The Lesson is on Pages 1-8 and E. G. White’s Comments are on pages 9-15Lesson 1 The “Restoration of All Things” June 25-July1

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 2. Memory Text: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27, NIV). All one has to do is look around, at the world, at the neighborhood, at oneself, to see the point. And the point is? Something is terribly wrong.

It’s called the Fall. It’s called sin. It’s called rebellion, and it’s called the great controversy. And yet, the good news is that it’s not permanent. It’s not going to last forever. Jesus came, died for the sins of the world, and promised to come again. And when He does, nothing of this world will remain. Instead, a new kingdom, His eternal kingdom, will begin. “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44, NKJV). What a restoration!

But we don’t have to wait until the Second Coming for the restoration to begin. Those who are in Christ are a new creation now (2 Cor. 5:17), and we are predestined to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus now (Rom. 8:29). Also, He calls us and empowers us, as His church, so that we can work toward the restoration of others as well.

DEFINITIONS1. Restoration—the act or process of returning something to its original condition by repairing it, cleansing it, and so on.2. Fall—the loss of eternal life in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This act resulted in the loss of eternal life and face-to-face communion (meeting) with God.

Sunday: June 26 The Image of GodThe Bible says that humanity was originally created in the “image” (Gen. 1:27) of God. An image may be either two-dimensional, such as a mirror reflection or photograph, or three-dimensional, such as a statue or hologram. An image can also be intangible, such as a mental image, an idea that we have in our heads. What does the Bible mean? A Possible Answer: It means that both Adam and Eve bore the resemblance of their Creator, God. Read Genesis 1:26, 27 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

In his own image. Noteworthy is the use of the singular, “his.” The plural of v. 26 reveals that the Deity possesses plurality in unity, whereas v. 27 emphasizes that the plurality of God does not negate God’s unity.

Male and female. A new element is introduced in the information given about the creation of man by mentioning differences in sex. The two words “male” and “female” are translations of Hebrew adjectives that indicate the sex of the two individuals. The blessing of fertility pronounced over the animals (v. 22) implies that they must have been created likewise with sexual differences, but this fact is not mentioned. Probably a special reason existed for mentioning it in connection with the creation of man. That reason may spring from the fact that only in man does the duality of sex find its expression in the institution of holy wedlock. This verse prepares us for the revelation concerning God’s plan for the creation of the family that is presented in ch. 2.1

How does Scripture explain what being made in God’s “image” means? See also Gen 1:31  And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Deu 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD

1 Nichol, F. D. (Ed.). (1978). The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary (Vol. 1, p. 216). Review and Herald Publishing Association.

thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 1Th 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Answer: Taken together, the image of God has to do with physical, mental and spiritual aspects of every person.

With the creation of our first parents, God set a new standard for life on earth: man and woman. They alone, among all the other creatures made during that time, were in God’s image. They were not evolved apes. As human beings, they and we are radically different from all of the other life forms on earth, and any theology that lessens this difference degrades humanity.

God “called their name Adam” (Gen. 5:2). That is, both of them, male and female, though different and distinct beings, were still one. Together, in their fullness and completeness, they represented the image of God. The nature of God’s image is wholistic: “When Adam came from the Creator’s hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker.” — Ellen G. White, Education, p. 15. (Italics supplied.) The word for “image” in Hebrew is tselem; the word for “likeness” is demuth. These words can connote the physical (tselem) and the inward (demuth), which includes the spiritual and mental aspects of humanity. Ellen G. White recognizes this when she says man was made in God’s image, “both in outward resemblance and in character.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 45.

Deuteronomy 6:5 mentions the various dimensions of the human being: soul (spiritual), heart (mind, mental), and strength (physical body). There is a similar pattern in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. A human being made in God’s image would naturally include all of these dimensions. Together, in their fullness, Adam and Eve showed the image of God, both in looks and in character.

DEFINITIONS3. two-dimensional—having only two dimensions. A dimension is a measurement in one direction (such as the distance from the ceiling to the door in a room). An object with two dimensions, or a two- dimensional object, is an object with measurements in two directions, such as length and width. 4. three-dimensional—having or seeming to have length, width, and height. 5. wholistic—relating to or concerned with complete systems rather than with individual parts. 6. italics—letters, numbers, and so on that slant upward to the right; italic type.

Though there’s much more to this idea of being made in “the image of God,” the Bible is clear: human beings are a distinct and unique creation here on earth. No other creature comes close. Why is it important for us to always keep this distinction in mind? A Possible Answer: It is important to keep the distinction in mind because it enables us to live with purpose...fulfill our role as created beings and is the foundation of our relationship with all other entities in life. Knowledge of our being distinct and unique from all other created things places us in a position to know who we are, where we came form, how we are to live/function and where are we going.

Monday: June 27 The Fall and Its AftermathThe Bible does not say how long a period of time existed between the finished

Creation and the Fall. Days, weeks, years, we just don’t know. What we do know, however, is that there was a Fall, and the consequences were immediate and apparent.

The first mentioned result of Adam and Eve eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was their sudden realization of their nakedness (Gen. 3:7). They sought to cover themselves from the presence of God. Their robes of light now disappeared. (See Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 57.) Their intimacy with God was disrupted because of their newly discovered intimacy with the self-centeredness of evil. God then

sought to (further) educate the first couple in regard to the consequences that their sin had created for them.

Read the following texts and identify the immediate consequences of Adam’s and Eve’s sin as seen in each passage. Also, how are these same consequences manifested today? Gen. 3:8–10 8. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

8. The voice of the Lord. The periodical visits of God toward the close of day, when quiet evening zephyrs refreshed the garden, had always been occasions of delight for the happy pair. But the sound of God’s approach was now a source of alarm. Both felt that they dared by no means meet their Creator. The reason for their fear was neither humility nor modesty but a profound sense of guilt.

9. Where art thou? Adam, who had always welcomed the divine approach, was now in hiding. He could not, however, be hidden from God, who called to Adam, not as if ignorant of his hiding place, but to bring him to confession. Adam sought to hide the sin behind its consequences, his disobedience behind his sense of shame, by proposing to God that he had hidden himself through embarrassment at his nakedness. His consciousness of the effects of sin was keener than of the sin itself. Here we witness for the first time the confusion between sin and punishment, which is characteristic of man in his fallen state. The results of sin are sensed and detested more than the sin itself.

