Daily Lesson for Monday 15th of December 2025

The glorious conclusion of the whole section (Joshua 21:43-45) carries within it the fulfilled condition of obedience. Success is never to be taken for granted; it is always linked to obedience to God’s Word. Thus, the allotment of the land, besides being the token of God’s faithfulness to Israel (Nehemiah 9:8), creates space for an open-ended future development based on Israel’s attitude. Will Israel be able to secure what has been achieved?

Image © Kevin Carden from GoodSalt.com

Joshua’s speech moves from the old and aged speaker (emphasized twice) to the audience who will have to carry on the mission entrusted to them by God. He describes how the conquest of the land was possible: the Lord fought for them. Even though, because of their unfaithfulness and disbelief, the Israelites had to be involved in warfare after the Exodus, it was not through their military power but through God’s intervention that they managed to possess the land.

God has given rest to Israel from its enemies, but there are some nations left that still have to be dispossessed. Victory is not an accomplished, unchangeable reality for Israel but an ever-present possibility by constant reliance in faithfulness on God’s available help.

The victories of the Israelites could not be attributed to their strength and strategy. Similarly, spiritual victory over sin and temptation have been secured through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but God’s people today must constantly rely on the spiritual supplies provided by the Holy Spirit in order to live a triumphant life.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-12-a-sign-of-concern/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-12-a-sign-of-concern

Daily Lesson for Sunday 14th of December 2025

These verses constitute the climax of the book and its theological summary. They highlight one of the major themes of the whole book: the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh, who keeps His promises and fulfills His oaths. This short section also summarizes the entire content of the book so far. Joshua 21:43 speaks of the allocation and settlement of the land (Joshua 13:1-33; Joshua 14:1-15; Joshua 15:1-63; Joshua 16:1-10; Joshua 17:1-18; Joshua 18:1-28; Joshua 19:1-51; Joshua 20:1-9; Joshua 21:1-45), while Joshua 21:44 refers to victories won over the enemies and control gained over the land (Joshua 1:1-18; Joshua 2:1-24; Joshua 3:1-17; Joshua 4:1-24; Joshua 5:1-15; Joshua 6:1-27; Joshua 7:1-26; Joshua 8:1-35; Joshua 9:1-27; Joshua 10:1-43; Joshua 11:1-23; Joshua 12:1-24). All this retrospective is viewed through the prism of God’s faithfulness. The Israelites must always remember that they can never claim the victories over their enemies or the land as their inheritance—except through God’s loyalty to His given word.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

He gave “all the land” (Joshua 21:43, NKJV, emphasis supplied), delivered “all their enemies into their hand” (Joshua 21:44, NKJV, emphasis supplied), and according to “all that He had sworn” (Joshua 21:44, NKJV, emphasis supplied), “all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45, NKJV, emphasis supplied). The repeated use of the word kol, “all,” six times in three verses (Joshua 21:43-45), emphasizes once again the truth that the land is the gift of Yahweh, and Israel can take no credit for receiving it. It was the Lord who swore to “give” the land and who “had given” their enemies into their hands.

All Israel’s success has to be attributed solely to God’s divine initiative and trustworthiness. This is equally true concerning our salvation: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV).

Indeed, emphasizing God’s faithfulness, Paul also wrote: “The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:11-13, ESV).

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-12-all-came-to-pass/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-12-all-came-to-pass

Daily Lesson for Sabbath 13th of December 2025

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study: Joshua 21:43-45; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Joshua 23:1-16; Revelation 14:10,19; Deuteronomy 6:5.

Memory Text:“Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45, ESV).

When John F. Kennedy addressed the United States at his inauguration, on January 20, 1961, his speech was only 1,366 words, but it left an indelible mark on the American mind. As he encouraged his country to focus on their responsibilities instead of their privileges, he said: “With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

As Joshua, the aging leader of the Israelites, sensed that he was nearing the end of his life, he decided to address the leaders of the nation and the Israelites (Joshua 23:1-16 and 24). Joshua 23:1-16 is focused more on the future and on how to worship God—exclusively. Joshua 24:1-33 reviews God’s faithful acts in the past, with the purpose to prompt a decision concerning who alone deserves to be worshiped: Yahweh.

This week, we will study together the first speech of Joshua, in which he glances back at the victories of Israel but at the same time traces the path of future success for Israel.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 20.

Sunday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-12-god-is-faithful/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-12-god-is-faithful

Our Sabbath School program has always been linked to the support of the Seventh-day Adventist Mission program. This video provides a little insight into this important work.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-december-20/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mission-spotlight-for-december-20

Inside Story for Friday 12th of December 2025

Kim Sun is associate director of the 1000 Missionary Movement, whose headquarters in Silang, Philippines, were constructed with the help of a 1996 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Read more next week.

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Image © Pacific Press

Kim Sun was excited to be sent to a remote area of the Philippines to serve as a missionary for 10 months with the 1000 Missionary Movement. But he wondered how he would spend those 10 months. He remembered that he had argued with his parents about the Bible for five years and gotten nowhere. Now he only had 10 months.

As he prayed, he thought, “If I bring the Bible first, maybe people will reject it like my parents. Maybe I first need to show them the character of Jesus.”

Sun decided not to tell anyone that he was a missionary. He wouldn’t tell anyone about biblical doctrines. He would just make friends for three months.

Upon arriving at the rural town where he would live, Sun visited each of its 20 to 30 houses to offer to help his new neighbors.

“Do you need help with anything? ” he asked the woman at the first house. “I want to serve you. Please let me know how I may be of help.”

She happily accepted Sun’s kind offer.

News of the helpful new neighbor spread from house to house in the neighborhood. Soon a line of people came by who needed or wanted help. The first woman whose house he visited kindly fed him lunch and supper as he helped 17 people in the neighborhood that first day.

As Sun walked home, he felt tired. But he thought, “I’m a missionary!”

Sun soon had a long list of names of people to visit who wanted his help. From Monday to Friday, he visited two homes in the morning and two in the afternoon.

He also found other ways to be a friend to the townspeople. He grew corn and gave it away. When people asked how much they owed, he replied, “Nothing! The corn came from God. God has paid for you.” Once, he saw a boy with a sore on his leg, and he treated the sore with ointment. When the sore healed completely a few days later, the parents came to him and asked, “How can we ever thank you?”

Sun served the townspeople without identifying himself as a missionary for three months. It wasn’t a secret; nobody asked him. He prayed about the next three months.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-11-inside-story-mission-gods-helping-hand/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-11-inside-story-mission-gods-helping-hand