U N I VERS ITY OF ILLINOIS 220.6 An43 The person charging this material is re¬ sponsible for its return to the library from which it was withdrawn on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN APR 1975 91975 'JAN DEC 0 0 4 L161 — 0-1096 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/angelscherubimgoOOunse ANGELS, CHERUBIM, AND GODS. AS THE CONDITION OF THIS VOLUME WOULD NOT PERMIT SEWING, IT WAS TREATED WITH A STRONG, DURABLE ADHESIVE ESPECIALLY APPLIED TO ASSURE HARD WEAR AND USE. ANGELS, CHERUBIM, AND GODS; % OK, x AN ENQUIRY INTO THE SIGNIFICATION AND APPLICATION OF THESE AND OTHER KINDRED EXPRESSIONS USED IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES: WITH ADDITIONAL REMARKS ON SOME OF THE PASSAGES IN WHICH THESE WORDS OCCUR. “ Are these things so?’*—Acts vii. 1. “ Where reason and evidence will warrant the conclusion, believe every thing. Bardic adages.—Vi, Owen, LONDON: WERTHEIM, MACKINTOSH, AND HUNT, PATERNOSTER HOW, AND HOLLES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE; AND DAVID BATTEN, CLAPIIAM. S. 1861 . W" XI o.(, a I A ^ 4 \ W p *7 / r ! ' INTRODUCTION. D __— 1 In presenting the following Pages to the reader, a few remarks * explanatory of the origin, design, and arrangement of the Work are necessary. The Enquiry arose from casually noticing an expression in Zech. iv. 14, at first appearing to possess but little importance, —“ These are the two anointed ones ” (or “ olive trees”) “ that stand by the Lord of the whole earth ” It was the simple expression, “stand by,” taken in connexion with Rev. xi. 3, 4 ,—where again “two olive trees " are represented as “standing before the God of the earth ,”—and with the words of the angel Gabriel in Luke i. 19 (referred to in the margin of Zech.)—“I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God,” —that suggested the query, Can Gabriel be one of these anointed ones? But Gabriel being called “ the angel of the Lord ,” the necessity arose for considering the Scriptural signification and application of this phrase. The word “ angel ” is generally understood to signify a created being; but as in a few instances in the Old Testa¬ ment it is admitted that “ angel of the Lord,” and “ angel of God,” signify Jehovah, the idea suggested itself whether these phrases should not always be so understood. To ascertain 4 IV. INTRODUCTION. this, various passages wherein they occur were examined, when finding that the simple word “ angel/’ also appeared generally to bear the same high import, the investigation was pursued with respect to this word also, and the examination was carried on throughout the Sacred Volume. In order to ascertain the application of the word “ angels” in Hebrews i., it became necessary to consider the signification i of the words u cherubim ” and “ gods.’ 1 These it was found desirable to examine separately, and ultimately the original Enquiry diverged into the three Parts under their respective heads of Angels, Cherubim, and Gods. In Part I. it is attempted to shew that the phrase, “ angel of the Lord,” or “ angel of God/’ in the English Version of t the Holy Scriptures, always signifies a Person of the Trinity; and that the single word “ angel,” has likewise the same meaning, with certain exceptions which will be noticed as they fall under consideration. The passages wherein either of these phrases, or this word occurs, are noticed under separate Numbers, except where it is plain that the angels mentioned in two or more passages are the same;—such separate examination appearing requi¬ site for the purpose in view. Those passages have been first considered, where the angels are either expressly stated to be, or obviously are, Jehovah, as affording sanction for conclu¬ sions arrived at in subsequent Numbers. To facilitate reference to any particular passage, an Index to the Texts and Numbers is annexed. INTRODUCTION. V. In Part II, it is attempted to show that in the Sacred Volume—with one exception (Ezek. xviii. 14, 15)—the word “cherubim,” or “ cherub,’* refers exclusively to the Holy Spirit; and also that several other terms of less exclusive application are significant of the same Holy uncreate Being. In Part III,—that the word “gods” (or “god/* where not signifying the Divine Being,) is applied not only to objects of worship which are the “ work of men’s hands/’ but also, and primarily, to some of the created intelligent beings who inha¬ bit the unseen world. In this Part, which refers chiefly to sinful beings , are also considered various other terms denoting created intelligences of superhuman race. In some cases, in order to ascertain the true signification of an ambiguous word, the original Versions have been con¬ sulted, and the word traced to its root. With respect to the Old Testament, it may be scarcely necessary to state that for this purpose it was found essential to consult the unpointed Hebrew Version. The examination thus pursued has not only tended to esta¬ blish the intimate connexion of the Old and New Testaments, and the verbal inspiration of both in their original tongues, but has also not unfrequently led to other results little anti¬ cipated,—the precise signification of a doubtful word or phrase once ascertained, often affording a clue to the meaning of whole passages otherwise obscure. Like a particle of snow with its wondrous power of attraction, it formed, as it were, a nucleus around which other indistinct floating atoms of VI. INTRODUCTION. truth seemed to collect and arrange themselves in perfect symmetry. Hence the additional remarks on collateral sub¬ jects which affixed themselves to the then point of enquiry. Believing that the views herein unfolded,—many of which were arrived at, only as step by step the investigation pro¬ ceeded,—are in strict accordance with Scripture, and tend to elucidate some passages of that Book which it is no less the privilege than the bounden duty of all to search and endeavour to understand, they are submitted to the reader, and with less hesitation than would be felt, were it not within the power of all who possess the Divine Oracles to test the accuracy of these views by that standard by which alone they can be judged, and must stand or fall. The Author cannot conclude without expressing regret that subjects so important,—so holy,— and so glorious,—should be so uiworthily treated, but trusts that He whose strength is made perfect in weakness will accept this feeble attempt, and render it conducive to His glory. Part K. ANGELS. I. Gen. xvi. 7—13. The angel of the Lord found her (Hagar) by a fountain of water, . . And he said, Hagar, , . whence, earnest thou ? . . And the angel of the Lord said . unto her Return to thy mistress, . . And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, . . And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Rehold, thou art with child, and slialt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; . . And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me. The “angel of the Lord” of these passages, who found Hagar by the fountain and “ said unto her, Return,” etc., is evidently He who is referred to in the last passage as the “ Lord,”—“ The Lord that spake unto her,”—and whom she called, “ Thou God seest me;” for the angel alone had been speaking to her. Here, therefore, “ angel of the Lord,” “ Lord,” and “ God,” are used synonymously. 2 ANGELS. II. Gen. xxi. 17, 18. And God heard the voice of the lad ; and the angel of God called to Bagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not; . . Arise, lift up the lad, . . for I will make him a great nation. This promise had already been made to Abraham in y. 12, 13, but there “ God said, . . Of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation.” Here, the angel of God said, <£ /will make him a great na¬ tion.” The promise is the same, and each speaks in his own person: therefore “God” in the one passage, is the “ angel of God ” in the other, and also the “ angel of the Lord" of eh. xvi. 10, who said, “ I will multiply thy seed exceedingly.” III. Gen. xxxi. 11,13. The angel of God , . said, . . I am the God of Bethel. Here the “angel of God" plainly declares he is God ;—“ the God of Bethel.” IV. Gen. xlviii. 16. The angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads. The angel of this verse, though not called an angel of God, is obviously the . And the angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of tire out of the midst of a bush . . And God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, . . I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God ol Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face ; for he was afraid to look upon God. 6 ANGELS. This angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses “ out of the midst of a bush,” the same place where God , in this his first interview with Moses, announced himself by name (as he had previously done on his first interviews with the patriarchs), saying, “ I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” * 1 It is added, “ and Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God ’ —that is, upon the angel of the Lord, for he only is said to have “ appeared” to Moses. Moreover, as subsequently the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, “ in fire;” a so the angel of the Lord at the bush, appeared “ in a flame of fire.” Evidently, then, the “ Angel of the Lord,” here named, is no other than the “ Lord,” who saw Moses turning to see the great sight, why the bush was not consumed. 11 VII. Exod. xiv. 19- The angel of God , which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them: and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them. That this “ Angel of God,” who, with the “ pillar of the cloud,” went before the camp of Israel, must be the Lord, is plain from xiii. 21, where we read, “ The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud , and by night in a pillar of fire,” a Exod. xix. 18. *> v. 2—4, l Notice the gradual growth of title by which God was pleased to announce himself to his favoured servants. To Abraham, he was the “Almighty God”; —to Isaac, the “ God of Abraham thy father ” ;—to Jacob, the “ Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac” ;—and to Closes, the “God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Ch. xvii. 1. xxvi. 24, xxviii. 13. Exod. iii. 6. ANGELS. 7 \ which, seems further to identify him with the “angel of the Lord,” who appeared to Moses in “ a flame of fire.” On this passage Rabbi Becliai remarks, “ ‘ Angel ’ and ‘ God ’ are in apposition. The literal rendering then is, the Angel-God went before the camp.” 1 VIII. ExoJ. xxiii. 20 — 23. Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way . . Obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. . , Mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee unto the Amorites. t'li. xxxii. 31. Behold, mine angel shall go before thee, Ch. xxxiii. 2. I will send an angel before Ihee. Numb. xx. 16. When we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel , and hath brouiht us forth out of Egypt. Judg. ii. 1, 4. An angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal, to Bocliim, and said, I made you go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers ; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you . . When the angel of the Lord spake t^ese words unto all the children of Israel, . . the people lifted up their voice, and wept. In all these passages the angel seems to he the same, whether called an “ angel,” or an “ angel of the Lord.” In the first passage, it is implied that he could pardon sin; yet, who can forgive sin but God only? Upon ti e sentence, “my name is in him,” it is observed in the “ Jewish Intelligence,” 2 “ the name means the fulness of the God-head bodily. We maintain, then, on Scriptural ground, that this angel Avas no other than the angel of the covenant, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Jewish In'ell. July, 1852, p. 256. 2 P. 256, referred to above. 8 ANGELS. The “ angel ” of the next three passages is obvious¬ ly the same as that of the first,—the leader of Israel to the promised land;—which identifies him also with the “angel of the Lord” of the last passage, (Judg. ii. 1, 4,) who said, “ I made you go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which Isioare unto your fathers. But in Exod. xx. 2, we read, “ I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egyptand in Exod. xxxiii. 1, “The Lord said, Go up hence . . unto the land which Lsware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” The same act, and the same oath, being here claimed by the “ angel of the Lord,” and by the “Lord God,” proves them to be the same. IX. * Gen. xxiv. 7, 40. The Lord God of heaven which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred . , and which sware untome, saying, TJnto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence , . And he said unto me, The Lord before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way. The angel-guide here spoken of by Abraham to his servant, must be the “ angel-God ” afterwards promised as the leader of Abraham’s children to the promised land; even He of whom the servant acknowledged, “ I being in the way, the Lord God of my master Abraham, led me to the house of my master’s brethren ,—led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.” angels. 9 X. Judg. vi. 11—23. And there came an angel of the Lord , and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash, the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the wine¬ press, to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Angel of the Lord . The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Gridton . Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us ? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt ? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the Lord looked upon him and said, The Lord. Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hands of the Midianites : Have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Gideon. Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel ? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. And the Lord said unto him, The Lord Surely I w r ill be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man. Gideon. The Lord > or in other words, The Angel of God. And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me. Depart not hence I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again. And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour : the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it. And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes ; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes Then the ungel of the Lord de¬ parted out of his sight. And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the Lord , Gideon said, 10 ANGELS. Gideon. Alas, oh Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the Lord face to face. And the Lord said unto him, The Lord. Peace be unto thee; fear not; thou shalt not die. In this narrative no intimation is given of the presence of any third party. The conversation, as may be seen by the above arrangement of the pas¬ sage, is evidently carried on by two persons only; though one is called “an angel of the Lord,” “the Lord,” and “ the angel of God.” And if this “ angel” were not God, why should Gideon have feared he should die because he had seen him “ face to face ?” XI. Judg. xxiii. 3—23. The angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman, (Manoah’s wife) and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. . . Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, a man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God , very terrible. . . And the angel of God came again unto the woman as she sat in the field : . . And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and sa.d to him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto me the other day. And Manoah arose, and went affer his wife, and came to the man, and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman ? And he said, I am. And Manoah said, . . How shall we order the child, . . And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her beware. . . And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread; and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord. And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour ? And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret ? So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord; and the angel did wondrously ; and Manoah and his wife looked on. For it came to pass, when the flame went up ANGELS. 11 toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground. But the angel of the Lord did no more appear unto Manoah and to his wife* Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord. And Ma¬ noah said unto his wife, we shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his wife said unto him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would lie have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these. On comparing v. 3 with v. 9, it will be seen that “ angel of the Lord,” and “ angel of God,” are used indiscriminately. “ The angel of the Lord appeared unto the woman,” and the “ angel of God came again unto the woman.” This angel is also spoken of both as “ God ” and “ Lord.” For when Manoah said unto his wife, “ we shall surely die, because we have seen God , his wife said unto him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have . . shewed us all these things, nor would, as at this time, have told us such things as these.” But it was the angel who “ shewed ” and “ told ” them those things. Further, when Manoah enquired the name of this “angel of the Lord,”—who afterwards did won¬ drous lyf —he replied, “Why askest thou after my name, seeing it is secret,”—marg. “wonderful ,”— one of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ. “ llis name shall he called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God.” a Thus it is evident that this “ angel of the Lord” is the “ Lord God of Israel, who only doetli wondrous things.” b a Is. ix. 6. ** Ps. lxxii. 18, » 12 ANGELS. Numb. xxii. 22—35. The angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him (Balaam). Now he was riding upon his ass, . . and the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand : and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field : and Balaam smote t/ the ass, to turn her into the way. But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord , she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall : and he smote her again. And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord , she fell down under Balaam : and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff. . , Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand : and he bowed dowm his head, and fell flat on his face. And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times ? Behold I went out to with¬ stand thee, because thy way is perverse before me : and the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times : unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord , I have sinned ; . . And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men : but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shaft speak. Hitherto, all the passages considered, have exhi¬ bited the God of mercy, in his gracious dealings and communications with his chosen servants. In this, and several of the following, the God of justice manifests himself in his conduct towards his ene¬ mies. That this “ angel of the Lord” is the Lord, there is sufficient evidence from several particulars men¬ tioned in the above narrative, if compared with other parts of Scripture. Verse 22. “ The angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against” Balaam when on his way ANGELS. 13 to curse the children of Israel, “ and said unto him, I went out to withstand thee; ” (v. 32) marg. “to be an adversary unto thee.” But in.Exod. xxiii. 22, The Lord said to Israel, “ I will he an adversary unto thine adversaries.” V. 23, The angel of the Lord stood with “ his sword drawn in his hand.” This short description seems intended to arrest the attention, and to afford a distinguishing mark vliereby the dread personage who bears this weapon, may he recognized upon whatever occasion he may manifest himself as an “adversary” to the enemies of God. The same deadly weapon was seen in the hand of the “man” who appeared to Joshua. And was it not in both instances the “ sword of the Lord” and, wielded by the Lord ? In the latter case, the Lord being on the point of destroying Jericho, Joshua, who was by Jericho, “ lifted up his eyes, . . and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sicord drawn in his hand : and Joshua . . said unto, him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries ? And he said, Kay; hut as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, what saitli my lord to his servant ? And the captain of the Lord’s host said unto Joshua, loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.” a a Josh. t. 13—15. f 14 ANGELS. The worship rendered by Joshua to this “man,” and the command of this “captain ” to unloose his shoe, corresponding with that which God gave to Moses at the burning bush, furnish twofold evidence that this “man” with the drawn sicord ,—the “captain of the Lord’s host,”—is no other than he of whom it is written, “ Behold God himself is with us for our captain It may therefore be inferred, that the angel of the Lord, who with a drawn sicord stood in the way before Balaam, and before whom Balaam “bowed his head,” and, like Joshua, “fell on his face,” was also Jehovah. * 1 In v. 38, Balaam said, “ The word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speakbut he was to speak only the word which the angel of the Lord should speak unto him. Therefore, the titles “God” and “angel of the Lord” are here used synonymously. Again, the rebuke of this “ angel of the Lord ” (v. 32), “ Thy way is perverse before me”; and Balaam’s subsequent submission, “ I have sinned, for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me; now, therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again”; also denote that he whom Balaam addressed was Jehovah. a 2 Ciiron. xiii. 12. 1 In Josli. vi., 2, which is a continuation of the narrative quoted above, he who spake to Joshua is expressly called ‘‘the Lord.’’ “ And the Lord said unto Joshua, see I have given into thine hand Jericho.” “ Captain ” in 2 Ckron. xiii. 12, is lieacl > “ Tlie Lord on tlie liead of them ” In Josh. v. 14, 15, it is prince;—the same root letters merely inverted. ANGELS. 15 XIII. Gen. xix. 1—25. There came two angels to Sodom at even ; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom : and Lot seeing them rose np ! to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; . . And the men said unto Lot, . . we will destroy this place, . . for the Lord hath sent us to destroy it. . . And when the morning ai ose, then the angels hastened Lot, . . And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, . . the Lord being merciful unto him ; and they brought him forth, and set him with¬ out the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life ; . . Escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: behold now, thy servant hath found favour in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; . . Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, Jet me escape thither, (is it not a little one ?) and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See. I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities. V. 1. “ There came two angels to Sodom at even.” 1 This is the first time more than one angel is mentioned. They, however, like all those as yet noticed, seem to he no created beings, hut two of the persons of the Trinity. V. ]3. “We (the men or angels, for the words are here used synonymously) will destroy this place, and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it ’’ Eut in v. 24, 25, “ The Lord rained brimstone and fire out of Heaven, and lie overthrew those cities.” Unless, then, these “ angels ” or “ men ” were “ the Lord,” thev must have failed to execute the mission on 1 “Two of the angels ” D'SxSsn 'w u e. two of the three angels or men ” of el), xviii. 2. » 16 ANGELS. which they were specially sent by Jehovah, which is inadmissible. V. 18. “ Lot said unto them . . Oh, not so, my Lord,” (not Lords). The plurality of the persons seems, in this address, lost sight of in the unity of the Godhead, to whom Lot prayed; while his next words, “ thou hast magnified thy mercy in saving my life,” being still addressed to the angels, seems to he a pointed and double allusion to verse 16, “the Lord being merciful unto him, they (the men) brought him forth, and set him without the city.” Possibly these two angels sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, were the Second and Third persons of the Trinity; as we see in Ps. lix. 19, both these Persons take a prominent and active part in the destruction of transgressors. “ When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him, and the Redeemer shall come to Zion.” XIV. Gen. xxxii. 1, 2. And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host; and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. Marg. That is two hosts, or camps. The title, “ angel of God,” so often signifying a person of the Trinity, a plural of the title would, consistently, signify a plurality of the same divine persons. Here, probably, two of these persons were seen; for as one of these announced himself to Joshua as ANGELS. 17 “captain of the Lord’s host;” so here, the two hosts would probably have two captains, “ the angels of God,” over them, that is, two persons of the Trinity, one over each host. These “two hosts” maybe the two myriads referred to in Ps. lxviii. 17, “ the chariots of God are twenty thousand,” lit. two myriads. As, however, no men¬ tion is made of any but “the angels of God” being seen by Jacob, it is probable that the captains only were visible, the hosts being concealed, as they were from Elisha’s servant. But the word “JI faha- naim ” signifying Encampers, may here he used as an appellative significant of these angels alone.” 1 XV. Gen. xxviii. 12, 13. And he (Jacob) dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the anrjels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it. In this dream, so well calculated to convey to the mind of Jacob at the commencement of his solitary pilgrimage from his father’s house, an assu¬ rance of the protection, guidance, and blessing of the God of his fathers, the Lord who stood above the ladder proclaimed himself as “ the Lord God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac,” and repeated to Jacob the covenanted promises. But besides the Lord above the ladder, “ angels of God” were seen ascending and descending on it; • but no intimation is given of their number, or, 1 See Note No. XXIII. c 9 18 ANGELS. except from their title, their place in the scale of existence, or the purpose of their appearance. But it may he surmised whether in this dream they were not in number only two; and whether in these two, together with the Lord who stood above them, Jacob did not here behold the same heavenly visitors whom Abraham saw in the plains of Manure, where “the Lord appeared unto him, and lo, three men stood by him,” a whom he addressed as “my Lord.” Abraham afterwards accompanied them on their way, when one of them, who is still called ‘ £ the Lord,” continuing with him, disclosed his intention of destroying Sodom, while “ the men” (that is the two others only) went towards Sodom; for these are evidently the “ two angels” who “ came to Sodom at even,” b and who appear to have been no created agents. Hence, on that occasion, all the three persons of the Holy Trinity seem to have presented themselves to the patriarch Abraham, the friend of God. * 1 Equally then, to Jacob, his descendant, may Jeho¬ vah have been pleased to manifest himself in the three persons of the Godhead, two of them being the “ angels of God” seen on the ladder, and the third, he who stood above it; personally distinct, though essentially one. On a subsequent occasion (already noticed), 2 Jacob again dreamed, when an “ angel of God,”—the same a Gen. XYiii. 1, 2. 1 See Appendix A. b Gen. xix. 1. 2 See No. III. ANGELS. 19 designation, only in the singular number,—spake to him, and said, “ I am the God of Bethel.” XVI. Judges v. 23. Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord; curse ye bitterly tbe inhabitants thereof. Since Balaam was commanded by the “ angel of the Lord” to speak only what he should dictate, and yet intimates to Balak that he could curse only those whom God had cursed, it is reasonable to con¬ clude that the “ angel of the Lord” who dictated the curse on ILeroz and its inhabitants, must have been the Lord. XVII. 1 Sam. xxix. 9. Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God . 2 Sam. xiv. 17, 20. . . As an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. My Lord is wise according to the wisdom of an angel of God. 2 Sam. xix. 27. My lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes. In the language of adulation, as contained in these passages, an “ angel of God” may signify any superior order of beings, yet its point requires that such order be tbe highest; for besides, that we have found the phrase “ angel of God” elsewhere to denote some one person of the Trinity, the power to “ discern good and had," on which, in the second passage, the comparison rests, is, as we learn from Gen. iii. 22, that which God says, would make its possessor “ as one of us.” “And the Lord God C 2 20 ANGELS. said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil .” Here, therefore, u angel of God 5 ’ signifies the “ Lord God.” XVIII. 2 Sam. xxiv. 16, 17. When the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned and I have done wickedly ; but these sheep, what have they clone ? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house. lChron.xxi.il—30. Choose thee . . either three years famine ; . . or else three days the sword of the Lord, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the Lord destroying throughout the coasts of Israel. . . And Gfod sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord stood by the threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite. And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the Lord stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. And David said unto God . . I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed ; but as for these sheep, what have they done ? Let thine hand, I pray thee, 0 Lord my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued. Then the angel of the Lord commanded Grad to say unto David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the Lord in the threshing-floor of Oman the Jebusite . . And Oman turned back, and saw the angel; . . and David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt-offering. And the Lord commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof. . . he xvas afraid because of the sword of the angel of the Lord. “ David saw the angel of the Lord stand . . with a drawn sword in Ms hand stretched over Jerusalem.” ANGELS. 21 Here the “ angel of the Lord” appears to David under the same aspect as the “angel of the Lord” who appeared to Balaam, and the “ man” who ap¬ peared to Joshua before Jericho; each standing , and with the same symbol of destruction, the drawn sword in liis hand. As in these last two instances we have seen that He who welided the sword was Jehovah, 1 we may conclude that in the first instance it was also Jehovah, of whom it is said, “He stood with his right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion.” a Again, “ David and the elders of Israel fell upon their faces •" —an act of worship similar to the con¬ duct of both Balaam and Joshua on the like occa¬ sions. To this “ angel of the Lord ” whom David saw Avitli his “ hand stretched out upon Jerusalem,” appears also to have been addressed the prayer, “ David said to God,” “ Let thine hand , I pray thee, O Lord my God , be upon me and my father’s house, but not upon thy people that they should be plagued.” Thus, “ the angel of the Lord, “ the Lord,” and “ God,” seem here identical. Lest it be objected that this angel being “sent,” and “ commanded ” by the Lord, or God, could not, therefore, himself be a person of the Trinity, the reader is reminded that both the Son, and the Holy a Lam. li. 4. 1 bee Xo. XII. f 22 ANGELS. Ghost, are spoken of as being “sent,” and that each acted under the command of Him that sent him. “ The Father which sent me, he gave me a command¬ ment what I should say.” “ The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself .” “ The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom I will send unto you from the Father.” “ I will send him unto you, and he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak.” a Yet we do not question that the Son and the Holy Ghost are each both Lord and God . * 1 XIX. 1 Kings xiii. 18. An angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him hack with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. Though these words of the lying prophet are pro¬ bably a mere fabrication, yet no doubt by the ex¬ pression “ angel,” he intended to convey the same meaning as that attached to it in the preceding Numbers. XX. 1 Kings xix. 4—7. He (Elijah) went a day’s journey into the wilderness, . . and as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, be¬ hold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, . . and the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat. a John xii. 49; xiv. 10, 26; xv. 26 ; xvi. 13. l Dr. Stonard on Zech. ii. 8, 9, “ Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, After the glory hath he sent me . . and ye shall know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent me,” observes, ‘Thus it appears that Jehovah of Hosts was sent by Jehovah of Hosts.’ Com. on the Yisions of Zechariah, p. 89. ANGELS. 23 This ££ angel of the Lord,” who in the wilderness twice visited Elijah, commanding him each time to ££ arise and eat” food miraculously provided for him. we may venture to conclude, is the same angel who twice visited Hagar in the wilderness, where God opened her eyes to see the well of water from which she gave the lad drink, and who has already been proved to have been the Lord. 1 XXI. 2 Kings i. 3, 15. The angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go up to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron ? And the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, Go down with him. When Elijah repeated this message to the king (v. 16), he said it was the Lord who had spoken thus to him. “ Thus saith the Lord, . . is it not because there is no God in Israel, . . that thou has sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the God of Ekron ? ” m xxii. 2 Kings xix. 35. It came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians, an hundred four score and five thousand. 2 Chron. xxxii. 2), The Lord sent an angel , which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the King of Assyria, Is. xxxvii. 36. The angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians, a hundred and four score and five thou¬ sand. It may he presumed that the angel mentioned in l See Nos. I. IT. f 24 ANGELS. these three parallel accounts, who “ smote” the As¬ syrians, is the destroying angel noticed before 1 —that is, the “ Lord strong and mighty; the Lord mighty in battle :” a —the same agent of destruction as in Exod. xii. 12, where the Lord says, “ I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first born in the land of Egypt. And it came to pass that at midnight the Lord smote all the first horn in the land of Egypt.” XXIII. Ps. xxxiv. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. The “ angel of the Lord” of this Psalm appears to be the Lord, who in Zecli. ix. 8, says, “ 1 will encamp about my house because of the army; . . and no oppressor shall pass through them any more.” Confirmatory of this, is the following remark from Parkhurst, under H2H. “ The angel of Jehovah encampeth round about them that fear him, i.e., the providence of Jehovah himself; forPs. cxxv. 2, Jehovah is round about his people. Of this Jacob had a visible exhibition, Gen. xxxii. 2, when the angels of the Aleim met him, v. 8; and when he saw them he said. This is the camp or encampment of the Aleim; and he called the name of that place (in memorial no doubt of the Aleim, who thus appeared to him as his protectors), Wan 25 , the “ Encampers.” * See Nos. XII. XVIII. a Ps. xxiy. 8. ANGELS. 25 The same idea of the Lord encamping is met with in Joel ii. 11. “ The Lord shall utter his voice be¬ fore his army, for his camp is very great.” And again, in Cant. vi. 13. “’What shall ye see in the Shulamite ? As it were the company of two armies ie, the Malianaim or Encampers, or as the margin of Gen. xxxii. 2, renders it, “ two hosts or camps." Hence the “ host,” literally the “ Encampers ,” after whom Jacob named the place Malianaim , and Avho are evidently the angels of God who met him, were uncreate Beings .' l With respect to the word “ host ” we have seen that the word so rendered here is “ Malianaim but the usual word for it is “ Tzeba,” which as a verb signifies “ to assemble, or meet together in troops. 15 This word is variously applied in Scripture. 1. It is repeatedly used with reference to armies on earth: Israel being sometimes called the “ host of the Lord.” Exod. vii. 4 ; xii. 41. 2. The expression “ host of heaven 55 denotes sometimes the sun , moon , and stars. Deut. iv. 19. 3. Sometimes the stars exclusively. Deut. xvii. 3. 4. Sometimes heavenly intelligencies ; “ the host of heaven worshippeth thee.” Iseh. ix. 6. “ In 1 Kings, xxii. 19, (with the parallel passage 2 Chron. xviii. 18,) it seems to denote the spiritual created angels , the Hebrew phrase exactly answer¬ ing to the heavenly hosts of Luke ii. 13, which are called ‘ angels, * 1 2 3 4 5 6 v. 15. Comp. Job xxxviii. 7; i. 6 ; ii. 1.” To these may perhaps be added the “ Lord’s host ” mentioned in Josh. v. 15. 5. The word host is used once with reference to the powers of evil on “ high,” or, “ in the heavenlies.” He will “ punish the host of the high ones on high. 55 Is. xxiv. 21. 6. Lastly. “ Lord of hostsf “ God of hosts f are frequently used as titles- of the true God. “ Why is put in the absolute form before in Ps. lix. 6 ; lxxx. 5, 8, 15, 20 ; Ixxxiv. 9? Is it not in order to point out the Aleim them¬ selves as the hosts , defenders , and champions of their own people? Even as Jacob calls them the Encampers .” The quotations are from Parkhurst, under 9 26 ANGELS. XXIY. Ps. xxxv. u, 6. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord cliase them. Let their way be dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. Some parts of tliis prayer of David for defence against his enemies, sueli as “ Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me, fight against them that fight against me; . . draw out thy spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me,” so accord with particulars related of the “ angel of the Lord,” in the history of Balaam, when on his way to curse the people of God,—“ The angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him.” “ The angel of the Lord standing with his sword drawn in his hand,”—that we may infer David here had the same “ angel of the Lord” in view'; that is, Jehovah himself. XX Y. Ps, lxxviii. 49, 50, 51. . . He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them. He made a way to his anger ; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence. And smote all the first-born in Egypt. The primary meaning of the word here rendered evil, is destroying J and the history of the judgments inflicted on Egypt not recording the instrumentality of any created angels, induces the opinion that these “ evil angels” were the same destroying angels already noticed 1 2 ; in other words, Jehovah, who “ smote all 1 See Parkhurst under y“V 2 See Nos. XII., XIII., XVIII., XXIV. ANGELS. 27 the first horn in the land of Egypt; ” a and who says, “ shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it ?” b They seem to he termed “ evil angels,” not as being evil in themselves, hut as agents by which evil and griev for sin. ous consequences are produced as a punishment XXVI Ps. xci. 11, 12. He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear tliee up in their hands, lest thou dash th y foot against a stone. This passage and ver. 4, “He.”—the Lord ,—“shall cover tliee with his feathers, and under his wings slialt thou trust,” seem only two forms of expression for the same idea—that of the immediate Almighty protection thrown around those who trust in the Lord. If He shelter them, beside whom there is no Saviour, 0 what need of created angels to guard, guide, or bear them up ? The same promise occurs in Gen. xxviii., 15, where the Lord says, “ I will keep thee in all places whithersoever thou goest.” Also in Ps. cxxi,, 3, 5, we read, “The Lord is thy keeper, he will not suffer thy foot to be moved.” XXVII. Ps. ciii. 20. Bless the Lord, ye his angels that excel (margin mighty) in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. The word “ angel ” seems to require the same in¬ terpretation in this place as heretofore. t a Exod. xii. 12, 29. b Amos iii. G. c Is. xliii. 11. 28 ANGELS. St. Peter speaks of angels which are “ greater in po wer and might ; ” a a similarity of expression which indicates that the same persons are spoken of in both passages ; and who those of the latter were, may he understood from the parallel passage, Jude 9, where we find that one of them was Michael, the archangel. But, we read, “ The Lord is strong and mighty .” And, “Ascribe ye strength unto God," whose “ excel¬ lency is over Israel, and his strength in the clouds.” b Job also says, “ He is mighty in strength ;”° the pre¬ cise words in the margin of Ps. ciii. 20. Purther, these angels “ do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.” In Luke i. 19, we read, “ I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God; ” on which Beza remarks, “ that appear in the presence of God,” for so the Hebrews use the word; to stand, meaning that they are “ready to do Ms commandments .” Thus Gabriel, as well as Michael, (both of whom will be noticed hereafter,) * 1 would appear to be one of these angels. But Joel writes, “He,”—the Lord, —“is strong that executeth his word.’' i And in Is. xlvi. 11,—where Christ seems referred to as called “ from the east,” the man that executeth my ” (Jehovah's) “ counsel ,” (margin, “ the man of my counsel,”) “from a far country,” 2 —Jehovah declares, “My a 2 Pet. ii. 11. b Ps* xxiv. 8; Ixviii. 34. c Job ix. 4. d Joel ii. 11. 1 See No. LXXX. 2 In several passages “ the far country ” and the like expressions signify heaven. ANGELS. 29 counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; yea, I have spoken it, I also will bring it to pass ; I have purposed it, I also will do it .” Here, then, we once more discern delineations of the Divine Beings represented as angels And if Jehovah ever he spoken of as an angel, what created angel can “ excel ” Him in strength ? XXVIII. Ps. civ. 4. TVho maketk. his angels spirits. This text being quoted in the Xew Testament, will he noticed hereafter. XXIX. Ps. cxlviii. 2. Praise ye him, all his angels. These angels appear to he the same as in Ps. ciii. 20. 1 In both Psalms they are named in precedence of “ his hoststhus presenting the same picture as in Gen. xxxii. 1, 2, where the “ angels of God - ’ appear to he captains of the two hosts. (Malianaim.) 2 “They come from a far country , from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy tlie whole land.’’ Is. xiii. 5. “ Behold, the name ot the Lord cometh from far , burning with his anger,” &c. Ch. xxx. 27. “Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty : they shall behold the land that is very far off.'' Ch. xxxiii. 17- “ Behold, watchers come from a far country .” Jer. iv. 16. “ A certain nobleman went into a far country , to receive for himself a king¬ dom, and to return.’ Luke xix. 12. “ A certain man planted a vineyard and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.” Ch. xx. 9. 1 See No. XXVII. 2 See No. XIV., and Note in No. XXIII. 30 ANGELS. The word 4C all,” though generally referring to more than two objects, may here be otherwise applied. See No. XCV, on the seven angels. XXX, Eccles. v. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of G od, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools. For they consider not that they do evil. Y. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God. Bor God is in heaven, and thou upon earth ; therefore, let thy words be few. Y 3. Bor a dream cometh through the multitude of busi¬ ness ; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. Y. 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it. For he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Y. 5. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Y. 6. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel , that it was an error. Wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands ? Y. 7. For in the multitude of dreams, and many words, there are also divers varieties; but fear thou God. The above passages are placed in parallel columns, the construction of ver. 1—3 being similar to that of ver. 4—7, where the “ angel” is mentioned. The arrangement,the directions for conduct under certain circumstances, the considerations and reflections, and even the remarks on dreams, are the same in both. In both also is the caution to be careful what the mouth shall utter; but in the one case, “ before God in the other, “before the angel f thus, allowing us in this, as in previous examples, to in¬ terpret these expressions as synonymous. o> ANGELS. 31 XXXI. Is. lxiii. 8, 9. He said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie. So he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of liis presence saved them. In his love, and in his pity he redeemed them. The “ angel of liis presence,” who “ saved'’ and “ redeemed,” must he the same angel who “ redeemed" Israel from all evil; 1 even the Lord , who said, “ My presence shall go with thee.” a “ So he was their Saviour XXXII. Dan. iii. 28. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel , and delivered his servants that trusted in him. The angel who delivered these servants of God out of the midst of the burning fiery furnace was, no doubt, He who was seen with them in it, as de¬ scribed in the context. “ Did not we cast three men hound into the midst of the fire ? . . Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.' h Thus was literally fulfilled the promise, “ When thou passest through the waters I will he with thee: . . when thou walkest through the fire thou slialt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Tor I am the Lord thy God , the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." 0 l Sec No. IV. l> Dan. 24, 25. ft a Exod. xxxiii. 14. « Is. xliii. 2, 3. 32 ANGELS. XXXIII. Dan. vi. 22. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths that they have not hurt me. This angel who delivered Daniel unhurt from the lions’ den, was doubtless the deliverer of the three martyrs, his companions, from the burning fiery furnace, that is, Jehovah, as shewn in the preceding number. XXXIY. Hos. xii. 3, 4. By his strength he (.Jacob) had power with God; yea, he had power over the angel, aud prevailed. These two clauses being in apposition, shew once more that the names “ God,” and “ angel,” are also in apposition. The event alluded to is recorded in Gen. xxxii. where the person with whom Jacob wrestled and “ prevailed,” is neither called “ God” nor an “ angel,” but a “ mana word, however, by which frequently in Scripture, more than man is meant. Xor should it be thought incredible, that He who made man in the image of God, should sometimes have appeared in the form of man when he condescended to visit him. And so complete was the resemblance between man and these angels, that in entertaining strangers, “some have thereby entertained angels unawares.” Turning to history, we read, “ And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of ANGELS. 33 his thigh ; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name ? And he said Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, hut Israel, for as a prince hast thou power with God, and with man, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name ? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” 1 Thus the “ angel ” of Hosea xii. 4, or “ man ” of Gen. xxxii. 24, who wrestled with Jacob, was no other than God, whom Jacob said, he had “ seen face to face“ even the Lord God of Hosts. ” a Over him Jacob had “power and prevailed;” prevailing to detain him until he obtained the souglit-for blessing. Wherefore, he who had changed the name of Abram to Abraham, and of Sarai to Sarah, now changed the name of Jacob to that of Israel,— a name which signifies “a prince powerful with God .” XXXV. Zech. i. 8—14. I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and a Yer. 5. 1 The same question and answer is here recorded as in the interview between Manoah and the “ angel of the Lord,” who there also proved to be God. See No. XI. D white. Then said I, 0 my Lord, what are these ? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answei'ed and said, These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these three score and ten years ? And the Lord answered the angel that talked icith me with good words, and comfoi table words. So the angel that communed icith me said unto me, Cry, thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts. . . V. 18, 21, Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold-four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me , what be these ? And he answered me, These are the horns that have scat¬ tered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. And the Lord shewed me four carpenters. Then said I, What come these to do ? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head; but these are come to fray them. Ch. ii. 1—4. 1 lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, whither goest thou ? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof. And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto him, Eun, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited. Ch. iv. 1—6. And the angel that talked with me. came again, and waked me, . . and said unto me, What seest thou ? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick, all of gold, . . and two olive trees by it. . . So I answered, and spake to the angel that talked with me , saying, What are these, my lord ? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be ? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel. Ch. v. 5 —11. Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. And I said, What is it ? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. . . Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and behold, there came out two women, . . and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that talked with me , Whither do these bear the ephah ? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar. Ch. vi. 1—5. And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between tw T o moun- ANGEL S. 35 tains; . . In the first chariot were red horses; . . Then I an¬ swered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord ? And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens. Tlie repetition,—no less than eleven times in these passages,—of the phrase, “The angel of the Lord that talked,” or “communed, with me,” indicates that it was only one angel, or rather one individual, who conversed with the prophet, whether described as “the ma/n that stood among the myrtle trees;” “ the angel of the Lord who stood among the myrtle trees;” “ the Lord ” who informed him respecting the four carpenters; or “ the man with the measur¬ ing line ” who answered his enquiry, Whither goest thou ? It is presumed that the indiscriminate application of such various terms to the Supreme as we have already met with, will obviate any objection to the like application here. Ch. i. 8—10. The explanation respecting the horses, “red, speckled, and white,” is promised by “ the angel that talked with ” the prophet, but given by “ the man that stood among the myrtle trees,” who in the next verse is also called “ the angel of the Lord ” Thus the three terms, “ the angel,” “ the man,” and “the angel of the Lord,” are equivalent. V. 20 furnishes a fourth. “ The Lord shewed me four carpenters.” The question and answer which follow, “ What came these to do ? These are the horns,” &c., are so in harmony with others that passed throughout the vision, between the prophet D 2 r 36 ANGELS. and “the angel that talked’‘ with him, as to seem only a continuation of the conversation carried on by these two, without any interlocutor, or other interpreter. Further,the “angel,” or “man,” said he would “ shew ” the prophet the meaning of the vision; hut he who fulfilled this promise, shewing and explaining the four carpenters was “ the Lord.” In further proof of this identity, compare Amos vii., where “the Lord God ” shewed that prophet cer¬ tain emblems, of which he also himself gave the explanations. The same passage in that chapter confirms also the opinion that “ the man with a measuring line in his hand” is the Lord. “Thus hath the Lord shelved unto me. Thus he shewed me, and, behold, the Lord stood by a wall made by a plumb line, with a, plumb line in his hand. And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou ? And I said, A plumb line. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.” 1 Hence, therefore, the conclusion that “ the man with a measuring line in his hand,” and who also is to proclaim “ Jerusalem shall be inhabited ” is the Lord: even he who “ con- firmeth the word of his servants, performeth the counsel of his messengers, and saith to Jerusalem , Thou shalt be inhabited .” b Also, it is evident from the fact that the “man with the measuring line” talked with the prophet, a Amos, vii. 1—8 b Is. xliv. 26. ANGELS. 37 hearing and replying to his questions, that he was the same who communed with him throughout . 1 But the angel who talked with Zechariah, was sent by another; so that two are seen together. “ The angel that talked with me, went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto him, Run, speak to this young man.” If then, he who is sent he one of the Persons of the Trinity, he who sent him cannot he inferior; and therefore must be another of these Persons. XXXVI. Zecli. iii. 1—7. And he shewed me Joshua, the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord , and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan: . . Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel . And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee; and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. . . And the angel of the Lord , stood by. And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts: If thou wilt walk in my ways, &c. The scene here presented is that of a court of justice, “ the angel of the Lord ” presiding as judge; Joshua, the high priest, standing before him as the accused; and Satan as his adversary. Pew particulars of the trial are related, hut we 1 If only one person conversed with Zechariah, the “ young man” to whom the “ angel who talked with him,” was hastened with a message, explaining the measurement of Jerusalem, w r as the prophet himself. “ Run, speak to this young man,” &c. A similar instance occurs in Daniel, where (the angel) Gabriel was “ caused to fly swiftly,” in order to show and explain a vision to that prophet. Dan. ix. 21—23. 38 ANGELS, find Satan and Joshua are both addressed; the former rebuked, the latter pardoned. To Satan the “ Lord said, The Lord rebuke thee.” To Joshua, standing in filthy garments, the “ angel said, I have caused thine iniquity to pass away, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” At a tribunal, none but the judge condemns or acquits, therefore “ the angel of the Lord,” before whom they stand, the “Lord” who rebukes Satan, and the “ angel ” who acquits Joshua, causing his iniquity to pass from him, are one. Indeed, the words of acquittal already quoted, can only be ascribed to “ God, the Judge of all,” a who alone can “ take away all iniquity ;” b and who clothes his people “ with the garments of salvation, and with a robe of righteousness.” 0 The “ angel of the Lord ” of v. 5, 6, 7, who subse¬ quently protested unto Joshua, is no doubt the “ angel ” who had removed his iniquity, that is, the Lord, even the “Lord of hosts,” whose words he quotes, the use of the third person being no argu¬ ment to the contrary ; for in this same chapter we read, “ The Lord said, the Lord rebuke thee.” XXXVII. Zech. xii. 8. The house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. Here, again, “ the angel of the Lord ” is in appo¬ sition with “ God.” a E eb. xii. 23. b Hos. xiy. 2. c Is. lxi. 10. ANGELS. 39 XXXVIII. Job. iv. 18. His angels be charged with folly. From the marginal reading of this verse, “ nor in his angels in whom he put light,” it seems doubtful what idea is intended in the original by the passage, or by the word translated folly.” Sopie read “ and in his angels he puts praise ” The Hebrew word is n^nn, from *?n, to shine, to irradiate. “ From the glorious appearance and effects of the irradiation of light in the material world, many words which, in their primary sense, are descriptive of light and its operations, do, in all languages, denote glory, praise, or the like, and thus in Hebrew as a N. fern, rnnn, praise, glory. In several passages, however, where the X. is thus rendered, the primary sense of irradiation is evidently preferable; as in Ps. xxii. 3. “ Thou art Holy, 0, thou that inliahitest or didst inhabit jvonn of Israel not praises, surely, they cannot he inhabited ; hut the word here refers to th eglorious manifestations of Jehovah for his people Israel, in light and^re, as at Sinai, Exod. xix. 18, Deut. iv. 11; in the pillar of cloud and fire through the wilderness, Exod. xiii. 20, 21, Numb. ix. 15, &c.; and especially as the God-man appeared in glory over the cherubim. So Hah. iii. 3. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of mSnn his splendour. I add, Job iv. 18, “ or hath placed irra¬ diation in his agents, etc. as their own, or inde- 40 ANGELS. pendent on him,—it is His glory, not theirs.”—Bate. (Parkhurst, under bn-) 1 If Bate’s rendering, which Parkhurst prefers, he correct, “ his angels,” in whom “ light ” or “ glory ” is put, seem to he those angels who occasionally manifested themselves to the people of God in light or fire, as in the burning hush at Sinai; or that angel, “the God-man,” Christ Jesus, “who appeared in glory above the cherubim.” XXXIX. Ps. yiii. 5. Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels. In this and the two next numbers, the usual word for “ angels” does not occur ; hut our translators, by thus rendering in this place the word DTlb^, generally translated “God,” seem to indicate their opinion that the two words “ angel ” and “ God ” are equivalent. 2 XL. Ps. lxviii. 17. The chariots of God are twenty thousand , even thousands of angels. The literal rendering here is, “ the chariots of God 1 “ n7nn- Lee derives tliis from 7H or 77H- His meanings of which are (in Pikul) i. Praised, ii. Gloried; iii. pronounces (vain) glorious, foolish, mad. Under the latter head he quotes Job. xii. 17, “ Mafceth, the judges fools” and Eccles. vii. 7, Isa. xliv. 25, where it is translated ‘maketh mad.’ “ Parkhurst also derives it from the same root—remarking that the primitive idea is i. to move quickly, violently, irregularly—‘ thence to toss oneself about through pride,’ this also in Hithpahel, whence a kindred noun implying ‘ mad tricks,’ &c. to which he refers, Ecc. i. 17, ‘ to know madness,’ and ii. 12. His third meaning also c to irradiate,’ keeps up the idea of motion, in the scintilla¬ tion or emission of rays of light from a glistening surface.” R. J. R. 2 This passage might be rendered “ Thou hast caused him to lack but little of a God.” For further remarks on this verse, see No. LXXII. on Heb. ii. ANGELS. 41 are two myriads, (it is not said of wliat,) even thou¬ sands upon thousands.”—(Gesenius) Angels are not mentioned in the Hebrew of this text. Probably these two myriads are the “ two hosts,” or, “ Encampers ” of Gen. xxxii. 1, 2. In several other passages in the Old Testament, multitudes of heavenly beings are spoken of; hut, in these, also, they are not called angels. The failing courage of Elisha’s servant, when he saw the great host of his master’s enemies, was re¬ assured at Elisha’s prayer by the sight of “ the mountain full of horses and chariots office, round about Elisha. ” a And are not these the “ chariots of God,” of this Psalm ? Micaiah said to Ahab, “ I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him.” b Daniel says, “ I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit; . . thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.” c Here, as in the Psalm, no name is given to this innumerable company; nor in the Old Testament Scriptures are these multitudes ever spoken of in the original as angels. But, whatever may he the sense in which these passages are to he understood, there is no unques- ® 2 Kings vi. 17. 11 1 Kings xxii. 19. 0 Dan. yii. 9, 10. 1 See No. XIV. 42 ANGELS. tionable instance of the word “ angel ” being applied to any being but Jehovah. XLI. Ps. lxxviii. 25. Man did eat angel’s food. Margin, “ Every man did eat the food of the mighty .” The usual word for “ angels ” is again wanting in the Hebrew. On this passage the following quotation from Jones, on the “Catholic doctrine of the Trinity,” p. 62, will suffice. “ The word (a' , *V2N) mighty ones, is never used for angels ” (that is created angels), “and must in this place signify God, for the two following reasons. 1. Because Abir in the singular is several times used absolutely as a name of God; who is called Abir Israel , the mighty one of Israel, and Abir Jacob , the mighty one of Jacob. Gen. xlix. 24; Ps. cxxxii. 2, where the LXX. have rendered it 2. Because our blessed Saviour, in discoursing upon the manna, John vi. 31, 33, quotes this part of the Psalm, and calls that the bread of God from heaven, which in the Psalm itself is called the bread of the mighty. Therefore Abirim is put for Elohim, and is taken in the plural, because God is plural.” 43 ANGELS. Before pursuing our investigation in the New Testament, it may he well to remind the reader, that among the changes which occurred during the four hundred years intervening between the close of the Old Testament Scriptures and the events which ushered in the new dispensation, the Greek had become the popular language of the Jews, who were still the penmen of Scripture ; and that they were in the habit of quoting from the Septuagint, which may account for some of the variations and apparent discrepancies observable between the Old and New Testaments of the English version, both translations being from their respective originals. In process of time, also, words frequently acquire an extended meaning, and, occasionally, even the primary sense is lost, and the secondary application of the term becomes alone associated with it. Martyr , for instance, once meant simply a witness ; but since many early converts to Christianity witnessed to its truth with their blood, the former simple idea has merged into that of suffering for the truth’s sake. So the word angel, appropriated in the Old Testament to persons of the Holy Trinity, is in the New applied both to these, and also (1) to created beings of the invisible world, whether holy or sinful; and in this sense only it is now generally understood. (2) It is also applied to man in his future resurrection state; and (3) metaphorically, to communities of pro¬ fessing Christians in the church militant- 44 ANGELS. From the preceding examination it will be per¬ ceived that throughout theOldTestament no instance exists wherein it can he proved that created angels were employed as the medium of communication between God and his chosen servants; and to the New Testament history also, it is believed, will this observation equally apply. It appears as though, from the time of the fall, in compassion to man’s weakness and liability to be deceived, Jehovah would employ no created being, of whatever degree in the world of spirits, as his ambassador to the chosen race; hut Himself, in one of the persons of the Trinity, condescended to he the sole messenger of good tidings, proclaimer of his will, or revealer of future mysteries. In the New Testament, however, there are few direct proofs either of this, or that “ angel of the Lord ” and “ angel of God ” retain their original sig¬ nification. The inferences rest chiefly on analogy, but with respect to these phrases, the parallels are too striking to require further proof of their high import. * ANGELS. 