CHAP. V.
Visions of a large flying roll, signifying the judgments about to be executed on the wicked, 1-4; and of an ephah, with a woman sitting in it, covered with a talent of lead, and carried to be stationed in the land of Shinar; signifying the durable miseries of the Jews, when they should have filled up their measure of iniquity, 5-11.
TTHEN I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying
& roll.
2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? and I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.
3 Then said he unto me, This is
a 2. Is. 8:1. Jer. 36:1-6,2024,27-32. Ez. 2:9,10. Rev. 5: 1,&c. 10:2,8-11.
b 4:2. Jer. 1:11-14. Am. 7:8. € Zeph. 1:14. 2 Pet. 2:3.
Gen. 6:11-13. Rev. 18:5. e Deut. 11:28,29. 27:15-26.28:
the
15,&c. 29:19-28. Ps. 109:17 -20. Prov. 3:33. Is. 24:6. 43: 28. Jer. 26:6. Dan. 9:11. Mal. 3:9, 4:6. Matt. 25:41. Gal. S: 10-13. Heb. 6:6-8. Rev. 21:8. 22:15.
curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for * every one that & stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.
4 I will bring it forth, saith the Lord 01 hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: 'and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
NOTES.
need the assistance of mighty monarchs and powerful armies; or that of wealth, great abilities, eminent learning; or even the power of philosophy, eloquence, and oratory: but we want men filled with the Holy Spirit, full of faith, heavenly wisdom, holiness, zeal for the glory of God, and love to the souls of men; who would go forth in simple dependence on the grace and providence of God, to use no carnal weapons, but the spiritual armor provided for them, and by fervent prayer to seek the blessing from him alone. Before such Zerubbabels mountains would become plains; or rather before him who has said, "Lo, I am with you al-wide: and his divine Instructer informed him,
ways, even to the end of the world." As bis instruments, they would begin and finish many a good work; even as he laid the foundation, and will in due time bring forth "the headstone," of his church.
In the mean while, may we first give diligence to obtain the assurance, that we are a part of the spiritual building; that we may both witness and partake of the blessing, when the whole company of heaven shall exclaim, "Grace, grace unto it." Having this assurance, whatever we are called to engage in, for the honor of God and the good of the church, let us use every means diligently, but trust only in the Lord. Let us not be discouraged by mountains in the way, for faith and prayer will not fail to remove them; and let us hope for a happy event to all our endeavors.
Nor let us "despise the day of small things," either in respect of ourselves or others: for our God commonly produces great effects from small beginnings. Rather let us be thankful for every little hope, help, or success, or any little good by let us rejoice see in
struments made active in the Lord's work, either in the magistracy, the ministry, or any other wa way. Especially let let us fix our faith on Christ, and joyfully view him carrying on his work according to his own glorious plan, and daily bringing his spiritual edifice nearer to its completion; while the omnipresent and omniscient providence of God concurs with his grace, in in perfecting the great design. Beholding him, as our Priest upon the throne; let us seek, through his intercession and of his royal bounty, supplies from that fulness, which has hitherto sufficed for all his saints and servants, according to their trials and employments; let us wait on him in all his ordin ordinances, expecting communications of his Spirit; and thus let us hope to be sanctified wholly "in body, soul, and spirit;" "for faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it."
860]
CHAP. V. V. 1-4. The preceding visions were replete with encouragement to the pious rulers and people of Judah; but these bear a gloomy aspect, both towards obstinate sinners, and towards the whole nation in process of time. The prophet's attention was called to "a flying roll." He saw several skins of parchment, or other materials of which rolls for writing were made, joined together and written upon, flying in the air; which seemed to him to be above ten yards long and five yards
that they represented "the curse," which would go "through the whole land " against ali the wicked. ( Marg . Ref . a--d.- Notes , Is . 8:1 -4, v. 1. Jer . 36:1-3,8-10,20-25,32. Ez . 2:9, 10. Rev. 5:1-4.) The Lord "would bring it forth," as the rule of judgment, and he would deal with every one according to it. So that the thief, being condemned by one part of it, would be cut off according to it; the perjured person, being condemned by another part of it, would be cut off according to it: and in like manner, with other criminals.
