Earlier text: Review of Wellcome and GoudThoughts on the Book of Daniel.
CHAPTER VIII. (CONTINUED.)
Verse 8. Therefore the goat waxed very great; and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. The conqueror is greater than the conquered. The ram, Medo-Persia, became great; the goat, Grecia, became very great. And when he was strong, the great horn was broken. Human foresight and speculation would have said, When he becomes weak, racked by intestine commotions, or paralyzed by luxury, then the horn will be broken and the kingdom shattered. But Daniel saw it broken in the very prime of its strength, and the height of its power, when every beholder would have exclaimed, Surely the kingdom is established, and nothing can overthrow it. Thus it is often with the wicked: The horn of their strength is broken when they think they stand firm; but the righteous, even when they think themselves ready to perish, often find that, through the sustaining power of God, the bruised reed is not broken, and the smoking flax is not quenched. The kingdom was strong. It was not broken by external foes. No opposing power could touch it. It was broken by the suicidal debauch of the king. Alexander fell in the prime of life. See on verse 39 of chapter 2. After his death there arose much confusion among his followers respecting the succession. It was finally agreed, after seven days’ contest, that his natural brother, Philip Aridæus, should be declared king. By him and Alexander’s sons, Alexander Ægus and Hercules, the name and show of the Macedonian empire was for a time kept up; but these were all soon murdered; and the regal family being then extinct, the chief commanders of the army who had gone into different parts of the empire as governors of the provinces, assumed the title of kings. They thereupon fell to leaguing and warring with each other, to such a degree that within the short space of fifteen years from Alexander’s death, the number was reduced to—how many? Five? No. Three? No. Two? No. But four; just the number specified in the prophecy; for four notable horns were to come up toward the four winds of heaven, in place of the great horn that was broken. These were, 1. Seleucus, who had Syria and Babylon, and from whom came the line of kings known as the Seleucidæ, so famous in history. 2. Lysimachus, who had Asia Minor. 3. Ptolemy, son of Lagus, from whom sprang the Lagidæ; and 4. Cassander who had Greece and the neighboring countries. These held dominion toward the four winds of heaven. Cassander had the western parts, Lysimachus had the northern regions, Ptolemy possessed the southern countries, and Seleucus had the eastern portions of the empire. These four horns may therefore be named Macedonia, Thrace (which then included Asia Minor, and those parts lying on the Hellespont and Bosphorus), Syria and Egypt. Verse 9. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. 10. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11. Yea he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12. And a host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered. A third power is here introduced into the prophecy. In the explanation which the angel gave to Daniel of these symbols, this one is not described in language so definite as that of Medo-Persia and Grecia. Hence a flood of wild conjecture is at once let loose. Had not the angel positively, and in language which cannot be misunderstood, stated that Medo-Persia and Grecia were denoted by the ram and the he-goat, it is impossible to tell what application men would have given us of those symbols. Probably they would have applied them to anything and everything but the right objects. Leave men a moment to their own judgment in the interpretation of prophecy, and we immediately have the most sublime exhibitions of human folly. There are two leading applications of the symbol now under consideration, which are all that need be noticed in these brief thoughts. The first is that the little horn here introduced denotes Antiochus Epiphanes; the second is, that it denotes the Roman power. It seems to us an easy matter to test the claims of these two positions. Does it mean Antiochus? If so, this king must fulfill the specifications of the prophecy. If he does not fulfill them, the application cannot be made to him. The little horn came out of one of the four horns of the goat. It was then a separate power, existing independently of, and distinct from, any of the horns of the goat. Was Antiochus such a power? 1. Who was Antiochus? From the time that Seleucus made himself king over the Syrian portion of Alexander’s empire, thus constituting the Syrian horn of the goat, until that country was conquered by the Romans, twenty-six kings ruled in succession over that territory. The eighth of these, in order, was Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus, then, was simply one of the twenty-six kings which constituted the Syrian horn of the goat. He was for the time being that horn. Hence he could not be at the same time a separate and independent power, or another and remarkable horn, as the little horn was. 2. If it were proper to apply the little horn to any one of these twenty-six Syrian kings, it should certainly be applied to the most powerful and illustrious of them all; but Antiochus Epiphanes did not by any means sustain this character. Although he took the name Epiphanes, that is, The Illustrious, he was illustrious only in name; for nothing, says Prideaux, on the authority of Polybius, Livy, and Diodorus Siculus, could be more alien to his true character. For on account of his vile and extravagant folly, some thinking him a fool and others a madman, they changed the name of Epiphanes, The Illustrious into Epimanes, The Madman. 