the elect people, a true king, but in entire subordination to Jehovah, administering the government under His direction and for His ends, so would it be in the greater Kingdom to come. By the mouth of the prophet God had promised David that He would set his family to be the royal family, as in the present, so in the future kingdom. "I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom for ever." (1 Chron. xvii. 14.) When this kingdom should assume its universal form, it would be one of this family who must be His King. As the nation was Jehovah's people, the elect among the nations, so their earthly head was His King.

It was from this period, the reign of David, that the three distinctive elements just mentioned began to enter into the popular conception of the future. But all these elements, though inseparable in the purpose of God, were by no means equally, and at all times, present in the popular consciousness, or prominent in the prophetic utterances. That Jehovah would in due time make manifest His authority over all nations, and that the Jews would continue to be His chosen people, it was easy for them to believe, because of His own natural supremacy, and of their existing covenant relations. But it was not so easy for them to believe the promises respecting the person and lordship of the Messiah, the Son of David, as universal Ruler. In regard to His person, many perplexing questions must early have arisen in the minds of the thoughtful. Would He be a man like David, one prepared by God, and specially endowed by His Spirit, or more than man? And as to the Kingdom, would it be for a limited time, or forever? And if forever, or without any visible end, would His life be supernaturally prolonged by Divine favor, or would He be by birth immortal? Would all the people be holy? And would the law of death be set aside,

wholly or in part? How could He administer an universal kingdom? Would it be extended over the nations by voluntary submission, or by force? and what would be their spiritual relations to Him? These questions find no answer in the covenant itself. Nor did the prophets, as we shall soon see, in their revelations, answer them with distinctness. Indeed, some of them say nothing of the Messiah at all; and the language of others who speak of Him, might be understood as referring to a dynasty rather than to an individual. Only in comparatively few is the Messiah clearly set forth in His personality and special offices.

It is not to be denied, that for many years after David the future Messianic Kingdom was not clearly discriminated from the existing theocratic: it was Jehovah, not the promised King of David's line, that filled the horizon of the prophetic future; and this may be readily understood when we remember how prone were the people to lower the spiritual claims of Jehovah upon them, and to substitute a human for a Divine administration. But whether Jehovah alone be mentioned as the King ruling the world in righteousness, or the Messiah, also, as reigning under Him, still there is ample proof that an extension of the theocratic rule to embrace all nations, with corresponding increase of honor and blessing to the chosen people, was continually before the eye of the prophets, and more or less a living element in the faith of the nation.

Regarded as a new and higher stage of redemption, what additional spiritual blessings did the Jews expect for themselves in the Messianic Kingdom? And how was Messiah to be Jehovah's instrument for their communication? Upon these points, little light was at first given. But it was plain to the more discerning, that since both the Theocracy, and the Messianic Kingdom

to follow it, were means for the blessing of His people, there would be in the latter some new manifestation of Jehovah, whereby they might have a larger knowledge of Him in His Divine attributes, and be brought into closer communion with Him, and so attain to greater moral purity and blessedness. The great spiritual distinction of the Messianic Kingdom above the Theocracy would be in a higher revelation of Jehovah to His people, whereby the evils of sin both in man and nature would be in higher degree overcome, and the people made obedient and faithful and holy. And among the nations oppression and misery would cease, the righteous would be exalted, and all the world walk in His light. And He by whom Jehovah would bestow all these blessings would be the Messiah. As David had been His instrument in building His temple and blessing His people, and, also, His instrument in subduing His enemies, so, but in far higher degree, should be David's greater Son. As Jehovah's King all would obey Him, and His sceptre be a sceptre of righteousness, and all nations rejoice in His rule. (Ps. lxxii.)

The features of the Messianic period as involved in the covenants at Sinai and with David, may be thus summed up: Then will the rule of Jehovah be extended over all nations. Everywhere He will be acknowledged and worshipped as the One Supreme and Holy God. The Jews will continue to be His elect people, and be admitted to higher communion with Him; and, dwelling in their own land, and walking in all holy obedience, will have the first and central place in the universal Kingdom. A man to spring from the family of David will administer the Divine government under Jehovah, and be King over all the earth; and the seat of His rule will be Jerusalem, where will be some special manifestation of Jehovah's Presence, mak

ing it to all the world the centre of authority and worship. And this kingdom, administered in perfect righteousness, will endure forever, or for a period without any definite limit.

The Messianic Kingdom was thus presented before the covenant people as an object of hope, because in it they would be blest with far larger measures of blessing, both in things spiritual and temporal. Its chief characteristic was a new revelation of Jehovah through the Messiah, when "Mount Zion should be the joy of the whole earth;" a revelation in which all nations should behold His glory, and bow down before Him and worship. Whether in their visions of the future the prophets look beyond the Messianic Kingdom, or whether it is to them the culmination of God's redemptive work, will be a matter for later consideration. It need scarcely be said that the conceptions of this kingdom were various as the spiritual condition of individuals, — some looking upon it as bringing with it full deliverance from sin, and close communion with God; some as showing forth God's righteousness in the overthrow of His enemies; some as a time of national exaltation; and some, doubtless, as a means only of greater earthly honor and happiness. The dividing line between the existing theocratic and the future Messianic Kingdom is the coming of the Messiah. But in both is Jehovah the One Supreme Lord, from whom all blessing comes.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PREPARATION OF THE THEOCRATIC PEOPLE FOR THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM.

UNDER the Theocracy the Jews were put in training for a higher stage of God's gracious revelation. The covenant relation established at Sinai was not the end, but a means to the end,-a preparatory step in the spiritual education of the people. When through the law, with its sacrificial and cleansing rites, they had come to a deeper knowledge of sin, and ardent longings had been awakened in them for higher degrees of holiness; when through the teaching of God they had learned in some measure His purpose in redemption, and were taught to render Him due obedience, — then they were prepared for a new revelation of Himself to be made in the Messianic Kingdom. Thus the Theocracy and the Messianic Kingdom stood to one another in very close moral relations. If the former failed of its purpose, if those under the law were not convinced of sin, if they were not taught obedience, if they were not made holy in heart and righteous in life, then could there be no true desire for the larger spiritual blessings which the latter would bring. Only those faithful under the Theocracy could be ready for the Messianic Kingdom; only as having the end of their calling in view, that God might be sanctified through them in the eyes of all nations, would they press on to reach it; only to the faithful could it be an object of hope.