For the curse would enter into the house of the thief, the perjured person, &c. and abide there, till it had destroyed all the riches, comfort, and credit of him and his family; even as if it had consumed the stones and timber of his habitation. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . e, f. i.- Notes , 8:16,17. Ex . 20:7,15. Lev . 6:2-7. 14:34-53, vv . 44,45. Deut . 27:15--26. 28:15. Josh . 6:17-19.7:1,13— 26. Prov . 30:7,9. Dan . 9:11. Hab . 2:9—11. Mal . 3:5,6. Jam. 5:1-6.)- Shall be cut off , &c. (3) "Holdeth himself guiltless." Not being and so
detected in his perjury and dishonesty, escaping punishment punishment from man; the thief and the perjured pers person would be emboldened to expect impunity, and to plead not guilty to every charge: but the curse of God would pursue and overtake him. ( Note , Deut . 27:15.)The large size of the roll might intimate, that it not only contained all the curses written in the law and denounced by the prophets; but also an account of all the sins of those, against whom it was sent forth: its "flying" might signify, that it continually hovered over the heads of the impenitent, and would speedily fall upon them; and the two crimes, of theft and false swearing, might be mentioned as a compendium of the two tables of the law. ( Marg . Ref . g, h.) The roll was very ample, to shew what a number of curses should come on the wick'ed. The thief and the false swearer, says
5 Then the Angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.
6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.
7 And, behold, there was lifted up a * talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
8 And he said, • This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah;
'Capellus, are put for every kind of transgress'or.' Bp . Newcombe.
V. 5-11. This vision seems to be a prediction of the present state of the Jewish nation. Their prosperity would indeed be restored for some ages: but they would at length "fill up the measure" of their iniquity, and be exposed to a far heavier and more durable calamity than the Babylonish captivity.
The prophet, being again directed by his divine Instructer to look up, and see what went forth ; (that is, from the counsels and decrees of God, before concealed but thus revealed;) he was shewn an ephah, or a measure about the size of a bushel: and he was told, that "this was their resemblance through all the earth," or "the land" of|| Judah. This was the form in which this ephah was made: 'yet it was of a much bigger size, 'large enough to contain a woman in it; which 'was the reason Zechariah did not know what 'it was.' Lowth .
On the top of the ephah was suspended a talent of lead, as a ponderous cover for it. In the ephah sat a woman, the emblem of the Jewish nation: and the angel cast something into the measure, which he told the prophet was "wickedness;" denoting that he kept an exact account of their sins, and would put them all with the nation into the measure, and only bear with the people till that should be full: for the emblem requires, and the language implies, that the wickedness put into the ephah, should be considered as distinct from the woman.
At length, the weight of lead was cast on the mouth of the ephah, by which the woman that sat in it, and the wickedness cast into it, would both be so closed up, as no more to be extricated. This seems to mean the condemnation of the Jews, after they had filled up the measure of their iniquities, by crucifying Christ and rejecting his gospel. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . m-o.- Notes , Gen. 15:16.
Matt . 23:29-36,1 Thes . 2:13-16.) The "two women with wings like a stork, and the wind in their wings," seem to have been emblematic of the Roman armies and their rapid conquests, coming speedily at the call of Christ, to execute his righteous sentence on that devoted nation.
And the lifting up of the ephah, and carrying it away through the air, to build it a house in Shinar, or Babylon, where it was to be fixed on its own base, so that its condition would for a very long time remain unaltered, represents the taking of Jerusalem, the dispersion of the Jews like that made by the Babylonish captivity, and the long continuance of that calamity; as the just punishment of their sns, and by reason of their obstinate unbelief
and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; q for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.
10 Then said I to the Angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
11 And he said unto me, 'To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.
and rejection of Ch of their abrogated law, and the superstitious traditions of their elders. - It is observable that the word "Shinar" signifies shaking out , and gives weight to this interpretation, which, in the grand outlines, seems very clear and satisfactory. The meaning of the vision seems to be, that the Babylonish captivity had hap'pened, on account of the wickedness commit'ted by the Jews; and that a like dispersion 'would befal them, if they relapsed into like 'crimes.' Bp . Newcombe. -The language also implies, that it would be far more durable. ( Ref . Marg . p-s.- Notes , Gen. 49:10. Deut . 28: 49-59. Dan . 9:25–27. Hos . 3:4,5. Am . 9:1-4. Luke 21:20-24, v . 24.)
of Christ, to cleave to the works
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
The full discoveries of the free and abundant grace of the gospel, and the greatest encouragements given to repentance, faith, and evangelical obedience, tend to aggravate the guilt, and enhance the punishment, of those "who go on still in their wickedness." The tremendous curses of God's word go forth "over the face of the whole earth:" ( Notes , Luke 21:34-36.1 Thes . 5:1-3.) and they are continually falling upon the heads of the unjust and profane, according to the things written in the book of the law; and in the book of God's omniscience, who will never forget any of their works.
