Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 1:24–27; Gen. 2:7, 19; Matt. 10:28; Eccles. 12:1–7; 1 Kings 2:10; 1 Kings 22:40. Memory Text: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). The tension between God’s word, “ ‘You shall die’ ” (Gen. 2:16, 17, NRSV) and Satan’s counterfeit promise, “ ‘You certainly will not die!’ ” (Gen. 3:4, NASB) was not restricted to the Garden of Eden. It has echoed through...
Oct 08, 2022•8 min•Ep. 1532
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Temptation and Fall,” pp. 52–62 and “The Plan of Redemption,” pp. 63–70, in Patriarchs and Prophets; “The Knowledge of Good and Evil,” pp. 23–27, in Education. In recent years, studies have been done on what are called near-death experiences (NDEs). What happens is that people “die,” in that their hearts stop beating, and they stop breathing. However, they then come back to life—but with fantastic stories of floating into another realm of existence and ...
Oct 07, 2022•9 min•Ep. 1531
The First Gospel Promise Read Genesis 3:15, 21. What hope can be found in these verses for all of humanity? Genesis 3 describes the dreadful tragedy that took over the world after the Fall. Everything changed, and Adam and Eve could see the contrast between what the world used to be and what it had become. But in the midst of their frustration and despair, God gave them assur- ance for the present and hope for the future. First, He cursed the serpent with a word of Messianic hope. He declared, “...
Oct 06, 2022•9 min•Ep. 1530
Consequences of Sin Based on Genesis 3:7–19 and Romans 5:12, what were the main con- sequences of sin? Captivated by the persuasive speech of the serpent, Eve did not antici pate the far-reaching consequences of the road that she was following. In itself, the act of eating from the forbidden fruit was not as significant as what it actually represented. By such an act of disobedience, Eve broke her loyalty to God and assumed a new allegiance to Satan. Genesis 3 describes the fall of Adam and Eve...
Oct 05, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1529
You Will Not Die Read Genesis 3:4. What are the many different ways this lie has been repeated through the ages? One powerful manifestation of this lie is seen in the common belief in the immortality of the soul. This notion was the basis of many ancient reli- gions and philosophies. In ancient Egypt, it motivated the mummification practices and the funerary architecture, such as that seen in the pyramids. This theory also became one of the main pillars of Greek philoso- phy. For example, in The...
Oct 04, 2022•12 min•Ep. 1528
Deceived by the Serpent Read Genesis 3:1–7. What criteria did Eve use to choose between God’s word and that of the serpent? Genesis 3 is one of the clearest examples of the psychology of temptation. God had warned Adam and Eve that if they ate the for- bidden fruit, they would certainly die (Gen. 2:16, 17). Assuming the form of a serpent, Satan used several rhetorical strategies to mislead Eve into sin. First, he generalized God’s specific prohibition. He asked her, “ ‘Has God really said, “You ...
Oct 03, 2022•8 min•Ep. 1527
Statements in Tension The world, as it came from the Lord, was perfect (Gen. 1:31). Death was an unknown experience for Adam and Eve. In that context, God came to the Garden of Eden and warned: “ ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die’ ” (Gen. 2:16, 17, NRSV). How does Genesis 2:16, 17 show the reality of free will in the perfection of Eden? That is, why would God have n...
Oct 02, 2022•8 min•Ep. 1526
Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 2:16, 17; Gen. 3:1–7; Ps. 115:17; John 5:28, 29; Rom. 5:12; 2 Cor. 5:21. Memory Text: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12, NKJV). Christ was the Divine Agent through whom God brought the uni- verse and the world into existence (John 1:1–3, 10; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2). But when God the Father conferred special honor on Christ and announced that They togeth...
Oct 01, 2022•8 min•Ep. 1525
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Why Was Sin Permitted?” pp. 33–43, in Patriarchs and Prophets; “The Origin of Evil,” pp. 492– 504, in The Great Controversy. “There was no possible hope for the redemption of those [Satan and his angels] who had witnessed and enjoyed the inexpressible glory of heaven, and had seen the terrible majesty of God, and, in presence of all this glory, had rebelled against Him. There were no new and wonderful exhibitions of God’s exalted power that could impress th...
Sep 30, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1524
The Spread of Unbelief Read Revelation 12. What does this chapter teach about the spread of the rebellion in heaven to the earth? The fall of Lucifer was not a simple clash of conflicting ideas. Revelation 12 tells us that a major war broke out in heaven between Lucifer and his angels on one side and Christ and His angels on the other. In this passage, Lucifer is called “the great dragon,” the “serpent of old,” “the Devil and Satan,” and “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev. 12:9, 10, NKJV). Chris...
