p. 6 (550) | THE MOST HIGH RULETH

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 28, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 35.

THE MOST HIGH RULETH.

Ezekiel One.

THERE are perplexing questions in the world. Looking upon its seething, restless, moving panorama with only human vision, no wonder that men exclaim, as did the great Italian, ex-prime minister Crispi, “We are marching toward the unknown. Who knows what to-morrow has in store for us?” Or as the late Bishop Newman confessed: “Statesmen are at their wits’ end. Philosophers speculate in vain.” Or as Archbishop Ireland: “Perils hitherto unknown are menacing the life of the social organism.” Or as the Springfield Republican: “We see the boiling rapids of a torrent plunging toward what abyss no one knows.”

In Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas; in China, India, South Africa; in Russia’s movements, in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Britain; in the strife between labor and capital centralizing in America; in this great nation’s place and influence in the world; in the religio-political, the religio-social, the religio-scientific questions continually coming to the surface of the great boiling, bubbling sea of humanity, in the growing intemperance, in the great famines,—in all these and more there are perplexities, “distress of nations with perplexity.” Luke 21:25. What will be the outcome? earnest, thoughtful men of all beliefs and no belief are asking. Will faith be submerged in doubt? Will hope in the future life be destroyed? Will the belief in the Bible as the Word of God perish from among men? Will the mad race for wealth ruin the world, as it bids fair to do? Will the oppression of the poor and needy forever continue? Will the earth-hunger of the nations ever be allayed? How inextricably involved in confusion it all seems to the human eye!

And yet God rules in the kingdom of men. God still controls the world. Like the restless sea it may toss its waves of rebellion and wrath; but beyond its appointed bounds it can not go. In their little span of life, their brief rule for an hour, kings and rulers may exalt themselves, yet their best-laid plans of increased power and might are thwarted by an unseen hand.

This is the lesson of the first chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy. The vision that God gave the priest by the River Chebar was not a vision of the heavenly throne, only so far as it showed God’s connection with things earthly.

The four living creatures, the awful machines full of wheels within wheels, full of eyes before and behind, represented God’s people and work among the nations of earth. These creatures symbolized by combinations of man, eagle, lion, and ox, were indicative, not alone of God’s work, but that of the nations. The partial view of God’s throne that the prophet saw was above the “terrible crystal” of the firmament or expansion; the living creatures were below “upon the earth.” It is more than a co-incidence that the four standards under which Israel pitched were, according to Jewish tradition, the four creatures above named. On the standard of Judah on the east was a Lion; Dan, on the north, an Eagle, Ephraim, on the west, an Ox; and Reuben, on the south, a Man.

It is more than a co-incidence that we find these symbols in Assyria and Babylonia. The winged man-headed lion, the winged man-headed ox, the winged eagle-headed human, were all common. Babylon is likened by Jeremiah to a lion, by Ezekiel to an eagle, and by Daniel to a lion with eagle’s wings, while, with the great broad-winged symbols in mind, Isaiah says of Assyria, “The stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.” And Babylon is the mother type of all the nations.

To the prophet’s human vision all seemed confusion; wheels within wheels, a multitude of eyes gazing from the wonderful creature, four times four faces looking to the four points of the compass! He sees them moving with marvelous swiftness, now this way, now that, with the wonderful bright light like flaming torches kindling among them.

But the secret of their moving was revealed. Under the wings of the creatures were the hands that were directing. Infusing them with life and guiding their movements was the Spirit of life. God was guiding. Among His own people, among the nations of men, God’s Spirit was the ultimate power, the hand of the Son of man was the directing agency.

Did the king of Babylon come to the parting of the ways, and work divination to decide his course?—It was God who guided. Eze. 21:19–23. Did Nebuchadrezzar bring under his control all the kingdoms of earth, far and near?—It was God who gave them to the proud monarch, tho it was long before Nebuchadrezzar acknowledged it. Jer. 27:1–8; Dan. 4:34–37. Did Cyrus the Great conquer Babylon and restore Jerusalem to the people of God?—It was God who girded him with strength, tho Cyrus knew Him not. Isa. 45:1–5.

And all this God did, foretelling it all before it came, that men might “know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I am Jehovah, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace and create evil; I am Jehovah, that doeth all these things.” Verses 6, 7.

The earth has broken truce with God. Man, tho living by God’s life, has yielded to God’s enemy, and is in rebellion. He rages in his wrath: he schemes, and plans, and proposes. But God makes the wrath of man to praise Him, and the residue He restrains. Ps. 76:10. While God will force none to accept the better way, because He will give to all their choice, the harvest of their final and all-desirable sowing; while God will allow evil to reveal its own intrinsic badness, yet will He control all, guide all, to the ultimate good of all who trust in Him, to the everlasting glory of His name.

And He does it all in righteousness, as the prophet declares in his continuance: “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open, that they may bring forth salvation, and let her cause righteousness to spring up together; I Jehovah have created it.” Isa. 45:8.

O soul, acknowledge God. See in the light of the revealed vision the hand of God guiding and controlling despite the machinations of demons and evil men. Yield to Him, and share in the ultimate triumph over all sin, and confusion, and every evil work.

“Jehovah is King forever and ever.”