to be like a very beast of the earth till he should recognise the first of truths, that the heaven is really the ruler of earth. The last feature of sin in the fourth Empire is the Blaspheming King's defying the God of heaven, by whom his power was given. Then the time of the mystery of God closes, and judgment takes away his sceptre, and an army that comes from heaven under a leader, created King of kings on high, proves to all mankind that the heavens rule the earth. Yes! "the kingdom of heaven" then is come! "THY KINGDOM COME." SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS ON THE LORD'S PRAYER. WHILST meditating on the scriptural distinction between the King dom of Heaven when it shall visibly display the glory and the righteousness of God in the person, character, and government of his Son on earth, and its intermediate phase as a spiritual preparation of its members (John iii. 3, 5; 1 Cor. xv. 50), whilst the splendour of the substance is veiled with the Son of Man in heaven, I have been impressed with the following thoughts, which I present as suggestive of the meaning and object of the Lord's Prayer, embracing as it does both the above aspects of The Kingdom. (Matt. vi. 9-13; Luke xi. 2-4.) They may perhaps tend to remove prejudices and strengthen faith, by throwing a ray of light on this divine composition, so simple, so brief, and yet so comprehensive. The prayer may be divided into two parts; 1. The first three clauses having reference to the coming dispensation of manifested glory. It is the way of the Spirit for the comfort of the believer, to present the top of the ladder of glory and blessing first; the steps by which these are gained follow. (Gen. xxviii. 12-15; Ps. xxxii. 1-8; Eph. i. 3-7.) 2. The remaining four to the intermediate time of "the mystery of The Kingdom" as fore-disclosed by the Lord Jesus in the seven parables of Matt. xiii., or the present period of its being hidden with God's rejected King in Heaven. It expresses the condition of heart of those who are "translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son ;" i.e., who are transformed into the character of children, and consequently "heirs," made "meet and fit for the inheritance." (Col. i. 12, 13; Rom. viii. 17.) Minds and affections thus spiritually governed, must desire that the name of Him who is the God and Father of their Lord Jesus Christ should be hallowed and reverenced, and that speedily by the coming of his kingdom, wherein the will of the Father shall be done; i.e., where there shall be perfect obedience and universal subjection to God on earth, as in heaven. But they know that such an order of things can only be attained to--and that partially-during the millennial period Jan. 1, 1868. when the heavenly Son of Man shall wield the sceptre of earth's kingdoms, though it will be absolutely so when when "God shall be all in all" in the eternal ages of the "new heavens and new earth." For this they patiently wait, knowing that the times and seasons are in the Father' hand. (Rev. iii. 10; i. 9.) In the mean time, the kingdom of God is hidden with the King in the heavens, and believers, though still in the world where Satan reigns, are being separated from its darkness, falsehood, and corruption, are renewed in the spirit of their minds being created anew in Christ Jesus who dwells in them "the hope of glory." The desire of these regenerated children is to live and act in holy conformity with their condition and hope. The grace of God can alone help them, and so the "manner" of their prayer has been prepared for them by the everliving Intercessor himself, who not only knew their need, but who also knew the will and purpose of their Father to grant such a petition. These words express, 1. That the children desire to hallow the name of their "Father" by a confession of absolute dependence on it, for "day by day" nourishment of both spiritual and bodily "bread." (Matt. vi. 31-33; John vi. 53-58.) 2. They declare their sense of the need of continual cleansing from all defilement and unrighteousness of walk, as well as of forgiveness of all daily trespasses and grievings of the Spirit of holiness (John xiii. 8-10; 1 John i. 9), for they wish. to be "followers of God as dear children," to "walk in love, forgiving one another as God for Christ's sake has forgiven them." (Eph. iv. 32; v. 1.) This clause of all others shows that the prayer is the breathing of "the spirit of life that is in Christ Jesus," and in the believer, for an unregenerate man being in the flesh," is not subject to the law of God," or principles of grace upon which God acts, he does not forgive injuries or debts, but seeks vindictive retaliation. He is evidently, therefore, one who has not his sins against God, or his debts to God forgiven. 3. They pray to be so kept and guarded by Almighty power (Ps. xxxii. 6-8) that it be not necessary for their Father, who looks for holiness of walk and conversation to subject them to "temptation," or trial, that must surely bring chastisement and sifting such as that to which Job and Peter were judicially exposed (1 Peter i. 3—9; Luke xxii. 31, 32), but rather to be delivered from the snares and power of the evil one, who, as prince of this world has mighty influence through its seductions, to tempt, deceive, and enslave. (1 Peter v. 8, 9; 2 Cor. xi. 3.) 