I found myself intrigued and curious as I read in the book of Zechariah the account of his vision that included the appearance of horns and craftsmen. The horns seem easier to interpret as powers or personalities that goad others. No one wants to be on the receiving end of the “horns”. For me (and probably Zechariah), the strange appearance of craftsmen to oppose these horns was the novelty. Why not a warrior, a king or a prophet? Perhaps there is something to discover about skilled minds and hands when sent on God’s errand.
Zechariah 1:19-21 AMP
So I asked the angel who was speaking with me, “What are these?” And he answered me, “These are the horns [the powerful Gentile nations] that have scattered Judah (the Southern Kingdom), Israel (the Northern Kingdom), and Jerusalem (capital city of Judah).” [20] Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. [21] I asked, “What are these [horns and craftsmen] coming to do?” And he said, “These are the horns (powers) that have scattered Judah so that no man raised up his head [because of the suffering inflicted by the Gentile nations]. But these craftsmen have come to terrify them and make them panic, and throw down the horns of the nations who have lifted up their horns against the land of Judah in order to scatter it.”
The time had come to heal the wound
To destroy the destroyer, to break the breaker
Zechariah saw, with unclouded eye, the deadly horns, the powers that wounded God’s beloved.
Deliverance came from God’s strong hand
Each evil was answered with Love’s own man
No prince nor priest appeared that day,
But craftsmen skilled were sent by Him
For weapons, tools were brought to bear
To overthrow the overthrower
The skill of worker’s minds and hands
Brought down despair that bent men low
The Architect devised a plan
That no one knew til it was done
He undid death through skillful hands
And lifted up his fallen ones
BRS-2023