In
this chapter we have another comfortable vision, which, as it was explained
to the prophet, had much in it for the encouragement of the people of God in
their present straits, which were so great that they thought their case
helpless, that their temple could never be rebuilt nor their city
replenished; and therefore the scope of the vision is to show that God
would, by his own power, perfect the work, though the assistance given to it
by its friends were ever so weak, and the resistance given to it by its
enemies were ever so strong. Here is, I. The awakening of the prophet to
observe the vision, ver. 1. II. The vision itself, of a candlestick with
seven lamps, which were supplied with oil, and kept burning, immediately
from two olive-trees that grew by it, one on either side, ver. 2, 3. III.
The general encouragement hereby intended to be given to the builders of the
temple to go on in that good work, assuring them that it should be brought
to perfection at last, ver. 4-10. IV. The particular explication of the
vision, for the illustration of these assurances, ver. 11-14.
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The
Vision of the Golden Candlestick; The Building of the Temple
Encouraged.
B. C. 520.
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1 And the angel that talked with me came
again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a
candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his
seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are
upon the top thereof: 3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the
right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side
thereof. 4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with
me, saying, What are these, my lord? 5 Then the angel
that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these
be? And I said, No, my lord. 6 Then he answered and spake unto
me, saying, 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. 7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before
Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the
headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto
it. 8 Moreover the word of the LORD
came unto me, saying, 9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the
foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt
know that the LORD
of hosts hath sent me unto you. 10 For who hath despised the day
of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the
hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the
LORD, which run to and fro
through the whole earth.
Here is, I. The prophet prepared to receive the discovery that was to be
made to him: The angel that talked with him came and waked him, v.
1. It seems, though he was in conference with an angel, and about matters of
great and public concern, yet he grew dull and fell asleep, as it should
seem, while the angel was yet talking with him. Thus the disciples, when
they saw Christ transfigured, were heavy with sleep, Luke ix. 32. The
prophet's spirit, no doubt, was willing to attend to that which was to be
seen and heard, but the flesh was weak; his body could not keep pace with
his soul in divine contemplations; the strangeness of the visions perhaps
stupefied him, and so he was overcome with sleep, or perhaps the sweetness
of the visions composed him and even sung him asleep. Daniel was in a deep
sleep when he heard the voice of the angel's words, Dan. x. 9. We shall
never be fit for converse with spirits till we have got clear of these
bodies of flesh. It should seem, the angel let him lose himself a little,
that he might be fresh to receive new discoveries, but then waked him,
to his surprise, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. Note, We
need the Spirit of God, not only to make known to us divine things, but to
make us take notice of them. He wakens morning by morning, he wakens my
ear, Isa. l. 4. We should beg of God that, whenever he speaks to us, he
would awaken us, and we should then stir up ourselves.
II. The discovery that was made to him when he was thus prepared. The angel
asked him, What seest thou? v. 2. When he was awake perhaps he
would not have taken notice of what was presented to his view if he had not
thus been excited to look about him. When he observed he saw a golden
candlestick, such a one as was in the temple formerly, and with the like
this temple should in due time be furnished. The church is a candlestick,
set up for the enlightening of this dark world and the holding forth of the
light of divine revelation to it. The candle is God's; the church is but the
candlestick, but all of gold, denoting the great worth and excellence of the
church of God. This golden candlestick had seven lamps branching out
from it, so many sockets, in each of which was a burning and shining light.
The Jewish church was but one, and though the Jews that were dispersed, it
is probable, had synagogues in other countries, yet they were but as so many
lamps belonging to one candlestick; but now, under the gospel, Christ is the
centre of unity, and not Jerusalem, or any one place; and therefore seven
particular churches are represented, not as seven lamps, but as seven
several golden candlesticks, Rev. i. 20. This candlestick had one bowl,
or common receiver, on the top, into which oil was continually dropping, and
from it, by seven secret pipes, or passages, it was diffused to the seven
lamps, so that, without any further care, they received oil as fast as they
wasted it (as in those which we call fountain-ink-horns, or fountain-pens);
they never wanted, nor were ever glutted, and so kept always burning clear.
