Sharper Iron — The Post-Exilic Prophets - Zechariah 1:7-21: Patrolling Riders, Horns, and Craftsmen

On February 15, 519 BC, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah and showed him a first vision: a man riding a red horse. The messenger who leads Zechariah in this vision is the messenger of the LORD, the pre-incarnate Christ. When He reveals to Zechariah that His patrolling riders have found the earth at rest, the cry goes up before the LORD to ask how long before He has mercy on HIs people. The LORD of hosts promises that He is returning to His people with mercy. In the second vision, Zechariah sees four craftsmen who cast down the horns that have scattered God’s people. God’s enemies will not prevail. Instead, the LORD wins the victory even through seemingly weak means.

Rev. Dr. Brian Kachelmeier, pastor at Crown of Life Lutheran Church in San Antonio, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Zechariah 1:7-21.

“The Post-Exilic Prophets” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through the books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Through the preaching of these faithful men, the LORD sent His Word to His people who returned home after their exile in Babylon. Not only did the LORD encourage His people in the work of rebuilding the temple, but even more than that, He pointed them forward to the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises in the coming kingdom of our true King and great High Priest, Jesus Christ.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Zechariah 1:7-21

A Vision of a Horseman

⁷On 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. ⁹Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ ¹⁰So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘These are they whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth.’ ¹¹And 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.’ ¹²Then 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?’ ¹³And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. ¹⁴So 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. ¹⁵And I am exceedingly angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was angry but a little, they furthered the disaster. ¹⁶Therefore, 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. ¹⁷Cry 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.’”

A Vision of Horns and Craftsmen

¹⁸^[a] And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! ¹⁹And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” ²⁰Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. ²¹And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

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Footnotes

Zechariah 1:18 Ch 2:1 in Hebrew

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).