Lesson 7 Review: Motivated by Hope

 

Introduction

Memory Text: “And it will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation’ ” (Isaiah 25:9, NKJV).

One of the central images of Scripture is the second coming of Jesus, there has been an incredible number of references to this great event. After the reformation in Europe, Protestantism took root in the New World, among them was a Baptist farmer named William Miller who believed from his study that Jesus was coming soon, even in his lifetime that opened up to many people Bible truths that remain relevant to this day.

Why is the second coming of Christ such great hope for Christians?

In a world very familiar with pain, the hope of the second coming is such great hope for believers because it brings end to suffering, sorrow, death, pain. Hence even bible passages such as John 14:1-3, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, and Titus 2:11-14 contains encouragements of this hope.

What did popular nineteenth-century preachers teach?

They taught that Christ will come to establish His kingdom on earth and usher in 1,000 years of peace.

What did the teaching of the nineteenth-century preachers lead to?

It led to spiritual lethargy and an apathetic commitment to spiritual values.

What similitude to this misunderstanding of the Messiah’s coming do we find in Scriptures?

Christ’s disciples misunderstood the nature of the Messiah’s coming. They thought that He would come as a conquering general who would break the yoke of Roman bondage, not One who would deliver them from the condemnation and shackles of sin. Thus, they failed to understand the manner of His coming.

What contrast can we find between Christ’s first and second coming?

Christ came the first time as a Babe in Bethlehem, very few discerned His coming, but the second coming all eyes shall see Him and behold His glory.

What is one of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible?

One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible is that of Christ’s second coming to complete the great work of redemption.

What is the urgent appeal of the message of Christ’s second coming?

The message of Christ’s soon return is an urgent appeal to each one of us to examine ourselves hearts and evaluate our spiritual lives. It is a call to godly living.

What was William Miller’s model for studying the Bible?

By comparing scripture with scripture, William Miller allowed the Bible to explain itself. He searched as one searching for hidden treasure.

What are some of the symbols made clear by the Bible itself?

Beasts represents kings or kingdoms (Dan. 7:17, 23).

Wind represents destruction (Jer. 49:36)

Water represents peoples or nations (Rev. 17:15).

A woman represents the church (Jer. 6:2, Eph. 5:22-32).

Time prophecies of Daniel and Revelation also are given in symbolic language, with one prophetic day representing one literal year (Num. 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6).

What did William Miller discover regarding what he believed to be the timing of Christ’s return?

After William Miller observed that events predicted by the prophets such as Daniel’s 70-week prophecy was fulfilled, he studied the prophecies studying specifically about the 2300 days or years that ends with the cleansing of the sanctuary. He understood that the 70 weeks in Daniel 9 was cut off from the 2300 days, he also wrongly understood the cleansing of the sanctuary to mean the purification of the earth by fire, he understood that the starting point for the 70 week prophecy which was “ ‘from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem’ ” (Dan. 9:25, NKJV) was also the starting point for the 2,300 day prophecy.

When did the 70-week prophecy end?

A.D. 34 AD

What is the summary of the 2,300-day prophecy?

The 70-week prophecy ended in A.D. 34, but there is a one week at the end of the seventy week. In the middle of the one week the Messaih Jesus Christ will be crucified, at the beginning of the week, Christ was born and at the end of that week, the gospel moved to the gentiles. Subtracting the 490 years (70 weeks) from the 2,300 days, we are left with 1, 810 years, which leads us to 1844 when the sanctuary is cleansed.

In Conclusion,

A clear understanding of the Bible is very important to avoid disappointments. However, the hope that we all have as Christians is that pain will be over. May we experience this life free of pain and sorrow in Jesus’ name.