January 26

And my servant David, a Prince among them.— Ezekiel 34:24.

THESE words were uttered many years after David had gone the way of all flesh; and therefore could not possibly refer to him. We shall find no difficulty in discovering the person to whom they were intended to apply. That person was obviously the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom David was a distinguished type. David signifies beloved; and Christ is beloved in a preeminent degree—beloved of the Father, beloved of angels, and the beloved of his church. David was a shepherd, and manifested the greatest tenderness towards his flock, and magnanimously rescued them from the lion and the bear. Jesus is the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep, that he might deliver them from the power of the devil, and from eternal death. David was an eminent prophet, and delivered many celebrated predictions respecting Christ and his church: Jesus is the great prophet, who made known perfectly the will of God, and who has revealed all things necessary concerning his church to the end of the world. David was a king, and reigned in Jerusalem: Jesus is king of kings, and reigns gloriously in the midst of his spiritual Zion. David was a successful warrior, and overcame both his secret and public adversaries: Christ is the Bozrah conqueror, travelling in the greatness of his strength, mighty in battle, and who will finally make all his enemies his footstool. David composed most of the songs of Zion, and took a deep concern in the welfare of the Lord's house: Jesus has provided the sweet odes of gospel melody, for the peace and joy of his people; and he dwells constantly in the midst of his church. (Revelation 1:12—20.) David was distinguished for eminent holiness, and was a man after God's own heart: Jesus was purity embodied; he was absolutely immaculate. We are not to forget how deficient in this, as in every other case, is the type to the antitype. David was a man, and as such had many frailties: Christ was the GOD-MAN, and was free from the least imperfection. Are we the sheep of the Good Shepherd, the people of this great prophet, the subjects of this glorious monarch, the soldiers of this triumphant conqueror? Can we say, 'This beloved is ours, and we are his?