Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Cuni/orlahle Promises mdde to Jerusalem. ZECHARIAH 1. Vision of IJor'AS and Car2>enter»,
(ch. 8. 2; Numbers 25. 11, 13 ; 1 Kings 19. 10; Joel 2. 18). 15. very sore displeased with the heatlien —in contrast witU " I was but a little displeased" with my people. Goa s displeasure with His people is temporary and for their chastening; with the heathen oppressors, it is final and fatal (Jeremiah 30. 11). God's instruments for cliastising His people, when He has done with them. He casts into the on the foes of Israel (cf. 2 Kings 3. 22; Isaiah 63. 1, 2; Revelation 6. 4); also fiery zeal, among the myrtle trees symbol of the Jewish Chui'ch: not a stately cedar, hat a lowly though fragrant myrtle. It was Its depressed state that caused tlie Jews to despond; this vision is designed to cheer them with better hopes. Tlie uncreated angel of Jehovah's presence standing (a,s His abidingfire, are at ease—carnally secure. A stronger phrase than "is at rest" (i'. U). They are "at ease," but as I ani "sore displeased" with tliem, their ease is accursed. Judah is in "affliction," but as I love her and am jealous for her, she has every reason to be encoui-aged in prosecuting the temple work. helpe<l forward tlie affliction —afliicted my people more than I desired. T)ie heathen sought the utter extinction of Judali to gratify their own ambition and revenge (Isaiah 47. 6; Ezekiel 25. 3, 6; Obadiah 10-17). 16. I am returned—whereas in anger I had ~ place, Psalm 122. 14) among them, is a guarantee for her safety, lowly though she now be. In the bottom—in a low place or bottom of a river; alluding to Babylon near the r!vei3 Euphrates and Tigris, the scene of Judah's captivity. The ras'rtle delights in low places and the banks of waters. [Pembellus.] Maureb «ranstote«, from a different root, " In a shady place." red horses—i. e., horsemen mounted on red horses; v. 10, 11, confirms this view, speckled . . . white—the white implies triumph and victory for Judah; "speckled" (from a root to intertwine), a combination of the two colours white and red (bay [Moore]), implies a state of things mixed, partly prosperous, partly otherwise [Henderson]; or, the connection of the wrath (answering to the "red") about to fall on the Jews' foes, and triumph (answering to the " wliite") to the Jews themselves in God's arrangements for His people. [MooKE.j Some angels ("the red horses") exercised offices of vengeance; others ("the white"), those of joy; others ("the speckled"), those of a mixed character (cf. ch. 6. 2,3). God has ministers of every kind for promoting the i7iterests of His Church. 9. the angel that talked with me —not the " man upon the red horse," as is evident from the tenth verse, where he (tlie Divine Angel) is distinguished from ttie" angel that talked with me" (the phrase used of him, v. 13, 14 ; ch. 2. 3 ; 4. 1, 4, 5 ; 5. 5, 10 ; 6. 4), i. e., the interpreting angel. The Hebrew for " ivith me," or, " in me" (Numbers 12. 8), implies internal, inlimate communication. [Jerome.] show thee — reveal to thy mental vision. 10. answered—The "angel of the covenant" here gives the reply instead of the interpreting angel, to imply that all communications through the interpreting angel come from Him as their source. Lord liath sent to walk to and fro through the earth—If "Satan walks to and fro in the earth" (implying restless activity) on errands of mischief to God's people (Job 1.7), the Lord sends other angels to "walk to and fro" with unceasing activity everywhere to counterwork Satan's designs, and to defend His people (Psalm 34.7; 91.11; 103.20,21; Hebrews 1.
before withdrawn from her (Hosea 5. 15). witia mercies— not merely of one kind, nor once only, but repeated mercies, my house shall be built—whicli at tliis time (the second year of Darius, cli. 1. 1) had only its foundations laid (Haggai 2. 18). It was not completed till the sixth year of Darius (Ezra 6. 15). line—(Job 38. 5.) The measuring-linefor building, not liastily, but with measured regularity. Not only the temple, but Jerusalem also v/as to be rebuilt (Nehemiah 2. 3, &c. ; cf. ch. 2. 1, 2). Also, as to the future temple and city, Ezekiel 41.3; 42.; 43.; 44.; 45.6. 17. yet—though heretofore lying in aiiject prostration. My cities—Not only Jerusalem, but the subordinate citie* of Judah. God claims them all as peeuliai ly His, and therefore will restore them, through prosperity . . . spread abroad—or overflow; mctaplior from an overflowing vessel or fountain (cf. Proverbs 5.16). [PembeIjLUS.j Abundance of fruits of the eartli, corn and wine, and a large increase of citizens, are meant ; also spiritual prosperity, comfort Zion—(Isaiah 40. 1, 2; 51.3.) choose—(ch.
