And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees ... We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. The attendant angels report to the Lord of angels, "the earth ... is at rest." The flourishing state of the pagan "earth," while Judah was desolate and its temple not yet restored, is the powerful plea in the Divine Angels intercession with God the Father in Zechariah 1:12. When Judah was depressed to the lowest point, and the pagan elated to the highest, it was time for Yahweh to work for His people.
Sitteth still - dwells surely. It is when all shall seem secure, in the God-ignoring tranquillity of the world-kingdoms, that God shall "shake and overthrow the throne of the kingdoms" (Haggai 2:7; Haggai 2:21-22), in order that, upon their downfall, He may rear the everlasting throne of Messiah, who shall reign in Jerusalem, and may raise to their due elevation, as designed from the beginning, the elect nation, His own ancient people, so long down-trodden.