Transcript SS Lesson 4 of January 24, 2009 The Gift of Prophecy and God’s Remnant Church.

SS Lesson 4 of January 24, 2009
The Gift of Prophecy and God’s Remnant Church
Introduction
What are synonyms for the
word remnant? The
remainder, relics, the rest,
artifacts, works of art,
historical objects. I like
the words relics, artifacts,
works of art and historical
objects. God’s remnant
church are all these words.
We will be making history
as we endeavor to
withstand the attacks of
the dragon.
Our memory text for this
week was: Revelation
12:17 “And the dragon
was enraged with the
woman, and he went to
make war with the rest
of her offspring, who
keep the
commandments of God
and have the testimony
of Jesus Christ.”
Sunday & Monday
Good Versus Evil: Act 1 & 2
Revelation 12:7-17 “War broke
out in Heaven. Michael and his
Angels fought the Dragon. The
Dragon and his Angels fought
back, but were no match for
Michael. They were cleared out
of Heaven, not a sign of them
left. The great Dragon—ancient
Serpent, the one called Devil
and Satan, the one who led the
whole earth astray—thrown
out, and all his Angels thrown
out with him, thrown down to
earth.”
“Then I heard a strong voice out of
Heaven saying,
Salvation and power are established!
Kingdom of our God, authority of his
Messiah!
The Accuser of our brothers and sisters
thrown out,
who accused them day and night
before God.
They defeated him through the blood
of the Lamb
and the bold word of their witness.
They weren't in love with themselves;
they were willing to die for Christ.
So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live
there,
but doom to earth and sea,
For the Devil's come down on you with
both feet;
he's had a great fall;
He's wild and raging with anger;
he hasn't much time and he knows it.”
“When the Dragon saw he'd been thrown to earth, he went after the Woman who
had given birth to the Man-Child. The Woman was given wings of a great eagle to fly
to a place in the desert to be kept in safety and comfort for a time and times and half
a time, safe and sound from the Serpent. The Serpent vomited a river of water to
swamp and drown her, but earth came to her help, swallowing the water the Dragon
spewed from its mouth. Helpless with rage, the Dragon raged at the Woman, then
went off to make war with the rest of her children, the children who keep God's
commands and hold firm to the testimony of Jesus.”
Revelation 12 introduces the great
controversy between Christ and Satan
in symbolic form, and describes its
progress from the time of Christ to the
time of the end. In verse 1 John sees a
dazzling sight—a pregnant woman,
“clothed with the sun, with the moon
under her feet” , and wearing a crown
of 12 stars. He calls the appearance a
“great sign”, indicating that the woman
is more than a mere woman. She is a
symbol for the church, or for God’s
faithful people. The woman's dazzling
appearance links her to Jesus, the Sun
of righteousness.
In these verses, a flood of water is sent against God’s people, a symbol of
persecuting armies. In Revelation 12:16 the earth is described as helping
the persecuted church. In 1620, the first pilgrims, fleeing the religious
persecution in Europe, arrived on the American continent. On this newly
discovered continent they found a safe haven where the persecuting
armies of the European powers could not reach them. Thus, symbolically,
the new continent America swallowed up the persecuting armies.
In Revelation 12:17, we are now in the time after the 1,260day period (which ended at the close of the eighteenth
century). Satan, seeing that he was unable to wipe out God's
faithful people, is angry with a particular group called “the
rest of her offspring” (NKJV) or “the remnant of her seed”
(KJV), “the children who keep God's commands and hold
firm to the testimony of Jesus.”
Tuesday
The Testimony of Jesus
What is the testimony of
Jesus? Two explanations
concerning its meaning
have been put forward.
The first view interprets
“the testimony of Jesus”
as man’s witness for
Christ. The second view
understands “the
testimony of Jesus” as the
self-revelation of Jesus—
His own testimony.
John 5:31 "If I bear
witness of Myself, My
witness is not true.”
John 3:11 "Most
assuredly, I say to you,
We speak what We
know and testify what
We have seen…”
John 3:33 "He who has
received His testimony
has certified that God
is true.”
