Zechariah-The Temple WILL Be Built, Says God

By Mary Vee
Zechariah 4

From Zechariah's Journal

Photo Courtesy

An angel of the Lord visited me in a vision. It happened at night when I was alone.  Actually the angel ended up showing me several visions. This is the fifth vision. You can scroll down to past posts to read the other visions.

The first vision happened while I was in Jerusalem. We were rebuilding the temple. Darius was in his second year of reign in Babylon. The second, third, and fourth followed, all in the same night. This is the fifth vision I saw:

I had apparently fallen asleep. The information, seeing the angels, and everything else in the vision had overwhelmed me. I think the angel let me sleep a bit before waking me. When he woke me, I didn't understand where I was.

The angel said, "What do you see?"

That is when I really looked around and remembered I was seeing a vision. 

I blinked and let my eyes focus before answering. "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. On each side of the lampstand is an olive tree, one on the right and the other on its left.

I asked the angel, "What are these my lord?"

He answered, "Do you know what these are?"

I know, I had asked already, but I had just woken from a deep sleep and maybe missed something. I looked again and answered, "No, my lord."

The angel said, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel."

Yes, now I understand. This message is to be given to Zerubbabel, the one in charge of the rebuilding of the Temple. 

The angel continued with the Lord's message, "'The temple will not be finished by might, nor by power, but by My spirit,' says the Lord Almighty." The angel pointed to where the temple was being built. "What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of 'God bless it! God bless it!"

At that moment God explained the meaning to me. "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple. His hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

"Don't be afraid of those who try to stop the work. Keep building. The men of Jerusalem will rejoice when they see the level in the hand of Zerubbabel.

The seven lights on top of the lamp stand are the seven eyes of the Lord. They see everywhere throughout the earth.

Then I asked the angel, "What are these two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?"

He didn't answer me.

I asked again, "What are these two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?

The angel said, "Don't you know?"

I really didn't. I lowered my head a bit and said, "No, my lord."

The angel said, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth."

Author's note: In time, scholars learned that the lampstand represented those who believed in Jesus. The Olive Branch was Christ who died for our sins, giving us life as the fire of the candle had life. The Holy Spirit was the second Olive tree, sent to be the comforter.

God showed Zechariah a few more visions. Come back next time to see the rest of the story.

*********************************************************************************************
source: Matthew Henry's Commentary volume 4, Hendrickson Publishers. 2000.

1.  Who was Zachariah? 
2.  What did Zachariah see in this vision?
3.  What did the lampstand refer to?
4.  What did the two olive trees refer to?
5.  Who was Zerubbabel?
6.  What message was to be given to Zerubbabel?