Zechariah 6:7

6:1-8 This vision may represent the ways of Providence in the government of this lower world. Whatever the providences of God about us are, as to public or private affairs, we should see them all as coming from between the mountains of brass, the immoveable counsels and decrees of God; and therefore reckon it as much our folly to quarrel with them, as it is our duty to submit to them. His providences move swiftly and strongly as chariots, but all are directed and governed by his infinite wisdom and sovereign will. The red horses signify war and bloodshed. The black, signify the dismal consequences of war, famines, pestilences, and desolations. The white, signify the return of comfort, peace, and prosperity. The mixed colour, signify events of different complexions, a day of prosperity and a day of adversity. The angels go forth as messengers of God's counsels, and ministers of his justice and mercy. And the secret motions and impulses upon the spirits of men, by which the designs of Providence are carried on, are these four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from God, and fulfil what the God of the spirits of all flesh appoints. All the events which take place in the world spring from the unchangeable counsels of the Lord, which are formed in unerring wisdom, perfect justice, truth, and goodness; and from history it is found that events happened about the period when this vision was sent to the prophet, which seem referred to therein.

And the bay went forth, and sought to go,.... Without leave: these design either the Romans; or, since distinct from the grisled, the Huns, Goths, and Vandals; who sought to go out of their own places into other countries: and were desirous that they might walk to and fro through the earth: without control; overrunning as they, did the Roman empire, and set up ten kingdoms in it; unless this is to be understood of the land of Judea only, through which the Romans walked to and fro at pleasure, and subdued it: and he said; that is, the Lord of the whole earth, before whom they stood: Get ye hence, walk to and fro through the earth; as being filled with indignation at them, and yet suffered them to have their will; and so Kimchi interprets the phrase, "he gave them power to go and subdue lands;'' and to the same purpose Jarchi, "he gave them power to rule with great authority; and this is the kingdom of Edom or Rome:'' So they walked to and fro through the earth; either the land of Judea, as the Romans did, and made it a Roman province; and these may represent Rome Papal, set up and supported by the above people, even the beast of Rome, which has reigned over the kings of the earth, to whom the ten kings gave their kingdom and power.

And the {i} bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Go from here, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. (i) That is, those of different colours, which ask permission, to signify that Satan has no power to hurt or afflict, until God gives it to him; Job 1:12.

The bay went forth, from the place where the prophet saw them at first standing as at the starting-place, and sought to go, either asked commission or waited for it, that they might walk to and fro through the earth : they had a larger commission, say some, the whole earth; or a particular commission to keep their rounds in the land of Judea, and to take care of their affairs for the comfort of that people. He said, Christ, who hath all power in heaven and on earth, Get you hence; stay no longer here, hasten to your charge; as you have desired, so do. So they walked to and fro through the earth; they obey immediately, and do his commands. These bay horses are here represented as attempting, or making essay, which at first seems to take little effect, though at last, by a full commission empowered, they do succeed in the attempt. This might give ground to suppose here is some kingdom aimed at, which made some attempts to enlarge itself through all the earth, but failed in its attempt, which no wonder, since the angels which were to assist were not commissioned to walk through the whole earth, and they keeping to their commission gave no further help, for want of which the design failed. How far this may concern Goths and Vandais, or any more late empires and kingdoms, I have neither skill nor will further to inquire.

Nor yet to inquire whether these bay horses were not emblems of angels employed by the Lord, in the government of the rest of the kingdoms of the world remote from Judea, but not remote from God’s wise and sovereign providence governing all the earth. The known empires here are supposed to have been managed by particular angels, represented according to the analogy between the colours of the horses and the complexion of the kingdoms. And it may seem likely that the rest of the world was not left without some to have care of them.

7 . walk to and fro through the earth ] The supposed mixed colour of these horses has been thought to signify a mixed exercise of judgment and mercy by the power which they represent: “partim ut malis supplicia irrogarent, partim ut bonos, si qui supersint, defenderent.” Rosenm. But the scope of the vision seems rather to point to judgment exclusively.

