Rev. John Cumming, D.D., and the Rev. E. B. Elliott," and the writer, consequently, disclaims, "in the broadest sense, any idea of originality." Dr. Cumming's arguments appeared to him "the most satisfactory of any" works on prophecy which he has read, and here the ". Аросаlyptic Sketches are made "intelligible to children." Believing, as we do, that Mr. Elliott's great and learned work is based upon fallacy, so far as the interpretation of the Apocalypse is concerned, we cannot of course, recommend parents to place in the hands of their children a book which reproduces his views. As an ecclesiastical historian, Elliott is grand, but the time for the history of the Apocalypse is not yet come. Lectures on the New Testament Doctrine of the Holy Spirit. By W. KELLY. London: W. H. Broom. HERE are ten lectures on a subject profoundly interesting and most sacred. The book is a study for enlightened believers; and though on several points there will be differences of conviction, yet it is impossible to read these elaborate and able lectures without feeling that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is of unspeakable moment. Not, indeed, that any child of God can be ignorant of the fact, but we all need to be occasionally reminded of the vital importance of certain truths which we readily admit as part of the things most surely believed among us. We are deeply indebted to Mr. Kelly for this most valuable book. Notes on the Unfulfilled Prophecies of Isaiah. London: James Nisbet and Co. THIS book proceeds on the principle that the present dispensation is a "gap" unseen by the prophets when they spoke of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. "The silence of Scripture is offered as a key to the true understanding of the Word." Perhaps the author finds Antichrist in Isaiah more frequently LApril 1, 1868. than we should; but that Antichrist is there often, and the years of the present dispensation never, seems to us very certain. The book is valuable as an illustration of the art of comparing Scripture with Scripture. We have read it with deep interest, and find in it much that is both admirable and suggestive, with now and then a sentiment to which we should hesitate to commit ourselves. It is high praise to say of any volume that we cannot lay it aside until we have read it through, and that some passages demand a second reading, but this is what we have to say of these Notes on Isaiah. The Revelation Unravelled: An Outline Exposition on a New Plan. By the author of "The Coming Crisis." With a Preface by the Rev. Richard Chester. London: S. W. Partridge. A book that has the benefit of an introduction by our dear and valued friend the Rev. Prebendary Chester, at once commands our respect and confidence. It is a singularly interesting little volume, able, thoughtful, suggestive, the perusal of which would be of service to any student of prophecy, whether he saw his way clear to accept its conclusions or not. In Lever Lines for Spare Minutes. A CURIOUS book: multum in parvo. Be THE RAINBOW: S Magasine of Christian Literature, with Special Reference to the Bebealed Future of the Church and the clorld. MAY 1, 1868. MU THE CHERUBIC SYMBOL. UCH has been written on the subject of the cherubim, and strangely diverse are the interpretations which have been put upon this sublime symbol alike by ancient and modern writers. The four standards of the camp of Israel in the wilderness; the four Gospels cr Evangelists; the ministers of the Gospel (Vitringa and Gill); the Divine persons of the ever-blessed Trinity (the Hutchinsonians, Bishop Horsley); the divine powers and perfections of God, as manifested in creation (Rosenmüller, De Wette, Bähr); an exalted order of angelic beings (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Augustine, the Fathers gencrally, and many moderns); redeemed humanity, or a part thereof (Faber, Dr. George Smith, Candlish, Bonar, Mudge, &c.) These are but a few of the more important theories which have been from time to time propounded, though at present the choice seems to be regarded as lying between the last three, and even amongst these the last again has by far the most general support. On a subject, then, of such acknowledged difficulty, and regarding which such a variety of opinions have been held by those most competent to judge of it, it may seem to argue no small presumption in the writer to broach a theory which is, at least in some measure, novel. In mitigation of this charge, however, I may be allowed to plead—in the first place, the acknowledged fact that none of the interpretations referred to have proved quite satisfactory to many minds; that in truth each of them, regarded as exclusively true, is encumbered with considerable difficulty; and, secondly, that in the remarks I am about to make, I at once and altogether disclaim any idea of dogmatizing; I simply desire to lay before the reader an interpretation of this wondrous symbol, which much commends itself to my own mind, though I am May 1, 1868. quite ready to admit that parental affection (for I have never met with this precise view in any book), may create some bias in its favour. However, let it go for what it may be worth. In order, then, that the reader and the writer may clearly understand each other from the outset, I will at once state that the interpretation which I venture to suggest is this, the cherubim symbolize the "new creation," or, in other words, that sublime re-genesis which, having its living and germinating seed in the incarnate and risen Saviour (see Luke xvii. 21, and John xii. 24), and its first sphere of manifestation in the spirit of man, extends in ever-widening circles, first to his body in the day of resurrection, and finally to the whole creation, finding its consummation only in the new heavens and new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness: when the eternal purpose shall be accomplished, "That in the dispensation of the fulness of the times he might head up the whole range of things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in Him." (Eph. i. 10.) "For it pleased the Father that in him all the fulness should dwell; and making peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven." (Col. i. 19, 20.) Let us briefly trace the cherubic symbol through the pages of Scripture, and see how far the manner in which it is there presented to us, harmonizes with this idea. The Lord guide us into his own truth. It is a beautiful characteristic of the symbolism of