[Note to the Student.—These lessons are not designed to be exhaustive, but suggestive. In references to the “Desire of Ages,” in the lessons, the subscription edition is referred to. Those who have only the trade edition will find the matter in chapters 1, 4, 11, 27, 71, 77, 78; also read “Patriarchs and Prophets,” chapters 5 and 30. “Christ Our Advocate,” Bible Students’ Library No. 129 (price, 10 cents), and “Looking unto Jesus” (price, $1.00) will be found a great help. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES will have an article on the subject of each lesson this quarter by J. O. Corliss. Read these articles in connection with the study of the lesson. We have not space to print all the scriptures. Let the student study them carefully from the Bible. Those printed are from the Revised Version.]
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
1. What command is given to God’s people with reference to the temple of God and its worshipers?
“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod; and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations; and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” Rev. 11:1, 2.
“Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.” Zech. 2:2. See “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation,” under Rev. 11:1, 2.
2. Besides God’s people, who has a measuring line? Where does He place it? What does He say He will not do?
“Thus he showed me; and, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in His hand. And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.” Amos 7:7, 8.
3. What time is reached when the Lord says, “I will not pass by them any more”?
“And He said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, The end is come upon My people Israel; I will not again pass by them any more. And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: the dead bodies shall be many; in every place shall they cast them forth with silence.” Amos 8:2, 3.
4. What is this plummet by which God’s people are measured?
“And I will make judgment the line, and righteousness the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.” Isa. 28:17. (One translation reads, “I made judgment for a line, and righteousness for a plummet.”)
5. What is righteousness?
“Let my tongue sing of Thy Word; for all Thy commandments are righteousness.” Ps. 119:172.
6. By what standard is the world to be measured, or judged?
“So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.” James 2:12.
“This is the end of the matter; all hath been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:13, 14.
7. What did the Saviour say would judge unbelievers?
“He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My sayings, hath One that judgeth him; the Word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:48.
8. What rule does the psalmist say the Lord will use in judgment?
“He cometh; . . . He cometh to judge the earth: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.” Ps. 96:13.
9. What is truth?
“Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is truth.” Ps. 119:142.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.
10. Is it possible to attain to this standard?
“Till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Eph. 4:13.
“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself up for it; that He might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the Word, that He might present the church to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Eph. 5:25-27. (Jude 24.)
11. What will be the character of those who are redeemed from the earth when Christ comes?
“And they sing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no man could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand, even they that had been purchased out of the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were purchased from among men, to be the first-fruits unto God and unto the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no lie; they are without blemish.” Rev. 14:3-5.
