On seeing. The question, "What seest thou?" suggests— I. THE SLUMBER OF THE SOUL . ( Zechariah 4:1 .) Want of consciousness and activity. Delusions ( Isaiah 29:7 ), Peril ( Mark 13:36 ). II. THE AWAKENING OF THE SOUL . ( Zechariah 4:1 .) "The angel" may be taken to illustrate the various ministries employed by God to quicken and rouse his people. Providence. Loss of health, property, friends, and such like incidents. Word of the truth . Law and... read more
Two olive trees. These, as explained in Zechariah 4:12 , discharged the oil from their fruit-bearing branches into conduits which led to the central reservoir. Without man's agency the oil is separated from the berry and keeps the lamps constantly supplied (comp. Revelation 2:4 ). read more
And I said, I have looked and behold a candlestick all of gold - The candlestick is the seven-branched candlestick of the tabernacle Exodus 25:31, but with variations purposely introduced to symbolize the fuller and more constant supply of the oil, itself the symbol of God’s Holy Spirit, who:“Enables with perpetual lightThe dullness of our blinded sight.”The first variation is “her bowl on the top of the candlestick,” containing the oil; then (as dependent on this) the pipes to derive the oil... read more
Zechariah 4:1-3. And the angel came again, and waked me This seems to indicate, that the prophet’s attention was very deeply engaged by the foregoing vision; that all the powers of his mind were wholly engrossed by it; so that he had even fallen into a kind of trance, or ecstasy, when he was roused again by the angel, to attend to what follows. And said unto me, What seest thou? Thus the angel still further excites his attention. And I said, Behold a candlestick of gold This represented... read more
Encouragement to Zerubbabel (4:1-14)The next vision is of a seven-headed lampstand standing between two olive trees. The olive trees pour their oil into a central bowl on top of the lampstand. The oil from this central bowl then feeds the seven lamps that provide the light. This means that the lamps do not need anyone to look after them. Light is provided supernaturally through the constant supply of oil from the trees (4:1-5; see also v. 12).This vision was of particular encouragement to... read more
What seest thou? The fifth vision. I said. Heb, text reads "he". Some codices, with four early printed editions, are without the Hebrew margin, "I" behold . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 . candlestick = a single seven-branched lampstand, as in the Tabernacle and in the second Temple (1 Macc. 1.21; 4.49; as seen in the Arch of Titus, in Rome). The reference is to the Pentateuch (Exodus 25:31 ); not to Solomon's Temple, in which there were ten separate lampstands (1 Kings 7:49 ).... read more
"And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have seen, and, behold, a candlestick all of gold, with its bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; and there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are upon the top thereof."This does not conclude Zechariah's description of the vision, because it also included the two olive trees mentioned in the same breath in the next verse. We may consider the bowl and the pipes, whether seven, or seven and seven, or seven times seven,... read more
"And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof."Even without the mention of any pipes, it would be apparent that these olive trees were intended to represent the source of the oil necessary to the light coming from the candlestick. It appears to us that the opinion which would identify these olive trees with Joshua and Zerubbabel should be rejected. They are not, "an unmistakable reference to Joshua and Zerubbabel,"[5] an opinion that... read more
2. candlestick—symbolizing the Jewish theocracy; and ultimately, the Church of which the Jewish portion is to be the head: the light-bearer (so the original is of "lights," Matthew 5:14; Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15) to the world. all . . . gold—all pure in doctrine and practice, precious and indestructible; such is the true ideal of the Church; such she shall be (Philippians 2:15- :). bowl upon the top—In the candlestick of the tabernacle the plural is used, bowls (Exodus 25:31). The Hebrew... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 4:2
What seest thou? The angel does not show the vision to the prophet, but makes him describe it, and then explains its import. This vision of the candlestick, with its seven lamps fed by two olive trees, signifies that the work of rebuilding the temple, and preparing the way for the Church of the true Israel, was to be accomplished by relying, not on human resources, but on Divine aid. Thus were Zerubbabel and his people roused to perseverance and energy in their good work, of which the final... read more