Know: Realize the scope of the conflict between God and Satan and the tragedy that involves humankind.
Feel: Trust in God’s faithfulness to help him or her in the daily struggles against evil.
Do: Commit his or her life to God out of love and obey His commandments.
Learning Outline:
Know: The Cosmic Scope of the Great Controversy
What is the impact of evil in the world and in the universe?
Where and why did evil start?
What is God’s strategy to save humankind from the tragedy of evil?
Feel: God’s Love in My Life
What promise did Jesus give to His disciples to maintain their hope until the end?
What assurance did Jesus give to His disciples that their hearts might not be troubled?
Do these promises imply that God’s disciples will be spared from troubles? Why, or why not?
Do: The Human Response
How should humans respond to God’s love for them?
Why is the attention to the law of God the only logical response to God’s grace?
How does our hope for eternity and our relationship with the infinite God relate to our limited faithfulness and obedience to God?
Summary: Only the cosmic solution of another world is appropriate to solve the cosmic problem of this one. The way we conduct our lives should point to this other world.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: John 14:1–4
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Waiting for the coming of Christ at the end of days is not just a doctrine or even a way to find comfort or hope in our miseries. While it is all these things, it is, first and foremost, the longing for meeting Christ face-to-face. This hope for His coming is at the heart of our spiritual life. But this hope contains a paradox. The more we live with Him, the closer our relationship with Him will become. Yet, the closer we are to Him, the more we will long for His physical and personal presence in His kingdom.
Just for Teachers: This week’s lesson introduces the topic of the “great controversy,” which affects the whole universe. The connection between heaven and earth should bring the hope of the future coming of the Christ’s heavenly kingdom into our present lives. This belief is much more than simply getting a better life and enjoying a nicer house in the perfect kingdom of God. While those benefits are implied, the hope of Christ’s coming kingdom is primarily about the Person of Jesus Christ, who loves us and whom we love and with whom we shall coexist for eternity. Jesus gives the reason He prepares a place for us—that “you also may be where I am” (John 14:3, NIV). The life of the Christian should, therefore, point to that kingdom and to that Person.
Opening Discussion: A rabbi of the fifteenth century, the Maharal of Prague, compared the believer to an upside-down tree, rooted in heaven but blossoming and bearing fruit on earth. So, the Christian should have his or her roots in heaven and bear fruit and flowers on earth that witness of heaven. The Christian’s words, acts, and way of life should awaken in those around him or her the profound need and the intense desire for the kingdom of heaven. In a sense, as Christians and Seventh-day Adventists, we are responsible for kindling within those around us the hope in the “Advent.”
Questions for Discussion: How is heaven related to earth? How can a Christian’s way of life suggest the beauty and the atmosphere of heaven to others? What spiritual lessons can we learn from the contemplation of the stars and of the infinite dimension of the universe (Ps. 8:3, 4)? Why was it necessary for the great God of the universe to leave heaven to dwell on earth (John 3:31–36)?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: This week’s study confronts us with the drama of the great controversy, which began in heaven with the rebellion of Lucifer and then shifted to planet Earth with the Fall of our first parents. It begins to end with the incarnation of God, who came to live among us in order to prepare us for the heavenly kingdom of God at the end of time. Encourage your students to think over and wonder about the powerful significance of these events.
Bible Commentary
I. The Origin of Evil (Review Ezekiel 28:2, 11–17; Isaiah 14:12–14; and 2 Thessalonians 2:7 with your class.)
The biblical texts that speak about the origin of evil are very few and brief. Ezekiel simply tells us that evil happened suddenly, but he does not give any explanation: “ ‘Iniquity was found in you [Lucifer, symbolized in Ezekiel’s passage by the King of Tyre]’ ” (Ezek. 28:15, NKJV). God had nothing to do with the creation of that iniquity. Nothing in this angelic being could have presaged his fall. In fact, God had “created” Lucifer “perfect” (Ezek. 28:15) and “full of wisdom” (Ezek. 28:12). God even had placed him in the heavenly “Eden the garden of God” (Ezek. 28:13), which means that God had “ ‘established’ ” Lucifer “ ‘on the holy mountain of God’ ” in the heavenly temple where he “ ‘walked back and forth’ ” (Ezek. 28:14, NKJV).
