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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE PROPHET ZECHARIAH

CHAPTER FOUR:
THE LAMPSTAND AND OLIVE TREES

Summary

Zechariah’s 5^th vision is that of a golden lampstand and two olive trees. A message is delivered to Zerubbabel that YHWH’s House will be built because of His Spirit. Seven eyes roaming the earth are mentioned and this is repeated in rev 5:6. The two olive trees are explained in part. The golden lampstand and two olive trees are the source of Revelation 11:6.

Zechariah 4:1-5 – Vision of a Lampstand and Two Olive Trees

ZC4:1 Now the angel communicating with me aroused me just as when a man is awakened from sleep. 96

96

Now the angel communicating with me aroused me just as when a man is awakened from sleep: Or, ASV: And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep; LXX: And the angel that talked with me returned, and awakened me, as when a man is awakened out of his sleep. That is, as though aroused from his trance. Compare Daniel 8:18.

ZC4:2 Then he asked me: “What do you see?” I answered: “I looked, and behold, a golden lampstand with a bowl on top. 97 It had seven lamps [Revelation 1:12] with seven pipes atop the lampstand. 98

97

I looked, and behold, a golden lampstand with a bowl on top: Or, ASV: I have seen, and, behold, a candlestick all of gold; BAS: I see a light-support, made all of gold; LXX: I have seen, and behold a candlestick [LYKHNIA] all of gold. Compare the LYKHNIAI at Revelation 11:4. This vision figures strongly into figures for the end-time Saints in Revelation chapters 11-13. For details see the book Nazarene Apocalypse 2000© or notes on Revelation. The Temple menorah is described. [Exodus 25:31; 1 Kings 7:49. Compare Revelation 1:12.

98

It had seven lamps with seven pipes atop the lampstand: Or, ASV: with its bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; BAS: with its cup on the top of it and seven lights on it; LXX: and its bowl upon it, and seven lamps [HEPTA LYKHNOI] upon it. See the HEPTA LYKHNIAS at Revelation 1:12 and Revelation 4:5. [Exodus 25:37]

ZC4:3 There are two olive trees, [Revelation 11:6] one on the right and one on the left.” 99

99

There are two olive trees, one on the right and one on the left: Or, ASV: and two olive-trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof; LXX: and two olive-trees [DUO ELAIAI] above it, one on the right of the bowl, and one on the left. Compare the DUO ELAIAI at Revelation 11:4] Compare Zechariah 4:11. [Judges 9:9]

ZC4:4 Then I responded and asked the angel communicating with me: “Sir, what does this all mean?” 100

100	Sir, what does this all mean: Or, ASV: What are these, my lord; LXX: What are these things, my lord [KYRIE]. Return to Zechariah 1:9. [Daniel 7:16]

ZC4:5 So the angel communicating with me said: “Do you actually not understand what this means?” 101 I replied: “No, sir.”

101	Do you actually not understand what this means: Or, BAS: Have you no knowledge of what these are.

Zechariah 4:6-10 – YHWH’s Spirit And Zerubbabel

ZC4:6 Then the angel communicating with me answered, saying: “This is the utterance of Y^eH^oW^aH to Zerubbabel, 102 [Matthew 1:13] saying, Not because of wealth and valor, nor because of human strength, but because of My Spirit, 103 says Y^eH^oW^aH of [celestial] armies.

102	Zerubbabel: The name means SON OF BABEL. He was the governor of Israel appointed by the Persians upon Israel’s return to its homeland. He is mentioned in Matthew 1:13. [Ezra 1:8, 11; 3:8; 5:14, 16; Haggai 2:21]

103

Not because of wealth and valor, nor because of human strength, but because of My Spirit: Or, ASV: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit; JPS: Not by might [CHAYIL], nor by power, but by My spirit [RUWACH]; LXX: not by mighty power [DYNAMEI MEGALE], nor by strength, but by my Spirit [PNEUMATI]. [Isaiah 63:14] This is the first of three occurrences of God’s Spirit. Compare Zechariah 6:8; 7:12. The term “holy spirit” does not occur in Zechariah. For details on the subject of God’s Spirit see the book Error of the Trinity or the Biblical Article God’s Spirit and You. See notes on 1 Corinthians 2:16.

ZC4:7 Who are you, O great mountain? 104 You will become a level plain before Zerubbabel. 105 It will be him who brings forth the memorial-stone to thunderous applause, 106 ‘How beautiful! How beautiful!’” 107

104

Who are you, O great mountain: That is, Who do you think you are? Or, BAS: Who are you, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel you will become level; LXX: Who art thou, the great mountain before Zorobabel, that thou shouldest prosper. A metaphor for great obstacles. [Isaiah 40:4] Compare Matthew 21:21.

