MESSIAH’S MILLENNIAL
-------
PART I
[The following history, - from the back
pages of a Bible - (the American Standard Version, by High Village Publishing) -
is used as a suitable
INTRODUCTION]
-------
Abraham
Abraham set out
from
Isaac’s
son Jacob was forced by famine to go
down to
Moses
Moses led the
Hebrew people, Abraham’s descendants, out of
Judges and kings
As the nation of
Captivity
When the
Assyrian Empire rose to power,
[* NOTE. Words inside blue square brackets are
not part of the author’s writing.]
When the
Assyrian Empire rose to power,
Return
The Jews only
returned from exile in
The Promised Land
Not until Moses
had died, and Joshua took over as
leader, did the Israelites finally enter the Promised Land and settle it among
the different tribes.
The book of Joshua
records three campaigns: a central thrust through
Although the
Israelites won many victories, the Philistines still controlled the coastal cities, and the Canaanites many inland towns. After they entered the Promised Land,
the Israelites faced the choice of serving God or the Canaanite gods.
The Israelites
set up six cities of refuge, which served as places of asylum for people who
committed unintentional manslaughter (Numbers 35: 6-25).
God’s Anointed
SAUL, DAVID & SOLOMON
Although God had
given his people a land of their own, they turned their backs on God, and tried
to become like the surrounding nations.
The Israelites thought that if, instead of relying on God’s rule,
they had a king they could see, they would conquer
their enemies. King Saul was [chosen
by God (1 Sam. 10:
24) and] anointed by Samuel to be the first king of
King David
Samuel also
anointed David, Jesse’s youngest son. God promised that a descendant of David would be a king who reigned forever. David failed many times, but always
loved God and returned to him (1 Samuel 16-30, 2
Samuel 1-24).
King Solomon
Under
David’s son, Solomon, the kingdom prospered. Solomon became renowned for his wisdom,
and during his reign the great [1st.]
The Divided Kingdom
After
Solomon’s death, the ten northern tribes rebelled and set up a separate
kingdom of Israel, ruled by Jeroboam, with its capital at Shechem and worship
centres at Dan and Bethel (1 Kings 12). Omri, a ninth-century king
of
David’s successors
continued to rule the southern
The Tabernacle
OF GOD’S PRESENCE
While they were
wandering in the desert, the Israelites built the Tabernacle, a special tent
where they worshipped God. Each
time they halted, they erected the Tabernacle in the middle of the camp, to
show that God was [dwelling with them (Exodus
29: 45, 46),
and] at the centre of the nation’
life.
The tent
The Tabernacle
had a framework of acacia wood, covered by four layers of metal, decorated
linen curtains inside, and waterproof skins outside (Exodus 26).
Inside the tent
Inside the tent
were two rooms. The small, inner
room was the
The
In the
The sacred enclosure
The Tabernacle itself
was surrounded by a curtained enclosure which could be entered only by priests
and Levites. In front of the
Tabernacle stood the bronze laver, where the priests ritually washed
themselves, and the altar where the animals were sacrificed (Exodus 27).
God’s House
KING SOLOMON’S
Following the
conquest of
Like the Tabernacle
Built of stone,
the
Not a church*
[* See NOTE 16 at the end.]
The
Solomon’s
temple was destroyed when the Babylonian’s captures
[** NOTE. In these writings
no mention is made of God’s 2nd.
HEROD’S
Around 20 B.C.,
Herod the Great embarked on reconstruction the [3rd.]
The new
* * *
“The spirits of the prophets are subject to the control of the
prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”
… “If anybody thinks he is a prophet or
spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that
what I am writing to you as the Lord’s command. If he ignores
this, he himself will be ignored. Therefore,
my brothers, be eager to
prophesy…” (1 Coronthians 14: 32-
33, 37- 39a, N.I.V.).
“Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming [Gk. ‘presence’] of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him, to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, either
by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as
that the day of the Lord* is just at hand; let no man
beguile you an any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition, he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is
called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God,
setting himself forth as God:” (2 Thessalonians 2: 1-4, R.V.)
[* See 2 Pet. 3: 8. cf.
Rev. 20: 1-5, R.V,.]
The following
writings, based on the prophetic Word of God above, states that a 4th.
Today, it is
believed by the vast majority of Jews, Christians and others, that this 4th
Temple will be built in Jerusalem and on the same site where: “Two Moslem mosques -
the Dome of the Rock (the Mosque
of Omar, built in the seventh century over the site where Moslems
believe Abraham offered Ishmael and Mohammed ascended to heaven), and the Al
Aksa Mosque built at a later date:” (A. L. Chitwood.)
-------
ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES IN THE
By Professor H. GRAETZ
Antiochus
left
* If Judas is the
False Prophet, Menelaus seems to
forecast an ingrained tendency of things.
The apostate Jew aids and abets the Gentile Anti-God, and persuades and
compels to the worship of his Image.
It is significant that Napoleon’s chief helper was Talleyrand, an apostate bishop.
Hell’s best tool is a traitor. - D. M. PANTON.
Solitude soon
became unbearable to Menelaus, the original instigator of all these
horrors. He was frightened at the
mere echo of his own voice. To free
himself from this painful position he invented a new and infamous plan. Judaism, with its laws and customs, was
to be suspended, and its followers were to be compelled to adopt the Greek
faith. Antiochus, full of hatred and anger against both the Judaeans and
their religion, acceded to Menelaus’ plan, and had it carried out with
his usual tenacity. The Judaeans
were to become Hellenized, and thereby reduced to obedience, or, if they
opposed his will, they were doomed to death. He not only wished to become master of
the Judaean people, but to prove to them the impotence of the God they served
so faithfully. He, who disdained
the gods of his ancestors, considered it a mockery that the Judaeans should
still hope that their God would destroy him, the proud blasphemer, and he
determined to challenge and defeat the God of Israel.
Thereupon,
Antiochus issued a decree, which was sent forth to all the towns of
The
Antiochus was
greatly irritated by the resistance the Jews offered, and he issued command
upon command to enforce his orders with the utmost cruelty upon the disobedient
people. The officials therefore
continued their persecutions with redoubled zeal. They tore and burnt the rolls of the Law
whenever they found them, and killed the few survivors who sought strength and
consolation in their perusal. They
destroyed all houses of worship and education, and if they found poor weak
women, just recovering from their confinements, who, in the absence of their
husbands, circumcised their sons themselves, these
barbarians hanged them with their babes on the walls of the city.
* * *
ANTICHRIST IN THE
By D. M. PANTON, B.A.
Had we
all the facts before us
which God has before Him, and had we the mind to master and collate them which
God has, prophecy would be superfluous, since prophecy is only the supernatural
disclosure of what the facts around us make as inevitable as mathematics: and
therefore, as it is, to a mind trained in prophecy, as the oak is in the acorn,
so the drama of the end is visibly forming in the facts of to-day. Here is one. “In the
magnificent chapel of the Tsar’s Palace in Livadia,
in the
THE
HOLY OF HOLIES
There has been one spot in the world and one only, which is actually ground consecrated to Deity, where, alone on earth since
the creation of the world, God has
been resident. When the
THE
SACRILEGE
It follows therefore
that no spot on earth could be more ideally
chosen on which to challenge the Godhead, or on which to substitute a human
deity, in a sacrilege the most amazing, the most, daring, and - if uncrushed -
the most strategically successful conceivable. This is the exact plan of Hell. Where no man might enter without death,
except the High Priest; where the High Priest could not enter without death
except on one day of the year; where even the Lord Jesus, as the obedient
Israelite, never entered:- the man of sin, the son of
perdition, “SITTETH” - even as
Jehovah reposed between the Cherubim - “IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD, setting himself forth as God”
(2 Thess. 2: 4).
On the Mercy Seat, beneath the overshadowing Cherubim, is seated, for
the worship of the world, the Arch-Rebel himself.
THE
Who exactly rebuilds the
* See also, possibly, Psa. 74: 7, 8.
THE
IMAGE
Now the drama begins by the Antichrist getting control of the
[* NOTE. Many Christians believe Moses
will accompany Elijah at this time.
Luke 9: 27,
30: cf. Matthew
17: 1, 3;
Mark 9: 1,
4).]
**A thirty-foot image of Lenin
over-shadows the Toniski Stadium in the suburbs of
*** It is a curious and sinister forecast that Caligula habitually
spoke
to his Image in
WORSHIP
So now we reach the final maturity of human sin. “He SITTETH” - that is, in regular and habitual session - “in the
* Since Satan gives him his throne (Rev.
13: 4),
which is super-angelic, the Beast must control the evil Principalities and
Powers: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:”
(Isa. 14: 13). Stars, figuratively, are angels (Rev. 12: 4).
VENGEANCE
Antichrist in the
[* NOTE. The ‘Lie” which regenerate believers are hearing
and believing
today, is that our Lord Jesus Christ will have no Millennial Temple
or “Inheritance” upon this restored
earth (Psa. 2: 8; Rom. 8: 19-21) after
His Second Advent and during the “Age”
(Lk. 20: 35, R.V.
& N.I.V.) yet to come!
There is therefore, as they mistakenly
imagine, only one Temple of immense importance - the one which the inspired Apostle
Paul referred to in one of his many severe warnings to “the church of God which is at Corinth,
even them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus in
every place, their Lord and ours:”
(1 Cor. 1: 2,
R.V.).
His recorded words are found in 1 Cor. 3: 10 and run
thus:-
“According
to the grace of God which was given unto me, as
a wise master-builder I laid a foundation; and
another buildeth thereon. But let each man” – [keep
in mind, it is ‘the
* * *
ISLAMIC
TEACHING
/ THE
By A. L.
CHITWOOD
“And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and
his disciples came to him to shew him the buildings of the temple. But he answered and
said unto them, See ye not ALL these things? verily I say unto
you, There shall
not be left HERE one stone upon another, that
shall not be thrown down:” (Matt.
24: 1, 2, R.V.).
The existence of
a Jewish state in the
Judaism
(along with the Christian faith) is looked upon by Moslems as an older religion
whose people strayed from the true path of “Allah.” Resultingly, God is through with the
Jews (and Christians as well); and since “Allah”
has predetermined all things, for the land of Palestine and the holy sites to
once again come under Jewish control is looked upon by Moslems as theologically
impossible.
This
belief then naturally gives rise to an unanswerable question: “How can a Jewish nation presently exist in the Middle East,
especially in the
Moslems
attempt to answer the question about present Israeli dominion and control of
this land, solving the problem for the moment, through simply refusing to
recognize the existence of the nation of
The
actions of Arab delegates at the United Nations assembly provide a case in
point to illustrate Moslem thinking about the existence of the nation of
Any
negotiations with
At
the heart of the problem today is the Jewish occupation and control of the old
city of
It
is the
The
On
[what is believed to be] the
The
temple must be built on the exact spot where the previous two temples stood; and from the best calculations of those who have
studied the matter over the years (such as Rabbi
Goren, Chief Rabbi for the Israeli armed forces when the Jews captured the
old city of Jerusalem in 1967), conclusions are that the Jewish temple, in
order to stand on this exact spot, must be built exactly where the Dome of the
Rock now stands.
How
can this be brought to pass? No one
seems to know. Rabbi Goren answers the question by simply saying, “it’s a big
problem.” But it is going to occur, and it
will occur shortly after Antichrist establishes his covenant with “the many” in
For
decades the Jews have been openly praying at the Wailing Wall for their temple
to be rebuilt. And the Moslems,
knowing that the only place this temple can be rebuilt is where the Dome of the
Rock now stands, have, over the years, expressed grave concern about the Jews
praying after this fashion at this particular location. Sometimes the matter breaks out into
open, hostile actions, such as the much-publicized outbreak of violence which
occurred October 8, 1990 when several thousand Moslems moved toward the
Thus,
at the centre of the Arab-Israeli dispute over the old city of
In
one sense of the word though, it matters little what Moslems, Jews, or the
nations at large do about the matter today, for, according to the Scriptures,
during the first year of the Tribulation the Jews are going to build a temple
on this mount (Dan. 8: 11-14). The covenant (peace treaty) which Antichrist
will establish between
In
either case, the covenant will be broken by Antichrist entering the temple on
the Temple Mount, desecrating the temple, sitting in the Holy of Holies
declaring himself to be “God,” and
- then destroying the temple (Dan. 9: 26; Matt. 24: 15; 2 Thess. 2: 3, 4). The
Moslem clerics will be exercising control over his military endeavours at this
time; and, because of the importance of the
Also,
it is possible that the Jews gaining access to the Temple Mount to rebuild
their temple will be the trigger-mechanism which brings Russia down into Israel
during the first year of the Tribulation, seeking to help Moslem nations to the
north and south of Israel do what the Moslems have been trying to do since May
14, 1948 - drive the Jews into the Mediterranean sea and reclaim the land of
Palestine for “Allah.”
After
all, the temple must stand where the Dome of the Rock now stands, something
unthinkable within the framework of the current status of events in the
A
few years ago, the head of the Supreme
Moslem Council in
Daniel
reveals that Israel will rebuild the temple during the same year that Ezekiel
reveals Russia will come down to help four Moslem nations destroy Israel -
during the first year of the Tribulation.
The timing of both events is seemingly right for the events to be
interrelated; but they may or may not be. Scripture is silent on this possible
connection.
* * *
THE BUILDING OF THE
By HAROLD J. SHEPSTONE*
[* This writing is from D. M.
Panton’s Dawn, (vol. 29. No.311, March,
1950.)]
Ezekiel’s vision
of a restored jewish nation and a
restored temple is significant when we recall what has happened to
Herod
spent forty-six years in the building of his temple. Over a century was spent in the erection
of St. Peter’s in
But
before Solomon could erect his temple he had to prepare the site. It adorns the rocky pinnacle of
With
its outer buildings, which included the Judgment Hall, the King’s Palace,
the House of the
Research would go to show that the total number of men called into requisition to erect this wonderful worshipping-place was no less than 180,000. These men worked constantly for a period of three years. Today with modern methods of construction and up to date labour-saving devices, the number of workers could be reduced. But the cost would still be enormous.
Those
authorities who have studied the subject declare that the cost of building a
temple today would be between $250,000,000 and $300,000,000. This would be for a building after the
pattern of that erected by Herod which was devoid of that lavish ornamentation
of the precious metals which characterised Solomon’s building. The
The Jews declare that the temple will be
built on its original site. This [is today
is believed to be the] great
thirty-five-acre platform [which now] belongs
to the Moslems. To them it is no
less sacred than
- The War Cry, Sep. 15, 1951.
* * *
But God’s
Word through Ezekiel, speaks to us of a 5th Temple to be built at
the same ‘place’, where
Solomon’s, Zerubbabel’s, and Herod’s temples once stood:-
MESSIAH’S MILLENNIAL
_files/image002.jpg)
This
This millennial
Temple, its occupants, and all who will be resurrected at ‘First Resurrection’, together with all living
upon this earth at that time, will be seen:-
“As we have heard so have
we seen,
In the city of
God will establish her forever.
Selah.
We have thought of Thy loving kindness O God,
In the midst of Thy temple.
According to Thy name O God, so is Thy praise,
Unto the ends of the earth;
Thy right hand is full of righteousness.
Let Mount Zion be glad,
Let the daughters of
Because of Thy judgments.
Walk about
Count the towers thereof,
Consider her bulwarks, contemplate her places,
That ye may tell it to a later generation.
For this God is our God for ever and ever.
He will guide us even over death:” (Psalm 48: 8-14).
It is described
in Zechariah 6: 12-15 and Zech. 8: 2, 3:-
“Thus speaketh the LORD
of hosts, saying, Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow
up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the
LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne;
and he shall be a priest upon
his throne: and the counsel of peace shall
be between them both. And the crowns shall be to Helem,
and to Tobijah, and to
Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah,
for a memorial in the temple of the Lord, and
ye shall know that the LORD of hosts
hath sent me unto you. And this shall
come to pass, if ye will
diligently obey the voice of the
Lord your God.”
Again: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I
am jealous for
[* See NOTE 9]
In his book
‘
“The Bible literally shouts across the ages, that it is
compulsory for the Millennial
temple to be built in
The
Branch in Zechariah
6 is obviously
King Messiah and
From
all around the world, people will come to help our Lord in this
divinely ordained construction project, and it is from this Millennial temple
that Jesus will rule and reign from His throne.” [Bold
type, italics and underlining are mine. – Ed.]
- ROBERT CORNUKE.
All the
following expositions have to do with this 5th.
This ‘place’ is where “Zerubbabel
the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua
the son of Jozadak, … began to build the
house of God which is at Jerusalem;
and with them
were the prophets of God, helping them:” (Ezra
4: 2, R.V.). “Let the
house be builded, the place where they offer
sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be
strongly laid.” … “let the work of this
house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews
and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place.”
… “Whosoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this: and the God that hath caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples that shall
put forth their hand to alter the same,
to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem.” … “And the elders of the Jews builded
and prospered, through the prophecy of Haggai
the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded
and finished it, according to the
commandment of the Gad of
History will
most certainly repeat itself!
Therefore, no other “place” will be deemed suitable for the
foundations to be laid for the construction and worship in God’s millennial
If the ‘place’ is not the correct site for the temple
building, then God’s word to Solomon will be broken: - an impossibility
in One who cannot lie! Therefore,
it is certain that God will destroy any construction, for whatever purpose, if
it be built on any other site! Hence the construction of this 5th
“Come, behold the works of Jehovah, What
desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to
cease unto the end of the earth; He
breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in
sunder; He burneth the chariots in the fire. Be still,
and know that I am God: I will be
exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Jehovah of hosts is
with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah:” (Psalm
46: 8-11,
R.V.).
“Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me: let them
bring me unto thy holy hill, And to thy
tabernacles:” (Psalm 43:
3, R.V.).
-------
No. 1. “And they came to Jerusalem: and he - [our Lord Jesus Christ/Messiah] - entered
into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and them that bought in
the temple, and overthrew the tables of the
money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the
doves; and he would not suffer that any man
should carry a vessel through the temple. And he taught, and said unto them, ‘Is
it not written, My house
shall be called a house
of prayer for all the nations? But ye have made
it a den of robbers.’ And the chief priests and the scribes
heard it, and sought how they might destroy him, for all the multitude was astonished at his teaching:”
(Mark 11: 15-18, R.V.).
No. 2. “For thus saith Jehovah
of the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and chose the things that please me, and hold fast by my covenant: ‘Unto them will
I give in mine house and within my walls
a memorial and a name better than of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. And the strangers, that join themselves to the LORD, to minister unto him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and holdeth fast by my covenant; even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful
in my house of prayer; their
burnt offerings and their sacrificies shall be
accepted upon mine altar: for mine house shall be
called a house of prayer for all peoples. The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of
No. 3. “Thus saith Jehovah of
hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you
to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying
words, saying,
The
No. 4. “But in
the latter days it shall come to pass, that the
[* See NOTE 3 on “Exalted
No. 5. “… Ye are they
that have continued with me in my temptations [trials]; and I
appoint [I covenant] unto you a kingdom, even as my
Father appointed unto me [has covenanted for me], that ye may eat and drink at my table in my
kingdom; and ye shall sit on thrones judging
the twelve tribes of Israel:” (Luke
22: 28-30,
R.V., [and from the literal Greek
translation.]).
No. 6. “…Thus speaketh
the Lord of hosts, saying, ‘Behold, the man whose name is
the Branch; and he shall grow up out of his
place, and he shall build the temple
of the LORD: even he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne;
and he shall be a priest upon his throne… And they
that are afar off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall
know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your
God:” (Zechariah 6:
12, 13, 15, R.V.).*
[*
See NOTE 5 “Messiah’s
Companions.”]
No. 7. “‘Behold, the days come,’ saith
the LORD, ‘that I will perform that good word which I have spoken concerning the house
of
No. 8. “And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and
shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be
great, and shall be called the SON of the Most High: and the Lord God shall
give unto him the throne of his father David:* and he shall
reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and
of his kingdom there shall be no end:” (Luke
1: 31-33,
R.V.).
[* HISTORY WILL REPEAT
ITSELF! See NOTE 8]
No. 9. “He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat
down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches:”
(Rev. 3: 21, 22, R.V.).
No. 10. “Do not be angry beyond
measure, O Lord; do
not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look upon us,
we pray, for we are all
your people. Your sacred cities have become a desert; even
“‘I will not destroy them all. I will bring
forth descendants from Jacob, and from
No. 11. “And
the glory of the LORD came into the
house, by the way of the gate looking eastward. And the Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the house of the Lord was full of glory. And I stood,
and behold there
was a voice out of the house of one speaking to me, and a man stood near me, and
he said to me, ‘Son of man, thou hast seen - [in vision, given by the Holy Spirit]
- the PLACE
of the soles of my feet, in which my name
shall dwell in the midst of the house of Israel forever; and the house of Israel shall no more profane my holy name, they and their princes, by their fornication, or by the
murders of their princes in the
midst of them:” (Ezekiel 43:
4-7, The
Septuagint, LXX.).
No. 12. “…Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers,
and at my coming I should have received back mine own
with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent
from him, and give it to him that hath ten
talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance;
but from him that hath not, even that which he
hath shall be taken away. Any cast ye out the unprofitable servant
into the outer darkness: there shall be the
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
But when
the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels
with him, THEN shall
he sit on the throne of his glory…:” (Matthew 25: 26-31, R.V.).
See NOTE 6
No. 13. “I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. He that
overcometh, I will make a pillar in the
No. 14. “But in
the latter days it shall come to pass, that the
mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of [or R.V. margin,‘at the head of’] the mountains,* and it shall be exalted above the
hills; and peoples shall flow into it. And many nations
shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and 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. And he shall
judge between many peoples, and shall reprove
strong nations afar off; and they shall beat
their swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not
lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his
vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make
them afraid: for the mount of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it:” (Micah. 4: 1-4, R.V.). * NOTE. A ‘Mountain,”
in scripture, can also represent a ‘Kingdom’! See Isa. 2: 2. cf. Dan.
2: 35.
[* NOTE.
(1) All the above scriptural
quotations in bold italics, refer to future
events which will take place, after Messiah’s Second Advent, “in the LAND”. That is, upon this earth and in His
restored “creation,” Rom. 8: 19-22,”
R.V.
Gen. 1:
2 says: “the
earth became waste and void, R.V.”; and at some unknown
time afterward, - by the Holy Spirit’s movement at God’s command, -
a first
restoration took place. See ver. 3.
This is what the False Prophets “willingly
forget”, 2 Pet. 3: 4, 5! After the Fall,
in Gen. 3:
17, and the Flood,
in Gen. 6,
we have prophesied, in Rom. 8: 19-22 of another
restoration:
this will take place at Messiah’s Second Advent: a restoration which
all Anti-millennialists deny!
All of these restorative works must happen before the existing
“heavens
shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat,
and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up:”
(2 Pet. 3:
10, R.V.).
(2) When God describes and speaks about
“the temple of the Lord” and
“My house,” He is not
describing the spiritual well-being of His people today, who are indwelt
by the Holy Spirit!
Furthermore, in the contexts above, “
(3) When God places conditions on His yet future
prophetic promises - as the one quoted in Zechariah
6: 15b above - He expects His redeemed
people to fulfil the conditions by obeying His commands: and if His
commands are wilfully neglected, misinterpreted, or misunderstood as having
reference to something eternal instead of millennial,
- then His conditional and future prophetic promises of an inheritance
in “the land” during
the “the coming age” (Heb. 6: 4-8), will not
be realised, unless repentance is forthcoming! See Num.
14: 22, 23. cf. 1 Cor. 10: 1-12; Heb. 12: 15-17, R.V. etc,.
Romans 8: 17 is also a case in point. If our position as joint-heirs of Christ
‘in the Land’ and during ‘the age to come’ is conditional on our suffering with
Him, what shall we say of those who bear the name ‘Christian,’ but who avoid
the suffering, by not disclosing unfilled prophetical truths which He
Himself taught His disciples, (e.g. Matt. 5: 3-12, 20, cf. Rom. 8: 17, R.V.: “… and [but] joint-heirs with Christ; if so be
that we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him:” R.V.)? Will they be judged worthy of being with
Him ‘in the Land’ at that time? “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him: if we shall deny Him,
He also will deny us [the reign]: if we are
faithless, He abideth faithful; for He cannot deny himself:” (2
Tim. 2: 12).
Messiah’s millennial “reign” of
peace, ‘out of Zion’ and during an ‘Age’ yet to come, is what the prophets of God foretold; which
many religious leaders mistakenly imagined would be established at His First
Advent! (Rev. 20: 4; Lk. 20: 35; Jer. 30: 8, 9; Isa. 2: 2-4.).
Only after
Another deadly
error, made today in what is known as “Covenant Theology,” is that all of God’s promises to Jews
throughout the Old Testament scriptures, are now transferred to ‘the Church’! and therefore ‘the Church’ is now to be understood as ‘the Kingdom’! Hence the false interpretations existing
amongst Anti-Millennialists, and those influenced by their false prophetic
interpretations! Understanding the
word ‘Kingdom’ as they do, is something entirely
different from what is described by God’s holy prophets! Being in the ‘kingdom,’ is always perceived by them as being
synonymous with God’s rule in the hearts of
all regenerate believers!
See more of this in NOTES 4 & 12]
* * *
THE HOUSE OF GOD
By W. J. DALBY,
M.A.
In the Old Testament days, under the Law, the Jews had a literal
In the case of any
temple the most important idea associated with it is that of the presence of God. A
literal temple is, in fact, a place where Deity is supposed to dwell in a
special sense. This conception was
actually realized in the
[* NOTE. The
personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit in any regenerate soul is conditional
upon their obedience, (Acts 5:32:
this truth is clearly shown in both Testaments, (1 Samuel 16: 14;
18: 12; Judges 16: 20.
cf.
Psalm 51: 11,
etc.) – Ed.]
The second thought
which occurs to us in connection with a temple is that of sacrifice. The sacrificial system of the Old Testament centred in
the
[* See Acts 5: 32, R.V. cf. Col.
3: 3, 25, R.V.]
We may now add a
word about worship in general. From the circumstance that the corporate religious
life of
We pass to another
point. In the literal
A further train of
thought arises here. In the
Our last lesson is
drawn from the two pillars of the
“To Whom coming, as unto a
living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of
God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer
up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2: 4-5).
* * *
THE MILLENNIAL
By JAMES PAYNE
[Published by: “THE SOVEREIGN GRACE ADVENT TESTIMONY”. ]
-------
Introduction
[Page 2]
Ezekiel commenced his prophetic ministry in “the
fifth year of the captivity of King Jehoiachin” (in some places called “Jeconiah”). The
expression “the thirtieth year” in chapter 1, verse 1, is a little obscure, but probably
refers to the thirtieth year of Ezekiel’s life. Ezekiel was a priest and if our
supposition is correct then the Lord called him to the prophetic ministry at
the same time as he would normally have entered upon his priestly office. Whatever the meaning of this expression,
however, the time referred to is rendered perfectly, clear by the expression in
verse 2 to which we have already referred.
Each of Ezekiel’s thirteen prophecies are
dated from the year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity. He prophesied in the fifth, sixth,
seventh, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, twenty-fifth and twenty-seventh years
from that event. Only two
prophecies in the book are placed out of chronological order - one in the tenth
year and the other in the twenty-seventh.
The reason for this is obviously to bring all the prophecies relating to
What was the purpose of this last vision given to
Ezekiel? It has been said that the
Lord intended to give
Such a conclusion, however, is obviously ill-considered.
If the Lord had, at that time, brought
[*
“Though, being a
Son, learned obedience from what He suffered;
and having been perfected He (i.e., Messiah / Christ) became to all those obeying him a cause of
salvation age-lasting:” (Heb. 5:
8, 9,
lit. Greek.)
See also Lk.
20: 35,
R.V.]
A very, cursory, comparison between Ezekiel’s
Some have suggested that the spiritual
To the honest and unbiased reader, the record given is the
plain and simple description in great detail of a literal Temple, with a city in close proximity, yet to be built in a particular place in
the Holy Land,* to the north and south of which the tribes of
Israel are to have equal inheritance
in a manner entirely different from that which has obtained in the previous
history of the nation. The Temple, moreover, is to be filled with the Glory of Jehovah,
who is to have His Throne there, while holiness
is to be the law of the House and abundance the characteristic of the [coming millennial] Kingdom.
[* See Robert Cornuke’s
latest book: “
[Page 5]
First Tour of the
The Jewish standard measure was the cubit. Two measures are used in the description
of the
The angel commences the first tour, giving his explanatory
description of the
[* NOTE. “Perhaps
the most distressing blunder of inserting Reeds instead of Cubits is
that The Temple is shifted away from
Through this gate
they enter and observe in doing so the one difference which distinguishes the
gate in the Levites’ court from the gate in the outer court. Whereas the gates in the outer court
have seven steps, the gates in the second court have eight steps. As there are no steps at the entrances
to the altar court, the total number of steps from the exterior to the altar
court is fifteen, agreeing with the fifteen Psalms of Degrees (Pss. 120-134) or
Psalms of “Ascents” which were sung by the Levites when “the
Tribes went up, the Tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel” and which will doubtless again be
sung in that day*
when “many nations shall say, ‘Come and let us go up to the House of the God of Jacob’” (Micah 4: 2).
[*
See 2 Pet. 3:
8, R.V.]
From the south gate of the Levites’ court the angel
conducts Ezekiel to the east gate and shows him that this is constructed on the
same pattern. They then proceed to
the north gate and observe that this also is of similar design but has certain
additions which do not appear at any of the other gates. On either side of this gate there is an
additional chamber, separate from the rest. These chambers are for the washing of
the offerings. Moreover, on either side of this gate are four low tables or
blocks (eight in all) only one cubit (approximately twenty-two inches)
high. On these the animals offered
in sacrifice are to be slain.
Ezekiel is now shown into the altar court (the court of the
priests) via the entrance which faces
cast, and as they pass the angel draws attention to the chambers built into and
upon the wall of the court and explains that these chambers are for the
singers. The angel does not at this
juncture refer to the altar, but draws attention to two chambers - one on
either side of the altar, to the north and south. The entrances to these chambers face the
altar, and the one on the north is for the use of the ministers of the
Ezekiel is then conducted to the
The carved work upon the walls of the
Before leaving the
The angel then leads Ezekiel out into the Levites’ court
by the opening towards the north and shows him the chambers built into the wall
of the
Ezekiel is then conducted from the court of the Levites via
the eastern gates back to the great wall from whence the tour commenced. The angel then describes the area
enclosed by the great wall - 500 reeds by 500 reeds, that
is about a square mile. The outer
court of the
Second Tour of the
The second tour commences by his being brought again to the
eastern gate of the outer court, and as he stands there the Glory of Jehovah
appears from the east and enters into the
The Spirit then takes Ezekiel and sets him down by the door of
the
[* See NOTE 1.]
The Throne established by Jehovah on
[*
See in NOTE 2 -
SELECTED EXPOSITIONS FROM PSALM 2 by A. C. Gaebelein and J. B. Rotherham.]
Ezekiel’s attention is now directed to the altar of
sacrifice. Different this from any
altar commanded under the Levitical law.
This structure was composed of four square blocks superimposed one upon
another - the largest at the bottom.
Thus it was “foursquare in four squares,” and it was approached by a flight of steps. This
last characteristic was definitely forbidden under the law (see Ezek. 20:
26). This altar was
situated right in the centre of the whole
Thus, when the Son of Man shall reign over the house of Israel
upon the Throne of His Glory, Mount Zion will be the centre of the world,
whither all nations shall go up to keep the feasts of Jehovah; and the altar - the
memorial of Calvary - will be the centre of the Temple structure. As now, the central theme of worship
will be the Atonement once made and worshippers will still glory in the Cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Their
united praises will be “Unto Him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in
His own blood.”
From the altar Ezekiel passes to the eastern gate of the court
of the Levites and notes that the gate is shut. This, the angel explains, is because the
glory of Jehovah has entered via that gate. That therefore is to be reserved for the
exclusive use of the “Prince.” When he enters by
that gate on the Sabbath, it shall remain open till the close of the day. When, however, on other occasions, he
enters to offer sacrifice, it is to be closed immediately afterwards. As for the people, those coming in by
the north gate are to go out via the south gate and vice versa.
The angel then gives to Ezekiel a somewhat detailed account of
the sacrifices which are to be offered and of the feasts which are to be kept
unto the Lord. He then takes him to
the two western corners of the Levites’ court and shows him that in each
corner there is a smaller court which, he says, are for boiling places of the
sacrifices for the priests. He then
takes him into the outer court and shows him that in all four corners of this
court there are smaller courts. And
these are for boiling places where the Levites shall boil the sacrifices of the
people. Thus ends Ezekiel’s
second tour of the
Third Tour of the
There is still
one thing, however, that Ezekiel has not seen. The angel brings him back therefore into
the altar court and shows him a spring
of water* coming up from under the threshold of
the house, occupying a position similar to that of the brazen sea in
Solomon’s
[* Compare this with the description given
of “a new earth” (Rev. 21: 1, R.V.), when “The first
heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more.”]
It is evident that medicine will be needed in the time of our
Lord’s [millennial] reign upon [this restored]
earth. While the people of Israel themselves
will probably be miraculously preserved from bodily weakness and ailments as
when they came out of Egypt (see Psalm 105: 37), it will be their privilege to
minister medicine to the nations, where sickness will still persist although
probably of much less frequent occurrence than now. Satan will certainly not be
free to afflict as he was in the case of Job (see Rev. 20:
2 and 3).
The prophet Zechariah
speaks of these waters (chapter 14). He says that in the latter
days the Lord’s feet shall stand upon the
[*
See NOTE 3
EXALTED
Position of the
Ezekiel’s conducted tours of the
Dan
Asher
Naphtali
Manasseh
Ephraim
Reuben
Benjamin
Simeon
Issachar
Zebulun
Gad
There is no portion for the Tribe of Levi, but between the
Tribes of Judah and Benjamin there is to be a slightly narrower portion
dedicated to Jehovah. In the centre
of this portion a square is to be set apart as an oblation, the land on either
side thereof belonging to the “Prince.”
The oblation is to be divided into three parts, two of equal size and
one half that size. The northern portion is to be for the
The distance from the
The Chambers of the
Let us now further consider the
chambers of the Sanctuary. On
either side of each gate in the outer court there are fifteen chambers in three
stories, making a total of ninety.
In the wall of the Levites’ court there are also ninety chambers
similarly placed. In each case
these are strengthened by two pillars, one on either side of the gate. At the eastern entrance to the altar
court there are thirty chambers in three stories (fifteen on either side of the
entrance) and in the north and south walls of the Temple court there are thirty
chambers in three stories, again making a total of ninety. Built against the
We have already seen that the chambers in the
The Table and the Sacrifices
It has been
previously noticed that in the
In this connection it is interesting to notice that while the
blood of the sacrifices slain in the
The offerings enjoined upon the nation in connection with this
Under the law, the firstborn of all cattle and a yearly tithe
of all increase were to be dedicated to the Lord, together with numerous other
sacrifices and oblations. In the
coming [millennial] age, however, such
will be
The question naturally arises, How
will this
[*
See Robert Cornuke’s latest book: “
Between our Lord’s descent upon Olivet and His triumphal
entry into the new
Conclusion
Another question which arises is, Who
is the Prince? It is said that he will give his sons their inheritance
out of his own portion of the land and shall not take away from the tribes
their possessions. It would seem
therefore that he is an ordinary, mortal man, whom, [after the time of his resurrection (Acts 2: 34,
R.V.)] the Lord will appoint over His people at that time (see Luke
20: 34-36).*
[* See also Jer.
12: 15; 15: 19; 30: 9, R.V.,
etc.]
The term “oblation” is sometimes applied to the area
covering the
The
“It shall come to pass in the
last days that the mountain of the Lord’s
house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people
shall go and say, ‘Come ye, and let its 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
-------
NOTE 1
LEOLAM. FOREVER.
[From
NATHANIEL WEST’S ‘The Thousand Years’.]]
In the extract from Schroeder, quoted above, it was said that the
term “Leolam,” “forever,” Ezek. 37: 25, 26, 28, applied to the duration of the times of
A better knowledge of the usus loquendi, and of the term
“forever,” would render this, like many
other similar objections, impossible.
The
Schroeder is right, therefore, as are Kliefoth, Oehler, Kuper, and
many others, when saying that Ezekiel’s Leolam, Forever, in 37: 25, 26, 28, is the equivalent
of John’s Chilia Ete, or “one
thousand years,” in Rev. 20: 1-7.
Isaiah’s everlasting age concealed in its bosom all the relative
ages of the great development, and their termini, even as Joel’s prophecy
was “generic” and contained the two judgments of the double end,
the judgment on antichrist and the nations, and the judgment on Gog. And in the whole development, all things
are connected with temporal and terrestrial relations. From first to last, even in the New
Testament, the ages and the kingdom of the heavens are associated with our
planet. Nowhere in the Old
Testament, as nowhere in the New, can our popular idea of “an end to the world,”
as the terminus where Time and Eternity meet, or Time passes into
Eternity, and “our planet is no more,” to be found.
Such conceptions are unbiblical, Manichean, Origenistic, Shakesperean
and pessimistic. The “hills of Olam” abide
for ever and forever. Materiality
is glorified, not annihilated, in God’s Kingdom. The creation is recreated. A new heaven and earth supplant the old,
and this begins with the “many days,” “the one
thousand years.” …
And what we find further, is that no prophet of the Old Testament
gives a complete, but only a partial picture of the End-Time, even as neither
Christ, nor any Apostle does, but that the work of John, under the guidance of
the Spirit of Prophecy, was to combine the Eschata of Joel, Amos,
Hosea, Micah, Isaiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah; in short, the Eschata
of all the prophets, and arrange them in their temporal order and
succession, supplementing by one prophet the partial picture of the End drawn
by another, until all the Eschata fall into their places, as they shall occur
in history, so furnishing to us one grand tableau of the End Time. This is what the Holy Ghost did with the
seer in the “isle that is
called
The word “Olam,” “Ever,” does not, of itself, and by fixed necessity, always
denote the annihilation of time, but as frequently, in Hebrew usage, denotes
simply unbroken continuance up to a special epoch in history, or to a certain
natural termination. It has a
relative as well as an absolute sense, a finite as well as an infinite
length. It means “Here” as well as “Beyond,” and applies to a
kingdom that comes to “an End,” as well as to one that has “no End.” For this reason, a great World-Period,
or Age, are called “Olam,” and in World-Periods, or Ages, are called “Olammim,” and in order to
express infinite time, the reduplication is used, “Ages of Ages,” “Olammim Olammim.” It is therefore a false conclusion to say that because
the term “Le Olam,” “Forever,” is applied to the Messianic kingdom, therefore the
Hebrews contradicted themselves, when they assigned to it limits at the same
time. Messiah’s kingdom is Temporal and
also Eternal, and in both senses, Olamic. The bondsman’s free covenant to
serve his master lasted “forever,” but that only meant “till Jubilee.” The Levitical economy was established to
be “forever,” but that only
meant till “the time of reformation.” The
Christian Church is “forever,” in its present form, but that only means “till He comes.” True to this view, the Jewish
Teachers ever held to a
*4th Ezra, VII.
48 **Baruch,
XLVIII.
-------
NOTE 2
SELECTED EXPOSITIONS FROM PSALM 2
1
This
Psalm is the first great outstanding prophecy concerning Christ in this
book. Its prophetic Messianic
meaning is confirmed in the New Testament.
Like every other prophecy which deals with the work and the glory of
Christ, this priphecy also remains in
greater part unfulfilled and can only be fulfilled at the second advent.
We
behold Him in this Psalm as King, rejected, but in God’s own time to be enthroned upon the hill of holiness,
The
heavens are still silent to all the blasphemies which are spoken against
Christ. God says nothing now to all
the dishonours which are peaped upon the head of His blessed Son. But He will not keep silence
forever. He has waited and is still
waiting in infinite patience upon His Father’s throne, till at last by
God’s own power, by His personal return, His enemies shall be made His
footstool. Jehovah laughs at
man’s opposition and has them in derision. While now He speaks in love through and
in His Son, in the blessed Gospel of Grace, He will then speak in His anger and
in His wrath He will terrify those who are His enemies. A day of vengeance, a day of wrath is
surely coming and dreadful it will be when it bursts in all its fury upon a
world, which dreams of progress, peace, and safety; and which seamingly has
gotten rid of the bands and cords.
