g stars,
heaven and earth dissolving in darkness, blood, and fire. Ezekiel,
alluding to the barbarous invasion headed by Prince Gog,
represents Jehovah as declaring, "I will contend against him, and
will rain fire and brimstone upon him and his hosts. Thus will I
show myself in my greatness and glory before the eyes of many
nations, and they shall know that I am Jehovah." The highly
figurative character of this imagery must be apparent to every
candid critic.

For example, in the following passage from Zechariah, no one will
suppose for a moment that it is meant that Jehovah will appear
visibly in person and reign in Jerusalem, but only that his
promise shall be fulfilled, and his law shall prevail there in the
triumphant establishment of his chosen people: "Behold the day of
Jehovah cometh, when I will gather all nations to battle against
Jerusalem; and the city shall be taken. Then shall Jehovah go
forth, and fight against those nations. And his feet shall stand
in that day upon the Mount of Olives. And Jehovah shall be king
over all the earth. And it shall be that whoso of all the families
of the earth will not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King,
Jehovah of hosts, upon them shall be no rain."

When the prophets burst out in the lyric metaphors, "Jehovah will
roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem;" "Egypt shall
be a waste and Edom a wilderness for their violence to the sons of
Judah; but Jerusalem shall be inhabited forever, and Jehovah shall
dwell upon Zion," the meaning is simply that "Jehovah will be a
refuge to his people, a stronghold to the sons of Israel, and all
people shall know that Jehovah is God." It would imply the
grossest ignorance in any critic if he imagined that the Jews ever
believed that Jehovah was visibly to come down and reign over them
in person. They did however, believe that an awful token or the
presence of Jehovah dwelt in the holy of holies of their temple.
They also believed that every anointed ruler who governed them in
justice and piety represented the authority of Jehovah. And as, in
the long times of their natural captivity and oppression, their
hopes sought refuge from the depressing present in bright visions
of a glorious future, when some inspired deliverer should justify
their faith by carrying the national power and happiness to the
highest pitch, they naturally believed that the spirit and signet
of the Lord would, in a special manner, rest on that Messianic