Chapter four
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Before starting with this chapter I like to go to the book of Ezra and have a look at Ezra 5:1-2.
And prophesied Chaggai the prophet and Zecharyah son of Iddo prophets on account of Yehudeans (Jews) being in Yehudah and in Yerushlem (Aramaic) in the name El of Yisrael regarding them.
From that time rose up Zerubabel son of Shealtieyel and Yeshua son of Yotzadak and began to build house Elaha (Aramaic for deity) being in Yerushlem and with them prophets being of Elaha supporting them.
We see here that these prophets were supporting them in the name of Elaha, which is Aramaic for El or Elohiem. God is an old Teutonic deity and Teutonic Gods have no relation to the Tanakh and I personally do not like to use names that are not in the Tanakh.
From Zecharyah we can learn that this Elaha is Yahuweh.
To enable to support them in the name of Yahuweh, The prophets must be sure Yahuweh is behind this.
In Chapter three we learned that Yahuweh is behind Yehoshua and this is the religious leader.
Now, in this Chapter we learn that Yahuweh is behind Zerubabel the civic leader.<*><*><*><*><*><*>
Verse 1
And came again the representative the one talking to me and awoke me as a man that wakes from his sleep.
In the previous chapters we have met two beings that are in most translations mentioned as Angles. However, the one is a representative of Yahuweh, who is talking to Yehoshua. The other one is a representation of Yahuweh, which is Yahuweh in a for humans recognisable form.
The representation is giving the orders about Yehoshua. The representative awakes Zecharyah.
Verse 2
And said to me: "What you see?" and said: "I see an behold an Menorat gold all over and bowl on her top and seven her lamps upon her seven and seven pipes to the lamps that are upon her top"
The golden Menorat (female form of Menora) or lamp stand, which was made by Mozes, Exo. 25:31-40, and was used for lightning the Tabernacle, had disappeared at some time or other.
When Solomon builded the temple, he put in 10 golden lamp stands, 1Kings 7:49.
These were taken to Babylon at the beginning of the exile, Jer 52:19. There is no mention of them being returned after the exile.<*><*><*><*><*><*>
The Menora, which was used to light up the priestly functions performed before Yahuweh in the midst of his people, was lost when the people returned from exile.
Apparently the Menora was rebuild after the return of the exiles, since the Jewish historian Josephus tells us on several occasions that it was present in the Temple.
He only saw it once himself, as he says, and that was when Titus in 70CE brought it to Rome.
He said that this Menora was not exactly the same as the one described in the books of Moses. They might have rebuilt the Menora according to what Zecharyah saw in this vision.<*><*><*><*><*><*>
In this vision the Menorah is back to light up again the work of the priests before Yahuweh in the midst of His people.
Verse 3
And two Olive trees by her one on from the right the bowl and one to the left
Olive trees are symbol of provision, since they provide the olive oil, which is used for many purposes but also to keep the lights going.
Verse 4-5
And I responded and spook to the representative the one speaking to me and said: "what these Sir?"
And responded the representative the one speaking to me and said to me, "do not you know what they, these?" and I said, "No Sir!"
The representative of Yahuweh asked Zecharyah whether he had any idea what this was all about, the things he saw in this vision. Maybe be the lamps and the sources of feeding the light of them, might have given him a clue. However, Zecharyah has not the slightest idea.
Verse 6
And he responded and spook to me to say: "So speaks Yahuweh to Zerubabel to say: " Not by ability and not by strength, but only when in my spirit says Yahuweh Tzevaot!""
First Yehoshua the religious leader was prepared by Yahuweh and show to Zecharyah as being the High Priest of Yahuweh's choosing.
Now the civic leader has to be prepared and announced.
The message is clear, not the abilities or strength of Zerubabel or his helpers, is going to accomplish the work that is necessary but the activity, which is the Spirit, of Yahuweh shall accomplish it.
Verse 7
"From where you, mountain de large? Before the presence Zerubabel as a level place and bring forth the stone the head (headstone) shouting grace grace to her"
From reading Ezra and Nehemia, we can learn that a lot of opposition was facing Zerubabel. This opposition is compared with a mountain, but for Zerubabel it is just like level ground.
However, this opposition will supply the corner stone for the Temple. The opposition will be the foundation of the work.
Zerubabel will proclaim that it is only grace or in other words favour, which shall accomplish the laying of the foundation of the temple.
Verse 8-9
And came word of Yahuweh to me to say: "Hands Zerubabel laid foundation the house this and his hands complete her and know that Yahuweh Tzevaot send me to you!"