3. Antiochus the Great, the father of Epiphanes, being terribly defeated in a war with the Romans, was enabled to procure a peace only by the payment of a prodigious sum of money, and a surrender of a portion of his territory; and as a pledge that he would faithfully adhere to the terms of the treaty, he was obliged to give hostages, among whom was this very Epiphanes, his son, who was carried to Rome. The Romans ever after maintained this ascendancy. 4. The little horn waxed exceeding great; but this Antiochus did not enlarge his dominion except by some temporary conquests in Egypt, which he immediately relinquished when the Romans took the part of Ptolemy, and commanded him to desist from his designs in that quarter. The rage of his disappointed ambition he vented upon the unoffending Jews. 5. The little horn, in comparison with the powers that preceded it, was exceeding great. Persia is simply called great, though it reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces. Esth. 1:1. Grecia being more extensive still, is called very great. Now the little horn which waxed exceeding great, must surpass them both. How absurd then to apply this to Antiochus who was obliged to abandon Egypt at the dictation of the Romans, and to whom he paid enormous sums of money as tribute. The Religious Encyclopedia gives us this item of his history: “Finding his resources exhausted he resolved to go into Persia to levy tribute, and collect large sums which he had agreed to pay to the Romans.” It cannot take long for any one to decide the question which was the greater power, the one which evacuated Egypt, or the one which commanded that evacuation; the one that exacted tribute, or the one which was compelled to pay it. 6. The little horn was to stand up against the Prince of princes. The Prince of princes, here means, beyond controversy, Jesus Christ. Dan. 9:25; Acts 3:15; Rev. 1:5. But Antiochus died one hundred and sixty-four before our Lord was born. The prophecy cannot therefore apply to him; for he does not fulfill the specifications in one single particular. The question may then be asked how any one has ever come to apply it to him. We answer, Romanists take that view, to avoid the application of the prophecy to themselves; and many Protestants follow them, in order to oppose the doctrine of the second advent. It has been an easy matter to show that the little horn does not denote Antiochus. It will be just as easy to show that it does denote Rome. 1. The field of vision here is substantially the same as that covered by Nebuchadnezzar’s image, of chapter 2, and Daniel’s vision of chapter 7. And in both those prophetic delineations we found that the power which succeeded Grecia, as the fourth great power, was Rome. The only natural inference would be that the little horn, the power which in this vision succeeds to Grecia, as an exceeding great power, is also Rome. 2. It comes forth from one of the horns of the goat. How, it may be asked, can this be true of Rome? It is unnecessary to remind the reader that earthly governments are not introduced into prophecy till they become in some way connected with the people of God. Rome became connected with the Jews, the people of God at that time, by the famous Jewish League B. C. 161. 1 Maccabees 8; Josephus’ Antiq. B. 12, chap. 10, sec. 6; Prideaux, vol. 2, p. 166. But seven years before this, in B. C. 168, Rome had conquered Macedon, and made it a part of itself. It is therefore introduced into prophecy just as, from the conquered Macedonian horn of the goat, it is preparing to go forth to new conquests in other directions. It therefore appeared to the prophet, or may be properly spoken of in prophecy, as coming forth from one of the horns of the goat. 3. It waxed great toward the south. Egypt was made a province of the Roman empire, and continued such for some centuries. 4. Toward the east. Rome conquered Syria, and made it a province. 5. Toward the pleasant land. Judea is so called in many scriptures. The Romans finally made this a province, and eventually destroyed the city and the temple, and scattered the Jews over the face of the whole earth. 6. It waxed great even to the host of heaven. The host of heaven when used in a symbolic sense in reference to events transpiring here upon earth, must denote persons of illustrious character, or exalted position. The great red dragon, Rev. 12:4, is said to have cast down a third part of the stars of heaven to the ground. The dragon was there interpreted to symbolize Pagan Rome, and the stars it cast to the ground were Jewish rulers. We think it is the same power and the same work that is here brought to view. 7. He magnified himself even to the prince of the host. In the interpretation, verse 25, this is called standing up against the Prince of princes. How clear an allusion to the crucifixion of our Lord, under the jurisdiction of the Romans. 