Zechariah 4

God revealed things to the Old Testament covenant community through the prophets in many small portions and through a variety of methods. In the case of Zechariah, God chose to reveal truths through visions. In chapter four we have two of these visions presented together. One is of a lampstand with seven lamps. The second is of two olive trees. Both of these visions are used again in the final book of the Bible as images of the church in the midst of much persecution in the world. From the opening verses of this chapter it is clear that the prophet does not immediately know how to interpret these things.

These are presented as God's images that He is sending to Zechariah through the ministry of an angel. Therefore they are not to be dismissed as faulty just because the prophet has trouble understanding them. We look at the hints that we are granted here and in other biblical passages, and we remember that the Lord is revealing to us what He has chosen to reveal to us in ways that He has chosen to communicate with His people. One aspect of the vision may be clear from the context of the time of the restoration of the Lord's people from exile. Another may be hidden until the time of the Apostle John, through whom the Lord chooses to explain something more about the very same pictures.

This is the case with the visions of the lampstand and the two olive trees. In Zechariah the focus is on the royal figure of Zerubbabel and the priestly figure of Joshua just discussed in chapter 3. We have been hearing their names throughout this book, and it should not surprise us that they are prominent here. As we have seen before, there can be multiple levels of fulfillment in these prophesies. Great things are said about these two figures, but we also have a sense that there is something beyond these two figures that God is speaking of. We have a sense of the most ideal priest and king who will be the answer to our longings. When we find these images used in the book of Revelation, we are explicitly told that the lampstand is a symbol of the church. A strong case can also be made that the two olive trees, noted as two people who are two faithful witnesses in Revelation 11, also stand for a larger group, the faithful church in the midst of persecution in the gospel age.

When we combine these ideas together, we have images that were first given with the focus on the coming singular Messiah figure in Zechariah, but which later focused on the plural entity of the church that is united to that great Priest and King. This is the way that Christ wants us to think of the blessedness that He has in store for us. It is blessedness that is properly His, but it has truly come to be ours because of our union with Him.

Christ will build His temple of people by the power that Zerubbabel would build the restoration temple: Not by the might of men, but by the Holy Spirit, the power of God. Without that Spirit we could never stand against the forces arrayed against us, presented here as a great mountain. But now, the great mountain will not be able to stand against the Spirit-filled Zerubbabel. The first stone in the temple was set by Him, and His hand will lay the final stone. The whole resurrection temple of God will be completed in Christ.

This will be the work of the Lord. He has sent His messenger to announce the greatness of this coming King and Priest. We will wait for another day to see more of the community of the redeemed that have been made kings and priests to our God and Father. That will be clear enough at just the right time. First the Messiah will be exalted. Then when the Desire of Nations has come to give His life for us, we will be able to rejoice all the more that there is a great multitude who are found in Him.

In the meantime, the new temple may seem very small, or the progress of the gospel at any given moment may seem disappointingly slow. The glory of the whole enterprise is not dependant upon the number of people that are included in it, although it is a marvelous fact that a great multitude is saved. More important is the greatness of the one Messiah. His perfection is what allows us to truly celebrate in the day of small things, for we still rejoice in our incomparably great Lord. This is known perfectly to God, who knows about days that seem small and days that seem big.

The Lord who is anointed with the fullness of the Spirit is not only our King, but also our Priest. We are faithful witnesses and fruitful servants because He was utterly faithful and perfectly fruitful in His role as the one mediator between God and man. The message of His salvation goes forth into every land. Let us rejoice that our singularly perfect Savior counts us as being His radiant people, for He has given us of His Spirit.