house, like the eagle setting her nest on high, yet it would not be for long. Soon shame and ruin were to take the place of glory. The very stones of the palace wall, the very beams and timber of the building would cry out against the cruel king, and so the third woe would fall upon him because of the cruelties he had done to his workmen. To beautify Babylon he had not cared how many lives he had shortened by excessive toil; but it was to end in vanity. It seemed as if the people were labouring "in the very fire," so soon were all the splendid buildings to be consumed. Then truly, when the Lord appeared as the Judge and Avenger of iniquity, would "the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

The fourth woe that Habakkuk utters is "to him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also." We know what a great sin it is when one man tempts another into drunkenness; but most probably the prophet is speaking here of another cup-the cup of Babylon's anger against the nations. They had tasted it in all its bitterness, to their sorrow and shame, and now a terrible cup was put into her hands. She also must drink of a cup of wrath; but it was the cup of the Lord's right hand, and who can describe the shame and degradation that fell on her when she drank that cup to the dregs? Then would vengeance be executed on her for the violence which she had done to Lebanon, the land of Judah, the holy city, and its inhabitants.

The last wce was to fall on Babylon and her king, because of their idolatry. They made idols of dumb stone and of senseless wood; they overlaid them with

gold and silver; they trusted in them; they called to them, saying, "Arise, teach us," while all the time. there was no breath in the midst of them. How different from the God whom Habakkuk worshipped! With lowly reverence he turns to Him, saying, “The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him."

(Read Habakkuk ii. 1-20.)

3. HABAKKUK's prayer.

Habakkuk's book closes with a prayer, or rather an ode or song, and a very beautiful one it is. He intended it to be used in the public worship of the temple, for he gives it in charge "to the chief singer;" and as Habakkuk adds, "on my stringed instruments," it is probable that he himself accompanied with music the words of the song; and if so, he must have belonged to the tribe of Levi, as from it the singers and musicians for the temple service were chosen. The tunes to which this ode was sung were called Shigionoth—that is, variable; for there was a great variety in them, changing rapidly from pathos to notes of triumph. The word Selah is used three times in the song, by which the musician was instructed to make the accentuation more emphatic and intense.

Habakkuk begins by confessing to God how the knowledge of His judgments had made him afraid. His heart trembles lest God's people also should be overwhelmed, so he prays: "Revive Thy work," the Church, which is "the work of Thine hands." In the midst of these years of trouble, "in wrath remember

L

mercy." Then he comforts himself and the people, by calling to mind the wonders God had done for him in the ancient days. They could not forget that day when His glory rested on Mount Sinai, when His presence seemed felt all around on the neighbouring mount of Paran, as well as on the desert of Teman. Then truly "His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise when God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran." His brightness was as the light, "shining rays streamed from either hand of Him," who covereth Himself with light as with a garment, and “there was the hiding of His power." Before Him had walked the pestilence smiting the Egyptians, and lightnings like burning coals had gone forth from Sinai at His feet. The Lord was King over all the earth. He stood and measured it, giving to each nation its own portion, and ever having respect to His own peculiar people. For Moses tells us: "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel." Habakkuk knows He is the God of nature, for the very mountains, which seem so steadfast and perpetual, were moved at His presence. He and His ways alone are everlasting.

Habakkuk looks back to that wonderful day, the like to which the world has never seen, when "the sun and moon stood still in their habitation, for the Lord fought for Israel;" and he cannot forget that other deliverance under their judge Othniel. Then God delivered them from Chushan-rishathaim under whose cruel yoke they had groaned for eight years. Gideon, too, he calls to mind, and his triumphs over the tents

of Midian. The prophet shows his people how rivers and seas cannot hinder their God from working their salvation. This is what he means when he asks: "Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? Was Thy wrath against the sea, that Thou didst ride upon Thine horses and Thy chariots of salvation ?"

Like a mighty warrior, the Lord had drawn His bow out of its case to defend His people; because of His word; because of the oath which He had sworn to the tribes of Israel. And to give them possession of the promised land, He had marched through the land in indignation, He had brought down the chiefs of the Canaanites-their cities and their villages. From the foundation to the summit they had been destroyed.

When Habakkuk thus realized God's power; when He saw how fearful was the vengeance which He executed, he felt afraid. Trembling seized upon him; his very lips quivered. For he knew from the Lord that he would see the judgment fall; he knew that he was to rest or remain until that day of trouble that was hastening on. But the prophet's faith triumphs over his fears, and he bursts forth into. those grand words of trust, which I hope are already well known to you, my dear children: "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet," and so, securely and steadily, "He will make me to walk upon mine high places."

(Read Hab. iii.; Deut. xxxii. 8; Judges iii. 9; vii.)

XV.

Zepbaniab. (B.C. 630.)

I. INTRODUCTORY.

THE prophet Zephaniah tells us that the word of the Lord came to him in the days of King Josiah; so he and Jeremiah began to prophesy about the same time. Not only is the name of Zephaniah's father, Cushi, given to us, we are also told that of his grandfather, of his great-grandfather, and even of his great-greatgrandfather. He was called Hizkiah. Some have supposed that Zephaniah was thus descended from the good King of Judah who bore that name. Others think that all these his ancestors had been known as men of God, and so are thus honoured by being mentioned here.

We have no further particulars of this prophet's life. His whole book seems to contain but one revelation made to him by the Lord. I have told you that Josiah was reigning when Zephaniah prophesied. You remember how zealous this good king was for the honour of God: how he destroyed the images and altars of the false gods; how he repaired the temple, and pledged himself and his people, by a covenant, to be true to the God of their fathers. He had done all he could, and for his sake judgment was delayed. But the great body of the people were still "not right in heart; their spirit was not steadfast with God;"