Don’t be like your ancestors. Don’t you see what happened to them? They sinned. God warned them. They didn’t believe the warning. But God brought about all that He said he would. The people of Israel responded:
“Then they repented and said, “The LORD Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’” (v. 6).
Next came the vision of a man riding a red horse among the myrtle trees with red, brown and white horses behind them. Zechariah asks what are these?
The man answers that these are the ones the LORD sent to see what was up in the nations. And what he found was disturbing. The nations were at rest and at peace.
Isn’t that something good? When nations are at peace? Not necessarily.
“I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they added to the calamity” (v. 15).
The nations were full of sin and evil, the same kind and even worse than Israel. Yet they felt secure in their sin. Not only that but they had often contributed to the destruction of Israel which we have seen angers God (Zephaniah).
The LORD continues that he will return to Israel and bring once again peace and prosperity. The land of Israel will once again be blessed.
Then Zechariah saw another vision. One of four horns. These were the four horns that scattered Israel. These “nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people” (v. 21). Was this Babylon and Assyria, their conquerors?
Ot was it Moab/Ammon of Zeph 2:8 who insulted, mocked and despise Israel. If that’s the case the other 3 horns would be Philistia, Cush and Assyria which are also mentioned in Zeph 2. This is possible.
Or the other horns could be futuristic for the kingdoms to come which we saw in Daniel – The Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks then the Romans. I think this is less likely.
It says “these are the horns that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem” (v. 19).
If anything the Zephaniah 2 prophecy is more likely. Babylon actually didn’t scatter the Israelites. They hosted them although as enemies.
But Assyria? The Jews were so scattered by them that even today people debate “The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.”. Although DNA evidence tends to show that they went to Ethiopia.
And then in Zeph 2 we read at least Moab/Ammon were very insulting of Israel. It is presumed that Philistia and Cush were the same. So this makes more sense that the 4 horns were those of Zeph 2.
But either way, the big picture is this.
God was warning Israel not to evil like their forefathers but to walk in holiness.
God was angry at the nations who were at peace but were full of evil and sin.
God would restore Israel.
He would bring judgment on the nations who had a false sense of security and safety.
