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THE REMNANT RETURNING TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

all this evil come upon them? Because they rejected Him who alone could deliver. The prediction was accomplished, "They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek." The prophecy goes back to the birth of Him who was so set at nought at His death. He was born at Bethlehem Ephratah, one of the least of the thousands of Judah, as to population. They seem not to have known its being made the greatest as to privilege, in giving birth to Him who was chosen out of the people, to appear before God for us, and who is also appointed to be "Ruler in Israel."— When this shall be acknowledged, then will be the glorious consummation of His wondrous dealings with his people, who had been made not his people; and then shall it be found that He who is the Ending was also the Beginning; to which the prophecy now goes back, recognising Him who was born in Bethlehem, as being the Mighty God, "Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." The Everlasting God, who took to him our nature, was he who was rejected of the people, and given over to be smitten with a rod upon the cheek, in despite of his pretensions as Ruler in, and as Judge of Israel: therefore did he give them up to their own choice, to "have no king but Cæsar." He gave them up "till the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth "—the strong nation, of her that was cast far off,

-even of the lost house of Israel, by whom He who was rejected of the remnant, shall be joyfully accepted as King; and "then shall these, the remnant of his brethren, return unto the children of Israel;" see Mic. v. 1—3. He will assemble unto him the outcasts of Israel, and then will he gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Then it is that the Lord, having manifested Himself, and having been acknowledged as the Lord of Hosts, and not merely of a remnant; as the God of Israel, and not of the Jews only: then it is that this speech will be used in the land of Judah, and

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in the cities thereof, when the Lord will bring again their captivity. "The Lord bless thee, 0 habitation of Justice -mountain of Holiness." "In thee," said Jacob to Joseph, "in thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh;" and this prediction will be fulfilled when Jerusalem shall have these as her children. after she had lost the other. These will have sought, first, the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all things else, that are necessary, shall, correspondent to the name of their father Joseph (adding), be added unto them. He will have shewn them the vanity of all self-righteousness, however costly in sacrifice; and shewn them what is good, even his lovingkindness in the gift of his Son; and, as one man, they shall have been taught to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God, ch. vi. 6—8. Then shall be the flowing to Jerusalem (vii. 11, 12); and after the long desolations of the land which have been, because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings, the permission shall be given for their peaceable return. The prayer hath been heard, "Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood." The sheep that were cast out into the northern wilderness, He hath been leading like a flock; and at length this shall be realized, "In the midst of Carmel let them feed; in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old." Then will it be said, from a heartfelt sense of the forgiving grace and abounding goodness of our God," Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his auger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." Yes, "He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, the mercy to Israel, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

RECAPITULATION OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS.

Jer. xxxi. 2—26.

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LET us now more briefly review, and compare together, the voices of these seven thunders. The first (v. 2—6) contains the exclamation of the people left of the sword, who have found grace in the wilderness. All the families of Israel had been cast afar off; whilst the Jews were still left near, and had the gospel first declared unto them; but it was especially designed for the "lost sheep of the house of Israel;" and by this people there is the recognition of his wondrous love, "The Lord hath appeared from afar unto me;" and the Lord answers by calling our attention to his working with us from the beginning, "Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore have I extended lovingkindness to thee." Thus much with regard to past and present kindness whilst yet out of the land; and next, with regard to their condition in restoration, "Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel; thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria;" a prediction which clearly belonged not to the Jews, and which remains to be fulfilled to Israel.—And in their restoration there shall neither be indolence, scarcity, nor niggardliness," The planters shall plant, and shall make them common."—And, possessing Samaria, they shall have Zion as the throne of the kingdom. This is most plainly distinguished from any state of things which has been since the words were spoken: "For there shall be a day the watchmen upon Mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God." Soon indeed may this joyful call be made upon the mountains of Israel.

In Isaiah the case of Israel, who was put away, as contrasted with Judah who was left under the marriage covenant of the law, is very largely dwelt upon. That prophet who so dwells upon the salvation of Israel, gives an enlargement upon the subject of this first thunder.

