Lessons From Days of Patriarchs and Prophets

Lessons From Days of Patriarchs and Prophets

1943 Quater 1

                        QUARTERLY


                         Lessons From the Days of

                         PATRIARCHS
                         and PROPHETS


                         CREATION and
                         REVELATION

NO. 191 SENIOR DIVISION FIRST QUARTER, 1943f…  INDIVIDUAL SABBATH SCHOOL OFFERING GOAL “As God bath prospered him” MY WEEKLY GOAL (Check Amount)

             5.00      2.00               1.00       .50              .30             .25

         •                  "God loveth a cheerful giver"
                                            RECORD

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        This Individual Sabbath School Offering Goal chart
     will appear in each Quarterly. Systematic giving week by
     week is becoming more and more a practice, and this
     chart is inserted by request. Many Sabbath school mem-
     bers are giving a dollar or more each week, and this goal
     chart will enable them to keep an accurate record of their
     covenant with God.

        "God has devised a plan by which all may give as He
     has prospered them, and which will make giving a habit
     without waiting for special calls. Those who can do this,
     but will not because of their selfishness, are robbing their
     Creator, who has bestowed upon them means to invest in
     His cause to advance its interests."—Testimonies, vol. 3,
     p. 411.

Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, No. 191, January-March, 1943. 25 cents a year in U. S. A. ; 40 cents a year in Canada and foreign countries. Published in the U. S. A. by Pacific Press Publishing Association (a corporation of S. D. A.), Mountain View, California. Entered as second-class matter Oct. 13, 1904, at the post office in Moun- tain View, California, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of Oct. 3, 1917, and authorized Sept. 18, 1918. Copyright, 1943, by Pacific Press Publishing Association [2]  Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly Lessons From the Days of the Patriarchs and Prophets

        CREATION AND REVELATION


                          Introductory Note
In these days it is important that we understand the simple truth concerning God and nature. The enemy of God and righteousness has led multitudes of present-day religionists to conform their lives to a philosophy of life built on "science falsely so called." His insidious warfare against God's word and God's law has engulfed the world in lawlessness. His representatives parade as "ministers of righteousness," and the day draws on apace when he will be "transformed into an angel of light," simulating the Christ of God, and counterfeiting His appearing.
"None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict."—"The Great Controversy," pages 593, 594.




                  Lesson 1, for January 2, 1943

         The Father, Son, and.Holy Spirit
MEMORY VERSE: "The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead." Rom. 1:20.   STUDY HELPS: "The Ministry of Healing," pages 409-426; "The Desire of Ages," pages 668-672.

                         The Creator    1. How do the Scriptures introduce the true God? Gen. 1:1.    2. How does Isaiah identify God as one who can render infinite help? Isa. 42:5; 45:18.

                         The Trinity
3. How did the Trinity unite in the work of creation? John 1:3; Eph. 3:9; Gen. 1:2.
NOTE.—" 'When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth.' Only by the aid of that Spirit who in the beginning 'was brooding upon the face of the waters;' of that Word by whom 'all things were made;' of that `true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,' can the testi- mony of science be rightly interpreted. Only by their guidance can its deepest truths be discerned. Only under the direction of the Omniscient One shall we, in the study of His works, be enabled to think His thoughts after Him."— Education, page 134.
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4. How do the members of the Godhead work together for the salvation of sinners? John 3:16; Eph. 2:18. NoTE.—a. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son.” b. Jesus “gave Himself for our sins.” c. “Through the eternal Spirit” (Heb. 9:14) Christ offered Himself to God. Therefore the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in the salvation of man through the new creation as they were united in the original creation. “The Godhead was stirred with pity for the race, and the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit gave Themselves to the working out of the plan of redemption.”—Counie/s on Health, page 222. 5. How does Paul speak of God and of Christ? Eph. 1:3, 17. 6. How did the Father address His Son? Heb. 1:8. 7. Who is associated with God the Father and God the Son in the work of creation and re-creation? Matt. 28:19. Nom—Associated with God the Father, and God the Son, is the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead. The closeness of that association is in- dicated in Christ’s instruction to the disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Also He speaks to His disciples of the Spirit as. His and the Father’s representative among His followers until His return. “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16, 17. That the Comforter is Christ’s representative is indicated. “I will not leave you com- fortless: I will come to you.” Verse 18. A similar statement is made in John 16:13, 14. The Comforter, the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Spirit are one and the same. See John 14:26. The Unity of the Trinity 8. In the plan of redemption, how is the work of the Son related to that of the Father? John 8:28, 29; 5:19. 9. How is the work of the Holy Spirit related to that of the Son? John 16:13, 14. 10. How is the work of the Holy Spirit related to the work of the Father? John 14:26; 15:26. NOTE.—The Father sends the Spirit in the name of the Son, that is, as the Son’s representative. The Spirit “proceedeth from the Father,” to do His work in the earth. Hence both Father and Son send the Spirit. 11. What important place does the Son share in the Godhead? Col. 2:9; John 14:10. 12. How is the unity of the Godhead expressed? John 10:30; 14:11. NOTE.—”The personality of the Father and the Son, also the unity that exists between Them, are presented in the seventeenth chapter of John, in the prayer of Christ for His disciples: ‘Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me’ The unity that exists be- tween Christ and His disciples does not destroy the personality of either. They are one in purpose, in mind, in character, but not in person. It is thus that God and Christ are one.”—The Ministry of Healing, pages 421, 422. [4]  13. How may the believer enter into this unity? Eph. 3:17-19; 1 John 4:15. NorE.—”Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us” in employing all the powers of the Godhead to save us from the power and penalty of sin. Nothing that divine love could devise to rescue us from sin has been left undone.

                 Lesson 2, for January 9, 1943
                      The Word of God    MEMORY VERSE: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15.    STUDY HELP: "The Great Controversy," Introduction, pages v-viii, 598-602 (new ed., pages 674-679).
                     The Power of the Word
1. By what agencies were the heavens and the earth created? Ps. 33:6, 9; Gen. 1:1, 3, 6, 9.
NOTE.—"In the creation of the earth, God was not indebted to pre-existing matter. 'He spake, and it was; . . . He commanded, and it stood fast' All things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at His voice, and were created for His own purpose. The heavens and all the host of them, the earth and all things therein, came into existence by the breath of His mouth."—The Ministry of Healing, pages 414, 415.
 2. What incidents in the life of Christ revealed this same power in the divine word? Matt. 8:8, 13; Luke 5:12, 13.
 3. What part does the word have in the new birth? 1 Peter 1:23; John 3:5.
NorE.—"The word of God is the seed. Every seed has in itself a germinating  principle. In it the life of the plant is enfolded. So there is life in God's word. Christ says, 'The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life' `He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life' In every command and in every promise of the word of God is the power, the very life of God, by which the command may be fulfilled and the promise realized. He who by faith receives the word is receiving the very life and character of God."—Christ's Object Lessons, page 38.
 4. How is spiritual life nourished? 1 Peter 2:2; Matt. 4:4.
                     Origin of the Scriptures
5. After sin entered, how did God communicate with the patriarchs? Heb. 1:1; Num. 12:6.
NoTE.—"During the first twenty-five hundred years of human history, there was no written revelation. Those who had been taught of God, commu- nicated their knowledge to others, and it was handed down from father to son, through successive generations. The preparation of the written word be- gan in the time of Moses. Inspired revelations were then embodied in an in- spired book. This work continued during the long period of sixteen hundred years,—from Moses, the historian of creation and the law, to John, the re-
                                [6 ]

