MY DEAR BROTHER,
It is especially important for us to bear in mind the Perfectness of Scripture—that it is ever its own interpreter, and that if we desire to know the mind of the Lord in any portion of His word, we should seek the light which is thrown thereat] by other parts of it.
The application of various passages from the Old Testament Scriptures, made by our Lord and His Apostles, often gives us the clue to understand those applied portions; and any principle broadly stated by them sheds it light on the whole.
Such a statement as this of the Apostle Peter, “To Him (Jesus) give all the Prophets witness,” establishes at once a principle, which must ever be borne in mind whilst searching the writings of the Prophets; this principle is one of which none who value the truth, “that through His name, whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins,” (Acts 10:4343To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Acts 10:43)) would for a moment doubt or question.
Now there is another principle as clearly declared by the same Apostle, that “God hath spoken of the times of the restitution of all things by the mouth of all His holy Prophets since the world began.”— “Yea, and all the Prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” (Acts 3:21, 2421Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:21)
24Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. (Acts 3:24)) This principle then, is equally largely stated, and is equally needful to be borne in mind in learning from Scripture. Had the Church felt its importance as strongly as they have that of individual salvation—had they indeed known that the coming of Jesus, and the consequent restoring; of all things, was the point of hope to which it ought to be their glory and joy to look—had they remembered that “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God,” (2 Peter 3:1212Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:12)) is that which was once declared to be their right place, oven at the same time when they were called on “earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints;” (Jude 33Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 3))—then surely, the prophetic record which the loving-kindness of our God hath given unto us, “to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass,” would have been seen as fully to bear testimony to the day when “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together,” as it is universally acknowledged by the Church of God to do to the person and sufferings of Jesus.
“The sufferings of Christ, AND the glory that should follow,” is that to which the Spirit of Christ testified in the holy men of old; the two things are inseparably connected in “the sure word of prophecy,” and their importance must be judged of by that which is written concerning them.
I merely state these two important elementary principles, to illustrate what I mean by calling the Scripture its own interpreter; but the same holds good in more specific details; such as the citation (for example) of Old Testament prophecies, and their interpretation or application in the New. Thus our Lord, by stating “This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send my messenger,” &c, gave at once a definite meaning to the cited passage, whereby we are left in no doubt concerning its being rightly applied to John the Baptist, whatever more complete fulfillment it may yet receive.
When we read that Jesus rode into Jerusalem upon an ass’s colt, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh unto thee meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass;”—we see at once the definite meaning of the prophecy, and its literal accomplishment; although, previous to the fact, it might have been supposed to be but symbolic. In such a passage as this, the Old and the New Testaments are united by an obvious and tangible bond; but I believe that it will be found that the word of God, in cases where the connection is not so instantly obvious, or is not stated in as express words, gives its own clues, which if followed aright will show the connections. Thus when Jesus declared, “Henceforth shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power; and coming in the clouds of heaven,” (Matt. 26:6464Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matthew 26:64).) I see that He applied to Himself a passage in the 7th of Daniel.
But do I learn nothing more than the application of an isolated passage? Is this all the result of the connection? Assuredly not; for I see at once that many things connected with the assumption of power by the Son of Man are unfolded; and hence I learn (even had I no other means of knowing it) that the time spoken of in Dan. 7, when the Son of Man cometh with clouds, and is brought unto the Ancient of Days, is yet future; and I find also, that suffering is to be the portion of the saints UNTIL the time of that manifestation, and then shall the saints possess the kingdom.
Paul, in writing to the Hebrews, (12:26) quotes from the Prophet Haggai—“Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven;” and then argues on it as a thing yet future. Now if we look at the Prophet, we shall find that this “shaking” is the prelude to the time when “the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house הזה הבית the Temple at Jerusalem; which, or whatever the building might be) with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts ... The glory of this house shall be greater, the latter than the former, saith the Lord of Hosts; and in this place I will give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts.” Certainly we ought to think it a thing worth knowing, whether these events, which the Lord has so solemnly testified to us, are present, past, or future; and this we are enabled to see by the connection with the New Testament.