A Possible Answer: The immediate consequences of Adam’s and Eve’s sin as seen in Fear of God (afraid), (nakedness) absence of purity evidenced by the covering of light and (hid myself) guilt/insecurity. The same consequences are manifested today in that we still do not trust God, we make inadequate provisions for needs, and we are vulnerable with the absence of Divine light and are ridden with the consciousness of guilt. Gen. 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.12. The woman whom thou gavest. God put forth a question that revealed His knowledge of Adam’s transgression and was designed to awaken within him a conviction of sin. Adam’s reply was a devious and evasive apology for his embarrassment that amounted to an accusation of God. Thus had Adam’s character changed in the short interval since he entered the pathway of disobedience. The man who had cherished his wife so dearly that he intentionally violated God’s command in order that he might not be separated from her, now speaks of her with cold and callous antipathy as “the woman whom thou gavest to be with me.” His words resemble those of Jacob’s sons who spoke to their father about Joseph as “thy son” (Gen. 37:32; cf. Luke 15:30). One of the bitter fruits of sin is a hardness of heart, “without natural affection” (Rom. 1:31). Adam’s insinuation that God was to blame for his sad plight in being bound to such a weak and seductive creature sinks to the very depths of ingratitude.A Possible Answer: The immediate consequences of Adam’s and Eve’s sin as seen in their broken relationship evidenced in blaming God and his wife. The same consequences are manifested today in that we blame God for anything that happens that tends to be outside our control or that we do not quite understand. We further evidenced the same coldness/hardness of hearts and point the finger of blame instead of taking ownership for our sinful actions.

Gen. 3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.13. The serpent beguiled me. The woman also had an answer ready, blaming the serpent for deceiving her. Neither Adam nor his wife denied the facts, but each sought to escape blame by incriminating someone else. Neither gave evidence of contrition. One noteworthy difference, however, exists between their confessions. The woman protested that she had been deceived; Adam tacitly admitted his act had been deliberate, in full knowledge of its consequences.

A Possible Answer: The immediate consequences of Adam’s and Eve’s sin as seen in trying to escape blame and pointed to what is perceived as the cause (the serpent’s deception) of the wrong deed. The same consequences are manifested today in that we still tend to shift blame and point to the supposed cause of the sin instead of the acknowledging that we choose to do wrong. Individuals blame others, people blame governments, institutions or leaders and we blame Satan.

Gen. 3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

16. I will greatly multiply thy sorrow. The phrase “thy sorrow and thy conception” is generally considered to be a literary form in which two similar phrases express a single idea. The phrase could thus read “the sorrow of thy conception.” At the very first, man had been commanded, “Be fruitful and multiply” (ch. 1:28). Repeated conception was therefore intended to be a blessing, not a curse. But the entrance of sin meant that henceforth pregnancy would be accompanied by pain. In sorrow. Indeed, the pains of childbirth were to be so intense that in Scripture they are symbolic of the most severe anguish of body and mind (see Micah 4:9, 10; 1 Thess. 5:3; John 16:21; Rev. 12:2). Thy desire shall be thy husband. The Hebrew word shuq, “desire,” means “to run after, to have a violent craving for a thing,” indicating the strongest possible desire for it. Though oppressed by man and tortured by the pains of childbirth, the woman would still feel an intense desire for her husband. Commentators have been divided in their opinion as to whether this is part of the punishment. It seems reasonable to conclude that this “desire” was given to alleviate the sorrows of womanhood and to bind the hearts of husband and wife ever more closely together. He shall rule over thee. The woman had broken her divinely appointed relationship with the man. Instead of being a help “meet” for him she had become his seducer. Therefore her status of equality with man was forfeited; he was to “rule over” her as lord and master. (??? The ruling was based on her degree of desiring her husband or an arbitrary punishment) A wife is described in Scripture as being “possessed” by her lord. Among most non-Christian peoples woman has been subjected throughout the ages to degradation and virtual slavery. Among the Hebrews, however, the condition of woman was one of distinct subordination though not of oppression or slavery. (Though, not an example of God’s will) Christianity has placed woman on the same platform as man as regards the blessings of the gospel (Gal. 3:28). Although the husband is to be head of the household, Christian principles will lead a man and his wife into an experience of real partnership, where each is so devoted to the happiness and well-being of the other that it never occurs to either to attempt to “rule” over the other (see Col. 3:18, 19).

A Possible Answer: The immediate consequences of Adam’s and Eve’s sin as seen in pregnancy and childbirth would be a painful experience, Eve would have a (violent craving) intense desire for her husband and as a result he would rule over her. The same consequences are manifested today in that there are still painful childbirths and maladies associated with pregnancies. Various abusive forms of matrimonial relationships are seen all around us... male dominance/female subservience, abuse of power, needs, position and influence of one over the other and domestic violence.

Gen. 3:17–19 17. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;  18. Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

17. Because thou hast hearkened. For the first time the noun “Adam” is used as a proper name without the article, a fact that is not apparent in the KJV, where ha’adam, in chs. 2:19, 23; 3:8, 9, is translated as a personal name, although the article in each instance indicates that the word is used in the sense of “the man.” Before passing sentence God explained why it was necessary and appropriate. Adam had acted in accord with Eve’s persuasive arguments, setting her word above that of God. He had thus withdrawn his supreme affection and allegiance from God, and so had forfeited the blessings of life, and even life itself. Having exalted his will above the will of God, Adam must learn that independence from God does not mean a more exalted sphere of existence but separation from the Source of life. Death would therefore show him the worthlessness of his own nature. Cursed is the ground. It should be noticed again that God did not curse either Adam or his wife. Curses were pronounced only upon the serpent and the ground. But “cursed is the ground for thy sake,” God said to Adam. In sorrow shalt thou eat. The same word that had been used to express the sufferings associated with childbearing is now used to inform Adam of the difficulties to be encountered in eking out a meager living from the cursed ground. So long as he lived there would be no hope of relief from this condition. The expression “all the days of thy life” is the first indication that death would surely come, though the event might for a time be postponed.

18. Thorns also and thistles. Prior to the Fall, only plants that were either useful for food or beautiful to the eye grew from the earth; now it was to produce “thorns and thistles” also (6T 186). The increased labor necessary to the cultivation of the soil would increase the misery of man’s existence. He was to learn by bitter experience that life independent of God can at best be one of sorrow and affliction. The herb. See on ch. 1:11, 29. The divine punishment provided also a partial change in diet. We evidently are to conclude that the quantity and quality of grains and nuts and fruits originally given to man were, as a result of the curse, reduced to such an extent that man would be required to look to the herbs for a portion of his daily food. This change may also have been due in part to the loss of certain elements from the tree of life, to a change in climate, and perhaps most of all to man’s sentence to hard labor in the process of earning a livelihood.

19. In the sweat of thy face. The arduous toil that was to add to man’s burdensome life is now vividly expressed. This refers specifically to the husbandman, who must live by forcing from a reluctant earth food for himself and his family, but it applies equally

to all other vocations. Since Adam’s fall human achievement may be realized only through toil. Nevertheless, it should be recognized that this punishment was indeed a blessing in disguise for sinful beings. When a man works he is far less likely to sin than when he spends his days in idleness. Toil and labor develop character and teach man humility and cooperation with God. This is one reason why the Christian church has generally found its most loyal adherents and supporters among the laboring class. Work, even when arduous, should not be despised; “a blessing is in it.” Till thou return unto the ground. The Lord informed Adam that the grave was his certain destination. Man thus understood that the plan of redemption (v. 15) would not prevent the loss of his present life, but it did offer assurance of a new life. With the change in Adam’s nature from conditional immortality to mortality began the fulfillment of the dire prediction, “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Unless in mercy man had been granted a day of grace, death would have occurred instantaneously. Divine justice required man’s life; divine mercy afforded man an opportunity to regain it.

