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| Chapter XCI.—The cross was foretold in the blessings of Joseph, and in the serpent that was lifted up.
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Chapter XCI.—The cross was foretold
in the blessings of Joseph, and in the serpent that was lifted up.
“And God by Moses shows in another way the force
of the mystery of the cross, when He said in the blessing wherewith
Joseph was blessed,
‘From the blessing of the Lord is
his land; for the seasons of heaven, and for the dews, and for the deep
springs from beneath, and for the seasonable fruits of the sun,2303
| 2303 There is a variety of reading
here: either ἀβύσσου πηγῶν κάτωθεν καθαρῶν: or, ἀβύσσου πηγῶν κάτωθεν, καὶ καθ’ ὥραν γεννημάτων,
κ.τ.λ., which we
prefer. | and for the coming together of the months, and for
the heights of the everlasting mountains, and for the heights of the
hills, and for the ever-flowing rivers, and for the fruits of the fatness
of the earth; and let the things accepted by Him who appeared in the bush
come on the head and crown of Joseph. Let him be glorified among his
brethren;2304
| 2304 The
translation in the text is a rendering of the Septuagint. The mss. of Justin read: “Being
glorified as the first-born among his brethren.” | his
beauty is [like] the firstling of a bullock; his horns the horns of an
unicorn: with these shall he push the nations from one end of the earth
to another.’2305
Now, no one
could say or prove that the horns of an unicorn represent any other fact
or figure than the type which portrays the cross. For the one beam is
placed upright, from which the highest extremity is raised up into a
horn, when the other beam is fitted on to it, and the ends appear on both
sides as horns joined on to the one horn. And the part which is fixed in
the centre, on which are suspended those who are crucified, also stands
out like a horn; and it also looks like a horn conjoined and fixed with
the other horns. And the expression, ‘With these shall he push as
with horns the nations from one end of the earth to another,’ is
indicative of what is now the fact among all the nations. For some out of
all the nations, through the power of this mystery, having been so
pushed, that is, pricked in their hearts, have turned from vain idols and
demons to serve God. But the same figure is revealed for the destruction
and condemnation of the unbelievers; even as Amalek was defeated and
Israel victorious when the people came out of Egypt, by means of the type
of the stretching out of Moses’ hands, and the name of Jesus
(Joshua), by which the son of Nave (Nun) was called. And it seems that
the type and sign, which was erected to counteract the serpents which bit
Israel, was intended for the salvation of those who believe that death
was declared to come thereafter on the serpent through Him that would be
crucified, but salvation to those who had been bitten by him and had
betaken themselves to Him that sent His Son into the world to be
crucified.2306
For the
Spirit of prophecy by Moses did not teach us to believe in the serpent,
since it shows us that he was cursed by God from the beginning; and in
Isaiah tells us that he shall be put to death as an enemy by the mighty
sword, which is Christ.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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