s ripe, and fitting Him for His
work. But if we remember the subsequent explanation (iv. 10) of the
'seven,' as 'the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole
earth,' and connect this with Revelation v. 6, we can scarcely rest
content with that meaning, but find here the deeper thought that the
fulness of the divine Spirit was given to Messiah, even as Isaiah (xi.
2) prophesies of the sevenfold Spirit.

'I will engrave the graving thereof' is somewhat obscure. It seems to
mean that the seven eyes will be cut on the stone, like masons' marks.
If the seven eyes are the full energies of the Holy Spirit, God's
cutting of them on the stone is equivalent to His giving them to His
Son; and the fulfilment of the promise was when He gave the Holy Spirit
not 'by measure unto Him.'

The blessed purpose of Messiah's coming and endowment with the Spirit is
gloriously stated in the last clause of verse 9: 'I will remove the
iniquity of that land in one day.' Jesus Christ has 'once for all' made
atonement, as the Epistle to the Hebrews so often says. The better
Joshua by one offering has taken away sin. 'The breadth of Thy land, O
Immanuel,' stretched far beyond the narrow bounds which Zechariah knew
for Israel's territory. It includes the whole world. As has been
beautifully said, 'That one day is the day of Golgotha.'

The vision closes with a picture of the felicity of Messianic times,
which recalls the description of the golden age of Solomon, when 'Judah
and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his
fig-tree' (1 Kings iv. 25). In like manner the nation, cleansed,
restored to its priestly privilege of free access to God by the Messiah
who comes with the fulness of the Spirit, shall dwell in safety, and
shall be knit together by friendship, and unenvyingly shall each share
his good with all others, recognising in every man a neighbour, and
gladly welcoming him to partake of all the blessings which the true
Solomon has brought to his house and heart.

THE RIGHT OF ENTRY

'I will give thee places to walk among these that stand
by.'--ZECHARIAH iii. 7.

A WORD or two of explanation will probably be necessary in order to see
the full meaning of this great promise. The Prophet has just been
describing a vision of judgment which he saw, in which the high priest,
as representative of the nation, stood before the Angel of the Lord as
an unclean person. He is cleansed and clothed, his foul r