Zechariah 1:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That creation is filled with angels and demons, all of whom are under God's authority, with the angels serving Him by following His commands, while the devil cannot act independently or fulfill his desires without divine permission. Though he has fallen from his former allegiance and no longer serves God, he is still restrained by fear, which curtails his power. Notice, the angels serve God as ministers, demonstrating the results of their efforts as seen in Zechariah, while Satan remains mute in their presence. Therefore, the phrase suggests nothing more than his subjection to God. What, then, is the significance of this? It means he coexists with them in this earthly realm. Just as righteous and wicked individuals dwell side by side, so too do angels and demons.

God revealed visions to His holy prophets at specific times and in distinct ways. We do not claim that these revelations were granted continuously and without interruption; rather, they were given at divinely appointed moments and according to God's will, using various means of communication. At times, they received insight through the Holy Spirit, while at other times, they were given visions of future events, as God unveiled His mysteries in secret, using various images and metaphors. As the prophet Isaiah states, he saw the Lord of hosts ‘sitting on a high and exalted throne,’ surrounded by seraphim who called to one another (Isaiah 6). Similarly, the prophet Ezekiel described seeing a throne above the firmament, with seraphim beneath it. He noted that the One seated on the throne had two natures, with the lower part appearing as fire and the upper part resembling a precious stone (Ezekiel 1:4). Anyone wishing to explore in-depth why God chose to communicate visions in such diverse forms would find much to consider.

Blessed Zechariah, identifying the specific time, days, and month, saw the Lord in a manner akin to our own, stating, Behold, a man on a red horse. This description suggests a warrior experienced in battle. To be seated on a horse, especially a red one which symbolizes blood, conveys a powerful image. It portrays God as a divine warrior against those who oppose Him, rising up against the rebellious and proud.

Thus, the descendants of Israel in Judea and Jerusalem, along with the inhabitants of Samaria, the ten tribes, turned to idolatry, worshiping man-made idols, and calling to golden calves: Behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you from the land of Egypt (1 Kings 12:28). They disregarded the law and acted according to their own desires. Consequently, the Almighty appeared against them, symbolically on horseback, and He stood between two overshadowed mountains. These mountains likely represent Zion and Samaria, with neither receiving divine acknowledgment, possibly because both were heavily populated, resembling a dense forest.

Behind the red horseman, other horses of varied colors—red, grey, speckled, and white—stood, symbolizing kings or courageous nations desiring to extend their reign beyond their own lands. These kings sought to establish dominance over all the earth and the heavens. They included the rulers of Babylon: Tula, who conquered tribes across the Jordan, Salmanasar, who destroyed Samaria, Sennacherib, who devastated the remnants of Samaria and countless cities in Judah, and Nebuchadnezzar, who captured Jerusalem and led Israel into exile. The prophet's vision of horses of different colors likely reflects the diversity of ambitions and intentions among these rulers. Confused, the prophet sought clarification and learned that these were the ones sent by the Lord to patrol the earth, which remained peaceful and submissive under their rule, not willingly, but out of necessity, bearing the yoke placed upon them.

This marks the seventieth year." The Lord responded to the angel speaking to me with words of glad tidings and encouragement.

Let us first contemplate the historical context. While I observed at night, this was unlike Moses, who encountered God directly, or Isaiah, who proclaimed, "I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up" (Isaiah 6:1); this vision occurred before the people were taken into exile, when the temple and Jerusalem faced devastation. The prophet, in this moment of darkness, sees a message meant for those enduring the trials of captivity.

I witnessed a man riding on a red horse. The Hebrews interpret this figure as the Archangel Michael, the defender of Israel against wrongdoings. He is depicted as standing among the myrtles, which symbolize the faithful prophets and saints who ministered to those in bondage and walked among the oppressed. The horses that followed Michael represent various nations: the red horses denote the Romans, known for their cruelty; the spotted signify the Macedonians, a mix of allies and adversaries; and the white correspond to the Persians, who brought an end to the captivity and restored the temple.

