09: From Contamination to Purification – Teaching Plan

Key Thought: The vision of Daniel 8 parallels Daniel 7, but leaves Babylon out of it. Daniel 8 also shows the time and beginning of the Day of Atonement or Day of Judgment.
February 29, 2020

1. Have a volunteer read Daniel 8:6-12.

Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
What gives us a clue as to the identity of the he-goat and thus the little horn power?
(Note: See Daniel 8:21-26. This little horn pushes in three directions showing it is pagan Rome to start with, even standing against Jesus, but it also refers later to papal Rome.)
Personal Application: Why does God use repeat and enlarge prophecies to focus in on last day events chapter by chapter? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of your relatives states: “How did the little horn, or Rome, take away the “daily” and cast the truth down to the ground?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Daniel 8:10-12.

Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
What kind of activity is the little horn depicted as doing here?
Personal Application: What should this tell us about how important the knowledge of Biblical truth really is in contrast with human traditions and false religious teachings? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of your friends states, “In what ways do you Adventists think the Roman church has established a distorted worship system? What’s wrong with their teachings and worship?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Daniel 8:14

Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
What does it mean that the sanctuary shall be cleansed?
Personal Application: How important is it for us to be cleansed from our sins during the time of the heavenly sanctuary being cleansed? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “How do you guys get the year 1844 out of the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14? Where’s the starting point? How do you get 2300 years instead of days? I really don’t understand this prophecy. Did you people believe Jesus was coming to the earth in 1844?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Daniel 8:13.

Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
What significance does this verse have in revealing two saints speaking to each other concerning the time of the events mentioned?
Personal Application: What’s the difference between Christ’s ministry on the cross and His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

Amen!