those that rule on the earth. The powers of heaven will be shaken at the voice of God. Then the sun, moon, and stars will be moved out of their places. They will not pass away, but be shaken by the voice of God.” Early Writings, 41.

3 When did Jesus say the sun would be darkened? Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24.

note: “The Saviour gives signs of His coming, and more than this, He fixes the time when the first of these signs shall appear: [Matthew 24:29-31 quoted].

“At the close of the great papal persecution, Christ declared, the sun should be darkened, and the moon should not give her light.” The Desire of Ages, 631, 632.

4 What is said of the character of this tribulation? Matthew 24:21.

note: “Christ gave His disciples a sign of the ruin to come on Jerusalem, and He told them how to escape: . . .

“From the destruction of Jerusalem, Christ passed on rapidly to the greater event, the last link in the chain of this earth’s history,–the coming of the Son of God in majesty and glory. Between these two events, there lay open to Christ’s view long centuries of darkness, centuries for His church marked with blood and tears and agony. Upon these scenes His disciples could not then endure to look, and Jesus passed them by with a brief mention.” The Desire of Ages, 630, 631.

5 What other great event did Jesus say would precede the darkening of the sun? Revelation 6:12.

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.

“It was in Spain and Portugal that the shock manifested its extreme violence. At Cadiz the inflowing wave was said to be sixty feet high. Mountains, ‘some of the largest in Portugal, were impetuously shaken, as it were, from their very foundations, and some of them opened at their summits, which were split and rent in a wonderful manner, huge masses of them being thrown down into the adjacent valleys. Flames are related to have issued from these mountains.’ ”Sir Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology, page 495.” The Great Controversy, 304.

6 What is connected with the great tribulation that helps us to locate it?

note: There have been a great many tribulations through which God’s people have had to pass. If the Saviour had only spoken of a tribulation, we should have been at a loss to know which one He meant. But He connects with it three specifications that locate it beyond a doubt; first, it is a great tribulation; second, there never was one like it before, nor ever will be another like it again; third, there is a certain time called “days” allotted to it.

7 What persecution of the past will fulfill these specifications? Revelation 11:2-11.

note: There is one persecution, and only one, that meets the demands of the Saviour’s words, and that is found in the papal persecution, from a.d. 538 to 1798. It was great in extent and severity. There never was a time when so many of God’s people sealed their testimony with their blood. About 50 million people suffered martyrdom at the hands of this power. According to other prophecies, it was to have authority over the saints for “time, times, and dividing of times” (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:14); 1260 days (Revelation 12:6); or 42 months (Revelation 13:5), which literally signifies 1260 years.

“[Revelation 11:2-11 quoted.] The periods here mentioned–‘forty and two months,’ and ‘a thousand two hundred and threescore days’–are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in a.d. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798.” The Great Controversy, 266.

8 When would “the days” of the great persecution close?

note: The days began with the subjection of the Ostrogoths in a.d. 538, and, continuing 1260 years, would close a.d. 1798, when the Papacy as a persecutor was overthrown.

“The apostle Paul warned the church not to look for the coming of Christ in his day. ‘That day shall not come,’ he says, ‘except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed.’ 11 Thessalonians 2:3. Not till after the great apostasy, and the long period of the reign of the ‘man of sin,’ can we look for the advent of our Lord. The ‘man of sin,’ which is also styled ‘the mystery of iniquity,’ ‘the son of perdition,’ and ‘that wicked,’ [11 Thessalonians 2:7, 3, 8] represents the papacy, which, as foretold in prophecy, was to maintain its supremacy for 1260 years. This period ended in 1798. The coming of Christ could not take place before that time.” The Great Controversy, 356.

9 How does Mark speak of the tribulation and the days? Mark 13:24.

note: “These signs were witnessed before the opening of the nineteenth century.” The Great Controversy, 304.

10 Which closes first, the “tribulation” or “days”? What time did the tribulation cease?

note: The empress of Austria was the first European ruler to issue an edict of tolerance to Christianity, which took place in a.d. 1776. Owing to the work of the reformers, persecution ceased in the other states about the same time.

11 Then between what two dates would the darkening have to come to be a sign? Answer: Between 1776 and 1798. Was the sun darkened at this time? Give a description of the dark day in 1780.

note: “ ‘Almost, if not altogether alone, as the most mysterious and as yet unexplained phenomenon of its kind, . . . stands the dark day of May 19, 1780,–a most unaccountable darkening of the whole visible heavens and atmosphere in New England.’–R. M. Devens, Our First Century, page 89.” The Great Controversy, 306.

“May 19, 1780, stands in history as ‘The Dark Day.’ Since the time of Moses no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration, has ever been recorded. The description of this event, as given by eyewitnesses, is but an echo of the words of the Lord, recorded by the prophet Joel, twenty-five hundred years previous to their fulfillment: ‘The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.’ Joel 2:31.” Ibid., 308.

12 When was the sign in the moon fulfilled?

note: “The intense darkness of the day was succeeded, an hour or two before evening, by a partially clear sky, and the sun appeared, though it was still obscured by the black, heavy mist. ‘After sundown, the clouds came again overhead, and it grew dark very fast.’ ‘Nor was the darkness of the night less uncommon and terrifying than that of the day; notwithstanding there was almost a full moon, no object was discernible but by the help of some artificial light, which, when seen from the neighboring houses and other places at a distance, appeared through a kind of Egyptian darkness which seemed almost impervious to the rays.’–Isaiah Thomas, Massachusetts Spy; or, American Oracle of Liberty, vol. 10, No. 472 (May 25, 1780). Said an eyewitness of the scene: ‘I could not help conceiving at the time, that if every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable shades, or struck out of existence, the darkness could not have been more complete.’–Letter by Dr. Samuel Tenney, of Exeter, New Hampshire, December, 1785 (in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 1792, 1st series, vol. 1, p. 97). Though at nine o’clock that night the moon rose to the full, ‘it had not the least effect to dispel the deathlike shadows.’ After midnight the darkness disappeared, and the moon, when first visible, had the appearance of blood.” The Great Controversy, 307, 308.

13 What did Jesus exhort His people to do when they saw these things begin to come to pass? Luke 21:28.

note: “The words of Jesus Christ are spoken to us living down here in the close of this earth’s history. ‘When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.’ [Luke 21:28.] The nations are in unrest. Times of perplexity are upon us. The waves of the sea are roaring; men’s hearts are failing them for fear and for expectation of those things that are coming upon the earth; but those who believe on the Son of God will hear His voice amid the storm, saying, ‘It is I; be not afraid.’ [John 6:20.] . . . We see the world lying in wickedness and apostasy. Rebellion to the commandments of God seems almost universal. Amid the tumult of excitement with confusion in every place, there is a work to be done in the world.” Evangelism, 18.

Bible Study Guides – Can We Know of the Time?

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August 5, 2007 – August 11, 2007

Key Text

“But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Matthew 24:36.

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 632-636.

Introduction

“The times and the seasons God has put in His own power. And why has not God given us this knowledge?¾Because we would not make a right use of it if He did. A condition of things would result from this knowledge among our people that would greatly retard the work of God in preparing a people to stand in the great day that is to come. We are not to live upon time excitement. We are not to be engrossed with speculations in regard to the times and the seasons which God has not revealed. Jesus has told His disciples to ‘watch,’ but not for a definite time. His followers are to be in the position of those who are listening for the orders of their Captain; they are to watch, wait, pray, and work, as they approach the time for the coming of the Lord; but no one will be able to predict just when that time will come; for ‘of that day and hour knoweth no man.’ [Matthew 24:36.] You will not be able to say that He will come in one, two, or five years, neither are you to put off His coming by stating that it may not be for ten or twenty years.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 189.

1 To whom is Christ to appear with salvation? Hebrews 9:28.

note: “It is only to those who are waiting in hope and faith that Christ will appear, without sin unto salvation. Many have the theory of the truth who know not the power of godliness. If the word of God dwelt in the heart, it would control the life. Faith, purity, and conformity to the will of God would testify to its sanctifying power.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 15.

2 What are those called who look for Christ? 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 5. Compare John 12:35, 36.

note: “It is by carrying out in our lives the pure principles of the gospel of Christ that we honor and glorify our Father, who is in heaven. When we are doing this, we are reflecting Heaven-given light upon the dark world around us. Sinners will be constrained to confess that we are not the children of darkness, but the children of light. How shall they know this? By the fruits we bear. Men may have their names upon the church book; but that does not make them children of light. They may hold honorable positions and receive the praise of men; but that does not make them children of light. . . . There must be a deep work of grace¾the love of God in the heart, and this love is expressed by obedience.” Lift Him Up, 266.

3 What is the light of this people? Psalm 119:105; John 8:12.

note: “Life is associated with light, and if we have no light from the Sun of Righteousness, we can have no life in Him. But this light has been provided for every soul, and it is only as we withdraw from the light that darkness comes upon us. . . . In the world about us there can be no life without light. Were the sun to withdraw his shining, all vegetation, all animal life, would have an end. This illustrates the fact that we cannot have spiritual life unless we place ourselves under the beams of the Sun of Righteousness.” Sons and Daughters of God, 281.

“The life of God, which gives life to the world, is in His word. It was by His word that Jesus healed disease and cast out demons. By His word He stilled the sea and raised the dead; and the people bore witness that His word was with power. He spoke the word of God as He had spoken it to all the Old Testament writers. The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ. It is our only source of power.” Gospel Workers (1915), 250.

