The Brinkley argus. (Brinkley, Ark.) 1883-current, 1916-12-15
LESSON FOR DECEMBER II
THE HOLY CITY.


LESSON TExT-Ra HI, 22-27.
GOLDEN TEXT-Be hold, the taber-
nacle of God is with men, and he shall
dwell with them, and they shall be his
people.-Rev 21:3. ~ (
& 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 gloryl the, source Of all
power, King of Kings and Lord Of
Lords for the redemption of the hui
man race. In Lesson II we studied
the glorified Christ who is actually
working through his churches Us the
representatives of his kingdom upon
earth TheH 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 eac-
complished it's work of redemption In
this world.
!. The New Heaven and the New Earth
wv. LID. 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. UPeter 8 10,
II, 13). The true Jerusalem, of which
Solomon's was but type, is CT heav-
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 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 a
peculiar and beautiful way. Johns
announcement came from out of heav-
en- and out of the throne. Q) It
was tabernacle of God with men;
rather he shall tabernacle. With men,
He is to pitch his tent among us (John
IA Il. 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)aThey
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, unsatistied
longing or tear, for God shall wipe
them away, and they will stay wiped
away. (6) 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. . l7)''
There shall be no mourning, crying or.
pain any more. Every sorrow, agony,
renorsa,. gloonls idisapp 6fntments gomez
forever; death, tears, mourning, all;
passed away. 1t is hard for us to COM
prehend the majesty and sweep of this
great. and glorious. promise. (Sae I
Cor. 15). ,s.7s,..., s,.>.,, 49, .,i...,
II. Tho Coming Light and Glory wv.