ZECHARIAH 1: 18-21
The Second Vision
THE HORNS AND THE CRAFTSMEN
[Jeremiah 23:29 / 2 Cor. 4:1-6]
What stands against our church? Why doesn't it move on for God? Is there any satanic power oppressing us and holding us back? Have we repented? Have we prayed for the advance of our church and the growth of the kingdom? God will always act to answer the prayer of His repentant people because it is also an answer to the great Intercessor's prayer.
In this vision the manner of the destruction of the powers which exalts the heathen over Israel will be probed. This second vision is a continuation of the comforting message contained in the first vision. It reveals how those nations with whom the Lord is exceedingly angry because of their extended and excessive scattering of the Jews and their downtrodding of Jerusalem will be terrified and broken themselves.
For God's people today this passage highlights very distinctly just what God is able to do to those who in bitterness oppress and afflict His people. This revelation serves to greatly encourage His people's hopes and faith for it shows how entirely God knows the outcome of all circumstances and how completely all results lie in His hand and His purposes (CIT).
Yet, there is also an overarching element which extends this vision, as all the other visions, beyond ancient Israel and our present need into the end time. For glimmers of hope for the eventual restoration of God's people dispersed and down trodden through out the heathen nations into a unified glorious whole can be gleamed from our text.
I. THE PROBLEM OF THE HORNS, 18-19.
II. THE ANSWER OF THE CRAFTSMEN, 20-21.
I. THE PROBLEM OF THE HORNS, 18-19.
The second vision of God's defeating the destructive powers of nations and repairing their damage begins in verse 18. Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, four horns.
With his head bowed in meditation upon the meaning of the first vision, the prophet is caught up in a second vision. When he lifted up his head he looked (literally 'saw') not just with his physical eyes, but with the inner vision of his soul and spirit which are called up by the supernatural revelation of the vision itself. In this aroused physical and spiritual state, he sees and beholds, meaning He fasten His attention upon for careful scrutiny, four horns.
These separate horns, probably like animal horns, are the focal point of concern. The beasts to whom they belong are hidden from the prophet's view. This makes us have questions about them for not only is the destructive power of the horns relative to the beast it's on, but also because it makes it difficult to definitely define what or who they represent.
Horns are generally used in Scripture as symbols of power and strength (Amos 6:13; Psalm 18:2; 75:45; 89:17; 92:10; 112:9; Jer. 48:25; Lam. 2:3, 17; Mic. 4:13). They can represent the ruling powers, beasts, individuals, nations or the world (Dan. 7:24-28; Rev. 17:3-12). The symbol of ruling power comes from the great crashing power of bulls, rams, wild oxen, etc. where dominate males ram horns together (Jer. 48:25; Lam. 2:3; Psalm 89:17, 92:10, 18:2).
The number four in a secondary sense stands for universal or completeness. [E.g. the four winds of heaven (Ezek. 37:9) or from the four corners of the earth (Isa. 11:12).] The four horns thus could represent all the enemies which surround and threaten Israel on all sides or directions. [Or they could represent the four great world powers or kingdoms of Daniel, chs. 2 & 7, if you call this a parallel vision.]
Zechariah would have had no difficulty in identifying the horns as physical or spiritual powers, but their present significance eluded him. We thus find him again asking questions of the interpreting angel in verse 19. So, I said to the angel who was speaking with me "what are these?" And he answered me, "these are the horns which scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem." (19)
The prophet's puzzlement , possibly because he cannot see the heads the horns belong to, asks to know what they represent or symbolize. The interpreting angel replies that the horns signify the powers of ruthless kingdoms which have come against and scattered God's people (Lev. 26:33; Ezek. 5:10, 6:5, 30:26). The force of the word, to scatter or disperse would be as dust is driven by the wind.
The use of the terms, Judah, Israel & Jerusalem was an unusual designation for the chosen people. No doubt that God is talking specifically of the Hebrew people here [and not the church]. This would be an all inclusive term for the whole nation.
After Solomon's reign the kingdom of Israel split. Ten tribes took their own king and became Israel, the Northern Kingdom with Samaria as their capital. Two tribes, Judah & Benjamin became Judah or the Southern Kingdom with Jerusalem as their capital.
Because of the Hebrew particle connected to Judah and Israel they are differentiated from Jerusalem yet Israel, not Judah, is connected with the capital Jerusalem. Thus, it appears, God is establishing Israel again as His covenant name (see Keil, Com. of the O.T., pp. 239-40).
First, the problem of the four horns or spiritual powers, second,
II. THE ANSWER OF THE CRAFTSMEN, 20-21.
The vision of the hostile beings or powers on all sides of God's people would not convey comfort or encouragement. Verse 20 reveals the craftsmen God sends to correct problem or defeat the scattering powers for His repentant people. Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen.
Notice the LORD showed him in a special way the craftsmen. It is interesting that in the prophet's aroused state He saw the four horns when he looked up (1:18) but it was only because of the Lord's revelation that he saw the four craftsmen. God's deliverances are more veiled to us than satan's attacks.
