John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 9:15

"Jehovah of hosts will defend them; and they shall devour, and shall tread down the sling-stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, like the corners of the altar." — Zechariah 9:15 (ASV)

He expresses the same thing again in other words—that God would be like a shadow to His people, so that He would protect them from their enemies with an extended hand. Since the Jews might have justly felt distrust in their own strength, the Prophet continually teaches them that their safety did not depend on earthly aids, but that God alone was sufficient, for He could easily make them safe and secure.

He also adds that they would have plenty of bread and wine to satisfy them. He seems here indeed to promise too great an abundance, as luxury resulted from its abuse, for he says that they would be satisfied and be like the drunk; they shall drink, he says, and shall make a noise as through wine.

Certainly, those who drink wine moderately do not make noise, but are as composed and quiet after dinner as those who fast. Zechariah then seems here to make an unreasonable promise—even that of excess in food and drink.

But we have seen elsewhere that wherever the Holy Spirit promises an abundance of good things, He does not give free rein to men’s lusts. His object is only to show that God will be so bountiful to His children that they will stand in need of nothing, that they will lack nothing.

Indeed, the abundance of blessings is to test our frugality. For when God pours forth, as it were, with a liberal hand more than what is needed, He thus tests the temperance of each of us. For when, in the enjoyment of great abundance, we restrain ourselves of our own accord, we then truly show that we are grateful to God.

It is indeed true that cheerfulness for an abundance of blessings is allowed us, for it is often said in the Law, Thou shalt rejoice before thy God (Deuteronomy 12:18). But we must bear in mind that a frugal use of blessings is required, so that the gifts of God may not be converted to a sinful purpose.

Therefore, the Prophet does not here incite or stimulate the Jews to intemperance, so that they might fill themselves with too much food, or intoxicate themselves with too much wine. But he only promises that there would be no lack of either food or drink when God blessed them as in former days.

And this also seems to be specified at the end of the verse, when he mentions the horns of the altar. He had previously said that they would be full as the bowls were; but when he adds the horns of the altar, he undoubtedly reminds them of temperance: that they were to feast as though they were in God’s presence.

They were indeed accustomed to pour out the wine and the oil on the horns of the altar. But, at the same time, since they professed that they offered some first-fruits to God from their abundance of wine and oil, it was fitting for them to remember that their wine was sacred and their oil was sacred, as both came from God.

The Prophet then declares that the Jews would be thus enriched and filled with all good things, and that they were still to remember that they were to live as in God’s presence, lest by luxury they should pollute what He had consecrated to a legitimate end. He then adds—