corder of the most sublime truths of the gospel.”—The Great Controversy, Introduction, page v. 6. How did Jesus speak of the Old Testament writings? How impor- tant are these Scriptures? John 5:39, 46; Luke 16:31. NoTE.—Our Lord’s references to the writings of the Old Testament give conclusive proof that He accepted these writings as of divine origin. 7. Into what three general sections did Jesus divide the Old Testament? Luke 24:44. Inspiration of the Scriptures 8. How did Paul and Peter describe the origin of the Scriptures? 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21. NOTE.—”The Bible points to God as its author; yet it was written by hu- man hands; and in the varied style of its different books it presents the charac- teristics of the several writers. The truths revealed are all ‘given by inspiration of God’ (2 Tim. 3:16) ; yet they are expressed in the words of men. The In- finite One by His Holy Spirit has shed light into the minds and hearts of His servants.”—The Great Controversy, Introduction, page v. 9. Beside the testimony of the word, what other witness do those that believe have of its inspiration? 1 John 5:10. God’s Purpose in Giving His Word 10. What perfect rule of life is found in the Scriptures? Ex. 20:3-17; James 2:10, 11. 11. What is the word of God declared to be? John 17:17; Dan. 10:21. NOTE.—” ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ The Scriptures are the great agency in the transformation of character. Christ prayed, ‘Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth.’ If studied and obeyed, the word of God works in the heart, subduing every unholy attri- bute. The Holy Spirit comes to convict of sin, and the faith that springs up in the heart works by love to Christ, conforming us in body, soul, and spirit, to His own image. Then God can use us to do His will. The power given us works from within outwardly, leading us to communicate to others the truth that has been communicated to us.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, page 100. 12. What feature of the Scriptures is especially emphasized? Luke 24: 25, 27; 2 Peter 1:19. Norz.—”Christ urged upon His disciples the importance of prophetic study. Referring to the prophecy given to Daniel in regard to their time, He said, ‘Whoso readeth, let him understand.’ After His resurrection He explained to the disciples in ‘all the prophets’ the things concerning Himself.’ The Saviour had spoken through all the prophets. ‘The Spirit of Christ which was in them’ `testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.’ “ —The Desire of Ages, page 234. How to Study the Bible

1. What was Timothy taught to do? 2 Tim. 2:15. Norm.—”To skim over the surface [of the Bible] will do little good. Thoughtful investigation and earnest, taxing study are required to compre- [6 ]  bend it. There are truths in the word which are like veins of precious ore con- cealed beneath the surface. By digging for them, as the man digs for gold and silver, the hidden treasures are discovered.”—Fundamentals of Christian Edu- cation, page 390. 14. How did the Bereans study the Scriptures? Acts 17:11. NOTE.—”In daily study the verse-by-verse method is often most helpful. Let the student take one verse, and concentrate the mind on ascertaining the thought that God has put into that verse for him, and then dwell upon the thought until it becomes his own. One passage thus studied until its significance is clear, is of more value than the perusal of many chapters with no definite purpose in view, and no positive instruction gained.”—Education, page 189. 15. On what condition may we understand the truths of the Bible? John 7:17; 14:23, 24. Nom.—”One reason why many theologians have no clearer understanding of God’s word is, they close their eyes to truths which they do not wish to practice. An understanding of Bible truth depends not so much on the power of intellect brought to the search as on the singleness of purpose, the earnest longing after righteousness.”—The Great Controversy, page 599.

           Lesson 3, for January 16, 1943
     Creation the Direct Act of God    MEMORY VERSE: "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." "For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." Ps. 33 :6, 9.    STUDY HELP: "Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 44-51, 111-116.
                God Spake, and It Was
   1. How do the Scriptures account for this earth's existence? Gen. 1:1; John 1:1-3; Heb. 1:2.
   NorE.—Repeatedly Bible writers ascribe creation to an act of God. To deny this truth does not merely involve the rejection of Genesis, chapters 1 and 2, but a denial of the entire Bible and of its Author.
   2. Mat Bible statements tell how the world was created? Heb. 11:3.
   3. In what length of time did God create the heaven and the earth? Ex. 20:11; 31:17.
   4. What memorial of creation has existed from the earliest times? Ex. 20:8-11.
   5. What expression indicates God's plan for the perpetuation of living vegetation and animals? Gen. 1:11, 12, 21, 22, 24-28. Compare Matt. 7: 16, 17.
   6. By whom do all things consist or hold together? Col. 1:13-17.
   NOTE.—"God has ordained laws for the government, not only of living be- ings, but of all the operations of nature. Everything is under fixed laws, which cannot be disregarded. But while everything in nature is governed by natural
                              [7]
   

   laws, man alone, of all that inhabits the earth, is amenable to moral law.”— Patriarchs and Prophets, page 52. Creation Days Literal 7. In what simple words do the Scriptures describe the creation days? Gen. 1:5, last part, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31. NorE.—”The Bible recognizes no long ages in which the earth was slowly evolved from chaos. Of each successive day of creation, the sacred record de- clares that it consisted of the evening and the morning, like all other days that have followed.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 112. 8. What names were given to the evening and the morning? Verse 5, first part. 9. What great lights did God make to rule the day and the night? Verses 14-18. A Finished Work 10. How does God describe His finished work? Gen. 1:31. Nor.—”As the earth came forth from the hand of its Maker, it was ex- ceedingly beautiful. Its surface was diversified with mountains, hills, and plains, interspersed with noble rivers and lovely lakes; but the hills and moun- tains 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 nor barren deserts. Grace- ful 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.”—Patri- archs and Prophets, page 44. 11. When was God’s work of creating the world completed? Gen. 2:1; Heb. 4:3, 4. NOTE.—”As regards this world, God’s work of creation is completed. For ‘the works were finished from the foundation of the world.’ But His energy is still exerted in upholding the objects of His creation. It is not because the mechanism that has once been set in motion continues to act by its own in- herent energy, that the pulse beats, and breath follows breath; but every breath, every pulsation of the heart, is an evidence of the all-pervading care of Him in whom ‘we live, and move, and have our being.’ “—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 115. See Isa. 40:26. 12. How will creation be commemorated in the new earth? Isa. 66:22, 23. NOTE.—”God teaches that we should assemble in His house to cultivate the attributes of perfect love. This will fit the dwellers of earth for the mansions that Christ has gone to prepare for all who love Him. There they will assem- ble in the sanctuary from Sabbath to Sabbath, from one new moon to another, to unite in loftiest strains of song, in praise and thanksgiving to Him who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever.”—Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 368. 8]  Lesson 4, for January 23, 1943 The Gift of Life MEMORY VERSE: “Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?” Matt. 6:25, R. V. STUDY HELPS: “The Ministry of Healing,” pages 415-417; “Education,” pages 99-101. The Source of Life’s Maintenance 1. How is God’s satisfaction concerning the finished creation indicated? Ps. 104:31, last part; Gen. 2:1. NoTE.—”The creation was now complete. ‘The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.’ And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.’ Eden bloomed on earth. Adam and Eve had free access to the tree of life. No taint of sin, or shadow of death, marred the fair creation. ‘The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.’ “—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 47. 2. When did the earth, at God’s command, first bring forth vegetation? Gen. 1:11-13. 3. What vital purpose was the earth’s living carpet of green to serve in the economic world? Verse 30. - 4. How does the psalmist illustrate the frailty of human life? What striking contrast does he draw? Ps. 103:15-17. NOTE.—”Pleasant to the eyes” and “good for food,”—beauty and utility. This seems to have been the underlying purpose of God in His creative work, and few things more fully display both beauty and usefulness than does the grass. “How dull and uninteresting would the earth be without its soft, bright verdure I . . . Though formed to be cropped by the beasts of the field, and trodden underfoot of man • though today in the field and tomorrow cast into the oven, there is as much skill expended in its construction as in the palm tree destined to last for centuries, and lifting up its head securely above the ravages of man and beast.”—Hugh MacMillan, Bible Teachings in Nature, pages 52-55. 5. What important lesson would the Saviour have us learn from the grass? Matt. 6:30, 31. The Place of Flower and Tree 6. After the grass, what did the Lord create? Gen. 1:11, last part. See also Gen. 2:9. 7. What lesson did the Saviour draw from the lilies? Matt. 6:28, 29. NoTE.—”On the lily’s petals, God has written a message for you,—written in language that your heart can read only as it unlearns the lessons of distrust and selfishness and corroding care. . . . Through the flowers, God would call our attention to the loveliness of Christlike character. He who has given such beauty to the blossoms desires far more that the soul should be clothed with the beauty of the character of Christ.”—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pages 143, 144. 8. What lessons should the trees, created on the third day, teach us? Jer. 17:7, 8. [9]  NOTE.—The tree, ever reaching upward and outward, is a silent appeal to us to be ever drawing nearer and nearer to God, while at the same time coming into closer, friendlier contact with the world about. 9. What law did the Lord in the beginning implant in every seed? Gen. 1:12. The Crowning Work of Creation • 10. What was the Lord’s objective in creating the earth with its plant and animal life? Isa. 45:18. NoTE.—”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.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 44. 11. What wonderful conception did the Lord have for man before creat- ing him? Gen. 1:26. NoTE.—God says that He created man in His image, according to a precon- ceived purpose. More than threescore statements are in the Bible to the effect that the Lord created man. 12. How was God’s creative plan consummated? Verse 27. NoTE.—No greater love, no higher honor, can be conceived than what God bestowed upon man in creating him in His own image. “Shall we, for the privi- lege of tracing our descent from germs and mollusks and apes, consent to cast away that statement of Holy Writ, so grand in its simplicity, ‘God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him’? Shall we reject that genealogical record,—prouder than any treasured in the courts of kings,— `which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God’?”—Education, page 130. Nobility means obligation. “Our noble birth is a divine commission which should bar all ignoble living.” 13. Out of what was man formed? Gen. 2:7. 14. What conception did the psalmist have of man as he came from the hand of the Creator? Ps. 8:5. NoTE.—”They [Adam and Eve] were full of the vigor imparted by the tree of life, and their intellectual power was but little less than that of the angels. The mysteries of the visible universe—The wondrous works of Him who is perfect in knowledge’—afforded them an exhaustless source of instruction and delight. The laws and operations of nature, which have engaged men’s study for six thousand years, were opened to their minds by the infinite Framer and Upholder of all. They held converse with leaf and flower and tree, gathering from each the secrets of its life…. On every leaf of the forest or stone of the mountains, in every shining star, in earth and air and sky, God’s name was written. The order and harmony of creation spoke to them of infinite wisdom and power. They were ever discovering some attraction that filled their hearts with deeper love, and called forth fresh expressions of gratitude.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 50, 51.

    THIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING
   March 27, 1943 — Inter-American Division
                     110]
   

   Lesson 5, for January 30, 1943

     Creation Week and the Sabbath
   MEMORY VERSE: "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 Sab- bath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20:11.
   STUDY HELPS: 'Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 111-116; "Testimonies to Ministers," pages 134-136.
   
           God's Creative Power Unlimited
   

2. What are we told about the manner in which the creation was brought about? Ps. 33:6, 9. NoTE.—Notice how many times the expression, “God said,” is repeated in the first chapter of Genesis. This is what scholars call a “fiat” creation, or a creation brought about by the expressed wish or the spoken will of God. 2. What things were called into existence at God’s Word? John 1:3; Heb. 11:3. NOTE.—The American Revised Version reads: “By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear.” The original creation was literally a creation out of nothing. 3. How do we know that the days of creation must have been literal days similar to those that we now have? Gen. 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31. NOTE.—”God Himself measured off the first week as a sample for successive weeks to the close of time. Like every other, it consisted of seven literal days. Six days were employed in the work of creation; upon the seventh, God rested, and He then blessed this day, and set it apart as a day of rest for man.”— Patriarchs and Prophets, page 111. 4. What erroneous interpretation is often given to the record of the days of creation? Answer.—The day-age theory, or the view that the days of creation were long periods of time. NorE.—It is admitted that the Hebrew word for day (yom) is sometimes used for an indefinitely long period of time, just as we often use the English word day (as when we speak of what happens in “our day”) ; but the context in Genesis shows conclusively that such is not its meaning here. “The assumption that the events of the first week required thousands upon thousands of years, strikes directly at the foundation of the fourth command- ment. It represents the Creator as commanding men to observe the week of literal days in commemoration of vast, indefinite periods. This is unlike His method of dealing with His creatures. It makes indefinite and obscure that which He has made very plain. It is infidelity in its most insidious and hence most dangerous form; its real character is so disguised that it is held and taught by many who profess to believe the Bible.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 111. 5. Since this day-age theory is termed “infidelity in its most insidious and hence most dangerous form,” what statement of the apostle Paul is appropriate? Rom. 1:21, 22. [ 11  Sabbath Reform and False Ideas of Creation 6. What prediction tells us the reason why the scoffers of the “last days” will adopt false ideas about the creation of the world? 2 Peter 3:5, 6. Nom—Peter’s language means that these last-day scoffers have fallen into the errors which they hold because they have grown accustomed to ignoring the divine record of the Flood. 7. What conclusion does the apostle draw concerning the present world? What fate awaits ungodly men? Verse 7. NoTE.—As against men’s theory that “all things continue as they were,” God says the “heavens and the earth … are kept in store,” “against [until] the day of judgment and perdition [eternal death] of ungodly men.” The contrast- ing conclusions of men and God are so radically different as to give reason for careful consideration of the teaching of the Bible concerning the future as well as concerning the past condition of the world. The one infers that no change has—no change can—come. The other states clearly that the apparent retention of the world in its original form and condition is because of God’s word of power—but that it is held against the day of destruction. 8. What are three interpretations of the fossils which are found buried in the earth? Answer.—a. Some say the fossils lived before the creation week of Gen- esis 1. b. Others say they lived during a long-drawn-out creation. c. The Bible teaching of the universal Flood is that they were buried long after the original creation. 9. In other respects, how do men’s theories compare with the Bible account of the Flood? Answer.–The first two theories always get us into difficulty with reference to other parts of the Bible. The Flood explanation makes absolute harmony with the entire Bible, and enables us to take the record of creation at its full face value. Modern scientific discoveries show that there can be no genuine scientific objections to it as an explanation of the facts of the stratified rocks. NOTE.—”In the history of the Flood, inspiration has explained that which geology alone could never fathom. In the days of Noah, men, animals, and trees, many times larger than now exist, were buried, and thus preserved as an evidence to later generations that the antediluvians perished by a flood. God designed that the discovery of these things should establish faith in inspired history; but men, with their vain reasoning, fall into the same error as did the, people before the Flood,—the things which God gave them as a benefit, they turn into a curse by making a wrong use of them.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 112. 10. In these days, when the theory of long evolutionary ages is almost universally believed, show how a Sabbath reform message is specially ap- propriate. Gen. 2:2; Ex. 20:8-11; Rev. 14:7. 4— Thirteenth Sabbath Offering—March 27, 1943 Inter-American Division [ 12 ]  Lesson 6, for February 6, 1943 Beginning of Sin, Suffering, and ‘Death MEMORY VERSE: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5:12. STUDY HELPS: “Patriarchs and Prophets,” pages 46-62; “The Great Contro- versy,” pages 492-499 (new ed., pages 559-566); “Back to the Bible,” pages 94-104.

                      The Edenic Home
   1. What was the earth like when God finished it? Gen. 1:31, first part.
   2. What place was especially prepared as the bridal home of our first parents? Gen. 2:8, 9, 15.
   NOTE.—"The home of our first parents was to be a pattern for other homes as their children should go forth to occupy the earth. . . . In the surroundings of the holy pair was a lesson for all time,—that true happiness is found, not in the indulgence of pride and luxury, but in communion with God through His created works."—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 49.
   3. What was to be man's occupation? Verse 15.
   NoTE.—"To the dwellers in Eden was committed the care of the garden, 'to dress it and to keep it' Their occupation was not wearisome, but pleasant and invigorating. God appointed labor as a blessing to man, to occupy his mind, to strengthen his body, and to develop his faculties. In mental and physical ac- tivity, Adam found one of the highest pleasures of his holy existence.'—Patri- archs and Prophets, page 50.
   4. What was provided as man's food? Gen. 1:29.
   5. What kind of food was provided for the animals? Verse 30.
            Sin Destroys Man's Perfect Estate
   6. How was there brought to our first parents the first suggestion of doubt regarding God's wisdom and goodness? Gen. 3:1.
   NOTE.—"It was distrust of God's goodness, disbelief of His word, and re- jection of His authority, that made our first parents transgressors, and that brought into the world a knowledge of evil. It was this that opened the door to every species of falsehood and error."—Education, page 25.
   7. Trace the successive steps by which the woman was ensnared. Gen. 3:2-5.
   8. How was it that the woman "saw" just what the tempter wanted her to see? Verse 6.
   NoTE.—Eve yielded to the lust of the eyes. She saw the beauty of the tree and its fruit, permitted doubt to form in her heart concerning God's prohibition and its justice, and yielded to the persuasive sophistry of the devil. Under his influence, she joined in transgression and rebellion against God's command. See The Ministry of Healing, page 243, first part.
   9. When convicted of sin, what excuses did each of the guilty pair offer to God? Gen. 3:12, 13.
   NOTE.—"The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies; it
                                 [ 13 ]
   