A Possible Answer: The immediate consequences of Adam’s and Eve’s sin as seen in the ground being cursed and therefore the need for their arduous toil... they would be having difficulty obtaining the best from the ground. There will be thorns and thistles causing increased misery, a change in diet and lastly, the rest of life would be a burdensome outlay of energy/resources. The same consequences are manifested today in that it is generally toilsome experience to obtain food and make a living. Vegetation, food produce and life is not easy and ends with death.

No question, the Fall was real. The Fall was hard, and the Fall was terribly consequential for our race. The long, sad story of human history, right up to current events, reveals the tragic consequences of sin. How thankful we can be, then, for the promise that one day the tragedy of sin is going to be over and done and never repeated.

What are ways that we, every day, live with the consequences of our own sins? A Possible Answer: 1. Sickness and death. 2. Alienation, discord and unhappiness. 3. Distrust, deceit and deception. 4. Selfishness, greed and independence. 5. Negative memories. 6. Propensity to sin and moral/spiritual weakness. 7. Lack of oneness with God and my fellow men.

Tuesday: June 28 Enmity and AtonementDEFINITIONS

7. Reparation—something that is done or given as a way of correcting a mistake that you have made or a bad situation that you have caused.

Read Genesis 3:14,15. And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.What does God mean when He says to Satan, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers” (Gen. 3:15, NIV)? A Possible Answer: It means that God will place a dislike, variance or hate between Satan and Eve and further, between those who are children of Satan and the children of God. What hope can we find here for ourselves? A Possible Answer: Hope is seen in the implantation of an animosity or variance with the hearts of those who respond to the love of God and those who do not. The seed of Divinity will produce an uneasiness...‘a not-getting-along-ness or disagree-ness’ with wrong, sin and Satan.

The word enmity in Hebrew shares its root with the Hebrew word hate and the word enemy. By eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the couple placed themselves and all humanity at enmity with God (see Rom. 5:10, Col. 1:21, James 4:4). God’s promise here implies that God would set in motion His plan to draw humanity back to Himself, thus shifting their enmity to Satan. Thus, by shifting the enmity from Himself to Satan, God would establish an avenue through which He could save humanity while, at the same time, not violating the principles of His divine government. This is what is known in the original sense as “atonement,” what

God has done and is doing in order to ultimately restore what had been lost in the Fall.

What do the following texts reveal about atonement? Lev. 1:3, 4; If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. 4. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. A Possible Answer: This passage points to an atonement being made when one voluntarily offers a sacrifice without blemish to God. 1 Cor. 5:7; Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

7. Purge out. Gr. ekkathairō, “to cleanse thoroughly.” Paul calls for a complete removal of that which is harmful to the church. It is not only a question of disfellowshiping the licentious person; it is an exhortation to awaken all to the seriousness of being complacent and self-satisfied while such evils exist in the church. Old leaven. “Leaven” is here used to represent sin (cf. Matt. 16:6; DA 407, 408; PP 278). The Jews had been instructed to search their houses carefully before eating the Passover supper, to make sure that there was not even a particle of leavened bread in their homes (see Ex. 12:19; 13:7). Similarly the Christian church at Corinth was instructed to make certain that sin was put away, particularly all forms of immorality. A new lump. By expelling the offenders from the church and turning away from all sin, the church would become pure and free from the corrupting influence of cherished wrongdoing. It would be like a fresh portion of flour, or dough, before the addition of any leaven. They would then partake of the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. As ye are unleavened. That is, ideally speaking. The Corinthian believers had been cleansed from sin. They were to keep this fact in mind and ever strive to maintain their purity. All who accept the provision made for their salvation through Jesus Christ are obligated by their profession of faith in Him to be pure, “even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2, 3; cf. ch. 2:6). The perfect example of Christian living had been set before them in Jesus, and their lives should have been continual illustrations of victorious living in the power of Christ (see 1 Cor. 1:4–8). Christ our passover. “The slaying of the Passover lamb was a shadow of the death of Christ” (GC 399; cf. PP 274, 277). The Passover feast was also a memorial of the deliverance from Egypt. On the night of the deliverance the destroying angel passed over the homes where the blood was seen on the doorposts (see Ex. 11:7; 12:29; PP 279). Once again in the closing days of the history of this world the destroying angel is to go forth on his fearful mission, and only those who have put away the leaven of sin, and have taken their stand under the blood of the antitypical Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, will be spared (see on Eze. 9:1–6; see Rev. 7:1–3; 14:1–5; TM 445; 3T 266, 267; 5T 210, 212, 216, 505).

A Possible Answer: Properly understood, atonement also involves the removal from the heart that which is harmful, as in sin and the receiving of a new heart that is a result of the sacrificial death and intercessory life of Christ. 1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.A Possible Answer: That atonement involves the confession of sin and as a result the forgiveness and cleansing of the recipient.

Theologians sometimes use the word expiation to talk about how this atonement works. The Latin root, expiare, means “to atone for,” and the idea involves reparation for a wrong deed. Someone did something wrong, he or she violated a law, and justice demands a penalty to pay for that wrong. In English, it is sometimes said that the guilty person owes a “debt to society” because of what he or she did.

In our situation we sinned, but in the plan of salvation, the atonement, Christ’s sacrificial death, relieves us from the legal consequences of that wrongdoing. Instead, Christ Himself paid the penalty for us. The punishment that legally (yes, God’s government has laws) should have been ours was given to Jesus instead. That way, the demands of justice were met, but they were met in Jesus instead of us. Though we are sinners, though we have done wrong, we are pardoned, forgiven, and justified in His sight. This is the crucial and foundational step in the “ ‘restoration of all things’ ” (Acts 3:21, NKJV).

Wednesday: June 29 Restoration in Jesus“My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you”

(Gal. 4:19, NKJV). We were originally created as perfect and complete beings in a perfect and complete world. Unfortunately, this pre-Fall paradise was lost through sin, and the world as we

know it is filled with death, violence, suffering, fear, and ignorance. The plan of salvation was created in order to bring this world back to its original perfection. Christ came in order to regain what was lost in the Fall.

“In the beginning God created man in His own likeness. He endowed him with noble qualities. His mind was well balanced, and all the powers of his being were harmonious. But the Fall and its effects have perverted these gifts. Sin has marred and well-nigh obliterated the image of God in man. It was to restore this that the plan of salvation was devised, and a life of probation was granted to man. To bring him back to the perfection in which he was first created is the great object of life—the object that underlies every other.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 595. Though this restoration won’t be completed until the new heaven and the new earth, the process already has begun in us now!

DEFINITIONS8. Compare—to show how two or more things are the same or different.

