It shows that when Christ in the full blaze of His glory will utter His voice, it will arrest attention, causing all to hearken; it will prove alarming to all who knew Him not as their friend; it will be irresistible, constraining all to fall down before Him and acknowledge His power. We are pointed forward by the word of prophecy to a time when at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father ?' (Phil. ii. 10, 11). As the waters of the Red Sea, which proved to Israel a wall of defence on their right hand and on their left, were a terror to the Egyptians, proving to them their windingsheet and their grave, so Christ's voice, which is as the sound of many waters,' while it tells His people of deliverance and safety, will strike alarm into the hearts of His enemies. There is need, therefore, of a refuge now-one that is easy of access to all who seek it-like the city of refuge of old, to which the manslayer fled when pursued by the avenger of blood; a refuge which will be a shelter from every foe; one which will be eternal, from which they who have once entered can never depart. Such a refuge is the Lord Jesus. 'The name of the Lord is a strong tower! the righteous runneth into it and is safe' (Prov. xviii. 10). His

many

voice not yet is heard like to 'the sound of waters.' Now rather is its sound like that of a gentle murmuring brook, which freshes the pastures as it flows.

the streams whereof shall make

gladdens and re

There is a river

glad the city of

God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High' (Ps. xlvi. 4).

That voice speaks now in the language of invitation, as it says, 'Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest' (Matt. xi. 28). It is indeed the voice of power, as it comes home with saving efficacy to all who receive it. Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power' (Ps. cx. 3). It is a voice now of peace, Christ's blood 'speaking better things than that of Abel' (Heb. xii. 24). Abel's blood cried unto God out of the ground for vengeance. Christ's blood, on the contrary, speaks of peace and liberty. He who once hushed the tempest and waves on Galilee's waters, and immediately there was a calm, not on the lake's surface only, but also in the breasts of the affrighted disciples, can now still the storms which sometimes toss the hearts of His children, saying to them, ' Peace, be still.'

Such thoughts as these should suggest to every reader of this vision two questions: first, which voice of Christ does he expect to hear? and, secondly, does the remembrance of Christ's stability

and unchangeableness cause to him joy or alarm ? Hearing Christ's voice is now an indispensable characteristic of His people: 'My sheep hear My voice,' is the mark which the Shepherd Himself tells us distinguishes all His flock. To each and all of them is this promise declared : 'I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of Mine hand' (John x. 28). With such a promise, and with such marks distinguishing all those who will enjoy it, our prayer should now be to Christ, ere His voice be 'as the sound of many waters :' 'Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause ME to hear it' (Cant. viii. 13).

CHAPTER VI.

THE STARS IN CHRIST'S HAND.

'Pour out Thy Spirit from on high,

Lord, Thine assembled servants bless;
Graces and gifts to each supply,

And clothe Thy priests with righteousness.
Within Thy temple, when they stand

To teach the truth, as taught by Thee,
Saviour, like stars in Thy right hand
The angels of the Churches be.
'Wisdom, and zeal, and faith impart

Firmness with meekness from above
To bear Thy people on their heart,

And love the souls whom Thou dost love.

'To watch and pray and never faint,

By day and night strict guard to keep,

To warn the sinner, cheer the saint,
Nourish Thy lambs, and feed Thy sheep.

'Then when their work is finished here
In humble hope their charge resign;
When the chief Shepherd shall appear,
O God, may they and theirs be Thine.'

'And He had in His right hand seven stars.'

CLOSE is the connection between this vision and the epistle addressed to the seven churches in the two succeeding chapters of the Apocalypse. These epistles were, we read, specially addressed to the

'angel' or presiding minister of each church, the messenger, as the name particularly denotes, sent by Him who is the Church's Head, charged with a message which he is bound to deliver. How binding is the obligation laid on every heaven-sent messenger we learn from the Apostle Paul, when he wrote, 'Necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel' (1 Cor. ix. 16). And again, 'Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed ' (Gal. i. 8). Of these ministers or 'angels' stars are said to be the emblem. So our Lord Himself interprets them, 'The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches' (Rev. i. 20). These stars are now seen in the right hand of Him whom the Apostle John beheld in vision.

The use of this emblem teaches us what is the work of the minister of Christ. When at the world's creation God studded with stars the canopy of heaven, Hesaid, 'Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night—and let them be for lights to give light upon the earth' Gen. i. 14). There is spiritual darkness as well as natural. Dark was the time of Noah when God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts 'of his heart was only evil continually' (Gen. vi. 5).