A Remnant, which answers to the mind of God at any moment, is always the living link between that—which has failed, and of which it is a Remnant, and with what that which it represents will be in glory.
I desire to speak a little to you, beloved in the Lord, of the history of the return of the Remnant of Judah and Benjamin from Babylon, after the captivity of the seventy years, in its analogy with the present gathering of the children of God in the unity of the body of Christ.
It is a great favor from the Lord to be taught of Him what the Church of God really is; and to have grace given to walk in the truth of it. I do not mean the saints of God, of whom there were many indeed, ere the Church or Assembly of God was formed, when the Lord had completed the work of redemption, and Himself as man was set down in glory, and had sent down the Holy Ghost from Heaven and from the Father at Pentecost, to form believers into “ One Body” on earth, in union with Christ in Heaven.
I will look for a moment at the larger movements, or those which have been most striking in their character, since that time. One of the most remarkable that ever has been, characterizes the present period, which lies within the last fifty years.
The opening of the history in the Acts of the Apostles gives a blessed picture of what the Church of God was. You do not find a vestige of such a character of things now. Man has substituted what we see around us for what was God’s divine and blessed work. One great fact, however, is clear, that if the great truth of the Church of God in its unity as one body, by the Holy Ghost’s presence on earth, was lost, it began to be lost in the days of the apostles. God was graciously pleased to permit the roots of all the evils of professing Christendom at the present day, to manifest themselves then, that He might write, and that the faithful might find, in Scripture, a divine pathway and a divine warrant for such pathway in the days that ensued. Not one single exigence but was foreseen and provided for.
As soon as the unity of the Church of God was lost, the effort was always to maintain a unity, for which those who loved the Lord sighed; but never was it the endeavor until the present period, to preserve such a unity by the Truth! You do not find, in the early ages after the unity of the Church was gone outwardly; nor in the middle ages of darkness and superstition; nor in later times, that truth founded on the Word was proposed as the test of unity.
Soon, then, the whole Church failed; she drifted into the world, and became of the world; yea, even the world itself in its grossest form.
The days of the Reformation came. God did a great work then. The doctrine of Justification by faith came to light again. Scripture was appealed to, to prove it too; but there was no appeal to Scripture for a ground upon which to gather together the children of God which were scattered abroad, by the truth.
Efforts to reform and reconstruct what was supposed to be the Church were made by earnest men, and successfully too. But there was no return to divine unity of those who were Christ’s, by the truth. Of course there is no thoughtful Christian who must not rejoice in what was done; nor can we blame those earnest men who were instrumental in doing it, for not having done more. They wrought with a zeal and courage—and faith that puts the heart to shame. But the truth is, God did not at that time bring forth again the truth of the unity of the body of Christ. Christ was seen by faith upon the Cross working out redemption, and faith laid hold upon His work and rejoiced therein. But the results of Christ being a Man upon God’s throne; the Head of His Assembly—His body on earth, with the great fact of the presence of the Holy Ghost in the Assembly, and by His presence and baptism constituting all believers one body on earth, were not seen. The hope, too, of His coming again to receive unto Himself that which the Holy Ghost gathered out of the world was unknown.
At the present time, then, instead of His people (as at the Reformation) looking back, and seeking to set things to rights, they have been taught of God, within the last half-century, to look forward and judge all things by the fact that Christ is coming again. The truths of the Second Coming of Christ for His own, and the Holy Ghost’s presence with and in His people until that day, have been restored. The parable of the Virgins (Matt. 25) tells us how the hope of His coming back again would be given up—first having been denied. Within fifty years the cry “Behold the Bridegroom”—has been given, and we now occupy that solemn and wonderful moment—after the cry has gone forth, and before the shutting to of the door takes place. All the confusion that happened, as in the Lord’s parable, between those two events, is but too plainly fulfilled and fulfilling around us. We stand, therefore, in that little interval of solemn import to all.
When the true Christian man, therefore, looks forward in this hope, he feels that it will not do to be found identified with the corruption and confusion around him, by his Lord. He cannot make Christ and falsehood agree. Hence souls have been and are being forced out of all that man has constructed, and have naturally been drawn together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the power and presence of the Holy Ghost. They find that the Church of God remains, because the Holy Ghost remains; and that although they cannot restore it as it was at the first, nor gather all the children of God to such a divine position, still as a Remnant they can act on its truth, and, in the unity of the Spirit, be found in a divine position, in the midst of the ruins of Christendom, a position wide enough to embrace all those who are Christ’s, and only exclusive to that which is untrue to His name.
