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Geneva Bible Notes (1560): Zechariah 1

1 b This was not the Zechariah, whereof is mencion {2 Chro. 24:20}, but had the same name, & is called the sonne of Berechiah, as he was, because he came of those progenitors, as of Joiada or Berechiah and Iddo.

2 ! He exhorteth the people to returne to the Lord, & to eschewe the wickednes of their fathers.

2 c He speaketh this to feare them with Gods judgements that they shulde not prouoke him as their fathers had done, whome he so grieuously punished.

3 d Let your frutes declare, that you are Gods people & that he hathe wroght in you by his Spirit & mortified you: for els man hathe no power to returne to God, but God must convert him, as {Jer. 31,18, lam. 5,21, Isa 21,8, & 3,6 & 45,21, jere 3,12, eze. 18,30, hos. 14,2, joel 2,12}.

5 e Thogh your fathers be dead, yet Gods judgements in punishing them oght stil to be before your eyes: & thogh the Prophetes be dead, yet their doctrine remaineth for euer, {2 Pet 1,15}.

6 f Seing ye saw the force of my doctrine in punishing your fathers, why do not ye feare the threatnings conteined in the same and declared by my Prophetes?

6 g As men astonished with my judgements, and not that they were touched with true repentance.

7 h Which conteineth parte of Januarie and parte of Februarie.

8 l These signified the diuers offices of Gods Angels by whome God somtime punisheth and somtime comforteth & bringeth forthe his workes in diuers sortes.

8 k Who was the chief among the rest of the horse men.

8 i This vision signifieth the restauration of the Church, but as yet it shulde not appeare to mans eyes, which is here ment by the night, by the bottome & by the mirre trees, which are blacke and giue a darke shadowe: yet he compareth God to a King, who hathe his postes and messengers abroad, by whome he stil worketh his purpose and bringeth his matters to passe.

12 m That is, Christ the Mediator praied for the salvation of his Church, which was now troubled when all the countreys about them were at rest.

14 n Thogh for a time God differre his helpe & comfort from his Church, yet this declareth that he loueth them stil moste derely, as a moste merciful father his children, or an housband his wife, and when it is expedient for them, his helpe is euer ready.

15 o In destroying the reprobat I shewed my self, but a litle angrie toward my Church, but the enemie wolde haue destroied them also, and considered not the end of my chastisements.

16 ! He signifieth the restitution of Jerusalem and the Temple.

16 p To measure out the buyldings.

17 q The abundance shalbe so great that the palces of store shal not be able to conteine these blessings that God wil sned but shal euen breake for fulnes.

18 r Which signified all the enemies of the Church, East, West, North, South.

20 s These carpenters or smithes are Gods instruments, which with their mallets and hammers breake these hard and strong hones, which wolde ouerthrowe the Church, and declare that none enemies horne is so strong, but God hathe an hammer to breake it in peices.