Summary of Sabbath School Lesson 5: The Nations: Part 2, covering the week of April 26–May 2, 2025:
Sabbath: The Nations: Part 2
This week's lesson continues the exploration of how nations have historically positioned themselves in relation to God's sovereignty. It delves into the recurring theme of human attempts to establish power and unity apart from God, contrasting these endeavors with God's overarching plan for His people.
Sunday: The Very First Commandment
Genesis 2:9–17 describes the Garden of Eden, where God placed Adam and provided all kinds of trees, including the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God gave Adam a clear command: he could eat from every tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The first command was a prohibition—“You must not eat from the tree...for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (v. 17).
This command was important because it tested trust and obedience. God was not just giving rules—He was inviting humanity into a relationship based on love, trust, and free choice. Obedience showed loyalty; disobedience would break that relationship and bring death.
Monday: Daniel 2
Daniel 2:31–35 describes King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a great statue made of different metals—gold, silver, bronze, iron, and iron mixed with clay—which is eventually destroyed by a stone not cut by human hands. The stone smashes the statue and becomes a great mountain that fills the earth.
This prophecy gives a sweeping view of world empires, symbolized by the metals, and shows that all human kingdoms will eventually fall. The stone represents God’s eternal kingdom, which will replace all earthly powers.
The key truth: God is in control of history, and His kingdom will ultimately triumph. This gives believers hope and confidence in God’s plan for the world.
Tuesday: Daniel 7
Daniel 7:1–3 describes a vivid vision in which Daniel sees four great beasts coming up from a stormy sea, each different from the others. The sea represents chaos and unrest among nations, and the beasts symbolize powerful kingdoms rising from this turmoil.
The movement and stormy setting show that human history is full of conflict, instability, and change. But the lesson is that God is aware of and sovereign over these events—even powerful empires rise and fall under His watch.
This imagery reminds us that no matter how chaotic the world may seem, God is ultimately in control and His purposes will prevail.
Wednesday: Between Land and Sea
Revelation 12:15–16 shows the dragon (Satan) sending a flood of water to destroy the woman (God’s people), but the earth helps by swallowing the flood, protecting her. In Revelation 13:1, a beast rises out of the sea, while in verse 11, another beast comes up from the earth.
The sea often symbolizes populated, turbulent areas (nations in unrest), while the earth can represent a more peaceful or unpopulated region. These contrasts teach us that symbols in prophecy often represent real-world conditions—political, geographical, or spiritual.
The lesson: to understand prophecy well, we must pay attention to symbolic contrasts like water vs. earth, as they reveal deeper truths about the forces and settings involved in spiritual conflict.
Thursday: Prophesy Again
Revelation 10:1–11 describes a mighty angel coming down from heaven, standing with one foot on the sea and one on the land, holding a little scroll. John is told to eat the scroll—it’s sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. This symbolizes the experience of God's people receiving a prophetic message that is joyful at first but leads to disappointment.
The sea and land represent the global scope of the message—going to all nations. The bittersweet scroll points to the Great Disappointment in the early Adventist movement: joyful expectation followed by sorrow.
This passage teaches that prophetic understanding unfolds over time, often with challenges, and that God's message is meant for the whole world, despite difficulties.
More: Sabbath School Lesson 5: The Nations Part 2
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