SDS ADULT LESSON BOOK 1 2024

First Quarter - The Book of Psalms

The Book of Psalms contains 150 psalms, of which 73 are dedicated to David, one to Moses, two to Solomon, twelve to Asaph, eleven to the descendants of Korah, one to Heman the Ezrahite, one to Ethan the Ezrahite, and 49 are anonymous. Many psalms were composed for worship. They were generally sung by two antiphonal choirs of Levites, or by a choir of Levites singing and the entire congregation responding, as, for example, in Psalm 136, where to each phrase sung by the Levites, the people responded, "for his mercy endures forever." The psalms are the expression of everything that dwells in the human heart: good and bad thoughts, rebellion and submission, suffering and joy. The psalmists transform all these human experiences into liturgy, that is, into prayers and songs. The Psalms teach us to pray fervently, to suffer patiently, to hope in God, to fear him, to love him, to bless him and to praise him incessantly.

Author: Dragoslava Santrac

A Doctor of Old Testament Studies, she is the editor-in-chief of the Adventist Encyclopedia at the General Conference Headquarters. She is the author of the volume on Psalms 76-150 in the International Adventist Bible Commentary.

Second Quarter - The Great Conflict

The great controversy between Christ and Satan is, in Adventist doctrine, a way of interpreting the world and life according to various dualisms present in the Bible (light/darkness, fruit of the Spirit/works of the flesh) and particularly in the Book of Revelation: Jerusalem/Babylon, Seven Spirits of God/Three Unclean Spirits, Lamb/Dragon, He Who Sits on the Throne/The Throne of the Beast, the Two Witnesses/The False Prophet, the Woman/The Prostitute. This quarter's study poses the following question: Which side are you on? Before answering this question, however, one thing must be clear: the great controversy is never between the believer and other human beings, but always between the believer and his own ego, made up of selfishness, hatred, indifference, and a sense of superiority.

Author: Mark Finley

He is an internationally renowned American evangelist and served as vice president of the General Conference from 2005 to 2010. He is currently assistant to the president of the General Conference.

No. 1 January-June 2024