Zechariah
Chapter 1

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1 In the eight moneth, in the seconde yeere of Darius, came the word of the Lord vnto Zechariah, the sonne of Barachiah, the sonne of Iddo the Prophet, saying,

2 The Lord hath bene sore displeased with your fathers.

3 Therefore say thou vnto them, Thus saith the Lord of hostes; Turne ye vnto me, saith the Lord of hostes, and I will turne vnto you, saith the Lord of hostes.

4 Be ye not as your fathers, vnto whom the former Prophets haue cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hostes, Turne ye now from your euill wayes, and from your euil doings: but they did not heare, nor hearken vnto me, saith the Lord.

5 Your fathers, where are they? and the Prophets, doe they liue for euer?

6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my seruants the Prophets, did they not take holde of your fathers? and they returned and saide; Like as the Lord of hostes thought to doe vnto vs, according to our wayes, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with vs.

7 ¶ Upon the foure and twentieth day of the eleuenth moneth, which is the moneth Sebat, in the second yere of Darius, came the word of the Lord vnto Zechariah, the sonne of Barachiah, the sonne of Iddo the Prophet, saying:

8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding vpon a red horse, and he stood among the mirtle trees that were in the bottome, and behinde him were there red horses, speckled and white.

9 Then said I, O my Lord, what are these? And the Angel that talked with me, said vnto me, I wil shew thee what these be.

10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered, and said, These are they, whom the Lord hath sent to walke to and fro through the earth.

11 And they answered the Angel of the Lord that stood among the mirtle trees, and said, Wee haue walked to and fro through the earth: and behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

12 ¶ Then the Angel of the Lord answered, and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not haue mercie on Ierusalem, and on the cities of Iudah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten yeeres?

13 And the Lord answered the Angel that talked with me, with good words, and comfortable words.

14 So the Angel that communed with me, said vnto me; Cry thou, saying; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I am iealous for Ierusalem, and for Zion, with a great iealousie.

15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.

16 Therefore thus saith the Lord, I am returned to Ierusalem with mercies: my house shall bee built in it, saith the Lord of hostes, and a line shalbe stretched forth vpon Ierusalem.

17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hostes, My cities through prosperitie shall yet be spread abroad, and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Ierusalem.

18 ¶ Then lift I vp mine eyes, and saw, and behold foure hornes.

19 And I said vnto the Angel that talked with me; What be these? and he answered mee, These are the hornes which haue scattered Iudah, Israel, and Ierusalem.

20 And the Lord shewed mee foure carpenters.

21 Then said I, What come these to doe? And hee spake, saying, These are the hornes which haue scattered Iudah, so that no man did lift vp his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the hornes of the Gentiles, which lift vp their horne ouer the land of Iudah to scatter it.

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Commentary for Zechariah 1

This prophecy is suitable to all, as the scope is to reprove for sin, and threaten God's judgments against the impenitent, and to encourage those that feared God, with assurances of the mercy God had in store for his church, and especially of the coming of the Messiah, and the setting up his kingdom in the world.An exhortation to repentance. (1-6) A vision of the ministry of angels. (7-17) The security of the Jews and the destruction of their enemies. (18-21)1-6 God's almighty power and sovereign dominion, should engage and encourage sinners to repent and turn to Him. It is very desirable to have the Lord of hosts for our friend, and very dreadful to have him for our enemy. Review what is past, and observe the message God sent by his servants, the prophets, to your fathers. Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings. Be persuaded to leave your sins, as the only way to prevent approaching ruin. What is become of our fathers, and of the prophets that preached to them? They are all dead and gone. Here they were, in the towns and countries where we live, passing and repassing in the same streets, dwelling in the same houses, trading in the same shops and exchanges, worshipping God in the same places. But where are they? When they died, there was not an end of them; they are in eternity, in the world of spirits, the unchangeable world to which we hasten apace. Where are they? Those of them who lived and died in sin, are in torment. Those who lived and died in Christ, are in heaven; and if we live and die as they did, we shall be with them shortly and eternally. If they minded not their own souls, is that a reason why their posterity should ruin theirs also? The prophets are gone. Christ is a Prophet that lives for ever, but all other prophets have a period put to their office. Oh that this consideration had its due weight; that dying ministers are dealing with dying people about their never-dying souls, and an awful eternity, upon the brink of which both are standing! In another world, both we and our prophets shall live for ever: to prepare for that world ought to be our great care in this. The preachers died, and the hearers died, but the word of God died not; not one jot or title of it fell to the ground; for he is righteous.

7-17 The prophet saw a dark, shady grove, hidden by hills. This represented the low, melancholy condition of the Jewish church. A man like a warrior sat on a red horse, in the midst of this shady myrtle-grove. Though the church was in a low condition, Christ was present in the midst, ready to appear for the relief of his people. Behind him were angels ready to be employed by him, some in acts of judgment, others of mercy, others in mixed events. Would we know something of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, we must apply, not to angels, for they are themselves learners, but to Christ himself. He is ready to teach those humbly desirous to learn the things of God. The nations near Judea enjoyed peace at that time, but the state of the Jews was unsettled, which gave rise to the pleading that followed; but mercy must only be hoped for through Christ. His intercession for his church prevails. The Lord answered the Angel, this Angel of the covenant, with promises of mercy and deliverance. All the good words and comfortable words of the gospel we receive from Jesus Christ, as he received them from the Father, in answer to the prayer of his blood; and his ministers are to preach them to all the world. The earth sat still, and was at rest. It is not uncommon for the enemies of God to be at rest in sin, while his people are enduring correction, harassed by temptation, disquieted by fears of wrath, or groaning under oppression and persecution. Here are predictions which had reference to the revival of the Jews after the captivity, but those events were shadows of what shall take place in the church, after the oppression of the New Testament Babylon is ended.

18-21 The enemies of the church threaten to cut off the name of Israel. They are horns, emblems of power, strength, and violence. The prophet saw them so formidable that he began to despair of the safety of every good man, and the success of every good work; but the Lord showed him four workmen empowered to cut off these horns. With an eye of sense we see the power of the enemies of the church; look which way we will, the world shows us that; but it is only with an eye of faith that we see it safe. The Lord shows us that. When God has work to do, he will raise up some to do it, and others to defend it, and to protect those employed in doing it. What cause there is to look up in love and praise to the holy and eternal Spirit, who has the same care over the present and eternal interests of believers, by the holy word bringing the church to know the wonderful things of salvation!

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

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