Page:Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah (Baron, David).djvu/502



486 VISIONS AND PROPHECIES OF ZECHARIAH

say, Ammi-hu. It is My people ; and they shall say, Yehovah Elohoi, Jehovah is my Godl

Blessed and most glorious consummation! The cove nant relationship between God and His people, so long interrupted though never broken, is restored again ; she that was, during the time of her wanderings from her God, Lo-ammi " not My people," is"Ammz" 2 "My people" again ; the national vow of Israel by which they avouched Jehovah to be their God, to walk in His ways, and ever to hearken to His voice, is now renewed, never to be broken again. 3 Well might the prophets contemplating the day when restored and converted Israel shall once again be, as it were, pressed to God s own heart, and in view of the glorious issues which shall result to the whole world from this restoration of covenant relations between God and " His own " people call upon the whole creation to join in a grand chorus of praise.

" Sing, O heavens ; and be joyful, O earth ; And break forth into singing, O mountains : For Jehovah hath comforted His people, And will have compassion upon His afflicted? 4

1 See Jer. xxxii. 38-42 ; Ezek. xxxvii. 23-28, and other places in the former prophets, of which this is an inspired echo and reiteration.

3 Hos. i. 9-11. * Deut. xxvi. 17-19. 4 Isa. xlix. 13.