eighth (eh. vi. 1-8), discloses four chariots issuing from between two brazen mountains, which are sent as the messengers of God's wrath in the four quarters of the world, till his judgments are satisfied. The destruc- tion of the enemies of God's people is the inauguration of Messiah's king- dom; what glory is reserved for the future temple and who should be the priest to build it up, is set forth by a symbolical action (eh. vi. 9-15). The prophet is directed to take the silver and gold, which some Jews had just brought from Babylon as offerings for the temple, and of them to make crowns, which he was first to place on the head of Joshua, the high priest, the type of Messiah, in whom were united the offices of king and priest, and then to hang them up for a memorial in the temple. The second part ( eh. vii., viii.) is shoiter and simpler than the pre- ceding. It is after a silence of two years that the prophet now speaks. A deputation comes to the temple to ask whether the fasts instituted in memory of the calamities of Jerusalem are still to be observed. Zechariah, as chief of the prophets as well as priest, is commissioned to answer. He teaches them that God loves justice and mercy better than outward obser- vances; that they had not listened to previous warnings, and that their hearts were hard even while they fasted. Obedience, he tells them, is the only warrant for blessing from God ; and to urge them to this he draws a glowing picture of the prosperity of restored Jerusalem, in whose happi- ness the once alien n"'tions shall share, esteeming it an honour to be associated with an Israelite. The interpretation of the rest of the book depends largely upon the view taken of its unity and integrity. If we regard eh. ix.-xi. and ob. xii.-xiv. as written by the same Zechariah as the first part (which seems to me to be the most reasonable hypothesis), the following is the most acceptable explanation of them. The temple rebuilt and its worship restored, after, it may be, the lapse of many years, Zechariah is inspired to utter the prophecies which compose the third part of his work ( eh. ix.-xiv. ). He has two "burdens" to deliver, contained respectively in eh. ix.-xi. and xii.-xiv. At the time when these last prophecies were uttered the Jews needed encouragement. Things had not prospered as they hoped; they were still in a depressed condition, vassals of a foreign lord, endangered by the proximity of bitter enemies. The heathen had not come flocking to Jerusalem, eager to embrace the Jewish religion; the temple was not enriched by the gifts of distant nations; their country suffered much from the passage of alien armies which traversed their territory. They had no king; the family of David had fallen into utter insignificance, and their political degradation seemed complete. Now the prophet is commissioned to raise their spirits by a series of fresh communications. And first he gives them hopes of renewed prosperity by foretelling the chastisement of those nations which held territory originally granted to the Ismelites-Syria, Philistia, Phce- nicia, and over which David and Solomon had actually ruled. So he opens INTRODUCTION TO
with anuoun,cing the jndgment on these nations in the neighbourhood, and the presenation of Judrea amid the coming oalamitios (eh. ix. 1-8). 'l.'hen shall come to Zion, in meek and lowly fashion, her King, no lordly warrior, but a peaceful Prince, who shall cause the weapons of war to perish, unite in one the divided people, restore the capti'\"es, give fertility to the land, and found one uni'\"ersal kingdom ( eh. ix. 9-17). Such happy results can he expected only from the God of Israel, not from the idols ·o.nd teraphim to which once they had recourse. It was for such sins that they had evil rulers set over them ; but these shall be removed, and the theocracy shall be established on a firm and lasting foundation, victory and happiness shall be theirs, and the scattered tribes shall be gathered from every part of the world, and serve the Lord in their own chosen land (oh. x.). But there is another side to the picture. They shall not receive this Prince, this Shep- herd, when he comes; and punishment falls upon them, first in the north and then in the lowlands and the south. The prophet is bidden to personate Jeho'\"ah's Shepherd. and he relates what he himself did in carrying out his commission, the treatment which he received, and how he threw up the office in disgust. The section ends with the prediction of the calamitous rule of" a foolish shepherd," who shall himself be in turn destroyed. The second "burden" is concerned with events chiefly future, but all connected with Israel and the theocracy. The prophet sees Jerusalem surrounded with enemies, but saved by the intervention of Jehovah, who strengthens the people to fight valiantly. This great deliverance shall be followed by. a national repentance, which shall be deep and full, resulting in the abolition of the very memory of idols and false prophets, and a general purification ( eh. xii. I-xiii 6). Recurring to the statement of the rejec- tion of the Shepherd, the prophet shows the result of this sin-the Shepherd smitten, the sheep are scattered, and a remnant only is saved through much tribulation ( eh. xiii. 7-9). Then Jerusalem is introduced vanquished, plundered, desola.te, when suddenly the Lord comes to her rescue ; mighty convulsions of nature accompany his appearance; he raises the holy city to the highest splendour ; the enemies perish in terrible fashion ; all that a.re left of the nations shall come hither to worship, and everything hence- forward shall be "holiness to the Lord" ( eh. xiv.). "Through the ages, ever since the Christ took his seat on the throne, • crowned with glory and with honour,' his prediction has been and is being fulfilled. In degree aa the kingdom extends and its influence is felt, the curse is lifted from the race, and ' holiness to the Lord ' becomes inscribed on those who have been in arms against him, enemies by a mind in evil works. The end is not yet ; we see not yet all things put under him. But we see the kingdom advancing, and in due time the mystery of God i;hall be :fin.iBhed, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets (Rev. x. 7)-that. mystery which is also ' the mystery of Christ,' that the Gentiles ( -ru. ii0vr1, tbose outbide the Israel of God) are fellow-heirs (with Israel) and u:· the sail.le body, and partakers of the promise in Christ by the gospel TllE BOOK OF ZEOIIARIAH. V
(Eph. iii. 3-6). This mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but is manifested now in this latter time, it was given to Zechariah as to other prophets of the former dispensation to make known" (Alexande1 'Zechariah's Visions,' pp. 334, 335).
§ II. AUTHOR AND DATE.