Zechariah 4

1-14 Fifth Vision: The Lampstand and Olive Trees

1-3 Zechariah sees a golden lampstand with seven lamps, each with seven lips,covered by a bowl, flanked by two olive trees.

(Depiction of lampstand from http://ldolphin.org/zechwagner/.)

4-7 The angel tells Zechariah that this is God’s word to Zerubbabel: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit.” The mountain shall become a plain: God will remove all obstacles to the rebuilding of the temple.

8-10a Zerubbabel will finish the temple, verifying God’s power, “for whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice.”

10b-14 The angel identifies the olive trees as sources of oil for the lamps; they are “anointed ones” who stand by God. Various interpretations say these are Joshua the priest and Zerubbabel the ruler, symbolizing Christ as Priest and King (Henry); Christ and the Holy Spirit (Wesley); and various others (Gill).