đ 1. Why is it important to remember that all earthly achievements will pass away? 1 John 2:17 says, âThe world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.â Keeping this perspective helps us set true prioritiesânot fleeting fame, but eternal fellowship with God. When we focus on heavenly things, we invest our time, energy, and resources in what really lasts.
đ 2. In what way is the sea beast the natural outgrowth of Babylonâs mindset? The sea beast of Revelation 13:1â10 mirrors Babylonian prideâhuman power raised against God. Each of those empiresâBabylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Romeâwas marked by arrogance, oppression, self-deification, and persecution of Godâs people. Todayâs materialism, human pride, and religious intolerance continue the same patterns birthed in ancient Babylon and Rome.
đ 3. How do we find the right balance between obeying God and obeying the government? Romans 13 urges submission to governing authoritiesâso long as they donât conflict with Godâs commandments. If human laws demand that we break Godâs commands, then, as Acts 5:29 says, âWe must obey God rather than men.â Adventists strive to be good citizensâhonest, peaceable, respectfulâyet are ready to suffer rather than violate Godâs law.
Godâs Word over human systems: Obedience to God always takes precedence.
Faithful even under pressure: True loyalty shows itself in trials.
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đ ď¸ Everyday Application
Regularly measure your goals against eternity.
Train your character to be faithful in small things, so you can stand firm in greater challenges.
Live simply and bear witness to Godâs kingdom through your lifestyle, words, and priorities.
Pray daily for wisdom to know when to submit quietly and when to resist courageously.
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â Conclusion
The world hastens toward an end long foretold by God. Kingdoms rise and fall, leaders ascend and collapse, but Godâs Word remains. For those who trust Christ, the end of human empires is not fear but hope: the eternal, unshakeable kingdom of our God awaits.
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đŹ Thought of the Day
âBuild your life not on the shifting sand of human greatness, but on the rock that endures foreverâJesus Christ.â
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âď¸ Illustration â âThe Sound of the Bellsâ
It was a cold autumn morning in Prague. The sun barely pierced the dense fog cloaking the ancient city. Tourists on the Old Town Square snapped photos of centuries-old buildingsâwitnesses to kingdoms long vanished. The Astronomical Clock struck nine, and somewhere in the narrow lanes a church bell began to toll.
Amid this scene, Marta Dvorak hurried over the cobblestones. In her backpack she carried no guidebooks, only a well-worn Bible. She belonged to a small fellowship that met weekly in a hidden wine cellar beneath an unused church. Not by choiceâbut because a new decree had banned public preaching without state approval.
Marta remembered how it all began. The government claimed the restrictions were for âpublic order.â But she knew the real motive ran deeperâa fear of independent truth, a dread of a message that couldnât be controlled.
âYou must prophesy again,â Pastor Josef had read to them from Revelation 10 at one of their last daylight gatherings. âTo many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.â
Now, weeks later, the group met in secret to do just that.
