Zechariah 6:4 Commentary and Bible Study

‘What are these my Lord?’, asks Zechariah – an unsurprising question, given the obscurity of the symbol, and one which gets answered without being challenged. ‘And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens,’ – or equally it could be translated, the four winds of the heavens – ‘which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.’ So the four chariots are equivalent to the cherubim of justice, but they are angelic powers. They are pictured as horses drawing chariots, and they go out from the presence of God and carry out his arrangements in the world, the things that he will permit, and the things which he orchestrates in world affairs.In this specific case the black and white chariots go to the north, the direction which Assyria and Babylon came from when invading the land. God judges individuals, he judges nations and empires; he judges ideologies; and the gospel – the chariot with the white horses – goes right after it. That is the way of God. He judges, but even many of his enemies are blessed. The grisled go to the south, the direction of Egypt. The bay or strong go to and fro through the earth, bringing judgments and blessing which are not specified here. As well as these specific decrees, there is a constant unfolding of God’s secret providences in the world. The words ‘walk to and fro through the earth’ are similar to those in the book of Job: ‘And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it’ (Job 1:7). It is a summary at the highest level, which is enough to tell us in general terms what the decrees of God are accomplishing. When we find four chariots going out, we don’t ask, what will happen to the one going to Babylon and the one to Egypt; we don’t look for amazing dramatic detail about judgments upon one region. We go down one main highway of interpretation, and not as the highly imaginative commentaries which go in and out of fashion.Even though the four chariots are not sent in four different directions to the four points of the compass, they represent divine purposes operating through the whole earth. God’s judgment on sin, as well as his pardoning love sent out in the gospel are seen heading out to every corner of the earth – carnage, death, victory, all going on together. If you are a member of spiritual Jerusalem you are on home base, the place where they come from. God’s people living in obedience are immune from judgments.Finally in this vision we have this remarkable statement. Back in Zechariah 1:11 all is at peace, and Zechariah is grieved – when will we be avenged? But now in chapter 6 the chariots have gone out and God speaks: ‘Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country’. God’s people have been avenged and Babylon has been punished, but the horses of victory and peace have also been sent. God sends famine, war, hardship, supremely at the end of time, but mercy and peace also. All this is about the enemies of God, but don’t forget the flying scroll is still over God’s people. He sees everything we do. There must be consequences for us too, if we ride roughshod over his standards.