Transcription
PatriarchsandProphetsbyE.G. WhiteThe complete bookplus 28 Brief Bible studies,3 chronology charts, 7 maps,list of 130 family Bible stories,and a 3,000-year time lineHarvestime Books
HB–111Patriarchs and Prophetsby E.G. WhitePublished by Harvestime BooksAltamont, TN 37301 USAPrinted in the United States of AmericaCover and Text Copyright 1999About the cover: With the death of the firstborn the climactic tenth plague had fallen on the land of Egypt,—and theIsraelites had at last been permitted to leave. Journeyingapproximately 100 miles from their home in Goshen, theyhad been led by God to the shores of the Red Sea. Crossingthat body of water was impossible. Yet to the south of themwas a large mountainous ridge which also barred their way.And now as evening fell, the Egyptian army had arrivedbehind them—blocking the northern and eastern plains.Following the leading of God, the Israelites had gone asfar as they could. Now the Majesty of heaven stepped in andtook charge of the situation. The sea was hurled to the northand south, opening a path through the sea. Lit by the pillar offire, over a million Israelites crossed that night.As shown in our specially commissioned cover painting,the next morning, as the Egyptians followed after them,—thewalls came tumbling in!This book: This edition includes the complete original book. Nothing the author wrote has been omitted or changed.Explanation of bracketed numbers on page tops: These referto comparable, standardized paging in the original, cloth-cover edition.Additional copies: For additional copies of this book at remarkably low prices in boxful quantities, write to Harvestime Books,Altamont, TN 37301. When you write, ask for a copy of our “Missionary Book Order Sheet,” containing low-cost boxful prices of thisand other books—such as Great Controversy, Ministry of Healing,Christ’s Object Lessons, Bible Readings, etc.
3ContentsPATRIARCHS AND PROPHETSSPECIAL HELPSThe Family of Abraham 13Creation to Exodus: A.M. 14Creation to Exodus: B.C. 15Map 1 - From Exodus to Entrance 16Map 2 - Ten Tribes in Palestine 17Map 3 - Palestine: North 18Map 4 - Palestine: North Central 19Map 5 - Palestine: Central 20Map 6 - Palestine: South Central 21Map 7 - Palestine: South 22Index to the Five Palestine Maps 23Bible Stories for the Family 25– SECTION ONE –IN THE BEGINNING1Why Was Sin Permitted? 292The Creation 41Ezekiel 28:12-15; Isaiah 14:13-14Bible Study: The Importance of Bible Study—1 40Genesis 1-2; Psalm 33:6-9Bible Study: The Importance of Bible Study—2 49
3456789The Temptation and Fall 50Genesis 3:1-14Bible Study: The Importance of Bible Study—3 62The Plan of Redemption 63Genesis 3:15; Revelation 13:8Bible Study: The Importance of Bible Study—4 71Cain and Abel Tested 72Genesis 4:1-15Bible Study: The Importance of Bible Study—5 79The Power in the Word—1 79Seth and Enoch 80Genesis 4:25-6:2Bible Study: The Power in the Word—2 90The Flood 91Genesis 6:1-7:24Bible Study: The Power in the Word—3 105After the Flood 106Genesis 7:20-9-17Bible Study: The Power in the Word—4 112What God’s Word Can Do in Your Life—1 112The Literal Week 113Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11Bible Study: What God’s Word Can Do in Your Life—2 11910 The Tower of Babel 120Genesis 9:25-27; 11:1-9Bible Study: What God’s Word Can Do in Your Life—3 126– SECTION TWO –THE PATRIARCHS11 The Call of Abraham 127Genesis 12:1-20Bible Study: The Bible Tells us about Christ 13412 Abraham in Canaan 135Genesis 13:1-15:21; 17:1-16; 18:1-33Bible Study: Prophecies about Christ 14913 The Test of Faith 150Genesis 16:1-16; 17:18-20; 21:1-4; 22:1-19Bible Study: God is Our Creator 160