4 What particular portions of the Scripture give light on the coming of the Lord? 11 Peter 1:19. What is prophecy? How was prophecy written? Verse 21.

note: “We must cherish and cultivate the faith of which prophets and apostles have testified¾the faith that lays hold on the promises of God and waits for deliverance in His appointed time and way. The sure word of prophecy will meet its final fulfillment in the glorious Advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as King of kings and Lord of lords.” My Life Today, 55.

“God committed the preparation of His divinely inspired Word to finite man. This Word arranged into books, the Old and New Testaments, is the guidebook to the inhabitants of a fallen world; bequeathed to them, that by studying and obeying the directions, not one soul would lose its way to heaven.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 944.

“The writers of the Bible had to express their ideas in human language. It was written by human men. These men were inspired of the Holy Spirit.” Ibid., 945.

5 What is said of the interpretation of prophecy? 11 Peter 1:20.

note: “Spiritual darkness has covered the earth and gross darkness the people. There are in many churches skepticism and infidelity in the interpretation of the Scriptures. Many, very many, are questioning the verity and truth of the Scriptures. Human reasoning and the imaginings of the human heart are undermining the inspiration of the Word of God, and that which should be received as granted, is surrounded with a cloud of mysticism. Nothing stands out in clear and distinct lines, upon rock bottom. This is one of the marked signs of the last days. . . .

“There are men who strive to be original . . . . In seeking to make plain or to unravel mysteries hid from ages from mortal man, they are like a man floundering about in the mud, unable to extricate himself and yet telling others how to get out of the muddy sea they themselves are in. This is a fit representation of the men who set themselves to correct the errors of the Bible. No man can improve the Bible by suggesting what the Lord meant to say or ought to have said.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 15, 16.

6 If the prophet did not speak according to his own mind, who is responsible for what he says? 1 Peter 1:10, 11. Then who instructed all the prophets what to write?

note: “All the communion between heaven and the fallen race has been through Christ. It was the Son of God that gave to our first parents the promise of redemption. It was He who revealed Himself to the patriarchs. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses understood the gospel. They looked for salvation through man’s Substitute and Surety. These holy men of old held communion with the Saviour who was to come to our world in human flesh; and some of them talked with Christ and heavenly angels face to face.

“Christ was not only the leader of the Hebrews in the wilderness¾the Angel in whom was the name of Jehovah, and who, veiled in the cloudy pillar, went before the host¾but it was He who gave the law to Israel. Amid the awful glory of Sinai, Christ declared in the hearing of all the people the ten precepts of His Father’s law. It was He who gave to Moses the law engraved upon the tables of stone.

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

7 Does Jesus make known the definite time of His second advent? Matthew 24:36.

note: “Many who have called themselves Adventists have been time setters. Time after time has been set for Christ to come, but repeated failures have been the result. The definite time of our Lord’s coming is declared to be beyond the ken of mortals. Even the angels who minister unto those who shall be heirs of salvation know not the day nor the hour. [Matthew 24:36 quoted.] Because the times repeatedly set have passed, the world is in a more decided state of unbelief than before in regard to the near advent of Christ. They look upon the failures of the time setters with disgust; and because men have been so deceived, they turn from the truth substantiated by the word of God that the end of all things is at hand.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 307. [Author’s emphasis.]

8 How near does Jesus come to giving us a definite time for His return? Matthew 24:34. What expression does the Saviour use which shows that the term “generation” means but a short period in this connection? Matthew 24:33.

note: “God’s people who profess to believe present truth, are not in a waiting, watching position. They are increasing in riches, and laying up their treasures upon the earth. They are becoming rich in worldly things, but not rich toward God. They do not believe in the shortness of time. They do not believe that the end of all things is at hand. They do not believe that Christ is at the door. They will act out all the faith that they really possess. They may profess much faith but deceive their own souls. Their works show the character of their faith. Many testify to those around them, by their works that the coming of Christ is not to be in this generation. According to their faith will be their works. Their preparations are being made to remain in this world. They are adding house to house, and land to land, and are citizens of this world.” Pamphlet 098, 20, 21.

9 What does Jesus expect His people to be doing when He is at the door? Matthew 24:42.

note: “Because we know not the exact time of His coming, we are commanded to watch. [Luke 12:37 quoted.] Those who watch for the Lord’s coming are not waiting in idle expectancy. . . . Those who are watching for the Lord are purifying their souls by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the door, their zeal is quickened to co-operate with the divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls. . . . As Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses each declared the truth for his time, so will Christ’s servants now give the special warning for their generation.” The Desire of Ages, 634.

10 What will the unbelievers be doing in this generation? What do they say? What is said of their ignorance? 11 Peter 3:3-5. How could they have known differently?

note: “Many who professed to love the Saviour . . . did not wish to hear of Christ’s coming to judge the world in righteousness. They had been unfaithful servants, their works would not bear the inspection of the heart-searching God, and they feared to meet their Lord. Like the Jews at the time of Christ’s first advent they were not prepared to welcome Jesus. They not only refused to listen to the plain arguments from the Bible, but ridiculed those who were looking for the Lord.” The Great Controversy, 370.

“As the time of Christ’s second appearing draws near, the Lord sends His servants with a warning to the world to prepare for that great event. Multitudes have been living in transgression of God’s law, and now He in mercy calls them to obey its sacred precepts. All who will put away their sins by repentance toward God and faith in Christ are offered pardon. But many feel that it requires too great a sacrifice to put away sin. Because their life does not harmonize with the pure principles of God’s moral government, they reject His warnings and deny the authority of His law.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 102.

11 What should those who know of this time be doing? Romans 13:11-14.

note: “In a time like this, shall those who know the truth be inactive, and allow the powers of darkness to prevail? Shall not those who believe the truth for this time be wide awake, and work with an energy consistent with the profession of faith they make? Shall not those who understand the truth of God make every sacrifice to win souls to Christ, to yield allegiance to the law of God? The day is far spent, the night is at hand, and it is essential to work while it is day; for the night cometh, in which no man can work. In a time like this, we should have but this object in view,¾the employing of every means that God has provided by which the truth may be planted in the hearts of men. It is for this very purpose that the word of God was sent to the world, that it might control the life, and transform the character. It is the duty of every Christian to strive to the utmost of his ability to spread abroad the knowledge of the truth. Christ has commissioned His disciples to go forth into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 201.

Bible Study Guides – A Personal and Literal Coming

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July 29, 2007 – August 4, 2007

Key Text

“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 1:11.

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 829-835.

Introduction

“Christ had ascended to heaven in the form of humanity. The disciples had beheld the cloud receive Him. The same Jesus who had walked and talked and prayed with them; who had broken bread with them; who had been with them in their boats on the lake; and who had that very day toiled with them up the ascent of Olivet,–the same Jesus had now gone to share His Father’s throne. And the angels had assured them that the very One whom they had seen go up into heaven, would come again even as He had ascended. He will come ‘with clouds; and every eye shall see Him.’ ‘The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise.’ ‘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.’ Revelation 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Matthew 25:31. Thus will be fulfilled the Lord’s own promise to His disciples: ‘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 14:3. Well might the disciples rejoice in the hope of their Lord’s return.” The Desire of Ages, 832.

1 What does Paul say of the manner of Christ’s Second Coming? 1 Thessalonians 5:2. To whom will He come as a thief? Verse 3. But what is said of the brethren? Verse 4.

note: “Come when it may, the advent of Christ will surprise the false teachers who are saying, ‘Peace and safety;’ ‘all things continue as they were from the beginning.’ Thus saith the word of Inspiration, ‘Sudden destruction cometh upon them.’ [1 Thessalonians 5:3; 11 Peter 3:4.] The day of God shall come as a snare upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. It comes to them as a prowling thief. . . . Habitual watching is our only safety. We must be ever ready, that that day may not overtake us as a thief.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 233.

“To all, the testing time will come. By the sifting of temptation, the genuine Christian will be revealed. 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? Satan will, if possible, prevent them from obtaining a preparation to stand in that day. He will so arrange affairs as to hedge up their way, entangle them with earthly treasures, cause them to carry a heavy, wearisome burden, that their hearts may be overcharged with the cares of this life, and the day of trial may come upon them as a thief.” The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 443, 444.

2 How many will see Christ when He comes? Revelation 1:7.

note: “Christ is soon to come the second time. Of this we should often talk. It should be the uppermost thought in our minds. He is coming, with power and great glory, and every eye shall see Him. All the holy angels will accompany Him.” The Upward Look, 311.

“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.” The Signs of the Times, January 28, 1903.

3 What is said of the ascension of Jesus? Acts 1:9.

note: “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. . . .

“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.” The Acts of the Apostles, 32.

4 Who appeared to the disciples as they were looking after Jesus as He ascended? Acts 1:10. What did they say of the manner of His return? Verse 11.

note: “As the men of Galilee stood looking steadfastly toward heaven, to catch, if possible, a glimpse of their ascending Saviour, two men in white apparel, heavenly angels commissioned to comfort them for the loss of the presence of their Saviour, stood by them and inquired: ‘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 1:11.]

“God designs that His people shall fix their eyes heavenward, looking for the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. While the attention of worldlings is turned to various enterprises, ours should be to the heavens; our faith should reach further and further into the glorious mysteries of the heavenly treasure, drawing the precious, divine rays of light from the heavenly sanctuary to shine in our hearts, as they shine upon the face of Jesus.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 194, 195.

5 What was the last thing seen when Jesus ascended? Acts 1:9. What will be the first thing that will be seen when He returns? Matthew 24:30.

note: “As Christ ascends while in the act of blessing His disciples, an army of angels encircle Him as a cloud.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 306.

