by Jonathan Edwards
1069. THAT THE THINGS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ARE TYPES OF THINGS APPERTAINING TO THE MESSIAH AND HIS KINGDOM AND SALVATION, MADE MANIFEST FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT ITSELF.
What principles of human nature render types a fit method of instruction: it tends to enlighten and illustrate, and to convey instruction with impression, conviction and pleasure, and to help the memory. These things are confirmed by man's natural delight in the imitative arts, in painting, poetry, fables, metaphorical language [and] dramatic performances. This disposition appears early in children.
This may be observed concerning types in general, that not only the things of the Old Testament are typical; for this is but one part of the typical world. The system of created beings may be divided into two parts, the typical world and the antitypical world. The inferior and carnal, i. e. the more external and transitory part of the universe, that part of it which is inchoative, imperfect and subservient, is typical of the superior, more spiritual, perfect and durable part of it, which is the end and as it were the substance and consummation of the other. Thus the material and natural world is typical of the moral, spiritual and intelligent world, or the City of God. And many things in the world of mankind, as to their external and worldly parts, are typical of things pertaining to the City and kingdom of God, as many things in the state of the ancient Greeks and Romans, etc. And those things belonging to the City of God, which belong to its more imperfect, carnal, inchoative, transient and preparatory state, are typical of those things which belong to its more spiritual, perfect and durable state, as things belonging to the state of the church under the Old Testament were typical of things belonging to the church and kingdom of God under the New Testament. The external works of Christ were typical of his spiritual works. The ordinances of the external worship of the Christian church are typical of things belonging to its heavenly state. (Here see "Miscellanies," bk. 9, pp. 82, [first column].)
The manner of the Apostle's expressing himself in Gal. 4:21–22, will clearly prove that Abraham's two sons and their mothers, and Mt. Sinai and Mt. Zion, were intended to be types of those things he mentions; which is a great confirmation that the history of the Old Testament in general is intended to be typical of spiritual things. The Apostle's manner of speaking seems to imply that it might well be expected of God that his people should understand such like things as representations of divine things, and receive the particular instruction exhibited in them, even before they are particularly explained to 'em by God by a new revelation.
§1. We find by the Old Testament that it has ever been God's manner from the beginning of the world to exhibit and reveal future things by symbolical representations, which were no other than types of the future things revealed. Thus when future things were made known in visions, the things that were seen were not the future things themselves, but some other things that were made use of as shadows, symbols or types of the things. Thus the bowing of the sheaves of Joseph's brethren, and the sun, moon and stars doing obeisance to him, and Pharaoh's fat and lean kine, and Nebuchadnezzar's image, and Daniel's four beasts, etc. were figures or types of the future things represented by them. And not only were types and figures made use of to represent future things when they were revealed by visions and dreams, but also when they were revealed by the Word of the Lord coming to the prophets (as it is expressed). The prophecies that the prophets uttered concerning future [things] were generally by similitudes, figures and symbolical representations; hence prophecies were of old called "parables," as Balaam's prophecies, and especially the prophecies of the things of the Messiah's kingdom. The prophecies are given forth in allegories, and the things foretold spoken of not under the proper names of the things them[selves], but under the names of other things that are made use of in the prophecy as symbols or types of the things foretold.
And it was the manner in those ancient times to deliver divine instructions in general in symbols and emblems, and in their speeches and discourses to make use of types and figures and enigmatical speeches, into which holy men were led by the Spirit of God. This manner of delivering wisdom was originally divine, as may be argued from that of Solomon, Prov. 1:6, "To understand a proverb" (or "parable"), "and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings." And from that of the psalmist, [Ps.] 49:3–4, "My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp." And Ps. 78:1–2, "Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old" (by a parable is meant an enigmatical, symbolical speech, Ezek. 17:2 and 23:3). Hence speeches of divine wisdom in general came to be called "parables," as the speeches of Job and his friends. Hence of old the wise men of all nations, who derived their wisdom chiefly by tradition from the wise men of the church of God, who spake by inspiration, fell into that method. They received instruction that way, and they imitated it. Hence it became so much the custom in all the eastern nations to deal so much in enigmatical speeches and dark figures, to make so much use of symbols and hieroglyphics to represent divine things or things appertaining to their gods and their religion. It seems to have been in imitation of God's prophets and holy and eminent persons in the church of God, that were inspired, that it became so universally the custom among all ancient nations for their priests, prophets and wise men to utter their auguries and to deliver their knowledge and wisdom, in their writings and speeches, in allegories and enigmas, and under symbolical representations. Everything that the wise said must be in a kind of allegory and veiled with types, as it was also the manner of the heathen oracles to utter themselves under the like representations.
§2. We find that it was God's manner throughout the ages of the Old Testament to typify future things, not only as he signified them by symbolical and typical representations in those visions and prophecies in which they were revealed, but also as he made use of those things that had an actual existence, to typify them either by events that he brought to pass by his special providence to that end, or by things that he appointed and commanded be done for that end.
We find future things typified by what God did himself, by things that he brought to pass by the special ordering of providence. Thus the future struggling of the two nations of the Israelites and Edomites was typified by Jacob's and Esau's struggling together in the womb. Gen. 25:22–23, "And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? She went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." And the prevalence of Jacob over Esau, and his supplanting him so as to get away his birthright and blessing, and his posterity's prevailing over the Edomites, were typified by Jacob's hand taking hold on Esau's heel in the birth. Gen. 25:26, "And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called "Jacob," or "Supplanter"; ch. 27:36, "Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing." Hos. 12:3, 6, "He took his brother by the heel in the womb … Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually." And as the Israelites' overcoming and supplanting their enemies, in their8 struggling or wrestling with them, was typified by Jacob's taking hold on Esau's heel, his and his true and righteous posterity's prevailing with God, in their spiritual wrestlings with him, was typified by his wrestling with God and prevailing. Gen. 32:28, "Thy name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince thou hast power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." Hos. 12:4–6, "Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us; Even the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is his memorial. Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually." The prevalence of the posterity of Pharez over Zarah, who first put forth his hand, was typified by his unexpectedly breaking forth out of the womb before him (Gen. 38:29).
So by Moses' being wonderfully preserved in the midst of great waters, though but a little helpless infant, and being drawn out of the water, seems apparently to be typified the preservation and deliverance of his people that he was made the head and deliverer of, who were preserved in the midst of dangers they were in in Egypt, which were ready to overwhelm them, when the prince and people sought to their utmost to destroy them and root them out, and they had no power to withstand them, but were like an helpless infant, and who were at last wonderfully delivered out of their great and overwhelming troubles and dangers, which in Scripture language is "delivering out of great waters," or "drawing out of many waters." 2 Sam. 22:17, "He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters." And Ps. 18:16. 'Tis the same sort of deliverance from cruel, bloodthirsty enemies that the psalmist speaks of, that the Israelites were delivered from. And so he does again, Ps. 144:7, "Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children." And Ps. 69:2, "I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me"; with v. 14, "Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters."
That the king of Israel smote three times upon the ground with his arrows, was ordered in providence to be a type of his beating the Syrians three times (2 Kgs. 13:18–19). The potter's working a work on the wheels, and the vessels being marred in the hand of the potter, so that he made it again another vessel as seemed good to him to make it, at the time when Jeremiah went down to the potter's house, was ordered in providence to be a type of God's dealings with the Jews (Jer. 18).
The twelve fountains of water and the threescore and ten palm trees that were in Elim (Ex. 15:27) were manifestly types of the twelve patriarchs, the fathers of the tribes, and the threescore and ten elders of the congregation. The paternity of a family, tribe or nation, in the language of the Old Testament, is called a "fountain." Deut. 33:28, "Israel shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine." Ps. 68:26, "Bless the Lord, from the fountain of Israel." Is. 48:1, "Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah." And the church of God is often represented in Scripture by a palm tree or palm trees (Ps. 92:12, Cant. 7:7–8). And therefore fitly were the elders or representatives of the church compared to palm trees. God's people often [are] compared to trees (Is. 61:3 and 60:21 and elsewhere).
We find that God was often pleased to bring to pass extraordinary and miraculous appearances and events to typify future things. Thus God's making Eve of Adam's rib was to typify the near relation and strict union of husband and wife, and the respect that is due in persons of that relation from one to the other, as is manifest from the account given of it. Gen. 2:21–24, "And the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he [slept]: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." And when God spoke to Moses from the burning bush concerning the great affliction and oppression of the children of Israel in Egypt, and promised to preserve and deliver them, what appeared in the bush, viz. its burning with fire and yet not being consumed, was evidently intended as a type of the same thing that God then spake to Moses about, viz. the church of Israel being in the fire of affliction in Egypt and appearing in the utmost danger of being utterly consumed there, and yet being marvelously preserved and delivered. Such a low and weak state as the people were in in Egypt, and such an inability for self-defense, we find is in the Old Testament represented by a bush or low tree, and a root out of a dry ground, as that bush in Horeb (which signifies "dry places"), Is. 53:2, Ezek. 17:22–24. Affliction and danger is in the language of the Old Testament called "fire." Zech. 13:9, "I will bring the third part through the fire." Is. 48:10, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." And God's marvelously preserving his people, when in great affliction and danger, is represented by their being preserved in the fire from being burnt. Is. 43:2, "When thou passest through the fire, I will be with thee … when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." And God's delivering that people Israel from [the] affliction and destruction they were in danger of through bondage and oppression under the hand of their enemies, is represented by their being delivered out of the fire. Zech. 3:2, "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" Yea, that very thing of the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt is often represented as their being delivered from the fire. Ps. 66:12, "We went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest [us] into a wealthy place." Deut. 4:20, "The Lord hath taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt." So 1 Kgs. 8:51 and Jer. 11:4.
So Moses' rod's swallowing up the magicians' rods (Ex. 7:12) is evidently given of God as a sign and type of the superiority of God's power above the power of their gods, and that [his] power should prevail and swallow up theirs. For that rod was a token of God's power, as a prince's rod or scepter was a token of his power. Thus we read of the rods of the Messiah's strength (Ps. 110). So the turning of the water of the river of Egypt into blood, first by Moses' taking and pouring it out on the dry land and its becoming blood on the dry land, and afterwards by the river itself and all the other waters of Egypt being turned to blood in the first plague on Egypt, was evidently a foreboding sign and type of what God threatened at the same time, viz. that if they would not let the people [go], God would slay their firstborn, and [of] his afterwards destroying Pharaoh and all the prime of Egypt in the Red Sea. (See Ex. 4:9 and ch. 7.) God's making a great destruction of the lives of a people is, in the language of the Old Testament, a giving them blood to drink. Is. 49:26, "And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood." Aaron's rod's budding, blossoming and bearing fruit is given as a type of God's owning and blessing his ministry and crowning it with success. His rod was the rod of an almond tree (Num. 17:8), which God makes use [of] in Jer. 1:11–12 as a token and type of his Word, that speedily takes effect, as Moses' rod of an almond tree speedily brought forth its fruit.
God caused the corn in the land of Judah to spring again after it had been cut off with the sickle, and to bring forth another crop from the roots that seemed to be dead, and so once and again, to be a sign and type of the remnant that was escaped of the house of Judah again taking root downward and bearing fruit upward, and of his church's reviving again as it were out of its own ashes and flourishing like a plant, after it had been seemingly destroyed and past recovery, as 2 Kgs. 19:29–30 and Is. 37:30–31.
So God wrought the miracle of causing the shadow in the sundial of Ahaz to go backward, contrary to the course of nature, to be a sign and type of King Hezekiah's being, in a miraculous manner and contrary to the course of nature, healed of his sickness that was in itself mortal, and brought back from the grave whither he was descending, and the sun of the day of his life being made to return back again, when according to the course of nature it was just a-setting (2 Kgs. 20).
So the miraculous uniting of the two sticks that had the names of Judah and Joseph written upon [them], so that they became one stick in the Prophet's hand [Ezek. 37:15–20], was to typify the future entire union of Judah and Israel.
So also God miraculously caused a gourd to come up in a night over the head of Jonah, and to perish in a night, to typify the life of man. That gourd was a feeble, tender, dependent, frail vine. It came up suddenly and was very green and flourishing, and was pleasant and refreshing, and it made a fine show for one day, and then withered and dried up (Jonah 4:6–8; see note on the place).
So God reproved Jonah for his so little regarding the lives of the inhabitants of Nineveh, by the type of the gourd, which was manifestly intended as a type of the life of man, or of man with respect to this life, being exactly agreeable to the representations frequently made of man and his present frail life in other parts of the Old Testament. This gourd was a vine, a feeble, dependent plant that can't stand alone. This God therefore makes use of to represent man in Ezek. 15. This gourd was a very tender, frail plant; it sprang up suddenly and was very short-lived. Its life was but one day, as the life of man is often compared to a day. It was green and flourishing and made a fine show one day, and was withered and dried up the next. It came up in a night and perished in a night, appeared flourishing in the morning and the next evening was smitten, exactly agreeable to the representation made of man's life in Ps. 90:6, "In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth." The worm that smote the gourd represents [the cause of man's death]. The gourd was killed by a worm, a little thing, as man is elsewhere said to be crushed before the moth [Job 4:19]. It was that, the approach of which was not discerned; it came underground, as elsewhere man is represented as not knowing his time, but being "as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare" [Eccles. 9:12], and smitten by an arrow that flies unseen [Job 6:4]. That this gourd was intended by God as an emblem of man's life is evident from what God himself says of it and the application he makes of it: for God himself compares the lives of the inhabitants of Nineveh with this gourd (Jonah 4:10–11). Jonah had pity on the gourd, i. e. on himself for the loss of it; for it was very pleasing and refreshing to him while it lasted, and defended him from scorching heat. So life is sweet. The Ninevites by its preservation were held back from that wrath of God that had been threatened for their sins. How much more therefore should Jonah have had pity on the numerous inhabitants of Nineveh when God had threatened them with the loss of life, which was an enjoyment so much more desirable than the gourd was to him? And if he found fault with God, that he did not spare to him the shadow of the gourd, how unreasonable was he in also finding fault with God, that he did spare to the Ninevites their sweet lives?
So God miraculously enabled David to kill the lion and the bear, and deliver the lamb out of their mouths, plainly and evidently to be a type, sign and encouragement unto him that he would enable him to destroy the enemies of his people, that were much stronger than they, and deliver his people from them. David did this as a shepherd over the flock of his father, and his acting the part of a shepherd towards them is expressly spoken of as a resemblance of his acting the part of a king and shepherd towards God's people from time to time (1 Chron. 11:2, Ps. 78:70–72, Jer. 23:4–6, Ezek. 34:23–24, ch. 37:24). And God's people in places innumerable are called his flock and his sheep, and their enemies, in David's Psalms and elsewhere, are compared to the lion and other beasts of prey that devour the sheep; and David himself calls his own deliverance and the deliverance of God's people, a being saved from the lion's mouth (Ps. 7:1–2, and 17:12–13, and 22:20–21, and 35:17 and 57:3–4). And David himself thus understood and improved God's thus miraculously enabling him to conquer these wild beasts and deliver the lamb as a representation and sign of what God would enable him to do for his people against their strong enemies, as is evident from what he said to Saul when he offered to go against Goliath [1 Sam. 17:37].
It was also a common thing for God to order and appoint things to be done by men in order to typify future events. So Samuel poured out water in Mizpah (1 Sam. 7:6) to signify their repentance; see concerning the accidental rending of Samuel's mantle, 1 Sam. 15:27–28. (See SSS.) Thus Abijah's rending Jeroboam's garment in twelve pieces and giving him ten was to typify the rending the kingdom of Israel and giving him ten tribes (1 Kgs. 11:30–31). So see 1 Kgs. 20:35–43 and 2 Kgs. 13–20. The Prophet's assisting the king of Israel in shooting an arrow eastward towards Syria was appointed of God to signify that he would assist the king of Israel in fighting with the Syrians (2 Kgs. 13:15–19).
The prophet Isaiah by God's appointment went naked and barefoot to typify the Egyptians and Ethiopians going naked and barefoot in their captivity (Is. 20). Jeremiah by God's appointment typified the captivity of the Jews into Babylon with many of its circumstances by taking a linen girdle and putting it on his loins, and hiding it in a hole in a rock by the river Euphrates, and returning again to take it from thence (Jer. 13). So he was commanded to typify the destruction of the people by breaking a potter's vessels (ch. 19). So by taking a wine cup and offering it to many nations, agreeable to God's appointment and direction, he typified God's causing them as it were to drink the cup of his fury (ch. 25). And he was commanded to make bonds and yokes and put them upon his neck, and send them to the neighboring [kings], to typify the yoke of bondage under Nebuchadnezzar that God was about to bring upon them (ch. 27). Nehemiah shook his lap (Neh. 5:13). So Ezekiel very often typified future events by things that he did by God's appointment, as by his eating the roll, etc. (Ezek. 3), and by lying on his side, and many other things that he was commanded to do, that we have an account [of] (Ezek. 4); and by shaving his head and beard and burning part of the hair in the fire, etc. (ch. 5), and by making a chain (ch. 7:23); and by his removing with the many circumstances that God directed him to (ch. 12:1–6); and by his eating his bread with trembling (v. 18); by setting a pot with the choice pieces of flesh onto the fire, etc.; and by his not mourning for his wife (ch. 24). So the prophet Hosea typified the things he prophesied of by taking a wife of whoredom (Hos. 1), and by marrying an adultress with the circumstances of it (ch. 3). So the prophet Zechariah was commanded to typify the things he predicted by making silver and golden crowns on the heads of those that returned from the captivity (Zech. 6); and by the two staves called "Beauty" and "Bands"; and by his casting money to the potter in the house of the Lord; and his taking the instruments of a foolish shepherd (ch. 11).
It was so common a thing for the prophets to typify things that were the subjects of their prophecies by divine appointment, that the false prophets imitated 'em in it and were wont to feign directions from God to typify the subjects of their false prophecies. (See 1 Kgs. 22:11 and Jer. 28:10.)
Things in common use among the Israelites were spoken of by the Spirit of God as types. Thus the vine tree is spoken of, more especially of God's visible people (Ezek. 15).
It being so much God's manner from the beginning of the world to represent divine things by types, hence it probably came to pass that typical representations were looked upon by the ancient nations—the Egyptians in particular—as sacred things, and therefore called "hieroglyphics," which is a word that signifies as much as "sacred images," or "representations." And animals being very much made use of in the ancient types of the church of God, so they were very much used in the Egyptian hieroglyphics, which probably led the way to their worship of all manner of living creatures.
Now since it was, as has been observed, God's manner of old in the times of the Old Testament, from generation to generation, and even from the beginning of the world to the end of the Old Testament history, to represent divine things by outward signs, types and symbolical representations, and especially thus to typify and prefigure future events that he revealed by his Spirit and foretold by the prophets, it is very unlikely that the Messiah and things appertaining to his kingdom and salvation should not be thus abundantly prefigured and typified under the Old Testament, if the following things be considered.
It is apparent by the Old Testament (by what I have elsewhere observed of the prophecies of the Messiah), that these things are the main subject of the prophecies of the Old Testament, the subject about which the Spirit of prophecy was chiefly conversant from the beginning of the world. It was the subject of the first proper prophecy that ever was uttered, and 'tis abundantly evident by the Old Testament that it is every way the chief of all prophetical events. 'Tis spoken of abundantly as the greatest and most glorious event, beyond all that eye had seen, ear heard, or had entered into the hearts of men, at the accomplishment of which not only God's people and all nations should unspeakably rejoice, but the trees of the field, the hills and mountains, the sea and dry land, and all heaven and earth, should rejoice and shout for joy; and in comparison of which the greatest events of the Old Testament, and particularly those two most insisted on—the creation of the world and redemption out of Egypt—were not worthy to be mentioned or to come into mind; and in comparison of which the greatest and most sacred things of the Mosaic dispensation, even the ark itself, the most sacred of all, was worthy of no notice. And it is also abundantly evident by the Old Testament that it was the grand event that, above all other future events, was the object of the contemplations, hopes and raised expectations of God's people from the beginning of the world.
And furthermore, the introducing of the Messiah and his kingdom and salvation is plainly spoken of in the Old Testament as the great event which was the substance, main drift and end of all the prophecies of the Old Testament, to reveal which chiefly it was that the Spirit of prophecy was given, in that the angel in Dan. 9:24 speaks of this event as that in the accomplishment of which prophecies in general are summed up and have their ultimate confirmation, in which the vision and prophecy or all prophetical revelation has its last result and consummation. "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy." That what has been expressed is the import of the phrase of "sealing up the vision and prophecy," is evident from the drift and manner of expression of the whole verse, and also from Ezek 28:12, "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." Mr. Basnage, in his History of the Jews, observes that the rabbis among the Jews still agree to this day that all the oracles of the prophets relate to the Messiah (p. 371, col. 1). (See the evidence there is that the book of Psalms in general relates to the Messiah, or that he and things pertaining to him are the grand subject of those sacred songs of the church of Israel, "Prophecies of the Messiah" §60 and §87.)
And besides, it is to be considered that this event was that [in] which the people of God from the beginning of the world were most nearly and greatly concerned, yea, was of infinitely the greatest concern to them of all prophetical events. For 'tis evident by the Old Testament that the Messiah was not only to be the Savior of God's people that should be after his coming, but that he was the Savior of the saints in all ages from the beginning of the world; and that through his coming and what he should do at his appearing, they all should have the only true atonement for their sins, and restoration from the curse brought upon them by the Fall of Adam, the resurrection from the dead and eternal life. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies of the Messiah" §169, together with various other parts of that discourse.)
'Tis much the more reasonable to suppose that many things pertaining to the state and constitution of the nation of Israel, many things which God ordered and appointed among them, should be typical of things appertaining to the Messiah; because it is evident by the Old Testament that the very being of that people as God's people, and distinguished and separated from the rest of the world, was to prepare the way for the introduction of that great blessing into the world of mankind, of the Messiah and his kingdom. It seems to be pretty plainly intimated by God at the first planting of the tree or founding that ancient church, and separating that people from the rest of the world, in the call of Abraham, in the three first verses of Gen. 12: "Now the Lord had said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy own country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." It here seems to be manifest that the introducing that great good which God had in view to all the families of the earth, was what God had in view in thus calling and separating Abraham, to make of him an happy nation. 'Tis therefore much the more likely that many things belonging to them should be typical of the great future things appertaining to this great blessing, which was the great end God designed by them; and especially considering that we find it to be God's manner under the Old Testament, in both persons and things, to signify and represent that which God made or separated 'em for, or the special use or design God had in view with respect to 'em. I say it was God's manner beforehand to signify and represent these things in what appertained to 'em or happened concerning them. So he often did in the signification of the names that he gave 'em, as in the names of Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Israel, Judah, Joshua, David, Solomon, etc.; and [in] things which they saw or did, or which came to pass concerning them, as Moses' being drawn out of the water, and what God showed [him] on Horeb, before [he went] into Egypt from Midian, in the burning bush; and in David, in his slaying the lion and bear and delivering the lamb.
Again, we find that many lesser redemptions, deliverances and victories of God's people, that it is plain even by the Old Testament were as nothing in comparison of the salvation and victory of the Messiah, were by God's ordering represented by types. So the redemption out of Egypt. It was much typified afterwards in institutions that God appointed in commemoration of it. And the reason given by God for his thus typifying of it, was that it was so worthy to have signs and representations to fix it in the mind. Thus concerning the representations of their coming out of Egypt in the Passover, by eating it with unleavened bread, with their staff in their hand, etc. This reason is given why they should have such representations and memorials of it: Ex. 12:42, "It is a night much to be remembered." This redemption out of Egypt was also much typified beforehand. It was typified in the smoking furnace and the burning lamp following it, which Abraham saw (Gen. 15:17; see note on the place.) It was typified in Moses' being drawn out of the water, and in the burning bush that survived the flames, and Moses' rod's swallowing up the magicians' rods. So David's victory over the enemies of God's people, and his saving them out of their hands, was typified by his conquering the lion and the bear and rescuing the lamb. God's giving victory to Israel over the Syrians, and delivering them from them, was typified by the Prophet's helping the king of Israel shoot an arrow towards them (2 Kgs. 13:15–17). So the salvation of Jerusalem from Sennacherib's army was typified by the springing of the corn afresh from the roots of the stubble. Hezekiah's being saved from death was typified by bringing back the sun when it was going down. Since, therefore, God did so much to typify those lesser victories and salvations, is it not exceeding likely that great victory and redemption of the Messiah, which appears by the Old Testament to be infinitely greater and that was all along so much more insisted by in the Word of the Lord to the people, be much more typified?
