BLESSINGs and JOY: Sleep has been found to be one of the most important necessity to avoid so many problems, as stated in the latest research; sleep 7 to 8 hours daily, have a healthy lifestyle. Winners go to bed early and they wake up early. Rest is a change of activities, have a varied and balanced lifestyle. Enjoy the rest that the CREATOR has provided: La Nuit et Le SABBAT. Jesus knows best: "The Sabbath has been created for men not men for the Sabbath." Then Enter in the rest that God has planned for you with the help of the Holy Spirit and with the fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control. Continue to make the WORD of God an inherent part of your life: Jesus is the word, and He's life.
DISCIPLINE and FLOW: At first, studying the lesson seems to be another routine chore, and the feeling to get into it is not there, but the rewards are always fruitful and Holy. The Sabbath also seems to be another routine thing to do or even a burden at first, until the rewards are reaped, and we realize God is always right, as we feel refreshed and reinvigorated not only in our body but also in our mind. The connection with God is the same, we may feel bored at first when we don't have any pressing need to present to God, but the communion is always powerful and places us on the right tract in our life with more resources in our awareness. When it's time to go into that rest, don't delay, as the rewards are always there at the end. The pressing needs that distract us at first are no match for the serene and fruitful energy that we get in the right perspective with God at the end, and it's always a new beginning.
Moderation and Balance: It's important to enjoy moderation in everything so that awareness and sanity may fulfill one's life, unless we are expressly and clearly directed by God to insist on a particular thing. Thus is the relevance of the Sabbath and rest in our activities. The commandment demands work for 6 days and then rest and worship on the seventh. We have to have balanced and varied occupations during the week with enough rest, And we need the right balance in the Sabbath too with a sane and holy variation between Rest and Recreation of energies, Meditation, Prayer, Worship, Fellowship and Relationships, Study of the Word and Creation, Outreach and work for God. The same perspective has to be kept during the week with a different focus. Rest and the Sabbath are real blessings, enjoy with the right equilibrium, and profit from the fruits of the Spirit.
PRAYER: Communication and Communion with God. State of Spiritual Well-Being where the love of God pervades and transforms us. Total abandon to our Creator to Whom we can't hide anything. Connection to reform us like the clay in the great Potter's hands. Power of God the Eternal who acts through us in order to make possible all the potentialities that he has made available to us. Our life: a prayer to God, Meditation, Prayer, Praise, Worship, the Divine perspective in our life, the meaning of our life. Request to God and Listening to the Word of God, a meeting that fills our soul, a melody that defines us for who we are: God's children. Prayer asking God to put us back on the right path, to usher us in His Rest, a Sabbath opportunity for every day, more specially for the thorough 7th day, from evening to evening, a total communion, a priority communication, permanent, more ongoing and more punctual, with God the Father, God the Son Jesus-Christ and God the Holy Spirit, a more pervasive joy of the creation from the Creator...
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 11– March 9 to March 15
Sabbath: A Gift From Eden
(All Bible texts are in the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated)Sabbath Afternoon
Memory text: Matthew 12:8
8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Genesis 2:1-2
1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.
Genesis 2:1-3
1 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. 2 And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
Read Genesis 2
At the end of the sixth day, the Creation had been completed
(Gen. 2:1, 2). The world had been formed into a habitable place, and it had been filled with living creatures. Adam and Eve had been created in God’s own image and had been given a beautiful, well-provisioned Garden in which to live. They had formed the first marriage and established the first home. God was satisfied with what He had made. Something else, however, was added to this paradise: the seventh-day Sabbath (see Gen. 2:1-3). Genesis 2 disproves the common notion that the seventh-day is the “Jewish Sabbath.” Why? Because God “blessed the seventh-day and sanctified it” back in Eden, before the Fall and certainly before any Jews existed.
Plus, too, the Sabbath is a memorial to the creation of all humanity (not just the Jews), and thus, all humanity should enjoy the blessings of the Sabbath day.
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 Do Superman and Wonder Woman Need Sabbath Rest? Exod. 31:13
...When God created the earth, He had in mind a special gift for His people—the gift of time...
