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The Sabbath-School

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International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Aug 20, 1885

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 11, No. 32.

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The Sabbath-School.

LESSON FOR THE PACIFIC COAST—SEPT. 12.

Inheritance of the Saints.—Concluded.

THE PROMISE FULFILLED.

1. By what means is the “gathering” of Israel effected?
“Israel” signifies “one who prevails;” and since it is the overcomers (Israelites) that are to share Christ’s kingdom (Rev. 3:21), we know that it is to Israel that Christ says at his coming: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matt. 25:34. And these are gathered by the angels, as is told in Matt. 24:31: “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
2. After the coming of the Lord, what must take place before they can be planted in their own land?
After the Lord comes, and Israel are “gathered,” sin and sinners must be destroyed before they can be “planted” in their own land, to be no more afflicted by “the children of wickedness.” The wicked are not destroyed until after a thousand years from the time when the righteous are gathered (See Rev. 20:4-9), and at this “perdition of ungodly men,” the earth becomes the abode of righteousness.
3. When the earth is given to Christ for a possession, what will he do?
“Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Ps. 2:8, 9.
4. Where have we a vivid prophetic description of this event?
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” “And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth; and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” Rev. 19:11, 15, 16, 21. Read also the intervening verses.
5. What Old Testament prophecy mentions the same thing?
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots; and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” Isa. 11:1-4.
6. When the wicked are thus destroyed, what is done to the earth?
“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.” 2 Pet. 3:7, 10, 11.
7. What is promised after the dissolving of the earth?
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 2 Pet. 3:13.
8. Where is this promise found?
“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.” Isa. 65:17-19.
9. What can you say of the happiness of the people who inhabit that land?
“But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.” Isa. 65:18, 19. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write; for these words are true and faithful.” Rev. 21:4, 5. “And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Isa. 35:10.
10. What of the employment of the people?
“And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” Isa. 65:21, 22.
11. How do we know that this is to be fulfilled when Israel are gathered and placed in their own land?
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the ploughman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed, and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.” Amos 9:13-15.
12. What will be the character of the people at that time?
“And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shall thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear; and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.” Isa. 54:13, 14. “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” Isa. 11:9.
13. What persons to whom special promises have been made, will then realize their fulfillment?
“And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 8:11.
14. Why has the fulfillment of this promise been so long delayed?
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:9.
15. From the Lord’s stand-point, has it really been long since the promise was first made?
“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” 2 Pet. 3:8.
16. When the promise is fulfilled, how will all creation stand related to God?
“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” Rev. 5:13.
17. In view of the blessed promises held out to us, what exhortation should we constantly bear in mind?
“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the words spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.” Heb. 2:1-3.