Sabbath School

Adult Sabbath School Bible study guide.

Prophecy is God’s means of communicating with His people and connecting them to God. No wonder, then, that Satan (the dragon) was enraged at the woman (God’s church) and went to make war with the remnant of her seed (see Rev. 12:17).

What are the distinguishing marks of this remnant of the woman’s seed? They keep the commandments and possess the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 19:10 tells us that this testimony is “the spirit of prophecy.”

Read 1 Corinthians 2:2 and Galatians 6:14. How does Paul see the purpose of his life and ministry—the great motivation for which he lived?

Besides their own experiences, the apostles accepted Jesus upon the testimony of prophets and righteous men, whose words stretched over a period of many centuries. The Christian world has a full and complete chain of evidence running through both the Old and the New Testaments: in the former, which points to a Savior to come, and in the latter, which reveals Jesus as fulfilling the conditions of the Savior. All this is sufficient to establish the faith of those willing to believe. “The design of God was to leave the race a fair opportunity to develop faith in the power of God and of his Son and in the work of the Holy Spirit.”—Ellen G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 3, p. 182.

In many ways, the issue of saving faith is not intellectual; it’s moral. It’s a heart thing, not a head thing. When people close their hearts, their minds, unfortunately, will follow.

Read John 1:1–5. What do these verses tell us about who Jesus is?

If Jesus, the Word of God, pre-existed, was made flesh, and dwelled among us, then it follows that Jesus was integral to the words or messages given by God to His prophets. Even prophets who bore messages that did not explicitly refer to Jesus nevertheless were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Consider how vast the cosmos is, and to think that the One who created it, Jesus, is also the One who died for us! What great hope does that offer you?

Supplemental EGW Notes

As Christ was speaking these words, the glory of God was shining from His countenance, and all present felt a sacred awe as they listened with rapt attention to His words. Their hearts were more decidedly drawn to Him; and as they were drawn to Christ in greater love, they were drawn to one another. They felt that heaven was very near, and that the words to which they listened were a message to them from their heavenly Father. “Verily, verily, I say unto you,” Christ continued, “He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also.” The Saviour was deeply anxious for His disciples to understand for what purpose His divinity was united to humanity. He came to the world to display the glory of God, that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. God was manifested in Him that He might be manifested in them. Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God as He was. “And greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.” By this Christ did not mean that the disciples’ work would be of a more exalted character than His, but that it would have greater extent. He did not refer merely to miracle working, but to all that would take place under the working of the Holy Spirit. After the Lord’s ascension, the disciples realized the fulfillment of His promise. The scenes of the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ were a living reality to them. They saw that the prophecies had been literally fulfilled. They searched the Scriptures, and accepted their teaching with a faith and assurance unknown before. They knew that the divine Teacher was all that He had claimed to be. As they told their experience, and exalted the love of God, men’s hearts were melted and subdued, and multitudes believed on Jesus.—The Desire of Ages, pp. 664, 667.

The Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to exalt the Lord alone, and guided the pens of the sacred historians, that the record of the words and works of Christ might be given to the world. Today this Spirit is constantly at work, seeking to draw the attention of men to the great sacrifice made upon the cross of Calvary, to unfold to the world the love of God to man, and to open to the convicted soul the promises of the Scriptures. It is the Spirit that causes to shine into darkened minds the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness; that makes men’s hearts burn within them with an awakened realization of the truths of eternity; that presents before the mind the great standard of righteousness, and convinces of sin, that inspires faith in Him who alone can save from sin; that works to transform character by withdrawing the affections of men from those things that are temporal and perishable, and fixing them upon the eternal inheritance. The Spirit re-creates, refines, and sanctifies human beings, fitting them to become members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King.—Reflecting Christ, p. 133.

The above quotations are taken from Ellen G. White Notes for the Sabbath School Lessons, published by Pacific Press Publishing Association. Used by permission.