At verse 15, He seems to call His hearers back a little, as it were,

to something very specific--something with which a Jewish believer

would be familiar from the fact of Daniel's allusion to it. "When ye,

therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by

Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth let him

understand): then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains.

Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of

his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take

his clothes.... But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,

neither on the Sabbath day. For then shall be great tribulation, such

as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever

shall be."

All this is most definite. The quotation from Daniel xii. fixes the

application beyond all question. It proves that the reference is not

to the siege of Jerusalem, under Titus; for we read in Daniel xii.

that, "At that time thy people shall be delivered;" and, most clearly,

they were not delivered in the days of Titus. No; the reference is to

the time of the end. The scene is laid at Jerusalem. The persons

addressed and contemplated are Jewish believers--the pious remnant of

Israel, in the great tribulation, after the church has left the scene.

How can any imagine that the persons here instructed are viewed as on

church ground? What force would there be to such in the allusion to

the winter or the Sabbath day?

Then, again, "If any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or

there, believe it not.... If they shall say unto you, Behold he is in

the desert, go not forth: Behold he is in the secret chambers,

believe it not." What possible application could such words have to

persons who are instructed to wait for God's Son from heaven, and who

know that ere He returns to this earth they shall have met Him in the

clouds and returned with Him to the Father's house? Could any

Christian, instructed in his proper hope, be deceived by persons

saying that Christ is here or there, in the desert or in the secret

chambers? Impossible. Such a one is looking out for the Bridegroom to

come from heaven; and he knows that it is wholly out of the question

that Christ can appear on this earth without bringing all His people

with Him.

Thus, the simple truth settles everything; and all we want is to be

simple in taking it in. The simplest Christian knows full well that

his Lord will not appear to him like a flash of lightning, but as the

bright and morning Star, and hence he understands that Matt. xxiv.

cannot apply to the church, though most surely the church can study it

with interest and profit, as it can all the other prophetic

Scriptures; and, we may add, the interest will be all the more

intense, and the profit all the deeper, in proportion as we see the

true application of such Scriptures.

Limited space forbids our entering as fully as we could wish into the

remaining portion of this marvellous discourse; but the more closely

each sentence is examined, the more fully each circumstance is

weighed, the more clearly we must see that the persons addressed are

not on proper Christian ground. The entire scene is earthly and

Jewish, not heavenly and Christian. There is ample instruction

supplied for those who shall find themselves, by-and-by, in the

position here contemplated; and nothing can be clearer than that the

entire paragraph, from verse 15-42, refers to the period which shall

elapse between the rapture of the saints and the appearing of the Son

of Man.

Some may perhaps feel a difficulty in understanding verse 34: "This

generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." But we

must remember that the word "generation" is constantly used in

Scripture in a moral sense. It is not to be confined to a certain

number of persons actually living at the time, but takes in the

_race_. In the passage before us it simply applies to the Jewish race;

but the wording is such as to leave the question of time entirely

open, so that the heart might ever be kept in readiness for the Lord's

coming. There is nothing in Scripture to interfere with the constant

expectation of that grand event. On the contrary, every parable, every

figure, every allusion is so worded as to warrant each one to look for

the Lord's return in his own lifetime, and yet to leave margin for the

elongation of the time according to the long-suffering grace of a

Saviour God.

CHRISTENDOM

What varied thoughts and feelings are awakened in the soul by the very

sound of the word "Christendom!" It is a terrible word. It brings

before us, at once, that vast mass of baptized profession which calls

itself the church of God, but is not; which calls itself Christianity,

but is not. Christendom is dark and a dreadful anomaly. It is neither

one thing nor the other. It is not "the Jew or the Gentile, or the

church of God." It is a corrupt mysterious mixture, a spiritual

malformation, the masterpiece of Satan, the corrupter of the truth of

God, and the destroyer of the souls of men, a trap, a snare, a

stumbling-block, the darkest moral blot in the universe of God. It is

the corruption of the very best thing, and therefore the very worst of

corruptions. It is that thing which Satan has made of professing

Christianity. It is worse, by far, than Judaism; worse by far than all

the darkest forms of Paganism, because it has higher light and richer

privileges, makes the very highest profession, and occupies the very

loftiest platform. Finally, it is that awful apostasy for which is

reserved the very heaviest judgments or God--the most bitter dregs in

the cup of His righteous wrath.

True it is, blessed be God, there are a few names even in Chistendom

who, through grace, have not denied their garments. There are some

brilliant embers amid the smouldering ashes--precious stones amid the

terrible _débris_. But as to the mass of Christian profession to which

the term Christendom applies, nothing can be more appalling, whether

we think of its present condition or its future destiny. We doubt if

Christians generally have anything like an adequate sense of the true

character and inevitable doom of that which surrounds them. If they

had it would solemnize their minds, and cause them to feel the urgent

need of standing apart, in holy separation, from Christendom's ways,

and distinct testimony against its spirit and principles.

But let us turn again to our Lord's profound discourse on the mount of

Olives, in which, as we have already observed, He deals with the

subject of the Christian profession. This He does in three distinct

parables, namely, the household servant; the ten virgins; and the

talents. In each and all we have the two things noticed above, the

genuine and the spurious; the true and the false; the bright and the

dark; that which is of Christ, and that which is of Satan; that which

belongs to heaven and that which emanates from hell.

We shall glance at the three parables which embody, in their brief

compass, a vast mine of most solemn and practical instruction.

Turn to Matt. xxiv. 45-47. "Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant,

whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in

due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh

shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you that he shall make him

ruler over all his goods."

Here, then, we have at once the source and object of all ministry in

the house of God. "Whom _his lord_ hath made ruler." This is the

source. "To give them meat in due season." This is the object.

These things are of the very highest possible moment, and they are

worthy of the reader's most profound thought. All ministry in the

house of God, whether in old or New Testament times, is of divine

appointment. There is no such thing recognized in Scripture as human

authority in appointing to the ministry. Neither is there such a thing

as a self-constituted ministry. None but God can make or appoint a

minister of any sort or description. Thus, in Old Testament times,

Jehovah appointed Aaron and his sons to the priesthood; and if a

stranger presumed to meddle with the functions of the holy office, he

was to be put to death. Even the king himself dared not touch the

priestly censer, for we are told of Uzziah, king of Judah, that, "When

he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction; for he

transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the

Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest

went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord, that

were valiant men. And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto

him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the

Lord, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to

burn incense; go out of the sanctuary: for thou hast trespassed:

neither shall it be for thine honor from the Lord God.... _And Uzziah

the king was a leper unto the day of his death_" (2 Chron. xxvi.).

Such was the solemn result--the awful consequence of man's daring

intrusion upon that which was wholly of divine appointment. Has this

no voice for Christendom? Assuredly it has. It sounds a warning note

in our ears. It tells the professing church, in accents not to be

mistaken, to beware of human intrusion upon a domain which belongs

only to God. "Every high priest taken from among men is ordained _for_

[not _by_] men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both

gifts and sacrifices for sins.... And _no man taketh this honor unto

himself_, but he that is called [not of men but] of God, as was

Aaron."

Nor was this principle of divine appointment confined to the high and

holy office of the tabernacle. No man dare put his hand to the most

insignificant part of that sacred structure unless by Jehovah's direct

authority. "The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See _I have called_ by

name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah."

Nor could Bezaleel choose his companions in labor, or appoint whom he

would to the work, any more than he could choose or appoint himself.

No; this, too, was divine. "And I," says Jehovah, "behold _I have

given_ with him Aholiab." Thus Aholiab, as well as Bezaleel, held his

commission immediately from Jehovah Himself, the only true source of

all ministerial authority.

Nor was it otherwise in the case of the prophetic office and ministry.

