Haanaa S D A Church, Kpone Kokompe

26/05/2023

17/05/2023

01/05/2023

22/05/2022

_Sabbath School Summary_
*Jacob the Supplanter*
_Lesson 9_
_Memory Text: Genesis 27:36_

*SABBATH*: There was everything about Jacob that might have made God hate Jacob, but God’s mercy followed him throughout his. He was a deceiver. God allowed him to go on in his sins, reap its results, & show Him He’s all that he need. His flaws brought rivalry between him & Esau. He was exiled; had to spend 14 years to earn his wives. Amid Jacob’s sins, God fulfilled His promises (Gen. 27, 28:10-22, 29).

*SUNDAY*: Jacob & Esau, the twins of the miracle child, Isaac, present a sharp contrast in character & life. It was foretold that they’d struggle with each other. Esau was a tough hunter & Jacob was “mild”; “tam” in Hebrew, is used to depict Job as blameless & Noah as perfect (Gen. 25:21-34; 27:1-28:5, 6:9; Job 1:8). Esau sold his birthright for food & Jacob became herald of God’s promise to Abraham (PP, p. 177).

*MONDAY*: Jacob’s deception that won him Isaac’s blessings brought him pain. Exiled after Esau’s threat to slay him, Jacob in a dream met God at a place he named Bethel, “the house of God” (Gen. 27:36, 27:42, 43, 45, 28:5, 10-22, 11:1-9). He saw a ladder linked with God. Like the Tower of Babel, the ladder is to reach the “door of heaven.” It depicts access to God. Jacob gave tithe after receiving God’s gift.

*TUESDAY*: At Bethel, Jacob had a stone for a pillow. At his final stop, the first thing he sees is a stone—a symbol of God’s presence. It is this stone that will afford him the chance to talk with Rachel. At first sight, Jacob loved Rachel so much that his 7-year work to earn her was like a few days (Gen. 29:1-30). But he was deceived as he did to his father & brother (Exod. 21:24; Gen. 9:6, 27:35, 12, 29:25).

*WEDNESDAY*: The last 7 years of exile which was a burden to Jacob was also the most fruitful years. He will father 11 of the 12 children who’ll become ancestors of God’s people (Gen. 25:19-35:26). God opened the wombs of his wives (Gen. 29:31, 30:22). For not being loved, God gifted Leah Reuben & Simeon. Rachel had to wait for a while before giving birth to Joseph (Gen. 29:18, 27, 30:23, 24, 25).

*THURSDAY*: Years passed on, and Jacob became more mild. He knew his father-in-law cheated him but he let it go. At the end of his 14th-year service to Laban, the birth Joseph, he planned to return to the Promised Land. His concern was to provide for his own house (Gen. 30:26, 30). Jacob was kept away for long due to unplanned. He waited for God’s signal to go home (Gen. 30:25-32, PP, p. 193).

*FRIDAY*: Grace alone made Jacob the beloved of God. Yet, Jacob worked hard to try to deserve the grace which is contrary to the gospel. Later, Jacob grew in the faith & realized that human works can’t earn salvation or blessings. His act to acquire the birthright by deception left him disappointed. He became a fugitive. But what did God do? He visited him in his state of helplessness. God is Love!

—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, p. 1095.

*Keywords*

_PP- Patriarchs and Prophets_

_Bethel- It means “the house of God.”_

_Esau- As a grew, he loved self-gratification and centered all his interest on the present. He despised his birthright. He surmised that he could do what he liked without the duties that come with being the firstborn._

_Jacob- Having learnt of the covenant promises, he was ever thinking of the future more than the present. He subtly gained his brother’s birthright & blessings. As a deceiver, he was also deceived. He later grew in faith._

_Isaac & Rebekah- The parents of Jacob & Esau. They taught their sons the covenant promises given to Abraham. Isaac loved Esau the most, and Rebekah loved Jacob the most._

