Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

generation, gave rise to the allegories of Egypt, India, Babylon, and Greece, in which the incarnations of Deity hold a distinguished place, and at the same time, it imparted a holiness and depth to the desire for children, which is worthily cherished by the newly-married of our race, until the Babe of Bethlehem was born, and men could truly say, "Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and His name shall be called WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, and THE PRINCE OF PEACE."

A child is a wondrous thing! Who knows what is wrapped up in its mysterious being? God helps men through men. When the infant Moses lay in his little ark, who could have surmised that in helpless innocence the deliverer of his people was there, the lawgiver, who would receive the laws of love afresh from heaven, and transmit them to untold myriads of the human race.

If mothers would feel like Hannah that their children were confided to them by the Lord, to be trained in gentleness, in purity, in principle, to become intelligent, pure and good, the world would soon be filled with nobler characters, and government, trade, commerce, and operations of every kind would feel the advent of a nobler Christianity, a living religion of integrity, light and love. If there were more Hannahs, there would be more Samuels.

Let us now penetrate into the divine page a little deeper.

We must ever bear in mind that the Word of God, like the works of God, contains a living inner meaning. "My words they are spirit and they are life" (John vi. 63), applies to all His words, precept, parable, and history alike.

The divine words must contain divine thoughts, and these are always on things higher than those of earth. It is written,

"My thoughts are not as your thoughts, neither are your ways as my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. lv. 8, 9).

The history of Israel, it is well known by spiritually-minded men, is a divine parable, as well as a real history. When the Psalmist was about to recite all the dealings of the Lord with his nation, from their life in Egypt onwards, he said, "I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old" (Ps. lxxviii. 2).

It is this spiritual meaning which constitutes the chief mark

of the divinity of the Word. There is everywhere beneath its hallowed page, a stream of silvery wisdom, and yet another, and yet another, which reaches up to God. He has magnified His Word above all His name. These are the things the angels desire to look into (1 Pet. i. 12). In this respect the Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul (Ps. xix. 7).

To see the spiritual lessons involved in the divine history before us, we must notice the leading particulars related, and then apply the law of correspondences or analogy between the things of earth and those of heaven. We shall thus rise from the letter to the spirit.

Israel, under the judges, had sunk into all wickedness, lewdness, and lawlessness existed all over the land, and this was called doing" right in their own eyes."

The Jews, in the time of our Lord, had made the commandments of God of none effect by their traditions, and many Christians at the present day set the commandments of God aside by their traditions. These also do right in their own eyes. How many have the tradition that the commandments of God were never intended to be kept, and cannot be kept. These, therefore, do that which is right in their own eyes, restrained only by the law of the land, often far from righteous; or the custom of their trade, or of their associates, often far from moral or just.

How could the thousand knaveries of dishonest trade continue, unless in one way or another, by one tradition or another, the law of God were set aside, and laws were made by people for themselves, which are good in their own eyes? The moderate offend in a less violent way, the bold to the worst extreme; but each have the secret hope that he will take no eternal harm, for he has a tradition that by a priest or a prayer, he will make all right at last. He is doing that which is right in his own eyes, but forgetting the great truth that that which is highly esteemed among men is often an abomination in the sight of God (Luke xvi. 15).

For a society depraved and polluted by self and selfish maxims, there is no help but by a restoration of the Word of God. Divine light must penetrate the darkness. God must

in some way give His mind again to the people. In man himself, there is no help. The way in which the Divine Mercy brings aid to man is the subject of the spiritual sense of the sacred narrative before us. Samuel was raised up, a seer, who received Divine Truth from the Most High, and imparted its

pure lessons of life to the people. When the state of a church has become grossly dark and evil, so that a new beginning must be made, there are always a few, a remnant of good, whom the Lord can make a nucleus of better things. Noah, his wife, his sons, and their wives, were the remnant in the days of the flood. The Israelites in Egypt were the remnant in the days of Moses. Those who expected the coming of the Lord Jesus were the remnant by which Christianity was commenced, and to whom the Saviour said, "Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Elkanah and his two wives represent the remnant in the days of the history we are now considering. They dwelt at Ramathaim Zophim, some heights, probably a day's journey from Shiloh, also in the country of Ephraim, where the tabernacle then was. Names and places in Scripture have a spiritual signification in the spiritual sense, which is indicated by the meaning of the terms. Ramathaim means heights, and Zophim, those who expect. The heights of the expecters, is expressive of the state of the few, in a corrupt time, who preserve themselves in high principles, the principles of virtue, charity, and love, and wait for better things. They are like the shepherds who kept watch over their flocks by night, and to whom the glory of the Lord was revealed. The "expectors" who yearn for a New Church when the old has become like "salt which has lost its savour," always spiritually keep watch over their flocks, or in other words, over those gentle affections which are grouped in their bosom, like flocks of sheep and lambs. They dwell spiritually in Ramathaim Zophim. They will not stoop to any practices which they feel assured are low, base, mean, or wicked. They expect the coming of the Lord, and they keep their lamps trimmed, so that when the Divine voice is heard, they may go forth to meet Him.

