Zechariah 14:20

In that day,.... After the destruction of antichrist and all the antichristian party, and a new state of things will take place, either the spiritual or personal reign of Christ: shall there be upon

In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowls before the altar.

In that day; when the nations are converted to God, as it is . Shall there be upon the bells of the horses; written as it were on every common thing; such as the bells, bridles. or collars, or stables of horses; in these very things, i.e. the use of them, they should make it appear they were for God and for his worship, wheresoever these things may serve or promote it. Holiness unto the Lord: this was the inscription on the rich mitre of the Jewish high priest, denoting the great holiness of his office, and how lie was dedicated to God, and that he ought to keep himself holy in all things, especially in things of Divine worship. Now in these days of the gospel, when Gentiles are converted to Christ, made priests unto God, are made holy nations, a royal priesthood, the grace of God shall so abound and prevail, that common, ordinary things in the hands of Christians, much more their persons, shall hear the dedicating inscription of Holiness to the Lord, and by their study of holiness they shall make good their motto. The pots; which were used in the kitchens of the temple, for the use of the priest, and were not accounted so sacred as the utensils nearer to the sacrifices and altar. Shall be like the bowls; which received the blood of the sacrifices, and retained it, until the ministering priest had finished his service, and sprinkled it as commanded: now these, as appropriated to be used nearer to the altar, were more esteemed as more holy; so should holiness in these days spoken of exceed the holiness of those former days. MALACHI THE Concerning this prophet, some have thought (but without good and sufficient ground) that he was an angel in the form of a man; others think him to be Ezra; but as it is the plainer, so the surer, opinion that he was a prophet of that name, and a man distinct from Ezra, and sent the last of all the prophets. His time of appearing among the Jews cannot be determined precisely, but it is best guessed to have been about the times of Nehemiah’ s reforming the strange marriages, ,28, with , and when he reformed the sacrilegious detaining of tithes, ,11, with , as Doctor Lightfoot observeth. Now this reformation of Nehemiah was about A.M. 3519, as Doctor Lightfoot, or 3545, as Helvicus, or 3589, as Archbishop Usher’ s Annals.

Zechariah 14:20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD’ S house shall be like the bowls before the altar.Ver. 20. In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses] Hanged upon their heads, or about their necks, as Judges 8:26 : the Midianitish camels had rich collars and chains about their necks, for ornament’ sake. It was a witty conceit of a modern divine (Dr Stoughton) that many deal with their ministers as carriers do with their horses, lay heavy burdens upon them, and then hang bells about their necks: they shall have hard work and great commendations, but easy commons; good words, but slight wages. This was better than that bald conceit of Theodoret and others, that this prophecy was then fulfilled, when as Constantine the Great (or his mother, Helen, for him) caused the bits of his horse bridle to be made of the nails of the cross of Christ. I confess the word is by some rendered bridles, by others trappings, frontals, collars. It is απαξλεγομενον, read only here; and hence this variety of interpretations. Calvin renders it stables of horses; which, although they are but contemptible places, and usually stink; yet the prophet saith, they shall be holy to the Lord. Hereby the prophet teacheth, saith he, that God shall so be King of the world, as that all things shall be applied to his worship neither shall anything be of so common and ordinary use that shall not change its nature, and be sanctified to God’ s service. The comparison here is made between things profane and the inscription on the high priest’ s mitre, which was holiness to the Lord. This is a manifest testimony of a godly mind, when godliness runs through a man’ s whole life, as the woof doth through the web; when ordinary actions are done from a right principle and to a right purpose; according to that old and good rule, Quicquid agas, propter Deum agas, "Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God," 1 Corinthians 10:31. Receive every creature with thanksgiving, 1 Timothy 4:14; in serving men, serve the Lord Christ; exercise your general calling in your particular; do earthly business with heavenly minds; content not yourself with a natural use of the creature, as brute beasts do, but taste the sweetness of God in all; and in all thy ways acknowledge him, depending upon him for direction and success, consulting with him, and approving thine heart and life unto him. Holiness must be written upon our bridles when we war, upon our caps when we drink (Dr Harris). This is to go the upper way, Proverbs 15:24, which indeed is both cleaner, shorter, and safer. This is to be of that royal priesthood, that hath for its posy, Holiness to the Lord.

(20) Canaanite, in reference to the early days of Israel’s existence, denotes alien, unbeliever. The word implies just what “Jew,” would in the present day to an illiberal German or Russian, or Cáfir, or Frangi (Frank) to an orthodox Moslem.

Verse 20. Upon the bells of the horses] They appear, formerly, to have had bells on horses, camels, c., as we have now, to amuse the animals, and encourage them in their work. In some very fine Asiatic paintings now before me, I see bells both on horses, mules, and camels little bells tied to their legs, and larger ones about their necks, particularly in the representation of a caravan passing through the valley of serpents, in the island of Serendib, now Ceylon. The margin reads bridles. HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD] As the Gospel is a holy system, preaching holiness and producing holiness in those who believe, so all without, as well as within, shall bear this impress; and even a man's labour shall be begun and continued, and ended in the Lord; yea, and the animals he uses, and the instruments he works with, shall be all consecrated to God through Christ. The pots] "The meanest utensil in the house of God, Ne 10:29, shall be as the vessels of silver, and gold used in solemn sacrifice; they shall be like the bowls before the altar." - See Newcome.

20, 21. The perfect and crowning holiness of Jerusalem and Judah The ornaments of worldly pomp and warlike power shall be as truly consecrated as the very mitre of the High Priest, and every vessel used in the meanest service of the Temple as holy as the vessels of the altar itself, Zechariah 14:20. Nay every common vessel throughout the city and the whole land shall be so holy as to be meet for the service of the sanctuary, and every profane person shall be for ever banished from the house of the Lord, Zechariah 14:21.

In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord - He does not say only, that they should be consecrated to God, as Isaiah says of Tyre, “Her merchandise and her hire