V. 37.— For yet a little while, end he that shall come will come, and will mot tarry. For yet a little while.— The prophecy of Habakkuk, from which this quotation is taken, had foretold the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, Habakkuk 1:5-6, and the Apostle applies the words of the prophet to the destruction of the city by the Romans, Acts 13:40-41. This was doubtless the chief event foretold, although it had what may be termed a preliminary fulfilment in the destruction of the city by the King of Babylon; just as the Lord, being brought from Egypt, was the fulfilment of Hos 11:1, although it had a previous fulfilment in Israel being brought from the bondage of Egypt. In the passage before us, the Apostle refers to the language of the same prophet, “ He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” The great promise of the Old Testament is the coming of Christ in the flesh. This supported the minds of God’ s people from Adam to Christ. The great promise of the New Testament is the coming of Christ to judgment. All believers are represented as waiting for Him. This is the great and terrible day of the Lord, when He shall judge the world in righteousness, receiving His people into everlasting mansions, and punishing the wicked with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of His power. While His coming to judgment is the great day of His coming, He is represented as coming both in the way of mercy to His people, and of judgment upon His enemies. He promised to come to His disciples, John 14:18, and He fulfilled the promise, not by His personal presence, which they only enjoyed forty days, but by coming in the power of His Spirit, the Comforter who abides in the Church for ever, John 14:16, and without whom the Church of Christ could not subsist. On one occasion the Lord informed His disciples that some were standing there who should not taste of death till they saw the Son of man coming in His kingdom, Matthew 16:28, which was fulfilled in the rapid progress of the Gospel. Again, He describes the coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, Matthew 24:40, evidently referring to His coming to destroy Jerusalem, for He adds, “ Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Matthew 24:34. The passage under consideration appears especially to refer to the Lord’ s coming to destroy the city, which was soon to take place, and would be connected with a partial deliverance from the persecution of the disciples.