14 The Destruction of Sodom 161Genesis Genesis 19:1-38Bible Study: Let Us Worship Our Creator—1 17515 The Marriage of Isaac 176Genesis 24:1-67Bible Study: Let Us Worship Our Creator—2 18216 Jacob and Esau 183Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-46Bible Study: God’s Answer to the Problem of Sin—1 18917 Jacob’s Flight and Exile 190Genesis 28:1-31:55Bible Study: God’s Answer to the Problem of Sin—2 20018 The Night of Wrestling 201Genesis 32:1-33:20Bible Study: God’s Answer to the Problem of Sin—3 20819 The Return to Canaan 209Genesis 34:1-35:29; 37:1-36Bible Study: When Sin Finally Ends 21820 Joseph in Egypt 219Genesis 39:1-41:57Bible Study: Christ is Our Creator and Redeemer—1 22821 Joseph and His Brothers 229Genesis 41:54-56; 42:1-50:26– SECTION THREE –THE EXODUS22 Moses 248Exodus 1:1-4:31Bible Study: Christ is Our Creator and Redeemer—2 26223 The Plagues of Egypt 263Exodus 5:1-10:29Bible Study: Christ is Our Creator and Redeemer—3 27824 The Passover 279Exodus 11:1-12:32Bible Study: Christ is Our Creator and Redeemer—4 285God Gave Us a Memorial of Creation—1 285
25 The Exodus 286Exodus 12:34-15:27Bible Study: God Gave Us a Memorial of Creation—2 295How Good is the Lord—1 29526 From the Red Sea to Sinai 296Exodus 15:22-18:27Bible Study: How Good is the Lord—2 30827 The Law Given to Israel 309Exodus 19:1-24:1828 Idolatry at Sinai 323Exodus 32:1-34:35Bible Study: What God’s Love Can Do for Us—1 33829 Satan’s Enmity against the Law 339Exodus 20:1-17; 32:1-35Bible Study: What God’s Love Can Do for Us—2 35230 The Tabernacle and Its Services 353Exodus 25:1-40:38; Leviticus 4:16Bible Study: What God’s Love Can Do for Us—3 36831 The Sin of Nadab and Abihu 369Leviticus 10:1-11Bible Study: What God’s Love Can Do for Us—4 37332 The Law and the Covenants 374Genesis 17:1; 26:5; 17:7Bible Study: What God’s Love Can Do for Us—5 386Christ is Fully Divine—1 38633 From Sinai to Kadesh 387Numbers 11:1-12:16– SECTION FOUR –THE FORTY YEARS34 The Twelve Spies 401Numbers 13:1-14:45Bible Study: Christ is Fully Divine—2 410Salvation Only through Christ—1 41035 The Rebellion of Korah 411Numbers 16:1-17:13Bible Study: Salvation Only through Christ—2 423
36 In the Wilderness 424Deteronomy 2:14-15; 8:5,15-16; 32:10; Numbers 15:35;20:1Bible Study: Salvation Only through Christ—3 42937 The Smitten Rock 430Numbers 20:1-1338 The Journey around Edom 440Numbers 20:14-29; 21:1-9Bible Study: Salvation Only through Christ—4 45239 The Conquest of Bashan 453Deuteronomy 2:1-3:11Bible Study: Salvation Only through Christ—5 45840 Balaam 459Numbers 22:1-2Bible Study: The Christian’s Hope—1 47341 Apostasy at the Jordan 474Numbers 25:1-18Bible Study: The Christian’s Hope—2 48342 The Law Repeated 484Deuteronomy 4:1-6:25; 28:1-68Bible Study: The Christian’s Hope—3 49143 The Death of Moses 492Deuteronomy 31:1-34:12Bible Study: Genuine Repentance—1 502– SECTION FIVE –THE ENTRANCE44 Crossing the Jordan 503Joshua 1:1-5:12Bible Study: Genuine Repentance—2 509Confession of Sin—1 50945 The Fall of Jericho 510Joshua 5:13-7:26Bible Study: Confession of Sin—2 521True Conversion—1 52146 The Blessings and the Curses 522Joshua 8:1-35
