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HopeLives365

Sabbath School 2nd Quarter 2025: Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy?

Mark Finley

Is Ellen White a Prophet or Plagiarist?

01 Some Principles of Prophecy

02 The Genesis Foundation

03 Images from Marriage

04 The Nations Part 1

05 The Nations: Part 2

06 Understanding Sacrifice

07 Foundations of Prophecy

08 In the Psalms, Part 1

09 In the Psalms Part 2


Welcome back to another 1 of our Sabbath School lessons. We're studying lesson number 8. Before we jump into these, I want to thank you for being part of our Hope Lives 365 viewing group, or our Hope Lives 365, really, family of those who are really interested in Bible study. Let me tell you about 2 things that are coming up. I'm preparing a series on last day events.

We will deal with subjects like the shaking, the latter rain, the loud cry, the sealing, mark of the beast, the seal of God. So watch for those and we encourage you to stay with us in this Hope Lives 365 series. Another thing that I'm planning to do this coming year is doing an evangelistic series 1 night a week where we'll do an evangelistic meeting. You can invite your friends to it. We'll do that streaming over our internet, Hope Lives 365 channel, and then I'll answer some questions right after it.

So we've got some very exciting things coming up. Also remind your friends to tune into the Sabbath School lessons. They will be greatly blessed in these summaries. Well, let's pray as we jump right into our lesson today. Father in heaven, thank you so much for our viewing audience in Hope Lives 365.

I pray that you would touch our hearts, open our minds, illuminate our spirits as we study together in Christ's name, Amen. Lesson number 8. In the Psalms, we don't often equate the Psalms with the book of Revelation, but this lesson provides insights into how the Psalms correlate with the Bible's last book, the book of Revelation. Our memory text for this week is found in Revelation 14 verse 1, Then I looked, and behold, a lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144, 000, having his father's name written on their foreheads. What relationship do the Psalms have to the ministry of Christ in the final days of earth's history?

1 thing is for certain, The Psalms reveal a God of holiness, a God of righteousness, a God whom we can never approach except through Jesus. So let's first go to the book of Hebrews and learn a little bit about the intercession of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, then compare his intercession to what he wants to do in our lives and we'll notice that both in the Psalms and the book of Revelation. But to get the setting, let's go to Sunday's lesson, Hebrews 9, verse 11 to 15. In Hebrews 9, verse 11, I read, but Christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the puring of the flesh. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit authored himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" I want to look at that passage phrase by phrase because it can lead to misunderstanding. First verse 11, but Christ came as high priest of good things to come with the greater more perfect tabernacle. So Christ is the perfect sacrifice. Christ is the perfect priest.

The heavenly sanctuary is the perfect sanctuary. So Christ's sacrifice is better, Christ's priesthood is better, Christ's heavenly temple is better than all the earthly sacrifices or priesthoods or earthly temples. Now Notice in verse 12, it says, not with the blood of bulls and goats, but with his own blood he entered the most holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Some people are very confused of that, because they say, Seventh-day Adventists believe in a two-part sanctuary in heaven, the holy and the most holy. Does this say that Christ ascended to the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary shortly after his ascension?

If you look at the King James Version, you certainly get that impression. But the expression is ta hagia. It would be better translated, the holy of holies. In other words, this expression ta hagia applies to the entire sanctuary. So just as the high priest entered the sanctuary to inaugurate it and then began his ministry in the holy place, so when Jesus ascended to heaven, he inaugurated the heavenly sanctuary and then began his ministry in the holy place.

So tahagia means the holies. It includes the entire sanctuary. But notice it says he did that once and for all, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Through Christ, in Christ, by Christ, because of Christ, because of his sacrifice, we have eternal redemption. Then, as we look at verse 14, How much more shall the blood of Christ, rather than the blood of bulls and goats, through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

So we have eternal salvation, eternal redemption as we reach out by faith to receive it. We accept what Christ has done on the cross by our conscious choice. But that Choice is something prompted by the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift that God gives us. God always takes the initiative in salvation.

He took the initiative in creating us. He took the initiative in redeeming us. But the purpose of the plan of salvation, the purpose of the heavenly sanctuary, the purpose of the book of Revelation is to reveal Christ as the dying lamb, Christ as the living priest, and Christ as the 1 who cleanses our conscience from dead works. In other words, Jesus wants to produce a purified people, a holy people. The grace of God delivers us both from the guilt of sin and from the grip of sin.

It delivers us from the penalty of a broken law by giving us both forgiveness for the past and power for the present. So Jesus, our high priest, is doing a work in heaven's sanctuary to get a people ready for his soon return. Monday's lesson, 1 day they will stand with him on Mount Zion. What are these people like who stand with him on Mount Zion? The Bible calls them the 144, 000, a term used of the living redeemed when Jesus comes.

What are they gonna be like? What's their character gonna be like? In Revelation 14, verse 1 to 5, it says they follow the lamb wherever he goes. They're totally committed to Christ. It says in Revelation 14, 1 to 5, there's no guile in their mouth.

