Post by Lee on Dec 22, 2014 23:14:12 GMT
- By Brother Thomas
Zechariah's 4 Chariots and horses, then, are the hosts or armies of Yahweh, from which in relation to mundane affairs He derives to Himself the title 'Yahweh of Hosts (Tzvaoth).' There are 4 divisions of His Chariot, according to the standards of the Encampment, and answering to the Wheels. In the 'War of the Great Day,' the 2 Mountains of Brass will demand primary attention. The black horses are therefore sent forth into the North, and the white horses after them. The result of this invasion is the conquest of the North: Assyria, Persia, Togarmah of the north quarters, etc. And while this is going on, the spotted horses go forth to the invasion of Egypt, or the south country, as seen also by Habakkuk 3:6"8. When these horses have done their work in the North & in the South, the 2 Mountains of Brass will have disappeared, and the prophecies of Is.l9:23-25 and Mic. 5:5-6 will be fulfilled.
The land of Israel will have been wrested from the Gentiles, and Assyria & Egypt will have been conquered and annexed to the new Kingdom of Israel, and their populations enlightened, healed, and blessed in Abraham and his Seed—according to the Gospel. But besides the leveling of these 2 mountains, there will be much
other work to be accomplished. Therefore the fleet horses sought permission to go forth wherever the enemy was in arms v 7. They received authority to go. Zechariah records that they ran to and fro in the earth, but he does not tell us against what powers they contended. His silence upon the point is interrupted by Jesus Christ, who revealed to John that they would march with him against the kingdoms of the West, styled apocalyptically 'the Beast and the False Prophet' and 'the Ten Horns/ Speaking of them, he says (Rev.i7:i4)- "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall conquer them; because he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful."
When this war is finished, the kingdoms of the West will have been taken possession of by the Saints, as Daniel has foreshown, and then the apocalyptic acclamation will proclaim an existing situation, for— "The kingdoms of this world will have become Yahweh's & His Christ's." These 'goings forth' of the horses will be terrible to the nations. The prophetic colors are indicative of this. The first of these 4 Chariots of men is horsed with red. Red horses show that the period in which the Chariots are manifested is a period of war. The red horses are not represented as going forth to any country. The black, white, spotted, and strong or fleet (termed 'bay' in AV), are seen by the prophet going forth; but not the red. The earth, or nations, are in the red condition at the time of the Chariots issuing from between the Mountains of Brass. Peace has been taken from the earth, and men are earnestly engaged in killing one another immediately preceding the appearance
of the Chariots. This is expressed by the phrase— "The nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came" (Rev. 11:18). Hence there is no need of a special going forth to take away the peace of the world. If the world of nations were in a state of peace at Messiah's appearing, the prophet would have probably seen red horses going forth upon a special mission. But being in a state of war as the result of the operation of the policy of the Frog Power, the first horses seen to issue forth are the black. This preadventual condition of the world is represented by: "A man riding on a red horse" (Zech.l:8).
Behind, or after, him are the red, spotted and white 'in the bottom,' or between the 2 mountains, which go forth when the Chariots appear. When all these have done their work, 'all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest'—the Reign of Peace begins. The appropriateness of red to represent an ensanguined condition of the nations will be seen from the following testimonies— "I will bring from Bashan: I will bring from the depths of the sea. So that thou shalt plunge thy foot in the blood of enemies; the tongue of thy dogs (shall lap) from it" (Psa. 68:23). "Elohim is Judge: He will throw down this, and He will exalt that. For there is a cup in the hand of Yahweh, and the wine is red. It is full of mixture, and He will pour out from it. All the wicked of the earth shall surely drink, and wring out the dregs of it . .
"But I will announce it at the Olahm (Hidden Period). I will sing praise because of the Elohim of Jacob; and I will cut off all the horns of the wicked. The horns of the Righteous One shall be exalted" (Ps. 75:8-10).
The Dialog, also, between the prophet and the Messiah in Is.63:1-6 is intensely 'red' in the color of the scene. The testimony may be presented in the following form—
Prophet: "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?"
Messiah: "I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save."
Prophet: "Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth the winepress?"
Messiah: "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me. For I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled on my garments, and I will stain all my raiment: FOR THE DAY OF VENGEANCE is in my heart, and the year of my Redeemed is come . .
"And I looked: and there was none to help. And I was amazed: and there was none to uphold. Therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the peoples in my anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth."
