Dependence - Zechariah 4:1-6, 15

American family life during the late thirties was far different from life as we know it today. We had exited a great depression when there were no available jobs for anyone, man or woman of any age. When jobs slowly appeared it was the men of the family that went to work away from home, while the women remained in the home with the children and so it remained until Hitler started WWII. The American military machine was caught short and the immediate heavy demand for manpower left many civilian jobs unmanned and the women had to move into the workplace. The heavy demand for war related equipment overloaded the manufactures and women were called in to work in the factories. Through prayer and worship America depended on God to pull us through. We know he did, but the women never went back to the job of being homemaker.

In just one decade this nation went from the boom of the roaring twenties through the bust of the depressed thirties to the war torn forties. It is easy to see that our dependence on God can come and go as quickly as war can be declared. When times look depressing, we turn to God. When the fouler leaves we don’t need God anymore. Another example is seen during the Persian Gulf War. When it started Americans got on their knees and prayed for our troops and there were no complaints for the objectors. It was over soon and we turned from prayer for troops to praise for weapons that could deliver explosives through the stove pipes right into the furnaces.

A third example will suffice to explain how our dependence on God depends upon the hand he has just dealt with which we are to play the game of life. This nation has never needed God less than it did on a Tuesday morning not long ago about mid morning when someone discovered that there were four passenger planes that had been hijacked. Before anyone could decide what to do, two had flattened the twin towers in NY, one was buried in the pentagon in DC and the fourth had fortunately wrecked in a hay field in Illinois. All at once, America needed God, and for a short time there seemed to be a great return to Christianity and a greater need for our DEPENDENCE ON GOD ALGHMIGHTY than had existed in some time. Here and now we stand only a few war-torn years down the road and seemingly no closer to a solution of the terrorist threat—and for some unexplainable reason we have gotten off of our knees in prayer and are now standing on the soap box of condemnation blaming our own government for the terror threat. We now blame everyone from the president to God for our lack of success. I sometimes wonder why our memory is so short. There is one thing for sure and that is that we have made no improvement over the short memories of the Israelites who could forget the source of their manna in less than a week with no problems at all.

The vision of the lamp stand and two olive trees is recorded in 4: 1-3. This incident takes place about 16 years after the foundation of the new city had been laid. The Persian enemies had called for a halt to the work. Zerubbabel had received threats of war from Persia [Neh. 4: 7-23]. This vision was given to give courage to Zerubabel and to assure the people that was still in favor of the building; and it was also a comforting word for Joshua who is referred to in symbol [vv. 3:12-14].

The prophet, Zechariah was either asleep or in a trance and was awakened by an angel [Dan. 10: 9-11]. The angel asked him what he saw. He said that he saw a solid gold lamp stand and two olive trees. It was somewhat like the one found in the tabernacle which was made of one talent of pure gold [Exod. 25: 39]—made of one talent of pure gold. One talent weighed about seventy pounds and that would make it worth thousands of dollars in today’s market. The stand had several branches or prongs each of which had a small bowls to hold the oil, and stems or tubes that fed the lights and was to give light to the temple. The oil came from the two olive trees that flowed down into the bowls. The temple lamp had required a priest to fill the cups, but this one required no priest.

This lamp stand represented spiritual light—or spiritual witness—which is thought to represent God’s people, Israel as the bearers of that light. The Bible defines light as a spiritual witness when it says that Christ is the light of the world. Revelation 1:20 speaks of the seven golden lamp stands as the seven churches [God’s people] and churches were witnesses. Israel was to be the spiritual light, but the fact that no priest was needed to fill the cups with oil, meant that the power was directly from God flowing to the people. The message was that the temple would be completed, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. Nothing is impossible with God [Mark 10: 27].

The two olive trees represent the source of the oil that will be used by the lights on the stand. It is used here to represent the Holy Spirit—as it is throughout the Bible. Oil was used in the consecration of prophets, priest and kings and represented the anointing of the Holy Spirit. There is an excellent example in 1 Samuel 16: 13, “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.” There is no magic in the oil: it is just a symbol that stands for the power that comes from the Spirit of God. Any power that you or I have to do anything good and pleasing to Jesus Christ must come through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. When Paul said that he could do all things through Christ who strengthened him—he was referring to the power that comes only through the direct help of the spirit that was his helper.

Zerubbabel had been charged to complete the temple…he laid the foundation and started the work but was forced to withdraw from the task. The prophet, Zechariah, told him that this vision guaranteed that he would be able to finish the work. The vision came to recharge Zerubbabel’s batteries which had run low. There were too many enemies…too much opposition and he did not believe he could go on. The vision assured him of an abundance of oil [power through spirit] and that nothing could stop his progress. Israel was impoverished and small in number against her enemies that were countless and had the strength of the mighty Persian government standing with them…but he had nothing to fear because God was promising to remove every mountain that stood in his way.

America should take heed! We have and still do brag about our military strength, and being the leading nation in the world. People from the president on down depend on our dedication, toughness, strength and technical superiority to help us survive. However—if you believe in the message found here in the Word—we are depending on the wrong source for victory. Zerubbabel was the man in power in Jerusalem and God told him that “…His success would not be by his might or the nation’s power, but by MY SPIRIT.” The key here is MY SPIRIT, and we should understand that anything lasting has to come from God.

The temple was completed in 516 BC [Ezra 6: 14]. The prophet knew that Zerubbabel had laid the foundation…the vision now tells him that Zerubbabel will also be the one to complete it. When man wills what God wants, nothing can stop him. With God on his side—he could not fail.

Verse ten indicates that many of the Israelites were displeased with the size, beauty and comparison of the new temple to the one Solomon had built. God was not concerned about the outward appearance but he was concerned that He be present in the building…he especially was happy to know that this was the one that his Son would visit, and teach from while here on earth as man/Christ. Here is my warning to First Baptist at Heber…..!

Those who worship at Heber First should be very thankful for the lesson taught here. By TV we are able to see church buildings that are like castles, making our buildings look like cracker boxes in comparison. The Catholic people have built cathedrals such as the two in Rome and Florence Italy that are beyond description in beauty, size and structure. The Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City is a monument in itself. All we need remember is that the beauty or cost of the building has no meaning in the sight of God. We must remember that he met with his people following the Exodus in the tabernacle MADE OF GOAT SKINS stretched on wooden poles. The key here is that He was present. He expects us to do our best; his house should be the equivalent of our homes. He is very concerned about the use of his house…he is concerned about what is allowed to take place there…he is very concerned about whether he has been made the cornerstone.

I sometimes think that we allow our sanctuary to be misused. It is a place of reverence to me, and when there is running and game playing, any kind of rudeness even though it is a part of a program…I wonder if that pleases God. I like to think that God is present in our Sanctuary 24/7. Anything that is taking place at any time is being observed by him each moment. I ask you personally—do you honor God by wearing your best suit or dress? {I am not better than thou—overalls or jeans are just fine if that is the best you have and they are clean} I believe we should honor him with our best and purest, whether it is dress, actions, behavior, even our conversation and thought process.

What if he would meet you face to face, personally present with you in your pew at First Baptist…will you be comfortable, prayed up, with appropriate dress and actions? Will he be able to see that you were expecting Him to visit in our church?

Now, the fact is…Jesus is there in the pew with you whether you see him or not. My problem is that I do not believe that people believe this and act like it. The bottom line is that absolutely nothing else matters until we all realize that everything depends on Jesus Christ and what he did for us on The Cross. He paid the price for our sins. We owe him everything, honor, respect, worship, praise and DEPENDENCE. WE HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE…WE MUST DEPEND ON GOD!