Commentary on Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah and Malachi John Calvin
MINOR PROPHETS
said, the letter {,}לlamed, is to be thus taken) with great zeal 232 This was indeed an incredible change, for God had for a time restrained himself, while the ungodly at their pleasure harassed the Church, so that they thought that they could do so with impunity. As God then had for some time remained at rest, what the Prophet says here could not have been easily believed, that is, that God would, through a sudden jealousy, undertake the cause of the Church. Hence the indignation, immediately subjoined, must be regarded with reference to enemies, as though he had said, that all the ungodly would now perceive what they had by no means expected, --- that God was the protector of Jerusalem. It now follows ---
Zechariah 8:3
3. Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.
3. Sic dicit Iehova exercituum, Reversus sum ad Sion, et habitabo in medio
Ierusalem; et vocabitur Ierusaelm urbs vertiatis; et mons Iehovae exercituum, mons sanctitatis.
The Prophet now more clearly explains what he intended; but it was necessary to preserve this order --- that enemies were to be by force ejected from their possession, and the Church delivered, before God could dwell in the midst of it; for how could God have proved that Jerusalem was under his guardianship and protection without having first subdued its enemies? It was not then without reason that the Prophet commenced with this promise --- that God was prepared for war, and was burning with wrath, that he might deliver his Church from the hands of enemies. Then follows the fruit of the victory; for it would not have been enough for God to avenge the wrongs done to his chosen people, without gathering the dispersed and restoring the Church to its ancient condition. For it often happens that those who have been cruelly treated find an avenger; but no comfort, or very little comfort, comes to them, as they are made nothing better; but the Lord here refers to these two things --- that he would take up arms to defend his chosen people, and also that he would become, as the case was, the defender and protector of the holy city.
The repetition of the sentence, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, almost in every verse, was no doubt intended for the purpose of strengthening their faith; for it was, as I have already said a thing incredible. It was then necessary to bring forward often the name of God, that the faithful might more readily give assent to the prophecy which they knew proceeded from God, even the God of hosts, whose power is infinite, and to whom nothing is difficult, as we shall find it presently stated.
And he says that he had returned; not that the accomplishment of this prophecy
232Newcome has followed our version. The rendering of Henderson is the same with that of Calvin, — I have been zealous for Zion with great zeal. The comparison is evidently what Calvin refers to above; it is the jealousy of a husband for the honor of his wife. Blayney has no good reason for saying that this verse refers to what was past, and the following to the state of things at that time; for the verbs in both instances are in the same tense, the perfect, which often includes the present, that is, the perfect up to the present time; as the future in Hebrew, and also in Welsh, includes the present as well as what is to come. If we say, "I have been jealous," etc., we must add in the next verse, "I have returned," etc. But it would be better in our language to use in both instances the present tense, "I am jealous," etc., and, "I am retained," etc. — Ed.