The progress of the Messiah’s kingdom being regarded as that of
Christianity, the next important step after the abolition of Judaism, was
that of Paganism, which is evidently the subject of the chapter now before
us; but along with this is coupled in the prophetic view another event, no
less important, which arose out of, and accompanied the nominal conversion
of the Gentile nations. This was the corruption of Christianity by the
Pagan converts. For instead of relinquishing their former prejudices and
superstitions, they retained, and brought most of them into the bosom of
the church; and thereby in a short time totally changed the character of
the religion which they professed to embrace.
It is true that this is a point of church history not always very
distinctly stated by ecclesiastical historians; who seem more inclined to
represent the conversion of Constantine, and the events of the fourth
century, as every way favourable to the Christian cause. But the truth is,
that precisely in proportion to the church’s advancement in worldly
prosperity and power, were its spiritual decline and degradation; in so
much that the best historians admit, that from this period are its
degeneracy and corruptions most indubitably to be dated. So different is
the light under which the same event appears, according as it is viewed
with regard to its spiritual or its political import. Which of the two
best accords with the spirit of this prophecy, the reader will be at no
loss to decide, when he sees that no prosperity is here spoken of, but on
the contrary, that the cutting off two-thirds of the inhabitants of the
land, or their spiritual death, is the event which is coupled in the
prophecy with the admission of the Pagans into the church of Christ. And
such was truly the result that followed to the many; namely, the loss of
the true spirit of Christianity.
But if the abolition of Paganism be the subject of this chapter, it may be
asked, how comes the purification of Israel to be announced in the opening
of it? The answer is plain. Adopted Israel may be here understood. To
lineal Israel indeed was the prophecy given; and with Israel, idolatry
was, and ever had been, the besetting sin; most nearly therefore were the
Jews also concerned in its abolition.
Viewed, however, in the more enlarged sense, idolatry comprises the
indulgence of every evil propensity; for Paganism, by appointing a
presiding Deity over each, had sanctioned the unrestrained gratification
of every passion, in making it an act of devotion. Christianity, on the
contrary, enjoins the restraint and control of our passions, and thus
becomes the natural antidote to the poison of Heathenism: or the fountain
of purification from the sin and pollution of idolatry, as the opening of
this chapter declares.
_In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness._
That day, as formerly explained, is to every one the day of his conversion
to Christianity. The house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
here, as in the last chapter, symbolically represent the later converts to
Christianity; as the house of Judah, which was first saved, signify the
earlier Christians. The nature of the sin and pollution to be thus washed
away, is next declared to be idolatry, and its abolition is foretold.
_And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I
will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall be no
more remembered; and also I will cause the prophets, and the unclean
spirit to pass out of the land._
It may be worthy of remark, that _the names_ only _of the idols_, and not
the spirit of idolatry, is here declared to be cut off; and _from the
land_, which in prophetic language, commonly means the land of Israel,
here, adopted Israel, or Christendom. Now, this nominal abolition took
place in the fourth century, from which time both Jews and Gentiles have
been prohibited from the open worship of idols. But we have now reached
the nineteenth century without seeing the spirit of idolatry really
extinct; if then the total abolition, which is yet to come, be here
intimated, it must be symbolically foreshewn by the nominal abolition
which then took place. _That day_, in regard to the inward and spiritual
purification, is to be taken as the day of his regeneration to each
individual, not as the same day to all collectively; but regarding the
outward and ostensible abolition, this occurred when the pains and
penalties of the Theodosian code prohibited the open practice of Pagan
rites. The prophetic view may, however, include both.
_And it shall come to pass in that day, when any shall get prophesy, that
his father and his mother that begat him shall say, Thou shalt not live,
for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his
mother that begat him, shall thrust him through when he prophesieth._
To prophesy, or foretel future events, was the main purport of Pagan
rites; no undertaking of any moment being entered upon until the priests
and oracles had been previously consulted. This, in a superstitious age,
formed a lucrative profession for the soothsayers and diviners, and was
successfully practised, till the darkness of Heathenism was dispelled by
the light of Christianity, as foretold in the next verse.
_And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be
ashamed, every one of his vision when he prophesieth; neither shall they
wear a rough garment to deceive._
The Pagan, as well as the Jewish prophets, appear to have worn a distinct
dress; but after Paganism was abolished, those who practised its rites in
secret, of course denied and sought to conceal it.
_But he shall say, I am no prophet but a labourer; for a husbandman bought
me from my youth._
Slaves and bondmen frequently received a mark in their hands, to shew the
master to whom they belonged; and persons attached to the Heathen temples
were sometimes marked in a similar manner; the worshippers of Bacchus, for
instance, were distinguished by the mark of an ivy leaf. (See Lowth in
loco.) This explains the following verse.
_And one shall say unto him, What are these marks in thine hands? Then
shall he answer, Those with which I was marked in the house of my
friends._
Thus seeking to avoid the suspicion attached to the marks of Paganism,
under the pretext of their being the indication of bondage or servitude.
But this evasion denotes that the abolition of Paganism was ostensible
only, as it was still practised in secret. In reality the advancement of
Christianity to the imperial throne, instead of promoting the sincere
conversion of the Pagans, only served to complete what had already begun,
namely, the corruption of the Christians; whose character and conduct soon
totally changed, after the road to the acquisition of wealth and power was
opened to them. In the contests for the attainment of these, which soon
arose, (witness the Donatist faction,) the majority of Christians in a
short time lost sight of the spirit of their religion; while the rancour
and cruelty with which different sects persecuted each other, sprang from
the same source, or their rivalship in the struggle for worldly power, as
Mosheim declares. Such was the spiritual sword which undermined
Christianity, and destroyed the life which is in Christ; as next foretold.
_Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is next
unto me, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the shepherd and the sheep shall
be scattered; and I will turn mine hand against the little ones._
The sword is the symbol of strife and discord, warring against and
destroying spiritual life, or the life in Christ; for he is the shepherd
who is smitten by the sword, the person of Christ being here figuratively
put for his doctrine or religion; the corruption of which is thus
foreshewn by the dispersion and slaughter of his flock. The little ones
signify the new converts, who are yet weak in their faith and principles;
and thence more liable to be misled.
_And it shall come to pass that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts
shall be cut off, and die; but the third part shall be left therein._
The history of the fourth century, here prophetically foreshewn, amply
testifies, that only the smaller number of Christians, amidst the general
corruption, resisted the allurements of avarice and ambition, and retained
their purity; these having imbibed the true spirit of Christ’s religion,
as next declared.
_And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as
silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on
my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall
say, The Lord is my God._
It seems scarcely possible to give a more unequivocal intimation of the
spiritual import of the whole, as not alluding to political events, but as
regarding the progress of true religion, than is contained in those
expressions of the last verse, which declare, that the supplications of
the smaller number will be offered up in a manner acceptable to God, who
will hear and answer them. The particular period alluded to, is distinctly
marked by the nominal abolition of idolatry, and the general corruption of
Christianity. The only difficulty, however, if there be any, regards the
chronological order of the events; as the prophecy seems to foretel the
entire abolition of Paganism, which has certainly not yet taken place; but
this difficulty will be in a great measure removed, by supposing the
prophetic view to look forward from the partial to the total, from the
nominal to the real extinction of idolatry.
With respect to the division of the flock into two parts, it must not be
supposed that any distinction of sects is here alluded to, for no one
could, more than another, claim the character of purity and holiness. True
Christianity must be sought for in the heart, and not in the outward form
of worship, or profession of faith.