John Calvin Commentary Zechariah 1:18-21

"And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. And Jehovah showed me four smiths. Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head; but these are come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it." — Zechariah 1:18-21 (ASV)

Now follows another vision, by which God confirms what He had previously testified to His Prophet. He then says that though enemies should rise up on every side against the Church and cause it many troubles, there was still a remedy in God’s hand, as He would break in pieces all horns with His hammers.

He compares the Gentiles, who had been hostile to the Jews, to horns. He afterwards compares to workers the other enemies, whose hand and labor God would use for the purpose of breaking down the efforts of all those who would be troublesome to the Church.

The meaning of the whole, then, is that though the Church would not be exempt and free from many troubles, yet God would have in His hand those remedies by which He would check all the assaults of the wicked, however impetuously and violently they may rage against His afflicted Church.

But let us first see why the Prophet mentions four horns. The Jews refer to the Assyrians and the Babylonians, to the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans. This is because we find in other places—and Daniel especially shows very clearly (Daniel 2:32)—that there were to be four principal monarchies, by which God intended to give clear and memorable examples of His judgments.

But the Prophet, I have no doubt, speaks here of the Moabites and of the Syrians, and of other nations, as well as of the Assyrians or Chaldeans. Therefore, I believe they are mistaken who suppose that these four monarchies are intended here.

Instead, Zechariah says that they were four horns because they arose from the four quarters of the world. For we know that the Jews were harassed not only on one side but from the east and the west, from the north and the south.

Since enemies on every side, then, combined their strength and forces against the Jews, so that there was reason to tremble because of threats from the four quarters of the world—that is, from all surrounding places—the Prophet says that they had been scattered by four horns.

This view, however, still seems unconvincing, because it was not necessary for the Prophet to state what was well known to all. Rather, God intended to show that the nations which had been antagonistic and hostile to the Jews had done nothing except through His hidden impulse, so that the Jews might understand that these were so many scourges by which He intended to chastise them.

But we must join this with the latter part—that God also showed the Prophet four smiths, for these two visions are connected. Anyone who takes only the first part, then, acts very absurdly, for the meaning of the prophecy will not then be clear. If, then, we are not to mutilate what is connected, we must not separate what is added concerning the four smiths.

Since, then, the Jews had been oppressed on every side, God shows that He has enough remedies, and even from various sources. The Prophet had seen four horns; he now sees four smiths. That is, he is made to understand that God can immediately find ways to check all disorders and tumults, for He can, as it were, beat these horns on an anvil and break in pieces those that had previously scattered the Jews.

The same view, then, is to be taken of the number four as in the previous instance. For as the Chaldeans had raged against the Jews, so the Lord shows that He had enemies ready at hand, as He had already partly made evident. For how was it that the Persians and Medes had so suddenly taken possession of Babylon, if they had not been workers whom God had employed to strike down the Babylonian horn?

And how was it that the Syrians, the Egyptians, and other nations were laid prostrate? It was because they were horns. But the Lord broke down the ferocity of so many nations by His many workers, for He employed them as though they were hired and ready to do His service. We now understand the real purpose of the Prophet.

But though the Prophet intended by this prophecy to encourage and inspire his own nation to patience, as the Spirit of God had given him this office, yet the Lord sets before us here, as in a mirror, the real condition of the Church today.

Let us not then wonder if the world rages on every side against the Church, and if storms and tempests arise from the east as well as from the west. Nor is it a new thing for many enemies from various places to unite, and for God’s Church to thus have to bear many assaults.

This is one thing. In the meantime, let this be our consolation: that God has many smiths at hand. The Prophet’s metaphor is very fitting, for the hardness of the horns was formidable to the Jews; but the Prophet intimates that there is a hardness in the hammers capable of breaking all horns in pieces.

Then, though we may be struck by our enemies, God will find smiths to break them in pieces; and this is indeed what we have found by experience.

How is it that the small number of those who purely worship God continue to exist, despite the rage of enemies and in spite of so many plots and schemes? For what do all monarchies desire more, or with greater eagerness, than to extinguish the memory of the gospel?

