QTRLY Bible Study:

Court Room

Read Psalm 11:4–7 and Habakkuk 2:20. What else does God do in His heavenly temple, and why is this important for us to know?

Many Psalms reveal that the Lord is not indifferent to the needs of the righteous or to the injustices that they often face. He will react to the issues that cry out for redress, and He will “ ‘justify the righteous and condemn the wicked,’ ” just as any good judge would do (Deut. 25:1, NKJV).

When God judges, the throne room becomes a courtroom, and the heavenly throne, a judgment seat. The One enthroned is the One who judges (see Ps. 9:4–8), a concept known in the ancient Near East, where kings often functioned as judges, as well.

Divine judgment involves both the wicked and the righteous. While the wicked receive a punishment similar to that received by Sodom and Gomorrah, the upright “will behold His face” (Ps. 11:6-7, NASB). The classic combination of throne room and judgment appears in Daniel 7:9–14 (a significant passage that we will study later). There again, the judgment consists of two strands: a verdict of vindication for the saints and a sentence of condemnation for God’s enemies.

In the book of Habakkuk, after Habakkuk asks God why He is silent about injustice (Habakkuk 1), God answers that that He will certainly judge (Hab. 2:1–5). While idols have no “breath” or “spirit” (Hab. 2:19), the Creator God is enthroned in His temple, the heavenly sanctuary, and He is ready to judge.

The prophetic appeal is, “ ‘Let all the earth be silent before Him’ ” (Hab. 2:20, NASB). The appropriate attitude toward God’s ruling and judging is awed silence and hushed reverence.

The place where God reveals His special presence and where He is worshiped by the heavenly beings is the same place where He is rendering righteous judgment for all humans: the sanctuary in heaven. God is just, and all our questions about justice will be answered in God’s time, not ours.

However much we cry out for justice, we so often don’t see justice in the present. Why, then, must we trust in God’s justice? Without that promise, what hope do we have?

Thursday October 3

Place of Salvation

Read Hebrews 8:1-2. What is Christ doing at the throne of God?

The book of Hebrews teaches that Christ is ministering in the heavenly sanctuary as our High Priest. His work there is focused on our salvation, for He appears “in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24, NASB). He sympathizes with us, giving us assurance that we will not be rejected, but instead, receive mercy and grace (Heb. 4:15-16) because of what Jesus has done for us. As in the earthly sanctuary, the heavenly is the location where “atonement” (or “reconciliation”) is made for the sins of the believers (Heb. 2:17). The Jesus who died for us is the One now ministering in heaven “for us,” as well.

Read Revelation 1:12–20, 8:2–6, 11:19, and 15:5–8. What sanctuary imagery appears in these passages?

The verses in today’s study are just some of the places in the book of Revelation where sanctuary imagery appears. In fact, most of the major sections of the book often begin with or contain a sanctuary scene.

The first introductory scene shows Christ, clothed as high priest, walking among the seven lampstands (Rev. 1:12–20). The second shows the heavenly throne room, and the verses reveal a wide variety of sanctuary imagery: throne, lamps, sea, slain Lamb, blood, golden bowls of incense (Revelation 4 and 5). The third scene refers to the continual service of intercession in the context of the first apartment of the heavenly sanctuary (Rev. 8:2–6). The fourth and central scene gives us a glimpse of the Ark of the Covenant in the second apartment (Rev. 11:19). The fifth scene brings the entire tabernacle in heaven into view (Rev. 15:5–8). The sixth scene is unique in that it does not contain any explicit references to the sanctuary, perhaps to illustrate that Christ’s work there is finished (Rev. 19:1–10). The final scene is all about the glorious holy city on earth, which is portrayed as the tabernacle “coming down out of heaven” (Rev. 21:1–8, NASB).

A careful study of these scenes reveals that they are interconnected, showing an internal progression in the salvation accomplished by God: from Christ on earth, to His heavenly ministry in the first and second apartments, to His High Priestly ministry’s end, and finally to the new earth tabernacle.
 
Further Study: “Paul had a view of heaven, and in discoursing on the glories there, the very best thing he could do was to not try to describe them. He tells us that eye had not seen nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for those that love Him. So you may put your imagination to the stretch, you may try to the very best of your abilities to take in and consider the eternal weight of glory, and yet your finite senses, faint and weary with the effort, cannot grasp it, for there is an infinity beyond. It takes all of eternity to unfold the glories and bring out the precious treasures of the Word of God.”—Ellen G. White, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1,107.
“The abiding place of the King of kings, where thousand thousands minister unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Him (Daniel 7:10); that temple, filled with the glory of the eternal throne, where seraphim, its shining guardians, veil their faces in adoration, could find, in the most magnificent structure ever reared by human hands, but a faint reflection of its vastness and glory. Yet important truths concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the great work there carried forward for man’s redemption were taught by the earthly sanctuary and its services.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 414.

Discussion Questions:

Look at the last quote in Friday’s study from Ellen G. White. What does she mean when she says that many “important truths” for our salvation were taught in the earthly sanctuary and its services? What are some of those truths, and why are they important?
What does it mean that God “dwells” in heaven? How do you understand that concept?
This week’s lesson touched on the idea that the onlooking universe sees the work that God is doing in behalf of humanity. Why is that a crucial concept to grasp? How does this concept help us to understand The Great Controversy motif and what that motif means in the whole plan of salvation? What does it tell us about the character of God that He would leave His ways open to the scrutiny of beings that He, Himself, created?
Inside Story~ ECD Division: DRC

The Rude Neighbor

Jules and some choir members were going door-to-door to share their faith in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. As they approached one home, a man yelled angrily, “I don’t want you here! Get out!” Jules tried to talk to the man, but he shouted angry threats at them. Quietly the believers left and went next door. The neighbor, Mangu, listened to the choir members sing several spiritual songs. He thanked them and accepted a pamphlet they offered.

On Sabbath Jules and his friends returned to Mangu’s home to sing and share their faith again. Simon, the neighbor who had been so rude to the young people, saw the visitors in Mangu’s yard and walked over to see what was happening. Mangu showed Simon the Bible study pamphlet.

Simon asked Mangu for the pamphlet. “This one is mine,” Mangu said. “Ask for your own.” Simon swallowed his embarrassment and invited the Adventists to come to his house.

“I saw the Bible lesson you gave Mangu,” Simon said. “I want to read it too. I want to know what’s so special about Adventists.”

Simon listened to Jules and his friends talk about Jesus. The young people invited Simon and his family to join the choir’s Bible-study group. “I’d like one of these pamphlets for my wife and each of my children,” Simon said quietly.

Jules smiled as he pulled out more Bible pamphlets. “Could we have Bible studies here in our home?” Simon asked. Jules agreed. He and one other young man returned to Simon’s home every week for a month. Then Simon and his wife and children joined the Bible-study group at the church.

When the church announced evangelistic meetings, Simon and his family attended every meeting. Simon and his wife asked to be baptized, and later the couple’s three teenage children joined the church as well.

Simon, the once-rude neighbor who wouldn’t allow the youth into his home, now shares his faith with anyone who will listen. He urged his neighbor, Mangu, to check out the Adventists, and Mangu now attends the Bible study group every week.

Our mission offerings help reach people in difficult places such as Kinshasa, where less than one in a thousand is an Adventist Christian. Thank you for sharing.

http://hopess.hopetv.org/
 
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“Heaven” on Earth


SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 1:31–2:3; Exod. 39:32, 43; 25:9; Heb. 8:5; John 2:19–21; 1 Cor. 3:16-17; Rev. 21:1–22.

Memory Text: “Who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain’” (Hebrews 8:5, NKJV).

Though the sanctuary in heaven is the original, the one where God Himself is ministering “for us,” the Lord has revealed truths about this sanctuary in different ways to us here on earth.

God created the Garden of Eden as a symbol of the sanctuary. The heavenly sanctuary and its function in salvation were represented in the earthly tabernacle and the larger structure of the Israelite temples.

In Jesus, of course, the temple was made manifest in a human being. And, finally, the heavenly temple will come down to the new earth.

As we will see, God has used concepts relating to the heavenly sanctuary to reveal truth. This week we will study some of those concepts.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 12.
 
The First “Sanctuary” on Earth

Bible students have noted that many features of the Garden of Eden correspond to the later sanctuaries in Israel, indicating that Eden was the first symbolic “temple” on earth. Some parallels between Eden and the sanctuary include:

1. At the end of the Creation account and the report describing the construction of the wilderness tabernacle, the same three elements—approval, completion, and blessing—are expressed with the same key words (compare “all,” “finish,” and “bless” in Gen. 1:31–2:3 with Exod. 39:32, 43; 40:33).

2. Just as God was “walking in the Garden” (Gen. 3:8, NASB), so He was in the midst of His people in the sanctuary (2 Sam. 7:6=7).

3. Adam was to “tend” and “keep” the Garden (Gen. 2:15, NKJV). The same two verbs are used for the service of the Levites in the tabernacle (Num. 3:7-8).