“Jesus is coming, coming with clouds and great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to honor those who have loved Him and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them or His promise.

“There appears in the East a small black cloud. . . . The people of God know this to be the sign of the Son of man. In solemn silence they gaze upon it as it draws nearer the earth, . . . until it is a great white cloud, its base a glory like consuming fire, and above it the rainbow of the covenant. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror.” My Life Today, 345.

6 Will the righteous know Jesus when He appears? Isaiah 25:9.

note: “The waiting saints will be looking for Him, and gazing into heaven, as were the ‘men of Galilee’ [Acts 1:11] when He ascended from the Mount of Olivet. Then, those only who are holy, those who have followed fully the meek Pattern will, with rapturous joy, exclaim as they behold Him, ‘Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.’ [Isaiah 25:9.]” Sons and Daughters of God, 360.

7 Will the wicked know Christ at this time? Revelation 6:14-16.

note: “When sinners are compelled to look upon Him who clothed His divinity with humanity, and who still wears this garb, their confusion is indescribable. The scales fall from their eyes, and they see that which before they would not see. They realize what they might have been had they received Christ, and improved the opportunities granted them. They see the law which they have spurned, exalted even as God’s throne is exalted. They see God Himself giving reverence to His law.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 6, 1069.

8 What will be heard at that time? 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

note: “The great apostasy, which is developing and increasing and waxing stronger, . . . will continue to do so until the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout. We are to hold fast the first principles of our denominated faith, and go forward from strength to increased faith. Ever we are to keep the faith that has been substantiated by the Holy Spirit of God from the earlier events of our experience until the present time. We need now larger breadth, and deeper, more earnest, unwavering faith in the leadings of the Holy Spirit. If we needed the manifest proof of the Holy Spirit’s power to confirm truth in the beginning, after the passing of the time, we need today all the evidence in the confirmation of the truth, when souls are departing from the faith and giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. There must not be any languishing of soul now.” The Upward Look, 352.

9 What will that voice say to the righteous? Isaiah 26:20, 21.

note: “The great crisis is just before us. To meet its trials and temptations, and to perform its duties, will require persevering faith. But we may triumph gloriously; not one watching, praying, believing soul will be ensnared by the enemy.

“In the time of trial before us God’s pledge of security will be placed upon those who have kept the word of His patience. Christ will say to His faithful ones: ‘Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.’ Isaiah 26:20. The Lion of Judah, so terrible to the rejectors of His grace, will be the Lamb of God to the obedient and faithful. The pillar of cloud which speaks wrath and terror to the transgressor of God’s law is light and mercy and deliverance to those who have kept His commandments. The arm strong to smite the rebellious will be strong to deliver the loyal. Every faithful one will surely be gathered.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 404.

10 How will the wicked feel, and what will they do at that time? Isaiah 2:10, 17-20.

note: “It will be seen that Satan’s rebellion against God has resulted in ruin to himself and to all that chose to become his subjects. He has represented that great good would result from transgression; but it will be seen that ‘the wages of sin is death.’ [Romans 6:23.] ‘For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.’ Malachi 4:1. Satan, the root of every sin, and all evil workers, who are his branches, shall be utterly cut off. An end will be made of sin, with all the woe and ruin that have resulted from it.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 341.

11 What is Jesus to bring with Him when He returns? Revelation 22:12.

note: “Satan had possessed such power to blind minds through a love of the world, that even professed Christians forgot, or lost all sense of the fact that God lives and that His angels are making a record of all the doings of the children of men; that every mean act, every small deal, is placed upon the life record. Every day bears its burden of record of unfulfilled duties, of neglect, of selfishness, of deception, of fraud, of overreaching. What an amount of evil works is accumulating for the final judgment! When Christ shall come, ‘His reward is with Him, and His work before Him,’ [Isaiah 62:11] to render to every man according as his works have been. What a revelation will then be made! What confusion of face to some as the acts of their lives are revealed upon the pages of history!” Testimonies, vol. 2, 160.

12 What will be the appearance of the Lord when He comes? Luke 21:27.

note: “Christ is coming with clouds and with great glory. A multitude of shining angels will attend Him. He will come to raise the dead, and to change the living saints from glory to glory. He will come to honor those who have loved Him, and kept His commandments, and to take them to Himself. He has not forgotten them nor His promise. There will be a relinking of the family chain. When we look upon our dead, we may think of the morning when the trump of God shall sound, when ‘the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.’ 1 Corinthians 15:52. A little longer, and we shall see the King in His beauty. A little longer, and He will wipe all tears from our eyes. A little longer, and He will present us ‘faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.’ Jude 24. Wherefore, when He gave the signs of His coming He said, ‘When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.’ [Luke 21:28.]” The Desire of Ages, 632.

Bible Study Guides – The Millennium, Continued

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September 23, 2007 – September 29, 2007

Key Text

“The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.” Psalm 37:29.

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 662-678.

Introduction

“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.” Maranatha, 336.

1 During the thousand years following Christ’s Second Coming, where will the saints be? What will they be doing? Revelation 20:4, 6; John 14:1-3.

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.

2 What important task will the saints perform during this time? 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3; Psalm 149:5-9.

note: “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.” Early Writings, 52.

3 What marks the end of the thousand years? Revelation 20:5-7.

note: “The new heavens, and the new earth, (Revelation 21:1; Isaiah 65:17; 11 Peter 3:13) will not appear, till after the wicked dead are raised, and destroyed, at the end of the 1000 years. I [Ellen White] saw that Satan was ‘loosed out of his prison,’ at the end of the 1000 years, just at the time the wicked dead were raised.” A Word to the Little Flock, 11.

4 As soon as Satan is loosed, to whom does he go? Revelation 20:8.

note: “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. . . . 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.” The Great Controversy, 663.

5 What is said of the character of Gog and Magog? Ezekiel 38:2; 39:1. When are they to come forth? Ezekiel 38:8; Revelation 20:8.

note: “And I [Ellen White] saw, that as Christ is the vine, and his children the branches: so Satan is the ‘root,’ and his children are the ‘branches’; and at the final destruction of ‘Gog and Magog,’ the whole wicked host will be burnt up, ‘root and branch,’ and cease to exist. Then will appear the new heaven and the new earth. Then will the saints ‘build houses,’ and ‘plant vineyards.’ I saw, that all the righteous dead were raised by the voice of the Son of God, at the first resurrection; and all that were raised at the second resurrection, were burnt up, and ceased to exist.” A Word to the Little Flock, 12.

6 Who will appear at that time? What comes to earth with Jesus and the saints? To what place do they come? Zechariah 14:4, 5; Revelation 21:2.

note: “At the end of one thousand years, Jesus, the king of glory, descends from the holy city, clothed with brightness like the lightning, upon the mount of olives the same mount from whence he ascended after his resurrection. As his feet touch the mountain, it parts asunder, and becomes a very great plain, and is prepared for the reception of the holy city in which is the paradise of God, the garden of Eden, which was taken up after man’s transgression. Now it descends with the city, more beautiful, and gloriously adorned than when removed from the earth. The city of God comes down and settles upon the mighty plain prepared for it.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, 83, 84.

7 When Satan sees them, what does he do? Revelation 20:9; Ezekiel 38:10-12.

note: “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.

“In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation. There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell.

“Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. . . .

“At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal. Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over the earth’s broken and uneven surface to the City of God.” The Great Controversy, 663, 664.

8 Why does God permit the wicked to come against His people? Ezekiel 38:16.

note: “The crowns of the saints were of the most pure gold, decked with stars. Their faces shone with glory, for they were in the express image of Jesus; and as they arose and moved all together to the top of the city, I [Ellen White] was enraptured with the sight.

“Then the wicked saw what they had lost; and fire was breathed from God upon them and consumed them. This was the execution of the judgment. The wicked then received according as the saints, in unison with Jesus, had meted out to them during the one thousand years.” Early Writings, 54. [Author’s emphasis.]

“The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven. They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them.

“It is now evident to all that the wages of sin is not noble independence and eternal life, but slavery, ruin, and death. The wicked see what they have forfeited by their life of rebellion. The far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory was despised when offered them; but how desirable it now appears. ‘All this,’ cries the lost soul, ‘I might have had; but I chose to put these things far from me. Oh, strange infatuation! I have exchanged peace, happiness, and honor for wretchedness, infamy, and despair.’ All see that their exclusion from heaven is just. By their lives they have declared: ‘We will not have this Man [Jesus] to reign over us.’ ” The Great Controversy, 668.

9 What will the Lord do to the wicked? Ezekiel 39:4-6; Revelation 20:9.

note: “The wicked receive their recompense in the earth. . . . 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.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, 1142.

10 What effect will this fire have on the earth? 11 Peter 3:10. What shall come forth from this ruin? Verse 13.

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.” The Great Controversy, 674.

“Said the angel, ‘Satan is the root, his children are the branches. They are now consumed root and branch. They have died an everlasting death. They are never to have a resurrection, and God will have a clean universe.’ I [Ellen White] then looked and saw the fire which had consumed the wicked, burning up the rubbish and purifying the earth. Again I looked and saw the earth purified. There was not a single sign of the curse. The broken, uneven surface of the earth now looked like a level, extensive plain. God’s entire universe was clean, and the great controversy was forever ended. Wherever we looked, everything upon which the eye rested was beautiful and holy. And all the redeemed host, old and young, great and small, cast their glittering crowns at the feet of their Redeemer, and prostrated themselves in adoration before Him, and worshiped Him that liveth forever and ever. The beautiful new earth, with all its glory, was the eternal inheritance of the saints. The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, was then given to the saints of the Most High, who were to possess it forever, even forever and ever.” Early Writings, 295.

