come and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them" (66: 18-19). This sign is the remnant of Israel, called "the woman," in this prophecy.

Touching this faithful people who are raised up and who will flourish and be spared in the day of judgment, the Lord also speaks by Malachi, saying, "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name (the woman, the remnant) shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 3: 16-18; 4: 1-3).

These are gracious words spoken among the last words of the Old Testament Scriptures and worthy of all acceptation (I Tim. 1:15; 4:9). The Sun of righteousness here spoken of is that sun with which the woman in the latter days is clothed. The Psalmist also testifies, saying, "The Lord God is a sun and shield." Jeremiah adds of Christ saying (23:6), "This is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness." The woman

is clothed with the righteousness of God, which is Christ Jesus, as Paul said to the church at Corinth (I 1: 30), " But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption." But in the Revelation the matter is cut short by simply saying, “She was clothed with the sun."

In the service of the sanctuary under the first covenant, the times, seasons, feasts, and ordinances of the law were arranged and governed by the moon's phases, so that the moon naturally comes to be used as a symbol of the law. Now the church of Christ, called the woman in this prophecy, is not organized under the law or first covenant, but under the new covenant. The law is dead to them, for they are delivered from the curse of the law; therefore it is said of the woman, 'The moon is under her feet."

A CROWN OF TWELVE STARS'

Under the new covenant there were twelve men selected and ordained as ministers of the new testament, to bear witness among all nations of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and of the immortality that was manifested in his person. Speaking of these things to Cornelius, Peter says of Christ. (Acts 10: 40-41), "Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly,

ple these prophecies relate, nor the age of the world in which they are to be manifested; for instead of having been fulfilled in the past they relate to the future, and not the near future either; and instead of the burden of this book relating chiefly and almost entirely to Gentile nations and countries and what has, and is to take place among them, it relates chiefly to the house of Israel, who at this time are neither a people nor a nation, but are wanderers among the nations. And these great things will be manifested and witnessed in the land of Israel, the holy land. Men may be very zealous and very pious, as the saying is, and yet may have only a zeal of God without knowledge, as had the Jews who killed their own Messiah, even as Paul, who conscientiously tore down and destroyed what he, after his eyes were opened, again built up. Moreover Jesus said to his apostles, "Yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doeth God service, and these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me." Therefore we must not judge from appearances, but judge righteous judgment.

Now the woman and her son, and the dragon, as set forth in this prophecy are not Gentile characters, but Israelitish, and their operations and works are not manifest in Gentile countries but in the land of the Jews; and the days in which these things take place are not in the past, but in the future, and as this is to be a manifestation among the people of Israel and in the land of Israel in the future, it may aid an honest inquirer after the truth in these matters to know that these things have been foreshadowed in the past by what has already taken place in the house of Israel.

For viewing the six hundred men that were allied to David as the woman, and David as the man child that was to be born to Israel, as a king that was to rule the surrounding nations with a rod of iron, and Saul the king of Israel, as the dragon, you have in what transpired in their history a great many things which serve in a moderate way to illustrate what is yet to transpire in a more enlarged manner among the same people and in the same country, and in the government and among the ruling classes and among the armies of Israel.

THE WOMAN

The woman consists of the saints in that day who have been sealed with their Father's name in their foreheads. Their number is an hundred forty and four thousand, and of them it is said, "They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." This woman is spoken of as a great sign in heaven, that is, in the government and among the rebellious kings and princes of Israel and Judah, and the kings, princes, great lords and renowned assembled there from among the mighty nations of the earth. The Lord speaks of this remnantby the hand of Zechariah saying (9: 16), "And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land." Therefore when the Lord lifts up this ensign upon the land of Israel, he speaks to the people by the mouth of the prophet Isaiah (18: 3) saying, "All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye." And the Lord says again by this same prophet, "I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall

come and see my glory. And I will set a sign among them" (66: 18-19). This sign is the remnant of Israel, called "the woman," in this prophecy.

66 CLOTHED WITH THE SUN"

Touching this faithful people who are raised up and who will flourish and be spared in the day of judgment, the Lord also speaks by Malachi, saying, "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name (the woman, the remnant) shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts" (Mal. 3: 16-18; 4: 1-3).

These are gracious words spoken among the last words of the Old Testament Scriptures and worthy of all acceptation (I Tim. 1:15; 4:9). The Sun of righteousness here spoken of is that sun with which the woman in the latter days is clothed. The Psalmist also testifies, saying, "The Lord God is a sun and shield." Jeremiah adds of Christ saying (23:6), "This is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness." The woman

is clothed with the righteousness of God, which is Christ Jesus, as Paul said to the church at Corinth (I 1: 30), “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, sanctification and redemption." But in the Revelation the matter is cut short by simply saying, “She was clothed with the sun."

