Intercer Adventist News

Closer To Heaven
You are here: Home / Archives for News and Feeds

Tuesday: Rome and the Prince of the Covenant

By

Read Daniel 11:16-28. Though the text is difficult, what images can you find that appear elsewhere in Daniel?

A transition in power from the Hellenistic kings to pagan Rome seems to be depicted in Daniel 11:16: “But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power” (NKJV). The Glorious Land is Jerusalem, an area where ancient Israel has existed, and the new power that takes over that area is pagan Rome.

Roman Coin

Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com

The same event is also represented in the horizontal expansion of the little horn, which reaches the Glorious Land (Dan. 8:9). So it seems clear that the power in charge of the world at this point is pagan Rome.

Some additional clues in the biblical text reinforce this perception. For example, the “one who imposes taxes” must refer to Caesar Augustus. It is during his reign that Jesus is born, as Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem for the census (Dan. 11:20). Also, according to the prophecy this ruler will be succeeded by a “vile person” (Dan. 11:21). As history shows, Augustus was succeeded by Tiberius, an adoptive son of Augustus. Tiberius is known to have been an eccentric and vile person.

Most important, according to the biblical text, it was during the reign of Tiberius that the “prince of the covenant” would be broken (Dan. 11:22). This clearly refers to the crucifixion of Christ, also called “Messiah the prince” (Dan. 9:25; see also Matt. 27:33-50), as He is put to death during the reign of Tiberius. The reference to Jesus here as “the prince of the covenant” is a powerful marker that helps show us the flow of historical events, again giving readers powerful evidence of God’s amazing foreknowledge. God has been right on all that has come before in these prophecies, so we can surely trust Him on what He says will happen in the future.

Even amid all political and historical events, Jesus of Nazareth, “the prince of the covenant”, is revealed in the texts. How does this help show us that despite all the upheaval and political intrigue, Jesus remains central to Scripture?

<–Monday Wednesday–>

Amen!(1)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SabbathSchoolNet/~3/N_jsgEYRDnA/

Making Adventists or Making Friends?

By

by Melissa Young   |  16 March 2020  |   “I have a testimony I just have to give tonight!” the voice of the girl next to me called out. I was attending a Friday night Bible study at a Seventh-day Adventist church near my home for the first time. So far, the evening had been fairly […] Source: https://atoday.org/making-adventists-or-making-friends/

Make Home a Bit of Heaven

By

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalm 127:1.

We, living far down the passage of ages, have the privilege of studying the Old Testament in connection with the New. Our faith and courage should be strong as we see prophecies fulfilling. But how many there are who are unbelieving. How many there are who reveal selfishness and unkindness in their dealings with one another. How many professing Christians seem never to be satisfied unless they are engaged in strife. How many home circles are broken because the members receive and act upon Satan’s suggestions.

No unpleasant words are spoken in heaven. There no unkind thoughts are cherished. There envy, evil surmising, hatred, and strife find no place. Perfect harmony pervades the heavenly courts.

Well does Satan know what heaven is, and what the influence of the angels is. His work is to bring into every family the cruel elements of self-will, harshness, selfishness. Thus he seeks to destroy the happiness of the family. He knows that the spirit governing in the home will be brought into the church.

Let the father and mother always be guarded in their words and actions. The husband is to treat his wife, the mother of his children, with due respect, and the wife is to love and reverence her husband. How can she do this if he treats her like a servant, to be dictated to, ordered about, scolded, found fault with before the children? He is forcing her to dislike him and even to hate him.

May God help fathers and mothers to open the windows of the soul heavenward and let the sunshine of Christ into the homelife. Unless they do this, they will be surrounded by a mist and fog most injurious to spirituality.

Fathers and mothers, bring sweetness and brightness and hopefulness into the lives of your children. Kindness and love will work wonders. Never punish a child in anger. When you do this, you are acting like grown-up children, who have not left behind them the unreasonableness of childhood. Will you strive earnestly to be able to say, “When I became a man, I put away childish things”?

