And the word of the Lord – <\/B>Keil: This word of the Lord is not addressed through the interpreting angel, but direct from the Lord, and that through the Angel of the Lord . For though in the first instance the words, the hands of Zerubbabel etc., relate to the building of the material temple, and announce its completion through Zerubbabel yet the inference, and thou shalt know theft the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you, shows that the meaning is not exhausted thereby, but that here too this building is mentioned only as a type of the building of the spiritual temple ; and the completion of the typical temple is but a pledge of the completion of the true temple. For not through the completion of the material temple, but only through the building of the kingdom of God, shadowed forth by it, can Judah know, that the Angel of the Lord was sent to him.<\/P><\/p>\nFuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Either at another time, or else at the same time, was added what now Zechariah declares. <\/P> <\/p>\n
Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying.<\/strong> As follows; which is a confirmation of the angel’s interpretation of the vision.<\/p>\n A further and still clearer explanation of the angel’s answer (Zec 4:6<\/span> and Zec 4:7<\/span>) is given in the words of Jehovah which follow in Zec 4:8-10<\/span>. Zec 4:8<\/span>. “And the word of Jehovah came to me thus:<\/em> Zec 4:9<\/span>. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it; and thou wilt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me to you.<\/em> Zec 4:10<\/span>. For who despiseth the day of small things? and they joyfully behold the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, those seven: the eyes of Jehovah, they sweep through the whole earth.” <\/em> This word of God is not addressed to the prophet through the angelus interpres <\/em>, but comes direct from Jehovah, though, as Zec 4:9<\/span><\/em> clearly shows when compared with Zec 2:9<\/span><\/em> and Zec 2:11<\/span><\/em>, through the Maleach<\/em> Jehovah. Although the words “the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house” unquestionably refer primarily to the building of the earthly temple, and announce the finishing of that building by Zerubbabel, yet the apodosis commencing with “and thou shalt know” shows that the sense is not thereby exhausted, but rather that the building is simply mentioned here as a type of the spiritual temple (as in Zec 7:12-13<\/span>), and that the completion of the typical temple simply furnishes a pledge of the completion of the true temple. For it was not by the finishing of the earthly building, but solely by the carrying out of the kingdom of God which this shadowed forth, that Judah could discern that the angel of Jehovah had been sent to it. This is also apparent from the reason assigned for this promise in Zec 4:10<\/span>, the meaning of which has been explained in very different ways. Many take as an apodosis, and connect it with as the protasis: “for whoever despises the day of small things, they shall see with joy,” etc. (lxx, Chald., Pesh., Vulg., Luther., Calv., and others); but can hardly be taken as an indefinite pronoun, inasmuch as the introduction of the apodosis by Vav<\/em> would be unsuitable, and it has hitherto been impossible to find a single well-established example of the indefinite followed by a perfect with Vav consec.<\/em> And the idea that v e sam e chu <\/em> is a circumstantial clause, in the sense of “whereas they see with joy” (Hitzig, Koehler), is equally untenable, for in a circumstantial clause the verb never stands at the head, but always the subject; and this is so essential, that if the subject of the minor (or circumstantial) clause is a noun which has already been mentioned in a major clause, either the noun itself, or at any rate its pronoun, must be repeated (Ewald, 341, a<\/em>), because this is the only thing by which the clause can be recognised as a circumstantial clause. We must therefore take as an interrogative pronoun: Who has ever despised the day of the small things? and understand the question in the sense of a negation, “No one has ever despised,” etc. The perfect baz <\/em> with the syllable sharpened, for baz <\/em>, from buz <\/em> (like tach <\/em> for tach <\/em> in Isa 44:18<\/span>; cf. Ges. 72, Anm. 8), expresses a truth of experience resting upon facts. The words contain a perfect truth, if we only take them in the sense in which they were actually intended, – namely, that no one who hopes to accomplish, or does accomplish, anything great, despises the day of the small things. Yom q e tannoth <\/em>, a day on which only small things occur (cf. Num 22:18<\/span>). This does not merely mean the day on which the foundation-stone of the temple was first laid, and the building itself was still in the stage of its small beginnings, according to which the time when the temple was built up again in full splendour would be the day of great things (Koehler and others). For the time when Zerubbabel’s temple was finished – namely, the sixth year of Darius – was just as miserable as that in which the foundation was laid, and the building that had been suspended was resumed once more. The whole period from Darius to the coming of the Messiah, who will be the first to accomplish great things, is a day of small things, as being a period in which everything that was done for the building of the kingdom of God seemed but small, and in comparison with the work of the Messiah really was small, although it contained within itself the germs of the greatest things.<\/p>\n The following perfects, , have Vav consec.