The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 15

xii. 1.) See also what this int.ercession 1·elies on, viz. on the one hand, God's cha.re.et-er, as delighting to exercise mercy (so to speak) as soon as he can; and, on the other hand, on God's faithfulness, as being sure to confine his indi!ma.tion strictly to the duration specified by him. "These three score and ten years" (see Jar. xxvl. 11, 12). 3. Very effectual. This shown by the answer obtained, which consisted, on the one hand, of " good words," i.e. words promising good; and on the other hand, of "comfortable words," lit.erally, words "sighing with," or full of sympathy, in the spirit of Rom. xii. 15; Isa. !xiii. 9; and so being all that could be wished for, both in matt.er and manner. 11. INSTRUCTION. The Angel-Jehovah, having received this reply, then proceeds- either persona.Uy or, as some think, through the instrumentality of some subordinate angel-to instruct the prophet accordingly. In this we may notice: 1. His commis- swn. The satisfactory answer just received by the Angel-Jehovah the prophet was now to make known in his turn : "Cry thou." He was also to tell it aloud, to proclaim it: "Cry" (bis); comp. Gen. xii. 43; 2 Chron. xxxii. 18, where the same word is employed. And he was to do so being thus commissioned (this also is mentioned twice, vers. 14, 17) in God's name. 2. His message. This corresponds, as might be expected, with the "words" of ver. 13. For example, it is a message (1) of great sympathy; being one, we find, in which God identifies himself with the interests of his people (observe "my," in vers. 16, 17), and even speaks of himself as sharing to some extent in their anxieties and purely national jealousies and rivalries. It was no pleasure to him to see other nations at ease, and them in trouble, however deserved. No doubt he had been "displeased" with them ( eh. i. 1, 2); but he was still more so with their foes (ver. 15). A message (2) of great hope. Much good, in fact, had begun. Not only had the remnant returned to Jerusalem; God himself also had done so (ver. 16), and that "with mercies;" to stay amongst his people, and not merely to " visit" them. More good was to follow. The "house" now building was to be finished; the rest of the now desolate city to be marked out and finished; and the scattered cities of Judah to be so filled as to overflow (" spread abroad;" comp. eh. ii. 2) on all sides. All this, however apparently unlikely, we.s, nevertheless (observe "yet" three times), being God's settled purpose, to be accomplished ; and tb;e prophet also was to go on saying so until this was the case (" Cry yet," ver. 16). Do we not see illustrated in all this, finally ? 1. The perfection of the gospel. " Good words and comfortable words"-" glad tidings of great joy "-so we see it to be. How full of sympathy! How full of hope! Its excellency culminating in this, perhaps, above all, that we have not only such a "Propitiation" (1 John ii. 2), but such a perpetual "Advocate" (1 John ii. 1) and Intercessor to plead it (see also Heh. vii 25 ; Luke xrii. 31, 32; xiii 8, 9 ; Acts vii. 55). 2. The certainty of the gospel. As to its essence and source, on the one hand. As in ver. 13, it is, in effect, the promise of God to his Son (comp. Ps. ii 7-9; ex., passim). As to its conveyance to us, on the other; being, in effect, as in ver. 14, the message of Christ himself to us through those appointed by him. Compare the visions of Christ to Isaiah (vi.; John xii.) and De.niel (x. 5, 6, and references); also John xiv. 26; xvi. 13, 14; Col. iii. 16, etc. Vers. 18-21.-.A vision of hel,p. "Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw," etc. In these verses, and some that follow, certain detached portions of the previous general prophecy seem to be set before us again in greater amplitude and detail-like maps of England, France, and so on, in an atlas, following the general but smaller-scaled map of the whole" quarter" of Europe. In the verses now especially before us, it is the previous message concerning the enemies of God's people (vers. 14, 15) which seems to be thus followed up and enlarged. And the twofold purpose in view seems to be that of reminding hie people in this connection (1) of their special danger; and (2) of their special defence. L THEIR SPECIAL DANGER, On this point they are shown : 1. Its reality. '!'hough God was sorely displeased with the heathen, though he had done much already to r cstrain them, so that the earth now was "at rest" (supra, ver. 11), and the returned people were able to rebuild his house, he had by no means destroyed them a~ yet. '£he four "horns" seen in the vision-the well-known symbo!Ji of authority and et1·ength UH. I. 1-21.] THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH, 9