Chapter 1:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Haggai Malachi
Zechariah 1
Concise Complete
An exhortation to repentance. (1-6) A vision of the
ministry of angels. (7-17) The security of the Jews and the destruction of their
enemies. (18-21)
Verses 1-6 God's
almighty power and sovereign dominion, should engage and encourage sinners to
repent and turn to Him. It is very desirable to have the Lord of hosts for our
friend, and very dreadful to have him for our enemy. Review what is past, and
observe the message God sent by his servants, the prophets, to your fathers.
Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings. Be persuaded to
leave your sins, as the only way to prevent approaching ruin. What is become of
our fathers, and of the prophets that preached to them? They are all dead and
gone. Here they were, in the towns and countries where we live, passing and
repassing in the same streets, dwelling in the same houses, trading in the same
shops and exchanges, worshipping God in the same places. But where are they?
When they died, there was not an end of them; they are in eternity, in the world
of spirits, the unchangeable world to which we hasten apace. Where are they?
Those of them who lived and died in sin, are in torment. Those who lived and
died in Christ, are in heaven; and if we live and die as they did, we shall be
with them shortly and eternally. If they minded not their own souls, is that a
reason why their posterity should ruin theirs also? The prophets are gone.
Christ is a Prophet that lives for ever, but all other prophets have a period
put to their office. Oh that this consideration had its due weight; that dying
ministers are dealing with dying people about their never-dying souls, and an
awful eternity, upon the brink of which both are standing! In another world,
both we and our prophets shall live for ever: to prepare for that world ought to
be our great care in this. The preachers died, and the hearers died, but the
word of God died not; not one jot or title of it fell to the ground; for he is
righteous.
Verses 7-17 The
prophet saw a dark, shady grove, hidden by hills. This represented the low,
melancholy condition of the Jewish church. A man like a warrior sat on a red
horse, in the midst of this shady myrtle-grove. Though the church was in a low
condition, Christ was present in the midst, ready to appear for the relief of
his people. Behind him were angels ready to be employed by him, some in acts of
judgment, others of mercy, others in mixed events. Would we know something of
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, we must apply, not to angels, for they
are themselves learners, but to Christ himself. He is ready to teach those
humbly desirous to learn the things of God. The nations near Judea enjoyed peace
at that time, but the state of the Jews was unsettled, which gave rise to the
pleading that followed; but mercy must only be hoped for through Christ. His
intercession for his church prevails. The Lord answered the Angel, this Angel of
the covenant, with promises of mercy and deliverance. All the good words and
comfortable words of the gospel we receive from Jesus Christ, as he received
them from the Father, in answer to the prayer of his blood; and his ministers
are to preach them to all the world. The earth sat still, and was at rest. It is
not uncommon for the enemies of God to be at rest in sin, while his people are
enduring correction, harassed by temptation, disquieted by fears of wrath, or
groaning under oppression and persecution. Here are predictions which had
reference to the revival of the Jews after the captivity, but those events were
shadows of what shall take place in the church, after the oppression of the New
Testament Babylon is ended.
Verses 18-21
The enemies of the church threaten to cut off the name of Israel. They are
horns, emblems of power, strength, and violence. The prophet saw them so
formidable that he began to despair of the safety of every good man, and the
success of every good work; but the Lord showed him four workmen empowered to
cut off these horns. With an eye of sense we see the power of the enemies of the
church; look which way we will, the world shows us that; but it is only with an
eye of faith that we see it safe. The Lord shows us that. When God has work to
do, he will raise up some to do it, and others to defend it, and to protect
those employed in doing it. What cause there is to look up in love and praise to
the holy and eternal Spirit, who has the same care over the present and eternal
interests of believers, by the holy word bringing the church to know the
wonderful things of salvation!
Chapter 1:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Haggai Malachi
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
