Rev. xvi. 19. This every one admits to be a part of the Tribulation scenes of the last days. We have also an intimation of the removal of the Church, just prior to these events, in the same chapter, Rev. xvi.

15.

These and many other texts fix the date of the entrance of the righteous nation through the open gates at the period of, or just prior to the tribulation, or temporal judgments of the last days, when the Gentile kingdoms shall be broken up under the figure of the stone cut out of the mountain, breaking them to pieces together, and the winds carrying them away like chaff on the summer threshing-floor. (Dan. ii. 34, 35.)

Here the Jerusalem type is not only complete in the breaking up of the nations of professing Christendom, as the Jewish Church and State was broken up, (because they sinned against their light,) but the scattering of the chaff to the four winds typifies the scattering of the Gentile nations, as the Jews were scattered into all the world.

As the removal of the Church (as many as are prepared) is the subject of our present remarks, let us recall your attention to the fact, that these lofty cities are laid even with the dust, after the righteous have entered through the open gates, and consequently prior to the Apocalyptic judgments. Let us also again call your attention to the fact, that in the latter part of the same chapter, (26th of Isaiah,) the reason is given why they are called to enter the heavenly mansions at this period. That is, that they may be preserved from the punishment which He

comes out of His place to inflict on the inhabitants of the earth for iniquity." This calling into their chambers for this purpose, is positively identified as the first translation, by its connection with the first resurrection.

Paul says the translated ones shall not go before the first resurrection, but both shall be caught up together. (1 Thess. iv. 16, 17.) Now, if we can establish the fact that there is a resurrection in connection with it, we have positive proof that this translation is to be removed before the indignation, and kept there for a little while, (like Noah's family in the Ark,) until the indignation shall be overpast. In verse 19th we have most unmistakably a resurrection, not of the wicked, for they all sing with joy. "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust, . . . . . for the earth shall cast forth her dead." Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee, (as the door of the Ark was shut after Noah entered it,) hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. "For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for iniquity."

.....

There is another event also which identifies this with the first resurrection. It is the punishment of Satan, in the commencement of the 27th chapter of Isaiah, which ought never to have been divided from the 26th chapter.* This is one of the cases where

*It is well known that the Scriptures originally were not divided into chapters and verses. "The dividing of the Old Testament into chapters, as they now stand in our translation, is attributed to Cardinal Hugo, who lived about the middle of the thirteenth century." Robert Stevens, a French printer, had previ

there is a division of chapters, when there ought scarcely to have been a comma between.

The 26th chapter of Isaiah ends with the announcement that the Lord comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for iniquity, and the 27th chapter commences with another judicial punishment at that period, evidently connecting it with the 26th chapter. "In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword, shall punish Leviathan, the piercing serpent, even Leviathan that crooked serpent. And He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea." (Isaiah xxvii. 1.)

Notice the point. "In that day." What day? The day spoken of at the close of the preceding chapter, when he should raise the righteous dead, translate the living, and come out of his place to punish the inhabitants," &c. (Isaiah xxvi. 19, 20, 21.)

ously (1551) divided the New Testament into verses, as they now stand in the various versions.

This division into verses, though very convenient, is not to govern the sense, and there are several instances in which the sense is injured, if not destroyed, by an improper division. Very often the chapter breaks off in the midst of a narrative, and if the reader stops because the chapter ends, he loses the connection. (Matt. x. 42; xii. 1. Luke xix. 41-48; xx. 1-8. Acts xxi. 22, 23. Gal. i. 23 ; ii. 1.) Sometimes the break is altogether in the wrong place, and separates two sentences, which must be taken together to be understood. 1 Cor. xii. 31; xiii. 1. 2 Cor. vi. 18; vii. 1. Ephes. iv. 31, 32; li. 2. Phil. iii. 21; iv. 1.)

Again the verses often divide a sentence into two different paragraphs, when there ought scarcely to be a comma between them. (Luke iii. 21, 22. 2 Cor. vi. 7, &c. 1 Peter i. 3, 4, &c. And sometimes a fragment of a subject is separated from its proper place, and put where it is without any connection." (Coloss. iii. 25; iv. 1.)-" Sunday School Union Bible Dictionary."

Now, compare this punishing of the Serpent, and slaying of the Dragon, in Isaiah xxvii. 1, with the binding of Satan in Rev. xx. 2, and see if it is not identical. Identified by the use of two of the names, "Serpent and Dragon."

Isaiah says that the Lord when he cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants, shall also punish the Serpent, and slay the Dragon. And John describes the mode of his punishment. "He laid hold on the Dragon, that old Serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit." (Rev. xx. 2.) The Lord is also mentioned as coming in connection with the binding of Satan, under the figure of an angel coming down from heaven." This angel is undoubtedly the Saviour-identified by the possession of the keys, as we will see by comparing Rev. i. 18 with Rev. xx. 1, 4. And the first resurrection is synchronical. John also shows the manner in which he punishes the inhabitants of the earth for iniquity.

Isaiah announces the fact that he will punish them, but John shows that he really does punish them with "the sore," and great and strong sword, of which Isaiah speaks; and he also shows the result in the complete overthrow and slaughter of Antichrist and his armies in that greatest of battles that ever was, or ever will be fought; where the Beast and the false Prophet are captured, and "cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone, and the remnant were slain with the sword." (Rev. xix. 20, 21.) There are many passages in the Psalms which are read daily without even an inquiry into their meaning.

Such as the following:-"For in the time of (the) trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret of His tabernacle shall he hide me." "Then shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me." "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence; . . . . . thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife." ...“For thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from the trouble." "For this shalt every one that is godly pray in a time when thou mayest be found. Surely in the floods of great waters thou shalt not come nigh me." "They that were ready went into the marriage, and the door was shut. Now when the Master is once risen up, and shut to the door, ye may stand without, and cry in vain." Psalms xxvii. 5, 6; xxxi. 20; xxxii. 6, 7. Matt. xxv. 10.

By taking Paul's rule, comparing Scripture with Scripture, we may gather some very valuable truths from the above Scriptures. A part of these have been partially and typically fulfilled in God's dealings with his ancient people.

But the principal part of it is yet to be fulfilled. Let us give these texts a more particular examination. What "time of trouble" is this from which He is to "hide them in His pavilion?" Notice, it is in His pavilion. Where is His pavilion but in the heavens? It is said in Isaiah xxvi. 20, "Hide thyself for a little while until the indignation be overpast;" and in these passages from the Psalms, the same hiding is mentioned, and they are hid in the time of the trouble or tribulation. They are not hid in some of the hiding