Worship - A Bible Doctrine

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                                                                                          SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION
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                                  Dear Fellow Sabbath School Members.
                       DA Y




                                            Pope Paul VI, in a historical meeting with Latin-American bishops held
                                  in Medellin, Colombia, listened to an important document prepared by a group of CO NFERENCE OF SEVE NTI-I-




                                  delegates. Among other things, the document said: "Youth represent the most
                                  numerous group of society in Latin-America, a new and extraordinary pressure
                                  group." Facing this declaration, the Pope added: "For us, they constitute the
                                  most important theme, worthy of our principal interest."

                                            Are we unaware as a church of this "new and extraordinary pressure
                                  group"? Are we giving this new awakening generation priority treatment?
                                            To say that the future belongs to this young generation seems to be a
                                  truism destitute of major importance. However, for us in South America, this
                                  declaration has a tremendous significance because of the result of a gallopping
                                  demographic growth, SS% of the population is under 21 years of age.
                                            As a church, we are conscious of our rights and responsibilities in
                                  front of this new generation. For this reason, we are dedicating the 13th Sab-
                                  bath overflow of this quarter to two educational institutions: Northeast Brazil
                                  College, administered by the East Brazil Union and to a new academy in the
                                  territory of the South Chile Conference.
                                            During more than three decades, Northeast Brazil College has prepared
                                  pastors and evangelists who, with great fevor and extraordinary dedication, are
                                  proclaiming the redeeming power of Christ in different areas of the country.
                                  However, in spite of their good contribution to the mission field, this
                                  institution needs an appropriate theology department to function even better.
                                  One half of the overflow of this quarter will be applied towards the construction
                                  of a building for the Theology Department.
                                            The other half will be destined to building a secondary school in
                                  South Chile, a dream held by our Chilean brethren who desire to-see their
                                  children protected in an authentic "city of refuge," guided by the Adventist
                                  educational philosophy.
                                            We are certain that the members of the Sabbath School in all the world
                                  will contribute in an exceptional way to help us lead our y       his "new and
                                  extraordinary pressure group," placing them in the service          d humanity.
      40r                                       Yours in His service,
      gkf


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                                                                                         - Presidente -
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                     Cont-ent-s
               1. Worship at the Dawn of History
                   2. Worship and the Exodus
                     3. The Battle With Baal
               4. The Temple and Its Dedication
              5. Isaiah's Concern About Worship
                    6. Worship in the Psalms
                      7. Jesus and Worship
             8. The Early Christians and Worship
             9. Worship in the Book of Revelation
        10. The Three Angels' Messages and Worship
              11. Characteristics of True Worship
              12. The Memorial of His Humiliation
                      13. The Lord's Supper

                  Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Ave., NW,
                            Washington, DC 20012
                       Lesson Author: Norval F. Pease
                          Editor: W. Richard Lesher
                  Editorial Secretary: Florence L. Wetmore
                    Circulation Manager: Arthur R. Mazat
                Art and Design: Concerned Communications
                   Braille lessons available. See page 110 Adult Sabbath School Lessons (standard edition). Single copy, 40 cents; four issues (1 year), $1.50; no additional charge to countries requiring extra postage. Published in the U.S.A., by Pacific Press Publishing Association (a corporation of SDA), 1350 Villa Street, Mountain View, California 94042. Second-class mail privileges authorized at Mountain View, California. Form 3579 requested. When a change of address is desired, please be sure to send both old and new addresses.
             Copyright 1976 by Pacific Press Publishing Association

                    Cover photo by Concerned Communications

                                                1        a              OCT. 3          4         5         6          7         8

                                                                 Sabbath School 10        11        12         13        14         15               Guest Day

       1         2         3          4         5                       NOV. 7          8         9         10        11         12    13 14        15        16         17        18         19    20 21        22        23         24        25         26    27 28        29        30


                           1          2         3      4                DEC. 5          6         7         8          9         10    11 12        13        14         15        16         17    18 19        20        21         22        23         24    25          13th Sabbath
                                                                      Offering

                                                             (Signed)

                                                                                     5

                    What is the purpose of the Sabbath?

                     The book of Genesis opens by presenting the basic reason for
                  worship—God is the Creator, and we are His creatures. God
                  evidently intended that this relationship should be
                  memorialized, for He established the Sabbath as a weekly
                  reminder of His creatorship. In blessing and sanctifying a day,
                  He recognized time as a fundamental symbol of worship. The
                  first worship symbol He gave to Man was not a tree, a building,
                  or an animal, but twenty-four hours recurring every seven days.
                  Could anything be more basic, more universal than time? This
                  symbol could not be changed by geography, by culture, or by
                  the passing of the years. To man, time is basic. And when God
                  set apart a period of time, He thereby made it possible for man to
                  have the opportunity and the leisure to worship Him.
                      "After resting upon the seventh day, God sanctified it, or set it
                  apart, as a day of rest for man. Following the example of the
                  Creator, man was to rest upon this sacred day, that as he should
                  look upon the heavens and the earth, he might reflect upon
                  God's great work of creation; and that as he should behold the
                  evidences of God's wisdom and goodness, his heart might be
                  filled with love and reverence for his Maker.
                      "In Eden, God set up the memorial of His work of creation, in
                  placing His blessing upon the seventh day. The Sabbath was
                  committed to Adam, the father and representative of the whole
                  human family. Its observance was to be an act of grateful
                  acknowledgment, on the part of all who should dwell upon the
                  earth, that God was their Creator and their rightful Sovereign;
                  that they were the work of His hands and the subjects of His
                  authority."—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 47, 48.

                    "'The Sabbath therefore lies at the very foundation of divine
                  worship, for it teaches this great truth in the most impressive
                  manner, and no other institution does this. The true ground of
                  divine worship, not of that on the seventh day merely, but of all
                  worship, is found in the distinction between the Creator and His
                  creatures. This great fact can never become obsolete, and must
                  never be forgotten.'—J. N. Andrews, History of the Sabbath,
                  chapter 27."—Quoted in The Great Controversy, pp. 437, 438.

FURTHER STUDY       The Great Controversy, pp. 436-438.

                  Why did Cain and Abel bring offerings to God?

                  "The sacrificial offerings were ordained by God to be to man a
                perpetual reminder and a penitential acknowledgment of his sin
                and a confession 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."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p.
                68.
                  This was a part of man's worship after his expulsion from
                Eden.
                  This incident teaches us that worship has a theological basis.
                Man is not free to worship in any way he sees best. There are
                theological reasons for the manner in which God is worshiped,
                and these reasons must not be ignored. Worship is acceptable
                only when it is carried out according to God's direction.

                  Why was Cain's worship not acceptable?

                   "Cain came before God with murmuring and infidelity in his
                heart in regard to the promised sacrifice and the necessity of the
                sacrificial offerings. His gift expressed no penitence for sin. He
                felt, as many now feel, that it would be an acknowledgment of
                weakness to follow the exact plan marked out by God, of
                trusting his salvation wholly to the atonement of the promised
                Saviour. He chose the course of self-dependence. He would
                come in his own merits. He would not bring the lamb, and
                mingle its blood with his offering, but would present his fruits,
                the products of his labor."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 72.

                   "The class of worshipers who follow the example of Cain
                includes by far the greater portion of the world; for nearly every
                false religion has been based on the same principle—that man
                can depend upon his own efforts for salvation."—Patriarchs
                and Prophets, p. 73.
                   True worship, then, must maintain those attitudes and
                employ those symbols that are in harmony with the correct
                theology of salvation.

       Part 3   "And to Seth, to him also there was born a son: and he
 THE BEGINNING called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name
    OF PUBLIC of the Lord" (Gen. 4:26).
     WORSHIP
                What does this text reveal about the worship of God?

                    "In his [Enos'] time a more formal worship was begun. Man
                 had of course called upon the Lord before Enos' birth, but as
                 time went on a more pronounced distinction arose between
                 those who worshiped the Lord and those who defied Him. The
                 expression 'to call upon the name of the Lord' is used frequently
                 in the OT to indicate, as it does here, public worship (Ps. 79:6;
                 116:17; Jer. 10:25; Zeph. 3:9)."—SDA Bible Commentary, on
                 Gen. 4:26.
                    Early worship was generally personal. God talked with Adam
                 and Eve in the garden. But when mankind became divided
                 between those who worshiped God and those who did not, the
                 worshipers of God united and bore their witness of their
                 allegiance to their Creator in a public way. We can see in this
                 development the seeds of what later became the church—in
                 both its Old Testament and its New Testament form.
                    "'To Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his
                 name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of Jehovah.'
                 The faithful had worshiped God before; but as men increased,
                 the distinction between the two classes became more marked.
                 There was an open profession of loyalty to God on the part of
                 one, as there was of contempt and disobedience on the part of
                 the other.
                    "Before the Fall our first parents had kept the Sabbath, which
                 was instituted in Eden; and after their expulsion from Paradise
                 they continued its observance. They had tasted the bitter fruits
                 of disobedience, and had learned what every one that tramples
                 upon God's commandments will sooner or later learn—that the
                 divine precepts are sacred and immutable, and that the penalty
                 of transgression will surely be inflicted. The Sabbath was
                 honored by all the children of Adam that remained loyal to God.
                 But Cain and his descendants did not respect the day upon
                 which God had rested. They chose their own time for labor and
                 for rest, regardless of Jehovah's express command."—
                 Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 80, 81.

                    A close personal relationship between the individual and God
                 is as essential today as in the times of Adam and Abel and Seth.
                 But the witness of group worship is also essential in order to
                 keep alive the worship of God in the world.

 FURTHER STUDY     Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 80-84.

                  What was the relation between Noah's worship and God's
                covenant?

                   "In the joy of their release Noah did not forget Him by whose
                gracious care they had been preserved. His first act after leaving
                the ark was to build an altar and offer from every kind of clean
                beast and fowl a sacrifice, thus manifesting his gratitude to God
                for deliverance and his faith in Christ, the great sacrifice. This
                offering was pleasing to the Lord; and a blessing resulted, not
                only to the patriarch and his family, but to all who should live
                upon the earth. . . . Here was a lesson for all succeeding
                generations. Noah had come forth upon a desolate earth, but
                before preparing a house for himself he built an altar to God. His
                stock of cattle was small, and had been preserved at great
                expense; yet he cheerfully gave a part to the Lord as an
                acknowledgment that all was His. In like manner it should be our
                first care to render our freewill offerings to God. Every
                manifestation of His mercy and love toward us should be
                gratefully acknowledged, both. by acts of devotion and by gifts
                to His cause."—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 105, 106.

                  1. Worship was an expression of gratitude to God. Worship
                has been defined as a redeemed man's response to his
                Redeemer. Noah had been saved. He did not forget to thank his
                Saviour.
                  2. Worship was an expression of faith. Noah understood the
                symbolism of the slain beasts. So today our songs, our prayers,
                our gifts, our sermons are expressions of our faith in God.
                  3. God's gracious covenant was His response to Noah's
                worship. God's promises today are fulfilled in the lives of those
                who worship Him.
                  4. Noah was willing to assume the cost of worship. He gave of
                his possessions, and in so doing he set an example of liberality.

                                                                               11

                    How did Abraham reveal his dedication by his worship?

                     Abraham had migrated from Ur to Haran, and in response to
                  God's call he migrated again to Canaan. He was 75 years of age
                  and had accumulated considerable property. His move not only
                  involved inconvenience, but also danger, for "the Canaanite
                  was then in the land." But God did not forget His faithful
                  servant. He appeared to him, made a promise to him, and
                  Abraham responded by building an altar for worship.
                     The next verse of Genesis 12 tells us that he moved on to "a
                  mountain on the east of Bethel," and there he built another
                  altar. Chapter 13 has him returning to the altar near Bethel after
                  a trip to Egypt, "and there Abram called on the name of the
                  Lord" (verse 4). Later in the same chapter, Abraham "removed
                  his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in
                  Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord" (verse 18).
                     The altar on the plains of Mamre seemed to be his center of
                  worship for a long time. One more altar was very significant in
                  Abraham's life—the altar he built on one of the mountains in the
                  land of Moriah. There he indicated his complete dedication to
                  God, and there God's covenant with Abraham was repeated
                  again.
                     "Abraham, 'the friend of God,' set us a worthy example. His
                  was a life of prayer. Wherever he pitched his tent, close beside it
                  was set up his altar, calling all within his encampment to the
                  morning and evening sacrifice."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p.
                  128.

                     "Like the patriarchs of old, those who profess to love God
                  should erect an altar to the Lord wherever they pitch their tent. If
                  ever there was a time when every house should be a house of
                  prayer, it is now. Fathers and mothers should often lift up their
                  hearts to God in humble supplication for themselves and their
                  children. Let the father, as priest of the household, lay upon the
                  altar of God the morning and evening sacrifice, while the wife
                  and children unite in prayer and praise. In such a household
                  Jesus will love to tarry."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 144.
                     Family worship is an important aspect of the worship of God.
                  Are we as faithful in this respect as was Abraham? Do we gather
                  our families together to read the Bible, to pray, and to praise
                  God? (Compare Gen. 18:18, 19.)

 FURTHER STUDY      Child Guidance, pp. 517-526.

                  What was the background of this experience?

                  Jacob had incurred his brother Esau's wrath by obtaining the
                birthright by fraud. Fleeing from his brother's threats of
                violence, he made an overnight stop on his way to Haran. During
                that memorable night Jacob was given the vision of the ladder
                connecting earth and heaven. God appeared to Jacob and
                renewed the promise that had been made to Abraham.
                  Jacob had reason to feel alone when he arrived at his
                stopping place. But God assured him, "I am with thee, and will
                keep thee" (Gen. 28:15). Jacob responded to this revelation by
                setting up a pillar as a memorial and by naming the spot Bethel.
                  "In accordance with the custom of commemorating impor-
                tant events, Jacob set up a memorial of God's mercy, that
                whenever he should pass that way he might tarry at this sacred
                spot to worship the Lord. And he called the place Bethel, or the
                'house of God.' With deep gratitude he repeated the promise
                that God's presence would be with him; and then he made the
                solemn vow, 'If God will be with me, ... this stone ... shall be
                God's house: and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give
                the tenth unto Thee.' "—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 187.

                  In this case, the worship of God was motivated by a deep
                sense of forgiveness. When we get ourselves into trouble—as
                Jacob did—knowing full well that our misfortunes have come as
                the result of our own wrongdoing, it is easy to feel that God has
                forsaken us. But when, in a circumstance like this, God takes
                the initiative and assures us of His love and forgiveness, we are
                overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation.
                  This sense of gratitude to a forgiving God is one of the
                greatest incentives to real, heartfelt worship.
                  "Jacob felt that God had claims upon him which he must
                acknowledge, and that the special tokens of divine favor
                granted him demanded a return. So does every blessing
                bestowed upon us call for a response to the Author of all our
                mercies."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 187.

                                                                               13

                   VI
                   vii
                   VIII
                   IX

       Part 1      "See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore  THE RESTORATION     he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye   OF THE SABBATH     every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the
                 seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day" (Ex.
                 16:29, 30).

                    At what point in the Exodus experience was the Sabbath
                 first stressed?

                    An interesting sequence of events occurred following the
                 deliverance from Egypt at the Red Sea:
                    First, there was the song of Moses (Ex. 15:1-19). This was a
                 song of praise to God and was an act of worship on the part of a
                 grateful people. "Like the voice of the great deep, rose from the
                 vast hosts of Israel that sublime ascription.... Far over desert
                 and sea rang the joyous refrain, and the mountains re-echoed
                 the words of their praise—'Sing ye to Jehovah, for He hath
                 triumphed gloriously.' "—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 288,
                 289.
                    Second, there was the sweetening of the bitter waters at
                 Marah and the encampment by the wells of Elim. The people
                 had to learn that their God wouldn't let them die of thirst.
                    Third, there was the food crisis and the giving of the manna in
                 the Wilderness of Sin. Again, the people had to learn that their
                 God wouldn't let them starve.
                    A certain degree of security having been attained, God
                 restored the Sabbath. True, it had not been entirely forgotten in
                 Egypt, but it had been observed with great difficulty. Every
                 preparation day they were to gather a double portion of manna
                 so that they would not need to labor on the Sabbath. For forty
                 years the manna kept coming. It served as a reminder of God's
                 care for His people; and every seventh day they were reminded
                 of their obligation to celebrate a day of worship.

                   "God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now
                 as in the time of Israel. The command given to thp Hebrews
                 should be regarded by all Christians as an injunction from
                 Jehovah to them. The day before the Sabbath should be made a
                 day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its
                 sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to
                 encroach upon holy time. . . . Work that is neglected until the
                 beginning of the Sabbath should remain undone until it is past.
                 This course might help the memory of these thoughtless ones,
                 and make them careful to do their own work on the six working
                 days."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 296.

 FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, vol. 6, pp. 353-356.

                    The first four commandments of the Decalogue were
                 intended to make secure the place of God in the hearts and lives
                 of believers.
                    "Jehovah, the eternal, self-existent, uncreated One, Himself
                 the Source and Sustainer of all, is alone entitled to supreme
                 reverence and worship. Man is forbidden to give to any other
                 object the first place in his affections or his service. Whatever
                 we cherish that tends to lessen our love for God or to interfere
                 with the service due Him, of that do we make a god."—
                 Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 305.
                    The second commandment is an extension of the first.
                    "The second commandment forbids the worship of the true
                 God by images or similitudes.... The attempt to represent the
                 Eternal One by material objects would lower man's conception
                 of God. . . .
                    "In prohibiting the worship of false gods, the second
                 commandment by implication enjoins the worship of the true
                 God."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 306.
                    The third commandment of the first table is designed to
                 guarantee reverence for God's name.
                    "All should meditate upon His majesty, His purity and
                  holiness, that the heart may be impressed with a sense of His
                  exalted character; and His holy name should be uttered with
                  reverence and solemnity."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 307.
                    And, finally, the day of rest and worship that had been
                  observed with such difficulty in Egypt, and that had been
                  restored in connection with the giving of the manna in the
                  Wilderness of Sin—this was to be the most effective reminder of
                  the worship of the true God.
                    "All who keep the seventh day signify by this act that they are
                  worshipers of Jehovah."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 307.