<\/em>, and express the consequence, though not “the necessary consequence, of their having despised the day of small beginnings,” as Koehler imagines, who for that reason properly rejects this view, but the consequence which will ensue if the day of small things is not despised. The fact that the clause beginning with v e sam e chu <\/em> is attached to the first clause of the verse in the form of a consequence, may be very simply explained on the ground that the question “who hath despised,” with its negative answer, contains an admonition to the people and their rulers not to despise the small beginnings. If they lay this admonition to heart, the seven eyes of God will see with delight the plumb-lead in the hand of Zerubbabel. In the combination the verb sam e chu <\/em> takes the place of an adverb (Ges. 142, 3, a<\/em>). is not a stone filled up with lead, but an ‘ebhen <\/em> which is lead, i.e., the plumb-lead or plummet. A plummet in the hand is a sign of being engaged in the work of building, or of superintending the erection of a building. The meaning of the clause is therefore, “Then will the seven eyes of Jehovah look with joy, or with satisfaction, upon the execution,” not, however, in the sense of “They will find their pleasure in this restored temple, and look upon it with protecting care” (Kliefoth); for if this were the meaning, the introduction of the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel would be a very superfluous addition. Zerubbabel is still simply the type of the future Zerubbabel – namely, the Messiah – who will build the true temple of God; and the meaning is the following: Then will the seven eyes of God help to carry out this building. cannot be grammatically joined to in the sense of “these seven eyes,” as the position of ‘elleh <\/em> (these) between the numeral and the noun precludes this; but is an explanatory apposition to : “those (well-known) seven, (viz.) the eyes of Jehovah.” The reference is to the seven eyes mentioned in the previous vision, which are directed upon a stone. These, according to Zec 3:9<\/span>, are the sevenfold radiations or operations of the Spirit of the Lord. Of these the angel of the Lord says still further here: They sweep through the whole earth, i.e., their influence stretches over all the earth. These words also receive their full significance only on the supposition that the angel of Jehovah is speaking of the Messianic building of the house or kingdom of God. For the eyes of Jehovah would not need to sweep through the whole earth, in order to see whatever could stand in the way and hinder the erection of Zerubbabel’s temple, but simply to watch over the opponents of Judah in the immediate neighbourhood and the rule of Darius.<\/p>\n Zerubbabel To Finish Restoration Of Temple<\/strong><\/p>\n Verses 8-10:<\/p>\n Restoration Pledged<\/strong><\/p>\n Verse 8 once <\/strong>again certifies that what Zechariah heard, spoke, and wrote, <\/strong>as related in this book, was by or from the Lord, Divine inspiration, 2Pe 1:21<\/span>; Psa 119:160<\/span>; 2Ti 3:16-17<\/span>.<\/p>\n Verse 9 pledged <\/strong>that as surely as Zerubbabel’s hands had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord’s house, that certain it was that the Lord would sustain him in finishing it. By the fulfillment of this prophecy, in the renewal of the temple building and its certain completion, Zechariah assured the people that they would be confirmed in the knowledge that the Lord had sent him to prophecy to them. The temple, then begun, was finished in the sixth year of the reign of Darius, on the third day of the month Adair, Ezr 4:15<\/span>. What the angel announced to Zec 2:9<\/span>. Zechariah did preach to the people to motivate them in building the temple, as the center of their national worship and pride.<\/p>\n Verse 10 asks, <\/strong>who has despised or taken lightly the day of small things? a short time, Ezr 3:12<\/span>; Hag 2:3<\/span>. Because the angel further announces that these of Judah shall rejoice (come to rejoice), and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, as he directed and provided the material things for the rebuilding of the temple. The work was done with the seven eyes of the Lord, meaning the watchcare or watchful eye of the Lord, who watches over all the earth, guarding or protecting him in the temple building program, Zec 3:9<\/span>; Psa 11:4<\/span>; Psa 33:18<\/span>; Pro 15:3<\/span>; See also 1Co 16:9<\/span>.<\/p>\n He confirms in this passage what I lately stated — That there was no reason for the faithful to entertain doubts or to feel anxious, because they saw that the beginning of the building was mean and despised by the world; for the Lord would at length show that it was built by his sanction and command, and that it would succeed far better than all of them had thought. <\/p>\n But he says that the word of Jehovah came to him; (48) and yet at the end of the next verse he shows that this address came from the mouth of the angel. But it is a well-known and a common mode of speaking, that God himself is said to speak, when he employs either angels or men as his agents; for the person of the messenger lessens in no degree the reverence due to the word: the majesty, then, of God ought to remain inviolable in his word, whether brought to us by men or by angels. Now the Prophet felt assured that nothing was adduced by the angel, but what he conveyed as the minister of God. <\/p>\n The sum of the whole is, that the temple, though some interruptions happened, was yet so begun that its completion was at length to be expected; as God had made use of the labors of Zerubbabel, so he would not forsake the work of his hands. Since, then, God was the chief founder of the building, it could not be but that the temple would at length be completed. <\/p>\n (48) That is, what follows was especially addressed to the Prophet. The former part, beginning at the sixth verse, was a communication to Zerubbabel, and may be considered as parenthetic; the angel now proceeds to give an answer to the Prophet. — Ed. <\/p>\n THE PROMISE IN THE DAY OF <\/span>SMALL THINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n Zec 4:8-10<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n THE Sundays concerned, this day terminates the thirty-five years of the present pastorate. The banquet of Tuesday night celebrates the exact anniversary, the day of the month regarded, as this pastorate began on March 1st, 1897. <\/p>\n At that time it was impossible to anticipate the years that have intervened, and any prophecy on their results for us as pastor and people would have been a pure speculation. However, we so firmly believe in the unseen vision, and in the unheard Voice, that we stand at this hour without the least surprise at what has taken place.