and they must constantly attend upon Him in favor of that worship of Him exclusively. In this way the sacred work would be accomplished by Jehovah’s spirit. Being “Lord of the whole earth,” he fulfills his will toward it.

35. In the modern-day fulfillment of the vision, whom do the two olive trees symbolize?

³⁵ In the fulfillment of this vision in the present “time of the end,” whom do the “two olive trees,” the “two anointed ones,” picture? Since, in the first fulfillment of the vision in Zechariah’s own day, they pictured High Priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel, they must picture just the one personage, namely, Jehovah’s Anointed One, Messiah or Christ, Jesus who was anointed with the holy spirit of God.​—Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:1.

36. (a) How has Jesus Christ acted like Joshua the high priest and Governor Zerubbabel in connection with God’s spirit? (b) How has he, like the two olive trees, kept in constant supply of the spirit, and to what symbolic lampstand has he imparted it?

³⁶ Yes, indeed, Jesus the Messiah was prefigured by both High Priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel. Before he left his loyal apostles on earth he promised to send them the spirit, which proceeds from the Heavenly Father. (John 14:16, 17; 15:26; 16:13, 14) Then, on the festival day of Pentecost of 33 C.E., he served like the two olive trees of Zechariah’s vision. On that day Jehovah God began to use him to channel and pour out the holy spirit upon the “holy nation” of spiritual Israel. (Acts 1:5; 2:1-35; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7, 8; Luke 3:16) Like the “two anointed ones” or “two sons of oil” in Zechariah’s fifth vision, Christ Jesus stands “alongside the Lord of the whole earth” as High Priest and Governor and constantly attends upon Him, for he is at the right hand of God in the heavens. (Acts 2:34-36; 7:56) In this position he can be the channel of a constant supply of the spirit of the Lord God to the symbolic “lampstand” on earth, the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel.

37. (a) Energized by what and under whose leadership do the remnant keep on in the temple work? (b) To whom, therefore, will the complimentary praise and credit go for success in the temple work?

³⁷ Not by a military force, but by the unfailing spirit of God Almighty, the anointed remnant work on under their heavenly Governor and High Priest, Jesus Christ. Stimulated and energized by holy spirit they will carry on the temple work until it is fully accomplished. Accordingly, the compliments, praise and credit for the final, crowning success will go, not to the remnant of spiritual underpriests, but to Jehovah God the Source of the spirit and through Jesus Christ as His loving channel.

Chapter 12

An End to Permission of Wickedness

1. Instead of going through mere religious formalities at his temple, what should the nation of Israel do to have Jehovah’s blessings according to his covenant?

THE ANCIENT nation of Israel had at Jerusalem the beautiful symbol of the pure worship of the only living and true God. It was his sacred temple, rebuilt. But the nation should be doing more than merely going through routine ceremonial performances at that center of worship. The chosen nation of Israel, with its rebuilt temple of Jehovah’s worship at Jerusalem, should be living that religion daily throughout its God-given land. Then their religion would not be just a mere pious formality, but would be a living experience. It would not result in profaning the sacred house of Jehovah’s worship. It would not bring ridicule and reproach upon the name of God. Then he could gladly bless the worshipful inhabitants of the land in accord with the promise of his solemn covenant with the nation. He would not be obliged to send a death-dealing curse upon those not living up to the covenant.