Imatges de pàgina
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him, that we may be also glorified together 1." That reference is here made to the promises vouchsafed to the patriarch, will be manifest by referring to Gen. xxii. 17—xxxii. 13, which observation may likewise be made on Jer. xxxiii. 22. There is also a degree of analogy between this passage and Isa. x. 22, which cannot easily be misapprehended. As in other places, the prophet paronomastically alludes to the names Ruchamah and Lo-ammi, so here he alludes to that of Jezreel, the first child, as the etymology convincingly shows; and it is worthy of attentive consideration, that the names which are judicially or threateningly applied, are subsequently by modification or in a good sense turned to a consolatory subject.

As the Gentiles, under the law, were capable by proselytism and participation of the Paschal lamb of enumeration among the literal Israel, Christ by faith and baptism admitted all the Gentiles among the true Israel of God; the law was not only typical of Christ's universal religion, but pointed to the fulfilment of the promise, that Abraham's (spiritual) seed should be numerous as the sands of the sea, and the stars of heaven. Such also seems to be the meaning of one surnaming himself by the name of Israel in Isa. xliv. 5. According to the uniform

1 Rom. viii. 16, 17.

doctrine of both Testaments, from Abraham to the end of days there is one Church of God, one House, under two dispensations, so that the true members of the Christian church were rightly designated as Israel by the prophets, which subject is so clearly treated by the Apostle Paul, that no further argument is required.

Thus, it is evident, that the violeoia of the New Testament is here predicted; and the restitution and conversion of Judah and Israel seem to be intended in the following verse.

CHAP. ii. 14. sqq.

1 PET. ii. 9, 10.

That this paragraph was prophetic of Christianity can hardly be disputed. The fourteenth verse some have elucidated by John's preaching, and Christ's temptation in the wilderness, but this elucidation the text will not establish on a certain basis. The sequel, however, which speaks of a time, when idolatry shall be abolished, when, according to a covenant of love, God shall be called Ishi1 (my husband); when God shall make with them a covenant of safety (ver. 18), of righteousness, judgment, lovingkindness, and mercies (ver. 19) 2; when they shall know the

1 Jer. xxiv. 7. Ezek. xi. 9. Zech. xiii. 2.
2 Isa. ii. 4; ix. 2. 6, 7; xxxv. 9. Zech. ix. 10.

Lord (ver. 20), is so minutely descriptive of the constitution and spirit of Christianity, that we cannot avoid accounting this one of the predictions respecting the Messiah.

The twenty-third verse again alludes to the three names Jezreel, Lo-ruchamah here elevated to Ruchamah, and Lo-ammi here elevated to Ammi; which remark, though it be of a critical description, must be made to exemplify the force and harmony of the prophecy. It foretels the conversion of the Israelites, but more especially of the Gentiles, who had not known by experience the value of the blessings of the Gospel, until it was turned from the Jews to them. These were to be the Jezreel, or the seed of God, which was to produce a plentiful harvest. God's mercy was to be extended to those, who before had not obtained mercy, i. e. Lo-ruchamah was to become Ruchamah. The description of the prophet is beautiful and pathetic:-"I will say to them which were not my people,"-to Lo-ammi; i. e. to those who were not the peculiar people of God, the elect, the Jews" Thou art," or thou shalt be, "my people" -Ammi. I will adopt you by grace, and you shall acknowledge me for your God. What an exempli

fication of a Father's love for his lost children is here, which could only be shown by the coming of his Son, and his atoning for sin, and thus reconciling

the world to his Father, not imputing to them their

trespasses.

CHAP. iii. 4, 5.

JOHN xix. 15; Acts xv. 16—18.

There is in the fourth and fifth verses of the third chapter a distinct prediction of the times of the Messiah, as the Chaldee Paraphrast admits. David is here mentioned, as in many other places, for the royal line of David concentrated in Christ, in whose time the many promises made to David in the Psalms and the Prophets were destined to receive their fullest accomplishment. That the passage is only capable of this explanation, appears from the restricting term, in the latter days, by which Christ's æra was prophetically designated; and it has been observed by a learned writer, that David and his line were chosen by God, as intermediate between him and the people—as a channel through which all his blessings flowed down to the people, as a visible type of the invisible God, which in the latter days should, in the most perfect and glorious manner, antitypically beam forth in Christ. On this principle it is, that the prophets mention the Messiah as David, not merely as his lineal descendant according to the flesh; on this principle it is, that in this passage, by David their King, we must understand Christ. That

the preceding parts have also a reference to Christ, we may easily perceive by parallel passages, which apply to him, such as Jer. xxxi. 12, and that the goodness of Jehovah in this place, is here analogous to the glory of Jehovah, i. e. in the incarnation and manifestation of Christ, a similar process of collation of the passages will satisfactorily assure us. Before we leave Hosea, we would remark, that chap. vi. 6 is quoted in Matt. ix. 12, and xii. 7, and corresponds to Psalm xl. 6, which is cited in Heb. x. 8, and appears also to contain an allusion to the Christian dispensation.

JOEL.

JOEL is supposed to have flourished between the years 810 and 660 B.C., in the reigns of Uzziah king of Judah, and of Jeroboam II. king of Israel. He was the son of Pethuel. His book is entirely prophetic, and written in a style animated and vigorous. The following are the principal prophecies relating to the Messiah:

PROPHECY.

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"And it shall come to pass terwards, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall

FULFILMENT.

"This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will

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