                    To a great extent, worship is considered by today's churches
                 as celebration—"celebration of life," as some put it. The idea of
                 deep reverence for a God who is the Creator and Father of us all
                 is often rejected by the modern mind. One of the challenges to
                 God's church today is to teach men to "worship him that made
                 heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters"
                 (Rev. 14:7). This calls for a reaffirmation of the first four
                 commandments.

                                                                                17

       Part 3   "And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among
 THE PORTABLE them" (Ex. 25:8).
      CHURCH
                What were some of the characteristics of this portable
              church that God instructed Israel to construct?

                   1'. It was to be built by the offerings of Israel (Ex. 25:1-7).
                   2. It was to be built according to a plan revealed by God (Ex.
                       25:9).
                   3. The structure was to center in an ark which was to be
                       highly reverenced as the point where God would
                       communicate with man (Ex. 25:10-22).
                   4. The table of shewbread, the candlestick, the altar of
                       incense, the curtains, the boards, the roof, the veils were
                       all exquisitely beautiful, constructed of the most valuable
                       materials (Ex. 25:23 through 26:37).
                   5. An altar was constructed in the court which was a center
                       for the daily worship of the people (Ex. 27:1-21).
                   "No language can describe the glory of the scene presented
                 within the sanctuary—the gold-plated walls reflecting the light
                 from the golden candlestick, the brilliant hues of the richly
                 embroidered curtains with their shining angels, the table, and
                 the altar of incense, glittering with gold; beyond the second veil
                 the sacred ark, with its mystic cherubim, and above it the holy
                 Shekinah, the visible manifestation of Jehovah's presence; all
                 but a dim reflection of the glories of the temple of God in
                 heaven, the great center of the work for man's redemption."—
                 Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 349.

                   What happened when the first worship service was held at
                 this tabernacle? Ex. 40:34, 35.

                   Exodus 40 tells the dramatic story of the erecting of the
                 tabernacle. The structure was to be set up, the furniture
                 arranged, the laver filled with water, the implements anointed,
                 the priests sanctified, the bread set in order, the candles lighted.
                 Incense was burned for the first time in the first apartment, and a
                 burnt offering was offered on the altar in the court.

                   "The murmurings of the Israelites and the visitations of God's
                 judgments because of their sins are recorded as a warning to
                 after-generations. And their devotion, their zeal and liberality,
                 are an example worthy of imitation. All who love the worship of
                 God and prize the blessing of His sacred presence will manifest
                 the same spirit of sacrifice in preparing a house where he may
                 meet with them."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 344.

 FURTHER STUDY     Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 343-350.

                   There was a deep spiritual meaning in this ever-burning
                flame. "The Jews affirm that it burned continuously until the
                Babylonian captivity. Some even claim that it never went out
                until the final destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70."—SDA Bible
                Commentary, on Lev. 6:13. God, the true object of Israel's
                worship was not here today and gone tomorrow. Whatever sins
                they might commit, the flame still burned on their altar.
                Whatever dangers they might face, the fire never went out.
                There was a permanence in the worship of the eternal God.

                  What did the daily worship service include?

                  "The daily service consisted of the morning and evening
                burnt offering, the offering of sweet incense on the golden altar,
                and the special offerings for individual sins. . . .
                  "Every morning and evening a lamb of a year old was burned
                upon the altar, with its appropriate meat offering, thus
                symbolizing the daily consecration of the nation of Jehovah,
                and their constant dependence upon the atoning blood of
                Christ. . . .
                  "In the offering of incense the priest was brought more
                directly into the presence of God than in any other act of the
                daily ministration.... As in that typical service the priest looked
                by faith to the mercy seat which he could not see, so the people
                of God are now to direct their prayers to Christ, their great High
                Priest, who, unseen by human vision, is pleading in their behalf
                in the sanctuary above. . . .
                   "The most important part of the daily ministration was the
                service performed in behalf of individuals."—Patriarchs and
                Prophets, pp. 352-354.

                    "The hours appointed for the morning and the evening
                  sacrifice were regarded as sacred, and they came to be
                  observed as the set time for worship throughout the Jewish
                  nation. . . . In this custom Christians have an example for
                  morning and evening prayer. While God condemns a mere
                  round of ceremonies, without the spirit of worship, He looks
                  with great pleasure upon those who love Him, bowing morning
                  and evening to seek pardon for sins committed and to present
                  their requests for needed blessings."—Patriarchs and
                • Prophets, pp. 353, 354.

                     The greatest of the yearly worship services was the Day of
                 Atonement.
                     "Once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, the priest
                 entered the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary.
                 The work there performed completed the yearly round of
                 ministration. . . .
                     "Every man was to afflict his soul while the work of atonement
                 was going forward. All business was laid aside, and the whole
                 congregation of Israel spent the day in solemn humiliation
                 before God, with prayer, fasting, and deep searching of
                 heart."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 355.
                     "Thus in the ministration of the tabernacle, and of the temple
                 that afterward took its place, the people were taught each day
                 the great truths relative to Christ's death and ministration, and
                 once each year their minds were carried forward to the closing
                 events of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, the
                 final purification of the universe from sin and sinners."—
                 Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 358.
                    In addition to the Day of Atonement and the weekly Sabbath,
                 there were several other important worship events during the
                 year. Among these were the new moons (Num. 28:11-15); the
                 Passover (Exodus 12), the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex.
                 12:15-20), and the ceremony of the wave sheaf (Lev. 23:10-14);
                 Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks) (Lev. 23:15-21); the blowing of
                 trumpets (Lev. 23:24, 25); and the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev.
                 23:34-43). See SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, pp. 708-710.
                    These ancient religious celebrations are mentioned to
                 illustrate how large a place public and private worship held in
                 the lives of the people. A substantial part of the resources and
                 time of the average Israelite was spent in activities related to the
                 worship of his God. But this continual round of worship was not
                 a means of appeasing deities, as in heathen religions. The
                 Israelites' worship, at its best, was a recognition of the
                 goodness of God and an acceptance of the provisions made by
                 God to solve the sin problem. So the worship was rational and
                 ethical. It avoided religious frenzy and incantation.

 FURTHER STUDY     Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 355-358.

      Part 6   "You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of
 THE WORSHIP meeting, and wash them with water. And you shall take the
    LEADERS garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the
             ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with
             the skilfully woven band of the ephod; and you shall set the
             turban on his head, and put the holy crown upon the turban.
             And you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head
             and anoint him. Then you shall bring his sons, and put coats
             on them, and you shall gird them with girdles and bind caps on
             them; and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual stat-
             ute. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons" (Ex. 29:4-9,
             RSV).
                  By whom did God plan that the worship services of Israel
                should be administered?
                   "By divine direction the tribe of Levi was set apart for the
                of the sanctuary.... The priesthood, however, was restricted to
                the family of Aaron. Aaron and his sons alone were permitted to
                minister before the Lord."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 350. .

                  Did ordination to the priesthood ensure faithfulness on the
                part of those ordained? Lev. 10:1, 2.
                  "Strange fire. Ordinary fire. It was not taken from the altar of
                burnt offering, whose fire God Himself had kindled and which
                was therefore sacred (ch. 16:12, 13). In the court of the
                congregation there were hearths where the priests prepared
                their food, and it may be that Nadab and Abihu took their
                common fire from thence."—SDA Bible Commentary, on Lev.
                10:1.
                  Of whom was the high priest a type? Heb. 4:14.

                   In the Christian church God ordained a ministry in place of a
                priesthood. While the ministry is a gift of the Spirit, the minister
                is ordained to his work by the church. His work is varied. He may
                be an evangelist, a pastor, a teacher, an administrator; or his
                work may be a combination of these functions. One of his
                responsibilities is worship leadership. He plans worship
                services and preaches to the worshipers. He conducts
                communion services and leads out in prayer meetings. In these
                functions he may be assisted by laymen; in fact the work of the
                elder and deacon is a function of the total ministry of the
                church.

        Part 1   "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took
   APOSTASY AT Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that
    THE JORDAN thence he might see the utmost part of the people" (Num.
               22:41).

                    Balak, the king of Moab, called upon Balaam, a free-lance
                 prophet, to curse Israel who were camped on the plains of
                 Moab. Balaam was torn between his loyalty to God and his
                 desire for the honorarium promised him by Balak. The first
                 location selected by Balak for Balaam to curse Israel was "the
                 high places of Baal." The third site chosen by Balak in his
                 unsuccessful effort to persuade Balaam to curse Israel was
                 Mount Peor, "where was a temple devoted to the licentious
                 worship of Baal, their god."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 449.
                    Failing in his efforts to curse Israel, Balaam suggested
                 another approach to the destruction of Israel. "The plan pro-
                 posed by Balaam was to separate them from God by enticing
                 them into idolatry. If they could be led to engage in the licen-
                 tious worship of Baal and Ashtaroth, their omnipotent Protector
                 would become their enemy, and they would soon fall a prey to
                 the fierce, warlike nations around them. This plan was readily
                 accepted by the king, and Balaam himself remained to assist in
                 carrying it into effect."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 451.
                    The plan nearly succeeded. The worship of Baal was all
                 around the camp of Israel. Soon Midianitish women began to
                 appear in the camp. "It was the object of these women, in their
                 association with the Hebrews, to seduce them into transgres-
                 sion of the law of God, to draw their attention to heathen rites
                 and customs, and lead them into idolatry."—Patriarchs and
                 Prophets, p. 454. Israelites were induced to attend feasts of
                 Baal, and soon "Israel joined himself unto Baal-peor" (Num.
                 25:3). Thousands died as the result of this apostasy.

                   "As we approach the close of time, as the people of God stand
                 upon the borders of the heavenly Canaan, Satan will, as of old,
                 redouble his efforts to prevent them from entering the goodly
                 land. He lays his snares for every soul. It is not the ignorant and
                 uncultured merely that need to be guarded; he will prepare his
                 temptations for those in the highest positions, in the most holy
                 office; if he can lead them to pollute their souls, he can through
                 them destroy many. And he employs the same agents now as he
                 employed three thousand years ago. By worldly friendships, by
                 the charms of beauty, by pleasure seeking, mirth, feasting, or
                 the. wine cup, he tempts to the violation of the seventh
                 commandment."—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 457, 458.

 FURTHER STUDY     Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 453-461.

                   It should be noted that the term "Baalim" is the plural of
                "Baal." The Canaanite worship had many gods. Also
                "Ashtoreth" was a goddess of the Canaanites.
                   Judges 2 summarizes a trend that plagued Israel for
                generations. Israel would apostatize into Baal worship. God
                would deliver them into the hands of their enemies. Israel would
                repent, and God would raise up a judge to deliver them. Then
                the cycle would begin again.
                   One fascinating story from this sequence is the story of Gid-
                eon (Judges 6 through 8). Israel had sinned, and the Midianites
                and Amalekites conquered them. "And the children of Israel
                cried unto the Lord." God called Gideon to be the deliverer. His
                first act was to throw down his father's altar of Baal, cut down
                the grove beside it, and replace the altar with an altar to
                Jehovah. Then followed the fascinating story of the reduction of
                the army to the faithful 300, of the breaking of the pitchers and
                the blowing of the trumpets, and of the routing of the
                Midianites. After 40 years of quiet, Gideon died. "And it came to
                pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel
                turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made
                Baal-berith their god" (Judges 8:33).
                   After a while the enemies of Israel—the Ammonites and the
                Philistines—conquered again. "The children of Israel cried
                unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both
                because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim"
                (Judges 10:10). This time it was Jephthah who delivered his
                people. And so the cycle continued with monotonous regular-
                ity. It seemed that Israel would never learn.

                  The final paragraph of the chapter, "The Earlier Judges," in
                Patriarchs and Prdphets, contains the following statement:
                  "Like Israel, Christians too often yield to the influence of the
                world and conform to its principles and customs, in order to
                secure the friendship of the ungodly; but in the end it will be
                found that these professed friends are the most dangerous of
                foes. The Bible plainly teaches that there can be no harmony
                between the people of God and the world."—Page 559.

                                                                               25

                    Samuel was not only a competent judge, but a great spiritual
                 leader. He "visited the cities and villages throughout the land,
                 seeking to turn the hearts of the people to the God of their
                 fathers; and his efforts were not without good results. After
                 suffering the oppression of their enemies for twenty years, the
                 Israelites 'mourned after the Lord.' Samuel counseled them, 'If
                 ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the
                 strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your
                 hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him only.' Here we see that
                 practical piety, heart religion, was taught in the days of Samuel
                 as taught by Christ when He was upon the earth."—Patriarchs
                 and Prophets, p. 590.

                   How did Samuel follow up this new reformation?1 Sam. 7:5.

                    He issued a call for all Israel to come together at Mizpeh, and
                 he said, "I will pray for you unto the Lord." Here is an indication
                 of Samuel's deeply spiritual leadership which began a
                 reformation that kept the worship of Baal in check for many
                 years. The meeting at Mizpeh included fasting, repentance, and
                 offerings. It also included prayer for deliverance from the
                 Philistines who were threatening to attack. God intervened and
                 turned the Philistines back with a storm, and the Israelites
                 pursued them.
                   Samuel recognized the importance of memorials to help
                 Israel remember to worship their God. "Then Samuel took a
                 stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name
                 of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us"
                 (1 Sam. 7:12). At his home "he built an altar unto the Lord"
                 (verse 17).

                   "With all your heart." It was with this expression that Samuel
                 addressed Israel both at Mizpeh and at Gilgal. (1 Samuel 12:20).
                 This was the secret of Israel's success. When their hearts were
                 divided between Baal and Jehovah, they could not be blessed.
                 When their commitment to God was complete, He could lead
                 and protect them.

 FURTHER STUDY     1 Samuel 7 and 12.

                  One of the greatest factors in the battle against Baal was the
                influence of the prophets of God. This great institution of divine
                prophecy was kept alive by "the schools of the prophets,"
                mentioned so often in the writings of Ellen White.
                   "The schools of the prophets were founded by Samuel to
                serve as a barrier against the widespread corruption, to provide
                for the moral and spiritual welfare of the youth, and to promote
                the future prosperity of the nation by furnishing it with men
                qualified to act in the fear of God as leaders and counselors. In
                the accomplishment of this object Samuel gathered companies
                of young men who were pious, intelligent, and studious. These
                were called the sons of the prophets. As they communed with
                God and studied His word and His works, wisdom from above
                was added to their natural endowments."—Patriarchs and
                Prophets, p. 593.

                   "Let the youth be led to understand the object of their
                creation, to honor God and bless their fellow men; let them see
                the tender love which the Father in heaven has manifested
                toward them, and the high destiny for which the discipline of
                this life is to prepare them, the dignity and honor to which they
                are called, even to become the sons of God, and thousands
                would turn with contempt and loathing from the low and selfish
                aims and the frivolous pleasures that have hitherto engrossed
                them. They would learn to hate sin and to shun it, not merely
                from hope of reward or fear of punishment, but from a sense of
                its inherent baseness, because it would be a degrading of their
                God-given powers, a stain upon their Godlike manhood."—
                Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 601, 602.

                                                                               27

         Part 5     "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long
  ELIJAH MEETS    halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him:
       A CRISIS   but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not
                  a word" (1 Kings 18:21).

                     What was the condition of Israel at the time of Elijah?
                     King Ahab and his heathen wife, Jezebel, brought Israel to an
                  all-time low, spiritually. "The dark shadow of apostasy covered
                  the whole land. Images of Baalim and Ashtoreth were
                  everywhere to be seen. Idolatrous temples and consecrated
                  groves, wherein were worshiped the works of men's hands,
                  were multiplied. The air was polluted with the smoke of the
                  sacrifices offered to false gods. Hill and vale resounded with the
                  drunken cries of a heathen priesthood who sacrificed to the
                  sun, moon, and stars."—Prophets and Kings, p. 115.

                     How did Elijah bring this worship conflict to a point of deci-
                  sion? 1 Kings 17:1.
                     The followers of Baal believed that "the treasures of heaven,
                  the dew and the rain, came not from Jehovah, but from the
                  ruling forces of nature."—Prophets and Kings, p. 120. Elijah
                  challenged the power of Baal by announcing to the king that
                  there would be a long famine. For three years and a half no rain
                  fell, and finally in the confrontation on Mount Carmel it was
                  made clear that the prophets of Baal were helpless. The heathen
                  worship that had so completely engulfed Israel was proved
                  false. The prophets of Baal were slain, and the way was opened
                  for a new era in the history of Israel.
                     But the work of Elijah was not done. A brief detour of discour-
                  agement and a rendezvous with God in the wilderness prepared
                  him for the remainder of his mission.

 FURTHER STUDY      1 Kings 18 and 19.

                 What part did heathen practices of worship play in the final
               downfall of Israel? 2 Kings 17:18.

                 "The iniquity in Israel during the last half century before the
               Assyrian captivity was like that of the days of Noah, and of every
               other age when men have rejected God and have given
               themselves wholly to evil-doing. The exaltation of nature above
               the God of nature, the worship of the creature instead of the
               Creator, has always resulted in the grossest of evils. Thus when
               the people of Israel, in their worship of Baal and Ashtoreth, paid
               supreme homage to the forces of nature, they severed their
               connection with all that is uplifting and ennobling, and fell an
               easy prey to temptation. With the defenses of the soul broken
               down, the misguided worshipers had no barrier against sin and
               yielded themselves to the evil passions of the human heart....
                  "Such were some of the results that had followed the setting
               up of the two calves of gold by Jeroboam. The first departure
               from established forms of worship had led to the introduction of
               grosser forms of idolatry, until finally nearly all the inhabitants
               of the land had given themselves over to the alluring practices
               of nature worship."—Prophets and Kings, pp. 281, 282.