The following is the first prophecy of the Scripture—“The Lord God said unto the serpent, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; IT shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise His heel.” (Gen. 3:14, 1514And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:14‑15)) The New Testament teaches us to look for the accomplishment of this in Christ—the Seed. We learn from Rev, 20:2, that the “old serpent is the Devil and Satan;” we find that “Satan entered into Judas Iscariot” (John 13:2727And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. (John 13:27)) when he was going to betray the Lord; when He was delivered into the hands of sinners He said, “this is your hour and the power of darkness.” (Luke 22:5353When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. (Luke 22:53).) Here then is the fulfillment of one portion of this word. Let us now examine the other—the heel of the seed of the woman has been bruised; but has the Bruised One yet exerted His power over the serpent? We read in Isaiah 2619From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. (Isaiah 28:19) and 27 that the Lord shall punish the serpent, in that day when He cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth—This makes it plain that the accomplishment of the former part of the prophecy is to take place the last; and from Heb. 2:1414Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14), we know that the former part was to be brought about by means of the latter being first fulfilled; “that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.” As the prophecy was stated, it might have seemed as though some real triumph were given to the serpent; but when we see that this triumph was the purposed plan of God for His defeat, and when we find that it pleased Jehovah to bruise Jesus, that by His stripes we might be healed, (Isa. 532Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; (Isaiah 54:2)) we see that this was a thing ordered of God; and that the then bruiser was the instrument of bringing to pass God’s counsels of grace, even unto his own destruction. The exercise of power then is only delayed; but until when? until those for whom the Lord was bruised, (even His Church,) shall be united to Him at His return; when all the scattered children of God shall be gathered; and when “shall be brought to pass that saying, Death is swallowed up in victory.” Christ, in His own person, has destroyed the power of death, by being “the first fruits of them that slept;” but when He takes to Himself that power which is now His in title, His risen saints shall be with Him—“The Lord my God shall come, and all His saints with thee.” This blessed association of the Lord Christ and His Church, His bride, shows us the force of the declaration of Paul, “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under YOUR feet shortly.” (Rom. 16:2020And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. (Romans 16:20).) Thus do we find that applied to the saints which the Lord God at first foretold of Christ Jesus and His Church are united: “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.” (Rev. 3:2121To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21).)
Thus we see how that, which was at first spoken indefinitely and obscurely, and (if I may so speak) disorderly, is illustrated by many concurrent Scriptures, which teach the true order of events; and the varied light which they afford us, makes manifest that which had once been obscure, We still see “the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”
Now if there be any portion of the word of God pressed upon us with an especial force, it is surely that which the Lord thus introduces to us— “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy; and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand.” (Rev. 1:33Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (Revelation 1:3)) To the book of Revelation, the principle of seeing what the light is, which Scripture throws on itself, will, I believe, peculiarly apply, as tending to clear up the meaning to us. I give the following comparison of passages for this purpose, and I trust that the connections are such as will afford a clue to much of its contents. But there is another view in which I think such a comparison is valuable—in throwing back the light afforded us in this book to the Old Testament prophecies; and thus not only using them to illustrate it, but using it to elucidate them, and often so to combine them as to make them illumine one another, Frequently in this manner things, of which the order and the connection had been scarcely traceable, are seen to stand in lucid and harmonious arrangement.
There is one principle which will, I believe, be found true, (with regard to the Revelation at least) and to have much practical value for understanding the connections and citations of this Book and the Old Testament. It is, that when similar language is used in both, the subject matter is either absolutely identical; or else that in each case, there are such similar circumstances of features, that an analogy may be drawn between them.
I have, I believe, brought together most of the connected passages; and I have, in several instances, tried to show the result of their comparison. Often, when the immediate object is not very evident in itself, instruction may be drawn from seeing what are the characteristic features.
I would always wish to give my own opinions with caution, just stating what appears to me to be clearly taught by the Scripture; and viewing circumstances in the light in which they are shown to stand by the concurrence of Scripture testimony.
I do very earnestly desire that these compared passages may have their use, not in gratifying any vain or idle curiosity, but in helping some to know a part of “the things that are freely given to us of God,” we have still in this Book the same things testified of as in the other Prophets— “the sufferings of Christ,”—here looked at as a past thing. “I am He that was dead, and am alive,”—“Unto Him that washed us from our sins in His own blood, be glory.”—“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.” And the thing introduced is “the glory that should follow,”—Jesus of Nazareth—the crucified—cometh forth as “King of kings, and Lord of lords,” having on His head many crowns—His glory is now manifested to all; but who are those with Him, “clothed in fine linen white and clean?” Even those who “came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Those with Him, “are called, and chosen, and faithful;” who have lived against the course of this world, and “have overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” This hath our Master given to His Church as a word, of comfort and of joy in the midst of trouble; “If we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him.” (2 Tim. 2:1212If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: (2 Timothy 2:12).) They, who being sanctified by the blood of Jesus, have gone to Him without the camp bearing His reproach, now share His triumph. Here may those, who feel the world’s enmity on account of their fellowship on earth with the rejected Jesus, see how great a hope is held out to them of glory with Him, when He cometh forth in His glory to destroy them that destroy the earth. “I saw thrones, and they sat upon them; and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God; and those who had not worshipped the beast, and they lived and reigned with CHRIST a thousand years. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.”
