LESSON III.-SABBATH, OCTOBER 20, 1894

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 8, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 48.

LESSON III.—SABBATH, OCTOBER 20, 1894.

GIVING UP ALL.

Lesson Scripture, Luke 21: 1-24.

AND he looked up, and saw the rich men that were casting their gifts into the treasury.
And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all;
For all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts; but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had.
And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said,
As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
And they asked him, saying, Master, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass?
And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand; go ye not after them.
And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified; for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately.
Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;
And there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven.
But before all these things, they shall lay their hands on you, and shall persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name's sake.
It shall turn unto you for a testimony.
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to answer;
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to withstand or to gainsay.
But ye shall be delivered up even by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
And not a hair of your head shall perish.
In your patience ye shall win your souls.
But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand.
Then let them that are in Judea flee unto the mountains; and let them that are in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in the country enter therein.
For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land, and wrath unto this people.
And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Do NOT neglect thorough and frequent review. Remember that the Spirit cannot bring to your remembrance that which you have never had in mind.

In this lesson we have the account of the widow and her two mites, and warnings against being deceived or terrified by the things to come upon the earth.

Whom did Jesus see casting gifts into the treasury?
Who cast in more than the rich man?
How much did the widow give?
Why was it more than all the rest?
What may we learn from this? 2 Cor. 8:12.
To what did some then call the attention of Jesus?
What did Jesus say of those things?
What question did they then ask him?
What warning did he give them?
Why was this warning necessary?
What need not terrify the people of God?
What did the Saviour say about wars?
What else will there be in earth and sky?
But before these come, what will be done?
For what purpose will God's people be brought before rulers?
What therefore must they settle in their hearts? Why?
By whom will they be betrayed?
What will be done to some?
How will all men regard them?
Yet what assurance is given?
What Christian grace are we exhorted to have?
What did Jesus say about the destruction of Jerusalem?
What are the people then to do?
What will there be upon the people in those days?
What will become of those upon whom the wrath rests?

NOTES.

1. INSTEAD of "abundance," in verse 4, the Revised Version has "superfluity." The same thought is expressed, but in a more striking manner. The rich gave what they could spare without inconvenience; the poor widow gave all she had. She, therefore, gave more than all of the rich men, for God does not measure gifts as men do. Men estimate the gifts to the treasury by the number of figures it takes to express them; God estimates them by the love which prompts them.

2. "TAKE heed that ye be not deceived." Christ does not rebuke his people for wanting to know all that is possible in regard to his coming; but he cautions them against being deceived. Many will come in his name, professing to be Christ. How shall we be able to detect the false prophets?—Not by written credentials that they may hold, nor by indorsements from other people, but by their words and works. Of the Good Shepherd it is said: "The sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. . . . And the sheep follow him; for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers." John 10: 3-5. They who know the voice of the Lord cannot be deceived by a voice that is not his. See also Matt. 7: 15-23.

3. THERE have always been earthquakes and famines and wars and pestilences. Therefore those of which the Lord speaks in verses 10-12, before which his people are to be delivered up and persecuted, must be the great ones immediately connected with his coming.

4. WHEN the people of God are brought before rulers for Christ's sake, there is to be no argument in self-defense, but Christ is to be presented to the people. When, under such circumstances, men seek to defend themselves, they thereby deny Christ. Stephen and the apostles are examples. They preached Christ, and did not ask favors for themselves. The people of God are brought into such places in order that the rulers may hear the truth. Instead of settling in their hearts what they shall say, they are to settle it not to meditate any answer. Christ will give them utterance, and the Spirit will speak through them. But men must have learned to trust the Lord before that time, or they will not trust

him then. They must have become acquainted with the voice of the Lord by faithfully studying his word.

5. "SOME of you they shall cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish." What a striking combination this is! They who die for the name of Christ do not perish. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it." Luke 9: 24.

6. JUST as in ancient times the people of God were to flee when Jerusalem was surrounded with armies, so in the very last days, when the decree goes forth that whosoever will not worship the beast or his image shall be slain, they are to flee. They are not to stay for anything. He that is in the field is not to return to his house to get anything out, and he that is on the housetop is not to come down. This means that they will previously have given up everything. He whose heart is then still set on any earthly possession, will hesitate to leave it, and will thus be destroyed. It is not by accident that this account of the time of the end immediately follows the example of the poor widow.