PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Great Texts of the Bible — Volume 20
James Hastings · 157,909 words · 162 reading sections
Section 121
3. God's world as it shall he. — The first thing is that God is to come down and dwell in it. His tabernacle is with men, and He will dwell with them. The next thing is that He will recognize, and be recognized by, His people. They shall be His people, and 320 GOD'S NEW WORLD God Himself shall be with them and be the…
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^ G. Matheson, Times of Retirement, 92. 2 H. S. Holland and W. S. Rockstro, Jenny Lind the Artist, i. 55. REV. 2 1 322 GOD'S NEW WORLD iv. The Evidence of the Newness. 1. The first evidence will be the death-hlow of evil — What are the present evils under which the creation groans and travails ? Suffering is one. I…
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^ The Practice of Christianity, 111. 324 GOD'S NEW WORLD coming : " The thing that hath been it is that which shall be, and there is no new thing under the sun." But with the Kesurrection on the third day old things passed for ever away. Jesus risen is the one essentially new thing in the world. He is our hope for th…
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vi. The Extent of it. The words of the Seer are suggested by Is. xliii. 18, 19 : " Kemember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing." But, says Swete, the scope of the old prophecy is enlarged indefinitely by the words " all things." All the fruits of the New Covenan…
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^ Report of the British and Foreign Bible Society ^ 1906. * G. Campbell Morgan, in The British Weekly, The Citizens of the City. 329 Literature. Aitchison (J.), The Children's Own^ 214. Campbell (R. J.), Thursday Mornings at the City Temple^ 284. Johnston (J. B.), A Commentary on the Revelation, 258. Lushington …
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REVELATION xxi. 27 333 ence. Whatever controversies may be raised concerning total and partial depravity in the beginning of human life, the universal sweep of moral unsoundness in our race is patent enough to every unprejudiced observer. " Behold I was shapen in iniquity " may be boldly taken as a generalization, and…
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2. The next stage in the development of evil is that of moral offensiveness. Moral "uncleanness" rapidly becomes moral " abomination." In spite of the sinfulness of human nature, sin at a certain Suage becomes offensive to the moral sense of the bulk of the people. There is an early point in the career of sin where the…
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^ In Plato's ideal state, while lying on part of the private citizens is condemned, it is allowed to magistrates. As Eendel Harris says,^ it is a reserved art, practised by the guardians of the community upon the rank and file, presumably for their good. The rulers have reserved rights in untruthfulness. " The lying," …
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^ Those who returned from the Babylonian captivity were enrolled by families in a great book kept for that purpose. The names in this roll were supposed to constitute the new Israel; * G. Matheson, Sidelights from Patmos, 321. 340 THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY the nation which was henceforth a religious community — a chu…
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342 THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY the Abbey just as the doors were locked, and they turned to retrace their steps with deep disappointment, which found expression. 'Our words and disappointed looks,' continued my friend, ' attracted the notice of a gentleman, who approached us and said, " You very much wish to see the insi…
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^ Heavenly bliss is no arbitrary beginning of existence over again. It is the carrying out into endless issues of the process 346 THE PERFECT LIFE which grace begins on this side the grave. It is a joyful harvest reaped in the sunlight of an eternal summer ; but it is reaped off the very fields which were ploughed an…
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What here is faithfully begun Shall be completed, not undone. The deepest rest and the highest activity coincide. They do so in God who " worketh hitherto " in undisturbed tranquillity ; they may do so in us. The wheel that goes round in swiftest rotation seems to be standing still. Work at its intensest, if it is ple…
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•[f Gladstone, Newman and Eainy — perhaps the three most remarkable men of their day of those who really applied their minds lo the matters of Christian faith — were all in agreement not only as to personal experience of religion but also — if we except certain matters about the Church (and these are not in the Creed) …
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^ Lord Houghton's notes of Carlyle's talk contain the follow- ing : " I would rather have one real glimpse of the young Jew face of Christ than see all the Eaffselles in the world." * Men oft see God But never know 'tis He till He has passed.^ 2. The full vision is possible only to the pure in heart. The pure in hea…
