Of whom is the Psalmist speaking? To this question one of four answers is usually given. These answers are: (1) David, (2) the nation of Israel, (3) a remnant of Israel, (4) the Messiah of Israel. All four answers cannot be correct in the absolute sense of the term. Amid this diversity of opinion it behooves each one to seek honestly and conscientiously from the context and from parallel passages which answer is the correct one. (1) In support of the first answer, namely, that David is the sufferer, let it be said that though he did suffer much, being persecuted by Saul severely, his sufferings never reached such depth of sorrow as that of the sufferer of this Psalm. Therefore one cannot allow the language to stand as it is proclaiming its message and at the same time apply it to David.¹

(2) In reply to the position that Israel is the sufferer, likewise, let it be noted that the context and the personal individual tone precludes such an interpretation. The writer readily admits that Israel through twenty centuries has suffered untold persecution at the hands of the so-called "Christian nations" but this fact does not identify the Hebrew people as the innocent sufferer of this Psalm. That the nation may be compared to an individual who is sick is readily admitted, for Isaiah (1:2-9) used that figure; but, in this case the context clearly indicates that though he uses the expressions "the whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it but wounds, and bruises and fresh stripes: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil," he is speaking of the nation.

If these words were taken out of their context, one would be forced according to the rules of interpretation of language to believe that the prophet was speaking about some one individual who was sick; but since the context shows clearly that he is reproving the nation for its sins, it is very obvious that the sick man is the nation and not an individual.

To put this interpretation beyond all possibility of debate, the reader will bear with the writer in his using the following illustration. Should there appear in any publication a picture of a sick man lying in bed, while on a table near his head are several bottles of medicine, in the absence of clear positive evidence indicating definitely otherwise, one would conclude that the one who made the picture had some one individual in mind. But should the patient be a tall old man with chin whiskers, wearing a suit of clothes made of an American flag, every one, even a small child, would recognize that it does not refer to any individual, but to the United States of America which is afflicted with some great national problem or calamity. Therefore in the absence of special features which show that Psalm 22 is to be interpreted in a symbolic representative way of the nation, one is forced irresistibly to the conclusion that such an interpretation does not accord with the facts as presented. Another fact which discredits the interpretation that makes the sufferer a symbol of the suffering nation is that this sufferer is conscious both of his relationship to God and of his absolute innocency; whereas Israel as a nation has always been and shall continue to be conscious of sin and rebellion against God and of alienation from Him because of these sins. (See Jer. 3:20f.) These reasons lead one to the absolute conclusion that the sufferer of the passage is not the nation.

(3) The third interpretation, namely, that the sufferer is the pious remnant of the nation cannot be correct, for there is nothing in the context to indicate such a symbolic use; hence the objections brought against the second interpretation apply with equal force against this one. Furthermore, the sufferer is distinguished from the nation in verse 23, or a remnant of the nation. In verses 23 and 24 he (the sufferer) in the midst of the great assembly which consists of those who "fear the Lord" and "all the seed of Jacob" and "all ye the seed of Israel" addresses said assembly urging them to praise God. Therefore this interpretation is incorrect.

(4) The interpretation which makes the sufferer the Messiah remains to be discussed. As has been seen, he is an individual. It now remains to identify him, if possible. Likewise, it has already been shown that the sufferer of the first twenty-one verses, who has cried to the Lord, whose sufferings abruptly cease with verse 21, and who claims that God has answered him, is the same speaker who appears in the great assembly of fearers of God and all the tribes of Israel. In this great assembly he is the leading character; in fact, he is the master of the entire situation. In verse 22 he claims a special relationship to the entire assembly when he makes the statement, "I will declare Thy (God's) Name unto my brethren." Since the great assembly consists not only of the entire house of Israel, but also of the fearers of God, who doubtless are Gentile believers in God, and since he speaks to them as "my brethren," it is quite evident that he bears a special relationship to them that is above the natural and literal meaning of the word brethren. He can call "all the seed of Jacob" his brethren, referring to fleshly ties, but to the fearers of the Lord, Gentile believers, he does not sustain that natural relationship. Hence brethren is used in a higher sense.

