LESSON 8 *November 16–22
Fulfilling Old Testament Prophecies
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: John 5:17, 20, 36–40, 46, 47; John 13:18; John 17:12; Jer. 2:13; Zech. 9:9; John 8:12–30.
Memory Text: “ ‘But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me’ ” (John 5:36, NKJV).
We can see again and again in the book of John all the things that Jesus said and did which revealed that, yes, the Messiah (hammashiach), the Christ, had come to Israel. And He had come, in fact, as one of them, a Jew born in Bethlehem, just as the Scriptures had predicted.
Yet, as John wrote, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him” (John 1:10, NKJV).
He was in the world, the world was made through Him, and yet the world did not know Him? That’s an amazing statement. And, as we can see in John and in the other Gospels, many people didn’t know Him even though they should have, especially because of all the things that Jesus did and said. And, even more so, because the Old Testament scriptures pointed to Him.
This week we will look at more ways John revealed Jesus as the Messiah, and also, we will look at why some people still continued to reject Him—despite all the powerful reasons affirming Him as the Christ.
What can we learn from their mistakes?
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 23.
EGW Notes — SATURDAY ↓
Sabbath Afternoon, November 16
Lesson 8 - Fulfilling Old Testament Prophecies
The Son of God came to the world as a restorer. He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Every word He uttered was spirit and life. He spoke with authority, conscious of His power to bless humanity, and deliver the captives bound by Satan; conscious also that by His presence He could bring to the world fullness of joy. He longed to help every oppressed and suffering member of the human family, and show that it was His prerogative to bless, not to
condemn.—Lift Him Up, p. 37.
Christ distinctly appropriated to Himself the right to authority and allegiance. “Ye call me Master and Lord,” He said, “and ye say well; for so I am.” “One is your Master, even Christ.” Thus He maintained the dignity that belonged to His name, and the authority and power He possessed in heaven.
There were occasions when He spoke with the dignity of His own true greatness. “He that hath ears to hear,” He said, “let him hear.” In these words He was only repeating the command of God, when from His excellent glory the Infinite One had declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Standing amid the frowning Pharisees, who sought to make their own importance felt, Christ did not hesitate to compare Himself with the most distinguished representative men who had walked the earth, and to claim preeminence above them
all.—Lift Him Up, p. 37.
By coming to dwell with us, Jesus was to reveal God both to men and to angels. He was the Word of God,—God’s thought made audible. In His prayer for His disciples He says, “I have declared unto them Thy name,”—“merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”—“that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” But not alone for His earthborn children was this revelation given. Our little world is the lesson book of the universe. God’s wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which “angels desire to look,” and it will be their study throughout endless ages. Both the redeemed and the unfallen beings will find in the cross of Christ their science and their song. It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love. In the light from Calvary it will be seen that the law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for earth and heaven; that the love which “seeketh not her own” has its source in the heart of God; and that in the meek and lowly One is manifested the character of Him who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach
unto.—The Desire of Ages, p. 19.
SUNDAY November 17
Signs, Works, and Wonders
In addition to the specific miracles that John used to point to Jesus
as the Messiah, he also recorded the broader discussion about the signs,
works, and wonders that Jesus did.
The signs and wonders, in and of themselves, were not proof of His
Messiahship because many prophets, sometimes false ones, also performed
miracles. John did not record the signs because they pointed to
a great miracle worker only. The signs that John wrote about had the
unique character of pointing to Jesus as the Messiah and to show that
He, indeed, came from God the Father Himself.
Read John 5:17, 20, 36–38. How do these verses describe the relationship
between Jesus and God the Father, especially in the context of
the signs?
* Your notes will not be saved!
Jesus used the signs to show His close working relationship with the
Father. The two were one. The works showed that “ ‘the Father is in Me,
and I in Him’ ” (John 10:38, NKJV; see also John 14:10, 11.)
The purpose of Jesus’ coming was to do the works of the One who
sent Him, in order that these works might be made manifest to the
world. That is, He came to do the work that the Father sent Him to
do, and the works that He did testified, clearly, that He was from the
Father.
And yet, as we have already seen, even despite the powerful signs
and the testimonies from many people, people still chose not to believe.
