Bible Study - Sin and Sinners Destroyed

December 18 – 24, 2022

Key Text

“ ‘For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all that do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘that will leave them neither root nor branch.’ ” Malachi 4:1

Study Help: The Great Controversy, 663–673

Introduction

“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

Sunday

1 AT THE COMING OF JESUS

1.a. Before the coming of Jesus, what will be the condition of the wicked? Malachi 3:14; 2 Timothy 3:1–4. 1 John 5:19

Note: “The cities around us are filled with wickedness, and after the message of warning has been given to them no more words of peace will be given.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 3, 87

“The state of the world, with its abominations and crimes, in fulfilment of the prophecies concerning the wickedness that would prevail during the last days, is enough to lead true Christians to live lives of humility and prayer.” Spalding and Magan Collection, 338

1.b. What will happen to the wicked ones who will be alive at the time of Jesus’ coming? 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9; 2:8

Note: “At the coming of Christ the wicked are blotted from the face of the whole earth—consumed with the spirit of His mouth and destroyed by the brightness of His glory.” The Great Controversy, 657

Monday

2 AT THE END OF THE MILLENIUM

2.a. What will take place after the one thousand years have expired? Isaiah 24:22; Revelation 20:5, first part

Note: “Every eye in that vast multitude is turned to behold the glory of the Son of God. With one voice the wicked hosts exclaim: ‘Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!’ It is not love to Jesus that inspires this utterance. The force of truth urges the words from unwilling lips. As the wicked went into their graves, so they come forth with the same enmity to Christ and the same spirit of rebellion. They are to have no new probation in which to remedy the defects of their past lives. Nothing would be gained by this. A lifetime of transgression has not softened their hearts. A second probation, were it given them, would be occupied as was the first in evading the requirements of God and exciting rebellion against Him.” The Great Controversy, 662

2.b. How does the Bible describe the multitude of the resurrected wicked ones at the end of the millennium? Revelation 20:7, 8. Who are included in that vast multitude?

Note: “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.” The Great Controversy, 664

Tuesday

3 EXTERMINATION OF SIN

3.a. What did Jesus say about the eradication of sin? Matthew 15:13

Note: “Every plant that Satan has planted—jealousy, anger, envy, evil surmising, evil speaking, impatience, fretfulness, prejudice, vanity, covetousness, and selfishness—should be rooted up without delay. There is constant peril for the soul who nurtures these evil qualities, for they will bear a burden of evil fruit, whereby many will be defiled. These poisonous plants defile the soul and crowd out the precious flower of love.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, 79

“The extermination of sin will vindicate God’s love and establish His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law.” The Desire of Ages, 764

3.b. After the second resurrection, what will Satan do in desperation as he deceives the innumerable multitude of wicked? Revelation 20:9, first part

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. Yet, true to his early cunning, he does not acknowledge himself to be Satan. He claims to be the prince who is the rightful owner of the world and whose inheritance has been unlawfully wrested from him. He represents himself to his deluded subjects as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has brought them forth from their graves and that he is about to rescue them from the most cruel tyranny. The presence of Christ having been removed, Satan works wonders to support his claims. He makes the weak strong and inspires all with his own spirit and energy. He proposes to lead them against the camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God. With fiendish exultation he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his throne and his kingdom.” The Great Controversy, 664

Wednesday

4 THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH

4.a. What will even the wicked understand regarding the mission of Christ when He came into the world? 1 John 3:8, last part; Luke 13:35

Note: “When the Judge of all the world demands, Why have ye done thus? what reason can he assign, what cause can he plead? Bear in mind every tongue is silent, every mouth that has been so ready to speak evil, so ready to accuse, so ready to utter words of recrimination and falsehood is stopped, and the whole world of rebellion stands speechless before God.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh–day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 1163

“With all the facts of the great controversy in view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord declare: ‘Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.’ ” The Great Controversy, 671

4.b. What will happen to the wicked, the evil angels, and Satan? Psalms 11:6; Jude 1:6, 7; Revelation 20:9, last part, 14, 15

Note: “Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein are burned up. Malachi 4:1; 2 Peter 3:10. The earth’s surface seems one molten mass—a vast, seething lake of fire. It is the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly men’—the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.’ Isaiah 34:8.

“The wicked receive their recompense in the earth. Proverbs 11:31. They ‘shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts.’ Malachi 4:1. Some are destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All are punished ‘according to their deeds.’ ‘The sins of the righteous having been transferred to Satan, he is made to suffer not only for his own rebellion, but for all the sins which he has caused God’s people to commit. His punishment is to be far greater than that of those whom he has deceived. After all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to live and suffer on. In the cleansing flames the wicked are at last destroyed, root and branch—Satan the root, his followers the branches.” The Great Controversy, 672, 673

Thursday

5 THE EARTH LIBERATED FROM SIN

5.a. What condition will exist after sin and sinners are destroyed? Psalm 104:35; Isaiah 14:7; 35:10; Zechariah 1:11

Note: “Satan’s work of ruin is forever ended. … Now God’s creatures are forever delivered from his presence and temptations.” The Great Controversy, 673

“Christ … saw the happiness of those who through His humiliation should receive pardon and everlasting life. He was wounded for their transgressions, bruised for their iniquities. The chastisement of their peace was upon Him, and with His stripes they were healed.” The Ministry of Healing, 504

5.b. How will the redeemed express their gratitude to the Lord for the restoration of His original plan? Revelation 5:13; 19:1, 6, 7

Note: “When the redeemed stand in the presence of God, they will see how shortsighted were their conclusions as to what heaven records as success. As they review their efforts to achieve success they will see how foolish were their plans, how petty their supposed trials, how unreasonable their doubts. They will see how often they brought failure to their work by not taking God at His word. And one truth will stand out in clear lines: that position does not prepare a man for entrance into the heavenly courts. They will see, too, that the honor given to man is due to God alone, that to Him belongs all the glory. From the lips of the angelic choir and the redeemed host will peal forth the chorus.” Testimonies, Vol. 7, 28

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 How does this lesson confirm the old saying, “Crime does not pay”?

2 What reveals the fact that human character is unchanged after death?

3 With what deception does Satan incite the resurrected wicked to fight?

4 In what sense will the redeemed be further amazed by God’s glory?

5 Describe the joy that will be felt in the universe.