And the bowl too was continually supplied, without any care or attendance of
man; for (v. 3) he saw two olive-trees, one on each side the
candlestick, that were so fat and fruitful that of their own accord they
poured plenty of oil continually into the bowl, which by two larger pipes (v.
12) dispersed the oil to smaller ones and so to the lamps; so that nobody
needed to attend this candlestick, to furnish it with oil (it tarried not
for man, nor waited for the sons of men), the scope of which is to show that
God easily can, and often does, accomplish his gracious purposes concerning
his church by his own wisdom and power, without any art or labour of man,
and that though sometimes he makes use of instruments, yet he neither needs
them nor is tied to them, but can do his work without them, and will rather
than it shall be undone.
III. The enquiry which the prophet made concerning the meaning of this, and
the gentle reproof given him for his dulness (v. 4): I answered
and spoke to the angel, saying, What are these, my lord? Observe
how respectfully he speaks to the angel; he calls him my lord. Those
that would be taught must give honour to their teachers. He saw what these were,
but asked what these signified. Note, It is very desirable to know
the meaning of God's manifestations of himself and his mind both in his word
and by his ordinances and providences. What mean you by these
services, by these signs? And those that would understand the mind of God
must be inquisitive. Then shall we know if we follow on to know, if
we not only hear, but, as Christ, ask questions upon what we
hear, Luke ii. 46. The angel answered him with a question, Knowest thou
not what these be? intimating that if he had considered, and compared
spiritual things with spiritual, he might have guessed at the meaning of
these things; for he knew that there was a golden candlestick in the
tabernacle, which it was the priests' constant business to supply with oil
and to keep burning, for the use of the tabernacle; when therefore he saw,
in vision, such a candlestick, with lamps always kept burning, and yet no
priests to attend it, nor any occasion for them, he might discern the
meaning of this to be that though God had set up the priesthood again, yet
he could carry on his own work for and in his people without them. Note, We
have reason to be ashamed of ourselves that we do not more readily apprehend
the meaning of divine discoveries. The angel asked the prophet this
question, to draw from him an acknowledgment of his own dulness, and
darkness, and slowness to understand, and he had it immediately: "I
said, No, my lord; I know not what these are." Visions had their
significance, but often dark and hard to be understood, and the prophets
themselves were not always aware of it at first. But those that would be
taught of God must see and acknowledge their own ignorance, and their need
to be taught, and must apply to God for instruction. To him that gave us the
cabinet we must apply for the key wherewith to unlock it. God will teach the
meek and humble, not those that are conceited of themselves and lean on the
broken reed of their own understanding.
IV. The general intention of this vision. Without a critical descant upon
every circumstance of the vision, the design of it is to assure the prophet,
and by him the people, that this good work of building the temple should, by
the special care of divine Providence, and the immediate influence of divine
grace, be brought to a happy issue, though the enemies of it were many and
mighty and the friends and furtherers of it few and feeble. Note, In the
explication of visions and parables, we must look at the principal scope of
them, and be satisfied with that, if that be clear, though we may not be
able to account for every circumstance, or accommodate it to our purpose.
The angel lets the prophet know, in general, that this vision was designed
to illustrate a word which the Lord had to say to Zerubbabel, to encourage
him to go on with the building of the temple. Let him know that he is a
worker together with God in it, and that it is a work which God will own and
crown.
