I will add, in order to facilitate the establishment of the connection of this with other passages, that I doubt not Jesus will reign in the character of David, before assuming that of Solomon. He suffered as David driven away by the jealousy of Saul. The remnant will pass through this in principle. This is the key to the book of Psalms. He will reign as David, Israel being blessed and accepted, but all their enemies not yet destroyed. And finally he will reign as Solomon, that is to say, as Prince of Peace. Many passages, such as Micah v., several chapters in Zechariah, Jer. li., 20, 21. Ez. xxv., 14, speak of this time, in which Israel already reconciled and acknowledged and in peace within, shall be the instruments for executing the Lord's judgments without. Compare Isaiah xi. 10-14.

All then that relates to the destruction of the empires which are the subject of Daniel's prophecies, has no place in the prophecies of Ezekiel; nor that which takes place in order to put Israel again in relation with God; nor the consequences to the Jews of their rejection of Christ. These subjects will be found elsewhere, as in Daniel, Zechariah, and more generally in Isaiah. Here, God makes Himself known in Israel. Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, falls upon the mountains of Israel, and the Lord makes Himself known in the eyes of many nations, xxxviii. 21-23. The judgment shall reach the land of Gog, and the isles (xxxix. 6). The name of the Lord shall be known in Israel, and the heathen shall know that the Lord, the Holy One, is in Israel (ver. 7). And the glory of the Lord, being thus manifested in the midst of the nations, Israel from this day forth shall know that it is the Lord Himself who is their God, and the nations shall know that it was the iniquity of Israel that brought judgment upon them, and not that the Lord had failed either in power or in the stability of His counsels (ver. 22, 24). In a word, the Lord and His government should be fully known in Israel and by means of this people in the world, and from that time God would no more hide His face from them, His Spirit should be poured out upon His people. The verses 25-29 recapitulate the dealings of God

towards them for the establishment of His government, and to make Himself known among them.

The remaining part of the prophecy is the establishment of His sanctuary in the midst of His people. The reader will perceive that we find in these last chapters a revelation of the same kind as that given to Moses for the tabernacle, and to David for the temple, only that in this case the details are preserved in the writings given to the people by inspiration, as a testimony for the time to come and to conscience in all times. God takes an interest in His people. He will re-establish His sanctuary among men. Meantime, the testimony of this has been given to the people to bring them under the responsibility which this good-will of God towards them involved. For the prophet was commanded to tell the house of Israel all that he had seen; and he did So. When the dimensions of the different parts of the house have been given, the glory of the Lord fills the house, in the vision, as happened historically at the dedication of the tabernacle and of the temple.

Chapter xliii. 7, proclaims that the house, which is the throne and the footstool of the Lord, should no more be defiled by profane things. The prophet was then to declare that if Israel renounced their unfaithfulness, the Lord would return to dwell there. Thus the people are placed at all times under this responsibility. The prophet was to shew the house to Israel that they might repent, and if they repented he was to explain it to them in detail. And it is this which takes place at the end. The ordinances of the house were to be shown them if they humbled themselves; and in view of this, the prophet announces all that was to be done for the cleansing and the consecration of the altar, in order that the regular service might be performed.

Chapter xliv. makes known the fact that the Lord is returned to His house, and the memorial of His having done so is preserved, in that the door by which He entered is to remain for ever shut. The prince alone (for God will raise up a prince in Israel), is to enter through it to sit before the Lord. We have seen that this prophet always contemplates Israel on their own

ground, as an earthly people in relation with the throne of God on the earth. Compare Zech. xii. 7, 8, 10. Finally, God maintains the holiness of His house against all strangers, and even against the Levites who had forsaken it. The family of Zadoc is established in the priesthood, and directions are given to keep it from all profanation.

Chapter xlv. The portion of the priests in the land is assigned them-close to that of the sanctuary. The portion of the Levites was to adjoin that of the priests, and then came the possession of the city and its suburbs. That which remained of the breadth of the land was for the prince and for the inheritance of his children, in order that the people should no longer be oppressed. All the rest of the land was for the people. Provision is also made for the daily offerings, and for those of the Sabbath. The other appointed offerings were to be made by the prince.

