Click on the video at the bottom right for a totally enlarged screen, and connect the sound to powerful headphones and/or quality speakers. Find a Good Time, Be Amazed and Enjoy the Inspiration...PLEASE SHOW THIS VIDEO AT YOUR CHURCHES ON SABBATH AFTERNOON, BELIEVE ME IT WILL BE A HIT. SURELY IT WILL HAVE A BLESSED EFFECT ON THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE CHURCH. MAY GOD BLESS YOU EVEN MORE AND KEEP YOU IN A FRUITFUL FAITH IN HIM.
CREATION ANEW
Lesson & References Index (For the context Check www.biblia.com www.biblegateway.com) with notes added from the different versions of the lesson by our site www.sse6.blogspot.com
Lesson 13– March 23 to March 29
Sabbath: Creation, Again
(All Bible texts are in the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated)Sabbath Afternoon
Memory text: 2 Peter 3:13
13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:10-13
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
As we can see in these promises, too, God’s role as Creator didn’t end with the first Creation of the earth. It doesn’t end with the work that He does in us, to make us new creatures in Christ either. No, it continues. The same Lord who through the supernatural power of His Word created the world once will create it again, and with His supernatural power too.
L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Canis Majoris is the largest star known to humankind. "If the earth were a golf ball, Canis Majoris would be the height of Mount Everest!"* Climbing Mount Everest—29,029 feet above sea level—is a feat achieved only by the dedicated. Yet Revelation 1:16 describes Jesus as holding seven stars in His hand. Imagine Jesus holding Mount Everest. No wonder He tells us in Matthew 17:20 that faith, as small as a mustard seed, can move mountains. Imagine a mustard seed, a golf ball, Mount Everest, the earth, and the star.
Canis Majoris. (Google images may help to give us a better perspective on size.) Then imagine Jesus, our Creator, holding seven stars in His hand. When John saw Jesus like this, he was so awestruck he "fell at his feet as though dead" (Rev. 1:17, NIV). What would your response be? ...
When we consider the immense power and intelligence of our Creator, how can we not trust Him with our lives. Gaze upon the stars and see the glory and splendor of God. Look below the surface at a cellular level and see how intricately we are made. Explore a tranquil forest and be filled with the peace of God. Wander along a beach, and let your troubles be washed into the deep blue sea. God’s nature helps us to break away from worldly distractions to hear His loving voice.
As you study this week’s lesson, make a point to spend time in nature, just you and God. If you live where that is not possible, look at nature pictures on the Internet or check out some nature photography books from a library. Let your heart be immersed in nature’s serenity, magnificence, and cleansing power—all a reflection of our Creator God.
Jeanelle Isaacs, Sydney, Australia in Collegiate Quarterly, Sabbath March 23 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
As we can see in these promises, too, God’s role as Creator didn’t end with the first Creation of the earth. It doesn’t end with the work that He does in us, to make us new creatures in Christ either. No, it continues. The same Lord who through the supernatural power of His Word created the world once will create it again, and with His supernatural power too.
L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Introduction The Earth Versus Canis Majoris Rom. 1:20
Canis Majoris is the largest star known to humankind. "If the earth were a golf ball, Canis Majoris would be the height of Mount Everest!"* Climbing Mount Everest—29,029 feet above sea level—is a feat achieved only by the dedicated. Yet Revelation 1:16 describes Jesus as holding seven stars in His hand. Imagine Jesus holding Mount Everest. No wonder He tells us in Matthew 17:20 that faith, as small as a mustard seed, can move mountains. Imagine a mustard seed, a golf ball, Mount Everest, the earth, and the star.
The Word of God spoke, and nature occurred in an instant.
Canis Majoris. (Google images may help to give us a better perspective on size.) Then imagine Jesus, our Creator, holding seven stars in His hand. When John saw Jesus like this, he was so awestruck he "fell at his feet as though dead" (Rev. 1:17, NIV). What would your response be? ...
When we consider the immense power and intelligence of our Creator, how can we not trust Him with our lives. Gaze upon the stars and see the glory and splendor of God. Look below the surface at a cellular level and see how intricately we are made. Explore a tranquil forest and be filled with the peace of God. Wander along a beach, and let your troubles be washed into the deep blue sea. God’s nature helps us to break away from worldly distractions to hear His loving voice.