Be sure, before correcting your child, to talk with your heavenly Father. When your own heart is so softened by sympathy, talk with the erring one. If the matter can be adjusted without the use of the rod, so much the better.—Manuscript 71, May 29, 1902, “Words to Parents.”
The Upward Look p.163
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for E as she has a doctor’s appointment today.
—-Please keep my parents in your prayers, they are 85 and both have heart and respiratory issues. Tamara
—-Urgent prayer for a Sis in Christ who’s kidneys are said to be shutting down as I type. Prayer for her husband’s strength as well. Monika

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/_o1OOBii–o/make-home-a-bit-of-heaven.html

HopeSS: Remove term: From North and South to the Beautiful Land From North and South to the Beautiful Land (March 21, 2020)

By

You can view an in-depth discussion of “From North and South to the Beautiful Land” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on the image to view:

You may download an MP4 video file, and audio file or a PDF lesson outline from the HopeSS site.

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

Amen!(0)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SabbathSchoolNet/~3/uTc-_mTWLzY/

12: From North and South to the Beautiful Land – Discussion Starters

By

  1. Introduction. Our lesson authors don’t hesitate to inform us that studying Daniel 11 is “challenging.” In your personal examination of Daniel’s messages to God’s people, you may find that most of the chapters of Daniel are challenging as is any explanation of the details of these chapters. Aren’t you glad that God deals with the challenges of understanding last-day events as described in the book of Daniel so that with study and prayer they become clear and beautiful? What would you suggest to the person who struggles to understand these messages?
  2. Prophecies about Persia and Greece. Who were the three kings who followed Cyrus as the leaders of Persia? Alexander the Great is never mentioned by name in the Bible, but scholars agree that he was the ruler of Macedonia and became the ruler of the known world. How old was Alexander when he died? How were his successors chosen? Based on accounts recorded in Daniel 11:2-4 and Daniel 8:3-8 and 20-11, how can you show that Alexander was the recognized leader of the ancient world at that time?
  3. War between the north and the south.  The book of Daniel chronicles some of the conflicts between the northern and southern portions of Alexander’s kingdom after his death. What makes these battles between heathen nations important for us Christians to know about? Considering all the opposition and hatred pounded on God and His people through the centuries, why does He
    “fight for the right” to defend His followers?  Can we be worth it?
  4. Rome and the prince of the covenant. Based on our lesson for Tuesday, what do you think of the transition in history from Hellenistic kings (Greece) to pagan Rome? How do you link the text of Daniel 11:6 declaring that the ruler “shall do according to his own will” with pagan Rome’s style of leadership?” How is the crucifixion of Jesus portrayed in this passage? Are you grateful or confused by God’s way of expounding on future events? What can we do to make our reading of Bible prophecy even more rewarding?
  5. The next power. If we thought the revelation of last day events was over with that portion of our lesson, we’d better sit up and pay attention to the next section! Rome is Rome, but there are different dimensions to the pagan Rome we see revealed in the Bible about 2,000 and more years ago and the papal Rome of the very last days of earth’s history. In what ways is papal Rome different from pagan Rome? How does papal Rome reveal opposition to the heavenly sanctuary? To God’s covenant of salvation? What religious acts of apostasy does papal Rome follow today? How important are these and other differences between the Bible and papal Rome? Or does God save us no matter what we believe?
  6. Final Events. This short section is based on the six verses starting with Daniel 11:40. Our lesson guide assures us that the book of Daniel is the only place in the Bible where we see the expression, “time of the end.” Find all of the references if you can. What are the time limits? Be sure to study the description of end-time events after the conclusion of this week’s lesson.

Discussion topic: (from our lesson guide)

“(T)he correlation of Daniel 11 with Daniel 7 and 8 reinforces the view of Luther and many other Protestant commentators that the institution of the papacy and its teachings constitute the fulfillment of these prophecies in history. In this connection, Ellen G. White says: “No church within the limits of Romish jurisdiction was long left undisturbed in the enjoyment of freedom of conscience. No sooner had the papacy obtained power than she stretched out her arms to crush all that refused to acknowledge her sway, and one after another the churches submitted to her dominion.”

Amen!(0)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SabbathSchoolNet/~3/Wd0QgyHhvpI/

About Intercer

Intercer is a website with biblical materials in Romanian, English, Hungarian and other languages. We want to bring the light from God's Word to peoples homes. Intercer provides quality Christian resources...[Read More]

Lucian Web Service


Intercer is proudly sponsored by Lucian Web Service - Professional Web Services, Wordpress Websites, Marketing and Affiliate Info. Lucian worked as a subcontractor with Simpleupdates, being one of the programmers for the Adventist Church Connect software. He also presented ACC/ASC workshops... [read more]

Archives

Categories