70 WA THE BLESSED HOPE. ALKING the chequered pathway where human life is past, In joys that I have hoped for, in griefs that I have feared, It is a hope of glory, of peace, and joy, and light; And would you take it from me-this hope so dear, so blest? Whatever griefs distress me, whatever cares annoy, This hope has power to bless me with thoughts of future joy. This blessed hope has cheered me beside the open tomb, Go, cloud the morning radiance, and veil the crimson west; Yea, take the best and noblest of nature's costly dower; For sometimes feet grow weary, when hard and rough the way; Then would you take it from me? Nay, turn and seek again, Oh! blessed hope of seeing Thy coming, glorious King! A. W. 71 THE 144,000 SEALED FOR CHARACTER, AND WHY THE TRIBE OF DAN IS EXCEPTED. (Revised with addition from the PROPHETIC NEWS for January.) FOR he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circum cision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit," and has been ever since the Apostle thus wrote to the Churches of his day. "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham,' and "the children of the promise are counted for the seed," for," if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." And only in the light of these New Testament Scriptures can we understand who are "the tribes of the children of Israel" in Rev. vii. 4. It has been well said by a modern writer of considerable penetration, and the truth so expressed should be well pondered by every earnest and devout student of God's Word, that "the letter of Scripture, like the flesh of Christ, is a veil quite as much as it is a revelation, hiding while it reveals and yet revealing while it hides. The Bible resembles yet differs from other books, exactly as the flesh of Christ resembled yet differed from the flesh of other men. The Bishop of Natal has dissected the letter of Scripture till it is to him as the flesh of Christ would have been to the mere anatomist. His flesh was stripped and mocked. But those who are stripping and dissecting know not what they do " (Jukes on Restitution, S. 1). Now, there is no part of Scripture to which this may be more truly applied than to that called "The Revelation." Had it been called "The Mystery," the treatment it receives from most Bible readers would be more accountable and excusable, but seing it is called "The Revelation," and a blessing is pronounced "on those who read, and who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein," neglect is most culpable. It is, however, for the most part, a book of symbols, and although fact and figure, the literal and the metaphorical seem sometimes closely allied, it is just there that we require the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the promised Guide into all truth. Nor will He fail to whisper to those who are quiet enough to hear His own still small voice, for," to understand a proverb and the interpretation, the words of the wise and their dark sayings, a wise man will hear." We are about, then, in the light of Scripture to read Scripture, comparing spiritual things with spiritual, that we may come to a true understanding of the 144,000 sealed ones spoken of in Rev. vii. First, then, we notice that they are not children of Jacob the supplanter, but children of Israel, "the prince who had power with God and with men, and prevailed," which shows them to be overcomers. This brings us at once to see that the names employed here as expressive of tribe are expressive of character, and therefore we propose to consider the signification of the several names here enumerated. So, then, we observe that Judah signifies the praise of the Lord. And well fitting it is that this should be the first named, seeing that out of it sprang "the Lion of the tribe of Judah," Jehovah's chief praise. But the twelve thousand are Jehovah's praise too, if they are disciples indeed of their one Master, a people formed for Himself to show forth His praise. These are they to whom He said, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my disciples," and of whom He said, "All mine are thine and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them." These shall be counted overcomers, and hence sealed as the servants of our God in their foreheads. In like manner, seeing that Reuben has for its meaning, One who sees the Son, we are not surprised to find twelve thousand of such a tribe sealed; for every one who sees the Son and believes on Him hath everlasting life. And those who by faith are looking unto Jesus are sure to see Him, not only the Author but the Completer of their salvation, that as He came to commence it so He is coming to complete it in raising the dead and changing the living; and thus they continue hoping to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto them at the revelation of Jesus Christ. And this habit of seeing the Son as He came, a sufferer, as He continues, an indweller, and as He is coming, a bridegroom, has changed them into His likeness from glory into glory, so that their Father sees His Son in them, and most surely will they be found overcomers, and hence sealed as the servants of our God in their foreheads. Then again, seeing that Gad reminds us of A happy band armed and prepared, it is just such a tribe as we should expect to see among the sealed ones for, "Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners ? " Armed and prepared for the conflict, and ever engaged with the foe in aggressive or defensive warfare, giving no truce to the enemy in the presence and under command of her Leader and Commander, "The Word of God," who is presently to lead forth in triumph the armies of heaven upon white horses clothed in fine linen, white and clean. These are they who have "endured hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ," and although accounted sheep for slaughter, have in all these things come off far more than conquerors through Him that hath loved them. Therefore we are not surprised to find twelve thousand of such a tribe numbered among the overcomers, and hence sealed as the servants of our God in their foreheads. Nor shall Naphtali be missed, seeing that he is One who in comparison bears the likeness, for they are all predestinated to become conformed to the image of His Son; and that He might bring the many sons to glory He became likened to them in suffering and death that they might become likened to Him in resurrection life, and glory. And the Father, of whom they have been all begotten, looks upon them that He may see them in comparison with His Son, bearing somewhat of His image. For only can He look on them with complacency as seeing the likeness that He approves, He can say, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," and only as they wear the likeness of their Beloved, can He say, "Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee." "Defiled and loathsome as they are, He makes them white