Thursday, December 31, 2015
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Lesson 1 Crisis in Heaven December 26- January 1 2016
Rebellion and Redemption
Somehow, and we don't know exactly why, sin arose in God's perfect Creation, and that sin became the starting point for what we understand as the great controversy. One thing, though, we do know, and very well too: as human beings, we are caught in the middle of this controversy. It's a battle that none of us escape.
It wasn't, though, supposed to be that way, not in the beginning. Creation was "very good" and "blessed" by God. Although the Lord was recognized as the Sustainer of this perfect Creation, He gave Adam and Eve the responsibility of taking care of what He had made for them. The great controversy came to earth when Satan deceived Adam and Eve with flattery and deception, diverting their allegiance from God to himself. Had they remained faithful to what God had told them, had they obeyed His simple commands, the world as we know it, with all its miseries, trials, and suffering, would never had arisen.
"Satan's efforts to misrepresent the character of God, to cause men to cherish a false conception of the Creator, and thus to regard Him with fear and hate rather than with love; his endeavors to set aside the divine law, leading the people to think themselves free from its requirements; and his persecution of those who dare to resist his deceptions, have been steadfastly pursued in all ages. They may be traced in the history of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, of martyrs and reformers."-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 12, 13.
In answer to this tragedy, God, who had foreseen all this happening "before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4), put in place His rescue plan. It's what we know as the plan of Redemption. This Redemption is prefigured in the account of God meeting with Abram inGenesis 15:1-21, when He passed between the animal pieces. The ancient ceremony was an assurance to Abram; and thus, to all of us that God is personally involved in providing a solution to the problem caused by sin.
Yes, God has pledged to bear in Himself the full responsibility for all human rebellion and to suffer the consequences for every evil we have committed. Only in this way could God restore His relationship with the human race, relationships between humans, and humanity's relationship with the rest of creation.
It is in this overarching context that we see Satan's insatiable passion to deface creation and to obliterate God's people. His strategies are revealed in the Bible, where good and evil are played out between siblings, in families, and in besieged nations. It is seen in times of oppression, famine, slavery and exile, in frustrated attempts to rebuild after disaster, in divided loyalties and the enticement of idolatrous practices.
Throughout Scripture, God is constantly defeating Satan's purposes. Jesus' coming as Immanuel, "God with us," recovered the territory stolen from Adam and Eve. Jesus succeeded where Adam failed. In His ministry He showed His authority over creation and the forces of evil. Just before His return to heaven, He recommissioned His followers and at Pentecost empowered them to extend the borders of His heavenly kingdom.
Jesus has won the decisive victory at the cross. The challenge has always been where we place our loyalties, on the side that has won or on the side that has lost. Though the choice should be easy and obvious, because the controversy still rages and the deceptions are ever-present, the battle for our hearts and minds continues. Our hope and prayer, then, is that this quarter's lessons will reveal some of these deceptions and thus help us not just to choose Christ but to remain with Him because, as He has promised, "'He who endures to the end shall be saved'" (Matt. 24:13, NKJV).
Lesson 1*December 26-January 1
Crisis in Heaven
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week's Study: Isa. 14:4, 12-15; Ezek. 28:2, 12-19; John 12:31; Rev. 12:7-16; Luke 10:1-21.
Memory Text: "'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" (Revelation 7:10, NKJV).
The law of love being the foundation of the government of God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all His creatures the service of love-service that springs from an appreciation of His character. He takes no pleasure in a forced obedience; and to all He grants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntary service."-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 34.
So long as all created beings acknowledged the allegiance of love, there was perfect harmony throughout the universe. All it took was one rebel, and everything changed. Lucifer thought that he could do a better job than God did. He wanted God's position and the prestige that went with it.
His lust for power resulted in a "war in heaven" (Rev. 12:7). By tricking Adam and Eve at the forbidden tree in Eden, Satan brought that war to earth, and we have been living with the consequences ever since. The plan of salvation is God's way of dealing with the rebellion and restoring the order and harmony that Satan had disrupted.
Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 2.
SundayDecember 27
The Fall in Heaven
Read Isaiah 14:4, 12-15. What descriptions of the king of Babylon indicate that he is speaking of someone much greater than a mere human ruler?
No earthly king has ever fallen from heaven, a truth that suggests that Isaiah 14:12-15 are focusing on someone bigger than the king, even of Babylon. Furthermore, the images of ascending to heaven, of being in a position higher than angels, and of presiding over the assembly on the mountain in the far north are all recognized descriptions of deity in the ancient Near East. Satan's ambitions are, clearly, exposed here, in this kind of "dual" prophecy.
Jesus uses a similar tactic in His description of the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:1-51). Although the disciples ask about the destruction of the temple, in His reply, Jesus describes both the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70, and the greater reality of the end of the world. In the same way, Isaiah describes the attributes of an earthly king but applies it all to something much grander and larger than just a mere human king.
