Matthew Poole and continuators on Zechariah 1

1 IN the eighth moneth , in the second year of Darius , came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah the son of Barachiah , the son of Iddo the prophet , saying,

Called both Maris[illegible: 2 letters]uan, and Bul, by Hebr. and answers to part of our October and November. Two Moneths after Haggai began to encourage the Iews to build the Temple.

Son of Hystaspes, and the third Persian Monarch. vid. Hag. 1. ver. 1. let. a. and again chap. 1. ver. 15. let. f. at large.

Here is his Warrant, and Divine Call, the Lord communicated to him what he was to communicate to others.

His Name bespeaks him a remembrancer of God, or it may speak God remembring him, and the rest of this people.

The Iews call'd the Descendents in right line Sons, though they were Grand-Sons, or great Grand-Sons; and in this sense s[illegible: 1 letter]me say Zechariah is the Son of Baruch, and the Son of Iddo. This Zechariah is not he that is mentioned 2 Chron. 24.20. this is too early by many years, nor is this Zechariah the Father of Iohn Baptist, this is a[illegible: 1 letter] much too late, but most likely 'tis that Zechariah whom the Iews slew between the Temple and the Altar, Matth. 23.35.

This Name is expresly mentioned Mat. 23. and his time exactly suits the time, pointed at by the Evangelist.

One of this name you have 2 Chron. 9.29. but this is too old to be this in the Text, [illegible: 1 letter]or there will be found (as Wolphius in Ezram notes) 450 years distance between Iddo the Seer, and this Iddo mentioned in the Text.

Whether Zechariah, or Iddo, I determine not.

Marginal references: Ezra 4.24.; Ez. 5.1.

2 The LORD hath been sore displeased with your fathers .

The Holy, the Mighty one, your God, the just Governour of the World.

So long provoked, that his displeasure at last enkindled within his Breast, and broke out into that flame which hath consumed your Land, City, and Temple.

All that were Progenitors, [illegible: 1 letter]ore-Fathers to the return'd Captives, from their entrance into Canaan, but specially since the Apostacy in Ierob[illegible: 1 letter]am's time, for many hundred years your Predecessours have provoked God by their notorious sins, even to the days of their Captivity.

Marginal references: Heb. with [illegible: 1 letter]spans[illegible: 1 letter].

3 Therefore say thou unto them , Thus saith the LORD of hosts , Turn ye unto me , saith the LORD of hosts , and I will turn unto you , saith the LORD of hosts .

And, Heb.

Command, and Require.

Of the Captivity who are returned to their own land.

In my Name, by the Authority I have over them as Lord of Hosts, require they hear, and obey.

Repent ye of all your sins, leave them, set your hearts on my Law to obey it, on my Worship to give me it, on my Temple to reedifie it.

Who can punish your refusal, who can protect you in your return, and reward your Obedience

with blessings, with all blessings, which my presence brings to a repenting people. It was woe with you, and your Fathers, when I departed from them, but it shall be as well with them, when I return unto them.

That you may be assured hereof, I promise it to you, and will be engaged to perform, as Lord of hosts, as having all things at my disposal.

Marginal references: Jer. 25.5. [illegible: 1 word] 35.14. [illegible: 1 word]. 7.19. [illegible: 1 word]. 3.7.

4 Be ye not as your fathers, to whom the former prophets have cryed , saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, turn ye now from your evil wayes , and from your evil doings : but they did not hear , nor hearken unto me , saith the LORD.

You who have seen the sorrows of a long Captivity, who are wonderfully brought back, who are under the teachings of Rod and Staff.

All the former Prophets, 2 Chron. 36.15, 16.

Preached earnestly, frequently, and compassionately.

Now to day, yet before 'tis too late: O! turn from vitious, sinful courses and wayes; from your Atheism, Idolatry, Murthers, Oppressions, and Adulteries.

It is repeated that it might be more impressive upon them. The Prophets importunately intreated them to cease from evil, Isa. 1.16. and 31.6. Ier. 3.12. Ezek. 18.30. and Hos. 14.1.

They did not, because they would not, they regarded not what I said by my Prophets, neither could they be perswaded to it.

This obstinate disobedience is twice together charged on them, to make their sin appear in its greatness.

Marginal references: Jer. 18.11.

5 Your fathers: where are they ? and the prophets , do they live c for ever?

But where are your disobedient Fathers? Are they not buried in a strange Land? Did they not die of those Diseases? Were they not consumed with Famine, and the Sword, as was menaced against them?

Some apply this to the false Prophets who promised peace, but where are they now? But 'tis better understood of the true Prophets, who died as others; they do not, nor must live always to warn you.

6 But my words , and my statutes which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said , Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us according to our wayes, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us .

The dreadful Menaces which I spake by my Prophets.

