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Eureka

AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE
Sixth Edition, 1915
By Dr. John Thomas (first edition written 1861)

 

 

Chapter 11

Section 1 Subsection 1

Zechariah’s Symbolism


 
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In the fourth chapter of Zechariah there is a very remarkable symbolic prophecy concerning Zerubbabel and the "great mountain." In this there is contained a hidden mystery -- wisdom concealed, which the prophet confessed he did not understand. The exposition of the eleventh chapter of the apocalypse cannot be satisfactorily unfolded irrespective of Zechariah’s prophecy; for this portion of John’s is a symbolical revelation of the mystery therein contained. We shall therefore briefly look into what the spirit said to Zechariah about Zerubbabel.

First, then, the prophet was symbolically awakened by an angel out of a symbolic sleep, to show that what was about to be revealed would in its consummation, be manifested after he should rise up from among the dead.

Being thus figuratively introduced into the resurrection state, he saw therein a group of symbols representative of post-resurrectional Spirit-manifestation. The one group consisted of a golden lightstand with a hollow ball, or bowl, upon the top, from which projected seven tubes and burners. On each side of this was an olive tree, one on the right, and the other on the left; and from a branch on each tree a golden pipe connected with the bowl. When the prophet beheld the lightstand and the two trees, he inquired of the angel what it meant; or what was the solution of the mystery? But, instead of a definition of the symbols with an analytic exposition of the truth, he was told in very general terms, that the group represented the Spirit in manifestation, prepared to level the Great Mountain, and to establish the Head Stone triumphantly (verses 2-7).

This "great mountain" is the mountain out of which the Head Stone is cut without hand (Dan. ii. 45); and symbolizes "the kingdom of men" as existing at the epoch of its final overthrow, when "the kingdoms of this world become the Lord’s and his Christ’s." "Before Zerubbabel" it becomes "a plain." The HEAD STONE is the Spirit in olive-tree and lightstand manifestation, and surnamed Zerubbabel -- scattered in Babylon. "They shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel those seven, which are the Eyes of Yahweh" (ver. 10). This is the "one stone of seven eyes" surnamed Zerubbabel. It is the Spirit head Stone so named, constituted, not of one individual only, but of a number of individuals, "which no man can number," with one individual at the head of them, named Jesus the Anointed.

But, Zechariah in looking more narrowly at the symbolic group discerned two remarkable olive branches, one upon each of the olive trees; and he saw besides two golden pipes, one proceeding from each olive branch to the golden globe of the lightstand. He perceived, that the pipes were for the conveyance of the golden colored oil from the olive branches into the globe of the lightstands, that it might be combusted in the seven burners at the end of the seven tubes projected from the top of the golden globe. But he did not see into the truth or meaning of the mystery of the two olive branches, and the two golden pipes; he therefore asked the angel what they represented? He gave him, however, very scanty information. He simply replied, "these are the two Sons of Oil standing before the Lord of all the earth" (ver. 14).
 
 

 

 


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