105	You will become a level plain before Zerubbabel: Or, BAS: you will become level.

106

It will be him who brings forth the memorial-stone to thunderous applause: Or, ASV: he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings; BAS: he will let all see the headstone; JPS: he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings; LXX: whereas I will bring out the stone of the inheritance; TAN: he will produce that excellent stone; NJB: the keystone while it is cheered. A possible parallel with Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 28:16. Likely this is the foundation stone of the rebuilt Temple.

107	How beautiful! How beautiful: Or, ASV: shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it; NJB: Hurrah! Hurrah!.

ZC4:8 And the utterance of Y^eH^oW^aH continued, saying: ZC4:9 “The actual hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this House, 108 and so it will be his hands that finish it. Then all of you will realize that Y^eH^oW^aH of [celestial] armies has sent me to you. 109

108	The actual hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this House: Or, BAS: The hands of Zerubbabel have put the base of this house in place; NJB: Temple. [Ezra 3:10; 5:16]

109	Has sent me to you: Return to Zechariah 2:11 and compare Zechariah 6:15.

ZC4:10 For who looks down on small beginnings? 110 And yet they will all rejoice when they behold the distinctive stone 111 in the hand of Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of Y^eH^oW^aH who rove about throughout all the earth. 112 [Revelation 5:6]

110	For who looks down on small beginnings: Or, ASV: For who hath despised the day of small things; BAS: For who has had a poor opinion of the day of small things; LXX: who has despised the small days. [Ezra 3:12; Haggai 2:3] The early Christian Church also has a day of small beginnings.

111

And yet they will all rejoice when they behold the distinctive stone: Or, ASV: for these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet; BAS: for they will be glad when they see the weighted measuring-line; JPS: even they shall see with joy the plummet; LXX: the plummet of tin; NJB: chosen stone; TAN: stone of distinction.

112

These seven are the eyes of YeHoWaH who rove about throughout all the earth: Or, BAS: These seven lights are the eyes of the Lord which go quickly up and down through all the earth; JPS: even these seven, which are the eyes of the LORD, that run to and fro through the whole earth; LXX: these are the seven eyes [HEPTA… OPHTHALMOI] that look upon all the earth. The phrase “seven eyes” are repeated at Revelation 5:6 – OPHTHALMOUS HEPTA. In Revelation these are identified as the “seven spirits of The God who have been sent forth into all the earth.” That is, OPHTHALMOUS HEPTA… TOU THEOU APESTALMENOI EIS PASAN TEN GEN. [2 Chronicles 16:9; Proverbs 15:3]

Zechariah 4:11-14 – Two Olive Trees Explained

ZC4:11 It was then I responded and asked [the angel]: “These two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand – what do they mean?” ZC4:12 And again I asked a second time, speaking to [the angel]: “And also these two branches of the olive trees joining the two golden tubes that pour out the golden oil?” 113

113

These two branches of the olive trees joining the two golden tubes that pour out the golden oil: Or, ASV: What are these two olive-branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that empty the golden oil out of themselves; BAS: What are these two olive branches, through whose gold pipes the oil is drained out; LXX: What are the two branches of the olive-trees that are by the side of the two golden pipes that pour into and communicate with the golden oil funnels. Some move these verses up to verse 3.

ZC4:13 Then [the angel] asked me: “Do you actually not know what these are?” I answered: “No, sir.” ZC4:14 At last he told me: “These are the two Sons of Oil who stand near the Sovereign Lord of all the earth.” 114 [Revelation 11:6]

114

These are the two Sons of Oil who stand near the Sovereign Lord of all the earth: Or, ASV: These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth; BAS: These are the two sons of oil, whose place is by the Lord of all the earth; JPS: These are the two anointed ones [YITSHAR BEN], that stand by the Lord of the whole earth; LXX: These are the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. The phrase is used in Revelation 11:4. The LXX Greek is OUTOI HOI DUO HUIOI TES PISTETOS PARESTEKASI KYRIO PASES TES GES. Revelation 11:4 uses, OUTOI EISIN AI DUO… AI ENOPION TOU KYRIOU TES GES ESTOTES. That is, “These [two] are the 2 olive trees and the 2 lampstands who stand before the Sovereign Lord of the earth.” [NCMM] In Zechariah these “two Sons of Oil [anointed]” are the governor Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. In Revelation these two are also compared to Moses and Elijah. It seems fair to state that the overall picture is one of a king and priest building the glorious Temple of Jehovah in a New Jerusalem. See notes on Revelation 3:12; 11:1-4; 20:4.