_Jacob’s Ladder- It is actually God’s Ladder. The Ladder is God Himself (i.e., Jesus Christ). He spoke of this Ladder in John 1:51. The ladder emphasized that access to God can be achieved only through God’s coming to us._

_Jacob’s Pillow- The stone became a symbol of Bethel._

_Reuben- His name contains the verb “ra’ah”, which means to “see.” Because God “saw” that Leah was unloved, He gifted her Reuben._

_Simeon- Leah’s second son. The name contains the verb “shama (means “heard”). Thus, God heard the cries of Leah. The name resonates with that of Ishmael (means “God will hear”)._

_Tower of Babel- It stood for human efforts to go up and reach God._

*Captions*

_SUNDAY- Jacob and Esau_
_MONDAY- Jacob’s Ladder_
_TUESDAY- The Deceiver Deceived_
_WEDNESDAY- The Blessing of the Family_
_THURSDAY- Jacob Leaves_

*Discussion Questions*

📌 Look at the characters of these people (Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Esau, Laban, Rachel, Leah) in some of these accounts of sacred history. Look at all the lies and deception involved. What does this teach us about human nature in general and God’s grace?

📌 As you read the story of Jacob, what evidence can you find that over time his character was maturing and growing?

_For May 21-27. Happy Sabbath._

—Michael Adarkwah Agyemang

01/03/2022

Sabbath School Summary
Jesus Opens the Way Through the Veil
Lesson 10
Memory Text: Hebrews 9:24

SABBATH: From Mount Olives, He [Jesus] mounted in triumph to His throne in heaven. All heaven was waiting for this hour of triumph. He was gone from the earth. His voice of wisdom would be silent & His seat at the table would be empty for the disciples. Yet, they were filled with joy. Christ gained power over the world & man could boldly talk to God (John 14:1-3, 13, 14). The new covenant also began.

SUNDAY: The timeline of Christ’s death, ascension, & priestly work matched the celebration of the 3 feasts allotted to all males in Israel (Heb. 9:23, 24). 1. Passover; how God saved Israel from Egypt (John 19:14). 2. Pentecost; pointed to the barely harvest & in the NT to the giving of the law in Sinai (Acts 1, 2). 3. Feast of Booths; God’s care for Israel in the desert walk (Exod. 23:14-17, Deut. 16:16,1 Cor. 15:20).

MONDAY: God’s plan is to draw all men to Himself. He saved Israel from Egypt & invited them to taste His grace. First, they were to purge themselves to see God’s glory. The disobedient would die (Exod. 19:3, 4, 10-15, 19:13, 24:9-11, Deut. 5:5, 24, 25-27; Exod. 20:18-21). God wanted Israel to “fear” Him & also show them His mercy (Deut. 4:10, Ps. 111:10, Prov. 9:10, 10:27, Exod. 34:4-8). Israel lacked faith (Deut. 9:19).

TUESDAY: Sin can lead a person astray. When the sinner return he’d be unfit to come to the presence of God. A means was needed for him to come close to God. A veil was needed to draw men to God & not be consumed by His glory. 3 veils were used in the sanctuary (Exod. 38:18, 36:37, 26:31-35, 33:3, 7, 12-20, Lev. 16:1, 2, 10:1-3, Num. 1:51, 53, 3:10). Christ also became our veil (John 1:14–18).

WEDNESDAY: The new covenant is the “new & living way” Jesus has given us through His sacrifice. As “captain”, He bid us to imitate Him. Christ forgave us & put His law in our hearts (Heb. 10:19-22, 2:10; 6:19, 20; 12:2, 8:13). The covenant was a way God wanted to cling to “accused” men (Heb. 9:18-21, Exod. 40, 19:4-6, Lev. 8, 9, Heb. 5:1–10, 7:1-8:13, Zech. 3, Job 1, 2, Rev. 12:7–12; John 12:31, 16:11).

