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Last Updated on :
Saturday, November 22, 2014

 

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NEXT: "His Body Was Like the Beryl"

 

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PHANEROSIS
The Subject Itself


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PAGES 106-107

The linen and the gold are associated both by Daniel and John. The Spirit-Man symbolized to Daniel was "girded with fine gold of Uphaz." This Uphaz is the Ophir of other passages. In the times of the prophets it was the gold region of the earth, whence the most abundant supplies of the finest gold were obtained. The fitting up of the temple, which in its places and furniture was "the patterns of things in the heavens" figures of the true heavenly things themselves were all of gold, or of precious woods overlaid with gold; to wit, the Cherubim, the Ark of the Testimony, the Mercy-Seat, the Altar of Incense, the Seven Branched Lampstands, the Table of Shew Bread, spoons, tongs, censers, hinges, staves, and so forth. And besides all this, the

PAGE 107

"holy garments for glory and beauty," worn by the High Priest, who officiated in this golden temple, were brilliant with gold and precious stones; such as, the breastplate of righteousness, the ephod, the mitre, or "helmet of salvation," etc. This was chosen as the most precious of all known metals, to represent the most precious of "heavenly things" before the Eternal Spirit--FAITH PERFECTED BY TRIAL, which is "much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be refined by fire," and "without which it is impossible to please God" (Heb. 11:6; James 2:22; 1 Peter 1:7; 2 Peter 1:1). It is the basis of righteousness unto life eternal; for "we are justified by faith" -- the fine linen of righteousness is girded about the saints by the golden girdle of a tried faith. "When God hath tried me," saith Job, "I shall come forth as gold." Thus David, in celebrating the future glory of the New Order of Elohim, consisting of the King and his Brethren, styles the latter "the Queen" in Psalm 45:9, saying to his Majesty, "the Queen hath been placed at thy right hand in fine gold of Ophir." He then addresses the Consort of the Great King, who being the Eternal Spirit manifested in David's son, is both Father and Husband to the Bride ("thy Maker is thine Husband; Yahweh Tz'vaoth is His name; the Elohim of the whole earth shall be called" Isaiah 54:5) saying: "Hear, O Daughter and consider and incline thine ear; and forget thy nation, and the house of thy father; and the King shall greatly desire thy beauty; for He is thy Lord, therefore do thou homage unto Him. So the Daughter of Tyre with tribute, the rich of the people, shall supplicate thy favour. The Daughter of the King is all glorious within; her clothing is of interweavings of gold; in embroideries shall she be conducted to Thee; the Virgins her companions, following her, shall be brought to Thee. They shall be conducted with joyous shouts and exultation; they shall enter into the palace of the King" (Psalm 45:10-11).

Thus David sings of "the Spirit and the Bride," clothed in the holy garments of righteousness and faith, for glory and for beauty. They are apocalyptically represented as "a Great City," styled "the Holy City, New Jerusalem, having been prepared as a Bride adorned for her husband" -- "a city of pure gold like to transparent crystal"; "the precious sons of Zion," saith the prophet, "are comparable to fine gold" (Lam. 4:2), for in their glory they are the spirit-incarnations of a tried and precious faith.

 


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