Jesus said these words to His followers during His last hours on this earth:

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1 Contents Get Ready to Meet Jesus 1. The Big War Between Good and Evil March 31 April Daniel and the Last Days April Jesus and the Book of Revelation April The Last Days and God s Saving Plan April What Is Jesus Doing Right Now in Heaven? April 28 May Who Changed God s Law? May Matthew 24 and 25 May Worship God Who Made Heaven and Earth May Satan s Lies and Tricks in the Last Days May 26 June America and Babylon June God s Seal or the Beast s Mark? June Babylon and the Last Battle June The Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus June Editorial Office: Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD Come visit us at our Web site: Printing and Circulation Office: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1350 N. Kings Road, Nampa, ID Principal Contributor... Norman R. Gulley Editor... Soraya Homayouni Contributing Editors... George Belser, Esther Doss, Margie English Publication Manager... Lea Alexander Greve Editorial Assistant... Sharon Thomas-Crews Art and Design... Lars Justinen Line Drawings... Jon Gilbertson Pacific Press Coordinator... Wendy Marcum E. G. White Estate Consultant... Dwain Esmond The Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide is prepared by the Office of the Adult Bible Study Guide of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The preparation of the guides is under the general direction of a worldwide Sabbath School Manuscript Evaluation Committee, the members of which serve as consulting editors. The published Bible study guide reflects the input of the committee and thus does not solely or necessarily represent the intent of the author(s). The Easy Reading Edition is prepared by the Office of the Adult Bible Study Guide in cooperation with Three Angels Deaf Ministries, P.O. Box 1946, Greenbelt, MD 20768; General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. All rights reserved. No part of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide Easy Reading Edition may be edited, altered, modified, adapted, translated, reproduced, or published by any person or entity without prior written authorization from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The division offices of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists are authorized to arrange for translation of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide Easy Reading Edition, under specific guidelines. Copyright of such translations and their publication shall remain with the General Conference. Seventh-day Adventist, Adventist, and the flame logo are registered trademarks of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and may not be used without prior authorization from the General Conference.

2 Introduction Jesus and the Last Days Jesus said these words to His followers during His last hours on this earth: Do not let your heart[s] be troubled. You have put your trust in God, put your trust in Me also. There are many rooms in My Father s house. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going away to make a place for you. After I go and make a place for you, I will come back and take you with Me. Then you may be where I am (John 14:1 4, NLV). Jesus followers did not fully understand the meaning of His words. They did not fully know when His promise would come true, either. But Jesus followers must have felt comforted by His words. One day, they each would have a room in His Father s house in heaven? Jesus Himself was getting their rooms ready for them? What a beautiful promise! Jesus promised them a future life that was better than anything they could ever have on this earth. Not long before this time, Jesus told His followers about the things that would happen before His Second Coming. Jesus gave His followers a history about the future. That sounds a little strange, right? After all, history is something that has already happened. So, how can there be a history about the future when the future has not happened? No one can tell the future except God. Jesus is God. He could do what no human could do. He could tell us the things that would happen before they happened. None of it was pretty. There would be wars. Country would fight against country. There would not be enough food in some places on Earth. There would be earthquakes, too. Jesus said that all these things are only the beginning [start] of trouble (Matthew 24:8, NIrV). God s people would experience attacks, Satan s lies and tricks against them, and many other troubles in the future. Today, we can look back over everything that has happened in history since the time of Jesus first coming. We can see that many of the things Jesus warned us about already have come true. Two big things that Jesus warned us about happened exactly when Jesus said they would. The first is God s promise in Daniel 7:25 about how long God s church would be attacked. God s church would be attacked for a time, times, and half a time (three and a half years) (NLV). (Read also Revelation 12:6, 14; Revelation 13:5; and Numbers 14:34.) This three and a half years is really a word picture. The three and a half years are made up of 2

3 1,260 days. There is a special rule in the Bible that is named the year-for-a-day rule. This rule means that in some verses in the Bible one day equals one year. Daniel 7:25 is one of those special verses in the Bible where this rule needs to be used. Then the verse makes sense. So, when we use this rule in Daniel 7:25, we see that the 1,260 days are really 1,260 years. But when did this time begin? The 1,260 years began in a.d Add 1,260 years to a.d. 538, and what year do you come to? You come to the year a.d That was the first special message about time Jesus gave us that came true. The second special message about time is the longest time message in the Bible. That time message is found in Daniel 8:14. Daniel 8:14 talks about the 2,300 days. We can understand the meaning of these 2,300 days only if we use the one-day-equals-one-year rule here, too. The 2,300 days in Daniel 8:14 are really 2,300 years. This time message ended in the year We are now living at the end of time (Daniel 12:13, NLV). Or as another Bible puts it: the end of the days [the last days] (NKJV). This wording reminds us of the 1,260 days and the 2,300 days, which are now at an end (NKJV). They are over. That is why we are now living in that time in history that the Bible names the end of time. We do not know when the Second Coming will be. But we must be ready. How? What do we do to get ready for the Second Coming? Maybe the best answer is found in this verse: You accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live following him (Colossians 2:6, ERV). What is this verse saying to us? It reminds us that it is easy to get caught up in everything that we think must happen before Jesus comes back. We should not think too much about the worldwide troubles, the news headlines, and all the different ideas about the last days. If we do, we may forget to think about Jesus Himself. We must not let that happen. Jesus alone will help us be ready to meet Him when He comes. This quarter we will study about the last days. But our most important topic is Jesus. We will learn how to get ready for His coming. Yes, we need to look at history, and at things that will be happening on the earth. After all, the Bible talks about these things when it talks about what will happen in the last days. But even then, the Bible talks about Jesus. It talks about who He is. It talks about what He has done for us and is doing now. It talks about the things Jesus will do when He comes back. Jesus and the Cross must be the center of our faith. Or, as Paul said: I decided that while I was with you I would forget about everything except Jesus Christ and his death on the cross (1 Corinthians 2:2, ERV). What happens when we think about Jesus more and more? Then we become the same as He is more and more. What happens when we obey Him more and more? Then we will be ready even more for everything that is going to happen in the future right before the Second Coming. And we will be ready for that day when Jesus comes to take us to the special place (John 14:3, NLV) that He is making for the people who love Him. Norman R. Gulley, PhD, is a professor at Southern Adventist University. We must be ready for the day when Jesus will come to take us to the special place He is making for the people who love Him. 3

4 Easy Reading Edition 1 March 31 April 6 The Big War Between Good and Evil SABBATH MARCH 31 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Ezekiel 28:1, 2, 11 17; Genesis 3:1 7; Revelation 12:1 17; Romans 8: MEMORY VERSE: Then the dragon [Satan] was very angry at the woman [God s church]. It went away to make war against all her other children. Her children are those [people] who obey God s commands and have the truth that Jesus taught (Revelation 12:17, ERV). The war between good and evil started in the heart of a perfect angel named Lucifer. THE BIBLE TEACHES us that there is a big war going on between God and Satan. We can understand everything happening on this earth better when we understand what this war is all about. We will understand better why there is sin and suffering and death. We will understand why some countries rule over the earth and other countries lose power. We will understand the reasons why we must share the Good News about Jesus with everyone. We will also understand the things that will happen before Jesus comes back. This week we will look at the place where the war started first. It started in the heart of a perfect angel named Lucifer. Lucifer brought his war against God to this earth when he led Adam and Eve to sin. This war has been going on ever since. Each of us is a part of this war. There is good news. Someday Jesus will win the war. But there is even better news. Everyone can experience Jesus victory now. He won the fight against sin for us on the cross. His victory gives us the power to live lives of faith and obedience while we wait for Him to come back. 4 THE BIG WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

5 SUNDAY APRIL 1 A PERFECT ANGEL SINS (Ezekiel 28:1, 2, 11 17) Lesson 1 Yesterday, we said the Bible teaches us about the big war going on between good and evil. This teaching leads us to ask several important questions about the war. One of the most important questions is: How did this war get started? This question is important because we know that God is loving and He made everything there is. It does not make sense that our loving God would make evil, fighting, and suffering when He made everything good and perfect in the beginning. So, the war between good and evil must have started after God made everything. Also, the war must be separate from everything God made. But the war is real. The war is here on earth. Everyone on earth is part of the war. Read Ezekiel 28:1, 2, and Isaiah 14: What do these verses teach us about Lucifer s sin and how evil started in heaven? Lucifer had been a beautiful angel. He lived in heave n. God made Lucifer perfect. So, how could sin start in Lucifer? After all, Lucifer lived in a perfect place and was made perfect, right? The answer is: we do not know why sin started in someone who was made perfect. Sin is a mystery. Maybe that is why the Bible talks about the secret power of sin (2 Thessalonians 2:7, NIrV) because we cannot know the true reasons for why sin started. God made us free to choose. Sin started when Lucifer chose evil. But there is no excuse for Lucifer s sin. Here is what Ellen G. White has to say about how sin started: It is impossible for us to explain the reason why sin started. We can give no reason for why there is sin.... Sin is an unwelcome guest. Sin is a mystery. We cannot explain sin. To give an excuse for sin is the same as defending sin. But what if an excuse could be found for sin and why it is here? Then sin would stop being sin. The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], pages 492, 493; adapted. Put the word evil in the place of the word sin in the quotation we read, and read it again. You will see that everything we said about sin also can be said about evil. Sin is an unwelcome guest. Sin is a mystery. We cannot explain sin. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], pages 492, 493; adapted. God made us free to choose. Think about choices you made and the things that happened in your life because of your choices. What should those experiences tell you about why we need to pray carefully about the choices we make? THE BIG WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL 5

6 Lesson 1 MONDAY APRIL 2 KNOWING THE TRUTH IS NOT ENOUGH (Genesis 3:1 7) We cannot explain why evil started. There is no excuse for evil. But the Bible tells us that evil started in Lucifer s heart in heaven. At the same time, the Bible does not tell us much more about how evil started in heaven. (We can read more about this idea in the writings of Ellen G. White. See her chapter The Origin [start] of Evil in The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan]). But the Bible is clear about how evil started on earth (read The Great Controversy, pages 492, 493). Read Genesis 3:1 7. What happened here? What were Adam and Eve guilty of doing? Our knowing the truth is not enough to save us. We must obey it too. The saddest part about what happened here is that Eve knew the words of warning that God said to her and Adam. Eve even says God s words to the snake: God told us, You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch that tree, or you will die (Genesis 3:3, ERV). The Bible does not say anything about God telling Adam and Eve not to touch the fruit. Anyway, the Bible shows us that Eve knew that eating the fruit would cause her to die. But the snake lied to Eve. The snake [Satan] said to the woman, You will not die (Genesis 3:4, ERV). Satan was very sneaky at first. But what happened when Satan got Eve s attention and saw that she was not turning away from him? Then Satan challenged the Lord s word to her. The sad thing is that Eve knew the truth. She could not say, I did not know. I did not know any better! She knew. But Eve sinned anyway. Adam sinned too. They were both perfect. That should tell us something important. Our knowing the truth is not enough to save us. True, we need to know the Bible. But we also need to do what the Bible says. God said one thing. Satan said another. Adam and Eve knew the truth. But they chose to believe Satan. How can we avoid making this same mistake? 6 THE BIG WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

7 TUESDAY APRIL 3 WAR IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH (Revelation 12:1 17) Lesson 1 We talk about a big war between good and evil that started in heaven. But that war also is happening here, right now, on this earth. We need only to look at Bible history to see how real this war is. Everything that happens in the Bible shows us that this war is real. That includes everything from the sin of Adam and Eve in Eden to the last things that happen before Jesus comes back. We live on this earth, where this war is being fought right now. The Bible explains what is going on in this war and tells us the reasons for it. Most important, the Bible tells us how this war will end. Read Revelation 12:1 17. What wars are shown in these verses? Where do they happen? In Revelation 12:1 17, we see a war in heaven and several wars happening on earth. The first fight is between the dragon (Satan; read Revelation 12:7 9) and Michael. Michael is another name for Jesus. (In Hebrew, Michael means Who is the same as God? ) Lucifer became known as Satan. The name Satan means enemy or an unfriendly person or someone who fights against another person. The big war between good and evil is not about gods who are fighting each other. No, the war is about an angel Lucifer who fights against Jesus, the One who made him. Lucifer also shows his attack on God by attacking the people on earth and everything God made. Satan failed in his attack on Jesus in heaven. So, Satan went after Jesus on earth after Jesus was born in a human body (Revelation 12:4). But Satan failed in his attack against Jesus. Then Satan failed again in his attack against Jesus in the wilderness. Satan also failed in his attack against Jesus at the cross. So, what did Satan do after he lost all these fights against Jesus? Satan went to war against Jesus followers. This war has been going on ever since the Christian church got started (Revelation 12:6, 14 16). This war will continue to grow and get worse until the end of time (Revelation 12:17). Then Satan will fail again when Jesus defeats him at the Second Coming. The big war between good and evil is about an angel Lucifer who fights against Jesus, the One who made him. Read Revelation 12: What do we find in these verses to give us hope while this war between good and evil is being fought all around us? THE BIG WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL 7

8 Lesson 1 WEDNESDAY APRIL 4 JESUS IS WITH US UNTIL THE VERY END (Matthew 28:20) The book of Revelation warns God s people ahead of time about Satan s attacks on the church. Satan s attacks would happen during most of the church s history. The attacks against Christians started with the Roman ruler Nero, around the time Paul was put to death. The attacks continued for many hundreds of years. Christians were blamed for awful crimes they never even did. People blamed Christians for the earthquakes, food shortages, and the diseases on earth. People everywhere hated Christians. Some people were ready to hurt Christians in exchange for money, power, or other things in this life. Christians were accused of being at war against the leaders of Rome. Christians were accused of attacking religion. People accused Christians of being the same as diseases or insects that destroyed plants. Many Christians were thrown to wild animals. Some Christians were burned alive in the big theaters in Rome. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 40; adapted. The Bible says that the woman [God s true church] ran into the wilderness to escape these attacks (Revelation 12:6). The Bible tells us that the woman had wings the same as an eagle. These wings help us make a picture in our minds of the woman flying away to a place where she could find help. God took care of the woman while she was in the wilderness. The snake [Satan] could not get to her (Revelation 12:14). God always protects His church during big attacks. God will protect it again in the last days. The woman had wings the same as an eagle. She flew to a place where she could find help. Jesus made this promise to His people living in the last days: I am always with you, to the very end (Matthew 28:20, NIrV). What a wonderful promise! But does it mean that we will never need to suffer or die for our faith? Of course not. We know that many of Jesus followers were put to death. So, what does this promise really mean? (Read also Romans 8:31 39 and Matthew 10:28 for hints.) Nothing can separate us from God s love. Not attacks. Not food shortages. Not even death. Jesus is always with us. But God never promised us that we would never suffer, feel pain, or even death. Instead, Jesus promise to us in Matthew 28:20 means God is with us in everything that happens. We also have the hope of everlasting life with Him in the new heavens and the new earth (2 Timothy 4:8). 8 THE BIG WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

9 THURSDAY APRIL 5 THE LAW AND THE GOOD NEWS (Romans 3:20 26) Lesson 1 Have you ever stopped to think about the way our name announces to other people what we believe? Look at it and see: Seventh-day Adventist. The Seventh-day part reminds people about the seventh-day Sabbath. Do you know what is so wonderful about that? Our belief in the Sabbath commandment also shows our belief in all ten of God s commandments. The Adventist part of our name shows our belief in the Second Coming of Jesus. So, our name Seventh-day Adventist shows two very important parts of the truth needed for this time: (1) the law and (2) the Good News that Jesus saves us from sin. Read Jeremiah 44:23; Romans 3:20 26; and Romans 7:7. How do these verses show the close connection between the law and the Good News that Jesus saves us from our sins? Jeremiah 44:23 Romans 3:20 26 Romans 7:7 We have sinned by breaking God s law. The Good News is that we can be forgiven for our sins. We are saved by our faith in Jesus and His death for us on the cross. Also, God gives us the power to obey the same law we broke. God gives us the power to obey that law fully. These special gifts (1) being saved by faith, (2) Jesus death on the cross, and (3) the power to obey clearly show how very different God s people are from other people on earth. So, it should not be a surprise to us that the Bible shows God s people in the last days of earth s history as being different from everyone else on earth. Our name Seventh-day Adventist shows two very important parts of the truth that people need for this time: (1) the law and (2) the Good News that Jesus saves us from sin. Read Revelation 14:12. How does this verse show the connection between the law and the Good News that Jesus saves us from sin? As Seventh-day Adventists, we believe in obeying God s law. We see obedience to the law as something that grows stronger because we love God. How can we show other people that obeying the law does not mean trying to earn the gift of everlasting life by our good actions? THE BIG WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL 9

10 Lesson 1 FRIDAY APRIL 6 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: There was a time when every angel and person that God made loved God with a loyal heart. There was perfect happiness and peace everywhere because of this loyalty and love for God. The angels in heave n loved to do everything God wanted. They loved to show God s glory in their lives and to praise Him. Their love for God was the most important thing in their lives. Their love for each other was deep and unselfish. Nothing evil poisoned their peace. Then a change took place. Lucifer put to bad use the freedom that God gave to everyone He made. Sin started in Lucifer. God honored Lucifer above all the other angels. Only Jesus was honored more in heaven than Lucifer. Ellen G. White, Patriarchs [Bible fathers] and Prophets [special messengers from God], page 35; adapted. Notice Ellen White s words: loved God with a loyal heart. This wording is very powerful and full of meaning. It teaches us that love leads us to be loyal to God and to live a life of faith. A person who is married will show that same love and loyalty to the one he or she loves. The angels in heaven loved God and each other that way. That is how we should love God and each other. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 What proof does the Bible give us that Satan is real? What proof does the Bible give us about Satan s part in the big war between good and evil? How can we help people understand that Satan is a real person and not just a word picture for evil in the human heart? A married person will show love and loyalty to the one he or she loves. That is how we should love God and each other. 2 God blessed Seventh-day Adventists with much knowledge about the Bible. But why is knowing the truth not enough to save us? What more do we need? 3 How have you experienced Jesus love and power over sin in your life? How can these experiences help you in the times of trouble ahead? 4 In class, talk more about the powerful words that Ellen G. White wrote: loved God with a loyal heart. How does this idea help us understand better the close connection between the law and the Good News? How does this idea show us the truth that to love we first must be free to choose to love? What are ways we can show God s love to other people? 10 THE BIG WAR BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

11 Easy Reading Edition Date 2 Daniel and the Last Days April 7 13 SABBATH APRIL 7 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Luke 16:10; Daniel 1; Daniel 2; Daniel 3:1 6; Revelation 13:11 15; Daniel 3:13 18; John 3:7. MEMORY VERSE: And what about the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That [seed] is like [the same as] the people who hear the teaching but let worries about this life and love for money stop it from growing. So it does not produce a crop in their lives (Matthew 13:22, ERV). THE LORD HAD BIG PLANS for Israel during Old Testament times. God told Moses to tell Israel: You will be my kingdom of priests [religious leaders]. You will be a nation that belongs to me alone (Exodus 19:6, ICB). God wanted Israel to be His witnesse s. God wanted Israel to show everyone the truth that the Lord was the only God there was (read Isaiah 43:10, 12). Sadly, Israel failed to do this holy work. After some time, the Babylonians made the Israelites their slaves and took them away to Babylon. But some of God s people stayed loyal to God. God used them as His witnesses while they were slaves in Babylon. These loyal followers were Daniel and his three friends. As slaves, they would do the work Israel failed to do as a country when it was free. Daniel and his three friends were examples of everything Israel should have been and done. Daniel and his friends are examples to us, too. We live in the last days. God also chose us to be His witnesses to all the people on the earth. What can we learn from the stories about Daniel and his three friends to help us do the holy work God gave us to do? God wanted Israel to show everyone the truth that the Lord was the only God there was. Sadly, Israel failed to do this holy work. DANIEL AND THE LAST DAYS 11

12 Lesson 2 SUNDAY APRIL 8 HONEST WITH LITTLE THINGS (Luke 16:10, NLV) Whoever is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in big things too (Luke 16:10, ERV). It is very easy to start doing the wrong thing, little by little, to get something we want, right? That is exactly what Jesus says in Luke 16:10. The problem is that the first wrong little thing we do to get what we want leads to our doing another wrong little thing. Then that leads us to do another wrong little thing. And then we do another wrong little thing and another wrong little thing until we become dishonest in big things too. Let us keep this warning in mind as we now look at the story in Daniel 1. Read Daniel 1. Daniel 1 tells us how Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah put God first in their lives. How does their strong loyalty to God and their faith show us what God wanted Israel to be to all the countries and people on the earth? Read also Deuteronomy 4:6 8 and Zechariah 8:23 to help you answer the question. Daniel and his friends answered the king wisely. Their wise answers show us that there is a clear connection between the food we eat and how wise we are. The king of Babylon wanted to find out how smart Daniel and his friends were. The king asked Daniel and his friends many difficult questions to test them. Daniel and his friends gave very wise answers. The king learned that Daniel and his friends knew ten times more than all the wise men and magicians in Babylon (Daniel 1:20, NLV). The wise answers of Daniel and his friends show us that there is a clear connection between the food we eat and how wise we are. Daniel 1 also says that God gave Daniel and his friends their knowledge and wisdom. Daniel and his friends refused to eat the unclean food served to them at the king s table. Instead, they obeyed God s food laws. So, God gave Daniel and his three friends much wisdom because of their loyalty to Him. Daniel and his three friends obeyed God, and God blessed their obedience. Would God have done the same thing for all the people of Israel if they had obeyed God s teachings the way that Daniel and his friends obeyed? Yes, God would have! God will bless us today, too, if we are loyal to His teachings in these last days. God gave Seventh-day Adventists much truth. As a church, we must ask ourselves: How have we shared this truth with other people? How can we be better witnesses? 12 DANIEL AND THE LAST DAYS