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^ There is a beautiful legend which tells that one shepherd was kept at home watching a fevered guest the night the angels came to Bethlehem with the announcement of the birth of Jesus. The other shepherds saw the heavenly host, heard their song, and beheld the glory. Eeturning home, their hearts were wonderfully elate…
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2. The name on the forehead means that the imprint of the Divine perfections will be open and visible. By the seal of the Spirit the servants of God even on earth bear this impression; ^ H. S. Streatfeild, Glimpses of Indian Life, 4. « J. T. Stoddart. The New Testament in Life and Literature (1914), 358. REVELATION …
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Thou ! ^ A. J. Gordon: A Biography, 186. REVELATION xxii. 3, 4 359 And thus shall curse, and night, and sin, like shadows flee away From out my life, and Light divine gleam through it every day; The Throne of God and of the Lamb fixed deep within shall be, Heaven's life and bliss already mine, and through eternit…
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REVELATION xxii. 13 365 2. As alpha is the first, so omega is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. Now the first and last letters of the alphabet may be used to represent in brief the sum and substance of any subject ; just as we call the elements of any study its A B C, so that which is the all-pervading idea, the …
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not merely that He has existed and shall exist forever, but also that in the forever of the past and of the future He is eternally Christ, that the special nature in which He relates Himself to us as Saviour never had a beginning and shall never have an end. Jesus sets Himself above all time-relations. His earthly lif…
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* J. Pearson, An Exposition of the Creed. * W. 0. E. Oesterley, in the Encyclopcedm of Religion and Ethics, i. 1. REVELATION xxii. 13 369 perfect nature there was the image of what the new creation was to be. Already, before man trod the Garden in the high glory of his new Godlikeness, the pattern of the thing he wa…
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^ J. Orr, God's Image in Man, 271. REVELATION xxii. 13 371 Does it not teach us what is meant by " the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world " ? T[ Jesus Christ died according to the appointment of His Father. They do fatally misconceive the whole evangelical system who represent the heart of the Father toward…
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But when we quote words like " learned obedience by the things which he suffered," we must not be satisfied that we have REVELATION xxii. 13 373 got at the writer's whole meaning when we have pointed out the emphasis on our Lord's humanity ; for this is the same writer who had just before been saying : "Brightness o…
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1 W. B. Selbie, Life and Teaching of Jesus Christy 167. 1^6 THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA 2. We have no hesitation in going to Jesus for the final solution of any problem which may arise in connexion with man's relations to the Unseen, or with his most practical relations with his fellows. We do not think of Jesus as tenta…
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The Privileges of the Blessed. J79 Literature. Bayley (J.), The Divine Word Opened^ 548. Grant (W.), Christ our Hope^ 327. Johnston (S. M.), The Great Things of God, i. 320. Keble (J.), Sermons for the Christian Year : Miscellaneoua, 267. Maclaren (A.), Expositions : Epistles of John to Revelation, 380. „ „ A Y…
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REVELATION xxii. 14 383 stance of them. It is quite true that our right of access to the Tree of Life is not of works, but of grace; yet when we have been saved by grace we proceed to keep the commandments of God. This is the evidence of our salvation, and the enjoyment of it. " If a man love me, he will keep my words…
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^ W. W. Gill, From Darkness to Light in Polynesia^ 234. 2 -vv. M. Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia, 386. REVELATION xxii. 14 385 the great truth which he was trying to proclaim, that the red blood whitened the black robe, and that in its full tide there was a limpid river of water of life, clear as …
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Chin Tong came into the mission school a raw, uncouth, un- responsive Chinaman. Unlike most of his fellows, he was in his person very unclean and unsavory. The teacher to whom he was REVELATION xxii. 14 387 assigned worked with him month after month without making upon him the least apparent impression. One Sunday th…
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Art Treasures Exhibition in 1878, the Bishop said : " I have no wish, like Mr. Euskin, to retire into the solitude of a Westmore- land valley. I like to hear the thud of the steam-hammer and the whistle of the locomotive. I like to live in the midst of men and women who are dependent on their industry for their daily b…