Ezekiel 28:13 describes a perfect being present in the "garden of God," one decorated with all the kinds of precious stones later found on the breastplate of the high priest and as a being who was commissioned as a guardian cherub at the throne of God. The perfect being, however, corrupted himself because of his "beauty."
By using human parallels, these glimpses allow us to understand divine realities. The prophets used that which is closer and more easily understandable in order to explain something that, in and of itself, might be harder for us to understand. What happens in heaven may be difficult for us on earth to grasp, but we are all able to understand the effects of the blatant and destructive political ambitions of earthly rulers. Isaiah and Ezekiel give us insight into the inexplicable transition, at some point in history, when all that was beautiful and perfect in God's order of things was marred by destructive ambition.
If a perfect being, created by a perfect God, in a perfect environment, could mess himself up because of pride, what should that tell us fallen beings about how deadly this sentiment really is?
MondayDecember 28
The Prince of This World
When God first established Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He entrusted them with the management of Eden (Gen. 2:8, 15), and the care of all creatures in the waters, skies, and upon the earth (Gen. 1:26, 28). When Adam named all the animals, he demonstrated his stewardship over them. Usually the one with authority over something can give it a name; so, by naming all creatures, Adam was clearly demonstrating his status as the ruler of the world.
When Adam lost that dominion, Satan very quickly filled the vacuum. Part of the restoration of the human race, made possible by Christ's sacrifice at Calvary, will be when the redeemed are given Adam's and Eve's privilege of reigning with God for the rest of eternity as "kings and priests" (Rev. 1:6, 5:10).
The opening chapters of the book of Job reveal to us just how extensive Adam's loss was. As we are given a glimpse into the throne room of the universe, we can also see how subordinate to nature the human race has become since the Fall.
Read Job 1:6-7 and 2:1-2. Why does Satan introduce himself to the assembly of the sons of God as the one walking to and fro on the earth?
Walking "to and fro" or "walking back and forth" is not just the act of a tourist. In Scripture it is a sign of ownership. When God gave the land to Abraham, He told him to walk its length and breadth (Gen. 13:17), and similarly to Moses and Joshua (Deut. 11:24, Josh. 1:3). Satan, in a sense, is flaunting himself as "the god of this world" (2 Cor. 4:4).
The introduction of Satan in the first two chapters of Job parallels what happened in Genesis 3. Satan initiates trouble in paradise and then leaves the human victims to suffer in his wake.
What evidence can we see of Satan's work in this world? How can you draw hope from the promise that one day this whole mess will be over?
TuesdayDecember 29
War in Heaven
We have no idea what war in heaven means; that is, we don't know what kind of physical battles were fought other than the casting out of Satan and his angels. The fact is, the Bible does not say anything about the physical aftermath of this heavenly conflict. It deals, instead, with the spiritual results here on earth.
Read Revelation 12:7-16. What does it tell us about the great controversy as it impacted heaven and then earth?
Note the positive way that John talks about the continuing war between the "accuser of our brethren" and the overcomers. He links it to salvation and the coming of the kingdom of God (Rev. 12:10-11). This positive theme is underscored throughout the chapter and is an important aspect of the great controversy.
It is crucial that we note the overall context of Revelation 12:1-17. Three great threats are described there, but each is followed by an incredible deliverance. In a dramatic vision John is shown the struggle between Christ and Satan and how totally mismatched it all appears to be.
For instance, a great red dragon (Satan, Rev. 12:9) prepares to eat a baby (Jesus) about to be born. What baby could survive that? But He does and is caught up to the throne of God.
The dragon then attempts to persecute the mother (a symbol of the people of God; see Rev. 12:13). How much can a mother who has just given birth defend herself against a dragon? But she also escapes miraculously (Rev. 12:14).
In a third attempt to destroy God's chosen, the dragon causes a flood to gush out after the woman (Rev. 12:15). A woman against a flood? But, again, God steps in and delivers her (Rev. 12:16).
The dragon now turns his attention to the remnant of the woman's seed. He is furious and wars against them. History clearly shows how God's people have been hunted, oppressed, and persecuted over the years. Too often we see the impossibility of the struggle and wonder how the faithful will survive, forgetting that the story does not end there. It continues in Revelation 14:1-20, where we see the faithful standing before God's throne; thus, they, too, have been delivered.
At times when you feel overwhelmed by forces greater than yourself, how can you learn to take courage in the Lord, who is greater than all things?
WednesdayDecember 30
Satan Evicted
As we have seen, the war in heaven was not confined to heaven but affected the earth too. For some time it appears that Satan (the "accuser of our brethren," Rev. 12:10) was still able to stand before God's throne and make accusations against God's people. Job was one biblical character who suffered this indignity.
Read Luke 10:1-21. What was the meaning of Christ's words about Satan here?
Before Jesus sent out the 70, He instructed them not to take any spare clothing or money (Luke 10:4) and to ask God's blessing on their hosts (Luke 10:5). He warned that they were like lambs walking among wolves (Luke 10:3) - a concern reflected in Revelation 12:1-17, where the dragon attempts to make war with God's people.