13 MONDAY APRIL 9 DANIEL: A HEART WITH NO PRIDE (Daniel 2) Lesson 2 For many hundreds and hundreds of years, Daniel 2 has helped more people than we can ever count all over the earth to believe in the God of the Bible. Daniel 2 gives power ful proof that God is real and that He knows everything before it happens. The fact that Daniel 2 shows us that God knows the future is proof that God is real. Read Daniel 2. How does Daniel 2 give us powerful proof for believing that God is real? Daniel 2 also describes Europe today (Daniel 2:40 43). How is it even possible for a man who lived around 2,600 years ago to write about the things happening in Europe today? How are Daniel s writings proof that God knows everything that will happen in the future before it happens? God showed Daniel things that would happen in the future. Daniel gave God all the praise for this knowledge. Daniel could have bragged to the king. Daniel could have said that the reason he knew and understood the dream was because he, Daniel, was very wise. But Daniel did not do that. Daniel and his friends prayed to God for wisdom to know the king s dream and understand it. Their prayers show how much they depended on God for wisdom (Daniel 2:17 23). Daniel and his friends knew that without God s help they would have died with the rest of the king s wise men. Later, Daniel reminded the king that none of the king s wise men or magicians could tell the king his dream. But Daniel knew there was a God in heaven who could tell us secret things. God can make mysteries known to us because He is the only true God. Daniel was a powerful witness because he had a heart with no pride. He depended on God for everything. Now, if Daniel needed to show that he had a heart with no pride, how much more do we need to show that our hearts have no pride too? After all, God gave us His truth about His plan to save humans. So, Jesus death for us on the cross should help us not to be proud. Jesus death on the cross for us should help us not to be proud. What does the Cross teach us about why we should not be proud? Where would we be with no Cross? Why is the Cross the only thing we can brag about? (Read Galatians 6:14.) DANIEL AND THE LAST DAYS 13

14 Lesson 2 TUESDAY APRIL 10 THE GOLD STATUE (Daniel 3:1 6) Many Bible students have seen the connection between the story in Daniel 3 and Revelation 13. Revelation 13 tells us about the awful things that God s people suffered in the past. Revelation 13 also shows us the awful things that God s people will suffer in the last days. How is Daniel 3:1 6 the same as Revelation 13:11 15? Both chapters deal with the topic of worship. These chapters show us how the ruling powers in control of the earth force people to worship them. These ruling powers try to steal from God the worship that belongs to God alone. Read Daniel 3: What can we learn from this story to help us understand (1) the troubles we will meet in the last days and (2) how we need to get ready to meet them? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego chose to do the right thing, even if it meant they lost their lives. In Daniel s time, Nebuchadnezzar was the most power ful ruler on Earth. King Nebuchadnezzar laughed at Daniel s three friends and their God. The king said, What god will be able to save you from my power? (Daniel 3:15, NIrV). The proud king was soon to find out for himself just who that God was. Later, the king said, Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their God has sent his angel and saved his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God and refused to obey my command. They were willing to die instead of serving or worshiping any other god (Daniel 3:28, ERV). God saved these three young men from death. This miracle showed the king that there was something very special about the God that these three men served. But what if God had not saved them? The young men understood that they could be burned alive (Daniel 3:18). They did not know what would happen to them when the king s servants threw them into the big hot fire. But the three young men chose to do the right thing anyway, even if they lost their lives. Their story shows us how strong their faith was. These men were willing to die for their faith. How can we be sure that we will be as loyal to God in these last days as Daniel and his three friends were in their own day? 14 DANIEL AND THE LAST DAYS

15 WEDNESDAY APRIL 11 WHEN PEOPLE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE TURN TO GOD (Daniel 4:30) Lesson 2 Daniel 3 ends with Nebuchadnezzar believing that God is the only true God and that His power is real. But is knowing about God and His power the same thing as being born again? No. Jesus said we need to be born again to be saved (John 3:7). As we can see in Daniel 4:30, King Nebuchadnezzar was far from being a changed man. Read Daniel 4:30. What was the king s problem? Read also John 14:5; Acts 17:28; and Daniel 5:23 for a hint. At the end of Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar finds out the hard way that all true power comes from God. The king learns that without God he is nothing at all. The king had been cruel and unfair in the past. But now he became a wise and kind ruler. King Nebuchadnezzar had refused to obey God and even challenged God s power. The king had insulted the God of heaven. But now the king praised the power of God All-Powerful. The king wanted the true worship of God and respect for God s law to grow. The king wanted his people to be happy. This big change happened because the King of all kings scolded this mighty king of the earth. Nebuchadnezzar at last learned the lesson that every ruler needs to learn: true power and glory come from being good. King Nebuchadnezzar honored God as the only true living God. The king said, Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor the King of heaven. For [because] all His works are true and His ways are right. And He is able to bring down those who walk in pride [Daniel 4:37, NLV]. Ellen G. White, Prophets [special messengers] and Kings, page 521, adapted. Read Daniel 4:35. What truths about God does Nebuchadnezzar talk about in these verses? Daniel 4 ends with a non-jew accepting the power of the Hebrew God to rule in his heart and over the whole earth. Nebuchadnezzar s story is a promise about what would happen in the future during the New Testament church. At that time, many non-jews would learn about Jesus. Then they would share that truth with other people everywhere. Nebuchadnezzar at last learned the lesson that every ruler needs to learn: true power and glory come from being good. Ellen G. White, Prophets [special messengers] and Kings, page 521, adapted. Read John 3:7. What does Jesus say is the one thing that will help His people be ready for the last days? DANIEL AND THE LAST DAYS 15

16 Lesson 2 THURSDAY APRIL 12 DANIEL S LOYALTY TO GOD (Daniel 6:4, 5) Read Daniel 6 and then answer the questions below: What does Daniel 6:4, 5 tell us about Daniel? What do these verses teach us about how we should behave around other people? What does God want other people to think about us? Read Daniel 6:4, 5 again. What connection is there between what happens in these verses and what happens in Revelation 13:4, 8, in the last days? Make a picture in your mind of the story in Daniel 6:4, 5. Pretend you are Daniel. What reasons could you, as Daniel, give for not praying? After all, praying would get Daniel thrown into the lions den. So, why could Daniel have said it was better not to pray? Why do you think Daniel continued to pray as he always prayed, even when he really did not need to do that? King Darius s words show that he knew Daniel s God was powerful. What did King Darius say to Daniel in Daniel 6:16, even before Daniel was thrown to the lions? How do the king s words show us he knew that Daniel s God was powerful? How do the king s words also show us that Daniel had witnessed to the king about the God he served and worshiped? 16 DANIEL AND THE LAST DAYS

17 FRIDAY APRIL 13 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: We are coming near to the end of this earth s history. Now, as never before, we should give special attention to the book of Daniel. This book talks about the time that we are living in now. We should read the book of Revelation along with the book of Daniel. The teachings in the book of Revelation are connected in a special way to the messages in Daniel. Satan has led many people to believe that they cannot understand the special message s about the future in the books by Daniel and John. But that is not true. God promises us very clearly that He will bless in a special way the people who study the messages about the future in these two books. But the wise people will understand them [the special messages in the book of Daniel] [Daniel 12:10, ERV]. Jesus also promises to help His people understand the special messages in the book of Revelation. Jesus gave these messages to His servant John to help guide His people during the many long years after Jesus went back to heaven. Jesus promised: The man who reads this Book [Revelation] and listens to it being read and obeys what it says will be happy [Revelation 1:3, NLV]. Ellen G. White, Prophets [special messengers] and Kings, pages 547, 548; adapted. Lesson 2 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 Read Daniel s prayer in Daniel 9:3 19. How does this prayer show us that Daniel understood the meaning of grace? Grace is God s mercy, forgiveness, and power over sin. How does Daniel s prayer also show us that God loves us and that He saves us because of His own mercy and not because we have done anything to be worthy of His saving us? We must understand this truth, yes. But why must we experience it too? 2 In class, discuss the difficulties that the three Hebrews faced in Daniel 3 and that Daniel faced in Daniel 6. How did these men stand up for their religious beliefs? How are the stories in these two chapters the same? What about them is different? What can we learn from both stories about how being loyal to God will help us to be powerful witnesses? The teachings in the book of Revelation are connecte d in a special way to the messages in Daniel. 3 What does it mean to be born again? Why would Jesus say that we must be born again (John 3:7, NLV)? DANIEL AND THE LAST DAYS 17

18 Easy Reading Edition 3 April Jesus and the Book of Revelation SABBATH APRIL 14 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: 1 Corinthians 10:1 11; Revelation 12:1 17; Revelation 19:11 15; Ephesians 1:20. MEMORY VERSE: Here is what I will do for anyone who has victory over sin. I will give that person the right to sit with me on my throne. In the same way, I had victory. Then I sat down with my Father on his throne (Revelation 3:21, NIrV). The teachings in the book of Revelation are connected in a special way to the messages in Daniel. The book of Revelation is all about Jesus. Any study about the last days must put Jesus at the center. DO A QUICK READING of the New Testament, and you will see an important truth: the New Testament is connected to the Old Testament. Again and again, New Testament writers use Bible verses from the Old Testament. Jesus did the same thing. He often talked about how different things in the Old Testament needed to happen (read Mark 14:49). We see this same connection between the Old Testament and the book of Revelation too. In fact, it is very difficult for the book of Revelation to make any sense without help from the Old Testament. More than any other book in the Old Testament, the book of Daniel helps us to understand the book of Revelation the most. That is one reason why we often study these two books together. The book of Revelation uses many verses from the Old Testament. These verses show us Jesus. The book of Revelation is all about Jesus. It shows us the things Jesus did for His people and the things He will do for us in the last days. Any study about the last days must put Jesus at the center. The book of Revelation does exactly that. This week, we will look at Jesus in the book of Revelation. 18 JESUS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION

19 SUNDAY APRIL 15 TOPICS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION (1 Corinthians 10:1 11) Lesson 3 Both Daniel and Revelation can be divided into two separate topics: (1) history and (2) things that will happen in the last days. Both topics are connected very closely together in each book. We can look at the record of history in each book as an example of what will happen in the last days. So, our study of what happened in Old Testament history can help us to understand what will happen in our time. This important rule of Bible study can be used with other books of the Bible too. Read 1 Corinthians 10:1 11. How do we see in these verses the rule of Bible study we just talked about? Last week we learned that some of the stories in Daniel showed things that would happen in the last days. (Examples include Daniel 3:6, 15, 27 and Daniel 6:6 9, 21, 22.) When we study these stories, we understand more about some of the things God s people will face in the last days. The book of Revelation tells us more about these things. Maybe the most important idea that the stories in Daniel teach us is that God will save us in the end. Revelation also teaches us that God will give His followers victory. We can divide the book of Revelation into separate topics, chapter by chapter. Chapters 1 11 deal with the topic of history. Chapters deal with the topic of things that will happen in the last days. There are, of course, some chapters that may belong to both topics, as we shall see. Read Revelation 12:1 17. Where should we put this chapter? Should we put it under the topic of history? Or should we put it under the topic of things that will happen in the last days? Explain. As we can see, Revelation 12 belongs to both topics: history and things that will happen in the last days. Why? Because chapter 12 talks about many different wars in history: (1) Satan fights against God and is thrown out of heaven (Revelation 12:7 9); (2) Satan attacks Baby Jesus (Revelation 12:4); and (3) Satan attacks God s church (Revelation 12:14 16). After this discussion about history, Revelation talks about the attack on God s people in the last days (Revelation 12:17). The book of Revelation can be divided into two separate parts. Chapters 1 11 are about history. Chapters are about last-day happenings. Chapter 12 belongs to both groups. It is about history and lastday happenings. JESUS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION 19

20 Lesson 3 MONDAY APRIL 16 PICTURES OF JESUS (Revelation 1:5) Read the verses below. Some of the verses give different names for Jesus. Some of the verses describe Jesus and the things He has done, is doing, and will do for us. What does each of these verses teach us about Jesus? Revelation 1:5 Revelation 1:18 Revelation 5:8 Revelation 19:11 15 Revelation 21:6 The word picture of Jesus as the Lamb helps us think about His coming to earth to die for our sins. These verses are just a few of the many verses in Revelation that show us Jesus and what He does. Jesus is the Lamb. This picture of Jesus as the Lamb helps us think about His first coming when He came to earth and died for our sins. The Jews killed lambs when they left Egypt. Christ [Jesus] is our lamb. He has already been killed as a gift on the altar to God for us (1 Corinthians 5:7, NLV). Jesus says that He is the Living One. I was dead, but look, I am alive forever. I have power over death and hell (Revelation 1:18, NLV). This verse helps us remember Jesus death and His waking up again from the dead. [Jesus] said to them, It is written that Christ [the Savior that God chose to die for our sins] should suffer and be raised from the dead after three days (Luke 24:46, NLV). Revelation 19:11 15 shows Jesus as a powerful King at the Second Coming. At that time, He will come back to this earth in power and glory to judge. The Son of Man will come again with his Father s glory and with his angels. At that time, he will reward everyone for what he has done (Matthew 16:27, ICB). As Christians, we believe in Jesus life, His death, His waking up from the dead, and His Second Coming. How can we learn every day to make these beliefs the most important part of our lives and the reason for every choice we make? 20 JESUS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION

21 TUESDAY APRIL 17 JESUS WORK FOR US RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN (Revelation 4:1, 2) Lesson 3 We learned that the book of Revelation can be divided into two different topics: (1) history and (2) the things that will happen in the last days. But there is another topic found in Revelation, and it deals with the Hebrew sanctuary. The Hebrew sanctuary was the place where Jesus was worshiped in Old Testament times before Solomon s temple was built. The sanctuary topic can be seen in Revelation s other two topics: (1) history and (2) things that happen in the last days. The Hebrew sanctuary begins with the courtyard. The courtyard was the place outside the sanctuary. Here we find the altar where animals were killed. These animals showed Jesus death for our sins. After the animal died, the priest went into the first room in the sanctuary. Jesus did this same thing after He went back to heaven. He, too, went into the first room in the sanctuary in heaven (Revelation 1:13). Read Revelation 4:1, 2. What does the open door mean? Where does the action described in these verse s happen? Read also Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; Hebrews 10:12, 13; and Revelation 12:5 for the answer. Jesus was made our High Priest soon after He went back to heaven. A high priest is someone who works to save His people. As our High Priest, Jesus offers His blood to wash away the sins of everyone who by faith believes in Him. God the Father made Jesus our High Priest in the Holy Room in the temple in heaven. God opened the door to this room for us because of Jesus victory on the cross. Read Revelation 11:19. Here we find John watching in vision as the temple in heaven is opened. John sees the ark. The ark was a special piece of furniture that held the Ten Commandments. The ark was put in the Second Room of the Hebrew sanctuary on earth. Why is it so special that John could see the ark? Another topic found in the book of Revelation is the Hebrew sanctuary. The sanctuary was the place where Jesus was worshiped in Old Testament times before Solomon s temple was built. The ark in heaven helps us to think about the Most Holy Room in the temple in heaven. The ark also shows us Jesus work for us in that Second Room. His work gives us hope that all heaven is working together to help God s people to be loyal to Him in the last days. Ellen G. White, My Life Today, page 307, adapted. JESUS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION 21

22 Lesson 3 WEDNESDAY APRIL 18 JESUS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION: PART 1 (Revelation 1:1 8) Everything in the book of Revelation, from its topics to its message, has one purpose: to show us Jesus. That is why the book of Revelation begins with these words: The things that are written in the Book are made known by Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1, NLV). The name of the book, Revelation, means something that is made known. In Greek, we would write the name of the book as Apocalypsis lesou Christou. This wording can be written as: (1) things made known to us that come from Jesus or (2) things made known to us about Jesus (Revelation 1:2). Also, the name Revelation means that we are meant to understand the book. So, people who say Revelation is too hard to understand are mistaken. After all, why would Jesus include the book of Revelation in the Bible if we were never meant to understand it? That idea makes no sense! What does Revelation 1:1 8 teach us about Jesus? Our loving Lord and Savior has full control over everything that happens on this earth. Jesus first appears in the book of Revelation as the ruler of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5, ERV). Near the end of the book, John describes Jesus as the God who rules over all [people] (Revelation 19:15, NIrV). This verse shows us that our loving Lord and Savior has full control over everything that happens on this earth. This fact can give us deep peace when life seems confusing and when nothing that happens seems to make any sense to us. In Revelation 1:5, John shows us clearly that Jesus is our Savior. John writes, [Jesus] is the One Who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood (NLV). This verse helps us think about Jesus death for us on the cross. His death cleanses us from all sin. Jesus death makes us right with God. Jesus death makes us holy (1 Corinthians 6:11). In Revelation 1:1 8, we find the promise that Jesus saves us. He is the One who washes away our sins. That is something we never could do for ourselves. What does Revelation 1:7, 8 teach us about Jesus? Jesus will come again. Everyone alive on the earth will see Him come back. Then Jesus will put an end to suffering, pain, and death for His people. How can Revelation 1:8 give us hope in bad times? 22 JESUS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION

23 THURSDAY APRIL 19 JESUS IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION: PART 2 (Revelation 22:7) Lesson 3 Read Revelation 1: What does Jesus say about Himself in these verses? In these verses, Jesus stands in the first room of the sanctuary in heaven. The sanctuary in heaven is the place where God is worshiped. When John sees Jesus appear here, John falls at Jesus feet in fear. Jesus comforts John. Jesus tells John not to be afraid. Then Jesus tells John that He, Jesus, is the First and the Last. The word First comes from the Greek word Alpha. The word Last comes from the Greek word Omega. These names of Jesus show us that Jesus is God and He lives forever. Later, Jesus talks about His death and His coming back to life from the dead and the hope that it brings. Jesus has the keys to death and hell. Jesus tells John this truth so John will know that Jesus has power over death and the grave. Jesus tells John the same thing He told Martha when her brother Lazarus died: I am the One Who raises [wakes up] the dead and gives them life. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will live again, even if he dies. Anyone who lives and has put his trust in Me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25, 26, NLV). Jesus does with us the same thing He does with Martha and then with John. Jesus reminds us of the hope we have in Him. He will wake us up from the dead. All our hopes as Christians center on this precious promise from Jesus. Without this hope, what real hope do we have? Read Revelation 22:7, 12, 13. What do these verses show us about Jesus? Jesus is the Alpha [the First] and the Omega [the Last]. He is the Genesis [the Start] of the Old Testament and the Revelation [the things God makes known to us about the last days] in the New Testament. The teachings in both the Old and New Testaments show us Jesus. Jesus obedience brings Adam and God back together again in peace and friendship. Jesus defeated all the tricks of Satan, who tried to lead Jesus into sin. Jesus won the victory over sin where Adam failed. Ellen G. White Comments [ideas], The SDA Bible Commentary [explanation], volume 6, pages 1092, 1093, adapted. Yes, Jesus is the Start and the Finish. He made us in the beginning. He will make us new in the end. Jesus has the keys to death and hell. That means He has power over death and the grave. JESUS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION 23

24 Lesson 3 FRIDAY APRIL 20 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: The book of Revelation makes known to us many things and mysteries about God. The name Revelation itself goes against the false idea that humans cannot understand this book. A revelation means something that God makes known. The Lord Himself made known to His servant John the mysteries that are found in the book of Revelation. It is Jesus plan that these mysteries shall be open to everyone to study and understand. John wrote the truths in the book of Revelation to the people living in the last days of this earth s history. John also wrote these truths to those people living in his own time. Some things in Revelation happen in the past. Some of the things in Revelation are happening now. Some of the things in Revelation will happen at the end of the big war between God and Satan. Some of the things that happen in Revelation show us the earth made new and the victory and joys of the people that Jesus saves. Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles [leaders and teachers], page 584, adapted. We looked at many verses this week in the book of Revelation that show us just how much the book is about Jesus. Read Revelation 3:14; Revelation 5:5, 6; Revelation 7:14; and Revelation 19:11 16 for more verses about Jesus. When we put these verses about Jesus all together, we get a powerful picture of Jesus and everything He means to us. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: It is Jesus plan for everyone to study and understand the mysteries in the book of Revelation. 1 The New Testament writers use many verses from the Old Testament in their writings. What does that fact mean for us? What should that fact tell us about how important the Bible is to our faith? How can we protect ourselves against anyone who tries to say that the Bible does not have much power in our lives or in the life of the church anymore? 2 Read over the book of Revelation. Find as many verses as you can about Jesus. Share the verses in class. What else do these verses show you about Jesus work for us right now, His power, and His holy life? What comfort do these verses give you? 3 We live on a planet where death happens every day. How can we learn to find hope and comfort in the promise that Jesus won the victory over death? 24 JESUS AND THE BOOK OF REVELATION

