Lesson Five: THE NATIONS: Part Two
Introduction: When God created the earth, He had a plan of happiness and love for the people who would live there. However, instead of fulfilling God’s plan for them, people fell into temptation of choosing their own ways. In the last week’s and this week’s lesson, we study how nations failed to find the right path, and how God guided people in their struggle to find light in the darkness which was produced by their desire for self-government.
Memory Text: Psalms 46:10(NKJV)
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
SABBATH: Through the past years, some people have explained the fall of man entailed in Genesis 3 as one of God’s intentions so that by man’s redemption through Jesus Christ, man can love Him. However, this is false because our joy in God would have been complete without the fall in place. Furthermore, we continue to see how true God was when he warned His people about the negative consequences that came with choosing an earthly king instead of Him.
SUNDAY: The Garden of Eden was to be a school where man was to learn about God and Heaven, while excluding suffering. This is unlike to what would happen to man when he chose an earthly king as we see in history. With years later, as Israel chose an earthly king, suffering never ceased to happen and furthermore, people were pulled away from God. This made people to see the clear difference between having God and their king, and having human beings as kings, which is clearly expressed in the book of Daniel.
(READ Genesis 2:9-17; Job 37:16)
MONDAY: As we approached the 20 Century, advancements were seen due to the technological and scientific advancements, just as prophecy about the increase of knowledge had been predicted in the book of Daniel. However, this came along with wars which led to death of many people. In addition, Daniel 2 tells of the nations represented by metals, Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, and Iron and Clay, standing for Babylon, Medo Persia, Greece, Rome and the Ten nations respectively. Furthermore, these nations fell, one after another as prophecy predicts, however, the Kingdom of God shall stand forever.
(READ Daniel 2:31-35; Matthew 24:6&7)
TUESDAY: Daniel 7 tells of a vision presented to Prophet Daniel, a Hebrew, in contrast to a vision presented to King Nebuchadnezzar, who was a Babylonian king in Daniel 2. The sea stands for Gentile nations. As Daniel sees how these beasts that arise from the sea, creep onto the land, this symbolises how the Gentile nation’s problems started to become the problems of Israel as a nation(represented by land) because she chose to have a human king like the Gentile nations. This suffering is bound to happen till Jesus Christ is restored as the rightful king at the end of the world.
(READ Daniel 7:1-3; Romans 3:10-19; Psalms 65:5-8; Isaiah 17:12&13; Jeremiah 46:7&8)
WEDNESDAY: In prophecy, we see the language of “land” and “sea.” The “land” represents the nation of Israel, a place of stability, whereas the “sea” represents the unstable turmoil of nations that were set up and established on human pride. America has been a land of religious freedom for many years, which is likened to the land beast that appears lamb-like in Revelation 13. However, it’s likening to speaking like a dragon symbolises how much of a religious persecutor it will be. This further sheds more light on the consequences that came with choosing a ruler other than God.
(READ Revelation 12:15&16; 13:1&11)
THURSDAY: The message found in Revelation 14 by the Three Angels is to be preached to all nations, all people around the world, regardless of their race before the second coming of Jesus Christ. God calls you and I to be His witnesses. The end of the world will come with the eradication of all human kingdoms and replaced with the enthronement of Jesus Christ and the eternal rule of God’s kingdom. Along with this, shall come peace, no more suffering, no more sickness and no more death.
(READ Revelation 10:1-11; Matthew 24:14; Daniel 2:34&35, 44&45)
FRIDAY: The marks found in the hands of Jesus Christ, are traces of the cruelty that sin brought into the world. The blood that flowed at Calvary was the Crimson stream that offers redemption, the only one that reconciles man to God. The tokens of His humiliation are His greatest honour; through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show forth His praise and declare His power.
(READ “The Tower of Babel” pp 117-124 in Patriarchs and Prophets by Ellen G White)
DAY’S TITLES:
SUNDAY; The very first commandment
MONDAY; Daniel 2
TUESDAY; Daniel 7
WEDNESDAY; Between land and sea
THURSDAY; Prophesy again
FRIDAY; Further thought
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS;
- How do Adventists strike the right balance between following the Lord and obeying the laws of whatever nation or government we live under? What happens when obedience to one leads to disobedience to the other?
- Think about the kinds of knowledge, even now, that many of us would be better off not knowing. How does this help us understand what was forbidden in Eden?
- How does Romans 3:10-19 help explain so much of our world? How does verse 19, especially, show why we so desperately need the Gospel in our lives?
