Christ's reign on earth.
Zech. xiv. 9. The Lord shall be King over all the earth : in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.
UNDER the Jewish dispensation, the saints looked forward to the first coming of our Lord ; at the pro- spect of which, though at the distance of two thou- sand years, Abraham exulted, and leaped for joy. Under the Christian dispensation, we look forward to his second advent : when he shall take to him his great power, and reign over the face of the whole earth. The near approach of this great event should make us more intent upon it, and fill us with delight- ful anticipations of the blessings which will then be diffused throughout all the world. The words which we have just read will furnish us with an occasion to consider,
I. The incalculable importance of this prophecy — It is of importance, 1. To the world at large —
[At present, our blessed Saviour reigns over a very small part of the globe. By far the greater part of mankind are
sunk in the grossest idolatry But there is a time
coming, when every Dagon in the universe shall fall before
the ark, and Christ shall be King over all the earth. In every place under heaven shall men " cast their idols to the moles and to the bats," and Christ be made the one object of supreme and universal regard.
The delusions of Mahometanism shall also then be banished ; the worshippers of that false prophet shall be undeceived ; and Christ be acknowledged as that Prophet of whom Moses spoke, as ordained of God to be supremely and exclusively the Teacher of the world.
God's ancient people, too, shall then be brought to " look on Him whom they pierced, and mourn ; and be in bitterness, as one that mourneth for his only son." To him shall they submit, as King in Zion ; and thus all, both Jews and Gen- tiles, shall become " one fold under one Shepherd."
To all these things the Scriptures bear witness, in so plain and abundant a measure, that we must doubt altogether the inspiration of the sacred volume, if we can doubt that these things shall be fulfilled in their season3 ]
2. To the Church in particular —
[Even in the Christian world there is almost as little subjection to one Head as in the world at large. Both in the Roman Church and the Greek Church, superstition prevails to such a degree, as in a great measure to supersede the work and offices of Christ. And even among Protestants, the divi- sions which exist tend greatly to embitter their minds against each other, and to prevent that union which ought to subsist amongst the members of Christ's mystical body. As, of old, the tribes of Judah and of Ephraim were in a state of most inveterate hostility against each other, even so it is now. But as, in reference to them, we are told that the two sticks in the prophet's hand became one, as shadowing forth their future union b, " (Ephraim no longer envying Judah, nor Judah vexing Ephraim0," but both living together in harmony and love,) so we may assuredly expect, that, at the season predicted in my text, all will become, as at the day of Pentecost, " of one heart and one mind ;" all, as it were, " being like-minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus ; and all, with one mind and one mouth, glorifying God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ d."]
3. To every individual of mankind —
[Who amongst us has not reason to confess, that " other lords besides Jehovah have had dominion over us?" But at that time we shall all say, " By thee, and the influence of thy grace, will we henceforth make mention of thy name, even of
a Ps. ii. 6, 8. xxii. 27, 28. lxxii. 8, 11. and Dan. ii. 44, 45. b Ezek. xxxvii. 16 — 22. c Isai. xi. 13. d Rom. xv. 5, 6.