Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1890-08-08

VI, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 10.


X, "a Commentary by Rev. ID. NJ.
| Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission of II. S. Hoffman, publisher Philadel
! phia.l
IL. There was a certain rich man. which
was clothed in purple and fine lnen and
Jared sumptuously every day" In the mar
gin of the r. V. "faring sumptuouslyn is
translated as Giving in mirth and splendorn
SO that we have before us one who had all
that heart could wish, as far as this world is
concerned, and he made the most of it, and
was no doubt envied and sought after by
many. An invitation to his house was some
thing desirable, and perhaps never refused.
But in all the wealth and mirth ard splendor
of his home there nothing pleasing to
God.
20, 81. "And there was certain beggar
named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate,
full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the
crumbs which fell from the rich mans table:
moreover the dogs came and licked his sores "
Perhaps there could not be a greater contrast
than the rich man in his luxury and this poor
beggar in his poverty and affection, and no
ordinary person would hesitate a moment if
asked to choose for themselves the position of
one or the other.
But when consider the whole lesson in
the light of here and hereafter, we shall see
that it might we'll be called THE story of the
two beggars." The one was beggar during
the short time of his earthly pilgrimage, the
other became beggar for all eternity.
D. And it came to pass that the beggar
died and was carried by the angels into Abra-
hams BOSOM" Those who call this para
BILE take it upon themselves to assume the re-
! " of co 7 xrilli
do so, having no authority, and prefer to ac-
cept it as plain statement of facts by one
who knew whereof He affirmed and was
capable of giving us glimpse of the unseen,
with which He was perfectly familiar.
The rich man also died, and was buried"
His wealth could not prolong his life nor
could his many friends and admirers detain
him. He, too, has gone from present things
leaving all his mirth and splendor behind
him.
%. And in hell r. v, hades) he lifts up
his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abra
ham afar off, and Lazarus in his BOSOM"
| No escort of holy angels awaited him, nor
does he find himself in rest and peace, much
less in mirth and splendor. Even while they
are weeping over his body, and tenderly
caring for it, he is in torment, in that portion
Of Hades, or the place of departed spirits,
]
body, the great white throne, and their ever
lasting punishment in the lake of fire REV
Xxx, ., 1l-l5; xxi, s., The word hell" is
found in the New Testament about twenty
three times; twelve times it is Gehenna, or
the place of everlasting burnings, and eleven
times it is Hades, or the place of departed
spirits between death and resurrection. The
K. V. makes the distinction This is a diff
cult lesson for those who believe that there is
no consciousness between death and resurrec-
ton, for the facts stated by the Lord Jesus
i completely upset such a notion.
% Son. remember" Does not this seem
to imply that at least part of the agony Of
the lost will be the unceasing remembrance
OF past sins, past opportunities forever gone,
past ingratitude to God which can never be
remediedl Those who in this life give them
selves up to pleasure saying unto God, DE
part from us; for we desire not the knowledge
of Thy ways" will in due time know the
meaning of these words, "Woe unto you that
are rich! for We have received your consola-
ton" dob xxi, 10; Luke vi, 2A.
Is. Between Us and you there is a great
gulf fixed" Taking this verse as we find it,
the doctrine of probation after death is swept
away; for according to this there is no pass
ing from the place of the lost to the place of
the blest Heaven Is above all fear hell is
below all hope. Jesus said TO the unbelieving
of His day, I'VE shall die in your sinsl whittier
| go, ye cannot come John viii, Ply. These
shall so away into everlasting punishment
but the righteous into life eternal Matt. XIV,
4G. The punishment is the same length as
the life; for it is precisely the same word in
the Greek which is applied to each.
-, %. Send him to my fathers house.
for | have five brethren; that he may testify
unto them lest they also come into this place
of torment" Here is lost soul anxious for
the salvation of those on earth who are like
he was, indifferent to their eternal welfare
What wonder this is when saved souls on
earth manifest so little anxiety for the saliva
ton of Others. Or is it wonder when we
consider that this lost soul knew what it
meant to he lost, for he was experiencing
their torment; while saved ones on earth too
often seem not to believe that it means any
thing very bad not to be saved
20 Abraham saith unto him, They have
Moses and the prophets; let them hear them"
Tue word of God, even the Scriptures of the
Old Testament are all sufficient to guide us
into the way of peace, for there is but one
way of salvation revealed in the whole Word
of God, and that is salvation by a substitute,
the innocent taking the place of the guilty
Whether we consider the coats of skins for
ACam and Eve, or Abel's sacrifice, the ram
offered in the stead of Isaac, or the constant
sacrifices of Israel, all point to Him who was
led lamb to the slaughter, ON whom the
Lord laid the iniquity of us all, who was
) wounded for our transgressions, bruised for
our iniquitles. on whom was laid the chastise-
ment which purchased our peace, and with
whose stripes we are healed lisa. lii, IN.
For further light on salvation in the Old
Testament see the ark Of Noah, the Passover
, Lamb in Egypt, the cities of refuge, and
such passages as lisa. l. 10; xiii, 25; Mic. vi,
! s; Zech. iii, etc.
80. And he said, Nay, father Abraham:
, but if one went unto them from the dead,
they will repent" So many think today
, and say, How do we knowf What evidence
have wei Has any one ever come back
7 to tell usi All who talk thus set aside these
words of our Lord as of no value, and
despise Him who came from Heaven to
. Calvary To redeem The words of
Moses and the prophets are the words Of
/, the Holy Spirit of God through Moses and