Sabbath: Fulfilling Old Testament Prophecies
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 16th of November 2024
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: John 5:17,20,36-40,46-47; John 13:18; John 17:12; Jeremiah 2:13; Zechariah 9:9; John 8:12-30.
Memory Text:
“ ‘But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me’ ” (John 5:36, NKJV).
We can see again and again in the book of John all the things that Jesus said and did which revealed that, yes, the Messiah (hammashiach), the Christ, had come to Israel. And He had come, in fact, as one of them, a Jew born in Bethlehem, just as the Scriptures had predicted.
Yet, as John wrote, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him” (John 1:10, NKJV).
He was in the world, the world was made through Him, and yet the world did not know Him? That’s an amazing statement. And, as we can see in John and in the other Gospels, many people didn’t know Him even though they should have, especially because of all the things that Jesus did and said. And, even more so, because the Old Testament scriptures pointed to Him.
This week we will look at more ways John revealed Jesus as the Messiah, and also, we will look at why some people still continued to reject Him—despite all the powerful reasons affirming Him as the Christ.
What can we learn from their mistakes?
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 23.
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The Jews in Jesus time were serious theologians and had worked out how the Messianic prophecies were to be fulfilled in their time. The fact that they were so wrong and failed to see Jesus as the Messiah should be a salient lesson for us. Seventh-day Adventists likewise have a serious grip on prophecy and a detailed interpretation of an apocalyptic climax. Have we got some things wrong too?
I am asking this question because this sort of lesson is often a reiteration of "We have got it right!" rather than a teaching lesson where we still have much to learn.
Paul was radical enough to say:
Spiritual understanding is not about vindication of strongly held beliefs but about living in Jesus in a way that shines a light on Him.
The Jews pictured the Messiah as a conquering warrior king, and when he came as a compassionate servant, they ignored him. My question to myself at the start of this week's lesson is this: Am I more interested in the love and compassionate bit of the Gospel message, than the vindication that we have all the prophecies lined up and correctly interpreted?
What can we learn from their mistakes?
We can know that if we don't learn the lessons of history, we are bound to repeat them.
The Jews had and knew the prophecies and yet missed His appearing. Many Christians, even Seventh-day Adventist Christians, who have had an understanding of the second advent prophecies and yet will be lost. Why? Because while they may have known the truth of scripture, they didn't have a love for the truth, nor for the Way, Truth, and Life. (John 14:6) Head knowledge saves no one. Salvation comes by Who you know, not what you know.
Hi, Tim can you please expand this sentence you posted. Salvation comes by Who you know, not what you know. Sorry English not my first language. Thank you🙏🏼 GodBless!
Dear Brethen,
I can't speak for Mr. Tim, but this is what I think he is saying.
Jesus said in Matthew 7: 20-23, while teaching to the multitude, and some of the Jews leaders were there:
"20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
I think that Jesus was saying to them and to us, "you were more concerned about 'the appearance of doing wonderful works' that you forgot to grow in your relationship with ME (Jesus) and your fellow man, by letting the 'fruits of the spirit'(Galatians5:22-23) shine in your life".
We as Adventists, can go to church every Sabbath, and be like the Jews, miss the entire point because we rather live the letter of the law, instead of reflection the spirit of Jesus in our daily lives.
I attended a Leadership Training over this past weekend, and at the end of the training, the last speaker said:
"Ask your close friends and family to describe you, because they know you best. If they can not describe us as a people that show forth the fruits of the spirit, then we need to pray more earnestly".
The "me" that come to church on Sabbath is not the real "me". The person that my family, friends, and co-workers see on Sunday through Friday is the real "me". What do those people see? Do they see me as a person that reflects Jesus to them, through my character. Am I loving and kind? Or am I a mean and aggressive person during the week?
Like the hymn by James Rowe, I would be like Jesus:
"Be like Jesus - this my song,
In the home and in the throng;
Be like Jesus, all day long,
I would be like Jesus."
I believe one of the great evils of the sin problem is the divorce of the mind from the heart. We can have head knowledge with no heart. We can have a heart that is ignorant. I believe that to unite our heart with our mind is one great object of God in the salvation process. That we may “worship God in spirit and in truth” as Jesus said.
