things begin to come to pass, then lift up your heads, for your deliverance draweth nigh." By faith in him that is to come, the trembling saint may therefore sing, in the words of the inspired song: (Psalm xlvi.)

"God is our refuge and strength,

In trouble is he found a help indeed :

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be overflowed,
And though the mountains be dissolved in the heart of

the seas,

Its waters roar and are troubled,

And the mountains be shaken at its swell.

But in no part of scripture is "the dreadful majesty of Jehovah," "when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth," and at the same time, the believing trust of his people in his known goodness and mercy, described in such magnificent and affecting language as in the prophet Nahum. I refer to the proem of his book: the immediate burden of the prophecy is the approaching doom of Nineveh; but in this is contemplated, as usual, by the prophetic Spirit, a foreshewing and symbol of the greater day to come, when "the city of the terrible nations" is destroyed for ever. As in the openings of many of the prophetic visions, the prophet is made to contemplate the last scene of the coming of the mighty Avenger and Redeemer, of which Nineveh's destruction is to form a type and pledge. (Nahum i. 2, &c.)

"An El jealous and vengeful is Jehovah,
Jehovah is vengeful, and warm in wrath.*
Jehovah is vengeful to his adversaries,

A narrow observer is he of his enemies. †

Such is declared to be the character of "Him that was, and is, and is to come." But the spirit of inspiration proceeds to state the opposite view which many may take of his character from the present manifestation of his long suffering, and forbearance to punish the wicked oppressors of his creatures.

"Jehovah is slow to anger, though great in might, And holdeth him guiltless 'who' is not guiltless!" So it may long appear to his waiting people who acknowledge his providential government, while they "see the wicked in such prosperity." But "He has appointed a day, when he will judge the world in righteousness;" "the day of vengeance is in his heart;" and then, as every scripture tells us, "he cometh in the clouds," and is "revealed from heaven in flaming fire."

"Jehovah, in storm and tempest 'is' his path,

And a cloud 'is' the dust of his feet."

Such will the coming of Jehovah be, when "he taketh to him his great power," and "cometh in his kingdom." "He will bow his heavens and descend; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him." His progress will be traced, not as that of a common enemy,

* Literally, "a possessor of the heat of anger."

The figure is that of a vindictive adversary watching the motions of his enemy, and lying in wait to take his opportunity of revenge,

from the dust raised by the feet of his armies or followers, but in the threatening aspect of the skies. "Lo, he cometh in the clouds of heaven!"

66

He restraineth the sea, and drieth it up,

And exhausteth all the rivers.

Bashan droopeth, and Carmel,

And the opening-bud of Lebanon droopeth.*

The mountains quake before him,

Their conical tops† melt down.

The earth heaves at his presence,

The productive soil, § with all that dwell thereon."

Assuredly, this can be no other than that phenomenon described in Revelation, when the angel pours the last vial in the air: "And there were great voices," "sounds," " and thunders and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great," &c. The general alarm of the inhabitants of earth in that day is next pourtrayed :

"Who can stand before his indignation,

Who can rise up against the heat of his anger!

* Have languished and flagged for want of moisture.

+ Literally, "the gibbosities, or swelling heights."

"Is lifted up." I rather prefer the allusion to the immediate effect of an earthquake. It may be "is lifted up and carried away, consumed by fire."—" Mounts up as the consumed fuel in smoke." Our authorised translation has, "The earth is burned."

"The world and all that dwell therein." Trans. -The whole surface of the earth that is or may be cultivated and inhabited. Compare Prov. viii. 26.

His wrath is poured out as fire,

Even the hard rocks are thrown down before him. *

Men will now no longer doubt the cause of his clemency; nor will the wicked dare any longer to defy his power, or provoke his wrath. "The great day of his wrath is come," and who is able to stand? At the same time, his people are encouraged to be confident in their approaching Deliverer:

"Jehovah is good, he is' for a protection in the time of distress;

And he knoweth them that trust in him.†

But with an overflowing torrent he will make an entire consumption from his place,

And darkness shall pursue his enemies."‡

A description of the last invader, who destroys "the consumption decreed" in God's nation and church, and finishes their chastisement, very similar to other scriptures. This once finished, the cup of the Lord's wrath passes to the enemies of his people. These are addressed:

* Or, according to another reading, "shoot forth" or "sparks," or "ignited splinters," or masses."

་་ throw off"

+ Or, "acknowledges and owns them who have fled to him for shelter."

Parallel to Isa. x. 22, 23. xxviii. 22. Dan. ix. 27. Rom. ix. 28. The "consumption decreed" in the people has been effected. The remnant left in Israel and in all the earth, is "the thing cut short," as God declared it should be. The enemy has no commission to smite with th rod any more; and never will have again.

For while the thorns are folded together,

And while the drunkards are drunken,

They shall be consumed as stubble fully dry.

From thee has come forth a deviser against Jehovah,
A shepherd, a counsellor of Belial. *

Thus hath Jehovah said:

"

When they were at peace, † and so 'were' many,
And so were cut off, when he overflowed: ‡

Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

For now will I break his yoke from off thee,

And will burst thy bonds in sunder."

The enemy is then addressed:

"And Jehovah hath commanded concerning thee,
Let none of thy name be sown any more.

From the house of thy gods § will I cut off the image
and the shrine,

I will make thy sepulchre a loud-sounding conflagration. ||

Behold, upon the mountains the feet of him that spreadeth
Of him that publisheth peace!

Celebrate, O Judah, thy feasts,

Perform thy vows.

Belial shall overflow thee no more:

The entire consumption has been cut off."

[tidings!

* "A shepherd,” or "ruler, with a counsellor of Belial." I have no doubt "the beast and the false prophet" of Rev. xix. 20, and "the churl and the vile person" of Isaiah xxxii.

↑ Plainly describing the prosperity of the first restored party of the Jews, whom the last invader attacks, and "utterly makes an end of many." Daniel xi. 44.

Or "passed through."

§ Elohim.

"A conflagration (see Parkhurst) of voices," or "sounds," applied to the whistling and howling voice of the west wind, prognostic of rain,

1 Kings xviii. 41; to the noise of thunder and hail, Exodus ix. 23, 28. "The wicked" or that wicked" one.

"