STUDYING THE PROPHECIES. HEESE LICK UNIVRESI CAL ་ 21 yet unfulfilled have CHARMS for us," it has been boldly and publicly asserted, even by Christian editors; and we are gravely told, that the design of God in prophecy was to assure us of the all-controlling providence of God, from the "beginning to the end," and to attest the truth of doctrines coming from the lips of prophets and apostles, for the instruction of the world." These, indeed, are some of the results which flow from the study of prophecy, but not the leading and primary design of God. Peter says expressly, the word of prophecy, not the events fulfilling the predictions, is a light for us, to supply, in the present darkness of our way, and till the things predicted occur, the place of the things themselves. It is for the support and consolation, the safety and sanctification, of his church that he has given us this light. The design that the Saviour had, in giving his predictions to his disciples, was, that they should "take heed that no man deceive" them.† Paul expressly declares, that he delivered his predictions, that Christians might "comfort one another with these words,"that they should not be in darkness, but having the light, should not "sleep as do others," but "watch" and "be sober" and "edify one another." Peter also declares, that he delivered his predictions to forewarn Christians, and to put them on their guard, so that, while looking for the very things predicted, ye might, says he, "be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless" and not misinterpret the long-suffering of God, but account it salvation. He admits that there were แ things hard to be understood" in the prophecies, and especially in * The Boston Recorder for Oct. 22, 1841. † Mat. 24. 4. 1 Thess. 4. 13; 5. 11. those delivered by Paul, which they that are unlearned and unstable, as they do also the other Scriptures, wrest to their destruction," but he would have Christians "to know these things before, not wait till the events fulfilled predictions; and understand beforehand, so as to "beware lest they should be led away by the error of the wicked, and fall from their own steadfastness."* And the angel, whom God sent, in answer to Daniel's prayers and diligent study of unfulfilled prophecy, says expressly, that his design, in giving further predictions to him was, " to make thee understand what should befall thy people in the latter days." Christ also says, that he told his followers what things would come to pass as signs of the coming of his kingdom, expressly that they might "KNOW"‡ when it was nigh, i. e. before it arrived. He says, also, that he told them things beforehand, which he would have them consider, that when they came to pass, they might KNOW§ who he was, and what he was, -the promised Saviour and Deliverer. And John, both in the beginning, and at the close, of the book of Revelations, declares expressly, that they are given to show unto the servants of God beforehand "things which must shortly come to pass."|| Now, after all this, what shall we think of those, who will tell us, unfulfilled prophecy needs not to be studied,—is of no use, but dangerous-till the events have fulfilled them? Assuredly, such instructors deserve reproof, and to be sent back to their Bibles, themselves to study more carefully lest they should mislead others. They have reason to fear, that the charge, and cen † Dan. 10. 14. 2 Pet. 3. 14-17. § John, 13. 19. Rev. 1. 1; 22. 6. sure of the Saviour, for hypocrisy, may be applicable. For, not a few of the unfulfilled prophecies are warnings against evils to come, with hints as to the way in which they may be avoided, and which, in the nature of things, must be of no use, if not to be regarded and studied previously to their fulfilment. The Pharisees, in the days of Christ, professed to be religious, and concerned about heavenly things. Their interest in worldly matters led them to discern the signs of the weather; but, although God had delivered abundant predictions indicating the coming of the Messiah, yet they took so little interest in studying the prophecies, and in watching the signs of coming events, that he reproachfully exclaimed: "Oh ye hypocrites! ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the signs of the times ?"* It was the very circumstance of their neglecting prophecy, which subjected them to the charge of hypocrisy. It proved that they were not in earnest about heavenly things, which, nevertheless, they professed to seek and admire. III. It is also objected, THAT EVEN THE APOSTLES, THOUGH DIVINELY INSPIRED, WERE GREATLY MISTAKEN IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROPHECIES, AND THAT THEREFORE IT MUST DEMAND REQUIREMENTS OF SO LOFTY A CHARACTER, AS TO RENDER IT ALMOST, IF NOT ALTOGETHER, IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE NOT INSPIRED TO COMPREHEND THEM. This objection is founded on a false assumption. The apostles did not misunderstand the general scope of the prophecies. They confidently looked for the coming of Jesus, and for the establishment of his king * Mat. 16. 3. dom, and they preached these things wherever they went. They did not, indeed, comprehend all the details, nor would they speak pointedly as to the time of His manifestation. They erred chiefly, in confining their attention to one class of predictions, while they overlooked those, which showed, that Messiah must first suffer, and afterwards enter into His glory, * Whatever mistakes, however, they made on the subject of the predictions, before the resurrection of Christ, it does not appear that they erred afterward. He was with them forty days after he had risen, 'speaking with them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God." Even before his death, they seem to have had many of their mistakes, about the nature of his kingdom, corrected; for, after having carefully instructed them on this subject, by a great variety of comparisons and parables, He asked them, expressly, "Have ye understood all these things? and they say unto him, Yea, Lord," which he does. not appear to have doubted. They did, indeed, just before his ascension, ask whether that was the period when he would "restore the kingdom to Israel," or, in other words, re-establish the Theocracy: but the question does not at all imply, that they mistook its nature, or that they even confidently expected it at that time. He had told them after they left Galilee, to tarry at Jerusalem, and to wait for the promise of his Father, of which he had spoken to them, for they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Upon their re-assembling at Jerusalem, and his appearing among them, they naturally inquired, whether this baptizing of the Holy Ghost was to be the time, and the way, of the restoration of his kingActs, 1. 4-8. Acts, 1. 3. † Matt. 13. 51. dom to Israel. He told them that the times and seasons were not to be made known to them, but, they should be endowed with power from on high, by the Spirit coming on them, and that they should be dispersed, and go forth as his witnesses into Judea, and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. He very plainly taught them, that the descent and gifts of the Holy Spirit were not the kingdom; it was something yet future, whose precise date they were not to know. Who, therefore, will say, that the coming of the Spirit or His influence, was the kingdom, and that the apostles ignorantly mistook its nature? This is to impeach the instruction of Christ as utterly inefficacious, to reprove the apostles where He did not, and to claim for uninspired men, a knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom, which the apostles ν. 8. αλλα ληψεσθε δύναμιν επελθοντος του ἁγιουπ νεύματος εφ' ύμας. -The verb here is in the middle voice, and denotes evidently the active voluntary apprehension, or co-operation with the Spirit in the exercise and use, of the dóvaμiv or power. The power, δύναμις, was not their own natural power, but the miraculous gifts and qualifications, for their official work, which should be imparted by the Spirit, εTEOOVTOS. The idea clearly is, that the Holy Spirit, the personal Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, should put forth an efficient influence, imparting miraculous gifts and other influence, which they should, as voluntary agents, exercise, and by doing so, become active instruments in His hands, co-operating with Him in the great work for which they were called and commissioned, i. e. to be witnesses or bear testimony to Jesus Christ. This influence of the Spirit, of which they were to be the medium, is spoken of in contradistinction from ruling and governing in a kingdom. The right apprehension of the doctrine of the Spirit's influence, and especially the possession of that influence, is calculated most effectually to rebuke and repress all lust for governmental power with which to rule in the church of God, as though it were His kingdom, according to the opinion and spirit of the asserters and advocates of "HIGH CHURCH PRINCIPLES." |