On their joyous return (Luke 10:17) the disciples reported that the demons were subject to them, and this must have brought Jesus great joy (Luke 10:21). It is in this context that Jesus makes His statement about Satan falling like lightning from heaven. He warns the disciples that their joy must not be based on their success over demonic forces but rather on having their names written in heaven(Luke 10:20). This reminder places human salvation firmly where it belongs-in the hands of our Savior. It is Jesus, not we, who has defeated the enemy.
Jesus' followers, however, are given the privilege of witnessing about the salvation Jesus has won. This episode in Luke 10:17-20seems to link the work of witnessing that Jesus entrusts to His people with power over Satan in this great controversy. The work of witnessing erodes the power that Satan has over the people of this world and gives humankind opportunity to resume their original work of expanding the borders of God's kingdom.
Power over our adversary is only possible because of the victory Jesus won at the cross. Paul states that Jesus "disarmed principalities and powers" and triumphed over them (Col. 2:15, NKJV). In Him, God's people are triumphant. Satan's demise is assured. "'The ruler of this world will be cast out'" (John 12:31, NKJV), never to malign God's people again. We can surely rejoice that the battle is the Lord's!
"Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Dwell on these words. What are they saying, and why is that such a great reason to rejoice?
ThursdayDecember 31
The Continuing Battle
Just as the reflexes of a twitching, freshly killed poisonous snake can cause it to reach around and inject its poison if you pick it up, Satan's bite is still deadly. He may have been defeated at Calvary, but the danger is not over yet.
Read John 16:33. How did Jesus warn His disciples of the continuing struggle against evil?
Jesus was clear that His followers would not have an easy time, but instead of focusing on the challenges, He focused on the victory that they would have in Him. Reflecting on this guarantee, Paul assured the believers in Rome that God would crush Satan beneath their feet (Rom. 16:20). And John told the last-day church of the same thing-their victory was assured through the blood of the Lamb(Rev. 12:11).
Hebrews 11:1-40 quickly sketches the lives of some of the famous heroes of faith. Abel offers a perfect sacrifice, and he is not forgotten even though he is dead. Enoch habitually draws near to God so is taken straight to heaven to be with Him. Noah warns of unseen events and offers salvation to a world drowned in sin. Abraham leaves a great civilization to go to a land of promise. Sarah gives birth to a promised son even though she is too old to have a child. Moses chooses to suffer with his people rather than to live in a king's palace. And Rahab witnesses to God's greatness (Josh. 2:9-11). These are among those who form the great cloud of witnesses spoken of in Hebrews 12:1. They are not passive witnesses, like spectators watching a game; instead, they actively witness to us that God is faithful, sustaining them in whatever struggles they faced. We are not alone in this great battle.
Look at some of those mentioned in Hebrews 11:1-40. Who were they, and what were they like? What encouragement can you draw from the fact that they were not flawless and faultless human beings but were people with fears, passions, and weaknesses just like we all are?
FridayJanuary 1
Further Thought: We do not know why sin arose in Lucifer. Ellen G. White tells us that "little by little Lucifer came to indulge the desire for self-exaltation" - Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 35. The fact that this occurred in a perfect being reveals in a powerful way the reality of free will and free choice as part of God's government. God created all intelligent creatures as good; they were moral beings with a good moral nature. There was nothing in them leaning toward evil. How, then, did sin arise in Lucifer? The answer is that there is no answer. There is no excuse for sin. If an excuse for it could be found, then God could ultimately be held responsible for it. As humans we are used to cause/effect relationships. But sin does not have a cause; there is simply no reason for it. It's irrational and nonsensical. Lucifer could not justify his actions, especially as one so favored of God. Somehow, though, through abusing free will, Lucifer corrupted himself, and from being the "light bearer," he became Satan, "the adversary." Though there's a lot we don't understand, we should understand enough to know just how careful we ourselves need to be with the sacred gift of free will and free choice.
Discussion Questions:
- Jealousy played a large part in Satan's rebellion against God. In your own experience, what kind of damage has jealousy caused? How can we learn to fight against this very common emotion?
- Dwell more on the amazing gift of free will and free choice. How do we use these gifts every day? Look at some of the terrible consequences of the wrong use of this gift. How can we learn to use it correctly?
- Think about the role of the law in context of free will and free choice. The mere fact that God has a law should be a testimony to the reality of free will. After all, what is the purpose of a moral law unless you have moral creatures who can choose to follow it? Dwell more on the implications of the law and what it says about human freedom.
- There's a powerful tendency, especially in certain parts of the world, to reject the idea of a literal devil. Why is such a view so contrary to even the most basic understanding of the Bible?
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Lessons 13. From Jeremiah Dec 19-25. 2015
Lesson 13December 19-25
Lessons From Jeremiah
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week's Study: Jer. 2:13, 6:20, 7:1-10, Matt. 9:12, Deut. 6:5, Jer. 10:1-15, 23:1-8.
Memory Text:
'Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth'(Jeremiah 23:5, NKJV).
We're now at the end of our study of Jeremiah. It's been an adventure; a lot of drama, emotion, and energy has been expended in the saga of our prophet.
