Jehovah who had sent Zechariah to His people​—on the third day of the twelfth lunar month (Adar) of 515 B.C.E. The record of Ezra 6:14, 15 tells us: “And the older men of the Jews were building and making progress under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the grandson of Iddo, and they built and finished it due to the order of the God of Israel and due to the order of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes the king of Persia. And they completed this house by the third day of the lunar month Adar, that is, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.” Jehovah’s prophetic word was vindicated!

28. (a) Why did Jehovah’s eyes not fail to see it when Zerubbabel, with the plummet in hand, placed the headstone on the temple? (b) At what similar but greater event will his eyes rejoice still more?

²⁸ Governor Zerubbabel may have had a plumb line with a plummet in his hand when he finished Jehovah’s house of worship by laying that essential headstone in its place. Eyes did rejoice at seeing that sight. Especially did Jehovah’s eyes. Nothing escapes His eyes. It is as if He has a complete set of eyes​—seven—​eyes that rove about in all the earth to observe everything done, whether done by His enemies or done by his dedicated people. His eyes did not fail to see the laying of the headstone by Zerubbabel with the plummet in his hand. His own eyes rejoiced with those of his faithful remnant who put the worship of the true God in the first place in their lives. How much more will his all-observing eyes rejoice when they behold the Greater Zerubbabel finish the work with regard to restored pure worship on earth at His spiritual temple!

“THE TWO ANOINTED ONES”

29. When Zechariah first asked what the vision of the golden lampstand meant, what was he told, and how are we now enabled to see the fitness of that answer?

²⁹ At this point, do we remember what the angel told the prophet Zechariah when he asked what the meaning of the golden lampstand with seven lamps was? Yes, it was this: “‘Not by a military force, nor by power, but by my spirit,’ Jehovah of armies has said.” (Zechariah 4:6) Now we are enabled to see the fitness of this mighty statement by further details that appear in the vision, with further explanation. To satisfy us on the matter we are told:

30. What did the angel tell Zechariah that the two olive trees alongside the lampstand pictured?

³⁰ “And I proceeded to answer and say to him: ‘What do these two olive trees on the right side of the lampstand and on its left side mean?’ Then I answered the second time and said to him: ‘What are the two bunches of twigs of the olive trees that, by means of the two golden tubes, are pouring forth from within themselves the golden liquid?’ So he said to me: ‘Do you not really know what these things mean?’ In turn I said: ‘No, my lord.’ Accordingly he said: ‘These are the two anointed ones who are standing alongside the Lord of the whole earth.’”​—Zechariah 4:11-14.

31. How was the supply of oil delivered to the lamps, why was the supply constant, and what did the oil picture?

³¹ Zechariah saw good to follow up his first question immediately with a second one, in order not to miss inquiring about a feature that he had not mentioned in his first question. Those two olive trees, we recall, stood to the right and the left of the golden bowl from which seven pipes extended out to the seven lamps on the lampstand in order to deliver to them oil from the central supply. From where did the golden bowl atop the lampstand get its own supply of illuminating liquid? From the bunch of twigs of the olive tree to the right and the bunch of twigs of the olive tree to the left, and this by means of a golden tube from each bunch of twigs. The liquid thus delivered looked golden, and it could no more be turned off than those two olive trees could be turned off. The supply was constant, just as the source of it was living and constant. That illuminating liquid pictured, not a military force, nor human power, but, as Jehovah said, “my spirit.” Oil was thus used to picture God’s spirit.​—Zechariah 4:6.

32. (a) What is the source of the symbolic “olive oil”? (b) What is symbolized by the lampstand that gets such oil?

³² Just as the olive tree was created by Jehovah God and so He is the Source of its oil, likewise he is the Source of the spirit or invisible active force, that kindles the flame of the true worship of Him. The two olive trees accordingly picture the two agents by means of which he conveys his spirit to the symbolic lampstand, that is, to his “holy nation,” the anointed remnant of the spiritual Israelites. Who, then, are the two agents that are symbolized by the two olive trees?

33. How does Revelation 11:3, 4 use olive trees to symbolize God’s living creatures, and so whom do the two olive trees in Zechariah’s vision symbolize?

³³ It is not going contrary to the Scriptures to say that the two olive trees picture intelligent creatures of God. In connection with the vision of the temple as reported by the Christian apostle John in the last book of the Bible, we read: “And I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy . . . dressed in sackcloth. These are symbolized by the two olive trees and the two lampstands and are standing before the Lord of the earth.” (Revelation 11:3, 4) The two olive trees of Zechariah’s vision are explained to be the “two anointed ones [literally, two sons of oil] who are standing alongside the Lord of the whole earth.” Whom, then, do these picture? Not the inspired prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, but two individuals to whom Zechariah was commanded to transmit the word of Jehovah of armies, namely, High Priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak and Governor Zerubbabel.

34. (a) How did the high priest and the governor impart the symbolic oil to the symbolic lampstand? (b) How did Zerubbabel and Joshua themselves keep constant in their supply of God’s spirit?

³⁴ By means of the inspired prophets Haggai and Zechariah Jehovah’s spirit was imparted to Joshua and Zerubbabel. These, in turn, were to take the lead in the building of the second temple of Jehovah and to impart Jehovah’s spirit to the Israelite remnant in that behalf. These two “anointed ones” were to imbue the whole restored nation with Jehovah’s spirit constantly, by sticking to the work to the finish and by encouraging on the temple workers both by words of exhortation and by personal example. They could do this if they constantly stood alongside Jehovah, “the Lord of the whole earth.” They must stand on His side as respects the issue of the only true worship, 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.