1. God will carry on and complete this work, as he had begun their
deliverance from Babylon, not by external force, but by secret operations
and internal influences upon the minds of men. He says this who is
the Lord of hosts, and could do it vi et armis--by force, has
legions at command; but he will do it, not by human might or
power, but by his own Spirit. What is done by his Spirit is done
by might and power, but it stands in opposition to visible force. Israel was
brought out of Egypt, and into Canaan, by might and power; in both these
works of wonder great slaughter was made. But they were brought out of
Babylon, and into Canaan the second time, by the Spirit of the Lord of
hosts working upon the spirit of Cyrus, and inclining him to proclaim
liberty to them, and working upon the spirits of the captives, and inclining
them to accept the liberty offered them. It was by the Spirit of the Lord
of hosts that the people were excited and animated to build the temple;
and therefore they are said to be helped by the prophets of God,
because they, as the Spirit's mouth, spoke to their hearts, Ezra v. 2. It
was by the same Spirit that the heart of Darius was inclined to favour and
further that good work and that the sworn enemies of it were infatuated in
their councils, so that they could not hinder it as they designed. Note, The
work of God is often carried on very successfully when yet it is carried on
very silently, and without the assistance of human force; the gospel-temple
is built, not by might or power (for the weapons of our warfare are not
carnal), but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, whose work on
men's consciences is mighty to the pulling down of strong-holds; thus the
excellency of the power is of God, and not of man. When instruments fail,
let us therefore leave it to God to do his work himself by his own Spirit.
2. All the difficulties and oppositions that lie in the way shall be got
over and removed, even those that seem insuperable (v. 7): Who art
thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain. See
here, (1.) How the difficulty is represented; it is a great mountain,
impassable and immovable, a heap of rubbish, like a great mountain, which
must be got away, or the work cannot go on. The enemies of the Jews are
proud and hard as great mountains; but, when God has work to do, the
mountains that stand in the way of it shall dwindle into mole-hills; for see
here, (2.) How these difficulties are despised: "Who art thou, O
great mountain! that thou shouldst stand in God's way and think to stop
the progress of his work? Who art thou that lookest so big, that thus
threatenest, and art thus feared? Before Zerubbabel, when he is God's
agent, thou shalt become a plain. All the difficulties shall vanish,
and all the objections be got over. Every mountain and hill shall be brought
low when the way of the Lord is to be prepared," Isa.
xl. 4. Faith will remove mountains and make them plains. Christ is our
Zerubbabel; mountains of difficulty were in the way of his undertaking, but
before him they were all levelled; nothing is too hard for his grace to do.
3. The same hand that has begun this good work will perform it: He shall
bring forth the head-stone (v. 7); and again (v. 9), The
hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, be it spoken
to his honour (perhaps with his own hands he laid the first stone), and
though it has been long retarded, and is still much opposed, yet it shall be
finished at last; he shall live to see it finished, nay, and his hands
shall also finish it; herein he is a type of Christ, who is both the author
and the finisher of our faith; and his being the author of it
is an assurance to us that he will be the finisher, for, as for
God, his work is perfect; has he begun and shall he not make an end?
Zerubbabel shall himself bring forth the head-stone with shoutings,
and loud acclamations of joy, among the spectators. The acclamations are not
huzzas, but Grace, grace; that is the burden of the triumphant
songs which the church sings. It may be taken, (1.) As magnifying free
grace, and giving to that all the glory of what is done. When the work is
finished it must be thankfully acknowledged that it was not by any policy or
power of our own that it was brought to perfection, but that it was grace
that did it--God's good-will towards us and his good work in us and for us. Grace,
grace, must be cried, not only to the head-stone, but to the
foundation-stone, the corner-stone, and indeed to every stone in God's
building; from first to last it is nothing of works, but all of grace, and
all our crowns must be cast at the feet of free grace. Not unto us, O
Lord! not unto us. (2.) As depending upon free grace, and desiring the
continuance of it, for what is yet to be done. Grace, grace, is the
language of prayer as well as of praise; now that this building is finished,
all happiness attend it! Peace be within its walls, and, in order to that, grace.
Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon it! Note, What comes from the
grace of God may, in faith, and upon good grounds, be committed to the grace
of God, for God will not forsake the work of his own hands.
4. This shall be a full ratification of the prophecies which went before
concerning the Jews' return, and their settlement again. When the temple is
finished then thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts has sent me unto
you. Note, The exact accomplishment of scripture prophecies is a
convincing proof of their divine original. Thus God confirms the word of
his servant, by saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built, Isa.
xliv. 26. No word of God shall fall to the ground, nor shall there fail one
iota or tittle of it. Zechariah's prophecies of the approaching day of
deliverance to the church would soon appear, by the accomplishment of them,
to be of God.
