Zechariah 04
Zechariah 04:1 The angelic messenger who had been speaking with me then returned and woke me, as a person is wakened from sleep.
An angel wakes up Zechariah
2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a menorah of pure gold with a receptacle at the top and seven lamps, with fourteen pipes going to the lamps.
Zechariah sees a seven-branched menorah. The menorah is a symbol of Israel. Israel was to become a light to the Gentiles.
3 There are also two olive trees beside it, one on the right of the receptacle and the other on the left.”
Zechariah saw two olive trees on each side of the bowl. The two trees provided the bowl with olive oil. The olive oil keeps the lights of the menorah shining. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. This is a symbol of Israel being filled with the Holy Spirit so that they can be a light to the Gentiles. Israel will not be filled nationally with the Holy Spirit until the Millennial Kingdom.
4 Then I asked the messenger who spoke with me, “What are these, sir?”
Zechariah asked the angel for the purpose of the whole vision.
5 He replied, “Don’t you know what these are?” So I responded, “No, sir.”
Zechariah did not know the purpose of the vision.
6 Therefore he told me, “These signify the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength and not by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord who rules over all.”
The angel has a personal message for Zerubbabel. Zerrababel was attempting to rebuild the Jewish temple, but he was having some conflicts with the Israeli and with some of the surrounding cities. The message was an encouragement to Zerubbabel. Although Zerubbabel was having problems, Jehovah assured that the temple would be completed. It would not be completed by the strength or power or intelligence of Zerubbabel, It will be completed by the divine will of the Holy Spirit.
7 “What are you, you great mountain? Because of Zerubbabel you will become a level plain! And he will bring forth the temple capstone with shoutings of ‘Grace! Grace!’ because of this.”
A mountain in Scripture is usually a symbol of a nation. There was a great mountain, or a powerful leader, who was not allowing the temple to be rebuilt. This leader was Cambyses II of Medo-Persia. However, God removed this mountain. Cambyses II committed suicide. Darius became the next king. Darius gave Zerubabbel permission to rebuild the Jewish temple.
8 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me as follows:
Zechariah gives a second message to Zerrubabbel.
9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundations of this temple, and his hands will complete it.” Then you will know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you.
Zerubbabel will lay the foundation stone. He will also lay the capstone. The capstone will be the last stone of the completed temple. Satanic interference will come against Zerubbabel, but the temple will be rebuilt by God’s grace.
10 For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes will joyfully look on the tin tablet in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These are the eyes of the Lord, which constantly range across the whole earth.)
There will be many Israelites who mock the temple while Zerubbabel is building it. The reason is that the temple was much smaller than the Solomonic temple. However, God’s eyes are on this temple. This temple will start small, but later Herod will rebuild it so that it will be larger and more glorious than the Solomonic temple. Jesus the Messiah will eventually step into this temple and declare that He is the Messiah. Therefore, it may seem like a small thing to Zerubabbel, but it will be the place where God comes down to earth and teaches His people.
11 Next I asked the messenger, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the menorah?”
Zechariah wanted to know the meaning of the olive trees.
12 Before he could reply I asked again, “What are these two extensions of the olive trees, which are emptying out the golden oil through the two golden pipes?”
Zechariah was not answered, so he asked again.
13 He replied, “Don’t you know what these are?” And I said, “No, sir.”
Zechariah did not understand the meaning of the olive trees.
14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
The angel gave the answer. The olive trees are the two anointed ones, or the two oiled ones. According to Revelation 11, the two olive trees are the two witnesses of the Great Tribulation who will stand as a witness to the entire world. Israel will reject their message. The Antichrist will kill the two witnesses. He will leave their bodies in the street for three and a half days. The entire world will celebrate their deaths and give each other gifts. God will resurrect these two witnesses in front of the whole world. They will ascend to heaven in front of the eyes of the whole world. There will be an earthquake in Jerusalem. The earthquake will kill 70,000 Jews. The rest of the Jews in Jerusalem will believe the testimony of the two witnesses and become messianic believers. The remainder of Israel will not believe in Jesus as their Messiah until the last three days of the Great Tribulation. During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will then become a light to the Gentiles. Therefore, the small beginnings of Zerubabbel’s temple will lead to the second coming of Christ.