Page:Visions and Prophecies of Zechariah (Baron, David).djvu/511



THE GLORIOUS CONSUMMATION 495

[srael s enemies. It is pre-eminently the rnifp Di* (yom la- Yehovah] "a day for Jehovah" the day set apart and ippointed by Him, not only for the display of His majesty md the vindication of the righteousness of His character ind ways, but it is the day of the manifestation of His Divine might and glory in the destruction of Israel s enemies, and the salvation of His own people. " Then shall Jehovah go forth, and fight against these nations, as when nghting in a day of conflict" as the words in the original may more properly be rendered.
 * He fought in the day of battle " ; or, " as in a day of His

There are many instances recorded in the Old Testa ment when Jehovah manifestly fought for His people. In Josh. x. 14, for instance, we find words which seem echoed in this prophecy. " And there was no day like that before it or after it" we read there, "for Jehovah fought for Israel" But I think we must agree with the Jewish Targum and those commentators who regard the reference as being particularly to the conflict between Jehovah and (the Egyptians at the Red Sea ; for, " of all the wars in which human insolence could claim no part of the glory," ito quote the words of a well-known writer, " none was more wondrous than that in which Pharaoh and his army were isunk in the deep." It was after that great act of judg ment on Israel s enemies on the part of God that Israel sang, "Jehovah is a man of war ; Jehovah is His Name" (Ex. xv. 3). The reference is more likely to be to this outstanding event in the past history of the Jewish people, since we know that the prophetic Scriptures generally regard the deliverance from Egypt as typical, not only of the greater spiritual redemption accomplished by Christ, but of the future greater national deliverance of Israel ; and the overthrow of Pharaoh and his hosts as a fore- shadowment of the final overthrow of the enemies of God and of His people at the time of the end.

And it will be no other than Jehovah-Jesus, the El Gibbor, " God the Mighty Man," who will thus suddenly appear as Israel s deliverer in the hour of their sorest need :