SS25-Q1-L4: God is Passionate and Compassionate

SS25-Q1-L4-God is Passionate and Compassionate

January 18-24, 2025

Sabbath Afternoon–January 18, 2025

Scripture Reading for the Week:

Luke 15:11-32, Zeph. 3:17, Eph. 5:25-28, Isa. 43:4, Rom. 8:1, Rom. 5:8, Mark 9:17-29.  

Thought for Meditation

But this great sacrifice was not made in order to create in the Father's heart a love for man, not to make Him willing to save. No, no! "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son." John 3:16. The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation, but He provided the propitiation because He loves us. Christ was the medium through which He could pour out His infinite love upon a fallen world. "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself." 2 Corinthians 5:19. God suffered with His Son. In the agony of Gethsemane, the death of Calvary, the heart of Infinite Love paid the price of our redemption.  {SC 13.2}  

Memory Verse

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. {Isaiah 49:15}

a 14:4}

This week’s Sabbath School lesson will deepen our understanding of the incomparable love of God, which surpasses human love, even that of a devoted mother. By exploring biblical texts alongside insights from inspiration, we will uncover the passionate and compassionate nature of God's love.

Reveal God’s Love in Its Fullness: Help believers grasp the breadth, depth, and constancy of God’s love, which surpasses even the most profound human affections.

Encourage Reflection on Divine Compassion: Inspire a deeper understanding of God’s mercy and compassion as expressed in Christ’s ministry and sacrifice.

Highlight the Sacredness of God’s Love: Emphasize that God’s love is not only tender but also jealous, demanding loyalty and devotion.

Transform Lives Through God’s Love: Challenge believers to respond to God’s love by cultivating a similar love for Him and others, as seen in the life of Christ.

Outline of the Study

What can the Love of God be Compared to? More than a Mother's Love

Sunday-January 19, 2025

A Mother's Love

Psalm 103:13: Isaiah 49:15: Jeremiah 31:20; Lam. 3:22.       

Monday-January 20, 2025

Deep Inside - Gut-Wrenching Love

Hosea 11:1-9; 1:2; Deut. 1:31; Isa. 63:9; 1 Kings 3:26; Gen. 43:30.   

How Compassionate and Merciful is God?

Tuesday-January 21, 2025

The Compassion of Jesus

2 Cor. 1:3; Ephesians 2:4; Luke 7:13, 10:33, 15:20; Matthew 9:36, 14:14, 18:27, 23:37; Mark 1:41, Mark 6:34; Deuteronomy 32:11, 

Wednesday-January 22, 2025

This is What God's Love is like - A Jealous God

Deut. 4:31, 24; 6:15, Josh. 24:19, Nah. 1:2; 2 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Cor. 13:4; Ps. 78:58;  Hosea 1-3; Jer. 2:2, Jer. 3:1-12.       

Thursday-January 23, 2025

What is God Jealous of? Compassionate and Passionate

Isa. 63:9; Heb. 4:15; Judg. 10:16; Luke 19:41; Isa. 49:10, 15; Matt. 9:36; Matt. 14:14; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Rom. 5:5; 1 Thess. 3:12, 13.       

Friday-January 24, 2024

Insights and Further Study

From the Pen of Inspiration

Reflection Questions

What can the Love of God be Compared to? More than a Mother's Love

Sunday-January 19, 2025

A Mother's Love

Psalm 103:13: Isaiah 49:15: Jeremiah 31:20; Lam. 3:22.      

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. {Isaiah 49:15}

The psalmist compares God's compassion to a father's tender care (Psalm 103:13), but Isaiah elevates this metaphor to a mother's love—the most selfless and sacrificial of human affections. 

God’s love is likened to a mother’s unconditional devotion. While a mother’s care represents one of the purest forms of human affection, Isaiah highlights that even a mother may fail, but God’s love never falters. As Ellen G. White writes:

"In the heart of God’s infinite love, there is a compassion that never fails, a yearning that no earthly bond can surpass."

Ellen G. White reflects on this theme: “Like a child, you can trust the love of Jesus, knowing that He will never forsake you” (Steps to Christ, p. 54). 

The inspiration emphasizes that this divine constancy invites believers to find security in God, knowing that His love remains steadfast despite human failings. 

