IN studying the book called "The Revelation,"-I would suggest that particular attention might well be paid to the various positions which in it the Lord Jesus Christ holds. The portion of the contents of the book which stands connected with any one of His positions, may fairly be considered a book, or chapter; with His position as its heading. And directly he. takes (or is presented by the book in) another position, that new position may be looked upon as the heading of another book or chapter. This takes it for granted that He is presented in the book (not only in different offices and in different glories-both of which indeed, as presented in the book, are numerous,-but also) in positions which have a difference the one from the other. Such we shall see to be the case.
To explain what I mean. In chapter i. He is presented as in the position of performing that which, in ecclesiastical language, would be called " making a visitation " to the churches or assemblies, in the province of Asia. This would be the heading, as I judge, to the and to the formal placing-of a people in Israel as holders of the testimony of Jesus,-and of the sifting of the nations by the power of darkness; this and the dealings of the Lamb (though still hiddenly from earth's gaze yet) on Mount Zion with the 144,000 (chap. xv.), and the overthrow of the Harlot and city Babylon, etc., closes with chap. xviii. This would form my " third book." Its heading: the Lord acting for Israel, and showing himself to a remnant, but not openly displayed.
"It may be needful to say a few words concerning the Asia,' which is intended. We may trace two opposite movements going on in the names of countries, analogous to like movements which are continually finding place in other words. Sometimes they grow more and more inclusive, are applied in their later use to far wider tracts of the earth than they were in their earlier. It is thus with the name of Italy.' Designating at one time only the extreme southern point of the central peninsula of Europe, the name crept on and up, till in the time of Augustus it obtained the meaning which it has ever since retained, in- portion containing the detailed addresses to the seven assemblies on earth. The principles of which addresses apply to any upon earth who, at any time, may be partakers of the like faith with them.
Thus, my " first Book" would contain the first three (so called) chapters, and it might be broadly entitled, the Lord's examination of professors of the Christian faith. The main mark of this " first book" is the 'position in which the Lord Jesus Christ is shown in it.
The Lamb upon the throne of the Lord God Almighty would be the second position I should notice; and John, a Christian and a servant, able to be instructed in the opening of the book. Inseparably connected with this position, seems to be the portion which extends on to the close of the ninth chapter. Such is my " second book."
In chapter ten, perhaps, a new position is taken by Him coming down, and that too as an all-glorious angel, to claim the earth, or land, and the sea or nations; and to interpose the name of Him that liveth forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things in it, and the earth and all in it, and the sea and all in it, that there should be no longer delay.
This is preparatory to Jerusalem coming into view (chap. 11.); to the purging of the heavens (chap. 12.);
eluding all within the Alps. ' Holland' is another example in the same kind. Some names, on the other hand, of the widest reach at the beginning, gradually contract their meaning, till in the end they designate no more than a minute fraction of that which they designated at the beginning. Asia' furnishes a good example of this. In the New Testament, as generally in the language of men when the Testament was written, Asia meant not what it now means for us, and had once meant for the Greeks, 'one namely of the three great continents of the old world. (Aeschylus, Prom. 412; Pindar, Olymp. 7. 18; Herodotus, 8. 38), nor yet even that region which geographers about the fourth century of our era began to call "Asia-Minor; " but a strip of the western seaboard containing hardly a third portion of this (cf. 1 Peter 1:11Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Peter 1:1); Acts 2:9;6. 9). Asia vestra,' says Cicero (Pro. Flacc. 27), addressing some Asiatics, constat ex Phrygia Mysia, Caria, Lydia;' its limits being nearly identical with those of the 'kingdom which Attalus the Third bequeathed to the Roman people. Take Asia ' in this sense, and there will be little or no exaggeration in the words of the Ephesian silversmith, that almost throughout all Asia,' Paul had turned away much people from the service of idols (Acts 19:2626Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: (Acts 19:26); cf. 10); words which must seem to exceed even the limits of an angry hyperbole to those not acquainted with this restricted use of the term.")
