The book of Revelation gives us a powerful and graphic representation of the great controversy theme, perhaps most dramatically depicted in Revelation 12:12: “ ‘Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time’ ” (NKJV). It’s hard to imagine how anyone can understand anything in Scripture apart from the great controversy motif, which will clim...
Dec 25, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1887
The opening lines of Revelation indicate to the reader that this book is focused on God’s mission.Read Revelation 1:1–7. In what ways do you see evidence that Revelation is focused on God’s mission in the last days?After revealing in the first verses that Jesus is the source and focus of Revelation, Revelation 1:4, 5 alludes to all Three Members of the Godhead, who are working unitedly to save human beings. The Father is the eternal one who was and is and is to come. The Holy Spirit, who is work...
Dec 24, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1886
Read for This Week’s StudyRev. 1:1–7, 1 Pet. 2:9, Rev. 14:6–12, Luke 11:23, 1 Tim. 2:4, Rev. 21:1–4.Memory Text:“Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God . . . ?” (2 Peter 3:11, 12, NKJV).The book of Revelation fills the mind with scenes of the end. The epicenter of the book deals with the cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan. Satan has lost his legal hold ...
Dec 23, 2023•5 min•Season 5Ep. 1885
“To every household and every school, to every parent, teacher, and child upon whom has shone the light of the gospel, comes at this crisis the question put to Esther the queen at that momentous crisis in Israel’s history, ‘Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’ Esther 4:14.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 263.“Esther was a beautiful Jewish girl, cousin of Mordecai, who took her into his home after her parents died, and loved her as his own daughter. God used h...
Dec 22, 2023•7 min•Season 5Ep. 1884
Commentators for millennia have noticed that God’s name does not appear in the book of Esther. This is the only biblical book where such a phenomenon occurs. However, the Jews were able to recognize God’s actions in the great deliverance made for them, and this book was selected by God’s people to be included in the canon of the Bible.Are we able to discover the presence of God beneath the surface of our daily life? God’s actions can take the appearance of normal, natural events, and if we don’t...
Dec 21, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 1883
Read Esther 4:1–14. Why was it considered at this moment appropriate for Esther to identify herself as a Jew?When Mordecai contacted Esther for her help, she had been married to Ahasuerus for several years, but there was a law in Persia that no one could come to the king’s throne without an express invitation from the king. Anyone who didn’t respect this rule risked death. Esther, knowing the risk, went to the throne room anyway, uninvited.Mordecai’s faith sought to awaken Esther’s faith. The he...
Dec 20, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1882
Living as they were in a foreign land, sooner or later Mordecai and Esther, if they were to remain faithful to God, might have run into trouble. This, certainly, became the case for Mordecai.Read Esther 3:1–15. What happened here, and why?In Esther 3, we learn that King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) honored Haman and gave him a high position full of power. Everyone was told they must bow down before Haman. But we read: “Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor” (Esther 3:2, NIV). The Bible does not g...
Dec 19, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1881
Eventually, after the fall of Babylon and the rise of Medo-Persia, many of the Jews returned to their ancestral lands. But not all returned. Some remained where they had been living for a generation or more.With this background in mind, we have a bit of the context for the story of Esther. “In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel” (Esther 1:2, NKJV). Here is where the biblical narrative unfolds, the Persian Empire under this king.In ch...
Dec 18, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1880
It is never easy to be expatriated to a foreign culture. It may be difficult for us today to comprehend what the Jews faced, first under the Babylonians and then the Persians.None of us, for instance, lives in an Adventist country where the principles of our faith are, to some degree, the law of the land. But before being deported, the Jewish people had been living in their own country, where the principles of their faith were also enshrined in the law of the land.On one level, think how easy th...
Dec 17, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1879
Read for This Week’s StudyDan. 1:1–12; Dan. 6:1–9; Esther 2:1–10, 20; Esther 3:1–15; Esther 4:1–14; Esther 9:1–12.Memory Text:“ ‘I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth’ ” (Isa. 49:6, NRSV).One of the most inspiring accounts of “cross-cultural ministry” in the Bible can be found in the book of Esther. A great deal has been written over the millennia about this book, and to this day many Jews celebrate the feast of Purim, based on Esther 9:26...
Dec 16, 2023•6 min•Season 5Ep. 1878
Among those whom the Jews styled heathen were men who had a better understanding of the Scripture prophecies concerning the Messiah than had the teachers in Israel. There were some who hoped for His coming as a deliverer from sin. Philosophers endeavored to study into the mystery of the Hebrew economy. But the bigotry of the Jews hindered the spread of the light.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 33.“The Lord Jesus, the mighty Saviour, has died for these souls. He can arouse them from thei...
