(Calvin. Commentaries on the Prophet Zechariah. Part 22)
Chapter 10.
Lecture One Hundred and Fifty-fifth.
Zechariah 10:1
Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD
shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every
one grass in the field.
Zechariah, after having shown that God would be bountiful
towards the Jews, so that nothing necessary to render life happy and
blessed should be wanting, now reproves them for their unbelief,
because they did not expect from the Lord what he was ready fully to
bestow on them. As then it depended on them only, that they did not
enjoy abundance of all blessings, he charges them with ingratitude:
for though he exhorts them to prayer, there is yet an implied
reproof. One by merely reading over the words may think that a new
subject is here introduced, that the Jews are directed to ask of the
Lord what he had previously promised them; but he who will more
minutely consider the whole context, will easily find that what I
have stated is true - that the Jews are here condemned, and on this
account, because they closed the door against God's favour; for they
were straitened in themselves, as all the unbelieving are, who
cannot embrace the promises of God; nor is it at all doubtful but
that many made great complaints, when they found themselves
disappointed of their wishes. They had indeed hoped for a most
abundant supply of corn and wine, and had also promised to
themselves all kinds of blessings, yet the Lord, as we have seen in
the book of Haggai, had begun to withdraw his hand, so that they
laboured under want of provisions; and when mine and thirst
oppressed them, they thought that they had been in a manlier
deceived by God. On this ground the Prophet expostulates with them;
they thrust from themselves, by their want of faith, the favour
which had been prepared for them. We now then understand the
Prophet's meaning.
He bids them to ask rain of Jehovah. They ought indeed to have
done this of themselves without being reminded; for though Christ
has delivered to his Church a form of prayer, it ought yet to be as
it were the dictate of nature to seek of God our daily bread; and it
is not without reason that he claims to himself the name of a
Father. The Prophet then does here reprove the Jews for their brutal
stupidity - that they did not ask rain of the Lord. He adds, at the
late seasons, that is, at spring time; for rains at two seasons were
necessary for the corn, after sowing and before harvest, and
whenever Scripture speaks of fruitfulness or of a large produce, it
mentions rain at these two seasons. Zechariah in this place only
refers to the vernal before harvest; for in that hot country the
earth wanted new moisture, Ask, he says, rain at the beginning of
summer.
Jehovah, he adds, will give it; he will make clouds, or storms,
or boisterous winds, as some read; but it is evident from other
passages that "chazizim" means clouds, which are as it were
preparations for rain. He then says, that a shower would come with
the rain; for some take "geshem" for a shower, that is, heavy rain;
but the Prophet introduces here the two words, as though he had
said, that the rains would be continued until the ground was
saturated and the dryness removed. Some translate, "the rain of a
shower," but this would be too strained. I prefer then this
rendering, He will give rain, a shower, that is, abundant rain; to
every one grass in the field, that is, so that there may be moisture
enough for the ground. In short, he promises a plentiful irrigation,
that drought might not deprive them of the hope of food and support.
What I have stated will appear more clear from the following verse,
for he adds -
Zechariah 10:2
For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie,
and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they
went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no
shepherd.
Here the Prophet, as I have said, confirms the truth, that the
blame justly belonged to the Jews that God did not deal more
liberally with them; for he shows that they had fallen into
superstitions, and had thus turned away the favour of God, which was
already certain and nigh to them. Zechariah does not here condemn
foreign nations given to superstitions; but, on the contrary, he
reproves the Jews themselves for leaving the true God, and for
retaking themselves to idols, to soothsayers, and diviners, and for
having thus preferred to feed on their own delusions, rather than to
open the door to the favour of God, who had freely promised that he
would suffer them to want nothing. As then God had kindly invited
the Jews to himself, as he had showed himself ready to do them good,
was it not the basest ingratitude in them to turn away to idols and
to attend to magical delusions? for they might have safely
acquiesced in God's word. They would not have been deprived of their
hope, had they been firmly persuaded that God had spoken the truth
to them. As then they had done so grievous a wrong to God, as to run
after idols, and after the crafts and impostures of Satan, the
Prophet here deservedly condemns them for this wickedness.
Images, he says, have spoken vanity, and diviners have seen
falsehood, and have told dreams of vanity. He means, in short, that
whatever means unbelieving men may try, they can attain nothing, and
they will at length find that they have been miserably deceived by
Satan. They have recourse to various expedients, for unbelief is
full of bustle and fervour: "O! this will not succeed, I will try
something else." Thus the unbelieving wander, and resort to many and
various expedients. But the Prophet teaches this general truth -
that when men turn away from God, they have recourse to vain things;
for there is no truth without God.
