Zechariah 9:12 Turn you to the strong hold, you prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double to you; In ver. 8 is the assurance that the Divine blessing specially rests on Israel returned to Jerusalem. On this assurance is based an earnest plea, addressed to the Jews who were still remaining in Babylon, unwilling to break up their associations, and share with their countrymen in restoring the ancient nation. Zechariah pleads with them to return to the Lord's land. Jehovah has begun to bless us, come back and share with us." The prophet fixes on one of their excuses, which was a serious self-delusion. He noticed that the hope of returning "some day," was keeping them from making a present decision, and responding at once to the claims of duty. Family ties, increasing wealth, business relations, were making their return to Jerusalem only a hope — a hope with which they were deceiving themselves. Not one of these men had refused to return. They intended to return, and quite hoped to return. But they procrastinated. They believed in the "unknown morrow," in what might happen some day. Procrastination includes hope, and in that lies the subtle slavery of it. But it is a hope that imprisons: it keeps a man easy-minded while he is neglecting his duty. This is the infinite sadness of it. I. AS REGARDS THE ETERNAL SALVATION OF OUR SOULS, WE ALL HAVE HOPE. Only in very exceptional cases, and those usually of disease, is hope quite lost. 1. None of us are without some knowledge of our spiritual state and condition. 2. None of us are without occasional impressions of the solemnity of our spiritual condition. 3. Even in calmest moments' none of us are without an anxious desire to secure the settlement of our eternal interests. 4. None of us have settled it, that we mean to be among the lost. None of us expect to perish everlastingly. All have hope. II. AS REGARDS PERSONAL SALVATION, MANY OF US ARE IMPRISONED BY OUR HOPE. The figure of the text is taken from the peril of a country when its enemy is either passing close by it, or marching through it. Conquering Alexander was pushing his way from Phoenicia to Egypt, and Judaea lay right on his route. The people in the villages might imprison themselves by the hope that Alexander would not come their way. And this hope would keep them from seeking the shelter of the stronghold. All wise people, in such a time of peril, would flee from danger to the security of the walled city. We are saved by hope, but it must be well-grounded hope. When the ancient Israelite had accidentally slain a man, it was imprisoning and imperilling for him to hope that the Avenger of Blood had not yet heard of it, and was not yet upon his track. There was not one moment to lose. At once, delayed by no hopes, or possibilities, or excuses, he must be away, flying to the city of refuge that was nearest at hand. Men do die in their sins. We hope that we shall not be among them. But unless that hope rests on some good and sure foundations, we are imprisoning ourselves in our hopes. Look at some of these imprisoning hopes, and see if any of them can reveal ourselves to ourselves, and be a gracious means of arousing us out of false security. 1. An idea very frequently cherished is this — the next world will provide a milder estimate of our sin than is formed in this world. It is strange how we let a notion of that kind cling to us. "Things may be better in the next life. Nobody knows." It must be an imprisoning hope, for a man's life, motives, and conduct must surely look better under the earth shadows than when they are pushed out into the full sunlight of God. In the light of God, Job said, "I abhor myself." 2. Another idea is, that opportunities for repentance, for turning away from sin, and for seeking the Saviour, will one day be sure to come to us, though we may miss them now. We think God's time of mercy for us has not yet come, and there is nothing for us to do just now but wait for it, as the lame man in the "Bethesda porch" waited for the moving of the water. Only we never think of ourselves as helpless. We are quite sure that when the moving of the water does come, we shall be perfectly able to step down at once and secure our healing. But what a self-delusion that is! If we do not secure the opportunities of salvation that come to us now, on what ground do we hope that we shall seize some opportunity that may come by and by? Does the power of decision grow with the weakening years? Surely it is an imprisoning hope that keeps us from responding to the offers of Divine grace now, for "now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation." III. AS REGARDS PERSONAL SALVATION, THERE IS REALLY NO HOPE UNTIL WE HAVE GIVEN UP HOPE. This is a fact of actual and repeated experience. There is no hope for us until we have come, in the sincerity of personal conviction and humiliation, to say, "Myself I cannot save, myself I cannot help." The very first thing, and the all-essential thing is sweeping away those refuges of lies, our false, our imprisoning, hopes. In various ways God breaks down our self-confidences. There is no hope in God until hope in self is abandoned. IV. WHEN FALSE IMPRISONING HOPES ARE GONE, WE MAY FLEE AT ONCE TO THE STRONGHOLD. Then the soul is fairly roused and set upon seeking safety at once. Then the intensest interest is felt in the message of Gospel salvation. Then, we may run at once into the safe hiding place of God's salvation, and there find a hope that will not make us ashamed. Be not then hindered by doubts, or imprisoned by hopes; there is a duty to be done now. "Flee to the mountain, lest ye be consumed." (Robert Tuck, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do I declare that I will render double unto thee; |
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