The Vision of the Four Chariots
Zechariah 6:1-8
November 13, 2016
Well tonight we come to this 8th vision
That Zechariah had in this one single night.
Let me be honest with you regarding this vision.
Unless you want to dive human reasoning or sheer speculation
You have to admit that this vision presents many unanswered questions.
For example, here are some things the text doesn’t tell us.
• What are the two mountain?
• What does it mean that the mountains are bronze?
• We clearly see that there are 4 chariots, but in verses 5 & 6 when the chariots are commissioned, the role of the red horses and their chariot is not mentioned. Where did it go?
Answers to those questions aren’t given.
Now that doesn’t mean people don’t try and answer them.
Many of the points that people glean from this text do not come from the text itself,
But rather from their speculations and their own determination to sort of
“Fill in the blanks” regarding what they think the various pieces represent.
Now, some would say that
• “the two mountains” are Mt. Zion and Mt. Olivet simply because the definite
article is used “the” which should cause the reader to recognize the two most important mountains.
Calvin says regarding the mountains:
“The prophet no doubt understood by these mountains the providence of God, or his hidden counsel, by which all things have been decreed before the creation of the world; and hence he says, that they were mountains of brass, as they could not be broken.” (Calvin, John [Calvin’s Commentaries 22-Volume Set, Habbakuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi; Baker Books; Grand Rapids, MI, reprinted 2005] pg. 141 in the second division of the volume)
That sounds fine I guess, but I have no idea where he gets that from.
Other theologians are certain that the successive chariots represent various nations and the peoples they conquered.
• They say the red chariot represented Babylon who went and conquered
Assyria.
• They say the black chariot represents Persia and the white represents Greece
who put an end to the Babylonian empire.
• They say the dappled chariot represents Rome who spread to the south.
Again, that sounds fine, but the problem is that the text never fills in those blanks.
Calvin says the mountains are bronze because God is unwavering.
Others say they are bronze representing judgment.
But I don’t think it’s right or safe to make a point from the text
That is not clearly seen, or that cannot be clearly seen by you.
Otherwise I haven’t really given you anything except a lecture of my own thoughts
That you’ll never be able to see as you study the text or defend
Or ever be able to stand upon or be truly edified by.
THE POINT I AM MAKING HERE IS THAT
We have to be very careful how we handle passages like this.
Instead of pulling an interpretation out of what we suppose to be true,
We are far better off, taking the truth that is revealed and applying it in our lives.
So let’s just make sure that we pick up on what is clearly revealed.
So while there are some things that we just have trouble figuring out,
There are some things that are extremely clear.
In this text there are three absolute and clear points that can be made.
#1 A BATTLE IS COMING
Zechariah 6:1-3
Up to this point Zechariah has seen 7 visions, this is the 8th.
HE FIRST SAW THE ANGELIC PATROL.
Those angels on horses who basically went out on a reconnaissance mission to find out the state of the world, especially regarding how they viewed Israel.
And we found that the world didn’t care about God’s people.
To this God responded that He does.
Zechariah 1:14-17 “So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion. “But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they furthered the disaster.” ‘Therefore thus says the LORD, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion; My house will be built in it,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”‘ “Again, proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.”‘”
So we learned of God’s heart toward His people.
Regardless of the struggles they faced, and the rejection they felt,
God was for them.
2ND WAS THE 4 HORNS AND 4 CRAFTSMEN
And here we learned a general principle which was that God isn’t just angry at the nations that have afflicted Israel, but that God would also punish those nations that had afflicted Israel.
Zechariah 1:20-21 “Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. I said, “What are these coming to do?” And he said, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.”
So now, after two visions, we have found that God is jealous for Israel
And He has a plan to do something about everyone who has afflicted her.
Those are encouraging visions.
3RD WAS THE SURVEYOR
Here we found that although Jerusalem felt vulnerable and indefensible there was no need to fear for God was watching over them to protect them.
In fact, it was not the refugees in Jerusalem who were in danger,
It was the stragglers who had remained in Babylon who were in danger.
