The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-09-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson XIl.-Third Quarter, For
Sept. 20, 1914.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Matt. XIV, 31-46.
Memory Verses, a. 36-GoIden Text,
Matt. XIV, 45-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.


by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
To understand this lesson as to the
Interpretation of it, the time when and
the parties concerned, we must notice
carefully the first verse and the words,
when the Son Of Man shall come in
His glory and all the holy angels with
Him, then shall He sit upon the
throne of His glory" That defines
clearly the time when, and also that
the judgment referred to is not the
judgment of the saints, His redeemed
ones, for when He shall come in His
glory they shall come with Him, the
Old Testament as well as the New
Testament saints, if we may make that
distinction. Lot the Holy Spirit tell
you about this as you read Zech.
xiv, 5; Col iii, 4; Thess. iii, 13; Rev.
iii, 81.
Then, as to the people to be judged,
note the second verse of the lesson,
Before Him shall be gathered all ma
lions" Could anything be more clear
and plain in this connection than the
[ statements I'm Joel iii, IL, that In con-
nection with the restoration and deliv-
erance of His people, Israel, He will
gather all nations in the valley of Je-
hoshaphat and judge them because of
their treatment of Israel? In Zeph. iii,
8, He says that it is His determine
ton to gather the nations and pour
upon them His indignation, and in the
rest of that chapter He calls upon Is
rael to be glad and rejoice, for He will
be mighty in their midst and get them
praise and fame in every land where
they have been put to shame.
In Zech. xiv, 2, He says that He will
gather all nations against Jerusalem to
again upon the Mount of Olives, and
in verse that after that He will be
king over all the earth. Let us then
be clear about this-that in this judg-
ment among those to be judged will
not be found His body, the church, for
she shall be with Him, nor Israel, for
she is not reckoned among the nations
| (Num. xiii, 81. There is no mention
of any resurrection of the dead, just
or unjust, so it is not the judgment of
the saints who shall never come into
judgment for sin (John V, %, because
that was settled on Calvary, but shall
first resurrection at the judgment seat
of Christ for believers only q Thess.
". 1918; l Cor. XIV, 81. 80: Rom. xiv.
10; II Cor. V, 10.
1t is not the great white throne iudg-
ment of Rev. XN. ll-1J, where the I'M
righteous shall appear after their res
direction a thousand years later than
the resurrection OF the just (Rev XXX.
So.
1t is simply. rs the record says.
q judgment of nations. rs such. by
their respective armies. and the Ques-
tion is their good or i'll treatment Of
His people. Israel. As all individual
salvation is through Jesus of Nazareth
Of the tribe of Judah ana king of the
Jews, so the salvation OF nations will
he through Him also. but in connec-
ton with righteous Israel. who will
receive Him as their Messiah when
they shall see Him coming in His
glory to the Mount of Olives for their
deliverance. They shall then say. 10.
this is our God: we have waited for
Him. and He will save us: this is Je-
hOvah. we have waited for Him: we
will be glad and rejoice in His saliva
ton"
After that Israel shall blossom
and bud and fill the face of the earth
with fruit lisa. XIV. o: xvii. g.. Then
shall the saved nations who shall hear
Him say. Come. yc blessed" inherit
the kingdom when the kingdoms under
the whole heaven shall have become
the kingdom Of our Lord and of His
Christ and shall walk in the light of
The new Jerusalem and bring their
glory and honor into il 0tev xi. 10;
xxi. "a.
The others shall hear Him say. DE
part. We cursed" and shall be punish
I'd with everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord and from
the glory OF His power III Thess 1,
7-0.
ANY one who denies the truth of ever
lasting punishment, according to the
last verse of our lesson. must reject
the plain words of the Lord Jesus in
this passage and elsewhere. as in Mark
tx. 43. 40, Al.
In this last verse of our lesson the
same word is applied TO punishment
as to life (revised version. | have en-
1eav0red to show the teaching of the
Bible concerning the judgments in n
tract entitled "The Four Judgments"
which may be obtained from Mr. Fred
Kelker, box 21G, Harrisburg, Pa. If
you send for it ask also for THE Sc
cret of Missionary Interest" and see
how God honors the simple exposition
Of His word.
If this lesson does not refer to the
church except as seen with the Lord
on His throne, where is the heart les
son for the believer? Here is one, at
east, the great "inasmuch" principle,
which always holds good. Whatever
any believer does in His name He
counts as done to Himself and will re-
ward it accordingly. Opportunities
missed will bring us loss