Zechariah 1
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12–13 The angel of the LORD (the “man” among the myrtles) then called out to the Lord asking Him how much longer He would withhold mercy from His suffering people (verse 12); He had already been punishing them for seventy years (see Jeremiah 25:11–12). Then the Lord answered with kind and comforting words (verse 13)–namely, the words of verses 14–17.
14–15 The Lord said He was jealous for Jerusalem and ZION (the temple mount); that is, He claimed Jerusalem as the place of His earthly residence and He claimed the Israelites as His treasured possession (Exodus 19:5); thus He had a right to be “jealous” for them (see Exodus 20:5). Therefore, He intended to vindicate His people and defend them against their oppressors.
In verse 15, the Lord says that He is very angry with the nations that feel secure (the Persians and their allies). The Lord had actually used these foreign nations (especially Assyria and Babylon) to punish His disobedient people, but they had gone too far; they had added to the calamity that God had ordained for His people.
16–17 Therefore, the Lord will return to Jerusalem with mercy. There, says the Lord, my house will be rebuilt (see Ezra 6:14–16). And the measuring line will be stretched out over Jerusalem marking the extent of the reestablished city.
Thus this first vision is one of mercy and hope: God will restore His people and He will live among them. This vision sets the general theme of the visions to follow.
Four Horns and Four Craftsmen (1:18–21)
18–21 The message of the second vision is this: God Himself will throw down the four nations that scattered His people.
The “four” nations are represented by their horns; the “horn” is a symbol of strength. The number “four” is probably symbolic, representing completeness (east, west, north, south). Four craftsmen (nations) will throw down those nations that lifted their “horns” against God’s people (verses 20–21); the enemies of God’s people will ultimately be destroyed.2
God didn’t tell Zechariah when all this would happen; He only said it was certain to happen, and that was all Zechariah needed to know. It’s the same with us: we need to leave the “when” in God’s hands (see Mark 13:32–33).