Now, it is sin that brings those calamities upon the earth. (continued)
earth are punished for their tyranny and oppression, then it is proclaimed and proved to all the world that God is King of kings, King above them by whom they are conquerable. King over them, to whom they are accountable. He reigns as Lord of hosts, of all hosts, of their hosts. 'He reigns in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem", in His Church for the honour and welfare of that upon which the promises are founded. He reigns in His word and ordinances. He reigns '"'before His ancients'', before all His saints, especially before his ministers who have their eyes upon all the outgoings of His providence and observe His hand in all these events.
When God's judgments are fulfilled then it shall appear beyond comparison that He reigns gloriously, in such brightness and lustre, that "'the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed", as the lesser lights are eclipsed and extinguished by the greater. In the great day, when the Judge of heaven and earth shall shine forth in His glory, "the sun shall", by his transcendent lustre, '"'be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood"'.
3. THE Day oF JUDGMENT The prophet Daniel expounds still further the details of that day (Dan. vit. 9 ff.). Now men have their day, and every pretender thinks he should have his day, and struggles for it. But '"'he that sits in heaven laughs at them"', for He sees that '' His day is coming"' (see Ps. xxxvii. 13). '"'I beheld till the thrones were cast down,"' says the prophet, not only the thrones of the beast to whom he has referred earlier in his prophecy, but all rule, authority, and power that is set up in opposition to the kingdom of God among men (see 1 Cor. xv. 24). Such are the thrones of the kingdoms of the world in comparison with God's kingdom. They that see them set up need but wait awhile and they will see them cast down. What unspeakable satisfaction it gives to all good men in the midst of the convulsions and revolutions of states and kingdoms that the "Lord has prepared His throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all' (Ps. ciii. 19); that "verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth"' (Ps. lviti. 112).
This prophecy seems principally designed to describe the last judgment. It was intended that in every age the people of God should encourage themselves under their troubles with
Judgment 135 the belief and prospect of the final judgment. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of it (Jude 14). Many of the New Testament predictions of the judgment to come have a plain allusion to this vision here, especially St. John's vision OF it (Reytxtartar),
(a) The Fudge is the Ancient of Days Himself, God the Father, the glory of whose presence is here described. He is called the "Ancient of days" because He is God from everlasting to everlasting. Among men we reckon that '"'with the ancient is wisdom'', and days shall speak. Shall not all flesh then be silent before Him who is the "Ancient of days'? The glory of the Judge is here set forth by His garments, which was white as snow, marking His splendour and purity in all the administrations of His justice, and the hair of His head clean and white, as the pure wool, that, as the white and hoary head, He may appear venerable.
(b) The throne is very formidable. It is "like the fiery plain'', dreadful to the wicked that shall be summoned before it. And the throne being movable upon wheels, or at least the chariot in which He rode His circuit, the wheels thereof are as burning fire, to devour the adversaries. For 'our God is a consuming fire"', and with Him are "everlasting burnings" (Isa. xxxili. 14).
(c) The attendants are numerous and very splendid. 'The Shechinah is always attended with angels. It is so here. A "thousand thousand minister to Him"', and "'ten thousand times ten thousand stand before Him"'. It is His glory that He has such attendance, but much more His glory that He neither needs them nor can be benefited by them. These will be particularly employed as ministers of His justice in the last judgment, when the Son of Man shall come, and all the holy angels with him.
(d) The process of judgment is fair and unexceptionable. The judgment is set, publicly and openly. All may have recourse to it, and the books are opened. As in courts of judgment among men, the proceedings are in writing and upon record. This is laid open when the cause comes to a hearing, the examination of witnesses is produced, and affidavits read to clear the matter of fact. The statute and common law books are consulted to find out what is the law. So in the judgment of the great day the equity of the sentence will be as incontestably evident as if there were books opened to justify it.