The gospel in shadows

Preface

Sensible toif my own imperfections and the momentous task before mei, I tremble, by my apprehensions of the shad^ owy consolations along the way from Eden to Calvary inspires the undertaking of presenting a few of them, relying on God for gospel light and liberty. If I were master of all earthly knowledge and could qu'ote the entire Bible from memory, I could present hut a comparatively few of the gospel .sweets which lie hidden under the symbolic dealings of God with man from the creation to the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, and then meandering through the Jewish Ceremonials to the Great and bleeding Substance toif all shad*- ows on Calvary. I realize that unless my mind and pen are 'sanctified iby Almighty God to His own glory and honor and the peace and comfort of His Zion, all my efforts will be ibarren of any lasting good,

John saw "a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feelt, and 'upon her head a crown with twelve istars." Rev. 12:1. This "Woman, we understand to be the bride of Christ, or the Church of the living God. This vision presents the Church under the gospel dispensation of time, with the "moon" (law) under her feet, hut we desire to present her as she existed under the "moon" (law). The "moon" epoch of -time was shrouded in shadows, but there was never a shadow without a "'substance," and Ithe following- pages of this book will present a few of the gospel shadows extending back through the law, making more sweet and illustrious the "Eternal Substance."

I am sure tha|t the "Tahernacle" which was 'constructed in the wilderness, with all its gorgeous colors, and the twenty thousand singers, all in perfect order, rendering acceptable praises, and the smoke of thousands of daily sacrifices ascending up to a reconciled God — all this sublime arrangement could convey bult a dim shadow of the Great Anti-type. The crimson stream of atoning blood began to flow in covenant efficiency and sympolic sweetness with righteous Abie's sacrifice, and it has sanctified every shadow pointing ito the death of Christ on the cross, through the law dispensation otf time.

It is the purpose of the following chapters to point out a few "way-marks" of salvation by grace, revealed in "moonlight 'shadows" and vindicated by the effulg&nlt light of the noon-day gospel. Every little "washing" and "offering" connected with the Ceremonial theocracy of the Jews has its anti-ltype in the gospel Church, and Jesus, its Great Author. By a careful notice of these types and shadows it is easy to recognize the true Church of Christ among so many worldly organizations claiming that sublime dignity. If I do no more than ithis, I am sure that my time and pains will meet an adequate return. Aside from this, I hope to give the gospel, as recorded in the Neiw Testament, a brighter lustre and 1 beget in the hearts of the sainlfs a deeper reverence •for our God, by pre.isenting symbolic evidences of the truth.

The hour is approaching when my heart, my pen and my tongue, will foe no longer a'ble to move in the service of my Maker, Ibut I trust It'll at while my heart continues to beat, it may feed a warm love for the Zion of my God, and the prosperity of each little saint in her honorable courts. To this precious grace, I commend this little book, and I earnestly entreat its readers to go to God in prayer for me, that I may finish my course in peace.

Your little brother in hope,

M. W. MIRACLE.

NOTE

The author can assure the critic that he or she will be rewarded by searching tlhe pages of this book for imperfect diction and logic. He makes no pretensions to literary proficiency nor elegance of composition. If the saints of God want to hear from home, and find rest under the Shadows of the Rock as they journey through typical Canaan and talk with typical Jews about Jesus and His kingdom, we invite you to read. May G.oki sanctify your investigation to your good and His glory.

THE AUTHOR.

Contents

1. The gospel from the shades of Eden.

2. True doctrine and its typical opposition from Eden.

3. The sad and shameful exodus from Eden.

Chapter 1 The Gospel From The Shades Of Eden

The word "Eden," in the Hebrew language, denotes "pleasure and delight." The "Garden of Eden" was the residence of our first parents in their state of purity and blessedness. It is not my purpose to present any claim as to its location. I am sure that for most wise purposes God has cast into the silent realm of oblivion every identification of this fair portion and location of His works. The charming delights of that sweet spot were unfitted for sinful eyes to behold its sublime beauties, or polluted ears to listen to its perfect harmonies. They were only adapted to .beings of innocent purity, and when sin entered on that unsullied stage, with all its curses and blights, the curtain fell, and like a dark pall hid away from man the scene of the world's greatest and saddest tragedy. Like the sin-cured cities of "Sodom and Gomorroah," which were consumed by fire from heaven and the verdant valley on which they rested s'unk under the Dead Sea, the Lord obliterated from the face of the earth every identity of primitive Eden and it can now only be found on the "page of holy writ," or in our wondering imaginations.

