This quarter we are studying how biblical allusions, among other things, help us interpret prophecy. The last book of the Bible truly becomes a revelation of Christ for those who are grounded in biblical teachings. One of these teachings is about what happens when a person dies, and another is about who the angels are.

One of the saddest things I have ever had to do was go to a funeral for a little girl who was hit and killed by a car. At the funeral, the minister talked about how much fun Jesus and the little girl were having in heaven right now. I thought, how cruel the minister was to make Jesus look as though he deprived the poor mother of her daughter so He could play with her!

Jesus does not break our hearts and tear our world apart so He can have fun with our loved ones while we suffer. Jesus will be reunited with the little girl at the same time the mother is –  at the Second Coming. This is why it is so important to study the topic of death in the light of the cross,  the light of God’s love. 

Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com

The minister even referred to King David as going straight to heaven to be with his son who had died. After the service, I wanted to mention to the minister what Peter said in Acts 2 while sharing the prophecies about Jesus in Scripture. 

“For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” Acts 2:34-35 NKJV

Peter clarifies that David’s prophecy was about Jesus and not himself, as David has not gone to heaven yet, but remains in his grave, awaiting the resurrection. 

The minister then talked about how the little girl who died is now an angel watching over us. Many believe that angels are our dead loved ones. They find comfort in the false idea that our dead loved ones are watching over us, but this lie not only leads to spiritualism, but it also leads to idolatry. It puts dead loved ones in the place of God. I find it comforting to know that God is watching over me. Why would I think my dead loved ones watching over me would be more comforting than God watching over me, when my soul hungers and thirsts for God’s love more than my family’s love? 

Nowhere does the Bible teach that our dead loved ones are angels. As a matter of fact, in Genesis we read:

So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. Genesis 3:24 NKJV

We know cherubim are angels. Genesis 3:24 refers to cherubim before anyone has died. Therefore, angels are clearly not our dead loved ones. God Himself and the angels of heaven are watching over us now and directing the mission of saving the people of this world, while our dead ones are resting from their labors. I find that way more thrilling and amazing than the lie that my dead loved ones are watching over me. The Bible teaches me that our dead loved ones are taking a deserved rest. 

Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” Revelation 14:13 NKJV

The word angels means “messengers,” and the Bible refers to two heavenly messengers by name. One is  “Gabriel” in Daniel 8:15,16; Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26. Daniel and Revelation also refer to “Michael,” who is identified as the archangel/chief angel (Jude 1:19) and leader of the angels who fought against “the dragon” in heaven and cast him out (Rev. 12:7). Daniel tells of Michael personally intervening in the affairs of this earth (Daniel 10:13,21 and Daniel 12:1).  Knowing this helps us interpret Revelation correctly.

While looking at Genesis and Revelation, let’s look at another passage that the lie of spiritualism has skewed. 

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 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?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. Revelation 6:9-11 NKJV

Many twist this passage to say that the souls of dead loved ones are literally under the altar in heaven. This makes no sense literally, as we will not be living under an altar in heaven. Plus, if the dead are currently in heaven, why would they be asking for vengeance against those who put them in heaven? Knowing that the dead rest in their graves keeps us from misinterpreting this passage. 

Remember in Genesis 4:10 God tells Cain that Abel’s blood was crying out for vengeance. Abel’s blood was not literally crying out. It was symbolic. The situation was symbolically crying out for justice. Likewise, in Revelation 6:9-11, the situation symbolically cries out for justice, while the dead continue to rest. 

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is clear that God is love. God loves us more than our family loves us, and therefore the truth about God and angels is comforting, knowing God Himself and His angels are watching over us, and not our dead loved ones. God will also not tear a young mother’s world apart so He can have fun with the mother’s child. When a child dies, God will be reunited with the child at the same time the mother is – at the Second Coming. 

The Revelation was never meant to be a “closed” book, difficult to interpret. To all diligent Bible students, the Revelation is truly a revelation of Christ. So, if you want to understand Revelation better, spend more time in really studying the rest of the Bible. Don’t confine your Bible study a weekly Sabbath School lesson, but study the Bible, book by book, remembering that Christ Himself is the ultimate revelation of God. Then you will understand the message God put in each of the 66 books of the Bible, including the Revelation. 

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/knowing-bible-teachings-helps-us-understand-revelation/

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 14th of May 2025

Following the leading of God’s presence in the cloud, the Israelites would stop in their journey to the Promised Land, set up the tabernacle, and then the tribes would pitch their camps around it—three tribes on each side. The Presence of God would descend into the Most Holy Place and take up residence in the midst of His people.

There was one dominant tribe on each of the four sides of the tabernacle. According to Numbers 2:1-34, who were these four dominant tribes?

Notice that each dominant tribe flew its own “standard,” or special flag, to designate who they were.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

While the Scriptures are not explicit in describing what was on each flag, there is an interesting tradition—loosely based on the tribal characteristics described in Genesis 49:1-33 and Deuteronomy 33:1-29—that assigns one of the four faces to each of the four compass points. “According to rabbinical tradition, the standard of Judah bore the figure of a lion, that of Reuben the likeness of a man or of a man’s head, that of Ephraim the figure of an ox, and that of Dan the figure of an eagle; so that the four living creatures united in the cherubic forms described by Ezekiel were represented upon these four standards.”—Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2011), vol. 1, p. 660.

