And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives
God in relation to a suffering world
The men in Jerusalem were in great suffering and imminent peril, and here is a figurative representation of the Almighty in relation to them.
I. He observes their terrible condition. “And His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.” The idea suggested here is that God observes men in all their calamities and dangers. His eye is on them. This is especially the ease with His people. We are assured that His eye is ever upon the righteous; Job said, “He knoweth the way I take.”
1. He sees what we have to endure.
2. He sees how we behave ourselves in our condition, whether under our afflictions we are trustful, patient, and submissive or otherwise; whether in our perils we are making an effort to escape. “Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.”
II. He makes a way for their deliverance. “And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley.” “These verses,” says Dr. Henderson, “convey, in language of the most beautiful poetical imagery, the assurance of the effectual means of escape that should be provided for the truly pious. We accordingly learn from Eusebius that on the breaking out of the Jewish war the Christian Church at Jerusalem, in obedience to the warning of our Saviour (Matthew 24:16) fled to Pella, a city beyond Jordan, where they lived in safety. As the Mount of Olives lay in their way, it is represented as cleaving into two halves, in order to make a passage for them.” It is not necessary to suppose that the Mount of Olives was thus riven asunder. The idea is, that the obstruction to their escape, though formidable as a mountain, should be removed. The Almighty would give them every facility to escape to the refuge. This He does for our suffering race. He makes a way for their escape, from guilt, ignorance, and misery, which has been blocked up by mountains of difficulties.
III. He provided a refuge for their safety.
1. The scene of refuge, “Azal.” An unknown place. Some spot to secure them from danger.
2. The impulse of flight.
3. The necessity for the flight.
“The Lord thy God shall come.” In some great manifestation of His power. Conclusion. How thankful we should be to know that God has not deserted humanity in its sins and sorrows. (Homilist.)