By Sam E. Stone It had been 400 years since the last of the Old Testament prophets appeared on the scene in Israel. The angel Gabriel’s announcement—first to Zechariah, then to Mary—broke Heaven’s silence. When Zechariah was told that he and his elderly wife, Elizabeth, would be the parents of a son (John), the […]
Mary Sings Her Praise—The Uniform Lesson for December 8, 2013
By Sam E. Stone When Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, she learned that God had selected her to be the mother of his Son. After receiving this message she traveled to see her relative Elizabeth who lived many miles away from Nazareth, down in Judea. Elizabeth had also received a message from […]
The Angel Foretells Jesus’ Birth—The Uniform Lesson for December 1, 2013
By Sam E. Stone For the next two months our lessons are taken from Luke’s Gospel, presenting “Jesus and the Just Reign of God.” Luke is the longest of the four Gospels and, in fact, is the longest book in the New Testament. Angels are shown throughout to be special messengers from God. Early […]
Beginning of the Tabernacle–The Uniform Lesson for November 24
By Sam E. Stone In the account of the building of the tabernacle, one refrain stands out above everything else: “Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him” (see Exodus 40:16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 32). Wilbur Fields calls these eight verses “An overview of obedience! A chronicle of compliance!” James […]
Beginning of Freedom–The Uniform Lesson for November 17, 2013
By Sam E. Stone Last week we reviewed the institution of the Passover meal when the Israelites prepared to leave their bondage in Egypt. With the death of every firstborn Egyptian, Pharaoh relented and gave permission for God’s people to leave. As they did, the presence of God went before them, visible in a […]