Bible Study: True Conversion—2 52647 League With the Gibeonites 527Joshua 9:1-10:39Bible Study: True Conversion—3 53248 The Division of Canaan 533Joshua 10:40-11:23; 14:1-22:34Bible Study: True Conversion—4 54549 The Last Words of Joshua 546Joshua 23:1-24:33Bible Study: The New Birth—1 55050 Tithes and Offerings 551Genesis 28:22; Leviticus 27:30-32Bible Study: The New Birth—2 55651 God’s Care for the Poor 557Numbers 18:21; Deuteronomy 14:23-29; 16:11-14Bible Study: The New Birth—3 56452 The Annual Feasts 565Leviticus 23:1-44Bible Study: Believer’s Baptism—1 572– SECTION SIX –THE JUDGES53 The Earlier Judges 573Judges 6:1-8:35; 10:1-18Bible Study: Believer’s Baptism—2 58954 Samson 590Judges 13:1-16:31Bible Study: Reconciliation with God—1 59955 The Child Samuel 6001 Samuel 1:1-2:11Bible Study: Reconciliation with God—2 60656 Eli and His Sons 6071 Samuel 2:12-36Bible Study: God is Willing to Forgive—1 61357 The Ark Taken by the Philistines 6141 Samuel 3:1-7:17
58 The Schools of the Prophets 6262 Kings 2:3-5, 7, 15; 4:38; 5:22; 6:1Bible Study: God is Willing to Forgive—2 635– SECTION SEVEN –THE KINGS59 The First King of Israel 6361 Samuel 8:1-12:25Bible Study: God is Willing to Forgive—3 65060 The Presumption of Saul 6511 Samuel 13:1-14:52Bible Study: God is Willing to Forgive—4 660Acceptance with God—1 66061 Saul Rejected 6611 Samuel 15:3562 The Anointing of David 6721 Samuel 16:1-13Bible Study: Acceptance with God—2 67663 David and Goliath 6771 Samuel 16:14-23; 17:1-58Bible Study: Acceptance with God—3 68364 David, a Fugitive 6841 Samuel 18:1-22:19Bible Study: Justification by Faith—1 69665 The Magnanimity of David 6971 Samuel 22:20-23; 23:1-27:12Bible Study: Justification by Faith—2 711Many Will Refuse His Gracious Call—1 71166 The Death of Saul 7121 Samuel 28:1-25; 31:1-13Bible Study: Many Will Refuse His Gracious Call—2 71867 Ancient and Modern Sorcery 7191 Chronicles 10:13-14; Isaiah 8:19-20Bible Study: A Full Consecration—1 72668 David at Ziklag 7271 Samuel 29:1-30:31; 2 Samuel 1:27Bible Study: A Full Consecration—2 734
1069 David Called to the Throne 7352 Samuel 2:1-5:5Bible Study: A Full Consecration—3 741Who is Elected to Be Saved?—1 74170 The Reign of David7422 Samuel 5:6-7:29; 9:1-10:19Bible Study: Who is Elected to Be Saved?—2 75571 David’s Sin and Repentance 7562 Samuel 11:1-12:31Bible Study: Who is Elected to Be Saved?—3 767Bible Study: Bible Sanctification 76772 The Rebellion of Absalom 7682 Samuel 13:1-19:4373 The Last Years of David 7872 Samuel 24:1-25; 1 Kings 1:1-53;1 Chronicles 21:1-30; 28:1-29:30AppendixHistorical Time Linefrom the Creationto the Death of David(4004 - 965 B.C.) 798“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingledwith fire: and them that had gotten the victoryover the beast, and over his image, and overhis mark, and over the number of his name,stand on the sea of glass, having the harps ofGod. And they sing the song of Moses theservant of God, and the song of the Lamb.”—Revelation 15:2-3
