Zechariah Chapter 4
By My Spirit, Says the LORD
A. Zechariah’s Vision
(Zechariah 4:1–3)
“And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. 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: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.”
The angel who had been speaking with Zechariah returned and stirred him as one suddenly awakened from deep sleep. This represents a spiritual awakening, a stirring of the prophet’s perception to receive new revelation from the LORD. God does not reveal truth to the careless or the complacent but to those who are alert to His Spirit.
Zechariah’s attention was drawn to a vision of a golden lampstand, similar to the one that stood in the Holy Place of the temple, made of solid gold and giving off a brilliant light. Since Zechariah and the returned exiles were rebuilding the temple, this imagery was fitting and filled with encouragement. It reminded them that their labor was connected to divine purpose, and that the light of God’s presence and truth must shine through His people.
The prophet also saw seven lamps upon the stand, each connected by seven pipes to a bowl on top that supplied them with oil. Moreover, he saw two olive trees, one on either side of the bowl, feeding the lampstand with oil through those pipes. This was unlike the temple lampstand known from Moses’ day, which required constant maintenance. The priests had to continually refill the lamps, trim the wicks, and clean away soot. Here, however, Zechariah saw a supernatural lampstand that was self-sustaining, continually supplied by living trees that produced the oil without human effort.
This imagery speaks of God’s provision through the Holy Spirit, the divine supply that sustains His work. In the temple, the oil symbolized the Spirit of God, and in this vision, the endless flow of oil from the olive trees represented the unceasing, divine energy empowering His servants. The lamps burned with light not because of human effort, but because of divine supply. This foreshadows the truth expressed later in this same chapter—that the work of God is not accomplished by human might or power but by His Spirit alone.
(Zechariah 4:4–5)
“So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? 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, though familiar with temple imagery, was perplexed. He saw the vision clearly but did not grasp its significance. His humble question, “What are these, my lord?” reveals a heart of teachability and reverence. Even prophets must seek divine illumination to understand the mysteries God reveals.
The angel’s response, “Knowest thou not what these be?” was not meant to rebuke Zechariah but to stir him toward deeper inquiry. The things of God must be spiritually discerned, and God often uses questioning to draw His servants into greater understanding. Zechariah’s admission—“No, my lord”—demonstrated the right posture before divine revelation: humility, dependence, and a desire to learn.
This exchange teaches that spiritual insight is not obtained through intellect alone but through submission to the teaching of the Spirit. The prophet’s willingness to confess ignorance positioned him to receive greater light. Just as the lamps in the vision depended on oil from the trees, so the servant of God must depend entirely upon the Spirit for understanding and power.
B. The Meaning of the Vision
(Zechariah 4:6–7)
“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. 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.”
The angel explained that this vision was not merely symbolic, but a direct message to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and leader of the rebuilding efforts. The work on the temple had stalled due to opposition, discouragement, and lack of resources. God now sent a word of strength and assurance to His servant: the completion of the temple would not depend on human ability, manpower, or political power, but on the continual, supernatural enabling of the Spirit of God.
The Lord declared, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.” “Might” refers to collective human strength such as armies, alliances, or resources, while “power” refers to the individual’s personal strength or ability. God’s message was clear—His work would not be achieved through the energy of the flesh, but through the divine life of His Spirit. Just as the lamps in Zechariah’s vision were fed continually with oil from the living olive trees, so the work of rebuilding would be sustained not by human ingenuity or effort, but by the unending supply of the Holy Spirit.
This principle applies to all of God’s work in every age. When men rely on their cleverness, organization, or charisma, the Spirit’s power is diminished in effect. But when believers cast themselves entirely upon the Spirit of God, His power flows without hindrance. As Charles Spurgeon once prayed, “Oh! May God send us poverty; may God send us lack of means, and take away our power of speech if it must be, and help us only to stammer, if we may only thus get the blessing. Oh! I crave to be useful to souls, and all the rest may go where it will.” The Spirit of God is the true and only indispensable resource for accomplishing the divine purpose.
This is the same Spirit—the ruach of the LORD—that moved upon the face of the waters at creation (Genesis 1:2), parted and closed the Red Sea (Exodus 15:8, 10), and brought life to the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1–14). The same Spirit that brought order, deliverance, and life in those mighty acts would empower Zerubbabel to complete the temple. God’s Spirit is not a one-time help but a continual flow, just as the oil from the olive trees never ceased to fill the lamps.
Oil, as seen in this vision, represents the Holy Spirit. Oil lubricates, reducing friction between moving parts, reminding us that where the Spirit moves freely, there is unity and peace among God’s people. Oil also heals; it was used in biblical times to treat wounds, as in Luke 10:34, when the Good Samaritan anointed the injured man. Likewise, the Spirit brings healing to broken hearts. Oil provides light; when burned in a lamp, it brings illumination, just as the Spirit gives understanding and direction. Oil warms when used as fuel for a flame, symbolizing the comfort and warmth of God’s presence. Oil invigorates when used for anointing and refreshment, representing how the Spirit strengthens and energizes believers for service. Oil adorns when applied as perfume, illustrating how the Spirit produces grace and attractiveness in the life of a believer. Oil polishes and removes tarnish, showing how the Spirit sanctifies and refines us.
When the LORD declared, “Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain,” He addressed the obstacles standing in the way of the temple’s completion. The mountain represented the seemingly insurmountable challenges—rubble, opposition, weariness, and despair. Yet God promised that by His Spirit, every obstacle would be leveled into a plain. Even the literal pile of debris on the temple mount, a mountain of ruins, would be cleared away by divine aid.
Spurgeon warned believers not to rely on human adjustments to overcome spiritual decline: “You all get up plans and say, ‘Now, if the church were altered a little bit, it would go on better.’ You think if there were different ministers, or different church order, or something different, then all would be well. No, dear friends, it is not there the mistake lies, it is that we want more of the Spirit.”