‘You must observe my Sabbaths. “This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy” ’ ” (Exod. 31:13, NIV).
God intends the Sabbath for everyone, and it will never go away. “ ‘As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,’ declares the Lord, ‘so will your name and descendants endure. From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,’ says the Lord” (Isa. 66:22, 23, NIV).
In the last days, Satan’s most furious attacks will be on the matter of worship. whom we worship and when we worship. Satan wants to keep us so busy with our secular activities that we will believe we have no time for Sabbath rest. And even if we do go to church on the Sabbath, he will attempt to distract our minds and hearts from the real purpose of the Sabbath. He will try to deceive us into thinking that we are super men and wonder women who need no Sabbath rest and no God.
Danilla Tham, Singapore in Collegiate Quarterly, Sabbath March 9 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day at www.ssnet.org added by us here at sse6.blogspot.com
Sunday – Creation and the Seventh-Day Sabbath
Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 307-308
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it."
The Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be remembered and observed as the memorial of the Creator's work. Pointing to God as the Maker of the heavens and the earth, it distinguishes the true God from all false gods. All who keep the seventh day signify by this act that they are worshipers of Jehovah. Thus the Sabbath is the sign of man's allegiance to God as long as there are any upon the earth to serve Him. The fourth commandment is the only one of all the ten in which are found both the name and the title of the Lawgiver. It is the only one that shows by whose authority the law is given. Thus it contains the seal of God, affixed to His law as evidence of its authenticity and binding force.
God has given me six days wherein to labor, and He requires that their own work be done in the six working days. Acts of necessity and mercy are permitted on the Sabbath, the sick and suffering are at all times to be cared for; but unnecessary labor is to be strictly avoided. "Turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and . . . honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure." Isaiah 58:13. Nor does the prohibition end here. "Nor speaking thine own words," says the prophet. Those who discuss business matters or lay plans on the Sabbath are regarded by God as though engaged in the actual transaction of business. To keep the Sabbath holy, we should not even allow our minds to dwell upon things of a worldly character. And the commandment includes all within our gates. The inmates of the house are to lay aside their worldly business during the sacred hours. All should unite to honor God by willing service upon His holy day.
Genesis 2:1-3 – See texts of Sabbath afternoon
Ellen G. White, Education pp.169-171
“Canst thou by searching find out God?”
No finite mind can fully comprehend the character or the works of the Infinite One. We cannot by searching find out God. To minds the strongest and most highly cultured, as well as to the weakest and most ignorant, that holy Being must remain clothed in mystery. But though “clouds and darkness are round about Him: righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne.” Psalm 97:2, R.V. We can so far comprehend His dealing with us as to discern boundless mercy united to infinite power. We can understand as much of His purposes as we are capable of comprehending; beyond this we may still trust the hand that is omnipotent, the heart that is full of love.
The word of God, like the character of its Author, presents mysteries that can never be fully comprehended by finite beings. But God has given in the Scriptures sufficient evidence of their divine authority. His own existence, His character, the truthfulness of His word, are established by testimony that appeals to our reason; and this testimony is abundant. True, He has not removed the possibility of doubt; faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration; those who wish to doubt have opportunity; but those who desire to know the truth find ample ground for faith.
We have no reason to doubt God’s word because we cannot understand the mysteries of His providence. In the natural world we are constantly surrounded with wonders beyond our comprehension. Should we then be surprised to find in the spiritual world also mysteries that we cannot fathom? The difficulty lies solely in the weakness and narrowness of the human mind.
The mysteries of the Bible, so far from being an argument against it, are among the strongest evidences of its divine inspiration. If it contained no account of God but that which we could comprehend; if His greatness and majesty could be grasped by finite minds, then the Bible would not, as now, bear the unmistakable evidences of divinity. The greatness of its themes should inspire faith in it as the word of God.