Like all the prophets, Jeremiah didn't write in a vacuum: his was a message from the Lord and for people at a specific time and place, and under specific circumstances.
And yet, however radically different his circumstances were from ours or from those of the many other generations who have read Jeremiah, crucial principles expressed there are the same for God's people in every generation.
Such as faithfulness to God and obedience to His commandments. Such as true religion, a religion of the heart, as opposed to empty and dead rituals that can leave people in a false state of complacency. Such as the people's willingness to listen to correction, even when it cuts across what they want to hear. Such as true revival and reformation. Such as trusting in the Lord and His promises instead of the arm of flesh. Such as . . .
The list goes on. This week, let's take a look at some of the many lessons we can learn from this revelation of God's love for His people even amid many thunderous warnings to them about where their actions will lead.
Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 26.
Jeremiah's Lord
Seventh-day Adventists understand that at the center of the great controversy exists a crucial issue: What is the character of God? What is God really like? Is He the arbitrary tyrant that Satan makes Him out to be, or is He a loving and caring Father who wants only the best for us? These questions really are the most important questions in the entire cosmos. After all, what would our situation be if God were not kind and loving and self-sacrificial, but mean and arbitrary and sadistic? We'd be better off if no God existed than to have one like that.
So, the questions are of huge importance. Fortunately, we have the answers, and they are best seen at the Cross.
Never will it be forgotten that He whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds through the vast realms of space, the Beloved of God, the Majesty of heaven, He whom cherub and shining seraph delighted to adore-humbled Himself to uplift fallen man; that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, and the hiding of His Father's face, till the woes of a lost world broke His heart, and crushed out His life on Calvary's cross. That the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should lay aside His glory and humiliate Himself from love to man will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe.-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 651.
How is the nature and character of God revealed in the following texts in Jeremiah? That is, what do these texts tell us about Him?
These are just a few of the many images and expressions used in the book that reveal to us something of the nature and character of our God. He is the Source of life, the powerful Creator, a God of judgment, a God who loves us and calls us, over and over, to repent of our sins and to turn away from the paths that will lead to our destruction.
What evidence of God's loving character have you experienced during your lifetime?
Rituals and Sin
There is a document that records God's endless, dispiriting struggle with organized religion, known as the Bible.-Terry Eagleton,Reason, Faith, and Revolution: Reflections on the God Debate, (Yale University Press, 2010), Kindle Edition, p.8.
Not quite true, and that's because the religion of the Bible, the religion that God has given humanity, has always been an
organized religion.
On the other hand, there is no question that in the book of Jeremiah, the Lord was seeking to get people away from the cold, dead, but very organized rituals that came to dominate their faith, rituals that they believed covered their sin.
As said earlier, yet it is worth repeating, the vast majority of Jeremiah's struggles were with leaders and priests and people who believed that because they were the chosen ones of God, the children of Abraham, the covenant people, they were just fine with the Lord. What a sad deception, one that we, also of Abraham's seed (Gal. 3:29), need to watch out for.
What is the message of the following texts in Jeremiah? Most important, how can we apply the principles there in our own walk with the Lord? (Jer. 6:20, 7:1-10).
Read Jeremiah 7:9-10. If one ever wanted to find a situation that fits what has been called
cheap grace,the term certainly applies here. The people do all these sinful things and then come back to the temple and
worshipthe true God and claim forgiveness for their sins? God is not mocked. Unless these people change their ways, especially how they treat the weak among them, they are going to face harsh judgment.
What a deception they are under, the belief that they can claim God's forgiveness and go on doing what they want, without regard to the conditions of the covenant so that they can continue on in those sins.
What is the difference between what Jeremiah is warning about here and what Jesus said in Matthew 9:12? Why is it important to know that difference?
Religion of the Heart
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God(Rom. 14:12).
So much of the book of Jeremiah is directed toward the nation as a whole. Time and again he talked about Israel and Judah corporately, as God's
choice vine(Jer. 2:21, NIV), or the
belovedof the Lord (Jer. 11:15, 12:7), God's own
heritage(Jer. 12:7-9), His
vineyard(Jer. 12:10) and His
flock(Jer. 13:17). Without doubt, in the book we get a sense of the corporate nature of the Lord's calling to this nation.
Of course, it's the same in the New Testament, where time and again the church is understood in a corporate sense (see Eph. 1:22,3:10, 5:27).
Yet salvation is personal, not a corporate issue. We are not saved as package deals. As with the New Testament church, the nation of Judah was composed of individuals, and it's here, at the level of the individual, that the real crucial issues arise. The famous text inDeuteronomy 6:5,
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength(NKJV), though spoken to the nation as a whole, is written in the singular second person. That is, the
youin each case is the singular; God is talking to each one individually. In the end, each one of us, personally, will have to give an account of ourselves to God.
We find that same thing in Jeremiah as well.
What do the following texts say about the importance of a personal, individual walk with the Lord?
Though both Testaments of the Bible talk about the corporate nature of God's church, true faith is a matter of each person, himself or herself, making a daily surrender to the Lord, a personal choice to walk in faith and obedience.
Though there's no question that we are each individually responsible for our own souls, how can we make sure that we are doing everything we can to uplift and encourage others? Whom do you know, right now, that you can say some kind and uplifting words to?
Twilight of the Idols
What was one of the great sins that the people committed that Jeremiah had to deal with constantly? (Jer. 10:1-15).
What's interesting in these texts is not just the way in which the prophet shows how vain and useless and silly these idols are, but how he contrasts them to the living God. These things are powerless, useless, empty, and false; what a contrast to the Lord who made the heavens and earth! He will endure forever, while these idols will vanish forever. So, whom should we be worshiping and dedicating our lives to: that which is weak, false, vain, and powerless, or to the Lord whose power and might is so great that He created and sustains the universe? The answer, of course, is obvious.
Yet however obvious the answer, the fact is, we are in danger of falling into idolatry as well. Though today we might not worship the same kind of idols that those in Jeremiah's time did, our modern life is full of false gods. These modern idols can be anything that we love more than God; whatever we
worship(and worship doesn't always mean singing and praying) becomes our god, and we are guilty of idolatry.
What are some of the things that we can be in danger of making into idols? What about things like digital devices, money, fame, even other people? Make a list of what these potential idols are, and then ask yourself: In the end, what real salvation do they offer?
Of course, we know intellectually that none of these things are worthy of worship. We know that in the end, nothing that this world offers us, nothing that we make into idols, can ultimately satisfy our souls and certainly not redeem them. We know all these things, and yet, unless we are careful, unless we keep before us Jesus and what He did for us and why He did it, we can so easily be swept up in a modern form of the idolatry similar to that which Jeremiah so passionately railed against.
The Remnant
In the closing years of Judah's apostasy the exhortations of the prophets were seemingly of but little avail; and as the armies of the Chaldeans came for the third and last time to besiege Jerusalem, hope fled from every heart. Jeremiah predicted utter ruin; and it was because of his insistence on surrender that he had finally been thrown into prison. But God left not to hopeless despair the faithful remnant who were still in the city. Even while Jeremiah was kept under close surveillance by those who scorned his messages, there came to him fresh revelations concerning Heaven's willingness to forgive and to save, which have been an unfailing source of comfort to the church of God from that day to this.-Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 466.
Even amid that prevailing apostasy and doom, God always had a faithful people, however small in number. Though as with many of the prophets, much of the emphasis in Jeremiah was on apostasy and unfaithfulness-because these were what the Lord wanted to save the people from-all through sacred history, the Lord had a faithful remnant. This, of course, will continue down until the end of time(see Rev. 12:17).
How is the concept of the remnant expressed in Jeremiah 23:1-8? How does this apply to New Testament times? (See alsoJer. 33:14-18.)
In Jeremiah 33:5-7 scholars have long seen a Messianic prophecy, a prophecy of redemption for God's faithful people. Though it's true that, after the Babylonian exile, a remnant returned, it was not a glorious return. However, God's purposes would be fulfilled through the lineage of David, through a
righteous Branch,the King who would one day reign.
This prophecy had a partial fulfillment in the first coming of Jesus (see Matt. 1:1, 21:7-9, John 12:13). It will have its ultimate fulfillment in the Second Coming (see Dan. 7:13-14), when all of God's faithful people, His true remnant, will dwell forever in peace and safety. The redemption, first symbolized by the Exodus from Egypt, will be final, complete, and eternal.
In what are you putting your hopes? How can you learn to trust more and more in the promises of God and their ultimate fulfillment in your own life? What else besides them do you have?
Further Thought: Many years ago a Seventh-day Adventist minister named W. D. Frazee preached a sermon called Winners and Losers.In it he went through the lives of various Bible characters, looking at their work and ministry, and then he asked the question regarding each one: Was he a winner or a loser?
For example, he looked at John the Baptist, who lived a lonely life in the wilderness. Though eventually John had a small following, it never amounted to much, and certainly it was not what Jesus, who came later, had. And of course, John lived out his last days in a dank prison where, at times, he was harassed with doubt, finally only to get his head chopped off (Matthew 14:1-12). After recounting all this, Elder Frazee asked:
Was John a winner or a loser?
What about Jeremiah the prophet? How successful was his life? He suffered a great deal, and he wasn't afraid to whine and moan about it either. With few exceptions, it seems that the priests, prophets, kings, and common people not only didn't like what he had to say, but also thoroughly resented it. He was even seen as treasonous against his own people. In the end, the destruction and doom that he spent his life warning about came, because time and again the people rejected his words. They threw him in a muddy pit, hoping he'd die there. He lived to see his nation go into a terrible exile while Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. Thus, from a human perspective, not much went well for Jeremiah. From one perspective, you could argue that he had a fairly miserable life.
Discussion Questions:
- Was Jeremiah a winner or a loser? What are the reasons for the choice you make? If you say he was a winner, what does that tell us about how crucial it is that we not judge reality by the world's standards? What standards are we to use to try to understand what is right and wrong, good and evil, success and failure?
- In what ways do we see the life and ministry of Jesus prefigured in Jeremiah? What are the parallels?
- Earlier this week we saw the deception of going on with religious worship as usual without a change of heart. What is true grace, in contrast to the cheap, worthless, and even deceptive version of it warned about here?
Now Is The Time
Debrah, a Seventh-day Adventist, missed her church fellowship after she married and unbeliever and moved with her husband to an area where there was no church.
After some years, a group of Adventist laymen calling themselves the
Now Is The Timeteam decided to hold meetings in this area. The first night of the meetings, Debrah's husband happened by and came in. Although he was very drunk, he realized that these meetings were being conducted by members of his wife's church.
Where have you been?he demanded loudly.
My wife is a Seventh-day Adventist and she has been waiting years for you to come!One of the workers persuaded him to come outside where his drunken behavior would not interrupt the meeting. Finally, he asked for a Bible to take to his wife and set off for home, some distance away.
Meanwhile, Debrah had awakened from a vivid dream in which she had seen her husband entering the house with a Bible as a gift for her. She lay in the darkness, wondering what the dream meant. She knew it was unlikely that her husband would spend his money to buy her a Bible.
About 2:00 am her husband came home and presented her with the Bible, just as she had dreamed. Thrilled over this sign of God's care, she couldn't go to sleep and finally decided to get up and find the place where the meetings were being held.
Arriving very early in the morning, Debrah found the preachers and studied earnestly with them. She decided that nothing would ever keep her from serving the God who had spoken to her in a dream.
Debrah’s husband was tolerant, but his parents were angry. They burned all her clothes. When the evangelistic team gave her more clothes, they burned them too. When her husband’s parents realized that she would not forsake her religion, they threw Debrah out of the home and bought another wife for their son. But eventually, because of his unhappiness, they relented and reinstated Debrah as their son's wife.
Although her husband was glad to have her back, he showed no interest in religion himself. But as Debrah worked hard to please him and make him comfortable, while also spending as much time as she could helping others, her beautiful Christian life made an impression on him and he decided to become a Seventh-day Adventist. Today, he and Debrah work together to share God's love.
___ Debrah and her husband live in an unspecified country of Africa.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org
Friday, December 11, 2015
Lesson 12 Back to Egypt Dec 12-18 2015
Lesson 12December 12-18
Back to Egypt
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week's Study: Jer. 40:7-16, Jeremiah 41:1-18-43:1-13, Exod. 16:3, Num. 16:13, Jeremiah 44:1-36.
Memory Text:
May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us(Jeremiah 42:5, NIV).
This week's lesson brings us toward the end of the saga of Jeremiah the prophet. However, this is not a
and they lived happily ever afterending. In a sense, one could summarize this week's study, and even a good portion of the book of Jeremiah, by saying that what we see here is an example of the limits of grace. That is, grace will not save those who utterly refuse to accept it. No matter how much the Lord spoke to them, offering them salvation, protection, redemption, peace, and prosperity, all but a tiny and faithful remnant scorned and rebuffed God's offer.
And what of Jeremiah? His was a life and work that from all human appearances seemed futile! The
weeping prophethad plenty to weep about. Even after everything he warned about came to pass, the people still clung to their sins and paganism and rebellion, openly defying the prophet to his face and scorning the Word of the Lord to them.
How we need to be careful ourselves. Grace is grace because it's given to the undeserving, yes; but it's not forced on anyone. We must be willing to accept it.
Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 19.
Political Anarchy
One would think that with the destruction of the city and the total defeat by the Babylonians, all the people would have learned their lesson. Unfortunately, not all did, and the drama wasn't over yet.
Read Jeremiah 40:7-16. What message was given (again) to the people? What is the significance of the word remnantused in Jeremiah 40:11?
Despite the message of peace, and even the ensuing prosperity (see Jer. 40:12), not everyone was content with the status quo.
Though the reasons for the assassination weren't given, the fact that it had been done by someone of the
royal family and of the officers of the king(Jer. 41:1, NKJV) suggests that these elitists still had not accepted the idea that the chosen nation needed to submit to Babylonian rule. Because Gedaliah had been put on the throne by the king of Babylon (see Jer. 40:5), these people might have seen him as a treasonous puppet who was disloyal to the nation and who therefore had to be eliminated along with his court.
As the chapter continues, we can see that this remnant now faced a new threat: fear of the Babylonians, who-perhaps not knowing the details of what happened-would seek revenge for the death of Gedaliah and the Babylonian soldiers (see Jer. 41:3).
The sins of Ishmael and his men caused fear among those who had nothing to do with those sins. What should this tell us about how, by our disobedience, we can bring pain and suffering to others, even those who had nothing to do with our sins?
Seeking Divine Guidance
Read Jeremiah 42:1-22. What powerful message is found there, not just for them, but for anyone who seeks guidance from the Lord in prayer?
