Tuesday, July 8, 2008

July 12-July 18: John the Baptist

SUNDAY

1. What was God’s mission for John the Baptist? Luke 1:16-17
  • Luke 1:16 - And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
    Luke 1:17 - And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
ANSWER:
  • Repentance-To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children
  • Reformation-To turn the disobedient to the wisdom of the just
  • Restoration-To make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

2. What was specific message that John the Baptist needed to preach in order to prepare the people for the Lord? Luke 1:76-77
  • Luke 1:76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
  • Luke 1:77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
ANSWER: The knowledge of salvation


3. What is the knowledge of salvation? Luke 1:77-79

  • Luke 1:77 - To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
  • Luke 1:78 - Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
  • Luke 1:79 - To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
ANSWER:
  • The remission of their sins
  • Tender mercy of God
  • To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death
  • To guide our feet into the way of peace

4. What is the remission of sin?

  • Matt. 26:28 - For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
  • Mark 1:4 - John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
  • Luke 3:3 - And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins
  • Rom. 3:24 - Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
    Rom. 3:25 - Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.
ANSWER: Forgiveness of sin. So what doctrine is this? Justification by Faith


5. What is the tender mercy of God?

  • James 5:11 - Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy
  • Psa. 51:1 - Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
  • Psa. 25:6 - Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
    Psa. 25:7 - Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.
  • Psa. 40:11 - Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
  • Psa. 69:16 - Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
  • Psa. 79:8 - O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.
  • Psa. 103:4 - Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
  • Psa. 119:77 - Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
  • Psa. 119:156 - Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.
  • Heb. 8:12 - For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
ANSWER:
  • God is very pitiful, lovingkindness, compassionate, gracious, and merciful that through the work of judgment, God will blot out our transgressions that we may live again. So what doctrine is this? The investigative judgment.

6. What is the light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death?
  • Psa. 107:9 - For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Psa. 107:10 - Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
  • Is. 42:7 - To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
  • Job 10:21 - Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;
  • Job 10:22 - A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.
  • Job 16:16 - My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
  • Job 24:17 - For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
  • Job 38:17 - Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
  • Psa. 23:4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
  • Psa. 44:19 - Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.
  • Is. 9:2 - The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
  • Jer. 2:6 - Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
  • Mic. 7:8 - Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
ANSWER:
  • The hope of resurrection to those who are in the bondage of death without any hope of the life hereafter. So what doctrine is this? The state of the dead and the final resurrection.

7. What is the way of peace?

First, read this verse:

  • Rom. 3:17 - And the way of peace have they not known:
Second, ask this question: Who are “they” in Romans 3:17?
Go to the verses before and the following text.
  • Rom. 3:10 - As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
  • Rom. 3:11 - There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
  • Rom. 3:12 - They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
  • Rom. 3:13 - Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
  • Rom. 3:14 - Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
  • Rom. 3:15 - Their feet are swift to shed blood:
  • Rom. 3:16 - Destruction and misery are in their ways:
  • Rom. 3:18 - There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Third, answer the question: Who are “they” in Romans 3:17?
  • They are unrighteous
  • They do not understand nor seek after God
  • They are unprofitable because they do not do any good
  • They are deceptive with their words
  • They are bitter and full of cursing
  • They are quick to destroy
  • They face destruction and live in misery
  • They do not fear God
CONCLUSION: Therefore, the opposite to the above list are the characteristics of the people that know the way of peace.

8. So who knows the way of peace?
  • They are righteous
  • They seek after God
  • They are profitable with good works
  • They are without guile
  • They are full of blessing and sweet
  • They are quick to save others
  • They face the final restoration and live in hope
  • They fear God
So, what does it mean to guide our feet to the way of peace?
Answer: To guide our feet to the experience of the righteousness by faith.

Discussion Question: Do you see similar message to be given in the last days? Explain

MONDAY

1. How did John the Baptist prepare himself for his mission?
  • Luke 1:80 - And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
ANSWER:
  • Waxed strong in spirit
  • Stayed in the deserts until his ministry began

2. What helped him to grow strong in spirit?

  • Luke 1:15 - For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
ANSWER: John did not drink neither wine nor strong drink. He had a temperate life style.

