"Zech. 4:2 And (the angel) 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 "candlestick" is the church (Rev. 1:20).
"All of gold" means holy or divine.
The ark of the testimony that held the two stone tables with the ten commandments written by the finger of God was lined and overlaid with gold (Ex. 25:11).
Within the temple that King Solomon built, was the oracle, the most holy place. It held the ark of the testimony and was lined with pure gold (1 Kings 6:20).
The seven golden candlesticks in Rev. 1:12 represent the seven churches of God.
The "seven lamps thereon" represent the seven angels of the seven churches (Rev. 1:20). They are the seven lamps of the golden candlestick in the tabernacle of the congregation (Ex. 25:31,37). They are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 4:5).
The "seven pipes" bring the oil to the seven lamps. Oil represents the Word of God.
Oil gives light and the Word of God is light.
"Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
The word guides us so we don't walk in darkness.
"Zech. 4:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof."
The "two olive trees" represent the two testaments of the Word of God. The olive trees give the oil or the word which gives us the light of truth.
"Rev. 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."
"The two olive trees" are the two witnesses in:
"Rev. 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."
The first witness is Moses' book of the law or the Old Testament (Deut. 31:26) that Moses put in the ark of the testimony.
The second witness is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ or the New Testament (Matt. 24:14).
They will prophesy 1260 days which represents the times of the Gentiles.
"Zech. 4:4-5 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord."
"Zech. 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."
((Zerubbabel means begotten or born in Babylon. He was a descendant of David the King. His parents were taken as captives to Babylon where he was born. He and many others with him returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (Ezra 3:8).))
I interpret this verse to mean that "the word of the LORD" or the church will be brought onto Babylon. Not just Babylon is meant here. It means all the gentile nations. Babylon represents the fallen world or the world in darkness. The LORD'S church teaching the gospel of salvation is bringing forth the light of the truth to all the gentile nations.
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the LORD of hosts" means that the spirit of the LORD is working with his servants to bring the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ to the gentile nations to turn them from idolatry to the one true God. There were no armies compelling the people to worship our LORD. Wherever the gospel was introduced, the people accepted it.
"Zech. 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" means a kingdom or nation. This means all the kingdoms and nations of the gentiles. All their power and might will not be able to stop the spread of the gospel of salvation.
The "headstone" to be brought forth to all the people by the church is our Lord Jesus Christ. He will abound with the grace and power of almighty God to guide the people in the paths of righteousness.
"Zech. 4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
"Zech. 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."
The foundation of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ was laid in the gentile nations. And he will complete the task that he was sent to do by Almighty God. He will bring the gospel of salvation to all the earth.
"Zech. 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 church started small with the crucifixion of a man that was barely regarded. But all the world shall rejoice when they see the plummet in the hand of the LORD who with the seven spirits of God, will lay claim to all the earth.
The seven spirits or angels of the seven churches are the all-seeing eyes of the LORD which run to and fro through the whole earth.
"Zech. 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?"
The candlestick is the church (Rev. 1:20).
The two olive trees represent the two covenants or testaments of the Word of God.
"Zech. 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?"
The "two olive branches" are the two olive trees which represent the two testaments of the Bible.
"The two golden pipes" deliver the "golden oil" to the lamps to give light. The holy word of God gives light to a world in darkness.
The gold represents divine or holy.
The ark of the testimony or covenant and the oracle of the temple both of which held the word of God were lined with gold.
So the golden oil which empties out of the two golden pipes represents the two testaments of the holy word of God which flowed out into all the earth.
"Zech. 4:13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord."
"Zech. 4:14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth."
The "two anointed ones" are the two witnesses of Rev. 11:3. These are the two covenants or the two testaments of the Bible that testify of the truth of our LORD throughout the earth.
The "candlestick" is the church (Rev. 1:20).
"All of gold" means holy or divine.
The ark of the testimony that held the two stone tables with the ten commandments written by the finger of God was lined and overlaid with gold (Ex. 25:11).
Within the temple that King Solomon built, was the oracle, the most holy place. It held the ark of the testimony and was lined with pure gold (1 Kings 6:20).
The seven golden candlesticks in Rev. 1:12 represent the seven churches of God.
The "seven lamps thereon" represent the seven angels of the seven churches (Rev. 1:20). They are the seven lamps of the golden candlestick in the tabernacle of the congregation (Ex. 25:31,37). They are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 4:5).
The "seven pipes" bring the oil to the seven lamps. Oil represents the Word of God.
Oil gives light and the Word of God is light.
"Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
The word guides us so we don't walk in darkness.
"Zech. 4:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof."
The "two olive trees" represent the two testaments of the Word of God. The olive trees give the oil or the word which gives us the light of truth.
"Rev. 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."
"The two olive trees" are the two witnesses in:
"Rev. 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."
The first witness is Moses' book of the law or the Old Testament (Deut. 31:26) that Moses put in the ark of the testimony.
The second witness is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ or the New Testament (Matt. 24:14).
They will prophesy 1260 days which represents the times of the Gentiles.
"Zech. 4:4-5 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord."
"Zech. 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."
((Zerubbabel means begotten or born in Babylon. He was a descendant of David the King. His parents were taken as captives to Babylon where he was born. He and many others with him returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (Ezra 3:8).))
I interpret this verse to mean that "the word of the LORD" or the church will be brought onto Babylon. Not just Babylon is meant here. It means all the gentile nations. Babylon represents the fallen world or the world in darkness. The LORD'S church teaching the gospel of salvation is bringing forth the light of the truth to all the gentile nations.
"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the LORD of hosts" means that the spirit of the LORD is working with his servants to bring the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ to the gentile nations to turn them from idolatry to the one true God. There were no armies compelling the people to worship our LORD. Wherever the gospel was introduced, the people accepted it.
"Zech. 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" means a kingdom or nation. This means all the kingdoms and nations of the gentiles. All their power and might will not be able to stop the spread of the gospel of salvation.
The "headstone" to be brought forth to all the people by the church is our Lord Jesus Christ. He will abound with the grace and power of almighty God to guide the people in the paths of righteousness.
"Zech. 4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
"Zech. 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."
The foundation of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ was laid in the gentile nations. And he will complete the task that he was sent to do by Almighty God. He will bring the gospel of salvation to all the earth.
"Zech. 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 church started small with the crucifixion of a man that was barely regarded. But all the world shall rejoice when they see the plummet in the hand of the LORD who with the seven spirits of God, will lay claim to all the earth.
The seven spirits or angels of the seven churches are the all-seeing eyes of the LORD which run to and fro through the whole earth.
"Zech. 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?"
The candlestick is the church (Rev. 1:20).
The two olive trees represent the two covenants or testaments of the Word of God.
"Zech. 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?"
The "two olive branches" are the two olive trees which represent the two testaments of the Bible.
"The two golden pipes" deliver the "golden oil" to the lamps to give light. The holy word of God gives light to a world in darkness.
The gold represents divine or holy.
The ark of the testimony or covenant and the oracle of the temple both of which held the word of God were lined with gold.
So the golden oil which empties out of the two golden pipes represents the two testaments of the holy word of God which flowed out into all the earth.
"Zech. 4:13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord."
"Zech. 4:14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth."
The "two anointed ones" are the two witnesses of Rev. 11:3. These are the two covenants or the two testaments of the Bible that testify of the truth of our LORD throughout the earth.