The religious leaders asked Jesus, “ ‘How long do You keep us in
doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered them, ‘I
told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s
name, they bear witness of Me’ ” (John 10:24, 25, NKJV).
If Jesus had come right out and said He was the Messiah, the religious
leaders—looking for anything they could find against Him—
would have pounced on Him. Knowing this, Jesus instead pointed to
the works He had done. If Jesus had said He was the Christ, they could
easily seek to deny that. But how could they deny the signs, the works,
and the wonders? These were powerful testimonies to who He was and
where He had come from.
How can we protect ourselves from having the kind of hard
hearts we see among these religious leaders? In what ways might
we be fighting against the work of God in our own lives?
EGW Notes — SUNDAY ↓
Sunday, November 17
Signs, Works, and Wonders
The Scriptures clearly indicate the relation between God and Christ, and they bring to view as clearly the personality and individuality of each.
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?” Hebrews
1:1–5.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 268.
God is the Father of Christ; Christ is the Son of God. To Christ has been given an exalted position. He has been made equal with the Father. All the counsels of God are opened to His Son.
Jesus said to the Jews: “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. . . . The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself doeth.” John 5:17–20.
Here again is brought to view the personality of the Father and the Son, showing the unity that exists between
them.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, pp. 268, 269.
God does not annul His laws or work contrary to them, but He is continually using them as His instruments. Nature testifies of an intelligence, a presence, an active energy, that works in and through her laws. There is in nature the continual working of the Father and the Son. Christ says, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” John 5:17.
The Levites, in their hymn recorded by Nehemiah, sang, “Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things therein, . . . and Thou preservest them all.” Nehemiah 9:6. As regards this world, God’s work of creation is completed. For “the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” Hebrews 4:3. But His energy is still exerted in upholding the objects of His creation. It is not because the mechanism that has once been set in motion continues to act by its own inherent energy that the pulse beats and breath follows breath; but every breath, every pulsation of the heart, is an evidence of the all-pervading care of Him in whom “we live, and move, and have our being.” Acts
17:28.—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 114, 115.
MONDAY November 18
The Authoritative Role of Scripture
In addition to the specific signs and testimonies that John used to point
to Jesus as the Messiah, John also appealed to the authority of the Old
Testament and to its prophecies, which foretold the work of Christ. The Old
Testament is central, not just to John’s Gospel but to all the New Testament.
Justification for Jesus, for who He was, where He came from, what He did,
and what He will do—is based on Scripture, in this case the Old Testament.
Read the following texts: John 5:39, 40, 46, 47. What do they teach us
about Jesus’ attitude toward the authority of Scripture?
All through the Gospels, time and again, Jesus points to the authority
of Scripture as a key witness to Him. For instance, Jesus often uses events
from the Old Testament to help point to Himself and to what He does.
The following is one case, where He takes an event from Numbers 21:5–
9. “ ‘As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the
Son of Man be lifted up’ ” (John 3:14, NKJV). Here, not only does Jesus
refer to the story, but by using it to point to Himself, He basically gives us
the authoritative interpretation of what the story meant to convey.
And not just Jesus, but others, as well, use the Old Testament to point
to Jesus. For example, early on in John, we read the words of Philip:
“ ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets,
wrote’ ” (John 1:45, NKJV).
Read the following texts: John 13:18; John 17:12; and John 19:24, 28,
36. What do they teach about the authority of Scripture as understood
by Jesus and John? What should this tell us about the crucial
role all Scripture must have for our faith, as well?
What are the forces today that either subtly or openly work to
undermine our faith in the authority of the Bible? Bring your
answer to class on Sabbath.
EGW Notes — MONDAY ↓
Monday, November 18
The Authoritative Role of Scripture
It was Christ that spoke to His people through the prophets. The apostle Peter, writing to the Christian church, says that the prophets “prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.” 1 Peter 1:10, 11. It is the voice of Christ that speaks to us through the Old Testament. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10.
In His teachings while personally among men Jesus directed the minds of the people to the Old Testament. He said to the Jews, “Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of Me.” John 5:39, R.V. At this time the books of the Old Testament were the only part of the Bible in existence. Again the Son of God declared, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” And He added, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:29,
31.—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 366, 367.
