FOREWORD
The Sabbath Bible Lessons for the next quarter will be concluding with Part 2 of the study of Insights From the Book of Isaiah. As we saw in the previous quarter, to the prophet Isaiah scenes were revealed that we really need to understand today. Much of this pertains directly to the last days of this planet’s history—and some of it spans from before our world was created and after it will be remade. Such a broad, vast perspective can thus be gained by studying the writings of this major prophet!
For example, “in the forty-first to the forty-fifth chapters of Isaiah, God very fully reveals His purpose for His people, and these chapters should be prayerfully studied. God does not here instruct His people to turn away from His wisdom and look to finite man for wisdom.”—Testimonies to Ministers, p. 480.
“I have been instructed to direct the minds of our people to the fifty-sixth chapter of Isaiah. This chapter contains important lessons for those who are fighting on the Lord’s side in the conflict between good and evil.”—The Review and Herald, June 23, 1904.
“[Isaiah 59:13–17 quoted.] The condition of the world previous to the first appearing of Christ is a picture of the condition of the world just previous to His second advent. The same iniquity will exist, Satan manifests the same delusive power upon the minds of men. He is setting his trained agents at work, and moving them to intense activity. He is securing his army of human agents to engage in the last conflict against the Prince of life, to overthrow the law of God, which is the foundation of His throne. Satan will work with miraculous presentations to confirm men in the belief that he is what he claims to be—the prince of this world, and that victory is his. He will turn his forces against those who are loyal to God, but though he may cause pain, distress, and human agony, he cannot defile the soul. He may cause affliction to the people of God as he did to Christ, but he cannot cause one of Christ’s little ones to perish. The people of God in these last days must expect to enter into the thick of the conflict.”—The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 4, pp. 1153.
It was at the cost of his life that Isaiah courageously carried out his prophetic office. He is among those faithful reformers that “were sawn asunder. . . . And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:37–40).
“Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience” (James 5:10). Considering the great suffering it took in order for these prophecies to be preserved for our salvation at this late hour, let us truly appreciate their value and profoundly take them to heart!
The General Conference Sabbath School Department
