1. The Voice in the Wilderness Luke 1:5-80; Matthew 3:1-11; Luke 3:1-19
The Desire of Ages 10
The Voice in the Wilderness
Luke 1:5-80; Matthew 3:1-11; Luke 3:1-19 1

2. The Nativity of Jesus The Announcement to Zacharias (Luke 1:5-25).
The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38).
Mary’s visit to Elisabeth; birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:39-80).
Mary’s return to Nazareth.
The announcement to Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25).
The journey to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7).
Birth of Jesus; announcement to the shepherds; circumcision (Luke 2:1-21).

3. The Ministry of our Lord Timeline Chart

5. The Teaching of a Great Spiritual Truth
In ourselves we are incapable of doing any good thing
Birth of Isaac to Abraham
What we cannot do will be wrought by the power of God in every submissive and believing soul
Birth of John to Zecharias
It is through faith that spiritual life is begotten
Birth of Jesus to Mary
It is through faith that we are enabled to do the works of righteousness

6. Why was Zacharias Punished?
Unbelief
Unawareness of the real need
Disregard for the instruction of the angel
Zacharias needed to be awakened to the importance of heeding the instructions of the Angel

7. The Need for Temperance
In order to fulfill the Task
To bring the light of God
Give a new direction to the thoughts of men
Must impress men with the holiness of God’s requirements
Impress men with a need of God’s perfect righteousness
In order to meet the conditions of the world
Greed for riches
Love of luxury
Love of display
Sensuous pleasures
Feasting and drinking
Physical disease
Degeneracy
Benumbed spiritual perceptions
Little sensibility to sin
In order to meet the qualification
Holy
A temple of the Holy Spirit
A sound physical constitution
Mental strength
Spiritual strength
As part of his training
Control appetites and passions
Control all his powers
Be unmoved by surrounding circumstances

8. History is Prophecy Elijah John the Baptist 4th Angel’s Movement
Temperance
Temperance
Temperance
Reformation
Reformation
Reformation
Coming of the Branch of David
Coming of the Messiah
Second Coming of Christ

9. Steps in the Gospel Work
Breaking up of the soil
Implantation of the seed
Growth of the seed
Full maturity
Harvest
“Before the seed of the gospel could find lodgment,
the soil of the heart must be broken up.” DA 104

10. When Are We God’s People?
“The Jews had misinterpreted God's promise
of eternal favor to Israel...” DA 106
Receiving the Truth
Preaching Present Truth
When the law is written in the heart
Only when all conditions are met are we, and will we stay God’s people

11. It is not God who destroys, but sin.
Does God Destroy?
“To sin, wherever found, ‘our God is a consuming fire.’ Heb. 12:29. In all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which destroys sin, must destroy them.” DA 107
The Glory of God
Destroying Sin
Giving life to repentant sinner
Directly
Indirectly
Destroying Sin
Destroying unrepentant sinner
It is not God who destroys, but sin.
“God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself.” COL 84

12. The Birth, Training and Work of John the Baptist
The Experience of Zacharias
The appearance of the angel
Zacharias unbelief
The Angel
Punishment for unbelief. Why?
The Greatest Work committed to Men
Therefore he needed to heed the instruction of the angel
He had to work a change (Reformation)
Therefore temperance (Begins in childhood and youth)
Comparison with the preparation of Christ’s second coming
Where and how was John trained?
Not in rabbinical schools, but in wilderness
Here he learned lessons of nature, revelation and Providence
He studied the characters of men
The work of John the Baptist
He saw the conditions of the people
He preached judgments
He directed the people to Jesus

13. Questions
Is fear and self-condemnation the proper reaction when we see the glory of the Lord? (Compare the experience of Zacharias with that of Isaiah in Isaiah 6!)
What significance is contained in the position of the Angel? (He stood at the right side of the altar)
What leads us to God?
His severity and our fear of the judgment
The goodness of God
How did John understand Genesis 49:10?
How was this prophecy fulfilled in his day?
What constitutes God’s people?
They have the truth
They have the character of Jesus
Do you see parallels between the work of John the Baptist and the Waldenses?