Lessons From Ezra – Lesson 7
Zechariah’s first vision was a long one. It would have been exciting and encouraging to those living in Jerusalem who were building the Temple
They were obeying God and not man as far as building the temple was concerned but God had Haggai tell them that He is not accepting their worship because of their sin.
A couple of months pass and God sends Zechariah a vision that not only encourages them that God is with them and that God is at work on their behalf, but also that God is going to change the filthy garments of their high priest. A way of telling them that He is accepting their worship once again. So after Haggai’s message at least some portion of the people got something right with God.
And in that first vision Zechariah saw horses and angels and myrtle trees and horns and carpenters. This was a vision after the tradition of the old time prophets that lived before the Captivity.
This is one of the ways that God chose to communicate to man in the Old Testament.
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
One of those divers manners that God spoke thru the prophets was visions. That was only in time past, or in other words the Old Testament times.
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Once Jesus came God no longer spoke thru visions to the prophets. In the last days, which covers from the day Jesus came all the way until Jesus comes back, in that entire age God now speaks by his Son.
No more visions. We have the clear teaching of Jesus. His own direct words. And we have the words that Jesus had His men write down thru the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Today if you hear someone say I have a vision from God for you, run!
But in Zechariah’s day the question would only be is this man that is telling me that he had a vision a real prophet of God or not. If you remember there were plenty of fakes in Jeremiah’s day.
Zechariah was the real deal. And God says that the people prospered thru the years of Zechariah’s preaching. God was working in the circumstances of life and in the hearts of the people to validate Zechariah’s preaching as the real deal.
It would have been encouraging to be there and hear about this vision. To hear that God is still communicating with us and in like manner to what He did before the captivity.
In chapter 4 Zechariah gets another message from God.
Zec 4:1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
Zec 4:2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
The candlestick of all gold with 7 lamps is obviously a picture of the candlestick from the Tabernacle that God told Moses how to have constructed.
We know that every item in the Tabernacle was a picture of Jesus. It was all pure gold which speaks of His deity. It was all one piece of Gold that they pounded into the candlestick. Gold speaks of deity and that it was one piece and not separate pieces assembled speaks of how God is one.
The candlestick had 7 lamps. 7 always speaks of completion or perfection.
The candlestick was the only source of light in the tabernacle. No other light was allowed in the holy place. There were no windows and no other light source was allowed to enter. All the light to see how to serve God had to come from the candlestick which spoke of Jesus.
This is true today. All light on how to serve God needs to come from God.
The candlestick burned oil. Oil in the Bible is a type of the Holy Spirit. They had to daily go into the tabernacle and keep adding oil to keep the lamp burning. The N.T. teaches that the Holy Spirit is a teacher that illuminates the Scriptures. God’s light is needed to understand the Bible. In fact the N.T. teaches that a lost man cannot understand the Bible.
Zechariah’s vision here would have been familiar. They all would have known what the candlestick was. And in this vision there is a bowl above the candlestick and pipes from the bowl to the lamps.
This clearly is showing that the fuel for the light is being provided for and is being automatically delivered to the lamps. The lamps are being supplied with oil without the intervention of man. In this vision God is taking care of it so that His light is shining.
He is illuminating things.
Zec 4:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
Zec 4:4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
Zec 4:5 Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
Zechariah is like what? I don’t get it. I mean it is a fair question isn’t it. What are these olive trees? One on the right and one on the left. What that is about is not obvious so Zechariah asks.
He is going to get an answer but not right away and not at the first asking. Zechariah kind of interrupted things. He is not rebuked for it. I mean it is a valid question, but the answer will come after he is given a message for Zerubbabel.
Zec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
The Temple will be finished but not by might. Not by your power Zerubbable. No. It will be finished by my spirit saith the Lord.
Zec 4:7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
Zec 4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Zec 4:9 The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
God laid down this principal way back in Due. The principal that if what a prophet says does not come to pass, then don’t fear him. Or in other words if a prophet says something will happen and it does not happen then he is not from God.
God wants the people and Zerubbabel to know that they will finish the temple. The threats of man will not stop them. God is at work in this and it is guaranteed. They will finish it and when they do it will be proof that God sent Zechariah.
Zec 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
Now Zechariah did not yet get his answer as to what are the olive trees. So he asks again.
By the way. There are many truths in the Bible that you don’t get the first time thru, or the second. For some it takes many more times. God does not always reveal it to you the first time. That does not mean that He does not want you to understand.
What do you do? We have an example right here. Respectfully ask again.
Zec 4:11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
Zec 4:12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
Zec 4:13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
Zec 4:14Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.
So the olive trees represent two anointed ones that stand by the Lord.
Ok. That is an answer. But does it totally explain it. No. Who are they exactly? We are not told. What is their job exactly? We are not told.
Here is another principal. We do not have to know or understand everything. In some ways on some issues we are on a need to know basis. Zechariah is not told more because he does not need to know more.