Finally, God promised that Zerubbabel would not only begin the work but would “bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.” The “headstone” or “capstone” was the finishing stone, placed last to complete the building. This was God’s assurance that Zerubbabel himself would see the project to completion, and the people would rejoice, declaring that it was all accomplished by grace alone. When man builds by his own strength, he may boast in his own success; but when the Spirit of God supplies the power, the only fitting cry is, “Grace, grace!”—for it is entirely of Him.
(Zechariah 4:8–10)
“Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 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. 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.”
God confirmed His promise with even greater encouragement. The same hands that laid the foundation of the temple would finish it. The Spirit who began the work would also complete it. This demonstrates the faithfulness of God, who never abandons what He begins. As Paul later wrote, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). When the work is of God, it not only starts strong—it finishes strong.
The Lord also spoke to those who were tempted to lose heart: “For who hath despised the day of small things?” Many among the people looked upon the new temple and wept, remembering the glory of Solomon’s temple. The new foundation seemed small and insignificant compared to the former splendor. Yet God rebuked such discouragement. What men call small, God calls the beginning of His plan. He delights in working through humble beginnings to display His glory.
Zerubbabel had indeed endured a long “day of small things,” nearly twenty years of delay and disappointment. Yet God urged him not to despise those years, for they were shaping him, building faith, patience, and dependence upon the Spirit. In God’s economy, nothing is wasted; seasons of small things are training grounds for greater works.
Spurgeon warned that believers often make the same mistake: “To me, it seems that it should be your glory to join the poorest and weakest churches of your denomination, and wherever you go, to say, ‘This little cause is not as strong as I should like it to be; but, by the grace of God, I will make it more influential… certainly I will not despise the day of small things.’” God delights to use the humble and the faithful, not the proud and self-sufficient.
The “seven” who rejoice to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand are identified as the “eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.” These represent God’s perfect and all-seeing Spirit, observing all that takes place and rejoicing when His servants are faithful to their calling. Though the work was empowered by the Spirit, Zerubbabel still had to labor with diligence. The Spirit of God does not make men idle, but energizes their obedience. God could have instantly finished the temple by miracle, but He chose to work through Zerubbabel, for the spiritual growth of the servant is as important as the completion of the task itself.
(Zechariah 4:11–14)
“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? 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? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”
Zechariah, though he understood the message of the Spirit’s power, still desired to grasp the meaning of the olive trees and the lampstand. His repeated question reveals his diligence in seeking divine understanding. The prophet wanted to know the identity of these two trees and their relationship to the lampstand. The vision depicted not only the supply of oil but the source of that supply, showing that God’s work and light are continually sustained through His chosen instruments.
The angel’s answer revealed the identity of the two olive trees: “These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” In Zechariah’s time, these two represented Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest—the civic and spiritual leaders of the restored nation. They were branches through which the oil flowed, symbolizing that both offices, the royal and the priestly, were sustained and empowered by the Spirit of God. Together, they foreshadowed the future unity of those offices in the coming Messiah, who would be both King and Priest forever.
God’s work often requires cooperation between individuals uniquely anointed for complementary roles. Throughout Scripture and history, God has paired His servants for His purposes: Moses and Aaron led Israel out of bondage; Joshua and Caleb stood in faith amid unbelief; Elijah and Elisha continued the prophetic ministry; Peter and John bore witness to Christ’s resurrection; Paul and Barnabas carried the gospel to the Gentiles. In later generations, men such as Whitefield and Wesley, Moody and Sankey, and Graham and Barrows exemplified the same divine pairing in ministry. God frequently calls two men to labor side by side, each supplying what the other lacks, their partnership illustrating divine balance and unity.
This vision also foreshadows a greater prophetic fulfillment. Revelation 11:3–4 speaks of two future witnesses who will prophesy during the Tribulation: “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” This direct connection identifies Zechariah’s imagery with the future ministry of these two Spirit-empowered prophets who will testify before Christ’s return, continuing the line of divine witness through the ages.
The phrase “anointed ones” literally reads “sons of oil.” In Hebrew idiom, to be a “son of” something means to be completely characterized by it. Thus, these two men were wholly defined by the anointing and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. They lived in constant dependence upon divine supply, their service flowing directly from their relationship with God. They did not operate from natural strength but from continual spiritual provision.
The imagery of oil flowing from the trees underscores the truth that all genuine ministry is born out of personal cost and self-giving. The olive tree must be pressed to yield its oil; likewise, God’s servants must pour themselves out in service to others. The measure of usefulness in God’s kingdom is not in how much one possesses, but in how much one gives. A massive oil tank at a refinery holds a vast reserve, but it does no good if it cannot deliver. A small five-gallon container at home, though limited in volume, is effective because it delivers its contents. So it is with spiritual life—God is not impressed by potential but by faithful outpouring.
The two olive trees thus illustrate the divine principle of supply: God’s Spirit flows through yielded instruments. As the lampstand received a continual flow of oil, so the church and her leaders must rely upon the unceasing flow of the Spirit. The moment we cease to depend upon Him, the light grows dim. Zerubbabel and Joshua’s effectiveness lay not in their positions but in their anointing. They stood “by the Lord of the whole earth,” signifying their divine commission and close fellowship with Him who rules all.
This vision ultimately points to Christ, the true Anointed One in whom the royal and priestly offices are perfectly united. As King, He rules in righteousness; as Priest, He intercedes and sustains His people. The continuous flow of oil finds its fulfillment in the indwelling Holy Spirit, who empowers the church to shine as the light of the world. The vision therefore reveals not only God’s method of working—by His Spirit—but also His means: through Spirit-filled servants who yield themselves to His purposes.