In the service of the sanctuary under the first covenant, the times, seasons, feasts, and ordinances of the law were arranged and governed by the moon's phases, so that the moon naturally comes to be used as a symbol of the law. Now the church of Christ, called the woman in this prophecy, is not organized under the law or first covenant, but under the new covenant. The law is dead to them, for they are delivered from the curse of the law; therefore it is said of the woman, "The moon is under her feet."

Under the new covenant there were twelve men selected and ordained as ministers of the new testament, to bear witness among all nations of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and of the immortality that was manifested in his person. Speaking of these things to Cornelius, Peter says of Christ (Acts 10: 40-41), "Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly,

not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us (the twelve) who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.” The apostles therefore are very appropriately regarded as twelve stars in the churches, and in the latter days as twelve stars in the crown of the woman, for she, like the churches of the apostles' day, will be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner

stone.

In the New Jerusalem also which comes down from God out of heaven, the names of the apostles occupy a conspicuous place, for it is said that the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Moreover there will be other stars also among the people and in the kingdom symbolized by the woman, which will consist of twelve thousand persons, sealed out of each of the twelve tribes of Israel, which will constitute the new twelve tribes of the new house of Israel under the new covenant,— men still in the flesh, mortal men. When Moses numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness, and found their number to be over six hundred thousand men, then it is added, "These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel being twelve men, each one was for the house of their fathers." When, therefore, the new house of Israel is formed in the latter days, there will be the same necessity for princes as there was when they came out of Egypt. And it is from among such princes, or stars of heaven,- that is, princes in the government, that the dragon's tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth.

THE MAN CHILD

And she being with child, cried, travailing in birth and pained to be delivered, and she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up to God and his throne." This child is a king of the house of David that is raised up in this time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, to sit on David's throne, under the dominion of Christ the Lord who has inherited the throne and kingdom of David, and who will raise up from among David's descendants men like David of old, men after his own heart to reign under him over Israel and the nations.

Concerning this man child and king, the Lord speaks by the hand of the Prophet Jeremiah saying, "Alas, for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he (the remnant, the true Jacob) shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his (the Assyrian's) yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him. But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them" (30: 7-9). This is the man child of whom John spake in vision; and concerning the pains and travail that accompany the bringing forth of this king, Jeremiah in this same chapter (30) speaks as follows, "For thus saith the Lord, we have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now and see whether a man doth travail with child? Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?" The Lord speaks by Ezekiel

concerning this king also saying, "And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David, he shall feed them, and be their shepherd, and I (Jesus) the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them. I the Lord have spoken it" (34:23-24).

The Ancient of days, the Father himself, has prepared his throne in the heaven of heavens and his kingdom ruleth over all. In the former days of the house of Israel he had three thrones, the throne on which he himself reigns in person in heaven; the second throne which was placed first in the Tabernacle of Witness in the wilderness, and afterwards in the Temple, on which the angel of his presence reigned over Israel, and of whom the Father spake to Moses saying (Ezek. 23: 20-21), Behold I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared; beware of him and obey his voice, provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him." This immortal man (for angels are called men) reigned over Israel, and his throne was in the Tabernacle, whence he gave all things in commandment unto the children of Israel. This is the person that said to Samuel when Israel demanded a king from among mortal men, even one of their own number to reign over them, "They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them." This person from among the angelic body, we afterwards learn in the Scriptures was Michael the arch, or chief angel. He reigned on the throne of the Lord in the Tabernacle of Witness, and afterwards when the Temple was built, his throne was set up there in the Holy of Holies. And when a mortal king was granted to Israel according to their demands, his throne was set up outside of the Temple on Mount Zion. Nevertheless that throne on which he reigned is also called the throne of the Lord, as it is written (I Chron. 29:23), "Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord. as king instead of David his father, and prospered, and all Israel obeyed him." It is unto this throne that the man child will be caught up, and upon this throne will he reign in the day that Christ Jesus the Lord will come and reign upon his throne in the Holy of Holies, in the new Temple as was shown to Ezekiel, which will be built when Christ comes to reign, and of whose throne and reign the Lord spake to Ezekiel saying, "Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever, and my holy name shall the children of Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings (that reign on David's throne outside the Temple on Mount Zion) by their whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places" (Ezek. 43:7). The kings that will reign on David's throne in Israel during the reign of Christ will be wise and righteous kings after the Lord's own heart, selected from among David's posterity, who in that day will be greatly multiplied, as the Lord spake to Jeremiah saying, "As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured, so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me" (33:21). From among this multitude of David's children there will be no difficulty in finding good and faithful kings to occupy the throne of David for a thousand years.