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60 lines
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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Zec',6,'1-');">Zec 6</a> - A King and Priest</h2>
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<p>A. Vision of the four horses and their chariots.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',6,'1-3');">1-3</a>) What Zechariah saw.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots <i>were </i>coming from between two mountains, and the mountains <i>were </i>mountains of bronze. With the first chariot <i>were </i>red horses, with the second chariot black horses, with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses; strong <i>steeds</i>.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Four chariots were coming from between two mountains</span></b>: Since the original text says <i>the </i><b><span class="c3">two mountains</span></b>, most assume they are the Mount of Olives and Mount Zion. <b><span class="c3">Mountains of bronze</span></b> associates these mountains with strength and judgment.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Four chariots...red horses...black horses...whites horses...dappled horses; strong steeds</span></b>: The horsemen of <a onclick="return mV('Zec',1,'1-');">Zec 1</a> were observers on reconnaissance. These <b><span class="c3">four chariots</span></b> and their horses seem to be hostile agents of God's judgment, emissaries of His war against the earth.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Some want to identify these <b><span class="c3">four chariots</span></b> with Daniel's four world empires (<a onclick="return mV('Dan',2,'1-');">Dan 2</a> and <a onclick="return mV('Dan',7,'1-');">Dan 7</a>) but the colors essentially are the same as the four horsemen in <a onclick="return mV('Rev',6,'1-');">Rev 6</a>, the emissaries of God's judgment. Some connect these with the angelic messengers of judgment in <a onclick="return mV('Rev',7,'1-3');">Rev 7:1-3</a>.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "In the usual Scriptural symbolism <i>red</i> speaks of <i>war</i>, <i>black</i> of <i>famine </i>and<i> death</i>, <i>white</i> of <i>victory</i>, and <i>grizzled</i> of <i>pestilence</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Eze',14,21);">Eze 14:21</a>, <a onclick="return mV('Rev', 6, 17);">Rev 6:18</a>)." (Luck)</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',6,'4-8');">4-8</a>) What the vision means.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, "What <i>are </i>these, my lord?" And the angel answered and said to me, "These <i>are </i>four spirits of heaven, who go out from <i>their </i>station before the Lord of all the earth. The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country." Then the strong <i>steeds </i>went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, "Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth." So they walked to and fro throughout the earth. And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, "See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Four spirits of heaven</span></b>: This means that these <i>four chariots</i> are actually four angelic beings sent from God. This means that these may not be exactly the same as the four horsemen of <a onclick="return mV('Rev',6,'1-');">Rev 6</a>, but that the idea of their mission and purpose is similar.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. John Calvin said that these angels are compared to horsemen on chariots because "these ride swiftly as it were through the whole world to execute what God commands them." If Zechariah had the technology of today he might picture the angels in fast cars or fighter jets, showing how swiftly and powerfully they move across the earth to accomplish God's purpose.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">To the north country</span></b>: Two of the horses are focused on the <b><span class="c3">north</span></b>, where Babylon and Magog are. Nevertheless, each of the four extends <b><span class="c3">to and fro throughout the earth</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country</span></b>: God's <b><span class="c3">Spirit</span></b> is only at rest when His enemies and the enemies of His people are judged.</p>
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<p>B. The crowning of Joshua, the High Priest.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',6,'9-11');">9-11</a>) Command to make a crown for Joshua.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then the word of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> came to me, saying: "Receive <i>the gift </i>from the captives; from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon; and go the same day and enter the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah. Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set <i>it </i>on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Receive the gift from the captives...who have come from Babylon</span></b>: As the refugees continued to return from exile they brought with them gifts from wealthy Babylon.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah</span></b>: Taking the meaning of the names (<b><span class="c3">Heldai</span></b> means <i>robust</i>, <b><span class="c3">Tobijah</span></b> means <i>God's goodness</i>, and <b><span class="c3">Jedaiah</span></b> means <i>God knows</i>), McGee sees the intention that God knows that through His goodness, He will put His king on the throne, and He will do it in a robust manner.<b><span class="c3"></span></b></p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua</span></b>: It was absolutely unusual to crown a <b><span class="c3">high priest</span></b>, because priests were never crowned as kings and kings were never priests.