ZECHARIAH 4 (NOTES OF A READING)
[p. 500] ZECHARIAH 4 (NOTES OF A READING)
CAC We have been speaking of the encouragement there is to the remnant to go on building.
Ques. In what way?
CAC There is encouragement in the part the Spirit has in this chapter. I wondered whether the way He is presented in this chapter might go with John’s gospel. There is no thought of imperfection in the vessel in John’s gospel. I wondered if that would answer to the pure gold.
Ques You mean in the testimony of the Lord?
CAC Yes. It is a vessel of light which is characterised by perfection. The number seven occurs, and “pure gold”. In John the Spirit is viewed as dwelling in a vessel that does not at all obscure the light. Things are presented here to see how much we are able to profit by. It is an abstract view in John. It is brought in as if suitable in remnant times, as in John.
Ques Would you give us references in John showing what you mean?
CAC Every reference to the Spirit involves that the vessel does not hinder it. John 4: 14, “The water which I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into eternal life”. And John 7: 38, “Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”. So these things are very exercising — these references to the Spirit are more exercising than in any other scripture.
Rem If unhindered, the Spirit will rise up to eternal life.
CAC So every reference in John is very challenging.
Ques Is it a question of what you see?
CAC Yes, it determines your exercises and prayers.
Rem Zechariah was wakened up.
CAC I think we are all very much in that position. We all have experienced an awakening. If the Spirit were left out [p. 501] there would not be much there. We are in the time of the Spirit. The Spirit of God had us in mind in inditing this chapter.
Ques Would the exercise be how far we see the movements of divine Persons?
CAC Yes, and that we see the character of the times. The Angel speaks about eleven times in these chapters. Zechariah is a man receiving communications from heaven. It is not denied to us.
Ques What is the lamp-stand?
CAC The lamp-stand represents a vessel of divine light. It is different from the lamps in Revelation 2 and 3. There was much there to dim the light.
Rem That is why you connected it with John’s gospel.
CAC Yes.
Rem “As the Father sent me forth, I also send you”. John regards the abstract view. So you would not despise a day of small things.
CAC The olive-trees, the bowl, the pipes, etc. all raise the exercise as to what part in this wonderful vessel we are prepared to take.
Ques In Luke’s gospel they awoke and saw His glory and with Him two men, Moses and Elias. Would that be the glory of the lamp-stand and the two sons of oil standing with it — in that setting, what the prophet sees?
CAC Nothing is of value without the Spirit. The “bowl” is a containing vessel. The assembly in John 14 - John 17 is a wonderful containing vessel for the Spirit.
Rem Also in early Acts where they were of one accord in one place.
CAC The thought of flow runs right through in this figure — a continuous flow, a very beautiful thought in connection with the Spirit. We have not to do with the initial pouring out of the Spirit, we are too late for that. We come in now [p. 502] for the flow of the Spirit.
Rem “The supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ”. It is what we need.
CAC We would look for this flow of the Spirit specially in our morning meetings. There is no thought here of lamps being trimmed or replenished. It is a continuous flow.
Ques What is implied in the two olive-trees, would it be John 7?
CAC Well, that is a kindred thought. The assembly is a self-contained unit here. In every part there is the flow of the Spirit. We ought to have holy aspirations in regard of this, that there might be more flow of the Spirit when we are together. The flow depended on the maintenance of the testimony. This chapter directly links with Revelation 11. Faithfulness in testimony is the source from whence the Spirit flows among the brethren.
Rem Three chapters in John are to furnish the saints for maintaining the testimony. “He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you”, and other quotations.
CAC We should not use stock phrases or get into ruts in our expressions, even relating to divine Persons, if in the flow of the Spirit. There would be a fresh presentation in words not before used, for the Spirit knows a great deal more than there is in the Bible.
Ques Would the seven pipes to the lamps speak of abundance of supply?
CAC The seven pipes and seven lamps would speak of completion and the spiritual perfection that marks it. Oh, we need more exercise as to this flow! In Scripture we have what is adequate, though John says, “Not even the world itself would contain the books written”. The Spirit knows every one of them. We could go outside of scriptural expressions; I think that is the flow of the Spirit. It does not need the Spirit to quote Scripture. But what is said must accord with the Scriptures. They are the divinely appointed boundary. There will be an immense deal more in the holy city than what is put in the Bible! “The Spirit searcheth all things, even the depths of God”. “The depths of God”, that is far greater than Scripture. It is a wonderful mediatorial service of the Spirit.
