Zechariah 4:1-14
Vision: The lampstand and two Olive Trees
Summary: Two olive trees are seen to feed a lampstand. It is promised that Zerubbabel, who began building the temple, would complete it.
Explanation: The two olive trees are the same two witnesses of Revelation 11. Most likely, these are the two prophetic offices established for the construction and oversight of the temple, hence surrounding Israel with a wall of fire, which would consume all who would oppose it for the 490 years allotted. The message to Zechariah was that it would be by the power of the Spirit that these things would be accomplished, not by human might or other power. This is accomplished through the continual Spirit-led prophetic utterance feeding the lampstand, the Jewish people, the temple, and Israel. The light of this house would not have to mantained by human effort, in order for the temple to remain standing, but the two prophetic offices would supply the oil continually so that it would be established and endure, until such time, Revelation 11, that these two prophetic offices, fulfilled by real people throughout history, were removed. At the final removal of these offices, they would be taken back to heaven, not to be restored. Hence, any future attempt to build or maintain a Jewish temple, without a new mandate from God, would obviously fail.