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A By J O H N.B U N Y A N. Published by Charles Doe, 1692. Published four years after John Bunyan's death. |
CHAPTER V.
OF THE WINDOWS IN THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON.
he house of the forest of Lebanon had many windows in it; "And
there were windows in three rows, and light was against light in three ranks"
(1 Kings 7:4). Windows are to let the light in at, and the eye out at, to objects
at a distance from the house, and from those that are therein.
The windows here are figures of the Word of God, by which light the light of life
is let into the heart; through that, the glass of these windows, the beams of the
Sun of righteousness shine into the church. Hence the word is compared to glass,
through which the glorious face of Christ is seen (2 Cor 3:18). This, therefore,
this house of the forest of Lebanon had; it had windows, a figure of that Word of
God, through, and by which, the church in the wilderness sees the mind of God, and
so what while there she ought to believe, do, and leave undone in the world.
This house had plenty of windows—three rows of windows on both sides the house. In
three rows; by these windows in three rows perhaps was prefigured how into the church
in the wilderness was to shine the doctrine of the Trinity: yea, to signify that
she was to be possessed with that in her most low state, and when under her greatest
clouds. The doctrine of the Trinity! that is the substance, that is the ground and
fundamental of all (1 John 2:22,23, 4:2-4; 2 John 9,10). For by this doctrine, and
by this only, the man is made a Christian; and he that has not this doctrine, his
profession is not worth a button. You must know that sometimes the church in the
wilderness has but little light, but the diminution of her light is not then so much
in or as to substantials, as it is as to circumstantial things; she has then the
substantials with her, in her darkest day, even windows in three rows.
The doctrine of the Trinity! You may ask me what that is? I answer. It is that doctrine
that showeth us the love of God the Father, in giving of his Son: the love of God
the Son, in giving of himself; and the love of the Lord the Spirit, in his work of
regenerating of us, that we may be made able to lay hold of the love of the Father
by his Son, and so enjoy eternal life by grace. This doctrine was always let in at
these windows into the church in the wilderness, for to make her sound in faith,
and hearty in obedience; as also meek and patient in temptation and tribulation.
And as to the substance of Christianity, this doctrine is sufficient for any people,
because it teaches faith, and produceth a good moral life. These therefore, if these
doctrines shine upon us, through these windows of heaven, so as that we see them,
and receive them, they make us fit to glorify God here, and meet to be glorified
of, and with him hereafter. These lights, therefore, cause that the inhabitants of
this church in the wilderness see their way through the dark pitch night of this
world. For as the house of the forest of Lebanon, this church of God in the wilderness
had always her lights, or windows in these three rows, to guide, to solace, and comfort
her.
This house therefore, is thus discriminated and distinguished from all other houses
in the world; no house, that we read of in the Bible, was thus adorned with light,
or had windows in three rows, but this; and answerable hereunto, no congregation
or church, but the true church of God, has the true antitype thereof. Light! windows!
A sufficiency of windows was of great use to a people that dwelt in a forest, or
wood, as the inhabitants of the house of the forest of Lebanon did. But how solitary
had this house been, had it had no light at all! To be in a wood, and that without
windows, is one of the worst of conditions. This also is the relief that the church
in the wilderness had; true, she was in a wood, but had light, called in another
place God's rod, or his Word, which giveth instruction. "Feed thy people with
thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitary in the wood," &c.
(Micah 7:14).
To be, as was said, in a wood, and without light too, is a condition very desolate:
the Egyptians found it so, for all they were in their houses (Exo 10:21,23). But
how much more then is that people's case to be lamented that are under persecution,
but have not light in three rows to guide them. But this is not the state of the
church in the wilderness; she has her windows in three rows, to wit, the light of
the face of the Father, the light of the face of the Son, and the light of the face
of the Holy Ghost; all shining through the windows or glass of the Word, to her comfort
and consolation, though now in the forest of Lebanon.
"And light was against light in three ranks." This is an additional account
of the windows that were in the house of the forest of Lebanon. Before he said she
had windows in three rows, but now he adds that there was light against light, light
opposite to light, and that also in three ranks. In that he saith they were in ranks,
he either means in order, or insinuates a military posture, for in both these ways
is this word taken (Num 2:16,24; 1 Chron 12:33,38; Mark 6:40). Nor need any smile
because I say the lights were set in a military posture; we read of potsherds striving
with potsherds; and why may it not as well be said, "light was against light"
(Isa 45:9).
But we will pursue our design. Here is opposition insinuated; in the margin it is
"sight against sight"; wherefore the lights thus placed in the house of
the forest of Lebanon give me another encouragement, to think that this house was
a type of the church in the wilderness, and that she is the seat of spiritual war
also (Rev 12:7). For as this house of the forest of Lebanon was that which was the
object of the rage of the king of Assyria, because it stood in his way to hinder
his ruining Jerusalem; so the spirit and faithfulness of the church of God in the
wilderness stands in the way, and hinders Antichrist's bringing of the truth to the
ground.
And as the enemy brake into Lebanon, and did set fire to her cedars, so the boar,
the Antichrist, the dragon, and his angels, got into the church in the wilderness
(Psa 80:13; 2 Thess 2:4; Rev 12:7). This being so, here must needs be war; and since
the war is not carnal but spiritual, it must be made by way of controversy, contention,
disputation, argument, reasonings, &c. which were the effect of opposite apprehensions,
fitly set out in this house of the forest of Lebanon, for that there was "light
against light," "sight against sight," in three ranks. Wherefore in
that he saith "light was against light in three ranks," he suggesteth,
to the life, how it would be in the church in the wilderness. And suppose they were
the truly godly that made the first assault, can they be blamed? For who can endure
a boar in a vineyard; a man of sin in a holy temple; or a dragon in heaven? What
then if the church made the first assault? Who bid the boar come there? What had
he to do in God's house? The church, as the house of the forest of Lebanon, would
have been content with its own station; and bread and water will serve a man, that
may with peace enjoy his delights in other things. But when privilege, property,
life, delight, heaven, and salvation, comes to be intruded, no marvel if the woman,
though but a woman, cries out, and set her light against them; had she seen the thief,
and said nothing, she had been far worse.