With chapter 19. all curtain is dropped. The Lord Jesus is not with John in Patmos talking about assemblies on earth.
He is not, as the Lamb on the throne of the Lord God Almighty, opening seals which show his revelation to his servant John of how he would act towards Israel and the nations.
He is not, either, showing himself secretly, but really, to a favored one in heaven, or for a few as upon earth; -but heaven is opened, and He Himself is seen coming forth, as King of kings and Lord of lords, with the armies of Heaven,-this would seem to be his fourth position: His assuming to reign till he bath put down all things under His feet. This is the "fourth book."
The final position is traced out (chap. 21. 1-8), and gives the 'fifth book.'
The person of the Lord is a worthy turning point in the revelation of the subject-matter of such a volume as this. God ever commences with the Son of His love. And each position in which He is shown is connected with a whole chapter, or book of details,-as is natural and to be expected.
The positions I have referred to are five: 1st, Revealing Himself in Patmos to John; 2nd, In the midst of the throne in Heaven; 3rd, Showing Himself yet covertly as connected with things on the earth; 4th, Openly displayed as having taken power to put down evil; 5th, The eternal state.
The revelation of Himself personally in such positions is the first thing to be remarked. Closely connected herewith, though separable from it, are the titles, offices, and glories which' may be connected with each such position. For whether these titles, offices and glories are common to all these positions, or whether each position has a regulating power upon the manifestations in it,—are questions for examination.- And I may remark here, as I pass, that we may examine not only the one thread common to, and running through them all-the personal presence of the Lord as the leading person in the whole-nor again the peculiarities distinctive to each position; but also any correspondence, from whatever circumstances arising, between any two of the parts.
I will give now a few passages from the text connected with the various parts of the subject which have themselves really originated the foregoing remarks:-
1st. The book opens as " The Revelation of Jesus Christ." Now this term " Jesus Christ" contains the distinctive personal name by which John had known Him in the days of His humiliation and it appears here again, the Lord being risen and ascended, and John, a servant and sufferer for His sake in Patmos. The revelation, as a whole, is: " The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by his angel unto His servant John: who bare record of the Word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ" (ver. 1, 2).
Again, " Grace unto you, and peace, from Jesus Christ," &c. (ver. 5).
Again John wrote as a companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ ( 5. 9) to his fellow sufferers, and was himself at that time in " Patmos, for the Word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ" (ver. 9).
One blessed effect of this meeting of John with his Lord, as "Jesus Christ," is found in the burst of praise:
" Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood. And hath made us a kingdom, priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (ver. 5 and 6).
Yet, remark, that while this is the distinctive personal title of the Lord in the introduction, it is under quite another aspect that his bearing towards the seven churches is given, viz.
" One like unto the (or a) son of man" (ver. 13). And the effect on John here is not an impulsive burst of praise; but a deep sense of his own individual nothingness, " I fell at his feet as dead" (ver. 17); there is sympathy in Him, but responsibility in John, and deep sense of weakness.
" And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the (or a) son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace and many his voice as the sound of man waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and His countenance was as the-sun shineth in His strength " (ver. 12).
" And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead" (ver. 17).
Remark, here, that-there is no reference to Him as" the Lamb." Neither in the introduction to the Book, nor in the aspect in which he presents himself to the seven assemblies is he seen as the Lamb. In the former He is Jesus Christ (that is, "Jehovah a-saving, anointed man";) in the latter: like unto a son of man, with the insignia of the "Ancient of days." In connection with the former there was forgiveness of sins and privilege conferred and praise returned (1. 5, 6). " The Lamb" is not seen until chap. 5. on the throne in heaven. The name of Jesus Christ does not occur again in the Apocalypse; nor the name of Jesus until chap. 12. 17, " the dragon was wrath with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus [Christ]." And the next mention of Him as "a son of man" is in chap. 14. 14. "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one set like unto the [or a] son of man."
