Zechariah Chapter 4 "Yaveh's Purpose" This Bible
Study is written by Roger Christopherson, and it's
transcription/ location is provided by http://www.theseason.org The name "Zechariah" means "remembered by God", in the Hebrew. The book of Zechariah was written about 410 to 403 B.C.., and is prophecy directed to the generation living in the final seven years of this earth age. It will include the events which this current generation will witness, and all these prophecies will be finished prior to our Lord Jesus Christ's return to set up and rule His millennium [1,000 year] kingdom. In chapters one and two God showed us "four horns", which are the "four hidden dynasties". These are the external enemy powers to God and His elect. However, God also told us of the "four carpenters" that He would send, and these were the "iron smiths". They are the ones that form the iron rods that will set the "four horns", or "hidden dynasties" in their place. These hidden dynasties are the methods that the Kenites or Satan's children will use to lead the world into Satan's camp. Those methods or systems are through Economics [Commerce and trade], Education [not only in the schools but over television, the press, and so forth], Politics [Government], and Religion [by moving in and changing God's Word to conform to their traditions]. Then in the third chapter Zechariah told of the remnant that world stand as a sign before the world, as God speaks through them. They were made pure as their filthy garments [sins] were stacked on the "BRANCH", who is our Lord Jesus Christ. The remnant is the "elect", those that have the eyes that can see, and ears that can hear all the signs in the final days. When you become one of God's elect, then as we saw in Revelation 2, you will be given a new name. Now with all this in mind, we will go the the fourth chapter and see the spiritual completeness of God's plan. We are told that there are 7000 that are set aside that would never bow a knee to "Baal" [the Antichrist, and his system]. These men and women are going to be led primarily by the two witnesses of Revelation 11:6-8. Zechariah 4:1 "And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep," Zechariah 4:2 "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:" The "bowl" is a "reservoir". The "seven" represents "spiritual completeness", and we see from Revelation 11:1-3 that the candlesticks, and the lamps represent God's two witnesses. The seven, then in Zechariah 4:2, is all the witnesses that will stand against the Antichrist, and his one world system, and be led by them to give answer to the Antichrist. These witnesses of the seven thousand will be delivered up to the "synagogues of Satan", as Jesus taught in Mark 13:11. Revelation 11:1 "And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the Temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein." Revelation 11:2 "But the court which is without the Temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months [three and a half years, 1,260 days]." Revelation 11:3 "And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days [1,260 days], clothed in sackcloth." The elect will be witnessing during the time that the Gentiles will be treading the courtyards of Jerusalem, and presenting Satan as their messiah. Zechariah is a second witness to the words that John wrote in the book of Revelation. It will be at this time, then, that we are to allow the "Holy Spirit" of God to speak through us, and not giving any forethought as to what we are to answer. It will be God's Spirit giving His message, and placing the words in our minds and mouths, as to what is to be said. This is exactly what is talked about, as it is written in Acts 2 on Pentecost Day. Zechariah 4:3 "And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof." Why are the "two olive trees" that are standing on the right and left side of the bowl mentioned? Remember the ten virgins, and their olive oil secured for their lanterns? That "olive oil" is the "oil of God". It's the oil of God's people, and the oil we use use in the anointing "in God's name". "Olive oil" is the symbol [oil] used for "truth". It is used to symbolically show others that you are true to the Living God. It is also used because our Lord Jesus Christ told us to do so. Revelation 11:4 "These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the God of the earth." Revelation 11:5 "And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed." Revelation 11:6 "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will." The "two olive trees"; one on each side of the bowl, feeds their oil [truth] to the "seven lights", which are the "elect of God", which will make their stand in the end times. Zechariah is given this vision and he wants to know all about these two olive trees that are in his vision. Zechariah 4:4 "So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?" What do they stand for? Zechariah 4:5 "Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord." This angel is asking that "the man" [Zechariah] stop and think. What is the subject, and the object here? The angel is asking the man to figure out what the candlestick, lamps, and olive trees symbolize. Let's not forget the simplicity in this lesson of the olive trees itself, for the two olive trees provides the "oil" [truth] for God's [Elect] people. Zechariah 4:6 "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." The word "Zerubbabel" in the Hebrew, means "born in Babel [confusion]". God is saying to Zechariah, this one born in confusion and the one who comes out of that confusion; that there is only one pump that sends the olive oil [truth] to the lamps [God's witnesses]. That one which sends the olive oil of truth is "My Spirit [the Holy Spirit]". This is God's answer. That oil [truth] will create in your mind ["that reservoir-bowl"] a supply of light and truth that will shine forth with truth to the entire world. This truth can only come directly from the Holy Spirit, for there is no other force or source from man which can reveal the truth of God's Word. This is the strength of our prayers, and we can know that God will respond through His Spirit. In the parable Jesus gave in Matthew 25:10, five of the virgins [part of the bride of Christ] did not have enough oil [truth from God's word], and when the time came to rely on that oil [truth], they fell short. Their knowledge of God's Word deceived them into being taken by the wrong husband. All ten of the virgins were students of the Word, and followers of Christ, yet only five were acceptable to the husband [Christ]. The object here to "Zerubbabel", or those coming out of