Zechariah 6:8

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.

Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying,.... That is, the Lord of the whole earth spoke to the prophet with a loud voice, and uttered the following words: Behold, these that go toward the north country; meaning the Medes and Persians, which went towards Babylon: have quieted my spirit in the north country; by executing the judgments of God upon the Chaldeans, and by helping, favouring, and delivering the people of the Jews; which were very agreeable to the will of God, and well pleasing in his sight, signified by the quieting or refreshing his Spirit.

Zechariah 6:8 . Then cried he unto me, Behold, these that go toward the north — Namely, the black horses, denoting the Persian empire; have quieted my spirit in the north country — That is, by conquering the Babylonians, and executing upon them the punishment which they deserved for their cruelty and other crimes, they have satisfied the wrath which I had conceived against that people. So the LXX., ανεπαυσαν τον θυμον μου εν γη Βορρα , they have caused my wrath to cease in the land of the north. Instead of these that go toward the north, it would be better to translate the words, those who have gone toward the north; because it is spoken of the Persians overturning the Babylonian empire, which happened before the prophet was favoured with this vision.

Then, when the prophet had been informed about the former vision, cried he; the Angel that talked with the prophet, i.e. the Lord Christ, spake aloud. and called to him. These that go, or are gone, for he speaks of what was already past; it is likely he meaneth the red horses. Toward the north country; into Babylon. Have quieted my spirit; either by doing what I appointed them against the cruel Chaldeans, in revenge of my people’s injuries, or bringing my people back out of Babylon into Canaan.

8 . cried he upon me ] The word is used of a royal proclamation cried aloud through the city. Jonah 3:7 . Here the loud call of the Angel was probably intended to rouse the prophet’s attention to what was the chief point of the vision. quieted my spirit ] Lit. have caused my spirit to rest, which was perturbed before with sore displeasure against my enemies ( Zechariah 1:15 ), but is now at rest because the righteous retribution is completed. Others take “spirit” to be equivalent here, as it is elsewhere ( Ecclesiastes 10:4 ; Proverbs 29:11 , in which latter place, as here, the LXX have θυμός ), to anger. “ Have made my anger to rest on , i.e. have carried it thither and deposited it there, made it to rest upon them as its abode, as St John says of the unbelieving, ‘the wrath of God abideth on him.’ ” Pusey. See Ezekiel 5:13 ; Ezekiel 16:42 . Symbolical Action. Crowning of the High-priest , Zechariah 6:9-15 . In another of the “divers manners” ( πολυτρόπως , Hebrews 1:1 ), which He was pleased to adopt, Almighty God now speaks by the prophet. The visions of the night give place to a literal transaction by day, which, however, repeats and confirms their message. Zechariah is directed to go to the house of Josiah in Jerusalem, and to take from certain Jews who were lodging there gold and silver, a portion of the offerings to the House of God, which they had brought from their brethren still in exile, Zechariah 6:9-10 .

Of this gold and silver he is to make a crown, and put it on the head of Joshua the High-priest, Zechariah 6:11 . The significant action is to be accompanied by a prediction in the name of Jehovah, that in due time there shall “grow up the Branch,” who shall be the true builder of the temple of the Lord, who shall be both King and Priest, and in the exercise of those two offices the author and dispenser of peace, Zechariah 6:12-13 . Meanwhile, in gracious remembrance both of those who have brought the offerings and of him who has received them into his house, the crown which has been placed on the High-priest’s head is to be hung up in the Temple at Jerusalem, Zechariah 6:14 , where it will also be a silent prophecy of the day when not only Jewish exiles, but Gentiles also who are now “far off,” shall be builders in the spiritual temple. That event, when it comes to pass, will prove the divine mission of the prophet; but obedience on the part of those who hear the prophecy is the condition of their sharing in the blessings of its fulfilment, Zechariah 6:15 .

8. north … quieted … my spirit—that is, caused My anger to rest (Jud 8:3, Margin; Ec 10:4; Eze 5:13; 16:42). Babylon alone of the four great world kingdoms had in Zechariah's time been finally punished; therefore, in its case alone does God now say His anger is satisfied; the others had as yet to expiate their sin; the fourth has still to do so.

Verse 8. - Then cried he upon me. The angel cried aloud (like a herald announcing a proclamation, Jonah 3:7 ), to call the prophet's attention to what was coming, which was of most immediate consequence to his people. This angel speaks as in the person of God. Have quieted my spirit; literally, have caused my spirit to rest ; LXX., ἀνέπαυσαν τὸν θυμόν μου , "quieted my anger," i.e. by satiating it. Many commentators take the clause as equivalent to "have caused my wrath to rest upon the land" (comp. John 3:36 ), referring to Judges 8:3 ; Proverbs 16:32 ; Ecclesiastes 10:4 , for the use of the word "spirit" ( ruach ) in the sense of "anger." Others see here an intimation of mercy and grace to the Jews still resident in Babylonia. But it is plain that the vision is one of judgment: and the Spirit of the Lord is a Spirit of judgment and vengeance ( Isaiah 4:4 ), which destroys evil that good may flourish. Zechariah 6:8

Then God, or the Angel of the Lord - who speaks of what belonged to God alone, "called me" (probably "loudly" Judges 4:10 , Judges 4:13 ; 2 Samuel 20:4-5 ), so as to command his attention to this which most immediately concerned his people. These have quieted My spirit in the north country - Or rather, "have made My anger to rest" on, that is, have carried it thither and deposited it there, made it to rest upon them, as its abode, as John saith of the unbelieving, "The wrath of God abideth on him" John 3:36. Babylon had been the final antagonist and subduer of the people of God. It had at the outset destroyed the temple of God, and carried off its vessels to adorn idol-temples. Its empire closed on that night when it triumphed over God , using the vessels dedicated to Him, to the glorifying of their idols. "In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldaeans slain." This final execution of God's anger upon that their destroyer was the earnest of the rest to them; and in this the visions pause.

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.