   was indulged by our first parents as soon as they yielded to the influence of Satan, and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam.”— Patriarchs and Prophets, page 58. 10. What curse was pronounced on the serpent? Verse 14. NoTE.—”Since it had been employed as Satan’s medium, the serpent was to share the visitation of divine judgment. From the most beautiful and admired of the creatures of the field, it was to become the most groveling and detested of them all, feared and hated by both man and beast.”—Patriarchs and Proph- ets, page 58. Evolution Contrary to the Teaching of the Scriptures 11. How does Paul witness to the origin of sin in mankind and its evil results? Rom. 5:12. 12. What conditions now prevailing were brought about by the entrance of sin? Matt. 13:27, 28, first part; Gen. 3:17-19. 13. What further light do the Scriptures give us concerning the incep- tion of sin? 1 John 3:8; Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 28:11-19. Nom.—These scriptures do not “explain” the origin of sin, in the sense of giving a real reason for its existence. To “explain” it in this sense would be to defend it. Sin is and ever must be without justification, without explanation. It was not due, to any neglect or lack of foreknowledge on the part of God. It was due to an abuse of freedom, a deliberately wrong choice by a being absolutely dependent upon the Creator, who nevertheless rebelled against this dependence and wished to become independent of God. 14. What rule given by the Master ought we to apply to the theory of evolution? Matt. 7:16, 17. NOTE.—This is the best kind of rule to apply to any theory of life. Since the evolutionary theory denies the fall of man, and denies God’s entire scheme of atonement for sin, we have a right to say that there must be something wrong, something radically and horribly wrong with its teachings about the origin of the world and the things in it. The entire system of the Christian religion stands or falls with the Bible record of the first chapters of Genesis.

            Lesson 7, for February 13, 1943
     Re-Creation Through Redemption    MEMORY VERSE: "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Eph. 2:10.    STUDY HELPS: "Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 63-70; "Christ's Object Les- sons," pages 307-319 (new,d., pages 313-325).
                Redemption Foreshadowed
   1. As Adam witnessed the changes taking place in the natural world because of the curse of sin, what must he have realized? 2 Peter 2:19, last part.
   NOTE.—Adam and Eve saw about them the evident results of their own transgression. They had changed masters. From a kind and loving God, they had turned to the flattering voice of the prince of evil. In yielding to his sophis- tries they became his servants, subject to his cruel sway. Into this relationship
                                [ 14 ]
   

   they had dragged with them the whole creation of which they were a part. Death thenceforth would be their portion. “In drooping flower and falling leaf Adam and his companion witnessed the first signs of decay. Vividly was brought to their minds the stern fact that every living thing must die. Even the air, upon which their life depended, bore the seeds of death. Continually they were reminded also of their lost dominion. Among the lower creatures Adam had stood as king, and so long as he remained loyal to God, all nature acknowledged his rule ; but when he transgressed, this dominion was forfeited. The spirit of rebellion, to which he himself had given entrance, extended throughout the animal creation.”—Education, page 26. 2. In man’s night of woe, what star of hope shone out clear and bright? Gen. 3:15. NoTE.—”To man the first intimation of redemption was communicated in the sentence pronounced upon Satan in the garden. . . . This sentence [Gen. 3:15], uttered in the hearing of our first parents, was to them a promise. While it foretold war between man and Satan, it declared that the power of the great adversary would finally be broken.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 65, 66. 3. How was man to show faith in a coming Saviour? Gen. 4:4; Heb. 11:4. NOTE.—”The sacrificial offerings were ordained by God to be to man a perpetual reminder and a penitential acknowledgment of his sin, and a con- fession of his faith in the promised Redeemer. They were intended to impress upon the fallen race the solemn truth that it was sin that caused death. To Adam, the offering of the first sacrifice was a most painful ceremony. His hand must be raised to take life, which only God could give. It was the first time he had ever witnessed death, and he knew that had he been obedient to God, there would have been no death of man or beast. As he slew the innocent vic- tim, he trembled at the thought that his sin must shed the blood of the spotless Lamb of God. This scene gave him a deeper and more vivid sense of the great- ness of his transgression, which nothing but the death of God’s dear Son could expiate. And he marveled at the infinite goodness that would give such a ran- som to save the guilty. A star of hope illumined the dark and terrible future, and relieved it of its utter desolation.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 68. The Price of Redemption 4. After man’s fall, how only could he be brought into peace with God? John 3:16. NoTE.—When Adam and Eve comprehended the fact that the plan for their salvation involved the death of the Son of God, “they pleaded that the penalty might not fall upon Him whose love had been the source of all their joy; rather let it descend upon them and their posterity.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 66. Also “the angels prostrated themselves at the feet of their Commander, and offered to become a sacrifice for man.” But all were assured that “since the law of Jehovah is the foundation of His government in heaven as well as upon the earth, even the life of an angel could not be accepted as a sacrifice for its transgression.”—Ibid., pages 64, 66. 5. To whom was the dominion lost by Adam to be restored? Micah 4:8. NoTE.—”Christ, by His sacrifice paying the penalty of sin, would not only redeem man,but recover the dominion which he had forfeited. All that was lost by the first Adam will be restored by the second.”—Patriarchs and Proph- ets, page 67. [15 1  6. What song did the angels sing at Christ’s birth? Luke 2:13, 14. 7. When Jesus finally came to earth to carry out the great redemptive plan, what heartbreaking experience did He meet? John 1:11. 8. When the price of redemption had been fully paid, and Jesus as- cended triumphant, how did heaven celebrate the glorious event? Ps. 24: 7-10. NoTE.—”All heaven was waiting to welcome the Saviour to the celestial courts. As He ascended, He led the way, and the multitude of captives set free at His resurrection followed. The heavenly host, with shouts and acclamations of praise and celestial song, attended the joyous train.”—The Desire of Ages, page 833. Redeemed and Righteous

3. To whom will the restored dominion be given? Ps. 37:29.
4. How does this promise coincide with that made to Abraham? Rom. 4:13; Gal. 3:29.
5. What two things does this restoration imply? 2 Peter 3:10; Isa. 65:17.

6. In view of these things, what admonitions are given us? 2 Peter 3:11; Isa. 65:18. The Kingdom Restored 13. What vision of the restored dominion was given the apostle John? Rev. 21:1. 14. What gracious promise has been the hope and comfort of the right- eous ever since the Redeemer left the earth? John 14:1-3. 15. How will the ransomed of the Lord express their joy as they take possession of the earth made new? Isa. 35:10. Nora.—”The people of God are privileged to hold open communion with the Father and the Son…. All the treasures of the universe will be opened to the study of God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar,—worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe, and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wis- dom of unfallen beings.”—The Great Controversy, pages 676, 677.

           Lesson 8, for February 20, 1943  A World-Wide Disaster Sin's Fruitage
   MEMORY VERSE: "As in the days that were before the Flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:38, 39.
   STUDY HELP: "Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 90-104.
   
