(ii) THE HEADSTONE

Robert Trotter

Zechariah 4 4-10

This is a very interesting chapter what I had in mind was the thought of the headstone. The chapter begins with the "lamp-stand all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and its seven lamps thereon, seven lamps and seven pipes to the lamps, which are upon the top thereof; and two olive-trees beside it", v 2,3, all suggesting to us the thought of a flow - I suppose the flow of the Spirit - and that flow was to be unhindered. I think we would get that impression as we read through these verses that there is nothing to hinder. That is quite a test for each one of us because, I suppose, that is how the Spirit operates in our day the day of the Spirit, that is, our day. The Spirit would operate through persons, through assembly persons, a very important matter, something that would cause us much exercise. But it speaks about ''the angel that talked with me", He goes on to speak of the headstone. It would have some relation to the headship of Christ, having His right place amongst us as Head. That is another matter that would cause us exercise. How easy it is in some sense to proceed human-wise, but as He has His place as Head, we proceed rightly as under Him. It speaks of the governor too in these chapters. All these are interesting thoughts and relate to Christ and His place over us. We are to be such persons as come under His governorship, under His rule, under His lordship. All these are separate thoughts but they would enter into the experiences of the believer's life.

"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit" is a very interesting matter. We like the might and we like the power, things pushed through; that is how men operate today. That would be the world's system and how it operates. That is not how we have to operate, it is not how the assembly operates, this mountain here becomes a plain. There is to be dignity, "by my Spirit". "Not by might" - there is a note to that which says 'Or "forces"' - "nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts”. Well, we need to let that have its way with us. That is how things are to be. That is the divinely ordered way, "by my Spirit".

It goes on to speak of the headstone "and he shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings Grace, grace unto it!". The headstone has to do with the completion of things. We all know that in building there is what they speak of as the topping-out ceremony when the building itself is completed. There is usually a little celebration, but nothing compared to what we have here. It says, "and he shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings Grace, grace unto it!" In the next verses it speaks about the foundation that has been laid. Wonderful, wonderful thing! How rightly things are valued! ''Yet the firm foundation of God stands", 2 Tim 2: 19, no-one can shake that. Foundations in the world today are shaken we see that all around us. Men try their best to produce something that will not be shaken. It is all going to come down, something that we have to keep continually in our minds; these wonderful creations of men are all coming down, every one of them. But what it says here, "and he shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings". I suppose we are in this time. We often speak about the shortness of the time. The Lord is coming it would be the headstone time, the time of completing. What a completing that is going to be! I suppose John in Revelation saw something of it. Returning to the Scripture read, it says, "with shouting, Grace, grace unto it!" Oh what a celebration that is going to be, this vessel that has been going on, being added to, nigh on two thousand years, what a vessel! God's creation took six days, but think of the assembly being formed over two thousand years. You feel what thoughts and what a view we should have of this vessel.

Going on to Zerubbabel, he would be a type for us. It says that he laid the foundation. He is going to bring forth the headstone with shoutings. There is the thought of assurance, that this matter will be completed. What a comfort that is to us. We can be assured tonight that there will be a completion. There is a completing going on in each one of us "he who has begun in you a good work will complete it", Phil 1: 6, that is in every believer. "Grace! grace unto it! " I feel I cannot say more but there would be assurance for each one of us. How we need that in our day - things, you might say, waxing worse around us, but what this is going to be. I feel I have some little impression as to it. It goes on to say, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; and his hands shall finish it and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you”. It is this line of assurance, I think, that would enter into this time together. We would go away with that thought in our hearts, we would be assured. Things are not going to the wall, but they are going on to this glorious completion.

Then it goes on to speak of the plumb-line, the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel "these are the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro in the whole earth." There are two things in relation to the headstone, one is ornamentation and the other is the thought of binding. That to me is of great importance we need the thought of binding. We have been reminded recently about what we have to bind on - humility - it is to be bound on, but I think this is a binding together. So what we say, does it have this effect of binding the saints together? Oh, how easy it is to scatter. These two features are seen in the headstone, ornamentation and binding. What ornamentation there is and will be! It is mentioned in relation to John, "having the glory of God", Rev 21: 10. What ornamentation that is!

Well, may we be encouraged and assured by these few words. Let our hearts be comforted, beloved brethren, for His Name's sake!

EDINBURGH

9 May 1995