There's no deceit there. They don't live hypocritical lives. It says they are virgins. They have not committed spiritual fornication and gone after some other lover. They're totally committed to Christ.

Now how does the book of Psalms parallel with Revelation chapter 14? We find it in Psalm 15, and so we go back to Psalm 15. Notice the parallels of God desiring to prepare a people that live godly lives of holiness before his throne. Psalm 15, and we read, "'Lord, who may abide in your tabernacle? "'Who will dwell in your holy hill?' "'What is God's tabernacle?' "'It's the sanctuary.' "'What is God's holy hill?' "'It's Mount Zion.' exactly like Revelation 14, 1 says, and I beheld on Mount Zion.

Who's going to be there? He that walks uprightly and works righteousness. He speaks the truth in his heart. He does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up reproach against his friend." So here you have a description of a righteous people. Righteous in their own strength?

Absolutely not. Righteous because Christ's righteousness covers their past and Christ's righteousness in the heart transforms their present. We see something very similar in Psalm 24. In Psalm 24 we read, verse 1, the earth is the Lord's in all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. So God is the Almighty Creator.

Then it raises a very similar question in verse 3, who may ascend into the hill of the Lord or who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully, He shall receive blessing from the Lord and the righteousness from the God of his salvation." So once again, in Psalm 15 and Psalm 24, we see the work of God. God is attempting to get a people ready for his soon return. He's attempting, through his grace and by his power, to perform a cleansing work in our lives that makes us more like him. He desires not simply that the law of God be written on tables of stone, although it is, but he wants it to be written in our hearts.

Look, we're going to look at Exodus chapter 34, 1-7. Exodus chapter 34, verse 1-7. You remember in Revelation 14, it talks about the father's name written on their foreheads. What is the father's name? Exodus 34, verse 1 to 7.

He talks about Moses in verse 1, cutting 2 tables of stone like the first ones, because you remember Moses came down off the mountain, he saw the Israelites worshipping around the golden calf, and he broke the 10 Commandments. So now God is rewriting them. So Moses cuts the tablets of stone, and God says, I'll write them. He says, be ready in the morning and come up to Mount Zion. We read about Mount Zion in Revelation chapter 14.

So when you think about Mount Zion, you're thinking about God, his righteousness, his holiness, the law of God. Verse 3, no man shall come up with you. Let no man be seen throughout all the mountain. Verse 4, so he cuts 2 tables of stone like the first, and Moses goes up early to Mount Zion. Verse 5, then the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him and proclaimed the name of the Lord.

What is his name? The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, longsuffering and standing in goodness, abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and fourth generation. What is God's name? God's name reveals his character. God's glory reveals his character.

Merciful, gracious, long-suffering. So when the Bible talks about the Father's name in the forehead of God's end-time people, he's talking about transformed characters. We find this in Psalm 119, and you're going to look there at verse 55. Psalm 119, verse 55. Remember what Isaiah says, he says, "'Higher than the highest human thought can reach.'" He said, "'My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

"'My ways are higher than your ways.'" You remember Ellen White's statement in the book of education, higher than the highest human thought can reach is God's ideal for his children. So God wants to lead us into a deeper experience with him. Psalm 119 verse 55, I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and I keep your law. God's law is a revelation of God's character. The first 4 commandments reveal what it's like to love God.

The last 6 Commandments reveal what it's like to love God. The last 6 commandments reveal what it's like to love our fellow man. You can summarize the entire 10 Commandment law in 1 word, love. In 2 sentences, love to God, love to fellow man. So God's character is love.

When we truly love, we enter into godly, obedient lives. Christ died on the cross because we broke his law. But he lives in heavenly sanctuary so we can write that law in our hearts so we can keep the very law of God. God desires to transform us. In Psalm 5, Wednesday's lesson, we have a contrast.

And the contrast is really between the righteous and the wicked. In the righteous there is no deceit. In the wicked there is no truth. And so you find that in Psalm 5. Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation.

Give heed To the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I will pray. My voice you shall hear in the morning, O Lord. In the morning I'll direct it to you and I'll look up." So here, that man, that woman, who truly is being transformed by Christ, is spending time with Jesus each morning. Each morning, they're looking to God. Each morning, their faith ascends to the heavenly sanctuary.

Each morning, they ask God to give them direction for that day and consecrate themselves to God. But look, for you are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood.

But the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and seedful man. But as for me, I will come into your house in the multitude of your mercy. In fear of you, I will worship toward your holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of mine enemies. Make your way straight before my face.

Wow, did you get that? What David says in Psalms, I don't want you to miss it. In fear of you, I will worship toward your holy temple. Revelation 14, verse 7, saying with a loud voice, fear God, worship him, reverence him, obey him, and give glory to him. For the hour of his judgment has come, heavenly sanctuary language, temple language, a judgment before he comes, and worship him who made heaven and earth, worship the Creator.

