ty. From Him, punishment no
less than salvation proceeds. This is sufficiently evident for general
reasons. The punishment and deliverance have both the same root, the
same aim, viz., the advancement of the kingdom of God. We cannot by any
means think of evil angels in the case of the six; such could be
assumed only in opposition to the whole doctrine of Scripture on the
point, which is always consistent in ascribing the punishment of the
wicked to the good angels, and the temptation of the godly, with the
permission of God, to the evil angels. In proof of this, we have only
to think of Job's trial, of Christ's temptation, and of the angel of
Satan by whom Paul was buffeted. This subject has already been very
well treated by _Ode_, who, in his work _De Angelis_, p. 741 ff., says:
"God sends good angels to punish wicked men, and He employs evil angels
to chasten the godly."[1] But if this be established, it is then
established at the same time, that the judgment here belongs to the
Angel of the Lord. For to Him, as the Prince of the heavenly host, all
inferior angels are subordinate, so that everything [Pg 366] which they
do belongs to Him.--To these general reasons, we may, however, add
special reasons which are altogether decisive. That He who is clothed
with linen is closely connected with the six, is indicated by the
number seven. He also appears at the side of the altar, and comes in
the midst of the others, who follow after Him, ver. 2. But of
conclusive significance are the words in chap. x. 2 and 7: "And the
Lord spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the
wheels under the cherubim, and fill Thine hand with coals of fire from
between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. And He went in,
in my sight. And a cherub stretched forth his hand from between the
cherubim, unto the fire that was between the cherubim, and took, and
put it into the hands of Him who was clothed with linen. And He took it
and went out." The _fire_ here is not the symbolical designation of
wrath, but natural fire; for it is the setting on fire and burning of
the city which is here to be prefigured. The wheels denote the natural
powers,--in the first instance, the wind, chap. x. 13, but the fire
also; while the cherubim denote the living creation. The Angel of the
Lord is here expressly designated as He who executeth the judgments of
divine justice.

The importance of the preceding investigation extends beyond the