Dec 15, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1877
In Luke 18:8, Jesus asks this question at the end of one of His parables: “ ‘When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’ ” (NKJV). As Christ’s disciples today, we need to see what Jesus is looking for. In this story, we can see that Jesus is looking for faith that shines even amid darkness.Read Matthew 8:10, 13; Matthew 9:2; Matthew 20:29–34; Mark 2:5; Mark 10:46–52; and Luke 18:35–43. In these passages, whom does Jesus describe as having faith?This list includes people w...
Dec 14, 2023•13 min•Season 5Ep. 1876
In the unreached neighborhood of the cities, there are many who long for hope. During Christ’s time, what prevented God’s people from bringing hope of the Messiah to such foreign cities as Tyre and Sidon? Nationalism, pride, and prejudice blinded God’s people to the opportunities to see those nearest to them who longed for the hope foretold by the prophecies of the First Advent. Today in the cities, there are many population groups with whom Jesus Christ wants His people to share the “blessed ho...
Dec 13, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 1875
Despite challenges, external and internal, Jesus graciously extends the call to us for His mission to the cities.Read Matthew 9:35–38. What does this teach us about mission to the multitudes, wherever we find them?Jesus was moved with compassion for the multitudes, such as are found in cities. Luke 19:41 describes how Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We may not understand the depths of Jesus’ love for His children, even for the “faceless masses” living in cities. This is why in Matthew 9:38 Jesus tell...
Dec 12, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 1874
Despite challenges, external and internal, Jesus graciously extends the call to us for His mission to the cities.Read Matthew 9:35–38. What does this teach us about mission to the multitudes, wherever we find them?Jesus was moved with compassion for the multitudes, such as are found in cities. Luke 19:41 describes how Jesus wept over Jerusalem. We may not understand the depths of Jesus’ love for His children, even for the “faceless masses” living in cities. This is why in Matthew 9:38 Jesus tell...
Dec 11, 2023•7 min•Season 5Ep. 1873
We read that Jesus took His disciples from Gennesaret (Matt. 14:34) “and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon” (Matt. 15:21, NKJV). Why did He take them from Galilee to these pagan places? He leads His disciples on this field trip into the borders of these foreign regions so that they can learn, on location, what they could not learn so easily in Galilee. He wanted to teach His disciples lessons that would help prepare them for their calling to reach all people groups, including urbanites.Re...
Dec 10, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 1872
Read for This Week’s Study1 Kings 11:1–6; Matt. 4:23–25; Matt. 15:22–28; Mark 7:24–30; Acts 10:34, 35; Matt. 8:10, 13.Memory Text:“Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour” (Matthew 15:28, NKJV).From the beginning, a loving God sought His lost children (Gen. 3:9); and, to our day, this same loving God is still seeking to reach the lost (see Rev. 14:6–12), including the lost in the cities. ...
Dec 09, 2023•5 min•Season 5Ep. 1871
One of the primary takeaways from the story of Paul’s experience at the Areopagus is its on-the-ground study of how to approach an unreached group of unbelievers, which resulted in a small group of believers starting in Athens.“The words of the apostle, and the description of his attitude and surroundings, as traced by the pen of inspiration, were to be handed down to all coming generations, bearing witness of his unshaken confidence, his courage in loneliness and adversity, and the victory he g...
Dec 08, 2023•6 min•Season 5Ep. 1870
Read Acts 17:24–34. How does Paul continue his witness?It’s also interesting to note that Paul actually quoted some of their own writers, who, having written something fairly close to biblical truth, gave Paul an opening to take his hearers further along. That is, he used his familiarity with their beliefs to seek common ground with them, only to then take it further. No question: in seeking to reach others, having a familiarity with what they believe and seeking points of common ground can be a...
Dec 07, 2023•7 min•Season 5Ep. 1869
Now that Paul had the attention of the thinkers in Athens, he turned his audience to the God of heaven.Read Acts 17:24–27. What approach was Paul taking here in an attempt to reach these people?For a people who cared enough about spiritual things to build an altar to an unknown god, Paul’s words were intriguing: a Creator God who does not live in a temple needs nothing from humans, but instead supplies human needs. For a culture steeped in Greek mythology—in which the gods were unpredictable, se...
