Lesson 4 – The Nations, Part 1

4.7 – Questions

God’s Ways with the Nations

Introduction

Israel’s history is marked by highs and lows, obedience and rebellion. When God’s people were led into Babylonian captivity, His plan seemed to falter. Yet even in that dark hour, God showed that His work was not confined to Israel alone. He used pagan kings like Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus to accomplish His will and guide His people. These events challenge us to examine our own relationship with God—and to see how much “Babylon” may still dwell within us.

Bible Study

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humbling and Recognition (Daniel 4)
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon experienced a profound transformation. After dreaming of a great tree cut down, Daniel warned him of God’s judgment. In pride he ignored the warning, lost his sanity, and lived like an animal for seven years. At the end, he acknowledged God’s sovereignty and praised “the Most High.” This shows that God can humble the proudest hearts to draw them to Himself.

Cyrus’ Decree and Israel’s Return (Ezra 1)
King Cyrus of Persia—a non-Israelite—was called by God to free Israel from captivity. He issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Scripture even calls Cyrus God’s “anointed,” a title usually reserved for Israelite kings. This underscores that God can use people outside Israel to fulfill His purposes.

Reflection Questions & Answers

1. What does it teach us about how God sees humanity that He employed people outside Israel—like Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus—to achieve His goals?
   God does not view humanity through national or ethnic lenses. He is sovereign and can use anyone—regardless of background or faith—to accomplish His purposes. The stories of Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus demonstrate that God’s grace and calling are universal. He seeks hearts willing to do His will and can enlist the most unlikely instruments in His plan.

2. We may not live in Babylon, but how much of Babylon might dwell within us? How do we recognize this, and how can we change?
   “Babylon” in Scripture symbolizes pride, idolatry, and rebellion against God. Though we aren’t physically in Babylon, these attitudes can reside in our hearts. When we rely more on material security, power, or human wisdom than on God, we reflect Babylon’s values. To recognize this, we must regularly examine our hearts by God’s Word, repent of our ways, and deliberately choose to follow God’s paths.

Spiritual Principles

• God’s Sovereignty: He rules over all nations and can use anyone for His purposes.

• Humility Before God: Pride separates us from Him; humility draws us near.

• Universal Calling: God’s invitation to repentance and service is open to all, regardless of origin.

Practical Application

• Self-Examination: Regularly ask whether you’ve adopted values or behaviors God disapproves.

• Openness: Be ready to see God at work in unexpected people and situations.

• Humility: Acknowledge your need for God’s guidance and submit to His leading.

Conclusion

God’s ways are higher than ours. He can humble the mightiest rulers and call the most unlikely people to fulfill His will. Our task is to remain humble, to examine our hearts, and to be willing to be used by God wherever He leads.

Thought of the Day

“God does not look at outward status but at the heart. He can use anyone who is willing to heed His call.”

Illustration – “Light Over Babylon”

Baghdad, Iraq – Spring 2025

The sun set over the dusty rooftops of the Old City. In a small internet café near a bustling market sat 29-year-old Zaid, brow furrowed before a battered computer. The generator hummed. Outside, the muezzin’s call to prayer echoed—but Zaid remained seated, stirred by another summons in his heart.

A historian and seeker, Zaid had grown up among ruins and pondered why Babylon—center of so many stories—reappeared as a spiritual symbol in Scripture. One name gripped him: Daniel—a man in Babylon who was not of Babylon, a captive who influenced kings, a foreigner serving a God beyond golden idols. He’d secretly read Daniel’s book in Arabic, then in English, and found himself bewildered. Why did God speak in dreams? Why did He use pagan rulers?

Clicking through to an Adventist website in Jordan, Zaid read of Abraham’s calling—also from Mesopotamia—and how God had later used King Cyrus to free His people. It struck him: if God could call Abraham from Ur and enlist Cyrus, might He include Zaid too?

He began to pray, softly, in his heart: “If You are the same God who spoke through Daniel, show me the way.”

He joined an underground group studying Revelation in Baghdad, learning of the call to “come out of Babylon” —not geographically but spiritually. He realized: though he’d never lived in ancient Babylon, its spirit lay in his pride, self-justification, and doubt.

A year later, Zaid stood in the baptismal pool of a hidden house church, tears streaming as the pastor declared, “You are a child of Abraham—not by blood, but by faith.”

He now knew his story did not end with Nimrod, Nebuchadnezzar, or the Babylonian exile—but continued with Cyrus, Daniel, Jesus—and now with him.

