Zechariah 6:1-8

Zechariah 6:1-8

[1] And I turned,  and lifted up  mine eyes,  and looked,  four  chariots  out  from between two  mountains;  of brass.  [2] In the first  chariot  were red  horses;  and in the second  chariot  black  horses;  [3] And in the third  chariot  white  horses;  and in the fourth  chariot  grisled  and bay  horses.  [4] Then I answered  and said  unto the angel  that talked  with me, What are these, my lord?  [5] And the angel  answered  and said  unto me, These are the four  spirits  of the heavens,  which go forth  from standing  before the Lord  of all the earth.  [6] The black  horses  which are therein go forth  into the north  country;  and the white  go forth  after  them; and the grisled  go forth  toward the south  country.  [7] And the bay  went forth,  and sought  that they might walk to and fro  through the earth:  and he said,  walk to and fro  through the earth.  So they walked to and fro  through the earth.  [8] Then cried  he upon  me, and spake  unto me, saying,  Behold,  these that go  toward the north  country  have quieted  my spirit  in the north  country. 

What does Zechariah 6:1-8 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

There are several similarities between this last vision and the first one ( Zechariah 1:7-17) indicating a return to ideas introduced at the beginning of this chiastic series of revelations. Again there is a group of horses of various colors, but their order and colors are somewhat different. Zechariah mentioned a rider in vision one but no chariots, but in vision eight chariots without horsemen appear. There is a similar emphasis on the fact that Yahweh controls history and subdues the nations that oppress Israel.
"This last of the eight [1] shares so much in common with the first that the two, at least, must be viewed as book ends enveloping the whole series." [2]