The Son of God is dishonoured and disowned as to His own Person. Can God keep silence much longer? Will He not soon speak in vindication of
His own Son so shamefully rejected and neglected? Yet that
day of the Lord’s wrath and God’s wrath will not come till the
final, great apostasy is fully matured, and till it has run its appointed
course.* The faithful testimony of God’s
believing children makes the complete apostasy still impossible; but when their
testimony is ended, and the true Church leaves this earth to be with Him, who
is the exalted Head, all will rush into lawlessness and a complete rejection of
Christ, and that will be followed by wrath from heaven. Then God gives honour and glory to His
Son Jesus Christ, who so fully glorified Him on the cross. Upon
[* NOTE. “These
overwhelming and destroying judgments, however, will not continue after the
glory of Christ has been fixed on
The sixth verse, which thus reveals the fixed purpose of
Jehovah in establishing the glory and power of Christ ‘Upon Zion, His holy mountain,’ is appropriately followed by the address
of Christ, as King, to those kings and governors who are spared after the
termination of those judgments which usher in the millennium, and under which
Antichrist will perish.
From
the seventh verse onward, the words are the
words of Christ as the Messiah-King.
He first recites what Jehovah had said unto Him at the time of His
resurrection from the dead. ‘Jehovah SAID unto Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten
Thee. Ask of Me and I
will give Thee the Gentiles for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of
the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt rule
them with a rod of iron: Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Such
were the words addressed unto the Son by the Father at the time of His
resurrection. See Acts 13: 33.
As yet,
seeing that the time of longsuffering and grace towards the nations is not
past, He hath not ‘asked’ to be invested with this
power. But when the time shall come
for Christ to use the words of this Psalm, He will have ‘asked, and He will have been brought before the Ancient of Days as
described in Daniel 7 and have been invested with
the power of earth, and have begun to exercise it.
On the
fact of His having assumed this power, is grounded His exhortation to the kings
and rulers that will have been spared.
‘NOW, therefore, O ye kings, be wise; be instructed ye judges of the earth; serve
Jehovah with fear and rejoice with reverence. Do homage to the Son, lest ye perish from the way when His wrath is kindled yea, but a little.’ They to whom these words will be addressed, will have seen
how Antichrist and others who have rebelled against Jehovah and His Christ have
perished; and at last they will learn wisdom. ‘The
kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents; the kings of
2
In
the psalms,
Under
these circumstances, it is manifestly desirable that each reader should
confront this question for himself, and if possible once for all settle it:- Is
the
* NOTE. “All the
sweet singers of
-------
NOTE 3
EXALTED
[From
NATHANIEL WEST’S ‘The Thousand Years’.]
DELITZSCH, ORELLI, AND LISTER, ON EXALTED
[1] DELITZSCH ON ISAIAH 2: 2
The expression the
‘Last Days,’ i. e. the ‘End of the
Days,’ ‘Acharith Hayyamin,’ which does not occur
anywhere else in Isaiah, is always used in an eschatological sense. It never refers to the course of history
immediately following the time being, but invariably indicates the farthest
point in the history of this life; - the point that lies on the
outermost limit of the speaker’s horizon. This horizon was a very fluctuating
one. The history of prophecy is
just the history of the gradual extension of this horizon, and of the filling
up of the intermediate spaces. In Jacob’s
blessing (Gen.
49) the Conquest of Canaan stood in the foreground of the Acharith Hayyamim and the perspective was
regulated accordingly. But, here,
in Isaiah, the Acharith contained
no such mixing together of events belonging to the more immediate and far
distant future. It was, therefore,
the Last Time, in its most literal and purest sense, commencing
with the beginning of the New Testament Age, and terminating at its close. Compare Heb.
1: 1; 1 Pet. 1: 20.
The prophet here predicted that the ‘Mountain’
which bore the temple of Jehovah, and therefore, was already in dignity,
the most exalted of all mountains, would, one day, tower in actual height
above all the high places of the land.
The basaltic mountains of Bashan which rose up in bold peaks and columns
might now indeed look down with scorn and contempt upon the small limestone
hill which Jehovah had chosen (Psa. 68: 16, 17), but this was an incongruity which the Last
Days would remove, by making the outward correspond to the inward, the
appearance to the reality and intrinsic worth. That this is the prophet’s meaning
is confirmed by Ezekiel 40: 2, where the Temple-Mountain stands gigantic to
the prophet, and also by Zechariah 14: 10, were all Jerusalem is described
as towering above the country round about, which would, one day, become a
plain. The question how this can possibly
take place, in time, since it presupposes a complete subversion of the whole of
the existing order of the earth’s surface, is easily answered. The prophet saw the New Jerusalem of the
Last Days on this side, and the New Jerusalem of the New Earth on the other
side of the End, blended together, as it were, in one. Whilst, however, we thus avoid all
unwarrantable spiritualizing, it still remains a question what meaning
the prophet attached to the word, ‘B’rosh,’ ‘at the Top.’ Did he mean that Moriah would one day
stand ‘upon the top’ of the mountains that surrounded it
(as in Psa. 72: 16), or
that it would stand ‘at the head’ of them (as in 1 Kings 21: 9, 12; Amos 6: 7; Jer.
31: 7)?
The former is Hofmann’s view, who says ‘the prophet does not mean that the mountains would be piled
up, one upon another, and the temple mountain ‘upon the top,’ but that the temple mountain would ‘appear
to float upon the summit of the others.’ But inasmuch as the expression ‘will be set’ does not favour this
apparently romantic exaltation, and since ‘B’rosh’ occurs
oftener in the sense of ‘at the head’ than of ‘upon the top,’
I decide, for my own part, in favour of the second view,* although I agree with Hofmann
so far, viz., That is not merely an exaltation of the Temple Mountain in the mere
esteem of the nations that is predicted, the divinely chosen mountain
would become the rendezvous and centre of unity for all nations. They would ‘flow into it’ as
a river. It is Jehovah’s
* So Orelli, Drechsler, Cheyne, Van Oosterzee, Caspari,
Riehm, Hitzig, Nägelsbach, etc., etc., “at the head.” N. West.
-------
[2] ORELLI ON ISAIAH 2: 2
The question
whether Isaiah 2:
2 is to be understood physically and topographically, so that the
territory itself and its relations shall undergo a mighty transformation, in
order that Zion, now encircled by mountains higher than itself, may tower above
them all, - or whether it is meant only in a spiritual sense - is an idle one. The Seer actually saw
*
Orelli Die alttest. Weisag. 287.
-------
[3] LISTER ON ISAIAH 2: 2
In this passage,
as in others, - Zech.
14: 3-5, 10; Jer. 31: 38-40; Joel 3: 18-21; Ezek. 47: 1-12; Psa. 97: 5; Isa. 64: 3; Judges 5: 5; Exod. 19: 18; Psa. 114: 7; Isa. 64: 1; Hagg. 2: 6; Heb. 12: 26, etc., there is nothing whatever to favour an
allegorical interpretation, but everything to support a literal one. The prophet looks forward to the Last
Days and points to great changes to be wrought in the
The passage in Isa. 2: 2, is a case of Elevation. In Zech.
14: 10 it
a case of both Elevation and Depression.
In Zech.
14: 4, 5,
it is a case of what is called, ‘Disruption,’
‘Fissure,’ or ‘Fault.’
Without pretending to indicate the exact mode by which the
It is clear, from
a comparison of the Scripture passages, that the event predicted in Isa. 2: 2, and Mic. 9: 1, viz.,
the ‘Elevation’ of Mount Zion, the
Temple-Mountain, is the same event as that predicted in Zech. 14: 10. Viz.,
the Depressions of the hills of Judah, and the ‘Elevation’
of Jerusalem; and which Ezekiel sees accomplished, Ezek.
40: 2;
and with which the transformations in Jer. 31:
38-40; Joel; 3: 17, 18; Ezek. 47: 1-12, are
associated, viz., the Temple-Waters streaming through the Acacia-Vale, and
emptying into the Mediterranean and Dead Seas; as also producing monthly
fruit-bearing trees. It is utter folly to spiritualize this as
Hengstenberg, Keil, Wright, Alexander, (W. L.) and others do. The objections to the literal
interpretation, such as that “natural waters
could not flow in all directions at once, from the same point,”
(R. W. Alexander) and “the whole land would be
submerged by the waters of the Mediterranean, were such a depression literal,”
(Wright, C. H. H. ) are misunderstandings of the text, and afford only too open a flank to
keen critics like Kuenen and Graf.
We hold the Hofmann, Smend, Neumann,
Delitzsch, and many more, that the
predictions will be literally accomplished, notwithstanding the unbelief of believers. What Isaiah says is that ‘
Against such
liberties, we hold to the text, as it reads. What we are told is that
-------
“And the kingdom, and the
dominion [Sultanate], and the greatness of the
kingdom underneath all heavens, shall be given
to the people of the saints of the Most High,
whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions [sultanates] shall serve and obey
Him” (Dan. 7: 27).
Here, the “kingdom” is set up on
[this] earth
by the “God of Heaven,” at the
second coming of the Son of Man in the clouds, to destroy the last Antichrist,
and demolish all Gentile politics and power. Here is found the much despised “Chiliasm” (Pre- millennialism), indestructible
as the truth and throne of God! As
face answers to face in water so Dan. 7: 27 answers
to Dan. 2:
44, an invulnerable demonstration that the millennial
Nowhere has the
Scripture assigned to the church universal triumph in this [evil] age,
before the Lord comes. On the
contrary, the law of apostasy
and degeneration runs parallel with the law of advance, and only by “conclusive overthrow,” in the final
crisis, is the antagonism solved. Such is the Bible teaching. The Apostle Peter has discussed and
determined conclusively the whole question in 2 Pet. 3: 2-15. For
a teacher of the truth to be oblivious of this, is calamity as great as for a
minister of state not to know the constitution of his country.
May the
prophet’s word be a stimulus to work and pray for
* * *
THE MILLENNIAL
By NATHANIEL
WEST, D.D.
-------
Ezekiel’s vision
of the
The
argument, therefore, of the post-millennialists, that because Isaiah introduces his picture of the Millennial Age with the
announcement of a “New Heavens and Earth,” Isa.
65: 17, therefore, his description following that must be that of John’s New Jerusalem, or else
John’s New Jerusalem must be that of the Millennial Age, and Joel, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and John
picture only one Age the 1000 years being the time of the final New
Heaven and Earth, - falls to the ground.
We cannot identify the 1000 years with
the Eternal State. This is
set aside (1) By the manifold Differences between the
pictures themselves; (2) By the law of
prophetic perspective; (3) By the common use of the same terms to express
different stages of the one great development of the one
The “Symbolical
Interpretation” of Chapters 40-48, and in
fact of Ezekiel’s whole Apocalypse, Chapters 37-48, is the
name given, to their favourite mode of exposition, by the allegorizers and spiritualizers
of these sections. As already said,
these chapters are apocalyptic and eschatological, like the visions of Daniel, Zechariah,
and Isaiah. They are a “Vision.” But to
assert that it is only a Symbol, and “One Vast
Symbol of the Church,” is simply to assume the “spiritualistic
interpretation,” and beg the whole question. Moreover,
what a symbol vision is, we know.
It is like the vision of the 4 Beasts in Daniel, or of the
Monarchy-Image Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream. How, also, to interpret these we
know. But what the “symbolic
interpretation of a symbol”
is, what the “figure of a figure” is, it might be interesting to inquire, if, the
evaporation did not soon elude our grasp.
It seems to be something “volatile and airy,” like the idea of the “Absolute” which has no “existence,”
but only “being,” and gets into being somehow, by its “self-becoming.” At best
it is merely an abstraction, or “quid ignotum” which Agnostics might admire, and reminds one
seriously of
In
opposition to all this, the Bible speaks with a clear-ringing sound.
* * *
THE MILLENNIAL
By
G. H. LANG.
-------
I
THE
DIVINE PREDICTIONS
The All-seeing and Fore-seeing has no afterthoughts, but works all things according
to the purpose and after the counsel of His will (Eph. 1: 11). Therefore
He can announce in advance what He intends to do.
1
2 Chronicles 7: 15, 16.
As
soon as the first house to His name at
This
affirmed an everlasting and perpetual regard, yea, a heart interest, of God in
that house. Yet it is followed in verse 20 by the seeming
contradiction that, upon
The
manner in which God purposed to fulfil both statements, and to have perpetual
regard to that house while on occasion destroying it, can be learned from
statements He made during the period that house stood before its first
destruction.
2
Psalm 66
The psalm preceding this is millennial, for “all flesh shall come”, to God in
The
intervening psalm (66) is
likewise millennial. All the earth
is joyful and is singing God’s praise (1, 2, 8). He has completed His terrible but
purifying works upon mankind at large (5-7); He has brought Israel through tribulation into a
wealthy place, into “overlooking refreshing” as Darby’s German gives it (Zu
uberstromender Erquickung) (8-12):
whereupon the psalmist says: “I will come into thy house with burnt-offerings; I will pay thee my vows,
which my lips uttered, and my mouth spake,
when I was in distress. I will offer unto thee burnt-offerings
of fatlings, with the incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats” (13-15).
This
contemplates that at the period of Israel’s
restoration there will be a house, with burnt offerings, free-will offerings in
payment of vows, incense, and with sin offerings, for the goat was used chiefly
as the sin offering (see Lev. 4: 24; c. 16: etc, etc).
3
Isaiah 19
Isaiah prophesied in full view of his people’s
apostasy and their consequent rejection by God, but also of their full and
permanent restoration. This chapter
predicts a period when, first,
4
Isaiah Chapters 24 to 27
This
whole section of Isaiah is millennial. From the uttermost parts of the earth
songs are heard, “Glory to the righteous”
(24: 16):
Jehovah is reigning in Zion (24: 23): death
is swallowed up for ever (25: 8: compare 1 Cor. 15: 54): God is a strong city for the righteous (26: 1): the
godly of Israel have been raised from the dead (26: 19): and the glorious prophecy concludes on the high note
that Israel’s outcasts have been gathered and shall “worship Jehovah in the holy
mountain at Jerusalem” (27: 13). Thus is
5
Isaiah 66: 20-23
It
is upon this same high note that
6
Jeremiah 33: 14-22.
This
passage also is millennial, for the Branch of righteousness has grown up in the
house of David and is executing justice and righteousness in the land; Judah has been saved and Jerusalem dwells safely; her
name is “Jehovah
our righteousness”;
David’s throne is established (though at the time of this prophecy it was
tottering to its fall): and, concludes the prediction, as certainly as that “David shall never want
a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel” (the fulfilment of the everlasting covenant with
David: 2 Sam. 7: 16; Psa. 89: 19-37); neither
shall the priests the Levites want a man before Me to offer burnt-offerings,
and to burn meal offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
Priests,
Levites, sacrifices are all contemplated, implying a house and an altar. If these things are not to be, as some
affirm, then as certainly must the covenant with David fail and his son,
Messiah, not rule. [All
anti-millennialists and] They who get rid of the altar must get rid of the throne, as indeed
they do, denying a national future to Israel.
7
Ezekiel Chapters 40 to
48
This
portion of Holy Writ is fully to the same effect. The prophecy follows that of the
destruction upon the mountains of
The
plain sense of the whole vision shows
the people of Israel in their own land,
with a new temple, with priests of the
family of Zadok (48: 11), and Levites (chapter 44), offering on the altar sin, trespass, meal, peace, and burnt-offerings
with oblations of firstfruits, and
with sprinkling of the blood.
(chapters 43 to 45).
8
Haggai 2
At
the time the second temple was being built God said to the people: “Who is left among you
that saw this house in its former glory?” (verse 3). To encourage them to press forward the
erecting of what seemed so insignificant in comparison with Solomon’s temple
the promise was added: “Thus saith Jehovah of
hosts: Yet once,
it is a little while, and I will shake the
heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desirable (or precious) things of all nations shall come; and I will fill
this house with glory, saith Jehovah of
hosts. The silver is mine and the gold is mine, saith Jehovah of hosts. The latter glory of this house
shall be greater than the former, saith
Jehovah of hosts; and in this place
will I give peace, saith Jehovah of hosts”
(6-9).
It
is plain that these promises and those in 20-23, are millennial. The throne that has exercised lordship
over kingdoms, namely, that of Antichrist, is to be overthrown, and his armies
destroyed (22). The
riches of the kingdoms are to go to
9
Zechariah 6: 12, 13.
Zech. 6: 12, 13 reads: “Thus speaketh Jehovah
of hosts, saying,
Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up
out of his place; and he shall
build the temple of Jehovah; even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear
the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a
priest upon his throne”.
This
gives the specific particulars that Messiah shall be the Builder of that final temple, that His
throne shall be there, and that He shall be Priest-King. It is
this last feature that is elaborated in Heb. 7, treating
of Christ Jesus as the priest-king after the order of Melchidezek.
10
Zechariah 14: 9
Zechariah 14: 9 extends
this kingship of Messiah to the whole earth, thus showing incontrovertibly that
the period is the millennium. This
is emphasized by verse 11 stating that “there
shall be no more curse, but
Verses 16-21 repeat
Isaiah’s prophecy (see no. 5 above) that
11
Malachi 3
This chapter is millennial, for the Lord did not at His former coming to
All this asserts a temple, priests, and offerings at
that period.
12
Malachi 4: 4
Mal. 4: 4 suggests that this re-instituting of Mosaic
ceremonies will be but part of a general divine intention to restore the Mosaic
legislation. “Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all
It
would seem impossible that “the law of Moses” - a single all-inclusive term - could be re-imposed and not include that large and dominant
part thereof which intermingled religious exercises with every phase and detail
of life in
Surely
there can be no reasonable meaning to all this testimony of the Old Testament
save the plain and first sense of the statements, that Messiah is to build at
Jerusalem a final temple, to be the world-centre of worship and rule, that
priests and Levites will officiate, that feasts will be observed and sacrifices
will be offered, all according to the law given at Sinai.
It is definitely made impossible to treat this
body of prophecy as only an earthly parable of things heavenly by this fact
if by no other, that in Rev. 21: 22
it is stated explicitly that in the heavenly Jerusalem there will be no temple,
whereas in the scriptures cited [previously,] as to the [unfulfilled
prophetical conditions which will then exist upon this] earth, the temple is
mentioned equally explicitly and is wholly essential to the situation described.
13
For
the completeness of study and clearness of understanding it is necessary to
observe that Messiah’s temple will not be the one
in view in Rev.
11, for the latter is already there in the time of the Beast, before the coming of Messiah. That a prior temple
will be built is plain from Dan. 8: 9-14; 9: 27; 12: 11; Joel 2: 15-27; Matt 24: 15; and Rev. 11. This last place intimates that there will be an altar, implying that
sacrifices will be resumed, and that there will be worshippers.
John
was directed to “measure”
the temple (Rev.
11: 1). When a surveyor receives instructions to
measure-up a long-neglected property it may be presumed that the owner is about
to renew active interest in it.
Thus when Zechariah saw the vision of
It
should be further noticed from Rev. 11: 1 that God will own this pre-Messianic temple as His,
for it is styled “the temple of God”, and it has an altar, worshippers, and sacrifices (Dan. 8: 11-13): How
should God not own it seeing that among the worshippers of that era will be Two
Witnesses specially sent by Him to maintain His rights there at that time?
This
divine acknowledgment of that temple is in exact harmony with which
Paul’s teaching in
14
2 Thessalonians 2: 3, 4.
2 Thess. 2: 3, 4, which
states that immediately before the coming
of the Lord Jesus Christ “the man of sin will be revealed, the son of perdition, he that
opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is an object
of worship; so that he sitteth in the temple of
God, setting himself forth as God”. Upon the
godly resisting this profane worship the final persecution will set in
fiercely, and the altar and sanctuary
will be cast down. This will necessitate that before-noticed
building of a [5th] temple by
Messiah, when He shall have set up His [millennial] kingdom shortly thereafter.
-------
II
THE
CHIEF DIFFICULTY
The boldest ought to hesitate to deny or
to emasculate this weighty and consentient testimony. It was announced by the Spirit of truth while the first temple was standing,
was renewed while the second temple was being built and after, was confirmed
through Paul while the third temple (that of Herod) still stood, and was
finally repeated in the Revelation after this last temple had been destroyed. It involves utterances by God Himself to
Solomon and by the Son of God when here, and further statements by the Spirit
of truth through twelve of His inspired messengers.
Nor
do we know but one serious difficulty urged against the taking of this
testimony in its plain sense. This
is what the re-instituting of the sin-offering appears to conflict with the
teaching of Hebrews 9 that the offering of
Christ on the cross annulled that sin-offering.
Allowing
the surface reality of the difficulty, and even assuming that it were beyond
solution, there will nevertheless apply here the sound cannon that if a belief
be once established by adequate evidence no objection can overthrow it, because
in such case the belief is founded on our knowledge but the objection on our
ignorance.
The
belief in question is founded upon the plain sense of the many scriptures
cited; the objection is founded upon the ignorance as to how to reconcile these
scriptures with another scripture.
Were Hebrews not
before us probably no one would question the evident meaning of the former
passages, or at least it would be irrational to do so. Moreover, where is the believer so
conceited as to affirm that because he cannot resolve
a problem therefore it is beyond solution? The modest schoolboy does not question
the well-attested fact that one and one make two, even though he cannot solve a
problem to which that fact leads the way.
The devout might leave the matter here, assured that no divine
statements can be really in conflict and that there must be a solution of the
supposed disharmony.
Let
us look at the question. It may be
well approached through the statement in Rom. 10: 4 that “Christ is the end of the law unto righteousness to every one
that believeth”. This does not say that “Christ the end of the
law”, that is, absolutely, completely, so as to bar the
continuance of or the re-imposing of the law. This limitation is clear
from the fact that the whole and fundamental part of the law of Moses which we
term the moral law is of perpetual validity. The atonement of
There
are three passages in Ezekiel which may be
thought to contradict this. In these,
sacrifices, including “sin-offerings”, are said to be for “acceptance” (43:
27),
for “cleansing”
(45: 18), and for “atonement” (45: 17, 20). But there is no real divergence.
The
first of these passages has to do with the cleansing of the altar, not
of the worshippers (43: 18-27). The
altar being on a yet defiled earth,
made of earthly materials, and being built by still imperfect men, (for the millennial era and persons will not be
perfect), partakes of that defilement and imperfection, and must be
ceremonially cleansed, as a humble acknowledgment by men of this situation as
felt by God. This having been
effected, then it is said that “the priests shall make your burnt-offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and
I will accept you, saith the Lord Jehovah”. Here
again it must be noted that burnt and peace offerings are accepted only from
the already justified.
The
third passage (45: 18-20) is of similar but wider scope; it has to do with the
cleansing of the sanctuary entire: “thou shalt cleanse the sanctuary ... so shall ye make atonement for the house”. The same
considerations apply here; and not only once, as at the initial dedication of
the altar, but perpetually, for this atonement must be made annually. But this is because of the defiling of
the house by two specified classes, the “erring”
and the “simple”. The
exact parallel is Heb. 5: 2: the high
priest “can
bear gently with the ignorant and erring”. It is to
be the revival in the future of the great day of atonement (Lev. 16), only
in the first month instead of the seventh.
But that day of old had no connection
with the justifying of an ungodly transgressor. It was for the benefit of the ignorant
and erring, that is, for the covering of the unrecognized failures of the
people of God, who sought indeed to walk with Him according to His law, but,
like ourselves, did not do so perfectly, according to God’s character and
estimates. The present parallel to
this is 1 John 1: 6, 7. He who knowingly walks in darkness
derives no benefit from the work of Christ (verse 6),
but “if we walk
in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanseth us from all sin”. The
emphasis is upon the word “all,”
including sins through error, simplicity, ignorance. But this implies prior justification,
prior attainment of a standing before God through grace and atoning blood. The unjustified is not “in the light” and cannot “walk in the light”. It is “if we [John and fellow-saints] walk in the light” that this
cleansing avails.
This
shows the force of the immediately preceding passage (Ezek. 45: 13-17). It is similar and entirely corporate
aspect of atonement that is contemplated, not that of an individual
transgressor seeking justification.
“All the
people of the land” are to present an united and stated “oblation” unto the prince, out of which he is to provide the
necessary sacrifices “in all the appointed
feasts of the house of
Concerning all earthly persons and their worship, both
of old and now and in the millennial era, it is to be remembered that there is
iniquity in “holy gifts” (Ex. 28: 38), in the sanctuary, and in the priesthood (Num. 18: 1). This iniquity must be purged, not only that of the
unjustified when first approaching God, and this it is that the
presented by the Word of God in connection with that coming [millennial] temple and its
sacrifices for sin. This may be gathered from Isa. 60: 21. Speaking of Israel in that era when the
Lord shall be their everlasting light and the days of their mourning shall be
ended, it is declared: “My people shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever [leolam]*, the branch of My planting, that I may be glorified”. As,
then, they are “righteous”
the sacrifices cannot be a means of
making them so. These must have
that purpose and effect which applied to the already justified, as above indicated,
and therefore they are in harmony with Rom. 10: 4 that Christ is the end of the law for the
justification of the ungodly. For
the very little remnant of Israel then in question will have repented toward
God and have exercised faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, which repentance and
faith will then, as now, assure justification.
[* See NOTE 1
above.]
Hebrews
As far as the teaching of this Epistle is an expansion
of the teaching stated in Rom. 10: 4, what has
been said above will apply thereto; but some particular observations may be
helpful and confirmatory.
The
whole epistle proceeds upon the opening acknowledgment of a certain status in
those addressed. All its reasonings
and exhortations are based on the fact of this status. It is set forth (1) that a man, Jesus
the Son of God, is crowned with glory and honour in the heavens to be the Ruler
of the universe; and (2) that God has in view to bring many others, also of the status of sons to Himself,
that they may share that [coming] glory and rule of the Son, He and they being alike
from one Source, the Father, as the Son acknowledges by calling them His “brethren”
(2: 5-13)...
But
grant that there is to be an earthly people of God, Israel, and other saved nations
on earth, it does not follow that for such persons an earthly sanctuary, priesthood, and
sacrifices will be out of order and hurtful. As well might it be argued that the
earthly territory, political economy, and dignities were out of order. Where the whole order is earthly,
visible, material it will be part of that order that religion shall bear the
corresponding aspect. The public
organization would seem structurally incomplete without public and organized
religion. A world association of
saved nations will as much require a centre of worship as of government, and
the wisdom of God has designed both for the coming era, as the scriptures here
considered show. This is the basic
principle of a state church; but, it is true that the former religious economy,
associated with the law and centred in the tabernacle, made no worship perfect,
as to the conscience or relationship with God: it is equally certain that no
future visible arrangements will do so of themselves. The former covenant, made at Sinai,
displayed this ineffectiveness; the law could not in
practice be anything but weak and
unprofitable, for the reason given in Rom. 8: 3, that it was weak through the bad material, the
flesh, on which it had to work. But
the future relations of man to God will be on the basis of a new covenant and
will include regeneration, which feature is stressed in Heb. 8, quoting
from God’s advance promise this in Jer. 31. Under the new conditions of renewed
human nature, cannot the law be as helpful as before it was helpless? This goes far to account for it being
re-imposed.
Moreover,
even under the former imperfect conditions the law could and did help faith by
pointing it forward to Christ, and to His sacrifice, and to the good things to
come. It was a tutor to direct to
Christ (Gal. 3: 23-29). In the same way the temple and
ceremonies of the future will direct hearts to Christ, and the more fully that
it will be known that they are pictures, no longer of events yet to be but of
facts of history. And
this knowledge of Christ and His perfect sacrifice cannot but operate to
prevent any view of the sacrifices on the altar other than that they are memorials; even as the same knowledge by Christians of this
age forbids that the bread and wine on the table of the Lord be thought of as
more than memorials. The arguments used against a future altar of God can as well be used
against the present table of the Lord.
And
it would seem that there will be real need at that
time of such a picture-book instruction, especially for the Gentile peoples. For the light of both Christian and
Jewish witness will have been all but extinguished by the Beast and his
Prophet; paganism will be dominant, and “darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples” (Isa.
60: 2) which ... agrees with Christ’s significant
question, “When
the Son of man cometh shall He find the faith on the earth?” (Luke. 18.)
This
was the state of Israel Godward when He come down to redeem them from
Thus
with an earthly economy, marked by visible
glory, a visible and noble sanctuary will
be harmonious and helpful. There will be nothing to challenge the
solitary efficacy of the cross of Christ’s acceptance with God, but, on
the contrary, all will illustrate its usefulness and power. Especially will the ceremonies teach the
means of maintaining that fellowship with God into which justification
introduces the believer.*
[* NOTE. This
may be of some help those who believe a Temple may well be built for worship in
the millennial Age, but not a Jewish Temple or one in which sacrifices will be
made by its priests. – Ed.]
*
*
*
THE MILLENNIAL
By E. BENDOR SAMUEL*
[*
Read his EXPOSITION of PSALM 72
in NOTE 10.]
In chapter 37 the
prophet Ezekiel predicts
That the building of the
“Son of man, behold
with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears and
set thy heart upon all that I shall show thee,
for in order that it might be shown thee art thou brought hither. Declare thus to
the house of
The shape and size
and all the particulars of the building and its furniture were shown him and he
was commanded to give all the details of them to his people, that realizing
God’s gracious purpose with them they may be ashamed of their iniquities. He was to “show them the form of the house and its
fashion, and its goings out and its comings in, and all the ordinances, and
all its forms, and all its laws, and write it all before them that they may keep the whole
form thereof and all the statutes thereof and do them” (43: 10, 11).
The Man Who
disappeared together with the cherubim from the temple that was about to be
destroyed now reappears with the Glory of the Lord in the rebuilt temple
nevermore to depart from His people.
That the Temple of
Ezekiel does not refer to that of Zerubbabel, nor of Herod, is clear from the
fact that it differed from them in its
structure and observances:-
(a) The one
described by Ezekiel is larger than the earlier ones, but its altar is smaller,
for while the earlier ones were the centre of worship for Israel only,
Ezekiel’s, is to be for
worshippers of all nations. As
we have already noticed Isaiah
predicted that all nations shall
flow (incessantly as the waters of a river) unto it (Isa. 2: 2, 3). Zechariah predicts that “All that are left of all the nations that came against
(b) The altar is
smaller than that of Solomon’s as the great antitypical sacrifice was already offered and those in the future
(c) For the same
reason the Day of Atonement is not mentioned by Ezekiel as full atonement has
already been made by Christ for all who believe in Him. This is in accordance with Heb.
10: 14, 18.
(d) It is
remarkable that Ezekiel does not
mention the paschal lamb; he speaks of the Passover as the feast of seven days,
and says that the Prince shall prepare
for himself and for all the people a bullock for a sin offering. Christ
completely fulfilled, first, the command regarding it by taking part of the
meal on the Passover night with His disciples; and secondly, its type, when He
died on the cross on the very day that the paschal lamb was offered according
to the Jewish way of reckoning, that is, the day being from sunset to
sunset. The command is “From even to even shall
ye celebrate your sabbaths.”
The Feast of
Passover is to be observed as it sets forth not only
According
to Zech. 14: 16, the Feast of Tabernacles will also be kept. It was
the feast of ingathering and represents
the completion of the ingathering of the nations.
(e) The Feast of
Weeks, or Pentecost, is not mentioned as that is connected with this age of the
Spirit (1
John 14: 11,
17; 15:
26; Acts 2:
23), Who
is with us in a special sense during the bodily absence of the Lord Jesus.
(f) There will
also be a change in the offering of the
sacrifices suitable to the times.
The burnt offering, for instance,
will only be offered in the mornings (46: 13-15), and
not in the evenings also.
(g) In harmony
with Jer. 3: 16, there
will be no
And as we have
see, the Divine Man will be in the Holy of Holies where the
The Jewish Rabbis
say that the
(h) Ezekiel does not say anything about the
Veil, or Shewbread, or Candelabra.
There is good reason for the omission. The Veil that was rent asunder by
invisible hands at the death of our Saviour will probably never be restored,
because it has opened for the saved ones the way to the presence of God where
Christ as our High Priest Himself has entered and the way will ever remain open
to us. The Presence of our Lord will far outshine any light that all the
candelabra could give us (as will be the case in the heavenly City, Rev. 21: 23). The
house of Jacob will then walk in the light of Jehovah (Isa. 2: 5), and in their turn will shine for Him, according to
the declaration of the prophet.
“Arise, shine, for thy light is come and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. For,
behold, darkness shall cover the earth and gross
darkness the people, but Jehovah will arise upon
thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee”
(ibid. 60: 1, 2).
The Shewbread, or
more literally, the Bread of the Presence, being placed before Jehovah, set
forth Christ in His human perfection together with His redeemed people, the
twelve loaves also representing the twelve tribes of Israel, but the Lord Jesus in His human form being
Himself present in the midst of the entire nation of Israel, it will, perhaps,
be one amongst other symbols no more necessary in the Millennium.
(i) The arrangement of the
There is a
remarkable verse in Isaiah
53 which reads:
“All we, like sheep, have gone astray, we have
turned every one to his own way, but Jehovah
hath caused to meet on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Hiphgia “Caused to meet,” that is the literal translation.
The picture is graphic.
Christ in the centre of God’s purpose of salvation; the sins
travelling from all points of the compass, North and South, East and West, and
from all points of time, before Christ and after Christ, meeting upon Him as
their focal point. In harmony with this would be the system of
sacrifices, those offered by the ancients looking forward and those offered in
the Millennium looking back upon Christ as the centre.
This is further
indicated by the fact that the centre of the
The
When God first
chose
“The Israelites will probably set forth in all harmonious
parts the outward beauty and inward sanctity of the
“To set forth this and not to invalidate the principles of
the Epistle to the Hebrews, that after Christ’s perfect sacrifice no
further propitiation is needed, is probably one object of the future Temple
liturgy. Israel’s province
will be to exhibit in the minutest details of sacrifice the essential unity of
the Law and the Gospel which now seem opposed” (A. R. Fausset).
When the
Tabernacle was erected we are told that “A cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle”
(Exod. 40: 34).
Likewise at the
completion of the
Alas! that glory, the visible emblem of the invisible presence of
God, was seen by Ezekiel to disappear slowly and reluctantly, from the gate
that looketh toward the east. And first from the Cherub unto the threshold of the house (Ezek. 9: 3),
then from the threshold of the house unto the door of the gate (10: 11, 19). Finally, the prophet saw it disappearing
from the midst of
“And he brought me unto the gate, and behold, the glory of the
God of Israel came from the way of the east; and
His voice was like the sound of many waters and the earth shined with His glory. ... And the glory of Jehovah came into the house by the way of the
gate whose prospect is toward the east, And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner
court, and behold the glory of Jehovah filled the house:” (Ezek. 43: 1-5).
This will surpass
anything that took place in the Tabernacle or former temples because the Glory
will not be merely symbolic as was formerly the case, but will be the
accompaniment of the personal [bodily] presence of Jehovah, for the prophet continues
“And I hear one speaking with me out of the house; and a man was
standing by me, And he said unto me, Son of man, This is the place of My throne, and the place of the
soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever”
(Ibid. 43: 6, 7).
The Millennial age
will likewise foreshadow and prepare the way for the perfect state. In the former God’s presence will
be in the midst of
Both in the
heavenly and earthly
In the earthly
city the names of the twelve tribes are on the twelve gates; in the heavenly
city there are also twelve gates with the names of the twelve tribes of
In Ezekiel the
configuration of the [present] earth is to be changed, in the Apocalyptic
vision there is a new earth.
In Ezekiel’s
vision the chief part is the
In Ezekiel’s
*
*
*
NOTE 4
THE
[From
writings by D. M. PANTON.]
The rebuilding of the
[* NOTE. Those who teach contrary to what we read throughout
Scripture concerning unfulfilled prophetic events, cause
nothing but confusion about the Bible as the sole authority on these
matters! Are those Christians who
do not understand these doctrines being led astray by the clever use of words
by people deceived into believing Messiah has only one Kingdom! (Luke 22: 29, 30; Rev. 3: 21)? Are Anti-millennialists correct when
they read in Ezekiel 39: 21-29, and
imply Messiah Jesus will have no “temple
in
The central aim of
a temple, and its innermost shrine, are not, primarily, for worship, but for the residence of a god. Jehovah said to David:-
“Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?” (2 Sam. 7: 5). All the materials of the Temple were of
ordinary wood and gold and brass: the solitary wonder that made it a unique
building on earth was a fire-hearted cloud in the innermost Shrine: it was not
the magnificence of the structure nor the
costliness of the materials, nor the solemn ritual, that made the Temple so awful, but the actual presence of Deity. So also, but with a far more moving
emphasis, the wonder of the new [human] temple is the same. The poorest, meanest-clad,
least-educated of God; the common members with which once we sinned; the weary
limbs, the hungry bodies, the sleepless frames, the heart in the sick room
almost too tired to beat:- “Your body
is a temple of the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 6: 19).
For the [regenerate] Christian is made on the pattern of Christ. “Destroy
this
Now the whole
So then the
humblest believer is exalted to a dignity above earth’s highest
thrones. For there is more of God
manifest in a Christian than anywhere else in the world: a sanctified, obedient
believer is the sole spot on earth in which He is resident. And the body of the believer is as
sacred to God as the
[* See “The Personal Indwelling of the Holy Spirit”
by G. H. LANG. Also Acts 5:
35, R.V.: “And
we are witnesses of these things; and so is the
Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to
them that obey him.”
cf. 1
Samuel 28: 16-18a, R.V.: “And Samuel said,
‘Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing
Jehovah is departed from thee, and
become thine adversary? And Jehovah
hath done unto thee, as he spake by me: and
Jehovah hath rent the Kingdom [not
eternal life] out of thy hand … because
thou obeyest not the voice of Jehovah…’”.
Again: “And he [Samson] awoke out of his sleep,
and said, ‘I will
go out as at other times, and shake myself free.’ But he knew not
that Jehovah
was departed from him:” (Judges
16: 20, R.V.).]
** Our
Lord’s words - “destroy this temple”
(John 2: 19)
- a temple which, in fact, was not even decomposed, prove afresh that
God’s action on the lost - “destroy both body and soul in
hell [i.e., ‘Gehenna’]” (Matt. 10: 28) - is no
annihilation, but simply a putting out of use, a destruction of function.
But no
transcendent privilege is unattached to a corresponding gravity of
responsibility, and a menace of misuse. Therefore the Spirit adds
:- “If any [regenerate
believer] defileth the
* It is the same word
in both clauses: and it can hardly mean ‘destroy,’
for it is not possible to destroy what has already been destroyed; but it is
very possible for that to be defiled with Divine degradation which has already
been defiled by human sin.
** Impurity of every
kind, drug addiction, contraceptives, excess in wine or food - one of the most
gifted evangelists we ever knew (a teetotaller) was wrecked by gluttony - all such are degradations of the body
which, if un-abandoned, will bring bodily degradation at the Judgment Seat of
Christ (Luke 12:
47); and the kindest thing we can do to each other is to state this
truth quite plainly, and keep it steadily before the Church of God.
Defiled is the temple, its beauty laid low;
On God’s holy altar the embers faint glow:
By love yet rekindled, a flame may be fann’d;
O quench not the Spirit, the Lord is at hand!
So we get an
instantaneous photograph of human need in the fearful picture of a godless
temple. “Wouldest thou pray in the temple?”
Augustine asks; “then pray within thyself; but
first become a temple.” The natural man has no ‘Divine-spark’ within: he is the workmanship of
God, and bears the imprint of His fingers; but, so far as indwelling Deity is
concerned, he is a dark and empty shrine.
All deification of man is Antichrist’s exact negative of the truth.* “If any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His” (
* “Antichrist’s theological system may he summed up in the three following
theses: 1. There
is no personal God without and above the Universe. 2. Man is himself his own god - the god of this world. 3. I am
the representative of humanity; by worshipping me humanity worships itself”:
(Godet).
It is the first
massive foundation laid by our Lord on which He rears the entire superstructure
of His revelation of God's mind:- “Except a man
be begotten from above, he
cannot see the kingdom of God; ye must
be begotten FROM ABOVE”
(John 3: 3, 7). A godless temple must meet a godless doom.