                 It was the worship of Baal rather than God that sealed the fate
               of Israel. "Moses traced the evils that would result from a
               departure from the statutes of Jehovah. Calling heaven and
               earth to witness, he declared that if, after having dwelt long in
               the Land of Promise, the people should introduce corrupt forms
               of worship and bow down to graven images and should refuse
               to return to the worship of the true God, the anger of the Lord
               would be aroused, and they would be carried away captive and
               scattered among the heathen."—Prophets and Kings, p. 295.

                 It is important how and whom we worship.

                                                                               29

                    This passage is merely a sample indicating the quality of
                 materials and workmanship that went into the temple.
                    "Of surpassing beauty and unrivaled splendor was the
                 palatial building which Solomon and his associates erected for
                 God and His worship. Garnished with precious stones,
                 surrounded by spacious courts with magnificent approaches,
                 and lined with carved cedar and burnished gold, the temple
                 structure, with its broidered hangings and rich furnishings, was
                 a fit emblem for the living church of God on earth, which
                 through the ages has been building in accordance with the
                 divine pattern, with materials that have been likened to 'gold,
                 silver, precious stones,' polished after the similitude of a
                 palace.' 1 Corinthians 3:12; Psalm 144:12. Of this spiritual
                 temple Christ is 'the chief Cornerstone.' "—Prophets and
                 Kings, p. 36.

                   If such an output of energy and wealth was appropriate in
                 Solomon's day in erecting a national temple for the worship of
                 God, should not we provide the best we can today for local
                 buildings for His worship?
                   "Many act as though the Creator of the heavens and the earth,
                 He who has made everything that is lovely and beautiful in our
                 world, would be pleased to see a house erected for Him without
                 order or beauty. Some build large, convenient houses for
                 themselves, but cannot afford to spend much upon a house
                 which they are to dedicate to God. Every dollar of the means in
                 their hands is the Lord's. He has lent it to them for a little while,
                 to use to His glory; yet they hand out this means for the
                 advancement of the cause of God as though every dollar thus
                 expended were a total loss.
                   "God would not have His people expend means extravagantly
                 for show or ornament, but He would have them observe
                 neatness, order, taste, and plain beauty in preparing a house for
                 Him in which He is to meet with His people. Those who build a
                 house for God should manifest as much greater interest, care,
                 and taste in its arrangement as the object for which it is
                 prepared is higher and more holy than that for which common
                 dwelling houses are prepared."—Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 257.

 FURTHER STUDY     1 Kings 5-7; Haggai 1:4-6.

                  What was the purpose of this procedure?

                   God does not change. Centuries may come and go, nations
                may rise and fall, cultures may appear and disappear, but God is
                the same yesterday, today, and forever. This being true, there
                needs to be continuity in His worship. This does not mean that
                customs and forms may not change; but it does mean that the
                realities of the past will not be lightly laid aside.
                   Nearly five hundred years had passed since God gave Moses
                the tables of stone, since the ark of the covenant was
                constructed. But the passing of five centuries had not lessened
                the importance of these elements in Israel's worship.
                   "At the appointed time the hosts of Israel, with richly clad
                representatives from many foreign nations, assembled in the
                temple courts. The scene was one of unusual splendor.
                Solomon, with the elders of Israel and the most influential men
                among the people, had returned from another part of the city,
                whence they had brought the ark of the testament. From the
                sanctuary on the heights of Gibeon had been transferred the
                ancient 'tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels
                that were in the tabernacle' (2 Chronicles 5:5); and these
                cherished reminders of the earlier experiences of the children
                of Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness and their
                conquest of Canaan, now found a permanent home in the
                splendid building that had been erected to take the place of the
                portable structure."—Prophets and Kings, p. 38.
                   These objects from the past were more than antiques. They
                preserved the content of the worship of God in a day when
                books were scarce and the past might have been easily
                forgotten. Let us beware of a "now" religion that ignores the
                heritage of the past. As Seventh-day Adventists, we have often
                 repeated: "We have nothing to fear for the future except as we
                shall forget the way the Lord has led us."—Testimonies to
                Ministers, p. 31.

                    What relation does this promise have to worship?

                     "In the midst of the architectural description is inserted a
                  brief notice of the Lord's promise concerning the Temple....
                     "One of the reasons the Lord sent His word at this time was
                  that Solomon needed to be kept in constant remembrance of
                  his solemn responsibilities to Heaven. Even when a man is
                  engaged in working for the Lord, and is acting upon His
                  command and in fulfillment of His design, it is possible to forget
                  the necessity of continued rededication of purpose. The danger
                  is always present that he will take steps that will forfeit the divine
                  blessing. Again and again the Lord sends to His people
                  messages destined to remind them of the vital importance of
                  holding to basic principles which alone will ensure continued
                  prosperity, peace, and blessing."—SDA Bible Commentary, on
                  1 Kings 6:11.

                    It was as if God had said to Solomon: Solomon, you are
                  building Me a great temple at the cost of much labor and wealth.
                  But remember, Solomon, this temple and its services will not
                  take the place of obedience to My will. In order for the services
                  of the temple to be significant, they must be performed by a
                  priesthood and a people who are dedicated to Me and who are
                  sensitive to My guidance. And remember, Solomon, I desire
                  earnestly to fulfill My promises and to have a close relationship
                  with Israel. I will not forsake Israel, but they may forsake Me.
                    True worship can never exist apart from a close relationship
                  with God. It becomes mechanical and meaningless without the
                  obedience prompted by love, but it is one of life's greatest
                  experiences when its sacred rites are performed in the fear of
                  God. Every time a church is dedicated to the worship of God, it
                  would be appropriate to remember God's word to Solomon.
                  God says to His people today: If you will follow Me, if you will
                  dedicate your lives to Me, if you will become involved in
                  unselfish service, if you will witness for Me to the world, I will be
                  with your church, and I will bless your services, your worship,
                  your activities, and your witness.


 FURTHER STUDY      SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, pp. 1029, 1030. 34

                  How did Solomon's prayer reveal that Solomon understood
                that God's promises were conditional?

                  Solomon did not presume upon the goodness of God merely
                because he had built Him a magnificent temple. Solomon's
                prayer, as the king knelt in the presence of the multitude, was
                primarily a prayer for forgiveness. Worship was more than an
                expression of emotion, it was an acceptance of responsibility.
                  Solomon asked that Israel might be forgiven whenever their
                sins against God got them into trouble and they repented. "If
                there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, . . . if their
                enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever
                sore or whatsoever sickness there be: then what prayer or what
                supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy
                people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his
                own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house: then
                hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and
                render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart
                thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children
                of men:) that they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as
                they live in the land which thou gayest unto our fathers"
                (2 Chron. 6:28-31).

                   As Solomon prayed, he was standing in the shadow of the
                temple that contained the mercy seat, the emblem of God's
                forgiveness. He was deeply involved in sacrifices, the Old
                Testament symbol for mediating the forgiveness of God. The
                worship of God is always involved in asking and receiving God's
                forgiveness. Confession is a basic element in worship, and the
                true worshiper may have every reason to believe that his sins are
                forgiven. The Old Testament emphasis on confession and
                forgiveness in worship prefigured the New Testament gospel
                which revolves around the same theme.
                   "The conditions of obtaining mercy of God are simple and
                just and reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some
                grievous thing in order that we may have the forgiveness of sin.
                We need not make long and wearisome pilgrimages, or perform
                painful penances, to commend our souls to the God of heaven
                or to expiate our transgression; but he that confesseth and
                forsaketh his sin shall have mercy."—Steps to Christ, p. 37.

                                                                                35

        Part 5    "Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy SOLOMON'S PRAYER FOR people Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great
 THE WORSHIPING name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm;
      STRANGER if they come and pray in this house; then hear thou from the
               heavens, even from thy dwelling place, and do according to all
               that the stranger calleth to thee for; that all people of the earth
               may know ... that this house which I have built is called by thy
               name" (2 Chron. 6:32, 33).

                        "One of the most touching portions of Solomon's dedicatory
                     prayer was his plea to God for the strangers that should come
                     from countries afar to learn more of Him whose fame had been
                     spread abroad among the nations."—Prophets and Kings, p. 66.
                     This part of the prayer is sandwiched between the eloquent
                     pleas for forgiveness that precede and follow it.

                       Why did Solomon include this request in his prayer? Isa.
                     56:7.

                        The temple was intended not only as a center of worship for
                     Israel, but as a lighthouse for all nations. The temple worship
                     was to have a missionary dimension. Solomon apparently
                     recognized that this phase of the worship of God might be lost.
                     And it was. "When the Temple was first established, Solomon
                     remembered the strangers of other lands, that they too might
                     hear of God's covenant of grace and come to the Temple to
                     worship Him. Israel was to be a light that was to enlighten the
                     world. Had they been faithful to their divine mission, the nation
                     would not have perished, but would have continued to grow till
                     it embraced all the nations of earth, till Jerusalem would have
                     become the world's metropolis, and its Temple would have
                     become the source of a river of life to bring health and healing to
                     all."—SDA Bible Commentary, on 1 Kings 8:43.

 THINK IT THROUGH      Does the worship of God still have a missionary dimension?

                        "We spend millions of dollars on evangelism, and rightly so;
                     but the results of our evangelistic efforts will be dissipated if our
                     new converts are driven away by an irreverent, unsatisfying
                     Sabbath service. We engage in lay activities that take us up and
                     down the streets of our cities with literature and with invitations
                     to enroll in Bible courses. This is good ; but are we deterred from
                     the finest possible missionary activity—bringing our non-
                     Adventist friends to our churches—by failure to provide
                     worshipful Sabbath services? . . .
                        "These questions demand an answer."—Norval F. Pease,
                     And Worship Him (Nashville: Southern Publishing Assn.,
                     1967), p. 7.

     FURTHER STUDY     Prophets and Kings, pp. 66-68.

36

                  "The king had done everything within his power to encourage
               the people to give themselves wholly to God and His service,
               and to magnify His holy name. And now once more, as at Gibeon
               early in his reign, Israel's ruler was given evidence of divine
               acceptance and blessing. In a night vision the Lord appeared to
               him with the message: 'I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen
               this place to Myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven
               that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the
               land, or if I send pestilence among My people; if My people,
               which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and
               pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then
               will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal
               their land. Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attent
               unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen
               and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever:
               and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually.' Verses
               [2 Chron. 7:] 12-16."—Prophets and Kings, pp. 45, 46.

                  What happened to prevent the fulfillment of God's promises
                in the reign of Solomon? 1 Kings 11:4, 5.

                   "Almost imperceptibly he [Solomon] began to trust less and
                less in divine guidance and blessing, and to put confidence in
                his own strength.... Yielding to the temptations incident to his
                 success and his honored position, he forgot the Source of his
                 prosperity."—Prophets and Kings, p. 55.
                   The worship of God gave way to the worship of man.

                   "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the
                things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them
                slip" (Heb. 2:1). "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man
                take thy crown" (Rev. 3:11). The fact that we have worshiped
                God, and that He has answered our prayers, does not excuse us
                from vigilance.

                                                                               37

        Part 1     "When you come to appear before me, A WARNING AGAINST        who requires of you
 HYPOCRITICAL        this trampling of my courts?
      WORSHIP      Bring no more vain offerings;
                     incense is an abomination to me.
                   New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies—
                     ! cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly" (Isa. 1:12,
                                                              13, RSV).


                    In the Old Testament prophets there is a continual struggle
                 between religious formality and spiritual experience. Isaiah is
                 joined by Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos, Micah, and others in warning
                 against the danger of going through the motions of religion
                 without understanding the real nature of service for God.
                     "Judah was still, outwardly, a very religious nation. Great
                 numbers of sacrifices were offered at the Temple, but there was
                 little true religion. While maintaining the external forms of
                 religion the professed people of God had forgotten what it was
                 that God really wanted of them. They were willing to offer
                 sacrifices, but not to give their hearts to the Lord. They knew the
                 forms of religion, but they did not understand their need of a
                 Saviour or the meaning of righteousness. Isaiah endeavored to
                 bring the people to their senses. . . . By a series of pointed
                 questions he hoped to bring home to them the fact that a
                 religion consisting only of outward forms was an offense in the
                 sight of God."8SDA Bible Commentary, on Isa. 1:11.

                    "In every age, a majority of the professed followers of Christ
                 have disregarded those precepts which enjoin self-denial and
                 humility, which require modesty and simplicity of conversation,
                 deportment, and apparel. The result has ever been the
                 same,—departure from the teachings of the gospel leads to the
                 adoption of the fashions, customs, and principles of the world.
                 Vital godliness gives place to a dead formalism. The presence
                 and power of God, withdrawn from those world-loving circles,
                 are found with a class of humbler worshipers, who are willing to
                 obey the teachings of the Sacred Word. Through successive
                 generations, this course has been pursued. One after another,
                 different denominations have risen and, yielding their simplic-
                 ity, have lost, in a great measure, their early power."—Messages
                 to Young People, p. 354.

 FURTHER STUDY     Jer. 7:3-12; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8.

                   One of the great problems of Isaiah's day was that of the
                 worship of idols. It seemed a hopeless task to wean his people
                 away from the gods of their neighbors. Isaiah resorted to
                 sarcasm in his attempt to get his idea across. (Read Isaiah 44:-
                 12-21.)

                     "14. The rain. Men may plant the seed from which the tree
                 sprouts, but only God can make it grow. Without the power of
                 God there would be no tree from which to carve an idol!
                     "15. Yea, he maketh a god. It is a mere matter of chance
                 which piece of wood is used for fuel and which for the idol!
                     "16. He burneth part. The folly of making a god out of
                 something a man has the power to destroy!
                     "He roasteth roast. Dead Sea scroll 110Is' reads, 'upon his
                 charcoal he sits.'
                     "17. Deliver me. The wood could not have delivered itself
                 from the fire had he chosen to burn it instead of worship it! How
                 foolish of a man who has used most of his wood for fuel to shape
                 one of the leftover sticks into an idol and expect it to have the
                 strength and the intelligence to save his life!
                     "18. They have not known. Men who do worship images have
                 little knowledge. Their foolish hearts are dark, and though they
                 profess to be wise they are fools (Rom. 1:21-23). . . .
                     "19. The stock of a tree. Literally, 'the dry wood of a tree.' He
                 who worships an idol merely pays reverence to a block of wood.
                 He talks to it and bows down before it, little thinking that it
                 would be as sensible to make his requests to a staff. . . .
                     "20. He feedeth on ashes. How foolish a man would be to
                 make a meal of ashes, expecting nourishment from them. It is
                 equally foolish to think that an idol can benefit man.
                     "21. Remember these. God calls Israel to heed what He has
                 said about the folly of worshiping idols. Israel belongs to God;
                 they are to serve Him."—SDA Bible Commentary, on Isa.
                 44:14-21.

                   "The Lord designed that by a faithful observance of the Sab-
                 bath command, Israel should continually be reminded of their
                 accountability to Him as their Creator and their Redeemer.
                 While they should keep the Sabbath in the proper spirit, idolatry
                 could not exist."—Prophets and Kings, p. 182.

FURTHER STUDY      Isaiah 40:12-26.



                                                                                   41

                       "In the year that king Uzziah died, Isaiah was permitted in
                    vision to look into the holy place, and into the holy of holies in
                    the heavenly sanctuary. The curtains of the innermost
                    sanctuary were drawn aside, and a throne high and lifted up,
                    towering as it were to the very heavens, was revealed to his
                    gaze. An indescribable glory emanated from a personage on the
                   throne, and His train filled the temple, as His glory will finally fill
                   the earth. Cherubim were on either side of the mercy-seat, as
                    guards round the great king, and they glowed with the glory that
                   enshrouded them from the presence of God. As their songs of
                    praise resounded in deep, earnest notes of adoration, the pillars
                    of the gate trembled, as if shaken by an earthquake. These holy
                   beings sang forth the praise and glory of God with lips
                    unpolluted with sin. The contrast between the feeble praise
                   which he had been accustomed to bestow upon the Creator and
                   the fervid praises of the seraphim, astonished and humiliated
                   the prophet. He had for the time being the sublime privilege of
                   appreciating the spotless purity of Jehovah's exalted
                   character."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commen-
                   tary, vol. 4, pp. 1139, 1140.

                      Parts 4-6 of this lesson continue to answer this question. The
                   first lesson is that the worshiper must "see the Lord." He may
                   not receive a vision of the temple in heaven, as Isaiah did,
                   nevertheless he will become conscious of the presence of God.
                   This consciousness will shut out the world, and make him
                   sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This realization of
                   the presence of God comes only to the person who has
                   prepared himself for it by dedication and commitment. Only the
                   pure in heart will see God. (See Matt. 5:8.)


 FURTHER STUDY       SDA Bible Commentary, on Isa. 6:1-4.

                 Did Isaiah really mean that he was in need of personal
               forgiveness and transformation?

                  "Isaiah had denounced the sin of others; but now he sees
               himself exposed to the same condemnation he had pronounced
               upon them. He had been satisfied with a cold, lifeless ceremony
               in his worship of God. He had not known this until the vision was
               given him of the Lord. How little now appeared his wisdom and
               talents as he looked upon the sacredness and majesty of the
               sanctuary. How unworthy he was! how unfitted for sacred
               service! His view of himself might be expressed in the language
               of the apostle Paul, '0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver
               me from the body of this death?' "—Ellen G. White Comments,
               SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1139.

