The eight night visions of Zechariah

NIGHT VISIONSAnother type of vision

DEFINITION OF VISION, BAKERS EVANGELICAL DICTIONARY.

Visions occur frequently in the Bible as instruments of supernatural revelation.

They are audiovisual means of communication between a heavenly being and an earthly recipient.


The terms used to designate visions in both Testaments have to do with seeing or perceiving.

The Old Testament terms for vision (the Hebrew verbs raa and haza and their several noun derivatives) mean simply to look at or to see.


In the New Testament, horao [oJravw] is one of the Greek verbs for see, observe, or perceive, but its related noun (horama [o&rama]) is the common term for "vision."

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/horao.html

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/horama.html


Revelatory visions portray scenery or dramatic circumstances to the human recipient while the human is awake.


The distinction between a vision and a dream has to do with whether the human is awake or asleep; the result is the same.


The prophetic use of dreams and visions is summarized in the Lord's dramatic defense of Moses in the face of Aaron and Miriam's revolt:

"When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams" ( Num 12:6 ).

http://www.biblestudytools.com/numbers/12-6.html

Dreams and visions are part of the prophetic of vehicles that the Lord uses to communicate His revelation to a person that receives the revelation.

JOB 33:14-15 (NKJV)

14 For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,When deep sleep falls upon men,While slumbering on their beds,

NIGHT VISIONS

Night visions are visions that occur during night time.

As people prepare to sleep at night they can receive visions.

They can not immediately sleep because the Lord is showing them different things in visions

NIGHT VISIONS

These can be open visions or inner visions.

The difference here is that the visions occur while you are trying to sleep or awakening of your sleep.

Some people can wake up, have a vision then continue to sleep.

These visions can be in series or can be interrupted, they can continue after prayer or meditation.

EXAMPLES IN THE BIBLE:

Genesis 46:1-4 (NKJV) Jacob’s Journey to Egypt 46 So Israel took his journey with all that he had,

and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!”

And he said, “Here I am.” 3 So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do

not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”

DANIEL 7:7 (NKJV)

7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

DANIEL 7:13-14 (NKJV)

13 “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.14 Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away,And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

NOTE:

So, just as a reminder, all the physicals are functioning in a vision, the intellect is working and the person having the vision can see, hear, speak, move, interact with the characters of the vision and become an active part of the vision

THE NIGHT VISIONS OF ZECHARIAH

Lets do a quick study about the eight night visions of the Prophet Zechariah.

This were visions during the night.

Lets pay attention to the symbols, and

Lets pay attention to their meaning

ZECHARIAH. 1:1 - 6:15

VISION #1: THE MAN AMONG THE MYRTLE TREE

ZECHARIAH 1:7-17

MEANING: God’s anger with the nations, restoration and blessing upon Israel. The report of the scout horses angers God as

everything apparently is in peace and order while His people Israel is in captivity for some 70 years.

The Lord proclaims his returning to Jerusalem with mercy,

So His house will be built, prosperity will come again upon Israel, He will comfort Zion, and He will choose again Jerusalem.

SYMBOLS IN VISION #1

Main character: The man in the red horse, points out to Jesus.

He has returned doing his work of redeeming and restoring mankind to God.

His red horse represents the ransom sacrifice.

Jesus’ blood that satisfies God’s justice and releases man from death.


Hollow, meadow, valley surrounded by God’s mountains of the everlasting Kingdom of God.

Horses: Red, sinful condition. Sorrel, spotted, sinful patterns

conditions still to be removed. White. Perfect, holy condition.


The myrtle trees point out to holy children of God.

The white flowers of the trees signify the righteousness of those who have made his walk in the path of holiness.

Note that the rider of the red horse and the red, sorrel, and white horses are returning from the earth.

They bring a report of what they have seeing

VISION #2: THE FOUR HORNS AND THE FOUR CRAFTSMEN.

ZECHARIAH 1:18-21

Meaning: Gods judgment to the nations that afflict Israel.

What are these? “The horns that have scattered Judah, Israel

and Jerusalem.” What are these coming to do? “The craftsmen are coming to terrify them,

to cast out the horns of the nations that lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”


Horns symbolize power, dominion. These four empires point out to the

gentile dominion of the empires of: Babylon, Medo–Persia, Greece, and Rome. God gave them dominion over the

nation of Israel and the whole world.


