Spurgeon: December PM
* 12/05/PM
"And the Lord shewed me four carpenters."
--Zechariah 1:20
In the vision described in this chapter, the prophet saw four
terrible horns. They were pushing this way and that way, dashing
down the strongest and the mightiest; and the prophet asked,
"What are these?" The answer was, "These are the horns which
have scattered Israel." He saw before him a representation of
those powers which had oppressed the church of God. There were
four horns; for the church is attacked from all quarters. Well
might the prophet have felt dismayed; but on a sudden there
appeared before him four carpenters . He asked, "What shall
these do?" These are the men whom God hath found to break those
horns in pieces. God will always find men for His work , and He
will find them at the right time. The prophet did not see the
carpenters first , when there was nothing to do, but first the
"horns," and then the "carpenters." Moreover, the Lord finds
enough men . He did not find three carpenters, but four ;
there were four horns, and there must be four workmen. God finds
the right men ; not four men with pens to write; not four
architects to draw plans; but four carpenters to do rough work.
Rest assured, you who tremble for the ark of God, that when the
"horns" grow troublesome, the "carpenters" will be found. You
need not fret concerning the weakness of the church of God at
any moment; there may be growing up in obscurity the valiant
reformer who will shake the nations: Chrysostoms may come forth
from our Ragged Schools, and Augustines from the thickest
darkness of London's poverty. The Lord knows where to find His
servants. He hath in ambush a multitude of mighty men, and at
His word they shall start up to the battle; "for the battle is
the Lord's," and He shall get to Himself the victory. Let us
abide faithful to Christ, and He, in the right time, will raise
up for us a defence, whether it be in the day of our personal
need, or in the season of peril to His Church.