4. Garden-like imagery appears all throughout the sanctuary (Exod. 25:31–36, 1 Kings 6:18).

5. Cherubim guarded the Garden (Gen. 3:24); two cherubim were stationed in the most holy place (Exod. 25:18–22).

6. Just as Creation took six days, each day being introduced by “God said” and all followed by the Sabbath, so there are six “the Lord spoke to Moses” sections concerning the tabernacle (Exod. 25:1; 30:11, 17, 22, 34; 31:1) followed by a seventh section about the Sabbath (Exod. 31:12-17).

7. The sanctuary was finished on the first day of the first month (Exod. 40:17), the Hebrew New Year’s Day, which recalls the completion of the world at Creation.

Genesis 2 did not need to be explicit about these parallels; the ancients understood them. For example, a Jewish writing of the second century B.C. claims that “the garden of Eden was the holy of holies and the dwelling of the Lord.”

The Garden of Eden is called the “garden of God” (Isa. 51:3, Ezek. 28:13, 31:9). It was God’s dwelling on earth, the place where our first parents were intended to worship and commune with Him. Therefore, the greatest loss of the Fall was not the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden but their loss of being in the immediate presence of God.

Dwell on the concept of the word sanctuary itself. What comes to your mind? What things form a “sanctuary” for you now? How does your understanding of these sanctuaries on earth help you to understand better what God’s sanctuary in heaven provides for us?
 
Monday October 7

Copy of the Pattern

Read Exodus 25:9, 40; Hebrews 8:5; 9:23, 24. What is the relationship between the earthly and heavenly sanctuaries?

The Scriptures clearly teach that Moses did not invent the tabernacle but built it according to the divine instruction that he had received on the mountain (Exod. 26:30, 27:8, Num. 8:4). The earthly sanctuary was to be constructed after the “pattern” (Exod. 25:9, 40). The Hebrew word for “pattern” (tabnit) expresses the idea of a model or copy; thus, we can conclude that Moses saw some kind of miniature model that represented the heavenly sanctuary and that this model served as the pattern for the earthly.

Therefore, the heavenly temple is the original, the model for the Israelite sanctuaries. What is also obvious is that we cannot equate the sanctuary in heaven with heaven itself. The heavenly temple is “in heaven” (Rev. 11:19, 14:17, 15:5); thus, heaven contains it. The two are not synonymous.

The book of Hebrews explains in unmistakable terms that the heavenly sanctuary is real. The sanctuary in heaven is called the “true tabernacle” (Heb. 8:2, NKJV), as well as the “greater and more perfect tabernacle” (Heb. 9:11, NKJV), while the earthly is a “copy and shadow” of the heavenly one (Heb. 8:5, NKJV). As a shadow is always a mere representation of something real, and an imperfect and faint representation at that, the earthly sanctuary is a mere representation of the heavenly. Whatever its limitations, however, the earthly sanctuary does reflect the reality of the heavenly in important ways.

The relationship between the two is called typology. Typology is a divinely designed, prophetic prefiguration that involves two corresponding historical realities, called type (original) and antitype (copy). Because the correspondence runs from the type (original) to the antitype (copy), we can see in Hebrews that the heavenly model that Moses had seen is referred to as “type” or “pattern” (Heb. 8:5) and the earthly sanctuary as “antitype” or “copy” (Heb. 9:24). This truth presents more evidence that the heavenly existed prior to the earthly. As Seventh-day Adventists, we are on solid biblical ground when we in emphasize the physical reality of the heavenly sanctuary.
 
Jesus as the Sanctuary

Read John 2:19–21. Why is Jesus’ body compared to the temple? See also John 1:14.

One of the themes in the Gospel of John is that with Jesus, the better “temple” has come. Tabernacle imagery is used as early as in John 1:14. Jesus is the Word who “dwelt” among men, and they saw His “glory.” The Greek word used for “to dwell” (skenoo) is the verbal form of the Greek noun for “tabernacle” (skene); so, one could translate verse 14 as the Word “tabernacled among us.” In this context, the word glory recalls the glory of God that filled both the wilderness tabernacle (Exod. 40:34-35) and Solomon’s temple at its inauguration (2 Chron. 7:1–3). So, when Christ came to earth as a human, He fulfilled God’s temple promise to dwell among His people.

As the texts above show, Jesus declared Himself to be the temple, signifying already the end of the earthly temple’s significance after His death (John 2:19–21, Matt. 27:51). Also, when Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and the Light of the World (John 8:12), He might have been pointing beyond the manna on the table to the Bread of the Presence and the lampstand, objects in the earthly sanctuary. A definite reference to the sanctuary is the designation of Jesus as the sacrificial “Lamb of God,” who will bear the sin of the world (John 1:29).

“All who did service in connection with the sanctuary were being educated constantly in regard to the intervention of Christ in behalf of the human race. This service was designed to create in every heart a love for the law of God, which is the law of His kingdom. The sacrificial offering was to be an object lesson of the love of God revealed in Christ—in the suffering, dying victim, who took upon Himself the sin of which man was guilty, the innocent being made sin for us.”—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 233.

Because of our sinful natures, it’s so easy to think that God is angry with us. How does the revelation of God’s love, as seen in the life and death of Jesus, help each of us to realize on a personal level that God loves us despite our faults? In what ways should this realization encourage us to gain victories over self?
 
The Church as the Sanctuary

After Christ’s ascension to heaven and His inauguration as High Priest in the sanctuary there, the temple on earth no longer had any real purpose in the plan of salvation (see Matt. 27:50-51). However, God still seeks to dwell among His people on earth, which was now possible through the Holy Spirit. The apostles use temple imagery to convey this truth.

Read 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:19–22. Notice the sanctuary imagery in these texts. What truth does the Bible teach us here?

Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 to the church as a corporate unity, and he presents to them the temple themes of ownership (1 Cor. 3:16) and of holiness (1 Cor. 3:17). He applies the same principles in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 to the individual believer. As a temple, the believer is holy terrain and, as such, is under divine obligation to live in holiness. Paul uses the temple imagery to emphasize his call for pure and holy living, which in this context he identifies as sexual purity over immorality (1 Cor. 6:15–18). Paul’s last reference to the church as a divine sanctuary fits in to this pattern. There is no common ground between believers and unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14–7:1), for the church is in a covenant relationship with God and thus is exclusively His (2 Cor. 6:18).

At the same time, the church is not only God’s temple but also a holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5, 9). No doubt, with such a privilege as this, important responsibilities follow. How crucial that we surrender our lives in faith and obedience to the Lord who has given us so much, and who, therefore, asks much of us in return.

Of course, we are saved by Christ’s righteousness, which covers us completely. However, because of what we have been given in Christ by grace, what does God ask of us in return? And even more important, how can we best do that which He asks of us?

Thursday October 10

New Creation

Read Revelation 7:15–17. Where are the redeemed, and how does this passage portray them?

These verses describe the redeemed as kings and priests who serve in God’s palace and temple (Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 20:6). The promise that “He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them” (Rev. 7:15, NASB) alludes to God’s presence in the wilderness sanctuary, where He dwelt among ancient Israel as its Leader. On the new earth, the sanctuary once more becomes the perfect place of relationship where God and the redeemed meet. It guarantees shelter, protection, and the ultimate fulfillment of life in the presence of God and His Christ. The One who once tabernacled among men (John 1:14) now spreads the tabernacle over His saints so that they may “tabernacle” in His place.

Read Revelation 21:1–22. How is the New Jerusalem described? What parallels do you find between the holy city and the sanctuary in these texts?

John does not see a temple in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:22), but this does not mean that there is no temple. Rather, the New Jerusalem itself is the temple and the “tabernacle of God” (Rev. 21:3, NKJV). Several sanctuary elements are assigned to the New Jerusalem: it is “holy” and of heavenly origin (Rev. 21:2, 10); it has the same cubical form as did the Most Holy Place (Rev. 21:16, 1 Kings 6:20); similar to the temple precincts, “nothing unclean” is allowed into the city (Rev. 21:27); and, most importantly of all, God is present. In the sanctuary of God, we can live with Him in the closest relationship possible (Rev. 21:3, 7). This is the goal of salvation.

An eternity in a close relationship with God? Why is it, then, so crucial for us to walk, as Ellen G. White says over and over, “in close communion with God” now?

Friday October 11

Further Study: Ellen G. White, “The School of the Hereafter,” pp. 301–309, in Education; “The Controversy Ended,” pp. 673–678, in The Great Controversy.

“A fear of making the future inheritance seem too material has led many to spiritualize away the very truths which lead us to look upon it as our home. Christ assured His disciples that He went to prepare mansions for them in the Father’s house. Those who accept the teachings of God’s word will not be wholly ignorant concerning the heavenly abode. And yet, ‘eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.’ 1 Corinthians 2:9. Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 674, 675.

Discussion Questions:

Why do you think it is important for us to understand that God’s heavenly sanctuary is a real place? At the same time, too, why must we be careful not to make too detailed a comparison between the earthly and the heavenly temple?
In class, dwell more on the idea of the church as a “sanctuary.” How do you understand this truth? Also, how can we as a church better fulfill this crucial teaching?
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor. 3:16-17). What do these texts teach us, and how can we apply their teachings to the way that we live?
Dwell more on this idea that we are “priests” now and that we will function as priests after the Second Coming. What are those functions for us now, and what will they be after Jesus returns? Why does even the use of the word priests show us just how central the concept of the sanctuary is to the plan of salvation?
Inside Story~ NSD Division: China

Faithful Little Flock

In China pastors often have several churches. Pastor Sun oversees 10 churches and 200 small groups with a membership of about 5,000. To shepherd this large and diverse flock, Pastor Sun trains lay evangelists.

