Key Thought: In whatever stage of our lives, we have struggles, worries, and fears. But we worship a God who knows what we face and will help us.

June 29, 2019

1. Have a volunteer read Malachi 4:4-6..

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What does it mean to turn the hearts of the fathers and children?
3. Personal Application: How does a restored relationship with God help us restore relationships in our family? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “I just came into the church. My children are grown now. I know I made a lot of mistakes parenting and the kids weren’t raised Christian. I think it is too late to try and get them to do the right things now.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read I Kings 16:29. 17:24, Luke 4:25,26..

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What experience of Elijah helped overturn heathen beliefs and bring new life to
   families?
3. Personal Application: What are some family reunions that you are still waiting for? Are there promises of God you cling to give you the hope of that reunion? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What is your church doing in reaching out to missing members? Are your classes praying for them every week? Are they sending cards, letters, making phone calls, doing visitation?.” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read John 1:35-37, 3:27-30.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What were the main aspects of John’s Elijah message?
3. Personal Application: If John the Baptist would step in your house, what do you think he would say to you? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “What is the relevance of Elijah’s and John’s message to us as Seventh-day Adventists? How can we help the church spread this message?”. How would you reply to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Luke 1:17.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. What needs to change in the church and in your life to enable us to go out in the Spirit and power of Elijah?
3. Personal Application: What can you do in a special way to show a family member or church member that you care about them? 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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The introduction of Baal worship into Israel by Jezebel, the Sidonian wife of King Ahab, hastened the nation’s downward moral slide. The teachings of God that uplifted marriage, family, and sexuality were overshadowed by such practices as incest, prostitution, and other sexual perversions. Into this arena of conflict over worship stepped Elijah, whose very name, “Jehovah is my God”, rebuked Baal.

What experience of Elijah associated him with overturning heathen beliefs and bringing new life to families? 1 Kings 16:29-17:24; compare Luke 4:25-26.

The widow of Zarephath

Elijah was a marked man after announcing the curse of drought upon the land. God sheltered him in an unlikely place—at a poor widow’s dwelling in Zarephath of Sidon, near Jezebel’s hometown. Elijah greeted the widow with a grim test, to use her last bits of kindling, oil, and flour to feed him and to trust God for her future. Her faith became legendary. Jesus Himself would later commend her (Luke 4:26). As her oil and meal stretched out over many days, the woman came to understand more about Jehovah. Then, tragically, her only son fell sick and died. In expressing her grief to Elijah, she reflected the familiar religion around her, the perverted beliefs that now engulfed Israel, in which one’s sin could require child sacrifice (1 Kings 17:18; compare Jer. 19:5, Micah 6:7).

What effect did the reunion with her son have upon the Phoenician widow’s spiritual experience? 1 Kings 17:24. What can we learn from her comments?

The mother’s response reveals the effect of the Elijah message. Faith in God and His Word arises in the heart as, by His power, life is restored and the family is reunited. Many today may give assent as doctrines are preached, but are lukewarm in their spiritual experience. However, when the truths of God’s Word are experienced personally and revival and restoration occur in home relationships, conviction comes ever so much more powerfully upon the heart.

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Compare the prediction of the coming of Elijah with New Testament references to this event. Mal. 4:5-6; Matt. 11:14-15; Matt. 17:10; Mark 6:15; Luke 1:17.

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In the days of Malachi, God’s appeal to the nation, “Return to Me, and I will return to you,” met with the arrogant response, “In what way shall we return?” (Mal. 3:7, NKJV). The frustrated prophet announced that one further opportunity for revival would be given. Recalling the heart-turning reform begun by Elijah (1 Kings 18:37), Malachi predicted his coming again to “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Mal. 4:6, NKJV).

A Jewish tradition developed that Elijah would appear personally as the herald of the Messiah (compare Matt. 17:10, Mark 6:15). However, the New Testament presents John the Baptist as a fulfillment of the prophecy (Matt. 11:14-15; Luke 1:17).

