Page:Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah (Baron, David).djvu/42

 world," as Baumgarten expresses it. By the side or in the very midst of the great deep, or ocean of humanity, as if threatened to be swallowed up by it, stands the group or thicket of lowly myrtles; but the Angel of Jehovah the second Person in the Blessed Trinity, who, in His love and in His pity redeemed and bore and carried them of old (Isa. lxiii. 9) is among them, in fulfilment of His word, " When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and the rivers they shall not overflow thee."

How rich in consolation to the prophet's own heart, and to the people to whom he was to make known what he saw, was this single item in the comforting vision! In the very midst of that remnant of His oppressed and afflicted people though their eyes may be holden so that they can not see Him afflicted in all their afflictions, is ever Israel's Redeemer, " the Angel of Jehovah," who " encampeth," with an invisible host, round about them that fear Him, to deliver them.

Note, dear reader, governmental power and even national independence had already been taken from Israel.

"The times of the Gentiles " had already commenced some seventy years before, with Nebuchadnezzar; but that did not mean Israel being, as a people, altogether cast off by God. No; behold Him, not in the midst off the great world-powers, into whose hands the sceptre of governmental rule was parenthetically put, but identified with the comparative handful of people who, for their sins, were under His severe chastisement, and given over for a time into the hands of their enemies.

And the same is true of scattered, storm-tossed Israel in the present day. Sometimes to the eye of man it would almost appear true as Zion in her distress says of herself, " Jehovah hath forsaken me; my Lord hath forgotten me."

And many Christian commentators even start with the presupposition that, because the Jewish people is banished and scattered, therefore it is also cast off; but hear the faithful covenant-keeping God: " For I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to save thee; for I will make a full end of