The d[illegible: 1 letter]creed Judgments which my provoked Justice resolved to execute on them,

which by my Prophets as my Heraulds I proclaimed, and published.

Overtake as a pursuing Enemy overtakes, and se[illegible: 2 letters]eth on his Enemy, and spoileth him; have not my Judgments thus taken hold both on your Fathers, and on you?

By this it should seem that Zechariah gave them time to consider what answer to give.

It is true as God said he would do, so he hath done against us, our Fathers, our Families, our Ci[illegible: 1 letter]ies and Temples. God's words have not failed▪ they dyed not, though our Fathers did: This may be an abstract of their Repentance.

Marginal references: Or, overtake.; [illegible: 1 letter]am. 1.18.

7 ¶ Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh moneth, which is the moneth Sebat , in the second year of Darius , came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Barachiah, the son of Iddo the prophet , saying,

Which answers to part of our Ianuary.

Vid. Hag 1.1. let. a. b. and ver. 15. let. f.

See ver. 1. let. c.

Vid. ver. 1. let. d. e. f. g. The first Sermon Zechariah preacht, was three Moneths before this, and that Sermon was reproof, which probably had good effect, as ver. 6. let. k. l.

8 I saw by night , and behold a man riding upon a red horse , and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom : and behind him were there red horses , speckled and white .

In a Vision God communicates his Word, Mind, or Will to the Prophet.

Either litera[illegible: 1 letter]ly, it was by night that Zechariah had this Vision, or with this it may note the obscurity and misteriousness of the Vi[illegible: 2 letters]on, for it may be emblematical, as the Myrtles, and the bottom are.

Mark well what I saw, as now I relate it to you.

One in a humane shape, Christ Jesus in shape of a Man, so he appeared to Ezek. 1.26. and 40.3. and to Daniel, chap. 7.13.

In a posture of readiness, speed and resolution to help his people, and to appear for them in some tokens of greatness and majesty, Psal. 45.4.

Both the Beast is noted, Horse, bold, strong, speedy, and gallant; and the colour is noted also in the same colour he appeared to Isaiah, chap. 63. ver. 1, 2, 3. and Revel. 6.4. This colour is a symbol of his coming to avenge his own just quarrel, and the uniust dealings of his, and his peoples Enemies.

he posteth himself in a convenient place to observe and be ready, (as needful) among humble, verdant, fragrant, pleasant, and much valued Trees, emblem of the flourishing, fruitful, and excell[illegible: 1 letter]nt Saints, and Servants of God.

This bottom or low Valley in which the Myr[illegible: 1 letter]les grew, (proba[illegible: 1 letter]ly on some Rivers bank) is an emblem of the Church in a low, mourning, afflicted State, then 'tis most verdant, and fragrant [illegible: 1 word] these Trees; or as Spices bruised in a Mortar.

Christ was [illegible: 1 word] beseems a Captain, in the head, the rest as his Souldiers or Sevan[illegible: 1 letter]s are behind attending on him.

Horses of the same colour, not without their riders, though they are not exprest, but 'tis a Synechdoche, Horses, and Horse-men are both intended, and these are Angel[illegible: 1 letter], ver. 10. now the colour of these Horses is 1. Red, denoting probably the bloody condition of States and K[illegible: 1 letter]ngdoms by Wars one against another, either when God punisheth his Church, or when he avengeth himself, and his Church on his Enemies, and hers, which will appear on a survey of the times past, when Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Gr[illegible: 1 letter]cia[illegible: 1 letter] ▪ or Roman Empires, did successively by Wars do Gods w[illegible: 1 letter]rk, his strange work, &c. Isa. chap. 10. and chap. 14.

A mixt colour, made up partly of white, red and black, as some guess, an Emblem of Affairs of different complexion, not all prosperous, nor all unprosperous; not all dark, nor all light, as the day the Prophet describes neither day nor night, such times did the Iews know, during the 70 Prophetick weeks, from the beginning of them, to the Messiah's coming.

An Emblem of the best dayes and State the Church should be in, so Revel. 19.11.14. and the Empire too with it.

Marginal references: Josh. 5.13.; chap 6.1. to 7.; Or, bay.

9 Then said I , O my lord , what are these ? And the angel that talked with me, said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.

So soon as he had seen and observed,

Zechariah,

This was Christ the Lord of Hosts.

What is the me[illegible: 1 letter]n[illegible: 1 letter]ng of these Appearances or Visions?

Christ, the Angel of the Covenant, so I take this Angel that promiseth to inform the Prophet to be the same that appears as a Man on the Red Horse among the Myrtles.

10 And the man that stood among the myrtle-trees , answered , and said, these are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to, and fro through the earth .

Vid. ver. 8. let. t. u. x. y.

Gave answer to what I asked.

Horsemen.

A periphrasis of Angels, who are Servants, and Ministers of the Divine Providence in the Government of the World.

God is pleas'd a[illegible: 1 letter]ter the manner of men to speak of his managing the affairs of the World; men must employ others, because they need them, God will employ Angels, though he needs them not.

The Empires which his Churches were either help'd or injur'd by; These were partly by the Pride of their Emperours, partly by the flattery of their Servants and Ministers, and partly by the Ignorance of the World at that time in matters of Geography thought to be the whole Earth; and the Scripture sometimes useth phrases, used and well known among men, though there be some impropriety in them.

11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the Myrtle trees s, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth , and behold all the earth sitteth still and is at rest .

The ministerial Angels, signified by the horses and horsemen.

Or rather the Angel, the Lord, the uncreated Angel, who sent them out, and receives account what they had done.

As men who would give an exact account, survey every part, so we have search'd all Nations, and Kingdoms; walk'd the length and breadth of them.

The World, but chiefly through the Babylonish Empire, which accounts it self Lord of all the Earth.

'Tis wonderful to be seen, and therefore we beseech thee, O Lord, to behold, and consider this.

As having ended their Toil, or weather'd the storm, composed their differences, and shea[illegible: 1 letter]h'd their Swords, are full of peace, and sit still to take their case.

Either the same thing repeated, to heighten the quiet of these states, or to confirm the Truth of the thing, or to express the inward quiet of mind the people had with their outward quiet. The publick peaceable, and every ones mind satisfied, this is the state of the Earth, the Empire which at that time ruled all.

12 ¶ Then the angel of the LORD answered and said , O LORD of hosts , how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem , and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years ?

When the surveying Angels had made their report of the Prosperity of the Heathen.

The Angel, the Lord Christ, Mediator of the Church, and head of the Church.

Prays as one interceding.

Christ speaks to his Father, speaks as one much affected with the state of his afflicted Church.

It is the expostulation that well befits a praying Soul, it is not the enquiry of a discontented mind, but the request of one longing for mercy. So David, Psal. 13.1, 2. and the souls under the Altar, Rev. 6.10.

Ierusalem, thy chosen Mountain, heir of Promises to be re-edified, and on Iudah's Cities too, of whose rebuilding, peace and pr[illegible: 1 letter]sperity thou hast, O Lord, spoken great things, Ier. 30.31.32. and 33. Chapters, and Ezek. 36. and 37, &c. chapters.

They have felt thine anger and hot displeasure, it was just, and is so still; but it is not to be perpetual; thine anger hath smoaked against the sheep of thy Pasture.

The term prefixt for the captivity is fully come, 'tis the seventieth year of thei[illegible: 1 letter] miserable captivity; now shew mercy, build Sion, and glorifie thy self in doing it, for the set time is come. It is now 70 years since thy Temple was burnt, and Ierusalem sack'd. And full 80 years since Ieconias with many of thy people were carried captive into Babylon, and somewhat more, since many were carried with Iehoiachim, from which to the second of Darius are much about eighty eight, or nine years.

Marginal references: Dan. 9.2.

13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me, with good words, and comfortable words.

God the Father.

Christ, the uncreated Angel, Lord of Angels and Redeemer of Israel.

Who had first talked by signs and Visions, and next by explaining the mind, and meaning of them, and answering the enquiries Zechariah made.

Suitable, and seasonable.

The words minister'd comfort to Ierusalem and the Captives, the words imported deliverance and blessings.

14 So the angel that communed with me , said unto me, Cry thou , saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts , I am jealous for Jerusalem , and for Zion with a great jealousie .

i. e. When the Father had heard the Son and answered him; this is spoken to our apprehension, and so must be understood.

Of the Covenant, the Lord Christ.

Vid. ver. 13. let. k.

Now publish what thou hearest, preach by commission from me, and assure my poor, captive, impoverish'd Church, that God, my God and her God, will do good for her.

Publish what God, Lord of hosts, and Father of his People, promised to do for them.

I have been jealous against, but now am jealous for Ierusalem; my love is now heightened to a very high degree of compassion for my People, and of Indignation against her Enemies and Oppressors.

The City called by my name.

Where my Temple stood; those Gates of Zion, which I loved more than all the dwellings of Iacob.

That Zeal I bear, and now will shew for them is great, to a wonder; it is the Zeal of a God who infinitely loves and pitieth his people.

Marginal references: chap. 8.2.

15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease : for I was but a little displeased , and they helped forward the affliction .

The Lord of hosts, God of Israel.

Exceedingly angry and will shew it that they may see and feel it, my displeasure is grown up to the highest against them.

Secure in their strength, sing a requiem to themselves and trouble to Israel. See ver. 11. let. y. z,

With mine own people, i. e. in comparison with the anger I bear against the heathen, 'twas little, Psal. 137. tot.

The Heathen, Babylonians.

