The Vision of the Gold Lampstand

Transcript

GR 1007
03/27/1977
Zechariah 4:1-5
The Vision of the Gold Lampstand
Gil Rugh

The book of Zechariah this evening, Zechariah and the fourth chapter. It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve been in the book of Zechariah. We pick up again in the series of visions that are being given to the prophet Zechariah having to do with God’s purposes and plans for the nation Israel. In chapter 3, we looked at the vision that revolves around the cleansing of the nation Israel. That’s foundational to what we’ll consider in chapter 4. In Chapter 3, with Joshua standing as the representative person for the nation Israel, Joshua, the high priest, clothed with his filthy garments. He is cleansed, he is given clean garments, depicting the salvation and cleansing of the nation Israel. That carried us on into millennial days, with the presence of the Messiah Himself in verse 10 of chapter 3. “ ‘In that day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, everyone of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ” We noted that that is a millennial verse; Micah the prophet in chapter 4:4, puts it in a millennial context. Now as we come into chapter 4, we have progression. Chapter 3 focused on the salvation of Israel. Now chapter 4 and the vision depicted there, will have the testimony of Israel portrayed, the testimony of the nation Israel. So first is their salvation and cleansing, then will be the testimony that they are going to be, so the vision of chapter 4. We’re not going to do the whole vision this evening, but chapter 4 is a complete vision in itself, as you have in your outline. It focuses on Israel as God’s testimony to the nations and the world, the unbelieving nations of the world.

Now chapter 4 opens up, “Then the angel who was speaking with me returned and roused me, as a man who is awakened from his sleep.” You can appreciate this, it doesn’t say that Zechariah was asleep. He says he roused me as a man who is awakened from his sleep. An analogy here, and evidently it depicts something of the spiritual exhaustion of Zechariah at this point. He is has received a series of very impressive visions. One right after another. He is spiritually exhausted, so now the angel comes to him, and arouses him spiritually, to prepare him for the next vision. This vision divides into two parts. The first five verses will be the vision itself. Then verses 6-14 will be the interpretation of the vision. We’re going to focus our attention primarily on the first 5 verses this evening, on the vision. Then in the coming weeks, we’ll look at the interpretation of this vision.

Picking up with verse 2, after Zechariah has been aroused. “And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it; also two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left side.’ Then I said to the angel who was speaking with me saying, ‘What are these, my lord?’ So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?’ And I said, ‘No, my Lord.’ ” And he goes on to give him the significance of the vision.

Now the vision revolves around this lampstand and is referred to in verse 2. A lampstand all of gold and in a moment we will go back and look at the original lampstand in the tabernacle, this is the lampstand that is in view. In the tabernacle there was a solid gold lampstand. Some or all of you have seen pictures of this lampstand, replicas of it. If you don’t remember you can look in a Bible dictionary under lampstands or candlestick and they will show it. Basically, it is a seven prong candlestick or lampstand, one central lampstand and then branching out from it, three on each side. At the top of each of these gold posts there is a little bowl of oil. This bowl of oil is lit and it provides light for the priest to go about his work in the holy place in the tabernacle. This is the lampstand that Zechariah sees.

There are three significant differences in the lampstands that Zechariah see and the lampstand of the tabernacle. We are going to look at these differences and then we will go back and look at the lampstand in the tabernacle and its significance both there and in the rest of scripture. The first significance, verse 2, “behold a lampstand all of gold.” That was quite a valuable piece of furniture, one of the most beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful piece of furniture in the tabernacle, the golden lampstand, solid gold. The estimated value a couple of years ago was in excess of $30,000 for this one piece of furniture.

It is “all of gold with it’s bowl on the top of it.” This is the first difference between the lampstand that Zechariah sees and the lampstand of the tabernacle. It has a bowl on the top and not connected directly to the lampstand but above this lampstand there is a bowl of oil. That is different than in the tabernacle lampstand. The bowl is sitting above each of these seven lights on the candlestick, the seven lamps, so that the oil would flow down out of the bowl to each of these seven lamps and provide a continuous flow of oil. In the tabernacle, the priest manually filled each lamp with oil on a regular basis. They were never to allow all the lamps to go out at one time. It was the priest’s job to see that each lamp on this lampstand was filled with oil. In Zechariah’s vision there is a source of oil in the bowl. That is the first significant difference.

