The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-05-29
lSABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
MAY 81.
Lesson Text: "Dcstructton OF .Jcru-
| salem Foretold," Luke XXI, 20
36-Golden Text: Luke xxi,
33-Commentary

20. aye shall SEQ Jerusalem comrassei
with armies" One day rs He was leaving
the temple they sought to call His attention
TO the great stones aud gifts. but He said
that the time would como when not one
stone would be left on another. They af-
terward asked Him about this. and He then
told them OF the apron ching destruction OF
Serusalem and OF this whole age till He shall
como again.
q. "Then let them which ar, In Judea fee
TO tho mountains" Sometimes we nre to
stand ana endure and die, and sometimes
we are to flee. He will tell us when to stand
still and when to so forward II wc have ears
Swatch to see what He will saw (Nah. H.. L;
Hah Ill, ~. Eek. xii, 17-2,, has had
tfulflIlment, but like many another prcdic-
zion, the great fll-!ull-mrnt Is yet to come.
%. ''For these be tho days OF vengeance.
Such passages rs Deut. xviii, 25. 4S: Dan.
3x., &c, wore then fulfilled. but we read else
where that the days OF vengeance will ho
associated with Israel's redemption. not
with the destruction OF Jerusalem. When
tho Lori shal! appear in His glory, Hc
shall build up Zion (PS. CHI. l6l.
23. "Tkere shall be great distress in tho
land. and wrath upon this people" 1t Is
written concerning their being carried to
Babylon that ''thcy mockcd tho messengers
of God. nnd dcspised His words and mis-
'Ilsed His prophets. until the wrath OF the
Lord arose against His people, till there was
no remedy" (IG Chron. NyXvi.. 16).
"a. "J-rusaiem shall he troidcn down OF
fhe vcntiles until the times Of tho gcntilcs
be fulfilled" She is stin troidcn down.
titles, but she is arising from hcr desolations
Therefore the times of the CentilcS are near
'1y fulfilled. Read with this Rom. Nj, %,
aud consider that in some itto measure tn"
blinIneSs is passing from Israel. and thor"-
fore the fullncss OF the Ceatiles (the church
or body OF Christ gathered from the gcntiles)
must be approaching completion. Notice
another "until" in Acts iii. 81.
25. &c. "The powers OF heaven shall he
,shaken." This is the time OF the great tribu-
lation at tho end OF this ago to which we
have already referred. 1t is mentioned in
Hng. H., 6, Z, IA follows: "Yct once II is u
little while. and l will shake the heavens.
md the earth. nnl the sea, and tho dry lnnd
and viii. shake alt Nations, and the desire
OF all Nations shall come" In Hob. xii. o.
we read that tho aim OF nil this is "that thOS.
things which cannot be shaken may rrmain. ="
Resting on the firm foundation OF tn" Rock
of Ages we can say, "Thcrrtorr will not we
fear, though tn" earth hc removed. AMI
though the mountains he carried into the
midst of the sca' (PS. Xvi. -.
q. "Ani then shall th"i So" tho Son ot
Man coming in a cloud with mower and great
glory" In Math yXiv.. %, 80, "" read that
this shall bc inmcdatrly after iii" trihula-
Iion Of thos" days. lsn. XXXv.. 4. S;ys: ''Bc-
hold your God will come with vengeance,
even God with a rccompnnSr."
90. ''Your re rclcmption drawcth nigh"
That Is. the redemption of Israel aS Il Nh
tion, for while individual Jews are not now
converted rs individual Ccntil,s hy looking
TO Jesus by faith the Nation will be convert
ed rs Nation only when thcv look upon
Him a. He shall come in His glory. This is
"unr 49, lin Zech xii. 10, to xiii. l.
80, 50. "Benold the ilc tree and all the
trees" He now called their attention to nat
hure and to the way that they knew that
summer was nigh. Israel is Gods fig tree
rs we'll rs His vine. Hear Joel j., Z: "IIe
hath laid my vino waste and barked my fly
tree" The fix tree that Jesus cursed as H.
entercd the city ono day, which was full OF
leaves, but hat no fruit. was symbol Of L.
Iael full Of profession, but without righteous
ness. The AZ leaf aprons of Adam and
Eve were very suggestive of their efforts to
regain that which they had lost. but they
Sad to lay them aside and accept the coats
OF skins. Gods provision by sacrifice. for
without shedding Of blood is no remission
(Hcb. ix.. %; Lev. xviii, lD.
81. "know We that the kingdom OF God is
nigh at hand" We may not know the ,lav
or hour, but wo may know from signs n,
plain rs the leaves upon the trG.s that the
event Is approaching. Our Lord associate.
the redemption of Israel and the kingdom oi
God. Why should we ever separate them
md talk OF the kingdom a. being now here,
when there cannot bn Kingdom OF Col on
earth apurt from Israel us n center? So lOn-
rs the throne of David is vacant tho kingdom
has not come.
So .'Vrrily say unto You. This gene -
fion shall not pass away till all be fulnllr T."
ti"ncratlon means race or DIlr and the
continued existence and marvellous prcScrva-
fion OF the Jews n II people Is evident proof
y! the iulfilmcnt in du" time of every word
fol- God. The prpnoun this" may be and Is
elsewhere translated that" so that there j.
IA possibility that the saying means THAT
generation. tn" generation that shall Wit
ness the hcgAning nf those things shall also
bcn til" end uf them.
33. "Hcavcn aud earth shall pass awav
but Ny words shall not pass away" "Thn,
'Tord oi our God snail stand for ever (lsI.
'Ei., -. 'fhc word OF the Lord cndureth
forever" x Pet l., 25). "Th" heavens. being
on fire, shall hc dissolved Cor looscd from
'bonGaSe) and the elements shall melt with
fervcnt heat. Nevertheless We. according To
His promise. look for new heavens and n
new earth wherein dwcliCth righteousness"
ilI Pet. ill.,, -. 49,.
"a. Take heed 10 yourselves lest that !av
rom" upon yon UnawGrrs." We are 70 avoid
al entanSI"m"nts OF earth lest we bo over
come and taken uuIwarcs. This life i "A
warfare with the powers Of dSrknr~-, and
V" n""'i t. hay" on tho whole armOr OF Col
iEDh vi, II. l2l.
30. For a. II smar" shall il como On all
Them that dwell on the face Of the VIII 10
earth. The believer in Christ doe. n:
dwell on III" earth; he j. only Z SIiournrr
here day 10y day. II" i Il citiH ~ ut heaven.
and his tEuuSh,~ AMI affections a." there, Oh
Things above. Rot un tiIi:g.- on the earth
80. watch yr, Therefore, anl pray ALWAYS
that yc E.av hr accounted worthy - ..-,,;,i,
al ih"S" tninss.' II soNc may escape tho
great tr:nulatl1a, then surely III" church
which Is His body shall escape it. "Ba,au,s
thou has: k' 'pt Il" wpri ul NJ pa,lrurr. [
nlso Will keep tIvr lcJm tn hour OF Temp
tation, which Shd:l com" upon all the world
10 try them that dwell upon IL" earth"
iRov iii. lO). II J"&u, himself Shall pass
through the tril ulatiD:. then III, BODY ! y
but otherwise Not. L ssyn icl!cr.
For II Monetary Conference.