The Eighth Vision

From: Things Which Must Shortly Come to Pass By: Algernon James Pollock

Zechariah 6:1‑8 • 1 min. read • grade level: 9

Zechariah 6:1-8¹And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. ²In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; ³And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. ⁴Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? ⁵And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. ⁶The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. ⁷And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. ⁸Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country. (Zechariah 6:1‑8)

Here the prophet sees four chariots emerging from between two mountains of brass. He is told that these are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. “Mountains” speak of government; “mountains of brass,” government being exercised in judgment, according to man's responsibility Godward; “chariots” speak of controlled motion, the horses being controlled by the driver.

The vision is to teach that behind man's apparent arranging and planning, God is directing earthly affairs for His own wise purposes and glory in the government of this world. In these four chariots is seen the rise and progress of the four world—empires.

The black horse (Babylonian Empire) had passed away, the north country had quieted the angel's spirit. The white would seem to indicate the Grecian Empire. This we find by comparing Zechariah 1:8⁸I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. (Zechariah 1:8). If the white horse in that chapter is clearly symbolic of the Grecian Empire, it will be so in Zechariah 6:6⁶The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. (Zechariah 6:6). The grisled horses (grisled being a mixture of colors) speak of the blending of Greek and Roman power, which took place historically as we saw in our study of Daniel 11; whilst eventually the Grecian power gave way to the Roman, and the Roman held undisputed sway. This is indicated by the bay horses. Their influence is yet to be seen in the great happenings of the world after the Church is caught up.

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