Lesson 9, May 26-June 1
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Revelation 2:13, 24; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Psalm 146:4; Gen. 1-2:3; Revelation 13:1-17.
Memory Text: “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9, NKJV).
Even in heaven, before his expulsion, Satan worked to deceive the angels. “Leaving his place in the immediate presence of God, Lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels. Working with mysterious secrecy, and for a time concealing his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for God, he endeavored to excite dissatisfaction concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, intimating that they imposed an unnecessary restraint”. — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy , p. 495.
In Eden, he disguised himself as a serpent and used trickery against Eve. All through history, up through today, and even after the millennium, he will use deception (Revelation 20:8) in an attempt to gain his ends.
Unfortunately, he’s much smarter, more powerful, and craftier than any of us, which is why we need to cling to Jesus and to His Word in order to protect ourselves from his wiles. “But you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today, every one of you” (Deuteronomy 4:4, NKJV). The principle espoused here, indeed, still holds true today, as well.
This week, we will look at some of the devil’s most effective deceptions and how we can be protected from them.
