Zechariah 10:6

Prophecy ever hastens to the glorious final consummation under Messiah. bring them again to place them--namely, securely in their own land. The Hebrew verb is compounded of two, "I will bring again," and "I will place them" (Jer 32:37).

You all know how God did, for a time, cast off His ancient people. Both Israel and Judah, after long provocation of Jehovah, were carried away captive into the land of their enemies. God forsook His Temple and that glorious sanctuary was laid in ruins. The whole land was given up to be the prey of the cruel foe and the inhabitants, themselves, were carried into captivity beyond the rivers of Babylon. And they were sorely afflicted. They had greatly sinned and heavy was their punishment.

You all know how God did, for a time, cast off His ancient people. Both Israel and Judah, after long provocation of Jehovah, were carried away captive into the land of their enemies. God forsook His Temple and that glorious sanctuary was laid in ruins. The whole land was given up to be the prey of the cruel foe and the inhabitants, themselves, were carried into captivity beyond the rivers of Babylon. And they were sorely afflicted. They had greatly sinned and heavy was their punishment. But now, by the mouth of the Prophet Zechariah, God talks to them of mercy and, as a choice note in the message of mercy, He says that He will restore them to their old estate—and they shall be as though He had never cast them aside. It is a wonderful promise! I pray that it may sound like heavenly music in the ear of many a backslider. In commencing my sermon, I draw your attention to the preceding clause of the verse—"I will have mercy upon them." Learn from this that the only terms upon which God can deal with guilty men are terms of mercy—"I will have mercy upon them." Therefore, my Friend, if you would be saved, do not try to deal with God upon the footing ofjustice. If you do, you will first have to say that you have never sinned and that would be a lie. You will not be able to prove that assertion—your lips, your eyes, your heart, your hands, your whole conduct will all be witnesses against you! You must admit that you have sinned. It may be that you will then try to find some excuse for your sin. You say, perhaps, that you could not help it. But you might have helped it—you ought to have helped it. Or, possibly, you will try to make out that your sin is very little. But your conscience knows that it is not little.

I will bring them again to place them - Zechariah seems to have condensed into one word two of Jeremiah, “I will bring them again” unto this place, and “I will cause them to dwell” safely Jer 32:37. Kimchi. It is not a confusion of forms, but the blending of two words into one. So also Ibn Ezra): “The two ideas are here both implied, he will cause them to return to their land, and will cause them to dwell there in peace and security.” For I will have mercy upon them - Dionysius: “For the goodness and lovingkindness of God, not any merits of our’s, is the first and principal cause of our whole salvation and grace. Therefore the Psalmist says, ‘neither did their own arm save them; but Thy right hand and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou hadst a favor unto them’ Psa 44:3.” And they shall be, as though I had not cast them off - (Etymologically, “loathed,” “cast off as a thing abhorrent” .) God is ever “the God of the present.” He does not half-forgive. “Their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more” Heb 8:12. God casts off the sinner, as being what he is, a thing abhorrent, as penitence confesses of itself that it is “a dead dog, a loathsome worm, a putrid corpse.” God will not clothe with a righteousness, which He does not impart. He restores to the penitent all his lost graces, as though he had never forfeited them, and cumulates them with the fresh grace whereby He converts him (see vol. i. on Joe 2:25, pp. 192, 193). It is an entire re-creation. “They shall be, as though I had not cast them off.” “I will settle you as in your old estates, and will do good, more than at your beginnings, and ye shall know that I am the Lord” Eze 36:11. For I am the Lord their God, and will hear them - As He says by Malchi, “I am the Lord; I change not” Mal 3:6. […]