The language of verses 25 and 26 confirms the argument just made: "Of thee cometh my praise in the great assembly: I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The meek shall eat and be satisfied; They shall praise the Lord that seek after Him: Let your heart live forever." The delivered sufferer claims that, when he pays his vows, the meek shall eat and be satisfied. This language, of course, is an echo from the Torah, which granted to the priests the privilege of partaking of the offerings and vows of the people. Likewise, the poor, widows, fatherless, et al., were granted the privilege of sharing these things and thus being satisfied (see Deut. 14:28,29; 26:12; 16:11). There is no Jew who is so very rich that, when he pays his tithes, offerings and vows to God, the meek of the world may partake and be satisfied. But, since, when this sufferer pays his vows, the meek (the word meek unqualified is all-inclusive, referring to the meek of all the earth) are satisfied, he stands in a class by himself. Of all individuals conceivable, there is but one whose wealth, power, and goodness of heart enable him to fulfill this passage, namely, the Messiah. This fact becomes apparent when one realizes that the Messiah is the only One Who will have the wealth of the nations (Psa. 2:7-9), the power (Isa. 9:6,7), and goodness of heart (Isa. 11:1-5); therefore the only conclusion to which one may come is that the sufferer is Israel's long expected Messiah, Who comes into the world and suffers for man; Who, as set forth in Psalm 110, returns to the right hand of God most high, and Who will return and reign in power and in righteousness over the entire world.

Hosea the prophet foretold that the rejected Messiah would go away, returning to His place—heaven—and would remain there "till they [Israel the nation] acknowledge their offence, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me earnestly" (Hos. 5:15).

The Lord Jesus Christ, the pierced One, confirms the prediction of Hosea, applying the prophecy to Himself and foretelling that He will go away, that He will not return until Israel acknowledges that He is the one who came in the name of the Lord—at His first coming—and that He is the Blessed One, the Messiah.

37 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matt. 23:37-39).

According to Hosea and the Lord Jesus, He, the Messiah of Israel and Saviour of the world, will remain in heaven until the Chosen People, in deep conviction of sin, acknowledge their crime against Him and plead for Him to return. When they do turn to Him in penitence, He will return and will change the entire world situation—and not until then. He will then lift the curse from the ground and establish a reign of righteousness throughout the earth. The cessation of war and the stopping of all calamities and diseases are contingent upon the return of the Lord Jesus to the earth. Since the correction of all evils is conditioned upon the Lord's return to earth, and since His return awaits Israel's repudiation of the national sin of rejecting Him as their Messiah, the most important event in the world is Israel's right-about-face with reference to Jesus of Nazareth.

In the revelation made by Moses, animal sacrifices played a prominent part. The blood of these sacrifices was to make an annual atonement for the sins of the worshipers. On the great day of Atonement, the blood of the sacrificial animal was sprinkled on the mercy seat in order to atone for the sins of the nation. But these animal sacrifices could never make atonement for sin. Only ceremonially and temporarily did they have any significance, typifying and looking forward to the real sacrifice that could cleanse from all sin. These facts are clearly set forth in the following passage:

10 For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. 2 Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not,
But a body didst thou prepare for me;
6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure:
7 Then said I, Lo, I am come
(In the roll of the book it is written of me)
To do thy will, 0 God.
8 Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), 9 then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second (Heb. 10:1-9).

In the great servant passage, Isaiah 52:13-53:12, the Prophet foresees the servant of Jehovah, the God-man, offering Himself for the sins of the world.²

Concerning the Atonement made by Jesus of Nazareth, the God-man, consider what the inspired Apostle Paul said in the following passage: "For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20 and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens" (Col.1:19,20).

The fountain for sin and uncleanness was opened nineteen hundred years ago in the death, the burial, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Millions of people have by faith come to this fountain and drunk of the water of life freely. No one, no sincere believing person, who has come to this fountain has been turned away. The call has gone forth to the entire world. "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:17).

Though vast throngs have drunk of this water of life to the satisfying of their souls, countless hosts of people have never heard of this fountain. Yet great hosts have heard of it, but through indifference and unbelief have turned a deaf ear. For them it is the same as if there were no fountain. This situation reminds one of Hagar and Ishmael who were perishing for water in the desert. Finally, the angel of the Lord spoke to her and showed her a fountain of water within a stone's throw. The water was there all the time, but her eyes were not open to see it. Thus it is with myriads who have never drunk of the fountain of living waters (Jer. 2:13; 17:13; Ps. 36:9).

When the people of Israel accept Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah and Saviour, the fountain for sin and uncleanness will become clearly visible to their opened eyes. Converted Israel will purge the land of spiritism and idolatry. "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness" (Zech. 13:1).

As has been shown above, Jeremiah thinks of God as a fountain, to which the thirsty soul may come and satisfy his thirst. "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jer. 2:13). "0 Jehovah, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be put to shame. They that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Jehovah, the fountain of living waters" (Jer. 17:13). Zechariah, on the other hand, thinks of this fountain for sin and uncleanness not as a place of drinking of the water of life, but as a place of bathing and cleansing. The imagery used by Zechariah is based originally upon the water of purification (Numbers, chapter 19). King David, likewise, speaks of the purification of the soul in terms of ceremonial cleansing:

Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow (Ps. 51:7).