Though the Garden of Eden mestles on the sun-rising shore of the Ocean of Time, her stately shadows reach across to the sun-setting shores of the gospel day, revealing her former beauties in gospel shadows to God's spiritual people. It is my delight to hold up for those having "eyes to see," and "ears to hear," the spiritual telescope through which they can behold the past beauties of Primitive Eden, the sweet gos'pel shadows that find substance in the organic kingdom, or Church of Christ, and on to the heavenly Eden,

•whose' beauties and delights are there a thousand-fold enlarged. Earthly Eden was made to respond to the delightful requirements of earthly, yet, innocent beings, but Heavenly Eden is far more resplendent in eternal charms, to suit the requirements' of spiritual and heavenly beings. Paul was caught up to the Paradise of God, and saw things which were "unlawful to utter." Ever after, he wanted to go to that rapturous abode.__0 dear Pilgrim saints, let us hope that we are nearing the' blissful borders of heavenly Eden.

Eden was a symbolic figure of the Church in many shadows. It is often referred to as "Paradise," and that word denotes an enclosed place of delight. The' true church of Christ is an inclosed place of spiritual delights. 'Like primitive Eden it is the abode of innocent beings. God's children are made innocent by the blood of Jesus. Innocence is the opposite of guilt, and loving Jesus bore the guilt of His bride, the church. The same Lord that "walked in the midst of earthly Eden in the cool of the day," crying, "Adam, where' art thou,' walks in His spiritual Eden today "crying the life-giving words, Adam, where art thou?" His elect bride is< in the fallen Adam, and must be "called out." 'Like His Edenic creatures, His "sheep hear His voice', they follow Him, and He gives unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish." Oh, the worth of that life-giving call, which resurrects our dead souls from the sinful slumber of death, unto life eternal. O, what a similarity of the Eden call to Adam, with that of a spiritual call of the bride to spiritual life, in regeneration, or the spiritual birth ! "Adam, where art thou?" Adam heard the words of his Lord, and crouched behind hisi flimsy apron of "fig leaves" to hide himself, because he was naked. O, how like poor trembling sinners, when called to spiritual life. They never fail to "hear," but, O, how poor and naked they do feel. They, like Adam and Eve, crouch behind their own "figleaf apron" of self righteousness, as the Lord tells them of all their sins. l It is then that the "pains and pangs" of their spiritual birth take hold upon them, and there is no more ease until their deliverance from the scrutinizing gaze of an offended God, gives way to the smiles of a redeeming Savior, whose adorable' righteousness covers all their shame.

*It is a consoling truth that our first parents were clothed, before being turned out of the Garden, thus signifying a robe of righteousness already prepared in Christ to cover their sin, even before leaving the immediate presence of an offended God. Their clothing was of "skins," which would signify the offering of sacrifices to God, symbolically pointing to the approaching sacrifice of the Son, and this, before man had transgressed the law of his Maker. O, what a sweet shadow of a complete redemption for the bride of Christ, already prepared, and reserved, before its need, in fact, existed. Their clothes were prepared and put on them, before they were turned out of the garden.