             Disaster Climaxes Corruption
   

7. After the slaying of Abel, what was done regarding the murderer? Gen. 4:13-15. [ 16  NOTE.—”In sparing the life of the first murderer, God presented before the whole universe a lesson bearing upon the great controversy. The dark history of Cain and his descendants was an illustration of what would have been the result of permitting the sinner to live on forever, to carry out his rebellion against God…. The longer men lived in sin, the more abandoned they became. •The divine sentence cutting short a career of unbridled iniquity, and freeing the world from the influence of those who had become hardened in rebellion, was a blessing rather than a curse.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 78.
   1. What do we know of the state of civilization before the Flood? Gen. 6:1-7. NOTE.—”Notwithstanding the wickedness of the antediluvian world, that age was not, as has often been supposed, an era of ignorance and barbarism. … Their mental powers were early developed, and those who cherished the fear of God and lived in harmony with His will, continued to increase in knowledge and wisdom throughout their life.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 82, 83.
   2. Why did God finally decide to destroy the entire world by a flood? Gen. 6:11-13. NOTE.—”The world was in its infancy ; yet iniquity had become so deep and widespread that God could no longer bear with it; and He said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created, from the face of the earth.’ He declared that His Spirit should not always strive with the guilty race. If they did not cease to pollute with their sins the world and its rich treasures, He would blot them from His creation, and would destroy the things with which He had de- lighted to bless them; He would sweep away the beasts of the field, and the vegetation which furnished such an abundant supply of food, and would trans- form the fair earth into one vast scene of desolation and ruin.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 92.
   3. How completely did God say He would destroy the animals and plants? Gen. 7:4, margin.
   4. How was ‘God’s purpose carried out? Verses 19-23. The Agencies of Destruction at Work
      1. What agencies besides the rain were employed to produce the destruc- tion? Gen. 7:11.
      2. How is this fact expressed in other scriptures? Ps. 104:5-9; Job 38: 8, 11. NorE.—The American Revised Version of Ps. 104:7, 8, reads as follows: “At Thy rebuke they [the waters] fled; at the voice of Thy thunder they hasted away (the mountains rose, the valleys sank down) unto the place which Thou hadst founded for them.” It is a very common thing, in the rocks formed by the Flood, to find great numbers of layers or beds containing land forms alternating with others con- taining the remains of creatures from the deep ocean. It is the ordinary condi- tion for the coal beds, which were formed of land plants and trees, to occur alternately with other beds containing sea animals. Such conditions seem to indicate an alternate moving of the waters back and forth, like the ebb and flow of the tide, only on an enormous scale.
      3. How long did it take for the Flood to reach its maximum of destruc- tiveness? Gen. 7:12, 17. [ 17 ]  9. After this first period of forty days, when the Flood was increasing to its maximum, what length of time did the floodwaters “prevail” over the earth? Verse 24.
      4. What other similar period of time is next mentioned? Gen. 8:3.
      5. When was the land finally left dry? Gen. 8:14, 3, margin. NoTE.—A candid study of the Flood as recorded in the Bible establishes the following important facts: a. The Flood came as a special act of God to destroy the race and the world as it then was. Gen. 6:13. b. The Flood was universal over the globe. Gen. 7:19. c. The Flood lasted long enough to destroy all land animal life outside the ark, and was violent enough to destroy many marine animals, and to bury trees, plants, and animals under deep beds of sand and clay. Gen. 7:21, 22. • d. After the waters abated, God expressly set bounds so that never again should they cover the earth with another flood. Ps. 104:9.
      6. What covenant did God establish with Noah immediately after the Flood? Gen. 9:12-17. God’s Compassion
      7. Though the Lord must punish sinners, in what spirit does He do it? Lam. 3:31-33.

      8. What is the Lord’s appeal to those in sin? Ezek. 33:11. NoTE.—”The sins that called for vengeance upon the antediluvian world, exist today. The fear of God is banished from the hearts of men, and His law is treated with indifference and contempt. The intense worldliness of that gen- eration is equaled by that of the generation now living.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 101.

          Lesson 9, for February 27, 1943
           The Effects of the Flood MEMORY VERSE: "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." 2 Peter 3:5, 6. STUDY HELP: "Patriarchs and Prophets," pages 105-112.
         
            Changes Caused by the Flood
         

      9. What is said by the psalmist concerning those things which God created? Ps. 104:24.
      10. What scriptures indicate that up to the time of the Flood the atmos- phere must have been in many respects different from that of our day, since up to that time rain had never fallen? Gen. 2:5, 6; Heb. 11:7. NOTE.—”The world before the Flood reasoned that for centuries the laws of nature had been fixed. The recurring seasons had come in their order. Here- tofore rain had never fallen; the earth had been watered by a mist or dew. The rivers had never yet passed their boundaries, but had borne their waters safely [ 18 ] to the sea. Fixed decrees had kept the waters from overflowing their banks.”— Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 96, 97.
      11. After the Flood, what beautiful sign appeared for the first time? Gen. 9:14.
      12. What geological changes were made by the floods of torrential rain and the breaking up of “the fountains of the great deep”? See Gen. 7:11. Answer.—”The entire surface of the earth was changed at the Flood. A third dreadful curse rested upon it in consequence of sin. As the water began to subside, the hills and mountains were surrounded by a vast; turbid sea. Everywhere were strewn the dead bodies of men and beasts. The Lord would not permit these to remain to decompose and pollute the air, therefore He made of the earth a vast burial ground. A violent wind which was caused to blow for the purpose of drying up the waters, moved them with great force, in some instances even carrying away the tops of the mountains, and heaping up trees, rocks, and earth above the bodies of the dead. . . . “The earth presented an appearance of confusion and desolation impossible to describe. The mountains, once so beautiful in their perfect symmetry, had become broken and irregular. Stones, ledges, and ragged rocks were now scat- tered upon the surface of the earth. In many places, hills and mountains had disappeared, leaving no trace where they once stood; and plains had given place to mountain ranges. These changes were more marked in some places than in others. Where once had been earth’s richest treasures of gold, silver, and precious stones, were seen the heaviest marks of the curse. And upon coun- tries that were not inhabited, and those where there had been the least crime, the curse rested more lightly.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, pages 107, 108.
      13. Since up to the time of the Flood no such convulsion of the waters had ever occurred, and since God promised that never again would such a flood be allowed to desolate the earth (Gen. 8:21, 22), what must have caused the burial of the fossils?. Answer.—The Flood was the cause of the great geological changes. In the earth were buried the remarkable prehistoric forms of life, such as the dino- saurs, and the mammoths. Also included were the beds of coal and the in- numerable remains of fossil fishes.
      14. What permission was given to man respecting his food after the Flood? Gen. 9:3-5. NOTE.—”Before this time God had given man no permission to eat animal food; He intended that the race should subsist wholly upon the productions of the earth; but now that every green thing had been destroyed, He allowed them to eat the flesh of the clean beasts that had been preserved in the ark.”— Patriarchs and Prophets, page 107. Man’s Scheme of World Dominion Thwarted
8. How did God plan that the now-desolated earth should again become peopled with human beings and again stocked with plant and animal life? Gen. 9:1; 8:17.
9. As time went on, how did some of the people try to counteract this command of God to scatter abroad over the earth? Gen. 11:4.

10. How did God break up their rebellious scheme and scatter them abroad? Verses 6-9. [ )  NoTE.—”God had directed men to disperse throughout the earth, to re- plenish and subdue it; but these Babel builders determined to keep their com- munity united in one body, and to found a monarchy that should eventually embrace the whole earth. Thus their city would become the metropolis of a universal empire: its glory would command the admiration and homage of the world, and render the founders illustrious. The magnificent tower, reaching to the heavens, was intended to stand as a monument of the power and wisdom of its builders, perpetuating their fame to the latest generations. . . . The whole undertaking was designed to exalt still further the pride of its projec- tors, and to turn the minds of future generations away from God, and lead them into idolatry.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 119. Nature’s Lesson of Divine Guidance 10. By what illustrations does God indicate that the animal world is instinctively more obedient than mankind? Jer. 8:7; Isa. 1:3. NorE.—Scientists have always had a difficult time in explaining the geo- graphical distribution of the animals without some special divine guidance after the Flood. We see many examples of the migration of birds, of butter- flies, and of eels in our modern world; hence it is reasonable to suppose that the peculiar circumstances confronting the animals as they came forth from the ark on the desolated earth, would call for some special manifestation of divine guidance to scatter them abroad over the world. And it would be only the usual thing if, while men were disobedient, the dumb brutes obeyed the guid- ing call of their Creator. 11. What lessons do all the things of nature teach the attentive child of God? Job 12:7-9. 12. How absolutely are both men and animals dependent upon the Creator? Verse 10. 13. What practical lessons may we learn from the ways in which the living things all around us obey the guiding voice of the Creator? Prov. 6:6-8; Matt. 6:26.

