The Pulpit Commentary — Zechariah — Section 109

HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-6.-7Vle secret of victory. "Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time," etc. In the le.st passage the Church of God (in its new Testament form, as we supposed) WBR presented to us under the figures of an army (ver. 13, etc.); a flock (ver. 16); and a field which the Lord had blessed (ver. 17). In the present verses we find all these figures again employed: the field (ver. 1); the flock (vers. 2, 3); the army or most (vers. 3-5). It would appear, therefore, that we have also presented to us thEI same topic of illustration, viz. the New Testament Church; and that, further, under the same circumstances and at the same time as before. The distinction to be noted is, that, in the present passage, we have a deeper view of the subject-the secret nature of that Church being explained and enforced by describing to us (1) a special gift; (2) a grievous failure; (3) a signal success. I. A SPECIAL GIFT. According to the first verse, there is something to be "asked of the Lord;" something appointed by him, having its proper "time;" something to be hoped for from him: "the Lord shall give;" something to be hoped for by all : " to every one." It is figured to us as "rain." What does it signify? In the present connection, what can it signify but the gift of God's Spirit (Isa. xliv. 3; Joel ii. 28)? How specially were men taught, in New Testament times, to" ask" for this gift (see Luke xi. 9-13, where men nine times over are encouraged in praying for this very blessing; also John iv.10; vii. 37-39)1 How expressly, again, were those "latter" days the appointed "time" for this blessing (Luke xxiv. 49; John xvi. 7; Acts i. 4) I In what abundant "showers," once more, was it given in these primitive times, as it were, "to every one" "in the field" (Acts ii. 17; viii. 17-19; xi. 17 ; Gal. iii. 2, 3) I These were some of the things which caused the dispensation then commenced to be called "the dispensation of the Spirit"! In short, without this holy " rain" from above, the strictly "Christian" Church could never have come into existence. Much less, of course, could it have continued alive. II. A GRIEVOUS FAILURE. The state of things in the Jewish Church at the coming of Christ seems described to us next. In one sense that Church, as a body, though free from the grosser idolatry of earlier days, was worshipping "idols" of its own. Its members trusted to merely external rites, and names, and privileges, and professions (Rom. ii. 17-20; Matt. iii. 9; xxiii. 14, 23, 30, etc.). As a consequence, they never obtained (Jer. xiv. 2, etc.), as they never desired, the gift spoken of here. Failing of this, they failed altogether, notwithstanding all their privileges (Rom. iii. I, 2), as a Churc\.i. This evidenced at the time-as apparently here predicted beforehand-in various ways. For example, by the absence among them: 1. Of solid kmowledge and truth. "The diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams" (comp. Matt. xv. 14; xxiii. 16, 19, 24, 26; John ix. 40, 41). 2. Of saving knowledge and truth. "They comfort in vain" (see Matt. v. 20; Rom. ix. 31; perhaps also Mark x. 20, 21). 3. Of proper :pastoral oversight. (See end of ver. 2; and comp. Matt. ix. 36.) Also by the presence among them: 4. Of special fttdgments on those who professed (Matt. xxiii. 2) to be "shepherds" (ver. 3). (See Matt. xxiii. throughout, with its sevenfold denunciation of "woe" on the "scribes and Pharisees.") Was there not "failure," indeed, when such language could be used as that found in Matt. x.xiii. 33 and xxi. 13? HI. A SIGNAL sucoESS. 1. Its nature. Being the same as that noted before on eh. ix. 14, 15, viz. success in preaching the gospel of Christ aud bringing sinners beneath its power. 2. Its secret. This found in the fact that, by the coming of Christ, "the Lord of hosts" ( ver. 3) had "visited" his people and "flock" (comp. Luke i. 68, 78, 79; vii. 16; and note, in ver. 6, the expression, "They shall fis;ht, because the Lord is with them"). 3. Its instruments. These very notable, (1) as being men of" Judah," or Jews (as all the apostles were); men, i.e., belonging to that very Church and people which, in religiou11 matters, as just now noted, had so egregiously failed. Possibly, also, \2) as being, some of them, men like Saul of Tarsus, who, o.t :first, were "oppres~ors ' (see also John i. ½6). And certainly, (3) as being o.ble to " tread down" obstacles, and "confound" opponents in a very mo.rvellous way (see Acts iv. 13; v. 33; vi. 10; ix. 22; xv iii. 28; and perhaps, also, xxvi. ~S). How strikingly all this teaches us the absolute need of the Spirit of GoJ. ! 1. For all  110 THE BOOK OF ZECH.ARIAH, [orr. x. 1-1?.