For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Zech 6:1-8

1 I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black, 3 the third white, and the fourth dappled—all of them powerful. 4 I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these, my lord?”

5 The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. 6 The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.”

7 When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, “Go throughout the earth!” So they went throughout the earth.

8 Then he called to me, “Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north.”

A. Find Out

1. What does the prophet see approaching? v.1
2. How were they each different? v.2,3
3. What did the prophet ask? v.4
4. What was he told? v.5
5. Where were three of them going? v.6
6. What is conveyed about the way they were going? v.7
7. What was he told about the north? v.8

B. Think:

1. What may we infer about the mission of these chariots?
2. What may we infer by the different colored horses?  
3. So what seems the end result of this part of the vision?

C. Comment:

Commentators have struggled with this passage for two reasons. First there is no explanation as to the different colors of the horses pulling the chariots and, second, there is the mystery of the absence of mention about the chariot pulled by red horses, NB. Each chariot presumably had two horses pulling it.

So note, first, where they come from (v.1). From between two bronze mountains that are not described any further. Mountains often prophetically imply the high places of rule of God (e.g. Sinai, the giving of the Law, Carmel, the place of prophetic confrontation; both places of God’s rule). We may assume these chariots (v.2,3) come from the strong (bronze) presence of God.

The four horses of Revelation 6, being different colors, each had different tasks, and so we may assume these horses, being different colors similarly  had different roles as they went to different parts of the world. The prophet is then told that actually they are the four spirits (four expressions of the Holy Spirit) going out from the Lord’s presence (see above) to the whole world. (v.4,5), We observe their different directions (v.6), noting their power (v,3b,7a) but only three of them go, implying one remained where the prophet was with his people in Jerusalem.

The only one given special mention is that going to the north, so often an area that brought invaders to Israel, and the Spirit there brings peace.

D. Application:

1. God brings His will about by the work of His Spirit (also 4:6)
2. In all this He seeks to encourage His people in Jerusalem.

Zech 6:9-15

9 The word of the Lord came to me: 10 “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jozadak. 12 Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ 14 The crown will be given to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. 15 Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord, and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the Lord your God.”

A. Find Out

1. What was the first stage of what he was told to do? v.9,10
2. What was the second stage? v.11
3. Who is he to represent? v.12
4. What is he and what is he to achieve? v.13
5. Yet what is to happen to the crown? v.14
6. What further will happen? v.15

B. Think:

1. What are the practical physical things happening here?
2. What are they to prophetically reveal?
3. How is this a long-term link with other prophecies?  

C. Comment:

This passage is a combination of physical and prophetic imagery. First of all the physical. The prophet is to go to three of the wealthy (assumed) returning exiles and get silver and gold from them (v.9,10), sufficient to make a crown  which he is to set on Joshua, the high priest (v.11).

But then comes the prophetic imagery. He will represent the coming Messiah, the Branch (v.12), previously referred to, branching out from this place, the restored temple.  

But then comes more physical activity. He is to build the temple, be clothed in fine clothes, and be seated on a throne ruling over the affairs of the temple (v. 13).

But note (v.14) that he doesn’t wear the crown for it is to be given back to those who provided the materials, as reminder (v.14b) of these things, to be kept in the temple. The blessing of the Lord will so be on these activities that yet more people will come to help them with the project of rebuilding the previously destroyed temple. (v.15)

So there is a double thrust to this passage. First there is encouragement for Joshua, reaffirming his role as high priest responsible for the spiritual life of the nation seen through the finished temple (which WILL be completed. But second, this is also to be seen as a prophetic enactment that reveals the coming of the Messiah in the time to come who will come to this temple and work to restore his people to the Lord, raising up a new temple comprising his redeemed people (see 1 Cor 13:16, 2 Cor 6:16).  

D. Application:

1. The temple, was the dwelling place of God among His people.
2. We are now that people.