The Four Chariots Go Out
6 1 I looked up again, and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains — and the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot black horses, 3 the third chariot white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses — all of them strong. 4 So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, "What are these, my lord?"
5 The angel answered me, "These are the four winds of heaven, going out from the presence of the Sovereign of all the earth." 6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the land of the north, the white go out after them, and the dappled go toward the land of the south. 7 When the strong horses went out, they were straining to go and patrol the earth. And he said, "Go, patrol the earth!" So they patrolled the earth.
8 Then he called to me and said, "Look, those going to the land of the north have set my Spirit at rest in the land of the north." a a v8 "Set my Spirit at rest" means God's purposes of judgment against the north — the direction from which Israel's oppressors came — have now been fulfilled.
The Branch Will Build His Temple
9 Then the word of our Father came to me:
10 "Take an offering from the exiles — from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon — and go that same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold, make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 Tell him: This is what the Father of heaven's armies says: Here is the man whose name is the Branch, for he will branch out from his place and build the temple of our Father. 13 It is he who will build the temple of our Father; he will bear the majesty and sit and rule on his throne. He will be a priest on his throne, and there will be peaceful harmony between the two offices. b b v13 Here one man is both king on the throne and priest at once — something no ruler in Israel was ever allowed to be. It points ahead to Jesus, who alone joins kingship and priesthood, and in whom the peace between the two is perfectly held. 14 The crown will be kept in the temple of our Father as a memorial to Heldai, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen son of Zephaniah. 15 Those who are far off will come and build the temple of our Father, and you will know that the Father of heaven's armies has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey his voice.