HE WHO TESTIFIETH THESE THINGS, SAITH, “SURELY I COME QUICKLY.” AMEN, EVEN SO COME; LORD JESUS.
Passages in the Book of Revelation
Passages from the Old Testament.
Chap. 1:1—The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His
Amos 3:7—Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the Prophets.
servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel, to His servant John.
Dan. 10:14—Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days.
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Jesus, the great High Priest of His people, is here brought before us, as the one who delivers this Revelation unto His servants; thus showing the faithfulness of our God in giving unto us the light which it is our wisdom to use and to prize. God hath made Him to be Head over all things unto His Church; out of His fullness He administers blessing unto us, and this Book may be especially looked upon as the last direct testimony which He has given us for our teaching—for the comfort of those who love His appearing—until His return.
Ver. 4—Grace to you and peace from Him that is.
Exod. 3:14—God said unto Moses, I am He that is. (LXX).
Here the Septuagint version shows the connection. God manifests Himself to Moses as ὁ ων—He who is—the existent. With reference (I believe) to that passage, the message here runs—απο του ὁ ων—from THE He that is—the expression is just as anomalous in Greek as it is in English; but it has (when the connection is seen) its peculiar force and propriety.
Ver. 4—And from the seven Spirits that are before His throne.
Exod. 37:23—Seven lamps. 2 Chron. 4:20—The candlesticks with they lamps, that they should burn after the manner before the oracle.
The Holy Spirit, as the One who takes of the things of Jesus and shows them unto the Church, seems to be thus described, with reference to the golden seven-branched candlestick which was placed of old in the tabernacle of God, “the patterns of the things in the heavens.” The holy oil (which typified the Spirit) was there burned, thus giving light without the vail; within Jehovah’s manifested glory gave light, but none except the High Priest had entrance there; the place where the household of the Priest ministered, was without, and there was the candlestick placed.
Ver. 5—And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness; the first-begotten from the dead, the prince of the kings of the earth.
Isa. 55:4— “Behold I have given Him for a witness unto the people.”
Psa. 89:27—I will make Him my first-begotten, (πρωτοτοκον LXX) higher than the kings of the earth.
Thus is the previous statement amplified by the retrospect of “the sufferings of Christ;” in the Psalm He had been called the “first-begotten;” but now “from the dead” is added, showing the new character in which He stood as the Second Adam.
Ver. 6—To Him that hath made us kings and priests unto His God and Father, be glory, &c.
Exod. 19:5,6—If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my Covenant. . . ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, an holy nation.
This is an instance of similar language being used to express analogous circumstances. Israel is God’s earthly people; the Church His heavenly—Israel has failed in keeping their part of the Covenant proposed; but, when (in spite of their failure) the Lord shall plant them in their own land for His own name’s sake, then shall they be “named Priests of the Lord,” (Isa. 61:66But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. (Isaiah 61:6)) then shall the earthly dominion belong to Israel, as it is written, “The nation and the kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish.” (60:12.) But far higher is the place of blessing and of glory to which God’s Church is called; their priestly ministrations are heavenly, and their kingdom and dominion “over the earth” is to be exercised from the heavenly Jerusalem.
Ver. 7—Behold He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see
Dan. 7:13— One like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven.
Is. 40:5—The glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
Him, they also who pierced Him; and all the families of the land shall weep because of Him.
Zech. 12:10-14.—They shall look upon me whom they pierced, and shall weep because of Him. . .. The land shall weep, families by families. . . .All the families that remain.
Three portions of Prophecy are here so combined, as to show their synchronism and their definite application. The Son of Man shall Come with clouds, (Dan.) then “shall the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, be given to the people of the saints of the heavenlies.” When all flesh shall see the manifested glory of Jehovah, then shall Jerusalem be comforted, and her warfare shall have been accomplished; as it is written in another place, “When the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory,” (Psa. 102:1616When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. (Psalm 102:16).) From Zechariah it is shown that “in that day shall a fountain be opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness;” then shall it be manifested that Jesus died, not only to gather together the scattered children of God, but also for that nation. Then shall “a nation be born at once.” (Isa. 66:88Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. (Isaiah 66:8)) even that third part whom He will bring through the fire. (Zech. 13:99And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. (Zechariah 13:9).) Our Lord made a similar combination of Dan. 79I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. (Daniel 7:9) & Zech. 129And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:9) (Matt. 24:3030And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30).)
Ver. 8—I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.
Is. 44:6—I am the first and I am the last, and besides me there is no God.
Ver. 11—I heard behind me a great voice as of a trumpet.
Exod. 19:16—And the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud.
Ver. 11—What thou seest write in a book.
Jer. 30:2—Write all the words which I have spoken unto thee in a book.