Now the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, with those of Haggai and Malachi, relate for us the history of the remnant of Jews which returned to a divine position before God, as well as the words of encouragement and warning addressed to such; and to this I would refer a little, looking upon its analogy with the movement of which I have just spoken.
Ezra contains the history of the return of the first, and second Remnants to Jerusalem—in fact, a gathering, or concentrative action. Nehemiah gives not only the work within, but an aggressive action from within to seek for more of those who were Israel to come to be with the Lord. And have we not seen or heard of such double action in these our days—the gathering or concentration of the children of God; as well as the aggressive action of God’s Spirit in the going forth to seek for others, that they too may be found acting on the divine truth, as members of the Church of God, as far as obedience to the Word, without the assumption of power, will allow.
For what, I may ask, is it which always characterizes a divine action amongst the children of God at any time? It is this: That the Word of God alone is accepted and acted upon as the sole standard for all that is done. Of late, as of old, “Fathers” have been appealed to; usages and customs and the like; but it marks a divine action of God’s Spirit when all that will not stand its supreme authority must go; and naught be allowed but where this divine warrant is its authority.
It has been the endeavor to liken the convulsive and great work of the Reformation, by analogy, to what is found in these Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, &c. But it must be remembered that while great things were accomplished, there was no recovery of a position which could be stamped as divine. It was a great work, but it was only a partial one, and more negative than positive in its results, as far as Church position, according to the Scripture, really is. So that these books do not apply, though they were doubtless a comfort to the godly in those days. The Remnant in them did recover a divine platform; the Reformers never.
It may be said (as it was of them of Israel, in that day) that their feebleness and failure is manifest to all. So it is. But nevertheless the action has touched to the core the conscience of the professing Church around. It has been the subject of ridicule and contempt, of bitterness and attacks innumerable; yet how many there are, let us thank God when we know it, who when they had calmly and dispassionately examined what is so despised, only found their own hearts held fast by the truth they heretofore joined with the enemy in condemning.
But I feel this, that there is one thing needed above all, which must be possessed by those who would learn these truths. It is that which, alas, so few possess—Peace with God! It may seem strange to say this; but I for one would and must feel content that the truth be misunderstood, and those who walk with their poor faltering steps in it despised and condemned, when this great desideratum is not the possession of those who come near it. To such it is impossible to explain that it is so needful a possession. But even the great vessel to whom was given the truth of God as to it, could only teach it “privately to them who were of reputation” amongst the mass of believers. At the same time the babe in Christ, who has peace with God and a single eye, can understand it in a moment.
When we open the Book of Ezra, we find that the seventy years of captivity had passed away; those sorrowful days in which Israel had hanged their harps on the willows by the rivers of Babylon, and their songs wore silent—even the songs of Zion: they could not go up to God in the strange land.
God begins by raising up Cyrus, King of Persia, and laying it upon his heart to open the door for the captives’ return. Now an “open door” at all times tests the condition of the soul. It does two things: it shows that God is working; and shows whether God’s people are satisfied with the anomalous position they occupy.
Have we not seen this? Have we not heard people speak largely, and wish much that there was the truth acting and leading the children of God together around them; and then when God did begin to work, they found difficulties, and preferred their ease. Yes, an “open door” tests God’s people, but it shows God’s heart has not forgotten His people, His Church.
Cyrus then made a decree (Ezra 1:2, 52Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. (Ezra 1:2)
5Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:5)), and the action begins; and in the close of the chapter we find the Remnant gathered together in Jerusalem. Then came a scrutiny of those who returned: Could they prove their genealogy; could they satisfy others as to whose and who they were? Now of old, in the same place, there was no proof needed like this. Of old too, at Pentecost, there was no scrutiny as to who were real Christians: all were so. But in the day of a return, how different must be the course. In the midst of a professing Church, we must know now who are really Christians; true children of God; at peace with Him. Yes, and if the children of God cannot make it very clear now that they are so, we must wait and be sure. And so with these Jews: all who could show their genealogy as Priests were admitted to the priestly office; others could not, and must wait until God would make it plain.
