December 15

"I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh; there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth."—Numbers 24:17.

THIS is a remarkable prediction, referring to the advent of Christ. It points us to

HIS OFFICE. "A sceptre shall rise out of Israel." Here let us contemplate him

As a Shepherd. The sceptre may allude to a rod in the hand of a shepherd; it is the image of his pastoral character. Christ is the good Shepherd, and his people are the sheep of his pasture. As a Shepherd he knows his sheep, thinks on them, watches over them, feeds them, defends them, and restores them when they wander.

As a King. A sceptre is an ensign of regal authority in the hand of kings; the sceptre of Christ is a sceptre of power, equity, righteousness, love, and mercy.

HIS CONQUESTS. "And shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." These prophecies had their accomplishment in the conquests obtained over the Moabites and Edomites in the days of Ehud, Gideon, and Jephthah; but they have a reference to the victories of Christ over heathen nations. Christ, by the preaching of his Gospel, and the power of his Spirit, shall overcome pagan superstition, Mohammedan delusion, and infidel scepticism. The word here translated "destroy" signifies to unwall, and may allude to the taking away of prejudices against Christianity, and the removal of ignorance from the mind—he shall destroy their hatred to the truths of the Gospel, and subdue them by the power of his grace.

HIS ADVENT. "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh." This refers to the long period that should intervene before Christ's coming, which was 1452 years. Balaam saw him in vision, but not nigh; it was as if he had said, The time is coming when I shall see him on his throne, surrounded with his holy angels, and ten thousand of his saints; but though I shall see him, I shall not be nigh to him; I shall see the sword of his vengeance, and the frown of his anger. Ah! how many have to say with Balaam, "I shall behold him, but not nigh!" There are multitudes that now pass for pious persons, who yet have to exclaim, "I shall behold him, but not nigh;" not as my Redeemer, my Advocate, my Deliverer, and my all. Do you see him now? Do you behold him nigh? Do you see him, so as to believe in him, love him, follow him, and commune with him? Oh the awful misery of seeing Christ afar off! Keep your attention fixed on this star. Do you sorrow for sin? Look to it, and its beams will fall on a promise of pardon. Are you in affliction and distress? Look to it, and its beams will fall on a promise of comfort. Do you mourn over bereaving dispensations of Providence? Look to it, and its beams will fall on that declaration, "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." When surrounded by the gloom of the sepulchre, look to it, and its beams will fall on that sweet assurance, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."