Dec 06, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1868
Notice that Paul did not disparage the false religion or false gods of the Athenians. He gathered whatever points of good he could find, few as they were, and capitalized on them.Read Acts 17:22, 23. What was Paul doing here in his attempt to reach these people with the gospel?“ ‘People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious’ ” (Acts 17:22, NIV). Paul was complimenting pagans! Their religion was misguided in every way, and yet, Paul complimented their devotion.Paul continued, ...
Dec 05, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 1867
No matter where he was, Paul, given his commission from God, was going to preach the gospel. So, that’s exactly what he sought to do in Athens.Read Acts 17:18–21. What were some of the different ways that the pagans in the marketplace reacted to Paul’s speaking and questioning?Clearly, with his “foreign gods,” Paul made an impression on these people in the marketplace (Acts 17:18), and so they took him to the Areopagus, a part of the city where legal and religious matters were adjudicated, thou...
Dec 04, 2023•10 min•Season 5Ep. 1866
Read Acts 17:1–16. How did Paul wind up in Athens, and how did he respond to what he found there?The city of Athens was “given over to idols” (Acts 17:16, NKJV). Knowing the history of his own people and their proclivity (despite the endless warnings) to idolatry, Paul was upset at all the idols he found in Athens, as well. No question, Paul was motivated by compassion for the Athenians, who would die in their sins if they did not learn of the true God.Today, our cities are still full of idols, ...
Dec 03, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1865
Read for This Week’s StudyActs 17, 1 Cor. 2:2, Rom. 1:18–25.Memory Text:“ ‘The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands’ ” (Acts 17:24, NIV).Depicting what Paul did in Athens, Luke wrote: “Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace daily with those who happened to be there” (Acts 17:17, NKJV).Naturally, Paul would have been most comfortable workin...
Dec 02, 2023•4 min•Season 5Ep. 1864
Read Ellen G. White, “Ministry to the Rich,” The Ministry of Healing, pp. 209–216; “Captive Maid Shows Concern for Naaman,” Reflecting Christ, p. 337.Jesus’ love is the same for the poor as it is for the rich and powerful people in the world. He died for princes as well as for paupers. Jesus knew the most effective way of reaching their hearts. He warned us that “ ‘it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’ ” (Mark 10:25, ...
Dec 01, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 1863
Read Matthew 19:16–22. What lessons can we learn from this story, in which, in contrast to Nicodemus, a person did not accept Jesus?Jesus’ interaction with the rich young ruler shows just how dangerous a trap wealth can be. Look at these words: “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:24, NKJV). This, of course, does not mean the rich cannot be saved, but only that, if these people are not caref...
Nov 29, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 1861
Jesus knew how to make friends with the powerful. He was admired and respected by many of these people and, at the same time, was also despised by many. The powerful people in the Bible who came to Jesus for help surely sensed that He cared for them. Also, many of the rich and powerful did not openly come to Jesus right away; they waited until they were certain that Jesus was truly the Son of God. Such was the case both with Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.Read Matthew 27:57–60 (see also Mark ...
Nov 29, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 1862
Nicodemus was a learned man. The Bible describes him as a ruler of the Jews (John 3:1). Jesus referred to him as a teacher of Israel (John 3:10, NKJV). He had a good understanding of the Bible and had a spiritual hunger for the Lord. From a human perspective, he may have looked as though he were a follower of God. He kept all the commandments, and he was a respected leader among the Jews. He was powerful and wealthy. Many looked at these as signs that God had blessed him. Nevertheless, it turns ...
Nov 28, 2023•12 min•Season 5Ep. 1860
Christ died for all, regardless of their background, wealth, ethnicity, or status. God ceaselessly draws all humanity to Himself, incuding those individuals classed among the powerful non-Christians of the world (see Ellen G. White, The Acts of Apostles, p. 416).Read 2 Kings 5:1–19. What can we take from this story about reaching people for the Lord?In 2 Kings 5:17–19, Naaman made two unusual requests after God healed him of leprosy. First, he asked to take two mule-loads of earth from Israel ba...
Nov 27, 2023•17 min•Season 5Ep. 1859
As Seventh-day Adventists, we believe in what is known as “unlimited atonement.” This means that, in contrast to some Christians, we believe that Christ’s death was for all humanity, not just a special group of those predestined by God for salvation. Because God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4, NKJV), Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice “for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2, NKJV). That’s why everyone w...
Nov 26, 2023•16 min•Season 5Ep. 1858
