The Golden Lampstand

The purpose of the vision of the golden lampstand is to show the people that the Lord would, by His own power complete the rebuilding and replenishing of Jerusalem though the assistance given to the project by its friends even though they were weak, and the resistance to the project even through it is very strong.

The vision begins with an awakening of Zechariah. It seems, though he was in conference with an angel about matters of great and public concern Zechariah became tired and fell asleep. It is also possible the angel let Zechariah rest for a while so that he might be fresh to receive new discoveries.

In our service for the Lord there are times when we need to take a break. There are times when we grow weary. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. It is in times like these we need the Holy Spirit to come and awaken us. We need Him to renew us.

The angel asked Zechariah, “What do you see? Zechariah said, “I see a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.” Zechariah saw a golden lampstand like the one that was in the temple before it was destroyed and will stand in the temple being rebuilt. This golden lampstand has seven lamps branching out from it and each was a burning and shining light. The lampstand had

one bowl or common receiver, on the top of it into which oil was continually dropping, and from the bowl the oil was fed into the lamps. They received oil as fast as it was burned up and they never wanted, nor overflowed. They were always kept burning without any care or attendance of man.

The two olive trees were so fruitful that of their own accord they continually poured oil into the bowl, which by two larger pipes (v. 12) dispersed the oil into the bowl and from the bowl the oil was dispersed to the lamps, so that nobody needed to attend this lampstand or furnish it with oil.

The purpose of this vision of the golden lampstand is to show the Lord can easily and often does accomplish His gracious purposes concerning His people by His own wisdom and power, without any labor of man and He uses men as instruments in accomplishing His goal for humanity, yet He neither needs them nor is tied to them, but can do His work without them rather than let His purpose be unfulfilled. The Lord will do what He has said He will do regardless of spiritual and

physical resistance.

Zechariah doesn’t understand what is the meaning and purpose of the vision, he does what we should do when we encounter situations in this life we don’t under-stand. He asked the angel who was speaking with him., “What are these, my lord?”

Note if you will how respectfully Zechariah speaks to the angel, he calls him “my lord.” We need to remember, something that has been lost in this present age, those that want to be taught must give honor to their teachers. Zechariah saw there was something important in what he sees and he desired to know the meaning of what was being revealed to him. If we want to understand what the Lord is doing in our lives and the world we live in we need to ask questions. If we do the Lord will answer them.

The angel did what we are often told we should not do. He answers Zechariah’s question with a question, “Do you not know what these are?’ And Zechariah said, “No my lord.’” The angel asked Zechariah this question, to draw him from his own conclusions.

Visions have their own purpose and often are hard to understand. The prophets often found it hard to

understand what the Lord was revealing to them. But those that would be taught of the Lord must first acknowledge their own ignorance, and their need to be taught, and must seek instructions from the Lord. If we do this the Lord will teach us. The Lord will always teach the meek and humbled not those that are conceited and depend on their own understanding. We need to remember, man’s ways are not God’s ways.

Without an explanation of every element of the vision the purpose of the vision is lost. The good work of building the temple and Jerusalem must by under the special care of the Lord. It is important Zechariah and the people understand this. Men do not build the kingdom of heaven.