Zechariah 2:5-8 “For I,’ declares the LORD, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.'” “Ho there! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens,” declares the LORD. “Ho, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.”
So it is clear where God’s favor rests.
• Those who are currently in Jerusalem have nothing to fear.
• God is for them and He will defend them.
• It is the pagan nations who have afflicted Israel who are in danger.
4TH WAS JOSHUAH’S ATONEMENT
We saw Joshua seeking to intercede and we saw Satan accusing him.
What is worse is that Satan was right about Joshua’s filthiness.
However the beauty of the vision was that
• In spite of Joshua’s filthiness, God had chosen him
• And therefore God would not only atone for him,
• But would also cleanse him and commission him.
Zechariah 3:4-5 “He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.” Then I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by.”
This vision is very encouraging to a group of refugees
Who know they do not deserve the favor which God has promised.
5TH WAS THE LAMPSTAND
As these people are seeking a task that seems absolutely insurmountable. In fact it likened to a mountain. These people are trying to rebuild God’s temple and the obstacles are numerous. Indeed, even the prophet was a little discouraged.
To which God reminded
Zechariah 4:6-7 “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain; and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”‘”
God was going to accomplish this project through them
By the power of His Spirit
And would thus succeed in once again making Israel a light to the world.
The 6th and 7th visions were a little more sobering.
THE 6TH AND 7TH WERE THE FLYING SCROLL AND THE FILTHY BASKET
They revealed that in order to fully accomplish His purpose of making Israel a light in the darkness, God was going to have to not only finish the temple, but also sanctify His people.
See, in their land there was a bad reality spreading,
And that reality was a love for the world. (Seen as a woman in an ephah)
There was a wickedness spreading through Israel
And therefore God was going to send His word to purify His people.
It was going to purge out of His people
Those who steal and those who swear falsely.
Zechariah 5:4 “I will make it go forth,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and consume it with its timber and stones.”
So basically we learned that
The things which the world loves and adorns and worships,
Have no place among the people of God, and God will remove it.
I recap those because I want you get a real FEEL FOR THE THEME
Of what is occurring here.
The visions are definitely linked.
• I’m for you
• I’m against those who are against you
• I’m with you
• I’ve chosen you regardless of what you are
• I’m helping you accomplish My purposes
• I’m also in the process of purifying you for those purposes
And now we come to the final vision of the 8,
And this is the vision that brings closure to the entire process.
You could say that that
The 6th vision (The Flying Scroll) was God’s judgment on His people, whereby He promised to purge and purify His people.
And this certainly fits the character of God.
Judgment always begins with God’s people.
1 Peter 4:17 “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
However when we left after the 7th vision God had judged His people,
But He had yet to do anything to the world.
In fact, by the end of the 7th vision
• The world had built a temple in the land of Shinar (Babylon) for all the wickedness which God had purged from His people.
• They even put it on a pedestal.
In short, the world was worshiping and honoring the things
That were detestable to God and forbidden for God’s people.
So at the end of 7 visions,
God’s people had been judged but the world had not.
He had promised judgment way back in those 2nd and 3rd visions,
But He had yet to carry out that promise.
WELL THAT IS WHY WE HAVE ONE MORE VISION.
As I told you at the beginning there are some things here that are difficult to interpret since we aren’t told what they represent.
• We don’t know which mountains are represented here.
• We don’t know what the bronze means.
• (We can guess, but the explanation isn’t given)
I don’t think it’s that far-fetched to see a picture of Armageddon here.
Zechariah 14:1-5 “Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!”
Perhaps it could be that the two mountains are really one mountain which is split in two and the bronze does represent the judgment of Christ.
Maybe that is exactly what is being seen, but again, we don’t know.
What we do know however is that “four chariots were coming forth from between the two mountains;”
And we know that chariots are instrument of war and judgment.
We do have four different chariots.
• One has red horses, which is never mentioned again.
• One has black horses which later goes against the north.
• One has white horses which also goes against the north.
• One has strong dappled horses which goes to the south and the whole world.
And we could do a lot of guessing as to what they all represent,
But that’s all it would be.
But here is what we do know.
THERE IS A BATTLE COMING
All the promises of judgment have not been idle promises.
