The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 70

can subordinate the most hostile externRl elements and forces to its own will and interests. III. THAT HE IS OIIE WHOSE MISSION IS SUBLIMELY GLORious. "He shRll build the temple of the Lord," etc. Zerubba.bel was now engaged in the ,vork of reCLrlng the material temple at Jerusalem; and a more glorious work;than this is not given to man than to promote the public worship of God. 'l'hc progress of nations is dependent upon morality, and morality is the growth of genuine religion. Philanthropy springs from piety ; it is only as philanthropy grows that humanity can advanoe. Hence no work so t.ranscendently important as that of promoting public worship, building temple~, etc. Hence it is added here, "He shall bear the glory." The true promoter of public worship bears with him in every honest effort the glory, compared with which the glory of every other department of human labour pales into dimness. '!'he building of the material temple is but the emblem of the rearing of the great spiritual temple. And the Man here referred to is the Builder of that. There is one and only one, and that is Christ. He is not only the Builder, but the Creator of the materials, and him- self the Foundation of the whole. " Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, that is Jesus Christ." In doing this he bears the glory. "Now is the Son of man glorified." God is glorified in him. "God bath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name," etc. St. Peter gives a beautiful description of this temple when he says, " To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritna.l house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Christ is the great Builder of the moral temple of the world, and no one else. IV. THAT HE IS ONE WHOSE POSITION A.ND FUNCTIONS ARE TRANSCENDENTALLY EXALTED. He is on a throne. "He is exalted fe.r above all heavens." But he is there : 1 . .As a priestly King. On behalf of humanity before God, he holds the reins of universal dominion. 2. As a glorious Reconciler. "The counsel of peace shall be between them both.." What does this mean? Not that there is a covenant of peace between him and his Father. They were never at variance. And to suppose any contract or covenant between them is to derogate Infinite Majesty. The "counsel of peace " between the Infinite Father and his alien and rebellious children. He is the :Mediator between God e.nd man. He is the Reconciliation, the Atonement. (But see in the Exposition (ver. 13) another explanation, and one more conformable to the context.) V. THAT HE IS ONE WHOSE POWER TO ATTRACT OTHERS TO HIS ENTERPRISE IS IMMENSELY GREAT. "Anci they that a.re far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts bath sent me unto you." "There can," says Dr. Wardlaw," be no doubt here; to you who were far off, and to them that were near are the very terms of distinction between Gentile and Jew, which, in addressing the former, the apostle uses. 'I will bring my sons from far,' says Jehovah,' and my daughters from the ends of the earth.' The Gentiles were to be themselves stones in the building, and agents in the rearing of it. And this was fulfilled in the beginning of the gospel, in the ministerial activity and usefulness of ID&ny a Gentile convert; and it is fulfilling to this day in every Gentile nation where Christianity has formed a settlement, and in every heathen country to which mission- aries are carrying the message of salvation, and gathering sinners into the Church of God. For that Church of God is his temple (the members of it, how widely soever scattered, being all 'builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit '), in which' spiritual sacrifices' will be offered to him-• acceptable through Jesus Christ,' in all time and for ever! " CoNCLURION. "Behold the Man I" What manner of man is he? He stands alone, the majestic cedar amongst the saplings of the race, the sun amidst the satellites. He is the" Wonderful."-D. T. CH, VII. 1-14.] THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH. 67