But while the crowns were to be thus deposited in the Temple as a memorial of these four men, they were also to serve as a pledge and earnest of the fulfilment of the prophecy, and of the realisation of the symbolical action on which it was based: " And they that are far off shall come and build in the Temple of the Lord."
These words not only refer to those Jews who were still in the far lands of the dispersion, who in Messiah's time would be gathered, and take their share in the build ing of the future Temple, as some have explained, but are a glorious promise, as I have already stated at the begin ning, of the conversion of the Gentiles, and of the time when all nations would walk in the light of Jehovah. " It is probable," as another writer suggests, " that the great Apostle of the Gentiles may have had this prophecy in his view when he reminded his converts in Ephesus that now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off have become nigh through the blood of Christ (Eph. ii. 1 3)." On the other hand, Peter probably understood the similar expres sions to which he gave utterance as referring (primarily) to the dispersed of Israel. " The promise is to you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call " (Acts ii. 39).
But again, I repeat, that whatever fulfilment of the words we may already see, the full realisation of them will not be until Messiah sits and reigns a " Priest upon His throne" over Israel. Then, when the law shall go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, and converted Israel goes forth declaring among the peoples the wonderful works of God, shall the nations which are still " afar off" learn His ways and walk in His paths, and come with their tribute of worship and service to His Temple.
" And ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts has sent Me unto you" The fulfilment, or realisation, of what had here been predicted in symbol and verbal prophecy would be, so to say, the Divine authentication of the Message and Messenger, and " Israel will perceive that the speaker had