4. Finally, "The power and the glory" of God, as it shall be displayed and "cover the earth" when the kingdom shall come, together with the knowledge of the petitioners' association in it all, being one with Christ who is the glory of God (John xvii. 22; Heb. i. 2, 3), is desired to be kept in view as a cheering hope, a "joy set before" them, and a holy motive for the exercise of faith, obedience, and grace; a living activity, in fact, of children in harmony with the character and will of their heavenly Father. (Col. iii. 1-5; Titus ii. 11-14.) If such be the future provision of the children of God according to "the riches of his grace," how absolutely sure their "daily bread!" There are in reality seven clauses to this prayer, so that it is stamped with divine completeness for the necessities of earthly supplicants. Jan. 1, 1868. As might have been expected, considering who was its author, the prayer bears a resemblance to that of the Lord Jesus himself, as recorded in John xvii, when He anticipatively assumed the position of the Great High Priestly Intercessor. In that prayer, the "Name" of the Father is first mentioned, as that which it had been the delight of the Divine Son to hallow and glorify as a man on earth, and which is characteristically that of the "many sons," whom He has identified with Himself in eternal life, and will associate with Himself in Glory. (Ver. 1—5.) These "men" given to Jesus "out of the world," are declared to have the principles of obedience and dependance on the "Name" of God as their Father, revealed to them through the word of truth, Jesus Himself (ver. 6-8), who prays that they may be kept "from the evil one," for being "a liar from the beginning," he is ever seeking to seduce the Children of God unto lying principles, spurious doctrines, and false worship. Jesus desires that they might be "sanctified through the truth," or separated from the uncleanness and seductions of the world and its false God, Satan (2 Cor. xi. 13—15), to the service and worship of the true God their Father. (John iv. 23, 24.) through the power of the truth of the divine word ministered to their hearts and consciences by the Spirit of Christ that should dwell in them, (ver. 14-19.) (2 Cor. vi. 14-18; vii. 1., Rom. xii. 1, 2.) Thus, are the children of God taught to know the character of the intercession that is ceaselessly presented to the Father on their behalf, by Him who "taught them how to pray" : who assures them that their present condition in the world, and their need of strength and grace is perfectly met by their Great High Priest, according to the exceeding preciousness of His sacrifice, and the moral glory of His person; who "has given them" a joint heirship in the glory of the earthly sovereignty of the Kingdom which His Father has given Him as "heir of all things"; and who has brought them, "by grace through faith," into holy fellowship, and eternal union with Himself and His Father. (Ver. 20-23.) Surely then, we may use the language of Heb, iv. 14-16, and "Come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." THE THE LAND OF SHINAR. The HE fifth chapter of Zechariah has been often represented as referring to a future Babylon, which is to oppress and persecute the Jews down to the moment of the Second Advent, and which is then to be destroyed. It appears to me that such a far-fetched conclusion is quite unnecessary, as well as unsupported by Scripture evidence. whole remaining part of the book of Zechariah relates to the Jews alone, and it is therefore most reasonable to suppose that they are the subject of the fifth chapter also. In other words, that this chapter is not a prophecy of some great commercial city to be hereafter built in Chaldea, but of a great commercial people-the people of Israel. This Jan. 1, 1868. would be in complete accordance with all the rest of the book which treats of Israel in a variety of characters. In one place they are husbandmen. (Chap. xiii.) In another place even soldiers, (Chaps. ix. and xiv.) In all places they occupy the foreground of the picture, or rather the entire canvas; and why thrust them aside in chap. v. in order to make room for Babylon ? In this chapter they assume a new character, viz., that of a commercial people, and we regret to say a very indifferent character it is. Now, this idea is so far from being visionary, that every one will at first sight perceive that it is most reasonable. For what nation in the world has been so remarkable in a commercial sense as the nation of Israel? This is too well known to require any proof. And, besides, we say it with regret, the character formerly borne by the Jews in matters of trade was precisely that which is referred to here. We have both the trading propensities and the trading faults of the Jews brought before us in perfection. I therefore believe that the fifth of Zechariah is intended to describe and to foretell the character of the Jews as a commercial people from the time of Zechariah down to the end of their dispersion-and down to the Second