lamps are kept alight, not by human agency, in any respect: the oil is secretly conveyed, from God him- self, to every lamp, through the means of his own appointment : and this is the precise meaning which God himself, by his angel, annexes to the vision : " Knowest thou not what these be ? And I said, No, my Lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, say- ing, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, asying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts."
Let us consider these words, I. In reference to the work which was then in hand —
Zechariah was sent to encourage the Jews to re- build their city and temple. Great opposition was made to them ; so that they despaired of ever accom- plishing so great a work. But God, by this vision, instructed the prophet what to say unto them. He was to shew them,
1. That they needed not to desire the aid of men, nor to fear their opposition —
[Men are only what God is pleased to make them. They can do neither good nor evil, any further than he for his own glory enables them to do it. He had not sent armies to deliver them from Egypt : nor could all the power of Pharaoh detain them there. Nor had he brought them out of Babylon by human might or power. Mighty as the Chaldean empire was, and powerful as were the Medo-Persian conquerors of that empire, he had brought them forth, without force, to their native land : and therefore they should bear in mind how impotent the creature was, either to effect or prevent any thing, but in perfect accordance with his purpose, and in sub- serviency to his will.]
2. That they needed only to trust in Him alone — [Nothing in the vision could either promote or obstruct
the supplies of oil from the olives to the lamp : yet not a lamp was left destitute, or ceased to exhibit a splendid light. The Spirit of God did all ; and kept alive the lamps, by a secret, continued, and effectual communication. It was the Spirit, that, by operating on the hearts of men, supplied every part of the furniture belonging to the tabernacle b. It was the Spirit alone that moved the heart of Cyrus to issue his pro- clamation for their return from Babylon c. And it was the
b Exod. xxxv. 21, 22, 26. c 2 Chron. xxxvi. 22, 23.