cendent mind. Most expositors regard the man on the red horse, and who stoo<I among the myrtle trees, a~ no less a personage than the Angel of the covenant, the great MosHiah. '£he subsequent verses sustain this idea.. '£his same man appeared to Abmham in the plains of Mamre, to Jacob before his meeting with Esau, to Moses ~t the burning bush, to Joshua. e.t Jericho, with the sword drawn in bis band. Here he is on tbo "red horse," emblem of war. He is a. great moral Chieftain. 2. That there are varied orders. "Behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white." This is the troop that followed the me.n. When the eyes of Elisha's servant were opened, be beheld a "mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." Horses are emblems of force and fleetness. la Christ's army there are hosts, mighty in power and swift in motion. "Are they not all ministering spirits?" How infinitely varied are God's ministers-varied in kind and measure of faculty, in experience, attainment, and aspect too--throncs, principalities, powers, and dominions! 3. That the whole world is their sphere of action. "These are they whom the Lord bath sent to waik to and fro through the earth." (1) They" go to and fro" through the earth. They are ever journeying; some are swift as lightning in their speed; some of them are "full of eyes," and see all things. (2) They know the state of the world. "We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest." "At rest," not in the rest of righteousness, not in the repose of goodness, but in carnal security and sin. II. THAT IT HAS NOT ONLY DIFFI0ULTIES, BUT AN INTEBPBETEB ALSO. "Then said I, 0 my lord, what are these?" Observe: 1. The difficulties of God', government. " W!iat are these 1" The prophet understood not these strange appearances; and in amazement he exclaims," What are these?" What thoughtful man has not asked such a question as this concerning the Divine government over and over again? " What are these? What ere these elements, forces, laws, existences, events? What are they? Are they messengers of mercy or of justice? 0 my lord, what are these? " We are all moving in mystery. 2. The interpreter of God's government. Who answered the question? "The man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they." Some other creature, the angel that talked with him, was asked first; but the answer came not from him, but from the Man Christ Jesus. In Rev. v. 2 "a strong angel" is represented as crying with a loud voice concerning the mysteries of God's government, inquiring who was worthy to" loose the seals;" but no one was found in heaven, in earth, or under the earth, able to "open and read the book." There was only one found: "It was the Lamb in the midst of the throne." Christ is the only Interpreter of God. He is the Logos. Ill. THAT IT IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNED IN THE INTERESTS OF HIS PEOPLE. his people are supposed to be here represented by the "myrtle trees." The Jewish Church at this time was not like a forest of stately cedars, but a grove of myrtles, fra'!ile and obscure. 1. These seem tobe the centre of Divine operations on the earth. Now, in the myrtle trees is the man "riding upon a red horse." And in the myrtle trees were the "red horses, speckled, and white "-the whole troop was there. The "myrtle tree~" seemed to he the centre of all the agents. From it they started on their mission, and to it they returned. '£he true Church is the temple, the residence of God himself. 2. The object of special intercession. "Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, 0 Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Judah, age.inst which thou hast had indignation these three score and ton years?" 'l'he duration of their captivity in Babylon. Who is the angel that makes thi~ appeal? It was he that "ever liveth to make intercession for us." "If nny man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous." 3. The subjects of the Diuine communication. "The Lord answered the angel that talketl with me with good words and comfortable words." The prophet is here commissioned to proclaim: (1) God's zeal on behalf of Jerusalem. "Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts." (2) His displeasure for the enemies of Jerusalem, "I am very sore displeased with the heathen." His merciful purpose was to bestow blessings on Jerusalem. "Therefore thus saith the Lord," etc. CoN0LUSION. Though we are far enough from presuming to have given a correct interpretation of the passage, or of me.intaining that the thoughts we have suggested ure contained in it, we conscientiously believe that the ideas are scriptural, anu adapted l6 THE BOOK OF IZEOHARIAH. [on. n. 1-13.
for spiritual usefuln!!BB. The subject of God's government in the world is one of the ~ublimest that can engage the human mind, and is beset with difficulties that often baffie t.he profoundest thinkers. It is our happiness to know that, small as is our planet in comparison with millions of other orbs that people immensity, and insignificant M are its human tenants, the infinite Father superintends it in wisdom and in love. -D.T.