INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 6 This chapter contains a vision of four chariots, and the explanation of it; and an order to make crowns of gold and silver for certain uses mentioned; and a famous prophecy concerning the Messiah as the builder of the temple, the church. The chariots are described by the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I TURNED, AND LIFTED UP MINE EYES, AND LOOKED,.... When he saw another vision, as follows: AND, BEHOLD, THERE CAME FOUR CHARIOTS; by which are meant, not the four Gospels; rather the apostles of Christ, who had their commission from Christ; were sent into all the world by him, and carried his n... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE FIRST CHARIOT [WERE] RED HORSES,.... If these are to be understood of the apostles of Christ, and ministers of the Gospel, they may be compared to "horses", for bearing the name of Christ, and drawing the chariot of the Gospel; for their strength to labour in the word and doctrine; for their... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THE THIRD CHARIOT WHITE HORSES,.... Which, as referring to Gospel preachers, may denote the purity of their lives and doctrines, and their conquests and victories over the souls of men by the ministry of the word; and, as applicable to angels, may express the purity of their nature and action... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN I ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THE ANGEL THAT TALKED WITH ME,.... After he had seen the chariots come out, and had observed the different colours of the horses in them: WHAT [ARE] THESE, MY LORD? that is, what do they signify? what is the meaning of this vision?... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO ME,.... In order to grant him his request, and explain the vision of the chariots: THESE [ARE] THE FOUR SPIRITS OF THE HEAVENS; or, "the four winds of the heavens"; the apostles and ministers of the Gospel may be compared to "the winds", because their ministry i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BLACK HORSES WHICH [ARE] THEREIN,.... Which were in the second chariot: no further mention is made of the red horses in the first chariot, because the kingdom of the Chaldeans was now extinct: these design the Medes and Persians: GO FORTH INTO THE NORTH COUNTRY: into the country of Babylon or C... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE BAY WENT FORTH, AND SOUGHT TO GO,.... Without leave: these design either the Romans; or, since distinct from the grisled, the Huns, Goths, and Vandals; who sought to go out of their own places into other countries: and were desirous THAT THEY MIGHT WALK TO AND FRO THROUGH THE EARTH: without... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CRIED HE UPON ME, AND SPAKE UNTO ME, SAYING,.... That is, the Lord of the whole earth spoke to the prophet with a loud voice, and uttered the following words: BEHOLD, THESE THAT GO TOWARD THE NORTH COUNTRY; meaning the Medes and Persians, which went towards Babylon: HAVE QUIETED MY SPIRIT IN... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME, saying.] Either "the word of prophecy from the Lord", as the Targum paraphrases it; the visions being ended, the prophetic part of the book begins; and many excellent prophecies concerning the Messiah, and his kingdom, are contained in this and the following Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE OF "THEM OF" THE CAPTIVITY,.... That is, some of them that were returned from the captivity of Babylon, and who are mentioned by name: EVEN OF HELDAI, OF TOBIJAH, AND JEDAIAH, WHICH ARE COME FROM BABYLON; either with Zerubbabel and Joshua, when they came from thence; or who were now just come... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN TAKE SILVER AND GOLD, c. Which the Jewish writers suppose were brought by the above men from their brethren in Babylon, as a free will offering towards the building of the temple: AND MAKE CROWNS two at least, one of silver, and another of gold; the one to be put upon the head of Joshua the hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SPEAK UNTO HIM, SAYING,.... That is, to Joshua the high priest, having the crowns on his head: THUS SPEAKETH THE LORD OF HOSTS, SAYING, BEHOLD THE MAN WHOSE NAME [IS] THE BRANCH; which is not to be understood of Zerubbabel, as some Jewish writers interpret it; for he was not "the Branch", by wa... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN HE SHALL BUILD THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD,.... Which is repeated, as Kimchi observes, for confirmation sake: AND HE SHALL BEAR THE GLORY; that is, of building the temple; and the phrase denotes that the glory of it shall be upon him, shall be hung upon him, as in Isaiah 22:24 and so shall be visib... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CROWNS SHALL BE TO HELEM,.... The same with Heldai, Zechariah 6:10: AND TO TOBIJAH, AND TO JEDAIAH, AND TO HEN THE SON OF ZEPHANIAH; the same with Josiah, Zechariah 6:10: FOR A MEMORIAL IN THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD; the crowns, after they had been put upon the head of Joshua, were taken off,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY [THAT ARE] AFAR OFF SHALL COME,..... Into the temple; not the material temple; nor is this a prophecy which was fulfilled in Herod, a stranger, repairing that, as Kimchi suggests; but into the spiritual temple, the church; and is a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles, who are said to be... [ Continue Reading ]