Sister Xu found Christ and joined the Adventist church in the provincial capital. She wanted to share her new faith with her family and friends living in her hometown, Wu Yan, a city of about 100,000 people. When she arrived in Wu Yan, she found no other Adventists living there. Undaunted, she shared her faith first with her sister and then with others. Xu found several people who wanted to hear about Christ, and she asked Pastor Sun to send someone to help her plant a church in Wu Yan.

Pastor Sun sent Liu, a Global Mission pioneer, to work with Xu. He met with Xu’s sister and some neighbors in Xu’s home Another neighbor reported Liu’s activities to her own church officials, who made trouble for Liu.

The little band of new believers prayed that God would protect the infant flock, and Liu visited the neighbor’s church. He worshipped with them and made friends in the congregation. Liu met several people who were open to hearing what he believed, and he explained his work.

One woman in the church, Zhang, asked for Bible studies. Liu studied with her, and she in turn brought five others to meet Liu and study the Bible with him. All six people from the neighbor’s church began keeping the Sabbath. Liu encouraged them to continue attending their church on Sunday to find other honest-hearted Christians who wanted to know what the Bible teaches.

When the Sunday church’s leaders learned that more than 20 of their members were studying to become Adventists, they were angry and told them to stop attending their church. But the little group continued telling others what they had discovered. The believers invited their friends and those in need to come for prayer and help.

In one year more than 30 people are meeting regularly on the Sabbath, and 18 have been baptized. In China a new believer must know the Bible truths and pass an examination before they are baptized, so 18 baptisms is remarkable.

Our mission offerings support the world church in its challenging task of telling everyone everywhere that Jesus loves them and died to save them. Thank you for your part in supporting mission around the world.
 
Sacrifice


SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 3:9–21; Exod. 12:21–27; Lev. 2:1–3; Gen. 22:1–19; Lev. 17:10-11; Phil. 4:18.

Memory Text: “I urge you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1, NASB).

Central to the entire gospel is the concept of sacrifice. In the biblical languages, the words for “sacrifice” often depict the idea of drawing near, and of bringing something to God. The basic meaning of the Hebrew for offering or sacrifice describes the act of approaching, the act of bringing something into the presence of God. The Greek equivalent means “gift” and describes the presentation of a sacrifice.

Similarly, the English word offering comes from the Latin offerre, the presentation of a gift. The word sacrifice is a combination of the Latin sacer (holy) and facere (make) and refers to the act of making something sacred.

This week we will look at some of the sacrifices that believers have offered to God. We will discover that God has always been calling for sacrifices, and He is still doing so today.

Of course, and most important, God provided the ultimate sacrifice, that of Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 19.
 
Sunday October 13

The First Sacrifice

Read Genesis 3:9–21. What was God’s response to Adam and Eve after they sinned?

Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world, in a sanctuary-like garden, and God granted them face-to-face communion with their Creator. Their first sin opened a nearly insurmountable breach in their relationship to God. However, God had already planned how to counter such a breach of trust, and even before there came any judgment against them, He gave them the hope of a Savior (Gen. 3:15).

“Adam and Eve stood as criminals before their God, awaiting the sentence which transgression had incurred. But before they hear of the thorn and the thistle, the sorrow and anguish which should be their portion, and the dust to which they should return, they listen to words which must have inspired them with hope. Though they must suffer..., they might look forward to ultimate victory.”—Ellen G. White, That I May Know Him, p. 16.

The Lord showed them the ultimate foundation of that victory when, immediately after His judgment speech, He made for them garments of skin to cover their nakedness and shame. Although unstated, it may be reasonable to assume that an innocent animal had to die for this, and perhaps even that it was understood as a kind of sacrifice (Gen. 3:21).

God’s providing clothes for the culprits became a symbolic act. Just as the sacrifices in the desert sanctuary guaranteed the special relationship between God and His people, so the clothing in the Garden assured the guilty of God’s unchanging good will toward them.

So, from the earliest days of human history, sacrifices taught that sinful humans could find union with God, but only through the death of Jesus, prefigured in those sacrifices.

Reread Genesis 3:9–21. What does it say to you that even before God spoke any words of judgment to the guilty pair, He gave them the promise of “ultimate victory”? What does this say about God’s attitude toward us, even in our fallen state?
 
Monday October 14

Types of Offerings

In Old Testament times, believers could bring offerings on different occasions and in different personal circumstances. Different objects they were allowed to “offer” included clean animals, grain, or drink, as well as other things. The animal sacrifice is the oldest element in the sanctuary service, and together with the priestly service, it belongs to the center of the Israelite service. Religious life without sacrifice was inconceivable.

Which kinds of offerings are described in the following texts? Exod. 12:21–27, Lev. 2:1–3, Exod. 25:2–7, Lev. 4:27–31.

God established the sacrificial system so that believers could enter into a close relationship with Him. This is why offerings could be brought in all different kinds of situations: for thanksgiving, for an expression of joy and celebration, for a gift, for a petition for forgiveness, for a penitential plea, for a symbol of dedication, or for restitution.

Among the most important types of offerings were the burnt offering (Leviticus 1) and the grain offering (Leviticus 2), as well as the peace, or well-being offering (Leviticus 3), the purification offering (Leviticus 4), and the reparation (trespass) offering (Lev. 5:14–6:7). The first three were voluntary offerings, which were to remind the giver (and us) that, in the end, everything that we are and all that we have belong to God. The burnt offering symbolizes the total dedication of the one making the offering. The grain offering symbolizes the dedication of our material possessions to God, whether they be food, animals, or something else. The well-being offering is the only sacrifice in which the participant receives a part of the offering for personal consumption.

The other two sacrifices were obligatory. They reminded the people that, though wrongs have consequences, those wrongs can be “healed.” The purification offering, often called “sin offering,” was offered after ritual defilement or after the person became aware of a moral defilement through sin.

The widespread function of the offerings shows that every aspect of our life must come under God’s control. How can you learn to surrender completely everything you have, or are, to Him? What happens when you don’t do this?
 
Tuesday October 15

Sacrifice at Moriah

Read Genesis 22:1–19. What did Abraham learn about sacrifice?

What was God’s purpose in this incredible challenge to Abraham’s faith? The patriarch’s life with God had always been accompanied by divine promises: the promise of land, of descendants, and of blessings; the promise of a son; and the promise that God would take care of Ishmael. Abraham sacrificed, but it was always in the light of some promise. However, in the situation described in Genesis 22, Abraham did not get any divine promise; instead, he was told to sacrifice the living promise, his son. Following through on God’s command, Abraham showed that God was more important to him than anything else.

“It was to impress Abraham’s mind with the reality of the gospel, as well as to test his faith, that God commanded him to slay his son. The agony which he endured during the dark days of that fearful trial was permitted that he might understand from his own experience something of the greatness of the sacrifice made by the infinite God for man’s redemption. No other test could have caused Abraham such torture of soul as did the offering of his son. God gave His Son to a death of agony and shame.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 154.

Concerning the sacrifice, Abraham understood two essential principles. First, no one but God Himself can bring the true sacrifice and the means of salvation. It is the Lord who will, who must, provide. Abraham eternalizes this principle by naming the place, “YHWH Jireh,” which means “The-Lord-Will-Provide.” Second, the actual sacrifice is substitutional, one that saves Isaac’s life. The ram is offered “in the place of” Isaac (Gen. 22:13, NASB). That animal, which God provided, prefigures the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, on whom “the Lord has laid . . . the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6-7; Acts 8:32, NKJV).

What an astonishing surrender to God! Who can imagine what that experience must have been like for Abraham? Think about the last time that you had to reach out in sheer faith and do something that caused you a lot of anguish. What did you learn from your actions, and how well has the lesson stuck?
 
Life for a Life

Read Leviticus 17:10-11. What function does God give to the blood?

In a passage where God instructs the Israelites not to eat any blood, He provides an interesting reason for this prohibition: blood stands for life, and God has made sacrificial blood a ransom for human life. One life, represented by the blood, ransoms another life. The principle of substitution, which became explicit on Mount Moriah when Abraham offered the blood of the ram in the place of the blood of his son, is firmly anchored in God’s legal requirements for ancient Israel.

As in Genesis 22, God shows that it is He Himself who provides the means for atonement; in the Hebrew the I in “I have given it to you” (Lev. 17:11, NKJV) is emphasized. We cannot provide our own ransom. God must give it.

The concept is different from that of other religions that use sacrifices. In the Bible, it is not a human who approaches God and knows how to appease Him; it is God, rather, who provides the means for a person to come into His holy presence. And in Christ, He Himself provides the blood for ransom.

Read 1 Samuel 15:22 and Micah 6:6–8. What are some of the dangers of the ritual system?

