SDA Sabbath School Lesson 4- 2nd Quarter 2025-The Nations: Part 1

[Richard Myers]

2nd Quarter        Lesson 4                                                                                                                                                                April19- April 25                                                                                                                                                                   

 
The Nations: Part 1

Commentary in Navy                  Inspiration in Maroon

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 10:1-12; Gen. 12:1-9; 1 Sam. 8:4-18; Matt. 20:25-28; Rev. 18:1-4

Memory Text: “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:14

The book of Revelation shows us God’s solutions for our fallen world. In the final chapters, access to the tree of life is restored, the curse is lifted, and we are readmitted into the presence of God. Revelation, in some ways, is the book of Genesis in reverse, which is why Genesis remains an important key to understanding how the world’s problems developed in the first place.

One of the key issues in both Daniel and Revelation is worldly government, a succession of human attempts to control a planet that rightfully belongs to God and Who will—once this horrible episode of sin and rebellion is forever ended—ultimately rule in righteousness.

It is a very long process that leads to this moment, covering thousands of years of human experiments in self-government. They have never worked; even those expressing the highest ideals have always fallen short, often terribly short, of those ideals. So much of the sad history of humanity through the millennia is nothing but accounts of the tragedy that these failed systems have brought upon us. And it only will get worse until God’s “everlasting kingdom” (Dan. 7:27) finally will be established.

Yes, that is true, but there have been accounts of success in self government where God has been glorified. The structure of self government in America has allowed in instances where God has been glorified. For self government to work, there must be an intelligent, educated, and moral people. America was in the past a Protestant nation, but that is no longer. Our Protestant and Republican heritage is  being violated by an immoral and falsely educated people who will soon use their self governing state to create and enforce a national Sunday law. 

By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near.
 
As the approach of the Roman armies was a sign to the disciples of the impending destruction of Jerusalem, so may this apostasy be a sign to us that the limit of God’s forbearance is reached, that the measure of our nation’s iniquity is full, and that the angel of mercy is about to take her flight, never to return. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress which prophets have described as the time of Jacob’s trouble. Vol 5 Testimonies For the Church, pg 451. 

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 26.

[Richard Myers]

Sunday         April 20
Nimrod and Nineveh

Eden was created as the ideal home for the human race. Once sin entered, God had no choice but to separate humanity from the Garden and the tree of life, at least for now.

Outside of the Garden, humans were required to work hard to provide for their own continued existence. Life became harder; we had to live with pain and by the sweat of our brow (Gen. 3:16-19). Our first parents trusted that the rightful King would provide a path back into the Garden, and they brought sacrifices to the gates of Eden in faithful anticipation of the redemption that God right from the start offered the fallen world. “The Garden of Eden remained upon the earth long after man had become an outcast from its pleasant paths. . . . Hither came Adam and his sons to worship God. Here they renewed their vows of obedience to that law the transgression of which had banished them from Eden. When the tide of iniquity overspread the world, and the wickedness of men determined their destruction by a flood of waters, the hand that had planted Eden withdrew it from the earth. But in the final restitution, when there shall be ‘a new heaven and a new earth’ (Revelation 21:1), it is to be restored more gloriously adorned than at the beginning.”— Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 62.
 
Amazing! The new Garden of Eden will be "more gloriously adorned!" God is so very good and merciful!

Others, however, worked on man-made “solutions” to our newfound problems, and we see the birth of city-states, an attempt to create an easier life, and perhaps to try to recapture what was lost in Eden.

Read Genesis 10:1-12.

 10:1   Now these [are] the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. 
 10:2   The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 
 10:3   And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 
 10:4   And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 
 10:5   By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. 
 10:6   And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. 
 10:7   And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. 
 10:8   And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 
 10:9   He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. 
 10:10   And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 
 10:11   Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, 
 10:12   And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same [is] a great city. 

This is where the Bible introduces a number of key political players found throughout the rest of the Bible, including Nineveh and Babylon. Given what we know about the roles of those cities later on, what can we deduce from these texts?

We see that when Israel demanded a king, that which God had warned came true. Jesus was our King, but when God gave Israel another king, we read that it led to the crucifixion of Christ their Messiah. The kings built mighty cities which has power to persecute the righteous ones.

