LESSON 9 *May 20–26
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Rev. 17:1, 2, 15; Rev. 18:1–4;
Rev. 17:4–6; Matt. 16:18; Jer. 50:33–38; Ps. 115:4–8.
Memory Text: “ ‘These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb
will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those
who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful’ ” (Revelation 17:14, NKJV).
The great controversy theme is summarized in Revelation with
the symbolism of two women: one clothed with the sun, in
Revelation 12, and one dressed in scarlet, in Revelation 17.
The striking symbol of the woman clothed with the sun, in the dazzling
glory of Christ, is found in Revelation 12. She is faithful to her
true Lover, Jesus. She is not defiled with the corruption of false
doctrines. Throughout the Bible, a pure woman symbolizes the bride of
Jesus, or the true church. In Jeremiah 6:2, the prophet says, “ ‘I have
likened the daughter of Zion to a lovely and delicate woman’ ” (NKJV).
The prophet uses the expression “daughter of Zion” or a faithful woman
to describe God’s people. (See also Eph. 5:25–32 and Hos. 2:20.)
In contrast, the Bible likens apostasy to harlotry or adultery (James
4:4). Speaking of Israel’s rebellion and unfaithfulness, Ezekiel laments,
“ ‘You are an adulterous wife, who takes strangers instead of her
husband’ ” (Ezek. 16:32, NKJV).
In this week’s lesson, we will study these two women of Revelation
and probe, more deeply, the conflict between truth and error.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 27.
EGW Notes — SATURDAY ↓
Sabbath Afternoon, May 20
Lesson 9 - A City Called Confusion
The term “Babylon” is derived from “Babel,” and signifies confusion. It is employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate religion. In Revelation 17 Babylon is represented as a woman—a figure which is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church, a virtuous woman representing a pure church, a vile woman an apostate
church.—The Great Controversy, p. 381.
The solemn messages that have been given in their order in the Revelation are to occupy the first place in the minds of God’s people. Nothing else is to be allowed to engross our attention.
Precious time is rapidly passing, and there is danger that many will be robbed of the time which should be given to the proclamation of the messages that God has sent to a fallen world. Satan is pleased to see the diversion of minds that should be engaged in a study of the truths which have to do with eternal realities.
The testimony of Christ, a testimony of the most solemn character, is to be borne to the world. All through the book of Revelation there are the most precious, elevating promises, and there are also warnings of the most fearfully solemn import. Will not those who profess to have a knowledge of the truth read the testimony given to John by Christ? Here is no guesswork, no scientific deception. Here are the truths that concern our present and future welfare. What is the chaff to the
wheat?—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, pp. 301, 302.
As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies relating to the last days especially demand our study. The last book of the New Testament scriptures is full of truth that we need to understand. Satan has blinded the minds of many, so that they have been glad of any excuse for not making the Revelation their study. But Christ through His servant John has here declared what shall be in the last days, and He says, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.” Revelation 1:3.
“This is life eternal,” Christ said, “that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” John 17:3. Why is it that we do not realize the value of this knowledge? Why are not these glorious truths glowing in our hearts, trembling upon our lips, and pervading our whole
being?—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 133.
We should keep ever before us the fact that time is short. Iniquity is increasing on every hand. The righteous are set as lights in the world. Through them the glory of God is to be revealed to the world. Keep ever before you the solemn events of the future—the great review of the judgment and the coming of Christ. You with your family are to prepare for that
day.—This Day With God, p. 322.
SUNDAY May 21
Two Contrasting Systems
Read Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 17:14. How is God’s church
described, and what is Satan’s reaction to it?
* Your notes will not be saved!
Down through the centuries, God has always had a people who have
been faithful to Him. Revelation 12:17 describes the faithful as those
who “keep the commandments of God,” and those who are elsewhere
depicted as “ ‘called, chosen, and faithful’ ” (Rev. 17:14, NKJV).
Read Revelation 14:8 and Revelation 17:1, 2. What solemn
announcement does the angel make? And what did Babylon do to warrant
such an announcement?
John wrote the book of Revelation at the end of the first century.
By this time, the ancient city of Babylon was a dust heap. When John
wrote down the messages in the book of Revelation, the literal city of
Babylon had been destroyed for more than several centuries.
