Remarks Upon the Book of Zechariah

IN this chapter we have the record of a vision in which the prophet saw a candlestick of gold, which had upon the top of it a bowl surrounded by seven lamps, which were connected with the bowl by means of seven pipes. The chapter states that he saw also two olive trees, one of which stood at the right side of the bowl, and the other at the left. Each olive tree poured out oil from one of its branches into the bowl, by means of a golden pipe, which connected the tree with the candlestick. Thus the two golden pipes conveyed the oil direct from the olive trees into the bow and the seven pipes conveyed the oil from the bowl to each of the seven lamps. Zech. 4:2, 3, 11, 12.

This vision, like that in chapter 1:18, was given in the night, for it is said that the angel awakened the prophet out of his sleep. Verse 1. The darkness of night rendered the light of the seven lamps more, impressive to Zechariah than it would have been had this vision been given when the sun was shining. God designed by the candlestick with its bowl and lamps; and by the olive trees which poured their oil into the bowl and thence into the lamps, to teach the prophet how he makes the light of his truth to shine in the midst of the dense darkness which covers the earth because of sin.

The candlestick of gold was unlike the candlestick in the tabernacle, for that had six lamps upon branches which proceeded from its two sides, and it had also a lamp upon its top; but this candlestick had a bowl upon its top, and seven lamps surrounding the bowl, and connected directly with the bowl rather than with the candlestick. Ex. 25:31-40; Zech. 4:2. The two olive trees were unlike any olive trees known to man; for all olive trees produce berries, from which men make oil by beating them fine, but these trees produced oil alone, and poured that oil through golden tubes into the bowl upon the top of the candlestick. Ex. 27:20; Lev. 24:2; Jer. 11:16; Zech. 4:11, 12. Man had nothing to do with the preparation of the oil which supplied these lamps. The oil flowed direct from the trees into the bowl, and thence into the lamps.

The seven lamps must signify the seven spirits of God. Rev. 4:5. The bowl, upon the top of the candlestick from which each of the seven lamps proceeded, must represent Christ, for Christ says that he has the seven spirits of God. Rev. 3:1. The bowl with the seven lamps (Zech. 4:2) has therefore the same signification as the stone with seven eyes (Zech. 3; 9; 4:10), and as the lamb with seven horns and seven eyes. Rev. 5:6.

The two olive trees, according to Zech. 4:6, must signify the word of God, or the holy Scriptures; for when the prophet demanded the signification of his vision, the angel answered: "This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." That is to say, "This vision signifies the word of the Lord addressed to Zerubbabel, the chief and the representative of the church." Zerubbabel had commenced to build the temple of the Lord, but so great was the poverty of the people, and so powerful were the adversaries that opposed the work, that it seemed impossible that he should ever complete the building. Hag. 2:2, 3; Zech. 4:8-10; Ezra 4:1-24. His circumstances were exactly the opposite of those of Solomon when the first temple was built, for the riches of Solomon were immense, and he had no adversaries. 1 Kings 3:13; 10:21, 27; 5:4. When, therefore, the olive trees produced oil instead of berries, and poured that oil without human intervention into the lamps, it was to teach Zerubbabel that God could do his work without the aid of man, or, what is the same thing, that he could do that work when the resources of his people were very feeble, and the work itself very great.

Yet this vision clearly indicates that there is a work for the servants of God to do, however feeble they may be. The candlestick itself could give no light, but it could hold up the bowl with its seven lamps, and these could illuminate the world. The candlestick must therefore represent the church of God. Rev. 1:20. The office of the church is to hold up Christ and the truth in the sight of men. Thus the church, which has no light in itself, is able to be the light of the world. Matt. 5:14-16; Phil 2:15.

Christ is the central object in this vision, for he is the Alpha and the Omega of the Old and New Testaments. Rev. 1:8; 22:13. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Col. 2:3, 9. The two olive trees standing on each side of Christ must represent the two divisions, of the word of God, the law and the gospel, or the Old Testament and the New. The oil which flows from these trees signifies the truths of the Bible. The Scriptures testify of Christ. John 5:39. The two divisions of the word of God meet in Christ even as the two golden pipes from the two olive trees poured the oil into the golden bowl. The seven spirits as seven lamps give light to the world, but they do it by means of the truths of the Bible, and these truths have their center in Christ, as the seven lamps have their center in the golden bowl. Thus the church, or golden candlestick, is the light of the world by means of the truths which the Spirit of God draws from the Bible through Christ.

It is remarkable that the angel seems unwilling to give a full explanation of this vision, to Zechariah See verses 4, 5, 11-14. But we now know the reason. There was to be a later revelation on this subject made in the New Testament. This well illustrates the fact that our knowledge of the truth is drawn from two sources, the Old Testament and the New, even as the oil was produced by two olive trees. The angel closed this vision by saying: "These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."

About five hundred years after this, the attention of John was called to this subject, probably by the same angel, in words very similar to those which he addressed to Zechariah: "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth." Rev. 11:4. Now two candlesticks are seen instead of one. This was because the New Testament church had arisen, though in truth but one church existed in the time of John; for the church of the Old Testament gave place to that of the New when the latter arose. But it is proper always to speak of two olive trees, for the New Testament has existed in truth ever since God began to pardon sin. One of the old Fathers says: "In the Old Testament the New Testament lies concealed; in the New Testament the Old Testament lies open."

God calls these two olive trees his two witnesses. Rev. 11:3, 4. These witnesses bear testimony to his will concerning our duty in the law, and they bear testimony to his power to save us from sin by the gospel. They also threaten men with death by fire if they refuse to repent. Rev. 11:5. Their word by the mouth of Elijah shut heaven that it should not rain (1 Kings 17), and their word by the mouth of Moses turned the waters of Egypt to blood and inflicted the ten plagues. Rev. 11:6; Ex. 7:12.

The angel said, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain." Zech. 4:7. This signified that if Zerubbabel would have faith in God the immense difficulties which stood in the way of his success in building the temple should all be removed. This case illustrates the meaning of the declaration of Christ concerning the removal of mountains by our faith. Matt. 21:21.

God assured Zerubbabel that he should finish the house, and to encourage his faith he compared Christ and the seven spirits of God to a plummet in his hand. Compare Zech. 3:9; 4:10. He said also that when the head-stone should be put in its place to finish the temple, such would be the beauty of the edifice the people would cry, "Grace, grace unto it." Zech. 4:7-10.