The second thunder (v. 7, 8) recognises more particularly the locality from which the people are to proceed, whose restoration to the land, and assembling on Zion, are so manifestly predicted.--They are a people who have occasion to "sing with gladness." Their shout is to be raised among "the chief of the nations."They are neither to be found a destitute nor a despised people: neither illiterate nor without the knowledge of the true worship of God: neither are they ignorant of, nor without bowels of compassion for, the Jews: and, accordingly, as having uuprecedented means of obeying the command, the words to them are, "Publish ye! praise ye! and say, O Lord! save thy people the remnant of Israel." And the Lord answers with a still farther indication of place, and of such remarkable means of conveyance as have been provided for our people in these last days; "Behold, I will bring them from the north country; and gather them from the coasts of the earth; with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, and her that travaileth with child together; a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with favours will I lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble."—Thus is Judah to be received into blessing, "For I am a Father unto Israel, and Ephraim is my first born." The birthright is his;

RECAPITULATION OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS,

and now it will have come to him, and he is to use it, in obeying the call, to arouse his brethren: he having prepared the means of their speedy return, to a full participation with him, of the blessing to be found in his Father's house.

The subject of this second thunder, the quarter in which Israel was more particularly to be found, is, as we have seen, pointed out in Jeremiah.

The third thunder (9—14) proceeds more particularly to identify the people who have thus already been so pointed out, as to time and place. The word of the Lord, as being prophesied over the dry bones, was to be the great means of forming Israel anew, Ezek. xxxvii., preparing them for the manifestation of their proper life as sons of the living God. The word was to find them nations, or Gentiles; and specially was the word to reach them in the isles afar off. "Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations; and declare it in the isles afar off; and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock." We, in these isles afar off, unto whom the word of the Lord hath so come, are certainly interested in this call. We are called to believe that God hath purposed to identify his people,—the very people who were scattered. He will gather them, and keep them, so that they need not fear to put themselves under his leadership. They are to be found a redeemed people. It is because they are already a redeemed and ransomed people, that "they shall come, and flow together to the goodness of the Lord;" to the rich and abundant spiritual blessing that he will bestow upon them, in their collective capacity. They were once his scattered, but are now his redeemed and ransomed people. But although it is spiritual blessing in which they shall rejoice, temporal good shall not be denied. "And their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all." And there follows, as we have seen, such a clear identification of sex and age, and other relative condition,

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as plainly implies that the identification is to take place in the present life. And we have heard, that it is to be declared to, and realized in, a people called Gentiles or nations, dwelling where we are, in the isles or maritime parts of the north country, which were as a wilderness when our fathers came hither. The manifestation is especially to take place in the land. There it is that the Lord will fulfil his word. "And my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord." See Ezekiel for the more full expression of this thunder.

The prophecy, having thus clearly indicated the time of Israel's restoration, that it is after their having found grace in the wilderness; and also the place where they are to be found, that it is among the chief of the nations, where there are means and freedom of publishing, where there is occasion for praise, and where prayer is made for the Jews, the remnant of Israel; and having also indicated the means and certainty of Israel's identification, it now proceeds, in the fourth thunder (v. 15—17), to point out the Oneness of Christ with the children of Rachel. It is as being found in Him, that these are to be found sons of the living God.—He took upon Him their sorrows, that his blessing might descend upon them.Ephraim seemed to be cut off by the sword of the Assyrian; as Jesus seemed to be by that of Herod, in the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem. "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, bitter weeping, Rachel, weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not." But as the promised One Seed was preserved until the finishing of his work, so was Ephraim to be preserved until the finishing of the work appointed him to perform in Christ; as being brought into oneness with Christ, and made members of his body. It is as being found in Him, that the children of Rachel are thus spoken of by the Lord, as apostrophising their weeping mother, "Refrain thy voice from weeping, and

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AS DESCRIBED, JEREMIAH XXXI. 2-26.

thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the laud of the enemy." And not only shall their redemption from the power of death take place, by the triumph of Jesus through the cross—Previous to the resurrection, and immediately before it, "There is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border."We have seen that, in the Book of Psalms, there is a remarkable recognition of the oneness of Christ with his people, who were lost, but who are to be found in Him.

Having thus assured of the identification in Christ, and restoration through him, of that which was lost, the fifth thunder (v. 18—20) proceeds to the recognition of Ephraim, who was entirely lost; but yet is to be found as having been dealt with as was promised to the first-born. He is being prepared for blessing. The Father recognises the voice of his returning prodigal, "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself."

