Page:Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah (Baron, David).djvu/211



The repetition and the strong emphasis laid upon the pronoun " He " being intended as an affirmation both of the certainty of the fact, and the greatness of the task to be accomplished by Him. Joshua the priest and Zerubbabel the prince were then engaged in the building of a Temple, and one primary object in the visions and prophecies of Zechariah even as it was of Haggai was to encourage them in the task which was now nearing completion. But, perhaps as a reward for his faithfulness, or as an encourage ment to those who sorrowed because of the apparent insignificance of the House they were then able to build, the prophet is commissioned of God to reveal to Joshua that another, greater than he and his companion, but whom they in their respective offices had the honour to foreshadow He who would combine in His own Person the dignities of priesthood and royalty would build the Temple of Jehovah, of which also that they were now engaged in building was a type and pledge.

But, we may ask, what Temple is it which the Messiah, according to this and other predictions, was to build?

In answer to this question we would say first of all that we cannot exclude from this prophecy the reference to a literal Temple in Jerusalem, which shall, after Israel's national conversion, be built under the superintendence of their Messiah-King, and which will, during the millennial period, be " the House of Jehovah " on earth, to which " the nations will flow " and many peoples go, in order that they may be taught His ways, and learn to walk in His paths, and which will be literally " An House of Prayer " and worship " for all nations."

But there is something greater and deeper in this prophecy than the reference to a future material Temple on earth, however glorious that may be. The Temple in Jerusalem was the outward visible symbol of communion between God and His people, which in the past has never been perfectly realised. And let us remember, mysterious