Jesus rested upon the wisdom and strength of His heavenly Father. . . . Pointing to His own example, He says to us, “Who is among you that feareth the Lord, . . . that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.” Isaiah 50:7–10.
“The prince of this world cometh,” said Jesus, “and hath nothing in Me.” John 14:30. There was in Him nothing that responded to Satan’s sophistry. He did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought did He yield to temptation. So it may be with us. Christ’s humanity was united with divinity; He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And He came to make us partakers of the divine nature. So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more dominion over us. . . .
And how this is accomplished, Christ has shown us. By what means did He overcome in the conflict with Satan? By the word of God. Only by the word could He resist temptation. “It is written,” He said. And unto us are given “exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4. Every promise in God’s word is ours. “By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” are we to live. When assailed by temptation, look not to circumstances or to the weakness of self, but to the power of the word. All its strength is yours. “Thy word,” says the psalmist, “have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” “By the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” Psalm 119:11;
17:4.—The Desire of Ages, p. 123.
TUESDAY November 19
Old Testament Prophecies of Jesus:
Part I
In a discussion with the religious leaders about His identity, Jesus
affirmed the authority of Scripture. At first glance, it would seem
unnecessary for Him to do that because the religious leaders believed
in Scripture. Nevertheless, even with them, Jesus would emphasize
the authority of the Scriptures, and He did so in order to show them
who He was—no matter how hard their hearts were, and no matter
how much they tried to fight conviction.
Meanwhile, John records many direct quotations from and allusions
to the Old Testament that point to Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old
Testament promise of a Messiah.
How are the following New Testament and Old Testament passages
linked? That is, how does the New Testament use these texts to bear
witness to Jesus?
John 1:23, Isa. 40:3
John 2:16, 17; Ps. 69:9
John 7:38, Jer. 2:13
John 19:36, Num. 9:12
Not just John, but Peter, Paul, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and all the
New Testament writers, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, time
and again stress how Jesus of Nazareth’s life, death, resurrection, and
ascension to the throne of God are all fulfillments of the Old Testament
prophecies.
And although Jesus was continually pointing the disciples to the
Scriptures, which foretold His ministry—when did the disciples
finally understand that the Scriptures pointed to His death and
resurrection? It was only after He died and was resurrected and
appeared to them that they, finally, got it. “Therefore, when He had
risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this
to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus
had said” (John 2:22, NKJV; see also John 20:9).
EGW Notes — TUESDAY ↓
Tuesday, November 19
Old Testament Prophecies of Jesus:
Part I
In John the Baptist the Lord raised up for Himself a messenger to prepare the way of the Lord. He was to bear to the world an unflinching testimony in reproving and denouncing sin. Luke, in announcing his mission and work, says, “And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17). . . .
The voice of John was lifted up like a trumpet. His commission was, “Shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). He had obtained no human scholarship. God and nature had been his teachers. But one was needed to prepare the way before Christ who was bold enough to make his voice heard like the prophets of old, summoning the degenerate nation to
repentance.—Selected Messages, book 2, pp. 147, 148.
A herald had been sent from God to proclaim the coming of Christ, and to call the attention of the Jewish nation and of the world to His mission, that men might prepare for His reception. The wonderful personage whom John had announced had been among them for more than thirty years, and they had not really known Him as the One sent from God. Remorse took hold of the disciples because they had allowed the prevailing unbelief to leaven their opinions and becloud their understanding. The Light of this dark world had been shining amid its gloom, and they had failed to comprehend whence were its beams. They asked themselves why they had pursued a course that made it necessary for Christ to reprove them. They often repeated His conversations, and said, Why did we allow earthly considerations and the opposition of priests and rabbis to confuse our senses, so that we did not comprehend that a greater than Moses was among us, that One wiser than Solomon was instructing
us?—The Desire of Ages, p. 508.
A light was shining about the tomb, but the body of Jesus was not there. As [the women] lingered about the place, suddenly they saw that they were not alone. A young man clothed in shining garments was sitting by the tomb. It was the angel who had rolled away the stone. . . . . He says, “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”
He is risen, He is risen! The women repeat the words again and again. No need now for the anointing spices. The Saviour is living, and not dead. They remember now that when speaking of His death He said that He would rise again. What a day is this to the world! Quickly the women departed from the sepulcher “with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples
word.”—The Desire of Ages, pp. 788, 789.