2. 12; 3. 2; Isaiah 14. 1.) Here meaning, "shorn by acts of loving-kindness that He has chosen. ' His imniutabJe choice from everlasting is the fountain whence flow all such particular acts of love.
18-21. Second Vi.siON. The power of the Jews' foes shallbe dissipated. 18. four liorns—To a pastoral people like the Jews the horns of the strongest in the herd naturally suggested a symbol of power and pride of conscious strength : hence the ruling powers of tlie world (Revelation 17.3,12). The number four in Zeoliariah's time refers to the four cardinal points of the horizon. Wherever God's people turned there were foes to encounter (Nehemiah 4.7); the Assyrian, Chaldean and Samaritan on tlie north; Egypt and Ai-abia on the south; Pliilistia on the west; Ammon and Moab on the east. But the Spirit in tlie projihet looked fartlier, viz., to the four world-powers, the only ones which were, or are, to rise till the kingdom of Messiah, the fifth, overthrows and absorbs all others in Its universal dominion. Babylon and Medo-Persia alone had as yet risen, but soon Grreco-Macedonia was to succeed (as ch. 9.13 foretells), and Rome the fourth and last, under which we live, to follow (Daniel ch. 2. and 7). The
41). 11. The attendant angels report to the Lord of angels, "the earth ... Is at rest." The flourishing state of the heathen "earth," whilst Judah was desolate, and its temple not yet restored, is the powerful plea in the Divine Angel's intercession with God the Father in v. 12. When Judah was depressed to the lowest point, and the heathen elated to the highest, It was time for Jehovah to work for His people, sittcth still—dwells surely. 1!J. Not only does Messiah stand among His people (the "myrtles," v.
8), but intercedes for them with the Father ('• Lord," or "Jehovah of hosts") efl'ectively (v. 13; Hebrews 7.25). Cf. Psalm 102. l:i-20; Isaiah 62. 6, 7, as to Judah's restoration in answer to prayer, answered and said—said in continuation of the discourse : proceeded to say. how long—Messiah's people pray similarly to their Head. Revelation 6.
fact that the repairing of the evils caused to Judah and Israel by all four kingdoms is spoken of here, proves that the exhaustive fulfilment is yet future, and only the earn-
10, "How long," &c. Heretofore it was vain to pray, but now that the Divinely-appointed " threescore and ten years" (Jeremiah 25.11; 29.10) are elapsed, it is time to pray to thee for the fulfilment of thy promise, seeing that thy grace is not yet fully manifested, nor thy promise fulest of it given in the overtlirow of tlie two world-powers whicli up to Zechariah's time had ".scattered" Judah (Jeremiah 51.2; Ezekiel 5. 10, 12). Tliat only two of the four had as yet risen, is an argument having no weight with filled. God's promises are not to make us slothful, but to quicken our prayers. HENDERSOir, dating the seventy years from the destruction of Jerusalem (588 B.C.), supposes two years of the seventy had yet to run (520 b. c). 13. the Lord— Jehovah, called "the angel of the Lord (.Jehovah)" (v. 12). good words and comfortable words —lit., words, consolations. The subject of these consolatory words is stated in v. 14, &c.; the promise of full re-establishment, Jeremiah 29. 10, 11 (cf. Isaiah 57. 18 ; Hosea 11. 8). 14. Cry—Proclaim so as to be heard clearly by all (Isaiah us, as we believe God's Spirit in the prophets regards the future as present; we therefore are not to be led by Rationalists who on sucli grounds deny the I'cforence here and in ch. 6. 1 to the four worlil-kingdoius. 10. .Tudah, Israel—though some of the ten trilies of l.iytirl returned with Judah from Babylon, the full return of the former, as of the hitter, is here foretold and must be yit futuiJe. ao. four carpenters—or artificers. Tlie several instrumentalities employed, or to be employed, in crusliing the "Gentile" powers which " scattered" Judah, aio hereby referred to. For every one of the /our horns there was a cleaving artificer to beat It down. For every enemy of God's people, God has provided a counteracting power
40.6; 58.1), I am Jealous for Jerusalem—as a husband jealous for his wife, wronged by others. So Jehovah is for Judah, who has been injured wantonly by the heailieu