In Revelation, the ancient city of Babylon is taken to be a type, or
symbol, of the end-time Babylon. In the prophecies of Revelation, Babylon
represents a false religious system that will have similar characteristics to
Old Testament Babylon. The principles that guided ancient Babylon will
be the undergirding structure of modern, spiritual Babylon.
In Revelation 17:1–6, a woman dressed in purple and scarlet strides
across the landscape of time. This woman rides upon a scarlet-colored
beast. The Bible calls her a harlot. She has left her true Lover, Jesus
Christ. Here the apostle John gives us a graphic portrayal of an apostate
system of religion that has powerful influence in the world. Look at the
wording: this power was one with “ ‘whom the kings of the earth committed
fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk
with the wine of her fornication’ ” (Rev. 17:2, NKJV). Drunk? Always a
negative in the Bible. And fornication? Symbolic of the false teachings,
false doctrine, and practice.
Both leaders and the common people alike have been negatively
influenced by this power. What’s our only protection? (Read Eph.
6:10–18.)
EGW Notes — SUNDAY ↓
Sunday, May 21
Two Contrasting Systems
The Lord is about to punish the world for its iniquity. He is about to punish religious bodies for their rejection of the light and truth which has been given them. The great message, combining the first, second, and third angels’ messages, is to be given to the world. This is to be the burden of our work. Those who truly believe in Christ will openly conform to the law of Jehovah. The Sabbath is the sign between God and His people; and we are to make visible our conformity to the law of God by observing the Sabbath. It is to be the mark of distinction between God’s chosen people and the world.—Ellen G. White Comments, in
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 949.
The woman (Babylon) of Revelation 17 is described as “arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness: . . . and upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots.” Revelation 17:4-6.
The power that for so many centuries maintained despotic sway over the monarchs of Christendom is Rome. The purple and scarlet color, the gold and precious stones and pearls, vividly picture the magnificence and more than kingly pomp affected by the haughty see of Rome. And no other power could be so truly declared “drunken with the blood of the saints” as that church which has so cruelly persecuted the followers of Christ. Babylon is also charged with the sin of unlawful connection with “the kings of the earth.” It was by departure from the Lord, and alliance with the heathen, that the Jewish church became a harlot; and Rome, corrupting herself in like manner by seeking the support of worldly powers, receives a like
condemnation.—The Great Controversy, p. 382.
Two great opposing powers are revealed in the last great battle. On one side stands the Creator of heaven and earth. All on His side bear His signet. They are obedient to His commands. On the other side stands the prince of darkness, with those who have chosen apostasy and rebellion.
The present is a solemn, fearful time for the church. The angels are already girded, awaiting the mandate of God to pour their vials of wrath upon the world. Destroying angels are taking up the work of vengeance; for the Spirit of God is gradually withdrawing from the world. Satan is also mustering his forces of evil, going forth “unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world,” to gather them under his banner, to be trained for “the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Satan is to make most powerful efforts for the mastery in the last great conflict. Fundamental principles will be brought out, and decisions made in regard to them. Skepticism is prevailing everywhere. Ungodliness abounds. The faith of individual members of the church will be tested as though there were not another person in the world.—Ellen G. White Comments, in
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, pp. 982, 983.
MONDAY May 22
The Wine of the Wrath
Read Revelation 17:1, 2, 15 and Revelation 18:1–4. How extensive is
Babylon’s influence?
The fallen church system has an international reach, influencing people
around the world with her deceptions. Satan is enraged that the gospel will be
proclaimed to every “nation, tribe, tongue, and people” and that this “
‘gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world,’ ” so he employs every
possible deception to captivate the minds of the “ ‘inhabitants of the earth’ ”
(Rev. 14:6, Matt. 24:14, Rev. 17:2, NKJV).
Revelation 17:2 continues its explanation of the mystery of Babylon
the great by declaring that she has “committed fornication” with the
kings of the earth. What is fornication? It’s an illicit union. It is the
fallen church system uniting with the state. In the true church system,
the church is united with Jesus Christ. The fallen church looks to the
political leaders of the earth for power and authority. It seeks the state
to enforce its decrees. Rather than drawing her strength from Jesus as
her true Head, she looks to the state for support.
