Zechariah 1:7-17
Having finished his sermon, Zechariah may have thought he had time to relax. But just 4 months later, Zechariah begins receiving a series of 8 visions from God. These visions cover chapters 1:7-6:14, including my favorite vision, found in chapter 3. Zechariah’s call to remember their fathers’ sins and call for repentance was a call for the people to stop going down the wrong path, turn 180 degrees, and draw near to God, who has been with them from the start. But it was their sins that kept God from bestowing the blessings upon them. It was their sins that caused them to suffer defeat and captivity at the hands of the Babylonians.
God had restored them to their homeland; now, sixteen years later, God was calling them to repent, to turn 180 degrees, and to be careful not to walk down the same path their fathers had. It is essential to understand that the chapter and verse divisions were added long after the text was written. It is also essential to understand that the books of the Bible were meant to be read from beginning to end simultaneously. Not over a series of days, but all at once. Therefore, Zechariah’s sermon on repentance is followed by a Bible truth given in the form of horses.
The sermon given on Repentance came in the eighth month on the second year of Darius, the author is careful to point out that, “On 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 Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet.” Zechariah 1:7.
After the sermon on repentance, Zechariah is asked to preach another sermon. A sermon that talks about a man, myrtle trees, and horses. Not just one horse, but four. Let’s read verse 8 together.
“I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white.” Zechariah 1:8.
Before continuing, it should be pointed out that Zechariah has eight visions. These eight visions represent a literary unit. Yet scholars sometimes disagree regarding the structure and overall message of the visions. Zechariah’s visions indeed focus on Judah’s desperate need for encouragement and salvation; the messages also speak to our time today and our need for encouragement and salvation. The visions use sweeping language to introduce an eschatological day when the Messiah reigns over a kingdom in which all will have accepted God’s offer of salvation.
Perhaps we should explain the word “Eschatological.” The word means, “Pertaining to things that happen at the end of the world.” For Christians, that would be Christ’s second coming and the events leading up to His return, and finally the return of the New Jerusalem as described in the book of Revelation.
It should also be pointed out that these eight visions are applied in three ways:
- The Temple.
- Worship and Forgiveness Imagery.
- Divine Warrior theme.
- And perhaps a fourth, what Christ is doing for us today.
As we examine these visions, a clear chiastic structure emerges. My intention is not to produce a technical commentary, but to help us understand what Zechariah is teaching. Yet it is worth remembering that Hebrew writers often used chiastic patterns both to emphasize central themes and to aid memorization.
Israel’s greatest historical moments often occurred on mountains. Abraham brought Isaac to Mount Moriah—the site that would later become the Temple Mount. God met Moses at Mount Sinai in the burning bush and again when He gave the law to Israel. Elijah summoned the nation to Mount Carmel to choose between Baal and the God of heaven.
In the ministry of Christ, the pattern continues. Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, was transfigured on a mountain before Peter, James, and John, frequently taught and prayed with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, and finally gave His life at Calvary—a small mountain just outside Jerusalem’s walls. Throughout Scripture, mountain peaks mark turning points.
Hebrew literary structure often mirrors this reality. Writers intentionally created “literary mountains,” shaping their work so that the central point—the summit—bears the greatest importance. As readers ascend the mountain, they encounter themes that reappear in reverse order on the descent. What is experienced on the way up prepares the reader to grasp the meaning at the peak; what is seen on the way down reinforces it.
What we have just learned holds true for Zechariah’s visions from God. Here is the Chiastic structure.
- Vision One: The Man on a Red Horse (1:7-17)
B. Vision Two: Four Horns and Four Craftsmen (1:18-21)
C. Vision Three: The Surveyor (2:1-13
D. Vision Four: The Cleansing of the High Priest (3:1-10)
D. Vision Five: The Lampstand and Two Olive Trees (4:1-14)
C. Vision Six: The Flying Scroll (5:1-4)
B. Vision Seven: The Woman in the Basket (5:5-11)
A. Vision Eight: The Four Chariots (6:1-15)
The Meaning of the First Vision
Since God Himself gave these visions to Zechariah, we must recognize that their distinct characteristics set them apart from ordinary dreams. As we journey up and down the “literary mountain” of these visions, we discover that God is teaching foundational truths designed to turn His people around—to call them to repent and return to Him. As noted in the previous chapter, confession and repentance occupy a central place throughout Zechariah’s message.
More than sixty years later, Nehemiah 9 records Israel’s corporate confession of sin. Zechariah shares this concern for the community, yet he also stresses the equal importance of individual repentance—among the people and those in positions of leadership. God desires the hearts of all His people to return to Him.
When Zechariah sees the man on the red horse and the three horses behind him, he naturally asks, “My lord, what are these?” (1:9a). The interpreting angel immediately responds, “I will show you what they are” (1:9b).
This takes us back to verse 8, where the scene is described:
“I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse. It stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white.”
