A DAY OF TESTING

Zec_13:1-9; Zec_14:1



This Fountain was opened, when the soldier pierced the Savior’s side. But it is not enough for God to forgive; He must deal drastically with the waywardness of his people. And so thorough would be the work, that parents would rather their son should die than assume for filthy lucre and without the divine call, the lucrative profession of a prophet. A township would arise against a man suspected of being a prophet, who, in his terror, would pretend that he was a tiller of the ground. And if they discovered marks in his body which indicated that he had been previously branded as a false prophet, he would rather assert that his friends had been the cause of his affliction, than that he had any sympathy with the prophetic office.

Note that remarkable anticipation, Zec_13:7-9. See Mat_26:31. Jesus knew that He was the Father’s fellow. He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. “We will come unto Him, and make our abode with Him.” But He is also the Man. By the grace of the One Man, we may reign in life, Rom_5:17.



“AT EVENING TIME IT SHALL BE LIGHT”

Zec_14:1-21



We can hardly doubt that in Zec_14:1-21, Zechariah is anticipating the same events as Ezekiel describes in Eze_38:1-23; Eze_39:1-29 of his remarkable book. At first the attack of the enemies of God’s people will be entirely successful, then Jesus will appear to them and for them. There will be a literal fulfillment of Act_1:11 and Isa_25:9-10. It was when his brethren were in their greatest straits that Joseph made himself known to them, and when the Jews are in dire extremity, they will hear Him say, “I am Jesus your Brother.” See Gen_45:1-15. Finally the long stormy days of Israel’s history will be over forever, and “at evening time it shall be light.” It is clear that Paul’s vision in Rom_11:1-36 is to be gloriously realized.



A DAY OF TESTING

Zec_13:1-9; Zec_14:1



This Fountain was opened, when the soldier pierced the Savior’s side. But it is not enough for God to forgive; He must deal drastically with the waywardness of his people. And so thorough would be the work, that parents would rather their son should die than assume for filthy lucre and without the divine call, the lucrative profession of a prophet. A township would arise against a man suspected of being a prophet, who, in his terror, would pretend that he was a tiller of the ground. And if they discovered marks in his body which indicated that he had been previously branded as a false prophet, he would rather assert that his friends had been the cause of his affliction, than that he had any sympathy with the prophetic office.

Note that remarkable anticipation, Zec_13:7-9. See Mat_26:31. Jesus knew that He was the Father’s fellow. He thought it not robbery to be equal with God. “We will come unto Him, and make our abode with Him.” But He is also the Man. By the grace of the One Man, we may reign in life, Rom_5:17.