4 For thou hast broken the yoke [ol] of his burden, and the staff [mateh] of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor [shevet hanogesh (rod of the task master)], as in the day of Midian [yom of Midyan [See Judges 7:25)].

The original and appropriate district of the Midianites was on the east side of the Elanitic Bay of the Red Sea. They spread themselves northward along the desert east of Mount Seir, to the vicinity of the Moabites; and on the other side also, they covered a territory extending to the neighborhood of Mount Sinai. Midianites and Ishmaelites are different names of the same people. They are separated from "the tents of Cushan" by the northern extremity of the Arabian Desert.

Midian had a terrible day when, by a panic from Yahweh, they destroyed themselves in the presence of Gideon and his three hundred torch-bearing trumpeters. Another similar day is in reserve for Midian and Cushan, when

"Eloahh shall come in from Teman and the Holy One from Mount Paran".

'From before him shall go the pestilence, and flaming fire shall go forth from his feet. He stood, and shall shake the earth: he beheld, and shall cause the nations to tremble; and the mountains of antiquity shall be dispersed; the ancient hills were humbled; the ways of Olahm are for him".

In consequence of this terrible manifestation of supernatural power, Habakkuk informs the reader, saying,

"I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble".

The lands of Cushan and Midian being within the limits of the land granted to Abraham are among the first to feel the sword of the King who begins his conquering career in Teman. Like his father David, he executes judgment upon the inhabitants of the South, before he obtains the sovereignty over the house of Judah in the midst of the land.

But, it cannot be supposed that, in our time of this, or the rising generation, when that ubiquitous personage "our own correspondent" is peering and prying into all corners and by-ways of the inhabited earth, so extraordinary an Elohistic Power can have been developed; rejected candidates for constituency therein, cast forth and driven away into exile with shame and contempt into the countries ruled by the Devil and his Angels,

to be there tormented with the world, until they have paid justice all it may demand (Matt. 18:34,35; 22:13; 25:41,46; 1 Cor. 11:32); so wonderful a transformation of the wilderness and desert section of the land promised to Abraham into

a well-watered umbrageous paradise, can have been created;

and the hitherto untamed and ferocious tribes of Midian, Kedar, Cushan and the Rocky Arabia, have become its enlightened, docile, and joyous, inhabitants: it cannot, I say, be supposed, that all this can have been developed in sight almost of that grand and important work, the Suez Canal, and not have become the great and absorbing theme of speculative wonder in all the papers and Cabinets of the world.

Eureka 16.11.4.0

6 For unto us a child [yeled] is born, unto us a son [ben] is given: and the government [misrah (dominion)] shall be upon his shoulder: and his name [Shmo] shall be called Wonderful [ Peleh], Counsellor [Yoetz], The mighty El [El Gibbor], The everlasting Father [Avi Ad (Possessor of Eternity)], The Prince of Peace [Sar Shalom].

The anointed Jesus (not the dead body lying in the sepulchre of the Arimathean Joseph) is eternal power manifested in flesh; and, therefore, AIL, or in Saxon "God." Now Mi-cha-lo? -- WHO-LIKE-TO-HIM among the sons of the mighty? (Psalm 89:6). Therefore, because there is none to compare with him the "child born" and the "son given" to Judah, is styled in Isaiah 9:6, AIL givbor, "the Mighty Power."

... it will be said of him, Mi-cha-el? Who like to God? to "Yahweh the Man of War"? Who will contend with him? (Isaiah 50:8), with Jesus, the Eternal's king of the Jews?

Jesus, then, the Son of David and Son of the Eternal Power by David's daughter, is Michael the great Prince of Israel, who comes to redeem his kinsmen and their inheritance, and to break in pieces their oppressors.

Phanerosis - Michael the Great Prince

Yea, verily, the Lord Jesus is "the Prince of Peace;" [Isa. 9:6] and therefore, no peace society can give peace to the world. It is He alone, who can establish "peace on earth and good will among men;" [Luke 2:14] for He only is morally fit, and potentially competent to do it...

Elpis Israel 1.4.

We look at Christ and see the applicability of these names. None so wonderful ever appeared upon earth. None among the sons of men are truly wonderful as he. Men come into being through the operation of organic law that prevails amongst countless races of creatures that inhabit the earth.

There is nothing wonderful about the birth of a man except the inherent wonder that attaches to every process of nature. It is an every-day occurrence and very commonplace and of no significance in millions of cases. But the babe of Bethlehem was due to a supreme operation of the Holy Spirit, a divine initiative, which made the born child an extraordinary phenomenon, an interference with the ordinary run of affairs, a showing of the Creator's hand for a special work, possibly the most interesting work upon earth viz., the manifestation of His glory with a view to the final purpose He had in making the earth and man upon it.

'Counsellor" he was, as none else in the penetration of his understanding, in the profundity of his knowledge, in the wisdom of his advice. A man following Christ's advice will walk at last into realms of perfect well-being.

'The Mighty God" he was, in the power God gave to him;

'the everlasting Father" both in being the manifestation of the Eternal Father, and the appointed head, leader, guide, friend, and father of the permanent order of things to be established upon the earth when God's purpose is done. And the Prince of Peace we shall see him to be when, by successful war against all nations, he shall have conquered peace that will be established in righteousness and plenty for ever more.

Seasons 2.18.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will perform this.

It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom

There is nothing more unlikely upon earth, judged from the standpoint of present appearances, than this installation of Christ and his people in the kingdom and throne of David. But see what the hope rests on

"The zeal of Yahweh Hosts will perform this." Isa 9: 7

"I, Yahweh, have spoken it, and I will do it" (Ezek. 36:36).

Is it possible to have a more reliable guarantee? If God purpose a thing, who can hinder it? That He purposes this, He has declared times without number, as we might say, and sometimes with a very solemn emphasis. He asks, can the ordinances of heaven and earth be interfered with? Can the immensities of space be measured? then He will depart from this purpose (Jer. 31:31–37).

Can anyone stop the recurrence of day and night? then may His covenant with David be interfered with (Ib. 33:20, 21). The thing may seem to lag, because, in point of fact, there was to be a long time of desolation, during which the vision would seem to tarry (Hab. 2:3; 3:17). There is a time appointed to which repeated allusion is made:

"The time to favour Zion—yea, the set time, is come" (Psa. 102.).

"I, Yahweh, will hasten it in his time" (Isaiah 60.).

Hasten the change so gloriously described in Isaiah 60, a change from utter prostration and darkness for all things Israelitish to a position of ascendency and renown. The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee, for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee. . . .

"Violence shall no longer be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders, but thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates Praise. . . Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself, for Yahweh shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. . . A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I Yahweh will hasten it in His time."

In view of such great and precious promises, of which we have become fellow-heirs through the adoption that is in the gospel for all who believe and obey it, we may well wait. God says He will do it, and He will do what He says. There is no room for doubt. We have every guarantee our situation admits of. The Bible alone is enough. It is God's pillar—God's monument, in the earth. It is no myth. It is here—a reality in all the earth. It defies putting aside. It defies explaining away. It is its own witness when read and pondered.

The Christadelphian, Nov 1889