February 29

Revelation xx.—11. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works.

14. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation xxi.—1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people; and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8. But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

The renovation of the earth and its atmospheric "heaven" was described under the last lesson. The disappearing of the sea argues a complete change in the conditions of existence, —a change as difficult for us now to conceive of as it would have been for a spectator of our globe, when the air was dense with the noxious gases of the carboniferous era, to conceive of the earth as fitted for the abode of man. We should remember that this wondrous scene appeared to John in a vision; and a vision must be expected to present incongruities, if we press its interpretation to literal exactness. "Nature will not be annihilated, but purified: all corruption shall be swept away; but the work of God shall remain." Under the type of the new Jerusalem—the central dwelling-place of Jehovah—coming down out of heaven, the apostle describes the abiding presence and the loving communion of God with

the redeemed of this world. They shall forever realize that God is with them as their Father, their Saviour, and their joy.

The nepotism of the fourth verse are peculiarly impressive. We are not told what heaven is, nor of what its joys consist; but nothing that has here caused evil or suffering shall be there. The apostle pictures before him all the woes of this world: the canvas is lurid with war, red with crimes, sombre with grief, black with death; and he takes his pencil, dipped in the incandescent light of heaven, and draws it across the scene, and every vestige of sorrow vanishes, and the golden city of God fills the whole vision. This wondrous blessedness shall be given to every one who trusts lovingly in Christ. But the incorrigibly wicked, the unbelieving and the faithless, shall be shut out by their own fault. Oh! let us make sure of the grace so freely offered.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 19, 20, 34.

O God, who hast prepared for those who love thee such good things as pass man's understanding! pour into our hearts such love toward thee, that we, loving thee above all things, may obtain thy promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord. May we believe all that thou hast spoken, and set our affections upon things above!

We thank thee, O Lord! for the precious comfort that remains to us concerning dear friends who have departed in the faith; that to them heaven is even now a reality; that they have no more want, nor sorrow, nor care, nor sin. Oh, may heaven be a reality to our faith! and may the hope of it, yea, the assurance of it as our home, lift us above all the temptations and trials of this present world! Give to us strength for labors, courage

for conflicts, patience under afflictions, fidelity to duty, and faith that shall endure to the end, and shall make us more than conquerors over death. May the true life be now begun in our souls, and daily may we live in thee!

We praise thee, O Lord! for the blessings of the present time; for another night of rest; for another morning of mercy and hope. Oh, may we this day love thee more, know thee more, and serve thee better than ever before! In all that is given us to do may we glorify thy name; in all that we are called to bear may we accept thy holy will! So may we daily live to thee; and, when the things of earth shall pass away, make us to be numbered with thy saints in glory overlasting, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; to whom be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.