Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 4.djvu/1105



This prophet was colleague with the prophet Haggai, and a worker together with him in forwarding the building of the second temple; (Ezra v. 1.) for two are better than one. Christ sent forth his disciples, two and two. Zechariah began to prophesy some time after Haggai. But he continued longer, soared higher in visions and revelations, wrote more, and prophesied more particularly concerning Christ, than Haggai had done; so the last shall be first: the last in time sometimes proves first in dignity. He begins with a plain, practical sermon, expressive of that which was the scope of his prophesying in the five first verses; but afterward, to the end of ch. vi. he relates the visions he saw, and the instructions he received immediately from heaven by them. At ch. vii. from an inquiry made by the Jews concerning fasting, he takes occasion to show them the duty of their present day, and to encourage them to hope for God's favour, to the end of ch. viii. After which there are two sermons, which are both called burthens of the word of the Lord; one begins with ch. ix. the other with ch. xii. which, probably, were preached some time after; the scope of which is to reprove for sin, and threatens God's judgments against the impenitent, and to encourage those that feared God, with assurances of the mercy God had in store for his church, and especially of the coming of the Messiah, and the setting up of his kingdom in the world.

In this chapter, after the introduction, (v. 1.) we have, I. An awakening call to a sinful people, to repent of their sins, and return to God, v. 2..6. II. Great encouragement given to hope for mercy. 1. By the vision of the horses, v. 7..11. 2. By the prayer of the angel for Jerusalem, and the answer to that prayer, v. 12..17. 3. By the vision of the four carpenters that were employed to cut off the four horns, with which Judah and Jerusalem were scattered, v. 18..21.

N the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 2. The hath been sore displeased with your fathers. 3. Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the of hosts, Turn ye unto me, saith the  of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the  of hosts. 4. Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the of hosts, Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the. 5. Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever? 6. But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned, and said, Like as the of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.