The Bible unfolds truth with a simplicity and an adaptation to the needs and longings of the human heart that has astonished and charmed the most highly cultivated minds, while to the humble and uncultured also it makes plain the way of life. “The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein,” Isaiah 35:8. No child need mistake the path. Not one trembling seeker need fail of walking in pure and holy light. Yet the most simply stated truths lay hold upon themes elevated, far-reaching, infinitely beyond the power of human comprehension,—mysteries that are the hiding of His glory, mysteries that overpower the mind in its research,—while they inspire the sincere seeker for truth with reverence and faith. The more we search the Bible, the deeper is our conviction that it is the word of the living God, and human reason bows before the majesty of divine revelation.
God intends that to the earnest seeker the truths of His word shall be ever unfolding. While “the secret things belong unto the Lord our God,” “those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children.” Deuteronomy 29:29. The idea that certain portions of the Bible cannot be understood has led to neglect of some of its most important truths. The fact needs to be emphasized, and often repeated, that the mysteries of the Bible are not such because God has sought to conceal truth, but because our own weakness or ignorance makes us incapable of comprehending or appropriating truth. The limitation is not in His purpose, but in our capacity. Of those very portions of Scripture often passed by as impossible to be understood, God desires us to understand as much as our minds are capable of receiving. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” that we may be “thoroughly furnished unto all good works,” 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
It is impossible for any human mind to exhaust even one truth or promise of the Bible. One catches the glory from one point of view, another from another point; yet we can discern only gleamings. The full radiance is beyond our vision.
As we contemplate the great things of God’s word, we look into a fountain that broadens and deepens beneath our gaze. Its breadth and depth pass our knowledge. As we gaze, the vision widens; stretched out before us we behold a boundless, shoreless sea.
Hebrews 4:3-4
3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
“So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest,’”
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;
“The Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be remembered and observed as the memorial of the Creator’s work.”-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 307.
This is a clear New Testament reference to the Genesis Creation account, and it provides additional evidence for the historical truth of Creation in six days, followed by a day of rest.
Many today resist the idea that Creation took place in six days. They demand scientific evidence that the record is true. But science itself comes with many contingencies, uncertainties, and presuppositions. Plus, how could a literal six-day Creation be proved, anyway?
God “has not removed the possibility of doubt; faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration; those who wish to doubt have opportunity; but those who desire to know the truth find ample ground for faith.”-Ellen G. White,Education, p. 169.
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
The Beginning of the Day (Gen. 1:3-5) The Beginning of Marriage (Mark 10:6-9) The Beginning of the Rest (Gen. 2:2, 3) The Beginning of Earthly Relationships (Gen. 1:24-31; 2:1-3) The Beginning of the End (Exod. 20:8-11)
Sabbath rest isn’t just any rest. Benjamin Kipzanang, Singapore in Collegiate Quarterly, Sunday March 10, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
“So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest,’”
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;
“The Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded at creation. It is to be remembered and observed as the memorial of the Creator’s work.”-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 307.
This is a clear New Testament reference to the Genesis Creation account, and it provides additional evidence for the historical truth of Creation in six days, followed by a day of rest.
Many today resist the idea that Creation took place in six days. They demand scientific evidence that the record is true. But science itself comes with many contingencies, uncertainties, and presuppositions. Plus, how could a literal six-day Creation be proved, anyway?
God “has not removed the possibility of doubt; faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration; those who wish to doubt have opportunity; but those who desire to know the truth find ample ground for faith.”-Ellen G. White,Education, p. 169.
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
The Beginning of the Day (Gen. 1:3-5) The Beginning of Marriage (Mark 10:6-9) The Beginning of the Rest (Gen. 2:2, 3) The Beginning of Earthly Relationships (Gen. 1:24-31; 2:1-3) The Beginning of the End (Exod. 20:8-11)
Sabbath rest isn’t just any rest. Benjamin Kipzanang, Singapore in Collegiate Quarterly, Sunday March 10, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Monday – The Rich Meaning of Sabbath Rest
Deuteronomy 5:12-15
12 ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of theLORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your ox, nor your donkey, nor any of your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. 15 And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.
Exodus 20:8-11
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days theLORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Ezekiel 20:12
12 Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
Exodus 31:13
13 “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it isa sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am theLORD who sanctifies you.
Psalm 51:10
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
The passages that mention sanctification remind us that only God can make us holy. Only the Creator can create a new heart within us.
