02/06/2023
*Sabbath School Summary*
Satan’s Final Deceptions
*Lesson 10*
Memory Text: John 17:17
*SABBATH:* One September morn in Chicago, people got ill & died shortly after consuming Tylenol capsules. Later, It was found to contain potassium cyanide, a deadly poison by a mystery man. This reminds us of the dangers of false doctrines, called the "wine of Babylon" in Revelation. But, there’s hope in the form of the three angels' messages; an antidote against spiritual poison. Jesus saves us from deceptions.
*SUNDAY:* Amongst the last day deceptions are false christs & prophets who will rise to deceive the saints of God (Mark 13:22; Matt. 24:31). Satan will seek to deceive the whole word but God will have a faithful remnant, as in every age (Rev. 12:9). In the last days, good morals & conscience will not be enough. One needs to spiritually abide in Christ (Prov. 14:12, Jer. 17:9, Rom. 3:9-18). We need the Holy Spirit to win.
*MONDAY:* “Billy Graham is save now in heaven in the loving arms of Jesus.” This was what taught from pulpits to classrooms & at funerals. Yet, this is not biblical. The old lie of immortality of the soul is one of the last two great deceptions of Satan (Rev. 16:13, 14, GC, p. 588; Eccles. 9:5, Job 19:25-27, 1 Thess. 4:16, 17, Rev. 14:13). Babylon taught this false idea. Jesus is the One who can save us from this deception.
*TUESDAY:* Sun worship was a common thing in Egypt, Assyria, Persia, & of course Babylon. In his book, James Frazer confirms this. The sun worship in ancient Babylon at times impacted the worship of God’s people in the OT (Ezek. 8:16, 2 Kings 23:5, 11, Rom. 1:25). Some turned their backs to the temple worshipping the sun toward the east. John depicts Babylonian sun worship entering God’s church (Rev. 17).
*WEDNESDAY:* The second angel declares the fall of Babylon. The woman in purple & scarlet that rides on a scarlet-colored beast plunges the world into a final conflict by making it drink her wine (error/false doctrine). God’s people will be oppressed but in Christ & His Word & enabled by the Holy Spirit, they’re faithful to the end (Rev. 14; 17; Ps. 46:1). We’re to escape idolatry (John 17:17, read Ezek. 20:1-20).
*THURSDAY:* The world is drunk with the wine (false doctrines) of the scarlet & purple woman riding a scarlet-colored beast. She has given to the world a false Sabbath instead of the 7th day in the fourth commandment of God. Millions are deceived by this. Many of God’s people are in fallen religious institutions. They & SDA’s all need faith to obey the law of God (Rev. 18:4, 1 John 3:4, Rom. 14:23, 1.5, Deut. 4:6).
*FRIDAY:* “Babylon the great” is the threefold religious union at the close of time comprising the papacy, apostate Protestantism, & spiritism. The term “Babylon” refers to the organization themselves & to their leaders, not so much to the members as such. Babylon will deceive many through the last two great errors; the immortality of the soul & Sunday sacredness. The Bible is against these two ideas.
—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 588 & The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, pp. 851, 852; Kaufmann Kohler, “Immortality of the Soul,” (1906); Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, Before a New York ministers’ conference, November 13, 1893.
Keywords
OT- Old Testament
The Elect- The faithful ones of God.
The last two great deceptions- The doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul & Sunday sacredness.
James G. Frazer- The author of the book “The Worship of Nature”.
Sun worship- A popular practice in Babylon. Constantine, in the early part of the fourth century, caused great joy in the Roman Empire. Constantine had a strong affinity for sun worship. Edward Gibbon, the renowned historian, writes, “The Sun was universally celebrated as the invincible guide and protector of Constantine. Constantine also passed the first “Sunday law.” This edict stated, “On the venerable day of the Sun let the Magistrates and the people residing in the cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.”—Edict of Constantine, a.d. 321.
Woman- Church
Pure woman- God’s true church
The woman in scarlet and purple- False church
Dr. Edward T. Hiscox- The author of the Standard Manual for Baptist Churches. He wrote to Baptist ministers this; “What a pity that it [Sunday] comes branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun god, then adopted and sanctioned by the papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism!”—Before a New York ministers’ conference, November 13, 1893.
Captions
SUNDAY- The Way That Seems Right in a Man’s Eyes
MONDAY- The Old Lie of Immortality
TUESDAY- Babylon: The Center of Sun Worship
WEDNESDAY- A Call to Faithfulness
THURSDAY- Grace for Obedience
Discussion Questions
📌 Why is an understanding of the truth about death so critically important? What does it protect us from? Why is it so comforting too?
📌 Some of the devil’s deceptions are obvious, others more subtle. How can we avoid being deceived by either?
📌 In class, talk about the question, touched on in Sunday’s study, about those who do evil believing that they are following the will of God, as revealed in the Bible. How do we explain this? What role should the law of God play in the explanation?
For May 27–June 2. Happy Sabbath and be blessed.
Religious organisation
