ZECHARIAH 4: 11-14
THE CHURCH EMPOWERED
[Revelation 11:3-7-13]
Sufficient truth had already been revealed to Zechariah to encourage him and to enable him to encourage others in the good work of building the Temple (which the remnant was by that time working on again, Haggai 1:14) and that was the historical intention of the vision for those who first received it. But despite a full and clear explanation of the purpose of the vision already granted to Zechariah, the prophet was unsatisfied until he discover the particulars, especially concerning the two olive trees, which would give him (and us) a more complete understanding of the fifth vision. For those who know much of the things of God are those who have a hunger to know more.
Zechariah understood that God, the Light of the World, was kindling this light through His golden lampstand, which today is the church, the true Israel. Zechariah though kept inquiring until God reveals that His Holy Spirit will be poured forth through God's two anointed ones so that God's light shines forth brightly in His church and to the world (CIM).
I. WITH PERSISTENT KNOCKING, 4:11 & 12.
II. THE FINAL OPENING, 4:13 & 14.
However encouraging the message that had been relayed to Zechariah, he still had not grasped what function the trees performed. So in verse 11 Zechariah renews his earlier inquiry again concerning the feature of the amazing two olive trees which were supplying the unpressed oil for the continuous light of the lampstand. Then I answered and said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?"
The vision of the lampstand remains with the prophet and after the intervening oracle in verses 6-10 he is still perplexed about the imagery. It is the two olive trees which stand beside or over either side of the lampstand in order to supply it with super abundant oil which still baffles him. Zechariah had no background on the olive trees from the tabernacle or temple to use as a reference to help him understand what they symbolize. They form such an arresting feature and obviously bear such a vital relation to the whole vision that the prophet persists in his line of questioning from 4:4. Notice that those who would be acquainted with the things of God must be inquisitive concerning those things. "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you" (Mt. 7:7).
To understand the two olive trees we must first understand the golden lampstand. The golden lampstand prefigures Israel in the full fellowship and blessings of God as she was meant to be in Messianic faith and expectation in Old Testament times. The nation however, failed in her national calling. The revelation of God and His glory had been granted Israel for her own enlightenment so that she might become a light bearer to the nations. But the nation rebelled against God. They persecuted and killed the prophets, disobeyed the Word of God so wonderfully committed to them. They fell into the disgraceful idolatry of the nations to whom they were to be the light and finally crucified the divine Redeemer when He came to earth to fulfill their messianic promises. This last and culminating act of denying and crucifying the Lord exhibited the nation's utter failure as lightbearer and resulted in the removal of her lampstand.
When Jesus came in the flesh the symbolic and typical became reality and when He died, the whole temple sacrificial system was fulfilled and became meaningless ritual. With Israel's lampstand removed, the enlightenment and light-bearing testimony passed over to the people willing to receive it, to the new Israel, the church (Jn. 8:12, Mt. 5:14-15; Eph. 5:8-9; Phil. 2:15). Because of Israel's blindness and rejection the church now has the light and the responsibility of fulfilling the Jew's mission of serving before the Lord and of letting His light stream out into the darkness of the world (Mt. 21:43).
But the church too has faltered and is failing to reach the world with the saving message of the love of God manifested in Jesus Christ. In spite of all we have and all the years we have been given to complete the task of world evangelization, we have been insufficient for this absolutely necessary task.
In verse 12 the prophet continues to pursue details that will help him understand the two olive branches. And I answered a second time and said to him, "What are these two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden (oil) from themselves?"
Zechariah asks again. If satisfactory answers are not given to our inquiries, we must renew them with persistence until we receive our answer. This time the prophet concentrates his attention upon that part of the vision that left him puzzled and as he views it more intently, he discerns features that he had not been aware of at first. So, to know the full meaning, the prophet asks a more precise question. He focuses on the olive tree and the fruitful branches which were pouring the golden oil (the implied word oil is not in the text) from themselves into two troughs which carried the precious golden oil to the bowl that was positioned over the lampstand.
Sometimes our questions are not specific enough, because we have not focused our thoughts and attention close enough on the object of concern and therefore hinder God from just as specifically answering our prayers.
The word for branches is more accurately fruitful branches ( ). It can mean ear of corn; branches-clusters; stream-flood. Usually shibboleth denoted a full vine of grapes, a full head of grain or ear of corn. The branches were as full of olives as an ear of corn is full of kernels.
The two olive trees stand on either side of the lampstand. Under their extremely fruitful branches are funnel type troughs. These funnels catch the golden oil these branches produce and carry the precious fluid into the bowl which is positioned above the lampstand.
