Read Zechariah 1:18-21
Horns, blacksmiths, and colorful horses! “Are we in the book of Revelation?” is the question that came to me as I read this passage. I understand Zechariah does have some apocalyptic sections. Clearly the visions God gave Zechariah are a bit different from how other prophets received their messages. I appreciate Zechariah for giving us a detailed account of what he saw and what the angel explained to him. We don’t have to guess!
If you’ve ever been bullied, then you know the feeling of relief when your perpetrator has been exposed and punished. The Israelite nation had been abused by “bullying” nations for years. This part of the vision was meant to give them the peace of mind that their “bullies” would be taken care of. Whatever residual fears they had could be cleansed away.
Interestingly, this vision includes horns. The horn is the pride of the bull. I can just picture a bull strutting around a bull ring taunting the onlooker with a rope waiting for the right moment. According to the vision, “These horns represent the nations that scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.”
I learned that the horn is often a metaphor for strength in the Old Testament. It can symbolize the power of a nation. God did use powerful nations to discipline the Israelites. These nations were a lot more than just “bullies.”
These mighty oppressors would now face God’s vengeance for their actions. The message I see for us is that anyone who bullies God’s people will be punished. The vision mentions blacksmiths. Wouldn’t they have been the very ones who would have fashioned the tools and weapons used by these enemies to destroy Israel and Judah?
Have you seen any of these “blacksmiths” defeating your foes? We don’t have to worry about what will happen to our bullies. God has that covered. Instead, we should put our full focus on trusting Jesus and loving him with our whole heart.
Our foes don’t have access to God, to eternity, to endless blessings from a loving Father. That’s revenge right there, isn’t it? Our inheritance as a co-heir with Christ more than makes up for all of the bad things that could ever happen to us. Maybe you’ve never thought of it like that before.
Take a look at Romans 8:17, “And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.” There’s the clue that we will be abused in some way, just like the Israelites. But in the end, we’ll see God’s glory. Such an honor and privilege, don’t you think?
When I think of God’s justice meted out on those who hurt me, I do feel peace. It doesn’t matter what the world does to try and beat us up, we just need to cling to our Savior God who loves us and saves us.
Let’s pray. Father, I thank you for how you fight for me every day. You love me that much. I may have no idea of some of the battles raging, but I know that I can trust you. Even when things feel hot, and I lose my courage, help me to stop doubts from creeping in. Thank you for all the blessings of provisions you give me. May I never take them for granted without sharing my gratitude. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
