Next, in the strength of that revelation of the source of might a defiant challenge is blown to the foe.  The ‘great mountain’ is primarily the frowning difficulties which lifted themselves against Zerubbabel’s enterprise, and more widely the whole mass of worldly opposition encountered by God’s servants in every age.  It seems to bar all advance; but an unseen Hand crushes it down, and flattens it out into a level, on which progress is easy.  The Hebrew gives the suddenness and completeness of the transformation with great force; for the whole clause, ’Thou shalt become a plain,’ is one word in the original.

Such triumphant rising above difficulties is not presumption when it has been preceded by believing gaze on the source of strength.  If we have taken to heart the former words of the Prophet, we shall not be in danger of rash overconfidence when we calmly front obstacles in the path of duty, assured that every mountain shall be made low.  A brave scorn of the world, both in its sweetnesses and its terrors, befits God’s men, and is apt to fulfil its own confidences; for most of these terrors are like ghosts, who will not wait to be spoken to, but melt away if fairly faced.  Nor should we forget the other side of this thought; namely, that it is the constant drift of Providence to abase the lofty in mind, and to raise the lowly.  What is high is sure to get many knocks which pass over lower heads.  To men of faith every mountain shall either become a plain or be cast into the sea.

Then follows, on the double revelation of the source of strength and the futility of opposition, the assurance of the successful completion of the work.  The stone which is to crown the structure shall be brought forth and set in its place amid jubilant prayers not offered in vain, that ’grace’—­that is, the protecting favour of God—­may rest on it.

The same thought is reiterated and enlarged in the next ‘word,’ which is somewhat separated from the former, as if the flow of prophetic communication had paused for a moment, and then been resumed.  In verse 9 we have the assurance, so seldom granted to God’s workers, that Zerubbabel shall be permitted to complete the task which he had begun.  It is the fate of most of us to inherit unfinished work from our predecessors, and to bequeath the like to our successors.  And in one aspect, all human work is unfinished, as being but a fragment of the fulfilment of the mighty purpose which runs through all the ages.  Yet some are more happy than others, in that they see an approximate completion of their work.  But whether it be so or not, our task is to ‘do the little we can do, and leave the rest with God,’ sure that He will work all the fragments into a perfect whole, and content to do the smallest bit of service for Him.  Few of us are strong enough to do separate building.  We are like coral insects, whose reef is one, though its makers are millions.