Sunday
December 9
1. CLEARING UP A CLOUDY VISION
a. What is the third recommendation of the True Witness’ counsel to Laodicea—and how is it applied? Revelation 3:18 (last part); Matthew 6:22.
“The oil for anointing is the oil of [Christ’s] grace, which will give spiritual eyesight to the soul in blindness and darkness, that he may distinguish between the workings of the Spirit of God and the spirit of the enemy.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 7, p. 966.
“The eye is the sensitive conscience, the inner light, of the mind. Upon its correct view of things the spiritual healthfulness of the whole soul and being depends. The ‘eyesalve,’ the Word of God, makes the conscience smart under its application; for it convicts of sin. But the smarting is necessary that the healing may follow, and the eye be single to the glory of God. The sinner, beholding himself in God’s great moral looking glass, sees himself as God views him, and exercises repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. . . .
“The Laodiceans . . . were not entirely blind, else the eyesalve would have done nothing to restore their sight, and enable them to discern the true attributes of Christ. Says Christ, By renouncing your own self-sufficiency, giving up all things, however dear to you, you may buy the gold, the raiment, and the eyesalve that you may see.”—Ibid., p. 965.
Monday
December 10
2. SEEKING DISCERNMENT
a. What causes our spiritual senses to suffer from poor discernment—and how can this happen even to those entrusted with great light? Job 6:30; 1 John 2:9–11.
“The soul must first be convicted of sin before the sinner will feel a desire to come to Christ. ‘Sin is the transgression of the law’ (1 John 3:4). ‘I had not known sin, but by the law’ (Romans 7:7). When the commandment came home to Saul’s conscience, sin revived, and he died. He saw himself condemned by the law of God. The sinner cannot be convinced of his guilt unless he understands what constitutes sin. It is impossible for an individual to experience Bible sanctification while he holds that if he believes in Christ it is immaterial whether he obeys God’s law or disobeys it.
“Those who profess to keep the law of God and yet at heart are indulging in sin are condemned by the True Witness. They claim to be rich in a knowledge of the truth; but they are not in harmony with its sacred principles. The truth does not sanctify their lives. God’s Word declares that the professed commandment-keeper whose life contradicts his faith is blind, wretched, poor, and naked.
“God’s law is the mirror presenting a complete reflection of the man as he is, and holding up before him the correct likeness. Some will turn away and forget this picture, while others will employ abusive epithets against the law, as though this would cure their defects of character. Still others who are condemned by the law will repent of their transgressions and, through faith in Christ’s merits, will perfect Christian character.”—Faith and Works, p. 31.
b. Give an example in which clear spiritual discernment was considered an evidence of God’s presence. What was the theme of Solomon’s prayer, and why did this please the Lord? 1 Kings 3:9, 10.
“God commended Solomon’s prayer. And He will today hear and commend the prayers of those who in faith and humility cry to Him for aid. He will certainly answer the fervent prayer for a preparation for service. In answer He will say, Here I am. What wilt thou that I shall do for thee?”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 2, p. 1026.
Tuesday
December 11
3. A PARALLEL
a. How did Jesus demonstrate that visual enlightenment may involve a progressive work? Mark 8:22–24. Explain the spiritual parallel in Laodicea.
“Many in the church are represented to me as seeing men like trees walking. They must have another and deeper experience before they discern the snares spread to take them in the net of the deceiver. There must be no halfway work done now.”—Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 395.
“Men who have not a daily experience in the things of God . . . will mistake light for error, and specious error they will pronounce light, mistaking phantoms for realities, and realities for phantoms, calling a world an atom, and an atom a world. . . . Jesus wants man to see not men as trees walking but all things clearly.”—Evangelism, pp. 593, 594.
b. As with the blind man’s healing, how is the special anointing of Christ’s eyesalve a key to bringing doctrinal understanding, reformation, and unity among all faithful believers? Mark 8:25; Ephesians 4:11–16.
