Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Zechariah 4:6
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 |
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
This passage, in the fourth chapter of Zechariah's prophecy, is rich with truth pertaining to the days of Zechariah and to days in the future as well. Remember, Haggai and Zechariah were the two prophets the Lord raised up to encourage the 50,000 Jews who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian Captivity. These Jews, led by Joshua and Zerubbabel, on their trip back "home," were to rebuild the temple.
Nearly 20 years after the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, from Babylon, they had not finished the work of the Second Temple, the one replacing Solomon's Temple that was destroyed by the Babylonians.
By the way, this temple, the Second Temple, would be the one in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus, here on earth. During the days that Herod the Great reigned in Jerusalem, the people called it “Herod's Temple”, only because Herod restored the Second Temple to its majesty.
Joshua and Zerubbabel were the two leaders that led the almost 50,000 Jews back to Jerusalem for the sole purpose of rebuilding the temple. The Jews were very negligent in following the Lord's direction on the “temple building project”.
You might recall, I referred to Haggai as the prophet "in your face." Zechariah was the prophet who had the "gift of mercy." The Lord would use Zechariah to "love the people into rebuilding the temple."
Notice verse 6, our key verse, where Zechariah uses the truth about the "Spirit" of the Lord of Hosts as the power by which the temple would be built. We often need to be reminded that what we do, and accomplish for the Lord, is not done by our own power, but by His Spirit.
As Zerubbabel laid the foundations for the temple and continued to lead the project, they would finish the Lord's work as they had been directed. It was during this time that the prophet Zechariah got this prophecy of the "candlestick" and of the "two olive trees."
In Zechariah's day, the "two olive trees" were Joshua and Zerubbabel. The "candlestick" was the Temple, which housed the Menorah, the seven-branched candelabra.
The prophecy given to Zechariah would be fulfilled in his day. However, this same “prophecy”, would have a future fulfillment that would come to pass during the seven year Tribulation Period.
Revelation 11:3-12 reveals the "two witnesses" who minister from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in the first three and a half years of the Tribulation.
Notice Revelation 11:4, "the two olive trees," these are the same as the "two olive trees" in Zechariah's prophecy. The two witnesses of Revelation 11 are Elijah and Enoch, the only two men who have never died. At the end of the three and a half years of ministry, they will be killed, as demanded in Hebrews 9:27. They will resurrect and enter into the heavens.
I believe, as the song says, "we are living in the days of Elijah." So much of Bible prophecy is coming together as foretold by the ancient Jewish prophets, including Zechariah. The Rapture could happen at any time - maybe today.
Prayer Thot: Thank You, Lord, for the potential of a soon coming Rapture of the Church. Help me to point the lost to You for salvation.
For further study - Zechariah 4:1-14
This passage, in the fourth chapter of Zechariah's prophecy, is rich with truth pertaining to the days of Zechariah and to days in the future as well. Remember, Haggai and Zechariah were the two prophets the Lord raised up to encourage the 50,000 Jews who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian Captivity. These Jews, led by Joshua and Zerubbabel, on their trip back "home," were to rebuild the temple.
Nearly 20 years after the return of the Jews to Jerusalem, from Babylon, they had not finished the work of the Second Temple, the one replacing Solomon's Temple that was destroyed by the Babylonians.
By the way, this temple, the Second Temple, would be the one in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus, here on earth. During the days that Herod the Great reigned in Jerusalem, the people called it “Herod's Temple”, only because Herod restored the Second Temple to its majesty.
Joshua and Zerubbabel were the two leaders that led the almost 50,000 Jews back to Jerusalem for the sole purpose of rebuilding the temple. The Jews were very negligent in following the Lord's direction on the “temple building project”.
You might recall, I referred to Haggai as the prophet "in your face." Zechariah was the prophet who had the "gift of mercy." The Lord would use Zechariah to "love the people into rebuilding the temple."
Notice verse 6, our key verse, where Zechariah uses the truth about the "Spirit" of the Lord of Hosts as the power by which the temple would be built. We often need to be reminded that what we do, and accomplish for the Lord, is not done by our own power, but by His Spirit.
As Zerubbabel laid the foundations for the temple and continued to lead the project, they would finish the Lord's work as they had been directed. It was during this time that the prophet Zechariah got this prophecy of the "candlestick" and of the "two olive trees."
In Zechariah's day, the "two olive trees" were Joshua and Zerubbabel. The "candlestick" was the Temple, which housed the Menorah, the seven-branched candelabra.
The prophecy given to Zechariah would be fulfilled in his day. However, this same “prophecy”, would have a future fulfillment that would come to pass during the seven year Tribulation Period.
Revelation 11:3-12 reveals the "two witnesses" who minister from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in the first three and a half years of the Tribulation.
Notice Revelation 11:4, "the two olive trees," these are the same as the "two olive trees" in Zechariah's prophecy. The two witnesses of Revelation 11 are Elijah and Enoch, the only two men who have never died. At the end of the three and a half years of ministry, they will be killed, as demanded in Hebrews 9:27. They will resurrect and enter into the heavens.
I believe, as the song says, "we are living in the days of Elijah." So much of Bible prophecy is coming together as foretold by the ancient Jewish prophets, including Zechariah. The Rapture could happen at any time - maybe today.
Prayer Thot: Thank You, Lord, for the potential of a soon coming Rapture of the Church. Help me to point the lost to You for salvation.