Zechariah 6 was written after the return of the Jews from Babylon and was intended to encourage them in the work of rebuilding the temple. But “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation,” and thus the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ is looked forward to as the true consummation. So here, after an allusion to the history of God’s providence in the four great monarchies and to the judgment of Babylon, the prophet comforts the hearts of those who had returned with a direct prophecy of Christ.
The Spirit of God in Scripture always looks on to Christ, seeing all things as they concern Him and His future glory. The many deliverers raised up of God for the Jews in times of need were only types of the “Savior.” And so here: “He shall build the temple of the Lord: even He shall build the temple of the Lord; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zech. 6:12-1312And 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: 13Even 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. (Zechariah 6:12‑13)). It is “the man whose name is The BRANCH” who shall do all this; Zerubbabel is merely a type. Whether it affects the destinies of man, of Israel or of the church, all centers in Jesus. God’s thoughts about Jesus are marked on all.
Future Glories
It must have been a great comfort to the saints of old to have future glories thus opened to them, for whenever the Holy Spirit had awakened spiritual desires in any heart, those desires could not be satisfied with temporal deliverance or blessing. They had much for which to thank the Lord, but there was always either the actual presence of evil or the fear of danger and evil.
So it is with the church now. We have indeed greater blessings and clearer revelations, but still there is evil. In times of the greatest revivals, there has always been that mixed with them which tended to evil. Never, till He appears, will the full desires of our hearts be given us; never, until we “awake in [His] likeness,” shall we really be “satisfied.” Nothing less will do, because the Spirit of Christ is in us. Our hopes run on to God’s ultimate purpose of complete blessing.
And here we have unity of hope with the Jews. They are looking for earthly glory; we also look forward to see the earth “filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Hab. 2:1414For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14)), while our hope is Christ’s own proper portion in the heavenly glory. Both earthly and heavenly glories meet in Jesus and will be manifested when He comes. He is the head of both. “The counsel of peace” is between Jehovah and the Messiah.
Christ on the Throne
But where is Jesus now? As the “priest upon His throne,” He does not yet rule, but He has sat down upon the “Father’s throne” — “at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” There He is as the High Priest of His people. And thus is given to us a plain revelation of “the counsel of peace” which belongs to us even now, in the midst of present trouble, but still God’s peace. I may have my spirit much disturbed and know trial of heart, but still I have a title to perfect peace in it all; not only peace with God, but peace concerning every circumstance, because God is “for us” in it all.
If God had made peace with Adam, it could not have lasted: The enmity in the heart of man would very soon have broken it again. And it would always be the same, for the very will of man is altogether wrong. “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:77Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7)). But now “the counsel of peace” is between God and Jesus, instead of man, and hence there is security. The word “counsel” implies deliberate purpose. What solidity must there be in that peace about which God had a “counsel” and all the engagements of which the mind of Jesus fully entered into and accomplished! As to our circumstances, God is taking up all that concerns us to make “all things work together” for our good, and the knowledge of this gives peace in all circumstances, even those of trial, perplexity and sorrow. “Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Heb. 12:33For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Hebrews 12:3)); yet He had always peace. And so might we: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee” (Isa. 26:33Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isaiah 26:3)).
Counsel Between God and Jesus
But then it is most important to see that “the counsel of peace” is entirely between God and Jesus. The moment we begin to rest our peace on anything in ourselves, we lose it, and this is why so many saints do not have settled peace. We can have settled peace only by having it in God’s own way. We must not rest on anything, even the Spirit’s work within us, but on what Christ has done. In Christ alone God finds that in which He can rest, and so it is with His saints. What Jesus is, and what Jesus did, is the only ground at all on which we can rest.
Jesus came into this world and glorified God, where honor to God was wanting. When God’s eye rested upon Jesus, He was perfectly satisfied. Nothing was found in Him but perfect love and perfect devotedness to God. Even when forsaken of God, He still justifies Him — “Thou art holy.” According to “the counsel of peace,” He gave Himself; it was for us that He “made peace by the blood of the cross,” and thus He was, unto God, a “sweet savor of rest” for us. All is done, and Jesus, in proof that all is finished, has sat down on the throne of God. His sitting down is the proof that He has nothing more to do in that way for His friends; now He only waits “till His enemies be made His footstool.”
His Priesthood
But in order that we may have the enjoyment of these things, He is acting in another way as Priest. Having the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us, we consequently see many things in ourselves contrary to Him, that would hinder fellowship with God. We need His priesthood in order to maintain our communion with God; we need Him in our daily sins, as it is said, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:11My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (1 John 2:1)). On our behalf before God, we need the accomplisher of “the counsel of peace” — “Jesus Christ the righteous.”
Here then is “the counsel of peace” which was purposed between God and Jesus. Here only have we peace. God has publicly owned His acceptance of Christ’s work, by seating Him at His own right hand. The Holy Spirit is sent to witness to us that Jesus is now “on the throne of God,” having “by one offering perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Heb. 10:1414For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)).
Be Careful for Nothing
We may have a great deal of trial, but still we have the perfect certainty of God’s favor, and “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:3131What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)). “Be careful for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-76Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6‑7)). The word is “be careful for nothing”: If one single thing were excepted, God would not be God. If we are troubled in spirit, let us go to God about it.
We have need of this “counsel of peace,” because all that we are in ourselves is enmity against God. I cannot go out of this “counsel” to look at my own heart for a moment: It is “between them both.”
Who or what shall separate us from “the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord?” Shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword? No, these things shall, as means for mortifying the flesh, only minister to Christ’s glory. Shall death? It will only bring us into His presence. Shall life? It is that by which we enjoy His favor. He is “on the throne” as the eternal witness of peace accomplished, and thence He ministers it to us.
J. N. Darby (adapted)