424 VISIONS AND PROPHECIES OF ZECHARIAH
the inspired prophetic song which Moses was commanded to teach the children of Israel, so that it "should not be forgotten out of the mouth of their seed," and which sets forth in advance all the vicissitudes of their history to the very end
" Jehovah shall judge His people, And repent Himself for His servants : When He sees that their strength is gone, And that there is none remaining, shut up or left at large
Then He will " lift up His hand to heaven " and swear, saying :
" As I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and Mine hand take
hold on judgment ;
I will render vengeance to Mine adversaries, And will recompense them that hate Me. I will make Mine arrows drunk with blood, And My sword shall devour much flesh" J
For the enemies of His people will then be accounted as His enemies, which in reality they are.
But to return to our chapter.
To remove all possibility of doubt of the fulfilment of the great and wonderful things which the prophet is about to announce from the mouth of Jehovah, we are reminded of the almighty-creative and sustaining power of the ever lasting God. This surely is a sufficient basis for our faith in His word, however great the human improbabilities and natural impossibilities of their ever being literally fulfilled, may appear to us.
" Thus saith (or the saying of) Jehovah, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him."
A similar declaration of God s almighty-creative and
1 Deut. xxxii. 36-42.