Some have read about Nimrod and concluded that he is a noble hero, much like the conquering heroes of pagan mythology. But when the Bible describes him as “a mighty one on the earth,” and a “mighty hunter before the LORD,” it is not a compliment. Nimrod is great in his own estimation, and he stands “before” the Lord in the sense that he defies God. What we see in these texts is the spreading of the rebellion against God, a rebellion that will exist until, ultimately, all rebellion will be forever eradicated.

Why is the sin of rebellion against God more subtle than we might readily realize? How can we protect ourselves against this very human trait?

It is more subtle than many realize when it enters God's church. Satan is very clever indeed. He works through God's professing people in very subtle ways which brings millions of professing Christians into a rebellion against their maker. When we see rebellion in our church at the highest level, we can know just how subtle rebellion can be. A Laodicean people themselves are blind to their captivity not knowing they are miserable, wretched, poor, blind, and naked.

How can we protect ourselves?  The answer is given in the Laodicean message to the seventh and last church found in Rev. 3:14-21. "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev 3:18-21.

[Richard Myers]

Monday         April 21
Abraham’s Call

In the tenth chapter of Genesis, we see the birth of various nations. The word usually translated “nations” is goyim, which also can refer to Gentiles. Genesis 10 tells us that the human race divided up into lands, languages, families, and “nations” (Gen. 10:5; see also Rev. 14:6).

Almost immediately after the introduction of this concept, God calls Abraham out of one of those nations to be different from them and from what they represent.

Read Genesis 12:1-9.

 12:1   Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: 
 12:2   And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 
 12:3   And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 
 12:4   So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram [was] seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 
 12:5   And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 
 12:6   And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite [was] then in the land. 
 12:7   And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 
 12:8   And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, [having] Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 
 12:9   And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. 

Why did God call Abram (later Abraham) out from his country of origin?

God wanted to make a great nation that would be a blessing to the world.

God intended to use Abraham to establish a nation that would stand in contrast to human kingdoms. They were not to have a king other than God Himself. The people were to show what would happen if the human race returned to their Creator. Israel was established to be a blessing to “ ‘all the families of the earth’ ” (Gen. 12:3, NKJV). God had poured out upon them light and privileges that had not been seen in the world since, perhaps, before the Flood.

Read Deuteronomy 4:5-9.

 4:5   Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 
 4:6   Keep therefore and do [them]; for this [is] your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation [is] a wise and understanding people. 
 4:7   For what nation [is there so] great, who [hath] God [so] nigh unto them, as the LORD our God [is] in all [things that] we call upon him [for]? 
 4:8   And what nation [is there so] great, that hath statutes and judgments [so] righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? 
 4:9   Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; 

What was the Lord telling the children of Abraham, the nation that had become a fulfillment of the promise God had made to Abraham?

Not to forget what God had done, they were to teach their offspring what God had given them, the sacred oracles of God.

This was not a single individual bearing witness in a single community; this was an entire nation that, by working together and in cooperation with God, could exhibit the glory of His character. Notice, too, in the words spoken to them that it wasn’t just “statutes and judgments” that God had given them which made them so special, but their adherence to them that would cause the other nations to say, “ ‘ “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people” ’ ” Deut. 4:6. However wonderful the truths given to the people, their failure to live up to them, to obey them, would bring curses instead of blessing and death instead of life.

Israel brought a curse upon themselves that would last until the end of time. "Then answered all the people, and said, His blood [be] on us, and on our children." Matt. 27:25.

How does the same principle, that of not just knowing these truths but obeying them, apply to us as Adventists today?

Seventh-day Adventists bring upon ourselves a curse from God when we do not walk in the light given to us. We see this today when multiple gospels are being taught. the curse causeless does not come. The rebellion in the church comes because we have not followed the truth given to us as a people. Unless the ones cursed in the church be removed the church is cursed. "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Gal. 1:8-10.

[Richard Myers]

Tuesday        April 22
Given What You Asked For

As originally established, Israel was not to have a human monarch, the way that other nations did. In time, however, Israel’s faith faltered, and they found themselves pining for the things that “the nations,” the Gentiles, had.

Read 1 Samuel 8:4-18.