The word of Yahuweh was send via Zecharyah to Zerubabel that He laid the foundation but also would finish the building of the Temple and he should know that, because the word of Yahuweh about this was send. The 'me' being the messenger or the message of the word.
Most translations give the impression that, when the Temple is finished, you (Zecharyah?) shall know that Yahuweh has send someone.
This is not correct. It is perfectly clear that an encouragement and promise is given by the word of Yahuweh that Zerubabel shall finish building the Temple against all opposition and he knows, because it is the word of Yahuweh.
Compare also Haggai 1:12-14.
Verse 10
"Because who ever despise according to day small, also rejoice and see the stone the separation in the hand of Zerubabel. Seven they are eyes of Yahuweh that move quickly to and fro because of the Earth!"
According to Haggai 2:3 and Ezra 3:12 the new Temple was nothing like the old one, build by Solomon.
Yahuweh says who ever despises these days of the smaller temple shall nevertheless rejoice in the stone with the seven eyes.
I know most translations say plumbing line.
I translate according to the context. The Hebrew says literally "the stone the tin" The word for tin is derived from the word of separation, most likely because tin in the olden days was used as a separation between other metals.
Now in the context of the book Zecharyah, we find that in Zech. 3:9 a stone with seven eyes is mentioned. It should be obvious that this stone is meant.
Stone is the symbol for security. The security of Yahuweh who has a perfect eye for what is going on about the whole Earth is in the hands, of Zerubabel meaning available to and through him.
It also symbolises that the stone separates Zerubabel and the work at hand from the world around him because Yahuweh watches the world to protect them.<*><*><*><*><*><*>
It is a very comforting thought that Yahuweh's ways never change. Like He protected Zerubabel against the world around him in order that he could finish a task set by Yahuweh, so He works still with us in the same way.
When Yahuweh has given us a task to do, He will protect us against the world around us. However, it must be a task given by Yahuweh Himself and not one we took up because we ourselves thought it was something we could do for Him.<*><*><*><*><*><*>
Verse 11
Then I responded and said to him: "What the two olive trees these on the right site the menorah and on the left site?"
After hearing the previous message Zecharyah still had some questions to ask, from Yahuweh's representative that was first speaking to him. And without waiting for an explanation he continues with questions.
Verse 12
Then I responded again and said to him: "What the two flowing streams the olives which are in the hand (filling) two pipes the golden pouring out from upon them the golden?"
Zecharyah saw from each of the olive trees, olives streaming in golden pipes and the two pipes were pouring by themselves a stream of olive oil, which has a golden colour, in to the Menorah.
Normally olives are crushed in a sort of mill to extract the golden oil. In the vision, olives went in the pipes and oil came out of them to feed the lamps continually without any human intervention.
Verse 13
And spook to me to say: "Do not you know what these?" and said: "No sir!"
Again Zecharyah got an opportunity to work out for himself an idea about the vision, but he did not know what to think of it.
Verse 14
And said: "these two sons of the pure oil the ones standing near Adon (of) all the Earth!"
There are many traditions about these two, from all kinds of religious sources.
However traditions are just that. I like to stick to the facts, which I can find back in the Tanakh.<*><*><*><*><*><*>
Now this vision is all about the Menorah. The purpose of the original Menorah was to shed light on the work of the priest in the Tabernacle.
The Menorah in the vision is therefore a symbol for the light that will be shed on the work done, as ordered by Yahuweh.
According to Leviticus 24:1-4. The people had to provide oil to keep the lamps on the Menorah continually burning and it was the task of the priests to keep the lamps fed.
In the vision however, the people do not have to provide the oil and the priests don't have to feed it. The source of the oil for the continual burning comes from Yahuweh the Adon, or Foundation, of the whole Earth and He uses two suppliers of oil, replacing the nation as the supplier. It does not depend any more on the people to provide the oil, Yahuweh provides it.
There is nowhere any reference in the Tanakh as to whom these two suppliers are.
To make any connection to beings alive or dead is pure speculation.
Many say it is a reference to Zerubabel and Yehoshua. However, they are instruments of Yahuweh, but not sources. <*><*><*><*><*><*>
There came to be many traditions about the two olive trees in Judaism but Yeshua never mentioned any.
John new about the traditions, which even might be lost to day, and referred to them in Revelation 11:4.
The people of his day might have understood who the two witnesses were, but we don't know for sure. Again a lot of speculation has been going on about it.
Two say that Zerubabel and Yehoshua are the twee witnesses is totally unfounded.
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