45 XLII. Matt. i. 20, 24. Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him (Joseph) in a dream, . . saying, . . she (Mary) shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. And Joseph . . did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him. This “ angel of the Lord ” who appeared to Josepli and foretold the birth of our Saviour, and named Him Jesus, is doubtless the same angel who, as stated by St. Luke, had previously been sent to Mary his wife, with the like intelligence, and then also named the child Jesus:—that is, the angel Gabriel. See next number. XLIII. Luke i. 11—19. There appeared unto him (Zachariah) an angel of the Lord standing. . . But the angel said unto him, Bear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard ; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. . . And Za¬ charias said unto the angel , Whereby shall I know this ? . . And the angel answering, said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. V. 26.—38. The angel Gabriel was sent from God unto . . a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, . . And the the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel . . said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee ; . . And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary. . . And, behold, thou shalt . . bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. . . Then said Mary unto the angel> How shall this be, . . And the angel . . said unto her. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. . . And the angel departed from her. Luke ii. 21. And his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the w omb. In tlie history of Abraham and Sarah, we find that he who predicted the birth of their son, and named him Isaac, was the Lord. The “angel of 46 ANGELS. the Lord,” who foretold to Manoah and his wife the birth of their son Samson, was also the Lord. Was not then the “ angel of the Lord ” who foretold to Zacharias, and to Joseph and Mary, the birth of their sons, and named them John and Jesus, also Jehovah? Is it likely that as He foretold the two former events, the two latter would have been fore- announced by any created being, when one of these events was so all-important as the birth of the Saviour ? We conclude, therefore, that this “ angel of the Lord”—“ Gabriel ”—was none other than Jehovah himself. XLIV. Luke ii. 8—15. There were . . shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night, and, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; . . And the angel said unto them, Fear not. Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, . . for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And sud- r ' denly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another . . “ The glory of the Lord shone round about them.” And no marvel! For “the angel of the Lord came upon them.” Compare this glorious sight with that beheld by St. Paul, when one of the persons of the Trinity—the Lord Jesus—appeared to him on his way to Damascus. “ At mid-day, 0 King, I saw in the way a light from heaven , above the brightness ANGELS. 47 of the Sun , shining round about me and them that journeyed with me.” * 1 God “will not give” his “glory to another.” b Therefore this “angel of the Lord,” who upon this occasion of “ great joy ” descended with “ the glory of the Lord,” to proclaim the “ good tidings,” must have been Jehovah. Y. 15. “As the angelswere gone away into heaven.” Since only one angel is said to have come down from heaven, but “angels” returned thither; w r e seem here to have an instance of the secondary applica¬ tion of the word “angels;” the plural form of the passage being inclusive of the heavenly host who joined the angel of the Lord. XLY. Matt. ii. 13. 19, 20. Behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child, and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. 1 Evidently the same angel appeared to Joseph on these two occasions; the first time directing him to flee to Egypt till he should bring him word; the a Acts xxvi. 13. b Is. xlii. 8. 1 “ It should be noted that here * the angel,’ and ‘ an angel’ of the Lord, are equally -without the definite article in Greek. The reason seems to be that a genitive following a noun sufficiently defines it, to render the Gr. Art. unne¬ cessary, though in English it would not he excluded.”—R. J. R. 48 ANGELS. second time, to send him back thence to the land of Israel; both these appearances being in a dream. The “ angel of God,” who, “in a dream,” said to Jacob, “ Arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred,” declared he was “God.” a It was Jehovah also who commanded Abram to “leave his country.” 15 The inference, therefore, is, that this “ angel of the Lord,” who twice, “in a dream,” directed the more important movements of Joseph and his family, was Jehovah, who, also, we may add, in order to defeat Herod’s murderous purpose against Messiah, “in a dream” warned the wise men that they should not return to him. 0 XLYI. Matt. iv. 6. Luke iv. 10. It is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee. See No. XXVI. XLVII. Mat. iv. 11. Behold, angels came and ministered unto him. Mark i. 13. The angels ministered unto him. When Hagar, wandering in the wilderness, wanted water, God employed no intermediate or created being to supply her need. “ He opened her eyes,” and caused her to see a “ well of water.”' 1 When the children of Israel, in the wilderness, murmured for food , the Lord sent no created angels to minister to their wants. lie said, “ I will rain bread from heaven a Gen. xxi. 13. b Gen. xii. 1. c Matt. ii. 12. (1 Gen. xxi. 19. ANGELS. 49 for you,” a and lie “ rained down manna upon them to eat.” “ He rained flesh also upon them, . . so they did eat.” b When in the wilderness they wanted water, again no created agent between God and man was employed. “The Lord opened the rock, and the waters gushed out.” 0 Were, then, those “ angels ” who “ ministered ” to our Saviour’s wants in the wilderness any other than persons of the God-head ? Surely, He who had pro¬ vided immediately for these children in their need, and who feedeth “the young ravens when they cry,” would not fail to supply, specially and immediately, the wants of his “ beloved Son,” when, having fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an Tmngred . d XLVIII. John xii. 29. Others said an angel spake to him. This was said, when the Son having prayed, “ Father, glorify thy name,” the Father’s voice was heard from heaven replying, “ I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” But what idea the people attached to the word “angel” when they said “ an angel spake,” while others said, “ it thundered is not very clear. Still, as the Old Testament had taught many of them that “The God of glory thundereth ,” “ thundereth marvellously with his voice it is more than probable they here applied the word “ angel” to Jehovah. a Exod. xvi. 4. b Ps. Ixxviii, 24,27, 29. c Comp. Exod. xvii. 5, 6. Ps. cv. 41,42. d Matt, iv. 1, 2. ® Ps. xxix. 3. Job. xxxvii. 5. £ 50 ANGELS. XLIX, Luke xxii. 43. There appeared an angel unto him from heaven strengthening him. ‘ : The God of Israel is He that givetb strength and power unto his people.”* “ The everlasting God . . giveth pow er to the faint; and to them that have no might, increaseth strength .” b “ I am thy God: I will strengthen thee.” David says, “ In the day, when I cried, thou answeredest me and strengthenest me with strength in my soul ”; while St. Paul prays that the Ephesians may he “ strengthened with might by the Spirit; ” and expressly states that the Lord stood with him, and “ strengthened ” him. In all these instances, he who gives “ strength ” unto his people, is the Lord. Who, then, can doubt that the “ angel” who “ strengthened 33 the Son of God, when he prayed to his Pather that if it were “ possible that cup might pass ” from him, was the Loed ? L. Mat. xxviii. 2—6. Behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled hack the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow, . . And the angel answered and said unto the women (Mary Magdalene and the other Mary), Bear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here ; for he is risen, as he said. Mark xvi. 5. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side; clothed in a long white garment; . . And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified ; he is risen ; he is not here. Luke xxiv. 4—6. Behold, two men stood by them in shining gar¬ ments; and as thev, (the women and “ certain others”) were a Ps. lxviii. 35. b Is. xL 28, 29. ANGELS. 51 afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth: they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead ? He is not here, but is risen. Y. 22, 23. Certain women , . came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels , which said that he was alive. John xs. 11,12. Mary . . seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 1 Tim. iii. 16. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels , . f received up into glory. In all these passages the same passing scene at different moments of time, is recorded. It may, therefore, he concluded the angels are the same in all; the time referred to being that of the resurrec¬ tion of Christ; when “ God manifest in the flesh,” and “justified in the Spirit,” was “ seen of angels ” at the tomb, and afterwards at the ascension, when “received up into glory.” The short description of the “ angel of the Lord” who “ sat on the stone at the door of the sepulchre,” identifies him with Jehovah, as described in various parts of Scripture. “ His countenance was like lightning .” In Dan. x. 6, a “ certain man ” is spoken of whose “ face teas as the appearance of lightning,” and whose descrip¬ tion resembles in every particular noticed, the Alpha and Omega of Rev. i., whose “ countenance was as the sun sliineth in his strength “ His raiment white as snow;” —identical with that of the “Ancient of days,” whose “ garment was white as snow.”* When the three disciples of Jesus were “eye- E 2 a Da.i. vii. 9. 52 ANGELS. witnesses of his majesty on the mount of trans¬ figuration, “ His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light“ shining exceeding white as snow.” 3. As “the angel of the Lord at the door of the sepulchre'’ is described as in “ raiment ichite as snowso the “ young man ” seen within the sepul¬ chre is “ clothed in a long white garment,” which again corresponds with the one like the Son of man of Rev. i., who is “ clothed with a garment down to the foot.” The “ two men ” of Luke xxiv. 4, also,—who are evidently the “ angels” of v. 23, and in John are called “ two angels,” —are in “ white,” or “ shining garments” The raiment thus variously described, appears to be the robe of Him who covers himself with “ light as with a garment .” b “ The angel of the Lord rolled back the stone from the door of the sepulchre/’ But the Lord God says, “ Behold 1 will open your graves.” 0 These and similar coincidencies which cannot be undesigned, shew that no created beings are here spoken of, but two persons of the adorable Trinity; and from their words, “ He is not here, but is risen,” it is evident that these two, were the Holy Ghost the Comforter, and the Father of Glory, who, “ ac¬ cording to the working of his mighty power, raised up Christ from the dead.” J a Mat. xvii. 2. Mark ix, 3. b Ps. civ. 2. c Ezek. xxxvii. 12. Eph. i. 17, 19, 20. ANGELS. 63 When Mary, looking into the sepulchre, saw the “ two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain,” hut him whom she sought not there, she turned herself hack and saw “ Jesus standing.” There were present, and visible to the disconsolate mourner therefore, not only God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, —these two glorious witnesses of his resur¬ rection,—hut all the “ three that hear record in heaven,” a Jesus himself appearing also; thus giving sensible and full proof of the truth of their testimony. Hence it was not only at the baptism, hut also at the more triumphant season of the resurrection, that the other persons of the Trinity were manifestly present with the Son. And doubtless it was these same two persons seen at the sepulchre as “ two men in shining garments ,” who at the closing scene of his sojourn on earth again appeared as “ two men in ichite apparel and comforted the gazing disciples with the assurance that their ascending Lord should “ so come in like manner as they had seen him go into heaven.” b But the subject may be viewed in another light; for the Scriptures represent the conduct of God towards his people as similar to that which would be expected in the various relationships of human life. “ Like as a father pitieth his children, so the a 1 John t, 7. b Acts i. 9—11. 54 ANGELS. Lord pitieth them that fear him.” a “ Thus saith the Lord, . . as one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you.” b “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” 0 If, then, the love of earthly relatives and friends hastens them to the succour and comfort of those in sorrow, or draws them closer to the objects of their tenderest sympa¬ thies, when the cold hand seizes and lays them on the bed of death, so that they would fain continue by the beloved remains, even after the spirit has taken its flight, can it be supposed that either the Almighty “ Comforter ,” or the “ heavenly Father ,"— whose love far transcends that of any earthly crea¬ ture, and by whom such repeated promises are made of being “ very present ” in time of trouble,—would have left this “ well-beloved Son,” without specially attending him in his seasons of infinitely deep an¬ guish ; or, when passing through the dark “ valley of the shadow of death ?” And, carrying the analogy yet further, should we not expect to find these heavenly visitants with him, not only in seasons of sorrow, but also on all other remarkable events affecting him P Was it not, then, one of these glorious beings who foretold and announced the birth of the Saviour; who afterwards commanded his parents to flee with the “ young child ” from Herod’s cruelty into Egypt, and who, when the danger was past, recalled them ? —At his baptism, they were evidentlypresent.—When a Ps. ciii. 13. b Is. lxvi. 13. e Frov. xviii. 24. ANGELS. 55 in tlie wilderness, tempted of the devil, having “fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred,” were not these the “ angels” that “ mini¬ stered to him ?”—When his “soul was troubled ,” and he prayed, “ Father, glorify thy name,” his Father’s “ voice” was heard answering him.'—In his agony in Gethsemane, when his “ soul was exceeding sorrow¬ ful even unto death,” was not the “ angel” who ap¬ peared and “ strengthened ” him one of these? pro¬ bably, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. * 1 —And might not the “ certain young man,” clothed in “ linen,” who followed him on leaving the garden, be the same “young man” afterwards seen sitting in the sepulchre, clothed in a “white garment?” It could not be one of his disciples, for these had all forsaken him and fled a And were not these—the Father and the Com¬ forter—the two seen sitting in the sepulchre, as though they had been literally and personally present with the “ Holy One ” during the time, when, “ put to death in the flesh,” he was laid in the grave, until “ quickened by the Spirit,” and raised again by the Father ? b —And the two illustrious witnesses, also, of his resurrection, before any of his disciples were cog¬ nizant of the wondrous fact ?—And, lastly, when he made “ the clouds his chariot,”—a “ cloud” receiving “ him out of their sight,”—and the “ everlasting doors” were opened “for the King of Glory” to a Mark xiv. 50, 51. Ij 1 Peter iii. 18. Rom. vi. 4. 1 See Nos. XLIII. to XLIX. 56 ANGELS. “come in,” a were not these still the two glorious attendants and witnesses seen at his ascent to the throne of his Father ? b 1 LI. John v. 3, 4. A great multitude lay . . waiting for the moving of the water, Tor an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease be had. m Is not this angel, who, when the people “lay, waiting for the moving of the water ” at Bethesda, came down and troubled the pool, giving it healing virtue, that Spirit, who, at the creation, “ moved upon the face of the waters ,” as stated in the first chapter of the Bible, and of whom, in the “ new heavens and the new earth,” this reviving and purifying element is a chosen emblem in the last chapter ? “ He shewed me a pure river of water of life proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,” 0 LIL Acts x. 3,—32. He (Cornelius) saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming unto him, . . And he said, Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, . . And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, , . and sent them to Joppa. . . Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him. . . And they said, Cornelius . . was warned from God by an holy a Ps. civ. 3. xxiv. 7. b Acts i. 9, 10. c Rev. xxii. 1. 1 Though the plural word “ angels ” may mean any number more than one, yet when the number (excepting in Revelation) is specified, only two are men- tioned. “ Two angels ” came to Sodom, (Gren. xix. 1.) “ Two angels” were in the sepulchre; and Two men” (evidently two angels) are spoken of in Acts i. 10. ANGELS. 57 . angel to send for thee into his house, . . And Peter went away with them, . . And Cornelius met him, . . And said. Pour days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Send to Joppa, and call hither Simon. Ch. xi. 13. And he shewed me how he had seen an angel in his house. This “ angel of God,” who said to Cornelius, “ Send men to Joppa,” called in chapter x. 22, “ an holy angel” and in verse 30 “ a man in bright clothing was the Holy Spirit; for in verses 19, 20, we read, “ The Spirit said to Peter, . . Arise, and go with the men, for I have sent them.” At our Lord’s baptism he appeared “ in a bodily shape like a dove;” on the day of Pentecost, as “ cloven tongues like as of fire;” and on this occasion, in human form. LIII. Acts viii. 26, 29. The angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, say¬ ing, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, . . Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. Here Philip, like Joseph, is commanded by an “ angel of the Lord,” to travel in a certain direction; and when on his journey, he receives further orders, no doubt from the same heavenly guide, who, how¬ ever, is not here called an angel, hut “ the Spirit.” “ Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot.” Was not this “ angel of the Lord,” He who says, “ I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go ?” a ✓ a Ps. xxxii. 8 58 ANGELS. Liv. wgl Acts y. 19, 20. The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple. Ch. xii. 7—11. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison ; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thy¬ self, . . and follow me. . . And he . . followed him, and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. . . "When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate . . which opened to them of his own accord. And they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him, And Peter . . said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel , and hath delivered me. Acts xxvii. 23, 24. There stood by me this night the angel of God , . . saying, Tear not, Paul; Thou must be brought before Caesar, On all these occasions the apostles were prisoners, and in the night season were visited, and delivered, or comforted, by an “ angel of the Lord ” or “ of God,” who in the first two instances,—when in the one, <£ he opened the prison doors,” and in the other, the “gate flew open of its own accord,”—he led them forth to liberty, notwithstanding the chains with which at one time St. Peter was “bound,” soldiers guarding him, and the keepers at the door of the prison. And does not the “light” which shone in the prison, indicate the presence of Him whose “ weak¬ ness is stronger than men,” as does also the “ earth¬ quake,” on another occasion, when Paul and Silas were prisoners; and when again, —though the pre¬ sence of no spiritual being is mentioned,—the prison ANGELS. 59 “ doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed ?” a Surely this strong Deliverer must be He who was given for a covenant of the people, that He might “say to the prisoners. Go fortli;” b and who was “ anointed to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;” 0 and of whom St. Paul himself declared, “ how that the Lord had brought him out of the prison.” d The “ angel of God,” who afterwards said to St. Paul, when a prisoner on the waters, “ Fear not," and comforted him with assurances of his safe arrival at Home, must also have been that “ Holy One of Israel,” who “ maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the waters;” and who says to his people, “ Fear not." e During a former imprisonment St. Paul had been addressed in a similar manner, and to the same pur¬ port, by one of whom it is stated, “ the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou also bear witness of me at Home.” f The parallel between this event and that related in Acts xxvii. 23, noticed above, is singularly close: the time, night; the circumstances, Laid a prisoner; the words addressed to him, “ Be of good cheerf “Fear not;” the assurances, “ Thou must hear witness at Borne," “ Thou must be brought before a Acts xvi. 26. d Acts xii. 17. Is. xlix. 8, 9. e Is. xiiii. 1, 15, 16. c Is. lxi. 1. I Acts xxiii 11. 60 ANGELS. Caesar, —all indicate that the heavenly visitor, who on both occasions stood by St. Paul, was the same, that is, the Lord. LV. Acts vi, 15. All that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel . It is remarkable that as when Moses descended from the mount to deliver the laws and ordinances to the people, “ the skin of Ms face shone ,” so that they “ could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance ;” a so on this occasion, when Stephen was accused of speaking “ blasphem¬ ous words against the law," and declaring that Jesus would change the customs which Moses had deli¬ vered, a similar glory probably irradiated his coun¬ tenance, when the council “ looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.” The passage seems, therefore, to refer to those angels whose “ countenance is like lightning ,” or, as the sun shineth in his strength. 1 LYI. Acts vii. 80. 35. There appeared unto him (Moses) in the wil¬ derness of Mount Sina an angel of the Lord , in a flame of fire, in a bush. . . By the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. Por remarks respecting this angel, the reader is referred to No, YI. a Exod. xxxiv. 29—35. 2 Cor. iii, 7. 1 See No. L. AN GELS. 61 LYII. Acts vii. 88. This is he, (Moses) that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in Mount Sina, and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles to give unto us. In the history of the transaction here referred to, it is said, “ Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount; and the Lord called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.” a “ And he,”—the Lord ,— <£ gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony.” b Thus “ God,” who alone “spake” to Moses in the mount Sinai, is by Stephen called an “ angel ;” yet he who was then laying down his life for the cause of God, would have been the last to derogate from the “ glory due unto His name.” Here, therefore, Stephen used the word “ angel,” as synonymous with “ Lord,” and “ God.” LYIII. Acts vii. 53. Who have received the law by the disposition of angels . Gal. iii, 19. It (the law) was ordained by angels . In the original, the root of the word “ disposition” in the one passage, and of “ ordained” in the other, is the same , * 1 so that they might he respectively ren¬ dered “ by the decree,” or “ command,” of “ angels;” and “ decreed ” or “ commanded ” by them. a Exod. xix. 19, 20. b Ch. xxxi. 18. 1 diaTa'Taco 62 ANGELS. Who then were these angels that ‘'commanded,” or “decreed,” or “ordained” the law ? InExod. xix. 10, 11, xx. 1, it is said, “ The Lord said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them; . . for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.” “ And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount.” “ And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God,” etc. And Moses says, “These are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you,” a Thus the Lord God himself, both proclaimed and “ commanded,” or “ ordained ” the law. Therefore by the word “ angels,” in the above texts, both Stephen and St. Paul meant Jehovah; not, as some think, the “ ten thousands of saints ” whom Moses elsewhere says, “ the Lord came with from Sinai ;” b for certainly it cannot be supposed that these “ ordained ” the law, while God merely proclaimed it. LIX. Matt, xviii. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven, their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. Acts xii. 15. It is his angel . Acts xxiii. 8, 9. The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. . . But if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against (1). “ In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Eather which is in heaven.” a Beat. vi. 1. Dent, xxxii. 2. What did our Saviour here mean by “ their angels ? ” One explanation is in accordance with a prevalent belief, that each person has his own guardian angel —of course a created one—a kind of tutelar saint— and that it was to such our Saviour referred. But the belief in such guardians originated, not from Scripture, which gives no authority for it, but rather from Romish superstition, or heathen mythology, in which tutelar saints and deities form a prominent part; and the belief in such certainly involves in it a plea, if not a necessity, for praying to them, and invoking their aid. W T hile, however, this notion is rejected as anti- scriptural, together with the explanation founded upon it, we yet know that each of God’s children has an invisible and invincible guardian; One before whom not even a sparrow is forgotten, and who numbers the very hair of our heads;—an Omnipo¬ tent, Omnipresent Friend. Him to whom David resorted in all his dangers and perplexities. But this was no created angel. For the “Lord" was his rock, his fortress, his deliverer, his God, his strength in whom he trusted, the horn of his salva¬ tion, and his high tower, and under the shadow of his wings he took refuge until his calamities were overpast.® Does the Christian then need a guardian ? Here a Ps. xviii. 2. lvii. 1. 64 ANGELS. is an Almighty One, who will keep him as the ‘ c apple of his eye.” God is his “ defence and refuge in the day of trouble“ a shelter and a strong tower from the enemy.” 3. Does he need a repre¬ sentative or intercessor “ in heaven,” to plead for him at the throne of his Father ? One is already pro¬ vided. “ If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is entered into heaven now to appear in the presence of God for us.” b Therefore for these purposes no created angel is required. This, however, seems not to he the idea intended to he conveyed hy the words in question. Much less is that of created guardian angels. For what com¬ fort could arise from the thought, that any such being, however he might care for us, beheld “ the face of our Father which is in heaven” ? Would the patriarch Job have been satisfied with this ? His anticipation of perfect bliss consisted in the belief that he himself should “ behold the face” of the Father. “ Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold, and not another David’s anticipation was the same. “ As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall he satisfied when I awake,” (from the sleep of death,) “ with thy likeness.” d While St. Paul like¬ wise expected a time when he should no longer see a Ps. lix, 19, 17. lxi. 3. c Job xix. 26, 27. b 1 John ii. 1. Heb. ix. 24. d Ps. xvii. 15. ANGELS. G5 as now, “ through a glass darkly, hut face to face And well may sinful dust and ashes with joy anti¬ cipate the glorious sight; for we know that “ when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” b Hence it would appear that “their angels” who “ in heaven do always behold the face of the Father,” are no guardian angels of any description, or for any purpose; hut these “ little ones ” themselves, in some future state of existence. Then ,—“ in heaven their angels”—that is, themselves in this future state,—“ do always 1 behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” (2) “ It is his angel.” This sentence, unlike the one just noticed, does appear to refer to another popular belief, namely;—that occasionally persons after death revisit, either bodily or spiritually, the inhabitants of this world in some shape resembling their former selves. “ His angel,” here seems to mean what might be called, though not his ghost, his apparition ; this word being used not only when a spiritual semblance, but when its substantial reality appears. Whether such widely spread belief be superstitious or not, may be matter of dispute; though on scriptural grounds, it is certainly more a 1 Cor. xiii. 12. b 1 John iii. 2. 1 The use of the present tense for the future, occurs elsewhere; as in Matt, xxii. 30. “ In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” To the student of the Scriptures in the original, this change of tenses will be familiar. : F 66 ANGELS. tenable than that of created guardian, angels, several instances being recorded of such apparitions, during that period when the old covenant dispensation was vanishing away before the new and better covenant. Our Saviour, after his death, “ appeared first to Mary Magdalene.” “ After that he appeared in another form, unto two of them.” “ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven.” a “ Then he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.” b Moses also, whom the “ Lord buried in a valley in the land of Moab,” c and Elijah, whom the Lord took up “into heaven by a whirlwind,”' 1 —theseboth appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration/ after ages had rolled by since they lived on earth. And that in¬ stance, perhaps still more to the point, recorded by St. Matthew, “ when the graves were opened, and after his resurrection many bodies of saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” f These scripturally authentic facts might well give rise to the forenamed belief; and having then only recently occurred, the friends of St. Peter, who knew that he had been imprisoned, and his life in the utmost peril from his enemies, would be more ready to imagine that he who knocked at the door, and whose well known voice was recognized, was his apparition, rather than himself in his own natural body. Hence the hesitation to open the door, and a Mar]? xvi. 9, 12, 14. 4 2 Kings ii. 1, i 1. 5 1 Cor. xv. 6. e Luke ix. 30, 31. c Deut. xxxiv. 6. f Mat. xxvii. 52, 53. ANGELS. G7 the expression of doubt or astonishment, “ It is his angel;”—that is, the re-appearance of himself in some other state of existence. (3.) “ The Sadducees say that there is no resur¬ rection, neither angel nor spirit; hut the Pharisees confess both.” . . “ But if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.” That here the words “ angel,” and “ spirit,” signify not purely heavenly beings, but two different states of man’s existence after death, seems plain from the construction of the former of the passages, as well as from the context. The word “ neither,” which points to the dual number and its responsive “nor,” (in Greek beingaffixed to “angel” and “ spirit” respectively, the word “both,” evidently refers not to the resurrection on the one part, and to such heavenly beings on the other; but to the words “angel” and “spirit,” as standing in appo¬ sition with, and amplifying the word “ resurrection.” v The dispute between the Pharisees and Sadducees, was respecting the resurrection of man from the dead; —a doctrine the Sadducees altogether repudiated, for they “ say there is no resurrection”;—and not respecting the existence of any order of beings su¬ perior to man. Throughout the narrative connected with the dispute, these beings are never mentioned. Jesus, as man had died. Him, “ Paul affirmed to be alive” again; and in his revivified state,—either as angel or spirit,—to have appeared and spoken F 2 68 ANGELS. unto him, commissioning him to preach to the Gen¬ tiles. It was not as to whether any other divine messenger had, or had not, appeared to him; hut “ of the hope and resurrection of the dead , he was called in question ,” a _whether this same Jesus who had been crucified was raised to life again; (either as angel or spirit;)—a doctrine of the utmost im¬ portance to establish, being the very foundation of the Christian’s hope : “ for if Christ be not risen, then,” as St. Paul says, “ is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain, ye are yet in your sins.” b Here therefore, the word “ angel” seems again used with reference to man in a future state of ex¬ istence. - ' The three passages here separately considered, are placed under the same Humber, as in these the word “ angel,” seems distinctly applied to man, though not in his present natural state. “ Angel” is commonly supposed to mean a spiri¬ tual messenger from God to man; but as throughout the Bible, there is the clearest evidence that the “ angel of the Lord,” or “ of God,” who appeared to man, or in any other way manifested himself to human perception, and whether the bearer of a message or not, was not any created being delegated to communicate with man, but always one of the Persons of the Trinity;—may not therefore the word, where applied to man also, signify his person. a Acts xxiii. 6. b 1 Cor. xv. 13, 16. ANGE LS. 69 —both body and spirit,—in a future condition;— his spiritual corporeity , whereby he is able to appear, or in other ways to manifest himself to his fellow human creatures ? When death divests the spirit of its mortal taber¬ nacle, all that is visible of man is consigned to the grave, and “ returns to the dust of the ground of which it was formedwhile that which is invisible still exists in a separate state. “ Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit unto God who gave it.” a In agreement with this, when the hour was come that Jesus could say, “ It is finished,” he “ cried with a loud voice and said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost,” b and they laid his body in the tomb. * 1 Stephen’s expiring prayer also, was, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit .” c "While, therefore, the body is in the tomb, the spirit is in the safe keeping of our heavenly Father. This is one state of man’s existence after death : hut it will he succeeded hy a second, in which the spirit will he re-united with the body. When lie, who is “the Resurrection and the Life,” was about to restore their lost child to the bereaved parents, “ lie took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again , a Gen. ii. 7. iii. 19. Eccles. xii. 7. b Luke xxiii. 46. c Acta vii. 69. 1 But though sinful ruau returns to dust, this JToly One was not suffered to “ see corruption.” 70 ANGELS. and she arose straiglitwav.” 3 When he would restore O v Lazarus, who had lain four days in the grave, to his sorrowing sisters, “ he cried with a loud voice, La¬ zarus, come forth; and he that was hound came forth. ” b And ‘ ‘ the hour is coming when ’ s not one only, hut “all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God,and shall come forth.” 0 The “breath” or “ spirit ” shall come into these dead bodies, and they shall live. “ For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come out of your graves, and put my spirit in you and ye shall live.” d “ For if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” e In this, then, man’s second future existence, the spirit will be re-united to the body in a purified changed condition. Purified and changed:—For “thismortal must put on immortality;” and that which was “ sown in cor¬ ruption,” — “ dishonour,”— “ weakness,”—“ a na¬ tural body,”—will be “raised incorruptible,” — “glorious,”—“powerful,”—“a spiritual body.” The first, “earthy;” the second, “heavenly.” For “as we have borne the image” of the first man Adam, “ we shall also bear the image” of “ the second man,” a Luke viii. 54, 55. b John xi. 43, 44. c John y. 28, 29. 4 Ezek. xxxvii. 10—14. e Rom. viii. 11. ANGEIS. 71 “ the last Adam”—“the Lord from heaven/’ 3 “ when he cometli with clouds, and every eye shall see him —this glorious manifestation of our Lord being at¬ tended by “ that which the earnest expectation of the creature waitetli for; the adoption, towit, the redemp¬ tion of the body,” “ the manifestation of the sons of God,” the “ joint-lieirs with Christ,” who will, with him be “ glorified together.” 0 Lor as at the trans¬ figuration, w r lien Peter, James, and John, had a foretaste of the “ power and coming of our Lord,” and “were eye-witnesses of his majesty,” Moses and Elias appeared with him in glory, so, “when Christ who is our Life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory.” “ Our vile body will” “he fashioned like unto his glorious body.” d And it will be not only glorious, but immortal and angelic. “ Eor they which shall be counted worthy to obtain that resurrection can die no more, but are equal unto,” or “ as the angels of God in heaven.” 0 To these two states of man’s future existence, the w r ords “ angel” and “ spirit” in Acts xxiii. 8,9, seem to refer; the one existence, to us invisible, —when the disembodied spirit is with God,—may be called the spiritual ; the other, which will be visible ,— when the body will be re-united with the spirit,— the angelic state / a 1 Cor. iv. 42—52. b Kcv. i. 7. c Rom. viii. 17—23. 4 2 Pet. i. 16. Col. iii. 4. Phil. iii. 21. c Matt. xxii. 30. Luke xx. 35,36. 1 That angels and spirits are different, may be inferred not only from the text, “ neither angel, nor spirit,” but also from lleb. i. 7, “who maketh his angels, spirits.” 72 ANGELS. So “ God is a Spirit,” and as such may be invisible. But he also exists in three co-equal persons, in one at least of which “ dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily f* and in each of which, he has frequently manifested himself visibly to man;—not as a spirit; for “ a spirit,” even if it can be seen, “ has not flesh and bones,” b but is unsubstantial, incorporeal; whereas on such occasions the heavenly visitors were not only visible, and in human form, but seem also to have been possessed of both flesh and bones, as well as of the poAvers and faculties of man. They conversed w r ith man, they “ sat” down, or \A r alked; they “ ate and drank,” or they “ wrestled’ ’ with him. 0 They were therefore bodily present. But these were not natural, that is, “ earthy bodiesfor one was seen standing between the earth and the heaven :” d another came doAvn “ and appeared in a flame of fire in a bush,” 6 One again, his mission accomplished, and having done “ w T on- drously,” and “ shewed” and “ told” certain things to Manoah and his w T ife, “ ascended in the flame of the altar ;” f —all which to natural, earthy bodies, is impossible. But they were spiritual, and heavenly bodies, and in Scripture are generally termed “an¬ gels of the Lordf or “angels of God Not unfrequently however they are called “men,” for such in every w r ay they seemed until their won¬ drous acts proclaimed them to he “very God.” a Col, ii. 9. k Luke xxiv. 39. c Judg. vi. 11. Gen. xviii. 8. xix. 3. <1 1 Chron. xxi. 16. e Exod. iii. 8, 2. f Judg. xiii. 19—23. ANGELS. 73 And how accurately does this agree, if the words are taken literally, with the account of man’s crea¬ tion. “ God said, let us make man in our image , after our likeness;”* —expressions, which though generally explained only of the mental or spiritual endowments of man, more naturally imply, that in person Adam resembled his great Creator; and in Parlchurst, the first signification of the word ren¬ dered “ image'' is “ external form” while that ren¬ dered “ likeness” signifies conformity of parts, both of body and soul A 1 In this “image” and “likeness,” was Adam cre¬ ated. But he sinned, and so lost the resemblance, and became mortal and corruptible; and all his descendants partake of his degenerate nature, for they are “ born in his image, after his likeness.” 1 * “ But as we have borne the image of the earthy,” “ the first Adam,” “ they who are counted worthy to obtain that resurrection,” will he restored to the image of the heavenly, “ the second Adam,” the Lord from heaven, and will he made “ partakers of the divine nature.” 0 Prom the preceding, we infer that the word “ angels,” signifies the spiritual, or spiritualized bodies of intelligent beings, whether created or self- existent; and that in the three passages considered in this Number, it is applied to man, and denotes a Gen. i. 26. b Gen. v. 3. c 2 Pet. i. 4. Sec Appendix B. 74 ANGELS. not that invisible, transient state, into which he enters at death, but his re-embodied eternal state. And when Christ shall appear, then shall we,— passing from the invisible state of existence to the visible,—rise and meet him in the air ; and in our changed, angelic bodies, appearing with him in glory, 1 shall “in heaven always behold the face of” our “ Father which is in heaven.” LX. Matt, xxii. 30. In the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. Mark xii. 25. When they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage ; but are as the angels which are in heaven. Luke xx, 35, 36. But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. These passages being parallel, the angels, whether spoken of as “ angels,” or “ angels of God,” must be the same in all, and alike uncreated. The equality of the “ children of the resurrection” with these angels, as stated by St. Luke, can only refer to their immortality ;—to the fact, that they can die no more. The immortality of angels will be reverted to hereafter. 1 See Appendix C. ANGELS. LXI. 0 Luke xvi. 32. The "beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. This passage being supposed to form part of an allegory, these “ angels” may be fictitious, yet figurative of those angels who have charge over God’s people;—the “ministering spirits” of He¬ brews. 1 LXII Acts xii. 23. The angel of the Lord smote him (Herod) because he gave not God the glory. This “angel of the Lord” who “smote” Herod, appears to be the destroying angel, who, so often in old Testament times, “ smote” the enemies of God. 2 LXIII. Matt. xiii. 39, 41. The harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. . . The Son of man shall send forth his angels , and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend. V, 49, 50. The angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. Ch. xvi. 27. The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels. Ch. xxiv. 30, 31. They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Ch. xxv. 31. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the liolg angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another. 1 See No. LXXII, a Sec No. XVIII. 76 ANGELS. Mark viii. 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, . . of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his father with the holy angels. Ch. xiii, 26, 27. Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels , and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Luke ix. 26. Of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Lather’s, and of the holy angels , Ch. xii. 8, 9. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God. But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the anqels of God. Ch, xv. 10. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. 1 Thes. iv. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel , and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 2 Thes. i. 7—9. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, . . who shall be punished with ever¬ lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. Rev. iii. v. I will confess his name before my Lather, and before his angels. Ch. xiv. 10. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels , and in the presence of the Lamb. The “ angels of God,” in whose “ presence ” there is “joy over one sinner that repenteth,” are doubtless tlie “ holy angels ” of Rev. xiv. 10, in whose “pre¬ sence,” as also in the “ presence of the Lamb,” the wicked will be tormented with fire for ever and ever; and which “ holy angels” are evidently the “ mighty angels” of 2 Thes. i. 7, (marg. “ angels of his power,”) with whom the Lord shall “ be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God,” who shall be “ punished with everlasting ANGELS. 77 destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.” The “ angels of God ” of Luke xii. 8, 9, and Rev. iii. 5, are also the same “ holy ” and “ mighty angelsthe time alluded to in these latter pas¬ sages, when all will he “ confessed ” or “ denied ” before ( i.e . in the presence of) these angels, being the great day of the Lord, “when he coineth to judge the world/’ To this great day of the coming of the Lord in Majesty and great glory, all the remaining passages refer; consequently in all, the angels are identical. With respect to our Lord’s second advent, we know that similar to his ascent into heaven will be his descent to earth. “This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.’’ a “ While they beheld he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.” b “ They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven.”' “ Rehold he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him.” d Again, The passage in Ps. xlvii. 5, seems to be a prediction of the former event. 78 ANGELS. For of tlie Lord’s as¬ cent we read, “ God is gone up with a shout; the Lord with the sound of a trumpet At our Lord’s de¬ parture, his last words to his disciples were those of blessing. “ While he blessed them, he was . . carried up into heaven/’ * 1 * At his ascent into hea¬ ven, “ Behold two men stood by . . in white ap¬ parel evidently two an¬ gels , whom we have seen to he the Father and the Holy Ghosts 1 So of his descent we read, “ The Lord himself shall descend from hea¬ ven Avith a shout, Avith the voice of the arch¬ angel, and with the trump of Godf “at the last trump ; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall he raised/’ 3 At his retu rn, “ Blessed and holy” shall they be who will then “ have part in the first resur¬ rection.” 0 At his descent, “ the Son of Man shall come” “ in his oaatu glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels —“ and all the holy angels with him.” 2 The angels in whose glory Christ Avill come, are called “ holy angels.” But “holiness belongeth unto the Acre?.” Also, the Spirit is called an “holy anscel.” e3 a 1 Thes. iv. 16. 1 Cor. xv, 52. b Matt. xxv. 31. Luke ix. 26. c Rev. xx. 6. d Acts i. 10. e Comp. Acts x. 19, 22. i See No. L. 2 See No. LXIII. 3 See No. LII. ANGELS. 79 They are also “ mighty angels;”—an expression which seems to he applied only to the Persons of Jehovah. 1 In Rev. x., as also elsewhere, it is evi¬ dently applied to one of these Persons. The “ archangel” of Thes. iv. 16, whose voice will be heard with the “ trump of God,” when the Lord descends from heaven, seems equivalent to the “ angels” of Matt. xxiv. 31, whom at his coming, the Son of Man will send with a great sound of a trumpet; —marg , with a trumpet and a great voice. “The reapers are the angels.” In Rev. xiv. 14, 15, we read, “ Upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having in his hand a sharp sickle; and another angel,” —(this implies that the Son of Man was an angel,) —cried to him that sat on the cloud, “ Thrust in thy sickle, and reap ; and he thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.” Hence one of the “ reapers ,”—that is, one of the “angels,” —is one of the Persons of the Trinity . “ The angels shall sever the wicked from among the just.” But in Matt. xxv. 32, we read the “ Son of Man shall separate them one from another.’ They are the “ angels of God.” And let it he noticed, that the passage in St. Luke,—“ Whosoever 1 See No. XXVII. 80 ANGELS. shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man confess before the angels of God; But he that denieth me before men shall he denied before the angels of God,”—is a repetition nearly verbatim, of Matt. x. 32, 33; hut with this variation, that in Luke, the expression, “ angels of God is substituted for the words in Matthew, “ My Father which is in heaven,”—a substitution consistent with other parts of Scripture, where “ angel of God,” and “ God ” are equivalent. Indeed would St. Luke have omitted the Bather’s name, had he not considered Him one of the “ angels of God ? ” Again, These passages indicate that the presence of these “ mighty ” and “ holy angels ” is equally to he feared with that of the “ Father,” or of the “ Lamb.” Also that when we shall “ all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,’’—and before these angels shall he “confessed” or “denied” by him,— they , alike with the Father will he assessors with him at the great tribunal. Evidently then, these appear to he no created angels. For though St. Paul says, “ Know ye not that we shall judge angels,” 3 (probably the angels who sinned,) the Scriptures nowhere intimate that created angels will judge us. Of the deeds done in the body every one must give account, not to created beings, but to Him who will then reward every man a 1 Cor. vi. 3. ANGELS. 81 according to his works ; and who is able to save, or to destroy both body and soul in hell; and whom, alone we should “fear/ Neither are these angels the “dead in Christ,” who at the sound of the last trump, “ will rise first, to meet the Lord in the air;”—those whom God will “ bring with him,” and who having part in the first resurrection, will “ live and reign with him a thousand years.” 1 Lor though these are doubtless the “ saints,” or “ holy ones,” who will hereafter “judge the world,” they yet belong to the “general assembly and church of the first bornand there¬ fore form part of that assembly of the “just” from among whom the “ angels of God” will “ sever” the wicked;—of the “ elect,” whom they will also gather together “ with the great sound of a trumpet.” Lrom these considerations, we may conclude that these “angels of God,”—these “mighty" and “ holy angels,”—the “ reapers ” of the harvest,—who will accompany our Lord when revealed from heaven;— who will sever the wicked from among the just;— and gather together the elect with the great sound of a trumpet ;—in whose presence there is joy over the repenting sinner;— before whom also, all will he confessed or denied by the Son of Man;—in whose presence likewise, and in that of the Lamb, the wicked are to endure their torment;—finally, the “ holy angels” in ichose glory , as tvell as in his own and his Lather’s, the Son of Man will come, and will a Rev. xx. 4, G. 82 ANGELS. sit upon the throne of his glory;—are no created angels, nor beings of any order lower than that of the Triune Jehovah, in whose presence there is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore”;—the thrice Holy Loud God Almighty. These titles therefore appear to signify the highest order of beings. And since the Birst Person is not named in Lukexii. 9, or Matt. xxv. 31, while in the parallel passages he is separately mentioned, we may presume that he is included in the “ angels of God” and “ holy angels” of those passages. But, as in the other passages a plurality of angels is spoken of, apart and distinct from the Patlier and the Son, —such plural form seems to denote “the Holy Ghost, who with Christ, is most High, in the glory of the Bather.” 1 LXIV, John i. 51. Hereafter shall ye see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. Brom the similarity between this passage and that of Gen. xxviii. 12,—“ Behold the angels of God ascending and descending ” on the ladder,—it may be concluded that these angels of God, who when heaven shall he opened, will he seen ascending and descending on the Son of Man, are identical with those of Jacob’s vision, whom he saw ascending and descending on the ladder. 2 1 The plurality of angels will be noticed hereafter. 2 See No. XY. ANGELS. 83 During the first Advent, angels visited the Son of Man on earth; hut the fuller accomplishment of the prediction will be “ hereafter';’'—probably during the second Advent, when he will again descend from heaven, and all the “holy angels” with him. 1 LXV. Matt. xxiv. 36. Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. Mark xiii. 32. Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 1 Pet. i. 12. Which things the angels desire to look into. The expression “ angels of heaven,” seems equiva¬ lent to “ angels of God.” In these three passages they are spoken of in connexion with the time of certain future events. In Mark we read that not only “ the angels which are in heaven,” hut even the Son knows not the day and hour when the Son of Man cometh. In this respect, then, He differs not from these angels, who herein, therefore, are equal with him. In the parallel passage in Matthew, this fact of the Son not knowing the time, is not named, which it surely would have been, were he not one of those angels. From the context of the passage in 1 Peter, we find that among the things the angels desired to look into, was, “what manner of time the Spirit signi¬ fied when it testified beforehand certain events :— “ the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” The margin refers to Dan. viii. 13, where See preceding No. on Luke xii. 8, 0. l 84 ANGELS. a “ saint,” or holy one, is described as manifesting similar anxiety on the same subject of time, and requesting information thereon from another “ cer¬ tain saint.” “I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall he the vision concerning the daily sacri¬ fice,” etc. Now one of these,—the “ certain saint,” —is in the margin styled “the numbered oe secrets,” or the “ wonderful numberer ;”—titles which plainly determine that he must be that same angel who declared to Manoah that his name was “ secret,” marg. “wonderful” —one of the titles of “ the mighty God,” & —and whom Manoah after¬ wards called “ God.” * 1 In Dan. xii. 5, 6, a similar enquiry respecting time is made, and a reply returned by those who though called “ men,” are evidently spiritual beings of the highest order. 2 Thus it appears that one of the “ saints” of Dan. viii., and of the “ men” of Dan. xii., was a Person of the Trinity. We are therefore warranted in con¬ sidering that the other “ saint,” or the other “ man,” who in each passage sought information respecting time future, is also a Person of the Triune Jehovah, the “ Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel ; b and that these are the “ angels” of 1 Peter, who “ desired a Is. ix. 6. b Is. xxviii. 29. 1 The Jews anciently used a solemn symbol of the Deity, which they called Sephiroth, a word signifying enumerations , but used by their learned men to denote “ splendours Dwight’s System of Theology. P. 355. 2 See No. LXXX. ANGELS. 85 to look into” a question of time, and tlie “ angels of heaven,” who “ knew not the day and hour” —“the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power.”* LX VI. I Cor. xiii. 1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. This allusion to angels would equally apply to any order of superhuman beings, whether the Creator, or his creatures. To which therefore of these the apostle refers is uncertain. LXVII. Rem. viii. 38, 39. I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities . . nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. No beings of the world unseen but Satan or his emissaries, would make the desperate attempt to “ separate” from the love of God, those for whom Christ died. Chosen in him before the foundation of the world, he loves them with an everlasting love. And as “ God will not cast away his people whom he foreknewso “ neither shall any be able to pluck them out of his hands,” b or “ to separate them from the love of God.” b Eph, i. 4 Jer. xxxi. 3. Rom. xi. 2. John x. 29 . a Acts i. 7. 86 ANGELS. LXVIIL 2 Cor. xi. 14. Satan himself is transformed into an ana el of light. The expression “ angel of light,” occurs only here; and to whom the title properly belongs is not ob¬ vious. But since “ God is light”* and the “Bather of lights ;” b and the Son is the brightness of his Bather’s glory, and the “ true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,” 0 we need not marvel if Satcm , in order to deceive those who “ received not the love of the truth that they might he saved,” should attempt to assume the appearance of either. Our Saviour had forewarned his disciples, that there should “ arise false Christs and false prophets, who should shew great signs and wonders ;” d —a pro¬ phecy of which the circumstances here alluded to by St. Paul, seems to be one (though not the final,) fulfilment; for he speaks of “false apostles,” “de¬ ceitful workers,” the ministers of the devil, “ trans¬ forming themselves into the apostles of Christ,” (v. 13), and of Satan himself being “ transformed into an angel of light.” He therefore appears to be one of th e, false Christs predicted. Burther, remembering that when the “ angel of God,”—that is, God himself,—guided the children of Israel through the wilderness, “ he went before them by night in a pillar of fire to give them light; a 1 John i 5. ^ Jam. i. 17c c John i. 9. ‘1 Matt. xxiv. 24. ANGELS. 87 —that when the angel of the Lord,—identified as the Father,—rolled away the stone from the sepul¬ chre,” his countenance was like lightning ;’ ’—and, lastly, that when Jesus was transfigured before the three disciples, “his raiment was wdiite as the light —we may conclude, as before, that he whom Satan personated when “ transformed into an angel of light,” was Jehovah, who to his people is “an everlasting light.” a LXIX. Gal. i. 8. Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. The Gospel which had been preached, being the “everlasting Gospel,” such an angel as is here described, who should “preach any other,” must necessarily be a created being, and an adversary of truth. At the important juncture in which the Apostles lived, when the old covenant—“the law of com¬ mandments contained in ordinances,”—was vanish¬ ing away, and “a better hope ” being brought in, b fresh communications from heaven were made, and angels, as in the days of the fathers, were frequently employed in the unfolding of God’s eternal purposes. But whatever the nature of such communications, they were never opposed to earlier ones; nor could they be; for “ God is not a man that lie should Is. lx. 20. b Eph. ii. 15. Hcb. vii. 19. viii. 13. 88 ANGELS. repent,” but is “ the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever;” and his will, however gradually unfolded, can never he inconsistent with itself. Many were the times when such messengers visited St. Paul, revealing to him God’s will, and directing him in his arduous duties; hut invariably, these were either Jesus, the angel of the covenant, himself “anointed to preach the Gospel;” or the Holy Ghost, by whom “ holy men of old were moved to speak.” On his “way to Damascus,” it was Jesus who arrested him with the question “ Why persecutest thou me? ” and from being before a “blasphemer and injurious,” he became a believer in, and preacher of the faith;—Jesus appearing to him for the pur¬ pose of making him “ a minister and witness ” of the things which he then saw, and intimating that he would again appear to him for similar purposes.* Onetime, therefore, while “praying in the temple,” when he was “ in a trance/’ Jesus appeared to him and appointed him to preach to the Gentiles. 6 After¬ wards, “in the castle,” the Lord stood by him, and said, “ Be of good cheer, Paul; for as thou hast testi¬ fied of me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness of me also at Borne.” 0 And again, during his tem¬ pestuous “voyage,” the angel of God * 1 stood by him, and assured him of the safe arrival of all on board, and that he should yet be “brought before Caesar .” d a Acts xx^i. 16, b Acts xxii. 17—21. c Acts xxiii. 11, 1 i.e. the Lord . See No. LIY. Acts xxvii 24 ANGELS. 89 Of the Holy Ghost he was “ forbidden to preach the word in Asia.” 3 At “ Corinth ” the Lord spake to him in “ a vision,” encouraging him not to he “ afraid,” hut to “ speak.” b At “ Troas,” a “ man of Macedonia ” also appeared to him “ in a vision,” and stood by him, saying, “ Come over and help us,” 1 c who seems to he the same divine messenger; no instance occurring throughout Scripture of any mere man so appearing to others. Such were the “ angels ” and “ spirits ” that spake to St. Paul. He had “ visions and revelations of the Lord .” d The Gospel he received tc not by man’s preaching, neither was” he “taught it, hut by the revelation of Jesus Christ."* By revelation also, was he commissioned to “preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,”—a “mystery which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men,” as it was then “ revealed unto the holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” * 1 For not St. Paul alone, hut other apostles and individuals were visited and instructed by the same divine teachers. As illustrative of this, the cases of Zacharias, Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, before the ministry of our Lord; together with those of Philip, Peter, and a Acts xvi. 6. b Acts xviii. 9. c Acts xvi. 9. £ 2 Cor xii. 1. e Gal. i. 12. fEph. iii. 3—8. 1 Comp. Judg. v. 23. “ Came not to the help of the Lord ” \ 90 ANGELS. Cornelius, after his ascension, may be mentioned. Also that of Ananias, to whom the Lord in a vision spake, and sent him to Paul ; a and of the certain “prophets and teachers,” whom the Holy Ghost commanded to separate Barnabas and Saul for their appointed work. b In short, it is believed that throughout the Bible, not one instance can be found in which any com¬ munication of divine truth has been made to man, by any spiritual beings, except the Persons of the Trinity. The Gospel of life and immortality was brought to the world by no inferior agents ; but by those who had planned and ratified it before the world began. Hence the perfect harmony of the whole of the revealed will of God; since it not only originated in, but was delivered to man by Jehovah, from whom “ cometh down every good and perfect gift, and with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.” The verse we are now considering implies the possibility of being deceived, even by an “angel from heaven;”—not an “ angel of heaven.” In 1 Kings xxii. 22, we are told of “ lying spirits;” and by one of such beings was Eve deceived. How, then, were the apostles to know whether these spiritual teachers were authorized ambassadors? How distinguish Him who revealed himself in “ light from heaven, shining above the brightness of the a Acts ix 10, 11. Acts xiii. 1, 2. ANGELS. 91 sun, ” a from Satan “transformed into an angel of light,” and thus personating Jesus himself ? The rule was simple. They were not to believe every spirit, but to “ try the spirits whether they were of God.” To try them by that infallible standard which testifies of Jesus,—“ the law and the testimony,”— the word of God; for, “ if any speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,” b By this only rule of faith were all things heard or preached to be tried. When St. Paul was sent to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, this extension of God’s favour being till then unknown to the world, the apostle’s authority for thus breaking through the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gen¬ tile, might justly have been doubted by them, and denied by those to whom pertained the oracles of God, had not these very oracles contained the “hidden mystery.” To these, like his master, he ever appealed; and though before his conversion he had been “ exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers,” 0 yet, afterwards, when the “ light of the glorious gospel of Christ ” had shined into his heart, he preached, “ saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come; that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people and to the Gentiles.”' 1 This was the same “everlasting gospel ” which had been a Acts xxvi. 13. b Xs. viii. 20. c Gal. i. 14. d Acts xxvi. 22, 23. 92 ANGELS. preached before to Abraham; the “covenant” which God made with Abraham, and “ his oath unto Isaac,” confirming “ the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant ;” a and the same “ everlasting gospel ” with which the angel in the Apocalypse is seen flying through heaven to “preach to every nation and people.” b “ And if any man, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel let him be accursed.” The “ sure word of prophecy” was then, and still is, the only standard by which all preaching must be tried. Nor has it been left to fallible human memory or tradition to hand down to successive generations; but, “It is written ,” is our safeguard against any other gospel which man or Satan might substitute for it. St. Paul, in addressing the Corinthians, and through them all Christians to the end of time, fears “ lest as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus;”—lest they should be “ removed into another gospel, which in¬ deed is not another, but there are some that would pervert the gospel of Christ.” 