View Zechariah 4 in the note window.
The vision of the candlestick and two olive - trees, ver. 1 - 3.
Encouragement to the builders of the temple, ver. 4 - 10.
The explanation of the vision, ver. 11 - 14.
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.
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.
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.
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.
9: Thou - Zerubbabel and all the Jews.
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.
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.
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.
