SECTION XIV. THE NATIONS COMING TO WORSHIP EN JERUSALEM.

The Redeemer having, with wonderful condescension, deigned to dwell with men, and his temple being rebuilt in Jerusalem, the nations are represented as coming to worship before him. A prediction to this effect is given in precisely the same terms by the prophets Isaiah (ii. 2, 3,) and Micah: “But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the House of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow into it; and many nations shall come and say, Come, and let uS #. up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the House of the God of Jacob ; and He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Micah iv. 1, 2. In this prediction “the House of the God of Jacob” and “the mountain of the House of the Lord” are both considered by many as the church ; and the “nations” and “people” coming thither, as those becoming members of it. Were we even to look no further than to the words quoted, this would appear an unnatural interpretation of the passage, and when viewed together with its context it at once appears inadmissible. The quotation we have made is evidently a contrast to something previously declared: “But in the last days it shall come to pass,” &c. There are here two marks of contrast; “but,” in contradistinction to something formerly mentioned, “it shall come to pass;” and “in the last days” circumstances shall differ from those at another period also referred to previously. These points of contrast have been unskilfully separated in our translation, by placing them in different chapters; but by looking at the last verses of the preceding chapter the meaning of those quoted will instantly appear. That chapter contains an exposure of the hypocrisy of the “heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel,” and a threatening is denounced of coming desolation on their land: “They build up Zion with blood, [this is not the church certainly, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money; yet will they lean upon the Lord and say, Is not the Lord among us? None evil can come upon us. Therefore [on account of this their iniquity] shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the House as the high places of the forest. But in the last days,” &c. Thus, then, we see that it was the literal “Jerusalem” and “Zion” and “mountain of the House,” which, for the sin of Israel, were to be “ploughed” and laid in “heaps” and have literally been so. And it is in contrast to their present state, that from the same “Jerusalem” and “Zion” and “House of the Lord,” the word of the Lord shall again go forth, and to which “in the last days” many nations shall come. This shall be at the Millennium, when “nation shall not lift up a sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more.” ver. 3. Again, “At that time, they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered wnto it to the Name [the incarnate Word?] of the Lord to Jerusalem ; neither shall they walk any more after the imaginations of their evil heart.” Jer. iii. 17. This is when “the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north,” to their own land; “and at that time, they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord.” It is, therefore, at the restoration of Israel, and after the conversion —but whither? The prophecy itself furnishes us with the answer. Referring to the restoration of Israel, it is said, (ver. 19, 20,) the Gentiles "shall bring all your brethren." .Now this bringing must be to the same place as the coming of the nations, since both imply a; movement to the place occupied by the speaker. Therefore if we can ascertain whither the Gentiles shall "bring" the prophet's "brethren," this will be the place to which the nations "shall come" to worship. Now, the former place is distinctly mentioned as being Jerusalem: they shall bring them, saith the Lord," to my holy mountain Jerusalem." And all shall come thither; to worship from Sabbath to Sabbath—there shall be continually from all parts of the earth worshippers attending upon the appointed feasts,

of " all the nations;" for "neither shaW they walk any more after the imaginations of their evil heart."

So also, by the prophet Zechariah, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, It shall yet come to pass that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities; and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hostsin Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord." Zech. viii. 20—22. These inhabitants of "many cities" shall go not to the church merely, for in doing so they would not need to leave their cities. But, stirring up each other, "the inhabitants of one city shall go t& another," seeking their company in going to " Jerusalem;" whither they shall go together " to seeR the Lord of hosts," and "to pray before the Lord" — plainly implying His presence there. " And that it is the literal Jerusalem is farther evident from the honour they shall put on the Jews: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, In those days it shatt come to pass, that ten nsca shall take hold (out of ait languages- of the nations), even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying-, We will go with you .' for we have heard that God is with you." ver. 23.

In a psalm containing decided references to the restoration of Israel and the Millennial period, it is said, "Because of thy Temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee ;" then "princes shall come out of Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands vmto Ps. Ixviii. 29, 31. The very reasom of these ?oing to Jerusalem is because God's " Tempte" there.

The attendance of the nations at tVve stated feasts, the Lord expressly deei^*"6 phet Isaiah: - It shall come that I will tions and tongues; and they shall glory.... and it shall come to pass . moon to another, and from one Sabbat*» all flesh come to worship be-for klxvi. 18,23, Although ir*

But the most explicit prediction on this subject is that with which the Prophecies of Zechariah conclude, and to which we formerly alluded: '• It shall come to pass that every one that is left of all the nations which came .',against Jerusalem [after Israel's restoration] shall even .j go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the least of tabernacles. And it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families ,j of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship tha King- the: Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up and come not, (that have no rain,) there shall be the plague, wherewith the i: Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep JJ the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come'; not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness Un- ^ To The Lord: nncl the pots in the Lord's House shall /" be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in ;,;•' Jerusalem andinJudah shall be holiness unto the Lord; of hosts; and all they that sacrifice .-shall come and take *'] of them, and seethe therein; and in that day there shall ll!J be no more the Canaanite in the House of the Lord of l^i Hosts." Zech. xiv. 16—21. This is immediately sub- '"ai sequent to the future attack of the confederated nations '"111 upon Jerusalem after the restoration of Israel, when %i

"the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the
women ravished ;" when part of the inhabitants shall be
made captives, " and the residue of the people shall not
be cut off from the city." ver. 2. This must therefore
be the literal "Jerusalem," and not the church. Hav-
ing been then rescued from the power of the oppressor
by the Savior's interposition in their behalf, and peace
being restored, "there shall be no more utter destruction,
but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited." ver. 11. Now
it is to this same Jerusalem that "the nations which
came against" it shall come up "to worship the King:"
and this King is "the Lord of Hosts." Each of these
nations shall go up to Jerusalem, "from year to year;"
but this does not imply that every individual shall do so
-although this has sometimes been asserted, with the
view of fixing on the literal interpretation of the pro-
phecy a charge of absurdity, from the supposed impos-
sibility of its being so accomplished. This is indeed re-
quired of " all the families of the earth;" yet it is to be
observed, that the word "families" is not here used in
its ordinary and limited sense; but in that more compre-
hensive signification of nation or people, attached to it
in the promise to Abraham, that in him shall "all the
families of the earth be blessed." In this sense the
kingdom of Judah is called a "family," by the prophet
Jeremiah: "them that remain of this evil family" Jer-
viii. 3. But besides its having this meaning in Bother
parts of Scripture, the term is plainly so used in this very
prophecy. Thus, while punishment is denounced against
all "the families of the earth" generally, we have ws
meaning defined by the more particular reference to tlve
case of " the family of Eeypt" From this -we at once
perceive that the term" family" is used for ""**uvtt"
"people," Egypt being here reckoned and
wie" family." Thus all the nations or " fa1*"1
earth" may go up to Jerusalem, as they do
by representation. Besides such of the pe
the will and the power, (and during the
these will happily be generally conjoined, fa*^*
doubtless mightily increased,*,) nations as '""

*It i§ interesting to observe the corroboration of &rful increase of the means of transi t, both by sea.