Page:Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah (Baron, David).djvu/543



THE GLORIOUS CONSUMMATION 527

earth are still covered by the shadow of death until the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings, and the word shall go forth : " Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee." Then " nations" as nations, " shall come to thy light ; and kings to the brightness of thy glory" (Isa. Ix. 13); and the promise confirmed by the oath of Him who cannot lie shall be fulfilled : " As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Jehovah" (Num. xiv. 21).

The Feast of Tabernacles was the only one that had an octave, " the last and great day of the feast," the Azereth " conclusion," or " crowning feast of all the feasts of the year," as Philo, the Alexandrian, called it ; on which Israel dwelt no longer in booths to remind them of the wilderness but returned to their homes to rejoice there, and to begin, so to say, a cycle beyond the one of seven which they had just completed.

Now the eighth day in Scripture is the Resurrection Day, and points, I believe, to the Eternal Day, after the cycle of time in which the history of the earth, as set forth in the Sacred Calendar of the History of Redemption, shall have been finished, when the consummation of earthly rest shall synchronise with the commencement of heavenly glory "when a great voice out of the throne shall go forth, saying : Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people. And God Himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things have passed away" (Rev. xxi. 1-8).

" Then," to conclude with the words of an old divine, " the mystery of the water which was poured upon the sacrifices shall be fulfilled, when He who is the Alpha and the Omega shall proclaim, // is done. / will give to him that is athirst of the water of life freely. Then He who, at the Feast of Tabernacles, invited sinners to come to Him and drink, shall lead His redeemed people by living