               Lesson 10, for March 6, 1943
             Creation and Re-Creation
    MEMORY VERSE: "Thou, 0 tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem." Micah 4:8.
    STUDY HELP: "The Great Controversy," pages 603-612 (new ed., pages 681- 691).
        Prophecy Forecasts World-Wide Reform
    

11. What prophecy foretells the increase of knowledge? Dan. 12:4. NOTE.—”Knowledge is power, but it is a power for good only when united with true piety. It must be vitalized by the Spirit of God, in order to serve the noblest purposes. The closer our connection with God, the more fully can we comprehend the value of true science; for the attributes of God, as seen in His created works, can be best appreciated by him who has a knowledge of the Creator of all things, the Author of all truth.”—Counsels to Teachers, page 38. [ 20 ]  2. What is God’s program for the gospel’s proclamation in this time of increased knowledge? Matt. 24:14.
    1. What two vital phases of the “everlasting gospel” are emphasized in the last gospel message? Rev. 14:6, 7. NOTE.—The One who “made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the foun- tains of waters,” is God, the Judge. And, “the hour of His judgment is come.” All should fear Him, and glorify Him by consecrated service. “The subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great High Priest. Otherwie, it will be im- possible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time, or to occupy the position which God designs them to fill. Every individual has a soul to save or to lose. Each has a case pending at the bar of God. Each must meet the great Judge face to face. How important, then, that every mind’con- template often the solemn scene when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened, when, with Daniel, every individual must stand in his lot, at the end of the days.”—The Great Controversy, page 488.
       1. What memorial of His creative power has God given men to observe as a sign of allegiance to Him? Ex. 20 : 8-11; 31:13-17; Ps. 111:4. NOTE.—”The third angel’s message, embracing the messages of the first and second angels, is the message for this time. We are to raise aloft the banner on which is inscribed, ‘The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ The world is soon to meet the great Lawgiver over His broken law. This is not the time to put out of sight the great issues before us. God calls upon His people to magnify the law, and make it honorable. “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy, the Sabbath was given to the world, that man might ever remember that in six days God created the world. He rested upon the seventh day, blessing it as the day of His rest, and gave it to the beings He had created, that they might remember Him as the true and living God.”—Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 197. Science “Falsely So Called” Leads to Idolatry
       2. Wherein is the attitude of the people of the last days comparable-to the attitude of people in the days of Noah? Matt. 24:38, 39. NoTE.—The people of Noah’s day are said not to have known “until the Flood came, and took them all away,” although God’s special warning had been sounding,in their ears for one hundred twenty years. This result followed because these antediluvians were following “the teachings of a deceptive phi- losophy,” just as at the present time. Referring to the last days, we are told: “Then, as in the world before the Flood, iniquity will prevail. Following the promptings of their corrupt hearts and the teachings of a deceptive philosophy, men will rebel against the authority of Heaven.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, page 89.
       3. What has been the result of the false science of our day, so far as the Bible is concerned? Answer.—A neglect of the Bible, with ignorance of its spiritual teachings, on the part of most of mankind. NOTE.—”God designed that man’s intellectual powers should be held as a gift from his Maker, and should be employed in the service of truth and right-. [ 21 ] eousness; but when pride and ambition are cherished, and men exalt their own theories above the word of God, then intelligence can accomplish greater harm than ignorance. Thus the false science of the present day, which undermines faith in the Bible, will prove as successful in preparing the way for the accept- ance of the papacy, with its pleasing forms, as did the withholding of knowl- edge in opening the way for its aggrandizement in the Dark Ages.”—The Great Controversy, page 573.
       4. What results inevitably follow when people cease to worship their Creator? Rom. 1:21-23, 28.
       5. How does Paul define covetousness? Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:5. NOTE.—”It is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines and theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone. By misrepresenting the attributes of God, Satan leads men to conceive of Him in a false character. With many, a philo- sophical idol is enthroned in the place of Jehovah; while the living God, as He is revealed in His word, in Christ, and in the works of creation, is worshiped by but few. Thousands deify nature, while they deny the God of nature. Though in a different form, idolatry exists in the Christian world today as verily as it existed among ancient Israel in the days of Elijah. The god of many professedly wise men, of philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists,—the god of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges and universities, even of some theological institutions,—is little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phoenicia.” —The Great Controversy, page 583. The Triumph of Truth
       6. How does Peter connect the rejection of the message about the sec- ond coming of Christ with false scientific theories which deny the Flood and turn creation into evolution? 2 Peter 3:3-7. NorE.—The leading teachers of evolution have been outspoken in scoffing at the idea that the world is soon to end by destruction, predicting on the other hand that man is destined to progress indefinitely in the future. Charles Darwin, in the very closing sentences of his Origin of Species, argues (just as Peter pre- dicted) that since no great cataclysm has ever desolated the whole world, “we may look with some confidence to a secure future of great length. And as natural selection works solely by and for the good of each being, all corporeal and mental endowments will tend to progress toward perfection.”
       7. What solemn warning is given in Ezekiel regarding God’s dealings with the idolaters of the last days? Ezek. 8:15, 16; 9:4-6, 11. Nor2.—Of the latter-day application of this passage, Mrs. E. G. White writes, after quoting Ezekiel 9:1-6: “Jesus is about to leave the mercy seat of the heavenly sanctuary, to put on garments of vengeance, and pour out His wrath in judgments upon those who have not responded to the light God has given them. . . . The prophet, looking down the ages, had this time presented before his vision. The nations of this age have been the recipients of unprecedented mercies. The choicest of Heaven’s blessings have been given them, but increased pride, covetousness, idolatry, contempt of God, and base ingratitude, are written against them. They are fast closing up their account with God.”—Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 207-209. Of those “who virtually excuse wrongs among the professed people of God, and who murmur in their hearts, if not openly, against those who would re- 22 • prove sin,” the same writer says, “they will never receive the mark of God’s sealing approval. They will fall in the general destruction of the wicked, rep- resented by the work of the five men bearing slaughter weapons.”—Testi- monies, vol. 3, p. 267.
       8. How only can sinners perfect a character in righteousness? Rom. 5:1,2. NorE.—”The righteousness which Christ taught is conformity of heart and life to the revealed will of God. Sinful men can become righteous only as they have faith in God and maintain a vital connection with Him.”—The Desire of Ages, page 310. “By faith he [the sinner, who has so grievously wronged and offended God] can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure.”—Review and Herald, Nov. 4, 1890.
       9. What message of mercy and warning does God give to a scoffing world? 2 Peter 3:9-13; Ps. 50:1-6. NorE.—”God’s message for the inhabitants of earth today is, ‘Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’ The con- ditions prevailing in society, and especially in the great cities of the nations, proclaim in thunder tones that the hour of God’s judgment is come, and that the end of all things earthly is at hand. We are standing on the threshold of the crisis of the ages. In quick succession the judgments of God will follow one another,—fire, and flood, and earthquake, with war and bloodshed. We are not to be surprised at this time by events both great and decisive; for the angel of mercy cannot remain much longer to shelter the impenitent.”—Proph- ets and Kings, page 278.

       10. How completely will God’s original purpose in the creation of the earth and man, be fulfilled? 1 John 3:1, 2; Rev. 21:1-7. NOTE.—”The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.”—The Great Controversy, page 678.

              Lesson 11, for March 13, 1943 The Scripture and True Science MEMORY VERSE: "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who bath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth." Isa. 40:26. STUDY HELPS: "The Ministry of Healing," pages 413-438; "Education," pages 128-134.
           

       God’s Wisdom and Care Revealed in Creation

12. What evidence of omnipotence identifies the true God from false gods? Neh. 9 :6; Isa. 45:12. [ 237  NorE.—”It was the Maker of all things who ordained the wonderful adap- tation of means to end, of supply to need. It was He who in the material world provided that every desire implanted should bei met. It was He who created the human soul, with its capacity for knowing and for loving. And He is not in Himself such as to leave the demands of the soul unsatisfied. No intangible principle, no impersonal essence or mere abstraction, can satisfy the needs and longings of human beings in this life of struggle with sin and sorrow and pain. It is not enough to believe in law and force, in things that have no pity, and never hear the cry for help. We need to know of an almighty arm that will hold us up, of an infinite Friend that pities us. We need to clasp a hand that is warm, to trust in a heart full of tenderness. And even so God has in His word re- vealed Himself.”—Education, page 133. 2. What promise is given to those who seek for true wisdom in any de- partment of life or of knowledge? Prov. 2:1-5; James 1:5. NorE.—”Whatever line of investigation we pursue, with a §incere purpose to arrive at truth, we are brought in touch with the unseen, mighty Intelligence that is working in and through all.”—Education, page 14. 3. What may we learn from the heavens? Ps. 19:1-4. NorE.—”Upon all created things is seen the impress of the Deity. Nature testifies of God. The susceptible mind brought in contact with the mirade and mystery of the universe, cannot but recognize the working of infinite power. Not by its own inherent energy does the earth produce its bounties, and year by year continue its motion around the sun. An unseen hand guides the planets in their circuit of the heavens.”—Education, page 99. 4. What may we learn from the smaller objects in the natural world? Matt. 10:29-31. NOTE.-“Our God has heaven and earth at His command, and He knows just what we need. We can see -only a little way before us; ‘but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.’ Above the distractions of the earth He sits enthroned; all things are open to His divine survey; and from His great and calm eternity He orders that which His provi- dence sees best. “Not even a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father’s notice. Satan’s hatred against God leads him to delight in destroying even the dumb creatures. It is only through God’s protecting care that the birds are preserved to glad- den us with their songs of joy. But He does not forget even the sparrows. ‘Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.’ “—Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 272, 273.
    1. What personal encouragement may we receive from these facts? Matt. 6:28-30.
    2. How is God’s care for His creatures expressed by the psalmist? Ps. 145:9, 15, 16. The Regenerative Power of the Gospel
13. What impressive language is used by Isaiah to describe the power and wisdom of the Creator? Isa. 40:26.