Consider, then, three reasons given for Sabbath observance and how they are related. We observe the Sabbath on the seventh day in recognition of the fact that God created in six days and rested on the seventh. We also observe the Sabbath on the seventh day because God is the one who redeemed us, saved us in Christ. And also He is the One who sanctifies us, which comes only from the creative power of God, as well (see Ps. 51:10, 2 Cor. 5:17).
Theories, therefore, that deny the six-day Creation tend to diminish God’s grace and magnify the value of our own efforts to be good enough to be saved. The Creation story reminds us of our total dependence on grace and the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ in our place.
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
3 Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 353. 4 Ibid., p. 349. 5 Ibid., p. 350. in Jimmy Quek, Singapore from Collegiate Quarterly, Monday March 11, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Tuesday – Jesus and the Sabbath
The passages that mention sanctification remind us that only God can make us holy. Only the Creator can create a new heart within us.
Consider, then, three reasons given for Sabbath observance and how they are related. We observe the Sabbath on the seventh day in recognition of the fact that God created in six days and rested on the seventh. We also observe the Sabbath on the seventh day because God is the one who redeemed us, saved us in Christ. And also He is the One who sanctifies us, which comes only from the creative power of God, as well (see Ps. 51:10, 2 Cor. 5:17).
Theories, therefore, that deny the six-day Creation tend to diminish God’s grace and magnify the value of our own efforts to be good enough to be saved. The Creation story reminds us of our total dependence on grace and the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ in our place.
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
"All through the week we are to have the Sabbath in mind." We are not merely to observe the Sabbath as a legal matter. We are to understand its spiritual bearing upon all the transactions of life.”3
“Great blessings are enfolded in the observance of the Sabbath, and God desires that the Sabbath day shall be to us a day of joy. There was joy at the institution of the Sabbath. God looked with satisfaction upon the work of His hands. All things that He had made He pronounced ‘very good.’ Genesis 1:31. Heaven and earth were filled with rejoicing.”4
“The fourth commandment alone of all the ten contains the seal of the great Lawgiver, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Those who obey this commandment take upon themselves His name, and all the blessings it involves are theirs.”53 Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 353. 4 Ibid., p. 349. 5 Ibid., p. 350. in Jimmy Quek, Singapore from Collegiate Quarterly, Monday March 11, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Tuesday – Jesus and the Sabbath
Matthew 12:9-13
9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.
11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.
Luke 13:10-17
10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her,“Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14 But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day.”
15 The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? 16 So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” 17 And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.
John 5:1-17
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’”
12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him,“See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
Food is a necessity, and it was perfectly acceptable for the disciples to relieve their hunger by eating what they found as they walked along. The problem was that religious leaders regarded their own made-up rules for Sabbath observance as more important than was human need.
Nowhere in all the Sabbath controversies recorded in the Gospels does the question of the validity of the Sabbath ever arise. The issue, instead, was how should the seventh-day be kept, not whether it was to be abolished or superseded by something else.
Jesus’ example shows not only that the Sabbath remains something that should be observed but also shows us how the Sabbath should be kept. And one thing we can clearly see from His example is that work done on the Sabbath to help relieve human suffering does not violate the Sabbath. On the contrary, if anything, His example shows that doing good for others is exactly how the Sabbath should be kept.
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
Why then do so many Christians view Sunday as the day of rest and worship? The answer can be traced to Roman times. In a.d. 135, the Jews revolted against their Roman rulers. Consequently, Emperor Hadrian outlawed Judaism, paying particular attention to unique Jewish teachings, including Sabbath keeping. Christians, previously viewed as a subset of Judaism, thus felt they had to distance themselves from the Jews to escape persecution. One obvious way to do this was to refrain from observing the biblical Sabbath.
The religious observance of Sunday . . . was cemented in a.d. 325.
So many turned to Sunday, quite possibly because of the influence of sun worship at that time. The cult of Sol Invictus, the “Invincible Sun,” was the dominant Roman religion during the second century a.d.
Because the sun's day (Sunday) was the most important day of the week in popular Roman culture at the time, it may have influenced Christians with a pagan background to also adopt Sunday. It not only proved their separation from Judaism, it showed their alliance with Roman practices, promising legal recognition of their religion, unlike Judaism.
