David Baron

“ But while it is true that this part of the vision is designed to show to the people of God in a general way, " that every hostile power of the world which has risen up against it, or shall rise up, is to be judged and destroyed," the number four standing over against the four horns does not only suggest that " for every enemy of God's people God has provided a counter acting power adequate to destroy it," [4] but points to four powers also successive, though in the vision, like the four horns, presented together. ”

“ Being earnestly asked by honoured friends and readers of The Scattered Nation, the Quarterly Record of the Hebrew Christian Testimony to Israel, to write connected expository " Notes on Zechariah," I undertook to do so, without sufficiently realising as I must now confess how formidable the task of a continuous exposition of this particular prophetic book would prove, especially to one whose life is subject to much strain and distraction on account of many other claims and responsibilities in connection with the work of God among scattered Israel. ”

“ THE Bible is an inexhaustible gold mine. Age after age men have been drawing from it priceless treasures. The most successful searchers have not been " the wise and prudent " of this world, but to holy and humble men of heart it has been given to know therein the " secret of the Lord." ”

“ The reader will find some parts both in the visions and in the prophecies more thoroughly handled than others, my object being first of all to elucidate as fully as possible the great Messianic prophecies in this book, and secondly to unfold and emphasise the great and solemn prophetic events which centre around the land and the people of Israel events the rapid fulfilment of which men may now begin to see with their own eyes. ”

“ For the like reason we commend to Bible lovers the exposition which our beloved brother, the author of the following pages, has given of prophetic Scriptures, too little studied at the present time, and yet of increasing importance for all who would learn the purposes of God, perhaps very soon to be fulfilled. ”

“ Again and again apostate Christendom in the dark ages showed its zeal for the Jewish Messiah, who teaches His followers to love even their enemies, by burning whole communities of Jews, numbering sometimes thousands of souls, on one huge scaffold; but in spite of it all Israel lives " they Jiave not prevailed over him "; for there are more Jews in the world after all the centuries of banishments, massacres, and untold sufferings, than there have been at any previous point of the world's history ”

“ Israel is indestructible. The bush may burn, but it cannot be consumed, because God has said: " Though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee."
But to come to the other points in this vision which need explanation. The peculiar structure of the sentence and the unusual designation of the chosen people as "Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem," in ver. ”

“ I have indeed gleaned what I considered best and helpful for the elucidation of the text from many sources and even from writers with whose general attitude to the Holy Scriptures and principles of interpretation I am altogether at variance. But almost all the existing works on this prophetic book are in one way or another defective, and some of them even misleading. ”

“ Those who have followed the expositions in The Scattered Nation will be thankful to have them in a connected form, and we hope that many who had not seen them in their earlier state will study them carefully, and find faith and hope quickened in each step they take along the prophetic path. ”

“ THIS second short vision is in a sense a continuation of the comforting message contained in the first, for it shows how the Gentile nations against whom Jehovah is " very sore displeased," because they have each in turn " helped forward the affliction " by scattering Israel and treading down Jerusalem, shall themselves be broken and dissipated. The prophet had probably been absorbed in thought and meditation en what he saw and heard in the first vision ”

“ And the Lord showed me four workmen, ... in order to cut off the horns that is to say, each kingdom shall he a carpenter, to cut off the kingdom that preceded it, for the Babylonian monarchy fell by the hand of the Persians, and the Persian by the hand of the Greek, etc. ”

“ The Introduction to the second part will be found especially helpful to those who have been troubled by the difficulties created by the critics, whose shortsightedness is ill fitted to take in the vast perspective of the Divine picture. ”

“ Apart from the final and total overthrow of confederated Gentile world-power at the time of the end, the prophet is also made to see what we may describe as the gradual process of the decay and overthrow of the four great empires in turn.
" And Jehovah showed me four carpenters?" literally, " workmen," or " smiths," as the R.V. renders the word. The Hebrew Knn } harash, designates a cunning workman or artificer in either wood, stone, or metal. ”

“ Their enemies were united, and seemed confident of success. The Crusaders went from west to east with the cry " Hierosolyma est perdita! " [2] and perpetrated wholesale massacres of the Jews as a commencement of their " holy " wars. ”