Lesson 8May 19-25
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Revelation 14:6, 7; Matthew 24:14; Galatians 3:22; Luke 23:32-43; Genesis 22:12; Revelation 14:8-12.
Memory Text: “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth — to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6, NKJV).
As Seventh-day Adventist Christians, we believe in the biblical concept of “present truth” (2 Peter 1:12). It’s basically the idea that God unfolds truth to humanity at the time it is needed, with more and more light being given by the Lord over the ages. The first gospel promise, in Genesis 3:15, revealed to the fallen pair that hope would come through the seed of the woman. The promise to Abraham, that he “shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Genesis 18:18, NKJV), is a fuller revelation of the gospel promise. The coming of Jesus, who proclaimed that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, NKJV), is, of course, an even greater revelation of the gospel truth.
Today we believe that the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6-12 is “present truth” for those living in the last days prior to Christ’s return and the fulfillment of all our hopes as Christians.
This week, we will focus particularly on the first angel’s message, for it contains truths crucial for those who seek to stay faithful amid end-time perils.