Scripture, that the same symbol is commonly found to run more or less through the whole of the inspired volume. Like a stream which flows for part of its course through some subterranean channel, it may, indeed, for a time disappear, but anon it bursts forth again in all its force and freshOf this the cherubic symbol is an admirable example; we meet with it first in the book of Genesis, we part with it only in the book of Revelation. Like a beauteous rainbow, it seems to span the whole field of revelation, one limb sparkling in the weeping skies of Paradise lost, the other lost amid the splendours of the throne in Paradise regained. In the first place, then, we have ness. "The kingdom of heaven is within you." "Doubtless," says Archbishop Trench, "the words évròs iμŵv may mean this, but how could the Lord address this language to the Pharisees? A very different kingdom from the kingdom of heaven was within them, not to say that this whole language of the kingdom of heaven being within men, rather than men being within the kingdom of heaven, is, as one has justly observed, modern. The marginal reading, 'among you,' should have been the textual. He in whom the whole kingdom of heaven is shut up as in a germ, and from whom it will unfold itself, stands in your midst. "-"On the Authorized Version of the New Testament." May 1, 1868. I. THE CHERUBIM OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN. "So he drove out the man; and he placed in the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." (Gen. iii. 24.) So we read in our authorized version, but it seems to be generally allowed that this translation of the passage altogether fails to convey the sense of the original. In the first place, the Hebrew word rendered "cherubims" has the definite article prefixed; it is not simply "cherubims" but―THE cherubim;* which language could not be applied with accuracy to two or more creatures, such as angels, selected from a larger number, but must refer to some specific objects. So again, the phrase rendered "a flaming sword," does not, in fact, mention any "sword" at all; it consists of two words only-one denoting "fire, flame, or ignited vapour," and the other applied to any destructive or consuming instrumentality; they should rather be rendered therefore, "the fire of wrath," or "the consuming fire." And, lastly, the word rendered "keep," does not signify to guard' or 'defend,' but rather to preserve.' It is the same word in precisely the same form, which occurs in Gen. ii. 15, "And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it, and to keep it." The whole passage is accordingly translated by Mr. Morison, "So he drave out the man. And he inhabited (or dwelt between) the cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and the fire of wrath (or 'fierce fire,') infolding itself to preserve inviolate the way of the tree of life." And this translation is substantially adopted by Dr. George Smith. In order to estimate aright the significance of this primary marifestation of the cherubic symbol, we must consider (1.) The events immediately connected therewith. These are sufficiently indicated by the preceding words, "So he drove out the man." Man had fallen, Eden was lost, and the creative word of God apparently for ever marred by Satan. "Sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned' (Rom. v. 12); nay, not only so, but the creation itself had become subject to vanity, decay, and death; for the sentence had gone forth, * The s is also a superfluous addition to the Hebrew plural form. The singular, 'cherub,' is seldom used when they are spoken of generically, except in Psa. xviii. 10, and as a proper name, Ezek. xxviii. 13, 14. ↑ "The Religious History of Mankind,” pp. 96, 97, second edition. The Jeru salem Targum reads, "And He expelled Adam, and caused to reside the splendour of his Shechinah from the beginning at the east of the garden of Eden, above the cherubim." "The Harmony of the Divine Dispensations," r. 73, note. May 1, 1868. "Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen. iii. 17-19.) Thus it is amid the gloom of descending judgment that the cherubim first shine forth. What manner of message do they bear to fallen man upon their wings? Shall we be content with the old traditional notion, and regard them merely as an angelic guard, barring man's approach to the forfeited tree of life? Surely not; for this, apart from other objections, is to confound them with the associated symbol. Rather remembering that the Divine procedure is ever in the midst of wrath to remember mercy, may we not humbly hope to find in them a revelation of God's redeeming mercy? (2.) By the associated symbol,' I mean, of course, the "flaming sword," or "consuming fire," which I have no hesitation in identifying with the Shechinah-glory which we shall afterwards find accompanying the cherubim. "The word 'yashkan,'" says Dr. George Smith," which our version renders placed,' signifies to dwell in a tabernacle, to inhabit.' It is the word from which was derived Shechinah, the term employed to designate the glorious visible presence of the Lord in the Hebrew tabernacle. Although found in several connections where the sense of secular habitation is obvious, there appears reason for believing the ruling idea to be that of sacred indwelling. (See Exod. xxv. 8 ; xxix. 45; Num. v. 3; Psa. lxviii. 16; lxxiv. 2). It is more especially employed when the Lord is said 'to cause his name to dwell,' implying the stated visible manifestation of his presence. Ezra vii. 12: “And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there,'-literally, 'hath shekinized his name.' Compare Deut. xii. 11; xiv. 23; xvi. 2, 6, 11; xxvi. 2, and Neh. i. 9. It is used emphatically in speaking of the cloud of the Divine glory dwelling upon Mount Sinai. Exod. xxiv. 16: 'And the glory of the Lord abode upon Mount Sinai.'" Thus we have a memorial set up "at the east of the garden of Eden,” immediately upon man's expulsion; and this memorial is called the cherubim, and is associated with the consuming fire, or Shechinah-glory, through which is manifested the Presence of the Lord. Now, in connection with this, it is an interesting fact that there was some place of stated Divine worship and manifestation immediately after the fall. This we may certainly infer from the language used respecting Cain, who is said, in Gen. iv. 16, to have gone out "from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden." "But," "The Doctrine of the Cherubim," pp. 26, 27. |