Why did the angel appear to Zechariah in Zechariah chapter 4?
Zechariah 4:1 - 14
ESV - 1 And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.
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Asked January 09 2017
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dayton gbor
Supporter
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Tim Maas
Supporter
By my reading of this chapter, the angel appeared to Zechariah to provide a message of hope and assurance that, even though progress in the re-building of the temple after the return of Judah from its seventy-year exile in Babylon might seem to be going slowly, God (through His word and perfect Spirit (Zechariah 4:6) (as represented by the seven lamps in Zechariah 4:2 -- seven being the number of perfection) was "in control" of the situation, and the re-building would be completed. The two olive trees (Zechariah 4:3) and the two anointed (Zechariah 4:14) (again, by my interpretation) represent Zerubbabel (the civil leader of the returnees) and Joshua (the high priest).
Kenneth Heck
Supporter
This angel is the same one talking to Zechariah who is involved with the 10 visions shown to him, beginning in chapter 1, verse 18, and ending in chapter 6, verse 8. These visions are concerned with the re-establishment of Judah after coming out of Babylon, and its long-term future. The two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth (presumably in heaven) are perhaps Enoch and Elijah.
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