This separation from the Jews and the religious observance of Sunday as a day of worship was cemented in a.d. 325 when Christian convert, Emperor Constantine, wrote to the Council of Nicea (an attempt to reach a consensus in Christian beliefs), saying, “We ought not therefore to have anything in common with the Jew. . . . We desire, dearest brethren to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jew.”*
Melody Tan, Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia in Collegiate Quarterly, Tuesday March 12, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Food is a necessity, and it was perfectly acceptable for the disciples to relieve their hunger by eating what they found as they walked along. The problem was that religious leaders regarded their own made-up rules for Sabbath observance as more important than was human need.
Nowhere in all the Sabbath controversies recorded in the Gospels does the question of the validity of the Sabbath ever arise. The issue, instead, was how should the seventh-day be kept, not whether it was to be abolished or superseded by something else.
Jesus’ example shows not only that the Sabbath remains something that should be observed but also shows us how the Sabbath should be kept. And one thing we can clearly see from His example is that work done on the Sabbath to help relieve human suffering does not violate the Sabbath. On the contrary, if anything, His example shows that doing good for others is exactly how the Sabbath should be kept.
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
Is the seventh day Saturday or Sunday?
The internationally accepted calendar is the Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. It is essentially a reform of the Julian calendar, introduced in 45 b.c. by Julius Caesar. While the names of the days of the week have varied through the ages, the seven-day week cycle has been continuously maintained since the establishment of ancient cultures. So while the calendars of certain countries may start their week on a Monday, Saturday is still the seventh day of the week, making it the biblical Sabbath.Why then do so many Christians view Sunday as the day of rest and worship? The answer can be traced to Roman times. In a.d. 135, the Jews revolted against their Roman rulers. Consequently, Emperor Hadrian outlawed Judaism, paying particular attention to unique Jewish teachings, including Sabbath keeping. Christians, previously viewed as a subset of Judaism, thus felt they had to distance themselves from the Jews to escape persecution. One obvious way to do this was to refrain from observing the biblical Sabbath.
The religious observance of Sunday . . . was cemented in a.d. 325.
So many turned to Sunday, quite possibly because of the influence of sun worship at that time. The cult of Sol Invictus, the “Invincible Sun,” was the dominant Roman religion during the second century a.d.
Because the sun's day (Sunday) was the most important day of the week in popular Roman culture at the time, it may have influenced Christians with a pagan background to also adopt Sunday. It not only proved their separation from Judaism, it showed their alliance with Roman practices, promising legal recognition of their religion, unlike Judaism.
This separation from the Jews and the religious observance of Sunday as a day of worship was cemented in a.d. 325 when Christian convert, Emperor Constantine, wrote to the Council of Nicea (an attempt to reach a consensus in Christian beliefs), saying, “We ought not therefore to have anything in common with the Jew. . . . We desire, dearest brethren to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jew.”*
Melody Tan, Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia in Collegiate Quarterly, Tuesday March 12, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Wednesday – Sabbath and the Last Days
2 Peter 3:3-7
3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Revelation 14:6-7
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
Revelation 14:8-10
8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
The scoffers are wrong. Judgment is coming, and we are called to worship the One who “created the heavens and the earth, the seas” and everything else. This is Creation language. The text alludes to Exodus 20:11 and points out the significance of Creation and Sabbath in the end times. As the Sabbath symbolizes the biblical story of Creation and Redemption, so rejection of the Creation story leads to rejection of the seventh-day Sabbath and to the establishment of a man-made substitute. The result, indicated in Revelation 14:8-10, is spiritual fornication and separation from God.
God is calling people to worship Him as the Creator, and nowhere in the Bible do we find anything that points so fully to Him as the Creator as does the seventh-day Sabbath. It is no wonder, then, that we see the Sabbath, the original sign of God as Creator as being pivotal in the last days.
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 Practice Makes Perfect Isa. 58:13, 14
The Sabbath should be a day of renewal.
...Then, when the Sabbath comes around, we either treat it as any other day by rushing around, or we swing to the other extreme and do nothing.