 8:4   Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 
 8:5   And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 
 8:6   But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 
 8:7   And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. 
 8:8   According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 
 8:9   Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 
 8:10   And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 
 8:11   And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint [them] for himself, for his chariots, and [to be] his horsemen; and [some] shall run before his chariots. 
 8:12   And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and [will set them] to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 
 8:13   And he will take your daughters [to be] confectionaries, and [to be] cooks, and [to be] bakers. 
 8:14   And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, [even] the best [of them], and give [them] to his servants. 
 8:15   And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 
 8:16   And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put [them] to his work. 
 8:17   He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 
 8:18   And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. 

Why do you suppose the elders found the idea of a king appealing? In what ways do we fall prey to similar temptations?

The elders were  not walking in the light because they were not surrendered to God. They were of the world and wanted the things of the world. When not fully surrendered to God we walk in the flesh, not in the  Spirit. Thus, a Laodicean people who believe they are rich and increased with goods do not walk in the light of God's love.

It is important to notice that the request for a king was a rejection of God’s reign over His people. As established, the nation was to answer directly to the Creator, and their relationship to Him was put on display through the sanctuary and its services among other things. By requesting a king, they would bring the same kinds of suffering on themselves that the Gentile kingdoms experienced: military conscription in the king’s wars, confiscation, taxation, and other ills. They would discover that human potentates tend to rule in their own favor, instead of benevolently, as God does.

Also, the new arrangement would be permanent: Israel would be given what they asked for, but when they realized that it was a downgrade, they would be stuck with it. “And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.” 1 Sam. 8:18.

God knows the weakness of His people, and He predicted early on that Israel would request a human king. They did, and so much of sacred history is the story of the consequences of that choice.

Read Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

 17:14   When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that [are] about me; 
 17:15   Thou shalt in any wise set [him] king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: [one] from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which [is] not thy brother. 
 17:16   But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. 
 17:17   Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. 
 17:18   And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of [that which is] before the priests the Levites: 
 17:19   And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 
 17:20   That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, [to] the right hand, or [to] the left: to the end that he may prolong [his] days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel. 

Notice that God does not say, “I will give them a king,” but rather, His people decide that they want one. God put safeguards in place to protect His people from some of the evils of human government—though, as the history of the nation and its kings showed, the safeguards often were ignored.

One simply has to look at the history of Israel after they decided to have a king in order to see just how badly things went for them under these kings. Though some kings were better than others, even the “good” ones had done wrong (think of David and Bathsheba). In many cases, the nation lived under the rule of one king after another who did “evil in the sight of the LORD” (see 1 Kings 11:6, 1 Kings 15:26, 1 Kings 16:30, 2 King 3:2, etc.).

Back then, or even today, all human governments share one thing in common: sinners governing other sinners. What possibly could go wrong?

At this stage of world's history, we see that the nations are not doing much good. To the contrary, the West who have a Christian heritage are evil continually, even amalgamating human with animals in the name of helping humanity. In America the beautiful we have laws prohibiting teachers to tell parents they are changing girls into boys and boys into girls. Come Lord Jesus!

[Richard Myers]

Wednesday        April 23
The Rulers of the Gentiles

God’s dealings with Israel provide rich insights into His dealings with the New Testament church. In fact, in many ways, the nation of Israel served to foreshadow the errors of the church. Far from being able to claim any kind of superiority to ancient Israel, Christians have been, and still are, very much susceptible to the same temptations.

Read Matthew 20:25-28.

20:25   But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 
 20:26   But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 
 20:27   And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 
 20:28   Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 


What error did Jesus warn His disciples to avoid in establishing the work of the Christian church?

Not to lord it over others, but to minister to all.

Israel asked for a human king, a request that led to the moral downfall of the nation. The kings became progressively more wicked until God allowed the Babylonians to take His people captive as a matter of course correction.

Something similar happened in the history of the Christian church. Even though they were not to structure themselves like a Gentile nation, when Constantine came to power and professed to be a Christian, believers were relieved: persecution was now ended! That in itself was a blessing, but then it occurred to the church that they might be able to leverage the power of the emperor to their own advantage.

Several major disputes broke out among Christians in the fourth century, and when the church found itself incapable of resolving them, it allowed the emperor to intervene. Gradually, the bishop of Rome rose in prominence, where he had once been one senior bishop among equals. The church allowed the state to intervene in the religious matters, and once the state had a foot in the door, things went from bad to worse.

Or worse, once the church got its foot in the door persecution of the faithful was being done by the state at the request of the church.