I will now trace on the references which give the name of "Jesus," " Lord Jesus Christ," etc.
1. " Where also the Lord was crucified" ( 10. 8).
2. " Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" ( 14. 12).
3. " I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus" (17. 6).
4. " I am fellow-servant of thee, and of thy brethren. that have the testimony of Jesus; worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (19. 10).
5. " Beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God" (20. 4).
6. " I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things" (22. 16).
I add, that we have:
7. Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (22. 20).And the expressions-
8. " The grace of the [not our] Lord Jesus Christ, etc." (ver. 21).
And further (to prevent misapprehension) I give the passages in which " the Christ" occurs, viz.:-
1. Chapter 11:15. " The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ."
2. Chapter 12:10. " Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of He, is Christ."
3. Chapter 20:4. " They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."
4. Ver. 6. " Priests of God and of Christ."
" Jesus" had a life of suffering, a testimony to give, a heart for those that would partake His cup of sorrow, and a mind and will to communicate to such all that He saw they needed to know.
The. Messiah or Christ had a kingdom and priesthood pertaining to Him as such.
To man on earth, a son of man clothed with the very highest glory (chap. 1. 13 & 14. 14) is a-wonder, and may be a terror. In heaven, and in those that have the mind of heaven, the wonder is, not that the Son should have exceeding and eternal divine glory,-but His beauty as being, and that He should be, the Lamb. Man may seek glory in circumstances; and be terrified at meeting, in his search, that which is altogether beyond him to measure, or to stand before. Not so God. His all and His own and His highest glory is presented in the Son of His love, but in Him as the one who, in humiliation, fathomed, and measured, and gave all he right expression-to God's glory;-and to Satan's malice, and to all that mankind had been, or might through grace become.
In tracing down the use of the name " the Lamb," in this book, there is blessedness and sweetness untellable, in finding how it is the very same view of Him which is God's and heaven's chief delight in Him, which is the saints, delight and peculiar treasure, viz, as He is the Lamb; their center and refuge, their glory.
The word rendered "Lamb,'' throughout the Apocalypse, is ἀρνιον which is a diminutive, a little lamb-a lambkin, from ἀρνος, which does not occur either in the septuagint Greek, or in the New Testament.
In the expression "Behold the Lamb of God!" (John 1:29-3629The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. 35Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:29‑36)), it is another word which is used (ἀμνος), the same as occurs " Like a lamb dumb before his shearer " (Acts 8:3232The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: (Acts 8:32)). and in "the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish (1 Peter 1:1919But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)).
This word (ἀμνος) occurs four times, as noticed above, in the New Testament;-and about ninety-seven times in the Septuagint, or Greek Old Testament; and as there is no other word used for " lamb," it is the ordinary word used for the lamb when a sacrifice, as in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, &c. In the passage, " I send you forth as lambs among wolves" (Luke 10:33Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:3)), the word is ἀρην.
The word ἀρην occurs in the Septuagint only four times.
Jer. 1. 45.-The least of the sheep shall draw them' out.
In none, certainly, of these four passages in the Old Testament, is the idea of sacrifice found. In the New Testament the word is used once (John 21:1515So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. (John 21:15)). Feed my lambs; but this is the only occurrence besides those in the Apocalypse. And these " lambs" were not sacrifices, but the feeble young of the sheep that needed tender care.
In heaven above, when John was caught up into it, and the question was raised, " Who is worthy to open. the Book (in the right hand of him that sat on the throne), or to loose the seals thereof?" none was found: nor in heaven, nor in earth, nor under the earth, able even to look thereon. Then it was announced that the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David was there to do it. Both these titles were wondrous for Him to wear who wore them, and wore them in heaven too: both told forth of condescending grace-but of grace victorious to make good a place and blessing on earth at the right moment. John saw Him then in a character that told of deeper condescension still. Rejected upon earth, He was there in the midst of the throne in heaven as " a lamb as it had been slain." He had been obedient unto death-the death of the Cross; and therefore God had exalted Him-but exalted Him as Jesus to make every knee, of
things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, bow to that name, to the glory of God the Father.