Ver. 12—I saw seven golden candlesticks.
Zech. 4:2—I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold. . . .and his seven lamps thereon.
It is stated (ver. 20.) that the seven candlesticks are the seven Churches; no longer united (like the golden candlestick of old) to one shaft—the following chapters show the state in which they now were, so as for it to be said, “I will remove thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent,”—Jesus here stands in the midst of His Churches to execute judgment, and give warning.
Ver. 13—One like unto the Son of Man; clothed with a garment down to the foot (ποδηρη)
Ver. 14—His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.
Dan. 7:13—One like the Son of Man.
Zech. 3:4—Unto Joshua, the High Priest, He said, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and will clothe thee with change of raiment. (LXX. ποδηρη)
Dan. 7:9—The hair of His head was like the pure wool.
Chap. 10:6—His face was as the appearance of lightning, and His eyes as lamps of fire; and His arms and His feet like in color to polished brass; and the voice of His words like the voice of a multitude.
Ezek. 43:2—His voice was like the noise of many waters.
Ver. 16—And out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.
Ver. 17—And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead; and He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me Fear not; I am the first and the last.
Ver. 18—I have the keys of Hades and of death.
Dan. 8:17—When He came I was afraid, and fell upon my face.
Chap. 10:8, &c.—I was left alone and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me. . . then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground; and behold an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and the palms of my hands. . . Then said He unto me, Fear not.
Is. 44:6—I am the first, and I am the last.
Psa. 68:20—Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.
There is something very wonderful in the idea that this glorified One, before whose feet John fell as dead, was He with whom he had lived in the most tender friendship, and upon whose bosom he had laid on the night of His betrayal. John had stood by His cross—had beheld His lowest humiliation, and now he saw something of His glory; as perhaps he might have desired; as he wrote, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it has not yet been manifested what we shall be; but we know that when He shall be manifested we shall be like Him.” (1 John 3:22Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)) Jesus claims the incommunicable attributes of Jehovah, (compare ver. 8.) but still declares Himself to be the same who laid down His life that He might take it again; “I am He that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever.” This He declares to “the disciple whom He loved,” when He says, “Fear not;” for only the knowledge of this could give confidence before Him— “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died; yea rather that is risen again.” (Rom. 8:3434Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34))
Ver. 2—Thou hast tried those who say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.
Deut. 13:1—If there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods. . . thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet.
Chap. 18:22—When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not nor come to pass; that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken; the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously; thou shalt not be afraid of him.
“The Scripture cannot be broken;” these two canons which God has given us, if applied rightly, will guard the Church from receiving as sent of God, (whether calling themselves prophets or apostles) any who by these tests shall be found liars. Miracles without “sound doctrine” are not to be regarded; “the faith once delivered to the saints” is to be held, whatever “signs or lying wonders” any may do in confirmation of any heresy; and especially let it be remembered, that the Holy Ghost gives us a third canon by John, (who is here charged with the commission of commending the Ephesian Church in this matter,) that “every spirit that confesseth not Jesus Christ come (ελη̄λυθοτα) in the flesh (i.e. confesseth not the MYSTERY (1 Tim. 3:1616And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)) of our Lord’s person and incarnation) is not of God.” (1 John, 4:3)
But it is yet more evident (for false doctrine may be veiled in enticing words) that wherever there are false prophecies, the thing cannot be of God’s Spirit.
Let us take heed; “for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold I have told you before.” (Matt. 24:2424For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24:24))
Ver. 7—To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.
Gen. 2:9—The tree of life also in the midst of the Paradise. (LXX.)
Ver. 28—All the Churches shall know that I am He who searcheth the reins and hearts, to give to every one of you according to your works.
Jer. 17:10—I, Jehovah, search the heart, I try the reins, to give to every one according to his ways.
Psa. 62:12—Thou renderest to every man according to his work.
We have here brought before us the present position of Christ as regards His Church; now is the time in which He judges them, and chastens them, lest they should be condemned with the world. (1 Cor. 11:3232But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:32).) The world is still borne with in long-suffering.
Ver. 26—He that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule (ποιμανεῖ) them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken in pieces; even as I received of my Father.
Psa. 2:8—I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance. . . . Thou shalt break (ποιμανεῖς, shalt rule, LXX) them with a rod of iron; as a potter’s vessel shalt thou break them in pieces.
This is almost a verbal quotation from the LXX, only applying “to him that overcometh,” that which had been spoken of Him through whom he overcame. (Rev. 12:1111And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11).) The saints of God have now no power over the nations, (nor indeed is it the time for them to desire it, or to exercise it,) and therefore the setting of the Lord Jesus Christ as King on Zion, is yet future; even as it is written in another Psalm, “Sit thou at my right hand, UNTIL I make thine enemies thy footstool; the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion; Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.” (Psa. 110:1, 21<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. (Psalm 110:1‑2).) The saints are to be with their Lord; “Where I am, there shall also my servant be.” (John 12:2626If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. (John 12:26).)