I told you before that by the windows is meant the Word, which is compared to glass
(1 Cor 13:12; 2 Cor 3:18; James 1:23-25). What, then, is the Word against the Word?
No, verily, it is therefore not the Word, but opposite apprehensions thereabout,
that the Holy Ghost now intends; for he saith not that window was against window,
respecting the true sense of the Word, but light was against light, respecting the
divers notions and apprehensions that men of opposite spirits would have about the
Word. Nor are we to take this word light, especially in the antitype, in a proper
but in a metaphorical sense, that is, with respect to the judgment of both parties.
Here is the true church, and she has the true light; here also is the boar, the man
of sin, and the dragon; and they see by their way, and yet, as I said, all by the
self-same windows. They that are the church do, in God's light, see light; but they
that are not, do in their own way see. And let a man, and a beast, look out at the
same window, the same door, the same casement, yet the one will see like a man, and
the other but like a beast. No marvel then, though they have the same windows, that
"light is against light," and sight against sight in this house. For there
are that known nothing but what they know naturally as brutes (Psa 92:6; Jer 10:8,14,21;
Jude 10).
No marvel then if there is here a disagreement; the beast can but see as a beast,
but the church is resolved not to be guided by the eye of a beast, though he pretends
to have his light by that very window by which the church has hers. The beast is
moon-eyed, and puts darkness for light, yea, and hates the light that is so indeed;[8] but the saints will not hear him, for they know the voice of their Lord
(Isa 5:20; John 3:20). How then can it be but that light should be against light
in this house, and that in a military posture? And how can it be but that here "every
battle of the warrior" should be "with confused noise, and garments rolled
in blood" (Isa 9:5).
And in that he saith, "light was against light in three ranks," it shows
their preparations one against another; also that they on both sides are resolved
to stand by their way. The church is confident, the man of sin is confident; they
both have the same windows to see by, and so they manage their matters; yet not so
simply by the windows, as by their divers judgments they make of that which shineth
in at them. Each one therefore hath the true and false profession, will be confident
of his own way; he that was right, knew he was right; and he that was wrong, thought
he was right, and so the battle began. "There is a way that seemeth right unto
a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov 14:12).
Nor is it in man to help it; there has been reasoning, there has been disputing,
there has blood also been spilt on both sides, through the confidence that each had
of the goodness of his own way; but no reconciliation is made, the enmity is set
here of God; iron and clay cannot mix (Gen 3:15; Dan 2:42,43). God will have things
go on thus in the world, till his words shall be fulfilled: "The deceived, and
the deceiver, are his" (Job 12:16). Things therefore must have their course
in the church in the wilderness, till the mystery of God shall be fulfilled (Rev
17:17).
Hence it is said God will bring Gog against his people of Israel, "as a cloud
to cover the land" (Eze 38:16). But for what cause? Why, that he may contend
a while with them, and then fall by their light to the ground. Therefore he says
also, that he "will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, and it
shall be called the valley of Hamon-gog" (Eze 39:11).
God will get himself great glory by permitting the boar, the man of sin, and the
dragon, to revel it in the church of God; for they, by setting up and contending
for their darkness and calling of it the light, and by setting of it against that
light, which is light in very deed, do not only prove the power of truth where it
is, but illustrate it so much the more. For as black sets off white, and darkness
light, so error sets off truth. He that calls a man a horse, doth in conclusion but
fix the belief of his humanity[9] so much the more in the apprehension of all
rational creatures.
"Light against light in three ranks." The three ranks on the church's side
signify her light in the Trinity, as was said, and in the three offices of Christ;
and the ranks against these three ranks be to signify the opposite apprehensions
of the enemy. They differ also about the authority of the Word, and ordinances, about
the offices, officers, and executions of office, in the church, &c. There is
an opposition everywhere, even round about the house; there was "light against
light in three ranks." This house of the forest of Lebanon was therefore a significative
thing, wisely built and fit for the purpose for which it was designed, which was
to show what afterward would be the state of the church in the wilderness. Nor could
anything in the temple more aptly express itself in a typical way, as to any of the
things concerning New Testament matters, than doth this house of the forest of Lebanon,
as to the things designed to be signified thereby. It speaks, can we but hear: it
points to things, as it were with a finger, have we but eyes to see.
It is not therefore to be wondered at that we hear both parties plead so much for
their authority, crying out against each other, as those that destroy religion. So
doth the church, so doth the man of sin. The living child is mine, saith one; nay,
but the dead child is thine, and the living child is mine, says the other. And thus
they spake before the king (1 Kings 3:16-22). Now this could not be, were there not
different apprehensions here; light against light then is the cause of all this;
and here is "light against light in three ranks"; and so will be until
the beast is dead.
The church will not give place, for she knows she has the truth; the dragon and his
angels, they will not give place, but as beaten back by the power of the truth; for
thus it is said of the dragon and his angels, they fought and prevailed not. Therefore
there will, there must, there cannot but be a spiritual warfare here, and that until
one of the two are destroyed, and their body given to the burning flame (Dan 7:11;
Rev 19:20).
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