'Tis much more reasonably and credibly supposed that God should through the ages of the Old Testament be very much in signifying things pertaining to the Messiah and his salvation, not only in prophecies, but also in types, because we find in fact, that at the very beginning of God's revealing the Messiah to mankind, prophecies and types went together in the first prophecy of the Messiah and the first proper prophecy that ever was in the world. God foretold and typified the redemption both together when God said to the serpent, Gen. 3:15, "I will [put] enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." This is undoubtedly a prediction of the Messiah's victory over Satan, and his suffering from Satan, and of the Messiah's people's victory and deliverance through him. (See my discourse on the "Prophecies of the Messiah," at the beginning.) And none can reasonably question but that here is also some respect had to that enmity there is between mankind and serpents, and the manner of serpents' wounding mankind and man's killing them.5 And this state of things with respect to serpents was ordered and established in these words. But if we suppose that both these things were intended in these same words, then undoubtedly one is spoken of and ordained as the representation of the other. If God orders and speaks of the bruising of a snake's head, and thereby signifies the Messiah's conquering the devil, that is the same thing as God's ordering and speaking of the bruising of a snake's head as a sign, signification or (which is the same thing) type of his conquering the devil. And in what is said to the serpent, v. 14, "Thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life," 'tis evident God speaks concerning that serpent that was a beast of the field. And yet 'tis also evident by the Old Testament that he has a respect to something pertaining to the state of the devil that should be brought to pass by the Messiah. As by Is. 65:25, "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain"; compared with Is. 11:1–9, together with Is. 27:1 and Zech. 3:1–4. Thus the very first thing that [was] ordered and established in this world after the Fall [was] a type of the Messiah, and ordered as such. Which argues that typifying of the Messiah is one principal [way]8 of God's foreshowing him. And as types and prophecies of the Messiah began together, so there is reason to think [that] they have kept pace one with another ever since.
'Tis the more credible that not only some particular events that came to pass among the Jews, or things appointed to be done among them, should be typical, but of the state and constitution of the nation and their way of living in many things was typical; because we have an instance of an appointment of a way of living in a particular family or race to continue from generation to generation in the chief and more important things appertaining to the outward state and way of life, requiring that which was very diverse from others' manner of living and that which was very self-denying, in order to typify something spiritual. The instance I mean is that of the posterity of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, who were required by the command of Jonadab, commanding them by the Spirit of prophecy, to drink no wine, nor build any house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyards (Jer. 35; see note on the place.)
'Tis a great argument that the ancient state of the nation of Israel, and both things that appertained to their religious constitution and God's providential disposals of them, were typical of the Messiah, that the Jews themselves anciently thus understood the matter. The ancient Jewish rabbis (as Mr. Basnage in his History of the Jews observes, p. 367) judged that all things happened to their fathers as types and figures of the Messiah. (See also Bp. Kidder's Demonstration of the Messiah, pt. 3, p. 40, and pt. 1, pp. 74–75; ibid., pp. 111–12; ibid., p. 130, and pt. 3, pp. 67e, 71b, 77c, 78b and 106c.)
As to the historical events of the Old Testament, 'tis an argument that many of 'em were types of things appertaining to the Messiah's kingdom and salvation, that these things are often in the Old Testament expressly spoken of as represented or resembled by those historical events. And those events are sometimes not only mentioned as resemblances, but as signs and pledges of these great things of the Messiah. In Is. 41, Abraham's great victory over the kings and nations of the east is spoken of [as] a resemblance of the victory of the Messiah and his people over their enemies. Abraham is here called "the righteous man" (v. 2), as the Messiah in the same discourse. In the beginning of the next chapter, the Messiah is called God's "servant that shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles, and bring forth judgment unto truth, and set judgment in the earth" [Is. 42:1, 3–4]. God is said (ch. 41:2) to call Abraham to his foot. Ch. 42:6, 'tis said of the Messiah, "I have called thee in righteousness." Of Abraham it is said, ch. 41:2, that God "gave the nations before him as the dust to his sword, and as the driven stubble to his bow." And this is spoken of for the encouragement of God's people as a resemblance and pledge of what he would do for them in the days of the Messiah, when he [would] cause their enemies before them to be ashamed and confounded, to be as nothing and to perish, so that they should seek 'em and should not find 'em, and they that war against them should be as nothing and as a thing of nought; and they should thresh the mountains and beat them small, and make the hills as chaff, so that the wind should carry them away and the whirlwind should scatter them (vv. 11–12, 15–16).
The church or spouse of the Messiah is spoken of in Cant. 6:13 as being represented by the company of Mahanaim, that we have an account of (Gen. 32:1–2), made up of Jacob's family and the heavenly host that joined them.
The redemption out of Egypt is very often in the Old Testament spoken of as a resemblance of the redemption by the Messiah. Num. 23:22–23, "God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!" Mic. 7:15, "According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvelous things." Is. 64:1, 3–4, "Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence … When thou didst terrible things that we looked not for, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him." Is. 11:11, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt"; together with vv. 15–16.
This redemption out of Egypt is evidently spoken of as a resemblance of the redemption of the Messiah in Ps. 68:6, "God bringeth out them that were bound with chains." V. 13, "Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold"; in which there is an evident reference to the people's hands being delivered from the pots in Egypt. Ps. 81:6 and the context makes this evident. And the drift and design of the psalm shows this to be a promise of the Messiah's redemption. God's dividing the Red Sea and River Jordan, and leading the people through them, are often spoken of as a resemblance [of] what God shall accomplish for his people in the days of the Messiah. Is. 11:11, "[And it] shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time [to recover]6 the remnant of his people, that shall be left from Egypt." Vv. 15–16, "And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and cause men to go over dryshod. And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt." Is. 43:2–3, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee … For I … gave Egypt for thy ransom." Vv. 16–19, "Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path on the mighty waters; Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. Remember not former things … Behold I will do a new thing." Ch. 27:12, "And it shall come to pass at that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt" (or, "the Lord shall strike off," or "smite away," "both the channel of the river and the stream of Egypt"; see note on the place),8 "and ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel." Ch. 51:10–11, "Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed of the Lord to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." V. 15, "But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name." Ch. 63:11–13, "Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him? That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name? That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness?" Ps. 68:22, "I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea." Zech. 10:10–11, "I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt … And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the scepter of Egypt shall depart away."
The destruction of Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea is spoken of as a resemblance of the destruction of the enemies of God's people by the Messiah. Is. 43:16–17, "Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise." And particularly Pharaoh's destruction in the Red Sea is spoken of as a type of the Messiah's bruising the head of the old serpent, or dragon. Is. 51:9–11, "Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O arm of the Lord. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art thou not it which hath dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away." Pharaoh is called "Leviathan" and "the dragon" in Ps. 74:13–14, as the devil is in a like destruction in the Messiah's time (Is. 27:1). That Pharaoh is intended in those forementioned places by the dragon and Leviathan, is very manifest by Ezek. 29:3 and 32:2.
The joy and songs that the children of Israel had at their redemption out of Egypt, and their great deliverance from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, is spoken of as a resemblance of the joy God's people shall have in the redemption of the Messiah. Hos. 2:15, "And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt." The Spirit of God seems to have reference to the manner of his leading and guarding the people when they went up out of Egypt, in going before 'em to lead 'em, and behind to keep the Egyptians from hurting them, and to compare what he would do in the Messiah's days thereto. Is. 52:12, "For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the Lord will go before you; the God of Israel will be your rereward": the God of Israel, that God that thus led Israel out of Egypt when he entered into covenant with them, and became the God of that people. (Here see SSS on Ex. 12:14.) God's leading the people through the wilderness is spoken of as a resemblance of what should be accomplished towards God's people in the Messiah's times. Is. 63:13, "That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness." Ps. 68:7, "O God, when thou wentest before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness," compared with the rest of the psalm. Hos. 2:14–15, "I will [allure] her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her. […] And she shall sing, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt." Ezek. 20:34–37, "And I will bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out" (plainly alluding to God's manner of redeeming the people out of Egypt). "And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. And I will cause you to pass under the [rod], and will bring you into the bond of the covenant." Where we may also observe that God's speaking with the people face to face, and entering into covenant with them and making them his covenant people, when he brought them out of Egypt, is spoken as a resemblance of God's revealing himself to his people in the days of the Messiah and bringing them into a covenant relation to himself by him.
God's appearing with the children of Israel in a pillar of cloud and fire is spoken [of] as a resemblance of what God would do for his people in the days of the Messiah. Is. 4:5, "And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mt. Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flame of fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense." The earth's and mount Sinai's quaking at the time of the giving of the Law is spoken of as a resemblance of what should [be] in the Messiah's days. Ps. 68:8, "The earth shook … even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel." So the great effect of God's presence on the mountains, and especially Mt. Sinai's being all enkindled by so great and dreadful a fire, is plainly spoken of [as] a resemblance of what should be in the days of the Messiah. Is. 64:1–4, "Oh that thou wouldest rent the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, as when the melting fire burneth … When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."
And so the rain that descended on the people at the time of these thunders and lightnings at Mt. Sinai, or at the time of the great hailstones that God sent on the Amorites. Ps. 68:7–9, "O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; The earth shook, the heavens dropped at the presence of God … Thou, O Lord, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst refresh thine inheritance, when it was weary."
These things do abundantly confirm that the redemption out of Egypt, and the circumstances and events that attended it, were intended by the Great Disposer of all things to be types of the redemption of God's people by the Messiah, and of things appertaining to that redemption.
'Tis an argument the manna that [God] gave the children of Israel was a type of something spiritual, because it is called "the corn of heaven" and "angels' food" (Ps. 78:24–25 and Ps. 105:40). It could be angels' food no otherwise than as representing something spiritual.
Now, by the way, I would remark that what was before made use of as an argument that the great redemption by the Messiah was very much typified beforehand, is very greatly strengthened by what has been now observed. I mean that argument that lesser redemptions were by God's ordering represented by types, and particularly that the redemption of the children of Israel out of Egypt was much typified beforehand. Now if this was so, that God was much in typifying this redemption beforehand, which itself was a type of the great redemption by the Messiah, how much more may we well suppose this great redemption itself, that is the antitype of that, should be abundantly typified? Will God do much to typify that which was itself but a shadow of the Messiah's salvation? And shall he not be much more in prefiguring the very substance, even that great redemption by the Messiah, in comparison of which the former is often in the Old Testament represented as worthy of no remembrance or notice?
God's bringing his people into Canaan, to a state of rest and happiness there, is spoken of as a resemblance of what God would do for his people through the Messiah. Jer. 31:2, "Thus saith the Lord, The people that were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest," compared with the rest of the chapter and the foregoing chapter. Is. 63:14, "As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name," together with the context. [Ps.] 68:10, "Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of [thy] goodness for the poor." V. 13, "Though ye have lien among the pots, ye shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold," together with the context. The manner of God's giving Israel the possession of Canaan, viz. by a glorious conquest of the kings and nations of the land, is spoken of as a resemblance of the manner in which God would bring his people to rest and glory, by the Messiah, after his exaltation. Ps. 68:11–12, "The Lord gave the word: great was the company of them that published it. Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil." V. 14, "When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon," taken with vv. 21–23, "But God shall wound the head of his enemies … The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depth of the sea: That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same." V. 30, "Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of bulls, with the calves of the people, till everyone submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war," together with the rest of the psalm.
What the people of God should be brought to in the days of the Messiah is spoken of as represented by the children of Israel's slaying Achan in Joshua's time [Josh. 7]. Hos. 2:15, "And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt."
What came to pass in the time of Joshua's battle with the five kings of the Amorites, and particularly God's sending down great hailstones upon them, is spoken as a resemblance of what should be in the days of the Messiah. Is. 28:21, "For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, and be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work; his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act"; together with v. 2, "Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm … shall cast down to the earth with the hand." And ch. 30:30, "And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger … with tempest, and hailstones." And 32:19, "When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place" (or "shall be utterly abased"). And Ezek. 38:22, "I will rain upon him … an overflowing rain, and great hailstones."
What God did for Israel in the victory of Deborah and Barak over the Canaanites is spoken of as a resemblance of what God would do for his people against their enemies in the days of the Messiah. Ps. 83:9–10, "Do unto them … as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison: Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth." For this psalm is prophetical, and these things have respect to the great things God would do against the future enemies of his church. For it don't appear that there was any such confederacy of the nations mentioned against Israel in David's or Asaph's time; and particularly it don't look probable that there was any such enmity of the inhabitants of Tyre against Israel, as is here spoken of (v. 7). And 'tis very probable that as this psalm is prophetical, so it is prophetical of the Messiah's days, as most of the Psalms are, as I have shown in my discourse on "The Prophecies of the Messiah." And there is a great agreement between what is here foretold of the destruction of the enemies of the church, and what is foretold of the Messiah's days in many other places. And the last verse [v. 18], which speaks of God's being made known to all mankind as the only true God and the God of all the earth, further confirms this.
Gideon's victory over the Midianites is spoken of as a resemblance of what should be accomplished in the Messiah's days. Is. 9:4, "For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian." Ps. 83:9, "Do unto them as unto the Midianites." V. 11, "Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and Zalmunna." As in the destruction of the Midianites every man's sword was against his brother, so it is foretold that it should be with the enemies of God's people in the Messiah's times. Ezek. 38:21, "Every man's sword shall be against his brother." Hag. 2:22, "And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and them that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother."
God's wonderful appearance for David at Baal-Perazim, to fight for him against his enemies, is spoken of as a resemblance of what should be in the Messiah's times. Is. 28:21, "For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim."
In Zech. 9:15, "The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones," there seems to [be] a reference to David's subduing Goliath with a sling stone, as though that were a resemblance of the manner in which the enemies of God's people should be subdued in the times of the Messiah; and this is an argument that David's bruising the head of this giant and grand enemy of God's church is a type of the Messiah, the Son of David, and who is often called by the name of "David" in Scriptures, his bruising the head of Satan.
'Tis an argument the historical events of the Old Testament in the whole series of them, from the beginning of God's great works for Israel in order to their redemption out of Egypt, even to their full possession of the promised land in the days of David and the building of the temple in the days of Solomon, were typical things, and that under the whole history was hid, in a mystery or parable, a glorious system of divine truth concerning greater things than those, that a plain, summary rehearsal or narration of them is called "a parable" and "dark saying," or "enigma" (Ps. 78:2). 'Tis evident that here by "a parable" is not meant merely a set discourse of things appertaining to divine wisdom, as the word "parable" is sometimes used; but properly a mystical, enigmatical speech signifying spiritual and divine things, and figurative and typical representations, because 'tis called both "a parable" and "dark sayings."
'Tis an argument that many of the historical events of the Old Testament are types of the great events appertaining to the Messiah's coming and kingdom, that the Spirit of God took occasion from the former to speak of the latter. He either takes occasion to speak of and foretell the Messiah, and the great events appertaining to his salvation, upon occasion of the coming to pass of these ancient events; or on his speaking of these events, celebrating or promising them, he takes occasion to speak of these latter and greater events, joining what is declared of the one with what he reveals of the other in the same discourse, which is an argument that one has relation to the other and is the image of the other. Thus the Spirit of God when speaking by Balaam, took occasion, when celebrating the wonderful work of God in bringing them out of Egypt, to foretell that great salvation that God should work for his people by the Messiah (Num. 23:23). So the Spirit of God in Nathan, when speaking of the glorious reign of Solomon and his building an house to God's name, and promising these things to David (2 Sam. 7), takes occasion to foretell and promise the more glorious and everlasting kingdom of the Messiah; as it is evident that David understood the words of Nathan by what he says in ch. 23 and in the book of Psalms, and as it is evident by many things in the Prophets, the Spirit of God intended them.
From the ark's being carried up into the Mt. Zion, and the great joy and privileges of Israel consequent thereupon, the Spirit took occasion to speak very much of the exaltation of the Messiah and the glorious privileges of his people consequent thereupon, as in 1 Chron. 16:7–36, especially from v. 22. So in the sixty-eighth psalm, which was penned or indited on occasion of the ascension of the ark into Mt. Zion, as anyone may be satisfied by duly considering the matter of the psalm, especially vv. 25–29; and by comparing the first and seventh verses of this psalm with Num. 10:35; and by comparing many passages in this psalm with many parts of that song of David on occasion of the carrying up the ark, that is recorded in 1 Chron. 16. Again, on this occasion the Spirit of God speaks of the things of the Messiah in Ps. 132, which was penned on that occasion, as is very plain from the matter of the psalm and by comparing vv. 8–11 with 2 Chron. 6:41–42.
From David's great victories over the Syrians and Edomites, the Spirit of God takes occasion to speak much of the victories of the Messiah in Ps. 60 and 108.
The seventy-second psalm, which is evidently a great prophecy of the Messiah, was written on occasion of the introducing of Solomon to the throne of Israel, as is evident by the title, together with the first verse of the psalm.
So the Spirit of God does abundantly take occasion to foretell and promise the redemption of the Messiah and the overthrow of his people's enemies by him, from these two events: the destruction of Sennacherib's army and the deliverance of Jerusalem from him, and likewise the destruction of Babylon and the redemption of the Jews from their Babylonish captivity.
Not only does God take occasion from these historical events to speak of the great events that appertain to the Messiah's coming and salvation, but with regard to several of 'em he manifestly speaks of both under one. The same words have respect to both events. One is spoken of under the other, as though one were contained in the other, or as though one were the other. Which can be no other way than by one being the type or representation of the other, in that sense wherein David said the waters of the well of Bethlehem was the blood of those men that brought it in jeopardy of their lives [2 Sam. 23:17]; as the beasts Daniel saw are said to be kingdoms, and the horns to be kings [Dan. 9:20–22]; and as Ezekiel's hair is said to be Jerusalem (Ezek. 5:5).
Thus Balaam prophesied of David, who smote the four corners of Moab, and of the Messiah under one, as I have already shown ("Prophecies of the Messiah" §43). So 'tis most manifest that the peace and glory of Solomon's reign, and that of the reign of the Messiah, are spoken of under one (Ps. 72); and that the ascending of the ark into Mt. Zion, and the ascension of the Messiah, are also spoken of under one in Ps. 68.
Some of the historical events of the Old Testament, if they are not typical, must needs be very impertinently taken notice of in the history, as David's sacrificing when they had gone six paces with the ark (2 Sam. 6:13). It must be both insignificantly done and impertinently related in the history, unless there be some signification of some important thing in it. So the relation of there being twelve fountains of water and threescore and ten palm trees [Num. 33:9].
The remarkable similitude there is between many of the events in the Old Testament, both miraculous and others, and the prophetical descriptions of events relating to the Messiah, is an argument that the former were designed resemblances of the latter. God's causing the light to shine out of darkness, as Moses gives us an account of it in the history of the creation, has a great similitude with what is foretold to come to pass in the Messiah's times. Is. 42:16, "I will make darkness light before 'em." Is. 9:2, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." Is. 29:18, "The eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness." So there is a great resemblance between the account Moses gives us of a river that ran through the midst of Eden to water the trees of paradise, and the descriptions which the prophets give of what should be in the Messiah's times. As Ezek. 47:7, "Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other." V. 12, "And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed." Is. 41:18–19, "I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree. I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together." Compared with Is. 51:3, "The Lord will comfort Zion … and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord." Ezek. 36:35, "This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden." And Ps. 46:4, "There is a river, [the] streams whereof make glad the city of God," taken with Num. 24:5–6, "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as the gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lignaloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees besides the waters." And Jer. 31:12, "And their soul shall be like a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all."
So between what we are told of the Tree of Life in Eden (which being in the midst of the garden, we have reason to think was by the river) and the representations made of what should be in the Messiah's times. Ezek. 47:9, 12, "Everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live … everything shall live whither the river cometh.… And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall [not] fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months … the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine."
The things that we have an account of in Moses' history of the Deluge have a great resemblance of many of the Old Testament representations of things that shall be brought to pass in the times of the Messiah's kingdom. That destruction of the wicked world by a flood of waters is very agreeable to the Old Testament representation of the future destruction that shall come on all God's enemies, and particularly in the Messiah's days. The wicked of the old world were destroyed by a dreadful tempest. So it is said concerning the ungodly, Job 27:20–21, "Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night. The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: a storm hurleth him out of his place." Sorrow and misery is very often represented by overwhelming waters, and God's wrath by waves and billows (Ps. 42:7 and 88:7). The waters of the Flood did not only overwhelm the wicked, but came into their bowels. God's wrath on the ungodly is compared to this very thing. Ps. 109:18, "As he clothed himself with cursing like as with a garment, so let it come into his bowels like water." In the time of the Flood, the waters were poured down out of heaven like spouts or cataracts of water. God's wrath is compared unto this: Ps. 42:7, "Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts." The waters of the Deluge were what the ungodly of the world could not escape or hide themselves [from] by resorting to caves in the ground, or digging deep in the earth, or flying to the tops of mountains; so likewise is the matter represented with respect to God's wrath on the ungodly in Is. 28:17, "The waters shall overflow the hiding place." Amos 9:1–3, "He that fleeth of them shall not flee away; he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered. Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence." And so in many other places.
Particularly is there a great resemblance between the destruction that was brought on the wicked world by the Flood and what is foretold of the wicked in the Messiah's times, as in Is. 24:18–20, "And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into a pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare" (so that there shall be no escaping, let 'em flee where they will, as it was in the time of the Deluge): "for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.… And the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it." There is not only a resemblance between this representation of the punishment of the wicked world in the Messiah's days and the history of the Flood, but here seems to be an evident allusion to the Flood and a designed comparison of that destruction of God's enemies and what was in the time of the Flood, when we are told the windows of heaven were opened and the fountains of the great deep were broken up, etc. [Gen. 7:11–24]. So the destruction of God's enemies in the Messiah's times is represented as being by a flood, Dan. 9:26, "And the end thereof shall be with a flood"; and to a flood occasioned by a mighty rain, Ezek. 38:22, "I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain."
There is also a remarkable agreement between what we are told in Moses' history of the preservation of those that were in the ark and what is often declared in Old Testament prophecies concerning the preservation and salvation of the church by the Messiah. Is. 32:2, "A man shall be a hiding place from the wind, a covert from the tempest." Is. 4:6, "And there shall be a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain." Is. 25:4, "Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm … when the blast of the terrible ones is as the storm against the wall." Ps. 46:1–3, "God is our refuge and strength; we will not fear, though the earth be removed, though the mountains are carried into the midst of the sea" (as they in a sense were in the flood: they were in the midst of the sea, the sea surrounded and overwhelmed them); "though the waters thereof roar and are troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof." Is. 43:2, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee." Compare these texts with Ps. 32:6, "Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh thee"; and Ps. 91:7, "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee."
We may suppose that there was a resorting and flocking of animals from all parts of the world, such as [are] proper to hot countries, from the south; and such as dwell in colder climates, from the north. And as there are many countries that have their peculiar kinds of animals, so we may suppose there was a resorting from every quarter, a resorting of beasts and a flocking of birds: which is a lively resemblance of what is often foretold of the gathering of God's people into his church from all quarters in the Messiah's days, and coming to him for salvation, when all the ends of the earth should look to him to be saved (Is. 45:22); when God [should] bring the seed of his church from the east, and gather them from the west, and would say to the north, "Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth" (Is. 43:6–7 and many other parallel places); and God would gather his people from all countries, agreeable to many prophecies, and it shall be said, "Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their windows?" [Is. 60:8].
Detail of Eliakim Hayden stone, Essex, Connecticut, 1797. Rubbing by R. Edwards, india ink on rice paper (courtesy Wilson H. Kimnach). In the motif, the dove typifies the Holy Spirit and the grace of God, and the ark Christ and salvation, with the all-seeing eyes of God above.
The gathering of all kinds of creatures to the ark, clean and unclean, tame and wild, gentle and rapacious, innocent and venomous—tigers, wolves, bears, lions, leopards, serpents, vipers, dragons—and the door of the ark standing open to 'em, and their all dwelling there peaceably together under one head, even Noah, who kindly received them and took care of them, fed and saved them, and to whom they tamely submitted, is a lively representation of what is often foretold concerning the Messiah's days, when it is foretold that not only the Jews should be saved but unclean Gentile nations, when the gates of God's church should be open to all sorts of people (Is. 60:11 with the context). When proclamation should be made to everyone to come freely (Is. 55:1–9), and God would abundantly pardon the wicked and unrighteous (vv. 6–9), and would bring again even the captivity of Sodom and her daughters (Ezek. 16:53). And those nations should be gathered to God's church to be one holy society with Israel that were wont to be their most cruel and inveterate enemies, such as the Egyptians (Ps. 87:4 and 68:31, Is. 19:18–25 and 45:14); the Philistines (Ps. 60:8 and 87:4, Zech. 9:6–7); the Chaldeans (Ps. 87:4) and Assyrians (Is. 19:23–25); and the most wild and barbarous nations, Tabor and Hermon, that were noted haunts of wild beasts (Ps. 89:12, compared with Cant. 4:8, Ps. 42:6 and Hos. 5:1); and the nations of Arabia and Ethiopia in very many places (see "Fulfillment of Prophecies of Messiah" §160), countries that abounded with the most rapacious, venomous and terrible animals.
When it is foretold that the beasts of the field should honor God, and the dragons and the owls (Is. 43:19–20), and when it is foretold that the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them; and the cow and the bear shall feed, and their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp; and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den, and they shall not hurt nor destroy in all God's holy mountain (Is. 11:6–9 and 65:25), [these are lively representations of the Messiah's days].
The ark was a great while tossed to and fro on the face of the Flood, ready to be overwhelmed, but at last rested on a high mountain or rock, and the company in it had enlargement and liberty and were brought into a new world. So the church in the Messiah's days is long in a state of affliction, tossed with tempest and not comforted (Is. 54:11). But when she is ready to be overwhelmed, God will lead her to the rock that is higher than she (Ps. 61:2), and she shall [be] brought out of her affliction into a new world (Is. 65:17–18), and shall dwell in God's holy mountain, as is often foretold.