Read Galatians 4:19. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 19. My little children. This affectionate form of address, common with John, does not appear elsewhere in Paul’s writings. It not

only expresses Paul’s tenderness of feeling toward them but also implies their spiritual immaturity. Inasmuch as Paul regards all who have received the gospel from him as his spiritual children, this expression can hardly be considered a rebuke on his part, as some commentators think. It may simply be a reminder of their indebtedness to him. As their spiritual father, it was only right and proper that he should manifest concern for their welfare. He expresses this same concern for the Corinthians and speaks of himself as their father (see 1 Cor. 4:15). I travail in birth again. To the Corinthians Paul had written, “I have begotten you through the gospel” (see 1 Cor. 4:15). In bringing the Galatians to Christ he had endured, as it were, the pangs of childbirth. Now that they are giving up their faith, he must go through this bitter experience all over again. Until Christ be formed. Paul will persist in his efforts until Christ again reigns in their hearts by faith (see on ch. 2:20). The figure of birth seems still to be in the apostle’s mind. Jesus spoke of the new birth experience to Nicodemus (John 3:3), and Paul speaks of Christ’s being formed within those who accept Him (see Col. 1:27). When Christ dwells within, He lives out His own perfect life through the life of the Christian (see on Rom. 8:3, 4; Gal. 2:20). The Christian’s mind is as the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5), and the love of Christ controls him (2 Cor. 5:14). This process continues until the Christian reaches the full “stature” of Christ (Eph. 4:13).

Whatever his immediate concerns, what important spiritual point is Paul making here? A Possible Answer: Paul is making the point that he is experiencing as it were the pangs of childbirth as he endeavors to bring them to the point where Christ reigns in their hearts. This is a condition where Christ is being formed within those who accept Him (see Col. 1:27). When Christ dwells within, He lives out His own perfect life through the life of the Christian (see on Rom. 8:3, 4; Gal. 2:20). The Christian’s mind is as the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5), and the love of Christ controls him. This is virtually the restoration of the image of God in them.

In Hebrews 1:3 Christ Himself is presented as the image of God— “the express image of His person” (NKJV). (Compare with John 14:9, 2 Cor. 4:4, Col. 1:15.) He desires to unite with us in order to restore God’s image in us. If we consent, Christ, who is the image of God, can be (will be) in us: “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27, NKJV). The ultimate experience of being restored in His image will occur at Jesus’ second coming (see 1 Cor. 15:49, 1 John 3:2). However, when Christ is in us, and we in Christ, the process of being restored in God’s image begins on this side of heaven. When that happens, we will long to bring those in our community to the One who can restore them as well.

Though the work begins now in us, to restore us, why must we always remember that restoration won’t be totally complete until the second coming of Jesus? A Possible Answer: We must always remember that because in remembering, we will be less likely to get discouraged if we do not experience it as quickly as we may desire. And on the other hand, we will not be inclined to make the following mistakes.... A) taking it for granted that we have already reached Christian perfection B) fully reflecting the image

of Christ in us and C) feeling secure in where we are now in our Christian walk with the Lord.

Thursday: June 30 The Restoring Role of the Church

As we have seen, our world, though created perfect, had fallen, with devastating results. But God had not abandoned us to what would have been our fate, eternal destruction (the fate that science says awaits us). Instead, even before the world began, the plan of salvation was formulated (see 1 Pet. 1:2), and at great personal cost to Himself, Jesus came to this world, suffered on the cross, and promises to return. And by the time everything is over and sin is destroyed, the world that had been lost will be fully restored.

What’s amazing, though, is that God calls us, His church, even now, to have a part to play working toward this restoration. Read in Mark 2:1–12 the story of how some friends persistently worked together to bring a paralytic to Jesus. 1. And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 4.  And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 5.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 6. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8. And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9. Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10.  But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11.  I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12. And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

How does this story illustrate the role of the church in healing and restoring people? A Possible Answer: This story illustrates the role of the church by pointing out that the needy person was healed because of both the faith and actions of others. The four individuals that brought him, uncovered the roof and demonstrated faith represents the church. The paralytic represents the community at large.

The house was crowded because Jesus was there. His love for people drew crowds. The four men made a very large hole in the roof in order to bring the spiritually, mentally, and physically sick man to Jesus. Then Jesus restored him by forgiving his sins, giving him peace of mind, and commanding him to get up and walk. Jesus demonstrated that no one is really healed unless he or she is wholistically restored. How did the apostle John describe the reason Christ appeared on this earth? What hope can we draw from these promises? Read John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

10. The thief. See on v. 1. The shepherd constantly goes in and out among his sheep. The thief visits the flock only on rare occasions and for purely selfish motives, and ruins the flock. I. Emphatic in the Greek in contrast with the thief. Life. zōē, here used in its theological sense, equivalent to eternal life. When Adam and Eve were created they possessed zōē , but lost it when they sinned. True, their physical life was extended, but they were no longer conditionally immortal (see on Gen. 2:17). Jesus came to restore the zōē that Adam had forfeited (see on John 8:51). More abundantly. “Life” includes the physical, intellectual, and spiritual. Physical life is regarded as abundant in a body that is full of vigor and in perfect health. Jesus’ miracles of physical healing gave an abundant physical life to those whose life forces were ebbing. But physical restoration was by no means the complete fulfillment of Jesus’ mission. Man also has intellectual and spiritual life, which must also be made alive and abundant, for “man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord” (Deut. 8:3). Important as the physical and the intellectual aspects of a well-rounded life are, no life is fully complete unless the spiritual nature is nurtured.

A Possible Answer: John explained that the reason why Jesus came was to provide us with eternal life which includes complete restoration of mankind, mentally, physically and Spiritually... and the that to the fullest capacity. The hope that we draw from them is that of our being able to experience the same abundant life in all aspects of our lives.

1 John 3:8. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

8. Committeth sin. See on v. 4. Of the devil. That is, he is a child of the devil and does the will of the devil (cf. John 8:44). From the beginning. This phrase may refer either to (1) the beginning of the devil’s opposition to God, that is, from the beginning of his sin, since when he has been continually sinning, or (2) the time when he beguiled Adam and Eve into sin, that is, from the beginning of human sin, since which time he has been constantly sinning and leading others into sin. See on ch. 1:1 For this purpose. The purpose is part of God’s “eternal purpose” (see on Eph. 3:11). Son of God. Although this is the first use of this title in the epistle, John has previously acknowledge Christ’s Sonship (chs. 1:3, 7; 2:22–24) and continues to do so (chs. 3:23; 4:9, 10, 14), and in chs. 4:15; 5:5, 10, 13, 20 makes many further references to the “Son of God.” For discussion on the divine Sonship of Christ see on Matt. 1:1; Luke 1:35; John 1:1, 14; see Additional Note on John 1. Manifested. Gr. phaneroō (see on v. 5). The reference here is clearly to the incarnation, and implies the pre-existence of Christ as the eternal Son of God (see on Micah 5:2; John 1:1–3; see Vol. V, p. 917). But John is not here concerned with establishing the nature of Christ: he is bent on explaining the purpose that led God’s Son to be “made flesh.” Destroy. Gr. luō, “to loose,” “to release,” “to dissolve,” hence, “to break up,” “to destroy.” Compare the use of luō in Matt. 5:19; John 2:19; 5:18; 7:23; etc. Works of the devil. These “works” include all the evil Satan has ever wrought in the world and in God’s creation, but the particular reference here may be to the sins that the devil has fostered in men’s lives. Christ came to release men from bondage to sin (see on Matt. 1:21), and thus to undo the work of the evil one.A Possible Answer: Here John further explains that Jesus express purpose included not only restoring abundant life in us but to also release us from the ravages of sin and destroy all the evil that Satan has ever wrought in the world and in God’s creation. This includes the sins that the devil has fostered in men’s lives. Christ came to release men from bondage to sin (see on Matt. 1:21), and thus to undo the work of the evil one. The hope that we draw from this verse is that in the end Jesus will finally free us from the penalty of sin (sickness and destruction and death), the power of sin (Carnality, the pull of sin, our weakness or inclination to sin) and the presence of sin (Sinners and Satan).

