Zechariah 4:1-7 - Homiletics

The Church revived.

"And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me," etc. The imagery of these verses is twofold; but their subject seems one. By the "candlestick" expressly mentioned in Zechariah 4:2 (comp. Revelation 1:13 ; Revelation 2:1 ; also Matthew 5:14 , Matthew 5:15 ; Philippians 2:15 ), and by the temple tacitly referred to in Zechariah 4:7 , we understand, spiritually, the same thing, viz. in the first instance certainly the Jewish Church of that time. And what this twofold imagery seems intended here to set before us respecting this Church is

I. THE SECRET OF ITS RESTORATION TO LIFE . Under this head we have set before us the question:

1 . Of Church work. What is the great duty of a Church in this world? Is it not, like a lamp or candlestick, to give light, to be a continued witness to men respecting things unseen and eternal—a standing testimony in favour of truth and righteousness, and against error and sin? in ether words (Art. XX .), "a witness and keeper of Holy Writ"? See again references supra; and note, in connection with this duty of spiritual light giving on the part of a Church, the various grounds of the praise or blame administered in Revelation 2:1-29 and Revelation 3:1-22 .

2. Of Church needs. The returned remnant of the Captivity, with their altar again set up ( Ezra 3:3 ), their feasts again begun ( Ezra 3:1-13 :;4), their temple in course of re-erection ( Ezra 3:10 ; Ezra 6:14 ), and their ancient priesthood again restored ( Zechariah 3:1-5 ), had now become such a witness. They were a "candlestick" or lamp again "lighted." How unequal in themselves to so important an office! How weak, how inexperienced, also how greatly endangered! Above all, how greatly needing that sacred unction, or "oil," of God's grace, of which we are told here (comp. also Acts 10:38 )!

3 . Of Church supplies. How ample, according to the vision described in Revelation 3:2 , Revelation 3:3 , the provision made for supplying this revived lamp with this oil! What besides is meant by the different features of this vision the prophet knows not ( Revelation 3:4 ), and the angel tells not, at present. But, at any rate, they seem to signify that abundant provision is made.

II. THE COMPLETENESS OF THIS RESTORATION . In the seventh verse, as noted before, the figure is changed. The Church of the restored Captivity is before us now under the metaphor of a building inhabited by God himself, as often in God's Word (see Hebrews 3:6 ; 2 Corinthians 6:16 ; Ephesians 2:21 , Ephesians 2:22 ; 1 Timothy 3:15 ; 1 Peter 2:5 ). And the purport of this change seems that of representing, not only as before the adequacy, but also now the actual effectiveness, of the provision here made. It should eventually be with that spiritual house as with the material house which they were then building as its image and type. This true:

1 . As to external obstacles. The greatest of these, even if like a "great mountain" itself in bulk, should become," before Zerubbabel"—baying the Spirit of God on his side—like a plain.

2 . As to final victory . To use a well known modern expression, there should be "the crowning of the edifice" of the Church. All that the pre-Captivity Jewish Church had really been in the world this restored Church should now be, up to the very "headstone"—the last stone to be put in its place—with every mark of triumph ("shoutings") and favour ("grace") as well ( Revelation 3:7 ).

Observe, in conclusion:

1 . How strikingly these promises were fulfilled. Besides all that we read concerning the days of the Maccabees (as referred to probably in Hebrews 11:35-38 ), how much more spiritual life remained in the Jewish Church even to the times of the gospel! See indications of this in Luke 2:25 , Luke 2:38 ; Matthew 27:53 ; Mark 15:43 ; Acts 2:5 , etc. See indications, also, as to the extent to which the witness or "light" of this Church had told on the Gentile world in Luke 7:5 ; John 12:20 ; Acts 10:1 ; Acts 13:43 , Acts 13:50 ( τὰς σεβομένας ); Acts 17:4 , Acts 17:17 .

2 . How great a lesson this teaches. There was nothing in this Case but the secret working of God's Spirit thus to keep this Church in existence; no "might," no "power." On the contrary, many obstacles—persecutions, enemies, corruptions, and so on. So plain is it how much can be done (and done only) in the way of Christian organization, labour, and progress by the sacred oil of God's Spirit. "Utilis lectio, utilis eruditio, sed magis utilis unctio, quippe quae docet de omnibus."