Here we have in Psalm 5 a parallel that God longs to develop within us the character of Christ. He longs for us to enter into true worship, not false worship. He longs for us to have his law written in our hearts, to respect him and to obey him. So the whole controversy between good and evil is actually over the subject of worship. What is God's name?

God's name is character. I want to read to you the note under Wednesday's lesson. It says, first paragraph, it is instructive to note that David insists that evil may not dwell with God. The point of the tabernacle was that God might dwell among his people, and the same will be true in the kingdom of Christ. Those who would approach the throne of God must be redeemed.

It is noteworthy that David describes an act of worship in Psalm 5.7, we read that, right? Which is the core issue at stake in the great controversy. Revelation 13 mentions worship 5 times in the 3 angels' message, you call us to worship him who made. David tells us that he who fears God in the message of the remnant calls the world back to fear God and give glory to him for the hour of his judgment has come. Also notice the redeemed of Revelation 14 are said to have no deceit in their mouths.

They are truth tellers whose words and deeds reflect the righteous character of God. God himself longs to do something in your life that you cannot yet imagine. God longs to do a deep work of cleansing in your heart. God longs to root out evil thoughts, evil desires, evil ambitions, evil acts. And He can do it.

There is nothing too great for God. He died for you, he lives for you, he's coming again for you. What does it say In Philippians 1, verse 6, he that has begun a good work in you will do what? Finish it. What does it say in Hebrews 12?

He is the author and the finisher of our faith. I don't know how God's going to get his work done in me, but I know he is, because he promises that he will. What does he say in Psalm 51, verse 7 to 15? He longs to teach transgressors his way. We're going to look at that Thursday's lesson, Psalm 51, verse 7 to 15.

In fact, if you ask me about the Psalms, of course, Psalm 119 would have to be 1 of my favorites, but Psalm 15 is certainly 1 of my favorites. God wants to do something in us so he can do something through us. God wants to do something to us so we can do something with us. Psalm 51 verse 7, Purge me with hyssop and I'll be clean. Now notice the verbs.

Wash me and I'll be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness. Hide your face from my sins. Create in me a clean heart. Restore to me the joy of your salvation.

Notice purge me, Wash me, make me, hide your face from my sins. Create a clean heart. Do not cast me away from your presence. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Then what does he say?

Then I will teach transgressions your ways and sinners will be converted to you. David says, look, I have sinned. This is a Psalm of David when Nathan the prophet went to him and he had gone into Bathsheba. David recognizes his sin. Guilt and shame sweep over him.

He has committed adultery with Bathsheba. He has caused for her husband Uriah to be put in the front lines of battle and to be killed. David senses this guilt, this shame, this condemnation, this lostness, this separation from God. And David prays, Oh God, I acknowledge my transgression, verse 3. Against you have I sinned.

Oh God, have mercy on me. Then he begins to pray, God, purge me. God, wash me. God, create a clean heart within me. This is the heart cry of God's last day people.

The cry to be forgiven. The cry to be free from condemnation, the cry that guilt will be gone, the cry for a new heart and a new life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Are you crying out for that new heart? God wants to do something with your life. God wants to use you as a mighty, powerful witness in the last days of earth's history to touch the lives of others, to touch your family's life, to touch your neighbor's life, to touch your working associate's life, your schoolmate's life.

God has something special to do through your life. Let God do something in you so he can do something through you. Let God do something to you so he can do something with you. Let God do something for you so that it will be said of you that you can teach transgressors the way of the Lord." There's something else about this Psalm, though, that I want to close with in this. It's this.

Remember, it says he's the God who wants to teach transgressors his ways. Verse 13. Let God teach you. Let him reveal to you areas in your life that are not in harmony with his will. Let him reveal to you those plague spots in your character.

Let him reveal to you, through his Holy Spirit, his ideal for your life. And as you do, he will lead you down a pathway of meaning and purpose and joy and hope. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you with all of our hearts that you are a teacher. You want to teach us your ways.

You want to develop within us the holiness so we can stand in the presence of the Holy God. So I pray Lord that you would indeed do that in our lives. May this Sabbath school lesson probe deeply into our hearts so we can be more like you in Christ's name. This media was brought to you by Audioverse, a website dedicated to spreading God's Word through free sermon audio and much more. If you would like to know more about Audioverse or if you

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Series

Sabbath School 2nd Quarter 2025: Allusions, Images, Symbols: How to Study Bible Prophecy?

08 In the Psalms, Part 1

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

Other Teachings in Series

Is Ellen White a Prophet or Plagiarist?

28m

01 Some Principles of Prophecy

25m

02 The Genesis Foundation

22m

03 Images from Marriage

20m

04 The Nations Part 1

24m

05 The Nations: Part 2

29m

06 Understanding Sacrifice

22m

07 Foundations of Prophecy

24m

08 In the Psalms, Part 1

22m

09 In the Psalms Part 2

23m

Sound Doctrine