As you study this week’s lesson, make a point to spend time in nature, just you and God. If you live where that is not possible, look at nature pictures on the Internet or check out some nature photography books from a library. Let your heart be immersed in nature’s serenity, magnificence, and cleansing power—all a reflection of our Creator God.
Jeanelle Isaacs, Sydney, Australia in Collegiate Quarterly, Sabbath March 23 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Sunday – A New Beginning
Revelation 21:1-5
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and betheir God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me,“Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
Genesis 1:31
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
No question, one of the best promises of our new existence is that death and suffering will be forever gone. It is clear that God does not regard these experiences as positive. They were not in the Creation that God pronounced “very good” (Gen. 1:31). They are alien intruders; they were never meant to be part of the original Creation, and they won’t be part of the new one either. Jesus came to destroy these things, and we will never have to experience them again. The new creation brings a new beginning. This wretched experiment with sin will be over. The results are in, and they are clear: sin brings death and suffering, and God’s law is the law of life.
L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Logos Believing and Knowing “The Word” of Power
Whether we believe in God or not, we are exercising faith. Everyone chooses who or what they believe in, and their faith becomes the driving force of their lives. Some people search for happiness by living for the pleasures of the flesh. Others look for fulfillment in gathering the wealth and treasures of this world. Still others seek meaning in wielding the power they think they have, while many others put their hope in false gods. Multitudes turn to humanism in their desperate search for something to believe in, and masses passively follow the traditions of pseudo-Christianity.
However, pursuing these goals leaves an aching hollowness. Thankfully there is an exciting alternative. A meaningful belief in God, a committed worship of our Creator, and a personal experience with Him will shape and direct our lives. This is where the searching ends—and begins!
Knowing (Pss. 19:1-3; 139:14; Rom. 1:18-20)
Our faith is a matter of the choices we make. However, when we explore the wonders of creation, we begin to understand the wonders of our Creator. Read Psalm 139:14 and reflect on the wonder of the human body. Consider Romans 1:18-20 in light of the evidence of the Creator in nature. Take time to gaze at the starry heavens and to contemplate the vastness of creation and the meaning of Psalm 19:1-3. The evidence of the Creator in creation is overwhelming.
But God gives us other types of evidence as well. There are the prophecies of the Bible. There is the power of God to change lives. There is the revelation of Jesus Christ in human flesh. There is a personal experience in answered prayers. Our God is real and He wants us to know Him personally. He is the God of creation, the God of life—our life.
The Word (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15, 16)
While the members of the Trinity work in harmony, the Bible reveals that Jesus Christ has been particularly involved with our planet. Colossians 1:15 describes Jesus as pro-totokos—“the firstborn.” In this context, pro-totokos is “a figurative expression describing Jesus as first in rank, the figure being drawn from the dignity and office held by the first-born in a human family, or more precisely, the first-born in a royal family. Christ's position is unique, authoritative, and absolute. He has been entrusted with all prerogatives and authority in heaven and earth. Paul emphasizes the position of Christ because he is seeking to meet the arguments of the false teachers, who declared that Christ was created, and who denied His supremacy.”1
In John 1:1-3, 14, Jesus is identified as the logos, the “Word” of God. Logos means “utterance,” “saying,” “speech,” “narrative,” or “account.”2 In these verses, John employs the imagery of Jesus revealing God. In Genesis 3:15, God predicts the coming of a Deliverer. So the plan of redemption was covenanted before the creation of this world (1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8). God gave His word in Eden—and the Word is manifest when Jesus took the form of humanity. Jesus reveals the very thoughts of God. Indeed, Jesus is God. God's Word was given for you and me.
The Power (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9; Ps. 33:9; Heb. 1:1, 2)
Scientists have learned to split an atom in order to unleash an enormous destructive power. However, think of the power of God as He spoke and brought the atoms together. What sound accompanied the work of creation? Was there indeed a “big bang”? Notice the Genesis account and the repetition of the phrase “and God said.” The Hebrew word translated as “said” ('amar) in Genesis 1 is the same word translated as “spoke” in Psalm 33:9.3 Would we be afraid if we heard God's voice? Consider God's revelations to the prophets. “Thus saith ['amar] the Lord” introduces some of the most powerful prophetic messages (Josh. 7:13; Isa. 37:6; Jer. 4:3; Ezek. 5:7; Hag. 1:7). God has made many attempts to communicate with humanity (Heb. 1:1, 2). The all-powerful God is still speaking to us today.
