and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, we will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you. IF we did not see that the generality of Christians, with the scriptures in their hands are yet ignorant of the plainest and most fundamental doctrines of our religion, we should wonder how the Jews, with the sacred oracles before them, could be such strangers to God's design of bringing the Gentiles into his church. If there were no other passage, in all the inspired volume, relating to the subject besides that which we have now read, they would have had abundant reason to expect that glorious event. But the prophecy before us, however fulfilled in part in the apostolic and succeeding ages, is yet to receive, at a future period, a more complete accomplishment. In unfolding its meaning, we shall be led to consider I. The conversion of the Gentiles To human appearance, it must be granted, this event is very improbable: but It is certain [It is an event foretold from the earliest ages by Moses" and the prophets; and we are confirmed in our expectation of it by Christ, and his apostles."] It will, however, be sudden [There will probably be no more prospect of its arrival, than there was of the restoration of the Jews from Babylon a little time before it took effect. "A nation shall then, as it were, be born in a day." "As soon as the people hear of Christ, they shall obey him."f No sooner shall his standard be erected, than they shall flock to it in crowds, "like doves to their windows." Like persons eager for some great and unexpected good, they shall "lay hold of the skirt" of him, who they think can aid them in the attainment of it. Yea, so vast and sudden will be the accession of converts to the church, that the places appropriated to divine worship shall not be a Deut. xxxii. 21. with Rom. x. 19, 20. b Ps. lxxii. 8-11. Isai. xlix. and Ix. d Rom. xv. 8-12, and xi. 25. Ps. xviii. 43, 44. • Luke xxi. 24. e Isai. lxvi. 8. Isai. Ix. 2, 3, 8. able to contain them, and the people of God themselves shall be filled with wonder and astonishment."] It will also be universal ["All the ends of the world are given to Christ as his possession." And in that day "many and strong nations" shall unite themselves to the Lord; and men shall fear him from the rising to the setting sun.' "All shall know him, from the least of them even to the greatest.' "All shall be righteous:" even the most ignorant countrymen shall be consecrated to the Lord." None, or next to none, shall remain in an heathenish and unconverted state. The knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as universally as the waters cover the channel of the sea.P] Together with this assurance of the event itself, the text further sets before us II. The way in which it will be manifested Conversion wherever it exists, uniformly produces the effects mentioned in the text 1. A cordial delight in God's ordinances [A proud Pharisee will go to the temple as well, and perhaps as often as a repenting publican: but he never can find delight in the worship of God. Prayer is a task, that he performs either from necessity, or with a view to establish a righteousness of his own. But the true convert rejoices in opportunities of approaching God both in public and in private -There will indeed be many seasons when he will find his mind lamentably indisposed for holy exercises: but, when he is in a proper frame, his joy is in God alone." Nor will any true Christian be satisfied to serve God alone: when once he has tasted the benefits of communion with God, he will desire to bring all he can to a participation of his bliss." Nor will he readily be put off with vain excuses; he knows the danger of procrastination; and therefore says, Come, “let us go speedily, and seek the Lord:" yea, to give more efficacy to his advice, he is glad to lead the way,' and to profit others by his example, as well as by his precepts. This will be an universally prevalent disposition in the latter day;" and it will assuredly prevail, wherever the grace of God is received in truth.] 2. A zealous attachment to his people 66 com [A person truly converted to God can no longer associate with those, who would turn him from the paths of righteousness. He seeks rather those who will aid him in his journey heaven ward. He sees that God is with his people, forting them with his presence," and "blessing them with all spiritual blessings." He therefore desires to cast in his lot with them; he "takes the Lord's people, as it were, by the skirt, saying, I will go with you;" and, with Moses, accounts it better to renounce all the vanities of the world, and to "suffer affliction with the Lord's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.' " In this choice he is not instigated by fear, as the heathen were in the days of Esther, but from a firm persuasion, that God is with his church, and that there is no solid happiness to be enjoyed but in connexion with it."] This subject affords ample matter 1. For reproof [With all our profession of Christianity, the generality never once in all their lives have manifested such a disposition as is described above. We frequently say to each other, Let us go to this or that amusement; but never, "Let us go speedily and seek the Lord." On the contrary, though frequently, and earnestly exhorted by the ministers of God, we cannot even be persuaded to seek the Lord for ourselves. What resemblance then is there between such persons, and the Christians of the latter day? Let us know that to call ourselves Christians, while we are wholly destitute of Christian principles and Christian habits, is a fond and fatal delusion.] 