Zechariah 4:12, commentary and pictures

The prophet is asking what the two olive branches are that pour the golden oil out of themselves through the two golden pipes. They are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth, heavenly messengers in God's presence from whom all connected with God receive the holy oil. The golden oil is the Holy Spirit, which is also God's grace and love and sacred truth and spiritual life communicated to the heart. It flows in order from the branches through the golden pipes into the bowl and then into the lamps, which are the churches, for no heart or lamp has light of its own without constant replenishment. It must first be received into vessels emptied of self and cleansed and renewed every day before it can be ministered to others, and the whole work advances not by human might nor power but by God's Spirit.

Vision Scene and Setting

The question is asked a second time, pressing for the meaning of the two olive branches that empty the golden oil out of themselves through the two golden pipes. The wording turns on pouring and sending the oil through the pipes, with the branches themselves as the source from which it flows. The answer belonging to the vision is given in verse 14: they are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth. The angel makes this identification in reply to the prophet, so the branches represent those who stand before God.

The setting is a golden lampstand with its bowl and lamps, fed from the olive branches through golden pipes or tubes. The oil passes out of the branches into golden tubes and golden bowls, and from the bowl of the candlestick into the golden lamps that give light to the sanctuary. Those lamps are the churches, receiving a steady, shining light from the sanctuary bowl supplied by the two olive trees. Through the anointed ones standing in God's presence, divine light, love, and power are thus supplied to God's people to be shared with others as light, joy, and refreshment.

This supply belongs to the work of Zechariah 4, whose plain declaration is that God's work is accomplished by His Spirit, not by human might nor by power, talent, or human effort. The word to Zerubbabel, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, gives encouragement that strength is not of self but of God, a lesson all connected with the sacred work must learn. Zechariah 3 and 4 are to be carefully studied because they are essential for the last days and set forth the features of the work in which God's people are engaged. The fourth chapter is to be read together with the instruction in Zechariah 3:8-10 concerning Joshua the high priest, the Branch, the stone with seven eyes, and the removal of iniquity in one day.

Who Olive Branches Are

The two olive branches are heavenly messengers, the holy ones who surround God's throne and stand in God's presence, from whom all who are brought into connection with God receive the holy oil. They empty the golden oil out of themselves through two golden pipes and golden tubes, so that it flows into golden bowls representing the churches and thence into the burning lamps that the churches may let light shine forth in glorious brightness and continue giving light. The oil they supply is the Holy Spirit, the grace of Christ and heavenly vital communication to every soul emptied of self, keeping the lamps of believers supplied and burning by constant communication from heaven to the inhabitants of the earth, without which the agencies of evil would have entire control over men. It is bestowed upon penitent believers who call on Christ as Intercessor and Saviour and whose sins are blotted out by His blood, and must be received through soul consecration with the work purified from all selfishness, pride and impurity, for even the most splendid service is not accepted without that purification. To receive it is to receive God's communications and cherish Christ's grace in the heart, increasing faith and patience and love and giving power to be ready when the call comes, Behold the bridegroom cometh, while to refuse it is to be like the foolish virgins with dim dying lamps, without power to obtain oil and unready to meet the Lord, yet to ask for God's Spirit is to be given the golden oil. Where the oil drops in it brings more of Christ and less of self, softening the heart and clothing the voice with melody and softness so that words become smooth as oil with no hardness, sharpness, crossness or loud harshness, whether in ministers speaking from the desk or in fathers and mothers speaking in the home and in business and to children, making all around as happy and full of sunshine and joy as possible, and this connection with divine influence through active faith makes every worker a living channel of light, faithful and capable as a steward of grace brought into direct connection with the Lord's work, with the heavenly oil communicated to the human agent to be given out through consecrated channels to flow forth to others.