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <a onclick="return mV('2Ch',26,'1-');">2Ch 26</a> tells the tragic story of King Uzziah who tried to function as a priest, and was stricken with leprosy to the end of his life. Through the history of Israel God commanded a separation between the religious and the civil leadership of Israel.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. <b><span class="c3">Elaborate crown</span></b>: This is definitely a <i>royal</i> <b><span class="c3">crown</span></b> and is not the customary headdress of the high priest.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">On the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest</span></b>: There already was a strong, godly civil leader in Jerusalem named Zerubbabel. It seems like it would have made a lot more sense to crown Zerubbabel instead of <b><span class="c3">Jos...the high priest</span></b>. But Joshua was crowned because the next descendant of David to rule would be Jesus, prefigured by the high priest Joshua.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Liberal critics are so certain that Zerubbabel should be crowned here that they think that the text is in error. This misses the whole point, because this crowning of Joshua prophesies the King-Priest Jesus.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',6,'12-13');">12-13</a>) Prophecy of the <b><span class="cmscap">Branch</span></b>, who is both king and priest.</p>
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<p class="c2">"Then speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the <span class="c6">Lord</span> of hosts, saying: "Behold, the Man whose name <i>is </i>the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>; Yes, He shall build the temple of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both."'</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Behold, the Man whose name is the <span class="c6">Branch</span>!</span></b> We already saw this <b><span class="c3">Branch</span></b> in <a onclick="return mV('Zec',3,8);">Zec 3:8</a>, and it is a familiar title for the Messiah (<a onclick="return mV('Isa',4,2);">Isa 4:2</a> and <a onclick="return mV('Isa',11,1);">11:1</a>; <a onclick="return mV('Jer',23,5);">Jer 23:5</a> and <a onclick="return mV('Jer',33,15);">33:15</a>). The <b><span class="cmscap">Branch</span></b> is associated with fruitfulness and life. Jesus used the same image when He said that He was the vine and we are the branches (<a onclick="return mV('Jhn',15,5);">Jhn 15:5</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">Behold, the Man</span></b>: "In the Hebrew text the prophecy begins 'Behold the Man,' the very words Pilate used to present the beaten Christ to the people of Jerusalem: '<i>Ecce homo!' </i>" (Boice) But in Zechariah's vision it isn't the humiliated Jesus we are asked to <b><span class="c3">behold</span></b>, it is the triumphant Jesus.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">From His place He shall branch out</span></b>: This speaks of the fruitfulness and outreaching life of the Messiah. "He will come where there is little promise of new life, unexpectedly, like the root out of a dry ground." (Baldwin)</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">And He shall build the temple of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>: The <b><span class="cmscap">Branch</span></b> will rebuild the temple - not the same temple Zerubbabel worked on, but the temple of His people (<a onclick="return mV('Eph',2,'19-22');">Eph 2:19-22</a>; <a onclick="return mV('1Pe',2,5);">1Pe 2:5</a>).</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">So He shall be a priest on His throne</span></b>: This was an unthinkable concept previously in Israel because priests did not sit on thrones and kings did not serve as priests. Nevertheless, the <b><span class="cmscap">Branch</span></b> is different; He rules as both a King and Priest.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',6,'14-15');">14-15</a>) The crowning as a memorial.</p>
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<p class="c2">"Now the elaborate crown shall be for a memorial in the temple of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> for Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah. Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. Then you shall know that the <span class="c6">Lord</span> of hosts has sent Me to you. And <i>this </i>shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> your God."</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Now the elaborate crown shall be for a memorial</span></b>: The <span class="c6">Lord</span> makes it clear that the <b><span class="c3">crown</span></b> for Joshua was a picture of the ruling Priest-King in the future. God never intended for Joshua to take control as king in the Jerusalem of his day.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Hen the son of Zephaniah</span></b>: Earlier, <i>Josiah</i> was said to be the son of Zephaniah, and Zechariah apparently gave this prophecy in his house (<a onclick="return mV('Zec',6,10);">Zec 6:10</a>). Since the name <b><span class="c3">Hen</span></b> means "gracious," it is almost certainly another name, and an appropriate name for this Josiah <b><span class="c3">the son of Zephaniah</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the <span class="c6">Lord</span></span></b>: The <b><span class="c3">elaborate crown</span></b> spoke of something that would not happen for a long time in the future. Still, God's promised blessing in the future means that He wants the work to continue right now, and that He will bless the current work.</p>
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