Another historical event between which and the Old Testament representaions of spiritual things and particular things appertaining to the Messiah's kingdom there is a great resemblance, is the destruction of Sodom and the neighbor cities. There is great resemblance between this and the future punishment of the wicked in general, as represented in the Old Testament, that is represented by fire. Fire and brimstone were poured out from God out of heaven and rained down on these cities; so the wrath of God is often in the Old Testament compared to fire, and is represented as poured out from heaven on the ungodly, and particularly to be poured out like fire (Nahum 1:6, Is. 42:25, Jer. 44:6, Lam. 2:4 and 4:11, Ezek. 22:21–22, 31). So it is threatened in allusion to the manner of Sodom's destruction (Ps. 11:6), that upon the wicked God would rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible or burning tempest (as it is in the margin), and it is said this should be "the portion of their cup."
That destruction came on Sodom suddenly and unexpectedly, while the inhabitants were in the midst of their voluptuousness and wickedness, and wholly at ease and quiet, in the morning when the sun arose pleasantly on the earth and when the idle and unclean inhabitants were drowned in sloth, sleep and pleasures; which is agreeable to what is often represented in the Old Testament of the manner of God's bringing destruction on the wicked. It came on Sodom as a snare. So it is said in that eleventh psalm, "snares, fire and brimstone" shall God rain, "and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup"; that while the wicked is about to fill [his] belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and rain it upon him while he is eating (Job 20:23); that God hath set them in slippery places, and that they are cast down to destruction in a moment, and are utterly consumed with terrors (Ps. 73:18–19); that their destruction falls suddenly upon 'em, as the fishes are taken in an evil net (when sporting securely in the water), and as the birds are caught in the snare (when they are feeding and pleasing themselves with the bait, Eccles. 9:12). Particularly this is represented as the manner of destruction's coming on them that harden their necks when often reproved, as the inhabitants of Sodom had been by Lot, as appears by Gen. 19:9. Prov. 29:1, "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
There is a special resemblance between the destruction of Sodom and the destruction that is foretold to come on the enemies of God and the Messiah under the Messiah's kingdom, which is often represented as being by fire. Mal. 3:2, "Who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire." A refiner's fire is a vehement furnace, that burns up the dross. Ch. 4:1, "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and the proud, yea, all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts; it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Ps. 21:9, "Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the day of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them." Dan. 7:11, "I beheld till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame." Yea, that destruction is represented as effected by raining down fire and brimstone upon them. Ezek. 38:22, "And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone." Is. 30:30, "And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hail stones." V. 33, "For Tophet is ordained of old; for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it." Ch. 29:6, "Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire."
The Messiah's enemies are represented as destroyed with everlasting fire. Is. 33:11–14, "The people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.… Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?" Is. 66:15–16, "For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render vengeance with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many." With v. 24, "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched." There was something in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to represent this. The fire that destroyed them was as it were everlasting fire, inasmuch as the destruction it brought upon [them] was everlasting, irreparable desolation, so that they never could be built again, and never any creature, either man or beast, could live there any more; which is often particularly remarked in Scripture (Is. 13:19–20, Jer 49:18 and ch. 50:39–40, Is. 1:9).
The place, land or lake where Sodom and its neighbor cities once were, is a place that ever since abounds with that sulphurous, inflammable matter that is called bitumen and asphaltum, and in our translation of the Bible, "pitch," which is a further representation of eternal burnings and is a remarkable resemblance of what is foretold concerning the destruction of God's enemies in the Messiah's times. Is. 34:8–10, "For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch" (or "bitumen" or "asphaltum"), "and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall go up forever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever."
This destruction came on Sodom just as the sun was up and had enlightened the world by its beams. So it is manifest by many prophecies that great destruction of the enemies of the church so often spoken of is when God comes and appears gloriously for his people, and when the morning of that glorious day of the church's light, peace and triumph is come on, and the glory of the Lord shall be risen upon the church and the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings. Then will the day come that will burn as a oven, and the world shall be as stubble [Mal. 4:1]. Lot's being so wonderfully delivered and saved from the destruction well represents that great preservation of God's church and people so often spoken of by the prophets, in that time of God's indignation and day of his wrath and vengeance on his enemies.
The remarkable similitude there is between very many things in the history of Joseph and the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah, argue the former to be a type of the latter. Joseph is said to be the son of Jacob's old age (Gen. 37:3). So the Messiah is everywhere represented in the prophecies as coming and setting up his kingdom in the latter days. He was Jacob's beloved son (Gen. 37:3). So the prophecies do represent the Messiah as the beloved Son of God. They represent him as the Son of God. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies of Messiah.")5 And they also represent him as one that should be in a very peculiar and transcendent manner the beloved of God. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies of Messiah.")
Joseph was clothed with a beautiful garment. So the prophecies represent the Messiah as clothed with beautiful and glorious garments. Zech. 3:4–5, "Take away the filthy garments from him. […] I will clothe thee with change of raiment.… So they set a fair miter on his head, and clothed him with garments." Is. 61:10, "He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
The sheaves of Joseph's brethren in his vision all bowed down to his sheaf. So it is prophesied of the Messiah that God would make him his firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth (Ps. 89:27). Kings are said all of them to be the sons of the Most High, but this King is represented as made the highest by God, and all the rest as being made to bow down unto him. Ps. 72:11, "Yea, all kings shall fall down before him." Is. 49:7, "Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee" (see also v. 23). And Ps. 45:7, "He hath anointed [thee] with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." And many other places impart the same thing.
The saints are often in the prophecies called "the children of God." (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies of Messiah" §109–11.) And they are represented as the Messiah's brethren. Ps. 22:22, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." But the Messiah is everywhere represented as their Lord and King, whom they honor and submit to and obey. Yea, 'tis promised that every knee should bow to him (Is. 45:23).
The sun, moon and stars are represented as making obeisance to Joseph. So in the prophesies the Messiah is represented as God, whom the Old Testament often speaks of as ruling sun, moon and stars. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 13.) And the heavens are represented as declaring the Messiah's righteousness (Ps. 97:6 and 50:6). And the heavens, and earth, and sea and the whole universe, is represented as rejoicing and worshipping and praising the Messiah on occasion of his coming and kingdom (Ps. 96:11–13 and 69:34, Is. 44:23 and 49:13). And the sun is represented as being ashamed, and the moon confounded, and the stars withdrawing their shining (as it were veiling their faces, as the worshipping angels do), before the Messiah at his coming to reign in the world (Is. 24:23, Joel 3:15). And the stars [as] falling from heaven (Is. 34:4).
Joseph's father and mother are represented as bowing down to him to the earth. This was never fulfilled properly with respect to Joseph. His father, when he met him in Egypt, did not, that we have any account, thus bow down to him, and his mother was dead long before; both Rachel and Leah were dead before Jacob went down into Egypt. But the Messiah's ancestors are represented as worshipping him. The Messiah is represented as the son of David, but David calls him "Lord" (Ps. 110:1).
Joseph was hated by his brethren, which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the Messiah. Ps. 69:8, "I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children." Joseph was hated by the sons of the same father, Jacob. So the prophecies do represent the Messiah as a son of Jacob, one of the seed of Israel, but as hated by the generality of his seed, the Jews. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies.") Joseph's brethren sold him for a few pieces of silver; so the prophecies do represent the Jews as selling the Messiah for a few pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12–13). Joseph's brethren went about to murder him; so the prophecies represent the Messiah as being murdered by the Jews. ("Fulfillment of Prophecies" §58–59.)
Joseph was the savior of his brethren and of the church of God. He saved their lives. So the Messiah is abundantly represented in the prophecies as the Savior of his brethren, the Savior of the saints, the church of God, and of the nation of the Jews, and as one that saves them from death. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies," various parts.) Joseph was the savior of the world, not only of the seed of Israel, but the Gentile nations; yea, of all nations. "For the famine was sore in all lands, even over all the face of the earth, and all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn" (Gen. 41:56–57). And his name, "Zaphnath-paaneah," in the Egyptian language signifies "the savior of the world." This is exactly agreeable to the Old Testament representations of the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies," various parts of it.)
Joseph was first in a state of great humiliation and afterwards in a state of exaltation. In his state of humiliatiion, he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. His disgrace and sufferings were very great. He suffered all unjustly from the hands of men, being innocent and wrongfully condemned. He suffered as being guilty of horrid crimes, and had his place and lot among great criminals, and suffered all with admirable meekness; all which is exactly agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies.")
Joseph was a servant to one of the chief rulers of Egypt, Potiphar, the captain of the guard. So the Messiah is called "servant of rulers" (Is. 49:7).
Joseph was one of the king's prisoners under the hand of the king's chief officer of justice, the captain of the guard and as it were high sheriff of Egypt. So the Messiah is represented as suffering from the hands of God, who bruised him and put him to grief, and as executing justice upon him for man's sins, making his soul an offering for sin. Joseph's being cast into the dungeon is a fit representation of what the prophecies do represent of the Messiah's extreme affliction and grief, and his being brought to the grave (often called "the pit" in the Old Testament), and remaining some time in the state of death.
Joseph was a prophet. He had divine visions himself, and had knowledge in the visions of God and could interpret the visions of others. This is agreeable to Old Testament representations of the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies.") He was a revealer of secrets, as his name, "Zaphnath-paaneah," signifies in the Hebrew tongue, and revealed those secrets that none other could reveal, and after the wisdom of all the wise men of Egypt had been tried and proved insufficient (Gen. 41:8–36). This is agreeable to what is represented of the Messiah in Is. 41:28–29 and 42:1, "For I beheld, and there was no man; even amongst them, and there was no counselor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. Behold, they are all vanity … Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles."
Joseph is spoken of as distinguished from all, in that he was one in whom the Spirit of God was. How agreeable is this to the frequent representations in the Old Testament of the Messiah as one that God puts his Spirit upon. ("Fulfillment of Prophecies" §32 and 34; also "Prophecies of the Messiah.")
Joseph is spoken of as one to whom none was to be compared for wisdom and prudence and counsel, through the Spirit of God (Gen. 41:38–39). This is agreeable to what is foretold of the Messiah. Is. 9:6, "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor." Ch. 11:2–3, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord." Zech. 3:9, "Upon one stone shall be seven eyes." Is. 52:13, "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently." See also that forementioned, Is. 41:28–29 and 42:1.
Joseph was exalted for this his great wisdom, which is agreeable to what is said of the Messiah. Is. 52:13, "Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high." So, agreeable to this, Joseph's exaltation was very great. He was exalted by the king of the country, who we may well suppose in this case represents God, seeing 'tis evident by the Old Testament that kings in their kingly authority are the images of God (Ps. 82:1, 6). Pharaoh exalts Joseph over all his house and people. So the prophecies do often represent God as exalting the Messiah over his people and his house, or temple, and over heaven. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §92.) The king exalted Joseph to be next to himself in his kingdom, to ride in the second chariot which he had [Gen. 41:43]. So the prophecies represent the Messiah as the second in God's kingdom next to God the Father, and exalted by him to this dignity. Ps. 110:1, "Sit thou on my right hand." Ps. 89:27, "I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." Joseph was exalted over all the nobles and rulers of the land of Egypt, excepting Pharaoh himself (Ps. 105:21–22). Agreeable to this, it is often represented in the prophecies that all kings shall be made to bow and submit to the Messiah. And it is also implied that the angels of heaven, as well as all nations of the earth, should be subjected to him by God. Dan. 7:9–10, 13–14, "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit … thousand thousands ministered unto him … I saw one in the night visions, and, behold, one like unto the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him." Dan. 12:1, "Michael, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people," together with ch. 10:13, Michael, the first of the "chief princes," with the context that speaks of angels as princes.
Pharaoh invested Joseph with his own authority and honor as his representative and vicegerent, for he took off his own ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand. So the prophecies do represent God as investing the Messiah with his authority and honor, seating him in his own throne and causing him to bear the glory (Zech. 6:12–13). And there are many other prophecies that imply the same.
Pharaoh arrayed Joseph with change of raiment, pure garments and ensigns of royalty, agreeable to what is foretold of the Messiah (Zech. 3 and Is. 61:10). Pharaoh arrayed Joseph in fine linen (Gen. 41:42), as the Messiah is represented as clothed in fine linen (Dan. 10:5). For it may, by well considering the chapter, be gathered that person there spoken [of] is the same with Michael mentioned, vv. 13 and 21, and 12:1.
Pharaoh, when he exalted Joseph, committed all his treasures and stores into Joseph's hand, to bestow on others and feed mankind (Ps. 105:21). He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his substance. And particularly Joseph received these stores and treasures to bestow on his injurious brethren, that had been mortal enemies to him, which is agreeable to what is said of the Messiah's exaltation. Ps. 68:18, "Thou hast ascended on high … thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also."
When Pharaoh exalted Joseph, he gave him his wife. So the Messiah's marriage with his church is represented as following his humiliation and attending his exaltation in Is. 53 and 54. Joseph marries the daughter of Potipherah [Gen. 41:45], which signifies "destroyer of fatness," a word of the same signification with some of the names given in Scripture to the devil. This Potipherah was priest of On, which signifies "iniquity," or "sorrow." So the prophecies do represent the Messiah as bringing his church into espousals with himself from a state of sin and wickedness. Jer. 3:14, "Turn, O backsliding children, unto me; for I am married unto you"; and Hos. 2, throughout; Ps. 45:10, compared with Ezek. 16:3, 6, 8, "Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother [an] Hittite.… When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thy blood … behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee … and entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine." And the prophecies do everywhere represent the Messiah as bringing his people into a blessed relation and union with himself from a state of sin.
Joseph's wife's name was "Asenath," which signifies "an unfortunate thing." Agreeable to this, the Messiah is represented as espousing, after his exaltation, a poor, unhappy, afflicted, disconsolate creature. Is. 54:4–6, "Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thy husband … For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused." V. 11, "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires." Hos. 2:9–16, "I will return, and take away my corn … none shall deliver out of my hand.… I will destroy her vines and her fig trees … I will visit upon her the days of Baalim … I will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.… And at that day, she shall call me Ishi." Vv. 19–20, "And I will betroth thee unto me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the Lord." Is. 62:4–5, "Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land be any more termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.… And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee."
Joseph's brethren are in great trouble and perplexity, and are brought to reflect on themselves for their sins and deeply to humble themselves before him, before Joseph speaks comfortably to them and makes known his love and favor to them, and receives them to the blessings and glory of his kingdom. This is agreeable to what the prophecies do often represent of the Messiah with respect to sinners. Hos. 2:14–15, "I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence … and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt." (See also Jer. 3:12–13, 21–22; ch. 31:18–20.)
Joseph's brethren, before they were comforted and made happy by him, are brought to cry with the greatest humility and earnestness and penitence for their abuse to Joseph, to him for mercy, agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah. Zech. 12:10–11, "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon." Hos. 5:15, "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they shall seek me early." Ezek. 36:37, "I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them." Jer. 29:12–14, "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity."
When once Joseph's brethren were thoroughly humbled, then his bowels yearned towards them with exceeding great compassion and tenderness of heart, though before he treated them as if he was very angry with them. See, agreeable to this, Jer. 31:18–20, "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after 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. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he 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." Joseph perfectly forgives all their past ill treatment; he blots it out, as though it had never been, and will have it remembered no more (Gen. 45:5–8 and 50:19–21). This is agreeable to what is often spoken of in the prophecies as a great benefit God's people shall have by the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §79 and §86.)
The manner of Joseph's comforting his brothers, and in the manifestations and fruits of his special and peculiar love; his bringing them near to him, making known himself to them as theirs in a near relation; his treating them with such great tenderness; his embracing them; his manifesting so great a concern for their welfare; his putting such honor upon them before the Egyptians; his entertaining them with a sumptuous, joyful feast in his house and at his own table; his clothing them with change of raiment; his bringing them into his own land and there giving them a goodly inheritance, plentifully providing for them in Goshen, a land of light: all is remarkably agreeable to the descriptions given in the prophecies of the manner of God's comforting, blessing, exalting and manifesting his great favor to his church, after her long-continued sin and sorrows in the days of the Messiah's kingdom, in places too many to be enumerated.
Joseph's brethren at this time are like them that dream (Gen. 45:3–15), which is agreeable to what is said of the church of God when delivered and comforted by the Messiah. Ps. 126:1, "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream."
There is joy in Pharaoh's court among his servants and nobles on the occasion of Joseph's reception of his brethren (Gen. 45:16). Answering to this is Is. 44:22–23, "I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it." And ch. 49:13, "Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth … for the Lord hath comforted his people." And Ps. 148:4, "Praise him, ye heaven of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens"; with vv. 13–14, "Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people."
The remarkable agreement between many things in the history of Moses and the prophecies of the Messiah, argue the former to be a type of the latter. Moses was God's elect. Ps. 106:23, "Had not Moses his chosen stood before him." In his being so wonderfully preserved and upheld by God when in great danger, preserved in the midst of many waters, when he was cast into the river. Moses was drawn out of the water when a babe. (Compare Ps. 69 and Is. 53:2.) He was preserved in his banishment, preserved and delivered from the wrath of the king of Egypt, when he from time to time went to him with messages that so much provoked him; preserved at the Red Sea, in the wilderness, and in the midst of that perverse, invidious congregation, and delivered from the strivings of the people. This is agreeable to many things said in the prophecies of the Messiah.
Moses was twice delivered out of great waters, when he was designed by his enemies for death: once in his being drawn out of the river, and another time in rising out of the Red Sea. This is agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah's sufferings and death, and his rising from them. Misery and wrath and sore affliction are often in Scripture compared to great waters, to waves and billows and great deeps, and the like; and the Messiah's sufferings in particular, as Ps. 69:1–3, 14–15, and his deliverance out of those sufferings, is represented as being delivered out of great waters (Ps. 69:14–15). The region of the dominion of death and destruction is represented as being down under the waters (Job 25:5–6). These deliverances of Moses, therefore, are agreeable to the prophecies of Christ's resurrection.
Moses was not only delivered from his troubles and danger, but his deliverances were followed with great exaltation, resembling the exaltation of the Messiah that the prophecies speak of. After he was drawn out of the water, he was exalted in the king's palace as his son and heir. After his banishment he converses with God in Mount Sinai, a resemblance of heaven, and is made king over God's church. In about forty days after his resurrection out of the Red Sea, he ascends up to God in Mount Sinai.
The things that are said of the burning bush do wonderfully agree with the Old Testament representations of the Messiah. It was not a high tree, but a bush, as the Messiah is called "the low tree" (Ezek. 17:24), and elsewhere "the twig" and "the tender plant" [Ezek. 17:22, Is. 53:2]. This bush was a root out of a dry ground, for it was a bush that grew in Mt. Horeb, which was so called for the remarkable dryness of the place. The word signifies "dryness"; there was no spring about the mountain till Moses there fetched water of the dry rock. It was in a thirsty wilderness, where was wont to be no rain. Therefore the children of Israel in that wilderness were supplied with water only miraculously. Hos. 13:5, "I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought." (See Deut. 8:15.)
That bush was the growth of the earth, as the human nature of Christ in the Old Testament is represented to be. Yet it had the divine nature of Christ in it, for this angel of the Lord that is said to appear in the bush has been proved to be the same with the Messiah from the Old Testament in my discourse on "The Prophecies of the Messiah." This angel is said to dwell in this bush (Deut. 33:16), the more to represent the divine nature of the Messiah dwelling in the human nature.
This bush burnt with fire, agreeable to what the prophecies speak of the sufferings of Christ. Great calamity and affliction in the Old Testament are often called "fire." This was especially a resemblance of the wrath of God, that is often called "fire" in the Old Testament, and which the prophecies represent the Messiah as enduring. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §70.)
The bush was preserved from being consumed, though it burnt with fire, agreeable to the prophecies of the preservation and upholding of the Messiah: God's not suffering his Holy One to see corruption, etc. [Ps. 16:10]. The bush emerged alive and fresh out of the fire, agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah's resurrection from the dead and deliverance from all his sufferings. The angel that dwelt out of that bush, who was the Messiah, comes out of the fire and appears in the bush, and [is] delivered alive from the flames to work redemption for his people. (See Ex. 3:8.) So the prophecies represent the Messiah rising from the dead and exalted out of his state of humiliation to work salvation for his people.
If we consider the remarkable agreement there is between the account Moses gives of the brazen serpent (Num. 21) and the representation the Prophet makes of the Messiah, we shall see good reason to think that the former was intended to be a type of the latter. Doubtless God's appointing that way for the healing of those that were bitten with fiery serpents, by making an image of those fiery serpents and putting it on a pole, had some significancy. It was not wholly an insignificant appointment. There was doubtless some important thing that God aimed at in it. It was not an appointment without any aim or any instruction contained in it, as it seems as though it must be unless some important spiritual thing was represented and exhibited by it. And whoever considers the remarkable agreement between this appointment and its circumstances, and the things spoken concerning the Messiah, will see reason to conclude that these are doubtless the things signified and pointed forth by it.
That sin, misery and death that the Messiah is represented as coming to save us from, is represented in the Old Testament as being from a serpent. (See Gen. 3:1–6 and [vv.] 15 and 20.) The Messiah is represented as saving from all hurt by the most poisonous serpents (Is. 11:8–9 and 65:25). Sin, our spiritual disease, is in the Old Testament compared to the poison of the serpent (Deut. 32:33, Ps. 58:4 and 140:3).
The brazen serpent is called "a fiery serpent" (Num. 21:8), because it was in the image of the fiery serpents. So the prophets represent the Messiah as set forth as a sinner, appearing in the form of sinners, and of a great sinner. Is. 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath made the iniquities of us all to meet in him" (for so it is in the Hebrew). V. 9, "He made his grave with the wicked." V. 12, "He was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many." He was treated as the greatest of sinners. The Messiah being set forth in the form of a great sinner, he was as it were exhibited in the form of a very venomous serpent, according to the manner of representing things in the Old Testament: for there great sinners are represented as poisonous serpents. Ps. 58:3–4, "The wicked are estranged from the womb: Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth up her ear." Ps. 140:3, "They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips."
In order to the Israelites' being saved from death through the poison of the fiery serpents, the brazen serpent was set up as an ensign to the congregation or army of Israel. For the word translated "pole," signifies "ensign," which is the much more proper English of the word. This is in exact agreeableness to the prophecies of the Messiah. Is. 11:10, "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign to the people." Here the word translated "ensign" is the very same with the word translated "pole" in the twenty-first [chapter] of Numbers. The brazen serpent was set up as an ensign that it might be exhibited to public view, and the diseased are called upon to look upon it, or behold it. Thus in the prophecies men are from time to time called upon to behold the Messiah. Is. 40:9, "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!" (We may well suppose that when the brazen serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, there was proclamation made by heralds to that vast congregation, calling upon them to look on that.) Is. 65:1, "I said, Behold me, behold me, to a nation that was not called by my name." Ch. 62:10–11, "Lift up a standard for the people. Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed to the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him." Zech. 9:9–12, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation … And he shall speak peace unto the heathen … By the blood of thy covenant, I will send forth thy prisoners … Turn ye to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render unto thee." Is. 52:7–8, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion."
The way that the people were saved by the brazen serpent was by looking to it, beholding it, as seeking and expecting salvation from it, as an ensign saves an army by the soldiers looking on it and keeping it in their view. Agreeable to this, it is said concerning the Messiah, Is. 11:10, "There shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek." And Is. 45:22, "Look to me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." And faith and trust in the Messiah for salvation is often spoken of in the prophecies as the great condition of salvation through him. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §101.) The Chaldee paraphrasts looked on the brazen serpent as a type of the Messiah and gave it the name of the Word (Basnage's History of the Jews, p. 367.)
The great agreement there is between the history of Joshua and the things said of him in Scripture, and things said of the Messiah in the Old Testament, strongly argues Joshua to be a type of the Messiah. There is a great agreement between the names by which he is called in Scripture and the names and things attributed to the Messiah in the Old Testament. His first name was Oshea (Num. 13:8, 16), which signifies "savior." So the Messiah is called by the same name, a savior. Is. 19:20, "He shall send them a savior, and a great one." The word is of the same root with "Oshea." So again the Messiah is called "a savior" (Is. 43:3, 11; Hos. 13:4, 9–10; Obad. 21 and other places). So he is called salvation. Is. 62:11, "Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him." And this name is agreeable to what is abundantly spoken of in the Prophets as the great work and office of the Messiah, which is to be a savior and redeemer, and to work out the greatest and most eminent salvation for God's people that ever was or will be; that which is therefore often called the salvation. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §21.) This name Oshea was by Moses changed into Jehoshua. Num. 13:16, "And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua," i. e. the Lord the Savior or Jehovah our Savior; which makes his name still more agreeable to the name and nature of the Messiah. And it is difficult to assign any other reason why Moses thus changed his name by the direction of the Spirit of God, but that it might be so. This is agreeable to those names by which the Messiah is called in the Prophets: Immanuel, "God with us," and Jehovah, our righteousness [Is. 7:14, Is. 12:2]. So Joshua is called the shepherd, the stone of Israel (Gen. 49:24), agreeable to names by which the Messiah is often called by in the Prophets.
