Read Zechariah
4-6 & Revelation
18
To discover:
As you read consider what
each vision teaches.
To ponder:
Perhaps
to emphasize the importance of what follows, Zechariah is awakened into his
next vision from a sort of in-vision sleep, and asked what he sees (4v1). He
sees a gold lampstand, with an olive tree on each side of it. The lampstand has
seven lights on top, fed with golden oil that passes to a bowl through two pipes
from the olive trees, and then to the lights via seven channels (4v2, 12, see
here). He asks the angel what these are, and the angel responds in a way
that implies he should know. He then gives God’s word to Zerubbabel, the governor,
in which he promises that the temple will be completed not my might, or power,
but by his Spirit. So God rhetorically states that “a mighty mountain” is
nothing before Zerubbabel, but will become level ground, with Zerubbabel
bringing out the final capstone as people shout “God bless it” (4v2-7) This
implies the mountain is the mountain of opposition to the rebuilding, and that
it will be overcome without force – as occurred when God moved (by his Spirit)
Darius to decree its rebuilding (Ez 6). God is well able to simply move human
hearts to ensure his will is done.
The certainty of the temple’s
completion is then assured as God declares that having laid its foundation
Zerubbabel will also complete it, and the people will then know Zechariah (or
the angel) was sent to them, as the prophecy will have come true. This is
important as a key reassurance that the temple wasn’t completed simply by human
endeavour, but was a sign that God really was with his people again (4v8-9). It
seems some who were keen for the rebuilding “despised the day of small things”
– perhaps in the sense that they impatiently wanted to see God’s promises
fulfilled dramatically, suddenly or fully, and may have thought God was not
with this struggling remnant. But they will rejoice to see Zerubbabel with the
plumb line that was used to test whether walls are vertical. This could mean a
rejoicing at the work restarting or being completed (4v10). Whatever, it
reminds us that we shouldn’t scoff at small things the Lord achieves through his
people – the small church, the occasional conversion etc. They also remind us
God is with us. And each is part of the big thing of the completion of his
purposes in Christ.
The candlestick is now explained:
The seven lights represent the eyes (or “springs”) of the LORD that range
throughout the earth. And after Zechariah asks twice to focus our attention, we
learn the two olive trees (providing the oil) are the two individuals who are
anointed (presumably with oil) to serve God. In context these must be Joshua
(the priest) and Zerubbabel (the governor, ie. one closest to a king). The
meaning of the vision seems to be that by their work, the temple will be
established as a means of bringing the light and life of God to the whole
world. As they are symbolic of things to come (3v8) it is legitimate to see
this fulfilled in Christ, the priest-king from whom that light and life flows -
and now through his body, the church.
Next Zechariah sees a flying scroll,
apparently unravelled, and measuring 20 by 10 cubits (30x15 feet). Its size
perhaps stresses the fact that it covers the land, representing God’s curse on
it, banishing every thief and everyone who swears falsely by God’s name. These
sins are, no doubt, representative of sins against one’s neighbour and against
God. And God declares it will enter the house of those who sin in these ways,
remaining there until those houses are destroyed. It is therefore a scroll that
declares the wicked in Israel
will face God’s justice for their sin (5v1-4). The angel then draws the
prophet’s attention to a measuring basket, representing the sin of the people,
with a woman inside representing wickedness. The angel shut her in with a lead
cover, meaning the basket was firmly closed. Zechariah then saw two women with
wings like a stork. With the wind (or spirit) in their wings, they lifted the
basket into the sky and took it to Babylon
to build a house for it to be placed in (5v5-11). Babylon
is to be seen as a city of wickedness (as Rev 18). The sense is probably that
those of God’s people who commit wickedness are akin to the evil Babylonians,
and when the time is right, will receive the same ultimate fate (as Matt
25v41).
Now as Zechariah looks up, he sees
four chariots coming from between two mountains of bronze – led by powerful
red, black, white and dappled horses. The angel explains they are the four
spirits of heaven going to the four poles of the world from God’s presence. The
mountains might therefore be marking a sort of entrance to God’s presence like
the threshold of the temple. The angel’s command and comment (6v7-8) show that
he is the LORD himself! 6v8 implies that the angelic spirit going north has
fulfilled God’s purposes there. This may refer to the judgement of Babylon
and release of the exiles, or to the final judgement on the wickedness Babylon
symbolises (as 5v10-11). And so God’s Spirit is at rest (6v1-8). No corner of
the world is exempt from God’s will and purpose, nor his justice.
6v9-15 is a climax to this vision
section. God’s word comes, telling Zechariah to get silver and gold from some
recent returnees and have it immediately made into a crown to be put on Joshua,
the high priest. He is to tell him God says he, Joshua, is named the branch (a
Messianic title, as Is 11v1), and will branch out and build the temple. This is
astonishing as it makes the priest also king. Moreover, he will be clothed in
majesty and rule on “his” throne – perhaps meaning Joshua’s, or meaning God’s!
And so there will be harmony between priest and king in the one person. Having acted
all this out, Zechariah is then to give the crown to some officials as a
memorial before the LORD in the temple. This shows this crowning of Joshua will
be fulfilled not in him, but sometime in the future. Of course it looks to
Christ, who is king in ruling human hearts by his Spirit and word, and priest,
in offering himself to atone for their sin. And this is necessary for God’s
perfect kingdom. Previously the efforts of a godly king could be thwarted by an
ungodly high priest and vice-versa. But not when they are the same. And it is
Christ who will build the temple of the church.
6v15 states that those far away will
help build the temple so the people will know that Zechariah (or the angel) has
been sent by the LORD, because he predicted it. But it will only happen if the
people diligently obey God. As the temple by this time was on its way to
completion, this seems to look ahead too, to the fulfilment of the temple as
Gentiles join Jews in the building of the church (as 2v11, 8v22). All this
should thrill us in the knowledge that we are part of God’s eternal kingdom
under Christ the perfect priest-king. As such, we should give ourselves to
building his church.
Praying
it home:
Praise God that
for ensuring a perfect kingdom through Christ. Pray that you would not despise
the day of small things in the building of the church.
Thinking
further:
None today.
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