25 Easy Reading Edition Date 4 April The Last Days and God s Saving Plan SABBATH APRIL 21 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: John 14:9; Zephaniah 3:17; John 1:1 3; Romans 8:38, 39; Psalm 91:15, 16. MEMORY VERSE: Here is what love is. It is not that we loved God. It is that he loved us and sent his Son to give his life to pay for our sins (1 John 4:10, NIrV). WHAT IS the most important difference between the Christian religion and non-christian religions? Non-Christian religions have a lot to say about the teachings of the leaders who started their religions. But non-christian religions do not have a lot to say about the things that their leaders have done for them. Why not? Because nothing these leaders did can save their followers. The most these leaders can do is teach their followers to save themselves. But Christianity is different. As Christians, we talk about Jesus teachings. But we also talk about the things Jesus did to save us. What did Jesus do? He became a human (Romans 8:3). He died on the cross (Romans 5:8). He woke up from the dead (1 Peter 1:3). He works right now in heave n to get us ready to live with Him (Hebrews 7:25). These things alone save us. We are not saved by anything we do ourselves. What would happen if you told God s angels that part of the reason why humans will be saved is because of everything that is good, holy, and lovely in humans? Then the angels would throw that idea out because it is disloyal to God. Ellen G. White, Faith and Works, page 24; adapted. The truth that Jesus alone saves us is a very important truth for us in these last days. Jesus works right now in heaven to get us ready to live with Him (Hebrews 7:25). THE LAST DAYS AND GOD S SAVING PLAN 25

26 Lesson 4 SUNDAY APRIL 22 GOD OUR FATHER S LOVE FOR US (1 John 4:8) Not too long before Jesus died on the cross, Jesus spoke with His closest followers. Jesus explained to them that people come to the Father only by believing in Jesus. Then one of Jesus followers, Philip, said, Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need (John 14:8, ERV). How does Jesus answer Philip in John 14:9? What does Jesus answer teach us about our Father in heaven? How does Philip s question show us his false ideas about God? What were they? How does Jesus answer show us these ideas are false? God s love never fails us. Some people say that the Old Testament shows us that God is a mean Judge. They also say that the New Testament shows us that God is full of mercy and very forgiving. These people say that the Bible shows us two very different pictures of God. But this thinking is false. The God in the Old Testament is the same God in the New Testament. God has the same mercy and forgiveness in the Old Testament that He has in the New Testament. One reason Jesus came to this earth was to show people the truth about God the Father. But by the time Jesus came to this earth, wrong ideas about God the Father filled the minds of people everywhere who did not believe in God. Sadly, God s chosen people believed wrong things about Him too. The earth was a dark place because people believed wrong ideas about God. Jesus came to bring the truth to this earth. He came to bring the people on this earth back to God. Jesus came to break Satan s powerful lies. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, page 22; adapted. These were some of the reasons that Jesus came to this earth. God does not change. If we understood exactly why things happened as they did in the Old Testament, we would see God is just as forgiving and full of mercy in the Old Testament as He is in the New Testament. God is love (1 John 4:8, NLV). Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8, NLV). Remember, too, that it was the God of the Old Testament who hung on the cross. This God is not quick to get angry. God s love never fails us (Psalm 147:11). God wants to give His people success and hope (Jeremiah 29:11). He is loyal, kind, and full of love (Exodus 34:6, 7). God is all these things and more. 26 THE LAST DAYS AND GOD S SAVING PLAN

27 MONDAY APRIL 23 JESUS LOVE FOR US (John 1:1 3) Lesson 4 Sin separated humans from God. The separation between humans and God was very wide, deep, and dangerous. That separation between God and humans needed to end. Until that happened, humans faced everlasting ruin. It took something amazing to solve the sin problem and to join sinners again with a holy God. It took Someone who was everlasting and who was God Himself to solve the problem. That Someone was Jesus. To solve the sin problem, Jesus became a Human Being and gave His life to pay for our sins. Read John 1:1 3, 14 and Philippians 2:5 8. What do these verses teach us about Jesus? Jesus is everlasting. He does not depend on anyone or anything for His life. He does not only seem to be God on the outside. Jesus is God Himself. Jesus continued to be God when He became a Human. He became a Human so that He could obey the law in human flesh. He became human so that He could die as our Substitute. He died for everyone who broke the law. That means He died for everyone who ever lived (Romans 3:23). Jesus became human. He had no special power that other humans did not have. He obeyed God s law. He did not use His power as God to obey. Instead, Jesus trusted in, and depended on, the same power from God that every person can trust in. Jesus was fully God and fully human. Jesus holds everything together with his powerful word (Hebrews 1:3, ICB). But this same God also was born as a Baby lying in a place where cattle are fed (Luke 2:16, NLV). Jesus was there before anything was made. And all things continue because of him (Colossians 1:17, ERV). But this same God also lived as a human Child, who grew strong in mind and body (Luke 2:52, NLV). This God Jesus made all things (John 1:3, NLV). But this same God also was killed and nailed to a cross (Acts 5:30, NLV). All these things show Jesus love for us. Jesus love shows to us the Father s love for us. No wonder we have so many reasons to be filled with joy and to feel thankful! Jesus trusted in, and depended on, the same power from God that every person can trust in. How do the things we studied today give us powerful reasons to trust Paul s words to us in Romans 8:38, 39? THE LAST DAYS AND GOD S SAVING PLAN 27

28 Lesson 4 TUESDAY APRIL 24 THE HOLY SPIRIT S LOVE FOR US (Luke 12:12) Many people do not understand the Holy Spirit. People misunderstand the Holy Spirit almost as much as they misunderstand God our Father. Some Bible thinkers believe that the Holy Spirit is not a Person. Instead, these thinkers believe the Spirit is only the love between the Father and the Son. This thinking makes the Spirit nothing more than a feeling between God and Jesus, and not God Himself. But the Bible proves that the Holy Spirit is a Person. Christians are baptized in the Spirit s name along with the Father s and the Son s names (Matthew 28:19). The Holy Spirit gives Jesus glory and honor (John 16:14). The Holy Spirit tells people that sin is wrong (John 16:8). We can make the Holy Spirit feel sad about the way we live our lives (Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit comforts us (John 14:16). He is a Helper, and He advises us (John 14:16). He is a Teacher (Luke 12:12). He speaks to God for us (Romans 8:26, ERV). The Holy Spirit makes us holy (1 Peter 1:2). Jesus said the Holy Spirit leads people into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit is God as much as the Father and Son are. Together, the Father, the Son, and Spirit are One God. Everything the Holy Spirit does shows us God s love. What are some things the Spirit does? Read Luke 12:12; John 16:8 13; and Acts 13:2 to help answer the question. What is the biggest proof that the Holy Spirit is God? It is the fact that the Holy Spirit put Jesus as a baby in Mary s womb. What is the biggest proof that the Holy Spirit is God? It is the fact that the Holy Spirit made Jesus birth as a Man possible. The Holy Spirit put Jesus as a baby in Mary s womb. The womb is the part of a woman s body where her baby grows until it is ready to be born. Only God could put Jesus in Mary s womb. The Holy Spirit is working along with the Father and Jesus to save us. God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit felt deep sorrow for humans. So, the Three-in-One God worked together to save humans from sin. Ellen G. White, Counsels [advice] on Health, page 222; adapted. God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit love us. They are working hard to save us. Why should it comfort us to know that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are hard at work to save us? 28 THE LAST DAYS AND GOD S SAVING PLAN

29 WEDNESDAY APRIL 25 WE CAN BE SURE GOD WILL SAVE US (Psalm 91:15, 16) Some of us Seventh-day Adventists wonder if we will be saved. We are not sure. We want to know if we have everlasting life. We work hard to be good enough. But in the end, we know deep in our hearts that we fall short of being good enough to be saved. We look inside ourselves. But we see very little there to give us hope in this life. There is a big difference between Jesus holy life and our own lives. We read verses in the Bible that say: But the gate that opens the way to true life is narrow [very small]. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it (Matthew 7:14, ERV). Then we may wonder if we are ever going to make it to heaven. So then, how do we ever get ready for Jesus to come back? Here is the answer: we must be sure right now about being saved. We must feel joy in the truth that Jesus saves us. Then we will be able to face the future without fear. As we have studied so far, God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit are hard at work to save us. So, we can trust in God to save us. What a precious gift! Read the verses below. What hope do they give us about why we can trust in God to save us? Why can we feel sure about the things God has done for us and promises to do? Psalm 91:15, 16 Joel 2:31, 32 John 10:28 Romans 10: John 5:11 13 God tells us, even commands us, to live holy lives. But these lives are possible only because Jesus has saved us. We do not live holy lives to earn the gift of being saved. We must be loyal to God even if obeying Him means that we get killed. But we must always trust in His gift of saving us. This gift is our only hope. God s people will show to everyone on this earth that they are loyal and obedient to God in the last days. Their loyal and obedient lives come only from their trust in Jesus to save them. Lesson 4 The gate that opens the way to true life is narrow [very small]. And the road that leads there is hard to follow. Only a few people find it (Matthew 7:14, ERV). [P THE LAST DAYS AND GOD S SAVING PLAN 29

30 Lesson 4 THURSDAY APRIL 26 THE GOOD NEWS THAT CONTINUES FOREVER (Revelation 14:6, 7) Read Revelation 14:6, 7. What is the Good News that lasts [continues] forever (NLV)? In Revelation 14:6, 7, John describes the Good News as a message that lasts [continues] forever (NLV). The fact that the Good News continues forever is more proof that God does not change. A God who does not change has Good News that does not change either. God s everlasting Good News gives hope to everyone who believes it. The Good News shows us that God s love for us never changes. This message about God s love needs to go to every person on this earth. Even before the world [earth] was made, God chose us for Himself because of His love. He planned that we should be holy and without blame as He sees us (Ephesians 1:4, 5, NLV). How does this verse show us the truth that the Good News really does continue forever? We are saved because of God s love. God chose us for Himself even before the world [earth] was made. Wow! Now that is Good News! Even before God made this earth, God made a plan to save us. Look at some of the words used in Ephesians 1:4, 5: chose ; planned; and because of His love (NLV). All these words point to God s desire for us to have everlasting life with Him. The fact that God planned to save us long before there ever was an earth is proof that He loves us. His love shows us that our being saved does not come from anything we do. Instead, we are saved because of God s love. How could our being saved come from anything we did if God already chose for us to be saved before He made us? How do we show to other people around us that God chose us to be His people and wants them to become His people too? We show it by living lives that are holy and without blame before Him. God chose us for that too. God chose us to share the Good News (Revelation 14:6, NLV) with everyone on earth. This message is part of God s message that must be shared with people everywhere before Jesus comes back. Why must we know and experience how real the Good News is in our own lives before we share it with other people? 30 THE LAST DAYS AND GOD S SAVING PLAN

31 FRIDAY APRIL 27 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: We can trust and believe that we are saved. But we must not think we can somehow ever be good enough to save ourselves. Is it possible for us to have such a false faith? Yes. Jesus warned us about it too. He said, Not everyone who calls me Lord will enter God s kingdom. The only people who will enter are those who do what my Father in heaven wants. On that last Day many will call me Lord. They will say, Lord, Lord, by the power of your name we spoke for God. And by your name we forced out demons and did many miracles. Then I will tell those people clearly, Get away from me, you people who do wrong. I never knew you (Matthew 7:21 23, ERV). The people that Jesus describes in this verse made two terrible mistakes. First, it is true that they did many good things in the Lord s name. But they were not following God s plan. God s plan is for us to obey His law. Jesus did not say to them, Go away from me, you who are not perfect. Instead, Jesus says that these people do wrong. This wording comes from the Greek word anomian. It means that these people did not obey the law. Second, do you see that these people put a lot of importance on themselves and the things they did? But their hearts were very far away from Jesus. These people point to their own works to make themselves right with God. But only Jesus works save us. When we accept Jesus, God accepts us as if we ourselves lived Jesus holy life. Our feeling sure that we are saved comes from this gift. Do you want to feel sure that you are saved? Obey God s law. Trust only in the things Jesus has done for you. Then you will have all the hope you need. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 Martin Luther said: When I look to myself, I do not know how I can be saved. When I look to Jesus, I do not know how I can be lost. Adapted. Why is it a good idea always to remember these words? Lesson 4 Trust only in the things Jesus has done for you. Then you will have all the hope you need. 2 God chose us to be saved before He ever made the earth. Why does this truth not mean that everyone will be saved? Why will some people not be saved? Will it be because God did not choose these people? Or will it be because of the choices these people made? Explain. 3 There is a big war going on between good and evil. How can knowing this fact help us to live on this earth where so many bad things happen? THE LAST DAYS AND GOD S SAVING PLAN 31

32 Easy Reading Edition 5 April 28 May 4 What Is Jesus Doing Right Now in Heaven? Jesus became our High Priest after He finished His work for us on earth. SABBATH APRIL 28 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Romans 8:3; John 1:29; Revelation 5:12; Hebrews 7:1 28; Hebrews 9: MEMORY VERSE: God lifted Jesus high above everything else. He gave Him a name that is greater [above; more important] than any other name. So when the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow down before Him (Philippians 2:9, 10, NLV). THE BOOK OF HEBREWS talks about Jesus work in God s sanctuary. God s sanctuary is the place in heaven where God is worshiped and where His throne is. That is where Jesus has gone (Hebrews 6:20, NIrV). He has become our Religious Leader forever and has made the way for man to go to God (Hebrews 6:20, NLV). The Bible shows Jesus as our High Priest. A high priest is someone who works to save his people. Jesus became our High Priest after He finished His work for us on earth (read Hebrews 10:12). This week, we will learn about Jesus work as our High Priest. We will look at the work He does to help His people get ready for the last days. Ellen G. White writes: What if God s people do not understand Jesus work as their High Priest in the sanctuary? Then they will not be able to have the faith they need at this time. They will not be able to do the work God gave them to do. The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 488; adapted. What is Jesus doing for us right now in the sanctuary in heaven? And why is knowing about Jesus work there so important for us to understand in these last days? 32 WHAT IS JESUS DOING RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN?

33 SUNDAY APRIL 29 GOD S BEST GIFT TO HUMANS (Romans 8:3) Lesson 5 We must study all about Jesus death for us. Studying about Jesus death will help get us ready for the Second Coming. Often humans look ahead to see how their plans will work out. That makes sense. But it also is good to understand that, as Christians, we need to look behind us too. We need to look behind us at the Cross. Jesus victory there for us can never be taken away from us. His victory helps us to be sure about our faith as we face what is ahead of us too. Read Romans 8:3; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 Corinthians 15:33. Why did God send His Son to die? God sent Jesus to us to die for our sins. God sent Jesus in a human body to judge against sin. What does that mean? It means that Jesus had to become a human to save us. As God, Jesus could not die. So, He was born in a body the same as ours. The human body can die. So, Jesus became human so that He could win the war over sin for us and die in our place on the cross. True, Jesus has always been God. He continued to be God, even after He was born as a man (Philippians 2:7, ICB). He gave up His important place and obeyed by dying on a cross (Philippians 2:8, NLV). How did that part of Jesus that was God not die when Jesus body died on the cross? The answer to that question is a mystery. Only God knows the answer. We also do not understand how that part of Jesus that was God stayed quiet during the nine months Jesus spent in Mary s womb. The womb is the part of a woma n s body where her baby grows inside her until it is ready to be born. Here is something else about Jesus that is amazing: Jesus never used His power as God to help Him do His work when He lived as a Human on this earth. Often humans look ahead to see how their plans will work out. But as Christians, we also need to look behind us at the Cross. Read Luke 9:22. What does this verse tell us about why Jesus died for us? Jesus was born to die. His death for us comes from a love no other love can match. No one in heaven saw anything to match it. Even now, no one fully understands this love. What does the Cross tell us about how our own good works can never be good enough to save us? WHAT IS JESUS DOING RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN? 33

34 Lesson 5 MONDAY APRIL 30 THE LAMB OF GOD (John 1:29) Read John 1:29; Revelation 5:12; and Revelation 13:8. What word picture do we find in these verses? How does this word picture help us to understand God s plan to save us? Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. John the Baptist named Jesus the Lamb of God. This name points to the Hebrew sanctuary. The Hebrew sanctuary was the place where God was worshiped in Old Testament times. John also used the name Lamb of God to point the minds of God s people to Jesus death for their sins. All the lambs and animals ever killed in the Hebrew plan of worship pointed to Jesus death on the cross. Jesus death was a perfect gift. It offered God everything He needed to forgive us for breaking His law and to accept us again as His children. We can read the story about how Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. This story is found in the Gospels. The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But Jesus story and His work to save us do not end in the Gospels. Jesus story does not end with His death and His coming back to life, either. We can read more about Jesus story in the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews talks about the work Jesus does as our High Priest (Hebrews 1:3). A high priest is someone who works to save his people. As our High Priest, Jesus works to save us. Jesus became our High Priest after He took our place on the cross and died for our sins. Jesus was the Lamb that God offered on the cross for our sins. Then Jesus woke up from the dead. He went to heaven and entered the sanctuary. The sanctuary is the place in heaven where God is worshiped and where His throne is. There, Jesus now works to save us and get us ready to live with Him in heaven. Hebrews 7:1 28 talks more about Jesus work for us in the sanctuary and the things He is doing for us. What does Hebrews 7:1 28 tell us about Jesus? These verses in Hebrews are deep and rich with meaning. The verses tell us that Jesus is better than all the priests who came from Aaron and who worked in the Hebrew sanctuary on earth. We now have God as our High Priest. So now, when we think about Jesus, we can think about Him as our High Priest working for us in heaven. 34 WHAT IS JESUS DOING RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN?

35 TUESDAY MAY 1 JESUS, THE ONE WHO WORKS FOR US IN HEAVEN (Hebrews 8:6) Lesson 5 Read Hebrews 7:24 27 and Hebrews 8:6. What truth do we find in these verses? What hope does this truth give us? Jesus is our High Priest. A high priest is someone who works to save his people. As our High Priest, Jesus can save us fully. He can save us fully because of several things He did that no religious leader or priest could ever do: (1) Jesus is God. Only God can forgive sins. Because Jesus is God, Jesus has the power to forgive sins. (2) He is our High Priest forever. Ever since the Christian church first started, Jesus has worked all the time for His people. Jesus works for His people with the same love He had when He healed the sick and comforted the lonely on this earth. (3) Jesus also is human. (4) But He was born without sin, and He never sinned. (5) As the One who Never Sinned, Jesus died for the sins of every person who ever lived. (6) Only Jesus, as the Man-God, can work for sinners in heaven s sanctuary. Heaven s sanctuary is the place in heaven where God is worshiped and where His throne is. Hebrews 7:24 27 and Hebrews 8:6 also show us that Jesus death needed to happen only one time. His death was for everyone too. It was enough to save every human who ever lived. After all, look at who died for us. Jesus did. How could Jesus death not be enough to save each person? Read Hebrews 9: As these verses show us, what did Jesus death give Him to give to us? What does His work right now for us in heaven s sanctuary also give to us, too? Hebrews 9:12 says that Jesus made us free from sin forever (NLV). The Greek word written as made us free also means to buy back and paid the price. This Greek word is the same word used in Luke 1:68. There, Zacharias says God has come to his people and purchased [bought] their freedom (NIrV). What else does Hebrews 9:12 tell us about Jesus blood? It tells us Jesus is the only One who can make us free. His death is the gift He gives to save us. This gift saves everyone who accepts it. Jesus works for His people now with the same love He had when He healed the sick and comforted the lonely on this earth. Jesus did not start His work for us in the sanctuary until He made us free first. How does this fact give us hope about Jesus work for us right now in the sanctuary? WHAT IS JESUS DOING RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN? 35

36 Lesson 5 WEDNESDAY MAY 2 JESUS OUR HELPER (Hebrews 7:25) Sin caused an awful separation between God and humans. But Jesus death on the cross brings humans back to God. Jesus death lets sinners come near to God again. Our hope is certain [sure]. It is something for the soul to hold on to. It is strong and secure [safe]. It goes all the way into the Most Holy Room behind the curtain. That is where Jesus has gone. He went there to open the way ahead of us. He has become a high priest [the One who works to save us] forever, just like [the same as] Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:19, 20, NIrV). Melchizedek was the king of Salem during Abraham s time. As these verse s show us, what has Jesus done for us? Hebrews 9:24 talks about Jesus work for us right now in heaven. What is He doing for us right now? Sin caused an awful sepa ration between God and humans. But Jesus death on the cross brings humans back to God. Jesus is the One who stand[s] in front of God for us (Hebrews 9:24, NIrV). After He woke up from the dead, Jesus entered heaven s sanctuary. Heaven s sanctuary is the place in heaven where God is worshiped and where His throne is. There, Jesus offers to the Father the gift of His cleansing blood. It is the price God paid to buy us back from sin. When we accept Jesus, our sins are forgiven. We stand before God forgiven and with no sin. But even after we become Christians, we may sin. Why do we sin? We sin because we do not trust in Jesus wonderful promises for victory over sin. When we sin, Jesus helps us. He works in heaven as our High Priest. A high priest is someone who works to save his people. As our High Priest, Jesus stands before God for us. Jesus points to His own blood that He spilled for us. He does not point to any good thing we have done. We have done nothing good that can save us. Jesus asks our Father to save us because of what He, Jesus, has done for us. So Christ [Jesus] can save those who come to God through [by faith in] him. Christ [Jesus] can do this forever, because he always lives and is ready to help people when they come before God (Hebrews 7:25, ERV). Yes, we have new life in Jesus. But as born-again Christians, we understand our need for Jesus mercy and forgiveness all the time, right? So, why is knowing that Jesus is our High Priest very important to us? 36 WHAT IS JESUS DOING RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN?

