Zechariah 6: The Branch Who Builds the Temple
Four chariots patrol the earth, and Joshua is crowned as a sign of the Branch who will build God's temple and rule as both priest and king.
Zechariah 6 (WEB)
1 Again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2 In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot black horses;
3 in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot dappled horses, all of them powerful.
4 Then I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”
5 The angel answered me, “These are the four winds of the sky, which go out from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The one with the black horses goes out toward the north country; and the white went out after them; and the dappled went out toward the south country.”
7 The strong went out, and sought to go that they might walk back and forth through the earth: and he said, “Go around and through the earth!” So they walked back and forth through the earth.
8 Then he called to me, and spoke to me, saying, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.”
9 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
10 “Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, where they have come from Babylon.
11 Yes, take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest;
12 and speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of Armies, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build Yahweh’s temple;
13 even he shall build Yahweh’s temple; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne; and he shall be a priest on his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
14 The crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in Yahweh’s temple.
15 Those who are far off shall come and build in Yahweh’s temple; and you shall know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you. This will happen, if you will diligently obey Yahweh your God’s voice.”’”
Zechariah 6 (KJV)
1 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were 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 to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, 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.
9 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
11 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord:
13 Even he shall build the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord.
15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.
Zechariah 6 (ASV)
1 And again I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were 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 grizzled strong 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 winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The chariot wherein are the black horses goeth forth toward the north country; and the white went forth after them; and the grizzled went forth toward the south country.
7 And the strong went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
8 Then cried he to me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, they that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
9 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah; and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah, whither they are come from Babylon;
11 yea, take of them silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest;
12 and speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of Jehovah;
13 even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of Jehovah.
15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of Jehovah; and ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of Jehovah your God.
Summary
The last of the night visions shows four chariots coming out from between two mountains of bronze, drawn by red, black, white, and dappled horses. The angel explains that these are the four winds of heaven, going out from standing before the Lord of all the earth to patrol the world, and those that go to the north country quiet God's spirit there—a sign that his sovereign rule is established. Then the vision gives way to a symbolic action. God tells Zechariah to take silver and gold from certain returned exiles, make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the high priest. He is to declare a remarkable word: behold the man whose name is the Branch, who will grow up out of his place and build the temple of the Lord. This Branch will bear the glory, sit and rule on his throne, and be a priest on his throne, so that the counsel of peace will be between the two offices. The crown is to remain in the temple as a memorial. Those far off will come and help build the temple, confirming that God has sent his prophet. The chapter dramatically unites the offices of priest and king in one figure—pointing past Joshua to Jesus, the true Branch who is both our priest and our king.
Key Figures
- Zechariah — The prophet who sees the four chariots and is commanded to make a crown and set it on the high priest as a prophetic sign.
- Joshua the high priest — The priest crowned with silver and gold as a living sign pointing to the Branch who will be both priest and king.
- The Branch — God's promised servant who will grow up out of his place, build the Lord's temple, bear the glory, and rule as priest on his throne—fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
- The four chariots — The four winds of heaven going out from the Lord of all the earth to patrol the world, signaling God's sovereign rule established.
Key Verse
Zechariah 6:12 (WEB)
and speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh of Armies, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build Yahweh’s temple;
Lessons Learned
- God sovereignly patrols and rules the whole earth through unseen agents.
- The Branch unites in himself the offices of priest and king, which were always kept separate in Israel.
- Christ both builds God's true temple and bears the glory due to him.
- Through the Branch there is a counsel of peace—reconciliation between God and his people.
- God rules over all the earth. The chariots are “the four winds of the sky, which go out from standing before the Lord of all the earth” (Zechariah 6:5, WEB). Nothing happens outside God's sovereign oversight.
- The Branch builds God's true temple. “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch… he shall build Yahweh’s temple” (Zechariah 6:12, WEB). Christ builds the lasting dwelling of God, his people.
- The Branch is both priest and king. “He shall sit and rule on his throne; and he shall be a priest on his throne” (Zechariah 6:13, WEB). In Christ the two offices are united in one Savior.
- The Branch brings the counsel of peace. “The counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zechariah 6:13, WEB). Through Christ, priestly atonement and kingly rule together secure our peace with God.
- What do the four chariots patrolling the earth tell us about God's rule over the nations?
- Why is it significant that a crown is placed on Joshua the priest, not on a king?
- Who is the Branch (6:12), and how does he fulfill what this sign points to?
- What does it mean that the Branch will be both priest and king, with “the counsel of peace” between the two offices (6:13)?
- How does knowing Jesus as both your priest and your king change the way you trust and obey him?
- The chariots go out in every direction from the presence of the Lord of all the earth, and those sent north quiet his spirit there (6:1-8). The vision assures the remnant that God's rule is not confined to Jerusalem; he governs the whole world. The unseen powers of history serve his purposes.
- In Israel the offices of priest and king were strictly separated—kings came from Judah, priests from Levi. Crowning the priest Joshua is a deliberate, surprising sign that one is coming who will hold both offices (6:11). It signals that the Branch will be a king-priest, something no ordinary man could be.
- The Branch is God's promised Messiah, here pictured through Joshua. Jesus is the one who grows up out of his place, builds God's true temple (his people), bears the glory, and rules as priest on his throne (6:12-13). The crowned high priest was only a sign; Christ is the reality.
- Israel's kings could not serve as priests, and priests could not reign, but the Branch unites both, and between the two offices is the counsel of peace (6:13). As priest, Christ offers the sacrifice that reconciles us to God; as king, he rules and protects us. Together they secure a lasting peace we could never make.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to reflect on Christ as priest—who intercedes and cleanses—and as king—who rules and guides. As leader, encourage them to bring their guilt to their priest and their decisions under their king, resting in the peace he secures between God and us.