Is this True, Somewhat True, or False? There is always an answer to our “Why” with God. Join the Hit the Mark panel as they answer this and other questions from Sabbath School Lesson 5 – God Fights for You. It’s the fastest hour of the week!

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/god-fights-for-you-hit-the-mark-sabbath-school/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=god-fights-for-you-hit-the-mark-sabbath-school

Daily Lesson for Thursday 30th of October 2025

Although the main focus of this week’s lesson has constituted the divinely commanded and assisted wars of the Old Testament, we need to mention the presence of another equally significant theme of the Old Testament’s prophetic writings: the future vision of the peaceful Messianic era. The Messiah is depicted as the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He will usher in a kingdom dominated by peace, where the lion and the lamb will graze together (Isaiah 11:1-8), in which there will be no destruction or hurt (Isaiah 11:9), and where peace will rule (Isaiah 60:17) and flow like a river (Isaiah 66:12).

Image © Lars Justinen at Goodsalt.com

Consider the story of the feeding of the Syrian army at the initiative of Elisha. Instead of massacring them (2 Kings 6:22), he showcased to them the supreme ideal, peace, which has always been God’s desire for His people. It is interesting to observe that Elisha fully is aware of the superiority of the invisible army that surrounds the enemy (2 Kings 6:17). As much as God is involved in a cosmic conflict that also has affected our planet, the final goal of redemption is not a perpetual conflict or even an eternal subjugation of the enemy in a state of slavery but, instead, everlasting peace. As violence breeds violence (Matthew 26:52), peace engenders peace. The story concludes by stating that the “Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel” (2 Kings 6:23, ESV).

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-05-the-prince-of-peace/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-05-the-prince-of-peace

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, Dr. Barna Magyarosi, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-god-fights-for-you-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-god-fights-for-you-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author

View an in-depth discussion of The Lord Fights for You in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:

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

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/4-god-fights-for-you-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=4-god-fights-for-you-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 29th of October 2025

The Hebrew text uses a unique term to describe the destruction of people in war: cḥerem. This term refers to what is “banned,” “damned,” or “dedicated to annihilation.” Most of the time, it designates complete and irrevocable placement of people, animals, or inanimate objects in God’s exclusive domain, which in warfare involved, in most cases, their destruction.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing from GoodSalt.com

The concept and practice of cḥerem as a total eradication of a people in war needs to be understood in the light of Yahweh’s conflict with the cosmic forces of evil, where His character and reputation are at stake.

Again, since the emergence of sin in the world, there is no neutrality: one is either on God’s side or against Him. One side leads to life, eternal life, and the other to death, eternal death.

The practice of total destruction describes God’s righteous judgment against sin and evil. God uniquely delegated the execution of part of His judgment to His chosen nation, ancient Israel. The devotion to destruction was under His tight theocratic control, limited to a certain period of history, the conquest, and to a well-defined geographical area, ancient Canaan. As we saw in yesterday’s study, those who came under the ban of destruction consistently rebelled against God’s purposes and defied them, never repenting either. Therefore, God’s decision to destroy them was neither arbitrary nor nationalistic.

Moreover, Israel would expect the same treatment if they decided to adopt the same lifestyle as the Canaanites (compare with Deuteronomy 13:1-18). Even if it seems as though the groups situated on either side of the divine war are pre-defined (the Israelites are to inherit the land and the Canaanites are to be destroyed), there is the possibility to move from one side to the other, as we will see in the cases of Rahab, Achan, and the Gibeonites.

People were not arbitrarily given protection or placed under a ban. Those who benefited from a relationship with Yahweh could lose their privileged status through rebellion, and those under the ban could submit to the authority of Yahweh and live.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25d-05-free-choice/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=25d-05-free-choice