For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Zech 4:1-6

1 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.

6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

A. Find Out

1. What had to happen? v.1
2. What did the prophet see? v.2
3. What else did he see? v.3
4. What did the prophet reveal about himself? v.4,5
5. What declaration does the angel make? v.6

B. Think:

1. Why do you think the prophet need waking?
2. What do you think is significant about the lampstand?
3. How is that confirmed by verse 6?

C. Comment:

This passage presents us with various things that at first sight do not appear to be explained. To start with we are told that the angel had to appear to wake up Zechariah (v.1). We have to go back to 1:8 to be reminded that these visions were coming in the night and so it is probable that, despite the wonder of them, the  prophet has trouble staying awake.

Then we are given a picture of a lampstand but not told what it represents. The lampstand is fueled by oil and it seems that it is this, the emphasis of its design, rather than the light it gives (which we might expect.)

But then next to this lampstand we are shown two olive trees, either side of the bowl that holds the oil supply for the lampstand. When the prophet enquires about these two olive trees (v.4), he is first of all challenged that he doesn’t know what they are (v.5) implying that it is not obvious.

He is only then simply given this declaration that God’s will comes about not by human power but by the working of His Holy Spirit (v.6). In the light of what is going on, i.e. the context for all this, we start to see how profound this is: God’s will is fulfilled by Hs Spirit, not us.

It is only when we remind ourselves that in prophecy oil is symbolic of the Spirit, that the meaning becomes clear. The Lamp (?possibly Israel, the returned remnant) is to give light to the world. Its fuel is oil which comes from the two trees, which (later in v.14) appear to be Joshau and Zerubbabel. In long-term history some have suggested these might refer to Israel and the Church both created to “serve the Lord of all the earth” (v.14).

D. Application:

1. In our serving do we realize, success only comes by His Spirit?  
2. We need to be filled by Hs Spirit in order to fully shed His light.  

Zech 4:7-14

7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

10 “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone[f] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”

11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth.”

A. Find Out

1. What is addressed next, and with what outcome? v.7
2. What declaration is then made? v.9
3. What should not happen? v.10a
4. Why? v.10b
5. What has the prophet to ask twice? v.11,12
6. What  answer is he given? v.14

B. Think:

1. Why do you think the prophet is constantly asked about his understanding of what he is seeing?
2. What is the main thrust of the message in v.7,9 & 10?
3. If the ‘trees’ are human, what point is being made?

C. Comment:

We have divided the chapter study at verses 6 & 7 because although the same things are being referred to throughout the chapter, the thrust of the purpose comes from verse 7 on which keeps referring to Zerubbabel and essentially speaks about his success in completing the temple rebuilding.

It starts (v.7) by confronting a ‘mountain’ that is unidentified and which perhaps simply refers to how Zerubbabel feels about the task which had had a number of delays and which might have meant he felt, “Will this ever be done???”  But this mountain will be brought down and the time will come when Zerubbabel has the privilege of placing the final stone on the structure with cries from the onlooking crowd, “May God’s blessing be on it!”

To confirm this and reassure him, the word comes in v.9 that he started it and will finish it. That will confirm that this was God’s task given to him to fulfil.  So there may be those who despise the small steps being taken (v.10) but God is watching over His earth and will rejoice when His servant completes the task. But then comes something even more profound when the prophet asks twice (v.11 & 12) about the two olive trees which supply the lampstand with oil, which we said previously refers to the Holy Spirit. He is told they are God’s two anointed servants and we see that the Spirit is conveyed through God’s anointed leaders. THAT is how significant they are.

D. Application:

1. Have we learned the importance of God-anointed leadership?
2. Such leaders release and convey the Spirit to the Church.