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REVELATION xxii. 14 391 instinct, and hungered for some tangible assurance of God's abid- ing grace. When Adam sinned, the way to the tree of life was no longer open to him ; and this healthful sacrament became at once for- bidden fruit. In very mercy its use was forbidden to him, and put beyond his reach. Evidently …
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REVELATION xxii. 14 393 " For how many soever be the promises of God, in him is the yea : wherefore also through him is the Amen (2 Cor. i. 20). (2) A right of inheritance. — "As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God" (John i. 12). And this Johannine assurance is confirmed by St. P…
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3. The Lord speaks here, indeed, in a manner that is all His own. Nothing is more profoundly characteristic in His words, from first to last, than His witness to Himself. It is one of the main phenomena of the gospel, most perplexing on the theory of unbelief, most truthlike on the theory of belief — this self-witness …
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400 CHRIST'S WITNESS TO HIMSELF up in this : By God's spirit I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." ^ 2. Christ is at once the Koot and the Offshoot, the Beginning and the End of the whole economy associated with the Davidic family. In the Messiah, the latest Scion of the Hous…
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Prophecy, then, spoke of Messiah as the Star. The word indicated, probably, the royal dignity, touched and glorified with the light of Deity, or of Divinity at least. T[ There is good evidence that in the time of Christ the " Star " of Num. xxiv. 17 was popularly identified with the Messianic King. This idea may have …
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4. The metaphor of Christ as the Morning Star suggests — (1) the Distinction He has ; (2) the Light He gives ; (3) the Cheer He imparts ; (4) the Hope He inspires. (1) The distinction Christ has. — The morning star is pre- eminently the star of distinction. It is larger and brighter to view than any other ; it is the …
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(3) The cheer Christ imparts. — Light is cheering ; all light is, and not least that of the morning star. It cheers by its present light and beauty, and by its prophecy: "The day cometh." Christ's aim when on earth was always to impart cheer. To the paralytic, laid a wreck at His feet, He said, " Son, be of good cheer …
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^ Our Lord is designated as the " Sun of Righteousness " by a Prophet : the sun without peer rules over the planetary system. But Christ with lips full of grace deigns to call Himself "the Bright and Morning Star " : which star solitary in office and in dignity lights up hope for the darkened world and promises and ush…
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We have in the text — I. An Invitation to Christ to come, presented by (1) The Spirit. (2) The Bride. (3) The Hearer. II. An Invitation to come to Christ, addressed to (1) The Thirsty. (2) The Willing. The Invitation to Christ. The invitation is given (1) by the Spirit, (2) by the Bride, and (3) by the Hearer.…
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2. The Bride says, Come. — This is not indeed the heart cry of the whole visible Church ; for in so far as she allows herself to be rocked to sleep by the spirit of this world, she becomes, with all her hopes and wishes, so completely a citizen of this world that she wishes the day of the Lord may long be delayed, unti…
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The little girl took a long, long draught and her moaning ceased. The perspiration came out in drops on her forehead. The flush went out of her face. She turned over and fell into a quiet I believe the water saved her life," said the mother to Hafiz.2 II. The Invitation to the Sinner. Here we have a remarkable chan…
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(2) Not work. I will join any man, says Jowett, in singing a psean of blessedness on work; but if hard work will lead to spiritual contentment, the great majority of my congregation will be in the enjoyment of spiritual rest. And yet after the hardest day's work, often in the midst of it, there is a sigh, a weariness, …
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1 J. Brierley, The Secret of Living ^ 41. * John Ker, Thoughts for Heart and Life, 215. REVELATION xxii. 17 4^3 we should all go away with feet like hinds' feet. And these are just the gifts to be found in Christ. " Let him come unto me and drink." We should find pardon ; " in whom we have the forgive- ness of sins.…
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^ A. 0. Benson, Joyous Gard, 134. REVELATION xxii. 17 425 Above, below, around, within us tender help is proffered ; but no power may touch with lightest hand the sceptre of the soul. There in the throne-room man is master. A thousand ministries from heaven wait his nod ; a thousand demons from the pit attend his wil…
676 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1910); OCR text from Internet Archive. OCR may contain scanning/transcription errors. Verify quotations against page images when precision matters.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.