What are the Two Olive Trees? - Zechariah 4:11

In the book of Zechariah, Zechariah shared how Jehovah God asked, “who has despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth”, and in chapter four and verse eleven of Zechariah, Zechariah asked, “what are these two olive trees?” where we read,

Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees

upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 

The verse reads, “Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees …” Zechariah began with the words, “then answered I” or “at that time I, Zechariah, uttered, declared, proclaim and questioned”, “and said unto him” which means “and uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked him, the angel”, “what are these two olive trees” or “whatsoever are these two trees that bear olive berries?” Zechariah questioned the angel what were the two trees that bore olive berries.

The verse continues, “... upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?” Zechariah added the words, “upon the right side” or “on the right region” “of the candlestick” which means “pertaining to the lamp stand” “and upon the left side thereof” or “and on the left region of the lamp stand”. Zechariah shared how he questioned the angel concerning what the two trees that bear olive berries were that were on the right and left regions of the lamp stand.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Zechariah was unaware of the meaning for the “olive trees”which were located on the right and left sides of the lamp stand, so again, he simply asked. We shall learn what these olive trees meant in our next verses, but for now let us be inspired by Zechariah asking questions when he was uninformed. God is an Almighty, all-knowing and omnipresent God whose ways are well beyond ours, and we will not always know or understand what He is doing or what He knows. (See Isaiah 55:8) We may ask, and He may answer our question. However, when He does not reveal what He knows or is doing, we can trust in Him. He is the only One who created us, made us, gives us life, breath and the ability to know Him through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. When we put our faith and trust in Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and provide a trust in Him through His Holy Spirit whether we understand what He is doing or not. (See Proverbs 3:5-6) 

Next time Zechariah asks, “what are these two olive branches”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".