IWe would fail to do this instructive subject justice by leaving out some thoughts regarding the formation of mother Eve. (She was taken out of Adam while he was in a "deep sleep," by the almighty power of God. This was a great miracle, but it was no more wonderful than the daily and hourly occurrence of od taking out His spiritual Eve from "sleeping" Adam in time, and presenting her to His' Son, the "Second Adam." Man is as powerless either to help or to hinder this spiritual "taking" out of elect Eve, today, as was> father Adam im the Garden, to help or hinder the miraculous work of "taking a rib from his side," and making of it a woman.

lit is also a peculiar fact that Eve was taken from near Aldam's heart, thus signifying her right to his affections and protection. She was not taken from his head, that he might oppress her, neither was she takein from his feet, that he might abuse her, but she was taken from his side, denoting affectionate companionship. In respect to Christ and His Church, she nestles near His loving heart, with His superlative wisdom above in the Head, to devise her eternal salvation, and the power in His feet below, to tread the' "winepress" of God's just wrath, thus executing a full and complete solvation for her. O, what a Husband for strength, for wisdom, for affection and eternal riches! How His tender, dependent bride should love, honor and obey Him!

The garden of Eden was profuse in rare fruits and flowers. The foliage of evergreen trees, which shaded bubbling fountains of pure water, and the perfume-laden air; all combined to make Eden a Paradise indeed. No death there. No sickness, no sighing, no poverty, no fear, no cold, no heat and no discord in that happy place. All was harmony. The rippling brooks, the singing birds, the' rustling leaves, the zephyr breeze and the affectionate voices of manly Adam and womanly Eve, all combined in one continual strain of sinless melody. "In the midst of that garden grew two trees, the fruits of which, man was not to eat, to wit: the "Tree of Life," and the "Tree of the knowledge of good and evil." There was a special penalty attached to the "eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil," and that penalty was death. "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the' tree of the 'knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Now, I am sure that there is not a larger text in the Bible than this one quotation, yet, there is no gospel in it. It doesn't reveal a Savior to lost and guilty sinners, but it reveals the need of one, for Adam transgressed the law of his Maker, and died. There can be no hope in a broken law. 'While the woman did not receive the commandment which caused her death, directly from the mouth of her Maker, yet she was conscious of its existence, and its penalty, for she told Satan all about it, and the devil made her believe it meant something else, and succeeded in getting her to eat of "the forbidden fruit" He did not try his seduction on, Adam, for he knew that he had already accomplished that, through his wife. He was aware of the supernal love Adam had for Eve, and he knew that he would suffer the pangs of hell with her, rather than refuse to eat of the fruit she had eaten, and be' separated from her through all time and eternity. O, what a type of Christ and His spiritual Eve. The; Son loved His Bride, and He voluntarily endured, not only temporal death with her, but He endured the pangs of he'll in "dark Gethsemane," for her.

The devil presented all the desirable features of that tree to Eve, and through her plastic and innocent mind, instilled his poison of sin into her nature. He planted in her fertile nature the seed of lust, and it inflamed her imagination, and enlarged her vision of earthly conquests The result was, self was enthroned in the heart where God had reigned. Satan knew the weakness of women, in meeting his arguments. He told her that "the tree was good for food," it was pleasant to the eyes and "a tree to be desired to make one wise." Gen. 3-6. We have many such women of modern times. Some have ignored Jesus Christ, as a Divine Substitute for His people, formed an illegal alliance with the devil, and established a cult of human (Christian) science, by which alien sinners can pass right imto the "garden of Eden," by the "Cherubim and naming sword," and "pluck spiritual fruit from the Tree' of Life, and live forever." Lust for beauty, for knowledge and for things ,to eat had taken root in Eve, and through her siren arguments, together with his love for her, Adam eat, and they both died in each other's arms. Guilty lust closed the eyes of sinless innocence, and opened a distorted vision of the playthings of earth.

This world's saddest tragedy was enacted in the absence of the Lord, and when He walked through the garden, in the "cool of the day," He was not greeted byi the % usual running to meet Him, and the caresses from His innocent creatures, but what an unspeaka'ble silence must have pervaded that once delightful garden, exuberant with innocent prattling joy! (All nature was "draped in mourning." The former melodies of song and praise's were silenced with guilty shame. In that painful gloom of all things animate, Adam and his wife were missing, "and the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" (Verse 9.) Dear trembling one's, that Godly interrogation has reverberated and echoed down the centuries, among the elect sons and daughters of Adam, and always finds them just where' the Lord found Adam and Eve. They crouch in hiding behind their self-made "fig leaf aprons," which typifies self righteous works, and they say, "I heard thy voice, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." Such garments- will do to hide our guilt and shame before men, but they utterly fail before God, and every trembling sinner called by the sovereign voice of Almighty God, knows from experience, what "a fearful things it is to fall into the hands of God," and are called to account.

