down he came. His soft feet, I seem to feel them now, as he stood upon it. I drew him near to my mouth, and poured into his open beak my loudest strain, which, instead of disturbing, only made him more determined with his song. It was but a little thing, as I have said, yet it took one's mind right away to these sweet millennial days, when the confidence of the creature in man will be complete, and when the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory (R.V.) of the children of God. It seemed to tell of our Creator's goodness as seen in all, as we read "There's not a strain to memory dear, Nor flower in dell or grove; There's not a sweet note warbled here THE LIGHT-BEARER. "Soon make Thy seed, O Saviour, A lamp of burnished gold, To bear before the nations Thy true light, as of old." Dinth Part. THE LIGHT-BEARER. ... *What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof; and two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. . . . And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches, which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." ZECHARIAH iv. 2, 3, 12-14. BEAUTIFUL of this EAUTIFUL is the grouping of this imagery. First, the two evergreen trees rich with olive oil; then these trees over-canoping a splendid golden bowl, which receives the dropping oil from their laden boughs. From this bowl the oil descends to seven lamps, all of gold. These are suspended on a solid shaft of gold, on which they shed their light. But this they do, not as of old, only in the temple, but on the earth. In the golden oil supplying it, we see God ministering to His people the full supplies of the grace of His Spirit. The two olive branches may well represent Joshua, the high priest, and Zerubbabel, the governor, both of whom foreshadowed the coming Messiah. The lamp doubtless represents Israel, who in the day coming will be God's light-bearer. This is what the Church is now on the earthGod's light in the midst of a dark place. God seems to delight in shining through His works. "The heavens declare His glory, and the firmament showeth His handiwork." The apostle, writing to the Romans, says, "The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead." There is not a star but tells of Him. Not a flower but points to Him. Every droplet and grasslet on earth say there is a God. God has hung out His book of creation, that men might read. Should an atheist say that there is no Maker, no God, the works of God at once blast and demolish his theory. The Church now forms a platform, on which principalities and powers see the exceeding riches of God's grace; but seated in her glory, Israel will be the light of the earth in the day of its millennium. She will give the light of the knowledge of God. The one source of it |