Major Messages from the Minor Prophets: And the Visions Just Keep Coming—Zechariah

I do not know if Charles Dickens read Zechariah, but the experience of Ebenezer Scrooge accompanied by the ghosts of Christmas past, Christmas present, and Christmas future bears a strange resemblance to the experiences of Zechariah accompanied by the interpreting angel. Like Scrooge’s visions, all were received in one night. Like Scrooge’s ghosts, the interpreting angel was present throughout to probe Zechariah’s understanding and explain the visions.

In the forth vision we see Joshua the High Priest standing before the angel of the Lord dressed in filthy cloths. They are symbolic of the filth of Israel’s sins — particularly her idolatry. The angel of the Lord commands that Joshua be stripped of his foul garments and clothed in rich garments. It’s a beautiful picture of the cleansing that comes with the forgiveness of sin. This is the great blessing of our life in Christ: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, ESV). Just as the filthy garment of the High Priest is symbolic of Israel’s sins, so the rich garments are symbolic of Israel’s cleansing from sin.

Now that sin has been forgiven Israel is to be a light to the nations. God’s plan for His. The prophet’s fifth vision has three sections to it

a. 1st, the vision of the Golden Lampstand vv. 2-7

b. 2nd, the promise to Zerubbabel vv. 8-10

c. 3rd, the vision of the two olive trees vv. 11-14

I. THE VISION OF THE LAMPSTAND

“He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied. 6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty. 7 “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!’ ” (Zechariah 4:2–7, NIV84)

A. THE VISION

1. the angel of the Lord ask Zechariah, “What do you see?” and the prophet replies “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights”

a. the word translated lampstand is menorah

1) this one is made out of solid gold suggesting purity and preciousness

b. the menorah was the seven-branched ancient candelabra made of gold and used in the portable sanctuary set up by Moses in the wilderness

1) fresh olive oil of the purest quality was burned daily to light its lamps

2) we read about it in the Book of Exodus

“Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it. 32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. 33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. 35 One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. 36 The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold. 37 “Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it. 38 Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. 39 A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. 40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” (Exodus 25:31–40, NIV84)

3) vs. 39 tells us that a talent of pure gold was used to make the Temple’s lampstand and that’s seventy pounds of gold

c. the Temple of Solomon contained ten such lampstands

2. the menorah that Zechariah sees, however, is a little different than the one found in the Temple in that it has a bowel sitting on top with seven wicks in it, and from the bowl run channels to each of the cups

a. the bowel, and the channels running from it, provide a perpetual supply of oil to branches holding the cups with their wicks

B. THE VISION’S MEANING

1. The central feature of this vision is not hard to explain

a. the lampstand represents the elect people of God—first Israel and then later the church—as many references throughout the Old and New Testaments make clear

1) Isaiah wrote of Israel, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (Isa. 60:1–3)

2) again, Isaiah, “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch” (Isa. 62:1)

3) in the New Testament Jesus called his disciples “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14)

4) he told them to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:16)

2. in Revelation 1 we have the New Testament equivalent of Zechariah’s vision: Jesus standing among seven golden lampstands

a. on this occasion Jesus explains, “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (Rev. 1:20).

3. the oil of Zechariah’s vision is also not obscure in meaning

a. it is a pervasive image of the Holy Spirit and of the power of the Spirit that is supplied to God’s people in abundant measure

4. Zechariah and Haggi have both revealed to Zerubbabel that he is to rebuild the Temple that was begin 17 years ago, but has languished

a. it’s going to be a “God thing”

1) 1st, when the Temple is finished everyone will know that, while the hands of men built it, the hand of the Lord was behind it

“So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6, NIV84))

2) 2nd, no obstacle will keep it from happening

“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!’ ” (Zechariah 4:7, NIV84)

II. THE PROMISE TO ZERUBBABEL

“Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “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. 10 “Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. “(These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range throughout the earth.)” (Zechariah 4:8–10, NIV84)

A. THE VISION

1. Zerubbabel began the Second Temple, and God promises that his hands will complete the work

a. the plumb line is in the hand of Zerubbabel indicates he is super-intending the work of the builder

2. Zerubbabel was a man beset by many problems in his attempts to carry God’s work forward

a. he was fighting lethargy, smallness of vision, and lack of faith within Israel

b. without, he was fighting the determined opposition and evil cunning of God’s enemies

1) these forces undoubtedly did seem like a “mighty mountain” before him

2) they were an obstacle human power could not remove, but God urged him to be strong in completing his task, knowing that the Lord himself would reduce the mountain to level ground

2. the victory would be won by God’s Spirit, not by human power

B. THE VISION’S MEANING

1. 1st, there were no shortcuts in God’s work

a. the work still had to be done: the stones still had to be laid

2. any worthwhile work always begins small and progresses from that point to become bigger

a. I am convinced that one of their biggest problems among Christians today is that they expect shortcuts