8. By him the daily sacrifice was taken away. We understand that the little horn symbolizes Rome in its entire history including the two phases of pagan and papal. These two phases are elsewhere spoken of as the “daily” (sacrifice is a supplied word) and the “transgression of desolation;” the daily [desolation] signifying the pagan form, and the transgression of desolation, the papal. In the actions ascribed to this power, sometimes one form is spoken of, sometimes the other. “By him,” the papal form, the daily, the pagan form, was taken away. Pagan Rome gave place to papal Rome. And the place of his sanctuary, or worship, the city of Rome, was cast down. The seat of government was removed to Constantinople. The same transaction is brought to view in Revelation 13:2, where it says that the dragon, pagan Rome, gave to the beast, papal Rome, his seat, the city of Rome, and power and great authority, the whole influence of the empire. 9. A host was given him against the daily. The13 barbarians that subverted the Roman empire, in the changes, attritions and transformations of those times, became converts to the Catholic faith, and the instruments of the dethronement of their former religion. From being the conquerors of Rome, they became the perpetuators of the same empire in another phase. And this was brought about by reason of transgression, by the working of the mystery of iniquity. The papacy is the most God-dishonoring system of iniquity ever devised, because in his name it commits its abominations, and practices its orgies of hell in the garb, and under the pretense, of pure and undefiled religion. 10. It cast the truth to the ground and practiced and prospered. This describes, in few words, the work and career of the papacy. The truth is by it hideously caricatured; it is loaded with traditions; it is turned into mummery and superstition; it is cast down and obscured. And this antichristian power has practiced—practiced its deceptions upon the people, practiced its schemes of cunning to carry its own ends, and aggrandize its own power. And it has prospered. It has made war with the saints and prevailed against them. It has run its allotted career, and now is about to be broken without hand, to be given to the burning flame, and perish in the consuming glories of the second appearing of our Lord. Rome meets all the specifications of the prophecy. No other power does. Hence Rome, and no other, is the power in question. And the word of God, describing the character and history of this monstrous system, has been most strikingly and accurately fulfilled. Random Thoughts.
By John Nevins Andrews
This is the way of Christian holiness. It is literally a way, for it is to be traveled step by step. It is not a place of standing still or settling down at our ease. We must advance therein by constant and steady progress. We are to learn new lessons respecting the nature of Christian experience, and the excellence of our Lord's life and character. No sooner are we to learn them than we are to reduce them to practice. We can never cease in this work. It is our business every day to turn over a new leaf. No matter how much of God's blessing we enjoyed on yesterday. We may to-day clearly see some blemishes in our yesterday's experience. We must to-day cry out to God for the removal of these faults. Such must be our constant action. And we may be sure that as we draw nearer and nearer to Christ we shall advance more rapidly in the knowledge of his infinite excellence than it will be possible to advance in our imitation of him. We shall therefore day by day hunger more and more after righteousness. How numerous are those interpositions of Divine Providence by which we are saved from calamities, distresses, and accidents. Surely, when these providences are made visible by our being brought to the very verge of calamity and saved from it by some unexpected change, we have no excuse for forgetting, or overlooking the hand of God. Yet the providence of God is no less actively engaged for us when we are saved from being brought even to the appearance of approaching some sad loss or trouble. It is the providence of God that helps us at every step. We certainly need it every moment, and we should never act in a careless or irreverent manner, as though we needed no special help. Should we thus grieve away the angels of God, we may very soon be brought to understand how defenceless we are without their protection. This is one of the evils of the carnal heart. The angels of God have no such evil principle within them. Man did not have it till he became a fallen being. But he has it now deep seated in his nature. It is that which desires the applause of men. It craves the honor that the world gives, rather than that which God bestows. It is a wicked and selfish principle, for it desires to raise self at the expense of others. It is willing to receive praise by having others lightly esteemed. The grace of God takes this wicked feeling entirely away. If it did not, we should never be fit for the society of sinless angels. It does not take from us the desire to do right, nor the fear of dishonoring the cause of God; but it does take from us the desire of all vain glory. It makes us willing to be lightly esteemed even by those whose good opinion is of some consequence. It makes us only anxious to be entirely right, and it leaves all the rest to God. This is the voice of the Bible. The reason is perfectly obvious. The world that now is, is full of sin and evil. It is certain to deceive and disappoint those who make it the object of their love. It can never satisfy the desires of the human heart. It is sure to fail those who make it their dependence. But there is a world that never shall end. In it is good only, and not evil at all. All who dwell therein shall be infinitely blessed. This world we may love. Nay we are even commanded to love it. We are to set our affections upon it by transferring our treasure thither. To do this is the highest wisdom. J. N. A. Western Tour.