God alone could make, and fit, and send a prophet. Alas! there were

those of whom Jehovah had to say, "I have not sent them, yet they

ran." They were unhallowed intruders upon the domain of prophecy, just

as there were upon the office of the priesthood; but all such brought

down upon themselves the judgment of God.

And, may we not ask, Is this great principle changed now? Has ministry

been shifted from its ancient base? Has the living stream been

diverted from its divine source? Is it true that this more precious

and glorious institution has been shorn of its lofty dignities? Can it

be possible that, under the times of the New Testament, ministry has

been cast down from its divine excellency? Has it become a mere human

appointment? Can man appoint his fellow, or appoint himself to any one

branch of ministry in the house of God?

What answer is to be returned to these questions? No doubtful one,

thank God; but a distinct and emphatic _No!_ Ministry was, is, and

ever shall be, divine; divine in its source; divine in its nature;

divine in its every feature and principle. "There are diversities of

gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of

administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of

operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all" (1 Cor.

xii. 4-6). "But now hath _God_ set the members every one of them in

the body _as it hath pleased him_." "And _God_ hath set some in the

church; first, apostles; secondarily prophets; thirdly, teachers;

after that, miracles; then gifts of healing, helps, governments,

diversities of tongues" (verses 18, 28). "But unto every one of us is

given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore

he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and

gave gifts unto men.... And he gave some, apostles; and some,

prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for

the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the

edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the

faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,

unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. iv.

7-13).

Here lies the grand source of all ministry in the church of God, from

first to last--from the foundation laid in grace, to the topstone, in

glory. It is divine and heavenly, not human or earthly. It is not of

man or by man, but of Jesus Christ, and God the Father who raised Him

from the dead, and in the power of the Holy Ghost (see Gal. i.). There

is no such thing recognized in Scripture as human authority in any one

branch of ministry in the church. If it be a question of gift, it is

emphatically stated to be "the gift of Christ." If it be a question of

assigned position, we are, with equal clearness and emphasis, told

that "God hath set the members." If it be a question of local charge,

whether elder or deacon, it was entirely of divine appointment, by

apostolic hands or apostolic delegates.

All this is so clear, so distinct, so palpable, on the very surface of

Scripture, that it is only necessary to say, "How readest thou?" And

the more we penetrate beneath the surface--the more we are conducted

by the Eternal Spirit into the profound and precious depths of

inspiration--the more thoroughly convinced we shall be that ministry,

in its every department and every branch, is divine in its source,

nature, and principles. The truth of this shines out in full-orbed

brightness, in the Epistles; but we have the germ of it in the words

of our Lord in Matt. xxv. 45, "Whom his lord hath made ruler over his

household." The household belongs to the Lord, and He alone can

appoint the servants, and this He does according to His own sovereign

will.

Equally plain is the object of ministry, as stated in this parable,

and elaborated in the Epistles. "To give them meat in due season."

"For the edifying of the body of Christ"--"that the church may receive

edifying." It is this that lies near the loving heart of Jesus. He

would have His household perfected--His church edified--His body

nourished and cherished. For this end, He bestows gifts, and maintains

them in the church, and will maintain them until they shall be no

longer needed.

But alas! alas! there is a dark side of the picture. For this we must

be prepared since we have the picture of Christendom before us. If

there is a "faithful, wise, and blessed servant," there is also "an

evil servant" who "says in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming."

Mark this. It is in _the heart_ of the wicked servant that the thought

originates as to the delay of the coming.

And what is the result? "He shall begin to smite his fellow servants,

and to eat and drink with the drunken." How awfully this has been

exemplified in the history of Christendom, we need not say. Instead of

true ministry flowing from the risen and glorified Head in the

heavens, and promoting the edification of the body, the blessing of

souls, and the prosperity of the household, we have a false clerical

authority, arbitrary rule, a lording it over God's heritage, a

grasping after this world's wealth and power, fleshly ease,

self-indulgence, and personal aggrandizement, priestly domination in

its nameless and numberless forms and practical consequences.

The reader will do well to apply his heart to the understanding of

these things. He will need to seize, with clearness and power, the

distinction between clericalism and ministry. The one is a thoroughly

human assumption; the other, a purely divine institution. The former

has its source in man's evil heart; the latter has its source in a

risen and exulted Saviour, who, being raised from the dead, received

gifts for men, and sheds them forth upon His church, according to His

own will. That is a positive scourge and curse; this, a divine

blessing to men. In fine, this in its root-principle, flows from

heaven and leads back thither; that in its root-principle flows from

hell and leads thither again.

All this is most solemn, and it should exert a mighty influence upon

our souls. There is a day coming when the Lord Christ will deal, in

summary justice, with that which man has dared to set up in His house.

We speak not of individuals--though surely it is a most serious and

terrible thing for any one to put his hand unto, or have aught to do

with, that on which such awful judgment is about to be executed--but

we speak of a positive system--a great principle which runs, in a deep

and dark current, through the length and breadth of the professing

church--we speak of clericalism and priestcraft, in all its forms and

in all its ramifications.

Against this dreadful thing we solemnly warn our readers. No human

language can possibly depict the evil of it, nor can human language

adequately set forth the deep blessedness of all true ministry in the

church of God. The Lord Jesus not only bestows ministerial gifts, but,

in His marvellous grace, He will abundantly reward the faithful and

diligent exercise of those gifts. But as to that which man has set up,

we read its destiny in those burning words, "The lord of that servant

shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that

he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his

portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of

teeth."

May the gracious Lord deliver His servants and His people from all

participation in this great wickedness which is perpetrated in the

very bosom of that which calls itself the church of God. And, on the

other hand, may He lead them to understand, to appreciate, and to

exercise that true, that precious, that divine ministry which emanates

from Himself, and is designed, in His infinite love, for the true

blessing and growth of that church which is so dear to His heart. We

are in danger, very great danger, while seeking (as we most surely

should) to keep clear of the evil of clericalism--of rushing into the

opposite extreme of despising ministry.

This must be carefully guarded against. We have ever to bear in mind

that ministry in the church is of God. Its source is divine. Its

nature is heavenly and spiritual. Its object is the calling out, the

building up of the church of God. Our Lord Christ imparts the varied

gifts, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. He holds the great

reservoir of spiritual gifts. He has never given it up, and He never

will. Spite of all that Satan has wrought in the professing church;

spite of all the actings of "that evil servant;" spite of all man's

daring assumption of authority which in no wise belongs to him; spite

of all these things, our risen and glorified Lord "hath the seven

stars." He possesses all ministerial gift, power, and authority. It is

He alone who can make any one a minister. Unless He impart a gift

there can be no true ministry. There may be hollow assumption--guilty

usurpation--empty affectation--worthless talking; but not one atom of

true, loving, divine ministry can there be unless where our sovereign

Lord is pleased to bestow the gift. And even where He does bestow the

gift that gift must be "stirred up," and diligently cultivated, else

"the profiting" will not "appear unto all." The gift must be exercised

in the power of the Holy Ghost, else it will not promote the divinely

appointed end.

But we are rather anticipating what is yet to come before us in the

parable of the talents, so we shall close here by simply reminding the

reader that the weighty subject on which we have been dwelling has

direct reference to the coming of our Lord, inasmuch as all true

ministry is carried on in view of that great and glorious event. And

not only so, but the counterfeit, the corrupt, the evil thing will be

judicially dealt with when the Lord Christ shall appear in His glory.

THE TEN VIRGINS

We now approach that solemn section of our Lord's discourse in which

He presents the kingdom of heaven under the similitude of "Ten

Virgins." The instruction contained in this most weighty and

interesting parable is of wider application than that of the servant

to which we have already referred, inasmuch as it takes in the whole

range of Christian profession, and is not confined to ministry either

within the house or outside. It bears directly and pointedly upon

Christian profession, whether true or false.