<\/p>\n When Mrs. Riley was packing to leave Chicago for Minneapolis, her heart torn with separation from friends she had learned to love, and her tears dropping upon the garments that were being placed in trunk and traveling bag, I said to her, Dont cry, dear; we will never do this again!<\/p>\n For quite a time back of that hour I had had a clear conviction that somewhere, probably in the West, there was a growing city, and a downtown church that should claim the overwhelming portion of my ministerial endeavors, and when the call from this church came, I believed this to be the city and this to be the church of which the Lord had whispered in the silences, had visualized for me in the darkness of night; and somehow, I knew that I was moving to an experience very closely akin to that which these thirty-five years have brought to pass.<\/p>\n In facing the future, een though one enjoyed inspiration itself, he would see only the general course of events. Matters of minor importance, and even the personal experiences of deepest concern, are not revealed. It is like standing on an eminence and following the long road with the eyes. Its direction is plain; but not so its slight elevations and depressions; not so the stones which may be in the direct line of travel, and certainly not so for those tacks and nails that often harrow us suddenly and sometimes even disastrously, in the automobile transportation; and if there should be highwaymen lurking in the bush, these would not appear. When disaster overtakes one and a friend comes to his aid, he would not have been seen in advance. Life is much like that; we only comprehend it fully as we come to it.<\/p>\n In searching, therefore, for a text for this day, I did not find it where I hoped and preferred to come upon the same, namely, in the Book of Ezekiel, our present consecutive studybut rather in this volume of Zechariahmy favorite among the minor Prophets.<\/p>\n As the text is developed I think you may consent that there is a certain appropriateness in its employment, for I want you to think with me today on,Completing that Commenced: The Importance of Small Things: and on The Discovery of Future Opportunities.<\/p>\n COMPLETING THAT COMMENCED<\/strong><\/p>\n Moreover the Word of the Lord came unto me, saying,<\/em><\/p>\n The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this House; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent Me unto you (Zec 4:8-9<\/em><\/span>).<\/em><\/p>\n Forty-four years ago, or in June, 1888, I was installed as regular pastor of the First Baptist Church, Lafayette, Ind., where, for six months previous, while yet a student in Louisville, Ky., I had been acting as student-pastor. Dr. George Lorimer, who was then pastor of the Immanual Church, Chicago, preached my installation sermon and employed this text.<\/p>\n I do not remember a word he uttered except the constant repetition of Zerubbabel; but I well remember how profoundly he moved me with his matchless eloquence; and, so far as I recall, it is the only time in my life that I have ever heard the text used. I am under the necessity, therefore, of formulating my own outline and filling in the same as the Spirit shall suggest.<\/p>\n I learn from it:<\/p>\n The Lord is the arbiter of duty.<\/strong> We quite often hear that the Lord is the arbiter of destiny, but duty and destiny are quite akin.<\/p>\n Moreover the Word of the Lord came<\/em> <\/strong>unto me,<\/em> <\/strong>saying.<\/em> <\/strong>Who has such right to say as He? To whom else does command belong? It was of Christ the Prophet was speaking when, voicing God, he uttered the words, Behold, I have given Him<\/em> * * a leader and a commander to the people (Isa 55:4<\/em><\/span><\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n It was Christ Himself who said, All power<\/em> (or authority) is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore.<\/em><\/p>\n Unfortunately, the days in which we live present a drift away from this conception of Christ as the One and full Commander of men. Our fathers and mothers in the faith almost uniformly conceded to Christ the right to command. If He said to a son or daughter, Go, the believing father and mother said, Let it be so!<\/p>\n His calls might have been to far away India, to little known China, to the distant isle of Japan, or even to the inhospitable South America, or cannibalistic Africa, and yet, however deep their grief, they dared not dissent; and if they did, they rather anticipated chastisement for their dissent.<\/p>\n In the home state of my youth, a man had two daughters. The younger of them felt called to be a foreign missionary, but the father refused to let her go. Shortly the mother was taken. He feared that it was a reproof, but again to her pleas, he answered, No. You cannot go. A few weeks, and the elder daughter was called Home, and once more the girl said, Father, I must be obedient to Jesus Christ. His answer was, You are all that I have left, and I cannot and will not spare you. She replied, Father, it may be that I am not yours, but that I belong to Him first. Have you ever thought of that?