Remarks Upon the Book of Zechariah

THE first chapter of this prophecy ends with a representation by symbols of those who had been the destroyer of Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. It also presents four men who as carpenters or workmen were to repair the desolation. The second chapter commences with the view of an angel going out to measure the breadth and length of Jerusalem. Verses 1, 2. This was to show that the work of the four men who were to restore the city was under the charge and protection of the God of Heaven. Jeremiah in predicting the restoration of Jerusalem some eighty-four years before this had said that the measuring line should go forth in this manner. Jer. 31:38, 39.

Thus in verse 1 Zechariah saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. In verse 2 it is said that he conversed with the prophet concerning the measurement of Jerusalem. In verse 3 Zechariah calls him an angel, and says that when he went forth another angel went out to meet him and bade him return and speak to the prophet whom he calls a young man, concerning the restoration of Jerusalem. Thus two angels are concerned in communicating this chapter to the prophet. One is the angel to whom is committed the oversight of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. This angel, because of his office, is chosen to reveal what God designed to do in the restoration of that city. The other angel, who gives command to this one, is probably the prince of the angels mentioned in chapter 1:8-11, and may therefore be Michael the archangel. Jude 9.

The angel said that Jerusalem should be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and cattle therein. This signified that the number of its inhabitants should be so great that they would overflow the limits of the city. The Lord promised also that he would be a wall of fire about the city, and that his glory should be in the midst of it. Verses 4, 5. But it must be remembered that all this was upon condition that the Jews should remain faithful to God. Their city had been destroyed seventy years before this because of sin, and we know that it was afterward destroyed by the Romans for the same reason. 2 Chron. 36:17-19; Luke 19:41-44. But this promise was an assurance of protection from God if the Jews would remain faithful to him, and it was of great important to them, for they were surrounded by enemies, and the wall of the city was not permanently restored till the time of Nehemiah seventy-three years after this vision. Neh. 1-4.

In verses 6 and 7 the Jews who still remained in Babylon are invited to return to Jerusalem. Those who were already returned came with Zerubbabel in the first year of Cyrus, to the number of 42,360 persons. Ezra 1 and 2. But many still remained in Babylon, and these are now specially invited to return. Under Ezra a large number of Jews responded to this invitation and went with him to Jerusalem. Ezra 7 and 8. Babylon is called the land of the north, though it lay rather to the east than to the north of Jerusalem. The reason seems to be that when the army of the king of Babylon invaded Judea, it came from the north because it was easier to enter the country from that side.

In verse 8 the prophet threatens those who sought to hinder Zerubbabel and Joshua in the work of rebuilding the temple. These were "the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin" mentioned in Ezra 4 and 5. Afterward Nehemiah, was opposed by the same class. Neh. 4 and 6. In verse 9 the prophet threatens the enemies of the Jews that though they had held the Jews as servants they should be held by them in the same manner. Isaiah predicts the same thing. Isa. 14:1, 2. After the city of Babylon fell into the hands of the Persians, the people of that city experienced great calamities, and not long after this prophecy they revolted against the king of Persia. The city was retaken after a siege of twenty months, and a terrible slaughter of the inhabitants ensued. It is probable that many of those who were spared were sold as slaves.

In verses 10-12 the Lord bids the daughter of Zion, that is the pious Jews, to rejoice because he would dwell with them in the temple at Jerusalem which they were

then rebuilding, and would rejoice in Judah as a holy land. But it must be remembered that this promise, like that in verses 4, 5, is upon condition that the Jews remained faithful to God. Otherwise, the same cause that destroyed the first temple would destroy the second. It was not the will of God that the temple of Solomon should be destroyed or that the Jews should go into captivity to Babylon. But sin made those calamities necessary. It was not the will of God that the temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel should ever be destroyed, or that the Jews should again go into captivity.

We shall show as we proceed that God held out before the Jews by Zechariah two different prophetic histories and gave to them their choice: If they received Christ when he should come to them as their king sitting upon an ass, God would protect their city, and his house would be a house of prayer to which all nations would go up to worship. But if they should reject and crucify him, their temple should be burned, and their city destroyed with a terrible destruction.

It was the will of God that they should occupy the most honorable position among the nations, but they chose that course which brought them to the greatest dishonor. Deut. 28:13, 43-45. God willed to honor the Jews even in the act of calling the Gentiles, but the rebellion of the Jews made it necessary to provoke them to jealousy when he showed mercy to the nations. Rom. 10:19-21. God has joined the faithful of many nations to himself by the gospel, but it has not been in a manner to honor the Jews as it would have been had they received the gospel. Rom. 11:17-22; Jer. 11:16.

In verse 13 God bids all flesh be silent before him; for he is raised up out of his holy habitation. It is probable that this has reference to the work in the sanctuary which is described in the following chapter. But God will be held in reverence especially when he manifests his power. Hab. 2:20; Zeph. 1:7; Ps. 76:8, 9.