Sunday
November 15
1. A WONDERFUL PROMISE
a. What was the expectation of all patriarchs, prophets and faithful believers of old? Job 19:25–27.
“The doctrine of the second advent is the very keynote of the Sacred Scriptures.”—The Great Controversy, p. 299.
b. What did Jesus promise to His disciples, and for what did He pray to the heavenly Father? John 14:1–3; 17:24. How did the angels repeat the promise of Jesus? Acts 1:10, 11.
“None who truly love Jesus will be sorry that He is coming again. And as they approach nearer to the coming of the Son of man, the true lovers of Jesus will look forward with joyous hope, and will seek to get all ready to behold Him whom their souls loveth, who died to redeem them.”—Lift Him Up, p. 379
Monday
November 16
2. THE PURPOSE OF HIS COMING
a. Who will accompany Jesus at His coming and what will they be commanded to do? Matthew 24:31.
“Christ is soon to come the second time. Of this we should often talk. It should be the uppermost thought in our minds. He is coming, with power and great glory, and every eye shall see Him.”—The Upward Look, p. 311.
“Christ will come in His own glory, in the glory of His Father, and in the glory of the holy angels. Ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of angels, the beautiful, triumphant sons of God, possessing surpassing loveliness and glory, will escort Him on His way.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 739.
b. What was revealed in the Scriptures regarding those that died in the Lord? Isaiah 26:19. What event takes place when Jesus comes again? Philippians 3:20, 21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
“Amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints. He looks upon the graves of the righteous, then, raising His hands to heaven, He cries: ‘Awake, awake, awake, ye that sleep in the dust, and arise!’ Throughout the length and breadth of the earth the dead shall hear that voice, and they that hear shall live. And the whole earth shall ring with the tread of the exceeding great army of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. From the prison house of death they come, clothed with immortal glory, crying: ‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ 1 Corinthians 15:55. And the living righteous and the risen saints unite their voices in a long, glad shout of victory.”—The Great Controversy, p. 644.
“Do we believe with all the heart that Christ is soon coming and that we are now having the last message of mercy that is ever to be given to a guilty world? Is our example what it should be? Do we, by our lives and holy conversation, show to those around us that we are looking for the glorious appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who shall change these vile bodies and fashion them like unto His glorious body? I fear that we do not believe and realize these things as we should.”—Early Writings, p. 111.
Tuesday
November 17
3. THE MANNER OF HIS COMING
a. Who shall see Jesus at His second coming? Matthew 24:30; Mark 14:60–62; Revelation 1:7.
“Solemn hour when the servants are reckoned with, and retribution is awarded to all! There is no second trial. Probation is forever ended. All unbelief in regard to the claims of God’s law here ceases; for it is by this standard that all are judged. Every eye then sees Him; and every soul then realizes what has proved his ruin. It is then seen and acknowledged that God’s law governs all created intelligences. There is none to question His authority.”—The Review and Herald, January 12, 1886.
“There are those who mocked Christ in His humiliation. With thrilling power come to their minds the Sufferer’s words, when, adjured by the high priest, He solemnly declared: ‘Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven’ (Matthew 26:64). Now they behold Him in His glory, and they are yet to see Him sitting on the right hand of power.”—The Great Controversy, p. 643.
“Whether we be saved or lost, we shall sometime see the Saviour as He is, in all His glory, and shall understand His character. At His second coming, conviction will be brought to every heart. Those who have turned from Him to the trivial things of this earth, seeking selfish interests and worldly honor, will in the day of His coming acknowledge their mistake.”—The Signs of the Times, January 28, 1903.
b. To what was the coming of Jesus compared—and how should this affect us? Matthew 24:25–27; Mark 13:33–37.
“Those who watch for the Lord’s coming are not waiting in idle expectancy. The expectation of Christ’s coming is to make men fear the Lord, and fear His judgments upon transgression. It is to awaken them to the great sin of rejecting His offers of mercy. Those who are watching for the Lord are purifying their souls by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the door, their zeal is quickened to cooperate with the divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 634.
Wednesday
November 18
4. AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
a. What will the inhabitants of the earth be doing and saying just before the coming of Jesus? Matthew 24:37–39; Luke 17:28–30; 2 Peter 3:3, 4.
“Men and women now carry their eating and drinking so far that it ends in gluttony and drunkenness. This prevailing sin, the indulgence of perverted appetite, inflamed the passions of men in the days of Noah, and led to widespread corruption.”—Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 146.
“[The Saviour] foretold the state of backsliding that would exist just prior to His second advent. There would be, as in the days of Noah, the activity and stir of worldly business and pleasure seeking—buying, selling, planting, building, marrying, and giving in marriage—with forgetfulness of God and the future life.”—The Great Controversy, p. 309.
“In Noah’s day the inhabitants of the old world laughed to scorn what they termed the superstitious fears and forebodings of the preacher of righteousness. He was denounced as a visionary character, a fanatic, an alarmist. . . . Men will reject the solemn message of warning in our day, as they did in Noah’s time. They will refer to those false teachers who have predicted the event and set the definite time, and will say that they have no more faith in our warning than in theirs. This is the attitude of the world today. Unbelief is widespread, and the preaching of Christ’s coming is mocked at and derided.”—Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 308.
b. In view of the urgency of time in which we are living, what warning should be heeded? Matthew 24:44; Luke 21:34–36.
“You are now to get ready for the time of trial. Now you are to know whether your feet are planted on the Eternal Rock. You must have an individual experience, and not depend upon others for your light. When you are brought to the test, how do you know that you will not be alone, with no earthly friend at your side? Will you then be able to realize that Christ is your support? Will you be able to recall the promise, ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world?’”—-Maranatha, p. 255.
Thursday
November 19
5. FOREVER WITH THE LORD
a. What comforting words did the apostle Paul send to the believers in Thessalonica? 1 Thessalonians 4:16–18. How is the coming of Jesus described in the Spirit of Prophecy?
“Soon our eyes were drawn to the east, for a small black cloud had appeared, about half as large as a man’s hand, which we all knew was the sign of the Son of man. We all in solemn silence gazed on the cloud as it drew nearer and became lighter, glorious, and still more glorious, till it was a great white cloud. The bottom appeared like fire; a rainbow was over the cloud, while around it were ten thousand angels, singing a most lovely song; and upon it sat the Son of man.”—Early Writings, p. 15, 16.
b. Describe the ascension of the saints. What will they receive? 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Corinthians 15:50–57.
“We all entered the cloud together, and were seven days ascending to the sea of glass, when Jesus brought the crowns, and with His own right hand placed them on our heads. He gave us harps of gold and palms of victory. Here on the sea of glass the 144,000 stood in a perfect square. Some of them had very bright crowns, others not so bright. Some crowns appeared heavy with stars, while others had but few. All were perfectly satisfied with their crowns. . . . Jesus raised His mighty, glorious arm, laid hold of the pearly gate, swung it back on its glittering hinges, and said to us, ‘You have washed your robes in My blood, stood stiffly for My truth, enter in.’ ”—Early Writings, pp. 16, 17.
Friday
November 20
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
a. If we genuinely love Jesus, what thought will we cherish above all?
b. Why is the second coming of Christ so significant?
c. In considering Christ’s return, what personal preparation do we need?
d. In what ways do we see the days of Noah being repeated today?
e. Why will all the saints be satisfied with their crowns?