<\/p>\n The night through he tossed with no sleep, and when the morning came, he said, I have given a night of thought and prayer to it, and I have fully concluded that you do belong to Him first, and if it is His command, you shall go!<\/p>\n Years afterward, on that foreign mission field, the father found his daughter surrounded by scores of Christian girls whom she had won to Christ, and as he looked at them, he said, Thank God I was obedient; I now have my child, and in addition all these also, for they are the Lords, and they are mine.<\/p>\n It is the Lords to select His own agents of office.<\/strong><\/p>\n Here again our text talks: The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it (Zec 4:9<\/em><\/span><\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n God has His work and is competent to select for each needful job the best suited agent. Therein is involved a principle that too many of my fellow ministers forget. Every week of the world I have from one to a half dozen letters from men who want a pastorate. The church of Albert Lea, and the church at Austin, have recently been vacant. These men have wanted that I recommend them to one or the other, or even to both these pulpits. Some of them are men I have never seen; and most of them are men who have never seen these churches, and who know nothing of the churches or congregations. The idea of an adaptation of the man to the office seems not to have been entertained.<\/p>\n But it is quite impossible to believe that God ever ignores such fundamental principles of success. When He, by His Holy Spirit, brings a man to a pulpit and opens that pulpit for that particular man, He has known that the man could undertake and accomplish the needed ministry, or He would never have sent him to that station. A wise General would never appoint a subordinate to a position for which he was unfitted. A wise University President would never nominate to the Chair of Philosophy a Professor that had no equipment for that course of instruction. It is pathetic to reduce God below the level of mediocre man, and imagine that He conducts His work hit or miss, higgledy-piggledy, as we say. That is not God! Beyond question, there are plenty of misfits in the ecclesiastical world; but equally is it certain that they are man-made and not Divinely appointed.<\/p>\n One of our church officials, who is just now traveling in the South, has made it his business to attend church on every Sunday of his absence, and to send to me some report of the same. Along with one of these was a newspaper clipping, entitled, Church Picks its Pastor Through Series of Tests. The clipping goes on to record how a certain church, in an important city in Ohio, had adopted a scientific basis for preacher selection. One is not surprised to learn that the Chairman of the Committee was a professor in the State University in the psychology department.<\/p>\n There were nine points under which the man must measure for selection:<\/p>\n Spiritualitynot necessarily belief in dogmas, (which, correctly interpreted, means,We care nothing for doctrine.)<\/p>\n Intellectualityinterest in good books, art and music.<\/p>\n Scholarlinessknowledge of his job from Greek to modern social problems.<\/p>\n Adaptabilitythis includes the preachers wife.<\/p>\n Poisestage presence; the minister should not be unnerved if the first deacon drops the collection plate.<\/p>\n Personalityability to lead people out of sin, inspire devotion and radiate kindness.<\/p>\n Tolerance and sympathythere are twenty-four different sects in the Community Church, and the preacher must get along with all of them.<\/p>\n Visionthe pastor must be able to hope and dream of progress for his church and his members.<\/p>\n Appeal to youthin the younger generation is the hope of the world, and it is up to the preacher to inspire the youngsters.<\/p>\n The man called scored ninety-three points out of a possible 100 in the test, so it was claimed.<\/p>\n New method! God is not once named in all of it; His will has not been consulted. We predict that the progress to be marked under such conditions will exist very largely in the hope and dream of the preacher.<\/p>\n This same city, some years since, had a man who could have scored 100 under these nine points, and after some thirty years in a dead and declining church, he resigned, expressing the deepest pessimism concerning the future of Christianity. It may be that some secular businesses can be carried on without consulting God, but when it comes to laying the foundations for His House and finishing the same to its finial, woe to the people that disregard Him!<\/p>\n The Divine commission should be met by human consent.<\/strong><\/p>\n Thou shalt know that the Lord of Hosts hath sent Me unto you (Zec 4:9<\/em><\/span><\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n You will remember that Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians, speaking of Jesus Christ, said,<\/p>\n When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, * *<\/em><\/p>\n And He gave some, Apostles; and some, Prophets; and some, Evangelists; and some, Pastors and Teachers;<\/p>\n For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Eph 4:8<\/em><\/span>; Eph 4:11-12<\/em><\/span><\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n Appointment to the ministry is a prerogative that Christ has never surrendered to another; and it is our judgment that He who gave gifts unto men<\/em> in the form of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, retains equally the right to determine where they shall work, as well as to what order of the ministry they should belong. If so, it is a strange condition into which we have come that men, called of God, are on an eternal hunt for a job.<\/p>\n Paul was at Troas preaching as he had opportunity and a vision appeared to him in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us (Act 16:9<\/em><\/span><\/em>).