HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver.1.-The introduction. The Bible student, with a view to the clear understan,\- ing of tho Old Testament Scriptures, should fix in his mind the order of the prophetica:l writings. These books of prophecy may appropriately be arranged under three heads. 1. Those which stand related to the A~syrian period, including the books of Jonah, Joel, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, and Nahum. 2. Those connected with the Baby- lonian period, including Habakkuk, ,Zepbaniah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Obadiah. 3. 'l'hose asscicinted with the return from the exile: Haggai, Zecbariah, Malachi. The introdt!ction of this brief prophecy by Haggai suggests to us- I. THE CHANGES ·MARKED BY THE REVOLVING WHEEL OF· TIME. We a.re able, through this opening verse, 'to fix: the exact elate of this prophecy. It was "in the second year of Darius the king·" tb:at Haggai fulfilled this special mission, i.e. B.c. 521. Hence upwards of a century had passed .a.way since Zephaniah had declared so faithfully the terrible Divine judgments which should overtake the nation on account of its guilt. His words had: proved strictly true, and had been very literally and completely fulfilled. The land had been rendered utterly desolate; its cities had been entirP-ly destroyed; its temple reduced to a heap of ruins; and its people carried a.way into exile. No King of Judah was referred to by Haggai in commencing his book, for the simple reason that the throne had fallen, and he had to recognize the authority of a Persian sovereign, and to speak of his favoured land as a province of a foreign power (ver. 1). The dispersion, however, had in a measure been followed by the regathering. Zepha.- niah bad prophesied respecting the return of "a remnant," and his prophecy had, in 11 sense, now been fulfilled, for Cyrus permitted the Jews to colonize their own land, and 11 nmu her had· availed themselves of this. permission, and had now spent some years in the land given to their fathers, seeking to repair the waste and desolation which the march of events and the lapse of time had wrought. II. THE WILL OF GoD AS COMMUNICATED THB0UGH HUM.AN INSTRUME1,.-TALITY. The returned exiles commenced well. Their first concern had reference to the rebuilding of the house of the Lord, and with all possible speed they laid the foundation of the second temple,, They were, however, weak and poor; they laboured amidst untold difficulties and discouragements, and it is not surprising that, their hearts becoming downcast and depressed, their ardour declined and their zeal languished. They needed. stimulus; they required some message from the Lord their God declarative of his will and purpose; and this need was supplied, for they heard "a voice from heave!' " speaking unto them through Haggai and Zechariah (Ha!!:. i. 1, 2; Zech. i. 1). In every age God l1as communicated his will and intention through the instrumentality of man. He has made holy men, full of human sympathies, the me,iium of communi- cating his purposes. His agents in this instance, as ever, were admirably chosen. Haggai was advanced iu life; he had probably seen the former temple; he was a link connecting the old with the new, and brought to bear upon the difficulties of the times a ripened and matured experience; whilst Zechariah was youn!!, and with all the enthusiasm and warmth of youth. They worked together in perfect harmouy and for the common good, their prophecies being at times admirably interwoven. There are two elements in the Bible-the Divine and the human. God speaks to us in every page, and he does so all the more emphatically, in that he addresses us through men who possessed throbbing hearts and who passed through experiences like our own. Ill. 'l.'Hll RAISING UP IN THE ORDER 0~' PROVIDENCE OF EFFICIENT LE~DERS TO DIRECT GREA'l' MOVEMENTS. "The word of the Lord co.rue by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest" (ver. 1). Zerubbabel, of royal descent from David, and Joshua, who was in the priestly line, had secured the confidence and esteem of the Jewish community in the land of captivity; and the former had won the regar,l of Cyrus, the Persian monarch; so that wheu the time for tho return ea.me, leaders, eateerued alike by the Jews and their foreign rulers, were prepare,! to guide the move- ment and to carry it throup:h successfully. God's work shall never fail through lack of suitable agents to do his bidding, but he will raise up a bright succession of leal- heartcd men to carry ou his cause, until the ruin and desolation wrought b~· sin ha.t 12 THE BOOK OF HAGGAI. [oil, I, 1-16.
been completely repaired, and the top-at.one of the temple of redeemed humanity be " brought forth " amidst r11.pturous pra.ise.-S. D. H. ,