Opening Question

If you met God face-to-face, how do you think you’d react?

Introduction

The first angel flying in midheaven who has the everlasting gospel proclaims in a loud voice two imperatives in Greek: 1) Fear God, and 2) Give glory to him. These must be unpacked a bit in order to understand what the text is suggesting and what it is not. But these imperatives appear to be a part of the everlasting gospel. The call to fear God and give him glory are again urged in response to the beast compelling everyone to worship a human-made image, an idol. The ...

Opening Question

In a world where bad news seems common, what is some good news that you’ve received?

Introduction

The lesson this week looks at the “everlasting gospel” in Rev. 14:6. Sometimes we’ll use this word to describe something being the absolute truth if it’s the “gospel truth.” The word “gospel” comes from the Greek term “euangellion,” meaning “good news” or “a good report.” It was often used to describe the birth of a King’s son who could continue on the leadership of a country. The word could also mean a good report about a person. Throughout the New Testament, the “euangellion” ...

Opening Question

Is it discrimination to divide people into groups?

Introduction

Our lesson this week is based on Revelation 14:14-20. It merges two concepts or interpretations of this section: the judgment/separation of people into two distinct groups, and the harvest, which the writers assume means the 2nd Coming of Christ. Thus, the lesson tries to deal with both topics at the same time but does not provide as much background into why or how the structure of Revelation 12-14 informs these conclusions.

What is the harvest? How does it fit into Revelation’s narrative? What is the context before and after this passage? We ...

Opening Question

Is the idea of good and evil only something for story books and Hollywood movies, or do you see evidence of it in your own life and the world around you?

Introduction

Our lesson this week backs up from the three angels’ messages in Revelation 14 to chapter 12 and the dragon’s war against Christ. But really, the lesson should start in Ch. 11. Each sequence of seven in Revelation (Churches, seals, trumpets, angels, plagues) begins with a setting in the Hebrew Sanctuary, next to an item of furniture. John introduces us to these furniture scenes in ch. 1 when ...

Read for This Week’s Study: Heb. 11:6, Isa. 62:11, Rom. 6:23, John 14:1–3, Revelation 21, Matt. 25:20–23, Rom. 8:16–18.

Question – “What rewards may the faithful rightfully look forward to?

Our final lesson for this quarter invites thought and discussion on the matter of the rewards of faithfulness. The foundational text is from Matthew 25:21 -- “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” This comes from the parable commonly known as the parable of the ...

Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Chron. 20:1–22, 1 Chron. 21:1–14, 2 Pet. 3:3–12, 1 John 2:15–17, Rev. 13:11–17.

A foundational text for this week is 2 Chron 20:20 ~ “Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.”

The lesson this week invites some reflection and discussion around the topic of managing our affairs during tough times. Everyone knows that tough times do come. We also know the coming of tough times is not always predictable. And tough ...

Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 12:16–21, Eccles. 2:18–22, Prov. 27:23–27, 2 Cor. 4:18, Eccles. 5:10, Col. 1:15–17.

The lesson this week takes us into some interesting and, to some, delicate territory, that of dealing with finances as a person gets toward the end of their lives. The foundational passage from the Bible is from Revelation 14:13, a verse many people have never read:

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do ...

Read for This Week’s Study: Isa. 14:12–14, Eph. 5:5, Joshua 7, John 12:1–8, Acts 5:1–11, 1 Cor. 10:13.

The lesson this week takes up a challenging topic: the whole topic of the human propensity to covet, known as covetousness. An appropriate foundational passage from the Bible is this:

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful ...

Read for This Week’s Study: Eccles. 12:1; Gen. 2:15; 1 Tim. 5:8; Col. 3:23, 24; Gen. 39:2–5; Prov. 3:5–8.

This week, the official Sabbath School lesson takes up the subject of being successful in life, of how to plan to be successful in life; a noble enterprise to be sure. The primary text for this week is from the book of Colossians:

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23, 24, NKJV).

It is ...

Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 4:16–19; Isa. 62:1, 2; Deut. 15:11; Matt. 19:16–22; Luke 19:1–10; Job 29:12–16.

This week we have a lesson that is quite challenging, titled “Unto the least of These.” It invites us to reflect on what should be understood to be the Christian responsibility to care for those the Bible designates as “the least of these.” The least of these that are often spoken of in the Bible are those who have lost all societal place and support. In biblical days, those were commonly understood, and were identified as being, the orphans, the widows, the ...