But the most demonstrative testimony to this prophetic signification of'red' is found in Rev. 6:4. It is there written— "And there went forth another horse fiery-red. And to him who sat upon him it was given to take peace from the earth; even that they might slay one another. And there was given unto him a great sword." Here is represented a period of war in which much blood would be poured out. A red horse, a great red Dragon, & a, scarlet-colored Beast all indicate that they belong to an ensanguined page of human history.
The horses of the 2nd Chariot of Elohim were black. These go forth into the North country. To be the subject of injury, astonishment, & famine—from whatever cause—is represented in prophecy by BLACK- "The harvest is past; the summer is ended—and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people (Zion) am I hurt. I am black: astonishment hath taken hold of me" Qer. 8:20-21). "The Word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish: they are black unto the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up" (Jer. 14:1-2). "Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine" (Lm. 5:10). In Rv.6:5 a period of famine is symbolized by 'a black horse' and a rider holding a pair of balances to weigh out at high price wheat, barley and wine. Such are the calamities indicated by black, the symbol of mourning and woe to this day. Pestilence follows in the wake of famine. Hence the going forth of the black horses into the North country indicates the visitation of that ensanguined region with famine and pestilence— which will have their influence in bringing the peoples of that region to a right understanding of the Power they contend against.
The black horses are followed by the Chariot with white horses. This indicates the complete subjugation of all the Russias, Assyria, Togarmah, Persia, etc., for Zechariah was informed that the Chariots which went forth northward: "Had caused Yahweh's Spirit to rest in the north country" (v. 8). Hence white indicates conquest ending in purity and peace— "Blessed be Assyria, the work of My hands" (Isa.l9:25). This blessedness results from the combined operation of the black and white horses. The famine and pestilence are followed up by military campaigns in which the Saints ride forth 'conquering and to conquer.' This career of a power is symbolized in Rv. 6:2 as— "I saw and behold a white horse, and he that is sitting upon him having a bow. And there was given to him a wreath of victory; and he went
forth conquering, even that he might conquer." Added to this is the idea of purity, as the consequence of overcoming. This signification of white is very frequent in the Apocalypse. In ch. 19, Jesus and his Brethren are seen clothed in white, and sitting upon white horses--by which they are connected with the white horse
Chariot of Zechariah that goes forth to the conquest of the North. "To him that overcometh will I give a white stone, and on the stone a new name engraved, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it" (Rv.2:l7). "They who have not defiled their garments shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He that overcomes shall be clothed in white" (3:4-5). "White robes were given to every one of them" (6:11). "Clothed with white robes .. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (7:9,14).
The spotted horses of the 4th Chariot go forth to Egypt, Arabia, & other districts of the South to work out the conquest and consequent blessedness of that region. The color of these horses is a combination of the black and the white, being 'grisled' or spotted. What has been said, therefore, of the black and the white horses separately may be said of these, as a combination of the two. They effect in the South what the white and black accomplish in the North, so that when their
mission is complete, it will be said: "Blessedbe Egypt My people" (Is.l9:25). The 'highway' out of Egypt to Assyria will be perfected, and the 'Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians'v·23. In the AV, the 4th Chariot is to be horsed with 'bay' horses, as well as with 'spotted.' But the original word does not indicate color. It is
amutzim, and signifies 'active, fleet, or vigorous.' This plural occurs in no other Scripture than the 2 texts of Zechariah. This is not, then, a prophetic color: the horses of the 4th Chariot were spotted & fleet.
The 2 Mountains of Brass being leveled, the 4th Chariot (as a 'flying eagle' Rv4:7) rushes forth: "Upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the West" (Isa. 11:14).
—and spoils them, as they will also spoil 'the children of the East.' They career to and fro thru the earth, which—as the result of their labors— "SITTEST STILL, AND IS AT REST" (Zech. 1:11). Thus, Yahweh having (Isa. 66:15-16)- ".. come with fire, and with His Chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire: for by fire and by His sword will Yahweh plead with all flesh. And the slain of Yahweh shall be many" —this having come to pass according to the testimony of all the prophets, the 4 Horns of the Gentiles will have been frayed by the Four Carpenters. And the Great Mountain—comprehensive of the Harlot of
the Ephah and her house in the land of Shinar, and of the 2 Mountains of Brass—will have become a plain before Zerubbabel and his Chariothosts.
As the result of this terrible and glorious work of the Saints, Yahweh will be a wall of fire round about, and the Glory in the midst of, Jerusalem. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord, and will be His people. And He shall inherit Judah.
