Zechariah 4:11-14

 

Zechariah 4:11-14

What is the Meaning or the Olive Trees with the Menorah?

 

Zec 4:11  Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 

Zec 4:12  And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? 

Zec 4:13  And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 

Zec 4:14  Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. 

 

         1.     Zechariah Asks What the Olive Trees Are – vs. 11

a.     Zechariah wants to know what the olive trees on the side of the Menorah are in the vision he experienced.

                                               i.     Zechariah 4:1-3 

b.     The Menorah or the Candlestick is Jesus, who is the light of the world

                                               i.     John 8:12 

        2.     Zechariah Asks Again What the Olive Trees Are – vs. 12

a.     The most important questions need to be asked multiple times

                                               i.     Genesis 32:24-30 

b.     Do not give up easily, rather pursue the things of God with your whole heart

                                               i.     Matthew 7:7-8 

        3.     The Angel Interpreter Asks Zechariah if He Knows What the Olive Trees Are – vs. 13

a.     Sometimes the answers to the hardest questions are the most obvious

                                               i.     Hebrews 5:11-12 

        4.     The Angel Interpreter Tells Who the Olive Trees Represent

a.     This answer is both complex and simple. It is hard, yet so obvious: The olive trees are those that stand with Jesus

                                               i.     The Angel of the Lord is Jesus

                                             ii.     The Candlestick or the Menorah is Jesus

                                           iii.     The Olive Trees are representative of:

1.     Joshua and Zerubbabel in the short-term fulfilment

a.     Ezra 5:1-2 

2.     The Priestly Order and the Kingly Order throughout History

a.     The Priestly Order was to establish worship

                                                                                                     i.     Leviticus 8:12-14 

b.     The Kingly Order was to establish law and justice

                                                                                                     i.     Deuteronomy 17:18-19 

3.     Moses and Elijah who appear during the coming of the Messiah, both His first and last advent

a.     Moses and Elijah were at the mount of Transfiguration

                                                                                                     i.     Matthew 17:1-3 

b.     While they are not named, it is possible that the two witnesses in Revelation are also Moses and Elijah, come to herald the Second Coming of Christ

                                                                                                     i.     Revelation 11:3-4 

4.     Israel and the Church who are the people of God throughout history

a.     Israel, even though they are unrepentant at this time, are still the people of God

                                                                                                     i.     Romans 11:26-32 

b.     The Church, primarily made up of Gentile believers, is also the people of God

                                                                                                     i.     Romans 11:17-24 

c.     Election is of God alone, and it is God that preserves us. None of the representations of the Olive trees mentioned before sought God. It was God who sought them and called them and used them so mightily.

                                                                                                                                      i.      Romans 11:33-36