Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/279

 Resurrection were  all  and  each  familiar to  the  mind  of  the  royal prophet. (Ps. 15.)

He sees  in  the  distant  future  the  brightness  of  the  Ascension. He calls  upon  the  eternal  gates  to  be  lifted  up,  that  the  triumphant Conqueror of  sin  and  death  may  take  possession  of  His  everlasting throne in  heaven. David, the  progenitor  or  forefather  of  Jesus Christ, who  is  Himself  called  the  Son  of  David,  was  a figure  of the  Redeemer  by  the  place  of  his  birth,  Bethlehem,  by  the obscurity and  lowliness  of  his  early  years,  by  the  victories  he obtained  over  the  enemies  of  the  people  of  God,  and  also  by  his twofold character  of  king  and  prophet.

The eighth  promise  of  the  Messias.  David  lived  more  than  a thousand  years  before  our  Lord’s  birth. (He reigned  from  1055  to 1015  B.  C.)  But  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  whom  a thousand  years  are but as  one  day,  inspired  his  spirit  and  enabled  him  to  look  forward over centuries, and  contemplate  the  sufferings  and  glory  of  the Redeemer.

The prophecies  about  our  Lord’s  Sufferings  have  been  very  literally fulfilled (New  Test.  LXXV  and  LXXVI). It amazes  us  that  the  prophet, writing 1000  years  before  our  Lord  suffered,  should  have  described such details  as  the  piercing  of  His  Hands  and  Feet,  the  division  of His  garments,  the  casting  lots  for  the  seamless  robe,  the  scoffing  and wagging of  the  head  on  the  part  of  the  bystanders! This foretelling of future  events  was  only  possible  by  means  of  divine  revelation.

About the  Resurrection  David  prophesied  that  our  Lord’s  soul  would descend to  Limbo,  but  would  not  stay  there; and  that  His  body  would rest in  the  grave,  but  would  not  know  corruption  (“He  descended  into hell;  the  third  day  He  rose  again  from  the  dead”).