soon He will come both to "make up His jewels" and to set up His Kingdom and then shall Israel be a glorious

diadem in the hand of their God.

In contrast with this parable of the treasure which symbolizes the whole of Israel, without reference to the

individual faithfulness of any one member of that elect nation, we have as we have seen the parable of the Pearl.

The very Jews who were "enemies because of the gospel" were nevertheless "beloved because of the fathers", but

doubly precious in the sight of God has ever been that believing remnant from Abraham onwards. These are an

election from among the elect, and these are dealt with in the parable of the Pearl:

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found

one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (Matt. 13:45,46).

Let us briefly consider the words used in this parable.

MERCHANT-

The word is emporos in the original, and gives us emporium, and occurs five times in the New

Testament, once in the parable, and four times of the merchants connected with Babylon (Rev. 18).

PEARLS-

These are mentioned in the New Testament. nine times. Two of the occurrences are in the parable, and

five are in the Revelation. The harlot is seen decked with precious stones and pearls (Rev. 18:16), but after her

destruction the new Jerusalem, the holy city, is seen with its foundation of precious stones, and every gate a pearl

(Rev. 21:19,21). In both descriptions pearls are differentiated from precious stones. Merchants and pearls are

connected with the two cities and the two systems, the one being the devil's parody of the other.

The New Testament word for a pearl is MARGARITES. Another word, not found in the New Testament, but

closely resembling the Hebrew word translated "rubies" is the word pinna. The R. V. margin of Job 28:18 gives

"pearls" as an alternative reading. Bochart is very strong in his belief that the Hebrew word peninim (rubies) should

be translated pearls. The price of wisdom (Job 28:18; Prov. 3:15) and the worth of a virtuous woman (Prov. 31:10)

are placed above the value of peninim or pearls.

Coming now to the meaning of the parable. Right down the ages since the time of Abraham there has been a

faithful remnant. These will form one company at the end, and are spoken of as "holy brethren, partakers of the

HEAVENLY CALLING", "who died in faith, not having received the promise". The reader should turn to the following

passages before going further, to learn more concerning this remnant according to the election of grace. Isaiah 1:9;

7:3 (Shear-jashub, the name translated for us in 10:21 by the words "the remnant shall return"); Isaiah 11:11,16,

Ezekiel 9:4-6; 14:22; Joel 2:32 (compare the remnant on the day of Pentecost); Micah 2:12; Romans 9:27 and 11:5.

The overcomers of the Apocalypse, the 144,000 sealed of the tribes of Israel, the various companies mentioned

in Revelation 12:17; 14:1-5; 15:1-3 and 20:4 all seem to be part of this great company denominated by our Lord

"The Pearl of Great Price". Pearls are compared with holiness in Matthew 7:6; the partakers of the heavenly calling

are called "HOLY brethren" (Heb. 3:1), and "SAINTS of the Most High" (Dan. 7:22). Pearls are compared with

wisdom in the Old Testament and Daniel 12:3 tells us that "they that be WISE shall shine as the brightness of the

firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars unto the age and beyond". These wise ones

"understand" and "instruct many" (Dan. 11:33); they are subjected to the refining process of tribulation (Dan. 11:35)

before they enter their glory. Wherever we see this elect remnant we find tribulation and suffering. The words of

the epistles of Peter and James, so full of admonition and comfort to those of the dispersion who believed and who

were passing through the "fiery trial", were addressed to this remnant. It is therefore not without significance that a

pearl is the product of irritation in the shell of the oyster.

Israel's relationship to God is that of a wife who, being unfaithful, has been put away, but the return of Israel is

to be like the taking back of the penitent wife, nay, so great is God's grace and love that He says it will be "as a

young man marrieth a virgin", even though in reality it will be the taking back again of an unfaithful wife (see Isa.

62:4,5 and Hos. 2:19,20 etc.). This relationship which includes "all Israel", lies outside the main scope of the book

of the Revelation, which is rather concerned with the overcomers, and concentrates on the times of trouble that

produce the "Pearl".

After the thousand years' reign, and in connection with the new heaven and the new earth, we read, "And I John,

saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her

husband" (Rev. 21:2). In verses 9 and 10 we have this fact repeated. The inhabitants of this city are the partakers