Such a man would not tolerate petty local jealousies ; he was worthy of trust. Hence Haggai und Zechariah began to urge on the work of building ; and Zemb- babel and Jeshua began to build. Then appeared the old vices of the people, testified against by many a prophet; they were also demoralised by their enforced in- action. (a) They were di-spirited. Haggai urges them "be strong." God is with them: "my e~irit remaineth among you, fear ye not." All resources are bis," the silver and the gold. ' He can make all nations serve them. " The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former " ( Haggai ii. 1-9). Zecbariah's prophecy glows with encouragement and hope. God loves hie people (Zeeb. i. 14--17; ii. 8, 10-12). Jeshua and Zerubbabel are bis chosen servants (cbe. ii., iii.). The prosperity of Jerusalem is assured (eh. viii. 1-8). (li) They were worl,dly. The force of char- acter native to the Jews, diverted from the work of building, bad found a channel in agriculture and trade. Some were rich, dwelling in" ceiled houses" (Haggai i. 4) ; they were very active (eh. i. 6). And they were hypocritical, making professed regard for God's word an excuse for their unreadiness. They bad begun too soon; the "seventy years" of Jeremiah were not completed : "the time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built." (c) They were selfish. The old sins of oppression were rife (Zeeb. vii. 8-10), side by side with sanctimoniousness (vers. 1-7). They were careless of justice and truth (eh. viii. 16, 17). They were dis- honest and perjured (v. 4). These are the very vices that a time of adversity is likely to foster. One of the perils against which we ought to be on our guard when a check is imposed on our prosperity, and we find ourselves unable, for a time, to execute a noble purpose, is that we drop into an altogether lower mood. A few men can mould circumstances ; there are more, but still few, who are indifferent to them; most men are profoundly affected by them. Practical lessons :-1. Since circumstances so intimately affect our moral and spiritual life, the sphere of cir- cumstance i,s a sphere for prayer. "Give me neither poverty nor riches." To limit the use of prayer to personal character is impossible ; for among the influences affecting personal character are the order of nature, and the course of events. 2. Let all circumstances be rightly used by us. There are virtues, as well as vices, fostered by special seasons. Prosperity may nourish the generous virtues ; a liberal habit acquired in prosperity may help to preserve us from a craven, niggardly spirit in times of care. Adversity may give us an opportunity for patience, meek- ness, and faith ; and, by teaching us to be indifferent to personal ease, may fit us to consecrate returning prosperity to God and our fellows. 3. Our responsibility for the use we make of varying circumstances. These may master us or we may master them. Our ability to read the "signs of the times " is an indication of our moral character. Contrast the Jews' perversion of the "seventy years'" prophecy (Hagg:ii i. 2) with the prophets' quick perception, so soon as the second year of Darius, that here was a man on whom they could rely, and that the time was come to resume work. Compare also our Lord's solemn denunciations of the Pharisees (Matt. x\·i. 1-4). It is thus, by events working· upon and revealing chararter, that time is preparing our eternity.-M.
Ver. 24; v. 1, 2.-Spiritual amendment. It is quite true that the building of the house of the Lord ceased in consequence of the opposition of the Samaritans ; it is also true that this cessation continued because of their animosity and opposition. Yet this does not express the whole truth. Here, as elsewhere, if not everywherP, different causes combined to produce the one result. The long inactivity on the part of the returned Jews was partly due to their own moral deficiency; there was witl1 them some- I. SLACKNESS, "Then ceased the work," &c. (ver. 24). We have here the great advantage of being able to compare one book of Scripture with another, and (what is more) a .historical with a prophetical book. Comparing Haggai i. with Ezra v., we conclude that, U!lder the pressure from without, the first zeal of the liberated captives cooled, and that they allowed themselves to be too much affected by the unfriendliness of their neighbours. If it was really necessary-as perhaps it was-to lay down their weapons at the first, they might have resumed them much sooner than ihey did. They permittecl nearly two years to pas1:1 without veutw-ing to take up tL<1t 64 THE BOOK OF EZRA. [en. v. 1, 2.