11 Who shall dwell on the new earth? Matthew 5:5; Isaiah 35:4-10.

note: “In the final restitution, when there shall be ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ [Revelation 21:1] it is to be restored more gloriously adorned than at the beginning.

“Then they that have kept God’s commandments shall breathe in immortal vigor beneath the tree of life; and through unending ages the inhabitants of sinless worlds shall behold, in that garden of delight, a sample of the perfect work of God’s creation, untouched by the curse of sin a sample of what the whole earth would have become had man but fulfilled the Creator’s glorious plan.” The Adventist Home, 539.

12 What prophecy will then be fulfilled? Micah 4:8.

note: “The time has come to which holy men have looked with longing since the flaming sword barred the first pair from Eden, the time for ‘the redemption of the purchased possession.’ Ephesians 1:14. The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been restored. ‘Thus saith the Lord . . . that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.’ Isaiah 45:18. God’s original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed. ‘The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.’ Psalm 37:29.” The Great Controversy, 674.

Bible Study Guides – The Millennium

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September 16, 2007 – September 22, 2007

Key Text

“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:1, 2.

Study Help: The Story of Redemption, 415, 416; The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 4, 470-475.

Introduction

“All will be tested and tried according to the light they have had. Those who turn from the truth to fables can look for no second probation. There will be no temporal millennium. If, after the Holy Spirit has brought conviction to their hearts, they resist the truth and use their influence to block the way so that others will not receive it, they will never be convinced. They did not seek for transformation of character in the probation given them, and Christ will not give them opportunity to pass over the ground again. The decision is a final one.” Last Day Events, 237. [Emphasis added.]

“Taking the manner in which the prophecies had been fulfilled in the past as a criterion by which to judge of the fulfillment of those which were still future, he [William Miller] became satisfied that the popular view of the spiritual reign of Christ a temporal millennium before the end of the world was not sustained by the word of God. This doctrine, pointing to a thousand years of righteousness and peace before the personal coming of the Lord, put far off the terrors of the day of God. But, pleasing though it may be, it is contrary to the teachings of Christ and His apostles, who declared that the wheat and the tares are to grow together until the harvest, the end of the world; that ‘evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse’; that ‘in the last days perilous times shall come’; and that the kingdom of darkness shall continue until the advent of the Lord and shall be consumed with the spirit of His mouth and be destroyed with the brightness of His coming. Matthew 13:30, 38-41; 11 Timothy 3:13, 1; 11 Thessalonians 2:8.

“The doctrine of the world’s conversion and the spiritual reign of Christ was not held by the apostolic church. It was not generally accepted by Christians until about the beginning of the eighteenth century. Like every other error, its results were evil. It taught men to look far in the future for the coming of the Lord and prevented them from giving heed to the signs heralding His approach. It induced a feeling of confidence and security that was not well founded and led many to neglect the preparation necessary in order to meet their Lord.” The Great Controversy, 321.

1 What events are connected with the millennium? What marks the beginning of that period? Revelation 20:1, 2, 4, 5.

note: “The life-giver will call up His purchased possession in the first resurrection, and until that triumphant hour, when the last trump shall sound and the vast army shall come forth to eternal victory, every sleeping saint will be kept in safety and will be guarded as a precious jewel, who is known to God by name. By the power of the Saviour that dwelt in them while living and because they were partakers of the divine nature, they are brought forth from the dead.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 271.

“The revelator foretells the banishment of Satan and the condition of chaos and desolation to which the earth is to be reduced, and he declares that this condition will exist for a thousand years.” The Great Controversy, 658.

2 What causes the dead to be raised? John 5:28, 29. When will the Lord’s voice be heard? 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

note: “ ‘The hour is coming,’ Christ said, ‘in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.’ [John 5:28, 29.] That voice is to resound through all the habitations of the dead; and every saint who sleeps in Jesus will awake and leave his prison-house.” Review and Herald, September 20, 1898.

“The earth mightily shook as the voice of the Son of God called forth the sleeping saints. They responded to the call and came forth clothed with glorious immortality, crying, ‘Victory, victory, over death and the grave! O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ [1 Corinthians 15:55.]” Early Writings, 287.

3 What is said of the dead who rise at the first resurrection? 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 20:6.

note: “Oh, what a scene will we then see some coming forth to life eternal at the first resurrection! Upon them the second death shall have no power. . . . I dwell with pleasure upon the resurrection of the just, who shall come forth from all parts of the earth, from rocky caverns, from dungeons, from caves of the earth, from the waters of the deep not one is overlooked. Every one shall hear His voice. They will come forth with triumph and victory.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 342.

“At the first resurrection all came forth in immortal bloom.” Early Writings, 292.

“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.” The Great Controversy, 660, 661.

4 Just before the Lord appears, what decree goes forth? Revelation 22:11, 12. Then can there be any conversions during the thousand years?

note: “[Revelation 22:11, 12 quoted.] When this fiat goes forth, every case will have been decided.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 418.

“The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above. . . . Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.” The Great Controversy, 491.

5 What change will be wrought in the righteous who are living at that time? 1 Corinthians 15:51-54. What will they do when they meet the resurrected ones? 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

note: “When mortal shall have put on immortality, the ransomed ones are like Jesus, for they see Him as He is. They stand before the throne, signifying that they are accepted. All their sins are blotted out, all their transgressions borne away. Now they can look upon the undimmed glory from the throne of God. They have been partakers with Christ of His sufferings, they have been workers together with Him in the plan of redemption, and they are partakers with Him in the joy of beholding souls saved through their instrumentality to praise God through all eternity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 467.

6 To what place has Jesus promised to take the saints? John 14:1-3.

note: “Those who have loved Him [Christ] and waited for Him, He will crown with glory and honor 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.” The Acts of the Apostles, 34.

7 What will the living wicked do when they see Jesus in the clouds? Revelation 6:15-17. Why should they cry for the mountains to fall on them? 11 Thessalonians 1:7, 8.

note: “Riches, power, genius, eloquence, pride, perverted reason, and passion are enlisted as Satan’s agents in doing his work in making the broad road attractive, strewing it with tempting flowers. But every word they have spoken against the world’s Redeemer will be reflected back upon them, and will one day burn into their guilty souls like molten lead. They will be overwhelmed with terror and shame as they behold the exalted One coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Then shall the bold defier, who lifted himself up against the Son of God, see himself in the true blackness of his character. The sight of the inexpressible glory of the Son of God will be intensely painful to those whose characters are stained with sin. The pure light and glory emanating from Christ will awaken remorse, shame, and terror. They will send forth wails of anguish to the rocks and mountains, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?’ [Revelation 6:16, 17.]” Confrontation, 87.

8 What does the Lord do with the wicked ones? Jeremiah 25:30-33. When will they live again? Revelation 20:5, first part; Isaiah 24:22.

note: “In consequence of Adam’s sin, death passed upon the whole human race. All alike go down into the grave. And through the provisions of the plan of salvation, all are to be brought forth from their graves. ‘There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust’; ‘for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.’ Acts 24:15; 1 Corinthians 15:22. But a distinction is made between the two classes that are brought forth. ‘All that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.’ John 5:28, 29. They who have been ‘accounted worthy’ of the resurrection of life are ‘blessed and holy.’ ‘On such the second death hath no power.’ Revelation 20:6. But those who have not, through repentance and faith, secured pardon, must receive the penalty of transgression ‘the wages of sin.’ [Romans 6:23.]” The Great Controversy, 544.

“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. . . . Thus the revelator, after describing the resurrection of the righteous, says, ‘The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.’ Revelation 20:5.” The Faith I Live By, 184.

9 If the righteous are taken to heaven, and the wicked are slain at the beginning of the thousand years, who will be left on this earth? Revelation 20:2.

note: “The earth looked like a desolate wilderness. Cities and villages, shaken down by the earthquake, lay in heaps. Mountains had been moved out of their places, leaving large caverns. Ragged rocks, thrown out by the sea, or torn out of the earth itself, were scattered all over its surface. Large trees had been uprooted and were strewn over the land. Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels for a thousand years. Here he will be confined, to wander up and down over the broken surface of the earth and see the effects of his rebellion against God’s law. For a thousand years he can enjoy the fruit of the curse which he has caused. Limited alone to the earth, he will not have the privilege of ranging to other planets, to tempt and annoy those who have not fallen.” Early Writings, 290.

10 In what condition did the prophet see the earth at this time? Jeremiah 4:23-26.

note: “The wicked had been destroyed, and their dead bodies were lying upon its surface. The wrath of God in the seven last plagues had been visited upon the inhabitants of the earth, causing them to gnaw their tongues from pain and to curse God. The false shepherds had been the signal objects of Jehovah’s wrath. Their eyes had consumed away in their holes, and their tongues in their mouths, while they stood upon their feet. After the saints had been delivered by the voice of God, the wicked multitude turned their rage upon one another. The earth seemed to be deluged with blood, and dead bodies were from one end of it to the other.” Early Writings, 289, 290.

11 What will be the condition of the earth during the thousand years? Jeremiah 4:27.

note: “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.” The Great Controversy, 660.

Bible Study Guides – Apostasy

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September 9, 2007 – September 15, 2007

Key Text

“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: Selected Messages, Book 2, 381-383.

