Zechariah 1
Zechariah 1 contains God’s Word given to the people of Judah after the Babylonian exile, delivering a message of hope and restoration through the prophet Zechariah. This chapter is organized into exhortation and a call to repentance (verses 1–6), the first vision: the vision of the four horses (verses 7–17), the second vision: the vision of the four horns and the four craftsmen (verses 18–21).
1verseIn the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the LORD’s word came to the prophet Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,
2verse“The LORD was very displeased with your fathers.
3verseTherefore tell them, the LORD of Armies says: ‘Return to me,’ says the LORD of Armies, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD of Armies.
4verseDon’t you be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying: The LORD of Armies says, ‘Return now from your evil ways and from your evil doings;’ but they didn’t hear nor listen to me, says the LORD.
5verseYour fathers, where are they? And the prophets, do they live forever?
6verseBut my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, didn’t they overtake your fathers? “Then they repented and said, ‘Just as the LORD of Armies determined to do to us, according to our ways and according to our practices, so he has dealt with us.’”
7verseOn the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the LORD’s word came to the prophet Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo, saying,
8verse“I had a vision in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, and white horses.
9verseThen I asked, ‘My lord, what are these?’” The angel who talked with me said to me, “I will show you what these are.”
10verseThe man who stood among the myrtle trees answered, “They are the ones the LORD has sent to go back and forth through the earth.”
11verseThey reported to the LORD’s angel who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, “We have walked back and forth through the earth, and behold, all the earth is at rest and in peace.”
12verseThen the LORD’s angel replied, “O LORD of Armies, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which you have had indignation these seventy years?”
13verseThe LORD answered the angel who talked with me with kind and comforting words.
14verseSo the angel who talked with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
15verseI am very angry with the nations that are at ease; for I was but a little displeased, but they added to the calamity.”
16verseTherefore the LORD says: “I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My house shall be built in it,” says the LORD of Armies, “and a line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.”’
17verse“Proclaim further, saying, ‘The LORD of Armies says: “My cities will again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion, and will again choose Jerusalem.”’”
18verseI lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns.
19verseI asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” He answered me, “These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
20verseThe LORD showed me four craftsmen.
21verseThen I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifted up his head; but these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it.”
Verses 1–6: An Exhortation to Return to the Lord
- Zechariah sets the scene for the reality the people of Judah face after returning from exile and their spiritual condition.
- God says, “Return to me,” reminding them of the history in which their ancestors were judged for not listening to God’s Word.
- This section includes God’s mercy and patience, along with a request for repentance.
Verses 7–17: The Vision of the Four Horses and the Promise of Restoration
- The first vision Zechariah sees is a scene in which horses of various colors unite to patrol the whole earth.
- In this vision, the prophet confirms God’s will and God’s concern for the people of Judah again.
- The angel announces a promise of restoration, saying that God will “greatly be jealous” for Judah and Jerusalem, that they will receive “compassion” after the suffering Jerusalem has endured until now.
- In particular, it emphasizes that Jerusalem will flourish again and promises God’s presence and protection.
Verses 18–21: The Vision of the Four Horns and the Four Craftsmen
- The four horns symbolize the power of the great powers that scattered Israel and Judah and Jerusalem.
- By raising up the craftsmen against these, God shows a message of hope that the forces of the oppressors will be broken.
- The vision reveals God’s sovereignty and God’s resolve to protect the oppressed people.
Meditation Points
- Let’s think about the need to live by seeking God’s grace rather than staying stuck in past mistakes and habits, and by listening for the voice that says, “Return.”
- Let’s see whether we can hold on to hope in our lives and in our communities by trusting in God’s promise of restoration.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Let’s examine which parts in the areas of my heart and life need to be turned back to God.
- Even amid the difficulties of reality, let’s consider how it might be to look to God’s restoration and comfort, and to apply that promise specifically to my life.