[** In the temple of the body, at
the time of one’s regeneration, the descent of the Shekinah Glory is
manifestly the descent of the Holy Spirit into the new-born individual
believer: in the collective temple of all the saints (Eph.
2: 21),
the descent of the Shekinah is as manifestly the Holy Spirit’s descent
into the new-born Church at Pentecost, in miracle and inspiration.]
So we reach the
grand climax. “Your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, which ye have” - not, as you have your human
spirit, from your parents; but - “FROM GOD.”* All men are temple buildings, though empty; the
structure for God’s indwelling is already there and no* preparation is needed for His entrance: all that is
necessary is the invocation of the Shekinah Glory. “Solomon
stood before the altar of the Lord, and spread
forth his hands, and said, Now therefore arise, O Lord
God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy
strength [Christ]: let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with
salvation: O Lord God, turn not away the face of thine Anointed! Now when Solomon
had made an end of praying, the fire came
down from heaven, and the glory of
the Lord FILLED THE HOUSE” (2 Chron. 6: 12, 41; 7: 1).** It is one
of the kindest, the most utterly wonderful of all the promises of Christ:-
“If ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the HOLY
SPIRIT TO THEM THAT ASK HIM” (Luke
11: 1).***
* The entrance of any other spirit into the human body
(through wilful sin and disobedience as in Spiritualistic mediumship) is the
introduction of strange fire into the
** Thus the invocation
is full of Christ: for the
[*** “Though the end days,
as they are described in Scripture, are not yet come, they are nearer than they
were. At any rate, the present time is perilous enough to spiritual and moral
life to require a far more powerful stimulus to devotion and warning against
defection than has been provided by the view of the future so long
dominant. In the tranquil period
some can remember it was easy enough to talk smoothly about ‘perilous times’ and
‘end days’ and ‘great tribulation,’ and for teachers to assure their souls and their
hearers that there was not the least ground for personal concern, because the
church entire was certain to be removed to heaven before those dread days could
set in. But this complacent outlook does not stir the soul into flame, nor
brace the nerves to faithfulness and suffering in a period of world upheaval.
With nations full of foreboding, and of consequent suspicion against each
other, with military service sternly compulsory in most lands, with governments
more and more first regulating and then suppressing pure Christianity, some
more powerful and deep-acting tonic is required.
What
the Church of God now needs imperatively is men able to show fearlessly what
the Word of God teaches as to the future that will guide life through
difficulties and dangers, perplexities and perils; also how to gain strength to
be faithful and holy, and what will be the heavenly recompense; and able to
show also what will be the sorrowful penalties the Christian must face if
unfaithful to Christ and the word of His patience. But this demands close scrutiny of the Word of truth free from the
bias and fetters of preconceived schemes of interpretation. It calls for
zeal and courage, and the making known of the results demands liberty of utterance,
if saints are to profit by it…” – G. H. LANG.]
It is a tremendous
truth. In Carlisle, in
-------
NOTE 5
Messiah’s Companions. (Heb. 3: 14).*
[*From writings by G.
H. LANG.]
Moses had his
personal attendant, Joshua. David
had the “king’s friend,” Hushai (1 Chron.
27: 33).
Rehoboam had “the young men that were grown up
with him, that stood before him” (2 Chron. 10: 8). The Lord in His kingdom will have those
who “walk about with Him in white,”
arrayed thus in white garments then because
they overcame now in the battle with sin and did not defile their garments here
(Rev. 3: 4, 5). They are “the
called and chosen and faithful” (Rev. 17: 14). It is faithfulness that matters.
To the little band
who, in spite of failings and failures, had gone through with their Teacher and
Lord to the end, He said: “I
come again, and will receive you unto Myself, that where I
am ye may be also” (John 14: 3). He had said before: “If Me any one serve, Me let him follow; and where
I am there shall also My servant be: if any one serve Me, him will
the Father honour” (John 12: 26).
Complacency makes this to read, If any one believes on Christ as
Saviour, he shall be with Christ and be honoured by the Father. But the Lord said that companionship
with Himself, and being honoured by the Father, results from serving and following. And the context is that following Christ
involves being a corn of wheat that dies to itself that it may live in
others. Therefore let the believer ask: Whose interests am I serving: Christ’s
or my own, Christ’s or those of this world? Whose maxims, whose example, whose ambitions and ends do I follow: those of Christ or of
others? In the nature of the case
only one who does literally follow the steps of another can arrive where that
other arrives. Another path will lead to another place.
The summit of the
Christian’s true ambition is the immediate presence and continual company
of the Son of God in glory. The
honour and the bliss of this is otherwise pictured as
the mutual joy of bridegroom and bride.
“He and I in that
bright glory
One great joy shall share;
Mine to be for ever with Him,
His that I am
there.”
Elsewhere this
dignity is set forth as sitting with the King on the royal dais at a banquet (Luke 22: 30),
and again, as sharing His throne (Rev. 3: 21). In all such relationships the dominant
thought is that of sharing habitually the personal company of the Lord. And this is the distinctive element in
the word companions, i.e.
being habitually in the company of one another; and it is equally
the distinctive thought of the word thus translated metochos.
To his translation
of Heb. 3: 1, where this word is found (“partakers of a heavenly calling”), Darby adds the note: “Here metochoi, who have been made, called to be,
partakers of it. They had been koinonoi of
Too many
Christians are content to have a share in the “common
salvation,” and show little
desire or care to enjoy the company of the Lord or of their fellow-partners. How shall such indifference here lead to
intimacy there? No; ch. 1: 9, using the
same word, speaks of the Lord having companions; our present (verse 3: 14)
declares that “companions [emphatic] of the Christ [the Messiah] we
have become if at least [eanper]
the beginning of the assurance unto the end
steadfast we may hold.”
We “have become” such companions as regards the calling
and purpose of God, and we may enjoy this privilege already in heart fellowship
with Christ: we shall become such in outward and visible
and glorified reality IF
we are steadfast unto the end of our course. It is reaching well the end
of the race that matters as to gaining the prize. He who fails in staying power, and does
not reach the goal, does not lose his life, but he does
lose the prize. It will be much
to be in the kingdom of the saved: it will be far, far more to be a companion of the King. Ponder this second IF!
Note on eanper, if. It comes here and at 6: 3 only in
the New Testament. It is not found
in LXX, but Grimm-Thayer here is wrong in stating it is
not in the Old Testament Apocrypha.
It is in 2 Macc. 3: 38, and the passage distinctly
shows its emphatic sense. Heliodorous had been sent by the king of
--------
NOTE 6
Reaching
[*From writings by G.
H. LANG.]
Nothing is clearer
than that every redeemed Israelite that left
That
What is the
antitype of
The
two last particulars show that neither justification nor eternal life is in
view, for these are described plainly as “free”
gifts (Rom. 3: 24; 6: 23, R.V.). “Free”
(dorean, charisma) means free of
conditions, what is termed in law an absolute gift, as distinct from a conditional gift [or
‘prize’]; a gift which therefore can neither be withdrawn by
the donor nor forfeited by the receiver.
What, then, does
Slavery in Egypt
is Rom. 1 and 2:
redemption by blood is Rom. 3 to 5:
freedom from Egypt, by passing through the Red Sea, is Rom. 6, baptism into fellowship with Christ in His
death and risen life: the wilderness is Rom. 7: the crossing the Jordan is Rom. 8: 1-17,
experimental transference from being “in flesh”
(the wilderness) to being “in spirit”
(the land of promise), and thus becoming free from bondage and its fear, even
as Israel lost the reproach of having been a slave race by being circumcised at
Gilgal, at the entrance of the land.
This leads to Rom. 8: 15, 16, the joy of adoption and communion, so as to
become heirs of the goodly land thus
reached. This in turn involves suffering with Christ (Rom. 8: 17, 18), as
For the Christian
this hope is to be realized at [the ‘First Resurrection’ and]
the “redemption of the body” (Rom. 8: 23).
Thus the sequence of thought has reached the second coming of our
Lord. Now His own final word as to
that His advent is that He will come as “the root
and offspring of David” (Rev. 22: 16); that is to
say, that David in his rejection, hardships, and wars was a type of Christ now
rejected and hidden, but whose public appearing will secure victory over Satan,
with liberation for the earth, and [millennial] glory for those who fought and suffered with Him. Thus
did David’s return to public life free
But Rom. 8: 19-21 adds the
material feature that at that revelation of our now absent Lord, with the many
sons who by then will have been brought unto glory, there is to be a releasing
of creation itself from its pains and groans. Previous prophecies had foretold this,
as Ps. 72: 16; Isa. 11: 6-9; 30: 23-26; 55: 12, 13; etc.
In other words the period we have
now reached in this line of thought is the millennial reign of Christ, the
Prince of peace, the foreshadowing of which was the earlier part of Solomon's
reign of peace and glory. But
failure marked the close of that period, and failure will mark the close of the
Millennium (Rev.
20: 7-10);
whereupon will follow a final judgment and final reconstruction of heaven and
earth, a new and eternal order.
Thus
Seeing that
failure and sorrow marked
-------
NOTE 7
[From writings by JAMES
PAYNE.]
“Because of Thy temple at
“It is
extraordinarily significant that the Government of Israel already plan to
rebuild the
Ezekiel commenced
his prophetic ministry in “the fifth year of the
captivity of King Jehoiachin” (in some places called “Jeconiah”). The expression “the thirtieth year” in chapter
1, verse 1, is a little obscure, but
probably refers to the thirtieth year of Ezekiel’s life. Ezekiel was a priest and if our
supposition is correct then the Lord called him to the prophetic ministry at
the same time as he would normally have entered upon his priestly office. Whatever the meaning of this expression,
however, the time referred to is rendered perfectly clear by the expression in verse 2 to which we have already referred.
Each of
Ezekiel’s thirteen prophecies are dated from the
year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity.
He prophesied in the fifth, sixth, seventh, ninth, tenth, eleventh,
twelfth, twenty-fifth and twenty-seventh years from that event. Only two prophecies in the book are
placed out of chronological order - one in the tenth year and the other in the
twenty-seventh. The reason for this
is obviously to bring all the prophecies relating to
What was the
purpose of this last vision given to Ezekiel? It has been said that the
Lord intended to give
Such a conclusion,
however, is obviously ill-considered. If the Lord had, at that time, brought
A very cursory
comparison between Ezekiel’s
Some have
suggested that the spiritual
To the honest and
unbiased reader, the record given is the plain and simple description in
great detail of a literal Temple, with a city in close proximity, yet
to be built in a particular place in the Holy Land, to the north and
south of which the tribes of Israel are
to have equal inheritance in a manner entirely different from that
which has obtained in the previous history of the nation. The Temple moreover, is to be filled
with the Glory of Jehovah, who is to have His Throne there, while
holiness is to be the law of the House and abundance the characteristic of the [His millennial] Kingdom.
The
“It shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the
Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And 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
Jehovah from Jerusalem. And He
shall judge among the nations, and shall
rebuke many people: and they shall beat their
swords into plowshares, and their spears into
pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any
more:” (Isaiah 2: 2-4).
-------
NOTE 8
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF IN THE BIBLICAL
TYPES:
Solomon’s
[* From
writings by ANDREW BONAR.]
The rites here, detailed were
typical; and every type was designed and intended by God to bear resemblance to
some spiritual truth. The likeness
between type and antitype is never accidental. The very excellency
of these rites consists in their being chosen by God for the end of shadowing
forth “good things to come” (Heb. 10: 1). As
it is not a mere accidental resemblance to the Lord’s body and blood that
obtains in the bread and wine used in the Lord’s supper, but on the
contrary, a likeness that made the symbols suitable to be selected for that
end; so is it in the case of every Levitical type. Much of our satisfaction and edification
in tracing the correspondence between type and antitype will depend on the
firmness with which we hold this principle.
If it be asked why a typical mode of showing forth truth was adopted to such an extent in those
early days, it may be difficult to give a precise answer. It is plain such a method of instruction
may answer many purposes. It may
not only meet the end of simplifying the truth, it may also open the mind to
comprehend more, while it deepens present impressions of things known. The existence of a type does not always
argue that the thing typified is obscurely seen, or imperfectly known. On the contrary, there was a type in the
Garden of Eden - the tree of life, - while life, in all its meaning, was fully
comprehended by Adam. In all
probability, there will be typical objects in the millennial age; for there is
to be a river which shall flow from
… And, if we may throw out a conjecture on a subject
where Millenarians and Anti-millenarians are alike at sea - is it not possible
that some, such end as this may be answered
by the temple which Ezekiel foretells as yet to be built (chap. 40.,
&c.)? Believing nations may
frequent that temple in order to get understanding in these types and
shadows. They may go up to the
mountain of the Lord’s house, to be there taught his ways. (Isa. 2: 3.) In that temple they may learn how not
one tittle of the law has failed.
As they look on the sons of Zadok ministering in that peculiar
sanctuary, they may learn portions of truth with new impressiveness and
fulness. Indeed, the very fact that
the order of arrangement in Ezekiel entirely differs from the order observed in
either tabernacle or temple, and that the edifice, itself is reared on a plan
varying from every former sanctuary, is sufficient to suggest the idea that it is meant to cast light on former types
and shadows. Many Levitical
rites appear to us unmeaning; but they would not do so if presented in a new
relation. As it is said of the
rigid features of a marble statue, that they may be made to move and vary their
expression so as even to smile, when a skilful hand knows how to move a bright
light before it; so may it be with these apparently lifeless figures, in the
light of that bright Millennial Day.
At all events, it is probably then that this much-neglected Book of
Leviticus shall be fully appreciated.
-------
THE SABBATIC YEAR AND YEAR OF JUBILEE.
All men shall know that the Lord has
loved them,
when “I give authority over the
nations:” (Rev. 2: 26, R.V.).
Verses
47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55.
“And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich
by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax
poor and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger’s family: after that he is sold he way be re deemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: either his uncle, or his
uncle’s son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of
kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or,
if he be able, he may
redeem himself. And he shall reckon with him that bought
him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number
of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him. If there be yet
many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his
redemption out of the money that he was bought for. And if there
remain but few years unto the year of jubilee,
then he shall count with him, and according unto
his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption. And as a yearly
hired servant shall he be with him: and the
other shall not rule with rigor over him in thy sight. And if he be not
redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in
the year of jubilee, both he and his children
with him.
For unto me the children of
Here is comfort for all
The case is supposed of a rich foreigner purchasing for his
bondman one of the poor of
Here is the Lord’s determination to exalt his peculiar
people, saving them from all oppressors, even when they have, through their own
sin, fallen into decay. The times
of the Gentiles shall end; and
God’s
“Make
haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe,
Or to a young hart, upon the
mountain of spices.”
Song
8: 14.
We may here stay a little to observe the fact, that in the
description of millennial days given in this chapter, the negative nature of the
blessedness is chiefly insisted on: that is, that there shall be no toil, no
hard labour, no regrets for lost possessions, no bondage, no oppression, no
poverty, no want.
Now, somewhat of the blessedness of these times is spoken of
under the typical history of
* See 1
Kings 6.,
7., and 2 Chron. 3., 4.
Let us glance at this difference. The ark, from the days of Moses till it was
fixed on
* The laver, made of the mirror brass,
held pure water, which was the type of the Holy Spirit. In our very nature, which in our hands
serves only the purposes of sin and vanity, the Redeemer exhibited purity –
the very purity of the Holy Ghost, who dwelt in him without measure! He took the brass from the woman of
The temple was finished in the seventh year, and in the
seventh month, at harvest-time - the time of joy. Is there not here a shadowing forth of millennial fulness of glory? Is not the scene different in many
respects from that of the tabernacle?
1. These tall, palm-like pillars,
with their rich and various, ornaments.
Do not the names “Jachin, and Boaz” declare that Jehovah’s
strength shall establish this
place forever? (Compare Psalm 88:
1, 5.) And are they not placed in these courts
as trophies of victory? They may be
reckoned to be trophies erected to show that all war is ended, and the Prince
of Peace is triumphant. 2. That gold, shining everywhere, and these precious stones, and these
harps and psalleries, made of the algum-trees, such as were never seen before in the
* We fully agree with those who consider the cherubim everywhere to be symbols of the redeemed
Church. They stand on the
ark, i.e., Christ; their feet touching the blood sprinkled; while the glory of God
is over them, and they see it reflected in the golden mercy-seat, as they bend
under the glory. See Candlish on Genesis; and Fairbairn’s
Typology. So again; there were cherubim on the veil (Exod. 26:
31; 2 Chron. 3: 14): and the veil represented Christ’s body
(Heb. 10:
20), to typify, “He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of
one.” And when the
veil was rent, the cherubim were rent, thereby
showing that when Christ died, all he stood for also died (2 Cor. 5: 14). They were “crucified with Christ.”
“Come quickly, Lord Jesus.” Prepare these eyes for seeing the
King in his beauty; these ears for hearing the sound of blessed voices and
golden harps; these feet for the golden streets, these hands for the palms of
victory, this brow (often wet with the sweat of the curse) for the crown of
righteousness; and above all, this heart for loving thee who lovedst me and
gayest thyself for me! In that day,
“the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to
speak plainly,” while with all saints they ever speak of the King,
on whom they gaze, and into whose image they are changed. And only then shall every faculty find
itself satisfied always, and yet ever bewildered in the blessed attempt to
understand the “breadth and length, and depth and height, and to
know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge.” Hallelujah!
-------
NOTE 9
[An EXPOSITION of Psalm 48 by E. BENDOR SAMUEL.]
The Glory of the Messiah.
In this lovely little Psalm we get a picture of the holy city
during our Lord’s reign.
We have noted Messiah’s victory in Psa. 46,
His coronation in Psa.
47.
In Psa. 48 we get a glimpse of the beauty of
The first verse gives the key to it. Jehovah is great and exceedingly* to be praised, “in
the city of our God, His holy mountain.”
Our hearts rejoice as we think of the glory that shall be
given to our Lord. The place that witnessed
His humiliation will now witness His exaltation. In place of a shameful cross
He will have a glorious throne; instead of the cry, “Crucify Him”, will be heard the glad shout of
Hosanna to the Son of David; the brow that once wore the crown of thorns will
now be adorned with many diadems; the hands that held the rod with which they
smote Him will now hold the sceptre with which He will sway the universe. No
longer will He wear purple robes in mockery, but His royal robes will have
written on them “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
This exaltation of our Lord will first take place at
* The Hebrew word translated greatly is meod, and describes
intensity. It is translated “with all thy might” in Deut.
6: 5. It
is not of the same root word that is translated great in the same verse.
These and many other passages of Scripture make it clear that
the literal Zion is meant, Jerusalem will then be called “the throne of Jehovah” (Jer. 3: 17), or as here, “The
city of the great King” (ver. 2),
“The city of Jehovah of Hosts” and
“the city of our God” (ver. 8).
It is the presence
of the Lord that will make
* See also Isa. 12: 6; Zeph. 3: 15-17.
These predictions are quite literal.
Effect of Messiah’s Greatness.
Having mentioned that God is in the midst of the city for a
refuge, the Psalmist next gives a striking description of the effect
God’s presence has on the hostile forces that come up against her.
The kings assembled themselves,
They passed by together,
They saw it so they were amazed,
They were dismayed, they hasted away,
Trembling took hold on them there,
Pangs as of a woman
in travail.
As the Egyptians of old they will say, “Let us flee from the face of
A still more remarkable prophecy is found in Jeremiah 33. 16, where the name of Jehovah Tsidkenu,
“The Lord our righteousness,” is
given to
Verse 9 gives us a picture of the strangers from afar standing in the
temple and devoutly meditating on God’s loving
kindness. It is not only the grandeur of
the place that engages their thoughts but also God’s tender mercies to
Israel and the world, that are
so strikingly exhibited before them, and after all is there not a beauty in
holiness that is real and enduring?
Messiah’s Influence and
Dominion.
Christ’s fame will reach to the uttermost parts of the
world and wherever His name will be mentioned He will be worshipped and adored,
“As thy name O God so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth” (ver. 10).
“His dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the river unto the
ends of the earth” (Zech. 9: 10), and
everywhere men will acknowledge the justice of His [millennial] rule, “Thy right hand
is full of righteousness.”
In
Solomon’s wise sentence concerning the mother and child
called forth the admiration of a satisfied people, but the righteous judgment of Christ will call forth the adoring wonder of
the whole world: it will especially cause joy and gladness to the sons and
daughters of Judah, for to them it will mean emancipation, safety and peace,
and a thousand other national and spiritual blessings.
In verses 12 and 13, the friends of Zion are bidden to walk around
the city, and to note well its strength and its beauty, that they may be able
to record to generations following that all this was done for them by their
God; for the greatness of the people and splendour of the land will show forth the magnificence of Christ, Who will be
the cause of it all.
“This
God is our God, for ever and ever”
(ver. 14). This is first an
avowal of their faith; He, Whom they have for so long despised and rejected, is
now acknowledged to be their God, for ever and ever.
Secondly, it is a claim of an intimate relationship with God, OUR GOD, with all that that can mean to
a person or a people.
Thirdly, it is a glorying in God, not in their own wisdom, or
strength, or riches, but in understanding and knowing God, Who exercises loving
kindness, judgment and righteousness in
the earth (Jer.
9: 23, 24).
Fourthly, it is a holy resolution that by His grace, God shall
be their God for ever and ever; and an expression of trust that He Who has done
so much for them in the past, will continue to guide them to the end and will
give them the victory over death.
-------
* * * * * * *
PART II
THE GOLDEN AGE
INTRODUCTION
“And he [Jesus
of
“And he said unto them, Why
are ye troubled? And why do reasonings arise in
your heart? …
“And he said unto them, These
are my words which I spake unto you, while I was
yet with you, how that all things must needs be fulfilled, which
are written in the law of Moses, and the
prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their mind that they might understand the scriptures…:” (Luke 24: 25-27, 38, 44-45, R.V.).
-------
Clement (96 A.D., Bishop of Rome, mentioned
in Phil. 4: 3 -
“Let us
every hour expect the
Polycarp (108 A. D.),
Bishop of Smyrna, the pupil of John the
apostle who leaned upon Jesus’ breast -
“He will rise us from the dead
… we shall … reign with Him.”
Ignatius (108 A. D.) Bishop of Antioch, whom the historian
Eusebius says was the
Apostle Peter’s successor - “Consider the times and expect
Him.”
Papias (116 A. D.), Bishop of Hierapolis,
whom Irenaeus said saw and heard John -
“There will
be one thousand years … when the
reign of Christ personally will be established on earth.”
Justin Martyr (150 A. D.) -
“I and all
others who are orthodox Christians, on
all points,
know there will be … a
thousand years in
Irenaeus (175 A. D.), Bishop of Lyons,
companion of Polycarp, John’s pupil,
commenting of Jesus’ promise to drink
again of the fruit of the vine in His Father’s Kingdom argues -
“That this … can
only be fulfilled upon our Lord’s personal return on earth.”
Tertullian (200 A. D.), -
“We do
indeed confess that a Kingdom is promised on earth.”
Nepos (262 A. D.),
Bishop of Egypt, proclaimed the second coming and millennial kingdom.
His writings reveal that Dionysius,
opposing the second coming, declared that John never wrote Revelation
and that the book could not be
understood. Opponents of second
coming truth
have continued this argument until today
and still so argue.
Lactantius (300 A. D.) –
“The righteous dead … and reign with
them on earth … for a
thousand years.”
In 325 A. D., bishops from all parts
of the earth, gathered at
Nicea, declared -
“We
expect a new heaven and earth … at the appearing of the great God and our Lord Jesus Christ,
and then, as Daniel says, the saints of the Most High shall take the
Kingdom.”
Historical
writers bear witness of
the early church’s belief in Jesus’ return to and reign upon the earth.
Eusebius admits that the most of the ecclesiastics of his day
believed in Christ’s coming before the millennium.
Giesseler, “Church
History,” vol. 1, p. 166 -
“Millenarianism became the general belief of the time.”
Dr. Bonar in “Prophetic
Land-Marks” writes -
“Millenarianism prevailed universally during the
first three centuries.”
Luther, commenting on John 10: 19
-
“Let us not think that the coming of Christ is far
off.”
Calvin, in the third book of his “Institutes,” chapter 25 -
“Scripture
uniformally enjoins us to look with expectation for the advent of Christ.”
John Knox of
-------
“O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive
That mourns in lonely exile
here,
Until the Son of God
appear,
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O
Israel.
“O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from
Satan’s tyranny;
From depths
of hell [Gk. ‘Hades’] Thy people save,*
And give them
victory o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O
Israel.
“O come,
Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine Advent
here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds
of night,
And death’s dark
shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O
Israel.
“O
come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly
home;
Make safe the way that
leads on high,
And close the path to
misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O
Israel.
“O come, O come, Thou Lord of Might,
Who to Thy tribes on
Sinai’s height,
In ancient times didst give
the law
In cloud and majesty and
awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O
Israel.”
- SELECTED.
[* See NOTE 10 on “Hades.”]
* * *
THE REIGN OF CHRIST
ON [THIS] EARTH
By D. M. PANTON, B.A.
The sudden defection
of so able and godly a teacher as Mr. Phillip Mauro from Millenarian
truth - an abandonment, after decades of conviction, of belief in our
Lord’s thousand summers on earth, and on the grave ground that it is
anti-Scriptural*- is a
sharp challenge to all who hold it.
For if a coming [millennial] Kingdom of God breaking in miraculously upon the
present order is a myth, and a downward plunge of the world to Armageddon an illusion
- as far the larger section of the Church, though not Mr. Mauro, contend; and
the denial of an earthly Reign and the refusal of a physical Advent are two
views which naturally and usually coalesce - the paralysis of all political
and social action which such an error must engender, when every nerve should be
strained so to Christianize the world as to make the Church triumphant, can be
nothing short of an immeasurable disaster, and an error profoundly displeasing
to God. It is a challenge extraordinarly practical and of the first magnitude.
*
For so we understand Mr. Mauro. “As
regards the period given as ‘a thousand
years,’” he says, “we should seek the spiritual and symbolical meaning of the
term” (Patmos Visions, P. 502). In the “new
dispensationalism which contradicts the Word of God,” he places,
as a leading tenet, “that all mankind will enjoy
uninterrupted peace, plenty, and every earthly gratification for a thousand
years” (The Gospel of the Kingdom, P. 215). Earth is destroyed in the moment of the
Advent (Ib. P. 207). The
Great Tribulation is past,
THE KINGDOM
Now
to Daniel it was given supremely to see and foretell the crumpling up of all
earthly empire in the inauguration of the
EARTHLY EMPIRE
Now
the origin and nature of this Kingdom, as revealed by Daniel, could not be more
sharply defined. Our Lord said :- “My kingdom is not from
hence” (John 18: 36): so
here, a Kingdom in the form of a descending Stone, hewn by no earthly hands, is
launched like a torpedo from an aeroplane.
It is “the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven
with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance” (2 Thess. 1: 7).* It is exclusively a kingdom from on high: its abrupt
collision with world-powers is no gradual permeation, but sharp military
overthrow: the vacuum it creates, it fills - therefore the Kingdom is as
literal and earthly as the kingdoms which it supplants: it is earth’s
final royalty imperishable, unchanging, divine. It reigns in the sense they reigned. Mineral replaces mineral. Imagery is a falsehood, and language is
meaningless, if the Smashing Stone is not a catastropic Advent, followed by a
literal Empire. “Behold there came with
the clouds of heaven one like unto the son of man; and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, THAT ALL THE PEOPLES, NATIONS, AND LANGUAGES SHOULD SERVE HIM” (Dan. 7: 13).
*
Protestant controversialists on the Temporal Power constantly misquote our
Lord. Jesus said:- “My kingdom is not from (ek) this
world”: He never said:- “My kingdom
is not of this world.” The Stone descends from heaven, but it
is earth which it fills.
THE NATIONS
So our Lord shows us the actual descent of the Stone:-
“When the
Son of Man shall come in his glory” - that is, as He has already once been on earth, on the Mount of
Transfiguration - “and all the angels with him,
then shall he sit on the throne of his glory:
and before him shall be gathered all the nations”
(Matt. 25: 31). It is manifest from the thronging Angels
that it is the descent of the Lord at the Second Advent, which the Saviour had
just indicated:- “then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and they shall see the Son of Man coming
on the clouds of heaven with power and with great glory” (Matt. 24: 30). It is a judgment of ‘nations’ - therefore not of the dead, among whom there are no
nations; as the final judgment is of the dead alone (Rev. 20: 2), so this judgment is of the living alone;
resurrection is never once named; and it is pre-millennial, for the Judge says,
- “Come ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom”
(Matt. 25: 34). Finally conclusive are our
Saviour’s word to the Apostles: - “I appoint unto you a kingdom; and ye shall sit on
thrones JUDGING THE TWELVE TRIBES OF
RESURRECTION
So
now we arrive at the Kingdom itself as revealed in a passage the peculiar value
of which lies in its unique revelation of the Kingdom’s duration. “And I saw thrones, and they
sat upon them, and they lived”- that is, [returned
from ‘Hades’ - the place of the dead
‘in the heart of the earth’ (Acts 2:
31, 34; Matt. 12: 40, R.V.)] came to life, they ceased to be the dead
- “and REIGNED
with Christ” - whose literal
return to earth has been recorded in the preceding chapter - “A THOUSAND YEARS: this is the first resurrection” (Rev. 20: 4). It has been universally presumed, with
almost unbroken unanimity, that the dead who stand, at the close of the
Thousand Years, before the Great White Throne (Rev. 20: 11) are a
resurrection: the conclusion therefore is inexorable that the first
resurrection, preceding it, and ushering in the Thousand Years, is no less
literal. “The thousand years are
mentioned not less than six times: this intentional, emphatic repetition shows
that real importance is attached to the number” (Hengstenberg). The Kingdom, as Dr. Lange says,
is “an
aeon, and specifically the transition-aeon between this present world and the
world to come.” It is peculiarly and exclusively the
Kingdom of the Messiah, and so it is four times named in the Apocalypse as the
Kingdom of “the Christ”. For “he that overcometh,” Jesus promises, “I will give to him
to sit down with me in My throne, as I also
overcame, and sat down with my Father in his
throne” (Rev. 3: 21): two
distinct thrones; the Lord being now seated on
His Father’s, but then on His own:
while the Throne of Eternity, beyond, is the joint “throne of God and the
Lamb”.* And most
startlingly is the nature of the Kingdom depicted, not as a permeating leaven,
or a mystical rule, but as a smashing enforcement of righteousness; for “he that overcometh, to him will I give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are BROKEN TO SHIVERS”
(Rev. 2: 26).
* Since no man can share the present Throne
of God, and equally no man can share the eternal Throne of
God and the Lamb, the Throne to which Christ invites fellow-occupants, and
which He makes dependent on overcoming grace, can only be the Millennial.
FALSE PROPHECY
For
the grave truth is that golden
predictions of earth’s future, apart from the physical Advent [of our Lord Jesus Christ], are not merely a denial of God’s forecasts, but, actually constituting
false prophecy, reveal an attitude of acute danger. For if
the world is to be conquered for Christ by the Church, the spending of all our
energies on the Gospel alone when God meant those energies to reform the world
is a wrenching of Niagara from its bed in a gigantic miscarriage; but, on the
other hand, if earth’s iniquity is heading it for Armageddon, and only
the catastrophic miracle of the Advent can save the world, the situation is
exactly reversed. It must be one or
the other. For what would a
cheerful optimism in man’s future have betrayed while the
*
It is of the utmost gravity that far the
major portion of the truly regenerate are thus denying the [millennial] Kingdom as revealed by the Scriptures. The [regenerate] believer who shares in a measure of the world’s
unbeliel must share in an exactly commensurate measure of the world’s
judgment. All of
THE PRIZE OF OUR CALLING
So
the closer that the great event approaches, the more urgent and crucial becomes
the problem of the co-kings of the Christ.
Dr. E. R. Craven gives the conflicting solutions of the problem
that are offered:- “Some hold that they are all the saints; others that they are
only the martyrs; others still, that they are the specially faithful, including
the martyrs.” With such scholars as Lange and Stier;
such students of prophecy as Govett and Pember; such saintly souls
as Fletcher of Madeley, and Robert Chapman; such God-used
missionaries as Hudson Taylor, and evangelists as Paul Rader:- we
share the profound conviction that in the third solution all Scriptures fit as
cogs into a wheel. It is extremely
suggestive that the main objections to a literal Thousand Years Dr. Barnes
finds in the assumption that all the saints reign with Christ. He says:- “(1) Every other description of the resurrection and glory of the
saints as such catholic in its character, while this is limited:
(2) none but the wicked would
remain to be judged in the last judgment, which is inconsistent with the
implication of the opening of the Book of Life: (3) to tell us that saints risen from the dead, and reigning in
glorified bodies with Christ, are holy, seems to me very
superfluous.” These
difficulties die at once under the third solution. The overwhelming predominance of the
martyrs - they compose three out of the four classes named - makes it virtually impossible to suppose
that the Kingdom is shared by all believers, irrespective of suffering or
fidelity, and obviously implies that it is the epoch of recompense for fiery
trial; while the beatitude - “blessed and holy is he that hath part in the
first resurrection” -
carefully indualizes the reward, and
isolates the victor in a peculiar
sanctity, and devotes him to an
appropriate joy.
* * *
The Glorious Appearing
And Millennial Reign*
By SYDNEY W. WHITE
[*
This message was given at a Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony Conference on March 27th, 1930.]
History has revealed the absolute inefficiency
and insufficiency of human rule.
Popes and priests, princes and politicians each have illustrated this
fact. Are we not seeing on every
hand that neither dictators nor democracies have the ability to rule
aright? They strive for power, but
when power is placed within their hands they become drunken
with it and only disaster follows.
They pay lip service to universal peace, yet continue to forge their
weapons of war.
We were very much interested in reading, some little while
ago, words that were uttered by the late French President, in which he stated
that he had lived to see the desire of his life, he had lived to see that which
he had preached, brought to fruition.
He had lived to see democracy in the saddle. Yet he said ‘I am a
disappointed man.’ Why? Because he could see that democracy does
not know how to rule. But blessed
be God, we know
There
is One Coming Whose Right it is to Reign.
“He is King of kings and Lord of lords.”
And at the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue
confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father (see Philippians 2: 10-11). We bless God for the truth contained
in the hymn we often sing and yet do not realise the true inwardness of the
writer’s words -
‘Jesus
shall reign where’er
the sun
doth his successive journeys
run.’
The failure of man to rule is evident, and is preparing the
way for the coming of the King, preceded as that will be, by the reign of
Antichrist, the Devil’s king, “whose coming is after the
working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2: 9).
The coming of the Lord will be before the millennium. Read again those words contained in Revelation 20: 1-6, “And I saw an
angel come down from heaven, having the key of
the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the
dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a
seal upon him, that he should deceive the
nations no more, till the thousand years should
be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a
little season. And I saw thrones, and they that 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 which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received
his mark upon their
foreheads, or in their hands: and they lived and reigned with Christ a
thousand years. But the rest of the
dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in
the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be
priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
Take this in conjunction with 1 Corinthians 15: 22-28, “For as in Adam
all die, even so
in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits;
afterward they that are Christ’s
at His coming. Then cometh the end, when He shall have delivered
up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and
power.
For He must
reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed
is death. For He hath put all
things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put
under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all
things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto
Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject
unto Him that put all things under Him, that God
may be all in all.’
This read in connection with Acts 3: 19-21 gives us to see very clearly that the coming of our Lord is prior to the
millennium. “Repent
ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of
refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you; Whom 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.”
The great purpose of God in the dispensation of the fullness
of times is that He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him and the restitution of
all things. The words of Peter just
quoted direct us to the consideration of
the Old Testament Scriptures, because he tells us that “the
times of restitution of all things” God hath spoken about “by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began.”
Now in searching these prophecies two things have astonished
us - (1) the multitude of references
to the blessings in store for this sin-stricken earth, and (2) the loose way in which many preachers
handle these prophecies: appropriating all the blessings to the Church and
relegating all the curses to Israel, overlooking the fact that primarily and
prophetically, they belong to God’s ancient people.
We readily admit that there is a spiritual application, but as
preachers, we should be very careful to first point out the primary and
prophetical meaning.
Look at Psalm 46 - often called Luther’s Psalm because it was a means of great
comfort and blessing to the great reformer. And it has been to myriads of
God’s tried children. But we
feel as we read the Psalm in the light of other prophecies that here is
presented to us a wonderful picture of the times of restitution. “The LORD of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works
of the LORD, what desolations He hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the
earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; He burneth the chariot in the fire.’
His
Coming is with Power and Great Glory
His first advent was in shame, suffering and humility. His second advent will be sudden,
startling, signalled, seen! He
shall come and be invested with power.
Psalm
2 speaks to us very
clearly of this glorious event. “Why do the heathen rage, and the people
imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His
anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth
in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have
them in derision. Then
shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex
them in His sore displeasure. Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion. I will declare
the decree; the LORD hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son, this day
have I begotten Thee. Ask
of Me,
and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost
parts of the earth for Thy possession.”
We find that the Apostle Paul describes the coming of Christ
as of the coming of a great and mighty potentate - “Which
in His times He shall shew, Who
is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of
kings, and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6: 15).
He
Shall Reign in Person
There are many who assent to the
doctrine of the second advent, but who dissent when it is asserted that He is
to reign on the earth. They in effect say,
“Will God in very deed reign
on the earth?” Do you remember the question
that Pilate put to our blessed Lord at His trial? – “Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I
born, and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness to the truth” (John 18: 37).
We believe that in the new [restored, sin-cursed] creation* He reigns and dwells among men; we
know that “in the days of His flesh” He moved amongst men; then why not
during the period of the millennium?
We know that He reigns now as Prophet, Priest, and King over His Church
and people. We know that “all
power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth.” He rules despite the awful powers of
darkness that are abroad. Unseen,
silent, He rules and over-rules in the affairs of men, but the day is drawing near when He is to reign on the earth.
[* See Gen. 3: 17, 18; Rom. 8: 19-22; 2 Pet. 3: 8.]
Does not the prayer of the dying thief have some reference to
that time? “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom”
(Luke 23: 42).
In all probability he had heard the Lord Jesus Christ preach about that
time [after His resurrection out from
amongst the dead] when He should come to reign. We feel that the Lord gave him more than he prayed for, “And
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with Me in paradise’ (Luke
23: 43).*
[* Note.
The ‘paradise’ mentioned
here, is not the ‘paradise of God’ after
the time of Resurrection.
He most certainly did receive ‘more
than he prayed for’; immediately after the time of death in the
‘bosom of Abraham,’ (Luke 16: 23, 31)!
That is where Jesus said he would be on that ‘day’ Acts 2: 27: and that is where he presently is after
judgment (Heb. 9:
27), awaiting the
time of his resurrection. (Rev.
6: 9-11. cf. Heb. 11: 40; Acts 2: 34).]
Yes, He will reign in Person!
“Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no
end, upon
the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish
it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this”
(Isaiah 9: 7).
Thus wrote Isaiah, the evangelical prophet, concerning the first and
second advents.
It will be a Reign of Peace
We cannot but rejoice in the desire that is manifest among the
nations of men for international peace, but we feel that that great object is
not going to be accomplished by Leagues of Nations, Peace Pacts, nor by Naval
Conferences. What is gained by
scrapping obsolete war weapons, when the more terrible arms of defence and offence
are left untouched? Peace will not
be procured or perpetuated by compacts or contracts entered into by statesmen,
for, after all, when testing time comes, when the passions of men are stirred,
or the lust for power predominates, they prove to be but scraps of paper. Indeed, we sometimes think that these
very things just lull men into a false sense of security; a resting in a false
peace.
The peace that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will bring
when He comes will be a lasting peace, “He shall judge among the
nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Isaiah 2: 4). “The wolf
also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard
shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and
the young lion and the fatling together; and a
little child shall lead them” (Isaiah
11: 6). The
millennial reign will be a reign of universal peace.
It
will be a Reign of Prosperity
The nations of men today are face to face with great financial
problems. Economically, not only
“Behold, I create
It may be said, ‘That refers only to
It
will be a Reign of Power
One writer has very beautifully said “God in
the purposes of His love and grace, with steady steps has been marching through
the ages, working His counsel, doing His will, which shall be brought to a
glorious fruition in the restitution of all things.”
The sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow both have
their scene upon the earth. He was despised and rejected of men but
He comes back with power. That power is manifest now in the regeneration of the soul;
then in the regeneration of the body by resurrection, and the regeneration of the earth by regenesis. These
three - the regeneration of the soul, the regeneration of the body [being then reunited to the soul*], and the regenesis of
the earth - cover the whole purpose of God in grace, government and glory.
[* NOTE. This Biblical doctrine of the
Intermediate place and state of the soul
in ‘Hades,’ immediately after
the time of Death, which Christ and His apostles taught; has now, over a period
of time, been carelessly cast aside and replaced by the vast majority of
Christians with a false, religious, traditional belief! We cannot ascend into Heaven without a
glorified, immortal body: and that cannot come to pass until the return of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to resurrect the holy dead and establish His millennial
Kingdom: (1 Thess.
4: 16; Rev. 20: 4; Rom. 8: 23,
R.V.). See also Matt. 12: 40; 16: 18; Luke 16: 22-31; 23: 42, 43; Rev. 5: 9-11. cf.
Heb. 11: 13, 35, 40.]
In the reign of Christ upon earth that power will be
abundantly manifest. Satan will be
bound. There will be a universal
outpouring of the [Holy] Spirit. There will be the
great Hallelujah Chorus resounding from pole to pole. “Alleluiah, for the Lord
God Omnipotent reigneth” (Revelation
19: 6).
It
will be a Reign of Partnership
What will be the place and position of the Church [of the firstborn (see Heb. 12: 14-17)] during
the millennium? She will not be
excluded from sharing in the blessings thereof. Neither will they be hers exclusively,
as some have thought. Let us rejoice in the fact that we shall live and reign
with Him. Just as the angels have
been ministering spirits to those who shall be heirs of salvation and
have come to and fro doing His will, so we can conceive that the Church will
have her part - the glorified saints will travel to and fro upon the
King’s business. What
wonderful feelings will fill the souls of the martyrs of Jesus as they re-visit
the place of their martyrdoms.
When Jesus comes, He shall walk in the streets of
* * *
I have chosen
to conclude our studies on the Millennial Reign of Messiah Jesus, by presenting
the writings of various authors on a few of the Messianic Psalms.
1
AN EXPOSITION OF PSALM 2
By
J.B.
TRANSLATOR OF “THE EMPHASISED
BIBLE.”
-------
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE. - The
Messiah’s Reign in Zion Assured.
ANALYSIS. – Strophe*
[* Dictionary Definition of ‘Strophe:
“strof’e, n. in the
ancient drama, the song sung by the chorus while dancing towards one side of
the orchestra,
to which its reverse, the antistrophe, answers. –
adj. Strophic.”]
1 Wherefore have nations consented together?a
or should peoples keep muttering an empty thing?
2 The kings of
earth take their stand,
and grave men
have sat in conclave together,b
against Jehovah and against his
Anointed One:-
3 “Let us
tear apart their bands,
and cast away from us their cords!c
4 One enthroned
in the heavens will laugh,
my Sovereign Lord will mock at
them;
5 Then will he speak to them in his anger,
and in his wrath
will dismay them:-
6 Yet I have installed my king
on Ziond
my holy mountain,e
let him tell my decree!”f
7 “Jehovah
said to me:-
‘My Son art
thou,
I to-day
have begotten thee:
8 Ask of me, and let me give -
nations as thine inheritance,
and as thy
possession the ends of the earth;
9 Thou shalt shepherdg them with a sceptre of iron,h
as a potter’s-vessel shalt thou
dash them in pieces.’”
10 Now, therefore
ye kings, show your
prudence,
be admonished, ye judges of earth:
11 Serve ye Jehovah with reverence,
and exult with trembling:
12 Kiss the Son, lest he
be angry,
and ye perish on the way;
for soon might be kindled his
anger.
How happy are all who
take refuge in Him!
-------
a. “So most probably from meaning of Heb. stem and context;
‘rage’ – A.V., R.V., J.P.S.V., - ‘rage furiously’ –
P.B.V.,
‘tumultuously assemble’ – R.V.,
Kirk., and so variously, most moderns, are not sustained by text or context” – Briggs.
b. “It is a general rebellion against Jahve and His Anointed”
– Delitzsch
c. “They are, therefore, at the time of their rebellion subjects
of Jahve and His Anointed” – Delitzsch
d. “
and rule thence (110: 2)” – Delitzsch.
e. “What is meant is the rising ground of the City of
f Thus, by two minute changes: by virtue of wh. This line is moved up from Str.
III. to Str. II., giving it
the position assigned to it in Septuagint;
“decree of Jehovah” is resolved into “my
decree,” the yod “my” having,
it is assumed, been mistakenly recorded as the well-known abbreviation for
“Jehovah”: thus clearing the sense,
equalising the strophes, and effectively introducing Messiah’s
declaration.
g. So Delitzsch
with strong defence. Others:
“worship sincerely” (more literally
“kiss purely”): but distinctly less
satisfying to the context.
h. Cp. Rev. 12: 5; 19: 15.
-------
EXPOSITION
This
psalm is obviously and confessedly Messianic. The word messiah of course means
“anointed” - whether applied to
David, Hezekiah, or Jesus of Nazareth.
On what level this psalm is Messianic, ether on the lower or the higher
level, remains to be seen; but Messianic it is, on its surface and down into
its deepest depths. To ascertain
its scope it must be carefully and correctly interpreted; and this at once
raises the whole question of the Interpretation of Prophecy in general, and the
exegesis of Messianic Prophecy in particular.
It is here assumed that much Scripture prophecy is typical,
and therefore indirect; that is to
say, that it first points to a type as foreshadowing some person or thing
greater than itself. But it is not here assumed that there is no such
thing as direct prediction, going
straight to its mark without the intervention of a type: we do not know that
and must not take it for granted.
To apply these principles to this first Messianic psalm: let
us by all means give preference to the supposition that this psalm is typically
prophetic; and see whether that hypothesis will carry us satisfactorily
through the whole psalm, doing justice to all its leading statements:
statements in any case poetical, but not necessarily extravagant, - save, it
may be, apparently so, when intended to go beyond the type to the antitype.
Now the most striking thing in this psalm is the concerted
opposition of certain enemies to Jehovah and his Anointed one; and, next to that, the unique way in which that opposition is
overthrown - by counter Divine Proclamation. Who is Jehovah’s Anointed
One? Is it David, or Hezekiah, or
Jesus of Nazareth? Whoever he is,
Divine Sonship as well as Messiahship is attributed to him. Whoever he is, his destiny includes the
dominion of the world.
Doubtless, David in his time and degree was Jehovah’s
Anointed One; but will the language of the psalm, as a whole, apply to him and
find reasonable satisfaction in him?
Or, if not in him, then in Hezekiah, or in both
combined? But if the two combined -
with any other scion of the royal house added to them - still fail to satisfy
the outlook of the psalm, - then on what principle are we to be restrained from
applying to Jesus of Nazareth the whole psalm, provided we can fairly show that
it has been, or is now being, or will certainly yet be exhaustively fulfilled
in him?
In point of fact, these two famous
Hebrew monarchs do fit the terms of the psalm remarkably well - up to a point;
and then completely fail to satisfy them.
Both David and Hezekiah were triumphantly enthroned in
But, with all this frankly admitted, it must be maintained
that these and other incidents in the Davidic House are simply beggared by the
language of the psalm. It is
questionable whether the opening scene of the psalm found more than a partial
realisation in either of the lives we have so far been considering; but, in any
case, neither David nor Hezekiah asked and received universal dominion - which, however, is writ large on the psalm, and cannot be erased by any legitimate
plea of poetic licence. Besides, we
shall probably do well to guard against bulking out and hardening the type in
order to make it as large as the language, fairly interpreted, appears to
indicate: in other words we must beware of assuming that the Spirit of Prophecy
could not easily carry away the psalmist’s mind far beyond any type that
was within range of his vision. Let
us use types as helps and not as hindrances. We need have no craving to add to
the letters of the typical alphabet; but the free Spirit of God may well be
expected sometimes to combine those letters in unprecedented forms, and so
spell out revelations which have never before been divulged.
If these things are so, then we must beware of inferring that
because a clearly foretold event did not happen in the type, therefore it will
not be fulfilled in the antitype; or that, seeing it is attenuated to mere
shadow in the type, therefore it has no further significance. For example, the appearance of the
semblance of a New Birth which we have detected in the life of David, and the
still more striking resemblance of a New Birth easily seen in the sickness and
recovery of Hezekiah, should not blind us to the comparative feebleness of the
fulfilment on either of these lines.
David himself was not declared Jehovah’s Son by Nathan the
prophet: neither did David, that we know of, ever say
to Jehovah, in the gushing tide of the spirit of adoption, “Abba! Father!” It was, indeed, foretold that he should
so address the Most High (89: 26); but we have no record that he ever actually
did so. In like manner, there are
circumstances which obviously enfeeble the fulfilment of the psalm in Hezekiah,
who, for example, was Jehovah’s king in Zion for years before he passed
under the shadow of death and resurrection; and who greatly as he loved
Jehovah, - as he had much reason to love him, - yet never ventured to call him
his Father, so far as the records show.
To go back from the centre of the psalm to its beginning, and
remarking that it opens with the unmasking of a conspiracy between kings and
nations against Jehovah and his Anointed, - why should we close our eyes to the
plain fact, that the Assyrian invasion was not such a conspiracy, but merely
one of the ordinary doings of an Oriental despot? Then, turning in the other direction
from the centre of the psalm, and glancing forward to the iron sceptre that was
to dash enemies to pieces like
potters’ vessels, - ought we not to be quite sure of our ground
before - even under guise of high-flown poetry - we conclude such absoluteness
of rule to have been here encouraged in either David or Hezekiah?
On all hands, then, we see abounding indications that a Greater
than either David or Hezekiah is here.
And therefore we point with confidence to that Greater One as the Hero
of this psalm. The conspiracy of
the Nations - though it may have been often attempted - has not yet been
brought to a head; and, although the Heir to the Throne has appeared, and been
saluted as Divine Son on the day of his literal Resurrection (Acts 13: 30, 32), yet has he not at present been installed on
Jehovah’s holy mount of
We are indebted to Delitzsch for
calling attention to the obvious but much overlooked circumstance,
that those kings and counsellors who are discovered in rebellion when
the psalm opens, have already come under obligation to Jehovah and to his
Anointed One. They are already
under the restraints of duty to Jehovah and to his Christ; since it is under
those restraints that they turn restive, against those restraints that they
rebel.
There is food for thought here. Indeed, we are so impressed with the
possibility of framing out of this element in the psalm an eirenicon which may be welcomed by expositors who
have differed among themselves as to the character and incidence of the
Messiah’s predicted [millennial] kingdom, that we pause here
just long enough to remind ourselves that, although Prophecy (if it have any
definiteness in its inception) cannot need to await fulfilment before it takes
on a reliable meaning, yet may most naturally and legitimately assume a clearer
and yet clearer intention as fulfilment advances.
To apply this thought: It follows that, if Jesus of Nazareth
is the Anointed One of this psalm; and if the day of his resurrection was the
day of his being begotten to the Heirship of the Davidic dynasty; then it may
be reasonably anticipated that, whether fulfilment has lingered or has greatly
advanced since Jesus rose from the dead, - at least we ought to begin to see
our way more and more clearly as to how to interpret the Messianic Prophecies
as a class.
It is just at this point that Delitzsch’s simple and
obvious reminder flashes like a beacon-light across the troubled waters of
Messianic Interpretation. The
movements of our labouring oar are facilitated by the following encouraging
considerations:- Since this psalm was written (a)
other similar ones have been penned, such as – notably - that strictly
cognate psalm, the 110th.,
which may be expected to throw light on this; (b) a part fulfilment of this
psalm has confessedly been witnessed in the Messiah’s Resurrection, and
in the broad facts consequent on that outstanding event, such as his ascension
to the right hand of God. (c) The
notorious negative fact arrests our attention, that no
one imagines that the Risen Messiah is now in any special sense reigning in and
from
(a) The very first helpful suggestion actually comes from Ps. 110. There we discover a link missing from
this second psalm - that is, if we have but opened our eyes to miss it
here. Clear as a sunbeam, it is
written in Ps. 2 that Jehovah’s
derision of the rebels there revealed simply consists in the announcement of an
accomplished fact; which accomplished fact constitutes such a counter-movement
to the conspiracy as to reduce it to ridicule - that, in a word, is how
Jehovah in heaven laughs at this
conspiracy: he has already taken a step which nullifies all the counsels of the
grave men, all the stand of kings, all the gathering of the nations; he has
already installed his King on Zion his holy mountain! The implication is: That Zion’s
King will make decisive work with the conspirators! And the further implication is: That the
rebels little dreamed how Heaven was prepared to deride their plot. And yet all the while, beforehand, these
selfsame conspirators had been bound by the bands and cords of
obligation to Jehovah and his Anointed One! How can this be explained?
Quite easily - taking Ps. 110 as our
guide. It will be seen from our Exposition of
that psalm, that we conclude its natural meaning to be, that the elevation of
the Messiah to Jehovah’s right hand in heaven out of the midst of his
enemies, and his session above, run on until he descends to his centre of
subduing activity on
All of which presents the current proclamation of the Gospel
in a light which, if not new, is more widely illuminative than it has been
deemed heretofore. It thus appears
that the appointed current proclamation of “the
Gospel of the Kingdom” of which we read in Mt. 24: 14, not only serves as a testimony that
earth’s rightful King is coming, but by its intrinsic force, as news of
salvation to men, binds kings, senators and nations with “bonds” and “cords”
from which they can by no means escape.
Men may hear the Gospel or they may forbear; but they can never be quite
the same as if they had not heard it.
These kings and nations must have heard the Gospel; they must have heard
the story of Crucified Love and of Death-Vanquishing Power; and been admonished
to amend their ways, and their laws
- to reign in righteousness - to undo heavy burdens - to educate their
subjects for the Immortal Life. As
the result of Antichrist’s seductions, however, they grow tired of these
restraints, and they rebel. The
conspiracy into which they enter comes to a head before the Divine Installation of a King in
The discerning will not fail to perceive how essential a part
is played in the above interpretation by the assumption that, in the Psalms,
Zion means Zion - the earthly Zion, a part of and frequently synonymous with
the historical city Jerusalem.
It is on the strength of this assumption that, in the second psalm, it
could be supposed that the same rebels as were aware of the Messiah’s
heavenly reign on the throne of the Father, and so had come under allegiance to
Jehovah and his Anointed, - in that sense and to that degree, - were at the
same time and up to that moment unaware that Jehovah had now recently installed
his Christ on his holy hill of Zion.
It is the absolute difference between the two enthronements which
renders it possible for men to have been rendering nominal homage to the one,
and yet be in absolute ignorance of the other. It is the sudden announcement of the
earthly enthronement, which renders their conspiracy an object of Divine
derision. Accustomed to do as they
pleased in governing or mis-governing their subjects,
fearless of eternal [and millennial] issues to be tried before an invisible throne, they are suddenly confronted
by a counter Divine movement, evidently and utterly subversive of their
rebellious schemes, with the prospect of their being called to account by this
newly installed monarch who wields an iron sceptre and holds a commission where
necessary to dash his enemies in pieces like a potter’s vessel. In like manner, the same assumption -
that
Under these circumstances, it is manifestly desirable that
each reader should confront this question, for himself,
and if possible once for all settle it: - Is the
[* Anti-millennialists take note: To interpret differently, will undermine
and misinterpret the prophetic teachings of Messiah Himself, and those of
His Apostles and Prophets: (Lk.
22: 28-30. cf. Isa. 56:
7; Mk. 11: 17; Rev. 3: 21, etc.)!]
It will conduce, to perfect fairness of exegesis, and at the same
time lead on to a becoming conclusion to our present study, to call attention
to an attractive hortatory element in this psalm which it would be a misfortune
to overlook. There is a gracious,
subduing light which falls back on the earlier portions of the psalm from the
closing strophe, in which the poet is led to fill the part of a kindly
monitor. In the opening verses the
mutterings of enemies are heard; then comes Jehovah’s
counter-proclamation in tones of thunder, alarming in the last degree; the terror
naturally caused by such a warning of wrath is seen to be abundantly justified
when the Son rehearses his commission, which includes stern rule, in some cases
at least issuing in utter destruction. Now, although it would be a very hasty
exegesis to infer that none of the Son’s enemies will relent, or
relenting and suing for mercy will notwithstanding be destroyed; yet it is most
acceptable to perceive in the poet’s mind a yearning for the [future]* salvation of those who have been seen
in imminent danger of rushing on to ruin.
For that is clearly the spirit at work in the entire conclusion of
the psalm; and when the peculiar perils of kings and senators are remembered -
with few or none above them to represent and enforce Divine claims - it is
especially grateful to us to recognise the wooing note which is directly
addressed to them, entreating them to show prudence and accept of
admonition. It reminds us of our
own Scripture which assures us that God willeth all men to be saved - even
though they are such as are “in eminent station,”
wielding authority over us. But the Divine Father is, as our own Scriptures
assure us, jealous of any withholding of worshipful honour from the Son of his
Love; and we are therefore predisposed to value at its highest rendering the
pointed appeal of Jehovah that such honour be accorded; and, moreover, to
interpret the wrath looming against such as withhold it as the
Father’s wrath; and the refuge into which they are pronounced happy who flee
as the refuge which, according to the whole tenor of the Psalms, Jehovah is
ready to become to all who seek refuge in Him.
[* See
1 Pet. 1:
5, 9,
R.V.)]
* * *
2
AN EXPOSITION OF PSALM 72
By
E. BENDOR SAMUEL
-------
1 To Solomon.
O God, give Thy
judgments to the King,
And Thy righteousness unto
the King’s son.
2 He shall rule Thy people
with righteousness,
And Thine afflicted ones
with judgment.
3 The mountains shall bear
peace to the people,
And the hills by
righteousness.
4 He shall judge the
afflicted of the people,
He shall save the children
of the needy, and crush the oppressor.
5 They shall fear Thee with
the sun,
And before the moon, throughout
all generations.
6 He shall descend like rain
upon the mown grass,
As showers falling heavily
upon the earth.
7 In His days shall the
righteous flourish,
And abundance of peace till
the moon be no more.
8 He shall also have dominion
from sea to sea,
And from
the river to the ends of the earth.
9 The inhabitants of the desert
shall kneel before Him,
And His enemies shall lick
the dust.
10 The kings of Tarshish and
of the isles shall bring presents,
The kings of
11 Yea, all kings
shall worship Him,
All nations shall serve Him.
12 For He shall deliver the
needy when he crieth,
And the afflicted who have
no helper.
13 He shall have compassion on
the poor and needy,
And shall save the souls of
the needy.*
14 He shall redeem their soul
from oppression and violence,
And their blood shall be precious
in His sight.
15 And He shall live, and to Him
shall be given of the gold of
prayer also shall be made for Him
continually,
All the day long shall they
bless Him.
16 There shall be an abundance
of corn in the land on the top of the mountains, the fruit thereof shall shake
like
And the people of the city
shall flourish like the grass of the earth.
17 His name shall endure for
ever;
His name shall be fruitful
before the sun, and they shall bless themselves in Him;
All nations shall call Him
happy.
18 Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of
Israel,
Who only doeth wondrous
things;
19 And blessed be His glorious
name for ever,
And the whole earth shall be
filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.
20 The prayers of David, the son of
Jesse, are ended.
-------
This
Psalm gives us a lovely picture of the golden age, so graphically described by
the inspired prophets, and so ardently desired by the pious Israelites
throughout the ages and which indeed is, even in these days, the happy expectation
of God’s children and the only
hope for our sin-stricken and suffering world. It will be a reign of perfect peace and
harmony, righteousness and goodwill, bringing glory to God and blessing to
mankind.
The Psalmist here unfolds to our view “the splendid vision of a perfect Ruler, Who will be the
champion of the oppressed, and Who will redress all
human wrongs.”
The imagery of this Psalm is taken
from the times of Solomon’s reign, but it will assuredly find a more glorious
fulfilment when the greater than Solomon will sit upon the throne of
David. All Scripture history leads
to Christ, The Rabbinic maxim is correct in saying, “All the prophets only prophesied concerning the days of the Messiah.” He was the theme and object of their predictions, never did they rise to such heights of
rapturous eloquence as when they were describing His glory and greatness.
Historic Parallels
The periods during which Saul, David and Solomon were reigning (each of
them for forty years) especially foreshadowed the times of our Lord. The forty years of Saul’s reign
sets forth
At their request, then, an earthly
king was given them, but his reign ended in a terrible catastrophe upon the
mountains of Gilboa when the Israelites were defeated and Saul and his three
sons were slain; the king falling upon his own sword. Indeed Saul was rejected of God long before that (see 1 Sam. 15: 28; 16: 1). The divinely appointed king
for a great part of the time was persecuted and driven from place to place as
was also our Lord persecuted by the rulers of the people, and had not where to
lay His head. The period of His
rejection ended likewise, in dreadful disaster to the Jews and their rulers.
The forty years of David’s reign
adumbrated the time of our Lord’s conquests. As David slew Goliath so will our Lord
destroy Satan.
As David killed the lion and the bear, so will Christ slay the symbolic
beasts of Rev. 13.
As David defeated the Philistines, so will the Lord Jesus overthrow the forces
of evil that will oppose Him (Zech. 14: 1-5; Rev. 19: 1-21).
It is significant, that of David it is
said he “behaved himself wisely in all his ways” (1 Sam. 18: 5, 14),
and concerning our Lord the prophet wrote, “Behold My Servant shall
deal prudently” or act wisely (Isa. 52: 13).
It is the same expression in the Hebrew.
David, the man after God’s own
heart and the king of His choice was thus made a type and earnest of the
Divine King, Who was to restore the theocracy to
Finally, as all the tribes of Israel came to David pleading
kinship and saying, “Behold, we are thy bone and
thy flesh,”
acknowledging that it was he who had led them out and brought them in, and
anointing him king over the whole nation (2 Sam. 5: 1-3), so once again will that people come to Christ, submit themselves to Him
and acclaim Him Lord and King. “His
enemies shall be clothed with shame and upon Him shall His crown flourish”
(Psa. 132: 18).
Solomon, who was the third king to reign over
The life of Christ was so rich and full, His person so
wonderful and glorious, His attributes so exalted and Divine, His work so manifold
and so important that many types were needed to represent Him adequately. Hence
we have four Gospels giving various viewpoints of His ministry, quite a number
of sacrifices describing the different aspects of His atoning work, etc.
Here, too, David falls far short in portraying the Heavenly
King. His reign was taken up with
subduing
Solomon is called Ish menucha,
a man of rest, in contrast to David who is spoken of as Ish milchamoth,
a man of wars (1 Chron. 28: 3).
In 1 Chron. 22:
9 play is put upon his name, which
means the peaceable. “Shelomo (Solomon) shall be his name,
and Shalom, peace and quietness will I give to
At his birth the Lord sent through Nathan the prophet and
named him jedidiah, “the beloved of Jehovah,”
because Jehovah loved him (2 Sam. 12:
24-5) typifying the Lord Jesus concerning
Whom God testified, “This is My beloved Son in Whom I am
well pleased.”
The Title
The foregoing will now help us better to understand the
contents of this wonderful Psalm, and will throw some light on its title. It is liShelomo,
which may be rendered “to” or
“for Solomon.”* The Hebrew letter “1” here affixed to the name Solomon is the sign
of the dative, and has usually the meaning of “to”
or “for,” though in some of the
Psalms it is translated “of” and
expresses authorship. This is
however, not always the case. See,
for instance, Psalm 39, where this
letter is affixed to three words in the title, lamenatstseack, rendered
“to the chief musician,” liYeduthun “to Jeduthun,” and leDavid “to”
or “of David.” It would, therefore, be in perfect
harmony with grammatical construction to translate liShelomo “to
Solomon,” i. e., either with reference to, or
dedicated to him.** This is the more likely as the word stands here by
itself without any of the usual terms in the titles such as mizmor,
a Psalm, or tephillah, a prayer, etc.
* There is only one other Psalm in the whole collection that has the name
Solomon attached to it (Psa.
127).
** We dismiss as most unlikely that this
Psalm was written at a late date by someone who was seeking to eulogize the
heathen king, Ptolemy Philadelphus, 285 B.C.
The Syriac has it, “A Psalm of
David when he appointed Solomon King.” The Arabic and Septuagint refer it to
Solomon. Rabbi Yitschaki explains it as
being a prayer of David, by the Holy Spirit expecting that Solomon should ask
of God an understanding heart to hear judgment.
This, further, agrees with the fact that there are several
references in this Psalm to historic incidents connected with Solomon, such as
his wise judgment, his extensive and peaceful reign, his receiving gifts from
the Queen of Sheba, etc. Other
parts of the Psalm, however, did not, and could not find fulfilment in any
earthly monarch. Where Solomon
failed Christ will succeed, and the allusions to the life of Solomon serve as
illustrations of the Messiah in Whom all Scripture
finds its highest and completest realisation.
The kingdom depicted in this Psalm goes far beyond that of
Solomon in righteousness and splendour.
It is universal in extent and eternal in duration. As in His Person the Lord Jesus far surpasses
all other beings in glory and greatness so will His [Millennial] kingdom surpass in moral and spiritual
perfections all the kingdoms of the world.
It is of that, surely, that the inspired writers predicted with such joy
and gladness, “God is King over all the earth; ... God reigneth over the nations; God sitteth upon the throne of His holiness.” Again, “The Lord reigneth;
let the earth rejoice, let
the multitude of isles be glad” (47:
7, 8; 97: 1).
When Isaiah caught a vision of it he exclaimed, “The
moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed
when Jehovah of Hosts shall reign in
The strophical divisions of this
Psalm are not very distinct. They
may, however, be arranged as follows:
Messiah’s perfect righteousness
(14).
Messiah’s benign influence (5-7).
Messiah’s universal dominion (8-11).
Messiah’s Divine compassion (12-14).
Messiah’s material and spiritual
prosperity (15-17).
A glorious doxology (18-19).
A gratifying conclusion (20).
Messiah’s Perfect Righteousness
1. “O God, give Thy judgments to the King,
And Thy righteousness unto
the King’s son.”
This is a prayer of faith uttered in the [Holy] Spirit, and as it contains the assurance
of fulfilment it merges itself into prediction throughout the remainder of the
Psalm. The Hebrew word, ten,
translated “give” is the only verb in the Psalm that is in the imperative,
expressing command or entreaty; all the other verbs till the doxology at the
end - some thirty of them - are in the simple future.
Those expositors who only see here the reign of Solomon,
realising that much of the Psalm was not fulfilled to him give to these future
verbs the force of the optative, implying a wish, for otherwise they would not
harmonise with their ideas. For
ourselves, we cannot think that these utterances were mere exaggerated desires
that were never gratified. We may
be doubly sure that our prayers being according to the revealed will of God will
be abundantly answered.
This first verse has its historic background in the incident
of the two women who came for judgment in which Solomon showed such wonderful
discernment given to him by God in answer to his request. We are told, “All
Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged, and they feared the king; for
they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment” (see 1 Kings 3: 9, 16-28). Its more exhaustive fulfilment will be
in the Messiah, of Whom it is said, “He
shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither
reprove after the hearing of His ears: but with
righteousness shall He judge the poor and reprove with equity for the meek of
the earth. ... And righteousness shall be the
girdle of His loins and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.” “He shall
sit upon the throne in truth, in the tabernacle
of David judging and seeking judgment and hasting righteousness” (Isa. 11: 34; 16: 5).
Judgment is here used, of course, not in its penal sense of carrying out
the sentence of the judge against the offender, but of the sentence itself as
the standard of right and wrong based upon the laws of God for the regulation
of human conduct. In this sense it
is equivalent in meaning to equity.
The couplet, judgment and righteousness, is in Scripture the
characteristic of the Messiah’s conduct and reign. The King and the
King’s son refer to the same Person.
It was true of Solomon, it is true of the Lord
Jesus, Who is so frequently spoken of as the Son of David. Gabriel’s message concerning Him
was, “He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest,
and the Lord God shall
give unto Him the throne of His father David” (Luke 1: 32).
As the Son of David He will restore and perpetuate the Davidic kingdom.
2. “He shall
rule Thy people with righteousness,
And
Thine afflicted ones with judgment.”
In the Theocratic government all oppression will be put down,
the destroyer and destruction will be destroyed. “Jehovah standeth up to
contend, yea, He
standeth to rule peoples, Jehovah will enter
into judgment with the elders of His people and its princes, for ye have consumed the vineyard; the spoil of the afflicted is in your houses. What mean ye
that ye crush My people and grind My afflicted ones?
saith Jehovah of Hosts” (Isa. 3: 13, 14).
Christ will thus champion the cause of the wronged and the distressed.
Sometimes in the changed use of a word
lies hidden a great truth. Primarily our
word “Despot” has the meaning of an absolute ruler
invested with full power to govern, but as those who had this authority so
abused it by their misrule, in course of time it assumed the meaning of a cruel
ruler. The same is true of our word
“tyrant” which in Greek tyrannos also means an
absolute ruler. The Greek Despotes is one of
God’s titles and in Luke 1: 29 it is translated Lord. The
devout Simeon addressing God, with the child Jesus in his arms, says, “Sovereign
Lord, now lettest Thou Thy bond slave depart in
peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation.”
The Messiah will be a despot in the best sense of the
term. Having all power in heaven
and in earth He will use it righteously and for the highest welfare of the
subjects of His world-wide dominion.
Yadin,
translated “He shall judge,” is the future tense of dun to rule, and should be translated He will rule, not may He rule. This is the declared purpose of God and
in this lies the joy of His people and the hope of the
world.
3. “The mountains shall bear peace to
the people,
And the hills by
righteousness.”
4. “He shall judge the afflicted of
the people,
He shall save the children
of the needy, and crush the oppressor.”
The natural mountain peaks and the commanding passes instead
of being fortified and garrisoned will, under the tranquil government of
Christ, be monuments of peace. With
great joy this was foretold by Isaiah (2: 24; 11: 9): “And it shall
come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall
be established on the top of the mountains, and
shall be exalted above the hills and all nations shall flow unto it. ...
And He shall judge among the nations and umpire many
peoples; and they shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks,
nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more”; “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.” This peace will be the result of righteousness,
no offence will be given by anyone to cause enmity and strife.
What a lovely picture of this is presented to our view by the
prophet (Isa. 32: 16-18). “Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousness
will remain on Carmel (the fruitful hill),
and the work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever, and My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in secure dwellings and in tranquil resting places.”
This is the case in a spiritual sense with us now, the
righteousness of faith brings us peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
but what is now true with us individually will at the return of Christ be true
universally. The mountains and the hills will break out into singing and all
the trees of the field shall clap their hands (Isa.
55: 12).
Messiah’s Benign
Influence
5. “They shall fear Thee with the
sun,
And before the moon, throughout
all generations.”
Those who only see Solomon here have a difficulty in the
change from the third person, “He” in the fourth verse to the second
person, “Thee” in the fifth
verse. It cannot be an
earthly king who is thus addressed in so far as this can only be applied to
God, but if we apply it to Christ all is clear and consistent. He shall be feared with the sun and
before the moon throughout all generations, i.e., everywhere and always.
With the sun must mean all over the world. The Psalmist, follows the sun on its
journey round the earth, rising in the east, travelling along the south,
setting in the west, and continuing invisibly in the north, so that with the
sun wherever it travels our Divine Lord shall be feared or reverenced, but not
only in all places but in all times, before the moon from generation to
generation, by day and by night, for ever and ever.
6. “He shall descend like rain upon
the mown grass,
As showers falling heavily
on the earth.”
A beautiful picture of our
Lord’s gracious influence on the world.
As the refreshing showers upon the newly mown meadow produce fresh
verdure and fertility, so will the presence and teaching of Messiah bring forth
the fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, etc. “His doctrine shall drop as the rain and His
speech shall distil as the dew, as small rain on
the tender herb and as the showers upon the grass” (Deut. 32: 2).
7. “In His days shall the righteous
flourish,
And abundance of peace till
the moon be no more.”
This verse describes the actual outcome of Christ’s
influence mentioned in verse 6. What the showers produce in the natural
world the benign influence of our Lord will bring about in the spiritual
realm. The righteous will flourish
and peace will abound as long as the moon will exist.
This is in entire agreement with many other prophecies that
the Messiah shall bring in everlasting righteousness, and shall spread a
knowledge of God throughout the earth, so that even the common things of life,
the bells on the horses and the pots in the houses shall be holiness unto
Jehovah (Zech. 14: 20, 21).
Messiah’s Universal
Dominion
8. “He shall also have dominion
from sea to sea,
And from the river to the
ends of the earth.”
This is an expansion of God’s promise to Abraham (Gen.
15: 18).
The dominion of Solomon ended at the Euphrates, but that of Christ will
have a double boundary, the inner one in Palestine, from sea to sea, and the
outer from the river reaching to the ends of the earth (Zech.
9: 10).
Solomon’s rule never extended thus, but according to the
Scriptures the Messianic Kingdom is to be world-wide, reaching to the
extremities of the earth, all embracing, all including. According to Daniel’s vision (7:
13, 14),
“There was given Him dominion and a glory and a
Kingdom that all peoples, 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.”
Both Daniel and Zechariah prophesied long after Solomon, and
even after all the kings of the Davidic dynasty, so their prophecy could only
be fulfilled in Christ. In this the
historic background falls short, and the inspired utterance still awaits
accomplishment.
How lovely to think that the whole world, now groaning under a
load of care, stricken by sin, torn by strife and dissension, ravaged by war
and bloodshed, will soon be unified under the benignant sway of Christ, when
God shall be worshipped and adored, and when peace and harmony will abound.
9. “The
inhabitants of the desert shall kneel before Him,
And His enemies shall lick
the dust.”
The nomadic tribes of the desert, war-like and difficult to
subdue, shall kneel before Him in submission and His enemies shall prostrate
themselves with their face to the ground.
The licking of the dust was, in fact, an ancient custom
amongst the nations of the East expressing homage. It is related that Alexander the Great,
on his return home after his conquests, tried to introduce that custom in
10. “The kings of Tarshish and of
the isles shall bring presents,
The kings of
All classes will acknowledge Messiah’s rule. The wandering tribes of the desert and
the wealthy potentates of distant Tarshish and the isles, or coast line on the
north-west, as well as
11. “Yea, all kings shall worship Him, All
nations shall serve Him.”
This again has never been true of any human king, but will be
true of our Lord. When He comes out
of the opened heaven He will be crowned with many diadems, and on His side and
garment there will be a name written “King of kings, and Lord of lords.”
The whole human race will adore Him. Then “Jehovah shall be King over the
whole earth; in that day shall Jehovah be one
and His name one” (Zech. 14: 9).
As King of Israel David was only Jehovah’s viceregent and he speaks of Him as “my King and my God” (Psa. 5: 2),
also in His fuller title, “Jehovah of Hosts, my King and
my God” (Psa.
84: 3).
Messiah’s
Divine Compassion
12. “For He shall deliver the needy
when he crieth,
And the afflicted who have
no helper.”
13. “He shall
have compassion on the poor and needy,
And shall save the souls of
the needy ones.”
How often our Lord exhibited this tender sympathy for the
people! We are told, “When He
saw the multitude He was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were
scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9: 36). It was this
compassion for mankind in their deep need that brought Him down from the
highest height of heavenly glory to the deepest depth of earthly suffering; and
it is this Divine compassion that He is described here as exercising on behalf
of the poor shepherdless people in their distress
when He sets up His Millennial kingdom.
14. “And He shall redeem their soul
from oppression and violence,
And their blood shall be
precious in His sight.”
Christ raised the standard of human life, and put a higher
value on it; before He came man’s life was not of much account. He paid a high price in order to redeem us,
and so precious was our blood in His sight that He was willing to shed His own
precious blood to atone for us.
According to His own parables the love He had for His people
impelled Him to sell all that He had and buy the priceless treasure and goodly
pearls. In plain language, “He made
Himself of no reputation (stripped Himself of His glory) ...
humbled Himself, and became
obedient unto death” to save us.
Yigal naphshom,
“He shall redeem their soul” as the kinsman redeemer, i.e., nearest in blood relationship. Christ
has taken our nature in order to redeem us. This verse may imply more. The goel was not only a
redeemer with a right to re-purchase what was sold for his next of kin, it was
his duty to avenge his relatives, he was, therefore, called goel hadam,
translated, “revenger of blood” (Num.
35: 9, 21, 25, 27; Deut. 19: 6; 2 Sam. 14: 11). Christ will not
only re-purchase our possessions for us, but because our blood is precious in
His sight He will avenge us from oppression and violence. There is no city of refuge to shelter
our enemy who is a murderer from the beginning, and he will not escape from the
hand of our Redeemer.
Messiah’s
Spiritual and Material Prosperity
15. “And He
shall live; and to Him shall be given of the
gold of
prayer shall also be made for Him continually;
All the day long shall they
bless Him.”
He shall live in the power of an endless life. Almost as an explanation of this Christ
told us, “I am He that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive for
evermore.” Death could not hold Him Who is the
resurrection and the life. His,
indeed, is not contingent life depending on other sources for existence, He is the life and the source of it; He could
say, “Because I live ye shall live also.”
Some find it difficult to determine to whom the expression, “He
shall live,” refers. Does it refer to the
King, or to those whom He delivers? “and He shall live” is just one word in the Hebrew, and stands detached
from the rest of the verse. It
seems an abbreviation of a sentence.
If so, the sentence can only be the well-known exclamation to a king, Yechi hammeleck,
“long live the king.”* This expression was actually used to
Solomon when he was anointed king (1 Kings 1: 39). “And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew
the trumpet, and all the people said, God save king Solomon,”
yechi hammelech literally “the
king shall live,” or as we say, “long live the king.”
*See Chapter VII on Psa.
47, for the usage of this phrase.
In their hearts the happy subjects of
the King will constantly renew His coronation, bring in of their treasures and
pray for His prosperity and His kingdom, and bless Him all the day long for His
deliverance, and for His righteous rule.
Not that He will need their prayers, but the hearts of His happy
subjects will overflow with good wishes for the prosperity of His kingdom and
for His glory.
16. “There
shall be an abundance of corn in the land on the top of the mountain,
the fruit thereof shall shake like
And the people of the city
shall flourish like the grass of the earth.”
* The Rabbis refer this to the Messiah. In Midrash Koheleth they say, “As the first redeemer (Moses) caused manna to come down, so
the last Redeemer (Messiah) will also cause manna to come down, as it is said,
‘There shall be an abundance of corn in the earth’.”
We are here given a description of the earth’s condition
in the Millennial reign. When our first parents sinned against
God they dragged the whole creation down with them; God’s sentence was, “Cursed
be the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou
eat of it all the days of thy life.
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to
thee.” For how could man expect Nature to obey
him when he rendered no obedience to God Who put the forces of Nature under
man’s control? When, however
our Lord will remove the curse and bring in the blessing, Nature will again
yield her pristine fertility. “The
wilderness and the arid place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall
rejoice and blossom as the rose. It
shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of
The Psalmist thus sees the top of the mountains, generally so rocky
and bare, now full of luxurious vegetation waving in the breeze like the trees
of
Not only will there be a superabundance of plant life, but
great increase in human life; “the people of the city shall flourish like
the grass of the earth.”
17. “His name shall endure for ever,
His name shall be fruitful
before the sun,
And they shall bless
themselves in Him,
All nations shall call Him
happy.”
The Chaldaic paraphrase representing Jewish interpretation in the
days of Christ applies this to the Messiah, and renders it like the Septuagint,
“His name was prepared before the sun, and in His merits will all people bless themselves.”
The Midrash also applies this to Messiah, and says, “His name is here called Yinnon (fruitful) because He will cause those who sleep in the dust of the earth to spring up.”* Yinnon means fruitful in progeny, “A seed
shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the
Lord for a generation” (Psa. 22: 30).
* The Talmud (San. 95, b) also has it Rabbi Johanan says , “The world was created
only for Messiah. What is His name?” The
The statement “men shall bless themselves in Him” takes us back to the promise given to
Abraham (Gen. 12: 3) which finds its highest realisation in Christ.
A Glorious Doxology
18. “Blessed
be Jehovah Elohim, the God of Israel,
Who alone doeth wondrous things.”
