Zechariah 1:7-17--A Vision of a Horseman

Zechariah 1:7-17
English Standard Version

A Vision of a Horseman
7 On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, son of Iddo, saying, 8 “I saw in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. 9 Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ 10 So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.’ 11 And they answered the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest.’ 12 Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you have no mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, against which you have been angry these seventy years?’ 13 And the LORD answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. 14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. 15 And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. 16 Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. 17 Cry out again, Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.’”

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The LORD gives Zechariah a vision of a man on a red horse sitting under myrtle trees.  Behind this man are men on different colored horses--some red, some white and some sorrel (a new word to me--these are the horses that have coats that shine like copper and usually their mane and tail have the same or similar color as their body, making them unique.  Their color is usually more "vibrant" or "shiny.")

Zechariah wishes to know who all these warrior-looking men on horses were, so the LORD allows the first rider on the red horse to speak to Zechariah.  He is told that these are those who the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.  The prophet assumes this is a vision of many coming to make war against Jerusalem, and the prophet asks the LORD how much more punishment they must endure after the 70 years of exile.  The LORD allows the first rider seen in his vision, which is now identified as an angelic messenger) to speak words of grace and comfort to the prophet.  

The LORD tells the prophet to cry out against the wicked nations who prosper while the righteous seem to suffer.  The LORD promises that the wicked nations will be judged even more than they have already, and the LORD reminds His people that He has returned to Jerusalem to His Holy Temple, and He once again dwells among them.  That is something no one else can say.  Then the LORD tells the prophet to cry out because the cities of Israel are still in ruin (only Jerusalem has been rebuilt), but He wants them all to be rebuilt and full to overflowing with His abundant blessings.