[p. 503] Ques Is that why things are left unexplained, for instance in Colossians 3: 1, “Those things which are above” are not enumerated? We might think we knew them.
CAC The house of God must be great enough to contain all that is in the mind of God as far as it can be known to creatures — those are its dimensions. The building in remnant times was exactly three times larger than in Solomon’s time. You may have things in greater spiritual reality now than when they were first committed to men. They had no right to talk about a day of small things. All God says of it is to magnify it. We ought to have the idea of finishing the house on Lord’s Day morning. Zechariah begins and he finishes, and God’s thought is that everyone who begins finishes it. I think it is builded and finished every Lord’s Day morning. When the Headstone comes in it is finished — when Christ comes in as Head. We should come to the thought that we are complete in Him — filled full in Him. We have reached the headship of Christ, and there is nothing more. Not one generation passed before the whole thing was lost as held in responsibility, but God’s acting in mercy may give greater things than when left to responsibility. “His hands shall finish it” refers to anyone. He has not properly begun if he has not finished!
Rem So in Matthew it is, “And behold, I am with you all the days, until the completion of the age”.
CAC The vessel of light refers to all that was in the mind of God at the moment.
Rem “Jesus the leader and completer of faith”.
CAC Very good. In Revelation we get, “I have not found thy works complete before my God”. The works are incomplete, and God does not like it.
Rem We sing sometimes, ‘Eternity’s begun’.
CAC That is the completion. You touch in affection all that is in the mind of God — you complete it. God does not like it if we do not. We should move on more steadily in the service, with a steady, not a fluctuating flow, if we gave more room for the Spirit.
Rem With Moses and Elias, Moses did the inaugurating,
[p. 504] and it was finished by Elijah, who recovers the people to the true God and His service.
CAC From that point of view we are in the days of Elias.
Ques What is the great mountain?
CAC Anything that stands in the way of God’s people reaching His thought — slowness within or opposition without. Nothing can stand against a company in the flow of the Spirit. We can be very orthodox and have read all the brethren’s books and be knocked over in a moment.
Rem “He shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings: Grace, grace unto it!”
CAC It is our privilege to salute Him as Head — otherwise we are not properly under His headship. Then we can go on. He can lead us to the Father.
Grace is the most comprehensive thing in the universe, reaching down to a poor sinner and ending in glory, embracing all on the way. After being saluted as Head, the Lord would lead us on.
Rem He is on our side Godward.
CAC Yes. Zechariah represents the royal element in the saints that will maintain all that is due to God (he was a prince of the house of David), as Joshua represents the priestly element. The “sons of oil” would come into action as saints are able to take up kingly and priestly state. Zerubbabel is the responsible builder and he had the plummet. All must stand its test. In everything connected with the assembly, order has to be maintained. The “sons of oil” bring in the supply. The principle of faithfulness is of great importance, because that is the outside place. If the witness position is right, we shall become sources of the oil supply when we come together.
Ques They would work together, would they not — acting and re-acting?
CAC Nothing is more interesting than to see the relation between Revelation 11 and Zechariah 4. In Revelation 11 [p. 505] the temple, the altar and the worshippers are measured, though not a single stone is put down actually. All is thus secured spiritually — it is measured — very much as it is today. The two witnesses are outside, in sackcloth, showing this witness goes on with the setting up of the temple. These things are a great exercise to me. There is a great realm of spiritual blessedness that I have not made my own yet.
Rem That is rather discouraging to us who feel you know most about it.
CAC You do not call that discouraging. The object of our reading is to see things according to God. So we pray on that line.
What goes on in the world is controlled so as to be favourable to the building of the house. A clergyman said recently: ‘We hope the war will not stop; we never knew so much movement in the souls of men before’. I would not like to go back to Pentecost. What had they? They had Peter’s ministry, but they had not Paul’s and they had not John’s. In the vessel of light the Spirit is viewed in the wonder of His operating whether I know it or not. This is to come out in our building of the house.
Ques What part have the sisters in it?
CAC Perhaps they do most of the building. The flow of the Spirit is not confined to ministry. The sisters can cherish the great divine thoughts better than the brothers. Their prayers are serviceable, and as they talk together they can add impressions that all enter into the building.
This is a wonderful chapter as giving us the spiritual side. What the devil does is given in chapter 5, and we are to take account of that too.