THURSDAY: The condescension and ascension of Christ is a fact. But in faith, we go to Mount Zion; heavenly Jerusalem. Thus, with Christ as our High Priest, we taste God’s goodness & approach Him in confidence. Our faith, therefore, has a historical anchor (see Heb. 12:22-24, 11:1, Eph. 2:5, 6; Col. 3:1, Heb. 4:14, 16, 10:23, 6:4, 5, 19, 7:22, 11:10, 13–6, Rev. 7:15-17, 21:1-4, 22:1-5, Num. 6:24-26).

FRIDAY: The ascension of Christ to heaven beckoned an outpouring of blessings on His followers. Angels escorted Christ in triumph. He was installed as our High Priest when He passed through the gates of heaven. After His coronation, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents & Christ was glorified. The Pentecost was a sign of His institution. His Spirit came as promised. He doesn’t fail!
—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 38, 46.

Keywords

NT- New Testament

Veil- The purpose of the veil was not to keep the people from their leader or God. But to enable the people to come close to their leader or God. After meeting God, Moses had to wear a veil to prevent the radiant of God on his face from frightening the people. Christ is the (our) veil that enables us to approach God & experience His glory without being consumed.

Feast of Booths- It shows God’s care for Israel as they sojourned in the desert. In the NT, The Feast of Booth is yet to be fulfilled. Christ ascended to heaven to build many mansions for His children. He’ll come again to take us to a better home to show God’s care for the human race.

Additional texts for Sunday- (John 20:17, 2 Chron. 7:14, Ps. 27:8, 42:2, 105:4, 17:15, Heb. 6:19, 20, 11:10, 13-16).

Captions

SUNDAY- Jesus Before the Father
MONDAY- God’s Invitation
TUESDAY- The Need for a Veil
WEDNESDAY- The New and Living Way Through the Veil
THURSDAY- They Will See His Face

Discussion Questions

📌 The psalmist said, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Ps. 42:2, ESV). How can we have the same thirst to come into the presence of God? If we don’t rejoice now in the presence of God as we worship Him and come before His presence in faith, will we rejoice in the future? What are the factors that lead to joy before God?

📌 In a book mocking faith, someone created a robot that supposedly did our believing for us. Though this was a spoof, how can we be careful not to do as Israel did in the desert, and that is to make a request for intermediaries between us and God? We tend to allow other people to study the Bible in our behalf and find the gems of truth in the Bible. Some people may feel tempted to think that the prayers of others in their behalf carry more weight before God than their own prayers. Why should we avoid this spiritual trap? Why, because of Jesus, can we approach God without the need of anyone else?

📌 Hebrews is about assurance of salvation. How, though, must we be careful not to mistake presumption for assurance?

For February 26–March 4. Happy Sabbath.

—Michael Agyemang Adarkwah

20/02/2022

Sabbath School Summary
Jesus, the Perfect Sacrifice
Lesson 9
Memory Text: Hebrews 10:14

SABBATH: Many men glory in their name, fame, or shame but a true Christian glory in the Cross. In our world today, there’s a rich of things to glory about but the Cross has no equal (1 Cor. 1:18). The idea of being hanged on a cross was seen as an insult by early Roman texts. Peacock denoted immortality. A dove, palm branch, the stories of Noah, Daniel, Abraham, Jonah & Lazarus depicted care & victory.

SUNDAY: Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is a perpetual sign of our redemption from sin (sin that was committed in the first covenant). It also promises eternal inheritance to all God’s people (Gen. 15:6-21). God gave Israel Canaan to inherit & also His laws (Jer. 34:8-22). On an altar, blood was sprinkled as a sign of the fate of the party who broke the oath. Christ died for us (Heb. 9:15, 22, 26; Rom. 3:21-26).

