Sabbath School Lesson for May 10-16, 2025
Introduction of Lesson 7, Foundations for Prophecy
Memory Text: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us!’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’ ” Isaiah 6:8 NKJV
As humans, we will never measure up to the high calling God has placed on each of us. We must never forget the foundations of His kingdom and the reason we are called to praise and uplift our Creator. The number one reason is obviously that He IS our Creator. He made and owns us, and for this, He deserves our love and respect.
However, Satan has tried to highjack our allegiance. And God, in His mercy, has resolved to win us back by showing us the possibility of living in His kingdom forever. This is what keeps our heads above water on this sinful planet–knowing that God will ultimately triumph over Satan’s deceptive lies about God’s character.
When we see the sacrificial death of God’s Son on the cross, we can’t help but want Him more in our lives. Our desire to serve Him grows exponentially when we reflect on both His loving character and amazing creation.
- Sunday: Here I Am, Send Me–Isaiah’s experience of being called
- Monday: The Two Cherubim–the angels closest to God’s throne
- Tuesday: Like Burning Coals of Fire–the “living creatures” seen by Ezekiel and John
- Wednesday: God Among the People–the arrangement of tribes around the tabernacle
- Thursday: The Fall of Lucifer–Lucifer was removed from God’s holy mountain
Sunday: Here I Am, Send Me
At first, Isaiah, like many of us would be, was painfully aware of his own shortcomings, when he saw God on His throne in all His magnificent glory. We, too, sometimes feel totally inadequate for the tasks God requires of us, no matter how big or small they may be.
But, God provided a remedy for Isaiah’s reluctant acceptance of His calling. One of the angels, a seraph (meaning “the burning one”), took a coal from God’s altar of incense and touched Isaiah’s mouth with it. This symbolic act made Isaiah more than willing to represent God and proclaim His salvation to others.
Knowing that God would be with him, Isaiah replied with enthusiasm that He was willing to go anywhere and do anything that would uplift God’s name on earth. We, too, should not hesitate to serve God when He calls us. We also have the reassurance that His Spirit will empower us to accomplish His purposes. God has a role for each of us in spreading the truth about God and allowing others to experience the wonderful joy of knowing their Creator.
Verses and questions:
Isaiah 6:5-8 and Revelation 8:3-4
- What causes us to believe it was at the altar of incense where the seraphim found a live coal to touch Isaiah’s lips?
- What happens to us when we pray at the symbolic altar of incense?
John 5:35d, Matthew 5:14-16, and Psalm 119:105
- Why did Jesus refer to John the Baptist as a “burning and shining lamp”?
- In what way can we be like John the Baptist in these last days?
- Why is fervent, bold witnessing needed now and how does it happen to and through us?
- What part does the Bible play in our spreading the gospel?
Monday: The Two Cherubim
Sometimes we forget that the Garden of Eden was God’s dwelling place at one time. The description of it is surprisingly similar to the description of New Jerusalem found in Revelation. There were rivers in the Garden (Genesis 2:10-14), just as there will be a river of life in the Holy City (Revelation 22:1). Precious stones are found in both as well. And we even see the tree of life in both places (Revelation 22:2).
The shining cherubim guarding the entrance to the Garden of Eden remind us of those cherubim surrounding God’s dwelling place in heaven, and symbolically depicted graphically on the ark of the covenant in the earthly sanctuary. When Adam and Eve’s family saw those angelic beings at the Garden’s entrance, they were given hope that someday, as God had promised, they would be welcome there again to eat the lifegiving fruit on the tree of life. God was holding it safe for them till then.
Verses and questions:
Genesis 3:21-24 and John 3:16
- Why did God have to keep Adam and Eve from entering the Garden of Eden?
- Why would it be cruel for God to allow them to live in sin forever by eating from the tree of life?
- What plan did God have that made eternal life once again possible?
Tuesday: Like Burning Coals of Fire
Besides Isaiah’s account of being touched on the lips with a coal of fire, we see other entities in God’s heavenly throne room described by Ezekiel and later John in Revelation. These prophets depict mysterious, winged, living creatures, symbolically seen with the faces of a lion, an eagle, an ox, and a man.