Revelation 17:2 continues its dramatic portrayal: “ ‘And the inhabitants
of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication’ ” (NKJV).
The symbolism of the pure juice of the grape is used throughout the New
Testament to represent the untainted, pure blood of Christ poured out for
our salvation on the cross (Matt. 26:27–29). In Luke 22:20, Jesus says,
“ ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood’ ” (NKJV). When the pure,
new wine of the gospel is distorted, and the teachings of the Word of God
are replaced with the teachings of human religious leaders, it becomes
the “wine of Babylon.” (See Matt. 15:9.)
Notice, too, that God calls His people out of Babylon. In other words,
no matter how corrupt and evil the system is, its reach is so wide that
it encompasses, at least for a certain time, His faithful ones, or “my
people” (Rev. 18:4), as He calls them. Yet, the time is coming when God
will call them out of that corrupt and evil system, which is about to fall
because of its corrupt and evil nature, this “ ‘dwelling place of demons’ ”
and “ ‘cage for every unclean and hated bird’ ” (Rev. 18:2, NKJV).
What role do those who proclaim the three angels’ messages
have in being used by God to call “My people,” His people, out
of Babylon?
EGW Notes — MONDAY ↓
Monday, May 22
The Wine of the Wrath
Our warfare is aggressive. Tremendous issues are before us, yea, and right upon us. Let our prayers ascend to God that the four angels may still hold the four winds, that they may not blow to injure or destroy until the last warning has been given to the world. Then let us work in harmony with our prayers. Let nothing lessen the force of the truth for this time. The present truth is to be our burden. The third angel’s message must do its work of separating from the churches a people who will take their stand on the platform of eternal truth.
Our message is a life-and-death message, and we must let it appear as it is, the great power of God. We are to present it in all its telling force. Then the Lord will make it effectual. It is our privilege to expect large things, even the demonstration of the Spirit of God. This is the power that will convict and convert the
soul.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 61.
[Satan] is setting his trained agents at work, and moving them to intense activity. He is securing his army of human agents to engage in the last conflict against the Prince of life, to overthrow the law of God, which is the foundation of His throne. Satan will work with miraculous presentations to confirm men in the belief that he is what he claims to be,—the prince of this world, and that victory is his. He will turn his forces against those who are loyal to God, but though he may cause pain, distress, and human agony, he cannot defile the soul. He may cause affliction to the people of God as he did to Christ, but he cannot cause one of Christ’s little ones to perish. The people of God in these last days must expect to enter into the thick of the conflict; for the prophetic Word says, “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”—Ellen G. White Comments, in
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1153.
The season of distress before God’s people will call for a faith that will not falter. His children must make it manifest that He is the only object of their worship, and that no consideration, not even that of life itself, can induce them to make the least concession to false worship. To the loyal heart the commands of sinful, finite men will sink into insignificance beside the word of the eternal God. Truth will be obeyed though the result be imprisonment or exile or death. . . .
Satan with all the hosts of evil cannot destroy the weakest of God’s saints. Angels that excel in strength will protect them, and in their behalf Jehovah will reveal Himself as a “God of gods,” able to save to the uttermost those who have put their trust in
Him.—Prophets and Kings, pp. 512, 513.
TUESDAY May 23
Mystery, Babylon the Great
Read Revelation 17:4–6. What do these verses teach us about the
nature of this evil system?
As we have seen, Revelation 17 describes an apostate religious
system that introduces into Christianity many of the teachings of Old
Testament Babylon.
“In order to search for an understanding of the nature of Babylon, we
need to go back to its first reference in the biblical record, in Genesis.
It all began on the plain of the land of Shinar, a region in the southern
part of Mesopotamia, today south Iraq, called Babylonia. It is there
that the Tower of Babel was built, a symbol of human self-sufficiency,
self-preservation, and independence from God ([Gen.] 11:1–4).”
—Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, “The Closing of the Cosmic Conflict:
Role of the Three Angels’ Messages,” unpublished manuscript, p. 43.
