The secret of victory.
"Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time," etc. In the last passage the Church of God (in its new Testament form, as we supposal) was presented to us under the figures of an army (verse 13, etc.); a flock (verse 16); and a field which the Lord had blessed (verse 17). In the present verses we find all these figures again employed: the field (Zechariah 10:1); the flock (Zechariah 10:2, Zechariah 10:3); the army or host (Zechariah 10:3-5). It would appear, therefore, that we have also presented to us the same topic of illustration, viz. the New Testament Church; and that, further, under the same circumstances and at the same time as before. The distinction to be noted is, that, in the present passage, we have a deeper view of the subject—the secret nature of that Church being explained and enforced by describing to us
I. A SPECIAL GIFT. According to the first verse, there is something to be "asked of the Lord;" something appointed by him, having its proper "time;" something to be hoped for from him: "the Lord shall give;" something to be hoped for by all: "to every one." It is figured to us as "rain." What does it signify? In the present connection, what can it signify but the gift of God's Spirit (Isaiah 44:3; Joel 2:28) ? How specially were men taught, in New Testament times, to "ask" for this gift (see Luke 11:9-13, where men nine times over are encouraged in praying for this very blessing; also John 4:10; John 7:37-39)! How expressly, again, were those "latter" days the appointed "time" for this blessing (Luke 24:49; John 16:7; Acts 1:4)! In what abundant "showers," once more, was it given in these primitive times, as it were, "to every one" "in the field" (Acts 2:17; Acts 8:17-19; Acts 11:17; Galatians 3:2, Galatians 3:3)! These were some of the things which caused the dispensation then commenced to be called "the dispensation of the Spirit"! In short, without this holy "rain" from above, the strictly "Christian" Church could never have come into existence. Much less, of course, could it have continued alive.
II. A GRIEVOUS FAILURE. The state of things in the Jewish Church at the coming of Christ seems described to us next. In one sense that Church, as a body, though free from the grosser idolatry of earlier days, was worshipping "idols" of its own. Its members trusted to merely external rites, and names, and privileges, and professions (Romans 2:17-20; Matthew 3:9; Matthew 23:14, Matthew 23:23, Matthew 23:30, etc.). As a consequence, they never obtained (Jeremiah 14:2, etc.), as they never desired, the gift spoken of here. Failing of this, they failed altogether, notwithstanding all their privileges (Romans 3:1, Romans 3:2), as a Church: This evidenced at the time—as apparently here predicted beforehand—in various ways. For example, by the absence among them:
1. Of solid knowledge and truth. "The diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams" (comp. Matthew 15:14; Matthew 23:16, Matthew 23:19, Matthew 23:24, Matthew 23:26; John 9:40, John 9:41).
2. Of saving knowledge and truth. "They comfort in vain".
3. Of proper pastoral oversight. (See end of Zechariah 10:2; and comp. Matthew 9:36.) Also by the presence among them:
4. Of special judgments on those who professed (Matthew 23:2) to be "shepherds" (Zechariah 10:3). (See Matthew 23:1-39, throughout, with its sevenfold denunciation of "woe" on the "scribes and Pharisees.") Was there not "failure," indeed, when such language could be used as that found in Matthew 23:33 and Matthew 21:13?
III. A SIGNAL SUCCESS.
1. Its nature. Being the same as that noted before on Matthew 9:14, Matthew 9:15, viz. success in preaching the gospel of Christ and bringing sinners beneath its power.
2. Its secret. This found in the fact that, by the coming of Christ, "the Lord of hosts" (Matthew 9:3) had "visited" his people and "flock" (comp. Luke 1:68, Luke 1:78, Luke 1:79; Luke 7:16; and note, in Luke 7:5, the expression, "They shall fight, because the Lord is with them").
3. Its instruments. These very notable,
How strikingly all this teaches us the absolute need of the Spirit of God!
1. For all true religious life. It was the absence of this which made the Jewish Church the dead thing (Luke 17:37) that it was, like the old world and Sodom (Luke 17:27, Luke 17:29) when Noah and Lot had gone out of them. All their many other privileges (see Romans 2:17-20; Romans 3:1, Romans 3:2; Romans 9:4, Romans 9:5) were of no avail without this.
2. From all true religious work. It was the presence of this, secured by that coming and work of Christ which we have supposed to be referred to in Matthew 9:3 (comp. Acts 2:33), which encountered and overcame both the Jewish Church and the Gentile world (see Acts 1:8; Acts 5:32; 1 Peter 1:12). How essential, indeed, was that gift, which more than supplied, in one sense, the presence of Christ himself (John 16:7-10)!