Comentários bíblicos

Zec 4:1-14.

FIFTH VISION. The golden candlestick and the two olive trees. The temple shall be completed by the aid of God's Spirit.

1. waked me--The prophet was lying in a state of ecstatic slumber with astonishment at the previous vision. "Came again, and waked me," does not imply that the angel had departed and now returned, but is an idiom for "waked me again."

2. candlestick--symbolizing the Jewish theocracy; and ultimately, the Church of which the Jewish portion is to be the head: the light-bearer (so the original is of "lights,"

Mt 5:14, 16; Php 2:15)

to the world.

all . . . gold--all pure in doctrine and practice, precious and indestructible; such is the true ideal of the Church; such she shall be

(Ps 45:13).

bowl upon the top--In the candlestick of the tabernacle the plural is used, bowls

(Ex 25:31).

The Hebrew implies that it was the fountain of supply of oil to the lamps. Christ at the head ("on the top") of the Church is the true fountain, of whose fulness of the Spirit all we receive grace

(Joh 1:16).

his seven lamps--united in one stem; so in

Ex 25:32.

But in

Re 1:12

the seven candlesticks are separate. The Gentile churches will not realize their unity till the Jewish Church as the stem unites all the lamps in one candlestick

(Ro 11:16-24).

The "seven lamps," in

Re 4:5,

are the "seven Spirits of God."

seven pipes--feeding tubes, seven apiece from the "bowl" to each lamp (see Margin) [MAURER and CALVIN]; literally, "seven and seven": forty-nine in all. The greater the number of oil-feeding pipes, the brighter the light of the lamps. The explanation in

Zec 4:6

is, that man's power by itself can neither retard nor advance God's work, that the real motive-power is God's Spirit. The seven times seven imply the manifold modes by which the Spirit's grace is imparted to the Church in her manifold work of enlightening the world.

3. two olive trees--supplying oil to the bowl. The Holy Ghost, who fills with His fulness Messiah (the anointed: the "bowl"), from whom flow supplies of grace to the Church.

by it--literally, "upon it," that is, growing so as somewhat to overtop it. For the explanation of the "two" see

Zec 4:12, 14.

4. The prophet is instructed in the truths meant, that we may read them with the greater reverence and attention [CALVIN].

5. Knowest thou not, &c.--Not a reproof of his ignorance, but a stimulus to reflection on the mystery.

No, my lord--ingenious confession of ignorance; as a little child he casts himself for instruction at the feet of the Lord.

6. Not by might . . . but by my Spirit--As the lamps burned continually, supplied with oil from a source (the living olive trees) which man did not make, so Zerubbabel need not be disheartened because of his weakness; for as the work is one to be effected by the living Spirit (compare

Hag 2:5)

of God, man's weakness is no obstacle, for God's might will perfect strength out of weakness

(Ho 1:7; 2Co 12:10; Heb 11:34).

"Might and power" express human strength of every description, physical, mental, moral. Or, "might" is the strength of many (an "army," literally); "power," that of one man [PEMBELLUS]. God can save, "whether with many, or with them that have no power"

(2Ch 14:11;

compare

1Sa 14:6).

So in the conversion of sinners

(1Co 3:6; 2Co 10:4).

"Zerubbabel" is addressed as the chief civil authority in directing the work.

7. All mountain-like obstacles

(Isa 40:4; 49:11)

in Zerubbabel's way shall be removed, so that the crowning top-stone shall be put on, and the completion of the work be acknowledged as wholly of "grace." Antitypically, the antichristian last foe of Israel, the obstacle preventing her establishment in Palestine, about to be crushed before Messiah, is probably meant

(Jer 51:25; Da 2:34, 44; Mt 21:44).

bring forth the head-stone--Primarily, bring it forth from the place where it was chiselled and give it to the workmen to put on the top of the building. It was customary for chief magistrates to lay the foundation, and also the crowning top-stone (compare

Ezr 3:10).

Antitypically, the reference is to the time when the full number of the spiritual Church shall be completed, and also when "all Israel shall be saved" (compare

Ro 11:26; Heb 11:40; 12:22, 23; Re 7:4-9).

Grace, grace--The repetition expresses, Grace from first to last

(Isa 26:3,

Margin). Thus the Jews are urged to pray perseveringly and earnestly that the same grace which completed it may always preserve it. "Shoutings" of acclamation accompanied the foundation of the literal temple

(Ezr 3:11, 13).

So shoutings of "Hosanna" greeted the Saviour in entering Jerusalem

(Mt 21:9),

when about to complete the purchase of salvation by His death: His Body being the second temple, or place of God's inhabitation

(Joh 2:20, 21).

So when the full number of the saints and of Israel is complete, and God shall say, "It is done," then again shall "a great voice of much people in heaven" attribute all to the "grace" of God, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God"

(Re 19:1, 6).

Ps 118:22

regards Him as "the head-stone of the corner," that is, the foundation-stone. Compare the angels acclamations at His birth,

Lu 2:14.

Here it is the top-stone. Messiah is not only the "Author," but also the Finisher

(Heb 12:2).

"Grace" is ascribed "unto it," that is, the stone, Messiah. Hence the benediction begins, "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ"

(2Co 13:14).

9. Zerubbabel . . . shall . . . finish it--

(Ezr 6:15)

in the sixth year of Darius' reign.

Lord . . . sent me unto you--

(Zec 2:9).

The Divine Angel announces that in what He has just spoken, He has been commissioned by God the Father.