See the close of the second chapter of the second Epistle to Timothy, how cautious people are to be; they must find out those now who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. There was no such thing in the days of the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles: no scrutiny then, for all were in reality what their outward position showed them to be.
In Ezra 3 the Feast of the Trumpets had come. This signifies the gathering of the people. And it was the seventh month. The Remnant gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. The first thing then was to restore the worship of God. They could not worship God in Babylon.
By the rivers of Babylon they sat down and wept: at the temple of Jerusalem they gathered themselves to worship! The captive Jew might open his window, and three times a day pray with his face toward Jerusalem; but praise was silent in the City of Confusion: it burst forth in the City of God! Yes, and more. How beautifully do we learn this! “They worshipped as it was written.” God has His own way of being approached, for a sinner, and for a saint, and none other will do. There is no choice left for one or the other. As well may a sinner choose the way of coming to God for salvation, as a saint choose his way of coming to God for worship. A Jew in Babylon might say perchance, “I will worship God here,” but he could not do so until the divine platform was reached, and all ordered “as it was written.”
There was but one way in the wilderness whereby the offerer could acceptably worship the Lord: there is but one way now. How blessed to find that even “two or three” can rejoice in Him, and come together in the truth: in the unity of “our body;” and find that through grace they occupy a position which God owns, and as wide as the whole Church of God! They may be charged with being narrow, and sectarian, and exclusive; but they can say, ‘Nay, we find that you, who are of the sects and parties in the professing Church, are chargeable with being narrow and sectarian, in such a way too that must exclude every conscientious soul; because were we to come to be with you, you force us to accept what you have in your midst, that is admittedly not the truth of God; yea, that is evil. You are narrow: we are as wide as all God’s people—the whole Church on earth, and we dare not bind on any conscience the acceptance of that which is not of Him.’
Now when this Remnant had “set the altar upon his basis,” they were prepared to lift up their hearts to praise the Lord. Then in the second part of the chapter, they began to rebuild the House of the Lord. First the altar, to worship Him; next the House, that He might dwell with them. How blessed was the note of praise which ascended to the Lord (v. 11), “Giving thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever”! This was, and is, and ever will be, the key-note of Israel’s true and heartfelt praise. The key stone of the arch on which they rested was “His mercy endureth forever.” It was the note of praise in that bright day of rejoicing, when David brought up the Ark of God amidst the rejoicings of the people (see 1 Chron. 16:3434O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. (1 Chronicles 16:34), and the whole chapter). In the day, too, of Kingdom glory, when Jehovah entered the House that Solomon built Him, they sang the same wonderful note of praise, “His mercy endureth forever” (2 Chron. 5:1313It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; (2 Chronicles 5:13)). And now when they return from the sorrows of captivity to the Lord their God, the same blessed, heartfelt words are uttered by this feeble Remnant in Jerusalem; and when the true day of glory comes in, with Him who alone can and will rightly bear the glory, they will sing again at their restoration that song, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever” (Psa. 136).
It is sweet to have learned our need of that mercy; sweeter to have learned how He delights in it. “God (ῶν) being rich in mercy” is a blessed word. It is His character—His nature; and one delights to own it who has known it for himself, however feebly. He can say, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy.” Again, “The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” “The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him.” He can say, “I will have mercy, upon whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion (bowels of mercies) upon whom I will have compassion.” It is the blessed cord that stretches across the abyss of sin and departure from Him, from eternity to eternity, and never, never sought nor found in vain! To Him be praise for Himself who delights in it. The man who finds it is blest indeed, and has learned that he had no claim to it at all, and yet when cast upon it, he found himself upon a limitless ocean of the eternal resources of the God whom he had learned in his misery.
If we might characterize the two books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we would give as the motto of the former, “His mercy endureth forever;” and of the latter, “Patience is a sign of power when the Church is in ruins.” God was more, therefore, in the former: man, in whom grace wrought, in the latter.