<\/em> And the record is, And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the Gospel unto them (Act 16:10<\/em><\/span><\/em>).<\/em><\/p>\n Recently I hit upon this incident brought up to date. It involves something of a contrast between the preacher method of two thousand years ago and that of the present. The Pentecostal Herald published what purported to be an overlooked epistle from the Apostle Pauls hand:<\/p>\n Dear Sir and Brother: Doubtless you will recall the invitation you extended to me to come over into Macedonia and help the people of that section. You will pardon me for saying that I am somewhat surprised that you should expect a man of my standing in the church, seriously to consider a call on such meager information.<\/p>\n There are a number of things I should like to learn before giving my decision, and I would appreciate your dropping me a line, addressing me at Troas.<\/p>\n First of all, I should like to know if Macedonia is a circuit or a station. This is important, as I have been told that once a man begins on a circuit it is well nigh impossible to secure employment in station work. If Macedonia embraces more than one preaching place, I may as well tell you frankly that I cannot think of accepting the call.<\/p>\n There is another item that was overlooked in your brief and somewhat sudden invitation. While it is true that I am not preaching for money, there are certain things that need to be taken into account. I have been through a long and expensive course of training; in fact, I may state with reasonable pride, that I am a Sanhedrin man,the only one in the ministry today.<\/p>\n The day is past when you may expect a man to rush into a new field without some idea of the support he is to receive. I have worked myself up to a good position in the Asiatic field, and to take a drop and lose my grade would be serious. Nor could I afford to swap dollar for dollar as the saying is among us Apostles.<\/p>\n Kindly get the good Macedonia brethren together and see what you can do in the way of support. You have told me nothing about Macedonia beyond the implication that the place needs help. What are its social advantages? Is the church well organized?<\/p>\n I recently had a fine offer to return to Damascus at an increase of salary, and am told that I made a very favorable impression on the Church at Jerusalem. If it will help me with the board at Macedonia, you might mention these facts, and also some of the brethren in Judea have been heard to say that if I kept on, in a few years I might have anything in the gift of the church. For recommendations write to the Rev. Simon Peter, D.D., at Jerusalem. I will say that I am a first class mixer and especially strong on argumentative preaching. If I accept the call, I must stipulate for two months vacation, and the privilege of taking an occasional lecture tour.<\/p>\n My lecture on Over the Wall in a Basket is worth two drachma of any mans money.<\/p>\n Sincerely yours,<\/p>\n Paul.<\/p>\n Can any man imagine such a letter emanating from the Apostle Paul? And does it require any imagination at all for those of us who live today to conceive exactly such a correspondence from a present-day candidate for an open pulpit? In truth, do not our letter files hold essential copies of the same?<\/p>\n It would be a great day for the Church of God, a time when a genuine revival of grace might be anticipated with reason, if we returned to the conviction that the Lord is the arbiter of duties; that it is His to select agents for office, and above all, that our consent should be given heartily to the Divine commission.<\/p>\n Turning back to the text, let us attend upon THE IMPORTANCE OF BEGINNINGS<\/p>\n Who hath despised the day of small things?<\/em><\/p>\n As Joseph Parker says, The whole action of God has been an action from the small to the great. God is continually surpassing all that He has yet done.<\/p>\n Who is left among you that saw this House in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? * *<\/em><\/p>\n The glory of this latter House shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts: and m this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts.<\/p>\n There is no accomplishment apart from commencement.<\/strong> Origins are all important. The beginning of things is our supreme concern. Let us not misunderstand here. We are not commending now those people who are always trying to start something, but never finish anything: those people who dream of castles and lay flimsy foundations in sand! Of them the world has had enough; yea, more than plenty!<\/p>\n But, on the other hand, the principle of life abides. We must have the mustard seed in order to get the tree, in the branches of which the birds might lodge; we must have the acorn in order to get an oak.<\/p>\n There is not a big thing in America but had a small beginning. The country itself, in its potentiality, existed at one time in those few feeble folk who embarked on our shores from the Mayflower. Even the days of George Washington were pioneer days; the land existed in promise only. Its present growth might have been in prospect, but it required a far vision to behold it. All the more glory to the men and women who dared pioneer, who were content to commence things, who believed that if they could lay the foundations others would follow and work on the superstructure.<\/p>\n This principle has its spiritual application as well. The Kingdom of God itself is first a grain, then the blade, and then the full corn in the ear! The harvest field is, in the spring time, nothing but unseen kernels that lie underground modestly out of sight, until the touch of sun and rain makes a beginning.<\/p>\n There is potentiality in the day of small things.