Then he explained to me as follows:
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit—said the LORD of Hosts.
Whoever you are, O great mountain in the path of Zerubbabel, turn into level ground! For he shall produce that excellent stone; it shall be greeted with shouts of 'Beautiful! Beautiful!'"
Zechariah 4:6-7 (Tanakh)
[Dissertation: Israel Today.]
[Zerubbabel means 'Descendant of Babel'. At the Physical Level, there is the man 'Zerubbabel'; but, at the Spiritual Level, there is a person known as Descendant-of-Babel. Descendant-of-Babel emerges from the fog of ignorance as a shadowy figure of tomorrow, identity as yet unknown!
Henceforth, we will leave Zerubbabel to the historians, focussing our attention at the Spiritual Level on Descendant-of-Babel. To obfuscate matters, we may also refer to Descendant-of-Babel as Zerubbabel! It is important to keep the word-play going!
However, before moving on, note that the name 'Descendant of Babel' necessarily implies that Descendant-of-Babel is a Gentile - like the Priests in the Order of Melchizedek.]
And so to the context!
Zechariah 2:5-9 T: Jerusalem will be raised to the Spiritual Level:
5 I looked up, and I saw a man holding a measuring line. 6 “Where are you going?" I asked.
“To measure Jerusalem," he replied, “to see how long and wide it is to be.”
7 But the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him. 8 The former said to him, “Run to that young man and tell him:
“Jerusalem shall be peopled as a city without walls, so many shall be the men and cattle it contains. 9 And I Myself—declares the LORD—will be a wall of fire all around it, and I will be a glory inside it. (Zechariah 2:5-9 (Tanakh))
Note the future tense. Note too how, at Jacob's Well, Jesus raised the whole of worship to the Spiritual Level.
Zechariah 2:14-15 T:
14 Shout for joy, Fair Zion! For lo, I come; and I will dwell in your midst—declares the LORD. 15 In that day many nations will attach themselves to the LORD and become His people, and He will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that I was sent to you by the LORD of Hosts. (Zechariah 2:14-15 (Tanakh))
Again, the future tense is used. The reference is to the time when David's Fallen Tent will be rebuilt.
Zechariah 3:8-9 T:
8 Hearken well, O High Priest Joshua, you and your fellow priests sitting before you! For those men are a sign that I am going to bring My servant the Branch. 9 For mark well this stone which I place before Joshua, a single stone with seven eyes (or facets). I will execute its engraving—declares the LORD of Hosts—and I will remove that country's guilt in a single day. (Zechariah 3:8-9 (Tanakh))
At this point on the timeline, the Covenant was looking ahead to the coming of the Messiah. These words underline the promise, at the same time declaring that Jesus will be Great High Priest [in the Order of Melchizedek].
Zechariah 4 T:
1 The angel who talked with me came back and woke me as a man is wakened from sleep. 2 He said to me, “What do you see?"
And I answered, “I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl above it. The lamps on it are seven in number, and the lamps above it have seven pipes; 3 and by it are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and one on its left.”
This is a vision of what is to come. It refers to the rebuilding of David's Fallen Tent. The Jerusalem Temple - now an abstract temple - is flanked by two existential genealogical trees, Priests in the Order of Melchizedek, who function as Cypress or Myrtle Trees.
4 I, in turn, asked the angel who talked with me, “What do those things mean, my lord?"
5 “Do you not know what those things mean?" asked the angel who talked with me;
and I said, “No, my lord.”
There is the implication that the meaning is such as can be worked out.
6 Then he explained to me as follows:
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit—said the LORD of Hosts.
The Lord's plans will carried out through the authority and power of the Lord Spirit;
7 Whoever you are, O great mountain in the path of Zerubbabel, turn into level ground! For he shall produce that excellent stone; it shall be greeted with shouts of 'Beautiful! Beautiful!'"
All obstacles will be removed, leaving a level playing field for work to proceed.
8 And the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “Zerubbabel's hands have founded this House and Zerubbabel's hands shall complete it. Then you shall know that it was the LORD of Hosts who sent me to you. 10 Does anyone scorn a day of small beginnings? When they see the stone of distinction in the hand of Zerubbabel, they shall rejoice.
Zerubbabel will see the work through to the end.
“Those seven are the eyes of the LORD, ranging over the whole earth.”
11 “And what," I asked him, “are those two olive trees, one on the right and one on the left of the lampstand?" 12 And I further asked him, “What are the two tops of the olive trees that feed their gold through those two golden tubes?"
13 He asked me, “Don't you know what they are?"
And I replied, “No, my lord.”
14 Then he explained, “They are the two anointed dignitaries who attend the Lord of all the earth.” (Zechariah 4 (Tanakh))
See Revelation 11.