Viewing page 37 of 41
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
[[start page]] 284 THE CONVENTION TEACHER fine thoughts. The people shall see the Divine face; and His name shall have a place in their foreheads. What a vision, a beautiful one. They see His face. We often think, and think truly, that is must have been great joy to see our Lord as He was here on earth. What would we not give could we now see Him as His apostles did. Everything associated with Him has gained sacredness and sanctity by that association. The land where He lived we call the Holy Land. The particular places most closely connected with Him while on this earth we call holy places. The ones whom He chose to minister to and for Him we call holy ones, or saints. The day on which He rose from the dead we observe as a holy day. All this is but the result of that mighty influence which He exercised over those who came under the spell of His wonderful personality. Hence one would like to have known Him as He was in His childhood; as He grew in wisdom; as He toiled and taught for thankless men; as He hung upon the Cross; as He rose from the dead. But such vision is impossible to us now. All the more do we hail with joy the words that we shall see His face. (5) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. Four thing are said here about the children of God in their heavenly home. They will serve the Lamb; they will behold His face; His name shall be on their foreheads; they shall reign forever and ever. The passage teaches no physical or spiritual darkness in that royal state; no use for light of any nature. There the Lord God Himself shall give them light, for He will be the Light. This verse tells us of the very highest honor and dignity, and of the closest intimacy with eternal power and authority of the most inward nearness, and participation in the administration or divine government. III. THE UNIVERSAL WELCOME. (V. 17.) (17) And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. This expresses the good will of God to man. It is all-important would we win men to God we must represent His good will to them. If we let men think of God as hard, indifferent, unloving, or unjust, not all the threatenings on earth will draw them to Him. Man loves that which he sees is lovable. Observe the invitation. It is a welcome—an unusual welcome. The gift offered is the water of life. It is the constant symbol of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that grace which cleanses. It is a river of water of life, no little circumscribed pool or tiny well, but a river, full, flowing, in which we may wash and be clean. We put away our sings, our spiritual defilement by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit, the bride, and the hearer is to say, Come. They are well qualified to give this invitation. The Spirit—He is in full sympathy with the Giver of it; He is the Holy Spirit of God. A messenger may nullify the effect of a message if he has no sympathy with him who sends it, but if he has sympathy with him who sends it, and as the giver, is deeply desirous that it should be accepted, then with what force will be urge it. the bride—She also says, Come. THANKING GOD FOR JESUS The birth of Jesus added a special blessing to childhood. Although He was God's Son, He came into the world and grew to manhood as do all other children. But even as a Child He was our Saviour. He lived only thirty-three years, but His life was perfect, the salvation of all the world resting upon Him. He made it possible for every boy and girl, every man and woman, to be saved from their sins, and to have a happy home in heaven through all eternity. he did this by giving up His own perfect life, that was without spot or blemish, shedding His blood upon the cross of Calvary, for each one of us. That is why God, His heavenly Father, sent Him to earth, to help those in need and to save all from sin. All of our lives we should be thankful to God for His Son, our Saviour. QUESTIONS ON THE LESSON 1. How was John fitted to receive the visions? 2. How do visions encourage young people? 3. How did the Christian profit by John's prophecy? [[end page]] [[start page]] THE CONVENTION TEACHER 285 Lights On The Lesson By Rev. Bernard O. Byrd, D. D. LIGHT NO. 1—The word APOCALYPSE means disclosing or uncovering the future. The Apocalyptic Scripture for the people which lived before the coming of Christ was generally spoken of as the prophecy. As we of today know, the prophecies were Scriptures uncovering future happenings; it therefore can be referred to as Apocalyptic literature. LIGHT NO. 2— The prophetic or Apocalyptic Scripture or literature for the New Testament is called commonly, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It is the final prophecy of life in the flesh among men and uncovers the final states of the Just and the Unjust as predicted by Jesus Christ. LIGHT NO. 3—This literature gives information which removes our doubts concerning the future state of men. That the resurrected saints, with new bodies might live in realms of eternal joy, we find that the old conditions of the earth and natural happiness will pass away and new conditions and happiness will take their places. LIGHT NO. 4—This revelation shows God's throne of authority, the trees and rivers of restoration or renewal. This book discloses also that whereas before the coming of Christ, the Jews felt that God was for them only, after the incarnation of Christ all men are entitled to the benefits of the kingdom of God. This is affirmed in the invitation which said, "Whosoever will, let him come and take of the waters of life." Editorial Reflections By S. A. Pleasants, D. D. In the old covenant, the Holy Spirit said through Isaiah, For behold, I create new Heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered nor come into mind.—Isa. 65:17. For as the new heavens and new earth, which I will make shall remain before me, saith Jehovah, so shall your seed and your name remain.—Isa. 66:22. In the new covenant the Holy Spirit said through Peter; But, according to His promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.—II Peter 3:13. Now we have here the Holy Spirit saying through John, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven, and the first earth were passed away: and there were no more sea.—Rev. 21:1. These Scriptures tell us positively that the old heavens and earth shall pass away, and the new heavens and new earth shall be created. We do not doubt the old nor the new covenant. All shall be as said here. We have a foretaste of it in our recreation or regeneration. The old things that we were born with that made us like Adam, are changed and we are recreated, and made like the new man Christ Jesus. This is the beginning of the creation of the new heavens and new earth. When the last ones shall be regenerated, or recreated, then our Father will recreate the heavens, and the earth that had to be cursed for man's sake. When the new heavens and the new earth shall be, then the Trinity will dwell with us, and we with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in our new bodies that He shall give us, that shall be immortal, the same as our souls, that became so when they were recreated or regenerated. The new things that shall come to pass as stated here, shall bring to us the realities of things that have been given in rhetorical languages in both the new and old covenants. We shall find that all the beauty of heaven, and the best things that are so pictured by the Holy Spirit through the different writers shall come to a final end, and when that end shall be ushered in, there shall be no more tears, no more pains, no more sorrow, and no more death, no more darkness, then all things shall be as He said, Behold I make all things new. We shall come to know as we are known, with clearness of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, when all is gone as to the weakness, faulty things existing among men; when all shall be overcome, the night gone forever and the day be eternal. Then shall we awake to all that has been said, in ancient times, medieval and modern times about different things of fine gold, the precious stones, starry crown, the beautiful city, the undimmed lights that shine and all else. It will be God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. [[end page]]
