ZECHARIAH 6:1–15 (August 11, 2025)

A Vision of Four Chariots

6:1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong.[a] 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven,[b] after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.” 7 When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. 8 Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.”

The Crown and the Temple

9 And the word of the Lord came to me: 10 “Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 And say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the Lord and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there[c] shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’ 14 And the crown shall be in the temple of the Lord as a reminder to Helem,[d] Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah.

15 “And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the Lord. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.”

Footnotes

Zechariah 6:3 Or and the fourth chariot strong dappled horses

Zechariah 6:5 Or These are the four winds of heaven going out

Zechariah 6:13 Or he

Zechariah 6:14 An alternate spelling of Heldai (verse 10)

The King-Priest Who Builds the True Temple

Zechariah 6Brian Lee

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Summary

The eighth and the final vision (vv. 1–8) opens with four chariots emerging from between two bronze mountains. The chariots, pulled by red, black, white, and dappled (meaning speckled) horses, represent the four winds, or angelic agents of heaven. They are going out to execute God’s judgment and oversight throughout the earth. They move at His command, ensuring His justice is carried out to the ends of the earth. The black horses go toward the north country (Babylon’s direction) and bring God’s Spirit rest after judgment has been accomplished.

The prophetic action that follows (vv. 9–15) shifts the focus from judgment to restoration. Zechariah is told to take silver and gold from the returned exiles to make a crown and place it on the head of Joshua the high priest. This act is unusual because priests were not crowned. The explanation is profoundly messianic:

“Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD” (v. 12).

The Branch will unite the offices of King and Priest (“he shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne”), establishing perfect harmony between God’s kingly rule and priestly mediation. This points forward to Jesus Christ, the true King-Priest, who builds the ultimate temple, which is the Church. Christ accomplishes this through His atoning work and the Holy Spirit’s presence.

Who is God?

God is the Lord of all the earth, directing the chariots to every corner of the world. His rule is not local or limited. He commands the powers of heaven to accomplish His purposes globally. He is also the One who rests in His accomplished justice, finding satisfaction when evil is punished and His people are vindicated. Most importantly, He is the God who provides the King-Priest, uniting sovereign authority and priestly intercession in one person. In Christ, God rules His people with justice and righteousness while also interceding for them as their eternal High Priest.

What is Our Guilt?

Our guilt lies in resisting God’s rule and doubting His ability to bring justice and peace. Like the post-exilic community, we can become discouraged when we see the world in chaos, forgetting that God commands every “chariot” that moves through history.

We also tend to separate what God has united. We see Christ only as Savior, but we often neglect His Lordship. Or, we often honor God's authority while neglecting His priestly compassion. Our sin is that we fragment Christ’s identity to suit our preferences instead of submitting wholly to Him as King and Priest.

How Does Grace Shine?

Grace shines in the Branch, Jesus Christ, who perfectly unites royal power and priestly mercy. As King, He builds the temple of the Lord, which is not a building of stone, but a people redeemed by His blood. As Priest, He makes continual intercession for His people, ensuring their access to God. His dual role guarantees that His reign is both just and compassionate. The crowning of Joshua with gifts from the exiles foreshadows the nations bringing their treasures into the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:24), a vision fulfilled as people from every tribe and tongue are gathered into Christ’s Church. And just as the chariots accomplished God’s purposes in the earth, so Christ now sends forth the Spirit to carry His mission to the ends of the earth until the temple is complete.

Prayer

Lord of all the earth,

We praise You for ruling history with perfect wisdom and power. Forgive us for doubting Your control and for dividing what You have united in Christ. Thank You for giving us Jesus, the Branch, who reigns as our King and intercedes as our Priest. Build us into Your holy temple, and make us faithful citizens of Your kingdom. May the treasures of our lives be laid at Your feet until the whole earth rests in Your peace.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.