The second difference, still in verse 2, “and its seven lamps on it with seven spouts belonging to each of the lamps which are on the top of it.” Now the picture here is that this bowl is sitting above. If I can find a good picture for the overhead, I will. I was going to draw it, but when I tried it, it wasn’t any help. So, if I find a good picture I’ll bring it. This bowl sits above the lampstand. Then there is a series of spouts running from the bowl to each of the lamps. There are seven of these spouts to each lamp. There are forty nine spouts altogether. Seven run to each lamp, so this bowl has forty nine pipes or spouts running from it. Seven going to each of the seven lamps on this lampstand. So, there are forty nine pipes or spouts. Obviously, that’s different than the tabernacle lampstand, it had no pipes or spouts, because it had no bowl to which oil would be fed.

The third difference, in verse 3, is the two olive trees by it. These are very interesting and very significant, they will be explained at the end of this chapter, verses 11-14. There are two olive trees, one on the right side and one on the left side. As you see, if you just look down to verse 12, “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?’ ” The picture here is, now you have two olive trees. From each of these olive trees there’s a golden spout or pipe that runs to this bowl. Then from this bowl, there are forty nine pipes, seven running to each of the seven lamps. What the picture is here, is the continuous supply of oil that is going to this lampstand. The trees that provide the oil to the bowl from the bowl the oil is to be provided to the lampstand, so there is a continual unending supply of oil for this lampstand. There is no human agency involved in the provision of this oil. Very significant differences from the tabernacle lampstands.

Okay, now we need to go back and look at the original lampstands. If you don’t understand the significance of the original lampstands in the tabernacle, you won’t understand the picture or the symbol that Zechariah is seeing. Let’s go back to Exodus 25, Exodus 25. Now in Exodus 25 we’re going to pick up with verse 31, and we’re in the midst of a description of the furniture for the tabernacle, the description of the construction of the tabernacle, the various pieces of furniture. The lampstand was a piece of furniture that was in the holy place. Remember there was the outer court in the tabernacle, there was the brazen altar and the laver. Then there’s the holy place. In the holy place, one of the pieces of furniture is the lampstand. It’s immediate significance and purpose will be to provide light to the priests, as he goes about his ministry, his priestly ministry.

Let me just read this description, beginning with verse 31. “Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bubs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower – so for six branches going out from the lampstand; and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of the lampstand. Their bulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was show to you on the mountain.”

So you see that God is very meticulous and if you’ve tried to read through Exodus, you have some appreciation for detail and the details that God gives, on exactly how this is to be constructed. The purpose of the lampstand was light, that’s obvious. Now we are concerned to look at the typical significance of the lampstand. It goes beyond just being there, to give light to the priest. As every piece of furniture in the tabernacle did, it was symbolic or typical. The first obviously is that its typical of Christ; He is the one who is the true light. A couple of verses in the gospel of John that refer to Christ as the light, a very familiar concept. The gospel of John chapter 1. This will be basic to the other representations; the fact that Christ is light and thee Light is basic to everything else. It is true of all the other articles in the tabernacle, they are all typical of some aspect of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Now in the gospel of John 1:6, “There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for a witness, that he might bear witness of the Light”.

You note, of the Light he bore witness. “That all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but came that he might bear witness of the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” So, picturing here Christ, and giving Him the title of thee Light. The purpose of the light is to make known something, to manifest something, to reveal something. It was the express purpose of the Son to manifest or reveal or to make known God. He is the fullest unveiling of God that was ever given. Over in John 8:12, “Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the Light of life.’ ” Here Jesus very clearly identifies Himself as the Light. The tabernacle candle or stick or lampstand was typical of Jesus Christ as thee Light. But even in a more direct sense, closer to Israel itself, it depicted Israel’s responsibility to be a light among the nations. This is foundational to Zechariah’s vision because God’s purpose in the nation Israel was that Israel would be a testimony to the unbelieving nations of God’s power and God’s salvation. It is true that the lampstand is typical of Jesus Christ in its full essence, but it is also typical of Israel’s responsibilities to be a light among the nations. This is the aspect that Zechariah will be developing, that God had chosen Israel for the express purpose of being a light in the world. That nation through which He would manifest Himself, His character, His power, His salvation.