"Till now I saw no danger nigh; I lived at ease, nor feared to die; Wrapped up in self-conceit and pride, I shall have' peace at last, I cried.

But when, great God, thy light divine Had shone on this dark soul of mine, Then I beheld with trembling awe, The terrors of thy holy law."

Chapter 2. The True Doctrine And Its Typical Opposition From Eden

The Lord had told Adam, "that in the day thou eat est thereof, thou shalt surely die." In his interview with the woman, the sergent told her that "Ye shall not surely die." Dear reader, in these two antagonistic and opposite statements of Adam's (man's) future destiny, and his present condition, we have a premise for the two prevailing systems of religion on earth today. One of the&e systems teach that man is not dead, and the other one teaches that man is dead in "trespasses and in sins." One sprang from the devil and the other sprang from the Lord. Satan told Eve that man would not die as a consequence of his disobedience, and he is telling people today, through his multitude of human agents, that MAN IS NOT DEAD, but "knows good from evil," and can choose the "good** and be saved, or "choose the' evil and be lost." That is exactly the doctrine Satan preached to Eve, but it disputed the doctrine of God, His Son and the holy Apostles. God said, "ye shall surely die," and Paul says, "death passed upon all men," by one mam's offense. Rom. 5-12. Centuries after, His only begotten \S'on came on earth and said, "the hour is' coming and now is, that the dead shall hear the voice of the ISon of God, and they that hear shall live." Jno. 5-25. This "hearing" and "living' evidently refers to the. "new birth," or regeneration; then Paul says, You hath He (God) quickened, who were dead," (Eph. 2-1.) referring to the same death state of fallen Adam. One of these Ede'nic doctrines proclaims a "DEAD" sinner, and the other proclaims a "LIVING" sinner, both in a state of nature. We have produced three unquestionable witnesses', who testify) that man is DEAD, before regeneration and shown that nothing short of the "Voice of the Son of God" can put life into him, and that every one who hears that voice, lives. There is a "general call,"

which is the voice of the gospel, but there is a "special call," which is the "Voice of the Son of God." In the absence of the latter, the former is wasted on "desert air," so far as eternal results are concerned iGod's covenant "sheep" are DEAD sheep, before He calls them to spiritual life. He says, "My sheep hear my voice, they follow Me. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish." The dead state of Adam and his posterity is the gospel theme, and redemption of the elect through the atoning blood of Jesus its eternal remedy. I believe that about nine-tenths of the numerous sects claiming to be followers of the Meek and Lowly Lamb of God, teach that alien sinners are no: spiritually dead, but that they are in possession of spiritual volition, and are naturally capacitated to "accept Christ and by so doing, come into possession of eternal life. We have shown that Christ is the "Tree of "Life" in the midst of the Garden," and that the "Flaming Sword," (the divine law of God) "turns every way" to prevent natural Adam from partaking and eating of its fruit, which is eternal life. Xow, dear friend, under which one of these opposing banners do you march? Are you one among the innumerable host of Midianites, who look for salvation in the arm of flesh? If so, there is coming a day when a small 'army of Spiritual Jews will put you to flight, and cause you honor the power of God, in the salvation of helpless, deathstricken sinners. Are you one of that modern army of prosl elyters our Lord denounces? '1Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him two-folcl more the child of hell than yourselves." Mat. 23-15.

This is the inevitable result of "taking the world for Christ," under modern methods. Modern efforts to "evangelize the world," is founded on the false assumption that the world is "NOT DEAD," which is the Edenic "lie' of the "serpent."

