children of the captivity as far as their circumstances would allow, and that Herod, when he renovated and enlarged it, copied after the same pattern. But as this was necessarily done in an imperfect manner, it waits to be properly accomplished by the Messiah, who, when He appears, shall cause the Temple to be reared precisely as here described. IV. The Christian-spiritual or typical view, according to which the whole representation was not intended to find either in Jewish or Christian times an express and formal realisation, but was a grand complicated symbol of the good which God had in reserve for His Church, especially under the coming dispensation of the Gospel. There are several considerations to be kept in view in the interpretation of the vision. 1. That the description purports to be a vision a scheme of things exhibited to the mental eye of the prophet in the visions of God. This alone marks it to be of an ideal character. 2. That this is confirmed by the substance of it, as there is much that seems obviously designed to force on us the conviction of its ideal character. There are things in the description which, taken literally, are in the highest degree improbable, and even involve natural impossibilities. 3. That some may be disposed to imagine that, as they expect certain physical changes to be effected upon the land before the prophecy can be carried into fulfilment, these may be adjusted in such a manner as to admit of the prophet's measurements being literally applied. It is impossible, however, to admit such a supposition. 4. That the vision, as it must, if understood literally, imply the ultimate restoration of the ceremonials of Judaism, so it inevitably places the prophet in direct contradiction to the writers of the New Testament. 5. That, holding the description to be conclusively of an ideal character, we affirm that the idealism is precisely of the same kind as that which appeared in some of the earlier visions-visions that must necessarily have already passed into fulfilment, and which therefore may justly be regarded as furnishing a key to the right understanding of the one before us. 6. That, looking to the manifold and minute particulars given in the description, some may be disposed to think it highly improbable that anything short of an exact and literal fulfilment should have been intended. 7. That it may be asked whether the feeling against a spiritual understanding of the vision and a demand for outward scenes and objects literally corresponding to it does not spring to a large extent from false notions regarding the ancient Temple and its ministrations and ordinances of worship, as if these possessed an independent value apart from the spiritual truths they symbolically expressed? On the contrary, the Temple, with all that belonged to it, was an embodied representation of Divine realities. 8. That in the interpretation of the vision we must keep carefully in mind the circumstances in which it was given, and look at it, not as from a New but as from an Old Testament point of view. We must throw ourselves back as far as possible into the position of the prophet himself. He speaks chiefly of Gospel times, but as one still dwelling under the veil and uttering the language of legal times."-Patrick Fairbairn, D.D. ACTIVITY, God in human, 116 Adversities of the Church, the, 411 an emblem of true worship, the, 457 Apostasy, Israel's, 166; the punishment of, 170 Aspects of God's government over men, 68 under which God communicates with Atheistic idea, the, 485 Attainments, high spiritual, 430 Audacity of evil, the, 410 BAD news, 352 Bad shepherd, a. 359 Balances, just, 471 Banquet, a strange, 421 Barrenness and fruitfulness, moral, 487 Beauty, 341 Believer, the security of the, 391 Blasphemy, 234 Blessing, the Church a source of, 365 Blessing of food and clothing, the, 447 Boldness, spiritual, 365 Bones, vision of the dry, 400 Building, the Church of God a, 430 Burial of the slain, the, 420 CALL to repentance, an earnest, 208 Canaan, the earthly, a type of the heavenly, 490 Care over His people, God's, 361 Catalogue of Jerusalem's sins, the, 267 of the Temple, the, 433 Christ, a Tree prepared by God, 189 Christian Church, Temple a symbol of the, 438 the infallible certitude of the, 419 Divinely authorised altar, the, 458 -inspired seer, a, 426 Duty accepted for reasons, 26; neglect of, 347; Elders before Ezekiel, the, 218 Emotional worship, 97 Empire, the river the natural source of, 332 of the truth, fierce onslaught of the, 408 of God's people, signal defeat of the, 416 Entrance to the Church, the, 436 of God's government, the, 203 Error preached, 143 Estimates, false, 350 Evidences of Divine judgment, 421 Evil, the audacity of, 410; the power of, 412; Ezekiel's Temple, reflected rays from the best literary lights on the significance of, 494 in stewardship, 110 Fallen greatness, 332 Family blessing, ministerial maintenance a Fate of the proud, the, 420 Fear, reasons for, 338 Features of Divine disciplinary government, 103 Feet and wings, 118 proceedings against His enemies, 413 purpose of mercy towards Israel, 177 punitive justice, 384 sword of vengeance against Jerusalem, 250 ways made known, 87 Good, the inheritance of the, 488 Shepherd, the, 364; king, a, 471 Gospel, the spread of the, 486; the power of Government of God, the, 19 the unswerving equity of the Divine, 347 the equity of God's, 203 Gradation, the law of, 447 Gradualness of Divine revelation, the, 485 Graves of fallen nations, a funeral chant over the, 339 Heart-renewal, 388 of stone and heart of flesh, the, 389 Heritage of the good, God the, 467 of the faithful, the, 488 High spiritual attainments, 430 Holiness the law of the new Temple, 454 Holy place, the most, 440; priesthood, a, 463; Hope for a ruined nation, 375 Horrors of war, the, 324 Human body, the sacredness of the, 421 life, the Temple-river emblematic of