WEDNESDAY November 20
Old Testament Prophecies of Jesus:
Part II
Jesus said to the religious leaders: “ ‘You search the Scriptures,
for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which
testify of Me’ ” (John 5:39, NKJV). What an incredible claim to
make about Himself!
Estimates vary, but some scholars argue that Jesus of Nazareth
fulfilled hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. Whatever the
amount, the odds against one man’s fulfilling even a few of them,
much less them all, are staggering. Every now and then someone
will use an image like this: imagine filling an area the size of Texas
with coins two feet high and painting one coin pink and then mixing
them all up. Then give a blindfolded person one chance to pick the
pink coin. What are the odds that, with one pick, he or she would
get the pink one?
No question—Christ’s birth, life, and death were predicted by the
Old Testament, stunning evidence of His identity as the expected
Messiah. John points to these Old Testament texts again and again to
make that very point about who Jesus was, and also, why we should
believe in Him and accept the salvation He offers.
What do each of the following passages from John’s Gospel reveal
about Jesus as a fulfillment of Messianic prophecy?
John 12:13, Ps. 118:26
John 12:14, 15; Zech. 9:9
John 13:18, Ps. 41:9
John 19:37, Zech. 12:10, Zech. 13:6
How firmly grounded are you in what you believe? If someone were
to challenge you on why you believe in Jesus as the Messiah, what
answers could you give? Where would you go, and why, to help defend
that faith?
EGW Notes — WEDNESDAY ↓
Wednesday, November 20
Old Testament Prophecies of Jesus:
Part II
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Zechariah 9:9.
Five hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Zechariah thus foretold the coming of the King to Israel. This prophecy is now to be fulfilled. He who has so long refused royal honors now comes to Jerusalem as the promised heir to David’s throne.
It was on the first day of the week that Christ made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Multitudes who had flocked to see Him at Bethany now accompanied Him, eager to witness His reception. Many people were on their way to the city to keep the Passover, and these joined the multitude attending
Jesus.—The Desire of Ages, p. 569.
Priests and traders fled from His presence, driving their cattle before them.
On the way from the temple they were met by a throng who came with their sick inquiring for the Great Healer. . . . eager to reach Him who was their only hope. . . . Again the temple court was filled by the sick and the dying, and once more Jesus ministered to them. . . .
Quietly returning to the temple, [the priests and rulers] heard the voices of men, women, and children praising God. Upon entering, they stood transfixed before the wonderful scene. They saw the sick healed, the blind restored to sight, and deaf receive their hearing, and the crippled leap for joy. . . . Now with glad voices the children sounded His praise. They repeated the hosannas of the day before, and waved palm branches triumphantly before the Saviour. The temple echoed and re-echoed with their acclamations, “Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord!” . . . Psalm
118:26.—The Desire of Ages, pp. 591, 592.
When truth becomes an abiding principle in the life, the soul is “born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” This new birth is the result of receiving Christ as the Word of God. When by the Holy Spirit divine truths are impressed upon the heart, new conceptions are awakened, and the energies hitherto dormant are aroused to co-operate with God.
Thus it had been with Peter and his fellow disciples. . . . The Word bore testimony through them, the men of His appointment, and they proclaimed the mighty truth, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, . . . full of grace and truth.” [John 1:14.]
The apostle exhorted the believers to study the Scriptures, through a proper understanding of which they might make sure work for eternity. Peter realized that in the experience of every soul who is finally victorious there would be scenes of perplexity and trial; but he knew also that an understanding of the Scriptures would enable the tempted one to bring to mind promises that would comfort the heart and strengthen faith in the Mighty
One.—The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 520, 521.
THURSDAY November 21
From Beneath
In our study of John so far, we’ve seen that John shows how Jesus,
indeed, is the promised Messiah, the great hope that the Jewish people
had been longing for.
And yet, many of the religious leaders, the spiritual guides of the
people, were His biggest enemies instead.
Why?
Read John 8:12–30. What is the dynamic here between Jesus and
these religious leaders? Which texts best explain why many rejected
Him?
Jesus says that they know neither Him nor the Father (John 8:19).