7. bay—rather, the "fleet" (or "strong"). As the "red" are not otherwise mentioned, the epithet "fleet" (as the Hebrew for "bay" ought to be translated) in Zec 6:3 seems to apply to all four, and here especially to the "red." Their office is to complete hereafter the work already in part executed by the previous three who have stilled Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Græco-Macedonia; namely, to punish finally the last great foe of Israel, the final form assumed by the fourth world kingdom, Rome, which is to continue down to the second advent of Christ. Hence they "walk to and fro through the earth," counterworking Satan's "going to and fro in the earth" (Job 1:7; 2Th 2:8, 9; 1Ti 4:1), in connection with the last awful development of the fourth world kingdom. Their "fleetness" is needed to counteract his restless activity; their red color implies the final great carnage (Eze 39:1-29; Re 19:17, 18, 21).

Verse 7. - The bay; rather, the strong , as in ver. 3; the horses in the fourth chariot, whose special mission needed peculiar powers. Septuagint, οἱ ψαροί : but the Vulgate, qui erant robustissimi. Sought to go. These agents desired a wider sphere, and asked permission to extend their action, and to walk to and fro through the earth. Famine and pestilence, which this chariot symbolizes, come at different times and in different places mysteriously and unexpectedly "as arrows shot from the hand of God ( Ezekiel 5:16 ) on the objects of his displeasure" (Alexander). LXX., Καὶ ἐπέβλεπον [S2, Καὶ ἐζήτουν καὶ ἐπέβλεπον ] τοῦ πορεύεσθαι τοῦ [ Α , καὶ ] περιοδεῦσαι τὴν γῆν , "And looked to go and compass the earth." Zechariah 6:7

And the strong went forth and sought to go, that they might walk to and fro through the earth - The mention of their strength corresponds to the extent of the power and commission, for which they asked, to go to and fro, up and down, at their will, unhindered, through the whole earth. The Babylonian empire held Egypt only out of Asia; the Persian was conquered in its efforts against Europe, in Greece; Alexander's was like a meteor, gleaming but breaking into the four: the Roman combined East and West and within large limits tranquilly. And he said go, walk to and fro in the earth - He commanded, and they, which were before withheld, went, "and they walked to and fro on the earth," ordering all things at their will, under the Providence of God, whereby He gave free access to the Gospel in all their wide empire. The Greek empire being extinguished, the Romans no longer went into any given country, but superintended and governed all human things in (it is the language of the New Testament) "all the world." Cyril: "These same, the dappled and ashen-grey horses were commanded to traverse the earth, and they did traverse it; for they mastered all under heaven, and ruled the whole earth, God consenting and arraying those who swayed the Roman might with this brilliant glory. For, as God, He knew beforehand the greatness of their future piety."

Zechariah 6:1 . "And again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold four chariots coming forth between the two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of brass. Zechariah 6:2 . In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot black horses. Zechariah 6:3 . And in the third chariot white horses, and in the fourth chariot speckled powerful horses. Zechariah 6:4 . And I answered and said to the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? Zechariah 6:5 . And the angel answered and said to me, These are the four winds of heaven going out, after having stationed themselves by the Lord of the whole earth. Zechariah 6:6 . Those in which the black horses are, go out into the land of the north, and the white have gone out behind them, and the speckled have gone out into the land of the south. Zechariah 6:7 . And the powerful ones have gone out, and sought to go, to pass through the earth; and he said, Go ye, and pass through the earth; and they passed through the earth. Zechariah 6:8 .

And he called to me, and spake to me thus: Behold, those which go out into the land of the north let down my spirit in the land of the north." The four chariots are explained in Zechariah 6:5 by the interpreting angel to be the four winds of heaven, which go forth after they have taken their stand by the Lord of the whole earth, i.e., have appeared before Him in the attitude of servants, to lay their account before Him, and to receive commands from Him (התיצּב על, as in Job 1:6 ; Job 2:1 ). This addition shows that the explanation is not a real interpretation; that is to say, the meaning is not that the chariots represent the four winds; but the less obvious figure of the chariots is explained through the more obvious figure of the winds, which answers better to the reality. Since, for example, according to Zechariah 6:8 , the chariots are designed to carry the Spirit (rūăch) of God, there was nothing with which they could be more suitably compared than the winds (rūăch) of heaven, for these are the most appropriate earthly substratum to symbolize the working of the Divine Spirit (cf. Jeremiah 49:36 ; Daniel 7:2 ). This Spirit, in its judicial operations, is to be borne by the chariots to the places more immediately designated in the vision. As they go out, after having appeared before God, the two mountains, between which they go out or come forth, can only be sought in the place where God's dwelling is.