Attempted to destroy whom I would but correct, Isa. 10. & 14. I whipt to smart, you wounded to blood, I did wound to bind up, you did wound to kill, &c. It is an Anthropopath[illegible: 1 letter]ia.

It was more than they could do to provoke me more against them than their own sins did; but what I permitted for a while, they did, and added to the Affliction of Israel. I would prune, but they struck at the root.

Marginal references: Isa. 47.6.

16 Therefore , thus saith the LORD, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies : my house shall be built in it , saith the LORD of hosts , and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

Because the Enemy hath so barbarously and inhumanely added affliction to the afflicted, 'tis time to save and relieve.

When I was departed, and had withdrawn my Presence, thus cruelly were my people handled; but now I will return, I will be with them, my presence shall restrain the violent, and protect the innocent.

With tender, abundant, and promised Mercies now they shall be comforted indeed.

The Temple of God, the Excellency of Iacob.

Shall be finish'd, the impediments shall be removed, what glory I have promised by Haggai, chap. 2.9. I will put upon this house of mine in Ierusalem.

This confirms the promise, and establisheth our Faith, if we know the import hereof.

The builders measuring line shall be stretch'd out, to mark out Walls, Gates, Palaces, Streets, and Houses in Ierusalem, that they may be built again in beauty, and strength, with skill, and art; and shall be once more the glory of the Earth, and Joy of Israel.

17 Cry yet , saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad , and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion , and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

The Prophets Commission is either enlarged, or more full instructions given to him, to raise the hope and stablish the Faith of the People of God.

Jerusalem, and the Cities of Judah are mine, saith the Lord, and as mine I'le build, beautifie, enrich, fortifie, defend, and enlarge them.

Through increase of Families and Persons, they shall send forth Colonies, and plant new Towns and Cities, and through increase of Wealth, and Cattel be able to build their cities, and stock their Colonies.

Swarm as Bees, and send out their young ones.

Their God.

Zion his Church, with comforts fit for a Church.

Type of the civil State as here joyn'd with Zion; the Kingdom shall be blest in it self, and be a blessing to others, much like that Hos. 14.4, 5. all this an effect of my choosing it, and dwelling in it.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word]; Isa. 1[illegible: 1 letter].[illegible: 1 letter]. chap. 2.11.

18 ¶ Then lift I up mine eyes , and saw , and behold four horns .

After I had seen those things, and heard those comfortable words, and received commission to publish all the good news I had heard.

He was so intent before, that he look'd on nothing else; now he lifts up his eyes.

Clearly, certainly, and distinctly.

Emblems of the Enemies of the Jewes, for strength, fierceness, and pride, and for their number, from all parts of the World.

19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me , What be these ? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah , Israel , and Jerusalem.

The Prophet prays for Information from the Angel, from Christ, who is the best Teacher.

What may be the meaning of these horns, which I see, and know to be horns, and four in number.

Powers, States and Kingdoms, which have from all sides push'd at, broken and tossed my people, sorely bruised some, and destroy'd others, these Horns are probably on the North, the Syrians, Assyrians, and Babylonians; on the East, the Moabites and Ammonites; on the South, Edomites and Egyptians; on the West the Philistines. All which had many a time spoiled the Jewes.

The Two Tribes which were the Kingdom of Judah.

The Ten Tribes carried away by Salmaniser, or the Reliques of Israel, which adhered to the house of David.

20 And the LORD shewed me four carpenters .

Jehovah, who before is the Angel, i. e. Christ, he is the Eternal one, the great God.

Both proposed the thing to be seen, and gave eyes to see, and discern it.

Known by their Garb and Tools to be Carpenters or Smiths, as the Hebrew bears it.

21 Then said I , What come these to do ? and he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head : but these are come to fray them , to cast out the horns of the Gentiles which lift up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it .

So soon as I could propose the question, immediately upon sight of the Carpenters.

Zechariah.

He saw they were men, enquires not who they were, but what was their business, and design; perhaps 'tis fittest for us to rest also in the knowledge of what they are to do, and enquire no farther who they were.

The Lord Christ inform'd the Prophet.

Christ doth in order to satisfie the enquiry first point to the four horns of which ver. 18, 19, as if he should have said look you there are four horns which have done mischief to Judah.

Kept them so under, none had either strength or courage to lift up the head, and thus these horns proudly and cruelly destroy'd my People.

These Carpenters or Smiths are Emblems of those Instruments God will employ in breaking these destroyers. Here are four carpenters to break the four Horns.

To strike a fear into them first; these Kingdoms signified by horns, shall lose their courage.

Then their Authority, and power shall be cast out easily.

Heathen round about Judea.

Have employ'd their Arms and strength against.

The whole Kingdom of Judah, Gods people.

To drive them out of Gods inheritance. See ver. 19. let. d.