Zechariah 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: BEHOLD, A CANDLESTICK - or chandelier with seven lights: borrowed from the candlestick of the Mosaic tabernacle (Ezek. 25:31 , etc.), symbolizing the Jewish theocracy, and ultimately the Church, of which the Jewish portion is to be the head: the light-bearer (so the original [foosteeres] is of "lights," Philippians 2:15, "among whom ye shine as lights in the world;" cf. Matthew 5:14; Matthew 5:16) to the world. All of gold...

The Prophet was also reminded to be attentive to the vision — _What seest thou? _Then there was presented to him a sight which we have described; but the Prophet by seeing could have seen nothing, had he not been instructed by the Angel. We must also observe, that this tardiness of the Prophet is useful to us; for we hence more surely conclude, that nothing was represented without a design; but that the whole was introduced for his benefit, though he overlooked, as with closed eyes, what God showed to him by the Angel. We then conclude that there was nothing done by chance, but that the Prophet was really under a divine guidance, so that he might learn what he was afterwards faithfully to deliver to others. The vision is then narrated — that a candlestick of God was shown to him. The substance of the candlestick was intended to set forth a mystery. It is indeed true that gold is corrupti...

1-7 The prophet's spirit was willing to attend, but the flesh was weak. We should beg of God that, whenever he speaks to us, he would awaken us, and we should then stir up ourselves. The church is a golden candlestick, or lamp-bearer, set up for enlightening this dark world, and holding forth the light of Divine revelation. Two olive trees were seen, one on each side the candlestick, from which oil flowed into the bowl without ceasing. God brings to pass his gracious purposes concerning his church, without any art or labour of man; sometimes he makes use of his instruments, yet he needs them not. This represented the abundance of Divine grace, for the enlightening and making holy the ministers and members of the church, and which cannot be procured or prevented by any human power. The vision assures us that the good work of building the temple, should be brought to a happy end. The diff...

Verse Zechariah 4:2. _A CANDLESTICK ALL OF GOLD_] This candlestick is formed in some measure after that of the _sanctuary_, Exodus 25:31-2: but in that of the sanctuary there was no _bowl_, nor _seven pipes_, nor _seven lamps_, nor the _two olive trees_. The _two olive trees_ were to supply the _bowl_ with _oil_; the _bowl_ was to communicate the oil to the _seven pipes_; and the _seven pipes_ were to supply the _seven_ _lamps_. In general, the _candlestick_, its _bowl, pipes, lamps_, and _olive trees_, are emblems of the pure service of God, and the grace and salvation to be enjoyed by his true worshippers. The _candlestick_ may, however, represent the whole _Jewish state,_ _ecclesiastical_ and civil...

AND I SAID, I HAVE LOOKED AND BEHOLD A CANDLESTICK ALL OF GOLD - The candlestick is the seven-branched candlestick of the tabernacle Exodus 25:31, but with variations purposely introduced to symbolize the fuller and more constant supply of the oil, itself the symbol of God’s Holy Spirit, who: “Enables with perpetual light The dullness of our blinded sight.” The first variation is “her bowl on the top of the candlestick,” containing the oil; then (as dependent on this) the pipes to derive the oil into each lamp, “seven several pipes to the seven lamps,” that is, seven to each; and the two olive trees on either side of the bowl, whose extreme and fine branches poured through two golden pipes the golden oil into th

EXPOSITION ZECHARIAH 4:1 § 7. _The fifth vision: the golden candlestick._ ZECHARIAH 4:1 THE ANGEL THAT TALKED WITH ME. The interpreting angel is meant. CAME AGAIN, AND WAKED ME. It is thought that the angel, who is said (Zechariah 2:3) to have gone forth, now rejoined the prophet and renewed his colloquy with him. But the expression in the text is probably only equivalent to "aroused me again" (comp. Genesis 26:18; 2Ki 1:11, 2 King

AND SAID UNTO ME, WHAT SEEST THOU?.... That is, after he was awake, and had looked about him: AND I SAID, I HAVE LOOKED, AND BEHOLD A CANDLESTICK ALL [OF] GOLD; such an one as was in the tabernacle of Moses, only with this difference; that had no bowl on the top, nor seven pipes to it, nor two olive trees on each side of it, with two pipes to them, Exodus 25:31 such a candlestick was never in being, only in vision; and is an emblem of the church of Christ, into which the light of the Gospel is put by Christ, and held forth by it, and especially by its ministers; see Revelation 1:12 for the light put into this candlestick, the church, is not the light of nature or reason, which is "the candle of the Lord searching into the inward parts" of man; by which he may discern somewhat the bei

AND I SAID The vision of the candlestick and olive trees (Literally, trees of oil) is, as we know, from (Revelation 11:3) a prophecy to be fulfilled in the last days of the present age. That which marks the ministry of the "two witnesses" (Revelation 11:3); (Revelation 11:4) is power. Compare (Zechariah 4:6). In measure this power would rest upon Zerubbabel, who, having begun the restoration temple of Zechariah's time, would finish it (Zechariah 4:9) laying the "headstone" amid the shoutings of the peop

CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The fifth night vision (Zechariah 4:1) _ 2. The questions of the prophet answered (Zechariah 4:11) Zechariah 4:1. There was a rest for the prophet between the fourth and fifth night vision. He had fallen into a deep sleep. He may have been overcome by the grand and important visions, and is now awakened by the angel with the question, “What seest thou?” The new vision is a very striking one. A golden candlestick appears before the seer. An oil receiver is seen on top, from which the oil flows to the seven lamps of the candlestick through seven pipes. Two olive trees stand alongside of the candlestick and hang their fruit-laden branches over the golden bowl, filling it wit

THE GOLDEN LAMPSTAND. Zechariah dreams that he is aroused by the interpreting angel who shows him a golden lampstand. This section has suffered somewhat in transmission. In Zechariah 4:2 read with LXX. behold, a lampstand all of gold, and a bowl upon the top of it, and seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the lamps, etc. Two insertions have been made. The former (Zechariah 4:6 _b_ - Zechariah 4:10_ a_), which is a general encouragement to Zerubbabel, is probably due to some scribe's blunder; the second (Zechariah 4:12) appears to be a fragment of a similar allegory by some other writer....