“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)
It was during the captivity of the Jews under Darius that Zechariah had visions. He was the grandson of Iddo the prophet who was a Levite and provided Levites and Nethinim to be servants in the Temple upon their return to Jerusalem after the Exile. There are other Iddos mentioned in the Old Testament, but it’s believed that this Iddo who lived in Casiphia was Zechariah’s grandfather.
To understand prophecy, one has to understand that time is no factor to the Lord. He sees the end from the beginning. “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure:” (Isaiah 46:9-10) The things that many of prophets prophesied were things that were to come centuries later. They spoke the prophecies, but many times did not have a real understanding of them.
Although horses are mentioned in the 6th chapter of Revelation, they may or may not be the same horses. These angels in Zechariah are given power, so they also cannot be Jesus because Jesus is not given power. He has power. But the prophecy is related to the end times. These horses may be angels and are assigned a task to walk throughout the earth, among the people of the earth and to report the state of affairs on the earth. (Zechariah 1:10,11) The leader of them speaks and rides a red horse. It’s not the red horse from Revelation that is to disrupt the peace of the people on the earth. But while a red horse does symbolize war and the misery it brings, here in Zechariah war is present, but not yet stirred up on the earth. This war horse is bringing a host of horses with him, yet they are not to stir up any war. They are to observe and report.
The myrtle trees are the righteous. It has a relationship with Esther whose Hebrew name was Hadassah meaning myrtle. She saved her people from execution and extinction. (Esther chapters 5-7) In Zechariah’s vision the righteous are the ones that are at peace. This is because they have Peace residing in them. War is lurking around but will not be stirred up because of the myrtle trees, the righteous ones. This is surely the church. They are the righteous ones, not through anything they have done, but because of the Blood of the Lamb. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;” (Romans 3:23-25)
The myrtle trees are in the bottom, meaning the shade. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalms 91:1) They are protected and at peace. Although war is among them, it’s not stirred up while they are among the myrtle trees, the righteous ones. “And they (the other angels) 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) But Jesus is returning soon. He will take the righteous to be with Him. And war will break out in its fury over the earth which is called the Great Tribulation.
The rest of the verses pertain to Jerusalem. Although the myrtles are at peace, the Jews were at the time held captive by the Babylonians and are even now held captive by the enemy of God. The angel on the red horse, directs his question about the captivity of the Jews. The reply of the Lord is that He is displeased with the enemies that troubled Jerusalem. He is jealous for Jerusalem and will bring them mercy. This refers to the reign of Jesus when all of God’s promises to Jerusalem and the Jews will be fulfilled. “So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. 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 1:14-17)
Zechariah’s prophecy has implications for both the church and the Jews. His prophesy is apocalyptic certainly. And although all the prophecies about the end times are frightening, in Zechariah’s prophecy, we see God’s grace and mercy for the church and the Jews.
Comments