Joshua's names being the same with the Messiah's and agreeable to his office, make it the more probable that it was that he might be a type of the Messiah, because it was frequently God's manner to presignify future things by the signification of names, as is evident in many instances. Joshua was God's elect; he was called to his office and exalted to his high dignity by God's election and special designation, agreeable to what is said of the Messiah in the Prophets. He resembled the Messiah in things spoken of him by the prophets in many things wherein Moses did so, particularly in near access to God in mount Sinai and in the tabernacle (Ex. 33:11 and 24:13 and 33:17). (See how Moses in these things resembled the Messiah in my discourse on "The Prophecies of the Messiah.")
Joshua was a man in whom was the Spirit in an eminent manner. Num. 27:18, "Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit," agreeable to what is often said of the Messiah in the Prophets. (See "Prophecies of the Messiah.") 'Tis said of Joshua that he was "full of the spirit of wisdom" (Deut. 34:9), agreeable to many prophecies of the Messiah. (See p. 232 of this discourse.)
Joshua was both a king and a prophet. (See Num. 27:18, and Deut. 34:9 and Josh. 23–24.) Herein he is like the Messiah. (See "Prophecies of the Messiah.")
Joshua was the captain of the host of Israel, that fought their battles for them and subdued their [enemies], though many and mighty. He was their captain in their war with Amalek and, as we may suppose, the other enemies of Israel that they encountered in the wilderness. And he conquered the numerous and mighty enemies in Canaan, agreeable to what is represented of the Messiah everywhere by the prophets. He came up out of Jordan (when it was swelled with a great flood) into Canaan, as the Messiah is spoken of by the prophets as coming up out of great affliction, terrible sufferings and death, into heaven, a land of rest and great delight. (See concerning Moses' coming up out of the Red Sea, pp. 237–38.) Great sufferings are in the Old Testament represented by the swelling of the Jordan (Jer. 12:5).
Joshua brought the children of Israel out of the wilderness and out of Bashan, and out of great waters, into Canaan, a land of rest flowing with milk and honey; agreeable to Ps. 68:22, "The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea." And Is. 11:10, "There shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people, and his rest shall be glorious." Hos. 2:14–15, "I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her. And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt." And agreeable to many prophecies that represent the salvation of the Messiah as a bringing God's people into a state of liberty, rest and joy in Canaan, out of a state of bondage and great affliction in foreign lands; comparing of it to God's first bringing his people through the wilderness into Canaan, which were observed before. And agreeable to many prophecies which speak of God's people as delivered from great misery and brought into happy circumstances by the Messiah, and as therein partaking with the Messiah in his deliverance from his sufferings and advancement to a state of rest and glory. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 90.)7
Joshua, in going before the children of Israel as the captain of the Lord's host and bringing them into the land of Canaan, did that which is spoken of in the books of Moses and Joshua themselves as the office of that angel of God's presence, who (as I have shown is evident by the Old Testament) was the same person with the Messiah. Ex. 23:20, "Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared." V. 23, "For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off." Ch. 33:14, "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Josh. 5:14, "Nay; but as the captain of the Lord's host am I now come."
Joshua was a most glorious conqueror, as the Messiah is everywhere represented to be in the prophecies. Joshua entered Canaan, conquered his enemies and brought in his people to their rest and inheritance by his righteousness, or strict obedience to God's commands. Josh. 1:2–8,
Go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give them … Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, … From the wilderness and this Lebanon unto the great river, the river Euphrates … There shall not a man be able to stand before thee … unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe and do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand nor to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and thou shalt have good success.
(See how this agrees with the prophecies of the Messiah, "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §27, §82–83, together with §88–89.)
God promised that he would be with Joshua and would uphold him and not fail him till he had complete victory over all his enemies, agreeable to what is said of the Messiah, Is. 42:1–4, "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold … The smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles wait for his law." V. 6, "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness; I will hold thine hand; I will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles." Ch. 49:2, "He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he held me, and made me as a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me." Vv. 7–8, "Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful.… In a day of salvation have I helped thee, and I will preserve thee and give thee for a covenant of the people." Ps. 89:20–24, "I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established; mine arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted." And many other places.
And agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah, God made his enemies his footstool. Josh. 1:3–5, "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." With ch. 10:24, "Put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them." Joshua, agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah, was an intercessor for his people (Josh. 10). (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §96.)
The high walls of God's enemies came down before Joshua, agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah, Is. 25:12, "And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust." Ch. 26:5, "For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust." Ch. 30:25, "In the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall."
Joshua destroyed the giants (Josh. 11:21). Agreeable to this, see Is. 45:14, "The Sabeans, the men of stature, shall come over to thee … in chains shall they come over, and they shall fall down unto thee." Is. 10:33, "And the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled." This seems to be connected with the prophecy in the beginning of the next chapter, in the next verse but one [Is. 11:1].
God assisted Joshua in battle by destroying his enemies by great hailstones out of heaven. (See, agreeable to this, Is. 30:30 and 32:19, Ezek. 38:22.) Joshua conquered many kings. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 163.) Joshua made Israel to trample their haughtiest and strongest enemies under their feet (Josh. 10:24). (See, agreeable to this, Is. 26:6, ch. 49:23, Zech. 10:5, Ps. 68:23, Mic. 7:10, Ps. 47:3, Is. 60:14, Ps. 58:10.)
Joshua did as it were make the sun stand still over Israel, agreeable to those prophecies of the times of the Messiah's kingdom (Is. 60:20, Zech. 14:6–7).
Joshua houghed the horses and burnt the chariots of the enemies of God's people in the fire (Josh. 11:6, 9). Hag. 2:22, "And I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down." Ps. 46:9, "He maketh wars to cease to the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire."
Joshua divided unto Israel their inheritance, as one that God had appointed to be judge, what portion belonged to every [tribe]. (See in the prophecies of the Messiah that which is agreeable to this, "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 172.)
There is also such an agreement between what is said of Israel's victory over the Canaanites under Deborah and what is said in the prophecies of the church's victory over her enemies in the Messiah's times, as argues the former to be a type of the latter. The Canaanites were exceeding strong, and God's people very feeble and defenseless, having no weapons of war, and were mightily oppressed by their enemies. So are things represented between God's people and their enemies, before their glorious victory and deliverance under the Messiah, in places too many to be enumerated.
This victory was obtained by a female. So the war under the Messiah against God's enemies is spoken of as maintained by the church, and the glorious victory obtained over them by her, who is spoken [of] almost everywhere in the prophecies as a woman or female, and is represented sometimes as such in prophecies of her battle and victory over her enemies. Mic. 4:13, "Arise, thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people." Cant. 6:13, "What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies." Cant. 1:9, "I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots." Ch. 6:4, "Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners." V. 10, "Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?" And Deborah's being a prophetess well agrees with the church's being endowed with such abundant measures of the Spirit of God at that time of the church's glorious victory over her enemies, and all her members becoming as it were prophets, agreeable to the prophecies. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 118.)
The assistance given by Jael, another woman, the wife of Heber the Kenite, a Gentile, who slew Sisera the captain of the host, and so is said to be blessed among women, well represents the assistance of the Gentile church in the victory over God's enemies in the Messiah's days. Deborah tells Barak, the Lord is "gone out before thee" [Judg. 4:14]; which is agreeable to Is. 42:13, "The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy as a man of war; he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies." And many other places in the prophecies.
The work of God in this victory of Israel is spoken of as parallel with those things that are represented in expressions very much like those used in the prophecies to represent what shall come to pass in the time of the church's victory over her enemies under the Messiah, such as going out of Seir; his marching out of the field of Edom; and the earth's trembling, and heaven's as it were dissolving and dropping, and mountain's melting (Judg. 5:4–5). (See Is. 34:4–6, and 24:18–21, and 63:1–6 and 64:1–4.) The work of God in this victory is compared to God's great work towards Israel at their coming out of Egypt and in the wilderness, just as the glorious victory of the Messiah is in the sixty-eighth psalm, almost in the same words (compare Judg. 5:4–5 with Ps. 68:7–8); which is a clear evidence that this victory is a great image of that, for those things that agree in a third thing agree among themselves. It is manifest there was a plentiful shower at the time of that victory that swelled the brook Kishon, as is manifest from Judg. 5:4 and vv. 20–21. So at the time of the great victory of the church over her enemies under the Messiah, there will be an abundant outpouring of the Spirit, which is often represented in the Prophets as a plentiful and very [great] shower of rain. And these spiritual showers are in the sixty-eighth psalm compared to the very same showers on Israel that this is. So the effects produced in the time of the Messiah's victories are compared to the mountain's melting in Is. 64:1–4, as the effect of this victory is (Judg. 5:5), and both [are] compared to the same effects at mount Sinai. Barak on this occasion is called upon to lead captivity captive (Judg. 5:12), in the very same expressions that are used concerning the Messiah, concerning his triumph over his enemies (Ps. 68:18). 'Tis a remnant of Israel that is spoken of as having the benefit of this salvation (Judg. 5:13), as 'tis a remnant that is often spoken of as having the benefit of the Messiah's salvation (Is. 4:3, ch. 17:3, ch. 10:21–22 and 11:11, 16; Jer. 23:3; Joel 2:32; Mic. 2:12, and 4:7, and 5:3, 7–8 and 7:18; Zeph. 3:13; Zech. 8:12).
'Tis said of the remnant of Israel in Deborah's time, Judg. 5:13, "Then he made him that remaineth to have dominion over the nobles among the people: the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty"; agreeable to the honor of the saints in the Messiah's times, spoken of, Ps. 149:6–9, "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; To execute vengeance upon the heathen … To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all the saints." And what is said (Is. 49:23) of kings licking up the dust of the church's feet. The angels of heaven are represented as fighting in this battle, as Judg. 5:20, as they are in the battle of God's people under the Messiah. Ps. 68:17, "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels." Cant. 6:13, "The company of two armies," compared with Gen. 32:1–2. The enemies of Israel in Deborah's battle were swept away with a flood (Judg. 5:21). (See Dan. 9:26, Ezek. 38:22, Is. 28:17.) The church on occasion of Deborah's victory triumphs thus: "O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength" [Judg. 5:21]. This is agreeable to Is. 26:7, ch. 49:23; Zech. 10:5; Ps. 68:23; Mic. 7:10; Ps. 47:3 and 110:1; Is. 60:14; Ps. 58:10.
The great agreement there also is between the story of Gideon's victory over the Midianites and things spoken of the prophecies concerning the Messiah, is an argument that the former is typical of the latter. Gideon brought Israel out of the wilderness and from the caves, rocks and mountains where they had had their abode (Judg. 6:2). This agrees with Ps. 68:22, "The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan." And 89:12, "Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name." Hos. 2:14, "I will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." Ezek. 20:35, 37, "I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you … I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." Is. 42:11, "Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice … let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains." Cant. 2:14, "O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock … let me see thy face." And Jer. 16:16, "I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks"; taken with the two foregoing verses, and vv. 19–21 following. Is. 42:7, "To bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." Vv. 22, 24–25, 43:1, "This is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.… Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers?… He hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle … But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob … Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." Compare this with Judg. 6:2, 4–6, "The children of Israel made them dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds.… And they destroyed the increase of the earth, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.… And Israel was greatly impoverished."
God, agreeable to some of these and other prophecies of the times of the Messiah, first pleaded with Israel concerning their sin and brought 'em to cry earnestly to him before he delivered them by Gideon (Judg. 6:6–10). God did not send 'em deliverance till they were brought to extremity, agreeable to Deut. 32:36–37 and many other prophecies.
The enemies of Israel that sought their destruction, that Gideon overcame, were an innumerable multitude, and many nations associated and combined together, agreeable to many prophecies of the victory and salvation of the Messiah. Gideon was appointed to the office of a savior and deliverer of God's people by the sovereign election and special designation of God, agreeable to many prophecies of the Messiah. He was endued with might, and upheld and strengthened immediately from God, and by the Spirit of God and the spirit of might resting upon him (Judg. 6:14, 16, 34), agreeable to many prophecies of the Messiah. Gideon was as it were a root [out] of a dry ground, of a poor family and the least in his father's house; a low tree, without form or comeliness (Judg. 6:15), agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah.
Gideon was not only the captain of the host of Israel, but was immediately appointed of God to be a priest to build the altar of God and to offer sacrifice to God, to make atonement for that iniquity of Israel that had brought that sore judgment upon 'em, that he came to deliver 'em from (Judg. 6:20–21, 24, 26–28). And he offered a sacrifice acceptable unto God, and that God gave special testimony of his acceptance of by consuming his sacrifice by fire immediately enkindled from heaven (v. 21). And his sacrifice procured reconciliation and peace for Israel (v. 24). These things are exactly agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah. Gideon destroyed idols, abolished their worship, threw down their altars and set up the worship of the true God. (See things agreeable to this in the prophecies of the Messiah, in "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §134–35 and § 153.)
At this time that Gideon overthrew idols and their worship, those idols and their worshippers were solemnly challenged to plead and make good their own cause (Judg. 6:31–33), agreeable to Is. 41:1–7 and [vv.] 21–29. Gideon drank of the brook in the way and was so prepared for the battle, and obtained a glorious conquest over kings and the heads of many countries, and filled the places with the dead bodies; agreeable to Ps. 110:5–7, "The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head."
The company with Gideon was a small remnant that was left after most of the people departed. So is the company represented that shall obtain victory over their enemies in the Messiah's times. Is. 10:20–26, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel … shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.… For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant shall return … Therefore thus saith the Lord, O my people … be not afraid of the Assyrian … For … the Lord shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian." Mic. 5:8–9, "And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forests, a young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver. Thine hand shall be lift up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off."
Gideon's company, with which he overcame his mighty enemies, was not only small but weak, and without weapons of war; agreeable to this is Is. 41:14–16, "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men" (or "few men," as it is in the margin) "of Israel; I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel." And Mic. 4:7, "I will make her that halteth a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation," with v. 13, "Arise, thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thine hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth." Zeph. 3:12, "I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." Vv. 16–17, "In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack," or "faint" (as it is in the margin). "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." V. 19, "Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame."
The representation of a cake of barley bread tumbling into the host of Midian, and coming unto a tent, and smiting it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along, signifying Gideon's destroying the host of Midian (Judg. 7:13), is not unlike that in Dan. 2:35 of a stone cut out of the mountains without hands, smiting the image and breaking it all in pieces, that it all became as the chaff of the summer threshing floor.
Gideon and his company overcame and destroyed the mighty host of their enemies without any other weapons than trumpets and lamps. This is agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah, which show that the weapons by which he should ovecome his enemies should not be carnal but spiritual, and particularly that it should be by the preaching of the Word. Ps. 110:2, "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies"; together with Is. 11:4, "He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked." Is. 49:2, "And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword."
The Word of God is in the Old Testament compared to a lamp and a light. Prov. 6:23, "For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is a light." Ps. 119:105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." And particularly it is so represented in the prophecies of the Messiah's times. Is. 51:4, "A law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people."
So preaching the Word in the Old Testament is compared to blowing a trumpet. Is. 58:1, "Lift up thy voice like a trumpet, show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." Ezek. 33:2–6, "If the people … take a man … and set him for their watchman: If he … blow the trumpet, and warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand." Particularly is it so represented in the prophecies of the Messiah's times. Is. 27:13, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come that were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem." Ps. 89:15, "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance."
God destroyed the host of Midian by setting every man's sword against his fellow. Agreeable to this is Hag. 2:22, "And the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother." Ezek. 38:21, "Every man's sword shall be against his brother."
Gideon led captivity captive, agreeable to Ps. 68. He led those kings and princes in chains that before had taken them captives in chains, agreeable to Ps. 149:7–9, "To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; To bind their kings in chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all the saints."
There is no less remarkable agreement between the things said of Samson in his history and the things said of the Messiah in the prophecies of him. His name, Samson, signifies little sun, well agreeing with a type of the Messiah, that great Sun of Righteousness so often compared in the prophecies to the sun. The antitype is far greater than the type, as being its end. Therefore when the type is called by the name of the antitype, 'tis fitly with a diminutive termination. Samson and other saviors under the Old Testament, that were types of the great Savior, were but little saviors. The prophets, priests, kings, captains and deliverers of the Old Testament were indeed images of that great light of the church and the world that was to follow. But they were but images; they were little lights that shone during the night. But when Christ came, the great light arose and introduced the day. Samson's birth was miraculous; it was a great wonder in his case that a woman should compass a man, as the prophecies represent it to be in the case of the birth of the Messiah. Samson was raised up to be a savior to God's people from their enemies, agreeable to prophetical representations of the Messiah. Samson was appointed to this great work by God's special election and designation, and that in an eminent and extraordinary way, agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah.
Samson was a Nazarite from the womb. The word Nazarite signifies "separated." This denotes holiness and purity. The Nazarite was, with very great and extraordinary care and strictness indeed, to abstain from the least legal defilement, as appears by Num. 6; and the reason is given in the eighth verse, "All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord." And with the utmost strictness he was to abstain from wine and strong drink and everything that appertained in any respect to the fruit of the vine, wine being the liquor that was especially the object of the carnal appetites of men. And he was to suffer no razor to come upon [his] head, any way to alter what he was by nature, because that would defile it, as the lifting up a tool to hew the stones of the altar would defile it. The design of these institutions concerning the Nazarite, about his hair and about wine, is declared, Num. 6:5, "He shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair grow." This sanctity of the Nazarite, representing a perfect holiness both negative and positive, is spoken of in Lam. 4:7, "Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire." Therefore Samson's being a Nazarite from the womb remarkably represents that perfect innocence and purity and transcendent holiness of nature and life in the Messiah, which the prophecies often speak of. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies of the Messiah" §27.)
The great things that Samson wrought for the deliverance of Israel and the overthrow of their enemies was not by any natural strength of his, [but] by the special influence and extraordinary assistance of the Spirit of God (Judg. 13:25, and 14:6, 19, and 15:14 and 16:20); agreeable to many prophecies I have already observed of the Messiah's being anointed and filled with God's Spirit, and being upheld and helped and strengthened and succeeded by God.
Samson married a Philistine, and all the women that he loved were of that people that were his great enemies, agreeable to those prophecies that represent the Messiah as marrying an alien from the commonwealth of Israel, as Ps. 45; and his marrying one that was a daughter of the accursed people of Canaan (Ezek. 16:3 and 8–14, together with the latter end of the chapter); and the many prophecies that speak of Christ's calling the Gentiles and his saving sinners.
Samson was a person of exceeding great strength. Herein he is like the Messiah, as he is represented, Ps. 89:19, "I have laid help on one that is mighty." Ps. 45:3, "Gird thy sword on thy thigh, O most mighty, in thy glory and in thy majesty." Is. 63:1, "Who is this … travelling in the greatness of his strength?"
When Samson was going to take his wife, a young lion roared against him. So the enemy of the Messiah and his people is compared to a lion roaring upon him, gaping with his mouth ready to devour him. Ps. 22:13, "They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion." V. 21, "Save me from the lion's mouth." Samson rent the lion as the lion would have rent the kid, which is agreeable to the prophecies which represent the Messiah destroying his enemies as a strong lion devouring his prey (Gen. 49:9–33). And the prophecies that speak of his punishing Leviathan with his great and sore and strong sword, his mightily and dreadfully destroying his enemies, treading them down as the mire, treading them in his anger and trampling them in his fury, sprinkling his raiment with their blood, etc. Samson is fed with honey out of the carcass of the lion, which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the glorious benefits of the Messiah's conquest over his enemies, to himself and his people, his own ascension and glory and kingdom and the glory of this people. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies of the Messiah" §88–89, §92, §98.)
Samson made a feast on occasion of his marriage, which is agreeable to Is. 25:6, "And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all the people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined." Is. 65:13–14, "My servants shall eat … my servants shall drink, … my servants shall rejoice … my servants shall sing for joy of heart." And innumerable prophecies that speak of the great plenty and joy of God's people in the Messiah's times, and this accompanying the Messiah's marriage with his spiritual spouse. (See Is. 62:4–5 and vv. 7–9, and Hos 2:19–22, and Cant. 2:4 and 5:1.)
When Samson visited his wife with a kid and would have had conjugal conversation with her, he was refused, and her younger sister, that was fairer than she, given to him (Judg. 15:2); which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the Messiah's coming to the Jews first, when he was offered up as a lamb or kid, making the first offer of the glorious benefits of his sacrifice to them and their rejecting to him, and the calling of the Gentiles, and the more glorious and beautiful state of the Gentile church than of the ancient Jewish church. (See various parts of my discourse on "The Fulfillment of Prophecies of the Messiah.")6
In Judg. 16:1–2, we have an account how Samson loved an harlot, and from his love to her exposed himself to be compassed round by his enemies. So the prophecies represent the Messiah as loving an harlot (Hos. 1:2, 7, 10–11, ch. 2:2, 5, 14–23, and ch. 3, throughout; and Ezek. 16, throughout; Jer. 3:14, with the preceding part of the chapter; Jer. 30:14, 16–22, with ch. 31:3–4; Jer 31:22–25), and represent his love to a sinful people, and from love seeking such a people to be his spouse, as that which occasions his suffering from his enemies (Is. 53, taken with the following chapter).
Samson, while his enemies are compassing him round to destroy him, rises from sleep and from midnight darkness and takes away the strength and fortifications of the city of his enemies, the gate of the city which his enemies shut and barred fast upon him to confine him, and the two posts, bar and all, and put them on his shoulders and carried [them] up to the top of an hill (Judg. 16:3). So the prophecies represent the Messiah, when compassed round by his enemies, rising from the sleep of death and emerging out of the thick darkness of his sorrows and sufferings, spoiling his enemies, and ascending into heaven and leading captivity captive. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies of the Messiah.")
Samson was betrayed and sold by Delilah, his false spouse or companion. So the prophecies do represent the Messiah as sold by his false and treacherous people. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §51, §59.)
Samson was delivered up into the hands of his enemies and was mocked and derided and very cruelly treated by them, agreeable to what is foretold of the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §50–51, 53, 55.)
Samson died partly through the cruelty and murderous malice of his enemies, and partly from his own act, agreeable to what is foretold of the Messiah. (Vid. ibid. §51, 58–59 and §72.)
Samson at his death destroyed his enemies, and the destruction he made of his enemies was chiefly at his death; which is agreeable to Is. 53:10–12 and Ps. 68:18, compared with the texts mentioned ("Fulfillment of Prophecies" §87–89).
Samson overthrew the temple of Dagon, which is agreeable to what the prophecies say of the Messiah's overthrowing idols and idol worship in the world. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §134–35 and §153.)
Samson destroyed his enemies suddenly in the midst of their triumph over him, so that their insulting him in the prospect of his destruction instantly issues in their own destruction, agreeable to Is. 29:5–8.
There is yet a more remarkable, manifest and manifold agreement between the things said of David in his history and the things said of the Messiah in the prophecies. His name, David, signifies beloved, as the prophecies do represent the Messiah as in a peculiar and transcendent manner the beloved of God. David was God's elect in an eminent manner. Saul was the king whom the people chose (1 Sam. 8:18 and 12:13). But David was the king whom God chose, one whom he found and pitched upon according to his own mind, without any concern of man in the affair and contrary to what men would have chosen. When Jesse caused all his elder sons to pass before Samuel, God said concerning one and another of them, "The Lord hath not chosen this, neither hath the Lord chosen this," etc. [1 Sam. 16:8–10]. See 1 Chron. 28:4: there David says, "The Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel." (See Ps. 78:67–70.) Ps. 89:3, "I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant"; agreeable to Is. 42:1, "Mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles," and 49:7, "And he shall choose thee." He was a king of God's finding and providing, and [God] speaks of him as his king. 1 Sam. 16:1, "I will send thee to Jesse … for I have provided me a king among his sons." 2 Sam. 22:51, "He is the tower of salvation for his king"; agreeable to Ps. 2:6, "I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion." He is spoken of as a man after God's own heart, and one in whom God delighted. 2 Sam. 22:20, "He delivered me, because he delighted in me"; agreeable to Is. 42:1, "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth."
David was in a very eminent manner God's anointed or messiah (as the word is), and is so spoken of. 2 Sam. 22:51, "He showeth mercy to his anointed, unto David." And 23:1, "David the son of Jesse … the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob." Ps. 89:19–20, "I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him." Samuel anointed him with peculiar solemnity (1 Sam. 16:13). (See how this agrees with the prophecies of the Messiah, "Prophecies of the Messiah" §91.)
David's anointing remarkably agrees with what the prophecies say of the anointing of the Messiah, who speak of it as a being anointed with the Spirit of God. So David was anointed with the Spirit of God at the same time that he was anointed with oil. 1 Sam. 16:13, "And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward." (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §32.)
David is spoken of as being a poor man, of a low family and in mean circumstances. 1 Sam. 18:23, "I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed." 2 Sam. 7:18, "Who am I? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?" Agreeable to this, it is said of the Messiah in the prophecies that he was a root out of a dry ground, that he was a low tree [Is. 52:3, Ezek. 17:24].