He afterwards adds, that on account of idols, as well as of
diviners and magicians, consolation was given in vain; and this he
confirms by the event, and says, that they had wandered as sheep,
that they had been distressed, because there was no shepherd. The
Prophet no doubt refers here to the time of exile, that the Jews
might learn to be wise, at least by the teaching of experience; for
they had known to their great loss, that without God there is no
real and solid comfort: nor does he without reason upbraid them with
the punishment which their fathers had suffered, for he saw that
they were walking in their steps. Since then the Jews were imitating
the depraved inquisitiveness of their fathers, the Prophet justly
charges them, that they did not acknowledge what, by the event
itself, was well known to all; for the common proverb is, that
experience is the teacher of fools. Since they did not become wise
even when smitten, their stupidity was more than proved. We now then
perceive what the Prophet means.
But we must first notice, that when he bids them to ask rain of
the Lord, he speaks of the kingdom of Christ, as all the Prophets
are wont to do; for since the Redeemer, promised to the Jews, was to
be the author of all blessings, whenever the Prophets speak of his
coming, they also promise abundance of corn, and plentiful
provisions, and peace, and everything necessary for the well-being
of the present life. And Zechariah now follows the same course, when
he declares that it was not owing to anything in God that he did not
kindly supply the Jews with whatever they might have wished, but
that the fault was with themselves; for they had by their unbelief,
as it has been said, closed the door against his favour. We must yet
ever remember what we stated yesterday - that whatever the Prophets
have said concerning a blessed life, ought to be judged of according
to the nature of the kingdom of Christ. It is a strained
interpretation to say that rain is heavenly doctrine; and I do not
say that Zechariah spoke allegorically, but he describes under this
common figure the kingdom of Christ - even that God will fill his
elect with all good things, so that they shall not thirst, nor
labour under any want.
But at the same time we must bear in mind the exhortation of
Christ - "Seek ye first the kingdom of God; other things," he says,
"shall afterwards be added." (Matt. 6: 33.) He then is strangely
wrong who thinks that abundance of food was alone promised to the
Jews; for God intended to lead them by degrees to things higher. The
Prophet then no doubt includes here, under one kind, all things
necessary for a happy life; for it is not the will of God to fill
his faithful people in this world as though they were swine; but his
design is to give them, by means of earthly things, a taste of the
spiritual life. Hence the happiness of which Zechariah now speaks is
really spiritual; for as godliness has the promises of the present
as well as of the future life, (1 Tim. 4: 8,) so the purpose of God
was to consult the weakness of his ancient people, and to set forth
the felicity of the spiritual life by means of earthly blessings.
It ought further to be carefully noticed, that the Jews are
here exposed to derision, because they wandered after their own
devices, when God was yet not far from them, and ready to aid them.
Since God then showed himself inclined to kindness, it was a double
wickedness in them that they chose to run after idols, magical arts,
and the illusions of Satan, rather than to acquiesce in God's word.
And similar is the upbraiding we meet with in Jeremiah, when God
complains that he was forsaken, while yet he was the fountain of
living water, and that the people dug out for themselves cisterns,
dry and full of holes. (Jer. 2: 13.) But as this evil is very
common, let us know that we are here warned to plant our foot firm
on God's word, where he promises that he will take care of us,
provided we be satisfied with his favour; nor let us thoughtlessly
run after our own imaginations; for however our own counsels may
delight us, and though some success may sometimes appear, yet the
end will ever show us that most true is what Zechariah teaches us
here - that whatever we may attempt will be useless and injurious
too, for God will take vengeance on our ingratitude.
We must now also observe, that since Zechariah adduces an
example of God's vengeance, by which the Jews had found that they
had foolishly sought vain consolations, we ought to take heed, lest
we forget those punishments with which God may have visited us in
order to restore us to himself: let us remember what we ourselves
have experienced, and what has happened to our fathers, even before
we were born. Thus then ought the faithful to apply their minds so
as to recount the judgements of God, that they may derive profit
from his scourges. He afterwards adds -
Zechariah 10:3
Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the
goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of
Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.
He had said that the Jews had been driven into exile, and had
been oppressed by their enemies, because they had no shepherd; not
indeed to lessen their fault, for they were wholly inexcusable,
since they had wilful]y renounced God, who would have been otherwise
their perpetual shepherd: but he now turns his discourse to the
false teachers, to the false prophets and to the wicked priests.