Elkanah, which in Hebrew means God the zealous, represents the Divine zeal, urging them to spiritual things-their conviction that God is zealous is implied, and that they should be zealous for him. The two wives, Peninnah and Hannah, represent the two affections which exist in the souls of the true servants of the Lord, the affection for outward truth, represented by Peninnah, and of inward truth, represented by Hannah. The word Peninnah signifies "a pearl," a precious stone, good, but of a low order, a product of the sea. Hannah means grace," and refers to what is interior in religion. The same method of representing this interesting and important

66

description of the Church, occurs often in the Holy Word. Lamech, with his two wives, is an early instance. Abraham, with Sarah and Hagar, which things are an allegory, as Paul said, is another instance. Jacob, with Leah and Rachel, really brings before us the same general subject; and the Prophet Isaiah, in the 54th chapter, uses the same divine symbols when he exclaims: "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord" (ver. 1).

How very like is this triumphant burst of the prophet when he beheld in prophetic vision a spiritual church extending among men, to the joyful exultation of Hannah, when the Lord had granted her request. "The barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath waxed feeble" (1 Sam. ii. 5). In the Gospel, the beautiful narrative of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary relates to the same interesting theme.

The Church, the bride and wife of the Lord Jesus, is represented by a woman, or rather by two women. Her first state is always external, like that represented by Hagar, Leah, Peninnah, Martha. While striving to obey the law of duty, whose reasons she can but faintly see, she is in servitude. She is a hired servant of our heavenly Father, in a good service, but yet one felt as somewhat of bondage. Religion in this external state has many sons before any are born again of inward truth. There are a far greater number of Marthas than of Marys. Many come into the state of obedience and do what they are commanded, and it is right they should. They are the sons of Peninnah. They find pearls, but pearls of the letter of the Word. The Lord loves them, encourages them, blesses them; but they are only in the outer courts of His kingdom. The truth has not yet made them free. The Lord is talking with them by the way, and their hearts often burn within them; but they do not yet exactly know who He is. The spirit of Truth

is with them, but not yet in them. They are the children of obedience, but not the children of light, nor the children of love. Yet the inward church yearns to have children. She is a woman grieved and afflicted in spirit until some are born of her. The in vard affection of truth yearns to bring forth, and to form a kingdom of heaven within. The truly spirituallyminded will not rest in the outside view of religion. Their yearning for inner wisdom is inexpressibly deep-too deep for words. They wish to know really the nature and character of

the Lord, to know the laws of His kingdom; the spirit and life of His Word. The inward affection of such is represented by Hannah.

The outward church often, like Peninnah, make no account of those who wish to feel and to see something deeper, purer, and better than the common reiteration of the letter of divine things. They mock at those who seek "inner wisdom." They profess to think they will have great delight in seeing mysteries cleared up hereafter, but have no concern whatever to arise and receive the glory of the Lord now. Such are the Peninnahs. But Hannah, or those who are moved by inner grace, are in bitterness of soul. They pray and weep sore; they love truth and desire to have it now. They wish to know the Lord now. They desire to become heavenly now. Their aim is to

have a new heart and a right spirit now. They know the Lord has promised the new birth, and they wish in humility to have it. They yearn to think as angels think, love as angels love, and enjoy a present heaven.

Eli observed Hannah in her prayer too deep for words, and did not understand her.

Those of the character of Eli, the good, easy ceremonialists, the formalists, the religious by trade, wonder at the emotion of such people. They believe them fanatical, enthusiastic, drunk, and are astonished that they cannot be quiet. But, on finding the case is too deep for them, they give it up, and let them go in peace. Such are the characters represented by the words of Hannah, and those of Eli. Hannah persevered with her prayer of faith, and the Lord heard her. Her manifest sincerity and earnestness impressed the high priest, and he said, "Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him" (v. 17). Hannah rose and was confident her prayer would be answered, and all would be well.

In due time Samuel was born, and the whole family was grateful, worshipped the Lord, and gave thanks. When the new-man, the babe in Christ, is born, he has been asked of the Lord, and he has been granted by the Lord. It is the new man yet a babe, but created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. iv. 24), hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and with blessed aspirations. His mother, Hannah, the inward affection for interior truth, will nurse him well, and supply him with the sincere milk of the Word, as the apostle Peter says, "and in due time he will be weaned" (1 Pet. ii. 2).

Samuel appeared in the temple with three bullocks, an ephah

« НазадПродовжити »