By James White
IOWA CAMP-MEETING—CONTINUED.
First-day morning June 12, the social seasons were usually good. Some things were deeply interesting. At half past ten the congregation was very large. We spoke from 1 Pet. 3:15, giving some of the reasons of our faith and hope to a very large and attentive audience. God gave us power in the word. We were happily disappointed to witness the almost perfect order of the entire crowd. We think we never witnessed a more general interest, and disposition to respect the worship of God. The large tent was seated full, principally with ladies. Seats were made outside the tent, in close connection with those under the tent. The speakers’ stand was several rods from the tent. The wall was raised and closely fastened up. There were it was estimated more than three thousand people who gave good attention to the word. At 2 P. M. Mrs. W. spoke to a still larger audience. It was one of her best efforts. She enjoyed perfect freedom. The people listened with wonderful attention, and many wept. Strong men who were apparently indifferent in regard to the popular religious services wept like children. And when the service closed, the congregation lingered as if loth to leave the place. This was remarkable. The usual noise and confusion of hurrying from the place of meeting was not witnessed. As the crowd moved out into the road, the number of teams counted was more than seven hundred, and the number of persons was more than three thousand. Besides these, there were left nearly one hundred teams at a proper distance from the encampment owned by our friends, and at least five hundred persons, who remained constantly on the ground. In the evening the congregation was comparatively small by reason of a storm. Bro. Canright spoke on the signs of the times. Second-day morning Bro. Littlejohn spoke to the people with freedom. And by request Mrs. W. spoke in the afternoon. By this time there seemed to be a deep interest on the part of many in the community. The word took a strong hold of many. After Mrs. W. closed her discourse, we called upon sinners to come forward and give their hearts to the Lord. God helped by his Holy Spirit. About forty came forward, and most of them bore good testimony. Our season of prayer was with freedom and victory. In the evening Bro. Littlejohn spoke upon the Sabbath, exposing the seventh-part-of-time theory. The congregation was large, and the people felt the force of the arguments. Third-day morning at 5 A. M. the brethren assembled in the large tent, to examine candidates for baptism. About thirty presented themselves as subjects. This was a deeply interesting season. There was the aged man of eighty, the middle-aged, young men, young women, and children who had not reached their teens. The brief relation of experiences constituted a deeply interesting part of the whole good meeting. None needed urging. All promptly responded when called. Our aged Bro. Garret, who has observed the Sabbath about ten years, but had not united with the church, feeling that he was not worthy, finally came forward. He stated that he had never attended such a good meeting before; that he never before had the evidence that his sins were forgiven. Now he felt assured that his sins were all forgiven. His decided testimony sent a thrill through the congregation. At this meeting Bro. Galey of Illinois, who had been a Methodist class leader for twenty years, took a firm stand with us, and was baptized. His testimony and experience added to the interest of our good meeting. Twenty-eight were baptized. Among them were the sons of Bro. and Sr. Leach of Laporte. These young men just entering manhood, followed each other into the water, to be buried with Christ in baptism. How solemn the scene! Here was the aged man of white hairs, the youth, and little children, all under the influence of the word and Spirit of God, taking the solemn baptismal vow. The time had come when our meeting must close, and the brethren return to home duties. Some of them had come with their teams between one and two hundred miles. Necessarily the time in coming and returning, added to a week spent upon the ground, would make about two weeks that these farmers were from their homes. At this season of the year, this was quite a sacrifice. But it is a wonderful fact, that in the work and cause of God, our sacrifices are met with the blessing of God. The baptism filled most of the forenoon. Immediately after dinner all assembled to listen to remarks appropriate to a parting meeting, then all bowed while one led in prayer. The scene was solemn and affecting. And thus the Iowa camp-meeting closed. Next came the hurry of taking down tents, packing up, that last hearty shaking of hands, and moving of nearly a hundred teams off the ground. God bless the brethren as they return to their homes. The several sessions of the Iowa Conference, which were held between religious services, were marked with unity, and spirit. This Conference has nearly recovered from the treacherous course of Snook and Brinkerhoof. Although the leaders of that party have forsaken them, some, who were with them in their rebellion, still remain notwithstanding, outside of the body. We would help these if we could; but the difficulty in the case is, they seem unwilling to be helped. The influence of these is exceedingly small, and probably does not in the least injure the influence of the Conference. It is a terrible thing for men to fight against