The thought is that an inexhaustible supply of oil is provided for the lamps of the lampstand by the two olive trees. There is no better illustration for the inexhaustible outpouring of the Holy Spirit to be found.
Who are these two olive trees? For the people who initially receive the vision they may have thought them to be the prophets, maybe Zechariah and Haggai or perhaps the Priest Joshua and the civil ruler Zerubbael. Though God used them mightily in their day the true fulfillment of this prophecy of an overwhelming out-pouring of the Holy Spirit did not occur, for the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out on mankind, nor has the vision yet been fulfilled completely with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost [Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21; Romans 11:17]. Yet the day will come when His two prophets, Moses and Elijah, will pour forth God's Holy Spirit into His vessel, the church, and she will shine with brilliance and glory for the illumination of all the nations of the earth. (Mal. 4:1-6; Rev. 11:1-14).
1st Persistent Knocking & Now the
II. FINAL OPENING, 4:13-14
Again in verse 13 the angel expresses surprise that Zechariah had not been able to work out this understanding. So he answered me saying, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord."
For a second time concerning this vision the interpreting angel suggests that Zechariah should understand what this portion of the vision represents. But there is nothing to be ashamed of in an honest confession of ignorance. It simply opens the door for true knowledge. Yet, in the angel's question is an inference that if a man would apply himself, he could understand this vision.
The prophet's reply of, "No, my lord" prepares the way for the final declaration of the meaning of the vision. The revelation which has been granted thus far has been given we might comprehend the purpose of the vision. This concluding revelation reaches out into the distant horizon of the total vision.
Zechariah might have thought that an olive tree or its branches stood for the nation of Israel, yet it was broken off because it was unfruitful and the church was in-grafted into the natural or native olive tree (See Romans 11:13-19, 24). The olive branches stood for peace, but something is unusual here because olive trees have never been known to produce oil so abundantly without the olives even being pressed.
The angel further clarifies the symbolism of the two trees in verse 14. Then he said, "These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the Whole Earth."
The prophet's admittance of ignorance in verse 13 gave opportunity for the angelic messenger to teach him. If we would admit our ignorance to God, He would gladly teach us. You cannot teach someone who already knows or does not want to know.
These mean the two trees which are inseparably connected by channels with their fruitful branches (4:2). The anointed ones is literally "the two sons of oil," indicating two son of God characterized by oil, fresh, flowing oil. Not only are they anointed with oil, they also are branches which dispense oil.
So the angel directs us to how we can find answers to this prophetic vision by defining the two trees as two sons of the Holy Spirit, two uniquely gifted men. These two men are uniquely gifted by God to give inexhaustible spiritual empowering to the church that is connected to Christ so that it might shine the Light of the World. From these two anointed ones the influence and power of the Spirit pervades the church, enabling it to fulfill its role of providing light in the world of darkness, no matter what the opposition that threatens to subvert it.
Let us always remember that it is God who anoints His instruments and thus let us give Him the glory for what His instruments do. These two anointed ones were endowed by God's Holy Spirit so that they might pour forth the Spirit's power into the church so that it might shine forth the Gospel light.
Specifically defined, these are the two witnesses of the tribulation period. Read Revelations 11:3-4 (3-13). By their wisdom, courage and zeal they continually pour forth the Spirit's power into the lampstand of the church of Israel so that it might shine forth the salvation of God to a dark world.
The title, The Lord of All The Earth, is used because this is who the Lord, the ruler, (Adonai, Mal. 3:1) will prove Himself to be. This will be the prelude to His universal sovereignty as the Messiah comes to conquer all the invading enemies at Armageddon.
CONCLUSION
God uses His called out ministers in all ages to supply the Church with the Holy Spirit's power so that His Church might shine the gospel forth into a sin darkened world. But in the last days God will raise up one in the image of Moses to shepherd His church to the Promised Land. During these last days of tribulation He will also raise up one in the image and power of Elijah to perform great works and thwart the political powers of the world. They will see the church home in the rapture and remain to call forth a 144,000 flaming [Jewish] evangelists, who will give the final world-wide call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah.
Thus, theses two anointed ones represent God's guarantee that the Church will not fail in her divinely given destiny. His chosen people will become a world wide witness and a blessing to all who come to the light of Christ that they may be anointed by the Holy Spirit to shine forth through His vessel of light, the Church (Mt. 5:14-16; Phil. 2:14-16).