0 We have advantages which Eve had not. She had not the Scriptures, which were “ written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come; ” nor the example of others, to warn her a Ps. cv. 9, 10. b Rev. jay. 6 . c 2 Cor. xi. 3, 4. Gal. i. 6, 7. ANGELS. 93 against the machinations of that evil spirit, the serpent, who. assuming a prerogative possessed by none hut God, dared to absolve her from the punish¬ ment denounced against the transgression of God’s command; and preached another gospel, “ Ye shall not surely die,” but “ in the days ye eat thereof ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” She listened,—and fell! Nor are ice secure from his wiles; for “ that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world,” 3, still “ walketh about seeking whom he may devour.” And further, “ the Spirit spealceth expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.” b “ For false pro¬ phets and false Christs shall arise, and shall shew signs and wonders to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” 0 Moreover, “that Wicked will be revealed, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved.” d All these things are written for our learning, and teach us to watch and “put on the whole armour of God,” that when these perilous times shall come, we may be prepared, and taking heed unto the more “ sure word,” we may with this “ sword of the Spirit, Rev. xii. 9. 1 Tim. iv. 1. c Mark xiii. 22. cl 2 These, ii. 8, 10. 94 ANGELS. and tlie shield of faith,” he able to resist the evil one, even when “ transformed into an angel of light.” LXX. Gal. iv. 14. Te received me as an angel of God, even 1 as Christ J esus. “Angel of God” being here in apposition with “ Christ Jesns,” determines St. Paul’s idea of the expression. He, like Stephen, evidently considers it applicable to one at least of the Persons of the Trinity,—the second Person. LXXI. 1 Tim. v. 21. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels . Since we learn from Scripture that there are created angels who, like man, have sinned; so there maybe created angels, who also like man, are “ elect according to the foreknowledge of God,” and kept by the power of him by whom “all things were created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisibleand who “ through the blood of his cross” reconciled all things to himself, “whether things in earth or things in heaven.” 1 But that in this solemn charge to Timothy, any fallible creature, however high, should be associated with Deity, is inadmissible. The charge in the second a 1 Pet. i. 2, 5. Col. i. 16—20. 1 “ Even” is not in the original. ANGELS. 95 epistle is enforced by the fact, that it is given before Him who will “judge the quick and the dead;” 1 when “ every one of us shall give an account of him¬ self to God,”—not to created angels. In the other charges, “God,”—“ the Lord,”—and “Jesus Christ,” only, are named. May not the words, then, be rendered, “ Before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the excellent angels ?” (a meaning the original will bear,) that is, “the Almighty,” who is “excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice.”'’ LXXII. Heb. i. 4. Being made so much better than the angels , as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Ver. 5. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee ? And, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son ? V. 6. And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. V. 7—9. And of (marg. unto) the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. V. 13, 14. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool ? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs af salvation ? Ch ii. 2, 3. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord. V. 5—9. For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him ? or the a 2 Tim, iv 1. t> Job. xxxvii. 23. 96 ANGELS. Son of Man, that thou visitedst him ? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels ; 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 his feet, . . 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 suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 1 Pet. iii. 22. Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. These passages, all of which except the last, occur in the same argument, contain three quotations from the Old Testament in which angels are named, and which it is desirable to notice separately. (1.) Ch. i. 6. “ Let all the angels of God worship him.” The margin has two references. The first is not to the English version, hut to the LXX., of Deut. xxxii. 43, where “these identical words occur, . . and there can he no doubt the apostle quoted from thencehut “ nothing answer¬ ing to this passage is found in the Hebrew/’ 1 2 “ The LXX. have a remarkable addition prefixed to the beginning of this verse. e Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him. Rejoice. 0 ye nations, with his'people, and let all the sons of God be strong in him.’ ”* Since then the firsf marginal reference is to a “remarkable addition” in the LXX., “nothing an¬ swering to which occurs in the Hebrew,” so neither 1 Journ. Sac. Lit. Jan. 1852. P. 278. 2 Quoted from a Bible with annotations, printed in Birmingham, 1788. On Deut. xxxii. 43. ANGELS. 97 ✓ does it, or any thing answering to it, occur in the English translation of the verse, which is from the Hebrew, not from the LXX. Nor does it appear whence the latter obtained it. The second reference is to Ps, xcvii. 7 . But nei¬ ther here do we find the identical words, nor in any other part of the English Old Testament. In this verse of the psalm, however, an order of beings— “gods ”—is enjoined to the same duty as the “an¬ gels” of Heb.i.6. “Worship him all ye gods” But from the general scope of the passage in the psalm, these “gods”—a term frequently used for sinful beings, as will be hereafter shewn, 1 —who are to worship Him before whom “ every knee shall bow,” do not appear to he the “ angels” of Heb. i. 6. Neither reference, therefore, enables us to learn who these angels are. They are, however, “ angels of God;” a phrase which in all other instances we have found to signify the uncreated angels. (2.) v. 7 . “Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” This verse, quoted almost verbatim from Ps. civ. 4, being further noticed elsewhere, 2 we need here only observe, that these “ angels,” “ spirits,” or “ minis¬ ters,” which evidently are also the “ angels” and “ministering spirits” of v. 13, 14, “sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation,” appear to be the “ angels” who “ ministered” to 1 See Part III. 2 See Part II. 11 98 ANGELS. Christ, the captain of our salvation, * 1 as also the “ angels” of Ps. xci. 11,12, who have “ charge” over God’s heritage. “ He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, They shall hear thee up in their hands, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” 2 The Scriptures contain many examples of special deliverances and providences experienced by God’s people in times of danger or want; hut in each case, he who ministered to the needs of these heirs of sal¬ vation, seems to have been, even where termed an angel, He who is “nigh unto all that call upon him,” and gives “ to all their meet in due season He who keepeth Israel, “ and will not suffer his foot to he moved:” “The Lokd is his name.” 8 (3). Ch. ii. 6, 8. “What is man that Thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that Thou visitest him ? Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels.” In Ps. viii. 4, 5, whence this is quoted, again the usual word for “ angel,” though in the LXX. is not in the Hebrew. The following is from Memoirs of the Hev.- Barrs, a Hebrew scholar, who evidently, however, did not attach the significance to the English word “ angel,” which in many places seems to belong to it. “ Why the translators should say ‘ Thou hast a Ps. cxxi. 3,4. exlv. 15, 18. Jer. xxxiii. 2. 1 See No. XLVII. 2 See No. XXVI. 99 % angels. made him a little lower than the angels,’ I know not. The Hebrew is —sworn covenanters— usually rendered “ God.” It sometimes means the objects of heathen worship, but never the intelligent angels, that I know of. Jesus, of whom the Psalm speaks in reality, as is clear from Heb. ii. 6—9, was made lower than the Aleim when he became man; that is, was brought into subjection to them; for so the Hebrew expression means. But how he was brought into subjection to the angels, is not easy to be shewn.” * 1 The Rev. Mr. Barrs, therefore, understands by “ the angels ”, of this verse, the sworn covenanters — that is, God. Another of the above passages also requires separate notice ; for though not, like the three just referred to, a quotation from, it contains an allusion to, the Old Testament. Ch. ii. 2, 3. “ If the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord.” This is obviously an allusion to the solemn event of the delivery of the law at Sinai, which our fathers received “by the disposition” (or decree) “of angels.”* But He who spake the word there a Acts vii. 53, 1 Thus by angels he evidently understands created beings only. H 2 100 ANGELS. was the “ Lord God,” and no intermediate beings; as appears not only from the remarks in No. LVIII., but from the following passages : “ These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice.” a “And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord God’ ,h etc. The same is also subsequently implied in this epistle, “ Whose voice then shook the earth, but noAv hath He promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” Moreover, the angel who spake to Moses at mount Sinai was the same who spake to him at the bush, when he called himself the “ Lord God.” 0 Hence, the “ angels ” of this passage must have been the “ Lord Godthough, consequently, the contrast suggested in it seems not very clear. The New Testament being equally inspired with the Old, its expositions are of equal authority with the passages adduced, or referred to ; and its quota¬ tions accord with the originals, even when not ver¬ bally identical. Variations, then, such as we have noticed, are not contradictions or anomalies ; and as these passages agree with others which term the same being “ angel ” and “ God,” the whole argu¬ ment must refer to uncreated angels; and the Lirst and Second Persons, being separately mentioned v -■- — - - -- a Deut. v. 22. b Exod. xx. 1,2. c Comp. Acts viL 35, 38. ANGELS. 101 from these “angels of God,” this title, though in the plural form, must signify the Third Person. 1 It may he objected, that though in these passages the Son is said to be made “ lower than the angels for the suffering of death/" it is also stated that he was “ made much better than they—that he had a “ more excellent name ’’ than they;—that he was “ anointed with the oil of gladness above ” them,—“ his fellows;” 2 —that they are made “subject unto him;” —that these are to “ worship him;”—and are also his “ ministers ; ”—and that the Son, being thus in various ways superior to these “ angels,’’ or “ mini¬ stering spirits,’’ they cannot be that eternal uncreate Spirit, who is equal and one with the Father and the Son. But it must be remembered, that the Three who are One. and co-equal and eo-eternal in the divine essence, have eacdi a distinct personality. And that in this, as regards the first two Persons, an order of priority exists,—the Second being subordinate to the First,—is proved by the names “ Father” and “ Son —as also by that of “ heir ” applied to the latter, and his sitting not in the chief place, but at the “ right hand ” of the Father. By parity of reason¬ ing, therefore, the same may be inferred of the lloly Ghost; that is, that He is subordinate to the 1 See No. LXIII. It is singular that the writer of this Epistle here so uses the wor»l, “angels,” as to exclude both the first and second persons; though in other Scriptures it unquestionably is applied to the latter,—as in Malachi, “ the messenger,” i e. the angel “ of the covenantand it seems also sometimes to be applied to the former. - l'he “fellows” of v. 1), are evidently the “angels ” of the other verses. 102 ANGELS. first two. And, agreeing with this, we find, that as the Son was sent by the Father, for “ He came not to do his own will but the wall of him that sent him: ” —and the words that he spake, he spake not of him¬ self hut the Father which sent him gave him a commandment what he should say and what he XJ should speak; ” a —so the Holy Ghost was sent by both the Father and the Son. “ The Comforter whom the Father will send in my name.” “ The Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, whom I will send from the Father,” b and who also speaks not of himself \ hut “ whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak.” 0 And it will he seen that in the particulars pointed out, the Son is superior to these “ angelsor rather these “angels” are subordinate to the Son, only as the Son is subordinate to the Father. He is made “ much better’’ ’ than the angels. It is not only stated here, in what respect he is made “ much better” than they,—namely, that he hath “ by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they; hut proofs are adduced from the very name and circumstances which denote his subordi¬ nation to the Father. “ For to which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my beloved Son —this day have I begotten thee” ?—or, “ I will he to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son :”—or, “ Sit thou on my right hand.” a John vi. 38. xii. 49. k John xiv. 26. xv. 26. c John xvi. 13. ANGELS. 103 He is the “First begotten,” and appointed the “heir;” —the inheritance being the right of the “ first born, * 1 —wherefore also, his seat “ at the right hand” of the Father. There is no hint that He \ by whom “all things,” both in heaven and earth, “ were made that are made” was their Maker, or they his creatures;—a point which, considering its importance to the argument had it been true, seems by its omission sufficiently disproved, and the evi¬ dence simply establishes what is so clearly stated in ver. 4, namely, that Christ is “ made so much,”— only “so much better” than the angels, as 2 (or by how much,) “ he hath by inheritance ,” (as “heir,”) “ obtained a more excellent name than they;” and that as “ Son,” and as “ heir” he sits “ at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” The angels are to “ worship him.” “ Again, when he bringeth in” (marg., when he bringeth again) “ the First-begotten into the world he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” But if kneeling, falling down, and praying before the “Lord our Maker,” be worship, the “First begotten,” when in the world worshipped the Father. “ He knelt down and prayed, saying, Father,” etc. “ He fell on his face , and being in an agony, prayed more earnestly, O my Father,” etc. a The angels are made “ subject unto him.” And a Matt. xxvi. 39. Luke xxii. 41—44. l See Deut. xxi. 15—17. 2 Toaovruj. . 0^^. 104 ANGELS. so we read of the Son.—“ When all things shall be subdued unto him,” (the Father,) “then shall the Son himself be subject unto him who put all things under him.” a These “angels” or “ministering spirits’ 5 are “his ministers“ sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” So Christ was a “ minister ,” sent forth from the Father, and “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister ’ to the heirs of sal¬ vation. 11 And both they and He ministered out of their own resources; as the Greek word denotes. * 1 Lastly, Christ is “ anointed with the oil of gladness above Ms fellows” or partners,—“ partaking of the same nature seems to be the meaning of the ex¬ pression.” 2 But who are “ his fellows” ? Who are the “ fellows” of him to whom the Father says, “ Thy throne, O God is for ever and ever,” and who is expressly called by Jehovah, My fellow. “ The man that is my fellow saith the Lord of Hosts.” 0 Surely no created beings ! Indeed to exalt him, and give him an excellent name, and to “ anoint him with the oil of gladness” above any, even the highest of his creatures, were no a 1 Cor. xv. 28. b Heb. viii. 2. Matt xx. 28. c Zeck. xiii. 7. 1 Observe that the Greek word for “ minister ” and c * ministering” are the same in Heb. i. 7, 14 ; viii. 2 ; XetTovpyos, Xenovpyia, sub. and adj., signifying one who acts in a public capacity, and defrays the expenses at his own cost. The verb however, in Matt. xx. 28, is §LaK.veiv, literally, “ to bustle through the dust,” and thence to attend, as a running footman, on the wants of a master or guest. See Bloomfield’s Gr. Test. Lex.—but the two words are united in Heb. i. 14— ‘keirovgyi/toi TrvevfxaTa ei? diazov/uv aTroaTeWb/izva. These angels there¬ fore minister out of their own resources. 2 Scott’s Com. ANGELS. 105 exaltation to him who “ in the beginning . . was with God,” a the Son of the Highest from all eternity. But to “exalt” and “anoint him with the oil of gladness above his fellows,” or “partners” with him and the Father in the Divine essence were truly to crown him with glory and honour. Yet though thus crowned and exalted above these “ angels,” the position he occupies is still second to that of the Father; “Sit on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Nor though the “ Son of God” is also the “ Son of Man,” are these things denoting his subordination to the Father, predicated merely, or chiefly of his humanity. True, that he might “ taste death for every man,” he was “made in the likeness of men;” and “being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself and became obedient ” unto death, giving his life a ransom for many;” “wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name.” 1 Yet it was not the mere natural man that was thus “obedient” and thus “suffered;” for none such “ can redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him.” 0 But the man who “ in the days of his flesh ” suffered death, was that “ second man, the Lord from heaven ,” Emmanuel, “God with us,” “ manifest,” yet veiled, in flesh. They “ crucified the Lord of Glory .”* 1 a Jolm i. 1. k Matt, xx 28. Phil. ii. 5 — 7. c Pa. xlix. 7. d Hub. v. 7. 1 Tim. iii. 1G. 1 Cor. ii. 8. 106 ANGELS. And though our Saviour is “perfect man,” as well as “perfect God,” and throughout the New Testament is called “ Son of man ”—literally, “ Son of the man,” with only four exceptions, * 1 —yet, except that he was “ subject to his parents/’ the Evangelists record hut little from his birth and circumcision at eight days old,—when as the son of man he was named “Jesus,” as the angel Gabriel had com¬ manded,—until his baptism at thirty years of age ; a when the Spirit descending upon him, and the voice from heaven proclaiming “ This is my beloved Son,” John bare record that he was the “ Son of God.” b Until then, this “ Son of Man ” entered not on the object of his mission in the flesh; but from this time, nearly all that is recorded of this “ very man” and “very God,” seems to be the record of him as the “ Son of God.” , .. J|j H The objections, therefore, appear groundless; the passages in Hebrews containing no disproof that these “ angels” are that Spirit who is equal and one with the Eather and the Son, further than such as might equally be adduced from other Scriptures, with respect to the Son; who nevertheless, though he declared, “ My Eather is greater than I,”° yet He not only “ thought it not robbery to be equal with God,” d but also averred, “ I and my Eather are one .” e a Luke iii. 21—23. b John i. 32—34. c John xiv. 28. 4 Phil ii. 6. e John x. 30. 1 Heb. ii. 6. John v. 27. Rev. i. 13. xiv. 14. ANGELS. 107 One other passage forming a continuation of the contrast between “ angels” and the Son still requires notice. “ Unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come.” He who made the worlds, “ the heavens, the earth, and all the hosts of them,” seems to have allotted par¬ ticular provinces, not only to the angels who sinned and left their first estate, hut to all intelligencies. Thus, “ the heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s; hut the earth hath he given to the children of men.”* But the first man Adam, through sin having forfeited his inheritance, it was usurped by the devil, who thus became the “ prince ” and “ god of this world.’* And under his dominion it might ever have remained, had not Jehovah preserved in it a chosen generation, until that seed should come who would “ bruise the serpent’s head,” and redeem the world “ out of the hand of the wicJced.” a - During the Old Testament dispensations, those “ angels” who at Sinai spake that word which was “ steadfast,” and who being mentioned in the same argument appear to he the “ angels” of this verse, came down ever and anon to defend and preserve this generation from injury or contamination from the rest of the world. To these “ angels,” therefore, the world appears to have been in subjection, so far as the chosen gene- a Ps. CXV. 1G. b John xiv. 30. 2 Cor. iv. 4 c Jot. xv. 21. 108 ANGELS. ration required their interference; the rest of man¬ kind still remaining under the dominion of Satan, “ the god of this world.” But the earth haying been given to man alone* to man will it he hereafter sub¬ ject. For when the “ second man” whose right it is as our kinsman and elder brother to redeem the lapsed inheritance, shall come, he shall cast out the usurper, and restore the dominion. To t\ia first man Adam was given “ dominion” only “ over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth ” h But to the second man, the “ Lord from heaven,” the appointed “heir” of all things, “ all power is given in heaven and in earth ;” c and all things are put in subjection under his feet. And though we see not yet all things put under him,—for his “ king¬ dom is not of this world,”' 1 —yet “ in the world to come,” whereof the Apostle speaks, e he will “ take to him his great power and reign;” " the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ,” and he Avill reign upon the Holy hill of Zion, “ destroying them that destroy the earth,” until he hath put all enemies under his feet,—the last enemy that shall be destroyed being death/ And then, when the end cometh, and he “ shall have put down all rule and all authority and power,” “ and all things shall he subdued unto him,” then b Gen. i. 26, 28. c Matt, xxviii. 18. c Sec v, 5. 1 Eev. xi. 15,17, 18. 1 Cor. xv. 25,26. a Job xy. 19. ( 1 Jolm xviii. 36. ANGELS. 109 shall he deliver “ up the kingdom to God, even the Father,” and “ the Son also himself shall he subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may he all in all.” a LXXIII. Heb. ii. 1G. Verily be took not on him the nature of angels. The first, and part of the second chapter of the Epistle whence this and the verses considered in the preceding Number are extracted, prove the divinity of our Saviour, and his superiority to the angels; that he is “better” than they—the “brightness” of his Father’s “glory, and the express image of his per¬ son”—the “ Lord who in the beginning laid the foun¬ dation of the earth”—the “ God” whose “throne is from everlasting to everlasting”— “Very God.’’ The latter part of the second chapter proves his humanity , and consequent inferiority to the angels; —that he was made a “ little lower” than (marg. “ a little while inferior to”) the angels;— that “forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he likewise took part of the same—was subject to suffering and death, and in all things made like unto his brethren —“Very man .” 1 And this, that he, our federal head, the captain of our salvation, our merciful and faithful High Priest, “might die for the sins of the people, ” b u 1 Cor. xv. 24, 28. 1 Art. II. k John xi. 50. 110 ANGELS. Wherefore “ verily he took not on him the nature of angels;” for angels cannot die, as is plain not only from v. 9,—“ He was made lower than the angels ” for the “ suffering of death; ”—hut also from Luke xx, 36, “Neither can they die any more, for they are equal unto the angels.” Hence we see that the term “ angel,” is expressive, not of the mere office of a messenger, but of the immortal nature of the being so termed. When therefore the Eternal Son of God, laying “aside the glory ” he had with his Eather “before the world was,” a came into the world to atone for sin by the sacrifice of himself, and to “ destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil,” the nature he took on him, the body “prepared” for him, and in which he came to do the will of his Eather, b was not that of an angel,—immortal,— “ verily, he took not on him the nature of angels hut “as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he likewise took part of the same;”—he took on him their suffering, dying nature, and was “made in the likeness of men.” “ He took on him the form of a servant,” and dwelt among us;—not as an angel;—hut as the seed of Abraham, in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed,—that “ seed ” of the woman who was to “ bruise the serpent’s head,” “ and being found in fashion as a man, he became obedient unto death , even the death of the cross.” a John xvii. 5. b ffeb x. 5. Ps. xl. 7, 8. ANGELS. Ill It may here be observed, that immortality being inseparable from the existence of angels,— a con¬ stituent of their nature,—the word “ angel” seems primarily and specially applicable to the everliving Jeliovab, “who only hath immortality.” And se¬ condarily, to those, whether heavenly beings, or human in their resurrection state, who having been “ reconciled to God through the blood of the cross,”* —are made partakers of the Divine nature; in other words, “ who have a right to the tree of life” “ which is in the midst of the Paradise of Godand who by eating of it “ live for ever. ,,h That it is applied to others, and especially to the devil’s angels, who, being the enemies of Christ, are to be destroyed, may arise, as we have seen, from the change which time occasionally produces in the meaning of a word. Or, if the word “ angel” is, as it is said to be, equivalent to one of Persian etymo- logy,—“ atish dadah,” signifying “ fire born,” —it denotes a being imperishable in fire, as being their own element; and is therefore applicable also to those who will be “ punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord ;” c —those who with the “ devil and his angels,” “will be cast into the lake of fire,” “ which is the second death,” “ where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched; ’ ’ and “ the smoke of whose torments ascendetli up for ever and ever.”' 1 a Col. i. 16, 20. b Gen. iii. 22, 24. Rev. ii. 7. xxii. 14. d Is, lxvi. 24, Mark ix. 48. Rev. xiv. 11. c 2 Thes. i. 9. 112 ANGELS. To these latter angels, the Old Testament term “ gods” seems applied, and perhaps is more appro¬ priate; since of those who are called “gods” it is said, “Ye shall die like men.” a 1 LXXIY. Heb. xiii. 2. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. In the Scriptures several instances of hospitality are recorded in which angels were the guests; hut in every instance they proved to be “ angels of the Lord;” in other words,—God himself, Jehovah appeared to Abraham as he sat at the tent door. And Abraham ran to meet the “ three men,—” as they are here called,—and bowling himself to the ground, invited them to rest under the tree. And he fetched a “ morsel of bread,’’ and a “ calf tender and good, and took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.” b 2 While one of these three remained talking w r itk Abraham, the other two,—the two “ angels ” of chap. xix. 1,—turned towards Sodom, and visited his nephew Lot, w r ho also invited them into his house, “ made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.” 0 Gideon and Manoah, to each of whom an “angel a Ps. Ixxxii. 7 . b Gen. xviii. 1—8. c Gen. xix. 1—3. 1 See Part III. 2 See Appendix A. ANGELS. 113 of the Lord ’ ’ appeared, also proposed to make ready a kid for them, in the same spirit of hospitality to¬ wards “ strangers,” though not aware until after their departure that they were angels of God. a The two disciples, on their way to Emmaus, being joined by the “ stranger,” as they supposed him to be, invited him to abide with them, and he went in to tarry with them ; and as he “ sat at meat with them, he took bread and blessed it, and brake, and gave it unto them. And their eyes were opened and they knew him,” that he was the Lord , and like “ the angel of the Lord ” who departed out of the sight of Gideon, so Jesus “ vanished out of their sight. Thus, all these entertained as “ strangers,” ap¬ pear to have been Jehovah. Nor can any instance, it is believed, be adduced of created angels having been so “ entertained ” by man. LXXV. Matt. xxvi. 53. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more iihaaL'twelve legions of angels ? Heb. xii. 22. But ye are come unto Mount Sion, . . and to an innumerable com pang of angels . Key. v. 11. I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders : and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. Ch. vii. 11. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts. In these passages the term “ angel ” appears to a Judg. vi. 19, &c. xiii. 3, &c. Judg. vi. 21. Lukexxiv. 13, 19, &c. I 114 ANGELS. be used in its secondary and larger sense already noticed, and applied to those heavenly multitudes occasionally spoken of, though never called “angels” in the Old Testament. LXXVI. 2 Pet. ii. 11. Whereas angels , which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. On comparing this verse and its context with the parallel passage in Jude 9, it will he seen that “Michael the archangel” is one of these angels. Both apostles allude to Sodom and Gomorrah; — both speak either of “ angels that sinned ,” or that “ left their own estate ” and habitation, being re¬ served in chains and darkness unto judgment ;—both also, of those who “ despise dominion 5,1 “ speak evil of dignities ,” and of things that they know not , and understand not, etc.—and both of those who bring not “ railing accusation ,” but in the one case, they are called “ angels,” in the other it is “ Michael the archangel.” He therefore appears to be one of these angels. They who <£ despise dominion ” “ are not afraid to speak evil of dignities,”—(probably the “ angels that sinned,” of v. 4);—whereas these “ angels,” which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them; or, as St. Jude, speaking 1 See marg. 2 Pet. ii. 10. ANGELS. 115 of Michael, expresses it, “ durst not bring” a rail¬ ing accusation against Satan. * 1 If then, Michael he one of these angels, and (as will he shewn hereafter,) one of the Persons of the Trinity, the uncreated angels must here he understood. Power and might, though frequently mentioned separately with reference to created heings, whether “ men,” or “ gods/’—the latter, indeed, being re¬ peatedly designated as “ the mighty,” “ God standetli in the congregation of the mighty, he judgetli among the gods;” a —yet more frequently, and especially where named together, they seem to point out the Omni¬ potent. “ Who is the King of Glory ?” “ The Lord strong and mighty He is exalted in his “own strength for “ power belongetli unto God.” b LXXYII. 1 Cor. vi. 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? 2 Pet. ii. 4. For if God spared not the angels that sinned , hut cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of dark¬ ness, to be reserved unto judgment. Jude G. The angels ivliicli kept not their first estate^ but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. The “ angels that sinned” of 2 Peter belong to the same class as those who “ kept not their first estate” of Jude, both being reserved in chains of darkness a Ps. lxxxii. 1. Ps. xxiv. 8. xxi. 13. lxii. 11. 1 In St. Jude the Greek verb for “ durst not,” is roX/iaw, to bring or per¬ suade oneself to do a tiling; and does not necessarily imply anything more than a self-imposed restraint ; whereas in 1 Pet. ii. 10, for “do not fear,” it is Tpf/jLw, to fear, tremble. These parallel passages are the only places wherein this expression, “ digni¬ ties” (5o{a) occurs, as relating to angels that sinned. I 2 116 ANGELS. unto the day of judgment, which identifies them also with the angels who will be judged of the first pas¬ sage. They also appear to he the beings spoken of as “ spirits in prison.” a These will he further noticed in Part III. LXXVIII. 1 Cor. xi. 10. For this cause ought the woman to have power ou her head because of the angels . This verse occurs in a passage containing various regulations for those who meet in public worship. When so assembled, the man being the “ image and glory of God,” must appear with his head uncovered, hut the woman covered (“ ought to have power,” marg. “ a covering’’ “ on her head,”) in token of her inferiority; and this because of the angels, that is, God: as the question in v. 13 plainly shews. “ Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray to God uncovered ?" In the fifth chapter of Ecclesiastes, also contain¬ ing rules for conduct at the house of God, it has been shewn that the words “ angel” and “ God” are there alike used of the same Supreme Being. 1 LXXIX. 1 Cor. iv. 9. We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels , and to men. Col. ii. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward in a volun¬ tary humility and worshipping of angels . These are confessedly obscure passages. Proba¬ bly, the fact stated in the first passage may he the a 1 Pet. iii. 19. i See No, XXX. ANGELS. 117 same as that referred to in Eph. iii. 10, the “ angels” to whom the apostles were “ made a spectacle,” being the “ principalities and flowers” in the heavenlies,' unto whom “ might he known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God.” Or it may refer to that highest order of heavenly intelligencies; those “ an¬ gels” in whose “presence” there is “joy over one sinner that repenteth.” * 3 4 On examining the original of the second passage, it appears that the words “voluntary humility and worshipping of angels,” refer not to the beguiled, hut to the beguiler. “ Let no one being a vo¬ lunteer 3 in humility and in worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind beguile you of your reward,” would thus seem to be the more correct rendering. These angels therefore may be the “ principalities and powers,” (“ Satan and his angels” Marg.of Beza’s version,) spoiled and triumphed over by Him who is the “ head of all principality and power.” 34 a Y. 10. 15, 1 Iv rots tTTOvpaviois. 2 See No. LXIII. 3 exercising his own will, “will”-ing from 0eAa>, to will. Compare v. 23, wherein “ will-worship and humility ” are again adverted to. 4 We find from the Epistle to the Ephesians, that the heavenly places men¬ tioned therein five times, are inhabited by both good and evil beings, including principalities, powers, etc., so frequently mentioned in the New Testament. Christ when raised from the dead was set at the right hand of God in the heavenlies. Eph. i. 20. The believer who is quickened from the death of sin, is raised up, and in Christ Jesus is made to sit together with him in the heavenlies. Cli. ii. 6. He is also in Christ Jesus blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heaven - lies. Ch. i. 3. To the principalities, and powers in the heavenlies , is known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God. Ch. iii. 10. “ We wrestle not against fiesli and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in the heavenlies .” Ch. vi. 12. 118 ANGELS. / LXXX. MICHAEL AND GABRIEL. MICHAEL. Jude 9. Michael the Archangel , when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. It has been shewn that in Zech. iii, the “ Lord” of y. 2, is the “ angel ” of v. 3 and since some cir¬ cumstances recorded there agree with those men¬ tioned here by St. Jude, and these being the only passages where the sentence, “ The Lord rebuke thee,”—which in each instance is addressed to Satan, —is found.it is generally supposed that the same event is alluded to in both; though in the one case, “ the Lord ”—in the other, the “ archangel” said, “ The Lord rebuke thee.” If so, “ Michael the archangel,” is “ the Lord.” But there are other independent grounds for coming to the same conclusion. Michael is the “ Archangel that is, the chief angel. And if any of the Persons of the Trinity are ever called angels, as we have seen they repeatedly are, then the title, “ Archangel,” can be applied to none but to one of these; for no created angel, however high, can be crcA-angel, chief above them l Again, in Dan. xii. 1, Michael, though not there called an “angel,” is mentioned as “ the Great "Prince ; 5 ’ and as standing up for, or defending “the 1 See No. XXXVI children of thy people,” (the Hebrews.) But these are the title and offices of Christ, who is ex¬ alted to he a “ Prince ,” and a “ Saviour,” and who is the “captain of their salvationthe “ leader , and commander” of his people. a Michael also signifies “ Who is like to God,” and Christ is the “ express image ” of his Father’s person. In Bev. xii. 7, also, Michael is again represented as the captain, or head of a host in lieaA r en; and also as contending with “ that old serpent called the devil and Satan.” “ There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon ; and the dragon fought and his angels, and ” it is added “ prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.” But is not he who is here called “Michael,” “the Lamb ” of ch xvii. 8—14, by whom “ the kings of the earth,” and “ the beast out of the bottomless pit,” will likewise be over¬ come ? and who, as described in ch. xix. followed by the armies in heaven, “ in righteousness doth judge and make war ? ” By whom also “ the beast and the kings of the earth” gathering together to make war against him are overcome; —taken, and “ cast alive into a lake of fire ? ” b Now, these events are, it is said in ch. iv. 1, “things which must be hereafter ,” or as Daniel expresses it, “ at the time of the end." Daniel also describes a vision in which a little a Acts v. 31. Hob. ii. 10 Is. lv. 4. b V. 11, 20. 120 ANGELS. liorn “waxed great," and “magnified himself even to” (Marg. ‘against,’) “the prince of the host;”” a vision which by Gabriel is said to refer to this same time. “ At the time of the end shall be the vision;” and which little horn is interpreted as “a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences,” who shall “ cause craft to prosper in his hand, and shall magnify himself in his heart,” and “ shall also stand up against the Prince of princes:'' yet shall he also he overcome and con¬ quered;—“broken without hand.” b Very similar is this, to that “man of sin, the son of perdition,” yet to be revealed before the day of Christ; “ whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders ;” “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God ;” but who also will be destroyed “without hand;” for the Lord will “consume him with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of his coming .” c Again: From Dan. xii. 1, we find it is at the same time of the end,—“in the latter days,”—that Michael will “ stand up for the children of his” (Daniel’s) “people, and they shall be delivered;” the king that “ shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, and speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and prosper,” being also overcome,—“he shall come to his end.”' 1 a Cli. viii. 0—11 1> V. 17—25. c 2 Thess. ii. 2—9. Pan. xi 36j 45. ANGELS. 121 Now this “ Michael,” the deliverer of the people, and consequently the conqueror of their enemies, is here, in Dan. xii. 1, called “the great Prince,” while in cli. ix. 25, “ Messiah ” is called “ the Prince.” And who may fitly he styled the great F) * ince , if not “ Messiah,” “ the Prince of PRINCES ? ” a Michael is again mentioned in Dan. x., as co¬ operating with another in his fight with the prince of Persia, and is there called “ one,” (marg. the first,) “ of the chief princes ”—“ Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me.” “ Now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia, and there is none that holdeth with me in these things but Michael your prince .” b In the five passages above noticed, * 1 where alone the name “ Michael ” occurs, he is represented as en¬ gaged in warfare in behalf of God’s people; but though not mentioned by this name elsewhere, yet from these various passages it seems clear that this great warrior and champion, who stands up for Daniel’s people (the Jews) and who contends icith the devil ; against whom ho also wars in heaven,— is he by whom the beast out of the bottomless pit, and kings making war against him will be “ over¬ come,” or destroyed;—that is, that “ the archangel, “ Michael,” the great chief, or first prince, is also “ Messiah,” the “ Prince of princes,” the Lord a Dan. viii. 25. Ij V. 13, 20, 21. 1 Dun. x. 13;—Y. 21 j—xii. 1 ;—Jude 9;—Rev. xii. 7. 122 ANGELS. Jesus Christ; even lie who appeared to Joshua as “ Captain ” (marg. “ yrince ”) “ of the host of the Lord; !: and who ‘ ‘ will render vengeance to his adversaries,” but will be merciful unto his land and to his people, 3 and his name is called “ The Word of God, King of kings, and Lord of lords .” 15 It is not here meant, that in all the above pro¬ phetic passages the same events, or the same ene¬ mies are alluded to; or that they will be fulfilled at precisely the same moment; hut that Michael, the great warrior “chief”' and “Prince,” spoken of in all, is the Lord of Hosts, whose right hand and holv arm will get the victorv, when He cometh to judge the earth. To him “ belongeth vengeance and recompence ; ” “for the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and that there is none shut up or left; ” c even He who “saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him, and his fury it sustained him. Por he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an hel¬ met of salvation on his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds he will repay ; fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the isles he will repay recom¬ pence.” “Por the Lord is a man of WAR.” d a Deut. xxxii. 43. b Kev. xix. 13, 16. c Deut. xxxii. 35, 36. d Is. lix. 16, 18. Exocl. xv. 3. ANGELS. 123 GABBIEL. The passages in Luke, where Gabriel is called an “ angel,” have already been considered ; hut, as in Daniel, he seems mentioned in close connection with Michael,—this is a fitting place for some addi¬ tional observations respecting him. 1 Excepting in Luke, the name “Gabriel” occurs only in Dan. viii. 16, and ix. 21, where it is applied to a “ man,” or “ as the appearance of a man,” who is evidently a spiritual being; and who being called Gabriel, is no doubt the “ angel Gabriel ” of Luke. The last six chapters of the prophet Daniel con¬ tain an account of four visions that appeared to him at intervals, chiefly during the period a history of which is given in the first six, and in each vision appears an interpreter. Of the interpreter of the first vision little is said. He is described only as “one of them that stood by,” a words appearing perhaps not very important until coupled with what Gabriel says of himself in Luke i. 19. “I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of Godand being part of that Scripture, all of which is given by inspiration of God, they must be allowed their due weight here. In the second and third visions, the name of the interpreter is given—“Gabriel,” or, “the man Ga¬ briel ;” b —but his person is not described. a Dan vii. 16. h Dan. viii. 16. ix. 21. i See No. XLIII. 124 ANGELS. In the last “ great vision” also, the interpreter is a “ certain man” nnnamed, indeed, hut whose ap¬ pearance is fully described ; a and on comparing this description with that of the one like the Son of man” in Rev. i., there can be little doubt that this interpreter is the Almighty; and from the similarity of the interviews, and other circumstances recorded by Daniel, as little doubt, that though appearing to be the Almighty in this last vision, and called “ Ga¬ briel” in the two preceding, yet that the interpreter is the same in all these last three visions, as pro¬ bably he is in the first also. In the annexed Table will be found the two des¬ criptions from Dan. x. and Rev. i., and the parallels from the last three visions of Daniel; thus giving the whole at one view. IlEV. i. 10—17. Fourth Vision. Dan. x. I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. . . And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle . His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as aflame of fire; and his feet like nnto fine brass , as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. . . And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Pear not : I am the first and the last. Y. 5, 6. I lifted up mine eyes, and be¬ hold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz. His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire ; and his arms, and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. a Dan. x. 5, G. ANGELS. 125 Second Vision. Dan. viii. V. 15. There stood before me as the ap-' pearance of a man . When I had seen the vision. V. 18. Now as he was speaking unto me, I was in a deep sleep on my face to - ward the ground. V. 18. But lie touched me and set me upright. V. 17. He said un¬ to me, Understand, O Son of Man. V. 17. And when he came I was afraid and fell upon my face. V. 15. And when I sought for the mean¬ ing, 1 heard a man’s voice which said, Ga¬ briel, make this man i to understand the vi-1 sion. Third Vision. 1 Dan. ix. | V. 21. The man j Gabriel. ! Whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning. V. 21. Touched me. V. 22,23. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, 0 Daniel, under¬ stand the matter; for thou art greatly be¬ loved. V. 20, 21. While I was speaking and praying, and confess¬ ing my sins, yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel being caused to fly swiftly,touched me, and said, At the beginning of thy sup¬ plications, the com¬ mandment came forth, and lam come to shew thee. Fourth Vision, con. Dan. x. V. 7. I alone saw the vision. V. 9. When I had heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep , and my face toward the ground. V, 10,11. And be¬ hold an hand touched me, which set me on my knees, and upon the palms of my hands, and said, Stand upright; and I stood. V. 11. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee. And when he had spoken I stood tremb¬ ling. V. 15. I set my face toward the ground V. 12. From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words ; for unto thee am 1 now sent . 126 ANGELS. Second Vision, con. , Dan. viii. V. 17, 19. So he came near and said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation. V, 26. Wherefore, shut thou up the vi¬ sion, for it shall he for many days. Third Vision, con . Dan. ix. V. 22, 23. I am come to give thee skill and understanding; and I am come to shew thee. Fourth Vision, con. Dan. x. V. 14. I am come to make thee under - stand what shall be¬ fall thy people in the latter days . V, 14. Ch. xii. 4. For yet the vision is * for many days: O Daniel, shut up the words , and seal the book even to the time of the end. While, then, the resemblance of the two descrip¬ tions from Dan. x. and Rev. i. seems to point out the “ certain man ” of the former, as one of the persons of the Trinity; the conduct of Gabriel and Daniel, as described in ch. viii. and ix.; the effect produced upon Daniel by the interviews in these visions ; together with the object of them; so pre¬ cisely correspond with what is related of the last vision in ch. x. as with equal clearness to identify “ Gabriel ” with the “ certain man consequently Gabriel with the Almighty. And if Daniel’s representations be further com¬ pared with each other, and with other Scriptures, the evidence becomes more conclusive, and at the same time seems to disclose which of the persons it was who ‘ ‘ in visions and dreams, ’ ’ appeared to the prophet, to reveal things to come. Dor though the descriptions in Dan. x. and Rev. i. are similar, they may not refer to the same person; but yet they show ANGELS. 127 the equal dignity, honor, and glory of those des¬ cribed ; which, even apart from other evidence, proves that “ Gabriel ” is one of the Three, “whose glory is equal, and majesty co-eternal.” In the Scriptures, only two angels are mentioned by name; Michael and Gabriel. And if we have succeeded in showing Michael to be the second; and Gabriel, or the “certain man,” appear to be one of the Three, may he not be the third person ? He cannot be the first, because he is sent; nor the second, because he twice speaks of Michael, as a person distinct from himself. 3 Nor need it be objected, that the Holy Ghost, being a spirit, would not be spoken of as a “man.” St. John saw the Spirit descending from heaven upon Jesus, in a “ bodily shape like a dove.” And when the Holy Ghost fell upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, the appearance was that of “ cloven tongues like as of fire.” And if in these forms, he became visible to others, why not to Daniel in human form ? In this form indeed, we know he did appear to Philip, to Peter, to Cornelius, and doubtless, to others also. lieturning now to the examination of various passages, we find, that when Daniel “saw the visions, he was in a deep sleep,” and that he “fell upon ” his “face,” or, “set” his “face toward the ground ,” a Dan. x. 13, 21. a 128 ANGELS. both when “Gabriel” and the “certain man” came to him;—that on both occasions he was “ touched by a hand” and “set,” or desired to “ stand upright that he was “afraid,” or “ stood trembling and that at the last interview, he heard the encouraging words, “ Fear not.” In Rev. i., St. John says, “When I saw him,” (the one like the Son of man) “ I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, saying, “Fear not;” I am the first and the last.” Also, in Acts ix., when Jesus appeared to St. Paul on his way to Damascus, the latter “fell to the ground, and heard a voice which said rise and stand upon thy feet,” and he also was “ trembling,” and, like Daniel, “ astonished at the vision.” a Connected with this latter event, another fact is told, corresponding with Daniel’s narrative : “ The men that journeyed with me were afraid,” —“stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no nian.” h Daniel says, “I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men that were with me saw not the vision, but a great quaking fell upon them.” 0 And, bearing in mind the words of Jehovah, “ If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream;” 3 —it is more than probable that the in¬ terpreter of Daniel’s dream, or visions,® even he, who in all these visions, appeared and spake to this a Dan. viii. 27. Acts ix. 6. xxii. 7. xxvi. 16. c Dan. x. 7. d Numb. xii. 6. b Acts ix. 7. xxii. 9. e Dan. vii. 1, 16. ANGELS. 129 prophet or Seer, but not to liis companions upon whom the ‘‘great quaking” fell,—was Jehovah. They felt the effects, but saw not the cause,— God's immediate presence! With respect to the “hand” that “touched” Daniel, (to he noticed hereafter,) one more parallel passage is here quoted. When the Lord said to Jeremiah, “Be not afraid of their faces,” it is added, “Then tli aLord put forth his hand and touched my mouth. ” a Again; In Dan. x. 18, 19, it is said of him whom Daniel here addresses as “my lord,” there “came again and touched me, one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me; and said, O man, greatly beloved, fear not; peace be unto thee; he strong , yea he strong." Mark this language of authority, uttered no doubt by Him who “ spake and it was done;” who said, “Let there be light, and there was light.” For here also, it is added, “and when he had spoken to me, I teas strengthened , and said, Let my lord speak for thou hast strengthened me.” Surely it was none other than he who said to Israel, “ Fear thou not , for I am with thee; he not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee;" and to Joshua, “ Be strong, and of a good courage, he not afraid." For “the God of Israel is he who givetli strength to his people. ” b a Jcr. i. 8, 9. b Is. xli. 10. Josh. i. 9. Ps. lxviii. 35. K 130 ANGELS. And what was the object of these interviews ? The “ certain man ” was “ sent,” and both he and “Gabriel” came to give Daniel “ skill and under¬ standingand to sheio things to come ;—“ to shew him the truth —“ to make him know what should he in the last end of the indignation;”—to make him “ understand what should befall his people in the latter days.” St. John also heard a voice which said, “ I will sheio thee things lohich must he hereafter .” a This he describes as a voice, as it were of a trumpet talking with him. In Rev. i. the voice of God is so described; “ I heard a great voice as of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega.” That Christ could thus reveal the future, he con¬ sidered sufficient proof of his divinity. “ I have told you before it come, that when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.” b These and many other such coincidences seem to prove that, whether spoken of as “ Gabriel/’ * 1 or the “ certain man,” he in whose presence Daniel fell prostrate,—who strengthened him,—who gave him skill and understanding, —and who shewed him things to come,—was “ God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,” who “ giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might increaseth strength And “there is no searching of his understanding . ” c a Rev. iv. 1. b John xiii. 19. c Is. xl. 28, 29. 1 “ Gabrielsignifies “ My strong God.” ANGELS. 131 But further, lie seems to be God the Holy Ghost; for to the Holy Ghost all the powers manifested by the “certain man,” or “Gabriel,” are more especially ascribed. The Holy Spirit whom St. John saw remaining upon Jesus, is described by Isaiah in these words— “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; the spirit of wisdom and understanding , the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and of th e fear of the Lord, and shall make him of quick understanding Bezaleel was “filled in wisdom and in understanding, and in knowledge ,” and even “ in all manner of workmanship,” by, or with the same Spirit,—“the Spirit of God.” b Though, therefore, “ there are diversities of gifts, it is the same Spirit. Bor to one is given by the Spirit, the word of icisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; to another prophecy, etc., but all these worketh that one and the self same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” 0 Again, Daniel is “ strengthened ” by the “ certain mm,” and St. Paul prays that “ye may be strengthened with might by the Spirit .” Lastly, the Holy Ghost, who guides into all truth is sent from the Eat her for the very purpose for which “Gabriel,” or the “certain man” was sent to Daniel, to sheio him “ that which is noted in the Scripture of truth,” and what should take place in c 1 Cor. xii. 4—11. K 2 a Is. xi. 2, 3. b Exod. xxxi. 3. 132 ANGELS. tlie “ latter days” “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and shall sh&to you things to come.”* "With such amount of evidence, we cannot hut conclude, not only that “ Gabriel ” is one of the persons, hut that he is the third person of the Trinity; God the Holy Ghost, who spake by the prophets. Having thus stated the grounds for believing that Michael and Gabriel, are respectively, Messiah and the Holy Ghost, we notice other particulars. In Han. x. 13, it is said, “the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and ticenty days.” This was probably the three full weeks during which Daniel was mourning. His “ words were heard the first day;” b but he received no answer for three weeks; when the heavenly mes¬ senger appeared and said, “ Unto thee am I now sent, and I am come for thy wordsthat is, in answer to his prayer;—and he accounts for the delay by saying, “ The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days,”—the precise period of Daniel’s mourning—“ and I remained there with the kings of Persia.” On this occasion he had work to perform before Daniel’s prayer could be personally answered, and he could a John xiv. 26. xvi. 13. *> V. 2, 12. ANGELS. 133 come to show Daniel the things which he had “ set his heart to understand,” and for which he “chas¬ tened himself before God.” a But on a former occasion Gabriel came immediately to the suppliant, “yea, whiles ” he “ teas speaking in prayer,”— “ being caused to fly swiftly That Gabriel is here represented as being caused to move from place to place, and that his stay with the Kings of Persia should render him unable to visit Daniel—to whom he visibly and tangibly appeared on both occasions ;—is no proof that he is not the third person. As an angel , that is, personally and bodily d the Holy Spirit is not every where present; spiritually, he is omnipresent. The Comforter is not the less the third Person, because our Lord said, “ If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you, hut if I go away I will send him unto you,” 0 Nor the Saviour the less the second Person, because he said, “I go away,” and, “I will come again.” d Personally he is absent, and we now see him not; hut spiritually he is ever present, for he says, “ Lo, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world.” 0 —His ubiquity is also declared when speak¬ ing of himself while on earth, he says, “ The Son of man which is in heaven;” * 1 His eternity, in the words, “ Before Abraham was, I am.”" a V 12. Dan. ix. 21. c John xvi. 7. d John xiv. 3, 28. ° Matt, xxviii- 20. 1 John iii. 13. John viii. 58. l Sec No. L1X. 334 ANGELS. But wlio was the “ Prince ” that withstood Gabriel? In the same verse, (Dan. x. 13,) another prince is mentioned;—“ Michael, one of the chief princes.” Both, therefore, being called princes in the same passage, and Michael being, not an earthly, but a spiritual being; probably the other was not anearthly, but a spiritual being; while the fact that he came not to “help ” Gabriel, as did Michael, but to withstand him, would therefore appear to mark him as “prince of this world;” “the prince of the power of the air;” that wicked “spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience.” 4 After strengthening Daniel, and accounting for the delay occasioned by the opposition of the prince whom he left to attend to the prophet, Gabriel says he must “ return to fight ” with him; before quitting Daniel, however, informing him what would befal his “ people in the latter days;” a prediction occu¬ pying ch. xi. and part of ch. xii.; and in which it is said that “ at that time shall Michael, the great Prince, stand up for the children of thy people.” Now, when speaking of his fight with the Prince of Persia, he adds, “And none holdeth with me but Michael your prince,” who had come to “ help ” him. Here then are seen together, Michael and Gabriel, united in combating this adversary of the Lord, as in Is. lix. 19, 20, (the reader is reminded,) the second and third Persons are together taking a a John xiv. 30. Eph. ii. 2. ANGELS. 135 prominent part in tlie contest against the wicked. “ When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him, and the Redeemer shall come to Zion.” And what does Daniel behold at the close of the last vision? Not one man only,—Gabriel—hut “ other two ” with him, one on either bank of the river, conversing on the length of time ere the end of these wonders. And one of them “ said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it he to the end of these wonders ? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever, that it shall he for a time, times, and an half.” Here then are three. The “ man upon” (marg. “from above,”) “the waters of the river, clothed in linen,” and who first appeared to Daniel, 1 and re¬ mained conversing with him throughout;—and “ other two ” presenting themselves, one on each side of the river; as if to hear ivitness, not only to the immutability of the preceding predictions, hut also to the confirmation by the oath then uttered as to the time of their fulfilment; consequently as to the events predicted by Gabriel, who lifting up his hands to heaven , “ sware by him that liveth for ever.” “ Clx. x. 136 ANGELS. In Isa. lxii. 8, we read, “ Jehovah hath sivorn by his right hand” In Deut. xxxii. 40, that he said, “ I lift up my hand to heaven , and say, I live for ever.” And in Rev. x. 5, 6, the “mighty angel,” (evidently a Person of the Trinity,) is described as standing upon the sea, and upon the earth, and swearing hy “ him that liveth for ever and ever;”— the oath here, also, is concerning a question of time. Strong corroborations that this “ certain man clothed in linen,” is that divine Being, who, “because he could swear hy no greater, sware by himself,” that it “ should he for time, times, and an half.” Hence we conclude, that the “other two” were two of the “ witnesses ,”—the Bather and the Son, spoken of in the first Epistle of John v. 7;— that is, that these two, together with him who shewed Daniel things to come, and who, holding up his right hand to heaven, sware concerning time,” — are the “ three that bear record in heaven— the Eather, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.” What a glorious reward for the prophet after his long and repeated seasons of fasting and prayer! In connexion with the present subject, a few words on the two olive trees are here appended; since the enquiry respecting them, led immediately to the above view of Michael and Gabriel being the second and third Persons of the Trinity. The two olive trees are mentioned in Zech. iv. 14, as the “ two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of ANGELS. 137 the whole earth” Two olive trees, which are called “ my two witnesses,” are mentioned again in Rev. xi. 3,4, likewise, as standing “ before the Lord of the earth; and in Luke i. 19, Gabriel, the “angel of the Lord,” says, “I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God.” Hence originated the idea,—Can Gabriel he one of these “anointed ones ?” If so, probably Michael, the only other angel mentioned by name in Scripture, maybe the other “anointed one.” But Christ was “ the anointed” one, “ anointed . . above his fellows.” “We have found the Mes- sias,”—marg. the anointed . a “ The rulers take coun¬ cil against the Lord and against his anointed,” h quoted in Acts, 0 “ against his Christ.” The names too, Messiah (Heh.) and Christ (Gr.) both signify anointed . These “ two olive trees” are also the two icitnesses; “my two witnesses.” But Jesus Christ is “the faithful witness.” 6 - And also “ the Spirit beareth witness.”* Hence the two olive trees, called “ my two witnesses,” appear to he Christ and the Holy Spirit; two of the “three that hear record in heaven.” Further, as Christ and the Holy Spirit minister out of their own resources, * 1 so, “ the two anointed ones,” or “ sons of oil,” empty the golden oil out of themselves.” a John i. 41. b Pa. ii. 2. c Ch. iv. 26. d Rev. i. 5. e 1 John v. 6. 1 See No. LXXII. p. 95. 138 ANGELS. LXXXI. REVELATION. Rev. i. 1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John. The first three verses of the Book of Revelation seem to he only introductory; the hook itself be¬ ginning at the fourth verse,. It consists of two Parts; the Pirst referring to the seven churches, closes at the end of the third chapter;—the Second revealing things which must he hereafter, com¬ mences with the fourth chapter, and continues to the end of the book. Although from the command given in ver. 19, these might seem divided, not into two, but into three parts, referring severally to the past, present, and future,—“ write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall he hereafter ,”—yet from the explanation in the next verse —“ The seven stars which thou saicest in my right hand . . are the angels of the seven churches in Asia, and the seven candlesticks which thou saicest, are the seven churches,”—it is evident, that by “ the things thou hast seen,” is meant those things which St. John had seen in the vision; the stars, candlesticks, etc.; and that these are symbolic of the “things that are;' —that is, the churches then existing. These two together, form, therefore, ANGELS. 