David is spoken of as an eminently holy person, a man after God's own heart. He is spoken of in the history of the kings of Judah as one whose heart was perfect with the Lord his God (1 Kgs. 11:4); one that went fully after the Lord (1 Kgs. 11:6); one that did that that was right in the eyes of the Lord (1 Kgs. 15:11, 2 Kgs. 18:3, 2 Chron. 28:1 and 29:2). He is spoken of as pure and upright [and] righteous; one that had clean hands; that kept the ways of the Lord and did not wickedly depart from God (2 Sam. 22:21–27). (See how this agrees with what is said in the prophecies of the Messiah, "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §27.)
David was the youngest son of Jesse, as the Messiah in the prophecies is spoken of as coming in the latter days. He has frequently the appellation of "God's servant." It would be endless to mention all the places; see 'em in the Concordance under the word Servant DAVID." So has the Messiah often this appellation in the prophecies (Is. 42:1, 19, and 49:3, 6, and 52:13 and 53:11; Zech. 3:8).
David's outward appearance was not such as would have recommended him to the esteem and choice of men as a person fit for rule and victory, but on the contrary such as tended to cause men to despise him as a candidate for such things. 1 Sam. 16:7, "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature … for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." 1 Sam. 17:42, "And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth." V. 56, "Inquire whose son this stripling is." Eliab, his elder brother, thought him fitter to [be] with the sheep than to come to the army (1 Sam. 17:28); agreeable to Is. 53:2, "He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." David appeared unexpectedly. Samuel expected a man of great stature, and appearing outwardly like a man of valor; and therefore when he saw Eliab, David's elder brother, that had such an appearance, he said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him" [1 Sam. 16:6]. His appearance was astonishing to Goliath and to Saul. So the prophecies represent the Messiah's appearance as unexpected and astonishing, being so mean. Is. 52:14, "Many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man."
But yet David was ruddy and of a fair countenance, and goodly to look to (1 Sam. 16:12 and 17:42); agreeable to Ps. 45:2, "Thou art fairer than the children of men." Cant. 5:10, "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousands."
He was anointed king after offering sacrifice (1 Sam. 16). So the prophecies represent the Messiah's exaltation to his kingdom, after he had by his sufferings offered up a sacrifice to atone for the sins of men. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §74–81 and §87–88.) David says of himself, 1 Chron. 28:4, "The Lord God of Israel chose me to be king over Israel forever." And God says to him, 2 Sam. 7:16, "And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever." (See how agreeable this is to the prophecies of the Messiah, "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §166).
David by occupation was a shepherd, and afterwards was made a shepherd to God's Israel. Ps. 78:70–71, "He chose David his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance." This is agreeable to many prophecies of the Messiah, who is often spoken of in them as the shepherd of God's people, and therein is expressly compared to David. Is. 40:11, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd." Is. 49:9–10, "They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, by the springs of water shall he guide them." Jer. 23:4–5, "And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them … I will raise up unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." Ezek. 34:23, "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and shall be their shepherd." Ezek. 37:24, "And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd." Cant. 1:7, "Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon."
David was of a humble, meek and merciful spirit (1 Sam. 18:23; 2 Sam. 6:21–22 and 7:18; 1 Sam. 24, throughout, and ch. 26 throughout; 2 Sam. 2:5, 21, and 4:9–12 and 7:18; 2 Sam. 22:26; and many places in the Psalms show the same spirit, too many to be mentioned). This is agreeable to what is said of the Messiah, Zech. 9:9, "He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." Is. 42:3, "A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth." Is. 40:11, "He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Is. 53:7, "He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth."
David was a person that was eminent for wisdom and prudence. 1 Sam. 16:18, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse … prudent in matters." And 18:5, "And David behaved himself wisely." V. 14, "And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways." V. 30, "David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul." Ps. 78:72, "He guided them by the skilfulness of his hands." This is agreeable to what is said of the Messiah (Is. 9:6, ch. 11:2–3 and 41:28–29 with 42:1, ch. 52:13, Zech. 3:7).
David is said to be "a mighty valiant man." 1 Sam. 16:18, "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse, a mighty valiant man." This is agreeable to Ps. 45:3, "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty." Is. 63:1, "Who is this travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save." And in this very thing the Messiah is compared to David. Ps. 89:19–20, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant."
David was a sweet musician, [and] was preferred as such to all that were to be found in Israel to relieve Saul in his melancholy. He is called "the sweet psalmist of Israel" (2 Sam. 23:1). He lead the whole church of Israel in their praises. He instituted the order of singers and musicians in the house of [God]. He delivered to the church the book of songs they were to use in their ordinary public worship. This is most agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah, which do everywhere represent that he should introduce the most pleasant, joyful, glorious state of the church, wherein they should abound in the praises of God, and the world [be] filled with sweet and joyful songs after sorrow and weeping; wherein songs should be heard from the utmost ends of the earth, and all nations should sing, and the mountains and trees of the field, and all creatures, sun, moon and stars, heaven and earth, should break forth into singing; and even the dead should awake and sing, and the lower parts of the earth should shout, and the tongue of the dumb should sing, and the dragons and all deeps; the barren, the prisoners, the desolate and mourners should sing; and that all nations should come and sing in the height of Zion: they should sing aloud and sing a new song or in a new manner, with music and praises excelling all that ever [had] been before. The particular texts are too many to enumerate.
The patriarch from whom Christ descends, for this reason [is] called "Judah," i. e. "praise," and the Messiah is represented as leading the church of God in their sweet and joyful songs. Ps. 22:22, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee." V. 25, "My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation." Ps. 69:30, 32, "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.… The humble shall see this, and be glad." V. 34, "Let the heaven and the earth praise him, the seas, and everything that moveth therein." (See also Ps. 138:1–5.) We read in Ps. 89:15 of the joyful sound that shall be at that time, and the day of the Messiah's kingdom is compared to the spring, the time of the singing of birds (Cant. 2).
David slew a lion and bear and delivered a lamb out of their mouths. So the enemies of the Messiah and his people are in the prophecies compared to a lion, as was observed before (p. 256). So the prophetical representations made of God's people, that are delivered by the Messiah, well agree with the symbol of a lamb. The prophecies represent 'em as feeble, poor and defenseless in them[selves], and as meek and harmless (Ps. 45:4, and 22:26, and 69:32, and 147:6 and 149:4; Is. 11:4 and 29:19 and 61:1).
David comes to the camp of Israel to save them from Goliath and the Philistines, just at a time when they were in special and immediate danger, when the host were going forth to the fight and shouted for the battle. So the Messiah in the prophecies is represented as appearing to save his people at the time of their extremity. So God appeared for the redemption of his people out of Egypt. But Balaam, prophesying of the redemption of the Messiah (Num. 23:23), says, "According to this time shall it be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!" This also is agreeable to that prophecy of the deliverance of God's people in the Messiah's times, Deut. 32:36, "The Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left." (See Ps. 14, and 53, and 21:11–12, and 46, and 58:7–11, and 60, and 118:10–29 and 138:7; Is. 8:9–22; ch. 9:1–7, and 25:4–5, and 26:16–21, and 28:21–22, and 29:5–8, and 30:27–30, and 31:4–5, and 40:28–31, and 41 throughout, and 42:1–4, and 51:7–23 and many other places.)
David was hated and envied by his brethren and misused by 'em when he came to 'em on a kind errand from his father, to bring them provision. Herein he resembled the Messiah, as Joseph did. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies," concerning the Jews' rejection of the Messiah.)
David kills Goliath, who in his huge stature, great strength, with his mighty army and exceeding pride, much resembled the devil, according to the representations of the devil in the prophecies of the Messiah's conquest and destruction of him, who is called "Leviathan" (Is. 27:1); which in the Old Testament is represented as an huge and terrible creature, of vast strength and impenetrable armor, disdaining the weapons and strength of his enemies, and the king over all the children of pride (Job 41).
David went against Goliath without carnal weapons. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 107.) David prevailed against Goliath with a sling and a stone, which is agreeable to Zech. 9:15, "The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones."
David, when going against Goliath, took strength out of the brook in the way; agreeable to that concerning the Messiah, Ps. 110:6–7, "He shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head."
David cut off the head of the Philistine with his own sword. So it may be clearly gathered from what the prophecies say of the Messiah's suffering, and that from the cruelty of his enemies, and the consequence of them with respect to his exaltation and victory over his enemies, that the Messiah shall destroy Satan with his own weapons. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §97, and the context of the texts there referred to.) David carried the head of Goliath to Jerusalem, which is agreeable to what is foretold of the Messiah. Ps. 68:18, "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive," together with the context.
David put Goliath's armor in his tent, which is agreeable to Ps. 76:2–3, "In Salem is his tabernacle" (or "tent"), "and his dwelling place in Zion. There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, the sword, and the battle."
When Saul saw David returning from his victory, [he] says over and over with great admiration concerning him, "Whose son is this youth?" (1 Sam. 17:55), "Inquire whose son this stripling is" (v. 56), "Whose son art thou?" (v. 58); agreeable to Ps. 24:8, "Who is this king of glory?" Again v. 10, and Is. 63:1, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength?" The daughters of Israel went forth to meet King David and sang praises to him when he returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, agreeable to Ps. 24, and 68 and many other places.
David obtained his wife by exposing his life in battle with the Philistines and in destroying them, agreeable to what is prophesied of the Messiah's sufferings and death, his conflict with and victory over his enemies, and his redemption of his church by this means, and the consequent joy of espousals with the church.
David was a great savior. He saved Israel from Goliath and the Philistines, and from all their enemies round about. 2 Sam. 3:18, "The Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my servant David will I save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies," agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah. David was greatly persecuted and his life sought unjustly, agreeable to prophecies of the Messiah.
David's marriage with Abigail, the wife of a son of Belial, a virtuous woman and of a beautiful countenance, is agreeable to innumerable prophecies that represent the church of the Messiah that the prophecies speak of as his spouse, as brought into that happy state from a state of guilt and bondage to sin. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies," in very many sections.)
David was resorted to by everyone that was in distress, and everyone that was in debt, and everyone that was bitter of soul, and he became their captain; which is agreeable to innumerable prophecies that represent the Messiah as the captain and savior of the poor, afflicted, distressed, sinners and prisoners, etc. David's host is compared to the host of God (1 Chron. 12:22), which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the divinity of the Messiah, and God's people in his times, and under him becoming as an host of mighty valiant men that shall thresh the mountains and tread down their enemies, {and shall make the hills as chaff} [Is. 41:15]. David, as it were raised from the dead, was wonderfully delivered from death when in great danger, was brought back from the wilderness and from banishment and from caves of the earth that resembled the grave. (Ps. 30:3, "O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave.") Which is agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah's restoration from his low and suffering state and resurrection from death.
David was made king over the strong city Hebron, that had been taken from the Anakims, the gigantic enemies of God's people; which is agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah's conquering the strong city, and bringing low the lofty city, conquering the devil and taking possession of the mightiest and strongest kingdoms of this world. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 154.)
David's followers, that came to him to make him king, were men of understanding, mighty men of valor, and men of a perfect heart (1 Chron. 12); which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the followers of the Messiah. David was made king by the act and choice both of God and his people (1 Chron. 11:1–3 and ch. 12; 2 Sam. 2:4, ch. 5:1–3). This is agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah. Hos. 1:11, "Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head."
David was made king with great feasting and rejoicing (1 Chron. 12:39–40), which is agreeable to what the prophecies do abundantly represent of the joy of the introduction of the Messiah's kingdom.
David was the first king of Jerusalem, that city so often spoken of in the prophecies as a type of the church of the Messiah. David insulted the idols as lame and blind and destroyed them (2 Sam. 5:21), agreeable to ["Fulfillment of Prophecies"] §132–35 and § 153. David conquered the strongest hold of the Jebusites and reigned there. (See what was said before concerning his reigning in Hebron.)1 He rescued Zion from the strong possession of idols and the enemies of God's people, and reigned in Mt. Zion, agreeable to innumerable prophecies of the Messiah. David's kingdom gradually increased from small beginnings till he had subdued all his enemies. (See "[Fulfillment of] Prophecies of Messiah" §123–26 and § 162–63.)
It was first in David's time that God chose Him a place to put His name there. Through him God made Jerusalem His holy city, and the place of His special, gracious residence, agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah (Ps. 132:13–18, Zech. 1:17 and 2:12, and Is. 14:1). David provided a settled habitation for God, and God is represented as through his favor to David taking up a settled abode with them, no more walking in a moveable tent and tabernacle that might be taken down, and giving Israel a constant abode, that they might no more be afflicted and carried into captivity (2 Sam. 7:6, 10, 24), according to many prophecies of the Messiah. David provided a place for God's habitation in Zion and in Mt. Moriah, agreeable to Zech. 6:12, "He shall build the temple of the Lord."
David brought up the ark to abide in the midst of God's people after it had departed into the land of the Philistines and had long remained in the utmost confines of the land in Kirjathjearim, which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the benefit the people of God in the Messiah's days shall receive in the return of the tokens of God's presence to them after long absence, and his placing his tabernacle in the midst of them, and his soul's no more abhorring them.
David ascended into the hill of the Lord with the ark at the head of all Israel, rejoicing, and gave gifts to men (2 Sam. 6); but this is agreeable to what is said of the ascension of the Messiah (Ps. 68). David ascended with the ark wherein was the Law of God, as the Messiah ascended with that human nature that was the cabinet of the Law. David, after he had ascended, returned to bless his household, as the Messiah especially blessed his church after his ascension. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies.") But Michal, his first wife, despised him for his abasement and received no part in this blessing, but was as it were repudiated; as the prophecies do represent the Jews, the Messiah's first wife, as despising the Messiah for his humiliation and so as not receiving the benefits and blessings that he should bestow after his ascension, but as being repudiated.
When David came to the crown, God broke forth on his enemies as the breach of water, and in a dreadful storm of thunder, fire and hail (2 Sam. 5:20, 1 Chron. 14:11 and Ps. 18); which is agreeable to Is. 24:18–20, Dan 9:26, Ezek. 38:22, Is. 30:30 and 32:19. Yea, the destruction of the enemies of God's people in the days of the Messiah is expressly compared to that very breaking forth of God on the enemies of David. Is. 28:21, "For the Lord shall rise up as in Mt. Perazim."
The king of Tyre (that was above all others in the world a city noted for merchandise and seafaring) built David an house (2 Sam. 5:11, 1 Chron. 14:1). (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 154.)
David was not only a king, but a great prophet (2 Sam. 23:2), and also was a priest. He officiated as such on occasion of the bringing up of the ark (2 Sam. 6:13–14, 17–18; 1 Chron. 15:27). Again, he officiated as such (2 Sam. 24:17–25 and 1 Chron. 16:21–36), and in some respects he officiated as chief in all sacerdotal matters, ordering all things in the house of God, directing and ordering the priests in things relating to their function and disposing them into courses, etc. So the prophecies do abundantly represent the Messiah as prophet, priest and king. (See "Prophecies of the Messiah" and "Fulfillment of Prophecies," in many parts.)
David is spoken of as the man that was "raised up on high" [2 Sam. 23:1], which is agreeable to what is said of the Messiah in Ps. 89:19, "I have exalted one chosen out of the people." And v. 27, "I will make him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth." Ps. 45:6, "Thy throne, O God, is forever." And Ps. 110:1, "Sit thou on my right hand," and innumerable other places. He is spoken of as eminently a just ruler, one that fed God's people in the integrity of his heart and executed judgment and justice (2 Sam. 8:15, 1 Chron. 18:14); which is agreeable to that which is abundantly spoken of the Messiah, as the just ruler over men; the king that shall reign in righteousness; he that shall sit on the throne of his father David, to order and establish it with judgment and justice; the righteous branch that shall grow up to David, etc. God made David a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth (2 Sam. 7:9; see also ch. 8:13), agreeable to Is. 53:12, "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great." "The fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations" (1 Chron. 14:17), agreeable to Ps. 45:17, "I will make thy name to be remembered"; Ps. 72:11, "All nations shall serve him"; [v.] 17, "His name shall endure forever," and innumerable other places.
David carried up the ark clothed with a robe of fine linen (1 Chron. 15:27), agreeable to Is. 61:10, "He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with a robe of righteousness." Zech. 3:4, "Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." (See also Dan. 10:5, compared with vv. 13 and 21, and ch. 12:1.)
God was with David whithersoever he went, and cut off all his enemies (2 Sam. 7:9 and 8:6, 14; 1 Chron. 17:8, 10 and 18:6, 13; 2 Sam. 22:1–20), agreeable to Ps. 2, and 45, and 110, and 89 and innumerable other places.
David subdued all the remainders of the Canaanites and the ancient heathen inhabitants of the land, and so perfected what Joshua had begun in giving the people. (See what is said of Joshua as a type of the Messiah in this respect, pp. 244–45.) David brought it to pass that the Canaanites and enemies of Israel should no longer dwell with them, or [be] mixed among them in the same land. Joel 3:17, "No stranger shall pass through thee any more." Zech. 14:21, "In that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord." Ps. 69:35–36, "For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love thy name shall dwell therein." Is. 65:9–11, "And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number." Is. 35:8, "An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it." Ezek. 20:38, "And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel."
David subdued the Philistines, and the Moabites, and Ammonites and the Edomites, agreeable to Is. 11:14, Num. 24:17, Ps. 60:8 and 108:9, Is. 25:10, chs. 34 and 63, and Ezek. 35 and 36:5. David's kingdom reached from the river to the ends of the earth (2 Sam. 8:3; 1 Chron. 18:3), agreeable to Ps. 72:8, Zech. 9:10.
David's reign was a time of the destruction of giants. He slew all the remnant of the race of giants (1 Sam. 17, 2 Sam. 21:18–22 and 23:20–21, 1 Chron. 20:4–8 and 11:22–23), agreeable to Is. 10:33, "And the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled." This seems (as I observed before) to be connected with the prophecy in the beginning of the next chapter, in the next verse but one. Is. 45:14, "The Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to thee; in chains shall they come over." Ps. 76:5, "The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep."
David destroyed the chariots and houghed the horses of the enemies of God's people (2 Sam. 8:4 and 10:18, 1 Chron. 18:4 and 19:7), agreeable to Ps. 46:9, "He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire." Ps. 76:3, "There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle." V. 6, "At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep." (See also Ezek. 39:9–10, 20 and Zech. 12:3–4.)
What David says (Ps. 18 and 2 Sam. 22) of the manner in which God appeared for him against his enemies, to destroy them in a terrible tempest with thunder, lightning, earthquake, devouring fire, etc. is agreeable to many things in the prophecies of the Messiah. (See what has before been observed, when speaking of the Deluge, and destruction of Sodom, and the destruction of the Amorites in Joshua's time.)
Other kings brought presents unto David and bowed down unto him (2 Sam. 5:11, 1 Chron. 14:1, 2 Sam. 8:2 and v. 10, 1 Chron. 18:10, 2 Sam. 10:19, 1 Chron. 22:4), agreeable to Ps. 72:10–11 and 45:12, 68:29, Is. 49:7 and 60:9. The honor, dominion and crown of David's enemies was given unto him (2 Sam. 12:30 and 1 Chron. 20:2). Ezek. 21:26, "Thus saith the Lord; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. Perverted, perverted, perverted will I make it, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him."
David's sons were princes (1 Chron. 28:1–8). David's sons were chief rulers or princes (as it is in the margin), agreeable to Ps. 45:16, "Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth."
David brought the wealth of the heathen into Jerusalem and dedicated it to God, and as it were built the temple with it (2 Sam. 8:11–12, 1 Chron. 18:11 and 26:26–27, and ch. 22, throughout, and ch. 29); agreeable to Mic. 4:13, "Arise, thresh, O daughters of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth." Is. 23:17–18, "The Lord will visit Tyre … And her merchandise and hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing." (See also Is. 60:5–6, 9, 11, 13, ch. 61:6, and Zech. 14:14.)
David was a mediator to stand between God and the people, both to keep off judgments and the punishment of sin, and also to procure God's favor towards them. For his sake God granted his gracious presence and favor with Israel (2 Sam. 7:10). Thus we read of favor which God showed to Israel, and witholding judgments from time to time for his servant David's sake (1 Kgs. 11:12–13, 32, 34, ch. 15:4; 2 Kgs. 8:19, ch. 19:34 and 20:6). And he stood between God and the people of Jerusalem when he saw the sword of justice drawn against it to destroy it (2 Sam. 24:17–25). So the Messiah is spoken of, as in like manner, the mediator, being himself peculiarly God's elect and beloved, is given for a covenant of the people (Is. 42:6 and 49:8) and the messenger of the covenant, and a prophet like unto Moses, who was a mediator. And the prophecies speak of the forgiveness of sin, and the greatest mercy towards God's people, and an everlasting covenant, and the sure mercies of David, as being through the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §20–22; also §74–86, §94–96.)
David as mediator saved the people of Jerusalem from destruction by offering himself to suffer and die by the sword of the destroying angel and by building [an] altar and offering sacrifice (2 Sam. 24:17–25), agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §74–86.)
David not only made a tabernacle for God in Mt. Zion, and so provided an habitation for the Lord, but he in effect built the temple. He bought the ground on which it was built, built an altar upon it. He made provision for the building. It was in his heart to build an house to God's name, and he directed and ordered precisely how it should be built and ordered all its services (1 Chron. 22–26), agreeable to Zech. 6:12–13. Herein David was as the Messiah, a prophet like unto Moses, who built the tabernacle and the altar according to the pattern God gave him (as he gave David the pattern of the tabernacle), and gave the ordinances of the house [and] ordered all things appertaining to the worship of the tabernacle.
God by David gave to Israel new ordinances, a new law of worship, appointed many things that were not in the law of Moses, and some things that superseded the ordinances of Moses. This is agreeable to the things said of the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 146–47.)
David made all manner of preparation for the building of the temple, and that in vast abundance, an immense treasure (1 Chron. 22:14 and 28:14–18, 29:2–9); agreeable to Is. 25:6, "And in this mountain shall the Lord make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined." Is. 55:1–9,
Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(See also "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §20.) Hag. 2:7, "I will fill this house with glory." Jer. 33:6, "I will reveal unto them the abundance of truth and peace." Is. 64:4, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, {what God has prepared for him that waits on him}. Is. 66:12, "I will extend peace to her as a river." Ps. 72:3, "The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness." V. 7, there shall be "abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth." Amos 9:13, "The mountains shall drop sweet wine." Joel 3:18, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with water, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim." And Is. 60, throughout, besides the things which the prophecies say of the perfect satisfaction of God's justice by the sacrifice of the Messiah and the abundance of his righteousness and excellency. David made such great provision for the building of the temple in his trouble by war and exposing his own life, which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of Christ procuring the immense blessings of his church by his extreme sufferings and precious blood.
David was the head of God's people, the prince of the congregation of Israel, not only in their civil affairs, but in ecclesiastical affairs also, and their leader in all things appertaining to religion and the worship of God. Herein he was as the Messiah is represented in the prophecies, which speak of Him as a prophet like unto Moses, and as the head of God's people, as their great king, prophet and priest. And indeed, almost all that the prophecies say of the Messiah does [imply] that he shall be the great head of God's people in their religious concerns.
David regulated the whole body of the people and brought 'em into the most exact and beautiful order (1 Chron. 27), which is agreeable to what is represented of the church in the Messiah's days, as "beautiful for situation" (Ps. 48:2); "the perfection of beauty" (Ps. 50:2); "an eternal excellency, the joy of many generations" [Is. 60:15]; and what is represented in Ezekiel of the exact measures and order of all parts of the temple, the city and the whole land [Ezek. 40–48].
David built the altar in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, on Gentile ground, which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the church of the Messiah being erected in Gentile lands, and being made up of those that had been sinners.
The things that are said of SOLOMON fall yet if anything short of those that are said of David, in their remarkable agreement with things said of the Messiah in the prophecies. His name, "Solomon," signifies "peace" or "peaceable," and was given him by God himself from respect to the signification, because he should enjoy peace and be a means of peace to God's people. 1 Chron. 22:9, "Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days." This is agreeable to Is. 9:6–7, "For 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 … The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his … peace there shall be no end." Ps. 110:4, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek," who, as the Apostle observes, was king of Salem, that is, king of peace [Heb. 7:1]. Ps. 72:3, "The mountains shall bring peace unto the people." V. 7, "In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth." Ps. 85:10, "Righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Is. 52:7, "How beautiful are the feet of him … that publisheth peace." Jer. 33:6, "I will reveal unto them the abundance of truth and peace," and many other places.
When Solomon was born, it is said "the Lord loved him" (2 Sam. 12:24), and the prophet Nathan for this reason called him by the name "Jedidiah," i. e. "the beloved of the Lord." He is also spoken of as the beloved son of his father. Prov. 4:3, "For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother." (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §18.)
Solomon was the son of a woman that had [been] the wife of an Hittite, a Gentile by nation, fitly denoting the honor that the prophecies represent that the Gentiles should have by their relation to the Messiah.
God made mention of Solomon's name as one that was to be the great prince of Israel and means of their happiness from his mother's womb, agreeable to Is. 49:1, "The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name."