The branches are God's witnesses, the two olive trees through whom heaven's supply of truth, spiritual life and reviving power flows to the churches. God must work through these witnesses, causing them to empty the golden oil out of themselves through the golden tubes into the golden bowls, which are His churches, and from there to the burning lamps, which represent His churches. This working is the only remedy for institutions, churches, families and individuals, and requires entire conformity to the will and character of God, for without it no one is safe for a moment from the machinations of Satan to deprave human nature and assimilate it to his own corrupt principles. The golden oil revives the Spirit of God in human hearts, introduces a Christlike principle like leaven, and through the inspiration of the Spirit of God overcomes satanic agencies and satanic influences. A minister must first receive this spiritual supply of truth from heaven before it can flow through him to give life to others, for learning and human effort alone cannot provide it, and the heavenly anointing brings spiritual life and growth and helps distinguish what is heaven-born from what is common, so that every believer has a lamp filled with this oil, shining pure and clear light on a sinner's path.

Through the branches, as the two anointed ones who stand before God and by the Lord of the whole earth and in God's presence, divine light, love, power and heavenly grace are communicated to consecrated human servants and human instrumentalities consecrated to God's service. Their mission is to communicate heavenly grace, which alone can make His Word a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, enabling God's word to give light and direction, and this work is accomplished by God's Spirit, not by human might or power. As the oil flowed from the two olive trees through the golden pipes into the bowl of the candlestick and thence into the golden lamps that gave light to the sanctuary, so the Spirit is imparted from the holy ones, supplying cleansed vessels with light and comfort and hope and love and a steady, shining light. Those with a special work for God need a large supply of this holy oil to be a strength to the church, with wisdom and courage and zeal to work in Christ's lines, for Christ is the source from whom His workers receive the oil of grace for power and efficiency, having emptied Himself of His glory to fill His believing ones with His Spirit. Being thus supplied enables a man in responsible position to speak guardedly, wisely and advisedly, to obtain victories over self and never to speak unadvisedly, and those who are emptied of self become co-laborers with Christ, filled with all the fullness of God by living experiential knowledge of Him. God's people are then to share with others the light, joy and refreshment they receive, passing light, joy and refreshment to others and imparting His grace to those in need as channels of God's love to the world.

Christ walks in the midst of His churches throughout the earth and watches them to see whether they are spiritually able to advance His kingdom. Present in every assembly and acquainted with everyone connected with His service, He knows whose hearts He can fill with the holy oil so that they may impart it to others. Those who faithfully carry forward His work in the world, representing the character of God in word and works and fulfilling His purpose for them, are the branches through whom the oil flows, and they are very precious in His sight.

What Golden Oil Means

The golden oil is the Holy Spirit, imparted from the holy ones who stand in God's presence to consecrated human servants to enable God's word to give light. It is continually supplied to ministers so they can impart the Spirit to the church, and victory comes not through human might or power or talent but through inward purity, cleanness of heart and holiness. It must be received into cleansed and prepared vessels, for it is the Spirit in the heart working by love and purifying the soul, and its bright light kindled in the chambers of the soul shines to the world through good works. It is the same oil the wise virgins kept in their vessels with their lamps and the foolish virgins lacked, and those who follow their own natural temperament will be left without it when faith and love and knowledge drain away like water from a leaky vessel. To receive it is to receive God's communications and cherish Christ's grace in the heart, increasing faith and patience and love and giving power to be ready when the call comes, while to refuse it leaves dim dying lamps with no power to meet the Lord.

The oil is the love of God, for hearts have no light of their own and can reflect light only through vital connection with heaven and constant replenishment, lest the flame die and the light go out. It is God's grace and the holy loving protective influence of the Saviour applied daily, keeping the living human machinery in best condition to glorify God and run at His touch without friction. It is the treasure of God's love and the riches of heaven's grace, poured into the heart as a person turns from self to enrich others, and sharing it does not diminish it but enriches the giver and makes the light shine brighter. It alone can make His word a lamp to the feet and a light to the path, and those with a special work need a large supply of it for strength, wisdom, courage and zeal to work in Christ's lines. Heavenly fire by it makes people burn with holy unselfish love for Jesus and for those He redeemed, removing self-trust and boastfulness, setting aside human wisdom apart from God, and giving the whole armor of God as the only safeguard against Satan's schemes.

