Part 8 (1/2)
The Psalmist tells us that ”_the Lord G.o.d is a Sun_.” Saint John tells us that, while in the Spirit, it was revealed to him that the ”_burning lamps of fire were spirits of G.o.d_.” Now remember that we have told you that the vast volume of flame of _ethereal fire outside_ and _around_ the heavenly world, is all that we can see or comprehend as the _Sun_; that flame is the source of all _light_, heat, and animation: hence, considered in connexion with its offices, may we not safely conclude that it is an _attribute of Jehovah_?
The prophet Malachi foretold the coming of the ”Sun of righteousness,”
behold the ”star in the east!” Who can doubt this star being a visible manifestation of the _Spirit of G.o.d_? Christ, the Son of G.o.d, is called ”the _Sun_ of righteousness; the bright morning star.” His advent into the world was signalized by this sacred emblem--even by the _Spirit of G.o.d_ revealed as the _brightness of a star_. How appropriate this representation, when the Son of G.o.d came to usher in the light of an eternal day to his people. Transfigured during His stay on earth, ”His face did s.h.i.+ne as the Sun, and His raiment was white as the light.” Now remember, we are a.s.sured that the heavenly world and city ”hath no need of the _Sun_, for the glory of G.o.d doth lighten it, and the Lamb (the Son of G.o.d) is the light thereof.”
Thus we think we have furnished conclusive Scripture evidence that _G.o.d's Spirit is manifested by fire_. Fire is the source of all light, and is also an element pervading all things throughout the vast universe of G.o.d--in air and earth, seas and floods, rocks and mountains, throughout all heights and depths. Hence, hear again the exclamation of the Psalmist: ”Whither shall I go from thy _Spirit_? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” Behold, G.o.d, by His Spirit, is everywhere, even throughout the vast extended universe of all His wondrous works.
We have but to consider the source of this element--which is G.o.d himself--and we shall then easily comprehend how it can, by the same power, be adapted or made congenial to our mortal or immortal natures.
We have said, He has created no element incompatible with, or uncongenial to His own nature, nor any that He cannot adapt to the condition of the spirit-life of His children. Fire is an element destructive of all things else save immortality, and that it is not destructive of this, we have evidence in the fact that the wicked shall be cast into the flames of h.e.l.l, and suffer its torments for ever and ever. And yet, while it is an element destructive of all else, save immortality, it is one, and the _only one_ we can--even partially--comprehend, that can _never be destroyed_. Mortality shall be destroyed, and naught remain but immortality, purified by fire--_the Spirit of G.o.d_.
Now in order that His children _here_, might comprehend His infinite power in controlling, or adapting this element to their happiness, He has manifested this power even with mortality on this earth. Our mortal bodies are susceptible of feeling its painful influences, and of being destroyed by it--save when He intervenes, and changes our nature so that it can have no impression upon us, or makes it a congenial element in which we can enjoy happiness. That He can do, and has done this, we have manifest in the miraculous preservation of the three Hebrew children. For their refusal to forsake the Living G.o.d, and wors.h.i.+p the idol, or golden image set up by King Nebuchadnezzar, the king commanded that the furnace should be heated seven-fold, and they be bound and cast into it. This was done, and while the heat was so intense as to destroy those who bore them to, and plunged them into the fiery furnace, yet when the king looked into it ”he saw four men loose and walking in the midst of the flames; praising G.o.d, and blessing the name of the Lord, and the fourth was like unto the Son of G.o.d.” The king called them to come forth, and when the three who were cast in came forth, ”not a hair of their heads was singed, nor even the smell of fire pa.s.sed on their garments.”
Thus we see the power of G.o.d manifest in the adaptation at His own will, of this,--to our mortal bodies--painful and consuming element, to our condition of happiness. And, on the other hand, when this saving power is withheld, how certain is destruction, as manifested by its destroying those who approached near enough to the furnace to cast them in. O, the measure of happiness those children of the Most High enjoyed in the midst of the burning flames! shouting and praising G.o.d.
And when they came out of the fiery furnace, they still continued their triumphant shout; calling upon everything--animate, and inanimate--throughout the vast Universe, to ”bless, praise and magnify the name of the Lord forever.”
That G.o.d can, and does make this element suited to the enjoyment of happiness of His people, we have also seen manifested in the case of Elijah taking his seat, at the command of G.o.d, in the ”chariot of fire,” and with ”horses of fire” ascending up into heaven. Thus, ”changed,” as the apostle expresses it, ”in the twinkling of an eye,”
his mortality ceased, and ”clothed upon with immortality,” by Divine power, he could ride in triumph with his steeds of fire, sitting in his chariot of _burning flame_.
We scarcely deem it necessary to refer again to the--almost universally conceded--fact of man's immortal nature. By the breath of G.o.d, man was made a living soul or spirit. G.o.d's spirit is _living fire_; hence this immortal nature of man is _living fire_, an attribute of G.o.d himself, and one which can never cease to exist; can never be annihilated, but will live on, and on through all eternity.
