Tonight we're going
to read a whole other perspective on things.
Again, this is written by a Biblical scholar, someone who has a lot more
knowledge than I ever will. Someone who has the ability to remember things I would
never be able to remember. With this
knowledge we have to pray that God opens our hearts and minds to His truth.
Pray that we gain all the understanding we need. We can't be afraid to delve
into things that are difficult to read, things we might have to read over and
over to understand.
Please, Lord, please
help us.
*
XXXV - 2 (2002)
“Watchman, what of the night?” William Grotheer
"The hour has
come, the hour is striking and striking at you, the hour and the end!"
Eze. 7:6 (Moffatt)
“Mark A Tau”
“Joshua Was Clothed
with Filthy Garments”
"The Seal of
God or the Mark of the Beast"
*
Editor's Preface
Whenever Ezekiel 9,
which can be related to the ritual of the typical Day of Atonement, is studied,
the question follows as to what is the "seal of God," as well as to
what is its prophetic antithesis, the "mark of the beast." In this
issue we follow the same sequence of study. The "man clothed in
linen" places a mark on the foreheads of certain inhabitants of Jerusalem.
What is that "mark"? There is no way to arrive at the conclusion that
the "mark" in Ezekiel 9 is the same as the "seal" in
Revelation 7 if we use the format which mark some seals as used in today's
legal transactions.
Eze 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the
midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the
foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be
done in the midst thereof.
Eze 9:5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go
ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have
ye pity:
Eze 9:6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and
little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark;
and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before
the house.
The conflict between
God and the "beast" is about worship.
We worship either
"Him who made," or we worship the beast and his image and receive a
mark.
However, associated
with the message to worship the Creator, is the "everlasting gospel."
Is there a "gospel" involved with the "beast"? All of these
factors must be considered to arrive at a correct answer as to the "mark."
Back in 1998, the
current Pope issued an Apostolic Letter discussing the Dies Domini. He
suggested that "Christians will naturally strive to ensure that civil
legislation respects their duty to keep Sunday holy" (#67). This caused
widespread comment. However, three years earlier this same call was made in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church (#2188) and little was said. The real emphasis
in both the Catechism, as well as the Apostolic Letter, was the altering of the
Catholic explanation and claim for the change in the day of worship from
Saturday to Sunday. Further, the emphasis on Sunday worship is centered in the
celebration of the Eucharist - the Mass. This sacrament of the Eucharist is
considered "the source and summit of the Christian life." (#1324. 1st
ed.)
"We have many
lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are
infallible."
"Mark a
Tau"
The Tau is the last
letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This was the mark which the "man clothed in
linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side" was instructed to place on the
foreheads of those "that sigh and cry for all the abominations that be
done in the midst" of Jerusalem. (Ezekiel 9:2, 4). The margin in the KJV
gives the literal rendering to verse 4, "mark a mark." Besides being
the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet, it had a word meaning as
well. It meant a mark or a sign "especially in the form of a cross."
"It is related of the synod of Chalcedon, and other oriental synods, that
the bishops who could not write their names affixed the mark of the cross
instead of them; and this is common at the present day in the case of persons
who cannot write" (Gesenius, Hebrew & English Lexicon of the Old
Testament, art., "tau," p. 1121).
All of this data
could open up speculative interpretations which should be avoided. The context
within this vision given to Ezekiel suggests that the concept of the Tau as the
last letter of the Hebrew alphabet has merit. It is placed upon the foreheads of
a "last" people of God. Throughout this vision, the "man"
who places the tau is described as "clothed in linen" (vs. 2, 3, 11).
This was the type of cloth of which the attire of the High Priest on the Day of
Atonement was made. (Lev. 16:4). The "man clothed in linen" with the
other six having slaughtering weapons in their hands, come and stand at the
brazen altar where the last act of reconciliation was performed ceremonially on
that day. (Lev. 16:18-20). He who was enthroned above the cherubim moved to the
threshold of the sanctuary, and gave commandment to the man clothed in linen at
the Altar.
In the book of
Revelation, this last group, those which are "redeemed from among
men," have "the Father's name written in their foreheads" (Rev.