They should have known both, but these men were self-deceived. They
were so caught up in their own traditions and philosophies that even
with Jesus right before them, doing all the things that He did and saying
the things that He said—all powerful revelations of the Father—they
still rejected Him.
Second, Jesus says to them, “ ‘You are from beneath’ ” (John 8:23,
NKJV). In other words, however religious they might be, these were not
spiritual, godly men. They had a “form of godliness” (2 Tim. 3:5), but
that was all. They had outward piety but inward disbelief.
This was nothing new: “ ‘Inasmuch as these people draw near with
their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts
far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment
of men’ ” (Isa. 29:13, NKJV). This very concept is echoed by Jesus centuries
later, when He said, “ ‘And in vain they worship Me, teaching as
doctrines the commandments of men’ ” (Mark 7:7, NKJV). Their human
teachings, their human commandments, were “of this world” (John 8:23)
and, as Jesus then said, “I am not of this world” (John 8:23). It was bad
enough that these men had been deceiving themselves; the tragedy was
made worse because they also led others astray, even though, interestingly
enough, John wrote that as a result of the exchange depicted in
these verses, “many believed in Him” (John 8:30, NKJV).
Thus, even despite bad leadership, many Jews were able to get
beyond it and see, for themselves, who Jesus was.
What lessons do you draw from Jesus’ exchange with the religious
leaders? How can we be “from above” and not “from
beneath”—and how can we know the difference?
EGW Notes — THURSDAY ↓
Thursday, November 21
From Beneath
Jesus was hunted from place to place during his ministry. Priests and rulers were on his track. They misrepresented his mission and labor. He came unto his own and his own received him not. Angels watched the conflict at every step. They saw the spirit and work of the enemy. They looked with amazement upon the devices of Satan against the divine Son of God. They saw that he who had only been second to Jesus in power and glory had fallen so low that he could influence men to hunt the steps of Christ from city to city. When Christ sought the garden of Gethsemane, the enemy pressed darkness upon his soul. Even his disciples did not watch with him through that hour of trial. They heard the agony of prayer that came from his pale and quivering lips, but they soon allowed sleep to overcome them, and left their suffering Master to wrestle with the powers of darkness
alone.—Signs of the Times, November 25, 1889, par. 1.
We see how professedly righteous people can act out the spirit of Satan to carry their wicked purposes through envy and jealousy and religious bigotry. There is no warfare between Satan and the sinner, between fallen angels and fallen humans. Both possess the same attributes, both are evil through apostasy and sin. . . .
The prediction given in Eden refers in a special manner to Christ, and to all who accept and confess Him as the only begotten Son of God. Christ has pledged Himself to engage in the conflict with the prince and power of darkness and to bruise the serpent’s head. All who are the sons and daughters of God are His chosen ones, His soldiers, to war against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. It is an unwearied conflict of which there is to be no end until Christ shall come the second
time.—Christ Triumphant, p. 280.
As professed followers of Christ, we have much to learn. There is with many an icy chilliness, a reserve like that of the Pharisees, that must be broken down. . . . Like the Pharisees, [they] desire to be dictators, teachers. God sent his Son to give his people a better knowledge of the truth, to show them the best way to help their fellow-men. But the Pharisees refused to receive the divine instruction. They thought that Christ was too liberal. His ways did not agree with theirs; and instead of seeking to come into harmony with Christ, they sought to bring Christ into harmony with them. . . . In order to carry out their own purposes, they set themselves in opposition to Christ, and thus brought darkness upon themselves.
Those with whom God has intrusted his truth, must possess the same beneficent spirit that Christ manifested. They must adopt the same broad plans of action. They should have a kind, generous spirit toward the poor, and in a special sense feel that we are God’s stewards. They must hold all they have—property, mental powers, spiritual strength—as not their own, but only lent them to advance the cause of Christ in the earth. Like Christ they should not shun the society of their fellow-men, but should seek it with the purpose of bestowing upon others the heavenly benefits they have received from
God.—Gospel Workers, pp. 319, 320.
FRIDAY November 22
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “ ‘Let Not Your Heart Be
Troubled,’ ” pp. 662–680, in The Desire of Ages.
“As a golden treasure, truth had been intrusted to the Hebrew people.
