DISCOURSE: 1243
ALL IS OF GOD
Zechariah 4:6. This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.
MANY parts of the prophetic writings are extremely dark: but many, which appear dark, would become clear, if we were contented to explain their main scope, without descending to every particular contained in them. Indeed they are, for the most part, explained by God himself; so far, at least, as to leave us in no doubt respecting their general import. The vision before us appears to be of difficult interpretation: to the Jews, methinks, it was altogether inexplicable; but the design of it was plainly declared in the words which we have just read: and, indeed, the declaration of its chief design reflects no inconsiderable light on every part of it. Perhaps we may say, that the lamps are the Church of God; the oil which feeds them is the Holy Spirit; the pipes conveying it are the ordinances; the bowl which supplies those pipes is the Gospel; and the olive-trees, which pour continually their sacred stores into the bowl, are the Lord Jesus Christ, in his offices of Priest and Prophet [Note: See this more fully treated, in the Discourse on ver. 11–14.]. But, supposing we are mistaken in the precise meaning which we have assigned to these several parts, the import of the whole together is perfectly clear. You perceive that these lamps are kept alight, not by human agency, in any respect: the oil is secretly conveyed, from God himself, to every lamp, through the means of his own appointment: and this is the precise meaning which God himself, by his angel, annexes to the vision: “Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, asying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.”
Let us consider these words,
I. In reference to the work which was then in hand—
Zechariah was sent to encourage the Jews to rebuild their city and temple. Great opposition was made to them; so that they despaired of ever accomplishing so great a work. But God, by this vision, instructed the prophet what to say unto them. He was to shew them,
1. That they needed not to desire the aid of men, nor to fear their opposition—
[Men are only what God is pleased to make them. They can do neither good nor evil, any further than he for his own glory enables them to do it. He had not sent armies to deliver them from Egypt: nor could all the power of Pharaoh detain them there. Nor had he brought them out of Babylon by human might or power. Mighty as the Chaldean empire was, and powerful as were the Medo-Persian conquerors of that empire, he had brought them forth, without force, to their native land: and therefore they should bear in mind how impotent the creature was, either to effect or prevent any thing, but in perfect accordance with his purpose, and in subserviency to his will.]
2. That they needed only to trust in Him alone—
[Nothing in the vision could either promote or obstruct the supplies of oil from the olives to the lamp: yet not a lamp was left destitute, or ceased to exhibit a splendid light. The Spirit of God did all; and kept alive the lamps, by a secret, continued, and effectual communication. It was the Spirit, that, by operating on the hearts of men, supplied every part of the furniture belonging to the tabernacle [Note: Exodus 35:21-22; Exodus 35:26.]. It was the Spirit alone that moved the heart of Cyrus to issue his proclamation for their return from Babylon [Note: 2 Chronicles 36:22-23.]. And it was the same Spirit that raised up Zerubbabel, and inspired them with a zeal to forward the great work which they had in hand [Note: Haggai 1:14.]. And was He not still as able as ever to accomplish his own gracious purposes? or did they need to indulge either hope or fear with respect to man, when they had the Almighty God for their help?]
But, as the words are spoken generally, let us consider them more at large,
II.
In reference to the work which was therein typified—
The whole work of redemption from Babylon was typical; and had respect to,
1. 1. The establishment of Christianity in the world—
[What was then done for the Lord in the erection of a material temple, was done by Jesus Christ in the formation of a spiritual temple, “of which the Prophets and Apostles were the foundation, and he himself the Chief Corner-stone; and the whole being fitly framed together, is continually growing up a holy temple to the Lord [Note: Ephesians 2:19-22.].” But how has this been built? or how is it carried on? Is it, or has it at any time been, by might or by power? Who instructed the Prophets and Apostles? Who gave effect to their word? Who digs out the stones from the quarry, if I may so speak, and fits them for their places in this spiritual building [Note: 1 Peter 2:5-6.]? It is the Spirit of God altogether. The powers of the world have been exerted to the uttermost against it: yea, men and devils have been confederate against it from the very beginning: but “it is founded on a rock; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”]
2. The maintenance of religion in the souls of men—
[The soul of every individual believer is a temple of the Lord [Note: 1 Corinthians 3:16.]. But every such temple is “the workmanship of Jehovah” altogether [Note: Ephesians 2:10.]: it is a new creation. In the natural man there is not any thing of which such a building can be formed: there is not in him either power or inclination to serve God: it is the Spirit of God alone that “gives him either to will or to do, and that altogether of his own good pleasure.” Human power has no part in effecting it: “We are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God [Note: John 1:13.].” “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy [Note: Romans 9:16.]:” and, in the bestowment of his blessings, “the Spirit divideth to every man severally as he will [Note: 1 Corinthians 12:11.].”]