This false doctrine lurks in the heart of every unregenerate son or daughter of Adlam, aind it is but natural for them to proclaim it to the world, "outside the walls" of Jerusalem. The .blood was sprinkled on the altar, the ground around it, on the "veil 1 " of the temple, and then the High Priest would go into the "Holy of holies," and sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the ark and "mercy-seat." This symbolic work of applying the blood of the slain lamb to the temple and its holy utensils, sanctified them for their typical offices. There was no way /to the "Holy of holies," which is a type of heaven, but by and through the blood of the sacrifice, which typified the blood of Jesus, the purchase price eternal redemption for His people, -and His life, which was given, to apply the "purchased redemption." This crimson way was opened up for every heaven-bought and glory-bound son and daughter of Adam, to the "throne of grace." '0 how sweet it is to walk to the throne, on the precious blood of King Jesus, our Immanuel," <and there behold the sweet Cherubims of reconciliation, looking down on a satisfied law for such guilty, undeserving rebels. O .my dear brother, or sister, you beheld that delightful and sublime slight, when God, for His Son's sake, spo'ke sweet peace to your troubled soul. You had been stooped and broken down under the law, and your bleeding heart was ready to give up, when that load rolled off forever, and the Cherubim and the flaming sword stepped aside, and ushered you into spiritual Eden.

"I rode on the s<ky,

Freely justified I,

Nor envied Elijah his seat;

iMy soul mounted higher

In a chariot of fire,

And the world was put under my feet."

Chapter 3. The Sad And Shameful Exodus From Eden

We now come to the' sadest "exodus" this world has ever witnesed. Our first parents departed from the garden of Eden, to never return- As its eternal gates closed behind them forever, they bade adieu to perpetual life, in the sun-light of God, with all its earthly delights, and they faced a sin-cursed earth, with 'all its woes, its miseries and a certain impending death. O what a price to pay for a momentary and paltry pleasure! I refrain from an attempt at portraying the flood of misery and death which has inundated the whole earth, and had its sad inception in the garden of Eden. No tongue can express it, no artist can paint it, nor pen can write it. It will take eternal ages to reveal the horrible ravages of sin, though it is the creature of one little act of disobedience toward God. O the eternal perfections of God, the severity of His justice and the certainty of His judgments! We' can find no comparison, short of His "multitude of tender mercies." to poor lost sinners. For every member of the elect bride, God's stern justice, His sure judgment and His tender mercy, all met and kissed each other on calvary. |We have sweet shadows of this triumphant reconciliation in the "Cherubim" which "overshodowed the mercy-seat."

As one result of Adam's transgression, he had "become as God, knowing good and evil. He knew it both by tuition and experience. He was conscious of his impending demise (death) and was aware of the "Tree Of Life" in the garden, and it was but a reasonable conclusion, that he would put forth his sin poluted hand and pluck the fruit of the "Tree of Life," and thus perpetuate his own sinful life in the presence of God. There was no danger of Satan tempting him to do so, because that would have broken in on his schemes of death and misery!, already effected on God's sinless creatures. Adam had now obtained the knowledge that would lead him to do so, independent of 'any exterior influences, so the Lord "drove him out land placed an impregnable guard at the gate to prevent his return." Now we desire to notice the "Cherubim and the flaming sword." iMany have been the interpretations of this deeply interesting symbol. No doubt that the "Cherubim and flaming sword" were put at the "Eas't gate of Eden" in some tangible form, but it symbolizes to us some great doctrines of the' gospel of Christ. The word "cherubim," is a plural word, denoting one object in plural form. There is but little said about it, but like the great moral law of IGod, which I believe to be the gospel "Flaming Sword," the "Cherubim" was reproduced in figure and purpose at Mount Sinai, so that we have a shining insjght to this great primitive symbol. Every stake, thong, curtain ,and every utensil and vessel in the Jewish Tabernacle was made under the direict instructions of Jehova, and the inspired history of each part of that divine institution is fraught with symbolic doctrines of Christ. We 'know of but two insurmountable obstacles today, which hinders man from plucking and eating fruit from "The Tree of Life," and they are the law, and an unreconciled God. These two enemies' to sinful man we're placed at the Gate of Eden, and forever guarded the "Tree of (Life" in the midst of it. The "Tree of Life" typified Christ, and the way to Him in a gospel sense, is guarded by the same austere" obstacles — The law and an unreconciled God. These two hindering causes must be removed from the "East Gate of Eden" (Christ's invisible kingdom) before an alien rebel (fallen Adam) can ever eat of the "Tree of Life." The law must be invalidated (taken out of the way) and God mus't be reconciled. We know that man has ever been trying to ignore the just claims of these enemies to sin, and all unrighteousness, and vainly endeavoring to get to the "Tree of Life" and "live forever,' bygood works, which are sinful, at best, and can neither satisfy the law nor reconcile God.

