Easy Reading Edition April 1-7

SABBATH—APRIL 1

Symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible

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READ FOR THIS WEEK’S STUDY: Matthew 3:11; Matthew 10:16; John 1:9,32; John 7:37-39; 2 Corinthians 1:20-22; 1 Peter 1:22.

MEMORY VERSE: “The wind blows where it wants to. You hear the soundit makes. But you can’t [cannot] tell where it comes from or where it isgoing. It is the same with everyone who is born through the [Holy] Spirit”(John 3:8, NIrV).

“THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A LIGHT TO ENLIGHTEN US. He is a Friend we turn tofor advice. He is Water to refresh us. He is a Comforter to cheer us. He is aTeacher to teach us. He is a Guide to lead us. He serves as Oil to make us shineand as a Fire to cleanse us. He is a Dove to bring us mercy.1 He serves as aSeal2 to make us safe. He is the Witness3 for us to look up to. . . . He is the Powerto help us pray. He is the Fruit Bearer and Sap4 to make us grow. He is theReminder to help us remember God’s promises. And He is the Earnest(Guarantee) of the coming glory.”—Adapted from F. E. Marsh, Emblems[Symbols] of the Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1971),p. 246. This week, we will learn what some of these symbols mean.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 8.

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1mercy—kindness we do not deserve.2seal—when kings in Bible times sent a letter, they sealed (closed) the letter with a mark in hot wax. This

mark showed the letter was from them. This mark was called a seal. The seal kept what was inside the lettersafe. The Holy Spirit seals us to show we belong to God, our King. The Holy Spirit’s seal keeps us safe fromsin.

3witness—someone or something that tells us about God.4sap—the liquid in trees that helps the plant to grow.

Lesson 2 Symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible

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DOVE (John 1:32).

Read John 1:32. “The Lord hadpromised to give John a sign so hemight know who was the Messiah. AsJesus went up out of the water, thepromised sign was given. John sawthe heavens opened. He saw the Spiritof God, the same as a dove of bur-nished (shining) gold, flying overChrist’s head.”—Adapted from Ellen G.White Comments, The Seventh-DayAdventist Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1078.

Why is a dove a good symbol forthe Holy Spirit? Matthew 10:16.

The word in Matthew 10:16 trans-lated as “harmless” (NKJV) can betranslated as “pure” or “without a mixture of evil.” This is a good

description of Jesus. It is also anexample of what the Holy Spirit cando in our lives.

What do we learn about the HolySpirit’s work from Ephesians 5:9,10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; and 1 Peter 1:22?

The Bible is clear about howChristians should live. The Bible isalso clear that we can live such a lifeonly through the Holy Spirit workingin our hearts. We are too spirituallydead to change ourselves. Only thecleansing and re-energizing power ofthe Spirit can help us develop Jesus’character. To develop Jesus’ charac-ter is the goal of all who wish to followHim.

What areas in your life need tochange? How can you help theHoly Spirit make these changes?

SUNDAY—APRIL 2

We can live a Christian life when the HolySpirit lives in our heart.

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Lesson 2 Symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible

WATER (John 7:37-39).

There can be no life without water.In the same way, there can be nospiritual life without the Spirit. Also,we cannot make water. We are totallydependent upon God for it. We alsoare totally dependent on God for theSpirit.

Notice the idea of water flowing outfrom those who love Jesus (John7:38). This is an important truth aboutthose who love Him. When believersreceive something through the Spirit,it will flow from them to others.

How does Isaiah 44:3 show thesame idea Jesus talked about inJohn 7:38?

The second part of Isaiah 44:3explains what the first part means.Isaiah 44:4 shows that growth willcome from the pouring out of waterupon dry land. In the same way, spir-itual growth comes from the outpour-ing of God’s Spirit. Growth is proof oflife. Dry land becomes green becauseof water. So, the Spirit can change a“dry” soul into a person of Christianbeauty. “The Spirit of God throughfaith makes a new life in the soul.”—Adapted from The Desire of Ages,p. 176.

How does Matthew 18:21-35show the idea that what we receive

from the Holy Spirit will flow out toothers?

What are some things the HolySpirit has done for you that youalso should be doing for others?

OIL (Matthew 25:1-4).

Read Matthew 25:1-4. Lamps in thetime of Christ did not give light withoutoil. In the same way, a Christian can-not bring light (God’s message) to theworld without the Spirit in his or herlife (Matthew 5:14-16). “The wise vir-gins symbolize people who receivedthe grace of God and the renewingpower of the Holy Spirit. The HolySpirit’s power makes the Bible a lampto the feet and a light to the path. Inthe fear of God these people hadstudied the Bible to learn the truth.They had worked hard for purity ofheart and life.”—Adapted from TheGreat Controversy [War], p. 394.

MONDAY—APRIL 3

Water helps plants to grow. The Holy Spirithelps us to grow in Christ.

TUESDAY—APRIL 4

Lesson 2 Symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible

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How does Zechariah 4:1-6describe the light-giving power ofthe Holy Spirit? What do you thinkthe angel meant in verse 6?