Living Proof (John 2:1-11; 6:4-13; 9:1-12; Gal. 5:22-26)
When Jesus was present, water became wine. Five loaves and two fish fed thousands. And people were healed. Yet there will always be those who still refuse to believe (Luke 16:31). What is the greatest proof for you that Jesus is God? Note that even the devil employs miracles to convince people to follow him (see Matt. 24:24).
However, the manifestation of divine power is not limited to the days of the first disciples (John 3:3-6). Jesus explained our relationship with God by using the metaphor of the branch being connected to the vine (John 15). The unity of the Trinity is made evident by the Holy Spirit carrying on the work of re-creation in us (Gal. 5:22-26).
REACT
1. How can you have that genuine belief and worship that brings real happiness?
2. What corrupts your worship of the all-powerful Creator God?
3. How does God speak to you and through you?
4. What are the secrets of experiencing the power of God in your life?
1 The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 1st ed., p. 191.
2 Ibid., vol. 5, 1st ed., p. 897.
3 Heartlight's Search God's Word, “The Old Testatment Hebrew Lexixon,” http://www .searchgodsword.org/lex/heb/view.cgi?number=0559 (accessed October 25, 2011).
Graham Wynniatt, Adelaide, South Australia in Collegiate Quarterly, Sunday March 24 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Logos Believing and Knowing “The Word” of Power
Gen. 1:1, 3, 6, 9; Pss. 19:1-3; 33:6, 9; 139:14; Jer. 51:15, 16; John 1:1-3, 14; 2:1-11; 6:4-13; 9:1-12; Rom. 1:18-20; Gal. 5:22-26; Col. 1:15, 16; Heb. 1:1, 2
Beginnings (Gen. 1:1; Ps. 33:6, 9)Whether we believe in God or not, we are exercising faith. Everyone chooses who or what they believe in, and their faith becomes the driving force of their lives. Some people search for happiness by living for the pleasures of the flesh. Others look for fulfillment in gathering the wealth and treasures of this world. Still others seek meaning in wielding the power they think they have, while many others put their hope in false gods. Multitudes turn to humanism in their desperate search for something to believe in, and masses passively follow the traditions of pseudo-Christianity.
However, pursuing these goals leaves an aching hollowness. Thankfully there is an exciting alternative. A meaningful belief in God, a committed worship of our Creator, and a personal experience with Him will shape and direct our lives. This is where the searching ends—and begins!
Knowing (Pss. 19:1-3; 139:14; Rom. 1:18-20)
Our faith is a matter of the choices we make. However, when we explore the wonders of creation, we begin to understand the wonders of our Creator. Read Psalm 139:14 and reflect on the wonder of the human body. Consider Romans 1:18-20 in light of the evidence of the Creator in nature. Take time to gaze at the starry heavens and to contemplate the vastness of creation and the meaning of Psalm 19:1-3. The evidence of the Creator in creation is overwhelming.
But God gives us other types of evidence as well. There are the prophecies of the Bible. There is the power of God to change lives. There is the revelation of Jesus Christ in human flesh. There is a personal experience in answered prayers. Our God is real and He wants us to know Him personally. He is the God of creation, the God of life—our life.
The Word (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15, 16)
While the members of the Trinity work in harmony, the Bible reveals that Jesus Christ has been particularly involved with our planet. Colossians 1:15 describes Jesus as pro-totokos—“the firstborn.” In this context, pro-totokos is “a figurative expression describing Jesus as first in rank, the figure being drawn from the dignity and office held by the first-born in a human family, or more precisely, the first-born in a royal family. Christ's position is unique, authoritative, and absolute. He has been entrusted with all prerogatives and authority in heaven and earth. Paul emphasizes the position of Christ because he is seeking to meet the arguments of the false teachers, who declared that Christ was created, and who denied His supremacy.”1
In John 1:1-3, 14, Jesus is identified as the logos, the “Word” of God. Logos means “utterance,” “saying,” “speech,” “narrative,” or “account.”2 In these verses, John employs the imagery of Jesus revealing God. In Genesis 3:15, God predicts the coming of a Deliverer. So the plan of redemption was covenanted before the creation of this world (1 Pet. 1:20; Rev. 13:8). God gave His word in Eden—and the Word is manifest when Jesus took the form of humanity. Jesus reveals the very thoughts of God. Indeed, Jesus is God. God's Word was given for you and me.
