Zechariah 14 - James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

LIGHT AT EVENTIDE

‘At evening time it shall be light.’

Zechariah 14:7

There are two principles in this promise which, for the most part, regulate all the dealings of God. There is—

I. A principle of surprise.—God delights to frustrate human speculation. The day seems passing; the darkness deepening; night falling, when, in a moment, the light kindles into merciless lustre; ‘at evening time it shall be light.’ Thus human peace and reason are humbled, and God’s glory and love stand out alone and supreme.

II. The principle of patience.—The blessing waits till the ‘evening.’ You look for it in the morning watch, or you seek for it at midday, but it is nowhere to be found; it is ‘evening’ now; soon it will be night, when—lo! it is here. Do not doubt but that the morning’s gifts, be they what they may, are as nothing to the evening’s blessing. The sun may have been shining on you throughout the day, but still, ‘at evening time it shall be light.’