Though then they were all unworthy of pardon, yet God here justly
summons the shepherds first before his tribunal, who had been the
cause of making others to go astray: as when a blind man leads the
blind into a ditch, so ungodly pastors become the cause of ruin to
others. We have elsewhere observed similar passages, in which God
threatened priests and prophets with special punishment, because
they had unfaithfully discharged their office; but yet he did not
absolve the common people, for from the least to the greatest they
were guilty; and it is also certain that men are punished for their
obstinacy and wickedness, whenever God gives loose reins to the
devil, and deceives them by ungodly teachers.
We now then see the order observed by the Prophet: At the
beginning of the chapter he declares that the Jews were without
excuse, because they had turned aside again to their own
superstitions, though God had severely punished the sins of their
fathers, and that thus they had profited nothing; he also shows that
they were acting perversely, if they clamoured against God, that he
scantily or badly supported them, for they did not look for any
thing from him, nor solicited by prayer what he was prepared
willingly to grant them. Having thus reproved generally the
wickedness of the whole people, the Prophet now assails the ungodly
priests, and says that judgement was nigh both the shepherd and the
he-goats.
He gives the name of pastors to wolves, which is a common
thing. And here the Papists betray their folly, laying hold of words
only, and claiming to themselves all power, because they are called
pastors in the Church, and as though Antichrist was not to reign in
the temple of God. Does not Zechariah give an honourable name to
these wicked men who destroyed the Church of God? Yea, he brings a
most heavy charge against them, that they scattered and trampled
under their feet the whole kingdom of God, and yet he calls them
pastors, even because they held the office of pastors, though they
were very far from being faithful, and in no respect attended to
their duties.
He then concedes the name of pastors to those who had been
called to rule the people, and to whom this office had been divinely
committed; and yet God declares that he would visit them, because
they had elicited his just displeasure. The same is said of the
he-goats, by which metaphorical name he means all those who were
governors, or were in rank above the common people. Those who
injured and cruelly treated the sheep had been called he-goats by
other Prophets, and especially by Ezekiel (Ezek. 34: 17.) So then he
adds the he-goats to the pastors, because the poor and the lower
orders had been led to ruin through their misconduct. And it hence
appears how dear to God is the salvation of men; for he denounces
vengeance on pastors, though they had not exercised tyranny except
on men worthy of such punishment; for it was the just wages of their
sins, that the Lord gave them wolves instead of shepherds. But
though the Jews had merited such a judgement, yet God was angry with
the pastors on account of his constant solicitude for his Church.
And the reason is also added, For visit will God his flock, the
house of Judah; as though he had said, that he would not regard what
the Jews were, but would regard his own election; for greatly valued
by God is his own adoption; and as he had been pleased to choose
that people, he could not have allowed them to be destroyed. When
therefore he saw that his Church had been so much exposed to
destruction through the fault of the pastors, he alleges here as a
reason for his future vengeance, that he could not endure his favour
to be brought to nothing; nor is it to be doubted but that he
mentions here the house of Judah, because he had restored and
consecrated that people to himself, that he might be served by them.
He then takes away from the false pastors every pretence for an
excuse, when he brings forward his own election, as though he had
said, "Though this people had provoked me a hundred times, and
deserved a hundred deaths, yet I intended you to be pastors, because
the house of Judah has been made sacred to me."
But the visitation of the flock is different from that of the
shepherds; for God visits the reprobate, being armed with vengeance,
and he visits his own people by aiding them. Now the visitation of
the flock refers to the whole house of Judah: and this was owing, as
we have said, to their gratuitous adoption; yet the Lord suffered
many to rush headlong into ruin, because he delivered only his own
elect. It is indeed a mode of speaking that often occurs in the
Prophets - that God would help the children of Abraham, when he
means only those who were Israelites indeed, and not the
degenerated.
He adds that they would be as a splendid horse in war. A
contrast is here no doubt implied between splendid horses and asses
or oxen; for these shepherds who had tyrannically oppressed God's
people, are said to be like violent riders who ride on asses and
shamefully abuse them, or like herdsman, who treat their own oxen
inhumanely. God then says that he would ride his people in another
manner, even as the horseman, who sits splendidly on his horse when
going to battle: for even kings, after having ridden a horse in
battle, do afterwards wish it to be well taken care of; and they
show much solicitude for their horses, and even go to the stable
that they may see, if possible, with their own eyes, that they are
properly attended to. God then thus intimates, that he indeed
required obedience from his people, and intended to retain his own
right, to ride as it were on his own people; but yet that he would
not oppress them, and that on the contrary he would make them like a
splendid horse. We now then perceive why the Prophet turns his
discourse here especially to the false shepherds, not indeed to
extenuate the fault of the whole people, for none among them was
worthy of pardon. It follows -
Zechariah 10:4
Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him
the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.