Revelation 1:9 “I, John, your
brother and companion in
the suffering and kingdom
and patient endurance that
are ours in Jesus, was on
the island of Patmos
because of the word of God
and the testimony of Jesus.”
Revelation 1:2 “..who
testifies to everything he
saw-- that is, the word of
God and the testimony of
Jesus Christ.”
Revelation 20:4 “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given
authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of
their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped
the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their
hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
Revelation 1:2 “..who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of
Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.”
How has Jesus revealed Himself to you? Would you like to know Him better? What’s
the only way you can?
Revelation 19:10 “At
this I fell at his feet to
worship him. But he
said to me, "Do not do
it! I am a fellow servant
with you and with your
brothers who hold to
the testimony of Jesus.
Worship God! For the
testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy."
Wednesday
The Spirit of Prophecy
1 Corinthians 12:28 “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations,
varieties of tongues.”
1 Corinthians 12:10 “..to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to
another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the
interpretation of tongues.”
Ephesians 4:11 “And He
Himself gave some to be
apostles, some prophets,
some evangelists, and
some pastors and
teachers…”
The Spirit of Prophecy
through God’s prophets
was at the service of the
remnant, in the last day
church.
Thursday
The Remnant
Church
Genesis 45:7
“But God sent
me ahead of you
to preserve for
you a remnant
on earth and to
save your lives
by a great
deliverance.”
2 Kings 19:30 “Once
more a remnant of the
house of Judah will take
root below and bear fruit
above.”
2 Kings 19:31 “For out of
Jerusalem will come a
remnant, and out of
Mount Zion a band of
survivors. The zeal of the
LORD Almighty will
accomplish this.”
Isaiah 10:21 “A remnant will
return, a remnant of Jacob
will return to the Mighty
God.”
Isaiah 28:5 “In that day the
LORD Almighty will be a
glorious crown, a beautiful
wreath for the remnant of his
people.”
Isaiah 37:32 “For out of
Jerusalem will come a
remnant, and out of Mount
Zion a band of survivors. The
zeal of the LORD Almighty will
accomplish this.”
Jeremiah 23:3 "I myself will gather the
remnant of my flock out of all the countries
where I have driven them and will bring them
back to their pasture, where they will be
fruitful and increase in number.”
Jeremiah 31:7 “This is what the LORD
says: "Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the
foremost of the nations. Make your praises
heard, and say, 'O LORD, save your people, the
remnant of Israel.”
Jeremiah 42:2 “Jeremiah the prophet
and said to him, "Please hear our petition and
pray to the LORD your God for this entire
remnant. For as you now see, though we were
once many, now only a few are left.”
Jeremiah 50:20 “In those days, at that
time," declares the LORD, "search will be made
for Israel's guilt, but there will be none, and for
the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I
will forgive the remnant I spare.”
Micah 5:7 “The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst
of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like
showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or
linger for mankind.”
Zephaniah 3:13 “The remnant
of Israel will do no wrong; they
will speak no lies, nor will
deceit be found in their
mouths. They will eat and lie
down and no one will make
them afraid."
Zechariah 8:12 "The seed will
grow well, the vine will yield its
fruit, the ground will produce
its crops, and the heavens will
drop their dew. I will give all
these things as an inheritance
to the remnant of this people.”
Romans 9:27 “Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number
of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be
saved.”
Romans 11:5 “So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by
grace.”
Conclusion
As Seventh-day Adventists, we believe that we are members of God's
remnant church. However, this identification with the remnant church does
not accord us an exclusive status with God. You can be part of this corporate
remnant and still be lost. Salvation is not guaranteed through membership in
any church. We are saved as individuals, not as a church. It’s a great privilege
and responsibility, being part of this church, because we have a sacred
calling; but being a member of this church no more guarantees salvation
than being a Hebrew in ancient Israel did.
Being part of the remnant
means only that you have
great light, and with that light
comes important
responsibilities. It does not
mean you automatically have
salvation; nor does it mean
that those who aren’t part of
the remnant are lost. It’s an
unfortunate fact of sacred
history that many of those
who were part of God’s
remnant not only failed to live
up to the light they were given
but oftentimes rebelled
against it.
The claim that we are the
“remnant church” can sound
very arrogant and exclusive.