It has been said that John 10:10 is the Seventh-day Adventist message in a nutshell. It was clearly Christ’s mission statement. A major role for Christ’s body, His church, is to follow in His footsteps and undo the work of the devil by replacing death with abundant life (see Acts 10:38, 1 John 2:6) . The church is called to partner with Christ in moving people toward being restored in God’s image—physically, mentally, and spiritually.

DEFINITIONS9. paralytic—a person who is paralyzed. A paralyzed person is unable to move or feel all or part of his or her body.Who are people in need of your help right now, help that you are especially equipped to give? A Possible Answer: A neighbor, a family/church member... individuals across the country and around the world.

Friday: July 1 Further Thought:See other passages on restoring God’s image: Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:15, 3:9–

11, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 5:17. Read Ellen G. White, “The Creation,” “The Temptation and Fall,” and “The Plan of Redemption,” pp. 44–70, in Patriarchs and Prophets.

As a people, we have been called by God to work for others, for the good of others, to seek to point others to the promises of hope and restoration that we have been given in Jesus. There are different ways the Lord can work through us to do this. Some churches provide physical restoration to the people in their community with health programs and services. Also, the church’s system of hospitals and clinics works toward this same goal. Mental restoration and enrichment can take place through classes that equip community members to meet their life needs. Churches also may establish or improve local schools, teach job skills, provide literacy education, tutoring, mentoring,

and psychological counseling, and so on. As they continue their quest for restoration and an abundant life, many people in the community will realize that they need spiritual and moral restoration too, even though they didn’t originally think so. In fact, this is a key facet of restoration to God’s image (see Eph. 4:22–24). The church is uniquely positioned and equipped to meet these spiritual needs, better than any secular social or health organization.

Discussion Questions:

DEFINITIONS10. counseling—the advice and support given to deal with problems and to make decisions.1. Give examples of what your church is already doing toward the physical, mental, and spiritual restoration of the people in your community. What is your church doing in this area? Share with your class your ideas for expanding your church’s restorative ministries in your community. 2. How do we understand this idea of physical restoration? After all, no matter what we do to help others regain their health, unless the Lord comes back in their lifetime, most eventually will succumb to disease and the ravages of old age. Why is this more proof that full restoration can come only after Jesus returns? 3. Discuss the idea of what it means to start being restored into God’s image now. How does that work? How can we know whether we are making progress? Why must we have a clear picture of God in order for that restoration to happen? How can we learn not to give up in discouragement if we don’t see the progress that we think we ought to have?

Spirit of Prophecy Comments

Sunday - The Image of GodEllen G. White, Education, pp. 13-17.

Chapter 1 - Source and Aim of True Education

Our ideas of education take too narrow and too low a range. There is need of a broader scope, a higher aim. True education means more than the pursual of a certain course of study. It means more than a preparation for the life that now is. It has to do with the whole being, and with the whole period of existence possible to man. It is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It prepares the student for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come.

The source of such an education is brought to view in these words of Holy Writ, pointing to the Infinite One: In Him "are hid all the treasures of wisdom." Colossians 2:3. "He hath counsel and understanding." Job 12:13.

The world has had its great teachers, men of giant intellect and extensive research, men whose utterances have stimulated thought and opened to view vast fields of knowledge; and these men have been honored as guides and benefactors of their race; but there is One who stands higher than they. We can trace the line of the world's teachers as far back as human records extend; but the Light was before them. As the moon and the stars of our solar system shine by the reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world's great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gleam of thought, every flash of the intellect, is from the Light of the world.

In these days much is said concerning the nature and importance of "higher education." The true "higher education" is that imparted by Him with whom "is wisdom and strength" (Job 12:13), out of whose mouth "cometh knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6.

In a knowledge of God all true knowledge and real development have their source. Wherever we turn, in the physical, the mental, or the spiritual realm; in whatever we behold, apart from the blight of sin, this knowledge is revealed. Whatever line of investigation we pursue, with a sincere purpose to arrive at truth, we are brought in touch with the unseen, mighty Intelligence that is working in and through all. The mind of man is brought into communion with the mind of God, the finite with the Infinite. The effect of such communion on body and mind and soul is beyond estimate.

In this communion is found the highest education. It is God's own method of development. "Acquaint now thyself with Him" (Job 22:21), is His message to mankind. The method outlined in these words was the method followed in the education of the father of our race. When in the glory of sinless manhood Adam stood in holy Eden, it was thus that God instructed him.

In order to understand what is comprehended in the work of education, we need to consider both the nature of man and the purpose of God in creating him. We need to consider also the change in man's condition through the coming in of a knowledge of evil, and God's plan for still fulfilling His glorious purpose in the education of the human race.

When Adam came from the Creator's hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. "God created man in His own image" (Genesis 1:27), and it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he should reveal this image--the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator. All his faculties were capable of development; their capacity and vigor were continually to increase. Vast was the scope offered for their exercise, glorious the field opened to their research. The mysteries of the visible universe--the "wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge" (Job 37:16)--invited man's study. Face-to-face, heart-to-heart communion with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained loyal to God, all this would have been his forever. Throughout eternal ages he would have continued to gain new treasures of knowledge, to discover fresh springs of happiness, and to obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the wisdom, the power, and the love of God. More and more fully would he have fulfilled the object of his creation, more and more fully have reflected the Creator's glory.

But by disobedience this was forfeited. Through sin the divine likeness was marred, and well-nigh obliterated. Man's physical powers were weakened, his mental capacity was lessened, his spiritual vision dimmed. He had become subject to death. Yet the race was not left without hope. By infinite love and mercy the plan of salvation had been devised, and a life of probation was granted. To restore in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the perfection in which he was created, to promote the development of body, mind, and soul, that the divine purpose in his creation might be realized--this was to be the work of redemption. This is the object of education, the great object of life.

Love, the basis of creation and of redemption, is the basis of true education. This is made plain in the law that God has given as the guide of life. The first and great commandment is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind." Luke 10:27. To love Him, the infinite, the omniscient One, with the whole strength, and mind, and heart, means the highest development of every power. It means that in the whole being-- the body, the mind, as well as the soul--the image of God is to be restored.

Like the first is the second commandment--"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Matthew 22:39. The law of love calls for the devotion of body, mind, and soul to the service of God and our fellow men. And this service, while making us a blessing to others, brings the greatest blessing to ourselves. Unselfishness underlies all true development. Through unselfish service we receive the highest culture of every faculty. More and more fully do we become partakers of the divine nature. We are fitted for heaven, for we receive heaven into our hearts.

