Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Zechariah
Book: Zechariah
Chapter: 4
Overview:
A
Vision of a
Candlestick, with two
Olive trees.
(1-7) Further
encouragement.
(8-10) An explanation respecting the
Olive trees.
(11-14)
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 difficulty is represented as a great mountain.
But all difficulties shall vanish, and all the objections be got
over.
Faith will remove mountains, and make them plains.
Christ
is our Zerubbabel; mountains of difficulty were in the way of
his undertaking, but nothing is too hard for him. What comes
from the
Grace of
God, may, in
Faith, be committed to the
Grace
of
God, for he will not forsake the work of his own hands.
8-10 The exact fulfilment of
Scripture prophecies is a
convincing proof of their Divine original. Though the
instruments be weak and unlikely, yet
God often chooses such, to
bring about great things
By them. Let not the dawning
Light be
despised; it will shine more and more to the perfect
Day. Those
who despaired of finishing the work, shall rejoice when they see
Zerubbabel giving directions what to do, and taking care that
the work be done. It is a comfort to us that the same all-
Wise,
almighty
Providence, which governs the
Earth, is in particular
conversant about the
Church. All that have the plummet in their
hands, must look up to the eyes of the
Lord, have constant
regard to Divine
Providence, act in dependence
On its guidance
and submission to its disposals. Let us fix our
Faith On Christ,
and view Him carrying
On his work according to his own glorious
plan, and daily bringing his spiritual
Building nearer to
completion.
11-14 Zechariah desires to know what are the two
Olive trees.
Zerubbabel and
Joshua, this
Prince and this
Priest, were endued
with the
Gifts and graces of
God's
Spirit. They lived at the
same time, and both were instruments in the work and service of
God.
Christ's offices of
King and
Priest were shadowed forth
By
them. From the union of these two offices in his person, both
God and
Man, the fullness of
Grace is received and imparted.
They built the
Temple, the
Church of
God.
So does
Christ
spiritually.
Christ is not only the
Messiah, the Anointed One
himself, but he is the Good
Olive to his
Church; and from his
Fulness we receive. And the Holy
Spirit is the
Unction or
anointing which we have received. From
Christ the
Olive Tree,
By
the
Spirit the
Olive Branch, all the golden
Oil of
Grace flows
to believers, which keeps their lamps burning. Let us seek,
through the intercession and bounty of the
Saviour, supplies
from that
Fulness which has hitherto sufficed for all his
saints, according to their trials and employments. Let us wait
On him in his ordinances, desiring to be sanctified wholly in
body, soul, and
Spirit.