Like Israel of old, many of the darkest chapters in Christian history are the direct result of the church’s compromising with the world. Where Israel turned to idol worship and her kings were corrupted by their appetite for power—to the point of offering children to idols—the church gradually adopted many of the means and methods of a pagan empire to the point where many faithful believers were martyred because they were perceived as threats to the church-state institution.

In your own culture, your own society, what are the ways in which these same temptations can jeopardize the integrity of our faith?

The most successful way Satan is able to temp Christians to sin is to bring into His church wolves dressed in sheep's clothing. These decoys even at high levels in the church are misrepresenting the character of God. Thus, many believe that this character is acceptable in the church. Thus a multitude are carried away from the truth.

[Richard Myers]

Thursday         April 24
A Light to the Gentiles

The primary purpose for which God established the nation of Israel was not to condemn the rest of the world, but to save it. Certainly, most of us feel condemned when we are confronted by righteous behavior in someone else; so the existence of Israel also served to highlight the sin and selfishness of the nations around them. Believers living in harmony with God highlight His righteous character, which naturally leads to conviction. Ideally, the lives of people who “keep the commandments of God” (Rev. 14:12) should showcase His character.

Should, or do reflect His character? It is impossible for those who "keep the commandments of God" to not reflect His character. Yes, Moses sinned at the end of His life and he was keeping His commandments until he sinned. It is true that prior to his sin he did keep the commandments of God. When one abides in Christ, he does not sin, he cannot sin.  Yes, it is true, but so very few believe it. Why? There are two reasons why. First, they have not heard it from the pulpit nor printed in our periodicals. Then they have been taught otherwise. The predominant teaching in all of Christianity is that one has salvation even when sinning. Where in the Bible do we find this truth? Every where beginning in the Garden when Satan said if you eat from the forbidden tree, you will not surely die. This is the lie what most have swallowed. The truth exactly though is found in 1 John 3:9.  "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." Yes, I know you have been taught otherwise. Go ahead and share those verses that have been twisted to undo this truth. One whole chapter has been perverted to deceive professing Christians. Romans 7. It is not the Christian experience to do what you ought not do, or to not do what you ought to do. Romans 7 was Saul's experience before he was converted. And Satan has perverted Romans 8:1 to make people believe they are saved in sin by removing half of the verse in some modern day bibles. Most believe they are in Christ when they are not. But, believing they are in Christ, the perverted verse says they are not condemned. But, the KJV continues and says  who are in Christ and who are not. "in Christ who walk not after the flesh." Those who abide in Jesus do not walk after the flesh. Galatians tells us who will not be heaven, those who walk after the flesh.

However, had the Israelites acted as they should have and done what they had been told to do, the nations would have come to them in peace, seeking to know more about them and their God. Tragically, as the Babylonian captivity showed, these nations came to wage war instead.

The ultimate showcase of God’s character, of course, was Jesus—the only human who has perfectly demonstrated it. But His perfect example, which certainly brought conviction to hearts, was intended as an invitation (see John 3:16-21).

The ultimate purpose for establishing the nation of Israel was the same as God’s purpose in establishing the church: He longs to use His people to draw sinners toward Christ. The call of the three angels’ messages, delivered through His church, goes out, not to a select few but to “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6, NKJV). Revelation 18:1 predicts that the whole earth will be lighted up with the glory of God prior to Christ’s return.

Why has this not happened? Because His church remains in a Laodicean condition misrepresenting Christ. Most are not converted and were buried alive. We know this from the past, but how do we know it today? Because we have perverted gospels in His church and nothing is done about it. The accursed remain in the church. Thus, the church is accursed. It must stop. "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Gal. 1:8,9. The leadership of the church in 1888 rejected the gospel. The new birth is a rare experience in this age of the world. This is the reason why there are so many perplexities in the churches. Many, so many, who assume the name of Christ are unsanctified and unholy. They have been baptized, but they were buried alive. Self did not die, and therefore they did not rise to newness of life in Christ (Manuscript 148, 1897). Jesus wanted to come, but could not.  He will not come until His church ceases to sin. Then Jesus will say "let him who is holy be holy still." Rev. 22:11.

What do the following passages teach us about God’s intended role for His people in this world? How can we apply these principles to ourselves? (a) Num. 14:17-21
(b)
Isa. 42:6
,
Isa. 49:6
,
Isa. 60:3
(c)
Rev. 18:1-4

Read again Revelation 18:1-4, the call for “my people”; that is, God’s people, to come out of Babylon.


