CHAPTER 4 Dec. 21 
Lampstand of Gold and Two Olive Trees 
The angel who talked with me came again, and awoke me, as a man who is awaken out of his sleep. 2He said to me, What do you see?  I said, I have seen, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it; 3and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.  4I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?  5Then the angel who talked with me answered me, Don’t you know what these are?  I said, No, my lord.  6Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, This is the word of Yahweh to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit’, says Yahweh of Armies. 7Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’.  8Moreover the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 9The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house. His hands shall also finish it; and you will know that Yahweh of Armies has sent me to you. 10Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are the eyes of Yahweh, which run back and forth through the whole earth.  11Then I asked him, What are these two olive trees on the right side of the lampstand and on the left side of it?  12I asked him the second time, What are these two olive branches, which are beside the two golden spouts, that pour the golden oil out of themselves?  13He answered me, Don’t you know what these are?  I said, No, my lord.  14Then he said, These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

Commentary

4:6 The prophets continually criticize human strength. In our terms, this may translate into situations like what we do when we feel the first onset of an illness; when a car won’t start… do we trust in human strength, on the pretensions of science, and only turn to God if all else fails? In prophetic terms, this is awful! That we don’t first and totally turn to our God.