Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-05-04
THE JUDGMENT DAY.
LESSON VI, SECOND QUARTER, IN
L. TERNATlONAL SERIES, MAY 8.

Z, Verses 37-4O-Comments by Rev. II.
S. Hoffman.
; CONDENSED from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission Of II. S Hoffman, Philadelphia pub.
Usher
. Notes Nations, the whole human race. I
Cor V, 10, Rev. Xxx, r. 10. Sheep, a COM
mon term for Christ's people John X,
lilo; xxi bic. Inherit, possess as heirs,
excludes their own merit. Did it to me,
what is done to Christ's people out of
love to him, he regards as done to himself
Matt X, 40; Acts tx, 4. Everlasting, eternal,
the same Greek word for both and means
endless duration. Tho original word aio-
Mon, occurs siXty-siY times in the New Tes-
lament OF these, in fifty one instances it is
used to describe the duration of the happi-
ness of the righteous; in two, of Gods exist
ence; in six, of the church and Christ's king
dom, and in the remaining seven of the
future punishment of the wicked
In the last days of our Lords earthly life,
less than three days before his crucifxion, he
parts the veil which separates from the great
future, and by n wonderfully interesting pic
ture of the final judgment unfolds to us lis
kingly and judicial character and glory, and
how he will exercise Judgment upon all the
nations of the earth and upon all tho genera
tions of men. He shows that men will bo
Judged by the view they take of him and tho
conduct of men toward his followers because
they are his followers. His sentence intro
duces n separation which must bring the
earth itself, in its ancient form, TO an end
The good are received into the kingdom of
his father and the wicked are cast into hell.
This presupposcs the general resurrection
and forms the conclusion of the Lords coming
and paroasia in this present state of things.
V. 81. Within less than two days of his
cruciiiXion he fifty sets forth the glory of his
triumph. He looked beyond the cross He
had never said so much until be was about to
suffer. His foresight was more than human;
it was divine.
The word 'when" points to a definite occa-
sion, namely, i'll connection with his second
coming. When now speaking he was in a
state of humiliation, a man, poor, despised,
unknown, rejected and to be crucifed But,
looking forward, he spoke of coming ''in his
glory" in his own true nature, divine, hon
ored and worshped King of kings. Now
he was about being elevated on cross then
he would ascend 1.-The throne of his Clorv.n
sharing the glory with "the ancient of daysn
Instead of a few humble followers as now, he
then would have an immense retiuuc of ''holv
angels with him. Seated ON his throne i'm.
plies his complete victory. The contrasts
are striking. Now in the position of a pris-
oner before earthly judges, then he would be
a king and judge now the cross, then the
crown; now in shame then in glory. now
the conflict, then the triumpb: now tbe
Judged, then the judge of ALL
V. 80 The assembly at the Judgment seem.
to include all mankind: the ''nationsn renro.
senting all peoples of all climcs and REGIONS
The lesson presupposes the universal nominal
Christianization of the world
That the verse should teach. rs soma sn-.
gest, that only heather nations ami all OK.
cept Christians, should be Judged. does TO the
simple reader seem strange and perulaxinr
The obvious meaning seems to he that the
whole human race will aDpeol. heroro Christ
the King and Judge The earthly distin.
tons and dividing lines will then disapr~.,
Sheep and goats pasture together. and ra.,-
ern travellers say that only the pract ,.,.i go
of the shepherd can distinguish t'l,,n At
night thev are separated by him. Thu now
good and bad are interniugled and the
keenest observation often cannot discern the
difference Christ, the Great Shepherd all
the while knows his people; and there is n
day coming when he will declare publiclv
who are, and who pretend to be- his trile dis
ciples.
V. So The gentlencss. inofFensiveness
peacefuness and tractability of sheen sym,
bolizes the character of Christ's true neonle
Goats combine uncleanneSs and stubbornness
and thus typify the evil character of the un
godly. In the Hebrew there is one word
which means both a goat and demon. The
''right hand" was the place of honor.
"
does the Lord give himself the name of
king" Afford. The kingdom was ''inherited.n
not purchased nor earned; not theirs by anv
human merit, but Gods free gift to them. 1t
was prepared" in the councils of eternity
that such kingdom should be the inberi.
tance of each one of Gods believing children
Jesus further prepared" it after his as
cension.
V. 1886. a." "I,n unto men-"not INTO
men-iDdcate how all GOOD worl,s dana ~,
earth to bear remembrance at the dov Of
i,r,,,,on+ b,1 60 ho done ,,;.l = -,