                  "It is not enough to perceive the loving-kindness of God, to
               see the benevolence, the fatherly tenderness, of His character. It
               is not enough to discern the wisdom and justice of His law, to
               see that it is founded upon the eternal principle of love. Paul the
               apostle saw all this when he exclaimed, 'I consent unto the law
               that it is good.' The law is holy, and the commandment holy,
               and just, and good.' But he added, in the bitterness of his
               soul-anguish and despair, 'I am carnal, sold under sin.' Romans
               7:16, 12, 14. He longed for the purity, the righteousness, to
               which in himself he was powerless to attain, and cried out, '0
               wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of
               death?' Romans 7:24, margin. Such is the cry that has gone up
               from burdened hearts in all lands and in all ages."—Steps to
               Christ, p. 19.
                  What does a deep feeling of spiritual need have to do with the
               worship of God? Here, again, worship and salvation are closely
               related. A glimpse of God makes us feel our need of Him.
               Feeling our need puts us in the attitude where God can help us.
               God's action in forgiving our sins and transforming our lives
               causes us to come to Him in grateful adoration and worship. In
               fact, a real experience of conversion and regeneration cannot
               be separated from the experience of worship. The closer our
               relation to God, the more anxious we will be to worship Him, and
               the more we worship Him, the closer will be our relationship to
               God.

                                                                               43

                       When we really see God, respond to Him, and recognize our
                    need, He responds by forgiving our sins and transforming our
                    lives. One of the primary purposes of worship is to keep us in
                    touch with the One whose transforming friendship can make us
                    what we ought to be. This cleansing and converting power can
                    only be experienced if our worship is sincere. Mere formalities
                    will leave our lives empty and unchanged.
                       "As they [God's people in the last days] look by faith into the
                    holy of holies, and see the work of Christ in the heavenly
                    sanctuary, they perceive that they are a people of unclean
                    lips,—a people whose lips have often spoken vanity, and whose
                    talents have not been sanctified and employed to the glory of
                    God. Well may they despair as they contrast their own weakness
                    and unworthiness with the purity and loveliness of the glorious
                    character of Christ. But if they, like Isaiah, will receive the
                    impression the Lord designs shall be made upon the heart, if
                    they will humble their souls before God, there is hope for them.
                    The bow of promise is above the throne, and the work done for
                    Isaiah will be performed in them. God will respond to the peti-
                    tions coming from the contrite heart."—Ellen G. White
                    Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1139.

                        "Our meetings should be made intensely interesting. They
                    should be pervaded with the very atmosphere of heaven. Let
                    there be no long, dry speeches and formal prayers merely for
                    the sake of occupying the time. All should be ready to act their
                    part with promptness, and when their duty is done, the meeting
                    should be closed. Thus the interest will be kept up to the last.
                    This is offering to God acceptable worship. His service should
                    be made interesting and attractive and not be allowed to
                    degenerate into a dry form. We must live for Christ minute by
                    minute, hour by hour, and day by day; then Christ will dwell in
                    us, and when we meet together, His love will be in our hearts,
                    welling up like a spring in the desert, refreshing all, and making
                    those who are ready to perish, eager to drink of the waters of
                    life."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 609.

 FURTHER STUDY        Steps to Christ, "Faith and Acceptance," pp. 49-55.

                  "As he [Isaiah] stood in the portico of the temple, the Lord
               revealed Himself to him. The veil of the temple was withdrawn,
               the door lifted, and he had a view of the holy of holies within the
               veil. He saw the God of Israel before the throne high and lifted
               up, and the train of His glory filled the temple. As Isaiah senses
               his own sinfulness, he cries out, 'I am a man of unclean lips, and
               I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.' And there was
               seen the hand that took the live coal from off the altar, and
               touched his lips, and bade him be clean. Then he was ready to
               go with the message, and he said, 'Send me'; for he knew that
               the Spirit of God would be with the message.
                  "To those who are engaged in the work of God, in the
               conversion of souls, it would seem as though it was impossible
               to reach the obdurate heart. This is how Isaiah felt, but when he
               saw that there was a God above the cherubim, and that they
               were ready to work with God, he was ready to carry the
               message."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commen-
               tary, vol. 4, p. 1141.

                 Isaiah was tremendously concerned about his people. They
               had lost sight of the real meaning of worship, and many of them
               were worshiping idols. To help him meet this great need, God
               gave him a vision. When he saw God, he felt his own need. When
               he felt his own need, God met that need. When God met his
               need, Isaiah was equipped to go on God's mission. This is the
               model of the authentic worship of God in every age. Every
               service of worship, be it personal, family, or church, should
               have these ingredients—a glimpse of God, a feeling of humility,
               an experience of transformation, and a dedication to mission.
                 "To everyone who becomes a partaker of His grace the Lord
               appoints a work for others. Individually we are to stand in our lot
               and place, saying, 'Here am I; send me.' Isaiah 6:8. Upon the
               minister of the word, the missionary nurse, the Christian
               physician, the individual Christian, whether he be merchant or
               farmer, professional man or mechanic—the responsibility rests
               upon all. It is our work to reveal to men the gospel of their
               salvation. Every enterprise in which we engage should be a
               means to this end."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 148.

                                                                               45

       Part 1      How often did the psalmist say he would bless the Lord?   PRAISE FOR THE  LORD'S GOODNESS       "I will extol thee, my God, 0 king; and I will bless thy name
  AND POWER      for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise
                 thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be
                 praised; and his greatness is unsearchable" (Ps. 145:1-3).

                    "Every day. David's praise was not intermittent—not one day
                 in seven, but every day; not for a brief span, but for all time. Our
                 love to God and our praise to Him should be a daily matter. Every
                 day God sends unnumbered blessings to His children, and there
                 is every reason why we should praise Him daily."—SDA Bible
                 Commentary, on Ps. 145:2.

                   What specific reasons for praising God are listed in this
                 psalm?

                   God's greatness (verse 3); God's works (verses 4-6); God's
                 goodness (verses 7-9); God's kingly power (verses 10-13); God's
                 ability to restore (verse 14); God's liberality (verses 15, 16);
                 God's nearness (verses 18, 19).
                   Praise for the goodness and power of God will change our
                 attitude toward life. "Then let us educate our hearts and lips to
                 speak the praise of God for His matchless love. Let us educate
                 our souls to be hopeful and to abide in the light shining from the
                 cross of Calvary."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 253.
                   In both The Ministry of Healing, (p. 435) and Testimonies (vol.
                 8, p. 283), Ellen White quotes Psalm 145:3-21, and comments,
                 "As we learn more and more of what God is, and of what we
                 ourselves are in His sight, we shall fear and tremble before
                 Him."

                   In describing the final scenes of the great controversy, Ellen
                 White says, "God's wisdom, His justice, and His goodness stand
                 fully vindicated. It is seen that all His dealings in the great
                 controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal
                 good of His people and the good of all the worlds that He has
                 created. 'All Thy works shall praise Thee, 0 Lord; and Thy saints
                 shall bless Thee.' "—The Great Controversy, pp. 670, 671.
                   Is my reverence for God and my knowledge of Him great
                 enough today so that it will be the natural thing for me to join in
                 His praise at the end of the drama of the ages?

 FURTHER STUDY     SDA Bible Commentary, on Psalm 145.

                     What similar Old Testament text did Jesus quote at the
                   synagogue at Nazareth?

                      "The Spirit of the Lord.God is upon me; because the Lord
                   hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath
                   sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
                   captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound"
                   (Isa. 61:1). (Note that when Jesus referred to this text in Luke
                   4:18, He added the phrase, "and recovering of sight to the
                   blind.")

                     What other reasons for worshiping God are listed in Psalm
                   146?

                     1. God is Creator (verse 6).
                     2. God "keepeth truth for ever" (RSV; "keeps faith")
                        (verse 6).
                     3. God is the judge (verse 7).
                     4. God feeds the hungry (verse 7).
                     5. God will reign forever (verse 10).

                     Every one of us, every day, is the recipient of multiplied
                   blessings from God. As Paul said, "In him we live, and move, and
                   have our being" (Acts 17:28). These blessings include provision
                   for our temporal needs, forgiveness for sins, ability to overcome
                   sin, security in an insecure world, divine companionship, the
                   fellowship of the church, and hope of eternal life. Surely these
                   blessings are reason enough for praise and worship.
                     "Every step in life may bring us closer to Jesus, may give us a
                   deeper experience of His love, and may bring us one step nearer
                   to the blessed home of peace. Then let us not cast away our
                   confidence, but have firm assurance, firmerthan ever before....
                   Let us look to the monumental pillars, reminders of what the
                   Lord has done to comfort us and to save us from the hand of the
                   destroyer. Let us keep fresh in our memory all the tender
                   mercies that God has shown us,—the tears He has wiped away,
                   the pains He has soothed, the anxieties removed, the fears
                   dispelled, the wants supplied, the blessings bestowed,—thus
                   strengthening ourselves for all that is before us through the
                   remainder of our pilgrimage."—Steps to Christ, p. 125.

 FURTHER STUDY       SDA Bible Commentary, on Psalm 146.
                                                                                 49

                   What does this statement about "Jerusalem" mean to us?

                   To the Israelites, Jerusalem was the center of national and
                 spiritual life, a symbol of their relationship to their God. The
                 nearest parallel we have today is the church. It is appropriate to
                 apply the statements of Psalm 147 to the church.

                   What does God do for His people that should inspire their
                 praise and worship?

                    1. He gathers the outcasts (verse 2).
                    2. He heals the brokenhearted (verse 3).
                    3. He has infinite power and understanding (verse 5).
                    4. He lifts up the meek (verse 6).
                    5. He subdues the wicked (verse 6).
                    6. He provides food (verses 8, 9, 14).
                    7. He provides security (verse 13).
                    8. He blesses their children (verse 13).
                    9. He provides peace (verse 14).
                   10. He provides water for the land (verses 16-18).
                   11. He reveals His laws (verse 19).

                    "How precious are the lessons of this psalm. We might well
                 devote study to the last four psalms of David."—Fundamentals
                 of Christian Education, p. 371.

                    "Whatever your anxieties and trials, spread out your case
                 before the Lord. Your spirit will be braced for endurance. The
                 way will be open for you to disentangle yourself from
                 embarrassment and difficulty. The weaker and more helpless
                 you know yourself to be, the stronger will you become in His
                 strength. The heavier your burdens, the more blessed the rest in
                 casting them upon your Burden Bearer.
                    "Circumstances may separate friends; the restless waters of
                 the wide sea may roll between us and them. But no
                 circumstances, no distance, can separate us from the Saviour.
                 Wherever we may be, He is at our right hand, to support,
                 maintain, uphold, and cheer."—The Ministry of Healing, p.72.


 FURTHER STUDY     SDA Bible Commentary, on Psalm 147; Psalm 135.

                  Psalm 148 is divided into two parts: the praise of God in
                heaven (verses 1-6), and the praise of God on earth (verses
                7-14).

                  What is meant by praising God "from the heavens"?

                  The kingdom of God encompasses the entire universe. This
                psalm not only pictures all the beings of the universe praising
                God, but it also personifies the sun, moon, and stars, and other
                created things as returning praise to their Creator.
                  The same sentiment is found in Psalm 103: "Bless the Lord, ye
                his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments....
                Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his
                pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his
                dominion: bless the Lord, 0 my soul" (verses 20-22).

                  Under what circumstances are the followers of God to offer
                their praises to Him? Ps. 146:2; 145:1, 2.

                  Praise for God is appropriate under many circumstances. In
                Testimonies, vol. 6, pp. 108, 109, there is a section that connects
                singing of psalms of praise with churches and church schools:
                  "I saw in different places new companies of believers being
                raised up and meetinghouses being erected.... In the basement
                of the church, above ground, I was shown a room provided for a
                school where the children could be educated in the truths of
                God's word. . . .
                   "As the work was being pressed forward, I heard the voices of
                children and parents singing: . . .
                   'Praise ye the Lord from the heavens:
                  Praise Him in the heights.
                  Praise ye Him, all His angels:
                  Praise ye Him, all His hosts.
                   Praise ye Him, sun and moon:
                   Praise Him, all ye stars of light.' Psalm 148:1-3.
                   "The companies that are raised up need a place of worship.
                Schools are needed where Bible instruction may be given to the
                children."

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        Part 5     What place does joy have in the worship God?  ISRAEL EXHORTED
    TO PRAISE      "Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his
     THE LORD    praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in him
                 that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King"
                 (Ps. 149:1, 2).

                   This brief psalm stresses the joy of worship. "Let Israel
                 rejoice." "Let the children of Zion be joyful." "Let the saints be
                 joyful in glory" (verse 5).
                   "The religious life is not one of gloom and of sadness but of
                 peace and joy coupled with Christlike dignity and holy so-
                 lemnity. We are not encouraged by our Saviour to cherish
                 doubts and fears and distressing forebodings; these bring no
                 relief to the soul and should be rebuked rather than praised. We
                 may have joy unspeakable and full of glory."—Evangelism, p.
                 180.
                   "God desired to bring all peoples under His merciful rule. He
                 desired that the earth should be filled with joy and peace. He
                 created man for happiness, and He longs to fill human hearts
                 with the peace of heaven."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 290.
                   "Anciently the Lord bade Israel, when they met together for
                 His service, 'Ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall
                 rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your
                 households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee.'
                 Deuteronomy 12:7. That which is done for the glory of God
                 should be done with cheerfulness, with songs of praise and
                 thanksgiving, not with sadness and gloom. . . .
                   "It should be a pleasure to worship the Lord and to take part in
                 His work."—Steps to Christ, p. 103.

                   "Those who in everything make God first and last and best,
                 are the happiest people in the world."—Messages to Young
                 People, p. 38.
                   "A meek and quiet spirit will not be ever looking out for
                 happiness for itself, but will seek for self-forgetfulness and find
                 sweet content and true satisfaction in making others
                 happy."—Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 536.
                   "True happiness springs from a heart at peace with
                 God."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
                 7, p. 942.
                   A happy Christian life tends to produce a worshiping
                 Christian, because happiness must be expressed in praise and
                 gratitude. If we were happier, might it be pdssible that our
                 worship would be more spontaneous?

 FURTHER STUDY     Psalm 16.

                  "The service of song was made a regular part of religious
                worship, and David composed psalms . . . to be sung by the
                people in their journeys to the national altar at the annual feasts.
                The influence thus exerted was far-reaching, and it resulted in
                freeing the nation from idolatry. Many of the surrounding
                peoples, beholding the prosperity of Israel, were led to think
                favorably of Israel's God."—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 711.

                  What is the function of sacred music in our day?

                  "As the children of Israel, journeying through the wilderness,
                cheered their way by the music of sacred song, so God bids His
                children today gladden their pilgrim life. There are few means
                more effective for fixing His words in the memory than
                repeating them in song. And such song has wonderful power. It
                has power to subdue rude and uncultivated natures; power to
                quicken thought and to awaken sympathy, to promote harmony
                of action, and to banish the gloom and foreboding that destroy
                courage and weaken effort.
                   "It is one of the most effective means of impressing the heart
                with spiritual truth. Flow often to the soul hard-pressed and
                ready to despair, memory recalls some word of God's,—the
                long-forgotten burden of a childhood song,—and temptations
                lose their power, life takes on new meaning and new purpose,
                and courage and gladness are imparted to other souls!"—
                Education, pp. 167, 168.
                   "Let praise and thanksgiving be expressed in song. When
                tempted, instead of giving utterance to our feelings, let us by
                faith lift up a song of thanksgiving to God. . . .
                   "Song is a weapon that we can always use against
                discouragement. As we thus open the heart to the sunlight of
                the Saviour's presence, we shall have health and His
                blessing."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 254.

                                                                                 53

        Part 1   How did Jesus show His concern for reverence for the place
 JESUS TEACHES of worship and divine services?
    REVERENCE
                 "And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to
               Jerusalem, and found in the temple those that sold oxen and
               sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: and
               when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all
               out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out
               the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; and said unto
               them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my
               Father's house an house of merchandise" (John 2:13-16).

                      "He [Jesus] acted as He did because God's house was being
                   desecrated. In the Temple there was worship without reverence.
                   ... Worship without reverence can be a terrible thing.... It may
                   be the use of the house of God for purposes and in a way where
                   reverence and the true function of God's house is forgotten. In
                   that Temple court at Jerusalem there would be arguments
                   about prices, disputes about coins that were worn and thin, the
                   clatter of the market place in the court of the house of God. That
                   particular way of irreverence may not be common now, but
                   there are other ways of offering an irreverent worship to
                   God."—From The Gospel of John, translated and interpreted by
                   William Barclay (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1956),
                   vol. 1, pp. 98, 99. Used by permission.
                      "So great was the confusion that the worshipers were
                  disturbed, and the words addressed to the Most High were
                  drowned in the uproar that invaded the temple."—The Desire of
                  Ages, p. 155.
                      "The priests and rulers were called to be the representatives
                  of God to the nation; they should have corrected the abuses of
                 'the temple court. They should have given to the people an
                  example of integrity and compassion. Instead of studying their
                  own profit, they should have considered the situation and needs
                  of the worshipers, and should have been ready to assist those
                  who were not able to buy the required sacrifices. But this they
                   did not do. Avarice had hardened their hearts."—The Desire of
                  Ages, pp. 156, 157.

                   1. The church is a house for prayer, and not a place where we
                 buy or sell.
                   2. The church is where our thoughts are turned to God and
                 His goodness, and not to man and his wickedness.
                   3. The church is a place where we "tread softly" because we
                 do not want to draw attention away from God and to ourselves.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 154-161.

                 What life situation does this text suggest?

                  Picture a sincere follower of God who had saved for many
               months to present a gift to God. He is on his way to the altar
               where this gift will be dedicated, when it occurs to him that his
               neighbor is angry with him as a result of a business deal. What
               should he do? Could he not make his peace with his neighbor
               after he returns home from the religious service? No. Jesus
               says, Leave your gift. Go all the way home. Find your neighbor
               and straighten up the dispute. Then come back to the altar and
               offer your gift.

