Zechariah 4:1-6

1 Then the angel who was talking with me returned and woke me up as if I had been asleep.

2 He asked me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top. And there are seven lamps and also seven places for wicks.

3 There are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on the left."

4 I asked the angel who talked with me, "Sir, what are these?"

5 The angel said, "Don't you know what they are?" "No, sir," I said.

6 Then he told me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'You will not succeed by your own strength or power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord All-Powerful.

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.