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which

took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom." Some have

considered that this parable refers to the Jewish remnant; but it does

not seem that this idea is borne out, either by the context in which

this parable occurs or by the terms in which it is couched.

As to the entire context, the more closely we examine it the more

clearly we shall see that the Jewish portion of the discourse ends

with chapter xxiv. 44. This is so distinct as not to admit of a

question. Equally distinct is the Christian portion, extending, as we

have seen, from chapter xxiv. 45 to chapter xxv. 30; while from xxv.

31 to the end, we have the Gentiles. Thus the order and fulness of

this marvellous discourse must strike any thoughtful reader. It

presents the Jew, the Christian, and the Gentile, each on his own

distinct ground, and according to his own distinctive principles.

There is no merging of one thing in another, no confounding of things

that differ. In a word, the order, the fulness, and the

comprehensiveness of this profound discourse are divine, and fill the

soul "with wonder, love, and praise." We rise from the study of it, as

a whole, with those words of the apostle upon our lips, "O, the depth

of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how

unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out."

And then, when we examine the precise terms made use of by our Lord in

the parable of the ten virgins we must see that it applies not to Jews

but to Christian professors--it applies to us--it utters a voice, and

teaches a solemn lesson to the writer and the reader of these lines.

Let us apply our hearts thereto.

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which

took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom."

Primitive Christianity was especially characterized by the fact here

indicated, namely, a going forth to meet a returning and an expected

bridegroom. The early Christians were led to detach themselves from

present things, and go forth, in the spirit of their minds, and in the

affections of their hearts, to meet the Saviour whom they loved, and

for whom they waited. It was not, of course, a question of going forth

from one place to another; it was not local, but moral, and spiritual.

It was the outgoing of the heart after a beloved Saviour whose return

was eagerly looked for day by day.

It is impossible to read the epistles to the various churches and not

see that the hope of the Lord's sure and speedy return governed the

hearts of the Lord's dear people in early days. "They waited for the

Son from heaven." They knew He was to come and take them away, to be

with Himself forever; and the knowledge and power of this hope had the

effect of detaching their hearts from present things. Their bright,

heavenly hope caused them to sit loose to the things of earth. "They

looked for the Saviour." They believed that He might come at any

moment, and hence the concerns of this life were just to be taken up

and attended to for the moment--properly, thoroughly attended to, no

doubt--but only, as it were, on the very tip-toe of expectation.

All this is conveyed to our hearts, briefly but clearly, by the

expression, "They went forth to meet the bridegroom." This could not

be intelligently applied to the Jewish remnant, inasmuch as they will

not go forth to meet their Messiah, but, on the contrary, they will

remain in their position and amid their circumstances until He come

and plant His foot on the mount of Olives. They will not look for the

Lord to come and take them away from this earth to be with Him in

heaven; but He will come to bring deliverance to them in their own

land, and make them happy there under His own peaceful and blessed

reign during the millennial age.

But the call to Christians was to "go forth." They are supposed to be

always on the move; not settling down on the earth, but going out in

earnest and holy aspirations after that heavenly glory to which they

are called, and after the heavenly Bridegroom to whom they are

espoused, and for whose speedy advent they are taught to wait.

Such is the true, the divine, the normal idea of the Christian's

attitude and state. And this lovely idea was marvellously realized and

practically carried out by the primitive Christians. But alas! alas!

we are reminded of the fact that we have to do with the spurious as

well as the true in Christendom. There are "tares" as well as "wheat"

in the kingdom of heaven; and thus we read of these ten virgins, that

"five of them were wise, and five were foolish." There are the true

and the false, the genuine and the counterfeit, the real and the

hollow, in professing Christianity.

Yes, and this is to continue unto the time of the end, until the

Bridegroom come. The tares are not converted into wheat, nor are the

foolish virgins converted into wise ones. No, never. The tares will be

burnt and the foolish virgins shut out. So far from a gradual

improvement by the means now in operation--the preaching of the gospel

and the various beneficent agencies which are brought to bear upon the

world--we find, from all the parables, and from the teaching of the

entire New Testament, that the kingdom of heaven presents a most

deplorable admixture of evil; a corrupting process; a grievous

tampering with the work of God, on the part of the enemy; a positive

progress of evil in principle, in profession, and in practice.

And all this goes on to the end. There are foolish virgins found when

the Bridegroom appears. Whence come they if all are to be converted

before the Lord comes? If all are to be brought to the knowledge of

the Lord by the means now in operation, then how comes it to pass that

when the Bridegroom comes, there are quite as many foolish as wise?

But it will perhaps be said that this is but a parable, a figure.

Granted; but a figure of what? Not surely of a whole world converted.

To assert this would be to offer a grievous insult to the holy volume,

and to treat our Lord's solemn teaching in a manner in which we would

not dare to treat the teaching of a fellow mortal.

No, reader, the parable of the ten virgins teaches, beyond all

question, that when the Bridegroom comes, there will be foolish

virgins on the scene, and, clearly, if there are foolish virgins, all

cannot have been previously converted. A child can understand this. We

cannot see how it is possible, in the face of even this one parable,

to maintain the theory of a world converted before the coming of the

Bridegroom.

But let us look a little closely at these foolish virgins. Their

history is full of admonition for all Christian professors. It is very

brief, but awfully comprehensive. "They that were foolish took their

lamps, and took no oil with them." There is the outward profession,

but no inward reality--no spiritual life--no unction--no vital link

with the source of eternal life--no union with Christ. There is

nothing but the lamp of profession, and the dry wick of a nominal,

notional, head belief.

This is peculiarly solemn. It bears down with tremendous weight upon

that vast mass of baptized profession which surrounds us, at the

present moment, in which there is so much of outward semblance, but so

little of inward reality. All profess to be Christians. The lamp of

profession may be seen in every hand; but ah! how few have the oil in

their vessels, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, the Holy Ghost

dwelling in their hearts. Without this, all is utterly worthless and

vain. There may be the vary highest profession; there may be a most

orthodox creed; one may be baptized; he may receive the Lord's

supper; be a regularly enrolled and duly recognized member of a

Christian community; be a Sunday-school teacher; an ordained minister

of religion; one may be all this, and not have one spark of divine

life, not one ray of heavenly light, not one link with the Christ of

God.

Now there is something peculiarly awful in the thought of having just

enough religion to deceive the heart, deaden the conscience, and ruin

the soul--just enough religion to give a name to live while

dead--enough to leave one without Christ, without God, and without

hope in the world--enough to prop the soul up with a false confidence,

and fill it with a false peace, until the Bridegroom come, and then

the eyes are opened when it is too late.

Thus it is with the foolish virgins. They seem to be very like the

wise ones. An ordinary observer might not be able to see any

difference, for the time being. They all set out together. All have

lamps. And, moreover, all turn aside to slumber and sleep, the wise as

well as the foolish. All rouse up at the midnight cry, and trim their

lamps. Thus far there is no apparent difference. The foolish virgins

light their lamps--the lamp of profession lighted up with the dry wick

of a lifeless, notional, nominal faith; alas! alas! a worthless--worse

than worthless--thing, a fatal soul-destroying delusion.

But here the grand distinction--the broad line of demarcation--comes

out with awful, yea, with appalling clearness. "The foolish said unto

the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps _are going out_" (see

margin). This proves that their lamps had been lighted; for had they

not been lighted, they could not go out. But it was only a false,

flickering, transient light. It was not fed from a divine source. It

was the light of mere lip profession, fed by a head belief, lasting

just long enough to deceive themselves and others, and going out at

the very moment when they most needed it, leaving them in the dreadful

darkness of eternal night.