14:4, 1). We would not, nor could we conceive suggesting that God signs His
name with an "x." However, the Father has been closely identified
with the Cross. He "was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
Himself" (II Cor. 5:19). In Revelation, the vision of God upon the throne
includes the "Lamb as it had been slain" standing in the midst.
In the typical
service of the Day of Atonement, the objective concerned a select group of
people - only those who had confessed their sins, and received the results of
the first atonement, forgiveness. Likewise the placing of the special mark is
confined to a select group, those who sigh and cry for the abomination done in
the midst of a special city, a city where God had placed His name. In this
vision of Ezekiel, the same One who would provide forgiveness placed the mark
on the recipients of that forgiveness. When "the man clothed in
linen" completed his work, he reported back to the One seated on the
cherubim (v.11).
The Chapter also
contains a revelation of a description of the work of the men with slaughtering
weapons. These execute the wrath of God against those who have filled Jerusalem
with "a wresting of judgment" (v.9, margin); a stretching or bending
of what is right, while making it more acceptable, mitigates its witness. On
the typical Day of Atonement, there was to be soul affliction, and the one not
so doing, would be cut off. (Lev. 23:29). "Soul affliction" is
incompatible with "a wresting of judgment." While the "man
clothed in linen" is doing his work of "marking" those sighing
and crying in their "soul affliction;" others also under the direct
command of God do their work against those who are perverting the way of God.
They slay "utterly" beginning at God's sanctuary with "the
ancient men which are before the house" (9:6). There is much to learn from
this prophecy, so as not to make a wrong interpretation or application.
The "man
clothed in linen" does not pass from view, for in the next phase of this
extended vision shown to Ezekiel, He again appears, but minus "the
writer's inkhorn" (10:2, 6, 7). The marking had been done. (9:11). Now
another command awaits him. This command and the symbolism connected with it
demand our careful study.
From the throne
(10:1) the "man clothed in linen" was instructed –
Go in between the
wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from
between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city." (10:2)
These cannot be
considered "coals" of destruction, because the men with slaughtering
weapons had already slain "utterly" all who had not been marked
(9:6). Those remaining in the city were only the marked ones, and on these were
scattered "the coals of fire from between the cherubim." Here again
we see the mingled blood (Lev. 16:18) of the final atonement - the Man clothed
in linen, who marked His people with a "mark of redemption;" and the
One on the throne who provided "coals of fire" for their cleansing.
(See Isaiah. 6:6-7) Then "the court was full of the brightness of the
Lord's glory" (Eze. 10:4). Is this again alluded to in Revelation 18:1 -
"and the earth [the court] was lightened with his glory"?
"Joshua was
Clothed with Filthy Garments"
The revelation given
to Zechariah in the vision of the third chapter demands careful study. Joshua,
the high priest stands in judicial review before, "the angel of the
Lord" with "Satan standing at his (Joshua's) right hand to resist him"
(v.1). As the vision unfolds, this Angel is designated simply as "the
Lord" (v. 2) and His redemptive powers as the Messiah are revealed (v. 4).
Further, this Divine Messenger proclaims the promise and the objective of the
Lord of hosts to be realized by His messianic servant, "the BRANCH"
(vs. 7-8). There is a close relationship between these verses and the
revelation in Chapter 6:12-13, which reveals "The BRANCH" as the One
who will accomplish the design of "the counsel of peace which was between
the Two of Them" (Heb).
Here in Zechariah 3
are all the elements symbolized in the services of the typical Day of
Atonement: the mingled blood of the bullock and the Lord's goat to accomplish
the final cleansing (the action of the Messianic Lord and the decree of the
Lord of hosts); the scapegoat for Azazel (Satan standing at the right hand of
Joshua); the High Priest carrying in himself the sins of the children of
Israel, and placing them on the head of the scapegoat (Joshua clothed in filthy
garments); and the ultimate atonement, the removal of the uncleanness of the
children of Israel (the change of raiment and the removal of all iniquity).
(See Leviticus 16).