The absurd process of how evil originated is suggested by the biblical text. Evil started in the intimacy of Lucifer’s mind; his “heart was lifted up” (Ezek. 28:17; compare with Ezek. 28:2). He thought that he was a god (Ezek. 28:2). The prophet Isaiah describes the same thought process in Lucifer (Isa. 14:13); here also, Lucifer has the ambition to sit on the holy mountain, and even to become “like the most High” (Isa. 14:13, 14).
What happened in heaven became the blueprint for the inception of iniquity on earth among humans. The first humans, Adam and Eve, were created perfect, as Lucifer was. They were made “in the image of God.” God put them in Eden. The argument employed by the serpent, i.e. Satan, to convince Eve to sin reminds us of the self-deception and temptation of pride that led to Satan’s own fall: “ ‘You will be like God’ ” (Gen. 3:5, NKJV). Thus, humans fooled themselves and entertained the illusion that they would reach the divine status of wisdom (Gen. 3:6). In heaven and on earth, the coming of evil happened against God’s plans—an anomaly, which has no explanation whatsoever and cannot be understood. As Paul calls it, the existence of evil is “the mystery of iniquity” (2 Thess. 2:7).
Consider This: In what sense is the origin of iniquity a mystery? What examples in history can you think of that illustrate the “absurd” nature of evil? On a smaller scale, in what ways have you observed the irrational character of evil in your own behavior? Share an example of a time you were the victim of the irrational injustice of evil.
II. The Product of Evil (Review Revelation 12:1–17 and Genesis 3:15 with your class.)
As soon as evil erupted, war broke out in heaven and then on earth. The book of Revelation reports briefly on the war in heaven between the angels of Satan and God’s angels (Rev. 12:7). The text does not elaborate on the nature and the scenario of this celestial war. We simply are told that the camp of Satan lost the battle and was cast out of heaven to the earth (Rev. 12:13; compare with verse 4). The war, also known as the great controversy, then shifts its main focus to earth, where the next conflict takes place between Satan (“the dragon”) and God’s people (“the woman”), who gives birth to the Messiah (Rev. 12:13). Then Satan attacks “the woman” again. She flees into the wilderness and suffers persecution for “a time, and times, and half a time” (Dan. 7:25, NKJV; compare with Rev. 12:6, 14). Satan then turns against “the rest” of God’s people and attacks them (Rev. 12:17, NKJV).
Consider This: Why is the Bible so reticent on the scenario concerning the origin of evil in heaven? Why is church history the focus of the prophetic vision in Revelation 12?
III.The Solution to Evil (Review Genesis 3:15 and Philippians 2:6–8 with your class.)
The continuation of the great controversy here on earth also involves the God of heaven. Evil started with the aberration of a being who wanted to take God’s place. Ironically, the solution by which God chose to confront evil was through a reversal of divine status. God, the Omnipotent and Everlasting, became human— a carpenter’s son—and died a criminal’s death to save humankind. The divine intention to save humanity is described in the first prophecy of the Bible in which God addresses the serpent in terms of a war (Gen. 3:15). The apostle Paul catches the gist of the whole plot: Christ, “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:6–8, NKJV).
Consider This: Why, in the process of salvation, is the event of the Cross enough to save us? What is the relationship between the gospel of the cross, which shows God’s love and grace for us, and our hope for the future kingdom of God?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Discuss with your students the complementary relationship between the Cross and the kingdom of God. Ask the question, “How do you know you are saved?” Challenge each of your students to think carefully about their answers. Why is it impossible without the Cross to have access to God’s kingdom? Further explore your answer to the penultimate question asked at the close of the commentary section: Why is the Cross enough for salvation?
Thought/Application Questions:
Discuss this practical principle: knowing the end of the journey helps to orient us on that journey.
What is the relationship between obedience to the commandments of God and “the faith of Jesus” (Rev. 14:12), who saves us by grace?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Share the following story: “A man found a wonderful trumpet for sale in the local marketplace. “The salesman boasted of its magical properties. ‘This trumpet,’ he said, ‘has wonderful power. It can extinguish any fire. Just blow into the trumpet, and immediately the fire will be mastered.’
“The man was intrigued and bought the trumpet. As soon as he arrived home, he immediately decided to test the power of the trumpet. He set his house on fire and then started to blow into the trumpet. Unfortunately, and to his bewilderment, the fire kept burning, and the trumpet had no effect on it.