That evening, in his room, Zaid opened his new Bible and read aloud in Arabic:

“Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins…’” (Revelation 18:4)

A call from Babylon—and a light over Babylon. That was his calling.

Lesson 4 – The Nations, Part 1

4.6 Summary

From Nimrod to Israel – God’s Plan for the Nations

Introduction – Between Kingdoms and Divine Calling

Since the days after Eden, people have sought structure, security, and significance—often in human kingdoms, political systems, and self-made paths. Yet again and again God calls out a people—not to be superior, but to become a living testimony of His truth and love. This lesson has taken us from Nimrod to the Three Angels’ Messages—and poses the question: What is our calling today?

Bible Study – A Journey Through the Nations’ Story

1. Nimrod and Nineveh – The Origin of Rebellion
   Genesis 10:1–12 describes Nimrod as “a mighty hunter before the LORD”—not a compliment, but a sign of defiance. He founded cities like Babel and Nineveh, metropolises of pride and human power. The Bible warns: any attempt to reclaim Eden by human means ends in spiritual alienation. Nimrod’s story is the archetype of building a kingdom without God—and failing.

2. Abraham’s Calling – A Call to Separation
   Genesis 12:1–9 shows a man who hears God’s voice—and leaves everything behind. Abraham is summoned out of Ur because God needed a fresh start. Israel was to be different: a nation without a human king, yet with a divine mandate. Deuteronomy 4:5–9 reveals that through obedience Israel was meant to shine as a light to the nations—not by isolation, but by godly influence.

3. Getting What It Wanted – The Bitter Fruit of False Desires
   1 Samuel 8:4–18 recounts Israel’s demand for a human king “like all the other nations.” God granted their wish but warned of the cost: abuse of power, injustice, and spiritual decline—and tragically, that is exactly what followed.

4. The Rulers of the Gentiles – When the Church Embraced the State
   Matthew 20:25–28 presents Jesus’ antidote to power-hunger: the greatest must become a servant. Yet as Israel once did, so the church later did under Constantine—seeking political approval, it began to wield power and lost its true character. This serves as a caution: we must not repeat the same error.

5. A Light to the Gentiles – The Call of the Last Generation
   Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; Revelation 18:1–4 reveal God’s longing for a people who bring light—not to judge, but to save. Revelation 18’s summons, “Come out of her, my people,” is not to shame but to free. We are called to live in such a way that others hear: “Come out!”

Spiritual Principles

• Rebellion often begins quietly—with pride, self-will, and self-reliance.

• God always calls out—to holiness, to mission, to witness.

• The greatest danger is not an external enemy but compromising with the world’s system.

• God’s light is never elitist—it is intended for all nations.

Daily Application

• Read God’s Word not just to “know more,” but to “live differently.”

• Continually measure your thinking against Scripture—especially when cultural norms seem acceptable.

• Ask yourself: Where have I chosen human security over divine leading?

• Be a light—not through loudness, but through faithfulness, gentleness, and love.

Conclusion

God has never stopped calling a people. From Abraham to the end-time church, He invites us not to conform to human order, but to His truth. Israel’s history is more than a warning—it’s a mirror. Yet amid all failure there is hope: if God showed patience with Israel, He will have patience with us—and use us when we yield to Him.

Thought of the Day

“God’s light is never meant to be hidden—but to shine through our lives.”

Illustration – “The Other Light”

Munich, a November evening.

The subway car was packed. Amid raincoats, laptop bags, and tired faces sat Elias, 19, a first-year theology student. He’d just finished Bible study on Nimrod, Abraham, and Israel’s downfall—stories that felt ancient and distant. But tonight was different.

An elderly woman across from him stared blankly into space. Her coat was thin; her hands trembled. Elias hesitated, then asked, “Are you okay?” She looked up, surprised. “Not really. No one ever asks.”

That simple question opened a window. She spoke of her loneliness, her lost faith, and a life that had once been bright but now felt empty. Elias said little—just that he believed in a God who always calls, even when His people don’t listen.

When she got off, she said, “You’re different. Thank you. Maybe… I’ll pray tonight.”

Alone again, Elias thought of Revelation 18: “Come out of Babylon, My people.”

He realized: the call doesn’t start with a sermon. It starts with a question. With listening. With love.

One light for the nations. One heart that hears.

“For behold, darkness shall cover the earth… but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen over you.” (Isaiah 60:2)