New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1916-12-08
INTERNATIONAL
NUNMSQlO0L
LESSON
tBy e. o. SELLERS, Acting Director d
the Sunday School Course In the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Copyright. 1915. Western Newspaper Uni0nQ
LESSON FOR DECEMBER II
THE HOLY CITY.
LESSON TEXT-Rev. 2I:1-7, 22-27.

AS we approach the end of the year,
our minds turn from the imperial city.
where last we have any authentic rec.
ord of Paul, to the eternal city In
which he has so long resided. In les.
son ten we studied Jesus Christ In his
resurrection glory, the source of M
power, King OF Kings and Lord OF
Lords for the redemption of the hU
man race. In Lesson II we studied
the gloritied Christ who is actually
working through his churches as the
representatives Of his Kingdom upon
earth. The succeeding chapters tie
scribe in symbols and pictures the dis.
cipline and training of Gods people
during the long generations that fol-
owed. In the lesson for today, we
have a vision Of the final triumph OF
Christianity when it shall have az.
c0mpliShed It's work of redemption IN
this world.
!. The New Heaven and the New Earth
wv. 10. John in vision saw the ron,
summation of the work of Christian.
ity, the visible answer to the prayer
~ o'~uP ! lAuSlft l1D uIotl DIVE
to pray, thy kingdom come, thy will
be done on earth as in heaven"
Heaven, as well as earth, has been IN.
vaded and polluted by sin, but both
alike are to be made new. Il Peter 3 10,
II, 49,. The true Jerusalem, of which
Solomon's was but Il type, is of heay-
emily and divine origin. 1t comes down
out of heaven from God. We know
nothing of the Inhabitants of the UNI.
verse of which we are Il part, but here
we have some s%criptural indication Of
that place where Gods children are to
be with him etcrnally. The kingdom
Of God Is among you, but it Is even.
tually to be with God and Jesus In II
peculiar and beautiful way. Johns
announcement came from out of heay.
en- and out of the throne. u) II
was II tabernacle Of God with men
rather he shall tabernacle with men.
He is TO pitch his tent among us (,John
LA K. V. marg.) 1t is to be done
eventually and permanently. This
dwelling of God amcng us lies at tho
foundation Of the blesscdness and glO,
ries which are to follow. (2) They
shall be his people. Israel had been
his people; all nations are to be his
people in the fullest sense. (3) God
himself shall be with them, not only
his tabernacle but he, himself visibly,
personally. (4) lie shall be their Cod
acknowledged in all his infinite claims,
and he to them all that God Is OF love,
power, wisdom, holiness and glory.
90 He shall wipe away every tear
from their eyes. There will not be ~
single grief or hcartache, unSatisficd
longing or tear, for God shall wipe
them away, and they will stay wiped
away. 90 Death shall be no more.
OF all the enemies, death is the last
one which shall be taken from tho
earth. 1t is sweet to know hat this
last enemy Is to be conquered, %
There shall be no mourning, crying or
pain any more. Every sorrow, agony,
rcmorsc, gloom, disappointment gone
forever; death, tears, mourning all
prehend the majesty and sweep OF tbi3
great and glorious promise. (Sce I
Cor. 10y. But this kingdom of heaven
is Ia he on the earth. The ideal and
goal of the material world will pro.
ducc this "ncw heaven" There was
no more sea separating, turbulent, hos
tile, n means of separation and de-
struction, of wrecks and hurricanes
that sometimes shut out the starsi
therefore, rs a symbol and a type Ii
has no place in the renewed earth,
u. The Coming Light and Glory wv,
MD. The intervening verses are n
wonderful description Of the fOuD'In'
tion walls and gates Of the city. There
will be no temple in that city for II will
not be needed. Instead of the temple
which stands for the temple Of earth
there Is to be tie presence of God,
himself. but the lamb is also in tn"
midst Of It. Nothing can more force
fully impress upon us the deity and pre-
eminence of Jesus Christ, the ~atOning
lamb, slain before the foundation OF
he world. This city is TO be a city OF
light and glory. II will not De an "
Elimination by gas nor electricity, for
the glory of the Lord shall tighten ID.
The thing our great cities need today
to expose their sin is light, but there
will Ice no sins to be exposed when
the light Of Gods eternity shines upon
his blessed holy city. All nations
shall walk in the midst Of that light.
Kings shall bring their glory into It.
I~----,I.-., .I.s 4, -ann nn.l krt.hA
and wondrous viii be in that city.
The city stands wide open at all times;
no need of walls or excluding gates,
There shall be- no night there. In God,
the father of light, there Is no va.
neither shadow that is cast
by turning tJames 1:1S).
Summary. What are the lessons for
our day from this vision of the new
and the new earth? First
the golden age Of the Bible has
yet taken place. There are better
times to come than anything the world
has yet seen. Second: We have here
the positive assurance of the success
Of our leader and the victory of Chris
tianity In its conflict with evil. Third:
The golden ideal of heaven s tho
means by which we can test our aaflK
lives and the whore course of our c0s-
duct. The question we should con.
ask is. Are We going to this
heavenly ideal?" Fourth: The gatcn
Of that city are open; an angel is nj
a gate. and shall keep out all evil.
God desires that all men everywhere
rhouId rsDent and Is not willing thai