Difference between revisions of "Pillar"

<p> The pillar of cloud, and the pillar of fire in the wilderness, which went before and followed Israel, were among the symbols of the divine presence. I do not presume to say as much, or to decide upon a subject of such infinite importance; but, when we take into one mass of particulars, all that we read of the Lord Jesus Christ in those early ages of the church, methinks I cannot hesitate to believe, that it was Christ that they went before, and that thus surrounded his people during their whole eventful history. Jacob at Bethel, and Moses at the bush, had real views of JEHOVAH'S glory and fulness in Christ. The manifestation made on both occasions as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, plainly shows that the covenant of redemption, in the seed of the woman, was the great and leading cause of all. And as the [[Holy]] Ghost hath graciously been pleased in so many words to tell the church, that the Rock which followed [[Israel]] was Christ; (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 10:4) it should seem as if this was intended by the blessed Spirit, to act as a key for opening; similar manifestation to the church in those other tokens of divine, love, which appear in their wonderful history. Nothing can be more blessed in confirmation of the Redeemer's love to his church and people, than thus beholding him in the "pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of are by night," conducting and guarding them through all their journey: And as then, so now, every manifestation, under all the various forms of it, was intended to show the church the love he bore to them, and to lead his people into the most endearing views of love and good will. And hence; the sacred writers, through the several parts of sacred Scriptures, keep up the remembrance of those manifestations in the wilderness, as so many proofs of the Lord's presence with his people. We are told that "when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, all the people rose up, and stood every man at, his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses." (&nbsp;Exodus 33:8-9) So again the [[Psalmist]] saith, that "he spake unto them in the cloudy pillar." (&nbsp;Psalms 99:7) Who was it spake unto them but, God in Christ? Surely all that we hear from God is received in him, and by him, and through him, who is the only Mediator, the Glory-man Christ Jesus. For the Holy Ghost, by John the apostle, tells the church that no man hath seen God at any time; but he graciously adds, that "the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." (&nbsp;John 1:18) And what then can be more plain and evident in proof that Christ is the visible JEHOVAH, and by whom alone all revelations are made? I need not add what endearing representations all those things made of his person and his love to his church, when taken into one mass of particulars, which we read of Christ under such a vast variety of manifestations which he hath made of himself. </p> <p> The word pillar is sometimes used in the language of [[Scripture]] to denote the church of the Lord Jesus, Thus the Holy Ghost, by Paul, calls the church "the pillar and ground of truth." (&nbsp;1 Timothy 3:15) And it is not a violence to the expression to consider this as in allusion to her Lord, who is the Head of his body the church. For if Jesus be the pillar of cloud, and the pillar of fire; and if, as it is said, "the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night," (&nbsp;Isaiah 4:5) —surely there is a great propriety that his church should be called after the name of her Lord, He is the pillar of cloud and of fire; and she by him is made the pillar and ground of truth; and hence his servants who minister in his name shall be called pillars in his temple. "Him that overcometh, saith Jesus, will I make a pillar in the temple of my God." (&nbsp;Revelation 3:11) (See &nbsp;Proverbs 9:1) Hence the Lord saith to Jeremiah, (&nbsp;Jeremiah 1:18) "Behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar." (See &nbsp;Galatians 2:9) And very blessed it is to see, that while Christ is the foundation stone [[Jehovah]] hath laid in Zion, all his redeemed ones are built upon this foundation, and are lively stones and pillars in this spiritual house, "to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, through Jesus Christ." (&nbsp;1 Peter 2:5) </p>

<div> '''1: στῦλος ''' (Strong'S #4769 — Noun Masculine — stulos — stoo'-los ) </div> <p> "a column supporting the weight of a building," is used (a) metaphorically, of those who bear responsibility in the churches, as of the elders in the church at Jerusalem, &nbsp;Galatians 2:9; of a local church as to its responsibility, in a collective capacity, to maintain the doctrines of the faith by teaching and practice, &nbsp;1 Timothy 3:15; some would attach this and the next words to the statement in ver. 16; the connection in the Eng. versions seems preferable; (b) figuratively in &nbsp;Revelation 3:12 , indicating a firm and permanent position in the spiritual, heavenly and eternal Temple of God; (c) illustratively, of the feet of the angel in the vision in &nbsp;Revelation 10:1 , seen as flames rising like columns of fire indicative of holiness and consuming power, and thus reflecting the glory of Christ as depicted in &nbsp;Revelation 1:15; cp. &nbsp;Ezekiel 1:7 . </p>

