Zechariah 4
1 Then the angel who had been talking with me returned, and he called to me as though I had been asleep.
Then the angel I had been talking to returned and got my attention, like waking someone from sleep.
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.
“What do you see?” he asked me. “I see a lampstand made of solid gold with a bowl at its top having seven lamps on it, each with seven lips.
3 Furthermore, I see two olive trees, one at the right side of the lampstand and one at the left side.”
I also see olive trees, one to the right and one to the left of the bowl.”
4 I asked the angel who was talking with me, “Sir, what are these?”
Then I asked the angel I was talking to, “What are these, my lord?”
5 He replied, “Surely you know [RHQ] what they are?” I replied, “No, I do not know.”
“Don't you know what these are?” the angel replied. “No, my lord,” I responded.
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.
Then he told me, “This is the Lord's message to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty.
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!”’”
Even obstacles as big as mountains will be flattened before Zerubbabel. Finally he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘Blessings on it!’”
8 Then Yahweh gave me [another] message.
Then the Lord 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.”
Zerubbabel with his own hands laid the foundations for this Temple, and it will be completed the same way. Then you will know the Lord Almighty has sent me.
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.”
For who dares look down on this time of small beginnings? They will be happy when they see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand. “The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord which see all over the world.”
11 Then I asked the angel, “What is [the meaning of] the two olive trees, one on each side of the lampstand?
Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees that stand to the right and the left 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?”
And I also asked him, “What are the two olive branches from which the golden oil pours out from through golden pipes?”
13 He replied, “Surely [RHQ] you know what they are?” I replied, “No, sir, [I do not know.]”
“Don't you know?” the angel replied. “No, my lord,” I responded.
14 So he said, “They represent the two [men who have been] appointed [MTY] to serve the Lord who [rules] the entire earth.”
“These are the two who have been anointed who stand by the Lord of all the earth,” he replied.