19. “And
blessed be His glorious name for ever,
And
the whole earth shall be full of His glory, Amen and Amen.”
We are not surprised that the Psalmist on getting such a
magnificent vision of Messiah’s glory and the world’s blessing, as
is described here, should burst forth in praise to God. Surely the doxology finds an echo in our
hearts too, as we meditate on this beatific vision; and we also cry, Amen and Amen,
not only giving our assent and consent, as Amen implies, identifying
ourselves whole-heartedly with the sacred writer in praising Jehovah, but also
in looking forward to the time when the whole earth shall be full of His glory.
This beautiful poem forms a suitable ending to the second book
of the Psalms, and the doxology is a fitting conclusion both to the whole book
and to this Psalm. Every one of the
books ends with a similar expression of praise as Psa. 41:
13; 89: 52; 106: 48. For the last book the whole
Psalm is a grand doxology.
Some of the Rabbis think that the double Amen is the response
of Keneseth Israel - the
congregation of
A Gratifying Conclusion
20. “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.”
This verse takes us back to the first which is the prayer of
faith, and which finds its answer in the prediction of the Psalm. On more than one occasion has God given
David the promise that it would be accomplished, and he knew that not one word
of it would fail (see Psa. 89: 35). The
word translated “ended” also means to complete, to accomplish. David’s faith views the distant
prospect and cries Amen to the predictions he was led by the [Holy] Spirit to utter.
To us also “all the promises of God in Him (Christ) are Yea, and in Him Amen, unto the
glory of God by us” (2 Cor. 1: 20).
* * *
3
AN EXPOSITION OF PSALM 72
By
JOSEPH
BRYANT
-------
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE - A People’s Prayer for a Perfect
King.
ANALYSIS -
-------
[Librarian’s mark] By Solomon.
1 O God! thy justice a to the King do thou give,
and thy righteousness, unto the son
of a king;
2 May he judge thy people with righteousness,
and thy humbled ones with
justice:
3 May the mountains bear b tidings of welfare to the people,
and the hills, in
righteousness:
4 May he vindicate the
humbled of the people,
bring salvation to the sons of
the needy;
and crush the oppressor.
5 May he continue c as long as the sun,
and in presence of the moon, -
to generation of generations.
6 May he come down as rain on
meadows to be mown,
as myriad drops replenishing
the earth.
7 May there be a springing
forth, in his days, of righteousness, d
and an abundance of welfare, until there
be no moon.
8 And may he have dominion
from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends
of the earth.
9 Before him may adversaries e kneel
and as for his foes the dust may
they lick!
10 The
Kings of Tarshish and the Coastlands a gift may they render,
the kings of
11 And may
there bow down to him all kings,
all nations do service to him.
12 Because he rescueth the needy
from the mighty, f
and the humbled, when there
is no helper for him:
13 Hath pity on the weak and
the needy,
and the lives g of the needy saveth:
14 From
oppression and violence redeemeth their life, h
and precious is their blood in his sight:
15 “Let him
live, then! and let there be given to him of the gold of
so will he pray for him
continually,
all the day invoke on him
blessing! i
16 May there be an expanse j of corn in the earth, unto the top of the mountains,
and the fruit thereof rustle
like
and they of the city bloom like
fresh shoots of the earth.
17 Be his name to the ages,
in presence of the sun
fruitful k be his name!
18 May all the families of the
ground l bless themselves in him;
all nations pronounce him happy.
19 Blessed
be Jehovah, God of Israel, m
who doeth wondrous things by himself alone;
And
blessed be his glorious name to the ages,
and filled with his glory be all the earth:
Amen
and amen!
20 Ended are the prayers of
David son of Jesse.
[Librarian’s mark None; unless verse 20 be one.]
-------
a “So Septuagint and Jerome in
accordance with the parallel ‘righteousness.’”
- Briggs. Massoretic Hebrew Text:
“just decisions” (“rights” – Delitzsch.)
b “The mountains are personified
for the messengers who come over them, proclaiming from all parts the
prevalence of peace and righteousness.” - Briggs. Otherwise, if the verb be rendered
“bear” = “bring forth”: “May
peace or well-being be the fruit that ripens upon all mountains and hills.”
- Delitzsch.
c So Septuagint (sunparamenei).
d So in some Codex
= written copies. (with Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate
(Latin)) – Ginsburg’s notes in his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew
Bible.
e “So most moderns” - Oxford Gesenius 850. reading zarim for zum. Massoretic Hebrew Text: “desert dwellers.”
f So it should be (with Septuagint,
Syriac, Vulgate.) Ginsburg’s notes in his
Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible, Massoretic Hebrew Text: “him that crieth out.”
g Usually: “their souls.”
h Usually: “their soul.”
i “The poor man is he who revives and is endowed, who
intercedes and blesses ; while the king is the beneficent giver. It is left for the reader to supply in
thought the right subjects to the separate verbs.” – Delitzsch.
j “An
abundance that occupies a wide space” - Delitzsch. “Expanse(?)” - Driver.
k More literally: “propagate,”
or “be propagated.” Some Codex (with
Aramean, Septuagint, Vulgate) – “be
established” - Ginsburg’s notes in his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew
Bible.
l So it should be (with Septuagint, Vulgate) - Ginsburg’s
notes in his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible.
m Massoretic Hebrew Text: “Jehovah
God, God of Israel;” but some codex
(with Septuagint, Vulgate) omit first occurance of
“God” - Ginsburg’s notes in
his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible.
-------
EXPOSITION
If we assume that behind this psalm lay many prayers by David,
taking effect in the mind of Solomon his son by fostering a worthy ideal of
what a good king might do for his people and a determination to fulfil that
ideal; and that the youthful heir to the throne himself embodied that ideal and
that determination in a prayer to be used by his people on his accession to the
throne,- we shall probably form a correct conception
of the origin of the psalm. The
deep and wide desire here expressed is worthy of David; the form it assumes is
Solomonic to a marked degree; and if, beyond this, there are conceptions going
far beyond any which we should have thought it likely that Solomon would
entertain,- these we may attribute in part to the educative influence which we
have elsewhere seen cause to attribute to the Davidic Kingly covenant
communicated through Nathan the prophet, and partly to the free action of the
inspiring Spirit on the psalmist’s mind. There is certainly one element in the
psalm, which might have seemed at first sight better suited to a later reign,
such as that of Hezekiah - following the declension of King Ahaz’s
days, or even of Josiah - succeeding to the corruptions of the reigns of
Manasseh and Amon; namely, a background of existing oppression and wrong,
loudly calling for relief, and which we can with difficulty imagine David to
have bequeathed to his son Solomon.
If, notwithstanding this, we feel, as well we may, that at no later
period than that immediately succeeding David’s day, could there have
been, in the atmosphere, such a constellation of bright hopes, ready for
recognition in psalmody, as here bursts upon our view, then we must needs see,
once more, the Antitype breaking loose from the Type, and going beyond it. And this is, in all probability, what we
are here called upon to recognise; for, if, with the Targum, we hold that this
Ideal King is ultimately the Messiah, and if we look for Messiah’s manifested
reign to follow upon the evil domination of Antichrist, it is easy to see what
a throng of wicked deeds of oppression, the world over, will be waiting for
relief and redress when the Messiah himself ascends the Throne of David.
Not only in respect of manifold oppressions needing royal
interposition in order to their removal, do we here perceive an element
carrying us beyond Solomon, but in other ways besides; for example, in the
universality of his dominion, in the peerless glory of his name, and in the
realisation through the Ideal King of the worldwide blessing promised to
Abraham. Leaving the thoughtful
reader to conceive, as best he may, how mighty the Messianic impulse of the
psalm thus appears, it may serve a useful purpose to emphasise one or two of
the more obvious characteristics of the Ideal King as here portrayed.
The central position and causal efficacy of Strophe iv. are remarkable. This strophe is introduced by the only Because of the
psalm. And here let us note what it
is that leads up to this stronghold of the logical sense - that it is nothing
less than the Imperial Supremacy which is desired for the Ideal King.
Let his adversaries kneel before Him; let his foes lick the dust;
let distant kings come to render him homage with their rich gifts; in
short, let all kings bow down to him and all nations do him service; BECAUSE he deserves it - because he deserves it in a peculiar
way, with a worth proved by deeds, deeds of pity and love and matchless
generosity; for note how the verbs are accumulated in support of this one
strong because: “because” he rescueth,
hath pity, saveth, redeemeth, and, finally, if Delitzsch is
correct in the striking climax to which he brings this strophe, endoweth, out of his
own royal treasury, the lives that he spareth: THEREFORE let all kings and nations do him willing homage and service, gladly
acknowledging that never such a king bare rule before. Not by doings of power, but by deeds of
love, is universal dominion here desired.
And yet there is power behind and along with the love: power
wielded by love, power giving effect to love - no pity for the perverters of
justice, to the extent of sparing them to be perverters again. No! the implied threats to those who wrong their poor
neighbours, are strong as iron, fitted to strike terror into cruel hearts. In order that he may vindicate the humbled and bring salvation to the needy, let him - so it is expressly desired
- let him crush the oppressor! May his foes lick the dust. Language like this ought to stand
high and clear above the possibility of mistake. *
[* See NOTE 11]
Nevertheless, this Ideal King knows how to be gentle. It is desired that his beneficent
influence be like rain coming down on a mowing, bringing the crop to perfection
before it is cut. How much that
beautiful phrase, coming down, suggests - of efficacious
gentleness, descending into all the nooks and crannies and crevices of actual
lowly life. Nor does the psalmist
shrink from pointing to actual temporal benefits, anticipated to result from
this gentle yet strong king’s dominion. In language which it would be a sin to
spiritualise, he prays, that, instead of uncultivated wastes, agriculture may
carry her triumphs, terrace above terrace, to the summits of the mountains; and
then, while the breezes of Lebanon are still upon his cheeks, he thinks of the
pale-faced city-dwellers, and desires that they may bloom like the fresh shoots of the earth.
Such is the picture.
It is Messianic. But it is
unfulfilled. It does not
correspond with the spiritual and invisible reign of the Messiah in
heaven. It is a mockery of the
down-trodden of earth, to treat this psalm as if it were now in course
of fulfilment. It is valid, but it
is in reserve. It has never yet
been fulfilled; but it will be fulfilled in the letter and in the spirit. Why its accomplishment has been so long
delayed, must be sought elsewhere.
Meantime, a comprehensive study of all the psalms which have a direct
bearing on the [millennial]
[*See
NOTE 12]
* * *
4
EXPOSITION OF PSALM 45*
By
E. BENDOR SAMUEL
[* NOTE. “The
Psalm is another Maskil, that is, for instruction. But it bears also the inscription
‘Shoshannim,’ that is, ‘upon lilies.’ This expression is used three times in
the Psalms, here, in Psalm sixty-nine and in the eightieth Psalm. Some have thought only of a musical
instrument, but there is a deeper spiritual meaning, which has been recognized
by all the leading commentators.
The lily is the emblem of purity and simple gracefulness and charm. It often grows out of the vilest mud
without being contaminated by it.
It is therefore a type of Him, who is the lily of the valley, the Lord
Jesus Christ. And when we read of
“a song of the Beloved’ (the better rendering) it also means Himself. But the word lily is in the plural
– ‘lilies.’
Luther understood by it the united and glorified Church of the
future. Other Lutheran commentators
as Begenhagen, Gerhard, say ‘the heavenly
Bridegroom and the spiritual bride, they are the lilies that are discoursed in
psalm.’ They are generally
understood to be the Bride, [of] the Church. We shall
see in our exposition how this Psalm should be interpreted and applied. The lilies must indicate Messiah and His
redeemed people united to Him” [at this future time].*
[* See NOTE 14 - MESSIAH’S
BRIDE.]
“The Messianic interpretation of
this Psalm has been rejected by the school of destructive criticism. They have indulged in wild guesses as to
the authorship and purpose of this Psalm.
They have said that it celebrates the nuptials of Solomon with the
daughter of Pharaoh, while others suggested that the king mentioned might be
Ahab, Joram, the Syrian Alexander or some unknown Persian Monarch. Yet the ancient Jewish interpretation,
the Targumin and others, add to the word ‘king’ the Messiah,
expressed as follows: ‘Thy beauty, O King Messiah, is greater than that
of the children of men.’ The
first chapter in Hebrews is conclusive, the King of
beauty and glory is the Son of God in His risen, glorified humanity.”
– ARNO C. GAEBELEIN, - The Book Of Psalms,
pp198, 199.
-------
The Heavenly King and His Bride
PSALM 45
To the chief Musician of
the sons of Korah, an instructive love song.
1 My heart bubbles over with a
good word.
2 I speak, my work is concerning the king,
My tongue is the pen of a
ready writer.
3 Thou art more beautiful
than the sons of men;
Grace is poured into thy
lips;
Therefore God hath blessed
thee for ever.
4 Gird thy sword upon thy
thigh, O mighty one,
Thy majesty and thy
splendour!
5 And in thy splendour, prosper, ride on,
Because of the word of truth, and meekness
of righteousness;
And thy right hand shall
teach thee terrible deeds.
6 Thine arrows are sharp,
(Peoples shall
fall under thee)
They are in the heart of the
king’s enemies.
7 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever,
A sceptre of uprightness is
the sceptre of thy kingdom.
8 Thou hast loved
righteousness and hated wickedness,
Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee
With the oil of gladness
above thy fellows.
9 Myrrh and aloes, yea, cassia are all thy garments;
Out of ivory palaces
stringed instruments make thee glad.
10 Kings’ daughters are
among thy honourable women;
The queen standeth at thy
right hand in gold of Ophir.
11 Hearken, O daughter, and see, incline thine ear;
Forget also thy people and
thy father’s house;
12 So shall the king desire thy
beauty;
For he is thy lord; and worship
thou him.
13 And the daughter of
The rich among the people
shall entreat thy presence.
14 All glorious is the
king’s daughter within the palace;
Her apparel is wrought with
gold.
15 In broidered garments shall
she be led unto the king.
The virgins, her friends, following her, shall he
brought unto thee.
16 With gladness and rejoicing
shall they be led;
They shall enter into the
king’s palace.
17 Instead of thy fathers
shall be thy sons,
Thou shalt make
them princes in all the earth -
18 I will make thy name to be
remembered in all generations;
Therefore shall peoples
praise thee for ever and ever.
Title of Psalm
This beautiful poem is evidently a nuptial
song; it is called shir yedidoth, “a song
of loves,” and celebrates a royal wedding of great importance.
Whether the title al shoshannim, “upon
lilies,” refers to the tune, or is symbolic of the theme, it is a
suitable inscription for this eulogium of the Messiah, Who is elsewhere
compared to “the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valleys”
(Cant. 2:
1). These flowers
are not the same as ours that go by these names, they are nevertheless emblems
of beauty and purity (Matt. 6: 28, 29), and they thus set forth the
spotlessness and sublimity of Messiah’s life and character.
The historic background of this
inspired epithalamium may well be the eventful marriage of Solomon with the
Egyptian princess soon after his coronation (1 Kings 3: 1). The language used, however,
by the Psalmist goes beyond all poetic licence in praising a mere human
monarch, however great and good he might be. But that which appears frivolous
flattery of an earthly king is honest, reverent homage to the Divine
Messiah. Indeed, our highest
tribute of praise falls far short in expressing His actual majesty, power and
beneficence.
It was frequently the case that while the prophets were
speaking of some local incident in their own day, the spirit of God took them
up to a higher eminence and gave them a vision of a similar but more important
event of the distant future.
Especially is this so in matters connected with the Messiah, in Whom the entire plan of God will find its highest and
completest realisation. Solomon, as
the illustrious son of David, king over a united
Have we a hint of this in the other part of the title? It is Maschil, “an
instruction” from sachal “to be prudent.” The
causative form hiskil, is to make prudent, to instruct. In Isaiah 52: 13 this form of the verb is also applied to the Messiah, “Behold my
servant shall deal prudently.”
In Psa. 47: 7 maschil is translated “with
understanding.” This Psalm is not a mere
encomium of Solomon, but it is Divine instruction “making
wise the simple.”*
* The Jewish Rabbis have recognised the Messianic character of
this Psalm. The well-known
commentary, “Metsudath David,” says on verse 2, “Thou, O
King Messiah, art more beautiful in thine acts than all the sons of men.” Ehen Ezra says,
“The Psalm speaks of David or his son, of whom
it is said, ‘My servant David shall be a
prince among them for ever’.” The ancient Jewish Targum, the Aramaic free translation of the Old Testament, also paraphrases the
second verse, “Thou, O King Messiah, art more beautiful than the sons of men.”
Messiah’s Loveliness
Verse 1:
“My heart bubbles over with good matter,
I am giving utterance of my work concerning the King;
my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”
Of the fulness of his heart his mouth spoke. His feeling of joyous emotion, making
his lips to move and hands to write, was like the bubbling over of a boiling
cauldron or an overflowing fountain (as the word rachash means), and no wonder, for he caught
sight of the glorious Messiah in all His loveliness.
There are many who do not see any beauty in our Saviour, for “the god
of this world hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not [the gospel of the GLORY of Christ (2 Cor. 4: 4, R.V.)],” and like the daughters of
* “O fair
sun, and fair moon, and fair stars, and fair flowers, and fair roses, and fair
lilies; but O ten thousand times fairer Lord Jesus! Alas! I have wronged Him, in making such
a comparison. O black sun and moon; but O fair Lord Jesus, O black flowers and
black lilies and roses, but O fair, fair, ever fair Lord Jesus! O black heaven!
but O fair Christ! O black angels; but O surpassingly
fair Lord Jesus!”
– SAMUEL RUTHERFORD, as quoted in the Treasury
of David.
Alas! that the Jewish people are
still blind to the moral and spiritual excellence of their Messiah! He is still despised and rejected by
them; but we rejoice that the time is near when they shall recognise Him as
Saviour and Lord. When they see Him
coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory they will repent of
their sin and receive Him with acclamations of welcome, crying, “Blessed
is He that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Psa. 118:
26; Matt.
23: 39).
Ephraim will then say, “What have I to do any more with idols?
I have responded to Him, and I beheld Him” (Hos. 14: 8). One look at the
glorified Messiah will so fascinate them that nothing the world can offer will
draw them away from Him. Their
whole attitude towards Him will be changed.
This Psalm will then find a fulfilment in
Messiah’s Wonderful
Teaching
The Messiah is not only to be beautiful in His Person but also
gracious in His speech. The grace
poured into His lips issued forth in gracious words of wisdom and benignity; so
that the people were astonished at His doctrine. “They bare Him Witness and
wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth” (Matt. 7: 29; Luke 4: 22).
Have ever words of men been known to accomplish such miracles
of grace in transforming the lives and ennobling the characters of their
followers, bringing pardon to the penitent, hope to the disconsolate, guidance to
the perplexed, peace and goodwill to the outcast and the downtrodden? Truly, “Never man spake like
this Man!” No wonder that the Psalmist adds, “Therefore
God hath blessed Thee for ever.” Blessed in
the unbroken enjoyment of His Father’s Presence; blessed in the perfect
accomplishment of His wonderful
One [‘thousand-year’-] day our Lord’s blessedness will
be acclaimed by the angelic hosts whose number is ten thousand times ten
thousand and thousands of thousands, as they cry with a loud voice: “Worthy
is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing”; and this will be re-echoed by every creature in heaven and
on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, saying, “Blessing,
and honour, and glory,
and power be unto Him, that
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for
ever and ever.”
Next we get a graphic description of Messiah’s victory: “Gird
Thy sword upon thy thigh, O Thou Mighty One,
Thy glory and Thy majesty.* And in Thy majesty prosper, ride
on, in matters (or words) of verity and
meekness of righteousness; and Thy right hand
shall teach Thee terrible things.” Most
beautiful in His Person, most gracious in His utterance most blessed in His
life, our Lord is now also addressed as the most mighty (or Thou Mighty One) in His warfare. What a combination of excellencies! Yes, prosper, ride on triumphantly! No obstacle can really impede Thy
progress; no enemy can hinder Thine onward march! The Messiah is to prosper not only in
material things as did Solomon, but in moral and spiritual matters. All the conquests of the Lord Jesus were
achieved not with carnal weapons, as sword and spear, but by the “word of
truth,” debhar emeth. ** It was His
wonderful teaching that changed the world, overthrew paganism,
spread a knowledge of the true God among the nations, and that will yet bring
the entire human race to His feet.
* In Psalm 104: 1
the words hod vehadar here used express divine majesty and
splendour: “O Jehovah, my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with honour and majesty.”
** Even the rod of chastisement, and the sword
of retribution are
said to proceed out of his mouth (Isa.
11: 4; Rev. 19: 15).
Connected with “the word of truth” in procuring this marvellous triumph
is “His meekness of righteousess” - anevah tsedek, a most striking expression. Christ’s humiliation on the Cross
caused “righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the
nations.” A meekness that was
prompted by righteousness and that produced righteousness.
What an exhibition of meekness was His! From the highest height of heavenly
glory to the deepest depth of earthly shame and suffering, He stooped in order
to raise us to a higher level of righteousness.
“Thine arrows are sharp in the
heart of the king’s enemies.”
The weapons of our all-conquering Lord are not carnal, but mighty
to the pulling down of strongholds.
His burning words like fiery darts winged by the power of the Holy
Spirit find a lodgement in the hearts of His enemies and bring them to His
feet.
One day His arrows will go forth as
lightning against the anti-Christian forces who come up against
Messiah’s Kingdom
Messiah’s throne is Divine, therefore eternal,
characterised by righteous rule. Mishor from
the root yashar is straightness, uprightness, and sets forth righteousness, just as
iniquity is moral perverseness, crookedness. “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever:
a sceptre of equity is the sceptre of Thy kingdom,
Thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity, therefore, God, Thy
God hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.”
This prediction has its origin in God’s promise to David, “And it
shall come to pass, when thy days are fulfilled,
that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will set up thy seed after thee, who shall be of thy sons; and
I will establish his kingdom. ... I will settle
him in My house and in My kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be established for ever” (1 Chron. 17: 11, 14). No wonder that David, overwhelmed with gratitude at
such a gracious promise, exclaimed, “Who am I, O Jehovah God, and what is my
house that Thou hast brought me thus far, and
this was a small thing in Thy sight, O God,
but Thou hast spoken of Thy servant’s house for a great while to come,” literally “from
afar,” lemerachok.
In harmony with this is also the striking prediction of Dan. 7:
13, 14.
“I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with
the clouds of heaven one like the Son of Man, and
He came even to the Ancient of Days, and they
brought Him near before Him.
And there was given Him dominion and glory and a
kingdom, that all peoples, 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.” Prophecies like these cannot, surely,
be exhaustively fulfilled by a human being, but will be blessedly realised by
the Divine King. Of Him the
prophets took delight to predict.
Every king of David’s line was a pledge and an earnest that the
heavenly King should one day occupy the [his]* throne. When
Isaiah caught a vision of this wonderful time he cried out, “Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when
Jehovah of Hosts shall reign in
[* That is, on David’s throne
“in Mount
Zion, and in
Messiah in His Deity and
Humanity
The Messiah is to be both Divine and human; while He is
addressed as Elohim, which is in perfect agreement with the prophecies we have
just quoted, He is at the same time said to be anointed by His Elohim. He Who is the child
born, the son given, is at the same time
the
Mighty God and Everlasting Father. He
is anointed with the oil of gladness above His companions. He
was pre-eminently the Anointed, in so far as all the three offices for which men were anointed were to be combined in Him. He was the great Prophet Who
revealed not only God’s purposes, but God’s person, for “He is the brightness of His glory and the
express image of His substance.” He is the great
High Priest of Whom all the others were only types. He alone has made full atonement for our
sins and approaches God on our behalf.
As King He will one day come forth from the opened heaven, crowned with
many diadems; on His garment and on His thigh He will have a name written “King of
kings, and Lord of lords.”
Again, all the others were anointed with oil, but Christ with
the Holy Spirit of Whom the oil was merely an emblem. What a joyful coronation will be
Christ’s when His people acclaim Him King. Heaven and earth will resound with
Hallelujahs when He is enthroned and crowned, “Jehovah reigheth, let the earth* rejoice; let the multitude of
isles be glad.”
[* NOTE. Some Anti-millennarians, - qualified in
Will there not be cause for jubilation when “the kingdoms of this
world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ?” Oppression will then cease, iniquity have an end, peace, and goodwill abound.
The garments of the Anointed are myrrh, aloes, and
cassia. Such an abundance of these spices
is put on the garments that they are spoken of as the spices themselves. Ketsiah cassia is, according to Unkelos, the
Chaldean paraphrast, the same as kidah, also
translated cassia. Myrrh and cassia were of the ingredients of the holy
oil used for anointing the Tabernacle, the holy vessels and the priests (Exod. 30:
22-30).
They were not permitted to be used for ordinary purposes. This, surely, sets forth the fragrance
of Messiah’s life and character which so gladdened God and man. The Old Testament prophet and the New
Testament evangelist give Jehovah’s testimony to this, “Behold
My servant whom I uphold; Mine elect in whom My soul delighteth, I have
put My spirit upon Him” (Isa. 42:
1). Again, “This is
My beloved Son, in Whom
I am well pleased” (Matt. 3: 17).
Messiah’s Bride
“Upon Thy right hand standeth
the queen in gold of Ophir.”
Solomon’s queen in all her wealth and embroidery is but a faint
likeness of Messiah’s bride,* who will be clothed with the garments
of His salvation, robed in His righteousness and adorned with the ornaments of
His grace. The prophets frequently
speak figuratively of
[* See Rev. 19: 7, 8, R.V.)]
How fitting is the exhortation of verses 10 and 11: “Hearken, O daughter and consider, and
incline thine ear; forget also thine own people
and thy father’s house; so shall the King
greatly desire thy beauty; for He is thy Lord
and worship thou Him.” The Jewish people
will have much to forget, as has every Hebrew Christian to-day - the
father’s house and all it implies.
All the Mosaic rites and ceremonies that were merely types and were
fulfilled in Christ, as well as the prejudice and hard thoughts of our Lord,
pride of race, early upbringing, and tradition of the elders. These and a thousand other things will they
gladly give up in order to find supreme satisfaction
in Christ, to render Him acceptable worship, and to gain His love and
favour. Even Moses and Elias will
recede from their view that they may see Jesus only. When we realise our privileges in
Christ, we say like Paul, “What things were gain to me, these I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord”
(Phil. 3:
7, 8).
And like Paul, we also shall find that Christ is worth it all.
Verses 13 and 14 portray
the king’s bride, who is also a king’s daughter, as all glorious
within the royal palace, her garments being of gold and embroidery. This, doubtless, represents the
comeliness He puts upon her. We
have a striking parallel to this in Ezek. 16: 10-14, where, in beautiful picture language
the prophet describes how Jehovah found
Nor will this bride be alone in adoring the King; according to
verses 12, 14, and 15, other virgins, her friends, will also be brought in, and
they, too, will share in the joys and festivities. These are, no doubt, the Gentile nations
who will be won for Christ by
[* That is, the blessing of a millennial
inheritance, due only to God’s Firstborn sons. See Gen. 27: 28, 29; cf.
Heb. 12: 14-17,
R.V.). Ponder these words of
Christ: “Howbeit when the Son of man cometh, shall he
find the
faith on the earth?” (Luke 18: 8, R.V.,).]
“Instead of thy fathers shall be
thy children, Thou shalt make them princes in all the earth”
(ver. 16). The spiritual
descendants of the Messiah will eclipse in greatness and glory His human
progenitors although they have been very honourable. “A seed shall serve Him they
shall be counted unto the Lord for a generation.”
These He will make princes in all the earth.
Some will rule over the tribes of
Ver. 17:
“I will cause Thy name to be remembered in all
generations.” Unlike Solomon there will be
nothing to tarnish the fair fame and spotless character of our Lord, and all
people shall praise Him for ever and ever.
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus, every
knee should bow, of things in heaven and things
on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord to the Glory of God the Father” (Phil.
2: 9-11).
“When
morning gilds the skies,
My heart awaking cries;
May Jesus Christ be praised.
When sleep her balm denies
My silent spirit sighs;
May Jesus Christ be praised.
In heaven’s eternal
bliss,
The loveliest strain is
this;
May Jesus Christ be praised.
To God the Word on high,
The hosts of angels cry;
May Jesus Christ be praised.
Let mortals, too, upraise
Their voice in hymns of
praise;
May Jesus Christ be praised.
Let earth’s wide circle
round,
In joyful notes resound;
May Jesus Christ be praised.
Let air and sea, and sky,
From depth to
height reply;
May Jesus Christ be praised.
Be this while life is mine,
My canticle divine;
May Jesus Christ be praised.
Be this the eternal song,
Through all the ages long;
May Jesus Christ be praised.”
* * *
5
EXPOSITIONS OF PSALMS 46 -
48*
By
JOSEPH BRYANT
[*NOTE. “The three next Psalms give us
a prophetic picture of the glorious results of the coming of the King, whose
coming in majesty and glory, with His sword girded to His side, is so vividly
described in the preceding Psalm.
Here we have one of the most striking illustrations of the fact of unity
in this great collection of inspired songs and prayers. An unknown Jewish saint (probably Ezra)
arranged these Psalms and collected them.
The arrangement proves that the collector was guided by the Spirit of
God in putting each Psalm into the right place to give a constructive
revelation.”
– ARNO C.
GAEBELEIN, (The Book Of Psalms, pp. 203.)
“Psalm 45, which
portrays Messiah’s happy reunion with His people, is followed by a
trilogy of triumphal songs, describing in progressive order the events that
will take place at the return of the anointed King, and the setting up of His
Kingdom on Mount Zion (Isa. 24: 23).
The grouping of these Psalms is very
significant. They may all have had
some historical incidents that called them forth, but they undoubtedly have
also a prophetic aspect which will find a more exhaustive fulfilment at the
second coming of Christ. And as all
other Scriptures, they have furthermore an application to the people of God in
all ages who put their trust in Him when troubled or
perplexed.” – E. BENDOR SAMUEL,
(The Prophetic Character Of The Psalms, pp.
75, 76.)]
-------
PSALM 46
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE - Trust in God, Joyfully Maintained in Face of Peril,
Speedily Rewarded.
ANALYSIS. - Strophe
[Librarian’s mark.]
Song.
1 God for us is a refuge and
strength,
a help in distresses, most
willingly found. a
2 Therefore will we not fear though
the land should roar, b
and the mountains stagger into
the midst of the seas:
3 Seas may roar, the waters
thereof foam,
mountains may shake at the swelling
of the stream, -
Jehovah of hosts is with us,
a lofty retreat for us is
the God of Jacob. c & h
4 His channels make glad the
city of
the Most High hath kept sacred d his habitations:
5 God is in her midst - she shall
not stagger,
God will help her at the
approach of the morning:
6 Nations have roared - kingdoms
have staggered,
he hath uttered his voice - earth
melteth:-
7 Jehovah of hosts is with us,
a lofty retreat for us is the
God of Jacob. h
8 Come view the doings of
Jehovah, e
who hath set desolations f in the earth:
9 Causing wars to cease unto
the end of the earth,
the bow he breaketh, and cutteth
asunder the spear,
waggons he burneth with fire,
10 “Desist, and know that I
am God, -
I will be exalted among the
nations,
I will be exalted in the
earth.”
11 Jehovah of hosts is with us,
a lofty retreat for us is
the God of Jacob. h
[Librarian’s mark] To the Chief Musician. [Chief Musician’s mark] For the sons of korah.
a More literally: “letting himself
be found exceedingly.”
b So Briggs.
Massoretic Text: “show change.”
c Probably omitted by oversight in Massoretic Text. Compare. Briggs.
d The refrain of verses 7, 11, probably
omitted here by oversight. So Delitzch,
Kirkpatrick, and others.
Perowne thinks the omission designed.
e So it should be (with Septuagint & Vulgate) -
Ginsburg’s notes in his Massoretico-Critical Bible.
f Some Codex. (with
1 early printed edition of the Hebrew Bible): “God.”
g “wastes,”
“horrors” - Oxford Gesenius
(“B.D.B.”)
h Sign for “Selah.”
-------
EXPOSITION
The three psalms now coming
before us are nearly connected, and yet differ considerably from each
other. Psalm 46 immediately reflects some historical
event - possibly the invasion of Judaea in the days of Jehoshaphat as recorded
in 2 Ch. 20, but more probably the later invasion
by Sennacherib in the days of Hezekiah, as narrated in 1 Kings 18; 2 Ch. 32; Isa.
36.
Psalm 47, while doubtless suggested by the
same event, is an ideal prediction and prophetic celebration of Jehovah’s
reign over the earth through Israel; and Psalm 48, which again reflects the
past deliverance of the Holy City, is probably as much prophetic as it is
historical; and strongly presses forward towards the final establishment of
Jerusalem as the Metropolis of the World.
The spirit of Psalm 46 is that of stout-hearted trust in God. God is nearer than any enemy, and more
powerful to relieve from danger than the enemy is to inflict it. The images employed in the psalm are
bold, being formed by depicting such convulsions of nature as are seldom or
never witnessed, yet are easily conceived.
The terrible roar of the land in an earthquake, when the
mountains are seen staggering into the midst of the sea; and the resentful sea is witnessed
dashing its mighty waves on the mountains that overhang the shore: such is the
scene which the poet’s art presents as a figure of disturbed
nations. At first this picture is
presented without express application: amid even these convulsions, God is our refuge and lofty retreat. In the second strophe the national
application is made prominent. They
are nations that roar, kingdoms that stagger: still our trust is in the mighty God
who governs nature, holding its tremendous forces in check, and who in like
manner controls kings and peoples. But
before this application is made, a contrast in natural images is introduced,
which is the more effective because a literal realisation in the holy city is
assumed to be well known to those who sing this anthem of deliverance. The God of the mighty sea is also the
God of the springs which supply water to the holy city. These springs have lately been captured
by Hezekiah through the formation of channels and enclosing walls which direct
all the water to the city itself, while concealing and denying the supply from
the enemy. The springs form the
city’s Divine supply; the wit and wisdom which have utilised them to the
utmost and conserved them with so much care, being regarded as God’s
gifts, it could be well said that his channels make glad the city; and not only glad, but patient, bold
and even defiant (Isa. 37: 22) in presence of the besieger.
Louder than the roar of nations is the voice of God; at the resounding of which earth melteth and the courage of
her most valiant sons becomes weak as water. The minds of the singers of this song
are left to supply the rest.
-------
PSALM 47
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE. -
ANALYSIS. - Strophe
-------
[Librarian’s mark.] Psalm.
1 All ye peoples! clap the hand,
shout to God with the voice of
jubilation; a
2 For Jehovah, Most High, fear-inspiring
is a great king over all the
earth.
3 He subdueth peoples under
us,
and races of men under our feet:
4 He chooseth, for us,
our inheritance,
the pride of Jacob whom b he loved.
5 God hath ascended with a
sacred shout,
Jehovah, with the
sound of a horn.
6 Make melody
unto God, make melody,
make melody to our king, make melody.
7 For God is king of all the
earth,
make melody with contemplation:
8 God hath become king over
the nations,
God hath taken his seat, c on his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the peoples
have gathered themselves together
with the people of
the God of Abraham;
For to God belong the
shields of the earth:
very high hath he ascended. d
[Librarian’s
mark.] To the Chief Musician - accidentally omitted.]
[Chief
Musician’s mark.] For the sons of korah.
a Or:
“of a ringing cry.”
b Or: “which.”
c “The verbs express not merely a
fact but an act. God was King, but
He has given fresh proof of it. He
has caused Himself to be acknowledged King, and taken His seat upon His throne
to judge and rule (103: 19). Compare Rev. 11: 15” -
Kirkpatrick, Similarly - Driver.
d Niphal, conjugation of alah - the verb used in kal in ver.
5, the
relation with which should be shown.
Compare for same form of verb 97: 9: also, for force of congugation niphal, Num.
9: 17, 21, 22, and in particular Eze. 9: 3.
-------
EXPOSITION
The scope of this psalm is our surest guide in the settlement of questions which
mere verbal criticism cannot set at rest.
Ought we to render, in the second strophe, - “He subdued,” “He
subdueth,” or “He will subdue”;
“He chose,” “He chooseth,” or “He
will choose”? The mere
circumstance that the tenses here used are imperfects, with an incipient,
initialling, or repeating force, will not determine this point - strange as
this may seem to those who are accustomed only to Western grammars. In such cases, the known facts, or the
main scope, are our best guides.
Now it cannot be overlooked that this psalm is first and last an
invitation to the nations of the earth to rejoice in the newly assumed Divine
Sovereignty over the whole earth.
This at once strongly impresses on the psalm a future reference: not
only a then future but a still future reference. For if it is difficult to see how the
overthrow of the Assyrians under Sennacherib could form the basis of an
invitation to all nations to come and acknowledge themselves under Jehovah and
at the same time under the feet of Israel; still more difficult must it be to
discover such a ground of joyful submission, in the action of Israel when in
the time of the Maccabees she took up arms against foreign nations. Briggs sees and frankly admits this
difficulty; and his words are worth quoting. Against the witness of the Hebrew,
Greek, and Latin, in support of the pronouns under us,
under our feet, and
in favour of a conjectural emendation, “under Him,”
“under His feet,” he truly says:
“The triumph of the people of
The same breadth of outlook which has
assisted us in the interpretation of the second strophe of this psalm, may
perhaps throw light on the reference of the third, and help us to just thoughts
regarding the ascension there spoken of: To what throne hath
God ascended? On
what occasion - one or many?
Instead of urging either of these questions at present, it may be better
to confine ourselves to two elementary facts: first, that no argument can be
based upon the difference between “gone up”
and “come up” - it is either,
and therefore the neutral word “ascend” is better; second, that a form of the Hebrew word 'alah, “to ascend,” is
used both in verse 9 of this psalm
and in Psa. 97: 9, “Very high hath he ascended above all messengers divine”;
which forcibly suggests that the ascension intended is not so much local, as relative
to other beings - God’s manifest placing of inferior rulers beneath
himself. This of itself
subordinates the mere question of locality to more important considerations. The grand fact celebrated is Divine rule manifestly supreme; the act particularised is the assumption or
proclamation or demonstration of that rule. The event forms an epoch in
history. It takes place at a
particular time. It can be joyfully
celebrated. All nations can be
called upon to celebrate it. That
is what is done in this psalm.
Therefore the psalm is unfulfilled.
Fulfilment will settle all questions of detail. Meanwhile, side-lights of probability
may fall on the general question of Divine Ascension from other sources. Compare Exposition on Psalm 2, and see Intro., Chap. 3, “Kingdom.”
There is but one other matter of interpretation here needing
attention: The Massoretic text of the second line of verse
9, says Kirkpatrick, “must be rendered
‘To be the people of the God of Abraham’ … ‘Unto
the people’ is scarcely legitimate ...
The consonants of the word ‘am, ‘people,’ are identical
with those of ‘un, ‘with’ … It is a natural conjecture that we should
restore the preposition and render.
The princes of the peoples are gathered together,
Along with the people of the God of Abraham.
The title [God of Abraham] recalls the
promises of blessing to the nations through Abraham (Gen. 12: 2f, etc.) ... Princes are called [the shields of the earth], as the
protectors of their people. Jehovah is their overlord, and they come to
acknowledge their dependence. The
title shield is often applied to God, and sometimes to
the kings and princes of
-------
PSALM 48
DESCRIPTIVIC TITLE. - Jehovah Worthy to be Praised
in his
ANALYSIS. - Strophe
-------
[Page 221]
[Librarian’s mark.]
A Song - A Psalm.
1 Great and highly to be
praised in the city is our God,
(2) His holy mountain is 2 beautiful for elevation, the joy of
all the earth.
3 Jehovah hath striven b in her citadels, hath let
himself be known as a lofty retreat. c
4 For lo! the kings met by appointment - crossed over together,
5 They themselves
saw - forthwith were amazed -
dismayed - alarmed;
6 Trembling seized them there
-
anguish as of a woman in travail; d
8 “As we
had heard so have we seen e Jehovah establisheth her to
the ages.” Selah
9 We have pondered, O God, thy kindness, in the midst of
thy temple,
10 As is thy name, O God so is
thy praise to the ends of the earth:
(11) With righteousness is filled
thy right hand, 11 let Mount
Let the daughters of
12 Go about
13 Apply your heart to her
rampart, distinguish her citadels;
That ye may tell to the
generation following:-
14 That such a God is our God, to the ages
and beyond,
He will lead us against
death!