37 THURSDAY MAY 3 THE DAY GOD MAKES HIS PEOPLE CLEAN (Hebrews 9:20 23) The book of Hebrews talks about the Old Testament sanctuary. The Old Testament sanctuary was the place where God was worshiped in the wilderness before Solomon built God a temple. The book of Hebrews teaches us that the sanctuary on earth was a copy of the sanctuary in heaven. Both sanctuaries had two rooms. The Jewish worship plan for the sanctuary on earth included killing animals. Their deaths pointed to Jesus future death on the cross for sinners. The blood of these animals also made it necessary for the sanctuary to be made clean. In the Jewish worship plan, the religious leaders, or high priests, did work in both rooms of the sanctuary. These two rooms are named the Holy Room and the Holiest Room of All. In the same way, Jesus work in the sanctuary in heaven also happens in both rooms. The first part of Jesus work for us happens in the Holy Room. The second part of Jesus work happens in the Holiest Room of All. That is the room where Jesus has been doing His work, since 1844, as Judge and High Priest. A high priest is someone who works to save his people. In the sanctuary on earth, Jesus work as Judge and High Priest was shown by the special work that the Jewish priests did on the Day of Cleansing. The Day of Cleansing was the one time during the year that the Jewish high priest entered the Most Holy Room in the sanctuary on earth. There, the Jewish high priest made God s people and His sanctuary on earth clean from sin (Leviticus 16:12 14). Read Hebrews 9: What are the things that need to be made clean with blood? How does this need for making things clean show Jesus work as our High Priest during the Day of Cleansing, which is happening right now in heaven? Lesson 5 Jesus work to make things clean began in the year We are now living in that time. Many Bible experts are surprised by the idea that the sanctuary in heaven needs to be made clean. Hebrews 9:23 shows us that the work the high priests did to make the sanctuary on earth clean was only a copy, or shadow [example], of the work Jesus does now to make the sanctuary in heaven clean and His people holy. When we study the book of Daniel, we learn that Jesus work to make things clean began in the year We are now living in that time. WHAT IS JESUS DOING RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN? 37

38 Lesson 5 FRIDAY MAY 4 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: Daniel s visions show us that the end of human history is connected to the Day of Cleansing. That Day is the time when Jesus makes all of God s people clean. Jesus will do this work just before His Second Coming. Daniel s visions also give the time when Jesus work in heave n will happen in human history. Jesus work in heaven also includes His work as our Judge. As our Judge, Jesus will show everyone in heaven and on earth that God s people are innocent. He will free God s people from all sin and guilt. Jesus also will prove that all of Satan s lies about God are false. Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology [the study about God] (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000), page 394; adapted. Before Jesus died on the cross, the sins of God s people were put on the animal offered in place of their sins. Their sins were then carried by the blood of the animal into the sanctuary on earth. [The sanctuary on earth was the place where God was worshiped in the wilderness before Solomon built God a temple.] The animals blood was a word picture for Jesus blood. But after Jesus died, God made a New Agreement with everyone who accepted Jesus and refused to continue sinning. In the New Agreement, our past sins are, by faith, put on Jesus. Then Jesus carries these sins into the sanctuary in heaven. Jesus is our High Priest. [A high priest is someone who works to save his people.] Just as sin made the sanctuary on earth dirty, sin makes the sanctuary in heaven dirty too. The high priests made the sanctuary on earth clean by removing the sins. In the same way, Jesus makes the sanctuary in heaven clean by removing the sins that are written down in His books. But before Jesus can remove the sins, He must examine His books first to see who believed in Him and stopped sinning. These people are Before Jesus can remove the sins, He must examine His books first to see who believed in Him and stopped sinning. the only ones who will be made clean from guilt. They are the only ones who will receive the gift of everlasting life and Jesus blood. His blood removes their sins. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], pages 421, 422; adapted. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 What two things does Ellen G. White say will show who will receive the gift of Jesus blood to take away their sins? Why must we understand this truth? 2 Read Leviticus 16:15, 16. What did the blood mean back then? What does the blood mean for us today? 38 WHAT IS JESUS DOING RIGHT NOW IN HEAVEN?

39 Easy Reading Edition Date 6 Who Changed God s Law? May 5 11 SABBATH MAY 5 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Romans 8:1; Romans 7:15 25; Romans 7:1 14; John 20:19 23; Acts 20:6, 7; Daniel 7: MEMORY VERSE: This king will say things against the Most High God. And he will hurt and kill God s people. He will try to change times and laws that have already been set. The people that belong to God will be in that king s power for three and one-half years (Daniel 7:25, ICB). THE SABBATH AND GOD S LAW will have an important part in the last days. But let us be clear about something first. We believe that we are saved by faith alone. So, we know that obeying the law and keeping the Sabbath holy will never save us, right? At the same time, we also know that in the last days obeying God s law will be a test. When we honor the Sabbath, we will show to everyone on earth that we are loyal to God. So, the Sabbath is very important. Soon it will become clear to everyone on earth who God s true followers are. The terrible warning in Revelation 13 and 14 will soon happen. At that time, a strong group of religious leaders and government rulers will join together. They will use their power to force everyone on earth to worship a false god. But God commands His people to worship Him (Revelation 14:7). God made us. So, He wants us to worship only Him. This week we will study about God s law. We will look at the Sabbath and the religious power that tried to change the Sabbath law. We also will study what this change to the law means for us in these last days of earth s history. When we honor the Sabbath, we show other people that we are loyal to God. WHO CHANGED GOD S LAW? 39

40 Lesson 6 SUNDAY MAY 6 THE PROMISE (Romans 7:15 25) We find one of God s most beautiful promises to us in Romans 8:1: So now anyone who is in Christ Jesus is not judged guilty (ERV). The word So tells us that this promise is the answer to the question Paul asked at the end of chapter 7 (read Romans 7:24). That tells us we must study the verses at the end of chapter 7 first. Then we will better understand God s promise to us in Romans 8:1. Read Romans 7: What is Paul saying to us in these verses? How does the message in these verses make the truth that Paul talks about in Romans 8:1 so comforting? Every loyal follower of God must fight a never-ending war against sin. Was Paul really talking about himself in these verses? Bible experts have argued over the answer to this question for many hundreds of years. But one thing is clear: Paul is saying that sin is very real. Everyone, including Christians, can understand in some way the fight that Paul talks about here. Who has not felt the desire to do wrong? Who has not given in to sin? We all have! We also know how it feels to not do what we know we should do. For Paul, the law is not the reason why we sin. We sin, Paul says, because of our weak human flesh. Have you ever found yourself wanting to do what was right, but then you did what was wrong instead? Of course, you have. Again, we all have. Paul may not be talking about the fact that we are going to give in to sin after we become born-again believers in Jesus. But it is clear Paul is talking about the never-ending war against sin that every loyal follower of God must fight. Next, Paul says these famous words: What a terrible failure I am! Who will save me from this sin that brings death to my body? (Romans 7:24, NIrV). The answer to Paul s question is found in Jesus. The answer also is found in the wonderful promise that those [people] who belong to Christ [Jesus] will not suffer the punishment of sin (Romans 8:1, NLV). These believers now live new lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, believers fight against sin. Yes, sin is real. But by faith in Jesus, believers are no longer judged guilty by the law. They obey the law. The Holy Spirit helps them to live new lives. They no longer live lives full of sin. Why is Romans 8:1 such a wonderful promise? 40 WHO CHANGED GOD S LAW?

41 MONDAY MAY 7 THE LAW AND SIN (Romans 7:1 14) Lesson 6 In yesterday s study, we looked at Romans 7: These verses talked about how real sin was for every human, even Christians. But just before these verses, Paul points to the law. The law shows us that the problem of sin is everywhere. The law also shows us that sin causes death. Read Romans 7:1 14. What do these verses tell us about the connection between the law and sin? What do these verses also tell us about how we can never be saved by the law? Paul teaches two important ideas in these verses. First, Paul shows us that the law is not the problem. After all, the law is holy and right and good (Romans 7:12, NLV). The problem is sin. Sin leads to death. Second, Paul says that the law has no power to save us from sin and death. The law clearly shows us the problem of sin and death. The law shows us our need to be saved. But the law does not offer us anything to solve the sin problem. Only someone who was not reading Romans 7:1 14 very carefully could use these verses to say that God had thrown out the Ten Commandments. Nothing Paul is talking about would make any sense if we did not have to obey the law anymore. Paul believes that the law continues to have power in our lives. After all, it is the law that shows us that sin is real. The law shows us our need for the Good News about Jesus too. That is why Paul says: You might think I am saying that sin and the law are the same. That is not true. But the law was the only way I could learn what sin means. I would never have known it is wrong to want something that is not mine. But the law said, You must not want what belongs to someone else (Romans 7:7, ERV). Sin leads to death. Read Romans 7:13 carefully. What is Paul saying in this verse about the law and why we need the law even now? The law does not bring death. Sin does. The law shows us just how dangerous sin is. The law is good. It shows us our sin. It cannot solve the problem of sin. Only the Good News can. That is why Paul says we must serve God in the new way, with the Spirit (Romans 7:6, ERV). We must stay connected to Jesus. We must trust in Him to save us. WHO CHANGED GOD S LAW? 41

42 Lesson 6 TUESDAY MAY 8 DID GOD REALLY CHANGE THE SABBATH TO SUNDAY? (1 Corinthians 16:1 4) We often hear other Christians say that the law has been thrown out. Or they say that we no longer need to obey the law because we are now under grace. Grace is God s gift of mercy, forgiveness, and power over sin. What are these Christians really saying? They really mean we do not have to obey the fourth commandment anymore. There are other Christians who say that the seventh-day Sabbath was changed to Sunday. These Christians believe that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday because Jesus woke up from the dead on Sunday. The Christians who say the Sabbath was changed to Sunday believe they have the Bible verses to prove it too. We are going to look at some of these verses in the New Testament. As we read the verses, we need to ask ourselves a couple of questions. Are these verses really talking about a change in the Sabbath day from the seventh day to the first day of the week? Or are these verses simply describing different things in the Bible that happened on Sunday? Read John 20: These verses talk about why Jesus followers meet together in an upstairs room. What reason do these verses give for why Jesus followers meet together there? Some Christians say that Jesus followers met in that upstairs room to worship Jesus on Sunday because He woke up from the dead on that day. What do these verses say about that? Jesus followers collected money at home for God s people on the first day of the week. But their reasons for getting together had nothing to do with a change in the Sabbath. Read Acts 20:6, 7. What, if anything, in these verses shows that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday, the first day of the week? Read also Acts 2:46 to answer the question. Read 1 Corinthians 16:1 4. We learn from these verse s that Jesus followers collected money at home for God s people on the first day of the week. But what, if anything at all, do they teach us about any change to the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday? Not one verse we looked at shows that the believers met together to worship on the first day of the week. Their reasons for getting together had nothing to do with a change in the Sabbath. Christians who say these verses prove that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday are making these verses say something they never meant to say. 42 WHO CHANGED GOD S LAW?

43 WEDNESDAY MAY 9 THE SEVENTH DAY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (Luke 4:14 16) Lesson 6 Yesterday, we looked at the verses used by many Christians to prove the idea that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday. We learned that those verses do not prove this idea at all. But what do we learn about the seventh-day Sabbath in the New Testament? In every verse about the Sabbath, we see that God s people kept the Sabbath holy. Read Luke 4:14 16 and Luke 23:55, 56. What do these verses tell us about the seventh-day Sabbath before Jesus death and after it? Luke talks about the women who followed Jesus. Look at what Luke says these women did. On the Sabbath day they rested, as commanded in the Law of Moses (Luke 23:56, ERV). Clearly, this verse talks about the fourth commandment of God s law that He wrote in stone at Sinai. Now, what if Jesus really changed the Sabbath? Then why would these women be resting on it? The answer is clear. These women rested on the Sabbath because Jesus never taught them that they should stop keeping it after He died. Jesus told His followers, If you love me, you will do what I command (John 14:15, ERV). Jesus commands include the seventh-day Sabbath. Jesus honored this command Himself. Did Jesus really replace the Sabbath with Sunday? If yes, then why did these women know nothing about it? Read Acts 13:14, and Acts 16:12, 13. What proof do these verses give us for keeping the seventh-day Sabbath holy? What proof do they give us for keeping Sunday? We do not find any proof in these verses that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday. But these verses show us clearly that the first believers in Jesus kept the seventh day holy. Acts 16:13 is interesting because it does not happen in a synagogue. A synagogue is a Jewish place of worship, or church. The believers met by a river instead. Some Christians often went to the river to pray. That happened many years after Jesus died. So, if the Sabbath was changed to Sunday, why does the Bible say nothing about it? The women who followed Jesus rested on the Sabbath day after He died. Their resting on the Sabbath shows us that Jesus never changed it. How can you share the truth about the Sabbath in a gentle and loving way with people who worship on Sunday? WHO CHANGED GOD S LAW? 43

44 Lesson 6 THURSDAY MAY 10 THE LITTLE HORN AND THE SABBATH (Daniel 7:23 25) We must obey God s law. God s law includes the Sabbath. So, why do so many Christians worship on Sunday? We must turn to the book of Daniel to answer that question. Daniel 7 talks about four big kingdoms that would rule the earth: Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and then Rome. Then another kingdom rises to power during the time that Rome rules the earth. Daniel names this power the little-horn power. Who is the little-horn power? What other power could it be but the Roman Catholic Church? Thomas Hobbes says the same thing. Hobbes was a leading thinker in the 1600s. Hobbes wrote: Where did the Roman Catholic Church come from and get its power? Any man who thinks about this matter will see easily that the Roman Catholic power is the ghost of the dead Roman kingdom. Leviathan (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996), page 463; adapted. Read Daniel 7: What do these verses teach us that can help us understand how Sunday worship got started? Daniel 7:25 shows us that the little-horn power tried to change God s law. We do not know exactly how that happened. We do know that the Roman Catholic Church changed the seventh-day Sabbath to Sunday. Today, most Christians worship on the first day of the week. They do not follow the Bible s command to honor the seventh day. The little-horn power in Daniel 7:23 25 is a word picture for the Roman Catholic Church. What same word pictures are found in Revelation 13:1 17 and Daniel 7:1 8? How do these word pictures help us understand what will happen in the last days? Revelation uses the same word pictures about the littlehorn power we find in Daniel. These word pictures show the Roman Catholic Church s attacks on God s people that will happen in the last days. The Bible warns us that in the last days of Earth s history the Roman Church will attack anyone who refuses to worship on Sunday. Revelation 14:7 uses words taken from the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:11). How does Revelation 14:6, 7 help to show us that the Sabbath will have a very important part in the last war over worship? This war will happen on this earth before Jesus comes back. 44 WHO CHANGED GOD S LAW?

45 FRIDAY MAY 11 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: The book of Revelation says that Satan acts the same as a dragon. This dragon made war against God in heaven (Revelation 12:7). This same dragon makes war with God s people on Earth. God s people show they worship God because they obey the Laws of God (Revelation 12:17 [NLV]; Revelation 13:2, 4). But the Bible warns us that Satan will be worshiped too (Revelation 13:4). So, we see that Satan s war against God continues here on Earth. What is the thing that Satan attacks in his war against God? God s Sabbath. The fourth commandment shows us that God is the One who made the heavens and the earth. This work makes God different from all false gods. God made the seventh day holy. He gave the holy Sabbath to man as a rest day and to remind man of His work in making the earth. God made the Sabbath to help humans remember the living God. God made the Sabbath to remind humans that He made them and that He is worthy of their worship and love. Satan tries to turn people away from God and from obeying God s law. So, that is why Satan attacks the fourth commandment. The Sabbath points us to a belief in God as the One who made humans. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], pages 53, 54; adapted. We worship the Lord because He made the heavens and the earth. The seventh-day Sabbath reminds us of that work (read Genesis 2:1 3). No wonder Satan attacks the Sabbath. After all, the Sabbath shows God s power. In the last days of Earth s history, God will have a people on the earth who stay loyal to Him. God s people show their strong faith and loyalty to Him by obeying all His laws, including the Sabbath law. The Sabbath reminds us that God is the One who made us. It shows everyone on earth that God alone is worthy of their loyalty and worship. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Lesson 6 God gave the holy Sabbath to humans as a rest day. God made the Sabbath to help humans remember that He made the earth. 1 Many Christians say that sin is real. But they also argue that God s law has been thrown out. What is the problem with this idea? What big mistake can you find with this thinking? 2 What has been your experience with people who say we should keep Sunday instead of the Sabbath? What did you say to them? How did they answer you? How do you answer people who say that keeping the Sabbath holy is another way of trying to save yourself by your own good actions? WHO CHANGED GOD S LAW? 45

46 Easy Reading Edition 7 Matthew 24 and 25 May SABBATH MAY 12 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Matthew 24:1 25; Revelation 13:11 17; Matthew 7:24 27; Luke 21:20. MEMORY VERSE: False Messiahs [Saviors] and false prophets [special messengers] will come and do great [very powerful] miracles and wonders [strange and surprising things], trying to fool [trick] the people God has chosen, if that is possible (Matthew 24:24, ERV). Jesus warned us that there would be wars and disease in the last days. IN MATTHEW 24 AND 25, Jesus tells us important truths about the last days. He also tells us what we need to do to be ready for His Second Coming. Jesus words for His followers in His time also are for His followers in our time, too. Most of all, Jesus words speak to the final group of people who will be alive on the earth when He comes back. Jesus does not paint a pretty picture of that time, either. There will be wars and unproved news about wars going on. There will be disease, false saviors, and attacks on God s people. It is easy to see how right Jesus was. Just look back over history at all the awful things that have happened since Jesus said these words. So, you see for yourself. Then you can trust Jesus other words, too, about the things that have not happened. But Jesus did not only warn us about what was coming. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells picture stories to help get His people ready to meet God. Yes, hard times will come. But Jesus will help His people to be ready to meet Him when He does come back again. 46 MATTHEW 24 AND 25

47 SUNDAY MAY 13 POWERFUL PROOF THAT JESUS WORDS ARE TRUE (Matthew 24:1 25) Lesson 7 Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives and told His followers about the things that would happen in the last days. Picture in your mind that you are one of Jesus followers there on the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus tells you that the temple in Jerusalem soon will be destroyed. Who knows the things that Jesus followers thought when they heard this news. But the questions they ask Jesus later show that His followers connected the total ruin of the temple with the end of time (Matthew 24:3, ERV). Read Matthew 24:1 25. As we see from these verses, what message did Jesus give to His followers about the last days of this earth s history? Matthew 24:1 25 makes it clear that Jesus does not want His people to be confused by the lies that will be told in the future. What lies is Jesus talking about? Jesus is talking about the lies that false messengers and false religious leaders will tell His people. Some false religious leaders will say they are Jesus Himself. Do you know what the most awful thing about these false leaders is? Many people will believe them. We live in a time when we can look back over the long years of history. We can see just how true Jesus words are. Even in our day, liars and false leaders have said they were the Savior. They say, I am the Messiah [the Savior that God chose to take away our sins] (Matthew 24:5, ERV). Jesus said this very thing would happen. We should not be surprised if these same lies happen more and more in these last days as we get closer to the end of time. Also, look at Jesus words about how bad things would be on this earth before He came back. Jesus was right about that, too. Since Jesus time on Earth ended, people have trusted in things they hoped would get rid of all the awful pain that humans suffer. At one time or another, people have hoped that government, science, and knowledge would bring in everlasting peace and a perfect life here on Earth. But history shows us again and again that these hopes have always failed. The world today is exactly as Jesus said it would be. Today the world is exactly as Jesus said it would be. Read Matthew 24:25. How does this verse help make our faith stronger and give us hope in what we believe? MATTHEW 24 AND 25 47

48 Lesson 7 MONDAY MAY 14 STAYING LOYAL TO GOD UNTIL THE END (Matthew 24:9) Read Matthew 24:9 and Revelation 13: What did Jesus say in these verses in Matthew that John also wrote about in these verses in Revelation? Jesus warns His people about the many lies the devil will use to trick people in the last days. One of these tricks is a worldwide lie that will cause countries to stand against the true faith and to force everyone on the earth to join in false worship. The people who stand strong against this false worship will experience hate and attacks. Some of these people will even be put to death. Read Matthew 24:13. What does Jesus say in this verse is the secret to being saved and staying loyal during the worldwide attacks against God s people in the future? The people who make their minds strong with Bible truths are the only people who will stay loyal to God until the end of the big war between good and evil. The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 593; adapted. Read Matthew 7: In these verses, what else does Jesus say is important for staying loyal to God? The people who make their minds strong with Bible truths are the only people who will stay loyal to God until the end of the big war between good and evil. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], pages 493, 494, adapted. Yes, it is very important to know the Bible. But Jesus says that knowing the truth is not enough to help us stay loyal to God when the attacks on our faith come during the end times. We also must do the things we learn. We must obey the truth about Jesus too. In the picture story in Matthew 7:24 27, both builders hear Jesus sayings. The difference between the two men is that one builder obeys Jesus teachings. The other builder does not. That one thing makes a very big difference. It will make all the difference for us, too, in staying loyal to God by obeying Him until the end of time. Why does the obedient builder stay strong? Why does the other builder fail? What difference does obedience make in helping a person stay strong in the faith? 48 MATTHEW 24 AND 25