Fearful of the Babylonians, the people seek out Jeremiah and ask him to pray for them for divine guidance. They must have known by now that Jeremiah was indeed a prophet of God, and what he said when he spoke in the name of the Lord would come true.
They also vowed they would do whatever God asked or commanded them to do. So, as we read, we see a people who seem to have learned their lesson, who want not only to know what God's will is, but, more important, to follow it. The words-
Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God(Jer. 42:6, NKJV)-were a powerful confession of faith. After all that had happened, it was about time.
Notice the parallel here with Jeremiah's earlier messages: don't trust in foreign powers. Trust in the Lord, and He will prosper you and He will deliver you when the time is right. Salvation isn't from anywhere or anyone else. The foreign powers didn't help you before, and they won't help you now.
God has to warn them because He knows the tendency of their hearts: He knows that they are thinking of going back to Egypt (think of the symbolism here) in order to seek the protection they wanted. So, the Lord gave them very clear and specific commands not to do that, that such a course would bring ruin upon them.
Again, such a stark choice, the choice we all have to face: life and peace through faith and obedience to Jesus, or misery and death through lack of faith and lack of obedience. No matter the different circumstances, in the end the issue is the same for all of us. Unlike these people, we don't always have the warnings given to us so specifically and so clearly expressed, but we have been given the warnings just the same.
Life or death, blessing or cursing. What kind of choices are you making, every day, either for life or for death?
Returning to Egypt
If you haven't read ahead, Jeremiah 42:1-22 could be very exciting. What will the people do? Would they reach out in faith, a faith that is revealed in obedience, and remain in Judah? Or would they make the same mistakes that were made in the past, and instead of following a clear
thus saith the Lord,do what they want to do, despite the Lord's clear warning in the last few verses of chapter 42 about what would await them if they did go back to Egypt?
Read Jeremiah 43:1-7. What did they do?
When God's Word does not agree with our intentions or desires, we tend to have doubts about its divine origins. Likewise, the people and the leaders had doubts about Jeremiah. Apparently, in Israel, only the circumstances had changed, but the people remained the same in their thinking and in their heart. They excused themselves from their vow by attacking the prophet Jeremiah. However, they did not want to attack the aged Jeremiah directly. So they blamed Baruch, his friend and sometimes scribe, and turned their wrath against him, claiming that he had turned the prophet against them.
Read Exodus 16:3 and Numbers 16:13. What parallels exist between what the people said to Jeremiah and what their ancestors said to Moses?
Human nature is human nature, always looking for someone else to blame for its problems, always looking for an excuse to do what it wants. Thus, for whatever reason, Baruch was accused of wanting all of his countrymen to die by the hand of the Babylonians or to be taken into exile there. Jeremiah 43:1-7 does not say why the people thought Baruch wanted this to happen, any more than Scripture explains why the children of Israel thought Moses wanted them to die in the wilderness after they had left Egypt. People in the thrall of emotions and passions may not have sound reasons for their thinking. How crucial it is then that we keep our passions and emotions submitted to the Lord!
How often do we allow emotions or passions to cloud our judgment or even override a clear
thus saith the Lord? How can we protect ourselves from letting emotions and passions get the better of us? (See 2 Cor. 10:5.)
Taken Into Exile
Read Jeremiah 43:8-13. What did the Lord say through Jeremiah?
Tahpanhes was a town at the northeastern border of Egypt, which had significant fortifications and where a great number of Jewish colonists lived.
Here again, the Lord wants Jeremiah to act out a prophecy symbolically. Even though words are powerful, sometimes when things are done in real life, when they are acted out before us, the point comes through even more strongly.
How exactly Jeremiah was to bury stones at the entrance to Pharaoh's house, we aren't told. The point, however, was clear: even the mighty Pharaohs were no match for the Lord, and He would fulfill His word just as He had said. The refugees who thought that they would find protection and safety by going to Egypt were as wrong as those who, as we saw earlier, thought that they could find protection and safety by having Egypt come to them (Jer. 37:7-8). The Egyptian gods were useless, figments of warped imaginations; these gods were pagan abominations that kept the people in abject ignorance of truth. The Israelites should have known, as we should now know, that our only true protection and safety is in obeying the Lord.
When self-denial becomes a part of our religion, we shall understand and do the will of God; for our eyes will be anointed with eye-salve so that we shall behold wonderful things out of his law. We shall see the path of obedience as the only path of safety. God holds his people responsible in proportion as the light of truth is brought to their understanding. The claims of his law are just and reasonable, and through the grace of Christ he expects us to fulfill his requirements.-Ellen G. White, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, February 25, 1890.
Think about the symbolism, too, in the Israelites' going back to Egypt in their desire to find safety. How ironic! In a spiritual sense, what are ways that we could be tempted to
go back to Egyptto find what we think we can't find with the Lord?
Open Defiance
Read Jeremiah 44:1-10. What were the captives doing in Egypt?
During the Egyptian captivity, Jeremiah had to face the same problem he had while he and his people had lived in Judah. At that time he had to talk to the leaders; now he had to talk to the common people, who in captivity were committing some of the same sins that brought this devastation on them to begin with.