                 What does this text tell us about worship?

                 "The act of offering a personal 'gift,' or sacrifice, was
               considered to be among the most holy and important of all
               religious acts, but even it must take second place under the
               circumstances set forth. It is possible that the 'gift' here
               mentioned was a sacrifice made to secure divine forgiveness
               and favor. Christ insists that men must make things right with
               their fellow men before they can be reconciled with God (see
               Matt. 6:15; 1 John 4:20). The more important obligation takes
               precedence over one of less importance. Reconciliation is more
               important than sacrifice."—SDA Bible Commentary, on Matt.
               5:24.
                 "Many are zealous in religious services, while between them
               and their brethren are unhappy differences which they might
               reconcile. God requires them to do all in their power to restore
               harmony. Until they do this, He cannot accept their
               services."—The Desire of Ages, p. 311.

                 Just as a sin offering for a theft would be ineffective until the
               stolen goods were returned, so an endeavor to go through the
               forms of worshiping God is a mockery if we lack kindness,
               compassion, and forgiveness for our fellowman.

                                                                               57

                     What is the background of this passage?

                     A delegation of scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem
                  questioned Jesus because His disciples did not observe the
                  ceremonial washings that were considered so important by the
                  Jews. Jesus replied by pointing out the hypocrisy of one of their
                  traditions that made it possible for them to evade their
                  responsibility to look after the needs of their parents. He thus
                  revealed the inconsistency of their religion which demanded
                  meticulous observance of ceremonies but permitted neglect of
                  the needs of aging parents. In order to reinforce His reproof
                  Jesus paraphrased Isaiah 29:13. A study of this passage in
                  Isaiah and the parallel Gospel passages in Matthew 15 and Mark
                  7 reveals a great truth: God demands obedience as an evidence
                  of the genuineness of worship. The heart and the hands must
                  support what the mouth proclaims.

                     "Although God dwells not in temples made with hands, yet He
                  honors with His presence the assemblies of His people. He has
                  promised that when they come together to seek Him, to
                  acknowledge their sins, and to pray for one another, He will
                  meet with them by His Spirit. But those who assemble to
                  worship Him should put away every evil thing."—Prophets and
                  Kings, p. 50.
                     Cain's worship was not acceptable because it was contrary to
                  divine direction. Israel's many lapses into Baal worship were
                  self destructive because Baal worship was immoral. The
                  worship of Israel in the time of the prophets was unacceptable
                  because the worshipers were violating the basic principles of
                  human relations. Savonarola is quoted as saying, "True
                  worship consists of holiness of life."
                    "It [the divine Spirit] will give us a willing obedience to all His
                  requirements. This is true worship. It is the fruit of the working
                  of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit every sincere prayer is indited,
                  and such prayer is acceptable to God. Wherever a soul reaches
                  out after God, there the Spirit's working is manifest, and God
                  will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He is
                  seeking. He waits to receive them, and to make them His sons
                  and daughters."—The Desire of Ages, p. 189.

 FURTHER STUDY      Mark 7:1-23; The Desire of Ages, pp. 395-398. 58

                  "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen
                do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much
                speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father
                knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him"
                (Matt. 6:5, 7, 8).

                  Why did Jesus warn against ostentation?

                   "The Jewish system of prayer made ostentation very easy.
                The Jew prayed standing, with hands stretched out, palms
                upwards, and with head bowed. Prayer had to be said at 9 am, 12
                midday, and 3 pm. It had to be said wherever a man might be,
                and it was easy for a man to make sure that at these hours he
                was at a busy street corner, or in a crowded city square, so that
                all the world might see with what devotion he prayed. It was easy
                for a man to halt on the top step of the entrance to the
                synagogue, and there pray lengthily and demonstratively, so
                that all men might admire his exceptional piety. It was easy to
                put on an act of prayer which all the world might see."—From
                The Gospel of Matthew, translated and interpreted by William
                Barclay (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1958), vol. 1, p.
                196. Used by permission.

                  Why did Jesus warn against repetition?

                  "There was an attempt to pile up every possible title and
                adjective in the address of the prayer to God.... There is one
                Jewish prayer which actually begins with sixteen different
                adjectives attached to the name of God. There was a kind of
                intoxication with words. When a man begins to think more of
                how he is praying than of what he is praying, his prayer dies
                upon his lips."—From The Gospel of Matthew, translated and
                interpreted by William Barclay, vol. 1, p. 196.

                  The whole point of prayer is communion with God. The
                person who prays the same prayer over and over again, with
                practically no variation, is as guilty of repetition as were the
                religionists of old.

                    What does Jesus' model prayer teach us about prayer?

                   Corporate prayer. Jesus counseled his followers to go alone
                 into their "closet" to pray, yet His prayer used the first person
                 plural—"Our" Father—Give "us" "our" daily bread—Forgive
                 "us" "our" debts—Lead "us" not into temptation—Deliver "us"
                 from evil. Jesus wished His praying followers to identify
                 themselves with other people and to include them in their
                 prayers.
                   Prayer should include praise. The first three petitions of the
                 Lord's prayer extol the name, the kingdom, and the will of God.
                 All true prayer must recognize the greatness of God. The prayer,
                 in Matthew's record, also closes on this note.
                   Prayer may include petition. "The first half of the prayerJesus
                 has taught us is in regard to the name and kingdom and will of
                 God—that His name may be honored, His kingdom established,
                 His will performed. When you have thus made God's service
                 your first interest, you may ask with confidence that your own
                 needs may be supplied. If you have renounced self and given
                 yourself to Christ you are a member of the family of God, and
                 everything in the Father's house is for you."—Thoughts From
                 the Mount of Blessing, p. 110.

                    What is the relation between prayer and worship?

                    Prayer includes worship„ Prayer is also one of the most
                  significant aspects of Christian experience. It is on our knees
                  that we come to know and worship God; and it is on our knees
                  that we find spiritual strength and fulfillment. The relationship
                  between the worship of God and Christian living becomes real
                  in the experience of prayer.

                   Jesus said, "After this manner ... pray ye." He did not intend
                 that Christians should limit themselves to repeating the Lord's
                 Prayer. He expected that our prayers would be characterized by
                 the same simplicity, the same reverence, the same concerns
                 that are found in the model prayer.

 FURTHER STUDY     Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, "The Lord's Prayer,"
                  pp. 102-109. 60

                  1. The healing of the lame man at Bethesda (John 5:1-15).
                  2. The demoniac in the synagogue (Mark 1:21-28).
                  3. Peter's mothei'-in-law (Mark 1:29-31).
                  4. The man with a withered hand (Mark 3:1-6).
                  5. The man born blind (John 9:1-41).
                  6. The crippled woman (Luke 13:10-17).
                  7. The man with dropsy (Luke 14:1-6).
                 Each miracle demonstrated proper Sabbath keeping.

                   What should be our attitude toward Sabbath keeping as part
                 of our worship?

                    "The Sabbath is not intended to be a period of useless
                 inactivity. The law forbids secular labor on the rest day of the
                 Lord; the toil that gains a livelihood must cease; no labor for
                 worldly pleasure or profit is lawful upon that day; but as God
                 ceased His labor of creating, and rested upon the Sabbath and
                 blessed it, so man is to leave the occupations of his daily life,
                 and devote those sacred hours to healthful rest, to worship, and
                 to holy deeds."—The Desire of Ages, p. 207.
                    "No other institution which was committed to the Jews
                 tended so fully to distinguish them from surrounding nations as
                 did the Sabbath. God designed that its observance should
                 designate them as His worshipers. It was to be a token of their
                 separation from idolatry, and their connection with the true
                 God. But in order to keep the Sabbath holy, men must
                 themselves be holy. Through faith they must become partakers
                 of the righteousness of Christ. When the command was given to
                 Israel, 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy,' the Lord
                 said also to them, 'Ye shall be holy men unto Me.' Ex. 20:8;
                 22:31. Only thus could the Sabbath distinguish Israel as the
                 worshipers of God."—The Desire of Ages, p. 283.

                   "God has given man six days in which to do his own work and
                 carry on the usual business of life; but He claims one day, which
                 He has set apart and sanctified. He gives it to man as a day in
                 which he may rest from labor and devote himself to worship and
                 the improvement of his spiritual condition."—Testimonies, vol.
                 4, p. 249.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 281-289.


                                                                               61

                   What are some of the examples of "praising God" found in
                 the records of the life of the New Testament church?

                   1. Regarding the very first Christians, immediately following
                 the ascension, it is said, "And they worshipped him, and
                 returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in
                 the temple, praising and blessing God" (Luke 24:52, 53).
                   2. When Peter and John were released from prison (Acts 4),
                 they returned to the church and recounted their experiences.
                 "And when they [the church] heard that, they lifted up their
                 voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God,
                 which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in
                 them is" (Acts 4:24).
                   3. Throughout the New Testament are statements of praise
                 which very likely were used in the services of the church. A good
                 example is Ephesians 3:20, 21: "Now unto him that is able to do
                 exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
                 to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church
                 by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

                     "The church of God below is one with the church of God
                 above. Believers on the earth and the beings in heaven who
                 have never fallen constitute one church. Every heavenly
                 intelligence is interested in the assemblies of the saints who on
                 earth meet to worship God. In the inner court of heaven they
                 listen to the testimony of the witnesses for Christ in the outer
                 court on earth, and the praise and thanksgiving from the
                 worshipers below is taken up in the heavenly anthem, and
                 praise and rejoicing sound through the heavenly courts
                 because Christ has not died in vain for the fallen sons of Adam.
                 ... Let us remember that our praises are supplemented by the
                 choirs of the angelic host above.
                     "Then as you meet from Sabbath to Sabbath, sing praises to
                 Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous
                 light. . . .
                     "While we review, not the dark chapters in our experience,
                 but the manifestations of God's great mercy and unfailing love,
                 we shall praise far more than complain. . . . Praise, like
                 clear-flowing streams, will come from God's truly believing
                 ones."—Testimonies, vol. 6, pp. 366, 367.

 FURTHER STUDY    Testimonies, vol. 6, pp. 360-368.

                 Peter and John had healed a lame man in the temple. Peter
               followed the healing by preaching a powerful sermon in which
               he bore witness to his Lord. The authorities threw them in jail
               overnight, but the result of the day's work was many
               conversions (Acts 4:4). The next day Peter and John were called
               before the authorities and, again, Peter bore eloquent witness
               to Christ. Afraid to punish them further because of public
               sentiment, the rulers let them go with a solemn warning to quit
               preaching in the name of Jesus. Peter and John gave no
               assurances of compliance with these commands. As soon as
               they were released, they sought out a group of fellow believers
               and related their experiences. Then this group of Christians
               offered the prayer recorded in Acts 4:24-30. After ascribing
               praise and honor to God, they continued their worship by
               making the requests found in our text for today.
                 It is interesting to note that these persecuted believers did not
               ask for deliverance from trouble; they didn't pray for wisdom to
               avoid persecution; or for God to punish their enemies. They
               prayed for boldness to preach the gospel. They prayed that
               more people might be healed, even though the healing of the
               day before had been the cause of their trouble.

                 Prayers for boldness to witness and clear manifestations of
               the power of God were an important part of worship for the
               apostles. Such. prayers are no less important today.
                 "God does not mean that any of us should become hermits or
               monks and retire from the world in order to devote ourselves to
               acts of worship. The life must be like Christ's life—between the
               mountain and the multitude. He who does nothing but pray will
               soon cease to pray, or his prayers will become a formal routine.
               When men take themselves out of social life, away from the
               sphere of Christian duty and cross bearing; when they cease to
               work earnestly for the Master, who worked earnestly for them,
               they lose the subject matter of prayer and have no incentive to
               devotion."—Steps to Christ, p. 101.

                                                                               65

                    Note that the tremendous achievements described in this
                  passage came as the result of an act of worship—prayer. It was
                  "when they had prayed" that the Holy Spirit fell upon them.
                    "By the grace of Christ the apostles were made what they
                  were. It was sincere devotion and humble, earnest prayer that
                  brought them into close communion with Him. They sat
                  together with Him in heavenly places. They realized the
                  greatness of their debt to Him. By earnest, persevering prayer
                  they obtained the endowment of the Holy Spirit, and then they
                  went forth, weighted with the burden of saving souls, filled with
                  zeal to extend the triumphs of the cross. And under their labors
                  many souls were brought from darkness to light, and many
                  churches were raised up."—Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 32.

                     "Shall we be less earnest than were the apostles? Shall we
                  not by living faith claim the promises that moved them to the
                  depths of their being to call upon the Lord Jesus for the
                  fulfillment of His word, 'Ask, and ye shall receive'? John 16:24. Is
                  not the Spirit of God to come today in answer to earnest,
                  persevering prayer, and fill men with power? Is not God saying
                  today to His praying, trusting, believing workers, who are
                  opening the Scriptures to those ignorant of the precious truth
                  they contain: 'Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
                  world'? Matthew 28:20. Why, then, is the church so weak and
                  spiritless?
                     "As the disciples, filled with the power of the Spirit, went forth
                  to proclaim the gospel, so God's servants are to go forth
                  today."—Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 32.
                    As in the time of the apostles, fervent prayer will be followed
                  by the infilling of the Spirit, unity, power, and grace. Those who
                  worship God come to know God and go to serve God.

 FURTHER STUDY      Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 19-23.

                   Timothy was a young pastor and evangelist, and Paul was
                giving him counsel regarding the conduct of his ministry. No
                doubt Paul recognized the danger that the church would limit
                its prayers to things pertaining to themselves.
                   "The gospel embraces Christian and non-Christian. Prayer is
                to be made for all men. The Emperors and rulers and governors
                for whom this letter bids us to pray were not Christians; they
                were in fact hostile to the Church; and yet they were to be borne
                to the throne of grace by the prayers of the Church. For the true
                Christian there is no such thing as an enemy in all this world.
                None is outside his prayers, for none is outside the love of
                Christ, and none is outside the purpose of God, who wishes a//
                men to be saved."—From The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and
                Philemon, translated and interpreted by Willaim Barclay
                (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), p. 65. Used by
                permission.

                   The following prayer was offered by an early church leader in
                the time of the persecuting Roman emperor, Domitian:
                   "You, Master, gave them [rulers] imperial power through your
                majestic and indescribable might, so that we, recognizing it was
                you who gave them the glory and honor, might submit to them,
                and in no way oppose your will. Grant them, Lord, health, peace,
                harmony, and stability, so that they may give no offense in
                administering the government you have given them.... Direct
                their plans, 0 Lord, in accord with 'what is good and pleasing to
                you,' so that they may administer the authority you have given
                them, with peace, considerateness, and reverence, and so win
                your mercy. ... Amen."—Cyril C. Richardson, ed. Early Chris-
                tian Fathers, (Volume 1 of Library of Christian Classics)
                (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1953), p. 72, "Clement's
                First Letter."
                   Should we not be more faithful in remembering our rulers in
                our services of worship? They need our prayers, and we need to
                think of them in the attitude of prayer.

                                                                              67

                    "The curtain rises on the birth of Christ to singing by the
                 heavenly choir. Luke records in poetic form the announcement
                 of the angel to Zacharias that to him and his wife Elisabeth
                 would be born the Forerunner of the Messiah. The annunciation
                 to Mary is poetic; and when Mary realized that she was to be the
                 mother of the Christ, her amazement, humility, and gladness
                 found expression in pure poetry (Luke 1:32-35, 47-55). Later
                 when John was born, the tongue of Zacharias was loosed and
                 his joy poured forth in poetry (Luke 1:68-79). When the Holy
                 Child was brought to the Temple in compliance with Jewish
                 custom and Simeon realized that he was seeing the Lord's
                 Christ, he took the child in his arms and blessed God and broke
                 into song (Luke 2:29-35). These poetic utterances were later set
                 to music and became the precious hymns of the early
                 churches."—Gaines Dobbins, The Church at Worship
                 (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1962), p. 69. Used by permission.

                  What are some of the other references to music in the early
                 Christian church?

                   Mark 14:26. "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out
                 into the mount of Olives."See also Eph. 5:19;James 5:13;1 Cor.
                 14:15.

                   "Music can be a great power for good; yet we do not make the
                 most of this branch of worship.... Music should have beauty,
                 pathos, and power. Let the voices be lifted in songs of praise
                 and devotion. Call to your aid, if practicable, instrumental
                 music, and let the glorious harmony ascend to God, an
                 acceptable offering.
                   "But it is sometimes more difficult to discipline the singers
                 and keep them in working order, than to improve the habits of
                 praying and exhorting. Many want to do things after their own
                 style; they object to consultation, and are impatient under
                 leadership. Well-matured plans are needed in the service of
                 God. Common sense is an excellent thing in the worship of the
                 Lord."—Evangelism, p. 505.

 FURTHER STUDY     Education, pp. 167, 168.

                   Praise, prayer, and singing are important parts of worship,
                but they are not enough. The worshiper goes to church to praise
                God, but he also goes to learn more about God. This is-the
                reason Scripture is read, lessons are taught, and sermons are
                preached. Ellen White says, "Much of the public worship of God
                consists of praise and prayer, and every follower of Christ
                should engage in this worship. There is also the preaching
                service, conducted by those whose work it is to instruct the
                congregation in the word of God."—Ellen G. White, Signs of the
                Times, June 24, 1886.
                    "When man comes into spiritual contact with God, that is
                communion; it is worship. Preaching is spiritual worship of the
                highest order because by means of it God comes directly to the
                minds and hearts and consciences of men. Through the
                preacher he stimulates and challenges all the higher qualities of
                the soul. Hence preaching is indispensable to mature worship.
                It is preaching that primarily makes worship mature and keeps it
                so. As people leave church, they are often heard to remark that
                they enjoyed the service. This may mean only that they had
                pleasant sensations as they sat in a building that was artistically
                and architecturally satisfying, as they listened to the music....
                The sermon if of the right quality forces them to be honest with
                themselves and with God as to whether they actually are better
                morally than when they entered. The sermon can do more than
                anything else to make and keep the worship a personal matter
                between the soul and God."—I. T. Jones, A Historical Approach
                to Evangelical Worship, pp. 260, 261.