The Tower of Babel, the site of ancient Babylon, was built in direct
defiance to the word of God. The Babel builders built this monument for
their own glory, and God confused their languages. The Genesis account
puts it this way, “Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the
Lord confused the language of all the earth” (Gen. 11:9, NKJV).
So evil is this system that it is depicted as having been “drunk with
the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus”
(Rev. 17:6, NKJV)—horrific images of just how corrupt Babylon is
(see also Isa. 49:26).
In essence, spiritual Babylon represents a religion based on human
teachings, established on human ideas, and supported by human traditions.
It is a form of human-made religion built by, perhaps, brilliant
human religious leaders, but it stands in opposition to the power of
the gospel and the church that Jesus built, a church built on love, not
violence.
The book of Revelation describes these two systems of religion.
The first reveals total trust in Jesus and dependence on His Word.
The second reveals trust in human authority and dependence on
human religious teachers. One is a Christ-centered faith with total
dependence on Christ’s grace, sacrifice, and atonement for salvation.
The other is a humanistic approach to faith that replaces the
total dependence on Christ for salvation with a dependence on the
traditions of the church.
How can we protect ourselves from the subtle influences of
Babylon, such as the tendency, easy as it is, to depend upon
ourselves and not wholly upon God?
EGW Notes — TUESDAY ↓
Tuesday, May 23
Mystery, Babylon the Great
No sooner was the earth repeopled than men resumed their hostility to God and heaven. They transmitted their enmity to their posterity, as though the art and device of misleading men, and causing them to continue the unnatural warfare, was a sacred legacy.
This confederacy was born of rebellion against God. The dwellers on the plain of Shinar established their kingdom for self-exaltation, not for the glory of God. Had they succeeded, a mighty power would have borne sway, banishing righteousness, and inaugurating a new religion. The world would have been demoralized. The mixture of religious ideas with erroneous theories would have resulted in closing the door to peace, happiness, and security. These suppositions, erroneous theories, carried out and perfected, would have directed minds from allegiance to the divine statutes, and the law of Jehovah would have been ignored and forgotten. Determined men, inspired and urged on by the first great rebel, would have resisted any interference with their plans or their evil course. In the place of the divine precepts they would have substituted laws framed in accordance with the desires of their selfish hearts, in order that they might carry out their purposes.—Ellen G. White Comments, in
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, pp. 1091, 1092.
Those who are striving to be overcomers will be pursued by the temptations of the enemy. Satan will tempt them to corrupt the principles which all must maintain who would reach the high standard that God has set before them. Satan rejoices when he can lead souls to follow mistaken ideas, until their names are blotted out of the book of life and recorded among the names of the unjust. We can overcome only in the way that Christ overcame—by wholehearted obedience to every commandment of God. True religion is obedience to all the commandments of God.
Every soul who is saved must surrender his own plans, and follow where Christ leads the way. The understanding must be yielded up to Christ for Him to cleanse and refine and purify. This will always be done when we receive aright the teachings of Christ. O, how much we need a more intimate acquaintance with Him! We need to enter into His purpose, and to carry out His will, saying with the whole heart, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to
do?”—This Day With God, p. 322.
We must put on every piece of the [heavenly] armor, and then stand firm. The Lord has honored us by choosing us as His soldiers. Let us fight bravely for Him, maintaining the right in every transaction. Rectitude in all things is essential to the welfare of the soul. . . . Put on as your breastplate that divinely protected righteousness which it is the privilege of all to wear. This will protect your spiritual life.
If we have on the heavenly armor, we shall find that the assaults of the enemy will not have power over us. Angels of God will be round about us to protect us.—Ellen G. White Comments, in
The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1119.
WEDNESDAY May 24
A Call to Commitment
Revelation’s appeal is an urgent call to commitment, summarized
in the symbolism of the two women in Revelation. Although at times
it will appear that God’s people will be defeated in this cosmic
controversy between truth and error, God promises that His church will
triumph in the end.
Read Matthew 16:18 and Revelation 17:14. What promise did
Jesus give His disciples regarding His church?
Christ is the solid foundation His church is built upon. His church is
based on the teachings of His Word and guided by His Spirit. On the
contrary, Babylon, as we have seen, is rooted in human-made teachings
and traditions. Any religious leader who substitutes human opinions
or traditions in the place of, or above, the revealed will of God in the
Scriptures is simply fostering Babylonian confusion.
