Night Visions of Future Glory

Four visions that feel like they belong in a dream, yet they land with surprising clarity. We start with Zechariah’s golden lampstand, seven lamps burning, and two olive trees feeding a constant stream of oil. It’s a striking Bible prophecy image of Israel’s calling to be a light, but it’s also a personal word to worn-out people trying to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. The message to Zerubbabel still cuts through noise today: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.”

From there, the tone shifts into God’s justice. A massive flying scroll announces judgment on theft and false oaths, calling out sin we commit against others and sin we commit against God. Then a basket holding “wickedness” is carried away to Shinar, pointing to the removal of evil and echoing end times themes that connect with Revelation 17 and 18. These aren’t random symbols; they show that God both supplies strength for faithful work and refuses to normalize rebellion.

We close with chariots sent across the earth as agents of judgment, followed by a stunning sign act where Joshua the high priest is crowned and called “the Branch.” That collision of priest and king points forward to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and to the coming kingdom where He reigns in righteousness. If you’ve been discouraged by slow progress or small beginnings, this passage offers a steadying perspective: your ordinary work is tied to God’s plan, so lean on the Holy Spirit and do it all for God’s glory.

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Transcript

Intro And Visions Ahead

SPEAKER_00 0:54

Well, I hope you're up for a challenge today because these next four visions here in chapters four through six of Zechariah, well, they're gonna make your head spin a little bit. The last time we were together we looked at the first four visions given to Zechariah, and now the fifth vision is described here in chapter four. The angel who had spoken to Zechariah earlier in chapter one alerts him to this next vision. Now here's what Zechariah sees. Verse two a lampstand all of gold and seven lamps on it. Verse three adds, There are two olive trees by it, one on the right and the other on its left. Now verse twelve describes pipes carrying a constant flow of olive oil directly from the trees to the lampstand. Now this lampstand or menorah is to this day a symbol of Israel. It was meant to refer to the fact that Israel is to be a light to the nations. Zechariah is going to need some help, by the way, understanding this vision, and so do we. So the angel explains here in a message to Zechariah that this is about Zerubabel. This is about the governor of Jerusalem. Now he's the one who led the first return of Jewish people back to Judah. He initiated the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. And now here's a message for Zerubbabel in verse 6. You might recognize it. Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Now this is given to Zerubabel, but let me tell you this principle is an important one for every one of us today. We are not going to find satisfaction in any work we do just for ourselves or only by ourselves. It's only when we invite God to get involved in our lives. When we depend on the power of His Spirit, that's when we find true joy and satisfaction. Now the Lord speaks to Zechariah here in verse nine. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, his hands shall also complete it. He's going to see the temple rebuilt in his day. He knows now this is going to be accomplished by the protection and the power of God's Spirit. Here in verse ten the Lord says, Whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice. In other words, some people who had seen Solomon's temple before it was destroyed, well they're going to weep at the small foundation of this new temple. But when empowered by the Holy Spirit, here's the point, small things, well, they're worth rejoicing over as well. Even though this temple is going to be smaller, it's going to be less magnificent than Solomon's temple of gold, God's still going to be honored, and that's what matters most. Now Zechariah is confused a little bit about these two olive trees, so the angel explains here in verse 14. These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth. Now, more than likely, these two anointed ones represent Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel as God's channels, pipes, channels, so to speak, through whom the Spirit of God is going to bless the entire nation. So this vision is incredibly encouraging. You've got these hardworking former exiles who've returned to the land, you have governor Zerubabul, and God promises he's going to complete the temple through their efforts by the power of his Spirit. Now keep in mind that this vision is also pointing to a future Jerusalem in the coming kingdom of Christ. And that's when Jesus, both king and high priest, will reign in his kingdom. Israel will indeed then become the light to the world that she was intended to be. Now, vision number six, briefly recorded in the first four verses of chapter five here, gives Zachariah a vision of a huge flying scroll. The angel explains that one side of the scroll contains a curse on those who steal, and the other side has a curse on those who swear falsely. Now this vision promises that God's justice is going to fall on those who practice sin. Now you might wonder why these particular sins are singled out. Well, I personally think that they represent sins we do against others. Well, that's stealing, and sins we commit against God. That's swearing falsely. Now again, this vision also points to the end times when unbelievers are removed from Israel before the reign of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, begins. Well, now the rest of chapter five presents the seventh of Zechariah's night visions. Here you've got another vision of God's judgment on sin, but it doesn't focus this time on the individual sinner. This time it focuses on the entire nation, since the nation is guilty of sin. The angel directs the prophet to a large basket and tells him here in verse six. This is their iniquity in all the land. Now when the lid is removed from the basket, Zachariah sees a woman inside. The angel describes this strange scene in verse eight. He tells him that her name is wickedness, and well he quickly puts the lid back on the basket. And now rather suddenly two women with wings come and lift up this basket and fly away. Well, when Zechariah asks about the meaning of this, the angel says here in verse eleven that they are taking the basket to Shinar to build a house for it. Well, what in the world is this all about? Well, obviously the woman in the basket represents sin, wickedness, and she's going to be now removed from the land. She's taken on a flight here by these other two women over to Babylonia. This is a more appropriate place for her. A house is going to be built for her there, and this more than likely refers to a pagan temple that's going to be built. This vision may point to the rebuilding of Babylon during the tribulation period and the false religion there that's going to defy the Messiah. All the details are given in Revelation 17 and 18. Now, here in chapter 6, we have the final night vision given to Zechariah. This time he sees four chariots. One has red horses, one chariot is pulled by black horses, another one pulled by white horses, and the last by dappled horses. This must have been a rather stunning, commanding sight. And the angel explains here in verse five. Now this means that they're going out as agents of God's judgment throughout all the earth. In other words, God is going to be pleased with the judgment that they carry out. Not only will Israel be purged of sinners, but the pagan nations around the world are going to be subjected to the wrath of a just God. Again, this is describing the tribulation period preceding Christ's return to earth. And now with that, these night visions are completed. Zechariah now hears directly from the Lord who tells him here in verse 11 that he's to make a crown of silver and gold and set it on the head of Joshua, the high priest. Now this is not just a recognition of Joshua as God's chosen high priest. This is a prophetic message to all of Israel. In fact, here's what Zechariah is going to say to Joshua. Behold, the man whose name is the branch, for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord, and shall sit and rule on his throne, and there shall be a priest on his throne. Now this is a fascinating prophecy. Israel's kings were to be from the tribe of Judah, Jesus' tribe, by the way. Priests came from the tribe of Levi. But here you have a Levitical priest being crowned like a king. In fact, he's addressed as the branch. All of this is a reference to the Messiah. So here in this rather humble setting of an incomplete temple building, God is telling his people that he's actually paving the way for the promised Messiah. He's going to reign as king one day. So what we see in these visions five hundred years, by the way, before Christ's birth, is God calling these Jewish people to see everything about their lives, their labor, their hopes, their future, all of it as connected to the coming Christ and his kingdom. And so it is for us, beloved, to this very day. Everything we are, everything we're doing in this life, no matter how insignificant it might seem to you today, it's all really connected to God and his plan, isn't it? So whatever it is you're doing, do it and depend as you do it on the power of God's Spirit. Not your strength, but his strength. And as the Apostle Paul tells us over in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 31, whatever you do, do all of it to the glory of God. That's our purpose in life today, to bring God glory. Well, until next time, beloved, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.