11SAMPLES OF WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN THIS BOOKABRAHAM WAS A CHRISTIAN FATHER—“Abraham’saffection for his children and his household led him to guardtheir religious faith, to impart to them a knowledge of thedivine statutes, as the most precious legacy he could transmit to them, and through them to the world. All were taughtthat they were under the rule of the God of heaven.”—Page146.THE CHRISTIAN HOME—“From every Christian homea holy light should shine forth. Love should be revealed inaction. It should flow out . . showing itself in thoughtful kindness, in gentle, unselfish courtesy. There are homes wherethis principle is carried out—homes where God is worshipedand truest love reigns. From these homes morning andevening prayer ascends to God as sweet incense, and Hismercies and blessings descend upon the suppliants like themorning dew.”—Page 148.THE MOTHER OF MOSES—“How far-reaching in itsresults was the influence of that one Hebrew woman, andshe an exile and a slave! The whole future life of Moses, thegreat mission which he fulfilled as the leader of Israel, testifies to the importance of the work of the Christian mother.There is no other work that can equal this. To a very greatextent the mother holds in her own hands the destiny of herchildren. She is dealing with developing minds and characters, working not alone for time, but for eternity. She is sowing seed that will spring up and bear fruit, either for good orfor evil. She has not to paint a form of beauty upon canvasor to chisel it from marble, but to impress upon a humansoul the image of the divine. Especially during their earlyyears the responsibility rests upon her of forming the character of her children. The impressions now made upon theirdeveloping minds will remain with them all through life.Parents should direct the instruction and training of their children while very young, to the end that they may be Christians. They are placed in our care to be trained, not as heirs
12to the throne of an earthly empire, but as kings unto God, toreign through the unending ages.”—Pages 251-252.BEFORE CROSSING THE RED SEA—“The great lesson here taught is for all time. Often the Christian life isbeset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or deathbehind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, ‘Go forward.’We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannotpenetrate the darkness and we feel the cold waves about ourfeet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit . . The path whereGod leads the way may lie through the desert or the sea, butit is a safe path.”—Pages 294-295.THE FALL OF JERICHO—“God will do great thingsfor those who trust in Him. The reason why His professedpeople have no greater strength is that they trust so much totheir own wisdom, and do not give the Lord an opportunityto reveal His power in their behalf. He will help His believing children in every emergency if they will place their entireconfidence in Him and faithfully obey Him.”—Page 515.HANNAH’S CARE FOR SAMUEL—“From the earliest dawn of intellect she had taught her son to love and reverence God and to regard himself as the Lord’s. By everyfamiliar object surrounding him she had sought to lead histhoughts up to the Creator. When separated from her child,the faithful mother’s solicitude did not cease. Every day hewas the subject of her prayers . . She did not ask for her sonworldly greatness, but she earnestly pleaded that he mightattain that greatness which Heaven values—that he mighthonor God and bless his fellow men.”—Pages 603-604.THE CHRISTIAN MOTHER—“Let every mother gooften to her Saviour with the prayer, ‘Teach us, how shall weorder the child, and what shall we do unto him?’ Let herheed the instruction which God has given in His Word, andwisdom will be given her as she shall have need.”—Page604.
