Daily Lesson for Wednesday 15th of May 2024

William Miller observed that events predicted by the prophets were precisely fulfilled: the 400 years of the sojourn of Abraham’s descendants, Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the 70 years of Israel’s captivity, and Daniel’s 70 weeks allotted to Israel (Genesis 15:13, Numbers 14:34, Jeremiah 25:11, and Daniel 9:1-27:24).

As Miller studied the prophecies, comparing scripture with scripture, he concluded that if God had a divine timetable throughout the Bible, God must have a divine timetable when it comes to our Lord’s second coming.

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William Miller accepted the popular view that the “cleansing of the sanctuary” was the purification of the earth by fire. He diligently studied the Scriptures to understand an event of such stupendous importance. He discovered the linkage between Daniel 8:1-27:1-27:1-27:1-27 and Daniel 9:1-27. In Daniel 8:1-27:1-27:1-27:1-27, the angel was instructed to “make this man understand the vision” (Daniel 8:1-27:1-27:16). By the end of the chapter, the only portion of the entire vision of Daniel 8:1-27:1-27:1-27:1-27 left unexplained (see Daniel 8:1-27:27) was the part about the 2,300 days. Later the angel returned to Daniel and declared, “ ‘I have now come forth to give you skill to understand’ ” (Daniel 9:22, NKJV; see also Daniel 9:23,25-27). This was to help him understand about the 2,300 days.

We know this because, after bidding Daniel to “ ‘consider the matter, and understand the vision’ ” (Daniel 9:23, NKJV), the first words of the angel were: “ ‘Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city’ ” (Daniel 9:1-27:24, NKJV). The word translated “determined” literally means “cut off.” Seventy weeks, 490 years, are to be cut off. But from what? The vision of the 2,300 days, obviously—the only part of Daniel 8:1-27:1-27:1-27:1-27 that Daniel did not understand, and that the angel now came to explain.

And since the starting point of the 70 weeks was “ ‘from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem’ ” (Daniel 9:25, NKJV), Miller knew that if he had that date, he could know the beginning of the 70 weeks and the 2,300-day prophecy.

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Daily Lesson for Tuesday 14th of May 2024

Just as God used the Protestant Reformers to rediscover the truth about justification by faith in Christ alone, He used William Miller to rediscover the truth about the manner of Christ’s second coming. As Miller studied Scripture, he discovered a Christ who loved him more than he could possibly imagine. With his Bible, a pen, and a notebook, he began reading starting with Genesis and read no faster than he could understand the passage at hand. By comparing scripture with scripture, he allowed the Bible to explain itself.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

As William Miller compared scripture with scripture, the mysteries of the Bible were opened to him. He searched as one searching for a hidden treasure and was richly rewarded. The Holy Spirit opened the Word of God to his understanding. He approached prophecy with the same diligence in Bible study as the other biblical passages he was studying.

The symbols in the prophetic books are not locked in mystery. A loving God has given us His prophetic Word to prepare us for the climactic events soon to unfold in this world. William Miller clearly understood that prophecy was its own best interpreter. The symbols of prophecy are made clear by the Bible itself. Beasts represent kings or kingdoms (Daniel 7:17,23). Wind represents destruction (Jeremiah 49:36). Water represents peoples or nations (Revelation 17:15). A woman represents the church (Jeremiah 6:2, Ephesians 5:22-32). The time prophecies of Daniel and Revelation also are given in symbolic language, with one prophetic day representing one literal year (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6). As William Miller applied these principles of biblical interpretation, he was startled at what he discovered regarding what he believed to be the timing of Christ’s return.

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Key Thought: The second coming is one of the central themes of Scripture. This lesson will look at the manner, time, and place of the second coming and the time of judgment before He comes.
May 18, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Acts 1:9-11, Matthew 24:27,30,36.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What do these verses tell us about the manner of Jesus’ coming?
3. Personal Application: How does the second coming bring hope to your religious and cultural thinking and life? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of you relatives states, “I thought Jesus’ coming was a secret and silent event. When the rapture takes place, people will be disappearing and many will be left behind wondering what happened.”” How would you respond to your relative?
   (Note: I Thessalonians 5:2-5, Hebrews 9:28, 2 Peter 3:10-12, Isaiah 65:15-17)

2. Have a volunteer read Daniel 9:25-27; Ezra 7:7-13.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. When would this prophetic period begin?
   (Note: The commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was in the seventh year of Artaxexes in 457BC. This decree came with a promise of soldiers, writs of passage, building supplies, food, money)
3. Personal Application: When Christ came, what was He supposed to do? Share your thoughts
   (Note: To cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, confirm the covenant, be cut off but not for Himself)
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “I thought the 70th week was after the church age and rapture when antichrist would destroy the temple after the Jews started sacrificing animals again.?” How would you respond to your friend?
   (Note: See Rev 12:5,6,14,15; Rev 11:2; Daniel 7:25.)

