Connecticut western news., 1890-05-14
TRANSPORTATION.
LEeeoN VII, SECOND QUARTER, IN- TERNATlONAL SERIES, MAY 1e.

TERNATlONAI SERIES, MAY 16. Text of the Lesson, Luke k, as-3e-Com-
 ss-Commentary by the Rev. D. M.
 Stsarns.
 min6aon of H. s. Hoffman, publisher Philadel-
 phial
 8. "And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings." These sayings evil dently refer to what Is recorded in this chap ter from verses IS to 27, including the testt- mony of Peter concerning Christ, Christ's own testimony concerning His approaching sufferings and death and resurrection, and that those who follow Him must be content to suffer with Him; but that there Is . future glory awaiting all such which will more than for all the suffering, and that some of them would not die till they had seen the glory of that kingdom. He also tes- tihed that If any preferred their life in this world they would lose the world to come, but If willing to renounce this world for His sake they would receive and forever enjoy the glory of the kingdom of God.
 s'He took Peter and John and James, and went up into mountain to pray.n These
 
 Jairss' daughter raised to life, and the same three He took nearest to Him in the garden of Gethsemane. He saw fit to elect these to be with Him on these occasions, He elected twelve out of all His followers whom He might qualify for special service, He has an elect nation through whom He yet purposes to make Himself known to the world, He is now gathering an elect church out of all nations which shall reign with Him as priest kings when through His elect Israel He will subdue the world unto Himself. Election, when understood, Is glorious.
 2e "And as He prayed, the fashion of His was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering." Matthew and Mark say that He was transfgured; Matthew says that His face did shine as the sun; Mark says that His raiment became shining, ex- ceeding white as snow, as no fuller on earth can white them; Matthew says his raiment was white as the light. Here was for a brief season the outshining of that glory which was hidden in that mortal body during His humiliation, reminding us of the garden of Eden when man made in the image of God was clothed with light as with garment (Pa civ, 1,2; Gen. i, 2D; and pointing us the Kingdom, when we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is; and the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom.
 30. "And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias. :" Moses, the servant of the Lord, died on Mount Nebo ,4SO years before this, and the Lord buried him in a valley in the land of Moab Deut. xxdv). It was about 900 years since Elijah was translated without dying QI Ki. iD |; and yet here are both alive and well, and if Jude K refers to the resurrection of Moses body, then both stood here in their immortal bodies Blessed be God for the life eternal and for the assurance that if we are in Christ we shall be alive and well ,00O years hence, 2,000 years hence, yes, to all eternity, in in- creasing fellowship with Him. This is fore shadowing of the coming of the Son of Man In His Kingdom, and tells us that in that day Christ, who once lived on earth in humilia- tion, shall comein His glory and that He shall be accompanied by all His risen saints and those who shall have been translated without dying, both represented here by Moses and Elijah. That the dead shall rise and the liv- ing be instantly changed at His coming, see Thess. iv, 1918; Cor. xv, 30 -b2. We would like to know how Moses and Elijah had spent all these hundreds of years since they left the earth; where have they been and what have they been doinga But we must wait
 31"Who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jeru- salem" This verse and the next are peculiar to Luke, Matthew and Mark, simply saying that Moses and Elijah talked with Jesus, and emitting all reference to the disciples being heavy with sleep.
 "And when they were awake, they saw His glory, and the two men that stood with Him. !" The R. V. says, "When they were fully awake" and in the margin Having remained awake" He was gracious unto them and suf- fered them not to lose all. They saw His glory, and they saw Moses and Elijah. Peter refers to 1t as ''The power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" and says "We were eye witnesses of His Majesty" uI Pet i, 16). At the same time Peter tells us that we have 8 moro sure word of prophecy whereunto we do well to take heed.
 SS. "And it came to pass, as they departed from Him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it Is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles; not knowing what He said" Had he been wide awake and heard the conversation between Jesus, Moses and Elijah he would probably have talked more wisely and have known what he was talking about.
 34. While He thus spake, there came a cloud: and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud" All through the wilderness "the Lord went be- fore them in a pillar of cloud" When the Tabernacle was erected Ia cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle;n and when the Temple was dedicated the house was filled with cloud and with the glory of the Lord (Ex. xiii, 2l; xl, 34; II Chr. V, 13, l4). In the vision of Isaiah (vi, 4 the house was filled with smoke, and Ezekiel G, 4 saw great cloud, and fire unfolding itself, and 8 brightness about it. At His ascension cloud received Him, and when He comes again il will be in the clouds of Heaven tActs i, g.
 Matt. xvi, 64). So also when the risen and translated saints meet Him in the air, it shal
 be in the clouds q Tn. iv, ID. As to their
 fear, so earthly are we and so little awake to
 Heavenly realities, that anything unearthly or even unusual Is apt to fill us with awe.
 35. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son: heal
 Him." Matthew adds, "In whom am vel
 pleased" The R. " says, 'sThis is my Son,
 my chosen; hear ye Him." At His baptism
 the voice from Heaven said, ''This is my be
 loved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
 Matt. iii, IT; Mark i, II; Luke iii, 20. On {
 third occasion when Jesus prayed, "Father
 glorify Thy name," the voice from Heaven
 said, "I have both glorifed it and will glorify
 1t again. John xii, 28). So that we have
 three distinct testimonies from the Father
 concerning His Son. We have also the Son..
 own testimony to this effect, ''He that sent
 me Is with me; the Father hath not left me
 alone; for I do always those things that
 please Him. tJobn viii, 29. When we accep
 Jesus and delight ourselves in Him, the
 Father is we'll pleased with us for His deal
 SOn'S sake We are acCSSofAd in the Re1OVe(
 and in Him have redemption (Eph. 1, 6, D.
 S6 And when the voice was past, Jesu
 was found alone" Matthsw says that whel
 the disciples heard the voice they fell on theil
 face and were sore afraid; but Jesus cam,
 and touched them and ss;d, "Arise and be no
 afraid" and when they j!fsstl up tbeir eye
 they saw no man save Jssus only. Not ever
 Moses or Elijah may bo put on a level witt
 Jesus. There is no salvation in either.