"Our lamps are going out." Terrible discovery! "The Bridegroom is at

hand, and our lamps are going out. Our hollow profession is being made

manifest by the light of His coming. We thought we were all right. We

professed the same faith, had the same shaped lamp, the same kind of

wick; but alas! we now find to our unspeakable horror, that we have

been deceiving ourselves, that we lack the one thing needful, the

spirit of life in Christ, the unction from the Holy One, the living

link with the Bridegroom. Whatever shall we do? O ye wise virgins,

take pity upon us, and share with us your oil. Do, do, for mercy's

sake, give us a little, even one drop of that all-essential thing,

that we may not perish forever."

Ah! it is all utterly vain. No one can give of his oil to another.

Each has just enough for himself. Moreover, it can only be had from

God Himself. A man can give _light_, but he cannot give _oil_. This

latter is the gift of God alone. "The wise answered, saying, Not so;

lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that

sell and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the

Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the

marriage; _and the door was shut_." It is of no use looking to

Christian friends to help us or prop us up. No use in flying hither

and thither for some one to lean upon--some holy man, or some eminent

teacher--no use building upon our church, or our creed, or our

sacraments. _We want oil._ We cannot do without it. Where are we to

get it? Not from man, not from the church, not from the saints, not

from the fathers. We must get it from God; and He, blessed be His

name, gives freely. "The gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus

Christ our Lord."

But, mark, it is an individual thing. Each must have it for himself.

No man can believe, or get life for another. Each must have to do with

God for himself. The link which connects the soul with Christ is

intensely individual. There is no such thing as second-hand faith. A

man may teach us religion, or theology, or the letter of Scripture;

but he cannot give us oil; he cannot give us faith; he cannot give us

life. "It is the _gift_ of God." Precious little word, "gift." It is

like God. It is free as God's air; free as His sunlight; free as His

refreshing dew-drops. But, we repeat, and with solemn emphasis, each

one must get it for himself, and have it in himself. "None can by any

means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: that he

should still live forever and not see corruption. For the redemption

of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever" (Psalm xlix. 7-9).

Reader, what sayest thou to these solemn realities? Art thou a wise or

a foolish virgin? Hast thou gotten life in a risen and glorified

Saviour. Art thou a mere professor of religion, content with the mere

ordinary dead routine of church-going, having just sufficient religion

to make thee respectable on earth, but not enough to link thee with

heaven?

We earnestly beseech thee to think seriously of these things. Think of

them now. Think how unspeakably dreadful it will be to find thy lamp

of profession going out and leaving thee in obscure darkness--darkness

that may be felt--the outer darkness of an everlasting night. How

terrible to find the door shut behind that brilliant train which shall

go in to the marriage; but shut in thy face! How agonizing the cry,

"Lord, Lord, open unto us!" How withering, how crushing the response,

"I know you not."

O, beloved friend, do give these weighty matters a place in thy heart

now, while yet the door is open, and while yet the day of grace is

lengthened out in God's marvellous long suffering. The moment is

rapidly approaching in the which the door of mercy shall be closed

against thee forever, when all hope shall be gone, and thy precious

soul be plunged in black and eternal despair. May God's spirit rouse

thee from thy fatal slumber, and give thee no rest until thou findest

it in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and at His blessed

feet in adoration and worship.

We must now draw this paper to a close; but, ere doing so, we shall

just for a moment glance at the wise virgins. The great

distinguishing feature which, according to the teaching of this

parable, marks them off from the foolish virgins is that when starting

at the first they "took oil in their vessels with their lamps." In

other words, what distinguishes true believers from mere professors is

that the former have in their hearts the grace of God's Holy Spirit;

they have gotten the spirit of life in Christ Jesus; and the Holy

Ghost dwelling in them as the seal, the earnest, the unction, and the

witness. This grand and glorious fact characterizes now all true

believers in the Lord Jesus Christ--a stupendous, wondrous fact, most

surely--an immense and ineffable privilege, which should ever bow our

souls in holy adoration before our God and our Lord Jesus Christ,

whose accomplished redemption has procured for us this great blessing.

But how sad to think that, notwithstanding this high and holy

privilege, we should have to read, as in the words of our parable,

"They all slumbered and slept!" All alike, wise as well as foolish,

fell asleep. The Bridegroom tarried, and all, without exception, lost

the freshness, fervor, and power of the hope of His coming, and fell

fast asleep.

Such is the statement of our parable, and such is the solemn fact of

the history. The whole professing body fell asleep. "That blessed

hope" which shone so brightly on the horizon of the early Christians,

very speedily waned and faded away; and as we scan the page of church

history for eighteen centuries, from the Apostolic Fathers to the

opening of the current century, we look in vain for any intelligent

reference to the church's specific hope--the personal return of the

blessed Bridegroom. In fact, that hope was virtually lost to the

church; nay, more, it became almost a heresy to teach it. And even

now, in these last days, there are hundreds of thousands of professed

ministers of Christ who dare not preach or teach the coming of the

Lord as it is taught in Scripture.

True it is, blessed be God, we notice a mighty change within the last

half century. There has been a great awakening. God is, by His Holy

Spirit, recalling His people to long-forgotten truths, and amongst the

rest, to the glorious truth of the coming of the Bridegroom. Many are

now seeing that the reason why the Bridegroom tarried was simply

because God was long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should

perish, but that all should come to repentance. Precious reason!

But they are also seeing that, spite of this long-suffering, our Lord

is at hand. Christ is coming. The midnight cry has gone forth,

"Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." May millions

of voices re-echo the soul-stirring cry until it passes in its mighty

moral power, from pole to pole, and from the river to the ends of the

earth, rousing the whole church to wait, as one man, for the glorious

appearing of the blessed Bridegroom of our hearts.

Brethren beloved in the Lord, awake! awake! Let every soul be roused.

Let us shake off the sloth and the slumber of worldly ease and

self-indulgence--let us rise above the withering influence of

religious formality and dull routine--let us fling aside the dogmas of

false theology, and go forth, in the spirit of our minds and in the

affections of our hearts, to meet our returning Bridegroom. May His

own solemn words come with fresh power to our souls, "Watch therefore,

for ye know neither the day nor the hour." May the language of our

hearts and our lives be, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

The dark stream of evil is flowing apace:

Awake, and be doing, ye children of grace,

Let's seek with compassion the souls that are lost,

Well knowing the price their redemption has cost.

While singing with rapture the Saviour's great love,

And waiting for Him to translate us above--

"It may be to-morrow, or even to-night"--

Let our loins be well girded, and lamps burning bright.

THE TALENTS

It only remains for us now to consider that portion of our Lord's

discourse in which He again takes up the deeply solemn subject of

ministerial responsibility during the time of His absence. That this

stands closely connected with the hope of His coming is evident from

the fact that having summed up the parable of the ten virgins with

these most weighty words, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the

day nor the hour," He goes on to say, "For as a man travelling into a

far country, who called his servants, and delivered unto them his

goods."

There is a material difference between the parable of the talents and

that of the servant in chapter xxiv. 45-51. In the latter, we have

ministry inside the house. In the former, on the other hand, we have

ministry abroad in the world. But in each we find the grand foundation

of all ministry, namely, the gift and authority of Christ. "He called

_His own_ servants, and delivered unto them _His_ goods." The servants

are His, and the goods are His. No one but the Lord Christ can put a

man into the ministry, as none but He can impart spiritual gift. It is

utterly impossible for any one to be a minister of Christ unless He

calls him and fits him for the work. This is so plain as not to admit

of a single question. A man may be a minister of religion; he may

preach the doctrines of the gospel, and teach theology; but a minister

of Christ he cannot possibly be unless Christ calls him to, and gifts

him for, the work. If it be a question of ministry inside the house,

it is "whom his lord hath made ruler over his house." And if it be a

question of ministry abroad in the world, we are told that "He called

his own servants and delivered unto them his goods."