The four craftsmen, carpenters: These are avengers of God. They point to the four attributes of

God: Wisdom, justice, love, and power. God dealt with them one by one

casting them out.

RASHI, A JEWISH RABBI AND BIBLE COMMENTATOR EXPLAINS THAT THEY ARE: Messiah, son of David, and Messiah, the

son of Joseph because they will rebuild the Temple; Elijah, because he was a stoneworker, having built the altar on Mt. Carmel; and Melchizedek (Shem, son of Noah), as he is known as a craftsman in Isaiah 41:7, because he helped build the ark. According to the Rabbis, this verse belongs to a future Messianic time. Today, rabbis in Israel say we are now entering that era.

VISION #3: THE MAN WITH THE MEASURING LINE.

ZECHARIAH 2:1-12

Meaning: God’s future blessing on restored Israel.

“Where are you going?” “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width

and what is its length.” “Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without

walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it.”

“For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”


The surveyor It could be that this surveyor is the

pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ, who appeared as the “man riding upon a red horse” in Zechariah’s first vision (1:8).

In the first vision, He is identified as the “angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees” (1:11).

SYMBOLS AND PROMISES

5 And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will be its glory within.’

8For this is what the LORD Almighty says: “After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye—

VISION #4: THE HIGH PRIEST JOSHUA CLEANSED AND

CROWNED.

ZECHARIAH 3

Meaning: Israel’s future cleansing from and reinstitution as a Priestly Nation.

Now God turns and focuses in the internal state of Israel, which is in need of cleansing from sin and reinstatement as a Priestly Nation and a Light to the world.

"The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you!"

"Take off his filthy clothes See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you Put a clean turban on his head"

CHARACTERS IN VISION #4

Joshua, represents the Jewish people before the Lord.

Although the people are unclean and unworthy to worship the Lord, as a sovereign act of confirming His election He will make His people clean and bless them.

Joshua is a shadow of Jesus the High Priest,

Jesus is our High Priest.


Satan de accuser. He always stands to accuse, and to resist us. Joshua was guilty of charge. The Lord rebukes Satan twice, he cannot bring

charges against Israel. God has chosen Israel. In the same way, Satan is unable to bring

charges against us. Romans 8:33 (NKJV) 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s

elect? It is God who justifies.


The Angel of the Lord. Is the pre-incarnated Christ. Here there are three Messianic titles for

the Lord. “My servant, the Branch” (3:8b) “The stone” (3:9)


Companions: the other priests that learn from Joshua.

The Branch points out to Jesus. The stone with the seven eyes

reminiscent of Daniel's stone that smashed the kingdoms – Dan 2, and Ezekiel’s visions of God in His glory -Ezekiel 1, point out to The Messiah.


The Stone pictures the Lord Jesus, the Cornerstone.

The seven eyes on the stone picture the divine wisdom of Jesus and his church in the kingdom as the chief cornerstone,

THE NUMBER SEVEN,

The seven eyes, may be used here because seven is the number of completeness.

It may be a reference to the sevenfold fullness of the one Spirit of Yahweh given to Messiah (Isa. 11:2): the spirit of the LORD, the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of counsel, the spirit of might, the spirit of knowledge, and the spirit of the fear of the LORD.

JESUS THE BRANCH.

(1) The Branch as Royal King. "I will raise to David a Branch of

righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:5) "Behold your King“, the Messiah in

Matthew.

(2) The Branch as Servant. "My Servant the BRANCH" (Zech. 3:8); "Behold My Servant“, the Messiah in

Mark.

JESUS THE BRANCH.

(3) The Branch as Fully Man. "The Man whose name is the BRANCH" (Zech. 6:12) "Behold the Man“, the Messiah in Luke.

(4) The Branch as Fully God. "The Branch of the LORD" (Isa. 4:2); "Behold the Son of God“, the Messiah in

John).

VISION #5: THE LAMPSTAND AND THE TWO OLIVE TREES.

ZECHARIAH 4

Meaning: Israel as a light to the Nations under Messiah as the King-Priest.

"These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range throughout the earth" (v.10b).

"These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth“ (v.14).

"Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty" (v.6).

KEYS

The fifth vision, focuses on the completion of the temple.

The temple would not be completed by human wisdom or strength, but by the Spirit of God.

The lampstand occupies the central place in this vision, as it use to be in the “Holy Place” in the Tabernacle.

