II. The Candlestick and Two Olive Trees

Zechariah

Chapter Ten

II. The Candlestick and Two Olive Trees

“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” (Zechariah 4:1-3).

Again, as in the vision of Zechariah chapter three, there is a dualism in the connection to the time and people when the prophecy was given and an expansion to the extreme future; the Kingdom Age and beyond.  God sees the past, present, and future all at once.  This is difficult for our limited, finite minds to comprehend.  God is infinitely and incomprehensibly beyond us in the Being He is.  Simply because God gives us a knowledge of these things about Him does not mean we can comprehend what they mean.  How does one wrap a finite brain around infinite truth?  This is the fallacy of scientific genius.  They try to make infinite things finite, so they can intellectually grasp them and attempt explanation.  God says of them, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22).  The things that cannot be explained by natural methods are called miracles.  For the scientific world, the things that cannot be explained are called religious myths, which for them means someone told exaggerated lies.  

The “candlestick” vision given to Zechariah reveals God continual spiritual witness about Himself and His redemptive purposes within this fallen first creation.  This testimony to God’s nature and character comes forth through the revelation of Scripture and the faithful witness and testimonies of millions of believers down through the ages of time.  God always has had a faithful remnant even though at one time it was reduced to Noah and his family – “eight souls” (I Peter 3:20).

The Old Testament is God’s recorded history of both the compromises and the faithfulness of believers through the millennia.  Prophecy often is God’s witness and warnings to the unfaithful through the faithful.  The “candlestick” vision that Zechariah sees in Heaven is the constant witness and operations of God through faithful redeemed people living within the curse.  It is this constant, loving, longsuffering operations of God through His Spirit that maintains a faithful remnant, although ever decreasing at the end of each Dispensation as the stewards of God’s covenants with men. 

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). 

Although sin has hindered the work of God, it did not keep God from accomplishing His will.  Our frailties and weaknesses will not keep God from fulfilling His prophetic announcements.  Your frailties and weaknesses may hinder people in their coming to Christ and from living in sanctity before God, but they will not keep God from doing what He says He is going to do.  In other words, simply because you choose to live outside of God’s will, will not keep God from doing His will.  Your life is not that powerful my friend.  Nonetheless, why not seek to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem?

Although it was Israel’s unfaithfulness to their promises to God that brought them into captivity, it will be God’s faithfulness to His promises to them that will restore them in the Kingdom Age.  The fulfillment of God’s prophetic messages will not be hindered by the “might” or “power” of men.  The fulfillment of God’s prophetic messages might be helped by faithfulness, but the fulfillment of God’s prophetic messages will not be hindered.  The point is that although prophetic history as not yet been completely fulfilled, it is already written.  This is no excuse for Christians not getting their spiritual act together.  This is expanded upon in Haggai 2:1-9. In other words, the statement to Zechariah in Zechariah chapter four does not stand alone. 

“¹ In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, ² Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, ³ Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? {The rebuilt second temple compared to Solomon’s temple was but an organized pile of rubbish made from the destroyed first temple.  To look upon the second temple must have been discouraging to those who had seen the first temple.} ⁴ Yet now be strong {strengthened or encourage by God’s future prophetic promises}, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: ⁵ According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. ⁶ For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; ⁷ And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory {His own presence in King Jesus}, saith the LORD of hosts. ⁸ The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts. ⁹ The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:1-9).

“I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:4).  Do we comprehend the blessings of this promise?  God maintains an intimate connection with His faithful redeemed.  When we fall and become defiled with sin, God is waiting for us to repent, confess, and be cleansed by the already shed Blood of the Lamb of God (I John 1:9).  God has already prepared for our failures?

 

Was Israel’s great blessing to able to have a glorious Temple like Solomon built?  Or, was Israel’s great blessing to have God dwelling with them?  Never forget the blessing of the words, “I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:4).  Say these words repeatedly to yourself.  Every time life starts getting rough and the darkness starts to engulf your life, remind yourself that God says, “I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:4).  Oh, how easily we miss the REAL blessings of God!

The concept of the types of the Temple Menorah in conjunction with the Temple of God’s dwelling between the Cherubim upon the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant are fulfilled in the indwelling of believers with the Holy Spirit united together in a living Temple of God’s dwelling constructed of “lively stones” known as the Church.  There is no better text representing the Old Covenant Temple and Menorah transition to the New Covenant reality than I Peter 2:1-12.

“¹ Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, ² As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: ³ If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. ⁴ To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ⁵ Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. ⁶ Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. ⁷ Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, ⁸ And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. ⁹ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: ¹⁰ Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. ¹¹ Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; ¹² Having your conversation {moral lifestyles} honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (I Peter 2:1-12).

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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.