Sabbath School Study Hour

This week we will look at one of the most comprehensive and sublime statements about Jesus in the New Testament. What does it mean that Jesus is “the image of the invisible God,” yet also “the firstborn over all creation” (Col. 1:15, NIV)?

This week’s lesson concludes our study of Philippians, and it is packed with valuable lessons and maxims for daily living.

To guard against the possibility that some might consider their works as contributing to their salvation, Paul makes it clear that righteousness is from Christ as a gift that comes by faith, not by the law.

The light and power of heaven is available to all of us who have surrendered our lives to Jesus. But too often either we expect God to do it all or our own ideas and plans get in the way.

This week we’ll look at the biblical basis for unity in the church, focusing especially on the amazing condescension of Jesus, the lessons we can gain from beholding Him, and how we can grow to be more like Him.

Life is short, and it is vital to make the biggest impact possible for God’s kingdom within the span of the years that God grants us. No small part of that impact has to do with our encouraging “the unity of the faith.” As we shall see beginning this week, this theme was one important reason for Paul’s writing to the Philippians.

In this lesson, we will see how Paul intentionally begins his epistles with words of greeting, thanksgiving, and prayer, acknowledging God’s grace and peace (Col. 1:2–3). We will reflect on the many reasons we, like Paul, have to be thankful—especially for God’s grace and the peace that comes from His love. As we explore Paul’s opening prayers in Philippians and Colossians, we will learn how gratitude, humility, and dependence on God can deepen and strengthen our own prayer life.

In this lesson, we will see how God can use hardship for a greater purpose. We will look at the experience of an Adventist pastor who was falsely imprisoned for nearly two years and discovered that prison became his mission field, where he preached, shared literature, baptized inmates, and witnessed changed lives. We will also study Paul’s imprisonment, during which he wrote Philippians and Colossians and, with Silas, prayed and sang hymns despite being unjustly jailed (Phil. 1:7; Col. 4:3; Acts 16:24–25). Through these examples, we will learn how God works through trials and how we can trust Him and rejoice, even in difficult circumstances.

The final chapter of Joshua is set in the context of a covenant renewal ceremony, but this time conducted by the aged leader of Israel. Although not a covenant itself but rather a report of a covenant renewal ceremony. Joshua is close to the end of his life; no replacement is on the horizon. The covenant renewal is a reminder to Israel that their king is Yahweh Himself and that, if they remain loyal to Him, they will enjoy His protection. Israel does not need a human king. As a theocratic nation, they have to ever keep in mind that their only king is the Lord.

As Joshua, the aging leader of the Israelites, sensed that he was nearing the end of his life, he decided to address the leaders of the nation and the Israelites (Joshua 23 and 24). Joshua 23 is focused more on the future and on how to worship God: exclusively. Joshua 24 reviews God’s faithful acts in the past, with the purpose to prompt a decision concerning who alone deserves to be worshipped: Yahweh. This week, we will study together the first speech of Joshua, in which he glances back at the victories of Israel, but at the same time traces the path of future success for Israel.

Living in a community can, at times, lead to disputes and tension. This is especially true in a community, such as the church, where people from different backgrounds and social strata—and sometimes brought up in completely different cultures—live and work together for a common purpose. This week we will study Joshua 22 and a challenge that arose from a great misunderstanding among the people. Why is it dangerous to jump to a rash conclusion about the behavior of others? How can we foster unity in the church? Why is it important to keep in mind the larger scope of our calling and not get caught up in distractions? These are some of the questions we are going to deal with this week.

In the book of Joshua, there is a sense that the life of its main character points beyond itself to a reality that is much greater than the man himself. We see this principle all through the Bible, such as with the land of Canaan, a symbol of our eternal hope in a new earth. And, of course, the earthly sanctuary service pointed to a greater reality: “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation” (Heb. 9:11, NKJV). This week, we will look at principles of biblical interpretation concerning typology. We will study how the Bible itself contains indicators of typology and how the life of Joshua foreshadows the ministry of the Messiah and points to symbolism fulfilled in the church, as well as in the consummation of human history.

Joshua 13–21 contains long lists of geographical boundary markers that delineate portions of land allocated to the tribes of Israel. For the modern reader, these lists might seem irrelevant, but they are based on a theological understanding of the Promised Land that is significant for us today. This week we will look at some theological concepts related to the Promised Land and their spiritual implications for those who claim all the promises found in Jesus.

This week, we will take a deeper look into the personal examples of two giants of faith in the book of Joshua: Caleb and Joshua. What is it that made them stand out in their generation and play a key role in the life of God’s people during one of the most crucial periods of Israel’s history?

This week we are going to look at some key moments during Israel's presence in the Promised Land, when Israel rededicated themselves to the Lord, sometimes in the face of impending danger. Joshua took the seemingly irrational decision to circumcise the Israelites on enemy territory (Josh. 5:1–9); to celebrate the Passover in the face of imminent danger (Josh. 5:10–12); to build an altar and worship the Lord while the conquest was in full swing (Josh. 8:30–35); and to set up the tabernacle of the Lord when seven tribes in Israel had not yet received their inheritance (Josh. 18:1, 2).

Last week, we saw that God Himself is involved in a conflict that is far greater than any war or battle fought in human history, a battle that permeates every aspect of our lives. We saw, too, that the events of both biblical and secular history can be fully understood only in light of this conflict. This week, we continue to explore the complexity of divinely sanctioned wars, the limitations and conditions of divine war, the final vision of peace offered by the Old Testament prophets, and the spiritual implications of such wars.

How can we understand that God’s chosen people carried out such practices in Old Testament times? How is it possible to reconcile the image of a “warlike” God with His character of love (for example, Exod. 34:6, Ps. 86:15, Ps. 103:8, Ps. 108:4) without diluting the credibility, authority, and historicity of the Old Testament? This week and next, we are going to explore the difficult question of divinely commanded wars in the book of Joshua and elsewhere.

As human beings, we are prone to forget things that are not constantly in our sight. We forget to return phone calls, respond to emails, water the plants, send birthday wishes, and so forth. The list could go on. Forgetting about our spiritual needs, however, could have more severe consequences than simply receiving a fine, especially because we are dealing with what is, literally, our eternal destiny. Let’s study the crossing of the Jordan by the Hebrews and see what we can learn from their experiences.