-79 Berean
Zechariah's 4 Chariots and horses, then, are the hosts or armies of Yahweh, from which in relation to mundane affairs He derives to Himself the title 'Yahweh of Hosts (Tzvaoth).' There are 4 divisions of His Chariot, according to the standards of the Encampment, and answering to the Wheels. In the 'War of the Great Day,' the 2 Mountains of Brass will demand primary attention. The black horses are therefore sent forth into the North, and the white horses after them. The result of this invasion is the conquest of the North: Assyria, Persia, Togarmah of the north quarters, etc. And while this is going on, the spotted horses go forth to the invasion of Egypt, or the south country, as seen also by Habakkuk 3:6"8. When these horses have done their work in the North & in the South, the 2 Mountains of Brass will have disappeared, and the prophecies of Is.l9:23-25 and Mic. 5:5-6 will be fulfilled.
The land of Israel will have been wrested from the Gentiles, and Assyria & Egypt will have been conquered and annexed to the new Kingdom of Israel, and their populations enlightened, healed, and blessed in Abraham and his Seed—according to the Gospel. But besides the leveling of these 2 mountains, there will be much
other work to be accomplished. Therefore the fleet horses sought permission to go forth wherever the enemy was in arms v 7. They received authority to go. Zechariah records that they ran to and fro in the earth, but he does not tell us against what powers they contended. His silence upon the point is interrupted by Jesus Christ, who revealed to John that they would march with him against the kingdoms of the West, styled apocalyptically 'the Beast and the False Prophet' and 'the Ten Horns/ Speaking of them, he says (Rev.i7:i4)- "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall conquer them; because he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful."
When this war is finished, the kingdoms of the West will have been taken possession of by the Saints, as Daniel has foreshown, and then the apocalyptic acclamation will proclaim an existing situation, for— "The kingdoms of this world will have become Yahweh's & His Christ's." These 'goings forth' of the horses will be terrible to the nations. The prophetic colors are indicative of this. The first of these 4 Chariots of men is horsed with red. Red horses show that the period in which the Chariots are manifested is a period of war. The red horses are not represented as going forth to any country. The black, white, spotted, and strong or fleet (termed 'bay' in AV), are seen by the prophet going forth; but not the red. The earth, or nations, are in the red condition at the time of the Chariots issuing from between the Mountains of Brass. Peace has been taken from the earth, and men are earnestly engaged in killing one another immediately preceding the appearance
of the Chariots. This is expressed by the phrase— "The nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came" (Rev. 11:18). Hence there is no need of a special going forth to take away the peace of the world. If the world of nations were in a state of peace at Messiah's appearing, the prophet would have probably seen red horses going forth upon a special mission. But being in a state of war as the result of the operation of the policy of the Frog Power, the first horses seen to issue forth are the black. This preadventual condition of the world is represented by: "A man riding on a red horse" (Zech.l:8).
Behind, or after, him are the red, spotted and white 'in the bottom,' or between the 2 mountains, which go forth when the Chariots appear. When all these have done their work, 'all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest'—the Reign of Peace begins. The appropriateness of red to represent an ensanguined condition of the nations will be seen from the following testimonies— "I will bring from Bashan: I will bring from the depths of the sea. So that thou shalt plunge thy foot in the blood of enemies; the tongue of thy dogs (shall lap) from it" (Psa. 68:23). "Elohim is Judge: He will throw down this, and He will exalt that. For there is a cup in the hand of Yahweh, and the wine is red. It is full of mixture, and He will pour out from it. All the wicked of the earth shall surely drink, and wring out the dregs of it . .
"But I will announce it at the Olahm (Hidden Period). I will sing praise because of the Elohim of Jacob; and I will cut off all the horns of the wicked. The horns of the Righteous One shall be exalted" (Ps. 75:8-10).
The Dialog, also, between the prophet and the Messiah in Is.63:1-6 is intensely 'red' in the color of the scene. The testimony may be presented in the following form—
Prophet: "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?"
Messiah: "I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save."
Prophet: "Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth the winepress?"
Messiah: "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me. For I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled on my garments, and I will stain all my raiment: FOR THE DAY OF VENGEANCE is in my heart, and the year of my Redeemed is come . .
"And I looked: and there was none to help. And I was amazed: and there was none to uphold. Therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the peoples in my anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth."