49 TUESDAY MAY 15 THE HORRIBLE THING THAT DESTROYS (Matthew 24:15, ICB) Lesson 7 In Matthew 24:15, Jesus talks about the horrible thing that destroys (ICB). This word picture comes from the book of Daniel (Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:31; Daniel 12:11). The NIrV Bible names this horrible thing the hated thing that destroys. God announced that something was a hated thing or a horrible thing when it broke His law in a terrible way. Some of the sins that God said were terrible included bowing down to statues (Deuteronomy 27:15) and sins that dealt with having sex (Leviticus 18:22). So, the horrible thing meant that in the future many of God s people would fall away from the truth into false worship. Read Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21:20. How do these two verses help us understand better what Jesus means by the horrible thing that destroys (Matthew 24:15, ICB)? These two verses make it clear that Jesus warning about the future includes the awful ruin that would happen to Jerusalem in a.d. 70. At that time, the Roman Kingdom would destroy the city of Jerusalem and the holy temple. Jesus words are full of meaning for our time, too. The ruin of Jerusalem was real and happened in the past. But it also was a word picture for things that would happen in the future. Jesus saw Jerusalem as a word picture for everyone on earth who did not believe in God and fought against Him. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 22; adapted. Daniel 12:11 and Daniel 11:31 connect the horrible thing that destroys (ICB) to the time when the Roman Church was in power from a.d. 538 to During this time, the Roman Church changed Bible truth to false teachings about how humans are saved and come to God. These false ideas covered up the truth about the things Jesus did for us and is doing now for us in heaven s sanctuary. The sanctuary is the place in heaven where God is worshiped. As we learned, the little horn is a word picture for the Roman Church. Daniel 8:9 shows us how the little horn s power spreads fast over the old Roman Kingdom. Then in Daniel 8:10, the little horn attacks God s people. But the Bible promises us that Jesus will save His people in the last days (Daniel 7:9, 10; Daniel 8:14; Matthew 24:29). The destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the holy temple was a word picture that showed the things that would happen in the last days. MATTHEW 24 AND 25 49

50 Lesson 7 WEDNESDAY MAY 16 TEN GIRLS WHO WENT TO WAIT FOR THE BRIDEGROOM (Matthew 25:1 13, ERV) In Matthew 24, Jesus talks about the things that will happen before He comes. Next, in Matthew 25, Jesus talks about how to get ready for His coming. Read Matthew 25:1 13. In these verses, Jesus tells the picture story about the Ten Girls Who Went to Wait for the Bridegroom. What is Jesus saying in these verses that should help us to get ready for His Second Coming? The oil in the lamps is a word picture for the Holy Spirit. How sad that the five foolish girls were happy with only a little oil when they really needed a whole lot more. The wording the ten girls who went to wait for the bridegroom is a word picture. It means people who say they are Christians. These Christians do not join Satan s side in the war between good and evil. Jesus also uses the wording the ten girls who went to wait for the bridegroom as a word picture to show the meaning of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 25:1). But in the end time, all ten girls fell asleep (Matthew 25:5). Jesus already warned His followers about staying awake so they would be ready for Him when He came back at the Second Coming. All ten girls had lamps. All ten girls went out to meet the bridegroom. That means all ten girls looked forward to His coming. But there was a delay. All these believers in His coming fell asleep. Then all of a sudden, at midnight, someone cried out that the bridegroom was coming. All the girls woke up (Matthew 25:1 6). The foolish girls were surprised. They were not ready. Why? One Bible says the foolish girls were surprised because the oil in our lamps is all gone (Matthew 25:8, ERV). Other Bibles put this verse in different words that are truer to the Greek language that the verse was written in first. These Bibles say: our lamps are going out (NLV, NIrV, ICB). The lamps of these girls still gave off a very small flame. But that very small flame was not enough to help them to be ready to meet Jesus. What happened? These five foolish girls are a word picture for Christians who are waiting for Jesus to come back. But they do not really know Jesus. They do not have a deep connection to Him. They have some oil. The oil is a word picture for the Holy Spirit. But these girls did not have enough oil. How sad that they were happy with only a little oil when they really needed a whole lot more. 50 MATTHEW 24 AND 25

51 THURSDAY MAY 17 USING YOUR TALENTS (Matthew 25:13 30) Lesson 7 Read about the gifts God gives us in Matthew 25: As these verses show us, what part does our using these gifts have in getting us ready for Jesus Second Coming? Jesus tells another picture story in Matthew 25: In many ways, it is the same as the picture story before it about the ten girls in Matthew 25:1 13. Both picture stories talk about how to get ready for Jesus to come back. Both picture stories also deal with Christians who are ready and Christians who are not ready. Both picture stories show us what will happen to Christians who do not take care of the things God gives them. They will lose their gift of eternal life. The bags of money (Matthew 25:15, ERV), or bags of gold (NIrV), are word pictures for talents. The talents are word pictures for the special gifts the Holy Spirit gives to us. The talents also mean all our natural skills that God gave to us when we were born. The SDA Bible Commentary [explanation], volume 5, page 510; adapted. All the servants in the picture story about the talents got talents from their master. Do you see that the talents belonged to the master (Matthew 25:14)? The master gave these talents to his servants. But first the master decided how much each servant would be able to care for (Matthew 25:15, ERV). The master trusted each of his servants with his gifts. These servants were managers of these things. They did not own these gifts. But they were responsible for them. That is why when the master came back, he asked the servants what they did with his money (Matthew 25:19, ERV). Spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit (read 1 Corinthians 12:1 11, 28 31; Ephesians 4:11). Even those believers who think they have a small gift or a gift that is not very important should remember something. When they get their gift, they are getting the One who gave them the gift the Holy Spirit. He is the best gift of all. We must surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit. Then He will give us the gifts He has for us. We must not make the mistake of the lazy servant. The Holy Spirit gave him a gift. But he did not improve it. Jesus said he was useless (Matthew 25:30, ICB) and worthless (NIrV). Let that be a lesson to all of us living in these last days. The bags of money (Matthew 25:15, ERV), or bags of gold (NIrV), are word pictures for the special gifts the Holy Spirit gives to us. MATTHEW 24 AND 25 51

52 Lesson 7 FRIDAY MAY 18 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: The servant with the smallest gift was the only servant who did not improve his talent. This part of the picture story is a warning to all Christians who feel that their gifts are too small to be used to serve Jesus. That is no excuse. These believers would be very happy to do some big task for God. But they feel they do not have to do anything at all because they can do only small things. They are wrong. The Lord gives us His gifts to test us. The man in the picture story who failed to improve his one talent showed that he was not a loyal servant. What if God had given him five talents instead? That man would have done the same thing with the five talents that he did with the one talent: he would have buried them all in the ground. His wrong use of the one talent showed that he did not think the gifts from heaven were important at all. Whoever can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with big things (Luke 16:10, ERV). Often, we do not think the little things are important because they are small. But the little things of life really give us much of the training we really need. Really, the small things of life are just as important and necessary to the Christian life as the bigger things are. Ellen G. White, Christ s Object Lessons, pages 355, 356; adapted. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 People often have believed in the idea that humans could make a true heaven on earth. What were some of those ideas? Why have they all failed? The little things of life really give us much of the training we really need. Ellen G. White, Christ s Object Lessons, page 356; adapted. 2 Why does obedience to God make our faith grow stronger? How does that answer help us understand that faith that does nothing is dead! (James 2:26, ERV)? Think about all the trouble ahead of God s people who obey God s commands (Revelation 14:12, ERV). Why is it so important for us now to be getting ready for the trouble ahead? 3 What warning does the picture story of the ten girls in Matthew 25:1 13 give us? All ten girls seemed the same on the outside. They looked and acted alike. So, how can we make sure that we are not lying to ourselves the same as the five foolish girls did? 52 MATTHEW 24 AND 25

53 Easy Reading Edition Date 8 May Worship God Who Made Heaven and Earth SABBATH MAY 19 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Revelation 14:6, 7; Matthew 24:14; Galatians 3:22; Luke 23:32 43; Revelation 14:8 12. MEMORY VERSE: Then I saw another angel flying in the heavens. He was carrying the Good News that lasts [continues] forever. He was preaching to every nation and to every family group and to the people of every language and to all the people of the earth (Revelation 14:6, NLV). AS SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHRISTIANS, we believe in present truth. Present truth is the Bible teaching that God shows truth to humans when they need it the most. Then, over time, God adds more light to the truth He gave us (2 Peter 1:12). An example of how present truth works can be seen in the first promise about the Good News (Genesis 3:15). God gave this promise to Adam and Eve after they sinned. God told them that the Savior would be born to one of Eve s future children. God s promise to Abraham in Genesis 18:18 shows us even more truth about the first promise God made to Adam and Eve. Then Jesus came. He was the Savior that God promised He would send. The coming of Jesus to this earth shows us even more truth about the promise of the Good News (Mark 10:45). Today, we believe that the three angels messages in Revelation 14:6 12 are present truth. They are the truth that everyone living in these last days needs right now. This week we will look at the first angel s message. This message holds important truths for everyone who wants to stay loyal to God in the difficult times ahead. Over time, God adds more light to the truth He gave us. WORSHIP GOD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH 53

54 Lesson 8 SUNDAY MAY 20 GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYONE (Revelation 14:6) Read Revelation 14:6; Matthew 24:14; and Matthew 28:19. Each of these verses talks about the same idea. What idea is that? How do these verses help us understand how important it is for the church to reach out to other people and to witness to them about Jesus? We could say that the first angel s message is the same as Jesus command to us in Matthew 28:19. The first angel s message is present truth for our time. As we learned yesterday, present truth is the truth we need most. Do you see how all three verses in the question above say that we need to reach out to everyone with this message? Everyone includes every nation and every family group and the people of every language and all the people of the earth (Revelation 14:6, NLV). Everyone needs to hear this message because its truths are meant for everyone. Read Galatians 3:22. What does this verse say that helps us understand why everyone living on this earth needs to hear the Good News? The first angel s message is present truth. Present truth is the truth we need most for the time we live in. Sin is everywhere. That fact explains why our work for God includes sharing the Good News with everyone. Everyone on earth has done wrong. Everyone has broken God s law. The Bible shows us that everyone is bound [put in prison] by sin (Galatians 3:22, ICB). Adam s sin in Eden changed every human. No person has been able to escape the awful things that happened because of Adam s sin. We all must live with the bad things that happened and continue to happen because of sin. With no one to save us, we would suffer punishment for sin. This punishment is everlasting death. But Someone did save us. That Someone is Jesus. He is the only answer to the sin problem. All people need to know about the amazing gift of hope that God offers to them in Jesus. That is why Seventh-day Adventists have gone all over the earth to share the Good News. They want to tell everyone about Jesus and the things He has done for them. Why is our sharing the Good News with other people very helpful to our spiritual lives? Why is our reaching out to other people one of the best ways for us to get ready for Jesus to come back? 54 WORSHIP GOD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH

55 MONDAY MAY 21 THE THIEF ON THE CROSS AND THE GOOD NEWS (Luke 23:32 43) Lesson 8 What message must God s people share with everyone on earth? It is the Good News that lasts forever (Revelation 14:6, NLV). This news is hope for all people living on an earth that offers them no hope at all beyond this life. Read Luke 23: How does this story about the thief show us the hope that the Good News (Revelation 14:6, NLV) gives to all sinners? Ellen G. White wrote about the thief on the cross. The thief was a criminal. But his heart was not fully cold and hard. The thief had been living a life of sin to try to shut out from his heart a belief in Jesus. The thief fell deeper and deeper into sin. Then he was arrested and put on trial. He was found guilty and sent to die on the cross. Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, page 749; adapted. But what happened to the thief? As he hung on the cross, the thief saw who Jesus really was. The thief cried out: Jesus, remember me when you begin ruling as king! (Luke 23:42, ERV). How did Jesus answer? Did Jesus say, Well, friend, I would like to help you. But you really should not have shut Me out of your heart by falling deeper and deeper into sin? Or did Jesus preach to the thief one of His earlier sermons: If you are not more pleasing to God than they [the teachers of the law and religious leaders] are, you will never enter God s kingdom (Matthew 5:20, ERV)? Did Jesus bring up the thief s past mistakes? No! Instead, Jesus turned to this criminal who had lived a life of sin. The thief was far from holy. He had nothing to offer Jesus. Earlier, the thief even cursed Jesus to His face (Matthew 27:44). But Jesus saw the thief as a new man. Jesus said to him: I am telling you, right now, that your sin, your crimes, your mistakes are forgiven. So, I tell you, today, that one day: you will be with Me in Paradise [heaven] (Luke 23:43, NLV). Jesus message to the thief is the Good News that continues forever. This Good News is the first angel s message. It is the center of everything we teach. What good are our teachings without the Good News that Jesus saves us? Jesus message to the thief on the cross is the Good News that Jesus saves us from our sins and gives us everlasting life. What hope does the story about the thief give you? WORSHIP GOD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH 55

56 Lesson 8 TUESDAY MAY 22 HONOR GOD AND GIVE GLORY TO HIM (Revelation 14:7) The first angel s message begins with an announcement to everyone on the earth about the Good News in Revelation 14:6 (NLV). We learn more about this Good News in verse 7. God gave Seventh-day Adventists the job of announcing this message to everyone on the earth. As part of that job, we must share the truths in verse 7. These truths are the Good News for this time. Revelation 14:7 is present truth for the last days. We learned that present truth is the truth we need most for the time we live in. Read Revelation 14:7. What does it mean in this verse to fear God (ERV) and to give him glory (NIrV)? How do we do that? What is the connection between these ideas and the Good News in Revelation 14:6, NLV? We will look at what the Bible means by the wording fear God. But first, notice that the command to fear God is connected to the command to give him glory. If we truly fear God in the way that the Bible means, we will give Him glory. One action should lead to the other action. Read Genesis 22:12; Exodus 20:20; Job 1:9; Ecclesiastes 12:13; and Matthew 5:16. How do these verses help us understand what it means to fear God? How do these verses teach us that our fearing God is connected to our giving Him glory? Our evil actions make us worthy of death. Our knowing this truth about ourselves is what it means to fear God. This fear helps us know that, with no Cross, we would lose our souls. In these verses, the command to fear God is connected to obeying Him. When we obey God and do right, we bring glory to Him. Many people say that to fear God means to respect God and worship Him. That is true. But the true meaning of fear God goes deeper than even respect and worship. It points to the truth that we are born sinners. We have done evil. Our evil actions make us worthy of death in the eyes of a fair and holy God. Our knowing this awful truth about ourselves is what it means to fear God. It is this fear that sends us to the Cross for forgiveness. It is this fear that leads us to accept God s power to cleanse us from evil. It is this fear that helps us know that, with no Cross, we would lose our souls (read Matthew 10:28). How have you experienced what it means to truly fear God? 56 WORSHIP GOD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH

57 WEDNESDAY MAY 23 THE TIME HAS COME FOR GOD TO JUDGE ALL PEOPLE (Romans 2:6) Lesson 8 The first angel s message connects the ideas about fearing God and giving Him glory to the Bible teaching that God will judge all people (Revelation 14:7). The Bible is very clear that God is a God of justice. One day the fairness and justice that are so often missing from this life will come when God judges all people. No wonder people need to fear God. That is why the Good News that lasts [continues] forever (Revelation 14:6, NLV) includes the truth that God will judge all people. What is the connection between the Good News and the truth that God will judge all people at the end of time? We are all sinners who are worthy of death on the day when God will judge all people. But the Good News is that we will not suffer the punishment for our sin and for breaking God s law. Instead, it will be the same for us as it was for the thief on the cross (Luke 23:32 43). Read Matthew 12:36; Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 2:6; and 1 Corinthians 4:5. After you read these verses, ask yourself this question: Can my own good actions and good works save me during the time when God judges all people? God knows how many hairs are on our heads. This same God will judge all people who have ever lived. But that is exactly why the Good News that continues forever is wonderful news. Yes, we all will be judged. But there is no punishment for the loyal followers of Jesus. God has made them clean from all sin. They have been made holy and right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus (read 1 Corinthians 6:11). Jesus obedience is their obedience. It is His obedience that frees them when God judges all people. Man stands guilty before God. But Jesus stands between God and man. Jesus tells God the Father that many souls have turned away from their sins. By faith they have given their souls to Jesus. Jesus asks God to have mercy on them. Satan accuses them of wrongdoing and guilt. But Jesus clears these souls of all blame by pointing to what He did for sinners on the Cross. Jesus obedience cost Him His life. But His victory gave Him all power on heaven and earth. So, Jesus asks His Father to show mercy to sinners who turned to Him. Ellen G. White, Testimonies [special messages] for the Church, volume 5, page 471; adapted. God knows how many hairs are on our heads. This same God will judge all people who have ever lived. WORSHIP GOD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH 57

58 Lesson 8 THURSDAY MAY 24 WORSHIP GOD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH (Revelation 14:6 11) Read Revelation 14:6, 7 again. Break these verses down into smaller pieces of information. What is each of these parts talking about, and how do they all connect together? Present truth for our time includes: (1) the Good News that Jesus saves us from sin, (2) Jesus command to us to tell others about the Good News, and (3) the truth that we are living in the time when God will judge all people. Jesus tells His people to share with other people the Good News that continues forever. He asks us to witness about Him to other people. He also asks us to fear God and give glory to Him. But there is something else that Jesus asks His people to do in the last days. He asks them to worship God as the One who made them. This command is part of present truth. We learned that present truth is the truth we need most for the time we live in. Present truth for our time includes: (1) the Good News that continues forever, (2) the command to witness about Jesus to other people, and (3) the truth that we are living in the time when God will judge all people. All these parts of present truth for this time mean nothing without the truth that we must worship God as the One who made us. All parts of present truth come from the larger truth that the Lord is the One who made all things. When we worship God as the One who made us, we understand what it means to be human and to really live. We understand that we are different from any other living thing on this earth. We understand what it means to be made in God s own likeness. That means God made us to be the same as Himself in many ways. When we worship God as the One who made us, we show everyone that we depend on God for life and for our future hope. That is why keeping the seventh-day Sabbath is very important. The Sabbath shows people that God alone is the One who made us and that we should worship only Him. So, that is why the first angel s message makes it very clear that we should worship God as the One who made us. Read Revelation 14:8 11. What do these verses say that could help us understand why it is very important to worship the Lord as the One who made us? Soon the things Jesus warned about in the last days will happen. Many people will feel the pressure to worship the beast [wild animal that comes from the sea] (Revelation 13, ERV, NLV) instead of Jesus. But the warnings are clear about what will happen to people who worship this false religious power. So, we must stay true to Jesus. 58 WORSHIP GOD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH

59 FRIDAY MAY 25 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: For a long time, Bible students have noticed a connection between the command to worship God in Revelation 14:7 and the fourth commandment in Exodus 20:11 to keep the Sabbath holy. Let us look at the two verses more closely to see how they are the same. Revelation 14:7 says: Worship Him Who made heaven and earth and the sea and the places where water comes out of the earth (NLV). Now look at Exodus 20:11: In six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them (NIrV). Many things in the two verses are the same. But there is one change to the verse in Revelation. What is it? That change points to the Lord as the One Who made... the places where water comes out of the earth. Why would John include this change when he wrote Revelation? Writer John Baldwin asks the same question: The list of things that God made in Revelation 14:7 agrees with the one in Exodus 20:11 until it gets to the part about the water coming out of the earth. Why does the angel in Revelation 14:7 mention the places where water comes out of the earth and not trees, birds, or mountains? We must remember that John is talking about the time when God will judge all people. Maybe God uses the wording the places where water comes out of the earth to remind readers of the time when God judged the earth by a Flood of waters. The Genesis Flood shows us that God is a Judge. But it also shows us that God is also a God of mercy and love. Maybe God is using the wording the places where water comes out of the earth to encourage readers of Revelation to think carefully about the last-day message that God will judge all the people on the earth. John Baldwin, editor, Creation [God s act of making the heavens and earth in six days], Catastrophe [total ruin], and Calvary [Jesus death on the cross]: Why a Global [worldwide] Flood Is Vital [important] to the Doctrine [teaching] of [about] Atonement [God s work to cleanse His people and make them right with Himself] (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2000), page 27; adapted. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 The sin problem is very big. But why is God s answer to it more than enough to solve it? 2 What other lessons can we learn from the story about the thief on the cross? How does that story show us the power of the Cross to change our lives? Lesson 8 The Genesis Flood shows us that God is a Judge. But it also shows us that God is also a God of mercy and love. John Baldwin, editor, Creation [God s act of making the heavens and earth in six days], Catastrophe [total ruin], and Calvary [Jesus death on the cross]: Why a Global [worldwide] Flood Is Vital [important] to the Doctrine [teaching] of [about] Atonement [God s work to cleanse His people and make them right with Himself], page 27; adapted. WORSHIP GOD WHO MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH 59