It was enough that he knows that God has anointed ones involved in His work. Zechariah did not need to know everything about it. This is definitely true about all that goes on with the spiritual battles between Satan and his demons and the angels of God.
If you remember God sent a message to Daniel via an angel and the message was late. Why? The angel was being held up and the angel Michael had to go help so the messenger angel could get the message to Daniel.
How could that be? Why couldn’t the messenger angel get thru? What method, what power, or what tools were used that could hold up an angel? We don’t know and we are never told.
Some people think that they just have to know everything. They think that somehow they deserve to know.
What should our attitude be? How should we handle it? Well we have a great example right here. Zechariah just accepts it and just moves on.
We just need to have faith that the Lord is good. That He has His reasons for not letting us know something and that whatever they are, we know they are good and right and it is for our best.
Zech 5:1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll.
Zech 5:2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits.
This is a vivid one. A roll is a piece of parchment with writing on it that is rolled up. It is ten cubits wide. In the Bible 10 is the number for the law. The Ten Commandments is where that comes from. This roll is 10 wide and twice that long.
And this roll flies. So it travels. It can reach anywhere because it flies. People do not have to choose to come to it, like it or not it comes to them.
Zech 5:3 Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it.
Ok. Now it becomes clear that this roll represents the law of God. Two of God’s 10 Commandments are mentioned. Stealing and using God’s name in vain.
And this law on this flying roll goes over the face of the whole earth. So none will escape it’s judgment.
Zech 5:4 I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
So in this vision first we have a vision of God providing the light and that God has special anointed ones involved in the work. And that God promised that the Temple will be finished but not my man’s might but by God’s spirit. All encouraging stuff.
Then immediately after comes a vision that is saying no one escapes the flying roll of God’s commandments. Judgment will not be escaped.
So this is a warning and a call to not be stealing and swearing. Doing the work of God in no way shape or form makes you exempt.
Now the vision takes another turn. This time he sees an ephah. What is that? The ephah was a piece of clothing that the High Priest wore on his chest.
Zech 5:5 Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.
Zech 5:6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth.
Zech 5:7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.
Zech 5:8 And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
So the ephah is a religious symbol and a woman is sitting the middle of this, what God calls wickedness. So what we have is a false religion and one that in some way is using terms and different things from the Bible.
God is not happy with this. He casts the weight of a talent of lead upon her mouth.
Zech 5:9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven.
Zech 5:10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah?
Zech 5:11 And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.
So the false religion will be carried away to somewhere else but not destroyed. Instead the false wickedness will be established. But not with the Jewish people. Shinar is the Middle East. The Iraq area. So I think we know what religion it could be talking about.
Zech 6:1 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
I mean can you imagine what it would have been like to see this. Two mountain of brass.
That would have been something to see. Brass is smooth and shiny. Brass in the Bible speaks of judgment. Judgment is cold and hard and unmovable. So the chariots that come out from between the two mountains are coming out from judgment and not a little of it. But two mountains of judgment. Huge.
Zech 6:2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
Zech 6:3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
Zech 6:4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
This is a recurring thing. Zechariah sees stuff like this and is blown away. And asks over and over again as he sees stuff, what are these, my lord?
Zech 6:5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
Zech 6:6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
Zech 6:7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
Zech 6:8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
This is another slight glimpse that God is giving them and to us that read it today, that God is working. He is involved in what is going on, and that somehow He is using ministering spirits to carry out His will on the earth.
And again, exactly what do they do and how. We are not told. We don’t need to be concerned with the details of all of that. All that God wants us to know is that He is working. Angelic beings are somehow involved and we are to just accept that and move on.
And now the vision will close and like the one before this it will include a look at the future. Jesus is coming as a man.
Zech 6:9 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Zech 6:10 Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
Zech 6:11 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
Zech 6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
Zech 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
Zech 6:14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the LORD.
Zech 6:15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.
So God once again is mixing in the vision several things. Assurance that He is working in their lives and in the affairs of men. Promises that they will finish the temple and not by their power, but by God’s power.
And they are told of some things that will happen like a wicked false religion being established in area of Iraq.
And along with the promises the truth that God will judge the sin of everyone, that would include them, and a promise of the coming Messiah. And finally a call for them to obey the voice of the Lord your God.
Here is the principal of both. What do I mean. Some will say which is it. Does God encourage me or does He chastise me. Which is it. Both. Does God promise me good things or does He promise judgment. Both. Does God inform me and want me to know things or am I on a need to know basis? Both. Does God give me blessings and things or does God expect things from me? Which is it? Both.
That is the reality of it. Many don’t like that. Too many want God to be like Santa or like a genie in a bottle. They don’t get it. They only want the blessings and promises and they don’t want any responsibilities or conditions or expectations. The reality is that God is love and He does shower down blessings but He also wants and expects us to walk with Him to love Him and do things for Him. We should be thankful for the blessings but at the same time we need to live for Him every day all the time.