The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1893-12-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for December -,
1S93-The Gioriied Saviour Rev. 1:

Especially arranged from Peloubet'S NoteS-1
Gc-cEN TExT.-W Eeretore God also hath
highly exalted hiu, and given him . name
which is above every uaue--Phl "a
DATE--The book OF Revelation was written
either about 4 D IS, shortly before the des,ruc-
ton OF Jerusalem or A D s. or So, toward the
close Of the reign OF Domitian
The external evidence is chiefly in favor OF
the later date. The internal evidence, from
the language used. is strong argument in IA
vor Of the earlier date The difference in Ian
guage between Revelation and the Fourth Cos
pei car most easily be accounted for. il John
wrote the Revelation il his earlier life when
Hebraic influences prevailed, and his Greek
would be imperfect and Hebraized: and the
gospel he wrote with its purer Greek. after
living twenty five or thirty years in EphesuS
amid the influences Of Greek culture and civili-
xatIon
For the most part, it makes little difference
in the Interpretation which date Is held to be
correct. except that il most OF the events de-
scribed are those connected with the Neronian
persecution and the destruction OF Jerusalem,
then il MIST have been written at the earlier
date But any other view OF the Interpretation
may be held with either date
AUTHOR John the apostle, the son OF
Zebedee, The beloved disciple, AMI the author
of the Fourth Gospel AMI three Epistles-
PLACE-It was written on Patmos- small
rocky island in the IEgean sea- TO which John
~.
Possibly Ut EphesuS on his return from exile
THE OBJECT OF THE BOOK IS to encourage
and strengthen the church during the period
which was 70 elapSe between the close OF direct
revelation aud the second coming OF her Lord
That period had been described by Jesus Him
SELF especially in His last discourses, as one OF
great difficulty and trial to His people. They
would have to contend both with outward per-
secution and with inward degeneracy and
apos,acy Mems hearts would faint for fear
and for expectation OF the things that were
coming or the earth. The very powCs OF
heaven would be shaken The Book OF Revela-
ton then was designed to cheer and animate
the church through .hese days OF darkness
Every epoch leads up TO the golden day. The
line OF conflict may advance and recede from
time to time. but il is triumphant battle field
which is pictured It IS thus the book OF the
advent and victory Of Christ
1, is book Of war, but the war ends in
riumph and peace. 1t is a book of thunder,
but the rolling Of the thunder dies away in
Iiturgies and psalms 1t is superb
and stormy protest against the apparent
triumph OF evil, q magnificent and tempeStuous
assertion Of hopes which no darkness could ex-
tiuguish no seas of blood could drown E.
1t was 4 rallyins cry to the armies OF Christ At
the moment when they seemed TO be tranpled
in irremediable defeat It expressed
the thoughts Of men who had seen Peter cruci-
fed and Paul beheaded We must
try to feel as Christians felt when they saw
their brethren torn by the wild beasts OF the
anphi:heater or standing as living torches.
each in his pitchy tunic. on one CHASTITY night
in Rome. II was written in the days
Of earthquakes and foundations and volcanic
outbursts and horrible prodges. Emperor
after emperor was pershing by poison. suicide
or slaughter Alike Rome and Jerusalem had
been deIuged with massacre. The sun OF hu-
man life seemed TO be setting amid seas OF
-;
button Al such an hour-rerhaps the dimmest
and the most disastrous which ever fell upon
an afflicted world-the seer still prophesies
triumphantly OF the coming dawn
PARALLEL-No little Light is thrown upon
Revelation by the great discourse Of our Lord
in Matt "a
FOUR SCHOOLS OF INTERPRETERS.
|. The PrIteristS. or those who hold
that the whole. or by far the greater
part, of the prophecy has been fulfilled
(among whom are Ewald. DeWette,
Moses Stuart, F. d. Maurice. Farrar in
a measure). These understand that a
large portion of Revelation refers to
the Neronian persecution and the de-
struction of Jerusalem.
H. The t'uturists, or those who main
tain that the prophecy relates entirely
to events that are to take place at or
near the coming of the Lord (such as
Maitland. Todd. Isaac Williams).
III. The Historical Interpreters. or
those who hold that the prophecy en-
braces the whole history of the church
and its foes. from the time of its writ
ing to the end of the world. Among
these are Isaac Newton. Bengel,
Wordsworth. Barnes. and. in modified
form. Afford. Cook. This view had
dominated the church for several
centuries. To me it seems indisput-
able that the book does speak of things
past. present. and future; that some OF
its prophecies are already fulfilled,
some are now fulfilling, and Others
await their fultilmcnt in the yet I'M
known future.
". Some of the more modern COM
menta tors take view which seems to
me to be nearer the truth than the
/ older commentators reached. in which
recent Interpreters have been distinct
" approaching to a unanimity never be-
fore observed in regard to its interpre-
tation." We are disposed to view the
Apocalypse as the pictorial unfolding
of great principles in constant con-
f,ict. though under various forms. The
prieterist may, then. be right in find
ing early fulillments, and the futurist
in expecting undeveloped ones. and
the historical interpreter is unques-
tionably RICH. in looking for them
/ along the whole line of history: for
the words of God mean more than one
I man. or one school of thought, can
compass The visions of the book
find counterparts in the occurrences
1 of human history. They have had
these. and they yet will have these
| fulfillments: and these fulfillments be-
long neither wholly to the past. nor
/ wholly to the future. The prophecies
Of God are written in a language
which can be read by more than one
| generation.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
/ Yer. 9. Even the best and most low
| ing of men have their share of tribula-
| ton.
| Yer TO- But of that tribulation they
] sometimes enter the seventh Heaven,
and have most glorious visions. as