This quarter “The Week at a Glance” shows God’s covenant is spoken of mostly. God has made his promises (covenant) with many people in the Bible, and continues to give us promises for today, hence for a theme hymn I find that I wish to keep standing on the Promises that God has given to us all –
Hymn 518 – Standing on the Promises as
My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less – Hymn 522.

Hymn 537 – He Leadeth Me comes from the Sabbath afternoons reading in Psalm 23. This is followed by
Hymn 546 – The Lord’s My Shepherd showing the paths of righteousness that are in Psalm 119.

Israel is not the only one due redemption (Sunday) with
The Wonders of Redeeming Love – Hymn 179. We may add
Hymn 337/338 – Redeemed!

Today we may share the covenant that God has with us as in
Hymn 347 – Built On the Rock.

Just as the Israelites had the law given to Moses for them, so we have God’s law today in the Bible:
Hymn 277 – For Your Holy Book We Thank You.

Thursday shows God acknowledging Abraham’s faithful obedience which we are able to sing in
Hymn 590 – Trust and Obey,
Hymn 279 – Only Trust Him, and
Hymn 510 – If You Trust in God to Guide You.

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 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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“And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone” (Deuteronomy 4:13).

However much we have been stressing that the covenant is always a covenant of grace, that it is only the result of God’s bestowing unmerited favor upon those who enter into a saving relationship with Him, grace is not a license to disobey. On the contrary, covenant and law belong together; they are, in fact, inseparable.

Look at the text quoted above. How tightly does it link the covenant and the law? How does it show how basic the law is to the covenant?

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When you think about what a covenant is, the concept of law as an integral part makes sense. If we understand the covenant as among other things, a relationship, then some sort of rules and boundaries need to be drawn. How long would a marriage or a friendship or a business partnership last if there were no boundaries or rules, either specifically expressed or tacitly understood? The husband decides to take a girlfriend or the friend decides to help himself to the other’s wallet, or one business partner without telling the other invites another person to join their venture. These acts would be a violation of rules, laws, and principles. How long would these relationships last under such lawless circumstances? That is why there has to be boundaries, lines drawn, and rules established. Only through these can the relationship be maintained.

In fact, various expressions such as law (Ps: 78:10) statutes (Ps: 50:16), testimonies (Ps: 25:10), commandments (Ps: 103:18), and word of the Lord (Deuteronomy 33:9) are found parallel to or in closest association with (if not having almost the same meaning as) the word covenant. Evidently “the words of this covenant” (Jeremiah 11:3, Jeremiah 11:6, Jeremiah 11:8) are the words of God’s law, statutes, testimonies, and commandments.

The covenant of God with His people Israel contained various requirements that would be crucial for maintaining the special relationship He sought with His people. Is it any different today?

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Key Thought: God’s law was an integral part of the covenant. Law is a means by which grace is manifested and expressed in the lives of those who receive grace.
May 22, 2021

1. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 4:13.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. How closely is God’s covenant linked to His law?
3. Personal Application: Can you have a love relationship with someone without any rules to guide you? Why or why not? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “If the Old Covenant is linked to the Ten Commandments, then the New Covenant destroyed the need for obedience to the Ten Commandments. The New Covenant is based on grace, not law.” How would you respond to your friend?

2. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 10:12,13.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why is the law- teaching and instruction – good for us and our children and society?
3. Personal Application: What kind of laws or rules do you have in your household that make sense to you and help keep it running smoothly? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: “I see rules and laws as being restrictive to my freedom and ability to have independent thought and action. I want to choose my own boundaries. I can’t see how that can hurt anyone.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Amos 3:3..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What does the presence of God’s law in the covenant relationship teach us about God’s essential nature?
3. Personal Application: In what ways are marriage vows between a husband and wife similar to the covenant between God and His people? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “If the law can’t save us from sin, why is it part of the agreement between God and men?“ How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Deuteronomy 5:33..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. How do blessings and obedience relate to each other here? Does obedience earn blessings?
3. Personal Application: Is it possible that we run the risk of making ourselves ineffective because we do not uphold the law and make it honorable?” 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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Deuteronomy 7:7

Jewish tradition has taught that God made the covenant with Israel only because other nations rejected it first. Though there is no biblical evidence for that position, it does, however, help bring home the point that for whatever reasons the Lord chose the Hebrew nation, it was not because they were deserving of the high honor and privilege the Lord bestowed upon them.

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They had no merit of their own that would make them worthy of God’s love and His choice of them as His people. They were few in number, a group of enslaved tribes, and politically and militarily weak. Plus, in terms of culture and religion, they were mixed, bland, and without much influence. The basic cause, then, for Israel’s election lay in the mystery of God’s love and grace.

At the same time, however, we need to be careful as we look at this idea of election, because it is fraught with the potential for theological misunderstanding. What did God choose Israel for? Was it to be redeemed, while everyone else was chosen to be rejected and lost? Or were they chosen to be vehicles who would offer the world what they had been offered? How do the following verses help us to understand the answers to these questions?

Exodus 19:6

Isaiah 56:7

Hebrews 2:9

As Seventh-day Adventists, we like to view ourselves as the modern-day counterpart of Israel, called by the Lord, not to be the only ones redeemed but to proclaim the message of redemption, in the context of the three angels’ messages, to the world. In short, we believe we have something to say that no one else is saying. This is, basically, the situation with ancient Israel, as well. The purpose of Israel’s election was not to turn the Hebrew nation into some exclusive club, hoarding the promise of salvation and redemption for themselves. On the contrary, if we believe that Christ died for all humanity (Hebrews 2:9), then the redemption the Lord offered Israel was offered to the whole world as well. Israel was supposed to be the vehicle by which this redemption was to be made known. Our church has been called to do the same thing.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 19:6, Isa. 56:7, Heb. 2:9, Deut. 4:13, Deut. 10:13, Amos 3:3, Gen. 18:19.

Memory Text: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9, NIV).

One of the important phrases in Psalm 23 indicates where God desires to lead us. “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake,” David declares in verse 3 (emphasis supplied). Because of His own moral uprightness, God will never lead us astray. He will provide safe paths for our spiritual walk through life.

What are the safe “paths of righteousness”? A writer of another psalm answers this question through a prayer request: “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight” (Ps. 119:35, emphasis supplied). “All thy commandments are righteousness” (Ps. 119:172). God’s law is a safe, firm path through the treacherous swamp of human existence.

Our lesson this week centers on God’s law and its place in the Sinai covenant.

The Week at a Glance: What did Israel’s election mean? How does Israel’s election parallel our own? How important was the law in the covenant? Does the covenant come unconditionally? Why is obedience such an integral part of the covenant relationship?

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 22.

Sunday–>

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