I am sure that Spiritual Eden, (the Gospel heaven) with all its heavenly delights and melodies', surrounds the fallen posterity of Adam today, but the "Flaming sword," which is the moral Law of God, "turns every way to keep the "Tree of Life." There is ;not a reasonable man or woman on earth, who have not the law of God written on their heart, and it hangs like a dark veil over their spiritual vision, forever obscuring 'Spiritual or gospel, Eden and the "Tree of Life" (Christ) in the midst of it. Paul says "they read the law with the veil on their hearts, and their minds are blinded. 2 Cor. 3-14. The heathen Hottentot in the jungles of dark Africa, has* the ""flaming sword" in his own black breast, to guard the "Tree of Life" from his unsanctified hand, which is,* in substance, partaking of Christ, before reconciling God, the Father. The apostle says, "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another." Rom. 2-14.

This law of God, which guards the "Tree of Life," was given to Moses on the Mount, written by the finger of God, on "two tables of stone," and Moses was directed to construct an ark suitable to contain it, in tangible form. This ark was highly symbolical of Christ in its parts and uses. It was constructed of the most costly wood the earth could afford, and overlaid with "p u »*e gold," denoting a union of Christ's humanity and His Divinity (His two natures). Its cover was designated, "The mercy-seat," or "Throne of grace." Under this "mercy-seat," and in the ark, was the ''broken law,' and on top of the cover (mercy-seat) were placed the "Cherubim," in the likeness of two shining angels, one kneeling on each end of the "Throne of grace," their faces looking down toward the "broken law," beneath them, and their wings coming together over their heads. O the rich gospel beauties in such a God-given type! Here, we have the "Cherubim" and the "flaming sword" of Eden, figuratively presented to our spiritual eyes and understanding. The eternal plan of redemption is here portrayed in a glitering "shadow. The law is put under mercy. O what a sweet thought to God's trembling saints, who have experienced its terrors. The 'Cherubim, with their wings touching above the mercy-seat, denotes a two-fold reconciliation. God is reconciled and man is reconciled. This gives poor sinners a "Throne of grace," which they so much need to meet the "broken law," now hid away, under the "mercy-seat." O here is the "Garden of Eden" in "Gospel Shadows" for every redeemed Israelite. The ark itself wtas a type of Christ, who bore the "broken law' for His people, in His own precious body. In Him, humanity and Divinity were' united. On Him was a perfect reconciliation effected between God and man, and; on Him the "mercy-seat rests. On Him the holy "Shekinah," like a silver cloud, is found, out of which, main can talk with God, about his eternal salvation. what a rich shadowy blessings, and poor redeemed sinners, the favored beneficiaries!

This sweet picture of Spiritual Gospel Eden, given us in the "Ark of the covenant," and placed in the "holy of holies" of the Tabernacle, tells poor alienated sons and daughters of Adam how to return to Eden, and that in agreement with the "Cherubim" and the "flaming Sword," which is nothing short of satisfying the law and reconciling an offended God. All the symbolic features of spiritual Eden were placed in the "Holy of holies," and behind the veil of the Temple, as the outer-courts were for the Altar services. Every sacrifice pointed the multitude of worshippers to just what was so beautifully hidden behind the "Veil," in gospel shadows and that was a perfect symbolical reconciliation of God, by fulfilling the law for poor guilty rebels, in the death of His darling- Son. O what har.mony and perfections in the eternal plan of salvation.