When God spoke of punishing the wicked and judging sinners,
He was not just spouting off.
When God warned those Jews who remained in Babylon
To get out of there because Judgment was coming,
That was a very real warning.
We certainly understand the importance here, since we live in a world that thinks judgment is a myth which won’t actually occur.
2 Peter 3:3-10 “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”
Judgment is coming.
That is a very clear point found so far in this vision as well.
There is a battle coming.
#2 THE BATTLE IS MOTIVATED BY GOD’S PRESENCE
Zechariah 6:4-7
Here we find the question, and this helps us immensely.
Zechariah didn’t ask what the mountains were, or why they were bronze.
Perhaps he understood that.
But he did want to know what the deal was
With these four chariots that were coming.
(5) “The angel replied to me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth,”
Zechariah is told what he needs to know here and that is that
These are “the four spirits” (could also be translated “winds”)
Perhaps there could be a link here to what we read in Revelation 7.
Revelation 7:1 “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.”
We saw there four angels of judgment, perhaps we’re dealing with the same ones here.
What we DO KNOW is that
They are “going forth after standing before the Lord of all the earth”
Which means that their mission is a mission from God.
They stood before Him for their orders and their motivation
And after standing before Him, they are now moving forward.
One thing you should pick up on in this passage
Is the constant revelation of action here.
There are two Hebrew words used repeatedly in this vision
• YATSA’ which means to “come forth” or “go forth”
• HALAK which means to “go” or “walk” or “move” or “flow” (river)
YATSA’ is used 6 times of these chariots
(1) “coming forth”
(5) “going forth”
(6) “going forth”
(6) “go forth”
(7) “went out”
(8) “going”
HALAK is used 3 times in verse 7 rendered “patrol” which can be a little misleading. They weren’t doing recon anymore, they were going to carry out their orders.
“eager to go”
“Go..”
“they patrolled” (i.e. went)
The emphasis here is on action.
The emphasis here is on doing and carrying out.
This vision is not a threat, this vision is the fulfillment of the threat.
These chariots are going, these chariots are moving,
These chariots are doing the will of God
Which they have discerned by standing in His presence.
There is a battle coming and it is a battle motivated by God.
The applications here for life are more than obvious.
If you want to share the passions of God
Then you have to spend time in the presence of God.
(No that does not mean you take some mystical spirit journey to heaven,
It means you spend time in His word)
As you do you will come to love what God loves, hate what God hates,
And have your heart beat in line with the very heart of God.
We live in a day where judgment and punishment and discipline
Seem unnatural and wrong to the world.
But that is only because the world
Doesn’t spend time in God’s presence.
If they did, they would respond like these angels
Who are eager to go and carry out God’s desires.
And we know where 3 of the 4 are headed.
We don’t know where the red ones went, but “the black horses are going forth to the north country; and the white ones go forth after them, while the dappled ones go forth to the south country. When the strong ones went out, they were eager to go to patrol the earth.” And He said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.”
• The black and white went to the north.
• The strong dappled went to the south and then to the whole earth
And one of the key realities is that they were eager to do it.
There was no reluctance to go on their part.
They had stood before God.
His passion was their passion.
And when God commanded for them to go to war, they were eager to go and do it.
So we know that There is a battle coming and that this battle was motivated by God.
#3 THE BATTLE APPEASED GOD’S WRATH
Zechariah 6:7-8
Now again we don’t know where the red horses went.
And we don’t know the effect of the strong dappled horses.
The explanation of the vision however focuses on
Those two chariots that were dispatched to “the land of the north”
And we learn the point is that they
“have appeased My wrath on the land of the north.”
So we know God was angry at “the land of the north”
• We know after standing before God’s presence these spirits were angry as well.
• We know they were eager to go and do God’s bidding.
• And we know that whatever they did, it appeased God’s wrath.
God had a fury dwelling within Him towards this land
And He could not be settled until judgment was unleased on them.
But after this judgment was fully extended, He was now satisfied.
We ALSO KNOW who “the land of the north” is.
The book of Zechariah has already made this clear to us.
