It occurred not in remote, possibly ciples in the valley illustrating "when mythieal ages, but in comparatively the Son of Man cometh shall He find modern times, and was witnessed by faith on the e a r t h ?" (Luke 18-8) and * men whose testimony is open to, and the unbelieving Jews representing the has been subjected to, the severest "scoffers" of the last days (II Pet * criticism and can be impeached only 33. Mk. 9:14), and Satan having great by abandoning all that commonly cer- rage because he knows his time is ^ tihes an event in past or present times, short. • Here we see (1) the cloud of glory that B Liberation M led Israel of old; that rested on Mount , _ „ , L l t e r a t i o n - U Sinai, descended from time to time r n e M o c k e r s - The Scribes were ^ and stood at the tent door of Moses taunting the disciples for their failure overshadowed and filled Tabernacle' t o e J e c t t h e demon. Great opportunity and Temple, and moved majestic over is S i v e n m e n t o blaspheme when pro- * the plains of Shinar in the sight of Ese- f essmg Christians fail, through lack of kiel. Here we see (2) the Lord of f a i t h > t o demonstrate the power of sal- Glory who looked out of the cloud v a t i o n - Nothing would shut the mouths and troubled the Egyptians (Ex of g a i n s a y e rs like a generation of be- t 14:24), who appeared in the cloud to l i e v e l ' s w h o h a d power with God, and * r 1 the great law-giver, and whom the o v e r d e v i l s ( M a r k 16:17). elders of Israel saw when, like these 2 • The Multitude. The multitude • disciples, they entered into the cloud stood looking on, ready to follow the and saw the God of Israel and He hurt Scribes, or the twelve, according to ^ I them not (Ex. 24:9-11). Here, again, which side won in the controversy. (3) we hear the voice of glory that The masses, so easily led astray by' ^ uttered the words of the covenant in skeptical leaders and "scholars," the ears of all the people, and they would soon be found among the be- said, " L e t not God speak to us any lievers did they see the Word pro- more" (Ex. 20:19), and which spake claimed and lived and ministered in face to face with Moses, and which demonstration and power or the Spirit. I t t came to the prophets when they said, 3 . The Man. Who is more pitiful • Thus saith the Lord." By all this than a father with a deaf and dumb. f we know that we hold to realities and epileptic child? Only he whose son is literal,ties when we read that the Lord j n complete captivity to the devil. No + of Glory appeared to our Father Abra- wonder this father plead so pathet- ham when he dwelt in Mesopotamia i c a ] ] y w i t h Jesus, being so grievously * (Ac 7:1); and to our Father Adam, for disappointed at the failure of the hope tnat matter, when he dwelt in Eden. he had set on the disciples. It is a By demonstrating (3) that the "higher p 0 0 r trust that is put in fallible Chris- critics are beating the air when they tians. Let skeptic, multitude and af- strive against Moses and the prophets, flieted m e n look straight away to Jesus. and the Lord has them in derision while And let them have no " i f s " and He fellowships with Moses in the " a n d s " (Mark 9:22-23). All things * "Holy Moun t" and discourses of H,s a r e p o s s i b ] e t o h i m t h a t b e i i e v e t h _ sacrifice to which they bore ancient „ m . , , , . Ti , , , , . witness, amidst scenes foreshadowing 4 ' J i"? e Malady. It was unspeakably the coming Kingdom of which they «eadfnl. The man, for he seems to prophesied. The cloud which is light 5 a v ! such, from a child had been to Israel and the believer is darkness d f a f , a n d i , u l u b ' a n d subject to perilous to the Egyptians and the higher critics a t t a c k s , of epileptic spasms, and these « (Ex. 14:20). d ne i 0 peculiar power of a demon. At times he fell into water, again into , 6. Coming. The Transfiguration was fire; his flesh was lacerated, and he referred to by our Lord when he said, wallowed, and foamed at the mouth, "There be some standing here who gnashed with his teeth, and pined * shall not taste of death till they see away! And all from childhood. (Mark the Son of Man coming in His King- 9:18. 20, 21. 25, 26.) It is all typical dom (Mat. 16:28). It was an earnest, of captivity to satan. From childhood or foretaste, of the Kingdom. There men are under his power; they are was the Son of Man in the cloud of thrown into paroxysms of lust and mad- glory, with Moses a risen saint, and ness, are - cast into fires of devouring Elijah a translated saint; Peter, James passions, are drowned in cares and and John representing Israel in the troubles, are torn with disease, and flesh on the earth, and the nine dis- bruised and mangled, they gnash their
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