The oil is sacred truth, the golden treasure from Christ, which messengers must first receive from Christ the Source of all light before they can present truth with fervency. It is the heavenly supply of truth, the dew and rain of heaven and the bread of life, flowing from the two anointed ones into the golden bowls and thence into the lamps which are the churches, so that having no grace or fire of their own they shine in distinct rays amid moral darkness. It is the word of the Lord flowing into the hearts of living messengers who carry warnings and appeals to the people, and without receiving it preaching is destitute of heaven's power, with long discourses of anecdotes and cheap fodder that leave the sheep starving and hearts untouched and unbroken. It is the gracious utterances of the Word and the inspiration of the Spirit working with the teacher's mind and heart as he reasons from and explains the Scriptures in dependent travail for souls, constantly educating him to clearer understanding and enabling labor beyond his own power. It is an untold resource and mine of precious ore gained by careful thorough digging and conscientious practice of truth and then poured forth to enrich others with things new and old, for if truth is not practiced the holy oil has not been received.

The oil is holy communication from heaven kept up by holy beings surrounding God's throne, poured from heaven in the messages of God's Spirit, without which agencies of evil would have entire control over men. It is received by clean pure vessels prepared by letting God cleanse heart and life from defilement, where empty talk and self give way to Christ, and then shared with others. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire, which brings unbelievers under conviction and kindles inner life and the fire of God's love where hearts are susceptible, for only the Holy Spirit can meet the soul's needs and human effort cannot satisfy its longings. It is heavenly inspiration and power enabling those who teach truth to speak in love and bring reform without provoking or embittering others. When people surrender wholly to God and self-seeking gives way to unselfish labor, His grace works through them to carry divine influence to others, and their lives display the truths of His word.

The oil is right, the foundation of righteousness and peace and the divine provision that fills the lamps. It is the holy oil of grace and efficiency received from a higher source, and those who would receive the seal of the living God and have a place in His family must hear the Word and do it with exactitude, with no haphazard religion, being pure and holy while heaven critically watches earthly events as a test, and then impart what is received. It is the richest impartation of the Holy Spirit, to burn with holy radiance upon the altar of the soul, producing ambition sanctified by the Spirit that brings glory to God because it loves right for its own sake. It is supplied with rich anointing for usefulness in gospel labor to those who pledge themselves to God alone and press steadily forward in the way to heaven under the watch of holy angels. It is imparted for the perfection of God's people's characters.

How the Supply Flows

The supply moves in fixed order from the olive branches through the golden pipes into the bowl and from the bowl into the lamps, which are the churches. The golden oil is the continual supply by which the lamps shine, for hearts and lamps have no light or grace of their own and reflect light only by vital connection with heaven. Without constant replenishment the flame dies and the light goes out, so each lamp must be fed and the soul's lamp kept burning by holy oil. The branches are the two anointed ones standing by the Lord of the whole earth and standing in God's presence, through whom divine light, love, and power are given to God's people to pass on as light, joy, and refreshment to others. God's love is thus as morning light in the midst of the church militant, feeding each lamp with His grace and love while the commandment-keeping church waits and watches in living connection with Him.

No one can present or minister the holy oil to others without first receiving it from Christ, the Source of all light. The oil is the heavenly supply of truth, the dew and rain of heaven, the bread of life and spiritual life itself, and as it flows to the lamps so a true minister's received message flows to the churches to give spiritual life. Learning and human effort alone cannot provide it, and without receiving it preaching is destitute of heaven's power, with long discourses of anecdotes and cheap fodder that leave the sheep starving and hearts untouched and unbroken. The gracious utterances of the Word and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit work with the teacher's own mind and heart as he labors from house to house in wholly dependent travail for souls, constantly educating him to clearer understanding and enabling labor beyond his own power. Receiving must come through repentance and faith, for only so is God's covenant fulfilled in believers as they cooperate with Him.