There is here a confirmation of the last verse, but the
metaphors are different; for he says, that the Jews would be
fortified by every defence necessary for their security; nor is he
inconsistent with himself. In the last chapter he indeed taught us,
that though exposed to all kinds of wrongs, they would yet be safe
through aid from heaven; but now he promises that there would come
from them the corner-stone, the nail, the bow, and the exactor; and
this seems a different doctrine; but it is the same as though he had
promised, that though they stood in need of many helps, they would
yet be sufficiently furnished, as God would be ready to aid them
whenever there was need.
By the corner-stone he means the firmness of the building; from
the Jews then shall be the corner-stone; that is, there shall ever
be among that people those capable of carrying on the public
government: then, from thee the nail; beams, we know, and other
parts of the building, are fastened by nails, and we know also, that
the ceiling is thereby made secure. Zechariah then mentions here all
the supports which sustain a building from its very foundation. He
afterwards adds, the bow of war, that is, what is necessary to
overcome enemies; and, lastly, the exactor, one who has power over
bordering nations, and demands tribute or tax from them, as
conquerors are wont to do from their subjects.
We now see what the Prophet means - that when God would
manifest his care for his people and openly show his favour, the
Jews would be fortified by all kinds of help, so as to be well
established, and that they would possess so much public authority as
to have strength enough to resist all enemies; in short, that they
would gain the fruit of conquest, and constrain all nations to be
tributaries to them.
If any one asks when has this been fulfilled, my answer is,
that some preludes of this were given when God raised up the
Maccabees, and made the Jews again to live according to their own
laws, and to enjoy their own rights; but no doubt the Prophet
includes the whole course of redemption. As then God redeemed his
people only to a small extent until Christ appeared, it is no wonder
that Zechariah, in speaking of full and complete redemption, extends
his words to the kingdom of Christ, and this was necessary. We hence
learn, that the Church stands abundantly firm, and is also furnished
with all needful things, while it continues under the protection of
God, and that it is endued with sufficient power to resist all its
enemies. It follows -
Zechariah 10:5
And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in
the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because
the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.
He confirms what I have already said - that the Jews would be
victorious over all nations. Though the Church is fighting under the
cross, she yet triumphs over all the wicked, partly by hope and
partly by present success; for God wonderfully sustains it, and
makes the faithful to possess their souls in patience; and he also
protects them by his own power, and renders them safe amidst all the
roarings and insatiable rage of their enemies. Since then God thus
strengthens the minds of his people, and cherishes in them the hope
of salvation, and also defends them against raging assaults, it is
no wonder that the Prophet testifies that the church would be
victorious, treading down, as a giant or a strong man, her enemies
in the mire.
He gives the reason, For Jehovah will be with them; and this he
said, that they might know that nothing in this case would be their
own, but that they might, on the contrary, learn to depend on God's
aid alone. And he explains this still more clearly at the end of the
verse, by saying, Ashamed shall be the riders on horses; that is,
their strength and velour, their use of arms and their skill in
handling them, shall avail them nothing, for the Lord will lay
prostrate, notwithstanding their arrogance and pride, all those
wicked men who in their cruelty devour the faithful, and think that
they have strength more than enough to destroy the Church: the Lord
will cause all these things to pass away like mist.
Prayer.
Grant, Almighty God, that since constant fightings await us
here, and our infirmities are so great that without thy power
supporting us we cannot but fall every moment, - O grant, that we
may learn to recomb on that help which thou hast promised, and which
thou hast also offered to us, and dost daily offer through the
Gospel in thine only-begotten Son; and may we distrust our own
strength, yea, may we be overwhelmed with despair as to ourselves,
not indeed that we may despond, but that we may look upward and seek
the aid of thy Spirit, so that we may not doubt but that we shall be
equal to our enemies, and even be victorious over them, until having
at length finished our warfare, we shall reach that blessed rest
which has been obtained for us by the blood of thine only Son. -
Amen.
(Calvin... on Zechariah)
Continued in Part 23...
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