The reference to the myrtle trees in the hollow helps us locate the vision. Zechariah—serving in the priestly line sixteen years after Cyrus released the exiles—was likely envisioning a setting near Jerusalem. Before the captivity, a dense grove of myrtle trees grew in the Kidron Valley, east of the Temple Mount and below the Mount of Olives. In the ancient Near East, the myrtle tree symbolized love. It is evergreen, fragrant, and blooms late in the year—an image of enduring affection.
The lead horseman sits upon a red horse—a color often associated with judgment or bloodshed. Behind him stand three additional horses: red, sorrel, and white. Altogether, there are four horses. In Scripture, the number four frequently represents the whole earth, symbolically tied to the four cardinal directions. This suggests that these riders have traveled the world on a divine mission, gathering intelligence before reporting back to Myrtle Grove.
Verse 10 explains their role:
“And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, ‘These are the ones whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.’”
Then verse 11 reveals a crucial detail:
“So they answered the Angel of the LORD, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly.’”
Their report is delivered not to Zechariah’s interpreting angel but to the Angel of the LORD—the pre-incarnate Christ (Jesus), the second Person of the Godhead.
The imagery here is deliberate. The riders assemble in a grove of myrtle trees—a symbol of love—reminding us that even though the horses may represent judgment, the setting emphasizes God’s steadfast, covenant love. Christ Himself receives the report that “all the earth is resting quietly.”
Historically, by the second year of Darius the Great (520 BC), the Persian Empire was indeed experiencing relative stability. From a human viewpoint, the world appeared calm.
Yet heaven sees deeper.
God’s Compassion and Zeal (vv. 12–13)
The narrative continues:
“Then the Angel of the LORD answered and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which You were angry these seventy years?’ And the LORD answered the angel who talked with me, with good and comforting words.”
—Zechariah 1:12–13
The “anger” referenced here concerns the divine judgment that led to Judah’s seventy-year captivity. Historically, this judgment began in 606 BC and ended in 536 BC—exactly as foretold. Yet the cause of this long captivity was Judah’s persistent refusal to listen to God.
Zechariah’s opening sermon called the people to reverse course—to turn toward God so that God might walk with them. But sixteen years after their return from Babylon, the Lord is still calling them to repent. Their circumstances had changed; their hearts had not. The message God proclaimed before the exile is the same message He proclaims after it: “Return to Me.”
Despite the severity of past judgment, verse 13 emphasizes that the Lord now speaks “good and comforting words.” Among the myrtle trees—the symbol of love—judgment gives way to restoration. The pre-incarnate Christ intercedes on behalf of Judah, and God the Father responds with compassion and hope.
A Renewed Divine Commitment (vv. 14–15)
Zechariah is then told:
“‘Proclaim, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts:
I am zealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great zeal.
I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease;
For I was a little angry, and they helped—
but with evil intent.”’”
—Zechariah 1:14–15
Here we see the heart of God: zeal for His people, indignation toward those who mistreated them. God’s discipline toward Judah was corrective; His anger toward the nations is judicial. These nations—such as Samaria, Edom, and others—had amplified Judah’s suffering, interfered with their rebuilding efforts, and taken advantage of their weakness.
The Promise of Restoration (vv. 16–17)
God now issues a message of hope:
“‘I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy;
My house shall be built in it,’ says the LORD of hosts,
‘and a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.’”
—Zechariah 1:16
And again:
“‘My cities shall again overflow with prosperity;
The LORD will again comfort Zion,
And will again choose Jerusalem.’”
—Zechariah 1:17
The mention of the “surveyor’s line” signifies renewed construction. God intends to rebuild Jerusalem and restore it. Isaiah and Ezekiel describe this restoration as a new Eden—ever increasing, ever flourishing (Isaiah 51:3; Ezekiel 36:35).
God’s Heart for His People
This message echoes Isaiah 40:1
“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” says your God.
God’s desire is always to comfort. His longing is for His people to walk with Him. Israel’s captivity came about because they insisted on independence from God. Yet even after their failure, God returns with mercy, ready to restore.
The pre-incarnate Christ—standing among the myrtle trees—embodies the Father’s love toward Judah and Jerusalem. Though the riders reported that “all the earth is resting quietly,” God was actively working to draw His people back into a relationship with Himself. That relationship begins with repentance—a 180-degree turn from their present course.
Zechariah’s Message for Then—and Now
Zechariah’s first two sermons call Judah and Jerusalem into right relationship with God so that they may again become a blessing to the nations.
The same call is extended to God’s people today. He is calling His remnant to repent, to turn fully toward Him, and to walk in faithfulness. As He promised Judah and Jerusalem, so He promises us: if we turn toward Him, He will meet us where we are and walk with us into the fullness of His purposes.
“He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly, to love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?”
—Micah 6:8
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves,
and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
—2 Chronicles 7:14
God’s purpose for Israel and Judah was that they walk with Him and shine as a light to the nations. He calls His faithful remnant today to be the same—a city on a hill, displaying the love and glory of God to the world.
In Zechariah’s time, a right relationship with God was essential for the coming of the Messiah. Today, the message of Zechariah 1:1–17 prepares us—and the world—for the Messiah’s second coming in the clouds of glory.
Pastor Lester Bentley 
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