Passaic City record., 1893-12-16
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
DECEMBER IT.
Lesson Text: "The Glorified Savi-
our,' Rev. t., 9-2O-Golden
Text: Phil. H., 9-Com-
mentary.

| and for the testimony of Jesus Christ" De-
| voutly grateful for the privilege of two les
| sons in this most wonderful book of all the
| 66, fail not to notice its name in verse /,
'.The Revelation of Jesus Christ" and re-
member that a revelation is no longer a
| mystery, but mystery unfolded. Consider
| also in verse the special blessing upon all
| who read or hear the words of this book.
| Observe that John was in banishment for
| Jesus's sake because of the word of God and
if you believe all that word to-day and are
| faithful in testimony you will find yourself
exiled by many. You WILL however, have
blessed company only be patient and wait
for the kingdom.
10. 81 was in the Spirit of the Lords day
| and heard behind me great voice as of a
| trumpet In the Spirit, led by the Spirit,
taught by the Spirit, filed with the Spirit,
are some of the privileges of every child of
God, and only by the Spirit can we know
God or His word. Compare Acts viii, 20; /;
| xiii, 2, A; xvi, 6, 7; Ez. XII, 1, "a. The
Lords day may refer to the first day of the
week. or it may mean that John was by the
Spirit carried forward and caused to behold
the events of the day of the Lord so often
mentioned in the Old Testament.
IL. ''Saying, am Alpha and Omega, the
first and the last and what Thou seest write
in book and send it unto the seven churches
which are in ASIA" The voice, then, was
the voice of the Lord Himself, who thus came
to His dear servant exiled for His sake. He
is A and 2 and all between there is nothing
that letters can spell which He will not be to
His people. AS to first and last compare
verse IL and see lisa. xii, 4 xiv, 6 Xviii,
12; Rev. %, ID, and let Him be first and last
with you in all things. Learn also from the
verse that what we see and hear of God is to
be passed on to others Geek. ILL.,, 10, II Rev.
x. 10, I'D.
IL. ''And / turned to see the voice that
spoke with me. And being turned I saw
seven golden candlesticks." If John had not
needed the voice and turned tC see, he had
missed this great sight. 1t was only when
the Lord saw that Moses turned aside to see
that God called unto him out of the midst of
the bush (Ex. ill.,, ~. doubt not that we
would see and hear more of God If we were
more ready to heed His slightest call and see
His hand in every event. The seven candle
sticks are explained in verse 20.
13. :And in the midst of the seven candle
sticks one like unto the Son of Man, clothed
with garment down to the foot and girt
about the paps with a golden girdle. The
phrase Sin the midst" is very suggestive of
Him who is always in the midst when we
meet in name (Math. xviii, 20) and who was
in the midst on Calvary for us. He is our
High Priest, as indicated by the garment, and
is still the girded one on our behalf, for He
ever careth for us and maketh intercession
for US.
IA. ''His head and his hairs were white
were as flame of fire." His head is sug-
gestive of the internal purity of all His
thoughts, or perhaps that He is the Ancient
of Days (Dan. VIII, 81, whose goings forth
have been from fold from everlasting (Mic.
v, q. AS to His eyes, see also chapters H..
16; XIX, -, and remember that all things
are naked and open to the eyes of Him with
whom we have to do (Heb. w., 13).
Is. Sand His feet like unto fine brass, as
If they burned in furnace, and His voice as
the sound Of many waters" Compare as to
His feet Dan. X, 6 Rev j., 7 they may sug-
gest His judging righteously, and also His
righteous goings. AS to His voice like many
waters, compare Eek, l., "a; xiii, 2, and
Rev. xvii, 15 the idea seems to be set forth
in these verses as the voice of a host of peo-
pie.
16. ''And He had in His right hand seven
stars, and out of His mouth went a sharp
two edged sword, and His countenance was
as the sun shineth in His strength" The
stars are explained In verse 20, but whether
pastor or teacher Or humble believer we are
in His hand from which no power can pluck
us John X, 81. 28). He also holds us as
lights in His hand to shine for Him phil. H.,
Is, 16). Not only is His word a sharp sword,
but He will make cur mouths sharp sword
Heb. iv., ID lisa. xllx.,2). His countenance
reminds us o: the transfguration and sug-
gests the coming glory (Math. xviii, 2; xiii,
43).
IL. 'And when saw Him 1 fell at His
feet az dead, and He laid His right hand up
on me, saying unto me: Fear not I am the
first and the last Over sixty years before
John had leaned upon His bosom and had
also seen Him transfgured, but this Is too
much for him. 1t reminds us of Isa. vi, s.;
Dan. X, 8; Job xiii, 6. But although He
has been over sixty years glorified He is the
very same. Jesus, and so graciously laying
His loving hands upon His servant He utters
the old familiar "Fear not" See Gen. XIV,
| Isa., Kill. 10, 13; Joel H., 26 Dan. x, II,
10 Luke ", TO- Mark ", SO, etc.
1S ''I am He that liveth and was dead, and
behold I am alive forevermore, amen, and
have the keys of hell and of DEATH" With
more light than Job had we can say, "My
Redeemer liveth" Dob XIX, 25). He Is my
life (Ga ii. 20 Col. ILL.,, 4 Phil. l., 21). A
life that no power can touch and not even
the destroyer destroy. Not even death and
hades can claim body or spirit without
His permission, and the time is coming when
death must surrender every body and hades
every spirit at His command (chapter Xxx,
13).
10. ''Write the things which thou hast
seen, and the things which are, and the
things which shall be hereafter" Herei the
threefold division of the book, if l under
stand it i: Chapter l., the things which thou
hast seen chapters IL, Ill, the things which
are chapters iv,, to xii, the things which
shall be hereafter. Notice chapter iv., 1, the
last clause. Nothing is received merely for
ourselves. All is to be written or spoken for
the benefit of others.
20. ''The seven stars are the angels of the
seven churches, and the seven candlesticks
which thou sawest are seven churches" This
confirms His words in Math. ", IA, ''Ye are
the light of the world, and takes US back to
the candlesticks of the tabernacle and tenn
pie, but especially to the peculiar self sup
plying or constantly supplied candlestick Of
Zech. w., with its two olive trees, suggestive
of Christ, our Priest and King, and its Won
derful central thought, "Not by might nor
by power, but by My Spirit. saith the Lord of
Hosts" Both individually and collectively
We shall shine for Christ only as we rejoice
in Him as our Priest and acknowledge Him
as our King, believing that He Is ever In our
midst.-Lesson Helper.
THE WORLDS DEER DRINKERS.
Last year no less than three thousand mil
lion gallons of beer were imbibed In Europe