God’s People Shout “Grace, Grace!”

In Isaiah 60:1-7, the Lord says, “Arise, shine! For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.” In Ephesians 5:14, the Lord says, “Awake, you who sleep. Arise from the dead and Christ will give you light.” In Zechariah 4:1-2, an angel wakes up Zechariah and asks him, “What do you see?”

“Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’ So I said, ‘I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.’ So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, ‘What are these, my Lord?’ Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ And I said, ‘No, my lord.’ So he answered and said to me: ‘This is the Word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of grace, grace to it!’” Zechariah 4:1-7

He sees a golden lampstand with a bowl (for the lamp oil) with seven pipes leading to seven lamps sprouting from that bowl. The lampstand is called a menorah. Israel uses emblems of the menorah and the star of David to represent their nation. There is an olive tree on both sides of the menorah. The oil for the lamp is made from olives. So, there will be more than enough oil to keep the lamps burning. The angel explains that God’s work will not be accomplished by human might or power, but by the work of His Holy Spirit and His grace.

The capstone is the last stone to be installed. It is installed with shouts of grace-grace. In other words from start to finish, it was a work of God’s grace. Thus, when it is all said and done, they will know that it was God’s Spirit and His grace that made it all possible.

In the previous chapter, the Lord assured Governor Zerubbabel and his people that the ruined temple and the leveled Jerusalem would be rebuilt. He got out His measuring line and began determining the dimensions that He would give to them. The great mountain represents all that would stand in the way of God’s people from being His lights in the world. We must always approach all that we do for God in the power of the Holy Spirit, and by trust in God’s grace.

“Moreover the Word of the Lord came to me, saying: the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple. His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:8-10

How do we approach the task of serving the Lord? We do it by dependance on His Word and Spirit. The world does not believe in God or in His power. They cannot see God. So, they despise those who say, “I’m just going to trust in the Lord.” They might consider us lazy or ignorant. But God’s Word says to us in Psalm 119:130, “The entrance of Your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.” He reveals to us how to approach the mission. Then, His Spirit gives us the unction to carry it out. Philippians 2:13, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” The Lord adds to us by His grace favorable circumstances, favorable people and miraculous provisions.

A perfect work takes time and patience. Many say they would like to have the talent that a professional has but are unwilling to invest the time and effort into developing the skills as he or she did. The Lord has revealed to us in His Word that love for Him and love for people will help us be patient with the process. 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, “Love suffers long and is kind.”

In Zechariah 4:10, the Lord speaks of seven eyes which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth. In Isaiah 11:2, the Lord speaks of seven attributes or gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are the Spirit of the Lord, wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Revelation 3:1, speaks of Christ holding the seven spirits of God. In Revelation 4:5, there are seven lamps blazing in front of God’s throne... “These are the seven spirits of God.” In Revelation 5:6, the Lamb of God has “seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” These passages collaborate Zechariah’s vision in which he sees the Holy Spirit symbolized as “a solid gold lampstand . . . with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it.” The seven eyes speak of the Lord’s omniscience and omnipresence. In the Bible, the number seven symbolizes perfection and completion. The Lord does a complete work.

The eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. Why? Because they see Zerubbabel faithfully rebuilding the temple according to God’s revealed plan.

“Then I answered and said to him, “What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?’ And I further answered and said to him, ‘What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?’ Then he answered me and said, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ And I said, ‘No, my lord.’ So he said, ‘These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:11-14

The Lord revealed to Zechariah two olive trees. One on both sides of the menorah. The oil for the lamps is made from olives. So, there will be more than enough oil to keep the lamp of God burning.

The Holy Spirit and Jesus are like the two hands of God through whom He builds His kingdom on earth. The Spirit and the Word are the two olive trees that produce the oil (the anointing) for the lamp to burn brightly. God reveals Himself to the world via His prophets and servants. During the days of Zechariah, Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel were a foreshadow of Christ and the Holy Spirit. God used them to lead His people to rebuild His temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonians destroyed it. It was God’s Spirit and His Grace working through them.

In Revelation 11:1-13, a similar vision is given to John. John was given a rod to measure the temple of God. Then, the Lord speaks of two witnesses who prophesy. They are called the two olive trees and two lampstands, who testify for God. They do miracles. Then, they are killed. Thus, God embodied His Word and Spirit in two actual men, but after three and a half days, they resurrect from the dead and ascend into heaven. After this, in Revelation 11:15, loud voices in heaven proclaim, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” In Revelation 11:19, the temple of God in heaven is open and the ark of the covenant is seen. This verse symbolizes God’s presence and the imminent execution of His final judgment and the unveiling of His eternal kingdom.

Grace, grace, God’s grace from start to finish! By My Spirit says the Lord!

In what way is Zerubbabel the governor of Judah an example for us? He listened to the words of God’s prophet Zechariah. He overcame the day of small beginnings, which others despised, by happily saying, “Yes” to God’s grace and “Yes” to the Holy Spirit’s power. The two olive trees – the two Anointed Ones – Christ and the Holy Spirit supply all the oil that we need to burn brightly for God in this dark world and accomplish His mission.

God called Zerubbabel to build a temple out of materials of the earth for His Spirit to abide in. The Lord calls us to build temples out of people by sharing with them the message of Christ. When they believe in Christ, He fills them with His Spirit and abides in them. Glory to God!



References from Jamieson Fausset Brown and Matthew Henry’s Commentaries