The inspiration emphasizes that God's love extends to both the wayward and the faithful, fulfilling His promise never to forget His children, even as a mother may forget her nursing child (Isaiah 49:15). Lamentations reminds us that God's mercies are renewed every morning, a steadfast love we can always depend on.

In the Golden Bowl, the concept of God's enduring love and mercy is highlighted. For instance, in "The Shepherd's Rod, Volume 1," it is emphasized that God's love is unwavering and extends to all, regardless of their faithfulness. This aligns with the biblical portrayal of God's compassion and His promise to never forsake His people.

Additionally, the literature underscores the importance of repentance and returning to God, reflecting His readiness to forgive and restore those who have gone astray. This mirrors the biblical narrative where God calls His people to repentance, offering forgiveness and renewal.

Consider the Following 

❖ A mother's love.

— A mother's love for her child, even in the animal world, leads her to lay down her life, if necessary, to protect it.

— This love is a reflection of God's love, which He placed in every mother. Because of sin, there are mothers who abandon their children. But God's love remains pure, He never stops loving us. We are His children (Isa. 49:15.)

— In Jeremiah 31:20, God speaks of his people as “a precious child,” “a child in whom I delight.” He says of them that He will have “mercy.” The word used is raḥam. This word comes from “womb.” That is, divine mercy is “love like that of the mother’s womb.”

— Even when we disobey Him (and we often do), we are precious to Him; He delights in us; He constantly remembers us; and His heart is moved with pity for us.

Monday-January 20, 2025

Deep Inside - Gut-Wrenching Love

Hosea 11:1-9; 1:2; Deut. 1:31; Isa. 63:9; 1 Kings 3:26; Gen. 43:30.   

“…My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused” (Hosea 11:8b)

Hosea 11:1-9 portrays God’s heart as torn by Israel’s rebellion. This “gut-wrenching love” (Hosea 11:8) reflects the deep emotional connection God has with His people. 

Hosea’s narrative captures the raw, emotional love of God, a love that is deeply affected by humanity’s rebellion yet remains relentless in its pursuit of restoration. This “gut-wrenching love” is seen in God’s long-suffering and mercy. Ellen G. White reflects:

"Through every trial, God’s heart aches for His children, longing to bring them back to the fold of safety."

Ellen White explains: “He longs to clasp you in His arms of love” (The Desire of Ages, p. 517). 

The inspiration emphasizes God's profound love and His efforts to redeem and restore His people. While it may not explicitly reference Deuteronomy 1:31, Isaiah 63:9, or 1 Kings 3:26, the literature underscores the themes of divine compassion and parental care. For instance, it highlights that those who overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil will receive the seal of the living God, indicating God's protective love for His faithful followers.

Additionally, the Shepherd's Rod literature discusses the purification of the church and the removal of unrepentant sinners, reflecting God's intense effort to redeem and restore His people.

While these sources may not directly cite the specific biblical passages mentioned, they align with the overarching themes of God's sacrificial love and His desire to restore His people.

Consider the Following 

❖ Deep inside.

— When God speaks to the prophet Hosea, he uses eminently human language: “My heart skips a beat, my soul is troubled” (Hosea 11:8)

— What causes God this intense abdominal pain?

— His son, Ephraim (who represents the people of God, and each one of us in particular,) whom He has taken by the hand in his first steps and carried in His arms (Hos. 11:3,) whom He has attracted with “cords of love” and fed (Hos. 11:4,) has continually rebelled against Him, and does not want to worship Him (Hos. 11:2, 7.)

— Her feeling is the same as that of the mother whose son was going to be cut in two by Solomon (1Kings 3:26): “Do not harm my son!” This is how God loves us!

How Compassionate and Merciful is God?

Tuesday-January 21, 2025

The Compassion of Jesus

2 Cor. 1:3; Ephesians 2:4; Luke 7:13, 10:33, 15:20; Matthew 9:36, 14:14, 18:27, 23:37; Mark 1:41, Mark 6:34; Deuteronomy 32:11, 

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:14)

Throughout His ministry, Jesus exemplified divine compassion. 

The Gospels consistently portray Jesus as the embodiment of divine compassion. He weeps for the brokenhearted, heals the sick, and forgives the sinner. This compassion is not passive but active, leading to tangible acts of mercy. The SRod literature identifies Christ’s compassion as central to the gospel:

"Christ’s acts of mercy reveal the essence of God’s kingdom—a kingdom founded on love and service."