The rejection of Jesus as the Messiah, despite His miraculous works and the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies, was tragedy. The rejection of Jesus as the Messiah was a combination of spiritual blindness, unmet expectations, religious opposition, and political concerns. Yet even this rejection served God’s ultimate purpose: through Jesus' death and resurrection, salvation became available to all who believe in Him, Jew and Gentile alike (John 3:16, Romans 1:16). This tragic rejection reminds us of the importance of examining our own hearts and responding to Christ with faith, humility, and devotion.
It is worthwhile to pinpoint out that miracles that miracles by themselves do not produce saving faith. While miracles can point to God’s power, they are not sufficient to produce genuine faith. Saving faith requires a heart open to God’s truth and a willingness to accept Jesus’ message. This is why Jesus emphasized the importance of believing His words, not just His works (John 14:11). Some were drawn to Jesus for His miracles, such as feeding the 5,000, but abandoned Him when His teachings demanded spiritual commitment (John 6:26–66). They sought physical benefits rather than spiritual transformation.
Jesus’s many miracles did not fit the preconceived expectations of the prophesied Messiah. Many people had specific ideas of what the Messiah would do, focusing on political and national deliverance rather than spiritual renewal. Miracles that demonstrated Jesus’ divine power (healing, raising the dead, calming storms) did not align with the agenda of overthrowing Roman oppression. What is our perceived Christian Walk? Life where Jesus will solve all our physical problems and when this does not happen, we feel Jesus does not meet our expectations!
In this life God has provided every possible testimony for us to accept and receive Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God in whom the whole creation shall be redeemed. "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence.” (2 Peter 1:3 (ESV). It is a great tragedy that many have refused to accept the true God regardless of the many explicit testimonies (Romans 1: 18-24).
God has provided everything necessary for spiritual righteousness and godly living through Jesus Christ. These provisions include His Word, the Holy Spirit, grace, and the gift of righteousness, ensuring that we lack nothing to live in obedience and fellowship with Him.
I have always held that ‘love for the Truth, diligently seeking Truth’, comes before ‘believing’. It is a hunger that only can be satisfied when finding what the spirit within is seeking. The seeker for God-honoring, spiritual Truth does not know what he will find as his journey is guided by the Holy Spirit. I am speaking from experience.
Wisdom speaking as a person - Prov. 8:17 - ”I love those who love me; and those wo diligently seek me will find me.”
Jeremiah 29:13-14 - ” And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you ….”.
God through the prophet Jeremia tells His people: ”For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold not water.” Jer.2:13.
Jesus speaking to His Jewish brethren informs them: ”You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgement is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. John 8:15-16.
And when they asked Him “Where is Your Father?”, He answers them: ”You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” John 8:19
An unquenchable desire to find the true God, and the love for His unchangeable Truth will lead those who seek it to be found - they are the blessed ones because they seek in order to believe; they are drawn to the well of Living Waters. Yes, the 'world' cannot know Jesus. This was true in Israel as it is now. He is only revealed to those seeking His Truth.
Well said Brigitte. John 4:23-24 NKJV says, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth."
Melvin and Tim – I appreciate your response. They show me that you also noticed that the written ‘letter’ of the Word of God represents only its ‘shell’. But what happens when the Living Word is believed and applied? It becomes the 'seed', the living 'substance' of that which motivates us to: "love God with all our heart and to do right by our fellow man"!
As I contemplate the meaning of ‘worshiping the Father in Spirit and Truth’, I came to the understanding that nothing can depict the meaning of ‘Spirit’ better than God’s Love for mankind. When we truly believe, it's life-giving force springs up inside of us to multiply as we 'love' our fellow man. ‘Love’ and heaven's 'Truth' are personified in Jesus Christ.
Worshiping in 'Spirit and Truth' expresses the power inherent in God's 'Love' and 'Truth' - the 'Living Water' expressed through loving kindness when we share Jesus Christ with our fellow man. The Holy Spirit guides us into all Truth, and God’s Spirit of Love brings His Truth to Life in us to the benefit of everything we come in contact with.
Brigitte, you obviously got more out of our comments than we did, for you used more words than both of us combined in response. You win! You can have the final word(s) whether I understand it, or not. Okay, whatever. Bless your heart!
