Zechariah 1:20 And the LORD showed me four carpenters. Evil agencies are counterbalanced by good — for there is a Divine providence always at work in this world. The prophet saw "four horns," representing the powers by which Judah had been scattered; but at the same time he saw "four carpenters," the instruments raised up by God to accomplish a Divine work. I. THE WORLD IS MADE FOR THE CHURCH. Men read the history of nations without the slightest reference to the Church of the living God. They look at passing events and circumstances without believing that they are the development of a Divine providence at work in the world. It may be thought that the world was made for unfallen man. Was it not rather made to be the scene of man's trial and probation? It is a fact that the world was mapped out with a peculiar reference to the locality and home of the Church. The world was made for Christ, and therefore for the Church. The world was made to be the school for unfallen intelligences. It was made to be the tabernacle of God. II. THE WORK GOING ON IN THE WORLD IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIVINE PLAN. There is a charm in history, since it not only annihilates the distances of time and space, but transports us to other scenes and periods. If you are a devout student of history you will see a Divine hand prescribing, the limits of conquest and the extent of a nation's duration. There is, then, eternal order underlying the world's disorder, and a Divine will subordinating all human wills. The great chapters of the world's history have all been written beforehand. We have only seen parts of the plan, some of the first chapters — strange and startling. III. THE WORK OF GOD IN THIS WORLD IS UNDER DIVINE SUPERVISION AND ANGELIC INSPECTION. From some brief hints, it would appear as if the government of the world's provinces had been, in some measure, intrusted to the management of angels in former times. IV. EVIL AGENCIES ARE COUNTERBALANCED BY GOOD. In the natural world there are opposite forces, and laws that seem antagonistic, but these agencies are counterbalanced. We have darkness and light — we have night and day. All the forces in this world are adjusted by Divine wisdom, and thus the balance of the universe is preserved. There are opposite powers in the world. There is Satan, and there is Christ. "For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." There is sin; and yet sin is counteracted by grace. There is flesh, and there is spirit. The one seems to be the adversary of the other. Is the law in our members always to bring us into captivity to sin? No. Flesh itself is to be transfigured, to be consecrated and hallowed. There is death in the world. All men die, though Christ has died; all men shall rise, because Christ has risen. Thus evil agencies are counterbalanced by good. If there are powers hostile to the Church and to us, there are powers that are directly "opposed to them, and that are at work for us, for said the prophet," The Lord shewed me four carpenters. (H. J. Bevis.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the LORD shewed me four carpenters. |
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