Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Zechariah 6:1-8
The Eighth Vision. The Four Chariots - the Four Winds of Heaven - and Their Activity on Earth (Zechariah 6:1).
Whereas in chapter 1 the horsemen were scouts going out to see if any activity was going on in the earth, chariots would suggest something more serious. These chariots are coming forth to do God's will and purpose. Jerusalem, the High Priest and the Temple having been restored, and sin and idolatry having been removed from the land, God will now establish His people in security and peace. They do not want any more invasions from the north.
‘And again I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold there came four chariots out from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of brass. In the first chariot were red horses, and in the second chariot black horses, and in the third chariot white horses and in the fourth chariot speckled bay horses.'
It is possible that the mountains of brass represent something similar to the pillars of brass in the Temple of Solomon (1 Kings 7:15) which had been carried off to Babylon (2 Kings 25:13). Then the thought would be of the chariots, which represent the four winds of heaven who stand before the Lord of the whole earth (Zechariah 6:5), coming out from God's own heavenly Temple (compare Ezekiel 40-48).
Alternately brass is seen as a strong metal, often paralleled with iron (Job 40:18; Job 41:27; Psalms 107:16; Isaiah 45:2; Isaiah 48:4; Daniel 7:19), ‘gates of brass' representing a formidable obstacle to freedom (Psalms 107:16; Isaiah 45:2). Thus the mountains of brass would then be symbols of the strength and power of heaven.
The word translated ‘bay' has the root meaning of ‘strong', but a colour would seem to be required here. No special significance appears to be given to the colours of the horses.
‘Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” And the angel answered and said to me, “These are the four winds (or spirits) of heaven who go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.”
It is clear from this that the chariots, following the horses which have scouted out the earth, have now come out to carry out the will of Yahweh. They represent heavenly forces and will carry out His will on earth. They come from standing before the Lord of the whole earth.
‘The four winds of heaven.' These are often used to describe divine activity. In Ezekiel they are life-giving (Ezekiel 37:9). In Jeremiah they scatter Elam in judgment (Jeremiah 49:36). In Daniel 7:2 they rouse the nations to fulfil their destiny. In Daniel 8:8; Daniel 11:4; Zechariah 2:6 they are used indirectly to describe a wideness of activity.
‘The chariot wherein are the black horses goes forth towards the North country, and the white went forth after them. And the speckled went forth towards the South country. And the bay went forth and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth. And he said, “Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth.” So they walked to and fro through the earth. Then he cried on me and spoke to me saying, “Look, those that go towards the North country have quieted my spirit in the North country.'
We learn here that we must beware of thinking of the four winds as directly representing the four points of the compass. They represent rather God as active towards the earth. In this case both the black and white horsed chariots go towards the North, towards Babylon and its neighbours, where God's people are scattered and where the nations hold them in subjection. The white and black may indicate that they were to deal with the wuaestion of idolatry (false white - Revelation 6:2) and wickedness (compare Zechariah 5:5). Possibly they are to check on the safe arrival of the woman in the Ephah. God is now as it were combining His forces on behalf of His people. That He is successful comes out in that their activity ‘quietens His spirit'. Thus now, and later under Nehemiah, the return of His people (or the remnant of them) will continue and prosper.
No mention is made of the red-horsed chariot (which may represent general warfare - Revelation 6:5) for its activity is irrelevant to the matter on hand, but it reminds us that God is also active elsewhere, while the speckled bay-horsed chariot (which may represent different forms of death dealing - Revelation 6:8) goes towards the South and then patrols the whole earth as the threefold stress on ‘walk to and fro' emphasises. So here God is seen as acting universally while also concentrating efforts on behalf of His people. It may also include the thought that God is stirring up His people wherever they are to return to Jerusalem, the centre of His promises.
(To Israel and Judah world-activity was always North or South for that is where the invading nations came from. To the West was the sea and the coast was useless for large ships, and to the East was the desert).
In spite of what is said above it is questionable whether we are to see any significance in the colours of the horses which vary from the vision in chapter 1. Black is sometimes the colour of mourning (Jeremiah 8:21; Jeremiah 14:2) or of suffering (Nahum 2:10) and white of purity and heavenliness, or of false religion, and it may be that we are to see God's activity as producing contrasting results, mourning for some (the nations) and joy for others (the returning remnant) but if so it is left to be inferred.
(Note. ‘Four' probably represents universality in terms of before and behind and to each side. In that sense it is connected with the four points of the compass. But the former is the prevalent idea behind its use, not the latter).