Since God is the source of all true knowledge, it is, as we have seen, the first object of education to direct our minds to His own revelation of Himself. Adam and Eve received knowledge through direct communion with God; and they learned of Him through His works. All created things, in their original perfection, were an expression of the thought of God. To Adam and Eve nature was teeming with divine wisdom. But by transgression man was cut off from learning of God through direct communion and, to a great degree, through His works. The earth, marred and defiled by sin, reflects but dimly the Creator's glory. It is true that His object lessons are not obliterated. Upon every page of the great volume of His created works may still be traced His handwriting. Nature still speaks of her Creator. Yet these revelations are partial and imperfect. And in our fallen state, with weakened powers and restricted vision, we are incapable of interpreting aright. We need the fuller revelation of Himself that God has given in His written word.

The Holy Scriptures are the perfect standard of truth, and as such should be given the highest place in education. To obtain an education worthy of the name, we must receive a knowledge of God, the Creator, and of Christ, the Redeemer, as they are revealed in the sacred word.

Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 44-48.Chapter 2 - The Creation

"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." "For He spake, and it was;" "He commanded, and it stood fast." Psalm 33:6,9. He "laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever." Psalm 104:5.

As the earth came forth from the hand of its Maker, it was exceedingly beautiful. Its surface was diversified with mountains, hills, and plains, interspersed with noble rivers and lovely lakes; but the hills and mountains were not abrupt and rugged, abounding in terrific steeps and frightful chasms, as they now do; the sharp, ragged edges of earth's rocky framework were buried beneath the fruitful soil, which everywhere produced a luxuriant growth of verdure. There were no loathsome swamps or barren deserts. Graceful shrubs and delicate flowers greeted the eye at every turn. The heights were crowned with trees more majestic than any that now exist. The air, untainted by foul miasma, was clear and healthful. The entire landscape outvied in beauty the decorated grounds of the proudest palace. The angelic host viewed the scene with delight, and rejoiced at the wonderful works of God.

After the earth with its teeming animal and vegetable life had been called into existence, man, the crowning work of the Creator, and the one for whom the beautiful earth had been fitted up, was brought upon the stage of action. To him was given dominion over all that his eye could behold; for "God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over . . . all

the earth. . . . So God created man in His own image; . . . male and female created He them." Here is clearly set forth the origin of the human race; and the divine record is so plainly stated that there is no occasion for erroneous conclusions. God created man in His own image. Here is no mystery. There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or vegetable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the level of man's narrow, earthly conceptions. Men are so intent upon excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe that they degrade man and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. He who set the starry worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field, who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power, when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs, mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator. Though formed from the dust, Adam was "the son of God."

He was placed, as God's representative, over the lower orders of being. They cannot understand or acknowledge the sovereignty of God, yet they were made capable of loving and serving man. The psalmist says, "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: . . . the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, . . . and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas." Psalm 8:6-8.

Man was to bear God's image, both in outward resemblance and in character. Christ alone is "the express image" (Hebrews 1:3) of the Father; but man was formed in the likeness of God. His nature was in harmony with the will of God. His mind was capable of comprehending divine things. His affections were pure; his appetites and passions were under the control of reason. He was holy and happy in bearing the image of God and in perfect obedience to His will.

As man came forth from the hand of his Creator, he was of lofty stature and perfect symmetry. His countenance bore the ruddy tint of health and glowed with the light of life and joy. Adam's height was much greater than that of men who now inhabit the earth. Eve was somewhat less in stature; yet her form was noble, and full of beauty. The sinless pair wore no artificial garments; they were clothed with a covering of light and glory, such as the angels wear. So long as they lived in obedience to God, this robe of light continued to enshroud them.

After the creation of Adam every living creature was brought before him to receive its name; he saw that to each had been given a companion, but among them "there was not found an help meet for him." Among all the creatures that God had made on the earth, there was not one equal to man. And God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." Man was not made to dwell in solitude; he was to be a social being. Without companionship the beautiful scenes and delightful employments of Eden would have failed to yield perfect happiness. Even communion with angels could not have satisfied his desire for sympathy and companionship. There was none of the same nature to love and to be loved.

God Himself gave Adam a companion. He provided "an help meet for him"--a helper corresponding to him-one who was fitted to be his companion, and who could be one with him in love and sympathy. Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him. A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self, showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation. "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it." Ephesians 5:29. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one."

God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for its originator the Creator of the universe. "Marriage is honorable" (Hebrews 13:4); it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that, after the Fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise. When the divine principles are recognized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is a blessing; it guards the purity and happiness of the race, it provides for man's social needs, it elevates the physical, the intellectual, and the moral nature.

"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed." Everything that God had made was the perfection of beauty, and nothing seemed wanting that could contribute to the happiness of the holy pair; yet the Creator gave them still another token of His love, by preparing a garden especially for their home. In this garden were trees of every variety, many of them laden with fragrant and delicious fruit. There were lovely vines, growing upright, yet presenting a most graceful appearance, with their branches drooping under their load of tempting fruit of the richest and most varied hues. It was the work of Adam and Eve to train the branches of the vine to form bowers, thus making for themselves a dwelling from living trees covered with foliage and fruit. There were fragrant flowers of every hue in rich profusion. In the midst of the garden stood the tree of life, surpassing in glory all other trees. Its fruit appeared like apples of gold and silver, and had the power to perpetuate life.

The creation was now complete. "The heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them." "And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good." Eden bloomed on earth. Adam and Eve had free access to the tree of life. No taint of sin or shadow of death marred the fair creation. "The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Job 38:7.

The great Jehovah had laid the foundations of the earth; He had dressed the whole world in the garb of beauty and had filled it with things useful to man; He had created all the wonders of the land and of the sea. In six days the great work of creation had been accomplished. And God "rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made." God looked with satisfaction upon the work of His hands. All was perfect, worthy of its divine Author, and He rested, not as one weary, but as well pleased with the fruits of His wisdom and goodness and the manifestations of His glory.

After resting upon the seventh day, God sanctified it, or set it apart, as a day of rest for man. Following the example of the Creator, man was to rest upon this sacred day, that as he should look upon the heavens and the earth, he might reflect upon God's great work of creation; and that as he should behold the evidences of God's wisdom and goodness, his heart might be filled with love and reverence for his Maker.

In Eden, God set up the memorial of His work of creation, in placing His blessing upon the seventh day. The Sabbath was committed to Adam, the father and representative of the whole human family. Its observance was to be an act of grateful acknowledgment, on the part of all who should dwell upon the earth, that God was their Creator and their rightful Sovereign; that they were the work of His hands and the subjects of His authority. Thus the institution was wholly commemorative, and given to all mankind. There was nothing in it shadowy or of restricted application to any people.

Monday – The Fall and Its AftermathEllen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 56-60.