“Desperate, he ran back to the market and caught the salesman who had sold him the trumpet. He exclaimed that the trumpet was not working. . . . The salesman then explained that the function of the trumpet was not to put fires out but to warn others that there was a fire so that they would come and control it.”—Adapted from Jacques B. Doukhan, Proverbs (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press, 2014), p. 25.
Activity: Turn this story into a dramatic sketch to be performed by some of your students. At the end of the performance, ask your students what relation it has to the coming of Christ and the end of the world. Have they ever behaved like this foolish trumpet player?
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Key Texts: Ezekiel 28:14, 15; Revelation 12:17
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Know: The Cosmic Scope of the Great Controversy
Feel: God’s Love in My Life
Do: The Human Response
Summary: Only the cosmic solution of another world is appropriate to solve the cosmic problem of this one. The way we conduct our lives should point to this other world.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: John 14:1–4
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: Waiting for the coming of Christ at the end of days is not just a doctrine or even a way to find comfort or hope in our miseries. While it is all these things, it is, first and foremost, the longing for meeting Christ face-to-face. This hope for His coming is at the heart of our spiritual life. But this hope contains a paradox. The more we live with Him, the closer our relationship with Him will become. Yet, the closer we are to Him, the more we will long for His physical and personal presence in His kingdom.
Just for Teachers: This week’s lesson introduces the topic of the “great controversy,” which affects the whole universe. The connection between heaven and earth should bring the hope of the future coming of the Christ’s heavenly kingdom into our present lives. This belief is much more than simply getting a better life and enjoying a nicer house in the perfect kingdom of God. While those benefits are implied, the hope of Christ’s coming kingdom is primarily about the Person of Jesus Christ, who loves us and whom we love and with whom we shall coexist for eternity. Jesus gives the reason He prepares a place for us—that “you also may be where I am” (John 14:3, NIV). The life of the Christian should, therefore, point to that kingdom and to that Person.
Opening Discussion: A rabbi of the fifteenth century, the Maharal of Prague, compared the believer to an upside-down tree, rooted in heaven but blossoming and bearing fruit on earth. So, the Christian should have his or her roots in heaven and bear fruit and flowers on earth that witness of heaven. The Christian’s words, acts, and way of life should awaken in those around him or her the profound need and the intense desire for the kingdom of heaven. In a sense, as Christians and Seventh-day Adventists, we are responsible for kindling within those around us the hope in the “Advent.”
Questions for Discussion: How is heaven related to earth? How can a Christian’s way of life suggest the beauty and the atmosphere of heaven to others? What spiritual lessons can we learn from the contemplation of the stars and of the infinite dimension of the universe (Ps. 8:3, 4)? Why was it necessary for the great God of the universe to leave heaven to dwell on earth (John 3:31–36)?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: This week’s study confronts us with the drama of the great controversy, which began in heaven with the rebellion of Lucifer and then shifted to planet Earth with the Fall of our first parents. It begins to end with the incarnation of God, who came to live among us in order to prepare us for the heavenly kingdom of God at the end of time. Encourage your students to think over and wonder about the powerful significance of these events.
Bible Commentary
I. The Origin of Evil (Review Ezekiel 28:2, 11–17; Isaiah 14:12–14; and 2 Thessalonians 2:7 with your class.)
The biblical texts that speak about the origin of evil are very few and brief. Ezekiel simply tells us that evil happened suddenly, but he does not give any explanation: “ ‘Iniquity was found in you [Lucifer, symbolized in Ezekiel’s passage by the King of Tyre]’ ” (Ezek. 28:15, NKJV). God had nothing to do with the creation of that iniquity. Nothing in this angelic being could have presaged his fall. In fact, God had “created” Lucifer “perfect” (Ezek. 28:15) and “full of wisdom” (Ezek. 28:12). God even had placed him in the heavenly “Eden the garden of God” (Ezek. 28:13), which means that God had “ ‘established’ ” Lucifer “ ‘on the holy mountain of God’ ” in the heavenly temple where he “ ‘walked back and forth’ ” (Ezek. 28:14, NKJV).
The absurd process of how evil originated is suggested by the biblical text. Evil started in the intimacy of Lucifer’s mind; his “heart was lifted up” (Ezek. 28:17; compare with Ezek. 28:2). He thought that he was a god (Ezek. 28:2). The prophet Isaiah describes the same thought process in Lucifer (Isa. 14:13); here also, Lucifer has the ambition to sit on the holy mountain, and even to become “like the most High” (Isa. 14:13, 14).