God. The fearful consequences will in the end fall upon their own heads. But opposition to correct theory and sound practice may often result in much good to the humble people of God. Opposition to the subject of spiritual gifts, as held by Seventh day Adventists, is necessary to lead us to a full examination of this important subject. And probably, in order that we as a people, may have a proper appreciation of the sacrifices, and the spirit of consecration of the one whom God may lead out in the manifestations of spiritual gifts, it may be necessary that some should sympathize in the spirit of wrath of the dragon, and the war against those who not only keep the commandments of God, but have the testimony—“spirit of prophecy”—of Jesus Christ. Would God that all men who profess to love and serve him, would cease to war against any part of his work. But as the war must come for the good of the church, we do not feel the least anxiety in reference to existing elements of opposition, only to live worthy of the truth we hold, and of the persecution which an adherence to the truth of God must bring. God is making Eld. Geo. I. Butler of the Iowa Conference a strong man in him. Eld. D. M. Canright is free in God and in his truth. And several young men in that Conference are entering the ministry. This Conference does liberally for its ministers, and this year donates $300 for the General Conference. May God still bless his dear people in Iowa. Fourth-day, June 15, at 8 A. M., we took the railroad train at Marion, Iowa, and reached Nora, Ill., the same day at 7 P. M. Our company consisted of14 Bro. Littlejohn, Mrs. W., myself, Willie, and sister Hall. At Nora station we found a carriage and a farm wagon, waiting to take us and our baggage to the home of Bro. and Sr. Higley, not long since from Michigan. Here we found kind friends, and all that could make a company of weary pilgrims comfortable. Here we enjoyed rest and were refreshed. Fifth-day morning we were taken to the camp ground, about three miles from the railroad, and found one large tent up, in which Elders R. F. Andrews and T. M. Steward had been lecturing; and there were also eight or ten fine smaller tents upon the ground. We found the brethren laboring under the mistaken idea that the services of this camp-meeting were to be held under the large tent. This was a great mistake. If you are to have a tent meeting, go out into the open prairie, where you can get all the breezes that blow. But to pitch a large tent in the edge of the wood, where no breeze can reach you, and yet where the hot sun can come down on the white canvas with scorching power, and heat the dead air beneath it nearly as hot as a baker’s oven, is a wonderful mistake. We hold camp-meetings in the edge of the woods, and pitch our large tents just outside the woods, to flee to in case of rain, and for strangers to sleep in. We found our brethren ready to be instructed, and in a few hours we had a beautiful grove well seated, a speaker’s stand erected, a large family tent wheeled into the circle of tents, and all in good order for worship. We pitched our family tent, and were ready for housekeeping just about noon, when, in a short time, Bro. Higley came in with a good, warm, hygienic dinner, just from Sr. Higley’s hands. And as we partook of this good dinner—not spoiled with an excess of salt, butter, and sugar, yet palatable, nutritious, and healthful—we felt thankful that Sr. H. had spent some time at our Health Institute at Battle Creek, where the science of good cooking stands high among the benefits it confers. While we think no one can charge us with following the Master for the loaves and the fishes, we confess that in our opinion, in such a campaign as ours, which demands energy, powerful efforts, and wearisome toil, good, well-cooked, healthful, nourishing dinners are not to be despised. In our opinion, more of our good sisters should visit the Health Institute at Battle Creek, or Bro. Gage should get up a cook book, or something of the kind should be done. Our sisters should understand how to prepare a good variety of nutritious food without the usual excessive use of salt, sugar, and grease. And here we wish to plead with our people, in preparing food for camp-meetings, where laboring people spend a week without physical labor, to cook plain simple food. If fasting be ever a duty, it is at such meetings. Cheese is an exceedingly doubtful article of food at any time, and never should be used by those who stay day after day upon a camp ground. If brought upon the ground at all, it should only be when the brethren undertake to supply the crowd on Sunday, to deal out to those only who will have such things. Sisters, do not, in preparing for camp-meeting, make yourselves sick by cooking pies, sweet cake, and rich dainties, before you start, to make all hands sick upon the ground. No; give us food, good, plain, healthful food. If it be plain, some may eat less of it, and thus keep the stomach clear, the head clear, and the conscience free of condemnation from gluttony. All consistent, God-fearing brethren and sisters will agree with us in these things. We speak for the benefit especially of those who do not labor at camp-meetings. Especial care should be taken with the feeble ones, and those who do the work, that they be properly nourished with good, well-prepared, nutritious food. Sixth-day, A. M., Bro. Littlejohn spoke upon the Judgment. We occupied the afternoon, speaking