Brigitte, truth is a nebulous concept to many. Pilate questioned, "what is truth?", when all along the "Truth" was standing right in front of him, and he missed it. Could we, as "God's people" make the same mistake? Until we really want to know truth, not as a concept, but as a person who is the embodiment of all truth, Jesus Christ. Then we will know the Truth, and that Truth will set us free. We need to set aside our "truths," for the ultimate reality of all truth, Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, the Life. We need to want to know the ultimate Truth or we will waste our lives thinking we are fine, when in reality we are living in a lie, and running from the Truth.
Tim, our daily prayer should be for the Holy Spirit to be our teacher and that we obtain a teachable heart. The job of the Holy Spirit is to reveal a deeper meaning of scripture to us. But we must have a heart the is open and humble enough to receive it. God bless.
I wrote this information about Pilate for last week's Sabbath School, but time ran out and I was not able to talk about it:
"It's ironic that Pilate was an unwittily witness for Jesus Christ. He believed that Jesus was different than any man he had ever met, and in an most unscrupulous way, Pilate created the sign “Jesus, King of the Jews”, which was a True witness for Jesus; it was the truth, and it proclaimed Jesus as not only the King of the Jews, but the King of Kings, the Savior of the world.
Also, I always tell my husband and other men in my circle, “listen to the woman (godly woman that is)”. If Pilate had listened to his wife, who have a dream about Jesus, that Jesus was innocent, then Pilate could have become a Disciple of Jesus himself. When Jesus spoke to Pilate, He given him an opportunity to repent in that very moment. Jesus would have saved Pilate from his sins, just as He saved Mary for her sins."
All will know "the Truth". All will have the opportunity to accept Jesus, the Truth.
God's blessings to everyone!!
Humanity's lack of faith must be due to self-denial; every human being is born with a spiritual dimension, but does this lack of faith happen because of the examples first seen (parents)? Or is it simply a result of a "fallen" nature?
H'mm ... I believe you may have meant to say
I think it's easily observable that babies are totally self-focused. In young children we begin to see some differentiation. Some continue to be largely self-focused while even some four-year-olds are amazingly other-focused.
I remember one of my grand-daughters coming to visit with her father. They were not church-goers, but we took them to church with us, and the children went to the children's Sabbath School. In that class, there was a very fussy child. Now keep in mind that this 4yo grand-daughter had never been in a Sabbath School class in her life. But she immediately went over to the fussy child, put her arm around him and tried to comfort him. Later, her younger brother showed the same inclination. I attributed this to the very out-going personality of their parents - perhaps an example of a combination of inheritance and environment.
Still, even these out-going children can be self-centered in other areas of their life and, especially, later in life. A fully self-denying nature does not come naturally. It only comes through the new birth and a continual growing by being connected to Christ through prayer, reading of His Word and being actively involved in His mission.
You also wrote
This comes back to the old nature vs. nurture argument that spawned many of a heated "discussion" between my new husband and me over 60 years ago. 😉 There was no good answer to the question at the time. However, now we have an abundance of scientific evidence which points to the conclusion that not only is our physical body the result of inheritance but even our behaviors are about roughly 50% shaped by inheritance (mainly non-genetic, which is a broader term than epigenetic) and roughly 50% by our environment, which I think would include our choice of focus. (For instance if I were born in a Muslim culture, I suspect I would be a very different person than I am today in spite of the fact that what I am today is very dependent on the free choices I make.) Our environment offers us only so many choices.
When I think of the billions of people who never had the chance to even hear the gospel message, I take comfort, knowing that the Lord considers where we were born (e.g. Ps 85:5-7). The Lord will consider each person's environment, and He will know the hearts of all those who responded to the voice of the Holy Spirit in their hearts in their various environments. (John 1:9)
Having been in my mother church for many years and going to worship on Sunday I didn't know Jesus who created the seventh day Sabbath. No bible study in the church that made congregation know not the whole story of Jesus Christ, the Messiah sent by God,John 3:16. I then became the true follower of Jesus, I began to Obey Jesus commandments. Ex 20:8-11,John 14:15..and I began studying the Bible, and it has been wonderful Adventist Christian.
Studying the gospel of John this quarter has been wonder and blessings b'cos John the beloved disciple revealed who Jesus is, his mesaiahship the Son of God, yet his very own whom he came to save, they rejected, denied and opposed and made plan to kill Jesus.!
I Thank You Jesus for your mission fulfilled in John 3/16 for the whole world.🙏