Zechariah is able to recognize them as craftsmen. The word craftsmen (harash) denotes a trade or professional worker or an artisan [of wood (2 Kgs. 12:12), stone (Ex. 28:11), or most commonly metal (1 Chr. 29:5; Jer. 10:9) [Unger, Zechariah, Prophet of Messiah's Glory, p.39]]. Thus, the angelic craftsmen are designated as technicians, skilled workmen, or smiths which fits in with their role in the vision as being the ones who carry out God's purpose against the hostile nations. The prophet sees them ready to do their work perhaps carrying the tools for their unique skill. They thus had the skills and abilities for what God called them to do.
What is their task to which they will apply their skill? The workmen are God's instruments to break the power of the horns to pieces. It was their assigned task and they understood their business and had tools at hand to accomplish it. When God has work to do He will empower, train, equip and then raise up those He would have do it. This deliverance has occurred throughout all of the church's history.
It is most natural that these four craftsmen represent mighty agents with powers and skills which God puts into the world to oppose those of this world system who oppose or seek to harm His people (Ezekiel 21:31). These four craftsmen stand against the four horns to demonstrate to God's people of all ages that God has provided a counteracting power for every hostile world power that rises up against them to destroy them and they are equipped to destroy that power.
Knowing them as Craftsman and understanding that they are prepared to do some noteworthy tasks, Zechariah inquires what tasks they are to preform in verse 21 . And I said, "What are these coming to do?" And he said, "These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man lifts up his head; but these craftsmen have come to terrify them, to throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it."
The focus is now on the events that culminated in the capture and sack of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. The picture of being unable to raise the head is one of utter conquest and subjugation (Judg. 8:28). The horns are identified as the hostile powers that had wrought such havoc in the past. The horn's satanic fury had broken Judah's unity and shattered their spirit to such an extent that no man could even lift up his head. To lift up the head is a movement that shows a little strength and dignity but Israel's sufferings at the hand of the nations has been so inhuman that not even this sparse display was possible.
The demonic horns of power, by means of the nations, brought such heavy oppression and burden upon Israel that none dared even lift up their heads, so heavy did the oppression weigh upon them.
Demonic powers have lifted up their horn. To lift up the horn is a figure of the beast's victorious, proud attitude after defeating the opponent in the ramming contest. These horns were exalting themselves (Ps. 92:10, 89:17, 148:14) because they had crushed and scattered God's people. Their successes are going to be overturned.
The heathen powers may be at peace in their self-confidence of their power to afflict God's people for awhile, but God watches over His own. The craftsmen represent Divine Beings which break the powers of mystical demonic beings and the worldly kingdoms they control. They came equipped for action like one who would come with an uplifted hammer is prepared to deliver a blow (Isa. 44:12).
The purpose of the craftsman's coming was to terrify and to cast down these horns. To terrify means to cause them to tremble and be afraid, to scare and throw into a panic, to drive away in horror. After the panic the craftsmen would throw the horns of the nations who scattered them down, destroying them.
God's agents of justice will strike terror into the hearts of those who grievously afflict His children. The agents of mercy are under the Lord's control to be sent at His word in answer to intercessory prayer to assist His people against the world powers of darkness. Any hostile force which satan designs to raise up, God has provided a counteracting power adequate to destroy it. Even should it be the kingdom of that final horned beast of the satan-possessed anti-Christ and His confederacy in Daniel chapter 7 (Rev. 13:1; 17:8) which the Lord Himself comes and shatters to pieces!
Yes, Israel and Judah were scattered and oppressed. In 721 BC Assyria conquered and took Israel, the Northern Kingdom, captive. In 587 Jerusalem fell and was shattered by Babylon. And the once populous nation became scattered. 70 years later only a small remnant returned to the land but those that had been scattered and did not return or could not return still held a national identity that could not be erased. And still today some two and a half millenniums later through many more scatterings and afflictions these comparable handful of people in the great ocean of humanity have not only not been destroyed from the earth, but one marvels that they have retained their national characteristics and identity which can only be accounted for by special providence by Him who swore that so long as the stars continue would Israel continue before Him as a nation. Nations where they have been scattered to have come and gone but the Jews remain to this very day (Jer. 30:11). Is this the work of these craftsmen God called forth that have made Israel indestructible no matter what persecutions they face?
CONCLUSION
All prophecy has a wider role. Not only does it have a message to the people who lived during its revelation, but it also has a message and ministry to God's people in any age as God patiently brings it to fulfillment.
God's design is to cast down any Satan backed power which heaps heavy oppression and affliction upon His people. He did it of old for His people, so will He do it now to any nation who would so oppress the humble and repentant people of God be they born again Jew or Gentile.
The church and the people of God have always faced opposition, but opposition is not the same as defeat. God is true to His promise that ‘no weapon forged against you will prevail' (Isa. 54:17), and has raised up agents who effectively disposed of those who would scatter His church. In times of crisis faith is called on to trust in Him, certain of His watchful concern (Acts 7:56) and to await His powerful intervention.
As for the final outcome God will come again and destroy all power raised up against Him and us as He promised. Daniel 2:44 says, And in those days of those kings the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