What startling answer did they give to Jeremiah when confronted by them? (Jer. 44:15-19).
The hardness of their hearts and the deception that had overtaken them is astonishing. Basically, they looked Jeremiah in the face and defied him and what he spoke to them in
the name of the Lord.
The rationale was simple: in the early days, before the reforms of Josiah, when they were heavily steeped in worshiping pagan gods, even burning incense to the
queen of heavenand pouring out drink offerings to her, things went well for them. They were materially well off and dwelt in safety. However, it was only after the reforms of Josiah (which were too late and half-hearted anyway) that calamity struck. So, why should they listen to Jeremiah and all his warnings?
Jeremiah's response (Jer. 44:20-30) was, No, you don't understand. It was precisely because you did all these things that these calamities have come upon you. Worse, your stubborn refusal to change means that even more calamity will come, and the safety you thought you would find in Egypt is a deception and a lie, just like the pagan gods you worship. In the end, you will know the truth, but it will be too late.
What about those who, steeped in sin and unbelief, seem to be doing very well, while at times faithful Christians go through terrible trials? How do we work our way through this reality?
Further Thought: All through the book of Jeremiah, as through all the Bible, we are confronted with the question of good and evil. And as Christians we know good from evil, because God has defined these terms for us in many different ways. (See, for example, Rom. 7:7, Mic. 6:8, Josh. 24:15, Matt. 22:37-39, Deut. 12:8.) But what if you don't believe in God? How can you know good from evil? Well, atheist author Sam Harris has a suggestion. He wrote a book called The Moral Landscape, in which he argues that good and evil can and should be understood only in terms of science. That is, the same way that science has helped us understand the difference between the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force, it should help us know right from wrong, and good from evil. He even speculates that science might one day cure evil.
Consider what would happen if we discovered a cure for human evil. Imagine, for the sake of argument, that every relevant change in the human brain can be made cheaply, painlessly, and safely. The cure for psychopathy can be put directly into the food supply like vitamin D. Evil is now nothing more than a nutritional deficiency.-The Moral Landscape, How Science Can Determine Human Values (New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2010), Kindle Edition, p. 109. Most scientists, however, even those who don't believe in God, would have a problem believing that science can solve these problems. If, however, you don't believe in God, where else can you find these solutions?
Discussion Questions:
With us, everything depends on how we accept the Lord's terms.
-Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book one, p. 118. Why is it a mistake to assume that salvation comes with no condition? Conditions are not the same things as works, or something that gives us merit before God. How can we learn to differentiate between the false teaching of salvation by works (legalism) and the false teaching that salvation is non-conditional (cheap grace)?- Dwell more on the difficult question at the end of Thursday's study. If someone says:
I don't believe in Jesus, I don't even believe in God, and yet look at how well my life is going. In fact, I would say that my life is going better than yours, and you are a Christian,
how would you respond?
All Things Work Together for Good
Like many young people in Africa, Siyoka had migrated from his home village to a larger town in search of a job. He lived with relatives and sent every penny he could back to his widowed mother and two younger brothers.
It was the music that first attracted him to meetings held by Pastor Mbena, but when he heard the story of Jesus, Siyoka could not stop thinking about how wonderful it would be to go to heaven with Him. What would it be like, he wondered, never to be hungry, sad, lonely, or afraid again.
The meetings over, Siyoka decided to return home and go to school so that perhaps, someday, he could become a pastor too. The local elder who took charge of following up those who had attended the meeting thought Siyoka had lost interest when he left town. He did whatever work he could find to pay for his school fees, as well as caring for the family garden. But that year the rains did not come. Sadly the villagers watched their crops wither and die. Sometimes there would be clouds and even a little rain, but not the steady, soaking rains needed to bring life to the barren earth.
The famine was terrible. Many died and many more, including Siyoka, became sick. In desperation his mother, seeing he was about to die, managed to bring him to a hospital in the nearest city. It was there that Pastor Mbena, visiting some of his church members, found him.
After relating these events, Siyoka's thin face lit up as he said in a weak whisper,
God is good, Pastor Mbena. He kept me from dying in the famine and now I will be alive to see my people baptized. You will come to my village, won't you?
Yes, Siyoka, I must come to your village and hold some meetings so your people can learn about Jesus,answered the pastor warmly.
Oh, they already know Jesus, Pastor!Siyoka assured him earnestly.
There are 25 ready to be baptized. I told them everything I learned when I attended your meetings and taught them the songs, too. I met with them every Sabbath. Even when the famine was really bad we prayed, and God answered our prayers. He brought me here so I could find you. When can you come?
Pastor Mbena could hardly believe his ears. This boy who had had so little opportunity to learn had become a preacher for God! When Siyoka was well enough to go home the pastor accompanied him. He visited the people and found that they had indeed been well taught. What a wonderful day it was when Siyoka and his 25 converts were baptized.
___ This story was written by Charlotte Ishkanian.
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