God promises to establish the throne of Solomon forever, in terms considerably like those used by the prophets concerning the kingdom of the Messiah. 2 Sam. 7:12–13, "I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thine own bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." Also 1 Chron. 22:10. Is. 9:7, "Of the increase of his government there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and his kingdom … to establish it … from henceforth even forever." Ps. 110:4, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Dan. 7:14, "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed."
Solomon is spoken of as God's son. 1 Chron. 17:13, "I will be his father, and he shall be my son." 1 Chron. 22:9–10, "His name shall be Solomon … he shall be my son, and I will be his father." Ch. 28:6, "And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father." (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §15.) Solomon was in an eminent manner God's elect. 1 Chron. 28:5–6, "And of all my sons (for the Lord hath given me many sons), he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. And he said, Solomon thy son … have I chosen to be my son." Ch. 29:1, "David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen."
Though David had many sons, and many born before Solomon, yet Solomon was made his firstborn, higher than all the rest, and his father's heir and his brethren's prince; agreeable to Ps. 89:27, "I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth." Ps. 45:7, "Thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."
The word which Nathan, the minister of the Lord, spake to Bathsheba, David's wife and Solomon's mother, and the counsel he gave her, was the occasion of the introduction of the blissful and glorious reign of Solomon (1 Kgs. 1:11–13). So the prophecies represent the preaching of God's ministers as the means of introducing the glorious kingdom of the Messiah. Is. 62:6–7, "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night … till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth." Ch. 52:7–8, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings … Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion."
This earnest, incessant preaching of ministers shall be in the first place to the visible church of God, that is represented in the Old Testament both as the wife and mother of Christ. She is represented as his mother. Mic. 4:10, "Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail"; with the next chapter, vv. 2–3, "Thou Bethlehem Ephratah … out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel … Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth." Is. 9:6, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." Cant. 3:11, "Behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him."
Solomon's father had solemnly promised and covenanted and sworn to Bathsheba long beforehand that Solomon should reign and sit on his throne. So the sending of the Messiah and introducing the blessings of his reign was the grand promise and covenant and oath of God to his church of old, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and in David's and the prophets' times (Ps. 89:3–4, 35–36, 2 Sam. 3–5, Jer. 33:17–26 and many other places).
The glorious reign of Solomon is introduced on the earnest petitions and pleadings of Bathsheba with his father (1 Kgs. 1:15–21). So the prophecies often represent that the glorious peace and prosperity of the Messiah's reign shall be given in answer to the earnest and importunate prayers of the church. Ezek. 36:37, "I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them" (Jer. 29:11–14, Cant. 2:14, Zech. 12:10).
Bathesheba pleads the king's promise and covenant. So the church is often represented as waiting for the fulfillment of God's promises with respect to the benefits of the Messiah's kingdom (Gen. 49:18; Is. 8:17, and 30:18, and 40:31 and 49:23; Zeph 3:8; Is. 25:9 and 26:8 and 64:4).
Solomon came to the crown after the people had set up a false heir, one that pretended to be the heir of David's crown, and for a while seemed as though they would carry all afore 'em. This is agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah, who represent that his kingdom shall be set up on the ruins of that of others who should exalt themselves and assume the dominion. Ezek. 17:24, "I the Lord have brought down the high tree, and exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it." Ch. 21:26, "Thus saith the Lord God; Remove the diadem, take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, abase him that is high." Ps. 2:2–6, "The kings of the earth set themselves, the rulers take counsel together, saying, Let us break their bands, and cast away their cords from us.… Yet have I set my king on my holy hill of Zion." Ps. 118:22, "The stone which the builders refused, the same is become the head of the corner." And particularly this is agreeable to what the prophet Daniel says of the reign of Antichrist that shall precede the glorious day of the Messiah's reign, who shall set up himself in the room of the Most High, as lawgiver in his room, shall think to change times and laws, whose reign shall continue till the Messiah comes to overthrow it by setting up his glorious kingdom.
When David understands the opposition that was made to Solomon's reign by him that had usurped the kingdom and by the rulers and great men that were with him, he solemnly declares his firm and immutable purpose and decree of exalting Solomon that day to his throne which was in Mt. Zion (1 Kgs. 1:29–30); agreeable to Ps. 2:2–7, "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands … Yet have I set my king on my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee."
Solomon was made king by a most solemn oath of his father, that he declares he will not repent of, but fulfill. 1 Kgs. 1:29–30, "And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day"; agreeable to Ps. 110:4, "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
When the time came for Solomon to be proclaimed king, all the opposition and interest of his competitors, though very great, and of great men (and though they seemed to have made their part strong and to have got the day), all vanished away as it were of it[self] and came to nothing at once, like a dream when one awakes; agreeable to Ps. 2:4–6, "The Lord shall laugh at them … Yet have I set my king on my holy hill of Zion." Is. 29:7–8, "And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, shall be as a dream of a night vision. It shall be even as when a hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; and he awaketh, and his soul is empty: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion." Ps. 68:1–2, "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, as wax melteth before the fire." Is. 64:1, "Oh that thou wouldst rent the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence." Dan. 2:34–35, "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image … Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away."
The followers of Adonijah were dispersed without any battle, only by what they heard and saw of what David had done in exalting Solomon, and the manner in which he was introduced and instated in the kingdom; which is agreeable to Ps. 48:4–6, "For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were humbled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail."
After David had declared the decree that Solomon should be king in Zion, it was dangerous for the princes and rulers not to submit themselves to Solomon and behave with suitable respect to him, lest he should be angry and they should perish. (See Ps. 2.)
Solomon in his way to the throne is made as it were to drink of the brook. He first descended from the height of Mt. Zion down into a low valley without the city, to the watercourse of Gihon. There he had a baptism to be baptized with. And then he ascended in the state and majesty of a king, agreeable to Ps. 110:7, "He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head," and the many prophecies that speak of his humiliation and sufferings and glorious exaltation consequent thereon. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies.")
Solomon, after he had descended into the valley to the waters of Gihon, ascended up into the height of Zion in a manner resembling the ascension of the Messiah, very much after the same manner that the ascension of the ark resembled it. For he went up with the sound of the trumpet, all the people following him with songs and instruments of music and hosannas, rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth rent again (1 Kgs. 1:39–40), agreeable to Ps. 68, and Ps. 47:5 and Ps. 24.
That the peaceful, happy and glorious reign of Solomon should be introduced with such extraordinary joy, shouting, songs and instruments of music in Zion, is agreeable to what is often foretold concerning the introduction of the glorious day of the Messiah's reign. Zech. 9:9, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee." To the like purpose, ch. 2:10, Is. 40:9 and 52:7–9. Ps. 96:10–13, "Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord." And Ps. 97:1, 8, 12, and 98:4–9 and 100:1–2; Is. 44:23 and 49:13, Is. 55:12 and many other places.
The great prosperity of Israel through the reign of Solomon was introduced with the sound of the trumpet (1 Kgs. 1:34, 39, 1 Chron. 29:21–22), agreeable to Is. 27:13, "The great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem."
Solomon was the messiah or "anointed" in an eminent manner. He was anointed by the special direction both of David and of Nathan the prophet (1 Kgs. 1:13, 34, 39). He was anointed with God's holy anointing oil out of the tabernacle (v. 39).
Not only was Solomon anointed of God, but he was anointed also by the people. They made him king over them by their act (1 Chron. 29:22), agreeable to Hos. 1:11, "Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint over them one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel."
David made Solomon to ride on his own mule, and he sat on his father's throne while David was yet living and was king. His father solemnly invests him with his kingly authority, and himself gives him his charge (1 Kgs. 1:30, 33, 35, 47–48, ch. 2:12; 1 Chron. 28 and 29). This is agreeable to the account that is given of God the Father investing the Messiah with his dominion in Dan. 7. (See also Zech. 6:12–13, and Ezek. 46:1–2 with ch. 44:2; see "Prophecies of the Messiah" §74.)
Solomon is spoken of as not only sitting on the throne of his father David, but also as sitting on God's throne and reigning in some respect in God's stead as his vicegerent. 1 Chron. 28:5, "The Lord hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel." Ch. 29:23, "Then Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father." 2 Chron. 9:8, "Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king for the Lord thy God." So the prophecies do represent the Messiah as sitting on the throne of David his father. Is. 9:7, "On the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment from henceforth even forever"; Jer. 33:17, 21. And also as sitting on the throne of God. Zech. 6:13, "He shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne." Also Dan. 7:13–14, and Ps. 2:6, "I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion." Ps. 110:1, "Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool." Ps. 45:6, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever."
The beginning of Solomon's reign was a remarkable time of vengeance on the wicked and such as had been opposers or false friends of David and Solomon. Many such were then cut off (1 Kgs. 2). So that it was as it were the righteous only that delighted themselves in that abundance of peace, and partook of the glory, prosperity and triumph of God's people that was enjoyed in that reign; which is agreeable to Is. 61:2, "To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God." Is. 65:12–13, "Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter … my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed." Ch. 66:14–16, "And the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants, and his indignations towards his enemies. For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury … and the slain of the Lord shall be many." Is. 33:14–17, "The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrite.… He that walketh righteously … shall dwell on high … Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty." Mal. 4:1–3, "All the proud, yea, all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble … But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings … And ye shall tread down the wicked." Ezek. 20:38, "And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me." Ps. 37:9–11, "For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace." And many other places.
Solomon did not immediately cut off these rebels and transgressors, but gave 'em opportunity to enjoy the blessings of his reign with others, if they would turn from their evil way and submit to him and approve themselves worthy men and faithful subjects. But when they went on still in their trespasses, he cut them off, agreeable to what is foretold should be at the introduction of the glory of the Messiah's reign in Ps. 68:18–21, "Thou hast ascended on high … thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with his benefits … But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses."
Solomon was a man of great and unparalleled wisdom. This is agreeable to Is. 9:6, "His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor." Ch. 11:2–3, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and of might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord." Zech. 3:9, "Upon one stone shall be seven eyes." (See also Is. 41:28–29 with 42:1.)
God was with Solomon and greatly established his throne (1 Kgs. 2:12, 2 Chron. 1:1), agreeable to Is. 9:7, "Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it … from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this." Ps. 89:2–3, "Mercy shall be built up forever: thy faithfulness wilt thou establish in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with my chosen." Vv. 20–21, "With my holy oil have I anointed him: With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him." V. 25, "I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers." Vv. 36–37, "His throne shall endure as the sun before me. It shall be established forever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven." Ps. 2, throughout. Ps. 45:6, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." Ps. 110:1, 4, "Sit thou on my right hand … The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Is. 42:1, 4, "Behold my servant, whom I uphold … He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles wait for his law." And 49:8, "I have helped thee and will preserve thee, to establish the earth."
The Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any before him in Israel (1 Chron. 29:25, 2 Chron. 1:1); agreeable to Ps. 45:2–3, "Thou art fairer than the children of men … Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty." V. 6, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever." Is. 9:6, "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulders: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting father, The Prince of Peace."
Solomon married Pharaoh's [daughter], a stranger, agreeable to Ps. 45:10, "Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget thine own people, and thy father's house." She was the daughter of a king, agreeable to Ps. 45:13, "The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold." A Gentile, agreeable to Hos. 2:16, "Thou shalt call me Ishi" (i. e. "my husband"). Vv. 19–20, "And I will betroth thee unto me." V. 23, "And I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say unto them that were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God," with innumerable other prophecies of the calling of the Gentiles. She was an Egyptian, and Solomon made an affinity with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; agreeable to Ps. 87:4, "I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me." Ps. 68:31, "Princes shall come out of Egypt." Is. 19:18–25, In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan … and there shall be an altar unto the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt … And the Lord shall be known unto Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord … and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.… The Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people." Pharaoh's daughter, being an Egyptian, was of a swarthy complexion, agreeable to Cant. 1:5, "I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem."
We read of no person that ever offered such great sacrifices as Solomon did (1 Kgs. 3:4 and 8:5, 63–64; 1 Kgs. 9:25). This is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the Messiah, of the great priest of God, who by the sacrifices he should offer should perfectly satisfy divine justice and truly procure the favor of God for his people; his sacrifices being herein of greater value than thousands of rams and ten thousands of rivers of oil, and all the beasts of the field.
Solomon built the temple, agreeable to Zech. 6:12–13. He made the dwelling place of God, that before was only a moveable tent, to become a stable building, built on a rock or everlasting mountain; agreeable to Is. 33:20, "Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken." Ch. 28:16–17, "Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation … Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet." Ezek. 37:26, "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore"; taken together with the prophetical description of that sanctuary in the fortieth and following chapters [Ezek. 40–48].
Solomon's temple and his other buildings in Jerusalem were exceeding stately and magnificent, so that he vastly increased the beauty and glory of the city. Is. 60:13, "The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious." V. 15, "I will make thee an eternal excellency." Ch. 54:11–12, "Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones."
The temple that Solomon built was exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all lands (1 Chron. 22:5); agreeable to Is. 2:2, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it." (See also Mic. 4:1–2.) Is. 60:1–3, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come … the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."
Solomon enlarged the place of sacrificing, so that sacrifices were not only offered on the altar, but all the middle part of the court was made use of for that end by reason of the multitude of worshippers and the abundance of sacrifices (1 Kgs. 8:64, 2 Chron. 7:7); which is agreeable to Jer. 3:16–17, "And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all nations shall be gathered unto the name of the Lord unto Jerusalem." Mal. 1:11, "From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering," and many other places. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §147, and those numbers in "Miscellanies" there referred to.)
Solomon was a great intercessor for Israel, and by his intercession he obtained that God should forgive their sins and hear their prayers, and pity 'em under their calamities and deliver 'em from their enemies, and fulfill his promises and supply all their necessities; and that they might find mercy and find grace to help in a time of need, and [that God might] dwell with Israel and take up his abode among them as their King, Savior and Father (1 Kgs. 8, 2 Chron. 6). By his intercession and prayers, he brought fire down from heaven to consume their sacrifices, and [obtained] that God should come down in a cloud of glory to fill his temple (2 Chron. 7:1–3, 1 Kgs. 8:54). His intercession was as it were continual, although he ever lived to make an intercession for his people, that they might obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (See those remarkable words, 1 Kgs. 8:59; see "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §74 and §96.)
Solomon was not only an intercessor for Israel, but for the stranger that was not of Israel, but come out of a far country for God's name's sake, when they should hear of his great name and great salvation (1 Kgs. 8:41–43, 2 Chron. 6:32–33); which is agreeable to what the prophecies do abundantly represent of the joint interest of the Gentiles in the utmost ends of the earth with Israel in the Messiah, through hearing his great name and the report of his salvation. Solomon prayed for all the people of the earth, that they might know the true God (1 Kgs. 8:60); so the prophecies do abundantly show that the Messiah should actually obtain this benefit for all nations of the world.
Solomon did the part of a priest in blessing the congregation (1 Kgs. 8:14, 2 Chron. 6:3 with Num. 6:23), which is agreeable to the prophecies which represent the Messiah as a priest, and also to Gen. 22:18, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." To the like purpose, ch. 12:3 and 18:8 and 26:4, and Ps. 72:17, "And men shall be blessed in him."
Solomon made a covenant with the king of Tyre, and the servants of the king of Tyre were associated with the servants of Solomon in the building of the temple; which is agreeable to the prophecies of the Messiah's being a light of the Gentiles and covenant of the people, and the Gentiles being associated with the Jews and becoming one people with them, and their coming and building in the temple of the Lord (Zech. 6:15). Is. 60:10, "And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee." And particularly the prophecies that represent that the nations in the islands and ends of the earth and maritime places, the chief nations for arts, wealth, merchandise and seafaring, should be brought into the kingdom of the Messiah, bringing their silver and gold to the name of the Lord, etc. And that the Tyrians in particular should be the people of the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §154, §158, §160.) Solomon brought the glory of Lebanon, or the best and fairest of its growth, to build the temple of God, agreeable to Is. 60:13.
Solomon in an eminent manner executed judgment and justice (1 Kgs. 3:9, 11, 28 and 10:9, 18). His throne of judgment was of ivory, a white, pure and precious substance, used in the Old Testament as a symbol of purity and righteousness. (See note on Ps. 45:8.) This is agreeable to innumerable prophecies of the Messiah.
It was in Solomon's time that God first gave his people Israel fully to enjoy that rest in Canaan that he had promised 'em in the time of Moses, and Solomon's rest was glorious. 1 Kgs. 5:4, "But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side." And ch. 8:56, "Blessed be the Lord God, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant." This is agreeable to Is. 11:10, "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." Jer. 30:10, "Lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest, and quiet, and none shall make him afraid." Is. 33:20, "Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down." And ch. 32:17–18, "And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places."
Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon (1 Kgs. 4:25); agreeable to Mic. 4:4, "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid." And Zech. 3:10, "In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, ye shall call every man his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree."
In Solomon's reign there was neither adversary nor evil occurrent. So according to the prophecies, in the Messiah's times there should be no adversary. Is. 25:5, "Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low." Is. 54:14, "In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee." Ch. 49:19, "They that swallowed thee up shall be far away." Is. 60:18, "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders." Ch. 11:13, "The adversaries of Judah shall be cut off." So Ezek. 36:12–13 and many other places. So by the prophecies, in the Messiah's times there should not be evil occurrents. Is. 25:8, "He will wipe away tears from off all faces." Ch. 35:10, "Sorrow and sighing shall flee away." Is. 33:24, "And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick." Is. 65:19, "And the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying." V. 21, "And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them." Zech. 8:12, "The seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things." And many other places.
In Solomon's time Israel were possessed of great riches, silver and gold, and other precious things in vast abundance (1 Kgs. 10:21, 23, 27); agreeable to Is. 60:5, "The abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces" (or "wealth") "of the Gentiles shall come unto thee." V. 6, "The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah, they shall bring gold." V. 9, "The ships of Tarshish shall bring their silver and their gold." V. 11, "Thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces" (or "wealth") "of the Gentiles." V. 17, "For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron." Ch. 61:6, "Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves." Ch. 66:11–12, "That ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees." And very many other places.
Solomon's reign was a time of great feasting and rejoicing in Israel (1 Kgs. 4:20, 22–23, and 8:65 and 10:5), agreeable to Is. 25:6, "And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined." Is. 65:13–14, "Behold, my servants shall eat … my servants shall drink … my servants shall rejoice … my servants shall sing for joy of heart." V. 18, "Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy." Jer. 31:12, "Therefore shall they come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all." Zech. 8:19, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts." Ch. 9:15, "They shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar." Also Is. 35:1–2, 10, and 44:23, and 49:13, and 61:3, and 51:11 and very many other places.
There was a vast increase of God's people Israel in Solomon's days, so that they were as the sand of the sea, and were so many that they could not be numbered or counted for multitude (1 Kgs. 3:8 and 4:20). (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §121.)
The servants of Solomon and those that stood continually before him were pronounced happy, eminently and remarkably so. 1 Kgs. 10:8, "Happy are these thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom"; agreeable to Ps. 72:17, "And men shall be blessed in him." Is. 33:17, "Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty." Is. 2:5, "O house of Jacob, come ye, let us walk in the light of the Lord."
In Solomon's reign the remnant of the heathen were made bondmen, but the Israelites were for noble employments (1 Kgs. 9:21–22); agreeable to Is. 61:5–6, "And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves."
Solomon made cedars to be as the sycamore trees that are in the vale for abundance, agreeable to Is. 55:13, "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." Ch. 41:19, "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine and the box tree together." Is. 35:1–2, "The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon."
In Solomon's days the house of the Lord was in a remarkable manner filled with glory (1 Kgs. 8:10–11, 2 Chron. 5:13–14 and 7:1–2), agreeable to Hag. 2:7.
In Solomon's days a great and extraordinary Feast of Tabernacles was kept (1 Kgs. 8:65, 2 Chron. 5:3 and 7:8–10). It was by far the greatest Feast of Tabernacles that ever was kept in Israel. This is agreeable to Zech. 14:16–19.
The blessings of Solomon's reign were the fruit of God's everlasting love to Israel. 1 Kgs. 10:9, "Because the Lord love Israel forever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice." Jer. 31:3, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Solomon reigned from the river Euphrates to the ends of the earth, even the utmost part of the land next to the Great Sea, as it was called (1 Kgs. 4:21), agreeable to Ps. 72:8 and Zech. 9:10.
Solomon had many chariots (1 Kgs. 4:26 and 10:26). This is agreeable to Ps. 68:18 and Dan. 7:10.
The exceeding greatness of Solomon's court, the vast number of his servants, ministers and attendants, which may be learned from 1 Kgs. 4:1–19, 22–23, ch. 9:22 [and] 2 Chron. 8:9–10, is agreeable to Ps. 68:18 and Dan 10:13, 21 and 12:1, compared with Dan 7:10.
Other kings and nations brought presents unto Solomon (1 Kgs. 4:21 and 9:14 and 10:25). Ps. 68:29, "Because of thy temple at Jerusalem, kings shall bring presents unto thee" (Ps. 72:10 and 45:12).
The queen of Sheba came to hear the wisdom of Solomon and to be instructed by him, and brought great presents, and particularly gold and spices (1 Kgs. 10:2, 10). This is agreeable to Is. 60:6, "All they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord." Ps. 72:9–10, "The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts." V. 15, "To him shall be given of the gold of Sheba."
The queen of Sheba came bringing her presents on a multitude of camels (1 Kgs. 10:2). And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices and very much gold; agreeable to Is. 60:6, "The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense."
Solomon extended his royal bounty to the queen of Sheba and gave her all her desire, agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the blessings and favors of the Messiah to be extended to the Gentiles, and his granting the requests of those that look to him from the ends of the earth.
Israel in Solomon's time was enriched and adorned with the gold of Ophir, especially they of Solomon's courts, and we may conclude his queens and concubines; agreeable to Ps. 45:9, "On thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir."
All the kings and merchants of Arabia brought presents of gold and spices unto Solomon (1 Kgs. 10:14–15). This is agreeable to Is. 45:14, "The merchandise of Ethiopia shall come over to thee." Zeph. 3:10, "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants." Ps. 68:31, "Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God." Ps. 72:9–10, "They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him … the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts." Is. 60:6, "The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense." Is. 42:11, "Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing." Ch. 60:7, "All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee."
The ships of Tarshish came bringing gold and silver and precious stones unto Solomon, and other precious things to Solomon (1 Kgs. 8:26–66, ch. 9:10–11), and Solomon improved what they brought to adorn the temple (v. 12); agreeable to Ps. 72:10, "The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents." Is. 60:5, "The abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee." Is. 60:9, "Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first … their silver and their gold with them, to the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee."
There came of all people, from all kings of the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon and brought presents of gold, silver, spices, etc. 1 Kgs. 4:34, "And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom." 2 Chron. 9:23–24, "And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year." Thus all kings did as it were bow down unto Solomon. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 163.)1
Solomon was a [king of] kings. 2 Chron. 9:26, "And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt." (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies," ibid.)
The labor of Egypt was brought over to Israel in Solomon's days. 1 Kgs. 10:28, "And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price"; which is agreeable to Is. 45:14, "The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia … shall come over unto thee." From that, 1 Kgs. 10:28, 'tis manifest that fine linen was very much used for clothing in Solomon's days, at least by Solomon's court; which is a fit emblem of spiritual purity and righteousness, and was manifestly used as such by priests and princes, and was abundantly used as such in the service of the sanctuary. This is agreeable to what is often spoken of in the Prophets of the extraordinary holiness and purity of the church in Messiah's days; and to Is. 52:1, "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come unto thee the uncircumcised and the unclean."
Solomon spoke many proverbs or parables or dark sayings. 1 Kgs. 4:32, "And he spake three thousand proverbs." This is agreeable to what the prophets represent concerning the Messiah as an eminent teacher, and what may be learned from them of the wonderful and mysterious things he should teach in his doctrine. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §22.)
Solomon was, as Joseph, a revealer of secrets. 1 Kgs. 10:1, 3, "The queen of Sheba came to prove Solomon with hard questions … And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not anything hid from the king, which he told her not." This is agreeable to what the prophecies say of the Messiah's being a great teacher, and of the vast increase of light and knowledge that shall be by him. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §35.)4
Solomon made a great number of songs. 1 Kgs. 4:32, "His songs were a thousand and five." This is agreeable to innumerable prophecies that represent the Messiah's times as times of extraordinary singing and melody, wherein God's people and all the world should employ themselves in joyful songs of praise; yea, wherein all creatures, the mountains, rocks, trees, the sea, the heavens and the earth, should as it were break forth into singing.
Solomon had a vast multitude of wives and concubines, fitly representing the vast number of saints in the Messiah's times, who are members of the church that is so often spoken of as the Messiah's wife.
I shall mention but one more thing under this head of things that we have an account of in the history of the Old Testament remarkably agreeing with things said in the prophecies and things relating to the Messiah's kingdom and redemption: and that is the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity. 'Tis manifest that the great redemption of the Messiah is abundantly represented by a redemption of Israel from captivity and bondage under the hand of their enemies, in strange and far distant lands, from the north country; and their return to their own land, and rebuilding Jerusalem and the cities of Israel, and repairing the old wastes, in places too many to be enumerated.