2. For encouragement [God is with his church at this time, as well as in the days of old: and his people can testify, that it is well with those who seek his face. Behold then, we say to all, as Moses to his father-in-law, "We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: and it shall be, if ye go with us: yea, it shall be, that what goodness the Lord shall do unto us, the same will he do to you." Let the day then, the blessed day, commence amongst us, when that prophecy shall be accomplished, "The children of Israel shall come together, going, and weeping, they shall go and seek the Lord their God: they shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten."] h Jer. 1. 4, 5. CCXVIII. THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. Hos. iii. 5. Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days. KNOWN unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world; and whatever he has predetermined in his eternal counsels shall surely be fulfilled. Often indeed is the execution of his purposes delayed till unbelievers begin to think that his word has failed of its accomplishment: but " in the evening time it shall be light:" and when the obstacles to his will seem almost insurmountable, he will glorify himself in fulfilling it beyond all human expectation. Thus he acted, when, according to his promise, he brought the Israelites out of Egypt. He suffered them to be detained till the very last day that they could be consistently with the truth of his promise; and then, when the Israelites themselves were almost reduced to despair, he brought them out with a mighty hand and a stretched out arm. Thus also will he act yet once more towards that chosen people. They are now dispersed almost beyond the hope of conversion to God. But there is a period when they shall as universally, and perhaps too as suddenly, commit themselves to the government of Christ, as ever they did to the direction of Moses; nor is it improbable that they will yet again inhabit that very land, from which they have been driven for their iniquities. To elucidate this subject we shall consider I. The event foretold in this prophecy The whole of the gospel dispensation is often called "the latter days:" but here the expression refers to what is called by many, The millennium, or the time when all VOL. II. 3 R the kingdoms of the world shall be converted to Christ. In that day The Jews shall universally return to God through Christ [When the ten tribes revolted from the house of David under Jeroboam, they established idolatry in opposition to the worship of the true God, and set up kings of their own in opposition to those who sat on the throne of David. But in about two hundred and fifty years they were carried captive to Assyria; and from that time to the present hour they have had no king of their own; and have been deprived of all opportunities of worshipping God either according to the Mosaic ritual, or according to their own idolatrous superstitions. However they are not wholly and finally abandoned of their God: for, when his Spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh, they shall take the lead in turning unto God," and shall voluntarily appoint the Lord Jesus Christ as their head. This blessed truth is abundantly confirmed in scripture; and the accomplishment of it will display in a most stupendous manner the unsearchable riches of God's wisdom and goodness."] In turning to God they shall be peculiarly influenced by the divine goodness [The sanctions of the Jewish law were principally of a penal nature, and calculated to beget a servile spirit. Even Moses himself at the giving of the law exceedingly trembled and quaked. But, as formerly they feared the Lord and his judgments, so in the latter day they will "fear the Lord and his goodness:" they will marvel at his kindness in choosing their nation in the days of old; and at his patience in bearing with them during their long departure from him; and, above all, at his mercy and faithfulness in bringing them back into his church, and manifesting to them again the tokens of his love. With these considerations they will be overwhelmed; and, constrained by his love, will become patterns of all righteousness.] While we contemplate this stupendous event, let us improve it by considering II. Some instructive lessons which it affords us a Ver. 4. The "Teraphim" seem to have been images to which they resorted for the purposes of divination. d Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24, and e Hos. i. 11. e Rom. xi. 33. f Heb. xii. 21. b Zech. viii. 23. xxxvii. 21, 22, 24, g Isai. ii. 2. |