What do you think the phrase “turn the hearts” means?

Several applications are possible for these texts: It refers to the reconciliation of the people of Israel with the Lord. God as Father (Isa. 63:16) has turned from His wrath toward His children (Micah 7:18-19) and calls them to return to Him (Isa. 44:22, Mal. 3:7). It refers to the reconnecting of later generations with their faithful ancestors through covenant renewal. The prophetic call for God’s people to follow the faith of the patriarchs was given repeatedly in the Old Testament. Whether the land continued as a blessed dwelling place was directly related to covenant faithfulness (Deut. 4:29-31). It refers to the restoration and renewal of family relationships. Parentchild relationships are a practical expression of covenant faithfulness with God. Here, too, fulfillment of responsibilities to parents and children are interwoven with continued inheritance of the land and God’s blessing (Prov. 2:21).

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Image © Pacific Press

Read for this Week’s Study: Mal. 4:5-6; Matt. 11:14-15; Matt. 17:10; 1 Kings 16:29-17:24; 1 Kings 18:20-45; Matt. 3:2.

Memory Text: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6, NKJV).

Our lives are lived in stages. Sometimes those stages are going well; sometimes not. Sometimes families are intact and strong; sometimes they are fragile, or even shattered.

Whatever the phase, whatever the stage, whatever the condition of ourselves or our family at the moment, we can and must live in the light of God’s promises, clinging to them with all our heart and soul and might because, in the end, they are our only hope. But what a great hope they are. The Word of God exudes promises, promises that, whatever stage our life or our family is in—we can claim for ourselves, our loved ones, our family, and our church.

In this, the final week of the quarter, we are going to look at some Bible stories, promises, and experiences from a variety of contexts. As we do, we will seek to draw lessons for ourselves today, whatever our context happens to be. For, most likely, whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever the phase of your life, you have struggles, fears, worries. Fortunately, we worship a God who not only knows what we face but who is, we can be sure, ahead of them all as well.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, June 29.

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Praising God With HIV

By Andrew McChesney

Maria Samo has HIV and is praising God.

Image © Pacific Press

Maria was born into a Seventh-day Adventist family in the village of Nicuadala, Mozambique, and got baptized at the age of 7. Her village had no high school, so she moved to Quilimane, a 30-minute drive to the south, to continue her studies. There she made new friends who introduced her to alcohol and tobacco.

Maria’s parents didn’t know that she smoked and drank until after she got married. Her father came to visit one day and walked in as Maria was smoking. He didn’t say a word, but guilt washed over Maria, and she resolved never to smoke or drink again.

Quitting smoking proved easy, but drinking was much more difficult for Maria. She prayed for help. God answered in an unusual way, she said. She began to suffer severe panic attacks.

Fearing that she would die, Maria’s husband took her to South Africa for medical treatment. A South African physician warned that she would die in three months if she didn’t give up drinking.

Maria quit with the help of a 45-day rehab program and, returning to Mozambique, re-consecrated her life to Jesus.

Then her husband died. Six years later, she received the shocking news that he had been infected with HIV and passed on the virus to her.

“From that time”, she said with a smile, “I have been praising the Lord”.

The reason is because she feels healthier than at any other time in her life.

“My health is better than it was before I contracted the virus, and my conscious is clear”, she said.

Today, Maria, a grandmother of four, works as a trader, buying gold and precious stones in various villages and selling them in Nampula, Mozambique’s third-largest city. But her passion is encouraging others with HIV.

“Many people lose hope when they learn that they are infected”, she said. “They don’t have anyone to talk to, and they die.”

She said Adventists should have a special burden to reach out to those with HIV, praying with them and encouraging them.

“I share the hope that I have in Jesus and His soon coming”, she said.

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

All Rights Reserved. No part of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide may be edited, altered, modified, adapted, translated, reproduced, or published by any person or entity without prior written authorization from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

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