Commentary on "Revelation"

RICHARD PEIFER

 

Day 1: Sabbath Afternoon, April 25, 2009

 

Overview

“This God is a great communicator. Human words cannot adequately explain who and what God is, but the fact that He constantly is referred to as speaking to His people is utterly significant.”

 

Problems

Since this introductory section begins with one of the great statements in the Bible, Hebrews 1:1-2, one would expect a brief explanation of it and an overview of what is going to be studied in more depth the rest of the week.

Instead, rather than rejoicing in the words “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,” we get a basically Catholic suggestion that no one can understand God. God is described as speaking to us from “out there”. As a result, as the rest of the week points out, we need things like nature, conscience and, especially, Ellen G. White to explain Him to us. As will be pointed out in the later sections, this is not true.

 

Summary

1. Jesus is the last great revelation of God to humanity. Jesus is truth (John 14:6), the Holy Spirit is truth (John 16:13) and “Thy word” is truth (John 17:17).
2. A child of God can understand such spiritual truths because God is communicating with him from “in here.” “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16b), so we do not need someone else to explain God to us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright 2008 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised April 25, 2009. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.

The Sabbath School Bible Study Guide and the corresponding E.G. White Notes are published by Pacific Press Publishing Association, which is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The current quarter's editions are pictured above.

 

Official Adventist Resources

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