But when this immortal principle of _spirit-fire_ leaves the body, mortality ceases to live, and must decay and moulder into dust. For, speaking of this mortal body, He hath said, ”dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return,” and ”the soul shall return to G.o.d who gave it.”
_SUN AND HEAVEN._
Now to show the intimate connexion with the _Sun_ and _Heaven_, spoken of in the Scriptures, we will here group together a few of the many pa.s.sages found written therein.
The prophet Jeremiah, in referring to the great and terrible day of the Lord, says ”the light shall be darkened in the heavens;” and in the Gospel according to St. Mark, referring to the same, we read that ”the _Sun_ shall be darkened;” and in the Revelation, that ”the _Sun_ and the air were darkened.” Again, Jehovah, speaking to His people, saith: ”I will cover the _heaven_, and make the stars thereof dark;”
and, in order that we may more fully comprehend, he added: ”I will cover the _Sun_ with a cloud;” and the Psalmist tells us that ”He covereth the _heaven_ with a cloud;” and thus saith the Lord through His prophet: ”Be not dismayed at the signs of _heaven_; for the heathen are dismayed at them.”
Thus we see that the _Sun_ and _heaven_ are often spoken of in connexion with each other in regard to light. The Sun is to us the source of _all light_, and in covering the _heaven_ He covereth the Sun. But we see, as above, that He hath made this matter plain to our comprehension by His own utterance: ”_Be not dismayed by the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them._”
Now you will remember that the heathen, in ancient times--and even so with them at the present day--were always dismayed and frightened at the recurrence of an eclipse of the Sun, and imagined the time of the world had come to an end. But the science of astronomy has comprehended the laws of nature, and has revealed the true causes of these seeming phenomena to the enlightenment of the world, and many years previous to their occurrence. Astronomers can foretell the day, the hour, and even the very moment when they will appear, or be visible in any part of the world, as, also, when they will disappear.
But we see, however, that G.o.d himself has spoken of such eclipses as ”signs in the _heaven_,” and yet they are eclipses of the _Sun_.
But still more pointed and clear is the evidence of their connexion given by the Saviour, where the Pharisees and Sadducees desired him to show them ”_a sign from heaven_.” Hear His answer: ”When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair-weather, for the sky is red; and in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day, for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites! ye can discern the face of the sky, but ye cannot discern the signs of the times.” Now we here see that they asked Him for a sign from _heaven_, and the Saviour answered promptly by referring to the apparent phenomena produced by the disappearing and reappearing of the _Sun_. Thus answering by signs which _they_ had marked; _produced by the Sun_, which covereth the heaven from our view.
We have shown what all must acknowledge; that the _Sun_ is the only source of fire, heat, and light which is comprehended in Nature.
Revelations of the Past, and predictions as to the Future, a.s.sure us that G.o.d's _wrath_ is revealed by _fire_. Now from whence cometh this fire when His wrath is thus revealed? G.o.d rained down fire and brimstone from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and thus destroyed those cities and their wicked inhabitants. Now, as the _wrath_ of G.o.d is revealed by _fire_, St. Paul sets this matter at rest. Hear him: ”_The wrath of G.o.d is revealed from heaven against all unG.o.dliness and unrighteousness of men._” Thus, His spirit of wrath is manifested by fire; the _source_ of fire is the _Sun_, and He sends _fire from heaven_. Hence, we cannot for a moment doubt the correctness of our hypothesis that the source of fire, as manifested in the Past, and also that which shall be manifested in the Future, is the _Sun_. And wherein it is declared that fire came down from heaven, or out of heaven, it was natural that such expressions were used, because it was held that G.o.d resided in heaven, and He sent down fire from thence to execute His judgments.
_A PLURALITY OF HEAVENS._
The idea of a _plurality of heavens_, and their numbers almost infinite, would seem at first thought to startle the mind, and disarrange all our conceptions of the extent and machinery of the universe, and of the employment of G.o.d, and all the angels, and other intelligences He has made. Yet its truth only brings home to us the insignificance of our own earth, and still more that of ourselves. We are too p.r.o.ne to think that this earth and its inhabitants are the princ.i.p.al objects of the Creator's care, and that _man_ is of vast importance in the order of His arrangements, and of augmenting His kingdom and glory. While the truth is, our world is insignificant, when compared to His wonderful creations, and each individual as but a single grain of sand among all that may be found upon the sh.o.r.es of oceans and seas. And yet all that He hath made _are_ the objects of His government and care. For ”not even a sparrow falleth to the ground” unknown to Him.
That in His omnipotent and infinite power He can, and has created separate systems of planet-worlds, and a central sun and heaven for controlling each, we cannot doubt; neither is there more of incomprehensible mystery in this contemplation than in that of our own system of planets, with its central and controlling _Sun_ and heaven.