Vere. 16-17.-..4. picture of antichrist. "An: the Lord said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd," etc. After the experience of the good Shepherd comes the description of the bad; after the right "instruments," the wrong ones ; after the Christ, the antichrist, the person wurping the true Christ's position, that is to say, and so opposing his work. See (ver. 17) the" idol-shepherd" -the shepherd making himself the object of worship to his flock; and comp. 2 Thess. ii. 4; Luke iv. 7. Which of the '' many antichrists" (1 John ii. 18) to appear in II the last time " is here intended primarily, we do not propose to discuss. It seems safer to take the description as applying to all. So interpreted, it may be understood as setting before us (1) their true calling; (2) their chief characteristics; and (3) their final doom. I. THEIR TRUE OALLING. They are spoken of here (ver. 16) as "raised up" by God. By this we may understand: 1. That they do not come without the knowledge of God. By the typical action enjoined on his prophet (ver. 15), God not only shows here that he foreknew the appearance of these various enemies, but he also foretells it. A.J; the prophet is ordered to do in figure, so will they do in fact (comp. Acts i. 16; 2 Thess. ii. 3; 1 Tim. iv. 1; Matt. :xiii 25 ; and see 1 Cor. xi.19). 2. Nor yet without God's will. It is the natural tendency of corruption to come to a head, as it were, in this manner. An evil movement never continues long without producing evil leaders to guide it. But they cannot be fully developed till God permits (see the story of Jeroboam, 1 Kings xL 13, 26, 35; :xii. 2, 3; 2 'l'hess ii. 6, 7, 8, beginning). II. THEIR CHIEF CH.ARACTERIBTICS. These appear to be three. 1. Shameful negligence. The things to which, in the position assumed by these idol-shepherds, they ought f'J)0Cially to attend are just those they neglect. Where their flocks are in danger (" cut off"), they forsake them; where weak, as the "young," they pass by them; where "wounded," they do not "heal" them; where unable to walk (stanaeth still), they do not" bear" them (see John x. 12, 13; Ezek. xxxiv. 4; and contrast Ezek. :xxxiv. 16; Isa. xl. 11; John x. 15). 2. Shameless selfishness. Instead of feeding the flock. they feed themselves-" eating the flesh of the fat" (see Ezek. :x.xxiv. 2, 8, end, 10 ; also such passages as Matt. :xxili. 14; Luke xvi. 14; 2 Pet. ii. 1-3, 15; Jude 11; and contrast 2 Cor. xii 15-18). 3. Unblmhing C1"U6ley. (See end of ver. 16, "tear, their claws in pieces;" and comp. Ezek. xxxiv. 4, end.L, These perverters of God's truth ever become, in due course, the persecutors of God e people (see Rev. xvii 6; xviii. 24; x.ix. 2). III. THEIR FINAL DOOM. Judgment, though often long delayed, will always come upon them at last. The "sword," in due time, will descend. Moreover, thisjudgment, when it does come, will be found: 1. Peculiarly ;'ust. It is on'the negligent "eye," and the cruel and grasping hand and "arm," that -the punishment comes (compare, per- haps, in Ezek. xxxiv. 16, how it is said of the " fat and the strong," which had II fed themselves," "I will feed them with judgrnent "). 2. Peculiarly awful; all their power being "clean dried up," and all their light being" utterly darkened." So 2 These, ii 8; Rev. xviii. 8, 21, etc.; and compare such passages as 2 King11 ix. 35-37; Ps. ii. 9; Isa. xxx. 14; Matt. :x.xi. 44; and below eh. xiv. 12. In contemµlating these scenes we may frequently notice: 1. H<>W great is the forbear- ance of God. When we see this succession of enemies permitted to arise and prosper in sowing tares in his field, we may well exclaim as in Rom. ix. 22. Not so would man have acted (Matt. xiii. 28). 2. How great is the goodness of God. Thie forbeu.r- aoce is partly for the sake of those who truly believe in his Name (Matt. xiii. 29); and partly, also (more wonderful still), for the sake of those who do not (Rom. ii. 4; 2 Pet. iii. 9). 3. How great should be the humility of his people. With our short lives and liruikd puwern aud many infirwities both of intellect and of temper, how litUe we can OH, XI. 1-17.] THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH. 125
understand or that widely scattered, often-shifting, far-spreading, long-enduring cam- po.ign of good age.inst evil which he thus permits and direct8 ! Well may even an apostle confess as in 1 Cor. xiii. 9, and beginning of var. 121 And well may he admonish us all, therefore, as in 1 Cor. iv. 51
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 2.-Grief for the/all of a leader. "Howl." This may be held to express- I. SENSE OF A GREAT Loss. The death of a good man is always a loss. But there are differences. Some stand higher than others in society. Not only "firs," but "cede.re." Great men leaders in Chnrch and state. Hence more deeply misRed and mourned. There is not only loss of their work, counsel, prayers, but of their personal influence. '!'here are times when the feeling is intensified. Some great work to do, some difficult enterprise to be carried out; or a national crisis, demanding the service of the wisest and the best. II. COMPLAINT OF GRIEVOUS WRONG. Death is the lot of all. When it comes in the order of nature, may grieve, but cannot justly complain. But often death comes not of necessity, but through violence and crime. The" axe," which belongs of right to justice, is seized and foully used by tyrants and assassins. So with many of the prophets and apostles. So often in the history of nations-William the Silent, Presi- dent Lincoln. So in the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, when so many great and good men were cruelly murdered. III. PRESAGE OF DmE 0ALAMITY. Dark cloud. The stroke falls. Forecasts the storm. Greater disasters. If the first, the noblest, the usefullest are struck down, who shall escape ? "Freedom shrieked as Kosciusko fell." LESSONS. 1. Call to activity. Close ranks. 2. Challenge to the living to loolc to them- selves. We must all fall, but how and with what results? Robert Hall said of Robinson that" he fell like a noble tree." We should live so as to be missed. Better be mourned for, as friends and well-doers gone before, than die unhonoured and unblest.-F.