This is Babylon (Chaldea)
Zechariah 2:6-9 “Ho there! Flee from the land of the north,” declares the LORD, “for I have dispersed you as the four winds of the heavens,” declares the LORD. “Ho, Zion! Escape, you who are living with the daughter of Babylon.” For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. “For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me.”
We found out very early on that God was angry at the nation of Babylon
For the destruction they poured out upon His inheritance.
• While it is true that God used Babylon as an agent of discipline on His people, it is also true that Babylon enjoyed the role too much and sought to carry that discipline farther than God intended.
This made Babylon very offensive to God
And to the surviving remnant of Israel.
Listen to some of the cries of the survivors regarding Babylon.
Psalms 137 “By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion. Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps. For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” How can we sing the LORD’S song In a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, May my right hand forget her skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy. Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Who said, “Raze it, raze it To its very foundation.” O daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, How blessed will be the one who repays you With the recompense with which you have repaid us. How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones Against the rock.”
Babylon had done the unthinkable to them
And they could not wait for God to avenge them.
What is also true is that God’s wrath was kindled
Against Babylon for what they did to Israel.
And honestly we don’t have time to read all the prophecies of judgment that are spelled out throughout the Old Testament against Babylon, but here are a few.
TURN TO: Isaiah 47:1-15
TURN TO: Jeremiah 51:1-14
Jeremiah 51:34-40
Jeremiah 51:45-64
Pretty severe stuff right there.
But you get the idea.
God’s people are crying out for vengeance regarding what Babylon
God is promising to answer that prayer.
It is a promise carried even to the end of the age.
Revelation 18:21-24 “Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. “And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.”
So we know who this “land of the north” is
And we know that God is most certainly angry at them.
And we see here that God has a plan to satisfy His wrath on them.
He will dispatch two chariots of judgment against them to destroy them.
This was the message of the vision.
God will destroy them and satisfy Himself.
So what does all this mean for the refugees in Zechariah’s day?
In an immediate sense
The message is one of encouragement, validation, and ultimately warning.
God has been saying all along that He is for Israel
And He will one day judge the nations that have afflicted them.
Those were not idle words.
But why would the vision seem to focus more on the wrath that is going to the land of the north (Babylon)?
• Why doesn’t it talk about the direction of the red horses?
• Why doesn’t it reveal the destruction of the strong dappled horses?
I think that is obvious as well.
• God is certainly judging more nations than just Babylon. (The vision of the 4 craftsmen identified 4).
• However of all the nations that God will judge, there is only 1 that His people have decided to dwell in and be comfortable in.
Which nation was that?
Babylon
I think it’s obvious why God goes to great lengths
To emphasize the destruction of Babylon.
It is once again a call for His people to come out of her.
On one hand it is vindication to the cry of the afflicted.
On the other it is a call to those who are too comfortable in her midst.
This vision brings closure.
This vision brings finality.
Judgment is coming on those who afflict God’s people
And God’s people should so trust in that,
That they distance themselves from that judgment.
We hear God saying “Come out of her!”
NOW, I DO WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BETTER.
Some would say, well does that mean I’m supposed to leave America?
Look, the whole world is sinful, not just America.
Paul told the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 5:9-10 “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world.”
I mean, God is going to judge the whole world,
So in a physical sense leaving isn’t even possible.
Then what does that mean?
It means to come out by living different in her midst.
Colossians 3:1-11 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him — a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”
1 Peter 4:1-6 “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For the gospel has for this purpose been preached even to those who are dead, that though they are judged in the flesh as men, they may live in the spirit according to the will of God.”
The point is that you live different.
The physical illustrations of the Old Testament
Have spiritual application for us today.
1 Corinthians 10:6-11 “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY.” Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
You get the point?
Do not associate in the activities that invite judgment
As though it will not occur.
Be encouraged that God
• Has chosen you
• And is for you
• And has justified you
• And is sanctifying you
• And is working through you
• And will vindicate you.
But also understand where God’s anger and wrath is directed
So that you can distance yourself from those things.
These were great truths to Israel in Zechariah’s day
And they are great truths for us today.
1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”