[Chief Musician’s mark.] For the sons of korah.
a “The temple being on the north-eastern corner or back of
b So, taking rb as Heb. verb.
c Nearly thus Briggs. The chief
departures from the Massoretic Hebrew Text are different groupings of the
Hebrew words, securing a better balance of clauses and lines.
d Massoretic Hebrew Text (For “Massorites” see
Introduction Chapter 1* See NOTE) - adds, as verse 7: “With an
east wind thou scatterest the ships of Tarshish.” Doubtful, as
interrupting the sense; unless as a marginal note.
e Massoretic Hebrew Text again adds: “In the
city of
-------
EXPOSITION
As
critically revised above,
this psalm as a whole does not seem of very difficult interpretation. It naturally follows the previous psalm,
by detaining the reader’s thoughts on the place where “the nobles gather themselves together with the
people of the God of Abraham”; and this naturalness reacts, so as to account for the informal way
in which it is here first named as “the city.” But being
now the joy of all the earth, it is to be expected that “the nobles” should delight to visit her,
and when they approach should be struck with her beauty, though chiefly attracted by [the
bodily presence of] her King. Moreover, the fourth line of this fourth
strophe, at once forges for itself a link with Psa. 46.
Jehovah had indeed striven in her citadels by the “devastations he had wrought
in the earth” from
thence, thereby proving himself a lofty retreat for his
beleagured people.
This naturally brings on the second strophe, the extreme
graphic beauty of which, of course, every eye can see. It should, however, be remarked in all
candour, that the scene there depicted is highly idealised - that is, assuming
that the reference is to the historical fact of the miraculous overthrow of the
hosts of Sennacherib. For though
the proud Assyrian monarch might call his “generals
kings,” it scarcely follows that a Hebrew bard would so name them,
unless he were being guided to make his language fit a later and larger
scene. It looks very much as though
those ships of Tarshish had brought the confederate kings to the holy land, in
which case the panic into which they are thrown is the more readily
understood. In passing, it may be
noted they do not “hasten away,” as
some render the last word in verse 5);
for they cannot get away, but are arrested on the spot - there! as the poet
graphically declares. They have
just time in their anguish to gasp out that opposition to the
holy city is hopeless. All of which
may excuse the conclusion that this wonderful picture of consternation is as
much prophetic as it is historic.
After the storm comes the calm: after the shrieks of anguish
comes the voice of praise.
Worshippers in the temple have quiet and impulse to ponder well the
mighty doings of their God. Jehovah
has fulfilled his name so undeniably in the sight of all nations as to call
forth praise to the ends of
the earth.
This again imparts a prophetic tone to words which, though poetically
justifiable as suggested by the Assyrian overthrow, are large enough to prompt
comparison with predictions yet unfulfilled. The righteousness with which
Jehovah’s right hand is filled being vindicatory, gives cause why
The time being now one of peace, with no enemy near to
threaten, dwellers in Zion, and visitors with them, can deliberately go about Zion, count her towers, and, recalling her chequered
history, can learn the lessons of the past and hand them on to the future:
language singularly inappropriate had it been spoken of a heavenly Zion, rather
fantastic if referred to ecclesiastical Zions, but
very forcibly rooting itself in the past, as a mould of the chief ideas
suggested, if connected with the thrilling events which signalised the reign of
King Hezekiah. Death, as a king of
terrors, gazed both on the nation and, by a special and concurrent providence,
on her king –
* * *
THREE EXPOSITIONS OF PSALM 72
I
PSALM 72
By
DOUGLAS D JONES
(This is the first of two addresses
given at the S.G.A.T Conference on 23rd September, 1994)
--------
Messianic Psalms
Among the
prophetic Psalms are those that are known as Messianic. To define them as such, I would say
that, strictly speaking, they are those which are specifically referred to in
the New Testament as applying to the Lord Jesus Christ. I can find 12 of this nature - 2, 8, 16, 22, 40, 41, 45, 68, 69, 102, 110, and 118. While
other Psalms such as 24, 72, and 89 are not actually quoted in the New Testament, they
are obviously speaking of Him. Psalm 110 is in the first of these two categories.
One’s
preparation for this address has revealed that while much has been written by
Bible scholars and commentators on the Psalms, when it comes to the prophetic parts, nearly all the material
currently available [today] shows that the contributors do not believe in
a coming millennial reign on earth of the Lord Jesus or future blessing
for the nation of Israel as being connected with His personal return
in power and glory.*
[* See NOTE 15 and various other writings on APOSTASY at - (www.themillennialkingdom.org.uk).]
Again
and again, in certain passages, what
some of us see clearly as referring to a future millennial age, is applied
to the present gospel era; and Jehovah’s dealings with His ancient people
are applied to the Church.
The very fact that there is relatively little literature in which the
S.G.A.T. position is presented makes our consideration of this Psalm all the
more needful.
A Psalm of David
Like
many others, Psalm 110 has a title - ‘A Psalm of David.’ We find confirmation of
its having been written by him through the words of Jesus (see Matthew 22: 43-4; Mark 12: 36; Luke 20: 42) and the apostle Peter (see Acts 2: 34). Indeed, no other part of
the Old Testament is so specifically referred to in the New. Verse 1 is quoted in the
above mentioned verses and also in Hebrews 1: 13, and 10: 12-13. Verse 4 is quoted in Hebrews 5: 6; 5: 10; 6: 20; 7: 11; 7: 17; 7: 21.
Unlike
some other Psalms of David in which we see the inspired author as a type of
Messiah in his own experiences, in this one David distinguishes quite clearly
between Messiah and himself and it is only the former Whom he has before him.
The Two Decrees
The
theme of this Psalm is Messiah’s exaltation and triumph. Here are revealed two decrees of God the
Father investing His Son as both King
and Priest (110: 1 and 4) with the administration and prerogatives of each,
and His successful warfare is briefly but effectually described.
Let
us look at verse 1. “The LORD said unto my
Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.”
It will be remembered that whenever we
read “LORD” in capital letters in our Authorised Version, it
renders the Hebrew YAHWEH (or JEHOVAH, as we have Anglicised it), the Name by which God
made Himself known to His people Israel (see Exodus 6: 3). It is derived from the Hebrew verb
‘to be’ and denotes His eternal and
unchanging being. Such definition
is evidenced by its etymology
(its word-form). We are helped in this by recalling the
occasion of which we read in Exodus
3: 13-14, when, upon receiving God’s call to lead the
children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, Moses anticipated their asking him “What is His Name?” God said
to him “I
AM THAT I AM” and He said “Thus shalt thou say
unto the children of
MESSIAH, THE KING
However,
in Psalm 110: 1, we find that Jehovah has spoken to someone else
called in our English Bible “Lord,” but
this time without the four capital letters. Here the translators have rendered a
different Hebrew word which is “Adonai.” It is one that is derived from a verb
that means ‘to rule’ and indicates
“lord” or “master.”
“Adonai”
is used exclusively as a Divine title.
But
Who was David’s Lord? For the
answer to this we should turn to Matthew 22. At the temple courts in
It
is clear that in making this reference to the Messiah, Jesus was referring to
Himself. His opponents were well aware that many of the people believed
Him to be so. Only two days before,
as He made His way from the Mount of Olives to the temple, the chief priests
and scribes had been offended because the multitudes, including children, were
acclaiming Him as “Son of David” (Matthew
21: 9, 15), a title well known as a designation of the
Messiah. Indeed, previously near
the borders of Caesarea Philippi, Peter’s confession that He was the
Christ, the Son of the Living God, was accepted by Jesus with the observation
that this had been revealed to the apostle by His Father in heaven (Matthew 16: 16-17).
Having
received the reply from the Pharisees that the Christ would be a son (i.e.
descendant) of David, Jesus then proceeded to refer to Psalm 110: 1. “He
saith unto them, How then doth David in s[S]pirit call Him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. If David then
call Him Lord, how is He his son?’
(see Matthew 22: 43-45).
In
this Psalm, Jehovah promises by decree to the One David calls “Lord” the place of pre-eminence, power, authority and
majesty. What was being asked was
how can this Person be like a son in subjection to a father, and yet at the
same time be his superior to the extent of being seated at Jehovah’s
right hand and being addressed by David as “Lord”? After all, Abraham never addressed Isaac
as “my Lord,” nor did Isaac speak to Jacob in such a manner. Despite all his son’s power in
The Opponents’ Quandary
This
put the opponents of Jesus in a quandary.
They rightly regarded this Scripture as a prophecy concerning the
Messiah, that He would be a physical descendant of David (see Romans 1: 3), but looked upon it as referring to someone who would be no more than
that! Jesus’ argument was
that Messiah could not he David’s physical offspring alone if this one he
called “Lord” was to sit at Jehovah’s right hand. The inference is obvious. He must be a Divine Being.
Matthew
says that “no
man was able to answer Him a word, neither durst
any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions” (Matthew 22: 46). That day in the
temple courts saw the final confrontation between Jesus and those
who sought to entangle Him in what He said (see Matthew 22: 15). It is
interesting to note from Mark
12: 37 that the crowd who witnessed this scene listened to
Jesus with delight, obviously enjoying the rout of their religious leaders who
in no way commanded their respect.
But the mood of a crowd can be fickle and we wonder how many of them
were prepared to join in calling for His crucifixion a few days later. They themselves had not recognised His
true identity as David’s Adonai, to Whom Jehovah had said, Sit at MY
right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.
So
far, we have seen that this eternal decree of Jehovah was that which was spoken
to His Son, the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, Who was David’s Adonai.
The Right Hand of God
It
follows, then, that in order to be seated at Jehovah’s right hand, the
Son of God had to leave this earthly scene to which He had come and return to
heaven where the decree of which we read in Psalm 110: 1 had been
issued. This happened when Jesus
had accomplished the work the Father gave Him to do on earth [at His first advent] in giving Himself up to the death of the cross to redeem a people to
God by His precious Blood, then rising again [from ‘Hades’,
the place of the dead, (Acts 2: 31, R.V.)]*
and eventually ascending to that place decreed for Him.
[* NOTE. Bible teachers and all others who maintain that
Christians can ascend into Heaven, by a different rout than the one taken by
Christ Himself took, are in for a severe shock! They have lost focus on the truth and
are making a grave error!
What multitudes are teaching today is the same as what the spiritism
teaches! It is a blunt denial
of the ‘Resurrection of the dead,’
and an ‘overthrow’ of ‘the faith’. See 2 Tim.
3: 18; Acts 2: 27. cf.
Psa. 16: 9, 10; Gen. 15: 18. cf. Acts
7: 4b, 5. Also Luke 14:
14; 20: 35; Phil. 3: 11; Heb. 11: 35b; Rev. 20: 4-6 and 13: all
have to do with attaining a “better Resurrection”
and God’s promised inheritance in “the Land”.]
We
find this emphasised over and over again in the New Testament. “He was received up into heaven,
and sat on THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD” (Mark
16: 19). “When He
had by Himself purged our sins,
sat down on THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MAJESTY ON HIGH”
(Hebrews 1: 3). “Jesus,
Who for the joy
that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD”
(Hebrews 12: 2).
Peter,
on the day of Pentecost, addressing the crowd that had gathered, puzzled by the
evidence they had witnessed of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, said “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by THE RIGHT HAND OF
GOD exalted, and having received of the
Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath
shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not
ascended into the heavens; but he saith
himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, sit Thou on MY RIGHT HAND until I make Thy foes Thy footstool. Therefore let all the house
of
Paul
writes concerning God’s mighty power “which He wrought in Christ,
when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at HIS OWN RIGHT HAND in the
heavenly places’ (Ephesians 1: 20). Peter speaks of Jesus Christ, “Who is gone into heaven, and
is on THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD: angels and
authorities and powers being made subject unto Him” (1 Peter 3: 22). There are even further New Testament Scriptures that
mention this exalted position He holds - see Romans 8: 34; Colossians 3: 1; Hebrews 8: 1; 10: 12-13.
Until
Turning
back to Psalm 110: 1, notice that the decree “Sit Thou at My right
hand” is followed by “UNTIL I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.” It is
important to mention that both the Hebrew word rendered “until” and the corresponding Greek one (heos) are also
translated as “while” in
the Authorised Version. There are
numbers of commentators who interpret the use of the word here in the same
sense as we also sometimes use it in English, that is, they take it to mean WHILE
Messiah is sitting at Jehovah’s right hand, He will go on making His
enemies His footstool; that He will continue UNTIL all have been
subdued. However, we have to point
out that in Hebrew and Greek, as also in our English, the word rendered by our
Authorised Version translators in Psalm 110: 1 as “until” is also often employed to define a period or event
which occurs after an interval of time.
Therefore,
there are those of us who contend that Messiah will sit at Jehovah’s
right hand until the time comes for
Jehovah to make Messiah’s enemies His footstool. We believe this accords with the context
of the Psalm. We read “the day of Thy power” (verse 3) and “the day of His wrath” (verse 5). The word rendered “day” does not always refer to one of 24 hours, but to a period* or event which occurs after an interval of time. Messiah will sit at Jehovah’s
right hand UNTIL the time comes when His power and wrath upon His
enemies will be exercised and for that He will return to earth. At the
present, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession
for His Own, saving to the uttermost those who savingly believe in Him.
But He will not remain there indefinitely.
He will come to this scene of His rejection to bring judgment upon those
who oppose Him.
[* NOTE. In 2 Pet. 1: 11, R.V., the ‘richly
supplied entrance,’ into ‘the
eternal
kingdom,’ points toward the time of ‘the First Resurrection’ and to the time of the
establishment, upon this
earth, of Messiah’s millennial kingdom. Rev. 2: 26; 3: 12, 21.
See 2 Pet.
3: 8,
R.V. and compare with Dan. 2: 44; Hos. 2: 18-23; 6: 2, 3; Joel 2: 21-31; Amos 9: 13-15; Micah 4: 1-3; Hab. 2: 14, etc., etc.).]
The
apostle Peter, speaking to the crowd that had gathered in the temple court following
the healing of the man lame from birth, charged them with denying Jesus, the
Son of God, desiring of Pilate the release of a murderer instead and killing
the Prince of Life Whom God had raised from the dead. He told them the miracle had been wrought
through faith in His Name.
Acknowledging the ignorance that had accompanied their rejection he
urged them to repent and be converted,
that their sins might be blotted out, so that times of refreshing might come
from the presence of the Lord, and
that He might send Jesus Christ. Notice that Jesus Messiah will be sent
from Jehovah’s right hand (see Acts 3: 14-20).
It
is striking that Peter continued, “Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution (i.e. restoration) of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets
since the world began” (Acts 3: 21). How
important it is to clearly apprehend the contrast between Messiah’s
position now at the Father’s right hand and that which will be His when He is seated on His millennial
throne as Jehovah’s King on the holy hill of Zion (Jerusalem) as Psalm 2:
6 predicts.
When
the apostle Paul writes of Christ, “For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15: 25), he is referring to that reign from the millennial throne here on earth.
Thus,
when in the epistle to the Hebrews we read of Jesus sitting down on the right
hand of God, from then on expecting or waiting till His enemies be made His
footstool (Hebrews 10: 12-13), this is
not saying that it will happen while he is there, but this will be where He is
until the time comes for this judgment to take place. The same epistle
refers to Psalm 8, pointing out that while God has put all things in
subjection under Him, we do not see this
yet (Hebrews 2: 8). After nearly 2000 years, we still
have not seen all things put under Him.
But the time is coming.
Messiah’s Enemies
We
might ask ‘Who are these enemies?’
We surely get a picture of their characteristics in Psalm 2 in the nations raging and the people plotting in vain, the kings of
the earth taking their stand against Jehovah and His Anointed (His ‘Mashiyach’ ‑Messiah), saying, “Let us break their
bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm 2: 1-3). It
will be recalled that when Peter and John rejoined their fellow believers
following release from custody by the Jewish Sanhedrin, they prayed,
acknowledging God’s sovereignty, quoting the first two verses of Psalm 2 and applying them to the present situation of opposition to the
preaching the gospel (Acts
4: 23-30).
The behaviour of Herod and Pilate and other Gentiles, together with that of the
religious leaders of
We
certainly see this in our own society where the moral law of God is flouted,
all bands and cords of restraint are thrown away by the majority for whom
‘situation ethics’ are the rule of
life. Worldwide we see the evidence of the fact that “the carnal mind is
enmity against God” (Romans 8: 7). But the climax of all this will be the
overthrow of the world system and the subduing of
Messiah’s Triumph
As
Messiah commences His millennial reign of 1000 years, those rebel nations who till
then have stood so high in power will experience that which they least
expected. They will now find
themselves in the place of defeat and utter humiliation as they are made a
footstool for His feet.
That
David’s Lord must come to earth from the Father’s right hand for
this purpose is confirmed by what we read in Psalm
110: 2 - “The LORD
(Jehovah) shall send
the rod of Thy strength out of
Then
will be fulfilled that which Isaiah prophesied, “And it shall come to pass in the last
days, that the mountain of the LORD’S
house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And 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 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: 2-3).
As
the King Messiah stretches forth the rod of His strength out of Zion (Psalm 110: 2), His dominion will be from sea to sea, and to the ends of the earth
(as Zechariah also prophesied ‑ 9:
10).
Messiah’s People Made Willing
In
proceeding to Psalm 110: 3, it will be seen that the translators have the
rendering “Thy
people shall be willing in the day of Thy power,
in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.” Able
scholars differ as to how the Hebrew should be rendered here, as it is somewhat
obscure and there is consequently a diversity of understanding of it.
If
we are to take “Thy people”
to be a reference to
MESSIAH, THE PRIEST
The
first three verses of this Psalm have revealed the first of the decrees
by which Jehovah invested His Son as King. Now, as we come to Psalm 110: 4, we see the second as Priest, which He confirmed by an oath, “The LORD hath sworn
and will not repent (i.e. will
not relent), Thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:
4). Here is an unchangeable decree.
Now
God always forbade such blending of the offices of king and priest in
In
this Psalm, however, priesthood is united with the kingship of Him Who will
rule out of
After the Order of Melchizedek
But
now, let us notice that the priesthood of Messiah is after the order of
Melchizedek (Psalm
110: 4). The historical narrative concerning him is briefly recorded in Genesis 14. When the patriarch Abram was on his way back from defeating the
invading forces that had taken captive his nephew, Lot, he was met by
Melchizedek, King of Salem (later to be known as
However,
in Hebrews 7, he has more to say about Christ and
Melchizedek. As we read the first
three verses, it is clear that the details of the history of this priest of
whom we read in Genesis 14 were divinely chosen, both by what is omitted as well
as by what is narrated. “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the
Most High God, who met Abraham returning from
the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; to
whom Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first
being by interpretation King of righteousness,
and after that also King of Salem, which is,
King of peace; without
father, without mother, without descent (i.e.
genealogy), having
neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.” It has to
be appreciated that the writer was not asserting that Melchizedek had no
father or mother, no genealogy, did not experience birth or death or that he is
eternally alive. Rather these
details are omitted in the Genesis record to
enable his readers to see in him a foreshadowing of the Person of Christ.
There
are three main parts to Hebrews
7: 1. Verses 1-10 present
Melchizedek as an historical person, as to his greatness as king and priest,
and then as to his superiority to the Levitical priesthood of the Old Covenant,
because of Melchizedek’s superiority to Abraham from whom these priests
were descended, in that Abraham paid a tithe to him and received his blessing.
2.
Verses 11-25 give certain aspects concerning the office and ministry
of Messiah which show how much superior his office and ministry were to the old
order.
(a)
He is not of the priestly tribe of Aaron, but the kingly one of
(b)
Unlike the former priesthood, when Christ was made a priest it was not by a
human act, but accompanied by the oath of Jehovah (verses 20-22).
(c)
He has an unchangeable priesthood which He exercises on behalf of His people,
ever living to make intercession for them (verses 23-25).
3.
Verses 26-28. This
ties up with 1 and 2. He is
superior as High Priest
(a)
in His sinless character (verse 26), -
(b)
in His qualifications as the once and for all sacrifice for our sins (verse 27),
(c)
His appointment as a priest for evermore (verse 28).
A Priest For Ever
Here,
then, is a priesthood that has been continually exercised from the time of the
ascension of our blessed Lord for all His Blood-bought people, whether they be
believing Jews or Gentiles. In this same epistle to the Hebrews, we are
exhorted to hold fast to our profession, for in Jesus, the Son of God, we have
a Great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, One Who cannot but be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities, being tempted in all points as we
are, yet without sin. We are therefore encouraged to come boldly to the
throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of
need (Hebrews
4: 14-16). Moreover, since Jesus is a priest for ever, this
ministry will still be exercised during His reign on earth.
Messiah’s Coming Mighty Victories
Now,
what are we to make of the last three verses of this Psalm 110? It seems to me that having spoken of Messiah’s office of
Priest as well as that of King, both being the outcome of a Divine decree,
David now continues in a reflective mood as he addresses Jehovah while he
dwells upon the coming mighty victories of the One he has so invested.
“The Lord at Thy right hand shall strike through (literally, break in pieces) kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the heathen (i.e. the
nations), He shall fill the places with the dead bodies: He shall wound (literally, break in pieces) the
heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore He shall lift up the head” (Psalm 110: 5-7).
“The day of His wrath.” This is the time of Messiah’s return to set up
His [millennial] kingdom. There are those who see in this the
defeat of antichrist and his confederate subject kings predicted in Psalm 2 and more fully in Revelation
19: 19-20, where
John writes “And I saw the beast, and the
kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the
horse (i.e. the white horse
of verse 11 on which sits He Who is called
Faithful and True), and against His army. And the beast was
taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he
deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image (i.e. the image of
the beast that he had set up - see Revelation
13: 14-15). These both were cast alive into a lake of
fire burning with brimstone.”
The
poetic language of Psalm
110: 7 is strikingly illustrative of the triumph and
exaltation of Messiah. As He proceeds on His conquering way, He stays but
briefly to refresh Himself with a drink from the brook, continuing His march
without otherwise delaying. So doing, His Own head shall in due course be
lifted high in victory.
Be
sure of this: unlike many a human warrior who has grown weary in continuing a
battle he has begun, our blessed Lord will pursue His to its triumphant end.
Practical Implications
How
we can thank God, then, for the consolation this Psalm 110 affords believers in the Lord Jesus. Not only
are we enabled to come to a throne of grace instead of one of judgment through
the ministry of our Great High Priest Who ever lives to make intercession
for us, but we may take heart in the fact that though the days in which we live
are dark, nevertheless however strong may be the Satanic forces, both religious
and secular, ranged against God and ourselves as His people, their utter overthrow
and subjection to Jehovah’s King and Priest are certain.
All
opposition will be put down when the Son of God returns from the Father’s
right hand. That phrase “until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool” (Psalm 110: 1) ought always to occur to our minds when we see the evil power that is being exercised
by godless nations increasing as the end draws near. Is there anything they will least expect
in the full flow of their pursuits than to be confronted by Him Whom they have
despised and rejected, and feel the effect of such humiliating judgment? Praise
God! the day of our blessed Lord’s vindication is coming.
At
the same time let us not forget that in this present gospel age, God is calling
out a people for Himself from among this guilty, lost humanity by means of the
making known of the gospel of His saving grace in Christ ‑ something that
was never intended to be confined to church services and meetings, but through
the witness of our everyday lives. For all our rightful interest in
prophetic subjects, we do well to remember that but for the grace of God, we
ourselves would be facing judgment and hell. We do well to consider
whether or not as individuals we are obeying the commission of our blessed Lord
to preach that gospel to every creature, mindful that there is “no other Name under
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”*
[* Acts 4: 12.]
-------
II
PSALM 72
By
J. B. ROTHERHAM
-------
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE - A People’s
Prayer for a Perfect King.
ANALYSIS -
-------
[Librarian’s mark] By Solomon.
1 O God! thy justice a to the King do thou give,
and thy righteousness, unto the son
of a king;
2 May he judge thy people with righteousness,
and thy humbled ones with
justice:
3 May the mountains bear b tidings of welfare to the people,
and the hills, in
righteousness:
4 May he vindicate the humbled
of the people,
bring salvation to the sons of
the needy;
and crush the oppressor.
5 May he continue, c as long as the sun,
and in presence of the moon, -
to generation of generations.
6 May he come down as rain on
meadows to be mown,
as myriad drops replenishing
the earth.
7 May there be a springing
forth, in his days, of righteousness, d
and an abundance of welfare, until there
be no moon.
8 And may he have dominion
from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends
of the earth.
9 Before him may adversaries, e kneel
and as for his foes the dust
may they lick!
10 The Kings of Tarshish and
the Coastlands a gift may they render,
the kings of
11 And may there how down to
him all kings,
all nations do service to him.
12 Because he rescueth the
needy from the mighty, f
and the humbled, when there
is no helper for him:
13 Hath pity on the weak and
the needy,
and the lives g of the needy saveth:
14 From
oppression and violence redeemeth their life, h
and precious is their blood in his sight:
15 “Let him
live, then! and let there be given to him of the gold of
so will he pray for him
continually,
all the day invoke on him blessing!i
16 May there be an expanse j of corn in the earth, unto the top of the mountains,
and the fruit thereof rustle
like
and they of the city bloom like
fresh shoots of the earth.
17 Be his name to the ages,
in presence of the sun
fruitful k be his name!
May all the families of the
ground l bless themselves in him
all nations pronounce him happy.
18 Blessed
be Jehovah, God of Israel, m
who doeth wondrous things by himself alone;
19 And
blessed be his glorious name to the ages,
and filled with his glory be all the earth Amen and
amen!
20 Ended are the prayers of
David son of Jesse.
[Librarian’s mark None; unless ver. 20 be one.]
-------
a “So Septuagint and Jerome in
accordance with the parallel ‘righteousness.’”
– Briggs. Massoretic
Hebrew Text. (For Massorites - see NOTE 15.)
b “The mountains are personified
for the messengers who come over them, proclaiming from all parts the
prevalence of peace and righteousness.” – Briggs. Otherwise, if the verb be rendered
“bear” – “bring forth”: “May
peace or well-being be the fruit that ripens upon all mountains and hills.”
- Delitzsch.
c So Septuagint (sunparamenei).
d So in some Codex
= written copies (with Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate (Latin) –
Ginsburg’s notes in his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible.
e “So most moderns” – Oxford Gesenius,
850. Reading zarun for zum. Massoretic Hebrew Text: “Desert dwellers.”
f So it should be
(with Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate) - Ginsburg’s notes in his
Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible, Massoretic Hebrew Text: “Him that crieth out.”
g Usually: “their
souls.”
h Usually: “their
soul.”
i “The poor man is he who
receives and is endowed, who intercedes and blesses; while the king is the
beneficent giver. It is left for
the reader to supply in thought the right subjects to the separate verbs.”
– Delitzsch.
j “An abundance that occupies a wide space.” -
Delitzsch. “Expanse (?).” – Driver.
k More literally:
“propagate,” or “be propagated.” Some Codex (with
Aramean, Septuagint, Vulgate.) – “be established”-
Ginsburg’s notes in his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible.
l So it should be (with Septuagint,
Vulgate) - Ginsburg’s notes in his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew
Bible. Compare with Gen. 12: 3.
m Massoretic Hebrew Text: “Jehovah God, God of Israel;”
but some codex (with Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate) omit first occurrence of
“God” - Ginsburg’s notes in
his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible.
-------
EXPOSITION
If we
assume that behind this psalm
lay many prayers by David, taking effect in the mind of Solomon his son by
fostering a worthy ideal of what a good king might do for his people and a
determination to fulfil that ideal; and that the youthful heir to the throne
himself embodied that ideal and that determination in a prayer to be used by
his people on his accession to the throne,- we shall
probably form a correct conception of the origin of the psalm. The deep and wide desire here expressed
is worthy of David; the form it assumes is Solomonic to a marked degree; and
if, beyond this, there are conceptions going far beyond any which we should
have thought it likely that Solomon would entertain,- these we may attribute in
part to the educative influence which we have elsewhere seen cause to attribute
to the Davidic Kingly covenant communicated through Nathan the prophet, and
partly to the free action of the inspiring [Holy] Spirit on the psalmist’s mind. There is certainly one element in the
psalm, which might have seemed at first sight better suited to a later reign,
such as that of Hezekiah - following the declension of King Ahaz’s
days, or even of Josiah - succeeding to the corruptions of the reigns of
Manasseh and Amon; namely, a background of existing oppression and wrong,
loudly calling for relief, and which we can with difficulty imagine David to
have bequeathed to his son Solomon.
If, notwithstanding this, we feel, as well we may, that at no later
period than that immediately succeeding David’s day, could there have
been, in the atmosphere, such a constellation of bright hopes, ready for
recognition in psalmody, as here bursts upon our view, then we must needs see,
once more, the Antitype breaking loose from the Type, and going beyond it. And this is, in all probability, what we
are here called upon to recognise; for, if, with the Targum, we hold that this
Ideal King is ultimately the Messiah, and if we look for Messiah’s
manifested reign to follow upon the evil domination of Antichrist, it is easy
to see what a throng of wicked deeds of oppression, the world over, will be
waiting for relief and redress when the Messiah himself ascends the Throne of
David.
Not only in respect of manifold oppressions needing royal
interposition in order to their removal, do we here perceive an element
carrying us beyond Solomon, but in other ways besides; for example, in the
universality of his dominion, in the peerless glory of his name, and in the
realisation through the Ideal King of the worldwide blessing promised to
Abraham. Leaving the thoughtful
reader to conceive, as best he may, how mighty the Messianic impulse of the
psalm thus appears, it may serve a useful purpose to emphasise one or two of
the more obvious characteristics of the Ideal King as here portrayed.
The central position and causal efficacy of Strophe iv. are remarkable. This strophe is introduced by the only Because of the psalm. And here let us note what it is that
leads up to this stronghold of the logical sense - that it is nothing less than
the Imperial Supremacy which is desired for the Ideal King. Let his adversaries kneel before Him; let his foes lick the dust; let distant kings come to render him homage with their rich gifts; in short, let all
kings bow down to him and all nations do him service; BECAUSE he deserves it - because he deserves it in a peculiar way,
with a worth proved by deeds, deeds of pity and love and matchless generosity;
for note how the verbs are accumulated in support of this one strong because:
“because” he rescueth, hath pity, saveth, redeemeth, and,
finally, if Delitzsch is correct in the striking climax to which he brings this
strophe, endoweth, out of his own
royal treasury, the lives that he spareth:- THEREFORE let all kings
and nations do him willing homage and service, gladly acknowledging that never
such a king bare rule before. Not
by doings of power, but by deeds of love, is universal dominion here desired.
And yet there is power behind and along with the love: power
wielded by love, power giving effect to love - no pity for the perverters of
justice, to the extent of sparing them to be perverters again. No! the implied
threats to those who wrong their poor neighbours, are strong as iron, fitted to
strike terror into cruel hearts. In
order that he may vindicate the
humbled and bring salvation to the needy,
let him - so it is expressly desired - let him crush the oppressor! May his foes lick the dust. Language like this ought to stand high
and clear above the possibility of mistake.
Nevertheless, this Ideal King knows how to be gentle. It is desired that his beneficent
influence be like rain coming down on a
mowing, bringing the crop to perfection before it is cut. How much that beautiful phrase, coming down, suggests - of efficacious
gentleness, descending into all the nooks and crannies and crevices of actual
lowly life. Nor does the psalmist
shrink from pointing to actual temporal benefits, anticipated to result from
this gentle yet strong king’s dominion. In language which it would be a sin to
spiritualise, he prays, that, instead of uncultivated wastes, agriculture may
carry her triumphs, terrace above terrace, to the summits of the mountains; and
then, while the breezes of Lebanon are still upon his cheeks, he thinks of the
pale-faced city-dwellers, and desires that they may bloom like the fresh shoots
of the earth.
Such is the picture.
It is Messianic. But it is
unfulfilled. It does not correspond
with the spiritual and invisible reign of the Messiah in heaven. It is a mockery of the down-trodden of
earth, to treat this psalm as if it were now in course of fulfilment. It is valid, but it is in reserve. It has never yet been fulfilled; but it
will be fulfilled in the letter and in the spirit. Why its accomplishment has been so long
delayed, must be sought elsewhere.
Meantime, a comprehensive study of all the psalms which have a direct
bearing on the [millennial] Kingdom*
of God, will assist the student to get upon the high-road of correct and
successful interpretation. When men are ready to do ungrudgingly honour to the
God of Israel, then will the time not be far distant when the whole earth shall
be filled with his glory.
[*
-------
III
THE SEVENTY-SECOND PSALM
By
ARNO C.
GAEBELEIN
With
this Psalm we conclude
the second section of this great collection of inspired praise, prayer and
prophecy. As we called attention
when we began these studies, this second section corresponds to the Book of
Exodus in the Pentateuch. Like
Exodus, the opening Psalms 42-48 reveal a suffering people and their deliverance. We found over and over again how the
Psalms in this section picture the suffering of the future remnant of
Exodus ends with the setting up of the tabernacle and the
visible glory of the Lord entering in, filling the tabernacle, and dwelling in
the midst of His people. This section
of the Psalms ends with the great kingdom Psalm, showing prophetically the
return of the Lord, and the glories of His Kingdom in the midst of restored and
regenerated
Is this Psalm Davidic or is Solomon the author? Some scholars, like Delitzsch, say that
Solomon is the author. The
inscription does not mention David, but it is L’Solmon - for Solomon. These scholars claim that in style and
general character the Psalm has not the least kinship with the Psalms of
David. They attempt to prove that
the proverb-like style, for the most part distichic,
corresponds with the Solomonic literature.
All these claims are upset by the last stanza of this Psalm, “the
prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.”
While David’s name does not appear in the inscription of the Psalm
it is given at the close. The
words, “For Solomon” do not mean
that he is the author, but that Solomon is the subject of the Psalm. But while the son of David, Solomon
(which means - Peace) may have been in David’s mind, the true Solomon,
the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace is the real object of this
Psalm.
I. The King of
Righteousness. (Verses 1-4.)
“O God,
give the King Thy judgments
And Thy righteousness unto
the King’s Son.
He will judge Thy people in
righteousness,
And Thine afflicted with
judgment.
The mountains shall bring
peace to the people,
And the hills, by
righteousness.
He will do justice to the
afflicted of the people;
He shall save the children
of the needy.
And shall break in pieces
the oppressor.”
The Psalm opens with a prayer that the judgments might be
given to the King, and righteousness to the King’s Son. The Lord Jesus Christ is in view here as
King and as the King’s Son. The
throne of David belongs to Him; He is entitled to it. All is summed up in Gabriel’s
message to the Virgin Mother of our Lord, “He shall be great and shall be
called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne
of His father David and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of
His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke
1: 32, 33).
A spiritualizing method, which has wrought such havoc
with true interpretation, claims that the throne of David is in heaven, and
that the sons of Jacob mean the Church. The throne of David He did not receive
as the result of His first coming in humiliation. According to the great Danielian prophecy (chapter 9) He was cut off and received
nothing. But He will receive
that promised throne when He comes the second time. For this prayer is made in the beginning
of this Psalm. It corresponds to
the petition of the prayer which our Lord gave to His disciples: “Thy
Kingdom come.”
Righteousness and peace are mentioned in verses 2, and 3. The One who
comes is the true Melchizedek, the King-Priest, the King of Righteousness and
the King of Peace. Scripture never
puts peace before righteousness, but always after, because the work of
righteousness is peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance
forever (Isa. 32: 17). His work of righteousness which He
worked not in His life, but in His death on the cross, has secured peace. It is peace now for all who trust in Him
and are justified by Faith (
But what is the meaning of the “mountains shall bring
peace to the people, and the hills, by righteousness”? It has
been applied literally, “Mountains and hills
describe the whole land, of which they are the high points visible afar off ... peace will be the fruit which ripens upon every
mountain and hill, universal prosperity satisfied and contented within itself”
- (Delitzsch). We do not accept
this. Mountains in
Scripture are used symbolically for political and governmental powers, such as
kingdoms and hills mean lesser powers. When Christ is King over all, the kingdoms
of this world and all other powers, like republics, must submit to Him, by Him
righteousness will be established and the result will be that universal peace
which a misguided Christendom tries to produce during this Kingless age.
The children of the needy will be saved. The rich men who heaped treasures
together for the last days (James 5),
and did it at the expense of the poor and needy, will be no more. And the oppressor of all, the enemy, who
has defied God and His Truth, will be forever gone.
II. The Kingdom From Sea to Sea. (Verses
5-11.)
“They
shall fear Thee as long as sun and moon endure,
From generation to
generation.
He shall come down like rain
upon the mown grass,
As showers that water the
earth.
In His days shall the
righteous flourish,
And abundance of peace till
the moon be no more.
And He shall have dominion
from sea to sea,
And from the river unto the
ends of the earth.
The desert dwellers shall
bow before Him,
And his enemies shall lick
the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and of
the isles shall bring presents,
The kings of
Yea, all kings
shall bow down before Him;
All nations shall serve Him.”
And now we have a prophetic glimpse of that coming [millennial] kingdom,
- which can only come with the coming of the King. It will be a kingdom that endures. His fear will be from generation to
generation; all will endure as sun and moon endure. “Those
glowing orbs of heaven are indeed the typical representatives of such power as
this, the underived and the reflected; lights that have never erred from their
appointed place since the day they were commissioned to ‘give light upon the earth’.” The gracious and beneficial aspect of
His kingdom is mentioned in verse 6,
“He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass,
as showers that water the earth.” A field has been mown, the flowers have
been cut down, and now it lies in a parched condition. But what a change when rain falls and
showers come! How all will be refreshed
and ere long new life spring up.
Preceding the coming of the King great upheavals took place. The sickle of judgment cut down the high
and lofty things. All is in a
parched condition. But with His
coming, when in wrath also mercy will be remembered (Hab. 3) there will be a great and a gracious
reviving. Ezekiel tells us of that
time of the kingdom, “There shall be showers of blessing” (Ezek. 34: 26). The real showers
of blessing will fall then, and as a result there will come “the times
of refreshing” (Acts 3: 19-20).
The righteous will flourish then and abundance of peace will
follow. He has come to speak peace
to the nations. No longer will
nation lift up sword against nation.
No more will wars and rumours of war trouble the people. True peace and safety has come at
last.
The desert dwellers will acknowledge His authority and worship
the King, for the promise is fulfilled, “the desert shall rejoice and
blossom like the rose” (Isa. 35: 1). His enemies shall lick the
dust. His enemies are all who
opposed Him, who denied and rejected Him; the modern enemies of the Bible, of
the Deity of Christ, of the Cross and the Gospel of Christ are included. Then (Phil 3: 18-19) will be fulfilled, “The enemies of the cross, whose end is destruction.”
Then those from afar are brought into the Kingdom. All kings shall bow before Him and all
nations shall serve Him.
III. The Blessed and
Glorious [Millennial] Reign. (Verses 19-20.)
“For He
shall deliver the needy when he crieth,
And the afflicted who is
without a helper.
He shall have compassion on the
poor and needy
And shall save the souls of
the needy ones.
He will redeem their souls
from oppression and violence
And precious shall their
blood be in His sight.
And He shall live: and to Him
shall be given the gold of
And prayer shall be made for
Him continually.
All the day shall He be blessed.
There shall be abundance of
corn on the earth,
Even to the top of the
mountains;
The fruit thereof shall
shake like
And they of the City shall
bloom like the herb of the earth.
His Name shall endure
forever:
His Name shall continue as
the sun:
And men shall bless
themselves in Him:
All nations shall call Him
blessed.
Blessed be Jehovah Elohim, the God of
Israel,
Who alone doeth wondrous
things!
And blessed be His glorious
Name for ever!
And let the whole earth be
filled with His glory!
Amen and Amen!
The prayers of David the son
of Jesse are ended.”