re- Human perplexity, 399 side of the Divine message, the, 382 Humility, 454 Hypocritical inquirers after God, 145 Idolatry in the heart, 146; vengeance on, 324; the delusiveness of, 325 Imagery, chambers of, 94 Impeachment of unfaithful rulers, 357 Impartiality, the Divine, 387; of God, the, 489 Individual responsibility, 346 Individuality of the soul, the, 194 Infallible certitude of the Divine Word, the, 419 of unbelief, 350 Influence, spiritual, 487 Inheritance of the wicked, the, 352 of the good, the, 488 Iniquities, God's action against, 46 affecting His people, God's action against, 48 Inquirers after God, hypocritical, 145 of false prophets, the, 148 Israel, God's purpose of mercy towards, 177 conversion, 243 election, 224 fallen royalty, lamentation over, 212 JEHOVAH, the opposition of, 328 the revelation of the glory of, 451 the true worship of, 474 - Jehovah Shammah: the city of the Divine Jerusalem, the punishment of, 287 Jerusalem's destruction, the prophecy of, 247 sins, the catalogue of, 267 Joining the sticks, 403 Judah, the sin of, 284 and Samaria, sins and punishment of, 291 Judgment, God revealed in, 325 evidence of Divine, 421 the last warning of, 294 Judgments of God upon nations, the, 152 upon Israel justified, God's, 173 Justice and generosity, 477 the Divine, 363 God's punitive, 384 Justified, man, 389 KINDRED, the graves of King, a good, 471 of Tyre, the, 313 our, 341 Kingdom of God, the unity of the, 401 of Judah, lamentation for the, 215 Kingly office, the, 463 Knowledge, conditions of spiritual, 62 LAMENT, a pathetic, 324 Lamentation over Israel's fallen royalty, 212 for the kingdom of Judah, 215 Men's evasion of the Divine interference, 137 the Divine, 465 Message, an urgent, 399 Messiah's Kingdom, the glory of, 188 Ministers, the Divine judgment on unfaithful, 360 - duties and privileges, 448 maintenance a source of family blessing, 467 Mixed character of Divine dispensations, the, 240 conduct, laws for judging, 39 corruption in the Church, 159 significance of daily food, 478 Morality, religion and, 98 Morning prayer, 476 Mourning for other men's sins, 105 NAME of God, the, 385 Nation, the corruption of the, 274 the overthrow of a great, 322 - hope for a ruined, 375 the resuscitation of an effete, 395 National unity, 328,404 greatness no guarantee of permanence, 330 ruin, sin the cause of, 380 life, 401 Onslaught of the enemies of the truth, 408 Order, the perfect, 117 Ordinances of the Temple, the, 457 People of God, the unity of the, 404 Perils of greatness, the, 332 Permanence, national greatness no guarantee of, 330 Perplexity, human, 399 Picture of righteousness, a, 197 Pitifulness of the Divine mercy, the, 349 Place of sacrifice, a, 434 the most holy, 440 Population, an increasing, 392 Postulates for an effective watchman, 38 Power of evil, the, 412 of the Gospel, the, 486 of the Word of God, the, 64 Prayer, the nature, necessity, and power of, 392 - morning, 476 Prayers, unsatisfied, 108 Preacher, the successful, 399 Preacher's critics, the, 354 Preaching, the secret of successful, 398 Presence, returning from the, 131 - of God, the, 371 with His people, the, 405 the withdrawal of the Lord's, 80 Priestly office, the, 435 Productiveness of nature, the, 390 of truth, the, 484 Promise of the Spirit, the, 422 Prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction, 247 Prophecies against heathen nations, 304 Protection, the Divine, 413, 432 Proud, the fate of the, 420 monarch humbled, a, 326 Punish, God slow to, 411 Punishment, the final issue of the Divine, 421 of apostasy, the 170 of Jerusalem, the, 287 QUESTION, a suggestive, 486 Rebels, God's treatment of, 465 Redemption, God glorified in, 388 Reflected rays from the best literary lights on Refuges of lies broken up, 122 Religion, spurious, 455 the basis of true equity, 469 Religious decorum, 476 sensibility, the sources of, 14 Repentance, genuine, 350 not efficacious, 204 an earnest call to, 208 Requisites for executing the commission, 24 Responsibility, individual, 346 Restraints in serving the Lord, 41 Resurrection, spiritual, 398 Resuscitation of an effete nation, the, 395 Returning from the Presence, 131 Revelation, the gradualness of the Divine, 485 Revelations, Divine, 465 Reviling God's people, 263 Revival, the secret of true, 398 River the natural source of empire, the, 332 Ruler, the Divine, 455 the dignity of the civil, 461 Sacred terrible sword-song, the, 253 God's motive in, 388 Samaria, the sin of, 291, 282 of Christians, the real, 157 Temple, a representation of Christ and His the grandeur of the Divine, 449 the ordinances of the, 457 Temple-river emblematic of religion in the Time of God's communication to be noted, 136 Triumph of the wicked, the, 371 True shepherd, the qualifications of the, 360 Tyre threatened with judgment, 306 Tyre's greatness and downfall, 308 Unity, national, 328, 404 of the Kingdom of God, the, 401 Unsatisfied prayers, 108 Unrepented sin, 348 Unrighteous and righteous son, the law of, 200 Upward, still, 441 Urgent message, an, 399 VAIN worship, 89 Valley of Vision, lessons from the, 398 Vengeance on idolatry, 324 the agent of Divine, 328 the terribleness of the Divine, 336 Vision of the dry bones, 400 of Divine things, the, 455 of the waters, the, 482 WAR, the horrors of, 324; the man of, 419 of judgment, the last, 294 Watchman, postulates for an effective, 38 Where much is given, much required, 55 the inheritance of the, 352 the triumph of the, 371 the speech of the, 371 God's knowledge of the tactics of the, 412 Wilful worship, 98 Wings, feet and, 118 Withdrawal of the Lord's Presence, the, 80 Word, the Divine, 392 of God, the power of the, 64 Workers for God: their privileges and distinc- Temple, 441 Worship, vain, 89; corruption of true, 92; emo- Wrong-doing, 377 ZIDON, the prophecy against, 315 PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON, AND CO., EDINBURGH AND LONDON. |