the promise he had been honoured to give to Judah. Perhaps it was he who gave the valley its new name Berachah, which means the "valley of blessing." After this the Scriptures are silent about Jahaziel. But his lesson of trust in God will never be forgotten.

(Read 2 Chronicles xx. 1-27).

VII.

Zecbariab. (B.C. 839.)

ZECHARIAH was the son of the good old priest Jehoiada, who protected the young King Joash from his unnatural and cruel grandmother. Some people have thought that Jehoiada was the prophet's grandfather, and that Barachias was the name of his father. For Jesus speaks of Zacharias as the son of Barachias. We hear nothing of his early life. We are told only of his faithfulness in reproving sin, and of his violent death. He lived in the days of King Joash. And when he saw him and his people forsaking God's temple, and worshipping idols in the shady groves, his spirit was stirred within him. Or rather, I should say, the Spirit of God came mightily upon him. And he stood, raised above the people, and addressed them in these words: "Thus saith the Lord, Why transgress ye the commandment of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, He hath also forsaken you." King Joash would not stand these fearless words. He raised his voice, and commanded the people to stone Zechariah. They were only too ready to silence the prophet's voice. And just as, long after, their children rushed with one accord upon Stephen and stoned him; so now they rose up and stoned Zechariah with stones in the very courts of the Lord's house. He uttered no complaint to man,

but he lifted up his dying voice to God, and said, "The Lord look upon it and require it." And has the Lord required his servant's blood at the hands of the people of Judah? Yes, indeed. For more than eight hundred years after this, when our Lord was upon earth, He remembered and spoke of this faithful prophet. Here are His words: "The blood of all the prophets, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the altar and the temple, shall be required of this generation."

Yes, and the blood of a still greater Prophet, even that of the Lord Himself, is upon Judah and her exiled children, even to this day.

(Read 2 Chron. xxiv. 17-27; also Matt. xxiii. 35, 36.)

B

VIII.

Zechariab the Second. (B.C. 810.)

THE name Zechariah has a beautiful meaning. It signifies, Remembered of God. There was another prophet in the time of King Uzziah who bore this name. It is possible that his daughter was the wife of King Ahaz, and the mother of good King Hezekiah. We cannot be sure of this. Nor do we read of any of this Zechariah's deeds, nor of any of the words he spoke. But two things are told about him, and both are to his honour. The one is, that "he had understanding in the visions of God;" and the other, the influence that he had on King Uzziah. Who are they that understand the things of God? Surely only God's children. For does not St. Paul tell us, "The things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God; and we have received the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God."

We read that "Daniel had understanding in visions," and we know he was a man greatly beloved.

Dear children, it is a blessed thing to try to understand all God's words. So when I endeavour to explain some of the more difficult parts, will you pray that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; and then, like Zechariah, your life will have a good effect

Zechariah the Second.

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on those around you. For this understanding, seeing man, this seer, influenced King Uzziah. For all the days of the prophet's life he sought the Lord. And the Lord made him to prosper, and he was marvellously helped till he was strong.

(Read 2 Chron. xxvi. 5; also 1 Cor. ii. 11, 12; 2 Chron. xxix. 1; Col. i. 9, 10.)