Sunday
December 24
1. A Time of Trouble
a. What will happen when Michael (Jesus) stands up to leave the heavenly sanctuary? Daniel 12:1.
“An angel returning from the earth announces that his work is done; the final test has been brought upon the world, and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts have received ‘the seal of the living God.’ Then Jesus ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. . . . When He leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor. The restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. God’s long-suffering has ended.”–The Great Controversy, pp. 613, 614.
“The ‘time of trouble, such as never was,’ is soon to open upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess and which many are too indolent to obtain. It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation than in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us. The most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand for himself before God.”–Ibid., p. 622.
b. What criteria determines whether our names shall be found in the book of life? Revelation 3:5. How do we know that there will be no second chance? Luke 13:23–25; Revelation 20:15.
“I want to be among that number who shall have their names written in the book, who shall be delivered. I want the overcomer’s reward. The masterly temptations of Satan will overpower many who now profess to believe the truth. Their unworthy course of action, their denial of Christ, will make it necessary for God to blot their names from the book of life. But O, may it not be so with us!”–The Review and Herald, March 26, 1889.
“When we become children of God, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, and they remain there until the time of the investigative judgment. Then the name of every individual will be called, and his record examined, by Him who declares, ‘I know thy works.’ If in that day it shall appear that all our wicked deeds have not been fully repented of, our names will be blotted from the book of life, and our sins will stand against us.”–The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 7, p. 987.
Monday
December 25
2. BEFORE THE END OF PROBATION
a. What promise is given to the “wise” and why? Daniel 12:3, 10; Matthew 13:43. What was Daniel instructed to do? Daniel 12:4 (first part).
“Honored by men with the responsibilities of state and with the secrets of kingdoms bearing universal sway, Daniel was honored by God as His ambassador, and was given many revelations of the mysteries of ages to come. His wonderful prophecies, as recorded by him in chapters 7 to 12 of the book bearing his name, were not fully understood even by the prophet himself; but before his life labors closed, he was given the blessed assurance that ‘at the end of the days’–in the closing period of this world’s history–he would again be permitted to stand in his lot and place. It was not given him to understand all that God had revealed of the divine purpose. . . .
“As we near the close of this world’s history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special attention, as they relate to the very time in which we are living. With them should be linked the teachings of the last book of the New Testament Scriptures. Satan has led many to believe that the prophetic portions of the writings of Daniel and of John the revelator cannot be understood.”–Prophets and Kings, p. 547.
b. What knowledge has increased since 1798? Daniel 12:4 (last part).
“But since 1798 the book of Daniel has been unsealed, knowledge of the prophecies has increased, and many have proclaimed the solemn message of the judgment near.” –The Great Controversy, p. 356.
“The book of Daniel is now unsealed, and the revelation made by Christ to John is to come to all the inhabitants of the earth. By the increase of knowledge a people is to be prepared to stand in the latter days.”–Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 105.
“The time has come for the light given [Daniel] to go to the world as never before. If those for whom the Lord has done so much will walk in the light, their knowledge of Christ and the prophecies relating to Him will be greatly increased as they near the close of this earth’s history.”–The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 4, p. 1174.
Tuesday
December 26
3. THE LAST DAYS
a. At the end of which prophetic period did the time of the end begin? Daniel 12:5–7. What events transpire in this time?
“Already the Lord’s restraining power is being withdrawn from the earth, and Satan is seeking to stir up the various elements in the religious world, leading men to place themselves under the training of the great deceiver, who works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in the children of disobedience. Already the inhabitants of the earth are marshaling under the leading of the prince of darkness, and this is but the beginning of the end.
“The law of God is made void. We see and hear of confusion and perplexity, want and famine, earthquakes and floods; terrible outrages will be committed by men; passion, not reason, bears sway. The wrath of God is upon the inhabitants of the world, who are fast becoming as corrupt as were the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Already fire and flood are destroying thousands of lives and the property that has been selfishly accumulated by the oppression of the poor. The Lord is soon to cut short His work and put an end to sin.”–Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 49 (cf. The Desire of Ages, p. 234; Testimonies, vol. 5, pp. 9, 10; The Great Controversy, p. 356).
b. What did Christ predict would follow the long period of papal persecution? Mark 13:24, 25. What warning did He add? Matthew 24:37–39; Luke 21:34–36.
“In the Saviour’s conversation with His disciples upon Olivet, after describing the long period of trial for the church–the 1260 years of papal persecution, concerning which He had promised that the tribulation should be shortened–He thus mentioned certain events to precede His coming, and fixed the time when the first of these should be witnessed: ‘In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light’ (Mark 13:24). The 1260 days, or years, terminated in 1798. A quarter of a century earlier, persecution had almost wholly ceased.”–The Great Controversy, p. 306.
“Who reads the warnings given by the fast-fulfilling signs of the times? What impression is made upon worldlings? What change is seen in their attitude? No more than was seen in the attitude of the inhabitants of the Noachian world. Absorbed in worldly business and pleasure, the antediluvians ‘knew not until the Flood came, and took them all away’ (Matthew 24:39). They had heaven-sent warnings, but they refused to listen. And today the world, utterly regardless of the warning voice of God, is hurrying on to eternal ruin.”–Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 14.
Wednesday
December 27
4. FROM 1844 TO THE CLOSE OF PROBATION
a. What assurance was given to Daniel concerning his visions? Daniel 12:8–10.
“As the message of Christ’s first advent announced the kingdom of His grace, so the message of His second advent announces the kingdom of His glory. And the second message, like the first, is based on the prophecies. The words of the angel to Daniel relating to the last days were to be understood in the time of the end.”–The Desire of Ages, p. 234.
b. What blessing belongs to the true believers under the threefold message? Daniel 12:12; Revelation 14:13.
“There are living upon our earth men who have passed the age of fourscore and ten. The natural results of old age are seen in their feebleness. But they believe God, and God loves them. The seal of God is upon them, and they will be among the number of whom the Lord has said, ‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.’”–The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 7, p. 982.
Thursday
December 28
5. A Special Resurrection
a. What event takes place at the commencement of the seventh plague? Daniel 12:2.
“In the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of many waters, saying: ‘It is done’ (Revelation 16:17).
“That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is a mighty earthquake, ‘such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great’ (Verses 17, 18). The firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from the throne of God seems flashing through. The mountains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are scattered on every side. . . .
“Graves are opened, and ‘many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth . . . awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt’ (Daniel 12:2). All who have died in the faith of the third angel’s message come forth from the tomb glorified, to hear God’s covenant of peace with those who have kept His law. ‘They also which pierced Him’ (Revelation 1:7), those that mocked and derided Christ’s dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.”–The Great Controversy, pp. 636, 637.
b. After this special or partial resurrection, how many living saints will there be on earth? Revelation 7:4.
“The sky opened and shut and was in commotion. The mountains shook like a reed in the wind and cast out ragged rocks all around. The sea boiled like a pot and cast out stones upon the land. And as God spoke the day and the hour of Jesus’ coming and delivered the everlasting covenant to His people, He spoke one sentence, and then paused, while the words were rolling through the earth. The Israel of God stood with their eyes fixed upward, listening to the words as they came from the mouth of Jehovah and rolled through the earth like peals of loudest thunder.”–Early Writings, pp. 285, 286.
“The living saints, 144,000 in number, knew and understood the voice, while the wicked thought it was thunder and an earthquake.”–Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 59.
Friday
December 29
REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS
1. What should be our greatest desire?
2. What has been revealed in the time of the end?
3. What events will transpire in the last days?
4. Explain the 1290 days and the 1335 days.
5. How is the number of the 144,000 completed?