Perhaps what we find most notable about these glorious encounters with God are the bright, angelic beings, the cherubim and seraphs, that surround God in heaven. No wonder, in the earthly sanctuary, the curtain that separates the two holy compartments is embroidered with flashing angelic creatures.
We, like the angels, should be so filled with God’s wonder and majesty that words of praise to God easily fill our hearts and minds. By His mercy and grace, we are given opportunities even now to proclaim “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!”
Verses and questions:
Ezekiel 1:4-14, Isaiah 6:1-6, and Revelation 4:1-11
- What did these prophets see in common in their visions of God in heaven?
- What is your greatest impression of what they saw in God’s throne room that spoke of God’s majesty?
- What reaction should we, as sinful, unworthy people on earth have of God’s glory?
Wednesday: God Among His People
As we try to understand more about the four living creatures in Revelation 4:6 and Ezekiel 1:5, we might do well to remember how the Israelites camped in the wilderness after the Exodus. Following God’s presence in the cloud, they stopped and set up camp whenever the cloud stopped moving. The earthly sanctuary that represented God’s dwelling place would be set up in the center of the camp. And the twelve tribes all had a place on the outskirts of the sanctuary, three tribes on each side.
There were standard-bearing tribes chosen by God, so you would know where you belonged in the encampment. The chosen tribes were the tribes of Judah on the east side, Reuben on the south, Ephraim the west, and Dan the north According to rabbinical tradition, the flag of Judah depicted a lion (Revelation 5:5 may support this), Reuben’s the face of a man, Ephraim an ox, and Dan an eagle. Interestingly, these animals were the ones used in the prophets’ description of the four living creatures.
In vision, John also saw that the wall surrounding New Jerusalem had twelve gates with angels guarding them. There were three gates on each side–north, south, east, and west. Just so we don’t miss the connection, John tells us the names of the gates were the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:12). It’s easy to see that God dwelling place will be in New Jerusalem, and God’s people will surround it in the earth made new.
Verses and question:
Numbers 2:3, 10, 18, 25
- What were the chosen standard-bearing tribes and why might they have been chosen?
Revelation 4:4-7, 10 and 21:12-13, 22
- Who do the four living creatures represent, and why do they stand out in the story of salvation?
Thursday: The Fall of Lucifer
Scripture indicates that Lucifer, once a bright and shining angel, was removed from God’s holy mountain. Pride had grown in his heart, turning to resentment when he was not worshiped as much as God. In order to correct the situation and promote his own feelings of deserved regard, Lucifer began a character-assassination campaign against the Holy Trinity. This caused a third of the angels, who believed Satan’s lies, to be expelled with the proud troublemaker.
The death of Jesus, however, struck a blow to the efforts of God’s enemy. Calvary proved, beyond doubt, that God’s character did indeed consist of love and mercy. It allowed the redemption, or buying back, of any human being who chooses to follow God. They could now have a place in God’s holy mountain, taking the place of the previously fallen angels who had been expelled with Satan.
This redemption included people “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). This is why the first angel’s last-day gospel message goes out to “every nation, tongue, tribe, and people” (Revelation 14:6). No one will not have heard of God’s plan to save him before that glorious return of Christ to the earth.
Verses and questions:
Ezekiel 28:11-17, Isaiah 14:12-14, and Revelation 14:1-12
- Why was Lucifer removed from God’s holy mountain?
- Why must the gospel go to the whole world before Christ returns with our final rewards?
- How is this vast gospel crusade even possible?
Friday: Final Thoughts
Our foundation for prophecy rests on God’s right to be on His throne as King of the universe. Both His creation of the world and ability to transform our lives, to re-create us, justifies His claim for our service, enabling us to trust His prophetic word about our eternal future.
We’ve seen God’s dwelling place and kingdom in the Garden of Eden, and in both the earthly sanctuary and temple; but He is most anxious for His Spirit to dwell in our hearts. This indwelling can happen for any of us, now and all the way back to Adam and Eve.
When we allow God in our heart, He sets up His kingdom there, too. The evidence for this is revealed in how we worship, pray, and preach; in how we respect and treat those around us; and how we treat our own body and organize our time and care for our possessions. With awe and humility, Jesus has made it possible for us to live up to the high calling of God and be what He wants us to be, laying the foundation for glorious future events.
Next Week: In the Psalms, Part 1
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