                  "It is the efficiency of the Holy Spirit that makes the ministry of
                the word effective. When Christ speaks through the minister,
                the Holy Spirit prepares the hearts of the listeners to receive the
                word. The Holy Spirit is not a servant, but a controlling power.
                He causes the truth to shine into minds, and speaks through
                every discourse where the minister surrenders himself to the
                divine working. It is the Spirit that surrounds the soul with a holy
                atmosphere, and speaks to the impenitent through words of
                warning, pointing them to Him who takes away the sin of the
                world."—Gospel Workers, p. 155.

                                                                                  69

                    What is the meaning of the term, "living creatures"?

                    The KJV translates this word as "beasts." The translation
                 "living creatures" seems better, as the original word does not
                 indicate to what order of beings these four belong. Apparently
                 they were different from anything the prophet knew; therefore
                 he referred to them merely as "living creatures." "That the
                 description of God's throne and the scene about it in chs. 4 and
                 5 is to be understood symbolically, rather than literally, is clear,
                 for instance, from ch. 5:6, where Christ is described as 'a Lamb
                 as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes,' yet
                 alive and able to come and take the book from the hand of God.
                 Inasmuch as this is obviously a highly symbolic figure, it follows
                 that the whole prophetic incident is to be interpreted in the
                 same way."—SDA Bible Commentary, on Rev. 4:1.

                   What was included in the worship of the four living
                 creatures?

                    1. Ascription of holiness to God. The word hagios, translated
                 "holy" is used in reference to things, places, and persons; but
                 its highest application is to God. It is repeated three times for
                 emphasis. It refers to the purity, majesty, and glory of God.
                      "Holy, holy, holy! Though darkness hide Thee,
                      Through the eye of man Thy great glory may not see;
                      Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
                      Perfect in power, in love and purity."
                    2. Ascription of eternal existence to God. Men think of time in
                 terms of past, present, and future; but with God there is no
                 beginning and no end.
                      "Holy, holy, holy! Angels adore Thee,
                      Casting down their bright crowns around the glassy sea;
                      Thousands, and ten thousands worship low before Thee,
                      Which wert, and art, and evermore shall be."—The Church
                 Hymnal, no. 73.

                   "True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite
                 greatness and a realization of His presence."—Prophets and
                 Kings, p. 48.

 FURTHER STUDY     Ezekiel 1:4-28.

                 Who were the 24 elders? (See verse 10.)

                 The Scripture does not tell us directly. Some identify them as
               redeemed men in harmony with the reading "redeemed us" in
               the KJV, and assuming that they were among those who were
               raised from the dead at Christ's resurrection. Others consider
               them heavenly beings because they minister the prayers of the
               saints (Rev. 5:8). Whether they are redeemed men or heavenly
               beings, they are pictured as "clothed in white raiment"
               symbolizing purity and wearing "crowns of gold" signifying
               victory.

                 What was distinctive about their song of worship?

                 "The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that He is the
               Creator and that to Him all other beings owe their existence.
               And wherever, in the Bible, His claim to reverence and worship,
               above the gods of the heathen, is presented, there is cited the
               evidence of His creative power. 'All the gods of the nations are
               idols: but the Lord made the heavens.' Psalm 96:5. `To whom
               then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift
               up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these
               things.' Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God
               Himself that formed the earth and made it:... I am the Lord; and
               there is none else.' Isaiah 40:25, 26; 45:18. Says the psalmist:
               'Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and
               not we ourselves.' 0 come, let us worship and bow down: let us
               kneel before the Lord our Maker,' Psalm 100:3; 95:6. And the
               holy beings who worship God in heaven state, as the reason why
               their homage is due to Him: 'Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive
               glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things.'
               Revelation 4:11."—The Great Controversy, pp. 436, 437.

                  "My Maker and my King, to Thee my all I owe;
                  Thy sovereign bounty is the spring whence all my blessings
               flow;

                 The creature of Thy hand, on Thee alone I live;
                 My God, Thy benefits demand more praise than I can give."
                                            —The Church Hymnal, no. 71.

                 What was the setting of this act of worship?

                 The One who sat on the throne held in His right hand a scroll
               "sealed with seven seals." An angel shouted, "Who is worthy to
               open the scroll and break its seals?" (Rev. 5:2, RSV). There was
               no answer. The prophet wept because no one seemed worthy to
               unseal the secrets contained in the scroll. Then one of the 24
               elders spoke: "Weep not," he exclaimed, "the Lion of the tribe
               ofJudah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open
               the scroll and its seven seals" (verse 5). No doubt the prophet
               began to scan the celestial stage for the appearance of a lion;
               but prophetic vision often brings surprises. "And between the
               throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw
               a Lamb standing" (verse 6). Not a lion, but a lamb. Not an
               ordinary lamb, but a lamb "as though it had been slain"—a
               bleeding lamb. And it was this Lamb, a symbol of Jesus, who
               took the scroll from the right hand of God. Twenty-seven times
               in Revelation, Jesus is spoken of as a Lamb.

                 What do we learn about the gospel as we listen to the
               heavenly beings worship the Lamb?

                  First, we learn that the saints on earth were not forgotten.
               Their prayers were symbolized by incense in bowls held by the
               living creatures and the elders. Second, we are reminded of the
               efficacy of the blood of the slain Lamb "for thou wast slain and
               by thy blood didst ransom men for God" (verse 9). Third, we
               learn of the extent of the work of the gospel, "from every tribe
               and tongue and people and nation" (verse 9). Fourth, we learn
               of the ultimate destiny of the redeemed. They will be both kings
               and priests.

                 Worship in heaven was tied to the gospel. Worship on earth
               must likewise exist in the context of the gospel. Christ, His
               cross, the empty tomb, His ministry in our behalf, must always
               be the subject of our prayers, songs, and sermons.

                 "Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the
               Saviour's cross; for though they did not then understand all,
               they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever
               made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that
               the universe was made eternally secure.'—The Desire of Ages,
               p. 764.

                 What is suggested by the seven-fold song of praise sung by
               the angelic hosts?

                  The One who hung helplessly on across, who had nowhere to
               lay His head, who was spat upon and beaten, and who wore a
               crown of thorns is now revealed as possessing power and
               riches and honor. The One who was put down so rudely by man
               is shown to be the Source of wisdom and blessing. The One who
               gave Himself so completely is now replete with glory and
               strength. The picture is one of dramatic contrast. On the one
               hand, a bleeding Lamb—on the other, the angels of God singing
               an anthem of worship and praise.

                 James Montgomery, a nineteenth century hymn writer,
               caught the spirit of the angels' song:

                 "Come, let us sing the song of songs-
                   The angels first began the strain-
                 The homage which to Christ belongs:
                   'Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain!'

                 Slain to redeem us by His blood,
                   To cleanse from every sinful stain,
                 And make us kings and priests to God:
                   'Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain!' "

                     —The Church Hymnal, no. 153.

                                                                           75

                   This magnificent scene portrays every created being joining
                 in worship and praise to God and to the Lamb.
                    "To what point in the great controversy do the symbolic
                 scenes portrayed in chs. 4 and 5 refer? According to DA 834 the
                 song was sung by angels when Christ was installed at the right
                 hand of God after His ascension. Also, according to AA 601, 602;
                 GC 671, this song will be sung by the saints at the establishment
                 of the new earth and by the redeemed and angels in eternity (8T
                 44; cf. PP 541; GC 545, 678). This varied setting suggests that
                 the vision of chs. 4 and 5 is not to be thought of as representing
                 any one specific occurrence in heaven, but as a timeless, highly
                 symbolic portrayal of the victory of Christ and the resulting
                 vindication of God. When so understood, this vision may be
                 seen as representing the attitude of heaven toward the Son and
                 His work since the cross, an attitude that rises to a crescendo as
                 the great controversy comes to its victorious climax."—SDA
                 Bible Commentary, on Rev. 5:13.

                   "Stand on the threshold of eternity and hear the gracious
                 welcome given to those who in this life have co-operated with
                 Christ, regarding it as a privilege and an honor to suffer for His
                 sake. With the angels, they cast their crowns at the feet of the
                 Redeemer, exclaiming, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to
                 receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
                 honor, and glory, and blessing.... Honor, and glory, and power,
                 be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for
                 ever and ever.' Revelation 5:12, 13.
                   "There the redeemed ones greet those who directed them to
                 the uplifted Saviour. They unite in praising Him who died that
                 human beings might have the life that measures with the life of
                 God. The conflict is over. All tribulation and strife are at an end.
                 Songs of victory fill all heaven, as the redeemed stand around
                 the throne of God. All take up the joyful strain, 'Worthy is the
                 Lamb that was slain' and hath redeemed us to God."—The
                 Ministry of Healing, pp. 506, 507.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Great Controversy, pp. 674-678.

                  How is Revelation 7:9, 10 related to Revelation 4 and 5?

                  Revelation 7 describes the same God, sitting upon the same
                throne, the same Lamb, the same angels, the same elders, the
                same living creatures. The one new element in the picture is the
                multitude of the redeemed. This passage makes John's picture
                of worship in heaven relevant to us. We may identify with the
                heavenly worshipers.

                  What will the great occasion be like?

                  "Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the
                cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning,
                have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next
                are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of
                falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God
                when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all
                ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the 'great
                multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and
                kindreds, and people, and tongues, . .. before the throne, and
                before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their
                hands.' Revelation 7:9. Their warfare is ended, their victory won.
                They have run the race and reached the prize. The palm branch
                in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an
                emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is
                theirs.
                   "The redeemed raise a song of praise that echoes and
                reechoes through the vaults of heaven: 'Salvation to our God
                which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.' Verse 10.
                And angel and seraph unite their voices in adoration. As the
                redeemed have beheld the power and malignity of Satan, they
                have seen, as never before, that no power but that of Christ
                could have made them conquerors. In all that shining throng
                there are none to ascribe salvation to themselves, as if they had
                prevailed by their own power and goodness. Nothing is said of
                what they have done or suffered; but the burden of every song,
                the keynote of every anthem, is: Salvation to our God and unto
                the Lamb."—The Great Controversy, p. 665.

                                                                                77

                    "We are nearing the close of this earth's history. Satan is
                 making desperate efforts to make himself god. . . . Under the
                 jurisdiction of the man of sin, men have exalted a false standard
                 in complete opposition to God's enactment. Each Sabbath
                 institution bears the name of its author, an ineffaceable mark
                 showing the authority of each. The first day of the week has not
                 one particle of sanctity. It is the production of the man of sin,
                 who strives in this way to counterwork God's purposes.
                    "God has designated the seventh day as His Sabbath. [Ex.
                 31:13, 17, 16 quoted.]
                    "Thus the distinction is drawn between the loyal and the
                 disloyal. Those who desire to have the seal of God in their
                 foreheads must keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
                 Thus they are distinguished from the disloyal, who have
                 accepted a man-made institution in place of the true
                 Sabbath."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary,
                 vol. 7, pp. 980, 981.

                   Only a small minority in the scientific and religious world
                 today accept the Biblical teaching of God as Creator. In place of
                 this basic Christian belief, the theory of evolution has been
                 generally accepted.
                   "The theory of evolution, whether it be of the gradual or the
                 emergent type, leads to two conclusions which are contrary to
                 the teaching of the Scriptures. The first conclusion is that man
                 is evolving in the direction of perfection and needs no
                 regeneration. The second conclusion is that Jesus, far from
                 being perfect God and Man, was simply a steppingstone in the
                 human advance, splendid for His own day but long since
                 out-distanced, out-moded, and thus no 'Saviour' at all. Here the
                 Christian disagrees sharply."—Lindsell and Woodbridge, A
                 Handbook of Christian Truth, (Westwood, N.J.: Fleming H.
                 Revell, 1953), p. 83. Used by permission.
                   "God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery.
                 There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by
                 slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or
                 vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the
                 Creator to the level of man's narrow, earthly conceptions."—
                 Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 45.

 FURTHER STUDY     Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 44-51.

                    "The truths of the third angel's message have been presented
                  by some as a dry theory; but in this message is to be presented
                  Christ the Living One. He is to be revealed as the first and the
                  last, as the I AM, the Root and the Offspring of David, and the
                  bright and morning Star. Through this messagethe character of
                  God in Christ is to be manifested to the world."—Testimonies,
                  vol. 6, p. 20.

                    Which facet of the three angel's messages has particularly
                  to do with worship? (verses 7, 9).

                    "In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the
                  Creator; and the prophecy brings to view a class that, as the
                  result of the threefold message, are keeping the command-
                  ments of God. One of these commandments points directly to
                  God as the Creator. The fourth precept declares: 'The seventh
                  day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: .. . for in six days the
                  Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and
                  rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath
                  day, and hallowed it.' . . .
                    "In contrast to those who keep the commandments of God
                  and have the faith of Jesus, the third angel points to another
                  class, against whose errors a solemn and fearful warning is
                  uttered: `If any man worship the beast and his image, and re-
                  ceive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall
                  drink of the wine of the wrath of God.' Revelation 14:9, 10. A
                  correct interpretation of the symbols employed is necessary to
                  an understanding of this message."—The Great Controversy,
                  pp. 437, 438.
                    The chapter in The Great Controversy develops the meaning
                  of these symbols, and then summarizes as follows:
                     "The keeping of God's law, on the one hand, and its violation,
                  on the other, will make the distinction between the worshipers
                  of God and the worshipers of the beast" (pp. 445,446). The most
                  pronounced issue is to be the day of worship.

 FURTHER STUDY       The Great Controversy, pp. 433-450.
                                                                                 81

       Part 3  "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having    WORSHIP IN THE the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the
SETTING OF THE earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and EVERLASTING GOSPEL people" (Rev. 14:6).

                   What is the "everlasting gospel"?

                    "The message proclaimed by the angel flying in the midst of
                 heaven is the everlasting gospel, the same gospel that was
                 declared in Eden when God said to the serpent, 'I will put enmity
                 between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her
                 seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel'
                 (Gen. 3:15). Here was the first promise of a Saviour who would
                 stand on the field of battle to contest the power of Satan and
                 prevail against him. Christ came to our world to represent the
                 character of God as it is represented in His holy law; for His law
                 is a transcript of His character. Christ was both the law and the
                 gospel. The angel that proclaims the everlasting gospel proc-
                 laims the law of God; for the gospel of salvation brings men to
                 obedience of the law, whereby their characters are formed after
                 the divine similitude."—Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 106.
                    "In the prophecy [Rev. 14:6, 7] this warning of the judgment,
                 with its connected messages, is followed by the coming of the
                 Son of man in the clouds of heaven. The proclamation of the
                 judgment is an announcement of Christ's second coming as at
                 hand. And this proclamation is called the everlasting gospel.
                 Thus the preaching of Christ's second coming, the announce-
                 ment of its nearness, is shown to be an essential part of the
                 gospel message."—Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 227, 228.

                   The angel flying in the midst of heaven with the everlasting
                 gospel to preach to all men calls upon mankind to "fear God,"
                 to "give glory to him," and to "worship him." Apparently this
                 gospel of a saving Christ, soon to come again, is intended to
                 inspire the spirit of worship. We stress the fact that worship is a
                 redeemed man's response to his Redeemer. This should be
                 true, whether a man brings the gospel to another man, or
                 whether an angel brings the gospel to every nation, kindred,
                 tongue, and people.
                   When there is a real acceptance of the saving gospel of the
                 crucified, risen, and soon-coming Christ, there will be a revival
                 of true worship. It cannot be otherwise. To know Him is to love
                 Him and worship Him.

FURTHER STUDY      Selected Messages, bk. 2, pp. 104-107.

                  What does history tell us about the high cost of the worship
                of God?

                  Daniel was thrown into a den of lions because he refused to
                obey a decree to worship the king (Dan. 6:4-28).
                  The three Hebrews were thrown into a furnace because they
                refused to worship a golden image (Dan. 3:1-30).
                  The apostles of Christ were imprisoned, beaten, stoned,
                crucified because they insisted on worshiping Jesus as Lord.
                  Many early Christianswere punished because they refused to
                worship the emperor.
                  During the Middle Ages many dissenters were persecuted
                who could not accept the worship practice of the dominant
                church.
                  When Protestants became dominant, they sometimes perse-
                cuted dissenters from their faith. For example, the Puritans
                exiled Roger Williams of Rhode Island, although they had pre-
                viously fled from England due to persecution.
                  Christians in recent decades have suffered for their faith and
                have been denied freedom of worship by some authoritarian
                regimes.
                  It is not hard to imagine that in the final crisis, with fear and
                disaster everywhere, those who insist on worshiping their
                Creator on the Sabbath day will suffer for their faith.

                  "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
                heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before
                you" (Matt. 5:12).
                  "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;
                but let him glorify God on this behalf."
                  "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God
                commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a
                faithful Creator" (1 Peter 4:16, 19).
                  "The prospect of being brought into personal danger and
                distress, need not cause despondency, but should. quicken the
                vigor and hopes of God's people; for the time of their peril is the
                season for God to grant them clearer manifestations of His
                power.",--Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 370.

                                                                                83

          Part 5    When the three angels have completed the proclamation of
   THE ULTIMATE their messages, what great event will take place?
 ACT OF WORSHIP
                    "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud
                  one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden
                  crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came
                  out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the
                  cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for
                  thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat
                 •on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was
                  reaped" (Rev. 14:14-16).


                     What will be the saints' response to the second coming of
                   Jesus? Isa. 25:9.


