Zechariah
Zechariah 6
Chapter VI · Vol. III, p. 1490
1 The vision of the four chariots. 9 By the crowns of Joshua the high-priest are showed the church and kingdom of Christ the Branch.
1 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came afour bchariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were cmountains of brass.
a Da.2.32,33,37-40; 7.3-7,17,19. ch.1.18,19.
3 And in the third chariot gwhite horses, and in the fourth chariot hgrizzled and bay1 horses.
g Da.2.32,39;7.6;8.5-8;11.3-35, with Re.6.2.
h Da.2.33,40-43;7.8,11,19-26;11.36-45. Re.6; 8; 12; 13; 16.
1 Or, strong.
4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, iWhat are these, my lord?
i ch.1.9,19,21;5.10.
5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four jspirits2 of the heavens,3 which go forth from kstanding before the LORD of all the earth.
j ch.1.10; 3.4. Ps.68.17. He.1.14. Da.10.13. 2 Ki.6.14. Da.7.2.
2 Or, winds, Da.7.2.
3 Spirits of the heavens. Characteristic spirits of the four governing powers that move the affairs of the world, and are raised above their subjects, and are therefore called 'heavens.'—C.
k He.1.14. ch.3.7. 1 Ki.22.19. Lu.1.19. Da.7.10. Mat.18.10, with ch.4.14.
6 The black horses4 which are therein go forth into the north country:5 and the white go forth lafter them: and the grizzled go forth toward the south country.6
4 Why are the 'red' not mentioned? Because the Assyrio-Babylonish empire was gone, and the Medo-Persian now erected on its ruins.—C.
5 Chaldea, Je.1.14,15; 4.6;6.1; 50; 51. Is.13; 21; 47; 14.
6 Egypt, Arabia, &c., Da.11.5,6,40; 7.7,9,24.
7 And the nbay went forth, and sought to go, that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have oquieted my spirit in the north country.
o Eze.5.13; 16.42,63. ch.1.15. Je.50.17,25,29,34. Is.1.24;51.22,23; 48.14. 2 Sa.21.14.
9 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, pwhich are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
p Ezr.2; 8; 7.16;8.25,26. See ver.15.
11 Then take qsilver and gold, and make rcrowns, and set them upon the head of 7Joshua the son of Josedech, the high-priest,
12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold sthe man whose name is the <span class="sc">BRANCH</span>: and he shall grow8 up out of his place,9 and the shall build the temple of the LORD:
s ver.13,17. Mal.3.1. Is.9.6. Jn.1.14,15. 1 Ti.2.5. ch.3.8. Is.4.2; 11.1; 53.2. Je.23.5;33.15.
8 And he shall grow. 'Even he shall grow.'—C.
9 Or, branch up from under him, Is.53.2. Mat.2.1,23.
t 1 Co.3.9. Ep.2.20-22. 1 Pe.2.4,5. ch.4.6,9. Mat.16.18. He.3.3.
13 Even he shall build the temple1 of the LORD; and he shall ubear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a vpriest upon his throne: and the xcounsel of peace shall be between them both.2
1 The temple to be built by the BRANCH is the temple of the body which he took, and of the church which he redeemed, Jn.2.19,21. 1 Co.3.16. 2 Co.6.16. 1 Pe.2.6.—C.
u He.2.8-10. Phi.2.7-11. Is.9.6,7; 11.1-10; 22.24; 42.1-8; 45.22-25; 49.1-8. Ps.110; 21; 22.22-30; 72; 45. Eze.34.23-29. Je.23.5,6; 33.15,16. Da.7.13,14. Re.3.21;5.11-13. Ep.1.22.
v Ps.110.4. He.3.1;4.14-16;7.24,25.
x Ro.5.1. Col.1.2. Ps.89.3,4;40.6-8. Is.52.10; 42.6, with Ep.2.13-16. Col.1.20.
2 Between them both. Between God the Father as 'LORD of hosts' (ver. 12), and God the Son as 'the Angel of the LORD,' ver. 13.—C.
14 And the crowns shall be to yHelem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for za memorial in the temple of the LORD.
y Same as ver. 10.
15 And they that aare far off3 shall come and build in the temple of the LORD; and bye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, cif ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
a Ep.2.13,19. Is.56.8; 57.19;60.10. Ac.2.39.
3 They that are far off. The Gentiles, Ep.2.13-22.—C.
b ch.2.9,11;4.9.
c Ro.16.26. ch.3.7; 8.16,17. Is.3.10. 1 Co.15.58.
Notes
Ver. 1–8. The brazen mountains may denote the unchangeable counsels of God, from which everything in churches or nations originates; or the seeming difficulties in the first rise of events. The four chariots, drawn by horses of different colours, may represent the diversified dispensations of Providence in acts of mercy or wrath; or the angels of God as everywhere throughout the world ministering therein; or the apostles and ministers of Christ as actuated by his Spirit, and ministering in what relates to the church; or the four successive empires in the world. The red horses represented the bloody Chaldeans; the black, the Persians, who executed God's vengeance in conquering Chaldea, called the north country; the white, the rapidly victorious Greeks; and the grisled and bay horses, the Romans at last mingled with the ravaging Goths, who especially carried their conquests to the south. [See Introduction, ch. iv. sect. xi.-xv.] 13. The counsel of peace denotes the promise of grace between Christ and his Father; and the gospel of our salvation, in which Christ's priestly and kingly offices are so gloriously connected. 14. The crowns remained in the temple a memorial of the liberality of those four men who had contributed the materials, and a figure of the future glory of Christ.
Ver. 8. Quieted my spirit. Fulfilled my purposes of judgment on the Babylonians, whose empire was called the north country, because extending to the north of Judea. C.
Reflections.—From what tender loving purpose all the events of Providence originate: nor can any opposition prevent their execution. In the most august and awful manner are they carried on; and angels and ministers are honoured to be the instruments. Diversified, ever varying, divinely actuated, admirably connected, and strangely mixed are their parts! And God takes pleasure in every motion of them; and all who reject Jesus Christ will find themselves at last without hope. It is honourable to help forward good works by our purse, even when we cannot do it in our persons: nor shall the generosity of such be unremembered by God. But how transcendently glorious is our blessed Mediator, upon whose head are many crowns, which can never totter nor be taken off! Marvellous and useful are his administrations in erecting and managing his church; and to himself shall all the glory and honour of his work redound. Yea, under him, in virtue of the new kingdom and gospel, both Jews and Gentiles are happily and divinely united into his mystical body the church.