The Jewish economy, bearing the signature of Heaven, had been
instituted by Christ Himself. In types and symbols the great truths
of redemption were veiled. Yet when Christ came, the Jews did not
recognize Him to whom all these symbols pointed. They had the word
of God in their hands; but the traditions which had been handed down
from generation to generation, and the human interpretation of the
Scriptures, hid from them the truth as it is in Jesus. The spiritual import
of the sacred writings was lost. The treasure house of all knowledge
was open to them, but they knew it not.
“God does not conceal His truth from men. By their own course
of action they make it obscure to themselves. Christ gave the Jewish
people abundant evidence that He was the Messiah; but His teaching
called for a decided change in their lives. They saw that if they received
Christ, they must give up their cherished maxims and traditions, their
selfish, ungodly practices. It required a sacrifice to receive changeless,
eternal truth. Therefore they would not admit the most conclusive evidence
that God could give to establish faith in Christ. They professed
to believe the Old Testament Scriptures, yet they refused to accept the
testimony contained therein concerning Christ’s life and character.
They were afraid of being convinced lest they should be converted and
be compelled to give up their preconceived opinions. The treasure of
the gospel, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, was among them, but they
rejected the greatest gift that Heaven could bestow.”—Ellen G. White,
Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 105.
Discussion Questions:
-
How do the prophecies fulfilled in Jesus’ life build faith?
-
What are the three or four major obstacles that stood in the
way of the religious leaders’ believing in Jesus? How are these
same principles manifested today?
-
Take a personal inventory of where your confidence resides
today. What steps do you think can strengthen your faith?
-
What should your answer to the question at the end of
Monday’s study teach us about the authority of Scripture, and
why must we reject anything that casts doubt on the final and
ultimate authority of the Scriptures?
EGW Notes — FRIDAY ↓
Friday, November 22
For Further Reading
That I May Know Him, “Christ’s Representatives in the World,” p. 306;
Reflecting Christ, “Jesus Showed Us How to Live,” p. 340.
INSIDE STORY
God’s Perfect Timing in Tbilisi
By Andrew McChesney
Zurab considered himself a Christian, but his relationship with God consisted solely of lighting candles in a cathedral in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. He had a Bible at home, but he only picked it up to dust it.
Then his conscience began to bother him, and he thought, If I’m a Christian, why don’t I read the Bible? A desire filled him to read the Bible.
He picked up the Bible and read it from beginning to end. He learned for the first time about the seventh-day Sabbath. Surprised, he looked online for more information. He watched about 100 YouTube sermons and was drawn to a preacher who explained the Bible in a clear manner. The preacher identified himself as a Seventh-day Adventist and said the church was comprised of millions of members who kept the seventh-day Sabbath.
Zurab had never heard of Adventists, and he recoiled at the idea of becoming one. Many Georgians think Adventists belong to a sect. He searched the internet for another church that worshiped on the seventh day and practiced other biblical truths that he had learned, but to no avail.
So, on a Sabbath morning, he showed up at an Adventist church in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. He stood outside, wanting to go in and not wanting to go in. Then the door swung open, and someone invited him inside.
Zurab received a warm welcome.
“Is this your first time in the Adventist Church?” someone asked.
“Yes, this is my first time,” he said.
“Great!” someone else said. “Come also to our evangelistic program.”
It turned out that the church planned to hold evangelistic meetings on that very evening. Zurab attended the worship service in the morning and the evangelistic meeting in the evening. After that, he returned every evening for the next two weeks. Then he was baptized.
Today, a year later, 36-year-old Zurab has a new relationship with God. He reads the Bible every day and shares it with his wife and two boys, who also go to church with him on Sabbath. Zurab is amazed at how everything came together—his desire to read the Bible, his discovery of the Sabbath and the online preacher, and his arrival at the Adventist church on the same day as its first evangelistic meeting.
He didn’t go to the church because of a mission outreach initiative. But the church members’ mission spirit made him feel welcome and at home. “Everything came together so well,” he said.
Part of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this year went to a health center in Georgia. Please pray for God to draw people to the center, just as He brought Zurab to the church, to learn more about Him. Watch a short video of Zurab at: bit.ly/Zurab-Georgia.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at
AdventistMission.org.