The oil is emptied into vessels emptied of self and cleansed to receive the heavenly treasure. It is the Holy Spirit received into prepared vessels, the same oil the wise virgins took in their vessels with their lamps, working in the heart by love to purify the soul and kindling a bright light that shines to the world through good works. It is to be emptied into the heart every day, saturating the heart to make a consistent Christian who wears Christ's heavenly character in the home life, loving and lovable. Received by loving the Saviour and looking to Jesus to catch the light of His face and His righteousness, it makes the tongue speak forth God's praise and removes deformity of character, sullenness, and faulty speech. It is needed for deeper piety and harmony with heaven's work, especially during the antitypical Day of Atonement, and its daily presence forms a loving, Christlike character.

The oil becomes effective as it is shared, and the capacity to receive more grows by giving. Those who receive heavenly riches and pass them on to needy souls are themselves enriched, for devotion to God is linked with cheerful service to those seeking salvation. Sharing does not diminish the treasure; those who impart the treasure of God's love and the riches of heaven's grace have their own light shine brighter. The divine fullness flows through consecrated people to benefit others, and as people give to others in word and action they receive fresh supply. The lamp can burn only when fed by the precious holy oil, and it sustains the lamp precisely as its light is reflected onto others in active ministry.

Character is not transferable, and the oil cannot be passed from one person to another. The branches take the Holy Spirit from God and pour the holy oil into souls that are clean, pure, sanctified, and ready to receive it, commissioned to empty the oil out of themselves and communicate it to the churches. Each person must prepare the own soul through humility, by taking Christ's yoke and learning from Him. Those who follow the impulses of their own natural temperament will be left without it when faith and love and knowledge of God and the truth drain away like water from a leaky vessel.

The flow comes where vessels are clean and pure, with openness, frankness, confidence among brethren, prayer, dependence on God rather than human wisdom, consecration, and the love of Christ as an abiding principle. Heavenly messengers fill the golden tubes and bowls in answer to prayer so the lamps representing churches can burn brightly and enlighten others. Guarding loving relationships and refusing to spread evil reports helps the lamp continue to burn brightly, and preparing the heart enables those who know the truth to reveal Christ's meekness and lowliness. Where unbelief, secrecy, criticism, suspicion, and resentment are manifest the blessing cannot come. Professing belief without living the truth leaves a person without it, for if the truth is not practiced the holy oil has not been received, and empty talk and self must give way to Christ with the heart and life cleansed from defilement.

Ties to Other Scriptures

The golden oil emptied through the pipes is the same oil the wise virgins kept in their vessels with their lamps and the foolish virgins lacked. To receive it is to receive the Holy Spirit into a prepared heart, working by love to purify the soul, cherishing Christ's grace, increasing faith and patience and love, and giving power to be ready when the call comes, Behold the bridegroom cometh. To refuse it is to be left like the foolish virgins with dim dying lamps, without power to obtain oil and unready to meet the Lord, with faith and love and knowledge draining away like water from a leaky vessel when natural temperament is followed and truth is not practiced. The oil cannot be passed from one person to another, so each must prepare the soul through humility by taking Christ's yoke and learning from Him, and to ask for God's Spirit is to be given the golden oil.