relative to the prosperity of the cause. In the evening, Mrs. W. spoke to a full, and very attentive congregation in the large tent. Sabbath, A. M., Bro. Steward spoke upon the blotting out of sins, which led him to examine quite fully the great subject of the sanctuary. In the afternoon, Mrs. W. spoke with freedom. Then there was a general movement forward to seek the Lord. It was a very interesting season. Many came forward, and there was a general deep feeling in the congregation. In the evening, Bro. Littlejohn spoke upon the Sabbath. First day, A. M., at an early hour, team after team, loaded with people, came upon the ground. At the hour for preaching the congregation was large; but not as large as at the Iowa camp-meeting. This seems to be a rougher community than that. But we succeeded in holding the crowd in the forenoon. Most of the large audience seemed deeply interested in the subject, while we gave them some of the reasons of our faith and hope. Mrs. W. spoke in the afternoon. It was exceedingly warm, and a portion of the crowd seemed restless, but more than a thousand were very attentive. It must be that some good souls in this crowd will be led to seek the Lord and his truth. In the evening, Bro. Littlejohn had a good hearing. The ground was quiet during service. The truth spoken by Bro. L. had a commanding influence. The power of the word, and the Spirit of God, seemed to hold everything during the hour of service. At the close, as the people retired from the ground, the baser sort gave vent to the spirit of the devil pent up in them, for a time, by unearthly yells, which continued to be heard at a distance. The ground was quiet for the night. Second-day morning, we wake to enjoy the pure, cool air, after taking good sleep. And as we write, the brethren and sisters are having their before-breakfast, public social service. The business sessions of this meeting have been marked with general harmony. By unanimous vote, the Wisconsin and Illinois Conference is divided into two: one, the Wisconsin Conference, and the other, the Illinois Conference. Each has a new tent, both to be in the field this season. The day has been a profitable one. The work has been deepening in the hearts of the people. In the evening, Mrs. W. spoke with great freedom. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon her, and she spoke in a manner to touch the hearts of the people. When she closed, very many were in tears, and the sobbings of the weeping congregation were distinctly heard in different parts of the assembly. This was indeed, in answer to the opening prayer, “the best of the wine is the last of the feast.” Third-day morning the camp broke up, after enjoying an excellent social season in the large tent. Our company, though weary, and needing a day of rest, have to pack, and hasten to the Minnesota Camp-meeting. Mrs. W. has been writing all day, and we have been crowding every moment into answering letters, writing this report, packing boxes for Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Battle Creek. We hope for good rest to-night, and a passage on the cars at 4 o’clock in the morning. Brethren, pray for us. Nora, Ill., June 21, 1870. R. F. COTTRELL
By Roswell F. Cottrell
CONVERSING with one who would have the “new commandment” supersede the ten, especially the fourth, I referred him to the statements of the apostle John, namely, 1. “I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which we had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.” 2. “Again, a new commandment I write unto you.” My friend claimed that the beginning here referred to was the beginning of the gospel, the day of Pentecost, to which Peter referred when he said, “The Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.” Acts 11:15. The old commandment, then, was the new commandment which Jesus gave to his disciples, that they should love one another. That being the case, said I, John’s new commandment must be newer still; something he had introduced since Jesus gave his new commandment, and since the beginning of the gospel proclamation on the day of Pentecost. Consequently, that has been superseded. Rather late to introduce new principles. My friend looked abashed, and attempted no reply. It appears that the “beginning” of the apostle dates a little further back. Says he, “For this is the message [margin, commandment] that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one and slew his brother.” It seems that Cain was bound by, and violated the principle of, the old commandment, in that, instead of loving his brother, he killed him; thus breaking the commandment of the Decalogue that says, “Thou shalt not kill.” The old commandment, from the beginning required that we should “love one another.” How then is the commandment of Christ to his disciples, that they should love one another, a new commandment? Not because the principle required is new, but because a new motive and measure of our love has been given and exemplified in the love of Christ for us. “As I HAVE LOVED YOU, that ye also love one another.” Said he “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Jno. 13:34; 15:12. I close by submitting that we cannot keep either the old commandment or the new, and at the same time violate one of the last six commandments of the Decalogue. And can we love God with all our heart and break one of the first four? “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.” Crowned with Glory and Honor.
