Zaccaria 4:10 Commento

In this chapter we have another comfortable vision, which, as it was explained to the prophet, had much in it for the encouragement of the people of God in their present straits, which were so great that they thought their case helpless, that their temple could never be rebuilt nor their city replenished; and therefore the scope of the vision is to show that God would, by his own power, perfect the work, though the assistance given to it by its friends were ever so weak, and the resistance given to it by its enemies were ever so strong. Here is, I. The awakening of the prophet to observe the vision (Zac 4:1). II. The vision itself, of a candlestick with seven lamps, which were supplied with oil, and kept burning, immediately from two olive-trees that grew by it, one on either side (Zac 4:2, Zac 4:3). III. The general encouragement hereby intended to be given to the builders of the temple to go on in that good work, assuring them that it should be brought to perfection at last (Zac 4:4-10). IV. The particular explication of the vision, for the illustration of these assurances (Zac 4:11-14).

INTRODUCTION TO ZECHARIAH 4 In this chapter are contained the vision of a golden candlestick, and of two olive trees by it, and the explanation thereof. The preparation to this vision, which is the awaking of the prophet, as of a man out of sleep, is in Zac 4:1. The vision of the candlestick, and olive trees, is in Zac 4:2. The candlestick is described by the matter of it, gold; and by the parts of it, its bowl, lamps, and pipes; and the olive trees by their situation; the explanation of which is at the request of the prophet, he not knowing what they meant, Zac 4:4 when it is observed to him, that this represents, under the type of Zerubbabel building the temple, the building of the Gospel church by Christ; and which is done and finished, not by might or power of man, but by the Spirit, notwithstanding all opposition, and contempt of it, to the great joy of many, who observe the grace of God, and his providential care and goodness, in it, Zac 4:6 and upon the prophet's inquiring the meaning of the two olive trees, which he was ignorant of, he is told that these are the two anointed ones that stood by the Lord of the whole earth, Zac 4:11.

Then answered I, and said unto him,.... To the angel that talked with him, Zac 4:1, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick, and upon the left side thereof? in Zac 4:2 they are said to be on each side of the bowl. The mystery of the candlestick being explained to Zechariah by the angel, the prophet desires to know the meaning of the two olive trees that were on the right and left of it, one on one side, and the other on the other side.

(Verse 10) For who hath despised the day of small things? and they shall rejoice, and shall see the tin in the hand of Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth. LXX: For who has despised the day of small things? They will rejoice and see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel: these seven eyes of the Lord, which scan throughout the whole earth. For who despises small days? Who here is received as rare, according to that: Who do you think is a faithful and wise steward (Luke XII, 42)? And, Lord, who shall dwell in your tabernacle, and who shall ascend to your holy mountain (Psalm XIV, 1)? Therefore, rare is the one who despises the small days of this age, and thinks royal power is worth nothing. When we see the powerful of the age shining with gold, purple, and gleaming with gems, surrounded by an army, let us say within ourselves: who, do you think, despises small days? And so Jacob, understanding the brevity of human life, said: 'They are short and the worst days of my life' (Gen. XLVII, 9). Therefore, those who despise the short days (which refers to royal power, as a reminder to Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people building the temple of God, not to fear their adversaries but to listen to the Lord encouraging them) will rejoice and see the help of the Savior, who is promised from the lineage of Zerubbabel, and is called the cornerstone and the stone of tin: For which it is written in Hebrew as Abdil (Al. Abdel), because it is the wall and strength and firmness of the believers. For just as tin protects other metals from fire, and although copper and iron are extremely hard by nature, if they do not have tin, they become consumed and burnt; so too, the strength of every angel and human, if they do not have the help of the Savior, is revealed as weak and fragile. But this stone, that is, the mass, which is called Abdil among the Hebrews, that is, tinstone, is etymologically derived from the word ἀποχωρίζων, that is separating and segregating, just as tin separates and dissociates mixed and adulterated metals through fire. Thus the true Lord, the assayer and refiner, separates good works as gold and silver from vices as lead, so that pure gold and silver may remain. In other words, ἀποχωρίζων is written as 'separating' in the Gospel: Whose winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor, and gather the wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire (Luke 3:17), he who speaks through Jeremiah: What have straw to do with grain? says the Lord (Jeremiah 23:28). Many of us interpret Zerubbabel, who laid the foundation of the temple and completed it, as Christ. And if we accept this, we will be forced to explain what the stone of tin in the hand of Zerubbabel means. For indeed in the hand of Christ, is Christ to be approved? For although certain people have received a stone-like body of the Lord, which was not defiled by any stains of sins, nor called lead, but the purest tin. However, we have previously explained that the seven eyes that roam throughout the whole earth and judge all things are the seven spirits: and that nothing escapes God's knowledge, who is conscious of past, present, and future events, and renders to each person according to their deeds, especially when he comes in the person of the one who separates the good from the evil, and the inflator.

The prophet, overpowered by his last vision, is roused by the angel to behold another, Zac 4:1; intended also to assure the Jews of the success of Joshua and Zerubbabel in building the temple, and surmounting every obstacle in the way; till at length, by the good providence of God, it should be finished, amidst the joyful acclamations of the spectators, Zac 4:2-10. The angel's explanation of the golden candlestick, and of the two olive trees, Zac 4:11-14.

Who hath despised the day of small things? - The poverty, weakness, and unbefriended state of the Jews. It was said, "What do these feeble Jews?" "Will they build," etc.? No. But God will build by them, and perfect his building too. And shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel - He is master builder under God, the grand architect. Those seven - are the eyes of the Lord - Either referring to his particular and especial providence; or to those ministering spirits, whom he has employed in behalf of the Jews, to dispense the blessings of that providence. See Ch2 16:9 (note); Pro 15:3 (note); Zac 3:9 (note).

FIFTH VISION. The golden candlestick and the two olive trees. The temple shall be completed by the aid of God's Spirit. (Zac 4:1-14) waked me--The prophet was lying in a state of ecstatic slumber with astonishment at the previous vision. "Came again, and waked me," does not imply that the angel had departed and now returned, but is an idiom for "waked me again."

who . . . despised . . . small things--He reproves their ungrateful unbelief, which they felt because of the humble beginning, compared with the greatness of the undertaking; and encourages them with the assurance that their progress in the work, though small, was an earnest of great and final success, because Jehovah's eye is upon Zerubbabel and the work, to support Him with His favor. Contrast, "great is the day of Jezreel" (Hos 1:11) with "the day of small things" here. they shall rejoice . . . with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord--rather, "they, even those seven eyes of the Lord (compare Zac 3:9), which . . . shall rejoice and see (that is, rejoicingly see) the plummet (literally, the 'stone of tin') in the hand of Zerubbabel" [MOORE]; the plummet in his hand indicating that the work is going forward to its completion. The Hebrew punctuation, however, favors English Version, of which the sense is, They who incredulously "despised" such "small" beginnings of the work as are made now, shall rejoicingly see its going on to completion under Zerubbabel, "with (the aid of) those seven," namely, the "seven eyes upon one stone" (Zac 3:9): which are explained, "They are the eyes of the Lord which," &c. [PEMBELLUS]. So differently do men and Jehovah regard the "small" beginnings of God's work (Ezr 3:12; Hag 2:3). Men "despised" the work in its early stage: God rejoicingly regards it, and shall continue to do so. run to and fro, &c.--Nothing in the whole earth escapes the eye of Jehovah, so that He can ward off all danger from His people, come from what quarter it may, in prosecuting His work (Pro 15:3; Co1 16:9).