Daily Thoughts from Zechariah: Our Troubles God’s Craftsmen (Zechariah 1:18-21)

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.” (Zechariah 1:18-21, ESV)

Whether they represent four specific kingdoms that attacked and subdued Judah or stand generically for anyone who scatters God’s people, the four horns are being judged by Yahweh by four “craftsmen,” which either represent other nations or angelic warriors. God is ready to punish those He used to punish Israel for her idolatry. She should take joy in this.

Of tangential interest is that the “angel” or messenger (the Hebrew word for angel means messenger) talking to Zechariah is identified as Yahweh. Like many other places in the Old Testament, the angel or messenger of Yahweh is often identified with Yahweh, strongly suggesting that there is more than one Yahweh, more than one member of the Godhead. In this case it makes most sense that the Son is this messenger of Yahweh, as his responsibility has always been to make the Father known (John 1:18).

It is hard to acknowledge that God at times uses people we would consider more wicked than ourselves to discipline us. There is some comfort in knowing that they will get what is justly coming to them in the end, but meantime they have God’s permission to harm us. We struggle to see this as God’s love for us, but that is exactly what motivates all His discipline. He knows we are much better off holy than happy. In fact, it is only when we are truly holy that we are truly happy. Our consciences are clean, our hearts are rightly focused, our blessings are properly understood as gifts from Him, and the in-built desire in us to love and be loved is being fulfilled.

Valentino Dixon was involved in a fight with several young men that resulted in the shooting death of one them.  He did not kill the man but was nevertheless convicted of the crime, even though another man confessed publicly to killing the victim.  For 26 years he served time for murder, trying all the time to get himself exonerated.  He kept trying but failing, never being able to accomplish his goal but trusting God that He was with him in this fight.  “So many times,” he said, “I’ve come close [to giving up], but God kept giving me the strength to keep on and now I know why.” He was finally exonerated and released.  God’s timetable for his release was perfect.  God worked in his life exactly what needed to be worked on.

How many times have you and I struggled to believe God was with us?  The psalmist declares, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1), but we are tempted to doubt that when the timetable for His help seems too extended.  But the truth is that God’s craftsmen are coming to cast down the horns, the powers, that have been arrayed against us.  He will not allow our foes to scatter us.