As the children of Israel were guided triumphantly through the Red Sea, the dark ebbing and flowing tides Spiritual guidance of human fear, — as they were led through the wilderness, walking wearily through the great desert of human hopes, and anticipating the promised joy, — so shall the spiritual idea guide all right desires in their passage from sense to Soul, from a material sense of existence to the spiritual, up to the glory prepared for them who love God. Stately Science pauses not, but moves before them, a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, leading to divine heights.
If we remember the beautiful description which Sir Walter Scott puts into the mouth of Rebecca the Jewess in the story of Ivanhoe, —
| When Israel, of the Lord beloved, |
| Out of the land of bondage came. |
| Her fathers' God before her moved, |
| An awful guide, in smoke and flame, — |
we may also offer the prayer which concludes the same
hymn, —
| And oh, when stoops on Judah's path |
| In shade and storm the frequent night, |
| Be Thou, longsuffering, slow to wrath, |
| A burning and a shining light! |
Revelation xii. 7, 8. And there was war in heaven:
Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the
dragon fought, and his angels, and prevailed not; neither
was their place found any more in heaven.
The Old Testament assigns to the angels, God's divine
Angelic offices
messages, different offices. Michael's
characteristic is spiritual strength. He leads the
hosts of heaven against the power of sin, Satan, and