The golden bowls into which the oil flows and the burning lamps fed from the bowl are the churches, vessels that hold the oil and disperse the light. Of themselves they have no grace and no fire of God's love and glory, but receiving oil and fire from Christ, the Source of all light, they shine in distinct rays amid the moral darkness covering the world like a funeral pall, not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts. Every true devoted servant must first be ministered to by the anointed ones and receive this heavenly supply of truth, the dew and rain of heaven and bread of life, before ministering it to others, for without it preaching is destitute of heaven's power and leaves the sheep starving with hearts untouched and unbroken. This connection comes through soul consecration with the work purified from selfishness, pride, impurity, self-sufficiency, and ambitious devising, making every worker a living channel of light and faithful steward of grace in direct connection with the Lord's work, and it is kept alive by prayer through which heavenly messengers fill the tubes and bowls so the lamps burn brightly and enlighten others. Without this working no institution, church, family, or individual is safe for a moment from Satan's machinations to deprave human nature, while with it the oil revives God's Spirit in the heart, introduces a Christlike principle like leaven, and overcomes satanic agencies through the inspiration of the Spirit.

The vision portrays the commandment-keeping church, precious as the apple of His eye while waiting and watching for the Son of Man to come in the clouds of heaven, fed by God's love as light in the morning with each lamp supplied by golden oil which is His grace and love. Its strength in the antitypical Day of Atonement is by God's Spirit through deeper piety and harmony with heaven's work and with Christ's work in heaven, kept by living connection with God so His love is sensed. That people are to be one with no separation in His work, with the two influences of preaching the kingdom of God and healing the sick and casting out devils in the name of Jesus never separated and time and means not absorbed by pressing one direction too earnestly. Satan invents every device to break up and separate those God is seeking to make one, but God reveals Himself as a God of judgment, with His people working under the eyes of the heavenly host and a Watcher in their midst inspecting all that is planned and carried on.

Receiving the golden oil and then communicating it is a continual emptying of what has been received, done by spoken words, by unconscious influence felt around the soul even when no words are intentionally spoken, by a word dropped as seed sown, and by giving a tract or paper that impresses the heart until reader or hearer thirsts for the water of life. The Samaritan woman hearing the water of life and carrying the words to her countrymen is such an emptying.

Those who would receive the seal of the living God and have a place in the family of God must hear the Word of the Lord and do it with exactitude, with no haphazard religion, being pure and holy while events on earth are critically watched in heaven as a test, and then impart to fellow men the holy oil of grace and efficiency received from a higher source by the Spirit and not by human might nor power. God is dealing with His people through grace and providence, having chosen them from eternity to be obedient children, giving His Son to die for them that they might be sanctified through obedience to the truth and cleansed from all littleness and cheapness of self, pressing forward to the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus by being emptied of all self and supplied with the golden oil communicated through the pipes by the two anointed ones, surrendered personally and controlled by the Holy Spirit.

Living the Verse Today

Victory and advance in the work pictured come not by human might nor by power, nor by activity and hurry and bustle, nor by devised plans that keep the church employed yet hinder the work, but by His Spirit through inward purity, cleanness of heart, holiness and humility. Those who plan the work must follow Jesus into solitude, look to Him as author and finisher of faith, cooperate with God who works in them to will and to do, and be judged not by activity but by faithfulness in following God's directions, which alone advances soul-purification. Zechariah 3 and 4 must be carefully studied because they are essential for the last days, giving in figure the encouragement to Zerubbabel that strength is not of self but of God: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit.

Pens and tongues, speech and writing, must have the holy oil applied to them, so that words and writing are imbued with it and guided by the Spirit with wisdom and care. So supplied, workers speak and act with caution, speak the truth in love, reform without exasperating or embittering, avoid bitterness and harshness and stirring anger, and do not provoke opposition that would block access to the truth and close hearts against it. This supply is the grace of the Spirit of God flowing from the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth through the golden pipes into the bowl and lamps, and Christ, having emptied Himself of glory, is the source from whom consecrated workers receive it for power, efficiency, wisdom, courage and zeal to work in His lines. Being thus supplied enables a man in responsible position to speak guardedly, wisely and advisedly, to obtain victories over self, never to speak unadvisedly, and to serve as a wise counsellor revealing Christ's meekness.

