3 Warnings in Abkhazia By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission Valentina Dmitrienko, intent on finding corn to bake lepyoshka flatbread for her family, hurried to the outdoor market in Abkhazia, a breakaway region in the former Soviet republic of Georgia. She didn’t have much money, and a months-long armed struggle in her hometown, Sukhumi, had caused … Continue reading –>
Further Study: Read Ellen G. White, “Growing Up Into Christ”, pages 67–75, in Steps to Christ. “The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity. In Christ glorified they will behold Christ crucified. Never will it be forgotten that He whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds through the … Continue reading –>
Read Nehemiah 12:44-47. Why did Judah rejoice “over the priests and Levites who ministered”? Why were they important? What did the work of the priests (who were Levites) symbolize? See Hebrews 9:1-11. “The intercession of Christ in man’s behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the cross. … Continue reading –>
Read Nehemiah 12:43. What was special about offering “great sacrifices” as part of their worship celebration? Sacrifices were the most essential aspect of worship during the time of the temple. Several different sacrifices were used, either for the promise of forgiveness or to express the joy of fellowship and gratitude to God. Sacrifices provided the substance … Continue reading –>
Read Nehemiah 12:31-42. Why was music such an important part of this celebration? Part of the worship service in Nehemiah’s time was creating two thanksgiving choirs that walked around Jerusalem singing, accompanied by instruments. They started in the same place and then split off, each going in a different direction around the walls of the city. … Continue reading –>
After the Scriptures talk about the dedication of the wall, and then the gathering of the singers, the next verse, Nehemiah 12:30, talks about purification. “Then the priests and Levites purified themselves, and purified the people, the gates, and the wall” (NKJV). The Hebrew root word for “purified”, thr, means to be clean, to be pure, and it … Continue reading –>
Read Nehemiah 12:27-29. Notice some of the key words that reveal what their worship and praise was like. How would you describe it? The Israelite nation had commissioned a specific class of the Levites to be singers and musicians for the temple services. God directed the practice and gave instructions for the service, as the temple … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Neh. 12:27-47; 1 Chron. 25:6-8; 1 John 1:7-9; John 1:29, John 1:36; 1 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 9:1-11. Memory Text: “And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel’ ” (Ezra 3:11, NKJV). This week’s memory text gives us insight into the Hebrews’ worship practices and how … Continue reading –>
Teaching Russian Orphans By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission The challenge appeared enormous. Natalya Balan, the 59-year-old grandmother, wasn’t sure how to make God real to the two young brothers that she had brought home from a Russian orphanage. The boys – Daniil, 10, and his 9-year-old brother, Nikita – had suffered unspeakable abuse from their … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Test of Discipleship”, pages 57–65, in Steps to Christ. “There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been … Continue reading –>