3. The future restoration of the Jews—
[The restoration from Babylon was but a partial accomplishment of what is to be more completely fulfilled at a future period. If we look into the prophecies of Zechariah, we shall find that he peculiarly and pre-eminently delights to dwell on this subject [Note: Compare chap. 1:16, 17 and 2:10–12 and 6:12–15 and especially the whole 8th chapter.]. And how shall this future restoration be effected? Not by human might or power; for all the power of man will be exerted to prevent it [Note: Micah 4:11-13.]; but by the power of the Holy Ghost: for the Prophet Hosea, speaking of the time when “the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall he gathered together and appoint themselves one head, and shall come out of the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel,” says expressly, “I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the Lord their God; and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen [Note: Hosea 1:7; Hosea 1:11.].”]
Thus we have ascertained the import of the declaration before us. Now let us proceed to the improvement of it.
It is clear, that when Almighty God saw fit to give a special vision to his servant, for the express purpose of fixing more deeply on his mind, and on the minds of the Jewish people, this particular truth, it must deserve at our hands the strictest attention. Learn then from it,
1. On whom alone to depend—
[We are prone to creature-confidence, and to place our reliance on an arm of flesh. But God denounces a curse on all who indulge this propensity: “Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, or that maketh flesh his arm; and whose heart departeth from the Lord [Note: Jeremiah 17:5.].” And the truly godly arc particularly distinguished by their victory over this sin: “We are the circumcision, who have no confidence in the flesh [Note: Philippians 3:3.].” It is not possible to divest ourselves of this propensity in too great a degree: for not even so small a matter as the falling of a sparrow takes place without the special direction of the Almighty. We see how dependent a little infant is on its mother; and such must we be in the arms of God. We must undertake nothing in our own strength: in no circumstances whatever may we lean to our own understanding: whatever is devised, or whatever is done, the creature must be nothing; but God must be all in all.]
2. To whom alone to give the glory of all that is done—
[We must not “sacrifice to our own net, or burn incense to our own drag [Note: Habakkuk 1:16.].” God is a jealous God, and will not give his glory to another. When Herod was pleased with the adulation of his courtiers, and took honour to himself, instead of giving it to the Lord, he was smitten and eaten up with worms [Note: Acts 12:21-23.]. And we also shall be made monuments of his displeasure, if we ascribe not to Him the glory due unto his name. Whereinsoever our success has been, whether in temporal or spiritual concerns, this must be our invariable acknowledgment, “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name, be the praise [Note: Psalms 115:1.].”]
3. In what light to view the very beginnings of grace—
[Were we left to accomplish any thing by our own might or power, we might well despond. But when we recollect that “all is of God,” and that “He is a Being that changeth not,” we may take comfort in the slightest expressions of his love, and in the smallest tokens of his grace. This is a very particular lesson to be learned from our text. We are “not to despise the day of small things [Note: ver. 10.]:” but to believe, that “He who has laid the foundation of good within us will also finish it [Note: ver. 9.].” And, if any enemy vaunt himself as sure to prevail against us, we should address him in that triumphant language, “Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain [Note: ver. 7.].” The communication between the olives and the lamps could not be intercepted by mortal man; nor can the effectual aids of the Holy Spirit be kept from us. These lessons, well learned, are worth a vision: for in the practice of them shall all imaginable good flow down unto us, and God eternally be glorified.]