Zechariah 4:1-6 / Exodus 25:31-40
Imagine being a salesman like Columbo was a detective. One of his detective tools included reversing. To reverse a question means to answer a question with a question. That drives the original inquisitor to a deeper level, challenging them on why they are seeking what they are seeking. Zechariah must have had the same idea. As the end of the exile was at hand, the Israelites wanted to know if it was finally time for the Messiah’s arrival. Zechariah, in his series of dream prophecies that include today’s section, reversed their question by asking them one: are you ready to participate in God’s Kingdom? I want to pose that question to you today.
Over the next few weeks, we are going to remind ourselves of the vision and values of the church, culminating in our shared mission to make disciples who make disciples who (and so on), who will take the gospel to the ends of the earth. I encourage you to take some time to look over our website and familiarize yourself with our 4 values (DEPENDENCY on God, DELIGHT in Church Family, DEDICATION to Community, and DRIVEN by Mission) leading us to a deeper and more fruitful relationship with God. By looking at Zechariah’s dream of the olive trees, we will see the importance our of dependency on God – that we shine brightest when we pull from the Holy Spirit’s power.
Lamps Need Oil
In the dream about Zerubbabel, the lampstand represents the light of God going throughout the earth, illustrating how the Israelites would be able to participate in the building of God’s Kingdom and thus prepare the way for the Messiah. There is a connection between this lamp and the lamp described in Ex 25, only with a slightly different description and focus. In both, the lampstands provide light in a reflective nature—reason for one sheet of hammered gold—allowing people to see and be drawn to God. Even in a non-genetic situation, it is amazing how our children become us. The more our kids learn from us, the more they resemble us. We are the lampstand, hammered of gold to reflect the light of God. But we need fuel for the light – we need oil.
To be able prepare the way for the Messiah—or, bring the King—the Israelites needed to rely on the power of the oil from the olive trees. They got this oil from the Spirit-filled leadership of Joshua (the high-priest) and Zerubbabel (in the line of the kings) at the time. Those two had been pleading with the Israelites to repent and turn back to God, an issue since returning from the Babylon exile (Ezra 5:1-2). But through their Holy Spirit-powered leadership, Israel could receive the power they needed to progress towards spiritual and national success. The olive oil represents the power given only by God through the Holy Spirit.
Lamps Need the Right Oil
The temptation is to find an easier way to light the lamp. Neither might (many hands) nor power (strength) will work. The angel makes it clear that the only useful oil for this lamp is only and purely the power of God. The oil would flow and power the lamp (the light) only as the Israelites depended on God as their everything.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.” This is the only way. Not with many of us, nor determination; only by the power of God. Failure is guaranteed unless God’s power is there – Jesus feeding the 5000 is a great example of that. Jesus already knew He was going to perform that miracle, showing that where God’s plan is, there is no failure. We are the light, but we need fuel – only if the Holy Spirit is filling us will we shine brightly. Our only hope of a successful harvest is if we are doing it purely in the power of the Spirit. What do you want in 2025? Do you want a bigger church? Do you want to see people come to Christ? Do you want to be a part of successful Kingdom building? The only way any of these goals can be achieved is only through the power of the Holy Spirit—in you.
Next Steps
The vision of our church is to be a group of disciples who make disciples who make disciples, who make disciples. We are the lampstand and we shine brightest and best when we pull from the power of the Holy Spirit. Where are you getting your oil? By determination? By tradition? By habit? Only through an active and dependent relationship with God can we have the fuel necessary to light up the harvest field.
- Allow yourself to be a light-bearer. If Christ is in you, then you are a lampstand, though many disqualify themselves. If Christ saved you, He’s set you apart for ministry.
- Seek continual filling from the Holy Spirit – the more time you spend with God, the more of His power you will have available to you.
- Engage with discipleship by partnering with the church through commitment and training.
I always thought sales was the hardest thing to do in business, but as I learned the right way to do it, I found that I could be really good–with integrity–by using the right tools – the right oil. Are you using the right oil?
Comments are closed