This great root-principle of ministry is powerfully embodied in these

words of one of the greatest ministers that ever lived, when he says,

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, _who hath enabled me_, for that he

counted me faithful, _putting me into the ministry_" (1 Tim. i. 12).

Thus it must be in every case, whatever be the measure, the character,

or the sphere of ministry. The Lord Christ alone can put any one into

the ministry, and enable him to fulfil it. If it be not this, it will

be either a man putting himself into the ministry, or his fellow man

doing it, both of which are alike opposed to the mind of God, and to

all the principles of the true ministry as taught in the word. If we

are to be guided by Scripture, we must see that all ministry in or out

of the house must be by divine appointment and divine ability. If it

be not thus, it is worse than worthless. A man may set himself up as a

minister, or he may be set up by his fellows; but it is all utterly

vain. It is not from heaven--it is not of God--it is not by Jesus

Christ; and, in the sequel, it will be made manifest and judged as a

most horrible and daring usurpation.

It is of the very last importance that the Christian reader should

thoroughly seize this grand principle of ministry. It is as simple as

it is solemn. And, moreover, that it rests on a basis truly divine

cannot be questioned by any one who bows down--as every Christian

ought--with unqualified and absolute submission, to the authority of

the divine word. Let the reader take his Bible, and read carefully

every line therein which bears upon the subject of ministry. If he

turns to the parable of the house-steward, he will read, "Whom _his

lord_ hath made ruler." He does not make himself ruler; neither is he

appointed by his fellows. The appointment is divine.

So, also, in the parable of the talents, the master calls his own

servants, and delivers unto them his goods. The call and the equipment

are divine.

We have another aspect of the same truth in Luke xix. "A certain

nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom,

_and to return_. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them

ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy _till I come_." The difference

between Luke and Matthew appears to be this: in the former, human

responsibility; in the latter, divine sovereignty is prominent. But in

both the great root-principle is distinctly maintained and

unanswerably established, namely, that all ministry is by divine

appointment.

The same truth meets us in the Acts of the Apostles. When one was to

be appointed to fill the place of Judas, the appeal is made to

Jehovah, "Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all, show whether of

these two _thou hast chosen_; that he may take part of this ministry

and apostleship."

And even where it is a question of local charge, as of deacons, in

chapter vi., or of elders, in chapter xiv., it is by direct apostolic

appointment. In other words, it is divine. A man could not even

appoint himself to a deaconship, much less to an eldership. In the

case of the former, inasmuch as the deacons were to take charge of the

people's property, these latter were, in the grace and lovely moral

order of the Spirit, permitted to select men in whom they could

confide; but the appointment was divine, whether of deacons or elders.

Thus, whether it be a question of gift or of local charge, all rests

on a purely divine basis. This is _the_ all-important point.

Again, if we turn to the Epistles, the same great truth shines in full

and undimmed lustre before us. Thus, at the opening of Romans xii., we

read, "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that

is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to

think; but to think soberly, according as _God hath dealt to every man

the measure of faith_. For as we have many members in one body, and

all members have not the same office; so we being many, are one body

in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then _gifts_

differing _according to the grace that is given us_," etc. In 1 Cor.

xii. we read, "_But now hath God set the members every one of them in

the body_ as it hath pleased him" (verse 18). And again, "_God hath

set some in the church_, first, apostles," etc. (verse 28). So also in

Ephesians iv., "But unto every one of us is given grace according to

the measure of _the gift of Christ_."

All these Scriptures, and many more that might be quoted, go to

establish the truth which we are intensely anxious to impress upon

our readers, namely, that ministry in all its departments, is

divine--is of God--is from heaven--is by Jesus Christ. There is

positively no such thing in the New Testament as human authority to

minister in the church of God. Turn where we may, throughout its

sacred pages, and we find only the same blessed doctrine as is

contained in that one brief sentence in our parable, "He called his

own servants, and delivered unto them his goods." The whole New

Testament doctrine of ministry is embodied here; and we earnestly

entreat the Christian reader to let this doctrine take full possession

of his soul, and exert its full sway over his conduct, course and

character.[30]

[30] We do not, by any means, restrict the application of the "talents"

to direct, specific, spiritual gifts. We believe the parable takes in

the wide range of Christian _service_: just as the parable of the ten

virgins takes in the wide range of Christian _profession_.

But it may perhaps be asked, "Is there no adaptation of the vessel to

the ministerial gift deposited therein?" Unquestionably there is; and

this very adaptation is distinctly presented in the words of our

parable, "Unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to

another one; to every man _according to his several ability_."

This is a point of deepest interest, and it must never be lost sight

of. The Lord knows what use He means to make of a man. He knows the

character of gift which He purposes to deposit in the vessel, and He

shapes the vessel and moulds the man accordingly. We cannot doubt that

Paul was a vessel specially formed of God for the place he was

afterwards to fill, and the work he had to do. And so in every case.

If God designs a man to be a public speaker, He gives him lungs, He

gives him a voice, He gives him a physical constitution adapted to the

work which He designs him to do. The gift is from God; but there is

always the most distinct reference to the ability of the man.

If this be lost sight of, our apprehension of the true character of

ministry will be very defective indeed. We must never forget the two

things, namely, the divine gift, and the human vessel in which the

gift is deposited. There is the sovereignty of God, and the

responsibility of man. How perfect and how beautiful are all the ways

of God! But alas! alas! man mars everything, and the touch of the

human finger only dims the lustre of divine workmanship. Still, let us

never forget that ministry is divine in its source, its nature, its

power, and its object. If the reader rises from this paper convinced

in heart and soul of this grand truth, we have so far gained our

object in penning it.

But it is not improbable the question may be asked, "What has all this

subject of ministry to do with the Lord's coming?" Much every way.

Does not our blessed Lord introduce the subject again and again, in

His discourse on the mount of Olives? And is not this entire discourse

a reply to the question of the disciples, "What shall be the sign of

thy coming and the end of the age?" Is not His coming the great

prominent point of the discourse as a whole, and of each section of it

in particular? Unquestionably.

And what, we may ask, is the next prominent theme? Is it not ministry?

Look at the parable of the servant made ruler over the household. How

is he to serve? In view of his Lord's return. The ministry links

itself on, as it were, to the departing and the return of the Master.

It stands between, and is to be characterized by, these two grand

events. And what is it that leads to failure in the ministry? Losing

sight of the Lord's return. The evil servant says in his heart, "My

Lord delayeth His coming," and, as a consequence, "he begins to smite

his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken."

So also in the parable of the talents. The solemn and soul-stirring

word is "Occupy till I come." In short, we learn that ministry,

whether in the house of God or abroad in the world, is to be carried

on in full view of the Lord's return. "After a long time the lord of

those servants cometh and reckoneth with them." All the servants are

to keep continually before their minds the solemn fact that there is a

reckoning time coming. This will regulate their thoughts and feelings

in reference to every branch of their ministry. Hearken to the

following weighty words in which one servant seeks to animate another,

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who

shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom:

preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,

exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come

when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts

shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they

shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto

fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work

of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready

to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought

a good fight. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the

Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me _at that day_; and not to me

only, _but unto all them also that love his appearing_" (2 Tim. iv.

1-8).

Does not this touching and weighty passage show how intimately the

subject of ministry stands connected with the Lord's coming? The

blessed apostle--the most devoted, gifted, and effective workman that

ever wrought in the vineyard of Christ--the most skillful steward that

ever handled the mysteries of God--the wise master builder--the great

minister of the church and preacher of the gospel--the incomparable

servant--this rare and precious vessel carried on his work, fulfilled

his ministry, and discharged his holy responsibilities in full view of

"_that day_." He looked forward, and is still looking, to that solemn

and glorious occasion when the Righteous Judge shall place on his brow

"the crown of righteousness." And he adds, with such affecting

sweetness, "not to me only, but unto all them also that love his

appearing."

