Ver. 4.-77ie brightness of the Divine glory. The Shecbinnh-cloud in the holiest place was the visible representation and symbol of the presence of the Eternul in the place set apart for special communion between God and man. Appealing prim8.rily to the sense of sight, it did in reality appeal to the intelligence and the conscience of the people. It was the same luminous cloud which Ezekiel beheld in his vision, and in which he recognized the manifestation of the Divine presence and interest. I. 'l'nE TRUE GLORY OF THE LORD CONSISTS IN HIS MORAL ATTI\IIlUTES. The Jews ever required I\ sigu. But whilst the multitude may have rested in the sign, the 18-1 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL.
enli~htened and spiritual 1,asscd from the sign to the thing signified. True glory is not in ma.teria.l splendour, however dazzling, but in tha.t excellence which is perfected in God, the Source of 11.ll goodness. Whilst the less reflecting may he more impressed with the omnipotence and omnipresence of God, which must indeed excite the reverent admiration of all to whom he makes himself known, such as a.re morally cultivated and susceptible will find the highest a.nd purest glory in the Divine wisdom, righteous- ness, holiness, a.nd love. II. Tms GLORY IS PECULIARLY IMPRESSIVE WHERE THERE 18 BPmITUAL BUBCEPTI- BILITY. As the man is affected by many things which are neither felt nor noticed by the brute, so the spiritually living and earnest a.re impressed and influenced by the contemplation of the Divine character and attributes. 'l'hese may have no interest for the worldly and the selfish ; but they are felt to be great, sacred, and precious realities by all natures that are brought by spiritual teaching into sympathy with God. "They a.re spiritually discerned." There is a. capacity within us which is only developed and satisfied when brought into contact with the purity and the grace of him who is a Spirit, and who will be worshipped in spirit and in truth. III. THE VISIOS OF THIS BRIGHTNESS IS A MOTIVE AND STIMULUS TO HUMAN OBEDIENCE AKD PRAISE. The hosts of heaven ga.ze upon the Divine glory, and by the vision are prompted to unceasing adoration. It is the same with the enlightened and spiritual among the sons of men. As the daybreak and the sunrise call forth the glad song of the lark as it soars aloft, so the rising of "the brightness of the Lord's glory" upon a soul summons it to the glad exercise of exulting adoration. Nor does this form the only response. Man's active natnre renders the service which is due to him who is recognized as the Source of all good, of a.11 blessing. Obedience is acted praise, as praise is nttered obedience. IV. To THE CHRISTIAN THE LORD JESUS IS THE RICHEST REVELATION OF THE DIVINE GLORY. The evangelist tells us that he and his fellow-disciples beheld Christ's glory, " the glory as of the Only Be2;otten of the Father, full of grace and truth." And the. author of the Epistle to the Hebrews describes the Son of God as "the Emanation from the Divine glory." They who look into Christ's face behold the moral attributes of Deity in all their resplendent brightness. "'l'hey look unto him, and are lightened, and their fa.ces are not ashamed."-T.
Ver. 5.-" The voice of the ..Almighty." The human voice deserves to be studied and ad.mired as a most effective and delicate and exquisitely beautiful provision for the expression of thought and feeling. It is so. ethereal, so semi-spiritual, that there seems scarcely any anthropon;orphism in attributing it to the Creator himself. Th~ sounds of nature may indeed be designated the voice of God. But the characteristics of the human utterance seem most justly attributable to him who comprehends in perfection within himself all those thoughts and emotions which are distinctive of the spiritual nature. I. THE EXPRESSION CASTS LIGHT UPON THE NATOBE OF GoD. The voice is, amoni all the inhabitants of this earth, man's prerogative alone. And for this reason-man alone has reason, and therefore he alone has speech. There are noises and sounds, and even musical sounds, in nature; but to man a.lone belongs the voice, the organ of articulate speech and intelligible language. When voice is attributed to the Almighty God, it is implied that he is himself in perfection that Reason which he communic~tes to his creature man. OllI' intellect and thought are derived from his, and are akin to his; our reason is "the candle of the Lord" within. II. THE EXPRESSION CASTS LIGHT UPON THE INTERCOURSE BETWEEN GOD AND ?IIAN. The purpose of the voice is that man may communicate with his fellow-man by means of articulate language, and by means of all those varied and delicate shades of intonatic!l by which we convey our sentiments, and indicate satisfaction and disapproval, confidence and distrust, tenderness and severity, inquiry and command. Now, where we meet in Scripture with the phrase, "the voice of God Almighty when he speaketh," we are led to think of the purpo,;e for which he utters his voice. It is evidently to communicate with man-mind with mind-that we may be acquainted with hiD thoughts, his w1sh,,s, Lis seutiments with regard to UH, if we may use language so human. 'l'he \\ hvle uf uature may Le rega, 11':d ai; uLtering the Diviue thought, though, "8 the 11so.lmist on. x. 1-22.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 185