Adam understood that his companion had transgressed the command of God, disregarded the only prohibition laid upon them as a test of their fidelity and love. There was a terrible struggle in his mind. He mourned that he had permitted Eve to wander from his side. But now the deed was done; he must be separated from her whose society had been his joy. How could he have it thus? Adam had enjoyed the companionship of God and of holy angels. He had looked upon the glory of the Creator. He understood the high destiny opened to the human race should they remain faithful to God. Yet all these blessings were lost sight of in the fear of losing that one gift which in his eyes outvalued every other. Love, gratitude, loyalty to the Creator--all were overborne by love to Eve. She was a part of himself, and he could not endure the thought of separation. He did not realize that the same Infinite Power who had from the dust of the earth created him, a living, beautiful form, and had in love given him a companion, could supply her place. He resolved to share her fate; if she must die, he would die with her. After all, he reasoned, might not the words of the wise serpent be true? Eve was before him, as beautiful and apparently as innocent as before this act of disobedience. She expressed greater love for him than before. No sign of death appeared in her, and he decided to brave the consequences. He seized the fruit and quickly ate.

After his transgression Adam at first imagined himself entering upon a higher state of existence. But soon the thought of his sin filled him with terror. The air, which had hitherto been of a mild and uniform temperature, seemed to chill the guilty pair. The love and peace which had been theirs was gone, and in its place they felt a sense of sin, a dread of the future, a nakedness of soul. The robe of light which had enshrouded them, now disappeared, and to supply its place they endeavored to fashion for themselves a covering; for they could not, while unclothed, meet the eye of God and holy angels.

They now began to see the true character of their sin. Adam reproached his companion for her folly in leaving his side and permitting herself to be deceived by the serpent; but they both flattered themselves that He who had given them so many evidences of His love, would pardon this one transgression, or that they would not be subjected to so dire a punishment as they had feared.

Satan exulted in his success. He had tempted the woman to distrust God's love, to doubt His wisdom, and to transgress His law, and through her he had caused the overthrow of Adam.

But the great Lawgiver was about to make known to Adam and Eve the consequences of their transgression. The divine presence was manifested in the garden. In their innocence and holiness they had joyfully welcomed the approach of their Creator; but now they fled in terror, and sought to hide in the deepest recesses of the garden. But "the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And He said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?"

Adam could neither deny nor excuse his sin; but instead of manifesting penitence, he endeavored to cast the blame upon his wife, and thus upon God Himself: "The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." He who, from love to Eve, had deliberately chosen to forfeit the approval of God, his home in Paradise, and an eternal life of joy, could now, after his fall, endeavor to make his companion, and even the Creator Himself, responsible for the transgression. So terrible is the power of sin.

When the woman was asked, "What is this that thou hast done?" she answered, "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat." "Why didst Thou create the serpent? Why didst Thou suffer him to enter Eden?"--these were the questions implied in her excuse for her sin. Thus, like Adam, she charged God with the responsibility of their fall. The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies; it was

indulged by our first parents as soon as they yielded to the influence of Satan, and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Instead of humbly confessing their sins, they try to shield themselves by casting the blame upon others, upon circumstances, or upon God--making even His blessings an occasion of murmuring against Him.

The Lord then passed sentence upon the serpent: "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life." Since it had been employed as Satan's medium, the serpent was to share the visitation of divine judgment. From the most beautiful and admired of the creatures of the field, it was to become the most groveling and detested of them all, feared and hated by both man and beast. The words next addressed to the serpent applied directly to Satan himself, pointing forward to his ultimate defeat and destruction: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

Eve was told of the sorrow and pain that must henceforth be her portion. And the Lord said, "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." In the creation God had made her the equal of Adam. Had they remained obedient to God--in harmony with His great law of love--they would ever have been in harmony with each other; but sin had brought discord, and now their union could be maintained and harmony preserved only by submission on the part of the one or the other. Eve had been the first in transgression; and she had fallen into temptation by separating from her companion, contrary to the divine direction. It was by her solicitation that Adam sinned, and she was now placed in subjection to her husband. Had the principles joined in the law of God been cherished by the fallen race, this sentence, though growing out of the results of sin, would have proved a blessing to them; but man's abuse of the supremacy thus given him has too often rendered the lot of woman very bitter and made her life a burden.

Eve had been perfectly happy by her husband's side in her Eden home; but, like restless modern Eves, she was flattered with the hope of entering a higher sphere than that which God had assigned her. In attempting to rise above her original position, she fell far below it. A similar result will be reached by all who are unwilling to take up cheerfully their life duties in accordance with God's plan. In their efforts to reach positions for which He has not fitted them, many are leaving vacant the place where they might be a blessing. In their desire for a higher sphere, many have sacrificed true womanly dignity and nobility of character, and have left undone the very work that Heaven appointed them.

To Adam the Lord declared: "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

It was not the will of God that the sinless pair should know aught of evil. He had freely given them the good, and had withheld the evil. But, contrary to His command, they had eaten of the forbidden tree, and now they would continue to eat of it--they would have the knowledge of evil--all the days of their life. From that time the race would be afflicted by Satan's temptations. Instead of the happy labor heretofore appointed them, anxiety and toil were to be their lot. They would be subject to disappointment, grief, and pain, and finally to death.

Under the curse of sin all nature was to witness to man of the character and results of rebellion against God. When God made man He made him rule over the earth and all living creatures. So long as Adam remained loyal to Heaven, all nature was in subjection to him. But when he rebelled against the divine law, the inferior creatures were in rebellion against his rule. Thus the Lord, in His great mercy, would show men the sacredness of His law, and lead them, by their own experience, to see the danger of setting it aside, even in the slightest degree.

And the life of toil and care which was henceforth to be man's lot was appointed in love. It was a discipline rendered needful by his sin, to place a check upon the indulgence of appetite and passion, to develop habits of self-control. It was a part of God's great plan of man's recovery from the ruin and degradation of sin.

The warning given to our first parents--"In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:17)--did not imply that they were to die on the very day when they partook of the forbidden fruit. But on the day the irrevocable sentence would be pronounced. Immortality was promised them on condition of obedience; by transgression they would forfeit eternal life. That very day would be doomed to death.

Wednesday – Restoration in Jesus

Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 592 – 599.Chapter 58 - The Schools of the Prophets

The Lord Himself directed the education of Israel. His care was not restricted to their religious interests; whatever affected their mental or physical well-being was also the subject of divine providence, and came within the sphere of divine law.

God had commanded the Hebrews to teach their children His requirements and to make them acquainted with all His dealings with their fathers. This was one of the special duties of every parent--one that was not to be delegated to another. In the place of stranger lips the loving hearts of the father and mother were to give instruction to their children. Thoughts of God were to be associated with all the events of daily life. The mighty works of God in the deliverance of His people and the promises of the Redeemer to come were to be often recounted in the homes of Israel; and the use of figures and symbols caused the lessons given to be more firmly fixed in the memory. The great truths of God's providence and of the future life were impressed on the young mind. It was trained to see God alike in the scenes of nature and the words of revelation. The stars of heaven, the trees and flowers of the field, the lofty mountains, the rippling brooks--all spoke of the Creator. The solemn service of sacrifice and worship at the sanctuary and the utterances of the prophets were a revelation of God.

Such was the training of Moses in the lowly cabin home in Goshen; of Samuel, by the faithful Hannah; of David, in the hill dwelling at Bethlehem; of Daniel, before the scenes of the captivity separated him from the home of his fathers. Such, too, was the early life of Christ at Nazareth; such the training by which the child Timothy learned from the lips of his grandmother Lois, and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15), the truths of Holy Writ.