But not only was the Father's delight in Him thus, but in this same act, and in the very form that recorded it, all the effulgence of divine glory beamed, in the Lamb as it had been slain.
Nor only so: for in that presence there was worship and adoration, and the power of these were found to be according to the inward connection of the various parties with that which He the Lamb is. " And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou roast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made them unto our God kings and priests, and they shall reign on the earth " (ver. 8-10). This first company could taste for themselves, and give forth a rationale of the worthiness peculiarly known unto them.
Then the angels innumerous take up the theme: they can own the worthiness of the Lamb, but they cannot tell forth the tale in the same full manner. All that they, with loud voice, can proclaim, is: " Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing" (ver. 12). And yet wider still circles the sound of praise: For " 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 " (ver. 13).
The key-note to the mind of heaven, wheresoever that mind be found, in any measure, more or less, is the worthiness of the Lamb that was slain, yet varied is the power to sound forth its excellency.
To proceed: the Lamb is the leader of all in heaven; and all that flows down thence flows down from Him. Thus 'tis He (chap. 6. 1) that opens the seals, all of them. The wrath of the Lamb (ver. 16), as well as the face of Him that sits upon the throne, is the alarmed worldling's terror.
Then again (chap. 7. 9) the gathered remnant stand " before the throne, and before the Lamb." Their song, " Salvation to God, and to the Lamb " (ver. 10). Their robes they had washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb (14). 'Tis the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne that shall " feed them, and lead them unto living fountains of waters " (ver. 17).
So again the victors over the accuser overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony; and they love not their lives unto the death ( 7. 11). And the preserved ones had their names written, from the foundation of the world, in the book of life of the Lamb slain ( 8. 8).
And 'tis as the Lamb we find Him in chap. 14. Lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and, with Him, a hundred forty and four thousand, having His name, and the name of His Father written on their foreheads (ver. 1): they sung a new song, one peculiar to the 144,000 redeemed from the earth, and are constantly to be in the suite of the Lamb, go where He may; redeemed from among men; first fruits unto God and the Lamb (ver. 4.) Again, there is the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb sung ( 15. 3). So the kings ( 17. 14) shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for
He is the Lord of lords and King of kings: and they that are with Him "are called, and chosen, and faithful."
Following the destruction of the whore and the city, we have heaven's swell of joy (19. 1), "Alleluia: Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God," etc.; " the marriage of the Lamb is come (ver. 7); and his wife hath made herself ready," etc. And, then (ver. 9), the guests are noticed: " Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.'
How unutterably precious to have all one's connection with Him who is God's delight as the Lamb; and to be part of that which is the complement of His glory, the bride.
Chaps. 21. And 22. are, as all know, divided into three parts:-
Chapter 21:1-8., gives the post-millennial state. Chapter 22:9 to 22. 5, the millennial.
Chapter 22:6 to end. The solemn conclusion.
I would notice that, as a matter of fact, the Lamb's name is not mentioned in the post millennial state. God—Father, Son, and Holy Ghost-will then be all in all we know. The holy city, new Jerusalem, is seen coming down out of heaven from God. She is not called the Lamb's bride. The Lamb, as such, is not named, but the city is said to be " prepared as a bride for her husband" (ver. 2), and (ver. 7) heirship and sonship are noticed. " He that overcometh shall inherit THESE things; and I will be God to him, and he shall be son to me."
This is to be noticed.
On the other hand, she is spoken of as the Bride, the Lamb's wife (ver. 9); that is, in the millennial state. The twelve apostles of the Lamb have their names inscribed on the twelve foundations (ver. 14). The Lord God Almighty is the temple of it and the Lamb (ver. 22). The glory of God illumines it, and the Lamb is the candle of it (ver. 23).