In the days of ancient Babylon, church and state were one and the
same thing. When King Nebuchadnezzar sat in his temple on his royal
throne, he supposedly spoke for the gods. On one occasion, as an act of
defiance toward the true God, the Babylonian king passed a universal
decree enforcing worship and commanded all his subjects to bow to his
decree, a powerful symbol of what God’s faithful people, who refuse
to worship the false image, will face in the last days. (See Daniel 3.)
In the last days of earth’s history, a church-state system will arise,
spiritual Babylon, with a spiritual leader claiming to speak as God. His
word will be declared to be the very word of God and his commands the
commands of God. Throughout the centuries, the Roman pontiffs have
declared that they stand in the place of God on earth. In his encyclical
letter of June 20, 1894, Pope Leo XIII stated, “We hold upon this earth
the place of Almighty God.” The Ferraris Ecclesiastical Dictionary adds,
“The Pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man,
but as it were God and the vicar of God.” The apostle Paul adds these
words exposing this power “who opposes and exalts himself above all
that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple
of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:4, NKJV).
Because we have already seen that God has faithful people in
“Babylon,” why must we be careful in how we talk about it, and
why must we be careful not to judge people as individuals, as
opposed to the system itself?
EGW Notes — WEDNESDAY ↓
Wednesday, May 24
A Call to Commitment
Human power and human might did not establish the church of God, and neither can they destroy it. Not on the rock of human strength, but on Christ Jesus, the Rock of Ages, was the church founded, “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18. The presence of God gives stability to His cause. “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man,” is the word that comes to us. Psalm 146:3. “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15. God’s glorious work, founded on the eternal principles of right, will never come to nought. It will go on from strength to strength, “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” Zechariah
4:6.—Prophets and Kings, p. 595.
In the darkest days of her long conflict with evil, the church of God has been given revelations of the eternal purpose of Jehovah. His people have been permitted to look beyond the trials of the present to the triumphs of the future, when, the warfare having been accomplished, the redeemed will enter into possession of the promised land. These visions of future glory, scenes pictured by the hand of God, should be dear to His church today, when the controversy of the ages is rapidly closing and the promised blessings are soon to be realized in all their fullness.
Many were the messages of comfort given the church by the prophets of old. “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people” (Isaiah 40:1), was Isaiah’s commission from God; and with the commission were given wonderful visions that have been the believers’ hope and joy through all the centuries that have followed. Despised of men, persecuted, forsaken, God’s children in every age have nevertheless been sustained by His sure promises. By faith they have looked forward to the time when He will fulfill to His church the assurance, “I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.” Isaiah
60:15.—Prophets and Kings, p. 722.
Every soul must have a realization that Christ is his personal Saviour; then love and zeal and steadfastness will be manifest in the Christian life. . . .
Christ should never be out of the mind. The angels said concerning Him, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Jesus, precious Saviour! Assurance, helpfulness, security, and peace are all in Him. He is the dispeller of all our doubts, the earnest of all our hopes. How precious is the thought that we may indeed become partakers of the divine nature, whereby we may overcome as Christ overcame! Jesus is the fullness of our expectation. He is the melody of our songs, the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. He is living water to the thirsty soul. He is our refuge in the storm. He is our righteousness, our sanctification, our redemption. When Christ is our personal Saviour, we shall show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous
light.—Reflecting Christ, p. 21.
THURSDAY May 25
Babylon: The Center of Idolatry
Here is another clue in clearly identifying the “mystery of Babylon
the great.” Idolatry was at the heart of Babylonian worship.
Read Jeremiah 50:33–38 and Jeremiah 51:17, 47. What do you
discover in these verses about ancient Babylon’s worship of images
and God’s response to it?
Jeremiah 50 and 51 predict Babylon’s destruction by the Medes and
Persians. One of the reasons for Babylon’s demise was its idolatry. The
Babylonians believed that these images were representations of their
deities. In Babylonian religion, the ritual care and worship of the statues
of deities was considered sacred; the gods lived simultaneously in their
statues in temples and in the natural forces they embodied. The pillaging
or destruction of idols was considered to be loss for the people of divine
patronage. For example, the Chaldean prince Marduk-apla-iddina II fled
into the southern marshes of Mesopotamia with the statues of Babylon’s
gods to save them from the armies of Sennacherib of Assyria (Jane R.
