Part 8 (1/2)
In the present work I have given a brief historical sketch of the leading ecclesiastical events, showing the apostasy as it existed under two phases, the corruption of evangelical faith and the reign of ecclesiasticism. I have also shown that the reformations of Protestantism have tended to the correction of that first phase pertaining to doctrine, but that a complete reformation requires the elimination of ecclesiasticism. Hence what I have termed the Last Reformation, if it is to be the _last_, not only must include the restoration of pure doctrinal truth but must also restore the real church of the New Testament. So far as true doctrine is concerned, such a reformation will differ from other evangelical movements in degree only--it must ultimately comprehend the whole truth. But the fundamental difference between the reformation herein considered and all other preceding reformations is that it strikes the death-blow to the very root of error that produced the sect system--_human ecclesiasticism_--and subst.i.tutes therefor the administrative authority of the Holy Spirit working in varying degrees in all the members of Christ throughout the world. The last reformation therefore must differ from all others, not in degree only, but _also in kind_.
[Sidenote: The witness of prophecy]
G.o.d alone understands the future. During the ages past he has not left his own work without the witness of prophecy. We may rest a.s.sured, therefore, that in the prophecy of the divine Word he has given us an outline of the history of his church. So I shall ask the reader to patiently follow me through a brief sketch of ecclesiastical events as described in the prophecies of the Revelation. Such an examination will throw a large amount of additional light on the subjects I have already treated historically, and will also give us a divinely drawn picture of the church of the future. Such will enable us to understand better the real character and extent of THE LAST REFORMATION.
PART III
The Church in Prophecy
CHAPTER X
INTERPRETATION OF PROPHETIC SYMBOLS
[Sidenote: Value of prophecy]
The value of prophecy in establis.h.i.+ng the religion of the Bible as the religion, of G.o.d has been generally recognized. Its value, however, is not limited to the proof of the divinity of Biblical truth which it furnishes: it serves a definite and most important purpose in the life and work of G.o.d's believing children in all ages. By it we are better able to understand G.o.d's own plan and purposes in human history, and by it we are made conscious of our own whereabouts along the pathway of time. The movements of G.o.d in the history of the past that were predicted by earlier prophets have received their chief inspiration from the conscious knowledge the leaders had of the prophetic character of their work. It was Daniel's study of prophecy that stirred his soul for the restoration of Israel to the favor of G.o.d and to their own land (Dan. 9:2), and at the same time opened his own heart for the wonderful revelation concerning future events. It was the consciousness of prophetic fulfilment that gave John the Baptist his inspiration for work (John 1:23); and in establis.h.i.+ng the truths of the gospel of Christ, the apostles placed leading emphasis on the fact that these things were written in the law and in the prophets.
The love and care that Christ had for his people did not cease in the beginning of the gospel dispensation; for he gave the promise, ”I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” It is altogether reasonable, then, that we should receive ”the revelation of Jesus Christ, which G.o.d gave unto him, to _show unto his servants_ things which must shortly come to pa.s.s” (Rev. 1:1). Through the varying conditions of time, Christ leads his people on to certain victory.
Since the mission of the church was to be world-wide and perpetual, it is fitting that the church should be described prophetically in order that we might have definite information concerning the operations of the divine hand in working out the great problem of the church's destiny after the close of the sacred canon.
[Sidenote: Prophetic symbols]
Before proceeding with our discussion of those prophecies which concern the church, let us pause and consider briefly the character of symbols. The prophecy of the Scriptures is presented to us in two distinct forms--direct statements in the ordinary language of life and in symbolic representations, but far the greater part is expressed in symbols, as in the book of Daniel and in the Revelation of John.
Without an understanding of the nature of symbols we can not get a proper understanding of such prophecies.
Spoken or written language is a very complicated affair, but it is in reality an arbitrary arrangement. The name that we attach to a particular object could as well be given to a totally different object instead if we only agreed to make the change. For this reason spoken language is variable. Changes are constantly taking place. The language of Bible symbols, on the other hand, is not subject to the law of change, as we shall see; it is not based on arbitrary arrangement or mere convenience, but its foundational principles exist in the very nature of things.
Webster defines _symbol_ as follows: ”The sign or representation of any moral thing by the images or properties of natural things. Thus, a lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience.” Horne, in his Introduction to the Study of the Bible, says: ”By symbols we mean certain representative marks, rather than express pictures; or, if pictures, such as were at the time _characters_, and besides presenting to the eye the resemblance of a particular object, suggested a general idea to the mind, as when a _horn_ was made to denote _strength_, an _eye_ and _scepter_, _majesty_, and in numberless such instances, where the picture was not drawn to express merely the thing itself, but something else, which was or was conceived to be, a.n.a.logous to it.”
According to these definitions, the main idea of a symbol is the representation of an object or quality, not by exhibition of itself, but by another object or character a.n.a.logous to it. Nor are we limited in the use of symbols to the exhibition of moral subjects alone.
Any object may be symbolized, provided a corresponding object can be found.
[Sidenote: a.n.a.logy the basic law]
a.n.a.logy, then, is the fundamental law of symbols. This being true, it is clear that symbols must be definitely applied. They are not arbitrary. There is no reason why we could not call a book a table, and a table it would be, provided we agreed universally to adopt that designation; but we violate nature if we attempt to represent the quiet, peaceful, gentle disposition of a child by a lion or a tiger, or a cruel, vindictive, tyrannical disposition by a lamb. A polluted harlot may represent an apostate church, but not the true church. A proper correspondence of character and quality must be observed. We must follow nature strictly. And this is the law of symbols.
Symbols are drawn from different departments--from angelic life, human life, animal life, and inanimate creation. But in every case there is in the selection and use of the symbol a proper correspondence of character and quality.
[Sidenote: Twofold object of symbols]
The deciding factor in the original selection of a symbolic object is the nature of the thing to be symbolized. In the field of Bible prophecy the general design is in the main twofold--the representation (1) of the affairs of the church and (2) of the political history of those nations and kingdoms which were to exert an important influence on the life and development of the church. It is evident that in the divine estimation the church and its welfare is of infinitely greater importance than the affairs of nations and kingdoms. Therefore we may reasonably expect that, according to the nature of symbolic language, symbols designed to represent the church will be found to be of the most exalted type, whereas those representing political things will be found to be selected from an inferior department. In accordance with this fundamental cla.s.sification we shall find that symbols drawn from angelic life and human life invariably refer to the department of ecclesiastical affairs, while those drawn from animal life or inanimate nature represent political things. The only apparent exception to this rule is that certain inanimate objects formerly consecrated to the service of G.o.d and thus a.s.sociated with the department of the church are sometimes used to represent spiritual things, because the a.n.a.logy is obvious. Bearing in mind this fundamental distinction between the representation of things political and things ecclesiastical, we are prepared to understand other shades of distinction.
Nations may be peaceful or tyrannical and oppressive, and churches may be good or apostate; but the exact character can be a.n.a.logously represented by the symbolic object. A vicious wild beast stamping and devouring would naturally represent a cruel, tyrannical government; and a good woman represents the true church, while a vile harlot represents the church apostate. But whatever the nature of the symbol, whether beast, locust, lion, horse, temple, angel, or man, we may know at once from the nature of the symbol where to look for its fulfilment. This important guide in the study of prophetic truth--a guide overlooked by most of the commentators--relieves us of much of the uncertainty hitherto connected with the subject.
Since, as we have seen, symbolic language is based on a.n.a.logy, it is evident that there are some objects whose nature forbids their symbolization, there being no corresponding object in existence.