Chap. 3:5—I will not blot out his name out of the book of life
Exod. 32:33—Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Ver. 7—He that hath the key of David; He that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth.
Is. 22:22—The key of the house of David will I lay upon His shoulder, so that He shall open and none shall shut; and He shall shut and none shall open.
Ver. 9—I will make them to come and to worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
Is. 60:14—The sons also of them that afflicted thee, shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet.
Ver. 12—Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out.
1 Kings 7:21—And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple; he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin, (he shall establish;) and he set up the left pillar and called the name thereof Boaz, (strength in it).
Ver. 17—Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.
Hosea 12:8—And Ephraim said yet am I become rich, I have found me out substance.
Ver. 19—As many I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Prov. 3:12—Whom the Lord loveth He correcteth.
Ver. 20—Behold I stand at the door and knock.
Cant. 5:2—It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my spouse.
Ver. 21—To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne; as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne.
Ps. 45:6—Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.
Ps. 110:1—The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Paul (Heb. 1:88But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8).) gives the application of Psa. 458All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. (Psalm 45:8) to Jesus; from Rev. 208And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. (Revelation 20:8) we learn more of the reign of the saints with their Lord; of this but few particulars have been given us—the manifestation of Jesus is that for which we must wait, in order to know folly that to which we are to be conformed—to know the glory which shall be ours at His appearing; until then let us take heed to the word of Jesus, “What I say unto you, I say unto all, watch ... ”
Throughout the second and third chapters we have brought before us, “Remember from whence thou art fallen; and repent, and do the first works, else I will come unto thee quickly, and remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” God’s warnings and rebukes to Israel bad been just such, but they were not regarded; and the whole rejection of Israel is analogous to that of the Church—gathered (not of the Jews only) but also of the Gentiles. When Paul wrote to the Hebrews, the Church was still united, but he says, “ye have forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh unto you as unto children; my son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him, for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth,” etc. (Heb. 12:55And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: (Hebrews 12:5).) The Church had been set as “the light of the world;” here, in the Revelation, we find lights, (owned of God as such) but not united; these are more severely rebuked and threatened; even as Paul had written to the Romans, “if thou (the Gentile) continue in His goodness; otherwise thou shalt be cut off” (11:22.) These warned Churches are not. They had backslidden, they were warned; they turned not, and thus became apostate. Thus it hath been everywhere: the Church is not to be found which the Lord could acknowledge and could thus address as a Church. But comfort may be drawn from the analogy of Israel; —the remnant that returned from Babylon were consoled in their weakness, “My Spirit remaineth among you, fear ye not” (Hag. 2:44Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts: (Haggai 2:4).) So it is with the true (in contradistinction to the visible) Church; the words of Jesus are still faithful, “the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, shall abide with you forever.” (John 144And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:4))
“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20).) Although the glory and the blessedness which belonged to the Church is gone, together with its united light, yet the presence of Jesus is still known to the faith of His saints; the power of individual testimony is indeed but a weak thing when compared to that of the united Church, (John 17:2121That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21).) yet they still may aim to be “blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as LIGHTS in the world, holding the word of life.” (Phil. 221For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. (Philippians 2:21) If.) They can still be “like men who wait for their Lord.”
Chapter 4:1—I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven.
Ezek. 1:1.—The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God,
Ver. 2, 3.—Behold a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne: and He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Ver. 26-28.—And above the firmament was the likeness of a throne; as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of a throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it; and 1 saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it; from the appearance of His loins even upwards; and from the appearance of His loins even downwards, 1 saw as it were the appearance of fire; and it had brightness round about, as the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about.
Ver. 4.—And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones; and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty Elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and they had upon their heads crowns of gold. the high priest.
Zech. 6:13.—He shall be a priest upon his throne.
Chapter 2, 5.—They set a fair miter upon his head, and clothed him with garments.
Chap. 6:11.—Take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech
However obscure, there seems to me to be some connection between these things. Joshua the high priest is in both places in Zechariah spoken of in immediate connection with the Branch—the enthroned Priest. I would notice this passage as one for consideration.
Ver. 5.—And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings and voices; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Ver. 6.—And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal.
And in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.
Chapter 10:12.—And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and their wings ... .. were full of eyes round about.
Chapter 1:10.—As for the likeness of their faces; they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
(6:2.) Each one had six wings......and one cried to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy; Jehovah of Hosts, the whole earth is filled with His glory.