McIntosh, Ancient Mesopotamia: New Perspectives [Santa Barbara, CA:
ABC-CLIO, Inc., 2005] p. 203).
The Bible prophets contrasted the worship of these lifeless images
with the Creator God, who is both alive and life-giving (Jer. 51:15, 16,
19).
Read Exodus 20:4–6 and Psalm 115:4–8. What do they teach about
idolatry?
Though the issues of the idolatry of spiritual Babylon go deeper than
just bowing before images of wood and stone, spiritual Babylon does
parallel ancient Babylon with the images introduced into its worship
service. The use of images as objects of worship, or so-called
“veneration,” is a violation of the second commandment because it limits
the ability of the Holy Spirit to impress upon our minds the things
of eternity and reduces the majesty of God to a lifeless statue. These
images were introduced into Christianity in the fourth century to make
Christianity more acceptable to the pagan populace. Unfortunately,
these images are often given the sacredness and homage that belongs to
God alone, which makes the whole thing spiritually degrading.
EGW Notes — THURSDAY ↓
Thursday, May 25
Babylon: The Center of Idolatry
Idolatry and all the sins that followed in its train were abhorrent to God, and He commanded His people not to mingle with other nations, to “do after their works“, and forget God. He forbade their marriage with idolaters, lest their hearts should be led away from Him. It was just as necessary then as it is now that God’s people should be pure, “unspotted from the world.” They must keep themselves free from its spirit, because it is opposed to truth and righteousness. But God did not intend that His people, in self-righteous exclusiveness, should shut themselves away from the world, so that they could have no influence upon it.
Like their Master, the followers of Christ in every age were to be the light of the world. The Saviour said, “A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house”—that is, in the world. And He adds, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16. This is just what Enoch, and Noah, Abraham, Joseph, and Moses
did.—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 369.
He who searches the heart, desires to win His people from every species of idolatry. Let the Word of God, the blessed book of life, occupy the tables now filled with useless ornaments. Spend your money in buying books that will be the means of enlightening the mind in regard to present truth. . . . Grasp the Word of the Lord as the treasure of infinite wisdom and love; this is the Guidebook that points out the path to heaven. It points us to the sin-pardoning Saviour, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
O that you would search the Scriptures with prayerful hearts, and a spirit of surrender to God! O that you would search your hearts as with a lighted candle, and discover and break the finest thread that binds you to worldly habits, which divert the mind from God! Plead with God to show you every practice that draws your thoughts and affections from Him. God has given His holy law to man as His measure of character. By this law you may see and overcome every defect in your character. You may sever yourself from every idol, and link yourself to the throne of God by the golden chain of grace and
truth.—Selected Messages, book 2, p. 318.
The men of [Noah’s] generation were not all, in the fullest acceptation of the term, idolaters. Many professed to be worshipers of God. They claimed that their idols were representations of the Deity and that through them the people could obtain a clearer conception of the divine Being. This class were foremost in rejecting the preaching of Noah. As they endeavored to represent God by material objects, their minds were blinded to His majesty and power; they ceased to realize the holiness of His character, or the sacred, unchanging nature of His requirements.
Man will rise no higher than his conceptions of truth, purity, and holiness. If the mind is never exalted above the level of humanity, if it is not uplifted by faith to contemplate infinite wisdom and love, the man will be constantly sinking lower and lower. The worshipers of false gods clothed their deities with human attributes and passions, and thus their standard of character was degraded to the likeness of sinful
humanity.—Conflict and Courage, p. 50.
FRIDAY May 26
Further Thought: “The message of Revelation 14, announcing the
fall of Babylon must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have
become corrupt. Since this message follows the warning of the judgment,
it must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to the Roman
Church alone, for that church has been in a fallen condition for many
centuries.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 383.