The Power (Gen. 1:3, 6, 9; Ps. 33:9; Heb. 1:1, 2)
Scientists have learned to split an atom in order to unleash an enormous destructive power. However, think of the power of God as He spoke and brought the atoms together. What sound accompanied the work of creation? Was there indeed a “big bang”? Notice the Genesis account and the repetition of the phrase “and God said.” The Hebrew word translated as “said” ('amar) in Genesis 1 is the same word translated as “spoke” in Psalm 33:9.3 Would we be afraid if we heard God's voice? Consider God's revelations to the prophets. “Thus saith ['amar] the Lord” introduces some of the most powerful prophetic messages (Josh. 7:13; Isa. 37:6; Jer. 4:3; Ezek. 5:7; Hag. 1:7). God has made many attempts to communicate with humanity (Heb. 1:1, 2). The all-powerful God is still speaking to us today.
Living Proof (John 2:1-11; 6:4-13; 9:1-12; Gal. 5:22-26)
When Jesus was present, water became wine. Five loaves and two fish fed thousands. And people were healed. Yet there will always be those who still refuse to believe (Luke 16:31). What is the greatest proof for you that Jesus is God? Note that even the devil employs miracles to convince people to follow him (see Matt. 24:24).
However, the manifestation of divine power is not limited to the days of the first disciples (John 3:3-6). Jesus explained our relationship with God by using the metaphor of the branch being connected to the vine (John 15). The unity of the Trinity is made evident by the Holy Spirit carrying on the work of re-creation in us (Gal. 5:22-26).
REACT
1. How can you have that genuine belief and worship that brings real happiness?
2. What corrupts your worship of the all-powerful Creator God?
3. How does God speak to you and through you?
4. What are the secrets of experiencing the power of God in your life?
1 The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 1st ed., p. 191.
2 Ibid., vol. 5, 1st ed., p. 897.
3 Heartlight's Search God's Word, “The Old Testatment Hebrew Lexixon,” http://www .searchgodsword.org/lex/heb/view.cgi?number=0559 (accessed October 25, 2011).
Graham Wynniatt, Adelaide, South Australia in Collegiate Quarterly, Sunday March 24 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Monday – From Dust to Life
Genesis 2:7
7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Genesis 3:19
19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”
Isaiah 26:19
19 Your dead shall live;
Together with my dead body they shall arise.
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;
For your dew is like the dew of herbs,
And the earth shall cast out the dead.
Together with my dead body they shall arise.
Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust;
For your dew is like the dew of herbs,
And the earth shall cast out the dead.
Daniel 12:2
2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Job 19:26
26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
1 Corinthians 15:52-58
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
The God who formed Adam from the dust and breathed life into him has not forgotten how to create humans from dust. The resurrection will be an act of creation just as much as was the original creation of Adam.
The resurrection of the righteous at the second coming of Jesus is going to happen instantaneously. As with the first creation of humankind, it will be a supernatural event in which God does everything.
L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
“Nature and the Bible both show us of God's love. Our Father in heaven gives us life, learning and joy. Look at the wonderful and beautiful things of nature.”1 Romans 1:18-20 says God has been clearly teaching us truths about Himself through nature ever since Creation: “If we listen, we shall hear and understand the lessons God is teaching through the things of nature.
“Green fields, tall trees, and flowering plants invite us to know God. Clouds and the glories of the heavens speak of Him. Falling rain and running brooks turn our minds to the One who made them all. They invite us to know Him.”2
...God created the wonders of the heavens by His word and the breath of His mouth as He sent out power beyond imagination (Ps. 33:6, 9).
“God cares for everything He has created and provides what each needs. He holds the worlds in space, even though there are more than we could count. At the same time He cares for the smallest bird that sings its humble song without fear.”3 1 Ellen G. White, Steps to Jesus (1981), p. 9.
