Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-05-04
TIE JUDGMENT DAY.
LESSON VI, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, MAY 6.

CONDENSED from Lesson Helper Quarterly, by
permission of II S Hoffman, Philadelphia. pub.
Usher
Notes. Nations, the whole human race.
Cor v, 10, Rev. XXX, l2, 10. Sheep, a com
mon term for Christ's people. John x.
lilo; xxi l5-l6. 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, 49, Acts tx, 4. Everlasting, eternal,
the same Greek word for both and means
endless duration. The original word, aio-
Mon, occurs sixty-six 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 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 the genera.
lions of men. He shows that men will be
Judged by the view they take of him and the
conduct of men toward his followers because
they are his followers. His sentence intro
duces 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 presupposes the general resurrection
anu forms the conclusion of the Lords coming
anu paroasia III this present state of things
" OIL "ithIn less than two days of his
cruclIlXlon he ntly sets forth the glory of his
triumph lie looked beyond the cross. He
mad never said so much until he was about to
suffer HIS foresight was more than human !
IL was divine.
The word when" points to definite occa1
sion namely, in connection with his second
coming. When now speaking be was in a
state OF humllation a man, poor despised
unknown, rejected and to be crucfed But ]
looking forward. he spoke of coming Tin his
glory. in his own true nature, divine, hon
ored and worshiped as King of kings. Now
he was about being elevated on a cross, Their
he would ascend THE throne of his glory
sharing the glory with 1.-THE ancient of days.
Instead of few humble followers as now. he
then would have an immense retinue of "holy
angels with him" Seated on his throne i'm
plies his complete victory. The contrasts
are striking. Now in the position of pris
oner before earthly Judges then he would be
king and judge; now the cross then the
crown. now i'll shame, then in glory; now
the conflict, then the triumph; now the
judged, then the judge of all
V. 81 The assembly at the judgment SEEM
to include all mankind; the nations" repre-
senting all peoples of all climes and regions
The lesson presupposes the universal nomina
Chrlstianizaton of the world.
That the verse should teach, as some sug}
gest, that only heather nations and all exy
cept Christians, should be Judged, does to the
simple reader seem strange and perplexingI
The obvious meaning seems to be that thdt
whole human race Will appear before Christ !
the King and Judge. The earthly distinct
tons ana dividing lines VIII then disappear
Sheep and goats pasture together, and east
ern travellers say that only the practiced eye
OF the shepherd can distinguish them. A |
night they are separated by him. Thus nov
good and bad are intermingled and thu !
keenest observation often cannot discern TIN
difference. Christ the Great Shepherd, al
the While knows his people; and there is
day coming wnen he Will declare publicly
VINO are ana VINO pretend TO be, his true dis
clpIes.
V. % The gentleness, rnoifensiveness
peaceiulness and tractablllty of sheep sym
| DoilZeS the character OF ohrlsts true peoples
Goats combine uncleanness and stuhbornness
and thus typity the EVIL character OF the unI
godly' In the Hebrew there is one wore
which means both goat and demon Tn
right hand was the place OF honor.
V. 81 Here for the first and only tim
does the Lord give himself the name o.
king. Afford. The Kingdom was inherited,
not purchased nor earned not theirs by an
human merit, but Gods free gift to them.
was prepared" in the councils of eternit
that such kingdom should be the inher
lance of each one of Gods believing children
Jesus further prepared" it after his as
cension.
V. $3.50. 81" II" unto me"-'not unit
me'-indicate how all good works done
earth to bear remembrance at the day q
judgment had to be done with regard t
Christ prompted by his spirit and love, don
for and to him, for his sake and glory. Goo
works are to he remembered and rewards i
only when performed for him
v $40. They had thought more of tn