Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-11-09
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson Vll.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. 13, 1910.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson. Matt. xiv, S2-51.
Memory Verse. 44-Golden Text.
Matt XVI. ~ - Commentary Pre-
pared by Rev. D. M. Stearrs

The greater part of this great dis
course is recorded by both Mars Fad
Luke as well as by Matthew. A. they
left the temple one day Ills 80. i.'.cS
called His attention to the -r"i, ;uiil.
inSs with the goodly STONES a,:d gifts.
and they were evidently greatly sur
prised by His remark that ail would
be thrown down and not one stone left
upon another. Four Of them came to
Him privately as He sat upon the
Mount OF Olives and asked Him a
question which was really threefold.
though they probably thought 1t one.
The destruction OF the temple. His
coming again and the end OF the age
were two. if not three. distinct events.
In His discourse he covered the reply
to ALL The whole age until He shall
come again Will be characterized by
wars. famines. peStilences and earth
quakes. with increasing wickedness
until il shall be as II WAS In the DAYS
OF Noah.
In Luke xxi. %. He very plainly re-
ferred to the approaching destruction
OF Jerusalem and covered this present
age by the words. Jerusalem shall be
trodden down of the gentilcs until the
times OF the gentibeS he fulfilled"
With this verse we should associate
Rom. H. q. 90. Many of the circum-
stances connected with the destruction
OF Jerusalem were foreShadowings OF
those at the end Of the age. and the
warnings are therefore similar.
Verses 21-31 of our lesson chapter
MI falr nF L.,
and glory Immediately after the great
! rrioulatlon at the end Of this age. The
destruction OF Jerusalem was in no
| sense His coming. for II is written In
Psalm eli. 16. that when He shall ap-
pear in His glory He will bund up
Zion, not destroy IL. He Is coming
again to restore all things Of which
the prophets have spoken facts fl.
21).
The events IN the east today are
most startling II considered In the
light OF verses 1896 OF our lesson
and compel us to believe that the king
dom Of God is again at hand after the
long interval OF its postpOnement dur
ing this age. The zeal and aim of
Zionism. the new regime In Turkey.
| -
the land given 10 Abraham (Mesopo-
tamia) being now offered to them. and
the unrest among the nations gen.
orally. all point TO the approaching end
OF the age and the coming Of the king
| dom How marvelously has the gen
GRAFTON or Hace or nation Of Israel been
| preserved for the fulfillment Of all
things verse 34l. and soon now shall
they be recognized as a nation. per-
hapS under the suZerainty OF Turkey
| with Jerusalem as their capital. That
| WILL however. mean for them the be-
| ginning Of their great trouble der
XXX. % ere Jerusalem shall become the
throne Of the Lord at His coming in
| glory to set up His kingdom. That
| Israel is Gods fig tree as well as His
vine. see Joel /. Z. and note the events
| OF Joel iii in their order. The utter
ungodliness OF the days OF Noah can
not be fully manifest until after the
church is taken. but the manifesto
lions already on every hand in church
and state are most unmistakable. The
war craze Of nations. the unrighteous-
ness of government in cities and states.
the inGdelity In the seminarieS and in
the pulpits. the disregard of God and
His word everywhere. should compel
us TO cry. Come. Lord Jesus" At
the coming of Christ to the air for His
! saints the true church shall be taken.
all others left. but at the coming TO
the earth with His saints at the end
Of the age the tares shall first be gath
cred in bundles for the burning
Ready is the great word for us all.
as we saw in recent lesson. No I'M
saved person. whether moral or i'm
moral. sober or drunken. drunken ac-
cording TO lisa. xviii, Z. or xxx. 0. is
ready except for the burning, the weep.
Ing and gnashing of teeth (verss 81
XIV, 40. The readiness necessary has
been provided In Jesus Christ by His
great atonement. His pure life, His
death In our stead, suffering for ouI
sins. His resurrection from the dead
and any who will not plead guilty and
accept Him and His righteousness must
perish and be separated from Him.
II we are redeemed and thus ready
to meet Him we must never cease 10
watch and pray. lest the world the
flesh or the devil cause our light 10
fail or even to flicker. and we thus
dishonor Him. Faithful and wise is
the only motto that will enable us to
be approved OF Him (45I. We must
beware Of saying or even of thinking
MY Lord delaycth His coming ~,
lest we be found careless AID con
formed iTe some measure to This pres
ent evil agS The oil of the next char
ter must fill our lamps. aud the light
must so shine that men may see ouI