Zechariah

Zechariah 2

Chapter II · Vol. III, pp. 1484–1486

1 God, in the care of Jerusalem, sendeth to measure it. 6 The redemption of Zion. 10 The promise of God's presence.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

1 I lifted^a up mine eyes again,¹ and looked, and behold ^ba man² with a measuring line in his hand.

a ch.1.8,18.

1 This forms a third vision, in which some of the parties in the former vision appear in new employments.—C.

b ch.1.8. Eze.40.3,5; 47.4. Re.11.1; 21.15,16. ch.1.16.

2 A man. An angel in, or of, human form, ver. 3.—C.

**TAKING FREIGHT, VATHY, SAMOS—THE BIRTHPLACE OF PYTHAGORAS, THE PHILOSOPHER. [Zechariah, ii:10, 11.]** "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of thee and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee." Not merely the rebuilding of the temple is here signified, and the re-establishment of ordained worship at Jerusalem, but also the incarnation of Christ and His perpetual presence in the church in all countries. Vathy, Samos, is one of the cities on the coast of Asia Minor that is now sharing the benefits of the commerce which has grown out of Christian civilization, which is destined to embrace all nations.

Vol. III, p. 1486

2 Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, ^cTo measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof.

A.M. cir. 3484. B.C. cir. 520.

c ver.4; ch.1.16. Is.44.26,28. Je.30.18; 31.38,39;32.45. Ne.3. Re.21.15,16.

3 And, behold, the angel that ^dtalked with me went forth, and another³ angel went out to meet him,

d ch.1.9,13,14.

3 Or, the other, ch.1.8,10-12.

4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this young^e man, saying, ^gJerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein.

e Je.1.6. Da.1.17.

g Is.26.1,2. Eze.36.10,11. ch.1.17. Je.31.27; 3.18. Am.9.14. Is.49.19-22; 54.2,3; 60.4,11,22.

5 For I, saith the LORD, ^hwill be unto her a wall of fire⁴ round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

h ch.9.8. Is.4.5; 10.17; 60.18,19; 26.1; 25.4. Ps.3.3. Re.21.10,23. ver.10-12.

4 A wall of fire. A literal allusion to the custom, in forest countries, of kindling a line of fires around an encampment to keep off wild beasts.—C.

6 Ho,ⁱ ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the LORD: for ^jI have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, saith the LORD.

i Ge.19.17. Is.56.8; 48.20;52.11,12. ch.9.11,12; ver.7. Re.18.4. 2 Co.6.17, with Je.3.18.

j De.28.64. Am.9.9. Je.31.10. Eze.11.16,17; 17.21. Je.15.4.

7 Deliver^k thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.

k See ver. 6. Is.48.20; 52.11. Ec.8.11. Ge.19.17,22. Mi.4.10. Je.51.6,45;50.8.

8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, After the ^lglory⁵ hath he sent me⁶ unto ⁿthe nations which spoiled you; for he that ^otoucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

l Is.60.12. ch.1.16,17; ver.4,5.

5 'After glory.' The construction is difficult; but the meaning appears to be, that God had promised the glory of his presence and blessing to the Jews in Jerusalem; after that glory had been given, after the promised blessing had been poured out, then the Angel of the Lord who here speaks had a commission to perform among the nations.—P.

6 Sent me. The Angel of the LORD—'the WORD of the Lord.' See Jonah 1.1, and comp. ch. 6.9 with ver. 15.—C.

n 2 Ki.24.2. Ne.4.7. Je.50.18,34;51.35.

o De.32.10. Ps.17.8; 105.15. Ac.9.4. ch.1.15. Mat.25.35-45. 2 Th.1.6.

9 For, behold, ^pI will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ^qye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.

p Is.11.15;19.16; 13; 14; 21; 47; 46.11;14.2. Je.1.11; 25.14;27.7.

q ver.8; ch.4.9; 6.15. Je.28.9.

10 Sing^r and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I ^swill dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.

r Is.12.6;35.10;51.11; 54.1;66.10. Zep.3.14.

s Le.26.12. Eze.37.27. Jn.1.14. Gal.4.4. 2 Co.6.16. Re.2.1; 21.3. Mat.28.20.

11 And ^tmany nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will ^udwell in the midst of thee: and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.

t ch.8.21,22. Is.2.2-5; 11.9,10;54.1-3; 49; 60; 62; 65; 66. Ps.22.27-30; 72.8-11,16,17,19;87.4. Ac.2-19. Re.11.15. Ex.12.49.

u 2 Co.6.16. Re.21.3.

12 And the LORD shall ^vinherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.

v Is.41.9. De.32.9. Ps.135.4. Ex.19.5,6. 1 Pe.2.9.

13 Be^x silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is ^yraised up out of ⁷his holy habitation.⁸

x Hab.2.20. Zep.1.7.

y Zep.3.7. Ps.12.5; 78.65.

7 Heb. the habitation of his holiness, De.26.15. Is.57.15; 66.1.

8 More literally, 'For he has risen up out of his holy habitation;'—he has risen for the purpose of saving his people, and taking vengeance upon their enemies.—P.

Notes

Ver. 4, 5. Multitudes of houses shall be built without the walls, and all live in peace and safety, as God himself will effectually protect them; and his presence in his ordinances will be their distinguished honour. 6–9. Ye who yet remain scattered here and there in Chaldea, hasten to your own country; for scarcely shall my glory have taken possession of the temple at Jerusalem when I will further revenge the injuries done to you upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and reduce them into a state of bondage to the Medes and Persians, who were lately their tributaries.

Reflections.—The more we have seen of divine things the more we should search into them. Nor need we fear that room for new converts will ever be wanting in the church. Yea, thrice happy is it when multitudes are joined to the Lord, and have him for their protector and glory! Alas! that such multitudes, through unbelief, should be so averse to leave their bondage and share the liberty of Christ! But no dispersion or slavery can hinder his redressing the grievances of his people, or avenging their injuries. Infinitely tender is his sympathy towards them in their distress; and plainly he marks his and his servants' mission in the seasonable fulfilment of his promises and threatenings. Nothing on earth can more rejoice gracious souls than to behold the church restored to her privileges, enlarged by the accession of multitudes, and blessed with the presence of God. And in everything, especially in his great works, we ought silently to adore and wait for him.