2 Ibid., p. 84. 3 Ibid., p. 85.
In Marisa Ansel, Swan Hill, Australia, from Collegiate Quarterly, Monday March 25 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Tuesday – Restoration of Human Dominion
The God who formed Adam from the dust and breathed life into him has not forgotten how to create humans from dust. The resurrection will be an act of creation just as much as was the original creation of Adam.
The resurrection of the righteous at the second coming of Jesus is going to happen instantaneously. As with the first creation of humankind, it will be a supernatural event in which God does everything.
L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
“Nature and the Bible both show us of God's love. Our Father in heaven gives us life, learning and joy. Look at the wonderful and beautiful things of nature.”1 Romans 1:18-20 says God has been clearly teaching us truths about Himself through nature ever since Creation: “If we listen, we shall hear and understand the lessons God is teaching through the things of nature.
“Green fields, tall trees, and flowering plants invite us to know God. Clouds and the glories of the heavens speak of Him. Falling rain and running brooks turn our minds to the One who made them all. They invite us to know Him.”2
...God created the wonders of the heavens by His word and the breath of His mouth as He sent out power beyond imagination (Ps. 33:6, 9).
“God cares for everything He has created and provides what each needs. He holds the worlds in space, even though there are more than we could count. At the same time He cares for the smallest bird that sings its humble song without fear.”3 1 Ellen G. White, Steps to Jesus (1981), p. 9.
2 Ibid., p. 84. 3 Ibid., p. 85.
In Marisa Ansel, Swan Hill, Australia, from Collegiate Quarterly, Monday March 25 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Tuesday – Restoration of Human Dominion
Genesis 1:28
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
John 12:31
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
Matthew 28:18
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Revelation 12:10
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
John 12:31
31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
2 Timothy 2:11-12
11 This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
12 If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
Revelation 5:10
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
And we shall reign on the earth.”
1 Corinthians 6:2-3
2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
Adam was given the responsibility to be ruler of the world. When he sinned, Adam’s dominion was compromised. Satan now exercised his power in the creation, causing the corruption and violence that we see everywhere.
After the Cross, however, Jesus won back the earth from Satan’s dominion (see Matt. 28:18, Rev. 12:10, John 12:31). And even though Satan is still allowed to operate on the earth and do damage, we can rejoice in the knowledge that Satan’s days are numbered: Christ’s victory on the cross guarantees that.
Those who are saved will be given authority as kings and priests. The idea of kingship implies some kind of authority; the idea of priests carries with it the implication of acting in communication between God and other creatures, perhaps even with those from other created worlds, those who have never known the experience of sin and the woe that it brings.
“All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar—worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings.”-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 677.
In L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, / their starry host by the breath of his mouth” (Ps. 33:6, NIV). To be certain we understand, David continues, “For he spoke, and it came to be; / he commanded, and it stood firm” (verse 9, NIV). In Genesis 1 and 2, we read about the creation of the world, in which God spoke, and the earth and all that is in it came into being.
...Paul describes Jesus this way: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him” (Col. 1:15, 16, NIV).
In the creation of the world, we see God as Creator. In the miracles Jesus performed, we see God as Creator. In the changing of our hearts, we see God as Creator. In all these things, God is greater than the created. He is greater than the miracles. He is greater than we are.
Christine Miles, Auckland, New Zealand, in Collegiate Quarterly, Tuesday March 26 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Adam was given the responsibility to be ruler of the world. When he sinned, Adam’s dominion was compromised. Satan now exercised his power in the creation, causing the corruption and violence that we see everywhere.
After the Cross, however, Jesus won back the earth from Satan’s dominion (see Matt. 28:18, Rev. 12:10, John 12:31). And even though Satan is still allowed to operate on the earth and do damage, we can rejoice in the knowledge that Satan’s days are numbered: Christ’s victory on the cross guarantees that.
Those who are saved will be given authority as kings and priests. The idea of kingship implies some kind of authority; the idea of priests carries with it the implication of acting in communication between God and other creatures, perhaps even with those from other created worlds, those who have never known the experience of sin and the woe that it brings.
“All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar—worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings.”-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 677.
In L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, / their starry host by the breath of his mouth” (Ps. 33:6, NIV). To be certain we understand, David continues, “For he spoke, and it came to be; / he commanded, and it stood firm” (verse 9, NIV). In Genesis 1 and 2, we read about the creation of the world, in which God spoke, and the earth and all that is in it came into being.
...Paul describes Jesus this way: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him” (Col. 1:15, 16, NIV).
In the creation of the world, we see God as Creator. In the miracles Jesus performed, we see God as Creator. In the changing of our hearts, we see God as Creator. In all these things, God is greater than the created. He is greater than the miracles. He is greater than we are.
Christine Miles, Auckland, New Zealand, in Collegiate Quarterly, Tuesday March 26 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Wednesday – More Restoration
Genesis 1:30
30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so.
Genesis 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Genesis 9:2-4
2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. 3 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
Isaiah 65:25
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
The lion shall eat straw like the ox,
And dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,”
Says the LORD.
The lion shall eat straw like the ox,
And dust shall be the serpent’s food.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,”
Says the LORD.
Isaiah 11:6-9
6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.
What had started as a peaceful kingdom had become filled with corruption, violence, and evil. These are the results of sin. The world that once was “very good” had become so bad that it called for its own destruction.
After the Flood, the animals became afraid of humans. This included the creatures of land, air, and sea. This is obviously in contrast to the previous situation. It appears that the dominion of humans over the animals was reduced at this time.
Through the beauty of this poetic language, Isaiah shows us that there will be no violence in the new world. Corruption and violence, those characteristics of the pre-flood world that called for their destruction, will both be absent from the new one. It will be a world of harmony and cooperation, a peaceable kingdom. We are so used to violence, predation, and death that it’s hard for us to imagine anything else.
In L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
How-to Experiencing God's Love Rom. 1:20
Feel good about the fact that you are deeply loved. Do not be too proud to be in awe when you experience the awesomeness of God's love. Always have a grateful heart. Just as an adult approves of the gratefulness of a child, God is delighted when His children thank Him for His love. In return, you may find that He has a thousand ways to reassure you of His love around each corner of life.
* Sam Jones, quoted in Leaves of Gold (Williamsport, Pa.: Coslett Publishing Company, 1948), p. 109.
From Peempahn Henley, Moree, New South Wales, Australia, in Collegiate Quarterly, Wednesday March 27 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.
What had started as a peaceful kingdom had become filled with corruption, violence, and evil. These are the results of sin. The world that once was “very good” had become so bad that it called for its own destruction.
After the Flood, the animals became afraid of humans. This included the creatures of land, air, and sea. This is obviously in contrast to the previous situation. It appears that the dominion of humans over the animals was reduced at this time.
Through the beauty of this poetic language, Isaiah shows us that there will be no violence in the new world. Corruption and violence, those characteristics of the pre-flood world that called for their destruction, will both be absent from the new one. It will be a world of harmony and cooperation, a peaceable kingdom. We are so used to violence, predation, and death that it’s hard for us to imagine anything else.
In L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Remember that God's love for us will be with us for eternity. What can we do to keep ourselves connected to His love? Remember that God's love is in plain sight. Sam Jones, an American composer, once said, “The mountains are God's thoughts piled up. The ocean is God's thoughts spread out. The flowers are God's thoughts in bloom. The dew drops are God's thoughts in pearls.”*
...Stop, observe, and understand His love...Feel good about the fact that you are deeply loved. Do not be too proud to be in awe when you experience the awesomeness of God's love. Always have a grateful heart. Just as an adult approves of the gratefulness of a child, God is delighted when His children thank Him for His love. In return, you may find that He has a thousand ways to reassure you of His love around each corner of life.
* Sam Jones, quoted in Leaves of Gold (Williamsport, Pa.: Coslett Publishing Company, 1948), p. 109.
From Peempahn Henley, Moree, New South Wales, Australia, in Collegiate Quarterly, Wednesday March 27 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Thursday – The Restoration of Relationship With God
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 7
Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker; but since man separated himself from God by transgression, the human race has been cut off from this high privilege. By the plan of redemption, however, a way has been opened whereby the inhabitants of the earth may still have connection with heaven. God has communicated with men by His Spirit, and divine light has been imparted to the world by revelations to His chosen servants. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21.
Genesis 3:24
24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
Exodus 33:20
20 But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”
Deuteronomy 5:24-26
24 And you said: ‘Surely the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire. We have seen this day that God speaks with man; yet he still lives. 25 Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore, then we shall die. 26 For whois there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
John 14:1-3
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Revelation 22:3-5
3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
“Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker.”-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 7. After the Fall, however, that close relationship was radically altered in many ways.
Sin had broken the relationship between God and humanity. God sent the couple away from His presence for their own protection. Humans could no longer see God’s face and live.
The Lord, though, of His own initiative, brought in the plan of salvation, through which the broken relationship could be healed, even at a terrible cost to Himself.
God and humanity are to be reunited, at peace, and meeting face-to-face...The original purpose behind the creation of humans will now be fulfilled. God, the human race, and the creation will be in harmony, and that harmony will last forever.
“Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker.”-Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 7. After the Fall, however, that close relationship was radically altered in many ways.
Sin had broken the relationship between God and humanity. God sent the couple away from His presence for their own protection. Humans could no longer see God’s face and live.
The Lord, though, of His own initiative, brought in the plan of salvation, through which the broken relationship could be healed, even at a terrible cost to Himself.
God and humanity are to be reunited, at peace, and meeting face-to-face...The original purpose behind the creation of humans will now be fulfilled. God, the human race, and the creation will be in harmony, and that harmony will last forever.
Even now, before the recreation of heaven and earth, how can we learn to enjoy a close communion with God? What choices do we make that impact our relationship with God, either in positive or negative ways?
In L. James Gibson, Sabbath School lesson of the day. He's director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in Loma Linda, California. Citation of the day from the Sabbath School lesson at www.ssnet.org added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
It is a beautiful thought that the Creator of heaven and earth valued His creation and called it “good” (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). It is remarkable that this Creator not only delights in His creation but also mourns its deterioration. It is liberating to think that the Creator considers His
created beings worth dying for. This reveals His character of love and justice. This should attract us to Him.
We are created in the image of our Creator—by Him and for Him (Col. 1:15). In the way personal and physical characteristics in parents are often reflected in their children, so there should be an obvious resemblance between the Creator and His children.
The relational nature of the Creator meant that He intended humankind to also be engaged in relationships with Him, others, and the environment. In the Garden, God gave humans the charge to care for and to populate the earth (Gen. 1:28; 2:15). However, while humans have excelled at populating the earth, they also have tended to misrule creation.
Famines are an example of this misrule. Amartya Sen says that starvation “is a function of entitlements and not of food availability as such.”1 He concluded that the Ethiopian famine (1972-1974) “took place with no abnormal reduction in food output, and consumption of food per head at the height of the famine in 1973 was fairly normal for Ethiopia as a whole.”2 Ruling the earth rightly and fairly involves serving and sustaining it while preserving the dignity of humankind.
Creation is . . . the theater of God’s glory. The beauty of creation plays an important role in feeding the human spirit. As we are blessed by God's creation, our spirits can be filled by the beauty of the Creator. When creation was marred by sin, it resulted in broken communities and relationships. The Creator had a plan to bring this broken world to a place where God's presence is experienced by all creation. Jesus—the Creator of heaven and earth—longs for us to respond to the wonderful truth of His love. 1 Amartya Sen, Poverty and Famines: An Essay on Entitlement and Deprivation (New York: Oxford University Press), p. 7.
2 Ibid., p. 111.
Sonja Larsen, Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia, in Collegiate Quarterly, Wednesday March 27 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Friday – Further Study
2 Ibid., p. 111.
Sonja Larsen, Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia, in Collegiate Quarterly, Wednesday March 27 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Friday – Further Study
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp.677-678
All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar--worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God's handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation--suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity. Upon all things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator's name is written, and in all are the riches of His power displayed.
And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.
"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Revelation 5:13.
The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.
Romans 8:18
18 For I consider that zthe sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
2 Corinthians 4:16, 17
17 For aour light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
Exploration The Heavens Are Declaring Gen. 1:1; Ps. 19:1-3; Isa. 40:25-28; John 1:1, 2; Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:16