The problem was that Israel failed to be the light that God had intended, it did not make known His character in the way He wanted them to. They persecuted and executed the prophets who were God’s spokesmen. It culminated in the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. That nation that was selected to be a light in the world ends up being the vehicle for the crucifixion of the one who is the light in the full essence. You see the contradiction that had developed with the nation Israel. They were to be the light and ultimately the true Light, the Messiah, would come from Israel. When the Messiah came, that nation which was to be a light, rejected the true light and thus indicated their failure to be the light that God wanted them to. What happens is that God puts out the candlestick, puts out the lampstand, and this occurs with the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. It is clearly seen in 70 AD with the destruction of the temple, and Israel ceases, for all intent and purposes, to function as a nation. God no longer working through the nation to display His person and His character. You’re familiar in the New Testament that the church now picks up the responsibility of being the lampstand or the light. God is no longer working through the nation Israel.

He is no longer working in any way to manifest Himself except through the church. Now I say “in no way” and “in no intelligible way” can result in salvation. I realize that creation is a manifestation of the character of God. It is non-understandable revelation to the unbelieving person. There is enough light in creation according to Romans 1 that can condemn a person but not to save a person. The full light now -- the responsibility of manifesting the power, character, and salvation of God -- rests upon the church. In Revelation 1 in John’s vision again you see a pattern and when we study Revelation you will see this pattern develop. The lampstand -- you go all the way back to the book to Exodus, and here you find that lampstand again appearing in Zechariah. When you come into the New Testament you find that analogy is still carrying through, that symbol, that type. You come over to the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, and you find that same picture that was picked up in the second book of the Bible.

In Revelation 1, John has had a vision. In verse 12, he turned to see the voice that was speaking with him. “And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands.” You note here, there’s not one golden lampstand but there are seven, they are golden lampstands . A person like John, saturated in the Old Testament, what’s the first thing you think of? You think of the lampstand of the tabernacle back in the book of Exodus. Revelation 1:13, “and in the middle of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His breast with a golden girdle,” and so on, a description of the glorified Christ. You come down to verse 20 for the interpretation. “As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” Then chapters 2 and 3 go on with a message to the seven churches. But you note, just as the lampstand depicted Israel and their responsibility in the Old Testament, so you come over to the New Testament, the lampstand depicts the responsibility of the church to be a light, making known the character of God. The seven churches are seven lampstands.

Very interesting though, the elaboration that has taken place. Israel as a testimony to God, was pictured as one lampstand. Now we would expect, since there is the universal church composed of every believer in Jesus Christ, that that analogy could have continued over. There would be one lampstand depicting thee church, under the headship of Jesus Christ, which is the light of the world today. But you come to the book of Revelation, you find out that each local church is depicted as being a lampstand. There is not one lampstand, but each local church is a lampstand. Again you see the stress, not just on the universal church, but you see the stress beyond that to the local church. Each local church is to be a lampstand. You can pick that up with just the first letter to Ephesus in chapter 2 of Revelation. You note, the picture is of Christ, He’s the one in verse 1, “The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this.” So, this picture here now, walking among His churches, walking among His churches that are to be lights, making known His salvation. It’s a rather awesome picture that He can accurately evaluate the light that is being given off because He is the Light. He is the Light Himself. He can evaluate accurately and fairly whether this local church is indeed manifesting His character in the world.

You note, the warning that is given in verse 5. Ephesus, in spite of some good things about it, was not being what God wanted it to be. It had left it’s first love. Interesting, you can have doctrinal purity and still have left your first love. We sometimes put the two together. If you have your first love you will have doctrinal purity. But you can’t have a form of doctrinal purity without having your first love. Very deceptive kind of error. In verse 5, “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place – unless you repent.” There He speaks to a local church. He says, if this local church at Ephesus is not being the light that I intended it to be, then I’ll take the lampstand and put it out, in effect. Obviously, Ephesus did not heed the warning, because where’s the church at Ephesus today? There’s no light being given off, it’s a ruin; you visit the ruins at Ephesus, but you don’t visit the church at Ephesus. The lampstand went out just as Christ promised it would. That’s the choice, either you be the light that I intend you to be or I put you out. So can see, the analogy was the same, and for those again saturated in the Old Testament it would have real significance, that Israel was the lampstand. John is writing after the destruction of Jerusalem so it would be very vivid. Israel did not faithfully present the character of Christ, the character of the God that they would betray. His power and His salvation, they were inconsistent with His character. What happened? He put their lampstand out! Here is the warning to the churches, not to the universal church, but to each local church. You be the light manifesting my character or I remove your lampstand. I take it that is true of Indian Hills. That’s true of every other Bible-believing church as well and that counts for the demise of some churches.

