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Zechariah, Prophet of God's remembrance, part 13

Zechariah 4:8, 9 says,

⁸ Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.”

Zerubbabel, the first governor of Jerusalem under Persian king Cyrus, laid the foundation of the second temple. This word from the Lord came to the prophet before the temple was completed (Ezra 6:15). When completed, it was only a poor replica of what Solomon had built. Gold had been replaced by copper. In Haggai 2:3 the prophet asks,

³ Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?

God’s answer is seen a few verses later in Haggai 2:9,

⁹ “The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,” says the Lord of hosts, “and in this place I will give peace,” declares the Lord of hosts.

The prophet was not speaking of that second temple but of the true temple that God is building with the body of Christ. Paul described this temple in Ephesians 2:20-22. The second temple was only a dim type and shadow of better things to come. Nonetheless, because the people obeyed the Lord’s command to complete the building project, their faith begat the future, and we today are the beneficiaries. Zechariah 4:10 says,

¹⁰ For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth.

“The day of small things” refers to the second temple itself. Though it was but a type and shadow, it is not to be despised or overlooked, because their faith—demonstrated and proven by obedience—gave it immortal value. Yet many underestimate its value by failing to see that it prophesied of the true temple that God was to build using living stones.

The Stone with Seven Eyes

Zechariah 3:8 speaks of “The Branch,” a messianic term derived from the original revelation of the constellation Virgo, the Virgin who carries a branch in one hand and a child in the other. “The Branch” is not merely a tree but is a man (Joshua), as we will see later in Zechariah 6:11, 12,

¹¹ Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. ¹² Then say to him, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is and He will build the temple of the Lord’.”

Here we are told that Joshua the high priest was the one named Branch, and that he would build the temple of the Lord. Yet in Zechariah 4:9 we are told that “the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will finish it.” Both statements are true, because both were types of Christ, by whose hands the true temple will be built, not of wood and stone but of living stones (1 Peter 2:5).

Joshua and Zerubbabel were the two witnesses of their day, called to build the second temple by the power of the Spirit. The foundation stone was laid by Zerubbabel as a prophetic type of Christ, “for no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Zechariah 3:9 speaks of this stone, saying, “on one stone are seven eyes.” Just as there are seven lamps on the lampstand, so also there are seven eyes on the foundation stone. The seven lamps are identified as “seven stars,” which are also the angels of the seven churches (Revelation 1:20). These too are the seven spirits of the Lord emanating from “a branch” in Isaiah 11:1, 2.

All of these elements speak prophetically of Christ, including Joshua and Zerubbabel themselves. This is complex and may be confusing to some, but these revelations must all point to Christ as the central figure and the focus of history.

The Two Olive Trees

Zechariah 4:11-14 concludes,

¹¹ Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on its left?” ¹² And I answered the second time and said to him, “What are the two olive branches which are beside the two golden pipes, which empty the golden oil from themselves?” ¹³ So he answered me, saying, “Do you not know what these are?” And I said, “No, my lord.” ¹⁴ Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing by the Lord of the whole earth.”

In the big picture, “the two olive branches” are two aspects of Christ’s ministry as “the Branch.” Yet insofar as earthly manifestation is concerned, they represent Joshua and Zerubbabel, whose offices combine the high priesthood with the civil government. Together, these form the Melchizedek Order, which unites king and priest. This is the role of Christ Himself.

The original Melchizedek, the builder of Jerusalem, ruled the city in both capacities as the King and High Priest. In the heavenly Jerusalem, there is again a Melchizedek Order uniting spiritual authority with civil authority. Recall that Jacob had split these among his sons. To Levi was given the priesthood, and to Judah was given the scepter (Genesis 49:10). These were reunited in Christ at the time of His first appearing, and to these will be added the birthright of Joseph at His second appearance. Only then will all of these callings be fully reunited in one Man.

In the interim God saw fit to dispense a portion of Christ’s calling to many people. It is for this reason that we see two principle men, Joshua and Zerubbabel, each fulfilling a separate role as “anointed ones,” that is, as types of Christ.

The Prophetic Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:3, 4 speak prophetically of a later time when God again raises up two witnesses to perform similar functions:

³ And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. ⁴ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

It is obvious that John was alluding to the two witnesses in Zechariah 4 but that he was applying it to a future time. Whether these two witnesses are to be seen as two individuals or in a more collective way is a matter of interpretation. Nonetheless, if we view them under the earlier model of Joshua and Zerubbabel, we may say that together they represent a Melchizedek order of priests, types of Christ.

Revelation 11:6 tells us their distinct callings,

⁶ These have the power to shut up the sky so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying [as Elijah, 1 Kings 17:1]; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire [as Moses, Exodus 7:20].

Some teach that these two witnesses will literally be Moses and Elijah raised from the dead. Others teach that two will come in the spirit of Moses and Elijah, much like John the Baptist came in “the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17) but was not literally Elijah himself (John 1:21). In the days of Moses, he represented the civil government, while Aaron was the high priest. In those days, Moses and Aaron represented the two witnesses.

In Revelation 11 we see a slight difference. Elijah was a prophet, while Joshua was a high priest. Scripture gives no reason for this slight deviation. Jesus Himself is not only the King but also the High Priest (Hebrews 5:10) and Prophet (Acts 3:22).

I have met a number of people personally who believed that they were one of the two witnesses. Many have made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where they stir up trouble, expecting to be killed in the streets. Most of them have been arrested, put on a plane, and sent home alive but humiliated.

I do not know if we will see two men performing such works in the near future, but I do believe that there is a body of overcomers who will do the works of Moses and Elijah. Every high priest has priests who serve under him, not only in the Aaronic Order but also in that of Melchizedek.