What happened in heaven became the blueprint for the inception of iniquity on earth among humans. The first humans, Adam and Eve, were created perfect, as Lucifer was. They were made “in the image of God.” God put them in Eden. The argument employed by the serpent, i.e. Satan, to convince Eve to sin reminds us of the self-deception and temptation of pride that led to Satan’s own fall: “ ‘You will be like God’ ” (Gen. 3:5, NKJV). Thus, humans fooled themselves and entertained the illusion that they would reach the divine status of wisdom (Gen. 3:6). In heaven and on earth, the coming of evil happened against God’s plans—an anomaly, which has no explanation whatsoever and cannot be understood. As Paul calls it, the existence of evil is “the mystery of iniquity” (2 Thess. 2:7).
Consider This: In what sense is the origin of iniquity a mystery? What examples in history can you think of that illustrate the “absurd” nature of evil? On a smaller scale, in what ways have you observed the irrational character of evil in your own behavior? Share an example of a time you were the victim of the irrational injustice of evil.
II. The Product of Evil (Review Revelation 12:1–17 and Genesis 3:15 with your class.)
As soon as evil erupted, war broke out in heaven and then on earth. The book of Revelation reports briefly on the war in heaven between the angels of Satan and God’s angels (Rev. 12:7). The text does not elaborate on the nature and the scenario of this celestial war. We simply are told that the camp of Satan lost the battle and was cast out of heaven to the earth (Rev. 12:13; compare with verse 4). The war, also known as the great controversy, then shifts its main focus to earth, where the next conflict takes place between Satan (“the dragon”) and God’s people (“the woman”), who gives birth to the Messiah (Rev. 12:13). Then Satan attacks “the woman” again. She flees into the wilderness and suffers persecution for “a time, and times, and half a time” (Dan. 7:25, NKJV; compare with Rev. 12:6, 14). Satan then turns against “the rest” of God’s people and attacks them (Rev. 12:17, NKJV).
Consider This: Why is the Bible so reticent on the scenario concerning the origin of evil in heaven? Why is church history the focus of the prophetic vision in Revelation 12?
III.The Solution to Evil (Review Genesis 3:15 and Philippians 2:6–8 with your class.)
The continuation of the great controversy here on earth also involves the God of heaven. Evil started with the aberration of a being who wanted to take God’s place. Ironically, the solution by which God chose to confront evil was through a reversal of divine status. God, the Omnipotent and Everlasting, became human— a carpenter’s son—and died a criminal’s death to save humankind. The divine intention to save humanity is described in the first prophecy of the Bible in which God addresses the serpent in terms of a war (Gen. 3:15). The apostle Paul catches the gist of the whole plot: Christ, “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:6–8, NKJV).
Consider This: Why, in the process of salvation, is the event of the Cross enough to save us? What is the relationship between the gospel of the cross, which shows God’s love and grace for us, and our hope for the future kingdom of God?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: Discuss with your students the complementary relationship between the Cross and the kingdom of God. Ask the question, “How do you know you are saved?” Challenge each of your students to think carefully about their answers. Why is it impossible without the Cross to have access to God’s kingdom? Further explore your answer to the penultimate question asked at the close of the commentary section: Why is the Cross enough for salvation?
Thought/Application Questions:
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Share the following story: “A man found a wonderful trumpet for sale in the local marketplace. “The salesman boasted of its magical properties. ‘This trumpet,’ he said, ‘has wonderful power. It can extinguish any fire. Just blow into the trumpet, and immediately the fire will be mastered.’
“The man was intrigued and bought the trumpet. As soon as he arrived home, he immediately decided to test the power of the trumpet. He set his house on fire and then started to blow into the trumpet. Unfortunately, and to his bewilderment, the fire kept burning, and the trumpet had no effect on it.
“Desperate, he ran back to the market and caught the salesman who had sold him the trumpet. He exclaimed that the trumpet was not working. . . . The salesman then explained that the function of the trumpet was not to put fires out but to warn others that there was a fire so that they would come and control it.”—Adapted from Jacques B. Doukhan, Proverbs (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press, 2014), p. 25.
Activity: Turn this story into a dramatic sketch to be performed by some of your students. At the end of the performance, ask your students what relation it has to the coming of Christ and the end of the world. Have they ever behaved like this foolish trumpet player?