 18:1   And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 
 18:2   And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 
 18:3   For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 
 18:4   And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

How is that going to happen? In other words, how can we, as a church that is not in Babylon, be used by God to call out God’s people who are still in Babylon?

How can one who is not filled with "living water" give to another what he does not have? The church must see revival and reformation before we can call others out of their churches. We are told that God does not work mightily to bring into His church many. Because if they come in, many will not stay seeing hypocrisy. It then will be very hard to get them to come in again. For His sake and theirs, He leaves them in Babylon hoping we will be converted and be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is promised that revival will come. See Eze. 36 and 37 and Vol. 1 of the Testimonies, the chapter entitled The Laodicean Church.

[Richard Myers]

Friday         April 25

Further Thought: Isaiah 44:24-45:13. “Little by little, at first in stealth and silence, and then more openly as it increased in strength and gained control of the minds of men, ‘the mystery of iniquity’ carried forward its deceptive and blasphemous work. Almost imperceptibly the customs of heathenism found their way into the Christian church. The spirit of compromise and conformity was restrained for a time by the fierce persecutions which the church endured under paganism. But as persecution ceased, and Christianity entered the courts and palaces of kings, she laid aside the humble simplicity of Christ and his apostles for the pomp and pride of pagan priests and rulers; and in place of the requirements of God, she substituted human theories and traditions. The nominal conversion of Constantine, in the early part of the fourth century, caused great rejoicing; and the world, cloaked with a form of righteousness, walked into the church. Now the work of corruption rapidly progressed. Paganism, while appearing to be vanquished, became the conqueror. Her spirit controlled the church. Her doctrines, ceremonies, and superstitions were incorporated into the faith and worship of the professed followers of Christ.”— Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 49, 50.

In line with the question at the end of Wednesday’s study, are we not all in danger, especially the longer we are here, of setting “aside the humble simplicity of Christ and his apostles” for the pomp, power, accolades, and temptations of the world? If we think we’re not, we are fooling ourselves.

Discussion Questions:

    When God exiled His people to Babylon, it was a particularly painful moment. Abraham had been called out of Chaldea to establish a covenant people as a light for the planet, and now they were taken away in chains. During their captivity, God showed Israel what might have been if they had been faithful. Nebuchadnezzar, the very head of a system utterly opposed to God, comes to Christ (Daniel 4). At the end of their captivity, God raises up a Persian king to serve as a type of Christ, releasing His people from Babylon and returning them to the Promised Land. Cyrus was not an Israelite, and yet God chose him to demonstrate the plan of salvation to the world as he returned God’s covenant people to Jerusalem. What lessons can we learn about how God views humanity from the fact that He was now using people outside of Israel to accomplish His goals?

God used the Muslims to protect the Protestant Reformation. He often uses evil to better His ways. In answer to the prayers of our brothers and sisters who were being thrown to the lions, God sent the barbarians from the north to slaughter the Romans.

    We might not be in Babylon, but how much of Babylon might be in us? How do we recognize this problem, and then, how can we change?

Babylon made the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. By teaching false gospels then indeed one has Babylon in him. Can such a sinner be saved? Saul taught a false gospel, and look at what God did for him. The great question to ask and answer is just that, "how can we be changed?"  What does the Bible say? What did Jesus say we must do? We must drink His blood and eat His flesh. But, 2 Cor. 3:18 says it explicitly. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

[Richard Myers]

Would it not then be good to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Jesus? Why not? Don't have time? 

"To the believer, Christ is the resurrection and the life. In our Saviour the life that was lost through sin is restored; for He has life in Himself to quicken whom He will. He is invested with the right to give immortality. The life that He laid down in humanity, He takes up again, and gives to humanity."

 "I am come,' He said, 'that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.' 'Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.' 'Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.' John 10:10; 4:14; John 6:54."

[Richard Myers]

It is so good to see you studying the Sabbath School lesson Brother benhuralearnard.  You are free to share your thoughts as the Spirit impresses you of truth.  Jesus is coming soon! How is your church doing?  Are they Laodicean or are many truly converted?  It seems that many in Africa as in other areas are being buried alive not having surrendered the whole heart. When hundreds are baptized together I wonder if all are truly born again. There will be revival and reformation soon. Have a blessed Sabbath my dear brother.