This is peculiarly touching. There will be a crown of righteousness in

"that day," not merely for the gifted, laborious, and devoted Paul,

but for every one that loves the appearing of our Lord and Saviour

Jesus Christ. No doubt Paul shall have gems in his crown of peculiar

lustre; but, lest any one should think that the crown of righteousness

was only for Paul, he adds these lovely words, "unto all them also

that love his appearing." The Lord be praised for such words! May they

have the effect of stirring up our hearts, not only to love the

appearing of our Lord, but also to serve with more intense and

whole-hearted devotedness in view of that glorious day! That the two

things are very closely connected we may see in the sequel of the

parable of the talents. We can do little more than quote the words of

our Lord.

When the servants had received the talents, we read, "Then he that had

received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them

other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also

gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the

earth and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those

servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received

five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou

deliveredst unto me five talents; behold I have gained besides them

five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and

faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will

make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou

deliveredst unto me two talents; behold, I have gained two other

talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and

faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will

make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy

lord."

It is interesting and instructive to note the difference between the

parable of the talents as given in Matthew, and the parable of the ten

servants, in Luke xix. In the former, it is a question of divine

sovereignty; in the latter, of human responsibility. In that, each

receives a like sum; in this, one receives five, another two,

according to the master's will. Then, when the day of reckoning

comes, we find in Luke a definite reward according to the work;

whereas in Matthew, the word is, "I will make thee ruler over many

things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord." They are not told what

they are to have, or how many things they are to rule over. The master

is sovereign both in His gifts and rewards; and the crowning point of

all is, "Enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

This, to a heart that loves the Lord, is beyond everything. True,

there will be the ten cities and the five cities. There will be ample,

distinct, and definite reward for responsibility discharged, service

rendered, and work done. All will be rewarded. But above and beyond

all, shines this precious word, "Enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

No reward can possibly come up to this. The sense of the love that

breathes in these words will lead each one to cast his "crown of

righteousness" at the feet of his Lord. The very crown which the

righteous Judge shall give, we shall willingly cast at the feet of a

loving Saviour and Lord. One smile from Him will touch the heart far

more deeply and powerfully than the brightest crown that could be

placed on the brow.

But one word ere we close. Who would not work? Who hid his lord's

money? Who proved to be "a wicked and slothful servant?" The man who

did not know his master's heart--his master's character--his master's

love. "Then he which had received the one talent, came and said, Lord,

I know thee, [?] that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast

not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed; and I was afraid,

and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is

thine. His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful

servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where

I have not strewed. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to

the exchangers, and then at my coming, I should have received mine own

with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him

which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given,

and he shall have abundance; but from him that hath not shall be

taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable

servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of

teeth."

How awfully solemn! How striking the contrast between the two

servants! One knows, and loves, and trusts, and serves his Lord. The

other belies, fears, distrusts, and does nothing. The one enters into

the joy of his lord, the other is cast out into outer darkness, into

the place of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. How solemn!

How soul-subduing is all this! And when does it all come out? When the

Master returns!

NOTE.--We may add, in connection with the foregoing remarks,

on ministry, that every Christian has his and her own

specific place and work to do. All are solemnly responsible

to the Lord to know their place and fill it, to know their

work and do it. This is a plain practical truth, and most

fully confirmed by the principle upon which we have been

insisting, namely, that all ministry and all work must be

received from the Master's hand, carried on under His eye,

and in full view of His coming. These things must never be

forgotten.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

We must now draw this series of papers to a close; and it is with a

strong feeling of reluctance that we do so. The theme is intensely

interesting, deeply practical, and abundantly fruitful. Moreover, it

is very suggestive, and opens up an extensive field of vision for the

spiritual mind to range through with an interest that never flags,

because the subject is inexhaustible.

However, we must, for the present at least, close our meditations on

this most marvellous line of truth; but ere doing so, we are anxious

to call the reader's attention, as briefly as possible, to one or two

things which have been barely hinted at in the progress of these

papers. We should not think of recalling them were it not that we deem

them not only interesting, but of real practical value in helping to a

clearer understanding of many branches of the great subject which has

been engaging our attention.

And first, then, the reader who has travelled in company with us

through the various branches of our subject will remember a cursory

reference to what we ventured to call "an unnoticed

interval--break--or parenthesis" in the dealings of God with Israel

and with the earth. This is a point of the deepest interest; and we

hope to be able to show the reader that it is not some curious

question, a dark mysterious subject, or a favorite notion of some

special school of prophetic interpretation. Quite the contrary. We

consider it to be a point which throws a flood of light on very many

branches of our general subject. Such we have found it for ourselves,

and as such we desire to present it to our readers. Indeed we strongly

question if any one can rightly understand prophecy or his own true

position and bearings, who does not see the unnoticed interval or

break above referred to.

But let us turn directly to the word, and open at chapter ix. of the

book of Daniel.

The opening verses of this remarkable section show us the beloved

servant of God in profound exercise of soul in reference to the sad

condition of his much loved people Israel--a condition into which,

through the Spirit of Christ, he most thoroughly enters. Though not

having himself personally participated in these actings which had

brought ruin upon the nation, yet he identifies himself, most

completely, with the people, and makes their sins his own in

confession and self-judgment before his God.

We cannot attempt to quote from Daniel's remarkable prayer and

confession on this occasion; but the subject which immediately

concerns us now is introduced in verse 20.

"And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the

sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the

Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; yea, while I was speaking

in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the

beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of

the evening oblation. And he informed me and talked with me, and said.

O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

At the beginning of thy supplications the commandments came forth, and

I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore

understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are

determined [or portioned out] upon thy people, and upon thy holy city,

to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make

reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting

righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint

the Most Holy."

Now we cannot, in our limited space, enter upon any elaborate argument

to prove that the "seventy weeks," in the above quotation, mean really

four hundred and ninety years. We assume this to be the fact. We

believe that Gabriel was commissioned to instruct the beloved prophet,

and to inform him of the fact that, from the going forth of the decree

to rebuild Jerusalem, a period of four hundred and ninety years was to

elapse, and that then Israel would be brought into blessing.

This is as simple and definite as anything can be. We may assert, with

all possible confidence, that it is not so certain that the sun shall

rise, at the appointed moment, to-morrow morning, as that at the close

of the period above named by the angelic messenger, Daniel's people

shall be brought into blessing. It is as sure as the throne of God.

Nothing can hinder. Not all the powers of earth and hell combined

shall be allowed to stand in the way of the full and perfect

accomplishment of the word of God by the mouth of Gabriel. When the

last sand of the four hundred and ninetieth year shall have run out of

the glass, Israel shall enter upon the possession of all their

destined pre-eminence and glory. It is impossible to read Daniel ix.

24, and not see this.

But, it may be, the reader feels disposed to ask--and ask, too, with

astonishment, "Have not the four hundred and ninety years expired long

ago?" We reply, Certainly not. Had they done so, Israel would be now

in their own land, under the blessed reign of their own loved Messiah.

Scripture cannot be broken; nor can we play fast and loose with its

statements, as though they might mean anything or everything, or

nothing at all. The word is precise. "Seventy weeks are portioned out

upon thy people." Neither more nor less than seventy weeks. If this be

taken to mean literal weeks, the passage has no sense or meaning

whatever. It would be an insult to our readers to occupy time in

combating such an absurdity as this.

But if, as we are most thoroughly persuaded, Gabriel meant seventy

weeks of years, then have we a period most distinct and definite

before us--a period extending from the moment in which Cyrus issued

his decree to restore Jerusalem, to the moment of Israel's

restoration.

Still, however, the reader may feel led to ask, "How can these things

be? It is very much more than four hundred and ninety years, four

times told, since the king of Persia issued his decree, and yet there

is no sign of Israel's restoration. There must surely be some other

mode of interpreting the seventy weeks."

