Zechariah 6

Chap. VI. Ver. 1—15. A vision of four chariots, and a prophecy of the glory of Messiah.—The mountains of brass from which these chariots issued, are supposed to be indicative of the divine counsels and decrees, brass being the emblem both of strength and splendour. The first vision of this Prophet looked together in chariots, but they are said, like the former, to be sent forth into all the earth, in different directions, according to the orders of the great Supreme. These are usually explained in reference to the four great monarchies in Daniel. See notes below, also (Zechariah 2)and vii.) The red horses are supposed to represent the Assyrian Empire; but as this was now destroyed, these are named only and retire.

“The black horses,” says Abp. Newcome, “seem to denote the Persian Empire, which, by subduing the Chaldeans, and being about to inflict a second heavy chastisement on Babylon, quieted God’s spirit with regard to Chaldea; a country always spoken of as lying to the north of the Jews. The white horses seem to be the Macedonian Empire; which, like the Persian, overcame Chaldea. The spotted bay (or brown) horses seem to be the Roman, “from the variety in its forms of government.” These went into the south country, as far as Egypt and other parts of Africa. The subsequent vision, in the close of this chapter, is evidently a typical prediction. The Prophet is directed to go with some of the principal persons who had returned from the captivity, and take from the sacred treasury sufficient gold and silver to make crowns or diadems, probably of different forms, the principal of which were to be placed on the head of Joshua the high priest, as a type of the Messiah, of whom it is said, “Behold the man whose name is the Branch; and he shall branch up out of his place; and he shall build the (true) temple of the Lord,”

that is, the Christian Church, and “he shall bear the glory.” It is added, “he shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” As applied to the type, this indicates the harmony between Joshua and Zerubbabel, the high priest and secular governor. As, however, the latter had no coercive power, and the influence of Joshua as high-priest must have been considerable, with him the authority must chiefly have rested, and on his head probably was a double crown. (See note.) In the antitype, however, we know that both the offices (the kingly and priestly) are harmoniously united. The Messiah, who is the foundation of his church, is also the top-stone thereof—(the Omega as well as Alpha)— and when the building shall be completed with shoutings of “Grace! Grace!” unto it,—then “He shall bear the glory.”

Notes on the verses

Chap. VI. Ver. 1. Four chariots.—[These four chariots are generally interpreted of the four great monarchies, the Chaldean, Persian, Grecian, and Roman, which successively executed God’s purposes of mercy and justice; and the different colours of the horses, of the different complexions of those monarchies. But others understand by them angels, called the chariots of the Lord, ((Psalms 68:17).), by whom he executes his providential will on earth; and that the red horses denote war; the black horses, famine and pestilence; the white horses, the removal of these judgments; and the grizzled horses, a mingled dispensation of wrath and mercy.]—Bagster.

Ver. 5. Four spirits.—Marg. “winds;” so Blayney.

But with stand; besides, the like figure is elsewhere explained of living beings, as (Zechariah 1:10). So Newcome, &c.

Ver. 8. Quieted my spirit—[That is, the justice of God was satisfied and his wrath appeased, by the judgments inflicted on the Babylonians.]—Bagster.

Ver. 11. Set them upon the head of Joshua.—This name, it is well known means, in Hebrew, a Saviour, as Jesus does in Greek. [This was probably to signify, that He, of whom Joshua was a type, should be both priest and king.]—Bagster. It is evident our translators understood that more than one crown was placed on the head of Joshua, and we should surmise, that both the priestly mitre and the temporal diadem were placed on the head of the type of these two chief offices, but, as Bp.

Chandler suggests, exciting the jealousy of the Pagan sovereigns, as Zerubbabel was er.

12. The branch.—See (Zechariah 3:8). and note also. (Haggai 2)Chandler shows, that the Rabbins, both in the Targum and elsewhere, ascribe this title to Messiah. [See in the person of Joshua the high priest, the type and representation of “the Man whose name is the Branch,” or, as the Targumist correctly renders, mesheecha shemaiah athid deyithzelai, whose name is the Messiah, who is to be revealed.”]—Bagster.—He shall grow up out of his place.—See margin. Newcome, “Branch out from his place.”

Ver. 13. Them two men.—“These two:” some divines (as Whitsing &c.) refer this to the Father and Son: but we think it rather refers to the union of these offices in Christ.

So Calvin, Gill, Poole, &c.

Ver. 14. The crowns shall be to Helem, &c.—These crowns were not to be worn, but to be hung up in the temple, as memorials only.