5. This shall effectually silence those that looked with contempt upon the
beginning of this work, v. 10. Who, where, is he now that despised
the day of small things, and thought this work would never come to any
thing? The Jews themselves despised the foundation of the second temple,
because it was likely to be so far inferior to the first, Ezra iii. 12.
Their enemies despised the wall when it was in the building, Neh. ii. 19;
iv. 2, 3. But let them not do it. Note, In God's work the day of small
things is not to be despised. Though the instruments be weak and unlikely,
God often chooses such, by them to bring about great things. As a great
mountain becomes a plain before him when he pleases, so a little stone, cut
out of a mountain without hands, comes to fill the earth, Dan. ii. 35.
Though the beginnings be small, God can make the latter end greatly to
increase; a grain of mustard-seed may become a great tree. Let not the
dawning light be despised, for it will shine more and more to the perfect
day. The day of small things is the day of precious things, and will be the
day of great things.
6. This shall abundantly satisfy all the hearty well-wishers to God's
interest, who will be glad to see themselves mistaken in despising the
day of small things. Those that despaired of the finishing of the work
shall rejoice when they see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel,
when they see him busy among the builders, giving orders and directions what
to do, and taking care that the work be done with great exactness, that it
may be both fine and firm. Note, It is matter of great rejoicing to all good
people to see magistrates careful and active for the edifying of the house
of God, to see the plummet in the hand of those who have power to do much,
if they have but a heart according to it; we see not Zerubbabel with the
trowel in his hand (that is left to the workmen, the ministers), but we see
him with the plummet in his hand, and it is no disparagement, but an honour
to him. Magistrates are to inspect ministers' work, and to speak comfortably
to the Levites that do their duty.
7. This shall highly magnify the wisdom and care of God's providence, which
is always employed for the good of his church. Zerubbabel does his part,
does as much as man can do to forward the work, but it is with those
seven, those seven eyes of the Lord which we read of ch. iii. 9.
He could do nothing if the watchful, powerful, gracious providence of God
did not go before him and go along with him in it. Except the Lord had built
this house, Zerubbabel and the rest would have laboured in vain, Ps.
cxxvii. 1. These eyes of the Lord are those that run to and fro
through the whole earth, that take cognizance of all the creatures and
all their actions (2 Chron. xvi. 9), and inspire and direct all, according
to the divine counsels. Note, We must not think that God is so taken up with
the affairs of his church as to neglect the world; but it is a comfort to us
that the same all-wise almighty Providence that governs the nations of the
earth is in a particular manner conversant about the church. Those seven
eyes that run through the earth are all upon the stone
that Zerubbabel is laying straight with his plummet, to see that it be well
laid. And those that have the plummet in their hand must look up to those
eyes of the Lord, must have a constant regard to divine Providence, and
act in dependence upon its guidance and submission to its disposals.
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The
Vision of the Olive-Trees.
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B.
C. 520.
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11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are
these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon
the left side thereof? 12 And I answered again, and said
unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two
golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13
And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I
said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he, These are the two
anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
Enough is said to Zechariah to encourage him, and to enable him to encourage
others, with reference to the good work of building the temple which they
were now about, and that was the principal intention of the vision he saw;
but still he is inquisitive about the particulars, which we will ascribe,
not to any vain curiosity, but to the value he had for divine discoveries
and the pleasure he took in acquainting himself with them. Those that know
much of the things of God cannot but have a humble desire to know more. Now
observe,
I. What his enquiry was. He understood the meaning of the candlestick with
its lamps: It is Jerusalem, it is the temple, and their salvation that is to
go forth as a lamp that burns; but he wants to know what are these two
olive-trees (v. 11), these two olive-branches? v.
