LESSON SUMMARY IN 300 WORDS

172^ST EDITION, AUGUST^13TH, 2023

1^ST LESSON: Eccl. 9:1-10

2^ND LESSON: Rev. 11:1-14

Ecclesiastes is a book of wisdom that addresses how to live wisely amid the challenges of life.

Having reflected on his experience and observations, King Solomon concludes that even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them a favor.

He further expressed that the good and sinful shares a common destiny (Common destiny does not await all –Mal 3:16- 4:3).

He believes that being alive brings hope and a chance of change before death.

He further addressed his audience to go ahead to eat their food with joy and wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne.

They should live happily with their lover as the reward from God for their toil on earth because we live meaningless life.

Because of later revelation in the Bible, it is obvious that some of the conclusions of Solomon here are not balanced.

Some interpreters of the Book of Revelation view it as futuristic while some consider it already taken place.

This passage narrates the events that closed the second terror at the blast of the sixth trumpet.

God instructed John to measure out the temple of God, the altar, and its worshippers which symbolizes how God protects and owns his people.

The outer court left out represents the court of the Gentiles.

The Gentiles will trample on the holy city, interpreted as unbelievers persecuting God’s people or may refer to Rome destroying the Jerusalem temple.

God would appoint two witnesses, modeled after Moses and Elijah.

They will prophesy for forty-two months, during which no one will be able to harm them. Having completed their testimony, they will be conquered and killed by the beast that comes out of the bottomless pit.

Their bodies will lie on the street of the great city for three and a half days, and the people will gloat over them.

After three and a half days, God will wake them and call them up to heaven, at the same time there will be a massive earthquake destroying a tenth of the city but those spared from the event were terrified, and they gave glory to the God of heaven.