Zechariah 4
Today's Passage: Zechariah 4
I love what Micah Fries says about Zechariah 4 in Exalting Jesus:
The golden lampstand symbolizes God’s people, Israel. The oil—produced by the olive trees, supplied by the suspended bowl, and delivered by the 49 channels—represents the work of Holy Spirit, empowering Israel to be a light to the nations, directing them to God.
When Zechariah asks the angel the meaning of what he is seeing, instead of giving an immediate explanation of the symbolism of the lampstand, bowl, and olive trees, the angel explains the spiritual truth behind the symbols: “Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit.” The vision portrays an endless supply of God’s Spirit, an endless supply of God’s power for His people to accomplish God’s purpose, supplied by God Himself. In the vision the bowl is above the lamp. This indicates that God’s power is not something that human beings work up. God’s power is something that He sends down. When the channels are open in our lives to receive His Spirit’s power, He is ready to send down everything we need to do His work.
Then in verse 7 the Lord gives this message to Zerubbabel: “What are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain.” The “mountain” refers to the opposition that stood in front of Zerubbabel as he tried to do God’s work in rebuilding the temple. God’s enemies living in the area came against Zerubbabel and the Jews with words of discouragement and hostility. Imagine their taunts: “You cannot rebuild this temple. You have barely gotten started, and you will never finish. You might as well quit. We are going to fight you at every turn.” In the face of that mountain of opposition, God was saying, “What are you? Zerubbabel will flatten you by the power of My Spirit.”
There may be a mountain you have faced for years, just as Zerubbabel faced the mountain of the incomplete temple. Each day of continued opposition and the increasing sense of defeat makes the mountain seem larger and more overwhelming. By now, you may think that you simply will never overcome it. And, in the deepest sense, you are right. You cannot overcome your obstacle. You cannot flatten the mountain on your own. But the Holy Spirit of God can overcome it. He lives inside of you, and He will empower you. The greatest obstacles can be conquered. As you trust in Him, God’s Spirit conquers even the greatest of obstacles.
1 Micah Fries, Stephen Rummage, and Robby Gallaty, Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida,
Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015),
122.
2 Micah Fries, Stephen Rummage, and Robby Gallaty, Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida,
Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015),
123.
Written By: Brice Stockton
I love what Micah Fries says about Zechariah 4 in Exalting Jesus:
The golden lampstand symbolizes God’s people, Israel. The oil—produced by the olive trees, supplied by the suspended bowl, and delivered by the 49 channels—represents the work of Holy Spirit, empowering Israel to be a light to the nations, directing them to God.
When Zechariah asks the angel the meaning of what he is seeing, instead of giving an immediate explanation of the symbolism of the lampstand, bowl, and olive trees, the angel explains the spiritual truth behind the symbols: “Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit.” The vision portrays an endless supply of God’s Spirit, an endless supply of God’s power for His people to accomplish God’s purpose, supplied by God Himself. In the vision the bowl is above the lamp. This indicates that God’s power is not something that human beings work up. God’s power is something that He sends down. When the channels are open in our lives to receive His Spirit’s power, He is ready to send down everything we need to do His work.
Then in verse 7 the Lord gives this message to Zerubbabel: “What are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain.” The “mountain” refers to the opposition that stood in front of Zerubbabel as he tried to do God’s work in rebuilding the temple. God’s enemies living in the area came against Zerubbabel and the Jews with words of discouragement and hostility. Imagine their taunts: “You cannot rebuild this temple. You have barely gotten started, and you will never finish. You might as well quit. We are going to fight you at every turn.” In the face of that mountain of opposition, God was saying, “What are you? Zerubbabel will flatten you by the power of My Spirit.”
There may be a mountain you have faced for years, just as Zerubbabel faced the mountain of the incomplete temple. Each day of continued opposition and the increasing sense of defeat makes the mountain seem larger and more overwhelming. By now, you may think that you simply will never overcome it. And, in the deepest sense, you are right. You cannot overcome your obstacle. You cannot flatten the mountain on your own. But the Holy Spirit of God can overcome it. He lives inside of you, and He will empower you. The greatest obstacles can be conquered. As you trust in Him, God’s Spirit conquers even the greatest of obstacles.
1 Micah Fries, Stephen Rummage, and Robby Gallaty, Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida,
Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015),
122.
2 Micah Fries, Stephen Rummage, and Robby Gallaty, Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah,
Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, ed. David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida,
Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015),
123.
Written By: Brice Stockton
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