The lamps or the lampstands (candlesticks) represent the churchor Christ’s followers (Revelation1:20). The holy ones that stand inGod’s presence give the Holy Spirit tohumans who are dedicated to Hisservice. Only through the renewingpower of the Holy Spirit can we de-velop the right attitude toward God’slight and truth. Only through the HolySpirit can we be messengers ofmercy and grace to the world.

The two olive trees are draining thegolden oil out of themselves into abowl. This bowl feeds the sanctuary

lamps so they always can give abright light. So, from the chosen mes-sengers that stand in God’s pres-ence, the fullness of God’s light, love,and power is shared with His people.They in turn become messengers toshare God’s love to the world.

In the past 24 hours, were you adim bulb, a weak lantern, or abright lamp of light giving hopeand grace?

SEAL AND GUARANTEE (2 Corinthians 1:22).

What is Paul teaching us in 2 Corinthians 1:20-22?

Where do you see the work of theThree-in-One God in 2 Corinthians1:20-22? How do these verses giveus hope about salvation?

Notice that 2 Corinthians 1:20teaches that in Jesus, we have allthese promises. These promises aremade sure through the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22). The promisescome because of what Jesus did forus on the cross. Because of thecross, we can receive the Holy Spirit.The Holy Spirit is the seal of our sal-vation.

The gift of the Spirit is God’s prom-ise to believers that He will bring themthe full gift of salvation by taking themout of this world of sin and giving

WEDNESDAY—APRIL 5

Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

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Lesson 2 Symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible

them the right to enter His eternal5

kingdom.Second Corinthians 1:20-22 does

not teach “once saved, always saved.”But we can resist the Spirit (Acts7:51). God does not want to force usto follow Him. It is up to us to followHim by faith, by claiming His power toovercome when tempted, and byclaiming His forgiveness when wefall. When we do these things, He willdo all He has promised. What morehope do we need?

“All the promises of God find theirYes in him [Jesus]” (2 Corinthians1:20). Which promises mean themost to you?

LIGHT AND FIRE (John 1:9).

“Many worldly people have noknowledge of God’s written law. Theyhave never heard Christ’s name. Butthey have been kind to His serv-ants. . . .They have protected His serv-ants at the risk of their own lives.Their acts show the working of God’spower. The Holy Spirit has plantedthe grace of Christ in the hearts ofworldly people, awakening sympa-thies that are not normal. The ‘Lightthat gives light to every man wascoming into the world’ (John 1:9,NIrV) is shining in their world. Andthis Light, if obeyed, will guide their

feet to God’s kingdom.”—Adaptedfrom Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 385.

What important questions doesthe above quote answer? Whatquestions does it not answer?

With what did John the Baptistsay Jesus would baptize His fol-lowers? What do you think hemeant? Matthew 3:11.

Fire showed God’s presence(Exodus 3:2), His protecting care andleading (Exodus 13:21), His approval(Leviticus 9:24), and His sanctifying6

power (Isaiah 6:6, 7).

How have you experienced abaptism of fire? What lessons didyou learn from this experience?

ADDITIONAL STUDY: Ellen G.White, Christ’s Object Lessons, “TwoWorshipers,” pp. 158, 159, and “ToMeet the Bridegroom,” pp. 405–408;The Desire of Ages, pp. 190, 453, 454; The Ministry [Work] ofHealing, pp. 36, 37; The GreatControversy [War], pp. 425, 426;Steps to Christ, “The Test ofDiscipleship,”7 pp. 57, 58.

Jesus used another symbol todescribe the Holy Spirit’s work. He

5eternal—forever; without beginning or end; lasting forever.6sanctifying—the Holy Spirit’s work of helping us to have the character of Jesus.7discipleship—surrendering fully our lives and hearts to God.

THURSDAY—APRIL 6

FRIDAY—APRIL 7

Lesson 2 Symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible

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compared8 the Spirit’s work to thewind (John 3:8).

We cannot see the wind. We do notknow where the wind comes from.Wedo not know where it goes. But wecan see what the wind does.Likewise, we cannot see the Spirit.But we can see what the Spirit doesin the lives it changes. The Spirit is amystery. Of the Three Persons in theGodhead,9 the Spirit is the most unfa-miliar to people. Jesus came to showthe Father (John 1:18). And peoplesaw Jesus in human form. But no onehas ever seen the Spirit.

“Christ uses the wind as a symbol ofthe Spirit of God. ‘The wind blowswhere it wants to.You hear the sound itmakes. But you cannot tell where itcomes from or where it is going’ (John3:8, NIrV). It is the same with the Spirit

of God.We do not know through whomthe Spirit will be shown.”—Adaptedfrom Selected Messages, book 2, p. 15.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. As a class, compare your an-swers to the last question inWednesday’s study. What prom-ises came up again and again?

2. This week’s study focused on thechanges the Holy Spirit brings toour lives and how we shouldshow these changes. But howshould the Holy Spirit change thechurch as a group? How wouldthese changes be shown in thechurch’s relationship to the localcommunity?

8compared—showed how things are the same.9Godhead—God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit make up the Godhead.