12. Observe here, 1. He asked. Note, Those that would be acquainted with the
things of God must be inquisitive concerning those things. Ask, and you
shall be told. 2. He asked twice, his first question having no reply given
to it. Note, If satisfactory answers be not given to our enquiries and
requests quickly, we must renew them, and repeat them, and continue instant
and importunate in them, and the vision shall at length speak, and not
lie. 3. His second query varied somewhat from the former. He first
asked, What are these two olive-trees, but afterwards, What are
these two olive-branches? that is, those boughs of the tree that hung
over the bowl and distilled oil into it. When we enquire concerning the
grace of God, it must be rather as it is communicated to us by the fruitful
boughs of the word and ordinances (for that is one of the things
revealed, which belong to us and to our children) than as it is
resident in the good olive where all our springs are, for that is one of the
secret things, which belong not to us. 4. In his enquiry he
mentioned the observations he had made upon the vision; he took notice not
only of what was obvious at first sight, that the two olive-trees grew, one on
the right side and the other on the left side of the candlestick (so
nigh, so ready, is divine grace to the church), but he observed further,
upon a more narrow inspection, that the two olive-branches, from
which in particular the candlestick did receive of the root and fatness
of the olive (as the apostle says of the church, Rom. xi. 17), did empty
the golden oil (that is, the clear bright oil, the best in its kind,
and of great value, as if it were aurum potabile--liquid gold) out of
themselves through the two golden pipes, or (as the margin reads it)
which by the hand of the two golden pipes empty out of themselves oil
into the gold, that is, into the golden bowl on the head of the
candlestick. Our Lord Jesus emptied himself, to fill us; his precious blood
is the golden oil in which we are supplied with all we need.
II. What answer was given to his enquiry. Now again the angel obliged him
expressly to own his ignorance, before he informed him (v. 13):
"Knowest thou not what these are? If thou knowest the church to
be the candlestick, canst thou think the olive-trees, that supply it with
oil, to be any other than the grace of God?" But he owned he either did
not fully understand it or was afraid he did not rightly understand it: I
said, No, my Lord, how should I, except some one guide me? And then he
told him (v. 14): These are the two sons of oil (so it is in
the original), the two anointed ones (so we read it), rather, the
two oily ones. That which we read (Isa. v. 1) a very fruitful hill
is in the original the horn of the son of oil, a fat and fattening
soil. 1. If by the candlestick we understand the visible church,
particularly that of the Jews at that time, for whose comfort it was
primarily intended, these sons of oil, that stand before the Lord
of the whole earth, are the two great ordinances and offices of the
magistracy and ministry, at that time lodged in the hands of those two great
and good men Zerubbabel and Joshua. Kings and priests were anointed; this
prince, this priest, were oily ones, endued with the gifts and graces
of God's Spirit, to qualify them for the work to which they were called.
They stood before the Lord of the whole earth, to minister to him,
and to receive direction from him; and a great influence they had upon the
affairs of the church at that time. Their wisdom, courage, and zeal, were
continually emptying themselves into the golden bowl, to keep the lamps
burning; and, when they are gone, others shall be raised up to carry on the
same work; Israel shall no longer be without prince and priest. Good
magistrates and good ministers that are themselves anointed with the grace
of God and stand by the Lord of the whole earth, as faithful
adherents to his cause, contribute very much to the maintaining and
advancing of religion and the shining forth of the word of life. 2. If by
the candlestick we understand the church of the first-born, of true
believers, these sons of oil may be meant of Christ and the Spirit, the
Redeemer and the Comforter. Christ is not only the Messiah, the Anointed
One himself, but he is the good olive to his church; and from
his fulness we receive, John i. 16. And the Holy Spirit is the unction
or anointing which we have received, 1 John ii. 20, 27. From Christ, the
olive tree, by the Spirit, the olive branch, all the golden
oil of grace is communicated to believers, which keeps their lamps burning,
and without a constant supply of which they would soon go out. They stand
by the Lord of the whole earth, who is in a special manner the church's
Lord; for the Son was to be sent by the Father, and so was the Holy Ghost,
in the time appointed, and they stand by him ready to go.
