THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF PROPHECY. "NOT THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD."-1 COR. II. 6. SCIANT IGITUR, QUI PROPHETAS NON INTELLIGUNT, NEC SCIRE DESIDERANT, CHRISTI NESCIRE MYSTERIUM. VOL. XV. JEROME IN EP. AD EPH. IBLIC LONDON: JAMES NISBET AND CO., 21 BERNERS STREET. THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF PROPHECY. JANUARY 1863. ART. I.-ZECHARIAH'S VISION OF THE CANDLESTICK. IN Zechariah, chap. iv., we have a remarkable and most interesting, but, at the same time, a very difficult vision. We do not profess to clear it up fully, even to our own satisfaction, in this paper; but we offer some hints that may help the reader to the interpretation. In regard to this inquiry, (as holds true in the case of all scriptural research,) we must be taught of God. The Spirit of Truth is He who can lead us into the truth; and it is to be noticed that this vision itself has a lesson on this very subject. For when the prophet saw the things set before him, they were to him very interesting, but not a little obscure in their meaning, which led him to ask, (ver. 5,) "What are these, my Lord ?" To this inquiry he got a very general, almost a vague reply, recorded in ver. 6: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel." No detailed information was given; none of the minutiae of the vision referred to; not so much as a special reference made to any of the peculiar features of the vision. Accordingly, the prophet soon after put the question a second time, (ver. 11,) "What are these two olive trees?" Still no answer came. Once more, therefore, he asked, "What are the two branches of the olive-trees which empty the golden oil?" Thus, three successive times he broached the subject, varying his questions, yet aiming all along at the understanding of the whole vision. It was only then that the definite reply was given. Is there not a lesson here? Does it not say to us that, like the prophets of old, we must "inquire, and search diligently," (1 Pet. i. 10.) There is, besides, an analogy between such inquiries at the mouth of VOL. XV. the Lord and prayer for common things. While prayer brings its answer, it does not always bring it at once. Some things we get as soon as we call on God in the Mediator's name; other things are got only by "prayer and fasting," (Matt. xvii. 21;) and there are blessings which two parables of our Lord teach us must be sued out by "importunity," (Luke xi. 8, and xviii. 5.) The introduction to his vision is worthy of notice. "The angel who spake with me awoke me again, like one who is awaked out of his sleep," (ver. 1.) This sleep may have been somewhat of the same kind as we find elsewhere prefacing visions and revelations. The object of it may have been to prepare the person, by peculiar refreshment and invigoration, for an undisturbed and undistracted attention to the things he was about to witness. The sleep of Adam, as well as that of Abraham, (Gen. xv. 12,) was partly of this nature; that of Jeremiah (xxxi. 26) was exactly, we suppose, a sleep resembling Zechariah's, a sleep of which it is said, "My sleep was sweet unto me." Thus refreshed, he was summoned to give good heed to the details of the vision. Perhaps our best way of getting an idea of the scene presented, and its relation to the circumstances of Israel at the time, may be to put together the detached hints and explanations into one whole. In attempting to combine the different parts into one whole, we proceed on the understanding that the vision is like a picture, and the words spoken are the explanatory notes at the foot. And further, we find, in the explanatory hints given by the angel, that things are shewn us, 1. As they appear to the view of men; 2. As they appear to the view of God. Indeed, this is the key to the vision; it is intended to give us God's view of the Church and its affairs in contrast to the views of men. 1. We have the view men took of the Church and its affairs. Israel was then the seat of the Church. God's Church in Israel was the only Church on earth. Now, to the view of men, (who judge by appearance,) and estimated by their standard, what is to be seen in Israel, and at Jerusalem, which was Israel's centre? There is nothing to be seen but a small remnant of people, feeble, and in the main dispirited, lately returned from captivity, without wealth, without influence, despised by their neighbours, with nothing to distinguish them in the eye of the world. Yet this is the only people on earth whom God specially favours. Here is the Church of God. So that we find the Church in these days and at that time no brighter than a twinkling star; or, rather, like a "lamp despised in the thoughts of them that were at ease." |