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450 VISIONS AND PROPHECIES OF ZECHARIAH

as well as in relation to men generally and Him they have with wicked hands " pierced " and slain! No wonder that " in that day," when the spirit of grace and supplica tion is poured upon them, and their eyes are open to behold Him, and to recognise the fearful national crime which they committed, to their own sorrow and hurt, they shall mourn over Him " with the mourning for an only one," and shall be in bitterness for Him as he is in bitterness " who mourneth for his first-born."

It is in that day of their deep sorrow and contrition that they shall, amid their broken-hearted sobs, utter that great national confession and lament contained in that wonderful chapter in Isaiah :

" He was despised, and rejected of men ; a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their face He was despised ; and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows ; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions ; He was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him ; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

(e) And not only will the mourning be great and intense, it will also be universal and yet individual: "In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land sJtall mourn, every family apart ; the family of the house of David apart, and their wives apart ; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart ; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their wives apart ; tJte family of the Shimeites apart, and their wives apart : all the families that remain, every family apart, and their wives apart"

One or two points in these verses need explanation :

(i) Israel s great penitential mourning over their Messiah is likened by the prophet for magnitude to