While you are in the New Testament let’s look at a couple passages that tie to the responsibility of individuals to be a light, so we can see the responsibility comes all the way back to the individual. We look at the local church, for the local church is composed of individuals and there is responsibility corporately and there is a responsibility individually. Let’s take it backwards, go to the book of Philippians. Philippians 2:14, 15, you can see what is involved in being a light in the world, functioning consistently with the character of Jesus Christ. Verse 14, “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.” We appear as lights in the world. We are going to do all things without grumbling or disputing because when we grumble and dispute we become like the world. When we become like the world we are no longer a light to the world and that is how the light gets put out. When I become like the world I cease being a light to the world. That is what Israel did. You read the prophets, the nation was becoming like the world in their conduct and their practices thus they no longer were portraying the character of God.

Ephesians 5, again the same kind of warning. The chapter starts out to “be imitators of God,” then verse 3, don’t let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you. In verse 5, “no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” The sons of disobedience are unbelievers, that are not talking about Christians who are disobedient. Sons of disobedience describes those are unbelievers. Verse 7, “Therefore do not be partakers with them; for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), proving what is pleasing to the Lord.” We are light in the Lord, that is the beginning point. We are to live as children of light, we are light because of our relationship to Him who is light, that is the foundation. Now that I am light, I am to live as a child of light. If I live as a child of darkness, even though I am a child of light, then I cease to portray the character of Christ to the world, I cease to function as the light He intends me to function. Israel did not function as the light that God intended. They indulged in sin and didn’t present the character of God so God put out the lampstand. God says to the local churches, Ephesus in particular in Revelation 2, if you don’t portray My character to the world, I’ll put out the lampstand. Now here we have the exhortation to believers to function as light.

You can read passages like 1 Corinthians 11, where God intervenes to put out the lampstand of individual believers whose lives are lived in rebellion against Him. The analogy follows through of the lampstand and its symbolism. The result is always the same, there is inconsistency, Israel’s lampstand put out, Ephesus’ lampstand put out. Read 1 Corinthians 11:30, some of you have died, have fallen asleep, because of sin. They were not portraying the character of Christ, their lampstand is put out.

One other passage in the New Testament, then we’ll tie it together. Matthew 5, pick it up, because it’s so early in the New Testament as we have it. Matthew 5 as Jesus speaks to the disciples. Here you can see what is basically involved in being a light. Matthew 5:14, the passage known as the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapters 5-7. Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world,” there very simply Jesus addressing those who are believers in Him, His disciples, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do men light a lamp and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Here we are talking about the conduct of a believer. My light is to shine in such a way, I’m to conduct myself in such a way that people will see my good conduct and glorify my Father who is in heaven.

Now, swing back to the book of Zechariah. As Zechariah sees this vision then of the lampstand, something of it’s significance he is aware of, but the fullness of it’s significance escapes him. Because it’s not the same lampstand as appeared in the tabernacle, there are differences. The fullness of it’s significance of appearing on this occasion escapes him. Now what is being depicted here, as we’ll see as we move through the interpretation, but just to tie it together for you, is in the Millennium. The lampstand of Israel will be restored if Israel will function fully as God intended it to function when He selected it as a nation. Israel will be restored as the nation and the people through whom God is working in the world. In the Millennium, Israel will be the nation on the earth. All the other nations of the world, will come up to Jerusalem, the capitol of the world. Israel will function fully as the light that God intended it to function when He called it and elected it to be His own. It will have a full supply of oil. Oil is a consistent symbol in the bible for the Holy Spirit and its abundant provision of the Spirit, consistent with other passages in the Old Testament. This symbolism of oil is seen in the consecration and setting apart of the priests and their anointing and so on. Israel will have in the Millennium that full supply of the Holy Spirit, because it is the presence and power of the Spirit that provides the light.

