View Zechariah 6 in the note window.
The vision of the four chariots, representing God's government of the
world, ver. 1 - 8.
Joshua crowned as a type of Christ, ver. 9 - 15.
1: Four chariots - Angels who are sometimes styled chariots of God.
These as employed in the affairs of church and empire, act their part in
the revolution and changes of things, 'till the gospel be preached by the
Messiah, and the apostles. Of brass - These denote the immoveable decrees
of God, his steady execution of his counsels and the insuperable restraints
upon all empires and countries, which God keeps within the barriers of such
impregnable mountains.
2: Red horses - Perhaps denoting bloody times, (Re 6:4).
Black horses - Perhaps a time of mortality, and wasting diseases,(Re 6:5).
3: White horses - Signifying joyful and prosperous affairs,
chap. (Zec 1:8).
Grisled - A mixt state of affairs.
5: These are - The angels of heaven, who have a great share in the
management of the affairs both of the church and states.
Of the heavens - Which reside in heaven, 'till employed, go thence when
employed, and having done their work, return thither. Standing - They
stand as servants attending the command of their Lord.
6: The black horses - The angels signified by the black horses
are the executioners of God's just displeasure. Therein - In the
second chariot. The north - country - Babylon. The grisled - The
angels signified by these, managed the Roman power, which was
sometimes favourable, sometimes fierce and severe, to those they
had to do with. The south - country - Egypt and Arabia, which lay
south of Judea. It may perhaps point at their invading Africa
too, whose punishments were mixed, with kindness and mercy more
than the punishments of Babylon were.
7: Sought to go - Waited for a commission. He said - Christ who
hath all power in heaven and on earth. Through the earth - Thro' the
rest of the kingdoms of the world remote from Judea, but not remote
from God's wise and sovereign providence.
8: Cried he - Christ spake aloud, and called to him. Quieted my
spirit - By doing what I appointed them in revenge of my peoples
injuries, and by bringing my people back into Canaan.
10: Take - Of those that are come out of Babylon.
Come thou - Go fetch them, if they lodge elsewhere.
The same day - The same day in which they come.
11: Make crowns - One of silver, the other of gold. Set them - Put
both of them, one after another. Joshua - Who herein is now a type of
Christ, king and priest for ever for his people.
12: Unto him - Joshua, but in the hearing of others.
Whose name is the Branch - Whom you know by the name of the Branch, who
was called so long since. Thou, O Joshua art the portrait, he is the
Branch itself. Out of his place - Of the tribe and family, and in the
place foretold. He shall build - He it is, though unseen, that stands by
you, who build the material temple, far inferior to the spiritual temple,
which Christ will build, preserve, and dwell in for ever.
13: The glory - Of both kingly and priestly office; the glory of both
those crowns shall abide on him. Shall sit - Which speaks both his royal
magnificence, and the perpetuity of it. A priest - The great high - priest,
to offer the great sacrifice to God, to make reconciliation, to intercede
for his people. The counsel of peace - The peace made for God's people
shall rest upon these two, the kingly and priestly office of Christ; by
his priestly office he shall make their peace with God, by his kingly
office he shall deliver them from their spiritual enemies.
14: The crowns - The two crowns before mentioned.
Helem - These persons we know no more of than their names.
A memorial - Of the Messiah's certain and speedy coming.
15: They that are far off - This verse hath a double reference, one
to the Jews, and the building of the material temple, the other to the
bringing in of the Gentiles. And this - The literal part shall come to
pass in your day, if you will obey the voice of the Lord. The mystical
part shall come to pass also, and, if you will believe and obey, the
Gentiles shall come in and be your brethren, and help to build the
temple, the spiritual temple. But if you rebel and obey not, you shall
be cast out and the Gentiles be taken in, to be God's people.
