“When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth.” 

-Zechariah 6: 7a, ESV

How impatient are the angels of God that have been ordained to extend Justice to the world and how great is God’s grace, even toward unbelievers, in staying their hand until His time is at hand.  And the impatience of the angels is not a sign of their weakness.  They are responding properly and correctly to the way we as a people have abused and misused the very name of God.  Swift justice is deserved upon mankind, yet God’s long-suffering patience is such that he would endure the abuse of man so that the full number of elect will be brought into the kingdom.  What amazing grace we have received!

In Zechariah’s day, the angels were permitted partial success, and God is yet restraining their destructive work.  How the judgments pile on the head of unbelievers.  Not only do they live in rebellion to the true and righteous law of God, but they interpret the staying of God’s hand as more time granted for them to revel in their wickedness.  They squander their time rather than repent of their ways.

Yet, we in the church have also been guilty of being lax in proclaiming God’s message of grace and judgment to the culture around us.  Think about it, Scripture remembers Noah the carpenter as a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2).  He had no pulpit and no congregation of thousands that came to hear him preach.  He simply had his faithful lifestyle and the testimony of the ark which he built.  His evangelism was successful toward his family, and there is also much to be said for that.  How often we are willing to compromise the truth of the gospel in order to be liked.  The praise we should seek is not that of men, but the title of “good and faithful servant,” offered by Christ.