Israel, as well as in relation to the " mercy " which He purposed from the beginning to show unto the Gentiles, have been made doubly sure.
Both the New Testament as well as the Old teach us to expect and look for the revelation of the Glory of Jehovah, when " all flesh shall see it together "; and then, when the Malakh Ye/iovak, with whom the symbolic cloud of glory was associated from the very first mention of it in the Scriptures (comp. Ex. xiii. 21, 22 with xiv. 12, 20), shall appear in His glory, not only in the form of man, but as " the same Jesus," visibly to establish God's rule over this earth, and to sit upon the throne of His father David these visions and prophecies of the return of the Glory of Jehovah shall be fulfilled: <l And Jehovah will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud of smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for over all the Glory shall be as a {marriage} canopy. And there shall be a pavilion for a shadow in the daytime from tJie heat, and for a refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain."[1]
But though not in the form of visibility, as shall be the case in restored Jerusalem by and by, the precious promise of outward protection and inward illumination, contained in the words, " For I, saith the Lord, will be a wall of fire round about, and the glory in the midst of her," is true to every one of you also, dear readers, who know experimentally the truth of the Apostle's words, " Whom, having not seen ye love, in whom though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." The Angel of Jehovah even now " encampeth " (with an invisible host) round about them that fear Him and delivereth them (Ps. xxxiv. 7); and because He Himself is a wall of fire round about us, and our life is hid with Christ in God, therefore " when the wicked, even mine enemies and foes"
(whether visible or invisible, whether evil men or " wicked spirits "), " come upon me " (full of determination and fury)
"to eat up my flesh, it is they " (the " they " is very
- ↑ Isa. iv. 5, 6.