14. For more than the first two thousand years of human history, men had no Bible, no written word of God. What did the people of those times have by which to learn the will of their Creator? Rom. 1:20; Acts 14:17. [ 24 ]  NoTE.—They had (a) the book of nature; (b) they had Adam’s testimony for many hundreds of years, and after his death they had messages of God through the prophetic voice,—”holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” See Jude 14. “The whole natural world is designed to be an interpreter of the things of God. . . . The most effective way to teach the heathen who know not God, is through His works. In this way, far more readily than by any other method, they can be made to realize the difference between their idols, the works of their own hands, and the true God, the Maker of heaven and earth. . . . There is a simplicity and purity in these lessons direct from nature that makes them of the highest value to others besides the heathen.”—Counsels to Teach- ers, page 186. “The poet and the naturalist have many things to say about nature, but it is the Christian who enjoys the beauty of the earth with the highest apprecia- tion, because he recognizes his Father’s handiwork, and perceives His love in flower and shrub and tree.”—Steps to Christ, page 91. 9. What far-reaching principle was announced in Christ’s words to Nicodemus? John 3:3-7. NorE.—One of the most important discoveries of modern times is that living things can come only from previously living things of the same kind. All life comes from the living God, the Creator. He, too, is the regenerator, making us new creatures in Christ Jesus. “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Gal. 2:20. 10. What further statement of this fact do we find in Paul’s writings? 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15. Trustfully Abiding in God 11. Since the work of creation was “finished from the foundation of the world” (Heb. 4:3) how is the present orderly system of nature maintained? John 5:17; Heb. 1:3. NoTE.—”The God of heaven is constantly at work. It is by His power that vegetation is caused to flourish, that every leaf appears, and every flower blooms. Every drop of rain or flake of snow, every spire of grass, every leaf and flower and shrub, testifies of God. These little things so common around us, teach the lesson that nothing is beneath the notice of the infinite God, nothing is too small for His attention.”—Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 260. 12. What sublime statement of trust in the wisdom and goodness of the Creator is expressed by the prophet Habakkuk? Hab. 3:17, 18. 13. What incident in the career of Elijah illustrates God’s care for those who obey Him? 1 Kings 17:13-16.

                                                                        4-
    
       THIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING
                March 27, 1943
            Inter-American Division
                                (26]
    

    Lesson 12, for March 20, 1943 The Character of the Creator Revealed in Nature MEMORY VERSE: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.” Ps. 19:1-3. STUDY HELPS: “The Ministry of Healing,” pages 458, 466; “Patriarchs and Prophets,” pages 592-602. The Source of Life and Light 1. What part did Jesus perform in the work of creation? John 1:1-3; Col. 1:13-17. NOTE.—”Christ loved to gather the people about Him under the blue heav- ens, on some grassy hillside, or on the beach beside the lake. Here, surrounded by the works of His own creation, He could turn their thoughts from the arti- ficial to the natural. In the growth and development of nature were revealed the principles of His kingdom. As men should lift their eyes to the hills of God, and behold the wonderful works of• His hand, they could learn precious lessons of divine truth. In future days the lessons of the divine Teacher would thus be repeated to them by the things of nature. The mind would be uplifted and the heart would find rest.”—The Ministry of Healing, page 54. 2. As the light of each new day comes to us, what thought should come to mind? What prayer should express our desire for the day? John 1:8, 9; Ps. 43:3. Norm—Light is of such capacity that the divine nature, seeking for an expression of its own omnipotence was content to say, “God is light.” Surely He is the light of the world; without Him all is darkness. So morning by morn- ing we should pray that our own souls may be lighted that day by the true light. Our Source of Strength 3. In the final great conflict, what has the Lord promised to’ be to His people? Joel 3:16. Nom—The margin says “place of repair, or, harbor.” The Lord is the only one to whom man can look for a haven of rest and peace in the coming time of turmoil and storm, when “the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunk- ard, and shall be removed like a cottage” (Isa. 24:20) ; and when “the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll” (Isa. 34:4) ; and “the great day of His wrath is come” (Rev. 6:17). While the wicked are dying from hunger and pes- tilence, angels will shield the righteous and supply their wants. 4. To whom has the Lord always been a strength? Isa. 25:4, first part. NorE.—We are told that “he that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.” Prov. 22:9. The Lord evidently expects us to cultivate the “bountiful eye”—the eye that takes pictures of the pleasant things in the lives of others and makes us generous in our judgments of them; the eye which causes us to give sympathy, affection, and happiness as well as material food and clothing to those in need. [26 7  5. Upon what will the fourth angel pour out his vial of God’s wrath? What will be the result? Rev. 16:8, 9. NOTE.—”In that day, multitudes will desire the shelter of God’s mercy which they have so long despised.”—The Great Controversy, page 629. “The prophets thus describe the condition of the earth at this fearful time: `The land mourneth; . . . because the harvest of the field is perished.’ All the trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.’ The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate.’ How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture. . . . The rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.’ “—Ibid., page 628. 6. What has the Lord promised to be to His children in this time of intense heat? Isa. 25:4. NoTE.—”The darkest hour of the church’s struggle with the powers of evil, is that which immediately precedes the day of her final deliverance. But none who trust in God need fear; for ‘when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall,’ God will be to His church ‘a refuge from the storm.’ “ Prophets and Kings, page 725. The word of the Lord to His faithful ones is recorded in Isaiah 26:20. 7. What did Zacharias prophesy Jesus should be? Luke 1:69, 77. Nom—A strong, powerful defender and Saviour from the great enemy of all good is here promised. The word “horn” in this text, as in several others, symbolizes power. Salvation is the all-inclusive word of the gospel, gathering unto itself all the redemptive acts and processes, as justification, redemption, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification. 8. What does Jesui say He is to the seeker after truth and salvation? John 14:6. 9. How did David regard the Lord? Ps. 31:3. NoTE.—The psalmist seemed to take special comfort in the thought of the Lord’s steadfastness and dependableness as signified by the rocks, for he speaks of the Lord as “the Rock of my refuge” (Ps. 94:22) ; “the Rock of my strength” (Ps. 62:7) ; “the Rock of my heart” (Ps. 73:26, margin) ; “a Rock of habita- tion” (Ps. 71:3, margin) ; “my Rock, and my Redeemer” (Ps. 19:14, margin) ; “my Rock and my Fortress” (Ps. 31:3) ; “the Rock that is higher than I” (Ps. 61:2). The prophet Isaiah speaks of Him as “the Rock of Ages” (Isa. 26:4, margin), and David, as the “Rock of my salvation” (2 Sam. 22:47) ; while the apostle Paul calls Him “that spiritual Rock” (1 Cor. 10:4). Surely He is the Rock of eternal truth upon which the church of God is built. (See Isa. 28:16). The Fount of Every Blessing

15. How do the angels look upon the Lord? Rev. 5:12. NoTE.—He was slain that He might receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing to pass on to us. “The Lamb shall overcome them” (Rev. 17:14), that we may overcome through His strength.
16. What should the vine with its branches call to our minds? John 15:5.

17. What spiritual truths should the bread and water upon our tables suggest? John 6:51; 4:13, 14. 27 1  13. How did Zacharias speak of Jesus? Luke 1:78. Nom—Zacharias referred to Jesus as the “Dayspring,” who shines upon our darkness, turning it into day, and guiding lost feet into the way of peace.