God never intended the sacrificial service to be a substitute for the attitude of the heart; on the contrary, the sacrifices were to open the heart of the believer to the Lord. If we lose sight of the fact that sacrifices express a spiritual relationship between God and us, and that they all point to a much greater sacrifice, Jesus Christ, we could easily mistake the sacrificial ritual for an automatic apparatus for making atonement. Besides sacrifice, God really wants our hearts to be right with Him (Ps. 51:16-17). Consistently the Israelite prophets accused the people of false piety and called for them “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:6–8, NRSV; compare Isa. 1:10-17).

In what ways do we face the same danger as expressed above? Why is it often so hard to realize that we could be doing exactly what the ancient Israelites did in this area? How can we avoid this mistake?
 
Thursday October 17

Sacrifices Today/Living Sacrifice

Though after Christ’s sacrificial death there was no more need for animal sacrifices, the New Testament does talk about the need for another kind of sacrifice instead.

According to these texts, what kind of offerings are we to bring to God today? Rom. 12:1-2; Phil. 4:18; Heb. 13:15-16; 1 Pet. 2:5.

Terminology from the sacrificial system worked very well in describing the early Christian concept of what it meant to live a life totally consecrated to God. In fact, even when Paul was thinking about his martyrdom, he described himself as a drink offering (Phil. 2:17, 2 Tim. 4:6).

What specific message is given us in Romans 12:1? In what ways are we to manifest this truth in our own lives?

A “living sacrifice” means that the entire person is given to God. It includes the dedication of the body (Rom. 12:1) as well as the transformation of the inner being (vs. 2). We are to be set apart (“holy”) for the sole purpose of serving the Lord. Christians will present themselves wholly to the Lord because of the “mercies of God,” as described in Romans 12:1–11, which present Christ as our sacrifice, the means of our salvation.

In this context, Paul’s appeal is for Christians to imitate Christ. A true understanding of God’s grace leads to a life consecrated to God and to a loving service for others. Surrender of self and the desires of self to the will of God is the only reasonable response to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for us.

In the end, there has to be a harmony between our understanding of spiritual and doctrinal truth and our service to others. Every aspect of life should express the believer’s genuine commitment to God. True worship is never only inward and spiritual; it must encompass outward acts of selfless service. After all, think about what our Lord has done for us.
 
Further Study: “It had been difficult even for the angels to grasp the mystery of redemption—to comprehend that the Commander of heaven, the Son of God, must die for guilty man. When the command was given to Abraham to offer up his son, the interest of all heavenly beings was enlisted. With intense earnestness they watched each step in the fulfillment of this command. When to Isaac’s question, ‘Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ Abraham made answer, ‘God will provide Himself a lamb;’ and when the father’s hand was stayed as he was about to slay his son, and the ram which God had provided was offered in the place of Isaac—then light was shed upon the mystery of redemption, and even the angels understood more clearly the wonderful provision that God had made for man’s salvation.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 155.

Discussion Questions:

“Our feet will walk in his paths, our lips will speak the truth and spread the gospel, our tongues will bring healing, our hands will lift up those who have fallen, and perform many mundane tasks as well like cooking and cleaning, typing and mending; our arms will embrace the lonely and the unloved, our ears will listen to the cries of the distressed, and our eyes will look humbly and patiently towards God.”—John Stott, Romans (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1994), p. 322. In what ways does this quote show what it means to be a “living sacrifice”? Why is it that only through death to self could we ever be able to live like this?
As we saw during the week’s lesson, one of the great problems that the people faced was seeing the sacrificial system as an end in itself instead of a means to an end—that end being a life wholly consecrated to God, a consecration that reveals itself in loving service to others. In what ways are Seventh-day Adventists (who have been given so much light), especially in danger of going down the same path, perhaps now thinking that the great truths we possess are an end in and of themselves, instead of a means to the end?
Dwell more on the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah. However troubling this story is, one could argue that it was meant to be troubling, meant to cause consternation and distress. Why do you think anyone would argue that it was meant, among other things, to evoke those emotions in the reader?
Inside Story~ ESD Division: Armenia

Best Friends for Jesus

Moses is 8 years old. He and his family live in the tiny country of Armenia, tucked between Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.

Moses and his family had just moved to a little village in western Armenia. Moses didn’t know anyone there. Then he met Hayk [hike], a boy his own age. The two boys quickly became friends. They enjoy playing and riding their bicycles together.

Moses realized that Hayk didn’t know Jesus. His family didn’t go to church. So Moses started praying for his friend. He wanted to invite Hayk to church, but first he decided to give Hayk a book about Jesus.

Hayk liked the book and started reading it even before Moses left his house. Mother noticed that Hayk read late into the evening and again the next day. The book has lots of pictures that held Hayk’s interest.

Later when Hayk visited, Mother asked the boys some questions about stories she knew were in the book, and Hayk answered them all. Hayk said that he tells his mother the stories that he reads, and now his mother and sister want to read the book, too.

A few days later, Hayk asked Moses, “May I go to church with you?”

Moses was surprised and happy. “Of course you can!” Moses said. “I was going to invite you!”

Hayk loves church and wants to go every Sabbath. Children in Armenia don’t have lesson quarterlies, so the teacher must read the lesson in Russian and tell it to the children in Armenian.

Hayk is so excited about what he’s learning in church that he’s invited some of his friends to go with him. One week, five boys and girls attend church with Hayk, and he’s looking for more children to invite.

Moses invited Hayk, and now the boys are inviting others. And the church in Armenia is growing.

Our offerings help support outreach in countries where Adventist membership is small. Thank you for stretching the arms of mission around the world through your offerings.

Moses and Hayk (left) share their faith in a small town in western Armenia.
 
SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 40:9-10; Lev. 19:2; 1 Pet. 1:14–16; Exod. 31:2–11; Rom. 3:25–28 1 Kings 8:31–53; Ps. 73:1–17.

Memory Text: “ ‘Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them’ ” (Exodus 25:8, NASB).

The sanctuary is one of God’s major devices to teach us the meaning of the gospel. As we study the sanctuary this week, the drawing below will be helpful:

Sanctuary

This week’s lesson focuses on some of the major insights provided by the earthly sanctuary. We will study the sacrificial system later.

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

Sunday October 20

Place of the Presence

According to Exodus 25:8, what was the purpose of the earthly sanctuary in the wilderness? What amazing truth does this teach us about God’s love for us?

In the Garden of Eden, sin had broken the face-to-face relationship between God and humanity. Sin forfeited our first parents’ unhindered communion with God. However, the Creator still desired to draw us to Himself and to enjoy a deep covenant relationship with fallen humanity, and He began this process right there in Eden. Centuries later, in saving Israel out of Egypt and establishing the sanctuary and the sacrificial system, God again took the initiative in bringing humanity back into His presence.

The sanctuary thus testifies of God’s unceasing desire to dwell among His people. This is God’s idea (Ps. 132:13-14). His ultimate goal is relationship, and the sanctuary was His chosen means to do it. The sanctuary is the tangible evidence of God’s presence with His people on earth.

From the description in Numbers 2, it is evident that the tabernacle was located in the center of the square encampment where, ordinarily in the ancient Near East, the king would place his tent. So, the tabernacle symbolizes that God is the King over Israel.

The Levites, meanwhile, placed their tents around the tabernacle (Num. 1:53), and the other tribes put theirs further around at a “distance” in groups of three (Num. 2:2). This illustrates in a tangible way both the nearness and the distance of God.

Another purpose of the sanctuary was to provide a location for a centralized, divinely ordained system of worship. Because God’s presence in the midst of the people was jeopardized by their impurities and moral failings, He provided a system of sacrifices and offerings through which unholy people could live and remain in the presence of a holy God.

So, in this context, the sanctuary revealed details regarding the plan of redemption, which included not only the sacrifices but the ministry of the priesthood, an integral part of the plan of redemption, as well.

With the sanctuary, the Creator of the universe, the One who made all that was made (see John 1:1–3), lowered Himself to dwell among homeless wanderers in the desert. How should this fact alone help us avoid harboring ethnic, class, or cultural prejudices against anyone?
 
“Be Ye Holy”

“And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.

And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy” (Exod. 40:9-10).

Exodus 40:9-10 shows us that the sanctuary was to be regarded as “holy.” The basic idea of holiness is separateness and uniqueness, in combination with belonging to God.

“The typical service was the connecting link between God and Israel. The sacrificial offerings were designed to prefigure the sacrifice of Christ, and thus to preserve in the hearts of the people an unwavering faith in the Redeemer to come. Hence, in order that the Lord might accept their sacrifices, and continue His presence with them, and, on the other hand, that the people might have a correct knowledge of the plan of salvation, and a right understanding of their duty, it was of the utmost importance that holiness of heart and purity of life, reverence for God, and strict obedience to His requirements, should be maintained by all connected with the sanctuary.”—Ellen G. White, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 1,010.

Read Leviticus 19:2 and 1 Peter 1:14–16. What is the primary reason for the people to be holy?

God’s holiness transforms us and sets us apart. His holiness is the ultimate motivation for the ethical conduct of His people in all spheres of life (see Leviticus 19), whether that be observing the dietary laws (Lev. 11:44-45), respecting the priest (Lev. 21:8), or not conforming to former lusts (1 Pet. 1:14). Obviously, God wants us to grow in holiness as we get closer to Him. This change can come about only through a self-surrender of our sinful natures and through a willingness to do what is right, regardless of the consequences.

