The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-06-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON xl, SECOND QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JUNE n.
Text Of the Lesson, Rev. 4, 1920.
Memory Verses, IT, 1S-GOlden Text,
Rev. 4. 1S--Commentary Prepared by
Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.


copyright. 1905. by American Press Association
The title of this lesson does not seem
20 reach far enough, for ii Is message
from the Lord Jesus Christ not only as
risen, but some sixty years after He
had returned to the Father. l count IL
a great privilege TO have even two les
sons from this marvellous portion OF
Scripture, of which ii is written.
BLESSED is he that readeth and they
that hear the words Of this prophecy
and keep those things which are writ
ten therein, for the time is at hand"
Q,3).
Note that the blessing is upon all who
read and hear and keep the sayings Of
the book. 1t does not say those who
understand, but ii is wonderful how
much we can understand If we only
read prayerfully and keep the sayings.
1t is profitable TO have an outline of any
book, and the following is the simplest
and best have ever seen Of this book:
Chapter T. Johns vision Of Christ in the
midst Of the churches; ii and iii, Christ's
last messages to the church on earth;
" and V, the church in glory; vi-xvii,
the great tribulation; xix, the marriage
and the return; Xxx, the thousand years;
xxi and xxi, the new heaven and earth.
1t is not called Il mystery, but reve-
latfon. the revelation Of Jesus Christ,
the record of His taking possession Of
the earth, but with special reference TO
His dealings with Israel and her enc
mics. Our lesson today is description
Of Christ MS He appeared TO John in
Patmos while John was an exile there
for the word of God and for the testi-
mony of Jesus Christ Verse %. Com
pare the description given of Him
again In chapter xix, 11-16, and we
would do well to memorize both por-
tons. The whole book gives honor TO
Him, as in /, 81; V, S-14; vii, 0-17; Y, Is;
xii, II; xvii, Il; xix, Z; Xxx, 6; xxi, D, @;
xxi, 16. But these are only some Of the
more prominent words that give glory
to Him.
Would we see Him and honor Him,
we must be in the Spirit, as John was
Verse 10; otherwise we will continue
blind 10 all His lOveliness. Consider
SimeOn's blessings because Of his being
controlled by the Spirit duke ii, %, 2G,
%, and so il ever is, communion, guild
ance and all else. To be eXiled from
the world and filed with the Spirit are
indeed great blessings, among the
greatest The Lords day may possibly
30 - q a.
| think that ii rather refers to the fact
that John was by the Spirit carried out
into the great events of the day of the
Lord so fully recorded in the Old Tesla
ment.
Note the four times that we find in
this book our Lords title alpha and
Omega" VERSES 8, II; xxi, 6; xxi, 49,,
which, being the first and last letters in
the Greek alphabet, are at least sug-
gestive of this-that there is nothing Of
the souls need that letters can spell that
is not found in Christ. The title First
and Last" is also found four times
(verses II, II; ii, 8; xxi, 49, and re-
minds us that in tile whole Bible He Is
first and last Gen. /, ! Rev xii, 21) |
and all the way through the one per-
son to be seen and known for. seeing
Him, we see the Father John xiv, o..
1t was good thing that John turned |
to see the voice, else he might have |
missed the glorious vision. 1t was when |
Moses turned aside to see the burning |
bush that God called unto him OEX. iii, |
3, ~. Because in the rush Of life we do |
not always take time to consider the |
way Of God and The voice Of God we
miss so much.
List us behold with reverence and |
with love Him whom John saw in the |
midst Of the candlesticks. He Is our
girded High Priest, girded for loving |
ministry, for the girdle is about His |
loins. Like Israels high priest, He ev-
er carries His people on His shoulders |
and His breast and ful1lls to each one |
(Rom. viii, 2S). The appearance Of His |
head indicates the intense purity Of all |
that is suggested by the head and its
contents, while His eyes as a flame Of |
fire remind us that all things are naked |
and open TO the eyes Of Him with |
whom we have TO do (Heb. iv, 49, His |
feet suggest righteous judgment by vlr-
tue of and in connection with His sac |
rifice typified by the braZen altar. The |
best comment on His voice is Eek. /. |
"A, in connection with ii Thess. IL. s. |
There are at least majesty and might /
and power.
The seven stars are explained in |
verse 20, and n helpful comment IS |
found In Deut. XXXiii, 3; Jer. xviii. 6;
John X. %, 20, in His hand for safety
and service. The sharp sword is ex-
planned by Heb. iv, -; lisa. w. ii. His
countenance reminds us that 1.-THE Lord |
God is sun and shield" 1.-THE Sun Of
Righteousness" and that the time will
come when the righteous shall shine
forth as the sun ops. lxxxiv, IL; Nal.
Nv, 2; Matt. xiii, 43).
If John. whom Jesus loved and who
leaned on Jesus breast, fell at His feet
as dead, what will the ungodly do when
compelled to face Him? An answer is
found in Rev. vi, 16. How gracious
His beautiful word, "Fear notw And