The prophet Zechariah's visions continue, and once again, still more clearly, the Lord reveals to him the twofold ministry of the coming Messiah, the Deliverer of Israel. In this new vision, a golden seven-branched lampstand becomes an image of the Messiah, its light...
The prophet Zechariah's visions continue, and once again, still more clearly, the Lord reveals to him the twofold ministry of the coming Messiah, the Deliverer of Israel. In this new vision, a golden seven-branched lampstand becomes an image of the Messiah, its light illuminating the interior of the Temple under construction. Standing at the entrance to the Holy of Holies, the place of the mysterious presence of the Invisible One, the lampstand was the only source of light in Moses' Tabernacle and occupied a central position by the altar in Solomon's Temple. Its fire symbolized the searing flame of God's Presence, while its seven lamps spoke of the fullness of divine life. The custom of lighting lamps and candles during prayer, as a sign that at that moment people stand before God Himself, originates in the lampstand of Moses' Tabernacle. It is therefore natural that for Zechariah the lampstand became a symbol of Christ, who brought the light of divine love into the world.
Now the prophet sees two olive trees beside the lamps of the lampstand, the source of the oil that feeds its flame. In the preceding chapter, the prophet spoke of the high-priestly ministry of God's Servant, the Messiah, and this revelation differs markedly from the Messiah-King known through the earlier prophets. Thus Zechariah sees Christ's twofold ministry, that of King and High Priest of the coming Covenant. In the Jerusalem of his own day, the more likely figure to foreshadow the Messiah would have been Zerubbabel, a prince of David's line who led the inhabitants of the land upon their return from Babylon. And so the prophet addresses Zerubbabel, saying that the Messiah's ministry will be carried out neither by force of arms nor by the power of earthly rule. This ministry is of another, mysterious nature: “Not by an army and not by strength,” the Lord says to Zerubbabel through the prophet, “but by My Spirit” will the plan for Israel's purification, restoration and salvation be fulfilled.
For the Jerusalem of those days, these words also signify God's blessing upon the rebuilding of the Temple. The Lord promises that no obstacles, above all military and political ones, will halt the building work, and that Zerubbabel will be granted the sight of its completion, just as he saw its beginning. Yet it is perfectly clear that God's saving action, which is to take place with the Messiah's coming, cannot be confined to the rebuilding of the Temple. Zerubbabel, then, will be only a foreshadowing of the Messiah, partly fulfilling His ministry. Chapter four ends by saying that the two olive trees beside the lampstand represent “two anointed with oil.” These are the prince and the high priest, Zerubbabel and Joshua, who together foreshadow two different but inseparable aspects of Christ's saving ministry. The Messiah is King and Priest, and He will exercise both ministries by God's Spirit: this is the chapter's central thought.
This prophecy of Zechariah concerning the Messiah's twofold ministry became one of the foundations of the theory of two Messiahs, popular among Jews during the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Its adherents believed that one should expect a Messiah-King, foretold by the earlier prophets, and a Messiah-High Priest, who would bring about the purification of the people in accordance with Zechariah's prophecy. The point is that, from the perspective of Jewish customs, such a union of kingship and priesthood in the Messiah appears impossible. The priesthood in Israel was strictly confined to the tribe of Levi; only Aaron's descendants could approach the altar, and Levites were required to marry only women of Levitical descent. Yet according to all the prophecies, the Messiah was to be a descendant of David, from the tribe of Judah. This contradiction, however, was resolved in Jesus of Nazareth: His Most Pure Mother was closely related to the priestly family of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, while Joseph, who adopted Him as his son, was a descendant of David.
What matters most, however, is that the Lord Jesus does indeed unite both ministries in Himself, which allows us to regard the third and fourth chapters of Zechariah as a prophecy about Him. We must also note that Zerubbabel's purely earthly ministry as prince can be interpreted as a symbol of Christ's human nature, and the high priest's spiritual ministry as a symbol of His divine nature. Yet Zechariah himself is unlikely to have consciously sought to make such an interpretation possible: the mystery of Christ's divine-human nature remained hidden from the Old Testament.
4 The vision of the candlestick and two olive - trees, Zec 4:1-3.
Encouragement to the builders of the temple, Zec 4:4-10.
The explanation of the vision, Zec 4:11-14.
4:2 With a bowl - Or basin. His seven lamps - The temple candlestick had just so many. And seven pipes - So each of the lamps had a pipe reaching from it to the bowl. On the top - These lamps were so set, as to stand somewhat higher than the body of the candlestick.
4:3 Two olive - trees by it - All which is an emblem of the church, made of pure gold; to be a light in the world; to shine as lamps that continually burn, maintained with pure oil, distilled from the olive - trees, not pressed out by man, but continually, abundantly, and freely flowing from God.
4:6 This word - Is particularly designed to him, and in an emblem prefigures what a church it is, how precious, how full of light, how maintained by God himself. Power - Courage and valour.
4:7 O great mountain - All opposers put together.Become a plain - Thou shalt sink into nothing. The head stone - Shall assist at the laying of the finishing stone, as he assisted when the foundation stone was laid. Grace, grace - Wishing all prosperity, and a long continuance of it, to the temple and those that are to worship God therein. As the free favour of God began, and finished, may the same ever dwell in it and replenish it.
4:9 Thou - Zerubbabel and all the Jews.
4:10 For who hath despised - In the work of God, the day of small things is not to be despised. God often chuses weak instruments, to bring about mighty things: and tho' the beginnings be small, he can make the latter end greatly to increase. For - Tho' they undervalued the meanness of the second temple, yet when finished, they shall rejoice in it. The plummet - The perpendicular with which Zerubbabel shall try the finished work. With those seven - In subordination to the Divine Providence expressed by the seven eyes, which were on that stone. And those that have the plummet in their hand, must look up to these eyes of the Lord, must have a constant regard to the Divine Providence, and as in dependence upon its conduct, and submission to its disposals.
4:12 I answered - l went on to discourse. Unto him - The angel.What be these - Two principal branches, one in each tree, fuller of berries, and hanging over the golden pipes. Through the pipes - These were fastened to the bowl, on each side one, with a hole through the sides of the bowl, to let the oil that distilled from those olive - branches run into the bowl. Out of themselves - An emblem of supernatural grace; these branches filled from the true olive - tree, ever empty themselves, and are ever full; so are the gospel - ordinances.
4:14 The two anointed ones - Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Son was to be sent by the Father, and so was the Holy Ghost. And they stand by him, ready to go.