How prominently the poor and the needy, the impoverished and
afflicted ones are mentioned in this Psalm! He Himself was the poor and needy One on
the earth, and so in His great loving kindness He has the deepest sympathy with
the poor and needy. Before He comes
to deliver, the sufferings of the poor will be great. And He comes and delivers. Afterwards poverty and misery as it is now
in the greater part of the race will cease, for all human needs will be
supplied in great abundance. “He
shall live”
should be rendered (as the Revised Version) “they shall live,” that is, the poor and needy. But to Him shall he given the gold of
As He is not only the King, but the Priest upon His throne,
the true Melchizedek, prayer will he made for Him. And
because He reigns as King of Righteousness and as the Priest upon the throne,
creation will receive its fullest blessing. Nature will yield the increase. Corn will be in abundance, even covering
the tops of the mountains. So
marvellous will be these cornfields that they look like the towering cedars of
Lebanon. And they of the city will
also flourish and increase like herbs of the earth. And who could write in fullest
appreciation of the closing words of this great prophecy! His Name will endure! His Name will continue! As we read elsewhere, “Thou
remainest!” His glorious Name is on the lips of all
nations - all nations call Him blessed.
Then follows the fullest blessing of
the Lord God, the God of Israel and His glorious Name.
“And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.”
Even so, it shall be in “that
day.” The earth will be filled with the
knowledge of His spiritual, as well as His visible glory. Amen and Amen! Even so it shall be.
“The prayers of David the son of
Jesse are ended.” What nonsense the blind critics have mumbled! They approach the Holy Word of God with
their human wisdom, their assumed scholarship, and sit in judgment upon that
which will ultimately judge and condemn them. They ramble about a “redactor” or a “collector”
who put the Bible books together.
And here they say the collector blundered when he declared that all the
Psalms of David had now been recorded.
Poor blind critic! David, no
doubt, received this great prophetic Psalm in answer to his prayer-request to
know more about that coming kingdom of the true Solomon. Then the Lord gave him
this great vision which he recorded by his inspired pen. And when it was finished and he read it,
He cried out in worship and in praise, “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.”
I need not to pray for a vision of this kingdom! I have, [in my mind’s eye] seen it! I have nothing more to pray for!
* * *
THREE EXPOSITIONS OF PSALM 110
-------
I
The Psalm of the rejected and suffering Christ is followed by the Psalm of the
exalted Christ as Lord and King.
The One Hundred and Tenth Psalm is a veritable gem of divine
prophecy. It is so evidently a
truly Messianic Psalm that only the wilfully blind can deny it.
And such are the self-acclaimed scholars of the destructive
criticism of the Bible. These men
must by hook or crook eliminate predictive prophecy from the Bible, for if they
conceded that there is prophecy, their whole infidel system would suffer an
ignominious defeat. That David
three thousand years ago should have written this piece of poetry, as they call
the Psalm, and predicted the coming exaltation of his offspring, the Son of
David and Virgin-born Son of God, is to them an obnoxious belief and sheer
impossibility.
One of these critics spoke of this masterpiece of prophecy -
as “a tribute which some one, perhaps a king,
paid to another king, a kind of flattery, by which the unknown author tried to
secure the favour of that king.” But enough of this.
The crowning evidence that the One Hundred and Tenth Psalm is
a prophecy, and that the Lord Jesus Christ is the object of this prophecy, is
our Lord Himself, He who is the infallible Son of God. In the Gospel of Matthew (chapter
22) the Pharisees
and Sadducees who tempted Him received from Him a crushing answer. Then He
asked them a question. “What think ye of Christ? whose Son is He?”
When they answered, “David’s Son,” He said unto them “How
then doth David in the Spirit call Him Lord, Saying,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit
Thou on My right hand till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool?”
Here are four great facts made known by our Lord. (1) The Psalm was written by David. (2) It was given to him by the Spirit of
God, therefore it is the inspired revelation of
God. (3) It is a Psalm of prophecy
concerning Himself. (4) Christ is both David’s son and
David’s Lord, the God-man.
Therefore, all who deny the inspiration, the Davidic authorship of this
Psalm, and its Messianic prophecy, reject the testimony of our Lord, the Son of
God. The answer of our Lord
annihilates all the modernistic-infidel theories taught by these subtle enemies
of the Cross of Christ.
Furthermore, the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost magnifies
this Psalm and so does the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the Hebrew Epistle. We put over this Psalm the title “The King-Priest and His
Victory.” There
are three divisions. I. His Exaltation and His Future
Manifestation.
II. His People and His Priesthood. III. His Victory and His Judgments.
I. His Exaltation and Future
Manifestation. (Verses 1-2.)
“Jehovah
said unto my Lord,
Sit at My right hand
Until I put Thine enemies
As footstool of Thy feet.
The Rod of Thy might,
Jehovah shall send out of
Rule in the midst of Thine
enemies.”
The Psalm contains two great utterances addressed by the
Father to the Son. “Sit at
My right hand” and “Thou art a priest forever.”
Both were spoken after the finished work of the Son of God, after His
physical resurrection and after His ascension into heaven. The great truth of the exaltation of our
Lord is blessedly woven into every doctrine of Christianity. On the day of Pentecost the fact of
Christ’s exaltation was made known.
He had taken His place at the right hand of God, far above all
principalities and powers; then He fulfilled His promise and sent the Holy
Spirit. And on His arrival on earth
He testified at once that Christ is at the right hand of God. “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore,
being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy
Spirit, He hath poured forth this, which
ye now see and hear. For David is not
ascended into the heavens, but he saith
himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until
I make thine enemies thy footstool!” (Acts
2: 32-36).
Again in the tenth chapter of Hebrews His exaltation, according to this
Psalm, is quoted: “But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat down
on the right hand of God, from henceforth waiting till His enemies be
made His footstool.”
And so we can look up in faith and see “this Man,”
the Son of God in the form of man,
the second Man, [seated] at the right hand of God [in
heaven].
But He Himself also bears witness to the fact that He took
this place the Father gave to Him.
In two chapters in Revelation (chapters
2 and 3) He speaks from the glory. In the message to the church of the
Laodiceans He speaks of “having set down with My Father in His Throne.” And there He is still, appearing in His presence
as our Priest and Advocate, saving His own by His Life in [heavenly] glory. There He will remain till God’s
purpose in this age, the gathering and the completion of the Church, is
accomplished.
The information that He will not remain at the Father’s
side permanently is also revealed.
He is there until His enemies are made the footstool of His feet. This is the great event for which He is
waiting. Again we must refer to the
Hebrew Epistle. “Thou
madest Him a little lower than the angels (by His Virgin birth); Thou crownedst Him with glory
and honour, and didst set Him over the works of
Thy hands. Thou hast put all things in
subjection under Him. But now we see not
yet all things put under Him. But we see Jesus who was made a little
lower than the angels for the sufferings of death, crowned with glory and honour, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every thing”
(Heb. 9: 7-9).
But how will His
enemies become the footstool of His feet?
A common, yes, almost universal, but very unscriptural view is the one
which claims that gradually the enemies of Christ are subdued. Gradually the
world is being converted, gradually everything is being changed, evils
banished, life becomes more liveable, infidels disappear, righteousness
increases, crime becomes less and so the enemies of Christ are made His
footstool. How any sane person can
hold on to this [post-millennial,] illogical and unscriptural belief in these days, when every day gives the
lie to the optimistic dreams of a dreaming Christendom, is hard to
believe. The Word of God does not teach any such thing.
Our Psalm does not say
that the Church, or civilization, or legislation, the ballot box, or culture,
or education, or anything else is to make the enemies of Christ His footstool. God speaks to His Son about this and He
says to Him “until I put Thine enemies as footstool of
Thy feet.”
Not man, but God is going to do it.
God has a special time when He will do this, that time is stated in Hebrews 1: 6. “And again,
when He bringeth in the First Begotten into the world,
He saith, And let all the angels
of God worship Him.” As God sent His
Only Begotten from His bosom to come to earth in humiliation, so He is going to
bring Him back as the First Begotten, the One who died and passed through the
grave and out of the grave in resurrection glory. With
His visible and glorious [bodily] manifestation from
heaven and return to this earth His enemies will be put down, and never, does
Scripture say, before that event. The Lord does not
deal with His enemies in this age of grace. While the grace of God is manifested in
this [evil] age and also has its triumphs, on the
other hand the mystery of lawlessness develops and the enemies of Christ and the
Cross of Christ increase throughout the world. It
will finally culminate in Christendom as a final apostasy, in the
political world as lawlessness with the manifestation of the man of sin, the
son of perdition.
“The sceptre of Thy might,
Jehovah, shall send out
of
Well may we remember here Gabriel’s words to the Virgin
Mary - “The Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father
David, and He shall reign over the house of
Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be
no end” (Luke 1: 32). It is just ludicrous to say “the
throne of David is in heaven,” and worse to explain “the house of
Jacob” over which He reigns as the Church.
Also consider again the
message of the second Psalm.
When nations oppose Him and defy God and His laws, as they do today, then
will God speak to them in His wrath and vex them in sore displeasure. In that Psalm we see
Him enthroned upon the holy hill of Zion
as King. Then will He ask the
Father and He will give Him, the First Begotten, the nations for His
inheritance and the uttermost parts
of the earth. Then follows His
Kingly rule. “He shall have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell
in the wilderness shall bow before
Him and His enemies shall lick the
dust” (Psa.
72: 7-8). Balaam’s
prophecy will then be history - “A
Sceptre shall rise out of
II. His People and His
Priesthood. (Verses 3-4.)
“Thy
people shall be willing
In the day of
Thy power, in holy splendour
From the womb of the morning
Shall come to Thee the dew
of Thy youth.
Jehovah has sworn and will
not repent,
Thou art a priest forever
After the order of
Melchisedek.”
Here we find prophetically revealed His people and His
Priesthood. The people spoken of as
“Thy People” are not His heavenly
people, the Church [of the firstborn].* They are His earthly people, the
believing remnant of
[* See G. H. Lang’s ‘Firstborn Sons
Their Rights And Risks’ at www.themillennialkingdom.org.uk]
The “womb of the morning” means the dawning of that blessed day. The nation
And here is God’s other word to His Son. “Thou
art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedek.” This we find frequently in Hebrews. According to the
fifth chapter in that Epistle God welcomed Him back to heaven with this
sentence. And now He is a priest
like Melchisedek, having a perfect and perpetual priesthood, uniting Priesthood and Kingship in His
person.
But here we must remember that while He is a Priest like
Melchisedek now, the full display of
that Priesthood is not yet, but will surely come in the day of His
manifestation and glorious power.
At the close of the night visions of Zechariah, which cover events to happen at the close of our age, the
crowning of the high priest takes place in a symbolical action (Zech. 6). There
“His Throne” is mentioned and He will be a priest upon it, not the Father’s
throne, but His own [millennial] throne. It is evident He must
first receive His own throne before He can manifest the full glory of His
Melchisedek priesthood. Another
lesson concerning Melchisedek we find in the life of Abraham, the friend of
God. It was after the victorious battle when Melchisedek, king of righteousness
and king of peace, appeared to bless
Abraham and reveal to him the name
of Jehovah as the Most High God.
And so after the final conflict, in which the seed of Abraham will be vitally concerned, the true Melchisedek
appears to bless His people and to show
forth His glorious power.
III. His Victory and His
Judgments. (Verses 5-7.)
“The
Lord at Thy right hand,
Smites through kings in the
day of His anger,
He shall judge among nations.
He shall fill - with dead
bodies,
He shall wound the head over
many countries.
He shall drink of the brook
in the way,
Therefore shall he lift up
the head.”
Here we have the judgment work of the coming King. God is addressed in the fifth verse.
Kings will be smitten by Him.
This must refer to that smiting stone in Nebuchadnezzar’s
prophetic dream, which falling from heaven, demolishes the entire man image,
symbolical of Gentile world rule.
He comes to judge among nations and will judge them in righteousness. The result of these judgments is the
dead bodies of the slain; filling what?
It is written at the close of the Book of Isaiah: “And they shall go forth,
and look upon the carcasses of the men that have
transgressed against Me; for their worm shall
not die, neither shall their fire be quenched;
and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh”
(Isa. 66: 24).
In all probability this place outside of
But what does the last verse mean? “He shall drink of the brook in
the way, therefore shall He lift up the head.”
It has been interpreted in different ways. The passage places before us once more
the humiliation and exaltation of our Lord. The humiliation is that He drank of the
brook in the way. We are reminded
of the three hundred warriors of Gideon, who went down on their knees and
lapped water like dogs and who were later used and exalted through
victory. But He went deeper than
that. He drank of the deep waters
of suffering and death. And
therefore God has highly exalted Him.
What a wonderful Psalm it is!
The exaltation of Christ to the right hand of God! His future triumph as
King-Priest; with Him then His earthly people in holy splendour and His
complete triumph over all His enemies. It should fill our hearts also with joy
unspeakable and full of glory, for what concerns Him concerns us, who are
members of His body, who are one with Him.
When He comes to claim His
inheritance we - [“that are accounted worthy to attain to that age,
and the resurrection out from the dead”
(Luke 20: 35,
Gk.)] - shall come with Him; He shall bring us with Him in holy
splendour also, greater than Israel’s earthly glory, and He will be
admired in that day as well as
glorified in all them that believed.
As He drank of the brook in the way, so can we also drink in some measure. And as we
suffer with Him we shall also be glorified [to reign]*with Him.
[* 1 Thess. 3: 4. cf.
2 Thess. 1: 5; Heb. 11: 35b, R.V.]
-------
II
PSALM 110*
[* As shown translated in THE NUMERICAL BIBLE
- (THE PSALMS,
pp. 399-401.)]
The confirmation of the King-Priest
A psalm of David.
1 (1-3): Jehovah’s King. (i.) Upon the
Father’s throne. (ii.)
Sustained in spite of enemies.
(iii.) A people of saints from the
womb of the dawn.
1“JEHOVAH said
unto my Lord:
Sit thou at my right hand,
Until I set thy foes a
footstool for thy feet.
2 Jehovah shall send the rod of thy
power out of
Rule thou in the midst of
thine enemies.
3 Thy people shall be of ready heart
in the day of thy might:
In the beauties of holiness, from the
womb of the i dawning,
For thee the dew of thy youth.”
2 (4):
The confirmation.
4 Jehovah hath sworn and
will not repent:
Thou art a priest for
ever,
After the order of Melchizedek.
3 (5-7): The day of manifestation. (i.) The Lord
revealed. (ii.) The judgment.
(iii.) The secret of success.
5 The Lord [is] at thy right hand:
He smiteth through kings in the
day of his anger.
He shall judge among the
nations:
6 He shall fill [the places] with dead bodies;
He shall smite the
head over a wide country.
7 He shall drink of the
brook in the way:
Therefore shall he lift up the head.”
-------
EXPOSITION
The second psalm here is the answer of Jehovah to this humbled One,
establishing Him as King and Priest together, after the order of Melchizedek,
and with a [yet future] prophecy of the revival of Israel under Him, and the subjection of
enemies. There are but seven verses, and which follow the general
septenary pattern of 4 (3+1)+3; except that these portions seem to be more
emphasized than usual, so as to divide the whole into three equal parts of
equal value.
1.
The first three verses speak
of Jehovah’s King. But He is not yet actually enthroned.* Like David himself, but whose Lord He really
is, He has His time of rejection and even banishment. But unlike David, and completely in opposition
to the thought of a reference in it to the Israelitish throne as the “throne of Jehovah” (1 Chr.
29: 23), it is precisely in this time of His
rejection that He sits at the right hand of Jehovah. It is an Old Testament hint which the
New Testament clearly unfolds for us.
The place is heavenly, not earthly: “He was received up into heaven,
and sat on the right hand of God.” (Mk. 16: 19). It is further
developed by the Lord Himself in His address to
[*
That is, - He is not yet reigning visibly
in glory, on and over this earth with His risen saints for a thousand
years, before the general resurrection and ‘Great White Throne’ Judgment (Rev. 20: 11-15, R.V.).
* * By comparing scripture with scripture we learn that
there will be more than one ‘resurrection of the
dead,’ (Rev. 20: 4-6; Lk. 20: 35; Phil. 3: 11; Heb. 11: 35b): and
therefore more than one divine Kingdom and Throne, (Rev. 3: 21; Lk. 1: 32; 22: 29, 30)!
God’s throne in heaven, where Christ is now seated,
is not the only position of authority His Father has promied Him! He is to have an inheritance and throne
upon and over this earth also!]
This defines for us the Christian interval in which we are [now in], and which we must not expect to find more than hinted at in the Old Testament scriptures.
Jehovah
acts in due time for His King, who waits
in entire dependence upon Him for the [millennial] day in which His
enemies are to be made His footstool. Then Jehovah
will send the rod of Messiah’s power out of Zion, the seat of His [millennial] kingdom; setting Him there in the midst of a hostile world, then to be
quickly reduced to subjection.
And as when He comes from heaven His heavenly people exchange their
bridal festivities for militant array, and come with Him, - so now that He is
in
2. And this leads naturally to another
view of the Person addressed, besides that of King. He is the King-Priest, the One who goes in to God in man’s behalf, and
presents for him the acceptable sacrifice.
Here again God bears witness to Him, and here indeed all the fullness of
the divine heart comes out. He
knows the importance of this for us; He knows, too, how slow and unbelieving we
are in the reception of His grace. Hence He not only speaks, - He swears: “Jehovah has sworn, and will
not repent: Thou art a priest for ever after the
order of Melchizedek.”
The apostle has given us the full significance of this, and
from the Christian side, in the epistle to the Hebrews.
Here is not the place for any proper investigation of it. It is one of many proofs that for
3. Priestly work is not otherwise
before us in this psalm, while the day
of wrath it is that is earnestly
pressed. The fifth and sixth verses do not seem to be the action of the
King Himself, but of God as the Sovereign Lord (Adonai)
in His behalf, according to the character of the psalm as a whole. It is God [the Father] who sets His [i.e., Messiah’s]
foes as a footstool for His
feet; which does not lose sight any more than this does of His own activity. But the heavenly and earthly
thrones are now and henceforth in complete concord; and here, throughout, the ways are
the ways of God, with which in the last verse [7] once more the Conqueror is shown to be
in full accord.
Thus “the Lord is at Thy right
hand” would
not be the repetition of the thought in the first verse, but the converse; and the divine [Father’s] anger is at the rejection of the
Object of divine delight. The head
over a wide country would seem to be Gog (Ezek. 38.), as has been often noticed, inasmuch as it is not the descent
from heaven that is in view, as in Rev. 19, but the rod going forth from
The next verse [7] shows us, in figurative language, the
secret of the King’s success.
He drinks of the brook of the way, taking Himself the divine
refreshment, the stream of living water, of which, though provided for all, the
kings of the earth have so little availed themselves. Thus is He, as having the mind of the
Spirit, in full unhindered fellowship with the ways of God, - Himself, indeed,
being as we know the centre of them.
-------
III
PSALM 110
BY
J. B. ROTHERHAM
DESCRIPTIVE TITLE - A Revelation, THROUGH David To his “lord,”
the Messiah.
ANALYSIS. - (See the lines prefixed to the
Strophes of the Psalm.)
-------
[Librarian’s mark] By David - Psalm.
[1. David records a
Revelation concerning his lord.]
1 The revelation a of Jehovah to my lord b:-
“Sit
thou at my right hand
until I make thy foes a stool for
thy feet.”
[2. Foretells that a Commission will be
given to his lord.]
2 Thy sceptre of strength c will Jehovah stretch forth out of
“Rule thou in the midst of thy
foes.”
[3. Describes the Appearance of the Army
of his lord.]
3 Thy people are most willing d in thy day of warfare: e
in holy adorning, f out of the womb of the dawn
to thee [cometh forth]
the dew of thy
young men.
[4. Proclaims an Oath addressed by Jehovah to his lord.]
4 Sworn hath Jehovah, and will not regret:
Thou art a priest to the ages after the manner of
Melchizedek.
[5. Portrays the Overthrow of the Foes of his lord,
and his lord’s consequent Exaltation.]
5 The Sovereign Lord g at thy right hand
hath crushed, h in the day
of his anger, kings,
6 He judgeth i among the nations - full of dead bodies!
hath crushed the head over a
wide land:
7 An inheritance, on the way he maketh it, j
Therefore he exalteth the k Head.
[No
mark - whether Librarian’s or Chief Musician’s. l]
-------
a “Utterance, declaration, revelation”
Oxford Gesenius. “Oracle” - Delitzsch, Perone. “Utterance”
- Briges.
For use and misuse of the formula, cp. Jer. 23:
31-33.
b Hebrew: ‘adoni’.
c = ‘Thy strong sceptre:” compare Psalm 2: 9.
d. Hebrew plural
abstract of intensification: “willingness.”
e “Of thy power. Or, of thy host; in either case the meaning being, on
the day when thy forces muster for battle”
– Driver.
“Of thy host” – Briges.
“In the day that thou warest” – Perone.
“In the day of thy warfare”
- Delitzsch.
f More literally:
“In stateliness of holiness.”
g Hebrew: (Massoretic Hebrew Text (For “Massorites”)
‘adoni’.
In some codex, “Jehovah” - Ginsburg’s Notes in his
Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible.
h Or “shattered.”
i Or: “will
judge.”
k Or “a.”
l See Psalm
111 (beginning).
-------
EXPOSITION
This
psalm being ascribed to David,
we have a prescriptive right to endeavour to interpret it accordingly; and the
measure of our success may be regarded as confirming or discrediting this
superscription.
Verse l.
The Revelation of Jehovah to my
lord, -As a revelation,
the psalm as a whole and its leading announcement in particular may be
expected to make a disclosure unknown before. We already know of the choice of David
in preference to Saul; of his anointing and ascension to the thrown of Israel;
of his prophetic gifts; of the covenant made with him, through Nathan the
prophet, touching his sons as destined heirs to his kingship: which covenant,
therefore, must have made him aware of the continuance of his kingdom under
other rulers than himself. It was
not to be his privilege to carry the Representative Kingship with which he was
invested to its climax, by bearing it for ever, or by himself bringing all
nations into perfect obedience to Jehovah.
He would have to bequeath his throne to his sons, some of whom, Nathan
suggested to him, would probably prove unworthy of that honour. He himself, in any case, was not the
Messiah. So much we knew from
previous Divine communications to David.
But we did not know - however naturally we might have conjectured it -
that David’s royal line would at length be consummated in the person of
one of his race to whom he himself would own allegiance and whom he would
willingly call his “lord.”
But this is
implied in the first line of the psalm.
David shall have such an heir - an heir whom he can call his “lord”; and inasmuch as a living son can exercise
no lordship over a dead father, - even as, on the other hand, a dead father
cannot give allegiance to an as yet unborn son, - we are irresistibly carried
forward to [Messiah’s return and the] Resurrection days; unless, indeed, David is not to
die until this his Greater Son appears.
We find ourselves, therefore, to say the least, well within the scope of
a revelation - a disclosure -a discovery.
But this discovery, though made through David, directly concerns David’s lord - his Messianic Son. This, precisely, is what David here
tells us. He does not say: The revelation of Johovah UNTO ME, but - The Revelation
of Jehovah to MY LORD;
that is, to my SON, THE MESSIAH. In short, then, we have here a
revelation to the Messiah; and being a revelation
written down and preserved until the Messiah’s [millennium] days, will it not, in the event of
his reading it, become at once a revelation for him and a revelation to
him? Jesus of Nazareth believes
himself to be David’s Messianic Son: his nation are
about to reject him: meantime this revelation comes to him - to his notice, to
his reflection, to his need. All
who truly believe in the kenosis - the
self-emptying - of which the Apostle Paul (Phil.
2) speaks, cannot fail to become aware that already the
atmosphere of the psalm has become charged with intense spiritual emotion. N0 wonder that, on receiving this
revelation, Jesus is so profoundly moved that, to the Pharisees, he can only
put questions!
So far we are assured that a revelation to the Messiah is
coming, but are not told what it is.
Of this the next words inform us: Sit thou at my right hand until I make thy foes a stool for
thy feet. This informs
us that the Messiah will have foes; but that, instead of at once contending
with them and overcoming them, he is to be taken out of their midst; to be so
taken, by being invited to a post of highest honour; in short, to be exalted to
the right hand of Jehovah in heaven.
We say, advisedly, “in heaven,” - first, because we know that heaven
is the place of Jehovah’s fixed abode (1 Kings 8: 30, etc.); and, secondly, because it is not easy to see how a mere elevation
to the right hand of the sacred ark in Jerusalem could have the effect of removing the [bodily presence
of] Messiah from the midst of his enemies.
Here, again, it is not without emotion that we conceive of Jesus of
Nazareth receiving such an invitation from Jehovah. For him to take in its purport, could
fall nothing short of his discovering something of “the joy
set before him,” fitted to embolden him “to endure the cross, its shame despising.”
But this elevation is not to be for
ever: it is for a definite object and, therefore, for such time as the
accomplishment of that object shall require: Until I make
thy foes a stool for thy feet. It is JEHOVAH who undertakes to reduce Messiah’s foes
to such a humiliating condition.
The foes are spoken of collectively and as a complete class. And the subjugation is to be
thorough. Jehovah promises that he
will bring down the Messiah’s enemies to abject submission to his, the Messiah’s,
will. They shall be publicly
humiliated - totally crushed. They
shall be able to rise in rebellion no more. Their [position will remain in ‘Hades’,
the place of the souls of the dead under the earth, (Acts 2: 31-34)] being made a stool for the
Messiah’s feet cannot mean less than this.
Verse 2. Thy sceptre of strength will Jehovah stretch forth out of
Verse 3.
But the Messiah, now seated in
Their appearance is next described: that is, if we follow the
Massoretic text - they appear in holy
adorning, as it were in priestly
robes. If, however, with some able
critics we prefer the various reading which (substituting an “r” for a “d,”
the difference in Hebrew being very small) yields the very dissimilar clause On the holy mountains instead of “In holy
adorning,”
then we find in this phrase a notification of the place where these volunteers gather: they gather on the holy
mountains - about Jerusalem, naturally - for we know of no other “holy
mountains”;
and this seems strikingly agreeable with the circumstance that the Messiah has
now fixed his headquarters in Jerusalem, since it is from thence that his strong
rule is to be “extended.” Still, it is not certain that this
various reading is to be preferred, for a reason to be given in a few
moments. Hence, for the present, we
leave that an open question, by saying: If the word is harre,
then the rendering must be - On the holy mountains;
but if hadre, then the proper English is - In holy adorning.
We wish to find out precisely - if we may - who these “people,” these Messianic “volunteers,” are: does this clause say
they are a priestly people; or does it indicate the place of their
gathering? Let us follow on with
the text, in the hope of coming near to an answer.
Out of the womb of the
dawn, Thou hast (or to thee cometh forth) the dew of thy young men. Sudden and striking, bright and
beautiful, and wholly unexpected, as a revelation of innumerable dew-drops in
the morning when the sun rises, is the appearance of this army of
volunteers. They are born out of the
foregoing night. They suddenly
start forth as the Messiah’s allies “on the day of his warfare,” when his “strong sceptre” is about to be “stretched forth out of
But just here comes in a remarkable text from the prophet Micah (5: 7) which looks as if it might have been
written as a commentary on this verse of our psalm. The reference is to “the Shepherd of Israel.” That this Shepherd should appear as a
deliverer from ASSYRIA, will not hinder students of prophecy from associating
him with the final deliverance of
Thus, then, we appear to be absolved from any need to push
further our quest after the Messiah’s volunteering people as referred to
in the third verse of our psalm.
They are the “remnant of Jacob” “among the nations,” “in the midst of many peoples,” sustaining the well-known
characteristics of “dew”
- “that
tarrieth not for man,”
and of “lions” from whose down-treading and
tearing prowess the sheep cannot escape.
If the provision of such a people for the crisis is not a stretching
forth of Messiah’s strong sceptre out of
Verse 4. Sworn hath Jehovah,
and will not regret: TROU art a priest to the ages After the manner of Melchizedek.
Note that this statement is not made in terms which describe a
proceeding now to take place, but in terms which express accomplishment already
completed. The words are not
– “Jehovah sweareth,” or
“now proceedeth to swear”; but Jehovah hath sworn.
The
constituting mandate (Or oath), making the Messiah priest, has already been
uttered; and, having regard to the place occupied by this report of that
mandate, we may reasonably conclude that the priestly instalment took place in
heaven, when the Messiah sat down at Jehovah’s right hand. Of this instalment, however, no details are given. They are left over for a Christian
Writer to supply; and right worthily has the Writer of the Epistle to the
Hebrews supplied all necessary details; as to the grounds on which this honour
was conferred on the Messiah - how he who now is made priest had previously
offered himself as a sacrifice, - and as to the abolishing effect of this
decree on the Levitical priesthood.
No such details, be it well observed, are here given. The installing announcement alone is
here, made, in briefest terms, and as of an event already accomplished. This last point is the matter to be
emphasised here. The new King has
come to
Verses 5-7. The climax
of the whole psalm comes at last.
The climax is a crisis. The
crisis is a battle which decides the fate of the [now corrupted, cursed and groaning (Gen.
3: 17b; Rom. 8: 20, 21)] world by subduing it to the final reign on earth of its Priestly
King. The whole psalm leads up to
this terrible crisis. The first verse characterises it as the time of
bringing Messiah’s enemies beneath his feet, until which the invitation
extends to sit down at Jehovah’s right hand in heaven. The second verse centralises the crisis in
We have characterised this as a “terrible” crisis, and so it is. But, unless words are to be tortured, it
is THE CRISIS OF THE PSALM: moreover, it is the crisis of the
Bible - of other psalms, as the second
with its dashing in pieces, the forty-fifth with its sharp arrows in the heart of
the king’s enemies whereby peoples fall under him, the seventy-second where the king’s enemies are
made to lick the dust; and of the prophecies generally, such as Isaiah Second,
Twenty-fourth,
Sixty-third,
Sixty-sixth, and others too numerous to be
mentioned; of several significant places in the Gospels and the Epistles,
reappearing with an accession of heavenly terror in the Apocalypse. It is a “terrible” crisis, but no daring criticism
can root it out of the Bible. And, though “terrible,” it seems to be a needful crisis. For, truly, the witness of nineteen
centuries seems to declare that it may be absolutely needful that
Jehovah’s PHYSICAL FORCE through means of Messiah’s iron sceptre should maintain and enforce the moral suasion of many
foregoing centuries. And, once
more, though “terrible,” thank God it will be final and efficacious. For, thereby, the Messiah will “speak peace to the
nations” in
terms which will compel war to cease and clear the way for gentler forces to
operate to the ages.
Verse 5. Before noticing, in a little detail, the
three strokes of displeasure with which the foes of the Messiah are actually
made his footstool, it is desirable to assure ourselves that those three
strokes are here attributed to JEHOVAH
HIMSELF rather than to the Messiah.
Whether this is the case, turns upon the nice and rather critical
question - Who is intended by “The Lord at thy right hand” of verse 5?
Is it Messiah on Jehovah’s right hand, or is it Jehovah on the
Messiah’s right hand? And, as
involved in this broader question, is the narrower one - Who is the person
whose right hand is here spoken of? In other words, to whom is this line (with the following lines) addressed? If Jehovah is addressed, then “the Lord at his right hand” will be the Messiah - “The Messiah hath crushed
kings,” &c.;
whereas, if the Messiah is addressed, then it will be Jehovah who crusheth
kings, &c. Now, notwithstanding
the plausibility of the contention that the word A-D-N-I should be pronounced adhoni (“my lord”), and so be regarded as a repetition of the word
standing at the end of the first line of the psalm, yet as this would probably
necessitate another change, which neither the Hebrew text nor the ancient
versions sustain, “My lord at His right hand”;
we shall do well to pause and look well to the context, before we decide this
nice point. Now the opinion is here
submitted, that the better conclusion is: That the Messiah is here directly
addressed, and therefore that “the Lord at Messiah’s right hand” is Jehovah. And, though this maybe said to involve a
change of their relative position - so that, in verse 1, Messiah is seen on Jehovah’s right hand; and,
in verse 5, Jehovah is discovered on the Messiah’s
right hand, - yet there can be no valid objection to this. The scene has changed, and with it the
relative positions; and there is nothing whatever incongruous, but rather
everything befitting, that in heaven the Messiah should be on Jehovah’s
right hand, and on earth Jehovah should be on the Messiah’s right hand;
especially as this very representation has already and so lately been made as
in verses
30, 31 of the next preceding psalm: “I will thank Jehovah ... because he taketh his stand at the right hand
of the needy.” There is therefore plainly nothing
incongruous, if in this place, the representation is, that Jehovah, here, on
earth, on “the day of Messiah’s warfare,” takes his stand at the Messiah’s right
hand to direct and aid him in overthrowing his foes, and letting the world and
all future generations see that it was JEHOVAH’S hand that did it. And as, on the one hand, there is
nothing incongruous to be alleged against this conclusion, so on the other,
there are these reasons to be urged in its favour: (1) that the vowel-pointing
of the Massoretic text can stand – Adonai - Sovereign Lord, equivalent to Jehovah; (2) that
those codices which actually have Jehovah (see Ginsburg’s Notes in his Massoretico-Critical Hebrew
Bible under text) will be
substantially correct; (3) that no change further on in the line, from “thy” to “his” will be required; and (4) -
most weighty reason of all - that continued prominence will thereby be given to
the feature made prominent at the beginning of the psalm, That it is
emphatically JEHOVAH who places the Messiah’s enemies
beneath his feet. He does this, because he it is who
provides the Messiah with his wonderful army of volunteers, he it is who crushes
kings, judges nations, crushes the head over a wide land. This then may be regarded as
provisionally settled, that the fifth verse opens by declaring that Jehovah, on the Messiah’s right
hand, does the things that follow, to each of which we may now devote a
moment’s attention.
Jehovah, at the Messiah’s right hand, crushes Kings -
literally hath crushed, the well-known perfect tense of prophetic
certainty. Then there are “kings” in the final opposition raised
against the Messiah’s wielding his strong sceptre out of
Jehovah, at the Messiah’s right hand, judgeth (proceedeth to judge, will judge) among the nations, - the tense being here changed to the so-called “imperfect,” more exactly, the initiative,
incipient or incomplete, precisely suited to indicate a further and perhaps
prolonged process. No details,
saving one, are here supplied as to the nature of this judging among the
nations. The one which is supplied
is sufficiently startling: throughout the nations which are being judged, or on
the battlefield to which the nations gather, there is a filling of the places
of conflict (or the one battlefield) with the slain - the dead bodies - the
corpses - the gwioth. Let him who dares, attempt to
spiritualise and thereby evaporise this!
Beware how you minimise the Divine wielding of
Messiah’s “iron sceptre”! This is the second
stroke. The third follows.
Jehovah, at the Messiah’s right hand, hath crushed
(again the perfect of certainty) the head over a wide land.
The rebellious kings have a “head”: the infatuated nations have a head. That “head” has become
“head” - “over a wide land,” or has gone up to do battle,
“over a
wide country.” The student of prophecy does not need to
inquire who that head is. Even the
thoughtful reader who has got no further than this psalm may surmise that here
at last is the key that unlocks the secret of that “throne of iniquity” which so unaccountably started
out into prominence in Psalm 94: “Can the throne of engulfing ruin be allied
to thee, which frameth mischief by statute?”
It would not be surprising if the instructed Bible student were to
exclaim without more delay: “Yes! I see: this
other head that is to be crushed is
none else than Antichrist or the Man of Sin or the Lawless One whom ‘the Lord Jesus is to destroy
by the breath of his lips and to paralyse with the brightness of his coming.’” Nor would he be wrong. Nevertheless, it may be a useful
throwing of ourselves upon Old Testament testimony, if we simply confirm our
apprehension by yet another reference to it as set forth by the prophet Isaiah (30:
29-33):-
“A song shall ye have, As in the night of hallowing a festival, And gladness of heart as when one goeth with the flute To
enter the mountain of Jehovah Unto the Rock of Israel.” Language, this, which appears as if
expressly framed to suit those “Volunteers,” coming forth “out of the womb of the dawn,” “robed in holy adorning” of which we read in the third verse of this psalm.
“Then will Jehovah cause to be heard the
resounding of his voice, And the bringing down of his arm shall be seen, In a rage of anger, And with
the flame of a devouring fire, A burst, and downpour and a hailstone! And
at the voice of Jehovah shall Assyria be crushed, With his rod will he smite, And
it shall come to pass that every stroke of the staff of doom which Jehovah
shall lay upon him shall be with timbrels and with lyres, when with battles of brandished weapons he hath fought
against them. For there hath been set in order beforehand a Tophet, yea the same for the king hath been prepared, He hath made it deep, made it
large, - The circumference thereof is for fire
and wood in abundance, The breath of Jehovah
like a torrent of brimstone is ready to kindle it.” Assyria first -
Verse 7. After the
battle, the restoration of the inheritance! And so5 by the help of Dr. Briggs,
we read from a critically emended text: An inheritance on the way
he maketh it, Therefore he (Jehovah still, as all along so far in these concluding
verses) exalteth the Head - the true Head, the Messiah, the rightful Head of a
ransomed and delivered world. Of
course, if anyone choose to abide still by the Massoretic Hebrew text, - down
to the last verse and to the minutest letter, including the editorially
supplied vowel points, he can do so with very little disturbance to the general
effect; and, bringing the Messiah to the front as an exhausted warrior,
snatching a refreshing drink of the brook by the way, and then lifting up his
head to pursue the flying foe and so completing his conquest - to which he will
naturally give a fitting explanation.
But probably a goodly contingent even of conservative critics will
prefer the more dignified and commensurate ending suggested above, especially
when they discover the minuteness of the changes involved, probably imperilling
not more than a single consonant in the original text, in the process of
copying which such an error might easily be made. An excellent, dignified, and adequate
conclusion to the psalm, will certainly be realised if
we thus read and expound the seventh verse. An inheritance on the
way (at once) he (Jehovah) maketh it, (namely) the wide land rescued from Antichrist, or even the whole
earth occupied by the nations previously mentioned as having to pass through
Jehovah’s refining judgment; handing it over to him, the Messiah, in
pursuance of the offer of the Second Psalm - “Ask of me, and I will give
nations as thine inheritance, and
the uttermost parts of the earth as thy possession.” Thus will Jehovah make good the very
last line of the psalm also: Therefore (and thus) he (Jehovah) exalteth the
(rightful and all worldly) Head (of
the world redeemed by him, even the Messiah, David’s long-looked-for
lord: to whom and for whom this sublime and significant revelation was made by
the Holy Spirit speaking by David).
The references to this psalm in the N. T. demand a brief
notice. “No psalm is more frequently quoted and alluded to in the N.
T. It was, as we have seen, quoted
by our Lord (Mat. 22:
44; Mk. 12: 36; Lk. 2: 42, 43); and His use of its
language as recorded in 26: 64 (= Mk. 14: 62; Lk. 22: 69) clearly involved (since its Messianic significance was acknowledged)
an assertion of His Messiahship in answer to the High-priest’s
adjuration. Verse 1 is applied
by St. Peter to the exaltation of Christ in his Resurrection and Ascension (Acts 2: 34,
35) and is quoted in Heb. 1: 13 to illustrate the superiority of the Son to
Angels. Cp. also Mk. 16: 19, Acts 5: 31, 7: 55, 56, Rom. 8: 34, 1 Cor. 15: 24 ff, Eph. 1: 20, Col. 3: 1, Heb. 1: 3, 8: 1, 10: 12, 13, 12: 2, 1 Peter 3: 22, Rev.
3: 21. Verse 4 serves as
the basis of the argument in Heb. 5: 5ff, 6: 20, 7: 17ff concerning the superiority
of Christ’s priesthood to the Levitical priesthood” Kirkpatrick, in “Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges.” In accordance with the lofty outlook of
some of these references, it would not have been improper to render the second
line of this psalm – “Sit thou enthroned
at my right hand,” only that such a prominence given to heavenly
kingship would have been a little beyond the scope of the psalm, and was
by no means demanded by the Hebrew word employed. Carefully followed, the context suggests
no more than honour, rest, and waiting; in exact accordance with Heb. 10:
13 (“waiting
henceforth”). In point of fact, the Son of
David is also the Son of God; and the heavenly honour, rest, and waiting secured by his session at the right hand
of God, are coincident with heavenly activity, in other capacities and
for other ends than those brought into view by the psalm. In like manner, it would probably have
been premature, had we, in seeking for the “volunteers” of verse 3, referred to the army seen in heaven in Rev. 19.
