Friday: Further Thought – Heirs of Promises, Prisoners of Hope
Daily Lesson for Friday 28th of November 2025
Further Thought:
Read Ellen G. White, “The Controversy Ended,” Pages 672–678, in The Great Controversy.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
“We shall be saved eternally when we enter in through the gates into the city. Then we may rejoice that we are saved, eternally saved. But until then we need to heed the injunction of the apostle, and to ‘fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of us should seem to come short of it’ [Hebrews 4:1]. Having a knowledge of Canaan, singing the songs of Canaan, rejoicing in the prospect of entering into Canaan, did not bring the children of Israel into the vineyards and olive-groves of the promised land. They could make it theirs in truth only by occupation, by complying with the conditions, by exercising living faith in God, by appropriating his promises to themselves.”—Ellen G. White, Youth’s Instructor, February 17, 1898.
“In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called ‘a country.’ Hebrews 11:14-16. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord. There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On those peaceful plains, beside those living streams, God’s people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 675.
Discussion Questions
|
How many of you noticed the enigma of this week’s lesson title, “Heirs of Promises; Prisoners of Hope”? And I think the lesson study did not really resolve that enigma. Perhaps the intention was to make us think and study a bit deeper.
We can probably understand the first part of the title, “Heirs of Promises” in terms of convenant fulfillment but the second part, “Prisoners of Hope” is a little harder to explain. What surprises me is that I think the idea usefully connects with Ephesians 3: 1, yet that text is not referred to in the lesson study at all.
Apparently, Paul wrote this while he was in prison for expressing his belief in Jesus and this part of the letter is a metaphoric play on words. He was using his physical imprisonment as a metaphor for his relationship with Jesus and with the gentiles.
I like this idea, although I am not sure how it relates back to the lesson. Maybe the author had the intention of making us seek it out ourselves.
The big takeaway is that promises and hope are still valid today. Christians can make that hope real by sharing it with others not just with words of explanation but with acts of compassion.
Thank you Maurice, l also thought the second part could have been taken from Zachariah 9:12, Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. (NIV)
Yep! Good point. 🙂
Yes, Godfrey Ndlovu, prisoners of hope and Zachariah 9:12 are mentioned in Friday’s Teacher’s Comments in section 3, which is called Life’s Application.
When I imagine about home, thoughts of comfort, sharing, gratitude, nostalgia, a place that gives me peace of mind, a place of rest, a place of belonging, a place of security and safety. Thoughts of home come with stability as I know I am accepted unconditionally. Our heavenly home will be more than this, it will be a place of warmth after our coldness on earth, a place of certainty after our uncertainty here on earth. Paul reminds us that our citizenship is in our heavenly home (Philippians 3:20), we are sojourners like Abraham; we are “looking forward to the city… whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10).
Our craving for our home in heaven is indeed deep, and Jesus reassures us and strengthens our resolve and longing to be there in John 14:2–3: “I go to prepare a place for you… that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2–3). Knowing we are going home comes with strength that we much need, it keeps us going. Heaven is our home, it is a home that awaits us, we must set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2), we must begin to think and imagine Heaven as a place of peace, joy, and belonging. The hope that must fill us today is that we are on a journey to a home; thus we need clarity of purpose in our journey of faith.
Receiving the blessings of the Promised Land may require a return to a child-like attitude. A healthy child trusts their parents as capable of anything and assumes their parents have everything figured out. Curiously, maturing in faith may signify the transfer of this child-like attitude from our earthly parents to our original Father in heaven. It is a daily exercise. The more I trust in God, the more I rest on Him and accept all His plans for my life.
Sunday’s lesson is a lesson of righteousness by faith. As it was in the days of the garden of Eden, the land was God’s, so is it in the day of occupying the promised land for the Israelites, and now for us. We are in the same situation now. We are caretakers of the land we purchase, sojourner’s until we reach the promised land. What is our promised land, where is it, and who is a part of the conquest? God is the Judge. Yes, God being the Judge makes all who turn to Him as Saviour, Leader, Redeemer, Father, Brother, and Friend who owns the cattle on a thousand hills as sojourners of the Heavenly Kingdom of God. I for one choose, and chose life this day, how about you? Deuteronomy 30:19. By faith we are taking on Christ righteousness . By faith we love the Lord accepting His love and gifts to us. By faith we have hope to be a part of the promised land.
Eden, Canaan, Heaven, New Earth!
We have this hope that burns within our hearts, hope in the coming of the Lord. We have this faith which Christ alone imparts, faith in the promise of His word. We believe the time is here, we believe the time is here when nations far and near shall awake, and shout and sing hallelujah! Christ is King! We have this hope that burns within our heart, hope in the coming of the Lord. Hymn 214 Seventh-day Adventist hymnal. By Wayne Hooper
How can we make the promise of the new earth part of our future in a real and concrete way, even now? Sing about it. Pray about it. Share it.
“We need to watch, to strive, to pray, that nothing may entice us to choose another master; for we are always free to do this. But let us keep our eyes fixed upon Christ, and He will preserve us. Looking unto Jesus, we are safe. Nothing can pluck us out of His hand. In constantly beholding Him, we “are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18.” Steps to Christ page 72.1
1 Corinthians 2:9, says, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him”.
We can all marvel at the sensory perception of heaven that we read in the Bible. Streets of gold, tree of life, never ending day, never growing old, no more death, or sighing and crying. It all sounds so fantastical as it is completely opposite of what we are so well acquainted with here on earth. I often tell people that you can’t even imagine how amazing it is going to be, that’s scriptural.
