The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-05-02
THE COMMAND TO WATCH.
LESSON v, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, MAY 5.

LESSON v, SECOND QUARTER, M
TERNATioNAL SERIES, MAY 5.
Text of the Lesson, Mark kill. c@-s7-Com-
nit Verses 33-37-GoIden TsKt. Mark |
xiii, 33-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ. |
Stearns.
[Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per |
mission Of H. S. Hoffman, publisher, Phiadel- |
phia
This is continuation of the sermon, the |
beginning of which we had in last weeks les
son; the Saviour is sitting upon the Mount
of Olives over against the temple, the dis
ciples are with Him, Jerusalem Is before
them and little beneath them II they are on
the top of Olivet and as He answers the
questions of tho four w. iiD, He sees in pro-
phetic vision all the future of the nation of
Israel and their Holy City, and with special
reference to them He is speaking.
"a. "In those days, after that tribulation.'
In VS.. 10 He had spoken of it as an affiiction
or tribulation such as never had been before
nor ever will be again Because of the very
great sufferings of the people, as recorded IN
history at the time Jerusalem fell, A. d. 20,
there are many who think that that was the
great tribulation here referred to; but
scripture Is better expositor of scripture
than any history possibly can be, and however
great were the Affections of the people at that
time, our lesson today in the light Of prophecy
makes it very clear that the tribulation here
spoken of is yet future and will come in the
last week of Daniels prophecy, the last seven
years of Israel's history ere the kingdom is
restored to her.
25. 1.-THE stars of heaven shall fall, and the
powers that are in heaven shall be shaken"
This in addition to the darkening of the sun
and moon, mentioned In the previous verso.
In Luke xxi, 25, &c, the Spirit says there shall
be signs in the sun and in the moon, and upon
the earth distress of nations with perplexity.
Similar language Is found In reference to
these very times in Isa xiii, 9-13; xxxiv, 1-S;
Joel ii, 80; iii, 2; and in each place it is in
connection with the punishment of the world
for iniquity, vengeance upon the enemies of
Gods people, and the redemption of Israel.
26 sand then shall they see the Son Of Man
coming in the clouds, with great power and
gloryn As His subject is Israel and tho Holy
City, this is His return in power and glory to
the Mount of Olives for the Judgment of the
nations and the deiverance and conversion
Of Israel as q nation; that they may become
missionaries TO the whole earth, bringing in
the millennial kingdom
81. "And then shall He send His angels,
and shall gather together His elect from the
four winds.n A large ray of light falls upon
this from tho words of Isa. xi, 12, 'And He
shall set up an ensign for the nations, and
shall assemble the outeasts of Israel, and
| gather together the dispersed Of Judah from
| the four Corners Of tho Garth"
| %. snow learn parable of the fig tree"
| Nature itself has many things to say to us If
| we only had ears to ear, or time to stop and
listen; and our Saviour was always finding
! illustrations in everything about Him; the
trees, the birds, the flowers, tho seasons, the
weather, the children, the farmers all had for
Him some likeness to spiritual things. But
tho fig tree, like the vine, was special SYM
boil of Israel, so used by the prophets lisa. v,
7; Joel |, y; and the fig tree to which He
came expecting fruit, because it made great
| professions, and which withered away at His
word CHAP. xi, l2-2l), was symbol Of what
Israel then was and was about to be-
80. verify sag unto you, that this gen.
Grafton shall not pass, till all these things be
DONE" While it is true that many who were
then living must have been living at the de-
str1ction of Jerusalem, there Is nothing in
this verso to limit 1t to that event. Your
dictionary will tell you that generation
signifies race or family, and no one need be
told that the unbelieving Jewish race still
continues, among all nations and yet sep
arate, distinct, the miracle of tho ages, await
ing the fulfllment of oil these things.
81. "Heayen and earth shall pass away
but My words shall not pass away.p Some
thing similar is found In lisa, Il, 8, In connec
ton with the restoration of Israel and th'
coming of the Lord, "Ihe grass withereth
tho flower fadeth, but the word Of our Cox
shall stand forever" and the same is quoted
in Pet. l. 25
80. But that day and hour knoweth NJ
man no, not the angels which are In heaven
neither tho Son, but the Father" There
no authority in the Scriptures whereby W
may say that He will come In such q yea
or month or day; we only know that thougl
He tarry He will surely come and we ma.
know when He is near That the Son shoul
, not know soems strange indeed, but as Mar
! is tho only ono who mentions this, and b
writes of Jesus specially as the servant o
, God that mav give some light upon 1t. 1t
somewhat on the limo of His doing and speak
: ing only what the Father told Him, and ye
that is found in Johns gospel John xii, Al
xiv, I0l
, 9S Take ye heed, watch and pray; for y
know not when the time is.n Luke says tha
E we are to take heed lest we be filed with th
) pleasures or cares of this life, but that "
{ are to watch and pray always, SO as to e
! cape the great tribulation. duke xxi, 1886
Tho one thing TO take heed to Is the Word {
:. God, which Is food for our souls, a girdle fo
! our loins, sword with which to defeat ou
= enemy and light upon our path. The or
peysop to take heed to Is "Jesus only"
! 81 ITO every man his work" The '.fa
Journey of this verse reminds US Of the ''fa
country of Matt. XIV, IL Luke xix, l2, an
the parallels Of tic talents and pounds
! those chapters. Il Is all one story, the KIM
% dom is postponed because the king was r
It tected Ho has gons back to heaven unit
a this time of restoration of the kingdom
Y Israel, and meantime He Is gathering out
q all nations o company of tried and faithf
n followers, TO whom He gives work to do al
= talents according to their several abilit
= commanding them to be faithful and to g
oupy or do business His business till !
q comes. 1t Is q glance at this present dispens
ton In which we now live.
If IS. sWatch ye therefore; for ye know u
4 when the Master Of the Heuse cometh s q
us that as It was then so win 1t be ct the col
le inr OF the Son Of Man; indifference TO etern
things and peoples minds wholly taken
M with the things Of this life The spirit also sa
- through him that some feachefs who oug
a to be giving the people true food for tbs
a. souls viii be scofiing ut tho idea Of the Lor.
of coming, and be found enjoying thernsels
tv with fhe world; He also tells US that soi
~ who love His appearing, and start out
y wait for Him with their Tampa burning, sh
n: bo shut out from the marriage through Ia
Id Of oil
n 90. Lest coming suddenly, Ho found J
in sleeping" Let US CRY unto God TO awak
- us and keep Us awake; let Us do,with 9
ID might what Our hands find to do; let Us 7
40 be disheartened by the failures or incorls
be tencies Of ourselves or others but renneIno
"a ing that we serve tho Lord Christ, and "
- respect to the reconpense Of the reward, N
his love eonstraiu US 10 be ever wasefui
ne watchful
al 81. aAnd what ] say unto you say "a u
lis all, watch" This Is the fourth tnne u th
- last 1--WE verses; how intensely lie must me
~ IL. how important il must be. Houli You
re surprised II He Ehcnld rosnsrs yon read U