Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, Dragoslava Santrac, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson, “The Lord Reigns.”

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View an in-depth discussion of Longing for God in Zion in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.  
Click on the image below to view the video:

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

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Daily Lesson for Wednesday 13th of March 2024

This psalm gives a vivid description of the world in turmoil, and it is portrayed with the images of natural disasters of unprecedented intensity (Psalms 46:2-3).

Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com

The image of disturbed waters often depicts the rebellious nations and various problems that the wicked cause in the world (Psalms 93:3-4; Psalms 124:2-5). Likewise, in Psalms 46:1-11 the images of natural calamities depict the world controlled by nations waging wars (Psalms 46:6).

It is clearly a world without the knowledge of God because God is in the midst of His people, and where God dwells, peace abounds (Psalms 46:4-5). Yet, although the world rejects Him, God does not abandon the world. God is present in the world by being among His people. In other words, no matter how bad things appear, God’s presence is here, in the world, and we can draw personal hope and encouragement from knowing this foundational truth.

The Lord, who is the perfect refuge, is the Source of Zion’s lasting peace and security. The word that highlights the security of Zion is “though” in Psalms 46:1-11:3. Though the world is in turmoil, the people of God are safe. This shows that peace is not the result of total absence of trials but God’s gift to His trusting children. Unreserved trust in God can render God’s child peaceful and secure in the middle of the storm (Matthew 8:23-27). The question that poses itself is: Will God leave the world to its destructive choices and actions forever?

God responds with such a force of displeasure that His word, which had created the earth, now causes the earth to melt (Psalms 46:6). Yet, the melting does not end in destruction but renewal. Notice that God extends His peace from Zion to the ends of the earth. God will make wars cease and extinguish the tools of destruction, which the wicked nations used to bring oppression into the world (Psalms 46:9). This is the great hope that Christians have, which will occur at the second coming of Jesus.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24a-11-safety-and-peace-of-zion/

Daily Lesson for Tuesday 12th of March 2024

Psalms 87:1-7 is a hymn celebrating Zion as God’s specially chosen and beloved city. The foundation of God’s temple is on Mount Zion (Psalms 2:6, Psalms 15:1). At the end of time, Zion will rise above all mountains, signifying the Lord’s sovereign supremacy over the whole world (Psalms 99:2, Isaiah 2:2, Micah 4:1). Psalms 87:1-7 refers to Zion as “mountains” to highlight its majesty (Psalms 133:3).

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

God loves the gates of Zion “more than all the dwellings of Jacob” (Psalms 87:2, NKJV), expressing the superiority of Zion over all other places in Israel that were special gathering places of God’s people in the past, such as Shiloh and Bethel. Thus, the psalm affirms that true worship of God is in His chosen place and in His prescribed way.

The glory of Zion draws all the nations to God, and so, the borders of God’s kingdom are extended to include the whole world. Notice that God does not treat the other nations as second-level citizens, even if Zion is portrayed as the spiritual birthplace of all peoples who accept the Lord as their Savior.

The registering of individuals was done according to their birthplace (Nehemiah 7:5, Luke 2:1-3). Three times the psalm states that the nations are born in Zion, meaning that the Lord provides them with a new identity and grants them all the privileges of lawfully born children of Zion (Psalms 87:4-6).

Psalms 87:1-7 points to salvation of both the Jews and the Gentiles and their being united in one church through Christ’s redeeming ministry (Romans 3:22; Romans 10:12; Galatians 3:28-29; Colossians 3:11). The psalm’s portrayal of the prosperity of Zion is reminiscent of Daniel’s vision of God’s kingdom becoming an enormous mountain that fills the whole earth (Daniel 2:34-35,44-45) and of Jesus’ parable about God’s kingdom growing into a huge tree that hosts the birds of the air (Matthew 13:32).

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Key Thought: Zion represents God’s living presence among His people. Zion is a place of Divine blessings and refuge. Zion is interchangeable with Jerusalem and the sanctuary – the center of salvation.
March 16, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Psalm 84:1-4; 122:1-9.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. Why does the psalmist long to dwell in the sanctuary? Who else can be blessed by the sanctuary?
3. Personal Application: What are some practical ways that we can strive for harmony among us as a people now? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of you relatives states, “In ancient Israel and even in today’s Jews in countries around the world, their focus, time, and efforts are in the synagogue. Should our focus, time, and efforts be in the church and our fellow believers more? How is our church worship similar and different from the Jewish synagogue and the tabernacle?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Psalm 87:1-7.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What makes Zion such an esteemed place? Where are the glorious things that are spoken of in Zion?
3. Personal Application: How does Zion’s readiness to adopt all people fit in the church’s call from Christ to preach the gospel to every nation? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why do you Adventists focus so much on the book of Revelation and the antichrist and the mark of the beast? Shouldn’t you just focus on the gospel and Christ’s love for everyone?.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Psalm 46:1-11.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How is the world poetically depicted here?
3. Personal Application: How do we learn to have peace and to trust God amid a world that has so much turmoil? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “What doe God think about all the violence and destruction in the world? If He is a loving God, how can He let it go on so long? It seems like it is getting more and more frequent and intense.” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Psalm 125:1-5..

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How are those who trust God portrayed here?
3. Personal Application: How are the righteous tempted? What is the lesson for us here? 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).

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