Читать книгу The Gospel Day; Or, the Light of Christianity - Charles Ebert Orr - Страница 6

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It is not difficult to glean from the Scriptures the knowledge of the true center of this spiritual solar system, or the true source of light. The last writer of the Old Testament Scriptures, in his last [pg 032] chapter says: “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.” All understand this text to refer to the Lord Jesus. His visitation to this world, through the mercy of God, is termed, “The sun-rising.” Luke 1:78, margin. Christ is the Sun and true source of light of the gospel day. The church of God collectively is the moon of this spiritual solar system, and its individual members are the stars. In the Savior's prophecy as recorded in Mark 13:24, 25, the term “sun” is a metaphor, signifying Christ; the “moon,” the church, as a whole; the “stars,” Christians, or especially the ministry.

This darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars we will clearly explain in part second of this work. The church of God receives its light from Jesus. He is “the light of the world.” In the language of Isa. 60:1 the church is addressed: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come.” Christ is her light. The church shines by the light of Christ, as the moon shines by the light of the sun. “Out of Zion [the church of God], the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.” The church as a whole is a brilliant reflector to reflect the light of Christ to this universe. Every Christian is a bright spot in this luminous reflector. Amen. “Let your light so shine.”

A few years ago, one beautiful Sunday summer evening, as we were on our way to an appointed meeting, we observed the moon rising in the splendor [pg 033] of its fulness. It shed its soft, peaceful rays over the earth in marked beauty. After a short time we became aware of a gathering darkness. On looking up we saw a dark object gathering over the moon. Slowly, but surely the dark object crept on until all was darkened. Not one ray of light fell from the moon. The sun had ceased to shine upon her. We understood that the world had come in between the sun and the moon and obstructed the sun's rays. The same is true of the spiritual moon, the church. In the first few centuries of this Christian day it shone with the light and glory of God, but the time came when the “moon [church] ceased to give her light,” and all because, as we will learn, the world came between it and the Sun (Christ).