Put God first. Start out each day with God as your focus. When we put Him first in our lives, everything else will just fall into place (Matt. 6:33).
Learn from the Ultimate Example. Jesus healed people any day of the week, wherever He went. He also listened to people and preached wherever He was, seven days a week. But He also spent time alone with God away from the crowds (Matt. 14:22, 23). We can be prepared for our Sabbath rest through daily prayer, through meditating on and studying God's Word, and through seeking guidance from Him in our daily activities.
Be prepared. God provided the Israelites with a double portion of manna on Friday so they would not need to be concerned about preparing food on the Sabbath. Likewise, we can be ready for the Sabbath by preparing certain foods ahead of time and by making sure our Sabbath clothes are ready for us to wear (Exod. 16:23).
Practice makes perfect. Practice, practice, and practice some more. Keep on repeating these steps until preparing for the Sabbath and keeping it as God intends becomes second nature.
Pan Shuqin, Singapore in Collegiate Quarterly, Wednesday March 13, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
The scoffers are wrong. Judgment is coming, and we are called to worship the One who “created the heavens and the earth, the seas” and everything else. This is Creation language. The text alludes to Exodus 20:11 and points out the significance of Creation and Sabbath in the end times. As the Sabbath symbolizes the biblical story of Creation and Redemption, so rejection of the Creation story leads to rejection of the seventh-day Sabbath and to the establishment of a man-made substitute. The result, indicated in Revelation 14:8-10, is spiritual fornication and separation from God.
God is calling people to worship Him as the Creator, and nowhere in the Bible do we find anything that points so fully to Him as the Creator as does the seventh-day Sabbath. It is no wonder, then, that we see the Sabbath, the original sign of God as Creator as being pivotal in the last days.
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
The Sabbath should be a day of renewal.
...Then, when the Sabbath comes around, we either treat it as any other day by rushing around, or we swing to the other extreme and do nothing.
Put God first. Start out each day with God as your focus. When we put Him first in our lives, everything else will just fall into place (Matt. 6:33).
Learn from the Ultimate Example. Jesus healed people any day of the week, wherever He went. He also listened to people and preached wherever He was, seven days a week. But He also spent time alone with God away from the crowds (Matt. 14:22, 23). We can be prepared for our Sabbath rest through daily prayer, through meditating on and studying God's Word, and through seeking guidance from Him in our daily activities.
Be prepared. God provided the Israelites with a double portion of manna on Friday so they would not need to be concerned about preparing food on the Sabbath. Likewise, we can be ready for the Sabbath by preparing certain foods ahead of time and by making sure our Sabbath clothes are ready for us to wear (Exod. 16:23).
Practice makes perfect. Practice, practice, and practice some more. Keep on repeating these steps until preparing for the Sabbath and keeping it as God intends becomes second nature.
Pan Shuqin, Singapore in Collegiate Quarterly, Wednesday March 13, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Thursday – A Psalm for the Sabbath
Psalm 92
1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
3 On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
4 For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
5 O LORD, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.
7 When the wicked spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.
8 But You, LORD, are on high forevermore.
9 For behold, Your enemies, O LORD,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10 But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
2 To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,
3 On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound.
4 For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work;
I will triumph in the works of Your hands.
5 O LORD, how great are Your works!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man does not know,
Nor does a fool understand this.
7 When the wicked spring up like grass,
And when all the workers of iniquity flourish,
It is that they may be destroyed forever.
8 But You, LORD, are on high forevermore.
9 For behold, Your enemies, O LORD,
For behold, Your enemies shall perish;
All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10 But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;
I have been anointed with fresh oil.
11 My eye also has seen my desire on my enemies;
My ears hear my desire on the wicked
Who rise up against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Daniel 7:20-28
20 and the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth which spoke pompous words, whose appearance was greater than his fellows.
21 “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.
23 “Thus he said:
‘The fourth beast shall be
A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.
25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time.
26 ‘But the court shall be seated,
And they shall take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
28 “This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
‘The fourth beast shall be
A fourth kingdom on earth,
Which shall be different from all other kingdoms,
And shall devour the whole earth,
Trample it and break it in pieces.
