The Bible — World English Bible

Zechariah 4

In brief

Zechariah 4 is the fifth vision of the prophet's night. The people have returned from exile, but the rebuilding of the temple is going badly and the obstacles seem huge. God shows a golden lampstand fed with oil by two olive trees, and answers Zerubbabel: the work will not be finished by human strength but by the Spirit of the Lord. The great mountain will be leveled, and no one should despise small beginnings. This is a chapter for those who work with few resources.

The chapter in 4 parts

  1. v. 1-5The vision: a golden lampstand and two olive trees
  2. v. 6-7By my Spirit: the mountain becomes a plain
  3. v. 8-10Zerubbabel will finish the house: do not despise small beginnings
  4. v. 11-14The two anointed ones who stand before the Lord

1The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep.

2He said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it;

3and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”

4I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”

5Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

6Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies.

7Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’ ”

8Moreover Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

9“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you.

10Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”

11Then I asked him, “What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lamp stand and on the left side of it?”

12I asked him the second time, “What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that pour the golden oil out of themselves?”

13He answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.”

14Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

Key verses

Verse 6
Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Yahweh’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Yahweh of Armies.

God's answer to Zerubbabel: the project rests on the Spirit of the Lord, not on resources, numbers or talent. It is a word of encouragement for any service that is beyond our strength.

Verse 7
Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’ ”

The great mountain stands for the obstacles that block the building site. God promises that it will become a plain, and that the capstone will be set in place with shouts of grace.

Verse 10
Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”

God invites us not to despise the day of small beginnings. A small start says nothing about the outcome, because the eyes of the Lord run back and forth through the whole earth and watch over the work.

Verse 14
Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”

The two olive trees are the two anointed ones who serve before the Lord of the whole earth. They are usually understood as Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest, the channels through which God supplies the oil, an image of the Spirit.

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Frequently asked questions about Zechariah 4

What does the verse about might, power and the Spirit mean (Zechariah 4:6)?

God tells Zerubbabel that the rebuilding of the temple will depend neither on an army, nor on resources, nor on talent, but on the work of his Spirit. The verse does not excuse anyone from acting, since Zerubbabel does lay the stone, but it moves the source of success. Many find encouragement here when a task is beyond their strength.

What do the golden lampstand and the two olive trees represent?

The lampstand with seven lamps, fed with oil without interruption by two olive trees, symbolizes a light that God himself keeps burning. The oil suggests the Spirit. The two olive trees are the two anointed ones of verse 14, generally understood as Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua. Some Christian readers also see an announcement of Christ, and others a link with Revelation 11, which remains debated.

What does “the day of small things” mean?

The temple rebuilt after the exile looked modest next to Solomon's, and some people mocked it. God answers that those who despised this small beginning will rejoice when they see the plumb line, the builder's tool, in Zerubbabel's hand. A fragile beginning is not a failure: God watches over the work and brings it to completion.

Articles quoting Zechariah 4

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World English Bible translation — public domain.