Zechariah 4

Zechariah 4:1-10

In this chapter we have, 1. The awakening of the prophet to observe the vision, ver. 1. 2. The vision itself, of a candlefish with seven lamps, which were supplied with oil, and kept burning, immediately from two olive-trees that grew by it, one on either side, ver. 2. 3. The general encouragement hereby intended to be given to the builders of the temple to go on in that good work, offering them that it should be brought to perfection at full, ver. 4.—12. 4. The particular explanation of the vision for the illustration of these assurances, ver. 11—14.

1. AND the angel that talked with me, came again and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his deep, 2. And said unto me, What testeth thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold, a candlefick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and I seven paces to the seven lamps, which were upon the top thereof: 3. And two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. 4. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5. Then the angel that talked with me answered, and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 6. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by a might, nor by power, but by my spirit faith the LORD of hosts. 7. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain, and he shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. 8. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 9. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you; 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.

Chap. II, 9. Before Christ 1st Lond. 1st

Overcome probably with the glorious visions he had seen, his spirits failed him, and he funk down in sleep, See Dan. viii. 8. but he is awakened and strengthened by the Lord Jesus, to behold other visions and revelations of the Lord.

1. On his awaking a question is put to him, What is the truth? And he looked, and behold a candlefield of gold, &c. like, in some respects, to that in the temple of old, the figure of the church of Christ; of gold, denoting its excellence and purity; the head upon the top of it full of oil implies that fulness of grace in Jesus, out of whom all we do receive; the seven lamps may signify all believers in general, or the members of the gospel particularly, who are burning and shining lights; and being once kindled by the fire of divine grace, never more are extinguished, but are fed with confluent supplies of oil from the two alive trees, Christ and the Comfort, through the seven pipes, the various means of prayer, the word, meditation, sacrament, &c. which Christ hath instituted as channels of conveying to us the confluent influences of his grace.

2. The prophet humbly enquires into the meaning of what he saw. What are these, my Lord? And the angel, to reprove his faithfull, or quicken his attention, answers, &c. and what they do? He replies, with a humble confession of his ignorance, No, my Lord: very gracefully therefore this angel confidential to explain the vision to him; This is the word of the Lord in Zerubbabel, an illustration of what God had spoken to him before, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, faith the Lord of bells. As the lamps were supplied with oil, without any human affluence from the olive-trees, that pour of the oil into the bowl, which thence was communicated to them through the seven golden pipes, so should Zerubbabel be supplied with strength from on high, for the work in which he is engaged: and thus is every faithful soul made more than a conqueror, not through any human sufficiency, but by the power of divine grace alone.

It is promised here concerning Zerubbabel.

1. That he shall overcome all difficulties in his way. Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain. Whatever opposition he met from the Persian monarchy, or from Sambalat and the Samaritans, it should be easily surmounted. Now, in the eye of sense mountains unpalliable shall not the way to glory, but faith looks up to Jesus, the great Zerubbabel; and as he hath put all enemies under his own feet, so will he put them under ours; and thus the mountain becomes a plain.

2. He shall see the completion of the work he hath begun. He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it, rejoicing and praising God for the ability he hath supplied for finishing his temple. And herein, (1) He is a type of Christ, who on the cross exulting cried, It is finished; or it may refer to the day when he shall rejoice over all his redeemed in glory with joy and singing, Zeph. iii. 17. (2) Of every believer, who, when God shall have finished his work, and brought him happily to the end of his labours, shall stand forth before his throne, admitting the whole of his salvation to sovereign, rich, and boundless grace, and join his voice with ten thousand times ten thousand others, shouting, Grace, grace unto it.

3. Zerubbabel shall hereby be fully convinced, with all the Jews, of the divine mission of the prophet, v. 9. or rather this may be referred to Christ, who will make his people same by blessed experience, when he hath completed the work of grace in their hearts, that he is indeed the Saviour of the world, and that He hath God the Father sent.

4. The enemies of Judah shall be confounded, and those, among themselves, who at first were disheartened, shall rejoice, when they see the work brought to so happy an issue. For each hath deposed the day of small things? Sambalat, and many even of the Jews, deposed the mean beginnings of the temples; but they shall quickly change their mind: for they, the Jews, who at first deposed of being able to finish the work, shall rejoice, and shall see the planners in the hand of Zerubbabel, the building rising fast and beautiful under his direction, with their seven, they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth; supported by the divine providence, and instructed by divine wisdom, he shall be enabled to complete the glorious work. Note, (1) The work of God in the soul begins with a day of small things; the light but glimmering, the graces weak; yet those are not to be deposed, for in the end they shall have great increase. (2) Instead of being discouraged, because our labours have but little success, we must be thanked for that little, and truth in him who giveth the increase. (3) It is a great joy to all faithful people to see ministers and magistrates exerting themselves in the cause of God and truth. (4) They who are under the guidance of these seven eyes of God’s providence and grace need never despair, whatever difficulties are in their way.

Zechariah 4:10

1. No. 2 the Lord of

2. ¶ Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive-trees, upon the right side of the candlestick, and upon the left side thereof? 12. And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive-branches which through the two golden pipes

I empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13. And he answered me, and said, Knoweth thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 14. Then said he, These are the two § anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.

Zechariah 4:11-14

Since he had found such favour in the eyes of the Lord, the prophet continues his enquiries, not to gratify his curiosity, but to furnish himself with matter for the good of his people.

1. He begs information concerning the two olive-trees, and what the two branches signify that emptied their oil into the golden bowl through the two golden pipes; and, being interrogated as before, Knoweth thou not what these be? he again acknowledges his ignorance.

2. He is told what the olive-trees and branches signify. They are the two anointed ones, or the sons of v. 1, which some unterness of the gifts and graces of the Spirit; some of Christ and the Holy Ghost; others of Christ in his two natures, or in his offices of priest and king, from whom the golden oil of grace is poured forth; that stand before the Lord of the whole earth, God the Father, who governs the affairs of the world and the church in and by his Son, to whom all power is committed, and by the Holy Ghost, which proceeds from them hath, and is the quickening Spirit in the hearts of all the faithful.