Zechariah 4

1 Then the angel who had been talking with me returned, and he called to me as though I had been asleep.

2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a lampstand [made] completely of gold. There is a small bowl [for olive oil] at the top, and there are seven [small] lamps around the bowl, and a place for a wick on each lamp.

3 Furthermore, I see two olive trees, one at the right side of the lampstand and one at the left side.”

4 I asked the angel who was talking with me, “Sir, what are these?”

5 He replied, “Surely you know [RHQ] what they are?” I replied, “No, I do not know.”

6 Then he said to me, “This is the message that Yahweh [says that you should give] to Zerubbabel [the governor of Judah: ‘You will do what I want you to do, but it will] not be by your own strength or power. It will be [done] by [the power of] my Spirit, says the Commander of the armies of angels.

7 Zerubbabel, you [have many difficult matters to handle. They are like] high mountains [MET]. But they will [become easy to handle, as though] they will become flat land. And you will bring [to the temple] the final stone [to complete the rebuilding of the temple]. When you do that, [all the people] will shout repeatedly, “It is beautiful! May God bless it!”’”

8 Then Yahweh gave me [another] message.

9 He said [to me], “Zerubbabel [SYN] laid the first stone in the foundation of the temple, and he will put the last stone in its place. When that happens, the people will know that [it is I, the Commander of the armies of angels, who] have sent you to them.” And he said, “The seven bowls represent the eyes of Yahweh, who looks back and forth at everything [that happens] on the earth.”

10 No one [RHQ] should think that little things that are done at the beginning of a big project are unimportant. [When the temple is almost finished being rebuilt, ] Zerubbabel will use a (plumb line/string with a stone fastened to it) [to see if the walls they are building are straight]; so when the people see that, they will rejoice.”

11 Then I asked the angel, “What is [the meaning of] the two olive trees, one on each side of the lampstand?

12 And what [the meaning of] the two olive branches, one alongside each of the gold pipes from which [olive] oil flows to the lamps?”

13 He replied, “Surely [RHQ] you know what they are?” I replied, “No, sir, [I do not know.]”

14 So he said, “They represent the two [men who have been] appointed [MTY] to serve the Lord who [rules] the entire earth.”