Expositions of Holy Scripture: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and NumbersMaclaren, Alexander
Religion
Expositions of Holy Scripture: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers
Maclaren, Alexander
Bible. Pentateuch -- Commentaries; Bible. Pentateuch -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
And again, in the great seventy-third Psalm, which marks perhaps the
highwater mark of pre-Christian anticipations of a future state, we
read: 'Thou wilt guide me by Thy counsel, and afterwards _take_ me'
(again the same word) 'to glory.' Here, again, the Psalmist looks back
to the unique and exceptional instance, and in the rapture and ecstasy
of the faith that has grasped the living God as his portion, says to
himself: 'Though the externals of Enoch's end and of mine may differ,
their substance will be the same, and I, too, shall cease to be seen of
men, because God takes me into the secret of His pavilion, by the
loving clasp of His lifting hand.'
Enoch was led, if I may say so, round the top of the valley, beyond the
head waters of the dark river, and was kept on the high level until he
got to the other side. You and I have to go down the hill, out of the
sunshine, in among the dank weeds, to stumble over the black rocks, and
wade through the deep water; but we shall get over to the same place
where he stands, and He that took him round by the top will 'take' us
through the river; and so shall we 'ever be with the Lord'
'Enoch walked with God and he was not; for God took him.' This verse is
like some little spring with trees and flowers on a cliff. The dry
genealogical table--and here this bit of human life in it! How unlike
the others--they _lived_ and they _died_; this man's life was walking
with God and his departure was a fading away, a ceasing to be found
here. It is remarkable in how calm a tone the Bible speaks of its
supernatural events. We should not have known this to be a miracle but
for the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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