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Morning and Evening

December 5, Evening

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"And the Lord shewed me four carpenters." — Zechariah 1:20 · KJV

In the vision described in this chapter, the prophet saw four terrible horns, pushing this way and that, dashing down the strongest and mightiest; and the prophet asked, "What are these?" The answer was, "These are the horns which have scattered Israel." He saw before him a picture of the powers that had oppressed the church of God. There were four horns, for the church is attacked from all quarters. Well might the prophet have been dismayed; but suddenly there appeared before him four carpenters. He asked, "What shall these do?" These are the men whom God has 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 about 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. A Chrysostom may come forth from the poorest schools, and an Augustine from the thickest darkness of a city's poverty. The Lord knows where to find His servants. He has in ambush a multitude of mighty men, and at His word they shall spring up to the battle; for "the battle is the Lord's," and He shall win the victory for Himself. Let us stay faithful to Christ, and He, at the right time, will raise up a defense for us — whether in the day of our personal need, or in the season of peril to His Church.