The registry is the Lamb's book of life (ver. 27). The throne in it, whence the water of life flows, is the throne of God and the Lamb ( 22. 1). For the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it (ver. 3).
What a contrast, and how blessed a one, too, to the the scene in chap. 5. There the lion of the tribe of Judah,
1—the Root of David, -seen as a Lamb that had been slain in the midst of the throne, and of the elders, and John needing to be taught what the Lamb was, both to God and to himself, as also to others. Here the church millennial, shown as the vessel, in which, and by which, all the glory of God found in the Lamb, and all His delight, too, over that Lamb, are presented and made Openly manifest and fully enjoyed in heaven above, and yet the light of the glory to illumine the earth.
And mark, here, the character, of our portion and blessing in that day. It is not something given into our hands to possess and enjoy by ourselves, a merely human and earthly portion; but it is heavenly and divine in the highest sense. Heaven purged, the Lord God Almighty can be there: but, if there, He can have nothing there dissociated from the Lamb, nor from her who (the Spirit all permeating) is the Bride, the Lamb's wife..
The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are temple to that city, the new Jerusalem (He shall provide peace) which is the bride the Lamb's wife. Does God then find His delight in the Lamb? So do we. Is God interested in all that pertains to the Lamb? That cannot be without, in worship, through our wondrous 'connection with the Lamb, our being interested in all that pertains to the Lord God Almighty. The. Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the light to that nightless habitation Its every part is seen in light; reflects and gives out the light. And if God be delighted in the Lamb as the displayer of His own love, and life, and light, He must be delighted with that, on, and for, and through which, the light shines, our own selves. And if, in that, day, we are to be conscious of all this, as part of the glory of our connection with the Lamb, what our delight in the Lord God Almighty too I So, too, the throne is the throne of the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. Throne, not of power only, to repress evil and regulate good, but throne, whence a life-giving river is to flow; its stream, all streams of life..
But we shall serve Him and bear His name upon our foreheads. Love and loving and inseparable from love-divine and heavenly love.
How feebly, at best, can we speak of these things; and yet they stand in their own eternal excellency to act upon, and fill our souls with, delight.
In conclusion, let no one mistake what I have said about " the Lamb," as though I gave not the full tribute of praise to Him, and Him alone who shed His blood that all my sin might be forgiven; and who has, through faith given to me, enabled me to know myself already pardoned and accepted. But the blood of Jesus Christ, God's dear Son, has a value besides that of pardon and acceptance to a sinner; it is to a saint separation, through faith, unto God; his freedom and liberty: it has, too, and that quite apart from atonement, a value in the mind of God (as marked in Phil. 2). Where atonement is not named as the prominent object; obedient unto death, the death of the cross. Now it seems to me, that in this sense, the account of the Lamb in the Revelation is a divine commentary upon Phil. 2:6-86Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6‑8); a commentary far more full of blessed details than that found in Phil. 2:9-119Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9‑11). If I owe pardon and acceptance as a sinner; liberty as a saint; and hope to God through Christ Jesus;-I would not forget that I have therefore, and on that very account, a debt to pay daily to God in the new nature, and that my only power to say "to me to live is Christ" is found in God's revealed estimation of the value of the humiliation of His Son. His Son is my pattern and forerunner, and this I would never forget in such a body of sin and death, and surrounded by such a world as I am. In His humiliation I get the path and standard of my life: it is fellowship with GOD.
And, moreover, it must never be forgotten that all our blessings have come from. God-and that because He is God and not man, therefore there is mercy.- The blood of Christ is forgiveness for sins, but that forgiveness is on God's side only part of the expression of His character as Redeemer. The whole of that character, as I judge, finds its expression in the history of the Lamb that was slain, as presented in Revelation, and in Phil. 2 Now I, for one, do not desire to confound forgiveness, which is a fruit of Divine love, an expression of the value, through faith, of the death of the Lord, with the root of all blessing, viz., the character of God, the only true God, as made manifest by Jesus Christ, whom He sent.
