Ver. 8.-" The form of a, m(JITl,'s hand." Those strange composite creatures, the eherubim of Ezekiel's vision, have been described earlier as of human aspect (eh. i. 5), ond in particular as having" the hands of a man" (eh. i. 8). This appearance of the hand is again referred to in the verse before us, so that we are led to think not merely of a genera.I resemblance to human features, but of some special importance in the particular member thus emphatically and repeatedly named. I. THE HAND IB MADE FOR WORK. So wonderful a mechanism is there in it, that a whole Bridgewater Treatise was devoted to an examination of its teleological significance. No machine of most delicate workmanship approaches the construction of the human hand. In familiar transactions of business " hand-made" goods are preferred to the "machine-made." Now, the natural form of the hand shows that it is designed for work. It may be clenched into the fist for fighting, but this is not its natural condition, and all the finer qualities of fingers and thumb are here wasted. A clublike end to the arm would be better than a flat palm and supple fingers, if the primary purpose of the hand were pugilism. Nature declares that we are not made to fight; we are made to work. II. IlANDIWORK IS DIVINE A.ND HOLY. There are hands in heaven. By a figure of speech, God is said to have hands (e.g. Ps. viii. 6). The cherubim have hands. The strange thing is that these wondrous beings have both wings and hands, corn bining the :flight of a bird with the work of a man. This is the ideal state-to be able to soar aloft in heavenly regions, and yet to have faculty for practical tasks. Too often winged souls lack working bands. They who soar, dream; they who work, plod. The perfect pattern of life represented by the cherubim is that of wings and hands-power of flight and skill in work, poetry and practice, devotion and service, contemplation and activity, aspiration and application. Seen in heaven, the hands are holy. The shrivelled, paralyzed hand of the fakir is a token of fanatical folly. 'l'here is no dis- grace in the horny hand of toil. Work is Divine; for God works (John v.17). Work is heavenly. There will be service in heaven. There is no paradise for the indolent. III. THE HAND NEEDS TO BE REDEEMED. Sometimes it is brutalized into a weapon of hatred. Frequently it is soiled by deeds of evil The swift, silent hand of the thief is a degraded hand. Every sin stains the hand that performs the wicked action. If the human hand expressed the character of the work it is sometimes put to, it would be twisted, knotty, foul, sore, rotten. The band wants redemption-a redemption which follows that of the head. For the poor hand is but the servant of the bead, that shames it with evil orders. When Christ saves a soul, be brings "the redemption of the body." The hand is then made holy-only to work what is good, only to write what is true, ready to stoop to uplift the fallen, to grasp with friendly pressure the hand of a poor distressed brother, to point to the way of heavenly perfection. Ver. 18.-Glory departed. In ver. 4 Ezekiel says that the glory .visited the threshold of the house. Now he describes its departure and return to the cherubim. I. THE GLORY OF NEW DIVINE REVELATIONS HAS DEPARTED. The glory that visited the threshold of the temple brought a special symbolical revelation, and when that revelation had been made the glory retreated and left the scene in its normal earthly condition. Revelation has come in epochs separated by periods of assimilation, when the newly revealed truth bas been left to work, among man like leaven. God gave the Law once for all from Sinai. 'l'he gospel was brought into the world by Christ and his apostles, and left there to spread-not left without the aid of God's Spirit and that inward revelation by which an old truth becomes new in each fresh heart that receives it, but still given as a completed thing in respect to its facts and substance. We have no more prophets like Isaiah nor apostles like St. Paul. But we do not need them, for Christ has given us the perfect truth for o.11 time. Yet we cannot but feel that there was a wonder and o. beauty in those old days when the glory of the growing revelation was flashing out upon an astonished world. II. 'l'HE GLORY OF HIGHEST RAPTURE WILL DEPART. There are times when heaven is opened and we see the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. Then we would fain build our tabernacles and retain the mre delight. But it is not to be. These ancrel-visits are few and far between. Jacob wakes from his dream to the chill loneli~ess of the desolate hills of Bethel. The disciples who h:wtJ 182 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [en. x. 1-22.
witnessed the Transfiguration must descend from Hermon to the troubles of the plain, and exchange the society of Moses and Elijah for that of a raving lunatic. lt is rare for the soul to be in a condition to enjoy the greatest bliss. But it is not necessary that this condition should remain; indeed, it is better to be in quieter moods for the homely tasks of life. Therefore we must still tread this lower earth, though we may ha,e some fine glimpses of the heavenly splendour. The spray that is Rung off from the great ocean of celestial bliss may occasionally reach us in drops of gold. Yet our vocation is to walk by faith. Meanwhile the departure of this glory does not mean the departure of God; be is with us in the dullest days. Nor does it mean our fall and 11hame; it may be best for the faithful servant to work in quiet without the full revelation of the Divine presence. We need ceaseless grace; we can wait for eternal glory. III. THE GLORY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE HAY DEPART. There is a glory which should be on us and abiding with us. All Christians are "celled to be saints." Few of us may behold the celestial splendour, but all of us should wear the aureole of purity. When we have washed our robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, the new glory _of pardon and cleansing should abide. But, alas! even this glory too soon departs; the cleansed garments are again dragged through the mire, and the Christian, though renewed by Christ, dares not regard himself as a" saint." When he falls into a great sin the glory has indeed departed. If the fresh fervour of youth fades, and a commonplace character is all that remains, must it not be said that the glory has departed, though the faith and fidelity may remain ?