Understanding Sacrifice

Opening QuestionWhat would you give up for someone you love? IntroductionThe lesson this week is how the concept of sacrifice found throughout the Bible plays a role in the prophetic literature. As an earlier lesson noted, Genesis is the starting point for most major topics in Scripture, and certainly in Revelation. Sacrifice is so much a part of Revelation, that if we miss the temple/sanctuary structure of the book and the various sacrifices that take place there, we will fail to grasp the big picture of the Great Controversy, and how God uses His own sacrifice and that of His ...

Opening QuestionWhat good does human-led government provide us, and are there potential pitfalls? IntroductionScripture is clear about God wanting to be Israel’s sole leader; humans do poorly at ruling when they trust to their own abilities, thinking, plans, and effort. This is not to say that all humans have failed, but that leadership and rule inherently contain a power-dynamic that the broken, sinful heart can easily abuse. This can happen even when rulers believe in their causes or have the best of intentions. How does the history of Israel’s monarchy move power from their nation to others, and how does ...

Opening QuestionDo we ever see God working in obvious ways through the nations of the world or in secular governments? IntroductionWhile every human is individually accountable to and beloved by God, we also see larger groups of people become the object of God’s regard or judgement, nations through which He can work, show His power, or choose as His special possession; or nations that reap the results of God’s wrath for their iniquity. The lesson this week explores the role that the Babylonians played in later prophetic literature, and how the call of and covenant blessings to Abraham finds fulfillment ...

Opening QuestionWhat use is there for “marriage” outside of a Judeo-Christian worldview? Why would anyone want such a commitment in our western world? IntroductionGenesis 1-2 introduces God making humankind according to His own image. Reading Genesis 1:26-31 we find that image is contained in a male-female relationship with the possibility of producing offspring to fulfill God’s command to “be fruitful and multiply. Thus, the image of God is found in this special bond. Not surprisingly, it is also one of the most parodied, mocked and attacked social institutions of our society. But just what is being attacked? It's not just ...

Opening QuestionHow might the beginning of God’s story in the Genesis hint at how the Bible ends with Revelation? IntroductionCommentators have frequently noted Revelation’s allusions to Genesis and the rest of the Torah (books of Moses). But provides much more than simply ideas for John to use in the apocalypse; it provides the context and origin from which the rest of the Bible’s farthest reaching and deepest issues are developed and concluded. Every major topic in theology has it’s roots here. Themes (systematic categories) such as God, Man, Creation, Marriage, Sabbath, the Fall, Sin, Death, Judgment, Destruction of Wicked, Prophecy, ...

Opening QuestionIf you believe in a God who knows the future, is that comforting to you? Why or why not? IntroductionThe lesson this week introduces the idea of God’s foreknowledge as the basis for prophetic messages. Christian doctrine often includes as part of theology proper (the study of “God,”) a belief in God’s omniscience. If God knows everything, then He knows the future as well. God’s knowledge of the future is fairly standard orthodox belief in most Christian denominations. However, there are some scholars who believe the future is unknowable, and thus God cannot know it. Also, questions of free ...

Theme: “Love Is the Fulfillment of the Law” Leading Question: Is the word “law” friendly or frightful? Almost no one uses the word “law” in a friendly way. When someone says, “It’s the law!” It usually a hard-liner. Let’s look at examples of the different ways we use law: Mr. Thompson, you have broken the law. You have fulfilled the requirements for your BA degree. You broke your arm because you fell, breaking the law of gravity. Question: Assign a “friendliness” number to each of those uses. Use this scale: NegativeNeutralPositive-5-4-3-2-10+1+2+3+4+5 Briefly describe why you gave the number you did. Another way of looking at law is to reflect ...

Relevant Verses: atthew 7, 22, 23; 1 John 4; Micah 6; Psalm 82; Luke 10 Theme: “Love and Justice: The Two Greatest Commandments” Leading Question: Is it possible to identify the two greatest sins as well as the two greatest commandments? If we make the two greatest sins parallel with the two greatest commandments, then we can say that the greatest sins would be not loving God and not loving human beings. And Jesus seems to be suggesting a way of bringing the two together: the best way to love God is to love human beings. Two of his statements in the ...

Relevant Verses: Isaiah 5; John 3, 1 John 3; Matthew 21; 1 Corinthians 4 Theme: “What More Could I Have Done?” Leading Question: Does God always do everything he can to save his people? Our lesson for this week is entitled, “What more could I have done?” echoing the question Isaiah asks in the parable of the vineyard: Isaiah 5:3-4: “And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield ...

Relevant Verses: 1 Kings 18; Deut 32; 1 Cor 10; Isa 44; Rev 12; Job 1,2 Theme: “Rules of Engagement” Leading Question: Does the Bible make clear that in the cosmic conflict God sets limitations on himself and on humans? We will return to the question of “limits.” But let us begin where the official study guide begins, at the confrontation on Mt. Carmel. Here is the narrative as found in 1 Kings 18:19-40: 1 Kings 18:19-40: 20 So Ahab sent to all the Israelites and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah then came near to all the people and said, ...