Further provision was made for the instruction of the young, by the establishment of the schools of the prophets. If a youth desired to search deeper into the truths of the word of God and to seek wisdom from above, that he might become a teacher in Israel, these schools were open to him. The schools of the prophets were founded by Samuel to serve as a barrier against the widespread corruption, to provide for the moral and spiritual welfare of the youth, and to promote the future prosperity of the nation by furnishing it with men qualified to act in the fear of God as leaders and counselors. In the accomplishment of this object Samuel gathered companies of young men who were pious, intelligent, and studious. These were called the sons of the prophets. As they communed with God and studied His word and His works, wisdom from above was added to their natural endowments. The instructors were men not only well versed in divine truth, but those who had themselves enjoyed communion with God and had received the special endowment of His Spirit. They enjoyed the respect and confidence of the people, both for learning and piety.

In Samuel's day there were two of these schools--one at Ramah, the home of the prophet, and the other at Kirjath-jearim, where the ark then was. Others were established in later times.

The pupils of these schools sustained themselves by their own labor in tilling the soil or in some mechanical employment. In Israel this was not thought strange or degrading; indeed, it was regarded a crime to allow children to grow up in ignorance of useful labor. By the command of God every child was taught some trade, even though he was to be educated for holy office. Many of the religious teachers supported themselves by manual labor. Even so late as the time of the apostles, Paul and Aquila were no less honored because they earned a livelihood by their trade of tent making.

The chief subjects of study in these schools were the law of God, with the instructions given to Moses, sacred history, sacred music, and poetry. The manner of instruction was far different from that in the theological schools of the present day, from which many students graduate with less real knowledge of God and religious truth than when they entered. In those schools of the olden time it was the grand object of all study to learn the will of God and man's duty toward Him. In the records of sacred history were traced the footsteps of Jehovah. The great truths set forth by the types were brought to view, and faith grasped the central object of all that system--the Lamb of God that was to take away the sin of the world.

A spirit of devotion was cherished. Not only were students taught the duty of prayer, but they were taught how to pray, how to approach their Creator, how to exercise faith in Him, and how to understand and obey the teachings of His Spirit. Sanctified intellects brought forth from the treasure house of God things new and old, and the Spirit of God was manifested in prophecy and sacred song.

Music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God. What a contrast between the ancient custom and the uses to which music is now too often devoted! How many employ this gift to exalt self, instead of using it to Glorify God! A love for music leads the unwary to unite with world lovers in pleasure gatherings where God has forbidden His children to go. Thus that which is a great blessing when rightly used, becomes one of the most successful agencies by which Satan allures the mind from duty and from the contemplation of eternal things.

Music forms a part of God's worship in the courts above, and we should endeavor, in our songs of praise, to approach as nearly as possible to the harmony of the heavenly choirs. The proper training of the voice is an important feature in education and should not be neglected. Singing, as a part of religious service, is as much an act of worship as is prayer. The heart must feel the spirit of the song to give it right expression.

How wide the difference between those schools taught by the prophets of God and our modern institutions of learning! How few schools are to be found that are not governed by the maxims and customs of the world! There is a deplorable lack of proper restraint and judicious discipline. The existing ignorance of God's word among a people professedly Christian is alarming. Superficial talk, mere sentimentalism, passes for instruction in morals and religion. The justice and mercy of God, the beauty of holiness and the sure

reward of rightdoing, the heinous character of sin and the certainty of its terrible results, are not impressed upon the minds of the young. Evil associates are instructing the youth in the ways of crime, dissipation, and licentiousness.

Are there not some lessons which the educators of our day might learn with profit from the ancient schools of the Hebrews? He who created man has provided for his development in body and mind and soul. Hence, real success in education depends upon the fidelity with which men carry out the Creator's plan.

The true object of education is to restore the image of God in the soul. In the beginning God created man in His own likeness. He endowed him with noble qualities. His mind was well balanced, and all the powers of his being were harmonious. But the Fall and its effects have perverted these gifts. Sin has marred and well-nigh obliterated the image of God in man. It was to restore this that the plan of salvation was devised, and a life of probation was granted to man. To bring him back to the perfection in which he was first created is the great object of life--the object that underlies every other. It is the work of parents and teachers, in the education of the youth, to co-operate with the divine purpose; and is so doing they are "laborers together with God." 1 Corinthians 3:9.

All the varied capabilities that men possess--of mind and soul and body--are given them by God, to be so employed as to reach the highest possible degree of excellence. But this cannot be a selfish and exclusive culture; for the character of God, whose likeness we are to receive, is benevolence and love. Every faculty, every attribute, with which the Creator has endowed us is to be employed for His glory and for the uplifting of our fellow men. And in this employment is found its purest, noblest, and happiest exercise.

Were this principle given the attention which its importance demands, there would be a radical change in some of the current methods of education. Instead of appealing to pride and selfish ambition, kindling a spirit of emulation, teachers would endeavor to awaken the love for goodness and truth and beauty--to arouse the desire for excellence. The student would seek the development of God's gifts in himself, not to excel others, but to fulfill the purpose of the Creator and to receive His likeness. Instead of being directed to mere earthly standards, or being actuated by the desire for self-exaltation, which in itself dwarfs and belittles, the mind would be directed to the Creator, to know Him and to become like Him.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding." Proverbs 9:10. The great work of life is character building, and a knowledge of God is the foundation of all true education. To impart this knowledge and to mold the character in harmony with it should be the object of the teacher's work. The law of God is a reflection of His character. Hence the psalmist says, "All Thy commandments are righteousness;" and "through Thy precepts I get understanding." Psalm 119:172, 104. God has revealed Himself to us in His word and in the works of creation. Through the volume of inspiration and the book of nature we are to obtain a knowledge of God.

It is a law of the mind that it gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is trained to dwell. If occupied with commonplace matters only, it will become dwarfed and enfeebled. If never required to grapple with difficult problems, it will after a time almost lose the power of growth. As an educating power the Bible is without a rival. In the word of God the mind finds subject for the deepest thought, the loftiest aspiration. The Bible is the most instructive history that men possess. It came fresh from the fountain of eternal truth, and a divine hand has preserved its purity through all the ages. It lights up the far-distant past, where human research seeks vainly to penetrate. In God's word we behold the power that laid the foundation of the earth and that stretched out the heavens. Here only can we find a history of our race unsullied by human prejudice or human pride. Here are recorded the struggles, the defeats, and the victories of the greatest men this world has ever known. Here the great problems of duty and destiny are unfolded. The curtain that separates the visible from the invisible world is lifted, and we behold the conflict of the opposing forces of good and evil, from the first entrance of sin to the final triumph of righteousness and truth; and all is but a revelation of the character of God. In the reverent contemplation of the truths presented in His word the mind of the student is brought into communion with the infinite mind. Such a study will not only refine and ennoble the character, but it cannot fail to expand and invigorate the mental powers.

Friday: Further ThoughtEllen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets , pp. 44-70 .