In this vision given
to Zechariah, the High Priest is standing for the people as the mediator
between them and Jehovah. When the office was instituted, not only was the high
priest to carry Israel in symbol in the two onyx stones set in gold placed on
his shoulders (Ex. 28:11-12) and in the breastplate (28:29); but there was a
special significance to the plate of pure gold which he was to wear on his
forehead on which were engraved the words, "HOLINESS TO THE LORD"
(28:36) The instruction states:
And it (the plate)
shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy
things which the children of Israel shall hallow in their holy gifts, and it
shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord"
(Ez. 28:38)
Keil & Delitzsch
make a very enlightening comment on this verse. It reads:
The high priest was
exalted into an atoning mediator of the whole nation, and an atoning
sin-exterminating intercession was associated with his office. The
qualification for this he received from the diadem upon his forehead with the
inscription "holiness to the Lord." Through this inscription, which
was fastened upon his head-dress of brilliant white, the earthly reflection of
holiness, he was crowned as sanctified to the Lord, and endowed with the power
to exterminate the sin which clung to the holy offerings of the people on
account of the unholiness of their nature, so that the gifts of the nation
became well-pleasing to the Lord, and the good pleasure of God was manifest to
the nation. (Commentary of the Old Testament, Vol.1, pp.203-204)
When we understand
that the Aaronic priesthood was but typical of the reality, Jesus Christ, High
Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedec, then the "sin exterminating
intercession" which was basic in the final atonement, takes on renewed significance
in the light of the vision to Zechariah. First, Joshua, standing for the
people, could not remove his filthy garments. They had to be taken from him.
The command was given by the Divine Messenger, "Take away the filthy
garments from him" (3:4). Joshua could refuse, knowing the result - he
would at some point be naked before the Lord. He had a choice. Either respond
as did Adam, and make himself a garment of "fig leaves," or accept
the provision of the Divine Mediator: "I have caused thine iniquity to
pass from thee, and I will give thee a change of raiment."
It is either faith
or works, my works to achieve perfection, or faith to believe what the great
High Priest says He will and can do. The message of the type declared plainly
that the High Priest alone accomplished the cleansing on the typical Day of
Atonement. The vision given to Zechariah states likewise that the Divine
Messenger, The BRANCH, will do for man that which he cannot do for himself,
take away his "filthy garments" and give him a change of raiment.
The concept that the
high priest stood for Israel before God is echoed in the New Testament motif of
being "in Christ." "Ye are complete in Him" (Col. 2:10);
"Your life is hid with Christ in God" (3:3); "If any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature" (II Cor. 5:17). Even the hope of the
resurrection is based in this relationship: "the dead in Christ shall
arise first" (I Thess. 4:16). "For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive" (I Cor. 15:22). It was Paul's desire to
"be found in Him, not having [his] own righteousness, which is of the law
but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith" (Phil. 3:9).
There are two other
revelations in this vision given to Zechariah which need further and careful
study: 1) The results of the mediation of the Divine Messenger produce
"men wondered at" (v.8). The margin, indicating the Hebrew, states
that these cleansed ones will be "men of wonder." What does this
mean? And 2) The "Lord of hosts" declares that He "will remove
the iniquity of the land in one day" (v.9). The question is, does this
apply to the final cleansing of the earth by fire at the end of the age, or is
this speaking of the final "manifestation of the sons of God" (Rom.
8:19) just prior to the close of probation?
*****
The religious
services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin ascend from
true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the
corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by
blood, they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity,
and unless the Intercessor, who is at God’s right hand, presents and purifies
all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. All incense from earthly
tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He
holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in which there is no
taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censer the prayers, the
praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own
spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed with merits of Christ’s propitiation,
the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned.
Oh, that all may see
that everything in obedience, in penitence, in praise and thanksgiving, must be
placed upon the glowing fire of the righteousness of Christ. The fragrance of
this righteousness ascends like a cloud around the mercy seat. (Manuscript 50,
1900)
*****
More tomorrow, it's
time to digest what we've just read. Read it…re-read it and re-read it
again. Our hope is in CHRIST and CHRIST
alone, not in ourselves, not in others.
All by the grace of
our Lord- Jesus Christ our Savior now and forever!!
Amen.
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