60 Easy Reading Edition 9 May 26 June 1 Satan s Lies and Tricks in the Last Days SABBATH MAY 26 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Revelation 2:13, 24; 2 Corinthians 11:13 15; Psalm 146:4; Revelation 13:1 17. MEMORY VERSE: The dragon was thrown down to earth from heaven. This animal is the old snake. He is also called [named] the Devil or Satan. He is the one who has fooled [tricked] the whole world [all the people on the earth]. He was thrown down to earth and his angels were thrown down with him (Revelation 12:9, NLV). History shows us that, from Eden until now, Satan always uses tricks and lies (Revelation 20:8) to get what he wants. SATAN worked hard to trick the angels in heaven before God threw him out. For a time, Lucifer hid his true plans under a mask of love and respect for God. Lucifer pretended to honor God. But he was really trying to cause the angels to feel unhappy with God s laws. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 495; adapted. In Eden, Satan pretended to be a beautiful snake. He used this beautiful snake to trick Eve. History shows us that, from Eden until now, Satan always uses tricks and lies (Revelation 20:8) to get what he wants. Satan is smarter, more powerful, and sneakier than any human. That is why we need to stick close to Jesus and hold onto His truth. But all of you who stayed with the Lord your God are alive today (Deuteronomy 4:4, ERV). This rule is true for us today, too. This week we will look at some of the devil s most powerful lies and tricks. We will learn what we can do to protect ourselves against them. 60 SATAN S LIES AND TRICKS IN THE LAST DAYS

61 SUNDAY MAY 27 SATAN S BIGGEST PLAN (Revelation 12:3, 7 9, 12, 17) Lesson 9 In our first lesson, we talked about the big war between God and Satan. Sadly, this war has gone beyond heaven to our earth. The problem is that many people do not believe in this big war. Why? Because they do not believe in Satan. Sadly, this group of people includes some Christians, too. What do they think about Bible verses that talk about Satan, or the devil? These people say that the devil is just a word picture the Bible uses to explain evil and suffering. But these people do not really believe the Bible means the devil is real. For many people, the idea of a powerful and evil angel who wants to destroy humans is only a made-up story, the same as Darth Vader from the movie Star Wars is made up. Read these verses from Revelation: Revelation 2:13, 24; Revelation 12:3, 7 9, 12, 17; Revelation 13:2; and Revelation 20:2, 7, 10. What do these verses teach us about how real Satan is? What do these verses teach us about Satan s part in what will happen in the last days? The book of Revelation shows us just how much power Satan will have over people on the earth in the last days. Satan will lead these people away from God s plan to save them. Satan also will lead these people to attack everyone who stays loyal to Jesus. Satan has many evil plans (2 Corinthians 2:11, ERV). The word plans comes from noemata, which is the Greek word for mind. Maybe Satan s most powerful plan is to trick people into believing that he is not real. Would you really waste your time trying to protect yourself against an enemy you did not believe was real? Of course not. But it is surprising how many Christians do not believe the devil is real. The only way these Christians can think this way is to take the Bible verses about the devil and say that those verses really mean something else instead. But the Bible is clear. The devil is real. The fact that so many Christians would ignore this truth is a powerful warning to us: we must understand the truths the Bible really teaches. The big war between God and Satan has gone beyond heaven to our earth. Revelation talks about Satan s evil plans in the last days. But what wonderful hope can we find in Revelation 12:11? Where does our power against the devil come from? SATAN S LIES AND TRICKS IN THE LAST DAYS 61

62 Lesson 9 MONDAY MAY 28 SATAN S TWO BIGGEST LIES (2 Corinthians 11:13 15) Read the verses below. What do these verses tell us about Satan s power to trick us? 2 Corinthians 11: Thessalonians 2:9, 10 Revelation 12:9 Revelation 20:10 How can we learn what Satan s tricks are? We must know Bible truth and follow it. We learned that Jesus told His followers to watch out for false leaders and messengers. These false messengers would fool [trick] many people (Matthew 24:5, ERV). False leaders and messengers are not Satan s only tricks in the last days. Satan also has many other tricks he uses to fool as many people as he can. As Christians, we need to know what his tricks are. How do we do that? We do that by knowing Bible truth and obeying it. Ellen G. White explains two of the devil s biggest lies: Satan will use two big and powerful lies to trick people in the last days. What are these lies? They are the false teachings that (1) the soul does not die and (2) that Sunday is holy. People who believe that the soul does not die often believe in another lie that is even more dangerous. This lie is the belief that the spirits of dead people can communicate with living people. The second lie about Sunday being holy leads people to honor the power of the Roman Catholic Church. There is a big difference that separates Bible religion from the false belief that the spirits of dead people can talk with living people. But Protestant Christians in the United States will be the first to reach across this big separation to accept the false teaching about spirits. Protestants will also join with the power of the Roman Catholic Church. Together, [1] Protestants, [2] the Roman Catholic Church, and [3] people who believe the dead talk to us will use their power to get the government of the United States to do what they want. Then this country will do exactly what Rome did in the past. The United States will take away freedom from people to worship the way they want. The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 588; adapted. 62 SATAN S LIES AND TRICKS IN THE LAST DAYS

63 TUESDAY MAY 29 SATAN S FIRST LIE: THE SOUL DOES NOT DIE (Psalm 115:17) Lesson 9 Read Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10; Psalm 115:17; Psalm 146:4; 1 Corinthians 15:16 18; and Daniel 12:2. What do these verses teach us about what happens when we die? What protection can these verses give us against Satan s lie that the soul goes on living after the body dies? In the past 30 or 40 years, magazines, radio shows, and TV shows have spent a lot of time on stories about people who died but then came back to life. What happened when these people died? Their hearts stopped pumping. These people stopped breathing. But later, they woke up from the dead. In many of these stories, the people who died told about amazing experiences they had of being alive after they died. Some of the people who died said they floated in the air above their dead bodies. They could look down from above and see their bodies below them. Other people said that they floated out of their bodies and then met a wonderful person who was filled with light and warmth. This magical person talked about kindness and love. Other people who died said they met and talked with dead relatives. Many people started having this same experience. Because so many people began to have it, the experience was given a scientific name: Near Death Experience (NDE). Many Christians use NDEs as proof that the soul goes on living after the body dies. These Christians say that NDEs are proof that the soul goes off to another place, where it continues to live, think, and feel. But NDEs are one of Satan s two biggest lies in the last days. People who believe that the soul goes on living after the body dies are in deep danger from being tricked by other lies that come from believing we can talk with dead spirits. One other dangerous lie is the idea that we do not need Jesus. In fact, many people who have NDEs say that the spirits and dead relatives that they met gave them comforting words about love and peace. But these spirits and dead relatives never said anything about being saved by Jesus. It is strange that these dead spirits and relatives said nothing about Bible teachings, right? Some people believe that the soul goes on living after the body dies. The people who believe this lie are in deep danger from being tricked by other lies that come from believing we can talk to dead spirits. As Christians, why must we trust Bible truths, even when our experiences seem to go against those truths? SATAN S LIES AND TRICKS IN THE LAST DAYS 63

64 Lesson 9 WEDNESDAY MAY 30 THE SABBATH AND SATAN S LIE ABOUT HOW LIFE ON EARTH STARTED (Genesis 1 2:3) Satan has had a lot of success in tricking the people on this earth. Satan has caused a lot of people to believe in the lie that the soul goes on living after the body dies. Satan has had even more success in changing the Bible Sabbath to Sunday. But the devil came with another trick in these last days. This sneaky trick weakens people s belief in the seventhday Sabbath even more. What is this trick? It is the false idea about how life started. Read Genesis 1 2:3. What do these verses teach us about how the Lord made our earth? How long did it take the Lord to make everything on our planet? Evolution is an attack on the Sabbath. The Bible says God made the earth in six days. But evolution says the earth took 4.5 billion years to make. These verses in Genesis 1 2:3 show us two important truths about how our earth was made. First, God planned everything before He did it. Nothing happened by chance. The Bible leaves no room at all for chance to be a part of how life started on this earth. Second, the Bible shows us very clearly that God made each animal separate from every other animal. The Bible does not teach at all the false idea that all life on earth came from one single cell. The Bible makes these two truths very clear: (1) life did not happen by chance and (2) life did not start from one single cell. But these two things are exactly what is taught by evolution. Evolution is the belief that one single cell slowly changed by chance over long periods of time into all the different animals and plants we see now. Evolution is an attack on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a reminder that God made the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. But evolution says the earth took 4.5 billion years to make. Evolution takes the six days of God s work to make this earth and turns it into a fairy tale. So, would people who believe in evolution really want to risk their lives for the Sabbath truth in the last days? Why would someone want to risk being attacked or even killed for a truth he or she does not believe in? The answer to that question helps us understand why evolution is such a dangerous attack on the Sabbath in the last days. 64 SATAN S LIES AND TRICKS IN THE LAST DAYS

65 THURSDAY MAY 31 THE FAKE THREE-IN-ONE GOD (Revelation 12:17) Lesson 9 The Bible teaches that God is Three Persons but One God. Revelation shows us there also is a false three-in-one god. Who is it? Revelation 13 shows us that it is the dragon, the wild animal that came from the sea, and the wild animal that came from the ground. These animals are word pictures for powers that rule on the earth in the end time. Read Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 13:1, 2. What do these verses describe? The dragon, or Satan, is the one who is clearly in control of the other two powers that are part of the false three-inone god. The dragon tries to take God the Father s place. The dragon also gives power and a throne to the wild animal from the sea. The wild animal that came from the sea is a false Jesus. Why is this second power a false Jesus? Read Revelation 13:2 5. How do these verses describe the wild animal power from the sea? What does he do? God gave Jesus His power (read Matthew 28:18). The dragon gives power to the wild animal from the sea too. Jesus died and then woke up from the dead. The wild animal from the sea also faces death but then comes back to life (Revelation 13:3). Read Revelation 13: How do these verses describe the wild animal power that comes from the land? The Holy Spirit brought down fire from heaven (Acts 2:3, NLV). The wild animal power from the land also made fire come down from heaven (Revelation 13:13, ERV). In the last days, the wild animal power from the land makes a false Pentecost happen. [Pentecost was the time when God poured out the Holy Spirit on Jesus followers after Jesus woke up from the dead and went to heaven.] Why did the wild animal power from the land do that? To prove to everyone on earth that the false three-in-one god is the true God. Jon Paulien, What the Bible Says About the End-Time (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1998), page 111; adapted. Revelation 13 teaches us there is a false three-in-one god. Who is it? The dragon, the wild animal from the sea, and the wild animal from the ground. What are more of Satan s tricks in the last days? How can we protect against them and help people to do the same? SATAN S LIES AND TRICKS IN THE LAST DAYS 65

66 Lesson 9 FRIDAY JUNE 1 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: Let us talk a little bit more about the Sabbath and evolution. Evolution is the unproved idea that life on this earth started from one single cell that slowly changed over long periods of time into all the different animals and plants we see now. Charles Darwin is the father of this false idea. He had a difficult time understanding how a loving God could let there be evil and suffering. Darwin worked more deeply on his idea about evolution during the mid-to-late 1800s. It is no accident that during this time God started the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This church stands against everything that Darwin believed in about evolution. How interesting that the Seventh-day Adventist Church began to grow larger about the same time as Darwin s false idea about how life started on earth. Who knows what would have happened if Darwin could have read these few short lines from Ellen G. White: It is true that the earth was under a curse. Even so, nature was man s lesson book. Nature did not show us only God s goodness and love. After all, evil was everywhere. Evil spoiled the perfect beauty on the earth, in the sea, and in the air. Before sin, nature showed only God s love and that everything was good. Now nature showed Satan s hate for God and that there was evil. Nature would now always be filled with warnings to man about what would happen when he sinned. Education, page 26; adapted. Darwin s ideas about evolution came from his misunderstanding about God and about the awful things that sin has done to this earth. Evolution is very dangerous for many reasons. One reason is because it causes people to believe in more of Satan s lies during the last days. Now nature showed Satan s hate for God and that there was evil. Nature would now always be filled with warning to man about what would happen when he sinned. Ellen G. White, Education, page 26; adapted. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 Why do so many Christians believe that the devil is not real? What does this view teach us about how dangerous it is to turn away from the clear teachings of the Bible? 2 What would you say to someone who tells you that he or she had a near-death experience (NDE)? What can you say to help this person understand that we do not go on living after our bodies die? What Bible verses could you share with this person? 3 What other reasons can you think of that make a belief in evolution so dangerous in these last days? 66 SATAN S LIES AND TRICKS IN THE LAST DAYS

67 10 Easy Reading Edition Date America and Babylon June 2 8 SABBATH JUNE 2 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Revelation 13:1 12; Revelation 14:9 11; Revelation 16:2; Revelation 19:20. MEMORY VERSE: There will be a time of much trouble. It will be the worst time since nations have been on earth. But your people will be saved. Everyone whose name is written in God s book will be saved (Daniel 12:1, ICB). LAST WEEK, we learned about the false three-in-one God. This god is made up of two powers on Earth who join with the dragon (Satan). Together, they attack God s people. The Bible shows a wild animal coming from the sea (Revelation 13:1 10). This animal is the first of the two powers on Earth. This animal is a mix of three other animals (Revelation 13:2). Together, these four animals are word pictures for four kingdoms: Babylon (lion), Media-Persia (bear), Greece (leopard) (Daniel 7:4 6), and Rome (the littlehorn power) (Daniel 7:7, 8, 19 21, 23 25). Rome started out as a kingdom. Later, it became a religious power. The little-horn power grew out of the Roman Kingdom. In Daniel 7, we learned about things the little-horn power did. The wild animal that comes from the sea, in Revelation 13:1 10, does many of these same things too. So, many Bible experts believe the Roman Catholic Church is one of the powers that will try to destroy God s people in the last days. But the Roman Church is not alone in its attack on God s people. Revelation warns us that another power will join the Roman Church and the dragon. This week we will study about the things Revelation 13 warns will happen in the last days. The wild animal that comes from the sea, in Revelation 13:1 10, is a mix of three other animals. Together, these four animals are word pictures for four kingdoms: Babylon (lion), Media-Persia (bear), Greece (leopard), and Rome (the little-horn power). AMERICA AND BABYLON 67

68 Lesson 10 SUNDAY JUNE 3 WHEN THE DEEP CUT IS HEALED (Revelation 13:1 10) Read Revelation 13:1 10. How do these verses show the work of the Catholic Church in the past and in the future? God has loyal followers in all churches, including the Roman Catholic Church. At the same time, the Bible clearl y points to the awful things that the Roman Catholic Church did in the past. The Bible also shows us that the ruling power that controls this church will have a big part in the things that happen in the last days. Read Revelation 13:3. What is happening in this verse? What does the truth in this verse teach us about the Roman Catholic Church s power and fame? The pope made Henry wait outside in the cold winter for three days. For hundreds of years, the Roman Catholic Church was the most important religion. In many ways, the Roman Catholic Church also was the government leader for all the countries in Western Europe. An example of the Roman Catholic Church s power can be seen in the story about King Henry the Fourth. Henry was the ruler over Germany. Henry made Pope Gregory the Seventh very mad. So, Henry went to the pope s castle to say he was sorry and make peace. The pope made Henry wait outside in the cold winter for three days. Then Henry was allowed to see the pope. Pope Gregory bragged afterward that it was his job to show kings that they must not feel proud. After many wars and changes in Europe, Rome s power ended in the late 1700s. In 1798, the French army made Pope Pius the Sixth a prisoner. The pope died one year later. Revelation 13 warns us that the Catholic Church will grow strong again in the future. Revelation uses the word picture of a head with a deep cut. This cut should cause death. But the cut is healed to show that the Catholic Church will get its power back. Today, Rome does not have the same power it did in the days of Pope Gregory the Seventh. But the Catholic Church has grown in power again. One example of the Catholic Church s power can be seen in Pope Francis s talking to the American Congress in That talk never happened before in history. But that is only the beginning. The messages in the Bible about the future warn us that the Catholic Church s power will continue to grow stronger. How can we share the truth about the Catholic Church in a loving and kind way with other people? 68 AMERICA AND BABYLON

69 MONDAY JUNE 4 THE UNITED STATES AND THE LAST DAYS (Revelation 13:11, 12) Lesson 10 People ask: How can the Roman Catholic Church have the same power today, or in the future, that Revelation 13 says it will have? The answer is found in Revelation 13. Revelation 13:11, 12 describes a power. What things in this description help us to know who this power is? First, Revelation shows another wild animal power that comes before the wild animal power that comes from the ground. Many Bible thinkers say that this first wild animal is a word picture for the Catholic Church. Revelation says that the Catholic Church would be given power for 42 months (Revelation 13:5). The 42 months is the same time as the time, times, and half a time (three and a half years) in Daniel 7:25 (NLV). The 42 months also is the same time as the three and a half years in Revelation 12:14. The 42 months also is the same as the 1,260 days in Revelation 12:6. These 1,260 days mean 1,260 years. During those 1,260 years, the Catholic Church attacked anyone who disagreed with her teachings. The 1,260 years started in a.d. 538 and ended in That was the year the pope was made a prisoner. At this time, the Roman Church got its death wound. So, the Bible s message about the Roman Church came true. At this time in history, another power appears (Revelation 13:1, 11). This wild animal power comes from the ground. The other powers came out of water (read Daniel 7:2, 3). Water is a word picture for many people (Revelation 17:15). For these reasons and other reasons, this new wild animal power from the earth must be the United States. This nation became a strong power in a place on this earth where there were no other kingdoms. Revelation describes the wild animal power that came from the ground. This animal has two horns that look the same as a lamb s horns (Revelation 13:11). These two horns are a word picture for something gentle. But the lamb will talk like [the same as] a dragon (Revelation 13:11, ERV). This verse tells us about a time when this power will attack God s people in the same way the Catholic Church attacked God s people in the past. Revelation 13:11 17 answers the question: How will the Catholic Church again have the power it had in the past? The answer: the Catholic Church will have the power of the United States behind it. That is how. The new wild animal power shown in Revelation 13:11, 12 is a word picture for the United States of America. AMERICA AND BABYLON 69

70 Lesson 10 TUESDAY JUNE 5 A FIGHT OVER WORSHIP (Revelation 14:9 11) The history in the Bible shows us again and again how the Lord had to work to save His people from bowing down to statues and taking part in false worship (read Matthew 4:8 10). Revelation 13 shows us this same thing will be true in the last days. God s people will need to make a choice. Who will they worship (read Joshua 24:15)? In lesson two, we studied about the three Hebrew boys. The king of Babylon commanded these three Hebrew boys to worship the gold statu e (Daniel 3:5, NIrV). We saw that Revelation 13 uses the same words as Daniel 3 to warn God s people about the attacks against them in the last days. The story in Daniel 3 shows us what will happen to God s people in the last days. The king commanded everyone to worship the gold statue. Anyone who broke this rule would die in a hot furnace. In the same way, Revelation 13 tells us that anyone who does not bow down and worship the image [something that is a copy] of the beast [the wild animal that comes from the sea] [will] be put to death (Revelation 13:15, AMP). Read Revelation 14:9 11; Revelation 16:2; Revelation 19:20; and Revelation 20:4. What do these verses tell us about how big the quarrel over worship will become? In Daniel 3, the king commanded everyone to worship the gold statue. Anyone who broke this rule would die in a hot furnace. Babylon always has been the city of false worship. The Tower of Babel showed that its builders wanted the same thing Lucifer wanted. They wanted to rise above the tops of the clouds (Isaiah 14:14, NIrV). They also built the tower to save themselves from another worldwide flood. They did not believe God s promise that He would never bring another worldwide flood on the earth (Genesis 9:8 11). The new kingdom of Babylon also worshiped the work of human hands. King Nebuchadnezzar bragged: Look at Babylon. I built this great [beautiful] city... to show how great [powerful] I am (Daniel 4:30, ICB). Later, King Belshazzar took the gold cups from Solomon s temple. He and his guests drank wine out of them at a feast and praised their gods made from gold, silver, iron, wood, and stone (Daniel 5:3, 4). The wine made everyone drunk. Then the Persians attacked Babylon. Many people in Babylon died. How can we be sure we are not part of any false worship now? 70 AMERICA AND BABYLON

71 WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 THE BIG AND POWERFUL BABLYON (Revelation 17:5, 6) Lesson 10 Read Jeremiah 51:6, 7, 53, 57; Zechariah 2:7; Revelation 17:5, 6; and Revelation 18:2, 3. What do these verses teach us about Babylon? As we saw yesterday, Babylon has a long history in the Bible as the city of false worship. So, it makes sense that the Bible uses Babylon as a word picture for a religious power who lies about God to people living in the last days. Read Revelation 12:3; Revelation 13:1 3; and Revelation 17:3. These verses describe the dragon, the wild animal that comes from the sea, and the wild animal that comes from the ground. These animals are word pictures for last-day powers. What is the same about each of these powers? What is different? All three animals are word pictures for kingdoms or governments that rule on the earth. The wild animal that comes from the sea is a word picture for the Old Roman Kingdom and the Roman Catholic Church. The wild animal that comes from the ground is a word picture that shows us that the dragon, the wild animal that comes from the sea, and the wild animal that comes from the ground will become a team. These three powers are God s enemies. They will join and work together as one power. Jacques B. Doukhan, Secrets of Revelation: The Apocalypse [the book of Revelation] Through [from the view of] Hebrew [Jewish] Eyes (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2002), page 162; adapted. Revelation 17 also shows us a woman who rides on the back of the red wild animal (Revelation 17:7, NLV). The woman on the back of the red wild animal also is a word picture. The Bible uses it to show an unlawful marriage between government and religion in the last days. This woman on the back of the red wild animal is very different from the holy woman, or church, in Revelation 12. Babylon is the mother of all women who sell the use of their bodies (Revelation 17:5, NLV). Another name for women who sell sex for money is prostitutes. As the MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES (ERV), Babylon has been busy making children. What does that mean? It means that the false mother church has given birth to many daughters, or false churches, on this earth. But God is not responsible for the false ideas taught by churches that break His law. The Bible uses the word picture of the woman riding on the red wild animal from the sea to show us the unlawful marriage between religion and government that will happen in the last days. AMERICA AND BABYLON 71

72 Lesson 10 THURSDAY JUNE 7 COME OUT OF THAT CITY, MY PEOPLE (Revelation 18:1 4) Revelation 14:8 warns us that Babylon will fall away from the truth. Her fall into lies and false teachings will, in the end, lead to Satan s final attack on God s law. After Babylon s fall from truth, a law will be made that causes everyone who is not loyal to God to accept the beast s [wild land animal s] mark [the special proof of its power] (Revelation 14:9 11; 18:1 4, ERV). The strong warning in Revelation 14:8 will be given again in the future. The people on the earth will be warned again to separate themselves from Babylon and her false teachings. God will invite the people in Babylon who are loyal to Him to leave Babylon and join His true lastday church (Revelation 18:1 4). Clearly, we can see that things are happening on Earth just as the Bible said they would. But there are many more things that need to happen before we arrive at the end. That is why it is very important to be clear when we talk to people about the beast s [wild land animal s] mark [the special proof of its power] (Revelation 18:1 4, ERV). We must be clear to say that no one has the beast s mark right now. That is true, even if someone is not obeying the Sabbath law. Read Revelation 18:1 4. What is happening in these verses? What do these verses teach us about our duty to all the people on the earth? We must be clear to say that no one has the beast s mark right now or the number of its name (Revelation 13:17, ERV). These verses paint a very dark and hopeless picture about life on this earth. These verses show us the awful power that false religious teachings have on people s minds and in their lives. At the same time, these verses also give us hope. They tell us about another angel from heaven. This angel brings to the whole earth the light of God s glory. Also, God s people are told to separate themselves from the false religion of Babylon. What does that command tell us about the work we must do? It tells us we must help God s people who are a part of Babylon. We must continue working until the end of time to help free people s minds. Why does the Lord name some of the people in Babylon my people (Revelation 18:4, NLV)? Why is this truth very important for us to remember when we talk to other people about the special truth for this time? 72 AMERICA AND BABYLON

73 FRIDAY JUNE 8 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: Satan s attack on God s law is an attack on God Himself. Satan s attack on God s law also is an attack on God s power and His government. So, it is no surprise that in the last days Satan will attack the people who obey the Laws of God (Revelation 12:17, NLV; Revelation 14:12). God s loyal followers will be the only group of people left on Earth who refuse to honor or worship the false religion made by Satan. When God s loyal followers refuse to honor this false religion, they show Satan they refuse to worship him. Satan will fight against God s loyal followers on Earth the same way he fought against God in heaven. God defeated Satan in heaven. God will defeat Satan here on Earth too. From the start of the war in heaven, Satan wanted to get rid of God s law. That is the reason why Satan went to war against God who made him. Satan was thrown out of heave n. But he continued his war against God on this earth. Satan tricks humans and lies to them. Satan s plan is to get humans to break God s law. He never stops working to lead humans to sin. Satan will try to make his evil plan succeed any way he can. He will try to get some humans to throw out all of God s law. He will try to get other people to throw out only part of God s law. Either way, there is no difference between these two things in the end. Why? Because the Bible says that a person who is guilty of breaking only one part of God s law is guilty of breaking the whole law. James 2:10. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 582; adapted. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 In class, talk about the things that are going on right now on the earth. How do the things that are happening right now show us what is going to happen in the last days? What things have not happened that need to happen before the final end comes? How can we learn to watch carefully for the things the Bible says will happen? At the same time, why do we need to avoid setting dates for things to happen? Why must we also avoid announcing things will happen that the Bible and Ellen G. White s writings do not teach? Lesson 10 Satan wanted to get rid of God s law. That is the reason why Satan went to war against God and was thrown out of heaven. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 582; adapted. 2 Think more about the idea of worship. What does it mean to worship something? AMERICA AND BABYLON 73

74 Easy Reading Edition 11 June 9 15 God s Seal or the Beast s Mark? SABBATH JUNE 9 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Genesis 17:9 11; Exodus 31:13, 17; Revelation 13:17; Ephesians 1:13, 14. MEMORY VERSE: The things You do are great and powerful. You are the All-powerful Lord God. You are always right and true in everything You do. You are King of all nations (Revelation 15:3, NLV). God s true people announce the third angel s message to everyone on Earth. THE SONG OF MOSES AND THE LAMB begins with words from this week s memory verse. This song will be sung by God s loyal people. They are those [saved people] who have won their fight with the wild animal [that comes from the ground] and his false god and his mark [the special proof of his power] (Revelation 15:2, NLV). How can we be part of that group? One of the things that points to God s true people in the last days is the work they do. They announce the third angel s message to everyone on Earth. This message warns people not to get the beast s [the wild land animal s] mark (Revelation 14:9, ERV). This warning is the most important warning in the whole Bible. But there are many confusing ideas about what this mark means. We should not be surprised about these confusing ideas. After all, Babylon means confusing or all mixed up. (Babylon is a word picture in the Bible that describes churches in the last days that mix Bible truth with false teachings. The word picture Babylon also shows us the governments and religious powers that attack God s people in the last days.) This week we will try to understand better what the beast s mark means and how to not get it. Instead, we want to get God s seal [the special proof of His power] on [our] foreheads (Revelation 9:4, NIrV). 74 GOD S SEAL OR THE BEAST S MARK?

75 SUNDAY JUNE 10 HOW CAN WE KNOW WHO GOD S PEOPLE ARE? (Ezekiel 20:12, 20) Lesson 11 In the Old Testament, there were two ways to know who God s true people were. One of those ways was circumcision. Circumcision was the act of cutting off the extra skin at end of the male sex organ. As Genesis 17:9 11 tells us, who did God give circumcision to? God commanded Abraham and all his future male children to be circumcised. To be circumcised means the extra skin at the end of the male sex organ is cut off. God commanded for all the males among His people to be circumcised eight days after birth (Leviticus 12:3). Circumcision had a deep meaning. God used it as a word picture to show His people their need for a new heart (read Deuteronomy 30:6). That is why Paul writes: True circumcision is done in the heart. It is done by the Spirit, not by the written law. And anyone who is circumcised in the heart by the Spirit gets praise from God, not from people (Romans 2:28, 29, ERV). In the New Testament, circumcision is replaced by baptism (1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:6; and Galatians 6:15). Baptism is a word picture for the new life we live because of Jesus. We die to sin and rise from the water to a new life (read Romans 6:3, 4). That is why Paul says circumcision is not important anymore. So, what things are now important? The important things now are love that comes from faith in Jesus and obeying God s commandments. Read Exodus 31:13, 17 and Ezekiel 20:12, 20. As these verses show us, what was the second way to tell who God s true people were? Why did God give humans this gift? God gave the Sabbath to humans when He finished making the heavens and the earth (read also Genesis 2:2, 3). The Sabbath started after God made everything. But circumcision started only with Abraham. That is why Jesus said, the [Sabbath] Day of Rest was made for the good of man (Mark 2:27, NLV). The Sabbath shows us we belong to God. We belong to God because He made us. We belong to God because He saved us. He makes us right with Himself and makes us holy. He helps us obey. That is why keeping the Sabbath holy is important (read Hebrews 4:9). Baptism is a word picture for the new life we have because of Jesus. We die to sin and rise from the water to a new life (read Romans 6:3, 4). GOD S SEAL OR THE BEAST S MARK? 75

76 Lesson 11 MONDAY JUNE 11 THE WILD ANIMAL POWER FROM THE GROUND AND FALSE WORSHIP (Revelation 13:17) Read Revelation 13:17; Revelation 14:9, 10; and Revelation 16:2. What happens to the beast [the wild animal] power that comes from the ground? What do these things teach us about why it is important to escape the beast s [the wild animal s] mark [the special proof of his power] (Revelation 14:9, ERV)? At the end, everyone will belong to one of two groups: (1) people who follow God and obey the Sabbath. Or (2) people who worship the wild animal power (the beast) that comes from the ground and his false god (the Sunday sabbath). What happens to people who get the beast s mark? God s anger against sin will fall on these evil people without any mercy. God will punish them with the seven [last] troubles (Revelation 15:8, ICB). In the end, God throws these evil people into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur (Revelation 19:20, NLV). What a difference between them and the people who refuse the beast s mark! What is the beast s mark? The verses we read in the question above connect the beast s mark with false worship. Remember how we learned in Daniel 7 that the fourth wild animal power from the sea would try to change the times and laws (Daniel 7:25, NIrV)? This power also is the same power shown by the wild animal from the sea in Revelation 13. One law that this power would try to change is the Sabbath. The fourth commandment is the only law in the Ten Laws that points to time. The Sabbath also points to God as the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them (Exodus 20:11, NIrV). The first angel s message reminds us about the Sabbath law that the wild animal power that comes from the sea tried to change. The first angel s message makes it clear to us that we must worship the Lord alone. Why? Because He made us. Seven verse s talk about worship in Revelation But Revelation 14:7 is the only verse in those chapters that is about true worship. The other six verses warn us not to worship the wild animal power that comes from the ground and his false god (Revelation 13:15, NLV). The third angel tells us what will happen to the people on Earth who worship this false god. Then right after that, God s true worshipers are described in Revelation 14:12. They obey God s law and have faith in Jesus. In the end, everyone will belong to one of two groups: (1) people who follow God and obey the Sabbath. Or (2) people who worship the wild animal from the ground (the beast) and his false god (the Sunday sabbath). 76 GOD S SEAL OR THE BEAST S MARK?

77 TUESDAY JUNE 12 PROOF WE BELONG TO GOD (Revelation 7:1 4) Lesson 11 What is a seal? A seal is the same as signing your name to an important paper. Your name proves that the information on the paper is true. In the past, people used special stamps as seals that were almost the same as rubber stamps. People pressed the stamps onto melted wax tablets or wet clay tablets to show an agreement was true or that they owned something. Stamps gave agreements power. Read Ephesians 1:13, 14; Ephesians 4:30; 2 Timothy 2:19; Revelation 7:1 4; and Revelation 14:1. As these verses show us, what is God s seal? How does God give His seal to His people? When does God give His people His seal? God s seal shows that we belong to Him and are under His protection. In his letters, Paul talks about a sealing time. This time helps us understand the work God does to get us ready to live with Him. Paul shows a connection between (1) the sealing time and (2) a new life in Jesus and His gift to us of His Spirit. This gift is part of the riches Jesus promises to give His followers when He comes. The book of Revelation also talks about a time of sealing that happens right before the Second Coming. God gives His final seal to His people during the latter rain. The latter rain is a word picture. It describes the time when God pours out His Holy Spirit on His people. At this time, God writes His name in the foreheads of His people. God s name is His seal. What is the difference between God s seal and the beast s [the wild land animal s] mark [the special proof of his power] (Revelation 14:9, ERV)? God s seal is given to His true followers. The beast s mark is given to people who worship the beast. The seal is given only in the forehead. This fact shows us that God s followers choose to worship God. The mark is given either in the forehead or the hand. A mark in the forehead means people agree with the beast in their minds. A mark in the hand means people do not agree with the beast. But they follow the beast because they are afraid of what will happen if they do not obey it. People can buy or sell things only if they have the beast s mark. People who do not have the beast s mark will be killed (Revelation 13:17, 15). The latter rain is a word picture. It describes the time when God pours out His Holy Spirit on His people. GOD S SEAL OR THE BEAST S MARK? 77

78 Lesson 11 WEDNESDAY JUNE 13 THE BEAST S MARK (Revelation 14:9 12, ERV) The third angel warns us not to get the beast s [the wild land animal s] mark [the special proof of his power] (Revelation 14:9, ERV). What is this beast s mark? As we learned already, the fourth animal power in Daniel 7 is the same as the wild animal power from the sea. This power would try to change the times and laws that were given by God (Daniel 7:25, NIrV). One law this wild animal power that comes from the sea thought to change was the Sabbath commandment. The fourth commandment is the only commandment of God s law that reminds us that God is the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything in them. But he rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11, NIrV). The first angel s message also makes it clear: we must worship the Lord alone as the God who made us. The third angel warns us what will happen to people who worship the wild animal power that comes from the ground and his false god (Revelation 14:15, NLV) that was made to look like the first wild animal power that comes from the sea (Revelation 13:15, NLV). Read Revelation 14:12. What does this verse tell us that God s loyal followers do? How does this information help us understand why the Sabbath is very important in the last days? The Sabbath points to God as the One who made us and as the only God we should worship. Revelation 14:12 says: God s holy people must be patient. They must obey God s commands and keep their faith in Jesus (Revelation 14:12, ERV). God s commands include the Sabbath. The Sabbath points to God as the One who made us and as the only God we should worship. No wonder many people believe that the beast s [the wild land animal s] mark [the special proof of his power] (Revelation 14:9, ERV) is connected to the coming test over Sunday worship. Sunday is a false sabbath. God did not command us in the Bible to worship on Sunday. God commands us to worship on the seventh day. Does that mean Christians who worship on Sunday have the beast s mark now? No. Revelation 13:15 tells us that people who refuse to join in this false worship will be killed. In the future, worship will become a life-or-death decision. That is not happening right now. The beast s mark will not be given until the last test comes. But it has not come. That is why no one has the beast s mark right now. 78 GOD S SEAL OR THE BEAST S MARK?

79 THURSDAY JUNE 14 THE SABBATH IS PROOF WE BELONG TO GOD (Hebrews 4:9, 10) Lesson 11 The seventh-day Sabbath shows us God s true people. God s people have always kept the Sabbath from Adam and Eve down to God s chosen people in Israel. The New Testament church also kept the Sabbath, starting with Jesus and His followers. God s last-day people also obey God s commands and keep their faith in Jesus (Revelation 14:12, ERV). Read Exodus 20:8 11 and Hebrews 4:9, 10. As these verses show us, why is the Sabbath so important? What special meaning does the Sabbath have for Christians? The Sabbath is found at the center of God s holy law. God gave the Sabbath to humans. It is God s seal. A seal is an object that proves a person owns something. It shows a person s power. God gave the Sabbath as proof of His power. A seal includes three things: (1) a person s name, (2) that person s kingdom, and (3) the reason for that person s power. God s Sabbath has all three parts of a seal: (1) The Sabbath seal gives us God s name: the Lord your God (Exodus 20:10, NIrV). (2) The Sabbath seal shows us the area that is under God s control: the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them (Exodus 20:11, NIrV). (3) God s seal also shows us the reasons for God s power: In six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth... and rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11, NIrV). The New Testament says that God made all things by Jesus (John 1:1 3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:1, 2). Jesus is the One who made our earth in six days and rested on the seventh day. When Jesus hung on the cross on Friday afternoon, He cried out: It is finished! (John 19:30, NKJV). Jesus rested on the Sabbath after He died on the cross. So, the Sabbath has been blessed twice. First, it was blessed when Jesus made the earth. Second, the Sabbath was blessed when Jesus died on the cross. The book of Hebrews explains what our rest on the Sabbath means. It means that God rested from his work. Those who enjoy God s rest [Sabbath] also rest from their works (Hebrews 4:10, NIrV). The Sabbath is a perfect word picture for showing us that we cannot save ourselves. The Sabbath is found at the center of God s holy law. God gave the Sabbath to humans. It is God s seal. God gave the Sabbath as proof of His power. The Sabbath is a word picture for resting from our works. What could you say Sunday is a word picture for? GOD S SEAL OR THE BEAST S MARK? 79

80 Lesson 11 FRIDAY JUNE 15 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: God s seal is proof of His power. God s people will be sealed in their foreheads. This seal cannot be seen. Instead, the wording sealed in their foreheads is a word picture. It means God s people will rest safely in the truth. They will strongly believe in God and His plan to save them. They will never turn away from the truth with their minds or in their spirits. God s people must be sealed in their foreheads first. They must be sealed and ready for the shaking. [The shaking is a word picture. It explains the time when Christians will be tested. Everyone who is loyal to God will stay loyal to God. But there are false Christians who are not true to God s law and are not right with God in their spirits. These false Christians will be shaken out of the truth and fall away from it.] The shaking will happen when God s people are sealed and ready for it. In fact, the shaking has already started. God s curses are already falling on this earth. God sends the curses to warn us about the things that are going to happen. Ellen G. White, The Faith I Live By, page 285; adapted. The Sabbath will be the most important test to prove our loyalty to God. The Sabbath is the part of God s law that Satan attacks and argues against the most. The final test about the Sabbath shall come to every person on this earth. Then we will make a clear choice. All people can see who serves God and who does not. The government will make a law that forces everyone to honor Sunday as the day of rest. People who honor this false Sabbath are going against God s fourth commandment. These people show that they are loyal to a power that is against God. People who keep the seventh-day Sabbath holy will show that they obey God s law. They show they are loyal to the God who made them. The people who honor Sunday will get the beast s [the wild land animal s] mark The Sabbath is the part of God s law that Satan attacks and argues against the most. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 605; adapted. [the special proof of his power] (Revelation 14:9, ERV). But God s loyal people will get God s seal. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 605; adapted. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 How can we share the truth about the beast s mark in a loving way? Why is it important to be clear that no one has this mark now? 2 How is the Sabbath connected to our being sealed with God s Holy Spirit? 80 GOD S SEAL OR THE BEAST S MARK?

81 12 Easy Reading Edition Date Babylon and the Last Battle June SABBATH JUNE 16 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Revelation 14:8; Revelation 16:19; Isaiah 52:9; Revelation 18:1 10; 1 Kings 18:1 40. MEMORY VERSE: The name written on her forehead was a mystery. Here is what it said. the great city of babylon, the mother of prostitutes [people who sell sex for money], the mother of everything on earth that god hates (Revelation 17:5, NIrV). THE BOOK OF REVELATION uses many word pictures. It also uses words from the Old Testament. One example is the name Babylon. This name appears six times in Revelation. But Revelation is not talking about Nebuchadnezzar s kingdom. That kingdom ended hundreds of years earlier. Instead, John uses this Old Testament city as a word picture to show us a truth. In the Old Testament, Babylon was a powerful kingdom with religious power. This kingdom attacked God s people. John uses Babylon to describe the powerful governments and religious powers that attack God s people in the last days. John also uses Armageddon as a word picture. The word appears only one time in Revelation. It comes from Hebrew wording that may mean Mountain of Megiddo. The name Megiddo points us to a place in Old Testament Israel. People have many ideas about what the word Armageddon means. Many people think it will be a big war fought in the last days in a real place on earth named Megiddo. This week we will look at Babylon and Armageddon as word pictures. We will try to learn what the Bible is telling us with these word pictures. John uses the city of Babylon as a word picture to describe the powerful governments and religious powers that attack God s people in the last days. BABYLON AND THE LAST BATTLE 81

82 Lesson 12 SUNDAY JUNE 17 THE STRONG WINE OF HER TERRIBLE [AWFUL] SINS (Revelation 14:8, NIrV) The book of Revelation mentions Babylon six times: in Revelation 14:8; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 17:5; and Revelation 18:2, 10, 21. Think of what you learned about the story of Babylon in the Old Testament as you read these six verses in Revelation. What do these verses teach us about Babylon and the things she will do in the last days? Some people have said that the Bible is a story about two cities: Jerusalem and Babylon. From start to end, the Bible uses Jerusalem as a word picture for the city of God and His chosen people (Psalm 102:21; Isaiah 52:9; Isaiah 65:19; and Revelation 3:12). Babylon is a word picture for a government that follows false religion, fights against God, hurts people, and takes away their religious and personal freedom. Think about the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9). The Hebrew word for Babel is the same word used for the kingdom of Babylon. Here is something else interesting. In 1 Peter 5:13, Peter sends greetings from the church in Babylon. Peter did not mean that he was writing his letter from the old kingdom of Babylon, found in today s Iraq. Instead, Peter was writing from Rome itself. He used Babylon as a word picture for Rome, the capital city of the Roman Kingdom. Rome would soon begin to attack God s church. We read in Revelation that the Roman Church will attack God s church in the last days. So, it is very interesting that Peter writes Babylon as a name for Rome. The wording the strong wine of her terrible [awful] sins points to Babylon s false teachings, evil actions, and the bad things that come from them. Read Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 18:3. What do these verses show us about the evil power that Babylon uses to control the people on the earth? How will Babylon use this power against God s people? The book of Revelation is clear. It shows us that Babylon is a word picture for a religious government that is full of sin and evil. Babylon s evil power spreads over the whole earth. The wording the strong wine of her terrible [awful] sins (Revelation 14:8, NIrV) points to Babylon s false teachings, evil actions, and the bad things that come from them. Babylon is a power for evil. This evil power already has spread to all the nations (NLV). We need to be careful it does not touch us, too. 82 BABYLON AND THE LAST BATTLE

