In this Sabbath lesson from Israel Church of the Firstborn in Indianapolis, Brother Obadiah teaches on the Comforter and the Spirit of Truth that Jesus promised his disciples. The lesson identifies that Comforter as an entity, the angel Gabriel, the angel of God's presence who comes in the name of Jesus, brings names, skill and understanding, and brings all things to remembrance. It moves from the Gospel of John through the angels of the Old Testament to Gabriel's announcements to Zacharias and Mary. Every passage is read in the King James Version.
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1.The Comforter Jesus promised is an entity, not a feeling
The lesson begins where Jesus promises the Comforter. Brother Obadiah teaches that while Jesus was on the earth, Jesus himself was the Comforter, and that when he departed he would send another Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, that comes in his name, teaches all things, and brings all things to remembrance.
St. John 15:26 KJV26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
St. John 14:16-17 KJV16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
St. John 14:26 KJV26But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
"We going to deal with the comforter, the one that's known as the Holy Ghost. Ghost really is slang for spirit. When Jesus was on the earth, Jesus was the comforter. But if he would not have died, then he would not be able to send a comforter unto you. This comforter is to aid you, to minister unto you, to give you skill and understanding, and to bring all things that you think you have forgotten to your memory. That's this angel's job."
"And I will pray the father, and he shall give you another comforter. So it's not a feeling. Notice that it said 'he.' This guy is an entity. He going to come in the name of Jesus, and he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance."
When Jesus departs, the Comforter comes to reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to guide the servant of God into all truth.
St. John 16:7-8 KJV7Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
St. John 16:13 KJV13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
2.The angels are ministering spirits, but the Son is above them
To place this Comforter, the lesson establishes what angels are. They are ministering spirits, created by God, who shouted for joy at the creation. But the Son is not counted among the angels.
Hebrews 1:14 KJV14Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Psalms 148:2-5 KJV2Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
3Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
4Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
5Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
Job 38:4-7 KJV4Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
5Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
6Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
7When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Hebrews 1:5 KJV5For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? This is none other than Gabriel and all his dominion that help him. He is the main ministering spirit."
"For unto which of the angels said he at any time, thou art my son? He never said that to none of the angels, no matter how powerful they are. I believe the Lord had this wrote because he knew people was going to take First John the fifth chapter out of context and start believing that that third entity was God. But he is not God."
3.Lucifer fell, and lost his place in God's presence
The lesson shows that Lucifer was the light bearer who wanted to be like the Most High, was cast down in the war in heaven, and lost the place he had standing before God. Brother Obadiah notes this is the "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" of Luke 10:18.
Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Revelation 12:7-9 KJV7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
"How art thou fallen from heaven, oh Lucifer, son of the morning. He was the light bearer, he brought the truth. But he said in his heart, I will be like the most high. Satan always add himself to the godhead, because he want to be just like him."
"There was war in heaven, and prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. He was the accuser of our brethren, because he was in his presence. He was the angel of light, the one telling on all the angels, but he was the angel that was dirty. So that job is going to go to Gabriel."
4.Gabriel, the angel of God's presence
The heart of the lesson: only one angel in Scripture says he stands in the presence of God, and puts a name on it. When Gabriel appears to Zacharias, he says so plainly. The Old Testament calls this the Angel with God's name in him, and the angel of God's presence.
St. Luke 1:19 KJV19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
Exodus 23:20-21 KJV20Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
21Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
Isaiah 63:9 KJV9In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
"I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God. See, this is the angel of his presence. And in Exodus, behold, I send an Angel before thee. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. So this angel is going to come in the name of Jesus."
"It's only one angel that we read in this Bible that said, I stand in the presence of God, and he put a name on it, and that was Gabriel. And the angel of his presence saved them."
5.What a true angel is, and how God spoke through the angel
To correct the picture of little cherubs with halos, the lesson reads Ezekiel's vision of the four living creatures, and shows that in the burning bush God spoke through the angel, giving Moses the name I AM.
Ezekiel 1:5-6 KJV5Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.
6And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.
Exodus 3:14 KJV14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
"They got you with these little angels with the little halo on their head. That angel don't look nothing like that. Let's show you what a real angel look like."
"The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of the bush, but God was speaking through the mouth of the angel. And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM. That's another one of his names. So this is how we know we dealing with Gabriel, because he bring names."
6.Gabriel gives skill and understanding, and brings names from heaven
The name Gabriel is first spoken by the Lord himself in Daniel, sent to give skill and understanding, and Gabriel comes to Daniel while he is still praying. The same angel is sent to Mary to bring the name Jesus down from heaven.
Daniel 8:16 KJV16And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
Daniel 9:21-22 KJV21Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
St. Luke 1:30-31 KJV30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
"Who was the only angel the Lord called to give him skill and understanding? It was Gabriel. This is the first time you hear the name of Gabriel in the Bible, and who said it? The Lord said it."
"While Daniel was still praying, even the man Gabriel touched him and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. That's this angel's job. That's what the Holy Spirit does. And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto Mary, and shall call his name Jesus. Every time this angel brought a name, it came from heaven and it came from the father."
7.The name above every name; believe on the name
The lesson closes on the name. God gave Jesus a name above every name, and the one who does not believe on that name is condemned already. Gabriel is the one who now brings all this to remembrance, testifying of the Son.
Philippians 2:9-11 KJV9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
St. John 3:16 KJV16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
St. John 5:43 KJV43I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
"I am come in my father's name, and ye receive me not. So after this book was written, who do you think is bringing all this to your remembrance about Jesus, the son of God? It's none other than Gabriel."
Closing Word
"So that is Gabriel, the comforter, the spirit of truth, and we hope you got some understanding in it."
Brother Obadiah credited the elders who taught this understanding to the congregation years ago, and closed by pointing the class back to the name of Jesus and the angel who comes in that name to teach and to bring all things to remembrance.
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This lesson was taught at our Sabbath service at Israel Church of the Firstborn in Indianapolis, IN. Join us every Saturday at 12PM, or watch the Sabbath live online.