Think about yourself, your habits, your tastes, your activities, et cetera. How much of what you are, and what you do, would be considered “holy”? It is kind of a tough question to face, isn’t it?
 
Wednesday October 23

Center of Divine and Communal Activity

Read 1 Kings 8:31–53. What more does this text teach us about the function of the sanctuary?

At the dedication ceremony of the newly built temple, King Solomon offered seven cases of specific prayers that could be offered at the temple. The seven functions exemplify the extensive role of the temple in the lives of the Israelites. The temple was a place for seeking forgiveness (vs. 30); for oath swearing (vss. 31, 32); for supplication when defeated (vss. 33, 34); for petition when faced with drought (vss. 35, 36) or other disasters (vss. 37-40). It was also a place for the alien to pray (vss. 41-43), as well as a place to petition for victory (vss. 44, 45).

That the temple was intended to be a “ ‘house of prayer for all the peoples’ ” (Isa. 56:7, NASB) becomes evident from the fact that Solomon envisioned the individual Israelite, the foreigner, and the entire people as petitioners.

The sanctuary was the ideological center of basically all activity in Israel. Religion was not part of the believer’s life, not even a major one; it was life. What does this tell us about the role that our faith should play in our own lives, as well?

When the people wanted to receive advice or judgment, or if they repented of their sins, they went to the sanctuary. The sanctuary was also the hub of life during the desert years of Israel. When God desired to communicate to His people, He did so from the sanctuary (Exod. 25:22). Therefore it is appropriately called the “tent of meeting” (for example, Lev. 1:1, NASB).

Think about your prayer life. How deep, how rich, how faith-affirming and life changing is it? Perhaps the first question you need to ask yourself is: how much time do I spend in prayer?
 
Thursday October 24

“Until I Went Into the Sanctuary of God”

Time and again the Psalms show that the sanctuary plays a significant part in the relationship between believers and God. Well known is the firm conviction David expressed at the end of Psalm 23 that he “will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (vs. 6, NKJV). David’s foremost wish in Psalm 27 was to be in the presence of Yahweh, a presence which was best experienced in the sanctuary. In order to show how much he cherished the sanctuary, David used the full range of expressions to refer to it, calling it the house of the Lord, temple, tabernacle, and tent. It is there that one can meditate and “behold the beauty of the Lord” (Ps. 27:4, NKJV).

The activities of God in the sanctuary illustrate some crucial points: He keeps the worshiper safe and hides him in His sanctuary, even in tough times (Ps. 27:5). God provides secure refuge and assures peace of mind for all who come into His presence. These expressions connect the beauty of God to what He does for His people. In addition, the sanctuary service with its symbolic significance shows the goodness and justice of God.

The ultimate object of David’s deepest desire was not only simply to be in the sanctuary, but for Yahweh to be present with him. That is why David resolves to “seek” God (Ps. 27:4, 8).

Read Psalm 73:1–17. Which insights did Asaph get after entering the sanctuary?

In Psalm 73, Asaph addressed the problem of suffering. He could not understand the apparent success of the wicked (vss. 4-12) while the faithful were afflicted. He himself almost slipped (vss. 1-3), but going into the sanctuary made the difference for him (vss. 13-17). There Asaph could see the same power and glory of God that David mentions in Psalm 63:2 and recognize that the present conditions will one day change and justice will be done. He could reflect anew on the truth and receive reaffirmation that in the end the wicked are on slippery ground (Ps. 73:18–20) and the faithful are secure (vss. 21-28). For those who seek God, the sanctuary becomes a place of confidence, a stronghold of life, where God will set them “high upon a rock” (Ps. 27:5, NKJV). From the truth that the sanctuary service teaches, we can indeed learn to trust in the goodness and the justice of God.

http://cdn.hopetv.org/download/podcast/HSS-2013-Q4-E04.mp3
 
Lessons From the Sanctuary *

Introduction: What does it mean to be holy? What probably comes to mind is a cleric of some sort. Someone who is devoted exclusively to religious work. If I told you that you needed to be holy in all that you do, would that mean that you would have to change your profession? The sanctuary teaches us something about being holy, so let's plunge into our study of the Bible and see what we can learn!

Holy


Read Exodus 25:8 and Leviticus 19:2. When a police car is following you, do you drive more carefully? When your boss is watching you, do you work better? When your parents are around, are you better behaved?


If the answer to these questions is "yes," do you think that is why God wants to be around us - to improve our behavior, to help us to be holy?


Is that why parents want to be around their children - to be sure they behave?

(No. Parents want to be around their children because they love them.)


Let's assume what I believe is true, God wants to be around us because He loves us. Why does He tell us to be holy because He is holy?


Is God hoping that we will not embarrass Him?

(If you review Job 1:6-11, the text suggests that God does take pleasure in our obedience. Thus, the opposite should also be true.)

Read Genesis 2:3. What does it mean for the Sabbath to be "holy?"


When God tells us to be holy, does that make you feel good, or make you feel discouraged?


If I asked you "Which day of the week do you think is most like you," what would you say?
(Who wants to be Monday? Why not be Saturday, the day God set aside as being special.)


Is that a fair way to look at God's command for us to be holy, that He wants us to be something special?


Consider again the Sabbath. Is it being set apart that makes it holy? Or, is something else involved?

(Consider that the Sabbath is intended to turn our minds to God. This suggests that being holy is to be set apart, and to draw attention to God.)


Holy Work


Read Exodus 31:1-5. Would you like to be Bezalel?


Is he a "blue collar" or "white collar" worker?

(He is blue collar, he works with his hands.)


What is the first thing that God did to equip Bezalel

(I'll call him "Bez" for short)for working with his hands? ("Filled him with the Spirit of God.")


Does that make any sense?


Does that have anything to do with being holy?

(If being holy is being set apart, being special, then the answer is clearly, "yes!" The first step to Bez being a great craftsman is to determine to be special, to be set apart from the rest of the workers.)


Re-read Exodus 31:3-5. What skills does Bez have?

(He works with metal, gems and wood.)


Who gave him those skills?

(God says that He gave Bez "skill, ability and knowledge.)


We think about God giving gifts to leaders. What about gifts to the people who do not lead?

(God gives them gifts to be special. To be holy workers - meaning skilled above others.)


Is it okay to desire to be better than others? To be the Sabbath among a bunch of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday workers?

(This is part of being holy. God gives you the gift to be a better worker. God gives you the desire to be excellent!)
 
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The text we will read next tells us Bez is using his skills to create items for the sanctuary. When we think about the nature of Bez's work, is his desire to be better bringing glory to himself?

(He is making things for the sanctuary. Thus, his excellent craftsmanship causes others to think about God. He turns their minds to God. However, Bez is also in line for praise.)


Read Exodus 31:6-11. Is it terrible to be Oholiab? Bez is excellent, but Oholiab is a helper.

(You can be an excellent helper. Perhaps one day Oholiab will become a skilled craftsman like Bez. But, whatever the work put before us, we need to be excellent.)


As a helper, does the work of Oholiab turn the mind to God?
(Yes, because he is working with Bez who in turn is making things that turn the mind to God. It is a joint effort.)
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Look again at Exodus 31:7-11. How many craft skills do you find here?


How important is the task of the workers who are making these items? (They are making items to be used in the presence of God, and they are making items that cause humans to reflect upon the things in heaven.)


Is the priest who makes the sacrifice on the altar more important than the person who crafted the altar?


Holy Life


Read 1 Kings 8:31-32. Assume that you left your car at the home of a friend for safekeeping. Your friend calls you later and tells you that your car is gone. What might have happened to your car? (The car might have been stolen. Or, it might have been sold by your friend.)


This is the kind of situation described in 1 Kings 8:31-32. (Compare Exodus 22:10-11.) The car owner does not know what happened, so the friend would come to the altar in the sanctuary and swear that he did not sell the car - he has no idea what happened to it. What does this have to do with living a holy life?
(Living in the presence of God causes us to be honest. Our friends know of our honesty and rely upon it.)


Read 1 Kings 8:33-34. What does this teach us about holy living?
(That if we sin against God, our enemies can defeat us.)


What hope is held out for those who aspire to holy living?
(That even when we fail, God stands ready to forgive us and restore us.)


Read 1 Kings 8:35-36. Isn't this something referred to as an "Act of God?" What does this suggest about seemingly random problems?
(They can have a connection to our sins.)


What hope is held out to us?
(Again, we turn to God and He cures the problem.)


Read 1 Kings 8:41-43. If we live a life in accord with God's will, is it likely that others will see and want to know more about God?
(This is the essence of being holy. Working with excellence in a way that draws attention to God.)


What will God do in such a situation?
(Solomon prays that God will confirm in the life of the "foreigner" that God is the great God of Heaven.)


Read Psalms 73:1-3. What is being described here that seems to conflict with the discussion that we just had about 1 Kings 8?
(The theory underlying 1 Kings 8 was that if we obeyed then good things would happen to us and if we disobeyed, bad things would happen. Here, the wicked are prospering.)


Read Psalms 73:4-6 and Psalms 73:12-14. Is life going for this good person the way life is supposed to go when you are holy?
(No!)


Read Psalms 73:15-17. How does keeping your doubts to yourself and entering the sanctuary answer the problem that life is not going as it should for a holy person?
(Sin brings death. God died for us because He loves us so much. The wicked will die in the end, even if they seem to be prospering now. Those who seek to live a holy life, a life led by the Holy Spirit, will live forever with a God who loves them supremely!)


Friend, will you commit to asking the Holy Spirit to help you live a holy life? A life in which you seek excellence in all you do for the purpose of drawing others to God?

Atonement: Purification Offering *
Introduction: For many years I struggled with the logic of the atonement. Why, exactly, does our sin require Jesus' death? On the other hand, why is Jesus' death sufficient to take away our sins? The atonement was not like a math problem, with an obvious connection. This involved issues which I did not understand. The most valuable lesson from our study of the sanctuary this week is an answer about why Jesus had to die. Why the atonement makes logical sense. Let's race into our Bible study this week and find out more!

Subverting the Rule of Law


Read Genesis 9:5-6 and Numbers 35:30. What is the penalty for murder? What is God's rule of law? (Death.)


Read Genesis 4:8-10. What should have happened to Cain? (He should have been put to death.)


Read Genesis 4:11-15. Why do you think God not only failed to execute Cain, but He affirmatively protected him from justice - from God's rule of law?


Read 2 Samuel 14:4-6. Have you heard this story before? (Sounds a bit like Cain and Able.)


Read 2 Samuel 14:7. The family wants justice, but the mother does not. Why? (She will have no sons. Her husband is dead, and now both of her sons will be dead if justice is carried out. There is this unsettling no "heir" comment that makes you suspect the relatives had more than justice in mind.)
 
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Do you think the mother's statement explains the unusual judgment placed on Cain? Remember, however, that Adam is still alive.
(I think it does suggest the reason for Cain's sentence. It would have been a terrible tragedy for Eve to consider that her sin caused the death of both of her sons.)


Read 2 Samuel 14:8-9. This is a very odd statement. Why should blame rest on the king or be transferred to the mother? Neither one committed any crime. Both showed love and compassion.
(The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary on this text explains that violating the rule of law exceeded "the royal prerogative." Responsibility for the crime had to go somewhere. Since the king, at the request of the mother, had subverted the rule of law, the responsibility should fall on the king. Since the mother asked the king to violate the rule of law, the mother says, "I'll take responsibility instead.")


In Matthew 27 we read the account of the trial of Jesus. Read Matthew 27:15-18. What is Pilate thinking about the verdict he should pronounce on Jesus? (He thinks Jesus is innocent!)


Read Matthew 27:20-23. Should Pilate release Jesus?
(Yes, of course. The crowd cannot give a good reason for Jesus to be executed. It is trying to coerce Pilate. Worse, in Matthew 27:19 Pilate's wife tells him that God sent her a message not to harm Jesus.)


Read Matthew 27:24-25. How are Pilate and the crowd like the story we just read in 2 Samuel 14?
(The rule of law is being subverted. Again, the judge would should take responsibility, but the people asking for the law to be subverted say they will accept the blame.)


Read Numbers 35:31 and Romans 6:23. Romans does not say that we are murders, but it does say that the penalty for our sin is death. Is God violating the rule of law for a second time? We discussed the violation involving not putting Cain (and us) to death. Now we see that ransom for murders is also prohibited!


Can we explain this by saying that we all die because of the entry of sin into the world? If that seems an easy answer, how do we explain Elijah (2 Kings 2) and Enoch ( Hebrews 11:5) who were taken alive to heaven?


Responsibility for the Subversion of the Rule of Law


We saw that when the king violated the rule of law, he accepted responsibility for the violation. When we violate a law of the state, or a law of God, who is the victim?


Read Psalms 51:3-4. King David is speaking, and he is talking about his acts of adultery and murder. How can he say it is "only" against God that he sinned? (In the United States, a criminal complaint will say "The People" against the person accused; not the specific victim of the crime against the person accused. The idea is that when you commit a crime, you violate the rights of the public. This reflects the idea that sins are against God, who rules over the universe.)


If God is the true (and only) victim of our sins, why can't He say, "I forgive," and forget about this stuff about God paying the penalty for the violation of the rule of law?


Read Micah 7:18. What is God doing about our sin? (He pardons us. This shows that God can say, "I forgive!" In the United States, the President (or the Governor of a State) can pardon criminals.)


So, I ask again, why does anyone have to die if God can pardon? (It is still a corruption of the rule of law. The one who corrupts the rule of law must take responsibility for it. However, the victim of the crime has the best claim to change the rule of law.)


The Fix


Read Leviticus 1:3-5 and John 1:29. Why do you think God gave this instruction about animal sacrifice in the Old Testament?


How does it relate to Jesus? (This is where the logic of the atonement comes together. God subverted the rule of law by not killing us for our sins. As the One who made the decision, He took responsibility for it by agreeing to die in our place. However, He wanted us to understand the connection between sin and death, and so God created a sanctuary sacrifice system which both reminded us of the connection between sin and death and pointed to the solution to the sin problem.)


Let's contemplate the assumptions that underlie the conclusion that Jesus is responsible for the problem. What are those assumptions? (First, that Jesus should assume the penalty for our sins shows that He is God. Like the king, He has authority over the problem. Satan agrees that He is God. Second, this shows the incredible importance of God's law and His determination that the rule of law should be respected. Last, it corroborates the creation account of the fall of humans.)


Read Jeremiah 17:1. Where is sin written? (It is carved in our hearts and on the altar. This reference to sin and the altar in the sanctuary points to the importance of the sanctuary system.)


Purification


Read Leviticus 16:15-19. When we learned that the king who subverted the rule of law became responsible for the crime, what did we see? (The sin transferred from the guilty person to the king.)


In the sanctuary system, the sins of the person transferred to the animal who was sacrificed. What other transfer do we see in these verses? (The sprinkling of the blood of the sacrificed animal seems to transfer the sin to the sanctuary and its furniture.)


Read Leviticus 16:7-10 and Leviticus 16:20-22. What has now happened to the sins that were transferred to the sanctuary? (They are transferred once more to a live goat. The goat does not die, it is released into the desert.)


If we go back to the idea that the one who subverts the rule of law takes responsibility, and the sanctuary system of animal sacrifice points to Jesus taking responsibility for our sins because He did not kill us, how do you explain the transfer of sin? Why does the sanctuary system also contain the lesson about sin transfer? (God does not want us to remain in sin. In the end, neither the sinner nor the lamb carried the sin. The sin was transferred to the sanctuary and ultimately to a goat.)


What is the spiritual lesson in this? (Our sins are literally taken away. Jesus is not just paying the penalty on our behalf, our sins are removed.)


If the sacrificed animal pointed to Jesus, what does the goat point to? (The release of our sins. Jesus accepted the punishment for our sins, but He also made provision for the removal of our sins.)


Friend, consider what God has done for you. He gave you life by subverting the rule of law. He accepted your guilt. Jesus died in your place. How should you respond? Why not today accept His sacrifice on your behalf, rejoice in His removal of your sins, and determine to live like you want sin out of your life?
 
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Transfer of Sin

“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars.” (Jer. 17:1).

After the laying on of hands and the death of the animal, the next ritual activity in the offering was the handling of the blood. The priest applied the sacrificial blood to the horns of the altar. Because blood was involved, this ritual part had to do with atonement (Lev. 17:11). If the sinner was a commoner or a leader, the blood was applied on the altar of burnt offering (Lev. 4:25, 30); if the high priest or the entire congregation was the sinner, the blood was applied to the inner altar, the altar of incense (Lev. 4:7, 18).

What did it mean to smear blood on the horns of the altar? The horns were the highest points of the altar and, as such, could signify the vertical dimension of salvation. The blood was brought into the presence of God.

Jeremiah 17:1 is of particular importance for understanding what happens: the sin of Judah is engraved “upon the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars” (NASB). Although the text is referring to altars involved in idolatrous worship, the principle remains the same: the altar reflected the moral condition of the people. Blood transferred the guilt of sin. The blood smeared on the horns of the altar transferred sin away from the sinner to the sanctuary, a crucially important truth in order for us to understand the plan of salvation as revealed in the earthly sanctuary service, which symbolizes the work of Christ in heaven for us.

Because the blood carried sin, it also defiled the sanctuary. We find an example of this defiling in cases where the blood of the purification offering splashed accidentally on a garment. The garment needed to be cleansed, not just anywhere, but only “in a holy place” (Lev. 6:27, NKJV).

Finally, the burning of the fat on the altar indicated that everything about the purification offering belonged to God (Lev. 3:16).

Thanks to the death of Jesus, symbolized by those sacrifices, our sin has been taken away from us, placed on Him, and transferred to the heavenly sanctuary. This is central to the plan of salvation.

How does the sanctuary service help us to understand our utter dependence on God for forgiveness of our sins? What comfort does this truth bring you? At the same time, what important responsibilities follow? (See 1 Peter 1:22.)
 
