The book of Nehemiah opens somewhat in the same way the book of Daniel did (read Dan. 1:1-2), and that was with bad news. Yes, many had returned to their ancestral homeland, but things weren’t going too well for them there. Read Nehemiah 1:1-4. Why was Nehemiah so distressed? What was his response to the bad news he … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Nehemiah 1:1-2:20, Deut. 7:9, Ps. 23:1-6, Num. 23:19. Memory Text: “So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said: ‘I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You … Continue reading –>
Attacked With Acid By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission Banza Mwela, the pastor of a Sunday church in the Democratic Republic of Congo, nearly died when his wife and son doused him with skin-burning acid on the day of his baptism into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. But Banza, his face permanently disfigured, clung to life and … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Ezra, the Priest and Scribe”, pages 607–617, in Prophets and Kings. Consider Ezra’s diligent work: “Ezra became a mouthpiece for God, educating those about him in the principles that govern heaven. During the remaining years of his life, whether near the court of the king of Medo-Persia or at Jerusalem, his … Continue reading –>
Read Ezra 7:6 and Ezra 7:10. What do these texts teach us about the importance of proper religious education? Ezra’s wholehearted devotion to God and his decision to study, practice, and teach the Word of God (Ezra 7:6, Ezra 7:10) prepared him for greater ministry in Israel. The biblical text literally states that he devoted himself to the studying, doing/making, and … Continue reading –>
Thursday’s section of this week’s Sabbath School lesson asks the question, “In what ways, even today, might we need to unlearn a lot of what we have been taught from the world?” When Jesus was telling Nicodemus in John 3:1-17 that he needed to be born again, I believe Jesus was including being re-educated. Nicodemus … Continue reading –>
Read Ezra 7:11-28. What were the components of the king’s decree? Why were these instructions important for the people of Israel? The decree of Artaxerxes resembles Cyrus’s first decree. The king counsels everyone who is willing, especially from the priestly lines, to make the journey to Jerusalem. Although according to the Murashu historical documents, the majority … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: In seeking to fulfill the Christian mission, we should look to the church as an organized community of believers. By working in a community of faith, we can bless those around us. October 5, 2019 1. Have a volunteer read Daniel 9:2, Ezra 4:1-7. Ask class members to share a thought on what … Continue reading –>
In Ezra 7:1-10 and Ezra 8:1-14, we see that King Artaxerxes I allows Ezra to return to Jerusalem (the year is 457 B.C). and to take with him anyone who would like to return. Not much is known about the relationship between the king and Ezra, or whether Ezra worked for the court. Ezra 8 lists the heads … Continue reading –>
Hymn 225, “God Is Working His Purpose Out”, portrays the messengers God uses to work out history for his people in the prophecies. We find that Ezra is not happy with what he has learned in the world’s universities and is looking “To the Name That Brings Salvation”, Hymn 646. On Thursday, Ezra devoted himself … Continue reading –>
First return of the exiles. Imagine a prophecy so precise as the one predicting that for 70 years, God’s people would live in desolation, and then they would be released. Now it was almost time for that promise to be fulfilled. Why was Daniel upset? Should he have been? Do you and I ever feel … Continue reading –>
The first group of returnees received the task of rebuilding the temple of God. We will study about the opposition to the building of the temple in a later lesson. Now, we will discuss the succession of Persian kings during the temple’s prolonged construction and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. It is important to know the … Continue reading –>
