An Oft-Repeated Error

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 5, 1892

An Oft-Repeated Error.

Good speakers, and fairly good scholars, often call the word spelled "r-e-a-r-w-a-r-d" just as though it was written re-reward, meaning to reward again. The word is really the old English spelling for "rearward," and is so spelled in the Revised Version. Says the Lord: "Thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward," a wall of glory which shall shut out enemies even as did the pillar of fire the Egyptians. The margin reads, "Shall gather thee up." Boothroyd reads, "Shall bring up thy rear." Those who have Christ's righteousness will not need to say, "See how righteous I am going to be;" their righteousness goes before; the glory of God follows in the rear. See Isa. 58: 8. God guards his people before and behind; he compasses them about. Ps. 32: 7.