                      "To His faithful followers Christ has been a daily companion
                   and familiar friend. They have lived in close contact, in constant
                   communion with God. Upon them the glory of the Lord has
                   risen. In them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in
                   the face of Jesus Christ has been reflected. Now they rejoice in
                   the undimmed rays of the brightness and glory of the King in His
                   majesty. They are prepared for the communion of heaven; for
                   they have heaven in their hearts.
                      "With uplifted heads, with the bright beams of the Sun of
                   Righteousness shining upon them, with rejoicing that their re-
                   demption draweth nigh, they go forth to meet the Bride-
                   groom, saying, to, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and
                   He will save us.' Isa. 25:9."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 421.

 FURTHER STUDY       The Great Controversy, pp. 640-647.

                   The Sabbath worship ties the ages together.
                   "The Sabbath was not for Israel merely, but for the world. It
                 had been made known to man in Eden, and, like the other
                 precepts of the Decalogue, it is of imperishable obligation. Of
                 that law of which the fourth commandment forms a part, Christ
                 declares, 'Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in
                 nowise pass from the law.' So long as the heavens and the earth
               'endure, the Sabbath will continue as a sign of the Creator's
                 power. And when Eden shall bloom on earth again, God's holy
                 rest day will be honored by all beneath the sun. 'From one
                 Sabbath to another' the inhabitants of the glorified new earth
                 shall go up 'to worship before Me, saith the Lord.' "—The Desire
                of Ages, p. 283.
                   "When there shall be a 'restitution of all things, which God
                 hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the
                 world began' (Acts 3:21), the creation Sabbath, the day on
                 which Jesus lay at rest in Joseph's tomb, will still be a day of rest
                 and rejoicing. Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as 'from one
                 Sabbath to another' (Isa. 66:23) the nations of the saved shall
                 bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb."—The Desire of
                 Ages, pp. 769, 770.

                   "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 assemble 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 for ever and
                ever."—Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 368.
                   "As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and
                the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan,
                the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion,
                and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and
                ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands
                of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise."—The
                Great Controversy, p. 678.
                   May we all be there!

                                                                                    85

                    Problems had arisen in the worship services at Corinth. The
                  Lord's Supper had degenerated into a meal where the rich
                  enjoyed their delicacies and the poor had little or nothing. The
                  worshipers had failed to discern the meaning of the service.
                  Speaking in tongues had introduced confusion into the
                  services. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace"
                  (verse 33). It was to this situation that Paul addressed himself
                  when he said, "Let all things be done decently and in order."

                    Why should the principle of order apply to the services of
                  the church today?

                     "It is God's will that all parts of His service shall be managed in
                  an orderly, becoming manner, which will impress those
                  strangers who may attend, as well as the regular attendants,
                  with the elevated, ennobling character of the truth and its power
                  to cleanse the heart."—Evangelism, p. 207.
                    "There should be rules in regard to the time, the place, and
                  the manner of worshiping. Nothing that is sacred, nothing that
                  pertains to the worship of God, should be treated with
                  carelessness or indifference."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 491.
                    "God gave rules of order, perfect and exact, to His ancient
                  people. Has His character changed? Is He not the great and
                  mighty God who rules in the heaven of heavens? Would it not be
                  well for us often to read the directions given by God Himself to
                  the Hebrews, that we who have the light of the glorious truth
                  shining upon us may imitate their reverence for the house of
                  God?"—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 496.

                     1. Enter the sanctuary quietly and on time.
                     2. Sit quietly and thoughtfully while waiting for the service
                        to begin.
                     3. Participate in the hymns and responsive readings.
                     4. Concentrate on the prayers.
                     5. Contribute to the offering as a part of worship.
                     6. Listen appreciatively to the musical numbers.
                     7. Give undivided attention to the sermon.
                     8. Avoid causing any distractions or disturbances that
                        would break the reverent silence of the hour of worship.
                     9. Remember that God's presence is not on an altar or in a
                        pulpit, but in the heart of each worshiper.
                    10. Leave the sanctuary quietly and reverently.

 FURTHER STUDY     Messages to Young People, pp. 265-267.

                 What do we understand by the phrase, "the beauty of
               holiness"?

                  "True worship is a matter of beauty as well as holiness. Clad in
               their holy vestments, the ancient priests engaged in a service of
               worship that was both beautiful and impressive. But beauty of
               form and symbol is not an adequate demonstration of the
               'beauty of holiness.' The term may be regarded as including a
               spirit of quiet reverence, inward devotion and outward piety,
               devout earnestness and joyous gratitude. Neither heaven nor
               earth can know any greater beauty than the beauty of true
               holiness."—SDA Bible Commentary, on 1 Chron. 16:29.
                  "Worship may be tested by the principle of beauty.... There is
               an inseparable relation between beauty and goodness, ugliness
               and evil. All that men call beautiful may not be good and all that
               men adjudge ugly may not be bad, but whatever is holy is
               beautiful and whatever is evil is ugly. Ugliness in worship is
               intuitively repulsive. No matter what its outward appearance, a
               house of worship may be made beautiful by the tender, loving
               care of its members. No matter how barren of aesthetic
               adornment, a service of worship may be made beautiful by the
               reverent spirit of leaders and congregation. Walls may be kept
               painted, windows may be cleaned, the interior of the sanctuary
               may be immaculate, the hymnbooks may be neatly bound, the
               atmosphere may be that of reverence. To the worshipers the
               place and the service of worship should always be
               beautiful."—Gaines Dobbins, The Church at Worship, p. 135.

                                                                               89

                     "From the sacredness which was attached to the earthly
                  sanctuary, Christians may learn how they should regard the
                  place where the Lord meets with His people. There has been a
                  great change, nqt for the better, but for the worse, in the habits
                  and customs of the people in reference to religious worship.
                 The precious, the sacred, things which connect us with God are
                  fast losing their hold upon our minds and hearts, and are being
                 brought down to the level of common things. The reverence
                 which the people had anciently for the sanctuary where they
                 met with God in sacred service has largely passed away.
                 Nevertheless, God Himself gave the order of His service,
                 exalting it high above everything of a temporal nature."—
                 Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 491.
                    The preceding quotation is the second paragraph of a
                 ten-page chapter entitled "Behaviour in the House of God." The
                 chapter will be quoted often in this lesson, and should be read
                 by each student and teacher. It reflects the condition of public
                 worship in the Seventh-day Adventist Church nearly a century
                 ago.
                    It is significant that this was the very time in the history of the
                 church when Ellen White was expressing great concern about
                 neglect of the doctrine of salvation by faith. Can it be that there
                 is a relationship between proper worship and a proper
                 experience of salvation? The thesis of these lessons is that
                 worship is a redeemed man's response to his Redeemer. If a
                 professed Christian lacks the vital experience of a relationship
                 with Christ, the lack will reveal itself in his neglect of worship.

                   "Brethren, will you not devote a little thought to this subject
                 and notice how you conduct yourselves in the house of God and
                 what efforts you are making by precept and example to cultivate
                 reverence in your children?"—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 494.
                   "The education and training of the youth should be of a
                 character that would exalt sacred things and encourage pure
                 devotion for God in His house. Many who profess to be children
                 of the heavenly King have no true appreciation of the
                 sacredness of eternal things. Nearly all need to be taught how to
                 conduct themselves in the house of God. Parents should not
                 only teach, but command, their children to enter the sanctuary
                 with sobriety and reverence."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 496.

 FURTHER STUDY    Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 491, 492; Ps. 5:7; Heb. 12:28. 90

                What part does the mind play in the worship of God?


                  "God wants attentive hearers. It was while men slept that
              Satan sowed his tares."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 493.
                  "If some have to wait a few minutes before the meeting
              begins, let them maintain a true spirit of devotion by silent
              meditation, keeping the heart uplifted to God in prayer that the
              service may be of special benefit to their own hearts and lead to
              the conviction and conversion of other souls."—Testimonies,
              vol. 5, p. 492.
                  "Because of the irreverence in attitude, dress, and deport-
              ment, and lack of a worshipful frame of mind, God has often
              turned His face away from those assembled for His worship....
                  "God is to be the subject of thought, the object of worship;
              and anything that attracts the mind from the solemn, sacred
              service is an offense to Him."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 499.
                  "When the word is spoken, you should remember, brethren,
              that you are listening to the voice of God through his delegated
              servant. Listen attentively. Sleep not for one instant, because by
              this slumber you may lose the very words that you need
              most—the very words which, if heeded, would save your feet
              from straying into wrong paths. Satan and his angels are busy
              creating a paralyzed condition of the senses so that cautions,
              warnings, and reproofs shall not be heard; or if heard, that they
              shall not take effect upon the heart and reform the life.
              Sometimes a little child may so attract the attention of the
              hearers that the precious seed does not fall into good ground
              and bring forth fruit. Sometimes young men and women have so
              little reverence for the house and worship of God that they keep
              up a continual communication with each other during the
              sermon. Could these see the angels of God looking upon them
              and marking their doings, they would be filled with shame, with
              abhorrence of themselves."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 493.
                  These quotations tell us that true worship involves thought,
              careful attention, alertness, freedom from distractions. Worship
              is not merely a feeling accompanying a liturgy. The hymns of
              worship should have meaning; prayers should not be mere
              repetitions of clichés; and sermons should present to listeners
              the claims and assurances of Christ.

                                                                             91

                       "The magnificence of the first temple, and the imposing rites
                    of its religious services, had been a source of pride to Israel
                    before their captivity; but their worship had oftti mes been lack-
                    ing in those qualities which God regards as most essential. The
                    glory of the first temple, the splendor of its service, could not
                    recommend them to God; for that which is alone of value in His
                    sight, they did not offer. They did not bring Him the sacrifice of a
                    humble and contrite spirit.
                       "It is when the vital principles 6f the kingdom of God are lost
                    sight of, that ceremonies become multitudinous and extrava-
                    gant. It is when the character building is neglected, when the
                    adornment of the soul is lacking, when the simplicity of godli-
                    ness is despised, that pride and love of display demand magnif-
                    icent church edifices, splendid adornings, and imposing
                    ceremonials. But in all this God is not honored. He values His
                    church, not for its external advantages, but for the sincere piety
                    which distinguishes it from the world. He estimates it according
                    to the growth of its members in the knowledge of Christ, accord-
                    ing to their progress in spiritual experience. He looks for the
                    principles of love and goodness. Not all the beauty of art can
                    bear comparison with the beauty of temper and character to be
                    revealed in those who are Christ's representatives.
                       "A congregation may be the poorest in the land. It may be
                    without the attractions of any outward show; but if the members
                    possess the principles of the character of Christ, angels will
                    unite with them in their worship. The praise and thanksgiving
                    from grateful hearts will ascend to God as a sweet oblation."—
                    Prophets and Kings, pp. 565, 566.

                        Every Christian should ask himself certain questions as he
                    enters the house of God: (1) Do I have faith? Do I really believe in
                    God as my Father and Christ as my Saviour? (2) Am I humble
                    and repentant? Do I come in the spirit of a suppliant, or am I
                    filled with pride? (3) Am I allowing God to transform and perfect
                    my character? (4) Do I enter God's house with a deep desire to
                    know Him better and to love Him more? (5) Do I bring to the
                    worship of God a love for my fellow worshipers and for the world
                    like that of the love of Christ? (6) Am I eager to worship God?
                        Worship and Christian experience cannot be separated.

 FURTHER STUDY        Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 498, 499.

                  Many people equate religious services with boredom. They
                fail to sense how exhilarating it can be to withdraw from the
                ordinary pursuits of life to give honor to God. Several years ago,
                the writer with his wife and daughter stood on a road corner in
                England and watched a carriage pass by in which were riding
                Queen Elizabeth, her husband, her sister, her mother, and other
                notables. The crowd gathered on that road corner were not
                bored. There was rapt attention as the carriage passed by. Some
                were so excited that they forgot to snap their cameras! Folk
                went home that day with a feeling of satisfaction that they had,
                for a brief moment, been in the presence of royalty. How much
                greater is the privilege of enjoying the fellowship of the God of
                heaven. Worship is a happy experience.
                  "Our God is a tender, merciful Father. His service should not
                be looked upon as a heart-saddening, distressing exercise. It
                should be a pleasure to worship the Lord and to take part in His
                work. God would not have His children, for whom so great
                salvation has been provided, act as if He were a hard, exacting
                taskmaster. He is their best friend; and when they worship Him,
                He expects to be with them, to bless and comfort them, filling
                their hearts with joy and love. The Lord desires His children to
                take comfort in His service and to find more pleasure than
                hardship in His work. He desires that those who come to wor-
                ship Him shall carry away with them precious thoughts of His
                care and love, that they may be cheered in all the employments
                of daily life, that they may have grace to deal honestly and
                faithfully in all things."—Steps to Christ, p. 103.

                   "Worship is man's response to God's revelation of himself.
                . . . Two or three times a week the children of God should
                worship him in his house, publicly. Three times daily the mem-
                bers of every Christian family should give thanks to God before
                they eat together, and if possible they should tarry after both the
                morning and the evening meal to worship together, socially.
                Night and morning, as well as at other times of need or desire,
                every child of God should read the Bible and pray, secretly.
                Such is the Christian ideal of worship, public, social, and
                private."—A. W. Blackwood, The Fine Art of Public Worship
                (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1939), pp. 14, 15. Used by permis-
                sion.

                                                                                93

                    What unfortunate spirit existed among the disciples?

                    "There was 'strife among them, which of them should be
                  accounted the greatest.' "—The Desire of Ages, p. 643.
                    It is a sad fact that human beings obtain much of their
                  satisfaction out of rising above their fellowmen. Man is
                  laboriously and agonizingly trying to climb a ladder. The
                  competition is keen and the resentment runs deep. The
                  disciples of Jesus were caught up in this struggle.

                    What particular situation increased the dissension?

                    "At a feast it was customary for a servant to wash the feet of
                 the guests, and on this occasion preparation had been made for
                 the service. The pitcher, the basin, and the towel were there, in
                 readiness for the feet washing; but no servant was present, and
                 it was the disciples' part to perform it. But each of the disciples,
                 yielding to wounded pride, determined not to act the part of a
                 servant. All manifested a stoical unconcern, seeming uncon-
                 scious that there was anything for them to do. By their silence
                 they refused to humble themselves."—The Desire of Ages, p.
                 644.

                    What was Jesus' problem under these circumstances?

                    "How was Christ to bring these poor souls where Satan would
                 not gain over them a decided victory? How could He show that a
                 mere profession of discipleship did not make them disciples, or
                 insure them a place in His kingdom? How could He show that it
                 is loving service, true humility, which constitutes real great-
                 ness? How was He to kindle love in their hearts, and enable
                 them to comprehend what He longed to tell them?"—The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 644.

                   How did Jesus solve this problem?

                   He washed their feet. He revealed His humility in contrast to
                 their pride.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 642-645.

                 What was Peter thinking as Jesus knelt to wash his feet?

                  It was Peter, months before, who had made the great
               confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"
               (Matt. 16:16). The very fact that Peter recognized so clearly who
               it was that was going to wash his feet added to his
               astonishment. "Peter could not bear to see his Lord, whom he
               believed to be the Son of God, acting the part of a
               servant."—The Desire of Ages, p. 645. When Jesus insisted on
               washing his feet, "Peter surrendered his pride and self-will"
               (page 646). Something happened to Peter when he recognized
               the humility of his Lord. Along with his brethren, Peter was now
               able to "concede to another the highest place" (page 646).

                 "Like Peter and his brethren, we too have been washed in the
               blood of Christ, yet often through contact with evil the heart's
               purity is soiled. We must come to Christ for His cleansing grace.
               Peter shrank from bringing his soiled feet in contact with the
               hands of his Lord and Master; but how often we bring our sinful,
               polluted hearts in contact with the.heart of Christ! How grievous
               to Him is our evil temper, our vanity and pride! Yet all our
               infirmity and defilement we must bring to Him. He alone can
               wash us clean. We are not prepared for communion with Him
               unless cleansed by His efficacy."—The Desire of Ages, pp. 646,
               649.
                 Peter's experience teaches us an additional truth from the
               foot-washing service. Jesus was not only establishing a
               memorial of His humiliation; He was also giving a symbol of
               cleansing. Jesus saw His self-giving life, not as an end in itself,
               but as a means of salvation. So when Jesus washed the feet of
               His disciples, He was not only saying, I am willing to accept any
               humiliation, even the cross; but he was also saying, I want to
               wash you from your pride. These two meanings supplement
               each other. Jesus gave Himself for us. This is the gospel.
                  Peter never forgot this lesson. Years later he wrote, "For
               Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
               that he might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18).
                  May we never forget this lesson!

                                                                               97

                     Was Jesus merely advising humble Christian service, or
                    was He establishing an ordinance?

                     . "Now, having washed the disciples' feet, He said, 'I have given
                    you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.' In
                    these words Christ was not merely enjoining the practice of
                    hospitality. More was meant than the washing of the feet of
                    guests to remove the dust of travel. Christ was here instituting a
                    religious service. By the act of our Lord this humiliating cere-
                    mony was made a consecrated ordinance. It was to be observed
                    by the disciples, that they might ever keep in mind His lessons of
                    humility and service."—The Desire of Ages, p. 650.

                     If Jesus intended this service to be observed, why was it not
                    mentioned by the other Gospel writers?

                      The probability is that this service was practiced and taken for
                    granted by the early believers. By the time John wrote his Gos-
                    pel (AD 90-100) it may be that the service was being neglected.
                    John's emphasis may have been an effort to reemphasize the
                    importance of the foot-washing service.

                      Is it reasonable to believe that Christ intended that the
                    foot-washing service should continue to be observed?

