“I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.” (Zechariah 1:8)
This was Zechariah’s vision. And it came by night. Visions came by night to Solomon, Job, Daniel and others. This is the beginning of the day for the Israelites. Their day is not from midnight to midnight as the secular calendar is set up, but from nightfall to nightfall. So, the vision came on “…the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month,” (Zechariah 1:7) sometime after nightfall and before daylight.
There was one man who was riding a red horse. This is very symbolic. Bible scholars from even ancient days say that the man is Jesus, not incarnate but certainly taking a recognizable form of a man. This has actually happened before sometimes spoken of in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord. These are called theophanies or physical manifestations of Jesus in which He is identified as God. He is distinct from God. And He fulfills many of the roles and ministries we recognize in Jesus because He speaks as if He is God. This is taken from Jayson Bradley’s article on theophanies. (Genesis 16:7-14; 22:11-15; Exodus 3:2-4 and other occasions.)
He is on a red horse and in the mulberries which Bible scholars again determine are symbolic. We have to understand the times in order to help determine what this vision means. The Israelites had been afflicted for ten years by the Philistines and the Ammonites. And the Bible tells us it was a total of eighteen years before it was over. But at the time of this vision it’d been ten years already. Zechariah actually converses with the Angel of the Lord who reveals that the horses are “those” who roam the earth and report to God the conditions they see among mankind. They are horses differing in color which is also symbolic of their purposes. These are instruments of His will and it’s assumed they are angels, but the Bible doesn’t specify. They are certainly spiritual beings who report to God. Their different colors identify their specialty and purpose, for instance red is the color of blood, and means peace or victory. White is the reflection of the heavenly and divine and means a glorious victory as in Revelation 6:2. And speckled means a condition of partial peace and conflict. This is their focus as they roam the earth. And they have roamed the earth and report to the Angel of the Lord. “And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.” (Zechariah 1:11) And peace did come in eight years later in Hezekiah’s reign. “He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.” (2 Kings 18:8)
The horses report that all is peaceful indicating to Zechariah that peace was coming. It was to encourage the people. At the end of the vision the Lord speaks about the peace coming. “Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: My house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 1:16,17) There is hope that even when they are dispersed, Israel is still God’s people. And He will yet fulfill His promise to them to unite them in Israel.
How does this apply to us because at the end of all study God speaks to us? Is there affliction in our lives? Does it seem never ending? Has this been going on for years? In his vision Zechariah speaks to us also. Peace is coming. The end of the affliction is coming. Victory is coming. Those whom God has sent to roam the earth are saying even now, “...all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.” We don’t know the reason for the affliction. It could be our faith is being tested. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:2-4) It could be a result of sin in our lives, the consequence of a wrong decision or choice. Maybe it’s to bring His purposes forth for us as David wrote in Psalm 119. “I know, O LORD, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” (Psalms 119:75) In those days they thought that whether good or bad things happened to them, it came from God. But the Lord allows trials into our lives. He uses these trials to help us mature, bring us closer to Him, to develop our faith and trust in Him and many other purposes than have an eternal purpose. The Lord is faithful to end the affliction. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.” (2Corinthians 1:3-6) The Lord comforts us in our affliction which teaches us how to comfort others.
The Israelites had been afflicted for ten years and it would be eight more years before they would have peace, but the Lord sent word to comfort them that they would have peace. We may be suffering affliction, and the Lord also comforts us that the affliction has an eternal purpose and that the end and victory is coming. Jesus said we would have affliction in this world. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) It’s inevitable. God uses it for His purposes. But most importantly we see that the Lord is concerned about us when we are afflicted. He comforted the Israelites in the middle of their affliction. And He comforts us in our affliction.
Comments