MONDAY: Jesus’ death gave us forgiveness, bid us to rely on Him, share Him, & apologize to others, as seen in the 5 sacrifices in the OT. 1. Burnt offering; Jesus gave His all to save us. 2. Grain offering; a gift of gratitude & Jesus as the bread of life. 3. Peace offering; the peace in Christ. 4. Sin offering; the blood of Jesus shed to purify us. 5. Guilt offering; God forgives & bid us to say sorry (Eph. 3:14–19).

TUESDAY: Unlike the priests from Levi who were mere mortal beings, Christ is an eternal priest. Daily & yearly, the Levitical priests offered sacrifices but they weren’t perfect. Once & for all, Christ offered a single sacrifice that cleanses our conscience (Heb. 7:23-28, 9:14, 25, 26, 10:1-10, 12-14). His perfect sacrifice sanctifies (Lev. 8, 9, Heb. 10:19-23, 1 Pet. 2:9) & calls us to trust Him (Heb. 12:1-4, 13:12, 13).

WEDNESDAY: In Christ, justice & mercy have kissed each other. He ministers for us in the heavenly sanctuary which is a symbol of His government (Heb. 9:22-28, 1 Sam. 4:4, 2 Sam. 6:2) & character (Ps. 97:2, Exod. 34:7, Num. 14:17-19). Like the earthly sanctuary, the one in heaven has 2 parts that point to the 2-phased cleansing. Christ shows mercy to those who repent & “cut off” the unrepentant (Lev. 16:15-22, 29-31, 23:27-32).

THURSDAY: The first part of the heavenly sanctuary depicts Jesus’ right to forgive sins by His death. In the new covenant, He put His law in our hearts (Rom. 3:21-26, 1:16, 17, 5:8, Acts 2:38, 5:31, Heb. 8:10-12, Ezek. 36:25-27). In 1844, He entered the last phase of His work; for investigative judgement (Heb. 2:1-4; 6:2; 9:27, 28; 10:25, Dan. 7:9-27, Matt. 22:1-14, Rev. 14:7, 5T, pp. 471, 472). He saves!

FRIDAY: In the words of Professor Jiří Moskala; Christ’s work in the pre-Advent judgement is not to display our sins like products are displayed in a store. Instead, He first shows His transforming grace & testifies to the world as the true Witness of our lives. He shows our deeds & inner motives towards God & how we repented. With His blood He forgives us. Sinners shall find redemption in the cross.

——Ellen G. White, “Calvary,” pp. 741–757; “ ‘It Is Finished,’ ” pp. 758–764, in The Desire of Ages, Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 15 (Spring 2004): p. 155 & The Desire of Ages, pp. 19, 20.

Keywords

2-phased cleansing- In the Israelite (earthly sanctuary) system, the forgiveness of sins occurred in two phases (the daily sacrifice and the day of atonement). Those who confessed their sins during the year showed
and afflicted themselves on the Day of Atonement received mercy. Those who did not show loyalty/confess their sins received their judgement of doom (“cut off”).

5T- Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5

Additional texts for Monday on the 5 different sacrifices; 1. Burnt/holocaust offering (Lev. 1, Phil. 2:5-8) 2. Grain offering (Lev. 2, John 6:35, 48) 3. Peace/fellowship offering (Lev. 3, Isa. 53:5, Rom. 5:1, Eph. 2:14, John 6:51-56) 4. Sin/purification offering (Lev. 4:1-5:13, 17:11, Matt. 26:28, Rom. 3:35, Heb. 9:14) 5. Guilt/reparation offering (Lev. 5:14-6:7).

Investigative judgement- It is also called the pre-Advent judgement. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, Jesus entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary. It is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement.

Captions

SUNDAY- Why Were Sacrifices Needed?
MONDAY- Diverse Kinds of Sacrifices
TUESDAY- Jesus’ Perfect Sacrifice
WEDNESDAY- The Cross and the Cost of Forgiveness
THURSDAY- Judgment and the Character of God

Discussion Questions

📌 Human beings have always had the tendency to offer different kinds of sacrifices to God as an exchange for forgiveness or salvation. Some offer God heroic acts of penance (long journeys, etc.), others offer a life of service, or acts of self-deprivation, et cetera. How should these acts be considered in the light of Jesus’ sacrifice and the assertion of Scripture that the cross has put an end to all the sacrifices (Dan. 9:27, Heb. 10:18)?

