SECTION I. 862 that light which no man can approach untó; and upon this ac- count it is added, whom no man bath seen, nor can see ; I Tim. vi. 10. For in this sense, our God would be-a consuming fire; Heb. xii. 29. and that in the most literal sense. It is very probable, that the unsufferable blaze of the glory ón the mercy-seat was always allayed with the cloud intervening, which might be an emblem or type of God manifest in the flesh; that is, God dwelling personally in the man Jesus, or in the flesh at his incarnation. And it is probable also for this reason, that the high-priest, when lie went into the most holy place, was to make the smoke of the incense arise between this glory and him- self, that he might not die by his curiosity or too near approach. Exod. xxiii. 20. God says unto Moses,. Behold I send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Verse 21. Beware of him, and obey his voice ; provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name is in him. Here some critical writers have remarked two things, 1. That the name of God is sometimes put for God himself ; as Psal. xx. 1. " The naine of the God of Jacob defend thee :" So that God himselfmost pro- bably dwelt in this angel. 2. It is said, my C° name is in the midst of him n',93," which intimates a real indwelling; which also further appears, because it is said, he will not pardon your transgressions; now an authority to forgive, or not to forgive sins, is a prerogative of God. And why may we not suppose the fulness ofthe godhead dwelling in this angel, who was a spi- rit, as well as the fulness of the godhead dwellingbodily in the complete human nature ofJesus Christ when he took a body ; as Col. ii. 9. I add yet further, that we have much reason to be- lieve that this is the same angel, that so often assumed the sub- limest namesof God in his appearing both to Moses and to the patriarchs. Exod. xxiv. 9. " Then went up Moses and Aaron, Nadal) and Abihu, and seventy of the elders ofIsrael. Versé 10. And they saw the God of Israel, and there was under his feet, as it werea paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were thebodyof heaven in his clearness. Verse 11. And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand :" that is, he did not de- stroy them though they sawGod, and it follows, Also they saw God, and did eat and drink. Here it is probable they saw no- thing but a very bright or fiery cloud, as in verse 10. But out of the midst of it God perhaps might converse with Moses otherwise how could they know that this was theGod of Israel But I am inclined to believe they saw nothing of any human form though indeed it is expressed, therewas a pavedwork of sapphire under his feet, which may signify only beneath him, that is, beneath his fiery cloud : but it is certain, his face they t i 3
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=