execrated, they have been a snare to their enemies, and an oc- casion of greatly aggravating their guilt. But " in that day will they prove a blessing " to all amongst whom they dwell : they will prove a blessing, as examples " whose conversion will be as life from the dead to the whole world ^ :" they will prove a blessing, too, as instruments, who, being themselves con- verted, " will declare God's glory amongst the Gentiles," and, like the priests of old, present thousands and millions of them as free-will offerings upon God's altar ". We all know of what use the showers are which descend upon the face of the earth, wheresoever God is pleased to seiad them : and precisely that office are the Jews, now dispersed over the earth, in due season destined to perform^. The whole process is well described by the Prophet Zechariah, who says, that " many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jeru- salem, every one of them taking hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you ; for we have heard that God is with you^."]
In this event God will greatly rejoice — [To this effect he has said, " I create Jerusalem a rejoic- ing, and her people a joy : and I tvill rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people^\" The expressions in my text are peculiarly striking to this effect : " The Lord of Hosts shall bless all his converts, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance." All will be regarded by him with peculiar affection, whilst yet his people Israel shall possess their original and distinctive honour, as " his peculiar people," the lot of his inheritance'." But when God pronounces these " blessed," he makes them so : he makes them blessed by the richest communications of his grace, his mercy, and his peace : and in due season he will consummate their blessedness in the fullest possible en- joyment of his presence and glory. Such is the blessedness prepared for all who believe in Christ, whatever may have been their former state. We may have been as hostile to Christ as the superstitious Jews, or as far from him as the idolatrous Gentiles ; and yet, if we embrace and obey the Gospel, this blessedness shall be ours.]
And is this event now fast approaching ? Let us then consider,
II. The effect which the prospect of it should produce on us —
Surely we should not be insensible to it. No : it should prevail,
^ Rom. xi. 12, 15. e isai. Ixvi. 19,20, 21. f Mic. v. 7.
s Zech,viii.20— 23. '' Isai. Ixv. 18, 19. ' Deut. xxxii. 9.