📌 At the same time, what is the role of sacrifice in the life of the believer? What did Jesus mean when He said that we need to take our cross and follow Him (Matt. 16:24), or the apostle Paul when he said that we should offer our bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Rom. 12:1, ESV)? What is the relationship between the instructions of Jesus (Matt. 16:24) and Paul (Rom. 12:1) and Hebrews 13:15, 16?

For February 19–25. Happy Sabbath.

——Michael Agyemang Adarkwah

29/01/2022

Sabbath School Summary
Jesus, the Faithful Priest
Lesson 6
Memory Text: Hebrews 7:26

SABBATH: None of the Bible books gives clear details on the heavenly priesthood of Christ as does the book of Hebrews (Heb. 5-7). Since the fall of man, his nature has been marred by sin. The stain on man created a partition between him & God—He’s holy & can’t dwell with sin. Jesus stands as our advocate & mediator to bridge this gulf. Paul bid us to read the book & hope in God (Heb. 5:1–11, 6:8-20, 7:1-28).

SUNDAY: The priesthood of Christ & the Levitical priesthood has key similarities & differences. Aaron & Jesus are human & were to show mercy (Heb. 5:1-10). But Christ is the Son of God. He was also both a Sacrifice & Priest. Unlike Aaron, Jesus offered a single sacrifice sufficient for all men & can never be replaced. Christ was sinless & God but obeyed His Father (Heb. 4:15, 7:26-28, 2:17, 1 Pet. 2:9).

MONDAY: The Sonship & Godship of Christ is vital in the priesthood ministry. As a Son & God Himself, He is superior to Abraham, Moses, Aaron, & is a Priest after the order of Melchizedek, whom He’s also greater (Gen. 14:18-20, Heb. 7:1-3, 15, 26-28, 5:6, 1:3). Melchizedek was not God, a heavenly being, or an incarnation of Christ in the OT. He was a king & just a type of Christ (Heb. 7:3, 11, 1SM, p. 409).

TUESDAY: Christ could not be a priest because He was not from the tribe of Levi but Judah. But by His humanity, divinity, & holiness He has the right. He was tempted & knows our woes. He’s perfect than any human priest & than any animal sacrifice that all pointed to Him (Heb. 7:11, 18, 19, 9:14; 10:1-3, 10-14, John 1:29). Christ frees us from animal sacrifices (see Heb. 7:11-16, Num. 3:10, 16:39, 40).

WEDNESDAY: Jesus’ priesthood is unique. It is eternal (Heb. 7:16). No one can save forever & completely besides Him. We have eternal life only in Him (Heb. 7:25, 4:12, 9:14, 10:1-4). He does not only forgive. He put His law in our hearts, make us anew & also His witnesses on earth (Heb. 8:10-12). He has His Father’s favor because He obeyed Him. He’s the surety of the new covenant (Heb. 7:21, 22, 6:13-15).

THURSDAY: Jesus is a Priest who’s sinless (Heb. 7:26). Paul says He was “holy”, “undefiled”, “separated from sinners”, “exalted above the heavens”, & was “fully human.” As sinless, He is our example (Heb. 2:18, 4:15, 5:7, 8, Lev. 1:3, 10, Heb. 9:14, 12:2, 3, Ps. 57:5, 11; 108:5). Heb. 2:14-16). He shows us how to run the race of life (Heb. 12:1-4, 1 Pet. 2:21-23, Heb. 7:26). He’s our Savior & we’re to reflect Him.