This redemption of the Jews was accompanied with a great destruction of those mighty and proud enemies that had carried them captive, that were stronger than they: God pleading their cause and revenging their quarrel on the greatest empire in the world, as it were causing them to tread down the loftiest city, the highest walls and towers in the world, destroying their enemies, with a very great slaughter and dreadful havoc of their enemies; agreeable to Hag. 2:22, "And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen." Is. 26:5–6, "For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city he layeth it low, he layeth it low even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. The feet treadeth it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy." Ch. 25:12, "And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust." Ch. 32:19, "When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place" (or "shall be utterly abased"). Ch. 30:25, "And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of water in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall." (See also Is. 34:1–8 and Joel 3:9–17, Is. 2:16–22 and many other places.)
This redemption of the Jews was attended with the final and everlasting destruction of Babylon, that great enemy of the Jewish church, that had oppressed her and carried her captive. This is agreeable to prophecies of the Messiah's redemption (Is. 34:10–17 and 41:11–12 and 43:17, Dan. 2:35, Obad. 1:10, 17–18 and many other places.)
The temple of Jerusalem was rebuilt by the countenance and authority of Gentile kings (Ezra 1:2–11, ch. 6:6–15 and 7:11–22; Neh. 2:7–9), agreeable to Is. 49:23, "And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers." It seems to be intimated that the queen of Persia, as well as the king, favored the Jews and promoted the restoring of their state in Neh. 2:6. The temple and city were rebuilt very much at the charge of Gentile kings and people, who offered silver and gold (Ezra 1:4–8, ch. 6:8 and 7:15–23; Neh. 2:7–9). This is agreeable to many places mentioned in the preceding section concerning Solomon's reign.
At the time of this restoration of the Jews, strangers or Gentiles and their princes assisted with sacrifices for the house of God (Ezra 1:4, 6 and 6:9 and 7:17). This is agreeable to Ps. 22:29, "All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship." Is. 49:7, "Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee." Is. 60:6–7, "The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory."
Gold, and silver, and sacrifices and incense were brought to the new temple at Jerusalem, especially from the nations on this side the river Euphrates (Ezra 1:4, 6, ch. 6:6–10, ch. 7:16–18, 21–23; Neh. 2:7–9), which include Tyre and Ethiopia, Midian and Ephah, Kedar, Nebaioth and other countries of Arabia, which are spoken of in prophecies that have been already mentioned in this and the foregoing section as bringing presents, offering gifts, gold, incense and sacrifices.
The Jews at their return out of Babylon were redeemed without money. Is. 45:13, "He shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward"; agreeable to Is. 52:3, "Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money."
The temple was built by Joshua, that signifies "Jehovah the Savior," agreeable to what is often represented of the Messiah in the prophecies. (See pp. 241–43, concerning Joshua the son of Nun.)
We often read of praying, fasting, confessing sin—their own sins and the sins of their fathers—and weeping and mourning for sin that attended this restoration of the Jews (Dan. 9:1–19; Ezra 8:21–23, ch. 9, throughout, 10:1–17; Neh. 1:4–11, ch. 4:4–5, ch. 9, throughout). (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §102.)
God gave the Jews remarkable and wonderful protection in their journey as they were returning from Babylon towards Jerusalem, and also in the midst of the great dangers and manifold oppositions they passed through in rebuilding the temple and city (Ezra 8:21–23, 31, chs. 5–7; Neh. 4 and 6). This is agreeable to Jer. 31:8–9, "Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth … They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn." Is. 43:2, "When thou pass through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." (See pp. 294–95.)
There was kept an extraordinary Feast of Tabernacles on occasion of this restoration of the Jews, the only one that had been kept according to the law of Moses since the time of Joshua, the son of Nun (Neh. 8:14). This is agreeable to Zech. 14:16–19.
After this return from the captivity, the Jews had extraordinary means of instruction in the law of God, much greater than they had before (Ezra 7:25, Neh. 8). After this, synagogues were set up all over the land, in each of which was kept a copy of the Law and the Prophets, which were read and explained every sabbath day; and there seems to be a great alteration as to the frequency of the solemn, public worship of God. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §35, §115, § 117.)
Idolatry was utterly abolished among the Jews after their return from the Babylonish captivity. This is agreeable to Is. 2:18, "The idols shall be utterly abolished." Zech. 13:2, "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered." Hos. 2:17, "For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name." Ezek. 36:25, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you." Ch. 37:23, "Neither shall they defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things." (See further, "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §153.)
The remarkable agreement between what we are told of Daniel, and Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, and what is said in the prophecies of the Messiah and his people, is such as naturally leads us to suppose the former a designed type of the latter. Compare Dan. 3 and 6 with Is. 48:10 and 43:2, and Ps. 22:20–21 and 35:17, Cant. 4:8.
'Tis remarkable that it should be so ordered that so many of the chief women that we read of in the history of the Old Testament, and mothers of so many of the most eminent persons, should for so long a time be barren, and their conception afterwards of these eminent persons they were the mothers of should be through God's special mercy and extraordinary providence, as in Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Manoah's wife and Hannah. 'Tis reasonable to suppose that God had something special in view in thus remarkably ordering it in so many instances. Considering this, and also considering the agreement of such an event with several prophetical representations made of the church of God in the Messiah's times, there appears a great deal of reason to suppose the one of these to be designed as a type of the other. Ps. 68:6, "God setteth the solitary in families." Ps. 113:9, "He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children." Is. 54:1, "Sing, O barren, and 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."
With respect to some of the principal persons spoken of in the Old Testament, there is this evidence that they were types of the Messiah, viz. that the Messiah in the prophecies is called by their names. Thus the Messiah is called by the name of Israel. Is. 49:3, "And he said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified." And he is often called in the prophecies by the name of David. Hos. 3:5, "Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord and David their king." Jer. 30:9, "But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them." Ezek. 34:24, "And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them." Ch. 37:24–25, "And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children forever: and my servant David shall be their prince forever." Ps. 89:20, "I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him." V. 27, "I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth."
The Messiah is called by the name of Solomon (Cant. 3:7, 11, ch. 8:11–12). So the Messiah's great forerunner is called by the name of Elijah (Mal. 4), which argues that Elijah was a type of him. The Messiah is called by the name of Zerubbabel. Hag. 2:23, "In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtial, saith the Lord, and I will make thee a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts."
And as the Messiah is called by the proper names of some of the more eminent persons of the Old Testament, so some of them are called by names, that 'tis evident by the prophecies, do much more eminently and properly belong to the Messiah. So Joshua is called "Jehovah our Savior," as his name, "Joshua," signifies, which don't properly belong to him, but according to the prophecies does properly belong to the Messiah. So he is called "the shepherd, the stone of Israel" (Gen. 49:24), which according to the prophecies are appellations most properly belonging to the Messiah. So the name "Israel," though it was the proper name of Jacob rather than of the Messiah, yet its signification, "the prince of God," most properly and eminently belongs to the Messiah according to the prophecies. So it is with the name of Abram, "high father," and Abraham, the "father of a multitude," David, "beloved," and Solomon, "peace" or "peaceable." God also calls Solomon his son, an appellation which most properly belongs to the Messiah.
There is such a commutation of names between not only persons, but also things, that we have an account of in the histories and prophecies of the Old Testament. Thus the people of the Messiah, though 'tis plain by the prophecies that they should chiefly be of the Gentiles, yet are very generally called by the name of Jacob and Israel. So the church of the Messiah, though 'tis plain by the prophecies that they shall dwell all over the world, yet are often called by the name of "Jerusalem" and "Zion." So we read in the prophecies of the Messiah's times of all nations going up from year to year to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and of their being gathered together to the mountain of the house of the Lord, which is utterly impossible. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §24.) Therefore we must understand only things that were typified by Jerusalem and the mountain of the house of the Lord, God's holy mountain, holy hill, mountain of the height of Israel, etc. and the feast of tabernacles, and Israel's going up from year to year to keep that feast. So something appertaining to the Messiah's kingdom is called by the name of "the altar of the Lord at Jerusalem" [2 Kgs. 23:9], and it is represented as though all nations should bring sacrifices and offer 'em there on that altar. Yet this is utterly inconsistent with what the prophecies themselves do plainly teach of the state and worship of the church of God at that time. (See ibid.) So something appertaining to the Messiah's kingdom is called by the names of the "temple," and the "tabernacle" and of God's "throne" in the temple (Zech. 6:13). But 'tis plain by the prophecies that there should indeed be no material temple or tabernacle in the kingdom of the Messiah. (See ibid.)
So we read also (Ezek. 45 and 46) of the Passover, that grand memorial of the bringing the children of Israel up out of Egypt. But 'tis evident that there will be no such memorial of that event upheld in the church in the Messiah's times, by Jer. 16:14–15 and ch. 23:7–8.
Certain officers in the church of the Messiah are called "priests" and "Levites" (Is. 61:6 and Jer. 33:18), and yet 'tis plain by the prophecies that the ceremonial law should be abolished in the Messiah's times. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" § 146–48.)
A work of grace that is wrought on the hearts of men is often in the Old Testament called by the name of "circumcision," and 'tis evident by the prophecies that this should in a very eminent and distinguishing manner [be] wrought in the Messiah's times.
Something that the Messiah was to be the subject of is called in Ps. 40 by the name of boring the ear, as was appointed in the law concerning the servant that chose his master's service.
Something in the prophecies of the Messiah is called by the name of oil and anointing that, it is evident, is not any such outward oil or anointing as was appointed in the ceremonial law (Ps. 45:7; Zech. 4:12, 14; Is. 61:1; Ps. 2:2, 6 and 20:6 and 89:20, with Ps. 133).
So we find something of a spiritual nature called in the prophecies by the name of the golden candlestick that was in the tabernacle and temple (Zech. 4). Something is called by the name of that cloud of glory that was above the mercy seat (Zech. 6:13), and something called by the name of God's dwelling between the cherubims (Ps. 99:1).
The name of the incense, and the names of the sweet spices that were used in the incense and anointing oil in the sanctuary, are made use of to signify spiritual things appertaining to the Messiah and his kingdom in the book of Canticles and Ps. 45:8. Something in the Messiah's kingdom is called by the name of the precious stones that adorned the temple. Compare Is. 54:11–12 with 1 Chron. 29:2 and 2 Chron. 3:8.
And something spiritual in that prophecy, Ps. 45, is called "needlework," the name of the work of the hangings and garments of the sanctuary (Ex. 26:36, and 27:16, and 36:37, and 38:18, and 28:39 and 39:29). The garments of the church of the Messiah are spoken under the same representation as the curtains of the tabernacle and beautiful garments of the high priest. (See also Cant. 1:5.) Something in the Messiah's kingdom is called by the name of the outward ornaments of the temple (Is. 60:13).
As the people of the Messiah are in the prophecies called by the name of God's people Israel, though they should be chiefly of the Gentiles, so likewise we find the enemies of the Messiah's people called by the names of the enemies of Israel, such as Edom, Moab, the children of Ammon, the Philistines, etc.; and the places of the abode of those enemies of the Messiah's people by the names of the countries and cities of God's enemies, as Egypt, Babylon, Bozrah, etc. And yet it is evident that these prophecies can't have respect to these nations literally, as hereafter to be such grievous and troublesome neighbors to the Messiah's people, as these nations were to Israel. For the Messiah's people were to be dispersed all over the world, and not in the neighborhood of those countries only.
Here it may be observed that the manna is called by the name of something spiritual. Ps. 78:24–25, "He had given them the corn of heaven. Men did eat angels' food." Which is an argument that it was a type of something spiritual.
It was before observed that the things of the Messiah are in the prophecies expressly compared to many of the things of the Old Testament. And I would now observe that many of them, where they are thus compared, are compared in such a manner as to be at the same time called by the same names. Thus the bondage that the Messiah should redeem his people from is called a "lying among the pots" (Ps. 68:13). And this redemption of the Messiah is expressly called a redeeming them from Egypt (Is. 11:11, Zech. 10:10). And something that God would do then is called his destroying the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and making men go over dry shod (Is. 11:15), and dividing the sea and the river. Zech. 10:10–11, "I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt. And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves of the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up." In Ps. 68:22, the redemption of the Messiah is called a "bringing God's people again from the depths of the sea."
So something that should be in the days of the Messiah is called by the name of "cloud by day and pillar of fire by night" (Is. 4:5).
Something appertaining to the kingdom of the Messiah is called by the name of the valley of Achor, the place where Achan was slain (Hos. 2:15).
So things appertaining to the destruction of the Messiah's enemies are often called by the names of things made use of in the destruction of the old world, of Sodom and Gomorrah, of the Egyptians and Canaanites, etc. as a flood of waters, rain, hailstones, fire and brimstone, a burning tempest, etc. as has been observed before.
The redemption of the Messiah is called by the names by which the redemption out of Babylon was called. Jer. 16:15, "But, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of the north." So again, ch. 23:8, that the "north country" or "land of the north" was an appellative name by which Chaldea was called is very manifest. (See Jer. 4:6, and 6:22, and 1:14 and very many other places; see the Concordance.)
Things that shall be brought to pass in the Messiah's days are called by the name of what literally came to pass in the wilderness, after the redemption [out] of Egypt, in that in the prophecies we often read of waters in the wilderness; and streams in the desert and in dry places; and the Messiah's drinking of the brook in the way; and living waters running through the desert in [the] east country, which is the desert of Arabia (Ezek. 47:8); waters in dry places, to give drink to God's people when ready to fail with thirst (Is. 35:7, and 41:17–18, and 32:2, and 43:19–20 and 55:1).
Sin, or corruption, which it is evident by the prophecies the Messiah comes to heal, is called by the same general names that belonged to the leprosy, as wounds and bruises and putrifying sores from the crown of the head to the soles of the feet.
Something that should be in the Messiah's times is spoken of under the name of a trumpet, an instrument much in use by God's appointment in the observances of the ceremonial law (Is. 27:13). And something seems to be spoken of under the name of that sound that was made with the trumpets on their joyful festivals, especially on the year of jubilee (Ps. 89:15).
Something that should be fulfilled in the Messiah's times is called by the name of that which the serpent is doomed to. Gen. 3:14, "Dust shalt thou eat." Is. 65:25, "Dust shalt be the serpent's meat." Something that should be done by the Messiah is spoken of under the name of the application that was made of water in the legal purifications. Is. 52:15, "So shall he sprinkle many nations." Ezek. 36:25–26, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you." Zech. 13:1, "In that day there [shall] be a fountain opened … for sin and for uncleanness." Compare these with Num. 8:7 and 19:13, 18–21.
The congregation in the wilderness were in the form of an army, and an army with banners. So the church of the Messiah is often represented as an army. They are represented as being called forth to war and engaged in battle, gloriously conquering and triumphing, in places innumerable, and spoken of as being God's "goodly horse in the battle" [Zech. 10:3]; and as "a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots" [Cant. 1:9]; and being made as "the sword of a mighty man" [Zech. 9:13]; and being gathered to an ensign (Is. 11:10, 12) and standard (Is. 49:22 and 59:19 and 62:10); and having a banner given them (Ps. 60:4); and setting up their banners in God's name (Ps. 20:5), and being terrible as an army with banners (Cant. 6:4, 10).
Something in the kingdom of the Messiah is spoken of in the prophecies under the name of pomegranates, which were represented in the work of the tabernacle and temple (Cant. 4:3, 13, and 6:7, 11, and 7:12 and 8:2).
Figures that were made in the tabernacle and temple were called cherubim, the same name by which angels are called in the Old Testament, which is an evidence that they were made as types or representations of angels.
The church and people of the Messiah are in the prophecies of the Messiah compared [to] and called a palm tree, or palm trees (Cant. 7:7–8, Ps. 92:12), which is an argument that they were typified by the figures of palm trees in the tabernacle and temple.
Something that should be in the Messiah's time is represented by what appertained to [the] manner of God's appearance in the holy of holies. Ps. 97:2, "Clouds and darkness are round about him." Compare 2 Sam. 22:12.
Some of the persons that we have an account of in the history of the Old Testament are expressly spoken of as resembling the Messiah. So Moses: "A prophet will the Lord thy God raise up unto them, like unto thee" (Deut. 18:15, 18). So Melchizedek: Ps. 110:4, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." And the account we have (Is. 7) concerning Shearjashub, the son of Isaiah the prophet, is equivalent to expressly declaring him to be a type of the Messiah. And Zerubbabel and Joshua are evidently made use of and spoken of as types of the Messiah. Hag. 2:23, "In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, and make thee as a signet." Zech. 4:7, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it." V. 10, "For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth." Zech. 3:1–8, "And he showed me Joshua the high priest … And unto him he said … I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair miter upon his head … Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee (for they are men wondered at): for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the Branch." Zech. 6:11–12, "Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest; And speak unto him, Behold the man whose name is The Branch."
'Tis an evidence that some of the more eminent persons that we have an account of in the history of the Old Testament are types of the Messiah, that some of them and the Messiah are plainly spoken of under one. 'Tis plain concerning David in Ps. 89, where the name of David is mentioned once and again, and yet the psalm evidently looks beyond David to the Messiah. 'Tis also plain concerning Solomon in the seventy-second psalm, which the title declares to have respect to Solomon, and yet the matter of the psalm most evidently shows that it has respect to the Messiah, many things in it being true of the Messiah and peculiar to him, and not true of Solomon.
And here, by the way, I would observe that to the many evidences that have already been taken notice of that David and Solomon are types of the Messiah, this may be added: that the Jews themselves looked on them as types of the Messiah. (See Basnage's History of the Jews, p. 367.)
Many things occasionally appointed of God, if they signify nothing spiritual, must be wholly insignificant actions, and so wholly impertinent. Such as the setting up a brazen serpent for men to look upon, in order to a being healed [Num. 21:8]; God appointing the princes of the congregation to dig a well with their staves to supply the congregation, and a public record being made of [it] by divine inspiration, and its being celebrated in a song of the people that is also recorded by divine inspiration (Num. 21:17–18); Moses' holding up his hand by divine direction, that Joshua and Israel might prevail over Amalek [Ex. 17:11]; Elijah's stretching himself three times upon the widow of Zarephath's son, in order to raise him to life (1 Kgs. 17:21); Elisha ordering his staff to be laid on the face of the Shunammite's dead child, and afterwards his lying upon the child, and putting his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes and his hands upon his hands, and stretching himself on the child, in order to raise it to life [2 Kgs. 4:29, 34]. And so many other like actions that God appointed might be mentioned.
But to say something more particularly concerning the ceremonial law. There is abundant evidence, even in the Old Testament, that the things that belong to that law are typical of the things of the Messiah.
If the things of the ceremonial law are not typical of moral and spiritual things, they are wholly insignificant and so wholly impertinent and vain. For God does abundantly declare, even in the Old Testament, that he has no delight in 'em on their own account, and that they are in his esteem worthless and vain in themselves; and therefore it will follow that they must be worthless and vain to all intents and purposes, unless they are otherwise by the relation they bear to something that God delights in on its own account, i. e. unless they are some way significant of things moral and spiritual. If the things of the ceremonial law were pleasing to God, and were not pleasing on their own account or by reason of anything that God saw in them, then it must be on account of something else that they represent, and some way stand instead of them. For instance, when God went out through the land of Egypt to smite the firstborn and saw the blood of the paschal lamb on the doorposts of an house, it is represented as being something pleasing to God, for the sake of which he would spare the inhabitants of that house. But the Old Testament reveals that that blood was not at all pleasing on its own account, for that declares that God hath no delight in the blood of beasts; and therefore the way in which it was something pleasing to God must be its being something which represented or stood instead of something that was truly in itself pleasing. So the sweet savor that was made in offering incense is spoken of as something sweet and pleasant to God, and a white, clean garment, something pure and so pleasing to God. But we know that these things were not pleasant or acceptable on their own account, and therefore it must be only as related to something else that was so. But which way is a sweet smell related to anything really sweet to God, but only as it is a type or has some signification of it? And which way has the purity of a garment any relation to spiritual purity, but as it has a representation of it?
This leads me to observe that there is an apparent and designed resemblance between those things that were instituted, that in themselves were worthless, and those moral and spiritual things that in themselves were valuable in the sight of God. Thus 'tis apparent that outward cleanness and purity resembles and shadows forth that which is in the sight of God real purity, and outward sweetness resembles real sweetness to God. So the light of the lamps in the sanctuary had a resemblance of spiritual light, and the preciousness of gold and pearls that were used in the sanctuary and priests' garments had a resemblance of some real preciousness in the sight of God. And the beauty and ornaments of the sanctuary, and its vessels and holy garments, etc. had a resemblance of real beauty and of those things that were ornaments in the sight of God. So that seeming atonement for sin that was in the legal sacrifices had a resemblance of that only true atonement the prophecies speak of. The seeming vicariousness there was in the sufferings of beasts for sinners had a resemblance of a true vicariousness and substitution.
And 'tis also manifest that God chose these things, or had respect to 'em in his choice and appointment of 'em, because they did resemble or shadow forth those correspondent spiritual things that have a real value and excellency in themselves in his sight. The very nature of the thing makes it manifest. Thus 'tis manifest that God chose pure garments rather than filthy ones, because outward purity did more resemble real purity. So he chose a sweet smell to be offered as a pleasant savor unto him, because sweet smell has more resemblance of what is really sweet to him. 'Tis manifest that he chose the suffering of beasts as an atonement for sin rather than the feeding and pampering of them, because this has more of a resemblance of a true atonement, which the prophecies speak of as being by the sufferings of a surety. 'Tis evident that God chose the blood or life of the creature to be offered to make atonement for the soul rather than the hair, because it has a greater resemblance of the life of a surety, which is a true atonement for the soul, as the prophecies of the Old Testament do represent. But if this be evident, that God in the institution of the things of the ceremonial law had respect to the resemblance that was in them of spiritual things and things of the Messiah, and appointed these rather than things of a diverse nature for the sake of that resemblance, this is the same thing as to say that the former are appointed as types of the latter.
All the people of Israel, if they exercised consideration, must suppose and understand that these things pertaining to the ceremonial law were appointed and used as representations and symbols of something spiritual, and not for the sake of any innate goodness in them or any value God had for them. As, for instance, that God appointed white garments rather than yellow, green or black, not for any excellency of the color, but as a more proper representation of righteousness and spiritual purity; and the making a sweet odor with spices, not that God smelt that odor and so was pacified towards men, as though he were recompensed by the great pleasure they thereby gave him, but to represent something spiritual that was highly acceptable to him. And so that God appointed them to offer the flesh of beasts and bread as the food or bread of God, as those things are called, and the drink offering of wine, not that God eat and drank those things, and was pleased with the taste of them, and received refreshment and benefit, as a hungry and thirsty man does by meat and drink, but that those things were mystical and symbolical representations of things of a higher and more divine nature.
They must know that laying hands on the head of the sacrifice, and what was called laying sins on the scapegoat, was no real laying sins on those beasts. And besides, God did expressly and abundantly teach his people under the Old Testament the contrary of those things. They must naturally therefore suppose that they were used as things significant of something of a nature higher than themselves. They must naturally suppose that the eating the Passover with the staff in the hand, and with bitter herbs, and putting the blood of the sacrifices upon the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand and the great toe of the right foot, were mystical and symbolical, and so significant of something in itself of value and importance.
With respect to the legal sacrifices, the evidence that they were types of the Messiah is very strong, which will appear if we consider the following things:
'Tis evident there is some real and proper atonement for sin, which is in God's account requisite and which he insists upon, in order to the pardon of sin, and which he accepts as a true atonement and is willing to forgive sin on account of it. Otherwise God never would designedly have taken a course, by such an abundance of institutions, to bring up his people of the nation of Israel in the notion of the need of some atonement for sin, and some vicariousness and substitution of suffering for the sinner, in order to satisfy divine justice; and not only to bring up the Jews in this notion, but his church and people from the beginning of the world, insomuch that all nations received this notion from the first progenitors and founders of the nations and families of the earth. (See "Miscellanies" [no.] 912.)
'Tis also very manifest that the legal sacrifices of beasts and birds were no real atonement. This appears not only from the nature of the thing, but it is what God abundantly taught his people under the Old Testament, of whom he required these sacrifices (Ps. 40:6, Ps. 50:5–23 and 51:16, Is. 1:11–14, Is. 66:2–3, Hos. 6:6, Jer. 7:21–23 and especially Mic. 6:6–8). (See "Miscellanies" no. 912).