Thus

is he to be found expressing himself at the tune of his recognition, and previous to his restoration, "Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock untaught. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed; yea, even confounded; because I did bear the reproach of my youth." Ephraim being thus brought to a sense of his utter helplessness in himself; and entire dependence upon his Father's goodness, wisdom, and power, the Father exclaims, as in full recognition of him whose return, as well as previous backsliding, we find so pointedly described in Hosea:—" Ephraim ! my dear son! a pleasant child, for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord." The subject of this thunder is illustrated in Hosea. We have in the

fifth thunder the Recognition of Ephraim, correspondent to the promise of Identification, as given in the third.

Ephraim, being recognised as the first-born, it is not that he may boast himself of either a vain or an oppressive pre-eminence; but that he should, like his Leader, be the servant of all; and prepare for the reception of all his brethren into an equal participation with him of the blessing his Father is pleased to bestow. And accordingly, the sixth thunder (v. 21, 22) proceeds to invite to the adoption of means for the return of Israel generally; and there is a remonstrance with Israel for her dilatoriness in making use of the means provided: indicating that the Lord would have this work performed with speed, immediately upon Israel's knowing herself to be the people addressed. The very sound of the language, and abrupt character of the sentences, is expressive of speed. "Set thee up waymarks; make thee high heaps; set thine heart toward the highway, the way thou wentest: turn again, О virgin of Israel; turn again to these thy cities. How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? For the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man." Listening to this call, Israel shall at length surround Ephraim in the enjoyment of the blessing of which he is first cheerfully to partake in the restoration. So remarkably is this the case, that in the latter part of Zechariah, who enlarges upon the subject of this sixth thunder, Ephraim and the tribes of Israel, his companions, are spoken of under the name of Jerusalem, as distinguished from Judah; and for whom they are found in most earnest supplication before God. See Zech. xii.

It may be observed that, as in the second of these thunders, there was the promise of a way, by which to return: so in this, the sixth, and corresponding one, there is a call to the speedy use of means, as preparing, to return to Immanuel's land.

The seventh thunder, v. 23—26, speaks of the answer to the earnest

SUMMARY OF THE SEVEN THUNDERS.

prayers, and disinterested labours of Ephraim, in his being given to see, not only the assembling of the outcasts of Israel, which was the subject of the sixth thunder, but also the gathering of the dispersed of Judah. When the Lord will have manifested himself as the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Judah, who has been so long given up, will be granted a return; but it will be unto the children of Israel, who shall have previously been restored. Then shall the words be fulfilled, "As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah, and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity. The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice and mountain of holiness!" And not only shall Israel be blessed in Jerusalem, but "There shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they go forth with the flock; for I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." And then when Israel, the time of whose restoration was intimated in the first thunder, and Judah, whose subsequent restoration is described in this seventh thunderwhen those who were far off, and those who were nigh, are made one in Him, whose oneness with his people is fully implied in the fourth, the centre of these seven, then shall the Lord return unto his people, who shall have returned unto Him: and they which are alive unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent those that are asleep: -that shall be which was represented in the case of the prophet," Upon this I awaked, and beheld, and my sleep was sweet unto me."

The voices of the seven thunders seem to be these: There is, first, from

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the uttermost parts of the earth, heard the song, the grateful acknowledgment, "The Lord hath appeared from afar unto me." With thundering plaudits the call shall be obeyed, "Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations." The word shall be believed, "He that scattered Israel will gather him; and keep him as a shepherd doth his flock." And, resting upon the finished work of our blessed Redeemer, it is said in the fourth," They shall come again from the land of the enemy." In the fifth, Ephraim, with fulness of heart embraces new covenant mercy, "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God." This is immediately followed with the joyful invitation for all the tribes of Israel to return, "Turn again, O Virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities." And even Judah at length listens to the invitation, and is heard to exclaim, "The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, mountain of holiness!"

As we desire the rending of the vail, and manifestation of the glory of the Lord: as we desire the redemption of Israel, and the restoration of Judah to the favour of God; as we desire the universal heralding of the kingdom, the coming of the King, and the resurrection of the saints, and our being united, in fulness of blessing, and in the everlasting kingdom, let us desire a sincere and earnest preparation of heart and life, of the Lord's first-born, for his returning with joyfulness to the Land which the Lord hath chosen to place his name there. There the people saved from their sins are to manifest Christ, in the power of that anointing which is spoken of in His Name.

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