Friday: Further Thought – Upon Whom the Ends Have Come
Daily Lesson for Friday 6th of June 2025
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Flood,” Pages 101, 102, in Patriarchs and Prophets.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
“The high priest cannot defend himself or his people from Satan’s accusations. He does not claim that Israel is free from fault. In filthy garments, symbolizing the sins of the people, which he bears as their representative, he stands before the Angel, confessing their guilt, yet pointing to their repentance and humiliation, and relying upon the mercy of a sin-pardoning Redeemer. In faith he claims the promises of God. . . .
“Satan’s accusations against those who seek the Lord are not prompted by displeasure at their sins. He exults in their defective characters; for he knows that only through their transgression of God’s law can he obtain power over them. His accusations arise solely from his enmity to Christ. Through the plan of salvation, Jesus is breaking Satan’s hold upon the human family and rescuing souls from his power. . . .
“In his own strength, man cannot meet the charges of the enemy. In sin-stained garments, confessing his guilt, he stands before God. But Jesus, our Advocate, presents an effectual plea in behalf of all who by repentance and faith have committed the keeping of their souls to Him. He pleads their cause, and by the mighty arguments of Calvary, vanquishes their accuser. His perfect obedience to God’s law has given Him all power in heaven and in earth, and He claims from His Father mercy and reconciliation for guilty man.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, Pages 583–586.
Discussion Questions
|
(8)
Cricket is one of those great sports (that few Americans understand). It is great to watch an Ashes game (the battle between the Poms (English) and the Aussies). Spectators and commentators discuss strategies at length, liberally sprinkling the conversation with terminology like "googlies", "yorkers" and on one occasion with "ground grubbers" (that one fuelled arguments for years and caused a lot of people to read the rule book). But, if you want to really understand and enjoy cricket, you have to play it. Nearly every Australian can talk about cricket and give an opinion and discuss the rules(they are called cricket tragics). Far fewer don the gloves and grab the willow and hit the leather. But when it comes to the crunch, there would be no game without the players.
Christianity is not a spectator game. Knowing the terminology and rules and being able to discuss them at length may make you appear knowledgeable, but it says little about your ability to play the game. God does not want us to sit in the stands and watch, or even in the commentary box, showing others how much we know. He wants us out in the field playing the game.
Noah could have preached for 120 years, but he built the ark at the same time. Does that help us to understand our role now?
The great chapter on faith in Hebrews does not talk about people who had a clear, theologically correct definition of faith. It talks about men and women of action.
I just love this comment. They say practice makes perfect...but I like they way people have updated it that... practice makes progress. If we put the things we have learned or the knowledge we have acquired from church sermons, bible studies, or through devotions you name the activity, we become more vibrant and we grow excessively. The same way Jesus was doing.... having the knowledge but also sharing it to others what he knows.
We would never be able to stand before God and justify ourselves. Are we ready to do that? Because justifying ourselves is a repetitive practice we do every time we sin (that means, all the time) - or do we even think we do not sin? Let us practice the humbleness of accepting Jesus's sacrifice for us every minute, and rejoice in the fact that we have a bond dealer. To Him we owe everything we are and (think) we have.
The question is asked: "Prior to devouring the wicked with fire from heaven (as He did with Sodom), God raises them from the dead and allows Satan to work with them for a short while (Revelation 20:7-9). What reasons can you think of that this would be a necessary last step before God sets everything right?"
This final step serves several purposes:
1. Vindicates God's Justice – The wicked, even after seeing Christ and the New Jerusalem, still choose to follow Satan, proving God's judgment was fair.
2. Reveals Satan’s True Character – His immediate return to deception confirms he has not changed and deserves final destruction.
3. Clarifies the Great Controversy – The contrast between good and evil is fully revealed, leaving no doubt that God’s ways are just.
4. Secures Eternal Peace – The universe witnesses the final results of sin, ensuring rebellion will never rise again (Nahum 1:9).