According to tradition, the horsemen signify the four established kingdoms, including the Assyrians and Chaldeans who decimated the tribes of Israel, and later the Medes and Persians—some of whom were benevolent leaders like Cyrus and Darius, while others treated the people harshly. The prophet, confused about his vision, seeks understanding from the angel overseeing him, who promises further insight. It is then disclosed that these kingdoms are under divine command to survey and govern creation.

The angels presiding over these realms report their findings, indicating a time of relative peace. Upon hearing this, the angel advocating for Israel questions, "If the earth is at peace, why, O Lord, do You not show mercy to Your people?" The Lord responds to the angel, offering reassuring promises for what is to come, paired with the essential comfort needed for the present moment.

This illustrates the deeper spiritual meaning, as seen by the early Church fathers, who interpret the night of the vision as representing the obscurity surrounding its revelations, echoing Scripture that speaks of the Lord being shrouded in darkness (Psalms 17:12). The rider on the crimson horse symbolizes Christ, who, bearing our mortal form, appears in the prophet Isaiah's vision as noted in "Why are Your garments red?" (Isaiah 63:2). Though depicted here in red, He is later envisioned as seated on a white horse adorned in radiant clothing in the Revelation of John (Rev. 3:5, Rev. 6:2).

The standing between the two mountains of shadow refers to the Old and New Testaments, rich in divine revelations. The myrtle trees, associated with great depths, represent the heavenly hosts that supported Christ during His earthly existence. The mountains symbolize the saints—apostles whose actions echoed the movement of the horses, red, spotted, and white. These servant leaders proclaimed the Gospel worldwide, returning to the divine council to report their fulfillment of the Lord's commission, echoing, "We are the aroma of Christ to those being saved and to those perishing" (2 Cor. 2:15).

They acknowledged having completed their mission and declared the earth now inhabited and tranquil, having gone from desolation to a state of peace, free from violence and sin, establishing the inheritance of the Lord. As the narrative of mercy unfolds, the vision signifies that before true peace and rest can fully manifest, and before the culmination of the seventy years takes place, Jerusalem and the cities of Judah—symbolic of the Church—cannot attain complete freedom. God assures through comforting words what is seen only in part and prophesied in fragments (1 Cor. 13:9), promising fulfillment that leads the redeemed from this age of distress to acknowledge, "When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream" (Ps. 125:1).

He did the same for the blessed Zacharias, revealing to him the angel who guards the people of God, identified as St. Michael, as confirmed by the angel who interacted with Daniel. This angel declared, ‘There is none that helpeth with me concerning these things: but Michael your prince’ (Dan. 10:21). The Prophet depicted him riding a horse, which symbolizes the urgency of the actions being undertaken. The red hue of the horse signifies divine wrath against the nations in conflict, as wrath is often associated with bloodshed and a crimson appearance. The mountains not only symbolize stability but also exalted protection provided by the angels. The vastness and shadow of the mountains illustrate Divine provision, which blessed David assures those who trust in God through his proclamation, ‘He that liveth in the help of the Highest, in the shelter of the God of heaven shall dwell’ (Psalms 90:1), and further, ‘He will cover you with His arms’ (Psalms 90:4), along with another assertion, ‘in the shelter of Thy wing Thou coverest me’ (Psalms 16:8). Moreover, Israel was surrounded by a pillar of cloud during their time in the wilderness. Thus, the angel who safeguards the people of God was depicted as standing between the mountains, symbolizing Divine assistance. However, Aquila and Symmachus referred to the mountains as myrtle. Myrtle is a sweet-smelling plant known for soothing passionate fervor, thus representing the future comfort to be offered by the God of all comfort to the Jewish people. When the prophet saw Michael accompanied by the red, grey, mottled, and white horses, he inquired to understand the purpose behind the command he had received. From the first angel he encountered, who stood amidst the mountains, he learned that the horses had been dispatched to survey the entire earth. In confirmation of this, those mounted on the multicolored horses reported to the angel stationed between the mountains, ‘Having gone round the whole inhabited earth, we have found that it enjoys peace and quiet.’ Upon hearing this, the angel, assigned to care for the people of God, became greatly distressed that while all others rested in peace, the people under his watch were beset by numerous afflictions, and he lifted up this prayer to the Lord: