Study Helps - Lesson 13

Lesson 13 *September 17–23

King of Kings and Lord of Lords

Memory Text: Revelation 19:11 NKJV 11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

Revelation 19:16 NKJV 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Sabbath Afternoon

Sunday

The Certainty of Christ's Return (John 14:1-3).

Titus 2:13 NKJV 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

John 14:1-3 NKJV 1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Acts 1:9-11 NKJV 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

2 Peter 3:9-10 NKJV 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 NKJV 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Monday

The Nature of Christ's Return

Ephesians 3:17 NKJV 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Matthew 24:23-26 NKJV 23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. 24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 "See, I have told you beforehand. 26 "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.

Matthew 24:27 NKJV 27 "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Matthew 24:30 NKJV 30 "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

John 6:40 NKJV 40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Tuesday

The Timing of Christ's Return

Revelation 22:20 NKJV 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

2 Peter 3:8 NKJV 8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Revelation 6:10 NKJV 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

Matthew 24:45-51 NKJV 45 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 "Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 "Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 "But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' 49 "and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 "the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 "and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Wednesday

The Impact of Christ's Return

Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Matthew 7:24-29 NKJV 24 "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." 28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Thursday

The Cosmic Confession

Ephesians 1:7 NKJV 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Colossians 1:14 NKJV 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 9:12 NKJV 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, April 19, 1905

April 19, 1905 With Power and Great Glory. By Mrs. E. G. White.

Christ's second coming will be in marked contrast to His first coming. Then His glory was veiled with the garb of humanity. He came with no outward manifestation of glory. When He comes the second time, His divinity will not be concealed. He will come with His own glory and the glory of His Father. He will come as one equal with God, as His beloved Son, the Prince of heaven and earth. Instead of a crown of thorns, He will wear a crown of glory. Instead of a garment of humility, He will be clad in a garment of royalty. Upon His vesture will be written the name, "King of kings and Lord of lords." {ST, April 19, 1905 par. 1}

At His first coming, Christ was denied and rejected by men, and by them dragged as a criminal to Pilate's bar, where they charged Him with blasphemy. He was scourged and crucified. Nails were driven through His hands and His feet. For three hours He hung on the cross, while His enemies said tauntingly, "He saved others; Himself He can not save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, I am the Son of God." {ST, April 19, 1905 par. 2}

At His second coming, the scene will be changed. He will be acknowledged by all as the King of glory. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The angels will bow in adoration before Him. His enemies will see the mistake they have made, and every tongue will confess His divinity. {ST, April 19, 1905 par. 3}

Christ's glory did not appear when He was upon this earth. He was then a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Men hid their faces from Him. But He was following the path God had marked out for Him. Still bearing humanity, He ascended to heaven, triumphant and victorious. He has taken the blood of the atonement into the holiest of all, sprinkled it upon the mercy-seat and His own garments, and blessed the people. Soon He will appear the second time to declare that there is no more sacrifice for sin. {ST, April 19, 1905 par. 4}

Then by innumerable voices will be sung the song, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away." {ST, April 19, 1905 par. 5}

With earnest longing God's people await the tokens of their coming King. As the watchmen are accosted, "What of the night?" the answer is given unfalteringly, "The morning cometh, and also the night." Light is gleaming upon the clouds above the mountain-tops. Soon there will be a revealing of His glory. The Sun of Righteousness is about to shine forth. The morning and the night are both at hand,--the opening of endless day to the righteous, the settling down of eternal night to the wicked. {ST, April 19, 1905 par. 6}

"The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." {ST, April 19, 1905 par. 7}

The Lord is soon coming, and we must be ready and waiting for His appearing. O, how glorious it will be to see Him, and be welcomed as His redeemed ones. Long have we waited, but our hope is not to grow dim. If we can but see the King in His beauty, we shall be forever blessed. I feel as if I must cry aloud, "Homeward bound!" We are nearing the time when Christ will come in power and great glory to take His ransomed ones to their eternal home. {ST, April 19, 1905 par. 8}

Friday

Revelation 22:1-5 NKJV 1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.