25STUDY HELPS: BIBLE STORIES FOR THE FAMILYHow Sin Began in Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-40The Creation of Our World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41-49The Fall of Adam and Eve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50-62God’s Plan to Save Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63-71Cain Slays His Brother Abel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72-79The Faithful Sethites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79-85How Enoch Walked with God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85-90Noah and the Flood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91-105Noah Leaves the Ark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106-112The Literal Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113-119The Tower of Babel Destroyed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120-126Abraham Is Called Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127-135Lot Chooses the Cities of the Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135-137Abraham Conquers Kings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137-139The Covenant Promise Is Renewed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140-141Abraham Pleads for Lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141-145Abraham Raises His Children Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145-149Abraham Offers Isaac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150-160The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151-165A Wife Is Selected for Isaac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183-189Jacob and His Brother Esau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190-193The Dream of Jacob’s Ladder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190-193Jacob in Mesopotamia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193-198
STUDY HELPS: BIBLE STORIES FOR THE FAMILY26Jacob Flees from Laban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198-200Jacob Wrestles with the Angel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201-205Diana Visits the Daughters of the Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209-210Jacob Leads His Family in Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210-214Joseph Has a Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214-216Joseph Is Sold to the Traders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216-218In the House of Potiphar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219-222Joseph in Prison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222-224Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224-228Joseph Meets His Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229-238Jacob Journeys to Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238-240The Blessing of Jacob on His Sons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240-244The Deaths of Jacob and Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244-247The Birth and Deliverance of Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248-252In the Court of Pharaoh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252-254Moses Flees to Midian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254-257Before the Burning Bush . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257-262Moses Stands before Pharaoh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263-270The First Nine Plagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270-278The First Passover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279-284The Tenth Plague . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284-285The Israelites Leave Egypt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286-289The Crossing of the Red Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289-295The Journey toward Sinai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296-300The Manna Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300-303Water from the Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-304Holding Up Moses’ Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304-306Jethro’s Good Advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306-308The Ten Commandments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309-322The Golden Calf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323-333Forty Days on the Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335-338Satan’s Hatred of God’s Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339-352The Meaning of the Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353-368Nadab, Abihu, and the Strange Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369-373Perfect Order in the Camp of Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387-390The Testing of the Quails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390-396Miriam’s Jealousy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396-400The Twelve Spies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401-407Driven Back by the Canaanites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407-410
27STUDY HELPS: BIBLE STORIES FOR THE FAMILYKorah, Dathan, and Abiram Rebel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411-423The Forty years in the Wilderness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424-429The Smitten Rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430-435The Sin of Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435-439The Death of Aaron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440-446The Serpent on the Pole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .446-452The Conquest of Sihon and Og . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453-458Balaam and Balak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459-473Apostasy at the Jordan River . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473-483Moses Gives Deuteronomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 484-492The Death of Moses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492-502Joshua Sends Spies to Jericho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503-505The Crossing of the Jordan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505-509The Fall of Jericho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510-515Achan and the Battle of Ai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515-521The Gathering at Ebal and Gerizim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-526The Deception of the Gibeonites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527-529The Battle of Gibeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530-532The Division of Cannan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533-534Caleb Asks for Hebron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534-538The Six Cites of Refuge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538-542The Argument over the Great Altar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542-545Joshua’s Last Message to the People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546-550Tithes and Offerings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551-564The Annual Feasts of Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 565-572Apostasy Begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573-576Gideon against the Midianites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 576-586Return Into Apostasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 586-589The Life of Samson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590-599The Birth and Early Life of Samuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600-606The Sons of Eli . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607-613God Speaks to Samuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 614-616The Ark Is Captured . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 616-619Judgments on the Philistines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 619-622The Ark Comes to Beth-shemesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 622-624The Miraculous Deliverance at Mizpeh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 624-625The Schools of the Prophets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-635Asking for a King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636-642Saul Becomes the First King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 642-646
