Hebrews 9:15 explains that the death of Jesus as a sacrifice had the purpose of providing “redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant,” in order that the people of God might “receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” (NASB).

In the ancient Near East, a covenant between two persons or nations was a serious matter. It involved an exchange of promises under oath. It implied the assumption that the gods would punish those who broke the oath. Often, these covenants were ratified through the sacrifice of an animal.

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For example, when God made a covenant with Abraham, the ceremony involved cutting animals in half (Genesis 15:6-21). The parties would walk between the parts as an acknowledgment that those animals represented the fate of the party who broke the covenant. Significantly, only God walked between the animals, for the purpose of communicating to Abraham that He will not break His promise.

Compare Genesis 15:6-21 and Jeremiah 34:8-22. What do these texts teach about the covenant?

The covenant with God gave Israel access to the Promised Land as their inheritance. It involved, however, a set of commandments and the sprinkling of blood upon an altar. This sprinkling implied the destiny of the party who broke the covenant. This is why Hebrews says that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission [of sins]” (Hebrews 9:22, literal translation).

When Israel broke the covenant, God faced a painful dilemma. The covenant demanded the death of the transgressors, but God loved His people. If God should simply look the other way or refuse to punish the transgressors, His commandments would never be enforceable, and this world would descend into chaos.

The Son of God, however, offered Himself as a Substitute. He died in our place so that we “may receive the promised eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 9:26, ESV; Romans 3:21-26). That is, He was going to uphold the sanctity of His law while at the same time saving those who broke that law. And He could do this only through the cross.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Hebrews 9:15, Genesis 15:6–21, Jeremiah 34:8–22, Ephesians 3:14–19, Heb.7:27, Hebrews 10:10, Hebrews 9:22–28.

Memory Text: “For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14, NKJV).

The idea that a man found guilty and executed on a cross should be worshiped as God was offensive to the ancient mind. Sparse reference to the cross in Roman literature shows their aversion to the idea. For the Jews, the law declared that a man impaled on a tree was cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Thus, the first motifs that we find in the Christian paintings of the catacombs were the peacock (supposedly symbolizing immortality), a dove, the athlete’s victory palm, and the fish. Later, other themes appeared: Noah’s ark; Abraham sacrificing the ram instead of Isaac; Daniel in the lions’ den; Jonah being spit out by the fish; a shepherd carrying a lamb; or depictions of miracles like the healing of the paralytic and the raising of Lazarus. These were symbols of salvation, victory, and care. The cross, on the other hand, conveyed a sense of defeat and shame. Yet, it was the cross that became the emblem of Christianity. In fact, Paul simply called the gospel “the word of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:18, ESV).

This week we will look at the cross as it appears in the book of Hebrews.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 26.

Sunday–>

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Support for the mission activities of the Seventh-day Adventist church has always been part of the Sabbath School program. This video is Mission Spotlight for this week.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcTa50xffv4&w=1003&h=562]

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This video is produced by the South Pacific Division Discipleship team.

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Sabbath or Scholarship?

By Andrew McChesney

It was an offer that the Seventh-day Adventist girl could not refuse: a full scholarship to study at a private non-Christian school.

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Malevelev, who grew up in an Adventist home, had been taught since she was young to remember God in all her decisions. The girl had planned to enter middle school at Taiwan Adventist Academy when she finished sixth grade, but then recruiters from the private school showed up in her village in the southern Kaohsiung region of Taiwan. They encouraged Malevelev and her parents, who belonged to the Rukai indigenous people group, to accept the full scholarship.

Tuition was high at Taiwan Adventist Academy, and it would be difficult for the parents to afford. They asked the girl to go to the private school.

During summer vacation, Malevelev visited the school and saw that she would be required to attend classes on Sabbath. She would not be able to go to church to worship God. A conflict erupted within her: Should she accept the full scholarship or keep the Sabbath? As she struggled with the decision, she remembered God. She knew that she should choose the Sabbath.

At the end of the summer, Malevelev’s parents insisted that she go to the private school. The girl felt dreadfully discouraged, and she prayed fervently.

“God, help me,” she prayed. “Show me what to do.”

Taking courage, she spoke kindly but firmly to her parents.

“I want to go to Taiwan Adventist Academy,” she said. “I will not go to classes on Sabbath because I want to go to church.”

She explained her desire to remain faithful to God by keeping all ten commandments, including the fourth, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8; NKJV).

“I don’t want to betray the truth taught by my grandfather,” she said.

Seeing the girl’s determination, her parents allowed her to study at Taiwan Adventist Academy.

Today, Malevelev has studied for five years at the school and is in the 11th grade.

“I’m very happy here,” she said. “I have wonderful teachers and classmates, and we are like a big family. More important, I have made many Christian friends. We have morning and evening worship together, we pray together, and we study together. I cherish every moment at the school. Although I don’t know what will happen in the future, I know that God will lead me and fulfill His wonderful plan for me.”

She is glad that she was taught from childhood to remember God always. Repeating Ecclesiastes 12:1, she said, “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’”

“When you need to make an important decision, believe in God and choose according to His will and pleasure,” she said. “I encourage myself with this verse all the time. Now I am sharing my secret with you, and may God bless you.”

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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