It is possible to read too much into tradition, of course, but it is still interesting to compare this ancient tradition with the Bible’s description of the New Jerusalem. An interesting pattern emerges: there are gates representing three tribes on all four sides of the city (Revelation 21:12-13).

The descriptions of both the camp of Israel and the New Jerusalem underscore one crucial fact: God intends to pull humanity close to His throne. The book of Revelation teaches us that “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple” (Revelation 21:22, NKJV).

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25b-07-god-among-his-people/

Daily Lesson for Tuesday 13th of May 2025

Cherubim, either as living beings (Ezekiel 10:8) or the gold symbols of them (Exodus 25:18), appear all through the Old Testament. They are often depicted as standing immediately next to God’s throne, radiating His glory to the universe. Cherubim also are embroidered into the curtain before the Holy of Holies (Exodus 26:1). In the book of Psalms, God’s supreme power over creation is poetically pictured as God being borne through the air by cherubim (Psalms 18:10). God commanded that the ark of the covenant be topped by two solid gold cherubim with their wings extended toward one another (Exodus 25:18-20).

Image © Steve Creitz at Goodsalt.com

Ezekiel is presented with an impressive display of God’s power. It is a confusing scene to begin with, matching the predicament that God’s people found themselves living with at the moment: the chosen people not in the land of promise but in Babylonian captivity. As Ezekiel ­studies the scene placed before him, he looks up and sees God’s throne above it all.

Notice the important similarities with other “throne” visions. The living creatures that Ezekiel witnesses have the same faces as the living creatures in John’s vision: a lion, an eagle, an ox, and a man.

The mysterious creatures with four faces are not specifically named in Ezekiel’s initial description; later, in another throne room scene (see Ezekiel 10:1-21), they are called “cherubim,” and we also find the burning coals from Isaiah’s vision of the seraphs. They share the faces of the living creatures mentioned in John’s vision.

Whenever we see God’s throne—whether in the typical ark of the covenant, which served as God’s meeting place with Moses (Exodus 25:22), or the breathtaking visions of the prophets—the cherubim are always there. They are intimately tied to the throne of God. All of God’s creatures were designed to reflect His glory—whether we are talking about the human race made in His image or the angelic beings who are posted immediately next to His glorious throne.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25b-07-like-burning-coals-of-fire/

To learn of the “Allusions, Images and Symbols” in Bible Prophecy we are really in great need of saying to God
Give Me The Bible – Hymn 272 so we are able to learn with His abundant help. This will be our theme for this, the second quarter of Bible Study, 2025.

 Our Memory Text tells of Isaiah wishing to do God’s work, and we can sing this heartily in 
Hymn 330 – Take My Life, And Let It Be as we look through the scriptures this week. Sabbath afternoon’s introduction to the week of study closes with God’s loving character, which is found in 
Hymn 79 – O Love Of God, How Strong And True!

Sunday continues with 
Hymn 330 – Take My Life, And Let It Be all because God says 
So Send I You – Hymn  578.

The throne room scene on Monday shows “our role as forgiven sinners” giving us a prayer hymn 
Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive – Hymn 299.

We keep learning more about angels this week, and 
Hymn 425 – Holy, Holy, Is What The Angels Sing helps us to understand a little more about our angels. The question at the end of Tuesday gives us another wonderful hymn in 
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! – Hymn 73.

Learning more about The Fall Of Lucifer (Thursday) we are very much encouraged to sing 
Worthy, Worthy Is The Lamb – Hymn 246.

Please continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed, and to bless others.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/7-foundations-for-prophecy-singing-with-inspiration/

Key Thought: God is the foundation of every good thing because He is the Creator of all good things. God’s throne is in heaven and He has jurisdiction over the earth and all He created.
May 17, 2025

1. Have a volunteer read Isaiah 6:6-8.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What were the consequences of this meeting and why is it important?
3. Personal Application: Have you submitted to Christ in knowing cleansing and forgiveness enough to allow yourself to want to be used to share the gospel with others? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, How can we witness to people without appearing to be aggressive and pushy in our sharing? Some groups are very pushy and it turns a lot of people off. So how can we approach and share in a non-aggressive manner?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Genesis 3:21-24, Ezekiel 1:4-14.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What job were the cherubim tasked with and why?
3. Personal Application: How holy are you in comparison to God? What does this tell us about our need of the gospel? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “I don’t understand the imagery here concerning the vision. Can you explain what this is describing? How does this help us in understanding God or His work?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Numbers 2:3; 2:10; 2:19; 2:25.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What were the four dominant tribes of the tabernacle? What were the standard flag for each one of these tribes?
   (Note – Reuben – Man, Judah – Lion, Ephraim – Ox, Dan – Eagle.)
3. Personal Application: How can we draw closer to the presence of God in our lives? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “How does Elijah come before Christ’s second coming? John the Baptist came before Jesus the first time. If John was a burning and shining lamp, what will God’s people be described as as a forerunner of Christ?” How would you respond to your neighbor?
   (Note – Read Revelation Chapter 14:1-6) Their message? (Revelation 14:6-14)

4. Have a volunteer read Ezekiel 28:11-17, Daniel 14:12-14.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. If Satan and one-third of the angels were kicked out of heaven, what kind of honor would it be for us to take their places in heaven? Does that mean we become angels when we go to heaven?.
3. Personal Application: What role do we have as a church and as individuals in letting people know about what Christ has done for them? Share your thoughts.
4. 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).

(0)

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/7-foundations-for-prophecy-teaching-plan/