Sep 29, 2022•12 min•Ep. 1523
The Price of Pride Within Scripture, one can see two predominant themes or motifs that are competing with each other. One is the theme of Salem, Mount Zion, Jerusalem, and the New Jerusalem, which represents God’s kingdom. The other is the theme of Babel and Babylon, which stands for Satan’s counterfeit domain. Several times God called His people out of pagan Babylon to serve Him in the Promised Land. For example, Abram (later Abraham) was asked to move from Ur of the Chaldees to the land of Can...
Sep 28, 2022•9 min•Ep. 1522
Mysterious Ingratitude Read Ezekiel 28:12–19. What can we learn from this passage about the mysterious origin of sin? Much of the book of Ezekiel was written in end-time, symbolic lan- guage. In many instances, specific entities (such as persons, animals, and objects) and local events are used to represent and describe broader cosmic and/or historical realities. In Ezekiel 28:1–10, the Lord spoke of the king of Tyre (Tyre itself was a prosperous ancient Phoenician port city) as a rich and proud ...
Sep 27, 2022•9 min•Ep. 1521
Free Will, the Basis for Love Read 1 John 4:7–16. What does this passage tell us about free will as a condition to cultivating love? Artificial flowers can be gorgeous, but they do not grow and bloom as do real ones. Robots are preprogrammed to talk and to perform many tasks, but they have neither life nor emotions. In reality, life and free will are indispensable conditions for someone to receive, cultivate, and share love. So, our loving God created angels (including Lucifer) and human beings ...
Sep 26, 2022•12 min•Ep. 1520
Creation, an Expression of Love Nature in its present condition carries an ambiguous message that mingles both good and evil. Rosebushes can produce lovely and fra- grant roses but also harmful and painful thorns. A toucan can impress us with its beauty and then dismay us by assaulting the nests of other birds and eating their frail chicks. Even human beings, who are capa- ble of kindness one moment, can be vicious, hateful, and even violent in the next. No wonder that in the parable of the whea...
Sep 25, 2022•7 min•Ep. 1519
Read for This Week’s Study: 1 John 4:8, 16; 1 John 4:7–16; Ezek. 28:12–19; Isa. 14:12–15; Revelation 12. Memory Text: “ ‘How you have fallen from heaven, you star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who defeated the nations!’ ” (Isa. 14:12, NASB). Many thinkers have tried to explain the origin of evil. Some sug- gest that evil always has existed because, in their view, good can be appreciated only in contrast to evil. Others believe that the world was create...
Sep 25, 2022•5 min•Ep. 1518
Sabbath School new quarter introduction
Sep 25, 2022•8 min•Ep. 1517
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Gethsemane,” pp. 685–697, and “Calvary,” pp. 741–757, in The Desire of Ages. “Three times has He uttered that prayer. Three times has humanity shrunk from the last, crowning sacrifice. But now the history of the human race comes up before the world’s Redeemer. He sees that the transgressors of the law, if left to themselves, must perish. He sees the helplessness of man. He sees the power of sin. The woes and lamenta- tions of a doomed world rise before Him....
Sep 23, 2022•9 min•Ep. 1516
The Suffering God We might as well get used to it: as long as we are here, in this world, we are going to suffer. As fallen creatures, it is our fate. Nothing in the Bible promises us anything different. On the contrary: What do the following texts have to tell us about the topic at hand? Acts 14:22, Phil. 1:29, 2 Tim. 3:12. Yet, in the midst of our suffering, we should keep two things in mind. First, Christ, our Lord, has suffered more than any of us ever could. At the cross, He “has borne our ...
Sep 22, 2022•15 min•Ep. 1515
The Crucified God Death by crucifixion was one of the harshest punishments the Romans meted out to anyone. It was considered the worst way to die. Thus, how horrific for anyone to be killed that way, in particular the Son of God! Jesus, we must always remember, came in human flesh like ours. Between the beatings, the scourgings, the nails hammered into His hands and feet, and the harrowing weight of His own body tearing at the wounds, the physical pain must have been unbearable. This was harsh, ...
Sep 21, 2022•7 min•Ep. 1514
Jesus in Gethsemane “And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch” (Mark 14:34). Whatever Jesus suffered throughout His 33 years here on earth, nothing compared to what He began to face in the last hours before the Cross. From the eternal ages (Eph. 1:1–4; 2 Tim. 1:8, 9; Titus 1:1, 2), the sacrifice of Jesus as the offering for the world’s sin was planned, and now it was all coming to pass. What do the following texts tell us about Christ’s suffering i...