Some details require one or two remarks. The cleansing of the sanctuary commences the year. It is no longer an atonement at the end of seven months to take away the defilements that have been accumulating. The year opens with an already accomplished cleansing. Afterwards, in order that all may have communion with the sufferings of the Paschal Lamb, an offering is made on the seventh day of the month for every one that erreth, and every one that is simple (ver. 20). During the feast, they offered seven bullocks instead of two. The character of worship will be perfect. The sense of Christ's acceptance as the burnt-offering will be perfect in that day. The feast of Pentecost is omitted-a circumstance of great significance, for this feast characterises our present position. Not that the Spirit will not be given in the world to come, when Christ shall establish his kingdom. But this gift is not that which characterises that period as it does the present time. We have observed that the prophet sees everything in a Jewish point of view. Thus the remembrance of redemption, and the enjoyment of rest, celebrated at the feast of the Tabernacles, will characterise the position of the Jews before God. The two feasts are celebrated in the recog

nition of the full value of the burnt offering presented to God. Another circumstance which distinguishes the worship of this millennial day, is that the two feasts which are types of that period are marked out in the worship, the Sabbath and the new moon-rest and re-establishment! Israel appearing anew in the world. The inner gate on the side of the east was open on that day, and the prince worshipped at the very threshold of the gate, and the people before the gate. The other days it was shut. They stood thus before the Lord, in the consciousness of the rest which God had given to Israel and of His grace in again manifesting His people in the light. Nevertheless, it still remains true that neither the people nor the prince entered within. Those who are the most blessed on the earth in that day of blessing will never have that access into the Lord's presence which we have by the Spirit, through the vail. Pentecost belongs to, and links itself with, the rending of the vail; and gives us to walk in all liberty in the light, as God Himself is in the light, having entered into the holy place by the new and living way which He has consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, His flesh.

The prince entered by the outer-door on the side of the east, and he went out by the same door. In the solemn feasts, the people went in by the north gate and came out by the south gate, and the prince in their midst. When he went in alone, as a voluntary worshipper, he entered and retired again by the eastern gate. These ordinances, while giving remarkable honour to the prince, in connection with the glory of God who gave him his place among the people, equally secured that which follows (ver. 16-18), of the brotherly and benevolent relations between him and the people of God, and took away all opportunity of oppression.

The two last chapters do not require any lengthened remarks. The waters that issue from the sanctuary represent the life-giving power that proceeds from the throne of God, flowing through His temple, and healing the Dead Sea, the abiding token of judgment. The waters abound in fish, the trees that grow beside them

are filled with fruit, the marshes alone remain under the curse, they are "given to salt." The blessing of that day is real and abundant, but not complete. The land is divided between the tribes in a new manner, by straight lines drawn from east to west. The portion for the sanctuary and for the city, or the 25,000 square reeds are situated next to the seventh tribe, beginning from the north. The name of the city thenceforth shall be, "The Lord is there." Compare, for the waters that flow from the temple, Joel. iii. 18; Zech. xiv. 8; passages that refer to the same period.

It appears that the two places pointed out to the fishermen as a boundary, were the two extremities of the Dead Sea. (We may compare Gen. xiv. 8; 2 Chron. xx. and Isa. xv. 8). The main features in the whole passage are the re-establishment of Israel, but on new grounds, and blessing, analogous to that of paradise (an image borrowed from this prophecy in the Apocalypse); but, after all, with the reserve that this blessing did not absolutely remove all evil, as will be the case in the eternal ages.

There is a powerful and abiding source of blessing which greatly surmounts the evil, and almost effaces it; nevertheless, it is not entirely taken away. Still the name of the city, of the seat of power, that which characterises it, is "The Lord is there!" The Lord, that great King, the Creator of all things, and the Head of His people Israel.

g When I say "borrowed," it is not that the Spirit of God has not given us an original image in the Apocalypse. One has but to read it to be convinced of the contrary. But Old Testament imagery is constantly employed in the descriptions there given; only in such a manner as to apply it to heavenly things: a circumstance that makes it much easier to understand the book, by helping us to enter into its real character, through its analogy with the Old Testament.

The question of old was, Which is thy God? Now it is the question, Is the Holy Ghost really among you?