Problem was, that Israel was stifling, not willing to have the Spirit manifest the character of God through them. The same kind of problem that carries over to the church today. Now, we’ll talk about the two olive trees and their full significance when we get to verses 11-14. But look at just that statement in verse 6. “Then he answered and said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts.’ ” One of the most significant verses in all the bible. Talking about God’s program and accomplishing His purposes, “not by might nor by power.” Another way you could say that is, not by the flesh, but by My Spirit. That’s what’s pictured with the abundant supply of oil to the lampstands. It won’t be accomplished by Israel’s doing, won’t be accomplished by the might of the nations, it will be accomplished by the sovereign power of God.

There is coming a future time when Israel will be what God intended them to be in the first place. Isn’t it too bad that Israel didn’t function as God intended them to in the first place? I don’t have all the theological answers if they had, because God’s plan included that, but all that they’ve gone through. You read about them in the paper practically every day and what a miserable nation. They could have been shining as a brilliant lampstand, enjoying the fullness of God’s blessing for them as a nation. Yet because of rebellion they have had to endure discipline. I take it, the analogy of the lampstand won’t be lost on you and I. Just because Indian Hills Community Church functions as a lampstand today, consistently portraying the character of Jesus Christ, does not guarantee tomorrow. You read the letter to the church at Ephesus and see something of the effectiveness of that work. Then read some 30 years later, the letter of Jesus Christ to the same church in Revelation 2. Then read a little bit of history and see how quickly the church at Ephesus ceased to be.

It’s a word of warning, it’s a word of warning to you and I as believers individually. God takes seriously my responsibility to manifest His character, that’s not an option. I am a believer in Jesus Christ, my responsibility is to be submissive to the Spirit and to conform to the character of Jesus Christ. That is not an option, that is a responsibility. Jesus didn’t come to the church at Ephesus and say, well if you get time, you ought to adjust and manifest my character. He says, change or else, that’s a rather flat ultimatum. That’s what He tells me as a believer, you be consistent or else, the else being I’ll apply discipline. When He applies discipline, that hurts. The ultimate discipline is he simply takes away the light. For a believer that means physical death, not eternal separation, but physical death. The forfeiting of rewards that could have been ours through faithful submission to the Spirit. What glorious privilege, when you think that this dirty, wretched, filthy sinner is an instrument that God is using to be a light to make known His glorious character, power and salvation to the world. Should I want to be anything else? What could I do that would even come close to measuring up to the glorious position that I have? That in this world God has selected me, Gil Rugh, to be a light to manifest His character, His power, His salvation to the world. What else would I rather be? What more glorious destiny could a person have? That’s our position as believers. We ought to be careful that we’re fulfilling it. The week that lies before us -- tremendous potential, tremendous opportunity. It begins today, by allowing the Spirit to use us in accordance of the purpose of God.

Let’s pray together. Father, again it’s amazing to consider the history of the nation Israel, consider Your word through the prophet Zechariah, how much we see ourselves today. Lord, we thank You for the glorious calling of that nation, Lord, even pictured in the candlestick. That You would pick a nation as vile as them. Lord, in Your glorious way You would cleanse them from their filth. Then Lord, You would establish them to be Your testimony in the world. Lord, pray that we might learn through their hardship, learn through the discipline that they’re even now experiencing. Lord, that we might learn as we’ve considered the responsibility in the New Testament given to the churches to function as a lampstand. Lord, that we as a local church might be careful about our testimony to the world. That in every way we might be desirous of manifesting the character of Jesus Christ. Pray, Lord, that that burden will be upon each one of us personally as Your children. That our desire would be to have our lives be an accurate picture and portrayal, an accurate representation of the splendid character of Jesus Christ. Lord, we thank You for giving us such a glorious position, such a glorious responsibility. Father, we are aware of the fact that this cannot be accomplished in our own power, in our own might, but we thank You for the presence of the indwelling Spirit, to carry out Your purposes in our lives. We simply pray that we might be willing to have Him control us, to have Him conform us to the glory of the character of Jesus Christ. We pray it in Jesus’ name. Amen