139 only one part. While however this verse unites these two, it entirely separates from them, the “things which shall he hereafterthese not being named in this twentieth verse, nor are they recurred to again, until, (in eh. ii. iii.) St. John had written all which was revealed in the vision of eh. i. After this, in eh. iv, he proceeds to write the Second, or last part;—“ the things which must he hereafter;” that is, “ the things which must shortly come to pass,” of eh. i. 1, and which alone the “angel” was commissioned to signify to St. John; nothing being , in that verse , said of “things that are,” and which, it will he seen, were signified by Jesus Christ. St. Jolm was “ in the isle of Patmos for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ,” when being “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, he heard a voice behind him saying, “ I am Alpha and Omega,” and commanding him to write; and, on turning to see who spake to him, he saw in the midst of seven golden candlesticks, “ one like unto the Son of man,” with “ seven stars ” in his “ right hand,” whose glorious appearance he describes, and who explained to him the mystery of the candlesticks. So far the description might apply to any of the Per¬ sons of the Trinity. Put, it is added, that when John saw him, and “ fell at his feet as dead,” this glorious Person laid his hand upon him and said, “Pear not; I am he that livctli and was dead; and behold I am alive t 140 ANGELS. for evermore; ” which identifies him as the Lord Jesus Christ. He also, who had the “ seven stars in his right hand,” was he who in v. 19, com¬ manded John to “write,” and dictated the words addressed to the seven churches. Indeed, it is plain from the words of the speaker throughout the first part, who in each address to the churches, except to that of Philadelphia, identifies himself in some particular with the “ one” described in cli. i., that Jesus himself, reveals to St. John the “ things that are ” leaving things future for the “ angel” to reveal to him. Prom other parts of the New Testament history, we learn, that Jesus personally taught his people ; not only “ in the days of his flesh,” but also after both his resurrection and his ascension. When “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us,” one chief object of his mission was to teach his disciples, not his own doctrine, but the doctrine of Him that sent him; to give them the words which the Pather had given him to make known unto tkem. a And though he said, “All things that I have heard of my Pather I have made known unto you;” b yet, when informing them, it was “expedient that he should go away,” he then said, “ I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot hear them now.” 0 These “ many things ” seem to have been reserved a John vm. 16. xvii. 8. b John xv. 15. c John xvi. 12. ANGELS. 141 for future opportunities when, after his death, he would “yet see” them “again.” For though he promised when he left them he would send them another Comforter, even the Spirit of truth, who should “guide them into all truth,” and “abide with them for ever; ” this would not preclude his own return to them, and for similar purposes; for he says, “ I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you.” a This promise of returning must allude, not only to the “ forty days ” previous to his ascension, dur¬ ing which, shewing “ himself alive by many in¬ fallible proofs, ” b he “opened their understandings, and continued speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God;” c but also to times subse¬ quent to the day when “ he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight; ” since after this event, to St. Paul at least, if not to others also, during his time, he frequently appeared, and re¬ vealed many things before unknown. Nor even then, were his personal communications entirely withdrawn. For though that apostle says, “Last of all he was seen of me,” yet these words, addressed to the Corinthians, having been written earlier than the Apocalypse, do not affect what is herein stated to have occurred. As therefore Jesus thus made known to St. Paul, mysteries till then unrevealed, so does it appear that a Jolin xiv. 16—18. xvi. 13, b Acts i. 3. c Luke xxiv, 45. 142 ANGELS. to tlie beloved disciple in bis place of exile, he person¬ ally revealed mysteries, shewing and explaining to him that of the stars, candlesticks, etc. From the foregoing, therefore, it seems clear, that He who signified or revealed to St. John the First Part, or things relating to the seven churches then existing in Asia, was Jesus Christ. But He, who revealed the Second Part, or things which must he hereafter ,—that is, the “angel” of ch. i. 1,—it will be elsewhere shown, was the Holy Spirit. LXXXII. Rev. i. 20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou, sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. And the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Ch. ii. 1, 8, 12, 18; iii. 1, 7, Id. Unto the angel . , of the church of Ephesus; . . the angel . . in Smyrna; . . the angel . . in Pergamos ; . . the angel . . in Thyatyra; . . the angel . . in Sardis; . . the angel . . in Philadelphia; . . the angel , . of the Laodiceans ; write. That the “seven stars ” symbolize “seven churches,” we learn from the infallible Interpreter of the vision; but who these “ angels” here suc¬ cessively addressed are, is open to conjecture. It cannot be supposed the command given to St. John, to “ write,” and send epistles of counsel and warning to angels, would have been issued, had the word here signified any inhabitants of the world of spirits,— to whom alone it seems hitherto to have been applied; —or to any class of beings but mortals like himself. / ANGELS. 143 It is generally explained as signifying the bishops, ministers, or messengers of the seven churches. But though angels were frequently employed as messengers from God; this does not convey the true signification of a word which is applied also to those who, so far from being messengers, are “ reserved in chains under darkness,” because they “left their own habitation;”—a word too, which, whatever may he the signification of the Hebrew or Greek original, our translators seem elsewhere, never to have applied to any human being in his present state of existence. Probably, therefore, “ angel ” may here be used metaphorically; and thus still signify a spiritual body,—the body collective of the several local por¬ tions of the church militant, personified as an “ angel,” as the church of the ransomed in heaven is collectively called a “ bride.” This use of the term is at least as appropriate as its application to any mere mortal man, even though an ordained minister or bishop of such church. Again;—These angels or “stars” are seen in the “right hand of the Son of man.” But all congregations of professing Christians arc, equally with their spiritual pastors, in the hand of Him who with his “ right hand ” holds up all who trust in him. a a Ps. xvii. 7. xviii. 35. 144 ANGELS. The word “ angel,” therefore, may here signify not the bishop only, hut the whole community of professing Christians, both lay and clerical, in each of the churches named. 1 In this case, the ‘‘candlesticks,” in the midst of which the Son of man is seen walking, and which are substantially disconnected objects, would sym¬ bolize the material edifices wherein these Christians were wont to assemble, and thus to become lights, (or “stars,”) not put under a bushel, but on a candlestick, giving light to all around them, as “a city set on a hill, which cannot be hid.” That such is their application, and that the number “seven” does not here, as elsewhere in Scripture, denote totality, — that is, that these “ seven churches ” denote, not the universal church on earth, and in its various states of purity and vitality, or of defection; but literally, the seven churches named ,—may be inferred, not only from the general mention of their locality—“ in Asia,” —and each also being specifically named,—“ Unto Ephesus,” “unto Smyrna,” etc., showing that these churches in particular were meant;—but also from the numerous instances of prophecies respect¬ ing places being literally fulfilled; of which, Nineveh, Tyre, Babylon, Jerusalem, and particularly its temple , furnish sufficient and ’foreboding ex¬ amples. It is, therefore, no matter of surprise, 1 The Rev. T. Scott allows that the churches ivere “ 'principally intended Scott’s Com.: Rev. ii. 1. ANGELS. 145 that the word of warning haying been unheeded in these spots, once favoured with the light of the gospel, Christianity no longer exists;—that the prophecy of “ the things which are ” has, perhaps with one exception, at least had a primary, if not a full accomplishment, in the removal of the candle¬ sticks ;—even the destruction of these buildings. The sceptical historian, Gibbon, writes, ‘ ‘ The cap¬ tivity or rain of the seven churches was consum¬ mated; (a.d. 1312, etc.,) and the barbarous lords of Ionia and Lydia still trample on the monuments of classic and Christian antiquity. In the loss of Ephesus, the Christians deplored the fall of the first angel, the extinction of the first candlestick of the llevelations: the desolation is complete; and the temple of Diana, or the church of Mary, will equally elude the search of the curious traveller. The circus and three stately theatres of Laodicea, are now peopled with wolves and foxes; Sardes is reduced to a miserable village; the god of Mahomet, without a rival or a son, is invoked in the moschs of Thyatira and Pergamus; and the populousness of Smyrna is supported by the foreign trade of the Eranks and Armenians. Philadelphia alone has been saved by prophecy, or courage. At a distance from the sea, forgotten by the emperors, encompassed on all sides by the Turks, her valiant citizens defended their religion and freedom above fourscore years; and at length capitulated with the proudest of the Otto¬ mans. Among the Greek colonies and churches of L 146 ANGELS. Asia, Philadelphia is still erect; a column in a scene of ruins.” 1 The literal accomplishment of this portion of the “sure word of prophecy,” in the history of the de¬ struction of the seven churches of Asia, as illustrated in the preceding extract, affords the strongest assu¬ rance of the literal fulfilment of inspired denuncia¬ tions as well on their buildings, as on the impenitent themselves on the one hand; and of the promises “ to him that overcometh” on the other. LXXXIII. Rev. v. 2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof ? Entering here upon the second division of this book,—“the things which must be hereafter — we remark generally that the word “angel,” not¬ withstanding its frequent recurrence, still seems rarely applied to any created beings; the descriptions given of them being such as agree only with others, which refer to Jehovah. Various as are their occupations in this and the eight succeeding Numbers, in one particular they all correspond;—the loud voice,—which together with other characteristics named, seems to indicate that the same high class of beings, is spoken of in all. 1 Decline and Fall of the Boman Empire. Printed in Edinburgh in 1811. Vol XI. p. 437. ANGELS. 147 The angel in this passage, — the first of the series, —is described as having strength , and a powerful voice. “ I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice.” It has been shewn that the angels described as excelling in power and strength, are persons of the Trinity of whom also the “ loud,” or powerful voice, is equally indicative. The patriarch Job says, “A voice roareth; he thundereth with the voice of his excellency: God tliunderetli marvellously with his voice." a The whole of Psalm xxix. is a description of this voice, and its mighty effects. “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: The Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. The voice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness; the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.” It is mentioned also in Ps. lxviii. 33, 34, —and in both Psalms, only in connexion with this attribute of strength,—in the former being prefaced with the words, “ Give unto the Lord glory and strength,” in the latter, “ Sing unto God, O ye king¬ doms of the earth, O sing praises unto the Lord, to Him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, which were of old; Lo, he doth send out his voice, and 1 See No. XXVII. r 9 i i — a Job. xxxYii. 4, 5. 148 ANGELS. that a mighty voice. Ascribe ye strength unto God; his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.” Hence the inference that the angel possessing both these characteristics,—the loucl voice, and strength, —is the Lord, the Almightv. LXXXIV. Eev. vii. 2, 3. I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loucl voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Here, again, an angel with a “loud voice” is seen “ascending from the east;” and with this voice of authority, forbidding ‘ ‘ four angels’ ’ to pro¬ ceed to their work, until the “servants of God” shall have been “ sealed . . in their foreheads.” “Seeded!" But by whom ? “ Until ice have sealed” them. This “angel” with the “loud voice,” then, being one of those who perform this separating, sanctifying opera¬ tion, determines who he is; since not only does the ability to perform the work require infallible know¬ ledge in him who undertakes it; but the operation itself is elsewhere stated to be that of the great “ Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” “ Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God, who also hath seeded us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our I ANGELS IL'J hearts.”* “ Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” b Sealing therefore, being the work of “ God” the Father, and of the “ Spirit,” as most likely of the Son also; this angel whom the apostle saw “ascending from the east ” having the “seal of the living God” and crying with a “ loud voice,” is surely He to whom this seal belongs, the living God himself; “ the God of Israel,” whom also Ezekiel saw coming “ from the way of the east; and Ms voice was like a noise of many waters.” 0 LXXXV Rev. viii. 13. And I beheld, and heard an cincjel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice , Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound. The proper reading is, “ And I saw and heard an eagle 1 flying iu mid-heaven.” This “ angel,” or “ eagle,” is also described with the same “ loud voice.” The “ living creatures ” of Ezekiel, the noise of whose wings was “ like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, —the voice of speech, as the noise of an host,” 11 have the face of an eagle.” And the “ fourth beast,” or living creature of ltevelation also, was “ like a jlying eagle.” 0 a 2 Cor. i. 21, 22. l> Eph. iv. 30. c Ezek. xliii. 2. e Cli. iv. 7. 2 Sec No. XXIII. 150 ANGELS. These coincidences 1 indicate that the “ eagle” or “ansrel” St. John heard with a “loud voice” de- O nouncing threefold icoes “ to the inliahiters of the earth’' is the same denouncer of woes spoken of in Is. xxx. 1, and elsewhere. “ TFoe to the rebellions city, saitli the LORD.” LXXXYI. Rev. x. 1—10. And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot upon the earth, and cried with a loud voice as when a lion roarefch: . . and the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, . . that there should be time no longer: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel , when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished. Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand. Ch. xi. 1. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Bise, and measure the temple of God. The glory and majesty of the “ mighty”—or strong —“ angel,” with a “ loud voice,” here pourtrayed, call forth the same feelings of adoration, which prompted the exclamation of Thomas, “ My Lord and my God \ ” “ Clothed with a cloud,”—a “ rainbow on his head,”—“bis face as it were the sun,”—“ his feet as pillars of fire,”— standing with his “ right foot on the 1 To be noticed again. See Part II. ANGELS. 151 sea, and lxis left foot on the earth,”—and “lifting up his hand to heaven/’ with a “ loud voice as when a lion roaretli,”—by oath proclaiming a matter hidden in the counsels of the Omniscient;—all these cir¬ cumstances prove this “mighty angel” to he the Almighty, —this “ loud voice,” the voice of GOD. But this was not the only voice St. John heard upon the same occasion; for another, “ a voice from heaven,” commanded him to take a little book which was open out of the hand of this “mighty angel.” This little book being “ open ,” differs from that of ch. v. 1, which was sealed, though afterwards opened by the “ Lion of the tribe of Judah; ” besides which it is always called a “ little book.” The books being different so may be also the persons. He who took the sealed book, was the “ Lamb of God,” the second Person of the Trinity. And probably this “ mighty angel” with the little book “open” was the third Person—the “certain man,” of Daniel or angel Gabriel (my strong, or mighty God). The “ certain man ” who “ strengthened ” Daniel, was seen by that prophet in the same attitude as the “mighty angel; ”—standing “above,” or upon the Avaters, holding up his hand, and respecting time, swearing bv “ Him that liveth for ever.” The time with reference to which both “sware” also corresponds; that in Daniel being when at the end of a “ time, times, and a half” the “ wonders” and all things then revealed to the prophet “ shall 152 ANGELS. be finished .” This, in Revelation being, when in the days of the seventh and last trumpet-angel,— connected with which trumpet, is also “ a time , times , mid half a time ” during which the woman, the “wonder ” that appeared in heaven was nourished, a — there “ should be time," (or delay) “no longer,” but when he should begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to the prophets.” After taking the little book out of the hand of this “ mighty angel,” which St. John was commanded to do hy “ a voice from heaven,” he was desired to “eat it up,” and to “prophecy again.” The first simple perusal of the passage would convey the idea that the latter commands, as also that in Ch. xi. 1, to “ Rise and measure the city,” were given by this angel; but notwithstanding that in this verse we read, “ And the angel stood, saying, Rise,” etc., yet on further considering the narrative, it seems more likely that all these commands, and also the words in ch. xi. 3, “ I will give power to my two wit¬ nesses,” were uttered by the same “ voice from heaven—That he who said, “ take the book,” gave the further directions what to do with it,— to “ eat it up,” and also to “prophecy again,” and after¬ wards added “ and I will give power to my two witnesses and they shall prophecy.” And it must be noticed that though these words, “ and the angel a Rev. xii. 1, 14. ANGELS. 153 stood/’ occur in our translation, there is nothing answering to them in several of the hest Greek versions. * 1 Another particular mentioned in this chapter, though irrelevant to the present argument, may here he noticed as a further instance of the harmony of the Holy Scriptures. The “ voice” which commanded St. John to take from the mighty angel the little open hook,—pro¬ bably containing such prophecies as remaining un- revealed, he was to declare respecting the last woe trumpet, as Ezekiel’s roll contained “ lamentations, mourning and woe,” which lie was to speak to the house of Israel,” a —this “ voice,” St. John had heard before, hut forbidding him to record what the “ seven thunders” uttered. “ When the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and lorite them not.” b Being “ in the Spirit,” he had “ visions and reve¬ lations” of mysteries which he was to declare to others; hut those which the “seven thunders” 9 uttered, though revealed to him, he was not permitted to repeat. “ Write them not.” And in like manner, when St. Paul, “whether in the body, or out of the body ” he could not tell,— a Ezek. ii. 10. iii. 1. b V. 4. 1 This view of the whole passage was entertained by the w r riter before dis¬ covering the omission in the Greek text, which thus unexpectedly confirmed it. 154 ANGELS. was £ £ caught up into the third heaven,” and had “ abundance of revelations,” he also heard “unspeak¬ able words which it was not lawful for a man to utter.” a LXXXVII. Bev. xiv. 6, 7. And 1 saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice , Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come. In this and the three following verses, three angels are mentioned, two of whom, the first and the third, are again distinguished by the “loud voice.” The angel of this verse, having the £! everlasting gospel to preach ’ ’ to the whole world, and with a loud voice crying, Pear God, and give glory to him , seems, from the similarity of the two accounts, to he the “angel of the Lord” who appeared to the shepherds in the field at Bethlehem, publishing the gospel ,—saying, “ Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people; ” and who sang with the heavenly host, “ Glory to God in the Highest.” The voice which first proclaimed the gospel to our parents in the garden, and through them to the whole human race, was “ the voice of the Lord 1 2 Cor. xii. 1—7. ANGELS. 155 God.” a So the loud voice of the angel which here last proclaims the “everlasting gospel” to “every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,” seems to he that of the Lord God. LXXXVIII. Rev. xiv. 8. -A nd there followed another angel , saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Ch. xviii. 1—3. After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power ; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice , saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Bor all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Y. 21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great mill¬ stone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. In the first of these passages, no description is given of the angel; (which is the second angel referred to in the last Number ;) but in the second passage, one is particularly described, who, from his bearing the same tidings, it may be conjectured, is the same angel, though in the latter case, they are proclaimed at a time subsequent to that of the former. In ch. xiv, the angel proclaiming Babylon’s fall, saying, “Babylonis fallen, is fallen,” is seen “flying through the midst of heaven In ch. xviii. “ After these things”—that is, the events revealed in the a (Sen. iii. 8. 156 ANGELS. intermediate chapters,—St. John sees the angel publishing the event, come down from heaven. Having first, “ in the midst of heaven, 5 ’ or rather, in mid-lieaven, 1 announced the destruction of “ that great city, Babylon/’ an event so important that the heavens are called upon to rejoice over it,—“ Rejoice over her, thou heaven,” v. 20,—the angel comes “down from heaven ” to the “earth;’ which, “ lightened with his glory,” hears his strong voice crying mightily, —for he had “ great power ,”— “ Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.'” After this a “mighty angel,” (no doubt still the same,) as a symbol of Babylon’s irrecoverable fall, casts a great stone into the sea, saying, “ Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon he thrown down and be found no more at all,” v. 21. “Bor Babylon the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of tlie Chaldees’ excellency, shall he as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.”® “ She shall he utterly burned with fireand “ the smoke of her burning ” shall rise “up for ever and ever.” b Who then is this glorious and “ mighty angel ” flying in the midst of heaven, and descending to earth to proclaim with “ strong voice ” the day of the Lord’s vengeance upon Babylon? In Is. lxi. 1, 2, we read of one specially anointed to proclaim, not only the “ acceptable year of the Lord” hut also the “ day of vengeance of our God.” Is. xiii. 19. ^ Rev. xviii. 8. xix. 3. 1 /ueaovpaurjiiari* ANGELS. 157 The “acceptable year of the Lord,” was proclaimed by Him whose gracious words were heard in the synagogue at Nazareth, when, quoting this passage, he said, “ This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” a After which he closed the hook, making a pause, where (as observed by the Lev. Dr. M'Neile,) “ in our version is only a comma, but which pause has now lasted upwards of eighteen hundred years ! 5 ’ How much longer this pause of mercy may continue, is known only to Him who “ spake by the prophets but from their inspired writings, we know that “ not one jot or tittle shall pass till all be fulfilled.” “ Heaven and earth shall pass away but my words shall not pass away, ” saith the Lord.” b “ The acceptable year of the Lord ” having been proclaimed by this anointed one, “ the day of ven¬ geance of our God ” will also be proclaimed, no doubt by the same anointed one,—“ Christ the Lord.” In this “ mighty angel,” therefore, who came down from heaven with “great power,” and a “strong voice” crying “mightily, Babylon is fallen,” and lightening the earth with his glory, we recognize the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory , even the God of Israel: whom Ezekiel saw when the earth shined with his glory . He takes to himself his “ great power” and “ strong is the Lord,” “mighty” the angel, “who judgetli” this mighty city Babylon. 0 a Luke iv. 18—21. b Matt. v. 18. Mark xiii. 31. c V. 8, 21. 158 ANGELS. LXXXIX. Rev. xiv. 9, 10. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice , If any man worship the beast and his image, . . the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God. Respecting this,—the third angel referred to in No. LXXXVII.—the “ loud voice ” is the only- characteristic named, hut from the foregoing re¬ marks this seems sufficient to identify him as an uncreated angel. XC. Rev. xiv. 14. And I looked, i and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man , having on bis head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15. And another angel came out of the temple , • • • • • • Crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle , and reap; For the time is come for thee to reap ; Lor the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. Y. 17. And another angel came out of the temple , which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18. And another angel came out from the altar, Which had power over fire ; And cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle , and gather the vine of the earth; • • • • • For her grapes are fully ripe. 19, And the angel thrust in his sickle to the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. Rev. xiv. contains a description, not of a series of ANGELS. 159 events chronologically arranged, but of three distinct parts or scenes. The first,—that of the Lamb with “ a hundred and forty-four thousand ” standing on Mount Zion, finishing with explanations at ver. 5. The second,—that of the three angels following each other through heaven with proclamations, con¬ cluding with remarks and a command to the pro¬ phet to “ write,” at v. 13. The third,—that of the angels with sickles, (our present subject,) closing with the chapter. This last is subdivided into two distinct, though similar scenes,—the harvest , finishing at v. 16: the vintage , at v. 20. They are placed above in two par¬ allel columns in order to show their correspondencies. Though at first, four individuals might seem to he spoken of, yet in reality there appears to he hut three; and these the three Persons of the Trinity. Two of them carry “sharp sickles” which they are commanded to use. The one, to reap the “ har¬ vest of the earth; the other, to gather “ the vine of the earth” And that these are different persons, and not the same under different circumstances, is evident from the word “ also ” applied to the latter. “ He also having a sharp sickle;” while the “angel” in verses 15 and 18, is the same; the word “ another ” being used only to distinguish him from the one just before mentioned. On the first occasion, he comes “ out from the temple on the second, “out from the altar f —doubtless answering 160 ANGELS. to the altar of the Jewish temple;—and on both occasions with a “loud voice,” or “cry” issues similar, though not the same orders to the two other angels. The first of these two, having “ on his head a golden crown,” and “in his hand a sharp sickle,” ready “ to reap the harvest of the earth,” is evi¬ dently the “ Son of man'.' The second, therefore, having in his hand the same instrument, and an equally mighty work to perform,—“ to gather the vine of the earth,”—must he his equal in power, therefore Omnipotent. He also comes “ out of the temple which is in heaven —the dwelling-place of the Almighty. “The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.”* Yet each of these omnipotent beings,—that is, Persons of the Trinity, —awaits the commands of another angel, b who there¬ fore cannot he less than Omnipotent, hut must he another of these Persons, that is, God the Father. For though “ in the Trinity none is afore or after other, none is greater or less than another,” yet the Son receives commands of the Father; but it is contrary to analogy that the Father should receive a command from either the Son, or the Holy Ghost. Further. The two sentences which have nothing answering to them in the otherwise correspon¬ dent columns, though appearing only casually introduced, confirm this view of the subject. a Ps. si. 4. b V. 16, 18. ANGELS. 161 « In the first column, the one seated “on a white cloud,” is evidently “the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven,” according to his own prediction on the Mount of Olives, “ They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” a Now though he thus fort old his return, he im¬ mediately added, “ But of that day and that hour knoweth no man,no, not the angels of heaven, hut my Father only;” or as in Mark xiii. 32, “ Not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” These verses have already been considered in No. LXY., where passages from Daniel respecting time are introduced, and to which the present obser¬ vations form a sequel. Not that it is intended here to imply that the times or events in Daniel, are identical with those in St. Matthew and St, Mark; for in Daniel, the time is specified in each case ; whereas in the gospels, the time of the second Advent is withheld from the whole universe, even from our Lord, as he himself declares ; and is known only to the Father. In the present enquiry this is a point of im¬ portance. For even after his resurrection, our Lord, in answer to the disciples’ question as to the time when he would restore the kingdom to Israel, —an event synchronizing with his second advent, and with the “ harvest of the earth," —replied, “ It is not for you to know the times or the seasons a Matt, xxiv. 30. M 162 ANGELS. which the Father hath put in his own power;” 3 words implying that the knowledge of that time was yet reserved in the bosom of the Father alone. And there it appears,from Rev.xiv.,to remain undisclosed, until the “fulness of time ” he come. But, when at length the “ harvest of the earth is ripe,” and the hour appointed of the Father arrives, then is seen the “ Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven,” when the loud voice from the temple is heard addressing the Son, with the remarkable words, “ Reap ! ron the time is come ! ” Can it he doubted that this “ loud voice,” is the voice of the Father revealing to the Son of man, this long and deeply-hidden mystery ? How important then does this apparently in¬ cidental sentence,—“The time is come,”—thus become! While the passages of Scripture here, as in numerous other cases, elucidating each other, prove its divine origin. 1 i In the second column, the casual remark occurs, not, as in the other case, in the words addressed to him who also “ had a sickle,” but respects the angel who uttered them. “ He had power over fire." It is said of the beast that “ deceiveth them that dwell on the earth,” that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth. b This is named as one of the “ great wonders,” or miracles, he had a Acts i. 7. b Rev\ xiii. 13. i See Appendix D. ANGELS. 163 power to do in the sight of the first beast; and appears to be the only instance in which any evil being is permitted so to act. It seems to he one of the “lying wonders” of “that Wicked” who will he “ revealed in the last days,” but whom the Lord will “ consume vvitli the Spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming.” 1 He therefore, (of ch. xiii. 13,) though able to make fire come down from heaven, is not the angel of ch. xiv. 18, Avho had “power over fire;”—a power which rather applies to Him who is spoken of in ch. xvi. 9. “ Men were scorched with great heat, (V. 8,) and blas¬ phemed the name of God which had power over these plagues,” and which power he repeatedly exercised in former times, not only in signifying the acceptance of his people’s offerings, but also in manifesting his righteous indignation against the ungodly. When Nad ah and Abihu offered “ strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not,” “ there went out fire from the Lord, and de¬ voured them, and they died before the Lord.” 1 ’ In the same way perished Dathan and Abiram with the “two hundred and fifty princes of the children of Israel” who joined the rebellion of Korali; a fiire firom the Lord consuming them, when by offering incense, they usurped the priestly office.® a 2 Tlicss. ii. 8, 9. b Lev. x. 1, 2. c Numb. xvi. 1—35. 164 ANGELS. The two companies of fifty, with their captains also, sent with hostile purpose to seek Elijah the prophet, were destroyed in like manner. “ The fire of God came down from heaven and consumed ” them and their “ fifty.” 3 On another occasion this “ power over fire” was proposed and acknowledged as the test of the true God. “ The God that answereth by fire , let him be God.” b The “ four hundred and fifty prophets ” of Baal, prepared their offering, and invoked “ the name of Baal from morning until noon,” and after mid-day until the “ offering of the evening sacrifice.” “ But there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regardedand their offering remained uncon¬ sumed. Then “ Elijah, the prophet of the Lord,” duly prepared his sacrifice, and offered supplication to his God to hear him, “that the people might know” that He was the Lord God; and to make more signal the expected answer, thrice by his order, was water poured over his sacrifice. “ Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it they fell on their faces, and said, The Loed he is the God; The Lord he is the God.’” 1 ! a 2 Kings i. 10, 12. b 1 Kings xviii. 24. c Y. 29. d Y. 38, 39. ANGELS. 165 These examples of supernatural lire coming immediately from God, with others which might be named,—more especially that of Sodom and Gomorrah,—taken in connection with the fact that the angel with a “loud voice” of Y. 18, who had “power over fire,” commanded another, apparently omnipotent angel, to “thrust in his sickle,” seem to prove that He who has “ power over fire” is “our God” who is himself “ a consuming fire ;” a while from the whole examination, it seems equally clear, that the commanding angel of the first column also, who cried with a “loud voice,” “ Reap, for the time is come” must be the same angel; even God the Father. Thus in these three angels, are again seen together the three Persons of the Trinity;—the Father com¬ manding the Son to “ Heap the harvest of the earth f when the wheat will be gathered into his barn; and the Holy Ghost to “gather the vine of the earth,” which will be cast into the great winepress of the wrath of God;—the “ loud voice ” of the Lord God, usher¬ ing in those great events which bring salvation to his people, but destruction to his enemies; and which will take place at, or after, the coming of the Lord. Two passages are here selected from many similar allusions to these solemn events, as in each, the a Hcb. xii. 29. 166 ANGELS. I “ loucl voice ,” or voice of the Lord ” is named, and as uttered from his holy habitation,—the “ temple ,” or “ Zion." “ Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe; come get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion , and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord w r ill he the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.”* “ Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name’s sake, said, Let the Lord he glorified; hut he shall appear to your joy, and they shall he ashamed. A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple , a voice of the LOLL) that rendereth recompense to his enemies.’” 5 So fearfully in that great day will “ wrath” he mingled with “ mercy,” when going forth for the salvation of his people, The Lord will “ march through the land in indignation,” and “thresh the heathen in anger,” while a “ whirlwind scatters them away.” 0 a Joel iii. 13—16. k Is. lxvi. 5, 6. c Hab. iii. 1—14. ANGELS. 167 XCI. Eev. xix. 17, 18. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God: that ye may eat the flesh of kings . . of mighty men . . of horses, etc. This is the last passage in which an angel with a “loud voice” is named. This characteristic, and the position he occupies,—“ standing in the sun,” the most glorious object our heavens present,— together with his call to the folds to “ come and gather themselves together to the supper of the great God, to eat the flesh of kings,” etc., show him to he the same “ Lord God,” who, by the prophet Ezekiel, commanded the “ foiols to gather themselves to¬ gether ” to his “great sacrifice,” that they might “ eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth,” and “he filled” at his “ table with horses, and chariots, and mighty men ;” a —evidently the same “supper of the great God.” Erom this and the foregoing evidence, we conclude that the “loud voice” is purposely mentioned, as indicative of supreme power ; and that throughout the hook of Revelation, wherever it is named as that of an individual, it is significant of Ilim whose “ voice once shook the earth, hut now he hath pro¬ mised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only hut also heaven;” 1 ’ that is, of the Lord God. a Ezek. xxxix. 17—20 h lleb. xii 2(3. 168 ANGELS. XCII. Matt. xxv. 41. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. Dev. ix. 11. They had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit. Ch. xii. 7—9. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels , and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Ch. xx. 1—3. 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. These passages are placed together, the subjects being allied; as in each, either the place or punish¬ ment of the wicked is named. The transactions in the last passage, which take place on earth, seem hut a continuation of the hostilities commenced in “ heaven,” described in ch. xii.; and as in both, the conquered is the same, so also appears to he the Conqueror. The “war in heaven,” in which “the dragon fought, and his angels, and prevailed not,” has been already noticed in Xo. LXXX., where Michael, by whom they were vanquished and cast out, and the accuser of the brethren cast clow ? n to the earth, was shown to be Christ. And probably, the angels w T ho fought under his command, were the “ mighty angels” ANGELS. 109 repeatedly found co-operating together with the Son, 1 In Rev. xx. the acts described,—the laying hold of the great dragon, the devil, —binding him witli a chain,—and casting him into the bottomless pit,— are such as could be executed by no other than the “ Stronger ” than the “ strong man armed.” 1 * The dragon and his angels, being thus expelled, “ the heavens and they that dwell in them rejoice, for their place is no more found in heaven.” Rut “Woe,” then, “ to the inhabiters of the earth, for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath, because he knowetli that he hath but a short time ; ’ ’ which “short time” terminates wdien the angel, come “ down from heaven,”—that is, the archangel, Michael, or Christ, who had cast him out of heaven, —captures and imprisons him in the bottomless pit for a thousand years. Probably this arch-angel is the one spoken of in ch. vi. 2, who “ crowned ” and “ seated on a white horse, went forth conquering and to conquer.” Be this as it may, the angel who carrying the “ great chain,” and the “ key of the bottomless pit,” casts Satan there for “ a thousand years,” after which “ he must be loosed a little season,” is evidently that same God who “ spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness,” also for a certain time,—“ to be reserved unto judgment.” 1 * a Luke xi. 21, 22. h 2 Tet. ii. i See No. LXIII. 170 ANGELS. The devil’s angels, being sinful, must necessarily be created; as also “the king,”—the “ angel of the bottomless pit.” 1 XCIII. Bev. ix. 13—15. And I heard a voice from the four~horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And th efour angels were loosed, which were prepared . . to slay the third part of men. These four angels “prepared to slay the third part of men,” being “ bound" in Euphrates, and afterwards “ loosed" by the sixth trumpet angel; and the words “ bound" and “ loosed ,” being the same as those used in Rev. xx. 2, 3, in reference to Satan, who is “ bound” a thousand years, and after¬ wards “ loosed," seem to intimate that they are evil beings. Being “ prepared to slay the third part of men,” they maybe the captains of the “ army of the horse¬ men" of the next verses, by whom the “ third part of men were killed;” and which “ army” seems iden¬ tical with the “locusts like unto horses prepared unto battle,” of V. 7, whose king was the angel of the bottomless pit. XCIV. Bev. vii. 1—3. I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind l See Part III. ANGELS. 171 should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels , to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. These four angels “ standing on the four corners of the earth,” to “ whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,” hut not until the servants of God were sealed in their foreheads, seem not to be evil beings, but the first four angels with trumpets ; as the judgment on the “earth,” the “sea,” and the “trees,” appears to have been carried into effect under the sounding of the trumpets of these angels.* They may also be the “four spirits'’ of Zech. vi. 5, described as “ going forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth;” which again coincides with that of the “ seven spirits” of Rev. i. 4, and v. 6, who “ are before the throne,” and also are “ sent forth into all the earth.” The numbers “four,” and “seven,” equally de¬ noting totality, perfection, for further explanation the reader is referred to the next Number, where the “ seven angels” are considered. xcv. Rev. viii. 2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them wero given seven trumpets. V. 6. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. V. 7. The first angel sounded, . . V. 8. The second angel a Ch. viii. 7, 8. 172 ANGELS. sounded, . . V. ] 0. The third angel sounded, . . V. 12. The fourth angel sounded, . . V. 13 . . Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels , which are yet to sound. Ch. ix. 1. The fifth angel sounded . . V. 13. The sixth angel sounded . . Ch. x. 7. In the days of the voice of the seventh angel , when he shall begin to sound,. . Ch. xi. 15. The seventh angel sounded. Ch. xv. 1. And I saw another sign in heaven, great and mar¬ vellous, seven angels , having the seven last plagues ; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. V. 6. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with gold girdles. Y. 7. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, . . V. 8. And no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. Ch. xvi. 1. And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels , Go your ways, aud pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. Y. 2. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth. Y. 3. The secoud angel — upon the sea. Y. 4. The third angel . . upon the rivers and fountains of waters, . . Y. 8. The fourth angel . . upon the sun. Y. 10. The fifth angel . . upon the seat of the beast. Y 12. The sixth angel . . upon the great river Euphrates. Y. 17. The seventh angel . . into the air, Ch. xvii. 1, 7. And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials , and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee, the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters. . . And the angel said unto me, AYherefore didst thou marvel ? I will tell thee, etc. Ch. xxi. 9—17. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jeru¬ salem. . . And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city. . . And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel , When Moses was about to make the tabernacle, he was “ admonished ” by God “ to make all things after the pattern shewed him in the mountand this that they might “ serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.” This admonition furnishes a ANGELS. 173 clue to the meaning of the above, and other des¬ criptions of St. John’s visions of “ heavenly things and authorizes their comparison with the Jewish Ecclesiastical polity, as a means of approximating to their true sense. The tabernacle , constructed after the above-named pattern, was divided into two parts separated by a veil. “ The first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread, which ” was “ called the sanctuary; and after the second veil, the taber¬ nacle which ” was “ called the Holiest of all.” a The priesthood consisted of Aaron, the High Priest, and his sons, the priests, whom alone God commanded Moses to “ anoint and “ consecrate ,” and “ sanctify that they might “ minister unto ” God “ in the priests’ office.” 1 ’ The Levites were pre¬ sented before Aaron that they might minister to lmn, and “keep the charge of all the instruments,” and do the “ service of the tabernacle.” Erom twenty-five years old until fifty, they were to “ wait upon the service of the tabernacle;” after which, they were still to minister with their brethren in the “ tabernacle of the congregation,” and “ keep the charge ” or “ custody but to “ do no service.” 0 Eor these offices they were “ cleansed” or “ puri¬ fied,” but not, like the priests, “anointed” and “ consecrated.” 11 There were “ also ordinances of divine service.”* a Heb. ix. 2, 3. b Exod. xxviii. 41. 4 Numb. yiii. 6, 21. c Numb. iii. 6—8. viii. 24—26. c Heb. ix. 1. 174 ANGELS. Of all these;—the tabernacle ;—the priesthood ,— and the services ;—the scripture contains full par¬ ticulars. Nor does it leave their meaning entirely to conjecture, but explains some of the symbolic ceremonies and priesthood. “When these things were thus ordained the priests went always into the first tabernacle accomplishing the service of God, But into the second, went the High Priest alone, once every year, not without blood, which he offered first for himself, and also for the peoplewhich is explained as signifying that “Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come ” “ a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man,” is “ entered, not into the holy places made with hands,” neither with the blood of others; hut into heaven itself, there “to appear in the presence of God for us.” 1 Hence, the High Priest entering within the veil, typifies Christ entering heaven. This type being thus explained, gives a further insight into these heavenly mysteries. The High Priest then, who was “ anointed,” typi¬ fying Christ , whom do the other “ anointed ” body,— the priests his sons,—and Moses also, who anointed both them and Aaron, represent ? Each must have its antitype in heaven’s hierarchy. The people of God were not only a religious, hut 1 See Heb. viii. ix. ANG ELS. 175 also a national community,—not only a “ kingdom of priests,” but also “ a holy nation.’' While, therefore, Aaron was “ high priest ,” Moses was King in Jeshurun.” a And as by our laws, many of which resemble those of the Jews, our sovereign is the head, both of the nation and the national church,—thus representing the high Sovereign of heaven;—so, Moses was the sovereign head of the Israelitish church, as well as nation. He was to be / to Aaron “ instead of God,” b representing the “Majesty in the heavens’'— God the Father, by whom Christ was “ anointed,” and “ consecrated,” and “made High Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedek.” 0 0 The remaining order of priests, —“ the sons of Aaron,” —being also “ anointed, and consecrated, and sanctified to minister unto God in the priest’s office,” the only remaining Person of the Trinity,— the Holy Ghost, —appears to be their antitype. And if the passages at the head of the present Number be examined, the resemblance will be obvious. That the Holy Spirit is but one, while they are many, is no valid objection; for in St. John’s bene¬ diction which commences his opening address to the churches, the Holy Spirit is spoken of as the “ seven spirits which are before his throne.” d b Exod. iv. 16. c Acts x. 38. Heb. vii. 28. vi. 20. d Rev. i. 4, 5, a Deut. xxxiii. 5. 176 ANGELS. The law having merely a “ shadow of good things to come and not the very image of these things,” and the insufficiency of a shadow fully to represent a substance, involved the necessity of using a variety of figures and persons, as well as a repetition of acts; as noticed in several parts of the Epistle to * the Hebrews. Thus, contrasting the Jewish High Priests with their Antitype, it is said, “ They truly were many priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; but this man, because he con- tinuetli ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. ” a Again, “Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself; ” b an act by which Christ was the antitype at once, both of the High Priest, and also of the victim. Since, then, the one Christ was represented by the many Sigh Priests wdio successively through the veil entered the most Holy place; so may the one Spirit be typified by the many priests ,—“ the sons of Aaron/’—who together ministered in the first tabernacle; as also by other figures in that “sanctuary;”—a plurality of ministers with their varied services aptly symbolizing, and indeed seeming requisite to typify, “that one and the selfsame Spirit” whose “ diversities of operations ” are infinite. 0 a Heb. vii. 23, 24. b V. 27. c 1 Cor. xii. 6—11. ANGELS. 177 The High Priest's numerous duties performed without the veil, were annually completed, as it were, when he passed once every year through the veil from the first tabernacle, not without blood, to burn incense in the most Holy place. And these types of “good things to come,” appear to have been accomplished and superseded by Christ, his Anti¬ type, when after ministering and doing the will of his Father on earth, he left it, and through the veil of his flesh, “ by his own blood entered in once” into heaven, there ever living “ to make intercession for” us. a But was it so, with respect to the offices of the other anointed body,—the priests ? The whole tabernacle, both within and without the veil, was a “ figure of good tilings to come.” Hence as that “ within the veil,”—the “ most Holy place,”—typified heaven, where Christ now is; that without the veil, “ called the sanctuary,” seems to have prefigured the world , or rather the church in the world, also at this present time: and as the high priest annually leaving the sanctuary, and entering the second tabernacle, represented Christ, —“ a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle,” b —“ once in the end of the world” leav¬ ing it, and entering heaven; so do the priests,—the other ipiointed body, and also ministers of the sanctuary,—with their various ministrations and a lleb. x. 20 ix. 12. vii. 25. Rom. viii. 34. b lleb. viii. 2 N 178 ANGELS. services,—who as well as the high priest went, not annually but, “ always into the first tabernacle ”(or sanctuary) “to minister,”* and “accomplish the service of God, which consisted of meats, and drinks, divers washings, and carnal ordinances,”’ 5 — appear to typify the seven Spirits, that is, the Holy Spirit, in his multiplied and purifying influences, operating in every member of the church on earth; in other words, “ the ministering spirits sent forth for those who shall be heirs of salva¬ tion,” 0 during this, the more “ glorious ministra¬ tion of the Spirit.” d And as those priests, as well as the High Priest, were “ separated . . to burn incense before the Lord, to minister unto him, and to bless in his name for ever” 6 in the outer taber¬ nacle, the sanctuary,— so is the Spirit sent “that he may abide with us for ever; ” and he also “ maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” f As then, the first tabernacle, with all belonging to it, foreshadowed the church below , under this dis¬ pensation of the Spirit, who, sent as our Comforter, abideth with us, and maketh intercession for us;— so may the second tabernacle, with its patterns of heavenly things, where were the “ Cherubim of glory,” and the “mercy seat,” whereon Jehovah a Exod. xxviii. 41. b Feb. ix. 6—10. e 1 Chron. xxiii. 13. 2 Chron. xiii. 11 c Heb. i. 14. ^ 2 Cor. iii. 8. f Rom. yiii. 27. ANGE LS. 179 appeared to the high priest, foreshadow that “ greater and more perfect tabernacle ” a into which though our Forerunner is entered, believers as yet enter only hy “hope which entereth into that within the veil,” b hut which they shall hehold, when, faith and hope lost in sight,—all earthly types and shadows will have been superseded hy heavenly visible realities; and when the Lord God Omnipotent,—the Lord of heaven and earth,—will appear in full glory, the head of both the church and the world. From this comparison of the shadow with the substance,—earthly “ patterns ” with “ heavenly things,”—we infer, that as Aaron, the high priest , whom Moses anointed, typified Christ, the High Priest;—so Moses, who “ judged the people,” hy whom “the laic was given,” and who was “king in Jeshurun,” typified “Jehovah,” our “judge” our “ lawgiver” and “ our kingand as anointing Aaron, to whom he was “ instead of God,” — Jehovah the Father : —And that the priests, the sons of Aaron, who were also anointed by Moses, typified the Holt Spirit. We return now to examine the passages with reference to one of the offices these priests were appointed to perform;—the blowing of trumpets. “ I saw the seven angels which stood before God a lleb. ix. 11. *> Deb. vi. 19, 20. c 19. xxxiii. 22. N 2 180 ANGELS. and to them were given seven trumpets.” The manner in which these angels are here mentioned, as “the seven angels which stood” (not stand,) “before God,” indicates that they had already been described, both as to number and situation. Yet there is no such preceding description of angels, although there is of seven spirits ,—those of Rev. i. 4., who are represented as “ before the throne And in ch. iv. 5, also, the seven lamps of fire” are explained as the “seven spirits of God,” “burning before the throne which explains further, the symbol of the “seven lamps” burning continually “ before the Lord ” in the first tabernacle, where the ministers, the sons of Aaron, ministered. 3. And in Ps. civ. 4, we find all these,— “spirits,” “lamps of fire ,”—and “ ministers are identified with each other, and also with angels. “ Who maketh the spirits his messengers,” or “ angels f'" “his ministers a flame of fire.” The “spirits” then, being his “angels,” obviously the “ seven angels with trumpets, which stood before God,” are the “ seven spirits of God which are before his throne ” of ch. i. and iv., that is, the Holy Spirit, of whom the ministers of the sanc¬ tuary, the sons of Aaron, to whom pertained the blowing of the trumpets and also the “ seven lamps,” made of pure gold kept burning in that sanctuary, were figures. And it must be noticed, that before the siege of Jericlio, seven priests were commanded to blow with seven trumpets . d a Ler. xxiv. 2—4. b Comp. Heb. i, 7. c .Numb. x. 8. d Josh. vi. 4. ANGELS. 181 On comparing the following passages, we find the last, —the third woe trumpet, at the blast of which the “ mystery of God will be finished,”—will be sounded by Omnipotence/ In llev. xi. 15, 18, voices are described saying, “ The kingdoms of this Avorld are become the king¬ doms of oar Lord and of his Christ. . . and the time of the dead is come that they should be judged.” This takes place when the angel sounds the seventh trumpet, at which time the “mystery of God will be finished.” 8 In 1 Cor. xv. 52, a mystery is declared, viz :—that of the resurrection of the dead at the “ last trump, for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised .” And in 1 Thes. iv. 16, it is again spoken of as taking place at the same sound of a trumpet. “ The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” The events alluded to in these three passages being the same, the trumpet also, and lie who sounds it must be the same. “ The Lord God shall blow the trumpet” 1 ' (the seventh and last avoc trumpet) — God the Spirit, above identified Avitli the seven trumpet angels, and the seven spirits before the throne. The seven vial angels are the same probably as the seven trumpet angels, although in cli. xv. 1, not a Ch. x. 7. k Zecli. ix. 14. 182 ANGELS. mentioned as having been seen before; for that verse commences a fresh scene—" another sign in heaven;”—and, as in other cases, the persons are described previously to their acts. The seven angels of ch. viii. 2, to whom were given seven trumpets, had already been described as “ seven lamps of fire,' or, “ spirits of God,” in ch. iv. 5, from which place the same scene continues through several chapters. The “ seven angels having the vials of the wrath of God,” come out from the temple in priestly gar¬ ments,—“ clothed with pure and white linen” and girded with “ golden girdlesThis description is, so far, similar to that given of the one in Rev. i. who had the “seven stars in his right hand;” and pre¬ cisely the same as that of the “ certain man ” of Dan. x.; before shown to be the Holy Spirit. Further, One of these angels came and talked with St. John, saying, “ Come hither , and I will sheiv thee the judgment of the great whore, and tell thee the mystery of the woman;” this again coincid¬ ing with what is related of him who shelved St. John the “ mystery of the seven stars in his right hand.” Again, one of the vial angels talking with St. John, said, “ Come hither, arid I will sheiv thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.” So again, one with the “ voice as it were of a trumpet ,” talking with him, ANGELS. 183 said, “ Come up hither , and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” a The last time any of these vial angels is mentioned, one of them, again talking with St. John, holds a golden reed to measure “ the great city , the holy Jerusalemthe dimensions of which, are “ according to the measure of a man , that is, of the angel ;” b an unusual mode of expression. No man being pre¬ viously named, the expression “a man,” might seem superfluous; yet it forms one of those numerous iotas in the law and gospel, which fulfil an important part in the scheme of divine truth. Here, it strengthens the chain of connexion between the “angel” spoken of, and a person described by Ezekiel, as also one who appeared to Zecliariali, and who, in both these last passages, is called a “man." It seems added, as if to intimate, that all the three passages describe the same Divine Being occupied in measuring Jerusalem. Zecliariali’s words are, “ I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, Whither goest thou ? And he said to me, To measure Jerusalem , to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.” 0 The “man" who appeared to Ezekiel also, had in his a Rev. iv. 1. \ l) Rev. xxi. 17. c Zeeb, ii. 1, 2. 184 ANGELS. hand a line of flax, and a measuring reed, wherewith he took the dimensions of the “frame of a city ” and, like the man who appeared to Zechariah and St. John, he talked with the prophet, occasionally explaining what was shewn to him. a W hil e then, the peculiar expression of St. John admits of the substitution of “angel” for “man” in the two other passages, this, with the coincidences noticed, leads to the above conclusion, that it was the same “angel,” or “ man,” that appeared to the three prophets. Ezekiel describes him as “like the appearance of brass.” In this respect resembling the “ living creatures ” of the same prophet, and the “certain man ” of Daniel. The “ One like the Son of man f in Rev. i., is also so represented;—“his feet like unto fine brass” He who appeared to Amos with a “plumb-line in his hand,” and foretold the desolations of the “high places of Isaac,” was the Lord} So we infer that he who with a “ measuring line in his hand” appeared to Ezekiel, Zechariah, and St. John,—to each pre¬ figuring the restoration of the holy city, Jerusalem, —was also the Lord. Hence another proof, that the vial angels represent one of the Persons of the Trinity, — apparently the Third; since he who with a “ measuring line a Ezek. xl. 2, 3. k Amos vii. 7. ANGELS. 185 in liis hand” “ talked ” with St. John, was one of them. Moreover, as Jehovah the “ Spirit” car¬ ried Ezekiel away, to shew him the abominations and wickedness of Jerusalem; so this “ angel” carried St. John away to a great and high mountain, and shewed him the holy Jerusalem , descending out of heaven, having the glory of God;”—all these cir¬ cumstances testifying to the same effect. Further. This sevenfold plurality of angels sig¬ nifying the one Spirit, elucidates the passages consi¬ dered in Kos. LXIIL, LXXII., and confirms the supposition, that the plurality of angels there no¬ ticed, has this same signification. 1 2 A few facts from the early history of Israel, similar to those connected with some of the trum¬ pets and vials,' may he pointed out, as indicating the literal accomplishment of these predictions of what “ shall he hereafter.” Key. viii. 7. The first angel Exod. ix. 23, 24. Moses sounded, and there followed stretched forth his rod towards hail vlw\ fire mingled with blood, heaven: and the Lord sent and they were cast upon the thunder and hail , and the fire earth. ran along upon the ground; so there was hail , and Jire mingled with the hail, very grievous. 1 The like identity of plurality (probably seven fold) with unity, is discern- able among evil beings also. In Mark v. 2, 3, 9, the “unclean spirit" being asked, “ What is thy name ? ” replied, “ My name is Legion, for we are many” In Matt. xii. 45, “ seven spirits” entered into the man among the tombs ; and “ seven devils ” were cast out of Mary Magdalene. Mark xvi. 9. 2 Sec Appendix E. 186 ANGELS. Lev. ix. 1, 2. The fifth angel sounded, and a star fell from heaven unto the earth ; and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit, and he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, and there came out of the smoke, locusts upon the earth. Exod. x. 13, 14. The Lord brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morn¬ ing, the east wind brought the locusts . And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt; very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. Tlie seven vials of the wrath of God, are called the seven last plagues. Rev. xv. 1. Rev. xvi. 2. The first (angel) poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and worshipped him. Y. 4. The third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. Y. 10. The fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom iv as full of darkness. Y. 12. The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river, Euphrates; and the water thereof ivas dried up , that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 1 Exod. ix, 10. Moses sprinkled (ashes) of the furnace up toward heaven ; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man , and upon beast. Exod. vii, 20. Moses lifted up his rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. Exod. x. 22. Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. Exod.xiv.21. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea ; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land , and the waters were divided. Joshua iv. 23. The Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, as the Lord your God did to the Bed sea which he dried up from before us. 1 May not tlie “ kings of the East,” for whom a way is to be 'prepared through the Euphrates, signify Him for whom a “ highway ” is to be prepared or “ made straight,” in the desert ? “ Prepare ye the way of the Lord : make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Is. xl. 3. ANGELS. 187 Rev. xvi, 17, 21. The seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there fell upon men & great hail out of heaven, and the plague thereof was exceeding great. Y. 18. And there were voices, and thunders , and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake , such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. Josh. x. 11. The Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them (the five^kings of the Amorites and their hosts) and they died : they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. Exod. xix. 16, 18. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings , and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceed¬ ing loud; .. and the ivhole mount quakedgreatly , and mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke be¬ cause the Lord descended upon it in fire. These “ seven last plagues," so similar to those of Egypt, seem to fulfil the prophecy of Micalx. “Ac¬ cording to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt, icill I sheio unto thee marvellous things;”* probably at that time when “ the Lord cometli forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. Then the mountains shall he molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft as wax before the fire.” !j Eor the Lord will yet again “ he revealed in flaming fire, taking ven¬ geance on them that know not God.” c Eor “thus saitli the Lord, My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger ; for all the earth shall he devoured with the fire of my jealousy.”' 