We can only repeat our statement, that the four hundred and ninety

years are not out yet. There has been a break--a parenthesis--a long

unnoticed interval. Let the reader look closely at Daniel ix. 25, 26;

"Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the

commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the

Prince, shall be seven weeks [49 years] and threescore and two weeks

[434 years]; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in

troublous times;" or, as the margin reads it, "in strait of times,"

that is, the street and the wall of Jerusalem were built in the

shorter of the two periods named, or in forty-nine years. "And after

threescore and two weeks [434 years from the rebuilding of Jerusalem],

shall Messiah be cut off, and have nothing" (see margin).

Here then we reach the marked, memorable, and solemn epoch. The

Messiah, instead of being received, is cut off. In place of ascending

the throne of David, He goes to the cross. Instead of entering upon

the possession of all the promises, He has nothing. His only

portion--so far as Israel and the earth were concerned--was the

cross, the vinegar, the spear, the borrowed grave.

Messiah was rejected, cut off, and had nothing. What then? God

signified His sense of this act, by suspending for a time His

dispensational dealings with Israel. The course of time is

interrupted. There is a great gap. Four hundred and eighty-three years

are fulfilled; seven yet remain--a cancelled week, and all the time

since the death of the Messiah has been an unnoticed interval--a break

or parenthesis, during which Christ has been hidden in the heavens,

and the Holy Ghost has been working on earth in forming the body of

Christ, the church, the heavenly bride. When the last member shall

have been incorporated into this body, the Lord Himself shall come and

receive His people to Himself, to conduct them back to the Father's

house, there to be with Him in the ineffable communion of that blessed

home, while God will, by His governmental dealings, prepare Israel and

the earth for the introduction of the First-begotten into the world.

Now as to this interval and all that was to occur therein, Gabriel

maintains a profound reserve. Whether he understood aught of it is not

the question. It is clear he was not commissioned to speak of it,

inasmuch as the time was not come for so doing. He passes, with

marvellous and mysterious abruptness, over ages and generations--steps

from headland to headland of the prophetic chart, and dismisses in a

short sentence or two, a lengthened period of nearly two thousand

years. The siege of Jerusalem by the Romans is thus briefly noticed,

"The people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and

the sanctuary." Then, a period which has already lasted for eighteen

centuries is thus disposed of, "And the end thereof shall be with a

flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."

Then, with intense rapidity, we are conducted on to the time of the

end, when the last of the seventy weeks, the last seven of the four

hundred and ninety years, shall be accomplished. "And he [the Prince]

shall confirm the covenant with many [of the Jews] _for one week_

[seven years]; and in the midst of the week he shall cause the

sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of

abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation,

and that determined shall be poured upon the desolator" (margin).

Here then we reach the end of the four hundred and ninety years which

were determined or portioned out upon Daniel's people. To attempt to

interpret this period without seeing the break and the long unnoticed

interval, must of necessity plunge the mind in utter confusion. It

cannot possibly be done. Numberless theories have been started;

endless calculations and speculations have been attempted; but in

vain. The four hundred and ninety years are not accomplished yet; nor

will they have their accomplishment until the church has left this

scene altogether, and gone to be with her Lord in her bright heavenly

home. Revelation iv., v. show us the place which the heavenly saints

shall occupy during the last of Daniel's seventy weeks; while from

chapter vi.-xviii. we have the various actings of God in government,

preparing Israel and the earth for the bringing in of the

first-begotten in the world.[31]

[31] It is, we are aware, a question among the expositors, whether the

events detailed in Revelation vi.-xviii. will occupy a whole week or

only a half. We do not here attempt to offer an opinion. Some consider

that the public ministry of John the Baptist and that of our Lord

occupied a week, or seven years, and that in consequence of Israel's

rejection of both, the week is cancelled, and remains yet to be

fulfilled. It is an interesting question; but it in no wise affects

the great principles which have been before us, or the interpretation

of the book of Revelation. We may add that the expressions "forty and

two months"--"twelve hundred and sixty days"--"time, times, and the

dividing of time" indicate the period of half a week, or three years

and a half.

We are very anxious to make these matters clear to the reader. It has

greatly helped us in the understanding of prophecy, and cleared away

many difficulties. We feel thoroughly persuaded that no one can

understand the book of Daniel, or indeed the general scope of

prophecy, who does not see that the last of the seventy weeks remains

to be fulfilled. Not one jot or tittle of God's word can ever pass

away, and seeing He has declared that "seventy weeks were portioned

out upon Daniel's people," and that at the close of that period they

should be brought into blessing, it is plain that this period is not

yet expired. But unless we see the break, and the dropping of time,

consequent upon the rejection of the Messiah, we cannot possibly make

out the fulfilment of Daniel's seventy weeks, or four hundred and

ninety years.

Another important fact for the reader to seize is this, the church

forms no part of the ways of God with Israel and the earth. The church

does not belong to time, but to eternity. She is not earthly, but

heavenly. She is called into existence during an unnoticed interval--a

break or parenthesis consequent upon the cutting off of the Messiah.

To speak after the manner of men, if Israel had received the Messiah,

then the seventy weeks or four hundred and ninety years would have

been fulfilled; but Israel rejected her King, and God has retired to

His place until they acknowledge their iniquity. He has suspended His

public dealings with Israel and the earth, though most surely

controlling all things by His providence, and keeping His eye upon the

seed of Abraham, ever beloved for the fathers' sake.

Meanwhile He is calling out from Jews and Gentiles that body called

the church, to be the companion of His Son in heavenly glory--to be

thoroughly identified with Him in His present rejection from this

earth, and to wait in holy patience for His glorious advent.

All this marks off the Christian's position in the most definite

manner possible. His portion and his prospects, too, are thus defined

with equal clearness. It is vain to look into the prophetic page in

order to find the church's position, her calling, or her hope. They

are not there. It is entirely out of place for the Christian to be

occupied with dates and historic events, as though he were in anywise

involved therein. No doubt, all these things have their proper place

and their value, and their interest, as connected with God's dealings

with Israel and with the earth. But the Christian must never lose

sight of the fact that he belongs to heaven, that he is inseparably

linked with an earth-rejected, heaven-accepted Christ--that his life

is hid with Christ in God--that it is his holy privilege to be looking

out, daily and hourly, for the coming of his Lord. There is nothing to

hinder the realization of that blissful hope at any moment. There is

but one thing that causes the delay, and that is, "the long-suffering

of our Lord, not willing that any should perish, but that all should

come to repentance"--precious words these for a lost and guilty world!

The salvation is _ready_ to be revealed; and God is _ready_ to judge.

There is nothing now to wait for but the gathering in of the last

elect one, and then--oh! most blessed thought--our own dear and loving

Saviour will come and receive us to Himself to be with Him where He

is, and to go no more out forever.

Then when the church has gone to be with her Lord in the heavenly

home, God will resume His public actings with Israel. They will be

brought into great tribulation, during the week already referred to.

But at the close of that period of unexampled pressure and trial,

their long-rejected Messiah will appear for their relief and

deliverance. He will come forth as the rider on the white horse,

accompanied by the heavenly saints. He will execute summary judgment

upon His enemies, and take to Himself His great power and reign. The

kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of

His Christ. Satan shall be bound for a thousand years; and the whole

universe shall repose beneath the blissful and benignant rule of the

Prince of peace.

Finally, at the close of the thousand years, Satan shall be loosed,

and permitted to make one more desperate effort--an effort issuing in

his eternal defeat and consignment to the lake of fire, there to be

tormented with the beast and the false prophet throughout the

everlasting ages.

Then follows the resurrection and judgment of the wicked dead, and

their consignment to the lake that burneth with fire and

brimstone--tremendous and appalling thought! No heart can

conceive--no tongue can tell--the horrors of that lake of fire.