'Tis apparent by the prophecies of the Old Testament that the Messiah was to offer a true and real atonement for the sins of men. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §74–86.) That the Messiah should offer up himself a sacrifice for sin is very clearly implied in many places there mentioned. But this doctrine is not only implied, but it is declared that the Messiah should atone for sin or expiate it by sacrifice. Is. 53:10, "When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin." Dan. 9:24, "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city … to make reconciliation for iniquity," or, "to expiate iniquity by sacrifice" or "make atonement for iniquity": for the word in the original is the very same that is used from time to time in the Law about sacrifices for making atonement. In what follows, it is declared how this atonement was to be made, viz. by the anointing the Most Holy and the coming of the Messiah, and by his being cut off, but not for himself, and making the sacrifice and oblation to cease in the last half of the seventieth week. And 'tis evident that the atonement for sin here spoken of is a proper atonement that makes real satisfaction for sin, and truly pays and finishes the debt, by the other expressions that are added: "To finish the transgression, and make an end of sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness … and making the sacrifice and oblation to cease" [Dan. 9:24, 27]; i. e. by making sin to cease, making an end of sin and finishing the transgression, that there shall be no further occasion for sacrifice and oblation. And making atonement for sin is here prophesied of as that which was to be, but never yet was. It was a new thing, as the prophecy must be understood. But it could be a new thing in no other sense but that, viz. that a true and proper atonement for sin should be offered, for atonements in other senses but this had been abundantly offered from the beginning of the world. What is translated "to finish the transgression," might have been rendered "to consume transgression." But that expiation for sin that consumes transgression, and makes an end of sins and brings into a state of perpetual righteousness, so as to make all further sacrifices or attempts and means and representations of atonement to cease, and should abolish them as now needless, that is undoubtedly a proper atonement for sin.
Again, 'tis not only manifest by the Old Testament that the sacrifice of the Messiah is a true, real atonement for sin, but that it is the only true and real atonement for sin. For the Old Testament speaks of no other sorts of sacrifices of expiation for sin but these two, viz. the ancient legal sacrifices of beasts, and the sacrifice of the Messiah. What the prophecies sometimes say of sacrifices that should be offered by God's people after the Messiah's ascension must be understood figuratively, because it is expressly foretold that the Messiah by his sacrifice should cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. And besides, as I observed before, the Messiah's making expiation for sin is prophesied of as a new thing. And as it is foretold as a new thing, or the first thing of that nature, so it is also prophesied of as the last thing of that nature, as is implied in those expressions of his making an end of sin, finishing the transgression and making the sacrifice and oblation to cease. And these two things put together imply that this is the only truly expiatory sacrifice. (See also Zech. 3:8–9.) And then that is the only sacrifice by which the sins of God's people is atoned, and that never anyone is forgiven and accepted on account of any other atonement, is implied in that, Is. 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Another thing that is very manifest is that the legal sacrifices had a manifold resemblance and representation of the great, true and proper sacrifices that the prophecies foretell that the Messiah should offer. Thus those beasts that were offered were without blemish, as the prophecies represent the Messiah to be (Is. 53 and other places). Those sacrifices were not of unclean but clean beasts, therein representing that spiritual purity that the prophecies speak of in the Messiah. A very great part of those sacrifices were of lambs, as the paschal lambs (Ex. 29:39), and very many other of their sacrifices, which had a resemblance of what the prophecies do represent of the feebleness, innocence, meekness and gentleness of the Messiah. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies.")
Most of the sacrifices were males, as the Messiah is represented as of the male sex. They were offered by a priest in white robes, representing the purity and holiness of the Messiah, who when spoken of (Dan. 9) as the great priest that should offer that atonement that should make an end of sin, is called "the Most Holy." "Seventy weeks are determined, to make reconciliation for iniquity … and to anoint the Most Holy" [Dan. 9:24]. The priests were anointed. Herein there is a resemblance between them and the great Messiah, or "Anointed." The sacrifices suffered, as the Messiah, the great sacrifice, is represented. The sacrifices suffered death, and a violent death; the Messiah suffered death. The sacrifices were burnt by fire from heaven, as the prophecies represent the Messiah as suffering from the immediate hand of God. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §70.)
In most of the sacrifices, those inward parts were to be burnt on the altar, that are abundantly made use of in the Old Testament to represent the soul, which is agreeable to what the prophecies represent of the Messiah's making his soul an offering for sin. The fat of the inwards of the sacrifices was melted and consumed and burnt up in the fire, which is agreeable to Ps. 22:14–15, "I am poured out like water … my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd." And Ps. 102:4, "My heart is smitten, and withered like grass." And Is. 53:12, "He hath poured out my soul unto death."
There was the resemblance of the substitution of the sacrificed beasts in suffering for the sinner, as the prophecies represent concerning the Messiah. There was an appearance of laying the iniquities of those for whom the sacrifice was offered, on the animal sacrificed; especially on some of the sacrifices, on the heads of which the hands of those for whom they were offered were laid, that they might lay their sins upon them. This is agreeable to Is. 53:6, "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
The scapegoat is represented as bearing the sins of those for whom he was offered into the wilderness, which is agreeable to Is. 53:4, "Surely he hath borne our griefs; he hath carried our sorrows."
The Messiah is expressly spoken of as being like a lamb, in his being slain and offered as a sacrifice for sin (Is. 53). The high priest made intercession for the people with the blood of the sacrifices, agreeable to Is. 53:12.
Besides all that has been already observed, this further is manifest, viz. that they are by God called an "atonement," and are said to be an atonement, time without number. (See the Concordance under the word "Atonement.") Seeing therefore that the legal sacrifices are declared expressly and abundantly to be no real atonement, but have evidently a great resemblance of the true atonement and are plainly representations of it, and are abundantly spoken of by him that instituted 'em as being an atonement, and as instituted by him that they might be an atonement, 'tis very apparent that they were appointed figures and representations of the true atonement. For there is but these two ways of anything's being, consistent with truth, said to be such a thing, by the name of which it is called: viz. either its being that thing truly and properly, or figuratively and by representation. Either it must be that thing that it is said to be in reality, or by representation of the reality, or not at all. We have often in the law of Moses this expression used with regard to the sacrifices: "The priest shall make an atonement for him." Now one of these two meanings must be put upon the words: either that he shall make a real, proper atonement, or that he shall make an atonement figuratively or significantly. 'Tis either a true atonement or a seeming atonement, otherwise it would not be an atonement in any sense, nor would it be so called by God. If there be such a thing as a real atonement for sin, but the legal sacrifices are not a real atonement for sin, but yet are appointed and accepted as an atonement, then they are appointed and accepted instead of an atonement. For that is the same thing. So that it is evident that [God] appointed the legal sacrifices to stand instead of, or to represent, the real atonement. If a man be appointed to stand for another that is absent, and be accepted for an absent friend, then he is his representative.
When the prophet called the arrow that the king of Israel shot out of his window "the arrow of the Lord's deliverance" [2 Kgs. 13:17], nothing else could be meant but that it was a sign of the arrow of the Lord's deliverance. So when the man that interpreted his fellow's dream, said of the barley cake, "This is the sword of Gideon, the son of Joash" [Judg. 7:14], he could mean nothing else but that this signified the sword of Gideon. So when Joseph said, "The seven lean kine are seven years of famine" [Gen. 41:27], and so in innumerable other instances that might be mentioned.
'Tis evident from what has been already observed, that here are certain resemblances and shadows of sacrifices and substitutions, in suffering for sinners and atonements for sin. And it is manifest that it was out of regard to this resemblance there was in the shadow of the atonement that the shadow was appointed. God himself has decided it by calling the shadow by the name of the substance, and by declaring that he appointed the shadow that it might be for the substance; which he has done in declaring that he appointed it that it might be for an atonement, i. e. instead of the real atonement, which is the substance.
These shadows of atonement are not merely called by the name of an "atonement," but they are spoken of from time to time as being an atonement, and are said to be appointed that they might be an atonement. Now what other way there is of being an atonement, but either being so really, or being so in figure and significance, I don't know.
The incense appointed in the law had a sweet smell and was acceptable to the senses, and so had a shadow of that which was acceptable to God and a sweet savor to him. And seeing that it is expressly declared by God in the law that he appoints this incense for a sweet savor to him [Lev. 2:2], this demonstrates that God in the appointment has respect to that resemblance, that 'tis appointed to be a standing representation of a true, sweet savor to him. [A] sweet smell is appointed rather than [a] stinking smell, because it better resembles what is truly acceptable to God. When external whiteness and purity, that is a shadow of true purity in the sight of God, is called by the name of true purity, and is declared to be appointed that it might be for purity in the sight of God, this demonstrates that 'tis appointed to be a standing representation of true purity. So likewise when the shadows of sufferings for sinners and atonements for sin are called by the name of real sufferings for sinners and atonements for sin, and are said from time to time to be atonements for sin, and to be appointed that they might be for atonements for sin, it demonstrates clearly that these shadows of atonement are appointed out of respect to the resemblance they have to the real atonement, and that they might be instead of it and as standing representations of it; or, which is the same thing, that they might be types of it. God appointed the suffering of the creature, rather than the feeding or fatting of it, for the making atonement, because the suffering of the creature has a greater resemblance of that suffering that makes a real atonement for sin.
God in thus calling these shadows from time to time by the name of the thing resembled, and speaking of 'em from time to time as being the thing resembled, does therein plainly put 'em in their stead, and does make use of 'em as representations of 'em. As if any should on design call one by another's name that was not his own name, and ordinarily speak of him and treat him as being that other; this would be the same thing as to substitute him for the other, and to make use of him as the other's representative.
'Tis an argument that the sacrifices were types of the Messiah, that when Manoah offered sacrifice by God's appointment, he that is called "the angel of the Lord," and who was the Lord (and whom I have proved to be the same person with the Messiah in my discourse on "The Prophecies of the Messiah"), ascended in the flame of the sacrifice (Judg. 13:20), and so did as it were offer up himself in the flame of the sacrifice, intimating that he was the great sacrifice that was the antitype of those sacrifices of beasts. The beasts that were sacrificed to God ascended up in the flame before God for a sweet savor. So the matter is represented in the Old Testament. But here we see that when the sacrifice was ascending in the flame, the angel of the Lord ascends in the same, to show that that was the end of the sacrificing fire, viz. to cause him to ascend as a sweet savor unto God.
Again, there is clear proof that the legal sacrifices were types of the great sacrifice of the Messiah in Dan 9:24, "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy"; taken together with v. 27, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week shall he cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease." What is translated in v. 24, "and to make an end of sins," might have been translated, "he shall seal up the sin offerings." The word translated sins in the original is chattaoth, the very same word that is made use of in the law of Moses to signify sin offerings. So that the word might as well be translated "sin offerings" here as there. And 'tis the more likely that "sin offerings" should be meant here, because the word is in the plural number; whereas if what was intended was the same with "iniquity" in the clause preceding and "transgression" in the clause following, thus varying the expression for eloquence's sake, it would be more likely this word would have been in the singular number as those are. And besides, 'tis the more likely that the word signifies sin offerings, because it is evident that this text is a prophecy of the sacrifice that the Messiah should offer for sin. In the next words, "he shall make reconciliation for iniquity," the word rendered "reconciliation" (as has been already observed) signifies "expiation by sacrifice," it being the same that is so often rendered atonement in the law of Moses when speaking of sacrifices for sin. But what argues yet more strongly that this should have been translated, he shall make an end, or seal up, sin offerings, is that in the twenty-seventh verse there seems to be a reference to what had been said before in this verse, when it is said "in the midst of the week" (or "in the half of the week") "he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease." In the twenty-fourth verse it had been said that the sacrifices, or sin offerings, should be made an end of, or sealed up, in seventy weeks. And the twenty-fifth, twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh verses are evidently exegetical of that twenty-fourth to explain how [the] anointed Holy One, or Messiah, should make atonement for iniquity and seal up the sin offering and sacrifices in seventy weeks, viz. from the commandment to build Jerusalem there should be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks, that is, sixty-nine weeks; and then in the remaining week he should establish the covenant with many, and in the half of the week he should make the sacrifice and oblation to cease, or make an end of the sin offerings, as was said before.
Now let us mind the expression. The word translated make an end in the original is he shall seal up: "He shall seal up the sin offerings." 'Tis the very same word that is used in the following clause concerning vision and prophecy. He shall "seal up the vision and prophecy." The same word being thus used twice in like manner in different clauses of the same sentence, once concerning the visions and prophecy, and the other time concerning the sin offering, there is all reason to understand it in both places in the same sense. But the plain meaning of that clause, "to seal up the vision and prophecy," is this: then shall be accomplished the grand event so often exhibited by the prophecies of the prophets and so often represented and signified by the visions which they saw, and so the vision and prophecy shall be finished and brought to their grand accomplishment, that which they ultimately aimed at. Then shall be fulfilled the sum of what was signified in the vision and prophecy (Ezek. 28:12, "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty"). So when in the same sentence it is said, "to seal up the sin offerings and make atonement for iniquity," we must in a like sense understand it thus: to offer that grand sacrifice or atonement for iniquity that is so much exhibited and represented by the sin offerings. So that the sin offerings shall be made to cease, their design being obtained and finished; that grand event, that great and true atonement for sin, which was aimed at in them and which they all signified and represented, being now accomplished.
Again, it is evident that the priests of old, in their office of offering sacrifices, were types of the Messiah in offering his sacrifice. Otherwise there is no truth in that prophecy that God declares in so solemn a manner and confirms with an oath in Jer. 33:18, "Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before [me] to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually." See how solemnly this is confirmed and sworn in the following words [vv. 19–22]. Unless this be fulfilled in the true sacrifice or atonement which the Messiah offers, and in the accomplishment of that prophecy of the Messiah, Ps. 110:4, "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek," it is not fulfilled at all, and is neither agreeable to fact nor to other prophecies. Unless this prophecy be fulfilled thus, it is not agreeable to fact. For the priests and Levites have no man literally to offer sacrifices literally, for a much longer time than never they had a man to offer sacrifices. And it is not agreeable to other prophecies, particularly that forementioned (Dan. 9:24 and 27), that speaks of the Messiah's causing the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and sealing them up, which is directly contrary to this prophecy of Jer. 33, if this latter be understood literally. For this very prophecy of Jeremiah is evidently a prophecy of the Messiah. See v. 15, "I will cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up to David." So that upon this supposition, Jeremiah foretells the Messiah's abundantly confirming the priests and Levites in their business of offering sacrifice and oblation, so as to perpetuate it forever. And Daniel foretells his finishing the business wholly, sealing it up and making it to cease. And 'tis elsewhere foretold that there should be no temple made with hands, no ark and no sacrifices of beasts, in the Messiah's times. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies of the Messiah" §147–48.)
From what has been now observed of the prophecies foretelling that the Messiah should abolish the legal sacrifices, it is manifest that whenever the prophecies of the Messiah's times do speak of sacrifices then to be offered, they are to be understood mystically, i. e. of spiritual things typified by the sacrifices, as Is. 19:21, Is. 60:7, Ezek. 20:40–41, Mal. 1:11.
The blood of the legal sacrifices is called "the blood of the covenant" by Moses. Ex. 24:8, "And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words." But God calls the blood of the Messiah the blood of the covenant that he had made with his people, or the blood [of] their covenant. Zech. 9:11, "As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water." 'Tis evident that the blood of the Messiah is the blood by which the church will be redeemed when the Messiah comes, which is the time here spoken of. See v. 9 foregoing, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Therefore as both these, viz. the blood of the legal sacrifices and the blood of the Messiah, are called the blood of the church's covenant, 'tis manifest that one is represented by the other. The same sacrifice must be intended in that prophecy of the Messiah's times, Ps. 50:5, "Gather my saints together; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
Thus plain is it that the legal sacrifices were types of the Messiah, the great sacrifice and true atonement for sin, and appointed as such. And by some things that have been already observed, 'tis also manifest that their legal purifications were types of that spiritual purity that should be by the Messiah, and the sweet incense a type of that which is spiritual and truly sweet to God. (See pp. 305–08 and pp. 310–11.) And concerning the incense, I further observe that spiritual things are expressly compared to it in the Old Testament. Ps. 141:2, "Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice." And the Messiah is expressly compared to the cloud of incense (Cant. 3:6).
White and beautiful garments were appointed the priests by the law of Moses. These garments on the priests are expressly spoken of as representing something in the Messiah, and particularly are there spoken of as representing righteousness. Again, the righteousness of the Messiah is compared to beautiful garments. Is. 61:10, "He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with his ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Job 29:14, "I put on righteousness, and it clothed me." God is represented as clothed with a garment white as snow (Dan. 7:9), and the Messiah appears to Daniel clothed in linen (Dan. 10:5–6 and 12:7). Spiritual purity is represented by the color white. Is. 1:18, "Though thy sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." Dan. 12:10, "Many shall be purified, and made white." And 11:35, "Some shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and make them white."
The high priest had broidered garments; such are spoken of as representing righteousness. Ezek. 16:9–10, "Then I washed thee with water; I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered work … and I girded thee about with fine linen."
'Tis manifest that the legal uncleannesses were types of sin. They are said to be an abomination to the Lord. Yea, they are called "sin" in the law of the sin offering (Lev. 6:6–8 and ch. 14:13–14, 19, 22, 24–25, 53, ch. 15:30). Moral impurities seem to [be] represented by legal impurities (Hag. 2:11–14).
One thing that was a legal pollution was blood. This is made use of by the prophets to represent sin. Ezek. 16:6, "When I saw thee polluted in thy blood." So vv. 9 and 22. Is. 1:18, "Though your sins be as scarlet … and red like crimson." Ch. 4:4, "When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning."
One kind of legal uncleanness was through menstruous blood. Moral or spiritual pollution is compared to this. Is. 64:6, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," or "as menstruous clothes," as it might have been rendered.
The leprosy was one kind of legal uncleanness. Sin seems to be compared to this in Is. 1:6, "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores."
The legal purifications by washing the hands in the laver, and other parts of the body in water, is what a spiritual cleansing from sin is compared to. Ps. 26:6, "I will wash my hands in innocency, and so will I compass thine altar," alluding to the priests washing their hands at the laver before they compassed God's altar. Zech. 13:1, "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness." Ps. 51:2, "Wash me from my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin." Is. 1:16, "Wash ye, make ye clean; put away the evil of your doings." Jer. 4:14, "Wash thy heart from wickedness." Prov. 30:12, "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not cleansed from their filthiness." Is. 4:4, "When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion." Ezek. 16:4, "Neither wast thou washed in water." V. 9, "Then washed I thee in water." Ezek. 36:25, "Then will I sprinkle clean waters upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness."
That the anointing under the law typified something spiritual is confirmed from that, that what is spiritual is called "anointing." Ezek. 16:9, "I anointed thee with oil." 'Tis an argument that those officers that were anointed were types of the Messiah, because his name is Messiah, or The Anointed. The holy anointing oil represented the Spirit of God, because the Holy Spirit is represented by holy anointing oil (Zech. 4:2–6, 12). And Is. 61:1, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me." By which last words it may also be confirmed that the anointing of the officers of the Jewish church represented the spiritual anointing of the Messiah.
Something spiritual that shall be in the Messiah's times is compared to the wine of the drink offering. Zech. 9:15, "They shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar."
We have the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament that the golden candlestick, with its bowl on the top and its seven lamps and oil for the lamps, is a representation of the church of the Messiah (Zech. 4, taken with the preceding chapter).
The sanctuary or temple was a type of heaven, as may be argued from that, that heaven is called in the Old Testament his "dwelling place," his "holy habitation," his "sanctuary" and his "temple." 1 Kgs. 8:30, "Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place." So vv. 39, 43, 49; 2 Chron. 6:21, 30, 39. And 2 Chron. 30:27, "Their prayer came up to his holy place, even unto heaven." Ps. 33:13–14, "The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh on all the inhabitants of the earth." Is. 63:15, "Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and thy glory." Jer. 25:30, "The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation." Deut. 26:15, "Look down from thy holy habitation." Ps. 68:4–5, "Sing unto the Lord, sing praises unto his name: extol him that rideth on the heavens by his name JAH … a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation." Ps. 102:19, "For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth." Ps. 11:4, "The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven."
That the great, costly or precious stones that were the foundation of the temple, spoken of, 1 Kgs. 5:17, and of Solomon's house (ch. 7:10), [represented the Messiah,] is confirmed by Is. 28:16, Ps. 118:22, Zech. 3:9 and 4:9.
'Tis a confirmation that the frame of the tabernacle and temple were typical, from the agreement there is between it and the visions under which God sometimes manifested himself. The mercy seat with the cherubims is called "the chariot of the cherubims" (1 Chron. 28:18), agreeable to the vision that Ezekiel had of God riding in a chariot drawn by cherubims [Ezek. 10]. Ezekiel's vision of the chariot of the cherubims was also agreeable with the frame of the chariot in which the lavers were set, and represented as drawn by lions, oxen and cherubim, agreeable to the shapes of Ezekiel's living creatures [Ezek. 1]. (See 1 Kgs. 7:27–39).
But a very great and clear evidence that the city of Jerusalem, the holy city and the temple in all its parts and measures and its various appendages and utensils, with all its offices, services, sacrifices and ceremonies, and so all things appertaining to the ceremonial law, and indeed many things appertaining to the civil state of the people as divided into twelve tribes, were typical of things appertaining to the Messiah and his church and kingdom, is that these things are evidently made use of as such in a very particular manner in the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, that we have an account of in the nine last chapters of his prophecy [Ezek. 40–48]. Those things there mentioned, which [are] the same which were in Israel under the law of Moses, they are mentioned as resemblances, figures or symbolical representations of spirituals. (See "Prophecies of the Messiah" §74, and "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §23–24, §146–48.) So that God has in these chapters determined that these things are figures, symbols or types representing the things [of the Messiah's kingdom], because here he plainly makes use of 'em as such.
'Tis no argument that the things that have been treated of were not designed as types of the Messiah and things pertaining to his kingdom, that God, when he instituted 'em, did [not] expressly declare 'em to be so. For there is no more necessity of supposing that all types signifying future events, when given, should be explained, than all visions and prophecies signifying future events. The things that [were] exhibited in visions were truly a sort of types of future events, as Abraham's smoking furnace and burning lamp, which was not explained nor expressly declared to represent anything future. The twelve fountains and threescore and ten palm trees at Elim were evidently types of the twelve tribes and threescore and ten elders, but yet it is not expressly said so. The like might be observed of Jacob's taking Esau by the heel at his birth, and God's making Eve of Adam's rib, and Moses' rod's swallowing up the magicians' rods, and many other things.
Corol. Seeing it is thus abundantly evident by the Old Testament itself that the things of the Old Testament were typical of the Messiah and things appertaining to him, hence a great and most convincing argument may be drawn that Jesus is the Messiah, seeing there is so wonderful a correspondence and evident, manifold and great agreement between him and his gospel and these types of the Old Testament. And as it is so plain by the Old Testament that the ancient state of things amongst the Jews was all typical of the Messiah, and the Jews themselves acknowledged it, so 'tis a great argument that Jesus and his kingdom were the end and antitype of these things. Because presently after he comes and sets up his kingdom, God puts a total and final end to that typical state of the Jews and all thing appertaining to [it]; blots out all those types at once and wipes 'em clean away; and poured the utmost contempt upon 'em and covered 'em with the most dreadful darkness; and utterly destroyed, as by one great fatal and final blow, that whole typical world; and has now continued their abolition for so many ages, much longer than he did their existence; and has followed all that reject the antitype and would cleave to the types with so awful and continual a curse: and all this agreeably to the prophecies of what God would do when the Messiah, this great antitype, was come. (See "Fulfillment of Prophecies" §127–31 and §146–48.)
That typical representations were looked upon by God as no trifling matters, but things of great IMPORTANCE, is manifest in that it is spoken of in Scripture as a matter of such importance that Christ's body should not be at all corrupted, or begin to send forth any corrupt savor, before it was raised.
It was common for NAMES to be given by a spirit of prophecy. See Owen on Heb. 7:2, p. 112c, d, e.)
We have reason to suppose that very many things in the Old Testament are intended as types, seeing 'tis manifest in some instances that so very minute circumstances were so ordered, such as the negative circumstances of the story of Melchizedek; there being no mention made of his father or mother, of his birth or death.
That everything, even to the least circumstance, prescribed by God about the tabernacle and all its services, were types of heavenly things, appears by the Apostle's manner of arguing (Heb. 8:5) from those words of God to Moses: "See that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount." And if they were all types, they were all for our instruction. And if they were our instruction, then we must endeavor to understand them, even those of 'em that are nowhere explained in Scripture.
Heb. 9:3–5, the Apostle there mentioning the ark, mercy seat, tables of the covenant, the golden censer, pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, concludes thus: "of which I cannot now speak particularly," i. e. "I can't now explain particularly the design of these things, and tell you particularly what evangelical and heavenly things were represented thereby"; which proves, evidently, that many things in the tabernacle were typical and intended to represent to God's people evangelical things, which signification is not explained to us in Scripture.
The Jews of old seemed to look on the redemption from Egypt as a type of the redemption which should be accomplished by the Messiah. (See SSS on Ex. 12:14.)
'Tis an evidence that legal uncleanness was a type of sin, that they are in effect called sin. (See SSS on Lev. 12:8.)
The temporal things of the Old Testament, types of the spiritual things of the New. (See SSS on 1 Sam. 2:10.)
Obj. From the abuse that will be made of this doctrine of types.
Ans. I don't know that the types of Scripture are more abused by people that are enthusiastic and of teeming imagination than the visionary representations of the book of Revelation. And yet none makes that an objection against all attempts to understand that book. We have as good warrant from the Word of God to suppose the whole ceremonial law to be given in order to a figurative representing and signifying spiritual and evangelical things to mankind, as we have to suppose that prophetical representations are to represent and signify the events designed by them, and therefore as good reason to endeavor to interpret them.