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Sabbath Bible Lessons

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Lesson 9 Sabbath, May 28, 2011

Annual Assemblies: Pentecost

“Thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering” (Deuteronomy 16:10).

“Fifty days from the offering of first fruits came the Pentecost, called also the feast of harvest and the feast of weeks.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 540.

Suggested Reading:   The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 37-43

Sunday May 22

1. THE SECOND ANNUAL FEAST

a. By what other names was the Pentecostal festival known? Exodus 23:16 (first part); 34:22 (first part).

b. When did that one-day festival take place? Leviticus 23:15, 16, 21. For what purpose were the yearly feasts appointed?

“Yearly feasts were appointed, at which all the men of the nation were to assemble before the Lord, bringing to Him their offerings of gratitude and the first fruits of His bounties. The object of all these regulations was stated: they proceeded from no exercise of mere arbitrary sovereignty; all were given for the good of Israel. The Lord said, ‘Ye shall be holy men unto Me’ (Exodus 22:31)—worthy to be acknowledged by a holy God.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 311.

c. What was the meaning of the two loaves presented before the Lord? What else was offered besides the two loaves? Leviticus 23:17–20.


Monday May 23

2. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CEREMONY

a. What counterpart do the two loaves presented at Pentecost have under the New Dispensation? John 6:48, 63; 14:16, 18.

“It was Christ Himself who had led the Hebrews through the wilderness, and had daily fed them with the bread from heaven. That food was a type of the real bread from heaven.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 386.

“As our physical life is sustained by food, so our spiritual life is sustained by the word of God. And every soul is to receive life from God’s word for himself. As we must eat for ourselves in order to receive nourishment, so we must receive the word for ourselves. We are not to obtain it merely through the medium of another’s mind. We should carefully study the Bible, asking God for the aid of the Holy Spirit, that we may understand His word. We should take one verse, and concentrate the mind on the task of ascertaining the thought which God has put in that verse for us. We should dwell upon the thought until it becomes our own, and we know ‘what saith the Lord.’”—Ibid., p. 390.

b. How do we become partakers of the divine nature? 2 Peter 1:4; John 14:17; 1 John 3:24.

“By looking constantly to Jesus with the eye of faith, we shall be strengthened. God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people. They will find that Christ is a personal Saviour. As they feed upon His word, they find that it is spirit and life. The word destroys the natural, earthly nature, and imparts a new life in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit comes to the soul as a Comforter. By the transforming agency of His grace, the image of God is reproduced in the disciple; he becomes a new creature. Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the divine similitude. This is what it means to live ‘by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:4). This is eating the Bread that comes down from heaven.”—Ibid., p. 391.

c. When the harvest was reaped, what provision in behalf of the poor had to be considered? Leviticus 23:22.


Tuesday May 24

3. SYMBOLISM FULFILLED

a. What did the early disciples do during the ten-day period from Christ’s ascension to the day of Pentecost? Acts 1:12–14.

“The disciples prayed with intense earnestness for a fitness to … speak words that would lead sinners to Christ. Putting away all differences, all desire for the supremacy, they came close together in Christian fellowship. . . .

“These days of preparation were days of deep heart searching. The disciples felt their spiritual need and cried to the Lord for the holy unction that was to fit them for the work of soul saving. They did not ask for a blessing for themselves merely. They were weighted with the burden of the salvation of souls. They realized that the gospel was to be carried to the world, and they claimed the power that Christ had promised.”—The Acts of the Apostles, p. 37.

b. What happened fifty days after Christ’s resurrection? Acts 2:1–4.

“The Spirit came upon the waiting, praying disciples with a fullness that reached every heart. The Infinite One revealed Himself in power to His church.”—Ibid., p. 38.

c. What was the immediate result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in fullness? Acts 2:5–8.

“Every known tongue was represented by those assembled [in Jerusalem]. This diversity of languages would have been a great hindrance to the proclamation of the gospel; God therefore in a miraculous manner supplied the deficiency of the apostles. The Holy Spirit did for them that which they could not have accomplished for themselves in a lifetime. They could now proclaim the truths of the gospel abroad, speaking with accuracy the languages of those for whom they were laboring. This miraculous gift was a strong evidence to the world that their commission bore the signet of Heaven. From this time forth the language of the disciples was pure, simple, and accurate, whether they spoke in their native tongue or in a foreign language.”—Ibid., pp. 39, 40.

d. How did Peter explain the unusual event? Acts 2:14–18.


Wednesday May 25

4. A TREMENDOUS HARVEST

a. Describe the inspiring scene which took place at Pentecost. Acts 2:38–41.

“The scene [at Pentecost] is one full of interest. Behold the people coming from all directions to hear the disciples witness to the truth as it is in Jesus. They press in, crowding the temple. Priests and rulers are there, the dark scowl of malignity still on their faces, their hearts still filled with abiding hatred against Christ, their hands uncleansed from the blood shed when they crucified the world’s Redeemer. They had thought to find the apostles cowed with fear under the strong hand of oppression and murder, but they find them lifted above all fear and filled with the Spirit, proclaiming with power the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth. They hear them declaring with boldness that the One so recently humiliated, derided, smitten by cruel hands, and crucified, is the Prince of life, now exalted to the right hand of God.

“Some of those who listened to the apostles had taken an active part in the condemnation and death of Christ. Their voices had mingled with the rabble in calling for His crucifixion. . . .

“Now they heard the disciples declaring that it was the Son of God who had been crucified. Priests and rulers trembled. Conviction and anguish seized the people. ‘They were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ (Acts 2:37). Among those who listened to the disciples were devout Jews, who were sincere in their belief. The power that accompanied the words of the speaker convinced them that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.”—The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 42, 43.

b. What is needed for this glorious history to be repeated? Joel 2:23; Zechariah 10:1.

“When we have entire, wholehearted consecration to the service of Christ, God will recognize the fact by an outpouring of His Spirit without measure; but this will not be while the largest portion of the church are not laborers together with God.”—Christian Service, p. 253.


Thursday May 26

5. PREREQUISITES TO POWER

a. What characterizes those blessed to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit under the Latter Rain? 1 Corinthians 1:8.

“None could share the ‘refreshing’ unless they obtain the victory over every besetment, over pride, selfishness, love of the world, and over every wrong word and action…. Let all remember that God is holy and that none but holy beings can ever dwell in His presence.”—Early Writings, p. 71.

b. In order to be endowed with the Holy Spirit in fullness, what type of relationship must we have among church members, and what must be our main priority? Acts 4:32; 1 Corinthians 1:9, 10; Philippians 2:3, 4.

“Notice that it was after the disciples had come into perfect unity, when they were no longer striving for the highest place, that the Spirit was poured out. They were of one accord. All differences had been put away. And the testimony borne of them after the Spirit had been given is the same. Mark the word: [Acts 4:32 quoted]. The Spirit of Him who died that sinners might live animated the entire congregation of believers.

“The disciples did not ask for a blessing for themselves. They were weighted with the burden of souls. The gospel was to be carried to the ends of the earth, and they claimed the endowment of power that Christ had promised. Then it was that the Holy Spirit was poured out, and thousands were converted in a day.

“So it may be now. Let Christians put away all dissension and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them ask in faith for the promised blessing, and it will come.”—Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 20, 21.


Friday May 27

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

a. What was the second annual feast among the Jews?

b. What is the New Testament counterpart of the two loaves of bread?

c. How was the Pentecostal feast fulfilled after Christ’s resurrection?

d. How did Peter explain the descent of the Holy Spirit at that time?

e. How and when will the Pentecostal experience be repeated?

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