Ezekiel doubtless had the water of purification in mind in the following passage: "And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you" (Ezek. 36:25).

Israel, converted and cleansed, seeing reality as it is, will be moved by a spirit of revulsion against all things that are false and of satanic origin. The people will, therefore, rise up against anyone who dabbles in the occult or has any part with those who profess to be prophets but are not. The sentiment for right will be so very strong that even parents will sanction the execution of their own children who are guilty.

2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered; and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. 3 And it shall come to pass that, when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of Jehovah; and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth. 4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he prophesieth; neither shall they wear a hairy mantle to deceive: 5 but he shall say, I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the ground; for I have been made a bondman from my youth. 6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds between thine arms? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. (Zech. 13:2-6).

7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith Jehovah of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn my hand upon the little ones. 8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, Jehovah is my God. (Zech. 13:7-9).

A glance at verse 7 of this passage shows that God the Father is in charge of this tragic drama. He speaks to the sword, urging it to awake against His Shepherd. In this exhortation the sword is either personified, or those who wield it are addressed and urged to awake in active opposition against God's Shepherd. They are to smite this Shepherd. When they do so, God will take care of the scattered sheep.

God speaks of this Shepherd against whom the sword is to awake as the man who is His fellow. The word in the original, rendered fellow, mean's one's equal. Since God is the one speaking, and since He calls this man His equal, it is certain that this Shepherd is the God-man who enters the world by miraculous conception and virgin birth. In this prophecy we have a forecast of the execution of the Messiah of Israel.

The poet was correct in speaking of the Cross of Jesus of Nazareth as "towering above the wrecks of time." The fact of its standing unmoved by the changes of time is proof of its origin and purpose. The faint glimmer of it, though the outline of it is very indistinct, is found in Genesis 3:15. To the serpent God speaks of the conflict between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent: "He [the seed of the woman] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

In Psalm 22:1-21 God gives a clear and distinct picture of the Messiah hanging on the Cross, surrounded by the raging and fanatical mob, which is compared to vicious bulls and howling dogs.

In Isaiah 52:13-53:12, again we see the Messiah of Israel being offered by God the Father, as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. The outlines of the Cross, however, though they stand in their sublime grandeur, are eclipsed by the glory and significance of the purpose of God.

Once more the glory of the Cross is seen in Zechariah 13:7. In this passage the Cross is glorified by Him whom God calls "my fellow," and by whose death salvation was purchased for all.

This Cross was erected on Golgotha, outside the city walls of Jerusalem. Having passed through several trials in which there was a miscarriage of justice, Jesus of Nazareth was nailed to the Cross on which He hung from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. From 12 noon to 3 p.m. God the Father, who was supervising the events of this occasion, veiled the scene in darkness so that no mortal eyes could look upon the greatest of all events in human history.

The blind leaders of Israel, who in their ignorance fostered this execution, intensified their opposition against the followers of Jesus. Nevertheless, the Cross—the emblem of the heroic vicarious suffering of Jesus—figuratively speaking, remained intact.

The old rugged Cross survived the storm of opposition that was hurled against it by imperial Rome. During the first three centuries of the existence of Christianity, one persecution after another was launched against the Christians, who welcomed the martyr's crown and glory. Individuals, such as Celsus, Porphyry, and Julian the Apostate, used the pen, which often is mightier than the sword, against the Church. Although believers in Jesus were murdered by the tens of thousands, the Cross during this reign of terror still stood unshaken by the attacks of Satan.

In the seventh century the Moslem hordes, like a mighty flood, came pouring over the boundaries of the Empire and all but inundated the Christian civilization. Nevertheless, the Cross of Jesus stood unmoved.

During the Dark Ages, ignorance, superstition, human jealousies, rivalries, dogmatism, and human fleshly abuses all but shrouded the old rugged Cross in darkness.

From the time of the Renaissance and the Reformation, rivalries, heightened by the spirit of jealousy, of religious debates, and of dogmatism have rent the body of Christian believers into contending factions. Yet the Cross has been clearly visible by innumerable hosts, and He who was suspended upon it has been received as Saviour and Lord.

In modern times rationalism, erroneous evaluation of science in many fields, over-emphasis upon the evaluation of philosophy, together with religious dogmatism and a faulty exposition of the Scriptures, have continued to split the body of Christ into many contending sects. Nevertheless, the Cross of Christ stands out in all its sublimity and glory—and it shall ever stand. Truly, the Cross of Jesus Christ towers over the wrecks of time.

IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST

In the cross of Christ I glory,
Tow'ring o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.

When the woes of life o'ertake me
Hopes deceive, and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me:
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.

When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds more luster to the day.

Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified;
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that thro' all time abide.

JOHN BOWRING.

G. The Return Of Messiah Jesus