<\/strong><\/p>\n Seventy-nine years ago next Sunday this church was organized with ten members that owned not a square foot of property; their home at that time was the hospitable house of Asa Fletcher. The village stood in a wilderness,Indians and wild beasts all about. But who shall despise the day of small things? The Church of God, properly conducted, ought to be like a snowball;the further it moves the fnore rapidly it grows.<\/p>\n By Gods grace and favor only that is true of this body of believers! Would God it were equally true of every other Christian church in the state. The first forty-four years of this churchs history it attained to a membership of 662, and to an annual financial output of $14,000.00. The next twenty-five years it attained to a membership of 2484, and to annual gifts of $26,934.15. In those twenty-five years it gave to all causes $1,117,627.12. But in the last ten years it has attained to a membership of 3364, and it has given $1,993,478.51, an amount larger than in all its previous history, and a total amount, in thirty-five years, of this pastorate, of $3,111,105.63. Who hath despised the day of small things?<\/em><\/p>\n In the February number of the North Star Baptist, the editress called attention to the fact that in 1849, twelve members formed themselves into the First Baptist Church of St. Paul. That was the beginning of Baptist work in the State. There remains seventeen years before the century is finished, and yet in that time 220 Baptist churches are in existence, with a combined membership of 33,625; and while this report is a disappointment, especially since it is considerably smaller, in number of churches, than we had thirty years ago, still it is another illustration of the text, Who hath despised the day of small things?<\/em><\/p>\n Christ Himself entered an inhospitable world 1900 years ago. At the time when His ministry opened He had a forerunner, but no followers; and when He finally hung on the Cross and with dying breath said, It is finished,<\/em> few indeed were His disciples. But behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!<\/em><\/p>\n The mightiest movement on earth today is Christianity!<\/p>\n Grace Noll Crowell beautifully writes: <\/p>\n This is the dream that the Master dreamed<\/p>\n As He walked on the hills and beside the sea<\/p>\n The greatest dream and the whitest dream <\/p>\n Of time and of all eternity.<\/p>\n Twelve men up from the sea, the town,<\/p>\n To carry a message by word of mouth<\/p>\n As seeds are borne on the summer air<\/p>\n To the East, the West, the North, the South.<\/p>\n Until all men of the earth should know<\/p>\n The beautiful things that the Twelve would say:<\/p>\n I am the Truth, tis thus Christ spake,<\/p>\n I am the Door, the Light, the Way.<\/p>\n He who wants water shall never thirst,<\/p>\n He who bears sorrow within his breast<\/p>\n Come unto Me. the Master said,<\/p>\n And find My comfort and peace and rest.<\/p>\n Until the last man with broken breath <\/p>\n Turns on his way down a barren land<\/p>\n To fall at a waiting Saviors feet,<\/p>\n To cling to a Saviors reaching hand.<\/p>\n This is the dream that the Master dreamed<\/p>\n As He walked on the hills and beside the sea;<\/p>\n The greatest dream, and the whitest dream<\/p>\n Of time and of all eternity.<\/p>\n Dr. Russell Conwell, perhaps the most successful pastor preacher yet appearing on the American Continent, was facing death. He took a pen and wrote what he called:<\/p>\n MY PRAYER <\/p>\n I ask not for a larger garden,<\/p>\n But for finer seed.<\/p>\n I ask not for a more distant view,<\/p>\n But for a clearer vision of the hills between.<\/p>\n I ask not to do more deeds,<\/p>\n But more effective ones.<\/p>\n I ask not for a longer life,<\/p>\n But a more efficient one.<\/p>\n We pass then to the further consideration of the text, namely,<\/p>\n THE DISCOVERY OF FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES<\/strong><\/p>\n They shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth.<\/em><\/p>\n Zerubbabel had laid the foundations of the building and with his hand he had finished it; and yet the life of Zerubbabel was not at an end, consequently his ministry would carry on, and it would follow the lines of duty seen by the eyes of the Lord and marked out for him.<\/p>\n The Lord Himself searcheth the earths needs.<\/strong> Since the day when Adam and Eve sinned and lost the garden, and going out there from faced briars and thorns and thistles, the Lord has presented multiplied opportunities of service, and has demanded sweat of every brow. Since sin forfeited Eden, mans supreme task is to recover the same. And that task, like a womans work, goes on and on and on. Gods eyes search out the fields of service and Gods finger points men to the places thereof. And while life lasts the task is never done. Cato at 80 was mastering Greek; Plutarch at the same age, Latin; Theophrastus at 90 published his greatest work. The cessation of labor should mark the last heart beat!<\/p>\n Recently the Lutheran Herald carried an article to this effect,The grand total of adherents to the Christian religion in the earth today is 765,000,000. That leaves 1,265,000,000 outside the church, while millions on millions of those who are inside have a name to live but are dead. <\/p>\n How tremendous the task then before the face of the church! This is not a job for preachers only; it is a task for all the people who have named the Name of the Lord. The problem of life is to find ones place, and fill the same under the direction of the Spirit. There are men and women who say That is our difficulty! We cannot find the place into which we fit.<\/p>\n Dont try to find it; but know this, that God will find it for you. It is His eyes that run to and fro throughout the whole earth.<\/strong> He knows every place of need; He is familiar with every person of need; and His quivers are full of appointments. Hear Him! Turn your hearts toward Heaven and there will be a still small voice saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.