Sep 20, 2022•11 min•Ep. 1513
Despised and Rejected of Men Read the following texts, all the while keeping in mind the fact that Jesus was divine, the Creator of heaven and earth, and that He came to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (Matt. 12:22–24; Luke 4:21–30; John 8:58, 59). How do these texts help us understand the sufferings that Jesus faced here on earth? Whether by leaders, or even by the common people, Jesus’ life, acts, and teaching were constantly misunderstood, leading to rejection and...
Sep 19, 2022•11 min•Ep. 1512
The Early Days Scripture gives us little information about the early years of Jesus. A few verses, however, tell us something about the conditions He lived under and the kind of world the Savior entered. Read Luke 2:7, 22–24 (see also Lev. 12:6–8) and Matthew 2:1–18. What do we see in these texts that gives us an indication of the kind of life Jesus faced from the start? Of course, Jesus was not the first person to live in poverty or to face those who wanted to kill Him, even from an early age. ...
Sep 18, 2022•13 min•Ep. 1511
Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 2:7, 22–24; Matt. 2:1–18; John 8:58, 59; Luke 22:41–44; Matt. 27:51, 52; Rom. 6:23; Titus 1:2. Memory Text: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ” (Matthew 27:46, NKJV). Whenever we look at the issue of suffering, the question comes: How did sin and suffering first arise? Through divine revela tion we have good answers: they arose because free being...
Sep 17, 2022•7 min•Ep. 1510
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Eli and His Sons,” pp. 575–580, and “The Presumption of Saul,” pp. 616–626, in Patriarchs and Prophets. Submission to God’s will comes as we die to our own desires and ambitions. This opens the way for true service to others. We cannot live for God without becoming sacrifices and living in continual openness to God’s voice. For us truly to submit our wills to our Father’s will, we must recognize the dangers of relying on ourselves and on substitutes for God...
Sep 16, 2022•7 min•Ep. 1509
Substitutes As we saw yesterday, submission to God’s will can be undermined as we rely on our own strength. It also is possible to rely on other sub- stitutes for God. When some people feel depressed, they go shopping for something to make them happy. When some feel inadequate, they pursue fame. When others have difficulties with their spouse, they look for someone else to give them intimacy and excitement. Many of the things we use can relieve the pressure, but they do not necessarily solve the...
Sep 15, 2022•10 min•Ep. 1508
Self-Reliance When Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, it wasn’t simply because she doubted God’s word. At the heart of the problem was her belief that she had enough wisdom to decide for herself what was good and right. She trusted her own judgment. When we rely on our own judgment as opposed to trust- ing God’s Word, we open ourselves up to all sorts of problems. The story of Saul describes his steps to self-reliance and the tragedy that so quickly follows. Samuel anointed Saul as God’s king (1 ...
Sep 14, 2022•11 min•Ep. 1507
Willingness to Listen “The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening’ ” (1 Sam. 3:10, NIV). Have you ever heard that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit but ignored it? Consequently, everything went wrong, and you thought to yourself later, Oh no, why didn’t I listen? First Samuel describes the story of an old man and his two wicked sons who didn’t listen to the Lord and a little boy who did. Though there...
Sep 13, 2022•15 min•Ep. 1506
Dying Comes Before Knowing God’s Will Many Christians sincerely seek to know God’s will for their lives. “If only I could know God’s will for my life, I would sacrifice every- thing for Him.” But even after promising this to God, we still may be confused about what His will is. The reason for this confusion may be found in Romans 12:1, 2. Paul is describing how we can know God’s will, and he makes an important point: if you want to know what God’s will is, you have to sacrifice first! Read Roman...
Sep 12, 2022•12 min•Ep. 1505
Submission for Service Read Philippians 2:5–9. What important message is there for us in these verses? Contemporary culture urges us all to demand and assert our rights. And all this is good and often is the way it should be. But as with Jesus, the will of God may be for us to give up our rights freely in order to serve the Father in ways that will make an eternal impact for God’s kingdom. This process of giving them up may be difficult and uncom- fortable, creating the conditions of a crucible....
Sep 11, 2022•11 min•Ep. 1504
Read for This Week’s Study: Phil. 2:5–9; Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 Sam. 2:12–3:18; 1 Sam. 13:1–14; Zech. 4:1–14. Memory Text: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; . . . but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24, NKJV). Jesus’ picture of a kernel of wheat dying is a fascinating analogy of our submission to God’s will. First, there is the falling. The kernel that falls from the wheat stalk has no control over where or how it falls...
Sep 11, 2022•6 min•Ep. 1503