<p> <em> 'Ayil </em> (אַיִל, Strong'S #352), “pillar.” This word appears 22 times and only once outside Ezek. 40-41: “And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree: the lintel [pillar] and side posts were a fifth part of the wall” (1 Kings 6:31). </p> <p> <em> Matstsêbâh </em> (מַצֵּבָה, Strong'S #4676), “pillar; monument; sacred stone.” This word is derived from the verb <em> nashab </em> , and it is found about 35 times. This word refers to a “pillar” as a personal memorial in 2 Sam. 18:18: “Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar … and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place.” In Gen. 28:18 the “monument” is a memorial of the Lord’s appearance. <em> Matstsêbâh </em> is used in connection with the altar built by Moses in Exod. 24:4, and it refers to “sacred stones or pillars.” </p>

<p> ''''' pil´ar ''''' ( מצּבה , <i> ''''' maccēbhāh ''''' </i> , עמּוּד , <i> ''''' ‛ammūdh ''''' </i> ; στῦλος , <i> ''''' stúlos ''''' </i> ): In a good many cases the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "pillars" for the King James Version "images" ( <i> ''''' maccēbhōh ''''' </i> , &nbsp; Exodus 34:13; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 7:5; &nbsp;1 Kings 14:23 , etc.). In &nbsp;Genesis 19:26 , where "pillar of salt" is given, the word is <i> '''''necı̄bh''''' </i> ; in &nbsp;1 Samuel 2:8 it is <i> '''''mācūḳ''''' </i> ; while in most other single uses the Revised Version margin gives variant renderings, as in &nbsp;Judges 9:6 ( <i> '''''muccābh''''' </i> ), the Revised Version margin "garrison"; in &nbsp;1 Kings 10:12 ( <i> '''''miṣ‛ādh''''' </i> ), the Revised Version margin "'a railing,' Hebrew 'a prop'"; in &nbsp;2 Kings 18:16 ( <i> ''''''ōmenōth''''' </i> ), the Revised Version margin "doorposts." The <i> '''''maccēbhōh''''' </i> were (1) memorial pillars, as in the "pillars" of Jacob at Bethel (&nbsp;Genesis 28:18 , &nbsp;Genesis 28:22; compare &nbsp;Genesis 31:13; &nbsp;Genesis 35:14 ), in covenant with Laban (&nbsp;Genesis 31:45 ff), at Rachel's grave (&nbsp; Genesis 35:20 ); Absalom's pillar (&nbsp;2 Samuel 18:18 ). Such pillars were legitimate (theory of a fetishistic character is not grounded); it is predicted in &nbsp;Isaiah 19:19 that such a pillar would be set up to [[Yahweh]] at the border of Egypt. (2) [[Idolatrous]] pillars, in [[Canaanitish]] and other heathen worships. These were to be ruthlessly broken down (the King James Version "images," see above; &nbsp; Exodus 23:24; &nbsp;Exodus 34:13; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 7:5 , etc.; compare &nbsp;Leviticus 26:1 ). See [[Images]] . The other word, <i> '''''‛ammūdh''''' </i> , is used of the pillar of cloud and fire (see below); of the pillars of the tabernacle and temple (see under the word); of the two pillars Jachin And Boaz (which see); poetically of the "pillars" of heaven, of earth (&nbsp;Job 9:6; &nbsp;Job 26:11; &nbsp;Psalm 75:3; &nbsp;Psalm 99:7 ), etc. In the few instances of the word in the New Testament, the use is figurative . James, Cephas and John were reputed to be pillars" of the church at Jerusalem (&nbsp;Galatians 2:9 ); the church is "the pillar and ground of the truth" (&nbsp;1 Timothy 3:15 ); he that overcomes is made "a pillar" in the temple of God (&nbsp;Revelation 3:12 ); a strong angel had feet "as pillars of fire" (&nbsp;Revelation 10:1 ). </p> Pillar of [[Cloud]] and Fire: <p> The visible manifestation of the divine presence in the journeyings of Israel at the time of the Exodus. Yahweh, it is narrated, went before the people "by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light .... The pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, departed not from before the people" (&nbsp;Exodus 13:21 , &nbsp;Exodus 13:22; compare &nbsp;Exodus 14:19 , &nbsp;Exodus 14:24; &nbsp;Numbers 14:14 ). When the congregation was at rest, the cloud abode over the tabernacle (&nbsp;Exodus 40:36; &nbsp;Numbers 9:17; &nbsp;Numbers 14:14 ). When Yahweh wished to communicate His will to Moses, the pillar descended to the door of the Tent of [[Meeting]] (&nbsp;Exodus 33:9-11; &nbsp;Numbers 12:5; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 31:15 ). These descriptions are not to be rationalistically explained; what is depicted is a true theophany. [[Criticism]] has sought to establish discrepancies between the allusions to the cloud in the Je and the P parts of the narrative, but these are not made out without straining; e.g. it is not the case that Je alone represents Yahweh as speaking with Moses in the cloud at the door of the tabernacle. The same representation is found in &nbsp;Exodus 29:42 , &nbsp;Exodus 29:43 , ascribed to Pillar. An acute discussion of the alleged discrepancies may be seen in H.M. Wiener, <i> Essays in Pentateuchal Criticism </i> , 82 ff. </p>