TEACHINGS OF THE VISION:

(1). God's Work Will Be Accomplished by God's Spirit 4:1-6

(2). God's Work Must Not Be Despised for Its Small Beginnings 4:7-10

(3). God's Work Values People More than Institutions 4:11-14

VISION #6 THE FLYING SCROLL.

ZECHARIAH 5:1-4

Meaning: The Divine Judgment on sin of Israel.

Zechariah saw a flying scroll, 30 feet long and 15 feet wide, these dimensions are the exact dimensions of the Holy Place in the tabernacle.

“I will send out the curse,” says the Lord of hosts; “It shall enter the house of the thief And the house of the one who swears falsely by My name. It shall remain in the midst of his house And consume it, with its timber and stones.” (v. 4).

KEYS

The scroll probably represents the law which was contained in the Ark on two stone tablets.

The angel explained that this scroll was a curse against two groups of people: those who steal, and those who swear falsely.

The curse was going to go forth and enter the houses of the thieves and those who swore falsely. It was going to spend the night and consume the house.

SYMBOLS

In this vision the house points out to our hearts and the characters we build.

If we have the spirit of God’s law abiding in our hearts and controlling our thoughts, words, and deeds, then we build with gold, silver, and precious gems, won’t be consumed and our work will stand.

If we build with wood, hay and stubble, our work will crumble and be consumed.

KEYS: THE SCROLL IS WRITTEN ON BOTH SIDES.

There are three other similar mentions in Scripture:

Exod. 32:15. When Moses received the

tablets on which God wrote the Ten Commandments, they were written on both sides.

Ezek. 2:9-10. A scroll that Ezekiel was shown also was written on the front and back; and written on it were lamentations, mourning and woe.

Rev. 5:1. And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

VISION #7: THE WOMAN IN A BASKET.

ZECHARIAH 5: 5-11

Meaning: The removal of national Israel’s sin or rebellion against God.

So I asked, “What is it?” And he said, “It is a basket that is going forth.” (v. 6)

The basket represented "the iniquity of the people throughout the land." (v. 6).

The angel said that the woman represented wickedness, “Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth.” (v.8).

SYMBOLS:

Some versions call the basket an “ephah”, which was a dry measure for things like flour, grain, and barley.

But this one is extremely large to call the attention!

The woman inside. The angel describes her as "Wickedness."

SYMBOLS:

Lead is a kind of counterfeit gold; it is similar in weight but without the characteristics of beauty and incorruptibility of gold.

Gold in the Scriptures is a symbol of things divine, particularly divine truth.

Thus the lead cover points out to counterfeit practices that have a righteous appearance.

Zechariah saw two women with the wind in their wings like a stork, and they lifted the basket up into the air between heaven and earth.

SYMBOLS: The stork is shown as an unclean bird in the

OT. These two women could represent the

Assyrians and Babylonians, in the deportation of Israel.

To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place.“

Shinar is the place where the Tower on Babel was built up, in Babylon

Babylon is the place of ancient and future idolatry and rebellion against God, an apt location for the removal of idolatry from Israel.

VISION # 8: FOUR CHARIOTS COMING FROM BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS.

ZECHARIAH 6:1-8

Meaning: Divine Judgment on gentile nations.

“What are these, my lord?” (v.4). “These are four spirits of heaven, who go out

from their station before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.” (v. 5b-6).

“Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth.” (v. 7).

KEYS:

These are obviously war chariots, pointing to the intention to dispense judgment.

"two mountains, . . . mountains of bronze“ There is not a solid interpretation for this.

Those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest.

(6) The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them,

KEYS:

The dappled are going toward the south country.

The red horses are staying, they don’t go anywhere.

This visions end with the crowning of Joshua.

Joshua is not crowned as king, this is a strong prophetic declaration that someone else will be crowned as King and Priest, the man named Branch!

CONCLUSION:

The eight visions surely indicate that God was going to do more than complete the building of the temple.

Messiah, the unifier of the priestly and kingly offices, would remove the guilt of iniquity in one day, restore the nation of Israel back to her land, subdue all the nations that had for so long harassed Israel, and sit on His throne over the whole world as undisputed king of all the nations.

COMPARING REVELATORY EXPERIENCES

Vision: Person awake. Full physical awareness.


Night Vision: Half asleep / half awake (twilight)

Some physical awareness.


Dream: Asleep, deep sleep. No physical awareness.


Trance: Awake and placed into a sleep-like state.

No physical awareness.

Spiritual

The eight night visions of Zechariah