and calls them fair; To put a comeliness on worms." As the tents of Kedar in themselves; as the courts of Solomon in Him. Black in themselves; but comely in Him. And only can they bear comparison with Him as they are grafted into Him, abiding in Him, fruitful in Him, and so well pleasing to the Father in Him. This to them is," to walk worthy of Him unto all pleasing," to manifest Him a life in them. Therefore do we not wonder to see twelve thousand of this tribe accounted overcomers, and as servants of our God, sealed in their foreheads. Manasseh, too, shall not be forgotten of His God, seeing that his name indicates One who forgets and is forgotten, for the men of his tribe have in love for their Lord forgotten their own people and their first father's house, that so the beauty of their devotedness might meet the desire and approval of their King. And thus they are soon forgotten and cast off by the world, so that their language becomes, "I am a stranger with Thee and a sojourner, as all my fathers were ;" or again, "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children." But not forgotten of their God, He saith to each one of them, "I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands, thy walls "-thy wants-" are continually before Me." Nor shall they be forgotten in that day " when He writeth up the people; " for of such we read, "They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." Therefore are we not surprised to find twelve thousand such counted overcomers, and, as the servants of our God, sealed in their foreheads. Then comes Simeon, as One that hears and obeys and is heard himself, and circumcised in heart and in ear: we find their language to be, "Thou hast opened mine ear as the ear of the learned," and with their ear bored to the doorpost of their master's house, in sign of perpetual service, they abide in the house for ever, like sons. For hearing Him they live, and living obey, and in the path of obedience are heard in all they ask. Like their great Example they have learned to hear and obey in the path of endurance, and so are able to say, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt. The cup which my Father giveth me, shall I not drink it ?" And while in this path of endurance their language is, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" their hearkening attitude, thus secured, enables them to say, "If we ask anything according to His will He heareth us, and if He hear us, we know that whatsoever we ask we receive of Him." Therefore should we expect to see such as these chosen to serve Him day and night in His kingdom, and overcomers, sealed as the servants of our God in their foreheads. In Levi we find One who is held and associated, and truly they are held up, held in, and held on their way by association with the "Strength of Israel, that will not lie nor repent." Having learned wherein their strength lies-not in themselves, like Samson's locks that might be shorn, but in Him, their Jehovah-tsidkenu-they cry continually, "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe," for their strength and righteousness consists in the keeping of Another. As members of a mystical body, too, they are associated one with another in Him, and "holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands hath its nourishment ministered," they find their completeness in Him. He is their wisdom to know and their power to do or endure all His appointed will. These are the truly royal priesthood, holy nation, and peculiar people, who, without portion or inheritance on earth, have the Lord for their portion and inheritance, and so become numbered among the overcomers, and sealed as the servants of our God in their foreheads. In Issachar we find men of price, reward, and recompence; given of the Father to the Son for a covenant seed, as the price, reward, and recompence of His sufferings and death, and in them He sees of the travail of His soul and is satisfied. Given to Him for a bride "that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might Himself present unto Himself the Church glorious, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that she might be holy and without blemish" (see Alford). These children of Issachar have been always "men that had understanding of their times, to know what Israel ought to do " (1 Chron. xii. 32). And faithful to God, have stood up for Him; not for price, reward, or recompence from their fellow-men, but in loyalty to Him whom they love and serve, having respect unto His recompence of reward in that day. Therefore are we not surprised to find this tribe among the overcomers, and sealed as servants of our God in their foreheads. In Zebulun, we find signified A dwelling and habitation; and, surely, these are they who have become an habitation for God through the Spirit. Their bodies, the temples of the Holy Ghost, they are called "lively stones built up a spiritual house;" and concerning them as sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty, He saith, "I will dwell in them and walk in them; they shall be My people, and I will be their God." From the beginning His delights have been with the sons of men. With Adam He walked in Eden in the cool of the day; and walking with God has been the sign of faith in the faithful ever since. And, finally, we are to hear a voice out of heaven, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them," the earnest of which we have now fulfilled in the promise, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words, and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him and make our abode with him; at that day ye shall know that I am in My Father, ye in Me and I in you." Of such a tribe as this, we should expect to see twelve thousand reckoned as overcomers, and sealed as the servants of our God in their foreheads. In the tribe of Joseph, we find Men of increase and addition in abundance, for the archers have made them their mark; and, sorely grieved and wounded, they have been "broken in the place of dragons, and oft covered with the shadow of death." But through fire and through water they have been brought out into a wealthy place, and all the pruning and discipline has turned to account for fruit-bearing to the glory of the Great Husbandman. As members of the mystical body of Christ, "by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, they are knit together, and increase with the increase of God." Going from strength to strength, and receiving grace for grace, they grow in grace, and so "add to their faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity," until at length "an abundant entrance shall be ministered unto them into the everlasting kingdom of their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." And as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ in that kingdom, they are accounted overcomers, and sealed as the servants of our God in their foreheads. |