Introduction

“As God called the children of Israel out of Egypt, that they might keep His Sabbath, so He calls His people out of Babylon, that they may not worship the beast or his image. The man of sin, who thought to change times and laws, has exalted himself above God, by presenting a spurious sabbath to the world; the Christian world has accepted the child of the papacy, and cradled and nourished it, thus defying God by removing His memorial, and setting up a rival sabbath.

“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.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 984, 985.

1 What does Paul say must take place before the coming of the Lord can be expected? 11 Thessalonians 2:3.

note: “It has been the continual endeavor of the enemy to introduce into the church persons who assent to much that is truth, but who are not converted. Professed Christians who are false to their trust are channels through whom Satan works. He can use unconverted church members to advance his own ideas and retard the work of God. Their influence is always on the side of wrong. They place criticism and doubt as stumbling blocks in the way of reform. They introduce unbelief because they have closed their eyes to the righteousness of Christ and have not the glory of the Lord as their rearward.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 159.

2 What message goes to the world before the Saviour appears? Revelation 14:8. What is the meaning of the word Babylon?

note: “Many of the Protestant churches are following Rome’s example of iniquitous connection with ‘the kings of the earth’ the state churches, by their relation to secular governments; and other denominations, by seeking the favor of the world. And the term ‘Babylon’ confusion may be appropriately applied to these bodies, all professing to derive their doctrines from the Bible, yet divided into almost innumerable sects, with widely conflicting creeds and theories.” The Great Controversy, 383.

“The whole chapter [Revelation 18] shows that Babylon that has fallen is the churches who will not receive the messages of warning the Lord has given in the first, second, and third angels’ messages. They refused the truth and accepted a lie. They refused the messages of truth.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 68.

3 Who are in Babylon? Revelation 18:4. How did God’s people come to be a part of a fallen company?

note: “Satan and his angels are wide-awake and intensely active, working with energy and perseverance through human instrumentalities to bring about his purpose of obliterating from the minds of men the knowledge of God. But while Satan works with his lying wonders, the time will be fulfilled foretold in the Revelation, and the mighty angel that shall lighten the earth with his glory, will proclaim the fall of Babylon, and call upon God’s people to forsake her.” Review and Herald, December 13, 1892.

“The state of corruption and apostasy that in the last days would exist in the religious world, was presented to the prophet John in the vision of Babylon. . . . As in the days of Noah and Lot, there must be a marked separation from sin and sinners. There can be no compromise between God and the world, no turning back to secure earthly treasures.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 167.

4 What class of professors does Paul say will come up in the last days? 11 Timothy 3:5. What sins are found among them? Verses 1-4. Of what are they said to be lovers? Verse 4.

note: “I [Ellen White] was shown the churches in different states that profess to be keeping the commandments of God and looking for the second coming of Christ. There is an alarming amount of indifference, pride, love of the world, and cold formality existing among them. And these are the people who are fast coming to resemble ancient Israel, so far as the want of piety is concerned. Many make high claims to godliness and yet are destitute of self-control. Appetite and passion bear sway; self is made prominent. Many are arbitrary, dictatorial, overbearing, boastful, proud, and unconsecrated. . . . The Saviour’s curse pronounced upon the fruitless fig tree is a sermon to all formalists and boasting hypocrites who stand forth to the world in pretentious leaves, but are devoid of fruit. What a rebuke to those who have a form of godliness, while in their unchristian lives they deny the power thereof!” Testimonies, vol. 4, 403, 404.

5 What is the extent of the sins of Babylon? Revelation 18:5.

note: “Appetite and passion are overcoming thousands of Christ’s professed followers. Through familiarity with sin, their senses become so blunted that evil seems attractive to them, rather than abhorrent. The end of all things is at hand. God will not much longer bear with the crimes and debasing iniquity of the children of men. Their sins have reached unto heaven, and will soon be answered by the fearful plagues of God upon the earth. They will drink the cup of his wrath, unmixed with mercy.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 155.

“I [Ellen White] saw that since Jesus left the holy place of the heavenly sanctuary and entered within the second veil, the churches have been filling up with every unclean and hateful bird. I saw great iniquity and vileness in the churches; yet their members profess to be Christians. Their profession, their prayers, and their exhortations are an abomination in the sight of God. Said the angel, ‘God will not smell in their assemblies. Selfishness, fraud, and deceit are practiced by them without the reprovings of conscience. And over all these evil traits they throw the cloak of religion.’ I was shown the pride of the nominal churches. God is not in their thoughts; their carnal minds dwell upon themselves; they decorate their poor mortal bodies, and then look upon themselves with satisfaction and pleasure. Jesus and the angels look upon them in anger. Said the angel, ‘Their sins and pride have reached unto heaven. Their portion is prepared. Justice and judgment have slumbered long, but will soon awake. Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.’ The fearful threatenings of the third angel are to be realized, and all the wicked are to drink of the wrath of God. An innumerable host of evil angels are spreading over the whole land and crowding the churches. These agents of Satan look upon the religious bodies with exultation, for the cloak of religion covers the greatest crime and iniquity.” Early Writings, 274, 275.

6 What did Jesus say to His disciples about self? Luke 9:23. What is said of covetousness? Colossians 3:5. What of pride? Proverbs 6:16, 17.

note: “If we are indeed to overcome as Christ overcame, that we may mingle with the blood-washed, glorified company before the throne of God, it is of the highest importance that we become acquainted with the life of our Redeemer and deny self as did Christ. We must meet temptations and overcome obstacles, and through toil and suffering, in the name of Jesus, overcome as He overcame.

“The great trial of Christ in the wilderness on the point of appetite was to leave man an example of self-denial. This long fast was to convict men of the sinfulness of the things in which professed Christians indulge. The victory which Christ gained in the wilderness was to show man the sinfulness of the very things in which he takes such pleasure.” Confrontation, 66.

7 What are the duties of children to parents? Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1; Proverbs 23:22; Colossians 3:20.

note: “Many of the young have chosen to be their own counselor and guide, and have taken their cases in their own hands. Such need to study more closely the teachings of the Bible. In its pages they will find revealed their duty to their parents and to their brethren in the faith. The fifth commandment reads, ‘Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ Again we read, ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord; for this is right.’ [Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1.]

“One of the signs that we are living in the last days is that children are disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. The word of God abounds in precepts and counsels enjoining respect for parents.” Messages to Young People, 444.

8 What position should God’s people sustain to holiness? Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 12:14.

note: “Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Nothing but holiness will prepare you for heaven. It is sincere, experimental piety alone that can give you a pure, elevated character and enable you to enter into the presence of God, who dwelleth in light unapproachable. The heavenly character must be acquired on earth, or it can never be acquired at all. Then begin at once. Flatter not yourself that a time will come when you can make an earnest effort easier than now. Every day increases your distance from God. Prepare for eternity with such zeal as you have not yet manifested. Educate your mind to love the Bible, to love the prayer meeting, to love the hour of meditation, and, above all, the hour when the soul communes with God. Become heavenly-minded if you would unite with the heavenly choir in the mansions above.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 267, 268.

9 What is said of thankfulness? Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3:15.

note: “Is it not our duty to show the world that we appreciate the love of Christ? As we produce the fruit of thanksgiving, we bear living evidence that by connection with Christ we are placed on vantage ground. God is the fountain of life and power. He can make the wilderness a fruitful field for those who keep his commandments; for it is for the glory of his name to do this. Thus he witnesses to Christianity. He has done for his chosen people that which should inspire every heart with praise and thanksgiving; and it grieves him that so little praise is offered. He desires to have a stronger expression of praise from his people, showing that they know they have reason for manifesting joy and gladness.” Review and Herald, November 20, 1900.

10 What interest will the class mentioned in 11 Timothy 3:1-5 have in hearing the word of God? 11 Timothy 4:3, 4. What will those who are called out be doing? Verse 2.

note: “The masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth and are turned unto fables. . . . The multitudes do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan supplies the deceptions which they love.” The Great Controversy, 594, 595.

“God’s workmen should not neglect any opportunity to help others in every possible way. If they seek God unselfishly for counsel, His word, which bringeth salvation, will lead them. They will engage in labor on the right hand and on the left, doing their best to remove from the minds of others every doubt and every difficulty in understanding the truth. The Spirit of God will make their labors effectual.” Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 497.

11 What should be the message for our time? Revelation 18:4.

note: “No longer have the hosts of evil power to keep the church captive; for [Revelation 14:8; 18:4 quoted]. As the captive exiles heeded the message, ‘Flee out of the midst of Babylon’ (Jeremiah 51:6), and were restored to the Land of Promise, so those who fear God today are heeding the message to withdraw from spiritual Babylon, and soon they are to stand as trophies of divine grace in the earth made new, the heavenly Canaan.” Prophets and Kings, 715.

12 What should be the character of those who give the message? Revelation 14:12; 11 Peter 3:14.

note: “What are you doing, brethren, in the great work of preparation? Those who are uniting with the world are receiving the worldly mold and preparing for the mark of the beast. Those who are distrustful of self, who are humbling themselves before God and purifying their souls by obeying the truth—these are receiving the heavenly mold and preparing for the seal of God in their foreheads. When the decree goes forth and the stamp is impressed, their character will remain pure and spotless for eternity.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 216.

Bible Study Guides – Evangelization of the World

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September 2, 2007 – September 8, 2007

Key Text

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15.

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 818-828.

Introduction

“Christ said to his disciples, ‘Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’ [Mark 16:15, 16.]