But hardly is there a moment to dwell upon the dark and awful picture,

ere the unutterable glories of the new heavens and the new earth burst

upon the vision of the soul; the holy city is seen descending from

heaven, and these seraphic sounds fall upon the ear, "Behold, the

tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they

shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their

God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there

shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall

there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. And he

that sat upon the throne, said, Behold I make all things new."

O beloved Christian reader, what scenes are before us! What grand

realities! What brilliant moral glories! May we live in the light and

power of these things! May we cherish that blessed hope of seeing the

One who loved us and gave Himself for us--who would not enjoy His

glory alone, but endured the wrath of God in order that He might link

us with Himself, and share with us all His love and glory for ever.

Oh! to live for Christ and wait for His appearing!

High in the Father's house above

My mansion is prepared;

There is the home, the rest I love,

And there my bright reward.

With Him I love, in spotless white,

In glory I shall shine;

His blissful presence my delight,

His love and glory mine.

All taint of sin shall be removed,

All evil done away;

And I shall dwell with God's Beloved,

Through God's eternal day.

A FEW THOUGHTS

ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOLDING

PRE-MILLENNIAL DOCTRINE

AND

WAITING FOR THE SON

Rev. i. 5-7

In a day like the present, when knowledge on every question is so

widely diffused, it is most needful to press upon the conscience of

the Christian reader the vast distinction between merely holding the

_doctrine_ of the Lord's second coming and actually waiting for His

appearing (1 Thess. i. 10). Many, alas! hold and, it may be,

eloquently preach, the doctrine of a second advent who really do not

know _the Person_ whose advent they profess to believe and preach.

This evil must be faithfully pointed out and dealt with. The present

is an age of knowledge--of religious knowledge; but oh! my reader,

knowledge is not life, knowledge is not power--knowledge will not

deliver from sin, or Satan, from the world, from death, from hell.

Knowledge, I mean, short of the knowledge of God in Christ. One may

know a great deal of Scripture, a great deal of prophecy, a great deal

of doctrine, and, all the while, be dead in trespasses and sins.

There is, however, one kind of knowledge which necessarily involves

eternal life, and that is the knowledge of God, as He is revealed in

the face of Jesus Christ. "This is life eternal, to know thee the

only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" (John xvii. 3).

Now, it is impossible to be living in the daily and hourly expectation

of "the coming of the Son of Man," if the Son of Man be not

experimentally known. I may take up the prophetic record, and by mere

study, and the exercise of my intellectual faculties, discover the

doctrine of the Lord's second coming, and yet be totally ignorant of

Christ, and living a life of entire alienation of heart from Him. How

often has this been the case! How many have astonished us with their

vast fund of prophetic knowledge--a fund acquired, it may be, by years

of laborious research, and yet, in the end, proved themselves to have

been displaying unhallowed light--light not acquired by prayerful

waiting upon God! Surely the thought of this should deeply affect our

hearts and solemnize our minds, and lead us to inquire whether or not

we know the blessed Person who, again and again, announces Himself as

about to "come quickly;" else, if we know Him not, we may find

ourselves of the number of those addressed by the prophet in the

following startling words:--"Woe unto you that desire the day of the

Lord! to what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and

not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or

went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit

him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness and not light? even

very dark and no brightness in it?" (Amos v. 18-20).

The second chapter of Matthew furnishes us with a very striking

illustration of the difference between mere prophetic knowledge and

the knowledge of Christ--between the exercise of the intellect on the

letter of Scripture, and the drawings of the Father to the Person of

Christ. The wise men, manifestly led by the finger of God, were in

true and earnest search of Christ, and they found Him. As to

Scriptural knowledge, they could not, for a moment, have competed with

the chief priests and scribes; yet what did the Scriptural knowledge

of the latter do for them? Why, it rendered them efficient instruments

for Herod, who called them together for the purpose of making use of

their Biblical knowledge in his deadly opposition to God's Anointed.

They were able to give him chapter and verse, as we say. But, my

reader, while they were assisting Herod by their knowledge, the wise

men were, by the drawings of the Father, making their way to Jesus.

Blessed contrast! How much happier to be a worshipper at the feet of

Jesus, though with slender knowledge, than to be a learned scribe,

with a heart cold, dead, and distant from that blessed One! How much

better to have the heart full of lively affection for Christ than to

have the intellect stored with the most accurate knowledge of the

letter of Scripture! What is the melancholy characteristic of the

present time? A wide diffusion of Scriptural knowledge with little

love for Christ, and little devotedness to His work; abundant

readiness to quote Scripture, like the scribes and chief priests, but

little purpose of heart, like the wise men, to open the treasures and

present to Christ the willing offerings of a heart filled by the sense

of what He is. What we want is personal devotedness, and not the mere

empty display of knowledge. It is not that we would undervalue

Scriptural knowledge; God forbid, if that knowledge be found in

connection with genuine discipleship. But if it be not, I ask, of what

value is it? None whatever. The most extensive range of knowledge, if

Christ be not its centre, will avail just nothing; yea, it will, in

all probability, render us more efficient instruments in Satan's hand

for the furthering of his purposes of hostility to Christ. An ignorant

man can do but little mischief; but a learned man, without Christ, can

do a great deal.

The verses which stand at the head of this paper present to us the

divine basis on which to found all Scriptural knowledge, more

especially prophetic knowledge. Before any one can utter his hearty

amen to the announcement, "Behold he cometh with clouds," he must,

without any question, be able to join in the blessed burst of praise,

"To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood."

The believer knows the One who is coming, because He has loved him,

and washed him from his sins. The believer expects the everlasting

Lover of his soul. The meek and lowly One who served, suffered, and

was emptied down here, will speedily come in the clouds of heaven,

with power and great glory, and _all_ who know Him will welcome Him

with glad hosannahs--they will be able to say, "This is the Lord, _we

have waited for_ him, we will rejoice and be glad in his salvation."

But, alas! there are, it is to be feared, very many who hold and argue

about the Lord's coming who are not waiting for Him at all, who are

living for themselves in the world, and "mind earthly things." How

terrible to be found talking about the Lord's coming, and yet, when He

does come, _to be left behind_! Oh! my beloved reader, think of this;

and if you are really conscious that you know not the Lord, then let

me entreat of you to behold Him shedding His precious blood to wash

you from your sins, and learn to confide in Him, to lean upon Him, to

rejoice in Him, and IN HIM ALONE.

But if you can look up to heaven, and say, "Thank God, I do know Him,

and I am waiting for Him," then let me remind you of what the apostle

John says, as to the practical result of this blessed hope. "Every man

that hath this hope _in him_, purifieth himself, even as _he_ is

pure." Yes, this must ever be the result of waiting for the Son from

heaven; but not at all so of the mere prophetic doctrine. Many of the

most impure, profane and ungodly characters, that have made their

appearance in the world, have held, in theory, the second advent of

Christ; but they were not _waiting for the Son_, and therefore they

did not, and could not purify themselves. It is impossible that any

one can be waiting for Christ's appearing, and not make efforts after

increased holiness, separation, and devotedness of heart: "Behold, I

come quickly; blessed is he that watcheth." Those who know the Lord

Jesus Christ, and love His appearing, will daily seek to shake off

everything contrary to their Master's mind; they will seek to become

more and more conformed to Him in all things. Men may hold the

doctrine of the Lord's coming, and yet grasp the world and the things

thereof with great eagerness; but the true-hearted servant will ever

keep his eye steadily fixed on his Master's return, remembering His

blessed words, "I will come again and receive you unto myself, that

where I am, there ye may be also" (John xiv. 3).

What a day will that be when the Saviour appears!

How welcome to those who have shared in His cross!

A crown incorruptible then will be theirs--

A rich compensation for suffering and loss.

C. H. M.