Neh. 9:55Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise. (Nehemiah 9:5).—Blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise; thou, even thou, art Lord alone; for thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host; the earth and all things that are therein; and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
Ver. 7.—And the first living creature was like a lion; and the second living creature was like a calf; and the third living creature had a face as a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
Ver. 8.—And the four living creatures had each six wings about him.... and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty; that was, and is, and is to come.
Ver. 11.—Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created.
In this description of the glory of God, there are combined the vision seen by Ezekiel—the glory of the God of Israel as manifested upon Mount Sinai—and “the King the Lord of Hosts,” the Lord Jesus Christ, (John 12:4141These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. (John 12:41).) as seen by Isaiah. Here some parts of the description more accord with the one, and some with the other of the visions of the two prophets. There is this remarkable difference in the living creatures seen by John from those described in Ezekiel; here they are four with one face apiece, there the four have each four faces; unless indeed John only describes the face that was looking forward, and omits the other three. Here they are “round about the throne, and in the midst of the throne;” in Ezekiel they are below; and in Isaiah the Seraphim stand above,(םמעל) which the LXX render around, (κυκλω) which is the word here used. God is here praised as the Creator; and the rainbow round about the throne appears to refer to His covenant with all creation. (Gen. 9:99And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; (Genesis 9:9).)
Chap. 5:1.—And I
saw in the right hand of
Him who sat on the
throne a book, written
within and on the backside.
Ezek. 2:2.—And when I looked, behold
an hand was sent unto me; and to
a roll of a book was therein; and He
spread it before we; and it was written
within and without.
Ver. 5.—Behold, the
Lion of the tribe of Judah,
the root of David,
hath prevailed.
Gen. 49:9.—Judah is a lion’s whelp.
Ps. 110:1.—The Lord said unto my
Lord.
Ver. 6.—A Lamb as
it had been slain,
having seven horns, and
seven eyes, which are the
seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.
Isa. 53:7.—He is brought as a Lamb
to the slaughter.
Zech. 4:10.—Those seven, they are the
eyes of the Lord, which run to and
fro in all the earth.
2 Chron. 16:9.—The eyes of the
Lord run to and fro throughout the whole
earth, to spew Himself strong in behalf
of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.
Here these seven eyes—the attributes of Jehovah in the Old Testament, are given to the Lamb that was slain, together with plenitude of power—seven horns.
Ver. 8.—Golden vials
full of incense, which are
the prayers of saints.
Ps. 141:2.— Let my prayer be set
before thee as incense.
Ver. 9.—They sung a
new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for thou wast
slain ; and hast redeemed us to God, by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and
nation ; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign over (επι) the earth.
Ps. 98:1.—O sing unto Jehovah a
new song, for He hath done marvelous things Jehovah hath made known His salvation.
Is. 53:12.—Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul
unto death and He bare the sin of many.
Exod. 12:13.—The blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are ; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you.
Is. 49:6 —I will also give thee for a
light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest he
my salvation unto the ends of the earth.
(See on chap. 1:6.)
Dan. 7:18.—The saints of the heavenlies (עליונין) shall take the kingdom.
Zech. 14:9.—The Lord shall be King
over (על LXX επι) all the earth.
It has been supposed from this passage and others like it, that the home of the saints is described as on the earth; and this has, I believe, very much tended to cause some to look upon the reign of Christ and His Church as an earthly hope. The reign of Jehovah (after His coming with all His saints) is spoken of in the same manner in the Old Testament as it is here; and I believe no one ever looked on the reign there mentioned, as anything to be thought lightly of as earthly or fleshly. Jesus having been rejected from the earth—having suffered—the future glory into which His people are introduced, has been shown to be heavenly with Him—this reigning is no lowering of the saints’ hope, but (if rightly understood) gives it an especial blessedness, as showing the entireness of our fellowship with our risen Lord, to whose image we shall be conformed at His appearing. It has been thought, I believe, that it would be a lessening of the happiness and the glory of those who unite in this ascription of praise, for them to have anything more to do with earth: but it does not necessarily follow, from the manner in which they appear in this vision, that it is the present state of any departed saints which is here described. (See on chap. 6:1.)
But this passage, as Griesbach reads it, does not appear to include the living creatures or the Elders amongst the redeemed from every nation; his text runs thus— “Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed to God by thy blood of every family, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made them kings and priests unto our God; and they shall reign over the earth.” It may perhaps seem as though some word were wanting in English to supply the place of “us” in the first part of the sentence, but in the Greek (see 2 John, 4.) there is nothing like an hiatus. I do not doubt myself that this reading is the true one. If it be thought from their ascription of praise to the Lamb that was slain that they must be redeemed saints, let it be observed that Jesus took not hold of angels, (Heb. 2:1616For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16).) yet they unite in the strain “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,” (v. 12.) and in Him are all things in heaven and on earth to be gathered together.
