The "Rest" of the Wicked

I just read through one of Zechariah's first visions in Zechariah 1 (v. 7-17), where a mysterious rider on a red horse comes to him. This divine messenger arrives with several other riders who have recently patrolled the whole earth and are ready to give their report. The report is this, "We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth remains at rest [emphasis mine]." This angered the Lord, because the reconnaissance was to find out whether the world powers were helping or hindering the Israelites in their efforts to restore the great temple in Jerusalem where the Lord had previously established his name. What he finds is the world's scornful complacency and disregard for the All-Powerful King and his chosen people.

To further explain this idea of why God was infuriated by the earth being "at ease," Isaiah 57 likens the wicked to the tossing sea, "for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt...there is no peace for the wicked." In the ancient Near East, the sea represented chaos and disorder, continually turbulent and restless, never finding peace. If the wicked are likened to this agent of chaos, how then can they be at ease and find rest? Their ease was an arrogant display of their contempt for the honor of God's name and a blatant disregard for the plight of his people. And not only were they ignoring their obligations to Israel, they were doing it with apparent impunity.

So what was the Lord's response? He will return to Jerusalem - his cities will again overflow with prosperity, and he will comfort Zion and his chosen people. Compare this to Jesus' declaration after the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. Jesus says, "will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily." We are like Asaph in Psalm 73, as we look upon the prosperity of the world - our solace and hope are only found when we dwell in the sanctuary of the Lord. He holds our right hand, guides us with his counsel, and then receives us to glory. The intent is that the wicked remain forever restless both in life and death, and God's people are at peace under his reign.

SDG