3. Have a volunteer read Daniel 8:14.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What was to happen at the end of the 2300 days?.
3. Personal Application: How do you feel about living during the judgment? Is there more required of us now than those who lived before the judgment? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “How do you connect the 70 weeks of Daniel 9 to Daniel 8’s 2300 days?” How would you respond to your neighbor? (Note: The 70 weeks was determined (chathak – cut off, amputated) from the 2300 days. The 70-week prophecy of Jesus’ fiirst coming was to seal up the 2300 day prophecy. To seal it up means to make it sure.)

4. Have a volunteer read Mark 1:15; Galatians 4:4, Romans 5:6.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What do these verses tell us about God’s timetable for the first Advent?
3. Personal Application: Why is a correct understanding of prophetic symbolism so important to our faith? 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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Our learning this quarter will show us that 
God Is Working His Purpose Out – Hymn 225 so that we will Lift Up The Trumpet because 
Jesus Is Coming Again – Hymn 213. You may have two hymns from which to choose for your theme hymn this quarter.

This week shows us the glorious hope that is written of so many times in the Bible. Hallelujah! We are reminded so strongly that 
We Have This Hope – Hymn 214 because 
‘Tis Almost Time For The Lord To Come – Hymn 212. We are to go forward and lift up the trumpet 
Jesus Is Coming Again – Hymn 213 just as did William Miller, Wycliffe, Calvin, Ellen White and a vast number of other beautiful people.

Sunday again points us to 
The Lord Is Coming – Hymn 200 and 
Christ Is Coming – Hymn 201 to name just two of the many hymns in this section, Second Advent, in our SDA Hymnal.

It is with great wonder that we are taught that “every eye” will see Jesus 
When He Comes – Hymn 220 to take us Home (Monday). So please, 
Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus – Hymn 204 as we are listening for the “trumpet blast of His return”.

When William Miller was “comparing scripture with scripture, he allowed the Bible to explain itself” and so we are to request 
Give Me The Bible – Hymn 272 to keep on learning.

May we continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed and to bless many 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.”

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Daily Lesson for Monday 13th of May 2024

Although the Protestant Reformers believed in the literal, visible, audible, and glorious return of Christ, gradually the understanding of this biblical truth changed. Popular nineteenth-century preachers taught that Christ would come to establish His kingdom on earth and usher in 1,000 years of peace. This led to spiritual lethargy and an apathetic commitment to spiritual values.

Image © Steve Creitz at Goodsalt.com

Similarly, Christ’s disciples misunderstood the nature of the Messiah’s coming. They thought that He would come as a conquering general who would break the yoke of Roman bondage, not One who would deliver them from the condemnation and shackles of sin. Thus, they failed to understand the manner of His coming.

When Christ came the first time as a babe in Bethlehem’s manger, very few people discerned His coming. But when He comes the second time, “every eye” will see Him come. Every ear will hear the trumpet blast of His return. Every human being on earth will behold His glory. We need not be deceived. The Scriptures have made the events surrounding His return abundantly clear.

“One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible is that of Christ’s second coming to complete the great work of redemption. To God’s pilgrim people, so long left to sojourn in ‘the region and shadow of death,’ a precious, joy-inspiring hope is given in the promise of His appearing, who is ‘the resurrection and the life,’ to ‘bring home again His banished.’ The doctrine of the second advent is the very keynote of the Sacred Scriptures. From the day when the first pair turned their sorrowing steps from Eden, the children of faith have waited the coming of the Promised One to break the destroyer’s power and bring them again to the lost Paradise.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 299.

An early Adventist leader, Luther Warren, used to tell young people, “The only way to be ready for the coming of Christ is to get ready and stay ready.” The message of Christ’s soon return is an urgent appeal to each one of us to examine our hearts and evaluate our spiritual lives. It is a call to godly living. There can be no neutrality in the blazing light of the glory of Christ’s return.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24b-07-anticipating-the-time/