For the origin of such a belief we must undoubtedly recur to the Divine appearances recorded in Moses and the prophets. Such visible appearances and the doctrine of the incarnation are taught in the Hebrew as well as in the Christian Scriptures.
It is the object of the ensuing pages to show that He who truly became incarnate, and is announced as Jesus, the Christ, and also as Jehovah, Immanuel, God with us, is the same who in the Hebrew oracles is often called Jehovah and Elohim, and designated also by official titles, as the Messiah, the Messenger, Adonai, the Elohe of Abraham; and that, under various designations, he appeared visibly in a form like that of man to the Patriarchs, and to Moses, and others. In Him, in accordance with their Scriptures, the descendants of Israel will at length discern the True Messiah, who took man’s nature, and in his stead, and as his substitute, was slain a sacrifice for sin, the Just for the unjust; who rose from the dead, and ascended on high in his glorified body; and who will come again, visibly, to sit and rule as King on the throne of David; to destroy the great Adversary and his works; to vindicate his earlier administration; to accomplish the ancient predictions concerning the Seed of Abraham, the land promised as an everlasting inheritance, and his own sacerdotal, prophetic, and regal offices; and to receive due homage of the universe as Creator, Ruler, and Redeemer.
Of him as Jehovah and as the Messenger, it is affirmed that he led the children of Israel out of Egypt. (See Exodus ii. and Judges i.) And, after the lapse of nine hundred years, He himself proclaimed to their dispersed and afflicted descendants: “Behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that it shall no more be said, Jehovah liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, Jehovah liveth that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face:—and they shall know that my name is Jehovah.” Jer. xvi. 14, 15, 17, 21.
CONTENTS
| [CHAPTER I.] |
| Reasons for examining the Hebrew Records of the Messiah. |
| [CHAPTER II.] |
| The Messiah announced by Malachi, as Adonai, even Melach, the Messenger of the Covenant—His appearance to Jacob at Bethel; and to Isaiah, Abraham, Moses, Gideon, and others, under various designations, as Adonai, Melach, a Man, Jehovah Zebaoth, the Holy One, El-Shadai, &c. |
| [CHAPTER III.] |
| Reasons for rendering the formula “Melach Jehovah,” the Messenger (who is) Jehovah; and not the Angel, or an Angel of the Lord. |
| [CHAPTER IV.] |
| Visible Appearance of the Messenger Jehovah to Hagar. |
| [CHAPTER V.] |
| No visible Divine Appearances ever made except of the Messiah, the Mediator in all the Relations of God to the World. |
| [CHAPTER VI.] |
| Appearances of the Messenger Jehovah to Abraham and to Jacob. |
| [CHAPTER VII.] |
| References to various Appearances of Jehovah and Elohim to the Patriarchs. |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] |
| Of the Doctrines, Worship, and Faith of those earliest mentioned in Scripture—Reference to the History of Moses, Noah, Joshua. |
| [CHAPTER IX.] |
| Narrative concerning Job. |
| [CHAPTER X.] |
| Further notice of Divine Manifestations to Abraham and Jacob—Mysteriousness attending the Divine Appearance—The visible Form always like that of Man. |
| [CHAPTER XI.] |
| Of the official Person and Relations of the Messiah. |
| [CHAPTER XII.] |
| Local and visible Manifestations, Intercourse and Instructions, as characterizing the primeval and Mosaic Dispensations—Local Presence of the Messenger Jehovah in the Tabernacle. |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] |
| Of the Chaldee Paraphrasts—Their method of designating the Personal Word or Revealer—Occasion and Necessity of it. |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] |
| Citations from the Chaldee Paraphrases. |
| [CHAPTER XV.] |
| Reasons of the Failure of the modern Versions of the Scriptures exhibit clearly the Hebrew designations of the Messiah—The Masoretic Punctuation—Reference to the term Melach and the formula Melach Jehovah. |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] |
| Continuation of the subject of the preceding Chapter—Combined influence of Rabbinical and figurative Interpretations—German method of Hebrew study—Preposterous notion of the inadequacy of Language as a Vehicle of Thought. |
| [CHAPTER XVII.] |
| Relation of the Antagonism between the Messiah and the great Adversary to the local, personal, and visible Manifestations of the former—Modes of Visibility on the part of the latter, through human agents and various instrumentalities. |
| [CHAPTER XVIII.] |
| Illustration of the subject of the last Chapter, exhibiting the Antagonism as carried on by visible agencies, instrumentalities, and events, in the plagues of Egypt and at the Red Sea. |
| [CHAPTER XIX.] |
| Further Illustration of the Antagonism—Idolatry a Counterfeit Rival System in opposition to the Messiah and the True Worship—Its Origin and Nature—Satan the God of it—The Tower of Babel devoted to his Worship—That Worship extended thence over the Earth at the Dispersion. |
| [CHAPTER XX.] |
| The system of Idolatry founded on a perversion of the Doctrine of Mediation—References to the Worshippers of Baal, Israelite and Pagan. |
| [CHAPTER XXI.] |
| Idolatry an imposing and delusive Counterfeit of the Revealed System, in respect to the leading features of its Ritual, and the prerogatives ascribed to the Arch-deceiver—Reference to the Symbols of the Apocalypse. |
| [CHAPTER XXII.] |
| On the question, How it has happened, since the origin of the Nicene Creed, that the Old Testament has been understood to ascribe the Creation, not to the Christ, but to the Father? |
| [CHAPTER XXIII.] |
| Continuation of the subject of the foregoing Chapter—Reference to the Heresies, respecting the Creator, of the three first and ensuing centuries. |
| [CHAPTER XXIV.] |
| Subject of the last Chapter continued—Results of the earliest and most prevalent Heresies. |
| [CHAPTER XXV.] |
| The great Antagonism—in what manner will it terminate? |
| NOTES. |
| [A]—Relating to the Exposition of the Apocalypse, by D. N. Lord. |
| [B]—The primary ground of Mediation, &c. |
THE MESSIAH
IN
MOSES AND THE PROPHETS.
CHAPTER I.
Reasons for examining the Hebrew Records of the Messiah.
It is said of the Messiah, in a discourse with two of his disciples, that “Beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures, the things concerning himself.” And subsequently: “These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures.” On another occasion he said: “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” And again: “Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”
At his advent he was, pursuant to a prediction of Isaiah, called Immanu-El, God with us. In conformity with another prediction, it was the office of his fore-runner to prepare the way of Jehovah—the Lord. And an angel announced to the shepherds: “Unto you is born a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord,” (Jehovah.) “Philip saith to Nathaniel, We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth.”