While men seek to enrich their families by fraud, rapine, oppression, perjury, or other crimes; they open their doors, and bring a curse into their habitations along with their ill-gotten gains; and it will there remain, to the ruin of their substance, and the impoverishing of their posterity: while another part of the same curse will rest on their souls, and sink them into everlasting punishment.-As we are all transgressors of the law, so we cannot escape this wrath of God, except we "flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us in the gospel." To give us space for this, the Lord endures our provocations with much long-suffering: but there is an appointed measure for every individual, (as well as for every nation,) in which he sits, and into which all his wickedness is cast: and when he has filled this measure, the Lord will shut him up under his heavy wrath, as with a talent of lead, and commission the executioners of his vengeance to carry him to his own place, there to assign him his "long home," far from the city of our God, and among his enemies, as "a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction." There will he be "established on his own base," ," and continue
unto me, i These are the four spirits of the heavens, which k go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The black horses which are therein
go forth into the north country; and the white "go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have a quieted my spirit in the north country.
1:10,11. Ps. 63:17. 104:3,4.
Ez. 1:5,&c. 10:9-19. 11:22. Heb. 1:7,14. Rev. 14:6,&c. † Or, winds. J Kings 19:11. Ps. 148:8. Dan. 7:2.
k 4:10. 1 Kings 22:19. 2 Chr. 18:18,19. Job 1:6. 2:1,2. Dan. 7:10. Matt. 18:10. Luke 1:19. 1 4:14. Is. 54:5.
m Jer. 1:14,15, 4:6. 6:1. 25:9.
46:10. 51:48. Ez. 1.4.
n Dan. 7:5,6, 11:3,4.
o Dan, 11:5,6,9,40.
p 1:10. 2 Chr. 16:9. Job 1:6,7. 2:1,2. Dan. 7:7,19,24.
q 1:15. Judg. 15:7. Is. 1:24. 18: 3,4. 42:13-15. 48:14. 51:22, 23. Jer. 51:48,49. Ez. 5:13. 16:42. Rev. 18:21,22,
for ever a hater of God and his holiness, and | ferings of that nation, under some of his suc
ure.
object of his unchangeable and hot displeasLet sinners then fear "to treasure up wrath against this day of wrath;" for the more they multiply their crimes, the faster the measure fills: let them especially take heed not to oppose, despise, or neglect the great salvation of the gospel; for this, above all other sins, hastens and ratifies the tremendous sentence: and whilst the day continues, "Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
NOTES.
cessors, especially Antiochus Epiphanes, exceeded all which they endured, from the Babylonish captivity till the coming ing of Christ. The "white horses," therefore, are not in this respect, a proper emblem of the Grecian empire. Nor does it appear, for what end the Chaldean monarchy should be represented in a prophetical vision; seeing it was already destroyed.
It seems then more obvious and satisfactory, to explain the passage to be descriptive of the providential government of God, as conducted by the ministration of angels according to his eternal purposes: and this with special reference to the affairs of the Jews and surrounding nations at that time. ( Note , 1:811.) Angels are called the Lord's chariots. ( Note , Ps . 68:17.) By them he goes forth to execute his providential will on earth. ( Notes , Ez . 1:5-25. 11:22-25.) The "chariot with red horses” may represent the execution of his vengeance, by raising up bloody conquerors to waste guilty nations: that with "black horses,” the dreadful judgments of famine and pestilence which often follow the desolations of war: "the white horses" may signify the removal of those judgments, by returning peace, health, and plenty: and "the grisled and bay" may denote dispensations mingled with wrath and mercy; or those lighter judgments which are more common in the world. ( Notes , Rev. 6:1-8.) Accordingly, the Angel interpreted the vision, to signify "the four spirits of the heavens;" that is, celestial spirits, sent forth from God, to execute his purposes in the different parts of the earth. ( Marg . and Marg .
Ref . k.- Notes , 4:8-10. 1 Kings 22:19-23. Job 1:6. Luke 1:18-20, v. 19.) The red had already gone forth, and were executing their commission, in the wars by which the Persian kings wasted the Chaldeans, and other nations in those parts: the black were about to follow them into the north-country; and then the white would go forth after them. But the grisled were about to go toward the south, into Egypt, and other countries to the south of Ju