Bearing Sin

Read Leviticus 6:25-26; 10:16–18. What crucial truth is revealed here?

By eating the offering at a holy place, the officiating priest would “bear away the guilt” of the offender. The meat of this offering was not just payment for the priests’ services (otherwise Moses would not have been so angry with Aaron’s sons for not eating of it), but it was a crucial part of the atonement.

How does the eating of the sacrifice contribute to the process of atonement? Eating was required only of those offerings in which blood did not enter the holy place; that is, the offerings of the leader and the commoner. The Bible explicitly said that by eating the sacrifice the priests would “bear away the guilt,” which would “make atonement” for the sinner. To carry the sinner’s guilt implies that the sinner now goes free.

In the Hebrew, Exodus 34:7 says that God “carries iniquity,” the same two Hebrew words used in Leviticus 10:16, where it’s clear that the act of the priest’s carrying the sin is what brings forgiveness to the sinner. Otherwise, without that transfer, the sinner would have to bear his own sin (Lev. 5:1), and that, of course, would lead to death (Rom. 6:23).

The priest’s work of bearing another’s sin is exactly what Christ did for us. He died in our place. We conclude, then, that the priestly work at the earthly sanctuary typifies Christ’s work for us, because He has taken upon Himself the guilt of our sins.

“The blessing comes because of pardon; pardon comes through faith that the sin, confessed and repented of, is borne by the great Sin-bearer. Thus from Christ cometh all our blessings. His death is an atoning sacrifice for our sins. He is the great medium through whom we receive the mercy and favor of God. He, then, is indeed the Originator, the Author, as well as the Finisher, of our faith.”—Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, p. 302.

Imagine standing before God in judgment. What would you lean on—your good works, your Sabbath keeping, all the nice things you had done and all the bad things you hadn’t done? Do you really think this would be enough to justify you before a holy and perfect God? If not, what’s your only hope in that judgment?
 
Forgiveness

Read Micah 7:18–20. What picture of God do we find in this passage?

The last three verses of the book of Micah focus on the relationship of God with His remnant. The text describes beautifully why God is unrivaled. He is incomparable because of His forgiving love and grace. The outstanding characteristic of God, as revealed in Micah (and elsewhere), is His willingness to forgive. Micah emphasizes this point by using various expressions for God’s attributes (vs. 18) and achievements (vss. 19, 20). His attributes and achievements are explained in the language of the Israelite Credo in Exodus 34:6-7, one of the most beloved biblical descriptions of the character of God.

Interestingly, several crucial words in Micah 7:18–20 are also used in the Servant Song in Isaiah 53, pointing to the fact that the means of forgiveness comes from the One who is suffering for the people.

Unfortunately, not everyone will enjoy God’s saving grace. God’s forgiveness is neither cheap nor automatic. It involves loyalty. Those who have experienced His grace respond in kind, such as we see in Micah 6:8, a central text in the book. Just as God “delights in unchanging love,” NASB, He calls His remnant to “love kindness” NASB. His people will imitate God’s character. Their lives will reflect His love, compassion, and kindness.

In the Bible, Micah 7:18–20, with its emphasis on forgiveness, is immediately followed by Nahum 1:2-3, with its emphasis on judgment. This unfolds the two dimensions of God’s dealings with us: forgiving the repentant and punishing the wicked. Both sides belong to God. He is Savior and Judge. These two aspects of God’s character are complementary, not contrary. A compassionate God can also be a just God. Knowing this, we can rest assured in His love, in His forgiveness, and in His ultimate justice.

Read Micah 6:8. What good is a profession of faith without these principles to reveal the reality of that profession? What’s easier, to claim faith in Jesus or to live out that faith, as expressed in Micah 6:8? How can you better do the latter?
 
Further Study: Ellen G. White, “The Tabernacle and Its Services,” pp. 343–358, in Patriarchs and Prophets.

“As Christ at His ascension appeared in the presence of God to plead His blood in behalf of penitent believers, so the priest in the daily ministration sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice in the holy place in the sinner’s behalf.

“The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement; so in the type the blood of the purification offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 357.

Discussion Questions:

Some have argued that the whole concept of substitution is unfair. Why should the innocent die in the place of the guilty? However, because this is a truth that is not only clearly taught in the Bible but is central to the core theme of the Bible, how do we answer that charge? Might the “unfairness” of it all help us to understand the grace that was displayed in order to bring us forgiveness? That is, in what ways might this “unfairness” help to show just how great and merciful and loving our God really is?
As a class, read Micah 6:8. What are we being told there? More importantly, how can we learn to fufill this explicit command? How do we learn to do all these things, including to “walk humbly with thy God”? What does that mean? How can walking humbly with God translate into walking humbly with others?
Think about what it means that the only way we could be saved was through the death of Jesus. What does this amazing truth teach us about just how bad sin is, and why any effort to save ourselves by our own works is as fruitless as scrubbing a pig in hopes of making it kosher?
In class, go over the final question at the end of Wednesday ’s lesson. Discuss your answers and the implications of your answers in terms of the gospel and that which God has done for us in order to save us.
Inside Story~ SUD Division: India

The Sword and the Spirit

Joseph’s heart pounded as the mob raged toward him. “Beat him!” someone yelled. “Kill him!” another echoed.

Joseph hadn’t been a Christian long. In his zeal to share his new faith with others, he had come to this village as a Global Mission pioneer to teach others about Christ. Some listened, but others were angry that a Christian had come to stir up their village. They found Joseph and demanded vengeance.

Joseph prayed as the mob surrounded him. Then he spoke to the leader, who brandished a sword. “Brother, I’ve come in peace and in the name of Jesus,” he said. “My God wants to be your God, too.”

The crowd quieted, and the leader challenged Joseph with his eyes. “My little girl has been paralyzed for six years. She can’t move, and she can’t speak. If your God can heal my daughter, then we will leave you alone. But if not, then we will kill you.” The man turned and walked toward his home. The mob pushed Joseph to follow. Joseph and the mob leader entered the house together.

Joseph looked at Kamala, the little girl, and realized that only a miracle would save her life-and his. He knelt by her bed and asked God to heal Kamala if it was His will. “Help this family to understand that You are the all-powerful God,” he prayed.

Joseph finished his prayer and stood up. He continued to silently pray for the child, and within minutes Kamala moved slightly. She stretched one leg and then the other; then she stretched her arms. Slowly she sat up. The family watched, speechless with joy, as Kamala pulled herself up on her once-withered legs and took a step.

“My daughter!” Kamala’s mother whispered. The girl smiled and walked slowly toward her mother. Tearfully the man who had planned to kill Joseph hugged him. “I want to know about your God,” he said.

News of the girl’s miraculous healing spread rapidly through the village. Many wanted to know about Joseph’s God. The man who had brandished a sword and planned to kill Joseph now works with him to teach others about the living God. Dozens have turned to Jesus and worship Him instead of their former gods.

Our mission offerings help support the work of men and women such as Joseph who serve as Global Mission pioneers around the world. Thank you for having a part in the work of God through your offerings.

Joseph and his wife served as Global Mission pioneers in western India.
 
The Day of Atonement

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week’s Study: Leviticus 16, Lev. 23:27-32, Deut. 19:16-21, Matt. 18:23-35, Isa. 6:1-6.

Memory Text: “Who is a God like Thee, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19, NASB).

The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, as revealed in Leviticus 16, is the most solemn Old Testament ritual. It is deliberately placed in the heart of the book of Leviticus, which is itself at the center of the Five Books of Moses, in order to help to illustrate the “most holy” character of this ritual. Also referred to as the Sabbath of Sabbaths (Lev. 16:31), the day calls for the cessation of all work, which is unique for an Israelite yearly festival. This fact places the day squarely within the concept of the Sabbath—a time to rest in what God, as Creator and Redeemer, has done (and will do) for us.

This week we will study what happened on the Day of Atonement in the earthly sanctuary, specifically the rituals with the two goats, which helps us to better understand deeper truths regarding salvation and the final disposition of sin.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 9.

Sunday November 3

The Yearly Cleansing

Read Leviticus 16:16, 30. What is purged on the Day of Atonement?

Throughout the year all kinds of sins and ritual impurities were transferred to the sanctuary. With the Day of Atonement comes the time for their removal. There are three main parts to the Day of Atonement:

1. The purification offering for the priest. The high priest slaughtered a bull for his sins, making sure that he (the priest) would be clean when entering the sanctuary and performing the ritual to cleanse it.

2. The purification offering of the goat “for the Lord” (Lev. 16:8, NKJV). During the year, the purification offerings “brought” all the sins of the Israelites into the sanctuary. The Day of Atonement was the time to remove these sins from the sanctuary; this process was done through the blood of the goat “for the Lord.”

3. The elimination ritual with the live goat for Azazel. God wanted to get the sins of His people away from the sanctuary and the camp. Therefore, another live goat was sent out into the desert.

Read Leviticus 16:15. What happened to this goat, and what did it symbolize?

