Zechariah 4
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Zechariah is still receiving his repeated visions from the Lord. In the first three chapters we saw the visions speak of encouragement for the present, then move to encouragement in the promise of the Messiah. In chapters 4-6 I believe we see the same movement. The early visions of chapter four are going to give encouragement to the people for the present fulfillment of God’s blessings. But as we move closer to chapter 6, we will see the visions begin to give encouragement concerning the promised future fulfillment of God’s blessings through Jesus Christ.
The lampstand (4:1-10)
Chapter 4 opens with the angel who had been talking with Zechariah in the previous visions returning to him and asking him what he sees. Zechariah responds that he sees a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it. Further, Zechariah sees two olive trees by it, one on each side. Zechariah then asks the angel what these things are, or more correctly, what do these things mean. The lampstand here is something that would have been well known to the Jews. The Hebrew word for “lampstand� is menorah and it is the word used of the lampstand that was to be placed in the tabernacle as instructed by God in Exodus 25 and 37. However, there are a couple of distinguishing attributes of this lampstand that Zechariah sees versus that which was in the tabernacle. The lampstand that Zechariah sees has a bowl at the top of it. Further, this lampstand has seven channels feeding into it so that oil could be poured into it from the two olive branches (4:12).
The angel gives to answer to Zechariah this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel (4:6). The lampstand and its oil represents the word of the Lord. In this case it is the word of the Lord which is to be given to Zerubbabel. The message of the word of the Lord is “not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.� The vision to Zechariah is a message of encouragement to Zerubbabel. Remember that Zerubbabel was the leader of the first return of the exiles from captivity in 536 B.C. Under his leadership he was working with the people to rebuild the temple. The temple foundation was quickly laid, but because of political problems the temple was never completed. Sixteen years have now passed and the temple is still not completed. Imagine the discouragement Zerubbabel must have felt in trying to get the people to work for 16 years without any success. The word of the Lord has come to tell Zerubbabel it is God’s will to complete the work. The temple will be finished not because of human might or power, but through the will of God. The Lord proves His point in verse 7 by saying that the mighty mountain has been level ground. Thus, all of the obstacles which were standing in the way of the temple’s completion are now removed. Further, Zerubbabel will be part of the finishing process, for he will lay the capstone of the temple. In verses 8-10 we see that the word of the Lord explicitly tells us that this is the meaning of the lampstand. Zerubbabel had laid the foundation to the temple and now he will be able to finish the work. Nothing will stop the work for God has purposed its completion. There would be great joy and the shouts of “grace to it� when Zerubbabel pick up the plumb line and finished the work.
The two olive trees (4:11-14)
But Zechariah wants to know the meaning of the two olive branches which are standing to the right and left of the lampstand. The angel responds that these two branches are “the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.� The general consensus among commentators is that these two anointed ones are Joshua and Zerubbabel. Joshua, acting as the high priest for the people, was to be anointed according to the law. The king, inferred to be Zerubbabel who was acting as governor, was also to be anointed according to the law. I believe this interpretation has some difficulties, which James Burton Coffman expresses in his commentary. The difficulties to me are twofold. First, Zerubbabel was not king and was not an anointed one in the sense of the vision. Further, how can it be that Zerubbabel and Joshua are the branches feeding the oil to the lampstand, which we have noticed is the word of God? Second, Revelation 11:4-6 uses the same description of the two olive branches but gives us more description. There we see that the two who stand before the Lord are those who “have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have the power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire� (Revelation 11:6). These seem to be obvious descriptions of powers exerted by Elijah and Moses, respectively. These two are a representation of the law and prophets. This makes more sense that these two are the ones providing the oil into the lampstand in the vision. The law and the prophets are the word of God and the promises of God’s word were now going to come to pass. That which had been prophesied by previous prophets like Ezekiel and Daniel concerning a rebuilding is now in the process of taking place. This understanding helps round out the meaning of the vision. God’s word would come to pass and the promises of God would be upheld. Zerubbabel’s work would be accomplished. God was leveling the obstacles that stood in the way of His people serving Him.