1) they want a simple principle that will explain all the Bible and eliminate the need for concentrated and prolonged Bible study

2) they want an experience that will set them on a new spiritual plateau and eliminate the need for hard climbing up the steep mountain paths of discipleship

3) they want a fellowship that has all the elements of a perfect heavenly fellowship without the hard work of building relationships

3. this is not the way God has ordered things

a. He could have given shortcuts, but he has not

1) even Zerubbabel, who was the leader of Israel at this time and who in this vision receives a promise that he will live to see the completion of the temple—

2) even Zerubbabel, who is promised the fullness of the Holy Spirit to complete his work—

3) even Zerubbabel still had to take his plumb line in hand and work away at the mountain one day at a time

4. 2nd, no project is small or insignificant when God decrees it

a. there were those who sneered at the Temple that Zerubbabel is building

1) their Scriptures spoke of the ornateness of Solomon’s Temple ... and this was obviously not Solomon’s Temple

2) the naysayers and critics should not deter Zerubbabel, because he is doing exactly what God has commanded he do

b. he that is not willing to labor at small things will never accomplish great things Jesus says to us in Matthew 25:21, "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master" (NAS).

III. THE VISION OF THE TWO OLIVE TREES

“He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left. ... 11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” 12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?” 13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I said. 14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.” (Zechariah 4:2-3; 11–14, NIV84)

1. even though Zechariah knew what he saw, he did not know what the vision signified

A. THE VISION

1. the young prophet has already seen the two olive trees on either side fo the Menorah, but not until vs. 11 does he ask their meaning

2. than angel’s reply is that "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth."

a. he is referring to Joshua the High Priest, and Zerubbabel the King

b. according to vs. 12 the branches of these olive trees pour out golden oil into the bowel that sits atop the Menorah

c. the implication is that these two olive trees provide the oil for the perpetually burning Menorah

B. THE VISION’S MEANING

1. we know that the two anointed of vs. 14 must be Joshua the High Priest and Zerubbabel the King because in the Old Testament only those holding two offices, the priesthood and the monarchy, required anointing in order to perform their sacred duties

a. the promise of the prophecy is that God is going to use these two Spirit-filled, God- anointed leaders to accomplish His will in Israel

2. the fifth vision aims to bolster the nation’s confidence in the future

a. God sometimes uses little things and seemingly insignificant people to display His power and grace

1) Zechariah 4 is a clear example of this

b. God encouraged Zerrubbabel, the civic leader, to finish the temple

1) although it would not have the grandeur of the one Solomon built, it would be completed by the direction and power of the Spirit

2) a small group of people with limited resources, led by two men, Joshua and Zerubbabel, were going to see the almighty hand of Jehovah working on their behalf

c. as a result, this little group did great things for God

IV. APPLICATION FROM ZECHARIAH 4

A. GOD’S SPIRIT EMPOWERS HIS PEOPLE TO CARRY OUT HIS WORK

1. weather it’s building a Temple or building a Church, what is needed is Spirit-filled men and women willing to carry out God-ordained work

2. the Temple that Zerubbabel is building and in which Joshua will serve is small and plain compared to what had stood in its place 70 years before

a. it doesn’t matter, because what their building is God ordained, and Zerubbabel’s calling is to lead God’s people to accomplish the project

3. too often we want to do the Lord’s work, by using the world’s methods

a. we can have the best music, the best performers, the best communicators, the best programs, but without the Gospel properly shared and lived, there’s no power of God

b. the Gospel doesn’t need bright lights or a fog machine

ILLUS. R.C. Sproul said, “You can’t improve upon the Gospel because God put His power there.”

B. NO WORK IS TOO SMALL IF GOD IS IN IT

1. America was built on what we refer to as The Puritan Work Ethic

a. it’s a philosophy that emphasizes that hard work, discipline and frugality are a result of a person's salvation

b. but it’s more ...

2. it’s an ethic that says All Work Is God’s Work, Labor is Not in Vain, and There is No Small Work

a. from a Christian perspective, the one who cleans the church to make it ready for the worshipers, his work is as important as the one who delivers the Word to the worshipers

Major Messages from the Minor Prophets: And the Visions Just Keep Coming—Zechariah

I. THE VISION OF THE LAMPSTAND

A. THE VISION

B. THE VISION’S MEANING

II. THE PROMISE TO ZERUBBABEL

A. THE VISION

B. THE VISION’S MEANING

III. THE VISION OF THE TWO OLIVE TREES

A. THE VISION

B. THE VISION’S MEANING

IV. APPLICATION FROM ZECHARIAH 4

A. GOD’S SPIRIT EMPOWERS HIS PEOPLE TO CARRY OUT HIS WORK

B. NO WORK IS TOO SMALL IF GOD IS IN IT

C. GODLY LEADERS ARE IMPORTANT