| God
is the outstanding fact of the universe. Our greatest needs are to
understand Him better and to have His image restored in us. If these
needs are not fulfilled, it is impossible for us to be truly happy or
at peace with ourselves and others.
When we become acquainted with God, we discover that
He is, indeed, wonderful. He is a God of goodness, as well as
greatness. Of love, as well as wisdom. Of mercy, as well as justice. He
is the God of the poor and meek, the wealthy and the great. He is the
God of all races, which are equally loved by Him.
The purpose of the lessons this quarter is to help us
become better acquainted with our wonderful God and to serve Him
better. We will begin by teaming what the Bible reveals about His
nature and characteristics. Other lessons will show us specifically why
He is called "wonderful" and what He has done so we can claim Him as
"ours." An overview of the entire quarterly is given below:
Lesson 1-"Our Ancient of Days." God cannot be
compared to humankind. He is eternal, omnipresent, and without equal.
Lesson 2-"Our Lord Most High." God is Creator and
Benefactor of all creation. His universal scope makes Him the perfect
Judge.
Lesson 3-"Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." The Godhead
consists of three divine Beings, unified in action but distinct in
personality.
Lesson 4-"Emmanuel-God With Us." Voluntarily, God
came to this earth as a man to redeem what Satan had snatched away.
Lesson 5-"The Holy One." Because of His perfection,
power, and glory, God stands distinct-that is, holy-above all else.
Lesson 6-"The God of Love," Nature, the Scriptures,
and the life of Christ reveal God's love. It knows no season,
geography, or culture. It reaches out to all unconditionally.
Lesson 7-"The God of Peace." God provides peace to
all who receive Christ and obey the Spirit.
Lesson 8-"Wonderful, Counselor." Those who reach out
to God find a hand waiting to grasp theirs.
Lesson 9-"The Lamb of God." God offered the Lamb in a
dramatic act of reconciliation.
Lesson 10-"My Father and My God." God desires to be
our dearest friend and closest companion.
Lesson 11-"The Lord of Hosts." The angels who serve
God unselfishly play an important role in our salvation.
Lesson 12-"The God of Help." Because He is on our
side, God makes His unlimited power available to protect us and guide
us.
Lesson 13-"King of Kings." The righteousness of God
will triumph.
Contents:
(no frames)
Meet
the Principal Contributor to This Quarter's Lessons
Edwin R. Thiele (September 1895-April 14, 1986) began
his work as home missionary secretary in the East Michigan Conference.
He served for 12 years as editor and 2 years as manager of the Signs of
the Times Publishing House in Shanghai, China.
While on furlough he taught religion at Washington
Missionary College (now Columbia Union College) in Takoma Park,
Maryland, and after permanent return from China, he taught at Andrews
University for an additional 29 years.
During his years of service, Elder Thiele also
authored numerous books and articles. Dr. Thiel gained recognition as a
world-renowned expert on Old Testament chronology. His book, Mysterious
Numbers of the Hebrew Kings, remains the foremost authority on Bible
chronology in print today.
Editorial Office:
12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904.
Principal Contributor: Edwin R. Thiele.
Editor: Philip G. Samaan.
Associate Editor: Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti.
Editorial Assistant: Soraya Homayouni Parish.
Art and Design: Lars Justinen.
Pacific Press Coordinator: Glen Robinson.
Copyright
© 1998 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist. All Rights
Reserved.
Giardina Sabbath School Study Helps
Jerry Giardina of Houston, Texas, prepares a series
of helps to accompany the Sabbath School lesson. He includes all
related scripture and most EGW quotations. These are provided in three
wordprocessing versions Wordperfect;
Microsoft Word;
RFT for
our MAC friends; and HTML
Web Pages.
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