And yet, why does it make
sense that God would have a
special people with a special
message in the last days? Or
does it? Discuss.
Ellen G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, pp. 7-16
THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.
OF ALL THE BLESSINGS WHICH GOD HAS BESTOWED UPON HIS PEOPLE, THE GIFT OF
HIS SON EXCEPTED, NONE HAVE BEEN SO SACRED, AND SO IMPORTANT TO THEIR
WELFARE, AS THE GIFT OF HIS HOLY LAW, AND HIS HOLY SPIRIT. AND NONE HAVE
BEEN SO WELL CALCULATED TO THWART THE PLANS OF SATAN, AND,
CONSEQUENTLY, TO STIR HIS RAGE, AS THESE. AND WHEN THAT PEOPLE SHOULD
ARISE IN THE LAST GENERATION OF MEN, WHO SHOULD BE OBSERVING ALL TEN OF
THE PRECEPTS OF GOD'S HOLY LAW, AND SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE REVIVAL OF THE
SPIRIT OF PROPHECY, THEY MIGHT EXPECT TO FEEL THAT BITTERNESS FROM THEIR
OPPONENTS, WHICH CAN ARISE ONLY FROM THE DIRECT INSPIRATION OF SATAN.
"AND 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." REV. 12:17.
"THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS," SAID THE ANGEL TO JOHN, "IS THE SPIRIT OF
PROPHECY." REV. 19:10. IT IS THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, AND
THE RECOGNITION OF THE REVIVAL OF THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY BY THE REMNANT
OF THE CHURCH, OR THE CHRISTIANS OF THE LAST GENERATION, THAT STIRS THE IRE
OF THE DRAGON.
…SINCE A SPECIAL WORK OF THE SPIRIT WAS
NECESSARY TO PREPARE A PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST ADVENT
OF CHRIST, HOW MUCH MORE SO FOR HIS SECOND ADVENT.
GOD HAS NEVER MANIFESTED HIS POWER TO HIS PEOPLE
SIMPLY FOR THEIR GRATIFICATION; BUT ACCORDING TO
THEIR NECESSITIES HAS HE WROUGHT FOR THEM. THEN WE
MAY SAFELY CONCLUDE THAT AS HIS PEOPLE ARE PASSING
THE PERILS OF THE LAST DAYS IN THE FINAL STRUGGLE WITH
THE AROUSED POWERS OF DARKNESS, WHEN FALSE
PROPHETS SHALL HAVE POWER TO SHOW GREAT SIGNS AND
WONDERS, INSOMUCH THAT, IF IT WERE POSSIBLE, THEY
WOULD DECEIVE THE VERY ELECT, OUR GRACIOUS GOD WILL
BLESS AND STRENGTHEN HIS FAINTING PEOPLE WITH THE
GIFTS, AS WELL AS THE GRACES, OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
WHEN MAN IN EDEN STOOD IN ALL THE PERFECTION
OF HIS MANHOOD, BEFORE THE BLIGHT OF SIN HAD TOUCHED
ANYTHING THAT GOD HAD MADE FOR HIM, AND WITH OPEN
FACE BEHELD THE GLORY OF THE LORD, HE COULD HAVE NO
NEED OF THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. BUT WHEN EDEN WAS
LOST IN CONSEQUENCE OF TRANSGRESSION, AND MAN WAS
DOOMED TO GROPE HIS WAY FROM THE GATES OF PARADISE,
ENSHROUDED IN THE MORAL GLOOM THAT RESULTED FROM
THE CURSE AND THE REIGN OF SATAN, HE NEEDED THE LIGHT
OF THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY. AND HIS NEED IN THIS RESPECT
WILL CONTINUE, MORE OR LESS URGENT, UNTIL THE
RESTITUTION, WHEN THE REDEEMED SHALL WALK AND TALK
WITH GOD, AND WITH CHRIST, AND WITH THE HOLY ANGELS,
IN EDEN RESTORED.
In the meantime praise God for “The Inspiration of
the Prophets.” That will be the title of Lesson 5. Next week
memory text is found in 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”
May God’s righteousness be ours now and forevermore!!!!!!