5. Leads All to Acknowledge God's Righteousness – Every being, including the wicked, confesses that God is just before destruction (Philippians 2:10–11).
This process shows God's fairness, patience, and love, settling the great controversy forever.
Discussion question #3 is an interesting question. What reasons can you think of that this would be a necessary last step before God sets everything right?
In teaching about the millenium I have had people question the purpose of the second resurrection. "Why raise the lost from the grave only to burn them up? That seems masochistic on God's part!" I have often thought and taught that during the millenium as the books are opened and the redeemed get to see why certain people aren't saved, some, or perhaps many will wonder, "God if you would only give them one last chance, I'm sure that they would repent!" However, the second resurrection and the ensuing quest of the resurrected lost to take the New Jerusalem, powerfully demonstrate that they truly are irredeemable. Instead of turning against Satan and attacking him, they once again listen to the voice of the deceiver and allie themselves on his side.
I see the second resurrection and the second death as God laying to rest any lingering questions or doubts about His character, once and for all eternity. This is why in the very end, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and His ways are righteous. Phil. 2: 10-11. This is also why affliction will not rise up again.
Am I an anomaly in this rationale? I wonder if anyone else sees it this way?
Agree with you,Tim! Ultimately judgment is about the character of God--sometimes referred to as "theodicy"--maybe for angels and unfallen beings in the cosmos as well as for us humans!
I absolutely agree with you. When my pastor preached a sermon on the judgment, that was his argument too - that we would always wonder if people would repent with one more chance. That's where I first got the idea you have. I think it is necessary to make the universe safe from sin.
I also don't actually think the lost die by being burned up, though that's a subject for another day. I'm not totally sure how they come to die, but I believe they are burned up after they are dead. Jesus faced the second death but He didn't go into flames of Hell. The separation from God killed Him. And I think it's the same for the lost.
Yes, Christ did suffer the fires of Hell according to Heb 13:9-14 esp. v 11-13. The animal’s flesh, whose blood is brought into the holy place, is burnt outside the camp (Lev 16:7; Ex 29:14; Lev 4:11,12,21; Num 19:3-7 etc). The burning eternal fire that Christ endured was the wrath of God against sin. It’s not the physical chemical fire of Sodom. It’s the fire prepared for the devil and his angels who cannot die physically (Lk 20:36; Matt 25:41) and Satan’s share of Adam’s progeny. God’s wrath is described as burning fire in many scriptures (Jer 7:20; 15:14;21:12; Nah 1:6; Isa 5:25; 10:17; 13:13; 30:27,33; 66:15; Zeph 2:2; Ezk 20:47,48).
God could not just simply pass over the sins of His own people and yet be regarded as Righteous or Just (Rom 3:21-26). His righteous judgment was that the sinner must die. God must execute the death sentence on His Son in order to justify His people and remain Just/Righteous. He also must execute that sentence on Satan and his people, eternal fire (2 Th 1:5-10). The dead are resurrected to eternal life (those in Christ who suffered the eternal death in Christ) or to eternal condemnation - those who have not yet suffered that death.
God is not clearing His name or defending against accusation or such. He is being a Holy Righteous God.
Indeed Christ suffered the second death. Scripture says that he tasted death for everyone. (Hebrews 2:9) Obviously this isn’t the first death because people still die. Jesus experienced the equivalent of hell fire. He started to experience this in Gethsemane. Matthew 26:38 He was beginning to feel the separation from God as he begins to feel the weight of the sins of the world being "downloaded" upon him. This horror of feeling forsaken of God caused Jesus to cry out on the cross, "my God, my God, why have you forgotten me?" Ellen White puts it this way; "That those whom He had undertaken to save, those whom He loved so much, should unite in the plots of Satan, this pierced His soul. The conflict was terrible. Its measure was the guilt of His nation, of His accusers and betrayer, the guilt of a world lying in wickedness. The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense of God's wrath against sin was crushing out His life. " Desire of Ages p. 687.1
Ezekiel 18:20 says that the being (soul) that sins shall die (the second death). Even angels have conditional immortality. Satan and his angelic, and human followers, will experience that second death eventually.
"Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father’s wrath upon Him as our substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God. . . . God and His holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed. Had His glory flashed forth from the cloud, every human beholder would have been destroyed. And in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father’s presence. He trod the wine press alone. . . ." Desire of Ages, p. 753, 754
The only reason that any beside Christ will experience that second death is because they have not allowed the second death of Jesus to be accounted to their lives. One thing is abundantly clear, God is not responsible for the existence of sin. Yet God was in Christ reconciling us to Himself. 2 Cor. 5:19 The penalty of sin has been paid, we don’t need to pay it. Let Christ save you. Let God love you. Let this mind that was in Christ be in you. Phil. 2:5
Absolutly. And that is how He will wipe away all tears, not just with a earth made new, but because like you say, "His ways are righteous." It is part of being a loving God and a God who commands justice. We will have a thousand years to enjoy and learn better His ways. We will be like the angels that chose God over Lucifer, not ever entertaining a thought of turning against the maker of the universe who loves all.
Where in Dan 7 is there any indication of an Investigative Judgment? Dan 7 court session is about the exaltation of Christ and His people and the casting down of the Little Horn. Dominion was taken away from the Horn and given to Christ and His people. This was the special glorious changing of the times according to Dan 2:21 and Ps 75. The passing of dominion from Babylon to Medo-Persia in Dan 5 is another example of changing of the times. The Horn thought to assume that authority to change times in order to perpetuate his dominion (Dan 7:25). He made a stand against the Prince of princes, Christ (Dan 8:25).
Satan doesn't always use lies. Sometimes he actually tells the truth in accusing people who are struggling against the overwhelming current of sin.
Many years ago I received a speeding ticket because I had driven into a speed trap, where the speed limit suddenly drops. I had not seen the speed limit sign.
I was frustrated with the situation and tried to appeal to the police officer, to no avail. He simply said, "tell it to the judge!" That meant that I would have to take time off of work to challenge the ticket in court, possibly compounding the financial loss.
On the court date, at the opening of the session, the judge made a statement to the court in general, regarding those present to challenge traffic infractions. He said that we could wait our turn to have our hearing, but if we lost our appeal we would have to pay both the fine, the court costs, and it would go on our driving record. Which meant our insurance premiums would probably increase. The other option was to plead guilty, pay the fine, and request court supervision, and if there were no further tickets within six months, then the infraction would not appear on our driving record. To me, it seemed like a lose-lose less proposition, especially since I didn't have legal representation (an advocate). The courts don't seem to take kindly to those that want to represent themselves. So I chose the latter option, paid my fine, and was on my way. You can bet that I was a very observant driver for the next six months.
Satan is a ruthless prosector who's accusations are usually correct. We stand guilty as charged. In the courts of heaven the only technicality that can set us free from the penalty of our sin is to have Jesus as our legal representative, our Advocate. We admit our guilt (confess our sin), and throw ourselves on the mercy of the court. Then our Advocate/Judge accepts our confession and contrition and pays our fine, setting us free to live a life of love/grace powered obedience. 1 John 1:9
#4. The saving of Lot is an example of what Christ will do for us if we let Him. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of what comes to those who reject the 3 Angels Message, and/or turn away from the truth. The latter is called the shaking.
There is hope for those who turn away. We need to tell them that the Maker of the universe loves them.
Page 585 and 586 of Prophets and Kings is so apropos. I have put them on my list to remember. Along with John 10:4, coinciding with Revelation 14:4. For it is by following Christ that the charges against us by the enemy are dropped to the bottom of the sea. Micah 7:18-20.
Is not God merciful, longsuffering, kind, and with an all-consuming love for all. Humble yourselves and accept His love, not forgetting James 4:10, something we can do with the gifts God gives us, 2 Timothy 1:7-8.