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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 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.” ~ Zechariah 4:8-14
The book of Zechariah is framed up by several visions, some say eight and some say ten. This is the fifth prophecy in this book from God regarding the future of Israel. God is not finished with Israel even though she has currently, by and large, rejected the Lord Jesus as her Messiah.
Now, this prophecy, in our text for today, underscores not only the certainty of the completion of the rebuild of the temple in Jerusalem, but it also is a prediction of what God will do with Israel just after the Tribulation in the Millennium. In the Millennium there will be a Temple where Israel will worship God.
In v.8-9 of Today's text we read, "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."
The "me" in these two verses is the Angel of the Lord or the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ. One in the same are they. And, God the Father lays out the plan and God the Son directs its fulfillment and God the Holy Spirit supplies its power. The whole Trinity was involved with Israel in that day as they built their temple, and they as well will do the same thing in the future as His Millennial kingdom is ushered into this world.
In v.10 of today's text we read, "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 in the hand of Zerubbabel?"
The eyes spoken of here are also the eyes of the Lord which look throughout the whole earth, looking for hearts that are tilted toward Him. And, the number seven indicates His eyesight is perfect. He is omniscient and nothing comes into our lives apart from His will. He knows and controls all.
In Zerubbabel's day, some of the people were skeptical about this temple that it did not match up to the temple that Solomon built. They did not have the Lord as their primary audience, and this is why they missed the importance of this rebuild. And so, the Lord says, "Who has despised the day of small things?" We worship a big God with a big mission that will one day be completed. Yet for all of God's bigness, He has a remarkable love for the small. He sets his eye upon small people in small places during small moments. The Son of God, who “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,” even became small to save us.
If this omniscient God who knows everything rejoiced when they started rebuilding the temple, it was no small thing. The fact that God is made happy by His people is no small thing. And, if it is small to some, then they just do not get how He works. And, Zerubbabel’s temple didn’t look like much, but it was used of God to bring Israel back to Himself.
In v.11-14 we read, "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."
These "two olives trees" are "two anointed ones." As the lampstand symbolizes Israel in full fellowship with God, the two olive trees will be the channel through which the blessing of God will flow to the nation. And those two things are the office of king and priest. The two anointed ones are literally translated "sons of oil." And, the oil is fresh oil out of a tree rather than manufactured oil. Here, God was doing something that only He could do. There is no human contribution in this. This is the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through the yielded lives of His people. It will be the Lord Jesus Christ who will start and finish the salvation of willing Israel. As the Scriptures say, "He is the author and perfector of our faith."
And, v.14 says, "These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth." The Messiah will be the source, the channel of blessing flowing through the Spirit of God to the people and then radiating back His glorious reality.
In Revelation 11:4 we read, "They are 'the two olive trees' and the two lampstands, and 'they stand before the Lord of the earth.'"
These witnesses will, during the Tribulation, announce to the world that the King Priest is coming to establish His kingdom. In Matthew 5:14, the Lord Jesus said, "You are the light of the world.” And, then in Luke 12:35 He said, "Keep your lamps burning." And, then in Ephesians 5:8, Paul wrote, "For you were once darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light."
The Lord Jesus is the light who shines through the cracks and crevices of the broken. He shines through those who are willing to be small in the eyes of others. And, through our yielded lives He is glorified.
