For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring
silver,
and for wood brass, and for stones iron
By "wood and stones" may be meant the Old Testament dispensation;
by the "brass and iron" the present Gospel dispensation; and by
"silver and gold" the latter day glory; by "silver" the spiritual
reign of Christ in his church; and by "gold" his personal reign
in the New Jerusalem; which is said to be all of pure gold, and
even the very street of it, ( Revelation
21:18 Revelation
21:21 ) , now, as far as brass and iron exceed wood and
stones, so far the Gospel dispensation exceeds the legal one; the
one being the shadow, the other the substance; the one having
carnal ordinances, which are done away; the other spiritual ones,
which remain; and as far as silver and gold exceed brass and
iron, so far the glory of the latter day will exceed the present
state of things, in clear light, in spiritual grace and strength,
in purity of doctrine and worship, in holiness of life, and in
love, peace, and unity; and as far as gold exceeds silver, so
far, and much more, will the personal reign of Christ, which will
be perfectly glorious, exceed the spiritual one. There may be an
allusion to the times of Solomon, a type of Christ, ( 1 Kings
10:27 ) . This, by some Jewish writers F6, is
applied to the times of the Messiah they yet expect. The Targum
is,
``for the brass which they spoiled thee of, O Jerusalem, I will bring gold''I will also make thine officers peace;