Yet, as amazing as it sounds, if that’s all it was about would it be worth it if Jesus wasn’t there? I mean, after all, he’s the One that made it all possible. It’s not that all the sensory enticements aren’t going to be literally “out of this world,” because they will be. But, I want to see Jesus, the one who died for me. That’s the “carrot on the stick” for me. I want to see Jesus first and foremost, nothing else really is more important. Would heaven be heaven if Jesus wasn’t there? For me, it wouldn’t be. It will be worth every tear that fell from our eyes in this life. Heaven will be “cheap enough!”
“So I’m waiting for another time and another place
Where all my hopes and dreams
Will be captured with one look at Jesus’ face
Oh, my heart’s been burning, my soul keeps yearning
Sometimes I can hardly wait
For that sweet, sweet someday
When I’ll be swept away
To another time and another place…”
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriter: Gary Driskell
Another Time, Another Place lyrics © Word Music Llc, Polygram Int. Music Publishing B.v., Housewife Music, Word Music, Llc, Curb Word Music
Another Time, Another Place – Sandi Patty
As we think about the promise of the New Earth, Scripture reminds us that while our connection to land and place on this earth is meaningful, it is still temporary. This world, with all its history and significance, will one day pass away. God calls us not to hold so tightly to earthly things that we lose sight of the world He is preparing.
The New Earth is promised to those who allow God to renew their hearts—those who walk in obedience, surrender, and faith. The conditions are not about perfection in our strength, but about daily yielding to the Holy Spirit so He can shape us for the kingdom to come. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, and that preparation begins now.
So even as we value the blessings God has given us here, let us not allow earthly pursuits to overshadow the greater hope before us. We fix our eyes on the “better country,” choosing righteousness, humility, and faithfulness today so that we may stand with Jesus on the earth made new.
May this hope guide our priorities and prepare our hearts for His soon return.
The benefits of living in the abundant land portray the end of suffering and the beginning of everlasting life on a new land designated to faithful Christians. It portrays an era where no one will subject you to problems as a result of exercising your solemn duty as a Christian. It portrays a new era with security because no one can break in to steal and kill you as a result of your unwavering Christian faith. Jesus Christ will give faithful Christians eternal life and they shall never perish, and no man shall pluck them from His hands because His father gave them to Him and He and His are one. John chapter 10: 28 to 30.
While a citizen of the land may receive salvation to live a prosperous life, those who may live a contrary lifestyle may receive the wrath of God. God will reveal from heaven His wrath against the ungodly and the unrighteous for holding the truth in unrighteousness. Romans chapter 1: 18. In contrast, a citizen of the land will receive an eternal life full of happiness, and that aspect of the fact makes faithful Christians better than the ungodly and the unrighteous who took God’s for granted. The implications of being citizens in God’s kingdom includes everlasting life without death and suffering.
Because God is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last and gave His commandment for us to practice in good faith, He will bless faithful servants for keeping His commandment, and they will have right to the tree of life and may enter into gate of His city. Revelation chapter 22: 13 to 14.
If we adopt God’s commandment and practice it in good faith, we will inherit the new land promised to faithful Christians in future.
I gained new perspectives whiles studying this past week’s lessons ‘Promised Land’ and reading the many comments. A perspective which came to mind most often was the commencement of learning to become a good ‘steward’ of all that belongs to God, and the spiritual growth taking place in this ‘nursery’ in which God would raise His children.
Ultimately, living in this ‘nursery-environment’, they were to become ‘educated in the Way that pleases God‘ – bringing about blessings or corrections depending on the quality of their relationship with Him; ‘abundant life’ would be possible only by maintaining a ‘good’ relationship with God.
God’s Grace is still at work to fulfill His Promise to us to becoming co-heirs of God through our faith in Jesus Christ. As it was then, it is today: ‘happiness’ and ‘prosperity’ in a believer’s life is entirely connected to following God’s leading in whatever we do. By His Grace, through faith and hope working within us, we still grow and mature in the image of Jesus Christ.
Considering Israel as the ‘nursery’, God domonstrated to all humanity the example of the Way He interacts with His people – nothing has changed. His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the prime-example of one having accepted the lessons taught in the ‘nursery’, became our teacher, friend, and ‘life-coach’ – the mediator for the co-heirs of God – Gal.4:6-7; Rom.8:16-17; 1Peter 1:3-4.
Thank you Brigitte. Your inspired comments always encourages me. May God bless you in your true walk with Him.
Thank you, Celeste – it is a shared blessing when God’s Truth resonates in another person’s heart! 🙂
When God promised the land to Abraham, there were no
Conditions. It was a promise based only on the word of God. God swore by Himself that Abraham and his offspring would inherit the land. Am I missing g something here?
Isn’t there always the condition of faith? If Abraham had not believed, he would never have left his country.
The promise given to abraham that he would have many children, and that they would inherit the land was an unconditional promise. That’s why it is called the “promised land.” In the sabbath school lesson July 29th to August 4th 2017, it is made clear that is was an unconditional promise ” NO IFS ANDS OR BUTS,”
Why this author used the law that came 430 years later to say that is was a conditional promise requires an explanation. I am willing to admit that I may have misunderstood him. The children and the promised land, the inheritance is an unconitional promise. However, enjoying the blessings of the land was conditioned upon their obedience
I had difficulties understanding this lesson
Mercy, you could try asking a question on a specific point you have trouble understanding.
Then others could post meaningful replies.