28STUDY HELPS: BIBLE STORIES FOR THE FAMILYSaul’s Victory over the Ammonites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 646-647Samuel Gathers the People to Gilgal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 647-650The Failure of Saul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 651-656Jonathan’s Victory at Michmash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 656-660The Rejection of Saul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 661-671The Anointing of David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 672-676David Encounters Goliath . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 677-684Saul’s Hatred of David Begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 684-690David Flees from Saul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 690-696The Ziphites and the Death of Samuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 697-702Nabal and Abigail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 702-706David Spares Saul’s Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706-708David’s Flight to the Philistines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 708-711Saul Goes to the Witch of Endor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 712-716The Death of Saul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 716-718The Dangers of Spiritualism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 719-726The Surprise Attack on Ziklag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 727-734David Crowned King over Judea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 735-739David Crowned King over Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 740-741The Ark Is Brought to Jerusalem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 742-749God Changes David’s Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 749-751David Cares for Mephibosheth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 751-751The War with the Ammonites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 751-755The Fall and Repentance of David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 756-767The Rebellion of Absalom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 768-786The Pestilence Stopped at Mount Moriah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 787-790The Rebellion of Adonijah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 790-791Solomon Becomes King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 791-792The Last Words and Death of David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 792-797“For God so loved the world, that He gave Hisonly begottn Son, that whosoever believeth inHim should not perish, but have everlastinglife.“For God sent not His Son into the world tocondemn the world, but that the worldthrough Him might be saved.”—John 3:16-17
Why Was Sin Permitted? [33-34]29Chapter OneWhy WasWasPerermitted?Sin Permitted?“God is love.” 1 John 4:16. His nature, His law, is love.It ever has been; it ever will be. “The high and lofty One thatinhabiteth eternity,” whose “ways are everlasting,” changethnot. With Him “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Isaiah 57:15; Habakkuk 3:6; James 1:17.Every manifestation of creative power is an expressionof infinite love. The sovereignty of God involves fullness ofblessing to all created beings. The psalmist says:“Strong is Thy hand, and high is Thy right hand.Righteousness and judgment are the foundation of Thythrone:Mercy and truth go before Thy face.Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:They walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance.In Thy name do they rejoice all the day:And in Thy righteousness are they exalted.For Thou art the glory of their strength: . . .or our shield belongeth unto Jehovah,And our king to the Holy One.”Psalm 89:13-18, R.V.The history of the great conflict between good and evil,from the time it first began in heaven to the final overthrowof rebellion and the total eradication of sin, is also a demonstration of God’s unchanging love.The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work———————————This chapter is based on Ezekiel 28:12-15; Isaiah 14:13-14.
30of beneficence. He had an associate—a co-worker who couldappreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in givinghappiness to created beings. “In the beginning was the Word,and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Thesame was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1, 2. Christ,the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternalFather—one in nature, in character, in purpose—the onlybeing that could enter into all the counsels and purposes ofGod. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Themighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”Isaiah 9:6. His “goings forth have been from of old, fromeverlasting.” Micah 5:2. And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: “The Lord possessed Me in the beginningof His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting. . . . When He appointed the foundations of the earth:then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I wasdaily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” Proverbs8:22-30.The Father wrought by His Son in the creation of allheavenly beings. “By Him were all things created, . . . whetherthey be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:all things were created by Him, and for Him.” Colossians1:16. Angels are God’s ministers, radiant with the light everflowing from His presence and speeding on rapid wing toexecute His will. But the Son, the anointed of God, the “express image of His person,” “the brightness of His glory,”“upholding all things by the word of His power,” holds supremacy over them all. Hebrews 1:3. “A glorious high thronefrom the beginning,” was the place of His sanctuary (Jeremiah17:12); “a scepter of righteousness,” the scepter of His kingdom. Hebrews 1:8. “Honor and majesty are before Him:strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.” Psalm 96:6. Mercyand truth go before His face. Psalm 89:14.The law of love being the foundation of the governmentof God, the happiness of all intelligent beings depends upontheir perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness. God desires from all His creatures the service of love—service that springs from an appreciation of His character.
Why Was Sin Permitted? [34-35]31He takes no pleasure in a forced obedience; and to all Hegrants freedom of will, that they may render Him voluntaryservice.So long as all created beings acknowledged the allegianceof love, there was perfect harmony throughout the universeof God. It was the joy of the heavenly host to fulfill the purpose of their Creator. They delighted in reflecting His gloryand showing forth His praise. And while love to God wassupreme, love for one another was confiding and unselfish.There was no note of discord to mar the celestial harmonies.But a change came over this happy state. There was one whoperverted the freedom that God had granted to His creatures.Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been mosthonored of God and was highest in power and glory amongthe inhabitants of heaven. Lucifer, “son of the morning,” wasfirst of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled. He stood inthe presence of the great Creator, and the ceaseless beams ofglory enshrouding the eternal God rested upon him. “Thussaith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering. . . . Thouart the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so:thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walkedup and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wastperfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, tilliniquity was found in thee.” Ezeki
Harvestime Books by E.G. White and The complete book plus 28 Brief Bible studies, 3 chronology charts, 7 maps, list of 130 family Bible stories, and a 3,000-year time line. HB–111 Patriarchs and Prophets by E.G. White Publ
