HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-5.-.A msion of safety. "I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a measuring-line in bis hand," etc. We have here another case of repetition and expansion, In the end of. eh. i. 16 we had a brief promise of the full restoration of Jerusalem o.s o. city-a place of dwellings with dwellerS' therein. In the present passage we have the same promise expressed at more length. In other words, we are asked to observe (1) bow immediate its application; (2) how emphatic its repetition; and (3) how profound its significance. I. How IMMEDIATE ITS APPLIOATION. So immediate, in fact, that the first steps towards its accomplishment had already begun. Whatever may have been previously resolved on in private in regard to building operations, the first visible and overt step in those operations themselves is that of measuring aad staking the gronnd. The very children understand the meaning of that. Jehovah, accordingly, in the opening verses of this chapter, accommodates himself to this truth. The prophet sees mani- festly (he "lifted up his eyes, and looked"), but apparently much to bis surprise ("behold"), a man with a measuring-line in his hand. Where is he going? so the prophet asks; and is told-He is going to "Jerusalem" with his line. For what purpose? To "measure" it, to survey it as for building, to ascertain its length and its breadth. What does a.II this amount to? It amounts to "business," as we should now express it. Consultation, deliberation, decision,-the time for all these is now past, It is the time for doing, for actual fulfilment, The work, in one scese, there- fore, as we said, has begun. Compare "The hour is coming, and now is," in John iv. 23; v. 26; also Luke xii. 49. II. How EMPHATIO ITS REPETITION, This shown: 1. By the dignity of the speaker. Two angels are now spoken of (vers. 3, 4), about whom and their respective d0ings much difference of interpretation exists. If, however, we assume the "youag man" of ver, 4 to be the prophet himself (see Pusey, in Zoe.; and comp. Jer. L 6; 2 Kings ix. 4, "the y,:mng man the prophet"), it seems clear that the one of these angels, speaking as be does (in ver. 5) in Jehovo.h's name, is that Angel-Jehovah mentioned before in eh. i. 11, 12, and afterwards in eh. iii. 1 ; as also that it is this same Angel who commissions the other to communicate to the prophet the declaration of ver. 4. No speaker, therefore, in regard to dignity, can go beyond him (Matt. xxi. 37; Heb. i. 5). 2. The earnestness of the action, (1) On this great Speaker's part, "going forth," o.s with some special purpose in view. (2) On the other angel's po.rt, going forth to '! meet him," as though to learn his will as soon o.s possible. (3) In the com- mand given, to "rnn and speak," as men do who carry good tidings (2 Sam. xviii. 27). 3. The explicitness of the language. Jerl.lllo.lem was to more than recover (ver, 4) its former population and size. Now its populo.tio11c and dwellings were much too few for its ancient limits. By~and-by they should be as much too many. What evidence this of increase I What o. picture of security, of populo.tioa, of wealth (comp. Gen. :1.iii. 2; xxiv. 35; Job i. 3) I What u. promise, in short, of blessing and good! Ill. How PROFOUND ITS BIGNIFIOANOE, 'l'he features already noticed, however striking, were only, as it were, on the surface, '!'here were others deeper and still more worthy 20 THE BOOK OF EECRARIAB:. [err. n. 1-18.
of notice which accounted for these. 1. How came Jerma'lem to be th™ secure and e11la\ged' Because the Lord Jehova.b himself was as "a. wall of firo round nbout;" such a defence, i.e., as would not only keep the enemies out, but also destroy them it they essayed to draw near (comp. Ps, cxxv. 2, a psalm, like cxxvi., probably belonging to this time ; 2 Kings vi. 17). 2, How came Jerusalem to be thus protected and favoured' Because God himself had returned to dwell in her; and to do so more- over, as her peculiar "glory." These two points illustrated by Pa, xlvi, 6; ai:d Aots ii. 5-11; viii. 27, 28. This, in short, was why there should be so many other inh><bitants in Jerusalem, viz. because of this most glorious Inhabitant of all. We are reminded by this subject yet further: 1. How swift and willing is the service ~f the angel.s of heaven. Compe.re the word "run," etc., with Dan, ix. 211 23 ; Ezek, i. 14; and Ps. ciii. 201 21. This described by the poet- "Thousands at his bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean." This partly at the root, perhaps, of the common notion that angels have wings, This also a thing to be imitated and aimed at by us. "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." 2. How blessed the effects of the presence of Ohrist. As to safety (Matt, viii. 24--!26); as to success (Matt. xviii. 19, 20); as to comfort (Mark ii. 19); as to hope (Col. i. 27, " Christ among you, the Hope of glory"); as to all that constitutes hea. ven (1 John iii. 2 ; John xiv. 3 ; xvi. 24:).