✝
← Bible
ARCBLIVREKJVVBL

Zacarias 4

BLIVRE · Chapter 4/14

1E o anjo que falava comigo voltou e me despertou, tal como se desperta um homem de seu sono.

2E ele me disse: O que vês? E eu respondi: Eis que vejo um castiçal de ouro maciço, com um recipiente de azeite sobre seu topo, e sete lâmpadas sobre ele; e cada uma das sete lâmpadas tinha um tubo em seu topo;

3E duas oliveiras junto a ele, uma à direita do recipiente, e uma à esquerda.

4E eu perguntei ao anjo que falava comigo, dizendo: Meu senhor, o que é isto?

5E o anjo que falava comigo respondeu dizendo: Tu não sabes que é isto? E eu disse: Não, meu senhor.

6E ele falou comigo, dizendo: Esta é palavra do SENHOR a Zorobabel, que diz: Não [se fará] por força, nem por violência, mas sim por meu espírito, diz o SENHOR dos exércitos.

7Quem és tu, montanha grande? Diante de Zorobabel se tornarás em planície; ele trará a pedra angular com gritos de: Graça! graça seja!

8E palavra do SENHOR veio a mim, dizendo:

9As mãos de Zorobabel fundaram esta casa; também suas mãos a completarão, para que saibais que o SENHOR dos exércitos me enviou até vós.

10Pois quem despreza o dia das pequenas coisas? Pois esses sete se alegrarão ao verem o prumo na mão de Zorobabel (esses são os olhos do SENHOR, que percorrem toda a terra).

11E eu respondi, perguntando: O que são as duas oliveiras à direita e à esquerda do castiçal?

12E também lhe perguntei: O que são aqueles dois ramos de oliveiras que estão de lado dos dois tubos de ouro que derramam [azeite] dourado?

13E ele falou comigo, dizendo: Tu não sabes o que é isto? E eu disse: Não, meu senhor.

14Então ele disse: Estes são os dois ungidos que estão diante do Senhor de toda a terra.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Zechariah sees a golden lampstand fed by two olive trees, symbolizing that the rebuilding of the temple will be accomplished not by human strength but by the Spirit of God, with Zerubbabel completing the work he began.

Explanation

The vision of the lampstand continually supplied with oil by two olive trees (identified as 'anointed ones' who stand before the Lord) conveys a central message for the time: the rebuilding of the temple, which seemed impossible given the lack of resources and political opposition, would be accomplished 'not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts' — one of the most quoted verses in the book. The promise that 'the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it' assures that he would complete the work he had begun, overcoming discouragement over 'despising the day of small things.' The application for today: projects that appear small or insufficient in human eyes can be exactly the means God uses to accomplish His purposes, when moved by His Spirit.

Fun facts

  • Zechariah 4:6 ('not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit') is one of the most frequently used verses in Christian and ministry leadership contexts even today, to emphasize spiritual dependence above purely human resources or strategies.
  • The 'two olive trees' are later reinterpreted in the book of Revelation (11:4) to describe the 'two witnesses,' showing how Old Testament images are symbolically reused in later prophecies.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Zacarias 4:1The angel has to 'wake' the prophet for the next vision, like rousing someone from sleep — suggesting the visions came in a state of prophetic trance.
  2. Zacarias 4:2Fourth vision: a golden candlestick with seven lamps and two olive trees beside it — an image of constant light fed without direct human effort.
  3. Zacarias 4:3Beside the candlestick, two olive trees complete the scene — their role is only explained later in the chapter.
  4. Zacarias 4:4As in other visions, the prophet cannot make sense of what he sees on his own and has to ask the interpreting angel who accompanies him.
  5. Zacarias 4:5The angel turns the question back, almost testing whether Zechariah has already understood something on his own — but the prophet admits he does not know, opening the way for the vision's central explanation.
  6. Zacarias 4:6'Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit' is the key line of the vision: the message to Zerubbabel is that the temple would be finished not through political or military force, but through God's own action.
  7. Zacarias 4:7Calling the obstacle a 'great mountain' and promising it would become a 'plain' before Zerubbabel is direct encouragement: the difficulties of rebuilding would be leveled, no matter how large they seemed.
  8. Zacarias 4:8A new word comes to the prophet, this time addressed directly to Zerubbabel's practical situation and the work on the temple.
  9. Zacarias 4:9The promise is concrete: the very hands of Zerubbabel that began the rebuilding will also finish it — a guarantee that the project would not be left half done.
  10. Zacarias 4:10'Who hath despised the day of small things?' is a reminder that the rebuilt temple, modest compared to Solomon's, should not be scorned just for looking small at the start.
  11. Zacarias 4:11The prophet asks again, now specifically about the two olive trees that have intrigued him since the start of the vision.
  12. Zacarias 4:12The question grows more detailed: what are the two olive branches that pour golden oil through the golden pipes of the candlestick?
  13. Zacarias 4:13Again the angel turns the question back before answering, and again the prophet confesses he does not know — a rhetorical pattern that builds anticipation for the final answer.
  14. Zacarias 4:14The final answer arrives: the two olive trees represent 'the two anointed ones' who stand by the Lord of the whole earth — understood as Zerubbabel, the political leader, and Joshua, the high priest.

Chapters

1234567891011121314

Our apps

Our apps →

Bible in Stories

The Bible told as a story, with audio and videos.

📱 Get the app

World in Stories

True stories of humanity that sound made up.

App StoreGoogle Play

Feito! Pequenas Vitórias

A light daily routine for people who lose track of the day.

App StoreGoogle Play