If then we inquire what the condition of the whole world is today, we will find that there is hardly a city, a people, a monarch, or even one of the least princes, whose hostility is not openly displayed against the Church.

How then does it happen that they do not exert their strength and demolish the Church, which by one breath could fall to the ground a hundred times? How is this, except that God by His hammers breaks the horns, and by means of smiths?

And who are these smiths? They are also horns, for they all wish to destroy the Church as much as they can. But God does not permit them; on the contrary, He incites them to mutual wars to destroy one another.

Though all these, then, are horns, ready to assault the Church—and though it appears evident from the comparison that they are, as it were, furious and vicious bulls, and, as much as they can, unite to scatter the Church—yet God gives hammers to two or three of them and commands them to check the ferocity of their associates.

While all these are intent on striking and dispersing the Church with their horns, the Lord calls them to a different work and, as I have said, commands them to be smiths so that they may strike and break in pieces these horns—even their associates, with whom they had previously conspired wickedly.

And it is certainly a wonderful instance of God’s providence that amidst such violent and turbulent commotions the Church should take breath, though under the cross. For if these hammers had not broken the horns, we would have been pierced through not only a hundred but a thousand times, and dashed into fragments. But God has turned aside their strokes and assaults with His hammers and, as I have said, has employed His enemies for this purpose.

We now see, then, that this prophecy was not only useful in the age of Zechariah, but that it has been so in all ages, and that it should not be confined to the ancient people but extended to the whole body of the Church.

But the Prophet, by saying that he asked the angel, sets before us an example of a truly teachable disposition. Though the Lord, then, may not immediately explain His messages to us, there is still no reason for us to disdainfully reject what is obscure, as we see many do in our day.

For when anything seems ambiguous to them, they immediately reject it and also complain that God’s word is extremely difficult; and such blasphemies are uttered by many today.

But the Prophet, though perplexed, did not yet sullenly reject what God had shown; on the contrary, he asked the angels. Though angels are not near us, or at least do not appear to us in a visible form, yet God can by other means provide us help when there is any perplexity in His word.

He promises to give us the spirit of understanding and wisdom whenever there is need; and we also know that the preaching of the word and the sacraments are helps to lead us to Himself.

If, then, we do not neglect these helps which God provides us, and especially if we ask Him to guide us by His Spirit, there will certainly be nothing obscure or intricate in the prophecies that He will not make known to us, as far as it is necessary.

He does not indeed give the Spirit in equal measure to all; but we should feel assured that though prophecies may be obscure, a sure benefit will still be derived if we are teachable and submissive to God. For we find that Zechariah was not denied his request, as the angel gave him an immediate answer.

It must also be observed that in one place he calls Him Jehovah, and in another, angel; and indeed he speaks this way indiscriminately of one and the same person. From this it follows that God appeared among the angels.

But we must remember what I have already said: that this chief angel was the Mediator and the Head of the Church, and this same one is Jehovah, for Christ, as we know, is God manifested in the flesh.

There is then no wonder that the Prophet should indiscriminately call Him angel and Jehovah, He being the Mediator of the Church and also God.

He is God, being of the same essence with the Father; and Mediator, having already undertaken His Mediatorial office, though not then clothed in our flesh so as to become our brother. For the Church could not exist, nor be united to her God, without a head.

We therefore see that Christ, as to His eternal essence, is said to be God, and that He is called an angel on account of His office, that is, of a Mediator.

The meaning is now evident: God declares that the horns were those which dispersed or scattered Judah, as well as Jerusalem and the kingdom of Israel. But He also declares that He had as many smiths who would, by force and by hammers, shatter these horns in pieces, though for a time they would greatly harass the Church.

It must also be noted that 'horn' is to be understood differently when the number is changed: the Gentiles are called 'horns' (plural) to show their hardness or their strength; and they are then said to 'lift up their horn' (singular) to show that they ferociously exerted all their power to lay prostrate or to scatter the people of God.