Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-12-15
LESSON FOR DECEMBER II
THE HOLY CITY.
lesson TEXT-Rev. 21;1-1 22-27.


dwell with them, and they shall be his
people.-Rev. 21:S.
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 all
power, King of Kings and Lord Of
Lords for the redemption of the hui
man race. In Lesson IL we studied
the gloritied Christ who is actually
working through his churches as the
representatives of his kingdom upon
earth. The succeeding chapters de-
scribe in symbols and pictures the dis
cipline and training of Gods people
during the long generations that fol
lowed. In the lesson for today, we
have a vision of the final triumph of
Christianity when it shall have ac-
cOmphShed its work Of redemption in
this world.
!. The New Heaven and the New Earth
(vv. 1-O. John in vision saw the con-
summation of the work of Christian
ity. the visible answer to the prayer
which Jesus Christ taught his disciples
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. QPeter 10,
IL, 49,. The true Jerusalem, of which
hut &c Of
enly 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 part, but here
we have some scriptural indication of
that place where Gods children are TO
be with him eternally. The kingdom
of God is among you, but it is even
tually to be with God and Jesus in q
peculiar and beautiful way. Johns
announcement came from out of heav-
en- and out of the throne. ID 1t
was u tabernacle of God with men !;
rather he shall tabernacle with men.
He is to pitch his tent among us John
1:14 r. V. marg.) 1t is to be done
eventually and permanently. This
dwelling of God among us, lies at the
foundation of the blessedness 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. az He shall be their God,
acknowledged in all his infinite claims,
and he to them all that God is of love,
! power, wisdom, holiness and glory.
| (5) He shall wipe away every tear
from their eyes. There will not be a
single grief or heartache, unsatisfied
longing or tear, for God shall wipe
them away, and they will stay wiped
away. (6l Death shall be no more
| Of all the enemies, death is the last
one which shall be taken from the
earth. 1t is sweet to know that this
last enemy is to be conquered. "a
There shall be no mourning, crying OF
pain any more. Every sorrow, agony
remorse, gloom, disappointment gone
forever; death, tears, mourning al
passed away. 1t is hard for us to com
prehend the majesty and sweep of thi:
great and glorious promise. (See
Cor 15). But this kingdom of HEAVIER
is to be on the earth. The ideal anC
goal of the material world will pro
duce this "new heaven" There wa
no more sea separating, turbulent, hos
tile, means of separation and de
structiOn, of wrecks and hurricane
) that sometimes shut out the stars
therefore, as a symbol and a type
has no place in the renewed earth
II. The Coming Light and Glory (v1
22-2O. The intervening verses are
wonderful description of the founda
ton walls and gates of the city. Their
will be no temple in that city for it vii
not be needed. Instead of the tempt
which stands for the temple of cart
there is to be the presence of Coo
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 atonin
lamb, slain before the foundation c
the world. This city is to be city G
light and glory. 1t will not be an i
Elimination by gas nor electricity, fC
the glory of the Lord shall tighten i
| The thing our great cities need tOda
to expose their sin is light, but the1
|. will be no sins to be exposed whe
Il the light of Gods eternity shines upO
H his blessed holy city. All natiOr
Il shall walk in the midst of that ligh
n Kings shall bring their glory into
Il Everything that is regal and brigl
\ and wondrous will be in that cit
4 The city stands wide open at all times
\ no need of walls or excluding gate
i There shall be no night there. In Go
H the father of light, there is no V
4 ration, neither shadow that is ca
\ by turning (James 1873.
i Summary. What are the lessons f,
Il our day from this vision of the ne
! heaven and the new earth? Firs
I That the golden age of the Bible h
i not vet taken place. There are bett
4 times to come than anything the wOr
IL has vet seen. Second: We have he
u the positive assurance of the Succe
II of our leader and the victory of Chri
Il tianity in it's conflict with evil. Thir,
II The golden ideal of heaven is L
!. means by which we can test our dai
\ lives and the whole course Of our co
Il duct. The question we should co
il stantly ask is, Are we going to Il
i heavenly ideal?" Fourth: The gat
Il of that city are open; an angel is
II each gate, and shall keep out all ev
Il God desires that all men everywhe
A should repent, and is not willing tn
4 any should perish.
81 When the final assize shall ha
n passed, no one will say that God {
y not give him chance nor seek to
spire him to a place of eternal joy
his right hand.
- Again there is to be federation
Sc the forces of good. Today we
often find Christian people divided
SO Ultimately, when we shall be Ii
,t- him, for we shall see him as he
es our Christian forces will be united
90 our common song of joy and praise
NAnd +ho