The Rest of the Dwelling and the Virgin Bride

While learning according to intellect and the quality of the lessons. For they are doing only this thing, making a dull, meaningless sound in the ear, not benefiting the understanding of those being instructed; and what one says to him is not always the thing that truly touches the heart.

And the man who stood in the midst of the mountains answered and said to me: 'These are those whom the Lord has sent to go around the earth' (Zechariah 1:10). If anyone were to seek what comes from where, having seen the prophet's horses—red, varied, speckled, and white—the speaking angel promises him what was seen.

Not then, since there is a twofold vision concerning these, one more introductory and one having ascended higher, to the one who has known the introductory showing, the divine instructor promises the more perfect one, having received the perfect love of the revelation. The man who stood in the midst of the mentioned mountains answered twice: 'These are those whom the Lord has sent to go around the earth' (Zechariah 1:10).

According to a second vision, the people from the Hebrews and the nations happen to be overshadowed by two mountains, of whom, standing in the midst, the man already interpreted initiates into the mystery who those sent to go around the earth are. And they are excellent teachers from among men and angels, as it has been said nearby.

It is not in vain that they were sent to go around the earth by the Lord, not all of those promising to teach or those going around having been sent by the Lord. 'Going indeed around the earth' is the devil, as he himself said, in the examining of Job and the other athletes of God, doing this by especially bad intention, but not having been handed over by God.

What then do the sent ones say they have seen in the going around, or that the whole earth is inhabited and is at rest, as the following wording presents it thus. And they answered the angel of the Lord who stood in the midst of the mountains, and they said: 'We have gone around all the earth and behold, all the earth is inhabited and is at rest' (Zechariah 1:11).

Since not every angel is of the Lord, it is not even of him those having left the heavenly dwelling, so it is fitting that the ones going around answer the angel of the Lord as if the whole earth is being inhabited.

And it rests. Regarding the apostates, even if they are simply called angels, they do not serve the Lord, which is still clearly shown from the scriptures, where it says: 'God did not spare angels who sinned' (Hebrews 11:34 / 2 Peter 2:4), for he did not say that; but where it is said by the Apostle speaking in Christ: 'We shall judge angels' (Jude 1:6 / 2 Peter 2:4).

One should consider what it means for the whole earth to dwell and to be at rest. Since the rational soul is self-moving and ever-moving, when it moves well and blessedly, it is calm and rests from disordered shaking, and it bears this stability from divine reverence.

For it is written: 'The earth was afraid and was still when God arose to judgment' (Psalm 46:2), and: 'He who dwells on hope is still from every evil' (Proverbs 1:33), according to the inspired writing of the Proverbs. By this understanding, regarding the agitator Cain, moved as if God says: 'You sinned, be still' (Genesis 4:7), he is not only saying: 'Having sinned with disordered shaking, put an end to the disordered impulse'; for then you will be praised to be still, 'turning away from evil and doing good' (Proverbs 4:27).

To him who thus rests, dwelling follows. As for how this is, the prostitute woman introduced in Proverbs—whoever this is—'does not have feet that rest in the house' (Proverbs 7:11), having them wandering outside, being a wayward and serious woman, dwelling in the house of a noblewoman and a lady, guarding the lawful marriage rites toward the bridegroom, which is immediately followed by bearing children. For it is said in the Psalms concerning the bride of God the Word: 'He who dwells in the house, having once been a virgin, so that he may become a mother of legitimate children, rejoicing' (Psalm 45:4).

The angel of the Lord answered and said: 'Lord Almighty, how long will you not have mercy on Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, which you overlook, until this seventieth year?' (Zechariah 1:12).

Having seen prophetically the angel of the Lord Almighty the whole earth dwelling and resting, and all the nations having believed in the Lord who came among them, he deems it worthy to be granted the knowledge of the King of all, until when and when Jerusalem and the cities of Judah beneath it will be shown mercy, the seventieth year of the captivity already having entered, through which they seemed to be passing by. And since many times Jerusalem in various ways...