1:18
God uses imagery to communicate the message to Zechariah as well as prose. There is a reason for this, it is because communication is not just via our intellect, but includes all our senses and emotions. If we focus on just one aspect at the expense of the others we are at best missing out, or not communication fully, and at worst misleading. Preaching and teaching that communicates purely via the intellect is incomplete. Preaching and teaching that focuses on the emotions is incomplete, and possibly manipulative and misleading. An individual may focus more on one than the other, but we need a balanced diet! The problem with imagery in the Bible is that while the visions may have had a clear meaning for the original recipient, they often do not for us. This is most clearly the case in Revelation. Fortunately in Zechariah he often asks the angel what it means and we get an interpretation. Horns usually stand for strength in the Bible, and here they represent the strength of the nations that had oppressed Israel. It is normal to feel the strength of the things that oppress us.
1:19
Zechariah is very helpful to is as he seems to have little idea as to what the visions mean and so frequently asks the angel to explain their meaning. The angel tells him that the horns represent the nations that “scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem”. It is significant that both Judah and Israel are mentioned. God’s plan is for both Judah (the southern kingdom) and Israel (the northern kingdom).
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