Because there was neither confession of sin nor laying on of hands involved with the goat for the Lord, its blood was not a carrier of sin. Thus, it did not defile but, rather, it cleansed. The effect is clearly described in verses 16 and 20. The high priest made atonement with the blood of the Lord’s goat, cleansing the entire sanctuary. The same procedure also effected the purification of the people so that, when the sanctuary was cleansed from all the people’s sins, the people themselves were cleansed too. In this sense the Day of Atonement was unique, for only on this day were both the sanctuary and the people cleansed.

The Day of Atonement was the second stage of a two-phase atonement. In the first phase, during the year, the Israelites were forgiven. Their sins were not blotted out but were entrusted to God Himself, who promised to deal with them. The second phase did not have much to do with forgiveness; the people were already forgiven. In fact, the verb “forgive” does not occur at all in Leviticus 16 or in Leviticus 23:27-32. What this shows us is that the entire plan of salvation deals with more than just the forgiveness of our sins, a point that makes even more sense when understood in the wider context of The Great Controversy.
 
Beyond Forgiveness

Read Leviticus 16:32-34. What was the main task of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement?

The primary function of the high priest was to mediate between God and mankind. Regarding the sanctuary, he administered the system and performed various rituals of sacrifices and offerings (Heb. 8:3). His task on the Day of Atonement was enormous. He performed almost every ritual, except for leading the goat for Azazel into the wilderness, though he gave the command to send the goat away.

On the Day of Atonement, the “great” priest, as he was also called, became a living example of Christ. Just as the attention of God’s people was focused on the high priest, Jesus is the exclusive center of our attention. As the activities of the high priest on earth brought cleansing to the people, so does Jesus’ work in the heavenly sanctuary does the same for us (Rom. 8:34, 1 John 1:9). Just as the only hope of the people on the Day of Atonement was in the high priest, our only hope is in Christ.

“The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement; so in the type the blood of the sin offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 357.

According to Leviticus 16:16-20, the high priest had to enter the most holy place and purge it from the ritual impurities, transgressions, and sins. He then transferred all the iniquities, all the transgressions, and all the sins of Israel onto the live goat and sent them away, through the goat, into the desert. Thus, all the moral faults of Israel were gone. This achieved the unique goal of the Day of Atonement: a moral purification that went beyond forgiveness. There was no new forgiveness necessary on this day. God had already forgiven their sins.

As we struggle with all our God-given strength to put away all sin, how can we learn to lean totally on Christ’s merits as our only hope of salvation?
 
On The Day of Atonement

“Thus in the ministration of the tabernacle, and of the temple that afterward took its place, the people were taught each day the great truths relative to Christ’s death and ministration, and once each year their minds were carried forward to the closing events of The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan, the final purification of the universe from sin and sinners.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 358.

Read Leviticus 16:29-31 and 23:27-32. What did God expect the Israelites to do on Yom Kippur? How do these principles apply to us today, living as we are in what has been called the “antitypical Day of Atonement”?

If someone in ancient Israel did not follow these instructions, he was to be cut off and destroyed (Lev. 23:29-30). The Day of Atonement was truly about nothing less than life and death. It demanded the believer’s complete loyalty to God.

Imagine that someone had confessed his sins during the first phase of atonement during the year; that is, the daily sacrifices, but then did not take the Day of Atonement seriously. By his disregard of what God had planned to demonstrate on this day, such a person proved himself to be disloyal to God.

What this means is that a person who professes faith in God can still lose salvation. As Seventh-day Adventists, we do not believe in once-saved-always-saved, because the Bible does not teach it. We are secure in Christ just as long as we live in faith, and we surrender to Him, claiming His power for victory when tempted and His forgiveness when we fall.

Read Matthew 18:23-35. What lesson should we take away from this powerful parable?
 
Thursday November 7

Isaiah’s Personal Yom Kippur

In Isaiah 6:1-6, Isaiah sees the heavenly King sitting on a throne in the temple, “high and exalted.” The vision is a judgment scene that presents God as coming for judgment (Isa. 5:16). Isaiah beholds the true King, identified in the Gospel of John as Jesus Christ (John 12:41).

Even though Isaiah was God’s prophet and he called others to repentance, he understood that in God’s presence he is doomed. Confronted with God’s holiness and glory, Isaiah perceived his own sinfulness and also the uncleanness of his people. Holiness and sin are incompatible. Like Isaiah, we all need to come to the conclusion that we cannot pass through the divine judgment on our own. Our only hope is to have a Substitute.

What parallels to the Day of Atonement appear in Isaiah 6:1-6?

The combination of a temple filled with smoke, an altar, judgment, and atonement for sin and uncleanness, recalls strongly the Day of Atonement. Isaiah experienced his own “personal Day of Atonement,” as it were.

Functioning like a priest, a seraph (literally “burning one”) took a burning coal from the altar, presupposing some kind of offering, to purge the prophet’s sin. This is an apt image for the cleansing from sin that is possible through the sacrifice of Jesus and His priestly ministry of mediation. Isaiah recognized this as a cleansing ritual, and he kept still as the coal touched his lips. Thereby his “iniquity is taken away” and his “sin is forgiven” (Isa. 6:7, NASB). The passive voice in verse 7 shows that forgiveness is granted by the One sitting on the throne. The Judge is also the Savior.

God’s work of cleansing brings us from “Woe is me” to “Here am I, send me.” Understanding the heavenly work on the Day of Atonement leads to a readiness for proclamation, because a true understanding leads to assurance and surety. This is because we know that, in judgment, we have a Substitute, Jesus Christ, whose righteousness alone (symbolized by the blood) will enable us to stand without fear of condemnation (Rom. 8:1). Gratefulness motivates mission. Acquitted sinners are God’s best ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:18-20) because they know what God has delivered them from.
 
Friday November 8

Further Study: “Now the event takes place foreshadowed in the last solemn service of the Day of Atonement. When the ministration in the holy of holies had been completed, and the sins of Israel had been removed from the sanctuary by virtue of the blood of the sin offering, then the scapegoat was presented alive before the Lord; and in the presence of the congregation the high priest confessed over him ‘all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat.’ Leviticus 16:21. In like manner, when the work of atonement in the heavenly sanctuary has been completed, then in the presence of God and heavenly angels and the hosts of the redeemed the sins of God’s people will be placed upon Satan; he will be declared guilty of all the evil which he has caused them to commit.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 658.

Discussion Questions:

Why would any understanding of the plan of salvation be incomplete if it that leaves out, or minimizes, the work of Christ as our High Priest? What does the sanctuary teach us about just how central the work of intercession in the sanctuary is to the plan of salvation? The bulk of an entire New Testament book, Hebrews, is dedicated to the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. In view of this, just how important is that work?
Someone once wrote that the work of Christ, from His death to His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, is simply part of “God’s orderly method” of dealing with the sin problem in a way that will help to answer all questions regarding His justice, fairness, and love. Dwell on the implications of that thought, especially in light of The Great Controversy and what it teaches us about the grand issues involved in the sordid tragedy of sin.
Many Seventh-day Adventists were taught about the Day of Atonement in a way that has left them without assurance of salvation. Such a view comes from a false understanding of the purpose of the Day of Atonement. Think about the name “atonement.” What does it mean? How is atonement achieved? Who does the work of atonement? How is it accomplished? How should these answers help us to understand why the Day of Atonement is actually good news?
Inside Story~ SAD Division: Peru

A Child Shall Lead

From infancy, Joelito’s mother taught him to love and serve Jesus. When she led small-group meetings, Joelito watched her and learned from her. When he was 8 years old, he asked to be baptized and to lead others to Jesus.

When Joelito was 10, the government of Peru passed a law requiring children to attend school on Sabbath. His teacher allowed him to skip classes and make up work on Mondays. But when the time came for national exams, the teacher couldn’t help him. “If you don’t take the exam,” she said sadly, “you’ll fail.” Joelito prayed that God would intervene, and in faith he spent the Sabbath worshipping God.

On Monday Joelito learned that the exam hadn’t been given on Saturday because the classroom key had been lost. Joel thanked God for making it possible for him to keep the Sabbath and still take the exam.

Joelito told his friends how God had answered his prayers. He invited them to church and offered to study the Bible with them, just as he had learned from his mother. When the church held children’s programs, Joelito invited his friends to attend. If they couldn’t attend, he offered to visit their homes and study the children’s Bible course with them. The mother of one of the children asked Joelito to study the Bible with her. “I wasn’t nervous,” Joelito says. “I had watched my mother give many Bible studies.”

Joelito’s church is small, and everyone takes part. When Joelito was 12, he began taking turns preaching and working as the stewardship leader.

During the summer vacation young people from throughout the country take part in a program called Mission Caleb. They go to a specific town to do community service, visit door to door, and give Bible studies. Joelito wanted to go, but he was told that he was too young. So he stayed home and helped a group of Mission Caleb volunteers that had come to his town to do similar work.

Joelito continues to work hand in hand with God visiting people, giving them Bible studies, and working in the church. “I don’t go with my mom to give Bible studies anymore,” he says. “I’m too busy giving my own Bible studies.” Joelito preaches in his church once a month, and he loves it.

Part of your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering recently helped to build a small church in Joelito’s town. Thank you for sharing so that others can hear God’s message of love.

Joelito Tapia, 15, shares his faith in Trujillo, Peru.
 
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