But the most demonstrative testimony to this prophetic signification of'red' is found in Rev. 6:4. It is there written— "And there went forth another horse fiery-red. And to him who sat upon him it was given to take peace from the earth; even that they might slay one another. And there was given unto him a great sword." Here is represented a period of war in which much blood would be poured out. A red horse, a great red Dragon, & a, scarlet-colored Beast all indicate that they belong to an ensanguined page of human history.
The horses of the 2nd Chariot of Elohim were black. These go forth into the North country. To be the subject of injury, astonishment, & famine—from whatever cause—is represented in prophecy by BLACK- "The harvest is past; the summer is ended—and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people (Zion) am I hurt. I am black: astonishment hath taken hold of me" Qer. 8:20-21). "The Word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish: they are black unto the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up" (Jer. 14:1-2). "Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine" (Lm. 5:10). In Rv.6:5 a period of famine is symbolized by 'a black horse' and a rider holding a pair of balances to weigh out at high price wheat, barley and wine. Such are the calamities indicated by black, the symbol of mourning and woe to this day. Pestilence follows in the wake of famine. Hence the going forth of the black horses into the North country indicates the visitation of that ensanguined region with famine and pestilence— which will have their influence in bringing the peoples of that region to a right understanding of the Power they contend against.
The black horses are followed by the Chariot with white horses. This indicates the complete subjugation of all the Russias, Assyria, Togarmah, Persia, etc., for Zechariah was informed that the Chariots which went forth northward: "Had caused Yahweh's Spirit to rest in the north country" (v. 8). Hence white indicates conquest ending in purity and peace— "Blessed be Assyria, the work of My hands" (Isa.l9:25). This blessedness results from the combined operation of the black and white horses. The famine and pestilence are followed up by military campaigns in which the Saints ride forth 'conquering and to conquer.' This career of a power is symbolized in Rv. 6:2 as— "I saw and behold a white horse, and he that is sitting upon him having a bow. And there was given to him a wreath of victory; and he went
forth conquering, even that he might conquer." Added to this is the idea of purity, as the consequence of overcoming. This signification of white is very frequent in the Apocalypse. In ch. 19, Jesus and his Brethren are seen clothed in white, and sitting upon white horses--by which they are connected with the white horse
Chariot of Zechariah that goes forth to the conquest of the North. "To him that overcometh will I give a white stone, and on the stone a new name engraved, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it" (Rv.2:l7). "They who have not defiled their garments shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. He that overcomes shall be clothed in white" (3:4-5). "White robes were given to every one of them" (6:11). "Clothed with white robes .. These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (7:9,14).
The spotted horses of the 4th Chariot go forth to Egypt, Arabia, & other districts of the South to work out the conquest and consequent blessedness of that region. The color of these horses is a combination of the black and the white, being 'grisled' or spotted. What has been said, therefore, of the black and the white horses separately may be said of these, as a combination of the two. They effect in the South what the white and black accomplish in the North, so that when their
mission is complete, it will be said: "Blessedbe Egypt My people" (Is.l9:25). The 'highway' out of Egypt to Assyria will be perfected, and the 'Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians'v·23. In the AV, the 4th Chariot is to be horsed with 'bay' horses, as well as with 'spotted.' But the original word does not indicate color. It is
amutzim, and signifies 'active, fleet, or vigorous.' This plural occurs in no other Scripture than the 2 texts of Zechariah. This is not, then, a prophetic color: the horses of the 4th Chariot were spotted & fleet.
The 2 Mountains of Brass being leveled, the 4th Chariot (as a 'flying eagle' Rv4:7) rushes forth: "Upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the West" (Isa. 11:14).
—and spoils them, as they will also spoil 'the children of the East.' They career to and fro thru the earth, which—as the result of their labors— "SITTEST STILL, AND IS AT REST" (Zech. 1:11). Thus, Yahweh having (Isa. 66:15-16)- ".. come with fire, and with His Chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire: for by fire and by His sword will Yahweh plead with all flesh. And the slain of Yahweh shall be many" —this having come to pass according to the testimony of all the prophets, the 4 Horns of the Gentiles will have been frayed by the Four Carpenters. And the Great Mountain—comprehensive of the Harlot of
the Ephah and her house in the land of Shinar, and of the 2 Mountains of Brass—will have become a plain before Zerubbabel and his Chariothosts.
As the result of this terrible and glorious work of the Saints, Yahweh will be a wall of fire round about, and the Glory in the midst of, Jerusalem. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord, and will be His people. And He shall inherit Judah.
-79 Berean