FRIDAY: The infinite eye of God sees every tear shed & every test faced by us. He’s not indifferent to our plights. He walked as a man on earth & knows all our afflictions & needs. He now intercedes for us. As He filled the mouth of Peter to teach & inspire others & to resist temptations, so will He do for us. Satan desired to create a gulf between man & God. But Christ has united us to God again!

——Ellen G. White, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 931 (letter 90, 1906) & The Desire of Ages, pp. 25, 26.

Keywords

OT - Old Testament

1SM- Selected Messages, book 1

Melchizedek- He was a Canaanite king-priest who served as a type of Christ. Christ spoke through Him.

Old & New Covenant- The newness of the new covenant is that its promises stem from Christ & not man. God swore an oath that Jesus will be a priest “forever.” God is not a human to lie. The old covenant’s promises were made to man (Abraham & the Israelites) who sinned at times, hence, could not always claim the promises.

Captions

SUNDAY- A Priest on Behalf of Human Beings
MONDAY- According to the Order of Melchizedek
TUESDAY- An Effective Priest
WEDNESDAY- An Eternal Priest
THURSDAY- A Sinless Priest

Discussion Questions

📌 The first quotation above says, “He [Jesus] fills His mouth with
arguments in our behalf.” What does that promise mean to you? Think about what this teaches us about God’s love for us. Why is this idea so encouraging? Why do we need someone arguing in our behalf?

📌 The second quotation above says that “in Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen.” What does that mean? How can we experience that closeness, and what comfort can you draw from that experience? In class, describe what this closeness means and what it is like to experience it. How do His “arguments in our behalf” help us have this experience?

For January 29–February 4. Happy Sabbath. Happy New Month!

——Michael Agyemang Adarkwah

18/01/2022

Sabbath School Summary
Jesus, Our Faithful Brother
Lesson 4
Memory Text: Hebrews 2:14

SABBATH: Do you have in your life a real friend who is always there for you? Someone who cares & pray with you? A true friend who knows your flaws but still love you? Jesus, the Son & express image of God, calls us His “brethren” (Heb. 1:3; 2:7; 1:5; 2:12). He is faithful to His Father even with His power (Heb. 1:8-12; 2:14). He’s our Maker & Sustainer, & High Priest. He is God & a true brother (Heb. 1:1-4).

SUNDAY: The Year of Jubilee was a time of liberty & for the poor to reclaim their lands. This “grand” Sabbath year was every 50 years (Lev. 25:25-27, 47-49). A relative could make a deposit to save the other much sooner before the 50 years. This relative also ensured justice & is an avenger in case of a murder (Num. 35:9-15). Christ set us free from the devil & adopted us as relatives (Heb. 2:14–16).

MONDAY: Christ was not ashamed to call us brothers, despite being God (Heb. 2:11). While the Jews were shamed by the public, Christ gave them a warm embrace (Heb. 10:33). Similarly, Moses though “the son of Pharaoh’s daughter”, humbled himself to lead Israel out of Egypt (Heb. 11:24-26, Acts 7:22, PP, p. 245). Be faithful! (Matt. 10:32, 33; 2 Tim. 1:8, 12; Heb. 6:6, 4:4, 10:23, 13:12–15, Rom. 8:29).

TUESDAY: Christ stooped to take man’s nature that He might show us God’s will for the fallen race. He became “flesh & blood” (a symbol for human weakness) just to die for us (Heb. 2:9, 14-17; 10:5-10). We are weak, lack understanding, & prone to death (Matt. 16:17, Gal. 1:16, 1 Cor. 15:50, Eph. 6:12). We’re saved through Christ, our brother, who was sinless as a human (Heb. 4:15, 7:26, 9:14, Rom. 7:14-20).

WEDNESDAY: In His human form, Christ was tempted in all points like as we are. But He was without sin. His sufferings perfected Him to be our Captain of salvation & merciful High Priest (Heb. 2:10, 17, 18; 5:8, 9; 1:3; 4:15; 7:26-28; 9:14; 10:5-10). As God, He did not have to obe