Lesson 5 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Atonement: Purification Offering

Sin and Mercy

1. Does sin cause separation from God, or is it a result of separation from God? Why is the answer significant?
2. Why can't God show mercy without a penalty being paid? Does He make the rules or is He subject to some laws? Did He want it this way?

Laying on of Hands

1. Was forgiveness guaranteed if the sacrifice ritual was followed, or was forgiveness conditional on a right attitude?
2. Is sin today forgiven just for the asking, or must one be careful to have the right attitude?
3. What is the difference in laying on of hands for confession and for ordination?
4. If you had to kill a lamb for each sin, how would that affect your yielding to temptation?

Transfer of Sin

1. What is the meaning of remission?
2. How can blood defile and cleanse at the same time?
3. Why is the heart and blood equated with life and death more than the brain, liver or stomach?

Bearing Sin

1. Why was the sin of a ruler or priest handled differently? Is it more serious for a pastor to sin than for a lay-member? If so, why?
2. If the tithe is for the support of pastors, why do pastors have to return tithe?

Forgiveness

1. Why can't God forgive without the death of an animal or of Jesus? Doesn't He make the rules?
2. When on the cross Jesus prayed "forgive them for they know not what they do," were the persecutors forgiven?
3. How essential is it for you to forgive another who wronged you for him or her to be forgiven?
4. What makes God so compassionate and merciful and ready to pardon?

Lesson 4 (Oct 19-25), Lessons from the Sanctuary

Did every part of the sanctuary teach a lesson or only the main furniture?

Place of the Presence

1. Why did God desire to dwell with humans? 
2. How does living with humans compare with living with angels? Can God be with both at the same time?
3. Why are some people loathe to associate with others of a different community? 

Be Ye Holy

1. Was it the anointing oil that made the furniture of the tabernacle or what? Why do we not use oil when we dedicate churches today? 
2. What does it mean for a person to be holy? 

Instruments of the Sanctuary

1. Why was the common worshipper allowed in the synagogue, but not inside the tabernacle?
2. Why did God need a sanctuary to dwell among humans?
3. Should more care be taken when making the furniture and instruments of modern worship?

Centre of Divine and Communal Activity

1. Is it worth spending large sums of money to construct churches that will be used only once a week?  Is a owned church more conducive to worship in than a rented one? 
2. How can we make use of our churches more than just once a week? should we keep it open for passers by to enter and pray?
3. Is it okay to rent a church from sunday-keeping denomination for an Adventist congregation to worship in on Sabbath? Is it okay to rent out our church to another denomination for their congregation to worship in on sunday? 

Until I Went Into the Sanctuary of God

1. What made David long to dwell in the sanctuary? 
2. What was it about the sanctuary that enabled Asaph to understand God's justice--the fate of the wicked and rewards of the righteous?

Lesson 3 (Oct 12-18), Sacrifices

Why does God not allow us now to obtain forgiveness through sacrifices? 

The First Sacrifice

1. How likely is it that Adam and Eve sinned again? Were they horrified enough to refrain, or once they sinned, did it became easier and easier?  Could they take God at His word better after the fall?
2. Though they didn't die immediately, what effect would the death of the lamb to provide skins for their clothing, have had on them?

Types of Offerings

1. Why do you think God required only the grain or flour for sacrifice and not the whole plant?  Why do you think milk was not acceptable for offering?
2. Was not the sacrifice of bulls, goats and sheep a waste of animals? Why were not unclean animals and birds required which could not be be eaten? 

Sacrifice at Moriah

1. What do you think would have been God's reaction if Abraham had reasoned that it was Satan tempting him to sacrifice his son?
2. Why do you think Isaac agreed to be sacrificed?
3. Why do you think God felt that Abraham needed to be tested?

Life for a Life

1. Why was the death and sacrifice of a plant unacceptable for a ransom?
2. What is the difference in the monetary thank offerings we give to day and the animal offerings the Israelites gave, other than "blood?"
3. What a the dangers of money offerings?

Sacrifices Today/Living Sacrifices

1. Which is easier, to bring an animal sacrifice, or to give our body as a living sacrifice?
2. In what way is it a sacrifice to give our bodies to God? In what ways is it not?

Lesson 2 (Oct 5-11), "Heaven" on Earth"

What makes heaven, heaven? 

The First "Sanctuary" on Earth

1. If God dwelled on this earth, would it be heaven? Is He more present in some places (as in church) than others, or equally everywhere? 
2. Why did God not leave Eden on earth so that humans could always see what they had lost and repent? 

Copy of the Pattern

1. What made the Israelite tabernacle unique among all the tents for the gods that many ancient peoples of the middle east had? 
2. How can we call the Hebrew tabernacle a model of the heavenly when other Canaanites also had tabernacles? What unique truths did the Israelite one teach?

Jesus as the Sanctuary

1. How many of the things of the earthly sanctuary symbolized Jesus?
2. How did the presence of Jesus on earth fulfil the purpose of the sanctuary?

The Church as the Sanctuary

1. In what ways is the church similar to the tabernacle? In what ways is it different?
2. Does corruption in the church drive away the presence of God? What about in the Old Testament sanctuary? 
3. Is the platform of the church more holy than the main floor?  
4. Is the divine service more holy than Sabbath School or AY?

New Creation

1. In the new earth why do we have to live in the city (New Jerusalem), instead of a garden (Eden)?
2. Will we need to go to church in the new earth?
3. How can we arrive at the right balance in not making the heavenly sanctuary neither too symbolic, nor too literal?