PSALM 36

TEHILLIM 36

5 Thy mercy, O Yahweh, is in the heavens; [Millenial] and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

The saints in the resurrection-state being thus indisputably likened to sparkling dew drops, the reader will, we apprehend, have no difficulty in regarding clouds as their representatives when with the Lord in the apocalyptic firmament, or expanse, styled in Dan. 7:27, "the whole heaven"; under which "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom they are to possess for the Aions of the Aions," are alone to be obtained.

The clouds of this Millennial Expanse are the sparkling dew drops of YAHWEH exalted by his energy to place and power; and gathered together about him as glorious and towering masses, pregnant with

"lightnings, and thunderings, and voices, and great hail" (Apoc. 4:5; 11:19; 16:18-21).

The power of Deity in every particle of these clouds is the omnipotence of the apocalypse. Eternal Power invested with clouds of virtuous and heroic immortals, constituted in the aggregate, Ezekiel's

"Whirlwind out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and round about it brightness, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber even out of the midst of the fire, whence proceeded the likeness of four living creatures."

If this be apparent to the reader, the following testimonies will present themselves with great force and beauty to his mind. Thus,

"In the heavens, O YAHWEH, thy mercy; thy truth is to the clouds" (Psal. 36:5);

that is, His promised kindness is manifested in the New Heavens; and His truth is for those clouds of witnesses who shall compose them.

Again,

"Ye kingdoms of the earth sing ye to the Elohim; sing the praises of Adonai, Selah; to Him who rides upon heavens of the heavens of old. Behold, with his voice he will give forth a voice of strength. Give ye strength to the Elohim, his excellency over Israel, and his strength in clouds. Terrible, O Elohim, out of thy sanctuaries, the AIL of Israel (art thou:) He that giveth strength and powers to the nation. Blessed be the Elohim" (Psal. 68:33-35).

In this text, the AIL, Adonai, and Elohim are presented as One in Many and Many in One -- AIL, the Eternal Spirit, or Theos; ADONAI, Lords, the Devar of Ail, or Logos, become Flesh, or Messiah, the Word; and ELOHIM, the Eternal Spirit incarnate in the Saints, each of whom is a sanctuary, or temple, of Eternal Power, out of which collectively is "the AIL of Israel," in the Aions of the Aions.

With His voice, the Eternal will give strength to the Elohim, whom He will bring forth as sparkling dew; and will establish them as his excellency over Israel; so that His omnipotence will be in the Clouds of Elohim, by and through whom He will do terrible deeds throughout the earth.

"He makes thick clouds his chariot; and goes on the wings of the spirit."

Eureka 1.4.2.

7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O Elohim! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

Israel's history presents a practical exemplification of the unfathomable goodness of God. Let us take our stand among the oppressed in Egypt, bowed down, as the record reads, with anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. Let us imagine that we witness the appearing of Moses, that we hear him tell his wondrous mission, how that God had heard the groaning of His people, and had sent him to deliver them and to lead them into a land of unparalleled rest.

As we heard the prophet dilate upon the blessings in store for us—the inheritance of a land upon which the rain of heaven was to regularly fall, causing it to unfailingly yield its increase—a land in which we should enjoy perfect peace, none daring to make us afraid—a land in which all sickness would be removed—a land in which we should be fruitful, prosperous, happy and long lived—should we not from the bottom of our hearts have felt and exclaimed that God was wonderfully good?

God has been equally good to us, though we are sadly deficient in the realisation of the fact. Our relationship to Christ has brought us into connection with prospective joys infinitely more glorious than those promised by Moses to Israel.

"There remaineth a rest to the people of God"

—a rest in which the once promised temporal blessings to Israel will be overwhelmingly eclipsed, even in the bestowal of "long life," "fulness of joy," and "pleasures for evermore."

Why should God have called us to this glory? Was he under any obligation so to do? How pointed are the Psalmist's words,

"What is man that thou art mindful of him?"

Let us keep continually in mind the condescension and goodness of God, and let that goodness constrain us to love Him in the practical way which the Scriptures require.

"This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." (1 Jno. 5:3.)

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, Dec 1889

8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

It is a mode of self-test to ask ourselves how far the prospect of an endless life devoted to the celebration of God's praise appeals to our sense of pleasure. In a state of fully-developed and enlightened reason, the prospect is a ravishing one, of being clothed with power, and endowed with capacity to open out our faculties in the lucid contemplation of rapturous and sustained admiration of the inherent and supernal excellence of eternal wisdom and power.

No privilege or joy of created existence can in the nature of things come near to this - none so purely sweet, none so lasting and inexhaustible. The delights of human friendship are great, the pleasure of personal gratification is something, but who shall measure the joy of reciprocal communion with the Eternal Father,

"Of Whom and through Whom and to Whom are all things?"

It is written,

"In Thy presence is fulness of joy;" and, again,

"Strength and gladness are in His place."

To be linked in unity with Him must be a noble ecstasy, burning with the steadiness of eternal glory, with an intensity that does not diminish its power, and a gladness that does not interfere with its dignified and perfect symmetry. "To drink of the rivers of Thy pleasures" must of necessity be the highest possible joy, and a joy that does not pall or exhaust itself because fed by the inexhaustible supply of the Spirit.

Seasons 2.72