Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-03-31
RESURRECTION.
LESSON |, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, APRIL 2.


Memory Verses, o, 7-Golden Text,
Cor. XIV, go (Easter Lesson)-Com-
mentary by the Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
AS we are to have but four lessons in the
book of job it seems a pity to lose one of
them; but it seems best for many reasons
to choose the Easter lesson, as resurrection
is the contamination of the work of re-
demption, and for it the enlightened be-
lever must most ardently look and long.
One word as to Job and his story. He was
as real a person as Noah or Daniel. See
Eek. xiv, ID, 20, and Jas. v, II. The open
ing chapters teach the personality of the
devil and his hatred of the righteous, and
also that he cannot lay n finger upon the
righteous without Gods permission.
Math. xviii, 1, "In the end of the Sab
bath, as it bSgan to dawn toward the first
day of the week, came Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary to see the sepulcher."
The great atonement had been made the
sacrifice had been offered which was typi-
fed in the burnt offerings which job of
fered for his children Dob l. 81, and in all
sacrifices from the days of Adam. God
had made Him to be sin for us who knew
no sin that we might be made the right
eousness of God in Him Oh Cor v, 21) He
a curse for us q Pet. iii, IS: Gal ill., 13).
And now, having made full and complete
satisfaction for the sins of the whole world,
He had according to His own word, been
three days in the tomb as to His body
(Math. xvi, 81; xvii, %; Xxx, 19). But lie
had said that He would rise again the third
day, and if these loving women had been
out and out believers they would not have
gone to the tomb looking for His body
Mary of Bethany, who anointed Him be-
forehand for his burial was the only one
who seemed to understand His words
2. "And, behold, there was great earth
quake, for the angel of the Lord descended
from heaven and came and rolled back
the stone from the door and sat upon it,"
When He died the earth did quake and the
rocks rent (xxvii, 81; when the law was
given at Sinai the whole mount quaked
greatly lex. xix, 49, and when he shall
come again it is written, "Yet once more
shake not the earth only, but also heaven,
that those things which cannot be shaken
may remain" (Heb. xii, &C. 2O. In Mark
xvi, 3, a. it is said that the women wondered
who would roll the stone away, but when
they got to the tomb they found the stone
rolled away
3. "His countenance was like lightning
and his raiment white as snow" When
Jesus was TRANSPORTED His face did shine
as the sun, and His raiment was white as
the light (Math. xvii, ~ In our resurrec-
ton bodies we shall he like Him, for
"Then shall the righteous shine forth as
the sun in the kingdom of their Father"
xiii 49, Then shall we understand the
glory of Adam and Eve before they fell,
and what it was they lost which they tried
vanly to replace by fig leaf aprons God
is clothed with light ops. civ, ~ and man
made in the image of God must have been
clothed with light.
4. "And for fear of him the keepers did
/ shake and became as dead men," When
the light from heaven fell upon Saul and
his companions they were afraid Acts xxi,
81. Holy Daniel says that all his comeli-
ness was turned to corruption, and the
men who were with him fled to hide them
selves Dan. X, 81. job says that the
sight of God made him to loathe himself
and repent in dust and ashes dob xiii, g.
When Jesus shall come in His glory there
will be great cry on the part of all classes
of the ungodly to the rocks and mountains
to fall on them and hide them from the
face of the Lamb whom they have rejected
(Rev. vi, ID l6).
5. And the angel answered and said
unto the women, Fear not ye for know
that We seek Jesus, which was crucified. I"
While unbelievers may well be afraid and
trel .5le, there is nothing but comfort for
the feeblest one who honestly seeks II once
cruciGed Jesus. The one that cometh shall
be in nowse (under no consideration cast
out John vi, 80. Come unto me. all We
that labor and are heavy laden, and | will
give you rest" (Math. XII, 49, Make study
of the fear nots" from Gen. XIV, |, to Rev.
i, II, and surely your heart will say: THE
, Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom
shall fear?"
6. He is lot here, for He is risen MS He
said. Come, see the place where the Lord
lay" 1t always has been and always will
be just as He has said. Why did they not
believe His wor ? Why do we not believe
His words All prophecy that has been
fulfilled has been fulfilled to the very let
ter-not in any fgurative sense, but liter
ally and exactly. And so shall it be with
the yet unfullilled
} Z. And 90 quickly and tell His disciples
that He is risen from the dead" If Christ
be not risen we are yet in our sins, and our
faith is vain Il Cor XIV, ~, but He is risen,
and There is therefore now no condemna-
tion to them that are in Christ jesus
(Rom. viii, |, 34). The work laid upon all
such is to go quickly and tell" to the
ends of the earth The question from
Heaven is, Whom shall send, aud who
will go for usi" Let our answer be, Here
am L; send me" lisa. vi, s..
s. And they departed quickly from the
{ sepulcher with fear and great joy, and did
+ run To bring His disciples word" There
5 is a fear that is not inconsistent with great
: JOY. We are, being saved to work out our
+ salvation with fear and trembling (Phil.
. ii, l2), evidently in no sense fear of losing
J. our salvation, but fear lest we greve
y such Saviour and disEOnor His holy
/ name. The fear of these women was prob
Il ably an awe at what had happened, and
e they were full of JOY because He whom
i. they sought was alive.
}. 8. "And as they went to tell His dsci-
Piles, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All
hail. And they came and held Him by the
feet and worshiped Him." A little earlier
On this day He refused to allow Mary Mag
l!alene to touch Him because He had not
70 then assembled so that between the meet
" Ing with her and with these women he