             Lesson 13, for March 27, 1943
                  The New Creation    MEMORY VERSE: "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." Isa. 65:17.    STUDY HELPS: "The Great Controversy," pages 673-678 (new ed., pages 756- 762) ; "Our Day In the Light of Prophecy," pages 361-370.
    
            Perfect Creation Marred by Sin
     1. What was God's original purpose in creating this earth? Isa. 45:18.
     2. In pursuance of this plan, what kind of people did God make to dwell on the earth? Gen. 1:27, 31; Heb. 2:6, 7.
     3. To what extent has man lost his primitive state of purity and god- likeness? Rom. 3:23.
    Nom—"Through sin the divine likeness was marred, and well-nigh ob- literated. Man's physical powers were weakened, his mental capacity was less- ened, his spiritual vision dimmed. He had become subject to death."—Educa- tion, page 15.
     4. How has the earth also suffered because of man's fall? Gen. 3:17, 18.
                     The Glory to Come
    5. For what is all creation waiting? Rom. 8:18-23. Compare Revised Version.
    6. How does the prophet Ezekiel describe the resurrection? Ezek. 37: 11-14. Compare Isa. 26:19.
    Nom—The popular trend in religious thought is to suppose that the resur- rection consists of only a spiritual survival of the body: But this robs the future life of its reality. Ezekiel pictures the resurrection as literal, in which the body is composed of bones, sinews, flesh, breath. The Gospels also support this view, for Matthew says of the saints raised at the resurrection of our Lord: "The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the Holy City, and appeared unto many." Matt. 27:52, 53. As we have already seen, Isaiah pictures the future inhabitants of the earth as building, inhabiting, planting, and eating.
    7. Of what time have all the prophets written? Acts 3:21.
    NOTE.—"By infinite love and mercy the plan of salvation had been devised, and a life of probation was granted. To restore in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the perfection in which he was created, to promote the development of body, mind, and soul, that the divine purpose in his creation might be realized,—this was to be the work of redemption."—Education, pages 15, 16.
                               E 28
    

    8. How will the earth be restored to its former glory? Isa. 65:17, 18. Salvation Made Possible Through Christ

18. How may lost, sinful men be fitted for such immortal joys? Luke 19:10; Matt. 1:21.

19. Who only, then, will possess the inheritance of the earth made new? Matt. 5:5. Man’s Home Restored 11. What glorious prospects are held out to those who love the Lord? 1 Cor. 2:9. NOTE.—”In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called a country. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord. There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On those peaceful plains, be- side those living streams, God’s people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home.”—The Great Controversy, page 675. 12. How are new-earth conditions described by the Revelator? Rev. 21:1-4; 22:3-5. 13. What picture does the prophet Isaiah draw of the future state? Isa. 35:5-7; 11:6-9. NoTE.—As in Eden of old, so in Eden restored, the beasts of the forest, the cattle on a thousand hills, the fowls of the air—all will be under the dominion of man. In the beginning they were created for the service of man; they will be created for the same purpose in the earth made new. No “ravenous beast” will be there, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The spirit of enmity will have been banished from the dumb creatures even as it will have been swept from the hearts of men. All will be harmony throughout the whole creation of God. 14. What will Christ do for those who fully accept Him as their Saviour? Phil. 3:21; 1 John 3:2. NoTE.—Christ will give life to the spiritually dead; He will transform and renew the darkened mind; He will change this mortal, degenerate body, and glorify it. What a wonderful transformation! “Christ came to restore that which had been lost. He will change our vile bodies, and fashion them like unto His glorious body. The mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal. All blemishes and deformities are left in the grave. Restored to the tree of life in the long-lost Eden, the redeemed will ‘grow up’ to the full stature of the race in its primeval glory. The last lingering traces of the curse of sin will be removed, and Christ’s faithful ones will appear ‘in the beauty of the Lord our God,’ in mind and soul and body reflecting the perfect image of their Lord. Oh, wonderful redemption! long talked of, long hoped for, con- templated with eager anticipation, but never fully understood.”—The Great Controversy, page 645.

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    Of course you can and you should SIX MONTHS is all you need to finish the. SABBATH SCHOOL WORKER’S

    READING COURSE FOR 1943 Begin with the very first lesson outlined in the February issue of the Sabbath School Worker. This course is designed for individual study, but you may share in a group study, or follow through the course in your teachers’ meetings. The two books will greatly help in your teaching work. They are: The Laws of the Mind and Sabbath School Teaching, price 60 cents. The Teacher and the Pupil, price 60 cents. When the two books are ordered together, they may be secured for $1.00. Order a set AT ONCE, and enjoy the in- struction in these two interesting and informative volumes. Also, the general articles in the Worker are a part of this reading course. They will contain much instructional ma- terial during the course. Yearly subscription, 95 cents; clubs of two or more copies to one address, one year, 80 cents.

                               Order the textbooks and
                               the Worker through your
                               BOOK and BIBLE HOUSE
    
    
    
    
                      [ 30 ]
    

    SI I SCHOOL Lfialli HELPS 1111SIIRPASSEDI

The Sabbath school lessons during the first and, second quarters will  refer frequently to various books in the Conflict of the Ages series.  You will derive double enjoyment from the lessons this quarter by  studying these enlightening passages from this set and from other  spirit of prophecy books.
                                                  Cloth      Limp
  Vol. 1. Patriarchs and Prophets                 $2.50      $3.50
  Vol. 2. Prophets and Kings                       2.50       3.50
  Vol. 3. Desire of Ages, The                      2.50       3.50
  Vol. 4. Acts of the Apostles, The                2.50       3.50
  vol. 5. Great Controversy, The                   2.50 "     3.50
                      Complete Set, Five Volumes $12.50     $17.50  Consult your Book and Bible House about the liberal discount now available
                           on full sets. Order from your BOOK and BIBLE HOUSE

SABBATH SCHOOL LESSONS for SECOND QUARTER The Sabbath school lessons for the second quarter are a continuation of the “Lessons From the Days of the Pa- triarchs and Prophets,” dealing especially with “From the Call of Abraham to the Exodus.” The first lesson, for April 3, is entitled, “The Call of Abraham, Father of the Faithful.” The memory verse is Galatians 3:29. The study help is Patriarchs and Proph- ets, pages 125-131, 145-155 (new edition, pages 119-125, 141-151). For those not provided with Lesson Quarterlies the first Sabbath of the quarter, we give the following for their daily study: Ques. 1: Gen. 12:1-3. Ques. 10: Gen. 17 :1-4, 15-21. Ques. 2: Gen. 11:31, 32. Ques. 11: Gen. 17 :17; 21:1-5; Ques. 3. Gen.. 11:31, 32. Rom. 4:18, 19. Ques. 4: Gen. 12:4, 5. Ques. 12: Gen. 22:1-6. Ques. 5: Gen. 12 :6-8. Ques. 13 : Gen. 22 :7-10. ues. 6: Gen. 12:10-20. Ques. 14: Gen. 22:6, 8, 13. ues. 7: Gen. 15:1-6. Ques. 15: Gen. 22:15-18. ues. 8. Gen. 16 :1-3, 15. Ques. 16: 2 Cor. 6:17; Rev. 18:4. ues. 9. Gen. 16:4-6; 21:9-14. Ques. 17: Gal. 3:29. [ 31 ]  • •:,• P. Ceram a 0 W 4…a lad °Lamm,

  INTER-AMERICAN
      DIVISION                                          SOUTH AMERICA




   THIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING
                         March 27, 1943
                    Inter-American Division

 The overflow of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering for this quarter is to be •  devoted to the establishing of medical dispensaries and clinics in various parts  of the Inter-American Division. Five medical projects have been designated to  receive benefit. These are to be established in Haiti, Jamaica, Barbados, Co- lombia, and Guatemala. Doors are wide open for medical missionary work.  Now is their day of opportunity, and we should not delay to step in and render as much aid as possible.
 When we last gave to this division field, the overflow amounted to the sum of $11,359.74. This gave them excellent help in providing buildings and equip- ment for training schools in Cuba and Colombia.
 It is hoped that on March 27 another fine overflow will make possible a be- ginning of clinics in these fields. Make a special effort to give liberally that your school may reach its goal of an average of one dollar a church member.




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