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THE MESSIAH
IN
MOSES AND THE PROPHETS.
BY
ELEAZAR LORD.
NEW-YORK:
CHARLES SCRIBNER, 145 NASSAU STREET.
1853.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853, by
ELEAZAR LORD,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New-York.
TO THE DESCENDANTS OF ISRAEL.
From the earliest periods a belief has prevailed among Jews and
Gentiles, that in one mode or another the Supreme Being has appeared
visibly on earth. In the Eastern World, Divine incarnations are taught
in the Brahminical and other systems.
For the origin of such a belief we must undoubtedly recur to the Divine
appearances recorded in Moses and the prophets. Such visible appearances
and the doctrine of the incarnation are taught in the Hebrew as well as
in the Christian Scriptures.
It is the object of the ensuing pages to show that He who truly became
incarnate, and is announced as Jesus, the Christ, and also as Jehovah,
Immanuel, _God with us_, is the same who in the Hebrew oracles is often
called Jehovah and Elohim, and designated also by official titles, as
the Messiah, the Messenger, Adonai, the Elohe of Abraham; and that,
under various designations, he appeared visibly in a form like that of
man to the Patriarchs, and to Moses, and others. In Him, in accordance
with their Scriptures, the descendants of Israel will at length discern
the True Messiah, who took man's nature, and in his stead, and as his
substitute, was slain a sacrifice for sin, the Just for the unjust; who
rose from the dead, and ascended on high in his glorified body; and who
will come again, visibly, to sit and rule as King on the throne of
David; to destroy the great Adversary and his works; to vindicate his
earlier administration; to accomplish the ancient predictions concerning
the SEED of Abraham, the land promised as an everlasting inheritance,
and his own sacerdotal, prophetic, and regal offices; and to receive due
homage of the universe as Creator, Ruler, and Redeemer.
Of him as Jehovah and as the Messenger, it is affirmed that he led the
children of Israel out of Egypt. (See Exodus ii. and Judges i.) And,
after the lapse of nine hundred years, He himself proclaimed to their
dispersed and afflicted descendants: "Behold the days come, saith
Jehovah, that it shall no more be said, Jehovah liveth that brought up
the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, Jehovah liveth
that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and
from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them
again into _their land that I gave_ _unto their fathers_. For mine eyes
are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face:--and they shall
know that my name is Jehovah." Jer. xvi. 14, 15, 17, 21.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Reasons for examining the Hebrew Records of the Messiah.
CHAPTER II.
The Messiah announced by Malachi, as Adonai, even Melach, the Messenger
of the Covenant--His appearance to Jacob at Bethel; and to Isaiah,
Abraham, Moses, Gideon, and others, under various designations, as
Adonai, Melach, a Man, Jehovah Zebaoth, the Holy One, El-Shadai, &c.
CHAPTER III.
Reasons for rendering the formula "Melach Jehovah," the Messenger (who
is) Jehovah; and not _the_ Angel, or _an_ Angel _of_ the Lord.
CHAPTER IV.
Visible Appearance of the Messenger Jehovah to Hagar.
CHAPTER V.
No visible Divine Appearances ever made except of the Messiah, the
Mediator in all the Relations of God to the World.
CHAPTER VI.
Appearances of the Messenger Jehovah to Abraham and to Jacob.
CHAPTER VII.
References to various Appearances of Jehovah and Elohim to the
Patriarchs.
CHAPTER VIII.
Of the Doctrines, Worship, and Faith of those earliest mentioned in
Scripture--Reference to the History of Moses, Noah, Joshua.
CHAPTER IX.
Narrative concerning Job.
CHAPTER X.
Further notice of Divine Manifestations to Abraham and Jacob--Mysteriousness
attending the Divine Appearance--The visible Form
always like that of Man.
CHAPTER XI.
Of the official Person and Relations of the Messiah.
CHAPTER XII.
Local and visible Manifestations, Intercourse and Instructions, as
characterizing the primeval and Mosaic Dispensations--Local Presence of
the Messenger Jehovah in the Tabernacle.
CHAPTER XIII.
Of the Chaldee Paraphrasts--Their method of designating the Personal
WORD or Revealer--Occasion and Necessity of it.
CHAPTER XIV.
Citations from the Chaldee Paraphrases.
CHAPTER XV.
Reasons of the Failure of the modern Versions of the Scriptures to
exhibit clearly the Hebrew designations of the Messiah--The Masoretic
Punctuation--Reference to the term Melach and the formula Melach
Jehovah.
CHAPTER XVI.
Continuation of the subject of the preceding Chapter--Combined influence
of Rabbinical and figurative Interpretations--German method of Hebrew
study--Preposterous notion of the inadequacy of Language as a Vehicle of
Thought.
CHAPTER XVII.
Relation of the Antagonism between the Messiah and the great Adversary
to the local, personal, and visible Manifestations of the former--Modes
of Visibility on the part of the latter, through human agents and
various instrumentalities.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Illustration of the subject of the last Chapter, exhibiting the
Antagonism as carried on by visible agencies, instrumentalities, and
events, in the plagues of Egypt and at the Red Sea.
CHAPTER XIX.
