Encouragement to Christian workers. I. THOUGH THE WORK BE DERIDED , IT IS GOD 'S WORK . Therefore we are sure it is right and good. We can throw ourselves into it with all our heart. Patience. What is of God cannot fail. II. THOUGH THE DIFFICULTIES BE GREAT , THEY ABE CAPABLE OF BEING OVERCOME , Difficulties are a test. They show what spirit we are of. They separate the chaff from the wheat. Remember "Formality" and "Hypocrisy" in the... read more
The word of the Lord came unto me. The word came through the interpreting angel, as is clear from the expression in Zechariah 4:9 , "The Lord hath sent me unto you." He explains more fully what had been already announced figuratively. read more
The Church sustained. "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house," etc. These verses continue the metaphors of the previous portion, but in the opposite order. Zechariah 4:1-7 begin with the "olive trees" and end with the "house;" Zechariah 4:8-14 begin with the "house" ( Zechariah 4:8-10 ) and conclude with the "trees." We may look on this latter passage, therefore, as a kind of additional message ("moreover," ... read more
Have laid the foundation. Zerubbabel had commenced the rebuilding in the second year of the return, in the second month ( Ezra 3:8 ); it had been hindered by the opposition of the neighbouring people ( Ezra 4:1-5 , Ezra 4:24 ), and was not resumed till the second year of Darius. Shall finish it. The temple was finished in Darius's sixth year ( Ezra 6:15 ). Thou shalt know, etc. The truth of the angel's mission would be proved by the event, viz. the successful issue (comp. ... read more
For who hath despised the day of small things? The "small things" are the weak and poor beginning of the temple ( Haggai 2:3 ); as the Targum glosses, "on account of the edifice, because it was small." Small as the present work was, it was a pledge of the full completion, and was therefore not to be despised. So the question is equivalent to, "Can any one, after these promises and prophecies, presume to be doubtful about the future?" For they shall rejoice , etc. The subject of the verbs... read more
This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel - Osorius: “As if he were to say, the meaning of the vision and scope of what has been exhibited is, ‘God’s doings have almost cried aloud to Zerubbabel that all these visions shall come to an end in their time, not effected by human might nor in fleshly strength, but in power of the Holy Spirit and through Divine Will.’ For the Only Begotten became Man as we are, but He warred not after the flesh, to set up the Church as a candlestick to the world,... read more
Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt be a plain - The words have the character of a sacred proverb; “Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased” Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14. Isaiah prophesies the victories of the Gospel in the same imagery, “Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain” Isaiah 40:4. And in the New Testament Paul says, “The weapons of our warfare are not... read more
And the word of the Lord - Keil: “This word of the Lord is not addressed through ‘the interpreting angel,’ but direct from the Lord, and that through the ‘Angel of the Lord’ . For though in the first instance the words, “the hands of Zerubbabel etc.,” relate to the building of the material temple, and announce its completion through Zerubbabel yet the inference, “and thou shalt know theft the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you,” shows that the meaning is not exhausted thereby, but that here... read more
The simplest rendering is marked by the accents. “For who hath despised the day of small things? and (that is, seeing that there have rejoiced and seen the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, these seven, the Eyes of the Lord, they are running to and fro in all the earth,” 1:e., since God hath with joy and good-pleasure beheld the progress of the work of Zerubbabel, who can despise the day of small things? The day of small things was not only that of the foundation of the temple, but of its... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Zechariah 4:7
Who art thou, O great mountain? The "mountain" is a figurative expression to denote the various difficulties that stood in Zerubbabel's way and impeded the carrying out of his great design. Before Zerubbabel. The Vulgate affixes these words to the former part of the clause, but the accent is in favour of the Authorized Version. Thou Shall become a plain; literally, into a plain! A command. All obstacles shall be removed (comp. Isaiah 40:4 ; Isaiah 49:11 ; Matthew 17:20 ; Luke... read more