By John Matteson
Heb. 2:7, 8: “Thou madest him [man] a little lower than the angels [margin: a little while inferior to the angels.]; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.” Here three things are plainly brought to view: 1. God created Adam. He placed him on probation until he should develop a perfect character. During this little while of probation he was inferior to the good angels in Heaven. But when probation is ended, those who have proved faithful will be equal unto the angels, and can never die any more. Luke 20. 2. When God had created man, he crowned him with glory and honor. This Bible truth is as plainly stated as the former. David says: “Thou hast made him [man] a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor.” Ps. 8:5. When Adam and Eve were created, they wore no artificial garments. But why were they ashamed of their nakedness after they had sinned, any more than before? Surely, sin did not make them more modest. The truth is evidently this: They had lost that light and glory, which before, like a heavenly garment, shone round about them. The word, crown, is sometimes used in this sense. “Who crowneth thee [surroundeth thee] with lovingkindness and tender mercies.” Ps. 103:4. Greenfield defines the original word: to crown, to adorn, to decorate. Thus it is evident that Adam was adorned with, or robed in, heavenly glory. By sin he lost it, and we have lost it. Nature refuses to hide our deformities. And artificial garments are needed to protect us against the cold and unfriendly atmosphere. 3. Adam was made king over the earth and over all the animals therein. “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea.” Ps. 8. This was the first dominion or kingdom given to man, which God has promised again to give to the daughter of Jerusalem, Christ, and citizens of the heavenly city. Micah 4:8. That this was the first kingdom given to man, none can dispute who will read and believe, Gen. 1:26, 28. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth.” And this is the kingdom which, after the resurrection, in the new earth, is to be inherited by the saints. “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matt. 25:34. From the further reading of the text we learn: 4. That Adam and his posterity have lost this kingdom.15 “But now we see not yet all things put under him.” 5. That Jesus, the second Adam, was also made a little while inferior to the angels for the suffering of death, by which means he regained the kingdom and crown of glory and honor. Not for himself merely; for he was the great commander of the heavenly host before he was made flesh. Josh. 5:13-15. “As captain of the host of the Lord am I now come.” And Joshua worshiped before him. The host of the Lord are the angels. “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them he said, This is God’s host.” Gen. 32:1, 2. But he resigned the glory and honor, that he might “taste death for every man,” and thus make it possible for the children of Adam to enlist in his army. Then as Christ obtains volunteers from the sons of Adam, he becomes “the captain of their salvation.” The captain of the redeemed host of men as well as the captain of the angels. Wonderful fact that through sufferings Christ must be perfected for this office. If the Captain of our salvation was made “perfect through sufferings,” how can we think of being made perfect without sufferings? “For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us.” 2 Tim. 2:11, 12. Who believes himself to be an heir of the kingdom, and yet refuses to suffer with Christ? That man’s religion is vain. 6. That the Saviour is not ashamed to call the saints his brethren, because Jesus, who sanctified them, “and they who are sanctified are all of one,” that is, the Father. Wonderful condescension! Poor sinners, cleansed in Jesus’ blood! Worms of the dust, robed in everlasting glory. Foreigners and strangers from the commonwealth of Israel, exalted to be Jesus’ brethren! May our ears hear the blessed sound, when Jesus before his Father and the holy angels will not be ashamed to call us brethren. 7. Jesus will lead his people home, and they shall be a church or happy assembly round about him. Then will he sing praise to the Father “in the midst of the church.” We wait in happy anticipation, to hear the glorious anthems of the heavenly host. We long to hear and join the wonderful song of Moses and the Lamb. But when Jesus himself in the midst of his redeemed people shall sing praise unto God, the infinite love which led him to die for us, will produce sweeter melody, and excel all the excellence of saints and angels. Then he will present his happy, redeemed family before the Father, saying, “Behold, I and the children which God hath given me.” Dear reader, will you be in that happy throng? Will you help swell the chorus when immortal saints shall join with angels, and with their lovely Saviour to sing the high praises of God, who shall be “all in all”?