The coincidence is indeed striking, especially as between the “holy
adorning”
seen by the psalmist and the “fine linen, white
and pure” described
by the seer in
* * * * * * *
CONCLUDING REMARKS
BE AS MEN WHO OBEY AND WAIT FOR THEIR
LORD
A timely message is the Lord’s
message to the Laodicean church.
Christendom is in the Laodicean stage. It is Christ’s last call to the
Church, ere He leaves the mercy seat for the judgment seat. Laodiceanism is a disease of the Church
and not of the world. It is the
subtlest sin of Hell, it is religion; but it
is religion that Jesus hates.
It is the surrender of first-love -
cooling off from fervency to lukewarmness - profession without possession - a
name to live and art dead - neither hot nor cold in love or works - mediocre
service - indifferent praying - contentment in spiritual barrenness -
complacency in idleness - grudging in giving - reluctance in sacrificing - no
martyr or witnessing spirit - burdenless, passionless, spiritless, deceived
people doomed to judgment instead of rewards for the faithful, believing
themselves rich, in need of nothing, not knowing they are miserable, poor,
blind.
To them Jesus lovingly calls: “Be
zealous and repent. Buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and
white raiment that thou mayest be clothed … and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see.”
Are you ready for His coming? Are you wise or foolish? Repent and be zealous. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Love God supremely. Keep yourselves from idols. Flee Laodicean lukewarmness. Else at His coming He will
spue you out of His mouth.
-------
“But I hold not my life of any account,
as dear unto myself, so
that I may accomplish my course, and the
ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to
testify the gospel of the grace of God.” (ACTS
20: 24, R.V.).
“I saw a
Christian as the day broke grey,
He took his burden, starting on his way;
He never faltered till the west’ring
sun
Proclaimed the message that his day was done.
I saw him enter heaven’s wide flung door,
I saw him crowned with glory evermore
Both tried and true, he now shone forth as gold
A great reward was his, an
hundredfold.”
“Everyone therefore who shall
confess me before men, him will I also confess
before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven:”
(MATTHEW 10: 32-33, R.V.).
“If he
suffers the shame, and the stigma and blame
He will reign with his Lord by and by.
But if Christ he denies, and the suffering defies
Then the Lord will deny him in high.”
“Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we
shall also live with him: if we shall deny him,
he also will deny us: if
we are faithless, he abideth faithful; for he cannot deny himself:” (2 TIMOTHY 2: 11-13, R.V.).
“If with
Christ you would reign,
You must suffer His pain
And follow Him, bearing His cross
You must share in His shame,
Bear His stigma and blame,
And count the world nothing but loss.
If the Lord you deny
And His suffering defy
You will fail in obtaining the prize.
Out of the camp you must go
Bear His burden and woe
If you seek for reward in
the skies.”
“According to the grace of God
which was given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder I
laid a foundation; and another buildeth thereon. But let each man take heed how he buildeth
thereon. For other foundation can no man lay than
that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if any man buildeth on the
foundation gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, stubble; each man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall
declare it, because it is revealed by fire; and the fire itself shall prove each
man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work shall abide
which he built thereon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire.
Know ye not that ye are a
“I saw another
man at break of day
But soon he tired, and fainted by the way.
He turned aside to spend a pleasant hour
And basked beneath the world’s entrancing
bower;
I saw him later stand before the throne
Saved by God’s grace, and yet without a
crown;
His face was sad, he held
no harp, no lyre
His works were burned, and he was saved by fire.”
“If any man’s work shall
be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire:” 1
CORINTHIANS 3: 15, R.V.
“My heart
did not aspire, for kingdom joys;
I cast that hope away, and lived for self,
For time, for vain display:
And now, alas, my wrong I must repay –
Just saved, ‘so as through fire.’”
“… Confirming the souls of
the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the
faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the
“I knew
it would be so –
I knew that those who suffer,
bear His pain,
Would in His earthly kingdom reign;
The faithful only would His kingdom gain –
Where joy for aye o’erflow.”
“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we
have boldness toward God:” 1 JOHN 3:
21, R.V.
“How doth
my spirit groan –
As now I see the crowned go marching in
I know that in their group I might have been
Crowned with the victor-saints, mid cherubim;
Instead I weep and moan.”
“And now, my little children, abide in
him; that, if he
shall be made manifested, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming:” 1 JOHN 2: 28,
R.V.
“How
would I feel
If I should meet my judge,
my Saviour?
Would I there kneel
Before His face, in sad disgrace
My life all spent, on pleasure bent -
And all my shameful past behaviour
Beyond repeal?
He would have me rich, but I stand there poor
Stripped of all but His grace:
And memory runs like a haunted thing down the
Years that I cannot retrace;
And my penitent heart well now breaks with tears
that I cannot shed,
And bow by uncrowned head.”
“Howbeit what things were gain
to me, these have I counted loss for Christ. Yea verily, I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I
suffered the loss of all things, and do count
them as dung, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death:” (PHILIPPIANS 3: 7-10, R.V.).
“And
shall I give thee up, O world,
A world with banners all unfurled,
With pomp and glory, pride of gold
With matchless treasures all untold,
With fields all filled with ripened grain,
With ships that sail the
stormy main?
Shall I give up the joy of sin
The very things men seek to win?
The pleasures, pastimes, frolics, fun,
And all the things beneath
the sun?
Yes, I will gladly count all loss
To follow Christ, and bear the Cross;
Yea, I will count my loss, but gain,
So I, with Christ, may live and reign.”
“For it is God which worketh in
you both to will and to work,
for his good pleasure:” (PHILIPPIANS 2: 13,
R.V.).
“Strive
to appear before His face
Confessed a victor ever;
Seek but to run a winning race,
And wear a crown forever.
Press towards the prize which lies before,
The prize of His up-calling;
Then when you reach the other shore
You’ll have no fear appalling.”
-------
"
“For the forgiveness of sins, and for life as a forgiven
man in the camp, neither perfection of form, nor washing at the gate of the
tabernacle, nor special clothing, were demanded; but for access to God and for priestly service all these were as
indispensable as the atoning blood.
Imputed righteousness settles completely and for ever the judical standing of the [regenerate] believer as justified [by grace] before the Law of God; but practical righteousness
must be added in order to secure many of
the mighty privileges which become possible to the justified. For loss
and shame must be his at last
who has been content to remain deformed
and imperfect in moral state, or is found to have neglected the washing, and so be unfit to wear the noble clothing* required for access to the [millennial] throne of glory. Such neglect of present grace not only
causes the loss of heart access to God, as the careless [regenerate] believer surely knows, but will
assure the forfeiture of much that grace would have granted in the future.
[* NOTE. This ‘noble clothing’ would appear to be a reference to
redeemed and disembodied souls being clothed with immortal,
glorified and resurrected bodies at the time of
Messiah’s return to resurrect the holy dead, (1
Thess. 4: 16) at ‘the First
Resurrection’ (Rev. 20: 4-6).]
‘Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he
that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame:’ (Rev. 16: 15). Therefore, ‘garments’ may be lost. If the reference is to [Christ’s] imputed
righteousness, then justification [by faith alone] may be
forfeited, and the once [eternally] saved be afterwards [eternally] lost. But
let those who rightly reject this,
inquire honestly what it does properly mean as to the eternally justified. And
let them face what is involved in the loss of one’s garments.”
“For whosoever
would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever
shall lose his life for my sake shall save it. For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? Or what shall a man give in exchange for
his life?
For the Son of man shall come in
the glory of his Father with his angels; and
then shall he render to every man
according to his deeds [Gk.
‘doing’]:” (MATTHEW 16:
25-27,
R.V.).
“Lord help
me so to live, my life to others give
That I may yet live on,
when I am gone
May I redeem my time, my
life make so sublime
That I may yet live on,
when earth is done
May all I say and do, count
for that life anew
The life that
yet lives on, beyond the sun.”
In what I say and do.”
“Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or
absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. For we must all be made manifest before
the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body,
according to
what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made
manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your
consciences:” (2 CORINTHIANS 5:
9-11,
R.V.).
“Lord may
I live what I profess;
The faith I hold may I possess.
In life, in words, and holiness
Lord keep me true.
To doctrine I would give due heed;
Yet, may my life adorn the creed
This meeting all* my brother’s need
In what I say and do.”
- G. H. LANG.
“And now, behold, I know that ye all, among
whom I went about preaching the KINGDOM, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I testify unto you this day, that I am pure
from the blood of all men. For I shrank not from declaring unto you the WHOLE counsel of God.” (Acts 20: 25, 26, R.V.).
-------
NOTE 10
“HADES”
By J. B.ROTHERHAM
HADES -
This word occurs 16 times in the following version of the Psalms namely,
6: 5; 9: 17; 16: 10; 18: 5; 30: 3; 31: 17; 49: 14, 15; 55: 5; 86: 13; 88: 3; 89: 48; 116: 3; 139: 8; 141: 7. It always stands for the Heb. shoe1, a word which is found 65 times in the O.T., and of which in the Septuagint, hades is the Greek representative.
Besides these 65 examples of the word in the O.T., there are 10 more in the
N.T. in which “hades” occurs, in its own right, in the Greek
original, still in the same sense as sheol
in the Hebrew Bible. The great gain of employing the same word throughout the
English whether as a translation or as a reproduction of an original word - is,
that it brings into line, to the English eye and ear, all the direct allusions
by name to the subject of Hades; and, in all reason, 75 examples ought to
enable every English student to judge for himself what Hades in the Bible means
- whether place or state or both, and whether the same now as it ever has been,
or more or less changed by the coming of the Messiah.
“Hades”
is the under-world considered as the realm of the dead. It includes the grave (49: 14; 141: 7), but
is wider, and deeper: wider, inasmuch as it embraces such dead as have received
no burial (Gen.
37: 33;
34; Jonah 2: 2);
and deeper, in that it is set in contrast with the heavens for height (Job 11: 8; Amos 9: 2). It is so far synonymous with both
“death” and the “grave” that it may frequently be employed for
either without serious change of meaning (e.g., 6: 5); and yet some things are affirmed of “hades” which cannot well be spoken of mere death
or the grave - as for example, “hades”
has for inhabitants “shades” or
“ghosts” (Heb. repha’im)
(Job 25: 6; Prov. 2: 18; 21: 16, Isa. 14: 9, 26: 14, 19; Ps. 88: 10), and
is divisible into lower and higher (Deut. 32: 22; Ps. 86: 13), the lower hades being in one case pointedly
expressed as “the well of the pit” (Ps. 55: 23).
It is undeniable that, before the coming of the Messiah, “hades” was invested with deep gloom, and caused,
even in the minds of godly, strong aversion, leading to earnest prayers to be
saved from it and devout thanks for deliverance from the immediate prospect of
entering it (18: 4-6; 30: 3; 116: 1-6). Not always, it is true, was this
aversion felt; and, in one remarkable case, Job
(14: 13)
is heard crying out:-
Oh that in hades thou wouldst hide me!
That thou wouldst keep me secret, until the turn of thine anger!
That thou wouldst set for me a
fixed time and remember me!
Notwithstanding such occasional sighing for “hades” as a relief, - not without some hope of
deliverance, - the description of hades given by Dr. Driver in his Parallel
Psalter (Glossary L, “sheol”) is scarcely too
strong, when he says:- “The inhabitants of which pass a dim and shadowy existence,
unworthy of the name of life, cut off from the memory and protecting help of
God (Ps.
88: 5), and
where the voice of praise is for ever hushed (Ps. 6: 5; 30: 9; 88: 10-12; 115: 17; Is. 38: 18).”
At the same time it should be remembered, as against the extreme view
that death ends all, that the very existence of such a place or state as hades
is one of extreme significance. It
seems expressly to wait some future development.
Turning now to the list of passages in the Psalms in which the
“hades” is mentioned, and at once
dismissing those in which the word appears as a mere synonym of “death” and “the
grave,” and so serve more for general impressiveness than for
specific teaching - what do we find?
Doubtless we may gather up several incidental lessons; such as
the graphic way in which the bones of the hastily buried, or the unburied, are
described in the last passage in the list as lying scattered about the mouth of
hades - which sustains the position that hades includes the grave; and such as
the basis furnished, by the existence of a lower hades and the well of the pit
(55: 15, 23), for the teaching of our Lord (in Lk. 16), that whatever may be the measure of
unconsciousness generally experienced by the selfish and unsaved dead, yet that
it is possible they may be aroused to an acute consciousness of
pain and to remorseful memories and apprehensions. Rising, however, far above these
incidental lessons, is the prospect opened up by at least two of these hadean
passages in the Psalms of a Divine Victory over hades. One of these (49: 15) is indeed general and theocratic
rather than messianic; but it is positive in terms and highly inspiring:
“God will do for me what with all your wealth ye
rich men cannot do for yourselves, far less for
each other: he will ransom my soul - my entire personality: out of the hand of Hades will he take me, as Enoch was taken according to the startling story in
Genesis.” On the whole this sudden outburst of promise looks
towards transformation without dying rather than to actual resurrection. The other and earlier passage (16: 10) just as strongly makes for
resurrection after dying, inasmuch as the flesh so rests securely, that,
although the body [soul]* of the speaker should enter hades, Yet should he not be abandoned to hades. This was either fulfilled in David
or in one of David’s line for whom prophetically he spake. Jesus
of Nazareth, rising from [hades (Acts 2: 31) -
the place of the souls of] the dead and
ascending to the Father’s right-hand, has, in beginning and pledge,
abolished death and revolutionised
hades: of the dwellers in which he has become Lord (Rom. 14: 9) and of
the keys of which he has taken possession (Rev. 1: 18).
[* NOTE. The BODY decomposes while lying in
the TOMB or GRAVE; for as long as the disembodied SOUL, - immediately after the time of Death, -enters the Underworld of the dead in
“HADES.”
- See R. Govett’s
‘Hades’. Ed.]
-------
NOTE 11
“The So-Called Imprecatory Psalms,”
By E. BENDOR SAMUEL.]
To deal fully with this subject would require more time and
space than we can give to it here.
It is a great pity that in some quarters the so-called
Imprecatory Psalms have been made a reason for blaspheming and finding fault
with Divine inspiration. Even
Christian friends have found some expressions in the book a difficulty. The following few thoughts may be found
helpful.
First, we need to remember that these Psalms were written by
men who were inspired by the Spirit of God, and the Holy Spirit has the perfect
right to denounce sin and pronounce judgment against the sinner.
This is, moreover, in harmony with the Law* and the prophets of the Old Testament,** and with the teaching of our Lord*** and the apostles in the New Testament.****
* See the maledictions pronounced
against the Israelites for falling into idolatry and sin in Leviticus 26, also Dent. 27 and 28.
** For instance, Isa. 5:
24, 25; 8: 14, 15; 28: 13, et passim; also Jer. 6:
21; 7: 32-34, et passim.
*** What strong denunciations the Lord Jesus Himself used
against the Scribs and Pharisees of His day! (Matt. 23).
**** See Gal. 1: 8, 9; 5: 12; James 5: 3; and Jude 13, 15.
Apokopsontai (Gal. 5:
12) is certainly a very strong expression to use, as it implies
the cutting off of a limb.
II
David, though not perfect, for, “There is no man righteous on earth, who
doeth good and sinneth not,” is often condemned too harshly. In his private capacity he frequently
exercised great forbearance, and was ready to forgive even his enemies when
they were in his power, as in the case of Saul and others.* In the Psalms he
makes God’s cause his cause, and prays from that standpoint. See Psa. 5: 10, 11:
“Destroy
them O God, let them fall by their own counsels;
Cast them out in the
multitude of their transgressions
For they have rebelled
against Thee.”
* It is not our desire to justify the wrong done by any one -
however good. The Bible never
covers up the blemishes of the greatest saints whose history it records, as men
are apt to do; but let us do them justice.
The finger of scorn is often pointed at the incident recorded in 1 Chron. 20: 3, which
speaks of David as cutting the Ammonites with saws, etc. It is only right to
say that some ancient manuscripts have vayyasem, “he placed them,” instead of vayyasar,
“he cut them with saws,” i.e., he
made them work for the Israelites with saws and harrows, etc., as Joshua made
the Gibeonites do (Josh. 9: 23). This
would then be in harmony with the original record of this incident in 2 Sam. 12: 31, which reads literally, “And the people that were in it brought he forth, and put them with saws and harrows of iron, and with axes of iron, and
made them pass through the brick-kiln.” It is evident that he set
them to do useful work for him. The only difference between 1 Chron. 20: 3 and 2 Sam. 12: 31, is in the shape of one letter (… is put instead of …)
and please remember the early manuscripts were written by hand.
A paragraph in “Biblia Hebraica” after the text of Kennicott on 2 Sam.
12: 31,
is well worth quoting:
“David was a prince truly
eminent and illustrious. And though it is certain, that he was guilty of some
great crimes; yet it is as certain, that he ought not to be charged with
crimes, or cruelties, of which he was really innocent. One heavy charge has
been urged against him, from this part of the sacred history; as if it
represented him sawing, and harrowing, and chopping, and burning, all the Ammonites: a savage representation, which has
raised much clamour among the enemies of revelation! But, a charge so severe as this, and so very unlikely to be true, should
be examined with great care; and if the original records are consulted
accurately, they will, I humbly apprehend, set the matter in a different light.
Here in Samuel, the 2 first words signify et Posuit in serra, as in
the interlinear Latin version, which words are a true key to the following, and
fairly show that David put them to the saw, and sentenced them to other hard works of
slavery. The whole mistake here seems to have arisen from an error in the
Hebrew text of the parallel place in Chronicles; by the omission of one small
part of one letter; for the word, instead of …, et posuit, is now … et serravit, in 1 Chron. 20: 3. This corruption was
probably very ancient, because expressed in the Greek version. But still, there
can be little doubt, that the two words were at first
the same; and if so, the context requires the word in Samuel; especially, as that reading is confirmed by five Hebrew MSS. in Chronicles.”
“But let all those who put their trust in Thee rejoice.
Let them ever shout for joy
because Thou defendest them.”
Again, Psa. 21:
10, 11,
“Their
fruit shalt Thou destroy from the earth,
And their seed from among
the children of men.
For they intended evil
against Thee;
They imagined evil thoughts which
they cannot accomplish.
Similarly Psa.
139: 19-22:
“Surely
Thou wilt slay the wicked, O God,
Depart from me ye blood-guilty men.
For they speak against Thee
wickedly,
And Thine enemies take Thy
name in vain.
Do not I hate them, O Jehovah,
that hate Thee?
And am not I grieved with
them that rise up against Thee?
I hate them with perfect
hatred,
I count them mine enemies.”
The Psalmist is thus seeking the will and the glory of God.
With sincerity he could add:
“Search
me, O God, and
know my heart,
Try me, and know my
thoughts,
And see if there be any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way
everlasting.”
III
It is also true that David lived in a dispensation when the
higher principles of grace and mercy as inculcated by our Lord in the Gospels were
not generally practised, and his sentiments were more in harmony with the
Mosaic economy with its promises of
national reward for obedience
and threatenings of temporal
punishment for disobedience.
Thus the Psalmist says:
“Give them
according to their deeds,
And according to the
wickedness of their endeavours;
Give them after the work of
their hands;
Render to them their desert” (Psa. 28:
4).
It is true that the principles of righteousness do not change
with the times, yet the circumstances that govern them are not always the same.
Men have not always been able to follow the wonderful truths taught by Christ,
and the Law was preparatory to the Gospel.
IV
In his denunciations the object of the Psalmist was to teach
men the great moral lesson of God’s holiness and sovereignty,
that the righteous may see and fear.
“I will
praise Thee for ever because Thou hast done it.”
“Behold
the man who has not made God his strength,
But trusted in the abundance
of his wealth,
And has strengthened himself in his wickedness.”
Again, -
“A man
shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous;
Verily there is a God
judging in the earth”
(Psa. 52: 7-9; 58: 11).
V
We should also recognise the fact that the Oriental was
accustomed to use stronger language to express his thoughts than the Westerner,
his denunciations are more vehement, his praises are more exaggerated, though
his feelings may not be more intense than ours, and his words may not have any
deeper significance to him than our more moderate expressions have to us.*
* The writer once witnessed at Fez, Morocco, a woman who had
lost a chicken, standing in a crowded market place, and cursing the unknown
thief; his father and his mother, his
brothers and his sisters, his sons and his daughters; pronouncing a malediction
on every limb of their bodies, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, but it made little impression, no
one seemed to take the slightest notice of her curses. Similarly for “Thank you,” the Moor would say, “God’s blessing in you.”
VI
Many of these harsh expressions were evidently uttered from a
sense of justice and a feeling of sympathy with the injured and the oppressed,
as in Psa. 10: 8-10: -
“He (the wicked of verse 4) sitteth in the lurking places of the courts,
In the secret places doth he
murder the innocent:
His eyes are privily set
against the poor.
He lieth in wait secretly as
a lion in His den.
He lieth in wait to catch
the poor,
He doth catch the poor when
he draweth him into his net.”
This is followed by the prayer,
“Arise,
O Lord, O God lift up
Thine hand;
Forget not the humble.”
VII
These Psalms express a confidence in God that in His holiness
and righteousness He will not clear the
unrepentant guilty.* As Isaiah (2:
9) declares that God will not forgive the idolatrous Israelites
who continued in their idolatry. And as Jeremiah was told
not to pray for those who provoked God by worshipping the heathen deities (Jer. 7: 16, 17).
Even in the New Testament we are told that there is a sin unto death
beyond the point of prayer (1 John 5: 16).
* That sin is punished - [even
in the lives of His disobedient, and redeemed children] - is a Divine principle taught throughout the Scriptures.
Punishing the evil-doer is the practice of all nations;
necessity demands it. It is essential for the security, and well-being of
mankind; hence the law courts in all civilised countries.
Who would ever advocate the abolition of our courts of
justice, the discharging of our judges, and the disbanding of our police force?
How often are we ourselves stirred with indignation at the report of crimes
committed in our days, and have we not a feeling of satisfaction when the
criminals are brought to justice? Why, then, blame David for his expressed
determination to suppress the evil of his day, and to establish good
government, for which he, as King of Israel, was chiefly responsible (see Rom. 13: 3-4).
VIII
Again, some of these Psalms are prayers for success in
warfare. What nation does not pray for victory on the battlefield? We may not
use the language of the Oriental for the destruction of the enemy, but in our
prayer for victory is surely implied the defeat of the enemy. David realised
that power belongs unto God and He gives the victory to Whom He wills, and
therefore prays,
“Bow Thy
heavens, O Jehovah, and come down;
Touch the mountains and they
shall smoke.
Cast forth lightning, and scatter
them,
Shoot out Thine arrows and
destroy them,
Send forth Thine hand from
above,
Rescue me and deliver me out
of great waters,
From the hand of the sons of
the alien” (Psa. 144: 5-7).
IX
Some of the petitions in the Psalms have reference to
Scripture predictions.
Fault has been found with Psa. 137: 8, 9, as manifesting a revengeful spirit.
“O
daughter of
Happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
Happy shall he be that
taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.”
The fact is that the Psalmist has before him a direct prophecy
where the fall of
Jeremiah, too, in predicting the overthrow of
Babylon by the Medo-Persians says (50: 15):
“Shout against her round about, she has given her hand, her
bulwarks are fallen, her walls are thrown down
for it is the vengeance of Jehovah; Take
vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto
her.” Also verse 28,
“The voice of them that flee and escape out of
the
A comparison of these passages of Scripture with Psa. 137 will show that the Psalmist was alluding to
these definite predictions, knowing also that the overthrow of
X
Finally, some of these so-named Imprecatory Psalms are
predictions concerning our Lord and His betrayers, and were all accurately
fulfilled. Among these are Psa. 40, which depicts Christ as the all sufficient
sacrifice, His suffering for our sins, and the punishment of His enemies. Psa. 55, which has David and Ahithophel as a
background, but which found a more complete fulfilment in the treacherous acts
of Judas – [one of the twelve, called
by Jesus, to be one of His
chosen apostles. See ‘Judas – A
Regenerate Believer’ on the website]* - and their consequences, as is
seen from John 12: 21-17, which refers to it. Psa. 69,
which is a prophecy of Christ, and those that hated Him without a cause; cf. verse 4 with John 15:
25. How true this was of Christ! Reproach
broke His heart. There was no one to express pity or to comfort Him, for His
disciples forsook Him and fled. Gall and vinegar were offered Him, truly
emblematic of His bitter experience. Verses 22-25 describe the punishment meted out to Judas as a
result (Acts 1: 20).
[* NOTE. To suggest that his loss for his treachery is “ETERNAL life”, would place “the FREE GIFT of God”
(Rom. 6: 24, R.V.), upon our faithfulness instead
of upon the faithfulness of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!]
Psa. 109 sometimes called the “Iscariot Psalm” is a similar prophecy which was
accurately fulfilled in Judas and
his associates responsible for the terrible crime against the Lord Jesus.
To see how literally these predictions were fulfilled one need
only read Josephus’ account of the cruel war with the Romans, and the
terrible suffering the Jews endured. Indeed their sufferings commenced soon
after Christ’s crucifixion in the reign of Caligula, (27-41 A. D.) who claimed Divine honours and insisted
that his image should be placed in the
With this commenced the distress of the Jewish people, and it
led to the great war.
Thus, instead of these Psalms being a hindrance to faith they
are evidences of the veracity of the Scripture, the awfulness of sin and the
holiness of God.
-------
NOTE 12
“KINGDOM”
[From J. B. Rotherham’s book: “Studies In The Psalms, pp. 30, 31.”.]
The Psalms are peculiarly rich in
instruction as to the Coming Kingdom of God upon earth. The reader who will study in succession Psalms 2; 45; 72; 92-99, and 110, -
first independently of the author’s expositions, for the purpose of
maturing a judgment of his own, - and then entering into a comparison with the
views set forth by the writer of these Studies, - will probably not feel any
need of an extended summary in this chapter. The chief things to bear in mind as
preliminaries to a profitable investigation are: First, a clear
apprehension of the vast difference between the physical and moral spheres of
the Divine Government, in that, within the former realm, God speaks and it is
done without fail, disobedience being an impossibility; whereas, within the
latter - the moral - realm, promulgation of Jehovah’s will is always in
fact, even if not in form, an appeal to created wills, calling for but not
compelling obedience; and, second, that in point of fact Jehovah is always and unchangeably the
absolutely rightful ruler of the universe.
There is always an abiding reign of God – whether of right in the
moral world or of effectuating force in the natural world – which never
begins, never lapses, never ends.
Jehovah never abdicates the throne of his own essential supremacy. In regard of this, his reign never
waits, never comes, never goes. The more clearly this is seen and the
more firmly it is held, the more constant will be the perception that where
undeniably such movements and changes are predicated, there some especial phase
or form or manifestation of the
-------
NOTE 13
THE MASSORITES
These “hedged about”
the Sacred Text; and, in doing this, occupied a position peculiarly their own,
in which they can have no modern successors. They stood between the Sopherim, whose
oral decisions they received, and the ordinary professional copyists, on whom
it devolved to carry those traditions into effect; as it then further devolved
on the Nakdanim or “Massoretic annotators”
to revise the codices which the copyists had made, and to see that the accepted
traditions of the Sopherim had been scrupulously observed. It is of importance, as conducive to
clearness, to bear in mind that the authoritative instructions of the Sopherim
were orally
handed down. It was the
risks that attended this process that called into existence - first the Massorites
and then the Nakdanim. The
difference between these two classes was this: The Massorites “had to invent the graphic signs, to fix the pronunciation
and the sense of the consonantal text, and formulate the Lists of correct
readings in accordance with the authoritative traditions”; but
“the functions of the Nakdanim were not to
create, but strictly to conserve the Massoretic labours”: much as
modern Press Correctors conserve modern Editorial labours! “They” - these Nakdanim - “revised the consonantal text produced by professional
copyists (nearly resembling modern Compositors) and furnished it with the
Massoretic vowel - signs and accents, as well as with the Massorahs,
both Parva and Magna, as transmitted to them by
Massorites.” By way of completeness it may here be added: That in
the third century of our era, there were two recensions or standards of the Hebrew
Text, known respectively as Eastern and Western, differing slightly from each
other; and, further, that in the
early part of the tenth century, there were two rival Nakdanim or Massoretic
Annotators, named Ben-Asher and Ben-Naphtali, whose recensions differed
still less, inasmuch as these worthy men were merely rival punctists. If this last circumstance had been
heeded, scholars to-day would not have loosely
asserted that our present Massoretic Text goes no further back than the tenth
century - a statement which, though technically correct, yet is practically
misleading. All the truth there is
in it is: That the present pointing of the Massoretic Text goes no further
back than the tenth century. The
Massoretic Text itself, in its larger and more substantial features, must have
been fixed more than a thousand years earlier, before the Septuagint Version
was made.
-------
NOTE 14
MESSIAH’S BRIDE
By JOSEPH SLADEN.
The events of the
last decade of years have shown generally to expositors of prophetic Scriptures
that statements made therein should be taken literally, where it can be done
without producing absurdity - either physical or metaphysical. Things which were, in
time past, physically impossible, are now, by the rapid progress of scientific
knowledge, made literally true.
For example, let
us remark on a statement by Sir Isaac Newton, the great astronomer, who was
also a lover of the Word of Prophecy.
He stated that the incident named in Rev.
11: 10 -
when the armies of all the nations are to be gathered against
Under present
circumstances, the incident related above can no longer be regarded as
physically absurd. So the literal
interpretation of the whole of the incidents referred to must be accepted
in its plain meaning.
It can no longer
be held that the effects of the Seals and the Trumpets are figurative of great
convulsions of governments and significant of false doctrine. Most expositors adopted the figurative
view; the only exceptions known to the writer are Seiss and Govett. The
time is rapidly approaching when these prophetic words will be literally
fulfilled. The
earthquakes and famines and pestilences of the present epoch confirm the
literalness of events recorded under the Seals and Trumpets.
SIGNS OR FIGURES
But there are signs
(or figures) used in the Apocalypse which cannot be taken
literally. In such cases, the
explanation of the sign is given, e.g., the woman clothed with the sun,
etc., is a figure of
Let us apply these
principles to the statements made concerning the
It is remarkable
that the statement about the
In the second
notice of the
Twice the notice
of the literalness of the
LITERAL AND EMBLEMATICAL
The
Bride of the Lamb is the symbol of the
The figure of the
Bride of the Lamb is not, then, identical with the figure of the Bride of
Christ. It differs entirely from
the figure of the Bride of Christ, which represents Christ’s elect Church
[i.e., the
“church the firstborn,” taken out
from]
the Body of which He is the Head. The Lamb is the mystic name of the Son
of God in relation to all the saved in all the dispensations. It is a name of universal
significance, displaying universal sovereignty. John the Baptist witnessed: “Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world.” In
the Apocalypse, after the standing of the Church has been set aside, and the
action of the Throne of Judgment has commenced in Rev. 4., this mystic name is applied twenty-eight
times to the Son of God; and at the close, in the new earth, the Throne of God
and of the Lamb exercises, throughout the countless ages of eternity,
universal sovereignty (Rev. 22: 3).*
* That the
Bride of the Lamb is not the Church, is shown by the
names of the twelve tribes of the children of
It is remarkable
that the promise to the overcomer in
the Church in
-------
NOTE 15
APOSTASY
IN THE CHURCH
By V. TOPPS
JUDE’S short
epistle contains a striking contrast between false teachers and true in the
Church, “Certain men crept in unawares”
- “But ye beloved” - these are the
introductory phrases to the two subjects under consideration in this brief but
exceedingly valuable letter. The writer first traces the course of apostasy and
reveals some of its features, then exhorts his readers to steadfastness in the
faith, those who had been sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus
Christ and called.
The oft quoted
doxology in verses 24-25 becomes richer when viewed against the
background of the whole epistle. This little book might be called the Falling
Chapter, for it contains references to many falls. In verse
5 we see a people falling,
Jude’s
concern was that certain men had crept in unawares. Note the preposition for it
is all important. Men who had crept out were not the real danger. “They went out from us,” John says,
“but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they
would no doubt have continued with us, but they
went out, that they might be made manifest that
they were not all of us” (1 John 2: 19). The Church, though weakened numerically, has only
been strengthened spiritually when some have openly [been] defected. A
deadening work however has been performed by those who have crept in. Even in
that early day, approximately A.D. 66, professing members of the Church were
denying the doctrine of free grace, and it was necessary to urge the saints to
contend earnestly for the faith. Subsequent history has shown how needful the
warning was.
A consideration of
verse 11 will give the thoughtful reader
much light on the subject of these apostatising teachers, these men who have
crept into the Church undiscerned. “Woe unto them,”
cries Jude, “for they have gone in the way of
Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam
for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of
Core.” Consider each of these illustrations briefly.
THE WAY OF CAIN
The mention of
Cain indicates how early the trouble started and its source. Modernism is not
really modern for it had its springs in
Cain may be said
therefore to have been the first to introduce a bloodless theology. In this he
was typical of thousands to follow, men now found within the Church who deny
the vital truth of redemption through the blood of Christ. To-day as in A.D. 66
there are many with an alternative “Gospel,”
and it can be said largely of the great denominational movements that they have
gone in the way of Cain - they have left out the blood. False teachers abound
who deny that the Lord bought us with His blood, and Peter prophesied that many
would follow their pernicious ways (2 Peter 2: 2). Pernicious teaching, the bloodless theology
initiated by Cain, is the first mark of the apostate teacher.
THE ERROR OF BALAAM
Balaam was a
professional enchanter. Of false prophets in the Church, Jude says they have
run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward. What was the
error of Balaam? He made several, but his chief error lay in persisting in a
course which he knew to be wrong “for
reward”. “Come, curse me Jacob, and come defy
Peter draws
attention to this fatal greed of Balaam’s. “He loved the wages of
unrighteousness.” There is no more pathetic figure in
Scripture. How unutterably sad are his words “I
shall see him, but not now. I shall behold him, but not
nigh” (Numbers
24: 17).
This man knew the value and the end of righteousness. He coveted the lot of
the righteous, knowing that the end of that man is peace. “Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his” (Numbers 23: 10). But he
was not prepared to live the life of the righteous. He loved the wages of
unrighteousness, the present material gain. Balaam hoped to work for one
master and draw his wages from another. Fatal delusion, for God is not
mocked; whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.
Many so-called
Christian teachers are running greedily after the error, stifling conscience to
preach a “Gospel” which will secure
them advancement and preferment, but which they know to be futile and false. The error of Balaam! The Church is indeed suffering
at the hands of professional shepherds, “hirelings”
as the Lord called them. “For the love of money
is the root of all evil; which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”
(1 Timothy 6: 10).
THE GAINSAYING OF KORAH
Korah (Core in Jude 11) headed a rebellion in his day against the
leadership of
Yet we see the
counterpart of Korah from earliest days in the Church. Unregenerate [and
many regenerate] men are never satisfied with God’s arrangements. The divine
order of priesthood since the ascension of Christ has been one of beautiful
simplicity - a King-priest in Heaven and a kingdom of priests on earth, every
believer being a priest unto God, able to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable
to God through Jesus Christ and needing
no intermediary. “There is one God, and one Mediator
between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”
(1 Timothy 2:
5). But religionists from the first have
considered this insufficient and imposed an earthly priesthood on the heavenly
seeking to intrude between the believer and his Lord, ignoring the clear
teaching of the New Testament. Their lot like Korah is to perish, but alas
many perish with them in their gainsaying. Priest-craft
is the third great mark of apostasy.
FOUR-POINT PROGRAMME
From these
thoughts Jude turns to address his leaders more directly – “But ye beloved”. It had
been necessary to dwell at some length on the character of apostasy so that the
false teaching could be readily recognised. “It
was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort
you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the
saints”. Now he concludes with a brief but forceful appeal to the
believers to develop and deepen their spiritual life, the only sure way to combat
error and apostasy. Verses 20-21 contain a four point programme for victorious
living.
First,
“building up yourselves in your most holy faith.” This is a call to edification. The
Word of God’s grace is able to build us up, and the believer well-taught in the Word will be quick to detect error.
In a measure the saints are able to build each other up and to edify one
another, but there is also the need for personal feeding on the Word –
“building up yourselves.”
Second,
“praying in the Holy Ghost.” This is a
call to supplication. The [Holy] Spirit
directs the mind of the true seeker to the Throne of Grace, where we can obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Only by praying in the Holy
Ghost can the Christian develop his prayer life fully. Prayers composed by other men centuries
ago have perhaps a literary value but not a spiritual. Paul said, “I will pray with the spirit, and
I will pray with the understanding also.”(1
Cor. 14: 15).
The Devil trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.
Third, “keep yourselves in the love of God” - a call to preservation. There is a sense in which the [regenerate] believer must
keep himself. Though preserved in
Jesus Christ and called (verse 1),
preservation is here enjoined as a spiritual exercise. Jude points to Christ as the One who is
able to keep, yet exhorts his readers “keep yourselves in the love of God.” Deliberately therefore the child of God
must maintain his spirituality by living in the good of heavenly things and
keeping within the influence of God’s love.*
[* “If you obey my commands,” our Lord says, “you will remain in my love,” (John 15: 10).]
Fourth, “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal [aionion]* life” - this is expectation. The hourly expected return of the Saviour
from Heaven is the highest incentive to holy living and steadfastness in the
faith. An atmosphere of expectancy prevailed in the early Church, and it was doubtless the dimming of
that glorious hope, the slackening in day to day looking, which led
eventually to spiritual sloth and a lack of earnestness, and which let in a
flood of error never since eradicated. No programme for
Christian living is complete without the hope of the Coming. The
grace of God teaches us that we should “live
... looking” (Titus 2: 12-13); “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing [‘appearing of the glory’ R.V.] for the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”
[*“So that having been justified by His FAVOUR, we MIGHT become Heirs according to a
HOPE of aionian Life:”(Tit. 3: 7). That
is ‘a hope
of life age-lasting’
(Gk.).]
-------
NOTE 16
THE
By J. EADIE,
D.D.
The
places quoted in support of the Temple here (2
Thessalonians 2: 4) meaning the
Church are not wholly analogous; the spiritual temple is in them said to be
built up of individual believers as living stones; they are affirmed to be a temple, and the appeal is to
them in this character. The phrase is an immediate and impressive symbol of their purity and consecration and
of their being the dwelling-place of God, “an
habitation of God through the Spirit.” In those ethical passages, describing
spiritual privilege, blessing, and destiny, the meaning lies on the surface,
and is so clear that it cannot be for a moment mistaken, for the metaphor
carries its own explanation, and [regenerate] believers [indwelt by the Holy Spirit] are asserted to form the temple.
But the case is somewhat different in a picture like
this where, without any explanation, the
profane and daring usurper, as the acme of his antagonism, is said to take his seat in the
The
person so described is a man - a single man, and not a series or succession of
men, not the personification of evil influences, or the head of any human
organization. This man, made of
sin, and the representative impersonation of it, is the counter-Christ, “he who opposes”;
both are individual men, both come to view, or are “revealed” in immediate personal manifestation,
both are signalized in character, the
one by righteousness, the other by sin. The
one has life and glory as his destiny, but the other ruin and perdition.
The
Man of Sin exalts himself above and against every one called God. He puts himself into a position higher
than that of any God, refuses to worship anything divine, as if he himself
possessed a higher divinity.
Whatever bears a divine name or claims divine worship, he will put
beneath himself in a spirit of overbearing and self-glorifying hostility, and
of blasphemous insolence, as if to himself alone divine homage were due. He that lifts himself above everything
divine in person or homage puts himself in its room as divine. The inference is that this antichrist
thrusts God out of His place, usurps it, and arrogantly and impiously claims
the worship due to Him.
The
aorist describes the act - he sits down, and it is implied - that the sitting
lasts after the act. Into the temple proper does this proud
opposer thrust himself - as if he - were its divine inhabitant with his throne
in the Holy of Holies.
Dean Alford summarizes the passage thus:- “Though eighteen hundred
years later we stand, with regard
to this prophecy, where the apostle stood; the
day of the Lord not present, and
not to arrive until the Man of Sin be manifested; the mystery of
iniquity still working, and much advanced in its working; the restrainer still
hindering. Lawlessness working on,
so to speak, underground, under the surface of things, gaining throughout many
ages more expansive force, more accumulated power, but still hidden and
un-concentrated.”
The ‘many antichrists’ (as he
points out) are minor eruptions of the subterranean lawlessness which
culminates in the devastating volcano of the Lawless One.
-------
THE END