p. 82.
I.
Revelation 5:12.
As to this angelic ascription of worthiness to the Lamb, it can scarcely be questioned that it is connected with the establishment of the kingdom. The elders, as they sing their new song, speak of the worthiness of the Lamb "to take the book, and to open the seals thereof," as proved by His death, and the redemption thereby wrought out, through the efficacy of His blood, for souls of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. All these were redeemed for heavenly blessing, although they were also to be associated with Christ in the glories of the kingdom. The angels, on the other hand, not being themselves on that ground, have nothing to say of redemption. They speak of what the Lamb is worthy of in Himself, and of the several characters of greatness and glory which would mark His sway in His kingdom. Every possible thing is ascribed to Him that could betoken the perfection and exaltation of His government of the earth. The fact that the ascription is seven-fold would seem to show this. This may be more plain to the reader if 2 Chronicles 9 is read, as we find in it a remarkable foreshadowing of the glory of Messiah's millennial reign. Carefully examined, it will be seen that there are in it all the seven things ascribed to the Lamb. There is "power," for Solomon "reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt" (v. 26); "riches and wisdom" are specified in verse 22; his "strength" is indicated in the mention of his chariots and horsemen (v. 25); his "honour" is told out (the "honour" in which he was held) in the fact that "all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart" (v. 23); his "glory" in the description of the magnificence of his throne, in the state and apparel of his servants, his "ascent" to the house of the Lord, and in his fame that had penetrated into the uttermost parts of the earth; and the "blessing" in the words of the Queen of Sheba, in which she speaks of Solomon as the object of God's delight (v. 8), for it is just because that Christ is, and will be, when He founds His kingdom, the object - of the heart of God, that "men shall be blessed in Him, all nations shall call Him blessed." The correspondence is remarkable, and affords another proof that we never read the Scriptures aright unless we are on the outlook for Christ, in some of His varied glories, in every page.
II.
2 Corinthians 8:15.
A citation from Exodus 16, this passage is a striking illustration of the variety of meanings which are often given to a scripture by the Spirit of God in its application. In Exodus, after the commandment of the Lord as to the manna, that every man was to gather according to his eating, an omer for every man, etc. (v. 16), it is said, "And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack: they gathered every man according to his eating." (vv. 17, 18.) Three things are plainly contained in these words; first, on God's part equal provision is made for each, "an omer for every man"; secondly, on man's part "they gathered every man according to his eating," that is, the appetite governed the amount collected; and hence, lastly, whatever the amount gathered, "he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack"; for both the large and the small desires were sufficed by the quantity respectively obtained. The spiritual application of these various points cannot be missed; but it is the last of these that the apostle uses in connection with his subject in 2 Corinthians 8 He is urging on the saints at Corinth, as knowing the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to contribute towards the necessities of the poor saints of Judea, and he thus explains the ground of exhortation: "Not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance [may be a supply] for their want, that their abundance also may be [a supply] for your want: that there may be equality: as it is written, He that [had gathered] much had nothing over; and he that [had gathered] little had no lack." (vv. 13-15.) The principle then laid down by Paul, and sustained by the quotation from Exodus, is, that those believers who have much of this world's goods should contribute to the necessities of those who have little, and that if this is faithfully done, those who have much will have nothing over, and those who have little will have no lack. There will in this case be "equality," and both alike will be satisfied. In Exodus it is, briefly, that if we have a felt need for much manna (Christ) we shall gather much, and have nothing over; but if our need is but small we shall obtain less, and shall have no lack. We all, in a word, have as much of Christ as we really desire. E. D.