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THE CHURCH’S PROSPERITY
AS there are many passages in the prophets which admit of a mystical, as well as literal, meaning, so there are many which must be interpreted altogether in a mystical sense. There was nothing in the state of the Jews after their return from Babylon that could in any wise be called an accomplishment of the chapter before us. The whole passage can relate to nothing but the future prosperity of the Christian church. There is a time coming when the Church shall exchange its despised, impoverished, persecuted state for a state of felicity and honour; when its spiritual blessings in particular shall be both permanent and abundant, as an earnest of that infinite and everlasting happiness which its members shall enjoy in a better world.
The text may be understood as referring,
I. To the millennial period—
The terms here used, import that the prosperity of the Church shall one day be,
1. Exalted in its degree—
[The shining of the sun and moon may well be understood as expressing the greatest temporal happiness. But we are not to suppose that there will be a total privation of temporal blessings from the Church: (on the contrary, there is reason to expect that its prosperity, in respect of outward things, will be greatly increased.) The positive declarations must here, as in many other passages, be understood in a comparative sense [Note: Hos_6:6.], and as implying, that the spiritual state of the Church will be so exalted as altogether to eclipse the greatest of earthly comforts: they shall be lost as it were, in the enjoyment which the saints shall have of God. This is beautifully represented us though the sun and moon hid their heads through shame [Note: Isa_24:23.]; and it is even now realized in the experience of those who enjoy much of the light of God’s countenance. What “glorying in God” there will be in that day we may conceive, if we only suppose every member of the Church adopting the sentiments and language of “the sweet singer of Israel [Note: Psa_145:1-12.]” —]
2. Lasting in its duration—
[As the shining of the sun and moon imports prosperity, so does the withdrawing of their light imply the heaviest calamities. That the Church will have no mixture of bitterness in her cup, we do not suppose: but, as, by means of her intimate communion with God, her earthly joys will be no joys, so, by the same means, her earthly sorrows will be no sorrows: they will be all forgotten, as it were, in the abundance of her exalted happiness. This effect has often arisen from fellowship with God: Paul and Silas, notwithstanding their backs were torn with scourges, and their feet were fastened in the stocks, sang praises to God at midnight [Note: Act_16:23-25.]: and many, far inferior to them in gifts, have also been enabled to “glory in tribulation.” How much more then shall this be the case when God shall take to him his great power, and reign on earth, and the graces of all his people be proportionably increased! Surely “their days of mourning shall be ended;” or, if a cloud occasionally intervene for a moment, their sun shall never set, their moon shall never be withdrawn; yea, the very clouds themselves shall only occasion the light to burst forth again with greater splendour [Note: Isa_60:20.].]
The text however will not receive its full accomplishment till we come,
II. To the eternal state—
Then the figurative expressions in the text will fall short of, as much as now they seem to exceed, the truth. The happiness of the Church shall then be,
1. In God only—
[There will be no room for carnal enjoyments in heaven: there “they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels of God.” While we are on earth, God communicates much happiness to us by means of his creatures: but in heaven we shall no more drink water from such polluted cisterns, but go to the fountain-head itself [Note: Rev_21:23; Rev_22:5. “They have no need of the sun,” &c.]. There we shall “see him face to face,” and behold all the brightness of his glory. There all the mysteries of his love will be opened to us, and its incomprehensible heights and depths be made plain to our shallow capacities. O what shouts of praise shall we then utter! What glorying in God shall we then express [Note: Rev_5:12-13.]! — — —]
2. In God continually—
[Here the very necessities of our nature required an intermission of our joy: the body itself needed to be recruited with intervals of rest: but there we shall “not rest day nor night.” Our days of mourning will be so entirely ended, that we shall never have our light obscured for one single moment. There will be nothing from without to trouble and perplex us; nothing from within to furnish matter of distress [Note: Compare Isa_49:10. with Rev_7:15-17; Rev_21:4.]. We shall bask in the unclouded beams of the Sun of Righteousness, and enjoy one eternal day. Then not only our carnal, but even our spiritual, joys that we tasted below, will appear as nothing: glorious as the present state of believers is, it has no glory by reason of that which excelleth [Note: 2Co_3:10.]: here our best frames have an alloy of sorrow, and are of short continuance: but there our happiness will be without mixture, intermission, or end.]
This subject cannot fail of suggesting such reflections as follow:
1. How evidently is religion a source of happiness!
[It is intolerable that men should asperse religion as a source of melancholy. What if men’s sins, or mistakes, or bodily infirmities make them melancholy; is this to be imputed to religion? Is Reason to be decried because all persons do not exercise it as they ought; or the sun in the firmament to be abhorred, because all do not make a just improvement of its light? If they who despise religion would seek to attain it in their hearts, they should soon find that all creature-comforts are, in comparison of it, but as the taper before the meridian sun. As for the benefits arising from it in the eternal world, we forbear to mention them: for if it will not make men happier, even in this present state, than any thing else can do, we will be content that it shall be utterly abandoned. But we have no fears on this head: and the very people that deride it, know, that they envy in their hearts the happiness of the saints. O that all would seek their happiness in God, in God supremely, and in God only!]
2. What a different world will this be when the promised period shall arrive!
[So eminent and universal will the piety of mankind then be, that it will appear as if all the holy martyrs were risen from the dead, and brought to live again on earth; and as though Christ himself were come down again from heaven to reign visibly in the midst of them [Note: Rev_20:4.]. Instead of such a general neglect of God as now obtains, a supreme regard to him will universally prevail, and a holy glorying in him be heard on every side. Surely the saints will then enjoy a heaven upon earth. Nor do we apprehend this period to be very distant. O that God would hasten it! O that we could see the dawn of that glorious day! But, if it be not permitted to us to see it, let us hope that we shall be still better employed, and be reaping the full harvest of what they will gather only the first-fruits. Let us in the mean time set our affections on things above, and, in reply to that question, Who will shew us any good? let us be ever ready to answer with the Psalmist, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us [Note: Psa_4:6-7.].]