Book of Zechariah

Compiled by WD Kemner January 2024

 

 

CHAPTER 4

Candlestick and Olive Trees

 

 

Zechariah 4:1-2

 

And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, 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:

 

 

 

Hebrew words:

 

Bowl (1543) = gullah - pronounced “gool-law” – a fountain, bowl or globe (all as round).

 

Lamps (5216) = nerah - pronounced “nay-raw – properly means to “glisten” but can be a lamp (as in a burner) or even a literal candle or lamp.

 

Pipes (4166) (author uses different words here and in verse 12 below) = mutsaqah - pronounced “moo-tsaw-kaw” – properly means something poured out – a casting (like metal mold) – by implication a tube or pipe.

 

 

Zechariah 4:3-4

 

And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord (#113)?

 

 

 

He will tell us what the two olive trees by the candlestick are, later in verses 11-14 below.

 

 

Zechariah 4:5-9

 

Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord (#113).

 

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.

 

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.

 

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 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.

 

 

 

There were A LOT of “Interruptions and Distractions” in the building of the temple after coming back from exile in Babylon. (See books of Ezra and Nehemiah)

 

God is reassuring Zerubbabel that He (God) will be with him and that Zerubbabel will be the one to finish this current version of the temple that was under construction regardless of what was transpiring around him.

 

 

Zechariah 4:10

 

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.

 

 

 

These are the “eyes” that we first read about in chapter 3:9.

 

This indicates the “resources” God has that are traveling around and keeping “tabs” on everything.

 

 

Zechariah 4:11-12

 

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? 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?

 

 

 

Hebrew Words:

 

Pipes (6804) = tsantarah - pronounced “tsan-taw-raw” – meaning to be hollow, a culvert or water spout, thus a tube or pipe. Interesting that he changed how he viewed the “pipes” since verse 2 above.

 

He is asking again, to follow up from verse 3 and 4 earlier.

 

 

 

ANOINTED ONES – TWO WITNESSES

 

 

Zechariah 4:13-14

 

And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord (#113). Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord (#113) of the whole earth.

 

 

 

Anointed Ones –They have been anointed for their life of holy devotion to God. They have been standing beside their master awaiting their time to serve once again.

 

These are the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11:3-4.  Both Zechariah and the Apostle John have visions of these “olive trees”.