Zechariah 6 – The Four Winds of Heaven

A meditation to Zechariah 6:1-8.

DRIVING out over the face of the land, four horse-driven chariots are ridden out from between two mountains shimmering like bronze. This is a vision of the pervasive sweep of God’s Spirit from out of the four corners of heaven onto the earth and out into the four corners of the earth.

These four winds of heaven are symbolic of God’s quiet though compelling activity over the whole earth.

The horses that convey the chariots are red, black, white, and dappled — each set of horses representing God’s divine nature. They drive out with intention over the land, bringing God’s judgment, his message, his grace, and finally, his Presence.

Where the four winds (spirits) go, there, evil can no longer remain. God is a purging Presence, a compelling message, a foreboding grace; a final judgment. Like with the number seven, there is a sense of completion in the number of four chariots; because they are driven to the four corners of the earth.

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God does not do things by half. And there is nothing unintentional about God’s activity, by his Spirit, over the earth. When God moves he brings the fullness of his divine intent and plan to being. We would be fools to ignore or trivialise this.

How this applies to us is easy to see.

The Lord will reign. Even as he does reign in heaven, and even as he superintends all creation, God is in control. Nothing that happens on earth is irredeemable. Nothing is wasted. And nothing is without purpose.

The four winds blow silently and inevitably into the fabric of our lives: judgment, the message, his grace, and his Presence. These four spirits emanate from mountainous strength; the solidity of bronze. They blow into our lives at conversion and they never stop impelling us toward the heavenly prize — God’s will on earth as it is in heaven.

We are admonished by God’s Spirit of judgment because he loves us so much to correct our wrongdoing — justice. We are edified by the Spirit of God’s message because he loves us so much to teach us — righteousness. We are encouraged by God’s Spirit of grace — favour. Finally, we are strengthened by the assurance of God’s Spiritual Presence — confidence.

Kerbed by justice, grown in righteousness, furnished with favour, gifted confidence.

Four gifts God gives, by his Spirit: a sense for justice, humility to live right, the Lord’s favour, and confidence from his Presence.

© 2015 Steve Wickham.