24 The ten horns are ten kings
Who shall arise from this kingdom.
And another shall rise after them;
He shall be different from the first ones,
And shall subdue three kings.
25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High,
Shall persecute the saints of the Most High,
And shall intend to change times and law.
Then the saints shall be given into his hand
For a time and times and half a time.
26 ‘But the court shall be seated,
And they shall take away his dominion,
To consume and destroy it forever.
27 Then the kingdom and dominion,
And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,
Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’
28 “This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”
Revelation 21:5
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.”
The psalmist obviously knew the Lord, knew what the Lord was like, knew what the Lord had done, and knew what the Lord was going to do one day. And it is for these reasons that he expresses the joy that he does.
First and foremost, there is praise and thankfulness to God for His loving-kindness and faithfulness. Plus, any “psalm for the Sabbath” would, of course, include acknowledgment of God as Creator, which we see here, as well.
...In the Bible, God’s judgment is not just against the wicked but also in favor of the righteous (see Dan. 7:20-28)...
...Even if we don’t see these promises fulfilled now, we have the promise that this judgment ultimately will come at the end of time, when God creates all things new (Rev. 21:5)...
If we get nothing else out of this psalm, we should see that the Sabbath, however sacred, is a time to delight in the Lord, to rejoice in Him and in all that He has done for us and has promised to do. The whole tone of the psalm is that of praise, joy, and happiness, not because of anything that the psalmist had done but only because of all that the Lord had done and promised to do.
What a gift to be given: one-seventh of our lives set apart every week to rest and to be able—free from the busyness and stress of mundane existence—to rejoice in the works of the Lord for us.
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
Opinion An Inconvenient Rest Exod. 31:13
My pastor brought up the idea that Six days are worth more than seven. At first, this sounded ridiculous. What he meant, though, was that we can accomplish more in six days when we honor God on the seventh day than what we can do in seven days in our own strength.
How we approach the Sabbath signals how we approach God. Out of convenience? Out of sacrifice? Out of obedience? Out of love for Him and what He has done to save us? Look to the Sabbath with anticipation! Appreciate God's work instead of ours. After six days of hectic living, take a day to slow down and rest in God's comfort. Even He rested! How about you?
Clarence Cheong, Singapore in Collegiate Quarterly, Thursday March 14, 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
The psalmist obviously knew the Lord, knew what the Lord was like, knew what the Lord had done, and knew what the Lord was going to do one day. And it is for these reasons that he expresses the joy that he does.
First and foremost, there is praise and thankfulness to God for His loving-kindness and faithfulness. Plus, any “psalm for the Sabbath” would, of course, include acknowledgment of God as Creator, which we see here, as well.
...In the Bible, God’s judgment is not just against the wicked but also in favor of the righteous (see Dan. 7:20-28)...
...Even if we don’t see these promises fulfilled now, we have the promise that this judgment ultimately will come at the end of time, when God creates all things new (Rev. 21:5)...
If we get nothing else out of this psalm, we should see that the Sabbath, however sacred, is a time to delight in the Lord, to rejoice in Him and in all that He has done for us and has promised to do. The whole tone of the psalm is that of praise, joy, and happiness, not because of anything that the psalmist had done but only because of all that the Lord had done and promised to do.
What a gift to be given: one-seventh of our lives set apart every week to rest and to be able—free from the busyness and stress of mundane existence—to rejoice in the works of the Lord for us.
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
My pastor brought up the idea that Six days are worth more than seven. At first, this sounded ridiculous. What he meant, though, was that we can accomplish more in six days when we honor God on the seventh day than what we can do in seven days in our own strength.
How we approach the Sabbath signals how we approach God. Out of convenience? Out of sacrifice? Out of obedience? Out of love for Him and what He has done to save us? Look to the Sabbath with anticipation! Appreciate God's work instead of ours. After six days of hectic living, take a day to slow down and rest in God's comfort. Even He rested! How about you?
Clarence Cheong, Singapore in Collegiate Quarterly, Thursday March 14, 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, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 44-45
"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." "For He spake, and it was;" "He commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33:6,9. He "laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever." Psalm 104:5.
