The Call to Stand

LESSON 12 *September 9–15

The Call to Stand

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Eph. 6:10–20; Deut. 20:2–4; Rom. 13:11–14; 1 Thess. 5:6–8; 1 Cor. 15:23, 24.

Memory Text: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10, 11, ESV).

Bleary-eyed, the servant stumbles out of his lodgings and sees an alarming sight—a large, well-equipped and hostile army with “troops, horses, and chariots everywhere.” Speaking to the prophet Elisha, he stammers out the news, along with his harried question, “ ‘Oh, sir, what will we do now?’ ”

Elisha responds, “ ‘Don’t be afraid! . . . For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ ” a response that fails to register in the face of his servant. Elisha, pulling him close, prays for him: “ ‘O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!’ ” The prophet’s prayer is answered immediately. The servant steps to the ramparts again, but this time the veil between the seen and the unseen lifts. He now sees not one army, but two. “The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire” (2 Kings 6:15–17, NLT).

In composing Ephesians 6:10–20, Paul prays for an enhanced vision for believers so that they will be able to see the full reality of the great controversy and to draw hope from what it reveals to them.

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 16.