John 5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem (John 5:1, NKJV). The first major festival period in the Jewish calendar year is the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread, which commences with Passover. The festival commemorates the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, when the angel … Continue reading –>
(Luke 2:21-24) God established His covenant with Abraham, saying that he would be the father of many nations (Gen. 17:4). When God made this covenant, the ninety-nine year old Abraham had only recently fathered Ishmael and had not yet seen the birth of his promised son, Isaac. Nonetheless, he was commanded to circumcise himself along … Continue reading –>
There are many opinions that society wants us to believe: Climate is changing. Climate isn’t changing. Capitalism is good. Capitalism is bad. The internet/TV/video games/music are evil. Nothing’s evil; it’s all in how you use it. And don’t even get me started on what we should or shouldn’t eat or drink! Mostly though, opinions are … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 2:21-24; Exod. 13:2, 12; Luke 2:41-52; Matt. 17:24-27; John 8:1-11; Deut. 22:23-24. Memory Text: If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me (John 5:46, NRSV). Many Christians have been raised on stories about Jesus’ supposedly negative relationship to the Jewish religion, an unfortunate misconception … Continue reading –>
Elizabeth Kimongo was born into a traditional Maasai family in Kenya. In her culture girls are expected to marry soon after their twelfth birthday. Women have little to say about their lives, but Elizabeth refused to leave school to marry. She had a dream. While home for vacation before starting high school, Elizabeth learned that … Continue reading –>
Further Study: Read also Ellen G. White, Oath Taking, pp. 201-204, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1. If Adam had not transgressed the law of God, the ceremonial law would never have been instituted. The gospel of good news was first given to Adam in the declaration made to him that the seed of the … Continue reading –>
[Thought questions for Laws in Christ’s Day April 2, 2014] 1. The law offends the evil one. What is there about the divine law that Satan hates so much? Since he can’t do away with it, how does he treat God’s law? How far into our daily lives does the law of God extend? Is everything that … Continue reading –>
However much Roman law, Mosaic law, and rabbinic law impacted the lives of Jews living in first-century Israel, many people who followed the religion of Israel lived outside of Palestine and beyond the borders of the Roman Empire. Thus, many of these laws would not have played a big role in their lives. At the … Continue reading –>
In addition to the Mosaic laws, Jews at the time of Jesus were also familiar with the law of the rabbis. The rabbis were the scholastic arm of the Pharisees, and they took the responsibility of ensuring that the Mosaic law remained relevant to the people. The rabbis counted 613 laws in the five books … Continue reading –>
There are some pretty strange laws out there. In Oklahoma it is against the law to spit on the sidewalk. I’m not sure what the penalty is. I do know that the penalty for making an ugly face at a dog is a fine or jail sentence. I guess the sentence depends on just how … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : Various laws governed society in the time of Christ. An understanding of the historical and cultural context provides a framework for God’s moral law, the Ten Commandments. [Lesson plan for Laws In Christ’s Day March 31. 2014] 1. Have a volunteer read Luke 2:1-5. a. Ask class members to share a thought … Continue reading –>
Read Leviticus 1:1-9, 2:14-16, 5:11-13. To what are these laws referring? What was their purpose? What important truths were they meant to teach? Besides the civil laws in ancient Israel, there was also what is often called the ceremonial law. This law centered around the sanctuary and its services, all of which, of course, were … Continue reading –>