The revelation of the glory of God; the excellency of the Lord; the open door for the gift of the Holy Ghost; the utter condemnation of Satan; the salvation of God's people; the pattern of their walk to glory,-the mind that became them,-all, all were found in that wondrous obedience unto death, the death of the Cross-of Christ Jesus. Yet, when we read Phil. 2,-it is the mind of Christ, and that mind, as displayed in His course alone, which is directly set before us; the leading feature and object in the picture. Just so, I judge, is it in Rev. 5 as to the Lamb as it had been slain. The Lamb, then, as it had been slain, is THE specimen, the only perfect expression, of that in which the Lord God Almighty delights, and heaven too.
The Apocalypse has, as its running title: "Taking forth the precious from the vile." Only, instead of this being presented merely as an exhortation to a servant on earth (Jer. 15:19,2019Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them. 20And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brazen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 15:19‑20)), with the promise so "thou shalt be as my mouth,"-it presents this principle, as carried out by God and the Lamb, in their dealings with what is on the earth. In this book He takes forth him that hath an ear to hear; He takes forth 144,000 of Israel, and some from among the nations; then again he takes out Israel from under the nations, and separates the four nations of Daniel from the mass of nations; and when the blessing to the earth comes, it is a new thing; not an old one mended, but a clean thing altogether, brought forth, where nothing but uncleanness had been before it: a work of Divine power. And I may remark this as being a principle of immense, present, practical value to us in this present moment. God is not restoring churches now, but is calling forth Rim that has the ear to hear. The practical difference between attempting to be a restorer of churches, on the one hand; and a cultivator of implicit individual obedience, myself, to the word, on the other, may be easily conceived. Come what may, I must obey God rather than man. This puts self down at zero: subject to the word, I must keep myself unspotted from the world; the perfect strength, of realized weakness and nothingness,, follows. When I am weak then am I strong. On the other hand, the setter to rights of churches soon makes manifest how all his strength and power is vanity. I may be wrong, but it seems to me that " reformations" have always, thus, made shipwreck. The soul of a Luther, a Calvin, etc., was awakened and formed at first by the word bearing upon itself: When they began to act, not on souls, but on circumstances (in churches, kingdoms, etc.,) they failed. May we hold fast that which we have, and walk in the strength of' the realized weakness of absolute dependence upon the living God and the word of His grace.
EDITOR'S NOTE.-Though it does not affect the main point of the foregoing paper, I would remark (on the first new paragraph on page 233) that it overlooks the fact that the word ἀρην occurs
M the SEPTUAGINT about twenty-four times.
It is rendered " kid " in Ex. 23:19;34. 26; and Deut. 14:2121Ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk. (Deuteronomy 14:21). " Lamb," in Lev. 3:77If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord. (Leviticus 3:7); Deut. 32:1414Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. (Deuteronomy 32:14); 1 Sam. 7:9; 29And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the Lord: and Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel; and the Lord heard him. (1 Samuel 7:9) K. 3. 4; 1 Chron. 29:2121And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel: (1 Chronicles 29:21).
Pro. 27. 26. Isa. 5:17;11. 6; 40. 11; 45. 25. Jer. 51:4040I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats. (Jeremiah 51:40). "Fatlings," 2 Sam. 6:1313And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. (2 Samuel 6:13). "Fat cattle," 1 K. 1. 9; 19. 25. "Fed beasts," 1 Sam. 1:1111And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. (1 Samuel 1:11). "Sheep," Gen. 30:32,33,3532I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire. 33So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. (Genesis 30:32‑33)
35And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons. (Genesis 30:35); Lev. 1:1010And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. (Leviticus 1:10). " Showers," Mic. 5:77And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men. (Micah 5:7).