<\/em> Lift your eyes to the Lord of Life, and if you are fit for aught, His finger will divinely point the way.<\/p>\n Peter never had any trouble on this subject; Paul never had any; John, James, Philip and Stephen; how divinely they were directed! The full surrender to service makes exceeding clear the still small voice.<\/p>\n We are told that God is no respecter of persons. <\/em>That is not only true in His grace, but it is equally true in His callings. There is work for every man; but in the church, as in the world, there are many men who are looking from work instead of to the same.<\/p>\n But yesterday I met a man who was begging for bread. While I fed him I questioned him to discover that he only intended to work on condition that he could follow a trade of his own preference and receive a high wage for the same. His counterpart is in the Church of God. There are people even there who are not unlike the Dutchman who originated the song:<\/p>\n ANY FOOL CAN WORK<\/strong><\/p>\n Whats the use of working,<\/p>\n Any fool can work <\/p>\n Pleasant occupation<\/p>\n I would never shirk<\/p>\n Put me in a brewery <\/p>\n Turn the faucets loose,<\/p>\n Since I can get a job like that<\/p>\n Oh, whats the use?<\/p>\n Gods appointment demands the believers response.<\/strong> The Lord of Hosts who sees, also sends! He whose eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth<\/em> seeks men who shall follow His vision and be obedient to His command.<\/p>\n My candid conviction is that one reason that some of the talented people of the earth havent a big job rests in the circumstance that they were unwilling to undertake a little job.<\/p>\n Thirty years ago I sat down one Monday morning, in a room in the old church just across there, to teach seven people who were too young to be old and too old to be young. Their school days were over so far as public provision was concerned, but their Christian education was ahead, so far as ambition was concerned. That little company has now grown to 437 enrolled in all its departments, and instead of my being equal to its undertaking, it requires a fine Training School of sixteen people, several of them full time, with the rest part time, to carry on; and the day of small things has become a joy and a rejoicing!<\/p>\n Its financial problem is an eternal one, and a difficult one, and at times, as just now, one that presses heavily upon the heart of the President.<\/p>\n But when this great company of magnificent young men and women, consecrating their lives to the service of the King of Glory is looked upon, the vision is a delight and we are grateful to God who has His eyes run to and fro in all the earth,<\/strong> point out this little company of people and this particular place of service.<\/p>\n After all, perhaps the greatest thing that a man can do in this present day is to multiply himself. That seems to have been the principle upon which Jesus Himself wrought, for when He died He left eleven Apostles behind to carry on. He was not so deeply concerned that His Name should live, but He was anguished that men might not perish. He came not into the world for His own glory, but rather for the good of His fellows. The only reason why, when Calvary came, He could not save Himself therefrom was in the circumstance that He was here to save others.<\/p>\n What an objective! The Church of God should have no other. For thirty-five years we have labored to that end; the future is with the Father. I am not at all attempting to fathom it. How many more years He shall be pleased with this relationship and continue His approval upon it is not for me to settle; but this I know, that while it lasts, our hearts and hands should be alike linked in the Divinest of endeavors, namely, the redemption of our fellows by the presentation of Christ from lip and in life.<\/p>\n My great and good friend Dr. J. C. Massee employed this marvelous illustration:<\/p>\n Thirty-four men were dying in a submerged submarine S-4. There had been a wreck and they were imprisoned at the bottom of the sea off Provincetown. The S.O.S. call had been signalled abroad. Rescuers were hastening from all directions. An admiral of the United States Navy was in charge of the rescue work. The Nation was aroused to anxiety and sympathy. The Government was doing all that could be done, seemingly. Later there was to be a court of inquiry to fix the blame for the disaster.<\/p>\n But fixing the blame did not save the thirty-four men. They died because the rescuers did not reach them in time.<\/p>\n During the progress of the rescue work, communication, by signal of tapping, was established between the rescuers and the imprisoned men. The one message from the doomed men tapped out again and again was, How long will you be now? How long will you be now?<\/p>\n There is an infinite and heart-breaking pathos in that tapped-out cry of doomed men. How long will you be now? One by one they died. Gradually the signals ceased. Painfully the last despairing pleaHowlongwillyoubenow?<\/p>\n There are multitudes sunk in sin, wrecked, ruined, prisoners of doubt, of evil living; slaves of habit doomed by circumstances, conditions! They are held fast by tradition, by custom, by weak wills and evil passions. It seems that I can hear the cry of these victims of Satans cruel wrecking, tapping out to us, to the church:We are dying; how long will you be now? We are doomed! How long will you be now?<\/p>\n <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n (8) Me<\/strong>.The word of the Lord now comes directly to the prophet, as, possibly, in Zec. 2:6-13<\/span>.<\/p>\n Zec 4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,<\/p>\n Ver. 8. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying<\/strong> ] This is a confirmation of the former comfort and a seal of the former promise; all which was but little enough by reason of the people’ s distrust and infidelity. Against which the prophet here produceth his warrant, God’s own word; q.d.