The Symbolic Language of the Bible
Table of Contents
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Sword - Wrinkle
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Eagle - Fountatins
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Oak - Plumbline
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Abominations - Bells
We have sought in the following list to interpret the Symbolic language of the Word of God. In order to facilitate further study, and to serve as a work of constant reference in the reading of the Scriptures, we have alphabetically arranged the words and expressions.
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Chariots - Dust
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Hinds - Lamp
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Pomegranates - Swine
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Belly - Cedar
The Holy Bible: Remarks Upon the Books of the O. T.: Jer. - Dan.: Also, Symbolic Language: Fowls - Hill
JEREMIAH. This is the second of the " greater prophets," the other two being Ezekiel and Daniel. Jeremiah was of priestly descent, his father being Hilkiah, one of the priests residing in the Levitical town of Anathoth, four miles north-east of Jerusalem. The name Hilkiah was a common enough one among the Jews, so we cannot say that the high priest of that name who found the copy of the law in the Temple was the father of our prophet. Jeremiah was ordained a prophet to the nations before his birth, and was early called to the office (Chapter 1:5-7)-about 130 years after the call of Isaiah-which he occupied for the long period of 42 years, uttering his predictions in and about the metropolis of Judea, then, on the capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, among the remnant spared, who, spite of the faithful remonstrances of the prophet, went down into Egypt, (chaps. 43, 44.) These prophecies in our English Bibles, as also in the Hebrew, are arranged-(by whom we cannot tell, probably by Ezra,) without regard to chronological order. But whoever was the editor of Jeremiah's weeping prophecies, for almost " every letter is written with a tear, and every word is the sound of a broken heart," must have been divinely directed; for the moral order and connection of the various prophecies to each other is evidently of God. In the Sept. they are arranged chronologically. The last verse of the 51st Chapter ends with " Thus far are the words of Jeremiah." The last Chapter of the book is not written by Jeremiah, but is an historical appendix substantially the same as 2 Kings 24:18-20;25 and equally given by inspiration of God, and needful in its place. It is only in this book, so far as we know, that the duration of the Chaldean kingdom is given, as also the duration of Judah's captivity in Babylon (Chapter 25:9-14; 29:10). Daniel was a devout student of these very prophecies, especially of those portions just referred to (Dan. 9:2). We may observe that Chapter 10:1 1 contains a message to the heathen written in their own language-the Chaldee.
LAMENTATIONS. It is self-evident that this book is from the pen of Jeremiah. The Septuagint has the following passage, "And it came to pass after that Israel was taken captive, and Jerusalem was laid waste, that Jeremiah sat weeping and lamented this lamentation over Jerusalem!' These strains of anguish uttered over the success of the Chaldean attack upon Jerusalem, and the consequent desolation of city and people, are most touchingly expressed. The book originally constituted one work with the prophecies of Jeremiah. The structure of the book is worth noticing. The first, second, and fourth chapters each contain 22 verses, and are, in the original, arranged alphabetically according to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The third Chapter of 66 verses is also alphabetic in structure, only there are three verses to each letter. The fifth Chapter consists of 22 verses, but is not arranged as the others. Several of the psalms are of similar structure, proof of God's tender compassion for the feeble minds and failing memories of His poor people.
EZEKIEL. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel were contemporary prophets; the two former were priests, while the latter was of the seed royal of Judah. Jeremiah prophesied amongst the poor of the people who were spared and left in the land through the clemency of the Chaldean conqueror, and afterward in Egypt, whither the miserable remnant of the nation fled after the murder of Gedaliah the Babylonian governor of Judea. Ezekiel lifted up his voice, and by sign and word warned the exiled portion of Judea in the land of Mesopotamia as also considerable numbers of the ten tribes transported thither at an earlier period. Daniel interpreted the visions and dreams of the heathen monarch in Babylon itself, and there too were communicated to him those visions and prophecies which most of all concern the European and other Gentiles in relation to the Jews.
The complete subversion of the kingdom of Judah and the deportation of her king, princes, priests, and people were effected by the Chaldeans on three separate occasions. In the year 599 B.C. Jehoiachin,—second last king of Judah,-after a brief reign of but three months was taken captive along with the principal people of the land, including Ezekiel (2 Kings 24) Seven years previously Jehoiakim with Daniel and other members of the royal family had been removed to the proud and haughty court of the Gentile in Babylon. The third captivity 2 Kings 25) eleven years after the second and 18 years after the first, completed the ruin of Judah. Our prophet was located on the banks of the river Chebar a considerable distance from the capital. The most distinguished of the Judah exiles flocked again and again to the prophet's dwelling at Tel Abib, (chaps. 8:1; 16:1; 21:1; 33), and there the burning and eloquent lips of the exiled seer and priest uttered the word of the Lord. The prophecies contained in the book were proclaimed during a period of 22 years (Chapter 1;2), although the prophet's forced exile lasted 27 years (Chapter 29:17). Christ, Daniel and Ezekiel are the only persons termed " Son of Man in the Scriptures, the latter about too times. We do not agree with those who consider this book a difficult one to understand; in our judgment it is the reverse. The first 24 chapters contain chronologically arranged prophecies bearing upon the Chaldean invasion of Judea and capture and sack of Jerusalem, 588 B.C. Then you have the destruction Of those nations who participated in the attack or rejoiced in the ruin of Judah, (Chapter 25-32). Lastly, Israel herself and her future great enemy Gog or the northern power (Russia) are judged, with particulars of the millennial temple and throne, and details of an interesting kind occupying the closing chapters of the book (chaps. 33-48).
DANIEL. This prophet was taken to Babylon nearly 20 years before the final Chaldean attack upon Jerusalem and sack of the city; and, as he survived the captivity, which was 70 years, even to the third year of the reign of Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire (Chapter 10:1), he must have been taken captive when very young, and hence could not have shared the national guilt to any considerable extent; but this very consideration gives weight and solemnity to his confession of national sin (Chapter 9). From the setting aside of Jerusalem and substitution of Babylon as the center of Divine government on the earth, we date "the times of the Gentiles," that is, until the Jew is again taken up in sovereign grace, the government of the earth has been handed over to the Gentiles. This government exercised through the four successive Gentile monarchies is the great subject of this book. It is an interesting circumstance that that portion of the book from verse 4 of Chapter 2 till the close of Chapter 7 is in the Syriac or Aramean language, that being the tongue spoken by the Babylonians and the Assyrians-the two powers employed in the captivity of all Israel. In that portion we have divinely sketched the rise, progress and doom of Gentile power. Thus not Hebrew, but Syriac is the selected tongue, so that the Gentiles could read for themselves and were thus without excuse.
The style and character of the four greater prophets present striking contrasts. Isaiah is grand, Jeremiah is tearful, Ezekiel is energetic, Daniel is calm. When the Spirit of God selects any instrument to accomplish His work, the individuality of the chosen vessel is in fullest accord with the Spirit's inspiration.
(To be continued.)
The Symbolic Language of the Bible: Laver - Nurse