Zechariah 4

Zechariah 4:2

And behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which were upon the top thereof.

And behold a candlestick all of gold, resembling the Church of God; with a bowl upon the top thereof, whence the several lamps were deduced, resembling Christ, the Author of all the Spiritual Lights of his Church: seven lamps were thereon; resembling the teachers and governors of the Church: seven pipes appertained to those seven lamps; resembling those means and conveyances of grace, by which God enableeth his servants to give light to his Church.

Zechariah 4:3

And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

And two olive trees stood by it; resembling the plentiful graces of God’s Spirit, and ever-flourishing doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, which are always ready at hand, to furnish those holy lamps with sufficient abilities and matter of instruction to his Church.

Zechariah 4:6

This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, who is now in hand to build the Temple; Think not, that by thy might and power thou art able to compass this great work, that this candlestick is furnished with these shining lamps, and that these lamps are furnished with a supply of oil, and that these olives live to yield that supply; it is not from man, but from the power of my Holy Spirit, who worketh all things for the good of my Church.

Zechariah 4:7

Who art thou, O great mountain, before Zerubbabel? thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

Who are ye, O ye professed opposites to my people, Sanballat, Tobiah, Rehum, Shimshai, and the rest of that wicked combination, which set yourselves against this work of mine; were ye as some huge mountain, yet before Zerubbabel ye should be as a low and level plain: in despite of you, he shall bring forth the headstone of the roof of my Temple, even the last stone that shall make up the battlements thereof; and shall lay it upon the finished walls, with the shouting and joyful acclamation of all my people; who shall praise God for his mercy, and pray to him for a happy blessing upon his Temple. So also verse 9.

Zechariah 4:10

For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Why did ye, O ye faithless Jews, look so discontentedly upon the mean foundations of this Temple, and weep to think of that goodly structure of Solomon’s, compared with this? There shall be no cause of this disparagement: ye shall rather find reason to rejoice in this noble work, which ye see Zerubbabel in hand to finish; while, besides the glory of this work, ye shall acknowledge the abundant graces of God’s Spirit poured out

Zechariah 4:14

Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

Those two olive branches resemble the special graces, which God hath bestowed upon these two anointed servants of his, that stand before him, Zerubbabel and Joshua; by whose means, it pleaseth God to convey many favours and blessings to his Church.