Zechariah 14:20,21

DISCOURSE: 1265
THE MILLENNIAL GLORY

Zechariah 14:20. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of hosts.

THE period to which the text refers is yet future. If there be in the preceding context much that is difficult to be understood, there is much also that is plain. It is here plainly foretold, that the Jews shall be restored once more to their own land [Note: ver. 11.]: that those who oppose their settlement there, how numerous or powerful soever they may be, shall be destroyed [Note: ver. 12–15.]: that both Jews and Gentiles shall embrace the faith of Christ [Note: ver. 9.]: that those who refuse to do so, whether Jews or Gentiles, shall be visited with heavy plagues [Note: ver. 16–19.]: and that, amongst those who do turn unto the Lord, there shall be such high degrees of holiness as have never yet been generally found in the Church of God [Note: The text.].

By “the bells or bridles of the horses” may be meant the ornaments of horses, not merely of those used in war, but rather of those used for common purposes, whether of labour or pleasure. On them shall be inscribed “Holiness unto the Lord,”just as there was on the mitre of the high-priest [Note: Exodus 28:36.], in order to shew, that the owners of the horses consider them as consecrated to the Lord, and desire to glorify God in the use of them. By this I understand, that, in all the comforts and conveniences of life, God will be acknowledged, as much as he formerly was in the most sacred ordinances and appointments.

Every service then will be, in fact, a religious service. In the tabernacle and the temple were “pots,”both of earth and brass, for the use of the priests; and “bowls” of gold for the blood of the sacrifices, which was to be sprinkled according to the prescribed forms. These were more holy as being used in the more immediate service of God. But in that day, “the pots in the Lord’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar,” every meal being partaken of in the same devout spirit as a sacrifice, and every common office of life being performed as unto God himself. Nor will this obtain amongst the priests only, but amongst the people also, and that of every rank and order in society; for “every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord.” The seething of the flesh of the sacrifices in the pots formerly belonged only to the priests [Note: Leviticus 6:25.]: but under the Christian dispensation all are priests, even “a royal priesthood [Note: 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 5:10.], “and are therefore entitled to “seethe therein;” “the people who sacrifice” being in this respect as the priests themselves.

So universal will holiness then be, that “there will no more be the Canaanite in the house of the Lord.” In the Promised Land the Canaanites retained a possession for many centuries, and were with great difficulty extirpated at last. At this time too there are in the Church many who dishonour their holy profession; nor can the tares be in any tolerable degree separated from the wheat; but at that day “Jerusalem shall be altogether holy [Note: Joel 3:17.],” and in the Lord’s highway no unclean thing or person shall be found [Note: Isaiah 35:8; Isaiah 60:21.].

From the text thus explained, we may see,

I. The true character of the Gospel dispensation—

The law was holy; and not the moral law only, but the ceremonial law also: for though, in comparison of the Gospel, it consisted only of poor and “beggarly elements,” yet it tended to render sin odious, and to impress on the mind the fear and love of God. But the Gospel is yet more holy, being itself the substance of those things of which the law was only a shadow. The whole character of it is holiness:

1. It displays above all things the holiness of God—

[Sec what an atonement was offered for sin! nothing but the blood of God’s only dear Son could make satisfaction for it — — — What a holy God must he be, who required such a sacrifice! — — —]

2. It proposes to us no lower pattern than God himself—

[We are required by it to “be holy, as God is holy;” and “perfect, as our Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Far as we are from this, we must press forward for it, and rest in nothing short of it — — —]

3. The holiness which it requires of us, it promises to us—

[It makes not any one perfect in this life; but it delivers us from the dominion of all sin and transforms us into “the Divine image in righteousness and true holiness,” and that “from one degree of glory to another, even as by the Spirit of the Lord [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:18.].” This it does for all who receive it aright: for “every one that has a good hope in Christ, purifies himself, even as he is pure [Note: 1 John 3:3.]” — — —]

To illustrate this yet farther, we shall mark,

II.

The effect which it produces, in proportion as its influence is felt—

“It bringeth forth fruit in all the world:” and that fruit is of the richest kind, even as the fruit of Paradise itself. In the last day it will operate in its full extent: and now, if we cordially embrace it,

1. We shall regard all that we have as consecrated to the Lord—

[Whatever we posssess, whether for use or pleasure, “Holiness unto the Lord” will be inscribed upon it. Our bodies with all their members, our souls with all their faculties, our time, our property, our influence, all will be considered as talents received from him, and to be improved for him [Note: Isaiah 23:18; Isaiah 63:9.]

2. We shall perform our most common services in a religious manner—

[As the ungodly carry a worldly spirit into their most sacred duties, so, on the contrary, do the saints endeavour to do every thing for God. This is shewn us particularly in reference to religious servants, whose privilege it is in the most menial offices to serve the Lord Christ [Note: Ephesians 6:5.] — — — In like manner all of us are to regard “our pots and cups as the bowls before the altar,” and “whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, to do it all for the glory of God [Note: 1 Corinthians 10:31.].”]

3. We shall suffer no sin willingly to abide in our hearts—

[The Canaanite will be expelled, and no truce be made with him. “The right eye will be plucked out, and the right hand or foot will be cut off.” To the harbouring of one sin the penalty of “hell fire” is annexed: and no candidate for heaven will knowingly subject himself to this fearful alternative [Note: Mark 9:42.]

Address—
1.

Let none be ashamed of religion, which ought to shine before men—

2. Let none rest in any measure of religion short of that which will characterize the Millennial age — — —