II. In reference to the period more especially described.
The declaration, that " in that day the Lord shall be king over all the earth ; and that there shall be one Lord, and his name One ;" clearly shews, that the period referred to has not yet arrived. From the very time when the prophecy was delivered, to the present hour, there have been lords and gods without num- ber, worshipped by the different nations of the earth. But the time is coming, when the Gospel shall be preached to all nations, and " all the kingdoms of the world become the kingdom of the Lord and his Christ :" and to that time the text clearly refers. The whole concluding part of the chapter also, whether literally or spiritually interpreted, manifestly deter- mines our views to that period.
We have then, in our text, an intimation of the time when we may expect this great work to com- mence : it will be a time when it is " neither day nor night," but, as it were, " the evening time," partaking in a measure of both.
The conversion of the Jews to the faith of Christ is an event which every one who believes the Scrip- tures looks forward to as certain. But the time for it is supposed to be yet far distant ; and all attempts to promote it are deemed visionary and absurd. Per- sons will say, ' Look at the Jews : see in what a low degraded state they are ; how deep and inveterate are their prejudices against the very name of Christ ; how intrenched they are in their own forms and cere- monies ; and how inaccessible to the Christian world : they will not suffer you to converse with them on the subject of Christianity : they will not read the books which you put into their hands. As for the Christian Scriptures, they will not look into them. Look at the efforts which have been made for their conver- sion ; how vain and nugatory they have been. If some have professed to embrace the faith of Christ, it has only been for the purpose of advancing their temporal welfare : and they have no sooner gained their end, than they have proved themselves to be the most consummate hypocrites, and been an utter