Daniel 3—the story of the three Hebrews who had been ordered to
“ ‘worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up’ ”
(Dan. 3:5, NKJV) in ancient Babylon—stands as a symbol, a model, of
what will happen when spiritual Babylon, in the last days, will enforce
worship of a false “image,” as well (see Rev. 13:15; Rev. 14:9, 11;
Rev. 16:2; Rev. 19:20; Rev. 20:4). How interesting that the commandment
that the three Hebrews would have violated, had they obeyed the
king, the second commandment (Exod. 20:4, 5), was one of the two
commandments that this power, depicted in another place as seeking
“ ‘ “to change times and laws” ’ ” (Dan. 7:25), had tampered with.
What was the other commandment it tampered with? Of course, the
fourth commandment, which, as we have seen and will see again, sits
at the heart of the whole question of worship and will be central in
the final crisis when we face the question of whether we will worship
the One who “ ‘made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that
is in them, and rested the seventh day’ ” (Exod. 20:11, NKJV; see also
Rev. 14:7) or the beast and his image.
Discussion Questions:
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1. What relationship does the Tower of Babel have to modern
spiritual Babylon? What are the similarities between the two?
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2. How do you harmonize two contrasting ideas? Jesus has given
authority to His church, but it is dangerous to place our religious
experience in the hands of any spiritual leader. What are the limits
of church authority?
-
3. How can we learn that idolatry, one of the sins of Babylon, isn’t
just bowing down to statues? In what ways can even Protestants
fall into idolatry?
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4. What are some other parallels you can find between Daniel 3
and the forced worship there, and what we have been warned
about in the last days?
EGW Notes — FRIDAY ↓
Friday, May 26
For Further Reading
The Upward Look, “Laborers Needed for the Harvest,” p. 58;
Selected Messages, “Every Human Being Will Be Either in Christ’s Army or Satan’s Army,” book 3, p. 423.
INSIDE STORY
Bike and Bible: Part 1
By M. B., as told to Kathie Lichtenwalter
I wish you could meet Hussein, the security guard for the building where
my wife and I live as missionaries in the Middle East. From the time we first
met, we could see he observed his faith carefully and lived with sincerity. I
liked him. Hussein visited our home many times, and he invited us to his.
We often conversed about the simple things in life and even sometimes
about spirituality. At our initiative, he graciously joined us in prayer.
As our friendship grew by God’s grace, we sought to take a new step in
our friendship. We began to pray for the right moment to give him a Bible.
One day, I noticed that Hussein was upset. He impatiently explained that
his bicycle, his only transportation to work, had been stolen. He was
preoccupied with trying to find a bicycle to borrow. That’s the day that I began
praying for a bicycle for my friend. Several months passed, and we received
an unexpected gift of U.S.$40. I was puzzled. It seemed like God had sent
the money directly from heaven. As I was praying a short time later, the
distinct thought came to me, “Show Jesus to your friend. Buy a bicycle for
Hussein.” I set aside the $40 and began adding to it.
But the country’s economy worsened by the day, and no matter how much
money I saved, I did not seem to have enough to buy a bicycle. But I kept
praying and saving. I also went to many second-hand bicycle shops. I began
imagining what it would be like to give Hussein a bicycle for his birthday!
When Hussein’s birthday came, my wife baked a cake, I planned a special
menu, and we invited him for supper at 5:30 p.m. Certain that God could still
answer with a miracle, I went out looking for the bicycle that we had prayed
about for so long. At 5:00 p.m., I returned home, unsuccessful and discouraged.
My wife reminded me that God knew how much we wanted to help
and had prayed. “He’s taking care of the situation,” she said.
The supper was a perfect surprise. Hussein was delighted! He told us how
blessed he was to have us in his life. We enjoyed the meal together, presented
him with the cake, and had a special prayer for him, thanking God for his
life. But we had no bike. No gift.
The next day, still searching for a second-hand bike, I was startled by an
online post indicating that a Russian man had listed a bicycle for sale only
10 minutes earlier. I couldn’t believe the price, the
photo, and the condition of the bicycle. I grabbed
my phone, contacted the owner, and even bravely
asked for a discount. The deal was made. As I lifted
the bicycle into my car, I knew God had answered
our prayers. The bicycle had cost the exact amount
that I had saved over many, many months.
The mission story concludes next week.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at
AdventistMission.org.
