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Saturday, November 22, 2014

 

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NEXT: The Man Of The One Spirit -- "His-Arms"

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PHANEROSIS
The Subject Itself


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PAGES 114-117

The eye is the symbol of intelligence: for, "the light of the body is the eye." The extent, and, perhaps, the degree of intelligence, is indicated by the number, and its character by the expression of the symbol. Daniel does not record the number of the eyes of the glorious Man of Multitude: but tells us that their appearance was "as lamps of fire," which would give them a flaming, and therefore, terrible expression to those whom they will neither spare nor pity (Ezek. 5:11).

The symbolical number of these flaming orbs is revealed in Zechariah. In chapter 3, the Eternal saith, "Behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch": or Messiah. "For, behold, the stone which I have placed before the Faces of Joshua (or Jesus, in Greek), upon the same stone shall be SEVEN EYES" (verses 8, 9) : and "they shall rejoice and see the stone of separation in the hands of Zerubbabel, even those Seven. They are the eyes of YAHWEH scourging in all the earth" (chap. 4:10). In this testimony and its context, the Eternal Spirit sets before us several representative men --Joshua and his brethren, and Zerubbabel: the former, the High Priest and his household at the time of the restoration from Babylon, and the latter, governor of Judah and of the house of David at the same crisis. They were constituted

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a symbolical group, and were so regarded by their contemporaries in Jerusalem; as it is written "they are men wondered at," or anshai mophalth, "Men of Sign," that is, men representing others besides themselves.

But as the things to be represented by them required other symbols than those furnished by the human form, priests, and governors, the deficiencies are supplied from other sources. Joshua and his brethren represented Messiah and his brethren in name and office; as did also Zerubbabel as a governor of the house of David; and as a group of sign-men, they symbolized the kings and priests. of the Eternal Power of the house of David, occupying their places over Israel in Messiah's times, commonly styled "the millenium." But it was required also to represent that the Spirit's servant, "the man whose name is the Branch," styled in the New Testament "Jesus Christ," was the same who had been styled by Jacob, David, Isaiah and Daniel, "the Stone"; that the precious gem in its brightness and splendour was to blaze forth in the glory of the Spirit; that, as a consuming fire, he and his companions were to scourge the wicked; in short, that Israel was not to expect redemption by their own prowess, apart from the Man of.the Eternal Power, according to "the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying: Not by multitude nor by strength, but rather by my Spirit, saith Yahweh Tz-vaoth" (chapter 4:6).

To represent these requirements, a stone was placed before Joshua, by which action a relation between them was established. It is afterwards seen in the hand of Zerubbabel, by which also he becomes identified with it. Hence the stone comes to represent at once the High Priest and Governor of Judah -- "a Priest upon the throne" of the house of David, which indicated a change in the constitution of the kingdom of Israel. In the hand of Zerubbabel it is styled the "Stone of Separation," by which we are taught that "the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel" will be a purifier of his nation from all alloy; for "He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto Yahweh an offering in righteousness. Afterwards shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Yahweh, as in the days of old, and as in ancient years" (Mal. 3:2-4).

But the nature of the case demanded that intelligence and multitudinousness should be symbolized in the Stone. To answer this, "Seven Eyes" are placed upon it with the inscription: "I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day." These eyes, we are told, are "the eyes of Yahweh": that is, the eyes of the Spirit, self-styled Yahweh.

Now, John in Patmos saw the same vision: and in his description

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of what he saw, uses the words of Daniel and Zechariah, which he blends together. He says there were "Seven lamps of fire burning before the throne." He then tells what they represent, saying, "which are the Seven Spirits of power," or of God. "Grace and peace" were sent through John to the Seven Ecclesias from these Seven Spirits in concert with Jesus Anointed (Rev. 1:4-5); who, in chapter 5:6, is symbolized "by a lamb that had been slain." Now, the description of this lamb identifies it with the Stone of Joshua and Zerubbabel; and with the Eyes of Daniel's Man of the One Spirit. The slain lamb had "seven horns and seven eyes, which (Horns and eyes) are," or represent, "the Seven Spirits of Power, sent forth into all the earth" (chapter 5:6).

The symbolical number is "seven." This is a sign-number, signifying more or less. That it does not signify less than seven, is evident from other symbols of the Spirit. The Four living Ones of Ezekiel and John are symbols of the Spirit, multitudinously manifested; for "whither the Spirit was to go, they went," "as the appearance of a flash of lightning" (Ezek. 1:14,20; Rev. 4:6). Their actions are identical; therefore the Spirit and the Living Ones are the same -- "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Ezekiel tells us that what he describes was "the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh," or of the Eternal Spirit. It was not the thing itself, but its similitude : the reality pertaining to the New Order of Elohim, to Jesus and his brethren. Now, Paul teaches that we are invited to the glory of God through the gospel; and Peter, that "He hath called us to His Eternal Glory." Hence, the Four Living Ones that John saw, are represented as celebrating in song their redemption by the Lamb, that they might reign as God's kings and priests upon the earth. The Living Ones are, therefore, spirit symbols of the Sons of God in glorious manifestation. Their Eyes, however, are not limited to "seven," but are numberless; for "their whole body, their backs, and their hands, and their wings, and their wheels were full of Eyes round-about" (Ezek. 10:12). This is also John's testimony who says: "the Four Living Ones were full of eyes before and behind . . . and within; and they had six wings," which identifies them with Isaiah's Seraphim.

We conclude, then, that the symbolical number "seven" in the case before us, is representative of a great and innumerable multitude -- "a multitude which no,man can number," because its amount is not revealed. The eyes of Daniel's symbol are identical with the eyes of the cherubim: each eye being the representative of an individual saint. In the aggregate they are "as lamps of fire," whose mission is to slay the beast, and to destroy his body, and to give it to the burning flame (Dan. 7:11); and to take away the dominion of the rest of the beasts (v.12): or as

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John expresses it, to burn Babylon utterly with fire: to torment her adherents and the kings of the earth with fire and brimstone, and the sword; to bind the Dragon, and take possession of the kingdoms of the nations in all the earth (Rev. 18:8: 14:8-11: 17:14; 20:2; 11:15): all of which is implied in the words of Zechariah, that the Seven Eyes as lamps of fire, "are the Eyes of Yahweh scourging in all the earth."

NEXT: The Man Of The One Spirit -- "His-Arms"

 


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