Zechariah 4:1-6

1 And the angel who was talking to me came again, awaking me as a man out of his sleep.

2 And he said to me, What do you see? And I said, I see a light-support, made all of gold, with its cup on the top of it and seven lights on it; and there are seven pipes to every one of the lights which are on the top of it;

3 And two olive-trees by it, one on the right side of the cup and one on the left.

4 And I made answer and said to the angel who was talking to me, What are these, my lord?

5 Then the angel who was talking to me, answering me, said, Have you no knowledge of what these are? And I said, No, my lord.

6 This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, Not by force or by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of armies.

Zechariah 4:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 4

In this chapter are contained the vision of a golden candlestick, and of two olive trees by it, and the explanation thereof. The preparation to this vision, which is the awaking of the prophet, as of a man out of sleep, is in Zec 4:1. The vision of the candlestick, and olive trees, is in Zec 4:2,3. The candlestick is described by the matter of it, gold; and by the parts of it, its bowl, lamps, and pipes; and the olive trees by their situation; the explanation of which is at the request of the prophet, he not knowing what they meant, Zec 4:4,5 when it is observed to him, that this represents, under the type of Zerubbabel building the temple, the building of the Gospel church by Christ; and which is done and finished, not by might or power of man, but by the Spirit, notwithstanding all opposition, and contempt of it, to the great joy of many, who observe the grace of God, and his providential care and goodness, in it, Zec 4:6-10 and upon the prophet's inquiring the meaning of the two olive trees, which he was ignorant of, he is told that these are the two anointed ones that stood by the Lord of the whole earth, Zec 4:11-14.