NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL LESSON.
HAVING learned in last week's lesson that Elijah stood on the Mount of Transfiguration as the representative of those who shall be translated at the coming of the Lord, we turn now to a study of the times of Elijah just before his translation, and we shall find in them a representation of the times in the days just before the coming of the Lord and the translation of the righteous who shall then be alive. THAT there will be a company of people alive on the earth, when the Lord comes, who will hail him with joy and meet him with gladness, is abundantly shown in the Scriptures. Paul says plainly, "This we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [go before] them which are asleep [the dead] . . . the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them . . . and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4: 15-17. Again he says, "We shall not all sleep [not all die], but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; . . . Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor. 15: 51-54. Where is that "saying" written? Read Isa. 25: 8, 9. "He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away455from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."