<\/em> “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation.” “This is a pillar and ground of truth.” See Trapp on “<\/em> 1Ti 3:15 “<\/em> <\/p>\n NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Zec 4:8-10<\/p>\n 8Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. 10For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabelthese are the eyes of the LORD which range to and fro throughout the earth.<\/p>\n Zec 4:8 The revelation is of God, not Zechariah!<\/p>\n Zec 4:9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this house This text causes controversy when one compares it with Ezr 5:16; Ezr 3:6. There are several possible solutions.<\/p>\n 1. Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel are the same person.<\/p>\n a. both princes of Judah<\/p>\n b. both called governor<\/p>\n c. both returned from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem<\/p>\n d. both involved in laying the foundation of the second temple<\/p>\n 2. Sheshbazzar repaired and restored the sacrificial altar, but not the temple itself.<\/p>\n 3. The foundations were started by Sheshbazzar, but discontinued and restarted later by Zerubbabel.<\/p>\n 4. For a good discussion of the possibilities see Gleason L. Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 216-219.<\/p>\n Also note that this is a figure of speech because Zerubbabel himself probably did not work on the temple itself, but delegated others.<\/p>\n Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me Although NASB (1971) and NKJV have the PRONOUN me capitalized, most other English translations, including the 1995 Updated NASB, do not. This phrase probably relates to Zechariah (cf. Zec 2:8-9; Zec 2:11; Zec 4:9; Zec 6:15). See Special Topic: Know .<\/p>\n Zec 4:10 For who has despised. . .small things Some speculate that Zechariah (or other current leaders) was taken into captivity as a young man and was now very old. He remembered Solomon’s glorious temple, and this second temple was quite modest compared to it. The differences were somewhat discouraging to the people (cf. Ezr 3:12; Hag 2:3).<\/p>\n these seven There is disagreement among English translations as to where this should be placed in the text. <\/p>\n 1. as subject of will be glad (NASB, NKJV)<\/p>\n 2. as relating to the eyes of the Lord (NRSV)<\/p>\n They may relate to the seven faceted stone of Zec 3:9 or to the seven branched and cupped lampstand of Zec 4:2. However, their function relates to the four angelic horsemen of the first vision and the four chariots of the last vision.<\/p>\n the plumb line This word combination (BDB 6, stone and BDB 95, tin, plummet) is uncertain. It is the compound word from stone and tin (cf. 2Ki 21:13; Amo 7:7-8), which was a building metaphor often used for destruction (e.g., Isa 34:11), but in this context, for rebuilding. The plumb line had been in the LORD’s hands (i.e., exile), but now is in Zerubbabel’s hands for restoration through God’s Spirit, who represents His power for His purpose (cf. Zec 4:6).<\/p>\n eyes This is an anthropomorphic idiom. God knows all things and desires that Judah and Jerusalem be rebuilt and prosper. However, the surrounding nations will be judged.<\/p>\n range to and fro This is the Hebrew word range (BDB 1001-1002, KB 1439). It is used in several senses.<\/p>\n 1. for God’s blessing, here and 2Ch 16:9<\/p>\n 2. for those seeking God, Amo 8:12 and possibly Dan 12:4<\/p>\n 3. for seeking one who is godly, Jer 5:1<\/p>\n God’s knowledge is depicted by horses (chapter 1) and chariots (chapter 6) patrolling the whole earth (i.e., ranging throughout the whole world). Here it means that a special stone (cf. Zec 4:7) or a special lampstand (cf. Zec 4:2) also symbolize His presence, purpose, and knowledge.<\/p>\n In a sense this metaphor of rebuilding is exactly what the angel of the LORD wanted to see from Zec 1:12-17.<\/p>\n Reciprocal: Zec 6:15 – and ye<\/p>\n Zec 4:8. Such language as this short verse Is used frequently in order to keep the impression before the reader that the whole book is inspired of God.<\/p>\n The second oracle 4:8-10<\/span><\/p>\n Another word from the Lord also came to Zechariah about Zerubbabel. This appears to be another oracle that the writer inserted here because it is appropriate at this point. He promised that as Zerubbabel had laid the foundation of the temple (Ezr 3:8-11; Ezr 5:16), so he would also complete it (cf. Ezr 6:14-18). Construction began on the foundation of the temple in 536 B.C. and the last stone went in place in 515 B.C. The date of this oracle is unclear, but it probably came in 519 B.C. or perhaps shortly before that (cf. Zec 1:7). Ezr 5:16 credits Sheshbazzar with laying the foundation, but Ezr 3:8 and Zec 4:9 give Zerubbabel the credit for doing it. Probably Zerubbabel finished the work that Sheshbazzar had started. The Lord promised that when the temple was complete the people would know that it was indeed the Lord who had sent the messenger who brought this message to Zechariah. The messenger in view appears to be the angel of the Lord (cf. Zec 1:11-12; Zec 2:8-9; Zec 2:11; Zec 3:1; Zec 3:5-6).<\/p>\n Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, And the word of the Lord – Keil: This word of the Lord is not addressed through the interpreting angel, but direct from the Lord, and that through the Angel of the Lord . For though in the first instance the words, the hands of … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Zechariah 4:8”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22941"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22941\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22941"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Bible of the Expositor and the Evangelist by Riley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"