                       One author has observed that "the two realities of the Upper
                    Room—on the one hand, bread and wine; on the other hand, a
                    basin and towel—are equally sacramental and are a part of the
                    one great Reality."—Leonard Griffith, The Eternal Legacy From
                    an Upper Room, p. 44.
                       Another author says, "The feetwashing introduces an aspect
                    of the Lord's Supper which surely must have been present in the
                    mind of Christ but to which the bread and cup alone simply do
                    not give adequate expression. With the bread and cup alone,
                    the service concludes with the participants as mere recipients
                    of the body of Jesus. The feetwashing makes them pledged and
                    active members of the body of Christ."—Vernard Eller, In Place
                    of Sacraments (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1972),
                    p. 112. Used by permission.

 FURTHER STUDY       SDA Bible Commentary, on John 13:1-26.

                  Just as Jesus emptied Himself for the sake of man, so His
                followers should be willing to be servants one to another. The
                Christian should participate in the foot-washing service and
                also be ready and willing to render loving service to Christians
                and non-Christians. "As we have therefore opportunity, let us
                do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the
                household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). The Christian has something to
                give beyond that of the public or private welfare agency. In
                addition to food, clothing, medical care, child care, employ-
                ment, the Christian has a peculiar brand of love and concern
                that gives meaning and hope to those in need.

                   "I was pointed to the Majesty of heaven. When He whom
                angels worshiped, He who was rich in honor, splendor, and
                glory, came to the earth, and found Himself in fashion as a man,
                He did not plead His refined nature as an excuse to hold Himself
                aloof from the unfortunate. In His work He was found among the
                afflicted, the poor, distressed; and needy ones. Christ was the
                embodiment of refinement and purity; His was an exalted life
                and character; yet in His labor He was found not among men of
                highsounding titles, not among the most honorable of this
                world, but with the despised and needy. 'I came,' says the divine
                Teacher, 'to save that which was lost.' Yes; the Majesty of
                heaven was ever found working to help those who most needed
                help. May the example of Christ put to shame the excuses of that
                class who are so attracted to their poor selves that they consider
                it beneath their refined taste and their high calling to help the
                most helpless. Such have taken a position higher than their
                Lord, and in the end will be astonished to find themselves lower
                than the lowest of that class whom their refined, sensitive
                natures were shocked to mingle with and work for. True, it may
                not always be agreeable to unite with the Master and become
                co-workers with Him in helping the very class who stand most in
                need of help; but this is the work which Christ humbled Himself
                to do. Is the servant greater than his Lord? He has given the
                example, and enjoins upon us to copy it. It may be disagreeable,
                yet duty demands that just such a work be performed."—
                Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 467.

                                                                               99

                  What does this tell us in respect to duty in the Christian life?

                   Many have been led to believe that recognizing Christian duty
                is equivalent to salvation by works. Duty is not an ugly word.
                "Love has a twin sister, which is duty."—Testimonies, vol. 3, p.
                195. In fact, there is a close relationship between faith and duty.
                "No one can believe with the heart unto righteousness, and
                obtain justification by faith, while continuing the practice of
                those things which the Word of God forbids, or while neglecting
                any known duty."—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 396.
                   "But while God can be just, and yet justify the sinner through
                the merits of Christ, no man can cover his soul with the
                garments of Christ's righteousness while practicing known
                sins, or neglecting known duties. God requires the entire
                surrender of the heart, before justification can take place; and
                in order for man to retain justification, there must be continual
                obedience, through active, living faith that works by love and
                purifies the soul."—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 366.

                   The expression, "these things," in John 13:17 seems to imply
               two things. Jesus is telling His followers that they will find
               happiness in fulfilling the role of a servant. He is making a
               tremendous appeal for Christian service to all people of all
               classes. But He is doing more than this. He is establishing an
               ordinance to become a part of Christian worship—an ordinance
               that will commemorate the humiliation of Jesus and that will
               teach the spirit of humility that makes Christian service
               possible. Every time we celebrate the foot-washing service we
               think (1) of Jesus who "humbled himself, and became obedient
               unto death" and (2) of our fellowmen who demand our love and
               service in the spirit of Jesus. Thus this act of worship at a
               Communion service becomes a perpetual reminder of our Lord
               and of our duty. And happiness is a by-product of loving our
               Lord and our fellowmen.
                   "The test of sincerity is not in words, but in deeds. Christ does
               not say to any man, What say ye more than others? but, 'What do
               ye more than others?' Matt. 5:47. Full of meaning are His words,
               'If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.' John 13:17.
               Words are of no value unless they are accompanied with
               appropriate deeds."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 272.

                  Verses 5 to 8 of Philippians 2 describe Jesus giving up the
                form of God and becoming a slave in the likeness of men. This
                self-givingwent so far as to include the most humiliating form of
                execution—the cross. But after reaching the bottom, so far as
                humiliation is concerned, Jesus is honored by His Father; He
                receives a "new name," symbolic of His new status in God's
                universe, and He receives the worship of the universe.

                  What added meaning does the glorification of Jesus give to
                the feet washing ordinance?

                  "Christ would have His disciples understand that although He
                had washed their feet, this did not in the least detract from His
                dignity. 'Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I
                am.' And being so infinitely superior, He imparted grace and
                significance to the service. No one was so exalted as Christ, and
                yet He stooped to the humblest duty. That His people might not
                be misled by the selfishness which dwells in the natural heart,
                and which strengthens by self-serving, Christ Himself set the
                example of humility. He would not leave this great subject in
                man's charge. Of so much consequence did He regard it, that
                He Himself, One equal with God, acted as servant to His
                disciples. While they were contending for the highest place, Hel
                to whom every knee shall bow, He whom the angels of glory
                count it honor to serve, bowed down to wash the feet of those
                who called Him Lord."—The Desire of Ages, p. 649.

                  Christ's humiliation gives us an added incentive to worship.
                He bowed low to cleanse us from sin; in grateful response, we
                bow low in reverent worship. And the glory of worship is
                compounded by the fact that we are recognizing the King of
                kings and Lord of lords. He came a long way to redeem us, and
                He returned a long way to reclaim His place by the side of His
                Father. Should not we be willing to give of our very best both in
                our personal and corporate worship of Him?

                             The
                               supper too important to be forgotten. The         constraining power, is to be kept fresh following quotations emphasize this        in our memory. Christ has instituted important truth:                           this service that it may speak to our
"Our Lord says, Under conviction of    senses of the love of God that has sin, remember that I died for you.         been expressed in our behalf."—The When oppressed and persecuted and          Desire of Ages, p. 660. afflicted for My sake and the gospel's,       It is appropriate that across the front remember My love, so great that for        of communion tables is often you I gave My life. When your duties       inscribed the words, In Remem- appear stern and severe, and your          brance of Me. God knows how easy it burdens too heavy to bear, remember        is for great spiritual truths to fade into that for your sake I endured the cross,    the fringes of our consciousness. He  despising the shame. When your heart       knows how greatly and how often shrinks from the trying ordeal,            spiritual values need to be reinforced.  remember that your Redeemer liveth        This is why He directed that the Lord's  to make intercession for you."—The         Supper should be a part of the Desire of Ages, p. 659.                     Christian's life and worship.
"He gave this simple ordinance that  it might be a special season when He




                                        LESSON OUTLINE Himself would always be present, to         1. Echoes of a Great Sermon lead all participating in it to feel the       (John 6:35, 53-55) pulse of their own conscience, to           2. The New Passover (Luke awaken them to an understanding of             22:14-16) the lessons symbolized, to revive their     3. The Traitor at the Feast memory, to convict of sin, and to              (Matt. 26:20-25) receive their penitential                   4. The Giving of Thanks (1 Cor. repentance."—Ellen G. White                    11:24) Comments, SDA Bible Commentary,             5. The Bread and the Cup (Matt. vol. 5, p. 1139.                               26:26-28)   "These are the things we are never        6. Till He Come (1 Cor. 11:26; to forget. The love of Jesus, with its         Matt. 26:29)

                    Under what circumstances did Jesus preach this sermon?

                    It was Passover time, just a year before the Lord's Supper was
                  instituted. The Galilean ministry of Jesus was drawing to its
                  close, and thousands were following Him..lt was in this setting
                  that Jesus fed the 5000 with the loaves and fishes.
                    This miracle inflamed the enthusiasm of the crowds, and they
                  determined to crown Him king. Here, they thought, was the
                  leader who could assure their national independence and
                  security. After dismissing the crowd, Jesus went into a
                  mountain by Himself. The disciples had headed their boat
                  across the sea toward Capernaum. A storm came up, and Jesus
                  appeared, walking on the sea. Soon they were safely on the
                  shore.
                    The next day, many of the people who had been fed
                  miraculously the day before found Jesus. They were still filled
                  with enthusiasm to follow Him as their new leader. But Jesus
                  cooled their zeal with His sermon on the bread of life.

                    What was the message of Jesus' sermon?

                    Jesus insisted that they believe on Him as the "bread of life."
                  He talked to them about His Father, about faith, about
                  everlasting life. He presented Himself as a personal Saviour, not
                  as a national leader. This was not what the people wanted.
                  "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no
                  more with him" (verse 66). Surely the disciples must have
                  thought back to this event when Jesus talked about His body
                  and His blood at the Lord's Supper.

                    "To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ is to receive
                  Him as a personal Saviour, believing that He forgives our sins,
                  and that we are complete in Him.... What food is to the body,
                  Christ .must be to the soul."—The Desire of Ages, p. 389.

                  What was the relationship between the ancient Passover
                Feast and the new Lord's Supper?


                   The Passover Feast was a memorial of Israel's deliverance
                from Egypt by Moses. The Lord's Supper was to be a memorial
                of man's deliverance from sin by Christ.
                   "Christ was standing at the point of transition between two
                economies and their two great festivals. He, the spotless Lamb
                of God, was about to present Himself as a sin offering, that He
                would thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies
                that for four thousand years had pointed to His death. As He ate
                the Passover with His disciples, He instituted in its place the
                service that was to be the memorial of His great sacrifice. The
                national festival of the Jews was to pass away forever. The
                service which Christ established was to be observed by His
                followers in all lands and through all ages.
                   "The Passover was ordained as a commemoration of the
                deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. God had directed
                that, year by year, as the children should ask the meaning of this
                ordinance, the history should be repeated. Thus the wonderful
                deliverance was to be kept fresh in the minds of all. The
                ordinance of the Lord's Supper was given to commemorate the
                great deliverance wrought out as the result of the death of
                Christ. Till He shall come the second time in power and glory,
                this ordinance is to be celebrated. It is the means by which His
                great work for us is to be kept fresh in our minds."—The Desire
                of Ages, pp. 652, 653.

                   Paul is referring to a case of immorality in the Corinthian
                 Church. He recalls that the Israelites were required on the day
                 before the Passover to light a candle and search the house for
                 leaven, a symbol of sin. Every bit of leaven must be cleaned out.
                 So, Paul says, before Christ's sacrifice can be effective for us,
                 sin must be cleaned out of our lives and out of the church. This,
                 of course, is possible only through the power of God.

                                                                              105

                   What event in the ministry of Jesus was the "turning point"
                 in the experience of Judas?

                     "Christ's discourse in the synagogue concerning the bread of
                 life was the turning point in the history of Judas. He heard the
                 words, 'Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His
                 blood, ye have no life in you.' John 6:53. He saw that Christ was
                 offering spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself
                 as farsighted, and thought he could see that Jesus would have
                 no honor, and that He could bestow no high position upon His
                 followers. He determined not to unite himself so closely to
                 Christ but that he could draw away. He would watch. And he did
                 watch."—The Desire of Ages, p. 719.
                    It is of more than passing interest that Judas started on the
                 downward road when Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Bread of
                 Life. Later he walked out into the darkness to betray his Lord
                 when Jesus instituted the symbols of His broken body and
                 spilled blood. Judas revolted against a crucified Lord, a spiritual
                 Saviour. He wanted a worldly leader, a political deliverer.

                   What was Judas's basic problem?

                    "He loved the Great Teacher, and desired to be with Him. He
                 felt a desire to be changed in character and life, and he hoped to
                 experience this through connecting himself with Jesus.... But
                 Judas did not come to the point of surrendering himself fully to
                 Christ."—The Desire of Ages, p. 717.
                   He never loved his Lord with all his heart.

                   How well had Judas concealed his treachery? John 13:29.

                  Which other descriptions of the Lord's Supper make
                specific mention of giving of thanks? Luke 22:19; Matt. 26:27;
                Mark 14:23.
                  The giving of thanks at the Lord's Supper was more than a
                mere form. We recall previous occasions when Jesus gave
                thanks before partaking of food—the feeding of the 5000 (John
                6:11) and the feeding of the 4000 (Matt. 15:36; Mark 8:6). We do
                not know what the Master said on these occasions, but we can
                assume that He thanked His Father for the blessings of life. In
                the case of the Last Supper, the thanksgiving prayer no doubt
                included thankfulness for deliverance in harmony with the
                theme of the Passover. But the deliverance about to be wrought
                by Jesus was far greater than the deliverance from Egypt. The
                thanksgiving phase became so prominent that the Lord's Sup-
                per became known as the "Eucharist," a term meaning giving of
                thanks.

                   What can we learn from Jesus' thanksgiving prayer at the
                Lord's Supper?
                  "But the Communion service was not to be a season of sor-
                rowing. This was not its purpose. As the Lord's disciples gather
                about His table, they are not to remember and lament their
                shortcomings. They are not to dwell upon their past religious
                experience, whether that experience has been elevating or de-
                pressing. They are not to recall the differences between them
                and their brethren. The preparatory service has embraced all
                this. The self-examination, the confession of sin, the reconcil-
                ing of differences, has all been done. Now they are come to meet
                with Christ. They are not to stand in the shadow of the cross, but
                in its saving light."—The Desire of Ages, p. 659.

                     What was the meaning of Jesus' words and actions?

                      "In partaking with His disciples of the bread and wine, Christ
                   pledged Himself to them as their Redeemer. He committed to
                   them the new covenant, by which all who receive Him become
                   children of God, and joint heirs with Christ. By this covenant
                   every blessing that heaven could bestow for this life and the life
                   to come was theirs. This covenant deed was to be ratified with
                   the blood of Christ. And the administration of the Sacrament
                   was to keep before the disciples the infinite sacrifice made for
                   each of them individually as a part of the great whole of fallen
                   humanity."—The Desire of Ages, pp. 656, 659.

                     What was meant by "my blood of the new testament
                   [covenant]"?

                     "Jesus spoke of His blood being the blood of the covenant.
                  What did He mean by that? A covenant is a relationship between
                  two people; when two people enter into a covenant, they enter
                  into a relationship with each other. But the covenant of which
                  Jesus spoke was not a covenant between man and man; it was a
                  covenant between God and man. That is to say, it was a new
                  relationship between God and man. What Jesus was saying at
                  the Last Supper was this: 'Because of my life, and above all
                  because of my death, a new relationship has become possible
                  between you and God.' It is as if He said, 'You have seen me; and
                  in me you have seen God; I have told you, I have shown you, how
                  much God loves you; He loves you even enough to suffer this
                  that I am going through; that is what God is like.' Because of
                  what Jesus did for men, the way for men is open to all the
                  loveliness of this new relationship with God."—From The Gos-
                  pel of Matthew, translated and interpreted by William Barclay,
                  vol. 2, pp. 377, 378.

                    The Lord's Supper is the high point of Christian worship. It
                  should be "earth's nearest approach to heaven." The Sabbath
                  on which the Lord's Supper is celebrated should be a special
                  Sabbath with a special meaning for every worshiper.

                  "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do
                shew the Lord's death till he come" (1 Cor. 11:26).

                  In what words did Jesus refer to His coming when He
                instituted the Lord's Supper?

                  "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of
                the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you In my
                Father's kingdom" (Matt. 26:29).

                  What is the relation between our Lord's death and His
                second coming?

                  "It is only becau.se of His death that we can look with joy to His.
                second coming."—The Desire of Ages, p. 660.
                   "At the first feast He attended with His disciples [the wedding
                feast at Cana], Jesus gave them the cup that symbolized His
                work for their salvation. At the last supper He gave it again, in
                the institution of that sacred rite by which His death was to be
                shown forth 'till He come.' 1 Cor. 11:26. And the sorrow of the
                disciples at parting from their Lord was comforted with the
                promise of reunion, as He said , 'I will not drink henceforth of this
                fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My
                Father's kingdom.' "—The Desire of Ages, p. 149.
                   "The salvation of men depends upon a continual application
                to their hearts of the cleansing blood of Christ. Therefore, the
                Lord's Supper was not to be observed only occasionally or
                yearly, but more frequently than the annual passover."—Ellen
                G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, p. 1090.

                         First Lesson
            MORAL PRINCIPLES. Memory verse, Isa. 26:7.
                    1. Ethics and Morality (Micah 6:8).
            2. Sources of Morality (Ps. 33:4, 5; 1 John 2:29).
                   3. Decision (Prov. 1:10; Gen. 39:9).
                   4. Need of Guidance (Ps. 32:8; 25:9)
                5. Some Christian Virtues (2 Peter 1:5-7)
               6. A Call to High Standards (Prov. 4:23-27).




                     Second Lesson
                 GOD AND MAN. Memory verse, Isa. 55:8, 9.
                      1. God Created Man (Ps. 8:5, 6).
              2. God Came to Redeem Sinful Man (Rom. 5:8).
                   3. God Will Judge Man (2 Cor. 5:10).
                         4. God Is Ruler (Dan. 4:17).
                     5. Man's Need of God (Ps. 23:1-3).
              6. Man's Response to God (Rom. 12:1; Ps. 95:6).




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                                                       Church   S.S. 1
               Unions             Population Churches Members Member
               Austral             28,120,451      163   30,133  27,7
               Chile              10,438,920       116   24,012  21.1
               East Brazil         53,462,105      234   63,403  77,3
               Inca                27,050,076      251   81,965 107,01 ,ii
               North Brazil       14,772,483             28,470  28,5 .
               South Brazil       47,198,000       382 115,047 125,64'
               Division Totals 181,042,035       1,210 343,030 387,31,
               (Figures as of 2nd quarter, 1975)