Zechariah 6:5

And 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. THESE ARE THE FOUR SPIRITS OF THE HEAVENS - the heavenly spirits, who "stand before Yahweh" to receive God's commands (; ; ; ) in heaven (of which Zion is the counterpart on earth, note, ), and proceed with chariot-speed (; ) to execute them on earth, in its four various quarters ...

I come now to the words, _The angel answered, These are four spirits_, _etc_. Some give another rendering, _These _chariots _go forth to the four winds_, or parts of heaven; but this is forced, and the words simply mean, “these are four spirits.” The word spirit, I have no doubt, has led interpreters astray, for they have thought it frigid to call different events winds or quarters of the world. But I take this word in a different sense, that is, as designating the impulses of God. I do not then understand them to be four winds, but the secret emotions produced by God. Though God’s Spirit is one, yet all actions proceed from him, and whatever is done in the world can with no impropriety be attributed to his Spirit. It is yet certain, that the Prophet alludes to the four quarters of the world, as though he had said, that nothing happens in the world which has not been decreed in heaven; f...

1-8 This vision may represent the ways of Providence in the government of this lower world. Whatever the providences of God about us are, as to public or private affairs, we should see them all as coming from between the mountains of brass, the immoveable counsels and decrees of God; and therefore reckon it as much our folly to quarrel with them, as it is our duty to submit to them. His providences move swiftly and strongly as chariots, but all are directed and governed by his infinite wisdom and sovereign will. The red horses signify war and bloodshed. The black, signify the dismal consequences of war, famines, pestilences, and desolations. The white, signify the return of comfort, peace, and prosperity. The mixed colour, signify events of different complexions, a day of prosperity and a day of adversity. The angels go forth as messengers of God's counsels, and ministers of his justice...

Verse Zechariah 6:5. _THE FOUR SPIRITS OF THE HEAVENS_] Ministers of God's wrath against the sinful nations of the world....

THESE ARE THE FOUR SPIRITS OF THE HEAVENS - They cannot be literal winds: for spirits, not winds, stand before God, as His servants, as in Job, “the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord” (Job 1:6; Job 2:1. This they did, (Jerome), “for these four kingdoms did nothing without the will of God.” Zechariah sums up in one, what former prophets had said separately of the Assyrian, the Babylonian, Egyptian, Persian. “O Assyria, the rod of Mine anger - I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him a charge” Isaiah 10:5. “I will send and take all the families of the north, and Nebuchadrezzar, the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land”

EXPOSITION ZECHARIAH 6:1 § 10. _The eighth vision: the four chariots._ ZECHARIAH 6:1 I TURNED, AND LIFTED UP MINE EYES (see note on Zechariah 5:1). FOUR CHARIOTS. These are war chariots. The angel explains, in Zechariah 6:5, etc; what these chariots mean, how that they represent God's judgments on sinners in all the world. Though evil is removed from the Church, God's vengeance pursues it wherever it is located. If we compare this vision with the first ...

AND THE ANGEL ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO ME,.... In order to grant him his request, and explain the vision of the chariots: THESE [ARE] THE FOUR SPIRITS OF THE HEAVENS; or, "the four winds of the heavens"; the apostles and ministers of the Gospel may be compared to "the winds", because their ministry is the ministration of the Spirit, which is like wind that blows invisibly, powerfully, and where it listeth; and because in and by it the Spirit breathes life and comfort into the souls of men; and because of the powerful efficacy and penetrating nature of the word preached by them, and their swiftness and readiness to do the will of God: angels are called "spirits" or "winds", Psalms 104:3 they are created spirits, and so differ from God; are incorporeal ones, and so differ from men; and are immaterial and immortal, and so die not: they are spiritual subsistences, and spirits o

ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The eighth vision (Zechariah 6:1) _ 2. The crowning of Joshua, the High-Priest (Zechariah 6:9) Zechariah 6:1. The last vision is the vision of the four chariots. We notice the similarity with the first night-vision. The visions opened with the hosts of heaven upon red, speckled, and white horses. It was a vision of judgment for the Gentiles and a vision of comfort to Israel. In this last vision the chariots of judgment are seen sweeping over the earth. It seems to denote judgment in its final accomplishment. The riders of the first vision may be termed the beginning of God's dealing with the nations, but the chariots put the divine judgment decrees into operation. The ri

A MORE DEFINITE VERSION OF THE ALLEGORY IN ZECHARIAH 1:8 FF. Here, however, the horsemen of the former allegory, who represent messengers, are replaced by chariots which symbolise warlike agencies. By mountains of brass (or rather bronze) we are not to understand the Lebanon with its copper mines (Cheyne), for in that case we should require the definite article (read RV text, not _mg._ in Zechariah 6:1; so LXX). Perhaps the two mountains (bronze indicates their irresistible strength) are, so to speak, gateposts on the road to the four quarters of the world from the abode of God. In Zechariah 6:3 omit strong (see _mg.)_ and substitute red for it in...