oomes not within our purpose to discuss.the questions of genuineness, authenticity, an,l inspiration. In the preceding chapters the prophet had in vision seen and said rm1ch concerning many of the more remarkable events connected with the continued rule of the Persians; he ndv1mces now to foretell some of the more strikincr circumstances which would transpire under that of the Greeks, during the military expeditions of Alexander and his successors, so far aB they had a bearing upon the affairs of the .Jewish people. "He describes," says Dr. Henderson," in this chapter the conquest of Syria after the battle of Issus (ver. 1), and the progress of the army of Alexander along the coast of the Mediterranean, involving the capture of the principalities of the Phcenicians and Philistines, but leaving the Jews unmolested, through the protecting care of Jehovah (vers, 2-8). He then contrasts with the character and military achievements of that conqueror the qualities which should distinguish the Messiah and his kingdom, whom he expressly predicts (vers. 9, 10). After which he resumes the thread of his historical discourse, and describes the wars of the Maccabees with Antiochus Epiphanes, and the victory and prosperity with which they were followed (vers. 11-17)." These verses may be taken to illustrate the dark and the bright side of God's revelation to mankind. Here are threatenings and promises. The Bible, in relation to humanity, is something like the mystic pillar in the wilderness, as it appeared on the Red Sea; it threw a radiance on the chosen tribes as they advanced, and a black cloud upon their pursuing foes, overwhelming them in confusion. Notice, then- I. THE DARK SIDE OF THE DrvINE WoRD. Notice two things. 1. Ir, this aspect it is here called a "burden." The word "burden II is almost invariably used to represent a calamity. Thus we read of the burden of Babylon, the hmden of Moab, the burden of Damascus, the burden of Tyre, the burden of Egypt, etc. The general meaning is a terrible sentence. God's sentence of condemnation is indeed a terrible thunder-cloud. 2. In this aspect it bears upon wicked men. 'l'he doomed peoples are here mentioned. They are in "the land of Hadrach." Whether Hadrach here means the land of Syria or the common names of the kings of Syria, it scarcely matters ; the people of the place of which Damascus was the capital were the doomed ones. Besides these, there are the men of " Hamath," a country lying to the north of Damascus and joining the districts of Zobah and Rehub. And still more, there are "Tyrus" and "Zidon," places about which we often read in the Bible, and with whose history most students of the Bible are acquainted. " Ashkelon," " Gaza," and " Ekron" are also mentioned. These were the chief cities of the Philistines, and the capitals of different districts. All these peoples were not only enemies of the chosen tribe, but enemies of t'1c one true anu living God. History tells us how, through the bloody conquests of Ale;.a.nder and his successors, this" burden of the word of the Lord" fell with all its weight upon these people. Observe: (1) That the Bible is heavy with black threatenings to the wicked. It has not one word of encouragement to such, but all menace; not one gleam of light, but a dark mass of cloud. (Quote passages.) (2) That these black threatenings will inevitably be fulfilled. All the threatenings here against the land of Hadrach, Hamath, Tyrus, Zidou, Gaza, Ekron, Ashkelon, and the Philistines were fulfilled. II. THE BRIGHT BIDE OF THE DIVINE WORD. There is a beam of promise here. "And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite. And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes." The following is Dr. Keil's translation of these verses: "And I shall take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth, and he will also remain to our God, and will be as a tribe-prince in Judah, and Ekron like the Jebusite. I pitch a tent for my house against military power, against those who go to and fro, and no oppressor will pass over them any more; for now have I seen with my eyes." The promise in these words seems to be twofold. 1. The deprivation of the po111er of the enemy to injure. "I will take away his blood from between his teeth," etc. "The Philistines and other enemies of the Jews," says Scott, "would be deprived of their power to waste them any more; and the spoils they had taken by violence a.n .l tho most abominable rapine would he taken away from them as prey from a. w:lJ. 102 THE BOOK 01<' ZECHARIAH. [oH. IX, 1-17.
beast." The Bible promises to the good man the subjection of all his foes. "The God of 1x-ace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly ; " " The last enemy that shall be de~troyed is death." 2. Divine protection from all their enemies. " I will encamp a.bout mine house," etc. "They were not to be injured," says Hendersou, 11 by the army of Alexander, on its m11.rch either to or from Egypt--a promise which was fulfilled to the letter, for while that monarch punished the Samaritans, he showed great favour w the Jews. Nor was any foreign oppressor to invade their land, as the Assyrians and Chaldeans had done, during the period that was to intervene before the advent of the Messiah, predicted in the verse immediately following. They were, indeed, subject to ruuch suffering, both from the Egyptian and the Syrian kings, especially from Antiochus Epipha.nes; but their nationality was not destroyed; and the evils to which they were exposed only paved the way for the Maccabean victories and for the establishment of the Asmonean dynMty. For this preservation they were indebted to the! providence of God, which watched over them for good. Thia is emphatically expressed in the last clause of the verse." The Bible promises eternal protection to the good. "God is our Refuge and Strength," etc.-D. T.