Where the oil drops into the heart every day it softens the heart, brings more of Christ and less of self, saturates the heart, and clothes the voice with melody and softness, so words become smooth as oil with no hardness, sharpness, crossness or loud harshness. It removes self-trust and boastfulness as if creating and redeeming self, sets aside human wisdom apart from God that proves foolishness and brings confusion and perplexity, turns deformity and sullenness and faulty speech into sound words, and removes deformity of character as the receiver loves the Saviour, looks to Jesus to catch the light of His face and His righteousness, and speaks forth God's praise. So received it makes a consistent Christian who wears Christ's heavenly character in the home life, loving and lovable, the most powerful argument for the truth, whether in ministers speaking from the desk or in fathers and mothers speaking in the home and in business and to children, making all around as happy and full of sunshine and joy as possible. It keeps the living human machinery in best condition to glorify God and run at His touch without friction, gives the whole armor of God as sure defense and the only safeguard against the schemes of Satan, and is shown in kind, tender, encouraging and loving words and conduct and practical good works, with less friction in service.

The holy oil thus received is for going forth to save those who are ready to die and in danger of perishing, using different methods to save different ones. Workers who labor from house to house, reasoning from and explaining the Word in wholly dependent travail for souls, receive it as the gracious utterances of the Word and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit working with the teacher's own mind and heart, constantly educating to clearer understanding and enabling endurance of taxation and labor beyond own power, and as it is communicated the channel of the heart must be kept unobstructed so the supply is constant. God supplies the sacred oil in an ordered way that makes discernment clear and gives new efficiency in His appointed order, and pours it out through a person to bring help to bereaved, hurting and mourning hearts, reaching those not of their faith and even opposers without arousing bitterness so the door stays open, with altogether different results especially where prejudice and danger of prosecution threaten usefulness.

Without the agencies of the Spirit evil would have entire control over men, and without this working no institution, church, family or individual is safe for a moment from the machinations of Satan to deprave human nature and assimilate it to his own corrupt principles. The golden oil is the Holy Spirit, the grace of Christ and holy communication from heaven in the messages of God's Spirit poured through holy beings surrounding God's throne, keeping believers' lamps supplied and burning; to receive it is to receive God's communications and cherish Christ's grace with increasing faith, patience and love and power to be ready when the call comes, while to refuse it leaves dim dying lamps with no power to obtain oil. It revives the Spirit of God in human hearts, introduces a Christlike principle like leaven, overcomes satanic agencies through inspiration, requires entire conformity to God's will and character, and fills prepared people to carry forward God's work under His care despite opposition until completion and victory.

It is dishonoring to God for churches to remain burdened with debt, revealing wrong management from beginning to end while members think much of self and selfish interests, either neglecting to arise and build or building on hired money and failing to donate to free buildings from debt. The duty laid is to consider what to do and to sacrifice year by year to lessen the debt, so that interest does not swallow up the means that should pay off the principal.

Those emptied of self and cleansed become co-laborers with Christ who receive in order to impart, filled with all His fullness by living experiential knowledge and supplied as vessels with light, comfort, hope and love for those in need of grace. As grateful praise and loving deeds flow through willing human agents they refresh and strengthen needy people, grow in grace themselves, and advance in Christian character through daily service and consecrated work for God.

God intends His highly favored people to serve as channels from whom distinct rays shine to the world, with the appointed center as the instrumentality from which this transforming energy flows and which must be rightly valued instead of despised through unbelief, and with chosen vessels at the heart of the work receiving in partnership with Christ to communicate light so regions of darkness hear the saving message. When those entrusted with great privilege and light walk away into forbidden paths and separate themselves from God, He cannot use them as channels, and the great center has been enfeebled by mismanagement with money and ability diverted into wrong channels until it lost its bearings. The same hindrance Christ met in the lukewarm, the covetous, the self-righteous and the impure still meets those who work with Him, yet truth must triumph and Satan is not always to triumph.