“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10, NKJV). Look at the words of Jesus here. It’s so easy, isn’t it, to compromise, to be “unjust in what is least.” The problem isn’t so much … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 16:10; Daniel 1; Daniel 2; Daniel 3:1-6; Rev. 13:11-15; Dan. 3:13-18; John 3:7; Daniel 4; Daniel 6. Memory Text: “The king answered Daniel, and said, ‘Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret” (Daniel 2:47, NKJV). The Lord had great … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Revelation 12:9-12 and Ellen G. White, “Why Was Sin Permitted?” pages 33-43, in Patriarchs and Prophets. “So long as all created beings acknowledged the allegiance of love, there was perfect harmony throughout the universe of God. It was the joy of the heavenly host to fulfill the purpose of their Creator. They delighted in reflecting His glory … Continue reading –>
You can view an in-depth discussion of “The Cosmic Controversy” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV Sabbath School … Continue reading –>
As Seventh-day Adventists, we carry in our name so much of what we stand for. The Seventh-day part represents the seventh-day Sabbath, which points to our belief, not just in that one commandment alone but, by implication, our belief in all ten. The Adventistpart points to our belief in the second advent of Jesus, a truth that can … Continue reading –>
The book of Revelation foretold the persecution that God’s people would face through a good portion of church history. The 1260 prophetic days of Revelation 12:6 (see also Rev. 12:14) point to 1260 years of persecution against the church. “These persecutions, beginning under Nero about the time of the martyrdom of Paul, continued with greater or less fury for … Continue reading –>
The fall of our first parents plunged the world into sin, evil, and death. People might disagree on the immediate causes, or who’s at fault, but who can deny the reality of the turmoil, violence, upheaval, and conflict that afflict us all here? We talk about a cosmic controversy, a cosmic conflict; and that’s fine and true. But whatever … Continue reading –>
Though we cannot explain why evil arose (since no justification for it exists), Scripture reveals that it began in the heart of Lucifer in heaven. Besides the fascinating insights that we get from the writings of Ellen G. White (see, for instance, the chapter “The Origin of Evil” in The Great Controversy), Scripture doesn’t tell us much more about … Continue reading –>
If the cosmic controversy forms the background biblical worldview, this leads to a number of questions. An important one is, How did it all get started? Because a loving God created the universe, it’s reasonable to assume that evil, violence, and conflict were certainly not built into the creation from the beginning. The controversy must have arisen … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Ezek. 28:1-2, Ezek. 28:11-17; Gen. 3:1-7; Rev. 12:1-17; Rom. 8:31-39; Rev. 14:12. Memory Text: “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17, NKJV). The cosmic controversy, sometimes called “the great controversy”, … Continue reading –>
