Zechariah 4:9, commentary and pictures

The hands that laid the foundation of the house will also complete it, and its completion will prove that the Lord of hosts sent His messenger to the people. This was literally fulfilled when the elders prospered through prophesying and finished and dedicated the house on the third day of Adar in the sixth year of Darius under the command of God and of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes. The work is accomplished not by human might nor power but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, giving strength beyond their own to all connected with the sacred work. That Spirit is the golden oil flowing from the olive trees through the pipes into the lamps, imparted from God's presence through the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth to sustain the work and enlighten the people. Therefore holding the beginning of confidence steadfast to the end amid perplexity and obstacles turns great mountains of difficulty into a plain, so that the small-scale work of God facing great opposition can be brought to completion through His Spirit.

Zerubbabel's Promised Temple Completion

The hands of Zerubbabel that laid the foundation of the house will also finish it with those same hands. When the completed work stands finished, its completion will prove that the Lord of hosts sent the messenger to the people. That word was literally fulfilled when the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah and finished the house on the third day of Adar in the sixth year of Darius according to the commandment of God and of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, followed by its dedication. It encouraged the builders when permission to rebuild seemed uncertain, affirming that God was sustaining the work and would restore His house.

The word continues the instruction about Joshua the high priest, the removal of filthy garments and iniquity from those who repent and confess their sins, and the accusations of Satan and of unrepentant men against the pardoned. It stands among prophetic descriptions that give only a faint picture of realities that will become a living reality. The promise that Zerubbabel would complete the house whose foundation he laid will be understood at the time the lost are judged and told to depart.

Not by Might but Spirit

The vision of the golden candlestick with its bowl, seven lamps, seven pipes, and two olive trees is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel that the work is accomplished not by human might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts. In figure it gives encouragement that all with any connection to the sacred work of God may have strength not of their own, a lesson all connected with that work must learn, and those chapters must be carefully studied because they are essential for the last days. The golden oil flowing from the olive trees through the pipes into the lampstand and its lamps represents the Holy Spirit imparted from God's presence and from the Holy Ones in His presence to people consecrated to His service. The two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth communicate that heavenly grace and holy oil and impart light, so that God's word guides and enlightens His people and sustains their work.

Christ is the source of all light, and the church as a golden lamp and God's messengers receive from Him the golden treasure of oil and fire, the golden oil of sacred truth. The two olive branches and golden pipes are God's appointed means of sustaining the work, supplying holy oil through the two anointed ones to keep the light burning, and those entrusted with carrying that light must serve as faithful channels. When the church works in unity, lives the truth, and works with Him to save souls, workers united with Christ carry forward His mission and the Holy Spirit works through their ministry to bring sinners to new birth. Receiving the oil first, they present the truth with fervency and shine in distinct rays amid moral darkness.

God's anointed servants must first receive heavenly truth, spiritual life, and oil before they can minister it to others, for like golden oil flowing through pipes into lamps, what they receive from God flows through them to nourish the churches. The anointed ones empty themselves through the golden pipes, and the golden oil flows out of them into the golden bowls to flow forth into the lamps, which are the churches, and this ministering of the golden oil is the work of every true, devoted servant of the living God. Without that supply preaching is destitute of the dew and rain of heaven and starves the flock with cheap fodder, anecdotes, and common fire that does not touch hearts or break them, while with it the bread of life is fed to the flock. The churches are the golden bowls and lamps that receive the oil for bright and clear shining to penetrate the moral darkness of the world, so that divine light and power pass through God's people as light, joy, refreshment, and love to the world and to those hungering and thirsting for righteousness. When workers are controlled by the Holy Spirit and emptied of selfishness, self-sufficiency, and ambitious devising, heavenly messengers empty the golden oil into the golden tubes to flow into the golden bowls, giving every church the supply it needs.

The finishing of the house requires entire conformity to the will and character of God for institutions, churches, families, and individuals, wrought as God works through the two olive trees, His witnesses, causing them to empty from themselves the golden oil through the golden tubes into the golden bowls, which are His churches, and hence to the burning lamps, which represent His churches. Without this work no one is safe for one moment from the machinations of Satan to deprave human nature and assimilate it to his own corrupt principles. This golden oil revives the Spirit of God in the hearts of men, introduces a Christlike principle like leaven, and through the inspiration of the Spirit of God overcomes satanic agencies. The oil is received by keeping the channel of the heart unobstructed, and it makes workers meek, tender, and lowly in heart. That meekness and the Spirit's power enable God's work to reform without provoking or wounding others, without arousing bitterness or closing hearts against the truth, and God protects and guides those who let divine fullness flow through grateful words and loving deeds as consecrated agents who refresh and strengthen needy people.

Finishing God's Work Today

The one who laid the foundation of God's house in intrepid spirit and unwavering faith will also complete it. Holding the beginning of confidence steadfast to the end, when perplexities and obstacles arise and there is temptation to falter, brings God's clearing of the way and success through struggle against difficulties. Great mountains of difficulty become a plain before such a Zerubbabel.

The great mountain to be finished despite is all the powers of darkness. Satan works through unconsecrated hearts to obstruct the kingdom of God, to misrepresent His professed people as a stumbling block, and to magnify difficulties through unbelief, selfishness, and lack of harmony. As those who seek to carry out God's plans advance, the mountain becomes a plain and melts away. This finishing takes place in Queensland and Rockhampton if those claiming to believe the truth sanctify themselves through the truth. They must adorn the doctrine by revealing what it has done for them, open the heart to receive the oil of grace, move forward with the mind of Christ, be doers of the Word and not hearers only, hide self with Christ in God, and draw together in even cords without exalting every molehill into a mountain of difficulty.

Because the hands that laid the foundation shall also finish it, faithful builders must be left in place rather than judged, condemned, and replaced, for too many wrong moves have already been made. The day of small things must not be despised. There is to be rejoicing to see the plummet in Zerubbabel's hand with those seven, which are the eyes of the Lord running to and fro through the whole earth. Though God's work may begin on a small scale and face great obstacles, it can be brought to completion through His Spirit. The house of God once begun will be finished in a forward and upward work.

That forward and upward gospel work is carried to those hungering and thirsting for righteousness. When workers are controlled by the Holy Spirit and emptied of selfishness, self-sufficiency, and ambitious devising, heavenly messengers empty the golden oil into the golden tubes to flow into the golden bowls, giving every church the supply it needs for bright and clear shining lamps to penetrate the moral darkness of the world, with the anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth meeting the present need. Its completion will confirm that the Lord of hosts sent the messenger.

The chapters to which the verse belongs must be carefully studied because they are essential for the last days. They teach all connected with the sacred work to depend on the Spirit rather than human might. Those with any connection to that work may have strength not of their own, since it is accomplished not by human might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts. The verse means God is in the midst of His commandment-keeping church militant waiting and watching for the Son of Man to come in the clouds of heaven, as light in the morning feeding each lamp with the golden oil of His grace and love.

His people have the privilege of faith and a living connection with Him, knowing His love. He alone is their shield, strength, and sufficiency, they are precious as the apple of His eye, they shall not be moved, and He shall help them right early. Applied to church building, God's people should rise to build and should not leave His house burdened with debt through neglect or poor management. It dishonors God for churches to be burdened with debt, and debt shows wrong management from beginning to end. Believers must not think much of themselves and their own selfish interests, must not neglect to arise and build, and must not build with hired borrowed money, but through prayerful study and self-application must give donations and sacrifice year by year to lessen debt and free church buildings from debt, so that interest does not swallow up the means that should pay off the principal.