The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-23

Golden text: Whosoever will. let him
take of the water Of life freely. -Rcy.
cxii. IL
Lesson: Revelation xii S-2i.
Il qiin COMING JUDGE (Nerses SID
I. No angel-worship. (a) The things
that John Jaw aud heard aie ali the visions
presented ia this book. (b) Did John
ssll down before the angel believing him
10 be an angelf Then we must believe
that an inspired apostle WAS about to COM
n.il .doiatry The simpler Interpretation
is that, hearing the angel rehearse the
words Of Jesus, John took the angel TO be
an apparition OF Jesus, aud fell TO worship
bis Lord. (c) The angel soon set
the apostle right. l. "See thou do 10
notD-a positive prohibition of al
such homage Q A reason is given for
the prohibition: II am. as you are. only n
servant OK God. appointed 60 reveal His
villa prophet like yourself" This does
not imply that the angel was only "A man.
All Gods angels are His aud our servants.
Hebrews /. :4) This angel, as being the
revealer by Gods command OF things con-
tanned in this book of prophecy, was also
prophet. g The only object of religious
worship Is pointed out: worship God"
This word is final--a rule for all time.
Prayer, as implying worship, is included
In this prohibition. No creature Is TO re-
ceire religious worship of any kind
Compare Acts X 25; xiv l3; Coloss. ii. is;
Rev xix. l0)
2 Character permanent. (a.) "Seal
not''--this is way of saying, Publish,
proclaim. What is recorded in this book
4 of interest and importance to al the
churches. 1t is of importance to us
that are living now. Gods book is not
sealed roll. TO be kept secret, in dead lam
ruage. or by a high priest, but is TO be com
municated TO all Gods children. Daniel
was ordered TO seal the book Of his
prophecy. dan. xii, 4. 90 The reason was
that the time of its fulfillmcnt was TO be
after long interval: and it was to b.
sealed to preserve il from alterations u
til then; but in Johns case the prophecies
were to begin being fulfilled in that same
generation as, indeed, some of them were
even in Johns lifetime. This, however,
does not conflne them all TO that age.
The nearer the time was the more the
church needed the warning and comfort
contained in this book. (b) After due
warning the wicked and impenitent re-
main so at their peril. Hence the impera-
tive tense Is used, rs much as IL il were
said, LET the unjust man remain unjust,
and the filthy remain filthy, and the just
|continue TO do justly; and the holy to act
|holily;--each will. when judgment shall
|come, be taken as he is and as his
|own deeds have made him each
must ahide the consequences of his
choices in time. (c) There are
|only two classes essentially opposed
the wicked and the righteous--the unjust
land the impure are the wicked; the just
land the holy are the righteous Habits
tend TO pefsnanence; the actions that we
perform la tinle determine our characters
|in eternity. IL will be terrible when Christ
leaves men to their own sinful selves and
says LET them remain as they have
chosen to make themselves"
3 To each his own. (a) The righteous
Judge is always nigh. He comes quickly.
|ro God, whose days are each a thousand
years and whose lifetime is from everlast-
log to everlasting. n very long time is as a
very short time; aud so Quickly" here
Really means more than 1890 years
how much more we can not tell.
Christ comes fguratively in critical
times, at death, in great caamites,
10 remind US OF Judgment; but He is not
|yet come, although the series of events
that will precede His coming was fore
seen by John. He will come to Judge the
world (b) He will then award the retri-
buttons due TO each--the reward TO the
righteous, the punishment to the wicked.
Our desire to see what is called poetic
|jnstice" that is, vi-tue rewarded and vice
proof Of judgment 20 come.
80 also il our conscience that prophesies
pain for wrongdoing This is also the
|doclrine Of our lesson. Jesus will give to
each his due, according TO the
works done in the body. (b) Christ's
Reward is with Him-the crown, the bless
|cdness, the happiness OF the righteous.
|(c) No one shall be able, con sistently with
truth, to complain, for each shall get ius.
|t.ce--suum cuique-to each what he has
worked for.
ii. The GOSPEL INVITATION. verses
|l3.l7)
l. The speaker. (a) Here for the third
|tiine Is Christ represented as claiming the
attribute Of eternity belonging to God
|alone. The early church understood this
las belonging TO Christ. for the monogram
leo frequently found In the Roman cata-
|combs represents His name as intertwined
with the Alpha and Omega, meaning first
land last--the first cause aud the last end
|of all things "a decided claim, on
His part, of divinity. (b.) As divine
lie pronounces blessing on those who
keep Gods commandments. In the Re.
vised Version. however there is an inn
|portant various reading which is well
supported by critical authority. and
which reads "wash their robes" for
do his commandments" This *
|cludes all thought OF merit, and shows
that salvation IS all OF grace free, unde-
servei, mercy, FOR Chrsst's sake. Because
they have washed their robes In the blood
|of Christ--that is, pleading His atoae-
|ment--they have authority (exausia), lib
|erty. right. to enter the city. /. They
|come through the gates-that is, In Gods
appointed way. 2. IL Is In order % reach
the tree Of life that they come through the
|gntes This is why The tree of liie--etcrnal
life in glory--is mentioned first. (c.) There
Is n without" as well as within" TO
the celestial city. Those without do not
enter the city at ALL aud therefore do not
sat of the tree of lie. They are called in
general dogs" afier Che sype of the wild.
filthy. fierce, fetOeious dogs that prowi
around the walls OF oriental ciles. They
a ra rrofaue vile tyirLaf par.nna C,raf