Now when the Remnant of Jews sang of His mercy, the old men wept and the young men shouted for joy. And those who could see by faith’s eye what the Church was at Pentecost, and who see the ruin she presents now, and the few feeble struggling ones seeking to be where God would have them, must weep indeed; while those who discover this mercy of the Lord, and that He had guided their feet to that spot in which they could with free hearts and ungrieved spirit worship Him, can indeed shout aloud for joy. The weeping was for what the people was now for God—the joy was for what God was to His people! And these two were so mingled (v. 13) that they could hardly be discerned, the one from the other.
Now we come (ch. 4.) to a very solemn moment. It has been said that it is easier to win a victory than to use one. It is easier to win a divine position than to occupy such with the power of God.
The first difficulty we find here, then, was the effort to ensnare the Remnant by religious alliances. Those who had no part or lot with the Remnant, but who were really the enemies of God and His people, yet professed to worship the same God as they, wanted to join with them, saying, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him.” This sounded well, but a true people, whose confidence is in God alone, do not want the alliances of those who would only bring them down to their level. The truest love one child of God can show to another, is to “abide in the light:” thus he loves his brother. We never can make wrong right by coalescing with the wrong, or allowing that which is wrong to join with what is right. It would be but to enfeeble the right. How often are not those who seek to keep a divine position through grace, charged with being narrow, because they cannot join with what is not of God! Can you not interchange with us? we will come to you, and do you come to us, is said, and commended as Christian charity; which really comes to this—Let us be together, without scrutiny, and do not make so much of what you call “principles.” But no; such cannot be. And at once this excites the bitterest animosity of the human heart: for what is so bitter as the feelings produced by the refusal of the religious thoughts of others, apart from truth?
They refused this religious impurity, yet “obeyed the powers that be” (Ezra 4). They would not have the Samaritan, yet they would how to those to whom they were subject, under God. They would render to Caesar his things: to God—His! But when Satan cannot be a patron, he will be an enemy. When he cannot succeed as a serpent, he will be a lion: and this had its success—the work was stopped. They sank down to ease when in a divine position, through the fear of the enemy. Yet while they ceased to build the House of God, they commenced to build their own (see Hag. 1). And now God’s blessed resources are again at work. He sends a prophet (Haggai) to stir them up again. This was sovereign in Him. As one has said— “A prophet is always sovereign grace.” He sends a messenger to speak to the conscience of His feeble few. When His temple was empty; His glory departed; no cloudy pillar; no Shekinah; no Ark; no Tables of the Law; no Golden Pot of Manna; no Rod that budded. When nothing of the ancient tokens of His presence remained, He has His own way, and sends His prophet, and by His Spirit and His word, which abides forever, He works again.
If we turn to the Prophet Haggai, we find this. And we find, what we so sadly experience in ourselves every day, that it is easy for unbelief to find excuses for not carrying on the work of God. Faith fails, for we are but dust; and the enemy terrifies us out of the path of service. He can tell us that we are not the right instruments for it; that we have made such mistakes; that we have been such poor servants at best; that our part in the work was not needed, and that instead of laboring like others for our bread, we got out of our place in attending to the work of the Lord. We begin to believe him, and, like Moses, we suppose we have made some grand mistake in the desires of heart to serve the Lord in His people, and flee away. Oh, to know one’s path, and what the Lord would have us do, in the tangled web of life! A beloved servant of God once said to me— “When I began to serve,” he said, “my thought was, ‘What can I do for the Lord?’” “Now,” (after long years of service, said he), “I say, ‘What will the Lord do with me?’” It is a word full of experience and trust in Him most surely. But to know this, we need a more exercised heart than we thought we needed in the day of our desires to do something for Christ. We need the opened ear; the waiting spirit. We need to be satisfied to sit down and wait, and find that while we wait it is to be our Gilgal. We need, too, to have the “unfeigned faith” in fresh power in our souls by God’s Spirit working in us, supplying us with His thoughts and intentions about His interests, in which He will permit us to join Him, and with energy to be up and doing when He so orders.
There is the danger, too, as it was with Moses, that when He bids us go we are afraid, and we would rather remain away from the warfare and contact with others, and struggle along in quiet with Him in our “Midian.” We would say with him of old, “O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send;” even kindling the Lord’s anger, and making Him keep us back from half the honor of the service He required. We turn our Gilgal into a Midian.
