Zechariah 1:7-17
"the man among the myrtle trees"
This is Zechariah's first vision. In it, he saw a man riding a red horse, flanked by red, brown and white horses, while standing amongst myrtle trees in a ravine. Now, there is probably some significance to all the details - probably very symbolic - but i'm not really sure what everything means. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, believes these to represent various different things. The shaded grove & ravine = the dark, low condition of the israelites. The man on the red horse = Christ (another commentator says an angel of the Lord, similar to the one that appeared to joshua) on a war-stained horse. the different colored horses = angels of judgement, mercy or a mixture of both (e-sword).
Zechariah then inquired about the horses to the angel who was apparently accompanying him. the angel replied saying that they were the "ones sent to go throughout the earth." The horses then address the man riding a horse saying that the whole earth is at peace to which the seated man, revealed now as an angel, cries out to the Lord asking how long mercy will be withheld from the israelites.
The angel with Zechariah then replied to the aggrieved angel with a word from God saying that he is jealous for judah and that he is upset with the way the nations He used to discipline the israelites have presumed to overstep their mark. God then states that he will restore Jerusalem and the temple there and that israel will begin to flourish again.
Zechariah was evidently one of the prophets that worked towards the end of the 70 year exile. the imagery, and possible meanings, also help show that God is gathering, preparing for the restoration of israel, ultimately through Christ...
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