“The field is the world, and we know what this saying comprehends better than did the apostles who received from the lips of Christ the commission to preach the gospel to all the world. The whole world is a vast missionary field, and yet we who have long been established in the truth, should be encouraged with the thought that fields which were once difficult of access, are now easily entered. Every church in our land should seek for the revival of the missionary spirit. They should seek for steady growth in zeal and activity. All should pray that the indifference which has caused both men and means to be withheld from the work, may be banished, and that Christ may abide in the soul. For our sake he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.” The Home Missionary, April 1, 1895.

1 What did Jesus say must go to the world before the end of time? Matthew 24:14. For what purpose is the gospel proclaimed to the world?

note: “A revival in Bible study is needed throughout the world. Attention is to be called, not to the assertions of men, but to the Word of God. As this is done, a mighty work will be wrought. When God declared that His Word should not return unto Him void, He meant all that He said. The gospel is to be preached to all nations. The Bible is to be opened to the people. A knowledge of God is the highest education, and it will cover the earth with its wonderful truth as the waters cover the sea.” Evangelism, 456.

2 What did Jesus say of the condition of the world in the last days that will show that it will be impossible for it to be converted? Luke 17:26-30.

note: “We have the history of the antediluvians, and of the cities of the plain, whose course of conduct degenerated from lightness and frivolity to debasing sins that called down the wrath of God in a most dreadful destruction, in order to rid the earth of the curse of their contaminating influence. Inclination and passion bore sway over reason. Self was their god, and the knowledge of the Most High was nearly obliterated through the selfish indulgence of corrupt passions. . . .

“They [the inhabitants of the Noachian world] worshipped selfish indulgence, eating, drinking, merry-making, and resorted to acts of violence and crime if their desires and passions were interfered with.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1090.

3 When the Lord comes, what two classes will He find in the earth? Isaiah 25:9; Revelation 6:15, 16. Could this be so if all the world were converted before He comes? Could they be converted before He comes? Revelation 22:11, 12.

note: “When the work of the investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death. Probation is ended a short time before the appearing of the Lord in the clouds of heaven. Christ in the Revelation, looking forward to that time, declares: ‘He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be.’ Revelation 22:11, 12.” The Great Controversy, 490, 491.

“The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above. . . . Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man’s destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy’s offer to guilty men.” Ibid., 491.

4 What is the gospel commission? Mark 16:15. For what does God hold His servants responsible?

note: “We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the suffering and afflicted. We are to minister to the despairing, and to inspire hope in the hopeless.

“The love of Christ, manifested in unselfish ministry, will be more effective in reforming the evildoer than will the sword or the court of justice. These are necessary to strike terror to the lawbreaker, but the loving missionary can do more than this. Often the heart that hardens under reproof will melt under the love of Christ.

“The missionary can not only relieve physical maladies, but he can lead the sinner to the Great Physician, who can cleanse the soul from the leprosy of sin. Through His servants, God designs that the sick, the unfortunate, and those possessed of evil spirits shall hear His voice. Through His human agencies He desires to be a comforter such as the world knows not.” The Ministry of Healing, 106.

5 Who only will be saved? Mark 16:16.

note: “Those who are one with Christ will love souls for whom he died. Jesus has identified his interest with that of suffering humanity, and he has made manifest at what value he estimates the soul, in that he left the honor and glory of heaven, and for our sake became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich. He clothed his divinity with humanity, and came to the sin-cursed world to endure insult, reproach, mockery, rejection, and crucifixion, in order to bring to lost humanity the gift of salvation. The rich, the poor, the high, the low, were all included in the ample provision made on Calvary; for he died that all who believe on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. In his last instruction to his disciples, he opened to his followers the part they should act in bringing to men the glad tidings of his infinite love. He said, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’ [Mark 16:15, 16.] Then what are we, who have been most highly favored of heaven, doing to accomplish the work that has been given into our hands? What are we doing to bring to others the light, that they also may have life eternal? What are we doing to save our fellow-men?” The Medical Missionary, August 1, 1892.

6 Does God compel everyone who hears to believe? Isaiah 55:1; Revelation 22:17; Matthew 22:14.

note: “Christ sharply reproved the men of His time because they had not learned from nature the spiritual lessons which they might have learned. All things, animate and inanimate, express to man the knowledge of God. The same divine mind that is working upon the things of nature is speaking to the minds and hearts of men, and creating an inexpressible craving for something they have not. The things of the world cannot satisfy their longing. To all these thirsting souls the divine message is addressed: [Revelation 22:17 quoted].

“The Spirit of God is continually impressing the minds of men to seek for those things which alone will give peace and rest the higher, holier joys of heaven. Christ, the Lord of life and glory, gave His life to redeem man from Satan’s power. Our Saviour is constantly at work, through influences seen and unseen, to attract the minds of men from the unsatisfying pleasures of this life to the priceless treasure which may be theirs in the immortal future.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 580.

7 Will the majority of the world believe on Christ? Matthew 7:13, 14.

note: “There is only one path that leads from darkness upward to the light until it touches the throne of God, the path of faith. This path is not dark and uncertain; it is not the way of finite minds, not a path made by human hands, in which toll is exacted from every traveler. Entrance to it cannot be gained by works of penance.

“The way that God has provided is so complete, so perfect, that man cannot, by any works that he can do, add to its perfection. It is broad enough to receive the most hardened sinner, if he truly repents, and yet so narrow that in it sin can find no place. This is the path cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to walk in.” Gospel Workers, 160.

8 From whence will the redeemed of the Lord come? Revelation 7:9.

note: “All classes, all nations and kindreds and people and tongues will stand before the throne of God and the Lamb with their spotless robes and jeweled crowns. Said the angel, These are they that have come up through great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white, while the lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, the self-indulgent and disobedient, have lost both worlds. They have neither the things of this life nor the immortal life.

“That triumphant throng, with songs of victory and with crowns and harps, have trodden in the fiery furnace of earthly affliction when it was heated and intensely hot. From destitution, from hunger and torture, they come, from deep self-denial and bitter disappointments. Look upon them now as conquerors, no longer poor, no longer in sorrow, in affliction and hatred of all men for Christ’s sake. Behold their heavenly garments, white and shining, richer than any kingly robe. Look by faith upon their jeweled crowns; never did such a diadem deck the brow of any earthly monarch.” In Heavenly Places, 371.

9 What is the gospel of the kingdom? With what must it be connected? 11 Timothy 4:1, 2. See also Matthew 24:14; Mark 1:15.

note: “Summoning Timothy before the bar of God, Paul bids him preach the word, not the sayings and customs of men; to be ready to witness for God whenever opportunity should present itself, before large congregations and private circles, by the way and at the fireside, to friends and to enemies, whether in safety or exposed to hardship and peril, reproach and loss.

“Fearing that Timothy’s mild, yielding disposition might lead him to shun an essential part of his work, Paul exhorted him to be faithful in reproving sin, and even to rebuke with sharpness those who were guilty of gross evils. . . .

“To hate and reprove sin, and at the same time to show pity and tenderness for the sinner, is a difficult achievement. The more earnest our own efforts to attain to holiness of heart and life, the more acute will be our perception of sin, and the more decided our disapproval of it. We must guard against undue severity toward the wrong-doer; but we must also be careful not to lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin. There is need of showing Christlike patience and love for the erring one, but there is also danger of showing so great toleration for his error that he will look upon himself as undeserving of reproof, and will reject it as uncalled for and unjust.” Gospel Workers, 30, 31.

10 What are the people of God admonished to do when they see the signs that indicate the coming of the Lord near? 11 Peter 3:11, 12.

note: “Many who profess to be looking for the speedy coming of Christ are becoming conformed to this world and seek more earnestly the applause of those around them than the approbation of God. They are cold and formal, like the nominal churches from which they but a short time since separated. The words addressed to the Laodicean church describe their present condition perfectly. (See Revelation 3:14-20.) . . .

“The time has come when a large portion of those who once rejoiced and shouted aloud for joy in view of the immediate coming of the Lord, are on the ground of the churches and the world who once derided them for believing that Jesus was coming, and circulated all manner of falsehoods to raise prejudice against them and destroy their influence. Now, if any one longs after the living God, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, and God gives him to feel His power, and satisfies his longing soul by shedding abroad His love in his heart, and if he glorifies God by praising Him, he is, by these professed believers in the soon coming of the Lord, often considered deluded, and charged with being mesmerized or having some wicked spirit.

“Many of these professed Christians dress, talk, and act like the world, and the only thing by which they may be known is their profession. Though they profess to be looking for Christ, their conversation is not in heaven, but on worldly things. [11 Peter 3:11, 12; 1 John 3:3 quoted.] But it is evident that many who bear the name of Adventist study more to decorate their bodies and to appear well in the eyes of the world than they do to learn from the Word of God how they may be approved of Him.” Early Writings, 107, 108.

Bible Study Guides – The Past and The Present

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August 26, 2007 – September 1, 2007

Key Text

“When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.

Study Help: Conflict and Courage, 41; Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 74-76.

Introduction

“These words of Christ should sink into the hearts of all who believe present truth: ‘And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.’ [Luke 21:34.] Our danger is presented before us by Christ Himself. He knew the perils we should meet in these last days, and would have us prepare for them. ‘As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.’ [Luke 17:26.] They were eating and drinking, planting and building, marrying and giving in marriage, and knew not until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the Flood came and swept them all away. The day of God will find men absorbed in like manner in the business and pleasures of the world, in feasting and gluttony, and in indulging perverted appetite in the defiling use of liquor and the narcotic tobacco. This is already the condition of our world, and these indulgences are found even among God’s professed people, some of whom are following the customs and partaking of the sins of the world.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 309.

1 To what time of the past are the days immediately preceding the Second Coming of the Lord compared? Luke 17:26, 28.

note: “The inhabitants of the Noachian world were destroyed because they were corrupted through the indulgence of perverted appetite. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed through the gratification of unnatural appetite, which so benumbed the intellect that they could not discern the difference between the sacred claims of God and the clamor of appetite. The latter enslaved them, and they became so ferocious and bold in their detestable abominations that God would not tolerate them upon the earth.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 162.

2 What is said of the time of Noah? Luke 17:27.

note: “To the long-lived, antediluvian race, only a step from paradise, God gave rich gifts, and they possessed a strength of body and mind of which men now have but a faint idea; but they used His bounties, and the strength and skill He gave them, for selfish purposes, to minister to unlawful appetites, and to gratify pride. They expelled God from their thoughts; they despised His law; trampled His standard of character in the dust. They reveled in sinful pleasure, corrupting their ways before God, and corrupting one another. Violence and crime filled the earth. Neither the marriage relation nor the rights of property were respected; and the cries of the oppressed entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. By beholding evil, men became changed into its image, until God could bear with their wickedness no longer, and they were swept away by the flood.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 421, 422.

3 What instruction is given in regard to eating and drinking? 1 Corinthians 10:31. What is the real danger in the last days in regard to eating and drinking? Luke 21:34.

note: “Intemperance of any kind is the worst sort of selfishness. Those who truly fear God and keep His commandments look upon these things in the light of reason and religion. How can any man or woman keep the law of God, which requires man to love his neighbor as himself, and indulge intemperate appetite, which benumbs the brain, weakens the intellect, and fills the body with disease? Intemperance inflames the passions and gives loose rein to lust. And reason and conscience are blinded by the lower passions.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 31.

4 To what time did the antediluvians keep up this excessive debauchery? Luke 17:27.

note: “The indulgence of perverted appetite inflamed the passions of men in the days of Noah, and led to widespread corruption. Violence and sin reached to heaven. This moral pollution was finally swept from the earth by means of the Flood.” Counsels on Health, 23.

5 What warning was being given at the time of Noah? 1 Peter 3:18-20; 11 Peter 2:5. How long was the warning given? Genesis 6:3. What effect did the message have on the great mass of the world? Hebrews 11:7.

note: “Remember how soon after the transgression of Adam the apostasy of his posterity became so marked that God repented that He had made man. They followed the imaginations of their evil hearts, and the strivings of the Spirit were not heeded. They refused to be admonished. They had an abundance of blessings for their own enjoyment, and they soon forgot that they had forfeited immortality.

“God granted them one hundred and twenty years of probation, and during that time preached to them through Methuselah, Noah, and many others of His servants. Had they listened to the testimony of these faithful witnesses, had they repented and returned to their loyalty, God would not have destroyed them.” Review and Herald, April 23, 1901.

“Men cannot with impunity reject the warning which God in mercy sends them. A message was sent from heaven to the world in Noah’s day, and their salvation depended upon the manner in which they treated that message. Because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God was withdrawn from the sinful race, and they perished in the waters of the Flood.” The Great Controversy, 431.

6 What is said of the condition of the world at that time? Genesis 6:5,6. What brought them to this low state? Do we see any of these excesses at the present time?

note: “God bestowed upon these antediluvians many and rich gifts; but they used His bounties to glorify themselves, and turned them into a curse by fixing their affections upon the gifts instead of the Giver. They employed the gold and silver, the precious stones and the choice wood, in the construction of habitations for themselves, and endeavored to excel one another in beautifying their dwellings with the most skillful workmanship. They sought only to gratify the desires of their own proud hearts, and reveled in scenes of pleasure and wickedness. Not desiring to retain God in their knowledge, they soon came to deny His existence. They adored nature in place of the God of nature. They glorified human genius, worshiped the works of their own hands, and taught their children to bow down to graven images.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 90, 91.

“God has given us laws whereby to live, but now, as in the Noachic age, the imagination of men’s hearts is evil and only evil continually; men walk after the desire and devices of their own hearts, and so accomplish their own ruin. God would have men stand in their God-given manhood, free from the slavery of appetite.” Temperance, 281.

“Our large cities are fast reaching the condition represented by the condition of the world before the flood, when [Genesis 6:5 quoted] God-dishonoring sins are practiced by people living in lordly homes . . . .” Evangelism, 567.

7 What did the Saviour say in regard to the days of Lot? Luke 17:28.

note: “The same sins of gluttony and drunkenness [that brought the wrath of God upon the world in the days of Noah] benumbed the moral sensibilities of the inhabitants of Sodom, so that crimes seemed to be the delight of the men and women of that wicked city.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 60, 61.

8 What were the sins of Sodom? Ezekiel 16:49, 50. How did the people of this wicked city employ their time?

note: “In Sodom there was mirth and revelry, feasting and drunkenness. The vilest and most brutal passions were unrestrained. The people openly defied God and His law and delighted in deeds of violence. Though they had before them the example of the antediluvian world, and knew how the wrath of God had been manifested in their destruction, yet they followed the same course of wickedness.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 157.

“Fairest among the cities of the Jordan Valley was Sodom, set in a plain which was ‘as the garden of the Lord’ [Genesis 13:10] in its fertility and beauty. Here the luxuriant vegetation of the tropics flourished. Here was the home of the palm tree, the olive, and the vine; and flowers shed their fragrance throughout the year. Rich harvests clothed the fields, and flocks and herds covered the encircling hills. Art and commerce contributed to enrich the proud city of the plain. The treasures of the East adorned her palaces, and the caravans of the desert brought their stores of precious things to supply her marts of trade. With little thought or labor, every want of life could be supplied, and the whole year seemed one round of festivity.

“The profusion reigning everywhere gave birth to luxury and pride. Idleness and riches make the heart hard that has never been oppressed by want or burdened by sorrow. The love of pleasure was fostered by wealth and leisure, and the people gave themselves up to sensual indulgence.” Ibid., 156.

9 What righteous man was living in this city? Genesis 13:12, 13; 19:1. Had the Sodomites been informed in regard to the true faith?

note: “When iniquity abounds in a nation, there is always to be heard some voice giving warning and instruction, as the voice of Lot was heard in Sodom. Yet Lot could have preserved his family from many evils had he not made his home in this wicked, polluted city. All that Lot and his family did in Sodom could have been done by them, even if they had lived in a place some distance away from the city.” Evangelism, 78.

10 What effect did the lives of this people have on Lot? 11 Peter 2:7, 8.

note: “Lot chose Sodom for his home because he saw that there were advantages to be gained there from a worldly point of view. But after he had established himself, and grown rich in earthly treasure, he was convinced that he had made a mistake in not taking into consideration the moral standing of the community in which he was to make his home.

“The dwellers in Sodom were corrupt; vile conversation greeted his ears daily, and his righteous soul was vexed by the violence and crime he was powerless to prevent. His children were becoming like these wicked people, for association with them had perverted their morals. Taking all these things into consideration, the worldly riches he had gained seemed small and not worth the price he had paid for them.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 110.

11 Did God find faith on the earth in those days? Hebrews 11:7; 11 Peter 2:8.

note: “More than one hundred years before the Flood the Lord sent an angel to faithful Noah to make known to him that He would no longer have mercy upon the corrupt race. But He would not have them ignorant of His design. He would instruct Noah and make him a faithful preacher to warn the world of its coming destruction, that the inhabitants of the earth might be left without excuse. . . .

“Noah and his family were not alone in fearing and obeying God. But Noah was the most pious and holy of any upon the earth, and was the one whose life God preserved to carry out His will in building the ark and warning the world of its coming doom.” The Story of Redemption, 62, 63.

“Lot, not desiring to flee to the mountains, had pleaded with the Lord to spare a smaller city a few miles from Sodom to which he could flee. What unbelief he manifested! His faith was very weak. But God in his mercy spared Zoar, in answer to Lot’s petitions.” Southern Union Worker, October 16, 1913.

12 Will the Lord find faith when He comes the second time? Luke 18:8.

note: “We must cherish a living, active faith. The permanence of our faith is the condition of our union.

“A union with Christ by living faith is enduring; every other union must perish. Christ first chose us, paying an infinite price for our redemption; and the true believer chooses Christ as first and last and best in everything. But this union costs us something. It is a union of utter dependence, to be entered into by a proud being. All who form this union must feel their need of the atoning blood of Christ. They must have a change of heart. They must submit their own will to the will of God. There will be a struggle with outward and internal obstacles. There must be a painful work of detachment as well as a work of attachment. Pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness–sin in all its forms–must be overcome if we would enter into a union with Christ. The reason why many find the Christian life so deplorably hard, why they are so fickle, so variable, is that they try to attach themselves to Christ without first detaching themselves from these cherished idols.

“After the union with Christ has been formed, it can be preserved only by earnest prayer and untiring effort. We must resist, we must deny, we must conquer self. Through the grace of Christ, by courage, by faith, by watchfulness, we may gain the victory.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 231.

Bible Study Guides – The Prophetic Vision

by

October 21, 2007 – October 27, 2007

Key Text

“I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.” Hosea 12:10.

Study Help: Early Writings, 13-20; Testimonies, vol. 1, 58-61, 21-35.

Introduction

The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary defines the prophetic vision as follows: “A supernatural means by which God communicates His will to His servants the prophets (Isaiah 1:1; etc.). . . . A vision may come in waking moments (Daniel 10:7; Acts 9:3, 7), by day (Acts 10:3) or night (Genesis 46:2), or it may come as a dream (Numbers 12:6). The Bible makes no sharp distinction between visions and dreams, except possibly that dreams come during hours of slumber. In vision the prophet becomes oblivious of his natural surroundings and the Spirit of God so controls the sensory areas of his brain that the prophet seems literally to see, hear, and feel what is presented to him in vision. A vision may contain instruction for God’s people or reveal facts about the future that will enable God’s people to live more intelligently in the present. In vision the prophet sometimes seems to be transported over considerable distances (see Ezekiel 3:12-15; 8:3; 40:2; cf. 11 Corinthians 12:2-4.)” “Vision,” 1134, 1135.

Throughout Ellen G. White’s ministry of 70 years (1845-1915), revelations came to her in visions of the day and visions of the night. The light thus communicated to her by God she embodied in her oral addresses and in numerous periodical articles, hundreds of personal, written testimonies, and in her many published books.

1 In general, how did God communicate His messages to the prophet? Numbers 12:6. Compare Genesis 15:1; Ezekiel 8:3, 4.

note: “The Lord God speaking to Aaron and Miriam from the pillar of cloud, says, ‘Hear now My words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make Myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.’ [Numbers 12:6.]

“This then is the manner in which the Lord spoke through the prophets. By the power of His Spirit he takes complete possession of the mind, impressing upon its tablets those things which He is pleased to reveal. Then when restored to the natural state, the chosen person could speak or write out those words of instruction for others’ benefit. Events passed before the mind in vision like a moving panorama. These in the normal state brought up again by the aid of the Spirit of God are conveyed to others.” George I. Butler, Review and Herald, May 12, 1874.

2 How did Daniel describe his experience in connection with one of his visions? Daniel 10:7, 8, 15-18.

note: “In Jesus he [Peter] saw One who held all nature under His control. The presence of divinity revealed his own unholiness. Love for his Master, shame for his own unbelief, gratitude for the condescension of Christ, above all, the sense of his uncleanness in the presence of infinite purity, overwhelmed him. While his companions were securing the contents of the net, Peter fell at the Saviour’s feet, exclaiming, ‘Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ [Luke 5:8.]

“It was the same presence of divine holiness that had caused the prophet Daniel to fall as one dead before the angel of God. He said, ‘My comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.’ So when Isaiah beheld the glory of the Lord, he exclaimed, ‘Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’ Daniel 10:8; Isaiah 6:5. Humanity, with its weakness and sin, was brought in contrast with the perfection of divinity, and he felt altogether deficient and unholy. Thus it has been with all who have been granted a view of God’s greatness and majesty.” The Desire of Ages, 246. [Emphasis added.]

3 How is the experience of another prophet described? Numbers 24:2-4.

note: “Balaam owed the preservation of his life to the poor animal that he had treated so cruelly. The man who claimed to be a prophet of the Lord, who declared that his eyes were open, and he saw the ‘vision of the Almighty,’ [Numbers 24:4] was so blinded by covetousness and ambition that he could not discern the angel of God visible to his beast.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 442. [Emphasis added.]

4 How does Paul describe his experience while in one of his visions? 11 Corinthians 12:1, 2.

note: “Paul had a very humble opinion of his own advancement in the Christian life. He says: ‘Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect.’ He speaks of himself as the ‘chief’ of sinners. [Philippians 3:12; 1 Timothy 1:15.] Yet Paul had been highly honored of the Lord. He had been taken in holy vision to the third heaven and had there received revelations of divine glory which he could not be permitted to make known.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 223, 224.

5 Describe Ellen G. White’s experience while in open vision during the early years of her prophetic ministry.

note: There were many who witnessed Ellen White in vision. G. I. Butler, president of the General Conference while Mrs. White was in mid-life, in a series of articles for the Review and Herald reported physical phenomena paralleling the experience of Daniel.

“They [the visions] generally, but not always, occur in the midst of earnest seasons of religious interest while the Spirit of God is specially present, as those can tell who are in attendance. The time Mrs. White is in this condition has varied from fifteen minutes to one hundred and eighty. During this time the heart and pulse continue to beat, the eyes are always wide open, and seem to be gazing at some far-distant object, and are never fixed on any person or thing in the room. They are always directed upward. They exhibit a pleasant expression. There is no ghastly look or any resemblance of fainting. . . .

“While she is in vision, her breathing entirely ceases. No breath ever escapes her nostrils or lips when in this condition. This has been proved by many witnesses, among them physicians of skill, and themselves unbelievers in the visions, on some occasions being appointed by a public congregation for the purpose. . . . When she goes into this condition, there is no appearance of swooning or faintness, her face retains its natural color, and the blood circulates as usual. Often she loses her strength temporarily and reclines or sits; but at other times she stands up. She moves her arms gracefully, and often her face is lighted up with radiance as though the glory of heaven rested upon her. She is utterly unconscious of everything going on around her while she is in vision, having no knowledge whatever of what is said and done in her presence.” Review and Herald, June 9, 1874.

6 What purpose was served by the physical phenomena in connection with the visions of Mrs. White?

note: “Some of the instruction found in these pages was given under circumstances so remarkable as to evidence the wonder-working power of God in behalf of His truth. Sometimes while I was in vision, my friends would approach me, and exclaim, ‘Why, she does not breathe!’ Placing a mirror before my lips, they found that no moisture gathered on the glass. It was while there was no sign of any breathing that I kept talking of the things that were being presented before me. These messages were thus given to substantiate the faith of all, that in these last days we might have confidence in the Spirit of Prophecy.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 38, 39. [Emphasis added.]

7 During what hours did Daniel receive the vision described in Daniel 7? Daniel 7:1, 2, 13.

note: “The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Daniel and his fellows, and the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision.” The Youth’s Instructor, September 1, 1903.

“In the hours of that night Ellen White was given a significant and solemn vision and was able to sleep but little.” Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White, vol. 3, The Lonely Years 1876−1891, Review and Herald Publishing Association, Washington, D. C., 310.

8 Name another prophet who received visions at night. Acts 16:9. Compare Genesis 46:2-4.

note: “There are many dreams arising from the common things of life with which the Spirit of God has nothing to do. ‘There are also false dreams, as well as false visions, which are inspired by the spirit of Satan. But dreams from the Lord are classed in the word of God with visions and are as truly the fruits of the spirit of prophecy as visions. Such dreams, taking into the account the persons who have them, and the circumstances under which they are given, contain their own proofs of their genuineness.’ ” Testimonies, vol. 5, 658.

9 How did the Lord in prophetic vision reveal to Ezekiel truths concerning the restored temple? Ezekiel 40:2-4.

note: “As inquiries are frequently made as to my state in vision, and after I come out, I would say that when the Lord sees fit to give a vision, I am taken into the presence of Jesus and angels, and am entirely lost to earthly things. I can see no farther than the angel directs me. My attention is often directed to scenes transpiring upon earth.

“At times I am carried far ahead into the future and shown what is to take place. Then again I am shown things as they have occurred in the past. After I come out of vision I do not at once remember all that I have seen, and the matter is not so clear before me until I write, then the scene rises before me as was presented in vision, and I can write with freedom. Sometimes the things which I have seen are hid from me after I come out of vision, and I cannot call them to mind until I am brought before a company where that vision applies, then the things which I have seen come to my mind with force. I am just as dependent upon the Spirit of the Lord in relating or writing a vision, as in having the vision. It is impossible for me to call up things which have been shown me unless the Lord brings them before me at the time that he is pleased to have me relate or write them.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 2, 292, 293.

10 In what form were messages imparted to Zechariah? Zechariah 1:8-10; 4:1-7. To John the Revelator? Revelation 1:10-20. Compare Revelation 12.

note: In symbols, many facets of truth could be imparted in a brief representation. The Word of God abounds in symbolic representations. To the mind of Ellen White there were often opened by symbols or figures events of consequence and meaning to the church. For example, the growth of modern spiritualism was shown to her as a fast-moving train plunging ahead with “lightning speed to perdition.” It seemed to her that “the whole world was on board.” See Early Writings, 263. Sometimes the symbolic would blend into the real. See her first vision in Early Writings, 13-20, or Testimonies, vol. 1, 58-61.

11 To what point was Ezekiel on one occasion seemingly conveyed in vision? Ezekiel 8:1-12.

note: Frequently in Mrs. White’s experience she seemed to be taken to some distant place where she saw and heard what was occurring. While in Moss, Norway, in 1887, she seemed to be at the Saint Helena Sanitarium in California and witnessed what took place as the guests settled their accounts.

In Counsels on Health, 412, 413, she describes a seeming visit to the Battle Creek Sanitarium where she saw how the work was done and heard the conversation of the helpers.

On the night of April 16, 1906, she seemed to be on an eminence and viewed the great San Francisco earthquake that occurred two days later. Read her vivid description in Testimonies, vol. 9, 92, 93.

12 Before one challenges the method by which God reveals the light, how important is it to read the prophetic messages and ask, Is this light or darkness? Isaiah 46:9, 10.

note: “The question is asked, How does Sister White know in regard to the matters of which she speaks so decidedly, as if she had authority to say these things? I speak thus because they flash upon my mind when in perplexity like lightning out of a dark cloud in the fury of a storm. Some scenes presented before me years ago have not been retained in my memory, but when the instruction then given is needed, sometimes even when I am standing before the people, the remembrance comes sharp and clear, like a flash of lightning, bringing to mind distinctly that particular instruction. At such times I cannot refrain from saying the things that flash into my mind, not because I have had a new vision, but because that which was presented to me perhaps years in the past has been recalled to my mind forcibly.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 37.