Now, mark the way God stirred up the Remnant. Their circumstances were unprosperous; the earth did not yield her increase to them; and the heavens stayed her dew. They looked for much and it came to little; and the earner put his wage into a bag with holes!
What lessons there are in the Word of God! What wisdom needed to apply them personally, in the power of the Spirit of God, as He would apply them!
Now, God would show them that the moment they began to attend to His interests He would take up theirs and bless them fully. Mark, too, the double difficulty that He notices. First, it was want of faith. But when faith was stirred up and they “did the work in the house of the Lord of Hosts, their God,” and He can say “I am with you.” The next difficulty was the insignificance of what was accomplished. Now this is very trying to the flesh. We look around and see that others are taking knowledge of us, and that we have so little to show. Others have much to point at and say, as it were, “Come and see my zeal for the Lord.” Now, if we call to mind the Lord’s word to Philadelphia (Rev. 3), we see that that is just as it should be. It seems a small thing for Him to say, “Thou hast a little strength, thou Last kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” There was nothing outward, but there was that of which He can say, “I know thy works.” He knew that when all was going wrong, these feeble ones felt it, and did all that they could do, and that was everything in a day of declension—they kept His word. They treasured it up in their hearts, and He valued this more than outward activity in service, as He did in Mary, who chose that good part which should not be taken away.
This led them to see what was due to His name and not deny it. He was the Holy and the True. They saw that His name, and those who were gathered in His name, should recognize what was suited to His name as Holy and True.
But the Lord encouraged what was so insignificant in their eyes, so as to bring its discouragements, and even if the house they were building was in comparison even as nothing, when compared with the House and its first glory, “Yet,” says the Prophet, “now be strong... saith the Lord, and work, for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts.” Even according to the word, and the way in which He had wrought, and by His presence led them, in the day of Egypt, in their power, so (in like manner) my Spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. They were (as I may say) the feeblest thing on earth in that day, yet they were there according to the mind and word of God, and they possessed the disposal (as I may again say) of the whole mind and power of God: not power in outward show of wonders and signs, as in the land of Ham, but in moving their hearts to act, in a day of desolation, according to His thoughts, and answerable to His heart!
And now the heart is lifted up, and the hope of the coming of the Lord given to stay them in a day of weakness. It was not now to be the old men weeping when they thought of the past; nor the young men rejoicing when they thought of the present; but God cooling in with the blessed hope of the future; for the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. Thus they were the true and living link between the past and the future, and they stood identified with the Lord’s mind and testimony at the present time. And so with Philadelphia. She stands there before our eyes the living link (and those who at all times were true to the then present actions of God, and that answered to His mind) between the Church at Pentecost in Acts 2 and the Church of the future, the New Jerusalem of Rev. 21:8-22:58But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. 1And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 21:8‑22:5), the Church in glory.
And because of this we find the Lord’s promise to Philadelphia is that, “ Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God; and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and my new name.”
Oh, how men can speak of the past and reason about the future, but it takes faith to enter upon God’s mind at the present, and to walk therein!
“I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come,” saith the Lord. He, who is and can alone be this, will come—first for His own, then for judgment of the world. On His return He would fix our hearts. He will bring in the glory. His glory was trampled in the dust when He adorned His church with the gifts of His grace at the first. He does not again fill her with a glory to be seen, but fills the hearts of His people who are before Him according to His mind, with a joy unspeakable and full of glory, and will come to be glorified in His saints... at that day.
And so it was with this Remnant. He did not fill the house which they had builded with the glory as in the days of Solomon, Those days were gone forever; but as we read, they “kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy; for the Lord had made them joyful” at that day. They too were thus the link, as Haggai makes us understand, between the “former house” —the glorious temple of Solomon—and that house which will be again, which He will Himself come and fill with glory, because they were before Him according to His mind.
How painful when we turn to Malachi and learn the solemn thoughts of the prophet of God there, as to the state they sunk into after a time again! and yet there were even then a faithful few of whom it was said “They feared the Lord,” and who “Spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my special treasure” (marg). How very blessed! And this Remnant was found, as it were (that is, those whose state answered to it), when the Lord came to His temple. Old Simeon’s heart could then depart in peace, and Anna’s prayers were answered.
The Lord grant that when He comes we too may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless Amen.