Further Illustration of the Antagonism--Idolatry a Counterfeit Rival
System in opposition to the Messiah and the True Worship--Its Origin and
Nature--Satan the God of it--The Tower of Babel devoted to his
Worship--That Worship extended thence over the Earth at the Dispersion.
CHAPTER XX.
The system of Idolatry founded on a perversion of the Doctrine of
Mediation--References to the Worshippers of Baal, Israelite and Pagan.
CHAPTER XXI.
Idolatry an imposing and delusive Counterfeit of the Revealed System, in
respect to the leading features of its Ritual, and the prerogatives
ascribed to the Arch-deceiver--Reference to the Symbols of the
Apocalypse.
CHAPTER XXII.
On the question, How it has happened, since the origin of the Nicene
Creed, that the Old Testament has been understood to ascribe the
Creation, not to the Christ, but to the Father?
CHAPTER XXIII.
Continuation of the subject of the foregoing Chapter--Reference to the
Heresies, respecting the Creator, of the three first and ensuing
centuries.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Subject of the last Chapter continued--Results of the earliest and most
prevalent Heresies.
CHAPTER XXV.
The great Antagonism--in what manner will it terminate?
NOTES.
A--Relating to the Exposition of the Apocalypse, by D. N. Lord.
B--The primary ground of Mediation, &c.
THE MESSIAH
IN
MOSES AND THE PROPHETS.
CHAPTER I.
Reasons for examining the Hebrew Records of the Messiah.
It is said of the Messiah, in a discourse with two of his disciples,
that "Beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them
in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself." And subsequently:
"These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of
Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Then
opened he their understandings, that they might understand the
Scriptures." On another occasion he said: "Search the Scriptures; for in
them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of
me." And again: "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for
he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe
my words?"
At his advent he was, pursuant to a prediction of Isaiah, called
Immanu-El, _God with us_. In conformity with another prediction, it was
the office of his fore-runner to prepare the way of Jehovah--_the Lord_.
And an angel announced to the shepherds: "Unto you is born a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord," (_Jehovah_.) "Philip saith to Nathaniel, We
have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write,
_Jesus_ of Nazareth."
We should naturally infer from these passages that the delegated
official Person, Jesus, the Christ, was the theme of the Old Testament
Scriptures; that his official agency and relations were there
continuously and amply treated of; that his complex character, his
divine prerogatives, his prophetical, sacerdotal and regal offices, his
works as Creator, Lawgiver, and Ruler, and his relations as Covenanter
and Redeemer, were there conspicuously set forth, and were the
recognized and acknowledged objects of the faith and trust of
patriarchs, prophets, and all true worshippers.
And such undoubtedly was the case. He was the Jehovah of the Old
Testament; the Elohe of the patriarchs and of Israel; the Angel or
Messenger Jehovah, the Jehovah Zebaoth, the Adonai, the Messiah of the
ancient dispensations. Under these and other designations Moses, the
psalmists, and the prophets wrote of him; saw, acknowledged, and
believed in him; worshipped and praised him in the tabernacle and
temple; recognized and obeyed him as their Lawgiver, and trusted in him
as their Saviour.
Their faith rested on him as the present object of their homage and
trust, asserting his prerogatives, dispensing his benefits, and in all
his relations exerting his official agency. They regarded him not merely
as he was typified, but as he then manifested himself and executed his
offices. In some respects his future manifestations, and especially his
sufferings and death for the expiation of sin, were vividly prefigured
by typical rites, and were objects of their faith; but in other
respects, as their Mediator, Prophet, Lawgiver, Priest, and King, he was
the present object of their homage, faith, love, and obedience. The
faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and their successors, embraced his
person and his official prerogatives and works, and was therefore
effectual unto justification, precisely as that of believers under the
present dispensation, who are therefore described as walking in the
steps of that faith of Abraham which was counted for righteousness. The
faith which was instrumental in his justification was the exemplar alike
of that of all believers under the ancient, and of those under the
present dispensation. To him the patriarchs erected altars and offered
sacrifices and prayers, and from him received gifts and promises. To him
the ministerial offices and typical services of the Levitical priesthood
had immediate reference. In the tabernacle and temple, as Prophet,
Priest, and King, he instructed them, prescribed their worship and
obedience; and as their present Lawgiver and Ruler, exercised over them
his providential and moral government.
All this is implied, indeed, in the facts that the Church of that and
the present day is the same; that the method of salvation through faith
in him was the same then as now; and that he was the Saviour and
Mediator alike them and at present: and otherwise it is not perceived
how an intelligible or satisfactory answer can be given to the
questions, How did he exercise the office of Mediator under the ancient
economy? What agency did he exercise towards his people? How did he
exemplify his offices of Prophet, Priest, and King? A reference to the
designations by which he was recognized, and the acts ascribed to him
in connection with those designations, will supply the appropriate
answer. If it was He who appeared in a form like that of man to Abraham,
in the plains of Mamre, walked and conversed with him as a man, and
heard the prayers addressed directly to him on behalf of the righteous
dwelling in Sodom; and who, under various designations, appeared in the
same form to Jacob, to Moses, to Balaam, to Joshua, to Gideon, to
Manoah, to David, and others; then may we safely conclude that, under
the like designations, he was familiarly known and worshipped throughout
the patriarchal and Levitical dispensations.