The Starkville news., 1918-05-31
LESSON FOR JUNE 2
THE PROPHETIC OUTLINE OF
THE INTERVAL Between
CHRlST'S CRUClFIxiON
AND HIS COMING AGAIN.

SOLDEN IEA1-f1e tniit Snali eHOuEc
unto the end, the same shall be saved
Mark 1913.
DEVOTIONAL LREADING-Ephesians Q:
lilo.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL - Matthew
fs:1-25, 46; Luke 2l:5-sS: I Thess. 5:1-24; II
Thess. 2.
PRIMARY ToPIc-Jesus among his
friends.-Mark 1879.
JUNIOR AND INTERMEDIATE TOP
IC-Our best for Christ.-Mark 1889.
The printed text ia :1-9) may prof
itably be used by the primary, junior
and intermediate grades, but the adult
classes will more proftably confine
their study to chapter Is. In order to
avoid confusion in this study, let ii. be
clearly borne in mind that two mat.
tiers are presented-the destruction of
the glorious return of the Lord. The
two are sometimes so closely inter
woven as to make the threads difficult
TO disentangle, but if we see the color
ing in the graphic picture of the de-
struction of Jerusalem as adumbrating
the revelation of the Son of God in
glory, we shall have no serious trouble.
!. The Occasion of the Prophecy
(vv. 1-4).
AS Jesus was passing through the
temple for the last time on his way to
the Mount of Olives, where he gave
this discourse, the disciples reminded
him of the splendor of the building, to
which he replied that not one stone
should be left upon another. When
came privately with a threefold ques-
ton, according to Matthew "a, request
ing further information.
/. When shall these things be?
2. What shall be the sign Of thy
coming?
8. And of the end of the age?
That which follows is given in an.
swer to these questions.
;, II. The Characteristics of the Age
During the Absence of Christ (vv.5-23).
1. Appearance of deceivers (vv
8, 81.
Since Jesus went hack TO heaven
many false Christs from time to time
have pressed their claims as being the
Christ. AS the age draws to a close
these claims doubtless will increase.
2. Wars and strife among the ma
tionS ivy. Z, 81.
The history of the centuries since
Christ Is written in blood, and the river
increases in volume as the age goes
on toward its cOnsummation. Jesus
warns against making any particular
war the sign of his coming. Many good
people have seriously blundered in this
respect because they did not heed this
warming
3. Earthquakes and famines ". 81.
Though these calamities grow in
creasingly severe as the days lengthen,
the intelligent, believing disciple is not
surprised or alarmed, for these are
the precursors of a new order, the
birth pangs of a new age, the estab-
lishment of the Kingdom of Christ
upon this earth. Let the child of God
in this present darkness look up, for
his redemption draweth nigh Uuke
q :2S).
4. Universal evangelism ". 10Y.
The gospel of the Kingdom, accord
Ing to Matthew "a IA, shall be preach
ed in all the world for a witness. This
is not the Gospel of the grace of God
which we now preach, but the new
evangelism which shall be proclaimed
by elect Israelites Immediately pre-
ceding the coming of Christ to estab-
lish his Kingdom (see Rev. 7:4-10;
Rom. II :15).
III. The Lords Glorious Return (vv.
A27).
This is the superlarive event, the
one to which all prophecies have point
ed, and all ages are moving with un-
failing precision. 1t will usher in the
golden age Of which the wise and
great Of all ages have dreamed, and
for which they longed. The coming
of the Lord will put an end TO earth's
sorrows; wars and strife will not end
until the kingdoms of this world be
come the Kingdom of our Lord and his
Christ (Rev. 11:15). This event will
be accompanied by great physical dis
turbances and Jesus will gather his
elect from the ends of the earth.
w. Applications of the Prophecy
(vv. 28-37).
I. AS these events multiply in the
earth we know that the coming of the
Lord draweth nigh (vv. %, 29l. as the
putting forth Of the leaves of the fig
tree prove the approach of summer.
2. The Jewish race shall retain Its
integrity till the end ". 30).
The perpetuity of Israel is the mir
Rcle of the ages.
8, Certainty of sl,fillnent ". az.