Ver. 11.—Many angels round about the throne and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.
Ver. 12, 13.—Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature that is in heaven, and on 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. 22.—Bless the Lord all His works in all places of His dominion.
1 Chron. 29:1111Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. (1 Chronicles 29:11).—Thine, O Jehovah, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty. Blessed be thou O Jehovah the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
Dan. 7:1414And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:14).—There was given unto Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom—His dominion is an everlasting dominion .
The Lord is often glorified by the holy men of old as the forgiver of iniquity; in Psa. 103 (for instance,) we have this very beautifully set before us; “As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us;”—the fact they could rejoice in, the manner had not (save to the eye of faith dimly) been as yet manifested. It was told them that “Messiah should be cut off;” that “many should be justified by the knowledge of One, who should bear their iniquities;” that “the just shall live by faith;” that there should come a Redeemer; that a child should be born whose name is “the Mighty God.” Blessedly as we can now (by New Testament light) see the “gospel preached before” (Gal. 3 8.) in all this; yet it was a testimony given “in many parts and in many manners,” (Heb. 1:11God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, (Hebrews 1:1)) and how far they could know the connection of all this with atonement by blood (continually shown forth in the law) is not told us. It was “the forbearance of God” (Rom. 3:2525Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25).) that was made manifest, “in the remission of sins that are past,” (i. e. sins committed before the shedding of the blood of Jesus,) and not His righteousness; the Apostle shows from this very fact, that there was a necessity for something to vindicate God’s righteousness; this the death of our Lord supplied; and God was both vindicated in His mercy (already extended by anticipation,) and enabled “to be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.”
The manner, in which God’s purpose of blessing was brought about, gives a yet higher theme of praise and of glory than is expressed before. The name of “Him who hath washed us from our sins in His own blood” is the glory of the new song in heaven; There “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The Creator had His claim to all praise; but sin had entered and marred the work; now the glory of the Redeemer is shown; and through Him creation is made (as shall be manifested in “the times of the restoring of all things,”) a theme of praise and thanksgiving, (Compare chap. 4 and 5 also Psa. 148, etc.)
Israel believed the message concerning the Lamb, and the threaten destruction of the first-born; and they obeyed, and sprinkled the blood; the first-born so preserved were thereby separated unto the Lord, (Num. 3:1313Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord. (Numbers 3:13).) thus it is with the ransomed saints, “the Church of the first-born;” they are sanctified by the blood of sprinkling unto God; they have believed the record concerning the Lamb of God, the One bearing away (ὁ αιρων) the sin of the world; (John 1:2020And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. (John 1:20).) they know the blood on the lintel to be the mark by which the Lord will own and distinguish them from the world which remains at enmity, when He cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. Jesus has borne the wrath for them, and they can join (though now, if need be, in heaviness) in the triumphant song—, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” Nor is this all; for they shall be sharers in the dominion which shall be given to the “Son of Man,” when He cometh in His power and great glory.
Chap. 6:2.—I saw, and behold a white horse; and He that sat on him had a bow ; and a crown was given unto Him ; and He went forth conquering and to conquer.
Psa. 45:4.—In thy majesty ride prosperously... thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies.
Dan. 7:14.—One like the Son of Man ... . came to the Ancient of Days ... . and there was given to Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom.
The point which is the object of hope is frequently set before us the first, although the last in order of time—thus, the triumph of the Seed of the woman is foretold before His humiliation; so that something is proposed to faith before the previous evil is told. We have a very remarkable instance of this in Isaiah. In the second chapter is stated the future glory of the mountain of the house of Jehovah; and then comes sorrow upon sorrow; and in the concluding chapters we re-arrive at the same point of expectation. The intervening evil has been set before us, and then the particulars of the vision of hope are dwelt upon and amplified.
Now the opening of this first seal is the beginning of those things, which the Lamb that was slain, hath taken for us from the hand of Him who sitteth upon the throne. The first thing we see is one riding on a white horse, who goes forth, “conquering and to conquer.” In chapter 19 we have a similar vision in several respects, in which the conquests of Him that sat on the horse are described. Now I think that these two persons are identical; just as much as “the House of the God of Jacob,” (Isa. 2:33And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:3)) and “the House of my glory,” (60:7) are one and the same.
Ver, 8.—And power was given to him over fourth part of the earth ; to kill with the sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
Ezek. 14:21.—When I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem ; the sword, and famine, and the noisome beast, and pestilence, (דבר LXX. θανατον death) to cut off from it man and beast.
