evil will have effected. We can only gaze from a distance, as upon some mysterious nebula of thickly congregated blessings, and wait, till time itself has borne us into the midst of them, to trace out each separate instance of good with which obedience to Divine wisdom will then adorn the societies of men. Let, then, silent wonder and adoring love take the place of curious enquiry, while by the help of the sure word of prophecy we look towards the future, and watch the approaching majesty of the Redeemer's kingdom. Those exceeding great and precious promises that await that hour for their accomplishment, although the fulness of their meaning pass man's understanding, may still serve well to strengthen within us the hope of His coming; while at the same time we learn to appreciate more and more the blessedness of that for which we daily pray, saying, "Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name: Thy kingdom come: Thy will be on earth, as it is in heaven." V. The Advent of the Lord the Deliverance of Creation. BY THE REV. MAXIMILIAN GENESTE, M.A. PSALM XCVI. 11-13. "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth." WHEN David brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom, and set it in the midst of the tent which he had pitched for it in the city of David, he appointed the priests and Levites to minister before it, and delivered to them a Psalm of praise to thank the Lord.* After the captivity, when the temple, rebuilt from its ruins, was dedicated with similar solemnities, it is probable that the Psalm before us was selected by Haggai and Zechariah, from the song of praise used by David when the ark was placed in its tabernacle, as affording the best expression of the thoughts and feelings that should fill the soul at the completion of the second temple, which was to be more glorious than the first, by the presence in it of the long-expected Messiah, the Lord from heaven.‡ The title prefixed to the ninety-sixth Psalm in the Septuagint is, "An Ode of David," which was used "when the house was built after the captivity." Like most of the Psalms, whilst adapted to the circumstances which were the immediate occasion of its composition, it is prophetic in its character: it brings before our contemplation the time when the Eternal Son of God dwelt among us in a tabernacle of flesh;§ it carries on our view yet further, to the Second Advent, when the tabernacle of * 1 Ch. xvi. 7-36. Hag. ii. 9. § Heb. viii. 2; ix. 11. God shall be with men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.* The fulfilment of these glorious anticipations, in their fullest extent, may await till after the millennium; but that they are descriptive of the millennium itself no man will assuredly deny. If joy and gladness were suited to the occasion when the Lord God arose into His resting place with the ark of His strength, and afforded a visible token of His presence in the Shecina of glory which overshadowed the mercy seat,-if the advent of the incarnate God, as a suffering Saviour for the redemption of sinners, was to be ushered in with yet greater demonstrations of praise,-how loud shall be the hallelujahs which will celebrate His return to this world, the scene of His sufferings and death, when He shall come in His glory, surrounded by the heavenly hosts; when He shall take unto himself His great power, and reign King of kings and Lord of lords! A " new song "well becomes those who shall inherit the "new heavens and the new * Rev. xxi. 3. earth;" when He that sitteth upon the throne shall say, "Behold, I make all things new ;" and when they shall celebrate the praises of Him who hath redeemed them to God by His blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hath made them unto their God kings and priests; and they shall reign on the earth.* All the earth shall then sing unto the Lord, and bless His name, and shew forth His salvation from day to day; His glory shall then be declared among the heathen, and His wonders among all people. When honour and majesty are before Him, and strength and beauty are in His sanctuary, the kindreds of the people shall give unto the Lord glory and strength; they shall give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; they shall bring an offering and come into His courts; all the earth shall fear before Him, and worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; they shall say among the heathen, that the Lord reigneth; the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved; He shall judge the people righteously. In anticipation, therefore, of this glorious * Rev. v. 10. |