life, in fll('t, like Joseph in Gen. xxxvii. 24, 27, only no~ gone, 2, The kind of salva- tion VOIJ,IJhsafed. (1) Its cert&inty. A matter of "covene.nt" (ver. 12)---of a covenant Etill binding, renewed "to-day;" a covenant made by the greatest of all beings (" do I declare"), and in the most ~lemn of all methods, viz. by shedding of "blood" (soe 1 Pet. i. 19, et<:.). (2) Its fulness. "I will render double unto thee." Not merely ' " R$ the offence" is this "free gift" (Rom. v. 15), though that would be surprising enouf!h. It is very "much more," even "double" (comp. Isa.· xl. 2; lxi. 7). CoNCLUSI0N. How great cause, in all this, for us, too, to rejoice I If the prospect was good, the fulfilment is better (Matt. xiii. 16, 17; Heb, xi. 13, 39, 40; 1 Pet. i. 10-12). If the mere hope was so bright, how much better the harvest I How great cause, also, for taking waraing l The fuller the salvation, the greater the peril of rejecting it (Heb. ii. 1-3; x. 28, 29). 'l'he more comr,Iete, also, its provisions, the more final. '' There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin; ' '-' Last of a,ll he sent unto them his Son." Vers.13-17.-.A successf'ulcampa,ign. "Whlm·[.have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim," etc. It is clear, from the beginning of these verses, ·that we bave to do here, in some sense, with battle and war. It is equally clear, from the fact that the persons here mentioned have been described in ver. 10 as specially separated from battle and war, that we have only to do here with such things in some more literal sense. It seems most probable, therefore, that the "peace" spoken of in the latter portion of the passage must be something equally peculiar in its way. Let ua endeavour to find, in each case, where the peculiarity lies. I. As TO w AR. Under this head we may notice : 1. The description of the combat- ants. On the one hand," Judah,"" Ephraim," and "Zion," representing probably the Jewish people at large, as specially identified with the worship of Jehovah, the true God (Ps. lxxxvii. 2). On the other hand, " Greece," as probably representing the heathen at large (ver. 10), in connection with those mythological fictions and philoso- phical inquiries in which the "sons" of Greece took the lead. When did these combatants and these systems of thought come into conflict? Even when God raised up those Jewish apostles of Christ (.so it has been answered), who, by the preaching of the cross, attacked and overcame the religion and wisdom of Greece (1 Cor, i. 18-24). This was most truly a kind of "war," which also spoke "peace" (ver, 10) ;, .a war, also, in which the "Word of the Lord out of Zion" (Ise.. ii. 3) was as a "sword" (Eph, vi 17) in God's hand. 2. The description of the conflict Was not the Lord truly "'seen over," or with these combat.ants for his truth (Mark xvi. 20; Heb. ii. 3, 4)? Did not God's Word also, as spoken by them, find its mark like an " arrow" (Acts ii. 37; 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25)? Did it not shake and overthrow many deeply rooted con- victions, like the "trumpet" of Jericho, as though by its sound (Acts xvii. 6)? And overcome apparently insuperable obstacles as though by a "whirlwind" (2 Cor. x. 4, 5)? Did not God again specially "defend" these combat&nts when endangered (Acts v. 23; xii. 1-17; xiv. 20, 21; xvi 26; xix. 23--41; xxL 32, etc.)? Did they not also, with their weapons of peace, "devour and subdue" those weapons of war, "the stones of the sling" (margin), spreading the gospel even when destroyed themselves (Acts xi. 19-21)? And altogether were they not like men carried Blong as though with a holy "wine" from the "altar," in their fervour of zeal and success (Acts ii. 13; xxvi. 24; 2 Cor. v. 13)? In a.II these respects we seem to have here a faithful description of the earlier conquests of Christ's cross. II. .Al,, TO PEACE, Corresponding to this singular and hallowed warfare shall be its hallowed results. The Church, or congregation of God's believing people, shall be made thereby a new thing on the ea.rth. 1. &ternaUy; and that in three ways. (1) As to members. Before "that day" the family of God was confined almost entirely to one little people and land. Now, those thus saved by Lim should be "as the flock of his people." (2) As to appreciation. Like "the stones of a crown," like so many iewels, that is to say, not only most valuable in themselves, also most appreciatingly ~mployed, she.II his people then be. Compare the name of Peter, 1ignifying "a Stone," and such passages as 1 Pet. ii. 5; Rev. ii. 17 ; iii. 12. (3) A1l to effect. 'l'he Church becoming then, like a "standard" or "ensign," something easily seen, readily recognized, &.nd fa.itbfully followed (comp. Cant. vL 10). So numerous, so ill11strious, so con- f!JJ, IX, 1-17.] 'l'Hlll BOOK OF ZECHARTAH. 9!)
epicuous, was tho Now Testament Church,on the one hand, to become. Just so, on the othor hand, with all its faults and corruptions, has it actually been! 2. Internally. And this, in turn, manifested in three different ways. (1) In a special sense of God's love. "How !1:l'eat is his goodness I" (comp. John iii. HI; 1 John iii. 1; iv. 16, 17; Rom, v. 6; Eph. ii. 4-7). (2) In a special sense of God's perfections. "How great is his beauty l" (Compare such passages as Rom. iii. 25, 26; xi. 33; 1 Cor. i. 24, 25, 30.) (3) In e. special consequent sense of satisfaction and rest; and that amongst a.II. "Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids." Illustrated, perhaps, by such passages as Matt. xi. 28---30; Rom. v. 1, 2 ; Acts xvi. 34; Rom. xv, 13; 1 Cor. iii. 21-23; and it may be also, if we look to the margin, by Acts ii. 16-18; xxi. 4, 9. Never have all these things been so deeply and so commonly felt in the "Israel of God," as sinoe the de.ye when the apostles first went forth to preach Christ. From the various predicted changes thus accomplished, we may see, in conclusion: 1. The supernatural origin of Ohristianity. Physically, the Roman conquered the world. Intellectually, the Greek conquered the Roman. Spiritually, the Jew has conquered them both. A little society, formed originally out of the most despised of the nations, and principally, if not exclusively, out of the most despised of its provinces (Acts ii. 7; John vii. 52), has become the ruling society upon earth. Can we help saying as in Ps. cxviii. 23? 2. The supernatural value of Christianity. Is there any system to be compared with it as to the blessings it bestows? Can the statement of 1 Tim. iv. 8 be made of any other religion as it can of this one? Can anything else also so completely satisfy all the cravings of our nature (see John iv. 14)?