Zechariah

I once took a medication, for a very short time, that made it difficult for me to distinguish between dreams and reality. I stopped taking it as soon as I realized the problem and told my physician about it. His response was that he had never heard of that side effect. I told him I did not care whether he had ever heard of it or not, because I was not taking that medicine any longer. They wrote in my chart that the medication caused “lucent dreams,” and that is what I have called it ever since.
From what I understand, lucent dreams are supposed to be dreams in which a person has some control over what is happening. That was not my experience. My problem was that I simply could no longer tell the difference between what I had dreamed and what had happened while I was awake. It was awful.

That experience made me think about the prophets. How did God speak to them? I believe God spoke to His prophets directly through visions and dreams. They saw clearly what He gave them, and when they woke, they recorded what they had seen. I sometimes remember my dreams sharply when I first wake up, yet more often the details are scattered and incomplete. But when God spoke to His prophets, there was no confusion, no uncertainty, and they recorded the message accurately. Whether it came as something tangible, something visionary, or in a state of sleep, God communicated His message plainly.
Zechariah records eight visions for us, and I tried to gather them into this painting.
In the center are the horses that had been patrolling the earth and reporting that all was at peace.
At the center right are the horns, representing the major political powers and their breaking down.
At the top right is the surveyor, represented by the measuring or plumb line.
At the top left is Joshua the high priest clothed in clean garments, representing the removal of iniquity and his cleansing.
Also included are the priestly garments, the lampstands, and the reference to “My Servant the Branch,” which I understand as pointing ahead to the coming of Christ.
At the center right, the lampstands and trees also represent the rebuilding of the temple.
There is also the vision of the flying scroll, which speaks of law and judgment.
The chariots and four riders, pictured at the center left, are generally understood to be emissaries sent out over the earth. Some people think the horses and riders here may be the same as those in Revelation, yet it seems to me they have different missions. These riders bring back reports of the world at peace, while those in Revelation bring destruction.
As I was typing out this list, I realized that I left one of the visions out of the painting. I did not include the vision of the women. How could I miss a metal basket with a lead cover, a woman sitting inside, the angel declaring that the woman is wicked and slamming the heavy lid back down, and then two women with wings like a stork carrying it away to be set upon a pedestal later? I have no excuse. All I can say is that I missed it.
This was a very difficult painting to do. I read and reread the text, making notes and trying to form mental pictures of what Zechariah saw.