The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-09-11


GOLDEN TEXT-Holy, holy. holy, Lord
God Almighty which was. and is, and is to
confederation AZ.
A look into the future is some
thing that would interest most of us,
and we have it in this lesson. We
agree with DR.. Wilbur Smith that
this is an excellent opportunity to
bring to the hearts of our pupils
some of these divinely revealed
truths which the world, in its mad
rush today, so easily and tragically
puts aside
The portion of Revelation, chapter
seven, which is before us comes
Immediately after a section dealing
with Israel The Church is not men
toned. The ones spoken of have
come out of ''the great tribulation'
(as the Revised Version rightly
translates it and are evidently Cen
tiles who have come to believe in
Christ during that time of unparal-
leled tribulation described in later
chapters of this book.
Our lesson therefore deals with
specific time and a certain people
in connection with an event yet to
take place But we find in this pas
sage the description of the expert
ences of those who, like Christians
of our day, triumphed through their
saving faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ We may therefore here learn
something of the future blessedness
of the redeemed.
l. Saved Forever and Ever wv.
9-12).
Salvation is a reality, and we are
never going to be more certain of
it than when we, like this multitude,
stand in Gods presence to praise
Him for what He has done in our
lives. 1t is real. Praise God!
Notice that there was an unnum-
bered multitude from all nations.
The good tidings at the time of
Christs birth were for all people
Nuke 2:10), and some from all ma
tons respond. Note too that the
hosts of the Lord are greater than
we might at first suppose.
These redeemed ones had imme-
diate access to Gods throne, offer
ing their praise direct. They we're
clad in the white robes of Gods own
purity and bore in their hands the
palms of victory. They, with the
angels, the elders POSSIBLY repre-
senting the Church already caught
up into heaven, and the living crea-
lures (not "beasts" as in AV. They
are divine beings of highest charac-
teri, ascribed a seven-fold praise to
God forever and ever. Amen" 1t
is a glorious picture of completed
redemption.
ii. Serving Day and Night wv.
13-15a).
1t should be observed that even
those who came through the great
tribulation did not look to their own
deeds or faithfulness to save them.
Their white robes of righteousness
were washed in 'the blood of the
Lamb" ". 14).
Now that they had reached eter-
nifty through peril, toll and pain,
they would (according to many
folks idea of heaven) sit down for an
eternal rest and retirement. Not at
all-they found their joy in serving
their blessed Lord might and day;
that is, without any weakness or
exhaustion, without any failures or
defeat.
Ill. Satisfied Throughout Eternity
wv. 15b-1O.
To be covered by the "tabernacle'
of God whatever it may mean)
surely betokens the perfect and con-
slant protection of His own pres
ence. Everything destructive and
disturbing will be gone. There will
be no lack of any good thing needed
to satisfy every desire. There will
be no thirst unquenched and no hun
ger unsatisfied (see similar descrip-
tive passage in Rev 21:3, ~.
The redeemed are said to be I'M
der the tender care of the Good
Shepherd Himself; the Lamb (our
Redeemer) who is in the midst of
Gods throne shall lead them, not
beside "the still waters" of the
Twenty-third Psalm, but unto llv-
ing fountains of water" Thus in
the beauty of fgurative speech, we
are assured that Gods provision for
His children, the redeemed in Christ
Jesus, will perfectly satisfy every
need of soul and spirit. There is
no such satisfaction this side of eter-
nifty, but we shall find it there.
Then too, there is to be no sor-
row. God Himself is the guarantee
that there shall be nothing in that
blessed land to cause anyone to shed
a tear. Think what that means!
Think of the weeping of boys and
girls, men and women, who in this
world of hatred, sin and suffering,
shed bitter tears of pain or sorrow.
Well, it were almost enough to know
that heaven is a place where there
shall be no tears.
Remember that the promises of
joyous completed redemption for
these, the Gentle believers of the
great tribulation, will be for all
Gods children, for us who believe
in Christ. Reader, will you not join
us today if you are still an unbe-
lever? Take Christ now as your
Saviour.
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