As the earth came forth from the hand of its Maker, it was exceedingly beautiful. Its surface was diversified with mountains, hills, and plains, interspersed with noble rivers and lovely lakes; but the hills and mountains were not abrupt and rugged, abounding in terrific steeps and frightful chasms, as they now do; the sharp, ragged edges of earth's rocky framework were buried beneath the fruitful soil, which everywhere produced a luxuriant growth of verdure. There were no loathsome swamps or barren deserts. Graceful shrubs and delicate flowers greeted the eye at every turn. The heights were crowned with trees more majestic than any that now exist. The air, untainted by foul miasma, was clear and healthful. The entire landscape outvied in beauty the decorated grounds of the proudest palace. The angelic host viewed the scene with delight, and rejoiced at the wonderful works of God.
After the earth with its teeming animal and vegetable life had been called into existence, man, the crowning work of the Creator, and the one for whom the beautiful earth had been fitted up, was brought upon the stage of action. To him was given dominion over all that his eye could behold; for "God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over . . . all the earth. . . . So God created man in His own image; . . . male and female created He them." Here is clearly set forth the origin of the human race; and the divine record is so plainly stated that there is no occasion for erroneous conclusions. God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery. There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the level of man's narrow, earthly conceptions. Men are so intent upon excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe that they degrade man and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. He who set the starry worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field, who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power, when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. Though formed from the dust, Adam was "the son of God."
He was placed, as God's representative, over the lower orders of being. They cannot understand or acknowledge the sovereignty of God, yet they were made capable of loving and serving man. The psalmist says, "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: . . . the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, . . . and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas." Psalm 8:6-8.
Man was to bear God's image, both in outward resemblance and in character. Christ alone is "the express image" (Hebrews 1:3) of the Father; but man was formed in the likeness of God. His nature was in harmony with the will of God. His mind was capable of comprehending divine things. His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason. He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God and in perfect obedience to His will.
As man came forth from the hand of his Creator, he was of lofty stature and perfect symmetry. His countenance bore the ruddy tint of health and glowed with the light of life and joy. Adam's height was much greater than that of men who now inhabit the earth. Eve was somewhat less in stature; yet her form was noble, and full of beauty. The sinless pair wore no artificial garments; they were clothed with a covering of light and glory, such as the angels wear. So long as they lived in obedience to God, this robe of light continued to enshroud them.
Revelation 14:6-13
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
Further Study: “God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery. There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the level of man’s narrow, earthly conceptions. Men are so intent upon excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe that they degrade man and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. He who set the starry worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field, who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power, when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator.”-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 45.
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
Exploration Recharging the Soul Gen. 2:2, 3; Exod. 20:8-11
The most valuable gift we can give to anyone is our time and undivided attention. When God created humankind, He gave us both of these gifts in the form of the Sabbath—24 hours each week when we can enjoy fellowship with Him and experience physical, mental, and, most important, spiritual renewal. The Sabbath is a sign that He is our Creator God and that we are His chosen people. It is a weekly reminder that He is unchanging and unchangeable and worthy of all honor, worship, and praise.
Audrey Andersson, Lindesberg, Sweden in Collegiate Quarterly, Thursday March 15 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
Further Study: “God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery. There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the level of man’s narrow, earthly conceptions. Men are so intent upon excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe that they degrade man and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. He who set the starry worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field, who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power, when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator.”-Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 45.
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
Exploration Recharging the Soul Gen. 2:2, 3; Exod. 20:8-11
The most valuable gift we can give to anyone is our time and undivided attention. When God created humankind, He gave us both of these gifts in the form of the Sabbath—24 hours each week when we can enjoy fellowship with Him and experience physical, mental, and, most important, spiritual renewal. The Sabbath is a sign that He is our Creator God and that we are His chosen people. It is a weekly reminder that He is unchanging and unchangeable and worthy of all honor, worship, and praise.
Audrey Andersson, Lindesberg, Sweden in Collegiate Quarterly, Thursday March 15 2013, www.cqbiblestudy.org, Citation from the Sabbath School lesson of the day added by us here at www.sse6.blogspot.com
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