Zechariah
Zechariah 4
Chapter IV · Vol. III, p. 1488
1 By the golden candlestick is foreshowed the good success of Zerubbabel's foundation; 11 by the two olive-trees the two anointed ones.
1 And thea angel that talked with me came again, and bwaked1 me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep;
a ch.1.9,13; 2.3; 3.5,6.
b Je.31.26. Da.8.18; 10.9,10,18.
1 The prophet seems to have been overwhelmed in a deep reverie, meditating on the vision of spiritual agencies which he had just witnessed.—C.
2 And said unto me, cWhat seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold da candlestick all of gold, with a bowl2 upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven epipes to the seven lamps,3 which are upon the top thereof;
c ch.5.2. Je.1.11,13.
d Ex.25.31-40. Re.1.12. Col.2.3. Jn.1.9,14; 8.12. Mat.5.14-16. Phi.2.15,16. Mat.25.1-4.
2 Heb. with her bowl.
3 Or, seven several pipes to the lamps, &c.
3 And gtwo olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
g ver.11,14. Re.11.4.
5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, iNo, my lord.
6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, jNot by might,4 nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
j Ho.1.7. 1 Co.1.27. 2 Co.10.4,5. ver.12.
4 Or, army.
7 Who art thou, kO great mountain?5 before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth lthe headstone thereof nwith shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9 Theo hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, his hands shall also finish it; and thou pshalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
o Ezr.3.8-13;6.14,15. ch.6.12,13. Mat.16.18. He.12.2;1.3.
10 For qwho hath despised the day of small things? 6for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet7 in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven: theyr are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.9
p ch.2.9,11. 1 Co.2.4,5. 1 Th.1.5;2.13.
q Ezr.3.12. Hag.2.3. ch.2.9,11;6.15.
6 Or, since the seven eyes of the LORD shall rejoice.
7 Heb. stone of tin.
8 See ch. 3.9.—C.
r ch.3.9. 2 Ch.16.9. Pr.15.3. Ps.34.15. Je.31.28.
9 Or, 'For they rejoice when they see the plummet in Zerubbabel's hand, those seven:—they (the seven) are the eyes of Jehovah which sweep through the whole earth.' The reference is to the seven eyes mentioned in the previous vision; they contemplate with pleasure the construction of the temple; and they can aid it, for their influence extends throughout the whole world.—P.
11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these stwo olive-trees upon the right side of the candlestick, and upon the left side thereof?
s ver.3. Re.11.4.
12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive-branches, which 1through the two golden pipes2 empty the golden3 oil out of themselves?4
1 Heb. by the hand of.
2 Two principal ones, ver. 2.
3 Heb. the gold.
4 Or, empty out of themselves oil into the gold.
13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14 Then said he, These are the two 5anointed ones,6 that tstand by the LORD of the whole earth.7
* I think the whole scope of the passage shows that 'the two anointed ones,' or as the Hebrew idiom has it, 'the two sons of oil,' are Joshua and Zerubbabel, who were specially commissioned to carry out the work of the Lord; and who are here rightly represented as deriving all their power and grace directly from on high.—P.
5 Heb. sons of oil.
6 Ex.29.7. 1 Sa.10.1. Hebrew priests and kings, but chiefly Christ, as represented by them and his ministers, Re.11.4.
t ch.6.5. De.10.8. 1 Ki.17.1. Jos.3.11.
7 See note * in first column.
Notes
Ver. 2, 3, 11, 14. The candlestick denotes the church curiously framed, pure, precious, and durable; the seven lamps, her ministers and members; the two olive-trees, Christ in his natures or offices, or he and his Spirit in their new-covenant stations; the oil, gifts and graces; and the pipes for conveying it, the ordinances of the gospel. 6–10. Not by human but divine assistance, shall Zerubbabel, notwithstanding all the attempts of the heathens to hinder him, happily and triumphantly finish the building of the temple; and even you who have had low thoughts of the beginning of this work, shall rejoice when you see him carrying it on prosperously, and marvellously assisted by my all-seeing, all-preserving, and governing providence. And in like manner shall Jesus Christ, notwithstanding all the opposition of hell and earth, from age to age, build up his gospel church, though by weak instruments, to the great comfort of his people.
Ver. 6. Not by might, &c. The natural light of the sun is not supplied by man's 'might or power,' but by God's good pleasure. The tree is planted and tended by man's hand, but yet the growth of the tree, and the provision of oil for artificial light, is as much the work and gift of God as is the light of the sun. So Zerubbabel shall be God's agent to build his temple, but his light to work and his assumed success are totally independent of human power, and must proceed from the grace and energy of the Holy Spirit. C.
Ver. 14. The two anointed ones. The Mosaic and Christian dispensations, that stand up before the Lord as his witnesses through the whole earth; and through whose prayers and ordinances God has dispensed and will dispense the graces of his Spirit throughout all ages. Comp. with ch. 6. 5, where 'standing before the Lord' refers not to individuals, but monarchies or dispensations. C.
Reflections.—Not only must the Holy Ghost exhibit to us divine things, but must also make us observe them. And it is desirable to understand God's manifestations of himself in his Word, ordinances, and providences; yea, great is the shame that we are so slow of heart to conceive of them. Yet in parables we may often understand their scope, though we should not clearly understand every circumstance of them. No want of human helps can hinder God's work. Nay, they are often withheld, that his power and grace may have all the glory. Silent progress will issue in triumphant shoutings. What takes its rise from man safely be committed to the care of his grace. He will never forsake the work of his hands. And while fulfilment of predictions attests their divine original, the smallest beginnings of his work ought never to be despised. It is inexpressibly comfortable to see magistrates and ministers active in building the church, and God himself making all his providences to concur for her welfare, while Jesus and his Spirit, by ordinances and oracles, pour down their influences upon her ministers and members.