Advent. In Zechariah's time the Jews had just recently returned from Babylonish captivity, and, therefore, he is commissioned to tell them what they would prove to be in future ages, while they themselves were building castles in the air as to their future dignity, and grandeur, and purity of character. There is no reason for supposing that in this chapter Zechariah turns abruptly aside from Israel, and inserts a new prophecy as to Babylon, in the very midst of a series of prophecies relating solely to the Jews. He describes the Jews as a trading people, exactly as they have been until very recently--though now somewhat improved-a people of sharp practice in their commercial dealings; while other chapters foretell what they were to be in various other capacities. Why, then, introduce by main force the new subject of a revived Babylon ? But the last verse seems to contradict this opinion, for it speaks of building a house in the land of "Shinar," and "Shinar," it is said, means nothing but "Babylon." This by no means follows, for "Shinar is compounded of two Hebrew words, which signify, "that which trembles "the Land of trembling. And have not the Jews been ever since in a land of trembling? This is not only a well-known fact in itself, but it is in perfect agreement with other parts of Scripture, especially in the memorable prophecy in Deuteronomy, where trembling and agitation are so vividly described as the condition of the Jews. "In the evening thou shalt say, Would God it were morning," &c. In all quarters of the globe the Jews have, for 1800 years been built up and established in a "land of Shinar "-in a land of trembling," whether in the literal Chaldea, or at the extremities of Christendom. And so it will be till the time of the second advent. But over and above this, the fifth chapter may all be taken as applying literally to the land of Chaldea. Zechariah prophesied just at the time when the Jews began first to return from Shinar (or Babylon.) We may safely conclude that the feeling which was uppermost in the Jewish mind was as follows: "Now that we have to return, we shall soon all have returned, we shall become once more a powerful and Jan. 1, 1868. united people—we shall become as great as ever." No, said the Word of God, for you will still continue to settle in the (literal) land of Shinar; and there you will be established upon your own base-upon a base chosen and laid down by yourselves, and not by the Lord; and, moreover, you shall there become corrupt and wicked." This was the answer to the only sanguine expectations of those Jews who had already returned from Babylon. And if such is the meaning of the prophecy, it has been marvellously fulfilled. For the Jews continued in Chaldea (or Shinar) for a thousand years after the period of Zechariah's prophecy, and during that time they compiled and published the well-known Babylonish Talmud, about the year A.D. 500. In this book is contained nearly the whole of the Jewish religion that is now professed. The Babylonish Talmud is the Koran of the Jews, into which they have resolved all their faith, and all their religion, although framed (like Mahomet's Koran) out of doctrines falsely pretended to be brought from heaven. And the law and the prophets have almost been set aside to make room for the Talmud. (See Prideaux Connexion.) In fact, the Talmud, compiled in Babylon (or Shinar), has been the means of establishing Jewish infidelity and Jewish corruption upon their own base, from that day to this, so that we may safely apply the fifth of Zechariah to the literal land of Shinar, for a thousand years after his time, and at least to the publication and diffusion of the Babylonish Talmud, in the sixth century of our era. Either of these interpretations would solve the prophecy without any reference to a future land of Shinar. But now, turn to Jeremiah xxv. 12, and what shall we see? After seventy years had been accomplished, the Lord declares that He will punish the king of Babylon, and will make the land of Chaldea perpetual desolations. What can be desired more complete and more decisive than this? The perpetual desolation of Babylon is connected immediately and directly with the termination of the seventy years of Jewish captivity (read verses 11 and 12.) There is no interval of time whatsoever put between those two events-there is no separation between the one and the other. And does not this prove that, in the sight of God, the desolation of Babylon was looked upon as beginning after the seventy years' captivity, and then, as running on and increasing in intensity, until the time when Babylon should be completely destroyed, and for ever-namely, at the second advent. Most certainly, Jeremiah places no interval of time between those two events, and why then should we do otherwise, and place 2,000 years between the two? Torquay. R. A. PURDON. P.S.-I may be allowed to add, by way of postscript, that the crowns in Rev. iv. are only " stephanoi," or " garlands," while the crowns in Rev. xix. are "diadems," or crowns royal. So that there is no reason why the elders should not be crowned (with garlands) before the Lord is crowned with a royal diadem, as a king. |