11 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius , the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet , the son of Berechiah , the son of Iddo saying , 2 "The Lord was very angry with your fathers . 3 "Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts , " Return to Me," declares the Lord of hosts , "that I may return to you," says the Lord of hosts . 4 "Do not be like your fathers , to whom the former prophets proclaimed , saying , 'Thus says the Lord of hosts , " Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds ."' But they did not listen or give heed to Me," declares the Lord . 5 "Your fathers , where are they? And the prophets , do they live forever ? 6 "But did not My words and My statutes , which I commanded My servants the prophets , overtake your fathers ? Then they repented and said , ' As the Lord of hosts purposed to do to us in accordance with our ways and our deeds , so He has dealt with us.' ""'
7 On the twenty-fourth e day of the eleventh e month , which is the month Shebat , in the second year of Darius , the word of the Lord came to Zechariah the prophet , the son of Berechiah , the son of Iddo , as follows : 8 I saw at night , and behold , a man was riding on a red horse , and he was standing among the myrtle trees which were in the ravine , with red , sorrel and white horses behind him. 9 Then I said , "My lord , what are these ?" And the angel who was speaking with me said to me, "I will show you what these are." 10 And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said , "These are those whom the Lord has sent to [1] patrol the earth ." 11 So they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees and said , "We have [2]patrolled the earth , and behold , all the earth is [3]peaceful and quiet ." 12 Then the angel of the Lord said , "O Lord of hosts , how long e will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah , with which You have been indignant these seventy years ?" 13 The Lord answered the angel who was speaking with me with [4]gracious words , comforting words . 14 So the angel who was speaking with me said to me, " Proclaim , saying , 'Thus says the Lord of hosts , "I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and Zion . 15 "But I am very angry with the nations who are at ease ; for while I was only a little angry , they [5] furthered the disaster ." 16 'Therefore thus says the Lord , "I will return to Jerusalem with compassion ; My house will be built in it," declares the Lord of hosts , "and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem ."' 17 "Again , proclaim , saying , 'Thus says the Lord of hosts , "My cities will again overflow with prosperity , and the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem .""'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Zechariah 1:1-17
Commentary on Zechariah 1:1-6
(Read Zechariah 1:1-6)
God's almighty power and sovereign dominion, should engage and encourage sinners to repent and turn to Him. It is very desirable to have the Lord of hosts for our friend, and very dreadful to have him for our enemy. Review what is past, and observe the message God sent by his servants, the prophets, to your fathers. Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings. Be persuaded to leave your sins, as the only way to prevent approaching ruin. What is become of our fathers, and of the prophets that preached to them? They are all dead and gone. Here they were, in the towns and countries where we live, passing and repassing in the same streets, dwelling in the same houses, trading in the same shops and exchanges, worshipping God in the same places. But where are they? When they died, there was not an end of them; they are in eternity, in the world of spirits, the unchangeable world to which we hasten apace. Where are they? Those of them who lived and died in sin, are in torment. Those who lived and died in Christ, are in heaven; and if we live and die as they did, we shall be with them shortly and eternally. If they minded not their own souls, is that a reason why their posterity should ruin theirs also? The prophets are gone. Christ is a Prophet that lives for ever, but all other prophets have a period put to their office. Oh that this consideration had its due weight; that dying ministers are dealing with dying people about their never-dying souls, and an awful eternity, upon the brink of which both are standing! In another world, both we and our prophets shall live for ever: to prepare for that world ought to be our great care in this. The preachers died, and the hearers died, but the word of God died not; not one jot or title of it fell to the ground; for he is righteous.
Commentary on Zechariah 1:7-17
(Read Zechariah 1:7-17)
The prophet saw a dark, shady grove, hidden by hills. This represented the low, melancholy condition of the Jewish church. A man like a warrior sat on a red horse, in the midst of this shady myrtle-grove. Though the church was in a low condition, Christ was present in the midst, ready to appear for the relief of his people. Behind him were angels ready to be employed by him, some in acts of judgment, others of mercy, others in mixed events. Would we know something of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, we must apply, not to angels, for they are themselves learners, but to Christ himself. He is ready to teach those humbly desirous to learn the things of God. The nations near Judea enjoyed peace at that time, but the state of the Jews was unsettled, which gave rise to the pleading that followed; but mercy must only be hoped for through Christ. His intercession for his church prevails. The Lord answered the Angel, this Angel of the covenant, with promises of mercy and deliverance. All the good words and comfortable words of the gospel we receive from Jesus Christ, as he received them from the Father, in answer to the prayer of his blood; and his ministers are to preach them to all the world. The earth sat still, and was at rest. It is not uncommon for the enemies of God to be at rest in sin, while his people are enduring correction, harassed by temptation, disquieted by fears of wrath, or groaning under oppression and persecution. Here are predictions which had reference to the revival of the Jews after the captivity, but those events were shadows of what shall take place in the church, after the oppression of the New Testament Babylon is ended.