3. What else do we know about his life style from the Bible?

  • Matt. 3:4 - And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
ANSWER: His diet and dress was simple and healthy
APPLICATION QUESTION: Does a type of life style have much to do with how we grow in Spirit?


4. What does the book of Proverbs say about wine and strong drink?

  • Prov. 20:1 - Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
ANSWER: Raging mocker and it can deceive.
SPIRITUAL APPLICATION: John the Baptist did not drink wine nor strong drink therefore he did not “drink” from a raging mocker nor be deceived by them.


5. Who are the mockers in the New Testament?

  • Jude 1:18 - How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
  • Jude 1:19 - These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
ANSWER:
  • Walk after their own ungodly lusts
  • Separate themselves
  • Sensual
  • Having not the Spirit
APPLICATION QUESTION: Who are the mockers in the last days?


6. What do the mockers teach?

  • 2Pet. 3:3 - Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
  • 2Pet. 3:4 - And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
ANSWER:
  • Scoffers are same as mockers. Denying the coming of Christ. They teach false teachings.
SPIRITUAL APPLICATION:
  • Since John did not take any spiritual “wine nor strong drink” therefore he was not influenced by false teachings during his time. Perhaps, John living in the desert, not attending rabbinical schools, helped him to grow up without being influenced human traditions and doctrines.

NOTE: See how wine and strong drink are connected to false teachings in the following verses:
  • Mic. 2:11 - If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
  • Is. 28:7 - But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
  • Is. 28:8 - For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
  • Is. 28:9 - Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
  • Is. 28:10 - For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Note: See how wine can take you away from the law and good works
  • Prov. 31:4 - It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
  • Prov. 31:5 - Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

7. Which specific false teaching is connected to wine in the book of Isaiah?
  • Is. 5:22 - Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Is. 5:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
ANSWER: False justification by faith

PROPHETIC APPLICATION QUESTION: Is there a connection between the wine of Babylon and the false justification by faith in the last days? Do we have these “wines” among God’s people today?


CONCLUSION: Simple diet, simple dress, and simple life style in the desert, free from false teachings, prepared John to give strong message for his time.

APPLICATION QUESTION: What kind of life style reform do we need in order to prepare us to give the Three Angels’ messages in the last days?




Tuesday/Wednesday

1. What prophecy in the Old Testament prophesied about the mission of John the Baptist?

  • Mal. 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
  • Mal. 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
  • Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
ANSWER: The coming of Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.


2. What is the great day of the Lord?

  • Zeph. 1:14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
  • Zeph. 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness
ANSWER: The time of trouble


3. When will the time of trouble begin?

  • Dan. 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
ANSWER: After Michael stand up.


4. What does it mean Michael stand up?


Note: Michael is Jesus (Jude 9, 1 Thess. 4:16, John 5:25)

Note: In order to understand Michael stand up, first we need to understand Jesus sitting down.


5. When did Jesus sit down in heaven?

  • Heb. 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
ANSWER: After the death and resurrection of Jesus.


6. What is Jesus’ role sitting down at the right hand of God?

  • Heb. 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens
ANSWER: High Priest


7. What is the work of Jesus as a high priest sitting down at the right hand of God?

  • Heb. 7:25 - Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
  • Heb. 7:26 - For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens
  • Rom. 8:34 - Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
ANSWER: Intercession

Note: Jesus sitting at the right of God at this time means He is working as a high priest doing the ministry of intercession.


8. So what does it mean when the High Priest, Michael, stand up?


ANSWER: The close of intercession and probation


DISCUSSION QUESTION: Does the Bible talk about a time when there will be no intercessor in heaven?
  • Is. 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

CONCLUSION: If the time of trouble begins after Michael stand up then the time of trouble begins after the close of probation. Since the “great day” is connected to “the time to trouble” therefore we can conclude that the great day begins after the close of probation. Therefore, God will send “Elijah” before the close of probation.


9. Is there any other text that points out the fact that the “great day” begins before the coming of Christ?

  • Rev. 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
  • Rev. 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
ANSWER: Yes, the Armageddon takes place after the close of probation and before the Second Coming of Christ. (Study Rev. 15 and 16 for more info)


10. Is the Second Coming of Christ a part of the “great day”?

  • Rev. 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
ANSWER: Yes, the outcry of “for the great day of His wrath is come” will be made when the people see Jesus coming as King of Kings.


11. What other event does the “great day” include?

  • Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
ANSWER: (Read Revelation 20) At the end of 1000 years, the executive judgment for both the fallen angels and the unrighteous.


12. So what events are there in “the great day of the Lord”?


ANSWER:

• The time of trouble after the close of probation
• The Second Coming of Christ
• The executive judgment after 1000 years


13. So proximally how long is the great day of the Lord?


ANSWER: 1000 years



14. How long is a day of the Lord?

  • 2Pet. 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
ANSWER: 1000 years

Conclusion: When the Bible talks about “the day of the Lord” (Isa. 13:6, Jer. 46:10, Ezek. 13:5, Joel 1:15, 2:31, Zech. 14:1, 1 Thess. 5:2, 2 Pet. 3:10), it is talking about the 1000 years that (so to speak) belongs to God. Therefore before the coming of millennium (the day of the Lord), God will send “Elijah” to prepare the people. So there will be “Elijah” before the Second Coming of Christ.

However since John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah before the first coming of Christ therefore we now have three Elijah in the Bible.

  • First-the literal Elijah in the Old Testament history
  • Second-John the Baptist in the spirit of Elijah
  • Third-The final movement of God before the Second Coming of Christ.
(Note: since John the Baptist was not the literal Elijah but came in the spirit of Elijah therefore we can conclude that the third Elijah is not the literal Elijah, who is in heaven now. Third Elijah has to be a group of people with the spirit and the power of Elijah similar to John the Baptist. Why the third Elijah will be a group and not an individual? I will explain later)


15. What is the message of the third Elijah before the great day of the Lord?


Note: We will be able to define the message of the third Elijah based upon looking at the messages of the first and the second Elijah since they all have the same spirit and the power.



16. What was the main message of the first Elijah?

  • 1Kings 18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
  • 1Kings 18:18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.
ANSWER:
  • Keep the commandments of God
  • Worship the Creator and not idols

17. What was the main message of John the Baptist?

  • John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
ANSWER: Take away the sin of the world


18. How does Jesus take away sin of the world?


ANSWER:


STEP ONE: Jesus died on the cross to take away sin.
  • Heb. 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
  • Heb. 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: Heb. 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
STEP TWO: Jesus became our High Priest to take away sin.
  • Heb. 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
  • Heb. 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.
  • Heb. 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens
STEP THREE: Jesus as the High Priest ministering the new covenant to take away sin which includes the final blotting out of our sins.
  • Rom. 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
  • Heb. 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
  • Heb. 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
  • Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.
NOTE: John the Baptist may not have known the full meaning of his message. However, according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we can see the broader meaning in John’s message, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”


19. What were other messages of John the Baptist?

  • Luke 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
  • Matt. 3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
ANSWER: Health and life style message, and not drinking the wine, which also represents false teachings


20. What is the combined message of the first and the second Elijah?

  • Keep the Commandments of God
  • Worship the Creator
  • Do not worship idols and images
  • Health and life style
  • Drink not the wine of false teachings
  • Behold Jesus on the cross
  • Behold Jesus as the High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary
  • Behold Jesus doing the final working of blotting out of sin, take way sin
NOTE: The third Elijah’s message should have all of the above messages.


21. Who preaches the above combined messages in the last days?

  • Rev. 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
  • Rev. 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
  • Rev. 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand
  • Rev. 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
ANSWER:
The three angels. Angel represents messengers (see: Gal. 4:14). Those three angels are together because the Bible uses the word “followed” (see: Rev. 14:8, 9). Since there three angels, we are not just looking for one person who might represent the third Elijah. In fact, since there are three angels, the Bible is giving us the picture of a company of messengers. We often hear people saying, three is company. Therefore those who live and give the Three Angels’ messages are part of the final third Elijah’s movement.


DISCUSSION QUESTION: How do the messages from the first and the second Elijah connect with the message of the Three Angels’?


What is…….?
  • Fear God
  • Give glory to Him
  • The hour of His judgment is come
  • Worship Him that made
  • The wine of Babylon
  • The Image of the Beast
  • The mark of the Beast

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Using this in Sabbath School and personal study great great stuff! GOD bless this ministry

David Rosales