1 <1 Zeph. iii. S. a Ch. vii. 10. b Ch. i. 3, 4. c 2 Thesa. i. 8. 188 ANGELS. XCVI. Rev. xvi. 5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, 0 Lord, which art, and wast, and shall be, because thou hast judged us. The “angel of the waters” must be the “third angel,” who “poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of tvaters ;—even He who measureth the waters in the hollow of his hand ; a and who calling “for the waters of the sea poureth them out upon the face of the earth. The Lord is his name.” 11 xcvii. Rev. viii. 3—5. Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angeVs hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth. This angel’s position at the “ golden altar,” and his offering incense, prove his priesthood; though not that he was High Priest. Por though the latter alone could enter within the veil to burn incense; yet toithoiit the veil, where the “ golden altar for incense” w r as placed, the other priests also, minis¬ tered, and there “ offered unto the Lord, every morning andevery evening, burnt sacrifices and sweet incense.” 0 a Is. xl. 12. b Amos ix. 9. c Exod. xxx. 1, 8. xl. 5. ANGELS. 189 But as the Holy Spirit, their antitype, already appears in this scene as the “ seven angels” with trumpets, this angel with the “ golden censer,” must he our great “ Advocate with the Father,” Jesus Christ, who “ ever livetli to make intercession for us.” XCVIII. Kev. xxi. 12. And the city had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels , and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. This passage is usually understood in a figurative sense; the city symbolizing a future glorified spiritual state of the church of God, founded by the apostles. But the prophecy may have also a literal significa¬ tion, and the city signify primarily, not the meta¬ phorical “bride,”—the spiritual household of God,— hut her literal dwelling place. It is true that the spiritual church is frequently in scripture symbolized both as a person, and a building, of which individual believers are parts. The new Jerusalem is described as descending from heaven, “ having the glory of God,” and “ prepared as a bride adorned for her husband:” and,— like the king’s daughter whose clothing is of wrought gold,—she is “ all glorious within ;” a for the “ street of the city, and “ the city,” were of a Ps. xlv. 13. 190 ANGELS. “ pure gold.” a Also, like the “ desolate/’ afflicted “ wife,” whose stones shall he laid with “ fair co¬ lours/’ and “ her foundations with sapphires —for her Maker is her husband, who though “ in wrath he hid his face from her for a moment, yet with everlasting kindness will he have mercy upon her :” b —So the wall of the city is of “jasper,” its gates of “pearl,” and its twelve foundations, in which are the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, are “garnished with all manner of precious stones,” while its “ light was like unto a stone most precious.” 0 Compare also St. Paul’s account of the citizens and household of God, composed of Jews and Gen¬ tiles, “ built upon the foundation” of the “ apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habita¬ tion of God through the Spirit. 1 ’’ d And as they are represented both as growing, and being built into a temple; so are they, as both growing, and being built, into a body, —that of the “ perfect man.” That they “ may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, maketh increase of the body unto the edification,”—or building,—“of itself in love.” 6 St. Peter also, describes the spiritual a Kev. xxi. 18, 21. b Is. liv. 1—11. c Rev. xxi. 11—21. d Epli. ii. 19—22. e Eph. iv. 15, 16. ANGELS. 191 house as a sanctuary built up of lively stones,— “ the precious sons of Zion” * 1 2 founded upon the elect precious corner stone rejected by the builders, but become the “ headstone of the corner.” a Those “ pre¬ cious —this “ most precious.” 15 And as our Lord savs, “ Tliis is the Father’s will e/ 1 that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day;”° so in that day when he shall make up his “ special treasure,” d 2 not one “jewel” will he miss¬ ing from the “ royal diadem in the hand of our God,” e —not one member from that “body,”—not one “ stone” from that “city” which, “ adorned as a bride for her husband,” has been carefully planned and accurately measured according to the unerring “ measure of a man, that is, of the angel.” It will be “ perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” But besides the figurative signification of this “ holy city,” there are indications that the descrip¬ tion must also be understood of a literal city. In chapter xvii. 14, we read of those who “ enter in through the gates of the city,” and who “ have a right to the tree of life.” Now if this “city” or “bride” represents the a 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. b Comp. Rev. xxi. 11. c John vi. 39. d Mai. iii. 17, marg. e Is. lxii. 3. 1 Comparable to the most fine gold. Lam. iv. 1, 2. 2 The Heb. word rtao signifies “ private property ” The corresponding Greek word nepuroif-iais is in Eph. i. 14, translated “ purchased possession,” and in 1 Pet. ii. 9, 4< peculiar,” a “ peculiar people.” 192 ANGELS. spiritual church,—the family of God,—and the stones its individual members,—who are these that enter in through the gates ? and who the ‘ c twelve angels at these gates ? The counterpart of these is wanting. But if the description be literally inter¬ preted, which the literal fulfilment of other pro¬ phetic descriptions justifies, these fall naturally into their proper places, and the whole presents a com¬ plete picture of a material, inhabited city. Though briefly described, its plan and dimensions are accurately defined by direct revelation from heaven, as had been the case with other places chosen by God for himself and his peculiar people. The ark of Noah, a and the tabernacle of Moses, b were material habitations constructed after a pattern given by God. The temple of Solomon was made according to all that “ the Lord” had “ made David understand in writing.” 0 And for the latter, not only were pat¬ terns of the building, furniture, and utensils, given, —(as were also those for the tabernacle, which it closely resembled, excepting that the tabernacle was a moveable erection, the temple a permanent edi¬ fice,)—but even the weight of each article was spe¬ cified, together with full directions respecting the priests, Levites, and people connected with it. Now these were material erections, each beautiful and well adapted for the time then present. And though the heaven of heavens cannot contain the great Architect a Gren. vi. 14—18. Exocl. xxy. 8, &c. c 1 Chron. xxviii. 19. ANGELS. 193 who gave the designs, yet in these sanctuaries “ made with hands,” He chose to dwell in the midst of his people.® Yet where are these dwellings—these houses of our God now ? They were but figures foreshadow¬ ing future things, and accompanied with divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed “until the time of reformation ; b —until Christ, the Lord from heaven, and mediator of the better covenant,’’ came and re-formed the church, establishing it upon better promises; when being no longer required, all the former things passed away, and He re-“ entered heaven, there to appear in the presence of God for us.” But will there he no other changes ? Will not the God of Israel return from within the veil, and again dw r ell with his people ? Having “offered one sacrifice for sins for ever,” He entered the holy place, and sat down on the right hand of God; yet it is only “till his enemies be made his footstool“ and to them that look for him will he appear the second time without sin unto salva¬ tion.” 0 The “ heavens receive him” only “ until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” d Great changes, therefore, have yet to take place; a Ileb. ix. 24. Exod. xxix. 44—46. 1 Kings vi. 12, 13. b Ifeb. ix. 9, 10. c TTeb. ix. 2 4 —28. x. 12, 13. 0 Act9 iii. 20. # 0 194 ANGELS. and many prophecies and promises to be fulfilled. The kingdom has yet to be restored to Israel; and, according to the “ oath sworn to David,” Christ has yet to sit,—not where he now is, “ in the throne” of his Father in heaven, 3 but—on the throne of his father David, King of Israel.'" And “ Jerusalem shall”yet “he called the throne of the Lord.” 0 And another temple has yet to be built. For when this Priest after the order of Mel- chisedek,—this son of David,—the “ Branch” grown “ out of the root of Jesse,” shall sit upon his throne; “ he shall build the temple of the Lord” and “ shall he a Priest upon his throne,” d —Priest of the most High God, and King of Salem: “ and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his king¬ dom there shall he no end.” 1 The temple, wherein the “ Spirit of God ” dwells, and wherein are offered up spiritual sacrifices, is a spiritual house; —that building “fitly framed to¬ gether for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” As St. Paul, addressing the Corinthians, says, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. ” e For the dwelling place of the Spirit, then, as no building “ made with hands” is needed, no plan for any temple has been revealed for the present dispen¬ sation: whence our places for public worship are a Rev. iii. 21. b Acts ii. 29, 30, c Jer. iii. 17. d Zech. vi. 12, 13. e 1 Cor. vi. 19. 1 See Appendix F. A N G E L S. 195 only of human design. But hereafter, (though not as superseding that spiritual temple, even that image of God in which man was created, and to which, he will be restored when conformed to the image of the Son in whom the Bather dwelt,) when the Lord from heaven, and Son of David, ‘ ‘ both God and man ,” shall again come, a place for our Emmanuel will again he needed, and a habitation will again be built for the “ mighty God of Jacob.” And has Jehovah given no plan or pattern for this “ house of our God P ” The “ man” with a “ measuring line in his hand” who appeared in vision to Ezekiel, laid down a plan for a temple which unquestionably has never yet been built. This temple, or “house,” of Ezekiel, is probably the one referred to by Zechariali in ch. vi. 12, 13; —the temple which the Branch out of the root of Jesse, who shall be a priest upon his throne, shall build. For after its measurement by the “ man” in Ezekiel’s vision, “ the glory of the Lord filled the house,” and the prophet heard him speaking out of the house, aud announcing it as “ the place of his throne,” where he would “ dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever.”® And judging from previous examples, that which Ezekiel describes must be a substantial, material edifice;—and one not like that built after the captivity, which only i> a a Ezek. xliii. 5, 7. 196 ANGELS. partially corresponded, but one in every particular correctly answering to the plan given by the “ man with a measuring reed’ ’ and “ a line of flax in his hand.” But besides this, the same man gave also mea¬ surements for a whole city / which likewise has not yet existed; and for the division of the land by lot among the tribes of Israel; and moreover, detailed various temple-rites and ceremonies to be observed by all the inhabitants of the city or land. a And if, as Ezekiel intimates, among these, such sacrifices as are repugnant to the feelings be re-instituted, we are yet assured that a time will arrive when there will “ be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things shall have passed away.” b Possibly, therefore, Ezekiel’s city will continue only during the thousand years of Christ’s reign on earth; when those beheaded for the witness of Jesus, will reign with him previous to the time when death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire, and there will be no more death; this city to be then super¬ seded by another city, and by glories, which will not be enjoyed by the people of God, until these heavens shall have passed away with a great noise, and the elements shall have melted with fervent heat, and a Ezek. xl. xlviii. Rev. xxi. 4. 1 “ A city which would be nearly forty miles in circuit, or ten miles on each side of the square, which was vastly larger than Jerusalem ever was.” Scott’s Com.: on Ezek. xlviii. 30, 35. ANGELS. 197 “new heavens, and a new earth,” shall have taken their place. “Eor the fashion of this world passeth away,” and “the heavens and the earth which are now, are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” “Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” 11 And, though “here we have no continuing city,” yet like Ahraliam, “we seek one to come;”—a “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” The city he looked for, for himself and his descen¬ dants, was not a purely spiritual, hut a material, and permanent dwelling place, in that “better country” which they by faith “ saw afar off,” in con¬ tradistinction to the “ tabernacles” in which they sojourned while “ strangers and pilgrims” in the wilderness; for these all died “ not having received the promises, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. ” b These expectations being founded upon the pro¬ mises as yet unfulfilled, seem to outline some of the great changes in the church and world, which will prevail when “ all things will be made newand which are summed up in the comprehensive though brief description given in llev. xxi. and part of xxii., where the dimensions of a city,”—the new Jeru¬ salem,”—are again defined; this city in many par- » 2 Pet. iii. 7—13. b Heb. xi. 9—40. 193 ANGELS. ticulars corresponding with, though in others differ¬ ing from, that of Ezekiel's. There burnt-offerings and sacrifices are to he slain. Here, “ there shall be no more death.” There, the east gate is to he shut. Of this, the gates shall not he shut. That had a temple. This has no temple. 3 He that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And St. John “saw anew heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; ” and also “ a new city which had foundations,”—the “ new Jerusalem/’—“ coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,” when a great voice pro¬ claimed “ The tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them.” If then, the “ new heaven ” and the “ new earth” be literal, the “ new” and “holy city Jerusalem” must be literal also. The “bride” therefore, seems to mean, rather the material city, than its inhabitants, since it was the city St. John saw descending from heaven prepared as a bride, and which is afterwards spoken of as the “ bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Nor are the decorations, and other particulars, so different from buildings hitherto seen, as to render the future existence of such a city impro¬ bable. In the “ gold” and precious stones with which it is adorned, it resembles the temple built a Ezek. xliv. 1, 11, 35, Rev. xxi, 3, 25, 22. ANGELS. 199 by Solomon. “ He overlaid the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls thereof, and the doors there¬ of, with gold,” and “garnished the house with precious stones for beauty.” And as the “ Glory oj the Lord ” filled that house, so “this city has no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof,”—a “light like unto a stone most precious.”® These things therefore being possible of a literal city, this appears to be the one looked forward to by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as of old by all the people of God. This city has “ twelve gates ” of pearl, on which are written the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, and at which are stationed “ twelve angels .” Now if the last two chapters of Revelation relate to the glorified state of God’s people and city, they will be seen in their resurrection and angelic bodies.i Consequently these “ twelve angels” may be the twelve patriarchs of the tribes of Israel. But on the other hand, although the names of the Apostles are not inscribed on these “ gates,” but on the “ founda¬ tions of the wall,” yet as the word gate denoted the place where justice was administered, it seems more likely that these twelve angels are the twelve apostles, to whom it was promised that “ when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory,” they “ 2 Clirou. iii. 6, 7. v. 11. Key. xxi 11, 23. 1 See No LIX. ( 200 ANGELS. “ also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging ” those whose names appear on these gates,—“ the twelve tribes of Israel.”* The gates are twelve,—probably to afford the more commodious access for those who having a “right to the tree of life” “ may enter in through the gates into the city,” b and who from the inscrip¬ tions on the gates, it may be supposed will consist chiefly of the twelve tribes, others forming only a small exception; perhaps they, who, like the off¬ spring of Jeshurun, will be “ called by the name of Jacob, and surnamed by the name of Israel.” 0 For as on the allotment of the land among the tribes, provision is made for the “ stranger” sojourning among them, that they may “have inheritance among the tribes ;” d so here, “ whosoever will,” may “ take of the water of life freely,” and will not be excluded like those who are “ without the city,” but may enter in with the people after whom they are “ sur¬ named,” while many children of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness;” 0 —the mass oi citizens, however, consisting of those whose names are on the gates. If not, what becomes of the con¬ tinual promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their descendants, chosen from among men as God’s “ peculiar people;” and in reliance upon which a Matt. xix. 28. d Ezek. xlvii. 22. b Ch. xxii. 14. c Is. xliv. 5. Matt. viii. 12. ANGELS. 201 promises, Abraham left his “own country, and kin¬ dred, and father’s house.” - These and other promises in the Old Testament, made, not to the Jews only, hut to all the twelve tribes, and yet remaining unfulfilled, are repeated in the New, where these literal descendants of Israel, still seem to be the “seed” to whom they are applied, though now “ swallowed up,” or “ mixed among the people,” a and known to the world only as Gentiles. They are lost or scattered among the heathen, “ until the fulness of these Gentiles be come in.” St. Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, himself of the “ stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,” recog¬ nizes in these “Gentiles,” his kinsmen according to the flesh; for both in his personal addresses, and in his Epistles to them, he grounds their hope on promises made to the literal Israel. But if these Gentiles are not the natural descendants of Abraham, surely these promises “pertain” not to them. St. James addresses his Epistle “to the ticelve tribes scattered abroad .” St. Peter,—his first Epistle, to the “strangers scat¬ tered 1 throughout Pontus, Galatia,” etc. These “ scattered strangers” appear to be the same as the “ scattered tribes” of St. James’ Epistle, and, like the Israelites of old, are called “ strangers and pilgrims .” b u Hos. yiii. 8, vii. 8. 1 ^laanooa. b 1 Pet. ii. 11. neb. xi. 13. Sec John vii. 35. James i. 1. 202 ANGELS. Hence the new Testament, as well as the Old, seems specially written for, and concerns that “ chosen generation, royal priesthood and holy na¬ tion,” which are God’s “peculiar treasure above all people —that is, “ the children of Israel.” a Con¬ sequently the great mass even of believing Gen¬ tiles who have laid hold upon the hope set before them in the gospel, must he the natural seed of Abraham, now become the “ multitude of nations”* and “as the stars of the heaven, and sand upon the sea shore which cannot be measured nor numbered.” 0 Whether this be so or not, both Jews and Christian Gentiles agree in looking beyond the grave for “ the promise made to the fathers; unto which promise,” St. Paul says, “the twelve tribes instantly serving God day and night, hope to come:” d when “many shall come from the east and west,” “and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the king¬ dom of heaven. ” e These all, both Jews and Gentiles, died without having received the promise; but they died in faith; “ looking forward in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life;” persuaded that what God had promised he was able to perform; and that he who had “ stretched the line ,” and had “ measured and laid the foundations of the earth , and the corner stone thereof,” f would also build for them a city which hath foundations, and which cannot be a 1 Pet. ii. 9. Exod. xix. 5, 6< b Q-en. xlviii. 19. c Gen. xxii. 17. IIos. i. 10. d Acts xxvi. 7. e Matt. viii. 11. 1 Job xxxviii. 4—6. ANGELS. 203 • _ moved.” Tliev “ staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief, hut were strong in faith,” and being “ persuaded of them embraced them,” * ‘ wherefore God is not ashamed to he called their God, and he hath prepared for them a city .” a Such then appears to he the city whose wall is a hundred and forty-four measured cubits, having foundations, and twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and seen “coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride f to receive and accommodate the hundred and forty-four thousand “ sealed with the Father’s name in their foreheads,” and “ standing on the Mount Sion with the Lamb,” for these are the “ twelve tribes of Israel.” 15 Jesus had assured his disciples that in his “Father’s house are many mansions,” and that he should go and “ prepare a place for them, that where he was, there they might be also.” 0 Ac¬ cordingly, on returning to receive them to himself, having raised those that sleep in Jesus, and changed his living people, they are here seen collected together, standing with the Lamb, ready to be launched away,—not above the waves of a drotcning world, but above the flames of a burning world; and to receive the inheritance he had chosen for them ; “ an inheritance incox-ruptible, and undefiled, and that fadetli not awav,” reserved in heaven for those * 7 a Kom. iv. 20. Heb. xi. 13. 16. b Rev. xiv. 1. vii. 3, 4. c John xiv. 2 , 3. 204 ANGELS. who are ‘ c sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.” a “Heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ,” they shall then “inherit the kingdom prepared for” them “from the foundation of the world,” b and enter into the rest which remaineth for the people of God, and he for ever with the Lord. We conclude this Number with the following passages alluding to this New Jerusalem. “Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jeru¬ salem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.” “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her: she shall not he moved.” “Out of Zion the perfection of beauty God hath shined.” “ When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” 0 Its walls shall be called “ Salvation,” I and “ its gates Praise,” and they shall he “ open con¬ tinually.” “ The Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” He will “ beautify the place of his sanctuary, and make the place of a Eph. i. 13. b Matt. xxv. 34. c Ps. cxxii. 2—7. xlvi. 4, 5. 1. 2. cii. 16. ANGELS. 205 liis feet glorious.” “ The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee, but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory.” . . “ The days of thy mourning shall be ended.” “ Thy people also shall be all righteous.” a They will also “ inherit the land for ever.” Once “ Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and, my God hath forgotten me.” But now, thus saith the Lord, “Put on thy strength, O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come unto thee, the uncircumcised and the unclean. Thou shalt no more be called Desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, 1 and thy land Beulah, 2 for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. 3 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over tliee.” b XCIX. Rev. xxii. 6, 7. And he said to me, These sayings are faithful and true : and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. a Is. lx. 18—21 Comp. Rev. xxi. 4, 11, 23—27. xxii. 15. b Is. xlix. 14. lii. 1. lxii. 1—5. 1 Marg. That is, My delight is in her. 2 Marg. That is, Married. 3 See Appendix G. 206 ANGELS. V. 8—14. And I, John, saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard, and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not : for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the sayings of this book : Worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book : for the time is at hand. . . And, behold, I come quickly; . . Blessed are they that do his commandments. Y. 16, I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. . . Tor I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book; . . He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly; Amen, Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The “ angel ” in all these passages,—the last that have to be noticed,—appears to be same. He seems also to be the speaker in V. 6. and 9; the words, “ and he said unto me” ofV. 6,—which is a contin¬ uation of the preceding narrative,—referring to some one already mentioned, who appears to be the vial angel of eh. xxi. 9, that “talked” with St. John, as no one else addresses him in the intermediate verses. This vial angel, (of eh. xxi. 9,) who “ talked ” with St. John, “carried ” him away “to a high moun¬ tain, ”and “ shewed ” him that “great city ,” Jerusalem, the description of which is continued to ch. xxii. 5; after which, in the next verse, this vial angel still continues to speak to the prophet, and seems to be also, the “ angel ” of V. 8, who “ shewed ” St. John “ these things,” and before whose feet he fell down to worship. For in ch. xix. 10, a similar act is related; and though it is not there stated before whom he “fell down,” it must have been before the feet of ANGELS. ^07 the vial angel of clx. xvii. 1, who also “ talked ” with St. John and “ carried ” him away into the wilder¬ ness to shew him “ that great city ” Babylon ; the fall of which, and the consequent rejoicings, occupy the intervening passages. The vial angel having shewn St. John these things, seems therefore to be the angel of V. 6, (here speak¬ ing of himself in the third person,) sent by the “Lord God of the holy prophets” to “ shew the things shortly to be done,” which words identify him also with the “ angel” of Lev. i. 1, sent by Jesus Christ to “ signify” to St. John “ things shortly to come to pass;” and again, with the angel of eh. xxii. 16, sent by Jesus to “testify these things in the churches.” The book of Revelation is, as we have seen, di¬ vided into two parts. The subjects of these, and also the time to which each refers, are entirely dis¬ tinct from each other. The revealer of each part is also different. The first part, containing “ things which are,” relates to things existing at the time the prophecy was given, and was revealed by symbols, and ex¬ plained to St. John while in the isle of Patmos, by Christ, when after addressing the seven churches, his mission seems to close; and he thenceforward leaves future things to be revealed to his disciples by the Spirit, who He had promised should teach and I 208 ANGELS. guide them into all truth. The first part of the Book, primarily confined to Asia Minor, though in a measure applicable to churches in every age, seems to have been already fulfilled. The second part, revealing “ things which must he hereafter ,” or “things shortly to come to pass,” relates to times future, and to events affecting; not only the earth and heaven also, hut even the whole universe. To behold these, St. John remained, not as before in Patmos, but was called into heaven, where he beheld several distinct scenes, described in the several separate sections of this hook; but in all, the one same principal object is never lost sight of. In all, Jesus is ever beheld;—whether as the “ Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; ”— the “Lamb worthy to receive power and riches,” etc.; —the “ Lamb standing in the midst of the throne —the “ Lamb ” in whose hook names are written; —the “Lamb” who redeems and who feeds his people;—the “ Lamb ” in whose blood their “robes are made white;” and whose bride, thus arrayed, is made ready for the “ marriage supper of the Lamb;”—the “ Lamb standing on the mount Zion” surrounded by the “ hundred and forty-four thou¬ sand;”—the “Lamb followed whithersoever he goeth;”—or the “Lamb” from whose wrath his enemies call upon the rocks to fall and hide them; —as the “ Lion of the tribe of Judah,” the “ root of ANGELS. 209 David;”—as the “ Son of man” coming in the clouds of heaven to “ reap the harvest of the earth —as seated “on a white horse” judging and making war; —as the “Word of God, King of kings, and Lord of lords—as reigning for ever and ever, the king¬ doms of this world becoming the kingdoms of our Lord and of his “ Christ;”—or, in the “newheaven and the new earth,’’ as the “ light ’’ of the new city, and together with the Lord God Almighty, the “temple of it;”—in these and many other aspects throughout these various streams of prophecy, Jesus is ever pre-eminent. Much, if not all, of this second part, remains yet unfulfilled; and perhaps, the whole may refer to time immediately preceding, and during the Second Advent;—to that “great day of the Lord,” when this “nobleman ” having received the kingdom from his Lather, the “ Ancient of days,” will return from the “far country,—from the end of heaven;” 2 —to that day when “ all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live;” when he “shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other;”—to that “hereafter,” when “every eye shall see him” “ coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory ;” b —and even to times more distant still; when in the “ new heaven, and a Luke xix. 12. Dan. vii. 13. Is. xiii. 5. b Matt. xxiv. 30, 31. Rev. i. 7. P 210 ANGELS. tlie new earth,” he may he revealed in yet greater glory,—even that which he had with the Father “ before the world was.” a That the revealer, and interpreter of the second part, which commences at ch. iv., is the Holy Spirit remains now to he shewn. It has been already seen, that the Holy Spirit was the revealer, and interpreter of the four visions of Daniel, all of which seem also to reach onward to “ the time of the end,” or “latter days;”—to “things which must he hereafter;” and in all of which also, the same divine Saviour, under different aspects, stands revealed as the grand object of the visions. In the first, as the “Son of mem” coming in the clouds of heaven to the “ Ancient of days” to receive his kingdom. 11 —In the second, as the “ Prince of princes,” opposed by the king of fierce counte¬ nance.'—In the third, as the “ Messiah the Prince,” cut off, hut not for himself, * 1 to finish transgression, to make an end of sins, to bring in everlasting righteousness.' 1 —In the last, as “ Michael the great Prince,” standing up “for the children of thy people,” every one of whom “found written in the hook,”— the Lamb’s hook of life,—“ shall be delivered.” 6 So, when the “door was opened in heaven,” a John xvii. 5. b Dan. vii, 13. c Dan. rhi. 23, 25. d Dan. ix. 24, 25, e Dan. xii. 1. 1 “For he was cut off out of the land of the living : for the transgression of mv people was he stricken.” Is. liii. 8. ANG ELS. 211 (Rev. iv. 1,) the first voice St. John heard, was a “voice as it were of a trumpet talking' 1 '’ with him, which said, “ Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must he hereafter.” Afterwards the ‘ four beasts ,” as it were with the noise of thunder, repeat the invitation, “Come and see” One of the seven angels with vials, also, more than once talked with him, and repeating the invitation, “ Come hither,” “ shewed ” him various things. And all these,—the “voice as of a trumpet,”—the “four beasts,” who said, “ Come and see,”—and the angels with vials,— all seem to he significant of the Holy Spirit. Twice also, one of the “ elders” explains some matters to St. John ; a but excepting these, and they who talk with him in eh. xxii., he is addressed only by a “ voice from heaven,” and by “ Him that sat upon the throne.” b The two latter, however, neither shew nor explain any portion of the second part. Now hearing in mind the words of Jesus, “ When the Spirit of truth is come, he shall teach you all things; he shall testify of me and he shall shew you things to come , he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine , and shall shew it unto you, and whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak—and finding, in the last chapter of that volume which testifies of Jesus, that the “ angel” of V. 8, at whose feet St. John “ fell down to worship,” is the vial angel who talked with him, and shelved him the “ new city,” b Ch. x. 4. xxi. 5. P 2 a Rev. v. 5. vii. 13. 212 ANGELS. the bride, the “Lamb's wife,” also the “pure river, of the water of life, clear as crystal proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb ;” and that the second part throughout, ever testifies of Jesus,—we seem justified in concluding, not only that this angel of Y. 8, who thus “tabes of the things of Jesus and shews them” to St. John, and also the “angel” of V. 16, sent by Jesus to “ testify these things in the churches,”—is the Holy Spirit; but also that the Holy Spirit is the revealer , and interpreter of the whole of this second part of Revelation. That the angel of Rev. xxii. 16, of whom Jesus says, “ I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify these things in the churches,” is the Holy Spirit, is further established by the history of the early churches, as recorded in the New Testament, for we read that when the apostles, who also were to bear witness of Jesus, “went forth and preached every¬ where,” the word was “confirmed with signs following;” 1 (the “demonstration of the Spirit:”) the “ signs, and wonders, and divers miracles,” God granted them to perform, being all, the gifts of the Spirit , who thus “ testified,” and confirmed the word preached by the apostles. To this testimony of the Spirit also, the words of Jesus to each of the seven churches in Asia seem specially to refer. “ He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.” a Mark xvi. 20. ANGELS. 213 Having identified tlie “ angel” of each of these verses, as the third Person of the Trinity; one or two other particulars may he interesting to the reader. In Revelation, though the throne is called “ the throne of God and of the Lamb,” yet he that sat upon the throne seems invariably to be God the Father. Jesus is spoken of, as being in, («,) or, in the midst of, but never on, (««?,) the throne, as will be seen by comparing the follow¬ ing passages. “ To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Rather in his throne.” Ch. iii. 21. “ In the midst of the throne stood a Lamb, as it had been slain, and he came and took the book out of the hand of him that sat upon the throne.” Ch. v. 6, 7. “ Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sittetli upon tlie throne, and unto the Lamb.” V. 13. “Hide us from the face of him that sittetli on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” Ch. vi. 10. “ Salvation to our God which sittetli upon the throne, and to the Lamb.” Ch. vii. 10. “ The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them.” V. 17. 214 ANGELS. In all these passages the Father alone is seated on the throne. * 1 Again. He who sits on the throne, that is, the Father , in cli. xxi. 6, says, “I am Alpha and Omega'' But in ch. i. 8, He who says, “ I am Alpha and Omega,” is He “ which is, and ivas, and is to come." This latter phrase also, is significant of the First Person of the Trinity, as is plain from Y. 4, 5, where the three Persons are separately described, and where, by it the Father is distinguished from the “ seven spirits which are before his throne,” and from “Jesus Christ, the faithful witness.” It occurs in only three other places;—in ch. iv. 8, where being addressed to him who “ sat on the throne,” it is evidently applied to the Father; and in ch. xi. 17, and xvi. 5, where, though not so obvious, it still appears to he applied to this same Person, as may also be inferred from the title,—“the Lord God Almighty ,”—which occurs in every passage wherein the phrase, “ which is, and was, and is to come,” is met with, (except in ch. i. 8, where the word “God” is omitted,) and invariably signifies God the Father. The title “Alpha and Omega” occurs in four passages. In two of these, as above seen, the Father a Ch. i. 8. xxi. 6, 1 See also Cli. iv. 2, 9, 10. v. 1. vii. 15. xix. 4. xx. 11. ANGELS. 215 . proclaims himself by this title; 1 hut it seems to belong not exclusively to him. For in ch. i. 10, 11, St. John hears a voice as of a trumpet , saying, “ I am Alpha and Omega;” and although this voice might appear to he that of the “ one like unto the Son of man;” yet as the “ angels” who will “ gather together the elect with the sound of a trumpet — the “ seven angels ” to whom Ch. x. 16. 1 See Part I. No. LXXXVI. c Rer. x. 11. CHERUBIM. 233 % So while tarrying in Jerusalem, waiting to “ re¬ ceive power from on high,” the “ rushing mighty wind ” filled the house where the apostles were sitting, and “ cloven tongues ,” (or rather, tongues distributing themselves,) “ like as of fire,” appeared, “ and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with \ other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Hence again the inference, that the “ seraphim,” of Isaiah;—the “Lord” of Jeremiah;—the “che¬ rubim/’ of Ezekiel;—the “ certain man,” of Daniel; —the “ mighty angel” with the rainbow on his head, of Revelation;—and the “ rushing mighty wind,” or Holy Ghost, who on the day of Pentecost de¬ scended in “ cloven tongues like as of fire —are all “ that one and the self-same Spirit ” who divides to “ every man severally as He will, the gifts of prophecy and of divers kinds of tongues ;” a for not only the apostles, hut “ in old time” also, “ holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. ,,b Further. Ezekiel expressly states, it was the “ Spirit” that spake to him, and commissioned him to “speak;” exerting at the same time an energy noticeable as being similar to that exerted when by the “ hand” of the “ certain man,’’ Daniel was “touched,” “strengthened,” and set upon his » 1 Cor. xii. 10, 11. b 2 Pet. i. 21. 234 CHERUBIM. “knees,” and tlie palms of his “hands.” a “The Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, and said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, . . and thou shalt speak my words unto them.’”’ This command was repeated, when “ the hand of the Lord was strong upon him,” and w r as then accompanied by another exercise of the mighty power of the same Spirit. “ Then the Spirit took me up on which occasion Ezekiel heard the “rush- ing’’ sound already referred to;—“the voice of a great rushing, also the noise of the wings of the living creatures.” And whence this “rushing” sound? Doubtless it was caused by the motion of the wings of the cherub, or Spirit which was carrying him away. “ So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away” e After the lapse of “seven days,” “the glory of the Lord, as the glory which ” Ezekiel “ saw by the river of Chebar,” again appeared to him, when some of the above circumstances recurred, the narrative of which proves that the ‘ ‘ spirit ’ ’ spoken of by Ezekiel is no created being. “ The hand of Jehovah was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, Go forth into the plain and I will there talk with thee. Then I arose and went forth into the plain. . . Then the Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my a Dan. x. 10, 18. b Ezek. ii. 2, 3, 7. c Exek. iii. 12—14. CHERUBIM. 235 feet, and spake with me; and said unto me, . . When 1 speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou slialt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God ,” a The like operations of the Spirit, as well as “ the hand of the Lord,” are mentioned also in cli. viii., and frequently elsewhere; and in these passages appear fresh indications that the “ cherubim,” the “Spirit,” and the “Lord,” and strange as it may seem, the “ whirlwind ” of ch. i. 4, are the same. The cherubim had the “ form of a man’s hand under their wings ;” b and in nearly the same terms a “hand” is described in ch. viii. 3, which, as will be seen, is that of the Spirit Jehovah. It is mentioned in V. 1, as “ the hand of the Lord God,” whose appearance is then described. “ The hand of the Lord God fell there upon me. Then I beheld, and lo, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of his loins even downward fire, and from his loins even upward as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber. And he,”—the Lord God,—“ put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the Spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem,” where, after shewing the prophet the abominations committed by the house of Israel, he denounces judgments in words which could he uttered by the a Ch iii. 15, 22, 23, 27. V, 11. .\. O. 236 CHERUBIM. Lord God only. “Therefore will I,” (that is the Spirit who had lifted up Ezekiel, and carried him away to various places in Jerusalem), “Therefore will I deal with them in my fury, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity.” Again, reference must be made to history, in proof that the Spirit’s conveyance of the prophet in a vision, was hut the anticipation of other myste¬ rious realities recorded in Scripture. After the “ Spirit ” had directed Philip on his way to the eunuch, and the latter had been baptized, “the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more. But Philip was found at Azotus.” 1 Paul also was “ caught up into the third heaven,” or “Paradise; ” though “ whether in the body or out of the body,” he could not tell. b That in Old Testament times such an occurence was not uncommon, may be inferred from the fear expressed by Obadiali, that as soon as he was gone from Elijah, the “ Spirit of the Lord would carry him (Elijah) where he knew not.” 0 Also from the anxiety of the “ sons of the prophets,” after his translation, to send in search of him, “ lest perad- venture, the Spirit of the Lord had taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley.” d And was it not the Spirit that did carry him finally away ? “ When the Lord would take a Acts viii. 29,38—40. b 2 Cor. xii. 2—4. d 2 Kings ii. 1G. c 1 Kings xviii. 12, CHERUBIM. 237 up Elijah into heaven ” it was “ by a whirlwind ,” or, as it is afterwards expressed, “ There appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire, . . and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven .” * 1 2 But there is a yet more memorable instance on record;—the ascension of Jesus, “ the first begotton of the dead ,” 3 whom the Spirit of God raised up . b “ While they beheld he was carried up into heaven, and a cloud- received him out of their sight .” 0 Burnished with such examples, we can the more readily apprehend, and therefore believe in future and more glorious mysteries; and realize the pre¬ dicted fact, that when at the last day, the voice of the archangel shall be heard, and the graves shall be opened, the Spirit 3 will again put forth the same mighty energy, and will “ enter ” not into one indi- a Rev. i. 5. b Rom. viii. 11, c Luke xxiv. 51. Acts i. 9. 1 These,—the “whirlwind,” “chariot,” and “horses,” will be noticed further hereafter. 2 The accompaniment of the whirlwind , mentioned by Ezekiel was a cloud. Cli. i. 4. 3 The three words, “ spirit“wind” and “breath” are in the Heb. expressed ^ nn “ The same correspondence exists in Greek between “ Spirit ” and “ wind,” both being expressed by the word iwevpa. The radical verbs are respectively p| ^ and 7n/ea>, to breathe, to blow. Query, is to “ rush ” akin to the former ? The physidal idea in both languages is wind ; i.e. air in motion. Air in itself is a type of the Holy Spirit, as a distributor of the rays of sun¬ light, for as the late Bp. Yidel romarkcd, it takes of the rays from the sun and shews them unto us. “ lie shall take of mine and shew them unto you.” Yet air at rest would be a very insufficient type, for stagnant air like stagnant water accumulates the impurities, which when in motion, it disperses and destroys. At rest, it would in due tin e be poisoned and poison all animal life ; in motion, i.e. in the form of wind it is known as the great purifying agent of nature. How apt a figure, therefore, in this condition to represent the Spirit as the agent of our sanctification.” R. J. R. 238 CHERUBIM. victual only, but into “all that are in the graves that shall hear the voice of the Son of God,” and they shall live, and shall “stand upon their feet,'' and shall come up out of their graves “ an exceeding great army;” after which those that “are alive and re¬ main, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds , to meet the Lord in the air.” a The resemblance here shewn between the effects attributed elsewhere in the Bible immediately to the Holy Spirit, and those mentioned by Ezekiel as pro¬ duced by the “ living creatures,” supply further reasons for considering the two identical. In Part I. numerous instances have been noticed wherein the Persons of the Trinity, laying aside their glory, condescended to visit this lower world as ambassadors from the court of heaven, occasion¬ ally in appearance so simple and human-like, that in “ entertaining strangers,” some have entertained these “ angels unawares.” But other instances are recorded in which they descended glorious in appear¬ ance ; while on some more rare occasions, “ heaven was opened,” and the prophets or seers were privi¬ leged to behold them in glory ineffable, and stationed also, suitably to their supreme Majesty, “ on,” or “ above,” or “ in the midst of the throne ” of glory, in the heavenly temple. Micaiah said, “ I saw the Lord sitting on his a Ezek. xxxyii. 5, 10, 14. 1 Tliess. iv. 17. CHERUBIM. 239 throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.” a Isaiah “ saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train 1 filled the temple; above it stood the Seraphim ,” b the burning or shining ones. Stephen looking up “ stedfastly into heaven,” saw the heavens opened, and the “ glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” a “A door was opened in heaven," and St. John “ saw a throne, and him that sat on it to look upon like a jasparand a sardine stone,” and “ in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts;” also, “in the midst of the throne, and of the four beasts . . stood a Lamb ."' 1 Now although “the seven lamps of fire,” mentioned in the same chapter, “are the seven spirits of God,” —that is, the Holy Spirit;—yet if we mistake not, the “ four beasts ,” 2 which are evidently the four “living creatures” of Ezekiel, also denote the same Omnipotent Being. The “ seven lamps of fire burn before the throne ” —correspond, in situation therefore, not with the a 1 Kings xxii. 19. b Is. vi. 1, 2. c Acts vii. 55, 56 d Key. iv. 1, 2, 6. v. 6. 1 Marg. “ Skirts thereof.”. 2 The word is £a>a, i,e, “ living,” which exactly answers to the Heb. word nVH already noticed in Part I. as signifying literally “living.” The word “ beasts ” is not expressed in the Greek. “ The faces of the lion , the calf.\ the man , the eagle , may have suggested our present translation, besides, that “ animalia ” in Latin (from anima,—life) really involves the same idea as £o>a and J1VH’ though applied as it is to include the brute creation.” R. J. R. 240 CHERUBIM. “Cherubim of glory ” in the most holy place, the type of heaven, the throne of God; hut with the “ seven lamps of fire,” kept burning before the veil, that is, in the first tabernacle, the type of the earth, or church on earth. * 1 In Hev. v. 6, the “ seven horns, and seven eyes ” of the “ Lamb,” also signify the “ seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” They are “ the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole earth ;” a —which “are in every place, behold¬ ing the evil and the good,” and are, in a more especial manner, “ upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy.” 1 ’ The eyes of the “certain man” of the book of Daniel,—so often referred to as the Holy Ghost,— are described, precisely as in the Apocalypse, as “ like lamps of fire words significant of that quickening Spirit who watches over each member of the ransomed church, and kindles in their hearts the flame of holy love, which burning brighter as daily it receives supplies from the olive tree, causes them to “ shine as lights in the world,” 0 and here¬ after as “ the brightness of the firmament,” or as “the stars for ever and ever.” d These seven lamps, therefore, appear to symbolize the Spirit in the delegated character in which Christ before his departure from this earth, promised to send him to his people as their abiding “Comforter” (or Counsellor); and who, in the infant state of b Ps. xxxiv. 15. xxxiii. 18. c Phil. ii. 15. d Dan. xii. 3. 1 See Part I. No. XCY. a Zech. iv. 10. CHERUBIM. 241 the Christian church, descended visibly, like diverging tongues of fire, which “sat” or rested, on each member of the “ little flock and in all subsequent ages, has continued to descend, invisibly, and to abide in the hearts of their followers ; producing in them “the fruits of the Spirit,” whereby they “glorify their Father which is in heaven.” Thus, “washed, and justified, and sanctified by the Spirit,” they are comforted and strengthened in the absence of their great High Priest, and enjoy the “ peace of God, which passeth all understanding.” Accordingly, in the address to the seven churches, He is appro¬ priately styled, “the seven Spirits which are before the throne ,” by whom, as well as by the Father and the Son, “ grace and peace ” a are bestowed. But these are not the only offices, nor is the church the only place, in which are displayed the infinite powers of the Omnipresent, Omnioperative Spirit. While therefore, the “ seven lamps of fire burning before the throne ,” represent the Spirit in his seven¬ fold, that is, perfect, agency in the church on earth; “ the four beasts which are in the midst of the throne ,” and which we suppose identical with the cherubim of glory in the Holiest of all, appear to represent the same Spirit in the temple of heaven, where with the Father, and the Son, He rules the universe. 3 Rov i. 4. U 242 C IIERUBIM. The scene described in Rev. iv. and v., appears to be a vision of the court of heaven, or presence chamber of the Lord God Omnipotent, when created intelligencies assembled together, and ranged ac¬ cording to their ranks, surround the throne, on which is seated One “ like a jaspar and a sardine stone.” The “ throne,” seems to resemble,—if the familiar illustration may he allowed,—not that whereon alone the sovereign sits, but the whole dais or elevated space appropriated to royalty, wherein the heir and sometimes others of the royal family have their appointed places. Lor besides the one “sitting on the throne,”—that is the Rather, 1 —the Lamb is “in the midst of the throne” and “in the midst of the throne” likewise, as well as “ round about the throne” are the “ four beasts .” “ The four I and twenty elders,” and beyond them, the “ many angels,” are “round about,” hut not “in the midst” of it. "Who then are the “four beasts” thus re¬ presented ? The description of the situation they occupy— “ in the midst of the throne,” and yet “round about” it,— is inapplicable to any finite being, but agrees in express terms with the words of Jehovah, who,— speaking of Jerusalem,—says, “ I will be unto her a wall of fire round about , and will be the glory in the midst of her.” 3 These circumstances therefore indicate, that the a Zech ii. o. 1 See Part I. No. XCIX. CHERUBIM. 243 “four beasts” are no created beings, * 1 but the third Person of the Trinity; distinguished from the Father, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb who stands “ in the midst of it,” by the Lamb being also “in the midst of these four beasts .” To Ezekiel also, were visions vouchsafed similar to those in Eevelation. In Cli. i. he states, that being “ with the captives by the river of Chebar, the heavens were opened, and he saw visions of God,” which he immediately describes. But the whole chapter, with the exception of the last few verses, is a description of the “ living creatures ,” which he knew “ were the cherubims .” a For though in V. 26, he describes the appearance of a “ throne in the firmament above their heads, and the appearance of a man above upon it,” yet glorious as was this sight, it seems but secondary to that of the “ living crea¬ tures,” (or rather, the “ living,”) to which he again returns in \ r . 27, probably as being those with a Ezek. x. 20. 1 tc Should any one object, that the action ascribed to the four animals in Rev. v. of having harps and golden vials, and of singing, 1 Thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood,’ is inconsistent with their being emblematic of the Trinity, we reply, that these acts are ascribed, in our authorized English version, both to the animals, and to the elders, but that in the Greek original they are necessarily ascribed to the elders only, if not restricted to them. As the participles ex ovTiS aiK ^ A-eyovres are masculine, and £u>a is neuter, they may in strict propriety be referred to npcaGvrepoi only.” “ Kev. v. 8, 9.— If the giammar of verse 8 be strictly examined, the text says, “every one of them had harps and golden phials,” where the w*ords in theGreek are ex oz/T€S ^xaaos in the masculine gender, referring to npejfcvTfpoi the elders, the more immediate antecedent; and not to £coa, or the four beasts, which is the neuter gender, and so the words ‘ Thou hast redeemed us,’ V. 9, are the words, of the elders, and not of the beasts, who may ratify all, and give their assent by saying, Amen. V. 14.”—Parkhurst’s Lex under ^*"0 R 2 CHERUBIM. 244 which he was afterwards more immediately con¬ cerned, as appears from his frequent allusions to them in the first eleven, and in the later chapters; and also as being the invincible agent by whom the dread sentence contained in the prophecy, involving “ lamentations, and mourning, and woe, ” a would be executed. The description of the “ four beasts ” of Reve¬ lation, perfectly agrees in most particulars,—that is, in number, name, countenance, and situation— with that of the “living creatures,” of Ezekiel, which, therefore, again seem identical with the Holy Spirit. In number. — “ Four beasts.” “ Four living crea¬ tures.” In name. —The word translated “ beasts,” signifies only living. That in Ezekiel is simply the living. “ Creatures ” is supplied. In countenance. —Both have the “ face of a man ,” a “ lion," an “ ox ,” or a “ calf," and an “ eagle. ,,b Both also are “ full of eyes before and behind,” or, “ round about.” 0 In situation. —The “ four beasts ” were “ in the midst of the throne , and round about the throne .” d The “living creatures” were seen “out of the midst ” of the fiery flame or throne ,' and yet sur¬ rounding it. 6 a Ezek ii. 10. t> Ezek, i. 10. Rev. iv. 7. d Rev. iv 6. . e Ezek. i. 4, 27. c Rev. iv. 6. Ezek. x. 12. 1 See Dan. vii. 9. CHERUBIM. 245 “ And I saw as the colour of amber, 1 as the appearance of fire round about within it ” (i.e. the throne ,) “from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.” b Thus as the beasts were “ round about'' and yet “ in the midst of the throne,” so was this “fire” or fiery one, that is the cherubim,—“ fire from his loins even upward and downward,” (in this resembling seraphim, ie. “ burning ones,”)—“ round about ” and yet “ within the throne.” 2 In other particulars, the “ four beasts ” also agree with the seraphim. They were “ in the midst of the throne,” (where also stood the Lamb.) So the seraphim “ stood above the throne.” 0 They resembled the seraphim in the number of their wings ,—each having six. Also in the words they uttered, “ Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,” or “Lord of hosts.” Ezekiel heard a similar song of praise from the cherubim. Besides the “great rushing” noise of a Ezek. i. 27. b Is. ri. 2. 1 The word amber, the colour of wuich is as the appearance of the fiery one, occurs only here ; in the parallel passage ch. viii, 2, where Jehovah the Spirit is described ; and in the description of the whirlwind, ch. i, 4. And in ch. i, 16, and x, 9, the wheels are compared to the colour of beryl , a stone of a “ fine gold yellow colour to which also the body of the “ certain man'* of Daniel, is compared. See the parallels, p. 227. 2 As in Rev. xxi, 22, the “Lord God and the Lamb,” are said to be the “ temple ” of theheuvenly Jerusalem, so here the “ Lord God v is represented as the throne % 216 CHERUBIM. their wings, lie heard also a “ voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from this place.” 3 It must he noticed that the words which the seraphim uttered, they “ cried one to another.” These words mav therefore be, not those of reve- rential worship or adoration, but of proclamation, similar to that in Exod. xxxiv. 6, where we read, “The Lord passed by before Moses,” and “pro¬ claimed” himself “ The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious,” etc. Thus, the “four beasts,” the “seraphim” and the “cherubim” seem identical; intrinsically the same, though extrinsically varying; the two former being stationed “ within,” or “ above, the throne,” appearing as passive spectators , or witnesses; the latter darkened with a cloud and with “ one wheel upon the earth,” b as destroying agents prepared for active operation, accoutred and charged with all the munitions of war, and invested with plentitude of power, requisite for effecting the great purposes in view. * 1 * a Ezek. iii. 12, 33. b Ezek. i. 4, 15. i “ The legs and feet ” (of the Cherubim) “ were like those of a calf or ox, not crooked like the hinder legs, hut straight like the fore legs of the ox. Grod’s day of coming out against his adversaries is called his day of harvest, when he comes to reap the world and thresh the nations. The harvest was the husbandman’s year of waiting. On the threshing floor he reaped the reward of his toils, treading out the wheat with his heaviest oxen, and gathering it into his barn, and burning up the chaff with fire. Now we see why these living creatures are represented with feet like oxen, and why with the straight feet of oxen only. The weight of the oxen in threshing being chiefly on the tread of the fore feet. And why like brass. All descriptive of a power and strength that will overcome and endure in the day of harvest and of burning.”— Observations on the fourth chapter of Revelations by a Clergyman. This descriptive characteristic of the Cherubim will acquire more force when, as will be seen, the Phoenician derivation of the word is considered. CHERUBIM. 247 To return to Ezekiel’s “ visions of God ” which he saw by the river Chehar. The insufficiency of language adequately to describe the complex, spi¬ ritual realities presented to the prophet’s view, compels him to have recourse to a variety of ma¬ terial objects, which yet hut feebly represent the spiritual. Whirlwind. “Behold a whirlwind came out of the north. ” a This being no common whirlwind, though not altogether unlike one as to its appear¬ ance and effects, is explained as a “great cloud,” and a “ fire infolding itself;' 1 (or collecting itself in a ichirl ;) and in V. 16, is further described as “a wheel 2 in the middle of a wheel; and again in V. IS, as “rings so high that they were dreadful.” 3 Comparing this description of the “ whirlwind,” with that of Jehovah the Spirit in ch. viii., they prove to be coincident. a Ch. i. 4. 1 (Margin catching) Heb. nnpSntt To catch or infold itself, like fire confined in an oven, but this cannot be for any time in the open air with¬ out a miracle. Occurs also Exod. ix. 24.” Parkliurst, under npS- 2 “ ‘ Each was a wheel within a wheel, that is, as it were, one hoop or rim running through and crossing another, so as to present to the eye four half wheels or faces, one half in each direction, with one of the faces of the living creatures, and for the same purpose; so that of the wheel too it might be said, «they went every one straight forward ; whither the Spirit was to go they went, they turned not as they went.’ The wheel within the wheel not being used to signify, as the phrase is commonly used, complexity or perplexity of operation, but simplicity and unity of readiness and motion.’ A wheel of this shape is a sort of skeleton of a sphere.” Prophetic Herald, Vol. I. p, 209. 3 See Appendix H. 248 CHERUBIM. Ch. i 3, 4. The hand of the Lord was there upon him* And I looked and behold a whirlwind; ... a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself. And a brightness was about it. And out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber , out of the midst of the fire. Ch. viii. i, 2. The hand of the Lord God fell there upon : me. Then I beheld, and lo, the likeness as the appearance of fire from the appearance of his loins downwardjftrtf. Andfromhis loins even upward as the appearance of brightness. As the colour of amber . These parallel descriptions, the one of the whirl¬ wind , or “great cloud and a fire infolding itself,”— the other of the Lord God the Spirit, suggest the identity of the two; and the idea is confirmed by the text which gave rise to this Second Part, “ Who maketh the spirits his messengers, liis ministers a flame of fire” The original word also for “wind" and “ spirit,” is the same. This cloudy fiery whirlwi/nd “ infolding itself,” and shining with amber-coloured brightness, seems therefore, to be one of the forms in which God the Spirit becomes sensible to man’s organs of sight;— the medium through which he manifests his presence; —the external appearance or covering of the “Lord God,” that is, of the cherubim, or “ living creatures,” —for their likeness was seen “ out of the midst of it,”—when in this garment of light, making “ the clouds his chariot ,” and walking upon the “ icings the wind,”* (or spirit,) he marches “through the land in indignation ,” and threshes the “ heathen in a Pe. civ. 2. 3. ✓ / CHERUBIM. 249 anger,” 01 and in his “ majesty rides prosperously ;’’ b —for “the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind, and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet;”° 2 —while at the same time, shining forth from the cherubim, he leads his people “like a flock.” d And of this part of Ezekiel’s vision, was not the cloudy fiery pillar, in which the God of Israel veiled (infolded,) himself when he conducted the Israelites through the wilderness, and slew their enemies before them, a grand prototype ? The accounts of this wonderful and gracious mani¬ festation of the Almighty, on behalf of his chosen race, let it he remembered, are no fictions, but the literal history of facts which took place in ages past. “ Then the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way ; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.” 0 And when the tabernacle was made, still “ the cloud," —no common cloud, but ‘becloud of the Lord —was upon the taber¬ nacle by day, and fire was on it by night in the sight of all the house of Israel,throughout all their journeys.” * 1 a Uab. iii. 12. b Ps. xlv. 4. c Nahum i. 3 dPs. lxxx. 1. e Exod. xiii. 21, 22. f Exod. xl. 38. 1 The following further corroborates the opinion, that the “Cherubim,’' (or spirit,) and the “whirlwind” of Ezekiel, signify the same thing, and also that the words are significant of the avenging character of God when he eases himself of his adversaries, and “avenges” his own elect. Is. i, 24. Luke xviii. 7. Sir W. Betham in his “ Etruria Celtica,” (Yol. II. p- 72) speaking of Charybdis , the dangerous whirlpool of the ancients, derives the name from the Phoenician words CAp, (car,) a turn, twist, or whirl ; peilb, (reub,) tearing, destroying , rending ,—and cjAf, (tias,) current. The syllables cha-ryb , signifying a destroying whirl , are evidently the same as the IIeb. 3"D che-rub the whirlwind , or destroying Spirit. See also Appendix J. 2 The Lord also answered Job out of the whirlwind . Ch. xxxviii. 1. 250 CHERUBIM. But that which by night, “gave light” to them, was “darkness” to their enemies. Through this “pillar of fire and of the cloud the Lord looked unto, . . and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and took off their chariot wheels, . . and overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. . . But the children of Israel walked upon the dry land in the midst of the sea.” “ Eor the Lord” fought “for them against the Egyptians.”* And facts similar to these, hut inconceivably transcending them in importance and glory, and in disastrous consequences to obdurate sinners, will again occur. “ Eor the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame’" 0 “ The Lord Jesus,” who will come in the clouds, “ shall he revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God/’ 0 “ The Lord will come with fire, and with his chariot like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. ” d But to Jerusalem on the contrary, the city of his people, “ the Lord will he a wall of fire round about her, and the glory in the midst of her.” 0 For “he will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all, the glory shall he a defence .” f a Exocl. xiv. 20—29. d Is. lxvi. 15. b Is. x. IV. e Zecli. ii. 5. c 2 Thess. i. V, 8. f Is. iv. 5. CHERUBIM. 251 Wheels. Rings. 1 Id Ezekiel x. 6, the word “ wheels,” is in apposition with “ cherubims.” “ Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims!' That the “wheels” and “rings,” both figures suggestive, like the “ whirlwind,” of rotary, whirling motion, denote the same thing, may be gathered from the statement in cli. i. 18, that their rings' 2 which were so high that they were dreadful, were “ full of eyes round about them four;” and in ch. x. 12, we read,—either of the cherubim, or of the wheels (it is not easy to determine which) that “their whole body and” or even “their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and the wheels,” (not their wheels,) “ were full of eyes round about , even the wheels that they four had.” 1 See Appendix II. 2 The word “ wheels ” seems descriptive of the revolving motion of the living creatures on earthy and likewise of the effects their “dreadful rings,”— or circumferences,—produce; as “wings” are of their flight through, the heavens. There are two Hebrew words translated “ wheels ” JSIN The latter, galgal, seems expressive rather of a revolving motion , a rolling , than of a “ wheel/' It occurs three times in Ezekiel (x. 2, 6, 13) “Go in between the wheels “ Take fire from between the wheels “It was cried in my hearing, O wheel!” In all other places in Ezekiel, “wheel” is expressed by the former word. Galgal also occurs in Dan. vii. 9. “ His wheels as burning fire.” In Ps. lxxvii. 18, the same word is translated “in the heaven,” “the voice of thy thunder w T as in the heaven” i,e. in the rolling of the clouds. It occurs also in Is. xvii. 13, a “ rolling thing before the whirlwind.” Whether, therefore, that in which Deity enthrones himselt “when lie cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth,” be represented as the chariot , or car, to bear his glory,—or as the wheels of the chariot,— or the revolutions of the wheels,—or the rolling of the clouds, or of the whirlwind,— all seem descriptive of lhe appearance, or of the motion of the cherubim which Ezekiel saw T under the God of Israel, who maketh the clouds his chariot ,—who walketh upon the wings of the windy and who “ rideth upon the heavens of heavens .” Ps. lxviii. 33. 252 CHERUBIM. The “four beasts” had also the same peculiarity. “They were full of eyes before and behind .” a And how greatly does the term “ wheels,” thus understood, heighten the glory of that solemnly magnificent scene described by Daniel, b “ when the judgment was set, and the books opened,” and he beheld “ the Ancient of days” sitting on his throne of fiery flame, “with his loheels as burning fire,” “ thousand thousands ministering unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand standing before him;” —this “ throne” of “fiery flame,”—these “ ivheels of burning fire,”'—being identified as those glorious Beings, seen by St. John, Isaiah, and Ezekiel; — the “ four beasts,” the “ seraphim,” and the “ cherubim.” Besides the various terms employed by Ezekiel, others are met with, which likewise seem significant of the cherubim, or Spirit, as shewn below. Chariots. Both “wheels,” and “chariots,” (a word frequently occuring, and for which, by an easy transition, “ wheels” seem substituted, a part standing for the whole,) are compared to a “ whirl¬ wind ;” and both also occur in apposition with “ cherubim.” “ The icheels were like a whirlwind. ” c “The Lord will come with his chariots like a whirlwind .” d a Rev. ir. 6. " Ch. vii. 9, &c. c Is. v. 28. 11 Is. ixvi. 15. CHERUBIM. 253 " His chariots shall be as a whirlwind .” a “ Take fire from beticeen the wheels, from between the cherubims.’ >h “Gold for the pattern of the chariot; —of the cherubims for so the sentence should be read. “ The words ‘ chariot’ and ‘ cherubim’ are in apposi¬ tion in the Hebrew, and were probably so intended in our translation.” * 1 Probably the “ chariots of God,” of Ps. lxviii. 17, which “are twenty thousand,” i.e. two myriads, may signify the cherubim, or living creatures; in which sense also the word “ congregation,” in V. 10, should perhaps he understood; as the word thus rendered is, in Ezek. i. 5, translated “ living creatures.” This is the more likely as the Psalm refers to t\ie presence of Jehovah when marching before the people,—“his inheritance—in the midst of whom the living crea¬ tures dwelt. Horses. Zechariah saw u four chariots ” with different coloured horses come out from between two mountains, which he was informed by his infallible interpreter, were the ‘■‘■four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.” d The colours of these “ horses,”—“ red,” “ black,” “ white,’ “ grizzled and bay,”—are the same as the a Jer. iv. 13. l> Ezek. x. 6. c 1 Chron. xxviii. 18. d Cli. vi. 1, 6. 1 Prophetic Herald. Yol. 1. p. 113. 254 CHERUBIM. colours of the “ horses” connected with the “four beasts'’ of Revelation excepting that in the latter case, the fourth horse is “ pale.” Sword. Glittering Spear. As synonymous with these aforesaid terms, may also be included, the “flaming sword of Eden, which turned every way ; and the “ glittering spear ;” the word translated “ sword,” signifying any wasting , diminishing, deso¬ lating matter; also violent heat; and that translated “ glittering” signifying lightning, a “flash;" to which, in their rapid course the living creatures are com¬ pared. “ They ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning The following passages illustrate and indicate also, that where, with reference to supernatural things, the foregoing terms, or any others whereby Ezekiel describes the “ living creatures ” occur, whether together, or alone, (except of course, where applied to sinful agents,) they signify Jehovah, the living Spirit, and imply his immediate agency and presence, chiefly, “ when the enemy coming in like a flood,” he “ lifts up a standard against him.” They denote the miraculous interposition of the “ Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth,” who, when he sees that there is “ none to deliver his people,” comes “ out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity ;” b frequent a Ezek. i. 14. b Is. sxri 21. CHERUBIM. 255 prophetic allusions to which are recorded in the Bible,—that “ hook of the wars of the Lord.” a In Deut. xxxii. 35—42, the Lord forewarns his people, in most fearful terms, of the judgments which he will himself execute upon sinners. “ To me belongeth vengeance and recompense. . . Lor the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants when he seeth that their power is gone. . . Lor I lift up my hand to heaven and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh.” Ezek. xxi. 2—15. “ Son of man, . . prophecy, . . and say to the land of Israel; Thus saith the Lord; I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. . . Thus saith the Lord; Say, a sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished. It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter. . , And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled : this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. . . I have set the point of the sword against all their gates; it is made bright, it is wrapped up (marg. sharpened) for the slaughter .” This “ sword” is the sword of th eLord (“ my sword,” V. 2) and He, the slayer whose “ hand” a Numb. xxi. 14. 256 CHERUBIM. points it “against tlie gates.” He it is who “will cut off tlie righteous and the wicked;”—who “ exe- cuteth upon them the judgments written.”® Nahum iii. 1—3. “Woe to the bloody city! . • The noise of a lohip ,‘ and the noise of the rattling ,” (or rushing) “of the wheels , and of the prancing horses? and of the jumping (or jolting) “ chariots. The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear; and there is a multitude of slain.” No doubt the “bright sword,” and “glittering spear,” of these passages, are “ the weapons of indig¬ nation ” out of the “ armoury ” of Jehovah. ,J And «/ if these are the Lord’s, so must also be the “ rattling wheels/’—the “prancing horses,”—and the “jump¬ ing chariots.” The “ horseman ” who “ lifts up ’’ the sword and spear, must therefore, be Jehovah. Evidently the same “ sword,” “ chariots,” and “ horses,” are spoken of in Jer. xlvii. 2—6. “ Behold waters rise up out of the north,” (whence came also the “ whirlwind ” of Ezekiel,) “ and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabit- a Ps. cxlix. 9. b Jer. 1. 25. 1 The word translated “whip” also signifies “scourge” and is bo rendered in Is. x. 26, where the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb, is referred to as typical of future slaughter ; and also hi Is. xxviii. 15, 18, where the “over¬ flowing scourge is threatened which will pass through when the Lord will rise up as in mount Parazim, and be wroth as in the valley of Gribeon. 2 Heb. “ f° course or prance in a circle.” ants of the land shall howl. At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of his toheels, the fathers shall not look hack to their children for feebleness of hands; because of the day that cometli to spoil all the Philistines: . . for the Lord will spoil the Philistines . . O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet ?” So also in Is. lxvi. 14—16. “ The hand of the Lord shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies. Por, behold, the Lord will come with f re, and with his chariots like a whirlwind to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. Por by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.” Turning from prophecy to history, it will be found that again the latter coincides literally with the above denunciations. "When “ Benhadad, king of Syria, gathered all his host, and went up and besieged Samaria, and there was a great famine in Samaria,” no human arm was lifted up against him; yet when the lepers went up to their camp, and were come “ to the uttermost part of the camp, behold, there was no man there. Por the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses even the noise of a great host. . . Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their 258 CHERUBIM. tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. . . And the people” (of Samaria) “ went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians.” 3 The same powerful agents who thus discomfited the host of the Syrians, and whom the Lord caused this host to hear, Be caused Elisha’s servant to see, when a “ great host” of the Syrians, “ both with horses and chariots, compassed the city” of Dothan in search of his master. “ His servant said unto him, Alas, my master ! how shall we do ? And he answered, Eear not; for they that be with us are more than thev that be with them. Arid Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw ; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha,’”' These are notable examples of the ways of God with man, in delivering his people and destroying their enemies. When “ he saw that there was no man, . . his arm brought salvation unto him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds accordingly he will repay; fury to his adversaries, a 2 Kings vi. 24, vii. 3—7, 16. b 2 Kings vi. 13—17. 259 CHERUBIM. recompence to his enemies. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun.” Then follows the passage so frequently referred to,—“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him; and the Redeemer shall come to Zion.” a And are not these two,—the “ Spirit” and the “Redeemer,”—the “ couple of horsemen’ reported of by the “ watchman,” in Isaiah’s “ grievous vision,” * 1 ' which is compared to “ whirlwinds in the south?” He saw “ a chariot with a couple of horsemen; a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels. . . And he cried, a lion. . . And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men with a couple of horsemen" upon which is immediately announced, “ Babylon is fallen, is fallen;” an event which in Rev. xviii. 1, 2, is announced by the “ angel ” who “ came down from heaven, having great power” and who “cried mightily with a strong voice, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.” 1 Storms, Waters, etc. A “ destroying storm,” a “ flood of mighty waters,” a “ tempest of hail,” and similar expressions, appear to mean the same as the “ destroying wind ” of Jer. li. 1, that is, the “ whirl¬ wind” or “ cherubim.” Eor example, Jer. xlvii. 2, » Is. lix. 16—20. b Ch. xxi. 1—9. 1 See Part I. No. LXXXVIII. S 2 260 CHERUBIM. already quoted with reference to the glittering spear. “ Behold e waters ’ rise up out of the north, which as an overflowing flood, shall overflow the land.” Also Is. xxviii. 1—3, “ Behold the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which, as a tempest of hail, and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.” This woe is denounced against “ the crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim.” “ Eor the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.” a And what was “ his work, his strange work ’’ in Perazim ? “ His act, his strange act ” in Gibeon ? Of the former we are only told, that “ the Lord said unto David, Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came ” and smote them there, the Lord having “ broken forth” * 1 upon his enemies, as the “ breach of waters .” b Respecting the latter, Gibeon, we read, “The Lord discomfited them, (the five kings of the Amorites) and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way to Bethhoron; and as they fled, the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them, . . And they were more which died » V. 21. b 2 Sam. v. 19, 20. 1 Heb. to “ break forth” hence, “Perazim.” V ! " ' * CHERUBIM. 261 with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.” Nor was this all; for at the command of Joshua, upon Gibeon also, “ the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day;” and the “moon in the valley of Ajalon,” until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.” “ And there was no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man. For the Lord fought for Israel These historical facts referred to as examples by the inspired penmau, having been brought to pass by Jehovah himself, not less directly by Him, will the “strange works” and “strange acts,”—the judgments predicted in this chapter,—be executed upon the “ crown of pride,” “ the drunkards of Ephraim,” whom this “mighty” and “ strong one” as a “ tempest of hail,” a “ destroying storm,” and a “flood of mighty waters overflowing ” shall cast down to the earth, “ and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place,” when “the glorious beauty which is on the head of the fat valley shall be as a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer! ” b What a contrast between the blessings once pronounced on this tribe,—“ on the head of Joseph and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren,” 0 —and these denunciations! The “ breach a Josh. x. 12—14. b Is. xxviii. 1—4, 17. c Gen. xlix. 26. 262 CHERUBIM of waters,” and the “ tempest of hail,” formerly directed against the enemies of Israel, now over¬ whelming these erring children,—The Lord, who declares, “ I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand, and a strong arm, even in anger and in fury, and in great wrath ” a no longer fighting for, but against them. Earthquake. Another sign of the immediate presence and special interposition of the Almighty, who alone doeth great wonders, is the earthquake, a visitation rarely, if ever mentioned in the Bible, except in connexion with these extraordinary occasions. And the quaking, or trembling not of the earth only, hut of other things, and of persons also, seems to indicate the same special presence and agency; even that which caused “ the posts of the door ' ’ to move* when Isaiah heard the voice of the seraphim; and again, “ the place to be shaken, when the disciples were gathered together, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost .” 0 The following illustrations refer to the period of the second Advent. “ The Lord reigneth ; let the people tremble; he sittetli between the cherubims: let the earth be moved .” d a Jer. xxi. 5. b Is. vi. 4. c Acts iv. 31. d Ps. xcix. 1. CHERUBIM. 263 “ The Lord reigneth ; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about him. His lightnings enlightened the world. The earth saw and trembled. The hills melted like wax, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.”* “ Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, . . let all the in¬ habitants of the land tremble : for the dag of the Lord cometh,. . a day of darkness, and of gloominess, a day of clouds, and of thick darkness; . . a great people and a strong .'.. A fire devouretli before them and behind them a flame burneth. The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a fame of fire that devouretli the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. They shall run like mighty men, they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and tliev shall not break their ranks ; neither shall one thrust another; they shall ivalk every one in a Pa. xcvii. 1—5. 1 Is not this “ great people and strong,” before whom a “ fire devouretli,” the “ Lord of Hosts” of the above Psalm, before whom also a “ fire goeth and burneth up his enemies round about ? ” The word rendered “ burneth ” in these two places, and which occurs again, and bears the same rendering in Ps. cvi. 18, —“ a fire was kindled in their” (Korah’s) “ company, the flame burned up the wicked,”—is the same as that translated “ flaming ,” in Gen. iii. 24, “ a flaming sword and again, “his ministers a Jlaininy fire,’ 1 in*Ps. civ. 4,—the ba>is of this Part of the present work. 264 CHERUBIM. liis path,” (like the cherubim which “went every one straight forward,”) “ the earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble. And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it ?” a Other phenomena attending these earthquakes may here be noticed, which, unlike the prophetic instances already cited, are historical, and stated in the plain chronicle of facts. The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “ Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord . . and after the wind, an earthquake . . and after the earthquake a fire; and after the fire a still small voice, . . and the Lord said unto him, Go,” etc. b “ And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord, had delivered h im out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul. . . In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. Then the earth shook, and trembled ; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth b 1 Kings xix. 11—15. a Joelii. 1—11, CHERUBIM. 265 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub , and did fly : and he teas seen upon the wings of the wind. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning, wad discomfited them. . . He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me for they were too strong for me. ’ ’ a In Ps. lxviii. 7, 8, the Psalmist relates what had taken place at an earlier period. “ O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness, . .theearth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God, . . at the presence of the God of Israel. ’ ’ Nor is this a mere poetical description. It is the simple record of facts, witnessed not by one indivi¬ dual only, but by all Israel, and of which a fuller history is given in Exod. xix. 9—20: xx. 18. “ The Lord said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee. . . Go unto the people, and sanctify them, . . and let them be ready against the third day; a 2 Sam. xxii. 1—18. Comp. Ps. xviii. 266 CHERUBIM. for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. . . And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud ; so that all the people that teas in the camp trembled, . . and mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. And the Lord came down upon mount Sinai.” And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings' and the mountain smoking. The prayer of llabakkuk, though partaking also of a prophetic character, refers to the same event. “ God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens . . and his brightness was as the light; he had horns” (rays or beams of light) “coming out of his hand; and there was the hiding of his power. Before him went the pestilence, burning coals- went forth at his feet. . . The everlasting mountains were scattered, 1 The word here rendered ‘ 5 lightnings ” is not the one generally so trans¬ lated, hut “TO 1 2 ? a lamp or torch. It occurs first in Gen. xv. 17, where, as here, it is spoken of in connexion with a “ smoking furnace.” It is again used, and translated “ lamps” in the two parallel columns in p. 227. 2 Or flashing fire ; marg. burning diseases. C H ERUBIM. 267 * » r ii the perpetual hills did how. . . I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction, and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. . . Was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation P 1 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. . . The mountains saw thee and they trembled; the overflowing of the river passed by; the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their habi¬ tation ; at the light of thine arrows they went; and at the shining of thy glittering spear. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people. . . Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters. . . The Lord God is my strength . . and he will make me walk upon mine high places.” a After referring to occurences at Sinai,—occur¬ ences so “ terrible,” that Moses said, “ I exceedingly fear and quake ,”—the writer of the Epistle to the He¬ brews is in cli. xii. 26, led on to the contemplation of similar but more tremendous circumstances yet to transpire. “ Whose voice then shook the earth, but now hath he,” the Lord of Hosts, “ promised, saying, yet once more I shake not the earth only but also heaven .” After this catastrophe only such things will remain as “ cannot be shaken.” a Hab. iii. 3—19. 1 Comp. Ps. xviii. 10. “ He rode upon a cherub.” 268 CHERUBIM. In the New Testament history also, earthquakes are recorded. When Paul, ordained by Christ to preach to the Gentiles, was imprisoned at Philippi, while he and Silas, his fellow-prisoner, at midnight prayed, and sang praises to God, “ suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison icere shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed,” not by the jailor, for he “ was asleep,” 3 but evidently by the same power which was manifested, when to Peter, also a prisoner, the “angel of the Lord” came and delivered him. “ His chains fell off from his hands,” and when he and his Deliverer “came to the iron gate which leadeth unto the city, it opened to them of his oivn accord ;” b that is, at the presence of the Lord, who said to Cyrus, “ I will go before thee, . . I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron.” 0 Again, at the resurrection of our Lord, “ behold there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.” Here, as in the instance already cited from the book of Exodus, the cause is plainly stated to be the imme¬ diate presence of the “angel of the Lord,”—that is Jehovah. Hence the earthquakes and all other supernatural “ shakings,” and “ tremblings,” men- a Acts xri. 25—27. ]l Acts xii. 7—10. c Is. xlv. 2. CHERUBIM. 2G9 tioned in Scripture, appear attributable to the special presence, whether visible or not, of the # same Almighty Power. When the “ certain man” whom Daniel saw in his “great vision,” came and touched the prophet, and he heard the voice of his words, he “ stood trembling ,” a A similar etfect was produced on Elipliaz, when in visions of the night, “ a thing was brought secretly ” unto him, doubtless by that same “ He- vealer of secrets” who “in a night vision” revealed to Daniel the “secret” of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream ; and who in the above, and several other visions, revealed “ deep and secret things. Eor the “ God in heaven is He that revealeth secrets.'"' —Eliphaz says, “Now a thing was brought secretly to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falletli on men, fear came upon me, and trem¬ bling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a Spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice,” (marg. “ I heard a still voice,”) “ saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God,” etc. 0 The voice Elijah heard when the “Lord ” spake to him, was a “ still small voice” a Dan. x. 8, 11. b Dan. ii. 19, 22, 28, 47. « Job iv. 12—16. 270 CHERUBIM. “The sound of a going” (stepping or marching) “ in the tops of the mulberry trees,” that was to be heard when the Lord should “ go out before ” David, “ to smite the host of the Philistines,” 3, may also be classed among these examples as significant of the presence of the Lord. Again, In the history of Jonathan, when the large army of the Philistines, having gathered them¬ selves together to fight with Israel, and “the men of Israel seeing they were in a strait, hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits,” Jonathan and his armour- bearer determined to go alone, and attack the gar¬ rison from the “sharp rock” “over against Mich- masli” where the Philistines were “ encamped ;” for he knew that there was “ no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few,” and trusted that He, who had so often “ wrought deliverances for Israel,” would on this occasion, “work” for them, and I “ deliver” the Philistines “into their hands.” Ac¬ cordingly, in the subsequent history, we find the following record; “And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling .” After which “behold the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.” And “ so the Lord saved Israel that day.” b a 2 Sam. v. 24. b 1 Sam. xiii. 5, 6. xiv. 1—23. CHERUBIM. 271 One other instance, though future, must yet be pointed out: that “ great shaking” which in the day of the fire of the wrath of God, will be in the land of Israel, when at his presence , “ the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall' shake, and the mountains shall te thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground;” when more¬ over there will be “an overfloicing rain, and great hailstones, fire and brimstone.” a 1 Brightness and Glory. Two other particulars closely associated with the Cherubim, are mentioned by Ezekiel. The “ bright¬ ness ,” and the “ glory of the Lord,” or “ of the God of Israel” 4 Brightness. Ezek. i. 27. “And I saAv as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it ” (the throne) “ from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the a Ezek. xxxviii. 19—22. 1 The various renderings of the Heb. word rosli (Der. English rush) earthquake, or trembling, from to tremble , shake , or quake , may be noticed. Earthquake ... 1 Kiug9 xix. 11. Is. xxix. 6. Amos i. 1. Zech. xiv. 5. Confused noise . Is. ix. 5. Great commotion Jer. x. 22. Hushing.Jer. xlvii. 3. Ezek. iii. 12, 13. Shaking.Ezek. xxxviii. 19. Rattling.Nahum iii. 2. 272 CHERUBIM. appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.” So far the description of this “fire” (or fiery one) round about within the throne, and encom¬ passed with “brightness,” corresponds, as before shewn, with that of the fiery one of ch. viii. 2, as also, in its chief particulars with that in V. 4 of the whirlwind, or living creature, again described in Y. 13, as “like burning coals of fire” which “was bright and went up and down among the living creatures.” But here, in Y. 28, this “brightness ” is further described. “ And it had brightness round about, as the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain , so was the appearance of the brightness round about.” This beautiful comparison is highly suggestive. “ The bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain; ” set there as a “token of the covenant” of peace God made with man, 8 is mentioned again in Rev. iv. 3, and there, as in Ezekiel, it surrounds the throne. “There was a rainbow round about the throne.” The four beasts also “were round about the throne,” as again, “ the fiery one of Ezekiel was round about within it.” It is mentioned in only one other place, Rev, x. 1; not there, however, as encircling a throne, but as on the head of a mighty angel who is clothed with a cloud. “ I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head.” a Gen. ix. 11, 13. CHERUBIM. 273 i Each of these,—the “cherubim,”—the “four beasts,”—and the “ mighty angel,” has been identi¬ fied as the Holy Spirit. Hence the conclusion, that the “ brightness ” of prismatic splendour spoken of by Ezekiel, was aneffulgence from that flaming Holy One a within the throne, who is equal in glory with the Eather and the Son, and who, both in the taber¬ nacle and the temple, was represented within the veil, —the “Holiest of all,”—by the “Cherubim of Glory.” And in that sublime object, which originates in the heavens, but rests on earth; and which, though formed by particles of colourless light issuing from one common effulgence, at its source too dazzling to behold, is seen in mild radiance in the day of rain in sevenfold diversity of hue, each hue possessing different qualities and powers, but distributed in that perfect symmetry and harmony of colouring which gives intensity of beauty to the “ appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain,”—what a beautiful figure do w r e behold of that “ One and the selfsame Spirit ” who is styled the “ seven spirits of God which are before his throne ,” and the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth, ” b —of that Spirit hy whose extent of powers, and “ glorious ministration,” are carried on in infi¬ nite, but perfectly concordantliarmony, those “diver¬ sities of operations ’ ’ which tend to the peace and secure the salvation of Christ’s body—the church'— a Is. x. 17. *> Rev. i. 4. v. 6. T 274 cherubim. while sojourning on earth; and who also, when their Lord was about to depart, and the clouds would veil him from their sight, was promised to he sent to his people in this, their “ day of rain.” 1 In its form too,—the arch, —indicative of strength, may be seen a type of Him who strengthens the people of God, and one of whose names,— Gabriel, —signifies “my strong God.” And in connexion with this part of our subject may be noticed Parkhurst’s observation on the word rm in Ezekiel translated “living creature.” He says, “It is generally rendered ‘ to live,’ but this seems rather a secondary sense, derived from the primary one of being vigorous, strong .” His remark, also, on the rainbow, is pertinent to its association with the name Gabriel. He observes, “ the ancient Greeks seem plainly to have aimed at its emblem¬ atical signification when they called it if/?, an easy derivation from the Hebrew m\ to teach, shew ; or if with Eustathius, we derive from the Greek word s'fw, to tell, carry a message, its ideal meaning will still be the same.” 2 —The special offices of Gabriel seem to be, to “teach,” “shew,” “tell,” “ carry a message ,” as well as to “ strengthen .” 3 1 With reference to this number seven , as illustrative of the harmony which pervades nature, attention may be drawn to the interesting fact discovered by Sir I. Newton, viz., That the proportions the seven colours of the rainbow bear to each other, exactly correspond with the proportions the seven notes of the natural scale of music bear to each other ; and further, that these proportions, though so greatly varying, yet in both cases occur in exactly the same order. 2 IIeb. Lex. under 3 See also Appendix K. \ CHERUBIM. 275 * i Again. In this ethereal arch is presented an illustration of the manner in which such spiritual existences as we are now considering, which have 5 ‘neither flesh nor bones,” may yet assume form , colour , and every “ appearance ” (the word so oft repeated, seven times in these two verses alone,) of substantial, material, though transparent bodies. “ This was the appearance ,” not of “ the glory of the Lord,” hut of the likeness of “the glory of the Lord.” a The “ glory of the Lord ” itself, may therefore be a distinct appearance. And in Exod. xxiv. 17 , the “ sight,” or appearance of this, (the same word in the Hebrew) is described not “ as the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain,” but as “like devouring fire.” But before entering further into the subject of the “ glory,” a few preliminary remarks must be offered. Various modes of communicating to man the truths contained in the inspired volume, were, from time to time, adopted by his Creator. In the infancy of the world, the Lord appeared personally , and con¬ versed with his people “ face to faceas in the case of Abraham, “the friend of God,” to whom, at “his tent door in the plains of Mamre,” “ the Lord appeared,” and foretold the birth of Isaac, and the destruction of Sodom. T 1 a V. 28. 276 CHERUBIM. To Isaac also he “ appeared/’ and renewed the pro¬ mises he had before made to Abraham, as he also did to Jacob, who at Peniel saw God “face to facer Manoah likewise and his wife saw God when he foretold to them the birth of their son. Hence we find the statement, “No man hath seen God at any time,” a and other similar passages, are not to he taken in the full sense in which they are sometimes understood. To Moses also, “who received the lively oracles to give unto us,” b the Lord spake “ face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” c This was the last instance of such intimate converse of God with the prophets “until Christ came;” for “there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt ;” d with whom, also, he spake “ mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches.” To other prophets the Lord spake not “ mouth to mouth, even apparently;” neither did they behold the “similitude of the Lord,” as did Moses. To them, the Lord said “ He would make himself known in visions, and would speak to them in / dreams .” e Henceforth, therefore, visions and dreams were a John i. 18. b A.cts yii. 38, d Deut. xxxiv. 10, 11. c Exod. xxxiii. 11. e Numb. xii. 6, 8. CHERUBIM. 277 y T I the chief means of divine revelation to man, more especially with respect to future events; and this, not only until the “greater Prophet” than Moses arose and taught his people personally, but until the last declaration of his will to the world by the Apostle John. A further means was by the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate of judgment/ whereby the Lord responded to the enquiries of those who sought his direction in particular cases of doubt and difficulty. 1 ' Such revelations of his will, however, were not strictly prophecies, that is, predictions of the future, which as above said were revealed generally, either in visions, when the Lord made himself visible to the prophets; or in supernatural dreams, merely speaking to them. In the days of SamueFs childhood “ the word of the Lord was precious; there was no open vision — “ probably no vision of the glory of the Lord breaking forth in visible tire, light, or splendour. ’ ’ 1 Wherefore they who beforetime were called “ Seers,” were henceforth called Prophets. 0 Samuel, we read, “ did not yet know the Lord;”—the Lord had not yet made himself “.known ” in a vision ,—had not been visible to him. “ Neither was the icord of the Lord yet revealed to him,”—the Lord had not yet spoken a Exod. xxviii. 30. b Comp. Numb, xxvii. 21. Judg. xx. 18, 23, 2G, 27. 1 Sam. xxiii. 9—12. xxx 7, 8. c 1 Sam. ix. 9. 1 Park hurst’s Lex. 278 CHERUBIM. to him in a dream. But “ ere the lamp of God was gone out in the temple,” Samuel, still a mere child, lying down to sleep had either a dream or a vision. The Lord “ came ” and stood and calling him four several times,—Samuel not being aware until the last time that it was the Lord, but supposed it to he Eli who called,—revealed to him the condemnation suspended over the house of Eli,which coming to pass, and as Samuel grew the Lord suffering “ none of his words to fall to the ground,” ‘’'all Israel knew that Samuel was established to he a prophet of the Lord.” a 1 “ And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh : for the Lord revealed himself in Shiloh by the icord of the Lord." Whether he here manifested himself visibly or not, it was not in “glory,”—not in an “ open vision,”—“ hut by that which yet was “precious,” whether seen in visions, or heard in dreams; that is, “ by the word of the Lord.’’ If by this expression,—“ the word of the Lord,” —is to he understood that “Word” who “was with God and was God,” then, obviously, a large portion of scripture must have been dictated by the Second Person of the Trinity, since the phrase, “ the word of the Lord came to me, saying,” etc., * a 1 Sam. iii. 1 The first predictions of the prophets had generally, as in Samuel’s case, a speedy fulfilment, the Lord thus witnessing to their truth in order that their prophecies referring to more distant times might be believed. “ If the thing followed not, nor came to pass,” he was not a prophet of the Lord, but had “spoken it presumptuously.” Deut. xviii. 22. « CHERUBIM. 279 so often recurs;—the Word probably dictating on these occasions audibly, without appearing in a vision to the prophets. The Third Person, however, the Spirit, is eminently He who “moved holy men of God,” as also others, “ to speak in old time—who “ came upon them and they prophesied.” For “ they spake not by the will of men, but as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. ” a * “ The Spirit of God came upon Saul,” the anointed captain of God’s inheritance, “ and he prophesied .” b “ The Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul,” now rejected from reigning over Israel, “ and they also prophesied.” 0 Upon Balaam, “ the man which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty,” “ the Spirit of God came, and he took tip his parable ,” d —he prophesied. “ Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied .” e A remarkable instance is mentioned in Numb. xi. 25. “The Lord came down in a cloud, and spake to Moses, and took of the Spirit that teas upon him,” (upon Moses, see V. 17.), “ and . the prophet and that heavenly Power by whom he was “strengthened,” and fitted for these ministerial duties. Hence, not only authority, hut also the supernatural powers essential for these purposes, appear to have been thus given, and, generally, by the touch of that hand, 1 which, like the “ finger ” of God, wrought wonders in other ways also. A notable instance of this occurs in the narrative of Belshazzar’s feast. “ In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the King’s palace ” the portentous words announcing the calamities about to befal this king of the Chaldeans in that eventful night when he was slain and Darius the Median took the kingdom. 11 And mav not the “fingers” of this “man’s hand” sent from God, (see V, 24) be those of the Cherubim or Spirit, who had “ the form of a man’s hand under their wings ?” The same may be understood also in Exod. xxxi. 18, “ God gave unto Moses two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God;” and again in cli. viii. 19,—“The magicians said unto Pharoah, this is the finger of God!” Eor in Luke xi. 20. we read, Jesus said, “If I with the finger of God, cast out devils,”—the real signification of which we find in the parallel a Dan v. 1 Doubtless in this originated the “ laying on of hands,” which wo find mentioned in Ileb. vi. 1, ns one of the fundamentals of the Christian religion, and which is observed in tlie Christian church to the present day. 282 CHERUBIM. passage, Matt. xii. 28,—“ If I, by the Spirit of God, cast out devils.” Hence the two expressions, the “ hand of the Lord,” and the “ finger of God,” which are always associated with some miraculous agency of the Spirit, seem to have become appellations for that Divine Being by whom prophecy, and all other miraculous gifts were imparted. Glory. Resuming our enquiry respecting the “glory” in Ezekiel’s vision, we find that this prophet, like Daniel, had, at four different times, the dates. of which are carefully noted, visions, termed by him “visions of God;” and in each separate account the “ hand of the Lord ” is mentioned. But besides these visions with which the prophet was favoured, the “ word of the Lord ” frequently “came” to him during the intermediate times; several of the dates of th ese being also carefully noted. On two other occasions also, of which the date of only one is given, the “ hand of the Lord ,”—the Spirit,—“came upon him;” in the first instance manifesting his immediate presence, or operation, by opening the mouth of the prophet, who had for a time been dumb, as a sign of the accomplishment of previous predictions ; a in the second instance (the one without date,) he relates, “ The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the a Comp. Ezek. xxxiii. 21, 22, with xxiv. 26, 27. CHERUBIM. 283 1 (9 i 1 valley which was full of bones.” a This is often called “the vision of dry bones,” but is no where so termed by Ezekiel. The four visions, which it may be conjectured were “open” visions, since in them were seen “light, and fire, and splendour”—“ the glory of tlieLord,” or “ of the God of Israel,”—the prophet links together by stating in each successive vision, where, or when, the glory had been seen on the preceding occasion; passing over the times, when alone either the “ word of the Lord,” or the “ hand of the Lord ” came to him. The first, vision was in the fifth year of Jelioiacliin’s captivity, and by the river Chebar, where “ the word of the Lord” came “expressly” to him, and “the hand of the Lord ” was upon him, and he saw “ the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord .” b The second vision was seven days later, when again he states, the “ word of the Lord came unto me, and the hand of the Lord was upon me;” and being commanded to “ go forth into the plain,” “ Behold the glory of the Lord stood there as the glory which I sate by the river Chebar. ” c Evidently therefore, the glory was visible upon that first occasion. The third vision was in the sixth year of the cap¬ tivity, when the “hand of the Lord God ” fell upon him, and the Spirit lifted him up “between the earth and the heaven, and brought ” him “ in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that a Ch. xxxvii. 1. Ch. i. 1—3, 28. c Ch. iii. 16, 22, 23. 284 CHERUBIM. looketh toward the north.” “And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision which I saw in the plain." al In this third vision, men described as having destroying weapons in their hands are commanded to go through the midst of the city , Jerusalem, and “smite" destroying utterly both “ old and young,” excepting those previously marked. b The last vision was in the twenty-fifth year of the captivity, and the fourteenth “after the city was smitten;”—the event predicted in the third vision. —Then again, the “hand of the Lord” was upon him, and after transporting him to a “very high mountain” in the land of Israel, and thence to several places in a city the “frame” of which was by the mountain, he was brought to the east gate of the outer court, when, he says, “ Behold the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city" —marg. “ when I came to prophecy that the city should be destroyed;”—that is, according to its appearance in the preceding vision, seen nineteen years before. 0 Thus the prophet, in linking together the third and fourth visions, passes over unnoticed the various times when simply the “word of the Lord” came to him during the long interval of nineteen years a Ch. viii. 1, 3, 4. b Ch. ix. 1, 2, 5, 6. c Ch. xl. 1, 2. xliii. 1—6. 1 In ch. xii. 1 the prophet states, “ The word of the Lord also came unto me,” as was the case again on the following morning. V. 8. CHERUBIM. 285 between the last two visions; the dates of eight of which times are distinctly recorded. 1 In the last of these four visions, thus connected with each other as by a chain of glory, the prophet, with reference to this glory, expressly states not only that this vision was like the preceding one, but also that the visions (plural,) were “ like that which” he “ saw by the river Chebar ,” the first of the series; as though by alluding to that vision, to recall attention to the glorious scene he, in the first instance, had attempted to depict. Now although “glory” is properly an attribute of Deity, yet the “glory of the Lord,” or “of the God of Israel,”—like the “ word of the Lord,” and the “ hand of the Lord,”— are expressions which seem frequently used hy Ezekiel as appellations for one of the Persons of the Trinity who in these visions appeared to him in glory; but not, as will be shewn, for the Third Person, the Cherubim, who therefore, was not the only one seen in these visions. And on l These dates are as follows :— Year. Month. Day. Ch. Ver. 7. 5.10.xx. 1. 9.10.10.xxiv. 1. 11... 1.xxvi. 1. 10 .10.12.xxix. 1. 11 . 1.7.xxx. 20. 11 . 3. 1.xxxi. 1. 12 .12. 1.xxxii. 1. 12.,,.15.xxxii. 17. One more date is given in the chapters which occur between those recording the third and fourth visions, but this date being the twenty-seventh year, the first month, the first day of the month, ch. xxix. 17, is later than the fourth vision. 286 CHERUBIM. • again turning to ch. i, we find that to Ezekiel, as to other prophets, was manifested in these visions the presence of the Triune God. Having continued to V. 24, his description of the “ living creatures,” he then proceeds to notice in Y. 25, other particulars, the first of which is “ a voice from the firmament.” The word “voice” occurs in V, 24, hut only in order to describe the “noise” caused by the wings of the Cherubim, which was “ as the voice of the Almighty.” But the “voice” of Y. 25 is literally a voice. Further, the noise Ezekiel heard when the “ living creatures went” and it was the “noise of their icings .” The voice he heard “ when they stood” and had “ let down their wings.” Moreover, this “voice” was heard “from the firmament that was over their heads;” therefore proceeded not from the Cherubim, hut from some other existence. In V. 26, another particular is named. “Above the firmament . . the likeness of a throne ’ ’ and upon this throne, “ the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.” But as the “ voice ” of V. 25, was not that of the living creatures, so neither was this “appearance of the likeness of a man,” that of the “living creatures.” Eor this was upon a throne “above the firmament” which, also, was “ over their heads.” In V. 27, in order to describe the “brightness,” Ezekiel again returns to the Cherubim or cherub, CHERUBIM. 287 which elsewhere, he states, he saw under the God of Israel/ In these three verses therefore, (V. 25, 26, 27,) three distinct subjects of the vision are mentioned. The “voice from the firmament:”—The “likeness of a man upon a throne—And the fiery one “ round about within it.” The fiery one, “round about within it,” seems evidently to be the Third Person in the Godhead. The “likeness of a man” upon the throne, He, who though “in the form of God,” and the “express image of his person,” “was made in the likeness of men.” b / The “voice from the firmament,” it may he in¬ ferred, was that “voice” which at the baptism of the God-man, Christ Jesus, was heard from heaven, saying “This is my beloved Son:”—on the “holy mount,” was again heard from heaven, repeating the same words :—and again heard from heaven, answering this well beloved Son, when his soul was “troubled,” and he prayed, “Father glorify thy name.” 0 As therefore when “the heavens were opened,” by Jordan’s waters, St. John heard the “ voice ” of the Father, acknowledging the Son; and saw the Son in the likeness of a “man;” and the Spirit in the form of a “ dove d so, when “the heavens were opened” by Cliebar’s waters, Ezekiel heard' a “ voice < i l » Ch. i. 20. t> Phil. ii. 6,7. 0 Malt. iii. 17. 2 Pet. i. 17,18. John xii. 27,28. d Matt. iii. 16, 17. 288 CHERUBIM. from the firmament;” and saw the “likeness of a man ” upon a throne; and the Cherubim in flaming fire “ round about within it.” Thus the same Three who manifested themselves individually to St. John by Jordan’s stream in the wilderness of Judea,—asthey hadpreviously toDaniel by KiddelceVs “ great river” in the land of Babylon, * 1 seem also to have revealed themselves individually to Ezekiel, when by the river Chebar , among the captives in the land of the Chaldeans,—in what are truly called “visions,” or “seeings of God .” 11 To which of these Three, then, is the title, “ the glory of the Lord,” or, “the glory of the God of Israel,” applied by the prophet ? That neither is applied to the Third Person,—the Cherubim;—and that the “brightness,” as before remarked, is not the same as the “glory,” seems evident. The “brightness,” appears to be an irradiation from the Cherubim; whereas “ the glory of the Lord,” (Ezekiel here using the expression as an appellative,) “stood over the Cherubims;” and, “ the glory of the God of Israel was over them above. ” b The “glory” also seems to exist, and to act inde¬ pendently of the Cherubim. “ The glory of the God of Israel is said to have “gone tip from the Cherub ,” —or Cherubim,—“ whereupon he was, to the thresh- a See 2 Chron. xxvi. 5, marg. b Ch. x. 18, 19. i See Part I. No. LXXX. s r CHERUBIM. 289 hold of the house,” whence this “glory” speaks both to the prophet and to others. So, also, the “ glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub and stood over the house. ” a It has also been seen that V. 27,—where the “brightness” and “tire ” which was “ round about within” are mentioned,—is descriptive of the Che- rubim, likewise described in V. 13, as in appearance like “ burning coals of fire” which was “ bright” and “w r ent up and down among” them. Consequently this fiery bright appearance, more fully described in Y. 28, and again mentioned in ch. viii. 2, appears to be a manifestation of the Third Person, or Cherubim, seen “under the God of Israel.” 1 But we find in this last chapter, that this fiery appearance and brightness is beheld by the prophet, and by this “hand of the Lord,”—this fiery bright one,—he is lifted up, and carried from his house in Chaldea to Jerusalem, before the “glory of the Lord” is pre¬ sented to his w r ondering gaze. Hence, while it would appear that the “ bright¬ ness ” is peculiarly the glory, as it were, of the Cherubim, neither the “glory of the Lord,” nor the “glory of the God of Israel,” is applied as a title to the Spirit, with whom the Cherubim seem identical. They, therefore, appear to He titles a Oil. ix. 3. x. 4. 1 In Is. x. 16, 17, we read, “ Under his glory he shall kindle a burning, like the burning of a fire. And the light of Israel shall be for a fire . and his Holy One for a flame And in Hab. iii. 4, 5, “ His brightness was us the light. . . and burning coals went forth at his feet." U 290 CHERUBIM. designating one of the Persons of the Trinity, noticed in Ezekiel’s first description as above the Cherubim. The “glory of the Lord ” “ stood over the Che¬ rubim;” i.e. in the same situation as the “glory of the God of Israel,” which latter was “ over them above,” and which “glory” was evidently the “ God of Israel” under whom Ezekiel saw the living creatures. But, whether the “ God of Israel” is He who in the “likeness of a man” was seen upon the throne, (inferred to he the Son,) or He whose “ voice was heard from the firmament,” (inferred to he the Eather,) is not very obvious. A “ man with an inkhorn by his side,” to whom the “ glory of the God of Israel” gives a command, is mentioned in ch. ix.; hut from several particulars named, this “man” appears to he, not the Second, hut the Third Person of the Trinity. He is described as “ one man clothed in linen,” (V. 2.) In the same words He who appeared to Daniel by the river Hiddekel, is described. “ Behold, a certain man,”—marg: “ one man ”—“ clothed in linen. ” a He is also to “ set a marie upon the fore¬ heads” of such as were to he saved from the de¬ struction impending over their fellow-men. (V. 4-6.) This “man,” therefore, appears to be that Being by whom Daniel was instructed and strengthened; a Dan. x. 5. CHERUBIM. 291 and by whom, also, the ransomed of the Lord “ are sealed unto the day of redemption;” —the “Holy Spirit of God.” a Moreover, this “man with a writer’s inkhorn by his side,” is one of seven ; the six others coming “ from the way of the higher gate that lietli toward the north ”—the same locality whither the fiery bright one had, earlier in the same vision, carried the prophet ; b —this “ one man” alone of seven, like that one angel of the seven with vials 0 who “ carried ” St. John to different places, appearing to be he who brought this prophet from the “ inner gate that looketli toward the north,” to the places subsequently named. Also, after the six angels had poured out their vials of the wrath of God, and the seventh had also poured out his vial, a voice from the throne was heard saying, “ It is done.”' * 1 So, after the six men with slaughter-weapons had gone forth, and smitten the city, and the seventh had performed his part of the embassy, he reports, “ I have done as thou hast commanded me.” 6 In Ezekiel’s fourth vision also, a “man” f presents himself, who though differing in appearance, this one being like “ brass,” 1 and with different imple¬ ments,—a “line of flax” and a “measuring reed,” —yet seems to be the same “ man'' who in the third a Eph. iv. 30. Rev. vii. 3. b Cli. viii. 3. c Rev. xvii. 1. xxi. 9, 10. d Rev. xvi. 17. e Ezek. ix. 11. 1 Ch. xl. 3. 1 Compare this word as it occurs in the parallels in page 227. U 2 292 CHERUBIM. vision, was clothed in linen, and with an inkhorn by his side. For by this “man,” or “hand of the Lord,” (V. 1,) the prophet is “brought,” as in the third vision, to various places mentioned in this and the following chapters, until he is finally taken up and “brought,” evidently hy the same person, i “ into the inner court.” a Further : This man who “ took up ” and “ brought ” the prophet to the inner court, and who “stood by” him while he heard the glory speaking out of the house (V. 6,) is, in V. 5, called the “ Spirit ;” as he who in the third vision, brought him first to Jerusalem and then to several places in the temple, or house, of that city, is also called “ the Spirit. ’ ’ And of the ‘ { living creatures, ’ ’— identified as the Spirit,—we read, “They had the likeness of a man.” Hence, the “ man,” in both cases, appears to he that Spirit whose multitudinous offices and opera¬ tions carried on throughout the universe in infi¬ nite variety, occasion him also to appear in multi¬ tudinous characters and forms; whether as a dove; as “cloven tongues like as of fire as angel; as man; as Cherubim; or as Seraphim; and whether as one ; or as seven; or whatever number or variety of appearances he may assume. The “ man ” of the last two visions, being identi¬ cal with the Cherubim, cannot he the “ man ” who a Ch xliii. 5. CHERUBIM. 293 appeared “ on tlie throne ” seen “ above the heads ” of the Cherubim. We therefore have yet to learn, which of the two so situated, (namely, the “ man on the throne,” and the one whose “voice” was heard in the firmament) is meant by the “glory of the Lord,” or of the “ God of Israel;” as also whether both titles belong to the same Person. On tracing the movements of the “ glory ” from place to place in the last two visions, in which are foreshadowed the destruction , and the restoration of Jerusalem, we find they singularly correspond with those of our Saviour from the time of his last visit to the temple, when he foretold its destruction, with further details of the tribulation and final destruction awaiting Jerusalem; and of his coming again, when all things will be restored. In Ezek. x. 18, “ we see the glory,” (which had previously visited other parts of the house or temple,) “withdrawing from the temple.” “ Tlie glory of the Lord departed from off the threshliold of the house” “ In xi. 22, 23, we see it de¬ parting from the city, and taking its station on the mount of Olives.” It “ stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.” “ In Y. 21, it is received up into heaven.” “ So the vision that 1 had seen, went up from me. In Matt. xxiv. 1, we read, “ Jesus w r ent out and departed from the temple .” He then took his station on the mount of Olives. “ As he sat upon the mount of Olives.” V. 3. After his resurrection, ap¬ pointing his disciples to meet him on this mountain, “ He was received up into heaven ,” “until the times of restitution of all things.” Matt, xxviii. 10. Mark xvi. 19. 294 C H E R TJ E I M. “ In xliii. 2, the glory we see again descending upon the mount of Olives, returning by the way of the east.” “The glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east , and the earth shined with his glory, and behold the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose pros¬ pect is toward the east ” V. 4. “ And filling the house of God.” “ They lory of the Lord filled the house.” V. 5. 1 “ This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, will so come, in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” “And in that day his feet shall stand on the mount of Olives, which is before Je¬ rusalem on the east” Acts i. 11. Zech. xiv. 4. He will come “in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory” Matt. xxiv. 30. From tliese correspondencies, it may be concluded that both these titles,—the “ glory of the Lord,” and the “ glory of the God of Israel,”—are applied to the same person;—to the One seen upon the throne in the “likeness of a man.” And this is the more probable, since in 1 Cor. xi. 7, man is said to be “the image and glory of God.” The titles, therefore, are peculiarly appropriate to the “man” Christ Jesus, whom Thomas called “My Lord and my God; ’ ’ and who, though dwelling on earth in the “ likeness of man,” was yet the “ express image” of God, and the “brightness” of his (i glory;” and whose glory was the “glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” This “ man, Christ Jesus,” now “ received up into heaven,” is with his “ Father in Ms throne;” but hereafter, he will come and sit in his own throne, 1 The passages in the left-hand column, exclusive of the texts of Scripture, are from a pamphlet, entitled, “ Observations on .Revelation. Ch. ix. Bv a Clergyman.” CHERUBIM. 295 with the twelve apostles “judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” 3 Agreeing with this, the throne upon which this “man” is seen by Ezekiel in the first visions, is represented as “ like a sapphire stone, ” b a stone of beautiful azure blue; and “ so called perhaps, from the number of gold coloured spots with which it is beautified.” “The sapphire of the ancients was a semi-opake stone of a deep blue, veined with white, and spotted with small gold coloured spangles, in the form of stars. A pavement therefore, of sap¬ phires, is, in a comparison, very properly joined with the body of the heavens in its clearness. Exod. xxiv. 10.” 1 This throne of “sapphire,” then, is a beautiful representation of the blue heaven studded and spark¬ ling with its golden stars; the throne of him who says, “ The heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool. Where is the house that ye will build unto me, and where is the place of my rest ?”° In the last vision, the sapphire throne is not named. But, as though instead thereof, when the “ glory of the Lord God,” coming from the “way of the east,” while the “earth shines with his glory,” enters the house planned or measured by the Great Architect, he proclaims this house to be “ the place of his throne , and the place of the soles a Rev. iii. 21. Matt. xix. 28. i Parkliurst under nso b Ezek i. 26. x. 1. c Is. lxvi. 1. 296 CHERUBIM. of his feet, where he will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel for ever.” a 1 The circumstances foreshadowed in the third vision, seem to have been accomplished at the time of, or shortly after our Saviour’s first advent. The last vision seems to refer to the time of his second advent; when this, to the Jews long expected Messiah, shall leave the sapphire throne of his heavenly Father, and returning to earth with “power and great glory,” shall inherit and sit upon his own throne, and shall reign over the house of Israel for ever,—pre-eminently the King, as well as the “ Lord God of Israel.” From this review, we infer that the “ glory” seen in these visions, indicated the presence of Him who proceeded from the Father, and who though “made in the likeness of men,” was yet “ in the form of God,” and the “ express image of his Person;”— while the fiery bright appearance manifested His presence “ who proceedeth from the Father and the Son;”—the Spirit, or living creatures (which had also * the “ likeness of a man,” b ) and, which appearance as before observed, may be that spoken of in Y. 28, not as the “glory of the Lord,” hut as the “likeness of the glory of the Lord.” * 1 2 * a Ezek. xliii. 2—7. b Eztk. i. 5. 1 The walls of this house will be adorned with cherubim, as were those of the tabernacle, and temple of old. Ezek. xli. 18, 20, 25. 2 “ The Hebre w yi is one of the highest epithets known in that language, and signifies great in power, wisdom, and glory , or, whatever can be termed CHERUBIM. 297 From sacred history again we learn, that what Ezekiel saw in visions, represented not mere em¬ blems, hut realities; that not only the winged- clierubim whose fiery brightness, and whose whole appearance probably, resembled precisely the che¬ rubim within the vail “made after the pattern” of things Moses saw in the mount, and also those placed at the “east of the garden” of Eden; but likewise, that the “glory of the Lord,” or “of the God of Israel,” was not a mere symbol, or title, but an appearance of, or assumed by Him who is the “ light of Israel,” and “a consuming fire;” —a lu¬ minous effulgence emanating from Deity, and thus manifesting the presence of Him who “ covereth himself with light as with a garment;” and which effulgence, or glory, was occasionally seen not only in visions, but by the natural sight, as a physical reality. The “ pillar of cloud and of fire” was an appearance distinct from “the glory of the Lord.” For the “ cloud of the Lord, was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, thoughout all their journeys” Whereas the “ glory of the Lord,” was visible only on extraordinary occasions. perfection. ^ is indisputably a particle of likeness, similitude.'’ Parkhurst under yo . .. .. The word “ cherub” therefore, which, from a comparison with the Phoenician word, charyb- dus, seems to denote a “ destroying whirl,” (see p. 249,) signifies also, “ likeness of the glory ” Nor are the two definitions incompatible, since both meet in Ezekiel’s description of the whirlwind , and fire infolding itself; whence, doubtless, the bright appearance. 298 CHERUBIM. The expression, “ the glory of the Lord,” is first Exod. xvi. 7. Scarcely had two months passed since Miriam, responding to the inspired song of grateful praise poured forth by Moses and the children of Israel for their mighty deliverance from Egyptian bondage, echoed back their words, “ Sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea;” a while they acknowledged that he was “glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders,” (V. 11,) before the people murmured against Moses and Aaron, the Lord’s appointed ministers; therefore against the Lord. The Lord heard their murmurings, and as though to remind them whence these ministers derived their authority, “it came to pass, as Aaron spake to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. ” b The glory was again visible to Israel when Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, with seventy of the elders of Israel, were called up into the mount. The whole scene was singularly analogous to Ezekiel’s glorious “visions of God.” “They saw the God of Israel: and under his feet, as it were, a paved work of a sapphire stone, and, as it were, the body of heaven in his clearness. . . , Thev saw God and did eat and a Exocl. xv. 1, 21. b Exfrd. xvi. 2—10. CHERUBIM. 299 drink, . . . and Moses went up into the mount of God, . . and a cloud covered tlie mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days, and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire, on the top of the mount, in the eyes of the children of Israel ” a The prayer of Moses, “ I beseech thee shew me thy glory ,” b (which occurs next in order), not having been answered, it will suffice here to observe, that the Israelites being then in covenant with Jehovah and under the “ law of commandments contained in ordinances,” 0 the “ glory of the Lord,” which was generally, if not always, accompanied by consuming fire, was withheld only until such works had been accomplished, and ordinances observed, as would allow of the Lord granting the petition, without seeming to derogate from his attributes, either as a just and “jealous,” or as a “ merciful and gracious ” Lord God. 1 These three occurrences, on the first two of which the glory appeared, took place before the “ taber¬ nacle,” properly so called,- was erected; the taber¬ nacle God commanded Moses to make after a pattern shewn to him in the mount. a Exod. xxiv. 9—17. ^ Ch. xxxiii. 18. c Eph. ii. 15. 1 The enquiry concerning the subject of this prayer,—the “ glory,”—being too lengthy for insertion here, will be found in the Appendix L. 2 Sec Appendix M. 800 CHERUBIM. The next occasion was on the first rearing of this tabernacle, which the Lord commanded to he made that in it he might dwell among his people, and which, together with the altar, and Aaron and his sons appointed by the Lord to minister unto him, the Lord said he would sanctify with his glory. Accordingly, in ch. xl. 17, we find that “ in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month,” Moses reared up the tabernacle; and oyer the tabernacle he spread abroad the tent, and put the covering, (of ram’s skins dyed red,) “ of the tent above upon it, as the Lord had commanded Moses.” And after this, Moses having anointed the tabernacle and all therein, and hallowed or sanctified it, * 1 and anointed the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and sanctified it; and the laver and his foot, and sanctified it; and put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anointed and sanctified him; and clothed his sons with coats, and anointed them; and burnt incense upon the altar; and so finished the work “ according to all that the Lord had com¬ manded him,” a —still all was not complete. But the Lord then added that which yet was wanting. “ A cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the a V. 1—33. 1 “ Sanctified,’ * and “ hallowed,” are expressed by the same word in He¬ brew- CIIERUBIM. 301 congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle .” a Thus, the tabernacle was “ sanctified by the glory” But not yet was the heavenly sanctification finished. The priests , Aaron and his sons, who were to “ minister to the Lord,” though already anointed, and Aaron also “ sanctified ” by Moses, were not yet “ sanctified by the glory.” Seven days more elapsed before this took place, during which interval the priests went not out of the tabernacle of the congregation. But on the eighth day, a sin offering, and a burnt offering having been offered, both for Aaron and all the people, “ all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord.” Then “ Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out and blessed the people;” when again “ the glory of the Lord appeard unto all the people.” And “ there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat.” b Until “ sanctified hy the glory,” the priests did not officiate. The sacred offices had until then devolved on Moses, who, it may be presumed, had been “ sanctified by the glory ” which was reflected in his face “ while the Lord talked with him” on mount Sinai. Bor on descending, the “ skin of his face shone,” so that the children of Israel “ could a V. 34, 35. b Lev. ix. 23, 24. Exod. xl. 302 CHEEUBIM. not stedfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of liis countenance ,” a While the chosen people had no settled place, hut were journeying through the wilderness, their only habitation being those “ goodly tents ” of Jacob, and “ tabernacles ” of Israel spoken of by Balaam, 15 the Lord also, who led them, “ dwelt not in any house,” but “ walked in a tent and in a tabernacle;” 0 the former, probably, being the tent spoken of in Exod. xxxiii; and the latter, the tabernacle sanctified by the glory. But when they were established in their own “good land,” and had built “goodly houses” to dwell in, a house must be built for Je¬ hovah,—“ a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.” d And as the “ tabernacle ” was built after a pattern given to Moses by the Lord, and was “ sanctified by the glory;” so this “ house” was built by Solomon after a pattern the Lord made known to his father David, 6 and must likewise be “ sanctified by the glory.” In other particulars also the consecration of the one resembled that of the other. At the consecration of the “house,” or “temple,” the ark of the covenant, which at this time contained alone “ the two tables Moses put therein at Horeb” when the tabernacle was consecrated, and which hitherto had dwelt “within curtains,” f having been carefully removed by the priests, and brought “to the a Exod. xxxiv. 29, 30. 2 Cor. iii. 7. b Numb. xxiy. 5. c 2 Sam. vii. 6. d Ps. cxxxii. 5. el Chron. xxviii. 19. f 2 Sam. vii. 2. CHERUBIM. 303 oracle of the house,” “even under the wings of the cherubim,” into the most holy place, (answering to the tabernacle within the vail,) and the priests having “come out of the holy place,” (answeringto the tent or tabernacle of the congregation,) “it came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord ; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instru¬ ments of music, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever; that then,” as at the dedication of the tabernacle, “ the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filled the hotise of God.”* And, as when the tabernacle was dedicated, and the priests were consecrated, and Moses the “ king in Jeshurun,” with Aaron the priest, had “blessed” the people, “fire from before the Lord came out and consumed upon the altar, the burnt offering and the fat,” and the “ glory of the Lord ” a second time appeared; so, after the dedication of the house, king Solomon, having “blessed the whole congre¬ gation of Israel,” knelt down upon the brazen scaffold in the midst of the court; and before all the congregation, “ spread forth his hands towards heaven,” and offered up his prayer to “ the Lord a 2 Chron. v. 7, 13, 14. 304 CHERUBIM. God of Israel.” And, wlien “he had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.”* Thus, not only were the priests who were “to minister” to the Lord, “ sanctified by the glory, ” but all the places intended as the dwelling place of the “God of Israel,” who is “glorious in holiness,”— the “ tabernacle ” reared by Moses; —the “ habita¬ tion ” built by Solomon;—and the “house” yet future, seen in vision by Ezekiel, b were not only planned by that “ High and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity,” whose name is Holy, but also must be “ sanctified by His glory.” This is the last appearance of the glory recorded in Old Testament history. And only in four other instances, besides those already noticed, is the glory stated to have been visible; and these four (which took place after the rearing of the tabernacle,) as well as that with which Moses’ prayer is connected, and that on which the glory first appeared, (which two latter took place before the rearing of the tabernacle,) are all instances of murmuring or re¬ bellion of the Israelites against Moses and Aaron during their forty year’s journey through the wil¬ derness. When disappointed at the report of the spies, the people murmured against Moses and Aaron, and a 2 Chron. vi. 3,12—14. vii. 1. b Ezek. xliii. 5. CHERUBIM. 305 took up stones to stone Joshua and Caleb, behold, “ the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.” These murmurers were not suffered to enter the land, but were made to wander forty years in the wilderness, where their “ carcases ” fell until they were “consumed.”® In the “matter of Korah,” “ the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.” “ And there came out a fire from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men,” who not being of the family of Aaron, or even of the tribe of Levi, impiously presumed that they also had a right to the priesthood. b Again, “ on the morrow, all the congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord. And it came to pass, when they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation, behold, the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared .” Then wrath went out from the Lord, and fourteen thousand seven hundred of these rebels died of the plague ere an atonement % could he made for them. But when Aaron took fire from off the altar, and put it in a censer, and incense thereon, he ran into the midst of the con¬ gregation, and “ made an atonement for the people and stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed.” 0 a Numb. xiv. 2,10, 34. 35. b Numb. xvi. 1, 2,19, 35. c Numb. xvi. 41—48. X 306 CHERUBIM. Lastly, “ the glory of the Lord appeared ',” when at Meribah the people “gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron,” and “strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.” a Whether on this last occasion God manifested himself as a “ consuming fire,” is not stated; hut on every other, whenever the “ glory of the Lord ” appeared, from the time it was seen on Sinai “ like unto devouring fire f either men obnoxious to the wrath of God, were themselves “ consumed,” (though not always by the agency of fire,) or their substitutes, —the sacrifices of the Jewish ordinances,—were “ burnt with fire from the Lord.” In the New Testament, which records the intro¬ duction of the dispensation of grace, we also find the glory sometimes appeared, hut unaccompanied by these awful consequences. When the angel of the Lord announced to the shepherds the “good tidings of great joy,” the “ glory of the Lord shone round about them.” b When Jesus was transfigured on the holy mount before the three disciples, “ the fashion of his coun¬ tenance was altered,” “his face did shine as the sun,” and “his raiment was white, and glistering,” —“ exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them,”—and “ they saw his glory .” c At the resurrection of our Saviour “ the angel of a Numb. xx. 2, 7, 13. b Luke ii. 9, 10. c Matt. xyii. 2. Mark ix. 3. Luke ix. 29, 32. CHERUBIM. 307 the Lord descended from heaven,” whose “ coun- tenancewas like lightning ;” a — i.e. shining with glory. The “ light ” which “ shined in the prison ” when the angel of the Lord came to Peter ; b and the “ light above the brightness of the sun” in its noon¬ day splendour which “shone round about” Saul when Jesus met him on his way to Damascus so that he “could not see for the glory of that light,” 0 —are further, and the only remaining instances of the “glory” being visible during the days of our Lord and his apostles. For one thousand years immediately preceding these days, that is, from the dedication of the house built by Solomon to the birth of Christ, we have no record of its appearance in scripture history; nor have we any account of such appearance during the eighteen hundred years since the close of the sacred canon. But from scripture prophecy we know that a time will arrive, when again the “ glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” “ For when the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory f when also, not only a “ taber¬ nacle,” or a “ house,” but “ all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord .” d With the following conjectures, which have sug¬ gested themselves during the present Enquiry, we close this Second Part. a Matt, xxviii. 2, 3. b Acts xii. 7. c Acts xxii. 11. d Numb. xiF. 21. Is. xl. 5. Ps. cii. 1C. X 2 308 CHERTJBIM. Though the “ Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one: the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal;” yet as in the material heavens, “there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars,” which also differ from each other in glory ; a so like¬ wise in the Lights of the spiritual heavens, each of the three divine Persons seems to have his own distinct glory. For at the second advent, “ the Son of man will come in his own glory, and in his Father’s” and in that “of the holy angels.” * 1 And further;—though “in this Trinity none is afore or after other, none is greater or less than another,” yet, as regards their situation, these glories, (each the manifestation of Deity,) have a precedence with respect to each other. For while the “ brightness,” —(of Ezek. i. 28,) which seems to he the glory of the Cherubim, or Third Person,— surrounds the throne; the “ glory of the Lord,” or of the “ God of Israel,”— apparently that of the Second Person,—“ stood over” the Cherubim;" —was “ over them above.” This glory of the Second Person, would probably he that of which the three apostles had a view on the holy mount, when He received “honour and glory” from his Father, and they “ beheld his glory,” the glory as of the “ only begotten of the Father.” b b 2 Pet. i. 16, 17. John i. 14. i See Part I. No LXIII. a 1 Cor. xv. 41. CHERUBIM. 309 \ But besides this, there was the “ excellent glory ;” that is, the supreme glory, whence proceeded the Father’s words, “ This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.’’ This “ excellent glory ’’ —being veiled, or, as it were, adumbrated by the bright overshadowing “ cloud out of which the voice was heard,—must have been Ilis who dwells “ in light which no man can approach unto,”*—that of the First Person, the “Father of Glory.” 1 ’ Glory is phatically, eternally, his attribute. To Him it inseparably belongs. Not so with respect to the Son, the once crucified “ Lord of Glory.” 0 “ Though the brightness of his” Father’s “ glory, and the express image of his Per¬ son,” he laid aside the glory he had before the foun¬ dation of the world, and took upon him the form of a servant. Hence the prayer poured forth in this state of humiliation, “ O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (1 This prayer had already been in part anticipated ; “I have both glorified it ” (bis name) “ and will glorify it again.” 0 lie bad “ received honour and glory from the Father ” at his transfiguration; and again will glory be given him by the same “ Ancient of days.” 1 And as “ glory” seems primarily to belong to the Father,—the “ God of glory ” (probably) of Acts vii. 2,—so “power” is chiefly ascribed to the Holy Spirit. a 1 Tim. vi. 16. d John xyu. 5. b Kph. i. 17. c Ch. xii. 28. c 1 Cor. ii. 8. 1 See Dan. vii. 13,14. 310 CHEEUBIM. “ God anointed Jesus of Nazareth udth the Holy Ghost and with power? ’ a The apostles were to “tarry in Jerusalem” until they should he “endued with power from on high,” b for they would “ receive power after that the Holy Ghost was come upon them—marg. “th e power of the Holy Ghost coming upon them.” 0 “As many as received him to them gave h e power * 1 to become the sons of God,” d “being horn again,” —marg. “ from above,”—horn of the Spirit and receiving “ the Spirit of adoption, whereby they cry, Abba, Father.” 0 “I am full of poiver by the Spirit of the Lord.” f “ Strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” 8 And repeatedly do Ave read of the Spirit entering into, and “strengthening” the prophets of old. 2 Glory and power being thus the more special at¬ tributes of the First and Third Persons respectively, Ave can understand why, in one passage, Ave read, “ The Son of man” will come “in the glory of his Father, witli the holy angels ,” h —that is, with the Holy Spirit ;—and in the parallel passages, “ They shall see the Son of man coming in tire clouds of heaven with power, and great glory, ”*—that is, Avith c Acts. i. 8. f Micali iii. 8. i Matt. x\iv. 30. Mark xiii. 26. 2 See Part I. No. LXXX. a Acts x. 38. b Luke xxiv. 49. d Johni. 12- e Kom. viii. 15. ? Eph. iii. 16. h Mark viii. 38. 1 e|ourrm, right, authority. CHERUBIM. 311 I 1 r « the “ Cherubim of Glory,”—“ the Holy Ghostand “the Father of Glory.” Connected with this coming of the Lord, another circumstance is mentioned. The “ diadem” was to he “removed,” and the “ crown ” taken off the profane wicked prince of Israel “ until he should come whose right it is, and I will give it him,” “ saitli the Lord God.” a And Daniel, with the eye of prophecy looking forward to this time, describes One “ like the Son of man, coming in the clouds of heaven,” to whom was given, together with glory, “ dominion everlasting, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom which shall not be destroyed .” 15 Then will he “build the temple of the Lord,” “bear the glory,” and “sit and rule upon his throne ;” 0 an event which will be proclaimed by “ great voices in heaven,” saying, “ The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” “ And on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name is written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.” d Hence, the “ kingdom” seems specially to ap¬ pertain to the Son ; — “ glory,” to the Father;— and “ poicer,” to the Spirit. Further;—we believe, and arc “compelled by the Christian verity, to acknowledge every Person by himself to be both a Ezjk. xxi. 25—27. ^ Dan. vii. 13, 14. c Zocli. vi. 13. d Rev. xi. 15. xix 1G. 312 CHERUBIM. God, and Lord,” still in the New Testament, the title, “Lord,” seems more generally applied to the Son, and that of “ God,” to the Father. While then, “ we worship One God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity,” neither “ dividing the substance nor con¬ founding the Persons,” all of whom are “co-eternal together and co-equal,” there yet seems a peculiar significance in the closing words of our Lord’s prayer,—“Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory ,”—addressed to the Tri-une Lord G-od Omnipotent. For there is “ one Spirit ,”—Omni¬ potent; “one Lord ,”—for “every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; ” and “ one God and Father of all .” 8 From the examples cited from Scripture history in this Second Part, as compared with the prophetic passages, we see that many of the latter are ex¬ pressed, not in figurative or symbolic language, hut require to he understood literally. While Israel lived under a theocracy, as also during the earlier ages of the world, the “Lord God of Israel” in the greatness of his power and “ brightness of his glory,” ever and anon manifested himself visibly, both to his “peculiar people,” and to the nations of the earth. Subsequently such mani¬ festations were more rare; and since the establish¬ ment of Christianity, his visible presence has been a Eph. iv. 4, 8. Phil. ii. 11. 1 Athanasian Creed. CHERUBIM. 313 altogether withheld. But from prophecy we learn that when the “ kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ,” he will he seen “coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” to “reign for ever and ever,” when events analogous to those former ones may be again expected. “ In those days, will the Lord revive his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act.” a There will be a repetition of those mysterious, glorious occurrences; and pro¬ phecies yet unfulfilled will have a literal accom¬ plishment. Now, as in the days of Samuel’s childhood, there is no “open vision,” and by faith only, we see “ through a glass darkly Him who is invisible.” But the Lord shall again appear and shall be revealed in glory, when “every eye shall see him;”— and the body “ sown in dishonour ” will be “ raised in glory and we shall appear with him in glory, and shall see him “face to face,” and know him even as we are known;” for the earth shall he filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” b Then “ the tabernacle of God will be with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.” And their city shall have “ no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God will lighten it, a Hub iii. 2. Is. xiviii. 21, b JIab. ii. 14. 314 CHERUBIM. and the Lamb will be the light thereof,” 3 And upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, the Lord will create a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night. Lor upon all, the glory shall he a defence.” b Then we may behold the same “ visions of God,” which not only Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and St. John, hut also Moses, and Aaron, Kadab, Ahihu, and the seventy elders of Israel saw :—the “ paved work,” as it were the “ body of heaven in its clearness—the firmament in colour like the “ terrible crystal—the fiery throne like as of a “ sapphire stone;”—and “the Lord sitting upon it, to look upon like a jasper, and a sardine stone —and “ the Lamb as it had been slain, in the midst of it;”—and the “ Cherubim of glory,” (the living creatures,) also “in the midst of it, and round about it—and the “glory of the Lord, in sight like unto the appearance of devouring fire;”—and the “brightness” surrounding it, “as the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain.” Then may we also hear the “ voice like the noise of great waters, the noise of speech as the noise of an host;”—and the Hallelujah of the Seraphim “ crying one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God of hosts,” “the whole earth is full of his glory.” “Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory ? The Lord, strong and mighty, ; a Rev. xxi. 3, 23. b Is. iv. 5. CHERUBIM. 315 tlie Lord, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and the King of Glory shall come in. "Who is this King of Glory ? The Lord of hosts. He is the King of Glory.” Then too, will he heard the chorus resounding from the “ ten thousand times ten thousand,” and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “ Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” And the response of every creature,—■“ Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, he unto him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever.” And the “Amen;” and “Alleluia.” And the “voice out of the throne, saying, Praise our God all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.” And “ as it w r ere the voice of a great multi¬ tude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, FOR THE LORd GOD OMNIPOTENT REIGNETII ! ” $Ja*t Mh GODS. Part ♦ GODS. The subject of this Third Part, unlike the subjects of the two former Parts, has reference to created beings only. Ps. xcvii. 7. Worship him, all ye gods. The word “ gods,” is a term with which most are familiar, occurring as it does in almost every page of the early books of the Old Testament, while yet of its true meaning or varied application, no very definite idea may have been formed. In many cases it evidently means nothing more than “ gods of wood and stone, the work of man’s hands; which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.”* But this seems only a secondary application a Deut. iv. 28. 320 GODS. of the term; for from the manner in which it, and its apparent synonymies are used in other cases, it can scarcely he understood as applying to any hut animate intelligent creatures. In Ps. xcvii. 7, they are commanded to “worship” God. “ Worship him, all ye gods.” The gods of Egypt are also said to have “ dealt proudly.” “The Lord is greater than all gods, for wherein they dealt proudly, he was above them.” 3 This language cannot refer to gods of wood or stone; for how can such “worship,” or deal “ proudly?” The Israelites were to “ make no covenant” with the gods of the Canaanites; b —a prohibition that cannot allude to idols of wood and stone, with which no “ covenant” could in reality be made; and which, though called gods, were only images of their gods, and not the gods themselves. Eurther, where it is stated, “the Egyptians buried all the firstborn which the Lord had smitten among them,” 0 it is added, “ Upon the gods also the Lord executed judgments,”—a circumstance recorded, it would appear, as a still more fearful and indisputable evidence of the “ mighty hand, and outstretched arm, and great terribleness, ” d with which the Lord brought the Israelites out of the land of bondage, hut which would scarcely have been compared with the former calamitous judgment,—the destruction a Exod. xviii. 1 b Exod. xxiii. 32. d T)eut. xxvi. 8. c Numb, xxxiii. 4. GODS. 321 of the first-born,—had these gods been things with¬ out life. In many parts of Scripture, created intelligencies, both holy and sinful, differing from man, are spoken of under various titles, including those already noticed,—“ angels,” and “ spirits.” “ I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.” a “The host of heaven worsliippeth tkee.” b “ The Lord shall punish the host of the high ones on high.” 0 St. Paul speaks of “angels,” “thrones,” “princi¬ palities,” “ powers,” “the rulers of the darkness of this world,” “ spiritual wickednesses in high places,” —marg. “ wicked spirits in the heavenlies,”—“ the prince of the power of the air,” “ the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” d St. Peter and St. Jude also speak of “angels,” and spirits ;—“ angels that sinned—“ angels that kept not their first estate, reserved in chains under darkness“ spirits in prison.”' In llevelation we read of “the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon. These created intelligences are also spoken of as “ stars,” and “ sons of God.” 1 a 1 Kings xxii. 19. b Neh. ix. 6. c Is. xxiv. 21. d Rom. viii. 38. Eph. vi. 12, ii. 2, e 2 Pet. ii. 4. 1 Jude 6. 1 Pet. iii. 19. 1 See Appendix N. Y 322 GODS. “ The morning stars sang together and” (or, even,) “ all the sons of God shouted for joy.” a . “ The sons of God saw the daughters of men.” b There was a day when the sons of G-od came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.” 0 “ They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera.” d “ How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,— marg. O day star —son of the morning.” e All the forementioned titles,—including “ sons of God’ ’ when applied to beings who existed before the present dispensation,—as also, “kings,” “princes,” “lords,” “rulers,” “mighty,” etc., together with those well known, and less ambiguous titles,—“ the devil,” “ Satan,” “ Beelzebub,” “Baal,” etc., seem employed to designate spiritual intelligencies; and several of them being applied to the gods of the heathen mentioned in scripture, they claim attention here. Possibly in Ps. xcvii. 7, they are compre¬ hended under this one general term, “ gods.” This word in Hebrew signifies “sworn covenanters ,” and is used alike in speaking of the true God, and of the “ objects of heathen worship.” 1 When used in the latter sense, though afterwards applied to graven images, it seems originally to have meant the above created intelligent beings, whether corporeal or purely spiritual, and some of whom existed prior to a Job xxxviii. 7. b Gen. vi. 2. c Job i. 6. ii. 1. d Juclg. v. 20. e Is. xiv. 12. 1 Barr’.» Memoirs. See Part I. No. LXXII. GODS. 323 man’s creation; for when the “ foundations of the earth ” were laid, “ the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” 1 The various terms noticed in this Third Part will now be considered only as they are applied to sinful beings. Prom the history contained in scripture of the patriarchal and Jewish ages, it seems more than probable that during these periods, not only the devil, hut others also of these beings, though not authorized, were permitted to appear and commu¬ nicate with man, from whom they received, if they did not claim, the homage due alone to the One “ true and living God.” This idolatrous worship seems to have been then almost universal; a few individuals only,—the chosen servants of God,—forming the small exception. To them, from time to time, He also appeared, and made his covenants with them; when, as though to distinguish himself from other gods who were “ mighty,” he proclaimed himself by the name of “ God Almighty .” “ The Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God, and I will make my covenant between me and thee.” 1 a Gen. xvii. 1, 2. 1 “The Greeks and Latins did not mean by the name ‘god,’ an all-perfect being, whereof eternity, infinity, omnipresence, etc., were essential attributes. With them, the word only implied an excellent and superior nature; and accordingly, they give the appellation ‘ gods,’ to all beings of a rank or class higher and more perfect than man; and especially to those who were inferior agents in the divine government, all subject to the One supreme/’ Encycl. Britt. Art.: Gods. Y 2 324 GODS. S ubsequently, he appeared to Moses, and announced himself by the name “ Jehoyah,” a name which signi¬ fying He that was, and is, and shall be, the self- existent, and eternal, entirely distinguished him from all created gods. His “ name alone is JEHOVAH, the Most High oyer all the earth.” a God spake unto Moses and said unto him, “ I am the Lord,” (Jehovah,) and I appeared unto Abraham, and unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah, was I not known unto them.” b His character as expressed by that name, had not yet been evidenced as it soon would be, by the judgments executed upon the gods of Egypt. Afterwards, conformably with the covenants which he made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob, he chose their children “to be a peculiar people unto him¬ self,” that he might “ make them high above all nations . . and a holy peopleand that he might be their God. And putting a “ difference between the Egyptians and Israel,” while he “smote the first¬ born of Egypt,” and upon their gods also “executed judgments,” he led his people safely through the Led Sea, and thence to Sinai. “Eor,” he said, “surely they are my people; . . so he was their Saviour.” And there, again proclaiming himself by the same distinctive title, Jehovah, he “ made a covenant ” also with Moses and “ all Israel;” and besides various statutes and judgments which he gave them, a Ps. Ixxxiii. 18. t> Exod. vi. 2, 3. GODS. 325 he wrote upon two tables of stone “ the "words of the covenant, the ten commandments,” a the first two of which have special reference to the gods of the Egyptians, and to those of other nations with whom Israel would come in contact, but with whom they were to make no covenant, but to keep them¬ selves entirely distinct;—a “ special,” “and peculiar people ” b unto Jehovah. “Thou slialt make no covenant icith them, nor with their gods .” c “ God spake these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” I. “Thou shalt have no gods before me.” II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image , or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve tliem.” d The first commandment refers to the gods them¬ selves ; the second, to tlieir images and likenesses. * 1 a Exod. xxxiv. 27, 28. b Deut. vii. 6. xiv. 2. ° Exod. xxiii. 32. d Exod. xx. 1—5. 1 If the gods of Gen. iii. 5 are not the self-existent, it is clear that gods existed independently of any images, and were possessed of knowledge, there¬ fore intelligent beings. They are here mentioned at so early a period of human existence, that we cannot suppose any image of them had yet been formed. “ Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” When Ezekiel, carried in vision to Jerusalem, was shewn the abominations of Israel, he saw “every form of creeping things and abominable beasts, and all the idols of Israel, pourtrayed on the walland besides these “ the scat of the image of jealousy —doubtless the images of those “ strange gods,” men¬ tioned as the “abomination ” which “provoked to jealousy” the God of Israel. Comp. Ezek. viii. 3, 5, 10, and Deut. xxxii. 16. 326 GOBS. Eor although from Deut. iv. 16, 17, it is plain that the latter refers to “images and likenesses” of beasts, winged fowl, creeping things and fishes, none of which are too mean for fallen man unrestrained by the grace of God to make objects of worship; yet that it primarily refers to those of gods, will be seen on comparing this commandment with similar prohibitions in which “ gods ” and their “ images ” are distinguished from each other.® And, as though the transgression of the first great commandment opened into the “broadroad” which leads to the breach of all the rest, and was the temptation to which God’s people were then par¬ ticularly exposed, the truth with which it is prefaced, is in the Old Testament again and again reiterated. Israel is continually reminded that, unlike the gods of other nations, their God is Jehovah, “the ever¬ lasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth,” and of all things therein; the only “ true God.” “ Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.” 13 “ Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God, yea before the day was, I am he.” 0 “ Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts, I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” “Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God.” d a See Exod. xxiii. 24. 2 Kings x. 26, 27, xvii. 35. 2Chron. xxiii. 17. b Deut. vi. 4. c l s . xliii. 12, 13. d Cli. xliv. 6, 8, GODS. 327 T “ I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” “ I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me. Thus saith the Lord, the Holy one of Israel, and his Maker, I have made the earth, and created man upon it. I, even my hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.” 3 Although in these passages it is stated that there is but one God ; yet since “ gods ” are elsewhere in scripture, repeatedly spoken of, it is evident that the former passages are not to be understood absolutely, as denying the existence of other gods; but rather are intended to impress the mind with the idea of the infinite disparity between the “ God of Israel,” —“ the Lord God Almighty,”—and these inferior deities, the gods of other nations. Notwithstanding that the “Lord, whose portion is his people” and “ Jacob the lot of his inheritance,” thus “ shewed his word unto Jacob,” “ his statutes and his judgments unto Israel,” but dealt not so with any other nation,” neither did they know his jud gments ; b and notwithstanding the repeated and awful warnings against idolatry which they received, yet innumerable were the times when they provoked to anger “ the Lord whose name is jealous, a jealous God;” c —when they “did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim and forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, the gods of the a Is. xlv. 3, 5, 11, 12. b Ps. cxlix. 19, 20. c Exod. xxxiv. 14. 328 GODS. people round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to auger, and forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth “ Jeshurun,” whom God “ found in a desert land, in the waste howling wilderness,” and “led about,” and “instructed,” and kept “as the apple of his # eye,” “ forsook God that made him, and lightly esteemed the Lock of his salvation. ’ ’ “They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up.’ ’ b We see here “devils,” and “ gods,” are in apposition. And agreeing with this sad relation of facts, is the confession in Is. xxvi. 13, where, in contra¬ distinction to Israel’s Lord, “other lords,” (though not other gods), are spoken of. “ O Lord our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us, but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.” Lor even to mention the names of other gods, (which seems to imply “ a kind of worshipping of them,”) * 1 was forbidden. Neither were they to fear or serve them; for, it would ‘ ‘ surely be a snare unto them.” “In all things that I have said unto you, be circumspect, and make no mention of the names of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.” 0 “ Be ye very courageous to keep and a Judg ii. 11, 13. b Deut. xxxii. 10—17. c Exod. xxiii. 13, 33. 1 See “ Moses and Aaron.” By Thomas Godwin. 1641. GODS. 329 to do all tliat is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them, but cleave unto the Lord your God.” a The Lord had “ charged them, saying, ye shall not fear other gods, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: but the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice ; and the covenant that I have made with you, ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. But the Lord your God ye shall fear, and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. TIowbeit they did not hearken, but served their graven images. They feared the Lord and served their own gods after the manner of the nations whom they carried away;”—marg. “who carried them away.” b Similar injunctions, and instances of Israel’s dis¬ regard of them, continually recur, in the Old Testa¬ ment especially. And would the “ gods ” have been so frequently mentioned, or have formed, as they do, the constant theme of the historians and prophets of old, had there not been besides “ graven images,” intelligent beings to whom the title was first applied ? Or can it be supposed that the “ other gods ” de- a Josh, xxiii. 6, 7, 8. b 2 Kings xvii. 33—41. 330 GODS. nounced in the very first clause of that law which was delivered from Sinai in the midst of “ blackness,” and “ fire,” and “tempestand with”a “ voice” which then “shook the earth,” were merely stocks and stones ? and that the “ High and lofty One that inhahiteth eternity,” is there named in contrast, not with man even, hut with the mere work of men’s hands—blocks of wood and stone ?—Assuredly the ✓ commandment which occupies the first place in the decalogue, speaks not of such gods as these,—inani¬ mate blocks,—hut of intelligent beings. In the second commandment graven images are spoken of, but evidently only as they are the “ images ” and representations of the “ gods.” The first “great commandment,” then, clearly implies the existence of “ other gods;” otherwise it would have been superfluous. The second, as clearly indicates that they were not all “ the work of men’s hands,” hut intelligencies existing independent of man; since the graven images and likenesses are here spoken of as those of things in “ heaven above , and in the earth beneath, and in the water wider the earth ;” and moreover, that such gods were once visible to man; otherwise a ‘‘ likeness ’’ of them could not have been made by man. St. Peter, as before noticed, speaks of “ angels that sinned;” and St. Jude of “angels which kept not their first estate,” 1 hut “left their own habitations.” 1 “ First estate,” “ apxv” translated elsewhere, “ principality.” GODS. 331 The devil,—called also “the prince * 1 of this world,” 1 * —boasted that all the kingdoms of it were at his disposal; for he had usurped possession of that earth, which though for a time thus “ given into the hands of the wicked,”—mortgaged as it were, —God gave not to him absolutely, or to his “ seed,” between which and “the seed of the woman” God “put enmity,” but alone to the children of men. “ The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s, but the earth hath he given to the children of men.” b "Whether, then, the angels which “left their own habitation,” were what is here called the “ seed ” of the serpent, and were the “ strange gods ” of Scrip¬ ture; whether, again, these “gods” were the devil’s agents on earth; or whether they were independent powers, and assumed independent possession and government of it, are questions difficult to decide. As, however, there is evidence in Scripture that the “gods” of the heathen were originally intelligent beings, and that formerly, like the true God, they, as well as the devil,—“ the god of this world,”— appeared on earth in visible form, if even they did not dwell upon it; so, there is evidence that although “ the earth was given alone to the children of men,” —that “ when God made the world, he made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth,” 0 —and that “ when the Most High separ- a John xii. 31. b Ps. cxv. 16. c Acts xvii. 26. 1 ct cLpxtov” John xiv. 30. xvi. 11. He is also called “ prince, or chief (apxuv) of devils.” Matt. ix. 34. xii. 24. Luke xi. 15. 332 GODS. ated the sons of Adam,” he “ divided” also unto them “ their inheritance,” and “ set the hounds of their habitation a yet, that in those remote ages there were races, or nations, inhabiting portions of the earth, which were not the “ sons of Adam,” and which were to he destroyed or driven out of the lands God had otherwise appropriated. Such were those giant nations, the Emims,—the Zamzummims,—the Horim, — the Anakim, —who were evidently no human beings, but who once peopled the countries God had apportioned for a heritage to the several branches of Abraham’s family. • Thus the land given to Moab was previously tenanted by the “ Emims,” 1 who “ were accounted giants ,” and who are described as “a people great and many, and tall as the Anakims.” b —The land given to the Ammonites was “ accounted a land of giants; giants dwelt therein in old time, and the Ammonites called them Zamzummims.” These also, are described as “a people great , and many, and tall, as the Anakims,” and were destroyed before the Ammonites by the Lord . 0 —The children of Esau possessed Seir, where beforetime dwelt the Horims, a Deut. xxxii. 8. b Deut. ii. 10, 11- c Y, 20, 21. 1 Heb. occurs &en. xiv. 5, 6, where four of these giant races are named, as conquered by Chedorlaomer. The meaning of “ Emims ” is “ terrible ones.” In Deut. ii. 10,11, this word is written differently,—“ But the Moabites called them common people, having conquered and driven them out. 5 ’ See Parkhurst uuder GODS. 333 evidently a similar giant race to the Zamzummims, and similarly destroyed.* The Israelites had for their portion, the land wherein “all the people ” were of “great stature compared with whom the Israelites were “ in their sight as grass hoppers; ” and where were seen “ the giants, the sons of Anak.” * 1 ' Three of these “sons of Anak,” who are mentioned by name, were expelled by Caleb from his portion, Hebron, or “ the city of Arba the father of Anak.” 0 These, and other descriptions in which descendants of the same giant races are mentioned individually, denote, not merely the superior strength, or, as some suppose, the great wickedness of these people,— extreme as this was,—but their gigantic stature ; far exceeding that of any mere human beiugs. The Jewish historian Josephus, speaking of the time when Caleb drove the sons of Anak from Hebron, says, “ There were till then left the race of giants, who had bodies so large, and countenances so entirely different from other men, that they were surprising to the sight, and terrible to the hearing. The bones of these men are still shewn to this very day, unlike to any credible relations of other men.” 1 Lord Lindsay calls attention to the remarkable fact that in the genealogy of Noah and his descen¬ dants, the only human survivors of the flood,—when b Numb. xiii. 31—33. c Josh. xy. 13, 14. Judg. i. 20. 1 Ant.: Book V. ch. 2. a Deut. ii. 12, 22. 334 GODS. every living thing “ in whose nostrils was the breath of life,” 1 and that was not in the ark, was destroyed,— no mention whatever is made of these giant nations. 2 These facts, together with the above biblical state¬ ments, seem very distinctly to mark these “ giants ” as another race of beings, who by the time of the Exode, had usurped possession of man’s estate, and were then inhabitants of our globe. It therefore seems probable that the sinful wan¬ dering angels, on abandoning their own proper “ estate ” and “ habitation,” may in their wanderings have visited this mundane sphere ; and taking pos¬ session of territories here, may have been the first “kings” and “ gods ” of those nations over which Jehovah never bore rule; a 3 —the “ other gods” of a Is. lxiii. 19. 1 Fish,—the inhabitants of the waters,—breathe through the gills, not through the nostrils ; and, it appears, were not destroyed by the flood. “ All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land , died. Gen. yii. 21, 22, 23. 2 After alluding to the “ cities of the plain, the Canaanites as a nation, the Egyptians,etc., he adds, “But there are glimpses of a race yet anterior to these. The Avim, Emim, Zamzummim, Horim, respectively extirpated by God through the medium of the Hamite Caphtorim, (or Philistines,) and the Moabites, Ammonites, and Edomites, sons of Shem;—and the Anakim, who were still flourishing at the period of the Israelitish conquest; and of whom Goliath of Gath and his brethren may have been descended.” “ These races are spoken of as giants, and were it not that the book of Genesis is so explicit in declaring the total destruction of the human race, with the excep¬ tion of Noah and his family, one would have supposed them a remnant of the antediluvians. It is singular too that there is no enumeration of these tribes in the genealogy of the descendants of Noah. Gen. x.” Progression by An¬ tagonism. By Lord Lindsay. Note. p. 23. 3 “ Diodorus Siculus distinguishes between the times when { gods ’ reigned over Egypt, and when c men ’ afterwards reigned there.” See Origines Sacrse. Stillingfleet. 5th Edition, p. 76. Also “ Homer everywhere mentions a distinction between the language of gods and men.” Ency. Britt. Art. : Philology. These gods possessing the power of speech show that they were living beings. GODS. 335 the first commandment;—the “strange gods” of scripture ;’—and that what are termed the “ seed ” of the devil, between which and the “ seed of the woman” God “put enmity,” may have been the descendants of such visitants;—the “giants,” “ mighty men of old,” “ men of renown” of Gen. vi, who were in the earth, not only in the time of Noah hut also “after' that;”—and that these were the giant kings and nations formerly occupying with the descendants of Canaan, the lands reserved for Jacob’s children; and the “remnants” of which the Israelites were first to encounter, if not in their subjects, at least in the two kings of the Amorities, which were on the “ side of Jordan toward the sunrising;” * 1 — “ Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Baslian,” both of whom were “ mighty,”—doubtless giant “ kings,” b and the latter is expressly stated to have been of the “ remnant of the giants that dwelt at Ashtaroth ; ” c —and subsequently, in the seven nations “ greater and mightier ” than themselves, with whom they had to contend in taking possession of the land west of Jordan; for these were “a people great and tall, the children of the Anakims;” —“ all of great stature .” d These nations were to be destroyed, or driven out of the land, only “ by little and little;” yet Israel was to make no covenant with them, nor shew to them a Deut. iv. 4G, 47. b Ps. cxxxv. 10,11. c Josh, xii, 4. d Deut. vii. 1. ix. 1, 2. 1 See Appendix O. 336 GODS. mercy ; but to wage against them relentless, exter¬ minating war, until both people and kings,—of whom Joshua smote “thirty and one,” 3 —“men,” “women,” and even the “little ones,” should be “ utterly destroyed; ” in some cases their cattle also, and their cities, “great” though they were, and “ walled up to heaven; ” b and every vestige of their goods, excepting the “gold,” “silver,” and “vessels of brass,” and “ of iron,”—these being imperishable in flames, and “consecrated to the Lord,”—burnt to ashes; thus foreshadowing the unquenchable flames of that fire which is “ prepared for the devil and his angels.” 0 What a reason does this view of the past disclose for the total destruction of these nations, and which destruction was not effected without the immediate agency of Jehovah. And how does it vindicate His ways who, immediately after the passage of his people over Jordan, and before their commencement of this great warfare, appeared to Joshua with “ his sword drawn in his hand,” as “ Captain of the host of the Lord” in the then quickly succeeding wars, and other judgments chronicled in scripture;—that “hook of the wars of the Lord” “against the mighty.” d Por it will scarcely have escaped obser¬ vation, that in almost every instance of severe judgments recorded in the Old Testament, the nations or individuals so visited, were either the a Josh. xii. 9—24. b Peut i. 28. c Deut. ii. 32, 34. vii. 2. Josh. vi. 19, 21. d IN’umb. xxi. 14. Judg. y. 23. GODS. 337 above “mighty,” and “great people,” or those who were in allegiance with “ other gods.” When Israel “ chose new gods, then was war in the gates,” a as was particularly the case during the times of the judges, when,—unlike the time when “the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god in him,” b — “Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord” and served the gods of the nations left to prove them . 0 Thus there may be more truth than is generally imagined in the concurrent testimony of heathen traditions, which almost universally attribute the origin of their nations to some deity. The expulsion or destruction of these people took place chiefly in the time of Joshua, shortly after Israel’s entrance into Canaan, when under this victorious warrior the thirty-one kings fell smitten before the rightful owners of the soil. But as they were to be extirpated only by “little and little,” “remnants ” of them were still existing at least as late as the reign of David; and these, together with “ Og, king of Bashan,” who was slain during the time of Moses, are the individuals before alluded to as of gigantic, superhuman strength and size. This “ mighty” king Og, the last “ remnant of the giants who dwelt at Aslitaroth,” was evidently of great stature, his bedstead of iron being of enormous dimensions; “ nine cubits was the length thereof, a Judg. v. 8. b Deut. xxxii. 12. See also Is. xliii. 12. c Judg. ii. 11—13, 22. iii. 1— 7. x. 6, 10. Z 338 GODS. and four the breadth of it.” al To him Amos seems to refer,—“ Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars , and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.” b The champion of the Philistines slain by David, “ Goliath of Gath,” who was of the same “ mighty” race, was in height “six cubits and a span,” “the staff of his spear like a weaver's beam,” and the weight of his armour prodigious . 0 The spear of Islibi-benob,—another “ remnant” of this huge race,—was also very great; being no less than “three hundred shekels of brass in weight.” He was one of the four “ sons of the giant ” which were horn to the “ giant in Gath,” and who, like “Goliath of Gath,” were champions of the Philis¬ tines against Israel, and “ fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.” Sapli, or Sippai, who was slain at Gob, “ was of the sons of the giant .’ ’ Lalimi, another of these “ sons,” was the “brother of Goliath the Gittite,” who is thus plainly identified as a “remnant” of the giants. The fourth was “a man of great stature,” and had “on each hand six fingers,” and “on each foot six toes, four-and-twenty in number.” d All these therefore, were “remnants” of the a Dent. iii. 11. b Amos ii. 9. d 2 Sam. xxi. 16—22. 1 Chron. xx. 4—8. c 1 Sam. xvii. 4—7. 1 About 18ft. by 8. GODS. 339 former “great” and “mighty” occupants of Israel’s land, and are described as monsters in strength, size, and appearance. Nor in Israel’s land alone does it appear that giants once lived. Turning to profane history as illustrative of the sacred writings, we find that vestiges of giants have been met with in various parts of the world. The Chevalier Bunsen observes, “Wherever these two races, “ (the Chinese and the Turanian,) ” arrive, they find the land occupied by barbarians, repre¬ sented as giants or evil spirits .” Of our own country in the time of Brutus the Trojan, Bapin w r rites, “The island was at that time inhabited by giants of the race of Cham, whose chief or king, was Gog Magog. Brutus and his companions root out the giants , and get possession of the land.” 1 “ Some of the early chroniclers make the giants or Titans, the aborigines of Britain, whom the Britons very properly exterminated ,” 2 Both in this country, and on the Continent, graves are not unfrequently pointed out, as those of giants, wherein skeletons of huge dimensions have been discovered. “ Near Holyhead large skeletons have been dug up eight and nine feet in length, and one eleven feet ;” 3 1 Rapin’s History of England. Introd.: N. Tindal. p. 4. 2 Note in “ King Arthur,” By Sir E. Bulwer Lytton. 3 Miss Angharad Lloyd. MJ 340 GODS. while in France, Sicily, Bohemia, Greece, etc., some are reported to have been exhumed of considerably larger size;—from twenty-five to thirty-three feet high. * 1 Besides the forementioned giant nations, and others of the same class,—the Avims, for example, who were expelled by the Caphtorim descended from Ham/— Rephaim are frequently mentioned. This word, however, seems to signify, not a nation, but simply giants; since where it occurs in the Hebrew historical books it is much oftener rendered “giants” than “ Rephaim.” Thus, the “ Eminis were ac¬ counted giants,” —Heb. Rephaim. “That was ac¬ counted a land of giants; giants 11 '’—Rephaim —“dwelt therein in old time. ’’ b “0g remained of the remnant of the giants .” c — Rephaim. In 2 Sam. xxi., and 1 Ohron. xx., where the four “ sons of the giant” slain by David and his servants are spoken of, wherever the word, “giant,” or “giants,” occurs, the Hebrew is “ Hapha,” or “ Hephaim,” as indeed it so stands in the margin. In Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah, our trans¬ lators have rendered it neither by “Hephaim,” nor “ giants ;” but by the word “ dead,” or “ deceased.” “ Her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead ',”— Rephaim: 3 “ He knoweth not that the dead ”— Rephaim ,— “ are there.” e b Deut. ii. 11, 20. c Ch. iii. 11. 1 See Ency. Britt. Art. : Q-iant. a Deut. ii. 23. Gen. x. 14. d Prov. ii. 18. e Ch. ix. 18. GODS. 341 “ The congregation of the dead* — Rephaim. “It stirreth up the dead ”— Rephaim, —“for thee.” b A passage in Isaiah seems to account for this rendering; and, together with one in Jeremiah, indicates also that the “lords,” “princes,” “mighty men,” etc., of some passages, are not mere men in high stations, though resembling man in appearance, and capable of assuming such dominion over him as denotes a nature superior to his. The passage in Isaiah contains Judah’s lamenta¬ tion; “ Other lords beside thee have had dominion over us.”° And who these “other lords” were, is explained in V. 14. “ They are dead, (Ileb. Methim) they shall not live; they are deceased ,”— Ileb. C’XQ ~\ Rephaim, —“they shall not rise.” Hence, these “lords” who will neither “live” nor “ rise ” again, were Rephaim, whose non-resurrection and return to life is also implied in the interrogation in Ps. lxxxviii. 10, “ Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead?”—Methim 1 —“Shall the dead ”— Rephaim, —“arise and praise thee.” In the passage in Jeremiah analogous with tha in Isaiah, we find it written also of the “ princes,' “wise men,” “captains,” “rulers,” and “mighty men” of Babylon, “They shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake” d b Is. xiv. 9. c Is. xxvi. 13. J Jlenee /uv9os, myth,— mi/fh-o\ogy. * Prov. xxi. 16. d Ch. li. 39, 57. I 342 GODS. “ princes,” Hence the Rephaim,—the “other lords,” or “deceased',” of Isaiah; the latter “dead” of Ps. lxxxviii.; and, probably, also the “ mighty men,” etc., of Jeremiah,—were not of Adam's race; for these icill “live” and “rise” again. And this fact of man’s resurrection, together with that of our Lord, is mentioned in the same chapter of Isaiah, only a few verses, 3 after that of which those “lords” form the subject; as though thereby to draw attention to the contrast of the two facts. It must be premised that here the body, irrespec¬ tive of the spirit, seems alone referred to. While then of those “lords,” we read, in V. 14, “They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise,” in V. 19, we read in words addressed to Judah, “ Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.” Or, “ Thy dead shall live; my dead body shall arise;”—“ together with,” not being in the original. “ My dead body,” may therefore mean that mystical body of Christ, of which these “ dead men” are the members; or the dead body of our Lord himself, who was made a “little lower than the angels” “for the suffering of death,” that he might “taste death for every man,” and thus redeem man from death. In either case, the resurrection of man is plainly taught. Why, then, this great contrast ? a Is. xxvi 19. G O D S. 343 In the passage, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all he made alive,” the “ all” of the latter clause, must be understood as the “all” of the former; that is, the all in Adam,—all man¬ kind, whether lost or saved. And though Christ our Lord died, “it was not possible that He, the “Prince of life,” a —marg. “ author of life,”—“should be holden of death.” He, accordingly, rose again, and thereby redeemed man from death, and ransomed him “ from the power of the grave.” b Therefore “all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth;” some “to the resurrection of life;” others “to the resurrection of damnation.” 0 Por there will be “a resurrection” both “of the just, and of the unjust.” d Of those “lords,” “princes,” etc., on the con¬ trary, there will be no resurrection of the body. “They are dead,” and will “ not live," nor “rise" again. We repeat, wherefore then this contrast ? Because They were not of Adam’s race. They were not men, but Rephaim ; therefore not objects of that “ redemp¬ tion of the body ” which Christ purchased for man; —not included in the “ all ” that “ in Christ shall be made alive,” because they are not of the “ all ” that “ in Adam die.” Though resembling man, their very origin was different. Por “the Lord God formed man of the a Acts iii. 15. b Hos. xiii. 14. c John v. 28, 29. Ez;ik. xxx.vii. 10, 12. Acts xxiv. 15. 344 G 0 D S. dust of the ground ;’’ whereas, “ dead tilings,”—ITeb. the Rephaim,—“are formed from under the waters.’'* They therefore are without the pale of those benefits procured for man by the death and rising again of that “Lord,” and “Prince,” who is “the Resurrec¬ tion and the Life,” and whose “ delights were with the sows of men.” 0 They incurred the penalty of sin,—death,—the death eternal of the body; but have no “right” to that “ tree of life,” of which man “may eat, and live for ever.” 0 They have no part in “ the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body ,” d but are “like the beasts that perish.” “ They sleep a perpetual sleep, and shall not awake.” Therefore are they emphatically “ the dead. 1,1 “Kings,” “princes,” “mighty,” etc., are often mentioned under the metaphor of beasts, and as such, seem to have been seen in visions referring to the “ time of the end.” Thus the four “great beasts” seen by Daniel, signify “four kings which shall arise out of the earth” 0 The “ ram ,” and “ lie-goat,” seen in another vision, signify the “ king of Media and Persia,” and “ the king of Grecia.” f “ Pharoah, king of Egypt,’’ who boasted “my river, a Job xxvi. 5. b Prov. viii. 31. c Rev. xxii. 14. Gen. iii. 22. d Rom. viii. 23. e Dan. vii. 3, 17. 1 Dan. viii. 3, 20, 21. 1 “As a N. masc.plu. dead bodies reduced or resolved into their original dust. I know not of any one English word that will express it; Re¬ mains comes as near to it as any I can recollect. It is several times put after erno, the dead , as of more intense signification. The dead, though reduced to their original dust, are in anguish, or tremble from beneath : the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.” Parkhurst under GODS. 345 is mine own, and I have made it for myself,” is called “the great dragon that lietli in the midst of the seas.” a He is evidently also “ leviathan ,” the “piercing crooked serpent ,” and the “ dragon ,” b who was wounded in the ancient days by “ the arm of the Lord” which “cut Rahab, ’— i.e. Egypt, so named “from the pride of its princes and inhabitants: ” 1 and “ leviathan ,” particularly described in Job xli. is, in V. 34, called a “ king over all the children of prided The “ king of Tyrus,” who seems to be an evil spirit —probably the serpent that beguiled Eve, for he was in “ Eden the garden of God,” 2 —is called the “anointed,” and “covering cherub.” 0 So, in speaking of the “ supper of the great God,” mentioned both in Ezekiel and Revelation, where the fowls will be called together to eat the flesh of the “ kings of the earth,” the “ princes of the earth,” the “ mighty” etc.,—all of whom are “ slain with the a Ezek. xxix. 3. xxxii. 2. b Ts. li. 9, c Ezek. xxviii. 12—16. 1 Parkhurst under nm- 2 'this is the only place wherein the word “cherub” is not significant of the Holy Spirit. That it is here applied to the evil spirit may be seen from several particulars. In the day he was “ created ” he was “full of wisdom and perfect in beauty,” — seraphic in appearance,—“every precious stone was his covering.” He “walked up and down iu the midst of the stones of fire,” (“resembling burning coals,’ ) to which the appearance of the “ living creatures” is likened, lie was in the garden of JEden y where, at the east, were the cherubim with a flaming sword; and as the cherubim ot glory “overshadowed” or covered the mercy-seat, so he was a 4 ‘ covering cherub.” But he ‘‘sinned “ he corrupted his wisdom by reason of his brightness;” therefore the Lord said, “I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God, and [ will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.” To this “ cover¬ ing cherub,” or evil spirit, probably the words in Is. xxx. 1, may allude, “Woe to the rebellious children, saith tlie Lord, . . that cover with a covering , but not of my Spirit .” 346 GOBS. sword of him that sat upon the horseEzekiel denominates them “lambs,” “rams,” “goats,” 1 and “bullocks;” (these words are in apposition with “mighty,” and “princes,” of the same passage,) “ all of them failings of Basham ; ” which “ Bashan,” it must be noticed, “ was called the land of the giants,”"- —Heb. Bephaim . a The Psalmist also speaks of “ strong bulls ” ('“TIN mighty ones,) of “ Bashan.” “Many bulls have compassed me, strong bulls of Bashan, have beset me round.” b Amos also, speaks of the “ kine of Bashan” “whom the Lord will take away with hooks, and his posterity with fish¬ hooks ; c ” the same denouncement as that threatened against Pharoah/ 1 Possibly this supper may he the event alluded to in Is. xxvi. 19, 21, xxxiv. 3, and elsewhere, when a Ezek xxxix. 17, 18. Rev. xix. 17—21. Deut. iii. 13. b Ps. xxii. 12. c Amo3 iv. 1, 2. d Ezek. xxix. 4. 1 See Appendix P. 2 This land was called the region of Argob, wherein were “ threescore great cities, with walls and brazen bars } ”and pertained to Jair, the son of Manasseh, whose son Elhanan slew the giant Laluni at Gob, where also Saph was slain. The following passage bearing on the subject may be here inserted. “ The inheritance of Manasseh, originally the kingdom of Og,—the Bashan which w^as celebrated in all ages for its oaks and its cattle,—was obtained after a more difficult struggle than the kingdom of Sihon. There are certain allusions in the Bible to peculiarities in Bashan, which have received a remark¬ able elucidation very recently. We are told in the first book of Kings of the * region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars.’ . . Edrei, the capital of Og, and the place where he wa9 slain in the decisive battle with the Israelites, seems to be well identified by Mr. Porter with some ruins bearing a similar name on a rocky promontory at the south¬ western edge of the Lejah, in the latitude of the sea of Tiberias, but very con¬ siderably to the east of that lake. . . But these are far from being the only ruins which remain as a memorial of the straggles of the Israelites in taking pos¬ session of this conntry. Mr. Cyril Graham has given us an extraordinary account of deserted cities, with houses as perfect as those of Pompeii, but in their stone doors and large dimensions shewing all the impress of a gigantic race of men.” Quarterly Review. July and October, 1859. GODS. 347 tlie “ slain ” will be “ cast out—“ when tlie earth shall no more cover her slain,” but shall “ cast out the dead," Heb. Repliaim;—those “people of old time,” who are already slain, having “fallen by the sword,” and gone down into the pit, to the “ nether parts of the earth. ” a For though their bodies will “ not rise,” they will be “ cast out ” of the earth. The word “ mighty” in Ps. lxxxii. 1, we have seen is used as a synonyme of “ gods.” “ God standeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the gods” But like the forementioned “kings,” “ princes,” “ rulers,” these, though “ gods” shall die. “ I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High ; but ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.” They shall “die,” there¬ fore these gods were no mere images, but were once living beings. “ They shall die like men,” therefore they were not men. Although our Saviour, addressing the Jews in vindication of his claim to the title “ Son of God,” quotes the sentence, “ I said, ye are gods,” b as being written in their law ; and adds, “ If he called them gods unto whom the word of God came,” he does not apply it to them, or to any of the Israelitish family; otherwise, as his hearers were Jews, be would have said, “called yon, gods,”—not “called them gods;”—neither would he have used the past tense,—“called,” “came;”—but the present; since a Ezek. xxvi. 20. xvxii. 17 — 32. Sec also Is. xiv. 19, 21. b John x. 34, 35. 