Old Testament Commentary - Zechariah 6

by Don R. Hender

The concept of the four horses is repeated in the vision of John the Revelator. There the four horses are they who are Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. 'These are the four spirits of heaven which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth' to complete the mission as the dispensation head of their despensation before the Lord. Adam lived upon the land of North America. Noah went forth upon the waters of the flood after Adam. Abraham did go forth toward the south country Egypt and in Jacob the children of Israel became enslaved unto the Egyptians. It was Moses who did bring Israel out of Egypt and in whose dispensation Israel began to walk to and fro through out the earth and it is Moses who holds the keys to the gathering and scattering of Israel.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

            CHAPTER 6
Zechariah crowns Joshua, the high priest, in similitude of Christ, the Branch, who shall come—Christ shall be a priest upon his throne forever.
God has Zechariah crown 'Jehoshua', the current high priest, in similitude as representing his namesake 'Jesus/Jehoshua' Christ which he had seen in vision in chapter 3, who was the BRANCH to come forth and who was and is the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement in taking upon himself the sins of the world and removing them forever at that day by his atonement. And Christ shall be a priest forever in heaven.

Eighth Vision
The Chariots

1 And 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.
2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. 1^a TG Angels
   ^b HEB the Adversary or Accuser
      (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6
   ^c HEB accuse
2^a Amos 4:11

4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
5 And the angel answered and said unto me, **These are the four ^aspirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth^a. 5^a These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth Just who these fours prominant servants could be is not certain. Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses, are the four heads of the ancient dispensations of time before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were, as are all God's chosen prophets, called and ordained before the foundation of the earth. There they with all others including Joseph Smith and those of our own time stood before the Lord as his called and ordained angels unto the work of this earth and its purpose in God. 5^a Heb. 1:14 (7, 14)
    IE 'four servants' JST Zech. 6:5

Angels of Destruction** On 6 December 1832, the Savior told the Prophet Joseph Smith that these four destroying angels were crying unto the Lord day and night for permission to reap down the earth and burn the tares (D&C 86:4-7). Sixty-one years later, President Wilfor Woodruff declared that the Lord had released those destorying angels to commence the work of separating the tares from the wheat unto their burning. And he stated that thus calamities and troubles were increasing in the earth accordingly. President Joseph Fielding Smith has state in respect to this that this is the time of the harvest. That the wheat and tares are being gathered in. The wheat unto the kingdom and the tares unto their destruction and eventual burning. Thus as men ripen in their wickedness unto destruction they are being separated out and removed unto their eventual burnings, just as sure as the wheat is being gathered in unto the Lord. We are in the midst of these events of which Zechariah was shown in vision.

6 The 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.
7 And 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.
8 Then 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. 1^a TG Angels
   ^b HEB the Adversary or Accuser
      (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6
   ^c HEB accuse
2^a Amos 4:11

9 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
11 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
15^a Isa. 60:10
     ^b TG Obedience

12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man ^awhose name is The ^bBRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD. 12^a HEB Branch is his name and
        from beneath him one shall
        branch forth and he shall build
        the temple of Jehovah
     ^b TG Jesus Christ, David Descent
        TG Jesus Christ, Prophecies abt

15 And they that are far off shall come and ^abuild in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently ^bobey the voice of the LORD your God. 15^a Isa. 60:10
     ^b TG Obedience

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Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 6 Zechariah crowns Joshua, the high priest, in similitude of Christ, the Branch, who shall come—Christ shall be a priest upon his throne forever.	God has Zechariah crown 'Jehoshua', the current high priest, in similitude as representing his namesake 'Jesus/Jehoshua' Christ which he had seen in vision in chapter 3, who was the BRANCH to come forth and who was and is the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement in taking upon himself the sins of the world and removing them forever at that day by his atonement. And Christ shall be a priest forever in heaven.
Eighth Vision The Chariots
1 And 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. 2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.		1^a TG Angels ^b HEB the Adversary or Accuser (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6 ^c HEB accuse 2^a Amos 4:11
4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? 5 And the angel answered and said unto me, *These are* the four ^aspirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth^a**.	*5^a These are* the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth** Just who these fours prominant servants could be is not certain. Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses, are the four heads of the ancient dispensations of time before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were, as are all God's chosen prophets, called and ordained before the foundation of the earth. There they with all others including Joseph Smith and those of our own time stood before the Lord as his called and ordained angels unto the work of this earth and its purpose in God.	5^a Heb. 1:14 (7, 14) IE 'four servants' JST Zech. 6:5 Angels of Destruction On 6 December 1832, the Savior told the Prophet Joseph Smith that these four destroying angels were crying unto the Lord day and night for permission to reap down the earth and burn the tares (D&C 86:4-7). Sixty-one years later, President Wilfor Woodruff declared that the Lord had released those destorying angels to commence the work of separating the tares from the wheat unto their burning. And he stated that thus calamities and troubles were increasing in the earth accordingly. President Joseph Fielding Smith has state in respect to this that this is the time of the harvest. That the wheat and tares are being gathered in. The wheat unto the kingdom and the tares unto their destruction and eventual burning. Thus as men ripen in their wickedness unto destruction they are being separated out and removed unto their eventual burnings, just as sure as the wheat is being gathered in unto the Lord. We are in the midst of these events of which Zechariah was shown in vision.
6 The 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. 7 And 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. 8 Then 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.		1^a TG Angels ^b HEB the Adversary or Accuser (also v. 2); Ps. 109:6 ^c HEB accuse 2^a Amos 4:11
9 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah; 11 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;		15^a Isa. 60:10 ^b TG Obedience
12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man ^awhose name is The ^bBRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: 13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD.		12^a HEB Branch is his name and from beneath him one shall branch forth and he shall build the temple of Jehovah ^b TG Jesus Christ, David Descent TG Jesus Christ, Prophecies abt
15 And they that are far off shall come and ^abuild in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently ^bobey the voice of the LORD your God.		15^a Isa. 60:10 ^b TG Obedience