confusion, is that the "Word of God" is the "oil" that lights all our lamps, as God opens our minds to understanding. When we ask for that oil [truth], He will give it through our study. Zechariah 4:7 "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." The "great mountain" is the symbol used for "a great nation", and that great nation is the "one world system" that will hold the entire world in confusion, and deception. God is telling us that this one world system is not going to be a nation anymore, when the "headstone" [Jesus Christ] returns. This "headstone" [Jesus Christ] that shall do away with this system is also called "the Chief corner stone", as referred to in I Peter 2:6-8. It is Christ, also, that is called the stumbling block. I Peter 2:6 "Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded." When you first learn what Jesus Christ has done for you, and accept it, you act and think as a babe in Christ. Then when the Spirit of God takes hold of your mind He matures you, and when you partake of Christ, you become a living stone in the temple of God. Jesus Christ is the chief corner Stone of that temple of God. Jesus Christ is the chief Stone, the foundation, the Rock that this church structure is built upon. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 "And I say also unto thee [speaking to Peter]...Upon this Rock will I build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Rock is not one of his disciples named Peter, but the subject that Peter had just identified in the verse prior. Peter had just answered the question that Jesus asked, "Whom do ye say that I am?" Peter's answer was; "Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God." This answer by Peter identifies the who the Rock is, without question. The "Rock" is "Jesus Christ the son of the Living God." Jesus Christ is also the Chief Corner Stone. I Peter 2:7 "Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, The Stone Which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner." I Peter 2:8 "And a Stone of stumbling, and a Rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed." Many will stumble in Christ, for a very simple reason; they did not have enough truth to know that there are two Christ's coming. They simply did not know that the first Christ was Satan, [the Antichrist], and they went to and became part of the wrong wedding. There are very few Christians today that know there are two Christ's, and that the True Messiah is the last. Many that love Christ will stumble because they can't tell which is the true, and which is the counterfeit [fake]. That "mountain", or one worldism, will be removed before the True Christ appears. You will not see the True Christ in your flesh body, and if you think you see Christ, and your in the flesh, then that Christ is a fake. Zechariah 4:8 "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying," Zechariah 4:9 "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." This is an explanation of the vision given to Zechariah. "The hands", which are provided by this one world system of confusion, started with the mixing of truth with all sorts of heathen and false doctrine. The distortion came to the point that what appears to be truth, is actually a lie. "His hands shall finish it", shows that this confusion of the truth will come to an end, and then all souls shall know who the Lord is, and it shall be revealed to them. At Jesus Christ second advent, every knee shall bow, and tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 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." The temple of the end times that will be completed, and those that will come out of that confusion, are God's church. Many will see the truth before it is to late, and reject the one worldism that is tightening it's grip on the world. The phrase "despised the day of small things", should be worded, "Who would believe that the small group of the elect could destroy the world system?" The "seven" are the flesh people who will run to and fro, through the whole world in the latter days. In earlier verses we read that it would be the Holy Spirit that would cause the light of truth to shine. However, there are armies of angelic beings will cause the end to come, when they are the souls that shall help gather Satan's forces [see Matthew 13:38-39] for destruction. Friend, though it sounds bad for the Christian in these end times., Matthew 18:10 tells us that each of us have an angel that has the face of God [God's attention], at any time the angel requires it [chooses]. There is much more to God's word than most who run to and fro in the world can understand. God is in control, and it is God's Spirit that causes all that happens to happen. God will use all those He has chosen to perform His work. The "plummet" is a tool used to measure for accuracy. It is a stone fixed to a string, and hung [by God's laws of gravity] to find a true and accurate point. The "plummet in the hand", will set the point of God's true and accurate Word, and that will be what stands in the end. The natural forces within God's people will hold them to the true line. Zechariah 4:11 "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?" We saw this question also in verse three, as to what the "two olive trees" were. In Revelation 11:4; "These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God [Lord] of this earth." These two olive trees are the two witnesses that stand against the Antichrist, and the two Candlestick are the two churches of Revelation two, and three who knew who the Kenites were, and their false doctrines, and stood fast against them. Zechariah 4:12 "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?" Zechariah 4:13 "And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord." The angel is asking Zechariah to think about this vision in depth; however, Zechariah responds that he doesn't know and can't figure out what they are. Zechariah 4:14 "Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." This is the answer given by the angel. "The two witnesses" are the anointed by God, that stand by "the Lord of the whole earth"; Not Satan, but God the Father. They stand against Satan's [the Antichrist's] one worldism, and on the side of God's elect in these final times. In Revelation 11:3-13 we are told exactly what will occur while these two men of God will stand, and their death gives us the exact time of our Lord's return. That oil of truth will flow and pour out across the entire earth when the Antichrist rules for his five months, and that oil of truth will be from the Holy Spirit.
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