“The true religion, the only religion of the Bible, that teaches forgiveness only through the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, that advocates righteousness by the faith of the Son of God, has been slighted, spoken against, ridiculed, and rejected. It has been denounced as leading to enthusiasm and fanaticism. But it is the life of Jesus Christ in the soul, it is the active principle of love imparted by the Holy Spirit, that alone will make the soul fruitful unto good works. The love of Christ is the force and power of every message for God that ever fell from human lips. What kind of a future is before us if we shall fail to come into the unity of the faith?
“When we are united in the unity for which Christ prayed, this long controversy that has been kept up through satanic agency will end, and we shall not see men framing plans after the order of the world because they have not spiritual eyesight to discern spiritual things. They now see men as trees walking, and they need the divine touch, that they may see as God sees, and work as Christ worked. Then will Zion’s watchmen unitedly sound the trumpet in clearer, louder notes.”—Testimonies to Ministers, p. 468.
Wednesday
December 12
4. ESSENTIAL DISCERNMENT
a. What is one of the most solemn responsibilities of God’s workers, especially amidst all the confusion of the last days? Ezekiel 44:23.
“The eyesalve is that wisdom and grace which enables us to discern between the evil and the good, and to detect sin under any guise. God has given His church eyes which He requires them to anoint with wisdom, that they may see clearly; but many would put out the eyes of the church if they could; for they would not have their deeds come to the light, lest they should be reproved.”—Testimonies, vol. 4, pp. 88, 89.
“We need to be exceedingly careful, and walk humbly before God, that we may have spiritual eyesalve that we may distinguish the working of the Holy Spirit of God from the working of that spirit that would bring in wild license and fanaticism. ‘By their fruits ye shall know them’ (Matthew 7:20). Those who are really beholding Christ will be changed into His image, even by the Spirit of the Lord, and will grow up to the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit of God will inspire men with love and purity; and refinement will be manifest in their characters.”—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 142.
b. Describe the results of developing spiritual discernment—and the appeal that is made to each of us. Ecclesiastes 8:5.
“The eyesalve is that spiritual discernment which will enable you to see the wiles of Satan and shun them, to detect sin and abhor it, to see truth and obey it.”—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 233.
“A reverential spirit realizes that the heart must be kept by the power of God. Ministering angels open the eyes of the mind and heart to see wonderful things in the divine law, in the natural world, and in the eternal things revealed by the Holy Spirit.”—My Life Today, p. 291.
“God has given to every man his work, and none one else can do that work for him. Oh, that you individually would apply the eyesalve, that you might see your defects of character and realize how God regards your love of the world, which is crowding out the love of God.”—Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 615.
Thursday
December 13
5. PRAYER AND EXERCISE
a. Sadly, why will many perish by failing to receive the anointing of heavenly eyesalve? 1 Corinthians 2:14.
“Today men in positions of trust, in every place, should be faithful guardians of the purity of the church and everything connected with it. We need, O so greatly! keen discernment and clear spiritual eyesight. In this day of sin and abounding iniquity, our eyes need to be anointed with the heavenly eyesalve, that we may see all things clearly.”—The Review and Herald, October 26, 1905.
b. In order to receive the blessing of discernment, what must be our daily prayer and practice? Psalm 119:18; Hebrews 5:14.
“The Bible should never be studied without prayer. The Holy Spirit alone can cause us to feel the importance of those things easy to be understood, or prevent us from wresting truths difficult of comprehension. . . .
“Temptations often appear irresistible because, through neglect of prayer and the study of the Bible, the tempted one cannot readily remember God’s promises and meet Satan with the Scripture weapons. But angels are round about those who are willing to be taught in divine things; and in the time of great necessity they will bring to their remembrance the very truths which are needed.”—Reflecting Christ, p. 116.
Friday
December 14
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Why do we need the eyesalve of the True Witness to the Laodiceans?
2. How is this eyesalve applied?
3. Why does the eyesalve tend to sting?
4. Name ways in which many now see “men as trees, walking”?
5. Describe the attitude and prayer of those who will receive the eyesalve.