83 MONDAY JUNE 18 BABYLON HAS FALLEN! (Revelation 18:1 10) Lesson 12 It is true that Babylon is very evil and her evil spreads to all people everywhere on earth. But there is good news. The book of Revelation teaches us that Babylon s evil power ends. Read Revelation 18:1 10. What do these verses tell us about Babylon the Great [the Powerful] (NIrV)? The second angel s message tells us about the fall of Babylon (Revelation 14:8). That message is announced again in Revelation 18:2. The second angel s message shows us that the false religious power of Babylon becomes very evil. The Bible tells us what Satan will do before Jesus Second Coming. Satan will use this man of sin [the false religious power]. He [the man of sin] will have Satan s power. He will do strange things and many powerful works that will be false. Those [people] who are lost in sin will be fooled by [believe] the things he can do. They are lost in sin because they did not love the truth that would save them. For [because of] this reason, God will allow them to follow false teaching so they will believe a lie. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 11 [NLV]. Babylon s fall will happen only when everything in these verses comes true. But Babylon s fall will not happen until the church and the governments on this earth join together. The change will happen little by little. So, the things that Revelation 14:8 says will happen have not all happened. They will happen in the future. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], pages 389, 390; adapted. When will all those things in Revelation 14:8 come true? Only God knows. But we do know that God will judge Babylon in the future for all the evil she did. Her sins are as high as heaven. God is ready to punish her for her sins (Revelation 18:5, NLV). This verse points back to another verse about Babylon in the Old Testament (read Jeremiah 51:9). This verse in Jeremiah helps us understand that God will judge Babylon soon. Should we be surprised that God will judge Babylon? Of course not. Babylon in the Old Testament was judged (Daniel 5). The Bible makes it very clear in many verse s that everyone will have to stand in front of God to be judged. That includes Babylon. How comforting to know we have Jesus to stand for us on the day we are judged (1 John 2:1). The second angel s message announces the fall of Babylon. BABYLON AND THE LAST BATTLE 83

84 Lesson 12 TUESDAY JUNE 19 ARMAGEDDON (Revelation 16:12 16) Most people do not know much about the book of Revelation. That includes many Christians, too. But there is one word or word picture from the book of Revelation that most people do know about. What is it? It is the word Armageddon (read Revelation 16:16). Even many people who do not believe in God or do not follow a religion know about Armageddon. For many people, the word Armageddon means a final fight or last war. The future of the whole earth depends on what happens during this war. Hollywood even made a movie named Armageddon. It was about a giant rock from outer space that almost destroyed Planet Earth. This movie shows us that the idea about the end of this earth also is in the minds of people who do not believe in God or follow a religion. Many Christians have ideas about Armageddon that are as false as the movie we talked about. Some Christians think Armageddon is going to be a real war with armies in the Middle East in the last days. One false idea about Armageddon says that 200 million soldiers from Asia will enter Northern Israel! Other Christians believe that the final war in the last days will happen in the real place on earth named Megiddo. But the Bible tells us a totally different story. The Bible shows us that Armageddon is not a final war between countries fighting over money, power, or land. Instead, the war of Armageddon is really a word picture for the spiritual fight in the worldwide war between God and Satan. Armageddon is a religious fight for Planet Earth. Revelation 16:12 16 uses the word picture of frogs coming from the mouth of the dragon, the false messenger, and the wild animal power that comes from the sea. These frogs are a word picture for evil spirits or demons. Read Revelation 16: What can we learn from these verses about Armageddon? First, do you see all the word pictures in Revelation 16:12 16? As an example, we see spirits the same as frogs coming from the mouth of the dragon, the false messenger, and the wild animal power from the sea. These three powers are shown in Revelation 13. The false messenger is a word picture for the wild animal that comes from the ground. We already learned that this animal power that comes from the ground is a word picture for the United States. We also can see the big war between God and Satan in these verses. We do not know exactly how the war of Armageddon will happen. But we do know it is a worldwide war between the armies of God and the armies of Satan. 84 BABYLON AND THE LAST BATTLE

85 WEDNESDAY JUNE 20 ARMAGEDDON AND MOUNT [VERY HIGH HILL] CARMEL: PART 1 (1 Kings 18:1 18) Lesson 12 What exactly is this big fight of Armageddon that we have been studying about? First, the name Armageddon may mean Mountain of Megiddo. Did you know that there is no mountain in the land area of Megiddo? But the very high hill of Mount Carmel is nearby. So, some Bible experts believe that Mountain of Megiddo means Mount Carmel. Also, Bible thinkers believe that the story about Elijah at Mount Carmel is a picture story for what Revelation 13 says will happen in the last days. Yesterday, we learned more about the dragon, the wild animal power from the sea, and the false messenger (the wild animal power that comes from the ground) in Revelation 16: We saw that Revelation 16:13 talks about the same things that happen in Revelation 13. In lesson 9, we learned about the false three-in-one god that Revelation 13 talks about. Revelation 13 says that the wild animal power that comes from the ground will start doing miracles. This power even makes fire come down from heaven to earth while people are watching (Revelation 13:13, ICB). These miracles will lead to a special test that happens between people who worship God and people who worship the god that looks like the first wild animal power that comes from the sea (Revelation 13:14, NLV). Read the story in 1 Kings 18:1 18. What is happening in this story that shows us some of the things that the book of Revelation says will happen in the last days? In many ways, what we see happening in 1 Kings 18:1 18 shows us the worldwide war between God and Satan. Elijah tells us what the problem is in verse 18: God s people have rejected God s law. They worship false gods instead of Him. History shows us that this problem is always the reason for the evil on this earth and the evil in God s people. We can choose to worship Him Who made heaven and earth and the sea and the places where water comes out of the earth (Revelation 14:7, NLV). Or we can worship someone or something else. In Revelation 13, the people do not worship the Lord. The people worship the wild animal power that comes from the sea and his false god. We are either on God s side, or we are on Satan s. We can choose only one of two sides. God will make clear the two sides to everyone. The wild animal power that comes from the ground will make fire come down from heaven to earth while people are watching (Revelation 13:13, ICB). BABYLON AND THE LAST BATTLE 85

86 Lesson 12 THURSDAY JUNE 21 ARMAGEDDON AND MOUNT [VERY HIGH HILL] CARMEL: PART 2 (1 Kings 18:18 40) Finish reading the story about Elijah in 1 Kings 18: What happens? How does the story end? How does this story show us what will happen in a bigger way in the worldwide war between God and Satan in the last days? The fight on Carmel was between Elijah and 450 priests. These priests were religious leaders who served the god Baal. Did you see how the side with the evil religious leaders was much larger than the side with the good leaders? The fight between Elijah and Baal s religious leaders was a test. This test would show Israel the true God. Was it the God who made the heavens and the earth? Or was it Baal, who was really another name for the dragon (Revelation 12:8, NLV), or Satan? Baal was another trick Satan used to lead people to worship him (Revelation 12:9). The priests prayed to Baal to burn up the bull on their altar to him. The priests shouted from morning to noon. At noon Elijah began to make fun of them. Shout louder! he said.... Maybe he s [he is] sleeping. You might have to wake him up (1 Kings 18:27, NIrV). The priests acted the same as wild animals. They cut themselves with swords until their blood flowed out. The priests shouted until they became tired. They gave up that evening. Elijah s bull was covered in water three times. The water flowed down the bull and flooded the ditch around the altar. Elijah prayed a short prayer. God burned up everything fast, including the altar and the soil under it. It was now clear to everyone who the true God was. Elijah prayed a short prayer. God burned up everything fast, including the altar and the soil under it. It was now clear to everyone who the true God was. Read Revelation 16:13 and Revelation 19:20, 21. What happens in these verses to the false religious leaders? How is that the same as what happened to the false religious leaders who served Baal? We do not know everything about Armageddon. But we do know one thing about it. We know how Armageddon ends: God s enemies will be destroyed. God and His people will be proven innocent of doing any wrong. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1, 2. What does Paul mean in these verses? Why is that truth important for us to remember as we think about what will happen in the future? 86 BABYLON AND THE LAST BATTLE

87 FRIDAY JUNE 22 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: In the Bible story about the war of Armageddon, something interesting happens. This interesting thing has nothing to do with the awful animals that John writes about in Revelation and the things they do. Instead, John shows us parts of the truth about Jesus. Then the word pictures about the wild animals do not seem so important. A truth about Jesus is shown to us in Revelation 16:15: Listen! I will come at a time you don t [do not] expect, like [the same as] a thief. Great [wonderful] blessings belong to those [people] who stay awake and keep their clothes [a word picture for living a holy life with help from Jesus] with them. They will not have to go without clothes and be ashamed for people to see them (Revelation 16:15, ERV). This verse appears in Revelation right in the middle of the one chapter in the Bible that talks about Armageddon. What does that tell us? It tells us about the importance of getting ready to meet Jesus at the last day after all these things in Revelation happen. Another verse that John uses to show us truth about Jesus is Revelation 17:14: These kings will fight and make war with the Lamb [Jesus]. But the Lamb [Jesus] will win the war because He is Lord of lords and King of kings. His people are the called [separated from all other people on this earth] and chosen and faithful [loyal] ones (NLV). God s army is made up of people who do not kill other people with weapons. Instead, they want to stay loyal to God s work on this earth. The last war of Armageddon is very different from the wars that armies fight today. How? The war of Armageddon is a fight for our minds and our hearts. It is God s invitation to His people to stay loyal to the Lamb that was killed for them on the cross (Revelation 5:9, 10, 12; Revelation 13:8). Jon Paulien, Armageddon at the Door (Hagerstown, MD: Autumn House Publishing: 2008), page 193; adapted. Lesson 12 The war of Armageddon is a fight for our minds and our hearts. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1 What if you know someone who believes that many of the things in Revelation will take place in the real-life places that Revelation uses as word pictures? How could you in a loving way help this person know the right way to understand these verses? 2 What are some of Babylon s teachings? How can we stay away from these false teachings? BABYLON AND THE LAST BATTLE 87

88 Easy Reading Edition 13 June The Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus SABBATH JUNE 23 READ FOR THIS WEEK S LESSON: Isaiah 13:6, 9; Matthew 24:30, 31; Daniel 2:34, 35; 2 Thessalonians 1:7 10. MEMORY VERSE: When the Son of Man comes, everyone will see him. It will be like [the same as] lightning flashing in the sky that can be seen everywhere (Matthew 24:27, ERV). The Adventist part of our name helps us remember Jesus soon coming in the future. POET T. S. ELIOT began a poem with this line: In my beginning is my end. His words show us a powerful truth. Endings can be found in beginnings. We see this truth in our name: Seventh-day Adventist. The Seventh-day part of our name reminds us of the Sabbath commandment of God s law. Every week the Sabbath helps us remember that God made the heavens and the earth. The Adventist part of our name helps us remember Jesus soon coming in the future. Our beginning started when God made this earth in six days. Our end will happen at Jesus Second Coming. At the Second Coming, Jesus will end sin on this earth. But the Second Coming also will be a new beginning for God s saved people. Our beginning and our end may seem far apart. But the making of this earth and the Second Coming are really connected. The God who made us (John 1:1 3) is the same God who will come back for us. In a quick moment, we will be changed as quickly as an eye blinks. This will happen when the last trumpet blows (1 Corinthians 15:52, ERV). This week, we will talk about the last thing that will happen in this earth s history: the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus. 88 THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS

89 SUNDAY JUNE 24 THE SECOND COMING (2 Timothy 3:1 9) Lesson 13 Many people think that the teaching about Jesus Second Coming is found only in the New Testament. That is not true. In fact, the Old Testament gives many hints about the Second Coming. So, the New Testament writers who talked about the Second Coming were not showing us a new truth about Jesus. Instead, these New Testament writers gave more information to us about a truth already shown in the Bible. But we could not truly value the promise of the Second Coming until now. Why? Because now we know the truth about Jesus coming back to life from the dead. This truth helps us understand more about the Second Coming. Read Isaiah 13:6, 9; Zechariah 14:9; and Daniel 12:1. What do these verses teach us about Jesus Second Coming? The Bible is clear: the Second Coming will be a day of ruin, sadness, and trouble for people who reject God. But the Second Coming also is a day of freedom from sin and from death for all of God s people. Each loyal follower of God will have his or her name written in God s Book of Life (read also Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 13:8). The Second Coming is a time when God will judge the earth. God will judge against evil people. But the Second Coming also is a time when God protects His loyal followers and rewards them. This same topic is found in the Old Testament. We read about one Old Testament example in Zephaniah. Zephaniah tells us that some people will experience God s burning anger against sin (Zephaniah 2:2, NLV). But God s loyal followers will obey his laws (Zephaniah 2:3, ERV) and have no pride (NLV). Then they will be safe when the Lord shows his anger (ERV). The Second Coming is a time when God protects His loyal followers and rewards them. Read Matthew 24:30, 31. How do these verses show us the big difference at the Second Coming between people who reject God and people who are saved? As this earth s history comes to an end, the side we are on will become very clear. What choices must we make today to make sure we are on the right side? THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS 89

90 Lesson 13 MONDAY JUNE 25 DANIEL AND JESUS SECOND COMING (Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, 45) Many Jews during Jesus time on earth waited for the Messiah. The Messiah was the Savior that God promised to send to save His people from their sins. But many Jews wanted the Messiah to save them from the Romans instead. The Jews hoped the Messiah would make Israel the top nation on the earth. But God had a different plan for His people at His first coming. God has something much better planned for His people for the Second Coming too. Daniel 2 teaches us that the new earth that God promises us does not grow out of the old earth we live on now. The new earth will be a completely different earth. Daniel 2 shows us a statue that is a word picture for the start and end of four worldwide kingdoms: Babylon, Media- Persia, Greece, and Rome. Then Rome breaks up into the countries that are now today s Europe. But the statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream breaks in an amazing way. The amazing way the statue ends shows just how different the new world will be after Jesus comes back. Read Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, 45. What do these verses teach us about how this earth will end? How will the new earth be different from the old one? Jesus says He is the stone that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The stone is a word picture for what Jesus will do at the Second Coming. He will crush to powder everything that is left on this earth. Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, and 45 clearly talk about what happens when Jesus comes back. In Luke 20:17, 18, Jesus says He is the stone that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. The stone is a word picture for what Jesus will do at the Second Coming. He will crush to powder everything that is left on this earth. Daniel used the Aramaic language to write Daniel 2. The Aramaic language in Daniel 2:35 says that the gold, the silver, the clay, the iron, and the brass were crushed first and broken into pieces. Then they became like [the same as] dust on the grain-floor in the summer. The wind carried the dust away so nothing was to be found (Daniel 2:35, NLV). That means that nothing is left of this old earth after Jesus comes back. The stone that destroys every last bit of this old earth became a very large mountain and filled up the whole earth (Daniel 2:35, ERV). God will set up a new kingdom that will never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44, NLV). So, one of two endings waits for every person who has ever lived on this planet. Which ending will you choose? 90 THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS

91 TUESDAY JUNE 26 OUR FUTURE HOPE (Titus 2:13) Lesson 13 Read Titus 2:13. What hope for the future do we have? Why is this hope so wonderful? The Bible teaches that God made us. This truth about our past gives us wonderful hope about our future too. We have so much to be hopeful about in the future. This hope is connected to the promise of Jesus Second Coming. Read 2 Timothy 4:6 8. What is Paul talking about in these verses? What is he putting his hope on? Paul knows he will die soon. But he trusts that God will give him the gift of everlasting life when Jesus comes back. Paul s name for Jesus Second Coming is that great [wonderful] day when He comes again (2 Timothy 4:8, NLV). A crown waits for Paul. This crown will show I [Paul] am right with God (2 Timothy 4:8, ERV). Paul did not earn this crown because of anything special he did. He did not earn this crown because of helping people or good behavior. Instead, God gives Paul this crown because of Jesus holy life and obedience. Paul puts his trust in the things that Jesus has done for him. That is why Paul has hope. Paul knows his hope in the Second Coming is real. True, Paul waited in jail to die. But Paul knows that his future holds many good things and happiness. That is because Paul did not worry about the troubles he experienced at that time. He was looking forward to the hope he would have at the Second Coming. Paul waits in jail to die. But he knows that his future holds many good things and happiness. Maybe you are experiencing some difficult times, just the same as Paul did. How can you have the same hope Paul had? How can we learn to look beyond the bad things that are happening now? How can we learn to look to the hope we have in the Second Coming and all that this hope offers us? THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS 91

92 Lesson 13 WEDNESDAY JUNE 27 IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN (2 Thessalonians 1:7 10) The Second Coming is very important to our beliefs as Seventh-day Adventist Christians. But not all Christians see the Second Coming as something that will really happen. They do not believe it means that Jesus Himself will come back in person. Some Christians believe that Jesus Second Coming happens when His Spirit is poured out on His church on earth. They believe that Jesus Second Coming happens when the lives of God s people show they obey His law. We can be thankful that this teaching is false. But what if it were true? Then we must ask ourselves another question: What real hope for the future would we really have if Jesus Second Coming were only a picture story? Read the verses below about the Second Coming. What do these verses show us about Jesus Second Coming? Matthew 24:30 1 Thessalonians 4:16 Matthew 26:64 Revelation 1:7 2 Thessalonians 1:7 10 The cities by beaches are swallowed up by the angry waters. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 637; adapted. The sky seems to open and close. The glory from God s throne seems to flash in the sky. The mountains shake the same way that grass shakes in the wind. Sharp rocks spill everywhere. There is a roar that sounds the same as a storm. The sea becomes rough and dangerous. An awful cry is heard. It sounds the same as a hurricane or the voice of demons who are out to destroy lives. The whole earth shakes and moves up and down the same way as the waves of the sea. The ground cracks open. The center of the earth itself seems to be falling apart. Mountains sink. Islands filled with people fall under water. The cities by beaches are swallowed up by the angry waters. These cities have become very evil. They are as evil as Sodom. God is judging Babylon the Powerful. God gives to her the cup filled with the wine of His burning anger. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 637; adapted. The Second Coming is so big that it ends life as we know it on earth. When that happens, everyone on earth will know it is happening. 92 THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS

93 THURSDAY JUNE 28 THE LIVING AND THE DEAD (1 Corinthians 15:42 44, 53 55) Lesson 13 Jesus said: I am the One Who raises the dead and gives them life. Anyone who puts his trust in Me will live again, even if he dies (John 11:25, NLV). Jesus did not expect people to accept His word without proof. Jesus showed everyone He could do exactly what He said. He woke Lazarus up from the dead. Lazarus had been dead long enough for his dead body to smell very bad (John 11:39). People who believe in Jesus die. But Jesus says they will live again. Jesus will bring the dead back to life at His Second Coming. Our belief in Jesus power to wake up the dead makes our hope in the Second Coming our most important hope. What hope do we find in Romans 6:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; and 1 Corinthians 15:42 44, 53 55? The Second Coming promises us that all of Jesus loyal followers will experience the same thing Jesus experienced when He woke up from the dead. Jesus coming back to life from the dead gives us wonderful hope. What hope is that? If we die before Jesus Second Coming, then Jesus will wake us up from the dead when He comes back the second time. What happens to God s loyal followers who are alive at Jesus Second Coming? Some of Jesus loyal followers will be alive when Jesus comes back at the Second Coming. These loyal followers will not die. But their bodies will be changed. They will get new bodies from Jesus. These bodies will be the same bodies that Jesus gives to His loyal followers who died. They all get new bodies when Jesus comes back. Their bodies will no longer be evil. Their bodies will never die. Jesus loyal and obedient followers who are alive will be changed. This change will take place in a quick moment. This change will happen in a blink of an eye. God announces that His loyal and obedient followers are now clean, with no sin. Now God gives His people the gift of everlasting life. God s people who were alive when Jesus came back now rise in the air. They are joined by God s people whom Jesus woke up from the dead. Together, they meet Jesus in the air. Ellen G. White, The Great [big] Controversy [war between God and Satan], page 645; adapted. Jesus woke up Lazarus from the dead and brought him back to life from the dead to show us that we can trust Him to bring the dead back to life at the Second Coming. THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS 93

94 Lesson 13 FRIDAY JUNE 29 ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: Jesus Second Coming is not the end to the story about human sin and suffering on this earth. But the Second Coming is the most exciting and interesting part of human history. The Second Coming is the most important hope a Christian can have. Without this hope, what good is it to believe in anything? Without our hope in the Second Coming, human history goes on and on and ends only in death. But we have this wonderful hope in the Second Coming instead. The Bible tells us about this hope again and again. We have hope in the Second Coming because Jesus paid for our sins with His life (Mark 10:45). Jesus is coming back to get what He paid for: us. The stars in the heavens do not tell us about the Second Coming. The birds singing in the trees do not announce the Second Coming either. Stars and birds might show us something good. But they do not teach us that one day Jesus will come back. At that time, God s loyal followers who have died will wake up. They wake up when the last horn sounds. The dead will wake up never to die again. Then the rest of us who are alive will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52, NLV). Then we will look up and see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of the Powerful One. And you will see the Son of Man coming on clouds in the sky (Mark 14:62, ICB). We know these things will happen because the Bible tells us they will happen. We trust in the promises of the Bible. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Jesus is coming back again to this earth to get what He paid for: us. 1 What would it mean if the Second Coming was not real and it only meant that Christians obeyed God s law fully instead? Christians obeying God s law fully would be wonderful to see, right? But in the end, why does that idea give us no hope? 2 Right now, many people accept the idea that all life came from nothing. Why is this a silly idea? Why do you think people say that this idea is really true? Why do people believe in it? Why does believing that God made all things make a lot more sense? 3 What thing in this life or on this earth would you be willing to give up your everlasting life for? Nothing, right? How can we make sure that nothing in our lives stops us from accepting God s gift to save us? 94 THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS

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