Ellen White writes: “His heart was stirred with pity for the poor and suffering. He wept with those who weep” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 17). This compassion is vividly seen in Jesus’ healing of the leper (Mark 1:41) and His grief over Jerusalem’s unbelief (Matthew 23:37). 

The inspiration emphasizes that Christ's compassion extends to all humanity, calling them to repentance and salvation. This aligns with the biblical portrayal of God as a nurturing figure, likened to a mother eagle caring for her young, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:11. This imagery underscores God's protective and nurturing love for His people.

Christ's sacrifice and the enthusiastic preaching of His shed blood are central to the Church's mission. This reflects the broader Christian understanding of Christ's compassion and the call to repentance and salvation.

Therefore, the statement accurately reflects the themes present in the Shepherd's Rod literature, highlighting Christ's universal compassion and the nurturing aspects of God's love.

Consider the Following 

❖ The compassion of Jesus.

— So far, we have seen the love of God as it is displayed in the Old Testament. As we move into the New Testament, we see God's compassion and mercy fully manifested in Jesus.

(1) He touched the leper because he had mercy (Mk. 1:41)

(2) He stopped the funeral procession from Nain because he felt sorry for the widowed mother (Luke 7:13)

(3) He had compassion on the crowds that followed him (Mt. 14:14)

(4) He had compassion on the 5,000 who had not yet eaten (Mt. 15:32)

— As he looked upon Jerusalem, saddened by its rejection, he cried out: “how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37.)

— But, without a doubt, the greatest proof of his compassion was giving his life for us (Eph. 5:2.)

Wednesday-January 22, 2025

This is What God's Love is like - A Jealous God

Deut. 4:31, 24; 6:15, Josh. 24:19, Nah. 1:2; 2 Corinthians 11:2; 1 Cor. 13:4; Ps. 78:58;  Hosea 1-3; Jer. 2:2, Jer. 3:1-12.       

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)

God’s jealousy is not a human flaw but a manifestation of His holy and exclusive love. Ellen White explains: “He requires the full surrender of the heart, the yielding of the mind and soul to His control” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 508). 

Hosea’s marriage symbolizes God’s covenant love and His yearning for Israel’s faithfulness. Hosea 1-3 Please see and check the link below for further studies:
1. Meat In Due Season - 7. Old and New Testament Church History Depicted by One Family
2. Present Truth Lessons 2020 - Lesson 19: From Children to Mother 

3. https://3angelscry.org/pdf-hosea-1-and-2-the-old-and-new-testament-church-history-depicted-by-one-allegorical-family/ 

God’s jealousy, as described in Scripture, reflects His deep desire for an exclusive, covenantal relationship with His people. It is a protective love, not borne of selfishness but of a profound commitment to His creation. Ellen G. White notes:

"God’s jealous care over His people is His pledge of unwavering faithfulness."

This divine jealousy invites believers to reciprocal loyalty, understanding that God’s love is a consuming fire that sanctifies and purifies.

The inspiration highlights that God’s jealousy stems from His desire to protect His people from the ruin of idolatry. This jealous love is patient and kind, as reflected in 1 Corinthians 13:4, always seeking to redeem and restore.

Consider the Following 

❖ This is what God's love is like.

— Does 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 describe human love or divine love?

— We can say both. This is the love of God, and this is the love we reflect in our lives as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal . 5:22.) How can I reflect this love in my life?

(1) Worshipping God, who is love, and thus being transformed by imitation (2Co. 3:18)

(2) Responding to His love, being compassionate and merciful to others (Jn. 13:35)

(3) Asking God to transform us, because he is the only one who can do it

— Let us therefore ask God to give us a new heart for Him and for others, a pure and purified love that elevates what is good and removes the dross from within us.

Thursday-January 23, 2025

What is God Jealous of? Compassionate and Passionate

Isa. 63:9; Heb. 4:15; Judg. 10:16; Luke 19:41; Isa. 49:10, 15; Matt. 9:36; Matt. 14:14; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; Rom. 5:5; 1 Thess. 3:12, 13. 

Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14)

“The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies ” (Nahum 1:2)

God’s jealousy is directed toward preserving His relationship with humanity. His passion is evident in Christ’s tears over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41) and His compassion for the lost (Matthew 9:36). 

Ellen White writes: “He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities” (The Desire of Ages, p. 823). 

God’s jealousy reveals His passionate love for His people and His intolerance for idolatry, which draws hearts away from Him. 

The SRod literature interprets this jealousy as evidence of God’s justice and mercy working in harmony:

"God’s jealousy is not a sign of weakness but of His unyielding desire to protect His people from the destruction of sin."

The Shepherd's Rod (SRod) literature, authored by Victor Houteff, extensively discusses God's love, discipline, and efforts to save His people, often drawing on themes of divine justice and mercy. While there may not be a direct quote that precisely matches your statement, elements of it are central to the Rod's teachings. Below is an analysis of how the inspiration aligns with the following points:

Discipline and Comfort

The inspiration frequently emphasizes that God disciplines His people out of love to correct and purify them. It often refers to passages like Hebrews 12:6 ("For whom the Lord loves He chastens") to highlight the necessity of divine discipline as part of God's redemptive plan.

God's Unending Love

The concept of God's unending love is reflected in many of the SRod writings. He underscores that God's actions—whether in judgment or blessing—stem from His eternal love for humanity. The scriptures such as Jeremiah 31:3 ("I have loved you with an everlasting love") to affirm this theme.

Holy Spirit's Role in Pouring Out Love

We need to acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit in guiding, comforting, and sanctifying believers. Though not often cited in the exact words of Romans 5:5, the idea that God's love is poured into the hearts of His people aligns with the emphasis on the transformative work of the Spirit in preparing people for the kingdom.

Cultivating Selfless Love

The inspiration call for believers to reflect God's character aligns with the principles in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. It stresses the need for purity, humility, and selflessness among God's people as they prepare for the final events of Earth's history.

Consider the Following 

❖ Jealousy, applied to people, has two aspects: one positive and one negative.

— Positive: be jealous

(1) Care or diligence put into doing things

(2) Passion for a person

— Negative: being jealous

(1) To be envious and, generally, to wish evil upon another

(2) Suspecting infidelity in the couple and, generally, acting violently

❖ Divine jealousy is free of negative aspects in itself, although its consequences can be negative for those who are unfaithful to the love received (Nahum 1:2.)

❖ God's jealousy comes from a passionate love for us, like the love between spouses. It leads him to desire our good intensely. God's jealousy never comes from envy, nor is it capricious or without reason, but from the desire that He be our only God.

❖ This same zeal is what led Paul to love the churches: “I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2.)

Friday-January 24, 2024

Insights and Further Study

Ellen G. White writes: “The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity” (The Great Controversy, p. 651). The Shepherd’s Rod adds that God’s love, shown through His judgments and mercies, calls for heartfelt repentance and loyalty. May this study inspire us to embrace and reflect God’s incomparable love in our lives.

From the Pen of Inspiration

“Christ's love is deep and earnest, flowing like an irrepressible stream to all who will accept it. There is no selfishness in His love. If this heaven-born love is an abiding principle in the heart, it will make itself known, not only to those we hold most dear in sacred relationship but to all with whom we come in contact. It will lead us to bestow little acts of attention, to make concessions, to perform deeds of kindness, to speak tender, true, encouraging words. It will lead us to sympathize with those whose hearts hunger for sympathy.” EGW (Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 1, pg. 208)

Reflection Questions

1. How does understanding God’s love as more than a mother’s love transform your relationship with Him?

2. In what ways do the characteristics of a mother's love reflect God's love for us? 

3. How do the stories of parental love (e.g., 1 Kings 3:26 and Gen. 43:30) mirror God's love for humanity? 

4. How can recognizing God’s jealousy inspire greater faithfulness in your walk with Him?

5. How does the comparison of God’s love to a mother’s love deepen your understanding of His care for you?

6. What role does compassion play in the Christian life, and how can we model it? 

7. In what ways can you emulate Christ’s compassion in your daily interactions?

8. How does understanding God’s jealousy inspire you to renew your covenantal relationship with Him?

9. What practical steps can you take to reflect God’s love in a world that often misunderstands or rejects it?

10. What actions or attitudes in our lives might provoke God's jealousy, and how can we realign with His love?