Ver. 9.—I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God.
Lev. 4:7 & 18.—And the priest.... shall pour out all the blood at the bottom the altar of burnt-offering.
Ver. 12, &c.—And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and lo! there was a great Earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell into the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind; and the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places, And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?
Isa. 13:13.—I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place. (Ver. 10.) The sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Hag. 2:6.—Yet once it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the dry land.
Joel 2:31.—The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. (chap. 2:10. & 3:15.) The sun and the moon shall be black, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
Is. 34:4.—And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll • and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf faileth from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig-tree.
Is. 2:9.—And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself, therefore forgive them not. Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His Majesty. (Ver. 19.) They shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His Majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Hos. 10:8, —They shall say to the mountains, Cover us and to the hills, Fall on us.
Isa. 13:13. –I will shake the heavens . . . in the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger.
Psa. 110:5. —The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath.
Joel 2;11.—For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible ; and who can abide it ?
Our Lord in His prophetic discourse upon the mount of Olives spoke of a definite future event in this manner; “In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken; and THEN shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds.” (Mark 13:2424But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, (Mark 13:24).)
When they were leading Jesus to be crucified, He said to the women who deplored Him, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me; but weep for yourselves and for your children; for behold the days are coming, in the which they shall say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps that never gave suck;’ THEN shall they begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills ‘cover us;’ for if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” (Luke 23:29-3129For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. 30Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 31For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? (Luke 23:29‑31).)
Now I think that all these prophecies are identical in their accomplishment; and that the darkening of the sun and moon refers to one definite future event. The prophecies of the day of darkness in Joel are manifestly unaccomplished; for that day is plainly shown to be at the time when God’s wrath against His people Israel shall cease; when their permanent peace shall commence; when Judah and Jerusalem shall be restored, (3;1) when “Judah shall dwell forever; and Jerusalem from generation to generation;” (v. 20.) and the word shall be accomplished, “Jehovah dwelleth in Zion.”
It is very conclusive to my own mind to observe how “the great day of the WRATH of the Lamb” is spoken of here. The Psalmist, when he says, that the Lord at the Lord’s right hand (i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ) shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath, is speaking of the time when Jehovah shall send the rod of Christ’s strength out of Zion, saying “Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.”
Now the time of the arising of the Lord to shake terribly the earth (Isa. 2), has certainly not yet taken place; this shaking is spoken of in such a way as to appear to be one definite event—even (as I doubt not) the same shaking that was foretold by Haggai, and is referred to by Paul, who quotes that prophet.
In Isaiah some of the parallel prophecies come in among the predicted judgments upon Babylon and upon Edom; now I believe that those prophecies (however fulfilled in some important particulars) are not exhausted, and that the events of the latter day alone will entirely show their accomplishment.
But this prophecy does not merely coincide in terms with one prediction of the coming of the Son of Man, but with many; and that too—not in trivial or subordinate particulars—but in the most characteristic features. It is “the great day of the wrath of the Lamb;” when the kings of the earth are confounded; even as it is written in the 2nd Psalm: “The kings of the earth set themselves against Jehovah and against His Messiah ... , THEN (אז) shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.” (v. 2.) Then shall the nations be the inheritance of Jesus (ver. 8.) and of His Church, (Rev. 2:2626And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: (Revelation 2:26).) The Lord shall be King over all the earth. (Zech. 14:99And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9).) And the saints shall be glorified with Him.
I would remark in concluding, that the knowledge that the Scripture is the utterance of God’s mind, ought to give us such a value for the things therein revealed, as to make us anxious not to neglect any portion of its contents; if we do not see how some part can bear upon us as individuals, God can and does; and He has given the revealed record to us, and therefore we ought to seek the teaching of His Spirit, so as to use it “for instruction in righteousness.” From this neglect of parts, whose practical use was not seen, has arisen the want of testimony in the Church to the coming of that day when “the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels; in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; ... when He shall come to be glorified in His saints.” (2 Thess. 1:88In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:8).)
God set His Church in the world as His witness of these things against the world; even as Noah in his day was the witness of the coming judgment. The Church has indeed a heavy responsibility resting on her for her want of testimony, and for her forgetfulness of the cowing of her Lord.
May the Lord grant, for His own name’s sake, that His Church (careless and unheedful as she hath been) may see from whence she hath fallen, and repent; may He grant her to give no uncertain testimony to the world that the day of the Lord cometh upon them as a snare; and may she, in true faith, and fully knowing the high import of the petition, pray “Our Father who art in heaven, THY KINGDOM COME.”
I trust (if the Lord will) shortly to continue the comparison of passages,
And remain
S. P. T.
Plymouth, Dec. 15, 1835,