Zechariah 4 – Not By Might or Power, But By My Spirit

A meditation to Zechariah 4.

TWO SONS OF OIL (Zechariah 4:14), for those keen on reading the Word of God, are anointed to supply God’s workers and the work of the Lord with the empowering of the Holy Spirit (Hebrew: ruach).

Who those two sons are is disputed: some say they are Zerubbabel (the prince of Judah) and Joshua (the high priest), whilst others are adamant it can only be Haggai and Zechariah (himself) — the prophets. Either way, these images of the two sons of oil are of priest, prophet and king — Christ’s famous messianic offices.

Whatever the two sons of oil do they do to empower the building of God’s temple, or, in New Testament terms, the Kingdom. They supply the Holy Spirit by an ever trickling feed of oil from the Trees of Life, earlier in Zechariah’s night vision. These two olive trees supply energy in ways that the builders cannot.

That Zechariah is “roused” as if he was asleep, to a greater sense of alertness, suggests that this is a hiatus. This is an important night vision. There is intricate detail in the menorah, the bowl above it, each of the lamps, and the olive trees presented. A great amount is to be seen, as is a great amount to be witnessed by the power of God’s Spirit. So we, today, are to be roused by the power of God’s Spirit — through the Word of the Lord. Through God’s Word we have abundance for everything good; that is, of the goodness of his will.

Foundations and completions cover the beginning and the ending of building of God’s Kingdom, and his seven eyes see everything. Everything is thorough and we cannot think that God leaves anything to chance. Of this we’re to be confident. God overcomes all obstacles. As we, too, look on as God builds his Kingdom, stone by stone, we’re caused to cry out, “Grace, grace!” By his Spirit is the manifestation of grace. And grace caters wonderfully for everything.

That there are not one, but two trees of life is significant. It tells us that the supply of God’s Spirit for what we endeavour to build in his name, by his eternal Word, is everlasting. It tells us, too, that the messianic trinity of priest, prophet and king are in the frame of God’s power by his Spirit.

***

By the Holy Spirit’s power we have all we need to commence and complete what the Lord gives us, in his Kingdom, to build. We suffer no lack of capacity, and we may know that the type of “oil” that God provides is golden and sufficient for all our need.

So long as we do not rely on our own strength or power, but on the strength and power of his Word, the Lord will supply by his Spirit.

© 2015 Steve Wickham.