with diligence, his blessing shall be visibly poured out upon them3.
In discoursing on this subject, we will notice,
I. The conduct reproved —
They had begun to build the temple about sixteen years before ; but having been stopped by an edict from Artaxerxes, they had desisted, and had attended only to their own personal accommodations. But the Persian monarch was now dead; and they ought therefore to have availed themselves of that circum- stance, and to have proceeded with the work. A whole year had elapsed, and they had not even thought of re- suming the pious labour : they were even well pleased with the obstacle that had been put in their way ; and satisfied their consciences with saying, that "the Lord's time for rebuilding the temple was not yet come." They did not say that they would never execute that work ; but they justified their present neglect of it by this vain excuse.
Now this is precisely what we ourselves are prone to do,
1. In reference to God's temple which is to be
erected in the world —
[The Church is his temple, " the habitation of God through the Spirit ;" and on the whole face of the globe is it one day to be erected. But when we call on persons to arise and work, they answer, " The Lord's time is not come." They see many difficulties to be surmounted ; and, instead of regard- ing them as occasions only for calling forth their zeal, they consider them as indications that God does not require the work itself to be performed ; thus making the dispensations of his providence a cloak for their own supineness. In reference to the conversion of the Jews in particular, this excuse is offered by many ; and offered with as much confidence, as if they were acquainted with all the counsels of the Deity, and knew exactly all the times and the seasons which the Father has reserved in his own power. But this excuse of theirs is nothing more nor less than a plea for inactivity, and an acknowledgment, that they are altogether indisposed for the exertions which they are called to make in this sacred cause.]
a Hagg. ii. 15 — 19.