348 GODS. that “ word,” whether personal, preached, or written, not only “ came'’ in time past, but was at that moment present, or come. The title, therefore, he seems to have applied to other beings; the coming of “the word ” to these gods, having taken place at some particular time, then past and gone. NowSt. Peter informs us that Christ,“by the Spirit” by which he was quickened, “went and preached to the spirits in prison .” a And again, “ the gospel was preached also to them that are dead ,” b (lit. to the dead.) * 1 These “spirits” therefore, as well as men, had the offer of mercy. To them was the gospel preached that they “ might be judged ac¬ cording to men in the flesh,” (that is, that they might be judged as men in the flesh are judged — Hence, these were not men) —“but live according to God in the Spirit.” 2 They, as well as men, “ shall give account to Him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead,” for the use or abuse of the gospel preached to them by that “ Word of God” by whom “ all things whether in heaven or in earth were created,” and by whom alone all can be reconciled to Himself. c In these passages the “spirits in prison,' to whom Christ preached,—the “ dead" to whom the “gospel was preached,” and who also are to be “judged," — a 1 Peter iii. 18, 19. b Ch. iv. 6. c Col, i. 16—20. 1 Passages have already been adduced which refer to the bo lies of the “ dead,” irrespective of their spirits. Here, their spirits irrespective of their bodies are referred to. See pp. 341, etc. 2 Possibly to these, Heb. xii. 23, may refer.—“ The spirits of the just made perfect.” The word for “ men,” is not in the original. GODS. 349 and the “gocls” to whom the word of God came”— all appear to belong to the same class of beings. But further, as angels will be “judged,” a probably to the same class belong also the “ angels” of St. Peter’s second Epistle, and of St. Jude,—the angels who left their own “habitation” and “estate;” and who sinning, were “cast down” to the “ prison” of “ Hell,” and delivered into chains of darkness to be reserved into “ the judgment of the great day.” The “gods” then of John x. 34, 35, and Ps. lxxxii. 6, appear to be those “ gods” whose proper “dwelling is not with flesh;” b but who yet seem occasionally to have visited the earth. And that this latter idea was entertained,—by some at least, —in the days of the apostles, is plain from Acts xiv. 11. “The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.” In Ps. lxxxii. 1, the “ gods” are called the “mighty;” * 1 so also the “gods” of Exod. xv. 11, are in the margin, “ mighty ones,” which doubtless are the “host,” “chariots,” and “captains” of Pharaoh mentioned in the same chapter, who after the first-born of Egypt were buried, were “ cast into the sea,” and “drowned in the Bed sea;”—and the “ gods” also of Exod. xii. 12, (in the margin termed “princes”) upon whom the Lord “ executed judg¬ ments.” The wind (or spirit) of the Lord blew upon a 1 Cor. yi. 3. b Dan. ii. 11. 1 In Ps. xxix. 1, marg., and lxxxix. 6, the same word occurs in the expres¬ sion, “ sons of the mighty,'’—and may be translated, sons of gods. 350 GODS. them, and liis “ right hand,” outstretched and “become glorious in power,” overthrew and “dashed in pieces the enemy,” and they sank as lead in the mighty waters.” a Such then, seem to have been the people “ greater and taller” than themselves, which the Israelites were to encounter, yet were not to fear, hut to destroy, or expel from their inheritance on both sides of Jordan;—the “children of wickedness” that afflicted them both “beforetime,” and “since the time” that God “appointed judges over his people Israel.” 13 Such also, the “gods,” “kings,” “princes,” “mighty men,” “captains,” “rulers,” etc., of many passages, under whose dominion the people of the Lord too often fell, both in their own land and in the land of the heathen, whither for their trespass “ the Lord their God caused them to he led into cap¬ tivity;” c —the “rulers,” and “kings of the earth,” who “take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed;” but whom he “vexes in his sore displeasure;” d —all of them are “ slain” by the avenging sword 6 of a “jealous” and “just” God, who strikes through kings in the day of his wrath.” f To the same class seems to belong the “prince” of Persia, who withstood Gabriel and Michael; and the “prince” of Grecia. g a Comp. Exod. xii. 12. xv. 1—22. Numb, xxxiii. 4. 2 Sam. vii. 10, 11. c Ezek. xxxix. 28. d Ps. ii. 2, 5. e Comp. Is. xiv. 19. xxxiy. 3, 5. Jer. 1. 35, 37. Ezek. xxxi. 18. xxxii. 23, 24. Rev. xix. 21, &c. I Ps. cx. 5. S Deut. x. 13, 30. GODS. 351 They all,—whether “gods,” “kings,” “princes,” “ mighty men,” etc.—they all die. They, as well as » their “ graven images,” “ perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”* “He punislieth the host of the high ones on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.” b They are “mighty,” never¬ theless they are wicked, and perishing. They perish and are consumed at the “ blast of the breath ” “ of the Lord God Almighty .” Yet, though these “ gods,” etc., were wicked, and, like man, mortal, and perishing, they were the gods and “ rulers,” not only of the heathen nations round about the people of the God of Israel, hut, it may he concluded, of all nations whose god is not Je¬ hovah ; that is, of all the rest of the world. He was the covenant God of Israel alone, whom he separated to he a “peculiar people” unto himself, and to “make them high above all nations which he had made,” 0 as well as a “ holy people.” Therefore though He “ shewed to Jacob his word, and his statutes and his judgments to Israel,” He “dealt not so with any other ” nation, “neither did they know his jadgments.” u Other nations were not in covenant with him. They were not his people, nor He their God! Their gods were “ Ashtoreth,” “ Cliemosli ” “Milcom,” “Baal,” “Adrammelech,” “Anarn- melech.” 0 b Is. xxiv. 21. c Deut. xxtl 19. d Ps. cxlvii. 20. e 1 Kings xi. 33. 2 Kings xvii. 31. Judg. ii. 13. a Jer. x. 11. 352 GODS. Tlie God of Israel was Jehovah. They “ die'' But He swears, “ I live foe, evee.” They “perish.” But He “ eemaineth,” and from “ everlasting* to everlasting ” He is “ God.’ >b They are “ mighty ,” and “ gods.” —But He is “ almighty,” and “judgeth among the gods.” 0 They are “princes,” “lords” “ kings” and “gods.” He is “ PH IN CE of princes” — “ LOUD oe lords,” —“ KING of kings,” —“GOD OP GODS\” A What a solemn emphasis of meaning is contained in these titles of Israel’s God! And how must they have inspired the hearts of believing Jews with feelings of courage and security amid the dangers and wickedness of the surrounding “ mighty,” and with assurances of final triumph over all their enemies, both in their own land, and in those of their captivity; feelings which David so often expresses in his psalms of grateful thanksgiving. How well also was the significance of these titles borne out in the mighty deliverances wrought for God’s people, as well as in the judgments with which the “wicked” were visited by Him whose “right hand, and holy arm” gained “the victory,” when this “man of war,”—the “God of the armies of Israel,”—“fought for Israel,” “executed judgments” Deut. xxxii. 40. b Heb. i. 11. Ps. xc. 2. e Gen. xxxv. 11. Ps. lxxxii. 1. xcv. 3. d Deut. x. 17. Dan. viii. 25. Rev. xix. 16. GODS. 353 upon the gods, and “triumphed gloriously !” a Truly, “He is a great God,” “mighty and terrible;” “mighty to save,” “terrible to the kings of the earth,” and “ a great king above all gods!” b In the New Testament “ gods” are seldom spoken of. Nor are the “mighty,” “kings,” etc., except in the book of Revelation. The enemies of God and man are there more generally termed “ princi¬ palities,” “powers,” etc.,—terms whose precise meaning is not easily determined. In Col. i. 16, they seem applied partly to visible beings in earth, as well as in heaven. “ By him who is the image of the invisible God, were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers.” And from Eph. vi. 12, it appears that though “ visible,” and “in earth,” they were not men. St. Paul says, “ We Avrestle not against flesh and blood,” that is, not against man, “ but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,”—margin, “wicked spirits in the lieavenlies !” Jacob also, “ wrestled,” not with “ flesh and blood,” but with a spiritual and heavenly being, though a Holy One. He wrestled with God, and “had power over the angel .” c a Exod xv. 3, 21. 1 Sam. xvii. 45. Josh. x. 14, 42. Numb, xxxiii. 4. b Deut vii. 21. Ps. lxxvi. 12. Is. lxiii. 1 . c Comp. Gen. xxxii. 24. Hos. xii. 3, 4. 2 A GOBS. Though many of those “powers,” etc., against whom St. Paul and the early Christians wrestled, were, like those against whom the Christian has still to wrestle, purely spiritual and invisible, others seem to have been visible, yet superhuman. That the devil, the “ prince ,” or “ god of this world,” a was one of the “ wicked spiritsand that when our Saviour was “ tempted of Satan and was with the wild beasts ,” 1 —probably the “ mighty ones,” or '■'■strong bulls of Bashan,” of David’s pro¬ phetic prayer, * 1 '—the devil visited him, as he did our first parents in their temptation, that is, personally and visibly, will scarcely be disputed. And it is more than probable, that the “thorn in the flesh,” “the messenger,” (lit., the “ angel ,”) “ of Satan,” given, or permitted, to “ buffet ” St. Paul, 0 was also a visible personal antagonist, and one of those “wicked spirits,” “principalities,” or “ rulers of the darkness of this world,” against whom he wrestled. That the passage should be so understood, and that the “principalities,” “powers,” etc. are applied to the same order of beings as those to whom the terms, “princes,” “mighty,” “rulers,” etc. are applied in the Old Testament, is supported by the fact, that the words used of the “ angel of Satan,”— the “ thorn in the flesh,” —are, in Numb, xxxiii. 55, applied to those former “ inhabitants of the land ” a 2 Cor. iv. 4. Ps. xxii. 12. c 2 Cor. xii. 7. l See also 1 Cor. xv. 32. “If after the manner of men I ha ve fought with beasts at Ephesus.” And 2 Sam. xxiii. 20. “Beriali slew two lion-like men of Moab.” GODS. 355 which were to be driven out before Israel, who were forewarned, that if any were allowed to remain in it, they should he “ pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides , to vex them.” Again, in 2 Sam. xxiii. 6, “ The sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands.” Also Josh, xxiii. 13, “They”—the “great nations and strong ,” (V. 9)—“ shall be scourges in your sides, and, thorns in your eyes.” Visible and corporeal, as were some of these “principalities,” yet in warring against them, the Christian’s w r eapons of warfare were “not carnal.” They were to “ put on the whole armour of God,” that they might “ be able to stand against the wiles of the devil,” and to “ quench the fiery darts of the wicked.” So, when buffetted by the “angel of Satan,” St. Paul used not “ carnal weapons.” Making suppli¬ cation to God by prayer, —a requisite in the Chris¬ tian’s armour,—“ thrice he besought the Lord,” that the “ angel of Satan,” or “ thorn in the flesh,” might depart from him. So likewise did our Lord with that weapon of warfare, the “ sword of the Spirit,” the written “word of God,” thrice resist the temptations of the devil, who then departed from him* The “ infirmity ” in which St. Paul gloried, may have been a consequence of the buffetting, or wrest- a Epli.vi. 11—18 Luke iv. 1—13. 2 A 2 356 GODS. ling, against the “ angel of Satan,” similar to that produced on Jacob, when he wrestled with the holy angel, who touched the sinew in the hollow of his thigh, and it shrank. Probably we, who are protected by the blessings of the gospel dispensation in this Christian land where the religion connected with the state acknow¬ ledging the one true and holy God abjures idolatry —a nation’s strongest bulwark against the intrusion of evil,—can form little idea of the ignorance and wickedness of nations whose god is not Jehovah; and still less of what the Israelites witnessed, and the “ buffettings” and temptations to which they were exposed while any “ remnants” of those old “ inhabitants” remained in the land given to them for a heritage; and when these “ lords,” “princes,” and other such visible enemies had “ dominion,” / and exercising their evil influence over man, tempt¬ ed him to rebellion, idolatry, and every species of sin; thereby provoking to jealousy the one true and living God, and rendering not only themselves, but also their deluded followers, obnoxious to the severest judgments of their offended Maker. These outward, visible, and personal attacks by “principalities,” or “ angels of Satan,” seem in St. Paul’s days to have been rare. But Satan then exhibited other forms of malevolence. In fact, whatever the manner in which to carry out His purposes of mercy, God is pleased to manifest His presence, power, or influence, whether corporeally, GODS. 357 spiritually, visibly, or invisibly, that same manner does the arch-deceiver adopt for effecting his malig¬ nant designs. While, as at present the Holy Spirit guides and influences the Christian invisibly , the wicked spirit, whose “wiles” the Christian has to withstand, is also invisible. But in the opening of this new dispensation, when the Holy Spirit, visi¬ bly poured out, endued man with superhuman powers, then “ devils ,” or “unclean spirits,” whe¬ ther visible or invisible, seem to have “ vexed ” man in a form from which as we are now happily exempt, so neither is any instance of the kind re¬ corded in the Old Testament; unless that of the “evil spirit from the Lord,” which “troubled” (marg. “ terrified ”) a Saul be an exception. We refer to those demoniacal possessions mentionedin the New Testament, some of the subjects of which possessed powers so superhuman that “ no man could tame them,” neither could fetters or chains bind them. b These “unclean” spirits, the agents, or the “seed” of the devil, were “cast out,” not, as was said, “ by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils,” but by the “ stronger than the strong man armed;” —“ by the seed of the woman who was to bruise the serpent’s head;”—as well as by his twelve dis¬ ciples, who endued by him with power, “ rejoiced that the devils were made subject ” unto them. 0 a 1 Sam. xvi. 14. xviii. 10. xix. 9. h Mark v. 4. Matt. viii. 28. c Luke x. 17, 20. 358 GODS. Whether, in any of the above forms, “princi¬ palities,” “powers,” “unclean spirits,” etc. con¬ tinued much longer to “vex” the people of God, great and important changes affecting them were then taking place in the world. That day had arrived when the fountain was to “be opened for sin, and for uncleanness; ” that day in which the Lord of hosts would “ cut off the names of the idols ” (or gods,) “out of the land,” and would “cause the prophet, and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.”*' That “Saviour,” Christ the Lord, was “born,” who ransomed Jacob from the hand of him that was “stronger than he,” and who was to “ save us from our enemies , and from the hand of all that hate us.” b That “ Son ” was “ given,” who would “put down the mighty from their seat,”— the Son of the Highest, on whose shoulder the government should be, and of whose kingdom there should be no end, to order and to establish it for ever.” 0 To Him all power was given both “in heaven and in earth,” even “angels, and authorities , and powers being made subject unto him.” And in form¬ ing his spiritual kingdom, the embryo and earnest of his future visible kingdom, this “ Lord of all power and might,” gave to his twelve disciples, i( poioer and authority over all devils ,” and “to tread on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the a Zech. xiii. 1, 2. k Jer. xxxi. 10, 11. 1 See Appendix Q. c Is. ix. 6, 7. enemy.”* And this “ mighty God,” who, when “ he ascended on high, led captivity captive,” and “of the increase of whose government and peace there shall he no end,” still going on “ conquering and to conquer,”—by “little and little” destroying those his “enemies which would not that” he “should reign over them ’ ’ as the kingdoms of this world are “ called out of darkness unto the marvellous light of the gospel,” will eventually “ destroy him that hath the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” “For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet; and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” b Nevertheless, this final triumph over all his enemies, when the devil will be destroyed and death “ swallowed up in victory,” is not yet gained. “We see not yet all things put under Him,” Perilous times must first come, when not only, as the Spirit expressly warns us, “ some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,” but also among the “things which must be hereafter,” “beasts,” “kings,” “princes,” “mighty,” “rulers,” etc., will agam appear as of old, defying, confed¬ erating, and making war “ against the Lord and against his anointed.” “That Wicked,” the “man of sin,” the “ son of perdition,” will be revealed; who, a Luke ix. 1. x. 19. k Luke xix. 27. Heb. ii. 14, 15. 1 Cor. xv. 25, 26. 360 GODS. opposing and exalting himself “ above all that is called God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God;” “whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power, and signs, and lying wonders; ’ ’ but whom the Lord when He shall be revealed 1 with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, a will consume with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming.” b That battle also, of the “ great day of God Al¬ mighty,” has yet to be fought, when the “beast” and “ kings of the earth ” with their armies, will be gathered together, “to make war against him who sits upon the white horse,” and whose name is called “ The Word of God; ” when the fowls will be called together to the “ supper of the great God,” to eat the flesh of the “captains,” “mighty men,” etc., who will then be slain. 0 Nor is even this the last war of the Lord “ against the mighty.” Not even then will the “last enemy” be destroyed. In this battle, there are two particu¬ larly mentioned: the “ beast” and the “false prophet which wrought miracles and deceived them that had the mark of the beast, and worshipped his image.” These are two of the three mentioned in Ch. xvi. 13, “the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet” a 2 Thess. i 7, 8. b 2 Thess. ii. 3—9. c Key. xix. 11—21. 1 “ Kevealed.” The same word in both passages, aTroKaXvrrTw. GODS. 361 out of whose mouths “three unclean spirits,” (probably the “ seducing spirits,”) “ the spirits of devils working miracles, go forth unto the kings of the earth, to gather them to the battle of the great day of Almighty God.” But in this battle of ch. xix. only the last two of the three,—the “ beast ” and the “ false prophet ,” receive their doom. These are not “ slain with the sword,” like the rest,—the “ remnant ” of the army; —but both are cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone .” 11 Judgment on the third,—the “ dragon ,”—yet lin¬ gers. He, who with his angels had been previously cast out of heaven, and came down to earth, b will then, like the “ angels that sinned,” be cast down to hell, and delivered into chains of darkness, to be reserved until a day of still future judgment . 0 “ And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having 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 ” d During this interval,—this cessation of hostilities with the great adversary,—the “first resurrection” will take place; when they whose “names are a Rev. xix. 20. b Ch. xii. 8, 9. c See 2 Pet. ii. 4. Rev. xx. 1—3. 362 GODS. written in the Lamb’s book of life,” and who con¬ sequently, have “part in the first resurrection,”—the resurrection of the just,—“ will lire and reign with Christ a thousand years.” At the end of this time, “when the thousand years are expired,” Satan will be “loosed” out of his prison “for a little season,” and will again “ go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Ma¬ gog,” and gather them together to battle against the “camp of the saints,” and the “beloved city when, at length, while these nations will, like Sodom and Gomorrah, he destroyed by “ fire” coming “ down from God out of heaven” and devouring them, a “ the devil that deceived them,” will be “ cast into the lake of fire and brimstone” where the “beast and the false prophet,” his companions in wicked¬ ness, already are; “ and will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” b Pearful consummation! Dire, but just retribution to those who oppose and exalt themselves and their thrones “ above the heights of the clouds,” and seek to be “like the Most High!” “How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer, son of the morn¬ ing ! ”° * 1 a Comp. Gen. xix. 24. Key. xx. 8. b Rev. xx. 8, 15. c Is. xiv. 12—15. 1 Heb. S>in- “ The bright irradiator ,” an impious title assumed by the king of Babylon. By being joined with “ son of the morning f it seems in its primary sense to denote, “ the morning star.” Parkhurst under The comparison of this passage with Key. xxii. 16, where our Saviour says, <{ I am the bright and morning starf affords one instance among many of that Wicked assuming titles of Jehovah. tl there shall be no more death.” 11 “ Death is swallowed up in victory! ” b Neither will there be any more “curse.” For the kingdoms of this world will be no longer under the power of “ him that had the power of death,” but will have “ become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” And all “the former things ” will have “passed away;” the heavens vanishing with a “great noisej” the elements melting with “ fervent heatthe “ earth and the works therein burned up.” And there will be “no more sea.” But there will be a “new heaven,” and a “new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness;” and a “ new city,” into which shall “in no wise enter any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomina¬ tion or maketli a lie,” (the wages of which things is death,) but they only “ which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” “They shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads,” and they “ shall reign for ever and ever.” 0 “ These sayings are faithful and true; and the Lord God of the holy prophets,” (“the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets,”) “ sent his angel to shew unto his servants” these “ things which must shortly come to pass.” And “if any man shall add ” unto the “ words of the prophecy of this book, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in it ” “ and if any man shall take away from the words of f Rev. xxi. 4. Eph. i. 21, 22. b i Cor. xv. 54. c 2 Pet. iii. 10. 13. Rev. xxi. 1, 4, 27, xxii. 3—5. a 366 GODS. tlie prophecy of this book, God shall take away his part out of the hook of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book.”* With respect to the w r ord “beasts,” which in the hook of Revelation, and often elsewhere, is not used in its common acceptation, it must he remarked that there are two Greek words rendered “beasts,” entirely distinct from each other, though both are applied to spiritual intelligencies or powers. The one, 'jmv, signifies “living;” and is applied to the high and holy ones, termed in Ezekiel “living creatures,” or “ cherubim,”—considered in Part II. The other, e^iov, signifies “ wild beasts ;” and is applied to beings considered in this Third Part, and these, apparently, of their highest order. In the latter sense the word occurs in several passages. But unless the “beasts of the earth,” of ch. vi. 8, form an exception, only two beings so named, seem to be spoken of throughout the Apo¬ calypse ;—the two particularly described in ch. xiii. The first of these,—that which rose up “ out of the sea,”—seems to he one of the three of ch. xvi. 13, out of whose mouths come forth the “unclean spirits like frogs;”—the “beast” already noticed in connexion with the “ dragon” and “false prophet;” while the second ,—the “ beast that came out of the earth,”—seems to he this “false prophet;” the par¬ ticulars, named in ch. xiii. of this latter beast, (to a Rev. xxii. 6, 18, 19. GODS. 367 be noticed first,) corresponding with wliat is stated in ch. xix. of the “ false prophet.” This second “ beast,” which “ spake as a dragon,” did “great wonders” and “ miracles ... in the sight of the first beast,” deceiving “them that dwell on the earth,” and causing them to worship the beast and his “ image” and “ small and great,” “ free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” So in ch. xix, wherein that battle is spoken of in which “ small and great,” “free and bond,” as well as the “ false prophet,” are concerned; the “false prophet” “ wrought miracles ” before the beast, “ with which he deceived them that had received the marie of the beast, and them that worshipped his image .” a But only in ch. xiii. is this false prophet termed a “beast. ’ ’ In all other passages the term seems confined to the “ first beast ” b of this chapter. This “ first beast,” has “ seven heads and ten liorns\ ” and “upon his head the name ” (marg. “ names”) “of blasphemy;”—is the same, therefore, as the “ scarlet coloured beast,” of ch. xvii. which, likewise, has “ seven heads and ten horns,” and is also “full of the names of blasphemy.” That beast was “ wounded to death,” but his “ deadly wound was healed,” and “ all the world wondered after the beast.”" So, also, this “scarlet coloured beast,” “ that was,” “ is not,” —(“ he is wounded to death,”) » Rev. xiii. 11—16. xix. 18—20. b V. 12. c Ch. xiii. 3, 12. 368 GODS. — “and yet is,'’ —(his deadly wound is healed;) “ and all the earth shall wonder, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” a But this “ scarlet coloured beast,” shall “ascend out of the bottomless pit,” (V. 8.) and thus is identi¬ fied with the “ beast ” of ch. xi. 7, this also ascending “out of the bottomless pit.” In all other places where the “beast” is named, it will he easily recognized as this same power; — the “ first beast ” of ch. xiii. Thus while the second “ beast” of ch. xiii, which “ spake as a dragon,” seems identical with the “false prophet” of ch. xvi. 13; the “first beast” of ch. xiii., who received his power from the dragon, seems to be the only power termed a “ beast ” in other chapters of this book. The third,—which is the first of the three men¬ tioned in ch. xvi. 13,— i.e. the dragon, “ that old serpent called the devil, and Satan,” though in Genesis, by implication termed a beast,—“ now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field,” b —yet is never so called in the Apocalypse. He, however, is particularly described in ch. xii.; and in some of the most striking peculiarities precisely resembles the “first beast” of ch. xiii., each having “seven heads,” and “ten horns,” and one being “ red,” the other “ scarlet coloured; ” yet, though thus similar, they are evidently not the same; a Rey. xvii. 8. Gen. iii. 1, GODS. 369 for the “dragon” has only “ seven crowns,” and these upon his “ seven heads,” and comes down from heaven; while the “beast” has “ ten crowns,” and rises out of the sea; besides which the “dragon” gives the beast “ his power, and his seat, and great authority.” 11 The two therefore called “beasts” in ch. xiii., where they are first specially noticed in the Apo¬ calypse; (the passing mention of the beast, in ch. xi. 7, and possibly the “ beasts ” of ch. vi. 8, being the only exceptions,) and the “ dragon,” also particularly described, in ch. xii, are the three which elsewhere are called, the “ dragon,” the “ beast,” and the “ false prophet,”—the three therefore, that in ch. xvi. 13. form that triple head of confederacy against Almighty God which has appropriately been termed, “ a blasphemous mimicry of Deity.” These three are the only evil powers individually described in this book, except the “woman” of ch. xvii., who sits upon the scarlet coloured beast, “ arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and has the name written on her forehead,” “ Mystery,” (the “mystery of iniquity,”) * 1 “ Babylon the great , the mother of harlots, and abominations of the earth; ” and who is probably the counterfeit, or “ mimicry ” of the “woman” of ch. xii, who is “ clothed with the sun,” and has the moon under her feet;—the a Rev. xii. 3, 9. xiii. 1, 2. 1 As there is a “ mystery of godliness 1 Tim. iii. 1G, so also there is a “ mystery of iniquity,” 2 Thess. ii. 7. 2 I i 370 GOBS. future “bride,” the Lamb’s wife; that “ great city, the holy Jerusalem ; ” and “ mother of us all.” a The suitability of the phrase applied to these three, —the “dragon” seeming to be the blasphemous counterfeit of the Lather, and the “beast” and “ false prophet,” of the Son and the Holy Ghost, respectively one of the “ false Christs ” and “ false prophets ” that shall arise, and show great signs and wonders,’’ b —will be seen in the following comparison of the three, with those they so impiously represent; which also further shews, that whatever the form in which the God of heaven manifests himself, or carries out his designs to save the world, that same form does the great adversary, the “ god of this world,” assume or imitate, to ensnare, to corrupt and to destroy the world. The Lather,—the “ancient of days,”—gives to the Son, “ dominion , and glory , and a kingdom.” 0 “ The dragon, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, ” d gives to the beast, “ his power , and his seat, and great authority .” e To the Son, whom “ all people, nations , and languages , shall serve,” “ all power is given in heaven, and in earth ” and “all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him.” f So to the “ beast,” “ power is given over all kindreds , and tongues , and nations , and all that dwell on the earth,” “whose a Rey. xxi. 2, 10. Gal. iv. 26. d Rev. xii. 9. e Rev. xiii. 2. b Matt. xxiv. 24. c Dan vii. 14. t Ps. xxii. 27, 29 lxxii. 1, 8—11. names are not written in the book of life, shall worship him.” a The Son of God is accused, though falsely, of blasphemy, because he said, “ I am the Son of God.” b “ The beast opens his mouth in blasphemy to blas¬ pheme the name of God.” 0 The Son was “ wounded for our transgressions,” 11 “ was dead ” and is alive again* “ alive for evermore.” The beast was “ wounded to death” but his “ deadly wound was healed.” 1 “ He was, and is not, and yet is.’' e The Lamb has “seven horns The beast “has seven heads and ten horns.”' By the Spirit, “ the servants of our God ” are “ sealed unto the day of redemption,” and have the Bather’s name written in their foreheads .” k So the false prophet caused all “to receive a mark,” or the “ name of the beast,” “ in their right hand, or in their foreheads Further, Is the Lord “a man of war?” m Is he with us as our “ captain” to fight our battles?—Is the “Word of God” in righteousness to make war ; and “when the enemy shall come in like a flood,” will the “ Spirit of the Lord ” “ lift up a standard against him ? ” n So also the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet “ make war,” and gathering together a Rev. xiii. 7, 8. b John x. 36. c Rev. xiii. 6. d Is. liii. 5. e Rev. i. 18. 1 Rev. xiii. 3. S Rev, xvii. 8. h Rev. v. 6. i Rev. xiii. 1 . k Corap. Eph. iv. 30. Rev. vii. 3. xiv. 1. 1 Rev. xiii. 16, 17. m Exod. xv. 3. n 2 Chron. xiii. 12. xxxii. 8. Rev. xix. 11, 13. Is. lix. 19. 372 GODS. their armies as a flood, are themselves, the captains, or leaders in the battle of that great day of God Almighty.* Lastly. In several instances we find the Father and the Son separately worshipped, but not the Holy Spirit, though together with the Father and the Son, him we equally worship. That prophet who calls himself the “ fellow- servant of John and of the prophets,” and who appears to be he who was to shew “ things to come,” that is, the Holy Ghost, while he forbids the worship of himself, (alone, perhaps, and in his then prophetic character,) he at the same time commands us to “worship God.” bl So in that trinity of evil “powers,” or “beasts,” though all conspire and instigate to idolatry, war, and rebellion against our God,—in the Trinity Unity which we worship,—only two of them appear separately as objects of worship, —the “dragon” and the “beast.” “They worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast,” “ and they worshipped the beast ;”—the beastwhich “opened his mouth in blasphemy.” The third is not men¬ tioned as being himself worshipped; but he causes a Rev. xii. 15. xvi. 14. xix. 19. xx. 8. b Rev. xxii. 9. 1 See Part I. No. XCIX. It is of course not here meant, that the Third Person in that “ Trinity in Unity,” in which ‘‘none is greater or less than ano¬ ther,” is not to be worshipped and honored equally with the First and Second Persons. For while Scripture, as if to guard against so fatal an idea, says, we are to honour the Son, even as we honour the Father, John v. 23, and also says of the Son, that “whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him ;”—of the Holy Ghost, it adds, “ Rut whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” Matt. xii. 32. GODS. 373 “ an image to be made to the beast, whom lie com¬ pels all to worship whose names are not registered in the Lamb’s book of life, and who have not the Lather’s name in their foreheads. The first and second commandments, the infinite import of which, in letter as well as in spirit, is here so plainly seen, how awfully defied and con¬ temned, yet no less sternly and terrifically vindi¬ cated ! The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, with all “ who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name,” being cast into that abyss of burnings which the Lord, with his “breath” “like a stream of brimstone doth kindle;” and where “the smoke of their tor¬ ment ascendetli up for ever and ever.” a Without attempting to decide how far to interpret the descriptions of this mystical book literally, or how far metaphorically, we may observe that though the “ woman” of ch. xvii. is explained in the last verse as “ that great city,” Babylon , whose judg¬ ment is detailed in the following chapter,—(as the “bride” of ch. xxi. 10, may be, metaphorically, that “ great city, the holy Jerusalem ,” whose glory is also subsequently detailed,)—yet the three other evil powers particularly described,—the “dragon,” the “beast,” and the “false prophet,”—being no where explained as symbols, must be three literal powers. a It*, xxx. 33. Kev. xiv. 11. 374 GODS. Further. As the “Lamb” with “ seven eyes” is neither a principle, nor a collective body of rational beings, hut a single individual; so from analogy we may infer that the “dragon” and the “beast,” with their “ seven heads and ten horns,” as also their colleague, the “ false prophet,” or “ beast which spake as a dragon,” are neither principles, nor bodies of people, but each a single individual; and that, like the true “ Lamb of God,” thev are real in- J t/ telligent beings. And in connexion with the second commandment, which forbids the image, or likeness to be made, bowed down to, or worshipped, of “ any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth,” it must be noticed, that these three objects or instigators of blasphe¬ mous worship, come forth from the very three places thus particularized. The dragon was “ cast to the earth out of heaven the beast, though he ascend- etli out of the bottomless pit,” was seen rising out of the sea; the false prophet, or “beast,” that“ex- erciseth all the power of the first beast,” was beheld “coming out of the earth ; ” a —the same three places, particularized also in Phil. ii. 10, where it is stated, that at the name of Him who subdueth all things, and whom all gods are to worship, “ every knee” shall “ bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth —that is, “ in the waters under the earth." a Rev.'xii. 9. xiii. 1, 11. GODS. 375 According with these coincidences also, while in some passages we read, “ the gods are come down in the likeness of men a —that the “ devil and his angels are cast down from heaven;” b —that “God punisheth the host of the high ones on high ;” c —that Satan as lightning was beheld falling from heaven ; d other passages evidence the existence of tenanted abodes in the inferior regions; and others, again, speak of beings coming “ up” i, e. from “the earth beneath,” or from “ the waters under the earth.” “ Dead things,”—Heb. the Rephaim,—are formed from under the waters , and” (marg. “with,”) “the inhabitants thereof.” 6 “Woe to the inhabit ers of the earth, and of the sea.’ H “ Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming; it stirreth up the dead ” (Re¬ phaim,) “for thee, even ail the chief ones ,” (marg. “ goats,”) “of the earth.” “ It hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.” g The four “great beasts” Daniel saw “ come up from the sea,” “are four kings which shall arise out of the earth .” h Of Pharoah, king of Egypt,—who, let it be re¬ membered is called the “great dragon ” “that is in the sea,” and the “piercing serpent ;” (names in the Revelation appropriated to the devil;) as he is a Acts xiv. 11. l> Rev. xii. 8—10. c Is. xxiv. 21. Luke x. 18. e Job xrvi. 5. ** Rev. xii. 12. Is- xiv. 9. ^ Dan. vii. 3, 17. 376 GODS. also called Leviathan , a —the Lord says, “I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers.” b • “ They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to Gods whom they knew not; to new gocls that came newly up” 01 The witch of Endor stated that she saw “ gods ascending out of the earth.” A And here may he noticed a quotation in Stilling- fleet’s Origines Sacrse, in accordance with these texts, though quoted there to explain away its literal mean¬ ing. “Abydenus,” he observes, “ saith of the giants , that they were those that came out of the earth” A n d Mr. Layard, speaking of the “gigantic head” he raised from the ruins of Nineveh, at the sight of which the natives exclaimed, “It is Nimrod him¬ self,” observes, “ It might well have belonged to one of those fearful beings which are pictured in the traditions of the country, as appearing to mortals slowly ascending from the regions beloio." a Is. xxvii, 1. Ezek. xxix. 3. Rev. xii. 9. b Ezek xxix. 4. c Deut. xxxii. 17. d 1 Sam. xxviii. 13. 1 “ literally from near. The land of Baskan mentioned in verse 14 was near.”—But signifies also “the inmost , or most intimate part of anything, that which is nearest itself, the midst , imvards , entrails Park- hurst. And the prefix is ou t °f> or from. These “ gods v therefore being synonymous with “ devils ” who are supposed to come from beneath, may with more probability mean “ from^ or out of the inmost pari ” of the earth ;—and doubtless our English Version gives the correct idea. With either reading the same class of beings is referred to. The Hebrew word translated “ devils ” in this passage, is so translated in only one other place, Ps. cvi. 37—“They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to devils .” In Gen. xiv. 3, the same word is rendered Siddim; this probably having originally been their special locality, when on earth,—the place where Sodom and Gomorrah once stood, now known as the Salt Sea. gods. 377 The following passages, if taken literally, remark¬ ably confirm the statement of Abyclenus, and the Arabian tradition. “ They ” (the nations that will be confounded at the might of the Lord,) “ shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth.”* Joel, in his prophecy of the war of the last day, speaks of one party of “ mighty ” ones, as coming up; “Prepare war, wake up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.” Of the other, as coming down; “ Thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, 0 Lord.” b The contrast is striking, and designedly so. Time was when words of prophecy were to be closed, and the book sealed. Daniel was commanded to “ shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.” 0 But now they are no longer to be sealed. St. John was commanded to “ seal not the words of the prophecy ” of that book, some of the subjects of which we have seen to be identical Avith Daniel’s prophecies. And concerning the latter also, the command has now gone forth, “ Whoso readeth, let him understand.”—“Then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place, tchoso readeth , let him understand.” a Micah vii. 17. b Joel iii. 9—11. c Dan. iii. 4. 378 GODS. These were the words of our Saviour in reply to the enquiry of his disciples, “ Tell us when shall these things be ? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world ? ” a In a previous conversation on the same important subjects, he also asked them, “ Have ye understood all these things ? ” b This question, momentous as it respects any part of God’s word, is peculiarly so in regard to those portions yet unfulfilled; and more so, as the “ time of the end ” approaches. Tor then, “ knowledge shall be increased,” and “ the wise shall understand ,” but “ none of the wicked shall understand .”“ And why shall they not un¬ derstand? Because they “do wickedly. ” d “For the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom: and to de¬ part from evil is understanding .” “ They love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.” Therefore God sends them “ strong delusion that they should believe a lie; ’ ’ and they are deceived by “ the signs and wonders of that Wicked” who will then be revealed; whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all deceivableness of un¬ righteousness in them that perish.” For the “ false Christs and false prophets ” which in those “ perilous times ” will “arise and show great signs and won¬ ders,” will “ deceive ” if it were possible, even “the very elect.” 6 . a Rev. xxii. 10. Matt- xxiv. 3, 14, ] 5. b Matt, xiii 51 c Dan. xii. 4, 10. 4 Dan. xii. 10. e John iii. 19- 2 These, ii. 8—12. Matt. xxiv. 24. GODS. 379 When, or how soon those times will come, who can tell ? But that that day may not “ overtake us as a thief,” it behoves us now to study earnestly the things revealed in those scriptures of truth, which are “ able to make wise unto salvation; ” and like the prophets of old, to “ search diligently what or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ did signify when it testified beforehand,” the perils and suffer¬ ings of those times, and the glory that shall follow, 2 that so we “ may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” b In conclusion: If the views here propounded be correct, namely, that though to us “ there is but one God, the Father; and one Lord, Jesus Christ; ” yet that there are also “gods many, and lords many;” 0 and that these, as well as the “giants,” “mighty,” “ devils,” etc., which during former dispensations the people of God were called to withstand, were beings such as herein supposed; and that during those “perilous times” so often predicted throughout Scripture and yet future, such, or the same “ strong people,” “terrible nations,” 11 the “violent man,” “ kings of fierce countenance,” “ beasts, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly will again re-appear, while now they, and all “unclean spirits” have been “cast out,” and are “ let and hindered ” a 1 Pet. i. 10, 11. b Luke xxi. 36. c 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6. d Is. xxv. 3. c Ps. xviii. 48. cxl ). Pan. vii. 7. viii. 23. 380 GODS. from appearing—who can properly estimate the blessings of this dispensation of rest from their sore vexing and rapacity j 1 or the advantages enjoyed by those nations and people who have been “ called from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan \ unto God ;” a —who have heard the glad tidings of the gospel, and have been baptized into the “ name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;” b and by this solemn covenant are become, like Israel of old, children of God, translated from darkness and the “ region of death,” (of him that hath the power of death) “into the kingdom of his dear Son—who are Christians, though it may be only in name; are “ born again of water ” though alas! it may be, not of the Spirit.” 0 “ For as many as have been bap¬ tized into Christ, have put on Christ; ” d are children and subjects of his kingdom; and therefore under his special care, government, and discipline. Great, however, as are the blessings of this “ state of salvation,” eternal salvation is not thereby necessarily secured. Though all who were delivered from the power of Egyptian darkness, were “ baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them, and that Rock was Christ; yet with many of them God was not well a Acts xxvi. 18. 1 Pet. ii. 9. h Matt, xxviii. 19. c John iii. 5. d Gral. iii. 27. 1 See Appendix R. GODS. 381 pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness,” 3 and perished without reaching the promised land. We may “have a name to live,” while yet we are “ dead.’’ Subjects may be rebels. Disciples may be traitors. “ Children,” and “heirs” may forfeit the privileges of sonsliip. “ Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall,” for “ many are called but few are chosen.” Though no longer heathen, sitting in the dark places of the earth, “ which are full of the habitations of cruelty,” b under the dominion of those “ gods,” “lords,” or “rulers of the darkness of this world,” our dangers and trials are not ended, neither is our “warfare accomplished.” We are still in a state of probation, and have need to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure. For if under the Sinaic dispensation, “he who despised Moses’ law died without mercy, of how much sorer punish¬ ment shall we be thought worthy”—“ how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ” If translated into this kingdom of our Lord and Saviour,—into the glorious liberty of the children of God”—it is that, like Israel, we may be a “ holy nation,” and “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” “ For without holiness no man shall see the Lord.” But as with the increase of privileges, duties and responsibilities increase, the standard of “ holiness a 1 Cor. x. 2—12. b Ps. lxxiv. 20. 382 GODS. I to the Lord,” is lifted on higher ground, and un¬ furled from the “ letter of the law which ldlleth,” to the “ spirit which giveth life.” And the “ wea¬ pons of our warfare” are now not needed against visible “ wicked spirits,” and “ angels of Satan,” but against foes surrounding us, the more insidious be¬ cause unseen;—they have to be used in the still more arduous warfare of subduing the “hidden man of the heart,” and “ bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ,” Looking to Him who “ according to the working ing of his mighty power is able even to subdue all things unto himself, ’ to keep us “ from falling,” and to present us “ faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,” we are more than con¬ querors ; for “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” “ To whom be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.’’ APPEJNDIX APPENDIX. Wait r. A. Pages 18, 112. “Jehovah appeared as three men to Abraham, Gen. xviii. . . The more attentively any one considers the whole chapter, the more clearly he will perceive that the three men there mentioned, w r ere no other than an appearance of Jehovah subsisting in three persons , and conversing with Abraham as their friend.” 1 “ Both the ancient Latin and Greek fathers, usually pro¬ duced this passage in proof of the Trinity. After Moses had said, V. 1, And Jehovah appeared to him, (Abraham,) he immediately adds, Y. 2, And he looked, and lo, three men stood by him; which words really seem to contain the explication of the manner in which God appeared to Abraham. Nor should it be thought unsuitable, that even the Father and the Holy Spirit appeared in human form; for Isaiah saw the whole Trinity, Is. vi.; which vision is actually explained of the Son, John xiv. 41, and also of the Holy Ghost, Acts xxviii. 25, and I imagine none should exclude the Father. Again, Abraham addresses these Three as if they were one. 1 Parkhurst Heb. Lex. under mn. 4th Edition, p. 292. 386 APPENDIX. Y. 3. To say that Abraham addressed only one of the Three, is saying a thing without proof. Nay, the words of the Patriarch are so put together, that they not only express a civil and common respect, but a religious homage. For the appellation he makes use of, in the Hebrew is among the epithets of the Supreme Being ; as the orthodox agree. Nor is it any objection that he entertained them as men; for seeing they behaved themselves as such, he was unwilling to deny the duties of humanity due to the persons they sustained. But it was something beyond common civility, that while they were eating, he himself should stand by them as a servant, V . 8.” 1 Josephus calls all the three men, “angels.” “Abraham, as he sat by the oak of Mamre, at the door of his tent saw three * angels , and thinking them to be strangers, he rose up and saluted them.” They afterwards “ declared that they were angels of GodT 1 “ Three months after the institution of circumcision, the Three Persons in the Trinity dine with Abraham, and foretel the birth of Isaac; again the Son and the Holy Ghost go down to Sodom, but the First Person in the Trinity stayeth with Abraham.” “ The Three Persons in the Trinity, in the shape of three men, appear to Abraham and dine with him, and eat the first flesh mentioned as eaten in all the Scripture.” 3 B. Page 73. “As a noun with a formative N? man, the appellative name of the human nature because created rVftyD in the likeness of God. Gen. v. 1,2. The most usual derivation of this word, I am aware, is from n£HX, vegetable earth or mould, because 1 Witsius. 2 Joseph. Ant. Book I. Ch. XI. 3 Lightfoot’s Works. Yol I. pp. 13, 695. APPENDIX. 387 man was formed of the PlWlNn jD 7DJ? dust of the ground. Gen. ii. 7. But the judicious reader cannot help seeing that Gen. v. 1, 2, speaks much more plainly for the derivation I have given, than Gen. ii. 7, for the other. Comp. 1 Cor. xv. 45, 47, with .2 Cor. iv. 4. Col. i. 15, OHK is also the proper name of th e first man Adam.’’ 1 C. Page 74. “ We often read of the angel, (and sometimes angels,) of Jehovah, or of the Aleim ; that is, his agent , personator , mean of visibility or action , what was employed by God to render himself visible and approachable by flesh and blood. This or angel was evidently a human form, surrounded or accompanied by light or glory, with, or in which Jehovah was present. See inter, al.: Gen. xix. 1, 12, 16 (Comp. Gen. xviii. 1, 16, 22). Judg. xiii. 6, 21. Exod. iii. 6, 2.” "*T^ occurs not as a V. in Heb. but in Ethiopic and Arabic signifies to send, and in the Hith. or passive conjugation of the former language, to serve , minister unto.” 2 D. Page 162. The following instance of passages of Scripture accurately coinciding and elucidating each other, may be acceptable to those who take an interest in Scripture chronology. Having some years ago met with an observation by the Rev. Mr. Pym, to the effect that Mr. Clinton, in a work on Scripture chronology, rectifies an error (of about 138 or 139 years) in the usual computation of time, and founds his cor- 1 Parkhurst under n£”t- 2 Parkhurst under "fN? 388 APPENDIX. rection on St. Paul's assertion in Acts xiii. 20, that the time of the judges was “ about 450 years/' the writer, not having access to Mr. Clinton’s work, turned to the books of Judges and 1 Samuel, for the purpose of seeing how far the times therein recorded corresponded with St. Paul's statement. These periods are given in the subjoined Table. They are placed in three columns, as those in the last column are not noticed in Judges in the same way as the others are. Neither do the captivity and rest here occur alternately. TABLE or The Years of Israel's Captivity and Rest during the Time of the Judges. Cap- Rest. tivity Jud. iii. 8. 8 .. • * Cushan-risathaim. — 11. • • 40 • • Othniel. - 14. 18 • • • • Eglon, king of Moab. — 30. • • 80 • • Eliud. iv. 3. 20 • . . Jabin, king of Canaan. Y. 31. • • 40 • • Deborah. vi. 1. 7 • • • • Midian. viii. 28. • • 40 • • Gideon. ix. 22. .. • • 3 Abimelech. x. 2. • • % m 23 Tola. — 3. • • • • 22 Jair. — 8. 18 • • • • Philistines and Ammonites. xii. 7. • » • • 6 Jephthah. — 9. • • .. 7 Ibzan. — 11. • • • • 10 Elon. — 14. • • • • 8 i\bdon. xiii. 1. 40 • • • • Philistines. xvi. 31. • • • • 20 Samson. 1 Sam. iv, 18. • • • • 40 Eli. 111 200 139 i 200 139 See Acts xiii. 20. “450 year ? until Samuel the prophet.” APPENDIX. 389 From this Table it will be seen that the number of years in the three columns, added together, amounts precisely to 450. Also, that the 139 years in the last column agree, within one, with the number of years supposed by Mr. Clin¬ ton to be omitted in the usual method of computing the time that elapsed before the Christian era. The period of 20 years mentioned in Jud. xv. 20, if added, would make the total number 470, instead of *150 years. But in Bagster’s Bible on this verse we read, “ He” (Samson) “ seems to have judged south-west Israel during 20 years of the servitude of the Philistines,”—which reduces it to the right period of 450 years. The marginal date of the first captivity is “ cir. 1402 b.c.,” and of the death of Eli, “ cir. 1141 •” which allows only 261 years, instead of 450 years for the time of the judges, “until Samuel the prophet.” This is manifestly wrong. E. Page 185. The following table shews the correspondencies of the trumpets and vials. TRUMPETS. Rev. viii. 7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth. V. 8. The second angel sound¬ ed, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea : and the third part of the sea became blood. V. 10. The third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the rivers and fountains of waters. VIALS. Rev. xvi. 2. The first angel poured out his vial upon the earth. V. 3. The second angel poured out his vial upon the sea ; and it became as the blood of a dead man. V. 4. The third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters. 390 APPENDIX. Rev. viii. 12. The fourth angel sounded and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars. Ch. ix. 1. The fifth angel sound¬ ed, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth . . . and he opened the bottomless pit , and there arose a smoke out of the bottomless pit, and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. Y. 13. The sixth angel sounded and I heard a voice saying . . . Loose the four angels which are bound in th e great river Euphrates. Ch. x. 7. In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished. Ch. xi. 15,19.—And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there were lightnings , and voices , and thunderings , and an earthquake. Rev. xvi. 8. The fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun. Y. 10. The fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness. Y. 12. The sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates. Y. 17. The seventh angel pour¬ ed out his vial into the air; and there came a voice out of the temple of heaven . . . saying, it is done. And there were voices , and thunders , and lightnings , and there was a great earthquake. F. Page 194. While the law promulgated by Moses continued in force, the offices of High Priest and King were separated, the former being restricted to the tribe of Levi, the latter, from the time of David to the tribe of Judah; but hereafter,—on their re-union in the person of the “ Son of David,” made a Priest “after the order of Melchizedec,” who when “he shall build the temple of the Lord, shall be a Priest upon his throne,”—that order of things which existed in the patriarchal times, when both offices centered in the same person, will be restored: or rather that which existed anterior even to the world's existence in the person of that Priest of the Most High God,—Melchizedec,—by interpretation, “ King of V APPENDIX. 391 righteousness, and . , also King of Salem, which is King of peace.'* Concerning this Royal Priest, there are various conjectures, some supposing him to have been Shem, or some other mere man of unknown parentage ; others the Holy Ghost; others, the Son of God. To the writer none of these views are satisfactorv, for the following reasons. First. It is self-evident that the “ order** after which Christ was by oath made a Priest, existed, or had existed, at the time the oath was sworn, which according to Parkhurst “was prior to the creation” He says, “The Psalm,*' (Ps. cx. in which Jehovah testifies. Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck,) “ does not determine the time when this oath was pronounced, but other Scriptures do. For St. Paul says that Christ was made a Priest, i.e . after the order of Melchizedec, by this very oath, Heb. vii. 21. But his inauguration to the Priesthood and kingdom was prior to the creation of the world , Prov. viii. 23, et seq. Therefore this very oath recorded in Ps. cx., was “ prior to the creation.” He adds, “As for the expression concerning the oath, Heb. vii. 28, ‘the word of the oath which was after the law,' that plainly relates not to the time when the oath was made , but to that in which it was to take effect , which was to be after the cessation of the law. Comp. Y. II, 12, 18 of this chapter.” 1 This oath then being “prior to the creation,** Melchizedec, the first and head of the order after which Christ was by this oath made a Priest, must also have existed “prior to the creation.” Consequently, Melchizedec could neither have been Shem nor any other mere human creature . Secondly. But neither does he appear to have been Christ. For, besides that it seems unreasonable to suppose a person 1 Ileb. Lex. under and Note. 392 A PPENLI X. made a priest after an order of priesthood of which he is himself the grand type and head, Melchizedec is described as being “without father, without mother, without descent/’ —marg. “ without pedigree,” (or genealogy,) — “ having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; ” a description which in every particular seems inapplicable to Him, whose “Father” was God;—whose “mother” was Mary;—whose “ descent,” or “ pedigree ” is carefully recorded in the register of truth, (see Matt, i., Luke iii.)—and wiiose “beginning of days,” or birth, is commemorated at Christmas, and his “end of life,” or death, on Good Friday. Further. By this appointment of Christ to the High Priesthood “ after the order of Melchizedec,” and to which confirmed by the solemnity of an oath he was ordained by Him w r ho sware, “ Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee,” God the Father “ glorified ” his Son and raised him to higher dignity and honor. a But so far from raising, it would derogate from the high dignity of the “ Son of God” to make him a Priest either after any order of “ men that die,” or after any otiier order of beings inferior to himself, however high in the scale of existence. That Melchizedec was either Shem, or Christ, or any being of inferior nature, appearing thus improbable, it would seem that this “ King of Righteousness ” and “ Peace,” who “ abideth a priest continually,” and of whom in opposition to “men that die,” “it is witnessed that he liveth,” must be, though not the Second Person, yet One of those three whose “ majesty is co-equal” and who are “co-eternal together.” 1 But Thirdly. He does not appear to be the Holy Spirit. For, though as making “ intercession for us,” b the Holy Spirit discharges one priestly function, he never seems to be spoken of, or to act as High Priest or as King. His office a Heb. v. 4 ~6 # h Rom. viii. 26. 1 Athanasian Creed. > APPENDIX. 393 seems to be rather that of Prophet, shewing “ things which shall be hereafter,” and testifying of Jesus. Not so the First Person. Though neither is He ever called a “ High Priest,”—if the passage under consideration be excepted—yet that He was such, seems clear. The office of High Priest is stated in the Epistle to the Hebrews with special reference to the priesthood to which Christ was ordained. “ Every High Priest taken from among men is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices ;” and with the blood of these sacrifices, slain and offered on “the altar of burnt- offering” the priests made reconciliation or atonement for sin. And do we not see in the patriarch Abraham binding and laying his son, his “ only son,” upon the altar “ for a burnt- offering,” and taking a “knife to slay him,” a high priest in the full meaning of the words; and in the performance of this very act, an eminent type of that Father, who “ so loved the world that he gave ” his Son, “his only begotten Son,” “ to be a sacrifice and propitiation ’’for the sins of the world? “ The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all,” and he was brought as a “ lamb to the slaughter and “ cut off out of the land of the living.”* Thus the “righteous Father ” sacrificed his Son, “Jesus Christ the righteous.” He provided “himself a lamb for a burnt-offering, —the “ Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” that by his blood he might “ reconcile ” not the world only, but “ all things to himself,” Hence, the “ Most High God,” and “ Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, was a High Priest; and in thus reconciling all things “to Himself,” was Priest to Himself, —“Priest of,” or rather to , the “ Most High God,” as Gen. xiv. 18, would be more correctly rendered. 1 a Is. liii. 7, 8. 1 A case resembling this is to be found in our church, where the clergyman administers to himself the bread and wine, the symbols of the great Atonement. 2 D 394 APPENDIX. From these considerations we infer that that “ Priest of the Most High God/’ who with bread and wine—the ele¬ ments of our Eucharistic feast,—met Abraham on his return after the slaughter of the kings and “ blessed him,” and with regard to whom, we are reminded that “ without all contra¬ diction the less is blessed of the better,” and throughout this seventh chapter of Hebrew-s are led to “ consider how great he w r as,” and that there is none “ greater” than He;—was that “ Lord ” who had previously promised to bless Abram/ —that “God” wiio afterwards, in blessing him, “because He could swear by no greater , sware by Himself —the mention of which circumstance in the latter part of Heb. vi. leads at once to the particulars in ch. xiii. adduced to shew u how much greater” Melchisedec was than Abraham or any other human priest. The conclusion then is, that this “ King of Righteousness,” and “ King of Peace,” this Melchizedec, who “ abideth a priest continually,” “having neither beginning of days nor end of life,” w^as that “ great,” and “ living God,” the “an¬ cient of days,”*? and “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “ After the order” and “ similitude ” d of this Eternal Sovereign and Hierarch was Christ, who is the “ image” of God, the “ Son of the Highest,” made a priest for ever; and to this “ King’s Son,” the “ Prince of Peace,” will God “ give ” his “ righteousness ” and “ in the latter days” the “ throne of his father David;” when, “ crowned wdth glory and honour,” this “ King ” and “ Priest upon his throne,” will reign in righteousness , and under his government will be “ abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.” e It may be objected that the sentence, “made like unto the Son of God/’ cannot apply to God the Father. 1 Gen. xii. 2. b Gen. xxii, 16, V7. Heb. vi. 13, 14, c Dan. vii. 13. d Heb. vii. 15. e Is. ix. 6. xxxii. 1. Ps. lxxii, 1, 7. APPENDIX. 395 1 To this we reply (1) that the word “made” is not in the original of this passage separately expressed; and (2) that it seems doubtful whether the words “ made like ” convey the t/ precise meaning of the Greek word so rendered (a^/xo/w/xsw/s 1 ), which occurs only here. The original itself appears not at variance with the above views. The following, from Sir I. Newton's Chronology, is here transcribed, as it contains a description of Jehovah , part of which is expressed in terms identical in signification with those in Ileb. vii. 3; unless dvo/uboiSrar^ be considered an exception. “ In the sacred commentary of the Persian rites these words are ascribed to Zoroastrcs ; 2 O ©eoc Igti xejv i%cov /Sgax(&' HTOg EGTIV 6 <7Tgl 53 t ©^, aysv6r l r& ) civo(J.oiOTOLT(&' i rjv/op^©-' navlbg xaAS, dyx&ujv dyCiSoOTCCT^ vljj.00]/ Eph. iv. 8. 1 Demonology and Witchcraft. By Sir W. Scott. 420 APPENDIX. dumb. The heathen, as is well attested by their own writings^ wondered at the silence of their gods, and knew not that the God of gods had come down and put them to confusion : and the unclean spirits haunted the earth no longer when the gospel had been sufficiently proved by the miraculous evidence whereunto they were made to contribute. “ If, then, we are no longer misled by lying wonders, and deceiving truths,—for even the truth of Satan is a lie,—if we are no longer at the mercy of unclean ruffian spirits to break into our fleshly tabernacle, usurp our faculties, and hold their orgies under our very ribs, let us rejoice with trembling; for it is what has been, and shall be again, aud we are living in an interval of freedom, a little season of restraint, in which the furies are held back by the mediation of Christ. The time is at hand ,—at hand , I say,—when that restraint shall be removed, and that which letteth, will let no longer; and Satan shall be cast down on earth, to slake his thirsty despe¬ ration in our blood/ ; 1 1 The Spirits of the Dead and the Spirits of the Air. By Thos. Lance, Esq. pp. 47, 48.